2 February 2019 - The Presentation of the Lord – Luke 2:22-32, Malachi 3: 1-4

      We celebrate Jesus so devoutly in our Christian faith, so It may be easy for us to forget that he was raised in a devout Jewish family.  As devout Jews, Mary and Joseph faithfully observed all of the prescribed rituals and obligations of their Jewish faith. Forty days after the birth of Jesus, his parents made the long, exhausting journey to the Temple in Jerusalem to fulfill the prescription of the Jewish law that obligated them to present their son to the Lord. This law stated that “every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord”.  As prescribed by this law, the holy parents presented the sacrificial offering of two turtledoves in the Temple.

       It is touching for us to see how conscientiously and lovingly Mary and Joseph observed the Jewish faith traditions of their ancestors, even though these traditions demanded considerable inconvenience and sacrifice of them to make the arduous, difficult journey to Jerusalem. Mary and Joseph taught Jesus well, as he carried out these Jewish faith traditions throughout his adult life and ministry, interpreting these traditions in the light of his identity as the Son of God. 

     It is important for us to note that for the Holy Family and for Jesus, there is no tension and no contradiction between their commitment to the prescribed Jewish rituals and their personal spirituality, their personal relationship with God.  As integral members of their Jewish faith community, the faith of Mary and Joseph was grounded in the ritual traditions of the Jewish people, rituals that sustained that community for many generations. These same rituals sustained the Holy Family and passed on their Jewish faith to Jesus.  

      In our modern world, many people, especially many younger people, often see a tension between being religious in a ritualistic sense and being spiritual, in devoting ourselves to the pious practices of our faith and obeying the laws of God requiring us to practice social justice and to reach out to our neighbor, to the poor, and to the oppressed. May we follow the example of the Holy Family that we celebrate today on the feast of the presentation of the Lord, may we have a balanced faith that follows all of God’s laws and commandments, that follows the spirit of the faith that Jesus and the apostles passed down to us. 

3 de febrero de 2019 - cuarto domingo del tiempo ordinario - Jeremías 1:4-5, 17-19; Marcos 4:26-34

      Yo escribo en un cuaderno los dichos que yo quiero recordar para utilizar en mis homilías o presentaciones.  Cuando estaba en la capilla de la cárcel federal para celebrar la misa cuando yo trabajaba en Yazoo City como párroco, miraba un dicho escrito en la pared de la capilla.  Decía – “No juzgue hoy día por la cosecha que coseche.  Mire hoy por las semillas que siembre.”  Podemos imaginar que este dicho puede tener significado en la vida de Jeremías.  Jeremías podía oír la llamada de ser profeta en su vida.  Dios explicaba a Jeremías que estaba conocido por Dios antes de su formación en el seno de su madre.  Y su llamada de ser profeta era por todas las naciones, no solo con el pueblo Israel.  Esta mensaje del profeta Jeremías nos da esperanza, pero hay un aviso en el mensaje también, que tendrá oposición y resistencia en su profecía.  Dios explicó al profeta – “Cíñete y prepárate – ponte en pie.”  Pero, Dios explicó también que tendrá protección, que será como una ciudad fortificada, como una columna de hierro, que Dios te salvará de las manos de sus enemigos. 

     Las experiencias de Jeremías tienen un eco en la reacción que Jesús tenía en le sinagoga de su pueblo.  El muchedumbre tenía admiración y aprobación de la proclamación de Jesús, pero, también, tenía muchas preguntas sobre la manera que podía predicar la palabra de Dios como el hijo de José, un carpintero.  En su proclamación, Jesús desafiaba su punto de vista sobre el reino de Dios.  Con eso, el muchedumbre llenó de ira. 

      Jeremías y Jesús sembraban las semillas en la vida del pueblo. Llevaban en mensaje de Dios al pueblo, proclamando el reino de Dios a todo. Nosotros, también, tenemos la llamada de sembrar las semillas en nuestras vidas, de llevar el mensaje de Dios al mundo.  

       El domingo pasado, conversábamos sobre la campaña de los servicios católicos.  Con nuestra contribución a esta campaña, podemos sembrar muchas semillas en nuestra parroquia y en nuestra diócesis.  Si dio su contribución a la campaña este año, damos gracias. Si no, por favor, dé consideración a la campaña de los servicios católicos hoy día.   

Blessings of the throats - St Blaise - Bishop and Martyr - 3 February 2019

Our faith community here at St Jude really enjoys celebrating the faith traditions, devotions, and spirituality that mark our Catholic faith.  Our faith traditions help us renew the Catholic faith within all of us, and then in turn, we are to use our faith to be evangelizers to the world.  Today, February 3, we celebrate St Blaise each year.  Blaise was a bishop is Armenia who was martyred in the year 316.  A legend about St Blaise tells about him healing a boy who was chocking at the point of death on a fish bone lodged in his throat.  St Blaise is now the patron saint of those suffering for maladies of the throat, so we have a special blessing of the throats today in honor of him and to recall this tradition of our faith.  Coming in the middle of a very bad cold and flu season, this blessing could not come at a better time.  So now, we invite you to come forward for the blessing of the throats.  

3 February 2019 - Fourth Sunday in ordinary time - Jeremiah 1:4-5, 17-19; Luke 4:21-30

      I have a notebook in which I write down different sayings and Bible passages that I use for reference, especially in writing homilies.  I wrote a note several years ago of a saying that I noticed scrawled on a whiteboard in the chapel of the federal prison in Yazoo City where I served as the Catholic chaplain.  It said this – “Do not judge today based on the harvest that you reap – rather, look at today based upon the number of seeds that you sow.” 

