Monday, November 30, 2009

Homily – November 30, 2009 – St. Andrew

+ Today we celebrate the feast of St. Andrew the Apostle. He is brother to Simon Peter. Both were fishermen from Capernaum. Andrew first became a disciple of the great St. John the Baptist, but when John pointed to Jesus and said, "Behold the Lamb of God!" Andrew understood that Jesus was greater. At once he left John to follow the Divine Master. Jesus knew that Andrew as walking behind him, and turning back, he asked, "what do you seek?" When Andrew answered that he would like to know where Jesus lived, he replied, "Come and see." Andrew had been only a little time with Jesus when he realized that this was truly the Messiah.

From then on, Andrew chose to follow Jesus. He was thus the first disciple of Christ. Next, Andrew brought his brother Simon to Jesus and Jesus received him, too, as his disciple. It is believed that after Jesus ascended into heaven, St. Andrew went to Greece to preach the gospel. He is said to have been put to death on an X-shaped cross, to which he was tied, not nailed. He lived two days in that state of suffering, still preaching to the people who gathered around their beloved Apostle. Andrew is the Patron Saint of both Russia and Scotland.

Our first reading today tells of the great importance of having the message of salvation and the word of God literally spoken, preached: how else could people come to believe if they do not literally hear the message, and how can they hear the message if preachers are not sent: and how can preachers be sent if they do not listen to the Holy Spirit and discern a vocation to do so. Andrew, Simon (Peter), the rest of the Twelve and all bishops, priests and deacons since the time of the ascension have done just that: discerned their vocation and then accepted the commission by the Church to be sent far and wide to proclaim the Good News of Salvation.

The reception was not always welcome – as in the case of Andrew and all of the Twelve and many other martyrs throughout the history of the Church – but the effort is always well spent when priority is given to the proclamation of what can save souls!

May we respond, each in our own way today, to be "fishers of men" in the way marked out for us by the Lord himself. There is so much work still to be done and so little time to do it! We do not have a minute to spare!

Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Homily – November 29, 2009 – First Sunday of Advent

Today, as we mark the First Sunday of Advent 2010, we begin another church calendar "Year of Grace" in which the truly astounding mystery of "the breaking into human history of the Son of God himself" will once again – during the next 12 months - be presented for our intellectual consideration, our prayerful reflection, our worshipful response and our motivation for doing more good works out of love for God, who made it all possible.

The first reading today speaks of the fulfillment of a promise that God made with the house of Israel and Judah, to raise up for David a just shoot: one who would do only what is right and good in the land. In fact, there would be so much security in the land, that with the coming of this shoot, grown to full stature, Jerusalem itself will be called: "The Lord our justice!"

The injustice that existed there beforehand was as old as our first parents, who broke faith with God, mistrusted him, disobeyed him and set up their own system of justice that never did measure up to God's. But God's is the one that will count in the end.

In this original injustice, since God was offended, only one who was God could make up for the offense, but he would also have to be one like us to make the reparation effective for all of us. That perfect combination of a God – Man was Jesus Christ, Son of God and Son of Man. We prepare now for four weeks for the celebration of his birthday: when the awesome majesty and splendor and power and love of God was found contained in a tiny little baby boy in a manger in Bethlehem. Only one who was so large in heart and power, could become so humble and small, for us and our salvation!

But not only do the Advent readings speak of Christ's "first coming" as a babe in Bethlehem, they begin by speaking of his "Second Coming" – as an exclamation point for the great feast of Christ as King of the Universe that we celebrated last Sunday, to culminate the past Liturgical Year. Jesus is indeed King – and one day he will come to be our judge just as he promised he would. And he promises that it will be a truly frightening day
for those who are caught off guard, for those who were not vigilant, for those who thought it might apply to everyone else except them. Not so! It applies to everyone! He is coming! And he will judge everyone! And he suggests that the best posture to have as we wait is to stand up straight, with head held high – with voices raised in praise and glory and thanks to his Father - as well as showing real proof of our love for God and our belief in him by being of loving service to others until the last trumpet!

For those who refuse to give him what is his due, he will turn them away from him – forever! But it need not be that way: all it takes is a willingness to ask the Lord for his merciful help and love, and for the gift of salvation!

And it shall be done for you!

The Lord is our HOPE and our SALVATION! He was born to be our HOPE, he would love to accompany us through our lives as our hope, and on the last day he would like very much to convert our hope into the BLESSED ASSURANCE OF A NEVERENDING EXPERIENCE OF HAPPINESS IN THE HEART OF GOD! O come Emmanuel and ransom your needy people!

Friday, November 27, 2009

Homily – November 27, 2009 – Thirty-fourth (Last) Week in Ordinary Time – Friday/Saturday

+ Today we celebrate the last day in the 2009 Church calendar year – tomorrow night we begin a new year of grace with the First Sunday of Advent 2010. We have been reflecting all week on the kingship of Christ Jesus the Lord. His kingdom was prophesied by the Prophet Daniel when he said "his kingship and dominion would be given to the holy people of the Most High" – beginning with God's own family of Israel. Jesus Christ would be the one with the everlasting kingdom – and all shall serve and obey him!

In the gospel passage for this final Mass of the Year we are warned TO BE VIGILANT AT ALL TIMES: and not let our hearts become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life. Don't let the coming of the King surprise you like a trap. That will be great and terrible day: pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand blameless and innocent before the Son of Man.

