Lk 17:1-6 Things That Cause Sin

Lk 17:1-6 Things That Cause Sin

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Jesus said to his disciples, “Things that cause sin will inevitably occur, but woe to the one through whom they occur. It would be better for him if a millstone were put around his neck and he be thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.”

Lord, increase my faith in you! Remind me of the futility of sin - of those sleepless nights, painful fights and tasteless bites. May I never forget how my anger, revenge and resentment towards my unsuspecting friend can cause self-inflicted wounds on my body and soul.

Evil will always be present among us. That’s for sure! But there will be times when it is all my fault, my fault, my most grievous fault. What is it about me that can make love so self-seeking; hope so bloating and faith so self-serving? What has gotten into me? Or better, what has been removed from me?

Then, there will be times when I am pushed to the edge. Not by you, my friend and my God, but by the evil one! How he lures me, the well-educated. How he lures me, the self-made. How he lures me, the underprivileged. How he, my enemy, uses my status to make friends with me. How he, this evil companion, uses my sorrow-filled story to make friends with me.

It is so modern, in our modern culture, to declare yourself a victim. It is so fashionable, in our fashion oriented culture, to come out of the closet. It is so trendy, sort of speaking, to be shocking. We have all become victims; victims of our own success! Victims of our own selfish and distorted desires! Victims of our “two cents” and paper thin economy and culture! Our nation rides on a paper thin foundation.

Oh Lord, only through your grace, your amazing grace, could I possibly stand up to the test and allow nothing and no one to separate me from your love. Yes Lord, only by your grace, could I stand up to the test and declare myself a sinner! Oh how you love a humble heart! Oh Lord, only through your grace, could I possibly be honest with myself, look at myself and say to myself – “Who do you think you are?”

A week ago, while looking for pictures for All Souls Day, I came across an article about Miss World 2011, Ivian Colmenares. After her win, Colmenares told reporters that being orphaned at a young age was no barrier to achievement in life. Colmenares’ parents died when she was eight; the young girl was raised by nuns in a convent for five years. In fact, so influential was this period in her life that she once dreamt of becoming a nun. The reporter claims that she gave up the idea when she realized she could become famous and successful as a model.

But I wonder what this young girl really thinks. I think she knows much better. If the nuns taught her well, and if she considered this period of her life as so influential, then I am more than convinced that they taught her that fame and success could be easily yours as a “Miss”, like Miss Theresa of Calcutta; and that she could achieve everlasting “world”-wide and out-of-this-world success by being humble and poor; and that photographers from all over the planet would be rushing to take her picture till the very end of her life!

Jesus said to his disciples, “Things that cause sin will inevitably occur, but woe to the one through whom they occur. Why? Because we have a tendency to go overboard, to jump into deep water and drown in our own sea of ambitions! Let us never forget who we are, what we are and who we belong to.

What causes us to sin? Imitations. Fool's gold! There is a crown of victory that awaits us that this world cheaply, but at times honestly, imitates! Ivian is a princess, but of a much greater God!

Mt 25:1-13 Just In Case

Mt 25:1-13 Just In Case

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Jesus told his disciples this parable: “The kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones, when taking their lamps, brought no oil with them, but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps.”

For me, this parable of the ten virgins has always been one of the most difficult to understand. It just seems so bizarre! It has no equivalent here on earth.

Maybe that’s the point!

The kingdom of heaven may be likened to five wise virgins. It appears as though the wise are those who enter heaven. They are also the ones who come prepared. The wise think prudently. They have foresight. They live neither by emotion nor by carpe diem. They live prepared…“just in case.” The Lord most likely used the example of virgins because he was thinking of His mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary. I am sure that Mary, like most mothers, often told her child to bring a sweater…just in case or to wait outside…just in case.

In this parable, the “virgins” represent those who have set their hearts, minds, eyes and ears upon the Lord. He is their bridegroom. He is their goal in life! He is their peace and happiness. The lamps represent wisdom. In times of darkness, we need light. The Lord is the Light of the World. The Holy Spirit enlightens the hearts and minds of all who call upon Him. The Holy Spirit - Sacred Wisdom - is required in order to help us navigate through the caves, tunnels and tombs that abound all the days of our lives. The wise virgins are those who have brought extra oil…just in case, “for you know neither the day nor the hour when the Son of God will come.”

