Time to Stand - Homily 3rd Sunday OTC

Readings

This past week there have been attacks on faith and what is right.  First was the attack on our faith in the Saints; the New Orleans Saints. A blown call or two and Saints fans and most fans of the NFL are outraged; but, some are pleased. For Saint Fans, it appears officials turned a blind eye to the rules, ignoring what is right.

The world can ignore what is right. It is the way to attack our Christian faith. It shouldn’t surprise you. Look at things that happened this week

The state of New York has legalized abortion up to birth. If a child is born alive after an attempted abortion, it is to be ignored and forsaken.

It’s a law that makes it legal to murder children. Horror on top of horror is this law was signed by a self-identified devout Catholic Governor and there was celebration and rejoicing. Hearts turned away from God ignoring what is right.

Then there was the Covington Catholic School fiasco. If you are not familiar, it took place at the National March for Life. There a video was taken out of a young man smiling and standing in front of a Native American elder. The young man said he smiled to show good will and prayed a silent prayer..

The world turned against that young man and his friends for something that didn’t happen. A confused and nervous smile was called a racist smirk. Their school and Bishop condemned them before they made it home. Judgement made without the facts. Seems someone has forgotten the rules of Christian life. They accused and judged, ignoring what is right.

The Bishop says he was bullied into passing judgement. Think about that. Darkness with its pawns of politics and politicians fights the Light in the world. It doesn’t even try to hide yet many still we can’t see it.

I won’t judge the Bishop; but, what if he had waited and stood up for what is right.

Our readings today tell of two men stood up when it was needed.

Ezra, priest and scribe, stood before the crowd and read plainly from the book of the law of God, interpreting so all could understand.

And all the people, their hands raised high, answered, “Amen, amen!" Then they bowed down and prostrated themselves before the LORD, their faces to the ground.  

Ezra said, today is holy to our LORD.

The ancient Israelites, once a strong and powerful nation, had forgotten God. Conquered by the Babylonians and taken into exile, they forgot their land, their language, and their God. Of the hundreds of thousands of people, only 5000 returned. Though they worshipped God, they no longer knew the law of God

Those who know God need to stand higher than the rest of the world. Not for pride, not for ego, not in aloofness; but, stand in peace and love. We are one body in Christ. As a one body with many parts, even the unborn are important. We all are part of the body of God’s creation.

When Jesus time had come, He stood up. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring joy to the poor, liberty to captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, and to the oppressed, freedom.

Today, this is fulfilled in your hearing.

With all the attacks on our faith, how many have forgotten God.

Don’t weep; don’t be saddened. For the body of Christ has Jesus our strength. As the body of Christ none are more important than the other, even the unborn. When one part suffers all suffer.

That is our call to be strong and stand for truth, for the Gospel, for right, for those ignored, and for the dignity and justice to those the world is against. When the world is in ruins around us, it is time to stand up and be strong. And the spirit of the Lord will be upon us, to bring us strength through joy in the LORD.  

With joy in the Lord, we will fight the devil in the world. We will fight an enemy strong enough to bully a Bishop. We fight an enemy strong enough to make the world turn against a young man with a nervous smile and a prayer in his heart. We fight an enemy strong enough to fools the weak into celebrating the killing of children.

We are strong because Jesus stood up for us. He stood on the cross with his arms outstretch for us. He stands before God the Father, pleading for us.

Now is time to stand up in the strength of Christ: the strength of his joy; the strength of his love; the strength found as part of the body of Christ; the strength and joy in sharing the love of Christ.

My friends, today is holy and today we fulfill the promise of scripture as the body of Christ standing up and working together for faith and what is right. All the people, their hands raised high, answered, “Amen, amen!" Be good, be holy and stand up to preach the gospel by the way you live and love. Amen

In all His Divinity, Jesus knew Ordinary - Homily 2nd Sunday OTC

Readings 

I’m an ordinary person telling stories to proclaim the gospel. Sometimes, I offend people. Sometimes, it’s an accident. Sometimes, it’s my intention to offend.

I’m going to offend if you don’t want to hear about right and wrong or good or evil. I’m going to offend if you don’t believe in sin or the devil. I’m going to offend if you don’t believe in the church.

