The Way, The Truth, and The Life - Homily Reflection First Friday Mass

This week Janet and I have been mentoring an engaged couple for pre-Cana. Our mentor workbook asks us share our biggest fight. It was my fault.

It was my fault because I had forgotten one truth.

My parents told me, no matter how much trouble you’re in, those who love you will be there for you. Most importantly God is there for you; put all my trouble in Jesus’ hands.

I had heard “I am the way, the truth, and the life,” all my life.  I had heard it but I didn’t know it.

For the biggest fight in our marriage was not really with my wife. It was with the devil.

I was ready to throw everything away. My wife, my family, and myself because I couldn’t handle being knocked down again and again and again by the world.

The devil was winning. He was killing the love that was in me. Not the love for my wife and children because their love kept me connected to God’s love.  The love dying in me was the love that keeps us inter-connected and interacting with the world.

They say you have to hit bottom before you can rise back up.  All I could do was the thing the devil didn’t want me to do. Put my troubles in Jesus’ hands. Put my faith Jesus Christ to seek forgiveness for all I had said and done.

That brings me here today.

During pre-canna mentoring we did another exercise where we drew a picture marriage. The engage couple draws what they expect. The married couple what they’ve experienced.

Janet’s picture was a road with ups and downs and one particularly large dip.  I think it was that fight.  Looking back now, God was in those ups and downs.

It took those ups and downs to truly understood Jesus’ words. “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”

My friends, you have to hear those words. You have to live those words and claim those words as your own.  All comes from Him. He is the Way. He is the Truth. He is Life. He lives within us. He does all things for us.

May each of you know his love today and forever.  Amen.

Do Not Doubt Mercy - 2nd Sunday of Easter/Divine Mercy Sunday

Readings

John Paul II said the logic of mercy only makes sense from the inside. To understand mercy we have to experience it. For those who have never realized God’s Divine Mercy in their life, it makes no sense. Some say our Christian faith is nonsense.

God’s mercy extends even to them.

In the divine mercy prayer of St. Faustina we pray, “Eternal Father, I offer you the body and blood, soul and divinity of your dearly beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.”

God’s divine mercy was given to the whole world by the sacrifice of Jesus’ body, blood, soul, and divinity on the cross.

Most of the world thinks it is nonsense. Most of the world denies His mercy. They deny Jesus. They deny God. Some say Christianity is a made up for simple people to believe. Despite all this, God’s Divine Mercy is for all.

Take for example Thomas.

Thomas was a disciple of Jesus. But, like all the disciples when Jesus was arrested, he ran and hid. He was not there when the brought Jesus before Pilate. He was not there when they mocked, tortured, and crucified the Lord.

He was in hiding when Mary ran to tell disciples the tomb was empty. Thomas didn’t run to the tomb.  

He didn’t think it was safe behind the doors closed and locked with the other disciples. Thomas was not there when the risen Christ came to the disciples and said “Peace be with you” and breathe upon them saying “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

Thomas was not there.

He was not there when Christ by his mercy, acknowledged forgiveness to those disciples who ran or denied or hid. Thomas was not there when the risen Christ gave the apostles through the power of the Holy Spirit the authority to proclaim his mercy. “What sins you forgive are forgiven.”

Thomas was not there and doubted it happened. To him it was nonsense. I cannot believe unless I put my fingers in the nail holes of his hands and my hand in his side.

The logic did not make sense, so Thomas doubted.

Friends, do not doubt Christ’s mercy.

Christ appeared again in the room when Thomas was present and said, "Thomas put your finger in my hands and your hand in my side, believe."

The logic of mercy only makes sense from the inside and it is understood by those who know mercy. Now Thomas was on the inside. Thomas realized the mercy of forgiveness. He realized that he was forgiven for running and hiding and denying and doubting the risen Christ.

Thomas realized mercy in these words, "My Lord and my God!"

Jesus said to him, "You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed."

Do not doubt Christ’s mercy.

Peter even though he denied Christ three times, by God’s mercy he was forgiven and filled with the Holy Spirit. He brought God's Divine Mercy to the whole world. In the name of Jesus Christ many signs and wonders were being accomplished by his mercy.