          I can imagine this saying having a particular meaning to the prophet Jeremiah and the circumstances of today’s first reading.  Jeremiah feels destined and called to be a prophet.  God told Jeremiah that even before he was formed in his mother's womb, God knew him and chose him to be a prophet not only for the people of Israel, but also for all the nations.

         As comforting and hopeful as God’s message sounds to us today, of choosing Jeremiah as a prophet, God warns Jeremiah of the opposition and resistance his prophetic message will incur from the people. God tells him to prepare himself and arise, to tighten his belt and to get ready for action.  What a frightening message for Jeremiah to hear.  However, God tells him that he will protect him in the midst of this, that God will make him a pillar of iron, a fortified city able to withstand the enemy attacks.  God promises Jeremiah that his enemies will not prevail, that Jeremiah will be delivered. 

       Jeremiah continued to sow seeds in the lives of the people, even in the midst of difficult circumstance. He brought God’s message to the people and proclaimed the kingdom of God to all.  We, too, are called to sow seeds with our lives, to have God’s message affect how we live in the world, and to have that message change and renew the world in both little and big ways.

       Last week, we spoke about the Catholic service appeal. Our contributions to the Catholic Service Appeal sow a lot of seeds in our parish and throughout our Diocese.  If you have already given to the appeal this year, we thank you.  If you have not, please consider contributing to the Catholic Service Appeal in the next few weeks.   

2 February 2019 - Saturday of the 3rd week of Ordinary Time - Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19

       We have been hearing from the letter to the Hebrew in our 1st readings all this week.  The first part of our reading stands out to me today.  It states: “Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen.  Because of faith, the ancients were well attested.”  At my parish of St Jude, we are in the middle of an evangelization program called ALPHA, similar to Christ Life that a lot of parishes are doing in the Jackson area.  Last week, our theme for ALPHA was faith. The Catechism of the Catholic Church asserts that faith is a personal and communal relationship. It states: “Faith is first of all a personal adherence . . . to God. At the same time, it is a free assent to the whole truth that God has revealed”  In our personal faith, we say, “I believe in God.”  We have a personal relationship with the Triune God, with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  But there is also a communal relationship to faith as well, beyond what is a private act.  Our personal faith brings us into a relationship with the people of God.  The faith of the entire people of God strengthens us in our relationship with God.

      One statement on faith in the video from our ALPHA program stated that “faith is not a blind leap, but a step based on evidence.  I don’t know about you, but for me, sometimes faith takes a leap, a big BIG leap.  When I left to be a missionary in Ecuador before, having never spoken Spanish before, having never lived in the jungle before, not really knowing what my life would be like down there, it took a big leap of faith.  Faith is not always rational.  Faith is often not the easiest thing to do.  But faith is where we are called according to God’s will.  As our reading states, Abraham obeyed when God called him to go out in faith, not knowing where he was to go. While we can say that faith is a gift from God, that it is not something we can do on our own, we also must do our part and respond to God and to be active in our faith out of our own free will.  Indeed, by faith, we journey with the Lord.  

1 February 2019 - Friday of the third week of Ordinary Time - Healing mass - Hebrews 10:32 - 39

       The writer of the Letter to the Hebrews talks about how the community endured great suffering after they had been enlightened by Christ and converted to the faith.  Because of their faith, they were subjected to abuse and affliction.  In many places in the Gospel, Jesus prepares his disciples for the suffering that they will endure because of him. Often times, we think of the blessings that will come to us in our journey of faith.  But, sufferings and abuse can be a part of our journey of faith as well. Even in Catholic countries, such as Spain, at certain times there have been times a persecution and violence against Catholics.  In the Spanish Civil War, which took place from 1936 to 1939, it is estimated that 13 bishops, 283 nuns, and more than 6,500 priests, monks and seminarians were murdered for their role in the Church.  Yet, in the letter to the Hebrews today, we are told not to lose confidence in our faith, to appreciate the gifts and blessings we have in our faith.  He tells us that we are called to have endurance to do the will of God and to receive what he has promised us. Through our faith, we are promised new life. Indeed, our journey of faith may be difficult and treacherous.  At times, it will be difficult for us to endure and to have encouragement. Yet, God will be with us every step of the way. If we have the faith of a mustard seed, with God’s blessings, that faith will grow and grow.  

January 29, 2019 – Tuesday of 3rd week in ordinary time – Hebrews 10:1-10, Psalm 40

       “Here I am Lord – I come to do your will.”  This is the refrain that we hear in the psalm today, and this is the theme in the other readings we hear in mass today.  Our first reading from the letter to the Hebrews talks about how God no longer wants the sacrifices and burnt offerings that the faithful made in Ancient Israel at the time of the Old Testament.  Rather, the Lord has replaced those animal sacrifices with the ultimate sacrifice made by his Son.  Jesus followed his father’s will in making that sacrifice, a sacrifice that brought about the salvation of humanity

         Doing God’s will is not always an easy thing for us, nor is it always something that is easily discerned.  Doing God’s will is something that is demanded by our faith.  We might not have a direct or explicit sign of what God’s will is for us in particular situation, but we can look into our hearts and see the direction in which God is leading us.

         We give thanks to the Lord today for the many ways he works in our lives, for the ways that he leads us and guides us.  We give thanks for the way that God has blessed us, and for the way that his grace has helped us meet the challenges that face us along our journey in life.  We strive to do his will, and we are asked to follow this as best as we can. 

