Strive to make the right judgements for unity!

 

Friday of the 29th Week

Ephesians 4:1-6

Luke 12: 54-59

All School Mass

Grand Parents Day!

 

Students- tell me something you love about your grandmother or grandfather?

 

Grandparents- tell me something you love about your grandchildren?

 

These are all wonderful things that speak about some beautiful relationships. These relationships exist because you have a special bond between yourselves.

 

Our readings speak about how we are all related to each other.

 

Who can tell me how we are all related to each?

 

We are related to each other because of our one baptism and our belief in Jesus Christ.

 

In our first reading, St. Paul tells us how to live as he says, “Live in the manner worthy of the call you received.” Treat others with humility, gentleness, patience, love, peace, and unity.”

 

Our Gospel, tells us to make the right judgments for unity and peace.

 

The Eucharist we share is given to us so we will be the ones who work even harder at promoting unity in all we do today.

 

Are our hearts on fire?

 

Thursday Twenty-Ninth Week Ordinary Time

Ephesians 3:14-21

Luke 12:49-53

 

In our Gospel, Jesus says, “Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.” Then he goes on to describe all the divisions that will happen in a household. I say, we all know this and experience this every day; this should be nothing new to us.

 

I think what is more challenging is when he says, “I have come to set the world on fire, and I wish it were already blazing.”  What Jesus is saying here is, “I want you’re every desire, you’re every relationship to be built on me. I need to be the number one relationship that you desire in your life.” If we do desire Jesus over everything then when troubles come we will know what to do because Jesus will be there to help us.

 

In our first reading, St. Paul gives us reason to rejoice as he says, “I am down on my knees praying for you. Know that God can accomplish far more than what we are already asking or can imagine because God is already at work within us.”

 

May the Eucharist help us to have our hearts on fire for the Lord this day.        

 

 

 

We are being challenged!

 

Tuesday Twenty-Ninth Week Ordinary Time

Ephesians 2:12-22

Luke 12:35-38

 

Anytime I write a nice homily I struggle because I know that God’s word is not nice, it can only be nicely challenging. As I tried to sleep last night, I struggled with these readings. I got up and did more research and discovered so much more in our readings that will challenge us today.

 

At the time of the writing of this letter to the Ephesians, there is a great divide between God’s chosen people and the Gentiles. God’s chosen people see themselves as chosen, a nation set apart, and they do not see how the Gentiles are a part of God’s plan. The writer gives a wonderful example of an archway being built, and because of the capstone which is Christ, it holds the archway together. The writer of Ephesians tells them that because of Jesus Christ, they are now part God’s chosen people. 

 

In our Gospel, Jesus says, “Blessed are those servants who are vigilant upon the master’s return.” How nice! Here is where a twist comes in; the servants do not wait on the master, they do not make him dinner, bring him a fresh set of clothes. The master waits on the servants. What I find even more amazing is he waits on them because his servants were vigilant. I would assume what he means is that as they do their chores, they are always looking and waiting for the master to return and when he does they are there to greet him.

 

How in our world, our country, our lives, have we been waiting for the master to return and do not create any barriers from others to do the same. How may God’s word and this Eucharist change our lives?

 

Be great at being a servant, but to be first we must be the slave to all!

 

Twenty-Ninth Sunday of Ordinary Time

Isaiah 53:10-11

Hebrews 4:14-16

Mark 10:35-45

 

Go down and sit in the front pew. “Wow! I think this is the best seat in the church,  I wonder why more people do not sit down here?” We all love the best seats, we love places of honor, and we love to be recognized. If you went to the recent Elton John or Keith Urban concerts, you might have spent extra money to be closer to the front? Our challenge by our readings is, are we seeking the right kind of honor and recognition?

 

In our Gospel Jesus has just told the apostles for the third time that he would have to suffer and die to be glorified. James, John, and Peter are the three disciples that are in the inner circle with Jesus. James and John are showing how much they do not understand what Jesus has been telling them. The brothers are being very arrogant, and are seeking power and glory as they ask Jesus, “Teacher, we want you to do something for us?” Jesus responds, “What do you wish for me to do for you?” “See to it that in your glory we sit one at your right and the other on your left.” Jesus says, “You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink from the cup or be baptized in which I am to be baptized?” They respond “We can!” When the apostles heard this, they became indignant, but the reason they get upset is that they did not get to ask the question first. Jesus continues by saying “If you wish to be great be a servant. If you wish to be first, be the slave to all.”