“For the sake of his sorrowful passion have mercy on us and on the whole world.”

The Holy Spirit brings the mercy of God to each and every one of us and is a powerful thing.

The secret of Christ’s Divine Mercy is his death on the cross, the sacrifice of his body and blood was an act of mercy for you and me; but, many forget that it was an act of mercy for the entire world.

It was act of Mercy for those who believe and those who don’t believe; mercy for those who say there is no God or there was no such person as Jesus of Nazareth. It was even an act of mercy for those who have never heard of Christ.

You see St. John Paul II knew. Saint Faustina knew. Those of us who truly believe and live in the mercy of Jesus Christ, filled with the Holy know his mercy is for the whole world.

Now, He sends us to bring that mercy to the world.

Be good be holy and bring God’s divine mercy to the whole world by the way you live your life and love one another. Amen. 

Give all Glory to God - Homily Easter Sunday 2019

Readings

Christ is risen. Alleluia!!

This is a beautiful day, the sun shining, the weather is warm, and the Lord has risen. We have just finished the season of Lent. During this past Lenten season there was no bells, no Gloria, no Alleluia.

And last night, at the vigil mass, the Gloria of the risen LORD erupted.

At Our Lady of Fatima, where I was asked to assist for the vigil service, a visiting retired priest, Fr. Pike Thomas sang the Exsultet and most of the Mass. It was beautiful. His voice was beautiful. I practiced for two weeks to sing four words - “The Light of Christ.”

It inspired me this morning to sing the Easter Sequence - Victimae Paschali Laudes

Not because, I have a great voice. Not because, I want everyone to hear me sing or even that it was remotely possible anyone here wants me to sing.  Not because I wanted to embarrass my wife.

I sing for joy. I sing to give praise and honor to Christ. I sing for Jesus, the Lamb of God, our redeemer. I sing to proclaim that Christ has overcome death and reigns immortal. 

I sing because of the way our readings begin. "You know what has happened all over Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached, how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power.”

Jesus came and brought us hope. He went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.

Then he was crucified. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree.

He rose from the dead, just as he promised. God raised Jesus on the third day and granted that he be visible, not to all the people, but to us,

And, the world kept on being the world. But believers changed. We, unlike the world, seek what is above.  We are raised in Christ.

Amen! Alleluia!

But the world is still the world. The evil of the world keeps on putting believers to the same trials, tortures, and sufferings that it put on Jesus.. 

Every day, believers face all the illness, crisis, and suffering the world throws at us.This morning there was a terrorist suicide bombing of Churches during the Easter Mass in Sri Lanka, over 160 people were martyred.

In spite of all these things the world give to us, we continue to believe by faith. In that faith we are truly like the disciples and apostles.

Like the ones who were there and saw him unjustly tried, tortured, and crucified. Like the ones who saw the empty tomb. Like those who saw the burial clothes there and the cloth that covered his head fold up and put to the side. Like those who saw him and heard him and knew him and believe but still did not understand.

Like them, we believe. Like them, we run to Jesus in our darkest hours to find His light. And like them, we seek what is above not what is of earth.

This morning I have three services at three different churches. As I was driving, I noticed that some of the larger protestant churches have signs up with direction for overflow Easter Parking. Some have the deputy Sheriffs directing traffic. All are expecting so many who call themselves believer but only come to worship the LORD once or possibly twice a year.

They believe but they don’t understand. We will never truly understand, because God is a mystery. God the Father is an infinite mystery. God the Son, Christ is God an infinite mystery. A mystery as to why he became as one of us, why he experience all he experience, and the resurrection a mystery. The Holy Spirit, the flow of love between God the Father and God the Son, is the infinite mystery that is God.

And no matter if you are Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, Assembly of God, Pentecostal, or other you cannot truly understand the mystery of God. Even the Church that has been given the wisest, most educated, and holy people to understand try to understand the mystery has only scratched at the mystery that is God.

This is what they preach to others that coming to worship God once or twice a year gives all they need to understand and live in this ultimate mystery. 

He commissioned us to preach to the people and testify that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness, that everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name."

