13th Sunday of OT Year A Homily

Baptism is an important sacrament of the Church. It is not just a ceremonial washing with water that is done in order to bring family and friends together to celebrate a life event. Baptism is most serious because it leaves a indelible mark upon the soul of the receiver which means that it permanently changes the soul’s relationship to God and can never be erased, even by sin and death. To be baptized means that we are incorporated into a relationship with Christ and His Church.

Saint Paul speaks to the seriousness of this sacrament by stating, “Are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?” Therefore, when you were submerged in the waters of baptism, your old self bound to sin was buried in Christ’s tomb. When you rose forth from those life giving waters you emerged as a new creation infused with His divine life.

Despite receiving such a wondrous gift we must move forth from those waters conforming our life to Christ. It is easy for us to cease regress to a life old; that being a life on sin and a lack of care for the spiritual life. We not profess baptism to be the end of our walk of faith, but the beginning that moves us forward infused with the gift of God’s grace.

Just because we have received the sacrament of baptism does not mean that we will be judged as worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven. To be baptized is to put of faith into action and not squander the time that has been allotted to us. At the earthly life we ought to want to hear, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”

In light of this we are told by Christ, “Whoever does not take up his cross…is not worthy of me.” This is a reminder of the importance of the active and daily outworking of our baptism. The cross becomes our “old self” that buried in baptism and tries to crawl back out. We have to put it to death in order that we may continue to place our trust in the Lord and choose to live for Him.

Taking up the cross means that we come to accept the daily sacrifices of this life. This is the friction that exists between choosing love over selfishness and the trails of this life. The cross and choosing to take it up is a recognition that your life is no longer your own for it is to be lived as a true disciple of the Lord.

It is true that the Church teaches that baptism is the necessary starting point for salvation for it washes away original sin and infuses the soul with sanctifying grace. This is not a one time guarantee of heaven for we are called to undergo the lifelong process of faith, obedience, and relationship with God. Baptism is the gate and not the finish line, so let us choose to strive daily to rise from these life giving waters to live for Christ.

12th Sunday of OT Year A Homily

The prophet Jeremiah tells us “terror on every side!” Such a statement might seem to be precisely what we are going through in the here and now. It makes known the effects of this broken world, the pain of rejection, and the anxiety of being surrounded by hostility. It can be difficult to carry on when we bear such weight and not give into despair.

But after Jeremiah cries out in such a way he eventually pivots to state, “But the Lord is with me, like a mighty champion.” Such a statement brings forth the virtue of hope as his gaze has been taken off of his persecutors and placed onto God’s character. We too need to place our trust in God instead of being led into despair of what is too difficult or impossible for us to accomplish.

In our life there can be a lot for us to fear for such terror is constantly being made known. Nevertheless, the Lord instructs, “Fear no one.” Such a statement was made to His disciples for He knew that the path before them would be much like the path that Jeremiah underwent. Despite such a reality He would remind them two times in this short passage, “Do not be afraid.”

These readings are making us reflect on where we place our ultimate security. If our goal is perfect earthly comfort and safety we will constantly live in fear. But if our goal is eternal life with the Father, we can run the race and persevere until the end. Christ has already conquered over death and thus we have nothing to fear for He has redeemed us.

The cost of such discipleship never comes easily. We can see this from the Greek word for witness, this word being where we get the English word martyr. The martyrs were so convinced of the truth of the Gospel that they were found willing to lay down their life in order to protect such truth.

Likewise, despite the “terror on every side” are we called upon to “fear no one.” Just like Jeremiah there will be those who will shout “denounce him,” but we cannot give into their cry. We must stand solid in our practice of faith and live the faith without compromise. If this be so we even if we never spill our blood for Christ like a martyr will persevere out of witness for Him.

We are called upon to live out all Catholic truths and not just the ones that we find to be convenient. We must stand up for the vulnerable, we must speak out against injustice, we must live out the moral teachings of the Church, we must come to Mass each Sunday and Holy Day of Obligation to give God proper laud, honor, and glory, and we must live out a relationship with Him and His Word through prayer.

Yes, the world wants us to think that such a task is impossible, is inconvenient, is not in line with the majority, but Christ reminds us that we have been set apart for we have been claimed by Him upon the cross. Never give into fear and never fall into despair for through Christ we find the strength to transform our earthly terrors into an unwavering witness of hope.

