Tuesday, May 31, 2016

May 31 - Homily for Today

+ Today we celebrate the inauguration of the “Magnificat” and a Mystery of the Rosary: today we celebrate the Feast of the Visitation of Mary to her cousin Elizabeth. Having just become the dwelling-place of God on earth in her own womb (by means of the Annunciation of the Angel Gabriel to her and the overpowering of the Holy Spirit), Mary’s first impulse is to go and help her aged cousin, Elizabeth who is also miraculously with child (this child being John the Baptist – who would herald his cousin Jesus when the time was right and the years had passed).

The fact that these things happened was just an unrecognized part of the story of Jesus’ life (and John’s) – until this feast was formulated and promulgated in the 14th century – by the Franciscans – who wanted to use it as a means to end the Great Schism.  It only partially did what this intention had in mind; it brought some reprieve and healing to a divided Church.

Just as Mary proclaimed the greatness and glory of God – because of his very special nearness to her, not only in her heart, but also in her body; so too each time we receive her Son in Holy Communion we ought to be compelled and moved to proclaim his greatness and glory as well – for he dwells in our bodies too physically (if for a short while) but deeply in our hearts for as long as we focus on him afterwards, meditate on that presence and sing about it in our own songs of Magnificat throughout the day!

Knowing that Jesus is around, that he is in the world, that he can transform the world can make our days an adventure in apostolic ministry: through us God can formulate his Kingdom, and we can be rewarded for our efforts in cooperating with him in this work!

Let us be stalwart, generous and creative co-creators with God today, and co-redeemers with Jesus, who, by the action of their Spirit within us, can bring about great healing and great peace this day to every single person we come into contact with – young or old, male or female.

Blessed are all who believe that what is spoken to us by the Lord will be fulfilled!


Monday, May 30, 2016

May 30 - Homily for Today

+ We have two interesting readings today: Jesus tells the chief priests, scribes and elders that he knows exactly what they are up to, even if they are not fully aware of it themselves at this point: they will kill the son of the vineyard owner, they will kill the Son-of-God-made-flesh, they will kill him, but this is so that he can be vindicated, he can become the stone rejected that will become the cornerstone of everything and everyone by means of his glorious resurrection from the dead and triumph over it. These religious leaders did not like what they heard, but they could not arrest Jesus because he was popular with the crowds at this particular time.

In the first reading, it is St. Peter who outlines us for us the steps from faith to love. These are the inner spiritual principles that always work and once set in motion can make one unpopular with a lot of folks, even “religious” ones while making perfect sense to others. Peter tells his audience that faith (the gift that God has given them to peer into and live supernatural mysteries) must be fortified by virtue, which leads to knowledge, which leads to self-control, which leads to endurance, which leads to devotion, which leads to mutual affection, which leads finally to love. The other end of faith is love, and the other end of real love is faith; all other manifestations of either are false!

May our faith be strengthened today so that we can leap from step to step on the way to perfect love of God and others; and in this way may we be like reliable and strong cornerstones in a world that seems to be crumbling around us in its grasp of what is true, and good and just!

In you, O God, we place our trust.


Sunday, May 29, 2016

May 29 - Sunday Homily

+ Two weeks ago we celebrated the great Gift of God the Father: the Holy Spirit. The Spirit came with great might and force and the Apostles were filled to overflowing with LOVE and APOSTOLIC ZEAL – and they were off to convert the whole world.

Today we celebrate the significance of the great gift of God’s the Son in his Eucharistic Presence – that would seal his promise to be with his Church – and all of its members – including us – until the end of time.

In order to properly nourish the transformed spirits in his new disciples of all ages the thought occurred to Jesus for them to do something very familiar, very understandable, but much more than just symbolic:

he knew that he himself needed to be a real part of the fiber of these disciple’s beings: and so he took ordinary bread and ordinary wine – common table food for all generations - and by pronouncing words over them and distributing them he changed their essence into his own essence, their substance into his own substance, for the life of his brothers and sisters, and for their salvation: so that we could communicate them and be strengthened and empowered by what we eat and drink at this and every Mass to live and love in his person.

