Feast Day of Christ the King!

Today's readings can be found here.

Today we celebrate the ultimate leadership of God and the care He gives to us, the feast day of Christ the King. By the time John wrote his visions into the book of Revelations, Christians realized that the kingdom Jesus spoke about was not a political kingdom, but a spiritual one. John's revelation tells of a time when the King will come and all will know Him. It says that, “every eye will see him, even those who pierced him.” When our King is revealed to us we will begin to understand and know Him more than we ever could have imagined.

The next line in John's vision says that “All the peoples of the earth will lament him.” A lament is an expression of grief. Why should all people grieve when they see God? We will grieve because we will finally begin to understand the power of His love and forgiveness. The guilt of life, the pain of life, the sorrows and sins of life will well up within us as we realize that we no longer have to bear these things alone. In fact, we no longer have to bear them at all. Our King has come to take them away. He has come to make us into a kingdom as it says in the first part of this scripture, “him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, who has made us into a kingdom” we will learn that we are free, and weep tears of joy, sorrow and repentance.

The beauty of God's revelation to us, is that it isn't meant to happen at the end of time. God's revelation is happening throughout time, even now. This is evident in the different places people are in their faith. Some have already begun to see God. Some are waiting for God to reveal Himself to them. Some have begun to understand the power of His love and forgiveness. Some are waiting to understand forgiveness. Everyone is in a different place in their spiritual journey.

The ultimate blessing of His Kingship is that God is constantly watching over us, whether we recognize that we are in His kingdom or not. He has taken away our burden of sin and suffering. He has given us freedom from these things. We are free to choose to live in His kingdom, or run away from it. Do you live in His Kingdom? Who do you answer to? Who or what is the ruler in your life? The answer to these questions will tell you if you have accepted his offer and Kingship.

Food for the journey (Vol 4)

Prayer of the Week
Lord Jesus Christ, son of the Living God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” - The Jesus Prayer

From the Saints
God loves each of us as if there were only one of us – St. Augustine

Quote of the Week
If you want to be happy, try to be holy; if you want to be very happy, try to be very holy. -Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos

From an encyclical from John Paul II
For he who loves desire to give himself. - Dives in Misericordia/On the Mercy of God by John Paul II

Scripture
I have come not to do my will, but the will of him who sent me. - John 6:38

Encouragement
You are where you are, wherever you are, so that Jesus might be there with you right now.

Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today's readings can be found here.

The gospel of this week concludes the Bread of Life Discourse in John Chapter 6. The gospel, when included with the entire chapter of John, affirms that it is difficult for our human minds to believe that Jesus is the Bread of Life, but that we must eat this bread to gain eternal life. Many who were listening said, “This saying is hard; who can accept it?” The gospel also affirms that many people left the discipleship because they could not accept it. The ones who remained knew that even though it was hard to believe, Jesus was right. Which is why they said, “To whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”

The first reading, from the book of Joshua, also demonstrates a time when a choice was made between our God and other gods. Joshua, like Jesus' disciples, chooses God,. He says, “As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” The people answer that God has helped them and protected them, and they would serve God too.

Tying these readings with the second reading is an interesting exercise. The reading from Ephesians is often read at weddings. It also often upsets people due to its command to for women to be subordinate to their husbands. I'm sure after that line in the gospel, many people shut down their listening ears and say, “oh no they didn't.” But I encourage all to listen to the heart of this reading.

Husbands are to their wives as Christ is to the Church. Christ died for His Church. He put Himself up on the cross, underwent incredible suffering, humiliation, and pain until death. Husbands are to do the same for their wives. They are to love their wives and hand themselves over to lead their wives to heaven. Husbands should love their wives as they love their own bodies, nourishing and cherishing her.

Maybe this isn't your marriage, nor your parents marriage. Look around, do you see a marriage like this? Have you heard of a marriage like this? This image of marriage does not always present itself in our modern world. This image of marriage is an ideal, and it is a metaphor of Christ's love for us. In a perfect Church, we are the wife, subordinate to God and God's will for us. In turn, Jesus, the spouse, offers himself for us, and for our purification, salvation, and sanctification. He protects us, nourishes us, and cherishes us.

Our duty as the Church, as the wife of Christ, is to be subordinate, believe and trust that God will care for us. The gospel, written to conclude the Bread of Life discourse, tells us that this is hard to accept. But it also tells us that these words are Spirit and life.

