1st Sunday of Lent Year A Homily

The Church is made up of three realities. First, we have the Church Triumphant which is the angels and saints of Heaven. Secondly, we have the Church Pugative which are those in purgatory who are in need of our prayers. Finally, we have the Church Militant which is the Church here on earth. We are in the midst of spiritual battle and we see this theme played out in our readings. We are told in 1 Peter, “Be sober and vigilant. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”

We are told in Genesis that this serpent is cunning. He caused Adam and Eve to turn away from God as they ate of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. So too this serpent is cunning in his assaults made against us. As we say when we turn towards the intercession of Saint Michael the Archangel, “Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.”

This word “snare” means to trap something. Once seized they are caught at the mercy of their captor. As the Lord came to the desert in order to fast and pray this same cursed serpent came with the hope of leading the Lord astray. In the dialogue between the Lord and the devil; the devil constantly attempted to twist scripture to lead the Lord astray.

We must remember that a title that has been given to the devil is the father of lies. The devil is unable to create for he is not God. All that the devil can do is twist that which has been created by God, so that it no longer follows its God given purpose. At the end of each day of creation we are told, “And it was good.”

It was good for it was created by God Himself. The fruit of the tree was good, but it was twisted to where it no longer met its God given purpose. The devil attempted to make the Lord fall into this same trap through the promises of power. The Lord did not give into these twists of truth, but through His complete understanding of the truths given within Sacred Scripture.

We now join with the Lord in this desert for a period of forty days and nights. We refer to this time as Lent which serves as a time of preparation for the coming of Easter. Throughout this season we pray, fast, and give alms in order that we may grow close to the Lord. It is these practices which assist us in taming our passions in order that they may follow there God given purpose.

In this world we can see the many ways in which the devil has creeped in to lead us astray. He brings promises of fulfillment if only we take that which has been created by God to be good and twist it to the point that it no longer meets its God given purpose. To this reality we see the many things that plague our world if not our own life. 

How is the Lord calling you to enter into this desert of Lent in order that you may draw close to Him? What practices can you put in place during this sacred time to redirect your life towards its proper purpose? May each of us have a fruitful Lenten season in which we come to foster devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary who steps upon this cursed serpent who attempts to lead us astray. As it is said in the Book of Genesis: “I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel.” May she pray for us in order that we may be good and faithful servants of the Lord.

Ash Wednesday Homily

Today we begin the sacred season of Lent through our observance of Ash Wednesday. The sign of ashes that we dare to bare upon our forehead remind us of our death and our need to do penance. Due to the consequences of the Fall we are told, “By the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread, Until you return to the ground, from which you were taken; For you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” With our mortality placed into perspective we should move day by day towards to God. It is sin which creeps into our life and keeps us from entering into union with Him. We now mourn due to this reality because we see the great length that Christ is willing to endure by embracing the cross out of love for us. May this Lenten season be a time of renewal that draws us closer to Christ by ridding ourself of all that gets in the way of entering into relationship with Him. This is what is symbolized by the ashes that will be marked upon your forehead, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” 

Quinquagesima Homily

The Lord states to His apostles, “Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things shall be accomplished which were written by the Prophets concerning the Son of Man.”

Jerusalem is a holy place and a holy city that was chosen by God. It was here that the Temple was located which served as the dwelling place for God among man. Through the course of His earthly life He came to this city on many occasions. For example He came here when He was presented in the Temple.

Earlier in the Gospel of Saint Luke we are told, “When the days for his being taken up were fulfilled, he resolutely determined to go to Jerusalem.” There is a tension that exists between the Lord and those who hear His words. There are those who plea with Him that He does not make this trip to Jerusalem. They were worried that He would be captured and put to death.

It is on Palm Sunday that we observe His joyful entry into Jerusalem. The crowd received Him with great joy as they exclaimed, “Hosanna in the highest.” Soon their shouts of joy would be turned into shouts of condemnation, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” Likewise, we exclaim in the Sanctus, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.“ At the Holy Mass He is welcomed in for He lays down His life for us out of love upon the cross.

As we enter in the Lenten season we must join with Him. We must join with Him in going to Jerusalem. So often we are filled with those many emotions that surrounded the disciples. We are filled with doubt, lack hope, and struggle in faith. Despite these many difficulties we must journey towards the cross that redeems us.

In the Holy Mass we receive everything that we will ever need in order to take up this journey. We receive the gift of the Eucharist in order that we may be strengthened in our life of faith. This food for the journey sustains us in order that we may move forward with God’s help day by day. Let us never look back, but only look forward as we undergo this journey.

