Reflection on St Francis of Assisi on his feast day - October 4 2018

     We celebrate the feast day of St Francis of Assisi today, October 4. I remember reading an article a few years ago that said that St Francis is much more than a cute little statue that we put in our gardens.  So often, we see the saints as these cute, kind, fuzzy symbols of our faith, with the radical message they preached and the raw, bold way they lived their lives being watered down and domesticated.  

     Francis lived way back in the 12th century in Italy.  During his years growing up through young adulthood, he lived in privilege and wealth very far away from the Catholic faith.  Finally, after a year of imprisonment as a prison of war, after several years of struggle in which he discovered the poor and the marginalized and the suffering of the world, Francis turned toward God, renouncing his family and his inheritance.  Francis embrace poverty and God’s beauty that he saw in all of creation.  In a world where environmental destruction and exploiting the world natural resources have jeopardized the future of humanity here on earth, Francis’ example and ministry speaks to all of us in the world today.  In fact, our current pope took the name of Francis in honor of St Francis of Assisi, to show how he stood in solidarity with the forgotten and the poor.  St Francis reached out to those outside the realm of the Christian.  No one was outside of the Gospel message according to Francis.  

      Francis’ peace message speaks powerfully today to a world in such desperate need of reconciliation and peace: 

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love;

where there is injury, pardon;

where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair,

hope; where there is darkness, light;

where there is sadness, joy.

O, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;

to be understood as to understand;

to be loved as to love;

For it is in giving that we receive;

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;

it is in dying that we are born again to eternal life. AMEN.  

3 October 2018 – Wednesday of 26th week in ordinary time – Luke 9:57-62

       Following Jesus may be something that we want to do with all of our hearts, but it’s not always easy, is it?  Making sacrifices for our faith and truly following Jesus may seem to go against the values of our secular world.  The things of the world may call out to us and tempt us.  We may sympathize with the man who wants to bury his father. I was serving as a missionary in Ecuador when my dad passed away in California.  I was given a leave of absence from my missionary work in order to attend my dad’s funeral and to be with my siblings.  It was difficult contacting me at our mission site out in the jungle where we had no telephone.  The priests at our headquarters in the capital city had to contact me through a series of CB radios. Even though I got back to my dad’s funeral in California, which took several days, I did not get to go to Chicago to where my dad was buried until I came back from my missionary assignment two years later. I went to my dad’s grave and put a wooden cross and some rosary beads there that I had brought back from Ecuador.  Then, when I finished up at the seminary in Milwaukee, I stopped by the cemetery in Chicago to say a prayer at my dad’s grave and to ask for his prayers for me as I drove down to Mississippi to begin my life as a priest.  Jesus tells the disciple that wants to bury his father that he has a greater obligation – the obligation to proclaim the reign of God’s kingdom.  As I mentioned, I think that we can all empathize and sympathize with that disciple.

         We have to live out our faith in the reality of our lives, in the reality of the different obligations we have in life.  We make sacrifices.  We live out our calling to discipleship as best as we can.  It is not easy, that’s for sure.  We can tell from this reading that Jesus wants us to be aware of what it really means to be his disciples.  May we have the grace and the strength to truly follow him. 

5 October 2018 - Friday of the 26th week in Ordinary time - Psalm 139

       The psalmist today asks the Lord to guide him in the everlasting way.  It is the last verse in today’s psalm that really struck me, as the psalmist reflects upon the way in the which the Lord formed him in his mother’s womb, the way God formed his innermost being. The psalmist gives thanks that he was wonderfully made, expressing wonder at all of the marvelous works of the Lord.  If we truly believe what the psalmist is expressing, if we truly believe that God formed us in our mothers’ wombs and made us so wonderfully, how would be take care of the life that God has entrusted to us?  Would we abuse our bodies with alcohol and drugs?  Would we do any of those things hat get us off track or get us in trouble?  The ramifications of what the psalmist proclaims in the Gospel truly have an impact if we believe in the truth of those words.

         I have worked a lot with prisoners as a priest.  Many of them are very raw and honest about how hard it is to get back on track, to turn toward the Lord when their roads have taken them so far away from their faith.  Even though they detest prison and despise that way of life, many of them continue to get into trouble when they get out and end up right back in prison.  We want the Lord to lead us and guide us in the everlasting way.  But are we willing to go where God is directing us? 

2 October 2018 - Feast of the Holy Guardian Angels - Psalm 91, Exodus 23:20-23

      Our readings today talk about angels on the feast of the guardian angels.  In the Exodus, Moses and the Israelites are told by the Lord that he will send the Angel of the Lord before them, to lead them and guide them and show them the way.  Our psalm response sends us a similar message, that the Lord has put the angels in charge of you, to guard you in all your ways.  

         We in the Catholic Church believe in angels. We see angels as spiritual being who were created by God.  Our English word “angel” comes from the Greek word “angelos”, which means “messenger”.  God sends out angels to carry special messages for him.  Today, we celebrate the feast of the Holy Guardian Angels.  We see the role of the guardian angel as to guide us to good thoughts, in good works, and in good words, to keep us from succumbing to evil. Since the 17th century, the Church has celebrated a feast honoring the Guardian Angels in October.  We talk about how our American society is becoming more secular, but I was looking at an article from Time Magazine that quoted statistics from a study on religious belief in American conducted by Baylor University, which stated that 55% of those surveyed agreed with the statement that “I was protected from harm by a guardian angel.”  Very interesting. 

