Feast of Christ the King Homily (Extraordinary Form)

Today we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King.

Our Blessed Lord stated, “For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”

Truth is something which is under attack in our modern day society. We have our truth and others have their truth. All that we need to do is respect one another and not push our truth upon another. This is a spirit of relativism which is not compatible with our faith.

From the Gospel of Saint Luke we are told, “Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.”

The source of this division is truth. We have many different opinions and interests, but at the end of the day Christ is the answer to all that we seek. As His states in Sacred Scripture, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” Therefore, we will not find truth if we live a life which keeps Christ far from our midst.

This Feast of Christ the King was established by Pope Pius XI in 1925 to remind the world of its continued need for Christ. As the first world war came to its end there grew a desire to establish a society that was free of the influence of religion over the state. It is this feast that reminds us that this is impossible and that we will always be in need of the truth that Christ alone can bring.

This feast reminds us that we need God at the center of society. We cannot continue to move away from Him for He must be the very basis of all that we do. If we continue to move away from God everything that we do has nothing to be based upon. It should be no secret that we are living in an age of atheism where we want a society which is free of the influence of religion. The state makes laws, but should do all things in union with God and His will for us. God cannot be divorced from our society.

It is this truth which is being proclaimed to us through the celebration of this Feast of Christ the King. He is the King that we must invite into our life in order that we may come to be transformed in His midst. Whenever we encounter Him we come to encounter the truth that sets us free from sin and death. Let us desire to encounter this truth at all times as we continue to order our life and society upon Him.

Long live Christ the King!

30th Sunday of OT Year A Homily

Our Gospel tells us that we are to “to love the Lord, your God.” These words seem easy enough for us to put into practice. A lot people say that they love God, but their actions might show a different reality. Love of God must be something far greater then mere words or a concept that is lightly held to.

Therefore, our Gospel says that we are not only to love, but “with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is a profound sense of love that ought to be held for God. If we were to love God with our whole heart, soul, and mind we would allow Him to be the one who forms us in all that we do.

How many of us truly love God in such a way? There is always something more for us to do, but the one thing that we cannot forget about is that love for God which should be present in our life. It this love which would transform our life, our nation, our culture, and our world. Nevertheless, we so easily live out a life which is divided from our faith or we simply do the religious when it is found to be convenient.

One of the precepts of the Church is that we assist at the Holy Mass every Sunday and Holy Day of Obligation. Speaking of which this Wednesday is November 1st and is the celebration of the Solemnity of All Saints which is a Holy Day of Obligation. 

Missing Mass for an unjust reason is a reason to partake in the sacrament of confession. It is at Mass that we come to be present with God who pours Himself forth out of love for us in the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity from the wood of the cross. Everything that we do should be informed by this exchange with the gift of God’s grace.

Once love for God becomes entwined into who we are as a human person we have something that we can share with other people. This brings us to the second commandment, “you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” In this manner we should see our neighbor as one who has been created in the image and likeness of God the Father. So often we allow a thought or idea to creep into our mind which causes us to not love in such a way.

Through both of these commands we are not to simply talk about love, but instead this reality of love must be entwined into every facet of our life. We can do nothing through separation of love for God and neighbor. Let us grow in our love for God and neighbor by growing each day in the virtue of charity. It is this virtue which opens up our heart to love more perfectly as God loves. This is a love that is found to be infinite and without end. Therefore, we can never assume that we have no growing that is to be done when it pertains to this virtue.

Let us have the courage to live out this love for God and neighbor each day. We must come to love Him with our whole heart, our whole soul, and whole mind. What must we put to rest in order for this to be found true within us? Let us be willing to foster such change out of love for God and neighbor.

21st Sunday After Pentecost Homily

Spiritual battle is something that is real and cannot be forgotten. Cartoons have used this imagery  of spiritual battle through the use of a demon on one shoulder and an angel on the other. The demon moving an individual to enter into sin and the angel fighting to keep one from falling into its grasp.

It was once accounted that a man was given the ability to see demons for one day. He observed that those at the bar had grown tired and fat while those found at the monastery were active and full of energy. This is a glimpse into the reality of spiritual warfare. The closer that we get to God, such as those in a monastery, the harder the devil must work to get us to turn away from the Lord.

In the midst of this spiritual battle we cannot forget the assistance of the angels. On October 2nd the Church came to celebrate the Memorial of the Guardian Angels. In our modern world we forget not only about demons, but also about the angels. Each of us have been entrusted with a guardian angel. It is the role of the guardian angels to lead us to the kingdom of Heaven. It is this kingdom that we must set before our sight and strive with God’s help to enter.

The angels are not just some fairytale, but their important role has been sprinkled throughout Sacred Scripture. As is shown at the Annunciation through Saint Gabriel’s message to Mary of the Incarnation. At the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass we profess their presence among us as these Sacred Mysteries unfold. We cannot forget about the importance of the angels in our daily life for to do so would put us at a great disadvantage in the spiritual battle that has been set before us. As we were instructed in our Epistle concerning this spiritual battle, “For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places.”