For those who are trying the best they can to live lives of faith and service to the Lord Most High – that day will be less fearsome than for those who have disregarded all attempts to convince them that their own selfish ways would convict them in the end. They will be convicted, but the saints whose lives reflect humble children will reign with Christ their King forever!

Glory and eternal praise belong by right to our God!

Amen! Amen!

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Homily – November 26, 2009 – Thanksgiving Day

+ All Life comes from God: we give thanks! All Growth comes from God: we give thanks! All Pain comes from God: we give thanks! All Joy comes from God: we give thanks! All Hope comes from God: we give thanks! All Peace comes from God: we give thanks! All Love comes from God: we give thanks!

We come back to you, Lord, realizing that we have been given life, supplied with growth, healed from pain, blessed with joy, comforted with hope and immersed in peace and give thanks to Almighty God: on this Thanksgiving Day!

Lord, we beg your blessings on us, our loved ones, our enemies and our families and our friends!

Amen! Amen!


 

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Homily – November 25, 2009 – Thirty-fourth (Last) Week in Ordinary Time

+ At this Thanksgiving time of the year we have a different perspective on giving thanks from our readings for this last week in Ordinary Time. We have celebrated the Feast of Jesus Christ as King of the Universe last Sunday; and that is what he is: he is the King of Kings, the Lord of Lord whose Kingdom will come and will last forever: it will be indestructible, and we are all invited to be a part of it.

The readings today continue the theme from yesterday about the fear that all earthly kings, rulers, presidents have about losing their kingdoms, territories, countries to other kings, rulers and presidents. Theirs is only a temporary reign at best anyway. And all authority they wield comes from God in the first place, and to him they will give an accounting one day – whether they know it or believe it or not!

But the reading from the prophet Daniel tells of a King who is to come whose Kingship will be above all the other kingships, and whose kingdom will supersede, end and replace all others: the Kingdom of Jesus Christ the King of the Universe: who shall sit on the throne of King David, his Father and rule with justice, peace and love forever!

The gospel passage tells that proclamation of this new and Universal Kingdom will make the proclaimer quite unpopular, especially in the public forum – for this new kingdom is a completely interior one, standing in opposition, apparently, to the external kingdoms of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood and stone! There will be persecution, even death for them. But in the end, for those who persevere in delivering the message and those who persevere in receiving the message, all will be well, all will be new, all will be wonderful and JESUS CHRIST WILL BE KING OF IT ALL!

How all this ties in with giving thanks is this: we ought to thank God many times a day for arranging things to be this way: the way of his King and Kingdom. It ought to give us a great sense of security and comfort knowing that God himself truly is in charge and that everything that happens in our lives – day by day – will all work out for the very best one day – if we live like we believe that Jesus is our King and that his Kingdom will come with all its glory and that we want to be a part of it! The details of how and when that Kingdom arrives, as we heard yesterday in the gospel passage, we ought to leave completely up to God and not worry about it at all. It will be a truly awesome and fearsome day for those who have wavered and denied him. But for us who want and choose him and his kingdom it will be a grand and glorious day!

The day of the arrival of God's Kingdom could be any day! That is why we are each invited to live each and every day in thanksgiving like it were right around the corner – because it just might be!

Remain faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life!

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Homily – November 24, 2009 – Thirty-fourth (Last) Week in Ordinary Time

+ At this Thanksgiving time of the year we have a different perspective on giving thanks from our readings for this last week in Ordinary Time. We have celebrated the Feast of Jesus Christ as King of the Universe last Sunday; and that is what he is: he is the King of Kings, the Lord of Lord whose Kingdom will come and will last forever: it will be indestructible, and we are all invited to be a part of it.

The readings today are about the fear that all earthly kings, rulers, presidents have about losing their kingdoms, territories, countries to other kings, rulers and presidents. Theirs is only a temporary reign at best anyway. And all authority they wield comes from God in the first place, and to him they will give an accounting one day – whether they know it or believe it or not!

But the reading from the prophet Daniel tells of a King who is to come whose Kingship will be above all the other kingships, and whose kingdom will be unshakable, unshatterable, unbreakable: the Kingdom of Jesus Christ the King of the Universe: who shall sit on the throne of King David, his Father!

The gospel passage tells that when the One Universal Kingdom breaks forth One Day: everything will be turned upside down, not a stone of the way things are now will be left standing the way they were. All will be new, all will be wonderful and JESUS CHRIST WILL BE KING OF IT ALL!

How all this ties in with giving thanks is this: we ought to thank God many times a day for arranging things to be this way: the way of his King and Kingdom. It ought to give us a great sense of security and comfort knowing that God himself truly is in charge and that everything that happens in our lives – day by day – will all work out for the very best one day – if we live like we believe that Jesus is our King and that his Kingdom will come with all its glory and that we want to be a part of it! The details of how and when that Kingdom arrives we ought to leave completely up to God and not worry about it at all. It will be a truly awesome and fearsome day for those who have wavered and denied him. But for us who want and choose him and his kingdom it will be a grand and glorious day!

The day of the arrival of God's Kingdom could be any day! That is why we are each invited to live each and every day like it were right around the corner – because it just might be!

Remain faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life!

Monday, November 23, 2009

Homily – November 23, 2009 – Thirty-fourth (Last) Week in Ordinary Time

+ We hear again, this morning of the poor widow who put into the temple treasury absolutely everything she had to live on: trusting in God's merciful love and providential care completely. Her trust was not in vain. She was provided for all the days of her life. If our trust in God could even in some small measure – or even a great one – approach that of this poor widow then we can absolutely count on God taking care of us all the days of our lives here – and into a never ending life of peace and happiness with him forever – when Jesus comes again as King, to hand us over to God his Father!

