4th Sunday After Easter Homily (Extraordinary Form)

June 8th will be the Solemnity of Pentecost. It is on this Sunday that we acknowledge the fact that the Holy Spirit came upon the Church as a strong driving wind. In our Gospel Christ was preparing His apostles for this eventual encounter with the one who was to come.

We cannot fall into the error of thinking that the Holy Spirit was created at Pentecost. At the Lord’s baptism the Holy Spirit came down upon Him. In the Nicene Creed we profess, “I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son.”

The Holy Spirit has always been present for the Holy Spirit exists eternally from the Father and Son who have existed for all eternity. Even at the moment of creation we are told of the Holy Spirit present as “a mighty wind sweeping over the waters.”

Acknowledging the importance of the Holy Spirit might raise the question of why the Holy Spirit was withheld from the Lord’s disciples until Pentecost. Such a separation points to the fact that they were not yet perfected in the love needed to receive such a gift and that they were currently with the Christ who was present with them physically in the midst of their tribulations.

In our Gospel the name Paraclete is given in relation to the Holy Spirit. This word “Paraclete” means “Advocate.” An advocate is a word used to refer to a lawyer or attorney. The Holy Spirit works in such a way in our life for the Holy Spirit helps us to win in the midst of all that is going against us.

As was mentioned in my homily from two weeks ago the woman caught in adultery was told to “go and sin no more.” On her own merit she would never be able to accomplish such a task. She had spent her time filling her life with something other then God. It is the Holy Spirit which comes to bring forth the love of God into our heart in order that we may embrace Him by our life.

Let us always remain open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit which are being made manifest within us. Give not into despair, but place your trust in the Holy Spirit which sanctifies our heart. Even when it seems as if we have been left alone we must remember that is not the case for the Holy Spirit is our advocate who is always with us.

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

5th Sunday of Easter Year C Homily

In late July 1941 Saint Maximilian Kolbe heroically chose to take the place of a prisoner who would be put to death. After surviving starvation he was finally put to death by lethal injection on August 14th, the vigil of the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary into Heaven. He was later canonized on October 10, 1982 as a martyr of charity.

The actions of Saint Maximilian Kolbe make Jesus’ words from our gospel manifest, “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you should love one another.” The culmination of this love is displayed to us from the cross. It was here that His love was so great that He will willing to endure the pains of the cross without reservation in order that we may redeemed.

In the words which would be later spoken in Saint John’s Gospel, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” This points towards the cross and the life which springs forth from its midst. In the midst of every suffering, temptation, and joy let us dare to look to the cross for from it we see displayed love which knows no end.

The word “charity” comes to us from the Latin word “caritas.” “Caritas” is a form of love. Not just any love, but a love which is perfect, mutual, and flowing over. This love is best displayed to us in the Most Holy Trinity as well as from the cross. Here we are able to see that love which is found to be perfect, mutual, and flowing over.

We so often fail to have such a sacrificial understanding of love. Love is lowered to something mundane that can be cut off at any moment when it no longer fulfills us. Love can never be abusive. Love is not to exalt me in my pleasures and desires. Love is to look outward to the other and to give entirely of our self unto them seeking nothing in return.

This commandment given to us by Christ is most revolutionary and difficult. It is revolutionary because it demands that we think about love in a different way then what the world usually understands it to be. It is difficult because it challenges us to transform the way in which we look upon others.

In our prayer must ask how we are being called to enter into such love. Look upon the crucifix and from this glimpse of perfect love be challenged to expand in your love for others.

We are probably not being asked to lay down our life in such a heroic manner as Saint Maximilian Kolbe. Nevertheless, his ability to love came from his trust in the Lord and what was portrayed to him from the cross. Likewise, the cross must be the source of our love for the cross challenges us give freely of our self to the point that our love in flowing over and seeking nothing in return.

Saint Maximilian Kolbe, pray for us.

3rd Sunday After Easter Homily (Extraordinary Form)

To put our Gospel passage into its’ proper context, it proceeds the passion, death, and resurrection of the Lord. Here His disciples were told, “A little while and you shall not see Me: and again a little while, and you shall see Me.”

As the disciples were undergoing these events in the life of our Lord I am sure that these moments felt far from “a little while.” Having to watch the Lord endure His Passion and death had to of felt like an eternity. The sorrow which filled them as He was placed into the tomb had to be great and those three days had to of felt long.

In our own life the sufferings that we endure can feel like they take forever instead of just “a little while.” In these moments we can be led to believe that we are going through these things all alone. It is so easy to lose hope when all that we know is sorrow and loss and are unable to see anything greater which comes from it.