11th Sunday of OT Year A Homily

This past Friday the Church observed the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. In light of our nation’s 250th anniversary our bishops consecrated our nation to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Today we reconsecrate our parish to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus in order that we may rekindle such faith in Him and His mercy which endures forever. It is His heart which has been moved with pity for us.

When we look at the image of the Sacred Heart we notice a heart which is encircled by a crown of thorns. This represents human sin, coldness, and active rejection to the gift that Christ has offered onto us. As Saint Paul explained in our Epistle that His love is poured out right into the middle of our mess and hostility, not after we’ve cleaned ourselves up.

Saint Paul mentions that we are “justified by his blood” and “reconciled to God through the death of his Son.” In the imagery of the Sacred Heart we see a distinct wound in the side of the heart. This is a reference to Saint John’s Gospel where the solider pierced Christ’s side and blood and water poured forth. This devotion emphasis the fact that His heart was literally broken open to pour out mercy upon a helpless world.

Despite what would seem to be helplessness we see great hope being proclaimed. As Saint Paul states, “how much ore, once reconciled, will we be saved by his life.” In the image of the Sacred Heart we see the flame that brings with it such hope as light is brought forth. We are sacred by His active, resurrected life, and He like this flame continues to pursue us into the here and now.

The consecration of our parish to the Sacred Heart means to consciously and deliberately place our entire community inside this furnace of divine love. Such a consecration calls us back to a spiritual realignment of what is important. We do not rely on our achievements, programs, or strength, but upon the overflowing mercy of Christ. We are asking that we may make our hearts like His.

This consecration must transcend the walls of this church and overflow into the domestic church, that being our homes. When we practice such devotion to the Sacred Heart especially through the Enthronement of one’s home to the Sacred Heart we are declaring that Jesus is the true head of our household. By setting apart a place of honor for His image transforms the home from anxiety to peace and from conflict to reconciliation.

It is precisely from the home and the parish that the renewal of our society takes place. Looking at the world we see fractures in the family, division throughout our nation, and unrest throughout the world. Such a glimpse can be daunting for us, the flame at the top of the Sacred Heart assures us that His mercy is actively pursuing the world. No matter how much culture wanders from Him  it is never beyond that reach of His Pierced Heart. If we are found willing to return to Him, His grace will ripple outward, and more will come to know of the fire of His love.

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.

Corpus Christi Homily

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. The Eucharist is not just a mere symbol of Christ, but is truly Christ present with us Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity under the appearances of bread and wine. To receive Him under our roof is to allow Him to be the one who nourishes us and leads us forth fortified by the gift of God’s grace.

The Israelites underwent a 40 year journey in the desert where the wondered toward the Promised Land. This journey would bring many twists and turns (they were hungry, thirsty, and lost); they would even think that they were better off in their slavery of old. Nevertheless, God heard their cry and poured down heavenly food which would nourish them along this journey.

We too find ourself on such a journey with the Promised Land of Heaven as our ultimate goal. Throughout the pilgrimage of this life we take many twists and turns; it is easy to desire to live the life of old instead of living for Christ Jesus. In the words of Saint Augustine, “Lord, grant me chastity and continence, but not yet.” As Jesus said in the Gospel of Saint Matthew, “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God.”

The Eucharist is food for our journey. It sustains us as we travel through the spiritual wilderness of this world. We must flee the slavery of sin and head toward the true Promised Land of Heaven. If we allow our life to be centered upon Christ and His presence among us then we will be given the strength necessary to continue to move forward without looking back.

The manna in the desert could only temporarily fight off death for the Israelites. They ate it daily, they grew old, and they eventually died. If they hoarded it, it would rot for it belonged to this temporal world. The Eucharist grants eternal life for it heals the soul, strengthening the believer against mortal sin and allowing them to live for the Resurrection which is to come.

As we pray when we recite the Our Father, “give us this day our daily bread.” A better translation would be “super-substantial” or  “supernatural” bread which is to say that we are asking for the daily nourishment of the Eucharist for this gift goes far beyond the effects of physical food for this heavenly food also provides for the wellbeing of our soul.

It is so easy to get caught up in things which will never fill. It is most difficult to move ourselves away from unhealthy practices which we have allowed to become routine. Let us dare to look as Saint John the Baptist directs, “Behold the Lamb of God.” Indeed in the Eucharist we behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Let our be centered upon Him and thus may we come to repent of all sin and enter into communion with Him in order that we may allow Him to always remain the food for our journey which leads towards the Promised Land of Heaven.

