26th Sunday of OT Year C Homily

We are told that upon dying the rich man was taken to a place of torment. He then desired that a message be taken to his five brothers in order that they may be warned of what would await them in the life to come. To this Lazarus replied, “They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.”

In Luke’s Gospel we are told of Herod who had every opportunity to behold the Lord. He thus “was greatly perplexed because some were saying, ‘John has been raised from the dead’; others were saying, ‘Elijah has appeared’; still others ‘One of the ancient prophets has arisen.”

What is true in all these cases is that they were given every opportunity to open their heart to the truth, but they instead kept their heart hardened. According to Pope Francis “a heart becomes hardened (in) becoming closed inside oneself, making a world within oneself.”

The rich man did precisely this. He was caught up within himself and thus despite everything which was taking place around him was not moved to pity. He already came to experience the poverty of people like Lazarus, but he was not moved to pity. He had knowledge of the likes of Moses and the prophets, but he did not come to heed their word.

The rich man was much like Herod and all those who fail to love Christ and to be sent forth to serve Him in their thoughts, words, and deeds. Throughout history the prophets, Moses, Elijah, and John the Baptist have pointed the way towards the coming of Christ. It is He was comes not to abolish the law, but to fulfill it. All truth points its way towards Christ. Let us be moved towards that truth.

The name Lazarus is the Greek form of the Hebrew name, Eleazar. This name means, “God has helped.” This man and those like him come to be saved by God because they have opened their heart to Him and His mercy. Lazarus represents all of us who have come to be helped by God. May we come to open our heart in such a manner thus coming to heed all those who have pointed the way towards the coming of Christ.

In such a manner may we be concerned with Heaven and set out sight upon it. As Saint John Chrysostom had preached, “do not neglect the time of our earthly life, given to us by God’s kindness, for this is the opportunity for our salvation.” The rich man squandered this time while Lazarus took advantage of it.

Let us come to heed this Gospel and to be sent forth from here in order to be concerned with our salvation and that of the whole world. Let us be willing to remove from our midst all that keeps us from carrying out such a reality. For in the end we are called upon to strive to be saints in the Heavenly Kingdom.

15th Sunday After Pentecost Homily

“Young man, I tell you, arise!”

These words should bring hope to each of our hearts. In some way or another all of us have been touched by some kind of death. We might know family members or friends who have now gone before us into life eternal. We have also been touched by the death of sin which has cast down humanity.

There are some who might reflect upon these words and wish that similar words could be spoken when it pertains to those who have now gone before us. Thankfully these words are spoken for all who have come to know death, they have been spoken for us, as well as they are spoken to those who have been touched by the death of sin.

As Saint Augustine comments, “Did not Jesus say to the young man: ‘Young man, I say to thee, Arise.’ Was not this young man restored to his mother? In the same way if he who has committed sin, awakened and treambling at the word of truth, rises again at the word of Christ, he is restored to life. Let him who sees himself lying in this death take means to rise again with speed.” 

As the Catechicsm of the Catholic Church instructs, “Those who die in God’s grace and friendship and are perfectly purified live forever with Christ.”

When Jesus died upon the cross He defeated death for all time and opened the gates to the Kingdom of Heaven which were closed through the original sin caused by Adam and Eve. Let us always latch onto this ultimate reality when we continue to mourn for those who have now gone before us into life eternal and strive for the same reality in how we come to live and order our life on this earth; as saints who are destined for the Kingdom of Heaven.

If we are to strive for such a hope we must realize the important gift that the Church plays for each of us. It is here that we encounter the gift of the sacraments which pour out upon us the gift of God’s grace. In baptism we were restored to life and once passing through these life giving waters we have come to be nourished by the Most Holy Eucharist. It is this gift which continuesly presents us with Christ who commanded this man to arise.

Let us be sent forth from here to place our trust in the healing words of Christ. No matter the struggle that we face He has laid down His life for us in order that we may be healed. Sin holds no power over Christ and His healing mercy let us prevail ourself to it. Let us come to full live in the midst of the Church and all that Christ has handed down to us.

In such manner Christ comes to command, “Young man, I tell you, arise!”

14th Sunday After Pentecost Homily

“You cannot serve God and mammon.”

Mammon is made in reference to money and possessions. We can take money and entrust it to something or we can place our trust in money to the point that we elevate it to being nothing less then another God. There is only one God who manifests Himself in three Divine Persons and thus money nor possessions can ever reach that level. In the end they will always fall way short of such a reality.

Money and possessions are not the problem. Our Gospel is not telling us to get rid of everything that we own in order to embrace a vow of poverty. What is the problem is that point in time when we elevate such things to the level of God. Money and possessions can only assure us of so much in this life. There will never come a point in time when one will have enough money or possessions in order to avoid something like death. Money and possessions have their limitations and can never become an end to themself.

In the Western world we are always being bombarded with images that tell us the opposite. This imagery does not come out and blatantly tell us that God is to be replaced by such objects, but the subtle message is there. There are many who live their life not to give thanks, honor, and praise to God, but to live this life building up a pursuit of worldly luxury. These individuals have replaced God with money and possessions.

