Monday, April 27, 2020

Apr 27 - 3rd Week of Easter - Monday


+ Our gospel passage today makes a very important distinction: we must be clear about why we “go to the Lord” – why we are attracted to Jesus; just exactly what it is that we expect from him? A great number underestimate Jesus: they think him just as a nice guy, a good teacher, a worker of wonders – a good person to know in times of trouble: but they fail to see him as the one sent from God, who is both God and man at the same time, who is goodness itself, who teaches what he himself has created, and who has ultimate power over nature and can do whatever he wants. And so the one great requirement is that people come to believe in Jesus as the one sent from God – and he is to be respected, and honored and loved as such!



Proof of the possession of belief is found in a strong desire to tell about this God-Man, this Lord, Savior, King to everyone. Stephen believed – much to the dismay of those in whose jurisdiction he was telling the Jesus story – and they could only counter him by lies and false testimony because they knew he was telling the truth about Jesus – and so they did lie, they twisted what he was saying to incite the Sanhedrin to charge and condemn him to death; this they will do: but through it all: the face of Stephen will remain like that of an angel: when one is beholding the face of God – while under fire – nothing can interiorly harm any of us!



May we fearlessly be your apostles and “tellers of your story” today, Lord – to all we meet – someway, somehow – if only virtually, by internet, phone, or snail mail. Let us make the real “captivity” of our groundedness, our seeming prison of “house-arrest” – into an adventure in creativity, kindness and fun, yes, even fun: now is the chance for us all to learn what it means to “make lemonade, when life gives you lemons” – the produce of lemonade we could combine to make would fill a lake, no doubt – but our inner attitude can make it a “gloom and doom” scenario, or a “Disney Wonder Adventure!” It is up to us, and the God living within us to coordinate a HAPPY, HOPEFUL, PRODUCTIVE result!



I am the resurrection and the life, says the Lord, he who does his best to believe this and live it, will live forever in close relationship with me and my Father! Amen.




Sunday, April 19, 2020

Apr 19 - Divine Mercy Sunday


+ Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God.” We all recognize these familiar words of the Apostle Thomas who insisted on seeing and touching the wounds of Jesus in order to believe that he has, in fact, risen from the dead! Jesus tells Thomas that belief can come from a more direct contact with Jesus –according to his wishes; but for the greater majority “believing in the divinity of Jesus” would produce the “seeing of Him” that people long for; for such seeing is a very real, but supernatural and invisible kind of seeing! But in either case: the same prerequisite is absolutely necessary: BELIEF IN THE DIVINITY OF THE RISEN JESUS!



But we may ask, why does not God make things easier for us, plainer, more visible, more real, on terms that we can understand: “our terms”? The answer is that he wants us to walk through this life by FAITH; which is on “his terms!” He can do that: He is God.



He thinks it best for us to walk in a certain amount of darkness, and confusion and struggling; he wants us to always be looking up and out, away from ourselves, for him, in hope and with love in our hearts for him and for others, as we make our way to our heavenly homeland!



Earth, as it is now, is not a home for Christian people - nor for anyone else, for that matter – heaven is! And if everything were so plain and simple, we would forget we need God and he would be sad that we no longer want to come and live with him!



This explains the main theme of today’s celebration: the “divine mercy” of God! God delights to show mercy, give help, give comfort, bring aid, and give healing of mind, body and spirit: but that can only happen if we, as human beings, count ourselves qualified – and what qualifies us is our regard of our own utter nothingness, emptiness and misery without him! For this is absolutely true! WITHOUT GOD WE ARE NOTHING and we can do nothing! And there is nothing more tragic and wonderful than that! Blessed Abbot Columba Marmion OSB, a favorite spiritual writer of mine, who was beatified in the year 2000 by Pope John Paul II,  tells us that the abyss of our misery calls to the abyss of God’s mercy!



