3 February 2020 – Monday of 4th week in Ordinary Time - 2 Samuel 15:13-14, 30; 16:5-13; Mark 5:1-20

      The context of today's reading from the 2nd book of Samuel is that King David is evacuating his people from Jerusalem.  David’s son, Absalom, has stolen the hearts of the nation and has raised up a rebellion to overthrow his father as king.  David encounters a man named Shimei, who is curses David and casts stones at him, while David's men are trying to protect him. 

       Shimei reminds me of the way the media often treats heroes and celebrities in our society.  When someone is a star or a hero, we give him accolades and adulation.  But, when those same stars are down-and-out or struggling, the media seems to relish the misery and kick them when they are down.  Think of the movie stars, politicians, and sports figures who've been treated this way, and we can see similarities in how Shimei treats David.  By contrast, Jesus didn't curse people or throw stones at them or harm them when they were down or struggling, as he shows us in the healing in today's Gospel of the man possessed by demons. 

       Shimei accuses David of murder and bloodshed of Saul's family, the king prior to David.  Shimei is looking for someone to blame.  He places the blame at the feet of David.  Yet, David does not allow his men to kill and silence Shimei, as Abishai proposes to do.  David remembers his sins; he is willing to endure the abuse he receives from Shimei, perhaps in atonement and recognition of his sins.  As we recognize our sins, we are called in our faith to repent and to do penance for them. Perhaps David is moving in the right direction here.

       We are just entering the month of February.  In the last week of this month, we will be entering the holy season of Lent.  Perhaps this is a good reading for us to reflect upon so that we will recognize those occasions that help us gain awareness of our sins and the need for repentance and conversion.

Novena for nine days for life - reflection for day nine

We call on the Holy Spirit to help us to build a culture of life and respect for the dignity of every human being - that is the message we get today on this last day's reflection for the novena for nine days for life.  Without the Holy Spirit, we will not prevail.  

"God has carefully, tenderly created every person in His own image and likeness, to be in a loving relationship with Himself. From each tiny child knit within a mother’s womb, to every person approaching death, all are loved perfectly and completely by God. 'It is therefore a service of love,' Pope Saint John Paul II explains, 'which we are all committed to ensure to our neighbor, that his or her life may be always defended and promoted, especially when it is weak or threatened [emphasis added]' (Evangelium vitae 77).

"In a world in which the most vulnerable are so often overlooked and disregarded, Christ calls us to embrace and uphold the unconditional dignity of every human life. In answering this call, we help to build 'a new culture of life, the fruit of the culture of truth and of love' (EV 77). May the Holy Spirit continually renew us as we strive to faithfully defend God’s gift of life."

Novena for the nine days for life - day eight

As we reflect upon our laws as to whether they threaten or protect human life, I reflect upon the stark reality we have the community where I live.  I the towns of Brandon and Pearl in Mississippi, both located in Rankin county, they have declared themselves safe cities for unborn life.  However, across the river from us, in the city of Jackson where I work, they have aggressively tried to limit the rights of people trying to pray in front of the abortion clinic and have created an environment where those trying to practice their freedom of speech feel threatened and unsafe.  Our society is so polarized right now that it is important to know our rights and to speak out for our faith, to be a part of the conversation and to be a light in the world.  

The Declaration of Independence boldly affirms that first among our inalienable rights is the right to life, given to us by the Creator. Yet despite being so solemnly proclaimed, the right to life is today threatened and often denied, particularly at the moments when life is most fragile. Our laws should—first and foremost—protect life; but currently our laws abandon the most vulnerable and violate our nation’s core principles. For “there can be no genuine justice in our society until the truths on which our nation was founded are more perfectly realized in our culture and law” (Living the Gospel of Life, 14).

Laws and policies that legalize or promote an intrinsic evil like abortion violate the virtue of justice. Those who work as public officials and civic leaders have a duty to serve the common good, and therefore have a profound obligation to safeguard this most fundamental right. As Christians, we are called to be a leaven in the world, transforming our culture from within. Through our own prayer, witness, and civic participation, we can encourage our leaders to truly answer their call to protect the rights of all people. For “there can be no true democracy without a recognition of every person's dignity and without respect for his or her rights” (Evangelium vitae 101).

Novena for nine days for life - day seven

Do we believe that human life belongs to God?  Do we believe that we are created in God's image?  If we look at the ways we disregard human life and sin against the dignity of human life, many cannot answer "yes" to those two questions.  On our journey of faith, we are called constantly to turn away from our sins, to turn to repentance and conversion, which is the theme for today's reflection for the novena for nine days for life: 

"When God fashioned the human person in His own image and likeness, He destined us for eternal life with Him. Yet because of the sin of our first parents, death entered the world. The book of Genesis recounts the first occasion in which a person takes the life of another, as Cain violently kills his brother Abel. This instance of brother rising up against brother 'at the very dawn of history is thus a sad witness of how evil spreads with amazing speed' (Evangelium vitae 8). 

"From the time of creation, disregard for human life has continued to spread. When we, like Cain, allow sin to find a place in our hearts, we become blinded to the truth. Sometimes this blindness might be so deep that we fail to recognize the undeniable humanity of unborn children. We may even tragically believe the lie that abortion is an act of compassion. But we know that 'life, especially human life, belongs only to God: for this reason whoever attacks human life, in some way attacks God himself' (EV 9). Let us pray that all who support abortion encounter the transforming love of the Father and, with repentant hearts, seek His mercy."