30 January 2019 – Wed of 3rd week in ordinary time – Mark 4:1-20

      We hear a familiar parable in the Gospel today, of a sower sowing seeds in different types of ground.  We may be able to identify with this parable in the different moments we have in life.  Sometimes God’s word seems to fall in our lives and take root so easily, but other times, it seems as though God’s word has been snatched up from our lives like birds grabbing seeds off the ground. 

         Sometimes we can feel like we are experiencing a dark night, where God seems so distant and so far away.  John of the Cross and St Teresa of Calcutta experienced such a dark night in their lives.  Yet, at the same time, John of the Cross persevered in his work in reforming the Carmelite order and in writing poetry that remains some of the most celebrated poetry ever written in the Spanish language. Even with the darkness that clouded her spiritual journey, Teresa could still feel God calling her to work with the poor of Calcutta, to live out the Gospel in her life.  No matter what our struggles and challenges, we can find the riches of God’s word and we can help it take root in our lives. 

         May we search for God in the reality of our lives.  May we use our personalities, our interests, and our reality to find the meaning of God’s word in our lives.

1/31/2013 – Thursday of third week in ordinary time – Mark 4:21-25

      Baptisms are one of the most joyful occasions I celebrate in my life as a priest.  Last weekend, I celebrated a baptism in the Spanish mass.  In the baptismal rite, the godparent lights a candle for the child being baptized from the paschal candle, representing how the light of Christ that is being passed on to the child through the sacrament of baptism and through the promises and commitment that the parents and godparents make on behalf of the child. The baptismal rite explains that this light is entrusted to the parents and grandparents in order to be kept burning brightly in the life of the child. 

         We are the light of Christ.  We have the light of Christ burning inside of us.  We can choose to keep this light burning.  We can pass on this light to others.  Or we can extinguish the light and keep it hidden from the world.

         When I was a small child growing up in Chicago in the Rogers Park neighbor, the example of Christ’s light living in the adults at the church that we attended was a great example of faith for me.  I felt so nurtured and so encourage by the light of Christ that I saw in their lives. As a child, it seemed like this light of Christ was so appreciated in our world.  However, today, we see Christianity under attack.  In many ways, the government is trying hard to marginalize the light of Christ in the world and to make it irrelevant.  When I was in Yazoo City, there was a cross on a water tower in the nearby community of Benton for years. The people of the community saw it as an historical landmark, as a light shining in the darkness of the world.  Yet, someone who did not even live in the community was offended by this lighted cross and sued the community to take it down.  Fortunately, the good people of that small town raised funds in order to put that light on a tower located on private land. They would not let the light of Christ to be taken from their community. 

         We may face a lot of challenges and struggles in our lives that try to keep the light of Christ away from us.  Yet, it is up to us to keep it burning brightly.  May we never forget that task that is entrusted to us.

27 de enero de 2019 - la Campaña para los servicios católicos - Lucas 1:1-4; 4:14-21

      Cuando escuchamos acerca de uno de los primeros eventos del ministerio público de Jesús, cuando Jesús leyó del profeta Isaías en la sinagoga en Nazaret, hoy marcamos la Campaña para los Servicios Católico en nuestra Diócesis de Jackson. La Campaña para los servicios católicos es una parte importante de muchos programas en nuestra Diócesis. Desde el ministerio hispano y el ministerio universitario, la formación para nuestros seminaristas y los programas de Caridades Católicas, desde los programas de los jóvenes hasta nuestras parroquias misioneras, la Campaña para los Servicios Católicos toca muchas vidas en nuestra Diócesis. Nuestra parroquia ha sido muy generosa en los últimos años en dar a la Campaña para los Servicio Católico. Tengo plena confianza en que apoyaremos a nuestra Diócesis nuevamente este año. Desde octubre, como director interino de las finanzas para la Diócesis, trabajaba con muchos empleados de la oficina de la Cancillería y vi su dedicación a los programas de nuestra Diócesis. Aquí en St Jude in Pearl somos conocidos como una parroquia que siempre apoya al Obispo y la Diócesis, que siempre está ahí para los diferentes ministerios y programas de la Diócesis. El Obispo Kopacz me agradeció muchas veces por el apoyo que nuestra parroquia dio a él y a la Diócesis. Por segundo año consecutivo, organizaba la fiesta navideña del Obispo Kopacz para los empleados de la Cancillería y de las Caridades Católicas. Tenemos aquí en nuestra parroquia muchos programas de capacitación de la Oficina del Ministerio Hispano en la Diócesis. También organizamos el programa Diaconado para la Diócesis, que coordina el Diácono John McGregor y en el que Mark Bowden es un participante. Nuestra primera llamada como católicos es apoyar a nuestra comunidad parroquial. Nuestro segundo llamado es apoyar a nuestra Diócesis. Quiero agradecer a todos ustedes que ya han dado a la Apelación del Servicio Católico. Nos gustaría tener mucha participación este año también. Y cualquier cantidad que recaudemos sobre nuestra meta permanecerá en nuestra parroquia para financiar nuestros propios ministerios. Si aún no ha entregado la contribución a la Campaña de los servicios católicos, tiene tiempo para enviarla por correo o puede entregarla en la parroquia aquí la próxima semana o en las próximas semanas. Ahora escucharemos el mensaje del obispo.

