Are we ready for eternal life?

Friday of the 21st Week

I Thessalonians 4:1-8

Matthew 25:1-13

 

As I was greeting our students yesterday as they were leaving for a four day weekend, many of them were so ready for a break from school. As I asked them what they had to look forward to some said, they were going camping or to their cottages, and many were going to visit grandparents, which did my heart good. These students and staff were ready for a break-even though it is early in the school year. The question our readings pose to us is “Are we ready right now for eternal life?” I know we don’t spend much time on this question, but we need to be ready.

 

In our Gospel we hear a story of a wedding a feast. We all know that a wedding is a joyful occasion, but this story has a twist that is hard to hear. In ancient times a wedding celebration could be days or even a week long. One of the highlights of a wedding would be when the groom would go and get his new bride from her parents’ home and escort her to their new home. Often this would be at night because they would be parting all day. The townspeople would stand along the pathway with lighted torches to illuminate the way for the new bride and groom. This story of the ten maidens has them all prepared for their coming, but only half were prepared for the delay. When the bridegroom comes in the middle of the night all the maidens wake up but only five half enough oil in their lamps to light the way. It may seem cruel by our standards not to share, but it is actually wise because it would be better for only five to light the way with enough oil than for all ten to run out of oil.

 

What is the meaning for us? Are we ready, for today by our lives of faith? Are we ready by our lives of faith for eternal life? I am sure we all respond with a firm “Yes!” Well, how many of us left dirty dishes in the sink, or may not have made our bed, or left clothes on the floor or the bed! We all have our foolish moments of unpreparedness. May we be ready this day for what God has in store for us? 

 

God’s Word can’t be silenced!

Thursday of the 21st Week

The Passion of John the Baptist

Jeremiah 1:17-19

Mark 6:17-29

All School Mass

 

Begin by talking about the feast day of John the Baptist. While I am talking Mr. Houdek begins playing the piano. I stop and glare at Mr. Houdek and say,” Mr. Houdek, what are you doing? I am trying to preach God’s word!”

 

I begin again giving my homily, and Mr. Houdek again plays the piano. I stop and glare at Mr. Houdek and say,” Mr. Houdek what are you doing? I am trying to preach God’s word!”

 

A third and last time I begin to say my homily and Mr. Houdek again plays the piano but this time as I turn to Mr. Houdek and glare,  keep softly playing as I ask the students, “What must I do to get him to stop playing the piano?” Gather response’s from the students. I will turn and ask Mr. Houdek to stop playing.

 

I may be able to stop Mr. Houdek from playing the piano, but am I ever able to stop God’s word from getting to us?

 

In our Gospel, John the Baptist speaks words of truth to the Herodias, the wife of King Herod. She is not happy with John the Baptist for telling her what she has done wrong. At the birthday party for King Herod, their daughter dances before their guests and the King is so pleased he promises to give his daughter anything she asks, and she asks for the head of John the Baptist. The voice of John the Baptist is silenced, but the word of God.

 

We gather here today to celebrate how we have heard the word of God given to us in our school this week. May we never tire of speaking God’s word in all we do.  

 

We preach Christ crucified!

Wednesday of the 21 Week

Ordinary Time

I Thessalonians 2:9-13

Matthew 23:27-32

 

When we go about our lives we do not preach ourselves. We preach the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  We preach that he is the Risen One, the one we put our hope and trust in. We preach Christ’s life, death, and resurrection because it is our treasure that we hold deep inside of us. As we do not preach ourselves, we are part of the preaching; the message is filtered through us, with all of our frailties and shortcomings. May we know this treasure, and be true to this treasure, so we will never pretend to be something we are not.

 

In our first reading, St. Paul knows what he preaches as he works day and night sharing the gospel message trying not to burden anyone. St. Paul rejoices that the people he has been preaching to receive the Good News of Jesus Christ as God’s spoken word. Wow!

 

In the Gospel, Jesus says, “You are like whitewashed tombs, beautiful on the outside, but filthy on the inside. You hypocrites! You pretend to hear the word of God, but you do not act on the word, and it does not change your life.”

 

St. Augustine would know the truth of these readings as he lived it in his conversion to Christ. May God’s word, and this Eucharist help us to clear away any distractions in our lives from knowing Christ?

 

 

What are our intentions?

Tuesday Twenty-First Week Ordinary Time

I Thessalonians 2:1-8

Matthew 23: 23-26

St. Monica

Proper of Saints, pg. 793

For Holy Women pg. 962

Preface of Saint’s pg. 450

 

I think our readings today are very tricky because they speak about what are our true intentions, and we are the only ones who can honestly speak about our intentions?  

 

In our first reading from Paul to the Thessalonians, Paul is saying my trues intentions were to bring you the Gospel message, and there was no deception or disillusionment. What Paul is fighting against are the men who went around calling themselves “super-apostles” who were trained orators and used all the latest gimmicks to get people to believe. Paul says, “We came to you as mother being gentle with their children.”

 

In our Gospel, Jesus is condemning the scribes and the Pharisees because their intentions are rotten to the core. They are blind guides as they clean the outside of the cup, but their insides are full of plunder and self-indulgence. What is missing with these people is there internal integrity is missing.

