Friday, February 29, 2008

Homily – 02-29-2008 - Friday

If we could only grasp the simplicity and the depth of this gospel passage we would have it all: Jesus explains the "great commandment of God." Jesus has the authority to explain it. Jesus has the power to make it effective for us!

When asked by the scribes what the "first of all the commandments" Jesus quotes the Jewish scriptures – in which he, a Jew, was well versed: "You shall love the Lord your God – with all you've got; you shall love your neighbor as you love yourself. There is no commandment greater than these. In effect he is saying the two commandments are really the same one commandment.

He is saying that loving God (the Father) is most important – but that since we cannot see God while living on this earth – loving neighbor as we love ourselves goes absolutely hand in hand with loving God. We demonstrate, we prove our love for God, by loving others as we love ourselves. This is the way God intended. This is the way God insists. This is what we will be judged on at the Last Day. "Did you demonstrate and prove your love for me by loving others as you loved yourself?"

It is scary when we look around at the society in which we live to see how far off the track a great many people are in this regard. We are not to judge those who are obviously missing the boat – but we are to pray for them – and by our example, give them something to imitate.

Unconditional care for everyone in sight is not an easy thing to do; neither is having utmost care and concern for oneself – self-respect, and self-esteem seem to be at all time lows in general.

But if we truly take to heart God's own message to us about how much he loves us with everything he's got – then it should give us every reason to have hope and to want to love him back immediately and to then first love our neighbor as we love ourselves as proof!

I am the Lord your God: hear my voice: I LOVE YOU!

Thursday, February 28, 2008

Homily – 02-08-2008 - Thursday

In the gospel passage today Jesus makes a very interesting statement: "whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters."

In essence this means that because Jesus is truly the Messiah; because God has become man; because an enormously wonderful plan of redemption is now underway – it is impossible for anyone to be on the sidelines. Everyone is called to make a critical, vital and eternally decisive choice! Am I with Jesus, or against him? Am I gathering all of God family together with Jesus – or am I scattering them and driving them away from him? Am I a friend of God, or an enemy?

Jesus tells us: pick, choose, decide! Even if you think you are neutral or just standing still in your stubbornness, you are then backsliding – and counting yourselves on the opposing team. You must pick, choose, decide!

In the first reading today Jeremiah reminds the people that they were quick to first listen to God (as he commanded them to do), and to obey all of his commandments; but then, they stopped in the hardness of their hearts, and by doing so either consciously or unconsciously marched sure-footedly away from God and his protection, care and love.

We, if we look at the history of our lives, can see how we have, in many great and small ways, stopped listening, and either consciously or unconsciously marched away from God – or simply let ourselves be washed away in the current of the evil spirits who roam the world seeking the ruin of souls?

And so, today, if we hear the voice of the Lord, let us not harden our hearts. Let us LISTEN to all he has to say to us, and put it into practice by loving others the best we possibly can. It takes constant effort! It takes diligence and patience! But it is a project that will merit us eternal life in the Kingdom! And so it is well worth the effort!

Let us "be with Jesus" this day!

Let us "gather with him" – and be responsible citizens of earth who ask to be made citizens of heaven!

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Homily – 02-07-08 - Wednesday

In the gospel passage today Jesus tells the disciples that the law that was given to their ancestors is and would always be in effect, no matter what authority he uses to modify or restate the law.

The law – which clearly states correct, upright and moral standards – can never change – because it is based on truth, it is based on eternal principles; it is based on inner workings of conscience. What Jesus adds is that the fulfillment of law is found in LOVE! The law in itself cannot save; but lovingly living the law can save: lovingly living the law as Jesus taught and demonstrated most especially by his self-sacrificial death on the Cross.

If we truly spend our energies during the day trying to figure out how we can allow God to love other people using us – "living love" – then, no doubt, we will be doing and not doing what the "law" commands and prohibits. For this law of love is written in our hearts; and by our incorporation into Christ by baptism and our reception of the Gift of the Holy Spirit – we can know for certain what is lovingly lawful! We will have a desire to do these things more than anything else. Our peace will come from our willingness to help!

Moses tells the Israelites in the first reading – not to forget what their eyes have seen – and how living uprightly, living lovingly as Jesus would put it – is the best way to go!

The Lord made Israel a great nation because it believed and put lawful conduct first; the Lord can make us a great nation of too – if we take that a step further as Jesus taught and put living lovingly first!

Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life; you have the words of everlasting life!

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Homily – 02-26-08 - Tuesday

On this day of Lent we are commanded by God to do something that is usually quite impossible to do on the purely human level: that is: to forgive people for seriously wronging us – and an unlimited number of times at that. There is just something about human nature that rails against such a gesture of seeming inequality and injustice.

But in actuality it is all about equality and justice. It is all about not human equality and justice, but divine equality and justice: the only kind of equality and justice that really counts.

God would have us deal with one another as we really are, as fellow sinners who are called to a transformed reality of life. We are never to settle for or wallow in our sinfulness, we are always to hope and reach for God's graciousness and mercy – which he so eagerly and freely distributes to those who seek it.

God's equality and justice are about seeing ourselves as we truly are: members of fallen humanity who must never look upon one another in a superior or condescending sort of way – not even the seemingly most vile and repulsive among us.

In the gospel passage Jesus tells Peter that if his brother sins against him he must forgive him a limitless number of times, just as God forgives us each and all a limitless number of times. In the first reading it was those who realized what they did not have because of their sin who turned to God with their whole heart and prayed that they be dealt with kindness and great mercy: and God did this - for he seeks a humble and contrite heart!

Forgiveness of others has everything to do with having a humble and contrite heart one's self. For it is those who know they are in need of mercy and who ask mercy who can give mercy and forgiveness in very much the same way that God does. And we are called to be merciful as our Father is merciful.

Remember you mercies, O Lord: guide us in your truth and teach us: for you are God, our Savior! Lord, you show sinners the way: you guide the humble to justice: you teach the humble your ways!

Monday, February 25, 2008

Homily – 02-25-08 - Monday

Our readings today again speak of "thirsting" for God – a desire to "go and have a face to face encounter with God." God the Father wants us to thirst for him; he placed such a thirst deep within each of us; we have only to acknowledge the thirst and the means by which he also gave for that thirst to be quenched: obedience.

In the story of the curing of Naaman, the Syrian, it was finally the obedience to God's instructions – given through the prophet Elisha – to plunge seven times into the Jordan River – that brought about the desired curing from leprosy. But first of all, most of the people involved engaged in debate about the pros and cons of doing what was ordered.