27 January 2019 - Catholic Service Appeal - Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21

       As we hear about one of the first events of Jesus’ public ministry, of Jesus reading from the scroll of the Prophet Isaiah in his hometown synagogue in Nazareth, we mark our Diocese’ Catholic Service Appeal today.  The Catholic Service Appeal is an important part of funding many different programs in our Diocese.  From Hispanic ministry and campus ministry to college students, to formation for our seminarians and funding the programs of Catholic Charities, from youth programs to our mission parishes, the Catholic Service Appeal touches a lot of lives in our Diocese. Our parish has been very generous in past years in giving to the Catholic Service Appeal.  I have every confidence that we will support our Diocese again this year.   Since October, serving as the interim director of temporal affairs for the Diocese, I have working very closely with a lot of the Chancery office staff and have seen their dedication to the programs of our Diocese.  We here at St Jude in Pearl are known as a parish that always supports the Bishop and the Diocese, that always is there for the different ministries and programs of the Diocese.  Bishop Kopacz can thanked me many times for the support our parish gives to him and the Diocese.  For the second year in the row, we have hosted Bishop Kopacz’s Christmas part for the Chancery staff and Catholic Charities.  We host most of the training programs of the Office of Hispanic ministry in the Diocese.  We also host the Diaconate program for the Diocese, which Deacon John McGregor coordinates and which Mark Bowden is a participant.  Our first call as Catholics is to support our parish community.  Our second call is to support our Diocese. I want to thank all of you who have already given to the Catholic Service Appeal.  We would like to have a high rate of participation this year.  And any amount that we raise over our goal will stay in our parish to fund our own ministries. If you have not turned in your service appeal contribution yet, you have time to mail it in or you may turn it into the parish here next week or in coming weeks.  We will now hear the Bishop’s message.

25 January 2019 - The Conversion of St Paul - (Friday of the 2nd week of Ordinary Time) - Acts 22:3-16

      In the history of the Catholic Church, no conversion has had greater consequence than St. Paul’s conversion. Paul had not been ambivalent toward the Church before his conversion.  We hear him testify very honestly throughout his letters in the New Testament, including the reading we hear today. To the contrary, Paul was never ambivalent about anything, as he had actively persecuted the Church prior to his conversion. At the very least, Paul had stood by while Stephen was stoned to death.  Paul may have even thrown some of the rocks himself.  But Paul was converted and transformed.  It was God who changed him. Through Paul’s transformation, Christianity was transformed too. It was not just Christianity that was transformed through Paul.  The entire world was transformed as well.  Today’s feast celebrates Paul’s transformation and conversion.  

       What if Paul’s conversion never took place? What if St. Paul had remained a zealous jew and had never converted to the way of Jesus?  What if Paul had never been called to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles?  What if he had never written his letters and had never traveled on his missionary journeys?  It would be safe to say that the world itself, not just the Church, would be a very different place than it is today.  Perhaps if it was not for Paul, Christianity would have remained confined to Israel for many more centuries before breaking out into wider Europe. We will never know.  

      As we celebrate Paul’s conversion today, let us think about all the ways we still need conversion in our own lives.  Let us pray with St Paul for the conversion of our brothers and sisters.  And our own conversion as well.  

24 January 2019 - Thursday of 2nd week in ordinary time – St Frances de Sales – Bishop and Doctor of the Church – Mark 3:7-12

      Jesus and his disciples are trying to get a break from the crowds that are pursuing them.  He is performing miracles and curing the sick, and even the unclean spirits recognize him and bow down before him.  It strikes me that while we have been hearing about the Pharisees in the last couple of days criticizing Jesus for not obeying the Sabbath, the everyday people in the crowds see Jesus as someone special who proclaims the true kingdom of God through his works and actions.

         The circumstances in which we live out our faith can be very challenging indeed.  In our modern world, we Christians can receive a lot of criticism for the way we try to live out God’s laws.  Frances de Sales, the saint whom we celebrate today, had his challenges as well.  He was assigned to a region just outside of Geneva, Switzerland right after the Protestant reformation.  Geneva was a center of Calvinism, so it had become very anti-Catholic.  Yet, rather than being critical of Protestantism, Frances de Sales concentrated on preaching the word of God with joy and enthusiasm and vigor.  He was not even allowed to enter Geneva when he was made the bishop of that city, so he had to administer his duties from about 50 miles away.  Many people saw the depth of his faith and holiness, and he won over many converts.  He was respect by many people in positions of power, including kings, princes and popes. He was named a Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius IX in 1877.  He is well known for his spiritual writings, especially Introduction to the Devout Life, which tried to guide the laity down the road to holiness in their daily lives of faith.  Thus, it seems logical that Frances de Sales is the patron saint of writers and journalists.

         In the reality of our own lives, no matter what our ups and downs, may we feel that call to holiness in our hearts, and may we be every mindful of the way God is present in that reality. 

23 January 2019 - Wednesday of the 2nd week in Ordinary Time – Mark 3:1-6

     We continue to hear from the beginning of the book of Mark in our Gospel readings this week.  Yesterday, the Pharisees observed the disciples of Jesus picking up grain from the fields and eating it, accusing them of working on the Sabbath, a practice forbidden under Jewish law.  Today, the Pharisees are watching to see if Jesus is going to cure a man of a withered hand on the Sabbath, again forbidden under Jewish law and custom.  It amazes me how the Pharisees are always trying to trap Jesus, to get him into trouble.  They don’t see the joy and the wonder in what he is doing to proclaim God’s kingdom.