2 de febrero de 2020 - La presentación del Señor - Lucas 2:22-32; Malaquías 3:1-4

       Hoy, celebramos la Presentación del Señor en el Templo, en lugar del cuarto domingo del Tiempo Ordinario, ya que esta celebración es un domingo este año. El Evangelio de Lucas registra la manera en que María y José fueron fieles a las leyes de Dios por el pueblo judío. Para todos los varones primogénitos, la madre del niño debía abstenerse de todas las prácticas rituales religiosas durante 40 días después del nacimiento.  Luego, se le pidió que ofreciera un sacrificio al Señor para dar gracias por el nacimiento de su hijo.   María y José ofrecían 2 tórtolas como sacrificio.  Este sacrificio hecho por el primogénito judío se hizo en memoria cuando Dios salvó al primogénito de los judíos durante la Pascua en Egipto.  No se requería que la purificación de la madre y el sacrificio por el primogénito estuvieran en el Templo.   Sin embargo, María y José querían cumplir con todas las prescripciones de la ley judía en el Templo de Jerusalén, donde se convierte en el medio de ofrecer al Hijo de Dios al Padre que lo envió a nosotros para ser nuestro Redentor.
      Jesús, presentado en el Templo por sus padres, es el mensajero del pacto anunciado por el profeta Malaquías.   La fe de María y José estaban en el Templo ese día para consagrar a su Hijo a Dios de una manera especial.   El Espíritu del Señor guió a Jesús y a sus padres ese día.
      Nuestra celebración de la Presentación del Señor en el Templo a menudo se conoce como "Candelaria" en honor de la profecía de Simeón en el Evangelio de que el niño Jesús que se presenta en el Templo sería una luz de revelación a los gentiles y la gloria para el pueblo de Israel.   Es por eso que bendecimos las velas que usamos en nuestra Iglesia al comienzo de la misa de hoy.  Podemos ver la luz de estas velas que simbolizan la luz de Dios viviendo dentro de nosotros y manifestándose en nuestra fe y obras de caridad.
       Es importante para celebrar nuestras tradiciones católicas, celebrando los caminos de la fe.   Como sacerdote, a menudo me preguntan por qué tenemos santos en nuestra Iglesia y por qué celebramos a los santos de una manera especial.   Para explicar esto, uso una analogía que es fácil de entender.  Podemos pensar en los héroes que tenemos en nuestras vidas, las personas que nos representan los valores que consideramos importantes. Tengo esta foto de Abraham Lincoln que mi padre colocó en mi habitación cuando yo nací, una foto que estaba colgada en la habitación de mi padre cuando crecía, como Lincoln en un nombre común en mi familia. La Iglesia ve a los santos como héroes de la fe para nosotros, y más que eso, una comunidad de santos que nos ayuda y nos guía a través de sus oraciones e intercesiones. Junto con las velas que bendecimos al comienzo de la misa de hoy, tenemos la bendición tradicional  de las gargantas en honor a San Blas.  Celebramos el día de San Blas el 3 de febrero de cada año.  Blas era un médico que vivía al inicio del siglo IV.  Cuando murió el obispo de Sabastea en el país de Armenia, Blas fue nombrado para seguirlo como obispo por la parte de su gran reputación de santidad, tanto en palabras como en ejemplos.  Durante un tiempo de gran persecución, Blas fue arrestado y fue llevado a la cárcel.  Mientras se la llevaban, una madre angustiada, cuyo único hijo se estaba ahogando con una espina de pescado, se arrojó a sus pies e imploró su intercesión. Tocado por su dolor, Blaise ofreció sus oraciones, y el niño se curó.  En consecuencia, se invoca a San Blas para protección contra lesiones y enfermedades de la garganta, por lo que hoy tenemos esta bendición especial de las gargantas en honor de San Blas.
        En la celebración de la fe de Jesús, María y José en la Presentación del Señor hoy, en la celebración del ejemplo de fe que San Blas vivió en su vida de santidad, nosotros tenemos la llamada de tener inspiración en nuestro camino de fe y en nuestra propia realidad para dar gloria a Dios.

27 January 2020 - Liberation of Auschwitz concentration camp

January 27 marks the anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp by Soviet soldiers at the end of WWII.  Reports state that the Russian soldiers were confused as to what they found at the camp.  What is even more interesting, is that the preservation of the camp as a testimony of the terrible things that took place there was done mostly by survivors.  Remembering both the good and the bad of history is important.  My dad was a veteran of WWII.  My mom was a college student during a lot of the war.  A recent study showed that 66% of millennials did not know what Auschwitz was.  22% of millennials said they had not heard of the Holocaust.  Yes, remembering is important. 

1 February 2020 - Saturday of the 3rd week in Ordinary Time - 2 Samuel 12:1-7A, 10-17

       “Trust the past to God’s mercy, the present to God’s love, and the future to God’s providence.”  The preceding quote is from St Augustine of Hippo, a Bishop from northern Africa who was born in the middle of the fourth century.  Augustine is one of our faith’s greatest theologians, but for most of his life as a young adult, he lived a life of earthly pleasure and irresponsibility.  That quote shows how St Augustine understood very well, especially in the reality of his own life, how all of us are in need of God’s mercy. 

For several weeks now as we journey through Ordinary Time, we have been hearing from the Old Testament books of 1st and 2nd Samuel.  Today, the reading from bring us to King David, a man certainly in need of God’s forgiveness and mercy.  David was a man of many faults and great errors.  He was quick to anger.  He was an adulterer.  He even used his power as king to have the husband of his mistress killed, a husband who was a faithful soldier who loved his country and his king.  David did all this in an attempt to cover his sins. Yet, in his heart, through this ordeal, David knew that he had sinned.  When he expressed his judgment on the man in the parable that was told by Nathan, he did not realize that he was judging himself.  However, at that point, he realized the consequence of his sins.  He was now a changed person.     

In spite of his sins, in spite of the consequences he knew he would endure, David repented.  He confess his sins.  And he received forgiveness from the Lord.  

Pope Francis states: “Let the Church always be a place of mercy and hope, where everyone is welcomed, loved, and forgiven.”  Let us never forget God’s mercy.  Let us all feel called to be instruments of God’s mercy.  

Novena for nine days for life - day six

Today's Gospel for Life reflection for the novena for nine days for life talks about the sacrifices we sometimes must make for the Gospel of Life, especially the sacrifices mothers sometimes must make to give up their child for adoption.  May we follow the Gospel of Life in our lives, no matter how difficult it may seem. 