I offend some by my style. It’s simple, unrefined, and about finding God in our ordinary lives. I offend because I’m too loud or too bold or maybe I’m too big.

I hope and pray Jesus likes my style.

As a man, Jesus knew ordinary. He was not born in a palace, but a manger. His mother was young girl betrothed to a good and honorable man. From that good and honroable man, Jesus learned to be a carpenter. He was born into ordinary life.

His disciples and apostles were ordinary people living in the world; common everyday people bringing the good news to the world.

Jesus’ parables are ordinary life. He preaches and teaches with stories about fishing, farming, parenting, spoiled children, and weddings.  The wedding at Cana begins as an ordinary human story.

All of us have had that time when our mother has asked us to do something and honestly we don’t want to do it. Maybe, we’re brave and say “No”. Maybe, we take the cowardly way out, by putting it off, hoping, she’ll forget. But, because we love our mothers, we usually do what momma wants us to do.

Mary and Jesus were guests at the wedding. Mary comes to Jesus and says “They ran out of wine!”

Jesus’ answer, Woman, how does your concern affect me? In Greek, Jesus’s words are “How does it concern you and me…”  In other words, Jesus said to Mary in a good and divine way, “Momma, it’s not our problem.” Then he adds, “My hour has not yet come.”

Mary knows her son will do the right thing. She knows He will do what she asks of Him and turns to the servers saying “Do whatever he tells you.”

There were six stone vessels each about 30 gallons used for ceremonial washing. Jesus told them fill the jars with water then "Draw some out and take it to the headwaiter."

The headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine and said: "Everyone serves good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, an inferior one; but you kept the good wine until now."

In that passage, Jesus (in all his divinity) shows a human sense of humor or irony.

Jesus, a carpenter, and his fisherman buddies came to the wedding. They ran out of wine and Jesus made wine in a bathtub. He made 180 gallons of wine for a party and it was good wine.

In the ordinary is the greatest of gifts. Those washing vessels (bathtubs) are like our lives - ordinary things in which God works miracles. Washing away our sins, we become good wine.

God rejoices in us and our ordinary lives.

He sends the Holy Spirit to ordinary people and gives extraordinary spiritual gifts. One is given wisdom. Another is given knowledge, another faith. Another is given the gift of healing, another mighty deeds, to another prophecy; and to others are different gifts of the Holy Spirit. These gifts are different for each of us but from the same God through the same Holy Spirit.

Fifty years ago, the small community I lived in had three people with the gift of healing. One was an old man, a farm worker. He couldn’t read. He couldn’t sign his name. But, he had an extraordinary gift of healing. Because of that gift, he fought the devil every day. Most days, it was probably in a bar.

If the doctor could do no good or others could not heal. You’d go to find this old man. He healed by the laying on of hands and praying in the name of Jesus. If it was God’s will, you would be healed.

He prayed for my little brother who had ear problems that  doctors could not remedy. In constant pain, he was losing his hearing. After several stops at different bars, my father found the old man. He came out and leaned into our car smelling like whiskey and cigarettes. The old man touched my 4 year old brother’s ears and prayed. That little boy stopped screaming almost immediately.

If you meet my little brother, you’ll notice the speech impediment; but, it’s all that’s left from an illness doctors couldn’t do anything about.

I praise God, our Lord Jesus Christ for that healing. I praise God for that ordinary old man of faith and the purest of hearts that fought the devil every day of his life. The devil fought him through his brokenness. Even with his extraordinary gift of healing; many people were offended by this simple old man.

It was for people like him that Jesus taught, blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God. If we don’t strive to have a pure heart, we are not being the person God wants us to be then we are not sharing our gifts.

I hope Jesus likes the way I bring the gospel and God is not offended by my preaching. I try to bring my message from a pure heart that allows me the ability to see all the gifts in which God reveals himself - the beauty of nature, the love we have for each other, the experiences of life, and the gospel of Christ.

But a pure heart is hard to keep. It is easy to fall to the temptations the world that fills us with cravings and desires, which are not of God. It is the enemy that serves the good wine first, and when we have drunk freely of the temptations, cravings, and desires of the world. The tempter brings out his inferior wine.  

