5th Sunday of Lent Year B Homily

1st Reading: Jer 31:31-34

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 51:3-4,12-15

2nd Reading: Heb 5:7-9

Gospel: Jn 12:20-33

Oscar Romero was a normal man who had been called called out of the simplicity of his life to become a priest. On the day of his ordination I am sure that he would of thought that years down the road he would no longer be remembered. Never would he have known that he would indeed be enshrined in the minds of many people. We all know the story of Oscar Romero bravely offering the Sacrifice of the Mass on this same day only thirty-two years ago. It was on this day that he showed his great faith towards Jesus Christ by offering the Sacrifice of the Mass when his own life hung in the balance. It was at this Mass that he was at the consecration of the chalice and was shot dead for the faith that he professed. He spent his life being a voice for the poor and was willing to speak out against Church persecution, but through his death he was able to speak out louder then before. This great servant of God truly gives to each of us a glimpse into today's Gospel passage.

In the Gospel of John we are told that "unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit." The story of the life and death of Oscar Romero is similar to the life of Christ. Due to the fact that sinfulness had entered the world; that there was a need for a Savior to come into the world. Christ came in order to die upon the cross and through death was able to rise again and produce fruit inside of this sinful world. Through the death of Oscar Romero good fruit was produced that would forever become enshrined inside the minds of the people of El Salvador. We join today in the desire to die in order to produce good fruit during the remainder of the season of Lent. We only have a few weeks left until we will rise with Christ on Easter morning and will hopefully have much fruit to show to the world.

The season of Lent is our own way to die to ourselves and thus produce much fruit. In this season we have the opportunity to die to self and then to rise again to share our new found strength with the world that surrounds us. Through each of our Lenten sacrifices we have made the resolution that we all need to grow closer to Christ. When we desire something that we have given up we should remind ourselves that we have done so to get something more out of the Lenten season. When we long for something that we have given up we should remind ourselves of our own sinfulness and should then desire to grow closer to God through holiness. Each time that we make these steps in our journey of faith we partake in the life of Oscar Romero who was willing to do so on behalf of the faith. Through living out our lives in this manner we begin to follow after Christ and present our fruit to the world. When we are finally able to do this we will be made clean and will inspire others to follow the path that we have walked.

Today's readings from Jeremiah and Hebrews both speak about the importance of the Lord's pact with each of us. Christ died upon the cross, so that we may be freed from the burden of original sin and finally be given a hope to join with Him one day in the Kingdom of Heaven. It is from the cross that Christ looks down upon us today and asks us to continue to journey closer to Him at all times. This is the same voice that was heard by all the saints of Heaven and by Oscar Romero as he did all things for the greater glory of God. If we are willing to offer all that we have to our Lord we will be able to bear fruit that will shine above all things. Next Sunday we will meet the reality of the cross face to face as the passion is read to us. When we hear the account of the Lord's suffering and death may we hear the voice of Christ that cries out to us and desires to enter into a deeper relationship with each of us.

As we depart from this Mass today may we continue to put to death all of our actions which separate us from Christ and His love for us. With these dispositions put to death we will finally be able to follow after Christ in a deeper way. When we are inside of this relationship we will begin to give life to many blessings. These blessings will bring joy to our lives and will allow the world to be inspired from that good that we do. Oscar Romero was able to join inside of this relationship through his life and death. Because of his life and death we remember him and the world was definitely changed for the better. May we allow Oscar Romero to inspire each of us to draw closer to Christ.

When we begin to enter into this relationship we cry out to God as the Psalmist: "Create in me a clean heart, O God."

