8th Sunday After Pentecost Homily

Today we were presented with the parable of the unjust steward. This steward came to the understanding that he would soon be released from his position. With the end in sight he acted in order to provide for his future. He did this by striking deals with his master’s debtors in order that they would come to remember his generosity towards them.

With this he is also remembered for his shrewdness. Shrewdness is foresight and so a shrewd person grasps a critical situation with resolution and foresight. Through the understanding that his time as steward was quickly coming to an end he was able to act with such shrewdness. Through such shrewdness he came to be praised by his master.

We too ought to have such foresight when it comes to our salvation. No matter how healthy or not that we may be at this moment there will come a point in time when we will be called home to God. Will we be prepared for such an encounter or will we instead allow ourself to squander the time that has been set before us?

The Pharisees are constantly being called out because they lack love for God in their heart. Do we have such love for God in our heart or do we instead allow the possessions and pleasures of this life to control us? What is our treasure? We cannot live for both God and mammon for if we did we would put something over our relationship with God.

Let us come to realize that we are called to orient everything unto God. Our possessions and the pleasures of this life should not grow disordered in nature for in doing so we have allowed something other then God to become a priority. If this is all that we are then we do not have the shrewdness to look towards that life which is to come because we are too caught up living for this world.

With the shrewdness of this steward we should look towards the Kingdom of Heaven. We should see that it is the pearl of great price which we are called to obtain. We can only obtain such if we don’t continue to push off such preparation to an hour which may never come. Death will indeed catch up with us, but if we live for God it will have no sting.

If we are to look towards such a reality let us make the sacrament of confession a priority. Let us begin to find ways to make time for God in prayer. Let us allow God to become the priority of our life to which no temporal good can equal. Through acts of charity let us build up the Kingdom of God here on earth for this is a kingdom which will never pass away.

Truly let us be so shrewd when it comes to our salvation. Not squandering this time, but allowing ourself to live entirely for God now. To live for Him is to place our trust in the joys of eternal life.

7th Sunday After Pentecost Homily

Following Holy Communion the Missionaries of Charity recite the following prayer which was written by Saint John Henry Newman, “Dear Jesus, help me to spread Your fragrance wherever I go. Flood my soul with Your spirit and life. Penetrate and possess my whole being so utterly, that my life may only be a radiance of Yours. Shine through me, and be so in me that every soul I come in contact with may feel Your presence in my soul.”

Jean-Baptiste Chautard stated, “God, in His goodness, reveals Himself, in a certain manner, through His saints, and even through fervent souls. In this way, the supernatural filters through and becomes visible to the faithful, who are thus able to apprehend something of the mystery of God.”

From our gospel we were told, “By their fruits you shall know them.” This is true when it pertains to all of the saints. Their life was lived not to give exultation to themselves, but to God. Their actions, even those unseen by the human eye, where oriented towards the Lord. Their relationship with Him transcended the right words and actions when others were looking and became an authentic relationship from which they rested their whole life.

This proclamation should not only be true for those who have gone before us into life eternal. It should also hold true for each of us. All of us are called upon to be saints. This calling is not something which is impossible, if only we are found willing to participate with God’s grace, and make this reality so.

As Jean-Baptiste Chautard stated, “The best way to get men to listen to you is to hold out to them the secret of carrying the Cross, which is the lot of every mortal, with joy. This secret lies in the Eucharist and in the hope of heaven.”

Therefore, if we are to allow our fruit to be authentic we must stay close to the Lord and remain humble of heart. In such a manner we will allow our life to not be about ourself, but about radiating that presence of God to all that we encounter. Through such a disposition of the interior life we can radiate the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity.

From such a disposition we allow ourself to produce good fruit for the fruit that we produce is representative of Christ who is the foundation of our life. Let us be willing to be sent forth to radiate His presence with true joy.

As Saint Faustina had prayed, “Let You divinity radiate through me, O You who dwell in my soul.”

17th Sunday of OT Year C Homily

The disciples came to the Lord with the fervent request, “Lord, teach us to pray.” We should also have the fervent desire to grow in our life of prayer. So often we only pray when we find it convenient or when we are in need of something.

Saint Therese of Lisieux said “for me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven; it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy.”

Prayer is a relationship with God. There are many things that we choose to make a priority in our life (be it the gym, a television show, or some type of hobby). Prayer ought to also be a priority that we are never willing to sacrifice no matter how busy or tired that we may be.

We can understand that we are in need of oxygen if we are to survive. Not only should we be concerned with our bodily wellbeing, but also our spiritual wellbeing. In such manner prayer acts as the oxygen that fuels our body for all that we will face in this life.

