Monday, May 31, 2010

Holiday – May 31, 2010 – The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

+ Today we celebrate a Mystery of the Rosary and an example to us all of what having the Divine Life within us ought to inspire. Today we remember that after the Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary, and Jesus – the Man-God – began to exist within her womb by means of a purely super-natural occurrence, the presence of her Creator, her Redeemer, her Sanctifier made Mary immediately eager to spread their outward-tending life of giving and serving the needs of others. And so Mary went with haste to visit her elderly cousin Elizabeth who – through the angel – was told was also with child, in her old age (the child being John the Baptist).

The meeting of the two cousins – because God was so strongly present in both of them – produced great joy and acclamations of praising the greatness of God. Elizabeth blessed Mary for believing that what the angel told her will come to pass: that she would be the mother of God's only Son. And Mary proclaimed God's greatness by intoning the great prayer of Hannah of the Old Testament: My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoice in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant…He has come to the help of his servant Israel for he has remembered his promise of mercy, the promise he made to our father, to Abraham and his children forever.

At the meeting, also, John the Baptist in the womb of Elizabeth leaped for joy as well: thus confirming the sacredness and the sensitiveness to all that goes on around it of unborn children who await their time to be brought forth into the light of day!

Then Mary remained with Elizabeth for three months to help her as her time for delivery approached: this was done with peace and joy because the amazing new presence on earth of God himself was right there in the midst of it all! Having received the Eucharist today – the same presence of the same Lord and God and Savior, let us seek out others to whom we can bring the kindness, the care and the love of God to, by words and deeds of true charity and helpfulness: let this be a day of "visitation" for us as well.

Blessed are you, O Virgin Mary, who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.

Sunday, May 30, 2010

Homily – May 30, 2010 – Trinity Sunday

+ Today is "summary Sunday" – that is: S U M M A R Y, as well as "summery Sunday" S U M M E R Y as we celebrate also Memorial Day and the beginning of the "summer season" here in Vacationland – the beautiful state of Maine. We welcome any visitors from out of town! "Welcome to you all!"

First we consider S U M M A R Y: on this solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity we celebrate really ONE AMAZING FACT: that God who is a dynamic loving relationship within himself – One Relationship of Three Distinct, Real and Interrelated Persons – not by any necessity at all - chose to share "personhood" with other created creatures with whom they could enter into a very special, dynamic and familial, filial, relationship. God the Father wanted not only one Son, in the Word, but also many sons and daughters who would participate in a family relationship the only way they could really do it: by spiritual adoption. Only Jesus is Son of God by nature; God predestined and calls everyone else to family life with him, with and in Jesus, by adoption: that can only be accessed by Baptism, strengthened by the sacrament of Confirmation and nurtured daily by the Eucharist – the very bread of Divine Life for our spiritually starving souls!

THIS IS ASTOUNDING! When we are baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit we instantaneously become forgiven "children of God," brothers and sisters of Jesus and one another, and heirs with Jesus of eternal life! WOW! God is very clear – his creatures, born into the world with Adam's sin attached to them, must in some way, shape or form be baptized in order to become forgiven children and family members of his. The pouring of water and saying the words is the ordinary means, but there are other legitimate means that the Church allows for and are enumerated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

That's really all there is to it! And we have just taken six months to explain in great detail the process of how this salvation came about: how the plan of transforming the sin of Adam into the grace of eternal life began with a babe at Bethlehem, continued with a man who revealed everything there is to know about God, including the nature of total self-gift to the point of self-sacrificial death on a Cross, and whose resurrection from the dead into a newness of life was the great break-though event that made Jesus unlike any other human being in history. That newness he made available to any who would believe in him, and in his Father and in their Spirit.

Last week we celebrated the great Gift of the Father and the Son: the Holy Spirit: who not only was sent to affirm and confirm everything that Jesus ever said and did, but was also to be the continued presence and source of spiritual power in the community of believers that became the Church, upon his arrival: a source for Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist – and the rest of the sacraments, as well as the entire life of the Church that we are so privileged to be a part of! No matter what human inadequacies infect the Church with scandal and veritable hypocrisy: the Church is still and will always be DIVINE in its source, its root and its very life! There is every reason to cling to it, as if to a floating timber in the great rough sea of life!

May we now meditate upon our amazing membership in God's own family: we, being his children, he being OUR FATHER: a title which God delights in hearing us call him: Jesus told us to call him OUR FATHER!!! ABBA!!! DADDY!!! because he likes it, he deserves it and nothing else suffices to describe the precise and exact nature of the relationship – and may we affirm our faith in the works and working of the Most Blessed Trinity by answering the following questions?

Priest: (PLEASE RESPOND "I DO BELIEVE," if indeed you do believe)! Do you believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen?

Do you believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, one in Being with the Father? Do you believe that through him all things were made? Do you believe that for us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven? Do you believe that it was by the power of the Holy Spirit that he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man?

Do you believe that for our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered, died, and was buried? Do you believe that on the third day he rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures; ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father? Do you believe he will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end?

Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son? Do you believe that with the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified? Do you believe that he has spoken through the Prophets? Do you believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church? Do you acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sin? Do you look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come?

This is our faith! This is the faith of the Church! We are proud to profess it in Christ Jesus our Lord! AMEN!