But in Christ Jesus, God takes ordinary sinners and changes us into good wine. God rejoices in us. He does this to reveal his glory. He does this so we believe in him.

We are given the extraordinary gift that is faith in Jesus Christ; don’t be surprised if you offend someone.

Be good, be holy, and preach the gospel by the gifts God has given you, by the life you live and by the way you love one another. Amen.

We Need His Baptism - A Reflection on the Baptism of the Lord

Readings

Inspiration: Christian Prayer, Daily Office,  and notes from the Divine office website.

Jesus did not need to be baptized. So why was Jesus baptized?

Early theologian like Saint Gregory of Nazianzus said that the Lord was baptized to bless the waters.

With His body, with His divinity, in His Baptism, He blessed all the waters, so that water would have the power to give baptism. And then, before ascending to Heaven, Jesus told us to go into all the world to baptize.

St Gregory goes on to say, when Jesus rises from the waters; the world rises with him.

So the answer to why was Jesus baptized is simple, we needed His Baptism. In baptism, Jesus blessed us and blessed the whole world.

We should bless the Lord. The prophet Daniel understood.

Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord. Praise and exalt him above all forever....

All you waters above the heavens, bless the Lord.... Every shower and dew, bless the Lord..... Dew and rain, bless the Lord.... You springs, bless the Lord.... Seas and rivers, bless the Lord....

You sons and daughters of men, bless the Lord.... Praise and exalt him above all forever.

Priests of the Lord, bless the Lord. Servants of the Lord, bless the Lord. Spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord. Holy people of humble heart, bless the Lord.

Praise and exalt him above all forever. Let us bless the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Let us praise and exalt him above all forever.

We bless the Lord by following his words. Christ Jesus told us to go into all the world to baptize.

To bring that baptism of Christ to the world is blessing the Lord and bringing his blessing to the world. We baptize with the same waters blessed and made holy by our Lord and savior when Jesus was baptized by John in the river Jordan.

Following Jesus’ command, we baptize to the present day. It is an unbroken chain. Parents baptized their children, and their children baptized their children, and their children baptized their children, and their children…

And that is the chain of faith!

He saved us through the bath of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,

God shows no partiality.

The grace of God has appeared, saving all and training us to reject godless ways and worldly desires.

As believer, followers of Christ, we have a duty to transmit this promise of faith, a duty to pass these blessings of faith to our children.

It’s the most beautiful of our heritage.

Although we are unworthy, God looks down upon us, Christ says, with you I am well pleased.

Be good, be holy go out into the world and pass on the Gospel, pass on your faith, by living your baptism. Amen

The Epiphany Perspective - Homily Epiphany Sunday 2019

(Inspired by a Homily of Fr. Charles Irvin, frcharlie.org)

Readings

Have you ever heard the expression you can’t see the forest for the trees. It’s all about perspective; the way we see and understand things. We could focus on one thing, one tree and examine its leaves, know the gnarls the branches, and hues of its bark. A tree is a beautiful thing; but, it’s a limited perspective and we miss the beauty that is the forest.

Perspective is our focus, attitude, and way of thinking. It is how we comprehend the world. Sometimes, we need a new perspective.

The ancient Israelites had been focusing on their past. Their perspective was a life of distress, despair, and destruction.

But, in the first reading Isaiah tells them to look to see the beauty that was ahead of them. He was giving a new perspective. Isaiah’s words were of God’s promise, giving them reason to hope. Hope was something desperately needed.

Centuries later the world again needed a new perspective. It was into that world God sent His only begotten Son, Christ Jesus.

His birth was the fulfillment of prophesies. Jesus fulfilled all that was promised throughout the centuries about the Messiah. He was Emmanuel, the anointed one of God, the Christ born to a virgin in the line of David. He was God’s Promise, the long awaited messiah of the Jewish people.

He is hope in a time of distress, despair, and destruction. He is the promise of God the Jewish people needed to see things differently.

But, if that was the perspective the world had of the Christ, it was not seeing the forest for the trees. Jesus was born for all people, the non-Jews, the Gentiles, people all over the world living in times past and times now.

God went beyond offering hope for the Jewish people. God sent His Son for people all over the world. This change of perspective offered enlightenment and hope to everyone, everywhere.

