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Homily

1st Sunday of Advent Year

Posted on by Deacon Joe

Jer. 33: 14-16; Ps. 25: 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 14; 1 Thes. 3:12 – 4:2; Lk. 21: 25-28; 34-36

Parousia, meaning the second coming of Christ to earth will happen swiftly bringing upon us a general judgment.  Wait aren’t we preparing for Christmas, the “Nativity pre-feast” of the birth of Jesus, why are we reading in Luke about the second coming of Jesus to start our Advent?  In the Latin Rite the Advent season covers the joyful remembrance of the Lord’s first coming in His Incarnation and anticipation of the second coming at the end of time.  Many disciples expected Jesus’ second coming in their lifetime however Luke sees a longer period in history to come and it is important to “Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life”.  Simply put lets us not get complacent about our faith so concerned with our daily comforts or anxieties we lose sight of the “big picture” our purpose in salvation history. 

St. Paul in Thessalonians has the same concern in prayer for the faithful “to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his holy ones.  Amen”.    This Parousia covers the period after the birth of Jesus, the destruction of the temple, the period of time between until the full revelation of the kingdom at the second coming marking the end of time.  It is the fullness of time for the New Jerusalem. 

The New Jerusalem is now the city of God not as a land mass but a mass of people of faith in Jesus Christ.  It is marked by Jesus’ death, resurrection and outpouring of the Holy Spirit.  The city of God lies at all corners of the world in the temple of the people who receive the body of Christ in the Eucharist.  This city is now given a new name, “The LORD is our justice”.  It is the personal justice of God we are called to live daily proclaiming our faith as witnesses of holiness when we “increase and abound in love for one another and for all”.  For “one another” is for all believers and “for all” is for those of little or no faith.  Holiness makes no exceptions in love. 

Luke reminds us of Jesus teaching to his disciples that during this time between the first coming and second coming “There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars and on earth nations will be in dismay”.  Every generation seems to live a period of persecution in their lifetime.  From the early church persecution after the destruction of the temple throughout history including all the world wars, to 9/11 and the uprising of Isis we see persecution of the faithful.  Yet we are not to confuse these signs as the second coming but remain “vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man.” 

Our call is to conduct ourselves to please God at all times.  I was at a conference on mental health and substance misuse and the question posed was “why do youth after experiencing an overdose have no fear in returning to the drug use that almost cost them their life?”  In part the answer was that youth are very resilient and experience no immediate long term consequence from the overdose experience.  I find that to be true of overall humanity.  How often do we know misuse of anything including overindulgence in food is not healthy even if there is some immediate consequence like an upset stomach or indigestion not to mention the excess weight gain?  For some the attitude is “we have to die of something, why not enjoy it?”  Then the permanent symptoms start to manifest like diabetes, hypertension, or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and we begin to modify our behavior once we face the long-term damage. 

What about our basic values, are we living according to what we say we value?   We value honesty, integrity, responsibility, a strong work ethic among others yet how do we respond if honesty means admitting our fault, integrity means doing the right thing even if it is going to cost us more, responsibility means no excuses, and a strong work ethic means consistently doing our best regardless of the circumstances?  All of a sudden our actions and reaction finds justification for being less than the best God created us to be.  We lose sight of our call to conduct ourselves to please God at all times. 

Let us look at our moral values, the standard between good and evil.  We value fidelity in our relationships, justice vs. cheating in our negotiations, and giving respect to others regardless of race, ethnicity, or economic status.  From this comes thou shall not commit adultery, steal, and thou shall not bear false witness against thy neighbor.  Commandments come from the basic human struggle between good and evil and the temptation to serve ourselves before others. 

Let us look at our Christian values, the standard God set with his people.  We value marriage vs. “living together”, we value obedience to God by denial of self, and we value a pattern of conduct after Jesus.  Jesus came into the world that we may have his witness to pattern our lives in his image.  There is a book titled,
The Imitation of Christ by Thomas A Kempis.  In it is a section of being “Eternally Minded”.  Being eternally minded is being Christ to the world. 

Thomas Kempis addresses the struggle between “human nature and grace” which “move in opposite directions unless you are spiritual in inwardly perceptive.”  He draws the contrast as human nature “deceives…always has selfish motives…But grace walks in simplicity and turns away from every appearance of evil.”  “Nature strives for its own advantage…Grace considers…what will benefit many people”. “Nature eagerly accepts honor and reverence.  Grace directs all honor and glory to God.”  “Nature fears shame and contempt.  Grace rejoices in humiliation for the name of Jesus.”  “Nature loves leisure and bodily rest.  Grace cannot be idle and gladly embraces hard work.”  This is our calling to follow the road less traveled of moral excellence. 

Scripture says in 2 Peter 1: 5-8 “Make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, virtue with knowledge, knowledge with self-control, self-control with endurance, endurance with devotion, devotion with mutual affection, mutual affection with love.  If these are yours and increase in abundance, they will keep you from being idle or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  These are the graces in the imitation of Christ he is prepared to offer the soul who seeks to remain eternally minded.  These are the building blocks of a house that withstands the storms of life without fear.  This is the city that claims “The Lord is our justice.” 

In the struggle between good and evil there is a simple standard to follow.  It is “Do the next right thing”.  When in doubt do the next right thing.  When we find ourselves anxious about a major decision affecting the future do the next right thing today.  Trust in God and allow him to work for our greater good by doing the next right thing out of love for Him this moment.  It is easy to be deceived when we act with intent to control the outcome regardless of whether it is a right or wrong action.  That is the voice of the evil one.  Listen to the voice of God who is just and holy to guide our conduct in doing the next right thing that matters to him in our lives.  When we live according to our values we receive the joy we seek in Advent.  It is the joy that God is with us now, in his second coming, and eternally. 

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Homily

Feast of St. Andrew, Apostle

Posted on by Deacon Joe

Rom. 10: 9-18; Ps. 19: 8-11; Mt. 4: 18-22

Faith comes from hearing the proclamation of the Word.  The question is not are we called to proclaim the Word the question is how are we called to proclaim the Word?  Today is the celebration of the Feast of St. Andrew, Apostle the first called by Jesus to follow him.  St. Andrew was a follower of John the Baptist before Jesus called him.  This reminds us of the first action of any follower is repentance as John the Baptist preached.  Repentance comes with a conversion of the heart.  Conversion of the heart comes from faith and faith from hearing the proclamation of the Word.  Who is called to proclaim the Word? 

