15th Sunday Ordinary Time

Posted on July 11, 2020July 8, 2020 by Deacon Joe

Is.55:10-11; Ps. 65:10-14; Rom. 8:18-23; Mt. 13:31-23

The Quantum Zeno Effect (QZE) of Christianity is the “seed sown on rich soil”. What is the QZE of a Christian? It is the “mental act of focusing attention…on your mental experience, whether a thought, an insight, a picture in your mind’s eye*” of the presence of God despite the distraction of “worldly anxiety” or “the lure of riches” to do the will of God. Saint John Paul II proclaimed “faith and science are two wings of a bird”, they must work in harmony to fly. The world focuses on science while church leaders focus on faith but in our times we need a language that freely integrates both to rise in the splendor of God’s creation.

In QZE is said “attention density shapes identity”. This “identity” comes from the willingness to deepen our focus and keep our eyes centered on God who is always present in order to “hear and understand”. It can be said that the density of our focused attention brings us out of darkness into the light of wisdom as evidenced by all the great saints and mystics. This identity is shaped in the image of God in his creation by the gifts of the Spirit.

Must we all drape ourselves as monastic hermits seeking to isolate ourselves to benefit from QZE? No, QZE is a discipline practiced by anyone who exercises faith to be great arts, culture, business, love, and sanctity. As Mother Angelica often said on her EWTN program “we are all called to be great saints” and QZE is the discipline of faith through prayer to open up our souls and rise to the grace and greatness God is calling us to be.

QZE is how we approach our daily life with “God First” at the center of our focused attention in the present moment of our experiences. St. Theresa of Lisieux “The Little Flower” understood this simply as “Remember nothing is small in the eyes of God. Do all that you do with love”. It all matters so it is worthy of our focused attention to see God’s work before us and through us. Today God is working in each of us to be the greatest he created us to be.

A child is born with focused attention to the wonderment of the world before him, learning with focused attention to speak the language of his parents, to ride a bike and to listen, learn, and understand the gifts that they are blessed with in order to grow in the joy and love of God. QZE is a natural gift of childhood that is either nurtured or lost by overstimulation, constant media messaging, and a loss of learning skills for problem-solving and synthesis of ideas when we try to serve a child with all the answers “on a silver platter”. Allow the child to wonder and create on their own their version of “Lego” ideas rather than simply following a pattern of numbered parts to represent the picture-perfect box display is critical thinking QZE best practices. The is the meaning of “think outside the box”.

What if we would pray outside the box! Make a holy hour in adoration before the blessed sacrament with focused attention on Jesus and you begin to pray outside the box. In an age where every self-help author has their list of seven, ten, or twelve steps to a better “whatever”, we are convinced that it only takes this formula to get to our desired “whatever”. All answers are personal to our state in life. For a Christian there is simply the first step of faith which is prayer and let God be God in our lives for what follows. Prayer is focused attention to God who is the way, the truth, and the life we seek as our center of being. In God all things are possible as Philippians 4:19 reminds us “we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us”, strengthens our focused attention to God’s purpose for our being and the action that must follow.

The “seed sown on rich soil” is the one who hears, understands, and does the will of God. Christianity is based on hearing the Word of God, receiving understanding by grace and responding with courage to live the Word despite “worldly anxiety” or the “lure of riches”. Quantum Zeno Effect is the seed to bear fruit.

Let us look to our Blessed Mother Mary who kept her eyes on Jesus with focused attention in the density of her loving heart as a great witness of the QZE in her earthly life with the rewards of her ascension into heaven. Today we receive the rich soil of the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist with focused attention in the density of the Spirit of God to go out and bear fruit. As Saint Padre Pio often said, “Pray, hope and don’t worry”. It is all about God, we are invited to come, take, and learn how to follow.

* Article (The Neuroscience of Leadership, David Rock and Jeffrey Schwartz; Eight Great Ideas Organizations, March 2010)

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Homily The Deacon Joe

14th Sunday Ordinary Time

Posted on July 4, 2020July 3, 2020 by Deacon Joe

Zech. 9:9-10; Ps. 145:1-2, 8-11, 13-14; Rom. 8:9, 11-13; Mt. 11:25-30

Jesus says, “Come to me…Take my yoke and learn from me”. Come, take, learn is the process of discipleship. All baptized are called to come, take, and learn as his disciples. First “come” is an invitation, a choice of the free will to come and believe, come and take the “yoke” of the cross and learn how to follow in his steps. Jesus provides the way for us to come and follow.

