Homily Reflection - 1st Sunday Advent - The Arrival of Extraordinary

The Arrival of Extraordinary

Jeremiah 33:14-16; Psalm 25:4-5, 8-9, 10, 14;  1 Thessalonians 3:12-4:2;  Luke 21:25-28, 34-36

Happy New Year in the Church!

Today, we celebrate the 1^st Sunday of Advent.

(?) What’s that mean (?)

Most people might say “I don’t know. Advent is the time before Christmas. It might have a special meaning; but, Christmas was a long time ago. Jesus has already been born. I don’t know the reason for Advent?”

Let’s think about the reason for Advent.

Maybe, it’s a wake-up call. On the first Sunday of Advent, when we should be getting ready for the joyous arrival of the Lord, the readings are harsh. Telling us days are coming when the sun, the moon, and the earth shall be in dismay and perplexed. People will die of fright. These words are a wake-up call.

Maybe, it’s about repentance. Paul writes, “strengthen your hearts, to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father.” The gospel urges “pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent….” These are words of repentance.

Maybe, it’s for us to ask forgiveness. The Gospel says we will “stand before the Son of Man;” and, to “stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand.” The alleluia we sang today is “Show us, Lord, your love; and grant us your salvation.”

Maybe, it’s a call for us to change. The Psalmist asks of God “Teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth.”  The readings give us this wisdom. “May the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all”, “conduct yourselves to please God”, and Paul writes about changing and the “instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.”

The words that made me stop and think about the reason for Advent are these:

“Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life, and that day catch you by surprise like a trap.” 

My daddy gave me that warning when I was a young man. His simple words of advice “Don’t let Jesus find you where you shouldn’t be.”

I didn’t listen and if Jesus had come looking for me then, He would have found me carousing or suffering the effects of carousing.

Then, by the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit, I found the reason for Advent.

Advent is a wake-up call and the call to repentance. Advent is recognizing that you need God’s forgiveness and Advent is recognizing the need to change. Advent is living a Christian life in the times between Christ’s first coming and his second coming.

Even though, we celebrate Advent starting today and the following four weeks leading up to Christmas, it’s something we need to find in the everyday of our life.

Advent is about fighting things in this world. Things like when we get drowsy and lazy in our spiritual life and in our faith. Battling the things that cause us to be tried and tested by the anxieties of daily life. There are even some of us who have to combat the distractions of just working hard at our jobs. There are some of us pulled into all the fascinating distractions of the flesh. Just look around, we fight despair, depression, and fear brought on by the circumstances of life that we can see going on around us in the world. 

If any of us can say- These things frighten me. These touch my life and are things I am fighting. Then we have the reason for Advent. Most importantly we have a reason to find advent in the everyday of our life.

Advent is the opportunity to “increase and abound in love” and “to strengthen our hearts” through our faith and the relationship we have with Jesus Christ. By this, we strive “to be blameless in holiness before God.”

Those are some of the reasons I have found for Advent; but, what does advent mean. The definition of advent is the arrival of something extraordinary.

Wake-up, repent, ask forgiveness, and embrace change to welcome the arrival of something extraordinary. Advent is the arrival of Christ in your life. Have a happy new you in Christ.

Amen.

Homily Reflection "Christ the King" - The World Says Let Them Eat Pie

The World Says Let Them Eat Pie

Daniel 7:13-14; Psalm 93:1, 1-2, 5;  Revelation 1:5-8;  John 18:33b-37

Today we celebrate the solemnity of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. This celebration was declared to help us battle the things that keep us from God. Things like greed; selfishness; the absence of peace; the loss of stability of the family; and the attack on Society.

The Church felt that if the world focused on Jesus Christ King of the Universe it could fight the darkness of these things that keeps us from God. Ninety years after the first celebration, look around us. Greed, selfishness, no peace, family and social stability are still being attacked today..  

Maybe self-examination is in order. Maybe we should ask “Is Jesus Christ the King of my Universe?”

Raised Southern Baptist, I memorized Bible verses as part of my religious education. One I still remember is from the end of the Book of Revelation “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”  I learned that verse over 45 years ago.

Almost the same verse appears at the beginning of the Book of Revelation. "I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, "the one who is and who was and who is to come, the almighty."

These verses are truly profound, especially for this celebration.

Profound for many reasons, but one is that these verses tell us God is eternal and always. Despite what a world that doesn’t believe tells us, God was not made up by a bunch of old men in the desert. God the Father, creator of all things, exists in the beginning and the end of all things; in us and all that is around us.

