9th After Pentecost Homily

The Lord enters into the city of Jerusalem and He wept over it saying, “Would that even today you knew the things that make for peace! But now they are hid from your eyes.”

Here the Lord is weeping over the blindness of the people. That which has been hid from their eyes means that they are unable to see. As we are told in 2 Corinthians, “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”

This blindness is brought about because they are found to be rebellious against the truths of faith especially what He has come to fulfill. The Lord enters into this city of Jerusalem in order to bring peace and yet their hearts are found far from being receptive of such a gift. As the prophet Isaiah says of the Lord, that He has come to “proclaim peace, who brings good tidings, who proclaims salvation.”

The Lord enters into the Temple and here He dispels from its midst those who misuse the Temple. In this space they sold animals for sacrifice which were too costly and did not meet the requirement. Their heart was turned inward on self and in everything that they did they kept their eyes closed to God. So too the Lord desires to bring peace to our heart, but so often we allow ourself to remain closed to the gift that He desires to bring. We must dispel from our midst all that keeps us far from Him and thus leaves our sight closed off to Him.

In our Epistle we are instructed on the ways in which we choose to be caught up in temptation. As we give into temptation we move away from the Lord and allow our eyes to remain closed to the truths of faith. Entering into such passions do not bring peace to our heart for we have instead chosen to turn away from God. God alone stirs our heart into proper disposition that brings the peace for which we search into our life.

Our eyes must remain open to Him. Where they have been closed by sin we must chose to journey back to Him and His mercy. We do this through a repentant heart that calls out to His mercy. We do this when we return to the sacrament of confession and receive the forgiveness of sins. As we encounter the mercy of the Father sight is restored to our eyes for we have chosen to walk with His grace and allow His peace to enter into our life.

Let us not use the time that has been set before us to move away from God and His grace. We must not be rebellious against the truths of faith, but allow the Lord to bring peace into our life. This peace can only come if we choose to allow our eyes to be opened in order that they may see. When we look upon the Lord Jesus we see the light of the Gospel that changes hearts. Let us look upon Him in faith that we may we always strive to follow after Him in thought, word, and deed.

17th Sunday of OT Year A Homily

Another name given to the Ten Commandments is the Decalogue which literally means, “ten words.” There were commandments that were written by Moses, but these Ten Commandments were written by God. Beginning with the Old Testament reference is made to these commands, but through the New Testament these commands come to be fulfilled through Jesus. These commands serve as a path of life where we are not enslaved, but liberated. Through these “ten words” we are freed from the slavery of sin.

Through these Commandments we are invited to enter into relationship with God. We call this relationship a covenant. It was on the mountain of Horeb that God gave Moses the Ten Commandments and entered into this covenant with us. Here God spoke, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.” Through this covenant we have been freed from the slavery of sin just like the Israelites were freed from their slavery in Egypt.

Today’s response for our Responsorial Psalm proclaims, “Lord, I love your commands.” Through Psalm 119 we express how precious these commands are for they allow us to live. This can only be the case if we understand that these commands are life giving because through them we have come to be freed from the slavery of sin. This is precisely what took place for us at our baptism when we came to claimed for Christ.

So often people see these commands to restrict their freedoms. We live in a world that does not like to be told what to do. These commandments are not restrictions, but point the way towards freedom. They serve as a sign which leads the way to happiness. We can only be happy when we live out our authentic nature and enter into the love and freedom that has been pointed to through them. In this manner we too are able to proclaim, “Lord, I love your commands.”

We must remember that these commands orient us towards the treasure of Heaven. When we know this to be the treasure for which our heart longs we must desire to obtain it. As we are told of the rich young man in Saint Matthew’s Gospel:

“Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?” He answered him, “Why do you ask me about the good? There is only One who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.”

Therefore, my brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus let us desire to be freed. Through these commands we are reminded of our freedom and enter into freedom itself. Through these commands we come to live for eternal life. Eternal life is the treasure that we ought to do everything in order to obtain.

“Lord, I love your commands.”