In the Church we have liturgical prayers such as the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and the Liturgy of Hours. These prayers join us to the universal Church as we join together in one body in prayer with those gathered throughout the whole world.

We also have a multitude of devotions such as the rosary, stations of the cross, or divine mercy chaplet to name a few. These devotions are not babble because through them we fervently pray to God and connect ourself unto Him.

Prayer is not limited to liturgical prayers and devotions. Not only should we take these up, but too we should enter into the silence of prayer. In a such a manner we join with God and enter into something which is so great that we will always have something further to grow in.

Through our prayer we should enter into adoration before God, have contrition for our sins, have thanksgiving for all that has been given to us, and have supplication where we turn to God and ask Him for our needs and petitions for ourself and for the whole world.

Prayer is important as an individual, but so too it is especially important for the family. The family is the domestic church and so prayer ought to be a central part of the family life. If you have yet to do so enthrone your home to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and as one turn your sight towards Christ.

Our Gospel goes on to speak pertaining to the door that will be opened when one knocks. This is precisely that happens with our prayer. This is not to be confused that prayer is magic where we get what we want whenever we make a wish. Prayer is a personal relationship with God that assists us in being moved towards His will whatever it may be in our life.

“Lord, teach us to pray.”

6th Sunday After Pentecost Homily

The sacraments are important, but they are not magic as some might incorrectly think or treat them as. This goes for all of them including baptism, confession, and the Most Holy Eucharist.

When one has water poured over their head while the Trinitarian formula is stated does not mean that an individual will be saved forever. Through baptism we are incorporated into the life of the Church and are brought into relationship with Christ. Baptism is important for the Christian for it leaves an indelible mark upon the receiver, but we must also live a life of faith.

Saint Paul makes it clear in his Epistle, “All we who are baptized in Christ Jesus are baptized in His death.” Thus as Christians we cannot live a life under the crux that we have been baptized and thus have nothing that we have to live for now. 

The life that we choose to live should be chosen in accordance with the faith that we have entered into through our baptism. As Christians we cannot just sit idly by and live as those who are consumed with the ways of this world. Rather, we must live as one who has entered into the death of Christ thus being liberated from sin and death.

The sacrament of confession would forgive nothing if we do not first posses a contrite heart. In other words we don’t go to confession in order that we may continue to live a life of sin, but in order that we may be forgiven of that sin we have freely chosen to enter into.

Our gospel makes illusion to the Eucharist which serves as the Heavenly food that fills us both bodily and more importantly spiritually. In order to approach Christ present with us in the Eucharist we must be living in that proper state where we can receive Him.

The Baltimore Catechism defines a sacrament as “an outward sign instituted by Christ that bestows grace.” Grace is a gift which comes to us from God. Grace is not limited to the sacraments alone for these are only one way in which we receive the gift of grace.

Despite the sacraments not being magic what we are being given is all that we will ever need in order to live good and holy lives. Grace goes unseen by our eyes, but is still at work within us. Let us choose to cooperate with such grace ordering our life towards Christ and what was begun for us at that moment when we entered into those life giving waters of baptism.

16th Sunday of OT Year C Homily

Martha was found to be anxious and worried about many things. Despite the best of her intentions she had forgot that Christ was present in her home and could calm the storms that had given rise in her life.

We too find ourselves to be anxious and worried about many things. When something is out of our control we are especially anxious and worried. This is the case with health, with battling temptations, with wars and violence that take place throughout the world.

Despite our anxiety and worry it is important that we realize that what we are going through is a common human experience and is not a sin in itself. The sin comes out of the actions that we choose to do when it pertains to such anxiety and worry.

Some might use various vices to combat such anxiety in order to bring about a false sense of calm. We can never discover our true longing in such a manner for we can only find our fulfillment through Christ.

As Saint Paul stated to the Philippians, “Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” In other words we are called upon to orient our sight to God despite these difficulties.

As the Lord stated unto Martha, “Mary has chosen the better part.” This statement points towards the fact that she has already come to understand the importance of the Messiah and thus she placed her trust in Him in order that all anxiety and worry may be calmed.

We must be found willing to do likewise. As a human emotion such anxiety and worry will continue to come upon us. Despite this reality we are in full control when it pertains to what we do with such anxiety and worry.

In the words of 1st Peter, “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” This is to remind that God is the answer to which our heart longs.

Therefore, let us be found willing to be present with Him in prayer especially at those moments where we are found to be most anxious and afraid. Let us learn to find our rest in Him instead of endlessly getting caught up in the anxieties of life.

As the Lord stated to His apostles, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.” Let the Lord be the source of our peace.