This was truly an astounding thing, an amazing fact, a reality that defies ordinary nature (and can be comprehended only by faith): but one that can easily be taken for granted and even ignored and forgotten by a great many in this day and age. And this is truly sad. The very God of heaven wants to help out his human creations in a most profound and intimate way; but he can’t do it unless they come to the altar, present themselves for worship, and take and eat and drink what he gives.

And this eating and drinking is not optional by any means: Jesus is very serious when he says that you must eat and drink of my Body and Blood if you would have eternal life. And eat and drink – in some way – we must – if we are to call ourselves Catholic, if we are to consider ourselves disciples.

We pray today for a greater appreciation for the Blessed Eucharist that we share and that we reserve for the sick and for prayer. When we consider that it is the very Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier of the Entire Universe and all its parts and all it contains: there ought to be enough food for thought and meditation for hours, days, weeks, months – if not years!


I am the living bread that came down from heaven, says the Lord; whoever eats this bread will live forever!

Friday, May 27, 2016

May 27 - Homily for Today

+ We have intensely powerful readings at mass today. St. Peter opens the scenario with an often quoted but less and less often believed and taken to heart passage about the end of things! We read “the end of all things is at hand” – but what does that mean: 2000 years later, the end has not yet come? So what does it mean? The end has not come – or has it? has it not already come?

For those who are baptized into Christ Jesus – who have gone down into the water with him and rose from that water a new creation, a higher creation, a spirit-filled creation – our end has already come. Therefore, we must live the life that we are empowered and commanded to live: serious and sober-minded “so that we will be able to pray.” Praying is the most powerful tool there is for us to stay the course: and the Devil wants to distract us from it – in any way that he can – from simple “shiny objects” dangled in front of us – to new cars – to new tvs – computers and the like – and especially, personal pain, suffering, doubt and discouragement. And so St. Peter tells us to counteract this tendency by loving and taking care of others. Let your love for one another be intense (because when that final day actually does come – and it could truly come at any time we will be prepared): and our good works will cover a multitude of sins.

Use your gifts at the service of one another without complaining, using the unmistakable gifts that you have been given. And do not be surprised that a trial by fire is occurring among you – this is not a strange event: but rejoice to the extent that your share in the sufferings of Christ, so that when his glory is revealed you may also rejoice exultantly.

The gospel passage is amazing as well. Jesus curses a fig tree for apparently not having figs when it was not supposed to have them – and the tree subsequently dies. What is going on here? Jesus is prophesying that in the future those who live in him will be able to produce good fruit in any season at all – and that their own lack of faith in their supernatural ability to do this will be the only thing preventing it. May our fruit today be full, abundant, and helpful!

Then comes the very powerful scene with Jesus prophesying how displeased he and his Father will be to those who take anything sacred, and profane it – like the distraction of actually buying, selling, profiteering in the very temple of God itself. He upset the whole apple-cart! And he will upset ours too – if we don’t stay entirely focused on him – in prayer – constantly – all day long! We can ask for anything we want – in quiet, confident – persistent and trusting prayer – and he will give it so long as we don’t tie his hands by lack of focus and intent!


The Lord has chosen us – who bear his name – from the world to go and bear fruit that will last. Let this be our goal and objective this one day! Who knows it may be truly be the last!

Thursday, May 26, 2016

May 26 - Homily for Today

+ Our readings today speak of God’s desire to make us whole, complete and ready to do his work – as we follow him down the road. The first reading from St. Peter tells us that the posture with which we ought to approach the Lord Jesus every day is like newborn infants looking for their mother’s milk. He also tells us that it is perfectly alright to consider ourselves like little babes, and children: insignificant, even rejected – so that it can be clear that God is choosing us for his own work – and that we are precious in God’s sight, and “like living stones we are being built up into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood so that we can offer acceptable sacrifices acceptable to God through Christ Jesus.”

