Quote - on scripture

It is not how much Scripture you know, 

It is how much Scripture you live.  

Thanksgiving Day Mass - 28 November 2024 - prayers of the faithful

Introduction: As we gather for Mass on Thanksgiving Day this morning, let us recall all that we are thankful for. Let us bring to our minds the specific times when we have felt the presence of God who has gifted us with life and love, with mercy and salvation, and with goodness beyond our imagination. 

Penitential Rite:


Lord Jesus - you call us to have joyful hearts - Lord have mercy.


Christ Jesus - you join us to give thanks to our Heavenly Father - Christ have mercy.


Lord Jesus - you bring us new life - Lord have mercy. 

Priest: With grateful hearts and with confidence in God’s care and mercy, we place our prayers before him this Thanksgiving day: 

1. We pray in gratitude for God’s loving care, we pray that he that he will guide our Church leaders, including Pope Francis and Bishop Kopacz. We pray to the Lord.


2. We pray for our nation and our state of Mississippi, we pray God’s help for our president, our governor, and all our national, state, and local elected officials. We pray to the Lord.


3. We pray for our family and friends, we pray for God’s blessings for them today, especially those most in need of God’s assistance at this moment. We pray to the Lord.


4. We pray in gratitude for the gifts of health and material blessings. We pray for those who do not have these gifts, that God may aid them and that we might mutually support one another. We pray to the Lord.


5. We pray for the faithful departed and for our loved ones and family members who have gone before us, that God may grant them entrance to eternal life. We pray to the Lord.


6. We pray in gratitude for those who keep us safe: our first responders, the men and women in the military, and our medical professionals, especially those who are not able to spend Thanksgiving with their families. May the Lord lead them them in their service, we pray to the Lord.


7. In the silence of our hearts, we present our personal prayer petitions this morning. We pray to the Lord. 

Priest: Hear our prayers, loving Father, on this Thanksgiving Day. We ask this through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord for ever and ever. Amen. 

28 November 2024 - Thanksgiving Day - Sirach 50:22-24 - Luke 17:11-19

With great joy, we celebrate our national holiday of Thanksgiving today. We are glad to have you all at Mass this morning, to give thanks to God in the sacrament of the Eucharist and to listen to his holy word as we give thanks to him as individuals, as families, as a nation, and as a community of faith. 

In our reading from the book of Sirach, the author blesses the God of all who has wondrous things here on earth. We bless God and give thanks for the goodness of creation. Through nature and through God’s creation, we human beings are given what we need for our lives here on earth. We think of the first immigrants here in North America who depended on God’s creation and the assistance of the native people to create settlements here, overcoming many struggles and challenges. We give thanks for their courage and tenacity. 

Another important part of our celebration of Thanksgiving today is giving thanks for our community.  We give thanks are individuals and as families, but also as a community. We come together today in love with our families and our friends.  In love and compassion, we remember those who live in need. We offer up our prayers for them and we think of ways to help them with our assistance. 

Although thanksgiving is not solely a Christian celebration, as disciples of Christ, we wholeheartedly show our gratitude to God for the gift of his son. Jesus celebrated in food and fellowship with his disciples, with members of the community, and with those on the margins of society. Jesus also give us hope that the joy, thanksgiving, and love we express here on earth will be multiplied immeasurably when we enter eternal life with him in his kingdom. 

We have the example of faith in our Gospel today of the one leper who returned after he was healed to give thanksgiving to Jesus.  That act of thanksgiving was very important to that leper. May all of us have that same joy of Thanksgiving in our hearts. Blessings to all of you as we celebrate Thanksgiving day today and give thanks to God. 

27 November 2024 - Wednesday of the 34th week in Ordinary Time - Revelation 15:1-4

Near the end of his vision in the book of Revelation, John sees seven angels who are carrying seven bowls of plagues that will out the persecutors of the Christians. Jest as the ten plagues of Egypt ended up liberating the Israelites from their Egyptian captors, the seven plagues of the Apocalypse in the book of Revelation will liberate the Christians from their Roman oppressors. 