We must stay awake – for we do not know when that day might be! It could be any day at all!

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Homily – November 22, 2009 – The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ the King

+ I would like to begin my homily by having you think about "creation"all of it:
the sun, the moon, the stars, the oceans, the mountains; the plants, the flowers, the trees; the fish, the animals, the birds; and people: all people, everywhere.

Now I would have you continue that thinking process: someone "created" all these things: someone very intelligent, very powerful and very loving – because it all fits together and works together so very well – when operated by instructions given by the creator and maker.

The "someone" who "created" all these things was "God" – He is "Creator," Provider, Sustainer, Father, and Friend. He gives creation – all of it – what it needs to keep going, as created, as intended – if certain conditions are met: which are found in the "Owner's Manual" called: Sacred Scripture, among other important documents.

Now in God's plan for creation he had the idea of making his Son: who was later named Jesus – King of all of it! He could do that because he was the Creator / Father and he had the power to do it, and so he did it. Jesus was made King of the entire Creation / Universe – even before he was born into our world. He has always been King of it, and he always will be King of it. Now when he was finally born here, he started making claim to that kingdom, right away, because it was his, but it was always the opposite way of what people thought he would be doing if he were really king of it all, starting with the fact that he was born in a stable, and not a royal palace; and he died on a Cross, and not in a luxurious hospital setting. His main job, while he was here among us, would be to get everyone on earth ready to meet God one day when a new kind of experience of life would begin – in a new kind of kingdom.

In the "getting ready" process, he would share his authority and power to rule with many men and women – so that people could feel safe and happy and provided for concerning the basics of this life, while making their way to the next one. They could enact laws based on his laws, and act as judges in cases of figuring out the real meaning of things according to the way he made them. But these rulers would be wise never to forget that they are temporary rulers, that their power comes from God, and that he will expect a full accounting of how they used the power given them.

But Jesus' kingdom (or nation or country) was not to be like other kingdoms that we think about in earthy terms (which are geographical territories that have limited power and constantly changing rules); his Kingdom would not be an external kingdom (made up of palaces and servants, and subjects) but an internal one: a kingdom of the heart and mind and spirit: it would be a very special sharing by everyone of what is really true about every subject and topic, of a living of life that could not even possibly be imagined beforehand, of holiness (which is simply a wonderful sensing and feeling that, through and through, we know who we are, and we are very happy because we are God's children, of the power of doing good constantly flowing through us and helping us in all situation, of being completely fair and just with everyone all the time, loving and willing to help everyone and at peace with ourselves and with each other and God and his saints and the angels FOREVER!

WOW! What a wonderful kingdom! And this is what we celebrate today on this Feast of Jesus Christ King of the Universe, King of our Families, King of our hearts, minds, bodies, spirits and King of all people everywhere – whether they even know about or have heard about Jesus.

He is everyone's King!

We thank God our Father for sending Jesus to be our Savior and our King, and our Friend. And we thank them for sending the Holy Spirit to us so that we could have the power to be loving subjects of this amazing and different, never ending and reaching everyone, everywhere - kind of Kingdom.

Perhaps we can promise Christ the King today to put our thanks into practice by listening to his voice, hearing the truth and giving evidence of it in our actions which promote holiness of life, doing good for others, establishing true fairness and justice, and deep abiding peace which this world cannot give!

Dominion, glory and kingship belong to Jesus, forever! His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not be taken away; his kingship shall not be destroyed! And, if we live like we want it, we shall be a very integral part of it!

God bless you!

Friday, November 20, 2009

Homily – November 20, 2009 – Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time - Friday

+ Perhaps we can take this gospel passage as a reminder to keep our own souls pure and clean of what is worldly and contradictory to the purpose for which it is made. When we ruminate over earthly treasures and trinkets and powerful positions in the inner recesses of our souls we are contaminating the sacred space that, like them temple in Jerusalem, is the dwelling place of God within us, that is meant to be used for giving God glory, praise, thanks and honor at every moment of the day!

After physically making his statement of objection by throwing the money changers out of the temple, Jesus states clearly that the dwelling place of God – wherever it might be – is a sacred, holy, house of prayer and communion with God and is not to be desecrated by business practices no matter how well intentioned!

Our first reading today, of course, speaks of the joy and excitement of the celebration led by Judas Maccabaeus and his brothers in purifying and rededicating the sanctuary of the temple in Jerusalem after it had been profaned by the enemies of God. May today be a day when, by this Eucharistic celebration, we purify and rededicate the sacred temple of our souls for right and proper worship and communion with God – who deserves our entire attention always and at every moment. May we protect and defend this sacred space and keep the business of the world out of it; and may we invite the Spirit of God and the Holy Angels and Saints and God himself into it – and we will be filled with a joy the knows no bounds – and we will proclaim that joy in all we think, say and do!

Yours, O Lord, is the sovereignty; you are exalted as head over all. Riches and honor are from you – and for you!

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Homily – November 19, 2009 – Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time - Thursday

+ In the gospel passage we see Jesus lamenting over the city of Jerusalem, weeping over it and prophesying its soon to be accomplished destruction – because it failed to recognize what made for peace, it failed to recognize him as the one, supreme peacemaker! It would not be a pleasant site by any means. The barbarians would come and completely destroy the city and its temple and kill many people! But it will not have been because they had not been warned – by the very Lord of the Universe, the Prince of Peace, himself!