The call to follow is for all of us.  We are all called to proclaim our faith.  The question that remains is how we are called to proclaim our faith.  Little is known of St. Andrew in scripture and according to tradition, St. Andrew preached in Greece and was martyred on an X-shaped cross.  The call to proclaim the Word in preaching is not a human gift but a divine grace guided by the Holy Spirit.  St. Teresa of Calcutta wished to be a pencil in God’s hand for she proclaimed Word by service to the poorest of the poor.  Preachers are called to be a tongue for truth in proclaiming the Word to bring souls to repentance and awaken the faith. 

The call of all the faithful is to proclaim the Word by actions of love for God and neighbor.  St. Francis of Assisi is known by tradition for saying “Preach always speak when necessary” though there is no written history of it.  The statement is a testimony of his life mission to preach by acts of love.  He overcame his struggle in accepting lepers who were seen as sinners and found the love to embrace them.  If we are to be witnesses of God’s love it begins by loving the sinner and not the sin.   The first step to love a sinner is to recognize the sin in our own lives as forgiven sinners.  Do unto others what God has done for us, forgive.  That is in the prayer he left us, “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”  Our first call begins with acceptance of God’s mercy and forgiveness. 

My “day job” is heading a non-profit company that works in the field of addictions.  The field of addictions has developed along evidence-based practices including medication assisted treatment to overcome the grip of substance misuse.  The field has never abandoned the Twelve Step tradition of recovery.  In the Twelve Step tradition there is a realization of our own powerlessness over the substance misuse and only a power greater than ourselves we call God can restore us to sanity thus we turn our will over to our God.  In surrendering our will over to God we become the best proclaimers of our faith in our struggles of life.  It becomes our testimony of love and our compassion for others is magnified by recognizing our own weakness and sinfulness. 

We all have our story of struggle and the misuse of our own gift of life leading us to sin.  We also have our story of redemption from God’s love and mercy.  In those intimate struggles we can offer others the same hope of recovery in their struggles and the same call to turn their life over to God who has the power to give us a rebirth of wholeness and life of love.  Proclaim the gospel of God’s love and grace will perfect us in the divine image of his Son Our Lord Jesus Christ. 

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Homily

Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

Posted on by Deacon Joe

Dn. 7: 13-14; Ps. 93: 1, 2, 5; Rev. 1: 5-8; Jn. 18: 33b-37

For the past weeks the readings have been about the coming of the messiah and his kingdom.  The kingdom is not of this world but with today’s celebration of the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe we recognize he is not of this world but is in this world.  “The Lord is King, he is robed in majesty.  Jesus Christ is the first born of the dead and ruler of the kings of the earth.”  If Jesus Christ is ruler of the kings of the earth then why is there so much evil still in this world?   The world is becoming more secular and leaders of nations feel no obligation to a “higher power” we call God.  The answer lies in his priests, prophets, and kings that is to say his kingdom is in us and the difference we make in this world. 

There is a group of religious called the Sisters of Divine Providence whose devotion and faith is based on the belief God is working with us, through us, and in us for his divine plan and if we belong to the “peoples, nations and languages (who) serve him” his divine providence will be seen in this world.  The hand of God is leading us and in our prayer life we discern the will of the Father and our joy. 

Today is the final Sunday of the Church year.  This is our “New Year’s Eve”.   It marks the end of all our offerings of love, service, and worship to God this past year and a time for reflection.  Taking time to reflect on “the big picture” of our life, am I closer to God?  Is our family living the faith we profess in Church at home?  What about this community of St. Francis Xavier, is there life in the church and how do we contribute to this life as a stronger community of faith?  Just like in any New Year’s resolution it begins by looking back at the path we have followed and how we have made God the center of this journey of life we follow. 

This is also a Sunday to give thanks for all the blessings this past year.  If we count our blessings one by one, we realize we would never come to an end in recognizing how good God is and how much more we could receive if we live the gospel message “let thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”  These days there seems to be a renewed interest in journaling but unlike in the past when you looked for a nice cover journal with blank pages to write on the new method is guided more like a planner.  These journals help in setting priorities for each day, recording achievements, evaluating progress, and planning for the future.  You establish your goals for recreation, education, career, nutrition, personal development, name it track it!  This Sunday we should make our New Year’s resolution to name our spiritual goals or God’s call for this coming year.  Name it, prayer life, service, charity, family devotions, adoration with the Lord, visiting nursing homes, church life and then consider the endless list of opportunities to fulfill those goals.  The opportunities are here then track it.  God is not done with us yet.  Jesus’ prayer is for unity that we may all be one as he is in the Father that we may be in him.  This is God’s call for a personal relationship with his Son our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. 

As we take time to look back on this year we can be the judge of our life with God.  We begin by recognizing how faithful were we to coming to Mass, going to confession when we missed Mass or when we knew we had sinned against God and neighbor.  For what we did to others we did to God, good and bad, feed the hungry or neglect the orphan God was present.  With the end of the year comes Advent.  Advent comes from the Latin meaning for “coming” and is a time of preparation for the coming of Jesus Christ his year in our lives.  It is a time of joy and self-preparation for receiving more of Jesus in our hearts.  Christ the King is with us but how much of him we receive depends on our self-preparation.  This Sunday we can make a resolution for greater self-preparation for the coming year that we may experience his divine providence daily with joy.  There was a time when I was very traditional with all my New Year’s resolutions in the secular world.  It included goals to lose weight, exercise more, lower my cholesterol, or read more.  Over the years at some point it took a turn towards areas of human development such as to be more patient, have greater humility, and “come out of my shell” meaning less introverted.  As part of the diaconate formation we were asked to set goals for spirituality, service, study, and then track it.  This was our form of journaling. 

