HOLY FAMILY

Christmas has passed and soon we’ll take down the decorations and put away the tree until next Christmas.  Some people put up artificial trees for Christmas. Other people put up real trees—pine trees for Christmas because they stay green all year long. In fact these kinds of trees are called evergreens because they don’t turn brown and lose their leaves like other trees. They stay green and alive and fresh-looking all year long.

Wouldn’t it be nice if we could take the feelings of Christmas, like happiness and love and giving, and peace all year long? Wouldn’t it be great if every day felt like Christmas? Just as evergreens stay green all year long, we can keep our feelings of joy, love and peace fresh and alive all year long.

How do we do that?  How do you feel a few days after Christmas? Let’s look at what Jesus, Mary and Joseph fell after the shepherds had left them and the wise men and the angels were no longer singing.

Well, for one thing, Mary and Joseph and Jesus went on with
their lives. That’s the first thing that happened. They went
back to their modest home at Nazareth and began living their
life as a family and making a home for their Son—Jesus.

From the Jewish customs of the time we get some idea of the
daily life of the little family. Mary and Joseph would take
Jesus to the synagogue for the feasts days and regular
prayers services. Jesus began to learn the trade of a carpenter
from his Father.

Mary took care of the house and garden. Each day she would go to the fountain to get water. They had no in door plumbing or water supply in their home. The whole day was lived in an atmosphere of prayer.

There were good times and bad times. Mostly there were just ordinary times. They weren’t immune to the trials that trouble us all. They were poor as were most people in that occupied land. But Joseph had a trade, a carpenter and they got by. But life was not easy. Have you noticed that? Life is not easy for most people.

Let’s look at Jesus. He faced obstacles common to boys of His time. He had to face criticism and ridicule because He was different.   He stood out among all His friends and neighbors.

Also Jesus had to face the lost of His father, Joseph, who tradition states died sometime during Jesus’ teenage years. So He had to take on adult responsibilities. Jesus experienced fully what it means to be human. Any problem you or I face today, we can be certain, in some form, Jesus faced it too.

Mary and Joseph faced these problems too. What did this young family do during that portion of their life that is not recorded in scripture? They went on with their lives. They did what you and I do. They did the best they could and trusted completely in God.

I wonder if Mary realized how short her time with Joseph and Jesus would be? No one is really prepared to be widowed.  Many of you know this experience of being a widow. Mary may have lost Joseph when she was still in her twenties or thirties. She was likely in her late forties when she experienced the unspeakable tragedy of watching Her Son die an excruciating death on the cross of Calvary.    
    
Yow think you are hurt.  Imagine how she was hurt. Imagine “A sword will pierce your soul?  I don’t know if Mary thought very much about losing her loved ones until it happened. That’s really for the best. We would worry ourselves sick if we did think too much about losing those we love. I think it’s best that we don’t know what the future may bring. Life can be cruel even to the best of people. Can people ever get any better than the holy Family of Nazareth—Mary, Joseph and Jesus? Mary lost the two most important people in her life much too early. None of us know what tomorrow may bring.

I think that first thing we can say about this family of Mary, Joseph is they were a family that sustained themselves with love and faith in God.

I was watching a program on EWTN; the Life on the Rock. Father Francis had as his host Dan Rouebin. He wrote a book, The Theology of the Table. In his book he talks about the importance of the family taking time to be together at dinner.

Jesus spent a lot of time speaking about life at a meal. I will just give one example. It’s the story of Zachaeus, the tax collector. He knew Jesus was coming into town. Zachaeus was short of statue; so he climbed a tree and waited for Jesus to pass by. He wanted to get a good glimpse of who Jesus was. Little did he know that when Jesus came by; Jesus would stop and look up at him. Jesus said: “Zachaeus come down; I want to stay at your house for dinner. Zachaeus was shocked but followed Jesus into his house for dinner. It was in the midst of dinner that Zachaeus made his confession. He left his tax collecting job and became a follower of Jesus. Jesus welcomed him and said salvation has come to your house this day.

The greatest event in all of Jesus life came at Passover time. Jesus told the disciples to prepare the Passover Meal. It was here that Jesus instituted the Holy Eucharist and ordained the apostles as the first priests.

Jesus said “This is my Body given up for you. This is the chalice is my Blood shed for you. Do this in memory of me. ….For my Flesh is food indeed and my Blood is drink indeed”.

What is the great message that Jesus is telling us? The importance of a family meal, and the whole family should be together for this important part of family life.

I remember how we always were together for all the meals at home.  All six of us kids joined in sharing our concerns that we had in school and with the activities we took part in after school. We asked questions about why we as Catholics are different from the rest of the kids. So we were advised not to have non-Catholics as our friends. All our friends went to the Catholic School. So our social life revolved around the Parish and the School.

Dad did not take a leadership role in the discussions we had at the table. My Mom had to take over that role. We missed the role Dad should have taken in our family. But I have come to learn he did not have that fatherly figure in his home. But I also found out that our Catholic Faith filled in where that Father responsibility was missing. My devotion to Mary and Joseph help me to see God our Father as a loving caring Father even though my Dad didn’t give us that example in our family.

The Church is emphasizing the leadership role that fathers must play in the family.

There is a program on EWTN called “Crossing the Goal”. In this talk show four fathers show how important it is for fathers to carry out their responsibility as head of the family. They need to lead the family in prayer. The kids must see Dad praying with the family at home and in church. Kids must see Dad going to Confession and receiving Holy Communion. Dad must take a leadership role in teaching the kids the teachings and practices of the Catholic Faith.

There is a lesson that we can learn from Joseph and Mary. Both were Faith filled and determined to trust in God and love God and others. They faced many challenges, but they did it with love and faith in God. It was not easy, but they knew that God was with them, just as God is with us. We can have that same trust in the loving and caring God who gives us all the best gifts and blessings we need.

May God Bless our families and may fathers and mothers imitate the role they must play in raising their children. 
Fr. Schaefer's Homilies, page 3

January 8, 2009, Holy Family
January 11, 2009—A Powerful Sacrament
January 18, 2009--Gift of God
February 8, 2009, Power of Authority
February 8, 2009, Jesus Stands Alone
February 16, 2009, The Compassionate Christ
March 1, 2009, Rainbows and Promises
Sign InView Entries
Jan 11, 2009—A Powerful Sacrament

I would like to ask you a most important question: Why did Jesus allow Himself to be baptized? Jesus is the Son of God. He was without sin. Why
would Jesus consent to be baptized?

When Jesus asked John the Baptist for baptism; John tried
to refuse. He said “I need to be baptized by you; and you
come to me? I am preparing the way for you. You are
more powerful than I. I am not worthy to stoop down
and untie your sandals. I only baptize with water, but
you will baptize with the Holy Spirit.

So why did Jesus ask John the Baptist for baptism?

Jesus’ baptism marks His entry into the community of
sons and daughters of God our Father. By His baptism
Jesus was telling us that He is one of us. He wanted
to share in our lives and He wanted us to share
in His life.

But Jesus just didn’t enter this community of believers. He transformed them. Through His miracles, His teaching and the witness of His love, He raised up their ( and our) hope and expectation. Jesus showed us that a new era had come in which He would share His divine life with us. It would be an era marked by the power of God becoming active in our life. It would be an era filled with the promise of a complete change of minds and hearts into the mind and heart of God. Baptism is a powerful Sacrament; more powerful that many of us are aware of.

I would like to tell you how powerful this Sacrament is.

Everybody has a script. What do I mean by a script? Walter Brueggemann, great scripture scholar, describes life as a script. Think of a script from which an actor or actress is given to know and live the part in the script.