Nevertheless, as a Church we continue to be in the season of Easter. Through this season we are able to see that death was not the end. As mention was made in our Gospel to this woman in labor, so too can we proclaim that Christ is the “firstborn among the dead” and through Him God has “loosed the birth pangs of death.”

In the midst of our own crosses, temptations, and sufferings we must come to place our faith in His cross and Resurrection. Through these two realities we are able to discover hope in the midst of all that we are called to endure in the life. No matter how great the weight is let us always remember that we do not have to endure this alone.

On May 29th the Church will observe Ascension Thursday. On this day we remember that He was taken up to Heaven. In this separation it would seem that the disciples again were left all alone, but they were promised that the Holy Spirit would come just prior to where our Gospel picked up.

As a Church we know this to be the Solemnity of Pentecost and as is seen within the sacrament of confirmation. Likewise, the Holy Spirit continues to come down upon us so that we may enter into the abundant harvest of the Lord with the assistance of God’s grace.

Let us place our trust in such assistance for we are not alone on this path which leads towards Everlasting Life. No matter what we endure in this life our hope is found in the Lord for His mercy endures forever.

4th Sunday of Easter Year C Homily

On this Fourth Sunday of Easter also known to us as Good Shepherd Sunday we are able to proclaim: Hebemus papam! We have a pope!

It was only a little over a year ago, May 7th, that this diocese came to receive the news that we finally have a new bishop.

We never know who the next pope, bishop, or pastor will be. Each them come with their own outlook on the world and interests. Each them come with their own strengths and weaknesses. Nevertheless, they have been given to us by God in order that they may be good shepherds of Christ’s flock.

I rejoice for the gift of Pope Leo and Bishop Mark. No matter what comes in years ahead, even when another pope or bishop is eventually named, I trust in those words that our Lord spoke to Saint Peter, “And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.”

Let us continue to pray for Leo our pope, Mark our bishop, and all clergy of the Church including myself that we may remain Good Shepherds molded after God’s heart.

Not only are we the clergy called to follow after God’s heart, but the universal call to holiness is extended to all be they a member of the clergy or of the laity. Be they married, single, or part of a religious order; all of us are called to holiness.

We can only pursue holiness if we are willing to hear Christ’s voice and to follow wherever that voice leads. Prayer must be a priority for our life because this world is filled with so much noise that is hard to hear such a voice unless we work at it and nurture it.

At times it can seem that this world has been thrust down into a period of darkness, but we must remember that it is Christ who has lifted us out of such darkness. If we hear and follow His voice we will have nothing to fear for we will be brought to the light of eternal life.

In the words of Pope Leo XIV, “For we are the people whom God has chosen as his own, so that we may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called us out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

Let us pray for Leo, our Pope. May the Lord preserve him, and give him life, and make him blessed upon the earth, and deliver him not up to the will of his enemies.

2nd Sunday After Easter Homily (Extraordinary Form)

On this 2nd Sunday After Easter we are reminded that Christ is the Good Shepherd.

In scripture it was the good shepherd who left the ninety-nine in order to go in search for the lost sheep. Upon finding the lost sheep he returned it to the flock with it placed upon his shoulders. This image is represented in the pectoral cross which was worn by Pope Francis during his papacy.

We receive here a reminder of the need for the Church to go in search for those who are lost in order that they may be returned to the graces which are present within the Church. This Good Shepherd Sunday reminds us of the compassion that the Lord has for each of us; that we too may remain in the confines of the sheepfold or return to it if we have wondered away.

As Psalm 23 states of the Lord who is our shepherd, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.” Here we are reminded of that relationship that must exist with the Lord. Whenever we place our trust in Him we are given the assistance needed to endure in the midst of our sufferings, difficulties, temptations, and crises.

In the Gospel of Saint John we are told that we must hear, know, and follow the Lord. These three verbs negate a need to enter into relationship with the Good Shepherd. With so much that overwhelms on us in this life it becomes so easy to push this relationship off to the side and fill this void with something which can never fulfill.

If we are to hear, to known, and to follow after the Lord we must make this relationship a priority. In order to hear, we must stop despite the busyness of our life and dare to enter into the silence of prayer. In order to know, we must open our heart and mind to the deposit of faith. In order to follow, we must realize that we are being sent forth from the Lord’s midst in order to live the faith that has been handed onto us.

As the Lord states in the Gospel of Saint John, “They shall hear My voice, and there shall be one fold and one shepherd.” The keyword here is “one.” As we profess in the Nicene Creed, “I believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.” When the path gets difficult such as the need for an annulment, embracing conversion when it is difficult, or any other cross that comes our way we cannot go down the easy path because this leads us away from this unity and away from the Lord whom we should hear, know, and follow.

This Good Shepherd always goes in search for us, but as He told the woman caught in adultery, “Go and sin no more.” Let us come to know this Shepherd and remain united Him at all times for He is the Good Shepherd who provides for us in the midst of all of our needs.