The first reading today also speaks of a rather barbaric way of doing things, this time in favor of God. Mattathias and his sons refused to follow the King's order and sacrifice to his gods in his pagan shrines; and to show their opposition to the king's desires, their hearts were moved, their just fury was aroused and they killed the one offering sacrifice right on the altar, as well as the king's messenger and they tore down the altar; then they fled that region and went into the desert to live lives of righteousness and religious freedom.

Our own day is not the time for religious zeal to cause us to kill people who offer sacrifices to pagan gods of this world, and to tear down their vile temples; rather it is time to demonstrate that we are related by adoption now (by our baptism) to the Prince of Peace himself, and that while called upon to transform the world, we can do so in a peaceable way, influenced by grace, and empowered and guided by the Holy Spirit himself. Thus we will show ourselves as true citizens of the one kingdom that counts: the Kingdom of God, the Kingdom which is to come in its fullness – any day at all!

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

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Homily – November 18, 2009 – Dedication of the Basilicas of Saints Peter and Paul

+ Our celebration today is of two important church buildings of the Catholic Church: the basilica of Saint Peter, and that of St. Paul, in Rome. The reason why we celebrate the feast of these material objects is because of the spiritual value that they hold. They are two of the four major basilicas in Rome (St. Mary Major and St. John Lateran being the other two). All other basilicas are minor ones (like the one we have in Lewiston). These particular two have to do with the persons Jesus chose to cofound his Church with him: Peter and Paul: it was on Peter's faith, and Paul's teaching that the Church was built. Each basilica was constructed over the relics of the apostle they honored: St. Peter over St. Peter's relics on the Vatican Hill; St. Paul over his relics on the Via Ostia outside the gates of the city! Each basilica faced many renovations over the centuries due to many reasons including earthquake, war, and fire. They are the two most famous churches in Christendom.

What St. Paul teaches and St. Peter demonstrated is that it is living faith in Jesus the Lord that makes any person a true temple of the Holy Spirit and fit dwelling place, church, basilica of God! If we are not already such a dwelling place internally, then how can we truly honor such external dwelling places of God such as chapels, churches and basilicas that we visit?

May we today be living stones in the true temple of God, the Body of Christ, the Church: may the activities we perform of loving service to all in need be the living mortar that keeps the stones together; may we make a direct and specific request of Jesus, in deepest faith, to be the capstone of the spiritual framework which is our pilgrim lives on earth: so that one day we will qualify to share in the glory of eternal life that Saints Peter and Paul now share in, and to which we each are called!

Sing praise to the Lord with trumpets and the sound of the horn!

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Homily – November 15, 2009 – Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time

+ It is very easy to get caught up in the "things of earthly life" and take our focus off of what is going to count "in the long run." That is an interesting term: "in the long run." In many ways it is not very appealing to our instant gratification seeking society. Most want things "now," not "in some imaginary and maybe even impossible to achieve 'long run;'" but, Jesus in the gospel passage tells us quite directly and certainly that we ought to keep our sights "on this long run" – because it could save our lives, eternally!

BE VIGILANT AT ALL TIMES AND PRAY THAT YOU HAVE THE STRENGTH TO STAND BEFORE THE SON OF MAN!

This is some pretty strong language, this Jesus means!

The Day of the Lord's coming on the clouds of heaven is a fact yet to be accomplished. He will come to be our judge on that day! And not only our judge, but also everyone's judge – whether they 'believe in him' or not. It will be a day of great insight and surprise for many. That ought to make all of us sit up and take notice NOW! Are we ready? It could be today! Are we ready? It could be tomorrow? Are we ready? It could be in a very long time: but WILL WE BE READY WHEN THAT DAY COMES!

I hope and pray that I am; and I hope and pray that you are as well!

I know that if I do my assigned job in the Body of Christ – being a priest: a preacher, a celebrant of the Lord's own mysteries, a healer and a friend to the sheep of his pasture: then I shall have done my job. I know that if you each do your assigned job in the Body of Christ – being Baptized and Confirmed Catholics: living in good and holy marriages, being good fathers, mothers and children, being good students, being good providers for your family, being active in your parish to the best of your ability, looking out for the needs of others always first, in the name of Christ: doing all for the love of God who lives deeply within you: then you too will have nothing to fear when that truly awesome and spectacular day comes!

Let us live the days of this coming week being vigilant, and keeping in mind that there is "a long run" – there is surely something coming; but also believing deeply and trustingly that God is our inheritance – because of what Jesus did for us by dying on the Cross; he is our portion and cup, who hold us closely to himself, and will see to it that we shall not be disturbed forever – we shall experience the delights at his right hand forever – if we live like we want it!

God bless you!


 

Friday, November 13, 2009

Homily – November 13, 2009 – St. Frances Xavier Cabrini

+ Today we celebrate the feast of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (Mother Cabrini), who was born in Lombardi, Italy in 1850, one of thirteen children. At eighteen she desired to become a nun, but poor health stood in her way. She helped her parents until their death, and then worked on a farm with her brothers and sisters.

One day a priest asked her to teach in a girls' school and she stayed for six years. At the request of her Bishop, she founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart to care for poor children in schools and hospitals. Then at the urging of Pope Leo XIII, she came to the United States with six nuns in 1889 to work among the Italian immigrants.

