Thursday, September 30, 2021

4 October 2021 - Blessing of the animals - feast day of St Francis of Assisi

We are going to have the blessings of the animals this upcoming Monday (OCTOBER 4) at St Jude Catholic Church in Pearl, Mississippi at 6:00 pm in honor of St Francis of Assisi on his feast day.  Last year we had a goat, guinea pigs, rabbits, and fish in addition to numerous dogs and cats.  We always love the blessing of the animals.  Join us - all are welcome!  

Let us pray: 

    Almighty Lord, our Creator, yours are the praise, the glory, the honor and all blessings. To you alone do all things belong.  We praise you for giving us the animals, birds, fish, and all creatures which fill the world. 

    May we thank you for the presence of our pets in our lives.  Be praised for making us so happy to have our pets and to have them as our companions. 

     We ask you, O Lord, that we may be good to our pets always, so that they may be happy also.  May you help us to take care of them so that they will be content and healthy.   May you help us be good stewards of all of your creation.  

      O God, your world is so wonderful.  We pray that one day we may be able to enter into the even greater world of the kingdom of eternal life where we shall see even more wonderful things and where we shall live and love for ever.   This we ask to your eternal praise, and to our blessing, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.












Wednesday, September 29, 2021

3 October 2021 – 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Genesis 2:18-24

      We all know the creation story in the opening chapters from the book of Genesis, of how God created the universe as a fruit of his goodness and creativity.  We can imagine how God created the universe because he did not want to be alone, just as God imagined that man would not want to be alone and how man needed a partner.  The birds of the air and the wild animals of the earth, though wonderful creatures in themselves, did not provide an appropriate partnership, so God created both man and woman.  

       We can look at this creation story in Genesis from different viewpoints, which is the richness of our Catholic faith and our Catholic traditions.  Tomorrow, October 4, our Church celebrates the feast of a saint who had a deep love for all of God’s creation here on earth: St Francis of Assisi.  Even though Francis was born in the late 12th century more than 800 years ago, his teachings still speak to our modern world today.  A friend sent me this book called Care of Creation, which is a Franciscan spirituality of ecology and caring for the earth. The early Church rejected the philosophy of Gnosticism, which it later declared to be a heresy. Gnosticism saw the material world as being inferior to the spirit world; it saw a need for human beings to gain salvation from the material world.   The Church, however, saw the world as intrinsically good as a part of God’s creation.  St Francis saw a unity between human beings and all of creation.  He saw the sun and wind as his brothers, the moon and water as his sisters.  

          In recent years, as we’ve become more aware of destructive affect humans have on the environment, our Church has developed a spirituality of being stewards of God’s creation in the tradition of St Francis.  Pope Francis has been very outspoken on our need to care for the environment, calling for a courageous and responsible effort to avert the most serious effects of the environmental deterioration caused by human society.  Pope Francis sees human dignity as rooted in our obligation to care for one another, for the planet, and for all diverse creatures here on earth.

      The story of creation in Genesis and the holistic view of creation in the spirituality of St Francis of Assisi give us a great introduction for Respect for Life Month, which we kick off this first Sunday in October.  As Pope Francis declared this to be the year of St. Joseph, this year’s celebration of Respect Life Month is connected to this great saint.  Joseph was the faithful protector of both Jesus and Mary; thus, we find in St. Joseph a reminder of the way God calls us to welcome, safeguard, and defend the precious gift of human life that we receive from God himself.

      Even with the challenging circumstances surrounding Mary being with child, St. Joseph took her into his home in response to the message of the angel.  Joseph guided their journey to Bethlehem, found shelter, and welcomed baby Jesus into his life as his son. When Herod threatened Jesus’ life, St. Joseph left his homeland, fleeing with Jesus and Mary to Egypt. Like St. Joseph, we are also called to care for those God has entrusted to us, especially those who are most vulnerable.  We can follow in the footsteps of St. Joseph as protector by advocating against those things that endanger human life.

       I encourage all of you to join us in celebrating the Respect for Life this year in all of fullness of its dimensions. But beyond that, all of us as practicing Catholics should examine our own consciences on how well we are respecting life in the different ways in your daily life.  During the month of October, the Church invites all of us to pray that our society will become a culture of life – not just for our own sakes – but for the future of our world.

Tuesday, September 28, 2021

30 September 2021 - feast of St Jerome - Friday of the 26th week of Ordinary Time - Psalm 19:8-11

    This week we celebrate an amazing array of saints and feast days.  Monday we celebrated St Vincent de Paul, a French priest from the 17th century who dedicated his life to serving the poor.  Wednesday we commemorated the Archangels Gabriel, Michael, and Raphael.  Tomorrow, we celebrate Therese Lisieux, a Carmelite nun from the 19th century from Normandy, France who was named by Pope John Paul II as a Doctor of the Church.  This Saturday we commemorate the feast of the Guardian Angels.  Today, we celebrate another remarkable saint - St Jerome.  Jerome, a priest and Doctor of the Church from the 4th century, had a great fervor and passion for the faith and a great love of Scripture.  Jerome was born in Dalmatia in the modern day country of Croatia.  He is most known for his extensive theological writings and for his Latin translation of the Bible, known as the Vulgate.  The Vulgate became the Catholic Church's officially promulgated Latin version of the Bible. In fact, Jerome spent the last 34 years of his life as a hermit in the desert near Bethlehem, devoted to his literary output.  Jerome’s love of Sacred Scripture is reflected in this quote – “Ignorance of the Scriptures is an ignorance of Christ.” 

     The message of the psalm today truly reflects the message of St Jerome’s life and studies.  The psalm states: “The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart. The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul; The decree of the LORD is trustworthy, giving wisdom to the simple.”  God’s law and God’s word is to nurture us, guide us, and lead us on our journey of faith.  

       With the intercessions and prayers of St Jerome, may we grow in our love of Sacred Scripture.  May we grow to know the Jesus of the Gospels and Jesus in the reality of our daily lives.  May we be fervent and enthusiastic in our faith in the context of our personalities and the gifts that God gives to us. 

 

Prayers of the faithful - feast of St Jerome - 30 September 2021

Lord Jesus - you are the word of God. 

Christ Jesus - you are the Good Shepherd. 

Lord Jesus - you teach us in the ways of the Father. 

As we come before the Lord who tends us as his flock, let us present our prayers with simplicity of heart: 

1. For Pope Francis, Bishop Joseph Kopacz and for all our all Church leaders both lay and ordained, that the Lord may lead them and guide them as they shepherd the people of God. 

2. For our children and youth in the midst of their school year.  May they see God accompanying them through both their joys and their challenges this school year.  

3. For the seminarians of our diocese.  May they feel the Lord leading them and guiding them in their studies.  We pray especially for the Homegrown Harvest fundraiser this upcoming weekend.    

4.  For our president, governor, legislators, and judges; for our country’s security and the safety of the military.  

5. For peace and reconciliation in our communities here in the United States torn apart by gangs and violence, for all victims of warfare, greed, intolerance; for an end to terrorism.  

6. On the feast of St Jerome, we pray that we all may be led closer to God’s holy word and may live out its teachings in our lives. 

7. For the sick and shut-ins of our community, for those in the hospital, hospice, and nursing homes, and for their caregivers. 

8. For the repose of the souls of the faithful departed.  

We bow before your majesty, O Lord, with reverence and respect.  We present these prayers to you through your son, Jesus Christ, our Lord for ever and ever.  AMEN.   

