11 January 2025 - homily for Saturday after Epiphany - 1 John 5:14-21

We are coming to the end of the Christmas season. Tomorrow we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord, and then on Monday we return to Ordinary Time as we lead up to the holy season of Lent in early March. We have been hearing from the first letter of John this week during the Christmas season in our first readings. We hear a prayer today for sinners. It starts out by saying that we need to ask of God in our prayers according to his will. We may have our own will, what we want, but we need to be attuned to the will of God. This reading asks us to pray to God for those who have sinned. One of the things I face with the prison inmates is their struggle with addictions. So many of them cannot resist the temptation to return to drugs, which are unfortunately readily available in the prison. Many of these men also have terrible struggles with mental health issues, so all of this is very complicated. Regarding the addictions to drugs: many of them know they are doing wrong but the temptation is just too much. But prayer is powerful. And I will not give up in my prayers for them. 

Today, we celebrate the anointing of the sick. All of you know the confidence I have in this sacrament and the healing that can come from it. In these days at the end of the week, I will offer this sacrament in my parish in Clinton, to all of you here at the Carmelite monastery, and to the prison inmates as well. I feel it is important to offer this sacrament to all of you on a regular basis. Just as there is power in our prayers, there is great power is the sacraments of the Church, especially when they are received in faith and when we try to attune them to God’s will for us. 

prayers of the faithful - Catholic funeral Mass

Priest:  My brothers and sisters, Christ is risen from the dead and is seated at the right hand of the Father, when he intercedes for us.  In confidence, we now join our prayers to his prayers as we pray for our brother _______. The response to each prayer will be: Lord hear our prayer.  

1. In baptism, our brother was given the pledge of eternal life. May he now be admitted to the company of the saints. We pray to the Lord.  

2. For our brother, who ate the body of Christ, the bread of life, that she may be raised up on the last day. We pray to the Lord. 

3. For our brother’s family and friends, that they may be sustained by their faith and by the knowledge that they will be reunited with their brother one day in God’s heavenly Kingdom. We pray to the Lord. 

4.  Many friends and members of our families have gone before us and await the Kingdom. Grant them an everlasting home with your Son.  We pray to the Lord. 

5. Many people die by violence, war, and famine each day.  Show you mercy to those who suffer so unjustly there sins against your love. Gather them to the eternal kingdom of peace. We pray to the Lord. 

6. For all the prayers that we hold in the silence of our hearts today. We pray to the Lord. 

Priest: Lord God, giver of peace and healer of souls, hear the prayers of our Redeemer and the voices of your people.  Grant all those who sleep in Christ a place in your kingdom. We ask this through Christ our Lord.  AMEN.  

Prayers of the faithful - 31 January 2025 - Friday of the 3rd week in Ordinary Time

Lord Jesus - You call us to be missionary in spirit. 

Christ Jesus - You bring us hope. 

Lord Jesus - You bring us your Good News. 

With hope and faith, let us bring our prayers to our heavenly Father: 

1. That God will help Pope Francis lead the Church to greater service, love, and unity. 

2.  We pray that all Christians may cooperate and collaborate together to proclaim the Gospel and to work for peace and justice.  

3. For all who are called to bear prophetic witness, that their witness to the truth may touch hearts and be an opportunity for deeper conversion for all God’s people. 

4. For our elected officials: that the Holy Spirit will guide them in addressing issues of violence, injustice, and poverty, and to work more diligently for those who are oppressed or forgotten by society. 

5. For healing of families and communities: that those touched by violence, anger, division, or addictions may heal and reconcile and be brought to wholeness. 

6. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our heart:

We humbly present these prayers through your Son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN.   