The Book of Revelation was written in the genre of apocalyptic literature that was well-known in the ancient world. Sometimes it is used in our modern world to defend the anger and the revenge that is wanted by the reader. Sometimes it is used to proof-text events that are happening in the world today. However, the message of this genre of literature is much more subtle and profound than the images we see on its surface. In today’s passage, we hear of God’s care for the people of faith, for those who follow his will in their lives. This type of literature has the aim of promoting us striving toward a life of holiness and turning to God in our time of need. It assures us that God is ready to help us when we call on him for help.

27 November 2024 - prayers of the faithful - Wednesday of the 34th week in Ordinary Time

Lord Jesus - you call us to be faithful. 

Christ Jesus - you reach out to the afflicted. 

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

Priest: We present our prayers to our God of love and mercy:

1. May God’s spirit be evident in our Church leadership and in our service so that the poor, the marginalized and the victimized. 

2. For world leaders and policy makers. May the Spirit of God encourage work that fosters peace and justice in all our communities and in every nation. 

3. For a deeper spirit of openness and welcome. That God may give us welcoming hearts that we may acknowledge God’s presence in all people.

4. That our youth may be filled with courage and vision, that they may reshape our world into a place where love is shared and where all people are deeply valued.

5. For all in special need — the sick, addicted, depressed, dying and grieving.

6. For all who suffer with through violence, war or bloodshed.

7. For the prayers we lift up in the silence of our hearts. 

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

26 November 2024 - prayers of the faithful - Tuesday of the 34th week in Ordinary time

Lord Jesus - you bring us hope. 

Christ Jesus - you call us to discipleship. 

Lord Jesus - you bring us the joy of our faith. 

Priest: We now to bring our prayers to our merciful God: 

1. For the Church and our leadership. May we work together to find unity, healing and peace. May we be a sign of God’s love in the world.

2. For the grace of fidelity. May we be faithful in our relationships with spouses, siblings, parents, children, relatives, neighbors and friends.

3. That God may heal the divisions and ease the tensions that pull us apart from each other.

4. That God may instill in us a deep respect for all human life from conception to natural death. May we honor the sacredness of every person. 

5. That we may find ways to share the resources of our planet and to deal with climate change and natural disasters.

6. That God may tenderly hold all who are persecuted in our world and touch their lives with peace.

7. For all who are sick, addicted, dying and grieving. 

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

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

26 November 2024 - homily for Tuesday of the 34th week in Ordinary Time - Revelation 14:14-19

Today’s passage from the Book of Revelation describes the judgment at the end times. The judgment is depicted as a double harvest.  In the first harvest, the son of man cuts and gathers the good fruit, the righteous of earth. In the second harvest, the grapes are cut down, representing the ungodly. The grapes are crushed and thrown into God’s fury. 

This is quite a harsh image that we might want to dismiss. But there will be a final judgment in which we will all be judged for their actions. We will be held responsible. Even though Jesus and sacred Scripture warns us many time of the judgment that is to come, many people knowingly persist in doing evil and giving way to their temptations. 

Those disciples of Christ who make great effort and great sacrifice to follow the moral life and to follow God’s commandments should be encouraged on their journey of faith through this message today. Those who turn their back on God and continue to persist in their sinfulness should have fear cast into them through this scene. 

In the end, we will not be able to escape God’s judgment. That is our destiny. 

24 November 2024 - Solemnity of Christ the King - prayers of the faithful - prison ministry

Introduction: Pope Pius XI instituted the solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe in 1925. Today, in this celebration that marks the end of the liturgical year, we recognize Christ’s preeminence and pray for the day when peace and goodwill may forever overcome war and aggression.  

Lord Jesus, you unite the world to yourself - Lord have mercy. 

Christ Jesus, your kingdom will last forever - Christ have mercy. 

Lord Jesus, you are the Messiah, our King, and our God - Lord have mercy. 

Priest: In our prayers, we call upon Jesus our King to answer our needs and the needs of all people around the world: 

1. For Pope Francis, Bishop Joseph Kopacz, and all Church leaders, that they may look to Christ the King as they guide us, the Body of Christ, to our ultimate destiny in the heavenly kingdom.  We pray to the Lord. 

2. For the leaders of the nations, that they may approach their position of governance with humility and grace. We pray to the Lord. 

3. That we all may work for greater justice in our local communities, in our country, and around the world, especially for those oppressed by unjust leaders and systematic injustice. We pray to the Lord. 