That is the Epiphany.

That was why the magi, wise men from the world came to Bethlehem. They were looking for a new perspective. They were seeking something new, something fresh, and that something was hope and redemption to everyone everywhere.

They followed a star, a light from heaven that promised a new perspective to the world.

They came to experience the Christ. They came to worship and adore him. They came to offer him homage and gifts. They came to learn and see new things. They came for the hope that was promised and to bring that message of hope to the world.   

Sounds like a mass!

But, Herod was full of hate and envy; wanting only his perspective in the world. Even today, the world is full of Herod(s) forcing their perspective - terrorism, fear, clergy abuse, corruption, and the politics of hate. Herod(s) are the secularists and despisers of religion who pursue a perspective that misrepresents people of faith as the problem in the world.

Sadly, many return to Herod not able to see the beauty of the forest for the trees.

We need to go a different way. That way is by church. Attending Mass is the way to know the perspective of hope that is Jesus Christ.

It is at Mass that we come to experience Christ in the Eucharist. We come to worship and adore him. We come to offer homage and gifts. We come to learn and see new things. We come to learn of the promise of hope. We are to bring that message to the whole world.  

Sounds like wise men!

God’s word proclaimed during Mass is the perspective we need.

But, mass is only 60 minutes out of each week; 60 minutes out of a week that totals 10,080 minutes.  Remove the time we sleep, then its 7,560 minutes awake each week. As a good practicing Catholic you have 7,500 minutes between each week’s Mass.

What do we bring from those 60 minutes to the other 7500 minutes of our week?

Here is an example. Teaching my 5 year old grandson to pray the rosary, my daughter says, “We need to say the Our Father.”  

He says “Mommy, I got this…. “Our Father who are in Heaven, hollow be thy name…” then his prayers mix a little. It has Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and the Holy Spirit.

His mommy asks, “Where did you learn that?”

His answer, “It’s easy, we say it at Church.”

His perspective is one we should all have: It’s easy to bring everyday life from Church.

What perspective do we bring? Maybe, it’s an Epiphany perspective, maybe it's hope, the beautiful promise of Christ for the world.

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

A Family Circle - Reflection Feast of the Holy Family - Year C

(Readings)
Contemplating the Holy Family, Family Circle Magazine came to mind, one of my mother’s favorites growing up. From there, the old gospel song, “Will the Circle be Unbroken” with one specific verse standing out “Now the family is parted. Will it be complete one day? Will the circle be unbroken by and by, by and by? Is a better home waiting in the sky, in the sky?”

As we celebrate the feast of the Holy Family, remember we are all family. All part of God’s creation. Created by the word of God, molded into the image of God, and then by God’s own breath, the spirit of life came into us.

In each and every life, in each and every person, in each and every day, creation comes again full circle. It is in that circle of God’s love that we will find the truth and happiness for which we constantly search

It is a circle that all of us are part. It is a circle whose center everywhere and whose end is nowhere. In that circle, we are born in the image of God and meant to grow into the full likeness of God.  It is a likeness that has heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience in bearing with one another and forgiving one another.

I saw that last week. Due to a family illness, I have been at the University of Texas, M. D. Anderson Medical Center.  There, the halls are full of people wearing Christian Crosses or Yarmulkes or traditional Islamic dress. And each speaks to others with compassion and kindness and gentleness and patience.

One day I walked upon two medical students (One Asian and one European) were speaking to each other. The Asian student asked the other, “Where exactly is this country you are from, Poland?”

That is why we can say, it is a circle whose center everywhere and whose end is nowhere. The Creator has bestowed his love on all of his creation. The human family is enormous. The problem is we get lost. We get lost when we think God is only ours. Sometimes, it is fundamentalism. Sometimes, it is radicalism. All the times, it is a mistake to think God is only for us. It is a mistake to think that Christ came and died only for us. God sent his truth and his word for all people.

We are all in some way trying to get closer to that word and ultimate truth.  Some just do not know where to look. We look with great anxiety. We look in the wrong places.

As I walked down the halls of the hospital after Christmas, I overheard two young nursing students discussing Christmas. One said, “I was raised Catholic, but all that is just not my thing anymore.”