Jesus tells the people in the synagogue in Nazareth – his hometown – that he would have to do most of his work for people other than his own people: the Gentiles, rather than the Jews, because the Jews were just stubbornly disobedient to the promptings of God the Father to believe the person he placed squarely in their midst to cure them and heal them and restore them. The price they had to pay was simple faith – they could not come up with enough even among them to allow Jesus to do more than Jesus a few minor restorations. And so the bountiful harvest would go to the "foreigners."

We today have our choice. We can use the obedience of our faith and invite Jesus to cleanse, renew, heal and strengthen us any way he knows we need – so that we can live useful lives on behalf of others – or not!

We still will always have a subtle, deep longing and yearning and thirst for God – how we use that yearning, how we connect it with faith, how we live our faith in action – will identify us as God's children! Let us use it wisely!

Sunday, February 24, 2008

Homily – 02-24-08 – Third Sunday of Lent

Everyone thirsts! The human body is made up of approximately 60% water. This water is used in the process of living a human life and so it needs to be replenished. The human person needs to take in water – either H20 directly from the tap or nowadays in a bottle – or – in lesser amounts in other foods we eat that contain also water.

It is not uncommon then, from time to time for a person to say outloud: "I thirst! I am thirsty! I need something to drink!" It seems that 4-8 glasses of water a day is the recommended amount to keep the body well lubricated and fully functional!

Everyone thirsts! But there is another thirst that everyone has as well! It is a thirst to KNOW, and to LOVE and to SERVE God – who created the water in the first place, who created us in the second place and who knows exactly what we all need both in the material and spiritual dimensions of our lives!

Thank goodness He knows! Thank goodness He shares that knowledge! Thank goodness all it takes to become functional is our cooperation!

The type of cooperation that God desires is our free, voluntary and loving cooperation; our trusting and obedient cooperation; our responsive, faithful and grateful cooperation! Which is not the kind that was demonstrated by the Israelites in the first reading today: newly formed as God's people they mistrust him almost from the start! Moses has his hands full! And God reluctantly gives them water when they ask in a grumbling, argumentative, even hostile sort of way! If Moses was not God's friend, it might have turned out another way!

We can trust God to provide the water – both physical and spiritual – his own way – in his own time! It should never cross our minds: "Is the Lord in our midst or not?" God is always with us – to supply for all our needs – if we trust him – if we let him!

In the gospel passage Jesus has an encounter with the Samaritan woman to whom he reveals not only to her, but to the whole world that he himself is the source of the spiritual life giving water from God: the life giving water that would be effective by his self-sacrificial death on the Cross and subsequent Resurrection from the dead. He is the Life of the world. He tells her that if she drinks the water he can give her she will never be thirsty again - her spirit would be filled with grace and there would be nothing more to add! She misunderstands and thinks he is talking about water from Jacob's well. Jesus convinces her that his words are no ordinary words – that he is truly the Messiah – and that her spiritual parchment and yearning can be satisfied both now and forever: for the asking – from him!

She asks, he gives; she believes, he is content that at least this one woman is now on the right track! (Jesus has seemingly so few "victories" in his job as Savior).

Today, here and now, we rejoice that 5 of our own neighbors and friends have made the statement of the woman at the well!: "I thirst! I thirst for what the world cannot give me! I thirst for what only God can give me! I thirst for the spiritual waters that flow from the pierced side of Christ Crucified! I thirst to be a member of the Catholic Church!"

We are so happy to have them here. We are so happy to continue their process of Initiation into full communion with us by the ceremony of the First Scrutiny (special composition of prayers) that will open them most fully to what God will bestow on them on Easter Sunday! We are so happy that life-giving water still wells up from the Cross of Christ Crucified!

(Rite of Scrutiny)

Saturday, February 23, 2008

Homily – 02-23-08 - Saturday

Today we celebrate a central fact in the story of salvation: man is a sinner: God is extravagantly merciful and willing to forgive all sin!

In the first reading from the prophet Micah we hear it said that God wants to cast our sins into the depths of the sea – so that he can show he faithfulness to Jacob and grace to Abraham as he swore to our fathers he would do from days of old.

The prerequisite on our part is that we pause, "come to our senses" and desire to turn back to him and live! And so, Jesus, in the gospel passage proposes the parable of the Prodigal Son – the extravagant and negatively reckless son – who squandered his Father's gifts and insulted his birthright.

But we must also view this as the story that of the Prodigal Father – whose love is extravagant and reckless positively – who restores and increases the gifts he gave to his son, telling him that he never really lost his birthright.

All the son had to do was to "come to his senses," rise and return - which he did! And the compassion, love, mercy and forgiveness of the Father were amazing and overwhelming.

In great and small ways, we have, and continue still, to squander gifts from our Father in heaven – may we this day, during this Lenten Season – as a preparation for the celebration of Easter – "come to our senses" – rise and go back to our Father – and be amazed that he welcomes us so readily, so easily, so immediately! The Lord is kind and merciful!

Friday, February 22, 2008

Homily -02-22-08 - Friday

Today we celebrate the reality of Jesus' promise that the Church would be an indispensible means to salvation, and that it would therefore be protected from disintegrating somewhere down the road before the end of time.

We celebrate the Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter!

Jesus unmistakably establishes the Church on the foundation of the 12 Apostles – and unmistakably places Peter in charge of the twelve. It is he alone who is given the "keys of the kingdom" – the power to administer salvation to whomever he chooses. Peter shares the power of the keys with his brother bishops. The bishops share the power of the keys with their helper priests.

From the Chair of Saint Peter flows the organizational life of the Church!

In the first reading today Saint Peter himself exhorts the presbyters – the priests – to tend the flock of God in their midst, overseeing willingly and happily – not grudgingly or for profit. He tells them to be a servant as he himself and Christ were servants – and not to lord anything over on the flock.

In the gospel passage we see that Peter gets his commission to be leader of the Church because of the act of faith that he made when he said: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus tells him that he did not come up with that conclusion on his own: it was revealed to him – on the level of faith – by his Father in heaven. And so our Church is based on the 'rock' of Peter's faith! And it is based on the faith of the Apostles And it is based on our own faith!

All of this makes up the Chair of Saint Peter!

May we look at the Chair of St. Peter – the leadership authority of the Church found in St. Peter and his successors – down to our own Pope Benedict XVI, with great respect and awe – and may we promise God our continued response of faith to his promise of providing the Church as the full and complete means to salvation and the eternal life of beatific vision! Though many who held the office of Pope, Bishop and Priest have not been faithful to their calling; there are so many more who have been. The Church is imperfect; the Church is perfect; the Church is called to the fulfillment of perfection!

