24th Sunday of OT Year A Homily

Forgiveness is the central theme to our collection of readings this Sunday. It is so sad to think that there are some who cling onto their jealousy and hatred towards another to the point that they are unable to forgive and thus finally move on from the hatred which consumes their soul and holds it hostage. As we are instructed in the Pater Noster (Our Father): “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” 

If we are to forgive “not seven times but seventy-seven times” we need to entrust ourself to the cross of our Blessed Lord. From here He came to utter: “Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing!” Therefore when we have done wrong we desire to receive the mercy of the Father. If we can understand that the Lord is indeed merciful and just with us we must also come to understand that this mercy which we desire from the Father should be shared with everyone that we encounter no matter how difficult that individual may be.

As is accounted in her autobiography, A Story of a Soul, Saint Therese of Lisieux accounts of a religious sister who proved to be most difficult in her life: “someone or other had left a little vase on a window sill, and it was found broken. Our Mistress thought it was my fault. She seemed very annoyed that I had left it there and told me to be more careful next time, adding that I had no idea at all of tidiness. Without saying a word, I kissed the ground and promised I would take more care in the future. Such little things, as I have said, cost me a great deal because I was so lacking in virtue, and I had to remind myself that it would be known on the Day of Judgment.”

Here we can see the example of not retaliating through an argument nor holding onto a grudge. Rather, we are shown the virtuous achievement of taking the wrongs of another and humbly accepting them as a lesson in virtue. What little things can we offer up in our life for the sake of achieving forgiveness for one who has wronged us in this life? When we are wronged or irked we don’t have to fight back, but instead we have the opportunity to embrace the cross. Every time that we allow ourself to embrace the cross, especially for another, we will grow in this virtue for our Blessed Lord laid down His life not only for us and our friends, but also our enemies. 

It is often not the voice of our merciful Lord that comes our way when we have seemingly been transgressed against. Instead it is the voice of the devil that plagues us to not forgive and to lash out in our anger. His voice desires to make us latch onto these hardships and to never let go. We must rebuke this voice that comes our way. Again what virtue could we grow in if only we would dare to embrace the cross of our Blessed Lord?

If we are to embrace the cross we must come to embrace the virtue of humility. If we are to forgive we must embrace humility itself for through this virtue we turn against our pride in order to lower ourself to point of forgiveness. The prideful cannot dare to lower their self in such a manner for they are so used to everyone bending the knee at their needs. Humility causes us to except our imperfections and to realize and accept the imperfections of others especially those who irk us in this life. May we come to humbly embrace these individuals and through the cross learn to forgive them “not seven times but seventy-seven times.”

Bulletin Article: September 6

I am humbled to be named the pastor of this parish community affective September 9, 2020. I am blessed to be assigned to a

parish with a parochial school and many people who desire to build up the Kingdom of God here in Johnson City, TN. Please continue to pray for me as I con􏰀nue to pray for each of you.

I thank those who have served on our Parish Pastoral Council and Parish Finance Council. Larry Schmi􏰁 is now the chairperson for the Parish Pastoral Council. Those leaving the council are Leila Al-Imad and Kim Dahlgren. Those new to the council are Bobby Aus􏰀n, Jim Burns, and Raymond Isaac. Marie Wright also serves the council as an ex-officio member of the council who represents our parish youth. Those leaving the Parish Finance Council are Camille Poor, Les Simon, and Mark Fried. Daniel Tejada was added to the Parish Finance Council. I thank each of them for their willingness to volunteer for our parish and their desire to use their 􏰀me and talents to serve our parish.

There will be a Parish Open Forum on September 14, 2020 at 6:30pm via Zoom. One of our topics will be outreach to our parishioners during COVID-19. Other topics will be listed in the next bulletin.

In Christ,

Fr. Dustin Collins

14th Sunday After Pentecost Homily

In simple words our Gospel calls us to be concerned. Concerned not just about anything, but about our salvation. So often people forget the pursuit of this concern and instead place their concern into the pursuit of other areas, worldliness and the increase of our passions. Therefore before we know it our life revolves not around our salvation, but instead the many vices which were listed by Saint Paul in our Epistle: “fornication, uncleanness, immodesty, luxury, idolatry, witchcrafts, enmities, contentions, emulations, wraths, quarrels, dissensions, sects, envies, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like.”

If we were to proclaim this list in the midst of society you would end up with a lot of flack. Some will say that you are out of touch with modern times. Others will not see why any of these things are so bad because they bring so much joy to the lives of others. Sadly, there are even those within the Church who use their teaching authority to undermine and make excuses for these various sins which were outlined.