It is not our perfection to dazzle God who is surrounded by myriads of angels. No, it is our misery, our woe AVOWED (recognized and proclaimed) which draws down his mercy [on us his beloved adopted sons and daughters]. Is this not what St. Thomas said to Jesus on the Octave night of Easter: Jesus, I was so wrong, I was so full of myself, I always have to have proof for everything, but now I avow my nothingness in the light of your totality: you are my Lord, you are my God, you are my EVERYTHING!



When any of us comes into the presence of Jesus, we must come humbly, hands held open, and satisfied to rest at his feet as we await our “marching orders” from him – who will work through us! For since the day of our baptism our lives are not our own, they are his! And what a magnificent sense of usefulness and joy comes to the disciple who lets Jesus do for others, through us, whatever he wants!



And today, as I have alluded to, we remember four other people of our own times who allowed this instrumentality to happen to them: St. Faustina Kowalska who was Jesus’ personal secretary in writing down his wishes to be known as the great distributer of Divine Mercy – flowing from his Sacred Human Heart!  Now, St. John XXIII, whose sense of mercy and compassion was very evident in his desire to begin a grand renewal of the spirit of the Church, grounded in true care and concern for all people everywhere, which has come to full flower now in the life of our current Holy Father, Pope Francis. And of course, St. Pope John Paul II, who espoused the Divine Mercy Message, canonized Sister Faustina in the year 2000 (April 30), and declared the Octave Day of Easter, (the Second Sunday of Easter - today) to also be known as Divine Mercy Sunday: so that the application of the merciful events of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus can be summarized and celebrated!



The world needs Divine Mercy appreciation, celebration and application more than ever – for the international health crisis that touches everyone everywhere – in the rampage that the Coronavirus is still making as it ravages itself – unawares – across our own country in particular: it would seem that it is ONLY the “the abyss of God’s providential love and mercy” can turn it around – and begin to disarm it, disengage it and dissemble it: but this can be done without a true, authentic and genuine “merciful” response on the part of all in this country – where no one at all is exempt: we must distance ourselves, literally, when we must be in public, we must wear facemasks then, and we must constantly wash our hands, surfaces and clothes. This is very serious business – it is a matter of physical life and death. Through US then mercy of God will become activated – and the Blood and Water that poured out of the Pierced Heart of Jesus will indeed wash away the virus, and soothe and calm, refresh and renew all of us as we PATIENTLY, O SO PATIENTLY, AND COOPERATIVELY move forward in baby steps to rebuild and remake our states and our country into now a more God-fearing, Jesus-loving, Spirit-filled society of loving, giving, caring and self-sacrificial individuals and communities.





Thank you God for “the abyss of your providential love and mercy” that you so willing pour out like an ocean on any who declare “the abyss of their own misery, their own nothingness, their own helplessness” and ask for all of your help! You respond instantaneously! You respond generously! For You are our Lord, You are our God, You are our ALL!



God bless you!  Amen! Alleluia!

Friday, April 17, 2020

Apr 17 - Easter Week Friday


+ In the gospel passage we see the third appearance of Jesus to his disciples after being raised from the dead. It is a very visual story of Jesus standing on the shore of the lake, where Peter, James and John and some others had been fishing all night – catching nothing. But at this “stranger’s” advice they cast their net over the right side of the boat and caught a huge load of fish – they could hardly get it into the boat. Then John shouted: “It’s the Lord!” Who else could have caused such a wonderful thing to happen? When they got to the shore, they counted the fish: 153 – a very large amount – and then because they were still in a bit of a shock, Jesus said to them, come have a fish breakfast with me! And He fed them – again – with bread, and fish! It is one of Jesus’ great joys to feed his disciples – then and now – with what they need physically and spiritually!



In the first reading – we see Peter again – not too far in time after the fish breakfast – addressing the high priests in Jerusalem and telling them that the one they had been instrumental in crucifying, Jesus, is the one who has been raised from the dead –  he is the Christ - and he has been seen by many! He is the stone rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone! Peter tells them there is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved. This was true on that day in Jerusalem, it is true now, and it will be true until the last person born on earth hears it!