That brings me to a second profound thought on these verses. Where is Christ in my life?

Someone told me how to figuring out where Jesus Christ is in your life. I was told to draw a big circle. I was to cut this circle up like a pie. Divide it up and put the things important to you as slices of that pie. Each slice’s size should represent the importance of that thing to your life.  

In the business world this is called a pie chart. I like pie!

For me, the biggest slice of pie is family. Two other big slices are my job and my duties as a deacon. Still, another is the people in this faith community. I like to write, so I make a slice for my writing. To write, you have to read, so there is another slice. Things like travel, education, hobbies, and friends also get slices. Pretty soon your pie is all sliced up. 

Where did I put Christ? 

Maybe I need to divide up one of these slices and put a little God here. A little sliver equals about an hour a week most people give to God. Maybe we give Jesus a whole pie off to the side. I wouldn’t want God messing up my everyday life. Or, do I can use God like cool whip, keeping Jesus Christ closed in a container and adding a little God on special occasions, like the holidays or when company comes over.

Sadly, some don't know Jesus. Their pie slices are the darkness of abuse, addiction, violence, and much more. Their pies are full of human things like selfishness, greed, the absence of peace, broken family, and failed society.

That’s not what God wants. It’s not what those verses mean that begin, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last.” It means - God must be the basic ingredient of your pie. God brings everything together.

The “I am” who is, was, and is to come created us; God gave us our family and the gifts that allow us to interact with people. We have the ability to love and Christ teaches us how to love. Some of us are still working on it.

The almighty gives us wisdom, intelligence, and common sense. And you know just because God gave some people a big helping of one; they may not have gotten a big helping of another. But, Christ can help us overcome where we are lacking.

Is Jesus Christ the one who holds it all together for us, the main ingredient, and our eternal King? If you say yes, consider as Jesus asked Pilate “Do you say this on your own or have others told you …?”

Jesus Christ is the King of the Universe; yet, for many the King of their life is not Christ. Even though every eye will see him, the Christ that many have in their eye and their heart is the Christ that fits their plans. People (some who in all sincerity think their words, actions, and beliefs are based in Christ) can change God and Christianity into what they want it to be. The King of their Universe is the things the world calls them to their possessions, status, and wealth.

We celebrate Jesus Christ King of the Universe, but in Jesus’ own words, His Kingdom is not here. He is not the King of the Universe we make of worldly things; but, we can bring His kingdom to this world. Fight the darkness bring His Kingdom through a radical conversion of our hearts and the acknowledgement that Jesus Christ is King. His kingdom is built one soul at a time, deep in the hearts of each individual person.

When I think of all the things people put before Jesus Christ as their King, another verse comes back to me. It’s short, simple and easy to learn. The Holy Spirit tells me this verse has everything to do with Christ the King, who loves us so much. For all we put before him, “Jesus wept.”

Amen.

Healing Prayer Service - "I want some of that - Joy!"

"I want some of that - Joy" 1 Peter 1:6-9

"In this you rejoice, although now for a little while you may have to suffer through various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold that is perishable even though tested by fire, may prove to be for praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Although you have not seen him you love him; even though you do not see him now yet believe in him, you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, as you attain the goal of [your] faith, the salvation of your souls."

If you spend time with Jesus, 

              you’re going to notice something.

 If you sit in time in prayer,

               maybe reciting the rosary or the divine mercy

               maybe just sitting and having a heart to heart prayer with God

               maybe a quite mediating prayer before you start your day.

               you’re going to notice something.

If you spend any time with people who spend time with Jesus.

               you're going to notice something.

You’re going to notice - JOY!! And, it’s not just any joy.

Peter calls it a JOY of great rejoicing. Its a JOY touched with glory.

               It’s

            pumped up JOY!

                                        Extreme JOY!

                                                Continual JOY!

 It’s JOY on steroids!

That’s what believers who spend their time with Jesus have: JOY!!!

The great thing about JOY is that true JOY overcomes.

                Joy overcomes tests,

                        trials, and

                                        the darkness that is evil in the world.

JOY is the nectar of our faith and

              from a tested faith the nectar of JOY flows even more freely.

Faith Peter describes:

“Although you have never seen him,

               you love him and

                            without seeing you believe in him and

                                        rejoice with inexpressible joy touched with glory.”

Bring that to the world! Bring that to a hurting world, suffering world, grieving world.

     And if we do, many are going to say

              “I want some of that! JOY.” So share it with them.