The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want. In the Catholic Church I can find the fulfillment of my deepest longings!

Thursday, February 21, 2008

Homily – 02-21-08 - Thursday

Our gospel reading today brings up an interesting point: Abraham says to the rich man: If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.

This means that for those who lived before the time of Christ listening to and adhering to the words of the Law and the Prophets should be enough to persuade people to live upright lives. "If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts!" For this is God speaking plainly and clearly!

With Christ, the voice of God speaking directly – and the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets by his brutal death and then glorious resurrection – only those who can reach back and see in the Law and the Prophets the foundation of the New Law of Love based on Jesus' self-sacrificial death – can understand both, can know the power of both, can live lives differently because of what they have heard and have seen demonstrated for them in both!

When one understands that in Christ salvation resides, all hope resides, all motivation to have trust resides – they will be like trees planted beside the waters that stretches out its roots to the stream: it fears not the heat when it comes, in years of drought it shows no distress.

We can be like those trees in the first reading today; and we can encourage others to be likewise trees with us - for it is God the Father's desire that we always have all we need, both to sustain and protect us! – and as part of the package one did actually rise from the dead!

Blessed are they who hope in the Lord!

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Homily – 02-20-08 - Wednesday

Earlier this week we celebrated "President's Day" – all American presidents in general, Abraham Lincoln and George Washington in particular. We all know that one of Abraham Lincoln's landmark achievements was to "free the slaves." The very thought of slavery, and conditions in which slaves at the time lived, are still repulsive to us to this day! Freedom is the hallmark of being human – every person on the earth is human – and thus deserves to live in freedom!

But in the gospel passage today Jesus teaches us that what was unique about him was that using his entire freedom – he chose to take on the form of a servant – a suffering servant – a slave – being born in the likeness of men! He humbled himself and was born as one like us – to free us – from our slavery to sin! This is the real slavery that is fatal to all who are not freed from it!

In the gospel passage Jesus describes what he will go through to obtain forgiveness of sins: which would entail: going to Jerusalem, being handed over to the chief priests and scribes, who will condemn him to death and hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked, scourged and crucified – and he will be raised on the third day!

The mother of James and John see the glory in all this and wants her sons to have a front row seat in the kingdom when all is said and done! Jesus tells her that these places are reserved for use by his Father! And if anyone wants a place of honor, or to be considered great: then he/she must serve the needs of others: he/she must be a slave JUST AS JESUS HIMSELF CAME TO BE A SLAVE! Jesus did not come to serve himself – at all – but to give his life in ransom for the many!

In the first reading today, Jeremiah, a spokesman, a prophet of God, hears people whispering and taunting him from the sidelines as he tries to do his job of persuading the people to turn from their slavery to sin, and persuading God not to deal harshly with them – it is our duty and our job as baptized Catholics to do the same thing, especially during Lent – to persuade people to turn from their senseless, useless slavery to sin, and to pray to God not to deal harshly with them who either do turn away or those who don't.

We too must be slaves of Christ – for that is our joy – that is our glory – that is our freedom - that is our hope of a good seat in heaven! James and John had to drink the cup of the Lord's suffering – so will we – but for those who have faith – it will all work out in the end – when the Lord will save us in his kindness!

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Homily – 02-19-08 - Tuesday

To the upright I will show the saving power of God. This was the responsorial refrain after the first reading today! It reminds us that we need to aim at making our words and our deeds; our very lives: upright in the sight of God, so that he in turn can show his saving power when we are in need of it.

This means, as the first reading tells us: washing ourselves clean! It means putting away misdeeds, ceasing doing evil and learning to do good; making justice our aim. Then when we have set things right, God will set things right for us: though our sins be as scarlet they will become white as snow, though they be crimson red, they may become white as wool.

If you are willing, and obey (the will of God) then you shall eat the good things of the land; but if you refuse and resist, you will be consumed by the justice of God. These are serious words meant to be heard by us all!

In the gospel passage, Jesus tells his disciples that the scribes and Pharisees, though they know all about the mechanics of being good, just, and upright – in practice they do not do these things themselves. So he tells the disciples that their preaching is good for learning; but their example is bad for imitating.

The scribes and Pharisees loved exalting themselves – and having everyone else exalt them – being the religious symbols that they were; but God was not pleased with this outward show of vanity and vainglory. No doubt they would be dealt with harshly on the Last Day.

May we today live upright lives – in all humility, goodness and justice – and God will visit us and help us, and help others through us – and we shall continue during our Lenten journey to make for ourselves a new heart and a new spirit!

Monday, February 18, 2008

Homily – 02-18-08 – Monday

In our scripture readings today we read the words of God which are spirit and life. The words of God give us courage. The words of God bring us peace. The words of God call us to our full potential.

In the first reading from the Book of the Prophet Daniel we have a wonderful passage in which the men of Judah, the residents of Jerusalem, and all Israel, near and far consider their wayward, sinful ways and give God the justice – hoping, all the while, for his compassion and forgiveness.

Jesus in the gospel passage makes it clear that God the Father is always interested in mercy, compassion and forgiveness. It is there for the asking – but the logical condition on our side is that we try our best to deal mercifully, compassionately, forgivingly and lovingly with all our brothers and sisters. "Stop judging, stop condemning, forgive, give! And you will not be judged, condemned; you will be forgiven and given to."

The measure that we measure out with, will be the measure that is measured back to us with! Can we afford not to take God's spoken word concerning this?

This day let us give and forgive abundantly, so that we may have what we need abundantly, especially forgiveness from God on that Day when it will really count!

Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life; you have the words of everlasting life.

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Homily – 02-17-08 – Second Sunday of Lent

We continue our Lenten theme this week of: Jesus, the Suffering Servant, by considering the event of his Transfiguration upon the mountain in the presence of Peter, James and John, and also in the presence of Moses and Elijah. Moses and Elijah represent the Old Order; Peter, James and John the soon to be established New Order.

This event took place chronologically about a week before the Passion of Jesus. Jesus was making his way resolutely, deliberately and with a deep sense of joy in his heart – to Jerusalem – for the last time: he would be crucified by the end of the week: and he did not shrink back! He embraced the completion of his earthly life's work!: the redemption of bodies; the salvation of souls - because God the Father loved us so very much!