Great things happen when associating with this risen Lord of glory – a great catch of fish of all kinds and varieties is possible – and the ability of enduring in life whatever is irksome, challenging and sorrowful is raised to a very high level! In Jesus is all our hope, our joy and our peace!



This is indeed a great message for us who are dealing moment by moment, decision by decision, locality by locality, nationally, and part of the international community of brothers and sisters with the great scourge for nature that is visiting us: the Coronavirus. This “particular” fish that we are dealing with is exceedingly challenging – but, because of the Death/Resurrection events of Jesus – it is already taken care of – but that “taking care of” necessitates our active alertness and participation in the remedy for it: the disease itself is telling us what it loves and thrives on: so we need to use our heads, wash our hands, stay at home, and engage our hearts in praying for everyone else who is dealing with the same thing.



Actually this whole scene in the “history of mankind” that we are all starring in, demands our cooperation and active measures in NOT FEEDING THE VIRUS WHAT IT WANTS: feed it instead DISTANCE, HOT WATER AND SOAP, and FACE MASKS – and let us correlatively pray that the TESTING MECHANISM is ramped up as quickly as possible – or any attempt at venturing forth will only precipitate new pocket outbreaks, all over the place.



This whole thing reminds me of a movie I saw decades ago now: GREMLINS – that scared the living daylights out of me – we must STAY PUT – so the CORONA-GREMLIN can’t find us. It’s as simple as that!



The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.         By the Lord has this been done; it is wonderful in our eyes! And he alone is our victory, our health, and our peace! Amen.




Monday, April 13, 2020

Apr 12 - Easter


Easter Vigil and Sunday 2020



+ Perhaps no other time in human history, has the entire human race, in the global circumstances and situations that we find ourselves in been called to immediate and almost mandatory participation by everyone.



The effects of the Coronavirus 2019 is “boggling the mind of many,” stretching the limits of the giving heart” for many more, and wrenching the guts of most of us.

Across the board, the one topic that is searing the psyches of men, women and children is this: when will it end, when will it be over, when will things return to normal, when will people stop becoming infected, when will people stop dying, when will the sun come out again – the blunt answer is simply no one knows, no one knows how long our world will be upside down! And so we are faced with a choice, give up, give in, give over control to anyone who even sounds like they might have a solution, or to simply learn how to live upside down, learn how to reach deep inside and find the source of something that has always been there, that will always be there: our connection to the Divine Workings of the Blessed Trinity in our souls!



Yeah, right! now YOU are upside down, many might say! Well, yes, yes I am, yes, I know it, yes, it’s where I want to be, it’s the only way through the maze of ever changing realities and decisions that just don’t seem to stick!



The bottom line we are told, is to do everything contrary to what is an internal instinct, what is a normal inclination, what is a normal response to a stressful situation: and that is: we must stay put, and apart from one another, and wear protective gear when we do go outside for essential outings, and to wash our hands, wash our surfaces, and wash our clothes – over and over again.



The top line is that we are totally equipped to do these things: for as long as temporarily is determined, why? because of LOVE. Love of our families, and pets who are hold up with us, love of family and friends from whom we are separated by distance, any distance at all, love of our fellow citizens in our cities and states and nation, and our world.



We truly are in this “thing” together! but, tonight, we remind ourselves of the Principal Person that we need to remember who is deeply concerned about, and doing everything possible to let us know he is there, and to layout for us an array of tools to use – to make this probably the “best adventure of our lives.” And that Person is the Divine Person of Jesus Christ, Crucified, Buried and now celebrated as Risen from the dead and modeling the brand new kind of glorifed human life that is his to model first – so that we can see what awaits all of us, when we instantly pass from this mortal human existence, and step into the Reality of realities and begin to exist as he does with unimagined new abilities, capabilities and functions: all in a multidimensional experience that will “boggle our minds, and hearts and guts, forever and ever!”



