Holy Family: Traditions, Customs, and Prayers

Today’s Gospel reading from Luke is the only Scripture we have of the Holy Family together with Jesus older than just say as an infant or very young child.  In this story of the Holy Family going up to Jerusalem Jesus is 12 years old.  They were going up to the feast of the Passover, something they did each year as was according to their custom.  I would venture to say that our own families today are not much different and actually much more alike with families of the past, even though 2,000 years removed from this story.

Think for a moment on your own families and the things that we do in regards to our customs and traditions.  Much like the Holy Family, we attend the high Holy days with our families to Church or we may make a pilgrimage to Rome or Jerusalem or some other Holy place.  We do these things together as a family as we are doing right now in Church today.

We also do many other such things together as family or even extended family, it was Christmas just the other day, think on what we were doing, we were gathered with our families, opening gifts, sitting together, sharing food together, and most especially bonding in friendship and love.

No matter what it is we do together as a family the family grows stronger because it is time spent with one another, enjoying each other’s company, telling stories, having fun, and even praying together.  John Paul II would call the family a little Church and it is, because it is there where children learn all the customs I just mentioned, but most importantly where they encounter Christ, for it is in the example, the words, the living out of holy traditions that young people find our Savior even before they may enter into any formal schooling.

God created the family unit for many reasons, but the most important was that each and every one of us would receive faith, faith in others and most of all faith in God.  Eventually one learns that even one’s own family is a pointing towards our greater family, the family of God – the Church.  And when we realize that it is God who invites us here today, and puts in our hearts that longing to be with our greatest family, with all the angels, with all the saints, with each other and all of those who have gone before us, and most especially to be with our Lord, is a familial calling.  That calling comes from the Master of the house, our Father calling His children to come to His home each and every Sunday to rest, to be happy, to have joy fill our hearts, to share in the Holy meal of the Eucharist, for there is nothing better, there is nothing more fulfilling, there is no greater thing than to be present right here – right now in our Holy Family with the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph.

In the Least Expected Ways

You, Bethlehem-Ephrathah too small to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel;  whose origin is from of old, from ancient times.  This how our first reading today began (from Micah chapter 5.)  I have personally always been drawn to these few verses.  They stand out for me for the obvious reason that this is prophecy of the coming Messiah, Jesus, but also for the often missed, “You, Bethlehem – too small to be among the clans of Judah,” should have been enough for those who were expecting the Messiah to be born to recognize that he it would not happen in great fan fare, pomp and circumstance, God does not work that way.

No one would ever have imagined that a young boy would be chosen over 9 other brothers, all more older, wiser and stronger than he, he just being a simple shepherd herder to become the greatest king of Israel if not arguably one of the greatest kings to walk the face of this earth, King David, raised up from nowhere and nobody.

No one would ever have guessed that the virgin who would become the Mother of the Messiah to be a poor, lowly girl from Nazareth, with no ties to power, prestige or resources and yet from all the great women of Israel a young girl in a corner of a place with no significance would become the Mother of God (Jesus).

Who then in their wildest imagination would have guessed that God’s Son would be born in a manager in a town too small to even be counted among the clans of Judah?  And yet, they should have since that is usually the way God works.  God does not call as we would call nor does He choose as we would choose.  He chooses those who are small to show His great power for if He chooses the powerful and the influential the outcome may be attributed to their persons but not in the case of when He chooses the small and the lowly.

This does not mean that those who are learned, rich or of great power do not bring about the kingdom of God, they do, but in my opinion not as much for the kingdom is not built on those things but rather on compassion, purity, being humble, no attachments to anything but God alone.

Yet, we all struggle in the in between, the love of what we have and aspire to – to that of the call of God which is to simplicity, lowliness, and humility.

Let me leave you with this and think honestly on this, if you were God for a day would you have chosen a small and weak shepherd boy to lead Israel, would you have chosen a young 14 year old girl to be the Mother of your Son who barely anyone knew, and would you have allowed your Son to be born in the midst of animals and all kinds of farm smells? “My ways are not your ways, for man sees the outside (appearances), but God sees the heart.”

I pray for you and for me that we will make ourselves small, like the little town of Bethlehem, like a young virgin girl in the corner of nowhere, and like the Messiah Himself born in a manager because there was nowhere else, I pray that becomes our Christmas, just some days from now, God bless you, Fr. John

Filled with Holy Spirit and Fire

In today’s Gospel the verse that jumped off the page for me was, “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”  John’s Baptism was for persons acknowledging their sinfulness and for the remission of their sins, the difference with the Baptism that would be commanded by Christ, is that it was not only for the remission of sins, but one would also receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

I take it most of us here, besides any catechumens or visitors were baptized and many of us were more than likely baptized as infants, again except for those who converted later in life.  This beautiful gift that John speaks of and that Jesus eventually commands, “Go forth and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,” has been given to us.  It began with the Incarnation.

The Incarnation of Christ is that moment when Mary said, “yes,” to the Angel and she conceived Jesus in her womb.  The Son of God took on flesh.  This is a profound theological statement, one that has been studied, examined, written about, and reflected on for the last 2,000 years.  The Incarnation and eventually the birth of Christ has incredible meaning, that God would come close to us.  In that coming close to us He shares everything with us.  In our Baptism we in a very deep and intimate way are united to Christ’s Passion on the Cross as well as His Resurrection.  We die and we rise with Him that is the gift that is given to us through the Holy Spirit.  There is no greater intimacy that a person can share with another; we share death and life with our Lord.  The only thing that would come close or resemble this profound intimacy is marriage.

We become one flesh with our Lord, for as St. Paul says, “It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me.”  Baptism is our marriage (so to speak) to the Trinity, the One God.  So, please think for a moment, if Jesus has given us this gift and this fire as John the Baptist says then are we not moved by knowing that Jesus reaches out to me?  Jesus comes close and remains close no matter what.  And yet, what about this fire?  My coaches would say to us, “You got to have fire in your belly!”  They were basically telling us that you have to have a passion for what you were doing, a motivational drive that went beyond just simply winning and losing, but a love for the game.  God has lit this fire in us, He has put the fire in our bellies.  The question becomes, “Do you feel it?”