Let us consider how we would establish our spiritual goals for the coming year.  The first thought is our prayer life.  Consider when we pray, morning upon rising, for meals during the day, at bedtime or even as we drive to work or school.  Consider how we pray with set prayers, the rosary, the chaplet of divine mercy, as a family, in our own words, by coming to adoration, and in the celebration of the Eucharist in Mass.  Consider what we pray, our adoration of God, our contrition, our supplication and our thanksgiving for the blessings of the day, the moment, the answered prayer.  What about our Sacraments?  This is the call for coming to Confirmation, Convalidation of Marriage, coming into full communion in the Church through Rite of Christian Initiation.  Call and set up an appointment to see a priest and prepare to receive the fullness of faith.  

What about penance as a spiritual goal in atonement for our sins and those of someone we know or for the whole world?  Penance is not high on the list of many in fact we generally only reflect on penance when we go to confession.  Have you ever wished you could intervene to help someone who was committing sin but felt helpless in that situation?  You hear, pray for them.  Prayer is a form of penance, an offering of self for others.  When we go to confession we may have the priest say as a form of penance something like “say an Our Father and three Hail Mary’s”, or read a particular scripture or prayer card.  It is penance that is very specific in its action.  When we make an offering of penance in our prayer it becomes very specific in nature, praying a set number of rosaries, coming to a set number of Saturday devotions in Mass, name it, track it.  Penance not only helps to purify us, it also serves to work in the mystery of God’s love for all his people, his plan of salvation, the greater good and in divine providence. 

One thing I am discovering is that age plays tricks on memory unless you write it down where you can review it and even use that review as a form of prayer and reflection.  Now if I see a rise in sales for journals this week, I am not making a pitch for “Black Friday” or “Cyber Monday” shopping.  Society is ruled by the power of the almighty dollar which if you notice continues to lose value and buying power.  Its’ value changes by the politics and economics of the world yet this is what governs a Godless nation and peoples.  Our king and kingdom is not of this world and its value is endless, constant, and universal.  Christ the King gives us an eternal wedding feast (Rv. 19:9) and in the Mass we participate and receive what is eternal, good, blessed, and personal.  We are not alone in this celebration. With us are our faithfully departed loved ones, the saints, and our Blessed Mother who we will see again in his coming. 

I will give thanks that God can use this to guide a soul to him and for a greater good.  This is the time for our spiritual new year’s resolutions.  So many graces are lost for the unprepared soul.  It is with thanksgiving that we end the year and with joy that we prepare for the coming year.  Let us be a well prepared soul for his coming is at hand.  Let us be ready to answer the call of our King of Glory and live in his kingship. 

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Homily

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B

Posted on by Deacon Joe

Dn. 12: 1-3; Ps. 16: 5, 8-11; Heb. 10: 11-14, 18; Mk. 13: 24-32

We are now coming to the end of the Church year and with it the readings focus on eschatology, the “last things or end times” to prepare us for the second coming of Jesus.  Who is wise?  Wise is the person who seeks knowledge to make perfect the judgement of reason.  Wisdom is one of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit first given to us in baptism.  A wise person is concerned with where they will spend eternity.  This concern alone causes a wise person to seek knowledge to make perfect in judgement the path of life they are following to be ready. 

Death is a clear sign of the end in this world as we know it for the person who dies.  To speak of the end of the world as we know it in a cosmic sense or to use the word “eschatology” or “last things” is rarely preached in part because it lies in a veil of mystery.  Death can seem surreal until we experience it in the loss of someone and we are reminded of our mortality.  Jesus lets his disciples know that even he does not know only the Father knows when the consummation of the divine plan of salvation will happen but that is not a reason not to reflect on his coming.  What we do know is that the beginning of the end times began with the birth of Christ and continues to unfold until the second coming.  In the interim we “are to be vigilant at all times” knowing our own particular death and particular judgment can happen at any time. 

The plan of salvation is our daily call to repentance, to prayer for God’s mercy, and to celebrate life for the passing from this life is a sign of victory over death and a promise of eternal life.  That day will bring us a general resurrection of the body, general judgment, heaven or hell.  This divine event hangs over the world.  He warns that in those days the “sun will be darkened and the moon will not give light”.  This is the darkness of horror and disgrace from sin whether in the persecution of the early church or in our times.  How many souls are being lost due to a darkened consciousness that gives no light to the world?  They live without the light of the Holy Spirit and their souls are darkened from the sight of God.  God is known by the light of reason, by the wonder of the natural law all around, by the coming of the Holy Spirit but so many fail to seek, fail to call to the one waiting to come into our lives.  We fail the test of wisdom when we fail to seek Jesus who is our inheritance.  

The Catechism of the Catholic Church #675 states in part “Before Christ’s second coming the Church must pass through a final trial that will shake the faith of many believers.  The persecution…will unveil the ‘mystery of iniquity’ in the form of religious deception at the price of apostasy from the truth.  The supreme religious deception is that of the Antichrist, a pseudo-messianism by which man glorifies himself in place of God…”  When clergy glorify themselves within the Catholic Church with iniquity in the abuse of others it shakes the faith of many believers and is an apostasy to the grace given in baptism and ordination.  The mystery of iniquity is the gross injustice by the abuse of authority and power within the Church.  Fear not, Christ is faithful to his promise.  Persevere in truth Christ does not abandon his bride.  Jesus message is of a God who is patient, loving and merciful, waiting “until his enemies are made his footstool”.  His enemies are those who promote a culture of death in pseudo-messianism.    

In the book of Daniel we are reminded “Michael, the great prince, guardian of your people” is here to “defend us in the battle, be our protection against the snares of the devil” that we may not fall into an “everlasting horror and disgrace”.  This week the US Catholic Conference of Bishops met to confront the crisis of horror and disgrace facing the church for failing to protect the most vulnerable.  It is the crisis of our times in the church.  First we must define the “crisis” to respond in good judgment.  It is a crisis of trust by those choosing to betray the trust given them in abusing others and in danger of “an everlasting horror and disgrace”.  It is a crisis of leadership in failing to respond with action and act wisely to protect the flock once the horror is revealed.  Finally it is a crisis of faith when our mother church is harmed by a shepherd shaking the faith of believers.   