Each of us has a script imbedded in our brain. We live our lives both consciously and unconsciously by that script. This script is the product of all the lifetime influences in family life, our parents, education, our faith and church and the culture.

I can remember what my Mom use to say to us six kids. “The apple does not fall far from the tree. Tell me who you go with and I’ll tell you who you are”. That part of my script that came from my family.

Another part of our script comes from our culture especially television and advertising. The average American, we’re told, is bombarded by up to 3,000 ads per day. Our culture tells us that happiness comes in a bottle, or in a product or in a service. According to the script, there is a product or a treatment or a process to relieve every ache and pain and discomfort and trouble so that life may be lived without any inconvenience.

Here is the problem says  Brueggemann. This script has failed. It promised to make us safe and happy and fulfilled. Yet the truth is, it has instead made us more insecure and unhappy. Every survey tells us that we have more wealth than we’ve ever had. Our houses are bigger, we have more discretionary income. We live better than any previous generation on earth and yet we are unhappier and more uncertain about our future.

That script has failed. That part of our script. For example, technology will make us happier. But look at our marriages and family life. It is in shambles. Doctors tell me they are seeing more patients suffering from depression. Sales of anti-depressant drugs are soaring. Many people are suffering from new kinds of emotional disorders. That part of our script has failed. Our body language is telling us we are hurting ourselves and we should stop what we are doing.

There’s something wrong. Our culture is sending us the wrong message.

Our physical, mental, emotional and moral and health depends on backing off from this failed script.

Does that make sense? If the script has failed, we must change our lifestyle. That’s easier said than done. How do we detach ourselves from our family, our society and all the many influences that have put us to where we are today? It is not easy.

God sent His Son Jesus to us to show us. He became like us in every way except sin. He showed us how to live life in all its abundance. He is the way the truth and the life. God chose to give us a share in His life through the Grace of His Word, the Sacraments and prayer life especially devotion to our Blessed Mother. She will take us to Jesus and show us how to lives our lives according to the script God has made us.

But I have to tell you the truth. Look what happened to Jesus when He sought to change the script for the world in which he lived? They crucified Him. That won’t happen to us. But I can’t give you a safe and easy way.

Listen to what Christ and the Catholic Church is telling us. That script promises us happiness and fulfillment in this world and forever in heaven. That’s the role of the Church to disengage us from the script of this world that has failed us.

Our Baptism initiates us into a new script for our lives. The script was written by Christ Himself.

Does this make sense to you? Baptism tells us who we are. We belong to Christ and members of His Body the Church. That’s the only guarantee that we are saved and will inherit the kingdom of heaven.
January 18, 2009—GIFT OF GOD

 
We have seen a dramatic change in the sexual morality in our society. We have reached the tipping point in our society. As never before our entertainment media is encouraging this immoral lifestyle as normal, healthy recreation with no thought of its consequences that are stated in the Ten Commandments.

Today we are accepting immoral sexual behavior as normal today. It is time to raise the red flag and cry, Stop! We need to do some soul searching. We need to change the attitude of the culture of which we are a part. We need to understand the role of sexuality as Christ has taught us. It is time for us to live a radical counter culture that is contained in the sixth and ninth commandments.
Father John Corapi stated in one of his talks that our immoral lifestyle is un-American and is a threat our national security. We only need to look at history. The Greek and Roman Empire broke up because they began to live this kind of sexual lifestyle.
Our Catholic Faith has taught us how live a normal and healthy sexual lifestyle. Jesus warned us that people living in a immoral sexual lifestyle will not inherit the kingdom of heaven. Our Lady of Fatima told the three children of Fatima that God is greatly offended by our immoral culture. She said the many people go to hell for the sins of the flesh. That should send an urgent message to us. This is serious business.

Pornography has become a billion dollar industry. And the TV shows and advertising ads are exploiting this immoral lifestyle. We are living in a morally decadent society and many people have adopted this immoral culture.

We can no  longer be silent. Let us be begin by saying that our sexuality is a gift of God. In the first chapter of Genesis we read: “God created man in His own image and likeness. In the image and likeness, God created us male and  female. God blessed them and said to them. “Be fruitful and increase and multiply, fill the earth and subdue it.”

Sexuality is a gift of God. In the second reading today the first letter to the Corinthians: “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? But whoever is joined to the Lord becomes one Spirit with Him. Avoid immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body. But the immoral person sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been purchased as a price; therefore Glorify God in your body”.
 
The Holy Spirit has given us the good news on sex and marriage. Pope John Paul II has written a magnificent document on this subject. It is called the “Theology of the Body”. It is good news because it’s the truth about true love. True love is the fulfillment of the human person.

Pope John Paul II gives us the true meaning of sexuality. It touches the deepest longings and aspirations; and at the same time touches our deepest fears, wounds, selfishness and sins. When we discover the truth of our sexuality, it inevitably leads us to the cross. It is Christ who showed us the truth about love and shows us the meaning of life.

“Love one another as I have loved you”. Jn.5. These words of Christ sum up the meaning of life and the meaning of human sexuality. The Pope has stated that Christ came into this world not only to show us the true meaning of love and life but gives us the grace to overcome our fears, wounds and sins. God created us for love. It is stamped into our very being as male and female. God wants to reveal this eternal plan to us in a way we couldn’t miss. It is imbedded in our very being. Pope John II calls it ‘nuptial love’.

Our Holiness states: from the beginning to end the Bible is a story about marriage. It begins with the book of Genesis with the marriage of Adam and Eve and ends in the Book of Revelation with the ‘wedding of the Lamb’—The marriage of Christ and the Church.
In both the old and new testament, it describes God’s love for His people as the love of husband and wife. He comes as the heavenly bridegroom in the New Testament uniting Himself forever with His Bride the Church. That’s us.

God’s plan from all eternity is to marry us. This means that in both male and female, we image God. As male and female we make visible God’s invisible mystery.

What is this invisible mystery? God is love. God is in Himself a life giving Communion of Persons. The Father from all eternity is making a gift of Himself to the Son. And the Son eternally receiving the gift of the Father makes a gift of Himself to the Father. The love between them is so real, so profound, that this love is another eternal Person, the Holy Spirit.

We are called to love as God loves. In a life-giving communion of persons, the husband gives himself as gift of himself to the wife and the wife receives the gift of her husband gives herself back to her husband. And the love between them is so real and so profound that God willing another human person is born. This makes visible the invisible mystery of God. This kind of love we call marriage.

For this reason, St. Paul says a man will leave father and mother and cling to his bride and the two shall become two and one flesh. This is a profound mystery and it refers to Christ and His church. Eph.5. 

Chris West has studied this document and now is giving seminars to many parishes in the United States. He came to St. Thomas the Apostle for a seminar. I attended this seminar. The church was filled with young engaged and married couples. During the break, I roamed around and talked to some. They all were very enthused and were so glad that the church was giving them the truth about sex and marriage. They were tired of hearing what the culture is giving them. They want the truth and they were happy in getting it.

I also attended some of talks that Katrina Zeno gives in the diocese. She was hired to tell all the young people the good news. Bishop Olmsted has hired her to go to all the parishes and explain this document to them. Our sexuality is a gift of God. It must be used as God intended it. Our bodies are temple of the Holy Spirit and we should honor God as we use our bodies.

Let us change the culture now in this area of human sexuality so that we can again enjoy the love and the joy that God has given to us in  this gift. 