Husbands and wives should examine their commitment to their spouse and their responsibilities based on these scriptures. Based on these scriptures, everyone should examine their commitment to God and Church and their responsibilities to both. If we do not believe this, if we do not act and live as the wife, the bride of Christ, how will we live? To whom shall we go?

Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today's readings can be found here.

The first reading tells us that wisdom is available to all. The banquet has been set, and we are all invited to partake in the wisdom of God. The second reading tells us turn away from foolish ways: drunkenness, adultery, and ignorance. It tells us to seek God's will and be filled with the wisdom of the Spirit. The wisdom of the Spirit should lead us to make the most of every opportunity (to share the Lord with others), to speak in the words of the Lord and constantly praise and give thanks to Him.

We give Him thanks because He has given us the ultimate gift, his life. His life is given so that we may live forever.

How possible is this to believe? At times, our hears question: could the body of Christ really be present to us on the altar? Fundamentalist Christians and others who take the Bible literally tend to skim over John chapter 6, also know as the “Bread of Life Discourse.” John Chapter 6 contains in it, a constant message from Jesus himself that he IS the bread sent from heaven. Jesus tells us the following. He is the living bread from heaven. Unless we eat of the flesh of the Son of Man and drink of his blood we shall not have life within us. His flesh is true food, blood true drink. The one who feeds on Him will have eternal life. This message combined with the words spoken at the Last Supper confirm that what is offered on the altar is the Body and Blood of Christ.

God has given us the gift of the Spirit and the Spirit's wisdom to help us believe what seems impossible to our human understanding. The banquet has been set, and we are invited to partake in the sacrifice on the altar. Whoever eats this Bread will live forever. Amen.

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Click here for today's readings!

The second reading tells us, “Be imitators of God and live in love as Christ loved us and handed himself over for us.” What a challenge. Has anyone ever imitated God? Have we created life? Have we instructed others? Have we helped the poor, the lost, the lonely? Actually... maybe we have. Some of us have children, have taught others and have assisted those in need. Perhaps we have had success in imitating God.

The reading instructs us further to imitate God and live in love as Christ loved us. The challenge grows. Have we loved as Christ loved us? Christ loved us and handed himself over for us. Are we capable of a sacrificial love such as this? Sacrificial love has the good of the other at heart. Sacrificial love asks the most of the giver and often gives nothing in return.

There may be times when we are capable of sacrificial love, but not always. Life has the ability to wear down our desire or drive to love this way. How then, do we nourish ourselves to become more capable of this type of love? “Get up and eat, else the journey will be too long for you.” is the advice that the angel of the Lord gives to Elijah. This advice is good for us as well. The Bread of Life, Jesus, is offered for us on the altar today. The sacrifice of this Bread from Heaven is offered for us to feed us spiritually. It is offered to us freely to nourish our spirits to be able to love as Jesus loved. To nourish us to imitate God. This bread was given to us to sustain us on our earthly journey until we reach our heavenly home.

Jesus gave us his life as a sacrificial offering, a sacrificial love. The Eucharist is offered for us. It is offered to sustain us, to encourage us and to help us love sacrificially.

18th Sunday in Ordinary Time.

click here for today's readings

The gospel occurs the day after the multiplication of the loaves and fishes. Briefly paraphrased it goes like this: “Hey Jesus, why did you leave us?” Jesus replies, “You aren't here for me, you are here for free food. Honestly, you are wasting your time if its just food you are after. You should be coming to me for something better, eternal life.” The people ask, “How do we get that? Show us a sign.” Jesus says, “I am the sign, if you believe in me, you will never worry about food and drink again.”

Do we believe because we received something from God? A job, a car, a family, a fish and some loaves while we sat in the meadow? Or do we believe because Jesus Christ was sent to earth to show us a new way. He sacrificed His body on the cross and died. Then He rose from the dead to conquer death, to destroy death! Would we, like Job, believe if we had nothing? Would we believe if we had lost everything, family, home, wealth, property, our health, and friends?

Paul's letter to the Ephesians urges us to put our old selves away, the selves that show up for free food, who believe because God has blessed us with stuff. He begs us to put away weak faith and to put away our weak and former selves. If we truly believe, we know that we have the gift of Jesus Christ. We no longer belong to this world, but to God's kingdom.