         I love the prayer to the Guardian Angels.  It is a favorite prayer of many Catholic children, and many Catholic adults remember this prayer from their childhood: Angel of God, My Guardian Dear, to whom God's love commits me here. Ever this day be at my side, to light and guard and rule and guide. Amen. 

         In the prayers that we say, we communicate with God and we develop and grow in our faith.  May the angels and the saints hear our prayers and pray for us as members of the kingdom of God. 

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Cycle B - Prayers and the faithful and mass introductions - September 30 2018

Penitential Rite: 

Lord Jesus - you hear the cry of the poor and the lonely - 

Christ Jesus - you are compassionate and just 

Lord Jesus - you call us to holiness.  

Prayers of the Faithful:

Priest:  As we open our hearts to God’s will for us in our lives, let us now present our prayers: 

1. We pray for our Church and our Church leaders – that they will help us live out the Law of God in our lives so that they draw others to Christ. 

2. We pray for all political leaders – that they may enact policies that benefits all in their countries both the wealthy and those in need.  

3. That we may reach out to the poor, the marginalized, the oppressed, and those who are searching for meaning in their lives.  

4. For those who have been affected by the rain and the flooding here in Pearl and for those recovering for the floods and the hurricane in North and South Carolina.  

5. For the sick and the shut-in - for those who need healing in their lives.  

6.  For those who have died – that those who sought to live righteously in this life, may now live in eternal life with God.  

Priest:  Merciful God, we seek your way.  The way of mercy, steadfast love and service to our neighbor in need. We do so simply and sincerely through Christ our Lord for ever and ever.  AMEN.  

30 de septiembre de 2018 - Vigésimo sexto domingo del tiempo ordinario – Marcos 9,38-43.45.47-48, Santiago 5, 1-6

      Muchas veces, nosotros, los discípulos de Cristo, queremos una religión y un Dios que podemos poner en una caja, que podemos definir sin problemas. Como seres humanos, queremos una vida más clara que el agua. No nos gustan las persona que hacen olas.  Queremos respuestas muy claras por nuestras preguntas, pero tal vez estemos incomodos con las personas que nos desafían, que empujan los limites en nuestra fe, que practican su fe en una manera diferente que nosotros.  En el evangelio, los discípulos critican las personas que expulsaban demonios en el nombre de Jesús, pero estas personas están afuera del grupo de discípulos. ¿Qué pasa en el mundo de hoy?  ¿Qué pasa en nuestra comunidad aquí?  Podemos decir: No me gusta esta realidad.  No me gusta este maestro o este sacerdote o este obispo o este Papa o la Iglesia.  Quiero alguien mas.  Quiero algo mas.  Escuchamos el evangelio de hoy en la luz del evangelio del domingo pasado, donde los discípulos argumentaban sobre quien estaba el mas grande. En el mundo secular, muchas veces, es una persona contra otra persona, un país contra otro país, nosotros contra ellos. Esta mentalidad puede existir in nuestra Iglesia también.  Pero, en nuestra fe, algo diferente debe existir. 

       Escuchamos el mensaje de la carta de Santiago por cinco semanas en nuestras misas dominicales.  Santiago dice que necesitamos ser hacedores de la Palabra de Dios no sólo oyentes, que nuestra fe no debe quedar simplemente en nuestros corazones, que nuestra fe necesita hacer frutos en nuestra vida y en el mundo.  El mensaje de la carta de Santiago resuena en el mensaje del Papa Francisco. El Papa dijo que tenemos la obligación de cuidar el medioambiente y la creación de Dios en el mundo, que necesitamos dar la bienvenida a los pobres y los inmigrantes con dignidad y respeto. Papa Francisco mostró esto con sus acciones, no sólo con sus palabras. Cuando el Papa visitó la cuidad de Washington en 2015, él visitaba a un refugio de las Caridades Católicas en Washington, donde dijo a los residentes que veía en ellos la cara de San José y en su visita a una escuela católica de inmigrantes en Nueva York.

      El ejemplo del Papa Francisco es diferente del ejemplo que tenemos en la carta de Santiago donde los ricos acumulan sus riquezas, sino que lo hacen en las espaldas de los pobres y en sus acciones de injusticia. Este grupo de ricos tienen recompensas materiales aquí en el mundo, pero no encontrarán su recompensa en el Reino de Dios en la vida eterna. Podemos utilizar nuestra influencia y riquezas para ayudar a los pobres, en las obras de la caridad y de la misericordia.  Podemos proveer por nuestra familia y seguir los valores del Evangelio con justicia, o podemos utilizar nuestras riquezas contra los valores de nuestra fe y contra la proclamación del Reino de Dios.

