Learn to be grateful!

Thanksgiving Day

Sirach 50:22-24

I Corinthians 1: 3-9

Luke 17: 11 – 19

 

Today is a day of knowing our blessings and being grateful for them. I am grateful for being here as your pastor, I am grateful for family, and this year I am most grateful for my dad, as he has taught me so much. I do not know how much time I will have with him as he continues to decline, so I see each encounter a blessing. My conversation with him on Sunday went like this, as I asked him four questions. “Dad, it is Thanksgiving this week. Are you ready?’ He responded, “I am so grateful for my life and my family. It is good to gather as a family. It means a lot to me.” I asked him, “Dad, how are you feeling?” He responded, “I am so grateful for my life and my family. It is good to gather as a family. It means a lot to me.” I am asked him, “Dad, how is the weather over there?” He responded, “I am so grateful for my life and my family. It is good to gather as a family. It means a lot to me.” It means a lot to me.” I figure I already knew the answer to whatever I will ask him, so I ask, “What about those Yankees?” Dad responds with, “I am so grateful for my life and my family. It is good to gather as a family. It means a lot to me.”

 

Dad wanted to remind me that I am to be grateful because it is more important than love because, keeps us humble and without gratitude, everything is self- serving. To be grateful is the singular most important thing we may do.

 

I am aware that for some of us being grateful at this time may be difficult as we mourn the life of a loved one, we are mindful of a relationship that is so in need of repair, or we will not gather with family. The simple fact is we are to be grateful for life, and God has done, is doing, and will do, in our lives.

 

In our Gospel, Jesus encounters ten lepers. They all cry out, “Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!” They all receive the same blessing of being healed, but only one returned to express his thankfulness, and for this, he wins his eternal reward. The story is giving to us to show that something is missing if we do not live in gratitude.  

 

We stop and give thanks today for the gift of life, of marriage, family, children, and the list goes on and on. May we Catholics know the blessing of the Eucharist in our lives.  

 

Do not fear about what to say!

Wednesday of the 34th Week

Daniel 5:1-6, 13-14, 16-17, 23-28

Luke 21:12-19

 

We have great readings, especially if we need a little pep talk about persevering in life. Let’s face it; the holiday of Thanksgiving is nice, but it can be very stressful as it brings family members together, and lots of things can happen. Our readings are here to help us!

 

In our Gospel, Jesus tells us what we need to know if things get tense during Thanksgiving dinner. Jesus says, “Do not be afraid, I will give you the words to say when you need to say them.” 

 

In our first reading, the new king in Babylon, King Belshazzar is having a large banquet, and during the celebration, he decides to bring out the sacred vessels that King Nebuchadnezzar seized from the Temple years before. As King Belshazzar and his guests use the sacred vessels, they give praise to their pagan gods. A hand appears and writes a message on the wall; they are struck with fear. Daniel is summoned to decipher the words on the wall, and he doesn’t worry about what to say because God has given him the words he needs to say as he warns the King that he will be conquered by the Persians. 

 

As the church year comes to a close, we need to put our complete trust in God. There is no real remedy for fear except putting our trust in God. What can help is when we stay close to prayer and receive the Eucharist as often as we are able. Try and remember when you were in a similar situation, and God’s loving hand guided you through this difficult situation and be super attentive to the movement of God.

 

May we give thanks for the presence of God in this Eucharist?

May we draw closer to Christ?

Tuesday Thirty-Fourth Week Ordinary Time

Daniel 2:31-45

Luke 21: 5-11

All School Mass

 

Who is putting up your Christmas tree this weekend?

 

Do you have a favorite ornament? Why is it special?

 

I have some of my favorite ornaments and I would like to show you some of them? Show students my peacock ornaments.

 

Why do we spend so much time decorating our trees?

 

If we have a real tree by January, the needles are going to be falling off, and the tree is going to be very dry?

 

In our Gospel, Jesus is standing in front of the great temple, and he is talking about how beautifully decorated the temple is. There was gold, they used the finest limestone and used cypress wood that was very expensive at the time. It was the most magnificent building of its time. Jesus says, “Why are you standing here admiring this building when it is all going to be torn down, and not a stone will be left on another stone.” Jesus is trying to get them to believe in him.

 

We may put a lot of time and energy decorating for Christmas, but it will all be put away, our real trees will be put out to the street. What matters is that we have this personal relationship with Christ and follow him in faith. There is no better place to learn and to grow in a relationship with the Lord than our Catholic School. May we grow in Christ this day.

Jesus Christ our Servant King

Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

II Samuel 5:1-3

Colossians 1:12-20

Luke 23:35-43

 

As we celebrate the Solemnity of Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, I wonder want it would be to go back to when we heard first heard about a new born King? Next week begins the Season of Advent and then the Christmas Season and then the Epiphany when we hear about the three wise men who came with their gold, frankincense, and myrrh to give their gifts to the new born King. Could these three wise men have ever imagined the life of this King and how this King would reign and how his life would end?

