14th Sunday After Pentecost Homily

“Seek ye therefore first the kingdom of God.” This verse gives direction to our life. There are many who have forgotten about the importance of God in their life. They are trudging through this life living for the here and now without looking towards that life which is to come in Heaven. In the south we are surrounded by many church buildings, but is a life of faith something that is truly important for us?

And so we are told, “No man can serve two masters.” There are many who are living in the midst of such duplicity. This a statement concerning mastery and slavery. What is our ultimate desire in this life? We have the freedom to choose what it will be which will master us. Will we live for God or something else? This is something that we cannot compromise on. This statement is not telling us to be unconcerned with everything that is going on in our life with all of its needs, but is directing us to make God the focus of our life. Is He the focus or is the focus placed on something else?

“Seek ye therefore first the kingdom of God” is the direction that we must take against such duplicity. If such a statement is true within us we will live our life looking outward towards that life which is to come, Heaven. This means that everything we strive to do is connected to the life of faith instead of being divorced from it. We cannot separate our Christian identity from the rest of our life. This was cause us to attempt to serve two masters.

 

As we are taught in the Gospel of Saint Matthew, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” The verse is drawing our attention away from becoming a slave to mammon and thus attempting to serve two masters. It is reminding us that despite all that takes place within our life we have been given purpose in God. Such love brings purpose into our life when there seems to be a lack of such clarity.

In coming to pursue the kingdom of God above all things our life is given further meaning. This does not mean that we will no longer have anything to fear or struggle with. It does mean that we have a place of refuge found in the Lord. It is He to whom we ought to confide in the midst of all that we undergo in this life. This relationship must be cultivated for without it we will have nothing to rest our head upon.

Despite the struggle that can and will take place in the midst of our life our Gospel message is one of great joy. This joy is found in God and His coming Kingdom. This joy is found in the freedom that has set us free from our slavery. This joy is knowing that we are headed somewhere instead of just moving forward without a greater purpose. Let us firmly choose God over mammon for in doing so we are seeking first the kingdom of God.

21st Sunday of OT Year B Homily

Our Gospel passage brings about the conclusion of our time spent with John chapter 6 and what is known as the Bread of Life Discourse. I believe that there are three verses which sum up the spiritual life which deserve our further reflection.

Firstly, “This saying is hard; who can accept it.” This is a reminder that comes to us concerning what was begun at the moment of our baptism. Here we were entrusted with the life of faith in order that it may be lived and not squandered. At times the faith can be difficult for us to embrace because it is leading us towards an encounter with truth and thus holiness. Despite any hardship associated to the life of faith we must continue to move forward through the assistance of God’s grace.

Secondly, “As a result of this, many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him.” In the spiritual life we are given freewill. This means that we have the power to choose. When trials and temptations give rise within our life we have the opportunity to embrace the faith or to compromise it. We must remain on guard in order that we may stay upon the right path instead of getting lost in the many twists and turns of a path which lead us away from God.

Lastly, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” These words found upon the lips of Saint Peter professes faith in Christ and looks outward towards eternal life. As we trudge about this life we to must form our will in order that we may have faith and desire eternal life. Therefore, we are to remain on guard against the assaults of the evil one by remaining steadfast in our faith. It is impossible to get to this stage if we do not wish to embrace a relationship with God. This relationship ought to be pursued and thus integrated into who we are as a human person created in the image and likeness of God.

The spiritual life should be something that concerns all of us. There will come times of difficulty or doubt, but this does not mean that we should abandon the faith. If we have wondered away from the life of faith we need to reorient ourself to that which is most important in our life. Through our prayer and study of faith we are to come to know God and to place our trust in Him. 

Thus through the sacramental life of the Church we are able to look outward towards eternal life. 

As we come to be nourished by the Eucharist let us find our refuge in the Lord for there no other place where we will find our refuge.

13th Sunday After Pentecost Homily

Leprosy separates an individual from the community for through it one is declared to be unclean. Due to this proclamation they are to remain separated from the community. The priest is unable to heal the leaper. All that he can do is declare them clean or unclean in accordance with the Law. It is the Lord who is bringing about the miracle that allows the priest to declare them clean.

From the Book of Leviticus: “The individual shall be brought to the priest, who is to go outside the camp. If the priest, upon inspection, finds that the scaly infection has healed in the afflicted person, he shall order two live, clean birds, as well as some cedar wood, scarlet yarn, and hyssop to be obtained for the one who is to be purified.”

If we continue to read we would be told how this ritual of purification is to take place. One bird would be sacrificed, its blood would be mixed with water, the living bird would be dipped into this and be released by the one being cleansed, and this mixture would be sprinkled over them seven times.

The Lord is the one who brought healing to these men. He heeded the call of the lepers, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” As the bird is sacrificed, so too the Lord accepts the cross in order that we may come to be redeemed by His Most Precious Blood. Through His glorious Resurrection we are able to proclaim that life has changed, but not ended.

These words must also be found on our lips, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy of me a sinner.” This simple prayer known as the Jesus Prayer sums up the course of salvation and comes to be prayed throughout the day by many. It proclaims that we are a sinner who is in need of the mercy of God. It assists us in professing our need for Christ and salvation.

The lepers were healed from their plight through the mercy of God and more importantly they came to be healed in due time through the cross of our Blessed Lord. Despite such healing only one returned in order to give Him thanks. Likewise, each of us have received such a wondrous gift. Therefore, we too must continue to give thanks for all that God has done for us.