A Mosquito Came to Mass

You may have heard my homily or read my blog reflection "I'm A Wanderer" about things that can distract you during mass. It's true even the deacon can get distracted.

Well today, we had two guests at Mass. Fr. Rothell Price, Vicar General for the Diocese of Shreveport was our celebrant. The second guest was a mosquito that came to Mass.

​After I prepared the cup for the Eucharistic celebration and knelt beside the altar, I noticed a mosquito landed on a drop of wine that was at the base of the cup. 

Fr. Price consecrated the Eucharist and the mosquito stayed on the cup. It was drinking the blood of Christ that had once been just a drop of wine. Its abdomen was swelling as it consumed more and more of the precious blood. The mosquito stayed at that drop until I handed it to the Eucharistic minister of the cup. It then flew off. 

I told Father Price, a Canon Lawyer, about this and asked, "Is it OK to swat a mosquito that has consumed the most precious Blood of Christ?"

His reply, yes, you can swat that mosquito; but, maybe we should leave that mosquito alone, so that everyone it bites gets injected with Jesus!

I love Fr. Price.

Reflection 33rd Sunday - "Be Brave"

Be Brave (Daniel 12:1-3; Psalm 16:5,8-11; Hebrews 10:11-14,18;  Mark 13:24-32)

In the world today, how do I “be brave?”

The scripture readings are scary. They are about times of distress and darkness. But, the message is about life. 

Let me share some more readings.  

“Nearly 1/2 of the world’s population (more than 3 billion people) live on less than  $2.50 a day.  More than 1.3 billion live in extreme poverty, less than $1.25 a day;  and 80% of the world's people live on $10 a day or less. Almost 1 in 10 people in the world are without safe drinking water.

Every year, violence worldwide results in 1.6 million deaths and is the leading cause of death for ages 15 to 44. In our world, violence against women leaves 35% of women (more than 1 in 3) victims of physical and/or sexual violence; one in 10 girls under 18 has been raped.

There were 203 million deaths war and oppression in the 20^th century.  Over a  million people  have been killed in conflicts/war since 2001, not including terrorism or ISIS violence. Terrorist acts have become more and more frequent.  

Every day is scary!

When I was six, we lived in the country where cattle roamed free. They’d come near the house at night and you’d hear them. The groaning, stomping, and strange cow noises were scary. The darkness made it extra scary. I’d pull the covers over my head. Soon, I’d run to my parent’s room. My mom would say, “Don't be afraid, be brave, and say your prayers, Jesus is always with you."

Distress and darkness have always existed in evil, war, famine, illness, and disaster. Jesus warned, “Not a generation shall pass before these things come about.” In truth, not a generation has passed without these things. These things have happened and will happen.

Can any of us say that there has not been a time in our life we’ve never had a personal tribulation (distress); our sun (outlook) is darkened, or there were times when it seems like the stars are falling?

Daniel and Mark’s writings are not to scare us but to give hope in the reality that is life. They point to hope. They point to Christ, the source of hope and life. The Psalms rejoices “You will show me the path to life, fullness of joys in your presence.”

Life could be simple if God would just solve all these problems; but, that is not the way He created the world. That’s not why He gave us Life. God gave us a path of life that is the care of creation, which includes caring for each other.

Made in God’s likeness and image, we forget our part in creation. God gave us wisdom to investigate and find answers. God gave courage to defend what is right. God gave us a Voice to shout for justice. He gave us a physical nature for work. God gave us freedom; the freedom to answer yes or no; choose good or evil; and the freedom that lets us argue about God, religion, beliefs, and even politics. 

But, God wants us to argue for creation. God wants us to bring God’s hope and life to creation. Until the end, we are to bloom and bear fruit like the fig tree.

Creation changes in every moment. Christ may come in the next instant. Be vigilant to have the strength to stand before him. Live a life bringing hope to the rest of creation to lead the many to justice.

It’s scary seeing those who suffer, talking to those who don’t know Christ, and loving those who hate us. The scary reality is that this dark and frightened world that is groaning to be saved in Jesus. Daniel and Mark give images of this groaning. If we open ourselves, we can hear it.

We can’t just lay with the covers pulled over our heads. Get up and go out, even if it’s just our community. Use the gifts He gave us in our creation; wisdom, courage, voice, physicality, and freedom. Use them, live the Gospel and your faith every day.

The Son of Man, Jesus Christ is the divine conqueror of evil. He is the hope that all will be made new. Christians are to be peaceful warriors of hope bringing the reality of Christ to the world through our life.

I want to sing “My heart is glad, my soul rejoices, I stand in confidence.”