It is in these days of tribulation we are to “Learn a lesson from the fig tree.”  The fig tree is itself a sign of hope in the tree of life and the cycle of life.  Generations come and pass but his word is everlasting to the present moment.  The “branch becomes tender and sprouts new leaves” meaning new life in the spirit during times of persecution and “unsurpassed in distress”.  This is the time when great saints come forward to testify to the truth and bring conversion to the poor in spirit.  If not now when?  If not us who?  The Lord has set aside our “allotted portion and my cup” and he “holds fast my lot”.  It is like a treasure we hold but if we lack the wisdom to act in good judgment for the good it is intended we are like the foolish bridesmaids unprepared for the coming savior.  The history of the church is marked by great saints and faithful clergy yet we are always to pray for them, for faithfulness, wisdom, and leadership. 

There are many “stars” of sanctity “who lead the many to justice” in the church and as we pray for them let us pray for ourselves as we discern together to make perfect in judgment the path to follow.  We also are called to be stars of sanctity and “shine brightly like the splendor of the firmament” that is the heavens.  It challenges us to question “where do we want to spend eternity”?  He provides each of us “the path to life”.  If we desire the “fullness of joys (in his) presence, the delights…forever” we cannot be lukewarm followers or lukewarm clergy.   Lukewarm by the faithful is living up to traditions in the church but our hearts are far from Jesus.  Lukewarm by clergy is clericalism to fulfill the duties of the church and not the calling to be an imitation of Christ.  From the wood of the tree Jesus was crucified on the cross as the single offering of his life for our sins.  Our offering we bring to him now in the sacrifice of the Mass is the gift of love we have given him this week by loving others, especially the stranger. 

The readings also are a word of great hope.  Our names to be found written in the book of life are the promise of our inheritance and we rejoice in confidence because Christ is with us prepared to show us the path to life when we seek him.  Jesus Word will last forever spreading to the four corners of the world.  When Jesus says “Amen, I say to you this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place” it leads his disciples to think the second coming will be in their lifetime.  They lived through the destruction of the temple in 70 AD, their own persecution, and the end to the old covenant of animal sacrifices and the beginning of the new covenant.  Many who had fallen asleep were awaken as Jesus descends to the dead after his death bringing salvation for everlasting life or everlasting horror and disgrace.  That generation was given the fullness of the gospel message as every generation since then as earthly kingdoms rise and fall.

What about us, our generation?  The world as we know it will come to an end as all previous generations before have.  We see signs of the soul in darkness, horror, and disgrace in this world in many forms.  We see the clouds of darkness of our world.  We have the cloud of “euthanasia” under the veil of “quality of life” who sees no value in redemptive suffering but offers the choice to “die with dignity” wanting to preserve the ego without thought of eternity.  There is the cloud of “my right to choose” by giving life or denying life to the unborn.  There is the cloud of “cloning” to breed new life as preserving life but can there truly be another “you” without God?   There is the cloud of “moral relativism” to deny any truth but that of the individual thus denying there is a God at all.  There is the cloud of “gender identity” under the option of “questioning who I choose to be” denying who God created us to be.  The list continues to bring the clouds of darkness into the world and giving rise to our own times of great distress.

The tree of life in the church is being pruned of the dead branches that bring disease and steal the rich soil of its nutrients that is its’ faithful followers.  In visiting Israel and going to the Garden of Gethsemane there were trees thousands of years old wide at the base but quickly they became thin with new branches and leaves sprouting out.  These trees are visible signs of the foundation of the church for thousands of years and we are the new branch as the Church in our community of St. Francis Xavier here in La Feria, Texas giving new leaves of life to make perfect in judgment our path of life. 

The tree of life is Jesus who knows all these things will pass and has prepared a place for those who remain vigilant.  Shine like a star in heaven together with the saints and our Blessed Mother for the Son is at the right hand of the Father.  Faith and reason will lead us to the truth; Jesus is the truth where wisdom is found. 

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Homily

Friday, 32nd Week in Ordinary Time

Posted on by Deacon Joe

2 Jn. 4-9; Ps. 2119: 1, 2, 10, 11, 17,18; Lk 17: 26-37

Today’s readings are a prelude to this weekend’s readings and set the stage for the message of eschatology meaning “end times”.  It is a reminder of our need for “readiness” at any given moment to face our creator.  It also provides a warning of the antichrist, the “deceivers” using a label that has become very popular in our times.  It is called “progressive”.  Many identify as progressive in their ideology seeking a new identity in the cultural war, a new world order, embracing “change”.   If there is a constant it is change so it seems acceptable to promote change towards the good of others.  The dilemma is who defines appropriate change and determines what is the good of others?  Is it progressives with an agenda, the State, a world order, one race, one gender, one political party?  Let us not be deceived by the voices who claim to walk in the truth but deny Jesus Christ and his teachings.

“Anyone who is so ‘progressive’ as not to remain in the teachings of the Christ does not have God.”  The foundation of the good for others is the teachings of Jesus Christ not in an evolution guided by “progressivism”.  These teachings don’t change, they are a constant and they are labeled “commandments” not the right to choose.  Progressive ideology is based on the right to choose, this is seen as freedom.  God gave us a free will to choose him for “Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!”  The truth is not complicated following the truth is the challenge of obedience, not my will but God’s will.  We can easily lose sight of God’s will during this holiday season focused on “eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, building” all good until we sacrifice our time with God, our time serving others, our time in fellowship as faithful companions on the journey towards the “end times”.

If two share a bed and one is taken and if two women are working side by side and one is taken what does it tell us?  It says two things about the “end times”.  One is clear that the event is cosmic the whole world at all “four corners” will live it.  The second thing is individual, God knows his own who have remained faithful and followed the law, its commandments and those who are deceivers and their followers.

“Many deceivers have gone out into the world” some deny Jesus Christ but most deceivers are not so direct as an atheist would be.  Most deceivers don’t simply want to be accepted for who they claim to be; they seek to change who God created us to be.  Recently I joined a gym to improve my health.  As I got on a treadmill the screen television showed a news clip of a transvestite man dressed as a woman in a library coming to read to children from a book on transvestites.  These children were being deceived to believe they don’t have to accept their gender identity, they can question themselves and discover their choice of identity.  Beware of those who come in broad daylight with false teachings to steal the souls of those little ones in the name of “progressive”.  There is a “horror and disgrace” coming and is upon us.  Growing up I learned “dichos” those Spanish sayings of wisdom and one was “La mentira dura mientras que la verdad llega”, translation “Lies endure until truth arrives”.  Truth lies in Jesus Christ and he has arrived.