Coming also means leaving behind what is in the “flesh”. In the flesh is sin, passion for indulgence, and works for self-gratification. Coming is coming into the Spirit of truth in the Trinity, meaning “God First”. Passion is not evil, misdirected passion is sin. Did not Jesus suffer his own passion for love of the Father in carrying the cross and a redemptive passion for love of humanity? Passion is ordered to the greater good to be the best we were created to be for God. Passion for indulgence is toxic to the Spirit and creates debt to the flesh until both body and spirit is dead.

“Take my yoke” is the yoke of obedience to the will of God the Father as Jesus did. It is accepting the authority given to the Church as an instrument of God’s mercy in our world. It is the yoke of sacrifice for a purpose of greater good that ourselves. The yoke is not punishment it unites us to his cross as a witness of our love to bear not as an end to itself but as grace for salvation.

Learn what we are called to be as sons and daughters of Christ. Learn what God desires for our greater good in serving him by our daily life. Learn the meaning of life in Christ. Learn to follow the path of salvation through faith and works as two sides of the same coin. Unit our works for the purpose of salvation as an offering to God “and you will find rest for yourselves” and the peace of Christ.

Come, take, and learn what God desires to reveal to each of us in our pilgrimage through this world. The works of the Lord are holy and we are to become the work of the Lord, holy in all our being, in the flesh and in the spirit be holy.

The world speaks of global warming, hurricanes, and viruses that can create fear of crisis and even death. The tribulations of the world are disruptive and a threat to humanity. They stand as a reminder of our mortality in the world and question our purpose of existence. Purpose cannot be found in what the world offers that is transitory. Purpose is God given and until we turn to God we remain lost wandering in the desert of the soul. Seek first the kingdom of God and pray for the grace to come, take and learn what God is calling of us.

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Homily The Deacon Joe

13th Sunday Ordinary Time

Posted on June 27, 2020June 25, 2020 by Deacon Joe

2 Kg. 4:8-11, 1“4-16a; Ps. 89:2-3, 16-19; Rom. 6:3-14, 8-11; Mt. 10:37-42

God First!” This is true discipleship and the rest is defined by God. We live in the “trophy” age of rewards. Recognition is given to the person who “wins” down to the person who participated for their effort. In today’s gospel a similar degree of recognition is given from “Whoever receives a prophet…will receive a prophet’s reward…whoever receives a righteous man…will receive a righteous man’s reward” all the way to “whoever gives only a cup of cold water…will surely not lose his reward”. The God of all who is in all brings justice to all “because the little one is a disciple”.

All baptized are called into discipleship which in the early church a disciple prepared the way for the coming of Christ. John the Baptist prepared the way for the coming of Christ through his sacrifice being the lone voice in the desert. Jesus sends his disciples out in pairs to spread the word. First and foremost, we prepare the way by the testimony of our lives, the sacrifice of faith, and the witness of love. All “achievers” recognize their rewards come through sacrifice. God blesses the great and small beyond our understanding.

This we see in the first reading when Elisha asks the servant “Can something be done for her?” in appreciation for her sacrifice to provide Elisha with a place to stay overnight. The answer by the servant was “Yes” because she had no son. Elisha promises her “This time next year you will be fondling a baby son.” The woman’s generosity was a free gift of kindness but the prophet promises a greater gift of love for this woman. This is testimony to God’s response to our acts of generosity and sacrifice. With God nothing is impossible when we respond with love to his son, his disciple, and his “little ones”.

All baptized are “Baptized into his death?” Yes, this “death” is the death of sin to live in holiness. Holiness is defined as “God First!” Godly love for mother, father, and children cannot be separated from the love of God and the love of God from the Word of God. Our daily call is to live the Word in our relationships with family and all humanity. It is not negotiable or compromising but authoritative and final. This is the final test of faith, to stand for obedience to the Word first before others even those we love dearly. Born of free will this is the most challenging of all relationships, to be united under “The Word” and keep God first. Death to self is a separation from worldly values and conformity.

“God First” is unity to the Trinity not to worldly values of “inclusiveness” by conformity or “tolerance”. Jesus clearly defines to his apostles the choice of “God First” brings division and consequences. We see this most clearly in our decision for the “Right to life” versus the “Right to choose” movements for the unborn and for euthanasia as “mercy killing”. “God First” is mercy to live and allow God to be the one who calls us away from this life. When God is first even suffering is an offering of redemptive suffering and a transformation of self into his image.

It often seems human (Christian) behavior perceives Jesus on the cross as suffering so that we may not suffer and go on with our lives. This is far from the truth when Jesus calls us to take up our cross and follow him. “God First” as transformation of self into his image is sacrificial first in faith and belief in the greatest of rewards to come according to his will for our greater good as he meets the desires of our hearts aligned to his sacred heart beyond what we can imagine.