On this day, on that mountain: Jesus was discussing with Moses who represented the "Law" of God; and Elijah, who represented the Prophets of God – the details of the upcoming events. He was telling them that on Friday both the Law and the Prophets would be fulfilled – completely, totally, and irrevocably – in his voluntary and free self-sacrificial death. Jesus would take upon himself every negative thing about Fallen Humanity – and transform it into something infinitely positive by dying like one of his creatures – and dying a most brutal death at that!

Jesus is truly the servant of God, who gathered all of the suffering of the world into himself to redeem it and change it into newness of life!

In the second reading today St. Paul tells us to "bear our share of hardship for the gospel – with the strength that comes from God." This is a very important statement! As Jesus embraced his "suffering servanthood," so too we are called to embrace ours! Hardship comes with the gospel – they go hand in hand! But so too does joy, and new and peaceful life! They go hand in hand with the gospel as well! But you can't have the one without the other!

The strength to bear the hardship comes from the Holy Spirit; as well as the strength to celebrate the joy! Both take effort – but the second is a vitalizing kind of effort that comes from doing what is right and good!

All of this might be difficult to understand or to incorporate into one's life: that is why, in the first reading today – we see how Abram was promised many blessings – including the strength to do what God asked him to do – because he was the first to believe in God as One, Creating, Benevolent, Spiritual Being! And it is our incorporation into the family faith of Abraham that makes it possible for us to understand what God is telling us, and to put it into practice!

When we profess our faith – as we do at this Mass – or any other time – we are making amazing and unparalleled statements that no other group of people in human history has ever made. We can do this because of God's invitation to do so; and because we generously respond to the invitation and BELIEVE – as did Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Elijah, Peter, James and John, Paul and all the rest - all the way down to our own generation!

Let your mercy be on us, O Lord, as we place our trust in you as all of them did and do!

Saturday, February 16, 2008

Homily – 02-16-08 - Saturday

Our readings today call us to the very perfection of God. This may seem to be something unattainable or even undesirable for us! Perfection sounds so boring and uneventful! Too much peace and tranquility is not my "thing" – so many people think!

But when we reconsider – and see what life really is like without God and his perfection: the chaos, the darkness, the inability of people to get along with God and with one another – then, God's insistence that we shoot for the perfection that he himself will provide – if we ask – is not too much after all.

In the time of Moses – the results of lawlessness were quite evident – certainly the perfection of life was nowhere to be seen. But then God intervened in human history and began to form a people "peculiarly his own" – a people from whom would come the redeemer of the world – the one who would bring restoration and perfection in its fullness to all of creation!: Jesus Christ.

And so, in the first reading we see God establishing a covenant with Moses and his community – a special relationship with the people he chose to be his own. He would be their God, and they would be his faithful people who feared him, walked in his ways, and followed the commandments and laws that he was now giving so that they could know they were pleasing to him.

And they did, follow the law of God (the guide to perfection) that he gave them; and they were his special people!

In the gospel passage, however, Jesus tells his disciples that now that he is present on the scene, it is necessary to go a step farther: just obeying the letter of the law was no longer enough: he came to fulfill the law – to make its spirit the focal point and not the letter! And so again, in today's passage, Jesus takes a familiar law: "love your neighbor, not your enemy" – and changes it: with the authority that he had to do so: "LOVE YOUR ENEMIES" he now says: PRAY FOR THOSE WHO PERSECUTE YOU that you may be children of your heavenly Father – for God allows the sun to rise on, and the rain to fall on - the good and bad alike!

Jesus says: be different from the pagans – even they greet their brothers – I tell you: GREET EVERYONE as GOD YOUR FATHER GREETS EVERYONE! BE PERFECT AS HE IS PERFECT! With his help – the grace of the Holy Spirit – it is certainly not impossible to be perfect! In fact it is the entire goal of our lives: to reach perfection!

This kind of perfection is not something dull and boring at all – it is life in the dynamic eternal exchange of love between God the Father and God the Son – there is music, and dancing, and merry-making; there is feasting, celebrating and giving thanks that goes on – forever!

All we need do to be there is to seek it; ask for it; and receive it!

On this day of Lent, let us seek, ask and receive!

Friday, February 15, 2008

Homily – 02-15-08 - Friday

"Cast away from you all the crimes you have committed, says the Lord, and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit." This is the verse before the gospel at today's Mass.

In commanding us to cast away our "crimes" our "sins" our "transgressions" our "stubborn prejudices" our "faulty perspective" – the Lord is at the same time empowering us to make a new heart and a new spirit.

God the Father wants so much for his people to BE RENEWED – IN HEART AND IN SPIRIT!

In the first reading from the prophet Ezekiel, the Lord says very clearly: "if the wicked man turns away from all the sins he committed, if he keeps all my statutes and does what is right and just, he shall surely live, he shall not doe. None of the crimes he committed shall be remembered against him; he shall live because of the virtue he has practiced."

There is a way for us to participate in our own redemption: by choosing to turn away from what our conscience, and from what God's word in Scripture tells us is not right and just!

In the gospel passage Jesus tells his disciples that "their righteousness must surpass that of the scribes and Pharisees, or else they will not enter the Kingdom of heaven." He tells them that just skimping by and observing the strict letter of the law will get them nowhere – it is going to the heart and discerning and living the spirit of the law that will give them life! Hence, "thou shall not kill" also now includes "thou shall not even be angry with your brother, or call him "Fool" – this goes to the heart of the law – this goes to the heart of the matter – this goes to the heart of redemption!

Jesus could have pricked his finger and shed his blood to save us from our sins: but he went to the heart of the matter – he went to the heart of the Crucifixion – he poured out his Sacred Blood and water from his pierced side after he hung dead, by murder – for us! By this unparalleled action our heart and our spirit can be renewed!

Today let us choose to live virtuously – let us choose to be appreciative of what you did for us on the Cross, Jesus – let us choose to cast from us all the crimes we have committed and to make for ourselves new hearts and new spirits - by going all the way – like you did!

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Homily – 02-14-08 - Thursday

We pause today in our celebration of "weekdays in Lent" to honor two outstanding bishops in the Church from the 9th century: Sts. Cyril and Methodius. They were blood brothers who joined the brotherhood of priests and then apostles who gave themselves to Christ Jesus, so that Jesus could extend his reign using them.

They were born in Thessalonica (Greece) of a wealthy family. They were well educated. Methodius had more of an organizational temperament; while Constantine was more "The Philosopher" the Teacher, the gifted communicator. Fifty days before his death, Constantine took the monastic habit, and the name Cyril. God used both their talents to bring the faith to the Slavic nations. Since both were gifted in the language of the people, they were sent by the pope to bring the truth of the Gospel to them.