You have given them Bread from heaven. Having all sweetness with it.

Trinity Sunday Homily

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. Such a celebration causes us to contemplate the deepest mystery of faith, the inner life of God. Through the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit we are able to see a perfect communion of love which is being made manifest for us and this world.

As we look ahead our nation will come to celebrate its 250th anniversary. Due to this we anticipate the upcoming consecration of our country to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. I invite you to begin the novena to the Sacred Heart this Wednesday leading up to its feast day on June 12th. Our parish will reconsecrate itself to the Sacred Heart the following weekend.

It is through the beating heart of Christ that we are able to see the mysterious love of the Triune God being made visible. We so often fail to enter into the depths of such love as we turn inward upon self overlooking the needs of others and twisting things entrusted to our care so that they no longer meet their God given purpose.

It is through the Trinity we are able to see the manifest love of God pouring forth without reservation. Through the Sacred Heart we are given a vivid image of this love being made manifest. This heart beats in order that we may turn back to God in order that we may be healed of all that burdens us.

Not only are we in need of such healing, but so is our country and world. We must turn back to God in order that we may come to achieve unity and healing as a nation. We must remember that Christ is King and thus He alone is able to bring us to discover our refuge in the midst of all turmoil. A political party cannot save for Christ who saves upon the wood of the cross.

From Exodus Moses would go to his knees as he pleaded for a “stiff-necked people.” Through our national consecration we acknowledge the need for the Lord to enter in to bring healing to a people that are so in need of His mercy. As Saint Paul would address the Corinthians, “mend your ways, encourage one another, agree with one another, live in peace.”

We do not experience the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit as something which is abstract. Rather, the Trinity is the outpouring of God’s mercy that is to be received. To participate in the life of the Trinity is to enter in through the door of Christ’s pierced side where we choose to conform our life after the virtues of humility, purity, and the sacrificial love that flows from His Most Sacred Heart.

May our encounter with the Trinity and thus the Sacred Heart of Jesus heal us and the world. Let us take to heart the upcoming consecration of our nation to His Most Sacred Heart. Through such faith and preparation we are prepared to enter into the love of the Trinity and to embrace such a love in the midst of a world touched by sin. 

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.

Pentecost Homily

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Pentecost, which marks the birth of the Church through the outpouring of the gift of the Holy Spirit.

In the Book of Genesis, we are told of the Tower of Babel. Here, human pride rejected God’s design for humanity. At Babel, a unified human race, driven by arrogance, attempted to build a massive tower to reach into the heavens. This was a direct rejection of God’s command to scatter, multiply, and fill the earth. Because of this act of defiance, God intervened by confounding their single language into many, leaving them unable to communicate with one another.

At Pentecost, a profound reversal of Babel takes place. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us, “By this power of the Spirit, God's children can bear much fruit. He who has grafted us onto the true vine will make us bear 'the fruit of the Spirit’... The Church, through the scattering of nations, gathers them into the unity of God's family.”

Therefore, at Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descends, and the Apostles begin to speak in different languages. The miracle lies in the fact that everyone is now able to hear the Gospel being proclaimed in their own tongue. Language is no longer a barrier of confusion, as it was at Babel, because the Holy Spirit allows us to hear and understand the truth that has been revealed.

The fire that descended upon the Upper Room did not come to destroy and isolate, but to purify and to heal. At Babel, there was a prideful desire to storm heaven through human power alone, while the Apostles waited in humble prayer for heaven to descend upon them. Through this divine encounter, we have been unified and are now empowered to confess together that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Today, we are invited to look inward at our own lives. Do we rely upon our own strength, leading us down the path of pride, anger, and division? Pentecost does not leave us isolated; instead, it invites us to enter into deep communion with God, the giver of all good gifts. In the Church, this communion is made manifest as people of every nation, race, and tongue stand together before the altar of sacrifice to give God glory and praise.

Through the gift of the Holy Spirit, we are given the grace necessary to live this calling out in the world. We can now scatter across this globe as true witnesses to Christ, multiplying His disciples through our love, and filling the entire earth with the radiant glory of His Gospel. We are not sent out alone; we are propelled forward by the gentle, powerful aid of the Holy Spirit.

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful and kindle in them the fire of Your love. Send forth Your Spirit and they shall be created, and You shall renew the face of the earth.