The will of God takes our suffering as we let go to God our unborn, the “little ones”, our closest family, and even our own lives always for something greater, the reward he desires to give us. The world cannot accept this but we can accept this because God is already present to us and he cannot be denied.

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Homily The Deacon Joe

Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

Posted on June 6, 2020June 5, 2020 by Deacon Joe

Ex. 34:4b-6, 8-9; Dan. 3:52-55; 2 Cor. 13: 11-13; Jn. 3:16-18

The Lord, Our Father, one in three Persons is the answer to our pandemic, our injustice, our violence. He is Jesus who first appeared to the disciples after the resurrection with the words, “Peace be with you”. Do we seek peace, justice, unity and community then now is the time to proclaim Jesus is alive! The power of evil on the streets is calling for “law and order” but the soul is hungry for love and justice. The church must not be silent nor divided at this time but be one in the faith with the Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We must not carry the sin of omission by being silent.

During this pandemic we have experienced a separation from the Mass, the summit of our celebration of faith. Is this a “vacation” from our obligation with a dispensation or a realization of our need for the body of Christ in the Eucharist, our need for unity as a people of God, and a need to enter into a deeper communion with the Trinity in our life of prayer. One of the hardships for the community is having to bury the dead without a Mass. In addition to the loss of a loved one and limited participation allowed from the funeral homes there is also the sense of an incomplete participation from the church. The body of Christ is grieving to return to being one again and we must open the doors to the fullness of the sacramental life once more.

This week was the burial of George Floyd who died at the mercy and in the custody of police. His death has become a universal call to justice spreading around the world. In the streets are the peace and justice crowd seeking to build up a community and the call to violence crowd seeking to tear down a community. One is based on love and the other on hate. In a post someone stated “The problem is sin, not skin. The answer is Grace, not race. Jesus died for all. Our nation needs Jesus!” The world needs Jesus! Jesus came for salvation of the world but the world still rejects the source of peace. Jesus appeared to the disciples and his first words were “Peace be with you.” The universal church must be heard and seen as the voice for peace. Now is not the time to be silent and let others battle the streets. Now is the time to proclaim peace in Jesus!

“The Lord, the Lord a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity…so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life”. In this the promise of the Old Testament is fulfilled in the New Testament in the person of Jesus, second person of the Trinity. Today we needs the Lord’s mercy upon our nation and the world.

His name “The Lord” is now given as “Father”. “The Lord” who Moses bowed down and worshiped is now the “Father” who we embrace with the love of the Son to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. He is “Our Father” in one body and three persons from the beginning of time. From the old to the new the Word remains an act of love for the world but the world must respond to this love to receive its salvation.

Free will dictates we make a choice and the choice we make is to embrace the Trinity as a member of the community of heaven becoming one in body, soul, and spirit that is one in love. The opposite choice is to remain “a stiff-necked people” where condemnations comes from rejecting faith in his name. In who are we to believe? Some claim science as ultimate truth but science is limited focusing on the study of the elements of truth, incomplete and evolving. Others look to a political nirvana that exists in theory with no potential of survival in a fallen and broken human nature. Finally, left without a place to turn many are left to believe only in themselves but there is only one of each person with separate minds alone unto itself, challenged and never at peace, to die without unity to other.

Who do we serve, science, politics, oneself, or someone greater than and creator of all that is above, below and most importantly with all? The Lord, Our Father from the beginning is a unity in communion as a Trinity. This the church proclaims as a revelation from God, our Lord and Father in the Son through the Holy Spirit as the source of life itself. Do we believe? Eternity is dependent on the answer. This is the choice this nation finds itself on the streets of good versus evil.

History of the church was first seen as an outgrowth of the Jewish faith tied to the scriptures of what we know as the Old Testament until it was clear that Jesus would not be accepted as the Son of God, co-eternal, one in being with the Father and many were martyred in the faith for claiming what was rejected as heresy. Today the division continues to get fragmented into many other denominations and the justification remains the same, the heresy labeled against the other.

Who do we serve one God in three Persons or one denomination among hundreds? God is a unity of one and until we accept this unity to love God as one united in the Trinity and our neighbor as one with us in our one Lord and Father, we have a way to journey in the desert of faith. During this pandemic the church has closed and the world has become more shattered by evil. The evil one is claiming victory for souls while the doors of the church slowly are opening. Let us open the doors wide and return to claim our victory over sin and death. Jesus is waiting and its our turn now.