Reflection for the Month of October - Respect Life Month

     Greetings to all of you.  I am away from St Jude this weekend, as I am on retreat with the Secular Carmelite group in Mobile, Alabama.  There are several members of our parish of St Jude who are members of that group as well who will also be at that retreat.  It is always wonderful to be away on retreat to experience God in silence and prayer.  I am glad that Father Kevin and Father Clem will be at St Jude this weekend celebrating the Masses.

      During the month of October, the Catholic Church in the United States celebrates Respect Life Month.  As Pope Francis declared this to be the year of St. Joseph, this year’s celebration of Respect Life Month highlights the example of this great saint.  Joseph was the faithful protector of both Jesus and Mary; thus, we find in St. Joseph a reminder of the way God calls us to welcome, safeguard, and defend precious gift of human life that we receive from God himself.

      Even with the challenging circumstances surrounding Mary being with child, St. Joseph took her into his home in response to the message of the angel. Joseph guided their journey to Bethlehem, he found them shelter, and he welcomed baby Jesus into his life as his son. When Herod threatened Jesus’ life, St. Joseph left his homeland, fleeing with Jesus and Mary to safety in Egypt. Like St. Joseph, we are also called to care for those God has entrusted to us, especially those who are most vulnerable.  We can follow in the footsteps of St. Joseph as protector by advocating against those things that endanger human life.  Our state of Mississippi is taking steps to challenge the laws of our land that permit abortion, with the case coming before the Supreme Court later this year. We can imitate Joseph’s care and provision by helping parents and children in need.  Like St Joseph, we can be supportive members of our faith community and our community in general, helping to bring a spirit of faith and life to all that we do.  

       At different times in our lives, we may feel unworthy of answering the Lord’s call. However, God invites us to faithfully respond to his call in the midst of our fear, trepidations, and weaknesses.  As we commemorate Respect Life Month in the month of October, we are all invited to imitate St. Joseph’s faithful trust and courage as we work to uphold the dignity of every human life.  May we unite our prayers with the prayers of St Joseph, defender of life.  





prayers of the faithful - feast of the Archangels - 29 September 2021

Lord Jesus - you are our Savior and our Redeemer 

Christ Jesus - you are honored and glorified by the Angels and Archangels

Lord Jesus -you are seated at the right hand of the throne of the Father. 

As we honor Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael today, we present our prayers to God the Father: 

1. For our governmental leaders, for wisdom to guide them and lead them in their governance. 

2. For our Church leaders, for compassion and mercy as they lead the people of God. 

3. For our first responders and the men and women in the military, for their safety.  We give thanks for their service. 

4. For those who spread the Gospel message throughout the world.  

5. For our children and youth, that God may accompany their through their studies and through their journey through life. 

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

We present these prayers to you today through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever.  AMEN.  

prayers of the faithful - Tuesday of the 26th week of Ordinary Time - 28 September 2021

Lord Jesus - you accompany us on our journey of faith. 

Christ Jesus - you bring healing into our lives. 

Lord Jesus - you are the Son of the Father.

The Lord’s mercy never ends, so we now present our prayers to the Lord with confidence:

1. For the leaders of the Church, that they may sincerely and fully live the message they preach. 

2. For people who feel they are beyond God’s mercy, that they may know the welcome extended to those who change their ways. 

3. For all who are on the margins of society, for men and women who are exploited, that justice and equality may prevail in our land. 

4. For those who endure sickness in mind or body or spirit, that the support of friends, family and community may remind them of God’s healing care.

5. For the faithful departed, that they may be raised to life through Jesus’ resurrection. 

6. Let us remember in silence our own personal prayers.  

O God of endless goodness, your love and mercy have no end: hear the prayers your people make in faith, through Christ our Lord forever and ever. Amen. 







29 September 2021 - the feast of the Archangels - Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14

      Today, with great joy, we celebrate the feast of the Archangels:  St Michael, St Gabriel and St Raphael. Perhaps it might strike us as being a bit unusual that the readings today do not mention any of the Archangels specifically.  However, our readings today describe the angels that constantly serve God the Father in front of his throne.  Our first reading from Daniel states that there are thousands upon thousands were ministering to God the Father, with myriads and myriads attending to him.  It does not mention the name “angel,” but we know that the archangels surround the throne of God.  The reading also talks about the Son of Man who received an everlasting dominion over all nations and all people.  We know of the three archangels from Scripture, about the special tasks to which they were appointed.   St Michael the Archangel went to battle against Satan and his demons and cast them out of heaven.  St Raphael cured Tobit’s of his blindness in the book of Tobit in the Old Testament.  St Gabriel announced to Mary that she would conceive a child by the Holy Spirit, and that he would be God’s own son.  The Archangels are special messengers from God.  Traditionally in the Catholic Church, we hold a BLUE MASS in conjunction with the feast of the Archangels for our police and our first responders, as St Michael the Archangel is their patron saint.  With the COVID-19 pandemic, we are unable to have a large Mass unattended by law enforcement and first responders, but we pray for them in a special way.  We at St Jude will be sending pizza to the personnel at the Pearl police department to show our thanks and gratitude;  that is something we do periodically.   St Michael - St Gabriel - St Raphael - we united our prayers with your prayers today.  


Saturday, September 25, 2021

Flocknote reflection - 29 September 2021 - St Michael the Archangel and the history of the prayer of St Michael the Archangel

On October 13, 1884, Pope Leo XIII had a remarkable vision. After he had finished celebrating Mass in his private Vatican Chapel, which had been attended by a few Cardinals and members of the Vatican staff, he suddenly stopped at the foot of the altar. He stood there at the altar as if in a trance for about 10 minutes before returning to his office. From this experience, he wrote the prayer to St. Michael. This prayer was prayed after Mass in Latin throughout the world.  When asked what had happened, the Pope explained that as he was about to leave the foot of the altar, he suddenly heard two voices.  One voice was kind and gentle, while another voice was unkind and harsh. The voices seemed to come from near the tabernacle. As he listened, he heard the voice of Satan tell God that he could destroy the Church.  

After the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, this prayer of St Michael the Archangel no longer was prayed at the end of Mass.  However, in recent years, especially after the tragic attacks of 9/11, some priests and Bishops in the United States are praying the prayer of the St Michael at the end of Mass.  Beside our parish of St Jude, there are other parishes in our Diocese and the Diocese of Biloxi who pray this prayer at the end of the weekend Masses.  I had first installed this prayer at St James parish in Tupelo after some parishioners brought this suggestion to the liturgy committee.  We have prayed the prayer of St Michael the Archangel at the end of the weekend Masses since my arrival here at St Jude in the summer of 2017.  

We are going to celebrate the Mass of the Archangels this evening, September 29.  We had the tradition of having a Blue Mass in honor of our first responders on this feast day, but due to the pandemic, we will not invite them in person for this Mass, but rather will have pizza delivered to the police department in Pearl in honor of this feast day.  St Michael is the patron saint of first responders and soldiers.  

St Michael the Archangel is a spiritual warrior in the battle of good versus evil. He is considered a champion of justice, a healer of the sick, and the guardian of the Church. In art Saint Michael is depicted with a sword, a banner, or scales, and is often shown vanquishing Satan in the form of a dragon.

Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil; May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; And do you O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all evil spirits who wander through the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

1 October 2021 - Therese of Lisieux - Doctor of the Church - Friday of the 26th week in Ordinary Time - Baruch 1:15-22

The prophet Baruch lived in the 6th century before Christ.  He was a Jewish scribe.  He was also good friend of the prophet Jeremiah.  He also served as Jeremiah’s secretary.  According to the introduction in the first chapter of Baruch, this book was written in Babylon after the Jews were sent back to Jerusalem.  This book was to be read to the Jews at liturgical gatherings in Jerusalem.  In our first reading today, the Baruch sends a message from those in exile in Babylon to those who remained behind in Israel.  The message conveys how they were contrite for their sins during their exile, how they recognized the ways they and their leaders strayed from the faith to which God was calling them. The people recognized the ways that they rejected the word of God in their lives, the ways that they turned away from him even though he brought them through the dessert to the land of milk and honey.  The message of Baruch is to be a message of contrition and humility.  

