Thursday, January 9, 2025

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.  


Sunday, January 5, 2025

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.