This is what happened to Jesus in that tomb, the Holy Spirit at the quest of His Father, jettisoned Jesus into this fullness and abundance that simply is off the charts. Jesus was not simply resuscitated, he was TRANSFORMED and leapt quantumly beyond the sun, beyond the stars, beyond the universe – and into His Father’s outstretched arms, as they ran towards each other, powered by their own Spirit of relationship, Spirit of Love, Spirit of Light – where they will remain entwined forever!



And all this we are already participating in! THAT’S THE GOOD NEWS OF EASTER! no matter who we are on the planet, we are already participating in the Easter Dance, the Easter Song, the Easter Embrace of Love – and no matter what we do or don’t do – nothing will change the Love for us that the infinitely dynamic source of that Love can give. GOD DOESN’T MAKE JUNK! GOD LOVES US JUST EXACTLY THE WAY WE ARE! and so, there is every reason to have ABSOLUTE HOPE and TRUST in HIM who sees our current impatience, our current cabin fever, our current need to reorganize our entire exterior lives, our deep sorrow watching so many die as a result of the virus, and so many yet to be infected and made sick, and so many out of work, and who may be so indefinitely!

HE GETS OUR LOT – but he cannot correct the situation without us: without asking for the grace flowing from the Risen Jesus, the grace that cools, and heals, and comforts, the grace that inspires us to keep going, to rearrange what needs rearranging, and to discover things about ourselves that we never knew – both the good and the bad.



Let us then listen to the medical experts at the helm and only them – because God (the Triune Lover of us) is working directly through them. And he is not pleased at all with those who are using any single part of this situation for their own self-importance, profit, or congratulations.

REJOICE! THE LORD HAS DIED, THE LORD HAS RISEN! WE HAVE DIED, AND WE HAVE RISEN WITH HIM – and so all is well, ALL IS WELL, and ALL MANNER OF THING IS WELL!

God bless you!

Friday, April 10, 2020

Apr 10 - Good Friday


Good Friday – April 10, 2020





+ Let us reflect for a few minutes today on the staggering significance of what we are remembering and celebrating:

·       the God who became Man – Jesus Christ – came to earth on Christmas Day – we cannot separate the Crib and the Cross -

and he began to live his entire life in the shadow of that Cross – the Cross that would await him at the end of the journey of his life among us.



·       no matter who tried to deter him from his heaven-sent mission (the Devil, the Scribes, the Pharisees, unbelieving sight-seers and n’er-do-wells) Jesus always kept he entire focus on that Cross – because it meant our salvation, it meant the forgiveness of our sins, it meant the opening of the gates of heaven to us, which would otherwise remain closed forever



·       the mechanism, if you will that would win salvation, was the absolute obedience and trust of a human being (who was also God at the same time) to overturn the disobedience and grave act of mistrust in God displayed by our first parents: this is the SIN OF ADAM.



·       and so it happened as it was foretold – all of the prophecies were fulfilled – and Jesus died a human death on that Friday we call Good – because it snatched up all that was bad and cast it away forever.



·       and we became free – free to form and use our consciences properly, free to make good and right, helpful and just decisions, free to choose to love Jesus and his Father, by means of their own Spirit – and to opt for living with them forever in heaven by accepting their invitation to do so…



·       what a wondrous day this is: what an astounding drama that was played out, what a price that was paid for sin, what a cause for our never-ceasing acclamations of thanks, praise, worship and glory to GOD who loves us each so very, very much as to insist that it all be played out this exact way



·       O Saving Cross of Christ WE ADORE YOU!


Wednesday, April 8, 2020

Apr 8 - Holy Week Thursday


+ We are on the threshold of the three holiest days of the church year. Tomorrow we celebrate the Institution of the Priesthood and the Perpetual Memorial of the Lord’s Last Supper which we know of as “The Mass”; on Friday we commemorate his life-giving Passion and Death (which was anticipated at that supper); and Saturday evening (and Easter Sunday) we rejoice with the Church as we proclaim Jesus Risen from the dead, and we welcome new members into the Mystical Body of the Church.