Now that we have the gift of Jesus, we should walk as a child of God. A very small child does not wonder where it is going or what it is doing. A very small child lives in the present moment. In this very moment, God is providing for you. Paul accuses the Gentiles as living in “futility of their minds” - in fear, worry and anxiety. In this moment God is proving for you. Paul says, “be renewed in the spirit of your minds.” Don't worry, don't fear, do not be anxious. God is providing for you right now. Perhaps not for your physical needs - mana isn't raining down from heaven, but He is providing for your spiritual needs. Jesus on the cross has given us the sign we asked for. His life, offered on the cross – for you, for this very moment.

Jesus gives us his body and blood as bread and wine. As we approach the altar, what do we think? Do we think about the substance of the bread and the wine? Do we think about the flavor or the texture in our mouths? Do we think about the people in the line? In the pew? Are we tied to the futility of our minds – the anxiety, worry and stress of the physical things?

Be renewed, brothers and sisters! As you approach the altar, God approaches you. As you lift your hands to make a throne for the host of the body of Christ, God approaches you. The minister proclaims, “the body of Christ.” Your “Amen” proclaims, “I believe this is your body. I come to you so that I may never hunger.”

Feast of Pentacost

Speaking in foreign tongues is the first big manifestation of the Holy Spirit. The apostles, so filled with that fire, went out and began speaking in languages they had never learned and never heard. The Spirit was able to work through them to speak to the many visitors who had gathered. How many times in your life have you wanted to share a supportive, loving or kind word with another person, but didn’t know what to say? Sometimes the right words feel awkward or forced. However, if we seek the support of the Holy Spirit, God is able to work through us to speak a word to that person. In Lent, we read “The Lord GOD has given me a well-trained tongue, That I might know how to speak to the weary a word that will rouse them." (Isaiah 50). Well, the Holy Spirit gives us that power!

The Holy Spirit didn’t just come to comfort us, it came to help us in the Missionary and Apostolic work of the Church. We should be praying that God’s word would always be at the tip of our tongue and that we are able to speak in foreign tongues. This doesn’t mean to speak in Chinese, Spanish or French, although it could. This means to be able to speak teenager if you are an adult, to speak angry neighbor if you are a calm one, to speak support and comfort, motivation and healing, guidance and reproach.

We are called to testify what we have seen and heard about God. We are called to speak to others on God’s behalf. Jesus doesn’t walk on this earth anymore, but we do. We walk with the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit wants to work through us to reach others. We must testify what we know about God so that others may hear and benefit. The Holy Spirit has the power to speak through us to others, but we must ask the Holy Spirit to come into our lives and work in this way.

Finally, we shouldn’t feel bad if we don’t testify in the ways we see others testifying. Not everyone can be a priest, not everyone can stand on the corner and read scripture to strangers as they walk by. However, we can share with some of our friends and family a story of how God has loved us, how God has helped us, how God has saved us, taken us back, or brought us into His glory. These are the stories we are meant to share with others.

The psalm proclaims, “When you send forth your spirit, they are created, 
and you renew the face of the earth.” Well, God has sent forth his Spirit. We have been created and blessed by Him. In sharing our stories with others, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we can share the love that God has shown to us. In this way, the face of the Earth can be renewed.

6th Sunday of Easter

In today's readings we learn that all who hear God's word and obey it are welcome to the salvation offered by God. We are also reminded of the reoccurring theme of the Easter season: obey the commandments and love one another.

Some people might view the 10 commandments as a "do not do" list that God gave to Moses. However, the list of commandments are really guidelines that teach us how to love. The first three commandments show us how to love God and the final seven show us how to love others.

The second reading tells us, "God is love." Therefore, God equals love and love equals God. Did you ever think of that before? Not that God is love, but that love is God.

God is the source of love for the whole world. Just as water cycles around the world in clouds, rain, rivers, oceans and into clouds again, God's love cycles through us and our neighbors. As we love, we are really spreading God and sharing God with others.

Part of God, part of love, is forgiveness. The second reading tells us, "God sent his only Son into the world so that we might have life through him." When we hold a grudge or will not forgive another person, we withhold love from them. When someone is angry with us, or holding something against us, they withhold love from us. In these instances, both parties
are losing the heart of the relationship with each other and they are without the life of the other.

When Jesus died to free us from sin, it was to open us to love and forgiveness, and introduce us to God the Father as pure love. He died for us to show us a better love than the love we often live. In the Gospel, Jesus instructs us to "remain in His love". We must remain with God to be able to love others and be forgiving. In his commandments, God isn't trying to hold us back or squash our zeal for life, he is trying to help us live more fully. Jesus tells us to remain with Him so that our "joy may be complete." He summarizes the one lesson that we need to hear over and over again by saying, "This is my commandment: love one another as I love you."