8th Sunday After Pentecost Homily

Through this parable of the unjust steward the Lord is giving us a lesson on what is important for us to be a just steward. The unjust steward looked upon all that was entrusted to his care for his own enjoyment. In order to be a just steward we must be righteous and realize that everything that we have received is a gift that comes to us from God.

If we would continue reading where our Gospel had left off we would hear: “The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones.”

If we consider the small matters that have been entrusted to our care such as earthly wealth we should realize that they are nothing compared to great ones which is our heavenly reward. This is the greatest riches that we receive and yet we so often get caught up in the small matters that rip us away from entering more fully into this reality.

Therefore we are called to be generous with all that has been entrusted to our care. Generosity is a virtue that overcomes the vice of greed. As we are told from the Gospel of Saint Matthew: “You received without pay, give without pay.” It is through generosity that we give of ourselves out of love. We see this love extended to us from God who out of love created each and every single one of us in His image. This love is also exhibited to us from the cross where laid down His life for us.

As was stated by Saint Gregory Nazianezen, “Give something, however small, to the one in need. For it is not small to one who has nothing. Neither is it small to God, if we have given what we could.”

If we are consumed with greed we will find ourself to be like the unjust steward who was caught up in his own needs. He was unable to look upon another and their needs and act out of generosity. He instead did everything in order to serve himself. He lived for himself and not for others. In our greed we follow similar suit and become truly impoverished through our greed for it is generosity that enriches us.

We must be willing to be a just steward in all that we do. God has entrusted so much to our care and we cannot squander that which has been entrusted to us. Out of generosity we must take what we have received and extend it unto others in a spirit of charity. Through greed we become impoverished while through our generosity we receive a great reward because we do not allow this life to consume us to the point that we are no longer grounded in God’s love.

My brothers and sisters in Christ let us realize that we are called to live as such servants in all that has been entrusted to us by God. We are called upon to not be our own servants, but servants of the Lord. Servants who are willing to serve Him in all things including our charity shown to one another. Let us be a good steward with all that has been entrusted to our care.

16th Sunday of OT Year A Homily

Our parish has beautiful grounds that are kept that way through the good stewardship of many volunteers who give of their time and talent. Through their efforts our plants are watered and the weeds are removed. Without such efforts our parish property would begin to look unkept for they would not receive the attention that they deserve. Weeds always find a way of coming in and thus they are removed.

In this parable we are told about weeds and wheat. In is important to note that the weed that is being spoken of is called “darnel.” This weed looks just like wheat when it is young, but is poisonous to human consumption. By the time you can tell the weed from the wheat the roots would be entwined and thus to pull them up would bring the wheat with it. Therefore, the weed and the wheat are allowed to grow together until harvest where they are properly sorted.

This parable serves as a lesson on judgement and salvation. In this world we are surrounded by those who live the faith and those who do everything in their power in order to destroy it. The Lord is merciful and if we have wondered away from Him there is time for repentance. Repentance is something that is true for through it we open our heart unto God and begin to live for Him. Upon death we will be judged and those who did not die in the state of sanctifying grace will be cast out.

Through our life we must surround ourself with good and holy things. That which we allow to entwine ourself to in this life effects our relationship with God. If what we put into our mind is garbage, so too will our life begin to stray. Surround yourselves with God. Have holy images in your home, make time for prayer, pursue knowledge of faith through study, and in all things that you do allow your life to be oriented towards God.

In the end we must realize that God is that one for whom our heart longs. If we latch onto Him and build up a relationship with Him our life will take on meaning. We will be perfected in the gift of His grace and will become that wheat which was spoken of in our Gospel.

Therefore, seek out the sacrament of Confession in order that the weeds of your life may go away leaving behind the wheat. It is this wheat that we must protect by choosing to live our life for God and His commands. Let us pray for one another that we may not be led astray by the ways of the world, but choose to always follow after Christ and the Church that He established on this earth.

We must take on the patience of the gardener who works day by day to grow the crop. With patience we work day by day in opening up our heart to God and the gift of His grace.

6th Sunday After Pentecost Homily

The Eucharist should be central to our life of faith. As we are told from the Second Vatican Council, the Eucharist is “the source and summit of the Christian life.”