4th Sunday of Lent Year B Homily

1st Reading: 2 Cor 36:14-16,19-23

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 137:1-6

2nd Reading: Eph 2:4-10

Gospel: Jn 3:14-21

Hopefully we see Lent as leading us towards something instead of getting stuck inside of the season without any way to move forward from here. I think the tension between two cartoon characters, the Roadrunner and Wil E. Coyote, displays the fact that sometimes we get stuck and thus decide to never move forward in our lives. Wil E. Coyote found himself to be a great visionary who thought his clever plans would one day catch the Roadrunner. Despite his great ideas everything always backfired and the Roadrunner was always able to get away. I remember one cartoon where Wil E. Coyote's plan was to paint a tunnel on a rock where he hoped that the Roadrunner would smack into the side of it and thus finally be caught. Well of course that plan backfired and the Roadrunner ran right through that tunnel and Wil E. Coyote could not believe it. He therefore traced the Roadrunner's steps and smashed into the wall. Through this scheme he was unable to look forward, but was stuck in the moment. The Roadrunner on the other hand was able to look forward and thus he was able to journey through the wall.

We have all set aside our own sacrifices during the season of Lent. Soda, candy, alcohol, and other favorite items have been set aside, but for what? Now that we find ourselves four weeks into the Lenten season where have we set our gaze? Do we suffer without the items only because of this being what is asked of us during Lent or do we have our eyes set upon something greater? Lent may seem to be a long season that has only been placed upon the calendar to bring us much pain and sorrow as we are forced to not eat meat on Fridays and to give up something that we cherish. If this is our attitude we can definitely see how it is possible to smack into the side of a wall and never be able to move forward. The season of Lent may call us to almsgiving, fasting, and prayer, but I assure you that these three practices are rooted in drawing us closer to God's great love for each of us.

Our Gospel tells us about the light of Christ that we are all invited to enter into. The light of Christ should be the place that we root each and every one of our Lenten practices. Through enduring these various Lenten practices we should be leaving the darkness of our everyday life behind and should be drawing closer and closer to the light that is Christ's love for us. In order for us to become receptive to this great light we must do so through putting our disordered passions to rest. When we give money to the poor or go without a favorite food we should be growing in a virtue that will place us on this trajectory with the light of Christ. It is when we stay idle that we run into a wall that cannot budge, but it is with the light of Christ that we will be able to move about freely. When we link our practices up with this great light we will finally be able to penetrate the wall that surrounds us and will be ready to celebrate with Christ Resurrected on Easter Sunday.

In Saint Paul's letter to the Ephesians we are reminded that we were once dead through sin, but have now been brought back to life thanks to Christ Jesus. This image reminds us of our ultimate destiny during the season of Lent. It should be our goal during this season to join with Saint Paul and begin to leave our old self behind, so that we may draw closer to Christ. Each time that we desire to take a bite of our favorite food, we should resist the urge and offer it up, so that we can grow closer to Christ. Christ had to endure suffering greater then we can ever know and through these little penances we are able to join with Him on the Cross. Without the cross we would never be able to move on to the season of Easter. The cross is the instrument which connects us with the Season of Easter. Therefore it is the cross that will aid each of us in finding our way in this journey of faith and will help to point us towards the new hope that comes with Christ Resurrected.

Cyrus the King of Persia had it correct when he stated in the Second Letter to the Corinthians: "he has (been) charged to build him a house" where "among you belongs to any part of his people, let him go up, and may his God be with him." Finally out of the strife of the world where people fell into sin and the faith was persecuted rose up the possibility for all people to allow Christ to make a home within their hearts and thus be given the ability to bring him to all people who they encounter. Through our Lenten observances we are preparing our homes to be transformed. If we truly believe that it is possible for Christ to come to dwell with us we will prepare now for his arrival instead a waiting for a day that may never come. As Christians we must look forward to this transformation that will take place if we can allow all of our Lenten sacrifices to be directed towards Christ.