I hope she was not talking about God.  I hope she still seeks the truth. Because, it is in each of us that over our lifetime we develop our own unique relationship to God from our life and experiences. Some will embrace that relationship. Some will seek wholeness from an inner realization of union with God. 

Some will seek separation. Some want only ordinary earthly thinking. They disregard everything else.

But the truth is they never leave the circle whose center is everywhere and whose end is nowhere. The never leave the circle that is the family of God. They never leave the love of their creator even if they deny it.

Each of us is loved with a love that nothing can shake, a love that loved us long before we were created; a love that will be there after everything has disappeared. Even those who deny love are loved with the same love as those who embrace love. It is a circle that will be unbroken.

Those in Christ know this circle. See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Be part of the Holy Family and realize the truth of our family’s circle.

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

A Wonderful Christmas Song - Homily Christmas Day Mass 2018

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/122518-day.cfm

Merry Christmas, everyone, I hope each of you awoke this morning to a beautiful Christmas song. Every year we hear some great Christmas songs, both religious and secular.

One interesting fact I heard is that Paul McCartney’s “Simply Having a Wonderful Christmas Time” earns between $400 - $600 thousand dollars in royalties every year. It’s no wonder he’s having a wonderful Christmas time.

It’s a great song, but it missing the one thing Christmas is about the birth of the baby Jesus. That child brought us a wonderful Christmas time.

If you were here at the vigil mass the gospel of Matthew remembered the genealogy of Jesus and how his birth came about. At midnight mass and mass at dawn the gospel of Luke remembered the shepherds, the census, no room at the inn, and the baby in the manger.

On Christmas day is the gospel of St. John the Evangelist that begins with these words:  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be.

This is the mystery of Christ that is the gospel of John.  Never in this life will we be able to totally explain the mystery, only believe the Word of God came to us to bring us closer to God.

The gospel is in the words of St. John the Evangelist, Jesus’ best friend. John was one who knew Jesus intimately. John was one of Jesus’ first disciples. He laid his head on Jesus’ chest at the last supper. When Jesus was arrested, John did not run away or deny Jesus and followed the Lord to his accusers. 

John was the only disciple at the foot of the cross and the one Jesus charged with caring for Mary. John was the disciple that lived the longest and thought, pondered, and considered for years all he saw and all he heard to slowly come to his words of truth about Christ Jesus.

He writes about who Jesus was in prose and philosophy. But because of who John was, how he lived, and when he lived, his poetic thoughts tell us exactly who Jesus was. John is writing a song.

Most songs about Christmas come from the gospels of Matthew and Luke. They tell us something special about the child Jesus being born in Bethlehem.  They have angels, heavenly host, wise men, shepherds, and virgin births.

But, John song tells us way more right away.  His song is not about the birth of a baby boy; it is about Christ coming into the world.

The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came to be through him, but the world did not know him.

This is a Christmas song; this is a love song. Love can be the only explanation of this mystery John writes about.  When we love someone we want to be with them; and, when we are away from them, we want to be near them.  For love of us, God did not stay in in heaven, but unites Himself with us by his Word.

And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father's only Son, full of grace and truth.

John tells us who Jesus was in a mystery, but God is the ultimate mystery.

This ultimate mystery is why we explain who Jesus is with the same effectiveness in the meekness of a child born in a manger or the power of the word of God made flesh, the true light of the world.

God is a mystery that we with our limited intellect and limited understand cannot explain. Theologians argue about what the words of the gospels mean. John the man who knew him probably the best, explains him with prose and philosophy, a song.  

With language and thoughts that could have only come from knowing the Word of God, John explains Jesus.

And we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father's only Son, full of grace and truth. He gave to those who accepted him and those who believe in his name, the power to become children of God, born not by natural generation nor by human choice nor by a man's decision but of God.

Now that is a Christmas song. It is a truly wonderful Christmas time. Explaining the mystery of Jesus with poetry, philosophy and song is celebrating the Word of God.

Never in this life will we be able to explain the mystery, only believe the Word of God came to us to bring us closer to God.

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

The Baby Changes Us - Homily Christmas Vigil Mass 2018

(Readings)

Merry Christmas, this liturgy celebrates the birth of Christ and our own children of St. Lawrence. We would all like to give a great big thank you to our children and music family for telling the story of Jesus birth.