      Yet, contrary to the attitude that we see in the scribes and Pharisees, we see many devout examples of humility and faith in members of the community of saints.  Marianne Cope, the oldest of 10 children, was born in Germany in 1838 and was brought to New York state by her parents when she was still a baby. She was the oldest of ten children. Her parents struggled in their new country, so Marianne quit school after eighth grade to work in a factory to financially support her family. Despite the many challenges in her life, she entered religious life in 1862 as a professed Franciscan sister. She taught in German-speaking Catholic grade schools and became a school principal. Later, she and her order opened some of the first hospitals in that area of New York state.  In her 40s, when she was the superior general of her order, she was asked to send some of the sisters to serve in ministry in Hawaii.  Not only did she send 6 sisters, she went herself.  

        Sister Marianne and her Franciscans sisters worked in two hospitals, opened a home for the daughters of lepers, and, after then, they opened a home for women and girls on the island of Molokai when Father Damien was living out his last days after coming down with leprosy himself from his ministry with the lepers. Sister Marianne nursed Father Damien in his last dying days. They continued Father Damien’s ministry on Molokai.  Sister Marianne stayed on that island 30 years until her death in 1918.  She was canonized by Pope Benedict in 2012, three years after Father Damien himself was canonized.  Sister Marianne’s life and ministry stand as a testimony of faith for all of us more than 100 years after her death.  May we unite our prayers with her prayers today.  

22 January 2019 - Tuesday of the 2nd week in Ordinary Time - Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children - Matthew 2:23-28

     The Gospel today talks about the importance of keeping the Sabbath.  But, more importantly, we are called to respect the spirit of the Sabbath.  Today, we mark a day that our US Bishops want us to remember with humility and shame.   It is a day of penance and mourning in which we recognize the 46th anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade decision by the United States Supreme Court that legalized abortion in our nation.  We mourn the existence of a law that contradicts the Gospel of life of our Catholic faith.

         In seminary, one of the textbooks that we used in our course on Peace and Justice was entitled Catholic Social Teaching: Our Best Kept Secret.  Why should Catholic Social Teaching be such a secret if it is an essential part of our Catholic faith?

         The starting point of Catholic Social Teaching is the value of the human person, recognizing that we’re all made in God’s image and that we’re all redeemed by our Savior, Jesus Christ.  We are all precious and unique as human beings.  Our value is rooted in who we are as human beings, not by what we do or by how much wealth we have.  All of our Church’s social teaching begins with and builds upon the foundation of human dignity.

         As part of this holistic view of human dignity, our Church teaches the value of human life as a seamless garment from the moment of conception to the moment of natural death.  Our human dignity is threatened not only by legalized abortion and euthanasia, but also by such policies that allow cloning, embryonic stem cell research, genocide, torture, racism, the targeting of non-combatants in acts of war and terrorism, and the death penalty.   As Catholics, we are not to pick and choose what we believe in regard to the dignity of human life.  The Catholic Church teaches that which was echoed in the message of the prophets of the ancient Israel: that the measure of our society, the measure of any society, is whether it threatens or enhances the life and dignity of the human person, particularly the poor and the most vulnerable in society, including unborn human life. 

         We mourn today, but we also have hope in Jesus.  We have hope in the future.  We should not fear the world.  We should not fear professing to the world what we truly believe in the Gospel of Life.  Jesus was not afraid to answer the Pharisees’ criticism, to stand up to them and tell them what the kingdom of God is all about. Jesus sent us the Holy Spirit to empower us, to give us the courage to stand up for what we belief, even if it seems so at odds with what is popular and acceptable in our secular society. Yes, we mourn today, but we also have hope in the Gospel of Life that our faith in Jesus proclaims.  May we truly live out the Gospel of Life in our lives. 

20 de enero de 2019 – el segundo domingo en tiempo ordinario – Ciclo C – La Boda de Caná - Juan 2,1-12

      El domingo pasado, tuvimos la celebración del bautismo de nuestro Señor y el fin del tiempo de Navidad.  Hoy, en el segundo domingo del tiempo ordinario, estamos con Jesús, sus discípulos, y su madre en el pueblo de Caná.  Podemos imaginar que los novios son parientes o amigos íntimos de Jesús y su familia.  Tal vez, esta boda en Caná es la primera vez que Jesús está con sus discípulos en un momento publico.  Es importante para tener una celebración muy alegre y gozosa en la boda, pero al final de la fiesta, comenzó a faltar el vino.  Su madre María se dio cuenta de esta situación grave.  Ella estaba pensando en Jesús, su Hijo, y en su necesidad de empezar con su ministerio y sus obras para proclamar el reino de Dios.  Podemos decir que María es una discípula de su hijo, y sobre todo, la primera discípula desde el momento que ella aceptó la invitación de Dios en su vida sobre el nacimiento de Jesús.  Con esta acción en la boda de Caná y con el milagro del agua convertida en vino, estaba el comienzo públicamente del ministerio de Jesús como el Mesías.  Con estas acciones de María, podemos mirar que ella sabe que su hijo está listo para iniciar su ministerio.

     Un santo muy amado, San Francisco de Asis, dijo, “Predica el evangelio siempre; cuando es necesario, usa palabras.”  Jesús lo hizo como San Francisco explicó en su milagro en Caná.   En lugar de explicar el reino de Dios con palabras, Jesús reveló la gloria del reino de Dios en el agua en las jarras convertida en vino para servir a la gente en esta boda, el vino del mejor calidad. 