February 8, 2009, POWER OF AUTHORITY

The scene described in the gospel reading today maybe quite disturbing to some of us. It takes place at Capernaum. Jesus was teaching in the synagogue on the Sabbath day.

Suddenly an unexpected disturbance occurred. A man cried out. “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us?  I know who you are—The Holy One of God!

Jesus rebuked him and said, “Quiet, Come out of him!” The unclean spirit convulsed and with a loud cry came out of him. All were amazed and asked one another, “What is this?” A new teaching with authority. He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him? Jesus’ fame spread every where throughout the whole of Galilee. 

I imagine others in the synagogue were quite upset by this man’s outburst. When Jesus entered the synagogue at Capernaum He probably attracted little attention. Jesus looked like and sounded like any Galilean. He didn’t dress like a great scholar or dignitary. Outwardly, nothing indicated that Jesus possessed any special power or authority, not until He began to teach. Then, the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority.

Authority is much more than the right to tell others what to do or the power to make them do it.

I worked in a plant what makes electronic photographs. I was a mere flunky. There was a foreman who told me what to do. He had the power to fire me if I didn’t do what he said. I had the job of carrying boxes to the assembly line. Once I was carrying a stack of boxes and I dropped them. All the boxes fell and were severely damaged. The foreman scolded me and told the manager to fire me. Well, the manager was my brother in law. So he saved my job and encouraged me to be more careful in carrying boxes to the assembly line. That foreman was using his authority to get me fired.

Authority isn’t something imposed from the outside but something that people recognize in you because of your own inner strength and confidence.

A young teenage girl came to me with a problem of authority.  Her mother always advised her never to use contraceptive to keep from getting pregnant. She always taught her that she should abstain from sex.

Sex is sacred and is not given by God for mere pleasure only. When you are dating and you hope to marry this person. You can always tell if you and your boy friend love each other if you are willing to not have sex until you are married. Love is a choice-a decision and not a feeling. Feelings come and go, but a decision is a commitment that will remain even when you are tempted to give in.

Well, one day this daughter was searching through her mother’s purse. She noticed she had a box of contraceptive pills. The thought came to her that her mother was using birth control pills in her marital union.  After that, the daughter had a hard time following her mother’s advice in not having sex before marriage and not using contraceptive pills to prevent getting pregnant during dating time.

So a parent can’t say to their children; just do as I say and not what I do. That’s phony to teenagers. That makes them more confused in following the moral lifestyle Christ and the Church are giving us.

All this makes sense when we think about Jesus. He never bullied people into following him. He simply spoke with conviction, and His words pierced people’s minds and hearts. They saw Jesus speaking with authority—not like the scribes and the Pharisees.

All this sounds very sensible. Jesus is telling us you have that same authority. You can speak with authority by giving witness to God’s love. Jesus spoke with that kind of authority because He was absolutely committed to His Father. Whatever His Father told Him; Jesus did no matter what the consequences.

The man with the unclean spirit recognized that kind of authority and they cried out: “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, The Holy One of God.”.  The people were amazed and asked one another; “What is this? A new teaching with authority? He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey Him.  Jesus’ fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee.

Are you surprised? Jesus is telling us that He gave us the same authority—to heal the sick, cast out demons and preach the gospel. The calling is not reserved for just a few. It is for everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord and lives in union with Him. We have to be committed to the teaching of Christ and His Church. We can’t be “cafeteria Catholics,” believing only the easy sayings of the gospel and ignoring the hard sayings. We are all children of God baptized in Christ and members of His Body, The Church. We all share in His authority. God is a generous God.

Our culture is in great need of such witnesses to the Catholic Faith. That is what is lacking today. That is why we are in such a mess today in the nation, church, marriage, and families.

We are called to be the light of the world. We have been given that treasure of great price. We have been purchased with the price of the precious blood of Jesus Christ. So we belong to Christ. We must live the life that He has shown us by becoming man and taking all our sins and flaws and nailing them to the cross.

So we have it all. We can speak with authority like Jesus did in casting out this unclean spirit from that man.

Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the power and dignity and the authority of Christ. As you go about your day, pay attention to situations in your marriage and families in which you bring God’s presence and power in what you say and do.

You are not just an ordinary person. You are in Christ and Christ is using you to cast out the evil demons in you and in others in our culture.  We can turn this culture around when we believe and live our Catholic Faith.

Jesus said I have overcome the world, the flesh and the devil. So the victory is already won. We are called to use this power of grace to transform our culture into a culture of life.

The world is waiting for each one of us to be that kind of Catholic. Our culture is going through so much suffering pain and brokenness. It is looking for answers. We have the truth and the answers.

Pope Benedict has given us the leadership and the solution to all our problems. Our people are not listening to his wisdom and his authority from Christ to give us the answers to the terrible mess we are in.

I ask you to pray the rosary everyday. Ask our Blessed Mother for the graces we need. Trust in her. Christ has given her all the graces we need to change this culture of death into a culture of life.

May God bless you with the power of His graces so that you can also cast out the evil demons in us and society.

March 9, 2009, Soul Searching
March 29, 2009, New Heart
May 10, 2009, A Mother's Love
May 24, 2009, Winds of the Holy Spirit
June 7, 2009 What is Faith
June 14, 2009 CORPUS CHRISTI
June 21, 2009, Storms of Life


JESUS STANDS ALONE
February 8, 2009

Someone has said that it is much easier to get rich than it is to get famous. There are many rich people in this world, but there are relatively few people whose names are universally recognized. There are still fewer whose names are known for generations after their death. These hold a unique place in human history.

But there is one name that stands absolutely alone—Jesus of Nazareth. There have been many who have left their mark on human history; but only one has broken down the wall between life and death. Jesus died and rose from the death and is still living in our midst.

Jesus had no servants, yet they called Him Master. He had no degrees yet they called Him Teacher. He had no medicines, they called Him Healer. He had no army, yet kings feared Him. He won no military battles, yet He conquers the world. He committed no crimes. Yet they crucified Him. He was buried in a tomb yet rose from the dead and lives today.

Because of those lonely hours Jesus hung on the cross; we sometimes forget just how popular He was when He first began His ministry.

The gospel describes the scene that takes place in the house of Simon Peter where Jesus healed Peter’s mother in law.

But notice what St. Marks Gospel tells us next. “That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and those possessed with evil demons. The whole town gathered at the door. Think of that, The whole town gathered at the door” Image what it would be like if even a part of Sun City gathered at St. Joachim’s. church. Everyone wanted to see Jesus. Then we read, “Very early in the morning while it was still dark, Jesus got up and left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for Jesus, and when they found Him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!”

I really do believe that deep down in their hearts everyone is looking for Jesus Christ, the Son of God. They would like to see God in human form. Sometime ago I met a young lady. Jane attended Mass for the first time at age five. Her Mom was Catholic but never attended Church. Then her Mom went back to Church. At Mass, Jane asked her Mom: “Does Jesus live here”? Yes He lives here.

Jane said: “I want to see Jesus”.  Her Mom said Jesus lives in the tabernacle on the altar. “Let me see Jesus in the tabernacle”.  Her Mom said, Jesus lives in the tabernacle under the forms of bread and wine. Jesus made Himself present to us under the forms of bread and wine. He is really present to us as much as when He lived in Nazareth and taught in the synagogue.

St. John the Beloved disciple of the Lord tells us: “This is what we proclaim to you, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes. What we have looked upon and our hands have touched—we speak of the Word of life.

This life became visible; we have seen and bear witness to it. We proclaim to you the eternal life that was present to the Father and became visible to us. What we have seen and heard we proclaim in turn to you so that you may share life with us. This fellowship of ours is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. I’m writing this to you so that our joy may be in you”.