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Homily

The Dedication of the Lateran Basilica

Posted on by Deacon Joe

EZ 47: 1, 2, 8, 9, 12; 1 Cor. 3: 9c-11, 16-17; Jn. 2: 13-22

The Cathedral of the Most Holy Savior and of the Saints John the Baptist and the Evangelist in the Lateran, most often simply called Saint John Lateran stands for the unity of the church where bricks and mortar, body and blood, and soul and spirit meet for the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.  The full name clearly indicates this is not a celebration of a building but of the building up of the kingdom of God.  St. John Lateran is the “mother” church and the Papal major basilica dedicated to St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist.  In St. John the Baptist we have the one who announces the coming of the messiah and in St. John the Evangelist the spread of the gospel but its dedication to the Most Holy Savior is the center of our faith.  As the mother church it then is Cathedral of the Pope as Bishop of Rome.  If we look to the church as the “water flowing out from beneath the threshold of the temple…for they shall be watered by the flow of the sanctuary”  and we here in St. Francis Xavier in the Diocese of Brownsville are receiving the “trickling” of living water in our sanctuary where we “bear fresh fruit”. 

The fruit we bear is given to us as the body and blood of Jesus to be temples continuing to build up the one body.  Historically it took years to build a temple and many generations would only contribute but a portion of the vision to be completed.  Today we have skyscrapers that go up in a few years while at the same time other construction is demolished in an instant so our appreciation of creating something bigger than ourselves lacks that sense that we are part of a future called to lay our labor of love.  The “holy city, a new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God” is already being created and we have a great responsibility to fulfill in our time.  We can envision what it will be like and we can “taste and see” from the living water and enjoy some of the fruit even receive some of the “healing medicine” saved by the healing water from our baptism. 

Jesus is the temple raised up in three days from death and we share in his temple in the Eucharist that feeds our soul and in the Holy Spirit that abides in us to bring life, holiness, renewal, and joy to our lives.  Thus, “there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all” (Eph. 4:6).  Unity in Christ is God’s plan of salvation.  Unity in Christ is bringing the waters of life to others in our homes and in the many ministries of service we support. 

Today, I was at a conference and it provided a lunch with a speaker.  The speaker was a pastor from a protestant faith in support of churches getting involved to support children in foster care.  When he started this ministry he understood not all families could accept a child for foster care but all families could contribute in support of those families who did from his congregation.  As he goes around telling his story to other pastors and church leaders he asks this question.  Do you have a music ministry?  Do you have a men’s group and a women’s group ministry?  They say “yes”.   Then he asks them where in the bible does it say you need to have those ministries?  He then asks the key question, “Do you have an orphan ministry?”  While children in foster care are not orphans literally they are in need of a home and love.  He considers his “orphan” ministry to be a calling to support the widow, the orphan, and the poor which is in the bible. 

Building up the kingdom of God is remembering our calling to generosity in sharing from our blessings by blessing others in meeting the needs and bringing them into the life of Christ, the life of the church, and the life of the Spirit, then our joy will be complete. 

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Homily

31st Sunday in Ordinary Time

Posted on by Deacon Joe

Dt. 6: 2-6; Ps. 18: 2-4, 47, 51; Heb. 7: 23-28; Mk. 12: 28b-34

Who is this unnamed scribe in the gospel who is not far from the kingdom of God and where did he get this understanding?  First we must recognize the context on which he speaks.  This is not a high priest with special graces from God.  Second, he is living in a Jewish culture where “burnt offerings and sacrifices” were part of the Law of great importance for righteousness before God.  For the scribe to be politically incorrect and dare devalue the merits of burn offerings and sacrifices could have been an offense to the Jewish institution, sacrilegious or even worthy of stoning.  Again, who is this scribe with courage to question the norms, speak with authority and judge for himself?

He is a scribe and scribes were educated men who could read, write, and discern the scriptures.  Most people were not literate but they developed the capacity to memorize long passages of scripture.  Today we have an educational system that offers us a great opportunity to study and learn that we may discern with wisdom.  The internet search engines are the “go to” to simply ask the question and get information in an instant from the accumulated knowledge of the world.  With all this information at our fingertips how do we use these tools to gain our understanding of our faith?  I have three Catholic apps on my phone, the Missal, the Breviary, and ETWN.  I confess there are five game apps also my grandson downloaded that he plays when he is with us so we have to be on alert what he is trying to download.  Outside of Mass what scripture reading do we study?  If the goal is to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength then our heart must be in prayer with God, our soul in union with God, our mind I the knowledge of God and our strength in service of God.  There we fulfill the great commandment and are not far from the kingdom of God.

Moses links the love of God with “Fear the Lord and…keep…all his statutes and commandments”.  This call to obedience was a way of demonstrating love but it did not capture the hearts, minds, and souls of the people as seen by the continuous rebellion against God in the desert.  This is also a people who came out of slavery where obedience meant survival not love.  I remember a young couple coming in for marriage counseling many years ago.  I asked them to complete the sentence, “I feel you love me when__”.  The young man stated, “I feel you love me when you are obedient to me.”  In today’s world that brings charges of sexist, macho, and abusive language.”  Scripture says, “Be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ…wives should be subordinate to their husbands…husbands should love their wives as their own bodies.” (Eph. 5: 21-28) There is a mutual sacrifice for each other.

The development of the behavioral sciences tells us the cognitive-behavioral relationship is a form of being subordinate to each other.  Cognitively we reason to believe and change behavioral patterns and behaviorally we modify our behavior in obedience and discipline to bring about the understanding that can only come by doing.  God the Father gave us the commandments of doing to come to understanding and Jesus the Son gives us the spirit of understanding that we may grow in relationship of love a covenant relationship with him.

Jesus did the ultimate sacrifice for us to bring us understanding of the Father’s love.  Mass is our time to offer our gifts of self to him, our joys, sorrows, our sacrifices.  It is not a love from obedience to rules but commandments that build loving relationships.  The commandments foster love, unity, fellowship, peace, and justice the visible signs of invisible love.