Mothers placing their children for adoption often face many challenges along the way. One of the greatest obstacles can be inaccurately perceiving adoption as abandonment. But mothers who place their children for adoption are not abandoning their children. Rather, they are exemplifying the sacrificial love of Christ on the Cross in choosing to do what is best for their children, even at great cost to themselves. Like Christ, they pour out their bodies and souls for the sake of another. The Letter to the Hebrews reminds us that, in the face of fears and trials, we can “hold fast to the hope that lies before us. This we have as an anchor of the soul, sure and firm” (Heb 6:18-19). We pray that all mothers considering adoption would be filled with “the peace of God that surpasses all understanding” (Phil 4:7) and see the beauty of their sacrifice. Let us all cling fast to the anchor of hope, for we have received “a spirit of adoption, through which we cry, ‘Abba, Father!’” (Rom 8:15).

Novena for nine days for life - day five

Below is the reflection for the novena for nine days for life.  All of us are sinners.  All of us sin against the Gospel of Life in one form or another.  We are called to repent from our sins, to respect human life, to be evangelizers of the Gospel of Life in the world.  No matter how we have sinned, no matter how severe, the Lord calls us back like he welcomed back the prodigal son. 

"After more than four decades of legalized abortion, many children’s lives have been ended, and many parents and family members suffer that loss—often in silence. Yet God’s greatest desire is to forgive. No matter how far we have each strayed from His side, He says to us, 'Don’t be afraid. Draw close to my heart.' Be assured that it is never too late to seek God's forgiveness in the Sacrament of Reconciliation." 

"Consider the parable of the Prodigal Son. After repenting of sinning against his father, he returns from far away to seek forgiveness and work as a servant. But the father sees him approaching, runs to warmly embrace him, and hosts a banquet to celebrate his return. So, too, does God welcome all of His repentant children, no matter how serious the sin. Let us turn confidently to Our Lord, Who is love and mercy,"

4 February 2020 – Tuesday of 4th week in Ordinary Time – Mark 5:21-43

     A synagogue official comes to Jesus to get help for his sick daughter.  A woman who had been sick for many years and who received no relief from her medical care reaches out to Jesus, believing that only touching his garment will bring her relief.  Both of these individuals were very bold and provocative in reaching out to Jesus.  They reached out through barriers and fears and any inadequacies they felt.  But, most importantly, they reached out in faith.  So often our fears can hold us back and immobilize us, making it difficult to reach out in faith.  The synagogue official’s fears are brought to reality when he is told that his daughter has died.   However, Jesus’ response to him is the same response he gives to all of us: “Do not be afraid; just have faith.”  The Buddhists have a saying: “A journey of 10,000 miles begins with one step.”  Sometimes having faith starts with that one little baby step.  We have to step out into the unknown sometimes.  We have to step out of our fears and out of the darkness.  That is all it takes. 

2 February 2020 – Feast of the Presentation of the Lord – Luke 2:22-32, Malacai 3: 1-4

        Today, we celebrate the feast of the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple, rather than the 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time, since this feast falls on a Sunday this year. Luke’s Gospel records the way Mary and Joseph were faithful to God’s laws given to the Jewish people.  For all firstborn males, the mother of the child was required to refrain from all religious ritual practices for 40 days after the birth.  At that time, she would offer a sacrifice to the Lord to give thanks for her child's birth.  The normal sacrifice would be a lamb and a turtledove, but if the mother was poor, it could be a pair of turtledoves or young pigeons.  Mary and Joseph offer up two turtledoves, emphasizing that Jesus was born to poor simple family of deep faith.  This sacrifice made for the first-born Jewish son was done in memory of how God saved the firstborn of the Jews during the Passover in Egypt. The purification of the mother and the sacrifice for the firstborn son was not required to be in the Temple. However, Mary and Joseph wanted to fulfill all the prescriptions of the Jewish law in the Temple in Jerusalem, where it becomes the means of offering the Son of God to the Father who sent him to us to be our Redeemer and Savior. 
     Jesus, presented in the Temple by his parents, is the messenger of the covenant foretold by the prophet Malachi.  The faith of Mary and Joseph brought them to the Temple that day to consecrate their son to God.  The Spirit of the Lord led Jesus and his parents that day.  In Mexico, Catholics have a special tradition inspired by the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple, as parents present their child to the Lord in mass, usually when the child is around 3 years old.  This presentation of a child to God and to the faith community in the Church comes from the parents’ desire to ask for divine protection for their child and to give  thanks for the safe arrival of their child.   In Mexico and a lot of other countries throughout the world, infant mortality rates are still high.  This custom began because parents wished to give thanks to God and the Virgin Mary for the survival and ongoing good health of their child.  The presentation of a child is not one of the 7 Sacraments recognized in our Church, but it is a special tradition by which these members honor God and live out their faith. 
      Today’s feast of the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple often is referred to as “Candlemas” from Simeon’s prophecy in the Gospel that the baby Jesus being presented in the Temple would be a light of revelation to the Gentiles and glory for the people of Israel.  This is why we blessed the candles that we use in our Church in the beginning of mass today.  We can see the light of these candles symbolizing the light of God living within us and manifesting itself in our good faith, good works, and good deeds.
      It is important for us to celebrate our Catholic traditions, to celebrate the ways of the faith that help lead us and guide us. As a priest, I often get asked why we have saints in our faith and why we celebrate the saints in a special way.  To explain this, I use an analogy that is easy to understand.  Think about the heroes we have in our lives when growing up, the people who represent to us the values we hold important.  I have this picture of Abraham Lincoln that my dad put up in my bedroom when I was born, a picture that was hanging up in my dad’s own bedroom when he was growing up, as Lincoln in a common name in my family.  I also had a Chicago Cubs pennant hanging up in my room as well – my parents and grandparents absolutely loved the Chicago Cubs.  The Church sees the saints as heroes of the faith for us, and more than that, a community of saints that helps us and guides us through its prayers and intercessions.  In conjunction with the candles that we blessed at the beginning of mass today, we are having the traditional blessing of the throats in honor of St Blaise, a saint whose feast day we celebrate on February 3 each year.  Blaise was a medical doctor who lived in the early 4th century. When the Bishop of Sabastea in present-day Armenia died, Blaise was named to follow him as Bishop due to his great reputation for holiness.  During a time of great persecution, Blaise was arrested and was being carted off to be put to death. While being led away, a distraught mother, whose child was choking on a fishbone, threw herself at his feet and implored his intercession. Touched at her grief, Blaise offered up his prayers, and the child was cured.  Consequently, Saint Blaise is invoked for protection against injuries and illnesses of the throat, which is why we have this special blessing today.
     As we celebrate the faith of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph in the feast of the Presentation of the Lord today, as we celebrate the example of faith that St Blaise lived in his life of holiness, may we all be inspired to live lives of faith in our own reality in a way that gives glory to God. 