The drive, the motivation, the desire was given to us when the Spirit filled us and we became born again and made new in Baptism.  My goodness, what a gift!  I pray that as we have been moving through Advent that you are realizing this gift more and more, the gift that is inside of you, that gift my friends is none other than our Lord Himself and there is no Christmas present in the world that can be its equal.  My dear friends, God has come close to us more so than we could possibly ever imagine.  God bless you and keep that fire burning!

Advent Week II: Splendor, Glory and Justice

Jerusalem, take off your robe of mourning and misery; put on the splendor of glory from God forever: wrapped in the cloak of justice from God . . . (Baruch 5:1)  Just in this one verse we could reflect on for hours.  What beauty is in this verse, what a promise, what great words of encouragement, what great words of love!

This splendor and glory is God’s own glory which He wishes to shower upon us.  If that is the case what does that say about our worth, dignity, and value?  I believe it says a lot!  God became one of us, obviously to save us, but also to simply be with us, to come close to us, not out of compulsion or need, but simply out of love.  If God is close to me do I understand that I have been cloaked by Him in His very splendor and glory?  If so, do I show it?  Do I live it? 

The following sentence says, “Wrapped in the cloak of justice from God.”  We have splendor, glory, but also God’s justice.  He takes care of us, loves and treats us fairly.  We have His justice, but this also means that we must be just to others.  As Plato would put it, “Do I respect and give a person their proper due that is owed them simply because of who they are a human being?”  Justice in the bible is described in many ways, being fair, honest, judging rightly, not denying the widow and orphan or the poor, the alien, etc.  All of it however comes back to treatment of people, the 2^nd commandment of Jesus, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

As we continue through Advent it is good to remind ourselves, that the Christmas story which is coming soon, is a reminder that when Jesus was born we literally put on the splendor and glory of God, and it becomes a reality in our Baptism, but through that Baptism we are to also put on the justice of God otherwise the gift of Jesus’ death and resurrection in our lives loses meaning.  I pray that the opposite is true that we live lives that give a fuller sense to that meaning that Jesus increases in each of us more and more each day.  I pray that you believe that, because as the Psalmist says, “I said, 'you are "gods"; you are all sons of the Most High.” (Psalm 82:6)

1st Sunday of Advent: Be a Good Sentinel, Keep Your Watch

The readings for this Sunday, the first Sunday of Advent have to do with being prepared, with being vigilant, on guard, waiting for the Lord’s return.  Advent is a penitential season, one which is supposed to be something like Lent, i.e. we pray, we fast, we give to the poor, etc.  We do this in order to make ourselves ready to see the Christ child, as did the Shepherds on that faithful night and like the three Wise men when they brought their gifts.  It is also a time of renewal, for as you know today marks the New Year in the Church and it is a time for new beginnings.  Often we wait for the secular New Year to make all kinds of resolutions, but we can do so now, for today is the day of salvation.

Often times when we make resolutions they often sound like this, “I will start tomorrow morning fresh,” or, “I will wait until New Years Day,” or some other such promise.  We make these resolutions and promises over many different things.  We promise to quit smoking, to drink less, to eat healthy, to exercise, and to avoid bad habits, weaknesses, sins, and life’s little addictions.  However, many times for us it will begin tomorrow and then tomorrow arrives and it doesn’t begin.

The weaknesses of human beings, all of us are plagued by those weaknesses, some more some less.  And yet, here stands Advent, a New Year in the Church, a day in which the Lord calls us again to start fresh, with a clean slate and to be resolved in our promises that are made to help build virtue and holiness.  With the Year of Mercy fast approaching what better means do we have then to make our dreams to be holy a full reality in our lives?  We have the opportunity to go to Confession, to humble ourselves before the Lord and ask Him to make us good servants, or better, good sentinels for sentinels keep a vigilant watch.  We are to keep a vigilant watch over ourselves in our lives of faith, not out of trying to win favor, but out of love for the Lord and all that is good.  This is done through penance and hard work, no easy way around it for old habits die hard, but it can be done with God’s grace.  Remember our weapons are eternal, prayer, fasting and almsgiving.  Let us this year bring those precious gifts to Jesus on Christmas morning, gifts worth more than gold and silver, gifts built on love.

How Long O' Lord

This past Sunday I preached on the tragic events which took place in Paris just a few days ago.  I decided not to use any notes except for the official statement released by the Vatican later that day\morning.

It is not always easy to preach on such a sensitive topic and when you do so you are bound not to please everyone and homilies are not meant to please you but rather to invoke emotion and elicit a personal reflection that is what the Truth is supposed to do.  Anyway, here it is to the best of my recollection.

Good morning everyone.  I remember as a young child me and my dad had a deal worked out when it came to going to the movies.  We would go twice a month, one week it would be to see an Italian or some European film and then the next time an American film.  The theater we went to in Astoria Queens showed European films many of which I fell asleep at.  I remember one of those great directors, Franco Ziffirelli who directed Jesus of Nazareth, which he did in English, not Italian, a great movie which I really enjoyed.

There was a great scene in it in which Roman soldiers had come to Jesus’ hometown of Nazareth and began to plunder and take the people’s food, money, and other resources just because they felt they could.  Israel was under Roman occupation at that time.  In the scene Jesus is about twelve years.  Ziffirelli took liberties with the scene, it’s nowhere in the Bible, yet I am glad he did it because it was powerful.  After the soldiers leave two young Jewish men fall to their knees and cry out, “Lord, how long before you come to help us, how long until you save us, have you abandoned us.”  The Jewish people were waiting a long time for their Messiah and in that waiting you could hear their plea and cry for help.  Not just a cry from these two men in the scene but all of humanity crying out to the Lord, “help us.”

Today we also await our Messiah, not like in the first coming, which we celebrate at Christmas but rather for His second coming in which we wait for Him to restore all things.  We live in a time in which we are asking the same thing, “Lord how long, have you abandoned us?”  In light of what happened in Paris and what has taken place in the last thirty years with terrorist attacks growing in number and other violent attacks growing in number we ask the same questions as those young Jewish men.