As we hear from Baruch today, we celebrate the feast day of own of the most beloved saints of our Catholic faith: the Carmelite nun Therese of Lisieux, who died at the young of age of 24 in the year 1897 in her Carmelite monastery in the region of Normandy in France.  Even though she died at such of a young age, such is has be named to a select group of men and women of faith designated as Doctors of the Church, having been named so by Pope John Paul II, who had a very strong devotion to her.  Even though Therese did not write huge volumes of complicated theology like St Augustine or St Thomas Aquinas, her writings are very profound indeed and they have touched the souls of the faithful throughout the world.   As a reflection of Therese’s beautiful spirituality, here is a quote from a morning prayer that she wrote, consecrating her day to the Lord:  “O my God! I offer you all my actions of this day for the intentions and for the glory of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. I desire to sanctify every beat of my heart, my every thought, my simplest works, by uniting them to Its infinite merits; and I wish to make reparation for my sins by casting them into the furnace of Its Merciful Love.”  Even though Therese was a cloistered nun whose life was confined to her convent in rural France, Therese was named the co-patron saint of missionaries in 1927, along with the great Jesuit missionary St Francis Xavier. Even though Therese did not go overseas to the missions herself, she had a special love of the missions.  She prayed for the missions and prayed for missionaries, writing letters of support to them. This is a reminder to all of us who feel we can do nothing if we are not missionaries living in a far away land that it is the little things that keep God's kingdom growing. 

Therese mentioned the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the prayer that I quoted today.  This is very appropriate, as we will pray the litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus this morning as we recognize the first Friday devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus here at St Jude.  Let us unite our prayers today with the prayers of St Therese and with the Sacred Heart of our Lord.  

28 September 2021 - Tuesday of the 26th week in Ordinary Time - Zechariah 8:20-23

      For a few days last week we heard from the prophet Haggai, who lived around the time of the Jews coming back to Jerusalem in the 6th century BC after they had been in exile in Babylon.  They returned to Jerusalem with the task of rebuilding the Temple, which had been destroyed. The prophet Zechariah, whom we hear from today, lived in the same era as Haggai.   In fact, the message of these books are strongly connected.  In addition to the need to rebuilding the Temple, Zechariah is also concerned with Israel reclaiming her identity after her time in exile and with the morals and values they would live by as individuals and as a nation.  The priesthood in the Temple would play a large role in restoring the nation and in bringing forth a messianic era.  

       Just this past weekend, in the Carmelite secular group’s monthly gathering of which I am a part, we who are in the aspirant phase of formation read a section from the Vatican Two Document Lumen Gentium, on the universal call to holiness.  Lumen Gentium is the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church.  In Latin, it means, “Light of the World.”  For us Christians, that light is Christ.  One section stood out to me that specifically mentioned the context of the call to holiness for Diocesan priests, stating:  “All priests, and especially those who are called diocesan priests,’ due to the special title of their ordination, should keep continually before their minds the fact that their faithful loyalty toward and their generous cooperation with their bishop is of the greatest value in their growth in holiness” (LG 41).  I always think of the direct and essential link that my ministry as a Diocesan priest has with the Bishop, of how my ministry flows directly from him.  This quote addresses the “faithful loyalty” and “generous cooperation” I should have with the Bishop as a Diocesan priest - yes, without a doubt.  May each one of us feel the call to holiness we have as people of God according to our status in life.  And each day in our journey of faith, let us pray for our Bishop and unite our prayers with his prayers in his special role in our faith journey as Catholics.  


Wednesday, September 22, 2021

prayer intention of POPE FRANCIS - SEPTEMBER 2021

For the care of God's creation: An Environmentally Sustainable Lifestyle

We pray that we all will make courageous choices for a simple and environmentally sustainable lifestyle, rejoicing in our young people who are resolutely committed to this.

prayers of the faithful - Thursday of the 25th week in ORDINARY TIME - 23 September 2021

Lord Jesus - you call us to justice. 

Christ Jesus - you call us to the one true faith. 

Lord Jesus - you are seated at the right hand of the Father. 

We unite our prayers with the prays of Padre Pio today, presenting our prayers to our heavenly Father.  

1. We pray for all members of the Church: that our profession of Jesus as the Christ may be manifest through laying down our lives in service for others. 

2. We pray for an increase of vocations to the priesthood, the diaconate, lay vocations in the Church and religious life, especially in our diocese: that young people will be open to the Holy Spirit’s call for discernment, and that parents and mentors will encourage them to consider these paths. 

3. We pray for all in a position of power and influence: that they may be concerned in an effective way for the life and dignity of each human being under their care. 

4. We pray in thanksgiving for first responders, military personnel, chaplains, and all others who provide care in emergency situations; and for the repose of the souls who have lost their life doing this courageous work. 

5. We pray for the gift of faith that expresses itself in good works: that the poor, the sick, the imprisoned and the grieving may be relieved through our loving deeds. 

6. We pray for the the faithful departed: that God may free their souls from death and bring them into his presence. 

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

Bulletin reflection for the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time

It is the 26th of September and the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time - that is easy to remember, isn’t it? It is hard to believe that we will be starting the month of October.  It is harder to believe that it has been 19 months that we have been dealing with the harsh reality of the pandemic.  I don’t any of us thought we would be dealing with it for so long.  

This is the last of 5 readings from the Letter of James that we will hear in our Sunday Masses.  I love these messages we have been hearing from James.  It gives us good practical advice on how to live out our faith.  It is good advice for all of us.  In particular, I see it as really good advice for young Catholics: for youth, college students, and young adults. The message that we’ve been hearing from James is that we need to be doers of the Word, not just hearers of the Word; that our faith is just not be something that should remains in our hearts, but rather our faith is to bear fruit in the world.

In his letter, James points on the reality he sees in the Christian community of his day. He sees many of the rich store up their material wealth and possessions, but they do so on the backs of the poor whom they disrespect and oppress.  They have great material rewards here on earth, but will not find their reward in God’s Kingdom. We can use our influence and riches to help others, in works of kindness, mercy, and goodness, we can earn a good living and still follow the values of the Gospel, or we can use our wealth and riches in ways that do not proclaim God’s Kingdom on earth.  As you all know, we are dependent on what we can do as a parish based upon the offertory we receive.  We are thankful for the generosity of our parishioners, for the sacrifices many of you make to help us in our parish.  

Blessings to all of you this week.  Have a blessed week as we continue to journey in faith.  Father Lincoln.

26 September 2021 - 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time - James 5:1-6 - Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48

It is the 26th of September and the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time - that is easy to remember, isn’t it?  It is hard to believe that we will be starting the month of October.  It is harder to believe that it has been 19 months that we have been dealing with the harsh reality of the pandemic.  I don’t any of us thought we would be dealing with it for so long.  

 This is the last of 5 readings from the Letter of James that we will hear in our Sunday Masses.  I love these messages we have been hearing from James.  It gives us good practical advice on how to live out our faith.  It is good advice for all of us.  In particular, I see it as really good advice for young Catholics: for youth, college students, and young adults. The message that we’ve been hearing from James is that we need to be doers of the Word, not just hearers of the Word; that our faith is just not be something that should remains in our hearts, but rather our faith is to bear fruit in the world. 