Jesus is the Word of God that became flesh and dwells among us. Now God is asking us to believe in His Word that has become flesh in us. Now I can hand it one to you
I left the Catholic Church about 10 years ago. Since then I have been searching for greater relationship with Jesus. I have made a retreat and gone to confession and received Jesus in Holy Communion. Now I realize what I have missed these past years. There is no greater and more intimate relationship we have with Jesus then in receiving the Body and Blood of Jesus in Holy Communion. I’m so grateful that I’m back in the good graces of the Lord.

When Jane grew up she felt God was calling her to the consecrated life to the religious life. So she joined the Pure Clares—Mother Angelica’s community in Huntsville Alabama. Jane is happy now as a cloistered sister and enjoys that intimate relationship with Jesus.

St. Augustine put it so well after his conversion… “Thou hast made us they Thyself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee”.  All people everywhere need what only Jesus can give us. Jesus showed us what God is like.  What is God like? God is like Jesus. Is God a personal God? Yes, God is a loving God. Is God in touch with our needs?  Yes, How do I know? Jesus showed us everything we need to know about God.
Jesus told Philip “whoever has seen me has seen the Father”. The Father is in me and I am in the Father. The Father and I are one”.

Jesus taught us and showed us how to live. He said I am the way, the truth and the life. Be like me and follow me and I will give you life in all its abundance.  Jesus also taught us and showed us how to look at one another. He said Love one another as I have loved you. We are to give self giving love to others even those who hurt us.  Pray for them.  Love is greater than evil. Perfect love overcomes all fears and sins.

Jesus also said I am the light of the world. Anyone who walks with me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of Christ to guide them.  I always like to look at the full moon at night or early in the morning. When a cloud covers the moon; the moon cannot give it full brilliance. So it is with our soul. Our soul reflects the light of Christ. But sin can mar and even darken the light of Christ in us.  Pope Benedict said this when he visited the United States last April. He warned us of the horrible crime of abortion in our country. Abortion is blinding us to the light of Christ. We cannot have a intimate relationship with Jesus as long as we are killing our innocent and defensible unborn babies.
Our Holy Father has stated that the recession were in has deeper roots. The root cause is our moral and spiritual decay that has affected the lifestyle of our nation. Just look what is happening to the respect for life in all stages both the born and unborn. Sin is being taken so lightly. And so the Pope has said that we have a crisis of faith.

I remember during World War II. I was in the Navy Air Force. I was changing trains in Chicago. While I was waiting for my train; I went to St. Peter’s Church in downtown Chicago. I could not get in. People were lined up outside the church. Also people were praying the rosary. Block rosaries were organized in every community.  Our country was in desperate need for the grace of God to stop Hitler from conquering all Europe. Our nation is again in a crisis. We cannot turn our culture of death back to a culture of life without the power and grace of God.

At the last Curia meeting of the Legion of Mary, one of the women distributed a booklet called the “Patriotic Rosary”. Its purpose is the consecration of our Nation. After each of the five mysteries we are asked to pray for the intention of consecration of our Nation’s Capital. The second decade of the rosary is for the Supreme Court of the United States of America. The third decade is for the Senate and the House of Representatives of the United States of America.  The fourth decade is for the Governors of the United States of America. The fifth mystery is for the County and Municipal offices of the United States of America.
I think the Holy Spirit is calling us to conversion and repentance. The rosary is the weapon being used to open the minds and hearts of our people.  Everyone is looking for Jesus. Everyone deep down, whether we realize it or not, are searching for Jesus. Let us pray that we are open to God speaking to us in praying the rosary and doing penance for our sins. 

THE COMPASSIOATE CHRIST
February 16, 2009

Have you ever thought of compassion as a  source of power? That’s what it is. Every time we exercise our sense of compassion we are making the world a better place for somebody. That’s power. At such times we are like Jesus. We can’t touch a leper and make them clean; but we can touch someone in need and make their day.  So the  problem is that we don’t have enough power. No, the problem is that we don’t use the power we have.

Last Christmas I came down with a bad cold virus. So I had to cancel all the Masses I had schedule until I was able to talk with a clear voice and I didn’t spread that virus to others. During those couple of weeks I had to stay in my condo and nurse that cold. The word got out that I was sick and confined to my condo. One of my close friends really showed his power of compassion. He made a big pot of chicken soup and brought it over for me. He knew just what I needed and fulfilled my need and certainly made my the recovery time shorter and my sense of  well being satisfied. My niece did the grocery shopping and brought me the medication I needed. That’s the power of compassion.

When I was still a pastor in Minnesota I remember the calls that came to me. Some came to the rectory. Others came in telephone calls of someone that needed some priestly ministry.  I always noticed the people who make a difference in our life are not the  ones with the most credentials, the most money. The ones who live ordinary lives and struggle with their everyday problems.  They are the  ones who seem to have the power of compassion. They can identify with your problem because they also have somewhat the same problems.

Jesus came down from heaven to be just like us in everyway except sin.  He left the riches of heaven and took on our imperfect human nature with all its sins and flaws.  He nailed them  all to the cross. So that by His wounds we are healed.  Jesus was often criticized because He was seen eating and dwelling with sinners. Jesus came to serve and not be served. Jesus was known as the greater Healer. That’s why He attracted large crowds. He healed all  those who He saw was suffering with physical or moral problem.

Reading the story in today’s gospel, Jesus never turned anyone away. This leper evidently had heard stories of Jesus healing miracles. This man came to Jesus and begged Jesus:  “If you are willing, you can make me clean”. Now that’s faith. “If you are willing. He believed Jesus could heal him, if only Jesus would. I think you know what a terrible disease leprosy was in those days. It was literally a living death. Flesh died and decayed while still part of a living person leaving that person horribly disfigured. Even worse than the disease was the treatment of the person with leprosy by society. Whenever leprosy was diagnosed on examination by the priest, the person was banished from the community. A leper could not enter the temple or go into Jerusalem. The penalty for doing so was forty stripes.

Such was the situation of the desperate man who fell to his knees before Jesus. He did not doubt that Jesus could heal him. His only question was Jesus willing to heal him.
You can doubt that God can heal you of your cancer. Or doubt that God can heal you of your addiction. Our doubt that God can save your marriage. But is God willing? That is the real question that haunts us all. And the answer is, Yes, God is willing. If you are willing, the leper begged Jesus, “you can make me clean”. And here is how Jesus responded to his request: “Filled with compassionate Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. “I am willing, Jesus said, “Be clean”. Immediately the leprosy left and he was cured. Jesus reached out and touched the leper,  Why did He do it? Jesus was filled with compassion.

If Christ were not compassionate, none of us would stand a chance of salvation. If Jesus were not willing to accept People’s faults, if He was not willing to do  for us what we  ought to do for ourselves, but cannot, all of us would be on the outside looking in. That’s what compassionate is all about. What  does the compassionate Christ expect of  you and me. We are to be compassionate too.  The example Christ has set is to be followed by those who call themselves Christian. Christ has given us the power to make a difference in  other’s people’s lives.

I remember when I had that bad cold virus, I wish someone, anyone would talk to me I am very grateful to those who did take the time to call me and check on me.  We are  living in a time of history when our nation is going  through a severe recession. There are a lot of hurting people who are going through a foreclosure,  or being  laid off work, sickness and death in the family.  All the Catholic social agencies are flooded with calls from people who going through a severe crisis. Catholic Social teaching has taught and lived  this compassion. You can be proud of the record that the Catholic Church has been there when the need is the greatest. One good example was the big Katina hurricane in the Louisiana area. Catholic Social Service stayed and began the relief operations while many government programs had not yet got involved. I  support many of the Social programs that the church is working in the Middle East and Africa and Latin America and other parts of the world. So if you are willing. Christ was willing to heal the man with leprosy. Just as Christ is willing to heal us whatever our need might be.