We should take this spiritual battle seriously, but we should realize that God has already won. The devil holds no power over God. As we are told in the Book of Revelation, “Then war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels battle against the dragon. The dragon and its angels fought back, but they did not prevail and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. The huge dragon, the ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, who deceived the whole world, was thrown down to earth, and its angels were thrown down with it.”

Not only should we foster devotion to the angels, but also follow Saint Paul’s advice to this spiritual battle by taking on “the armor of God.” It is this armor which assists in battle as it would assist a solider in battle. This armor should take us back to the Book of Isaiah which tells us of six pieces of armor. (1) Gird your loins with the truth, (2) Put on the breastplate of righteousness, (3) Shod your feet in the Gospel of peace, (4) Take the shield of faith, (5) Take the helmet of salvation, and (6) Take the sword of the Spirit (the Word of God).

Let us stand firm in this spiritual battle and entrust ourself to the fullness of faith that we profess and may all the angels and saints come to our aid that we may faithfully run this race which leads towards Everlasting Life.

29th of Sunday of OT Year A Homily

“Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belong to God.”

This verse shows that there is a separation that exists between these two realities. As Americans this is one reality that we enjoy, the separation of Church and state which guarantees us religious freedom. In other societies especially ancient societies this separation is not the case. In some cultures the authoritative figure is seen as being a god such as is the case with pharaoh and the Egyptians.

Judaism has a complex history when it pertains to the relationship that exists between religious and civil leaders. The Lord is drawing upon this reality when He gives His response to their question. This comment would be impossible in a culture such as Rome or Egypt for there was no division found between religious and civil leaders. Nevertheless, this comment expressed the division of these two realms.

As Saint Peter and the apostles answered in the Acts of the Apostles, “We must obey God rather than men.” So too we are called upon to follow the will of God in our life. Where just laws are found we must obey them and where unjust laws are found we must fight again them. Just because something is found to be culturally acceptable does not mean that it is acceptable in the eyes of God.

It shouldn’t be too difficult to think of the many ways in which we as a society follow practices though legal which are harmful for our spiritual wellbeing. There is a plague in our society against the unborn, there is a plague in our society against the true meaning of our human sexuality, there is a confusion of the sanctity of marriage, and we have become too busy to allow God to enter into our life.

Saint Thomas More was put to death for he was unwilling to reject the truth that he proclaimed in his heart. Despite the law of the land he was unwilling to reject the faith that he held as true. He could of accepted Anne Boleyn as queen, but he could not reject the authority of the pope as he was being required to do by law.

We must be willing to live good and moral lives which do not compromise the truths of the faith. Sure these things may be legal and culturally acceptable, but as Christians we are always called to something greater. If we know Christ and come to profess Him with our lips we must come to embrace the Gospel in its entirety and not just the part of it that we find to be most useful and fulfilling.

This day let us come to embrace the Lord. Wherever our life has wondered away from Him let us move back to Him and His mercy. Let continue to pray for society and thus that just laws may always come to be enacted. In all things let us realize that we are called upon to “obey God rather than men.” Let us obey Him with our whole heart, soul, and mind.

28th Sunday of OT Year A Homily

This weekend has been set aside to be our parish stewardship weekend. With this in mind we come to reflect upon the importance of stewardship in the life of the faithful. Sadly, many will define stewardship solely as the giving of money. This definition is lacking of a true stewardship mentality. Stewardship is a freely given response to the Gospel where one chooses to give of their time, talent, and treasure.

It is in the Gospel of Saint Matthew that we are given the Parable of the Talents. Through this parable we are told how some did something with what they were entrusted while one chose to do nothing with what he was given. If we are to take a stewardship mentality upon ourself we must realize that we have been given a lot and from what we have been given we are called to do something with it.

In today’s Gospel we are told of a wedding feast and how one was thrown out of it due to not wearing his wedding garment. So too we have received an invitation to this celebration that serves as an image of Heaven and we must be found ready to enter by wearing our wedding garment by living a life of faith. If we have been entrusted with much we are called upon to do something we those gifts which we have received. To be cast off from the wedding feast is to say that this individual did not live a life of faith. Through a stewardship mentality we faithfully live our our faith in service to the Gospel.

In this parish community we have many who are convinced of such a reality. They have chosen to give of their time, talent, and treasure to this parish community. Without our many volunteers it would be difficult to accomplish much as we are told in Sacred Scripture for “the harvest is abundant but the laborers are few." When parishioners come together to take ownership of their parish home we are better able to serve the Gospel message here in Johnson City.

This week you will receive a letter in the mail asking you to make a stewardship commitment to this parish for the year to come. Please pray over the responses that you will give as you you discern how you can give back to this parish from the midst of your time, talent, and treasure. Most of all I ask that you continue to offer your prayers for the good of this parish community. It is my fervent hope that every household will return this commitment form in the week to come or find another means of returning it to the parish.