I keep a blog with homilies and reflections.  I actually started that blog about 10 years ago when I was pastor of St Mary parish in Yazoo City up in the Delta.  I was looking at the blog last night - I have more than 4,500 entries in it so far.  I don’t think I could have imagined that when I started it.  I was looking at an entry I made for this week six years ago- it was the week of the Pope’s visit to the US.  Do you all remember when that happened?  Our country was so excited about his visit.   It is interesting that we have been hearing from James these past five weeks coincides with what we have heard from the Pope on his visit to the US, as he stressed how we as disciples of Christ are obligated to be good stewards of the environment, of how we are to treat the poor and the stranger in our midst with dignity and respect.  Pope Francis showed this with his actions, not just his words - very much in harmony with what James tells us -  the Pope visited a shelter for the homeless run by Catholic Charities in Washington DC, where he told the residents that he saw the face of St Joseph in them, a man who had no shelter and no home in which his child could be born. The Pope also chose to visit a poor inner city Catholic School in East Harlem, New York.  Back six years ago, many people who heard the Pope’s address to Congress were impressed with the four Americans he mentioned as people of faith and doers of God’s Word: Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr, Dorothy Day, and Thomas Merton. Though many Catholics are familiar with Dorothy Day and Thomas Merton, two very vibrant Catholics who lived in the 20th century, many in the secular media did not know much about them, and were scrambling to find out who they were.  Unfortunately, the media can be a bit myopic and closed minded in what they know and what they don’t know.  What is interesting is that both Dorothy Day and Thomas Merton were individuals who lived very secular worldly lives as young adults, lives very much apart from God.  However, once they had conversions of heart, they devoted their lives to living out God’s call for them in their lives, very radical lives indeed.   Pope Francis praised Dorothy Day, the founder of the Catholic Worker Movement, for her social activism, her passion for justice, and her love for the poor and the oppressed.  He singled out Thomas Merton’s work toward greater respect and dialogue between different cultures and religions, in the way he challenged the assumptions of his day.  Merton did this while living as a Trappist monk in the Abbey of Gethsemene near Bardstown, Kentucky. 

The Pope’s actions, and the examples he gave, are in contrast to those whom James points out in his letter, of the rich who store up their material wealth and possessions, but who do so on the backs of the poor whom they disrespect and oppress. They have great material rewards here on earth, but will not find their reward in God’s Kingdom.  We can use our influence and riches to help others, in works of kindness, mercy, and goodness, we can earn a good living and still follow the values of the Gospel, or we can use our wealth and riches in ways that do not proclaim God’s Kingdom on earth.  

We see many examples of this in our present day.  We know that prices of so many things have gone up in the pandemic.  I was looking to purchase a new personal printer for work.  First of all it is hard to even find the type of printer I want to buy.  And then they are selling for more that twice the price compared to what they were before.  Someone is making a big profit on those printers, that is for sure.  And have you gone to a grocery store lately?  Many of the shelves are rather bare.  I wanted to buy some bacon the other day.  The package of 12 oz of bacon that I used to buy for $3.50 on sale is now $9.00.  Needless to say, I went without bacon.  I heard that farmers are losing more than $100 on each pig they sell, but that the huge meat packing companies make more than $1,000 on each pig.  Talking about taking advantage of the poor - both the poor farmers who are producing the food and the consumers who are trying to make ends meet.  

I also look at how our human tendency is to fear those who are different from us. Often, we want to exclude them from our group and marginalize them in our society.  Often, we are offended by individuals who rock the boat or who challenge what we think or what we believe, who challenge the norms and assumptions of society.   In the Gospel today, we see the disciples wanting to exclude those who do good works in Jesus’ name but who are not part of the group of disciples.  We see in Pope Francis a desire for us to dialogue and work together, to find common ground and to care for the well-being of all.  So many people in the world today see our reality as the insiders vs the outsiders, as the liberals vs the conservatives, as one country vs another, as us vs them. Pope Francis sees it differently.  Our Catholic faith sees it differently.  This is one quote from Pope Francis that I took away from his address to Congress: "Our efforts must aim at restoring hope, righting wrongs, maintaining commitments, and thus promoting the well-being of individuals and of peoples."  That quote was relevant when he said it six years ago.  It is relevant today.  It is a message that brings us together, that does not conquer or divide.  And we have seen American society become more divisive year and year.  May we talk to heart the message that the values of faith and the values of the Gospel bring to us in the midst of our reality.  

Tuesday, September 21, 2021

Prayers of the faithful - Wednesday of the 25th week in Ordinary Time - 22 SEPTEMBER 2021

Lord Jesus - you call us to faith. 

Christ Jesus - you bring us the wisdom of the Father. 

Lord Jesus - you ask us to learn more about our faith. 

We come to you Lord in the midst of our reality, brining you our prayers with humility and respect:

1. We pray for all members of the Church: that we may be servants of one another, particularly of those in need, and thus bear witness to God’s love for everyone. 

2. We pray for nations of the world: that they may put aside war, conflict, and violence, and that they will work to sow the fruit of righteousness and to cultivate peace.

3. We pray for those who feel like they are the last of all—the sick and the poor, the victim, the broken-hearted, the addict, and the grieving: that we may receive and care for them as if they were Jesus himself given into our hands. 4. We pray for the gift of wisdom: that we may be holy, gentle, and full of mercy and good fruits in the sight of our heavenly Father. 

5. We pray for spiritual freedom: that God will awaken us to our selfishness and disordered desires that distract us and help us choose ways to be instruments of his mercy and compassion. 

6. We pray for the the faithful departed: that Jesus, who accepted His death as the path to resurrection, may raise up our faithful departed ones to share His joy and glory in heaven. 

7. For the prayers we hold in our hearts. 

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

24 September 2021 - Friday of the 25th week in Ordinary Time - Haggai 1:15-2:9

   We continue to hear from the prophet Haggai today in our first reading.  The prophet is bringing a message from God to the people who have returned from exile in Babylon to the city of Jerusalem after it had been destroyed.  He is specifically addressing this message to Zerubbabel, the governor, and to Joshua, the high priest, and the rest of the remnant of Israel that survived and that has returned from exile.  This message is delivered around the time of the summer harvest.  However, as a further sign of God’s displeasure with them, the harvest is meagre.  

    Haggai asks if there is anyone among them who saw this Temple in its former glory.  It is possible that some of the older exiles had seen the former Temple built by Solomon in all its magnificence and glory, the Temple which had been destroyed by the Babylonians more than six decades earlier.  If they had not remembered it or were not around at that time, surely they had heard stories about the Temple from their parents and grandparents.  The Temple was a place of hope for the Jews.  They place their hope in rebuilding the Temple.  That hope would be realized in Jesus.  

      We may long for the past.  We may long for things the way they used to be.  On one of the pilgrimage podcasts I listen to, I heard a quote that was attributed to the Christian author C S Lewis that state:  “'You can't go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.”  The Jews could not go back and change the history of the destruction of their Temple.  However, they could look at their present way of life and their relationship with God and could try to make things better.  

Monday, September 20, 2021

23 September 2021 - Thursday of the 25th week in Ordinary Time - Padre Pio - Haggai 1:1-8

    Haggai, a short book of only two chapters located near the end of the Old Testament, is not a very well-known book of the Bible.  Haggai was a prophet in ancient Israel at the time when the Jews were returning from their exile in Babylon, around the same time as Ezra, whom we heard from earlier in the week.  The Temple in Jerusalem had been destroyed.  The work to rebuild the Temple was started, but due to opposition, the work was then stopped.  When King Darius became the leader of the Persian Empire, he supported the efforts to continue the rebuilding process.  Haggai delivered a message of encouragement and motivation in this rebuilding process.  

