I groan today, but I remain hopeful.

Tuesday Thirtieth Week Ordinary Time

Romans 8:18-25

Luke 13: 18-21

How many of us groaned when our feet were placed on the floor when we got out of bed this morning? I am groaning because I slept lousy, and I woke up to my shoulder hurting for what I believe for no apparent reason. But even in what we may be groaning about, we are called to be people of hope because Jesus Christ is our hope. Our readings today encourage us to be people of hope.

In our first reading, St. Paul says, “All of the creation groans as in labor pains as it awaits the coming of God.” This is what is happening with the leaves falling from the trees. Jim Gaffigan, a Catholic comedian, has a very funny thing he does with leaves falling to the ground. Jim says, “If leaves could talk, would they scream as they fell to the ground? Are there any of them trying to hang on until next summer? To make matters worse, when the leaves fall, we rack them up and jump and step on them.” Can we hear the leaves groaning today?  

In our Gospel, Jesus gives us a sense of hope as Jesus says that from a tiny mustard seed, a large bush will give many birds shade and shelter. Jesus continues giving us hope as he tells us that a small amount of yeast can make a large amount of flour rise into something great to eat. If a mustard seed and a small amount of yeast can make such a big change, how can we make a big change by people of great hope, even in our groaning?

Our readings today are about having hope despite all our pains and suffering. When our lives are compared to eternal life, this life is so tiny our suffering and pain are only temporary. Hope is only hope when we cannot see, and yet we believe.

A small amount of hope can make a big difference. May the Eucharist help us to be people of great hope.

Where are we going? A roadmap to Discipleship

Thirtieth Sunday of Ordinary Time

Exodus 22:20-26

I Thessalonians 1:5-10

Matthew 22: 34-40

This weekend is our Spirit Weekend, where we show our pride in being a member of Holy Spirit Parish. As I mentioned a few weekends ago, we have a new Mission Statement with six words but lots of meaning. (Put on screens, new MS) Our new Mission Statement is “Love God. Serve Others, Grow Disciples.” I hope you can recite it when you are quizzed on it. We have many giveaways with our Mission Statement as you leave today.

With the launching of our new Mission Statement, it is a perfect time to begin a five-week series on “Where are we going? A Road Map to Discipleship!” (Put on screens road map)

Our Road map begins with answering the question, “Why would I want to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, and why do I need a road map?” To answer this question, we need a big enough “Why” to deal with all that life will bring us. Mark Twain once said, “The two most important days of our lives are the day we are born, and the day we figure out our why?”

Our Road Map continues as our first line of our new Mission Statement gives us a direction to go. The first line of our new Mission Statement is, “Love God.” We may ask, “Why do I love God?” We love God because we are made in his image and likeness, and he loves us unconditionally, and out of his love for us, we want to love him in return. In our Gospel, the Pharisee asks, “What is the greatest of all the commandments, Jesus answers, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with your entire mind.”

The second line of our Mission Statement gives us a direction of what are we to do with God’s love? The second part of our Mission Statement is to “Serve others.” We love God to have the grace to serve others with the utmost patience and understanding. Jesus continues answering the Pharisee: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

We are on this earth to love God and to serve others. What would it look like if we knew we were doing what God wanted us to do at any given moment? St. Francis de Sales had a fantastic way to stay on the road map of discipleship. It is three simple words: Ask, Offer, Accept. (Put on screens, Ask, Offer, Accept) 1.) We ask God to be present and part of everything we do. 2.) We offer Him everything we do as an offering of love. 3.) We accept whatever happens as God’s will. If we can do this simple exercise, every moment of our day becomes a moment of grace.

Homework: Follow the road map of being a disciple of Jesus Christ. Answer the question, “Why do I want to be a disciple of Jesus Christ in your heart this week. Follow St. Francis de Sales three-step formula of Ask, Offer, Accept.  

EASY TO KNOW!

Friday of the 29th Week

Romans 7:18-25

Luke 12: 54-59

It has been said that we make as many as 200 conscious decisions every day. Some are small, and others are very profound. Wouldn’t it be great to make the right decision all the time? So, to help you and to build your confidence, I thought I would ask you to make some decisions.