So today, I sing to glorify God. I sing as thankful praise for all the new believers who have come to God and the Church this Easter.

I call each of you to do the same. You look at me and say but you’re a deacon.

I sing for the experiences of this Holy Week.

On Holy Thursday, my 5 year old grandson came forward to get his feet washed.  He had the biggest smile as his pop washed and kissed his feet. He pop’s heart was about to burst.

Afterward at the Church’s Passover meal and as Father and I listened, Aunt Jennifer asked if he knew what Easter was about. He answered, “Jesus died for us because he loves us.”

If a 5 year old can evangelize to a priest and a deacon so can each and every one of you.

I sing for true believers.

You cannot deny it, each and every one of us is here today because we believe or we want to believe or we seek to believe.  We should all give thanks and praise for God through Jesus Christ has touched our hearts.

Friends, do not limit our praise and glory to just this Sunday, to these seats, or to just these witnesses. Bring it out to the world.

You know what happened over Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached, how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power.”

God will anoint you with the same Holy Spirit.

Today, we know what is happening in our community, our state, our country and in the entire world. It is easy to see the devil in the world that continues to be the world.

For those who believe, we see the risen Christ. I see it in a 5 year old who preaches the gospel with innocence of heart. I see it in each and every face here before me, true believers. I see Christ in the homeless person sitting outside the door at 10:30 last night after the vigil mass.

He commissioned us to preach and testify that he is the one appointed by God.

Preach the Gospel any way you can! Bring the message to the people, the community, the state, the country and to the entire world. Give to God all glory, thanks, and praise.

Preach and proclaim that Jesus Christ has risen!!!

You can do this - be good, be holy and preach the good news of the risen Christ by the way you live your life and love one another.

Amen. Alleluia

All Carry Different Crosses - Homily Palm Sunday

Readings

Last week as I was sitting drinking coffee with a friend, his grandson told us a joke. It was to see how our minds worked. The joke as we heard it: There were 30 cows and 28 chickens, how many didn’t?

My mind went to a Chick-Fil-A commercial. I thought the answer was 2.

The grandfather said “I can’t answer because I don’t know. What is a “didn’t”?

The 10 year old answered. Pappaw, “didn’t” means did not. The way the joke was told: There were 30 cows and 20 ate chickens, how many did not eat chickens? The answer is 10.

It is amazing how we can see things in different ways depending on age, experiences, or just because we are individuals. We can see this cow – chicken story through the eyes of a 10 year old or a grandparent or from somewhere entirely different.

Truthfully, it is the same in the passion of Jesus. Each of us see it through different eyes and relate to different people in Jesus’ passion story.  

As Christians, most of us want to be the people waving palm branches and laying their cloaks on the road as Jesus rode into Jerusalem. Or, we wish to give Him our best like the one who gave him the colt to ride on or the patron with the upper room.  

However, often we can more easily we see our self in the disciples who have fallen asleep in our relationship with Jesus.  Fall asleep and things happen.

Possibly, we relate to those at the Passover feast. Despite the generosity of Jesus who humbled his self to wash his disciples’ feet and literally took the form of bread and wine for those who believe; yet, they argued who was the greatest among them themselves.

Perchance, we see Peter in our acts. Despite saying he was willing to follow Jesus anywhere even to death and then pulling his sword to defend him, in fear Peter denied Jesus, once even to a maid.

Maybe, we have become like Judas. Money is the most important thing in our life despite the fact that Jesus gave his life for us.

Or possibly we are meek and timid to world like Pilate, even though we know what is right; we let others bully us into their wrong and sinful ideas.

Then there are the jealous like the accusers of Jesus. Or perhaps, we follow the crowds of the world ridiculing and denying our faith.

How many would say that in all of these, “Surely not I, LORD” but we still run away from the LORD.

We are afraid, so, it is easier for us to persecute Christ than to carry the cross.

Jesus did not want to face his own death. He sweated drops of blood but bravely and without reservation carried the cross. He carried the cross for the sins of the world.

Because of that sacrifice in each and every one of us who looked to Jesus for something truly wonderful.

No matter how their minds worked, these people in this passion story had Jesus in their midst. Christ Jesus is in our midst. Just like then, He is in the midst of all us sinners.

