For daily readings, see http://www.usccb.org/nab/021508.shtml
+jmj
Mary, Queen of Vocations, pray for us
If we were be able to get into heaven without using our freedom well, we would enter heaven like spoiled brats. In today's first reading from Ezekiel, it is clear that God intends our freedom to have real consequences. If we are to be his sons and daughters, and not God's spoiled brats, we must share fully in his image and likeness, and that means using our freedom to do good and to avoid evil. Therefore, it is fair that a man who turns from his evil ways enters the kingdom of heaven, while the man who turns to evil turns toward his death. Without death as a consequence of sin, we would be able to live forever as spoiled brats, without having a definite reason to return our hearts to God, the source of life. Because death is the fair and real consequence of sin, we have a chance to become God's sons and daughters, if we turn from our evil ways and grow in virtue.
Matthew's Sermon on the Mount begins with the Beatitudes and ends with the command to 'be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect.' Today's reading about reconciling with our brothers before we approach the altar of God reinforces our teaching concerning salvation, that nothing 'unclean' can enter the kingdom of heaven. Unless we are fully reconciled to God and to one another, we have two options - to be cast into 'fiery Gehenna' or to be put in prison until we have paid the last penny. Allegorically, this prison can be likened to purgatory, where we are fully cleansed before entering the kingdom of heaven.
The sign of peace that we share right before receiving communion signifies that we are in communion with God and with our neighbor. If we carry serious sins with us, it is the longstanding tradition of our Church to refrain from receiving communion until we have a chance to go to sacramental confession. Sacramental confession not only restores our relationship with God, it also restores our relationship with our brothers and sister with whom we share the Eucharist. Going to confession often ensures that when we share the sign of peace, we are not pretending to be at peace with God - we really are at peace. I know sometimes it is difficult to find a priest for confession, but whenever we have a chance to go, we should go. We should go at the regular times the sacrament is offered, but also it is ok to ask a priest for the sacrament on those rare occasions when we cannot make the regularly scheduled times. A priest will not always be able to say yes, but it is worth asking to receive forgiveness before receiving communion. Finally, we should not be embarrassed to cross our arms and to receive a blessing from the priest if we do not believe we are ready to receive communion. You might think that this will cause people to wonder what you've done that is so bad, but in reality, you are helping your brothers and sisters to form their consciences so that none of us is taking the Eucharist lightly.
+m
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Homily for Thursday of the 1st Week of Lent
For daily readings, see http://www.usccb.org/nab/021408.shtml
+JMJ
Cyril and Methodius, pray for us
I really dislike popular music. About the only thing I will listen to is 95.7 the vibe - I know the lyrics are awful to those songs, but sometimes I just want to feel a strong dance beat as I'm driving down the road, and that is the surest place to find it. I have always preferred classical music and chant, and rarely do I listen to country. In fact, at my little brother's wedding dance Jan 5th, 90% of the music was country and I was the biggest complainer - I don't see how you can dance to that stuff. But there are at least a few corny country songs that I like - and one is Garth Brooks' 'Unanswered Prayers.' Sometimes God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers.
Jesus assures his followers in today's Gospels that all of their prayers are heard, and answered. In Luke's version of this teaching of Jesus, every prayer is answered with the gift of the Holy Spirit. In Matthew's version which we just heard, every prayer is answered with 'good things.' If one doesn't read this Gospel passage exactly, one can come away thinking that this teaching of Jesus guarantees that we receive everything for which we ask. But of course we know this is not true, and this is not what the scripture says. The Gospel says we will receive 'the Holy Spirit' or 'good things' from our Father whenever we ask Him.
The answer to our deepest desires, and to our deepest prayers, is the gift of Jesus himself, and the eternal life that comes through our relationship with him. We may ask for many other things, and we often do. Oftentimes, we spend a good amount of time asking for a cup of suffering to pass us by or to pass by one of our loved ones for whom we have promised to pray. But our own tendency to sin teaches us that we do not always know what is best for us -we do not always choose the greatest good with our freedom. And so sometimes God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers - he gives us the good things we really need by allowing suffering as a means of attaching our hearts more closely to Jesus, who is all good and the final answer to every prayer.
Jesus speaks to us from the cross, and says that He has given us 'everything' that He has received from His heavenly Father. Unanswered prayers are never God's holding out on us - the cross says that He has given us everything. Sometimes unanswered prayers are an invitation to us to conform our lives more fully to the mystery of the cross, and to find the everlasting good gifts of faith, hope and love waiting for us there.