Now, the words I am about to say are meant for the children, but in the words of Paul, you others who are God-fearing, listen.

Tonight we began the Gospel with a whole list of people’s names. Those are the names of people in Jesus family; his great-great pap-paws and great-great mam-maws. They are all an important part of Jesus’ story. They are part of the story of Jesus birth that has been retold again and again over the past 2000 years.

Today more are added to the list of people telling the story of Jesus birth, the children of St. Lawrence. Even their parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents have been part of telling the story of a baby born in Bethlehem. A baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger who changed the world.

The baby Jesus changed Mary. An angel of God came to Mary and greeted her - Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you. Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

The baby Jesus changed Joseph. An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph and said Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as you wife.

The baby Jesus changed the shepherds. The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them.... The angel said Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy.

The baby Jesus changed the world. All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means God with us.

The baby Jesus changed the smartest and most worldly people at that time - the magi, wise men, kings – they were not afraid to come and worship him for they knew of the promise of his birth.

The baby Jesus changes us. So, do not to be afraid, because the baby Jesus is good news of great joy for the world. The baby Jesus is the glory of the Lord. The baby Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us.

God with us is the baby Jesus. So, God knows what it is like to be one of us. Baby Jesus was probably hungry. Like all babies he had to have his swaddling clothes changed. He cried and he laughed and he was loved.

As he grew up he lost his baby teeth and grew new ones. He was upset and probably got a belly ache once or twice. He was picked on and bullied. He even scared his parents by getting lost.

As a baby, Jesus, God came to live a life just like you and I. He experience life as a young child, a teenager, and an adult. He knows what it is like to be a one of us.

We have to remember his earth family, Mary and Joseph, the shepherds, wise men, and angels to tell the story of Jesus’ nativity so that the world remembers what Christmas is really about.

The presents we receive at Christmas are great. The greatest present the world was ever given was the baby Jesus, so we can know great joy and not be afraid. We may all not understand how great a gift that is now, but if you believe in Jesus, one day you will.

Thank you Mary, joseph, Angels, Shepherds, Wise Men, Narrator, and Musicians for helping us tell the story of Jesus’ birth. Merry Christmas - everyone.

Tonight especially, as a gift to the baby Jesus, be good, be holy, love one another, and tell someone about  the baby Jesus and that because of him you do not have to be afraid.  Amen

Cats, Dogs & Bringing Love - Homily 4th Sunday of Advent

Readings

Today is the fourth Sunday of Advent. We light the last candle on the advent wreath. We’ve already lit the candles of hope, peace, and joy. This week the fourth candle represents love and the white candle for Christ.

Christ is love. God is love. God is being itself. And God is not a being that occasionally decides to love. God’s love is infinite, absolute, and eternal. It is at the very nature of being itself.  God is the one in whom we live, move, and have our being.  (Rohr, Daily Meditations 12/5/2018)

But the problem in the world today is we focus our love on the wrong things.

Has anybody ever heard of the cat and dog theology?

The cat’s theology is these people that live with me give me shelter, give me food and water, protect me, and love me. The cat thinks, even though I don’t need any of those things they give them to me; so, I must be a god.

A dog’s theology is these people I live with provide me shelter, provide me with food and water, protect me, and love me. The dog thinks even though I’m brave and strong, I still need this; so, they must be a god.

Sometimes I think the world is moving toward that cat theology of God. Because all this that is provided for me; I must be a god.

Maybe the reason so many people error in God’s love is because it is radically different from human thinking on love. Maybe, this is why more and more people are not coming to mass. Maybe it is why so many are hurt by the sins of man manifest in a Church of sinful people.

More and more are not coming to mass or attending in the worship Service because they don't understand ultimate love. They fail to realize the truth of God‘s love or any love.

To most, the reality of love is “What’s in it for me.” It is reality even for some in ministry. Love is not about what is given to me; love is about what I give to others.

It was for love of the Father that Christ said, “Behold, I come to do your will." It was His act of love for us fulfilling the Father’s will.

And today’s Gospel gives another example of giving love.