The search for the “fountain of youth” has captured the human psyche throughout history.  There is the mud from the Dead Sea to make you look years younger; the anti-aging science of cell regeneration for tissue and organs, the life-style changes of diet and exercise; and finally going back to ancient times the cover-up of makeup and dress-up in style.  Today we are reminded of the life-style commandments of God to realize our growth, prosperity, and having the “long life”.  It comes from Jesus teaching, “I am in the Father and the Father is in me.”  If we abide in him he will abide in us and our riches in Jesus will be multiplied.

One of the biggest factors in aging, sickness, and poor health is stress.  What fosters stress in our life cognitively is the thinking, “I need to be in control” and the behavior of being in a hurry in life.  The anti-aging formula from God is summed up in the Serenity Prayer, “God grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the Courage to change the things I can, and the Wisdom to know the difference.”  As the commercial says, “Stay young my friend” not with beer but with prayer.  Beer only adds more wrinkles to life.

The world keeps racing with the next faster internet speed and automation inventions.  We have gone from camp fire cooking to wood stoves, gas and electric heating, microwave and now fast drive through windows all to get more done in less time.  The result is we create more to do but are we more fulfilled?  We have created an imbalance of lifestyle.

Here is an alternative called Lectio Divina.  It is a balance of heart, mind, body and spirit.  We open our hearts to God by reading scripture called “Lectio”; we reflect in our minds on the meaning of God word with “Meditatio”; we then try to simply rest in silence in God’s presence to listen what word of knowledge he conveys to us in “Contemplatio”; and we respond in spirit to the revelation God gives us in prayer called “Oratio”.

If Jesus priesthood is forever then our priesthood through baptism is forever.  What our ministry in heaven will be God will determine but one thing we know from living and from scriptures is that life is in constant motion fulfilling a purpose greater than ourselves.

Jesus makes it clear, “The Lord our God is Lord alone!”  The scribe adds the exclamation point, “He is One and there is no other than he”.  Focus on him on the cross, focus on him in our neighbor, and focus on him in all creation the source of life, love, freedom and justice.  Focus on heaven in the communion of saints, angels, and our Blessed Mother and then go forth to love him in our neighbor.  The commandments are the means to the end.  The Lord our God is the beginning and the end there is no other.  The scribe is right in saying, “He is One and there is no other than he”.  The One who has created us as one-being and there is no other like us just like out of his love.  Who is this scribe given such wisdom?  He is a testimony of what God does with a soul who fulfills the greatest commandment.   Be THAT one!

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Homily

All Souls Day

Posted on by Deacon Joe

Wis. 3:1-9; Ps. 23: 1-6; Rom. 5: 5-11; Jn. 6: 37-40

When death comes knocking on the door of a loved one our lives seem to slow down, it gives us time to stop and reflect and appreciate life, especially the life of the dying person.  After death we tell stories of their life with joy and our memories join us in spirit.  We pass o those stories to our children and grandchildren. 

The Lord says, “I will not reject anyone who comes to me.”  Faith in Jesus Christ leads to eternal life in him.  This gift comes through the waters of baptism “that we might no longer be in slavery to sin.”  If in baptism we are no longer slaves to sin then we choose to be slaves to sin because we carry the power to freedom with us.  The old expression, “the devil made me do it” is a lie.  Our free will is responsible for ourselves for we are given power in the Spirit through the waters of baptism.  For this reason the hope of eternal life “does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.” 

We remember from the readings of All Saints Day, the one who ascends the “mountain of the Lord” is the one whose “hands are sinless, whose heart is clean, who desires not what is vain.”  Challenging, absolutely but achievable through our sacraments, devotions, prayer life, and fellowship.  We circle the wagons as one body in Christ, where two or three are gathered in his name there is a greater power to see with the eyes of faith, hope, and love.  These are the “souls of the just” in the hand of God, “and no torment shall touch them.”  The souls of the just reflects the image of God, the life of sanctity, purity, and holiness.  They were tested by fire and “found worthy of himself”. 

All Saints Day also was a reminder of those periods of great distress.  Last week I had the blessing to do a memorial service for a newborn that died from complications after one month of life.  It was the couple’s first baby girl after three boys.  The beautiful infant was in a bassinette and had doubled its weight to 2.2 pounds.  In her brief life she filled her family with great love and unity.  She was baptized in the hospital and belongs to the innocents of God, pure and holy.  Whether we live 100 days or 100 years all life is meaningful and the lasting impact of those days remains with us to add to the glory of God.  The 30 days the baby lived will remain forever in this life for the family to be joined in the next life. 

Today we commemorate all the faithful departed and fulfill the work of charity in praying for the dead who are suffering in the state of purgatory purifying their souls.  They are assured of the promise of heaven as the stains of sin are being purified.  These are the souls “imperfectly purified (who) are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven” (CCC1030).  Often in funerals we reflect on God’s love and mercy and the promise of heaven.  We also need to reflect on God’s justice and the consequence of sin in need of purification for the dead.  We need to encourage the offering of Masses for the dead who no longer can make reparation for themselves and need us to make an offering of the Mass, prayer, and sacrifice. 

This morning I heard in the Mass on ETWN (Eternal Word Television Network) the story of a dying man who was visited by a religious sister.  He claimed to have done many bad things in life.  She offer prayers for him and said after his death she would continue to pray for him.  Puzzled he asked why she would pray for him after his death.  She shared the Catholic faith of the praying for the dead.  When she returned to visit him days later he asked her to share her Catholic faith with him.  She asked what she said that made him interested in the Church.  He answered there was something comforting about someone praying for him after his death.  Before his death he was baptized Catholic.   The man’s name was Marion Mitchell Morrison and when he died on June 11, 1979 many around the world recalled his life and his legacy.  He was better known as “The Duke” John Wayne.  We all hope someone will remember to pray for us after our death and offer a Mass for us. 

Today’s Psalm has two options for a responsorial.  There is “The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.”  This represents the faithful whose love of God desires to do the will of the Father.  This is walking in Jesus steps with sanctifying grace and it requires surrender and trust, “because grace and mercy are with his holiness.”  Truth comes to those who trust in him and we should quickly pray, “Jesus, I trust in you” the moment our faith is tested. 