Friday, May 28, 2010

Homily – May 28, 2010 – Eighth Week in Ordinary Time - Friday

+ In our gospel passage today three important things happen: 1) Jesus curses a fig tree for not producing figs in the off-season (this seems odd); 2) Jesus casts out the money-changers from the temple (this too seems a bit odd); 3) Jesus connects faith and forgiveness (again, a seeming odd thing to do). Perhaps the key to understanding these odd events can be found in the first reading from St. Peter when he reminds us that WE ARE IN THE END TIMES: "The end of all things is at hand, Peter says, therefore be serious and sober-minded so that you will be able to pray. Be loving and hospitable. Serve the needs of one another with your God-given gifts. And don't be surprised that a trial by fire is occurring among you, but rejoice to the extent that you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that when his glory is revealed you may also rejoice exultantly!" Remember, this was said by the same Peter, who not being filled with the Holy Spirit at the time, tried to dissuade Jesus from his own sufferings and Cross. Peter understands and preaches now the need for identifying with and bearing a share in the Passion of Christ in order to share in the glory of the Resurrection.

And so in this light, super-naturally, a fig-tree (symbolically representing us) ought to be expected to produce the fruits of grace both in and out of season; making a living – even as a banker (a modern-day money changer) – is okay so long as it is done not to cheat people and for the glory of God; and lastly, understanding and experiencing forgiveness from God and one another, and freely giving it, is the key that unlocks so many things including the peace of Christ and the very ability to have faith in the one who is the source of the forgiveness, the source of all grace, the source of all blessing: the source of all that we need. We can therefore do as Jesus tells us and ask for what we need and it will be given, but not unless we are familiar with forgiving and being forgiven!

Yes, we truly are living in the end times. It has been so for two-thousand years now. But with God, a thousand years are as yesterday! One "today" will be the "Last Day" – and it just makes sense to live all of ours as though it just might be this one. And, if we have the Divine Life of God already pulsating and energizing us from within because we are Baptized, Confirmed (and in my case Ordained) children of God – then we should have nothing whatsoever at all to fear about that Great and Terrible Day. For us it will be like an amazing and joyful family reunion, the likes of which we can only begin to fathom!

I chose you from the world, to go and bear fruit that will last, says the Lord, (both in season and out of season)!

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Homily – May 27, 2010 – Eighth Week in Ordinary Time - Thursday

+ If we could only grasp the fuller meaning of this gospel passage, our day today would be filled with the light of God's very truth, and our steps would be sure and confidently decisive. The passage tells us that Jesus is interested very much in our physical ailments and defects. It tells us that he wills and chooses to do something about them, because he can, because he is God. It tells us also that he can deal with our spiritual ailments and defects as well. It tells us that he can do something about them as well: IF WE HAVE FAITH (ON BOTH ACCOUNTS) – even the size of a tiny little seedling! It is not the quantity of faith that is important, it is its actual existence in our souls at all that really counts!

Jesus wills to and cures Bartimaeus of physical blindness! Bartimaeus receives his sight and then follows Jesus. And he probably became a regular follower of his from then on: this is certainly an appropriate response to one who received such a blessing in one's life. But, equally true is the fact that Bartimaeus is restored spiritually as well: or he would not have had the inclination to follow Jesus after he got what he wanted.

Jesus can affect a change in our physical infirmities (in his way and time, sometimes more quickly than others); and he can also affect change in our spiritual lives as well (sometimes more quickly than others, as well). Knowledge of this is vital to the Christian. We must be able to see clearly who God is, who we are, how we relate to one another and what we are called to do in this life with God's help alone. When we can understand this, then we are no longer spiritually blind. Only God alone can be the cause of our seeing this way! Otherwise, we are quite literally the blind leading the blind, whether we can see physically or not!

God is our Father, we are his children, we are brothers and sisters of Jesus and one another, and we are called to help one another through the pilgrimage of earthly life until we reach our Father's Mansion in heaven! This is spiritual reality! This we must
see, with the grace of God! This sight, the Eucharist we share at the this Mass can increase, if our faith is the size of the tiniest seedling!

Lord, we want to see! Lord, give us light! Lord, give us sight! – and we shall follow you into eternity!

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Homily – May 26, 2010 – St. Philip Neri

+ Today we celebrate the feast of a well known Italian saint: Philip Neri, founder of the Congregation of the Oratory (the Oratorians). Their most distinguished member was Cardinal John Henry Newman, who founded the Birmingham and London, England Oratories. Born in Florence in 1515, Philip left the city when the Medicis returned to power in 1532. He disavowed a budding career as a merchant near Naples, and went to Rome after a possible conversion experience in 1533. He lived a life of poverty and helpfulness to the poor and needy – especially youth. In 1544, while on one of his frequent vision to the catacombs he is said to have experienced a vision in which a ball of fire entered his mouth and dilated (enlarged) his heart – a condition that is said to have remained for the rest of his life. He also founded the Confraternity of the Most Holy Trinity. With the encouragement of his spiritual director he was ordained a priest in 1551, lived with a community of diocesan priests and spent long hours in the confessional and spiritual directions. He is said to have extraordinary insights into people's hearts. It was the time of vigorous reform and pastoral renewal in the Church with the counterreformation. He did much to update the Church and make it strong, sure and vibrant. He was a close friend of Cardinal Charles Borromeo. Philip died on this date in 1595 of natural causes. He is patron of the city of Rome.

The first reading today tells us to rejoice always in the Lord. Have no fear or anxiety at all…and let the peace of God that surpasses all understanding guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. This was Philip Neri's message – this is the Church's message for all the in the world today. Live in Christ and you will have it all!

In the gospel passage, Jesus asks his Father's protection on his Apostles and ministers who bring glad tidings to the world. Their job is great, but the aid given is even greater. They too ought to rejoice that everything they need, will be given them – if they stay close to Jesus and his Father's heart – by prayer and works of self-sacrificial love.

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

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Homily – May 25, 2010 – Eighth Week in Ordinary Time - Tuesday

+ We are now in the "teaching – green vestment – season" of the Church year which will last all the way up to Advent in late Fall. It is the time to more closely examine the truths that have been set forth in the Advent/Christmas, Lent/Easter Cycles that we have just finished celebrating for six months. We do this further investigating each year not to learn anything new, but to more fully understand
what Jesus has already revealed - led by the Holy Spirit – which was sent to guide us into all truth.