We live in the same world people have always lived in. We are the same as in the days of His passion. By our sins we spit on him and beat him, ridicule and mock him. Even today we betray him, deny him, and run away.

Despite the reality of then and now, Jesus took the cross of sin from each ones shoulder and put it on his own. Jesus carried that cross for them and he carries it for us. 

Jesus hung on the cross between two broken and sinful men; but, no matter how broken we are, He is there for our forgiveness.  

To find forgiveness, ask Jesus, “Remember me.”

Jesus’ cross is every cross; the cross on my shoulders and your shoulders. We would never be able to carry our crosses if Jesus did not carry his. 

We all carry crosses; some are more visible than others. Because of whom we are and how we are, each of us carries different crosses.

We carry the crosses of our sin in the lack of respect of others, greed, pride and selfishness. He carries His cross for these. His cross is for brokenness and sinfulness of those like the men who hung beside him.

Jesus’ cross is also the cross of concern we carry as we wait for lab results or cope with death, a job loss or financial catastrophe, and the cross that is the frailties of age.

Christ is in our midst and because of the promise of His cross; we will be remembered in paradise. 

Be good, be holy and preach the gospel by the way you live and love one another. Amen.

Press On - Homily 5th Sunday of Lent

Readings

Sometimes I have to travel for work. Flying into new cities, you can be lost. To get to where you have to go you may need an Uber or Lyft or go old school and call a taxi. When your ride shows up, the driver will ask “What’s your destination?” or “Where are you headed?” We get in with faith the driver will get us to where we need to be.

“What’s your destination? Where are you headed?” That’s a great question of life and faith.

Today, the main message of our scripture is forgiveness. We are lost to sin but through Jesus’ sacrifice we are forgiven. Forgiven, the driver is encouraging us to Christ.

So, “Where are you headed?”

In the gospel, the scribes and the Pharisees were bringing an adulterous woman to Jesus for him to judge. This woman was caught in adultery what should be done? Do we stone her as Moses commanded us?

Many overlooked the next words, “They did this to test him so that they could have a charge to bring against him.”

Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with his finger. Some say, it was the commandments of God; others say he was just doodling.

But, no matter what he wrote on the ground, it was in the dirt of the sin and treachery of their hearts that Jesus wrote.

The message to the woman and the Scribes and Pharisees was this; “where are you headed?”

For the sinful woman, her acts and lifestyle may have been all she knew. She saw no wrong. It was where she was headed.

The Scribes and Pharisees were testing Jesus. In their way they saw no wrong in what they were doing. It was where they were headed.  It was their way to heaven; and, it was not about Jesus.

Jesus didn’t fall for their words. Instead he challenged them.

Writing in the dirt, Jesus challenged them to be more like him. Let the one here without sin cast the first stone.

The Scribes and Pharisee thought about it and slowly turned and walked away. Then he said to the sinful woman, go and sin no more.

He challenged them, “Where are you headed?” He called them to be like Him and forgive.

Then there was Saul of Tarsus.

Saul was a devout Jew, a Hebrew’s Hebrew, a model Pharisee, and exceedingly zealous in his faith. By the Law of Moses, his righteousness was blameless; but, where was Saul headed.

One place Saul was headed to - Damascus.

On the road to Damascus, Saul met the risen Lord.  Saul, Saul why do you persecute me? The risen Lord’s question to Saul was where are you headed?

Saul was Paul before he met the risen Lord. He firmly believed that how he lived and what he did was the way to heaven. Then the risen LORD struck Saul blind and opened the eyes of Paul.

Friends, where are we headed? Is it, to gain Christ Jesus and to be found in Him?"

Our destination should never be outside of Jesus Christ. All that God has for us or will ever do for us is in Him, with Him, and through Him.  

Paul will write: I consider everything as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.

Like the sinful woman or the self-righteous scribes and Pharisees or even Saul, the things we do or the things we consider our spiritual advantage can actually be to our loss if they get in the way of knowing and trusting Christ.

Obviously we can’t forget our past; Paul never forgot he was once Saul of Tarsus.