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Homily The Deacon Joe

Pentecost Sunday

Posted on May 30, 2020May 29, 2020 by Deacon Joe

Acts 2:1-11; Ps. 104:1, 24, 29-30, 31, 34; 1 Cor. 12:3b-7, 12-13; Jn.20:19-23

“Come, Holy Spirit, come” to serve the mighty acts of God in us and through us. This is an invitation for the Spirit to enter our souls and open for us the gates of heaven through the works of God. Pentecost Sunday is a call to life in the Spirit, that is with the foretaste of heaven though not fully yet realized because we remain in a state of purification with the stain of sin. As Jesus appears after the resurrection to the disciples, he breathes on them to give them the Holy Spirit of fire and truth and set them on their mission as a royal priesthood in the person of Jesus Christ.

Jesus appears in his glorified body to the disciples in today’s gospel behind locked doors yet he was able to pass through unrestricted by nature though his body was tangible. This property we will all have is known as “subtlety” and is governed by the direction of the soul as one of seven properties of the glorified state described by St. Thomas Aquinas. Jesus is one with the Father in the Spirit and we call on the Holy Spirit to come and be one with us in this mystery of the Trinity. Life in the spirit is the soul’s hunger and restless desire for holiness that is perfection as the Father in heaven is perfect beginning with us calling on the Holy Spirit to “come”.

Jesus first words to the disciples are “peace be with you” showing them his hands and his side to erase all doubt of his physical presence. Jesus then repeats his gift of peace now that the disciples believe and after breathing on them, they receive the Holy Spirit with the call to go forth with their mission “whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained”. This specific spiritual gift is reserved for the disciples though we recognize “There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there are different forms of service but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God…To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit.” There is a path to holiness given to each of us coming from the gifts of the Spirit and our joy is in recognizing our gifts and multiplying them.

The disciples first gift and power from the Spirit is to bring peace and healing through forgiveness of sins. This for many other Christian denominations is a barrier to faith because of the belief “only God can forgive sins”. This is the same issue the Jews had with Jesus boldness when he clearly took action to forgive sins, an apostasy to place himself equal to God. Today we accept Jesus as the second person of the Trinity as one with and in God. Jesus promised the disciples even greater things to come through them and it begins with this gift to forgive sins not on their own but in the person of Christ himself who is with them and acting through them as he does through the priesthood today. What about our gifts, our calling, and service to God?

Today we are called to speak of the “mighty acts of God” through the gifts of the Holy Spirit given to us just as the disciples spoke in different “tongues” we speak through the different gifts of the mighty acts God is doing in our lives. Each gift is connected to a service to fulfill a work of God and bring about a benefit that is a “fruit” of the Spirit. How are we doing with our gifts to bring about this “fruit”? It begins with an act of the will to call on the Holy Spirit to come and be with us as we respond to this day, the challenge of this moment, and to fulfill the benefit waiting to be achieved by our specific gift but it begins with us calling on him, in spirit and truth to come and “take possession of my heart and strengthen me by your grace”.

Pentecost is the Greek name for Shavuot celebrated fifty days after Passover, the spring harvest festival of the Israelites sharing the first fruits of the harvest which was going on when the Holy Spirit came. Many came from different regions and languages to celebrate and share their harvest. Pentecost then is the festival of sharing the gifts of the Holy Spirit with each other bringing the fire of God’s love then going forth with the Good news of the gospel into our world. Fire is transforming and the Holy Spirit is with us to bring transformation to our lives, our relationships, and our world.

Our world is undergoing the “test” of faith as it battles the pandemic of a virus threatening our mortal lives. “Fear” is not the response of faith of a believer nor is withdrawal into seclusion the response of faith. Prudence is right judgement in responding as a people of faith to the crisis. It is not if we are to open the doors of the church but how they are to remain open to the sacramental life. Guided by the fire of the Holy Spirit we are to gather together in celebration to receive Jesus in the Eucharist, in the Holy Spirit, and in the communion with the people. This is an essential service for the people of God and Jesus is calling, the Holy Spirit is waiting, and the Father is at our doors. Let us welcome him into our souls by returning to his temple of love.

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Homily The Deacon Joe

Ascension of the Lord

Posted on May 21, 2020May 20, 2020 by Deacon Joe

Acts 1:1-11; Ps. 47:2-3,6-9; Eph. 1:17-23; Mat.28:16-20

“I am with you always, until the end of the age” is our hope and salvation as Jesus visibly ascends only to remain as the invisible God with us. The disciples went to the mountain of Galilee and “when they saw him, they worshiped but the doubted.” What a contradiction to see, worship what you see and doubt what you see reminds us only in Christ can we do all things through him who strengthens us.

In the midst of uncertainty as the disciples found themselves even in seeing the resurrected Jesus, they doubted his real presence. In the midst of uncertainty how often do we doubt the presence of God and promise that Jesus is with us? In receiving the body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ in the Eucharist how many remain in doubt to his real presence even after seeing Eucharistic miracles where the host turn into flesh and drips blood? The power of faith to believe is the coming together of our will to the will of the Father to give life in the spirit of truth.

