Believe, Even in the Face of the Impossible!

We are to have a faith that believes in the resurrection even in the face of the impossible.  When Abraham was commanded by God to offer his son Isaac as an offering, he was asked the impossible.  He was to believe that he would be the father of many nations even with his true heir dead, the one in whom the promised was to be fulfilled.  The apostles were asked to have the same type of faith, that even though Jesus was dying on a cross, they too were to believe in the promise of eternal life.

Both Abraham and the Apostles received many signs before hand to continue to trust God even when He would eventually ask for the impossible or to ask for something we thought He would never ask.

In Abraham’s case God asked for his son, a son whom he waited to have with Sarah, a son he thought would never come, and yet, through the impossible God granted a child to Abraham and Sarah.  Abraham saw all the wonders of God, taking him from his father’s house and leading him to a good place, the saving of Lot and his family from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, speaking to God face to face, and in hearing his voice.  The apostles also witnessed over and over again the power and glory of God, they saw dead men rise, i.e. Lazarus, they saw cripples get up and walk, they saw 5,000 fed with food for only a dozen, they saw the worst of sinners repent and be converted.  In today’s Gospel they even witnessed a glimpse of the resurrected Jesus in the Transfiguration.

All of this was given to Abraham and the Apostles so that their belief would be strengthened as well as their relationship with God, so that they would trust Him no matter what.  Well, we know that they did trust God, maybe with some questions asked and mistakes made along the way, yet, they continued to believe, and even though there would be death, Isaac to be offered and Jesus to be offered on the cross that God would still keep his promises, i.e. Isaac would be spared and Jesus would resurrect.

What remains for us is the question of our faith, “do we continue to believe that God will work out the good for those who love Him.” (Rom 8:28).  I have come to notice that in this life we humans can change our moods and dispositions in an instant, we can go from being trusting, believing, and brave, to being worried, scared, and anxious to the point of becoming sick upon hearing bad news either about ourselves or others.  For Abraham and for the Apostles they did hear bad news (or at least from their point of view on first hearing ti), for Abraham it was about Isaac, for the Apostles it was about Jesus being arrested and put to death and also for almost all of them their own martyrdoms.  Did Abraham and the Apostles forget so quickly what God had done for them that He would abandon them?  What about us?  What do we do with all the good God has given us; do we forget it when something bad or unfortunate occurs?  To be fair we are all in the same boat, all of us tend to forget the good God has done in our lives when we hear the initial bad news, but when we have a chance to calm ourselves and begin to pray with an open heart we come back to our faith, that stronghold and anchor that keeps us connected to Christ.

Jesus has given us all “transfigurative” moments if you will, so that our faith will remain strong even under the toughest trials and tribulations.  God has blessed each and every one of us just as He did Abraham, since as Paul tells us we are children of Abraham since we are of that great nation and multitude which are his offspring through faith.  He has also blessed us as He did Apostles in our baptism and all throughout our lives; we just need to remind ourselves of all of those blessings.

The blessings of God ring out in eternity since His blessings even overcome death as the Apostles were able to stand tall in front of their executioners, not of their own accord, but by the grace given to them by God.

For our reflection this week when we pray try to recall all the great blessings you have been given in your life and to praise and thank God for them, because in those blessings we get a little taste of heaven as did the Apostles on Mt. Tabor but we also receive strength for the journey of life, I pray it is a blessed journey for all, God bless you, FJ

Prayer, Fasting, and Alms-giving: 1st Sunday of Lent

Lent is that time in the Church season when we really focus on the three pronged meaning of sacrifice which is prayer, fasting, and alms-giving.  Things in 3’s are so easy to remember.  That is why when they made phone numbers it was 3, 3, and 4 digits, i.e. 856-555-xxxx, etc.  The Church has made it easy for us to remember the numbers, if you will.

Each of those has great importance and during Lent the notion of sacrifice is intensified, like the final preparations of athletes before they take the court or field.  We simply don’t just add more prayer, or give more, or take more stuff away, but we try to interiorize these three rules.  When we pray we should look to go deeper into God with more reflection done in silence, our vocalized prayers should be more centered on the benefit of others, and our giving in alms should take on more meaning because when we give we satisfy the heart, our own and the hearts of others.