4. For healing and reconciliation in our broken relationships, that we may heed the call for repentance and redemption.  We pray to the Lord. 

5. For healing for the sick and shut-in in body, mind, and spirit. We pray especially for the men here at CMCF who are struggling with addictions, anxiety, depression, and mental health issues. We pray to the Lord.  

6. For our deceased loved ones and family members. We pray for them in a special way during the month of November. We pray to the Lord.

7. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts, for all of our intentions spoken and unspoken.  We pray to the Lord. 

Priest:  Merciful God, we pray that you grant us the grace to choose to repent for our wrongs and to forgive those who have wronged us.  We present our prayers through your Son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN.   

24 November 2024 - Solemnity of Christ the King - prayers of the faithful

Introduction: Pope Pius XI instituted the solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe in 1925. Today, in this celebration that marks the end of the liturgical year, we recognize Christ’s preeminence and pray for the day when peace and goodwill may forever overcome war and aggression.  

Lord Jesus, you reconcile the world to yourself - Lord have mercy. 

Christ Jesus, your kingdom will last forever - Christ have mercy. 

Lord Jesus, you are the Messiah, our King, and our God - Lord have mercy. 

Priest: In our prayers, we call upon Jesus our King to answer our needs and the needs of all people around the world: 

1. For Pope Francis, Bishop Joseph Kopacz, and all Church leaders, that they may look to Christ the King as they guide us, the Body of Christ, to our ultimate destiny in the heavenly kingdom.  We pray to the Lord. 

2. For the leaders of the nations, that they may approach their position of governance with humility and grace. We pray to the Lord. 

3. That we all may work for greater justice in our local communities, in our country, and around the world, especially for those oppressed by unjust leaders and systematic injustice. We pray to the Lord. 

4. For healing and reconciliation in our broken relationships, that we may heed the call for repentance and redemption.  We pray to the Lord. 

5. For healing for the sick and shut-in in body, mind, and spirit. For their families and caregivers. We pray to the Lord.  

6. For the repose of the souls of the faithful departed. For our deceased loved ones and family members. We pray to the Lord.

7. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts, for all of our intentions spoken and unspoken.  We pray to the Lord. 

Priest:  Merciful God, we pray that you grant us the grace to choose to repent for our wrongs and to forgive those who have wronged us.  We present our prayers through your Son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN.    

Bulletin Reflection - Solemnity of Christ the King - 24 November 2024

We are going to celebrate our national holiday of Thanksgiving later this upcoming week. Then we get ready for the busy holiday season.  We know that we are getting close to the end of the year. This weekend we reach the end of our Church’s liturgical year with the celebration of the solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. Next weekend, we will start the season of Advent as we prepare for the birth of our Savior. So many of us are busy most weeks of the year. Advent and the holiday season gets even busier for us. As we celebrate the solemnity of Christ the King this weekend, may we call to mind the values of our faith that we are to live out each day as we prepare a place in our hearts in this holy season of Advent. Blessings to all of you as we commemorate the end of the liturgical year today and as we get ready for the busy holiday season. Father Lincoln.  

23 November 2024 - homily for the Solemnity of Christ the King - John 18:33b-37

In order to teach Spanish at Greenville High School in the year 2000, I had to sit for the Praxis teacher exam in Spanish. One of the sections covered Spanish history and culture. I remember one of the questions asking the name of the palace built by King Philip II of Spain in the 16th century. The name of that palace is El Escorial, built from 1563 - 1584, located about 45 miles from Madrid. It is the largest renaissance building in the world, containing more than 4,000 rooms and housing a monastery, a basilica, a royal palace, a library, a museum, a university, a high school, and hospital. I got to visit this structure in 2003, the first time I visited Spain. It was incomprehensible to think that a king had such an opulent palace. 

Located about six miles from El Escorial is the Valley of Fallen, a basilica and monument carved into the sign of a mountain, topped by one of the largest crosses in the world.  Francisco Franco, the dictator of Spain for many decades, built this monument that houses the remains of than 40,000 men and women who were killed in the Spanish civil war in the 1930s. Franco himself was buried there after his death, but his body was removed by the Spanish government in 2019 due to the complicated history the Spanish Civil War has in that country. 