Jesus provided “many proofs” he is alive yet they doubted. The human spirit desires what only the Holy Spirit brings to the soul, the voice of God. God enlightens the soul to truth out of the darkness of doubt through the waters of baptism; it confirms us in faith to the divine will to witness against the passion of idolatry; it feeds the hunger for love out of his own body and blood in the breaking of the bread; it brings conviction of sin to be cleansed in confession against condemnation of the law; it fosters unity in one body with the Trinity and fellowship of humanity against division of relativity; it raises sacrifice for a greater good against indulgence of narcissism; it brings peace and joy where there is fear and confusion; it is God with us and who can be against?

God sees the depth of the heart’s prayer as worship with doubt or worship in faith. Jesus asks Martha, “Do you believe this?”. He was referring to himself as “the resurrection and the life”. Martha responds “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God…” First, Martha came to believe indicating faith is a journey and each of us are on that path with its’ own share of joys and sufferings that bring us to this revelation. Second, Martha arrived at a point of faith that allowed Jesus to perform the miracle of faith in raising Lazarus.

The Spirit is present and active but where are the believers who have arrived without doubting in this power of God present in us and with us? We remain as the people of God in the desert looking beyond for the promise land wandering, waiting, hoping, yet doubting. Jesus is with us yet we must arrive in our faith as he walks beside us while our hearts are burning, wandering and wondering. Believe and receive the promise waiting to be revealed.

There was a radio talk show in which the person interviewed came to believe and converted from atheist to Catholic. The one statement that had a profound impact in her conversion was when they heard “what if you just believed for 30 days what do you have to lose”. She decided to act in faith what she was discerning and see what would happen knowing that if nothing happened the worst thing in the end she would “eat some crow” for her foolishness. The encounter with God was not delayed as after only a few days there was a new profound faith giving birth in her soul that was left with no doubt. Let us come to believe and set doubt aside so God can enter into our faith and make greater miracles of us, through us, and for us.

For forty days Jesus appears to the disciples after the resurrection and before his ascension to bring conviction and instruction as to the kingdom of God. They were to “wait for the promise of the Father…in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit”. This promise is given to us who wait upon the Lord in faith already believing and “shout to God with cries of gladness”. Thank you Lord for receiving me who receives you this day present to manifest power and glory in this humble servant for this I know your promise is everlasting.

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Homily The Deacon Joe

Baptism of the Lord

Posted on January 11, 2020January 10, 2020 by Deacon Joe

Is. 42:1-4, 6-7; Ps.29:1-4, 9-10; Acts. 10:34-38; Mat. 3:13-17

“Allow it now” says the Lord. Today, the Baptism of the Lord marks the end of the Christmas season and the beginning of ordinary time in the church. The Child Jesus reminds us of his coming fully human and divine, a new beginning for humanity. The baptism of the Lord is the beginning of Jesus ministry and a new beginning of our call to discipleship to serve God.

If Jesus is who he says he is, the son of God why baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins? The command “Allow it now” reminds us of the mystery of God. Often as the moment we don’t always understand why something happens in our life and we question God. Trust in God says, “allow it now” to be as is for a greater good even in suffering and sacrifice. The answer to the question is revealed in the life of Jesus as he comes to sanctify what is unholy and make holy beginning with the water of baptism and those who receive it.

St. Maximus of Turin, bishop in a homily (sermo 100 de sancta Epiphania 1,3: CCL 23, 398-400) gives us understanding into the mystery of Jesus, human and divine. He says, “At Christmas he was born a man; today he is reborn sacramentally. Then he was born from the Virgin; today he is born in mystery. When he was born a man, his mother Mary held him close to her heart; when he is born in mystery, God the Father embraces him with his voice when he says: This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased: listen to him. The mother caresses the tender baby on her lap; the Father serves his Son by his loving testimony. The mother holds the child for the Magi to adore; the Father reveals that his Son is to be worshiped by all the nations. That is why the Lords Jesus went to the river for baptism, that is why he wanted his holy body to be washed with Jordan’s water.”

We are now sanctified by our baptism into the life as both human and divine to be one with Christ. We are now called to be Christ to the world in our every day “little way” open to his presence in the world and in others. When we “allow it now” it does not invite a passive response to life that sweeps us about like the wind blows a feather. It challenges us much like the Serenity Prayer, “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.” Even in “allowing it” and accepting it there is an active process of discernment and responding. Thus, is the response of patience and waiting upon the Lord without an immediate action.