Today's "truth" is that those who indeed give up everything to follow Jesus will have everything in return to sustain them in this life – and in the world to come. The first being last, the last being first; those having nothing, ending up with more than those having something are spiritual principles that God deals with us with. And it is important for us to know and to play by his rules rather than any we may cleverly make up about him.

In the first reading we have a summary of God's wish for all of us: to be perfect, to be holy as he is holy! This is not an impossible request. Actually it is quite achievable – with and in Christ Jesus his Son and our Brother. Apart from Christ, no! no one can do anything pleasing, perfect or holy; but with the grace of Christ – given at Baptism, strengthened by Confirmation and rekindled at every Mass – we can be more pleasing, more perfect, more holy today than we were yesterday – as we constantly move towards the fullness of our perfection and holiness – when we dwell in the heart of God forever, with Jesus, Son of Man, Son of God and all our brothers and sisters forever!

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God. Sing joyfully to the Lord, all you lands; break into song; sing praise!

Monday, May 24, 2010

Homily – May 24, 2010 – Eighth Week in Ordinary Time - Monday

+ We begin now the "teaching season" of the Church year and the first lesson is two-fold: from the first reading – Jesus risen and ascended is now our hope, and our aim and our goal – even if we have to endure some trials here below, it will all pay off handsomely in the end when we attain the fullness of life that is awaiting us; and, in order for the hope to be real, it must be absolute and completely detached from human concern – our hope must be based on our spiritual poverty (and even our material poverty if it gets in the way of our envisioning of the goal: Jesus and his Way of Life).

The "possible way of God," that Jesus suggests in the gospel passage, is the way of voluntary self-denial, penance and spiritual discipline. We are all called to such perfection and holiness. It just takes a little effort on our part to get out of our own way!

The Lord will remember his covenant forever, his end of the bargain - that is not the problem; whether we will remember our part
of the contract could be problematic: let us not only celebrate but also make our remembering a normal part of our daily Christian life, by prayer and by works of mercy!

Jesus Christ became poor although he was rich, so that by his poverty you might become rich.

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Homily – May 23, 2010 – Pentecost Sunday

+ One day after the celebration of the Ascension of Jesus into heaven (ten days ago), the space shuttle Atlantis was launched for the last time. We have all seen space shuttle launches. There is GREAT FANFARE! GREAT LIGHT! GREAT SOUND! GREAT POWER!!! While this may not be a good analogy to what happened on the day of the Ascension: Jesus actually simply went up into the clouds, with a gesture of blessing as he made his way. But this is exactly what it was like on the day of Pentecost! The Spirit came down like the experience of a space shuttle going up – and the house where the Apostles were SHOOK! There was BRIGHT LIGHT! THERE WAS GREAT SOUND! There was POWER! And there was the de-scending, rather than a-scending of tongues of flame and fire that landed on the heads of the Apostles and filled them to overflowing with the JOYOUS, PEACEFUL, POWERFUL PRESENCE OF GOD – deep down in their souls - like they had never experienced him before. Everything immediately became different – the very newness of life of God began to surge inside of them like never before – and they knew who God was, they knew who Jesus really was for the first time, they knew who they were, they knew how they were now related to one another in a new and sacred relationship, they knew how eager they were to bring the message of all of this to all others – no matter what the cost might be! It was a magnificent day!

The first reading today from the Acts of the Apostles tells the narration of what exactly happened: when it was time for Pentecost, the apostles were together in one place, and suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim. They began to proclaim the glory of God and his will for the salvation of the entire human race to the residents of all the various nations who were gathered in Jerusalem for the Jewish Feast of Pentecost – and each person heard the same message in their own language. This is the gift of tongues – and a foretelling that the gospel would be spread to every land – as Jesus had commanded.

In addition to the impetus behind evangelization, the Spirit gives different gifts for the benefit of the whole body of the newly formed community of believers – each new member is given at least one gift to use to keep this new Body of Christ alive and well: to keep the shuttle flying to use the alternative analogy! It is up to each member to more fully discover his or her gift (or gifts) and put it (or them) at the disposal of the whole community.

As I mentioned two weeks ago, Jesus promised "two parting gifts" when he would finish his work on earth and ascend to the Father's right hand – PEACE and THE HOLY SPIRIT ….today those combined gifts are delivered – in great force, with great power - for the purpose of renewing the face of the earth. But as I said at that time, this peace, given by the presence of the Holy Spirit, is the result of the experience of heartfelt giving and receiving of forgiveness. The beginning of the sending of the Apostles occurred on the night of Easter when Jesus actually introduced forgiveness to them, after abandoning him (all except John) at his Crucifixion, by appearing in their midst and greeting them saying (twice) "Peace be with you!"Then he breathed on them and said "Receive the Holy Spirit, if you forgive sins they are forgiven, if you judge in a case that they ought not to be forgiven, then they will not be forgiven." This means that SUPERNATURAL FORGIVENESS IS REALLY POSSIBLE and must be the key to a full reception of the Spirit and his gift of Peace and all the other gifts besides! And so, may we forgive those we need to forgive in our lives, and ask forgiveness of those we ought to ask it of as well – so that the rush of the Spirit may fill us to overflowing with God's joy, God's peace and God's strength for the purification and perfection of the Church on earth, and the spiritual transformation of the world into the glorious Kingdom of God, with Jesus Christ, our Lord and Brother, ruling as King, forever!

Come, Holy Spirit, Come!

In your sevenfold gift descend;

Give us virtue's sure reward;

Give us your salvation, Lord;

Give us joys that never end.

Amen.

Alleluia.