When Lent arrives we rush into thinking what can we give up these forty + days, maybe chocolate, maybe coffee, etc.  That’s nice as I say, but for those of us maturing in the faith it has to go beyond that and take on a very deep spiritual meaning, a journey of continuing discovery, discovering and delving deeper into who God is and who I am.  In doing so I crucify the things that keep me from the Lord, from the light and all that is good.  I nail those vices and drive them away when I pray the Stations of the Cross, when I pray the rosary, when I reflect and meditate and in my prayer I embrace the virtues of faith, hope, love, courage, temperance, prudence, and fortitude.  In all of those we find freedom, true freedom, one that is wrapped in joy because we know how precious we are to God and how deeply we are loved and how deeply we can love.

All of the above happens through prayer which then enables us to fast and to give.  Fasting and alms-giving cannot just be arbitrary; they have to mean something very personal, because good works must come from the heart and with no expectations - that is true sacrifice, just like Jesus’ on the Cross. He did all of that work only expecting love in return.

As you prepare for this Lenten season open your hearts to God and talk to Him, open your hearts and give up those things that hold you back, open your hearts to giving in order to keep others fed, clothed, cared for, and hoped for.  The opportunities are all around us, I pray you take them.  Remember we need to keep each other in prayer this Lent that all of us will be blessed and truly invest ourselves in prayer, fasting, and alms-giving.  God bless you this Lenten Season, Fr. John

The Day of Salvation: Ash Wednesday

“In an acceptable time I heard you, and on the day of salvation I helped you.  Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”   These are the words from the second reading of St. Paul’s 2^nd Letter to the Corinthians for Ash Wednesday.  These words are for all of us on the whole, for all who respond to grace, but they are also words to us individually, God speaks to me, directly to me.

The voice of God comes to us in many ways, it comes to us in His Sacred Word, it comes to us through others, through nature, it comes to us in our conscience, the voice I hear deep down inside of me calling me to everything that is good, pure, and filled with light.

But I also know that part of me that is weak, broken, and sinful.  The side that desires the promises of the flesh, be it prestige, pride, riches, lustful cravings, dishonesty, broken promises.  This is a reality and don’t be fooled into thinking that there is no sin or that I am not responsible, if that were so then Jesus died for nothing and we could all simply save ourselves, but St. Paul is clear, “Now is the day of salvation.”  It is not something I initiate on my own.  It is Christ who did that on the Cross and continues to do as He calls out to us each and every day. 

The beauty of the Gospel is in the Lord’s patience even with the worst of sinners.  No matter what I have done I can come forth and reach out to the Lord and He will lift me up, because I can come to Him with the heaviest of burdens and cry out to Him, Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner!”  He immediately reaches down and pulls me up, back to the light and out of the darkness I have created.

We will receive ashes on our foreheads today, but that is just the symbol, the symbol must take root down inside of me to repent and believe in the Good News, the Good News that I am loved and that the Lord gives me His salvation, today, right now – right here, because, “I have heard you and on the day of salvation I helped you.”  FJ

Fifty Shades of Morality? No, Only One!

Once morality loses its true center it loses its direction, foundation, and even all meaning.  The center of morality is God, without Him there is no true or real morality.  Morality can be lost in two ways, one) not believing in God, and two) distorting morality and or God in my image and likeness.  In the first way, if there is no belief in God the person will have a hard time rationalizing and justifying any type of morality since nothing has true meaning, all is left to the individual.  In the second way, sometimes more subtle, people who need to justify their bad behavior will begin to distort Truth, morality in this case and in the process the object moves inward to self and not towards God, hence both God and morality become twisted.  The second way is much more prevalent as there are very few atheists in this world.