       Nuestra tendencia humana es temer a aquellos que son diferentes. A. A menudo, queremos excluirlos de nuestro grupo y marginarlos.   A menudo nos sentimos ofendidos por personas que nos desafían en lo que pensamos o lo que creemos, que desafían las normas y los supuestos de la sociedad.  Los discípulos querían excluir a los que hacen buenas obras en nombre de Jesús, porque ellos no son parte del grupo de discípulos.  D. Nos vemos en el Papa Francisco un deseo para dialogar y trabajar juntos, para encontrar lo que tenemos en común y para cuidar el bienestar de todos.  En comparación de los discípulos en el Evangelio, el Papa Francisco ve la realidad del mundo en una otra manera.  En nuestro mundo y en nuestra parroquia , necesitamos dialogar en lugar de criticar.   Necesitamos respetar las diferencias en nuestro prójimo.  Necesitamos trabajar juntos en la evangelización.  El Papa Francisco hablaba en estas palabras durante su visita a los Estados Unidos: "Nuestros esfuerzos deben restaurar la esperanza, corregir los errores, mantener los compromisos, y promover el bienestar de los individuos y de los pueblos." Es un mensaje que nos une en lugar de conquistar o dividir.  Ojalá el mensaje del Papa y el mensaje de nuestro Evangelio pueden penetrar nuestros corazones y nuestras vidas de fe. 

Reflection for the feast day of St Therese of Lisieux, the Little Flower - October 1 2018

        This Monday, October 1, I will be going to the Carmelite monastery in Jackson to celebrate the feast day of St Therese of Lisieux with our beloved Carmelite sisters.  It is fascinating that this cloistered nun who died of tuberculosis at the age of 24 in a remote area in rural France more than a century ago is one of the most popular today. Born Therese Martin, she left behind a notebook containing her story, as well as correspondence that she wrote to family and friends.  She did not write huge volumes of complicated theology like St Augustine or St Thomas Aquinas.  Yet, the profound nature of those writings and the way they have touched the souls of the faithful throughout the world prompted Pope John Paul II to name her as a Doctor of the Church, one of only four women to hold that distinction.

         Therese is a very much a product of her time and of her early life.  She was very much spoiled and dotted upon by her family, especially by her father after the death of her mother when Therese was 4 years old.  Therese entered the Carmelite convent when she was 15 years old - a very young age to become a religious sister.  Her writings and her story should be read in the spirit of her reality and in the reality of our faith. 

         Even though Therese was a cloistered nun whose life was confined to her convent in rural France, Therese was named the co-patron saint of missionaries in 1927, along with the great Jesuit missionary St Francis Xavier. Even though Therese did not go overseas to the missions herself, she had a special love of the missions.  She prayed for the missions; she prayed for missionaries.  She wrote letters of support to them. This is a reminder to all of us who feel we can do nothing if we are not missionaries living in a far away land that it is the little things that keep God's kingdom growing.  We can all pray for the missionaries each day.  You can ask yourself how can you be more missionary and support the missions on your journey during Lent and after Lent as well. St. Therese believed that the people of her time lived in too great a fear of Gods judgment. She saw this fear as stifling, not allowing people to experience the freedom of the children of God. She went to God as a child approaches a parent with open arms and a profound trust.  

         In the spirit of Therese, we are challenged to see the little things in life as a part of Therese’s “little way”, doing ordinary acts out of your love for God.  Whether we are doing chores around the house, running errands, doing our work, interacting family members, these can be acts that are lifted up to God, acts that come out of our faith.  Therese once said: “Without love, deeds, even the most brilliant deeds, count as nothing.”  St Therese, the Little Flower, we unite our prayers with yours.  

30 September 2018 - 26th Sunday of Ordinary Time -Cycle B - Stewardship Campaign - James 5:1-6

      We come to the conclusion of the our readings from the letter of St James this weekend, which we have been hearing from for 5 weekends in a row. James gives us a lot of practical advice as to how we can live out our faith each day.  As James calls us to be doers of the word, not just hearers, to put our faith into action, we hear today of how the earthy riches are temporary, how they will not last forever.  James laments not only how some of those who are blessed with riches and treasures misuse them or hoard them, but also how they have earned them through oppression and mistreatment of the workers and the poor.  

      Our reading from James of how we approach our treasures and the gifts we receive from God is very relevant to our parish’s stewardship campaign, of how we use some of riches, talents, and treasures to support our parish community.  St Jude has always had a well-deserved reputation of being welcoming and generous in our community and in our Diocese, of sharing our gifts, talents and treasures with others.  We had mentioned that over one major expense we have had recently is the repairs on our parking lot.  Over the course of the last three fiscal years, we have had to spend $432,000 on the parking lot alone.  When I came here to St Jude last summer, I presented with this situation with our parking lot, one we had to address immediately.  With discipline, resolve, and commitment, we will keep going forward.  But, to fund these repairs, we are taking out a $200,000 loan from the Diocese, which we will pay off over 3 years.  This stewardship drive comes at a great time, since it will help all of us meet our parish’s financial commitment.  Rhea Vincent, a member of our parish financial council, & an advisor who has greatly helped us in our parking lot repairs will help explain the process we went through.  
        Hopefully today better explains the reasons why were are needing an increased stewardship commitment from our parishioners.  Next week, we will make a commitment as to our parish’s stewardship and as to supporting our parish financially.  We thank you so much for your understanding during this process.  We will conclude our stewardship campaign next weekend.  

Remembering Pope John Paul I - 40 years after his death - September 28 2018

On this day forty years ago, on September 28, 1978, Pope John Paul I passed away after just 33 days in office.  What changes would have there been in the Church if this had not occurred?  Would we have seen the fall of Communist Europe when we did?  Hard to tell what would have happened.  May he rest is peace.  We remember.  