Through our thankfulness we return to Him and stay steadfast in our practice of faith. We must remain on guard concerning all that will cause us to wonder away from the Lord. Through our prayer we are held in relationship with Him in order that we may come to place our trust in Him no matter what is taking place within our life.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.

Assumption of Mary Homily

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven.

This is the teaching that when Mary reached the conclusion of her earthly life that her body and soul were taken up to Heaven.

As those here on earth we await the time of the second coming of the Lord. It will be here that our soul will be reunited with our body and there will be a new Heaven and a new earth. The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary acknowledges that Mary lived a life without the stain of sin and thus was taken up to Heaven now. It is this reward for which we now await.

Some might find issue in such a proclamation, but in Sacred Scripture we encounter Enoch and Elijah who might of been taken up body and soul into Heaven. In the Book of Genesis we are told that God took Enoch and in the words of Hebrews “so that he should not see death.” In the case of Elijah we are told in the Book of Maccabees that he “was taken up into heaven.”

With the confidence of faith we are able to proclaim that the Blessed Virgin Mary was taken up body and soul into Heaven. This is something that has been held as true by the early Church just as it is today. This gift to her comes from God for she is the new ark of the covenant. It was the ark of the covenant which contained the very presence of God. It is this new ark which contained the presence of God in the second person of the Most Holy Trinity. She was without the blemish of sin including original sin and thus the fruit of her womb was Jesus.

As we are told in the Book of Revelation, “Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of His covenant was seen within His temple, and there were flashes of lightening, voices, peals of thunder, an earthquake and heavy hail. And a great portent appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars, she was with child.”

This is held to be the Blessed Virgin Mary. As we come to celebrate her Assumption may we come to foster devotion to her. Through her intercession may we allow our heart, our mind, and our soul to be lifted up to her Son. We must desire to live good and holy lives in order that we may one day go where she has gone before, Heaven.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen

12th Sunday After Pentecost Homily

We are told that robbers left this man half dead. Without the intervention of others he surely would of died. Through the charity of others he was restored to the health which he once enjoyed. Likewise, each of us must remain dependent upon the care of those who exist outside of our self.

The sacramental life of the church is like this inn keeper who took care of the needs of this man. Through this domain we receive grace which is a free gift that comes to us from God in order that we may live out good and holy lives. If we turn inward upon self we forget about this gift and attempt to live out the life of faith all alone.

As robbers came to attack this man, so too does the wicked one attempt to lead us away from God. It would be spiritual pride to think that we are immune to these pursuits and thus not in need of God’s grace which assists us that we may turn away from vice and towards virtue in the midst of every temptation that comes our way.

Many people looked the other way when it pertained to this man, but thankfully the Samaritan was willing to stop. Christ is this samaritan who is God made Flesh. It is He who died upon the cross in order that we come to be redeemed. In ascending to His Father who is in Heaven did not leave us alone, but entrusted us with the Church.

Hopefully we can see the importance that lies in wait for us through others. In sin we were left for dead, but Christ lifted us out of this plight. We have been entrusted to the life of the Church and are given all that we need in order for us to live good and holy lives. Just like this man we have been given life, so let us live this life of faith in the midst of the world instead of turning away from it.

In the words of Saint Maximilian Kolbe, “The most deadly poison of our times is indifference. And this happens, although the raise of God should know no limits. Let us strive, therefore, to praise Him to the greatest extend of our powers.” It is through such indifference that we turn away from God and decide that we will do it alone.

No matter what it may be that we face in this life let us come to understand that we are not going through it alone. No matter the temptation that we continue to wrestle with let us realize that we have been strengthened to turn away from it. In all things let us rejoice for the life that we have received through the gift of faith. 

19th Sunday of OT Year B Homily

“You have given them Bread from Heaven. Having all sweetness within it.”

Following the Exodus into the desert the Israelites began to complain that they were thirsty and hungry and thus desired to return to their slavery. At this God told Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you.” It was this manna that they ate in order that they would be strengthened for their journey.

In 1st Kings we are told of Elijah who went on a journey into the desert. At the command of an angel he was instructed to “get up and eat, else the journey will be too long for you.” He came to be strengthened by that nourishment that he received and was able to undergo his forty day and night journey to the mountain of God, Horeb.

In our Gospel we are told that the Lord is “the bread of life” for He is “the bread that came down from heaven.” This is a reference made to what took place in the Book of Exodus. As Psalm 78 references this mana, “Man ate the bread of angels.” The Eucharist is that fulfillment of this bread. What the Israelites received was wondrous, but what we come to to receive in the Eucharist is more profound for we receive the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ our Lord.

Some will claim that the Eucharist is only a symbol. If this statement were true we would be professing that the Eucharist is lesser then the bread that we given to the Israelites. This cannot be for “your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die.”

It is the Eucharist that must become food for our journey. The Eucharist nourishes our soul and strengthens us for all that we will undergo in this life. In coming to receive the Eucharist we must realize the importance of this gift. This is not mundane food, but truly the presence of the Lord who has come down from Heaven to dwell among us.

In our prayer we must ask, What do we place before this gift? In understanding this answer we must come to find our refuge with the Lord. He is the One whom our heart longs for, so let us allow Him to become food for our journey from the life to life which is to come.

In the words of Saint Thomas Aquinas from the Panis Angelicus, “May the Bread of Angels Become Bread for mankind; the Bread of Heaven puts an end to all symbols; O thing most wonderful! The Lord becomes our food poor, a servant, and humble.”