Filled with a deep trust in God and endowed with a wonderful administrative ability, this remarkable woman soon founded schools, hospitals, and orphanages in this strange land and saw them flourish in the aid of Italian immigrants and children. At the time of her death, at Chicago, Illinois on December 22 1917, her institute numbered houses in England, France, Spain, the United States and South America. In 1946, she became the first American citizen (she previously became a naturalized American citizen after her arrival from Italy) to be canonized when she was elevated to sainthood by Pope Pius XII. St. Frances is the patroness of immigrants.

Our gospel passage today reminds us that Mother Cabrini was like a wise virgin who had ample supply of the oil of her "good works done for love of God" always ready for when the Lord should return. May we imitate her and stock up on good works done for the right reason: in gratitude and love to God for all that he has done and continues to do for us each and every day! Amen.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Homily – November 12, 2009 – St. Josaphat

+ Today we celebrate the feast of St. Josaphat, who is the first Eastern saint formally canonized by the Catholic Church. He was born in the Ukraine in 1580, entered the monastery in Vilna in 1604, and in 1609 was ordained deacon and then priest. He became a popular preacher, especially in support of extending the union with Rome to the Province of Kiev. He gained a reputation for asceticism and eventually developed the Order of St. Basil. In 1614 he became abbot of Holy Trinity Monastery and in 1617 Bishop of Vitebsk, with right of succession as archbishop of the province, which he attained in three years. As archbishop, Josaphat did much to reduce interferences of local landowners, held synods, reformed clerical life, published catechisms and accomplished many other pastoral responsibilities. Though doing all he could to unite the Orthodox Church to Rome, he insisted on Byzantine customs, such as married clergy and election of bishops. In 1623, he was murdered (thus achieving the great gift of martyrdom) by supporters of an up and coming rival bishop. He was beatified in 1643, and canonized in 1867.

In the first reading today we hear St. Paul telling the Ephesians that all who are baptized are called to unity in Christ: real, substantial and permanent unity; and to bring about this unity and to maintain it, there are a variety of leadership gifts given to each and every member of the Body of Christ, depending on God's will and each person's abilities and talents. Josaphat had gifts equal to that of being an Eastern Orthodox Archbishop and Martyr; we need to ask ourselves what our gifts are and evaluate our willingness to use them in service to the Church. There are a variety of ministries: there is one that is just suited for each of us!

In the gospel passage Jesus prays a special prayer to his Father for his apostles, (his bishops and their successors and helpers) – so that they may stay closely united with him and his intention and purpose always in their ministries – so that one day they may be likewise united with him forever in a special place in heaven reserved just for them. It would not be easy for them, and some would suffer more greatly than others; and some would give their lives in the line of service, in the line of ordained duty! These would be especially favored – because they would be the ones who gave it all, just as Jesus himself gave his all for us and our salvation!

We thank God today for exemplary saints such as Josaphat – who encourage us to remain focused on what really matters: life on high in Christ Jesus our Lord: who will reward us all for our efforts and our accomplishments!

Remain in my love, says the Lord; whoever live in me and I in him will bear much fruit!

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Homily – November 11, 2009 – St. Martin of Tours

+ Today we celebrate the feast of St. Martin of Tours. He is a patron of France and a founder of monasticism there. Martin was born in a territory that is now part of Hungary in 316. His father was a pagan officer in the Roman army. Martin was pressured to serve as well – though he successfully obtained a discharge due to conscientious objection - to pursue his real calling as a monk. While he was establishing himself and some followers in monastic life – he was elected bishop of Tours by popular acclaim in 372. He accepted the position but lived separately from the cathedral with the monks. He was a very pastoral kind of bishop visiting his flock and personally attending to their needs. He even used the power of healing among them that is given to all priests. He courageously went about destroying pagan shrines and idols in his diocese and replaced them with churches. He died on this date in 397.

The first reading today speaks of the prophecy of the coming of the Spirit upon Jesus: to bring glad tidings to the lowly, to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and release to the prisoners. This was the mission of not only Jesus, but upon those he would send – the bishops and their helpers – the priests. Martin of Tours was such an anointed servant of the Lord.

The gospel passage reflects the spirit of Martin's compassion and desire to serve the needs of the sheep of his own flock: he personally fed the hungry, gave drink to the thirsty, welcomed strangers, clothed the naked, cared for the sick and visited the imprisoned. On Judgment Day Martin will certainly be among the blessed who will take their place at the right hand of God.

The question I pose is this: will we? will we have we sufficiently allowed the Spirit of our Confirmation to work through us to minister to the needs of all?

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Homily – November 10, 2009 – St. Leo the Great

+ Today we celebrate the feast of St. Leo the Great – a fifth century pope and doctor of the church: and so far, only one of two popes given the title: "great!" (although it seems certain that Pope John Paul II of our own time will become the third to bear that distinguished title). A pope bears the name "great" because he is used by God in an unusually powerful way, often times in a particularly difficult time in Church history. This was true in the case of Leo. The barbarians were still trying to disrupt life in Italy and life in the Church even as late as the fifth century. Leo, as Pope, even went to the Alps to meet with Attila the Hun to broker terms of peace. Leo's greatest contribution to the Church was his insistence on the fact that the papacy was a direct link with the person of St. Peter – the Pope was an heir of St. Peter himself, not just of his authority – but of his very person: when you see and hear the Pope, you see and hear St. Peter: while at the same time seeing Christ himself who is fully present in every priest. This supremacy of the Pope did place him in a leadership role above all the other bishops – but in time, especially in the days of Vatican II, the emphasis would be on a collaborative effort among them: they are a true college of bishops with the pope at its head.