3rd Sunday of Easter Year C Homily

The apostles had a difficult time catching fish until the Lord came in order to help them. Prior to His Resurrection we are told of a similar account when they were called to follow after Him. It was only after they were willing to listen to Him that they caught an abundant catch of fish.

Likewise, the Lord must be the refuge of our life. We so often attempt to find our refuge in a multitude of other areas. In doing so we are so quick to move the Lord far away from our midst as we place our trust in something else.

This evening the children of our parish have the opportunity to receive the Lord for the first time in Holy Communion. Hopefully this first communion will simply be the first of many times that you come to receive Him in the Eucharist.

No matter how many times we have come to receive Him we cannot act as if what we receive is just mundane food. The Eucharist is special not because we receive bread and wine, but through the reality that what we receive is truly Christ present with us Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity.

As was stated at the Second Vatican Council, “The Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life.” This is to say that we should live our life oriented towards Christ and His presence in the Eucharist.

Whenever we lose sight of the Eucharist we allow ourself to lose sight of the Lord. If we lose sight of Him we are like the apostles unable to catch any fish because our faith is found to be lacking. With our sight placed upon Christ we are able to catch abundantly because of Him.

For this reason we must frequent the sacrament of confession because it heals our relationship with the Lord broken down by sin. For this reason we must assist at Holy Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation because here we make time to be with the Lord. For this reason make time for prayer before the Blessed Sacrament because here we place our attention upon Christ. Parents must lead the way in living such an example and integrating it into the life of the family.

My dearest children we rejoice with you this day because of Christ and your willingness to receive Him. Continue to keep your sight upon Him and be willing to go wherever it is that He leads. The unknown can seem to be scary, but it is not scary if we place our trust in the Lord.

Through our “Amen” given at the reception of Holy Communion we come to place our trust in Him and His mercy which endures forever. May the Risen Lord continue to come to us in order that we may be sent forth to proclaim Him in thought, word, and deed.

Divine Mercy Sunday Homily

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!

At the Easter Vigil the Pascal Candle is prepared for its use for the next year. In the ritual the priest traces the cross by stopping five times in representation of the five wounds of Christ to say, “By his holy and glorious wounds, may Christ the Lord guard us and protect us. Amen.”

These wounds assist the disciples in coming to see and believe that His Resurrection has taken place. The disciples came to rejoice at the sight of these wounds and Saint Thomas came to believe as he placed his finger into these same wounds.

Through the resurrection of the body that we profess we will be given a glorified body. Christ did not have to continue to bare these wounds in His Resurrection, but He chose to. These wounds serve as a reminder of His victory over sin and death and these wounds serve as a reminder of His love and sacrifice for humanity.

In the words of Pope Francis, “His wounds were inflicted for our sake, and by those wounds we have been healed. By kissing those wounds, we come to realize that there, in life’s most painful wounds, God awaits us with his infinite mercy. Because there, where we are most vulnerable, where we feel the most shame, he came to meet us.”

We can see how vulnerable the disciples where when the Lord came to them stating, “Peace be with you.” He also came to Saint Thomas in His own vulnerability with this same greeting and through these wounds He was brought peace.

Likewise, we must come to venerate these same wounds of the Lord in order that peace may be brought unto us. No matter where we find ourself to be these wounds serve as the answer and the hope in the midst of our sorrow and trial. We cannot just sit idly by doing nothing, but come to venerate and believe in these wounds which bring us peace.

From Saint Faustina’s diary we are told, “When it seems to you that your suffering exceeds your strength, contemplate My wounds.” On this Divine Mercy Sunday we are reminded of the mercy of God that springs forth for us from these wounds and how through them we are able to enter in and discover the peace which Christ can only bring.

Let entrust ourself to these glorious wounds, For the sake of His sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

Memorial Mass for Pope Francis Homily

Pope Francis once stated, “The whole journey of life is a journey of preparation…to see, to feel, to understand the beauty of what lies ahead, of that homeland towards which we walk.” We gather this morning to commend him unto the infinite mercy of God in order that all the angels and saints may come to escort him into this heavenly homeland this day.

All of us find ourself on this same journey where the Kingdom of Heaven is our ultimate goal. We must choose not to squander this time set before us (no matter how long or short that it may be), but to take advantage of it with the confidence of faith.

Pope Francis served the church as pope for 12 years. Prior to this he served the church as a cardinal, a bishop, a priest, a deacon, and as one who was baptized. Despite the temptations of this life and the weight of the cross he was sent forth in service to Christ and the Church including those who are most in need.

We must take this same initiative upon ourself to place our trust in the Lord and to go wherever He calls. Baptism is not simply an action of the past, but one that continues to move us forward each day towards the Heavenly homeland.