 

I think our responsorial psalm says it well when we heard, “You have searched me, and you know me. You probe me, and you know my thoughts from afar.” The psalmist words are a good reminder to us that we are to be people of integrity.  

 

St. Monica who we honor today tried her best to make her intentions pure and because of this she prayed for the conversion of her son Augustine to stop being a heathen and become a Catholic Christian and her prayers were answered.

 

May the grace of this Eucharist help us to be people with great integrity and desires.

 

Do we know of Jesus, or do we know Jesus?

Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time

Isaiah 66: 18-21

Hebrews 12: 5-7, 11-13

Luke 13: 22-30

 

I went for a bike ride on Friday evening through Millennium Park around 7:15 pm when I passed this couple who were dressed up for walking the trail. I said hello and kept on my way. On my return, as I was pedaling up the biggest hill, I notice this couple taking a selfie. As I went by them she was holding out her hand and taking a picture of her hand. I thought to myself, “Did they just get engaged?” So I stopped and yelled, “Did he just purpose to you?” Of which she responds, “Yes!” So I ask them if they would like for me to take a picture of them of which she said yes. So I am taking their picture, and I have them re-enact it, and she begins to cry all over again, and before I leave I ask, “So where are you going to get married at?” She says, “I have a couple ideas? So, I reach out my hand and say, “Well, hello, I am Fr. Mark, the pastor, of Holy Spirit Parish. I do weddings!” I do not think I will be getting a call to do the wedding because the couple now knows me, but they do not know anything about me! Our readings bring us to ask, “Do we just know of Jesus or do we something about Jesus?”

 

In our Gospel, a man asks, “Lord, will only a few be saved?” Great question! Jesus goes on to tell a story of many people who will knock on a door they know of, and the master will respond, “Go away! I do not know you!” The people will say, “But we ate and drank with you!” and the master will say, “Go away! I do not know you!”  Jesus is talking about us! There are those of us who show up, don’t sing, don’t pray, go through the motions to check the box, “Yes! I attended,” but there is no change in our lives. Jesus might say to us one day, “I do not know you!”

 

In our second reading, the writer of Hebrews keeps this theme of “Entering through the narrow gate because do we know Jesus?” The writer talks about being disciplined by God. The writer is letting us know that there will be times when we do not make the best of decisions, and we will know the discipline of Christ. The other side of this is at times we have to make decisions that are not popular and will lead us through the narrow gate. In Greek to be “disciplined” is to be instructed to do something.

 

So here we are, people, from north, south, east, and west, we have all been invited, but do we know of Christ or do we know everything about Christ and follow him? May we be willing to enter through the narrow gate and follow Christ?

What rules do we follow?

Friday of the 20^th Week Ordinary Time

Ruth 1:1, 3-6, 14-16, 22

Matthew 22: 34-40

Opening All School Mass

 

Q.) What rules do you remember from yesterday that your teachers went over with you on how to behave in your classrooms, in our school, and maybe on the playground?

 

Those are good rules to have because you need to know what is expected of us when we are here. There are two more rules that we are given that we also need to follow. These rules are so important that Jesus makes them a commandment. Jesus says the first commandment is “To love the Lord, with your heart, with your soul, and with your mind. The second commandment is “To love your neighbor as yourself.”

 

Q.) How are we able to show that we love the Lord, with all of our heart, with all of our soul, and all of our mind?

 

Q.) How are we able to show that we love our neighbor?

 

Jesus has made things very easy for us because all the rules and expectations you may have been given yesterday on our first day of school are all based on these two commandments.

 

As we gather each week in the Eucharist, may we continue to love God and show that by loving our neighbor?

 

 

 

In Word and Deed!

Thursday of the 20^th Week Ordinary Time

Judges 11:29-39

Matthew 22: 1-14

The Queen Ship of Mary

All Catholic School through-out the diocese today begin their first day of school. Surely there are some nervous students and anxious teachers in the classrooms. It will be vitally important for what the teachers say as they teach the students can see the teacher living in their lives. Our readings speak to us about being mindful of our words and our actions.

 

Our first reading from the book of Judges is hard to read and harder to preach on because none of us would do such a horrible thing to our children. The thing to know as Jephthah makes this vow, a vow in ancient times was something sacred, and you had to keep it because the vow was made to God. The other thing is the family home was two rooms, one larger room where the family lived and another smaller room where the animals would stay. The animals would help with body heat in the cold winter nights. When Jephthah makes this vow to God, he is only thinking one of the animals would come walking out after his victory, not his daughter. The story is given to us to remind us the power of our words. Our words have the power to build up and to tear down.

 

Our Gospel has a similar story, but it is even more demanding than our first reading. The King invites all of his friends and family to the wedding feast of his son. The intended guests do not come, and the King is enraged. The King has his guards go out and invite all people, the “good and the bad.” When someone does not show up with the proper attire, he has the person bound up and thrown into the darkness. The message here builds upon the first reading, our words and our promises are very important, but our actions are even more important. We all can speak wonderful words, but if our actions do not follow our words, they become empty and mean nothing.