31 January 2025 - St John Bosco - Homily for Friday of the 3rd week of Ordinary Time - Mark 4:26-34

The Saint we celebrate today in John Bosco. Born on the Island of Sardinia in the Mediterranean sea in 1815, he felt called to work with youth in conjunction with his call to the priesthood. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1841. He met a poor youth in Turin, Italy as a young priest. He instructed this youth in the faith to prepare him for First Holy Communion. He then gathered young apprentices together and taught them the catechism. After serving as chaplain in a hostel for working girls, he opened the Oratory of St. Francis de Sales for boys. Several wealthy patrons contributed money for this work, enabling him to provide two workshops for the boys, teaching them shoemaking and tailoring skills.  He became renowned for his ministry to youth, gathering other young priests together in this work. With the approval of Pope Pius IX, he founded the religious order of the Salesians in 1859, a religious order that specialized in serving the youth. he later founded an order of Salesian sisters to work with girls. He is one of the patron saints of children and youth, especially youth who are on the margins of society.  

Jesus talks to us in parables today, about a sower whose seeds sprouts into plants and a large mustard plant that grow from a small seed. Ministry usually starts with small humble efforts. Like the Salesians, which is one of the largest religious orders in the world today, it started with the ministry of one man, St John Bosco, and blossomed into a large religious order that serve youth all over the world in different ways. Jesus needs all of us to collaborate in ministry and in evangelization in order to grow the kingdom of God. There is a lot we can accomplish if we all work together. 

30 January 2025 - St Hyacintha of Mariscotti - Homily for Thursday of the 3rd week of Ordinary Time - Mark 4:21-25

The saint we celebrate today is one I had not heard of before - St Hyacintha of Mariscotti. Born in Italy in 1585 to noble family in the province of Viterbo in central Italy, she was a strong willed undisciplined young woman, so much so that her family had her shipped off to a Franciscan monastery to live out the rest of her days, since they felt they could not manage her. For 15 years in the monastery, she rebelled against the vows of poverty obedience, not fitting into monastery life at all. After a very serious illness, she had a profound conversion of heart and submitted to Franciscan life. In her converted life, she gave generously to the poor, excelled in contemplative prayer, and became so united to Christ that she had the ability to read souls and to work miracles. Her love for the poor inspired her to found two confraternities to aid them, including prisoners. She was transformed completely from her selfish self-indulgent ways. She died in 1640 at the age of 54. She was canonized a saint in 1807 by Pope Pius VII. 

In our Gospel today, Jesus tells us that no one lights a lamp and then covers it up. Our faith is meant to be a light in the world, not to be hidden. Our message is meant to be shared. Others should see us practicing our faith openly. They should know we are Christians by our words and our actions. We should be able to influence others by our Christian vision. Even a religious sister like St Hyacintha can influence others by her example of faith and by her prayers.

30 January 2025 - Prayers of the faithful - Thursday of the 3rd week of Ordinary Time

Lord Jesus - you came to bring your Good News to all - Lord have mercy. 

Christ Jesus - you came to set the captives free - Christ have mercy. 

Lord Jesus - you are the Savior of the world - Lord have mercy.  

Prayers of the Faithful: 

Priest: We unite our prayers today with St Ignatius of Antioch and with all the community of saints.  

1. For all of our Church leaders, especially Joseph Kopacz our Bishop and Pope Francis, for wisdom and courage as they lead and guide our Church. 

2. For a missionary spirit in all of us, that we may we see ourselves as missionaries who bring the Gospel message to our little corner of the world. 

3. For a spirit of vision for our communities and our nation, that our governmental leaders have a vision of leading us forward, in all are seen as integral parts of the community.  

4. For a spirit of action, that we may all practice peace and justice and a respect for life and God’s creation in our words and our actions. 

5. For a spirit of truth, that we may all look into our hearts and see the potential and vocation God has for us. 

6. For a spirit of healing for the sick and shut-in of our parish, for their care-givers and families.  

7. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts. 

Priest:  With humble hearts, we present these prayer thru your Son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever.  Amen.  

prayers of the faithful - 29 January 2025 - Wednesday of the 3rd week in Ordinary Time

Lord Jesus - you call us to have faith in you.

Christ Jesus - you call us to trust you on our journey. 

Lord Jesus - you call us to God’s love.