Ask for a volunteer, dress the student in a winter coat, hat, and gloves, and ask, “Did anyone make a decision to dress like this today?

Ask for another volunteer and dress this student in a bathing suit and a wide crazy shirt and ask, “Did anyone make a decision to dress like this today?

In our first reading, St. Paul says, “I know the good that I should do, but I do not always choose the good to do in my life.” He continues by saying, “But when I seek the Lord, in all my decisions is when I make the best of decisions.” 

In our Gospel, Jesus says, “You know how to make a good decision about what to wear on any given day because of the weather, but do you make the right decision about living for me?”

How do we make a good decision to follow Jesus Christ? What would be evidence that we are disciples of Jesus?

We are in our Catholic School to learn how to make good decisions based on our faith to follow Jesus Christ. May we make the best of decisions for Jesus today?

Lord, what can I do for you today?

Thursday Twenty-Ninth Week Ordinary Time

Romans 6:19-23

Luke 12:49-53

The more I realize what God has done and is doing in my life, the more I want to do for him, and the more I do for God, the more he does for me. Hence, upon returning from a weeks’ vacation in Denver visiting family, I realized he did some incredible things during my week away.

Then I get back, read the readings for today, and say, “Amen! Bring it on, Lord, for I am all in!” How about you?

In our first readings from St. Paul to the Romans, he tells the people, “You were once slaves to sin and destruction. You were trapped in a slavery you could not get out on your own. Be now a slave to Jesus Christ and know freedom and peace.” I want to be a slave for Jesus Christ because I come to know what true freedom is in him.

In our Gospel, Jesus says, “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!” Jesus also says, “Do you think that I have come to establish peace on this earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.” Jesus is encouraging us to be on fire for Him and work as hard as possible so that our families and friends are also on fire.

How much are we willing to do for God today because he has done so much for us?

Are we an active Disciple of Jesus Christ?

Tuesday Twenty-Eighth Week Ordinary Time

Romans 1:16-25

Luke 11:37-41

St. Ignatius of Antioch

In my weekend homily, I encourage people to answer the question, “Are we an active disciple of Jesus Christ?” I laid out some responsibilities of what I think would be evident in an “active disciple.” I was surprised that I received no positive or negative comments about the challenge.

In saying what I did, I am trying to be an active disciple of Jesus Christ by ridding myself of doubt and fear because it rules my life. I am doing my best to place my hope and trust in Jesus Christ and walk by faith. As I am doing this, I want the community of the Holy Spirit to do the same.

I concur with St. Paul as he says, “I am not ashamed of the Gospel.” Paul is saying these words to the biggest city of its time, and it is the heart of the world. St. Paul sees what is going on with all the pagan worship and is challenging the people of Rome to grow in the faith of Jesus Christ.

In our Gospel, Jesus is challenging a Pharisee who has invited him to dinner to clean the inside of who he is because that is where sin and destruction come from.

The Pharisees was more concerned that Jesus has not done all the ceremonial washes that the Pharisees required before eating. Jesus is more concerned with cleaning the inside of one’s heart.

In this Eucharist, may we ensure that the inside of ourselves is just as clean as the outside?

Introduction:

Today, we celebrate the Feast day of St. Ignatius of Antioch. He was born around the time of Christ’s death. He was a leader in the Church and became a bishop for thirty-eight years. He was arrested for confessing Christ as the Lord of all. On his journey to his death, from Antioch to Rome, he wrote seven letters rich in the life of the Church and the importance of the Eucharist in our lives. May we live to have the same desire of St. Ignatius of Antioch?

Here comes Sammy Spirit!