5th Sunday of Easter

Luckily, lovingly, God is the vine grower. He tends to us branches. He sees the branches that are withering from thirst and he gives them a boost with water. He sees the branches that are burning from heat and gives them the mercy of shade. He also sees the branches that are bearing fruit. He waits until the fruit is ripe and heavy before he picks it. God also prunes some branches. He cuts them down so they will bear fruit in the future.

Have you ever been pruned? Have you ever felt that God was cutting you down or holding you back? It is hard to come to terms with pruning sometimes. Why would God prevent you from doing something that you wanted to do? Why would He give that job to someone else? Why would He let your boyfriend or girlfriend break up with you? God is the vine grower, and he knows the end result. He knows the fruit you will bear. If you took that first job, then you wouldn't have applied to the position where you were able to change people's lives by your work. If you had stayed with that boyfriend or girlfriend, you wouldn't have had the opportunity to meet your real true love, the spouse that God had planned for you before you were born. He knows what He is doing.

He sent Jesus Christ to this earth to guide us and give us hope. Jesus is the vine and we are the branches. We must root ourselves in the vine that God provided. Jesus says, "without me you can do nothing." If we live apart from Christ, then we are like the branch that has broken off of the vine and fallen to the ground. Where are our roots? Where will we get water and nutrients with nothing holding us in the soil? Even if God tried to water us, we couldn't receive it without the vine. We are dead without the vine. We are dead without Jesus Christ.

Today's second reading gives us hope for staying on the vine when it says, "Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them," In order to stay on the vine, we must keep his commandments. The greatest commandment (Matthew 22) is to "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself'," Love is the key to staying on the vine. The second reading tells us how to love too. Saying, "I love you" is simply not enough. We must act out our love through service to God and to one another.

4th Sunday of Easter

So often we wonder what we mean to God, what He is doing with us or where He is leading us in our lives. Today's readings should give us hope. Jesus Christ should be the cornerstone of our foundation. The rock on which we stand. But when we want to move, where should we go? God has provided us a shepherd to guide us. The sheep do not lead themselves, the shepherd guides them to rich meadows full of grass to eat. He also leads them away from the dangerous predators who would kill or harm the sheep. But we are not sheep, and we know that. The second reading assures us who we are, which is the children of God.

Knowing these things is comforting, but still we wonder, “What is God doing with my life?” We can say, “Last year I did this good thing” or “Right now I am doing this.” or “One day, I hope to do that” but still we do not know what God wants from us. Today's second reading offers assurance. “Beloved, we are God's children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed.” This letter to John assures us that we aren't supposed to know. Perhaps the accumulation of our life's work will be revealed to us in the end. The reading says, “We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” We will know where God led us, and what we did for Him when we see Him. Is this when we get to heaven?

In our entire lives, we have so many opportunities to do God's work. Sometimes it is easier to look for the big thing to do, the hurricane victim to rescue or the mission trip to go on, than it is to do the small thing, loving your neighbor or giving 35 cents to the homeless guy. Not everyone can do the big things, but all of us can do the small things. Will the most important thing we did in our entire lives be a big thing or a small thing or many small things? Perhaps the accumulation of our lives is to smile at that one person who will go on to change the world. Perhaps the $20 donated to the mission trip car wash fundraiser didn't seem like much, but it helped 25 students get that much closer to Honduras. In those 25 students, maybe one needed the trip desperately so God could crack their hard shell and shine His light into their life. Perhaps that one student became a priest who goes on to lead many parishes and speak to the hearts of thousands of people. That $20 doesn't seem so small now, does it?

We can all work for God, we may not know how our actions change others, but there is a change. If we live as God's children, let the Shepherd guide us, and stand on the Rock then we shouldn't worry if we are doing the right thing for God. He won't let us do anything else.

Divine Mercy Sunday

For whoever is begotten by God conquers the world.
 And the victory that conquers the world is our faith.
 Who indeed is the victor over the world
 but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 John 5: 4-5)

What does it mean to conquer the world? This scripture is not referring to world domination like the goal in board game Risk. It is referring to our more personal world and the things we deal with on a daily basis: work, home, self, family, friends, coworkers, money issues, grief, fear, illness, uncertainty, death, disability, trauma, etc.

One very good example of this is the death of Fr. Bill. As a community our hearts are saddened, but we have the faith that he is with God in heaven. We could be consumed in grief, but we should be filled with joy because he is receiving the reward of his life. Conquering the world with our faith may be easy with the passing of a holy person, but it can be done in other types of situations too.