We see how a compassionate Christ  reached out to the lowest member of society with love and healing. This is the same Christ who listens to our prayers and cleanses us and makes us whole. I have a good doctor. He has said to me: First of all give God the praise. Then thank the people for their fervent prayers. Then maybe, I come in somewhere on down the line. You see he said we doctors don’t ever heal anybody. We may be effective in removing obstacles to healing, such as infections, but the actual healing process is not ours to control. Nature and God does the healing. We do not understand the ways of God. Why  some people are healed and others are not. Only God knows, We know that God is willing. But we also know that God sees the whole picture. We see only a tiny fragment of the picture. There are things we do not and cannot understand. But we  know that God loves us and cares for us. And God has the power to make a difference in our lives. Jesus was willing and able to heal this man. He is willing and able to heal us.

Jesus is our compassionate friend. Who is concerned about our every need. He is willing t meet those needs. Ultimately we can trust Him.  He does care. He does heal. He is our greatest friend.

RAINBOWS AND PROMISES
Mar 1, 2009

Rainbows follow storms. No matter how fierce a storm may, if we see a rainbow  afterward, it give us hope. There are some things we may not know about rainbows. Rainbows appear after a storm. Rainbows are made of two things. Water droplets suspended in the sky and sunlight. Rainbows are composed of all the colors. Rainbows  are actually circular although they appear to be half circles. The bottom half is cut off by the earth. To view a whole rainbow you have to view high above the ground in an airplane. Rainbows gives us hope.

Now why am I telling you about rainbows. Rainbows reminds of our relationship with God. Rainbows reminds us of the beauty of God’s world. They also reminds us of the beauty of God’s promises. That’s the story of the promise made to Noah that He would never destroy the world by water. But God has made many promises to us recorded in Holy Scripture. God promises us that we have struggled through the many storms of life; He promises us an everlasting reward awaiting us in the kingdom of heaven.

God always keeps His promises because He is a God of truth. I want to tell you about an experience that I had last Sunday. God reveals to us how He reassures us through His mother that He keeps His promises. I was invited to a very special event to honor Our Lady at the Double-Tree Paradise Valley Resort in Scottsdale.  The MIR center invited Ivan Dragicevic from Medjugorje.

A hugh crowds attended this event. I was able to get in because I concelebrated at Mass and helped with Holy Communion. After Mass we prayed the rosary. Ivan was praying in another room. At the last decade of the rosary, Ivan came in and knelt before the statue of Our Lady of Grace. I was about five feet in front of Ivan so I could see everything He did. He prayed folded hands with a rosary; made the sign of the cross and then Our Lady appeared to Ivan. I could see him move his lips and smile occasionally during the apparition. He looked straight at her. Our Lady's appearance to Ivan lasted about fifteen minutes. Then Ivan began to reveal what Our Lady said. He had someone translated what he said because he talked in Croatia. Here are bits and pieces of Our Lady’s message.
She began with saying God is giving us hope. Our nation is in deep trouble but have hope. Then she repeated Peace, Peace, Peace. We need that Peace that only Jesus can give you. Peace of mind and heart and spirit.

Marriages and families are broken up because there is no peace in the minds and hearts of father and mother. Families need that peace. Pray the rosary together with parents and children. Prayer will bring peace to marriages and families.

Try to spend three hours a day in prayer and reading the bible. God must be put first in your life. Give your faith away to others who are searching for the faith. Spend more time praying before the Blessed Sacrament in church. My Son is gravely offended the sins in the world. There is need for reparation and penance. She emphasized penance, penance and penance.

Our Lady Blessed all the religious articles we had with us. She also prayed a long time for the three priests on the altar. I was one of them. Something very extraordinary happened when Our Lady appeared to Ivan. Someone let out a terrible howl, and screaming in the crowd. They had to drag them out. I heard later from those who experienced this before. They were evil spirits crying out and screaming. Jesus had the same experience. When He was asked to  drive out an evil spirit. The evil spirit cried out: “I know who you are--the Son of God”. Jesus said: Quiet and come out and never enter him again. The evil spirit convulsed and left the person. So its not unusual for this bizarre behavior to take place when Our Lady appears to Ivan.

These apparitions of Ivan have not yet been approved. They are still ongoing; so the church awaits the end. We don’t have to believe in the apparitions but the message is the same the church teaches. After Ivan finished his talk. I came up to Ivan and introduced myself and asked if I could take a picture of both of us. So I had another priest take the picture of both of us.

The message of Our Lady fits so well as we begin forty days of Lent. Our Lady urges us to have hope in our troubled nation. There is hope in spite of all our problems and sinfulness. Our Lady pleads for us to pray, especially pray the rosary everyday. Spend time in meditating on the Holy Scriptures as you pray those mysteries of the rosary. She also ask to do penance for our sins and those of our nation. She invites to spend time in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament in Church. Many parishes are offering perpetual adoration during the forty days of Lent.

The Diocese of Phoenix of asking for Forty Days of Life so that we can shut down both of the abortion clinics in Phoenix. This Lent will be our greatest and most important Lent in our life. Many heavenly graces will come to us during this Lent. God loves us and wants the best for us.

SOUL SEARCHING
March 8, 2009

A young lady was asked for her favorite verse in Holy Scripture She said it was Matthew 16: 24. “If any man will come after me; he must take up his cross and follow me”.
Then Jesus added these most powerful words: “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for me and the gospel will save it”  ”What good is to for a man to gain the world, yet forfeit his soul”.

When I see and hear about the lifestyles of some people; I have to wonder if they have sold their soul to seek after wealth, fame, power or sensual pleasure. They seek after ever means of escape, but if they do not seek God, if they live only in a material world, they will never attain the joy and fulfillment that Jesus promised us in the Gospel.

Not long after Jesus taught about gaining the world and forfeiting one’s soul, there lived a man named Nero. He was one of the Roman Emperor. Nero lived in glorious splendor. He built the gorgeous porches a mile long built around his palace. The ceiling of his banquet hall was equipped at great expense with hidden showers that lightly sprayed perfume upon all who came to visit him. His crown was worth a half a million dollars, and his mules were shot with silver. Whenever he traveled a thousand chariots accompanied him. He refused to wear the same garment twice no matter how costly and beautiful it was. He taxed the people unmercifully. He paid large sums of money to anyone who could devise new methods of entertaining him. Yet with all his riches and splendor he was gloomy and unhappy and a dissatisfied man. He immense wealth could not satisfy hungry soul in spite of having every pleasure this world could afford. Nero took his own life.

It happens. I read about in the papers. People who are multi-millionaires live only in a material world. They never attain satisfaction in life. They have lost their purpose and meaning in life. They don’t know who they are. They live only for themselves. I think the deep recession our country is in could be a blessing from the merciful and loving God. That might not sound right, but let me explain.

Many people are being laid off, Over forty thousands homes have been forclosured. Many families coming the food shelters for food...and many are living in the streets.  What is the message God might be giving to us? God can bring good out of evil. God wants us to put Him first in our lives. We are not doing it now. So the recession will make us do some soul searching. Pray will change our recession. God promises to answer our prayers.

