Luke 21:12-19 Sing A New Song
Jesus said to the crowd: “They will seize and persecute you, they will
hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons, and they will have you led
before kings and governors because of my name.”
Who needs it! Really. Who needs persecution! Why fight for others when they are not interested
in being saved; or worse, when they are actively fighting against being saved! Why fight if the world is destined to be
destroyed? Why go through all that
personal pain, misery and suffering? For
what??? To be led to the
slaughter???
Why do you even care?
I’m not having a bad day, or even a bad year. Believe me.
I’m serious. But what I’m
noticing more and more is that people who care about Christ (and His Church) are
constantly getting hurt for doing so. People
who put in their two cents are getting two rocks thrown back at them! Why even bother when there is so much
antagonism towards holiness! Who needs
it!
What will it take for the Catholic Church to not get slapped in the
face anymore? What will it take for the “tolerant”
to be “tolerant” of Christians who hold firm to Christ’s Gospel? I know.
Let’s start preaching that at the end of our lives we all go to
heaven. Why not? What do we have to lose? No more arguing. No more fighting. No more high expectations. Just live your life! That’s plenty enough reason to make it to
heaven.
Let’s start teaching that everything is acceptable. Or better yet, “Whatever makes you happy makes Jesus happy!” Why not?
Let’s start believing that every excuse is a good excuse. Why not?
Life would be so much easier. The
Catechism of the Catholic Church would be so much thinner!!! Religion would be so much easier to
understand. We could all be
spiritualists rather than religious.
What do you think would happen to our Church if we opened the doors wide
open to just about everything? I will
tell you. Based on the latest statistics
of mainstream protestant denominations, it would eventually end up…empty. Surprised?
It is not uncommon to find Catholic Churches half full for Mass. The reason should be clear. If you are only going to preach half truths,
then expect to find half the people. But
if you are willing to preach the full truth, then expect to find a lot of
people.
No one loves to be challenged.
It doesn’t come easy for any of us.
But great coaches challenge their athletes. Great teachers motivate their students. Awesome parents question their kid’s
decisions. Great pastors strive to
challenge their congregations. God loves
to challenge people! Why? Remarkably, for all the same reasons: challenges make us better!
Yesterday, I challenged the kids at Mass to tell their parents that
they are proud of them. Parents could
use an encouraging word, especially given all the complaining they hear. After Mass, someone commented to me that they
would probably forget to do so. That’s
true. But if one student remembered,
then it would be worth it. They won’t
forget when they become a parent.
Sing a new song. Aren’t
we all victims nowadays? Aren’t we all
offended by whatever people say, even when they say the truth? Everyone’s a victim today. Everyone gets so easily offended by the truth.
Yesterday, as I was leaving Zale Lipshy (the hospital), a man walked up
to my car. He was decently dressed. He wanted to tell me something so I lowered
the window. He started off by telling me
that he was not a bum. Then he proceeded
to tell me how his car had just broken down, three blocks from the hospital,
and that he had forgotten his wallet, “just
like a man his age would do”. He told
me that he wasn’t asking for much. At
that moment, I stopped him and told him that his story had not convinced me at
all; that it was too well rehearsed.
There wasn’t a single “um” or “ah” or anything. Before I could finish, the man took offense
at me. He began to insult me with some
pretty foul language. I then told him
that that was much better. That that was
what I would expect from a dishonest man who preys on priests at hospitals and
is literally surrounded by police, phone lines and hundreds of workers in the
area that could help.
Sing a new song! Spare the Lord the pity party, please!
The Lord is asking us to sing a new song. Change your tune. Being persecuted is not the same as being a
victim. It means being a Savior! The only victims are the sinners; those who
end up nailing the Lord on a Cross; those who end up slaves to their passions
and following their will rather than God’s will and his commandments. Christians are not victims. We are liberators. Christ was not a victim. He was our Savior.
Sing to the Lord a new song. The
Lord has made his salvation known. He
has also made it known what it will take:
crucifixion, dying to oneself.
Get over it. Life will be tough
if you choose to follow Him every step of the way.