Priest: The Lord is at our side to support us and to guide us. Let us present our needs to God with confidence and hope.

1. That all Christians may be found ready when the Savior comes again in glory.

2. That our Church leaders may be faithful messengers of God’s healing and forgiveness.

3. For those who live in fear or anxiety, for those who struggle with addictions, depression, and mental illness, that God’s consoling word may be their support.

4. For the bereaved, whether their loss was recent or many years ago, that they may find healing and wholeness in their lives.

5. For those who suffer, in body, mind or spirit, that God’s powerful presence may help them to stand firm and bring healing into their lives.

6. For the faithful departed, that they may awake to everlasting life. We pray especially for the souls in purgatory.

7. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts. 

Priest: O Lord, you are our portion and our cup. You support us all the days of our lives.  We ask that you hear the prayers we make for all your Church and for those in need, though Jesus Christ our Lord forever and ever. AMEN.

28 January 2025 - homily for Tuesday of the 3rd week in Ordinary Time - St Thomas Aquinas - Mark 3:31-35

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. 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 try to keep him from entering 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 integrated the philosophy of Aristotle into Western philosophy in his great work the Summa Theologiae, making it 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. 

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, to do the will of God the Father. I think that is the message of the epiphany that Thomas Aquinas had while celebrating Mass. We can study our faith, but we also need to have a relationship with God and to be open to the way God’s grace and the mystery of God interacts with our lives. 

29 January 2025 - Homily for Wednesday of the 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. 

After the death of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, people who knew her shared about how for so many years she felt a dark night in her soul that made her feel so far away from God.  Yet, she 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.   

28 January 2025 - prayers of the faithful - Tuesday of the 3rd week of Ordinary Time

Lord Jesus - you bring us hope. 

Christ Jesus - you encourage us on our journey of faith. 

Lord Jesus - you draw us out of complacency. 

Priest: We now present our prayers to our heavenly Father: 

1. For the Church, that we would bring a message of healing, wholeness, and joy to our world.

2. For the world, that our governmental leaders would help us leave behind attitudes of spite, vengeance, and revenge. 

3. No matter what our status in life, whether we be engaged, married, single, widowed, ordained, or in a professed religious state, may we be committed to living out the specific vocation to which God calls us.  

4. That we would be inspired toward a deeper commitment to help and welcome those who are poor, suffering, hated or marginalized by society.

5. We pray for unity for the unity of all Christians, that we would work toward healing wounds, barriers and divisions, so that together we may find more effective ways to bring healing to our broken world.

6. For all who have lost hope. May they believe that miracles can restore their lives. May they find inspiration in faith and strength through prayer.

7. For the prayers we hold in our hearts today. 

Priest: We present our prayers with humble hearts through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever.  AMEN.  

26 January 2025 - 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time - prayers of the faithful - prison ministry

Introduction: This weekend, we celebrate the Sunday of the Word of God. God’s word is celebrated and accomplished in the readings we hear at Mass today from the prophet Ezra reading publicly from the Torah after the Israelites return from exile and from Jesus reading from Isaiah from the scroll at the synagogue. May all of us grow closer to God’s word each day. 

Priest: 

Lord Jesus - you bring glad tidings to the poor - Lord have mercy. 

Christ Jesus - you proclaim liberty to set the captives free - Christ have mercy. 

Lord Jesus - you proclaim freedom to the oppressed - Lord have mercy. 

Prayers of the faithful:

Priest: Each one of us is a necessary part of Christ’s body. As vital parts of his body, we now express our needs in confidence that our voices will be heard in our prayers today:

1. For our Church leaders and governmental leaders, that they reach out and bring hope to the poor, the oppressed, and the imprisoned. We pray to the Lord. 

2. For consecrated members of religious orders, especially for those who work with the poor, the oppressed, the prisoner, and the elderly, that their ministry may be fruitful signs of what we are all called to do as disciples of Christ. We pray to the Lord. 

3. That all of our students and teachers grow together in knowledge, moral character and faith. We pray for a good school year for all of our children. We pray to the Lord. 