The Sun City Daily newspaper had the leading articles in Wednesday edition. Its entitled: “Budgeting secrets can fatten your wallet”  "It's time to polish up your penny-pinching skills."  "Managing your money is more critical than ever."  "Americans are mad about money now and we should direct it positive ways." "Are you hungry, angry, lonely and tired? Then you should avoid shopping. It leads to bad spending decisions." "Don’t over budget." "Figuring out your cost and sticking to a spending plan works just fine."  "Go a week, a few days or even one day without spending a dime."

I may talk like an economist but these same ideas are given to us by Jesus and Pope Benedict XVI. Jesus said: “Seek ye first the kingdom of heaven all these things will be given to you" besides. Also Jesus advices: "Do not store up treasures for yourselves on earth where moth and worms destroy and thieves break in and steal; But store up in heaven treasures where neither moth or worms can destroy and thieves break in and steal”. For where your treasure is there will be your heart is also.

Pope Benedict said in his Lenten message; that we should put God first in our lives and not material things you cannot take with you when you die. Don’t let anyone tell you that the soul does not exist. We were created in the image and likeness to God. That means that we are like God. There is something diving in us. The soul is who you are. Its what make you distinctive. You are more than a nose and a mouth and a pair of ears. You have a distinct personality. When you die you lose all your physical features. Yet the real you exists. That’s your soul.

So you are more than a simply material creatures. We have a soul that survives by the grace of God after your death. So Jesus says to us, take care of your soul. In fact taking care of your soul, the real you; is the most important task and I have. What good is it to gain the whole world, yet lose your soul?

So what do you desire in life? We all have desires. We usually follow our desires. So do you desire to pray? Do you desire to live the Gospel lifestyle? Those are the two big questions we must answer in life.

Its our chief responsibility to live the Gospel. Prayer is the only way we can  live the Gospel. Prayer is a love affair between ourselves and God. Prayer gives us the strength to live the Gospel. All of us would like to change the world. Yet if we prayed and lived the Gospel the world would change. We have the power  to change the world. God created us and loved us first. He gave us everything out of love for us. Now He wants us to love Him in return.

This Lent let us listen to Jesus. The Father tells us “this is my beloved Son, Listen to Him. You are in the Jericho Site this week. Spend time with Jesus. This is your best time you can love Him as loves you.
NEW HEART
Mar 29, 2009


St. Paul ask us the question: Have you come here today seeking a new heat? Like King David you have come to the right place. We are asking God to create in me a new heart, renew a steadfast spirit within me.  What are we speaking about when we talk about a new heart.

Obviously we are not talking about our physical heart that pumps blood around our body.  Rather we are speaking of the place in our bodies and our brains where our  emotions are located. These emotions are powerful. God has  given them to us to use and enjoy.

Our emotions, our feelings can affect our overall, well-being including our state of mind.  When Psalm 51 states: “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and  renew a steadfast spirit within me’. We are not asking God to give us a heart transplant. The Bible is speaking of giving me the grace to use our emotions to enrich our life and bring  glory to God. Our emotions that God created in us are powerful. They are more powerful than our physical bodies and much more powerful than our  logical minds.

Father Anthony De Mello said that people mistakenly assume that their thinking is done by our head. It is actually done by our heart. Our hearts tell our mind what it wants; then asks our mind to give the reasons why this is good for us. We always weigh the pros and con and make a rational decision. If that were true; none of us would ever snap at one another and hurt someone and break an important relationship or do so many goofy things.

The  problem  lies deeper. The problem is with our heart. Here is a good example from the Bible. King David a very stupid thing. In fact, he did a series  of stupid things. First  of all he got involved with a  woman who was married to someone else. Her name was Bathsheba. Have you ever heard of someone doing something stupid like that? David could have marry as many women as he wanted. He was the king. There were many beautiful women in his kingdom. Couldn’t he see the difficulty he was making for himself by going after someone else’s wife, especially the wife of one of his loyal soldiers?  Then, in order to cover up adultery, he did something worse. He arranged to have Bathsheba’s husband killed in battle. Is that happening in our society today? Our emotions are powerful. They are overwhelming. Would it surprise you that David wrote this beautiful Psalm 51.

“Have mercy on me  O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your
great compassion blot our my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and
cleanse me from my sin. For I know my evil doings and my sin is always before me.
Against you, and you alone have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight."

Then David pleads with God: “Create in me a pure heart, O God and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore in me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me.”

David knew he had done wrong. He led his heart overrule his mind. He had led his heart overrule his values. He had let his heart break his relationship with those around him. Even more  importantly he led his heart break his relationship with God. And  so he prays for a new heart.

Friends that is what some of us need. We need a new heart. We have hearts that are filled with anger, jealousy, resentment, guilt, lust and a host of other negative emotions. And they have take their toll on us. We no longer feel the joy of our salvation. We feel a deep emptiness within. Perhaps we have committed no grievous sin like adultery or murder, but the  damage of our negative thoughts and words and actions to our relationship with God is real just the same. We feel no peace. We know we need to forgive. We know we need to let go of our hurt. Our sinful longings, our pride, our resentment, or whatever the negative emotions may be, but our heart won’t let us.  And so we pray with David: “Oh, Lord, give me a new heart”.

Is it possible to reprogram our emotions? Is it possible to get rid of all our negative feelings that sometimes well us within us  and often overwhelm us? Is it possible to get rid of our guilt and greed and lust, fear and unfaithfulness? Is it possible to really change our hearts?

It is not easy to change  our hearts. It is very difficult but not impossible. Have you ever tried to do something simple, like lose weight? For some that is a major ordeal. They never able to pull it off. Now think of it, extra weight is just on the surface of our lives. Now go deeper within our souls and try to get rid of emotions that have been building since the day you  were born. Even the best psychiatrists or psychologists have difficulty with that task. There are prescription medicines that can help some problems, but they generally treat only the symptoms, not the deep hurt conflicts within. Our  emotions did not develop overnight. They are a product of years of growing. Whatever need  drove David to lust after another’s man’s wife, did not evolve the day he saw her bathing on the roof. David declares: “Surely, I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me." Our emotion positive or negative are deeply rooted.

And so I say  to you; I know of no way authentic change can take place in our hearts except by the power and grace of God. I encourage you if you are struggling with some   aspect of your life that is dragging you down; Jesus has given us the power and grace to create a new heart. God can help you have a new heart. Jesus has given us the Sacrament of  Confession or Penance. Jesus gave us this Sacrament on the day of His resurrection. He entered the upper room where the  apostles were gathered and said: “Peace  to you. Then He breathed on them and said,  receive the Holy Spirit, whose sins you forgive they are forgiven and whose sins you shall retain are retained”.

Jesus shed every drop of His precious Blood and nailed to the cross every possible sin that could be committed. Jesus overcame the power of sin and death by His passion and death on the cross; and won forgiveness of all our sins. Jesus showed us His love and compassion by stretching His arms on the cross. That satisfied the Divine Justice of our heavenly Father. We can be washed clean and given a new heart and a new spirit. There is no sin that cannot be forgiven. God’s mercy is greater than any sin. Jesus loves the sinner but hates the sin. He knows what suffering and pain our sins have caused us.

Jesus said sin is slavery. We can become free by making a good confession and being sorry for our sins and do the penance given  to us by the priest. I find the Sacrament of Confession a great healing Sacrament. I go to Confession about once a month. I use the seven capital sins in making my confession. They are  pride, anger, envy, lust greed avarice and sloth.