 

I want to make sure we all understand what Jesus is asking of us? Jesus is telling them they need a transformation of who they are. It is not enough to provide a “service.” Jesus says, “You must become a servant or better yet a slave.” Anyone who has held a job knows what it is like to be a servant. A servant goes looking for a job, gets hired and is paid for their services. A slave is chosen by an owner and usually does the jobs that no one else will do. None goes looking to be a slave! A slave knows only one master, and the master gives the slave the things he wants them to do. Jesus is asking us to be a good servant, but if we want to know glory and honor, then we need to be a slave to those we meet.

 

Our reading from Isaiah says, “People who are truly faithful to God even in their suffering and pain, will know glory.”

 

The writer of Hebrews says, “We can be a slave because we have a great high priest who knows all about suffering because he has suffered.”

 

As we gather it does not matter where we sit if it is the front row or the back row. What matters is that we are here, acknowledging that we are in need of God’s help to accept our suffering and that we one day will know glory by being a good servant and slave in Christ.

We are chosen!

Friday of the 28th Week

St. John De Brebeuf, St. Isaac Jogues and Companions

Ephesians 1:11-14

Luke 12:1-7

 

Raise your hands if you want to be chosen?

Wow! You raised your hands, and you do not even know what you have been chosen to do?

What if I needed someone to sweep the parking lot!

 

We celebrate today, St. John De Brebeuf, St. Isaac Jogues and Companions who when asked, “Who wants to be chosen to share the Gospel message in a new country?” These Jesuits raised their hands and stepped forward. All of them would pay a heavy price by giving their lives in service to the Gospel message.

 

In our first reading St. Paul says, “You have been chosen as special people who have an extraordinary purpose. We are to give glory and praise to God.”

 

In our Gospel, Jesus is telling us he has chosen us, and there is no need to fear because we are more precious than all the animals, and he even knows how many hairs we have on our heads.

 

God has chosen us, but this does not mean we sit back and let people wait on us. It means we have been chosen to be a servant, a messenger for God.

 

The Eucharist is given to us, to remind us that we have been chosen, and to help us serve one another well this day.

 

We are called to be a missionary for Christ!

Friday of the 28th Week

Feast Day of St. Luke

II Timothy 4:10-17

Luke 10:1-9

 

Who wants to be a missionary? Who is working on being a missionary? We look at ourselves, and we say, “I have enough to do right now, I can’t be a missionary!” Well, our mission if you will is to be a missionary for Christ, by what we think, say, and do. I guess it is time we get busy! 

 

We celebrate the feast day of St. Luke; we know that he had a missionary spirit as he was gentile convert from Antioch. Luke was a companion of Paul on many of his missionary trips. Luke may have been a physician; this may be the reason he has so many stories of healings in his writings. Luke had a missionary spirit as he traveled about with Paul. 

 

In our first reading from Paul to Timothy, he writes how all the others have deserted the mission, and it is only Luke that has stayed by him. Paul needed Luke to stay with him as he had some hardship as Alexander the coppersmith has done him great harm. Luke with his missionary spirit brings comfort and healing to his friend.

 

The first thing about our Gospel is why were we not given a story about Jesus calling the apostles to follow him? I would have guessed that a story about the apostles would be appropriate. It is interesting that we are given the story of Jesus calling an additional seventy – two disciples to be his missionaries. Jesus gives the seventy-two the same power as he did the apostles as they are to prepare the way for his arrival.

 

These seventy-two remain nameless because Jesus is sending us out to be missionaries to bring peace and healing to all we meet. The Eucharist we share will give us all we need this day to be a good missionary. 

What are our bad habits?

 

Wednesday of the Twenty- Seventh Week in Ordinary Time

Galatians 2:1-2, 7-14

Luke 11:1-4

 

Do you bite your nails when you are nervous? Do you play with your hair, and curl it with your finger? Do you tap your foot or crack your knuckles? All of these are bad habits, and they are hard to break. In our readings today we have people that are behaving badly as they are repeating bad habits.

 

In our first reading from the Book of Galatians, we hear how Paul and Barnabas have been preaching to the Gentiles. Peter and the others come from Jerusalem to witness what has been going on and when they sit down to dinner Peter and the others including Barnabas refuse to dine with the Gentiles. Paul is furious, and he argues with Peter about continuing in his old ways and not adopting new ways of doing things.

 

In our Gospel, one of the disciples asks Jesus to teach them to pray, and Jesus teaches them the “Our Father.” “Lord, teach us to pray” is a great question for us to ask because our prayer life should always be evolving.

 

All of us know the “Our Father” as it may have been one of the first prayers we learned. The “Our Father” is a traditional prayer that we say a lot, and hopefully, we are becoming what it proclaims. We petition God to rid from us bad habits which are our lack of forgiveness. We ask God to forgive us and to help us forgive those who have hurt us.

 

We should never be seen as saying one thing and doing another. Let us break old habits and create new good habits.

How is our personal relationship with Christ?