Ascension Homily

Today we observe the External Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord. In being taken up, it would seem that the Lord was giving His final goodbye to His apostles. In reality, by being taken up to Heaven, He is not giving a final goodbye nor making a departure, but is becoming more accessible to them—and thus to us.

As Saint Augustine stated, Christ “did not leave heaven when He came down to us, nor did He withdraw from us when He went up again into Heaven.” By ascending, He transitioned from being beside His followers to being among them in a universal way. If He had stayed on this earth, He could only be present in one place at a time; but now, He is universally present.

Through the Ascension, Christ is glorified and thus no longer bound by space and time. We especially see this in the Eucharist, where Christ is present with us—Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. In the tabernacle is truly God’s presence among us, physically and not merely symbolically. This is possible because He has been taken up to Heaven and has not left us abandoned.

Now, with our sight set upon Him, we are able to be led to where He has gone. He is the forerunner, which means that His goodbye is not final. Instead, He is simply the first to walk through the door, which He now holds open for everyone else. Will we place our trust in Him and allow Him to lead us into Paradise, or will we instead attempt (though it is impossible) to enter by another gate?

As we recite in the Nicene Creed, “He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead.” This time between the Ascension and the Second Coming is not an absence, but a vigil. In ancient marriage customs, the groom would leave his bride to go to his father’s house to prepare a place. In going up, He prepares such a place for us—but will we be found watchful and awake?

We must remain in constant readiness, for “no one knows the day nor the hour.” A vigil requires a state of constant readiness so that we may be found prepared. Frequent confession and a daily examination of conscience assist us in being ready to meet the Lord at any moment—be it today, tomorrow, a week, a month, or years from now.

We are not just waiting for time to pass us by; we are entering into something that should be purgative. By remaining attentive to our spiritual lives, we grow in holiness each day as we continue to choose to follow Him. Living our lives as such a vigil allows us to take the Lord’s Ascension seriously, for through it the world has not been left empty, but expectant.

We must remain expectant, for this is not a "goodbye," but a "see you soon." Let us take this promise seriously and strive, with the assistance of God’s grace, toward where He has been taken up: the Kingdom of Heaven.

6th Sunday of Easter Year A Homily

The Lord makes a promise to His disciples: “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always.” The placement of this passage serves as a bridge for the coming Solemnity of Pentecost. It was at Pentecost that the disciples would receive the outpouring of the Holy Spirit when gathered together in the Upper Room.

Traditionally, we celebrate the Ascension of the Lord on this Thursday, 40 days after Easter. In our diocese, this solemnity is transferred to the following Sunday. The time that stretches between the Ascension and Pentecost is nine days. For these nine days, the disciples heeded the words of the Lord; thus, they went to Jerusalem and “devoted themselves with one accord to prayer.”

This period of nine days was not just a passive wait, but a time of intense spiritual preparation. Here, tradition states that they underwent a period of asceticism which would detach them from the world in order to make room for the divine gift which would come. The physical Jesus had returned to His Father, and they intensely prepared for the coming of this Advocate.

We, too, should prepare for the coming of such an Advocate. It is so easy to allow the days of the liturgical year to pass by without entering fully into them. Undergoing such a novena allows us to enter into a series of prayers so that we may remain open to the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit (wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord).

The Sacrament of Confession would serve us well during this period of days. Through such a confession, we examine our lives in light of the Lord’s command to love and seek out the grace that we may live such love in the midst of this world. This allows us to be a suitable dwelling place for the Holy Spirit to enter in and dwell with us.

The gift of the Holy Spirit is very important for us. Without the Holy Spirit, the commandments would seem to be a heavy burden of rules that cannot be followed. The Holy Spirit assists us in knowing all that is true and gives us the strength to act upon it despite its difficulty. Through the Holy Spirit, our fear becomes courage and our confusion becomes a clear witness to the Gospel.

We cannot be content to stay as we are, but must allow the fire of God’s love to renew us. The world may not see or know Him, but through our prayerful waiting, we are inviting the fire of God’s love to renew us. It is He who empowers us to go forth from this church and participate in the ongoing mission of renewing the face of the earth.

In the days ahead—especially from the Friday following the Ascension to the Saturday nine days later—let us have such expectant faith. Let our hearts remain open to the Seven Gifts which give us the strength to live as true disciples of the Lord. Let us prepare with true faith as we say, Veni, Sancte Spiritus (Come, Holy Spirit).