The first reading today from the Book of Sirach teaches us that those who study the law of God will be filled with the spirit of understanding. To the degree that he throws himself into this study he will be filled with counsel and knowledge for others, having wisdom to share and will even be considered great in the eyes of men and God. Leo was such a student of the law of God and administrator of what he himself learned.

The gospel passage relates how Peter became the head not only of the initial college of bishops: the Apostles: but also of the whole Church. He declared Christ to be the Son of the living God by a supreme act of faith, moved by the Holy Spirit. And he became the greatest Apostle of all along with St. Paul – the pair of which being the foundation on which the Church of Christ was built – so that generations of Christians could have a rocklike foundation on which to build their faith-life.

And so today we really celebrate a feast of St. Peter – we look to our rootedness in faith – we look forward to our unification one day in the Kingdom of Heaven – where all will be all in all – and the work of Christ will be complete!

You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it!

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Homily – November 8, 2009 – Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time

+ With this simple statement: "this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury" – Jesus, by his comment about her, leveled the playing field for all who are trying to do what would please God very much! What impressed him so, were the amazing trust, love and generosity that this poor woman demonstrated in giving God absolutely everything she had – she held back nothing even what was directly related to her livelihood. God was very pleased with her contribution and thereby let us know that he would also be very pleased with a similar one from us – most especially the poorest among us – who have only a moderate to meager amount to live on and to give – but whose hearts and faith are large – and whose trust level is high!

Jesus does not condemn the rich who dump large amounts into the treasury – mostly for the show of it – sure, the money can be used for good purposes – and because they followed the dictates of the law, the rich will be credited for their contributions; but the truly lasting and favored donations are the seemingly insignificant ones that are made by the lowly poor who give from the soul because they believe it will somehow work out in the end!

The widow gathering sticks in the first reading from the Book of Kings was also poor, and she and her son were about to die. But when Elijah, a prophet of the Lord, asked her to bake him a loaf of bread, she trusted what he had to say, that she and her son would not die if she trusted enough to make the bread just for him. She did. He ate. And then at his invitation, they ate. And there was enough flour and oil to supply her need for a very long time. This of course is a prophecy of the very gospel passage that we read today: I doubt very much if the widow in the gospel passage went hungry either: when one puts God first in one's life things do work out – eventually – and oftentimes even miraculously!

In both cases, the rich and the poor – God wants the devotion, loyalty and commitment from hearts, to surrender entirely to him, so that he can use the person possessing the heart as he wills to make the lives of others better! So that we can be like Elijah, sent to encourage someone who thinks they are on their last measure of flour and oil; so that we could encourage all to receive the gift of Jesus who was sent to multiply his very Eucharistic Body and Blood throughout the ages – never letting its available supply run dry - so that no one would go spiritually hungry as they travel hand in hand with their brothers and sisters throughout this world into the eternal life of the next!

Rejoice in the Lord always; the Lord, who keeps faith forever, secures justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry, who sets captives free – forever!

Friday, November 6, 2009

Homily – November 6, 2009 – Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time - Friday

+ Jesus is complimenting the dishonest steward for a left-handed kind of prudence – he is in no way complimenting him for his virtue. And this reference is not really meant to be a slight against the children of light; rather, if anyone is to be complimented, it is they who are trying the best they can to be faithful stewards with all that God has given them to use in this life.

Yesterday, in the first reading we read that for the baptized person – we are not our own – all in life and in death belongs to the Lord. We truly are to be stewards of a variety of gifts given to help us get through life in a satisfactory sort of way, with an emphasis on looking out for and helping others – sharing what we have been given. Our new parish mission statement is: We believe and we share! This is what it means!

In the first reading today St. Paul is also telling the Romans that they can count on hearing nothing at all from him other than what he hears Christ Jesus himself, through the working of the Holy Spirit, telling him to tell them; and that he would not build on a foundation that another has laid: if a Christian community has been established – he will not come in and preach as though he were starting from scratch with this particular group. There is enough work to be done without repetitious efforts.

May we this day receive what the Lord has to say to us, may we live our day in the Lord and with his sacramental help and strength, and may we be complimented by the Lord at the end of the day, and of our lives, for being good and faithful and holy stewards of the manifold gifts that he gives us for our good and for the good of others!

Whoever keeps the word of Christ, the love of God is truly perfected in him!

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Homily – November 5, 2009 – Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time - Thursday

+ The first reading today puts it so simply: none of us lives for oneself, and none dies for oneself: we who are baptized we live and die for the Lord. Blessed are those who remember this simple and so very noncomplex fact. If we did it would make all of our decisions that much easier to make; and it would reduce our worries and cares to virtually nothing. God loves us, and he will take care of us and lead us to eternal life, if we let him!

The gospel passage today is also a very simple one and a very beautiful one: for those who go wandering off on their own for whatever reasons, and forget who they are in God, and forget that they are connected to their brothers and sisters in the faith: God is always ready to welcome them back with great joy! In fact, he goes out and seeks after the lost sheep! And when the lost coin is found: the angels of God rejoice! Our God revels in giving people second chances – or else why would he have sent Jesus in the first place!