The times have changed indeed.  Talking about movies, thirty years ago when I was a kid, one guy would pay to get in and then go and open the emergency door to let in my other 10 buddies.  I do not condone this now, but I guess the Lord gave me a pass since I was quite young, but the time have changed, it’s no longer opening emergency doors to let in your buddies, but rather gunmen who come through those emergency doors gunning down innocent movie goers.

It’s not just these maddening violent crimes in movie theaters and schools, but also terrorists who go into concert halls, stadiums, restaurants, malls and other public places killing innocent people.  We cry out to the Lord, “How long!

The Vatican issued the following statement in regards to the terrorist attacks in Paris.

“Here in the Vatican we are following the terrible news from Paris. We are shocked by this new manifestation of maddening, terrorist violence and hatred which we condemn in the most radical way together with the Pope and all those who love peace. We pray for the victims and the wounded, and for all the French people. This is an attack on peace for all humanity, and it requires a decisive, supportive response on the part of all of us as we counter the spread the homicidal hatred in all of its forms.”

This is strong language.  The Vatican is saying that a response needs to be given by all of us, one that counters the terrorists.  It is not the job of a priest, bishop or even the Pope to declare war or to condone strikes; we simply look at the moral possibilities.  The decision to counter with military action is up to the governments of those nations that will or will not decide such.  This, however, brings another question to mind.  Is there an official Church teaching about self defense or war?

There is a teaching that goes back to the Church fathers who throughout the centuries have taught that self-defense is permissible, even war.  St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas and many who came after expounded on a just war theory.  There are three basic elements involved, one) all forms of communication with the unjust aggressor (nation) have been exhausted, two) the war must be defensive in nature even if it’s a first strike against the enemy so long as it is not preventive, i.e. we will bomb them first because we think in ten years they will bomb us, and three) we must use and maintain appropriate means throughout the duration of the campaign, i.e. if someone throws a rock at you cannot retaliate with a nuclear weapon.  Would this theory apply to the terrorists, it very well could.

Please remember, however, that Jesus was not or ever was or will be in the war business.  Jesus is in the business of saving souls.  Again, the declaration of defense or war is made by politicians and leaders not the Church or its ministers; our number one goal is saving souls.  With that being said, even if war is declared Jesus still asks what seems like the impossible from us and that is that we pray for our enemies.

I must admit as a fellow human being that I have very mixed emotions, on the one hand I can picture in my mind the destruction and the eradication of the terrorists and to use any means possible, those were my first thoughts when watching the news that night along with my prayers for those killed and injured.  It was hard to fall asleep.  I had feelings of anger, sadness, even asking myself the same two questions the two young Jewish men asked, “How long O’ Lord, have you abandoned us?”

Then when I was able to calm down I began to reflect on Jesus’ life most notable His passion.  I wondered and was amazed again as I have been so many times before, how did this man remain silent when He was arrested, stripped, mocked, beaten and even tortured and then made to carry a cross and be nailed to it with not one bad word or condemnation coming from His lips.  Rather, He forgave them, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do?”

Please do not misunderstand me or I would imagine even the Lord for that matter, we are talking about people’s forgiveness not about punishment that they may deserve for their crimes.  Jesus does not say to eliminate punishment, i.e. prison or such, but rather that even the worst of sinners can be converted, forgiven.  Some may not like that since some have drawn a line in the sand on what and what cannot be forgiven.  Jesus has no such line because if He did then you and I my friend would be on the wrong side.

It does feel impossible, to sit and pray for someone who does such evil atrocities, but I think no matter what we must leave eternal judgments to God and God alone, earthly punishments we carry out in justice and even mercy but we cannot judge the eternal outcome of one’s salvation or damnation.

People will also ask, "where Jesus in all of this is?"  I answer, "He is always present, especially in the faces of the first responders, the military, the police the firemen who come to aid of those in trouble."  At 911 I saw Jesus in the face of the firemen who climbed up the stairs of a burning building, in the face of Father Mychal Judge who was administered anointing and last rites to his fallen brother firemen and who himself died doing his priestly duty.

I am not sure if I answered anything today maybe I left us with more questions than with which we started, it just maybe that I don’t have all the answers to such complexities and tragedy, but I think together in prayer, hope, and a crying out to Jesus we will find the answers together, God bless you.

Picture is from Jesus of Nazareth, young Jesus in the Temple, I will also post the video from the movie depicting the scene I spoke of.

The Patience of the Lord

The readings this week and next center around the end of the days and Jesus’ 2^nd coming, this is so in order to prepare us for Jesus’ first coming in the Incarnation and His birth.  It also a reminder that Jesus did come once, which was promised but He will also come again which is also promised and the Lord makes good on His promises.

When we reflect on apocalyptic readings, those which refer to a 2^nd coming we are naturally interested.  Everyone wants to know, when will Jesus return, when will the world end?  The world will end as we know it but in reality the world will never end as we pray each time we say the Glory Be, “Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be world without end. Amen.”

I do not want to necessarily discuss the end times but rather the patience of the Lord as is clearly understood from today’s Gospel from Mark.  Jesus uses the example of a fig tree.  He asks us to read the sign of the times, He does not give us exact days or hours of His return but He gives us signs allowing us to know that it is near.  But more importantly than that is that Jesus is patient.

The Apostles first thought that Jesus would return and restore all things immediately after His Resurrection, when that did not happen they then thought surely within their lifetimes, and when then that did not happen they realized that Jesus would come later when they time of fulfillment would be reached.

The question is, “Why all this waiting?”  The world is pretty messed up.  Terror, war, famine, poverty, hunger, morality turned upside down, we allow the abortion of babies but will arrest you if you hunt a bald eagle, don’t get me wrong, I love animals and if you hunt a bald eagle you should be punished, but I think you get my point, we have become backwards in our thinking.  One would assume the Lord is going to come back now for how much worse can it get?