In the modern age we have the opportunity to receive the Eucharist on many occasions. There is nothing wrong with this, but we cannot allow ourself to take this gift for granted. As the Catechism instructs, “The Sacrament of the Eucharist is called Holy Communion because by this sacrament we unite ourselves to Christ who makes us sharers in His Body and Blood to form a single body. We enter into communion with Him, one bread, one body one in Christ.”

From these words we should see the importance that the Eucharist plays within our life. Through the Eucharist we enter into communion with Christ, not as a symbol. We make this petition when we pray the Our Father, “give us this day our daily bread.” A more perfect translation would state, “supernatural bread” which made to the gift of the Eucharist.

In our Gospel Christ looked upon His disciples and saw them to be in need. He provided not only for their physical hunger by feeding their body, but also provided for their spiritual hunger by feeding their soul through this foreshadowing of the Eucharist. In the end this gift was so abundant that we are told that there were seven baskets of bread left over.

So too when we consider the Eucharist should we think of the many graces which most perfectly flow to us. Through these graces we receive an increase of sanctifying grace, we are aided in times of temptation, we receive an increase of the theological virtues, we grow in holiness, and we are prepared for the glory of the resurrection on the Last Day.

We should always be found thankful for this gift because there is nothing which is mundane when it pertains to the Most Holy Eucharist. Saint Thomas Aquinas realized this and expressed this through his many prayers to the Eucharist. He wrote prayers which reminded people to pray prior to Mass in preparation for this gift that they would receive as well as prayers for after Mass made in thanksgiving for what we have received.

There are some who receive our Lord in Holy Communion and habitually come late and others who leave right after receiving Holy Communion as if the rest of Mass holds no importance. If we come late we miss the introductory rites of the Mass and the readings and if we leave early we miss the blessing of Christ who sends us forth from His midst to live the faith in the midst of this world.

Let our heart always dwell with Christ and His presence among us. Throughout our day let us make visits to the Blessed Sacrament. Some may be able to do this by frequenting our adoration chapel while others can simply allow their mind to be taken to Christ presence for a moment of prayer. As Christ provided for the needs of the multitude, so to does He continue to provide for our needs. Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.

14th Sunday of OT Year A Homily

Struggles are present within our life. There is always a burden for us to carry and for some this burden is more apparent then with others. This may be the burden of health, marital issues, job security, addictions, and other burdens that are thrown at us on a constant basis. In the midst of all these burdens the devil wants us to believe that we are all alone, but this is not the case.

We must remember that Christ is in our midst. It is He who came to the apostles in order to calm the many storms that were rising up around them while they were on the sea. As we were instructed in our Gospel, “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

This imagery brings us to the oxen who set out in order to plow fields. It is the yoke which sits around their neck in order that the burden of their work may be made light. This yoke joins them together with another in order that they may work together as a team. Without this yoke this burden would lay down upon them and make their work difficult. It is Christ who desires that we turn towards Him in faith in order that He may take all these burdens upon Him.

When we look to the cross we see Him take this yoke upon Himself. It was here that He emptied Himself out for us out of love. He took upon Himself that weight of the sins of the world and did so lovingly in order that we may be redeemed. As we are told in Sacred Scripture, “Take up your cross and follow after me.”

Whenever we take up the cross we join ourself to Christ. We remember that we are present with Him and that He assists us in all that we do. Wherever the storm is present in our life it is He who calms it if only we believe. This yoke is well fitting because it has been given to us by Christ, is found to be perfect, and assists us in our journey towards Everlasting Life.

In the days of old the yoke was made by a skilled carpenter in order that it would perfectly fit the oxen that would use it. This allowed their work to be efficient because it would not waste their strength and made it less likely that they would be injured. If an inexperienced carpenter made the yoke it would not work as efficiently.

This image is important because it is made in reference to the cross. The cross becomes easy and light when we compare it to the burdens of this world which we so often worry ourselves about. Let us place our trust in Christ and His cross that has set us free from sin and death. In doing so we are sent forth as disciple of the Lord who place their trust in Him and His cross which has brought about our redemption. Despite all the burdens of our life, it is Christ and His cross that sets us free.

5th Sunday After Pentecost Homily

 Reconciliation is an important aspect of the Christian life.