As we enter into the fourth week of Lent we glance down and see that we still have three weeks remaining inside of this season. May each of us no longer be okay with sitting idle as the season passes us by. We may be busy and their might be a lot that is going on inside of our lives, but we must take the time that is necessary to allow ourselves to grow towards Christ. The remainder of this Lenten season is the perfect time to do this and the Church has definitely supplied all the tools that we will need to do so. Therefore my brothers and sisters in Christ may we take time out of this day to evaluate how the season of Lent is going for us and ask ourselves where we are currently directed if anywhere. If we find that we have been wondering about lost may we use the remainder of this time to orient ourselves towards drawing closer to Christ.

No matter what sorrow or joy that we bring to this Church today may we never forget you O Lord!

Pontifical College Josephinum Pictures

I spent this past weekend visiting a friend at the Pontifical College Josephinum which is in Columbus, Ohio. I have attached two pictures of the campus along with a picture that was taken at a side trip to the Field of Corn in Dublin, Ohio.

Father Augustine Tolton

Yesterday we had a conference concerning the first black priest of the United States of America. We were told some of his history and were also informed that there were hopes that he would one day be proclaimed a saint of the Church. In this short article I hope to make you aware of Father Tolton and the Archdiocese of Chicago's hope to have him canonized a saint of the Church.

Father Tolton was born April 1, 1854 to slaves. His father ended up fighting for the north during the civil war in hope that one day his children may know freedom. Father Tolton's father was killed during the civil war and his mother fled north with her children in hope of bringing new life to her children. Father Tolton eventually was allowed to enter Catholic school, but was eventually kicked out due to much unrest from white Catholics. He was eventually allowed to enter another Catholic school and the pastor of the parish was willing to stand up to all who wanted him cast out of the school due to the color of his skin. While in attendance at this school he learned his Latin prayers and begun to serve Mass daily at the parish.

Father Tolton felt called by God to serve the Catholic Church as a priest, but his quest to find a seminary became very difficult. American seminaries were unwilling to take this man because they were not ready to face the problems that would ensue if they had a black student. Eventually Tolton was accepted to study in Rome and was eventually ordained a priest in 1886. Father Tolton figured he would be sent to Africa to become a missionary, but his bishop instead wanted his to return to the United States.

As a priest he was successful in starting a black parish in Quincy, Illinois. Eventually white people began to attend his parish due to his sermons and spirituality. This caused much uproar with the white clergy who became upset over his success. Eventually he left Quincy to move to Chicago in order to start an all black parish. This endeavor proved to be successful and many came to hear him preach and offer the sacrifice of the Mass. Chicago was going through a heat wave in 1897 and on July 9th he died from a heatstroke following a priest retreat.

On March 2, 2010 Cardinal George of Chicago announced that an investigation of the life of Father Augustine Tolton would pursue. On February 24, 2011 the Roman Catholic Church begun the formal introduction of his cause for sainthood. He is currently known as servant of God.

For more information concerning Father Augustin Tolton go to www.toltoncanonization.org. You can also read Caroline Hemesath's book "From Slave to Priest: A Biography of the Reverend Augustine Tolton the First Black Priest" which is available for both Kindle and Nook. I am currently reading this book and must say that it is very informative, well written, and worth the read.

Prayer for the Intecession of Father Augustine Tolton

O God we give you thanks for your servant and priest, Father Augustus Tolton, who labored among us in times of contradiction, times that were both beautiful and paradoxical. His ministry helped lay the foundation for a truly Catholic gathering in faith in our time. We stand in the shadow of his ministry. May his life continue to inspire us and imbue us with that confidence and hope that will forge a new evangelization for the Church we love.

Father in Heaven, Father Tolton's suffering service sheds light upon our sorrows; we see them through the prism of your Son's passion and death. If it be your will, O God, glorify your servant, Father Tolton, by granting he favor I now request through his intercession (mention your request) so that all may know the goodness of this priest whose memory looms large in the Church he loved.

Complete what you have begun in us that we might work for the fulfillment of your Kimgdom. Not to us the glory, but glory to you O God, through Jesus Christ, your Son, and our Lord, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, you are our God, living amd reigning forever and ever.

Amen.