Pentecost Homily

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Pentecost.

From the Book of Acts we are told that the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles “like a strong driving wind.” This calls to mind the necessity for movement in our practice of faith. We cannot just sit around and be stagnant.

When a body of water does not receive movement it becomes stagnant. Over time it can take on a smell, look like sludge, and be harmful for consumption. The answer to this issue is the movement of water in order that it can remain fresh. The Holy Spirit comes upon the church as an active force that stirs us up in order that we may be authentic disciples. The Church cannot be a stagnant entity, but an active force.

The apostles were given a great task in the form of the Great Commission, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” There is nothing that is stagnant about this command. We are called upon to make disciples of all nations, but the task of evangelization is something that is awkward and intimidating to many.

The apostles were gathered in prayer when they received this gift of the Holy Spirit. After receiving such a gift they remained human with all the struggles that come with it. Nevertheless, they received the fruits and gifts of the Holy Spirit which would send them out into the world to live the faith and to draw others towards it. Currently the world has 2.6 billion Christians, 1.3 billion of which are Catholic, while at the time of the apostles this was not the case.

In our age we should not live in a state of doom and gloom concerning what the future may hold. The faith that we profess is something which is authentic and thus it will continue to grow. From a small group of believers sprung forth a movement of faith which would grow around the world. Likewise, we must entrust ourself to this same outpouring of the Holy Spirit that the apostles received.

Through our interaction with the Holy Spirit we receive the fruits and gifts which are necessary to live out our faith. Let us, therefore, embrace the Holy Spirit and thus the gifts with open hearts and minds. Let us cultivate a deep relationship with the Spirit through prayer, the sacraments, and a life of holiness. And as we do so, let us remember that the purpose of the Holy Spirit's empowerment is not just for our personal edification, but for the salvation of souls and the transformation of the whole world.

Send forth your Spirit, O Lord, and you shall renew the face of the earth.

Ascension Homily

Today we celebrate the External Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord.

It is this solemnity which calls to mind the Lord’s final moments upon this earth. Throughout the course of His earthly life so much had taken place. He was born in Bethlehem. He came to be worshiped by angels, shepherds, and wise men. He was presented in the Temple at three years of age. He entered into the waters of baptism in the Jordan. He entered into His public ministry where He taught and worked miracles. The events of His Passion unfolded and He broke bread with His disciples, was crucified, died, and was buried. Despite this sorrow true joy came to give rise for He rose on the third day. Following the Resurrection He appeared to His disciples and gave them hope.

The Lord is now taken up to Heaven Body and Soul. From this glimpse the apostles elevated their sight and came to believe and profess in this same reality. Likewise, each of us must come to elevate our sight upwards towards the Lord. We must dare to go where He has now gone before, Heaven. There is no greater glimpse then this for this is the pearl of great price that we are told of in Sacred Scripture, for “the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.”

Throughout the course of our own life we experience so many joys and sorrows. There are the temptations that attempt to lead us away from God and towards the lie of earthly pleasures. We are busy with this and that for there is always something more for us to do in this life. The answer to all of these burdens is the ultimate joy of Heaven. If only we would set our sight here and realize that there is nothing greater that we can look upon or behold then this. As we are told by Saint Paul in his Letter to the Colossians, “If you have risen with Christ, set your hearts on the things that are above where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God; seek the things that are above, not the things that are on earth.“

Let us enter fully into this celebration of the Lord’s Ascension in order that we may set our heart upon what is above. Jesus has not simply gone away, but continues to remain close to us. As He stated to His apostles, “I speak the truth to you: it is expedient for you that I depart. For if I do not go the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.” This Advocate for which we await is the Holy Spirit who comes upon the Church as a strong diving wind at Pentecost. Let us prepare for this gift of the Holy Spirit for this gift guides us in all truth and assists us in our daily pursuit of the Kingdom of Heaven.

The Lord’s Ascension is a glimpse into true joy. This is a glimpse towards Heaven which is the ultimate joy of this life. Do we dare to go where the Lord has now gone before or would we rather continue to toil in the here and now without hope? In all things let us raise our sight towards Christ for He is the hope of our life and His Kingdom is true joy.

Graduation Homily

Today we rejoice at the accomplishment of our eighth grade students on their graduation from our parish school. Some of you from the start of your education, others who came along the way, and even one of you all the way from Poland. As you leave this school behind and move into high school it is my hope that you will remember all that has been handed onto you in this place through the clergy, your teachers, your parents, and all who have been invested in your education.

From the Gospel of Saint John we are told to have joy and to rejoice. In the midst of hardship comes this joy. This is reflected in the accomplishment that you receive today, but is also reflective in the faith that we celebrate. Christ has died, but has Risen. Let us always rejoice and remember all that God has done for us.

My prayers are with each of you as you leave this school behind. In the midst of your own struggles and disappointments let Christ be your refuge. If you place your trust in Him there will always be reason to rejoice. Let us have joy this day for our trust is in the Lord for He is our hope in the midst of all that we do.

5th Sunday After Easter Homily

“Be ye…not hearers only.”

In Mass we hear Sacred Scripture. At home we should study and pray with Sacred Scripture. We should know the Catechism. We should read and study the lives of the saints. We should commit ourself to a life of prayer.

All these are good, but we must commit them to heart and make them a way of life.

“Be ye doers of the word and not hearers only.”