It is for this homeland that we must now strive and for which we now hope for Pope Francis. Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Easter Sunday Homily

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!

The Passion according to Saint Matthew concludes, “And he rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb and went his way.” These words imply the sadness that took place on the day of His burial. The Resurrection had yet to take place and thus they did not yet fully comprehend all that had taken place.

In Saint John’s Gospel we hear of the hope that springs forth for “Mary Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb.” Here hope slowly begins to build as the wonders of the Lord’s Resurrection begin to spread to His disciples and eventually throughout the whole world.

This stone becomes a barrier in the way of our life. We so often allow such barriers to enter into our own life and to hold us captive. It is easy to remain trapped in a life of sin or to lose hope of that which lies in wait for us. With this stone moved to the side we are able to discover the hope of life eternal and that we can indeed be liberated from the plight of sin and death.

With this stone rolled away they could see that He was no longer in the tomb. As the other disciple went in “saw and believed”, so too must we work at having such faith in the Risen Lord. No matter what we go through in this life the Risen Lord is the answer that we are in need of receiving.

We can only receive this hope if we remain firm in our faith allowing this stone to be rolled away from our midst. Today we will make a renewal of our baptismal promises. Our “I do” to these questions of faith imply our desire to roll this stone away from our life and to live for the Lord without compromise.

It was through our baptism that we rose up with the Lord to live for Him in all things. When we fail to make time for Him especially with the assistance of Holy Mass we are stating that there is something more important than Him. Our life must be changed because it has been changed through our baptism.

Let us continue to proclaim our Risen Savior with the firmness of faith. The stone has been rolled away from the tomb which means that our life has forever been changed. Let us not squander this gift, but embrace it by choosing to become a true disciple of the Lord who has been fortified by the Gospel of Christ and thus the faith that we profess with our lips.

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!

Easter Vigil Homily

On this most holy of nights Christ our Light triumphs to dispel the darkness of sin and death from our midst. From the confines of the empty tomb penetrates a great hope throughout the whole world that Christ has risen and with His Resurrection we have been redeemed from the plight of sin.

Concerning this light we are told by St. John, “that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.”

On this night there are those who will soon enter into the life giving waters of baptism who will allow this light to enter into their life. There are also those of us who have already been baptized who will soon renew those promises begun at our baptism. To live out that which was begun at our baptism is to live for this light instead of putting our trust in the darkness of sin.

Throughout our readings we were instructed on the course of salvation history which finds its culmination with the coming of Christ, His cross, and His Resurrection. Let us not wonder away into the ways of old, but continue to move forward day by day proclaiming Christ our light by the way in which we come to live and order our life on this earth.

5th Sunday of Lent Homily (Extraordinary Form)

Next Sunday we will arrive at Holy Week through our observation of Palm Sunday. Throughout this week we journey with our Lord through His Passion leading towards the joys of His Resurrection at Easter. These most sacred of days assist us in growing in our love for what the Lord has done for us and our desire to live our life oriented towards Him.

In the final words of today’s gospel we were told, “They took up stones therefore to cast at Him: but Jesus hid Himself, and went out of the temple.” These words proclaim that it was not yet the time for His Passion, but very soon this event would come to its fulfillment. At His arrival in the holy city of Jerusalem the crowd will receive Him with joy, but so quickly demand that He be crucified.

When we look around the church we will see that the cross and other holy images have been veiled. Through there veiling they have been taken away from our sight. Hopefully there is currently a longing to be reunited with that which has been taken away from us. Through His cross and resurrection we come to be set free in order that we may see clearly again.

As the prophet Isaiah states, “as one from whom men hide their faces, He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.” Through our decision to enter into a life of sin we choose to reject Him by failing to hold Him to the respect that He is owed.

We like the crowd at Palm Sunday exclaim “Hosanna”, but we are so quickly willing to shout out all the louder, “crucify Him.” Whenever we choose to enter into a life of sin we add to the suffering of Christ. Our faith is something more then saying all the right words when people are looking on because it is also living a life committed to Him when no-one is around.

As this is summed up in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “When we deny him by our deeds, we in some way seem to lay violent hands on him. Nor did demons crucify him; it is you who have crucified him and crucify him still, when you delight in your vices and sins.”

Hopefully, we will allow these coming days of Holy Week to transform our relationship with Christ. Being a Christian is something most serious as can be seen by these days which will soon unfold before our sight. Let us enter fully into these most sacred of days in order that we come to love Christ and reject the allure of evil.

As Saint Alphonsus Liguori concludes each of his Stations of the Cross, “I love You, O my Jesus, with all my heart; I am sorry that I have offended You. May I never offend You again. Grant that I may love You always; and then do with me as You will."