He also warns these precious ones to remain as “aliens and strangers in the world – keeping away from worldly desires that wage war against the soul.” We are to maintain good conduct so that all who see our good works will glorify God on the day of his visitation. And, be not foolish to think that that is a remote day. The day of the Lord is most certainly at hand!

The gospel passage is a wonderful one in which the very ability “to see these realities” as they are is revealed. And the blind man represents all of us who cannot see the depth of these realities at first – but asking the Lord for help and healing of inner spiritual sight – he grants our requests heals our spiritual blindness and we can then begin to see clearly – clearly enough to follow him up the road and into eternity! This is our goal in life. This is our duty in life! This is our joy in life – to be members of God’s army – protecting and defending the weakest among the sheep – and helping to lead the entire fold to the everlasting pastures of heaven.


Jesus, you are our LIGHT, and whoever consciously and willingly, generously, obediently and lovingly follows you – will have the light of LIFE ETERNAL! Amen. 

Sunday, May 22, 2016

May 22 - Homily for Sunday

+  Today (on this Feast of the Most Holy Trinity) we recap and summarize the amazing events of the last six months. We began in late November with the Season of Advent leading up to remembrance of the great solemnity of the Incarnation of the Word of God, His own Son, into our world, in order to save us from sure and certain doom and destruction.  We celebrated Christmas.

Shortly after that we entered into the plaintive purple days of the Lenten Season when we sharpened our spiritual awareness to better understand the events of Holy Week in which the great act of reconciliation was accomplished by the brutal death of this beloved Son of God, and Son of Man.

And then we began a fifty-day celebration of the astounding reality of the rising of a Man-God to newness of life, after having destroyed sin and opening the gates of heaven to all who were waiting to enter then, or would enter now in the future. The Resurrection of Jesus is the center of our faith and our justification, our life and our hope!

At the end of fifty days feasting, and when Jesus ascended into heaven, the Promised Gift of the Holy Spirit arrived, sent by the Father and the Son – to ensure the real presence of Jesus to all future generations until the end of time, and to preserve the Truth of his original message summarized in the great Sermon on the Mount. The Spirit came and now life in the Mystical Body of Christ, the Church he left behind, is possible for all who want and need its sacramental aids and helps.

That’s all there is to it: six months of detailing an incredible love story of God with his people, that was set right again, by his own paternal intervention.

What must be understood now is that the only way to fully enter into the life of God is to live as he lives, to love as he loves, to give ourselves away as he constantly gives himself away. God is a dynamic relationship of persons within his own self (Father, Son, Spirit); we too must be in dynamic loving relationships with one another, and the world in order to feel and experience who God is, what he is about, and what our most valued contribution to the whole picture is meant to be.

May the creating, redeeming, sanctifying reality of God’s presence fill us today and move us daily to live out our baptismal mission as worshippers, evangelists and helpers in building a Kingdom of justice, love, peace and joy!


Amen.

Friday, May 20, 2016

May 20 - Homily for Today

+ 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 emblem was adopted by the Jesuit community as its logo.

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!


Thursday, May 19, 2016

May 19 - Homily for Today

+ We have two interesting readings from Scripture today. In the first reading St. James is encouraging the rich to change their ways that will only lead to death and destruction for them. Their riches are ill-gotten – taken maliciously from those poor they have cheated out of what is rightfully theirs. You who have lived high off the land at the expense of others will be doomed on the last day. Repent before it is too late! This certainly applies to the rich and powerful in this own our day and age.

The gospel passage relates how all are called to a similar detachment from those things that contribute to a false sense of self, and misguided interactions with people. We must willingly mortify our senses, so that we can better identify with and engage in a helping and useful manner with our true brothers and sisters in Christ: those who depend upon him entirely for everything, and who understand the necessity of being “salted with fire” – that is “purified by the fire of the Holy Spirit. Jesus tells the disciples that their salt is good and must not become insipid or flat. You must keep salt in yourselves so that you will have peace, true peace, with one another!