Twenty-Eighth Sunday of Ordinary Time

Isaiah 25:6-10

Philippians 4:12-14, 19-20

Matthew 21: 1-10

Know-Do-Feel

We are continuing our four-week series on being a Disciple of Jesus Christ and what that means for us. In Week One, we identified a person I called “Sammy Spirit.” Sammy Spirit is those people who may be our neighbor, a co-worker, someone in our school, or the Religious Education Program, and they do not attend the Holy Eucharist each week. In Week Two, we spoke about the basis of being a Disciple of Jesus Christ: knowing that we are loved unconditionally. It is out of this love that we reach out to others to know that same unconditional love. In Week Three, I spoke about what prevents us from doing what we are called to do as a disciple of Jesus Christ. I identified anxiety as a significant contributor to not doing what we are called to do. I said anxiety is almost always the result of an unforeseeable future or an unforgivable past.” As I finish this series, the question is, “Are you all in on being an active Disciple of Jesus Christ?” No matter how you answer the question, you must know there are responsibilities and privileges to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.

The responsibilities follow our new Mission Statement that will unfold at the end of this month, which is “To Love God, Serve others, and Grow Disciples.” Our first responsibility is to “Love God.” To love God means committing ourselves to daily prayer and weekly Mass attendance. How will we ever know and love God if we don’t talk to him? The next responsibility is to “Serve Others.” We need to commit ourselves to being attentive to other’s needs. Our last responsibility is to “Grow Disciples.” We must be the laborers in the field looking for the next Sammy Spirit to invite to Church.

I want to expand a bit more on “Growing Disciples.” Growing Disciples and inviting the Sammy Spirits in our lives to return to Mass is like our Gospel, where a king has a wedding reception for his son. Who would not love to go to a reception for a prince? Imagine the good food and drink at such a party. However, for many reasons, the intended guests do not come. The king then sends out his servants to invite everyone to the celebration, filling his hall with guests. If rejected, we must keep inviting and go to others.

When we invite Sammy Spirit to Mass, we must be prepared for people to be indifferent to their faith. They may not see the need for Jesus Christ in their life as we do. They may not know the peace and joy of Jesus Christ as St. Paul says, “I know how to live in peace and joy when my life is going very well and when my life is a struggle.”

My friends in Christ, we need to know that the goal is to be an active Disciple of Jesus Christ so that we can do the Lord’s will and invite the Sammy Spirits to Church. We need to feel like St. Paul, where he always knows the joy and peace of Christ.  

Homework: As disciples of Jesus Christ, invite the Sammy Spirit in your life to Mass next weekend.

Who is mightier?

Friday Twenty – Seven-Week Ordinary Time

Joel 1:13-15; 2:1-2

Luke 11:15-26

I am going to show you a series of pictures. Please tell me who is stronger and mightier than the other picture.

(Picture1) A bodybuilder

(Picture 2) A baby

Which one is stronger and mightier?

(Picture 3) A snail

(Picture 4) An elephant

Which one is stronger and mightier?

(Picture 5) Jesus hanging on the Cross.

(Picture 6) The evil one facing Jesus in the desert.

Which one is stronger and mightier?

We need to know that Jesus Christ is stronger and mightier than anything in this world.

In our first reading, the prophet Joel calls everyone together to know the power and glory of God. He is telling the people to robe themselves in their prayer clothes and begin to fast. The prophet knows that when the people gather in worship, the power of God is manifested.

In our Gospel, Jesus is going about doing what he does best: to show his power and might by doing good and casting away evil in people’s lives. However, some say that he can do this because he is evil. Jesus says, “What you are saying does not make sense. I expel evil because I am more powerful than evil.”

My friends in Christ, we need to know when we gather in God’s holy name, his power is shown to us. In God’s great power, we can overcome any temptation to sin, no matter what it is.

How is our prayer life? How is our hospitality to God’s people going?

Tuesday of the

Twenty-seventh week Ordinary Time

Jonah 3:1-10

Luke 10:38-42

Who are we more like today, Martha or Mary?

We need to understand that each one has good and bad points. There is one obvious thing, and that is that Jesus loved Martha and Mary very much. We are told this in John 11:5, at the time of their brother Lazarus’s death. Let’s look at each of them individually.  

Martha represents the ministry of hospitality. The problem in today’s story is she loses her focus on hospitality and only focuses on her sister. When she complains to Jesus, her sister sits right there and can hear everything. Jesus is ready to remind Martha that she has lost her sense of providing hospitality.