In the midst of attachment of sin I understand that it can be difficult to move ourself away from this attachment. Despite this difficulty we cannot allow ourself to rationalize our sin or think that it is to great for me to stop. As Saint Paul said in his 2nd Letter to the Corinthians: “a thorn in the flesh was given to me.” Truly, to some extent each of us join with Saint Paul in enduring this thorn in our flesh, but let remember that which was stated later in this passage: “I asked the Lord three times about this, that it would depart from me. But he said to me, “My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” So then, I will boast most gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in me.”

Saint Paul goes on in our Epistle to give a list which lifts us out of this enslavement and so we are told: “But the fruit of the Spirit is, charity, joy, peace, patience, benignity, goodness, longanimity, mildness, faith, modesty, continecy, chastity.” Again if one were to proclaim this list in the midst of society the would end up with a lot of flack for for the most part we have come to accept certain sinful practices as becoming a norm. Therefore in the midst of the Church we need to have concern for these various virtues which lead us towards an encounter with God and work on separating ourself from these various vices which rip us away from Him.

If we are to move vice out of our life we must move virtue into our life to push the vice out. Going back to Saint Paul we must come to trust and cooperate with the grace that is constantly being poured out for us. So many do not have concern for eternal life, but instead live for the here and now. They have allowed themselves in their belief of being free spirited to actually be slaves. There is always hope in these shackles being lifted from us, but we have to trust in the Lord who is merciful and just if this is to be made so. To think of the true transformation for Christ Jesus which would take place if those within the pews would take this message to heart and live their life for Him instead of living their life for the ways of the world.

St. Mary’s Men Evening of Recollection Sermon X: Temperance

Today I draw our attention towards the virtue of temperance which is the opposite of the vice of gluttony. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “Temperance is the moral virtue that moderates the attraction of pleasures and provides balance in the use of created goods. It ensures the will's mastery over instincts and keeps desires within the limits of what is honorable. The temperate person directs the sensitive appetites toward what is good and maintains a healthy discretion.”

Our culture does not speak a message of temperance to us. Instead we are led to believe that the more pleasures that we have the happier that we will be. Therefore there is no need to moderate the amount that one drinks or eats. There is not a need to moderate the time that we spend watching television or doing other activities. Therefore in the realm of human sexuality we do not need to moderate our pleasure with the use of healthy discretion. When we take something and indulge within it without the proper use of moderation we practice the vice of gluttony. Instead of being led towards happiness we are being led towards enslavement for through the practice of gluttony we are not being led towards freedom and true happiness.

The concept of temperance and gluttony should take us back to Genesis and the account of creation. Here at the end of each day we were instructed that it was good. Despite everything being created as being good we were later told about the forbidden fruit in the garden. The fall was caused not because this fruit was not good, but rather because it was taken and not used for its God given purpose. We must remember that the devil cannot create. Instead of creating he takes that which is good and attempts to lie to us to the point that we take it and twist it to where it no longer meet its God given purpose. When we consider an over indulgence of created goods we should see how easy it is to believe these lies and to get caught up within them to the point of being trapped.

From Saint Josemaria Escriva we hear: “Among the ingredients of your meal include that most delicious one, mortification.” It is mortification which assists us in being able to moderate our pleasures and to keep them in their proper order. Instead of practicing mortification and being led in the practice of temperance we so easily get caught up in a spirit of gluttony. By stripping away something simple from our life from time to time we practice mortification and remind ourself of the necessity of practicing temperance. From Saint Josemaria Escriva’s quote we see that mortification is something that is very important for us to frequent and that it can be something which is simple.

As we depart from here may we be sent into to action to work on this virtue of temperance. Where we find the trace of gluttony in our life may we realize that there is always a path which leads away from it and towards the Lord. In order to walk this path we will need to follow temperance which “ensures the will’s mastery over instincts and keeps desires within the limits of what is honorable. 

Bulletin Article: August 30

On September 14th at 6pm our parish will again hold an open forum on Zoom. Please save the date and time and join us if you are able. I found the past open forum on Zoom to be very successful and look forward to trying this again. The room number and agenda will be made available in the near future.

We are currently putting together a third homebound list for the parish which will work in conjunction to our lists of those in a nursing home or at home. This list is for those who are currently unable to come to Mass due to COVID-19. If you know of someone who may need to be placed on this list please have them call the parish office to leave their name. This list will assist in our parish being able to reach out to them while they are unable to be with us at Mass.

Finally, our parish is currently developing first Saturday devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. On this day it is traditional to attend Mass receiving communion in the state of grace, make confession, and pray at least five decades of the rosary. On first Saturday there will normally be two priests who will be present to hear confessions. In time there will be an image of the Immaculate Heart of Mary which will be purchased which will be present at each first Saturday Mass. It is my hope that this devotion will enkindle devotion to the Blessed Mother and will aid many in making use of the sacrament of Confession on routine basis. 

In Christ,

Fr. Dustin Collins