In fact, Cyril combined the Greek alphabet with the Slavonic alphabet and came up with an alphabet named after himself: Cyrillic. The Bible and the Liturgy were translated into Cyrillic – it was easily understandable to the people – and they were among the first to have access to the mysteries of God in their own vernacular language. How advantageous this was both then, and now!

In the first reading today from the Acts of the Apostles we see how the Gentiles rejoiced in having the word of God preached to them: to be their light, to be their guide, to be their security in a dark, cruel world.

In the gospel passage we see Jesus sending out the "further seventy-two" – mostly in pairs (like Cyril and Methodius) to announce that "the Kingdom of God is at hand for you."

These two brothers certainly were instrumental in expanding the presence of the Kingdom of God among the Gentiles in the Slavonic countries!

May we, with them, this day, tell the Good News of Jesus – and his love and his forgiveness and his salvation – to all we meet! Go out to all the world, and tell the Good News!

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Homily – 02-13-08 - Wednesday

In our verse before the gospel today we read: "Even now, says the Lord, return to me with your whole heart for I am gracious and merciful." And the responsorial refrain was: "A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn."

These are the key ideas of this day of Lent: all it takes is a humble, contrite turning back to God with our whole hearts that will make the grace and mercy of God accessible for us.

No one is living a perfect life; everyone knows deep down the areas that need "con-verting," that need "turning-back to God – whole-heartedly" – all it takes is our willingness and God does the rest! He takes us back, he rejoices in our purity of heart – he bestows his wondrous grace and mercy.

To motivate us to make such adjustments in our lives – we need not test God – and expect him to perform magic tricks for us in order for us to put our belief in his words, his ways, his commands! In the gospel passage Jesus says there will be no further sign: there is only one who is greater than Solomon; there is only one who is greater than Jonah: it is ME! Jesus is the sign par-excellence. He accepts our contrite and humble hearts; he distributes his grace and mercy to us who simply acknowledge our need, who acknowledge our offenses!

Have mercy on us, O God, in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out our offenses – a clean heart create for us, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within us.

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Homily -02-12-08 - Tuesday

In our first reading today from the Prophet Isaiah it is prophesied that the word of God the Father – that is: the Word of God – Jesus – would come to the earth and do the will of the Father. He would achieve the end for which he was sent: namely, the salvation of the human race.

From all their distress, we sang as our responsorial refrain, God rescues the just.

If we then LISTEN to the Word of God – who came to speak very plainly, loudly and clearly what is God's will – then we will be clear about a great many things regarding the living out of our human lives.

For example, if we listen to, and actually use, the magnificent, the all-inclusive, the absolutely perfect prayer that Jesus taught us, as recorded in today's gospel passage – then all of our concerns will be addressed – and we shall know how to live a perfect life.

He said, when you pray – pray simplynot babbling on like pagans: pray this:

Our Father who is in heaven

Holy is your name,

Your Kingdom come,

Your will be done on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread;

And forgive us our sins

As we forgive those who sin against us;

And lead us not to the test,

But deliver us from all evil.

Then he underscores a very crucial part of the prayer: if you forgive others for what they do to you, God will forgive you what you do to him; if you do not, then he will not! And if he will not – then you are in deep trouble! The whole coming to earth of the Word, his Son, will have been in vain for you!

May we strive this and each and every day of our lives to pray simply and live devoutly the Lord's Prayer – just as Jesus himself modeled it – and lived it first!

Monday, February 11, 2008

Homily – 02-11-08 - Monday

We have a very powerful message in our Lenten readings today: be holy, be loving, your eternal salvation depends upon it!

One thing is for certain, God is very concerned about how we relate to one another. He has made it so that the amount and quality of the way we deal with one another is the measure by which we measure the amount and quality of our love for him!

In our first reading from the book of Leviticus, the Lord instructs Moses to tell the people: "Be holy, for I, the Lord, your God, am holy." This statement is wonderful news. In telling us to be holy, the Lord also empowers us to be holy. He fills our minds and hearts with the information and motivation we need to be holy people: made in his image.

The reading goes on to give many examples of right, good and just treatment of neighbors – we need to treat them as we would want to be treated: without robbing them of what is rightfully theirs, either in property or good name; without defrauding them; without aggravating them or purposely annoying them; judging them justly when they must be judged; not hating them or taking revenge or holding a grudge: you shall love your neighbor as you love yourself.

In the gospel passage, Jesus, very clearly restates this idea in unequivocally simple imagery: in loving your neighbor: what you do for the least of my brothers and sisters, you do for me: and for this, and this alone, shall you be judged on that Final Day. If you give food to the hungry, drink to the thirsty, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, care for the ill, visit the imprisoned then you will inherit everlasting life: if you do not do these things you will inherit everlasting death and torment. The choice is yours!

It seems like an unlikely choice: who would not choose life? But some don't – in fact, a lot don't – in fact, a very many lot don't. So preoccupied with their own hungers and thirsts, and need for attention and clothing; so intent are they on their own illnesses, so disabled are they by their own voluntary imprisonments that they do not even see other people around them – and therefore, they stand as doomed: unless, in their lifetime someone can get through to them and help them see the very message that Jesus presents here.

We can help Jesus present this extremely vital message today by demonstrating how rewarding it is to put self last, others and God first and thus experience the pleasure, power and wealth that comes from genuine, authentic and real self-sacrificing
loving service: the very experience and reality of GOD IN HIMSELF!

Your words, O Lord, are Spirit and life: may we take them to heart and put them into practice today, for our good and for the good of our brothers and sisters everywhere!

Sunday, February 10, 2008

Homily – 02-10-08 – First Sunday of Lent

It was Bishop Fulton Sheen – a very eloquent writer, preacher and teacher – who had a television show (in black and white) – when I was growing up – who some of you may remember for his piercing dark eyes, high cheekbones – and a booming baritone voice – who said in his book: "Life of Christ" that "Jesus Christ is the only person in human history who was born into the world to die! Jesus is the only one who lived a human life backwards."

This means that the Cross on which he died, 33 years after his birth, was always a part of his life. Bishop Sheen tells us that "there is hardly anything that Jesus ever said or did that can be understood without relating it to his self-sacrificial death on the Cross."

Jesus came to be the Suffering Servant! And this is our Lenten perspective – our Lenten theme – to learn everything we can about Jesus who willingly, and deliberately and lovingly made haste for the Cross from the moment he left his mother's arms and took his first steps!