I often wonder that same thing, how much worse can it get?  Well, the Lord is very patient.  He often uses examples of trees, vines, the harvest, because when they grow it takes a long time to reach its maturity – to be ready – to become ripe.  Even though weeds will grow up along with the wheat the Lord holds back the sickle waiting for the right time.  The Lord is patient with us.

Think of how long it takes for a person to mature.  Aristotle said a man reaches maturity and wisdom usually around 50.  That’s more than half a life time.  This patience of the Lord leaves me in awe.  With all my faults, weaknesses, sins, with all my immaturity and yet He deals with me slowly and with compassion.

Yes, the Lord could end it all now and be done with it.  But I personally think He is still waiting, continuing to give 2^nd chance after 2^nd chance so that we will turn towards His mercy.  This coming Dec. 8^th, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception will usher in the Year of Mercy.  What a great way for us to reflect on the mercy the Lord has shown us and them mercy and patience we should show to others.  Remember, it’s always easier to hit the reset button but then you would never learn, you would never become mature in the faith.  Trails, tribulations and even our sins if we are sorry for them are all life’s lessons, a part of the growing processes.  If we were to hit reset or stop short the harvest would never become ripe and ready and that is why the Lord waits for us both in our individual lives and for His return for all of us.  What patience, what Love!

Vocations Awareness Week: Some of My Journey

This Sunday ends our Vocations Awareness Week, but it no way ends Vocations Awareness, that is something that must go on each day.  Fr. Michael Romano, our Vocations Director has been doing a wonderful job in the recruitment and development of 18 young men who are now active seminarians moving towards ordination.  I remind him over and over again that Coach K did not make Duke what it was overnight, but slowly and steadily built it into a juggernaut and that he could do the same for priesthood in our Diocese.  However, Fr. Romano is not alone in this, we too must help.  We can help by simply offering to a young man, “Have you ever considered the priesthood,” or “I think you would make a wonderful priest.”  Praying for vocations is also needed, but along with those prayers active recruitment as I just mentioned.

When I think back on my journey to priesthood I realize now there were so many signs and so many people, by God’s Divine Providence – and grace, that led me to enter Seminary.  Some I have shared with you already and to go over each one would be redundant.  My parents were a great influence, not because they ever asked me to be a priest, but through their prayer life, which was daily rosary, catechism, morning and evening prayers, and sharing bible stories, my local priests from Fairview whom I use to really wonder and be amazed at.  I use to think, “What made them become priests, why would they choose that life?”  That reflection on them was really an inner reflection of myself, i.e. what do you want.

As a young boy I loved Church and I was really in awe of the Mass, all the colors, sounds, smells, what the priest was wearing, his movements, the signing, the reading, all of it was incredible.  By the time I reached thirteen to fourteen years old Mass began to lose its luster for me, not that the Mass diminished, but I allowed myself to be pulled in different directions.  Two of those things were basketball and girls

.

On Sunday mornings I couldn’t wait to get to the park to play pickup basketball with the older guys or go with them to 4^th Street in Greenwich Village to play against some of the best, I rarely got on the court there but love it I did.  When I would return home my mother would ask, “Did you go to Mass?”  I would say, “Yes” and hand her the bulletin.  What I would do is sneak into the back of the Church grab a bulletin and shoot out of there.  Eventually my mom caught up on this because she began asking me, “What did Father preach on?”

Then in my very early twenties I started going back to Church, not of my own volition, but rather due to the girl I was dating at the time.  I use to think, what a sacrifice I am making here, I hope she sees this sacrifice, anyway all kidding aside even in those moments, mostly bored out of my skull, God was still speaking to me because during Mass I would picture myself in the priest robes, walking around the altar, and most of all preaching and thinking I can do better than this guy (I am such a typical New Yorker-North Jersey guy, what can you do).  Without even knowing it those childhood memories of being in awe and beauty were breaking through.  God was working slowly but surely not just for me, that would be selfish, but also for my girlfriend at the time who has also been blessed by God with now a beautiful family.  What great love God has for us as He works in each of us to bring about the best for us.

And still, even after all of this I continued head long into what I thought what eventually be a college coaching career for me.  Again, Church became or rather went to the bottom of my priorities.  But, God did not give up on me.  After a powerful conversion experience in my mid twenties and about two years of discernment I eventually entered seminary, “Alleluia” the angels sang, he finally responded after 100,000 calls.

If you sat down with a priest I am sure each and every one of us has an incredible story of our journeys.  Today I only shared with you a very small part, there were other big moments and signs, and hopefully one day I will just give a vocation talk for about an hour and share it all in one sitting.  

When I think of all of those who have helped me towards a vocation whether they knew it or not, like my cousin Vinnie, my mom and dad, my high school English teacher Mr. PJ Shelley, my History Professor at Montclair State who was actually atheist, my former girlfriend who dragged me to Mass for purposes I would not fully understand until ten years later, Fr. Peter, Fr. Frank, Fr. Jim, Fr. Anthony, and finally my friends, the OLG gang the older crew and the younger crew.  We were more like brothers than friends and their support was amazing.  Each and every one of the folks I just mentioned was a Vocation Awareness person, simply by living the faith or by being direct. 

There is one other person I would like to thank and he has been gone from this world for about 1600 years and that is the man who was known as Augustine of Hippo.  He is my favorite Saint.  I gravitated towards him immediately upon reading about his life and recognized our paths shared many similarities.  In no way am I saying that I am like him, I have a very long way to go for that, but rather both of us were being called throughout our lives and either ignored the call or shook it off, however God did not give up on either one of us and I know that this great man prayed for me, that’s another story.  I will leave you with words that he wrote about himself that fit me perfectly, words that made us brothers, brothers as friends and brothers as priests.

Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you!  You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for you.  In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things which you created.  You were with me, but I was not with you.  Created things kept me from you; yet if they had not been in you they would not have been at all.  You called, you shouted, and you broke through my deafness.  You flashed, you shone, and you dispelled my blindness.  You breathed your fragrance on me; I drew in breath and now I pant for you.  I have tasted you, now I hunger and thirst for more.  You touched me, and I burned for your peace.