But don’t live have you have done in the past. Instead, grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Pt 3:18)

When the Lord writes on our hearts open them to Christ and God’s love for us.

People thought there was no chance Paul would come to know the risen Lord.  Paul says, I am not perfect; but I follow after. Other translations of “I follow after” is “I press on”

If someone asked Paul “Where are you headed?” His answer would be, I follow after Christ. I press on towards Christ.

Jesus tells the scribes and Pharisees; let the one without sin cast the first stone. Follow after Christ.  Jesus tells the sinful woman go and sin no more. Press on towards Christ.

So where are we headed?  Our ride is the Church. Our driver is the Holy Spirit. Our destination should never be outside of Jesus Christ.

Friends, we are forgiven, press on to be more like Christ.

Be good, be holy and preach the gospel by the way you live and love one another. Amen.

It's a Family Thing - Homily 4th Sunday of Lent C

Readings

Almost everyone has someone they consider family. It can be the nuclear family – father, mother, and children. It can be a family of extended relatives.  Some people’s families are no relations at all, just a circle of people and friends that care with love.

It is these families that influence the person you become. We pray that influence is for the good. Sadly, even in the best of families there can be times of darkness.

As a parent and grandparent, I want my children and grandchildren to know goodness in their life. I want goodness to form their conscious in this world. I try to be an example.

That is why my daughter tells this story. My 5 year old grandson comes in and asks his momma, “How was your day?” She answered “It was good, I cleaned the house today.”

He looked at her, “Even your bedroom?’ She said “Yes,” His answer, “I wanna to see.” And he marches off to her bedroom.

My daughter said that in that moment she saw Bill Goss. The only difference is daddy would have had a trash bag in his hand to make sure the room was clean.

Family always wants the best. Parents want the best for their children. They provide in the best they can. They may struggle with the bills, keeping the electricity and water on, or groceries on the table. But with love, family provides the best way they can.

But, children grow up to become teenagers and young adults. They want to be their own person. All of a sudden parents and grandparents and family may not seem important.

But, family will always want best, even for grown children. It’s a family thing.

It is the same story for the prodigal son.

The father worked hard to provide. He wanted the best for his family. Then his son comes to a certain age and doesn’t need family anymore. So the son asks for everything he has coming to him.

The father gives everything the son asks.

Like so many, the son went wild. He sinned. He let the tempter of hearts, the great deceiver; lead him to the darkness of places he should not have been. Soon, he was in the worst of places. In this place, the son learns his life was not as easy as his father made it look.

The son knows the only place of safety was with his father. The son headed home with his tail between his legs.

His father was an affluent man and probably knew his sons entire story: the women, the drinking, the gambling, and even his having to sleep with the pigs.

Yet, the father still stood there at the top of his house looking for his son to return.

He sees his son coming from a long way off. The father runs to his son. At that time, running was beneath a man. It was not something a respectable man would ever do. Running was for women and children. For men, running was only for battles and war.

Instead, this man running to his son was an act of great love. I can see this man embracing and kissing his son with the greatest of love and tears of joy.

The father instantly forgave his son for losing all that he gave him; because his son was back safe and sound. This serious and just man called out for the largest of celebrations. Because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.

It’s a family thing.

We are all prodigal sons and daughter of our heavenly Father. We are all part of the same family of God, children of one Heavenly Father.

Many times darkness is in us. It is in that darkness that we take all that God has given us and throw it away.  We leave the safety and love of the Father for the world. 

We want to be the good and obedient son; but, we too often find our self in same darkness as the wayward son allowing the trickster of this world to deceive us with sin that leads us a place we never intended.

If we get to that place don’t be afraid to return to the Father with your tail between your legs asking forgiveness.

Our Heavenly Father in his love knows everything about us; all our sins, all our weakness, and all our suffering. He loves us so much that looks for us to return to him. And then he runs to us. He comes to meet us in Jesus Christ to forgive us our sins.

Through Christ, the Father is calling all his children back to himself, back safe and sound. Just like my daughter sees me in my grandson, God sees himself in the goodness in us.

When family gets together in celebration there is always going to be a party. That celebration is for all of us. Welcome back those whose heart was dead of love for God.  Welcome back those who were lost.

