Ascension Homily

Forty days have now passed since our celebration of the Lord’s Resurrection and so we now come to celebrate our Lord’s Ascension into Heaven. Here He was taken up both Body and Soul into Heavenly glory. This celebration gives us reason to reflect upon where it is that we are being directed within this life.

When I prepare couples for marriage I always try to lead them in a series of questions. I want to know where they are going in life. From this question I receive many different answers, but I am looking for one specific answer. I hear we will get a house, we will get a job, we will have children, our children will grow up and move out. It them takes awhile to get to the uncomfortable and thus acknowledge the fact that they will grow old and die. In the end the answer that I am looking for is that we will get to Heaven.

With every God given vocation the goal in sight through our faithful embracing of such a call should be that of Heaven. I now pose this same question to each of you. We is it that you are headed? Are you striving to get to Heaven or instead has the here and now become more important then reaching this goal?

When we look at depictions of art concerning the Ascension of our Lord we often notice the heads of those gathered around being lifted upwards. So too we must lift our sight upwards towards Heaven and realize that this is our goal. In Sacred Scripture we are told about the pearl of great price which is worth selling everything in order to obtain it. Heaven is this pearl of great price and we should strive each day to obtain this goal.

Thankfully, we have not been left alone to accomplish this goal for ourself. It would seem that through the Ascension Christ has left our midst and we are alone to figure all this out. This is not the case because through faith we know that our Lord continues to dwell with us here in the Most Holy Eucharist. We also know that Christ promised that the gift of the Holy Spirit would come and so like a strong driving wind the Holy Spirit came down upon the apostles at Pentecost and left them forth to call all the nations to Christ.

If we are strive for Heaven each day we must place our attention upon Christ. We must prevail ourself to the sacramental life of the church in order that we may allow God’s grace to sustain us in the midst of every temptation and turmoil. We must trust in the gift of the Holy Spirit and allow this same gift to propel us out into the world as true disciples. If we know, understand, and believe our ultimate goal in this life to be that of Heaven we will surrender our sin and despair in order to strive for this Heavenly homeland. Let us raise our sight towards our Lord for He has Ascended into Heaven. May we dare to follow where He leads.

OLOF Men’s Evening of Recollection Sermon IV: Holy Spirit

On June 9th we will come to celebrate the Solemnity of Pentecost. This is a very important celebration in the life of the Church because it places our attention upon the Holy Spirit. For us, the pilgrim people of the Church on earth, we must turn our attention towards the Holy Spirit and allow the Holy Spirit to guide us in all aspects of our life. The Church speaks so much about the New Evangelization, but this can only become a reality if we allow the Holy Spirit to guide our interactions with the world.

In the words of Saint Josemaria Escriva: “The disciples, witnesses of the glory of the risen Christ, were filled with the strength of the Holy Spirit. Their minds and hearts were opened to a new light.” Truly the light of Christ dispels the darkness of sin and death from our midst. From what Christ offers on our behalf this new light always shines forth. Unfortunately, we do not always allow ourself to be guided by the promptings of the Holy Spirit, but instead push them from our midst. 

With this in mind, Saint Josemaria goes on to state: “They had followed Christ and accepted his teachings with faith, but they were not always able to fathom the full meaning of his words. The Spirit of truth, who was to teach them all things, had not yet come. They knew that Jesus alone could give them words of eternal life, and they were ready to follow him and to give their lives for him. But they were weak, and in the time of trial, they fled and left him alone.” From this we can see that the apostles were not yet the Evangelists who went be sent out to evangelize the nations. It was only through their interaction with the Holy Spirit that they were sent forth to proclaim to the nations the Goodness of God.

As Saint Josemaria would state concerning Pentecost: “On Pentecost all that is a thing of the past. The Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of strength, has made them firm, strong, daring. The word of the Apostles resounds forcefully through the streets of Jerusalem.” This is why Pentecost and the gift of the Holy Spirit is so important for us. We must desire to always see the great light which is Christ our Lord, we must desire to bring Christ into the world, and we must realize that we cannot do so under our own power.

It is a necessity that we prepare for the reception of such a gift. Nine days before Pentecost, May 31st, would be the perfect way to do so through starting a Novena to the Holy Spirit. So many head into the world to live their life as they wish, but they don’t all themself to do so under the influence of the Holy Spirit. May we allow the gift of the Holy Spirit to come upon us and to sent us forth into the abundant harvest of the Lord as true witnesses of the Gospel. 

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth. 

O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations, Through Christ Our Lord, Amen.

4th Sunday of Easter Year C Homily

I wish all of our mothers a happy Mother’s Day. We your sons and daughters thank you for your “yes” given to the gift of life. In a special way we pray for those mothers who have now gone before us into life eternal and for those couples who have issues conceiving a child. On this day may each of us turn our sight towards our Blessed Mother and foster proper devotion to her within our homes.

This Sunday is often known as, “Good Shepherd Sunday.” It is fitting that we as a parish community pray for and support vocations to the priesthood. We are currently blessed with Alex Hernandez, who is a seminarian, who will be ordained as a deacon on June 15. Then God willing he will be ordained to the Priesthood of Jesus Christ the High Priest the following summer. One vocation from this parish is good, but we need more men who are willing to hear God’s voice and to respond to it by their life.

Does your home support vocations? Not only to the priesthood or religious life, but also that of Holy Matrimony? The home is the domestic church and it is very important in the formation of children in their practice of faith. If we are to have more priests, more in religious orders, and more who have entered into marriage as seen by the Church we need families who promote the faith from within. Families who pray together, families who frequent the sacraments, families who study their faith, and families who live the faith which they profess.