The second option is “Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.”  This is the virtue of fortitude in the darkness of our suffering, persecution or temptation towards sin.  This is the time to claim your power over darkness praying, “In the name of Jesus, I rebuke all evil.”  Our hope will not be disappointed in Jesus. 

When my mother died she was being cared for at our home by a provider.  Providers are a great blessing in their work of charity and we had a longtime friend of my mother as her provider.  She called us while we were at work that my mother did not look very good.  We expected the call since her health was declining quickly.  As I stood by her bed she looked up towards the ceiling and said, “Look, look!”  I asked her “what do you see, angels?”  She repeated again, “Yes, look!”  There was no fear in her eyes only excitement in her voice.  She then closed her eyes and passed away.  This is the hope we long for, the assurance of the unseen awaiting our final victory over death. 

There is another story I heard of an atheist who simply thought there was no reason to believe there was a God.  When he fell in love and married he was content with his life.  One day his wife became sick and died.  He would go to the gravesite and could not accept that he would never get to see her again.  He began to believe there had to be something else beyond this life.  Eventually he became converted and entered the Catholic Church.  Where is our hope?  It is here, Jesus on the cross, Jesus in the Eucharist, Jesus in the faithful of the Church.  In Mass we have one foot on earth and one foot in heaven so we are always prepared for the final step.  In Mass we are joined by the angels, saints, and our Blessed Mother to intercede for us.  Let them enter our lives and be our help our messengers, our companions on the journey. 

We all have a story to tell.  We turn to the pictures in our walls, our wallets, and imprinted in our hearts forever.  We see and believe they are with us.  Let their story live in us and let us tell their story and pray for them.  It is their hope in us, because Jesus lives we live and they live. 

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Homily

Solemnity of all Saints

Posted on by Deacon Joe

Rv. 7: 2-4, 9-14; Ps. 24: 1-6; 1Jn. 3:1-3; Mt. 5:1-12a

I am reminded by the four angels with the “power to damage the land and the sea” of the Holy Father’s concern for climate change.  History marks periods of climate change whether we read about Noah and the flood in scripture or the great Ice Age there is evidence for climate change causing great damage.  We even see the recent destruction from fires, hurricanes, and earthquakes.  For these families they have endured a “time of great distress”. 

A “time of great distress” happens every moment of life.  Some are very public stories of terrorism, murder, rape, abuse, hunger, war, or spread of disease.  Others are very private stories of tragedy, death, sickness but all a form of great distress for the suffering, poor in spirit, mourning, meek, hungry and thirsty for righteousness.  The world is on a path to destruction from its sins and Jesus comes offering the fulfillment of the Law in a new teaching on life in the spirit of God.  Jesus ascends the mountain as Moses did however Moses received the law from God and Jesus gives the law with authority on the mountain to receive the blessing and great reward in heaven.  God intervenes through his son into the world to save it from destruction of humanity. 

This week we saw the persecution of Jews in a synagogue by a man who stated he simply want to kill Jews.  Christianity was born out of the persecution of Jesus on the cross and continued with persecution of the early church.  Many washed their robes in the blood of their baptism.  Religious persecution exists around the world having to worship underground or live in fear of being targeted.  There are some who wish religious practice was restricted to within the walls of their churches, synagogues, or temples in this country and find offensive for someone to publicly witness to their faith. 

The vision of John reveals the number of those marked by the seal followed by “a great multitude which no one could count from every nation, race, people and tongue”.  There is universality in this declaration of which we are all invited to wear the white robe of salvation and survive a “time of great distress and be washed in the Blood of the Lamb.”  This cleansing began with our baptism and includes the daily cross of life.  We bring our gifts of sacrifice to the altar and we receive the Blood of the Lamb in the Eucharist.  So far so good until the question is asked, “who can ascend the mountain of the Lord?” 

To ascend this mountain requires our purity “as he is pure…one whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean, who desires not what is vain.”  With one brush of a statement we can feel like a baseball player with three strikes and we’re out.  Take “vanity”, all media promotes a world full of vanity.  From weight loss plans, muscle magazines, Botox, wrinkle free creams, hair restoration and who can live with acne.  We get an overdose of vanity promotion.  Then we look for clean hearts.  Why is it that as soon as we make a resolution to foster a greater virtue we fail the virtue being tested.  My favorite is the test of patience, “Lord may I grow in patience.”  BAM!  Someone gets under my skin and I fall harder than before but perseverance builds the character of patience.  As for sinless “hands” those are the acts with full knowledge and consent of the will to commit the sin but rather than stop we minimalize the sin or rationalize our own justice.  The temptation to sin is given power by self-righteousness, “I deserve to give myself this reward.”  God will one day say, “Did you not give yourself your own rewards where is your sacrifice?”  We carry our sins with us as a vain badge of honor spreading over us as a cancer unrecognizable as God’s creation. 

Who can ascend the mountain is the one of humble heart who cries out to God, “Lord, have mercy on me a sinner.”  The Lord will look at us to identify if we have shown mercy, been peacemakers, and endured our persecution for the sake of righteousness or picked up the sword with our hands or our tongue to claim our own justice.  Today the Church recognizes all those who have washed their robes in the Blood of the Lamb.  They lived as sinners who in their distress sought refuge in God and were given mercy.  It is our invitation today to come to him with humble contrite heart and in mercy wash our robes from the stain of sin. 

Dante said we go to purgatory to wash our robes from the stain of sin.  He reminds us of the old Midas commercial, “pay me now or pay me later.”  Purity of mind, heart, and spirit cannot be purchased.  Jesus already purchased for us the redemption from our sin.  We are here not to pay up but to receive our just reward from God our savior.  If the Lord is to call us today are we ready?  The first step is the sacrament of confession, the penance given is to go forth to love and serve the Lord, and the narrow way is the sacramental life in communion with the Trinity, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the angels and all the saints.  The God who is we will see as he is for we are a people who longs to see his face.  “What we shall be has not yet been revealed” but don’t expect the vanity of looking 21 again, regaining lost hair, or getting rid of the gray and wrinkles.  Expect the spirit of purity and sainthood. 