At our home in heaven, God is preparing a great party of joy and celebration; because this child of mine was dead and has come to life again; this one was lost and has been found.

It’s a family thing. So… be reconciled to God to never again squander the Father’s love.

Be good, be holy, and preach the gospel by the way you live and love one another. Amen.

Here I Am - Reflection 3rd Sunday of Lent

(Readings)

My friend Deacon Clary Nash tells that he begins each day with this prayer. “Here I am LORD.”

I try to do the same.

When God called out “Moses, Moses.” Moses answered “Here I am.”

God answered Moses the same way. 

Moses asked “what shall I tell them is your name,” God answered “I am who am…. This is my name forever; thus am I to be remembered through all generations.”

The word “am” is the present form of to be.  

"I am who am" means God exists. "I am who am" means God is being. "I am who am" is yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

If we answer, “Here I am, LORD.”  We are answering –  I exist in your being, LORD.

We can only answer with the uniqueness of who we are. It is all we have to offer God.

It doesn’t have to something big. It can be the smallest of talents but as a child of God, it only has to be given with love to touch the heart of those who need.

That is the message of the parable.  The LORD God has planted his being in each of us.

We either bear fruit in the gifts and talents we have as children of God and Christians; or, we do not. Jesus warns us about when we do not.

Each and every person alive can say “Here I am.” But, that does not promise eternal life. If their life fails to be in Christ they may think they are standing secure but should take care not to fall.

If you are looking to be in Christ and to exists in God’s will answer “Here I am Lord.“

We can begin everyday with that prayer. To be good, be holy and preach the gospel by the way you live your life and love another. Amen.

Stand Firm - Reflection 2nd Sunday of Lent

Readings

Abram put his faith in God.

For that act righteousness, God promised Abram, he would be the father of many, the father of nations with descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky. So numerous, they would be impossible to count.

Abram made a covenant with God.

Despite all his faults, Abraham stood firm in his covenant with God. And despite all their faults, many of Abraham’s descendants remain faithful to God

That is an amazing thing. Those of us are parents and grandparents realize that no matter how hard we try to raise our children to live the life that we expect them to have it doesn’t always work out.

We hope they have the same faith, the same beliefs, the same values, and true morals and just causes; but, sometimes we can be disappointed.

Our children are their own persons. They live their own life experiences.

From their experiences of God and others and the experiences of life, they become who they are. And yes, we who are the parents and grandparents and aunts and uncles and influencers in their life are in that make up as well. We compete with all these other things.  

That is the place the apostle Paul was coming from as he preached to the Philippians. Brothers and sisters conduct your selves after the model of us, after the model of true believers, after the models of the followers of Christ.

Paul stated many conduct themselves as enemies of the cross of Christ. There god is their stomach. Their glory is shame.

Their God is what they find in this world.

Paul tells believers: stand firm.

The change needed to change the world’s impact on our lives is something more than this world. A true change is a personal experience of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Just like the experience of Peter, James, and John. These three men have been with Christ, his disciples; they were the inner circle. They lived at the heart of his teaching. They knew what he believed.  

They knew who he was; but it took this transfiguration to really bring home to them that Jesus was more than just a mere man. He was more than just a Messiah that would bring civil revolution to the world.

When the cloud descended upon the mountain, the face of Jesus changed. The way these three men saw Jesus changed.

Jesus was filled with the light of God, the light of the Christ. And a voice from heaven said this is my beloved son in whom I am proud, do as he says. They were in the presence of the living and incarnate God.

These three men witnessed the most marvelous event were afraid when the cloud descended and the heard the voice of God.  

They stood their ground.

What about us?

Today people experience God in ever day miracles and small ways. Every breath we take, every day we live, and every person we love. In all the things that make our small little world livable in this infinite creation, people fail to give credit to God.

We give credit to the gods of our stomachs. People regard these miracles and gifts the results of our own labors our own talents.

And then there’s a crisis or devastating illness, we search for something greater than the small everyday miracles and demand more. We turn to God ignoring all He has done for us and ask for instantaneous miracles.