So, today let us go to him with our burdens – those things that might make us want to wander off on our own – and let us find rest in Jesus – who truly is our all – who ought to be the reason why we do absolutely everything in life, and in death – for we truly are his in both cases!

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Homily – November 4, 2009 – St. Charles Borromeo

+ Charles Borromeo was born in 1538 and died in 1584. He is considered one of the most important bishops in the history of the Church and an outstanding figure in the Catholic Reformation. He is the patron of bishops, catechists and seminarians.

Born into a wealthy family, having Pope Pius IV as an uncle, Charles received an excellent education achieving a doctorate in civil, as well as canon law. At a time when the Body of Christ, the Church, was beginning a 500 year old shattering and splintering process that goes on to this very day – with individuals and groups thinking they have a "better idea" – Charles was in the forefront of the Catholic Reformation. He was a churchman through and through - fighting with all his might to keep the Church of Christ as Christ gave it. To this end he drafted a Catechism for the Council of Trent (the official listing of Church teaching on the wide variety of topics), and he contributed to the reform of liturgical books and music.

Seeing how the clergy had become lax and self-indulgent, he formed a society of diocesan priests called: The Society of St. Ambrose and St. Charles (The Ambrosians). Many seminaries and parishes whole hold fast to the teachings of the Church are named in his honor. We are fortunate to have a church in our parish bearing his name.

May the whole parish be reminded often of its true inclusion and membership in the Church of Christ; and as Jesus truly is the Good Shepherd leading all to everlasting life, even those who have splintered themselves off from the main flock, may we pray continually for unity among all those who are legitimately baptized and bear the name of Christian: that we all may be one, AGAIN!

I am the good shepherd, says the Lord; I know my sheep, and mine know me.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Homily – November 3, 2009 – Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time - Tuesday

+ The gospel passage that we have just heard makes it clear that unless the invited to the Kingdom of God keep their focus sharp and their motives pure then they will be excluded from the Kingdom at the end of time – and those who already have pure hearts with their focus on God alone – will take their place – "off the streets!"

For us this means that if we try the best we can to love God and do what he asks of us to do each day because we love God and do not want to disappoint him or our brothers and sisters – then we will have a place safely reserved in the Kingdom – we will eat at the table of the Lord. If, on the other hand, we have invented all kinds of excuses and corner-cutting schemes to basically do what we want to do even though God may be calling us to do something different, then we ought not be surprised when the Lord of the table tells us that we have no place with him: the chairs at his table are reserved for those who do his Father's will.

And what is this "will of the Father"? – as St. Paul tells the Romans, it is doing things like: being sincere, hating what is evil, holding on to what is good, loving one another with mutual affection; anticipating one another in showing honor; not growing slack in zeal, being fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, enduring in affliction, persevering in prayer; contributing to the needs of the holy ones, exercising hospitality, blessing those who persecute you, rejoicing with those who rejoice, weeping with those who weep, having the same regard for one another; not being haughty but associating with the lowly!

Do these things, thus keeping your focus, and you will sit at my table in my Kingdom; omit these things and you won't – says, the Lord – and I mean it!

Monday, November 2, 2009

Homily – November 2, 2009 – Commemoration of All Souls

+ Today we commemorate the feast of all the holy souls of those who have gone before us: those who have tried the best they could to attain their place in the heart of heaven near the throne of God; and also those who due to significant imperfections that still need to be worked out, to make them a worthy vessel for the fullness of God's grace and presence, occupy a place in a purgatorial state - where the burning furnace of God's charity and love can purify them, so that in due time they may take their reserved place with all the faithful. Since these can no longer pray for themselves, prayer for them and on their behalf counts very much; and so today we pray for all those we have known who might be still in this state, or any unknown souls who have no one to pray for them.

This is a day which also helps us to get ourselves truly "in focus" – we are all going someplace, and this is not just a random place, but a single place that has predetermined instruction on how to get there, and a promised experience of immense joy and vitality unknowable completely to us in this dimension of life. This is why Jesus tells us that he not only knows about the Way and the Truth of the Life to which we yearn to go: but he actually IS these things: the way, the truth and the life, in the flesh, in person. And so as we allow him to saturate and fill us with all that he is – especially sacramentally – then we become sure of who we are, where we are going, and how it is we need to conduct ourselves along the way.

Come, you who are blessed by my Father; inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world!

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Homily – November 1, 2009 – Solemnity of All Saints

+ Rarely have Catholics been given an opportunity to shine the peaceful light of Truth, the peaceful light of Christ, the peaceful light of Charity as, you, the faithful members of the Catholic Diocese of Portland are being called upon to do in two-days' time. You will have the opportunity to make a real, significant and Christ-centered impact on the outcome of a ballot referendum question that directly involves the "first institution," that God gifted to his newly created and established male – female union, and essentially related offspring: the institution of marriage and family life.

Voting YES on QUESTION ONE, for you, will be a stand for God, a stand for marriage, a stand for family life - as he gave them and intended them to be lived "in the beginning." Voting "no" would simply further confuse and distort an already emotionally overcharged topic. A YES vote is a vote for "God-speaking his will and intent for marriage" (which he has every right to do); it is not a vote against the dignity and respect for gay persons, at all – who, in the heat of debate, can find themselves largely at odds with God!