         Sometimes, the obstacles in our lives seem insurmountable.   Sometimes we feel like that is no way we will get ahead, that there is no way will be able to solve our problems or get back on track.  The journey ahead of us may seem like it is a million miles long.  However, unless we make that first step, unless we put one foot in front of the other, we won’t even start making progress.  Haggai’s words were a wake-up call to the Jews, to get them back on track, to call them back to a life of faith.  

          The saint we celebrate today did not mince words either.  However, he is now one of our most beloved saints.  Padre Pio was born to a poor family of farmers in southern Italy in the late 19th century.  On two different occasions, his father worked in New York to help support his family.  At the age of 15, he entered the Franciscan Capuchin religious order.  After he served in WWI, he lived in the Capuchin friary in San Giovanni Rotondo.  One day after Mass, he had a vision of Jesus, which produced the stigmata on his hands, feet, and side.  Many questioned the authenticity of the stigmata on him.  For a while, he was not allowed to celebrate Mass publicly or to hear confessions.  

     When he was allowed to hear confession again, busloads of pilgrims would arrive.  He would be able to see into their hearts in a very profound way.  He saw Jesus in the poor and the suffering.  Many of the sick believed they received healing through the intercession of Padre Pio.  Those who came to his Mass were deeply edified.  He died in 1968.  His canonization in 2002 by Pope John Paul II was attended by a crowd of more 300,000.  To this day, the story of Padre Pio touches the hearts of many of the faithful.  

22 September 2021 - Wednesday of the 25th week in Ordinary Time - Ezra 9:5-9

     Ezra was a scribe and priest at the time the Jews returned from the Babylonian exile that happened in the 6th century BC.  This week, in our first readings, we have readings from the Book of Ezra before we move on to the Prophets Zechariah and Haggai later this week.  Ezra is very upset about how the people of Israel had sinned and turned their backs on God, which seems to be a common theme in the trajectory of the history of the people of Israel.   Being in exile was a dramatic and horrific experience for them.  However, as many of the Jews intermarried with the non-Jewish local people, many had abandoned their Jewish faith and Jewish religious traditions for the pagan traditions of the native people.  Ezra called the people to return to God’s law, but he was despondent and angry at how slowly the people were responding.  

       We live in a busy world today where we have a lot of things competing for our time and energy.   I can attest to that.  Many nights, when I have so much to do, I have to go to bed because I am already so exhausted. Sometimes it is not convenient or easy to commit ourselves to our faith.  But, what is God calling us to do?  Ezra displays a simple humility in the way he approaches God in our reading today.  May we hear his message echo in our hearts.  May we hear God calling us to the devotions and the traditions of the faith, to embrace our faith with greater zeal and urgency.  

21 September 2021 - St Matthew Apostle and Evangelist - Matthew 9:9-13

     Today, we celebrate the feast day of St Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist.  Matthew collected taxes from his fellow Jews for the occupying Roman government.  It was well known that tax collectors kept some of what they collected for themselves.  Thus, they were the object of contempt in Jewish society.  As we hear in today’s Gospel, Matthew leaves his post as tax collector in response to the call he receives from Jesus to become his disciples.  Matthew is included in the list of the apostles as recorded in different books in the New Testament.  From early times in Church history, Matthew is regarded as the author of the Gospel of Matthew.  Modern biblical scholars believe that Matthew used the Gospel of Mark as source material in writing his Gospel.  The Gospel of Matthew was written for a Jewish audience.  Although the earliest surviving version of Matthew is in Greek, many scholars believe that it was originally written in Hebrew or Aramaic.  Matthew’s Gospel contains mailing of the teachings of Jesus, making it a primary source material for catechetical teaching in the early Church. One tradition states that Matthew was sent to Ethiopia to bring the Gospel message, where he was martyred .  The martyrology of Jerome states another tradition, that Matthew was martyred in Persia. We give thanks for the witness of Matthew today as we celebrate his feast day. 

Sunday, September 19, 2021

20 September 2021 - Monday of the 25th week in Ordinary Time - Luke 8:16-18

       In modern America, we take electricity for granted.  Our world is lit up at night.  But that is not reality in other parts of the world.  When I was a Peace Corps volunteer in the country of of Guinea in West Africa on an island off the coast of the capital city of Conakry, there was no electricity at all on the island.  I used to use a kerosene lantern or a candle to read by at night.  It did not give off a lot of light.  So when Jesus tells us that we should not keep our light hidden but expose that light to the world, maybe we don’t really understand how important light really is, since light is everywhere in our modern world. 

       Saints Andrew Kim Taegon and companion are commemorated in our Mass today.  Andrew Kim was the first native Korean priest.  The son of Christian converts, he was baptized into Christianity at the age of 15.  He had to travel to China for his seminary training.  He was arrested, tortured and beheaded at the age of 25 at the beginning of his priestly ministry.  Pope John Paul II canonized a group of 100 Korean martyrs when he visited that country in 1984, the majority being lay men and women.  They were martyred in the years 1839 - 1867.  Many were martyred in our Church for trying to be lights in the world in times of persecution.  All of us Christians are tasked to be a light for the Gospel message in the world.   


19 de septiembre - el domingo catequético - Santiago 3:16-4:3

     Hoy en la Iglesia Católica celebramos el domingo catequético.  Nuestros catequistas y maestros en el programa de doctrina recibirán una bendición especial hoy.  El domingo pasado, comenzamos el nuevo año escolar del programa de doctrina aquí en nuestra parroquia.  El domingo catequético es una oportunidad para reflexionar sobre el papel que tiene cada persona de fe, en virtud de su bautismo, en la transmisión de la fe y en el testimonio del Evangelio en el mundo.  Podemos pensar que el domingo catequético es old nuevo , pero en realidad fue en 1935 que la Iglesia comenzó a establecer esa domingo catequético al comienzo del año escolar para reconocer y celebrar el don que los maestros y catequistas dan a sus comunidades parroquiales al ofreciendo su tiempo como voluntarios para la educación de nuestros niños, jóvenes y adultos.  El domingo catequético es una oportunidad para que todos los católicos nos volvamos a dedicar a la misión de evangelización en la Iglesia. El tema de este año es: "Di la palabra y mi alma será sanada".

       Estos últimos fines de semana hemos estado reflexionando sobre la Carta de Santiago. Esta carta es muy instructiva para llamarnos a vivir una fe vibrante y vivificante. Santiago dice que necesitamos vivir la Palabra de Dios en nuestras vidas y que necesitamos producir frutos de la fe.  Esta carta fue escrita en el antiguo Israel poco años después de la muerte y la resurrección de Jesucristo, pero esta carta brinda consejos muy prácticos y comentarios sociales, tanto que puede parecer que se escribió en el mundo moderno específicamente para nosotros.  Santiago mira la realidad de la comunidad cristiana de su época y él ve muchas cosas. Él ve a los pacificadores que trabajan por la unidad de la comunidad. Pero también ve a aquellos cómo están sembrando semillas de discordia, dejando que sus celos y ambiciones se apoderen de ellos.  En el mundo moderno, escuchamos muchos mensajes diferentes. A menudo, el mensaje es desear más, atacar a aquellos con quienes no estamos de acuerdo, no contentarnos con lo que tenemos.   Sí, es bueno tener ambiciones y luchar por algo si nuestro objetivo es fructífero, constructivo y saludable, pero Santiago nos advierte que si nos vemos atrapados en un ciclo de deseo sin fondo, este deseo que nunca podrá ser satisfecho, lo que puede llevar a que el espíritu de amargura se apodere de nuestras vidas y se apodere de la comunidad.  Hay muchos pecados y adicciones con los que la gente lucha en nuestro mundo de hoy, pero quizás el mayor pecado en nuestra mundo moderna es la codicia y la forma en que codiciamos lo que no es nuestro.  Santiago nos dirige a la necesidad de caminar como una comunidad de fe en solidaridad y unidad, donde trabajamos juntos, nos afirmamos unos a otros y nos animamos unos a otros.