I heart a quote from Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta.  She stated, “Good people do good things, holy people do God’s things”.  He made one Saint Teresa, on Saint Padre Pio, one Saint Francis of Assisi, one Saint John Paul II and one Saint Francis Xavier.  He also made one of you and me. Our holiness will come from doing “God things” that we are called to do.  Where you are there your will find those things.  Be the best you were created to be in the moment and as one writer put it, “wherever you go you are there” but also wherever you go God is there to do God’s things.  Search and you will find, call and he will answer. 

 

 

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Homily

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Posted on by Deacon Joe

Jer. 31: 7-9; Ps. 126: 1-6; Heb. 5: 1-6; Mk 10: 46-52

The father to Israel loves all his people “the blind and the lame, mothers and the unborn child with his mother and delivers us from stumbling”.  The people of Israel “departed in tears” remembering the suffering, sickness, and hardships they endured in their struggle for freedom though the desert.  In an age when women and children were considered more of a property and the blind and the lame as cursed, the father of Israel makes known there is no one he does not love, no one he rejects, and he is there to console them and guide them.  He is here to console us in our weakness and suffering.  We are his beloved.

Fast forward to Jesus coming and today’s gospel, Bartimaeus a blind man, a beggar on the roadside cries out to Jesus.  What is the people’s attitude towards the beggar?  “Many rebuked him, telling him, be silent”.  In their eyes he is but cursed, insignificant to the people.  The beggar calls out to Jesus “son of David”.  The Jews awaited the messianic king from the line of David.  The beggar in his faith recognizes Jesus as the long awaited messianic king and his faith brings him salvation with his sight restored.

Fast forward again to our times and the attitude taken towards the unborn, the disabled, elderly, and the beggar on the street, what has changed in our humanity?  The unborn are aborted, the disabled institutionalized, the elderly forgotten in nursing homes and the beggar remains cursed by the poor choices of life.  “The Lord has delivered his people” all his people, the unborn, disabled, elderly and beggar.  Who are we?   I qualify as unborn into eternal life still in the womb of mother earth, disabled by my sins, elderly since I now qualify for senior citizen discounts and beggar fits my prayer life, “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me”.  If we could see ourselves with the eyes of truth we would be filled with the fear of God.  If we could see ourselves with the eyes of God there is his truth, goodness, beauty, and love.

If we look to society for answers we see in history the sins of the people repeat themselves and our deliverance will not come from changing social structures.  It comes from repentance and a return to “one God under nation” with us, through us, and in us.  A study done by Arthur Brooks on generosity found that out of four possible combinations the most generous group is the religious conservative and least generous is the secular liberal with the religious liberal and secular conservative in the middle.   Secular liberalism seeks generosity with other people’s resources.  We are a generous people for we recognize generosity of God in our life, “The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.”  As the philosopher Spinoza says, “If love is the goal, generosity is the road to it.”  If love is the goal then God is our destiny.  God is love, deep, generous and revealing.

The Lord has done great things for us, he has given us a high priest Jesus, son of David.  Jesus in his humanity is “taken from among men” and in his divinity “a priest forever”.  Thus he also calls other men to follow him as “representatives before God” of the people and for the people.  Every high priest “must make sin offerings for himself as well as for the people…he himself is beset by weakness.”  In the Eucharistic liturgy a priest prays for himself “Wash me, O Lord, from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.  (Psalm 51:4) and in the Lamb of God quietly prays, “May the receiving of your Body and Blood…not bring me to judgment and condemnation…be for me protection in mind and body and a healing remedy.”  The priest recognizes his weakness as representative of the people with great accountability for his actions and with full transparency before God, the naked truth that awakens the fear of God and the coming of the day of judgment.

A priest is first called to diaconia, meaning servant of the people as a transitional deacon before his ordination as priest.  The priest glorifies God as servant in humility.  The priest who glorifies himself separates himself from the people in abuse of his authority.  The priest who glorifies himself is a blind man in need of pity until he recognizes he is but a beggar in need of conversion.  Every “high priest is established for human kind” to offer gifts of sacrifice for sins.  That is the offering pleasing to God in the Mass.  Christ died for all sinners.

“Master, I want to see” is a confession of a servant who recognizes they are but a sinner.  We all have our blind spots where we do not see in ourselves what other see and our ego defenses don’t want to see finding safety in denial whether through ignorance or as an act of will.  Denial is a temporary curtain of darkness where our sins run to hide.  The light of faith, the faith of Bartimaeus at Jericho who had the courage to seek sight from his blindness and call out to Jesus, “Master I want to see.”  It is an act of faith that gave him the will to cry out to Jesus and be saved.  What holds us back from that act of faith is pride.  Pride sometimes is hidden in false humility.  We say, “Who am I to bring God all my troubles.”  It comes with the belief that he created us and set us free to live our lives but he is a distant God.  We reason God out of our lives when he is waiting for us to cry out to him in faith.

Notice “freedom” we have in Jesus.  Jesus tells Bartimaeus “Go your way.”  We all have the freedom to go our way in the light of Christ or in our darkness.  Bartimaeus chooses to become a disciple and follow him.  How do we identify our discipleship?  In other words, “How do I follow Jesus?”  We may say we follow him by coming to church.  It is possible to come to church and walk out without a conversion to live life God’s way but go our way. We follow him by loving our family but even an atheist loves his family and does not follow God.  We follow him by respecting life and natural law with some good common sense.  Many an agnostic respects life and the natural law because of some good common sense.  We can only begin to follow him by having a personal relationship with Jesus himself.  When we cry out to him to let us see, he will reveal himself to us.  He will give us our identity of discipleship in the way we are to go.

In the gospel reading Jesus is on the way to Jerusalem and has this final miracle at Jericho as a sign that the time had come to recognize Jesus as the messianic king before his passion, death, and resurrection.  Jesus’ true identity as messianic king remains hidden to a people who seek an earthly kingdom.  True sight comes from recognizing Jesus as the son of God after his resurrection ascending to his heavenly kingdom.  Let us be a people of faith, hope and love with the vision to follow him rejoicing for the Lord does great things for us and we “shall not stumble.”  “Master, I want to see.”

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