 

As we remember our teachers and students in school today may we also be mindful of our thoughts, words, and action and glorify God in all we do.

 

 

God is good!

Wednesday of the 20th Week

Ordinary Time

Judges 9:6-15

Matthew 20: 1-16

St. Pius X

 

I was surprised last weekend how many people said they were going shopping after Mass. They were influenced by the sales at the Tanger Outlet Mall and Meijer’s. What are the things that influence our decisions in our lives? We hear aids on the radio, television, that all by for our attention. Our greatest influence should be God!

 

In our first reading, the people are heavily influenced by the surrounding nations all being ruled by kings. Although God has made it very clear that he is to be their king, the people want a king to rule over them. Jotham tells a parable of all the trees that bare fruit and take care of people by their fruit do not want to be king. The buckthorn, a bush with no value steps forward to be the king. Jotham warns them that not all kings will be fair, and some will take advantage of them. Over the years the people will learn this hard lesson of kings who are cruel and violent.

 

In our Gospel, we are heavily influenced by our understanding of fairness. Jesus tells a parable of a landowner who pays the workers who worked eight hours and those that worked one hour all the same pay. The workers scream, “This is not fair!” Jesus responds, “Why is this not fair? Am I not fair to do what I want?”

 

We should be grateful that God does not look at our resume and only gives us what we deserve. God is so generous with his love, faith, hope, and salvation. It is his to give not ours to earn!

 

What influences are holding us back from God’s generosity? Why do we struggle with self-esteem and low confidence? Let us be strongly influenced by God’s forgiveness and love this day!

 

 

All things are possible with God!

Tuesday of the 20^th Week

Ordinary Time

Judges 6:11-24

Matthew 19:23-30

Feast Day of St. Bernard

“For men, this is impossible, but for God, all things are possible.” Do we know the truth about this saying?  

 

In our first reading, from the book of Judges, we hear the call of Gideon as an angel appears to him and says, “You are our new champion!” Gideon does not believe this to be true as he responds, “This is impossible, I am from the lowest tribe, and in this tribe, I am the lowest person.” The reason the Israelites need a new leader as they occupy the Promised Land is the Midianites have been raiding the Israelites camps, stealing their livestock and taking their grain. We are told Gideon is thrashing his grain in a winepress which would be sunken into the ground.

 

In our Gospel, we continue with the story from yesterday when a young rich man comes and asks, “How he can inherit the Kingdom of God?” Jesus tells him to sell all his possessions. The man walks away very sad and dejected. Jesus continues by saying, “It will be hard for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God. It will be easier for a camel to enter the eye of a needle.” The disciples respond, “This is impossible for a camel to go through an eye of a needle.”  

 

What seems impossible in our lives? I am living proof that with God, all things are possible. Eighteen years ago, I had no idea I was called to be a priest, and yet here I am! The impossible happens when we continue to be people of prayer, and people willing to make sacrifices. Sacrifices come in doing what we know to be true and right, and not giving in to the voices of evil.

 

The impossible will happen here in a few minutes as bread and wine will become the Body and Blood of Christ. May we please our trust and hope in Jesus Christ?

Are we on fire for the Lord?

Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Jeremiah 38: 4-6, 8-10

Hebrews 12: 1-4

Luke 12: 49-53

 

Put on screens a picture of an ice cream Sunday. Ask the question? Do you reject it? Change it? Or accept it? Put on the screens a picture of a beach with an umbrella and chairs. Do you reject it? Change it? Or accept it? The Word of God always comes to us with those three questions; we can reject it, change it, or accept it. Today, our readings are hard to accept, and we will need to answer with one of these questions!

 

In our first reading from the prophet Jeremiah, he is the perfect example of rejection as he is put into a dry cistern to die. What I love about Jeremiah is though he did know much rejection, he never waved from preaching the Word of God to the people.

 

In our Gospel, we hear Jesus say, “I have come to bring division.” We hear this, and we may want to change what he said by saying he did not mean to say what he said. Well, Jesus does not mean this. So what is he saying? It is not his desire or his intention to pull families apart. Jesus is telling us that divisions in the family will happen and we need to be ready when it happens. What Jesus is saying is nothing that most of do not know already. We have divisions in our families, and it hurts very badly. The other thing to add to what Jesus is saying is to know that at times, hard words need to be said, in love that may cause divisions.

 

In the end, what I hear Jesus saying is he wants to set our hearts on fire and how which wishes it was so right now! Jesus is telling us that he wants our hearts to be on fire for justice and peace. He wants our hearts on fire to be filled with wisdom and to speak the truth. He wants our hearts on fire to be people of prayer and to seek him in everything.

 

In our reading from Hebrews, we hear about those who did accept this teaching as they are now counted as the cloud of witnesses who ran the race of life to win and they now know their eternal reward.

 

We now must make a choice! Are we going to accept this teaching of Christ into our hearts and allow it to change our lives, or are we going to reject it?

 

I pray that the grace of this sacrament sinks deep within our hearts! Can I get an Amen!