Blue Mass for first Responders, Police Officers, Fire Fighters, EMTs, and Sheriff Personnel

Introduction:

     We welcome all of you to our prayer service this evening.  Today’s prayer service is in the tradition of the Blue Mass, a special mass that has been celebrated in the Catholic Church for police officers and first responders.  The first Blue Mass was celebrated on September 29, 1934 at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Washington, DC by Rev. Thomas Dade, who had founded the Catholic Police and Firemen's Society.  On that day, 1,100 police officers and firemen dressed in their blue uniforms processed into St. Patrick's to honor the fallen members of their ranks.

     The Blue Mass spread to other cities in United States from that day on.  Following the events of 9/11, the Blue Mass began to be celebrated in cities from coast to coast to honor the many law enforcement officers, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel who gave their lives so that others might live.  

     We at St Jude are very glad to be teaming up with our friends at McLauren Heights Methodist Church to honor and pray for these men and women today.  Let us pray:

Lord, we come to you as your children this evening 

to pray for those who serve in our community and 

who keep our community safe.  

We invoke your presence this evening as we 

send up our prayers in the name of your son Jesus Christ, 

our Lord for ever and ever.  Amen. 

BLESSING:

Today, we gather as Christians from Pearl and from all of Rankin County to pray for our police officer, our sheriffs, our EMTs, our fire fighters, and all of our first responders.  With gratitude, we thank all these men and women who serve our community for their service and for all of the sacrifices they make.  We pray for an end to terrorism, war, oppression, and violence.  We pray for an end to anger, hatred, arrogance, and all those things that divide our community.  Our gratitude, love, and prayers go out to all these men and women who protect us and serve us each day.  May your patron Saint, Michael the Archangel, be with you always to watch over you, to lead you and guide you.  May the Lord bless you and your families - in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  

28 September 2018 – Friday of the 25th week in ordinary time - Ecclesiastes 3:1-11

        For everything there is a season.  The well-known verses from Ecclesiastes were even turned into a well-known popular song in the 1960's, adapted by the rock musician Peter Seeger from the King James text of this passage from the Bible.  This song became a popular peace anthem in the 1960s.  I remember singing this song in music class at George B Armstrong Elementary School in Chicago.  

         What can we, as people of faith, make of these beautiful, poetic words that are so familiar to us?  God has appointed different times and seasons in the way our world functions.  The seasons are a part of the natural order of things.  Our eternal God is beyond the temporality of the world, even though we live in a world of change.  In fact, Father Vincent McNally, the Church history professor I had in seminary, used to commonly say that death and change were the only constants in our world.  And, if we look at the changes we go through in our faith life, how our life of faith is constantly evolving and changing as we continue on our journey of faith, we can appreciate how much change is so much a part of the world and our lives, just like the changing of the seasons. With the tumultuous changes our country and our world are going through, changes that are accompanied by worry and uncertainty, we are very familiar with the changes that characterize so much of our lives.

         Yet, in the midst of change, God is always with us. As we remember the poetic words of Ecclesiastes, of the different changes, seasons, and challenges that are a part of our lives and of our worldly existence, may we put our trust in God, who is all-knowing, omnipresent, and omniscient. 

26 September 2018 – Wednesday of the 25th week of ordinary time – Proverbs 30:5-9; Luke 9:1-6

     The author of Proverbs tells the Lord that he wants neither poverty or riches, that he only asks that the Lord provide him with the food that he needs each day.  Then in the Gospel from Luke, we hear about Jesus sending out his disciples on their journey as missionaries to the world.  He tells them travel lightly, to take not a sack, or food, or money, or an extra tunic – they will find their needs fulfilled as they go on their journey.  Those are two very minimalist, humble attitudes in our Scripture readings today. 

         This message is so much different from what our culture tells us – we need that new car or new piece of technology or whatever is new on the market.  We want more and we want it now.  The cell phone that we bought just a year ago and that seemed so stylish is now out of date – we've got to have the new model.  It is so easy for us to forget that the things of this world are just temporary compared to what really matters.  We need to constantly ask ourselves: how are we striving toward those values and those things in life that are part of God's eternal kingdom? 

         The spirit of today's readings is reflected in a prayer written by St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits, back in the 16th century.  This prayer is called a Suscipe, which comes from the Latin word “to receive.”  Suscipe includes the concept of both receiving and taking up.  Christ offered himself to the Father on the cross and his offering was not only received by the Father, but it was taken up by the Father, as shown by Christ’s resurrection.  Reflecting upon the readings today called to mind this Suscipe prayer of St Ignatius, which is included in additional material accompanying his 4 weeks of spiritual exercises.   Ignatius writes: 

Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty,

my memory, my understanding,

and my entire will,

All I have and call my own.

You have given all to me.

To you, Lord, I return it.

Everything is yours; do with it what you will.

Give me only your love and your grace,

that is enough for me.

         May we rely on the Lord for our needs, for our daily bread.  May the things of this world not keep us from God's heavenly kingdom.