But life and circumstances in our life can be scary. Sometimes, a lot of times, I’m that little boy lying in my bed, scared.

In this scary world, I see the need to bring hope to others. Facing life, hope is necessary; it matters. Hope matters because I hope for eternal life. 

How long will we fight this battle, "no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."

How do I "be brave" in this scary world? 

I'll give you the simple advice my mom gave me. “Don't be afraid, be brave, and say your prayers; Jesus is always there with you.”

She would add, the cows are scared, too.

Amen

Homily Reflection 32nd Sunday - The Times We Only Have Pennies

The Times We Only Have Pennies

1 Kings 17:10-16;  Psalm 146:7, 8-9, 9-10;  Hebrews 9:24-28;  Mark 12:38-44 or 12:41-44

Today we are having a communion service. Father had a death in his family and no other priests were available on short notice. We pray for an increase in priest and religious. Priest and religious who are examples of faith, hope and love. Men and women who in selfless generosity give all  to God. 

In the readings we hear the stories of two widows. They are stories of faith, love, and hope. These are also stories of generosity .Before we get to those stories, I want to tell you another story.  

Faith, hope, and love are remarkable. They aren't things that can exist in solitude. You have to have something or someone to have faith in or to hope for. Love requires that there is one who loves and a beloved.

A friend of mine called me, upset. Someone he cares about is sick. She was diagnosed with myeloma, a blood cancer. It was devastating news.

Most of us have experienced some kind of devastating news. When you get that news, it’s like the world just stomped on you. It drives everything out of you.

Currently, she is undergoing her first round of chemotherapy. She cries. He tries to be strong; but he hurts. So he called me and I prayed with them. I prayed for them to have faith and hope. I prayed they realize God’s love. I told them to look past the worry and anxiety and see the little miracles and blessings a loving God has put in their life.

Because I know, We truly find God when we are at our poorest, when we have nothing else.

We learn this in the teachings; Elijah comes to the house of a widow, a woman with nothing. A Gentile woman gathering sticks for the fire to cook the last meal her and her son would ever eat. A last meal with all the food they had.

Elijah said “Do not be afraid.” Go and do what you have to do, but first make me a little cake. The woman did, she gave all she had.

This was an act of faith, hope, and love made with generosity.

God blessed her with a miracle. She did not run out of flour or oil. They had food all during the famine. This was a pagan woman not someone expecting to be blessed by God.

The true blessing was the presence of God. Elijah brought faith, hope, and love in God and shared it with that poor widow. She was then blessed with the same. God’s generosity insured they did not go hungry. Elijah’s generosity was sharing God’s favor. The widow’s generosity was that act of sharing all she had.

In the gospel, Jesus recognizes the poor widow at the temple who gives two small coins to the treasury. He was not praising her; he lamented for her. Those coins were her livelihood and sustenance. She gave all she had to God.

This was an act of faith, hope, and love made with generosity.

Jesus blessed the woman, not the scribes and lawyers. She was a widow someone devoured by society, not someone expecting to be blessed.

The true blessing was the presence of God. Maybe this widow followed Jesus and was in the crowd when he taught the beatitudes. She had heard the teachings:

·         Blessed are the poor - theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.

·         Blessed are the meek - they will inherit the land.

·         Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness - they will be satisfied.

·         Blessed are the merciful - they will be shown mercy.

·         Blessed are the clean of heart - for they will see God.

She was given faith, hope, and love by these words. She was giving to God in the generosity that God’s promise was giving to her.

In those times, widows had little money and less power. They would have been thought of as outside of society. They had no one to speak for them and no one to provide for them. They were voiceless, poor, and weak. These poor widows may not have had society on their side, but there is no doubt that God was there.

A wealthy person could have been Elijah’s benefactor. God was with him. God sent his angels to protected Elijah. God sent Elijah to someone who had nothing, a widow who gave all she had.

Jesus told is disciple that the woman gave more that all those who gave from their surplus. The widow gave all she had and pleased God.

The passage from Hebrews gives us the same message. Jesus Christ gave all he had. He gave his life.

This was an act of faith, hope, and love made with generosity.

Jesus Christ gave all he had and we were blessed. The sinners, those who reject God, those of little faith, those who lost hope, those who have trouble loving are not the ones you’d expect to be blessed. 

The true blessing is that Jesus Christ is God; Jesus Christ is Our Lord and savior. The most important part of these teachings, Jesus gave all he had for everyone, the many, all of us.

Can I say - I do the same for God, I give all I have? I don’t care how little or how much I have; most of the time, I give from my surplus. I try to give all that I have but most of the time I can’t.