Sunday is a day in which we are called upon to assist at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Nevertheless, there are those who do not make the time in order to be here. For them they have other worldly pursuits which seem to be more important. In the carrying out of such pursuits God becomes more and more pushed off to the side as the worldly is elevated to an equal if not something that is greater than God.

Prior to where our Gospel picks up the Lord tell us, “For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.” This should serve as an examination of our own conscience. Where is our treasure? Hopefully all that we do is directed towards God. Hopefully nothing that we do takes the place of Him within this life.

Sin seeps into our life and it erodes this relationship with God which should exist. Through sin we elevate our worldly passions and push God away. Our Epistle documents a list of these realities and warns us, “You shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh: for the flesh lusts against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh; for these are contrary one to another.” This is exactly what is taking place when we elevate our passions in a disordered and unhealthy way.

This day let us place our trust in the mercy of God. Let us desire to deserve Him alone by the way in which we come to live and order our life on this earth. Let us be free because our life is lived for God and His commands.

24th Sunday of OT Year C Homily

“When he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy.”The parable of the lost sheep and coin gives us a glimpse into God’s abundant mercy which is constantly being extended to each of us.

At the heart of each of these parables is an emphasis placed upon seeking out the sinner through diligence and love. The sheep wondered away and out of diligence and love the shepherd went out in search for it. The coin was lost, but out of diligence and love the woman went in search in order to find it.

The image of the sheep and their shepherd is an important image for us to comprehend. Throughout Sacred Scripture sheep are mentioned on many occasions. The sheep was the treasure of the shepherd and thus he would do everything necessary to protect his treasure. The sheep is in need of a protector or it will wonder off and get into trouble. The shepherd would act out of diligence and love to make sure that his sheep would receive this protection which would keep each of them safe.

The Lord also acts out of diligence and love when it pertains to us. He is constantly going out in search for that one who has wondered away in order that He can place him upon His shoulders and bring him back to the flock. Some beat themselves up over past sins that have already been confessed and fail to realize and trust in the love of the shepherd that has already brought them back into the unity of the flock. The Lord knows no bounds when it pertains to going out in search for us.

We must also act out of diligence and love when it pertains to others who have wondered away from the confines of the flock which is the Church. Instead of balancing prudence and charity we can take that route that cuts people off from the healing and reconciliation that ought to take place. As people of faith we cannot be concerned with a percentage of souls, but must be concerned that all souls be saved. That includes those who are most difficult for us to get along with as well as our family and friends. 

Let us further invite Christ the Good Shepherd to enter into our life in order that we may remain protected from all harm that may befall us. Where we have wondered away may we allow ourself to return to His mercy. May we look towards our brother and sister in Christ and always do what we can in order to bring them back to the safety of the flock. Out of diligence and love may we be sent forth from here to share the Gospel message with all those whom we encounter.

“Upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.” Let us be the instruments of this mercy by sharing in His diligence and love.

13th Sunday After Pentecost Homily

We encounter ten lepers in our Gospel who give us a glimpse into the life of faith. Firstly, they are willing to cry out. Next they are willing to walk. Finally only one of the ten returns in order to give thanks.

We are told that the lepers “stood afar off, and lifted up their voice saying: “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.”

So often there are those who are led to believe that they have no way to be liberated from the reality of sin that holds them captive. There is this feeling within us that we are unworthy of what the Lord has done for us. The lepers were excluded from society due to their condition. Nevertheless, they were willing to cry out to the Lord in order that they would be healed. We too must have the faith that is nessessary to cry out to Him despite all that is taking place within our life. There is nothing that can separate us from the love of Christ if only we would place our trust in His healing mercy.

As the lepers “went they were made clean.”

It is here that they came to walk by faith for the leper had to go to the priest in order to be declared clean. This declaration of cleanliness could only be made if the plight of lepersy had passed from them. Those who were inflicted came to the Lord in faith and walked away from Him in faith as they came to approach the priest. We too must enter into their precession for from our encounter with the Lord we are always sent out in order to put our faith into action. In going out we must abandon that which we hold comfortable in order that we may place our trust in the Lord.

There was only one leper out of the ten who showed his humility and thus returned to the Lord “and he fell on his face before His feet, giving thanks.”

Saint Augustine accounts “The nine, swollen with pride, thought they would humiliate themselves by giving thanks, whereas by not doing so they are reproved and rejected from the unity which exists in the number ten, while the only one who returns to give thanks is praised by the Church.”

We like this one must return in order to give thanks. This is something that faith requires of us. We must give thanks for all that God has done for us. Upon the cross Christ laid down His life in order that we may be healed. There is no greater gift then this. In the church we continue to give thanks for all that God has done for us and to remember the gift that is the Eucharist. Spending time in prayer before our Lord is a way for us to give thanks.

Let us be sent forth from here in faith. Let us be willing to cry out in our need. Let us be willing to be sent out from Him in order to walk. Finally let us be willing to return in order to give thanks. This is truly a glimpse into the life of faith.