So, as we move forward into our day today, may we receive the word of God, not as the word of men, but as it truly is, the word of God! Amen. Alleluia!  

Wednesday, May 18, 2016

May 18 - Homily for Today

+ Today we have two very brief but preeminently powerful readings. In the first reading St. James compels us to set aside our own plans – entirely, completely and with no strings attached: plans for tomorrow, for next week, next year: indeed, even plans for the rest of the day!

He who says today or tomorrow we will go here or there, spend a year doing such and such – making this or that amount of profit – is “a puff of smoke that appears briefly and then disappears.” In the sight of God our plans are nothing, nothing at all.

But if we learn to say first: if the Lord wills it, we shall do this or that – then, we can have every confidence that the future will be bright, hopeful and fruitful, abundantly so, because it will be God’s will, way and timing in all events – and it will be preeminently good, righteous and contributing to the building up of God’s kingdom.

A true disciple of Christ, follows Christ’s lead, and does not drag him along behind himself as he tries to plod his own way into all kinds of self-styled evil and mischievous adventures!

In the gospel passage, Jesus thwarts the plans of John [and the rest of the Apostles] when he tells them that there are many ways and means to do good and follow the spirit of the gospel, and to use his holy name in thus doing good: and so they are not to try to stop them – because those who do mighty deeds in the name of the Lord, cannot be speaking ill of him at the same time: and what they do manifests the glory of God, and is pleasing to God just as any other more conventional and even bureaucratic way would be!

Blessed are the poor in spirit: God is both in them and works through them for the glorification of his Name, and the sanctification of the world.


Tuesday, May 17, 2016

May 17 - Homily for Today

In this brief gospel account Jesus states his entire mission to his disciples at the beginning of his public ministry: that he, as Son of Man, would be handed over and killed but then raised on the third day. The disciples did not understand this at all, but they did not question him about it. We on the other hand, on this day, have not many questions, because we have just concluded the six month recounting of all these events in great detail by the celebration of the Christmas/Easter cycle.

It is up to us then, as it was for the disciples, to reflect on the reality of the events, the astounding events of the coming to earth of God as Man, and his amazing act of reconciliation which reunited heaven and earth for people of all time. And then after the reflecting, it is up to us to go out and tell people about the “great difference” that is now available for those who want it, a “real” difference, a “qualitative” difference, a “substantial” difference: death can be turned into life now, darkness into light, and hatred into love: and then we must act on what we believe and preach!

And as to who the great ones would be in this new dispensation of evangelization: it would be the servant of others, how could it be otherwise? Jesus, the greatest came to serve, to be great in his eyes would mean to serve like he did: out of pure and unselfish love.

Again, at the end of the gospel passage Jesus summarizes his ministry taking the child in his arms: whoever receives this child receives me and my Father both: we must receive all that Jesus and his Father have to give: for it is grace, life and hope – not only for us, but for others through us.


Commit your life to the Lord(‘s service), and he will help you.

Monday, May 16, 2016

May 16 - Homily for Today

+ On this first weekday mass after the entire Christmas / Lenten Easter Cycle – returning to green-vestmented “ordinary time” – we are reminded in the first reading, from the letter of St. James, that the “fruit of righteousness,” the fruit of “right living” is “sown in peace for those who cultivate peace.” This is the entire theme of the above mentioned cycles: PEACE. Jesus came forth from the Father to restore peace, where there was chaos; to restore friendship with God, where there was willful alienation by disobedience; to restore eternal life, where there was the necessity of eternal death. The Life, Death and Resurrection of Christ was o so powerful, meritorious and “peace-producing.” This is why Jesus’ first word to the Apostles, frightened and hiding in the Upper Room after Good Friday – was “Peace!” Peace. fellas, I understand! But there is no need to be afraid any longer, there is every reason now to be filled with my peace, the deep, abiding, inner peace that only living in me can produce. Sow peace, now, among my brothers and sisters throughout the entire world. And teach them to, above all, cultivate that peace in all they do.