Our world has seen many powerful leaders and many different kings and queens. We see political power gained and lost in an instant.  We see palaces and moments built by regimes that had power but then lost it. While the kings of this earth amass great fortunes and live in great palaces, Jesus tells us he is a very different king, as he explains to Pilate in today’s Gospel that his kingdom does not belong to this world. 

In the gospel Jesus testifies that he is not this kind of king. In fact, he says that his kingdom is not of this world. Jesus is telling us that the values of his kingdom have not yet permeated our world. We see the violence and crime in our cities. We see how many people teach other with disrespect and anger.  Yet there are aspects of Christ’s kingdom here on earth, evident in the hearts of his disciples, evident in their good works and in their way of life. 

Jesus states that he has come to "be a witness to the truth” - the truth of his kingdom. We who strive to follow Christ’s truth know that our efforts to sow seeds of Christ’s peace and love are not in vain. Earlier in John’s Gospel, Jesus stated that those who are members of his flock and who follow his truth hear his voice and listen to him; Jesus knows them, and they in turn follow him. Unfortunately, Pilate does not follow Christ’s truth and does not truly hear the truth that he speaks. 

We lives a the people of Christ’s truth by helping to prepare the world for his coming. Next weekend, we will enter the holy season of Advent in preparation for Christ’s birth into the world. While it is easy to get caught up in the busy holiday season of December, we can focus our hearts on the mystery of Christ’s birth that we will celebrate at Christmas. Blessings to all of you today as we end our Church’s liturgical year and as we get ready for our celebration of Advent next Sunday. 

22 November 2024 - prayers of the faithful - Friday of the 33rd week in Ordinary time

Lord Jesus - you are the Lamb of God. 

Christ Jesus - you will come again in the end times. 

Lord Jesus - you bring us salvation and hope. 

With humble hearts, we now present our prayers to our heavenly Father: 

1. For the grace to be able to listen to God as he speaks to us each day. 

2. That our Church leaders and governmental leaders grow in insight and wisdom. 

3. For all who feel overwhelmed, confused, manipulated or misdirected, that they be enlightened and strengthened on their journey. 

4. For peace among nations and governments. For reconciliation in the midst of anger and division. 

5. For our beloved sick, addicted, dying, grieving or depressed. For those who are abused, ignored or mistreated.

6. For the names we remember during the month of remembrance. For the repose of the soul of all the faithful departed. 

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

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

21 November 2024 - prayers of the faithful - Thursday of the 33rd week in Ordinary time

Lord Jesus - you call us to faith. 

Christ Jesus - you ask us to be ready when you come again. 

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

With faith and hope, we present our prayers to our heavenly Father: 

1. For the Church and those who minister within the Church. May our ministry and activity as servants help to heal the world.

2. For those who face difficulty and hardship and for those overwhelmed by the pressures of life. May we be inspired to find ways to serve people in need.

3. May world leaders center their values, decisions and actions on the common good and to benefit the needy.

4. In thanksgiving for those who dedicate their lives to serving others in the church, government, the military, in areas of social justice, medicine and education. May God keep them safe and protect them. 

5. In thanksgiving to God for our parish family. We ask God’s continued grace upon us.

6. For the names inscribed in the book of remembrance, as we pray for them in a special way during this month of November. 

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

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

22 November 2024 - Friday of the 33rd week in Ordinary Time - St Cecilia - Revelation 10:8-11

St Cecilia is the saint we celebrate today. Not much tangible is known about her, even though she was one of the most famous Roman martyrs venerated in the Early Church. According to Tradition, Cecilia was from an influential Roman family.  She converted her fiancé to the Christian faith, but Cecilia, her fiancé, and his brother were all martyred.  Tradition holds that there was a church named after her in Rome in the early days of Christianity.  Although we are not sure of its origin, Cecilia is the patron saint of musicians.  We unite our prayers with the intercessions of St Cecilia today. We pray for all of our Church musicians.

We have a very interesting first reading from the book of Revelation today. Several times in Sacred Scripture, prophets are told to eat pages of God’s Holy Word.  This happens to the prophets Ezekiel and Jeremiah. Today, in Revelation, John is told to take the scroll that is in the hand of the angel and to eat it. Asking these men to actually eat the pages of God’s word is symbolic of how the word is to become a part of our entire being. Rather than remaining on the surface of our lives, the word of God is to enter our lives, we are to chew on it and digest it, to be strengthened by it and nourished by it.  Only then can we become evangelizers of God’s word and to transmit that word to others. By eating God’s word in the book of Revelation, John acquired a greater understanding of the word. May God’s word always be at the center of our lives. May it be an integral part of our entire being. 