Mary traveled to the hill country to visit her cousin Elizabeth who was with child. And when Elizabeth saw Mary, She was overjoyed and filled with the Holy Spirit. Elizabeth was overcome by love; because, Mary in more ways than one was filled with the ultimate love of God.

Mary, the mother of God, Mary, the Christ Bearer, Mary, the vessel that brought the ultimate revelation of the love of God into the world carried the love of Christ to Elizabeth. This was the first time she gave the love of Christ in her to someone else.

Elizabeth cried aloud, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?”

We come to mass to know love, to be filled with the Holy Spirit, to be filled with Christ in the Holy Eucharist, and  share the love of Christ with one another. My brothers and sisters do we take that love to others outside these walls.

Do not disrespect the love of God who gives everything to us by not bringing the one who is love itself to others.

I think that is what Elizabeth realized when she said the moment the sound of Mary’s greeting reached her ears, the infant in her womb leaped for joy.

The love of Christ leaps for joy inside of us. It will leap for joy inside of those who we share Christ’s love.  Share the feeling.  Share His love.

Look at the dog; it leaps with joy, wags its tail happily, and barks excitedly when it sees the one it loves. Dogs are so enthusiastic with the love  we have for them and they have for us that they share that love with everyone around them.

We should do the same for our love of God through Jesus Christ. Jump for joy, shout with excitement, and share with everyone the love God has for all of us.  

Cat lovers don’t get upset, some cats do tolerate, maybe, even love their people.

Have a blessed Advent. Be good, be holy, and preach the gospel by the way you live your lives and love one another. Amen.

Joy in Who I Am - Reflection 3rd Week of Advent

Joy

This week I sat in the surgical waiting room at M. D. Anderson in Houston. I met a family of a young man undergoing colon surgery. The doctors in his home town said there was no hope; but, the doctors at M. D. Anderson said they could help.

The young man’s wife was there as a source of strength for her family, her husband’s family, and for their family, two small boys. The surgery was to remove 1/2 of her husband’s colon to fight the cancer. He was only 32 years old.

She was so strong, so positive, smiling and loving.

After 9 hours of surgery the young man was moved to recovery and most of the family left.The young wife was left alone except for a single close friend, a young woman of the same age she had known since they were small in school.

They talked. They laughed. Then, they cried.

I overheard the young wife confide to her friend these words about her husband. “He is who I am. He is who my children are. He is all I have known for the past 12 years.”

Some would say, those were the words of a weak and dependent woman.

All I saw was strength. The strength to say the one she loved made her who she was and that is who she wants to be. In tears, she rejoiced in the relationship with her husband.

Some of us are lucky that we have someone who makes us who we are. It could be a spouse, family, a child, or even friends. We rejoice in that relationship.

Yet, all of us have one relationship in which we can rejoice. It is a relationship with God the Father through our LORD Jesus Christ. Rejoice in the LORD.

Some rejoice in the relationship. Some are looking for that relationship. Sadly, some deny any want or need or possible relationship with God.

We should all rejoice in The LORD, our God. God is in our midst, a mighty savior. Our LORD and savior rejoices over us with gladness. Christ renews us in his love.

This is the truth the blessed virgin Mary knew; the truth in which she became the mother of God. It is the truth of her strength. The strength to say the one she loved made her who she was and who she wanted to be.

This is the truth John the Baptist preached. He called for a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sin.

He promised that one greater than he would come. One that baptizing in the strength of the Holy Spirit and fire. The Holy Spirit that gives the strength to say this is who I am and this is who I want to be.

Through baptism we are called to the joyous relationship with our Lord and Savior. If we are true to that relationship, he is all that we are. He is all that we want to be.

And those who don’t know that joyous relationship will look at us and say we are a weak and dependent people.

They do not recognize strength.

I saw strength when I went to mass Sunday morning at the hospital chapel. I saw people well and sick who came to celebrate that joyous relationship with the LORD. Some were doctors. Some were nurses. Some were patients. Some were family of patients. The one strength in each and every person at that mass was a relationship that defines who they are, a relationship with Christ.

A relationship with Jesus Christ is all that I am and all that I want to be.