25 September 2018 – Tuesday of the 25th week in ordinary time – Luke 8:19-21

       Today's Gospel spells out a fundamental theme found throughout the Gospel of Luke.  Luke sees the proclamation of God’s  kingdom as being centered around a household or family of believers in Christ, rather than those who gathered together at the Temple to offer sacrifice or a biological family.  This manner of forming family groups of believers helped spread Christ's teachings in the early Church, crossing the boundaries that separated people in society. In Jesus' day, society and the very survival of an individual were linked to the kinship group that formed around the biological family, so today's Gospel would have been very shocking to those who heard it.

         Even today, followers of Jesus enter into a new family: the family of believers in our Catholic faith.  True kinship in Christ is not about flesh and blood; our adoption as sons and daughters in Christ transforms our relationships and requires a new order of loyalty to God and his kingdom.

         This week we celebrate the feast day of St. Pio of Pietrelcina, who is know affectionately throughout the world simply as Padre Pio.  A Capuchin Franciscan priest, Padre Pio was the first priest in the history of the Church to receive the stigmata in 1918.  Padre Pio received quite a following for his gift of being able to read the hearts of the penitents who flocked to him for the sacrament of reconciliation.  When Padre Pio died on September 23, 2018, fifty years ago, more than 100,000 people.  

         True friendship in Christ's community of believers should strengthen us in our love of God and love of neighbor.  Padre Pio brought both sinners and devout believers closer to God, closer to the family of God, closer to this friendship that exists in the community of believers in Christ.  May we give thanks to God for the blessings we have received through our spiritual families and families of origin.  May our families help us to grow in love and charity, and may we always seek to do what is good and right in all of our relationships.  May the intercessions of Padre Pio bring up all closer to God.

23 de septiembre de 2018 – Campaña de mayordomía - Vigésimo quinto Domingo del tiempo ordinario – Marcos 9:30-37; Santiago 2:14-18

      En el evangelio del domingo pasado, Jesús explicó si queremos seguir como sus discípulos, necesitamos cargar nuestra cruz y renunciar a nosotros mismos.  Según Jesús, necesitamos perder nuestra vida por El y por su Buena Noticia para salvarla.  El evangelio de hoy es estimulante y radical también como el evangelio del domingo pasado.  En su proclamación del reino de Dios, Jesús anuncia un nuevo orden en el mundo.  El explica que tiene una misión para transformar el mundo, pero en esta misión, el morirá, y resucitará otra vez.  Jesús no quiere adulación – no quiere alabanzas.  Quiere ser nuestro líder como sirviente.  Pero, sus discípulos no entienden sus palabras.  Aun, durante esta conversación sobre la muerte y la traición de Cristo, los discípulos argumentan sobre quien está el mas grande.  Los discípulos no quieren ser sirvientes – quieren poder para ellos mismos.  Y tenemos muchas personas en nuestra sociedad como eso.  Hay jugadores en los equipos de deportes, hay políticos y líderes en el mundo de los negocios que quieren el poder y la fama para ellos mismos, que quieren lo que es bueno para ellos mismos, y no importa su equipo, sus ciudadanos, sus empleados. 

          Como siempre, Jesús tiene paciencia con sus discípulos.  Jesús toma a un niño, y lo puse en medio de ellos.  En Israel, el niño es la persona mas vulnerable y mas humilde – el niño no tiene ni poder ni derechos ni protección.  Cristo nos explica – cuando damos la bienvenida a un niño, damos la bienvenida a Cristo.  El niño en el evangelio de hoy es un símbolo de los humildes en nuestra sociedad de hoy.  Muchas personas quieren el poder, la gloria, y el honor para ellos mismos, pero Cristo nos da la llamada para ayudar a las persona que no pueden hablar para ellos mismos – los pobres, los oprimidos, los desposeídos.

            Cristo habla hoy sobre muchos aspectos de nuestro camino de discipulado.  Hoy, continuamos a conversar sobre la mayordomía en nuestro discipulado.  En verdad, es importante para dar a nuestro tiempo y nuestros talentos para vivir en la luz de Cristo.  Pero, también, para contribuir a nuestra parroquia de nuestro tesoro es esencial.  Tenemos gastos en nuestra parroquia - es el ofertorio de nuestra parroquia que paga estos gastos.  Yo se que muchos de nosotros, en nuestra niñez y nuestra juventud, nuestros padres hicieron muchos sacrificios por su familia y por su parroquia también.  Hay muchas maneras para contribuir al ofertorio de nuestra parroquia.  La Biblia tiene el concepto del diezmo - para dar diez por ciento de su sueldo y sus ganancias a Dios.  Hay otra maneras para dar también.  Cada familia necesita decidir en una manera para contribuir a sus tesoros a nuestra parroquia.  

      Puede dar a nuestra parroquia en un sobre.  O puede dar por el internet también.  La meta es para tener participación de cada familia a las finanzas de nuestra parroquia.  En el domingo que viene, vamos a conversar mas sobre esta campaña de mayordomía.  El Diácono John McGregor me dijo que no había una campaña de mayordomía aquí en la parroquia de St Jude por treinta años.  Pero, en este momento, por la sugerencia de la Diócesis de Jackson, y con su apoyo, y con los gastos que tenemos en el estacionamiento nueva este año, la campaña de mayordomía es necesario.  Gracias por su atención a esta campaña y las necesidades de nuestra parroquia.  