Friday, May 21, 2010

Homily – May 21, 2010 – Seventh Week of Easter - Friday

+ This is an appropriate gospel passage for – technically – the last weekday Mass of the Easter Season – tomorrow afternoon we begin the celebration of Pentecost which will be the last Mass of the Easter Season, indeed! We see in this passage today Jesus confirming Peter as head of his brothers and head of the whole flock of believers as the one who would be loving servant, selfless nurturer, self-sacrificial follower of Christ. Sunday the Apostles would receive the promised Gift of the Spirit which would empower them to go out and do what he taught them to do – with power, with authority, with love! As the ministers were sent in such a way, it also implies that those ministered to who receive the message be open, attentive and willing to be loved, cared for and fed. Life in the Spirit of God is a dynamic life that energizes both the Apostle and the faithful! May we pray today for the gift of being good shepherd and good sheep in a family that only God could create!

The Holy Spirit will teach you everything and remind you of all I told you.

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Homily – May 20, 2010 – St. Bernardine of Siena

+ Bernardine of Siena was a Friar Minor who was born in Massa de Carrara, Italy in 1380, and died of natural causes in Aquila, Italy in 1444. He was a priest, itinerant preacher, and theological writer. His preaching skills were so great, and the conversions so numerous that he has become associated with all areas of speaking, advertising and public relations. He was a renowned peacemaker, in the Franciscan tradition, who tried to calm feuding clans and factions in the turbulent political world of the Renaissance. His preaching visits (which would sometimes last for four hours) would often culminate in mass reconciliations, as listeners were persuaded to exchange the bacio di pace, or kiss of peace. The crowds were so large that they had to be held in the open air, rather than in a church. Bernardine was sensitive to the demands of secular life, and tried to negotiate between Christian ethics and a conflicting code of honor that stressed retaining face in a public world. He wrote theological works in both Latin and Italian and established schools of theology for his fellow friars, insisting that ignorance in a friar was as dangerous as riches. He is known as well for his devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus – which he protected, defended and touted with all his might. It is he who designed the "IHS" emblem surrounded by rays, as if from the sun (these are the first three letters of Jesus' name in Greek).

This from a sermon of St. Bernardine:

When a fire is lit to clear a field, it burns off all the dry and useless weeds and thorns. When the sun rises and darkness is dispelled, robbers, night-prowlers and burglars hide away. So when Paul's voice was raised to preach the Gospel to the nations, like a great clap of thunder in the sky, his preaching was a blazing fire carrying all before it. It was the sun rising in full glory. Infidelity was consumed by it, false beliefs fled away, and the truth appeared like a great candle lighting the whole world with its brilliant flame.

By word of mouth, by letters, by miracles, and by the example of his own life, Saint Paul bore the name of Jesus wherever he went. He praised the name of Jesus "at all times," but never more than when "bearing witness to his faith."

May we with St. Paul, with St. Bernardine and with all the saints in God's family bear witness to the faith by proclaiming his deeds in our lives, and uplifting, protecting and professing his precious and glorious Name wherever we go, whatever we do. AMEN!

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Homily – May 19, 2010 – Seventh Week of Easter - Wednesday

+ Our readings today tell us of the "trouble" that will exist when the sacred message is proclaimed in the world. The world itself will always be contrary to the gospel, as darkness is opposed to light: this until the final trumpet when whatever is worthy in the world is saved, and the rest is destroyed as withered and burnt branches. Paul is an example of one who endured the trouble involved, with the grace of the Holy Spirit and persevered to the end. In the gospel passage Jesus asks the Father to consecrate his apostles and their followers in the truth and to protect them from the evil one as they go about trying to make a difference in the world in which they live.

May we today do our part in a troublesome world to shout out the Gospel Alleluias to a people who for the most part have no idea what we are trying to do: but there might be just a few who will understand, and so we must persevere and do our job until the end – so that they may be saved with us for eternal life!

Your word, O Lord, is truth; consecrate us in the truth!

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Homily – May 18, 2010 – Seventh Week of Easter - Tuesday

+ We are now in that in-between period: the Ascension of the Lord occurred last Thursday, Pentecost will be commemorated next Sunday – and with the Apostles we are asked to sit, and wait, and pray, patiently and expectantly. Just as the Spirit came on the Day of Pentecost and the Church was born – so this Pentecost he may stir up in us old gifts given (which are ever new), or new ones that he wants to give us to deal with what we need to deal with. We must remember that the Spirit always is one step ahead of us, lighting the way and preparing us for where we must go and what we must do to remain faithful to God and helpful to one another.

In the gospel passage, Jesus asks the Father to glorify him with the glory he had before the foundation of the world. He prays for the Apostles as well that they may see the glory and might know for certain that Jesus comes from the Father: for if they miss that detail, they miss the whole point of his coming. It is the Father who cared immensely that he could no longer call his human creatures "children." It is the Father who devised the plan of sending Jesus to bring about the "adoption process" so that these creatures could be true spiritually adopted members of his family. If Jesus is the reflection of the Father's image, (which is most certainly is), then when we see Jesus we see the Father; and we can understand that he could be sent to earth by no one other than the Father.

It is up to us, along with Paul of the first reading today, and so many others to bring this message to the whole world: that Jesus is Lord and our Brother, that he is sent from God the Father, that adoption into his family is essential for salvation, and that living a true and authentic Christian life is the goal for all human beings. This is not easy, but this is why we are clothed from on high with power given by the Holy Spirit of God himself. Let us pray earnestly these next few days for an outpouring of Spiritual Gifts – just the ones we each need each day – to do whatever God asks us to do for him!