It is not easy in a world where the devil and the demons are still quite active, to find real peace, where a different brand of peace is promulgated: the base satisfaction of shallow and unsubstantial desires. Prayer and fasting can drive out these demons as Jesus relates in the gospel passage, but the idea is to not let such temptations and distractions even to catch our eye in the first place. This we do by staying focused – moment by moment – throughout the day on the Cross of Christ – its immense power and salvific action – that is always available for the asking! Jesus, I love you! Jesus, I adore you! Jesus, I trust you! and thanks for making peace, real peace available to us all – now for the asking!
Let the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart find favor before you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer!


Wednesday, May 11, 2016

May 11 - Homily for Today

+ Our readings today are quite spectacular both in their drama and in their content: Paul is addressing the newly ordained priests of Ephesus for the last time, and Jesus asks his Father to consecrate his apostles and all priests in the truth. This is astounding actually: it is now possible to be absolutely sure concerning the essence and true nature of those things that have to do with the salvation of the human race: which is virtually everything; just as Jesus was meant to be the clearing house for all truth because he is the truth-made-flesh – so too his Mystical Body, beginning with those members who reside with Christ as Head: they would be the vendors and protectors of Truth in the world.

It would therefore behoove the world to take notice of what the true teaching authority of the Church is proposing, especially in the generic, bland, sterile, secular society that is being created before our very eyes. Now while such truth can always be unraveled more and more, the truth about anything cannot change: especially who Jesus is and what he teaches.

St. Paul warns the Ephesian priests to beware of those who will come to destroy the truth (even members from their own communities), very much like the efforts to destroy Jesus himself – but especially now that Jesus reigns as victor over any confronting power, so too the Ephesians will reign victorious if they focus on the Gospel as given – and the entire remaining Scriptures as setting and application of this Divine communication for our welfare.

As we celebrate World Communications Week in the Church we pray for a better and deeper understanding of the fact that the word of the Lord is truth, and that if we have been ordained, and baptized we have been consecrated with differing degrees of this truth – but not for our own private benefit, but for the gathering and salvation of all the world.


God speaks only truth, so that our feet may be guided safely to him!

Monday, May 9, 2016

May 9 - Homily for Today

+ We recall today that our first reading remains narrative about post-Pentecost events: and so today we see Paul going down to Ephesus. Here we have the classic outline of apostolic ministry presented: ask a leading question: did you receive the Spirit when you became believers? The classic answer among the worldly is: we have never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit. Well then, how were you baptized? With the baptism of John (an incomplete and non-salvific baptism), although it is a start for his is a baptism of repentance, but for those baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus a whole new world opens up and a transfigured person becomes a child of God and heir of heaven.

We then see Paul baptizing about a dozen of the Ephesians in the name of the Lord Jesus (and his Father and their Spirit) and the Spirit rushes upon them and they speak in tongues and prophesy and they begin a brand new chapter in their lives: and the Christian community is firmly established there.

In the gospel passage, now pre-Pentecost, and even pre-Passion, Jesus says to his Apostles you may think everything is clear to you now about me and my mission; but wait, shortly you will be thrown into chaos and confusion – but take heart I have overcome all chaos and confusion: I have overcome the whole world: and one day when the Spirit finally comes – you will truly know the entire story – and you will rejoice and you will be my witnesses about it to the ends of the earth.

We are witnesses in our own right to the real presence of Jesus – as he comes to us in the depths of our hearts in silence, as he comes in the Scriptures, as he comes in the Eucharist, as he comes in good deeds done for love of him!

May we always seek God, by seeking what he seeks: the poor, the orphaned, the hungry and the forsaken! And may God bless us all and fill us with his Holy Spirit!


Friday, May 6, 2016

May 6 - Homily for Today

+ In our gospel passage today Jesus addresses the obvious intensive relationship that he enters into with us by means of his ascension into heaven. He has already explained to the disciples why it is better that he goes from them, so that the Spirit can come – who will be permanent and will fill the membership of the Church and guide and direct it until the end of time; but in a gentle and compassionate kind of way Jesus addresses those who have become his close friends and confidants: they are sad because of the physical separation: they will not be able to see him any more as they are accustomed to. And this is true, not as they are accustomed to, but they will still be able to see him quite well with the eyes of faith; they will experience his nearness even better than before because he will now reside deeply within their hearts, and he will walk with them in a very real and supportive kind of way.