23 September 2018 - Reflection for the 25th Sunday of Ordinary Time - Cycle B - Mark 9:30-37

     Jesus continues to teach his disciples about God's kingdom as he proclaims a radical new order to the world.  He describes how his mission to transform the world will involve his death, but that he will rise again.  Jesus doesn't want personal acclaim or adulation – he asks to be our servant leader.  As I thought about today’s Gospel message, I thought about the importance of humility as a virtue in our lives of faith, a virtue that helps us discover the truth and goodness of God in our lived reality.  Humility can be a great challenge, for how do we know when we are truly being humble?  Where do we draw the line between taking care of ourselves and taking care of others? 

       John of the Cross, the great 16th century Spanish mystic, once said: “To be taken with love for a soul, God does not look on its greatness, but on the greatness of its humility.”  We are called to humility by God, but in a healthy, integrated way.  Yes, it’s good for us to be recognized and appreciated in life, but spiritually, we should not desire this recognition and praise as part of our being, but to see ourselves in service for Christ, to see our works and recognition as praising him and as a way to live out our faith.  Yes, it’s hurtful and painful when we are insulted and put down by others.  Yet, in our hurts and sufferings, we’re called to trust in Jesus, to trust in our journey of faith, and to not be afraid of what we face on that journey.  In competing and achieving, we’re not to do so in order to satisfy our pride or ego, but in accomplishing our goals and in doing our best, we’re also called to notice the needs of others, to live with compassion, mercy, and hope.  We’re not to degrade ourselves or to lack self-confidence and self-respect, but we are also not to lose our sense of charity and solidarity. 

         Coupled with humility, a fruit of today’s Gospel is joy.  The spiritual joy that Christ calls us to is not felt in the accumulation of power, might, and influence, but the joy we will feel as followers in Christ goes beyond any earthly-based happiness or pleasure that is disconnected from our faith.  While his disciples were worried about the fleeting values of this world, such as who would be considered the greatest from a very worldly point of view, Jesus’ deepest desire was for his followers to feel the unsurpassable joy that he felt in his constant communion with God.  This joy is found in God’s love, God’s peace, and God’s will for us.  

         The concepts of spiritual joy and humility that Christ calls us to are very different from what so many in our secular world are chasing after in their lives.  Even today, many centuries after Christ lived, his message is still radical today, and a quest for humility and Christian joy is still very challenging.  But, unless we’re willing to wrestle with what it means to be a follower of Christ, then the life that he calls us to will always be far from our grasp.  

21 September 2018 - feast of St Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist - Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-13

    Paul writes today of how we are all united as brothers and sisters in Christ - united under one body and one Spirit; united through one Lord, one faith, and one baptism; united under one God and Father of all.  In attempts to being politically correct, a lot of people in the modern world want to just refer to God and God, saying we should not assign a gender to him and should not call him Father.   But, echoing the teachings of Jesus, Paul in his writings is very adamant about calling God “Father.”  He states that God is “the one Father who is over all and through all and in all.”  

     As we celebrate the unity of our faith today in our reading from the Letter to the Ephesians, we celebrate Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist on his feast day.  What is so interesting about Matthew and many of the other apostles is that they mostly came from a cross section of society, men with flaws and weaknesses like everyone else.  They were not the strongest or the smartest or the most powerful.  Matthew was a tax collector; he was seen as a collaborator of the occupying foreign Roman regime, someone who had betrayed his own people for his own gain and his own fortunes.  But the invitation and call that Matthew received from Jesus opened his heart and his mind to the Good News, as we hear in today’s Gospel.  Matthew left his old life behind and became a disciple and close friend of our Lord. He wrote the Gospel that bears his name, intended for an audience of Jewish Christians.  We give thanks today for the witness of faith of Matthew and the other members of the Early Church whose faith has been passed down to us.  We stand in unity and solidarity in our faith with them, united as sons and daughters of the Father of all. 

20 September 2018 – Thursday of 24th week in ordinary time – Luke 7:36-50

        Today's Gospel tells us a story about Jesus' interaction with two individuals in a narrative that really engages us.  First we have Simon, the Pharisee; he magnifies the faults of others.  That is such an easy way to go through life: looking at our family, our friends, our co-workers, seeing their faults, pointing them out, feeling superior to them and criticizing them. Simon had an arrogance of heart, finding the faults in a woman who approaches Jesus. 

         The woman in the Gospel stands in contrast to Simon.  In her humility, she recognizes her own sinfulness.  It is as if she is saying, as she bathes his feet with her tears, “Lord, I have these problems in my life, I have this sinfulness.  Would you find it in your heart to forgive me?  Would you help me change?”  She has a worshipful appreciation of Jesus as he forgives her and heals her.  God wants all of us to have this same spirit of worship and appreciation for Jesus as he reaches out to us in his teaching and in his proclamation of God's kingdom, as we receive forgiveness from Jesus, as we receive inner healing from our relationship with him.  Jesus responds to Simon’s retort against the woman in the Gospel today, as her sins have been forgiven and she is shown great love.  God wants us to recognize that there is a connection to the forgiveness of our sins and to the compassion and love that we give in response – that is what God is calling us to do. 