4. We pray for victims of the Holocaust in World War II and for all who are prosecuted for their faith in the world today. We pray for religious unity and solidarity. We pray to the Lord. 

5. In this Jubilee Year of hope, may we be inspired to spread that hope to those in desperate circumstances. We pray to the Lord. 

6. For the sick and the shut-in. For all who need healing in body, mind, or spirit. We pray to the Lord. 

7. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts today. We pray to the Lord. 

Priest: Heavenly Father, may we never forget that your son always remains with us and that he is the fulfillment of the prophecy of the prophet Isaiah. We ask that you hear the prayers that we make in the spirit of the Lord, Jesus Christ, our Savior forever and ever. AMEN. 

26 January 2025 - 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time - prayers of the faithful

Introduction: This weekend, we celebrate the Sunday of the Word of God. God’s word is celebrated and accomplished in the readings we hear at Mass today from the prophet Ezra reading publicly from the Torah after the Israelites return from exile and from Jesus reading from the scroll of the prophet Isaiah at the synagogue. May all of us grow closer to God’s word each day. 

Priest: 

Lord Jesus - you bring glad tidings to the poor - Lord have mercy. 

Christ Jesus - you proclaim liberty to set the captives free - Christ have mercy. 

Lord Jesus - you proclaim freedom to the oppressed - Lord have mercy. 

Prayers of the faithful:

Priest: Each one of us is a necessary part of Christ’s body. As vital parts of his body, we now express our needs in confidence that our voices will be heard in our prayers today:

1. For our Church leaders and governmental leaders, that they reach out and bring hope to the poor and the oppressed. We pray to the Lord. 

2. For consecrated members of religious orders, especially for those who work with the poor, the oppressed, the prisoner, and the elderly,  that their ministry may be fruitful signs of what we are all called to do as disciples of Christ. We pray to the Lord. 

3. That all of our students and teachers grow together in knowledge, moral character and faith. We pray for our Catholic schools and our public schools. We pray to the Lord. 

4. We pray for victims of the Holocaust in World War II and for all who are prosecuted for the faith in the world today. We pray for religious unity and solidarity. We pray to the Lord. 

5. In this Jubilee Year of hope, may we be inspired to spread that hope to those in desperate circumstances. We pray to the Lord. 

6. For the sick and the shut-in. For all who need healing in body, mind, or spirit. We pray to the Lord. 

7. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts today. We pray to the Lord. 

Priest: Heavenly Father, may we never forget that your son always remains with us and that he is the fulfillment of the prophecy of the prophet Isaiah. We ask that you hear the prayers that we make in the spirit of the Lord, Jesus Christ, our Savior forever and ever. AMEN. 

 

26 January 2025 - reflection on Word of God Sunday - 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time - Bulletin reflection

The third Sunday in Ordinary Time was designated as the Sunday of the Word of God by Pope Francis back in 2019.  Sunday of the Word of God is to be devoted to the celebration, study, and dissemination of God’s holy word. Recalling the importance given by the Second Vatican Council to rediscovering Sacred Scripture for the life of the Church, Pope Francis explains that this celebration has ecumenical value with other Christian denominations, since the Scriptures point out, for those who listen, the path to authentic and firm unity. For me, the process of writing homilies and delving into the word of God in that way has help me keep Sacred Scripture at the center of my life as a priest. I encourage all of you to find ways to delve into God’s word as an integral part of your life of discipleship. Father Lincoln. 

26 January 2025 - homily for 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time - homily for Word of God Sunday - I Corinthians 12:12-30 - Luke 1:1-4 and 4:14-21

At the beginning of Advent in December we started our Church’s new liturgical year. We hear primarily from the Gospel of Luke at our Sunday masses in Cycle C of the readings that we will hear this year.  We hear from the very beginning of Luke today. Luke addresses the Gospel to Theophilus. Who could this be? “Theophilus” can be translated to mean “friend of God” or “loved by God.” Some scholars speculate that Luke addresses the Gospel to a generic “Theophilus” or any “friend of God.” This was thought to be so because Luke’s Gospel speaks to a wide audience. In the Acts of the Apostles, which Luke also wrote, he tells of the spread of the faith amongst early believers around the ancient Mediterranean world. However, other scholars believe that Theophilus was a specific person, perhaps a relative of the emperor or a Jewish high priest in Jerusalem. All of this is conjecture, because we do not know for sure. 