Our first reading today describes the problem that Jesus came to reconcile – fix – heal! Our first parents sinned grievously against God, the Father-Creator. They mistrusted his word to them, they disobeyed a direct order from him! They fell for the clever musings of a snake – the personification of the Evil One – and they lost all of the gracious gifts that God had given them. Basically the only thing they had left was each other – and a cold, cruel world to endure.

The only one who could "fix" the problem was one who was both God and man at the same time! Only God could bring about justice with God; man had to be the one offering a suitable sacrifice, because he was the offender. Only one person in history could fit this bill: Jesus – who was the Son of God and Son of Man at the same time.

And so, when all was ready, in the fullness of time, Jesus arrived on the human scene and made his way to the Cross! Only a complete offering in love - to the point of death - of himself to the Father, could bring about the forgiveness of sins and the beginning of a brand new kind of life for all human beings.

As St. Paul tells us in the first reading: it was the TRUST and OBEDIENCE that Jesus had and offered to his Father that "bridged the gap." But it was not going to be an easy trek to the Cross at all. Going into the desert to prepare himself for his life's work – at age 30 – Jesus was tempted at the end of a very long period of fasting and prayer to forget about the Cross. It was the same tempter tempting who tempted our first parents. "Don't go for the Cross," Satan taunts Jesus. "Look, I can give you supreme power on the earth; I can satisfy your hunger for bread and all the good things of life, after all you are practically starving, aren't you?; I can make you like a god on this earth if you fall down and worship me!"

Jesus, however, unlike our first parents, who were not even hungry and distressed when they sinned, NEVER TOOK HIS EYES FROM HIS FATHER IN HEAVEN - OR THE CROSS AWAITING HIM – and he told Satan: "No!" NO! NO! NO! I will not be derailed from the path that I freely choose to take. Be gone!" And Satan left him, for the time being!

JESUS ALWAYS LIVED HIS LIFE – voluntarily, joyfully and freely – IN THE SHADOW OF THE CROSS– because he knew about Easter Sunday – he knew that it would all turn out! It didn't make any of his suffering easier – as we will see in the coming weeks – but it did make it doable! There is nothing he would not have done to redeem us! He came to this world for US!

What does this mean for us? We are children of our first parents! And even though we are baptized into the life of Jesus' death and resurrection - and are adopted children of God – we still are weighed down by the residual effects of that first sin! And in fact, we still sin! All of us! We are sinners!

Therefore, we can do two things during this Lenten Season to help ourselves – 1) we can remember that we are sinners and begin to really learn to ask for God's mercy – to ask for a purity of heart that will make our souls whiter than snow; 2) we can remember that we too have a cross shadowing our own lives: it's a condition for our entrance into eternal life: Jesus said: "I carried mine! Now, you carry yours! But just remember that yours is only a miniscule fraction of the weight of the one that I carried! And I am here to help you carry it! Your yoke will be easy, and your burden light!"

Let us this Lent say YES YES YES to Christ our Lord, Christ our Brother, Christ the Suffering

Servant! Let us open our lips and our mouths and proclaim his praise always!

Saturday, February 9, 2008

Homily – 02-09-08 - Saturday

Everyone wants a peaceful life! Everyone wants a life of security, certainness and positiveness! But, no one has this "coming to them." For we are born into the world as children of our first parents – who upset the apple cart – who chose discord, lack of security, uncertainness and negativity both for themselves and for all their descendants.

But, a way was provided by God to have the peace restored – the security, the certainness and positiveness reestablished: and that is to live the "life of loving" that was modeled after the life of his own Son who came to dwell among us – that was modeled after his own life in himself. But this way must be chosen by us – we must decide to follow the way!

And so, the prophet Isaiah in the first reading, tell us that God asks us to choose to remove oppression against people from our midst, to stop accusing each other of false things, to stop malicious speech of all kinds – to bestow bread on the hungry and help the afflicted in any of his needs: then LIGHT SHALL RISE FOR YOU IN THE DARKNESS – and peace shall reign in your hearts, a life of security, certainness and positiveness will be yours!

In the gospel passage Jesus calls to be a disciple Levi – a tax collector – a person who probably not only extorted money in the regular running of his business – but he did it, most shamefully, against his own people – his fellow Jews! He was a traitor in their eyes! And what happened was that Levi's life was made right, and whole and secure – by the grace of God, distributed by Jesus, in the Holy Spirit – he chose to follow Jesus. He even threw a party for him, he was so happy to be associated with him!

When we turn away from our dubious way of life and follow Jesus – and choose to follow his certain and truthful teachings: they will lead us across the bridge to eternal life: and the road will be a whole lot easier than it would be otherwise.

Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth!

Friday, February 8, 2008

Homily – 02-08-09 - Friday

Fasting is defined as "a period of abstention or self-denial." The days of Lent are characterized by such a fasting of spirit, if not also of material things.

The purpose of fasting is twofold: it is to prioritize one's values – by focusing on a higher good over a lower one; and it is to allow God the opportunity to work through us in a less encumbered way.

In the first reading from the prophet Isaiah today we see the kind of fasting that God wishes from us that would be acceptable to him: as a focus of higher value he wants us to help others: releasing those bound unjustly, untying the thongs of the yoke, setting free the oppressed, breaking every yoke; sharing our bread with the hungry and the oppressed and the homeless, clothing the naked when we see them and not turning our back on our own!

This would not only fulfill the first purpose of fasting – to take the focus off ourselves – but also the second purpose of partnering with God in caring for his people!

And then comes the promised reward: "Then your light shall break for like the dawn, and you wound shall quickly be healed; your vindication shall go before you, and the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer, you shall cry for help, and he will say: "Here I am!" There is no greater reward than this!

In the gospel passage, Jesus, explains why his disciples are "temporarily" not fasting – as John the Baptist's disciples are fasting: he explains that fasting is done when the object of the fasting (the bridegroom) is absent; or not yet present: Jesus, the Bridegroom, is present to his disciples and so they do not fast: instead they have the privilege of being motivated and empowered to act like him, seeking good and doing it with his help! But, he tells the questioner, there will come a time when he is taken away (during his Passion) when the disciples will fast; and then again at his Ascension when he is taken from their sight to return again: during these times: it will be appropriate for periods of fasting and refocusing – such as periods of Lent which the Church provides each year to keep us on track!