       “Di la palabra y mi alma será sanada”, el tema del Domingo de Catequesis, se reza por los fieles justo antes de recibir el Cuerpo y la Sangre de Cristo en la Misa.  Esas palabras hacen eco del Centurión en el Evangelio de Lucas.   Es un hombre muy poderoso en la sociedad.   En ese Evangelio, el centurión reconoce el control y el poder que tiene sobre mucha gente en su sociedad. Pero es lo suficientemente humilde e inteligente como para reconocer el poder y la autoridad de Jesucristo.   Esa realización sobre el poder de Cristo sería muy extraño en nuestra sociedad, ya que en la superficie Jesús no era un líder poderosos de la comunidad judía.  Este humilde maestro Jesús con este grupo de trabajadores como sus discípulos: ¿cómo él puede tener poder y autoridad? Sin embargo, el Centurión admite que no es digno de que Jesús puede visitar su casa. Él cree que si Jesús pronuncia la palabra de que su siervo debe ser sanado, Dios se lo concederá. Jesús reconoce la gran fe del Centurión, que le permite pronunciar esas palabras de sanación.

     Cada persona tiene su propia realidad única.  En esta realidad, podemos ir a Jesús con corazón humilde y sincero. Yo mira la realidad de ustedes en nuestra parroquia.   Este fin de semana, estoy celebrando dos bautismos diferentes con familias de la comunidad hispana de nuestra parroquia.  Celebré una boda con una pareja de la comunidad hispana de nuestra parroquia, ya que ellos están unidos con Dios en el sacramento del matrimonio.  Recé el sacramento de la unción de los enfermos por una buena amiga de la comunidad católica de Yazoo City, mientras sus amigos se reunían para orar por ella antes de un procedimiento médico.  También viajé al seminario St Meinrad en el sur de Indiana, dando una presentación a los párrocos recién nombrados sobre contabilidad y finanzas parroquiales.  Sí, Dios está ahí en nuestra realidad de muchas formas diferentes. Hay sufrimientos y tristezas y desafíos en nuestra realidad.  Hay alegrías y gozo también.   Cristo está con nosotros en nuestra realidad cuando los niños, jóvenes y adultos se reúnen cada fin de semana para nuestro programa de educación religiosa. En una manera especial, Dios está con los niños y jóvenes que se preparan para los sacramentos de la primera santa comunión y la confirmación.   Mi oración hoy es que Dios nos acompañe como individuos y como comunidad en nuestra realidad, que Dios bendiga nuestro programa de doctrina.  Damos gracias por las maneras Dios está con nosotros.  

Saturday, September 18, 2021

19 September 2021 - Catechetical Sunday - 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time - James 3:16-4:3 - Luke 7:1-10

     This weekend, on the 3rd Sunday of September, our Catholic Church celebrates Catechetical Sunday each year as designated by the US Bishops.  Our catechists, teachers, and classroom helpers in our program of religious education will receive a special blessing today, as just last Sunday we started our new year of religious education here at St Jude. Catechetical Sunday is a great opportunity for our community to reflect upon the role each person has, by virtue of his baptism, in handing on the faith and being a witness to the Gospel in the world.   We may think that Catechetical Sunday is something new, but actually it was back in 1935 that the Church started setting a Sunday in the beginning of the school year to recognize and celebrate the gift that our teachers and catechists give to their parish communities by volunteering their time for the education of our children, youth, and adults.  Catechetical Sunday is also an opportunity for all of us Catholics to rededicate ourselves to this mission as a community of faith.  Our theme this year is: “Say the word and my soul shall be healed.” 

       These past few weekends, we have been reflecting on the readings from the Letter of James.  If you have not ever read James in its entirety, I urge you to do so, as it is so instructive in calling us to live out a vibrant, life-giving faith, urging us to be doers of the Word of God in our lives and to bear fruits out of our faith.   Even though this letter was written in Ancient Israel, this letter gives very savvy advice and social commentary, so much so that it may seem like it had been written in the modern world specifically for us. James looks at the reality of the Christianity community and he sees many different things.  He sees peacemakers who are working toward unity and solidarity.  But he also sees those how are planting seeds of discord, letting their jealousies and ambitions get the best of them.  In our secular world we hear a lot of different messages. Often, the message is to desire more, to attack those with whom we disagree, to not be content with what we have.  Yes, it  is good to have ambitions and to strive toward something if our goal is fruitful and constructive and healthy, but James warns us that if we get caught up in a cycle of bottomless desire, this desire can never be satisfied, which can lead to spirit of bitterness overtaking our individual lives and overtaking the community.  There are a lot of sins and addictions that people struggle with in our world today, but perhaps the greatest sin in our modern area is our greed and the way we covet what is not ours.  James directs us to the need to journey as a community in solidarity and unity, where we work together, affirm one another, and encourage one another. 

      “Say the word and my soul shall be healed,” the theme of Catechetical Sunday, is prayed for the faithful right before we receive the Body and Blood of Christ in the Mass.  Those words echo the Centurion in the Gospel of Luke.  He is very powerful man in society.  In that Gospel, he recognizes the control and power he has over a lot of people.  But he is humble and intelligent enough to recognize the power and authority of Jesus.  That would be strange, as Jesus was not even one of the Jewish leaders or a scholar of the law. Jesus is just a humble teacher with a ragged group of disciples: how could he have such power? Yet, the Centurion admits that he is not even worthy for Jesus to visit his house.  He believes that if Jesus utters the word that his servant should be healed, that God would grant it.  Jesus recognizes the great faith of the Centurion, which allows Jesus to utter those words of healing.  

      We all have our own unique realities in which we come to Jesus with humble and sincere hearts.  I look at the different realities in the life our of parishioners.  This weekend, I am celebrating two different baptisms with families from our parish.  I celebrated a wedding with a couple from our parish, as God joins them in the sacrament of holy matrimony.  This past week, I prayed the sacrament of the anointing of the sick for a good friend and former parishioner in Yazoo City, as her friends came together to pray for her before a medical procedure.  Also, this past week, I traveled to St Meinrad seminary in southern Indiana, giving a presentation to newly appointed pastors on parish accounting and finance. In addition, a big milestone in the life of our Diocese and my life as Vicar General happened as well: our Diocese made the public announcement that we had met all the requirements of the Deferred Prosecution Agreement that we had with the federal government, that a judge signed off on the requirements being fulfilled in that agreement.  You can only imagine how that has weighed very heavily on my heart as the vicar general and as a priest in this Diocese.  We put forth a lot of hard work, love and dedication these past couple of years as a Diocese to get where we are today.  I thank God’s grace for blessings all of our work and our efforts. I am so thankful that we as a Diocese are moving forward on our journey. Yes, God is there is our reality in many different ways.  He is with us in our reality as the children, youth, and adults gather each weekend for our religious education program.  God is with the children and youth who are preparing for the sacraments of first holy community and confirmation. 

     My prayer today is that God accompany us as individuals and as a community in our reality, that God bless our program of religious education as we give thanks for all the hard work and for God’s grace that makes this program possible. 

Tuesday, September 14, 2021

14 Sept 2021 - The feast of the exaltation of the Holy Cross - prayers of the faithful

Lord Jesus - you call us to carry our crosses. 