5th Sunday of Easter Year A Homily

“In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places.” This verse provides the ultimate hope that our life is a journey toward a specific place that has been prepared for us. Just as the Israelites journeyed toward the Promised Land, we as people of faith journey toward the Promised Land that is the Kingdom of Heaven.

This verse is not a rejection of the importance of the visible Church; it actually reinforces the necessity of the Church. These “dwelling places” are not private islands but are joined together as one into a single family home. For this reason, we must remain united to the Church, for we discover our unity through her.

In the ancient world, a house was not just a building. Rather, it was a family unit where one’s whole family resided. When a son would get married, he would add a “dwelling place” onto his father’s existing home. Over time, this would lead to many dwelling places united together in a permanent community.

Despite the “many rooms” that are represented, they remain united within the one house. This symbolizes the unity of the Church. Here, people from every nation and culture are able to reside together under one roof. They have endured the assaults of the enemy and have now been called home to God.

Jesus proclaims, “I go to prepare a place for you.” He does this through His Passion, Death, and Resurrection. The Church is the vehicle that has been established for us so that we may be prepared for such a dwelling place. He left us the sacraments—such as Baptism, Confirmation, the Eucharist, and Confession—in order that we may be given the grace needed to run the race.

If we were to remove the Church from this situation, we would be left without a structure to which these many rooms could be joined. Without the Church, we would be left as isolated individuals wandering around and doing as we please. The Church provides us with the structure of this home through the Creed, its hierarchy, Sacred Scripture, and tradition.

As Christians, we need to remain united to such a life of faith. There is always the allure of abandoning such confines. In doing so, we chase after something other than the unity that should exist and become individuals who have placed themselves at the center of life. We cannot start our own church based on what we want to believe, but must follow what has been handed down to us as truth.

As we look toward those eternal rooms, let us not see the Church as a set of restrictive walls, but as the very foundation that makes our homecoming possible. We must remain rooted in the life of the Church. Let us persevere in faith by keeping our sight set upon Christ and the Church He has left behind to care for our souls.

4th Sunday of Easter Year A Homily

On this Good Shepherd Sunday we are reminded that Christ as Shepherd is the gate that we must enter into. There are those who will attempt to enter it via some other avenue, but that is an impossibility. We can only enter the Kingdom of Heaven through Him and so no matter how difficult something may be in our life we must come to place our trust in Him.

In our lives we are often tempted to find another way to enter because in the midst of hardship it is always easier to desire to discover a shortcut. Such paths allow us to avoid discomfort, confrontation, or the cost of doing what is right. Through such an attitude we want the safety of the sheepfold, but we do not want the struggle that goes with getting there.

The thief and the robber are reminders of those voices within us that make us desire to prioritize self over what is true. It is much easier to lie to avoid trouble, to remain silent in the face of injustice, or to simply give into the temptations that plagues our mind. To act in such a way is to claim to be a follower of Christ without following the path that He has given us.

In our Epistle Saint Peter stated, “If you are patient when you suffer for doing what is good, this is a grace before God.” Such words remind us of the redemptive nature of suffering. Christ did not bypass human suffering, instead He embraced it fully upon the wood of the cross. None of us can climb over the Cross to get to the Resurrection. To follow Him we must embrace the cross.

Through taking up the cross and following after Him we are entering into relationship with Him. Because of this God is not absent in the midst of our suffering and hardships. Rather, He is offering us a share in His own life. Through the cross we are being led towards virtue and the transformation that takes place within us for embracing it.

We can see that the Shepherd always leads by example. It is He who goes before His sheep and they are able to follow His voice. This voice does not lead us to the goal of worldly power or earthly success, but one that leads us towards the ultimate surrender of the Cross. From Calvary we are able to see the love that Christ pours out for each of us.

In our modern world we see such suffering as a sign of failure. This is not the case for through such suffering we have come to be redeemed and from it we have the hope that shines forth through the Resurrection. It is this hope which allows us to continue upon path which leads towards Eternal Life by no other gate than Christ, and thus through all that He has asked of us.

A true sheep is willing to stay within the confines of the sheepfold. Through such a perspective they have come to know and listen to the voice of the Shepherd. Let us listen to His voice and in the midst of all hardship come to place our trust in Him instead of entrusting ourselves to the easier path which never leads unto the Lord and Everlasting Life.