A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn. Take our humble, contrite hearts today, O Lord, and by our loving, helpful service to our neighbor, let us fast and pray in an acceptable way!

Thursday, February 7, 2008

Homily – 02-07-08 - Thursday

Our Lenten message for today cannot get plainer: it contains three parts: 1) God utterly respects our freedom of choosing between two opposite realities; 2) God has authored the way leading to life, which involves a choice on our part; 3) we, each, must deliberately choose life in order to get life – life here, and life everlasting!

The first reading from Deuteronomy beautifully illustrates God's respect for us as the intelligent creatures that he made us: he wants us to have life, he wants us to have gifts, he wants us to be with him forever – but he does not want to force it upon us – and so he places a dish before us with two entrees: life, with a side-dish of prosperity; and death, with a side-dish of doom. He then tells us to choose: but he expresses his own hopeful opinion in the matter: CHOOSE LIFE and the blessing; not DEATH and the curse!

Every person who has ever lived has had to make the choice: now it is our turn! What is your choice? What is my choice?

In the gospel passage Jesus tells us the same thing but only from another point of view – but it is not contrary to the choice God his Father placed before the people of old: Jesus says you must choose the cross in order to get life; choose to endure whatever suffering comes along in life, or is sent by the Father as a test; choose death to self-will so that all of the benefits of my death on the Cross and resurrection can be yours!

They can be, if we choose the cross! And so choosing life, and choosing the cross, are really the same thing!

This Lent may we embrace our cross, love our cross and unite it to the Cross of Christ which gives it power to save us and bring us to an amazing new life that is waiting for us!

Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Homily – 02-06-08 – Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Lenten Season. It is a time set aside by the Church for us to prepare ourselves most intently to celebrate the events of Holy Week, six weeks hence. It is a time that reflects the 40 days that Jesus spent in the desert preparing for his life's work! 40 days is a suitable time for intense preparation!

During this time we must remember who it is that is doing the preparing: us! We must remember that we stand in need of God's mercy and forgiveness as much now, as people of any other age in history, if not more so. We too live a life that is filled with the good, the bad and the beautiful and the ugly! But, we must also remember that this is precisely why Jesus came into the world: to remove our sin, to remove our guilt, to restore our life, to turn our sadness into joy!

The prophet Joel in the first reading tells us what is required of us: a turning back to the Lord, with all our hearts! But, a dramatic outward show of remorse will get us nowhere – it is the interior rending of the heart (because of the love of God) that will bring us mercy and forgiveness

Jesus, himself, in the gospel passage reiterates the same message: he says: Don't perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father. If you want praise from people; you will not get praise from God – especially, when it counts!

When you give alms: don't advertise it!

When you do your private praying to God: go into your room – or at least the secret room of your heart – without being noticed,

When you fast: don't moan and complain and let everyone feel sorry for you – for the pity you get from them, will be the only pity you get – you won't be getting any from God when it counts.

In the second reading, St Paul tells the Corinthians the bottom line: BE RECONCILED TO GOD. This is what is most important! Every day of our lives – but especially during this Holy Season of Lent – we need to measure our day by our response to God's personal invitation to be reconciled. We need no longer live in sin, in darkness, in confusion, in ignorance, in chaos, in the super-sad-secularistic philosophy of the day – we can receive the grace of God and allow him to make all the difference in our world.

Behold, NOW is a very acceptable time to do this converting totally to God and his ways – behold NOW is the day of salvation!

If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts!

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Homily – 02-05-08 - Tuesday

Saint Agatha was born in Sicily in the year 251. Like many young women of her day, in early Christianity, she devoted her life to God and to the practice of her religion. She promised God virginity as a very concrete sign of her love and devotion.

When challenged to set aside her choice of celibacy and virginity by hostile, forceful and lustful men, Agatha prayed to God for strength - and she endured the punishment of the body that came as a result.

We thank Agatha for demonstrating for us that when we turn to God, when we call upon him for help – he does in fact hear us, and answer us! She died a martyr's death in prison as a result of wounds incurred for her faith!

She is venerated and honored especially in Sicily!

In the life and martyrdom of young Agatha we see how God –as described in the first reading – chooses those who are considered weak, foolish and lowly – to bring to nothing the strong, falsely wise, and self-exalted. He does this to make it known that in him alone is boasting to be done. Of ourselves we are nothing, and can do nothing pleasing to God – or truly helpful to anyone else.

In the gospel passage, Jesus presents the condition of discipleship which Agatha embraced wholeheartedly: you must take up your cross and follow in my footsteps – if you wish to gain everlasting life. He says in so many words; I carried my cross, so you must carry yours!

Agatha carried hers – well – and felt the Spirit of God rest upon her as she endured persecution for the sake of the Kingdom!

Into your hands, O Lord, we commend our spirits.

Monday, February 4, 2008

Homily – 02-04-08 - Monday

Our first reading today shows how King David is facing rebellion in his own family – as his son Absalom is dividing the loyalty of the people of Israel. They are going over to him and encouraging division and confusion.

Because he knows of his father, David's, sins of murder and adultery, Absalom feels that he has ammunition enough to persuade the people. But he fails to remember that the Lord God forgave David's sin because his heart was truly contrite and he confessed his sin!

An image in the reading that is a prophecy of Jesus is David going up to the Mount of Olives – weeping! This is the very place where Jesus will sit and wept over the city of Jerusalem on the eve of his passion! Jesus was about to give his life for a people whose loyalty was severely divided against him, who chose to live a life divided and full of confusion. They were rejecting the very one who alone could heal, reconcile and redeem them!

In the gospel passage Jesus cures a man possessed with an unclean spirit. He does this very easily – but makes a show of it to emphasize a point. The swine that are cast over the bluff represents those who will be cast over the cliff at the Last Day if they do not submit to his spiritual authority! Those who have a clean spirit and a clean heart – who proclaim God's spiritual authority over them -will not have to worry about plunging to their eternal demise – they will be gathered into loving and gentle arms of their Shepherd Father.

May we this day reduce the confusion in our lives by remaining loyal to Jesus – to his word, his will and his way – for it guarantees us life in the Kingdom – and there is no better, more welcome guarantee than this!

Sunday, February 3, 2008

Homily – 02-03-08 – 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Imagine, if you will, an immense painting of a red-rimmed circle – this is a very immense circle, so much so that you can barely see the circumference of it – if at all. The fill-color of the circle is white and in the middle of the circle there is a tiny black dot!