Christ Jesus - you cal us unite our sufferings with your sufferings. 

Lord Jesus - you bring us new life.  

God is full of compassion - we now bring our prayers forward with confidence:

1. For the members of the Church — that we may glory in the cross, where our salvation was won.  

2. For all people of goodwill — that they may respect the cross, a symbol dear to Christians.  

3. For Christians suffering persecution — that the one who died on the cross may provided them hope and encouragement.  

4. For those whose sufferings bring them an experience of Calvary — that Jesus may transform their pain into new life.  

5. For the sick who are dangerously ill — that the cross of Christ may bring them comfort and hope. 

6. For those who have died.  We pray especially for those whose lives have been lost through war, famine and disease — that Christ may liberate them from the chains of death. 

7. For the prayers we hold in our hearts.  

Compassionate God, you forgive your people’s sins and spare them: hear the prayers we lay before you under the shadow of the cross, through your son Jesus Christ our Lord forever and ever. Amen.

Saturday, September 11, 2021

19 September 2021 - Catechetical Sunday

     Each year, the Catholic Church in the United States commemorates the third Sunday in September as “Catechetical Sunday.”  On this day, our Church celebrates and prays for the Church’s mission to teach the Gospel to all people.  On Catechetical Sunday, we recognize our catechists, teachers, and volunteers who make our program of religious education possible.  We celebrate the program of religious education that we are able to offer here at our parish of St Jude.  On this day, we also promote participation in our parish’s religious education classes for children, youth, and adults.  This year’s theme of Catechetical Sunday is “Say the Word and My Soul Shall Be Healed.”

    The catechists, teachers, and volunteers in our program of religious education respond to a call to share the gift of faith with others, even as they deepen their own faith. This call may have reached our catechists, teachers, and volunteers through the pastor, the parish staff or the coordinator of our parish’s religious education program, or our parish’s call to help in this program this year. However, this call ultimately comes from God whose Holy Spirit inspires us and guides us.

     Let us pray: May the seeds of our faith blossom as our children, youth, and adults are nourished in our religious education program as Christ’s disciples.   May our ever-present connection with Christ through prayer and through our journey of faith be a joyful blessing for our parish, our catechists, our teachers, and our volunteers.  May the Lord lead and guide our parish families on our journey of faith in our religious education program.  AMEN.

Blessing to all of you on this joyful Catechetical Sunday.  Father Lincoln. 

12 de septiembre de 2021 – XXIV domingo del tiempo ordinario – Santiago 2: 14-18

     En la Misa este domingo, continuamos con nuestras lecturas de la Carta del apóstol Santiago.  Esta carta tiene consejos prácticos sobre la vida cristiana, como podemos vivir cada día como discípulos de Cristo.  Hace dos semanas, escuchamos este desafío del primer capitulo de la carta de Santiago: “Pongan en práctica esa palabra de Dios y no se limiten a escucharla”  El domingo pasado, Santiago dio consejos sobre las divisiones en la comunidad cristiana, divisiones entre los ricos y los pobres.  Era una comunidad exclusiva - no era una comunidad incluida.  Hoy continuamos con estos temas.   Santiago dice que no sólo necesitamos la fe, sino que nuestra fe debe producir buenas obras.  

     Recuerdo que en la universidad, leímos un libro en la clase de religión con el título: La Fe es un verbo. Todavía, me recuerdo el título de este libro después de 40 años.  De hecho, nuestra fe no es una teoría o una idea.  Más bien, la fe es una manera de vivir que tiene su fundación en la revelación de Jesucristo y la nueva vida que tenemos en él.  En la vida de fe, necesitamos abrir la mente y a la espiritualidad a Jesucristo – pero no la vida de fe no termina con eso. Necesitamos vivir la fe cada día. Nuestra fe nos impulsa a hacer algo.  Nos llama a las obras espirituales y corporales de misericordia. Según San Santiago en su carta, si tenemos fe sin obras, entonces la fe está muerta.  Nuestra fe debe tener acción y debe tener vida - no puede ser rígido o estático o inflexible.  En la fe, estamos emergentes y en desarrollo.


     Esta lectura de la carta de Santiago a veces se malinterpreta, especialmente en el contexto de las enseñanzas de la Iglesia Católica. Recibimos la salvación como un don gratuito de Dios; no la obtenemos por nuestra cuenta o nuestras acciones o nuestras obras.  Nunca somos justificados ante Dios por nuestros propios esfuerzos.  Pero, como dice Santiago hoy, la fe debe dar frutos y tener un impacto real en nuestra vida y en la vida de nuestro prójimo. La fe debe impulsarnos a la acción.  Nuestra ser, nuestros deseos y nuestras acciones deben cooperar con la voluntad de Dios y la llamada de Dios.


     Tengo un grupo de doctrina aquí en St Jude en ingles que se llama QUADS. Se llama QUADS porque están compuestos por cuatro miembros. Este programa QUADS sigue un plan de estudios desarrollado por una universidad Franciscana. En este grupo, nos reunimos cada semana para discutir nuestras lecciones y las lecturas de las Sagradas Escrituras, para crecer juntos en la fe y compartir nuestra fe juntos.  Nuestro grupo de QUADS acaba de terminar la lección 28, que se llama "Un tesoro para compartir." “Un tesoro para compartir” - es el punto del mensaje que tenemos hoy en la carta de Santiago.  Si reconocemos el verdadero tesoro que es la fe, querremos dar frutos en el camino de fe, querremos poner nuestra fe en acción.  Es muy importante ser testigo.  Estamos llamados a seguir el camino antes de poder hablar.  El Papa Pablo VI, en su documento sobre la evangelización, Evangelii Nuntiandi, escribió esto: “El hombre moderno escuchará más a los testigos que a los maestros, y si escuchan a los maestros es porque son testigos.”  Debemos ser testigos tanto en acciones como en palabras. La lección QUADS lo expresó de esta manera: “Viva su fe de tal manera que la gente le haga preguntas al respecto. Conozca su fe de tal manera que esté listo para explicarla en cualquier momento.” 


     Pero, es importante para reconocer en la vida de fe y en las obras y las palabras y las acciones que surgen de la vida fe; todo es es posible con la gracia de Dios y la obra del Espíritu Santo.  Si no estamos abiertos a la interacción de la gracia de Dios en nuestras vidas, nada de esto será posible.


     Quiero concluir con las palabras del prefacio que usamos en la oración eucarística este domingo: “Cuya muerte celebramos unidos en caridad, cuy resurrección proclamaos con viva fe, y cuy advenimiento glorioso aguardamos con firmísima esperanza.  Esta oración habla sobre “viva fe”: eso es el mensaje de la carta de Santiago: una fe que es verdaderamente viva.

Prayer for the 20th anniversary of 9/11

We come to you today O God, our hope and refuge. We felt shock and horror of that tragic day.  We remember that day, longing for an innocence lost.

We remember those who lost their lives in New York, Washington D.C., and Pennsylvania.

We are mindful of the sacrifice of public servants who demonstrated the greatest love by laying down their lives for others. We commit their souls to your eternal care and celebrate their gifts to a fallen humanity.

We remember and we place our hope in you, O Lord.  The foundations we once thought secure have been shaken. As we commemorate this tragedy, we give you thanks for your presence in our time of need.  We seek to worship you in spirit and truth, for you to truly be our guide and guardian.

Let us resolve that in the face of hatred, we will show love; That in times of despair, we will be a voice of hope; That in times of confusion and frustration we will show resolve and conviction; That in times of darkness, we will be a source of light.

We honor the memory of the nearly 3,000 individuals who died on September 11, 2001.  Let us resolve that with your help Almighty God, To truly live a way of life and to honor this day so you may be glorified and that your love made known to others through us. 