+m
+JMJ
Cyril and Methodius, pray for us
I really dislike popular music. About the only thing I will listen to is 95.7 the vibe - I know the lyrics are awful to those songs, but sometimes I just want to feel a strong dance beat as I'm driving down the road, and that is the surest place to find it. I have always preferred classical music and chant, and rarely do I listen to country. In fact, at my little brother's wedding dance Jan 5th, 90% of the music was country and I was the biggest complainer - I don't see how you can dance to that stuff. But there are at least a few corny country songs that I like - and one is Garth Brooks' 'Unanswered Prayers.' Sometimes God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers.
Jesus assures his followers in today's Gospels that all of their prayers are heard, and answered. In Luke's version of this teaching of Jesus, every prayer is answered with the gift of the Holy Spirit. In Matthew's version which we just heard, every prayer is answered with 'good things.' If one doesn't read this Gospel passage exactly, one can come away thinking that this teaching of Jesus guarantees that we receive everything for which we ask. But of course we know this is not true, and this is not what the scripture says. The Gospel says we will receive 'the Holy Spirit' or 'good things' from our Father whenever we ask Him.
The answer to our deepest desires, and to our deepest prayers, is the gift of Jesus himself, and the eternal life that comes through our relationship with him. We may ask for many other things, and we often do. Oftentimes, we spend a good amount of time asking for a cup of suffering to pass us by or to pass by one of our loved ones for whom we have promised to pray. But our own tendency to sin teaches us that we do not always know what is best for us -we do not always choose the greatest good with our freedom. And so sometimes God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers - he gives us the good things we really need by allowing suffering as a means of attaching our hearts more closely to Jesus, who is all good and the final answer to every prayer.
Jesus speaks to us from the cross, and says that He has given us 'everything' that He has received from His heavenly Father. Unanswered prayers are never God's holding out on us - the cross says that He has given us everything. Sometimes unanswered prayers are an invitation to us to conform our lives more fully to the mystery of the cross, and to find the everlasting good gifts of faith, hope and love waiting for us there.
+m
Jr High Youth Rally and KU Game
Thanks to the youth office for inviting me to say the Mass for the jr high youth rally at Prairie Star Ranch on Sunday. Many of the St. Michael's kids told me they were 'the mosh' and I'm still trying to figure out what they meant. The other pic is from the KU/Baylor game with my nephew Alex and niece Madison who came all the way from Colby, KS to see the Jayhawks win 100-90. Alex predicted 100 points, and I told him he was crazy - you were right, Alex! Hopefully more pics next week from KCCSC in Topeka!
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Homily for Wednesday of the 1st Week of Lent
For daily readings, see http://www.usccb.org/nab/021308.shtml
A humbled, contrite heart O God, you will not spurn. It is important to remember that God does not need our prayers, our fasting and our almsgiving this Lent. He needs our contrite hearts, hearts ready to respond to the paschal mystery of his only Son. We do not pray more, fast more or give more this Lent to earn God’s favor, these are merely the first steps – the means necessary if we are to have any chance of rending our hearts to God. It is the rending of our hearts, not our garments, which pleases God, and He was pleased with the heartfelt repentance of the Ninevites in today’s first reading.
We spend forty days now praying, fasting and giving alms, as much as is necessary for us to enter into the sacred Triduum at the end of Lent with all our hearts. The more evil a generation is, the less readily it will recognize the presence of God, and the more readily it will demand irrefutable proof that erases the significance of human freedom before they will bow before the Almighty. Such an evil generation that seeks a sign from above is incapable of recognizing the sign of Jonah, for this sign is from below. God humbles himself beyond our imagination, and puts himself into the hands of sinners, and this is the definitive and everlasting sign of his love - the sign of the cross. No sign from above of God’s almighty power can surpass this revelation on the cross of God as love, and as the one who desires not the death of the sinner but that He might be converted and live. May we be humble enough through our Lenten penance to recognize the sign of Jonah, and to conform our lives to the mystery of the cross.