I bring this up because of how backwards, upside down, and hypocritical a good part of society has become, since it has lost its anchor – its center.  A few of my good brother priests have already touched on this in the last few days with the release of the film, “Fifty Shades of Gray.”  The film has to do with sexual perversion, a relationship based on control, fear, violence, and sexual degradation, with the object here being the woman – the one who is being manipulated and abused.  One would think that there would be a great outcry especially since it shows violence towards women.  Think for a moment back to when Ray Rice, running back for the Baltimore Ravens attacked his fiancé in Atlantic City.  The outcry against him was tremendous, and rightly so, he did a horrible violence towards that young lady.  Afterwards there were commercials, the sappy one with athletes, actors, and musicians staring into the camera and saying, “No more,” some of them crying, and it could be some of them were being genuine, nevertheless the movement against women’s violence took off, but when it comes to this movie, those same folks are remaining silent or even enjoying a film like this.

Here is where it gets a little complicated.  When a person loses their center of morality, the foundation becomes weak, i.e. you flap around in the wind, are taken and swayed by every breeze, your head one minute is upright and the next minute it’s not.  A person becomes duplicitous and extremely relative in their beliefs and principals.  As an example, if a movie came out degrading Christianity, there is an element in society that would welcome such a film, but if a movie came out degrading Islam, that same group would get into an uproar, how could you do this, this is not compassion or understanding, etc.  So, when a movie like “Fifty Shades of Gray” is released it is acceptable, because it is art and the artists should be allowed to express themselves.  With that reasoning can I make a movie that is racist against different people?  Would that be acceptable?  It would not, so you see when you lose your moral center you are all over the place with no foundation, on the one hand you defend this but not the other, why, because morality is now based on me.

Our bigger problem is not “Fifty Shades of Gray,” but the loss of the center.  This movie is just a symptom of the disease.  Another example in case I am not making sense is this.  In New York recently they were trying to pass a law to allow girls under 18 years of age to go into a pharmacy an obtain the after-morning pill without the consent of a parent or guardian and at the same they were trying to pass a law to up the age to 21 to buy cigarettes.  Do not misunderstand me, I do not approve of smoking cigarettes, but I bring up the absurdity of some people’s morality.  How can you ask us to accept a girl without her parent’s guidance and approval to obtain such drugs but won’t allow the same sixteen year old girl to buy a pack of cigarettes?  You can see now the great moral dilemma in which we live.  Once you lose the center you can justify anything, approve anything, condemn anything and pick and choose according to me and not according to God.

What then is the answer?  It is simple and can be asked in direct and brief question?  A person has to ask themselves, “Whom do I serve, God or myself?”

Our cry and plea: Lord, Please Make Me Clean!

Lord, please make me clean!  This is the cry and plea we hear from the man stricken with leprosy.  Leprosy is no longer a common disease in the modern world, it is rare and only in remote places (for the most part) that do not have adequate medicine.  The disease also had big social implications because you were viewed not only as contagious but as cursed by God.  This man’s cry for help, however, is not just a plea to be healed from a physical sickness but of all sickness, especially from the idea that he was punished or cursed in some way, you see, sickness comes in many forms, not just the physical aspect.

Think in our own lives how many times we also have cried out to the Lord, “Lord, please make me clean, or Lord, free me from this sin, or bad habit, or vice that has taken hold of me.”  Sometimes in the Lord’s mercy things are taken away immediately, but I will also argue that sometimes in the Lord’s mercy things remain and stay for a while.  This is not because the Lord condones sin, but that He allows us to work along with Him, because if He was to take everything away immediately as soon as we asked we would cease to work, because the Lord would simply take care of every problem.  You can see the absurdity in that, just as no good parent would spoil their children so too with God.

Nevertheless when we go through trials, especially trying to overcome sickness, the sickness of sin it can become frustrating and embarrassing.  That is our own fault, it can also make us feel overly guilty, and that too is our own fault.  Virtue produces happiness, think of when you do something good, you feel a sense of joy, accomplishment, contentment when you do.  How do you feel like after you sin?  Well, you know the answer, not good. 