         May God fill our hearts with compassion, with love for God and for our brothers and sisters.  May we reach out to others in proclamation of the peace, justice, and love of neighbor that is an integral part of the kingdom of God. 

19 September 2018 - Wednesday of the 24th week in ordinary time - 1 Corinthians 12:31 - 13:13

      We hear the very rich, profound reading from the 13th Chapter of St Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians today, a reading that is often heard at weddings, with its reflection on the different aspects of love.  Paul states that we can have the faith to move a mountain or we can give away all we have in an act of charity, but if we do so without love in our hearts, then it is all meaningless.  From what we know from Sacred Scripture, Paul, when he was Saul before his conversion, always had great faith, energy, and zeal.  However, it was not until Paul was thrown off his horse and shaken up by the love of God that made him capable of fulfilling God’s will in his life.  Until he gave his heart over to Christ, he was not “Paul” as we know him today, the great evangelizer and Church Father.  

         In his weekly general audience in February of 2013, Pope Benedict stated that the first chapter of Genesis reveals the fundamental truth about reality: that the world is not the result of chaos, but is born of and continually supported by God's love.  The creation story shows that everything God creates is "beautiful and good, filled with wisdom and love; God's creative action brings order, leads to harmony and gives beauty.”  When humanity rebelled against God and the harmony in nature, Christ was sent into the world so that we could return to this love.  As we witness a lot of environmental destruction in the world today, we may wonder where all this is going, if we are truly following God’s will for us as the human race in harmony and unity with all of God’s creation.  We are called back to the path that Christ forged he on earth.  We are called back to the path of St Paul, to the love of Christ that so captured his soul.  What do we have to do to get back on that path?  

18 September 2018 – Tuesday of 24th week in ordinary time – Luke 7: 11-17

        Jesus comes across a funeral procession in our Gospel today.  A mother stands weeping – she has lost her only son.  Jesus has pity on her, and her son in resuscitated back to life in a miracle of healing.  Jesus performed many miracles and healed many people in his proclamation of God’s kingdom, in revealing to the world his identity as the Son of God. 

         This woman came to Jesus for healing for her son, out of love for him.  We want healing for ourselves in our lives.  We want healing for our loved ones.  We have faith in Jesus, in his ability to heal, in his power to perform miracles.  We want to believe in the miracles that Jesus can perform.  We want tangible signs that God indeed exists, that God indeed is present to us in our lives.  We have signs all around us that God is indeed here, such as God’s beauty that we see in nature.  We not only have the love and relationships of our family and friends, but we also have our community of faith that can encourage us along our journey.  We can give thanks for each day that we are alive, that we see the sun shine in the morning and see a new day dawn before us. If we will only be observant, we can recognize that there are little blessings and little miracles with us each day.  We give thanks for grace to be able to see those blessings as we come to Jesus for healing and wholeness in the Sacrament of the Eucharist that we receive at Mass, to see the presence of God who is here with us in so many different ways.  

16 de septiembre de 2018 - charla de mayordomía - misa en español

En todas las parroquias de nuestra diócesis este mes, hablamos sobre el tema de la mayordomía.  Como sacerdote, yo tengo la responsabilidad de manejar las finanzas de nuestra parroquia, y no es algo fácil.  Pero, la mayordomía no es solo la gestión del dinero y las finanzas de la parroquia - también es la mayordomía de nuestros talentos y nuestro tiempo.  Nuestra meta hoy es algo muy directo - para crecer la manera que nosotros damos a nuestra parroquia en el tiempo, en el tesoro, y en el tiempo, no solo una vez, no solo este fin de semana, pero constantemente a nuestra parroquia. 

Vamos a hablar sobre este tema por 3 semanas.  Hoy, podemos empezar con una reflexión sobre el tema de mayordomía.  Como miembros del pueblo de Dios, Dios nos da con confianza los tesoros y  los recursos de nuestra vida.  Tenemos la responsabilidad de determinar el propósito de utilizarlos.  Como individuos, como familias, como parroquia - tenemos muchas bendiciones. Yo puedo reflexionar hoy sobre mi vida - la bendición que tengo para servir como sacerdote, para estudiar en el seminario, para servir como misionero.   A veces, podemos reflexionar sobre lo que no tenemos, pero es bueno en la mitad de nuestro sufrimientos y desafíos para recordar las bendiciones también.  Como una comunidad de fe aquí, podemos hacer mucho si cada persona puede crecer su contribución al ofertorio.  Para tener éxito, cada persona debe crecer sus contribuciones - todos juntos en el compromiso a nuestra parroquia.  Como parroquia, necesitamos orar juntos sobre esta meta.  

El proximo domingo, vamos a conversar mas sobre las finanzas de la parroquia y el compromiso que podemos hacer.  En dos semanas, vamos a hacer este compromiso.  

Gracia por su atención este tarde.  Gracias por sus contribuciones y su presencia en nuestra parroquia.  Vamos a orar juntos esta oración de mayordomía:

Dios misericordioso, 

Tengo agradecimiento en mi corazón

porque todo mi ser y todos los dones 

que tengo vienen de ti. 

En fe y en amor, ayúdame para hacer tu voluntad. 

Yo te escucho, Señor. 

Pon sus palabras en la profundidad de mi alma. 

Quiero escuchar su voz claramente. 

Yo te ofrezco toda mi vida. 