When struggling with the overwhelming situations of daily life, its important to remember that God wants what is best for us. Ever since He placed mankind in the Garden of Eden, God designed the world to give us the best. It is our own foolish human nature that leads us away from the best things that He has planned for us. It is our weakness of faith that lets life defeat us sometimes. When we are tempted to declare defeat, that’s the world that we need to conquer with our faith.

Sometimes it is hard to love our neighbor, enemies, and even our family. Sometimes it is hard to believe that God wants what is best for us when there is a pile of bills to be paid and no money in the bank. The same is true when a loved one has a disability or is in the hospital with little chance of recovery. Again this is true when dealing with defeat and failure of best laid plans. It is hard to believe when hearing the news of war, famine, and horrors in distant countries. However, God does want what is best for us.

When the world tries to defeat us, having faith in God’s plan, faith in heaven, and faith in his providence will help us conquer our world. Who indeed is the victor over the world
 but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? Belief in Jesus is belief in the words he preached, belief in our community, belief in heaven and through these things, belief that God will provide and lead us to what is best .

Easter

Hosanna He is risen! Easter is the most important holiday in our church year, every thing that we do and believe as Christians centers around this holy day. Jesus’ teachings and his entire life can be summed up in his sacrifice on the cross which triumphed over death and gave eternal life to all who believe. Jesus loved us so much that he was willing to give his life so that we might have life. His death and resurrection teach us to follow what he has done and to love so much that we would be willing to give a sacrifical love to others. We must love so much that we would be willing to give our lives so that others may have life. Everything in our faith can be summed up with this life-giving love.

How has Jesus given life to us? How can we give that life to others? How can we love someone so much that we could give our life for them? How are we life giving? Is it through our marriages or chaste relationships that respect the life-giving power God has given us? Is it through our children? Do we give life by holding our tongue when we have a potentially hurtful opinion? By encouraging the best in others? By showing kindness to someone we dislike? By forgiving people who have hurt us the most? By seeking forgiveness when we have hurt others?

Sometimes living a live-giving love can seem difficult or even impossible! In order to give something away to others, we must have received it first. Just as we would prepare for a race by exercise training and proper nutrition, we can do the same to prepare to love others as Christ taught us. Every day in Catholic churches around the world, Jesus’ sacrifice is celebrated on the altar. We can draw the strength we need in order to be life-giving from the sacrifice that is re-lived on the altar at Mass. Receiving the Eucharist is the way that we can strengthen and nourish ourselves to live as Christ lived and love as Christ loved.

Fourth Sunday of Lent

The Old Testament often tells the story of a people who have been abandoned by God, enslaved and exiled from their promise land. They received this punishment because they refused to obey the law, defiled the temple and scoffed at the prophets who tried to show them the error of their ways. While abandoned, enslaved, and exiled, they cried and mourned because they realized the need to repent and turn back to God.

Our participation in Lent should also tell this story. How many times in our own lives do we feel abandoned, enslaved and exiled from God? Why do we feel this way? Is it because we have turned away from his law, denied the teachings of the Church, or told those who challenge us to “get out of our face”? Reading the gospel may make us realize that we too love the darkness instead of the light. We may not want our darkness to be exposed – and that is why we continue to make a half-effort of our faith.

However, as we open ourselves to God and his teachings, we step closer to truth and light. We step closer to freedom. We step closer to who we truly are. In the second reading from Ephesians, it says that we are God’s workmanship, we are his masterpiece. We were created for good works that God prepared for us.

God made us for a reason, and that reason was to do good on this Earth. If we constantly turn away from God, then we miss out on the opportunity to love others and do the good things he has planned for us to do. If we turn away from who we are, God’s masterpiece, then we turn towards a distorted, shadowy self. Who wants to be that? Who wants to be a masterpiece that is hidden, tarnished, dusty or forgotten? Who wants to waste their time here on Earth trying to do the right thing, but always missing the bar because we are not open to God’s plan for us?

I want to be something glorious, a beautiful creation of God – and I know that I am. However, in order to really, truly be that masterpiece, I must look for Him, follow his law, seek the truth, and embrace those who challenge me. This is the essence of Lent: walking away from the darkness in ourselves into the light of Christ, into a more perfect self, and embracing the masterpiece that we are. When we do this, we can begin to do those good works for which we were created with the help of God’s grace.