31 January 2020 - Friday of the 3rd week in Ordinary Time - Psalm 51

      We hear a very well-know psalm today in our readings, a psalm that looks at our person sins with a sense of repentance and sorrow. There are several phrases that are very famous in this psalm, such as the plea: Create a clean heart in me, O Lord; renew in  me a steadfast resolute spirit.  We recognize that that our human heart needs to be recreated with all the suffering, sorrow, and failings that we go through in life.  We need God to recreate our hearts, to have our hearts molded by our faith and the values of the Gospel.  The psalmist knows that he was born guilty, that he has been tainted by original sin. He recognizes that he needs the Lord to purify him, to was him clean from his iniquities and his faults. He knows that most of all, his sins hurt God.   When St Ignatius of Loyola looked at the sins of his life, he saw a very serious matter.  He saw himself as a sinner in all its raw reality. He saw himself bound, helpless, and alienated - those were the words he used. As he looked at his sins, St Ignatius wanted to see the with a growing intensity of sorrow, to the point of even being brought to tears. Ignatius felt the weight of his sins throughout his whole being. Yes, indeed, on our journey of faith, we are to look to God for help with our sins.  God is to lead us out of sin.  Indeed, there is no other way. 

29 January 2020 - Wednesday of the 3rd week in Ordinary Time - Mark 4:1-20

      Most of you know that I love learning about the saints, both those who are officially canonized and those who are members of the community of saints who have not been officially canonized yet.  Thea Bowman, Dorothy Day, and Thomas Merton are several Americans who may become official saints one day, but even though they are not canonized yet in the Church, they are admired by many and are saints in the eyes of many for their contributions to the faith and for the way the lived out their faith.  I saw a meditation recently on a Belgian Dominican friar named Dominique Pire who died on January 30 back in 1969, but I had not heard of him before, even though he had received the Nobel Peace Prize back in 1958.  During WWII, he served as a chaplain for the Belgian resistance movement against the Nazis and provided help to the Allied forces.  His main humanitarian work happened after the war, when he founded organizations that helped refugees.  In fact, he helped found villages in Austria and Germany where refugees and displaced persons could establish a new life.  He once said:  “Let us learn, then, once and for all, to see a human bother in each person ….  Let us learn, also, once and for all, to assess a man at his true value, a value which is always infinite.”  

In a world that is so divided into factions today, where there is often so much anger and blame in the words we say to each others, Dominique Pire is a true example of the love of Christ.  The seeds that we hear about in the Gospel today truly found rich receptive soil in the life of Dominique Pire.  May our lives provide that same rich soil for Christ. 

28 January 2020 - Tuesday of the 3rd week in Ordinary Time - Memorial of St Thomas Aquinas - Doctor of the Church - Mark 3:31-35

       Who is a true family member of Christ?  Jesus tells us that when we follow him and do his will, then we are his brother and sister, then we are a member of his family.  However, that is not always so strait forward, is it?  How do we always know when we are following God’s will for us in our lives? 

       Today, we celebrate St Thomas Aquinas, one of the great theologians of our Church.  But, when he first wanted to follow a vocation in the Church as a priest, his wealthy, powerful family kidnapped him and hid him in their castle in southern Italy to keep him from going to seminary.  When he initially studied theology with the Dominican religious order in Cologne, Germany, his fellow classmates nicknamed him the “dumb ox,” since he was large in size and very quiet, and to them, he did not seem very intelligent.  Yet, his main professor, St Albert the Great, who was himself one of our Church’s great theologians, recognized Thomas’ brilliance in theology.  Thomas turned out to be one of the most influential theologians in the Catholic Church, truly a brother of Christ, truly one of his devout disciples.  Thomas adapted the philosophy of Aristotle into Western philosophy in his great work the Summa Theologiae, making it a one of the most influential works in Christian theology.  Yet, when Thomas was in the chapel at mass one day, he was contemplating the mystery of God.  The vision he had of God at mass influenced him to famously say that all his works in theology are straw compared to what God had revealed to him in that mystical vision.  With that vision, he made the decision not to finish his work on the Summa. 

        Thomas Aquinas, a Doctor of the Church from the 13th century, is honored at mass today on his feast day.  He is the patron saint of students, philosophers, and scholars.  Yet, as our Gospel tells us today, we go not have to be a great theologian or great scholar to be considered a brother or sister of Christ.  To be his brother or sister, we are called to have faith in him and to put that faith into action. 

Prayers of the faithful - Sunday of the Word of God - 26 January 2020

Penitential Rite: 
Sometimes, on our journey, we turn away from the Light. Let us now call to mind out sins and ask God for forgiveness:
Lord Jesus, you raise us to new life: Lord, have mercy. 
Christ Jesus, you forgive us our sins: Christ, have mercy. Lord Jesus, you are the word of God. Lord, have mercy.

Prayers of the faithful: 

Priest: The Lord is our light and our help.  Let us bring all our needs to God.

1. For a deep faith in all who follow Christ.  For all of our Church leaders, both lay and ordained.  

2. For harmony among nations and the defeat of violence, war, and terrorism. 

3. That all of us may grow closer to the word of God.  

4. For Catholic schools, that they may be places of faith and learning. 

5. For students of all ages, that they may grow in wisdom and knowledge.  

6. For the healing and strength of those who suffer.  

7.  For the repose of the souls of the faithful departed, that they may live forever in the house of the Lord. 

Priest: O Lord, our light and our help, you refresh our hope and give us fresh heart: grant our prayers, we pray, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Novena for 9 days for life - day four

Fatherhood has its origins in God, who chose to reveal himself to us as Our Father, sending his only Son for the sake of our salvation. Fathers therefore have a special role “in revealing and in reliving on earth the very fatherhood of God” (Familiaris consortio 25). Pope John Paul II said fathers are called to exhibit “generous responsibility for the life conceived under the heart of the mother” (FC 25). They are uniquely entrusted with the protection and defense of both mother and child and, in this way, in safeguarding the sanctity of human life.