 

21 November 2024 - Thursday of the 33rd week in Ordinary Time - Revelation 5:1-10 - Luke 19:41-44

Today, we celebrate the presentation of the Virgin Mary in the Temple, which does not have a direct reference in the Gospels or in any other book of Sacred Scripture. This feast has its foundation in a belief passed down in the traditions of the Early Church and in other first century sacred writings. Tradition teaches that Mary was taken to the Temple in Jerusalem when she was a girl. Mary must have spent a great deal of time in the Temple practicing her faith and preparing for her eventual role as the mother of our Lord and the mother of the Church. We can use our imagination and our understanding of Mary from Scripture and from tradition to reflect upon what her childhood and her journey of faith might have been like before her visit from the Archangel Gabriel. We can ask ourselves how we can turn to Mary and ask her to help prepare us for our mission as Christians in the modern world, a task that becomes more challenging as our modern secular society becomes a place that is hostile to the values of the Gospel.  

Although Mary probably spent much time in the Temple and in the study of Jewish Scripture and tradition, she also probably spent a lot of time with St. Anne and St. Joachim, her mother and father, growing up in a loving family that exposed her to the reality of life around her, including the sufferings of the poor. Mary was full of grace, as declared by the Angel Gabriel, but I imagine that her parents and her upbringing fostered and encouraged her empathy and compassion, her generosity and humility, her hospitality and forgiveness. 

Yesterday and today, we hear a description from the book of Revelation of the heavenly liturgy that gives praise and thanksgiving to God. God is so revered and so great that no one on earth or under the earth or in heaven is worthy enough to break open the scroll that is in the hands of the one who is seated on the heavenly throne.  We contrast that reading from Revelation to what we hear in today’s Gospel, as Jesus pauses at the entrance to Jerusalem, weeping at the way the people have rejected him. As we honor Mary today, we pray that she lead us closer to her son, which is what Mary always does for us in our journey of faith. 

 

20 November 2024 - prayers of the faithful - Wednesday of the 33rd week in Ordinary Time

Lord Jesus - you are the beloved son of the Father

Christ Jesus - you call us to the joy of our faith

Lord Jesus - you are our savior and our redeemer

With joy in our hearts, we bring our prayers to our heavenly Father: 

1. For Pope Francis, our bishops, and all leaders in the church, That they be inspired with vision and hope as they lead God’s holy people. 

2. That we may all grow in our faith as we trust the strength of prayer and have a greater reliance on God’s help and grace. 

3. May we honor and respect all who are maligned or challenged mentally, emotionally or physically.

4. For all who are ill, incapacitated, angry or addicted. For people who are dying or grieving loss. May they be blessed with healing and comfort.

5. For peace in our world. May our local government and world leaders take bold steps to end violence, hunger and prejudice. 

6. For our loved ones who we remember in the month of remembrance, for their entry into eternal life. 

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

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

20 November 2024 - homily for Wednesday of the 33rd week in Ordinary Time - Revelation 4:1-11

Our liturgy in the Mass connects us with the mysteries of salvation so that we might participate in their effects of these mysteries. In the Mass, we participate in Jesus’ death and resurrection as if we were there when they took place. Our reading from the Book of Revelation this morning shows the liturgy of the heavens with all creation giving glory to God. We hear of these magical creature who harmoniously praise God in the liturgy. 

The book of Revelation was written at a time when the Early Church was under persecution. Although these persecutions would continue for many years, the liturgy described assumes a glorious outcome. The readings from Revelation encouraged the Early Church to persevere and to keep the faith despite this persecution. We are also to find hope in the midst of our challenges on our journey of faith, in the midst of the ridicule and persecution of Christians that we see in the world. 

19 November 2024 - prayers of the faithful - Tuesday of the 33rd week in Ordinary Time

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

Christ Jesus - you forgive the sins of the contrite. 

Lord Jesus - you are our savior and redeemer. 