Yet there are the times when we only have pennies and God is there with us. God sees us at our poorest, when we are in need or suffering. God sees us when we are challenged by the predicaments of life; the times we need God more than anything.

Those are the times when we can look at the blessings of faith, hope, and love. This is the blessing that allow us to give all that we are to God. We are blessed even in ways that we don’t realize at the time.

When we get devastating news and it drives everything out of us. These are the times we are at our poorest and weakest. It is at times like this; God's way and his glory are found. God always draws near to us. It is when we are in poverty that we find the richness and strength of God’s presence.

My friends called me. I prayed for them to have faith, hope, and love. Blessings found when we realize the presence of God. This is healing.

Scripture tells us that the tiniest amount of faith moves mountains. Love gives strength. With hope, we cannot be discouraged. With faith, hope and love our flour will not vanish; our oil will not diminish.  

Praise the Lord, my soul for in the times we only have pennies  by God’s extreme generosity He blesses us with faith, hope, and love. Things that we cannot have in solitude but through God’s extreme generosity, we have Christ.

Amen.

Sunday Reflection - Imperfect & Saintly - All Saints Day

Imperfect & Saintly Rev 7:2-4, 9-14, Psalm 24:1bc-2, 3-4ab, 5-6; 1 John 3:1-3; Matthew 5:1-12a

St. Paul calls all believers saints. The Church is the communion of saints. I'm a baptized believer. Jesus is my Lord and Savior. I have given my life to him. But, am I a saint? If I am, I’m an imperfect saint and I could use some instructions. 

Wait, Jesus told us how to be saints. He told us by his life. He taught us the beatitudes, which are a basic outline for being a saint. Thay are instructions from Jesus on holiness.

The first thing Jesus tells in the beatitudes is to be happy. That’s what blessed means: be happy. Makarios is the Greek word that translates blessed or happy. Happy are those who are blessed.

These beatitudes sound hard and for a defeated people. That’s another ideal of being a saint; don’t be defeated by the hard times in life.

When we are poor in spirit, mourn, and meek, we’re blessed to be happy. We’re blessed to be happy when we seek righteousness, peace, and cleanness of heart. And we’re blessed to be happy in our mercy. We’re blessed to be happy in persecution because of these and because of Jesus.

photo: www.nola.com
Our Lady of Prompt Succor
Westwego, LA

If we live according to what the world expects, it's hard. But, the beatitudes give insight to happiness that overcomes hardships. This insight is the third part to being a saint, embracing God’s not so secret ingredient: love. True holiness is found in a blessed life, happy in God’s love through Jesus Christ. Happy in a love that is not passive; a love that is pure and genuine; a love that is truth.

By the power of God’s love, I can live a blessed and happy life. Blessed is the saint, a believer, a follower of Christ, an adopted child of God.

This tells me one thing. If I'm a saint; I'm an imperfect saint. I'm not radical enough.

Being a saint is a radical of idea. It was radical 2000 years ago and still is today. Living like Jesus is radical. Living as a saint is hoping to live our life based on the love that Jesus lived, making ourselves like him; living the beatitudes.

It’s a radical call to happiness and love from God. It’s a radical call to the vocation of saint. A vocation the world needs. Every crisis the world faces or the Church faces is a crisis of love and happiness. They're crises that need saints.

That's why living happy in God’s love is not passive. The way of the happiness and love promised by the beatitudes becomes part of your life. Love's truth requires commitment and action. It must be the continuous choice in everything. Love, pure and genuine, will guide our actions in the world. It is this choice for happiness and love that draws saints closer to God.

I borrow the words of Dorothy Day.

“Love and ever more love is the only solution to every problem that comes up. …it is love that will burn out the sins and hatreds that sadden us. It is love that will make us want to do great things for each other. With love, no sacrifice and no suffering will then seem too much.”

This is the holiness we are call to by the beatitudes. It is through love and happiness that Jesus gives us what he is. Believers must open themselves to this, take it, and examine our lives.

Ask - Am I poor in spirit? Am I humble and merciful? Am I pure of heart? Do I bring peace? Am I blessed? Am I happy?

Jesus blessed us to be happy. Live Jesus’ plan; live life in the happiness and love found in a life for God. Blessed and happy by the love of Christ, I cannot be defeated.

We’re all imperfect and saintly; so be a saint in the imperfect way that is you. Strive to live a life of happiness and love. Pray to follow the example of all those imperfect Saints who have found perfection in the presence of God.