It really is the same for us who have become separated from our loved ones in death. The physical separation can be enormous; but the new presence of the loved one can be even greater than the previous one: with the eyes of faith; for there truly can be a new awareness, a new presence, a new closeness, and new experience of being saturated with the person’s love: this ought very much help in the grieving process that is always a part of such loss. But just as the ascension of Jesus is rightly considered a loss and a greater gain, so too can be the loss of our family and friends be considered the same.

We love you Jesus who has gone yet stayed; we love you family, friends who have done the same.


God mounts his throne amid shouts of joy; the Lord, amid trumpet blasts. Sing praise to God, sing praise; sing praise to our King, sing praise.

Thursday, May 5, 2016

May 5 - Homily for Today

+ The church in the diocese recommends that today’s feast of the Ascension of the Lord be transferred to Sunday – therefore, today we celebrate the simple Easter Weekday in the 6th week of Easter.

In this brief gospel passage Jesus, actually, in this post-Last Supper exposition tells the disciples that “they will see him, then they won’t, then they will again… they will weep and mourn while the world rejoices, but their grief will become joy!”

What in the world is he talking about?

This refers to the time when asked why his disciple do not fast, while John the Baptist’s do. His reply then, applies here: so long as I am in your midst you have no need to be sad or to mourn, but when I am taken away, that will be the time to fast and mourn. And Jesus was taken away and crucified – a moment of great sadness and pain; but then he was raised from the dead by the working of the Holy Spirit: and everything became different. Redemption occurred, and there was now great cause for rejoicing.

Now, just hours before the Ascension, the disciples realize that Jesus will be taken away again: but, he tells them not really at all: you will see me going up, but I will remain with you all, always, until the end of the world, by means of the gift of the Spirit that I will send, a Spirit of truth, goodness and joy! A Spirit of reconciliation, mercy and peace.

The Spirit filled Church would be launched, and its Sacraments, primarily Baptism, Eucharist and Penance would assure the Divine Presence until he returns as Judge, as promised.
May we rejoice today in the promises that God makes and keeps, and that he anticipates and comforts us in all our sorrows and griefs, and always makes the sun come out again: with the light of his TRUTH and LOVE.

Amen!


Wednesday, May 4, 2016

May 4 - Homily for Today

+ On this eve day of the Ascension of the Lord, Jesus makes an emphatic statement: even though I am raised, and will soon be ascended to my Father, I am still his “Word-made-flesh” in the world – and always will be. And just as my audible words are not mine, but reflect the voice of the Father speaking, so too what the Spirit speaks, when he comes, will not be just his own thoughts and ideas, but they will be entirely and solely mine, which are the Father’s still. This means that what the Church (who is me) says in an official way has my very solemn and special guarantee to be the truth of what I myself and my Father say.

All the reason in the world, all the philosophies in the world, all the academia in the world could never reach the conclusions that one brief moment in the super-natural level can grasp. Now it is the lot of the human being to exist on these two levels fully and richly: the natural and the supernatural. Both together make for a well-balanced human being. This is why St. Paul tells the Athenians that while they are great thinkers, and among their many gods they even leave room for an “unknown god” who seems to be a mysterious force, possibly greater than all the others: Paul tells them exactly who that “unknown one” is: the one God of Creation, the one God who draws all people and even the whole cosmos to himself, the one God who needs no sacrifices nor altars nor statues built to him; the one God who sent his own Son into the world to confirm his reality and teachings and to open the gates of heaven for everyone for all times.

May we enjoy life both of this world, but deeply in the super-natural life of God himself: the triune life of love, sacrifice and praise!

I will ask the Father and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always!

Amen. Alleluia.