 

Right from the beginning, the life of Jesus Christ, our King, is different from other Kings. Jesus does not gather an army around him, but he gathers a ragtag group of men to follow him. Jesus, our King, does not live in a fine palace but travels from place to place bringing healing and good news to people. Jesus, our King, does not eat sumptuously but eats with sinners and those who are lost and forsaken. In celebrating Jesus Christ, our King, it means we are going to have to redefine what it means to be a King. 

 

In our Gospel, our King has been spat on, jeered at, and beaten, and he now hangs on a cross. There are people screaming all kinds of things at him as he hangs on the cross. There are two other criminals hanging on crosses alongside of him. One of them joins with the crowd and says, “If you are a King save yourself and us.” Our King has nothing to say to this man. The other criminal says, “Jesus, remember me this day.” There are two things to notice about this criminal. The first is this criminal refers to Jesus by his first name. It is the only time in scared scripture that Jesus is referred to as simply Jesus, without calling him, Lord. By referring to Jesus in this manner shows the depth of this man’s prayer. The other thing to notice is the man only asks to be remembered; he does not ask to be removed from the cross. No matter how much pain Jesus our King is in he is concerned about someone else. Jesus, our King, offers this criminal what no other King could offer, and that is eternal life. 

 

The wise men did not know how the story would end, but we do, and we need to decide if we are going to follow this kind of King? Our King when given a choice to save himself or to save others put aside his personal gain so that all of human kind could be saved.

 

In this Eucharist, may we come to know the Jesus Christ our King and be ready to extend mercy to those God has entrusted to our care?

Keep our sanctuary clean!

Friday Thirty – Third Week Ordinary Time

I Maccabees 4:36-37, 52-59

Luke 19: 45-48

St. Cecilia

 

Get out the cart with all the cleaning supplies and have some students begin to clean the sanctuary. Have brooms, mops, dust mops, and rags all ready to go.

 

Who wants to do a great act of mercy by cleaning the church? Ok, get busy, there are pews to clean, windows to wash, sanctuary floor to be swept, and dust whatever needs to be dusted.

 

Our readings, both speak about cleaning the church.

 

In our first reading, the Jewish people are cleaning the temple after it had been damaged in a war.  The people clean the whole temple and make a new altar.

 

In our Gospel, Jesus cleans all the people who were selling and buying things in temple.

 

Our church is beautiful, it is a holy space, and we do need to keep it clean. However, we are little churches, and our lives are acts of worship. We need to keep the sanctuary of our lives clean as we give glory and praise to God.

 

As God dwells in us, may we keep our little churches in us clean by participating in the Eucharist, and be people of great prayer?

 

 

Enjoy our beginnings and our endings!

Thursday Thirty-Third Week Ordinary Time

The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

I Maccabees 2:15-29

Luke 19:41-44

 

In the midst of a God with no beginning and no end, we are called to live in this in-between time of our beginning and our ending. In this in-between time we are to live in hope, being attentive to this process of letting go and embracing the grace of God.

 

In our first reading, the people of God are being punished for their beliefs in God. Mattathias, a man of God with strong moral character, decides he is not going to take this punishment any longer and he stands up and leads a rebellion and asks, “Are there anyone else who will follow me and live lives of faithfulness to God.” Mattathias and many others let go of the punishment and embrace the God of life within them.

 

In our Gospel, Jesus is drawing near to the city of Jerusalem and we are told that he weeps real tears. He weeps because he is aware that the people have rejected him, and he weeps for their lack of faith. Jesus is letting go of them and handing the people over for his father to embrace them.

 

As we gather, we need to be attentive to the beginning and endings in our lives. It is through the pain that we let something go to embrace what God has in store for us. May we embrace what God has in store for us in this Eucharist?

 

 

Our gift of faith!

Wednesday of the 33rd Week

II Maccabees 7:1, 20-31

Luke 19:11-28

 

Who knows how to play the piano? Is there anyone here would love to play the piano? I would love to one day play the guitar, but I have never picked up a guitar and played it. Our readings today speak about a gift that has been given to us, but if we do not use it or know that we have the gift that what good is it to us? 

 

In our first reading, we hear a story of a mother who encourages all seven of her sons who are being tortured to use their gift of faith. All of them would be killed because they refuse to eat what is unlawful for them to eat, but they all die using their gift of faith to look forward to eternal life.

 

In our Gospel, a master is preparing for a trip, but before he leaves, he calls his ten servants and gives each one a gold coin. He instructs them ‘to engage in trade with others on his return.’ Upon his return, the first servant has made an additional ten, the second servant an additional five, but the third servant out of fear did nothing at all and is condemned to death.

