Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Homily for Friday of the 33rd Week in Ordinary Time - Miguel Pro, priest and martyr

For daily readings, see http://www.usccb.org/nab/112307.shtml

The producer of the movie Bella has plans to make another movie on the life of Miguel Agustin Pro, a 20th Century priest and martyr from Mexico. As vocation director, I very much hope he makes this movie, as I can use it to inspire vocations to the priesthood. Miguel Pro's relics are in the altar at St. Michael the Archangel in Leawood, my first parish, along with the relics of the North American martyrs. We need more American saints like Miguel Pro, for our continent is woefully short on martyrs and saints compared to other countries.

Our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit, and must be constantly purified through the sacrament of reconciliation and the worthy reception of the Holy Eucharist. Judas Maccabeus and his brothers are rejoicing at their opportunity to rededicate the temple of the Lord, and Jesus Himself in today's Gospel is trying zealously to clean out that same temple. May we never become desensitized to sin and its power to cast out the indwelling of the Holy Spirit within us.

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