Many see Christmas Day as the end of Christmas taking down their lights, trees, nativity scenes, etc. and moving onto the ordinary of their life. In this action we reveal our misunderstanding of Christmas. The birth of Jesus and the showing up of the Magi with gifts is not the end of the party it is an ongoing celebration and the beginning of our worship of the Child Jesus. Christmas time was waiting upon the Lord and today we begin a more active response in ordinary time to accept our challenge ahead, seek who we are in Christ. Jesus reveals his identity with the voice from heaven, “This is my beloved son.” In baptism we are his beloved sons and daughters. Our identity is a revelation unto ourselves as we respond to life we discover ourselves in God’s image, “Allow it now.”

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Homily The Deacon Joe

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Posted on October 12, 2019October 14, 2019 by Deacon Joe

2Kgs. 5:14-17; Ps. 98: 1-4; 2 Tim. 2:8-13; Lk. 17:11-19

“Your faith has saved you”. In the gospel today ten lepers are healed but only one return to give thanks. Healing came to all ten but salvation came to only the leper who returns to give thanks to God. Leprosy was thought of as a punishment from God worthy for the sin of the person. Naaman also is washed clean of his leprosy but only after his obedience to plunge himself into the Jordan seven times. The Jordan is the river Jesus is baptized in, not for any sin of his but to sanctify the waters to bring us salvation by baptism. Baptism the first of seven sacraments we receive for our sanctification. The story of Naaman prefigures the baptism of the Lord and the coming to perfection the washing clean of our sins.

The story of Naaman is also a beautiful story of conversion. His cleansing from leprosy did not save him, this was the visible sign of invisible grace from God. Naaman returns to Elisha, the man of God to give thanks to the god of Elisha and vows “I will no longer offer holocaust or sacrifice to any other god except to the Lord”. He didn’t simply acknowledge the God of Israel, he called him “Lord”, a conversion of faith saved him. The sign of conversion is to persevere in our faith and die with him as our Lord and savior. Many saintly souls as the hour of death approaches experience a dryness of faith, a final test summed up in the words of Jesus on the cross, “My God, my God why have you forsaken me”. It is the final opportunity for the serpent of evil to strike at the soul before it can never approach it again. How are we to prepare ourselves for that hour by perseverance.

“In all circumstances give thanks for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.” What is the meaning when we say “Alleluia”? It is a two-word translation of “Hallel” and “Jah” meaning “Praise the Lord”. We use Alleluia as an exultation of praise but it is also a command to praise the Lord. We are to give thanks and praise him always, in good times and in bad, sickness and health. “Hallel” in Hebrew means joyous praise in song. In fact, the more we sing the Mass the greater the praise of God. The Mass is a celebration of thanksgiving. The intent is that we boast in God our savior. The dialogue of the Mass is to be praiseworthy. The gospel is announced, “THE LORD BE WITH YOU” spoken boldly with the response “And also with you” just as boldly, not timidly or “ho hum” going through the motions.

It is not easy to constantly be joyous. I would propose that it is almost impossible if our attention is ego-centric. Joy is not an indulgence from having more of our pleasures met. Joy is a conscious awareness of the love and mercy of God present in our lives. Our joy then leads to gratitude, the attitude of being ready to accept the will of God in thanksgiving. In thanksgiving we are open to a spirit of praise. We have a choice, either to focus on the negative and be drawn into pity or on the blessings and be raised up in joyful praise. We teach our children to say “thank you” when they receive a gift. Who benefits more the gift giver or the child by saying “thank you”? The child gains more by learning to be grateful and thankful. We are the child of God. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever; thanksgiving changes us not him.

A contemporary philosopher, Tristan Garcia (The Life Intense A Modern Obsession) speaks of our current human condition as in search of greater intensity of life “that might justify our lives”. This is the opposite of the complacency of life. This thrill-seeking behavior is pervasive from energy drinks, drug use, and roller coaster rides not just in theme parks but in relationships for maximum intensification of pleasures, love, emotions, communication and consumption. It seeks an escape from the discipline of life, from perseverance desiring for the “maximizations of our entire being…an intoxication of our sensation.” We are in “search, not for transcendence, as those of other epochs and cultures were, but for intensification”, we want more indulgence.

Transcendence is to know, love and serve God. It is recognizing his presence in every moment and desiring to do his will at that moment. Saint Teresa of Calcutta said her desire was to be a pencil in God’s hand. Saint Therese the Little Flower found her purpose and missionary calling in “always doing the smallest right and doing it all for love” in other words do the next right thing with love for holiness. In those moments of weakness when our struggle of faith is tested, the road less traveled back to our faith is the path of thanksgiving. God desires our greatest good and he knows the desires of our heart so let us trust in his goodness at all times especially in moments of darkness with a spirit of thanksgiving.