As evidenced in our world today, the role of the father “is of unique and irreplaceable importance” (FC 25). Often women choose abortion because they do not have the support of the child’s father, or—even worse—the father of the child pressures her to make the decision to abort. At the same time, it is important to acknowledge with compassion that men can also be overwhelmed by an unexpected pregnancy and that society increasingly tells them that they should have no say in their children’s lives. In the face of these false messages, we pray that expectant fathers will find courage in the example of St. Joseph—who embraced the role of father amid difficult circumstances—and offer loving, life-affirming support to the mothers of their children. 

I always tell men that St Joseph is a great saint for us to pray with.  He can understand what we are going through as men.  He is there to help us, to lead us, and to guide us.  

Novena for 9 days for life - reflection for third day

When the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, she opened her heart to receive his message that she would conceive the Son of God in her womb. As a young, betrothed, but unmarried, woman, Mary knew that her pregnancy presented many challenges. Despite this knowledge, she faithfully responded, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). 

Like the Blessed Mother, women who unexpectedly become pregnant often face significant challenges. They, too, are called to place their trust in God and faithfully respond to His gift of new life. And we are called to walk with them in their time of need. As Jesus taught us, when we love and serve others, we are loving and serving Him. 

May all expectant mothers be encouraged by Mary’s example and receive support and grace in lovingly welcoming their children into the world.

This reflection shows how life is often raw and messy.  Things can be very complicated for us.  But God is with us in the midst of our challenges.  We in society are called to help.  

Quote from Bernard Lonergan - Method in Theology

I love this quote.  We need to be open to change and transformation in our lives of faith. 

"Be attentive, be intelligent, be responsible, be loving, and if necessary, change."  

Henri Nouwen - quote on discipline in the Christian spiritual life

I am preparing a retreat on Ignatian spirituality for this weekend.  I find this quote by Henri Nouwen on the role of discipline in our spiritual lives, which I very much liked: 

"In the spiritual life, the word discipline means 'the effort to create some space in which God can act.'  Discipline means to prevent everything in your life from being filled up.  Discipline means that somewhere you're not occupied, and certainly not preoccupied.  In the spiritual life, discipline means to create that space in which something can happen that your hadn't planned or counted on."

  

Novena for 9 days for life - reflection and prayer for the second day

Reflection: Today, on this 47th anniversary of Roe v. Wade on January 22, we mourn the many children’s lives ended by abortion and remember in prayer those who suffer the aftermath. The Church comes together today to pray for the protection of all unborn children and to make reparation for abortion, trusting that the Lord hears our prayers. 

Pope Saint John Paul II wrote, “A great prayer for life is urgently needed, a prayer which will rise up throughout the world. Through special initiatives and in daily prayer, may an impassioned plea rise to God, the Creator and lover of life, from every Christian community, from every group and association, from every family and from the heart of every believer” (Evangelium vitae 100). May that prayer arise in our hearts today and each day forward until every human being is protected in law and welcomed in love.

Prayer for Life

Father and maker of all,

you adorn all creation

with splendor and beauty,

and fashion human lives

in your image and likeness.

Awaken in every heart

reverence for the work of your hands,

and renew among your people

a readiness to nurture and sustain

your precious gift of life.

Grant this through our Lord

Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in 

the unity of the Holy Spirit,

God forever and ever.

Amen

Novena for 9 days for life - Reflection for the first day

The USCCB is promoting a novena to commemorate the Roe V Wade Supreme Court decision and promote the Gospel of life.  Here is the reflection for the first day. 

Reflection: At every stage and in every circumstance, we are held in existence by God’s love. The presence of an illness, disability, or other challenging situation never diminishes the value of a human life. God does not call us to perfection of appearance or abilities, but to perfection in love. Christ invites us to embrace our own lives and the lives of others as true gifts. 

Abortion tragically rejects the truth that every life is a good and perfect gift, deserving protection. This violent practice ends the life of a human being at its very beginning and horribly wounds all those involved. But Christ came that we “might have life and have it more abundantly” (John 10:10), taking on human flesh for the sake of our redemption. May our culture experience the power of God’s transforming love, that all eyes may be opened to the incredible beauty of every human life.

26 January 2020 - Sunday of the Word of God - Third Sunday in Ordinary Time - Cycle A - Matthew 4:12-17

       We hear a passage from Isaiah today, and then again we it again quoted in Matthew’s Gospel, showing Jesus as the fulfillment of the light that God has brought to his people.  Think about how there are many ways we Catholics experience the light of Christ in our world: in God’s holy word, in the Holy Eucharist, in the way we see God in our interactions with others, and in works of mercy and justice.  When the priest or Eucharistic minister proclaims “the body Christ” to us as we receive the host, Christ comes into our lives, nourishing our bodies & our souls in a special way.   We receive the light of the Body of Christ – we become the light of the Body of Christ.  As a seminarian, I remember the rector of our seminary telling us seminarians that we must foster a deep devotion in our hearts to the Eucharist & to the presence of Christ that is there in order to make it through any difficulty or struggle that we might encounter as priests.  And I can testify that my devotion to the Eucharist has indeed helped me many difficult times as a priest and as a lay missionary.

      The rector of our seminary also told us that as priests, not only would our devotion to the Mass help us in our priestly ministry, but that we also had to have a devotion to the Word of God.  This brings us to the special liturgical celebration we commemorate today. In September 2019, Pope Francis declared the Sunday of the Word of God in an apostolic letter that he wrote: “The Third Sunday in Ordinary Time is to be devoted to the celebration, study and dissemination of the word of God.”  Since the week of prayer for Christian unity falls on January 18-25, 2020, Pope Francis saw this a good time of the year to celebrate our devotion to Sacred Scripture, since it comes at a time when we are encouraged to pray for Christian unity.