Luke states that “many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the events (of our Lord Jesus Christ) that have been fulfilled among us,” Scholars believe that Luke was aware of the Gospel of Mark, which was written before Luke’s Gospel. Some of these other narratives have been lost and are now unknown to us. Luke writes of his own intentions of writing his Gospel, of wanting to present a complete and accurate testimony for us. Some stories found in Luke, such as the birth narrative of Jesus in Bethlehem, are not found in the other Gospels. Each Gospel has its unique style and perspective. As Luke states in this opening passage that Jesus came to bring glad tidings to the poor and the needy, we have a strong message on the justice and mercy that Jesus proclaimed in his life and his ministry as portrayed throughout Luke’s Gospel. 

In the second reading from the first letter to the Corinthians, Paul shows how we need each another to be the Church. In the Church we need committed consecrated religious and laity as well as bishops, priests, and deacons. It is similar to how in the business world, we need managers, workers, accountants, and salespersons. Just as a body has many parts that work together, we are the body of Church are to work together. 

This Sunday is designated as Word of God Sunday, which was instituted by Pope Francis in 2019. As the Pope recalled the importance given by the Second Vatican Council to rediscovering Sacred Scripture in the life of the Church, he explains that the celebration of Word of God Sunday has ecumenical value as we reach out to our brothers and sisters in other Christian denominations, since the Scriptures point out a path to authentic and firm unity. The Pope sees the Bible as the book of all the Lord’s people, not belong just to a select group. The Word of God unites all believers and makes them one people. 

Pope Francis also sees a profound link between Sacred Scripture and the faith of believers. I encourage all of you to grow in your reading of Sacred Scripture. Reading the mass readings each day is a wonderful way to have Sacred Scripture connected to our daily lives. Also, meditating and reflecting upon Sacred Scripture as a part of our 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. As we hear from the Gospel of Luke throughout the Sunday Mass reading cycle this liturgical year, may the Word of God penetrate our hearts and our lives.   

24 January 2025 - St Francis de Sales - homily for Friday of the 2nd week in Ordinary Time - Mark 3:13-19

As we hear Jesus appointing his 12 apostles in the Gospel today in order to have others to collaborate in his ministry and in his proclamation of God’s kingdom, we celebrate a great saint who preached Christ’s message in the midst of great challenges: St Francis de Sales. He was born in the 1567 in the kingdom of Savoy near Geneva Switzerland in an area that was greatly affected by the Protestant Reformation which took place in the decades prior to his birth. His family sent him to Italy to study to be a lawyer so that he would be trained to serve in the senate in Savoy, following in the footsteps of his family members. However, he decided to enter the priesthood, being ordained for the Diocese of Geneva. He was named as Bishop of Geneva at the age of 35. As a priest and as a bishop, he worked for peace and understanding with the people of this strongly Protestant region. He devoted much time to catechesis and to the conversion of souls. He is known also for his writings on the topic of spiritual direction and spiritual formation, particularly in the books Introduction to the Devout Life and Treatise on the Love of God.  Pope Pius IX named him as Doctor of the Church in 1877. I want to end with a prayer of his that very much speaks to us today in our modern world. 

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. 

24 January 2025 - prayers of the faithful - Tuesday of the 5th week in Ordinary Time

Lord Jesus - you call us to wisdom. 

Christ Jesus - you bring us hope.  

Lord Jesus - you are the beloved son of the Father. 

Priest: In joy and hope, we now bring our prayers to our heavenly Father:

1. For all who are discerning God's call or who are beginning a new path, that God will free them from their fears, guide them along the path to life, and help them to trust in faith. 