A humbled, contrite heart O God, you will not spurn. It is important to remember that God does not need our prayers, our fasting and our almsgiving this Lent. He needs our contrite hearts, hearts ready to respond to the paschal mystery of his only Son. We do not pray more, fast more or give more this Lent to earn God’s favor, these are merely the first steps – the means necessary if we are to have any chance of rending our hearts to God. It is the rending of our hearts, not our garments, which pleases God, and He was pleased with the heartfelt repentance of the Ninevites in today’s first reading.
We spend forty days now praying, fasting and giving alms, as much as is necessary for us to enter into the sacred Triduum at the end of Lent with all our hearts. The more evil a generation is, the less readily it will recognize the presence of God, and the more readily it will demand irrefutable proof that erases the significance of human freedom before they will bow before the Almighty. Such an evil generation that seeks a sign from above is incapable of recognizing the sign of Jonah, for this sign is from below. God humbles himself beyond our imagination, and puts himself into the hands of sinners, and this is the definitive and everlasting sign of his love - the sign of the cross. No sign from above of God’s almighty power can surpass this revelation on the cross of God as love, and as the one who desires not the death of the sinner but that He might be converted and live. May we be humble enough through our Lenten penance to recognize the sign of Jonah, and to conform our lives to the mystery of the cross.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Homily for Friday after Ash Wednesday
For daily readings, see http://www.usccb.org/nab/020808.shtml
The reading from Isaiah tells us that of the three Lenten practices – prayer, fasting and almsgiving, that almsgiving is to have pride of place in helping us to return to God, and to recognize His presence in our lives. The first two Lenten practices, prayer and fasting, are worthwhile, to be sure, but they can perhaps more easily be focused on self. To be free of sins is to have the self-forgetfulness that comes from being involved in the mission of building the kingdom of Heaven. The more readily we find our joy in building God’s kingdom, the less often we will return to the smaller joys that our sins bring us. The advice from Isaiah seems to go like this, if you want to escape your sins, don’t focus on yourself, it will only backfire – focus on others. For this reason, almsgiving should play at least an equal role to prayer and fasting, without neglecting any of the three. The most common way to give alms during Lent is to participate in the Rice Bowl, which reaches out to the poor through the work of Catholic Charities.
Even as we pray, fast and give alms during Lent, we do not really fast because we have Jesus with us along our Lenten journey. We do not, thankfully, have to fast from Mass, which would be the most sacrificial thing imaginable. Even as we go through Lent, we still have the bridegroom with us, and every Mass is still a celebration of the suffering, death, and yes, the resurrection of Jesus. This is why Sundays of Lent are, strictly speaking, not days of fasting, because even in Lent, we celebrate that the bridegroom is truly risen from the dead and that he has won the final victory over sin and death! Knowing this should make it even easier to follow the advice of Matthew, who told us on Ash Wednesday to go through Lent without appearing to be praying, fasting or giving alms, but to go through Lent joyfully. This is a special time to return to God with all our hearts. It is not a time to be gloomy and to complain. Jesus is there to support us – he makes fasting easy. For man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God!
The reading from Isaiah tells us that of the three Lenten practices – prayer, fasting and almsgiving, that almsgiving is to have pride of place in helping us to return to God, and to recognize His presence in our lives. The first two Lenten practices, prayer and fasting, are worthwhile, to be sure, but they can perhaps more easily be focused on self. To be free of sins is to have the self-forgetfulness that comes from being involved in the mission of building the kingdom of Heaven. The more readily we find our joy in building God’s kingdom, the less often we will return to the smaller joys that our sins bring us. The advice from Isaiah seems to go like this, if you want to escape your sins, don’t focus on yourself, it will only backfire – focus on others. For this reason, almsgiving should play at least an equal role to prayer and fasting, without neglecting any of the three. The most common way to give alms during Lent is to participate in the Rice Bowl, which reaches out to the poor through the work of Catholic Charities.
Even as we pray, fast and give alms during Lent, we do not really fast because we have Jesus with us along our Lenten journey. We do not, thankfully, have to fast from Mass, which would be the most sacrificial thing imaginable. Even as we go through Lent, we still have the bridegroom with us, and every Mass is still a celebration of the suffering, death, and yes, the resurrection of Jesus. This is why Sundays of Lent are, strictly speaking, not days of fasting, because even in Lent, we celebrate that the bridegroom is truly risen from the dead and that he has won the final victory over sin and death! Knowing this should make it even easier to follow the advice of Matthew, who told us on Ash Wednesday to go through Lent without appearing to be praying, fasting or giving alms, but to go through Lent joyfully. This is a special time to return to God with all our hearts. It is not a time to be gloomy and to complain. Jesus is there to support us – he makes fasting easy. For man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God!