       I encourage all of you to read this apostolic letter entitled “Aperuit Illis.”  In this document, Pope Francis states that Sacred Scripture is a gift for all of us, not just for a select group: “The Bible cannot be just the heritage of some, much less a collection of books for the benefit of a privileged few. It belongs above all to those called to hear its message and to recognize themselves in its words. At times, there can be a tendency to monopolize the sacred text by restricting it to certain circles or to select groups. It cannot be that way. The Bible is the book of the Lord’s people, who, in listening to it, move from dispersion and division towards unity. The word of God unites believers and makes them one people.”

      In addition, the Pope sees a direct link between Scripture and the way we grow in our faith:  “A profound bond links sacred Scripture and the faith of believers. Since faith comes from hearing, and what is heard is based on the word of Christ (Romans 10:17), believers are bound to listen attentively to the word of the Lord, both in the celebration of the liturgy and in their personal prayer and reflection.”

       I want to encourage all of you to grow in your reading of Sacred Scripture.  Reading the daily mass readings each day is a wonderful way to have Sacred Scripture connected to your daily life.  Also, meditating and reflecting upon Sacred Scripture as a part of your prayer life is a wonderful way for us to have the Word of God enter our lives and enter our hearts.  I am very grateful to Pope Francis for this declaration of the Sunday of the Word of God that we celebrate today.

Question - Ignatian spirituality - how do we find God in all things?

I am preparing for a retreat in Ignatian spirituality this upcoming weekend for the men of the Knights of Columbus.  I found this great question in a book written by British author Margaret Silf entitled: Companions of Christ: Ignatian Spirituality for Everyday Living.  This is definitely a good question for us to ponder on our journey of faith.  

"How do we turn the vague desire to 'find God in all things' into living reality with the power to renew and revitalize us moment by moment?"

26 de enero de 2020 – el tercer domingo del tiempo ordinario – Mateo 4, 12-23

     ¿Vivimos una vida con claridad?  ¿O, vivimos en tinieblas?   En el Evangelio de hoy, Jesús viajó a Galilea, la parte más remota de su país y la más lejana de Jerusalén.  En Galilea, Jesús comenzó a proclamar el cumplimiento del profeta Isaías – la luz ha llegado al pueblo que vivía en oscuridad, que vivía en tinieblas. 

      Cada uno de nosotros sabemos que la vida de cada ser humano tiene momentos de oscuridad, momentos de dolor y de sufrimiento.  Muchos de los grandes místicos de nuestra Iglesia, como Santa Teresa de Avila, San Juan de la Cruz, y la Bendita Madre Teresa de Calcuta, han pasado por noches oscuras que, aunque purificadoras, siempre tenían una gran carga de dolor.  En medio de la oscuridad en nuestra vida, Jesús es capaz de vernos con una profunda claridad.  Pero esta relación con Cristo requiere un esfuerzo y sacrificio por la parte de nosotros.  Con la vida nueva que tenemos en Cristo, una vida nueva que empezó en las aguas del bautismo, podemos tener claridad en medio de la oscuridad de nuestra vida.  Para nosotros, los seres humanos, muchas veces no queremos ver la realidad de nuestra vida ni la presencia de Dios en ella. Si no tenemos la presencia de Dios con nosotros, si no tenemos la luz de Cristo en nuestra corazón, las sombras de nuestras experiencias pueden ser "sombras de muerte". Con la luz de Cristo, podemos ser más humano.  En la luz de Cristo, podemos crecer en nuestra humanidad, en nuestra  espiritualidad, en nuestra mentalidad.

      Una de las grandes tragedias de la vida humana es quedar en los momentos de tinieblas y no encontrar los senderos de luz.  Cuando trabajaba con los prisioneros en las cárceles de Mississippi, cuando trabajaba con las prostitutas, los drogadictos, y las personas viviendo en las calles como misionero laico comprometido, yo encontraba mucha gente que no podía escapar la oscuridad de sus vidas, aunque ellos se daban cuenta de esta realidad.  Jesús proclamó el reino de Dios en su ministerio, pero para entrar en su reino, tenemos que convertirnos para que la luz llegue a nuestra vida. Convertirse es cambiar de la mentalidad para adquirir los criterios de Dios, pero necesitamos estar dispuestos a realizar los cambios en nuestra vida.  Muchas veces, por miedo o por comodidad, preferimos quedar en los dolores y los sufrimientos de nuestra vida.  Cuando Cristo comenzó a predicar su Buena Nueva del Reino de Dios, comenzó también a reunir discípulos.  Ellos le seguían porque se fían de su palabra. Nuestra vida cristiana no se basa en el ver milagros sino en confiar plenamente en Aquel que puede hacerlos.

     Nuestro Evangelio de hoy termina con la curación de enfermos.  Esta curación no es solamente la física sino también la espiritual.  Estamos llamados a la curación integral de nuestra vida.  Estamos llamados a la conversión.  Con eso, podemos continuar en nuestro camino de fe. 

Antes de terminar esta homilia, yo quiero hablar sobre el significado de este día: El Domingo de la Palabra de Dios, que el Papa Francisco declaró el año pasado.  Este domingo especial muestra la importancia de la palabra de Dios en nuestras vidas como cristianos.  El Papa escriba:  “La Biblia no puede ser sólo patrimonio de algunos, y mucho menos una colección de libros para unos pocos privilegiados. Pertenece, en primer lugar, al pueblo convocado para escucharla y reconocerse en esa Palabra. A menudo se dan tendencias que intentan monopolizar el texto sagrado relegándolo a ciertos círculos o grupos escogidos. No puede ser así. La Biblia es el libro del pueblo del Señor que al escucharlo pasa de la dispersión y la división a la unidad. La Palabra de Dios une a los creyentes y los convierte en un solo pueblo.”  