Monday, May 17, 2010

Homily – May 17, 2010 – Seventh Week of Easter - Monday

+ In our first reading today we have the rough outline of the division of the Church's sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation. We see that before the laying on of hands and the coming of the Spirit with its gifts, there is to the baptism that the Lord himself commanded before his Ascension into heaven. These two sacraments are to be the welcoming ceremonies that bring people into the Church – making them first God's children, brothers and sisters to one another and to Christ Jesus himself - and then renewed at each celebration of the "family meal" – The Eucharist – that Jesus gave to be our spiritual food for our pilgrimage through life!

Millions have been added to our Church family in two thousand years – they are still being added, most likely daily or weekly. The Father rejoices to have new children added to the numbers!

In the gospel passage Jesus tells the disciples – who are so eager to get one step ahead of him in their understanding of the mysteries of his life – let the situation unfold as it will – which will not be pleasant for anyone involved – but remember that even though they would abandon him, he would never be alone because the Father is always with him; and he would be at peace because of the presence of the Spirit – who is also available to us because Jesus has indeed overcome the world. When we feel abandoned at times – and who doesn't – we need to know that Jesus, his Father and their Spirit are with us because we are baptized and confirmed and fed eucharistically the very bread of Life!

Sing to God, chant praise to his name for he is Lord of all!

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Homily – May 16, 2010 – Seventh Sunday of Easter

+ Today we are in the beginning stages of commemorating the first "novena" that was quite actually instituted by Jesus himself. Just before his Ascension into heaven (which we celebrated three days ago on Thursday) Jesus gives the Apostles the jurisdiction "to act in his name" – the "spiritual legal right" to bring the gospel all over the world, but he withheld the special power to do it effectively for the time being. He said virtually: "Go, but first wait!"
Wait for the gift that my Father and I promise to send you soon! Wait for it, gathered together! Wait for it, patiently! Wait for it, prayerfully!

And so, the Apostles and Mary, and perhaps some others went to "the Upper Room" where Jesus had celebrated his Last Supper, the First Mass - with these same Apostles - and they waited and they prayed and they were very hopeful – for they knew that God always keeps his promises! They had no idea how long this "waiting/praying" time would be –but they were committed to the task! In the end, they waited for nine complete days! (novem dies , in Latin– which is where we get the term "novena"). And then on the tenth day: the day of Pentecost, the promised Gift arrived and it was truly spectacular and amazing: but more details on that will follow next Sunday when we will celebrate Pentecost.

What is necessary for us to do, this day and all the days of the coming week is to live more patiently, more prayerfully than we might ordinarily do, more expectantly, more hopefully – waiting for God to fill us this year with gifts of the Spirit that might be even unexpected or unplanned. Everything changed forever for the Apostles and the first group of thousands of recipients of God's amazing grace. Maybe he has an amazing gift for us, individually and as a group – as a new parish - this year!

As Christians we ought to be always in a patient and expectant mode anyway – for we are living in what the scriptures call: the end times! In the first reading we read that the giver of the revelation of the last book of Scripture says: Yes, I am coming soon! And the Spirit and the Bride (that is us, the Church) says: Come! Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! One day – he will come – and it will be wonderful for the faithful – and terrifying for the deliberate and unrelenting unbelievers!

While we wait, we must be willing, like St. Stephen of the first reading today, to witness completely to the realness and trueness of all of this – even by giving our lives if necessary! This however need not mean physical death – but rather a decisive, faith-filled, rational witness daily to core Christian values in the face of the world – which for the most part has left God quite literally in the dust of pseudo intellectualism and heartless philanthropy – and which will oppose us and our ideals and standards every inch of the way!

In quiet, in patience, and in prayer – we await you, coming Spirit of God: we await your strength, your courage, your gifts! Mold and fashion us as you will!

Amen! Alleluia!

Friday, May 14, 2010

Homily – May 14, 2010 – St. Matthias

+ We celebrated yesterday the feast of the Ascension of Jesus into heaven, wherein he told the Eleven to go to Jerusalem and wait for the coming promised Gift of the Holy Spirit. While they were waiting they were to pray, to open their minds and hearts for the fullness of the coming gift and to choose a replacement for Judas – the one among them who went his own way, to his own destruction. Our saint for today, Matthias, was chosen to be such a replacement because he was one of the men who accompanied the apostles the whole time the Lord Jesus came and went among them, beginning from the baptism of John until the day on which he was taken up from them, and could be a witness to his resurrection. Two men were selected but one was chosen: Barsabbas and Matthias were proposed, but the Holy Spirit chose Matthias for the apostolic ministry. The lot fell to Matthias and he was added to the Eleven. Matthias preached in Judea, Cappadocia, Egypt and Ethiopia. He is remembered for his preaching the need for mortification of the flesh in regard to all its sensual and irregular desires. He was stoned to death at Colchis in the year 80.

The election of Matthias is a prime example of how the Lord continues to provide leaders for his people. It is also an example of how it is God who does the choosing in the apostolic ministry rather than men. He chooses those who he knows can bear fruit – if they cooperate with the graces given them at their "ordinations!" All candidates are potentially a Peter, a John, a Judas and a Matthias. Cooperation with the gifts of God and his graces are essential to the life of the minister. May we pray today for all shepherds in the Church – that they may witness the life, death and resurrection of Jesus for their own salvation and for the good of all in the Church. As Jesus lay down his life for his friends, so they are called to do: may God give them strength to attain even a martyr's death for his glory! I chose you from the world, to go and bear fruit that will last, says the Lord.

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Homily – May 13, 2010 – The Ascension of the Lord

+ In our readings today we have two accounts of the Ascension of the Lord into heaven: the first in the Acts of the Apostles – St. Luke gives us here an instructive type of account: speaking of the post resurrection appearances of Jesus, he tells his listeners that Jesus had plainly showed himself after his death and resurrection, preparing them carefully for his departure from them which would involve a sending of them, but also a giving of a gift: the Holy Spirit. His accounting of Ascension Day is colorful and imaginative: he was lifted up, and a cloud took them from their sight; and suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them and said: Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken p from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven; thus giving us a major hint as to what will happen one day in the future: our future!