Even though our church community is small at Our Lady of Fatima Parish, St. Lawrence Catholic Church, and Christ the King - Catholic Campus ministries I ran into several members of our family at that Hospital. Each and every one of them has a story of strength.

Each has a story of strength in their relationship with Christ even as they fight cancer. I pray that Jesus Christ the Divine Physician is with them and heals them. May God's miracles found in the skills, knowledge, and wisdom of those who treat them be released to all those in need.

Friends, pray for those who are sick and crisis and all those who need our prayers. May the Holy Spirit give them continued strength. 

St. Peregrine, pray for us. St. Anthony Mary Claret, pray for us. Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos, pray for us. Holy Mother of God, pray for us.

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

"If Only" - Homily Second Sunday of Advent - C

Readings

Today is the second Sunday of Advent and we light the Peace Candle, the candle that represents John the Baptist.

We come together in Advent as a time of anticipation about new beginnings, new starts, and new arrivals. But, Advent is also about the incarnation and life.

Scripture tells us God became a person “that we could hear, see with our eyes, look at, and touch with our hands.” 1 Jn 1:1 God became a person so we could experience him and He could experience us through a human life. God in Jesus Christ would have a human life story.

Each of us has a life story. I wonder how Jesus’ would compare to ours.

Our lives all begin as helpless and naked infants.

From that beginning, life becomes is a series of new beginnings, new starts, and new arrivals. We live advent, waiting and many times longing of the next stage of life; living in anticipation of getting somewhere or being something. We look to find our life’s incarnation of happiness and peace.

At every stage, we wish “if only”….

“If only” I could ride a bike. “If only” I could finish school. “If only” I could meet the right person. “If only” I could get that great job. “If only” I could buy a nice house. “If only” I would get that raise or promotion. “If only” I could get what I want in life; I would know happiness and peace.  

These “if only” wishes fills our lives with ups and downs, rough ways and winding roads, valleys and mountains.

Yet, when life nears death, the “if only” wish of many - “if only I had lived my life differently.”

In college I asked my dad “Was it wrong for me to want to go to night clubs?” I liked girls, dancing, and beer. A nightclub was a place for all three.

“If only” I didn’t have to spend my little bit of money on a bus ticket home. “If only” I wasn’t expected to work around the house, clean, and wash clothes.

At that time, my dad was sick and even though I never said it aloud, I thought it. “If only” I didn’t have to come home to all the sadness, sickness, and suffering.

My life story doesn’t compare very well to the life story of Jesus.

But my dad answered that question with a smile and some of the best theological and spiritual advice I ever received. “The Lord is coming again. Go ahead and live your life, but don’t let Jesus find you where you shouldn’t be.”

At that time, I probably didn’t hear the truth in those words.

We make bad choices in our imperfect human life. These are choices that we mistakenly believe are the source of happiness and peace. We find these “if only(s)” wishes in our pride, greed, envy, lust, anger, gluttony, and laziness.

Why did they get a promotion and I did not, “if only” it was me. Why do they have a big house and I do not, “if only” it was me. Why do they have someone special in their life and I do not, “if only” it was me.

These “if only(s)” are not the way to live.

God lived a human life in example of the life He wants of us. It’s not about us. It‘s about God. Although, the Prophet Baruch’s words were about Jerusalem and prophesying about Jesus, they apply to our lives. 

God will show the earth your splendor, the peace of justice, and the glory of God’s worship.  

That is why Jesus’ life was so much different than ours. He lived a human life to the expectations of God the Father.

Paul encourages us in our new beginning.  “The one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it.” This one is Christ. As we prepare for His advent, he prepares us for ours.  

Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be made low. The winding roads shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

Each chapter of a person’s life leads inevitably to the next, from birth to death. We can’t change that; but, we can change the “if only.” These are life’s new beginnings, new starts, and new arrivals.

Our advent is the everyday “if only” to live life in the Lord. It is the beginning of true happiness and peace.

God leads us in joy, by the light of his glory, with mercy and justice.

“The Lord is coming again. Go ahead and live your life, but don’t let Jesus find you where you shouldn’t be.”

Friends, try these “if only(s)” during Advent. “If only” we can be good. “If only” we can be holy. , “If only” we can preach the gospel by the way you live and love one another. Amen.                            

Have a blessed Advent.