With faith and hope, we present our prayers to our heavenly Father: 

1. That our Church leaders may inspire the motivations and directions of the Catholic faithful. 

2. For wisdom for our governmental leaders. 

3. For those who are questioning or skeptical about faith, that they be given insight to make life-giving choices filled with forgiveness, love and understanding.

4. We pray that the Lord invigorate the spirit of the downtrodden and bring peace to the sick, dying and grieving.  

5. We pray that the Lord open our hearts to all who are affected by violence, war, depression, anxiety or addiction.

6. In loving memory of our friends and fellow parishioners who have died during this past year. For all the faithful departed, for their entry into eternal life. 

7. For all the prayers we offer in the silence of our hearts. 

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

Prayers of the faithful - 17 November 2024 - 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time - prison ministry

Introduction: This weekend and next weekend we celebrate the last two Sundays of the liturgical year. Our readings on these weekends focus us on the last days. May our trust in our loving and merciful God bring us joy and hope. 

Priest: Penitential Rite 

Lord Jesus - you are the eternal high priest. 

Christ Jesus - you are the just judge of the nations. 

Lord Jesus - you will come again in glory. 

Priest: Called to be people of mercy, we now turn to the Father of Mercy with our prayers today: 

1. That we in the Church will serve as a beacon of mercy throughout the world. We pray to the Lord. 

2. That we may all proclaim Christ in what we say, in what we do, and how we treat others.  We pray to the Lord. 

3. That our community leaders and civil servants reach out to the poor and vulnerable in society. May we also reach out to our brothers in need. We pray to the Lord. 

4. That all of us will be nourished by Christ in the Eucharist and live out the spirit of the Eucharist each day in our words and our actions. We pray to the Lord. 

5. During this month of remembrance, we pray that the souls of our loved ones and all the faithful departed be joined with the Lord on the last day. We pray to the Lord. 

6. For all who gather to be nourished by Christ in the Eucharist, that we will recognize him as the true bread of life. We pray to the Lord. 

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

Priest: God all all, we thank you for our gifts, seen and unseen. Hear our faith-filled prayers that we offer today through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN.  

Prayers of the faithful - 17 November 2024 - 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Introduction: This weekend and next weekend we celebrate the last two Sundays of the liturgical year. Our readings on these weekends focus us on the last days. May our trust in our loving and merciful God bring us joy and hope. 

Priest: Penitential Rite

Lord Jesus - you are the eternal high priest. 

Christ Jesus - you are the just judge of the nations. 

Lord Jesus - you will come again in glory. 

Priest: Called to be people of mercy, we now turn to the Father of Mercy with our prayers today: 

1. That the Church will serve as a beacon of mercy throughout the world. We pray to the Lord. 

2. That all Christians may proclaim Christ in what we say, in what we do, and how we treat others.  We pray to the Lord. 

3. That our community leaders and civil servants reach out to the poor and vulnerable in society. We pray to the Lord. 

4. That all of us will be nourished by Christ in the Eucharist and live out the spirit of the Eucharist each day in our words and our actions. We pray to the Lord. 

5. During this month of remembrance, we pray that the souls of our loved ones and all the faithful departed be joined with the Lord on the last day. We pray to the Lord. 

6. For all who gather to be nourished by Christ in the Eucharist, that we will recognize him as the true bread of life. We pray to the Lord. 

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

Priest: God all all, we thank you for our gifts, seen and unseen. Hear our faith-filled prayers that we offer today through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN.  

Reflection - 33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time - 17 November 2024

Back in August, I was remarking how quickly the summer months went and how busy they were.  Now, as we near the end of our Church’s liturgical next week and get ready for the busy season of Advent in preparation for the birth of our Lord at Christmas, I am noting how fast these past months have gone by. I love our Church’s liturgical calendar, marking the rhythm of life for us Catholics throughout the year. Our readings this weekend and next weekend address the end times, appropriate as we approaching the end of the liturgical year. As we near the beginning of Advent, it would be good for us to think about those we can invite to our Advent and Christmas liturgies and activities at Holy Savior. Blessings to all of you - I hope you have a great week.  Father Lincoln. 