Happy Name Day, Happy Feast Day to All!

This Sunday we celebrate all of our name days as it is the Solemnity of All Saints.  We will also be celebrating Confirmation today and are always blessed to have Bishop Sullivan here celebrating with us.  I can remember my own Confirmation which was just a couple of years ago, just kidding; it’s been more like thirty years ago.  I remember two things very vividly and distinctly.  That was in the name I chose and also what it felt like to get Confirmed.

I chose the name Paul because I was very moved by John Paul II, it was 1982 and he had been Pope for about three years and already he left a mark on me a thirteen year old kid from Jersey.  So, I chose the name so that my full name would be exactly like his, John Paul.  He was obviously not a canonized saint at that point, but a saint he already was as we can all attest to.

I did not want to just choose any old name, I wanted one that had meaning to me, yes I would have the same name but it was Pope John Paul’s ability to relate to the young, how he was gentle with the old, how he was able to forgive the man who shot him, how he could walk into Madison Square Garden and receive a louder cheer and applause than any performing act could.  But it was also his depth of holiness; you could see it emanating from him in the way he spoke, the way he celebrated mass, in the way he prayed.

I also remember the way I felt the day I received Confirmation.  I could remember not wanting to be there originally.  Just another long day of doing things, sitting around, standing around, waiting, etc., typical thirteen year old with no patience and no awareness of the moment.

Yet, when I finally went up to be Confirmed and the Bishop placed the sacred chrism on my forehead I felt the presence of the Lord, it hit me like a ton of bricks.  I felt him all around me as soon as the Bishop placed the oil on my forehead.  I felt warmth and unbelievable peace through my whole being.  As I walked back to my pew I felt as though I was walking on air.  It had nothing to do with me in the sense that I prayed for it, it came out of left field, if you will.  Yet, there was no mistaking it, it was God touching my life even with all the teenage baggage I brought with me to the Altar, it was a feeling of love that could not be mistaken.  It moved me for some time and kept me asking God, “What do you want of me?”  That question would be answered in my entering Seminary to study for the priesthood.

This leads me to a third point, this week also begins Vocations Awareness Week, a week in which we discuss vocations to the priesthood, but also encourage young men to consider that vocation.  Next week Fr. Alfred and I will preach on our own vocations and what it means to be a priest.

You can see that the Saints help us in our lives, they pray for us.  I had a bunch of them praying for me without even knowing it and most of all Saint John Paul II who prays for me now.  All Saints is a celebration of their lives, those canonized saints, but it is also a celebration of family, for we believe that the Church is a family and those who have gone before us continue to look out for us, just in different ways.  So, again I wish you all a happy name and happy feast day, God bless all Saints!

For Grace Moves in Mysterious Ways

In today’s Gospel we hear the story of Bartimaeus, a blind man, whom Jesus heals.  Just a little over a week ago we had the double blessing of having a Diocesan Healing Mass here at Holy Family which was celebrated by Bishop Sullivan.  Bishop Sullivan spoke to us about the difficulties of suffering and all that sickness and entails, but he also left us with a great message of hope which I wish to share with you today.

Bartimaeus, a blind man upon hearing that Jesus was close cried out to him, “Have pity on me!”  Many rebuked him, but he shouted out the more, “Son of David, have pity on me.”  None of us knew Bartimaeus, but even though we did not know him personally all of us could understand his shouting out and trying to get the attention of Jesus.

No matter what the sickness or suffering it becomes hard on people.  When we are sick or suffering it affects our physical bodies, but it also effects our inner disposition, it can take a toll on us and even those around us.  When we are sick or suffering something is missing, i.e. the wholeness of what we were meant to be.  Suffering and sickness is what happens to us all simply because of whom we are, we are human beings and it is part of nature after the fall, but what it never is – is punishment, when we suffer or if we are sick God is not inflicting us with sickness.  Yet, we may ask God why or even blame him for what has happened to us, both legitimate and very human responses.  God can handle it.

Knowing this we can take ourselves back and understand Bartimaeus’ plea, for he too was tired and worn out and knew that something important was missing, namely his eye sight.  He did not want this opportunity to pass and he was determined to speak with Jesus.

Jesus eventually called him and the first words he said to him, was not that your eyesight be restored but rather, “Go your way: your faith has saved you!”  Then, immediately after these words his eye sight was restored and he followed Jesus on the way.  What a powerful and moving scene.  Go your way, Jesus telling him to follow a life of faith, one he was probably already on.  But to hear the words from the Messiah’s lips, “Your faith has saved you,” I am sure must have been very moving words for Bartimaeus. They were healing words, both of his physical suffering and the longing he had for God in his heart.

Jesus desires that no one suffers, some are granted miracles and have their sight restored, and others are not.  This does not mean that God loves us less, for grace moves in mysterious ways (different ways) and I believe there is still much we do not understand or fully grasp, for no suffering, whether one is healed or not is in vain.  All of it had redemptive value, if not then Jesus’ suffering on the Cross would have been in vain, for no one’s story only ends with the Cross, each and every one of us, our stories will end in the Resurrection.  Remember to pray for those who are sick and or suffering in any way, and pray for their loved ones and all those who take care of them.  Especially pray to the Lord for faith, like Bartimaeus, so that we too will hear, “Go your way, your faith has saved you.”

For Love's Sake

When I began to study theology in Seminary naturally I would begin to ask questions.  One of those questions was, did God punish Jesus?  I asked that question because in Scripture it states and as we heard read today, “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” (Is. 53:5)  And in another place, “He himself bore our sins" in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; "by his wounds you have been healed.” (1 Pt. 2:24)  This led me to ask questions such as, “if Jesus was punished for our sins then he was unfairly treated, justice became injustice because God should not punish the innocent, since Jesus was innocent why would he have to be punished?”  Also, if Jesus was punished for every sin I committed would that then give me license to sin?  Allow me to show you two major concepts on this topic, one being the Reformed position and the other being that of Catholics.