Our attitude ought to be one of solemn yet joyful anticipation and reflection on such a wondrous display of God’s love and mercy and forgiveness. He did not have to create us in the first place; and he did not have to redeem us when we miserably failed the simple test of loyalty that he gave us in the second place: but he did both: BECAUSE HE LOVES US! He loves us individually. He loves us personally. He loves us collectively. May we love him back then and thank him profusely by lives of giving to others, all others, after the example of his own beloved Son, Jesus!



Hail to you Jesus:

Lord, King and Savior of the world!        




Friday, April 3, 2020

Apr 3 - 5th Week in Lent - Friday


+ The Prophet Jeremiah has in his own life the experience of being denounced and stalked by his own friends: “all those who were my friends are on the watch for any misstep of mine; perhaps he will be trapped; then we can prevail, and take our vengeance on him!” This is a sure prophecy of what would happen to Jesus at a later time! In the gospel passage today we see the Jews trying to trip Jesus up because they fail to understand his unique and real relationship with his heavenly Father: the one sent by him into the world to reconcile us, the one who has the right to be called true Son of God (because that is exactly what he is). Jesus tells them then if they do not believe what he says about himself as Son of God – they should at least believe that he is unique and from God because of the quality of the works that he does: his spiritually revolutionary preaching, and his miracles that have no other explanation than originating in God himself.



But these prejudiced and stiff-necked people reject any claim that Jesus makes on being in a special relationship with the very God of their fathers: and they try to arrest him – but as it was not yet his exact hour to finally be handed over, he escaped from their power and went back across the Jordan to the place where John first baptized, and there he remained. There many came to believe in him for they realized that everything John said about this man was true.



We have a unique and special invitation to listen to Jesus speak at this Mass and to witness his greatest sign of all: the changing of bread and wine by the priest into his Real and True Body and Blood as supernatural nourishment for our spiritual lives for which we are responsible for growth and maturity! May we appreciate what happens here to the maximum – for it is astounding as it is breathtaking!



What was once thought an impossibility – to mandate that Mass should be celebrated by the priest only, without a congregation, in our country, what is at the same time emphasized to the maximum is the indispensable role of the Priesthood of the Church – which alone has the authority of Jesus himself to confect not only a viable, and spiritually nourishing Word – (the Liturgy of the Word), but also the viable and equally spiritually and also physically nourishing Eucharistic Presence of Jesus in the Bread and Wine – which in the virtual world in which we are now thrust – is consumed only by the priest, FOR US, and for our salvation, our comfort, our joy, our peace! Yes, the priest is doing exactly what he has been ordained to do: offer the Mass (and all Sacraments) with and FOR (on behalf of the people) but without you.



Therefore when watching LIVE mass, Virtually Streamed, when the priest receives the Precious Body and Blood of Jesus – all who are viewing it can make it their intention to receive it too – through him – then the spiritual connection between us and the Blessed Trinity can be fanned into flame in a different, but very real way!



It is my joy and my supreme duty, as a priest, to serve you in this way – to keep you not only spiritually alive, but physically alive by insisting on Mass Without You – maybe for a good long while!



We love you, O Lord, our strength, O Lord, our rock, our fortress, our deliverer.

Thursday, April 2, 2020

Apr 2 - 5th Week in Lent - Thursday


+ In the gospel passage today Jesus is trying to make the point that those who keep the covenant and commandments that his Father made with Abraham (and his descendants) are also obeying him because he was also present at the time those covenants and commands were given – and that their reward will be everlasting life. The Jews however are not convinced of his legitimacy and they mock him saying: You are not yet fifty years old, how could you have seen Abraham and been with him when God spoke with him?