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  AMEN.  



Friday, September 10, 2021

13 September 2021 - Monday of the 24th week in Ordinary Time - St John Chrysostom - 1 Timothy 2:1-8

  We in the Catholic Church offer prayer petitions at each Mass.  I always spend time before Mass writing the prayer petitions, giving them much thought.  In our reading from the first letter to Timothy today, St Paul advises Timothy on our prayers of petition, that they be made for all people, but especially for king and those in authority, which would include our governing officials.  Yes, those in authority need our prayers and best wishes for the challenging task they have at hand, for divine wisdom and guidance in the important decisions they have to make. 

    We also have a tradition in our Catholic faith of praying for the intercession of the community of saints, of uniting our prayers with their prayers.  St John Chrysostom is the saint we celebrate today. He was Archbishop of the important city of Constantinople in the last half of the 4th century  He was in the second group of Early Church fathers who were named to be Doctors of the Church.  John was known for his great teaching and preaching abilities.  In fact, the name assigned to him - “Chrysostom” - means “golden mouthed.”  It was politics that brought him to the seat of Archbishop in Constantinople, but he was direct and honest in the way he preached to the people, not catering to the rich and influential of society, so he earned a beloved place in the hearts of the common people.  John Chrysostom preached a Gospel that reached out to the poor in justice and integrity.  In fact, he once said: “If you cannot find Christ in the beggar at the Church door, you will not find him in the chalice.” However, due to his outspokenness, he was sent into exile by the Emperor, where he died in 407.  

     John Chrysistom started his life as a monk, yet his gifts of preaching and teaching, as well as his declining health, brought him to serve the Church as a Bishop.  He is remembered today more than 1,600 years after his death as one of the patriarchs of the Early Church. 

       A troparion in Byzantine music and in the religious music of Eastern Orthodox Christianity is a short hymn most often comprised of only one stanza.  In honor of St John Chrysostom on his feast day, I would like to quote a troparion from the Eastern Orthodox tradition written in honor of him: 


John Chrysostom, 

the grace which gleams from your mouth, 

like a torch, has illumined the world, 

has laid up treasures ungrudgingly for the world

and has manifested to us the loftiness of humility. 

As you instruct us with your words, 

dear Father John Chrysostom,

intercede with the Word, Christ our Lord, 

for the salvation of our souls.   AMEN. 



15 September 2021 - prayers of the faithful - OUR LADY OF SORROWS

Lord Jesus - you came to earth as a humble servant - Lord have mercy. 

Christ Jesus - you are the son of our Heavenly Father and the son of Mary - Christ have mercy. 

Lord Jesus - you meet us in our grief and in our sorrow - Lord have mercy.  

Prayers of the faithful: 

Priest:  Let us unite our prayers with the prayers of Mary today to pray for our needs, the needs of the Church, and the needs of the world. 

1. For our governmental leaders and Church leaders - that they may be faithful disciples like Mary, our Blessed Mother.  

2. That all the nations of the world and their leaders may work for true economic justice and peace. 

3. For the poor, the stranger, and the oppressed - that they may be welcomed by our community. 

4. That all youth, like Mary, may be open their hearts to God’s call in their lives, that they may say “yes” to serving others.  

5. That we may trust in Mary’s intercession and imitate her virtues.  

6. For the sick and shut-ins, the repose of the souls of the faithful departed, and for the prayers we hold in our heart.  

Priest: Gracious God, you chose Mary to bear our Savior.  Hear the prayers of your children and grant them in the name of your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. 

Our Lady of Sorrow - 15 September 2021 - John 19:25-27

       We ascribe different names and different attributes to Mary, attesting to her importance in our faith and in the history of salvation.  In our liturgies these last couple of months, we celebrated Our Lady of Knock, the Assumption of Mary, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, and the Nativity of Mary, just to name a few.  

    The memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows that we observe today is a blending of two feasts. In the early 13th century, an altar in honor of the Sorrowful Mother was erected in a monastery in Germany. The devotion spread in the surrounding area and in other countries. By the early 18th century, this feast was celebrated the Friday before Holy Week. 

     Also, starting in the 13th century, the Servite order commemorated a feast day that reflected upon the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  These seven sorrows of Mary include: the prophecy of Simeon, the flight of the Holy Family into Egypt, the loss of Jesus in the Temple, Mary meeting Jesus on the way to Golgotha, Jesus’ death on the cross, Jesus taken down from the cross, and Jesus’ burial.  In the early 19th century, this feast of the Seven Sorrows of Mary was celebrated in September.  During the reforms after the Second Vatican Council, these two feasts were combined into the Memorial we celebrate today on September 15.  

       In John’s Gospel today, Mary stands by her son while he was on the cross when many of his other followers and disciples abandoned him. We cannot begin to imagine the sorrow that Mary felt in her heart as she accompanied him on his journey to the cross.  This fulfills the prediction Simeon made about a sword piercing Mary's heart.

         St. Ambrose and many of the early Church Fathers saw Mary as a sorrowful yet powerful figure as she stood by Jesus courageously during his sufferings on his journey. Jesus’ wounds touched Mary’s heart, yet in those wounds, Mary saw the salvation of our world.  In that moment at the cross, Mary was given to us as our Mother and the Mother of the Church. As I think of Mary as Our Lady of the Sorrows, I think of the many mothers and grandmothers who have lost children and grandchildren; their love and their sorrows are united with Mary as Our Lady of Sorrows.  May we never fail to reach out to our Blessed Mother in our struggles and in our sorrow – may we gain strength in our faith from our relationship with her.

14 September 2021 - The Exaltation of the Cross - John 3:13-17; Numbers 21:4b-9

      Just last Sunday in the Gospel reading from Mark (Mark 8:27-35), Jesus told his disciples and the crowds that if they wish to be his followers, they must deny themselves, take up their cross and follow him; they must lose their life for his sake and the sake of the Gospel in order to save it.  Today’s liturgical celebration has a similar theme: the exaltation of the Holy Cross, a liturgy that focuses our hearts and our minds on the cross of Christ. 

         This feast celebrates the recovery of the cross in the 4th century by St. Helena, the mother of the Roman emperor Constantine, and then the new recovery of this cross from the non-Christians who had seized it.  The main focus of this feast is the meaning of the cross, the mystery that we attempt to understand in our faith. 

         In the book of Numbers, we hear how the people of Israel died and suffered in the desert after having been bitten by snakes, how God gave them the remedy of a bronze serpent mounted to a pole so that when they looked at it, they would be healed.  The serpent that we are bitten by in our modern world is sin.  Sin often leads us away from our journey of faith.  In our need to be healed of our sinful state, we are invited to look not at a bronze serpent on a wooden pole, but to the cross of Christ.  From that look, we can be healed just as the people of Israel were healed in the desert.

         Looking at our modern secular culture through the lens of our faith, we see a culture often encourages sins of all types, as well as an indifference to the spiritual values of our faith.  In our modern culture, many seem to think and act as if there is nothing we could do that could truly harm us spiritually. 

         Yet, the Gospel message today is that God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but rather to be saved through him.  This is the message of the cross.  We don’t celebrate the cross because we want to suffer for the sake of suffering.  We are to be saved through Christ and his death on the cross as his cross brings meaning to our sufferings.  In addition, we are to unite the crosses we carry to Christ’s own cross and Christ’s own sufferings. 

         The feast we celebrate today invites us to reflect upon how we are saved by the cross, how we can give thanks for God’s compassion and love for us.  May we rejoice that we have been saved by Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection, that we are able to journey through life as followers of Christ.