There are two major thoughts in theology which consider what Christ’s atonement means.  In Reformed theology (Protestant, but not all Protestants) it means, “… at Christ’s Passion and death, God the Father transferred all the sins (past, present, and future) of all the elect onto His Son. Then God the Father hated, cursed and damned His Son, who was evil in the Father’s sight on account of all the sins of the elect being concentrated in the Son. (R.C. Sproul says that) In doing so, God the Father punished Christ for all the sins of the elect of all time. Because the sins of the elect are now paid for, through Christ’s having already been punished for them, the elect can never be punished for any sin they might ever commit, because every sin they might ever commit has already been punished. (c.f. http://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/04/catholic-and-reformed-conceptions-of-the-atonement/)

The other thought being the Catholic understanding is that, “The Catholic conception of Christ’s Passion and Atonement is that Christ offered Himself up in self-sacrificial love to the Father, obedient even unto death, for the sins of all men. In His human will He offered to God a sacrifice of love that was more pleasing to the Father than the combined sins of all men of all time are displeasing to Him, and thus made satisfaction for our sins. The Father was never angry with Christ. Nor did the Father pour out His wrath on the Son. The Passion is Christ’s greatest act of love, the greatest revelation of the heart of God, and the glory of Christ.  So when Christ was on the cross, God the Father was not pouring out His wrath on His Son; in Christ’s act of self-sacrifice in loving obedience to the Father, Christ was most lovable in the eyes of the Father.” (c.f. http://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/04/catholic-and-reformed-conceptions-of-the-atonement/)

God asked Jesus to be obedient in love.  That obedience meant that he would reverse the penalty of sin, the penalty being separation from God; we were now given back life.  Yes, Jesus did die for our sins, for every one of them, which was done in his sacrificial offering on the Cross.  His sacrifice was necessary since there was no act we could do to turn back what had already be done, i.e. The Fall of man.  We tried with all kinds of things, animal sacrifices, fasting, dust and ashes, and all sorts of atonements; we did these naturally because we felt the pain of our sin and were always trying to make up for it and yet none of these could be eternally sufficient, the sacrifices themselves were not pure because we were not pure, we were always a little tainted, i.e. sin.  Yet, when Jesus offered Himself, that sacrifice was pure, for He had no sin and His act of love (atonement) was sufficient, but that act was not punishment in the sense that He had to pay for our sins, because if that was the case the punishment would mean eternal damnation and Jesus was not damned.  He was punished in the sense that He did not deserve to die because He was innocent, He was punished, if you will, in the sense that He had to pay our penalty (meaning He was the One who had to be the sacrifice not the one who would be eternally damned).  It can get confusing, simply stated the punishment was the sacrifice of love and not the punishment of separation from God.

What is incredible is that Jesus would have done this for us.  We were a people who had gone astray and were continuing to walk away from God and we were in dire straits if we were to continue in that route.  To turn us around God became man and would offer a sacrifice of love that would not only take away sins, but keep us walking in a path towards Him, even if we sometimes stray away from the path, the Good Shepherd comes to find us again.  Remember, God is not a God of punishment, but God is love.  Jesus died for love’s sake not for punishment’s sake!

Living and Effective

In today’s 2^nd reading from the letter to the Hebrews, we heard read to us, “Brothers and sisters: Indeed the word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.  No creature is concealed from him, but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must render an account.”

I both love these words and at the same time cringe from them as I know that I will have to render my account to the Lord on my priesthood and my life of faith.  I love these words because they motivate me and I am reminded that God knows me inside and out.  I cringe from them at times because I do not like the feeling of being brought into the Truth when I live in my own lies, i.e. my sins, when they come to light as the passage in Hebrews says; it is then that we are, “naked and exposed to him . . .”

Recently I began teaching the Deacon Candidates for our Diocese and part of my instruction to them in the study of Christology is that we wrestle with God, both in understanding His Word as we read it in Scripture and that we also wrestle with Him in life, a tugging, a pulling back and forth with His Will and our will, that tugging and pulling occurs when we face our Lord in the reading of His Word and when we allow that Word to enter in.

That Word is described as sharper than any two-edged sword.  What does a two edge sword do when it pierces flesh; it cuts both on the way in and on the way out.  That sword penetrates into and between joints and marrows and even into the spirit as well.  Wow!  I know that would hurt and it does, that hurting is the Word cutting us to the quick.  That Word reminds us when we sin, especially those sins in which we hurt others.  Sometimes it’s good to be corrected, sometimes it’s good to feel a little embarrassed, and sometimes it is even good to feel some pain which C.S. Lewis referred to as God’s megaphone shouting out to a deaf world.  Yet, we live in a world today that does everything to protect people, especially the young from feeling anything uncomfortable.  Heaven forbid they are ever humbled by a coach, a teacher, a mentor or that they have to suffer embarrassment and admit that they cheated on a test or were at fault for something of significance.  We too are guilty from this from time to time, we run away from that sword out of fear.  Fear of being exposed only has to do with sin and not virtue. 

I want that Word to always be living and effective within me so that it does not cut but that it heals and binds up and makes me stronger so that when the light shines on me that only virtue is reflecting off of me.  I have a ways to go and I imagine we all do, together praying for one another we can become perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect.  Instead of cringing from these words let us love them only so as to always remain motivated and faithful, God bless you, Fr. John

The Pope in the USA: Mighty Deeds

In today’s Gospel Jesus reminds us, “There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me.  For whoever is not against us is for us.  Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.”

Pope Francis has arrived some days ago in the United States and today he will be celebrating Mass in Philadelphia.  Pope Francis’ words and actions embody Jesus’ call of performing mighty deeds.

          

Yet, what does one think of when Jesus says mighty deeds?  One may think of Moses parting the Red Sea, or King David slaying Goliath, or Daniel being unharmed when thrown into the Lion’s Den.  Surely those are all miraculous and divinely assisted events.  They were indeed mighty deeds.  However, Jesus refers to mighty deeds as giving someone a cup of water to drink.