También, Papa Francisco mira un conexión entre la Palabra de Dios y el crecimiento de fe en nuestras vidas:  “Es profundo el vínculo entre la Sagrada Escritura y la fe de los creyentes. Porque la fe proviene de la escucha y la escucha está centrada en la palabra de Cristo (Romanos 10,17), la invitación que surge es la urgencia y la importancia que los creyentes tienen que dar a la escucha de la Palabra del Señor tanto en la acción litúrgica como en la oración y la reflexión personal.”

Cristo, la palabra de Dios, debe tener una presencia muy importante en nuestra vidas.  

Reflection for parish bulletin - 26 January 2020 - St Jude Catholic Church - Pearl Mississippi - Sunday of the Word of God

On September 30 of last year, Pope Francis declared the Sunday of the Word of God in an apostolic letter that he wrote: “The Third Sunday in Ordinary Time is to be devoted to the celebration, study and dissemination of the word of God.”  Since the week of prayer for Christian unity falls on January 18-25, 2020, Pope Francis saw this a good time of the year to celebrate our devotion to Sacred Scripture, since it comes at a time when we are encouraged to pray for Christian unity.

I encourage all of you to read this apostolic letter entitled “Aperuit Illis.”  In this document, Pope Francis states that Sacred Scripture is a gift for all of us, not just for a small select group:  “The Bible cannot be just the heritage of some, much less a collection of books for the benefit of a privileged few. It belongs above all to those called to hear its message and to recognize themselves in its words. At times, there can be a tendency to monopolize the sacred text by restricting it to certain circles or to select groups. It cannot be that way. The Bible is the book of the Lord’s people, who, in listening to it, move from dispersion and division towards unity. The word of God unites believers and makes them one people.”

In addition, Pope Francis sees a direct link between Scripture and the way we grow in our faith:  “A profound bond links sacred Scripture and the faith of believers. Since faith comes from hearing, and what is heard is based on the word of Christ (Romans 10:17), believers are bound to listen attentively to the word of the Lord, both in the celebration of the liturgy and in their personal prayer and reflection.”

I want to encourage all of you to grow in your reading of Sacred Scripture.  Reading the daily mass readings each day is a wonderful way to have Sacred Scripture connected to your daily life.  Also, meditating and reflecting upon Sacred Scripture as a part of your prayer life is a wonderful way for us to have the Word of God enter our lives and enter our hearts.  I am very grateful to Pope Francis for this declaration of the Sunday of the Word of God.  

Quote on pilgrimage - a quest for self

"Pilgrimage is a quest for self; it is about the renewal of the soul and a desire to have a life well lived.  With each step, every miles, each encounter you go deeper into yourself to find that meaning, to live the more authentic life you desire, to have no one to please or to be accountable to but yourself.  This is where you find the essential traits that pilgrims need: flexibility to change plans, to stop at the unexpected, to go with the flow, a willingness to help your fellow travelers, to step outside your needs and desires, strength to hole your tongue and endure discomfort, courage to speak a foreign language, to try new foods and even ride a horse up a mountain, awareness that your have come to be transformed by the world, every part of it."

This quote is from Pilgrimage: The Modern Seekers Guide by Evans Bowen.  I have read a lot of books on pilgrimage.  This is one of the best.  I love this quote.  It synthesizes a lot about what pilgrimage is about and why I am drawn to pilgrimage again and again.   

Quote on education - Dr Martin Luther King Jr

"The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically.  Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education."

A friend of mine from the Mississippi Teacher Corps posted this quote from Dr Martin Luther King Jr on the national day celebrating him and his ideals.  It is a great quote.  I think we have all had good and bad experiences in education.  The inner city high school I attended was an education nightmare, which included math and science teachers who had no clue about the subject matter they were supposed to teach.  On the other end of the spectrum is the seminary I attended, where I received a wonderful education, where I was taught to recognize and use my gifts, where I was taught to critically think, where I was nurtured and loved.  I have been blessed with a lot of educational opportunities in life.  May we encourage others on their educational journeys.

24 January 2020 – Friday of 2nd week of Ordinary Time - St Francis de Sales - Samuel 24:3-21

     As we hear our continuing story from the first book of Samuel, we hear about David having the opportunity to kill Saul as Saul enters the cave where David is hiding. Saul is intent on killing David himself when he enters that cave.  The mercy that David showed to Saul when he had the chance to kill him brings to mind how often revenge and vengeance are main motivators in our society today.  Especially when I was teaching high school students in Greenville, I realized how revenge and saving face drove how they lived their lives and viewed the world.  Many of these students would have been unable to show the restraint that David displayed in cutting off the end of Saul's garment and then pointing out to Saul that he could have easily killed him.  Yet, even if David had not confronted Saul and had simply allowed Saul to walk out of the cave unharmed without saying a word, the Lord would have known the reality of the situation, and in the end, it is the Lord who judges us and no one else.

St Francis de Sales is the saint of the day.   Born in the 16th century in the kingdom of Savoy near Geneva Switzerland in an area that was greatly affected by the Protestant Reformation.  As a priest, he worked for peace and understanding with the people of that region. I want to end with a prayer of his that very much speaks to us in the context of today’s first reading and in the age we live in today, an age of a lot of fear and uncertainty, which perhaps is why so many people lash out in revenge and anger so often:  

Do not look forward in fear to the changes and chances of this life;

Rather, look to them with full confidence that, as they arise,

God, to whom you belong will in His love enable you to profit by them.

He has guided you thus far in life, and He will lead you safely through all trials;

and when you cannot stand it, God will bury you in His arms.

Do not fear what may happen tomorrow;

the same everlasting Father who cares for you today

will take care of you then and every day.

He will either shield you from suffering,

or will give you unfailing strength to bear it.

Be at peace, then, and put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginations. Amen.

Quote from Sister Marianne Cope - sister to the lepers in Hawaii - feast day 23 January 2020

“We were not only willing but anxious to go and care for the poor outcasts."

Mother Marianne Cope - Sister amongst the lepers of Hawaii - poem in her honor - Written by Robert Louis Stevenson

Reverend Sister Marianne

Matron of the Bishop Home, Kalaupapa

To see the infinite pity of this place,

The mangled limb, the devastated face,

The innocent sufferers smiling at the rod,

A fool were tempted to deny his God.