19 November 2024 - homily for Tuesday of the 33rd week in Ordinary Time - Luke 19:1-10

In the Gospel story of Zacchaeus, Jesus reaches out to those who are far from Him. Zacchaeus, a tax collector, was not someone many people expected Jesus to seek out. But,Jesus sees him in a tree and calls him by name. Jesus wants every person, no matter his past, to know God’s love and forgiveness.

Jesus does not look down on Zacchaeus or judge him. He sees Zacchaeus’ desire to know God, despite Zacchaeus’ past mistakes. This shows us that Jesus welcomes all who want to draw close to him, and he calls us to do the same with others. Instead of judging or excluding others based on their history or appearance, we are called to share Christ’s love with everyone. Our role is to welcome, support, and trust that Christ can work in every heart. In our daily lives, we are called to reflect Christ’s openness and kindness, remembering that God desires all people to come to him.

17 November 2024 - homily for the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time - Matthew 13:24-32

This is the last Sunday we will see the liturgical color of green for a while, as next Sunday we celebrate the feast of Christ the King with the end of the liturgical year. Then, we enter the seasons of Advent and Christmas. As we get close to the end of the year, our readings today are about the end times. But these readings are not about us with the angels in heaven in eternal life. Instead, we hear of a time of tribulation and judgement, of images of the darkening of the sun, stars falling from the sky, and the shaking of the powers of heaven. This reading from Mark’s Gospel comes right after Jesus talks about the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, of a coming time of trial and persecution. Indeed, Jerusalem and the Temple would be destroyed as Jesus predicted. As the Gospel takes place at a dark time in Jesus’ life, just before his passover meal with his disciples and the beginning of his passion, the communities of the early Church first heard this Gospel in the midst of their own darkness, living under a cloud of fear and persecution. When Jesus, the Alpha and the Omega, the source and end of all, comes back in the end times, many will choose him, but others will choose the darkness instead. 

Darkness is a part of life. All of us experience darkness in different shapes and forms on our journey through life. Many people fear the darkness and see it as a very bad thing. Darkness can bring a lot of pain and suffering. It can make us feel alone and abandoned. It can negatively affect our faith and our hope. Often, we spend a lot of our time and energy fearing the darkness or battling it. But, often, we are so caught up in the pain and suffering of the darkness that we don’t see the gifts, the blessings, and the transformation that can come from the darkness. Perhaps we priests don’t preach enough about the darkness we encounter in life, since it is not an easy subject to tackle. Author Sue Monk Kidd states: “Too many of us panic in the dark. We don’t understand that it’s a holy dark and that the idea is to surrender to it and journey through to real light."  

Think of Jesus’ time in the tomb between his death on the cross and his resurrection; the seed that goes into the ground and that comes up from the soil into new life; the caterpillar that spins itself into a cocoon before it emerges as a beautiful butterfly; the bear that hibernates in the cold dark winter to emerge in the light of springtime. These times of transformation are essential to new life or new birth. Yes, fear is a natural response to the darkness inside of ourselves and to the darkness around us. We need to let go of our fear and not let it have power over us; in faith, we are called to believe that darkness is an essential part of life and essential to our growth as human beings.  

Perhaps we all need to see darkness in a new way. In being open to the blessings, transformations, and light that are present in the darkness, we will be ready for Jesus when he comes for us in the darkness and trials of the end times. When we go through a time of darkness, God calls us to trust, to pray, and to stay connected to him in any way we can. Trappist monk Thomas Merton writes: “True love and prayer are really learned in the hour when prayer becomes impossible and your heart turns to stone.” 

Carylll Houselander is an interesting figure in our Catholic faith. She was a Catholic lay woman from England who lived in the first half of the 20th century. She was a writer, artist, and mystic. Although she had no formal training in psychology, theology, or counseling, she served as a spiritual director and counselor, helping people to heal. Priests and medical doctors would refer patients to her. I have come across her writings at different times, coming across this poem she wrote about darkness:

God will enter into your night,

as the ray of the sun enters into the dark, hard earth, 

driving right down to the roots of the trees,

and there, unseen, unknown, unfelt in the darkness, 

filling the tree with life, 

a sap of fire will suddenly break out, 

high above the darkness, 

into living leaf and flame. 

We can bring the light of Christ to others in darkness in different ways, especially as we journey through our own darkness. Reflecting upon our own darkness, we can have more empathy and compassion. No matter what darkness we have in our lives, the light of Christ is still there.