This cup of water is both literal, yes we should give someone a cup of water who is in need of drink, but it is also symbolic, i.e. all are in need, be it physical, emotional or spiritual need and in those times where I had the opportunity did I perform a mighty deed?

Pope Francis has been reminding us since the beginning of his Pontificate that mighty deeds are yes, moments such as Moses parting the Red Sea, but they are also in moments in which I help the poor, the destitute as well as helping others who are in emotional crisis or at a spiritual crossroads.  Opportunities to perform mighty deeds are placed before us each day.  Pope Francis has been preaching on the simplicity of the Gospel message since day one, a practical approach to Christian living.  Some like to see the Pope as “The Defender of the Faith,” and see him only as a sturdy theological guru, but that is not the office of Pope or at least not in its essence as St. Peter himself said, “So I exhort the presbyters among you, as a fellow presbyter and witness to the sufferings of Christ and one who has a share in the glory to be revealed.  Tend the flock of God in your midst, [overseeing] not by constraint but willingly, as God would have it, not for shameful profit but eagerly.  Do not lord it over those assigned to you, but be examples to the flock.   And when the chief Shepherd is revealed, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.” (1 Peter 5:1-4)  Pope Francis has led by being an example first.  His example has been one of humility, i.e. driving around in a Ford Focus, riding the bus to work while he was Cardinal, keeping to simple vestments.  But more importantly tending to the poor, the outcast, and the down trodden.

If we take anything away from the Holy Father’s visit is that we too are now enlivened – encouraged, and stirred to assisting all in need, be it feeding the poor to actually sitting down with a friend who needs to unload the world on our shoulders for a few moments for some relief, am I willing to help and carry the load?  Evangelization, fellowship, and good works all go hand in hand.  The Lord has given us life giving waters he now demands and requires that we share that life giving water with all and to never count the cost.  Pope Francis from day one as Pontiff right up to his visit with us has continually reminded us of sharing that water with others.  My prayer is that we continue to do so, God bless our Holy Father Francis and strengthen his vocation as our Chief Shepherd.  

Ambition: Directed Towards Serving or Self?

I really love this reading today from James in which he reminds us, “Beloved: Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every foul practice.   But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without inconstancy or insincerity.  And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for those who cultivate peace.”

Jealousy and selfish ambition is the stuff that creates tyrants, not just the tyrant that sits on a throne dictating his presence among his subjects, but to anyone in any walk of life can become a tyrant.  For instance the teacher who loves to listen to themselves and never hears the students, to the coach who coaches with an iron fist, to the priest, dare I say it who has already purchased his Monsignor cassock only to now sell it since Pope Francis has done away with careerist ambitions, to the police officer who is a bully because of his badge and gun, and to any person in any walk of life who seeks glory, honor, and praise for the wrong reasons becomes a tyrant and tyrants are full of every foul practice.  Please do not misunderstand me; all of us are guilty of selfish ambition, to greater and lesser degrees because of our human weakness, as the fathers would call it, “concupiscence.” 

However, as Jesus points out to the Apostles, that the least among them and those willing to serve are the ones who are the greatest, not the one who has achieved rank, dignity or class necessarily, because though one could be both, of high rank and also very good man, though such a person is rare, a person Aristotle would refer to as, “The Virtuous Man.”

Even amongst the clergy, this sense of selfish ambition exists.  St. Augustine would often be very hard on himself because he knew he spoke well and through his gift of public speaking and the art of persuasion or better put, the art of argument/debate, he knew no real equal in his time.  He had to balance the fact that he knew he was good but also at the same time understanding that it was God speaking through him, so in reality the credit belonged to God.  He had this fear of giving too much credit to himself.  Maybe he was too hard on himself, but his motivation was not to build up a cult of personality around himself, since he knew Jesus was the center and that he was just the messenger.

Selfish ambition does not only plague or tempt clergy, but all peoples in every walk of life.  It is more noticeable among those in the public domain, i.e. politicians, clergy, entertainers, athletes, etc.  Nevertheless it is a temptation which none are exempt.

When ambition is based on bettering oneself and based on service then that is healthy and virtuous ambition.   God gave us ambition so that we could use it towards virtue – to become holy and to help others do so.  God is and never will be against someone becoming the best that they can be at no matter what it is they do, be it the person who cleans up schools at night as a janitor to the person who makes executive decisions as our President, each has been given drive and motivation to be the best they can be.

A reflection for us is, how has my ambition served God and others or has my ambition only served me?  Why do I desire to be the best, is it to give praise and glory to God or for my own pat on the back?  If our ambition is based on Jesus then it will be as James said, “(it will be) first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without inconstancy or insincerity.”  Amen!  FJ

The image above is that of Jesus rebuking James and his brother John for trying to lobby for a position of prestige, to sit at Jesus left and right.

True Food and True Drink

What did Jesus mean when he said, “you must eat my flesh and drink my blood?”  Did he mean this in a super literal sense as in being cannibals?  That is what some of the audience who was listening to Jesus thought.  “As a result of this, many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him.”  They thought that Jesus was asking them to break the law, i.e. to become cannibals.  Jesus tries to explain himself one last time before some depart, “The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and life.”

So what is it that we actually receive in the Eucharist?  Do we receive true flesh and true blood or some spiritual aspect of that, or a symbol, or sign of Jesus rather than actual flesh and blood?  Here is what we do not receive.  When we celebrate Mass the actual earthly Jesus does not come down from heaven and place himself on the altar and then give us parts of himself to consume, that would be cannibalism and we would be breaking God’s law.  Rather, we receive Jesus through sacramental signs – the signs being bread and wine but in some spiritual way they become truly, fully, and completely the entire person of Jesus, so that when we do receive we truly receive the Lord and become one with him.  We receive in a supernatural or miraculous way.