 

Tuesday Twenty – Seventh Week Ordinary Time

Galatians 1:13-24

Luke 10:38-42

 

Tomorrow evening at 7:01 pm, after my six o’clock meeting I hope to be in my car and driving up north to meet up with my buddy, Tom that I had been friends with since second grade. It is our annual bird hunting trip that we have been doing since 1973. We know a lot about each other as we have been through the best of times with each other and the worst of times. I always look forward to my times with Tom no matter what we do. In our readings, there are some very personal things going on.

 

In our reading from Galatians St. Paul recalls his past when he would persecute Christians for their belief in Jesus Christ. He acknowledges that it is because of his personal relationship with Jesus Christ that changed his life that he is now Christ’s greatest supporter.

 

In our, Gospel Martha and Mary know each other very well because they are sisters. The two of them have a long history with each and as Jesus comes to visit an argument ensues. I certainly do not believe this is the first time that this has happened. These two sisters have a history of growing up and having squabbles occasionally. What I think the message of this Gospel is reminding us of is how we need to seek this personal relationship with Christ through prayer and service.

 

My friend in Christ, to be a disciple of Jesus Christ is more than being nice or good. It is about giving our lives to Christ 110%and dying to ourselves every day.  How is our personal relationship with Christ today? 

“Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.”

Twenty – Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time

Genesis 2:18-24

Hebrews 2:9-11

Mark 10:1-12

 

Many of you just responded, “Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ!” In saying those words, you are saying, “Lord, I believe in everything you say in the gospel.” I want to make sure you meant this because I think this is the hardest gospel ever written and certainly to preach on? The reason I say this is because when I read the word, “divorce” you may have checked out because you recalled the pain and suffering of going through a divorce. I included myself in this since I was married for eighteen years, divorced and given an annulment. Many of us who have gone through a divorce knows that it can leave you defeated, broken, and maybe even bring you to question yourself and your faith. So where is the Good News of Jesus Christ in these readings? There is actually a lot, but we need to truly understand and come to believe that God has a plan, and we do not always know that plan but is always better than our plan. I will share with you my homily, and hopefully it will match up with your homily, and in the end, we all will know the Good News of Jesus Christ.

 

The very first thing we should know about our Gospel is that it is a test. The Pharisees come to Jesus with a question, “Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?” Everyone present knew that by rabbinic law it was lawful for a husband to divorce his wife. Marriage at the time of Jesus was an exchange of goods between two families as the woman was only a piece of property. Don’t shoot the messenger! I love what Jesus does; he sends them back to the beginning of creation to what God had intended marriage to be. Jesus says, “God created male and female, in his image.” Married couples are to remember that your spouse in created in the image and likeness of God. Jesus continues by saying, “It is for this reason that a man should leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” It takes a lot of work for two people to become one flesh. It takes a lot of forgiveness, a lot of understanding, and a lot of patience. Jesus doesn’t answer the question on divorce; he knows that divorce is painful to be avoided. What he does do is lift what God had intended for marriage and says, “Now be this!”

I love the way this gospel ends with Jesus telling the disciple to let the children come to him. I believe this is more than at the time of married couples are told, Be fruitful and multiply.”  Jesus ends this gospel in this way as a reminder to all of us what we are to be, as children, innocent, pure and good.

 

The good news for married couples is for you to once again see your spouse in the image and likeness of God. The good news for those struggling in their marriage is to get the help you may need and commit yourselves to becoming one again. The good news for those who are divorced there is hope; the annulment process is designed to bring healing. If you need help in this, please contact Fr. Mike or I.

 

Our community is made of broken people, in need of God’s healing. It is in this place we come and are healed. When the promises we have made our broken we need to know that the promises of our God that he makes with us are never broken.

 

Peace be with you!

Thursday Twenty-Sixth Week Ordinary Time

Job 19:21-27

Luke 10:1-12 

St. Francis of Assisi

 

“Peace be with you!” Peace is what we all desire. We want it for ourselves, for our loved one and others. How do we get “peace” through all the things we are concerned about? Our mission today and always is to bring peace to people in our lives.

 

In our first reading from the book of Job, we know that Job is suffering as he has lost his family and his livelihood. The job remains strong and trusts the Lord in his mercy. Job tells his friends that he should write his words down that they too will know peace during their times of trials.

 

In our Gospel, Jesus sends out the seventy-two of his followers, and they are not to bring, money, sandals, bag, food. This is a metaphor to leave behind fears, doubts, grudges and the old ways of doing things. Their only message to bring about the Kingdom of God is, “Peace be with you.” To proclaim this message means that the followers of Jesus know his peace, it is not a message of changing another person. How often do we condition ourselves that peace will come when the other person changes? The message is simply about trusting in God’s peace.

 

Are we willing to pay the price of peace this day?