Father Alfonse,
ReplyDeleteDon't fall prey to a panhandler. We've seen them wearing Rolex watches, Calvin Klein shirts and being dropped off in Limo's. Also, seen them at St. Monica in the parking lot and church. It's against the law and we saw an officier giving a guy a ticket that was giving money to a painhandler. Also, be careful about rolling your window down to a stranger. What if they had a concealed weapon or pepper spray. Just beware. It's too bad that we have to live our life on caution. If he needed help let him go inside the hospital for help.
God Bless
I totally agree
DeleteI then told him that that was much better-did you mean to say " I then told him that it was much better " right ??
ReplyDeleteThat "that" ( too many that's lol) was what I would expect from a dishonest man who preys on priests at hospitals and is literally surrounded by police, phone lines and hundreds of workers in the area that could help.
No, I think he meant it as it was written. It is grammatically correct as is
Deleteok ! I see hummmmmmmm
DeleteFather,
ReplyDeleteGod bless you for boldly speaking the Truth and therefor in Love. In these times so many of us can get despaired ( daily!!!) by the world however taking a few minutes to glance at these Holy Spirit lead meditations brings many the clarity from Truth that redirects us to the Hope we all must be reminded of over and over. Thank you!
Good for you Father Alfonse for being cautious I had a woman come to me this past sunday in the forum at Saint Joseph in Richardson telling me that she need money for insulin. So i asked her what pharmacy she used and who her doctor was I know that you have to have this information because I am insulin dependent myself when I asked her for this information she perceeded to tell me how unchristian that I was but I stood my ground if she had given me the name of a pharmacy and the name of her doctor I would have gladly paid money directly to them to buy her some insulin but since she refused to do that I told her no
ReplyDeleteFather Alfonse,
ReplyDeleteWondered if you ever wrote your parents a thank you for all the beautiful things and support they've given you. I did and no one had to ask me to do it. We write letters to thank people for gifts they've given us but what about a thank you to our parents. After I married I wrote my parents a thank you note for giving me life first of all. I can remember all the way back to when I was two. I thank them for all they've done for me, their support, and for welcoming my husband into our family. I gave it to my parents when no one else was around and told them to read it after I left. I told them they have done a beautiful job and when they read it to please not cry but to give themselves a pat on the back. I now have the note since they've gone to be with the Lord. From time to time, I read it and it brings so much comfort to my life especially since a day didn't go by but what I wanted to be with them. They brought so much love and structure to my life that now they are gone and I still can feel the day they died especially since my Mom died on my birthday and my Dad was buried on my husbands birthday. I know that just as God brought my husband and I together that He also connected me to my parents. I have thanked the Lord for that too.
No. I don't think I ever did. That's why I told the kids they should...just in case. Actually, I think I told them that they should tell them.
ReplyDeleteFather, this kind of reminds me of a homily you gave awhile ago. A father was having trouble maintaining a relationship with his daughter, and she grew up and how she never sent him a birthday card etc.? Well, I had a friend come to me not long after that, and he is a much older man. His daughter is also all grown up and maybe even older than I. He said to me on one occasion that he hasn’t spoken with his daughter in years, and that they have their life and he has his. Said to him, “Oh how sad, I know you don’t want that, I know you want forgiveness and peace between you and your daughter once again. You do not have forever, you still have a chance to be her daddy. She has on one else that can fulfill that role except you. And even though she is all grown up, she is still your baby.” I then told her the same thing you told that man to do. I told him that on his birthday, he should write a letter to his daughter, telling her what she was the best thing that has ever happened to him and that he is so blessed to have her as his daughter, etc. A few months later he did it! So he really listened to YOUR advice father Al, I told him about the story that you shared about this man that you encountered and I simply passed on the message! Also this year, on my birthday, I bought my mother flowers and a letter that I wrote to her saying that, if she and my father, hadn’t adopted me, I probably would not even be having a birthday at all and told her how important she is to me and expressed how thankful I am to have her in my life as such a wonderful role model. My mother has every single letter that I ever wrote to her. From the time I was little, until now.
Delete