One of the dangers in adopting a life in search of a greater intensity is the disappointment from any obsessive behavior, there is no fulfillment, no joy, only emptiness of the soul. The nirvana we created in our minds is an illusion waiting to fall apart. For our youth this leads to anxiety, depression, and suicide. This is in part why we see a rise in mental health issues among our youth and it is increasing in younger children. We go to restaurants and observe families sitting together and each child is so well behaved absorbed with their electronic device. We observe television and each 1.5 seconds the image changes even if it is only from a different camera angle. When is the last time we just sat and contemplated a still image, a work of art, nature? How about sitting and contemplating Jesus on the cross or in Holy Hour for adoration? Here lies our joy and our peace.

Do you feel alive or in a rut? The great experience of living does not come from the egocentricity of overstimulation. It is a transcendent love from God in the Trinity. Turn to the love of God and experience the joy and peace he offers us. In return come to the house of the Lord in praise and thanksgiving to receive his salvation. If today you hear his voice, give praise and thanksgiving. In the morning when we rise, give praise and thanksgiving for all the day may bring before we live it by faith that it may guide us to salvation. Our faith will save us.

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Homily The Deacon Joe

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Posted on September 28, 2019September 27, 2019 by Deacon Joe

Am. 6:1a, 4-7; Ps. 146: 7-10; 1 Tim. 6:11-16; Lk. 16:19-31

“Lay hold of eternal life” and fight the good fight! Jesus became poor in the flesh yet remained rich in his divinity to pour out riches to those who “pursue righteousness…Compete well for the faith” says the Lord. We are born with a competitive drive in fact, we love a good fight to win just look at all the sports options to drive our competitive fire. Friday night lights in every community are ready for the intensity of the game, the rush and the thrill of victory. How well do we compete for our faith? “Blessed he who keeps faith forever, secures justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry” and finishes the marathon of life. May we be blessed to say “I have run the race and fought the good fight…it is finished”.

We are reminded “Woe to the complacent in Zion!” Complacency is more than taking our faith for granted. It is depriving it of nourishment so that when the test comes, we find ourselves surrendering without a fight. The first nourishment and line of defense is the sacraments of the church. These prepare us for the fight as the foundation of faith. Through the sacraments Jesus pours out his riches in grace to provide us the weapons of virtue, knowledge, and wisdom. This does not come to the complacent but to the those who seek through prayer, devotions, study, and fellowship.

How much time do we spend in fellowship as a community? Tis the season for church festivals uniting ourselves in support of our parish. Study of our faith is power to be good in apologetics defending the faith. We recently had Scott Hahn speak at our parish, a minor miracle given his international ministry and we were blessed to have a packed church. Devotions both private and as a community like coming to Mass the first Friday of every month fill us with grace. Prayer is God’s time we give to be open to the spiritual work God wants to do in us.

Complacency says “not now God”, see in the intensity of life there is always something that is demanding attention, time, priority. The intensity of the world becomes the normative way and it deprives us of our time to mature in faith and wisdom of God. We judge ourselves as not complacent because we adhere to the intensity of worldly demands yet the spiritual life is dormant. We carry the spiritual life of a child hoping for the best and fearing the worst.

We are called to “Lay hold of eternal life” that is our mission statement. We do this when “we give life to all things…with faith, love, patience, and gentleness”. The rich man did not give life to all things, beginning with Lazarus “who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table”. The self-indulgence of the rich man landed him in the “netherworld, where he was in torment.” There was no escape yet he begs for his five brothers to be warned. Abraham prophetically tells him “If they did not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.” So true for Jesus came suffered died and rose from the dead and the world continues addicted to the sin of self-indulgence, they will not repent.

To fight the good fight in the world the first battle to be won is internal. It is the one that draws us to the intensity of sins of self-indulgence. Like an addict we keep seeking the intensity of a new high or chasing the memory of a past experience because the current experience has created a vacuum. The vacuum can only be filled by Christ. The battle within cannot be won without the power from above, God’s mercy and love. To lay hold of eternal life in this world is the victory for Christ and he shows us the way. St. Augustine says, “Trust the past to God’s mercy, the present to God’s love and the future to God’s providence.”