2. That we may rely upon God’s love and providence in our vocations in marriage, parenting, and employment. 

3. For a conversion of heart: that God’s Spirit will guide us in the ways we live out the teachings of Christ, and lead us to faith, hope, and love. 

4. For all those preparing for the Easter sacraments: that they may receive the Gospel message as a word of life and grow in the knowledge and love of God. 

5. For the youth preparing for confirmation and the children preparing for first holy communion, that God may continue to lead them and guide them on their faith journey. 

5. For all who feel unwelcome or unworthy before God: that God’s unconditional love may heal them and call them to deepen their faith. 

6. For the sick and the shut-in. For the repose of the souls of the faithful departed. 

7. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts. 

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

23 January 2025 - Thursday of the 2nd week of Ordinary Time - prayers of the faithful

Lord Jesus - you bring us the Father’s love. 

Christ Jesus - you proclaim God's justice and peace. 

Lord Jesus - you bring us healing and strength.  

Priest: We now present our prayers to our heavenly Father with faith and hope: 

1. That our Church would be renewed with the Holy Spirit working within us as individuals and as a community. 

2. That the Gospel of life would motivate our words and our actions, helping us to reach out to the vulnerable in society, both born and unborn.  

3. As we celebrate Word of God Sunday this weekend, that we would grow in our love and embrace of God’s word in our daily lives. 

4. That we would take practical steps in striving toward Christian unity, working in collaboration with all our Christian brothers and sisters. 

5. For healing for the sick in body, mind, and spirit. 

6. For the prayers we hold in our hearts today. 

Priest: We make our prayers out of faith and obedience through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever.  AMEN. 

23 January 2025 - Sister Marianne Cope - homily for Thursday of the 2nd week in Ordinary time - Psalm 40

Mother Marianne Cope (1838 - 1918), an immigrant to the United States from Germany, went to Hawaii went six other sisters from her religious 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.  Robert Louis Stevenson wrote a poem in her honor in 1889, expressing the love and respect that many had for her and the other sisters who cared for the lepers, for the dignity and respect that they showed their patients.  She was canonized a saint in 2012.  

Poem 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.

Our psalm states today: “Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.” I think of Sister Marianne Cope and many other sisters I met while serving in the missions, of their humility and selflessness in serving the Lord and serving their brothers and sisters, often in very humble, menial tasks. I had a ministry volunteer at the prison try to tell me that it was an insult to him and his human dignity for us to ask him to do menial tasks that are part of the ministry, that he was not going to be mistreated like that. I tried to explain to him that ministry by definition is comprised of many of those types of tasks that he might see as menial, that they should not be seen as humiliating and disrespectful, because that is certainly not the intent, and that these things have to get done, that they are a big part of our ministry. We are called to see ourselves as servants of the Lord, not as princes of the Church. We unite our prayers with Sister Marianne Cope today. 

22 January 2024 -homily for mass for the Prayer for legal protection of the unborn children - homily for Wednesday in the 2nd week in Ordinary Time - Mark 3:1-6

January 22 is the anniversary of Roe v. Wade and the day established by the Church of penance for abortion, has been formally named as the “Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children.” Even with the overturning of the Roe vs Wade decision, abortion remain legal in many states in our country. I remember for many years going down to the abortion clinic on State Street in the Fonderan neighborhood to pray for an an end to abortion. It is amazing to think that this clinic is now closed. 

We as Catholics are to be pro-life in many different ways, especially protecting human life that is most vulnerable and that cannot protect itself. We unite our prayers with Christian all around our country today, respecting the dignity of human life on its most basic level. 

Our Gospel today from St Mark has a quote from Jesus as he addresses the Pharisees, as they wonder if Jesus would cure the man with a withered hand on the Sabbath: “Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?” We are called to save life and to respect human life, which is the spirit of God’s law. In a way, that is what I see at the heart of our prison ministry and why I feel so drawn to that ministry, as the men and women in prison are very vulnerable in a lot of ways, and reaching out to them can have big affect on them and their family. 