No miracle is impossible for God.

But our lack of faith can make it impossible for us to realize the existence of these miracles. God’s miracles go unnoticed.

In these times, we must stand firm.

Instead, some will question God. God didn’t grant the miracles we demand.

Miracles can happen in an instant, but most miracles happen over a lifetime or generations or over the course of history.

The greatest miracle is God coming into a person’s life. The miracle is the presence of peace and joy in the time of crisis. It is the miracle of Jesus, Emanuel God is with us.

Build in our hearts a place for the one true God, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Open our hearts to the light to come. That is the greatest of miracles. It is the answer to the question.

Friends during this season of Lent prepare a place for the Lord.

He will change us. We will come to conform to his glorified body. He brings us closer to him so we may all stand firm in the Lord.

Stand firm, for other's see God in our lives and the examples of our lives and our love. Through our lives He can live in others.

Stand firm, be good,  be holy and preach the gospel by the way you live and love one another. Amen.

The Battle of the Word - Homily 1st Sunday of Lent - C

(Readings)

Studying the gospel this week, something stuck in my mind. It was a rhyme from my childhood. Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me.

Our mother’s taught it to us when we were young. My mother gave those words to a little boy picked on by older kids.

Since this rhyme stuck in my mind, I knew there was more to it, so I googled it. I couldn’t find the origin. I did find that it was part of an article in The Christian Recorder Magazine during Lent in March 1862.

The article’s words were - Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never harm me.  And it added this - True courage consists in doing what is right, despite the jeers and sneers of our companions.

This is a great message for this Lent.

The truth is that words will never harm us; but, the Word of God will save us;  …if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Many will profess this faith but they lack courage. They are afraid of words others will say. It becomes a battle of words.

The gospel shares the greatest battle of words found in the temptation of Christ.  It is the Battle of the Word; a battle between the Word of God and the words of temptation of the Devil.

After 40 days of fasting in the wilderness and filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus was tempted by the Devil.

The Devil taunts Jesus, “If you are the Son of God, prove it!” The Devil tempts Jesus with pleasures of the body and riches, power, and glory.

The devil was tempting Jesus, testing God, and the Devil failed.

The Devil failed because he has no power over God and the Holy Spirit. When you and I confess Jesus Christ and are filled with the Holy Spirit, the Devil has no power over us. In that, we can find courage.

All the Devil has is words; but words are all it takes for those afraid of the opinions, jeers, and sneers of this world. Words are all it takes for temptation to overtake the weak. Look only to the leaders of our country.

If you turned on the news Ash Wednesday, many of our nation’s political leaders had ashes on their foreheads. Ashes would have been a great example if they realized they were sinners. It would have been a great example if they wore ashes to repent for falling for the temptations of the Devil.

But sadly, most only hear the words of the Devil’s empty promises for pleasure, riches, power, and glory. Our leaders, who say they are Catholic and lawmakers who say they follow Christ, fall to temptations.  

And, they wear their ashes. They disrespect the Eucharist, receiving the body and blood of Christ and in the next instant champion the killing of the innocent.

The faithful ask how they can do this. Remember, even the devil admitted Jesus was the “Son of God.”

Our leaders say they are against abortion but can't tell another what to believe. Misguided by the devil, they believe their words are courage.

Instead, they are words that pierce the side of Jesus once more. They crucify Christ, The Word of God, again and again.

True courage consists of doing right despite the sneers and jeers of the world. It is proclaiming Christ, the Word of God, again and again. Christians must have true courage.

Like the courage of Jesus who told the Devil “You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test."

We see this test in politicians and our country’s leaders. But also, it is in us. The words of temptation may not be as big; but, all people can put the Lord our God to the test by their words and deeds.

Inside each of our hearts is a battle between the Word of God and the words of temptation of the Devil. People don’t want to hear the Word of God. They are afraid of what others will say. 

Remember a mother’s advice. Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me. Words never harm us unless we fall for the temptation of the Devil’s words.

My friends, if we confess Jesus Christ and are filled with the Holy Spirit, the Devil has no power over us.

Instead have courage.

Be good, be holy, and preach the gospel by the way you live your life and love one another. Amen