Let us continue to be good stewards over the many gifts that have been entrusted to our care. As good stewards we give our faithful response to the Gospel as we strive for the Kingdom of Heaven above all things. Let us always come to faithfully live out this commitment as we respond to God’s call to live more graciously with everything that has been entrusted to our care.

19th Sunday After Pentecost Homily

We are given the image of a wedding feast which serves as an image for the Kingdom of Heaven. Here we are told about four groups of people. There were those invited who refused to come, there were those invited who ignored the invitation, there were those who attended without the proper wedding garment, and finally there are those who attended this wedding feast.

This image of being invited, but refusing to attend makes me think of CS Lewis’ the Great Divorce. In its opening chapters we are told of a bus station and how there are those who are observed who keep looking at their watches. They eventually lose hope and decide that they can wait no longer. Due to their lack of patience they never enter the bus which leads to the ultimate destination of Heaven.

So too we are often caught up in many distractions which cause us to refuse to journey towards that ultimate destination of Everlasting Life. As the king later instructs, “Go out, therefore, into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find.” Therefore, this invitation is sent throughout the whole world. This means that this invitation comes to people of all walks of life.

No matter our walk of life we must make sure that we are prepared to enter into this wedding feast. There were those cast off from its midst because they dared not to wear their wedding garment. In other words these individuals refused to be converted to the truth of the Gospel and instead chose to continue to live a life which was contrary to it.

We are each called upon to strive to be saints. One cannot be numbered among the saints if they refuse to accept the mercy of God and refuse to allow their heart to be opened to conversion. The Church must continue to call us towards this encounter with truth and once we realize this truth we must come to embrace it without compromise. 

There is nothing more that the devil wants to accomplish then causing discord. As our Epistle professed, “give not place to the devil.” It is the role of the Church to continue to form souls in matters of faith and morals, so that we may be found wearing that wedding garment. As GK Chesterton put it, “I don’t need a church to tell me I’m wrong where I already know I’m wrong; I need a Church to tell me I’m wrong where I think I’m right.”

Let us continue to hold firm to our faith. Let our hearts be lead into an encounter with Christ Jesus. Wherever sin is found let us move towards Him with a spirit of repentance opening our heart to His mercy. Where we are tempted may Christ and the gift of God’s grace be brought to our life. In this manner we will be found ready for that wedding feast for we will be found wearing that wedding garment. 

Let us keep this garment unstained always.

26th Sunday of OT Year A Homily

The month of October is dedicated to the Most Holy Rosary. On October 7th we will celebrate the Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary. It is this feast that commemorates victory won at the Battle of Lepanto which was attributed to the faithful praying of rosary as called upon by Pope Pius V. On October 13th we call to mind the miracle of the sun which brought about the conclusion of the apparitions at Fatima. It was here that she came to proclaim that “I am Our Lady of the Rosary. This first Sunday of the month of October is traditionally set aside to focus upon the importance of the Most Holy Rosary.

The focus of the rosary is Jesus. Through the praying of the rosary we mediate upon the mysteries of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection. With each “Hail Mary” that is prayed we place our attention upon Jesus for He is the fruit of her womb. It is this Name which is most powerful over all other names. From Philippians we were told “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend.” It is the Name of Jesus which serves as the hinge of this prayer and so we cannot hurry past this Name. Whenever we call upon this Name in the rosary or at other times we should keep it holy.

Throughout Scripture we are told that Mary treasured these things in her heart. We have the opportunity to do precisely this when we take up the rosary. Through this prayer we take to our heart the mysteries of our salvation by entering into those important moment’s in the life of Christ that lead towards such a reality. By entering into such devotion leads us to love Christ and to live a life which is more loving of Him. When we live such a life we turn away from a life of sin and choose to live for the Lord

As was instructed of us by the prophet Ezekiel, we must turn away from all the sins that we have committed for by doing so we will surely live and not die. Our Gospel reveals this reality to us through sinners who came to enjoy Everlasting Life because they turned away from their life of sin. So too the rosary aids us in taking on that spiritual armor that is necessary to combat temptation and to lead our heat unto the Lord. As we pray in the “Hail Mary,” “pray for us sinners now and the hour of our death.” Here we turn towards her intercession that we may turn away from our life of sin and live for her Son and thus for Everlasting Life.

 

If the rosary is not a devotion that you foster I encourage you to rediscover the beauty of this devotion. As was stated by Saint John Paul II, “I look to all of you, brothers and sisters of every state of life, to you, Christian families, to you, the sick and elderly, and to you, young people” confidently take up the Rosary once again. Rediscover the Rosary in the light of Scripture, in harmony with the Liturgy, and in the context of your daily lives.” Let us take up this invitation thus growing in our love for the rosary and our desire to turn away from sin and to live for Christ. 

Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us.