Our life must be a reflection of these things of God. The faith does not call us to a mere motion where we sit, are instructed, and do nothing with it. As the Catechism instructs, “at every time and in every place, God draws close to each human person…In His Son and through Him, He invites people to become, in the Holy Spirit, His adopted children and thus heirs of His blessed life.”

Here would should see the invitation that has been extended to us by God. This invitation draws us into relationship with Him. Through relationship we are sent forth as His disciples into the world. We are sent to authentically live out the faith in the midst of a world which is filled with many struggles. Everything that we do should be done as a extension of Christ and all that He has given to us in this life.

There are many who call themselves Christian who outwardly live something contrary to what they have received from Christ. Christ calls each of us away from sin and into a relationship with His mercy. We must be willing to go out and live this mercy in the midst of a world that longs for it. Christ is truly the answer to all of the longings of our heart if only we would allow Him to be so for us.

This world is busy and filled with noise which causes us to be unable to hearers let alone doers of the word. We must be willing to spend time with Christ in prayer, so that He can cultivate our lives. For this reason the family must be a source of prayer. Within homes prayer and the study of faith is not at option among options, but is something which is life giving.

Let us be willing to enter more fully into this life giving relationship with Christ. Let us not only attentively hear the word, but be found willing to respond to the word. “Be ye doers of the word and not hearers only.”

6th Sunday of Easter Year A Homily

On May 28th we will celebrate the Solemnity of Pentecost. It is through this celebration that we commemorate the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles. As we were told in our Gospel, “He will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth.”

Following the Resurrection and Ascension of the Lord we see the importance of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Church. It was the Holy Spirit that sent the apostles forth to evangelize throughout the world. We see documented for us in Sacred Scripture many conversions which were made in the Lord’s Name. Today we were told from the Book of Acts that people were baptized and “then they laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.”

I believe that the sacrament of confirmation is one of the most misunderstood sacraments of the Church. So often the definition for confirmation that is given, even among catechists, is far different from the reality. Confirmation is not an adult acceptance of the Catholic faith. We became Catholic at our baptism and that can never be taken away if we choose to practice our faith or not. To put it simply, confirmation is to receive the gift of the Holy Spirt. 

One is only baptized once, one is only ordained once, and one only receives the sacrament of confirmation once. Despite this we continue to receive the outpouring of God’s grace beyond the day we received the sacrament. If a child is confirmed as an infant, in second grade, fifth grade, in high school, or even older the grace received remains the same. This is also true with the other sacraments of the Church that we prevail ourself to. In the end it is about what God is doing for us through the sacrament.

Through the reception of confirmation one is sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit and is strengthened for service to the Body of Christ. To be confirmed sends one forth as a solider of Christ in order that we may do God’s will in the daily struggle against sin. In confirmation we receive the fruits and gifts of the Holy Spirit. It is these gifts which assist us in the daily living out of our faith.

As we prepare for the coming of Pentecost let us rejoice with the Holy Spirit always. May the Holy Spirit continue to come upon us in order to sanctify our heart. May we rejoice in the sacrament of Confirmation that we have been given and allow those sacramental graces to continue to be found at work in our daily life. It was these graces that came upon the apostles and sent them forth to bring Christ to the world.

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

4th Sunday After Easter Homily

In close to two weeks we will celebrate the Solemnity of the Lord’s Ascension into Heaven and in three weeks we will celebrate the Solemnity of Pentecost. The Lord instructs us in our Gospel that “it is expedient to you that I go: for if I go not, the Paraclete will not come to you.” This going is made in reference to His Ascension and the Paraclete coming upon us is made in reference to Pentecost.

Of this Paraclete we are told that “when He is come, He will convince the world of sin, and of justice and of judgement.” Therefore, it is the Holy Spirit which comes upon us in order that our heart may be sanctified. Through this gift we can see the error of our sin and the beauty of God. It is the Holy Spirit which sustains in our practice of faith and sends us forth to live our life for Christ.

In our Epistle we are told that “casting away all uncleanness and abundance of malice, with meekness receive the ingrafted word, which is able to save your souls.” The Holy Spirit does not lead us towards error, but leads us towards the truth of the Gospel. It is this truth which brings salvation to our soul. Do we desire to prevail our life to such a truth or would we rather turn away from such a reality?

As people of faith we must set our sight upon God and the fullness of faith that dwells therein. In this world there are many distractions that people give into which lead them away from such truth. Some of these practices are not blaring insults to God and the faith, but comes to us in subtle ways thus leading souls away from God. The fullness of truth is not found in this nor that, but in Christ. The Holy Spirit never leads away from Him, but towards Him.

In all things let us desire to be led towards Christ. If our commitments in this life are not compatible with Him we must remove them from our midst. Therefore, the magisterium must lead us towards truth. Therefore our catechists must lead us towards truth. Therefore parents must lead their children into an encounter with truth. Therefore each of us are to be sent forth as true witnesses of the truth for the whole world.

Through doing God’s will we manifest His Kingdom here on earth. When we orient our sight to where He has now gone before as we day by day do His will on this earth. It is this manner which transforms our life, our family, our society to be a reflection of such a truth.

As we prepare for these most sacred of days which lie ahead let us do so with full intention of heart. The Lord will be taken up to Heaven and we must strive to go where He has now gone before. The Holy Spirit will soon come upon us and from this interaction we are to be sent out as true disciples of the Lord. May the Holy Spirit come upon us and sanctify heart in order that we may always do the will of God.