      Este milagro en Caná puede tener un mensaje para nosotros hoy.  Cuando vamos al sacramento del matrimonio en nuestra Iglesia, los dos novios tienen un compromiso entre ellos mismos y con Dios.  Como católicos, miramos este compromiso como un sacramento de fe.  Como el compromiso en el matrimonio, nosotros tenemos la llamada de tener un compromiso gozoso con Jesucristo.  En nuestro mundo moderno, un compromiso es algo malo o algo inoportuno – muchas personas quieren algo desechable o provisional.  Nuestra elección para tener un compromiso de fe permanente es algo radical – contra la manera de nuestro mundo moderno.  Tener un compromiso de fe es necesario – pero solo con la gracia de Dios, podemos tener el coraje y la fidelidad necesaria para vivir en este compromiso.

       Como el aguo convertida en vino, somos convertidos en nuestro camino de fe – tenemos una conversión y transformación para ser seres sacramentales, para dar vida a nuestro mundo.  Pero, necesitamos tener la voluntad para ser convertidos, para tener confianza en Dios, y para tener un riesgo en nuestra transformación.   Necesitamos recordar que la Virgen María tenía confianza en su hijo y en su capacidad de ayudar en la boda en Caná.  Como esta agua convertida en vino, nuestras vidas también son dones de Dios.  Con este don, vamos a tener una transformación continua para ser el vino mejor en nuestro viaje de fe. 

I do not have to apologize for being a member of the Knights of Columbus

      Making the news are questions that Senator Kamala Harris is asking of nominee Brian Buescher for the federal district court in Nebraska.  Senator Harris asked: “Since 1993, you have been a member of the Knights of Columbus, an all-male society comprised primarily of Catholic men. In 2016, Carl Anderson, leader of the Knights of Columbus, described abortion as “a legal regime that has resulted in more than 40 million deaths.” Mr. Anderson went on to say that “abortion is the killing of the innocent on a massive scale.” Were you aware that the Knights of Columbus opposed a woman’s right to choose when you joined the organization?…Were you aware that the Knights of Columbus opposed marriage equality when you joined the organization?….Have you ever, in any way, assisted with or contributed to advocacy against women’s reproductive rights?”

      I don’t know how to respond to this.  I am a proud member of the Knights of Columbus.  I have never met such a wonderful group of men.  They stand up for the dignity of the human being.  They defend the vulnerable and the unborn.  They help out here at the parish, doing with joyful hearts whatever I ask them to do.  We have been helping out the Carmelite sisters here in Jackson in such an amazing way - doing considerable renovations and repairs at their monastery and raising money to do so themselves.  I am proud to be a knight and I humbly serve as their spiritual advisor.  I give thanks for the Knights of Columbus, for the joy in which they live out the Catholic faith.  It should not be something for which we feel shame.  

      I think about what we do as a parish and how I live out my faith as a priest - ministering to the prisoners, serving the patients at the state mental hospital, reaching out to local college students, starting a ministry in Spanish in our parish, and reaching out to the Carmelite nuns.  All of this I do out of my spirituality as a Catholic priest and my spiritual identity as a Knight of Columbus.  I do these things with humility and generosity of spirit.  I do not have to apologize to anyone for doing so. 

17 January 2019 - Thursday of 1st week of ordinary time – Psalm 95

    “If today you hears God’s voice, harden not your hearts.”  We can hear God’s voice calling out to us in a lot of ways, but it is our choice to follow that voice or to ignore it.  There was a young man named Anthony who was born to a very wealthy family in Egypt in the 3rd century.  He heard God’s voice calling out to him in Scripture as he heard the story of the rich young man who asked Jesus for advice, and who was told to sell everything he had, to give the money to the poor, and to find his true treasure in heaven.  Anthony went into the desert; he spent 20 years in solitude and tried to battle the demons and desires that tormented him.  He acquired quite a following and much admiration.  Anthony of Egypt eventually became the founder of a monastic community, and after Athanasius wrote a biography of Anthony and his discipleship of faith, he became a great example for all of us, even for us as modern followers of Christ so many centuries later. St Anthony preceded St Benedict, the father of Western monasticism, by 200 years. Anthony offers us an example of being a monk outside of a community of monks in a monastery.

         How is God’s voice calling out to us today?  Are our heart’s hardened to his voice, or are our hearts ready to receive his call? 

18 January 2019 – Friday of 1st week in ordinary time - Mark 2:1-12

       Today, we hear of the great power Jesus has to heal.  It is so striking how the friends of this paralytic believed so strongly in Jesus’ power to heal that they even tore apart the roof of a house in order to get this man to him.  What great faith.  What strong determination.  When the scribes hear that Jesus has forgiven this man’s sins, they just cannot believe it because only God has the authority to forgive sins and the authority to unbind this sick man from his burden of guilt.  Jesus shows the great power of God’s redeeming love and mercy by healing this man of his physical ailment.  But, as we can see how this man was stricken both physically and spiritually, Jesus heals him body, mind, and soul. 

         This story of the paralytic makes me wonder if we have anything that keeps us from Jesus, if we have any burden that weighs us down.  I wonder also if we approach Jesus in the manner of the paralytic and his friends, in great faith and determination, in doing whatever it takes to break through to him?  Or, are we like the ever-present scribes, trying to trap Jesus, to subject him to criticism and scorn?  We need to remember that Jesus always knows how to deal with the scribes: by outwitting them and tricking them into stepping into their own traps. 

         As Jesus did with the paralytic, may we pray that we open ourselves to God’s merciful love and forgiveness, that it brings us healing & restoration to our lives: to our bodies, to our souls, & to our minds.  May God’s healing love touch every aspect of our lives: our thoughts, our feelings, our attitudes, our memories.  May we be transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit so that we may walk confidently in the way of the truth of Jesus.  