Let us pray: Most precious Lord, you dwelt within the womb of your mother Mary, sanctifying the womb, and elevating the dignity of all human life. We pray today for the full legal protection of unborn children. We pray that every heart that supports abortion and does not support the protection of unborn human life be changed so as to experience the truth of our faith. We offer to you all our sufferings and sacrifices to help atone for every violation against human dignity committed through acts that defy the dignity of human life. We pray that you bring healing, hope, and freedom to all. Mother Mary, pray for us. Jesus, may we trust in you.

22 January 2025 - Mass of prayer for protection of unborn children - prayers of the faithful

Lord Jesus - you hear the cry of the poor

Christ Jesus - you call us to justice

Lord Jesus - you protect the vulnerable 

Priest: Brothers and sisters, let us present our prayers to God on this day of prayer and penance:

1. We pray for our Church leaders. We pray for Pope Francis, Bishop Kopacz, and all bishops. May they lead us in living the Gospel of life in our lives, in our words and our actions. 

2. We pray for governmental leaders.  In their actions and their policies, may they protect the unborn and the most vulnerable in society.  

3. May we care for all of God’s creation, for the environment, and for our natural resources. May we be good stewards of the earth.  

4. May you give your people bread to satisfy their hunger: their physical hunger, spiritual hunger, and hunger for justice and righteousness.  

5. May your faithful ones seek and taste the things that are above. Let them direct their work and their leisure to your glory.
6. Protect our children, our youth, our families, and our seniors. Lead us and guide us through the ups and downs of our journey here on earth. 

7. For the sick and shut in, for healing and reconciliation in the broken and wounded areas of our lives. We pray for strength for those battling addictions and mental illness.  

8. O Lord, we pray that you show the faithful departed the vision of your face. Let them rejoice in the contemplation of your presence.
9. For the prayers we hold in our hearts today.  

Prayers: Heavenly Father, as we offer prayer and penance today, we ask that you listen to the prayers we ask through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever.   

prayers of the faithful - 21 January 2025 - Tuesday of the 2nd week of ordinary time

Lord Jesus - you call us to be faithful. 

Christ Jesus - you call us to holiness. 

Lord Jesus - you are the son of God. 

Priest: We now bring our prayers to our heavenly Father: 

1. That all of us Christian may bring hospitality and compassion to our brothers and sister in need.  

2. For the unemployed, for those searching for work, for those searching for value and meaning in their lives, may the Lord lead them to meaning and to their vocation in life.  

3. For our governmental leaders, that they look beyond their own self-interests and to the good of society and to the values of our faith. 

4. For parents and teachers, that by their words and actions, they may help our children find Jesus, the Lamb of God.

5. For the elderly and all who are lonely, that they may know our support during these dark winter days. For our sick and our shut-in. 

6. For those who have died recently, and all the faithful departed, that God who delivered Jesus from death may raise them to eternal life.  

7. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts. 

Priest: God our creator, you hear our cries when we are in need.  We ask that you humbly grant our petitions, we pray you, through Christ our Lord forever and ever.  AMEN.  

21 January 2024 - St Agnes - homily for Tuesday of the 2nd week in Ordinary Time - psalm 111

St Agnes is the saint we celebrate today. She lived in the late third century. She was an important saint in the early church. She was a young girl, probably around the age of 12 or 13, when she died as martyr because of her devotion to the Christian faith. She was killed by Roman authorities at a time of great persecution. Agnes remained an example of great faith to many of our early Church fathers, so much so that the daughter of the Roman emperor Constantine built a basilica in Rome in her honor. She remains an example of faith for us in our modern era. May her courage be an inspiration to us all. 

Our psalm today states: The Lord will remember his covenant forever, that we are to praise the works of the Lord and to honor him in the assembly of the just. Many members of the early Church gave up their lives for their faith, with the only other option being to renounce their faith. We, too, can honor the Lord by our words and our actions, by how we live out our lives each day. May we always remember that.