What then is the way out or answer to our dilemma of sin, of trying to be clean?  The answer lies in faith, not just in the knowledge of God but in truly knowing that God lives in me and that everything I need I already have.  It is also a living out of the Divine that is in me, done through works of virtue, prayer, and prayer of all forms, be it the rosary, Divine Office, meditation, yes meditation - we need more of that, a quiet place where we can become one with God, allowing Him to fully engulf us in His love and presence.

My dear friends, sin is a crutch, trust me I want it gone from me and I want it gone for all of you, yet I know the weakness that is in me, the weakness in all of us, but I also know of the strength and hope that is in me, that is in you, and that is the Lord Jesus.  Go to Him, just as the leper did and ask Him to make you clean.  Believe and live as it has already happened for you, that is faith.  Remember to ask each and every day for faith, to do so takes perseverance.  And as St. Paul says, “perseverance builds character, character virtue, and virtue holiness and salvation.”  All of which makes us clean, God bless you, FJ

Chip Away at the Stone

Whether one is a world renowned sculptor or a union carpenter, both, if they want to do their job well will work with patience, precision, and perseverance.  The triple “P” rule according to Fr. John, don’t even know if there is such a thing but it sounds nice.

Think of the carpenter, if he is working on a home he will have to measure wood, cut that wood, sand it, nail it, line it up, etc.  He has to work efficiently, but at the same time he must work with patience, take his time so he doesn't make a mistake.  He must work with precision in order to make sure everything lines up correctly, can you imagine a large wooden beam off by even a ¼ inch, the entire integrity of the home could be compromised.  The carpenter must also persevere in his building of the home because when he first begins there is nothing there and then as he continues in each moment day after day the structure begins to be revealed.  The same applies for the sculptor, she too must be patient, precise, and persevere.  Michelangelo did not create his masterpiece of King David in a day, it was a slow chipping away of the stone that would eventually reveal the great work.

There are two things that both the sculptor and carpenter do in common, they become one with their work, this includes their tools, their style, their entire craft, and they are totally immersed in their project.  So too with God in His relationship with us, He is totally immersed in us and like the carpenter and sculptor He meets us where we are at and then builds His masterpiece.  Each and every one of you is God’s masterpiece.  We are all different, different personalities, quirks, foibles, etc. it makes for an interesting world, but it shows that God cannot be summed up in one human being, except for Christ.  We all image the Trinity in and how we are molded and shaped by God.

God also requires that we become great sculptors \ carpenters to one another, especially those who are responsible for others, be they parents, coaches, teachers, mentors, priests, and deacons.  Each of us is commissioned to build masterpieces.  To do so however, requires what St. Paul speaks of in today’s 2^nd reading, “Although I am free in regard to all, I have made myself a slave to all so as to win over as many as possible.  To the weak I became weak, to win over the weak.  I have become all things to all, to save at least some.  All this I do for the sake of the gospel, so that I too may have a share in it.”

We need to understand people and meet them just where they are at.  St. Paul did this very well, he knew how to speak, shape and mold his Jewish brothers and sisters, and he did that a certain way, he also knew how engage the Gentiles, pagans, and unbelievers.  When he spoke to the elders of Greece he made reference to their unknown God and his dialogue took on the form of a philosopher that was something they would understand.  To quote to them books of the Old Testament prophets would have been lost on them.  When St. Paul dealt with Christians and Jews he used a different method by correlating prophecy and showing its fulfillment in Christ.  He became all things to all people, not just in a general sense but even so on an individual level.

God requires the same of us. We too are to build in the same fashion, and we are not just building homes, pieces of art, no, we are building up something of much more value and worth, priceless even, we are building up each other into the Kingdom of God.  However it takes the Triple “P” rule, patience, perseverance, and precision.  I know that when we desire change in ourselves or others we want it right away.  What we often hear as priests from people is, “I can’t believe my kids do not go to Church or they have abandoned their faith.”  You must chip away at the stone, slowly, accurately, and persevere.  God has done so with us, so too must we with each other.  If you remain so, you will have a better masterpiece than even that of Michelangelo’s King David.