Homily for Thursday after Ash Wednesday
For daily readings, see http://www.usccb.org/nab/020708.shtml
Moses seems to threaten the Israelites to whom he is giving the law that if they do not keep the Lord’s covenant, ruin will come upon them. Without fidelity to the covenant, the Israelites will not have a long life in the land which the Lord gave to their Fathers. It is true that societies that lose their moral compass will eventually self-destruct. Human history demonstrates this. A kingdom divided against itself, one that does not work for the ultimate good of its people, cannot stand forever. Moses’ prophecy, then, is a good one, and one that must be heeded in our own American society lest our American way of life vanishes. Certainly politicians of all kinds appeal to this kind of a motif – unless we are true to the values on which America was founded, our country will not be great, and it will not survive.
But of course Moses’ admonition of the Israelites is true on a more personal level as well. The law he is giving teaches people how to choose life. The law provides a way of preserving life by teaching people how to live in harmony with God and with one another. The law in providing a means to live in right relationship with God allows the conversation, or covenant, which began with Abraham, to continue indefinitely into the future. But there then comes a time when this law open to life in an indefinite future finds its fulfillment at a definite time, in a definite place, and in a definite person, Jesus the Christ. When Jesus comes, he announces that the time for the fulfillment of the promises of life and prosperity given to Abraham and renewed to Moses has arrived. Jesus came that we might have life, and have it in abundance!
With Jesus we see that the most important thing is not God’s blessing of the life guaranteed by the success of our local society. No, Jesus claims that the kingdom of God has arrived in its fullness even as the Israelite nation and its land promised to Abraham and Moses was being dominated by the Romans. Jesus himself is the new Jerusalem – the kingdom of God come among us. Because Jesus is here, to be fully alive is not to have security and prosperity, although these cannot be dispensed with while we are on pilgrimage. To be fully alive is to be in conversation with Jesus, who fully reveals man to Himself. One who puts his faith in his homeland can never be more than partially alive; one that puts his faith in Jesus Christ, has begun a conversation with the one who lives forever, and is ready to receive the living water that wells up to eternal life.
Moses seems to threaten the Israelites to whom he is giving the law that if they do not keep the Lord’s covenant, ruin will come upon them. Without fidelity to the covenant, the Israelites will not have a long life in the land which the Lord gave to their Fathers. It is true that societies that lose their moral compass will eventually self-destruct. Human history demonstrates this. A kingdom divided against itself, one that does not work for the ultimate good of its people, cannot stand forever. Moses’ prophecy, then, is a good one, and one that must be heeded in our own American society lest our American way of life vanishes. Certainly politicians of all kinds appeal to this kind of a motif – unless we are true to the values on which America was founded, our country will not be great, and it will not survive.
But of course Moses’ admonition of the Israelites is true on a more personal level as well. The law he is giving teaches people how to choose life. The law provides a way of preserving life by teaching people how to live in harmony with God and with one another. The law in providing a means to live in right relationship with God allows the conversation, or covenant, which began with Abraham, to continue indefinitely into the future. But there then comes a time when this law open to life in an indefinite future finds its fulfillment at a definite time, in a definite place, and in a definite person, Jesus the Christ. When Jesus comes, he announces that the time for the fulfillment of the promises of life and prosperity given to Abraham and renewed to Moses has arrived. Jesus came that we might have life, and have it in abundance!
With Jesus we see that the most important thing is not God’s blessing of the life guaranteed by the success of our local society. No, Jesus claims that the kingdom of God has arrived in its fullness even as the Israelite nation and its land promised to Abraham and Moses was being dominated by the Romans. Jesus himself is the new Jerusalem – the kingdom of God come among us. Because Jesus is here, to be fully alive is not to have security and prosperity, although these cannot be dispensed with while we are on pilgrimage. To be fully alive is to be in conversation with Jesus, who fully reveals man to Himself. One who puts his faith in his homeland can never be more than partially alive; one that puts his faith in Jesus Christ, has begun a conversation with the one who lives forever, and is ready to receive the living water that wells up to eternal life.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Catholic Schools Week
Thanks to the kids at Holy Name KCK and Prince of Peace Olathe for welcoming me for vocations presentations during Catholic schools week - I had a great time!
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