In this world we see a lot of division. There is division that exists between nations, different groups, and even at times within the church. This division brings about violence and hatred that causes us to forget that we have been created in the image and likeness of God.

Division is brought about through sin. Whenever we sin we distance ourself from God and that love that exists perfectly for us. Through sin division is brought about in ourself and our relations with one another. If we are to return to God and His mercy we must heal the disunity that has been brought about due to sin.

We are reminded of this in our Gospel where we were told, “If therefore thou offer they gift at the altar, and there thou remember that thy brother hath anything against thee, leave there thy offering before the altar, and go first to be reconciled to thy brother; and then coming thou shalt offer thy gift.”

We must desire to mend divisions especially those which have been caused by us. Through healing these divisions we come to bring about unity. Reconciliation is not a dream which cannot be achieved, but is something that we should desire and work at. Reconciliation brings about a transformation in the midst of a world that has been touched by so much division.

From the cross we can see the perfect reconciliation which has been made for this divided world. Upon the cross the Lord laid down His life for us out of love and healing took place against the division brought about by sin. As we pursue a life of reconciliation we must remember to look towards the cross and to grow in our love for what was brought about there.

As Saint Paul stated, “Be reconciled to God.” In the Church we have the opportunity to seek out such reconciliation through the sacrament of confession. Here we enter a sinner who has caused division in the midst of sin and are embraced by the Love of the Father in His mercy. As the priest says in the words of absolution, “God the Father of mercies through the death and resurrection of His Son has reconciled the world to Himself for forgiveness of sins.”

With this we must mediate on the ways in which we have caused division and need to seek out reconciliation. When we have transgressed against another let us be willing to seek out the reconciliation that is necessary to heal the wound of division that we have caused. In such a manner we go to be reconciled to the Father and His mercy which endures forever. 

13th Sunday of OT Year A Homily

From the Rule of Saint Benedict we are told, “All guests who present themselves are to be welcomed as Christ.” These words are important for they express the importance of hospitality. As the Gospel of Saint Matthew states, “I was a stranger and you welcomed me.”

Pope Francis stated in his encyclical letter, Evangelii Gaudium: “If we are to share our lives with others and generously give of ourselves, we also have to realize that every person is worthy of our giving. Not for their physical appearance, their abilities, their language, their way of thinking, or for any satisfaction that we might receive, but rather because they are God’s handiwork, his creation. God created that person in his image, and he or she reflects something of God’s glory.”

We see this sense of hospitality played out in our first reading through this woman who provided for the needs of Elisha. So too our Gospel reminded us that in receiving Christ we receive God. Likewise, through the giving of a cup of cold water to a disciple we will not lose our reward.

Hospitality is something that cannot go forgotten within our life, our family, and our parish community. Week in and week out so many souls pass through the doors of this church. Some of them are here every week, others are travelers who are passing through, others are simply curious of what takes place within these walls, and others are hit or miss when it pertains to their attendance.

This must be a welcoming community of faith that welcomes all people in. In doing so we acknowledge that we turn towards the Lord and that our life ought to be an expression of His. Hospitality is not something that is a facade, but something that is true for it finds its place in Christ.

One way in which we come to behold Christ is in Holy Communion. As one body we set our attention here and everything that we do should prepare us for this encounter with Him. So too in hospitality we go out in order to lead others towards the Lord. The small things that we say and do can lead people away from the Lord. If we are Christians who lack the words and actions of a Christian how will we ever lead others unto the Lord?

The love of Christ is found to be abundant and without end. This overflowing expression of God’s love is precisely what we are called to enter into when we consider the importance of hospitality. Holy Communion binds us into relation with the Lord and sends us out in charity. Everything that we do should be animated by this life giving reality. Whenever we we encounter others we should welcome them in as Christ welcomes them.

In our reflection we should ask how we can better enact such charity in our life. How could you assist this parish community in being more welcoming of our guests? Again this is not a facade of welcoming, but a true integration of our relation to Christ in how we encounter in others. Hospitality is not a check off list of actions, but is a movement of charity that encompasses all those whom we encounter in this life. In all things let us grow in our practice of hospitality.