Ash Wednesday is this Wednesday. This day serves as the start of the sacred season of Lent. During Lent we have the opportunity to journey with the Lord towards the cross. In doing so we should let go of everything that keeps us from coming to know and serve Him in thought, word, and deed. The end result of Lent should not be being left unchanged, but changed for the Lord.

Let us join with the Lord as He goes up to Jerusalem. It will be here that He will lay down His life for us upon the cross. From this life giving reality we have been redeemed. Now let us join in the Lord’s suffering in order that we may come to rejoice in His Resurrection. Through His cross and Resurrection we have been set free.

7th Sunday of OT Year A Homily

Our Gospel tells us some difficult words to hear, “be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

There will never come a point in time where we will reach the perfection of God. If this were to happen we would become God Himself and that would be impossible. What we are being told is not that we are to become God, but that we are to strive to be more like Him. If we strive to be more like Him we will realize that we will always fall short.

It is only through pride that we think we do not sin and are perfect. Those who live in this state might think they are are “perfect, just as your Heavenly Father is perfect,” but they are far from it. They are far from it because they do not attempt to move towards God each day in this spirit of conversion.

On Wednesday we will enter into the sacred season of Lent. It is the purpose of this season to undergo penance in order that we may be found better prepared to rejoice at the Good News of the Lord’s Resurrection. This is a time of preparation to renew what was begun in us at the moment of our baptism.

Lent assists us in coming to this perfection that God calls us towards. Again we will never become God and will always fall short. Nevertheless, we don’t have to despair because God gives us all that we will need through the gift of His grace to live a good and holy life. Hopefully we are found active in our desire to move towards Him.

Where we have grown slothful in this pursuit, Lent should wake us out of our slumber. If this is to be true for us we need to enter into this season with full awareness of what we are called to undergo. Lent is not a negative time, but is a time of joy, for it helps us to strip away that which is not important in order that we may grow in our love for God.

How will you enter into this most sacred of times? Now is the time to pray concerning those Lenten resolves that you will soon undertake. We should not give up something just because, but in order that we may grow closer to God and let go of any vices that hold us captive. In such manner we will come to more perfectly know God and to more perfectly live His commands.

“Be perfect, just as your Heavenly Father is perfect.” This is a possible statement for us if we choose to make God the prize of our life. Let us let go of every distraction that gets in the way of this reality being made manifest. Truly God calls us to enter more fully into His love that He most perfectly has for each of us.

Sexagesima Sunday Homily

On this Sexagesima Sunday we move ever closer to the Lenten season. None of us should be caught off guard at the approaching of this sacred time. It is the purpose of Lent to prepare us for our encounter with the Risen Lord. It is this encounter which affords us hope and prepares us for Eternal Life.

The sower goes out in order to sow. This seed has the potential to grow and bear good fruit. Nevertheless, there is a lot which can potentially get in the way of this taking effect. As the elements of the earth creep in they cause harm to the potential that this seed holds. Without the elements of life the seed cannot be afforded life.

This is the same with our journey of faith. The pleasures of this earth creep in and pull us away from God who has given us life. We are in need of the element of God’s grace for without it there is no hope that our life will ever flourish. No matter how wonderful our life may seem to be it is nothing if it lacks the gift of God’s grace.

We are a unique soul which was given life by God. Nevertheless, we still feel the effects of the Fall where man chose to rebel against God. Life was instilled within us at the moment of our baptism when we came to be claimed for Christ and His Church on this earth. Despite this gift of life we are still called upon to do something with it. We cannot squander what has been given to us by God.

The Lenten season reminds us of the life giving waters of baptism and prepare us for a renewal of what was begun in us there at our celebration of Easter. The Lord died upon the cross, but on the third day He rose again and we came to be assured of life. Each day we should move towards this life and nurture that which has been given to us by God.

With this in mind let us properly reflect upon this coming season of Lent in order that we may more fruitfully enter into it. We should not just haphazardly wonder into Lent without proper preparation. In choosing to give up something for Lent we should understand how through it we are growing closer to God by letting go of vice and pursuing virtue.

The sower has sowed this seed upon the ground. Let us cooperate with the gift of God’s grace in order that this seed may grow and that life may be afforded to us. In such manner let us rid ourself of all that gets in the way of this reality taking place. We must be sent forth to bring forth this good fruit through our love for God and His Church.