The second reading today tells us that all things belong to the ascended Jesus and that he can distribute whatever he will to whomever he wants. It is also a prayer that we obtain the great gifts that the Lord has to give us: especially enlightened hearts so that we might know the hope that is now available, the riches of glory that belong to Jesus and are awaiting us who believe, the members of his body, the Church.

The gospel passage, again, from Luke (this time his gospel), summarizes the heart of Jesus' mission on earth: that he would SUFFER and RISE FROM THE DEAD on the third day, and that REPENTANCE FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS would be preached in his name to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem. It was the task of the Apostles to bring this message to the world, but not until they were clothed with power from on high: but that is another feast, yet to come, Pentecost, in ten days' time. For now, Jesus blesses his ambassadors and is taken up into heaven in their sight – thus completing his earthly work which he undertook in obedience to his Father's will. And what a scene in heaven that must have been: Father and Son Eternal united again, Father and Son Incarnate united for the first time! And now Jesus, Son of God and Son of Man is situated where he can do us all a great deal of good as Divine Intercessor, Friend and Brother – as the one closest to God the Father!

Go and teach all nations, says the Lord; and remember I am with you always, until the end of the world – and beyond!

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Homily – May 12, 2010 – Sixth Week of Easter - Wednesday

+ Tomorrow is the feast of the Ascension of Jesus into heaven. His earthly work will have been completed and now will be the time for him to begin a new relationship with us – one of being intercessor and divine friend in high places, as we await his coming again to be our judge. What he promises on his departure, though, is this: that everything he told us will have the opportunity to be made very clear – and that a newer and deeper understanding of it all will always be available and hopefully welcomed.

This is the scene in which we find ourselves. We are among those who are being taught all about Jesus – by the promised Spirit. He is here! And we are the ones who have the opportunity to use the graces given, and welcome always newer and deeper understandings of the reality of God, the Church and our Christian selves.

The Athenians of the first reading today symbolize those who are always searching for reasonable understanding. They got to the point of having a very sophisticated series of gods in their own attempts at explaining everything. They even had a shrine to "the unknown god," for anything that they could not explain. Paul used this shrine to step into a presentation on the true God. You worship here what you do not even know – while we, Christians, worship what we personally know. And this is entirely different from any of your "god-knowings!" None of your gods are real live persons with whom you can interact – while our God is very much a person and very much willing to enter into a personal relationship with us!

Then Paul invites the people to enter into a relationship with the One God – by first repenting of their former ways and beliefs – and by embracing a dynamic loving relationship with a three-fold God who can be a constant companion in their earthly lives which are often treacherous and lonely, and can save their lives eternally! Many do just this, and are converted to the Christian faith including Dionysius, a member of the Court of the Areopagus, and a woman named Damaris, and others (men and women) with them.

May we help the Lord bring the message of salvation to others today – simply by our witness to him as "The Truly Known and Knowable God," and by the kindly way we deal with people.

Praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; His majesty is above earth and heaven.

Sunday, May 9, 2010

Homily – May 9, 2010 – Sixth Sunday of Easter

+ It is certainly not difficult to understand that "two parting-gifts" ought to be much better than just one. Who would not want "a double dose of good things?" Today Jesus is preparing the Apostles for his departure from them – very soon – by now telling them "to prepare themselves for a very interesting pair of parting gifts:" he promises to send them "the HOLY SPIRIT and PEACE." Either would have been amazing by themselves – but together they are a truly awesome jackpot of prizes!

It is his death and resurrection that made possible the gift of the Spirit. Out of his pierced side as he hung dead on the cross came Blood and water – symbolizing the life-giving Spirit that is now available to all. And the risen Jesus "breathed" the Spirit into the disciples with the words: "Receive the Holy Spirit."

The Holy Spirit, who will teach and remind us of everything that Jesus told us, is the instrument of bringing about the peace that Jesus promises to give us. This kind of peace is not as the world gives it, which is often merely the absence of warfare or conflict, something illusory and transitory. Jesus, on the other hand, promises us God's own peace, a permanent and complete well-being and harmony with God and with one another. This Spirit of Peace, however, is the Spirit of Forgiveness: which makes it so very different from all other kinds of peace. And so it is when we allow the given Holy Spirit of God to move us to enter into situations and circumstances of experiencing the giving and receiving of forgiveness that we experience the true and lasting peace that God wants us to have. No one is perfect, yet! Forgiveness, empowered and brokered by the Holy Spirit of God himself, must be a substantial part of our Christian experience or we are missing out on a major portion of it! Because we are baptized we are all called to be filled with peace and to be peacemakers: let us joyfully take up this task and experience God, communion with one another and peace among us, as we are intended to!

In the first reading today we see the apostles and elders in Jerusalem acting as peacemakers, invoking the Holy Spirit directly, to settle the dispute as to whether Gentile converts to Christianity had first to become Jewish, if only for a short while (become salvation must "come from the Jews"). The Holy Spirit himself made his intentions known and it was not necessary for this to happen. And, the deep peace of God resulted and the spread of Christianity took a leap forward.

In the gospel passage Jesus tells the disciples clearly that he was to leave them in a short while, and that another Advocate would be sent in his name to teach them everything, and remind them of all that he told them. Then he gave them the gift of peace: deep, pervading, abiding peace. Don't let your hearts be troubled! Do not be afraid of being a member of my community! You are safe in my care! The combined gift of Spirit and Peace – these were for the early Church, these are for us – if we want them, if we ask for them, if we forgive (as we are forgiven).

Whoever loves me will keep my word, says the Lord, and my Father will love him and we will come to him!