Mary represents the ministry of prayer as she sits at the feet of Jesus, a posture of discipleship. Mary has lost her sense of the ministry of hospitality and ignoring here sister.

In the Gospel of John, we get the story of Jesus coming to Martha and Mary after their brother Lazarus has died. Once again, Martha questions Jesus why he is late because she makes a profession of faith: “She has come to know that he is the Messiah.” Mary does not come out to welcome him, and Jesus goes to Mary and tells her to stop crying and believe. It would almost be a change of roles from today’s story.

As we all hear this story, who are we most like? As we do our best not to be anxious and worried, here is what I know to be true. Without prayer being our focus, all of our hospitality will be lost.   

Twenty – Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time

What gives us anxiety?

Isaiah 5:1-7

Philippians 4:6-9

Matthew 21: 33 – 43

We are continuing our four-week series on being a Disciple of Jesus Christ and what that means for us. In Week One, we identified a person I called “Sammy Spirit.” Sammy Spirit is those people who may be our neighbor, a co-worker, someone in our school, or in the Religious Education Program, and they do not attend the Holy Eucharist each week. In Week Two, we spoke about the basis of being a Disciple of Jesus Christ: knowing that we are loved unconditionally. It is out of this love that we reach out to others to know that same unconditional love. There is no place in the world to experience the unconditional love of God than in Mass. Today, I want to share with you what we all share in common that prevents us from doing what we are called to do as a disciple of Jesus Christ.

What prevents us is fear and anxiety. What gives us anxiety? (Put on screen) In our second reading, St. Paul says, “Brothers and sisters: Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” St. Paul says to give our anxiety over to God in prayer and petition, and to be thankful for whatever is causing us to be anxious. Do we do that? I don’t believe we can ever stop feeling anxious or worried, but we can learn to manage it. At one time, what gave me great anxiety was someone coming up to me and saying, “Father, I have a question for you?” We can all be feeling anxious about inviting someone to Mass. We may be thinking, “What will they think of me? What if I fail? How do I do it?”

What is anxiety? Anxiety is almost never what we need at the present moment. Actually, it is the last thing we may need. (On the screen) Anxiety is almost always the result of an unforeseeable future or an unforgivable past.” We are anxiety-producing machines. Anxiety steals away everything we may need at that moment. We must learn to dismiss the paralyzing thoughts of the future and the paralyzing past and live right now. It is changing the “What ifs” into “What is!”

In our Gospel, we heard the story of a landowner who sends his servant to his vineyard to collect the produce from his vineyard that the tenants have been growing. The tenants beat and stone the servants and kill the landowner’s son. I read this and think the tenants acted out of fear and anxiety that their future was at stake and they were anxious about it.

As a disciple of Jesus Christ with the goal of inviting Sammy Spirit to Mass, we need to be reminded it is not our vineyard. It is God’s vineyard. We have been commissioned to produce much fruit by inviting others. We come to the Holy Eucharist to be a community of people who are producing fruit. We need to be watered and nourished in Word and Sacrament.

Homework: Lord, I surrender my unforeseeable future and unforgiving past to you. I will do what you ask of me because I know it is your vineyard, not mine.  

What Does God say to do?

Friday, Twenty-Sixth week in Ordinary Time

Baruch1: 15-22

Luke 10:13-16

Pick five students to play,” Simon says.”

Do you all know how to play Simon Says? When I say, “Simon Says,” as in “Simon Says, clap your hands,” you must clap your hands.

If I say something that does not begin with “Simon Says,” as in “Clap your hands,” then you must stand still and not follow the command. If you do something and I do not say, “Simon Says,” then you sit down. Play the game a couple of times.

What does “Simon Says” teach us?

It teaches us to listen to who is speaking.

Who are we to listen to?

Teachers, parents, grandparents.

In our first reading, the prophet Baruch recalls how the people of God have not listened to what God had to say to them.

In our Gospel, we hear how the towns of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum have refused to listen to what Jesus had to say.

What does God have to say to us?

We need to stay close to Jesus and listen to him.

We gather in this Eucharist at the end of another school week to listen to God speaking to us in all the ways he speaks to us. May we listen to God and live in his word.