16 January 2019 - Wednesday of 1st week in ordinary time – Psalm 105

       “The Lord remembers his covenant forever” – this is the refrain we hear in the psalm today.  Remembering is important.  We remember our loved ones who are no longer with us.  We remember happy memories from our childhood and our youth.  We remember those who passed down the faith to us and those who made sacrifices for us so that we could succeed in life and get a good education.  However, there things we wish we did not remember, that still cause pain and suffering in our lives after the passing of so many years. Remembering both the good and the bad, the joys and the sorrows, make us who we are.  Perhaps those thing we do not want to remember comprise those difficult and challenging experiences that helped us grow and learn.  

         The Lord remembers the covenant that he makes with his people, even after the people deny him and disobey him and choose the ways of the world over his ways.  May we also remember the Lord’s covenant - a convent that has great influence on our journey through life. 

14 January 2019 – Monday of 1st week in ordinary time– Mark 1:14-20

        In today’s Gospel message, Jesus proclaims the kingdom of God.  He calls all to repent and to believe his Good News. Then, Jesus immediately calls others to be his disciples and gives them a mission to bring others into the kingdom of God.  As the first disciples, Jesus did not call scholars, or scribes, or the Temple priests, or the learned. Instead, he chose humble fishermen.  He chose people from the common, ordinary ranks of ancient Jewish society.  When the Lord calls us to serve, we must not think that we have nothing to offer.  The Lord uses us for greatness in his kingdom. 

         God calls each one of us to a vocation, just as he called these young fishermen to a specific task in today’s Gospel reading from Mark.  It is our responsibility as followers of Jesus to try to discern where God is calling us and to follow him based on that call and that discernment.  Jesus can call us in many different ways: to be a priest, a monk, a religious sister or brother, a lay ecclesial minister, a missionary, a Catholic school teacher, or a single or a married lay person as one of Jesus’ loyal disciples.  No matter what Jesus calls us to be as his followers, we are called to give glory to God, to be faithful to the Gospel, to be loyal to Jesus and to the holy Catholic Church.  May Jesus fill us with the joy of the Gospel.  May he help us to be a good witness to the kingdom of God to others. 

Retreat - Knights of Columbus - January 26 2018

Catholic Men’s Retreat 

Living out our Catholic Fatih 

Saturday, January 26. 2019

St Jude Catholic Church - Pearl, Mississippi 

Sign in - registration - 9:00 to 9:30

Retreat: 9:30 am to 4:00 pm

Retreat will include:

Monsignor Michael Flannery speaking on the Eucharist

Fran Lavelle, Director of Fatih Formation on reconciliation and forgiveness

Father Lincoln Dall on Living out our faith - prayer and reflection 

Time for morning prayer, adoration, and the sacrament of reconciliation 

Lunch and snacks included

Sponsored by Knight of Columbus - St Jude - Pearl

All Catholic Men are invited - free of charge - must register in advance - by January 21

To register - call church office at 601-939-3181

or email Father Lincoln Dall - peregrinolincoln@gmail.com

13 de enero de 2019 – El Bautismo del Señor – Lucas 3, 15-16, 21-22

    Después de las celebraciones del nacimiento de Jesucristo, después de las fiestas de la sagrada familia y de los tres reyes magos, celebramos hoy el bautismo del nuestro Señor.  Tal vez, tenemos preguntas sobre esta celebración. ?Por qué Jesús necesitaba tener el bautismo?  Él no tenia ningún pecado original y él es el Hijo de Dios por su naturaleza.  También, él no necesitaba un proceso de purificación como nosotros, los seres humanos con nuestros pecados.  En verdad, cuando yo enseñaba una clase de confirmación para los jóvenes en la parroquia de San Ricardo en Jackson, un joven me preguntó: ?Por qué Cristo aceptó el bautismo? - porque este acción implica arrepentimiento por los pecados.  Gregorio Nacianceno, doctor de la Iglesia, dice que “Jesús vino para sepultar la humanidad llena del pecado en las aguas de bautismo.  El vino para santificar el Río Jordán para nosotros.”  En verdad, Cristo está bautizado con nuestro bautismo y tenemos nuestro bautismo con él - bajamos con él en las aguas, y subimos con el en una vida nueva. 

     Necesitamos el bautismo para nuestra salvación.  En el bautismo de Nuestro Señor, el Espíritu Santo bajó de los cielos como una paloma para anunciar la identidad de Jesucristo.  En el momento de nuestro bautismo, el Espíritu Santo nos transformó en hijos de Dios.  En el Evangelio de hoy, Jesús vino al Jordán para estar bautizado por Juan, Juan dijo - “Es cierto que yo bautizo con agua,  pero ya viene otro más  poderoso que yo…. El los bautizará con el Espíritu Santo y con fuego”. En verdad, Juan podía bautizar a la gente con el agua e invitarles al arrepentimiento, pero él personalmente no podía darles el perdón.  El bautismo de Juan es externo y físico, mientras que el bautismo que Cristo puede darnos es interior y espiritual. 

      Nosotros, como católicos, somos privilegiados para tener el don de Dios y de nuestra fe en nuestra vida.  Muchas veces no nos damos cuenta que la presencia del Espíritu Santo nos hace ser seres nuevos, capaces de entender y ayudar a otras personas que no han terminado de aceptar a Dios en sus vidas.  Es importante para reconocer que en nuestra celebración de hoy en el bautismo del Señor, estamos celebrando nuestro bautismo también.  Y en nuestro bautismo, viene la responsabilidad.  