He sees, and shrinks; but if he look again,

Lo, beauty springing from the breast of pain!—

He marks the sisters on the painful shores,

And even a fool is silent and adores.

Robert Louis Stevenson

Kalawao, May 22, 1889

Mother Marianne Cope (1838 - 1918), an immigrant to the United States from Germany, went to Hawaii went six other sisters from her order at the request of King Kalakaua.  The sisters cared for the leper patients there.  One of her first tasks was to care for Father Damien, who at that time was afflicted with the disease himself.  Mother Marianne died of natural causes, not from leprosy.  Stevenson's poem expresses the love and respect many had for the sisters who cared for the lepers, for the dignity and respect that they showed their patients.  She was canonized in 2012.  Her feast day is January 23.  

Poem - The Wind - Christian Rossetti

THE WIND

Who has seen the wind? 

Neither I nor you. 

But when the leaves hang trembling, 

The wind is passing through. 

Who has seen the wind? 

Neither you nor I. 

But when the trees bow down their heads, 

The wind is passing by.

I love the simplicity of this poem by English poet Christina Rossetti (1830 - 1894).  It also reminds me of a beloved Canadian novel that was published in the 1940s - Who has seen the wind - by W O Mitchell, about a little boy growing up in a small town in the Prairies of Canada, dealing with disappointment, death, and the ups and downs of growing up.  It is similar to our faith.  We see a lot of affects of our faith, but our faith can be hard to pin down.  

22 January 2020 – Wednesday of 2nd week in Ordinary Time – 1 Samuel 17:32-33, 37, 40-51

       Today, we hear the familiar story of David and Goliath.  Goliath is a professional warrior who has confidence in himself and in his abilities.  When Goliath sees David approach him, he curses David in the name of his gods and describes how he is going to destroy him and leave his flesh for the wild animals to eat.  David, on the other hand, came into this meeting having confidence that the Lord would protect him and keep him safe.  David tells Goliath that he comes against him in the name of the Lord of hosts, in the name of the God of the armies of Israel whom Goliath has insulted.  While David has confidence in God, he also does his part.  He doesn't just sit back and let God do all the work. David had work to do as well.

         David went into battle with Goliath without the armor that the ancient warriors wore into battle because it would not fit him due to his small stature.   David went into battle without the weapons an ancient warrior would traditionally use. Instead, he brought stones and a sling that a shepherd in ancient Israel would normally carry to protect his flock.  Many times, we also go through our journey of faith feeling vulnerable and ill equipped, but we need to trust in the Lord when we follow his path and his will in our lives. 

Today is the day that we commemorate a Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children.  I see our stance on the protection of unborn children as a part of our Church’s social teaching, which sees the value of human life as a seamless garment from the moment of conception to the moment of natural death.  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. 

         In our prayers for the legal protection of the unborn, we mourn and we grieve.  But, in the midst of that reality, we hope in Jesus.  We have hope for our future.  But we should not fear.  We should not fear professing to the world what we truly believe in the Gospel of Life.  Jesus was not afraid to stand up for the values of God’s kingdom. 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. 

21 January 2019 – Tuesday of 2nd week in Ordinary Time – 1 Samuel 16:1-13

        God has rejected Saul as the king of Israel due to his recalcitrance.  God sends Samuel to Jesse of Bethlehem, telling Samuel that he has chosen the new king of Israel from among Jesse's sons.  Samuel takes a look at one of Jesse's sons, Eliab.  Samuel is certain that he is the one whom God has chosen.  However, this is the response God gives to Samuel: “Do not judge from his appearance or from his lofty stature, because I have rejected him.  Not as man sees does God see, because he sees the appearance, but the LORD looks into the heart.” 

           One thing we learn in life is that we cannot really know someone's situation from what we ourselves observe and from the outward appearance, since what is going on in someone's heart can be so completely different from the outside impression.  In our society, we can get so caught up into looking at what's on the outside, to the externals that we see.  And that can be true of ourselves as well.   We are conditioned in our society to make everything look good on the outside, to give a good appearance to the world, to try to get others to think well of us.   But, it does not matter what everyone else thinks or what our appearance is.  What matters is what God sees and what God knows is going on in our hearts. 

            So, God chose David, a young man whom Samuel and the world thought to be an unlikely choice for king.  May we not be quick to judge by outside appearance.   May we cultivate virtue and integrity in our hearts.  May we not be so concerned with the superficiality of outward appearance. 

20 January 2020 – Monday of the second week of ordinary time - 1 Samuel 15:16-23

      Today, we hear the continuing story from the first book of Samuel that we've been hearing for over a week.  Today, we hear Samuel confront Israel's King Saul for having disobeyed God's orders in attacking the Amalekites.  If we remember, it was Samuel who was guided by God to pick Saul in the first place as the King of Ancient Israel. According to God’s command, Saul was to utterly destroy the Amalekites, not sparing anything, but Saul and his men took King Agag hostage and saved the best of the spoils for themselves, including sheep and cattle.   Saul used the excuse that they wanted to use the best animals to make a sacrifice to the Lord, rationalizing that they had a good reason to disobey the Lord's orders.  Their reasoning does not make a lot of sense – disobeying the Lord in order to give offerings to the Lord - but this is how Saul explains their actions.  Samuel tells Saul that his actions show that he has rejected God, so God, in turn, will reject Saul as king. 

     In some ways, in reflecting upon today's reading from the first book of Samuel, we might be felt to examine our own hearts, to look at ways that we have disobeyed not only God's commandments, but also at the ways we have rejected God’s will for us.  We may think of many reasons to justify our actions, but we need to ask ourselves if we are blindly disobeying God in our lives and not listening to what he is calling us to do. As disciples of Christ, God holds us accountable when we directly disobey him.  We are never going to be perfect, but we are called to strive toward perfection.  On our journey of faith, we are called to practice virtue in our lives, to grow in the cultivation of holiness, and to try to live the faith that we profess.   May we thank God for the many blessings he has given us in our lives.  May we look for ways to discern the will of God for us.  May we pray for the courage to implement his will.