This image can be useful in understanding today's readings from scripture. But there are so many different interpretations that can be applied to it. Some of the questions it could answer are these: "What do we consider to be the 'center' of our life?" What is that holds our deepest interest, our heartfelt craving, our chief focus of attention? What is it? Or who is it? And why is it what or who it is?

The answer could be any number of things, or any number of persons – the answer could be shallow and trite, or essentially deep and well-thought out!

No matter how we view the painting, however, it will all come down to two choices: is the focal point YOU, or is it GOD?

There is another way of looking at the painting as well! If we consider the white area surrounding the dot we can see it basically in one of two ways: it is either the enormity of our own self-interest, gratification and glorification, which has smothered God out and reduced him to an almost invisible shadow somewhere in the surface of our lives; or we can look at the white part as God – as the enormity of God's love, care, compassion, providence, mercy and forgiveness that he o so gently and sweetly caresses us with - the o so fragile and priceless image in the middle of his life.

The readings today tell us that GOD IS GOD! He is all-powerful, all-knowing, all-wise, all-caring…and he absolutely loves to take care of what he has created: especially mankind with whom he can interact in a personal way! That is why he made us persons! The only catch is that mankind must keep right-sized and in proper relation with God. It must accept its humble position in the painting that was crafted by a master artist! It must let itself be taken care of by God.

In order for God to truly be God in our lives we must confess that we truly need him! For the fact is that of ourselves we are nothing! We are here at all because he FIRST loved us and made us – every one of us - and now sustains and nurtures us! And so, looking carefully at ourselves and enumerating our poverty (of various kinds), our weaknesses, our lowly standing in the overall scheme of things – when we place these before God and offer them to him – as we do at this and every Mass – then he receives the offering and transforms us into active agents of his love for our brothers and sisters. God loves others through us. And he loves us through them. If there is no interchange of persons…there is no exchange of love – love is not felt – and needless loneliness, depression and despair exist in the world.

God purposely, as we see in the first reading today, made the people of Israel a remnant – a small, poor, humble shadow of their former selves – as he readied them to receive what could exalt them in their lowliness: the Messiah, the spiritual King who would come to meet all their needs. He would be the Great Giver; they would be the grateful receivers.

St. Paul reaffirms God's choice of such unlikely candidates to receive his blessings: the foolish of the world, the weak, the lowly, the count-for-nothings. This is all so that GOD COULD BE ALL, so that God could be greatest! For the simple fact is: HE IS! HE IS ALL! HE IS GREATEST! So, then who ever boasts, should boast in the Lord working though him. We do nothing good in deed or thought without him and his Spirit working through us!

Jesus, the Messiah, when at last he came, spells it out very plainly for us all: the poor in spirit – the persecuted for righteousness sake – will inherit the Kingdom – because God will be accomplishing in them what they themselves cannot do for themselves.

The red-rimmed trim of the painting of the circle we mentioned earlier is the Blood of Christ – it is the Love of God that surrounds the entire world – everything and everyone in it! What is amazing about this painting is that what we decide, how we view it, what changes we make in our lives because of it, really counts.

This is interactive artwork at its finest!

Is the dot in the middle us or God; is the white space around the dot us or God; is the red-rim trim around the circle God's Love for us and our brothers and sisters or our own stubborn selfish loved for ourselves?

The choice is ours about the true meaning of our painting as we view it, and about how the story concerning our painting will turn out for us when all the paintings in the world are collected - in the Great Gallery of Heaven - for judging - on the Last Day!

Blessed are the poor in spirit; the kingdom of heaven is theirs!

Saturday, February 2, 2008

Homily – 02-02-08 - Saturday

Today's feast is yet again another "feast of light" as we recall the early months of Jesus' life. Today the Church traditionally has blessed candles as a symbol of the light of Christ. Today we celebrate with light, a feast of Jesus and a feast of Mary; it is a feast of Simeon, it is our feast as well.

Mary carried the true light of the world to the temple: Jesus her son. The true light was received by Simeon in the temple - who was promised this privilege before God – promised the task of announcing Jesus as a "light to the gentiles and the glory of the people, Israel." And we on this day have been commissioned to carry the light of Christ to the world – so that all for whom Jesus would later suffer and die would know about him, so they could love him and his Father, and serve them by loving their neighbors.

Jesus "lighted" our humanity by taking it on; by taking on our flesh and blood. By living a perfect life, he made it possible for us to perfect our own – if we choose to. We must not ignore the divine help that God the Father took all the pains to provide for our safe passage through life.

May our lives in Christ enlighten our neighborhoods and our work places – there is no need for them to be in ignorance and darkness and hostility! No need at all!

Thank you Mary for presenting Jesus; thank you Simeon for receiving Jesus – help us to truly appreciate what happened on this day – and to act on that appreciation!

Friday, February 1, 2008

Homily – 02-01-08 - Friday

Today we see that not even the Lord's choice selected leader of his people is free from sin. David with whom he had a special love demonstrates that he is certainly one of the children of Adam and Eve – one of the children who is cooperating with the deception that was introduced into the world by the Evil one. David – because of lust – the very antithesis of real authentic and genuine love – loses his sense of reason, loses his sense of justice, loses his sense of true reality. David sins twice – and very seriously both times.

He sins by arranging for the death of Uriah, Bathsheba's husband; he sins by having relations with Bathsheba while she was still married to Uriah!

The responsorial psalm holds the key, however, to today's message. It is David's own composition: "Have mercy, on me, O God, in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense. Thoroughly was me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me. For I acknowledge my offense and my sin is before me always: Against you only have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight."

David was truly and heartfeltly contrite – and the Lord forgave him and joy and gladness was returned to his heart!

For this, David can be a model for us! When sin comes our way – which please God should be less and less and less as we progress in a truly spiritual, Christ-centered life: the Lord Jesus and his Father will always offer forgiveness for the truly contrite of heart! And a deep sense of joy and gladness will be restored to the lost soul.

This type of progress, slow and sometimes tedious is what Jesus is referring to in the gospel passage when he speaks about growth into full membership in the Kingdom. There are stages that we need to go through, there are steps that we have to take, decisions of conversion and repentance that we have to make – sometimes over and over again – so that we can become ripe fruit at harvest time: on the Last Day.

The mustard seed is a tiny seed which grows into a large tree, Jesus tells us. The tree is the Church – the birds that gather in the tree are all members who fly to the tree confessing their faults and their sins and look to the tree for the comforting shelter of mercy and forgiveness. Anyone and everyone is free to fly to the tree! And we must fly to the tree because the tree is not going to fly to us!

Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth; you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.

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...