You and I have not murdered or committed adultery; but that does not mean that we do not cry out for a new heart. We are all sinners. We have our sins, our fears, hurts and our regrets. We know what St. Paul meant: “What a wretched man I am. Who will free man from this body of death..."  Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ Our Lord our sins can be forgiven

Have you come here today seeking a new heart? Like David you have come to the right place. Just pray with me now:

“Create in me a new heart. O God and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Give me the  joy of the Holy Spirit. Wash me from guilt and of my sin cleanse me."

Pray to Our Lady. She is the Spouse of the Holy Spirit. She will surely give you the grace to have a new heart and spirit. Amen.

A MOTHER'S LOVE
MAY 10, 2009


I think the passage in the Gospel says it all on Mother’s Day...  “I am the vine and you are the branches”. We are connected to Christ in somewhat the same way a mother is connected to her children. I think that most mothers feel that way. Most mothers would sacrifice their life for their children in a heartbeat.

In one of my parishes I was making a pastoral visit to a home. We were sitting at the kitchen table having a cup of coffee and a tasty role. My hostess began to tell me about her daughter who was recently married. Her daughter and her husband were thinking of starting a family. The daughter asked her husband: do you think we should have a baby?

My hostess told her daughter: "It will change your life forever. No more sleeping on weekends or taking weekend vacations." She began to tell her daughter; what she will never learn in childbearing classes. You will quickly forget the uncomfortableness of being pregnant and child birth; but, becoming a mother will leave an emotional love for your baby that will stay with you forever." Then she looked at her daughter's carefully manicured nails and stylish suit’ and she told her these things will seem less important to you once you have your baby. One urgent cry at night and you will get up and run to caring for your baby’s needs.

She warned her daughter that all the many years she spent in her professional career; would be less important then motherhood. "You might some day arrange to have your child in daycare. But when you go back to work; you will be always thinking of your baby’s sweet smile. You will have to use every ounce of discipline to keep from running home just to make sure her baby is all right."  She wanted her daughter to know that every-day decisions will not be routine. She will be concerned about her child being molested in the restroom.

She looked at her attractive daughter and assured her that she will never feel the same about herself. Her life now important will be of less value to her once she has a baby. Her daughter will also begin to dream of what the baby will be or will accomplish in its life.

"You will find your relationship with your husband will change.  You will wonder why your husband loves to spend so much time playing with your baby and less time with you. That’s when you will have to have a new and higher relationship with your husband."

My hostess told her daughter, "You will feel a bond with other women who work to stop wars, prejudice and drunk driving. You can think that possibly your child would become involved in some terrorist violence.  You are going to experience the joy when your child makes that first step or seeing your child learns to ride a bike, or you will laugh at your baby when it touches the fur of a dog or cat for the first time. These are just a few of the joys of motherhood. " 

The mother reached across the table and offered a silent prayer for her daughter. You are getting the most wonderful calling any woman can have--it s blessed gift of God--that  of being a Mother.

St. Paul said it all in Romans 8 “I am convinced that neither, death nor life, neither angels nor demons, either the present nor the future nor any powers, neither height nor depths,   nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord”.

We are connected to Christ like a mother is connected to her child. or in the words of Jesus: “I am the Vine you are the Branches.

We need to see God disciplines His children like a loving mother disciplines her children.  There are certain demands that a parent must make for the welfare  of her child. No loving mother is going to give her child absolute freedom. Such freedom can be deadly. Every loving parent must say “No” from time to time. That is not easy. Sometimes it really hurts the mother more than it does the child. But love is sometimes “No”.
Here’s the good news--even our hardest decisions cannot destroy the love God has for us. That’s what the cross is all about. We can take God’s own Son and nail Him  to the cross and God will still love us.  God’s love for us is eternal--like the mother’s love for her child.
Happy Mothers Day


WINDS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
MAY 24, 2009

I am always interested in flying. My brother and I owned a four place Cessna 172. This was during the time general aviation was possible for low income people like us. This small plane became too expensive for us so we sold it and invested the money in a home for people coming to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester who could not afford to stay at a hotel.

My interest was also in hot air balloons. When you fly hot air balloons you are subject to the prevailing winds. You go in the direction of the winds. So you are a prisoner of the winds. 

In life some people think they are a prisoner of circumstance. So if you are struggling in an unhappy marriage, you can change your attitude and make it in a happy marriage. Or if you came from a divorced and broken home; you can change your attitude and accept this bad situation and move on with the grace of God.

In a hot air balloon if want to change directions; you find the prevailing winds at a different altitude that will take you where you want to go.

You are not a prisoner of altitude in a hot air balloon. You are not a prisoner of circumstance in your state in life. Just change your attitude and let the Holy Spirit take you where you want to go.

The same word for wind is the same word for spirit. Jesus used this analogy when talking to Nicodemus–one of the greatest Jewish Religious leaders. I solemnly assure you that no one can enter the kingdom of heaven without being born of water and the Holy Spirit. Flesh beget flesh, Spirit begets Spirit. The wind blows where it will. You hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is everyone born of the Holy Spirit. 

So Jesus tells the disciples; wait on the gift of the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit will empower you. Wait on the Holy Spirit and you will not be alone. Wait on the Holy Spirit and the Spirit will empower you to be a followed of Christ.

Jesus left the disciples and returned to the Father telling the apostles to go back to Jerusalem and wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit which the Father will send you. When the Holy Spirit comes, you will receive power. You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth.

Jesus also gave the disciples a great commission. “All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit... teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always to the end of the world”. Jesus wanted them to know that the Holy Spirit will empower them.

So how does play out in our human situation today? Jesus finished the work the Father, sent Him to this earth to preach the gospel to every creature and baptize them. Now He was ascending back to the Father to take His place next to the Father as the Son of God.

The Father will send the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth to tell everything I have taught you. The Holy Spirit will convince the world that Jesus was truly the Son of God and He destroyed the power of sin and Satan by His death on the cross and by His resurrection and ascension back to His Father.

The Holy Spirit will empower the Church that Jesus established to guide the church in teaching the whole gospel. You can be sure that the Catholic Church is teaching the truth in matters of Faith and Morals.  She has the guidance and protection by the Holy Spirit.

You were baptized in water and the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit dwells in you as a temple. We don’t know what to pray for; so the Holy Spirit prays to the Father in words that we cannot understand. The Spirit knows our needs and intercedes with the Father in our behalf.

Pope John Paul has given us the Catechism of the Catholic Church.  In this document we are given all the teachings of the Catholic Church. The Holy Spirit has assured us that the Catholic Church is empowered to teach us to believe in these truths that are necessary for salvation.

The Holy Spirit gives us the fullness of the Sacraments. By baptism we are given the gifts of Faith, Hope and Charity, the cardinal virtues of Prudence, Justice, Temperance and Fortitude, The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit and the 12 fruits of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus has given us His mother as the Mother of the Church. She is also the spouse of the Holy Spirit. All graces, blessings and gifts are given to Our Lady and she distributes them to whomever she wills, when she wills and in the manner she wills.

We can even say Jesus is  Lord except by the grace of the Holy Spirit. So the winds of the Holy Spirit are blowing our way. We should be open to what the Spirit is giving us.

Ask our Blessed Mother to show us how she wants to give you all these graces and  blessings.

WHAT IS FAITH

There are many things in life you and I do not understand. We do not understand the power of gravity, yet we believe its really exists and accept it on faith in science.

In the same way there some mysteries of our Faith that you and I do not understand yet we accept these mysteries that God has revealed to us. We accept them on Faith in God who is truth. God has commissioned the Church to teach these mysteries to us. 

There is another way we can come to know and experience these mysteries—we can see these mysteries lived out in our midst.