Friday, May 7, 2010

Homily – May 7, 2010 – Fifth Week of Easter - Friday

+ I call you my friends, says the Lord, for I have made known to you all that the Father has told me. It is very easy to fail to recognize the full import of these words. I call you my friends, says the Lord! This is enormous! God is – once again calling man his FRIEND! The Great Friendship that God had with Adam and his wife, Eve, was not only classic - it was primordial, it was pristine, it was the essence of God's great wish to communicate in a personal and supportive way with the highest form of his creation: human beings. But, unfortunately, very unfortunately, mankind rejected that quintessential relationship with God and instead made a pact with the Devil – thus breaking the Divine Friendship with God, potentially, forever; and introducing the Dark Forces of Evil upon the world – which is none other than the true nature of the Great Friendship gone awry.

And so, now, thanks to the Death and Resurrection of Jesus – having restored that Divine Friendship to its original status – Jesus invites men and women – children of Adam and Eve – back into that relationship restored. I call you my friends, says the Lord, for I have made known to you all that the Father has told me concerning the restoration of a broken relationship. Yes, it is possible to "fix" broken relationships. If it were not, then we all would be in trouble. In the gospel passage, Jesus, after reminding the disciples that they are now free once again to enter into the Divine Friendship tells them that the glue that will now hold that friendship together will be love – which is what made the restoration possible in the first place (by his Death on the Cross). When we love selflessly, self-sacrificially as Jesus did, for his sake, then we participate in the Divine Friendship both with God and with one another!

And this "communion of Friendship" is for all: both Jews and Gentiles alike – as our first reading relates – and "without the Gentiles first having to become Jewish" in order to belong to the communion! God invites all men and women and children directly into his family – as adopted and o so loved members and friends! May we revel today in the mercy of God and his invitation to Divine Friendship with him and one another! And may it lead us to works of loving friendship and caring concern for any who need it!

I call you my friends, says the Lord, for I have made known to you all that the Father has told me – regarding this great "love story" about Divine Friendship regained!

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Homily – May 6, 2010 – Fifth Week of May - Thursday

+ Jesus has just told us in this gospel passage that the reason that he wants us to remain and live in his love is that we all might be joy in each other, and that our joy might be complete. There are two feelings and experiences and realities that can capture the essence of a pure relationship with God – and they are JOY and PEACE. "Remaining in the Lord" who first invites us into relationship with him produces these two realities, which are really inseparable – although today Jesus speaks first of JOY (later he will speak, again, of PEACE). When a glass is filled to overflowing, the glass must be "filled with joy," because it now contains the fullness of what it can contain. When the "glass of our soul" is filled with the grace of God, even to overflowing, it contains the FULLNESS OF JOY – because it is meant to, it can, and it now does! What makes this all operational is "remaining in his love" – it entails going outside of ourselves, and our comfort zones and actually loving and serving others as Jesus not only asked his followers to do, but did first as an example.

The community of loving and serving disciples of Christ is the Church. All are called to be members of it – including the Gentiles, including us! May we be the best members that we can be today – because we remain in Jesus, and thus in each other, while he abides and remains in all of us as fully as we allow him to!

My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; I know them, and they follow me – and they are filled with joy!

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Homily – May 5, 2010 – Fifth Week of Easter - Wednesday

+ As Jesus is busy now preparing his apostles and disciples for his departure from them, his ascension into heaven - today we see him trying to get the idea across that it will be really possible for he and them to be very closely united, in fact, more than intimately united: our entire lives, including our spiritual lives would be conjoined to his in a real union of essence: we would be like branches to him as vine. This, of course, would imply that, for the baptized person – the one grafted onto and conjoined to him – right and true spiritual life resources would flow from Jesus the Vine and him alone. And good works will abound, just as good fruit emanates from a healthy vine. The health of this vine depends on the voluntary and willful cooperation in doing "the works of the Father," the works of the Son, empowered by the strength of the Holy Spirit.

We have our choice today to be healthy, green, growing and blossoming branches on that Vine of Christ, or withered, rotten, dead ones – good for nothing but to be cut off and burned forever which will happen one day when the Vine himself comes to judge the branches. It's the little decisions that we make for good, for life, for love that keep us connected to Christ in a healthy and productive way!

Remain in me, as I remain in you, pleads the Lord; whoever remains in me will bear much fruit: both in the here and the hereafter!

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Homily – May 4, 2010 – Fifth Week of Easter - Tuesday

+ As the feast of the Ascension of Jesus is remotely approaching, the Church has us reflect already on Jesus' parting gift to his Apostles, his friends, his flock, his Church – and that parting gift is peace – a peace that the world cannot give. This is a kind of peace that is deep and abiding no matter what may be happening at the surface; it is a peace that encourages us to have untroubled, fearless hearts. That very gift of peace was indeed given by Jesus many times over after his resurrection from the dead – from the very night of the resurrection to the mount of the Ascension – and beyond. The promised gift of the Holy Spirit and peace were combined – and it would be on Pentecost that a full dose of Spirit and peace would pervade the whole world – and any with faith who wanted to accept it.

In the first reading today we see the price that was paid at the very beginning of the foundation of our Christian faith community – how Paul, Barnabas and the rest suffered great hardships including beatings and stonings. But it was the deep and interior peace of knowing the person of Christ Jesus that sustained these early evangelists and apostles. And the grace of God flourished among the early Church.

May we today accept the hardships that still exist in evangelizing the world; may we let our hearts be untroubled and unafraid, as we take the peace and promise of Easter night and proclaim it wherever we go.

I am with you always until the end of the world. Thank you Lord for your presence and your gifts of courage and fortitude each day – as we live out our baptismal calling to be priests, prophets and kings in your name!

Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your kingdom.