15 January 2019 – Tuesday of 1st week in ordinary time - Mark 1:21-28 –

       As we hear how Jesus speaks with authority to the crowds in today's Gospel, Jesus exemplifies his identity as the Son of the Father, as the word of God made flesh.  Jesus was even able to command the demons to obey him - the people wondered who could do such a thing. This Gospel reading prompts us to ask ourselves if we approach the word of God and the teachings of Jesus with the same zeal and eagerness as the man with the unclean spirit who cried out to Jesus, respectful of Jesus' authority.   If we approach God’s word and God’s authority with eagerness and enthusiasm, we are in a much better position to learn what God has to teach us in his sacred word. 

        The word of God inspired so many of the missionaries of our Church to spread this word throughout the world.  Today is the feast day of St Arnold Jansen, a parish priest from Germany who endured the persecutions of the Catholic Church under Otto von Bismarck, the leader of that country in the later part of the 19th century.  Jansen fled to the Netherlands, where he proposed sending German priests all over the world as missionaries.  This eventually led to the founding of a new religious order of Missionaries: the Society of the Divine Word.  This order of priests was approved by the Vatican in 1901.  Shortly thereafter, Divine Word missionaries came to the United States, where they founded many parishes serving the African American community in our state of Mississippi. I was a member of one of the parishes that they founded in the early twentieth century - Sacred Heart in Greenville, where my vocation to the priesthood was nourished.  The example of the Divine Word missionaries shows us that in the face persecution, we can find ways to spread God’s word and keep it alive and vital.

        May the enthusiasm and zeal of St Arnold Jansen and the other missionaries of our faith help serve as an inspiration to us all.  May God’s word continue to inspire us and motivate us in our lives. 

Pope Francis' prayer for peace - January 1 2019 - the Beatitudes of the politician

In the Pope's prayer for peace for January 1, 2019, the very timely theme chosen was: good politics is at the service of peace.  He quoted the “Beatitudes of the Politician”, written by Vietnamese Cardinal François-Xavier Nguyễn Vãn Thuận, a faithful witness to the Gospel who died in 2002.  In a world where so many politicians are less than civil, who look out for the interests of a few rather than the many, these beatitudes are very refreshing indeed.  

Blessed be the politician with a lofty sense and deep understanding of his role.

Blessed be the politician who personally exemplifies credibility.

Blessed be the politician who works for the common good and not his or her own interest.

Blessed be the politician who remains consistent.

Blessed be the politician who works for unity.

Blessed be the politician who works to accomplish radical change.

Blessed be the politician who is capable of listening.

Blessed be the politician who is without fear.

20 January 2019 – 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time – cycle C – John 2:1-11

     “They have no wine.”  Those are the first words that we hear come out of Mary’s mouth in John’s Gospel today.  So often, we see Mary noticing something that the others don’t. Mary always displays a great openness to God’s will in her life and in the lives of others. So, it is Mary’s willingness to be open to God and to be attuned to God’s will, that allows her to notice that they are out of wine at this joyful wedding feast.  Of all the people at the wedding, Mary was the only one who knew about Jesus and what he was capable of.  At this point, Jesus had not performed any miracle or healing, he hadn’t proclaimed God’s kingdom yet to the people of Israel. So, logically, when Mary discovers that they are out of wine, she turns to her son, Jesus.

      But Jesus’ response might surprise us: How does your concern affect me?  This is not my hour yet.  We sense that he is telling Mary to mind her own business.  Yet, Mary doesn’t give up, does she?  Mary, strong and tenacious, trusts that Jesus would solve the problem.  Mary trusts in God.  She knows that the hour has come for Jesus.  She knows that her son might need a little shove from his mother in order to get started.

       That takes us to Mary’s second line in today’s Gospel, as she turns to the wine steward and says: “Do whatever my son tells you.”  Could anyone give better advice than that?  Do whatever Jesus tells you to do.  As always, Mary points us to Jesus.  She never draws attention to herself.  She never wants accolades or honor or glory.  She quietly yet courageously points us to her son. We cannot go to Mary in our prayer petitions, we cannot pray the rosary, we cannot celebrate a Marian holy day in our Church without realizing that it will all be directed to Jesus, that he is at the center of whatever we bring to Mary. The more we grow in our love and devotion to Mary, the more we grow in our faith in Jesus.

         There is only one other appearance of Mary in John’s Gospel besides the Wedding of Cana. John next shows Mary at the foot of her son’s cross as he is being crucified, as his other disciple had fled in fear for their own lives. From the cross, Jesus makes Mary the spiritual mother of his beloved disciple, John.  In that same action, Jesus symbolically makes Mary the mother of all who believe in him.  Through Mary’s concern and prayers, we Catholics believe that she helps encourage the work of her Son, that work that he first began at the Wedding of Cana.

          Ultimately, we can see this Gospel story of the Wedding of Cana as a story of transformation.   Just as Jesus transformed the water into wine, we're transformed on our journey of faith.  We're transformed into sacramental beings, into a life-giving presence in our world, just as the wine was transformed to give joy and life to the wedding guests.  But, we must be willing to change.  We must be willing to trust and risk transformation, just as Mary trusted Jesus to take care of this situation at the wedding.

          The miracle at the Wedding at Cana is such a marvelous story for us to share together as a community of faith.  It calls us to joyfully re-commitment ourselves to live the Good News of Jesus Christ each day of our lives.  It calls us to be open to transformation and renewal.  Our lives are like the water that was transformed by Jesus.   Indeed, our lives are a gift from God that will be continuously transformed into the finest wine along our journey of faith.