When we read the Acts of the Apostles, we see how the Peter and John first taught these mysteries to the first believers. The early Christian did not understand these mysteries; yet they believed and accepted them on the faith lives of the apostles. I can give you a personal experience in my priesthood.

A lady came to live in the Condo next to me. I got to know her and during our visits she told me that she was born and raised a Catholic but fell away from the church because of some personal problems she had with a priest. I just listened to her and accepted her and her problems.

She saw me come and go to the parishes to offer Mass. I would bring her a newly blessed palm and Easter water and some prayers to our Blessed Mother and some saints. This went on for about two years.

Then one day she came over to talk to me. She told me that she has been watching me practice my faith everyday. She saw the religious pictures and statues of our Blessed Mother in my patio. Then she told me that there is something about the way I went about practicing my faith--by offering Mass everyday and praying the rosary to the Blessed Mother. So she finally said: I want this Faith that you have. You have something that I want.

So I began to tell her how much my Catholic Faith and Priesthood means to me. How much I love receiving Jesus in the Holy Eucharist. How much joy and strength I get from my devotion to the Mother of God in the Rosary, and a few other Catholic practices.

So I offered to make an appointment for her to go to confession and receive Holy Communion. She accepted my invitation and went to Confession and Holy Communion. Then she came over to tell me how happy she was in going back to Church.

A couple weeks later, a lady friend of hers noticed that she didn’t answer the telephone or door but her car was in car port. So she had the key to her door and she walked in and saw that she had died in her bedroom. So her lady friend knocked at my door to give me that bad news. That shows how faith is caught as well as taught.

All of us can be living witness to our Faith and let our Faith rub off on others. This is how we can come to know and experience the mystery of the Holy Trinity.

CORPUS CHRISTI

Do you feel an emptiness in your heart that needs to be fulfilled? Is your heart crying out for something more?

I watch EWTN. Marcus Grodi has a talk show on Monday night called “Coming Home”. Marcus interviews Non-Catholic ministers who have felt that there was “something missing in their study of the gospel of Jesus Christ.” These ministers have prayed and searched for that total fulfillment in their heart for intimacy with God. They went from one denomination to another to find the answers. They were told not to look into the Catholic Church for the answers.

And yet here is the place where there found what they were looking for. It was the hardest decision they ever made to resign as Pastor and convert to the Catholic Church. It meant being without a job and also problems with their wife and family. They felt deep in their heart that God was calling them to convert to the Catholic Church.

What is this Gift that Jesus left with us before He ascended into heaven? It is truly the Gift of making Himself present to us in the Holy Eucharist. Jesus knew that as St. Augustine said “My heart aches for Thee and will not rest until it rests in Thee” There is a hole in our hearts that only Jesus Himself can fill. Jesus loves us so much that He could not leave us orphans. So He made Himself present to us under the forms of bread and wine in the Holy Eucharist.

Only a validly ordained priest is empowered to change bread and wine into the Body and Blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ, the Son of God and second person of the Blessed Trinity in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

Jesus made sure that we could never miss this most precious Gift. So all the four gospels writers and all the epistles in the New Testament have given us this living witness of the Last Supper where at the annual Passover Meal Jesus with the twelve apostles changed bread and wine into His Body and Blood. Then Jesus ordained the twelve apostles priests and commanded them to do this in my memory. 

The Acts of the Apostles states that the Apostles carried out Jesus command. They met together, ready the Word of God, had prayers and the Breaking of the Bread. The Breaking of the Bread became known as the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.  All fathers of the Church down through over 2000 years have consistently taught this teaching of the Holy Eucharist. Many have shed their lives for teaching and believing in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist.

Jesus made sure that we have all the evidence we need to believe in the Holy Eucharist. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit as the New Advocate to teach and guide the Apostles and their successors in carrying out the command Jesus gave the apostles at the Last Supper. Satan knows how important it is to us. We have the Real Presence of Jesus in the Tabernacle and Holy Communion. Saten has tried to water down this teaching of Jesus by saying it is merely a symbol. Yet the Church under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and Our Blessed Mother who is the Mother of the Holy Eucharist, has brought this sacred teaching down to us and it will continue until the end of the world.

The late Holy Father, Pope John Paul II has written an encyclical on the Church and the Eucharist. In this document the Holy Father stated that the Holy Eucharist is the entire wealth of the Church. It is the summit and source of all our teaching—our Catholic Life.

Christ Himself is this living Bread that gives us life and nourishes our relationship with God. An Atheist Philosophy once said: “Man is what he eats’ We become what we eat. Through this great mystery of the Holy Eucharist which we receive in Holy Communion, we truly become what we eat. We become Jesus.

St. Paul in ICor 10:16 wrote: “The cup of blessing we bless is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ, The bread which we break is it not a sharing in the Body of Christ”? 
These words mean Jesus entire life, his life, death; His whole life is present to us every time we receive Holy Communion. This is how we become what we eat in Holy Communion.

Isn’t that astounding? At every Mass Jesus gives Himself to us completely, His thoughts, desires, and attitudes become ours. Jesus will fill up the hole in our hearts. We need Jesus. He fulfills all our needs.
Let us  pray.

STORMS OF LIFE

There is something that we all have in common. We all face storms in life. I can tell you about only one storm in my life that was close to a death experience.

My brother and I owned a small airplane—a four-place Cessna. We use it to get to parish and diocese meetings; and to get away on vacation. On one of our vacation trips we were going   down to visit our sisters in Phoenix. We detoured our flight plan and stopped at Las Vegas to see what that Casino city was like.

Before we left for Phoenix we checked with the Weather Bureau for weather on our route. They gave us clearance for our flight plan. We took off and headed for Phoenix. As we were flying over the Grand Canyon; all at once we were in a severe snow storm. And then our navigation equipment didn’t give us right directions. We were flying too low to pick up the radio signals. I looked at the maps and noticed that some of those mountain peaks were higher than we were flying. I told my brother we have to get higher or we will hit those mountains peaks.

My brother said that our plane could not go any higher. So we had to take our chances of not hitting those mountains. So we got out our rosaries and prayed that our Blessed Mother would get us through these snow storms.

We found that Christ is in the business of stilling storms. It wasn’t long before we out of the snow storm and had good weather the rest of the way to Phoenix.

We need to understand that storms are a way of life for us. Sometimes these storms are in our individual hearts and minds. Sometimes these storms are in our social relationship such a marriage and family a life. Either way they can be serious and can be deadly.

I watch EWTN programs. One is called “Crossing the Goal”. These are three married men with families describing how they deal with the storms of life in their marriage and family life. 

Then I listened to another program on EWTN. Marriage in Christ, broken and blessed. A married couple who had almost broken up and divorced; found help in this program with a priest in their diocese.

A storm within one’s soul can have tragic circumstance—Jealousy, anger, bitterness and guilt. This list of storms that can rock our individual soul is lengthy. We need a Savoir when such storms rage within.

Jesus stilled the storm on the lake of Galilee. Jesus and His disciples were crossing the sea of Galilee when a furious storm came up. The waves are breaking the boat. Jesus is in the boat sleeping on a cushion. The frightened disciples wake Jesus: “Teacher don’t you care if we drown?”  Jesus gets up rebukes the wind: “Quiet, Be still”. The wind suddenly dies down and it is completely calm.  Then Jesus turns to the disciples and asks: “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” Only the power of God can still a angry storm.

Jesus is still in the business stilling storms. If there is a storm going on in your life. You need only to call on Jesus to calm the storm. Just give it to Jesus today. Learn from the disciples, trust and believe. Jesus will see you through.