In point of fact, the Church of Portland wishes to make abundantly clear two important facts: it has had a long, nearly twenty year, history of working with the gay community to sponsor and defend civil rights legislation on the state government level. It fully supported a "gay rights bill" in the early 1990's. The Church and the gay community stood together on this legislation. This bill was signed by the governor but overturned in referendum the following year despite the support of the diocese. The Church is not against the gay community it itself, but in this particular case, it must stand against it to keep the definition of marriage as between one man and one woman because it is God Himself who first spoke it into existence in the beginning. This is one wheel that ought not to be reinvented.

Secondly, the diocese does and will continue to enthusiastically and wholeheartedly make welcome all gay Catholics who are already in our very midst – whether they are active members of our parishes or not yet; and then make it known that those who have left our membership due to valid and real feelings of frustration and alienation, have a true and rightful place with us, who are attempting to live the same life of the Beatitudes as they are! It is the same flesh and blood life that all Christians and all the Saints have lived throughout the ages of the Church! It is a life transformed by the redemptive death of Jesus Christ, Lord and Friend! Because of it, death can now be transformed for us into life; darkness into light; hatred, anger, hostility and resentment into love, compassion, mercy, forgiveness and caring for those who accept these realities in faith, with hope, in order to translate them into a life of self-sacrificial service (love) for others.

Along with this, the Church of Portland recognizes and commits itself to its pastoral duty of catechizing (teaching) about the magnificent reality of marriage as it is given by God, and about the nature of sexual attraction in its varieties of manifestations, and subsequent Gospel-oriented, civil-rights-based solutions to gut level delimnas faced by all of those who do not fit into neat and tidy concepts of conventional sexual attraction.

With all that is going on in our country on so many levels at this time in our history – this is just not the proper time to be conducting a potentially unpredictable and hazardous sociological experiment such as the one proposed on the ballot! The ramifications involved are truly deeper and farther reaching than any of us can possibly imagine. It would be a launch into totally deep and uncharted waters and the project can count on numerous inevitable shipwrecks, with varying degrees of damage from slight to nigh-on catastrophic - in time, down the road!

Remember that freedom is only freedom for doing what is right and good and just! Freedom does not mean simply "doing what feels right." It may feel right to rob a bank, but more than likely the arresting officer will not care too much how you "feel." If Maine truly is the Vacationland where an adventuresome spirit of freedom abounds, it would seem that this means that all kinds of right, good, just and useful things are happening here not because they simply feel right, but because after thinking about them, consulting with God about them, and then feeling the movement of the Spirit of God, they are then done! In other words, with freedom comes responsibility!

And of course, the imaginary logic that two essentially different things are now equal simply because they are defined as equal by popular opinion is an example of classic fallacy, and could be the source of great difficulties if systems which affect people's lives are built on it. For example if the red colored light on a traffic signal now equals the green one by popular vote, then untold damage can be expected at all major intersections that have traffic lights! Applying this to marriage: if red colored marriages are now equal in every way to green colored ones: then there will be an assortment of collisions wherever marriage intersects with real life – because red does not equal green! The "yellow light" analogy also works here: when you see a "yellow light" in the context of a moral decision, especially this one, at this time – "proceed with caution" – and "when in doubt, go with the Church!" until you can more surely satisfy your own intellectual curiosity.

We are celebrating today the great Solemnity of All Saints. The saints in heaven are those who above all else "kept their sights pure and simple"- on the lights of God - and focused on His Will; the Cross of Christ; and the wisdom, grace and strength of the Holy Spirit. Nothing could deter them from staying the course, especially, when the going got rough! Jesus invited them and he invites us to live the life of the Beatitudes: embrace being poor in spirit, mourn for the times you fail God, hunger and thirst for the formula for right living, be merciful to everyone, be clean of heart, be peacemakers – and when you are persecuted, be very happy about it because then you are sharing in my Passion, and you are also sharing in my Resurrection. This goes for all of you – all people everywhere – of every race, nation, religion, political party and sexual orientation. You are all invited to HOLINESS OF LIFE, TO FRIENDSHIP WITH ME AND MY FATHER, AND TO COMMUNION WITH OUR HOLY SPIRIT. Each of you, do the very best you can to help one another out and to act like the brothers and sisters that you are, the brothers and sisters that I made you "in the beginning!"

It is important, my dear friends, to encourage as many as you can, with you, to vote the faith, to vote in defense of what God had to say about marriage when he established it, not simply because the Church says so, but because you really believe it. A YES Vote on Question 1 - for the right reason, above all, for the glory of God and obedience to his Will, – would be greatly appreciated for the ultimate good of us all, but most especially our beloved gay brothers and sisters in the faith to whom we pledge our support and our willingness to help find alternate solutions to their heart-felt needs for equivalent security, legitimate civil rights, a family-like living arrangement, and Gospel-oriented ways in which to spend their creative desire to love and be loved.

There is a strong possibility that people might end up voting the opposite of what they truly want to vote "on a technicality." Don't let that technicality be either, "the church is behind the times" or "the church does not care!" Neither of these are true! The Church is very much on target with its opposition in this case; and it certainly does care, it cares very much about the very ones who are opposing them. Open minds on both sides of this ballot issue will allow appropriate votes to be cast for the right reasons: votes cast with heart, mind and soul combined – and not any one of these by themselves.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ of the Diocese of Portland – let the peaceful light of Truth, the peaceful light of Christ, the peaceful light of Charity shine brightly all over Maine in two-days' time – on this election day – by endorsing and celebrating our life in God and his care for all his children – by voting YES ON QUESTION 1.

The Church cares!

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...