Monday, May 2, 2016

May 2 - Homily for Today

+ Athanasius was born in 295 at Alexandria, Egypt. He studied the classics and theology there. He then became a deacon, student, and secretary of the bishop of Alexander of Alexandria. He attended the Council of Nicea in 325 where he fought for the defeat of Arianism and acceptance of the full divinity of Jesus. Here the doctrine of homo-ousianism which says that Christ is the same substance as the Father was promulgated. Arianism taught that Christ was different from, and a creation of, the Father; a creature, and not part of, God.

Athanasius became Bishop of Alexandria in 328 (at the age of 33) and served for 46 years. When the dispute over Arianism spilled over from theology to politics, Athanasius got exiled five times, spending more than a third of his episcopate in exile. Biographer of St. Anthony the Abbot, Confessor of the faith and Doctor of the Church, he fought for the acceptance of the Nicene Creed – which is an optional Profession of Faith available for every Sunday celebration in the Catholic Church to this day.

Athanasius died on May 2, 373 at Alexandria of natural causes – his relics are at St. Croce, Venice, Italy. In 1568 he was proclaimed one of the four great Doctors of the Church in the East alongside Basil the Great, Gregory Nazianzen and John Chrysostom.

The readings today fit the feast well:  St. John tells us in the first reading that the one with faith will be able to understand what is happening in the world, and will be able to conquer it: faith in the Son of God, as fully divine, of one substance with the Father is like an impregnable shield against all adversaries; the gospel passage reminds all committed disciples that persecution awaits them, but that this same faith and trust in the name of Jesus will be their rock and refuge: the work of evangelization and confessing the faith must be done – and with the Lord’s own Spirit and strength it shall be accomplished. Thank you God for these precious gifts!

As was said long ago, and which applies today: The mouth of the just murmurs wisdom!


Sunday, May 1, 2016

May 1 - Homily for Today

+ It may almost sound like a campaign kind of logic: Jesus in the gospel passage could be observed to be building himself up when he says there is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends – and you can see I have done that, so am I not wonderful? – will you not elect me to public office? Well, the truth of the matter is that he is more than wonderful, because he is not just “some man” who “laid down his life for his pals.” The real story here is that he is the “God-Man,” who nevertheless laid down his life in order to save his enemies (not his friends). The whole reason Jesus came to us at all is because our relationship of friendship with God was so shattered and so broken that it could never be put back together again by anyone living on this planet. So he came from “beyond the stars” to save us, forgive us our sins and throw open the gates of heaven so we could enter and rejoice with him and all others who want to be there – forever!

And so now, it is at this point, because Jesus did what he came to do: prove his love by dying on the Cross and rising again: that he can add just one more thing – to “seal the deal”: he tells us how to retain his salvific actions in our own histories and lives: remain in my love, remain in this friendship, love one another – self-sacrificially – like I did do for you, and even if needs be, in some rare cases to the point of death – you must do everything that I have commanded you to do out of love for me.

And these things are not burdensome, there are not hundreds of commands written in some lofty code as in the days of Moses: what I give you are the Beatitudes, I give you my sayings; I give you my parables; I give you my sermons. The message hidden in all these manifestations is actually very simple: GOD IS LOVE! That is what I came to tell you! And – since your baptism – you live in God – therefore you live in love – so keep that love alive – experience the great dynamic energy that it engenders – and you will be saturated in joy and peace and hope; and with St. Paul, you will be able to go out and bring this message to all nations – beginning with the people I place right around you.

It was an exciting evangelistic undertaking that would be underway in a couple of weeks’ time with the arrival of the Spirit on Pentecost – and arming his beloved apostles with faith and love – the world would never be the same!

With gratitude in our hearts, O Lord, we thank you for all you have done – in loving us so very, very much – and we recommit ourselves today to surrendering ourselves entirely to your will and care: you are God, you can never let us go astray if we cling to you, adore you and glorify you with all our hearts!

Sing joyfully to the Lord, all you lands; break into song; sing praise.


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...