En la casa. 

En el trabajo. 

En la escuela. 

Dame el don de paciencia, 

de generosidad, 

de misericordia, 

de santidad. 

Dame la sabiduría y el discernimiento 

para conocer tu voluntad en mi vida. 

Dame el fervor para hacer 

mis buenas intenciones. 

Yo te ofrezco los dones del tesoro, 

tiempo, y talento que tengo

como una acción de fe. 

Ayúdame, Señor, para amar a mi prójimo como tú me amas.  

Amén.  

Prayers of the faithful - 24th Sunday of Ordinary time - September 16 2018

Lord Jesus, you were born of the Virgin Mary - Lord have mercy.  

Christ Jesus, you are the Son of God - Christ have mercy. 

Lord Jesus, you call us to a life of discipleship - Lord have mercy.  

Priest:  We now present our prayers to our loving God for our needs, the needs of the Church, and the needs of the world:

1. For the Church, that she may lead us to be the Body of Christ, to be faithful and loving in all of our trials and challenges.  

2. For our Holy Father, Pope Francis, that he may lead us ever closer to Christ. 

3. For our country, that we may be preserved from every evil. 

4. For all Christians, that they may always share the mind and heart of Christ. 

5. For the sick and the shut-ins and for the repose of the souls of the faithful departed. 

6. For our own prayer intentions in silence.

Priest:  We present these prayers through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord for ever and ever.  

Prayer - for September 11 - World Day of Prayer for Peace as declared by the Knights of Columbus - written by Pope Benedict XVI

This prayer was delivered by Pope Benedict XVI when he visited Ground Zero in New York City on April 20, 2008. 

God of peace, 
bring your peace to our violent world:
peace in the hearts of all men and women
and peace among the nations of the earth. 
Turn to your way of love
those whose hearts and minds 
are consumed with hatred. 

God of understanding, 
overwhelmed by the magnitude of this tragedy, 
we seek your light and guidance
as we confront such terrible events. 
Grant that those whose lives were spared
may live so that the lives lost
may not have lost in vain. 
 Comfort and console us, 
strengthen us in hope, 
and give us the wisdom and courage
to work tirelessly for a world 
where true peace and love reign
among nations and in the hearts of all. 

16 de septiembre de 2018 – XXIV domingo del tiempo ordinario – Ciclo B - Santiago 2, 14-18

      En nuestras lecturas hoy, continuamos con nuestras lecturas de la carta de Santiago.  Esta carta tiene consejos sobre la vida cristiana, como podemos vivir cada día como discípulos de Cristo.  Hace dos semanas, escuchamos este desafío del primer capitulo de Santiago: “Pongan en práctica esa palabra de Dios y no se limiten a escucharla”  Hoy continuamos con este tema.  Santiago dice que no sólo necesitamos la fe, sino que la fe debe producir buenas obras.  Me recuerdo que en la universidad, un amigo mío me dijo que leía un libro en la clase de religión con el título: La Fe es un verbo – un imagen que tocaba mi imaginación.  De hecho, nuestra fe no es una ideas abstracta.   Más bien, la fe es una manera de vivir que tiene su fundación en la revelación de Jesucristo y la nueva vida que tenemos en él.  En la fe, abrimos nuestras mentes y nuestra espiritualidad a Cristo – pero es mas de eso.  Necesitamos vivir la fe cada día.   La fe nos impulsa a hacer algo. Nos llama a las obras espirituales y las obras corporales de misericordia.  Según Santiago, si tenemos la fe sin obras, la fe no vive. La fe debe tener acción y vida - no puede ser rígido o inflexible.  En la fe, estamos emergentes y en desarrollo.

       La semana pasada, escuché una estadística – en los 321 millones de personas que viven en los Estados Unidos, 30 millones se identifican como ex católicos. Pero, muchos católicos abandonaron la Iglesia antes de la edad de 25 años.  Pero, es mas de una estadística - es una realidad muy fuerte.  Dedicamos mucho tiempo y muchos recursos a la formación de nuestros niños y jóvenes en nuestra fe, pero si nuestros niños y jóvenes no vienen a clase o a la misa, ellos no tendrán conexión con nuestra fe.  Entonces, no quedarán en la fe católica como adultos.  Hay las clases de la doctrina todos los domingos y el grupo de jóvenes dos veces cada mes.  Tenemos obras de misericordia y caridad que hacemos con nuestros niños y jóvenes – es una manera tangible para ver que su fe puede realmente hacer una diferencia en el mundo.  Es la responsabilidad de los padres y los padrinos para llevar sus niños y sus jóvenes a las clases de la doctrina y al grupo de jóvenes.  En las aguas del bautismo, los padres y los padrinos tomaron esta responsabilidad.  Y ellos son los maestros principales de la fe en la vida de sus hijos.  Estoy muy agradecidos a las familias que toman esta responsabilidad y queremos dar animo a las otras familias que tienen un desafío con este papel. 

        Hoy, celebramos el Domingo Catequético.  Celebramos la manera que enseñamos a los niños y los jóvenes en la fe católica.  El tema de este año es: conseguir testigos de Cristo.   En el mundo donde muchas personas viven afuera el ministerio y los valores de Cristo, es importante para vivir como testigos de Cristo en el mundo.