Jesus, in an exasperating way, raises his voice and cries out: Listen to me! before Abraham came to be, I AM. I am eternal! I am with God always! I am present in all my Father’s dealings with the human race. So they picked up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid and went out of the temple area: to await his hour when more than stones will be thrown at him.



In the first reading we see the historic covenant made between God and Abram: it was the cause of the changing of his name to Abraham, and it was the cause of many graces and blessings on him and his physical and spiritual descendants; but the other end of the deal must never be overlooked: he would be their God, but they must obey the commands of the covenant – all of them: and thus they would be eligible for countless blessings.



May we the children of Abraham, the children of God be quick to obey with our spiritual fathers: imitate their example, and win the prize that they won for us by their obedience: life on high forever, with God, his Son and the communion of saints!



And a lesson we can take with us into this day, a day when the uncertainties, anxieties, and fears associated with the unstoppable, so far, spread of the coronavirus both local, nationally and internationally, is that the “I AM-ness” of God still persists in our own day – and that “I AM – Jesus” and “I AM – his Father” are with us and available to us to help comfort us, and calm us, and heal us – in so many ways. And what is more because we can and do say regarding ourselves: “I am” – and we say it probably hundreds of times a day – it means that “we are” internally, at our core, in our souls – connected with the Father and the Son, by means of their Spirit – especially by means of our baptisms – so that we can co-create solutions to the problems facing us and our friends and families and fellow countrymen: and the most creative thing we can do is to stay away from each other – both in public, but also in private – this means husbands and wives and children and grandparents – for as soon as anyone leaves the house and comes back in – for any reason – they may have carted the virus back in with them.



I urge you to listen to the scientists, the doctors, the nurses and the psychologists: find creative ways to be separate, and to stay inside – it is a matter of life and death!



If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts


Wednesday, April 1, 2020

Apr 1 - 5th Week in Lent - Wedneday


+ The topic of our readings today is an important one: freedom. It seems that Jesus and the Jewish people to whom he spoke were on two different wavelengths, again: this time regarding what it truly means to be free! The Jewish people still see freedom as a national condition that is the goal to be striven for: the children of Abraham are free because they are to be the favored nation of God – among other nations and gods!



But Jesus speaks very plainly today: only I can give you true freedom, inner freedom, freedom to be who you are on the inside – and it is from the inside out that you will attain your true status as heirs of Abraham and favored children of God!



Most often, freedom comes at a price: such as the price the three young men faced in the fiery furnace of Nebuchadnezzar! But when one is totally engulfed in faith in God – not even lapping flames of any kind – real or symbolic – can disturb you.



And this has immediate application and direction as we daily are more and more immersed in the raging coronavirus – which by the way has nothing to do with Satan, it is simply nature being nature, a virus being its best self! What need do is to protect ourselves by immersing ourselves in FAITH and belief that GOD DOES HAVE EVERYTHING IN CONTROL – even if it seems exactly opposite of what my physical eyes are telling me.



And how we do that is to, believe it or not – sit, and saturate ourselves in silence and solitude – which ought to be easier than ever now that we are house-bound – sit STILL AND DO NOTHING! DO NOTHING! DO NOTHING – and ENGAGE IN BEING, JUST BEING, JUST being with your true self, and with God – for 20 minutes in the morning, and 20 minutes in the evening! and you will WAKE UP, you will become AWARE of what is really going on! And you will begin to understand the mystery of it all! And what a wondrous mystery it is: to feel calm, and peace and healing in the midst of a roaring whirlwind of disease and death going on all around us, or even in us if we become a victim of the virus.



LIVE JOYFULLY IN THE HERE AND NOW – doing NOTHING as often as you can and you will be VICTORIOUS when all is said and done.



May we today truly be free, enjoying the freedom of the sons and daughters of God: a freedom consisting of informed consent and cooperation with God who wants to be an intimate part of our lives – if we let him!



Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever!    


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...