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Homily The Deacon Joe

24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Posted on September 14, 2019September 13, 2019 by Deacon Joe

Ex.32:7-11, 13-14; Ps. 51:3-4, 12-13, 17, 19; 1 Tim. 1:12-17; Lk. 15:1-32

Come to Jesus! The Lord “will make of you a great nation” of saints for Christ apart from those who “have become depraved…”. Has God prodigally given his love on his people…see how stiff-necked this people is”. Depravity is the moral corruption of the soul that does not reflect the light of truth but the darkness of sin. Apart from Jesus and the Blessed Mother immaculate without sin the rest of humanity has passed through the darkness and fall of Adam. “Sinners who were not under the law will also perish outside of the law; sinners subject to the law will be judged in accordance with it…All have sinned and are deprived of God’s glory” (Rom. 2:12, 3:23). This we refer to in social sciences as the baseline of the human condition. There is a chant that says, “we fall down…we get up…we fall down…we get up”. The history of salvation is the fall and rise of nations of God. It begins with the fall of Adam and Eve meaning we pass through our own personal falls into sin and rise in mercy.

I recall the story of a confessor telling the penitent, “as soon as you walk out of the confessional you will sin”. Thank God, the Church and the Holy Spirit are given to us to recognize all sin is not equal between mortal sin and venial sin. God is a just judge who sees the mind, will, and heart that govern the intent of the soul and offers us mercy. “I will rise and go to my father…Have mercy on me O God; my sacrifice O God is a contrite spirit”. A contrite spirit often comes after the fall from pride and a return to humility. A contrite spirit recognizes our sinfulness, weakness, and in humility calls out to God the Father for mercy. The God of mercy “relents in the punishment” our sin merits and a contrite heart responds with “I am grateful to him who has strengthened me” as Paul says in the letter to Timothy.

The Lord not only forgives he strengthens us and transforms the sinner into a saint. Paul gives testimony of his transformation from a “blasphemer…persecutor and arrogant…acted out of ignorance” in his unbelief. Paul uses himself as an example of the love of Christ Jesus and his “patience as an example for those who would come to believe in him for everlasting life”. Christ is patient, kind, slow to anger and he is ready to moment we turn to him to receive us. It is a tragedy when someone says they cannot come to Christ for forgiveness because they have not forgiven themselves. It is a trap of the evil one to keep a soul in bondage for the depravity of their sin. Come to Jesus!

The Gospel is a reflection of three parables, the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son. The focus is not the sense of loss but on “Rejoice”. “Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep…Rejoice with me because I have found the coin that I lost…rejoice because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found”. Who found the brother, did he not come “to his senses” and return on his own? Jesus never stops seeking us in his patience, kindness and mercy. It is up to us to repent, receive sanctifying grace and return to the nation of saints. It is not a nation of race, territory, or geopolitical ideology. Those barriers foster moral depravity when they become “a molten calf and worshiping it”. This we see in our world when violence is justified as a means to an end, when dialogue is silenced with threats, and the Word of truth becomes relative. What do we do then? Come to Jesus!

The word “prodigal” has two concepts. One is a person who spends money recklessly as in the son who squanders his inheritance. He suffers the fall from pride to humility and is left with a “reality check” to return to the father. The second concept of prodigal is a person overly generous and giving an abundance. The father in the story is overly generous in giving what was his to one son and telling the other “everything I have is yours”. This is God the Father’s love for us in abundance ready to forgive and receive us back. In birth God gives us ourselves, the gift of life with a desire we give ourselves back to him. In baptism God gives us himself generously ready to pour out an abundance of grace for our inheritance. Our fall is squandering our grace in a world of depravity. God’s generosity is mercy.

In moments of solitude and prayer I get these inspirations, I believe we all receive and I considered it “God speaks”. This one came to me in one of those moments and I will close with it.

ORIGINALE VERBUM

Once was a “word”, a friend able to carry meaning sent forth to generate life and come to rest in understanding.

A life of relationship and unity of purpose to reveal truth and true meaning was defined in the word.

The word’s flight ascended higher above and descended deeper within creating a bond between other words as soul mates on a journey of understanding.

Then the enemy comes who undefined any meaning by redefining a flight of meanings through individuation, isolation, and rationalization in a complexity of contextual uses ever changing.

The intent of the enemy is an essence of purposeless subject and purposeful objects for power to be gained in one instant and discarded the next for a new intent ever fleeting.

The “new” word wills to cannibalize Sophia into prostitution; with image distorting mirrors of vanity for the kingdom of One…hell.

The original Word filled with grace and beauty allowed Sophia to unite faith and reason to ascend to heaven.

The “new” word is weaponized with self-defined technical innuendos to distort meaning in flight through reflective colored lenses for a disordered reality. The enemy hears himself alone while others are silenced.

Our hope is in the hollowed Word made flesh and not the flesh filled words that seek to disarm truth.

The original Word descends and breaks into consciousness the lost meaning. The word revealed in its’ full splendor is the original Word incarnate.

Come to Jesus in prayer, come to Jesus in song, come to Jesus in the Eucharist and receive the abundance of his love.

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