We do not receive half of Jesus or some symbolic aspect of him; we truly receive him, just not in a cannibalistic fashion.  That being said, think of how awesome and wonderful that is, that we truly become one with our Lord in our receiving of the Eucharist.  Marriage language is a way of describing this wonderful reception.  In a marriage two people give themselves freely to one another.  They exchange vows and then later the marriage is brought to completion through consummation and in both instances the two truly become one flesh.  We also when approaching Jesus exchange vows, when the priest says, “The Body of Christ,” we respond and say, “Amen.”  In some way we are exchanging vows, promises, or saying yes to one another, Jesus to us, and we to him.  In our actual receiving him the act is consummated, the two become one as St. Paul says so beautifully, “It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me.”

Today’s 2^nd reading from St. Paul to the Ephesians also uses marriage language to describe our relationship to Christ, which is the entire Church to its head, our Lord and Savior.  Jesus even became obedient to us in and that he offered himself without resistance, so too then should we be ever so obedient to him, especially in receiving him in the Eucharist, for we become one with our Lord, he in us and we in him.

The beauty and magnificence of the Eucharist knows no equal, in all that we can do as Christians nothing compares to what we receive in Holy Communion.  Jesus himself said, “The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.”  The words were that his flesh is true food and that his blood is true drink.  We are called to this and very soon.  As you approach today remember that you will exchange words with Jesus when you say, Amen, but you will also exchange your very lives as he gives himself to you and you to him.  God bless you, Fr. John

Origin Of Marriage

Origin of Marriage

One Origin via two sources: Divine Law and Natural Development

We can discern nature and its laws because God has given us the ability to reason, think, observe, learn and understand.  “. . . the Gentiles who do not have the law by nature observe the prescriptions of the law, they are a law for themselves even though they do not have the law.  They show that the demands of the law are written in their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even defend them . . .” (Romans 2:14-15)  One knows right or wrong even without the Ten Commandments, since God has given us a conscience but also to deduce what is right or wrong through observing nature – natural law.

What is natural law?

Natural Law is a philosophy of law that is determined by nature, and so is universal. Classically, natural law refers to the use of reason to analyze human nature — both social and personal — and deduce binding rules of moral behavior from it.

For instance when I observe nature working I can learn from it.  I can learn the difference between hot, cold, warm, etc.  But we can go further I can also observe things like virtue and vice, i.e. physical harm as opposed to assistance or lying as opposed to telling the truth.

I can also learn the nature of things, i.e. what is a chair and its purpose as well as if it is a good or a poor one, whether it is comfortable or not.  So we learn two things, one) the nature of things and also two) their moral significance should there be one.

The question then becomes can I deduce what marriage is through the natural law?  Of course you can and this takes us back to the beginning.  It is quite clear that marriage and its understanding have developed since the beginning of time.

Actually, marriage has been in a process of constant change (evolution). Since the Stone Age as a way of organizing and controlling sexual conduct and providing a stable structure for child-rearing and the tasks of daily life marriage was more functional then anything else.  Marriage has taken many forms across different cultures and throughout the centuries. "Whenever people talk about traditional marriage or traditional families, historians throw up their hands," said Steven Mintz, a history professor at Columbia University. "We say, 'When and where?'" The ancient Hebrews, for instance, engaged in polygamy — according to the Bible, King Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines — and men have taken multiple wives in cultures throughout the world . . .

The first recorded evidence of marriage contracts and ceremonies dates to 4,000 years ago, in Mesopotamia. In the ancient world, marriage served primarily as a means of preserving power, with kings and other members of the ruling class marrying off daughters to forge alliances, acquire land, and produce legitimate heirs. Even in the lower classes, women had little say over whom they married. The purpose of marriage was the production of heirs, as implied by the Latin word matrimonium, which is derived from mater (mother).

You can see that people are developing themselves, societies are being built, political structures, people are discerning their purpose, their value, what is good, what is useful, what makes them happy.  I would not use the word evolution as does this author but more like, “maturing,” growing up.  Even though cultures and societies in the ancient world varied in their practice of marriage, some things always remain the same, i.e. procreation and unity (within that unity was the desire to become stronger in one’s tribe, village, to make alliances and I would not rule out that love had no part in it)  Some authors believe that marriage in ancient times and for quite a while was simply functional, but this would mean that people had no feelings, we were just like workers bees, which is not true, true marriage may have looked different because its focal points varied due to time, place, and circumstance, but I still believe it was what it always was in its nature it just took time for us to mature and discern the fullness of its meaning, no different than humans discerning the value of law, right and wrong.

Regardless of the actual historical development one constant remains be it 10,000 BC or 2015 AD people by nature are social animals and have always sought unions, be they marriage unions, tribes forming, all the way to Empires being forged, man’s desire is to be with others, and marriage is one of the foundational aspects of building community and family, please remember that.

In Divine Law

What is Divine Law, God’s Law (Word) revealed to us through Sacred Scripture.

The LORD God said: It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suited to him.  So the LORD God formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds of the air, and he brought them to the man to see what he would call them; whatever the man called each living creature was then its name.  The man gave names to all the tame animals, all the birds of the air, and all the wild animals; but none proved to be a helper suited to the man.  So the LORD God cast a deep sleep on the man, and while he was asleep, he took out one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh.  The LORD God then built the rib that he had taken from the man into a woman. When he brought her to the man, the man said:  “This one, at last, is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; This one shall be called ‘woman,’ for out of man this one has been taken.”  That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one body.  The man and his wife were both naked, yet they felt no shame.  Genesis 2:18-25

And large crowds followed him, and he healed them there. And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful to divorce one's wife for any cause?” He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” ... (Mt. 19:2-9)

“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” Eph 5:31

Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. ... 1 Cor 7:1-40

Questions for consideration

1.    Has the institution of marriage changed – evolved throughout human history or has it always been the same but that it took time for us to grasp its meaning or did God allow the differences for a while, for whatever reasons but in recent times as Paul argues with the Athenians, “God has overlooked the times of ignorance, but now he demands that all people everywhere repent.” Acts 17:30

2.    What is the purpose of marriage?

3.    The Church believes that marriage is for unity\happiness and for procreation

4.    Two rallying cries for same sex marriage, i.e. “love is love and live and let live.” 

5.     Can homosexual couples fulfill the criteria of marriage and if so, then how?

6.    Does the Church recognize Civil marriage?