 

How is God encouraging us to use the gift of faith that has been given to us at baptism? As Christ comes to us in this Eucharist, may we come to appreciate our gift of faith? May we use our gift of faith to build up this community?

Live boldly in the Lord!

Tuesday Thirty-Third Week Ordinary Time

II Maccabees 6:18-31

Luke 19:1-10

 

I love our readings today because, as the Church year comes to close, we have these powerful stories of faith.

 

As I read today’s readings, what strikes me is how bold the main characters are in each story. How bold are we willing to live today?

 

In our first reading, Eleazar is described as an elderly scribe, noble in appearance, and well known in the community. He is being forced to eat pork, which is against Jewish dietary laws. He is bold and stands up to his persecutors and his friends who want him to pretend to be eating the pork. Eleazar does not shy away from his persecutors or his impending death. Eleazar is bold and strong, and he is willing to accept death.

 

In our Gospel, we hear the story of Zacchaeus, which is my favorite Gospel of all time. Zacchaeus is very bold as a grown man wearing very expensive clothing, climbs a tree so that Jesus would see him. Zacchaeus was very bold in his conversion to Christ in giving his possessions to the poor and paying back anyone he had cheated.

 

May we not live in fear, waiting for the next bad thing to happen? May we not lack the confidence we need to do what God wants us to do. May we know the grace that God is offering us in this Eucharist and live boldly today.

 

How bold are we willing to live today? Jesus was very bold, and he never backed down.  

 

Trust in the Lord

 

Thirty Third Sunday

Malachi 3:19-20

 II Thessalonians 3:7 – 12

 Luke 21: 5-19

 

Last weekend when my daughter, son in law and grandkids were here, they had hired someone to stay in their home while they were gone to care for their dog and cat. Last Sunday afternoon, we had dinner together, and they were freaking out because their security system “Ring” had the girl leaving on Saturday afternoon liked she had told them, but it did not show here returning, and now it was Sunday afternoon. I could tell they were very concerned so I said, “Why don’t you call her?” I guess that was to old school and Pat said, “What are we to do just trust this lady?” So, Meggin gets the idea to check the security system they have on the garage door of when it has been opened and closed. It showed the door opening and closing on Saturday afternoon, and it being open and closed again on Saturday evening. It also showed the door being opened and closed on Sunday morning and being opened and closed again Sunday afternoon. I was trying to add a bit of humor to the situation so I said, “Wow! Maybe she went to church?” Of which Pat said again, “Are we to do just trust this lady because she goes to church?” Our readings speak to us about trust, and especially when life gets difficult. 

 

How do we trust in God when life does not go our way? How do we trust in God when we experience a loss of a loved one, a marriage breaks apart when we lose our job? How do we place our trust in God?

 

In our Gospel, Jesus prophesied that the greatest building of its time, the temple would be destroyed. The temple was the center of the Jewish people’s lives, and it gave them meaning and an identity. The people would have a very difficult time imagining its destruction. Jesus looks at this magnificent building, and he says, “The days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all of this will be thrown down and destroyed.” Jesus is inviting the people to look past what they can see right in front of them and to put their trust in Him.

 

What do we do when our temples, our lives are broken? We are not to look for a scapegoat or fall into despair. It would be good to be still, more quiet and not be led astray by fear. We are to live our lives with trust because it is by our endurance that God is rebuilding our lives one stone at a time.

 

My friends in Christ may we know that everything is changing, and we need to put our trust in what does not change, and that is God’s love and providence. When we celebrate the Eucharist we need to feel the presence of God and how he has come to save us.

It is about sacrifice!

Friday of the 32nd Week

All School Mass

Wisdom 13:1-9

Luke 17:26-37

Celebration of Veterans Day

 

Has anyone been to Washington, D.C.? While you were visiting Washington D.C., did you, by chance visit any of the military monuments that are there? There are a total of seventeen military monuments in Washington, D.C. There are the U.S. Marine, the WWII, Korean War, and the Vietnam War monuments, to name a few. Here in Grand Rapids, we have the Kent County Civil War Monument, which is on Division Avenue and Monroe Avenue. This monument was dedicated on September 17, 1885.

 

Why do we have these military? All these memorials help us to remember the sacrifices that people have made for our country.

 

Today we celebrate and honor the men and women who, when our country called they responded by making sacrifices in their lives to protect our freedoms.

 

In our Gospel, Jesus says, “Whoever seeks to preserve their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life will save it.” Jesus is telling each one of us that we need to lose our lives for others. I know what Jesus is talking about because when I think, “Oh, I do not want to do this right now” I know that is will be a sacrifice and it may be difficult to give of myself, but this is what Jesus is asking of us. We must be willing to take a risk in service to others.

 

Today we are grateful for these men and women for the sacrifices they have made for our country. We gather now to remember the sacrifice that Jesus Christ did for us by dying on the cross for us. May we be willing to give when Jesus comes calling us?