On May 23rd we will have a great example of the priesthood in the form of the heart of Saint John Vianney. On this day this relic of this great saint of the church will be at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus for veneration. If you don’t know about Saint John Vianney go home and educate yourself on this great saint, teach your children about him, and make a pilgrimage as a family to see and pray before this great saint. Through his intercession may vocations to the priesthood become abundant and may the faithful take it upon themself to return to the Sacrament of Confession for which he was greatly known.

This parish community is blessed with a perpetual adoration chapel and yet when I walk by I usually find it empty. We are in need of adorers who are willing to sacrifice their time to be with Christ. Are we willing to say that despite how busy that I am there is nothing more important then fostering a relationship with Christ? From the silence of prayer springs forth the fruit of a vocation. It is the Lord who leads and hopefully we are willing to follow. It is said that from parishes with perpetual adoration springs forth the fruit of priests. Will we be willing to join together as a parish community to fill these empty hours and to enkindle here a renewal through prayer?

Let all of us desire to hear the voice of Lord and to follow where it calls. As a church we are need of priests. Without priests there cannot be the Anointing of the Sick. Without priests there cannot be the mercy of the Sacrament of Confession. Without priests there cannot be the Eucharist. To the young men of our parish stay open to God’s will. Silence your heart and follow where He leads. Let this parish be one which produces many holy vocations. Not because of some novelty, but instead by people who are so convinced of God’s love that they desire to chase after holiness in their everyday life and to spread that same for Christ with all they encounter.

3rd Sunday of Easter Year C Homily

Obedience is an important virtue which often goes overlooked. For we live in the midst of a world which likes to reject authority and instead we do as we wish whenever we desire to do it. Saint Peter and the apostles beautifully came to state before the Sanhedrin: “We must obey God rather than men.” Truly by growing in the virtue of obedience we do precisely this. As C.S. Lewis said, “Obedience is the key that opens every door.”

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church: “Having become a member of the Church, the person baptized belongs no longer to himself, but to him who died and rose for us. From now on, he is called to be subject to others, to serve them in the communion of the Church, and to ‘obey and submit’ to the Church’s leaders, holding them in respect and affection.”

Here we are told that a Christian is to “obey and submit.” These words require action upon the behalf of the believer. It is not enough for us to be passive in our practice of faith. When Christ encountered His apostles in our Gospel we are given a glimpse into this. They were found fishing and unable to make a catch. It was at Christ’s demand that they threw their net into the sea and made a great catch. In this scenario they were not passive, but active.

So to in our life it requires work to obtain a good. For example if one desires to grow in strength they would need to lift weights. A goal cannot be obtained over night, but instead through the passing of time. At times the lifting of weights may pose to be a burden, it may be strenuous, and it may require a lot of work. Through one’s unrelenting work they obtain the good in which they are in search of.

We must remember that the Church speaks with authority concerning matters of faith and morals. We should submit our own will to that of the Church. Here the objection is normally raised that one needs to follow their conscience. This is true, but what was left out of this statement is the following of one’s well formed conscience. As Christians we must strive to form our conscience to its highest degree. We do this through the study of our faith instead of dismissing something because the teaching is tough.

Just because a teaching of the Church is tough does not mean that it can be dismissed. Again if one wants to obtain strength they must work at it. So too through the moral life we strive for the Kingdom of Heaven which requires that we work hard to obtain this pearl of great price. In modern society we often find those who want nothing to do with the work of salvation. They reason away the need to attend Mass on Sunday and Holy Days of Obligation, they reason away the need to enter into marriage and just live with someone outside of this bond, they attempt remarriage without receiving an annulment, they do not prescribe to the fact that marriage is between a man and a woman, they do not see the issue of contraception, and they despite their serious sin believe that they always have the right to receive Holy Communion without seeking the Mercy of God in the sacrament of confession first. 

Let us properly form our conscience and come to “obey God rather than men.” Through the virtue of obedience we run the race towards Everlasting Life.

St. Peregrine Votive Mass Homily

Today we gather for this Votive Mass of Saint Peregrine. Saint Peregrine is the patron saint of those with cancer and other illnesses.

Therefore, I welcome those gathered here who have been effected by cancer in some way. Those who currently suffer from it, those who are survivors, those who are their family and friends, and those who are their caregivers.

Saint Peregrine finds his road to conversion by an interaction with Saint Philip where he actually hit him with a club. This interaction led to Saint Peregrine’s eventual conversion and joining the Servite Order. While in the monastery he took upon himself harsh penances to atone for his past misdeeds.

One day Saint Peregrine noticed a growth upon his leg. Eventually he agreed to the doctor’s desire to amputate. This taking place some 600 years before anesthesia this surgery could easily be a very grim affair. The night before his surgery Saint Peregrine made his way into the chapter room of the monastery and there he prayed before a fresco of the crucifixion. Here Christ came to touch his foot and to heal him of his ailment.

With Saint Peregrine a great miracle was performed on his behalf. Nevertheless, the important part of his story is the fact that he was a faithful servant of God who placed his unconditional trust in God. We currently find ourself in the season of Easter. Here the disciples of the Lord slowly come to understand and believe in the Resurrection. They who have struggled in the midst of death come to be healed for they encounter this great light spoken of in Saint John’s Gospel.

To those who have been effected by cancer or any other ailment we too must join with the disciples in coming to discover and believe in this great light. Saint Peregrine is a perfect patron because he leads by the example of being a faithful servant and placing one’s unconditional trust in the hands of the Lord. With all serious ailments there is the feeling that we have lost control of life, but we must realize that with Christ and His cross we have gained life. May we, despite all that may lay ahead, in this vale of tears, place our unconditional trust in the hands of the Lord.

Saint Peregrine, pray for us.