Monday, May 3, 2010

Homily – May 3, 2010 – Sts. Phillip and James

+ Today we celebrate the feast of two Apostles of the Lord: personal friends of his, eyewitness of his resurrection and among twelve sent to proclaim the power and reality of this newness of life to the whole world. Philip is from Bethsaida and is the patron saint of Uruguay. At the feeding of the five thousand, it is Phillip who tells the Lord that they have only two hundred denarii worth of bread to feed so many. Since he had a Greek name, it is not surprising that the Greeks came to him looking for Jesus. At the Last Supper it was Phillip who asked Jesus to show the Twelve the father – which was the opportunity for Jesus to teach very plainly and clearly that he who sees him (Jesus) sees also the Father. He is listed among those waiting for the coming of the Holy Spirit in the Upper Room on Pentecost. At his death his remains were said to have been brought to Rome and place in the Basilica of the Twelve Apostles, a church originally dedicated to both Phillip and James – thus the reason why their feasts are celebrated together on this day.

St. James the Lesser, was the son of Alphaeus, and his mother Mary was present at the Cross on Good Friday. Almost nothing else is known about him. But he has been identified with James of Jerusalem who was described as the "brother" (cousin) of the Lord, and who presided over the council of Jerusalem. He was sentenced to death by the Sanhedrin in the year 62.

This combined feast day was originally celebrated on May 1, but was changed first to May 11, in 1955, then again to May 3, in 1969.

The power of this feast lies in one of the most quoted and important statements in Scripture: Jesus says to Thomas (and Phillip and James) I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE; but in answer to Phillip's question: WHOEVER HAS SEEN ME, HAS SEEN THE FATHER! for the way leads to him, the Father; the truth is about him, the Father; and the life is him, the Father! Alleluia!

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Homily – May 2, 2010 – Fifth Sunday of Easter

+ In big bold letters, chiseled in stone, above the porticoed three main doors, at the entrance of the Romanesque-style Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, in Richmond, Virginia, where I was ordained a priest thirty five years ago tomorrow are the words: IF YOU LOVE ME, KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS. On that bright, sunny Saturday morning, I walked under those letters and into the cathedral a deacon of the Church, and came out two hours later "a priest forever" – a priest of the New Covenant, according to the older "order of Melchisedech." It would now be my mission – filled with the Holy Spirit of God, in a powerful way - to encourage others by my preaching and teaching and most importantly by my example - to do what the Lord Jesus commanded all of us to do: TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER, AS HE LOVED US, and still loves us – and will always love us!

This, on that day, I promised to do! This I have tried my very best to do for thirty-five years! Only God knows how truly successful and pleasing to him I have been, thus far. And with the help of his grace I will continue to minister for as long as he wills and needs me to do it.

The first reading today talks about the hardships endured by Paul and Barnabas and the first team of Apostles and evangelists as they went about setting up the first communities of faith. We too, here, are in the process of, really, doing the same thing – taking six communities of faith and combining them into one: FOR THE HOLINESS AND GOOD OF ALL INVOLVED: and for the good of the local diocesan church which has a God-given responsibility to look after our spiritual needs! This venture is not without its difficulties and hardships as well. But it was getting together to talk about what the Lord had done in their midst in building up their numbers and their faith that sustained the early communities; and it can do so for us as well. Real physical getting together for not only worship, but for all kinds of parish activities, including pot luck dinners, parish reads and other faith sharing projects can only be good for the material and spiritual well-being of all involved, and for the new parish as a whole!

The one faith-related story that I would like to share with you today, stemming from the gospel mandate, and my personal mandate "to preach and teach the dynamics of theological love," is this: as I stood in the pulpit of my home parish in Upstate New York, at the end of my first Mass there (which just happened to be Pentecost Sunday) – wearing these handmade vestments: quite unexpectedly I blurted out this statement: which surprised me to say the least: "And it is only through the red cross of suffering, that one can attain the gold cross of victory!" I had not planned on saying that at all, even though I had obviously chosen this "gold-cross superimposed on the red-cross" for my symbol and vestments and prayer cards as well. I suppose I thought the image was just obvious and not worth commenting about; but the Holy Spirit, whose feast it was, had other plans and out it came! Well, little did I know…little did I know that only a few weeks later events would start to happen in my life, beginning with an automobile accident, that changed everything from what I thought it was going to be like. After that, nothing seemed the way it should be!

And so now, here I am, thirty-five years later with a different "Richmond" as part of my "voluntary pastoral duties"in the state of Maine, of all places! I was not even sure that Maine was part of the United States back then! I have seen a host of red and gold crosses thus far since that day in the pulpit in New York State – but what I can share with you most assuredly is that I was right (HSP) way back then in 1975 – every one of the red crosses eventually turned into gold ones sooner or later, one way or another, and mostly in their own sweet time the goldest of which I can guarantee is my association with this wonderful new parish of All Saints, in Maine, with all the amazing acquaintances and friends I have made these years that I have been here! Father Steve Concannon asked me four years ago if I would be willing "to help take care of a little country church in 'Richmond'" when, schedule-wise, he wasn't able to do it, and I replied: "Sure, Steve with the grace of God, I would love to!" And with the grace of God, I am still here – and now with three more churches that I have the honor to visit each week – and all within the same parish! It is my joy to visit you and to serve you, and to love you, all!

The responsorial refrain today prompts us to say: I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God: I praise and thank God daily for bringing me to Maine and for entrusting me with the sacred duty still, of encouraging others to love as selflessly, self-sacrificially and self-givingly as Jesus did for each one of us, and for all people everywhere! How about it? Let's do exactly what Jesus said to do and see what happens: let's see how many more of those sometimes very painful red crosses can be transformed into indescribably glorious and radiant gold crosses of victory in both your lives and in mine!

I give you a new commandment, says the Lord: love one another as I have loved you. God bless you all!

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...