Blaise Pascal was a famous mathematician, philosopher and theologian. In fact, Pascal C+ is a well known computer program named in honor of him. Not only was Pascal a great logical thinker. He was also a great Christian believer. He knew how to handle an atheist when he saw one. His famous “Pascal’s Wager” is a simple way to argue why we should all believe in God. It goes something like this. There are only two possibilities when it comes to God. Either God exists or He does not exist. If God exists and I believe then I win the greatest prize ever: eternal life. If God exists and I do not believe, then I am the biggest loser ever – I have lost eternal life! Now, if God does not exist and I do not believe in God, I gain nothing. If God does not exist and I do believe, I lost nothing. Conclusion: Bet on God…just in case. Only the fool would bet on something that for sure would yield nothing?

This parable is an invitation from the Lord to His disciples to stay awake! To “Stay awake” is another way of saying, “Don’t get distracted.” Don’t get distracted by pain, suffering, loss or sin. Don’t lose sight of the biggest place ever: Heaven! Don’t get distracted by the nonsense of the world or by false gods! Do not get distracted by those who claim there is no God (or bridegroom).

Live your life in the image and likeness of the Lord. Live your life according to the Law of the Lord. You will be one of the few, the proud, and the wise!

Lk 16:9-15 Who Will Give You What Is Yours?

Lk 16:9-15 Who Will Give You What Is Yours?

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Jesus said to his disciples: “The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones…No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”

Who will make you happy? Who will bring you peace? What will make you happy? What will bring you peace?

A few days ago I received a beautiful postcard from London. It was a pleasant surprise because I don’t know anyone who lives in London. The postcard read, “Thank you so much for your daily meditations. You help me keep going in a secular world. Your writing is punctuated through and through with strong faith. What is your secret?”

What is my secret? First of all, it is wonderful to receive such kind messages like this one. But I can honestly say that my meditations are not just from me; they are heaven inspired. So, I really cannot take much of the credit for them. Of course I write and reflect on scripture daily, but when it comes to “inspiration”; well, they may not speak to you, but they definitely speak to me. Or I should say, I was definitely spoken to.

What is the secret? Allow the Lord to speak to you. He will, and it will be very loud and clear. Too often we tell the Lord what we want! Very infrequently do we ask the Lord what He wants? Too often do we place our trust in others! Not often enough do I place my trust in the Lord! Too often do we spend way too much time in front of the TV or computer! Not often enough do we spend time in front of the Blessed Sacrament or in Church. Too often do we believe that our problems will be solved by our institutions! Not often enough do we believe that He alone is The Solution! Too often do I serve my neighbor! Not often enough do I serve the Lord.

What is the secret? It is simple. If I truly wish to follow, to love and to serve the Lord above all other things, then I must follow, love and serve the Lord. I must give the Lord the benefit of the doubt. I must give to Him what I owe to Him: my unconditional loyalty and love to Him. I must adore the Lord and no one else! I must make my heart an exclusive heart. I must “hate one and love the other.”

What do you say when someone tells you, “Well done!” Do you say, “Thank you!” or do you say, “Thanks be to God!” What do you say when someone looks up to you and says, “Look at all you have accomplished.” Do you say, “That is so kind of you”, or do you say, “Only by the grace of God!”

The secret to having more faith in God is to give God the credit that He deserves. If I do not, then I have made “dishonest wealth!” I am stealing from the Lord. I am taking what rightfully belongs to Him. Those of us who “steal” from the Lord usually end up looking for our happiness and peace in all the wrong places!

Recently I went to lunch with a friend of mine. I told him that I recently bought my first bottle of wine. He was shocked! He couldn’t believe it! But he wasn’t shocked in the fact that I bought a bottle of wine; rather, he was shocked that it was the first time I had bought a bottle of wine! I told him that I bought it because it helped take away some pain I experience in my stomach. At that, he told me something that made me laugh so hard! In his very dry humor, he said, “Oh, father…wine is amazing…It takes away pain; it takes away shame; it takes away guilt…” I nearly died of laughter! Of course he was being funny! But how many of us rely on a glass of wine rather than on the one who can turn water into wine!

Only the Lord can give us what is truly ours. Only the Lord can give our lives the sweetness, the excitement, the love and the peace we all desire. It will not come from this world. It will only come from above.

May we heed and observe carefully the words of our Lord. “You justify yourselves in the sight of others, but God knows your hearts; for what is of human esteem is an abomination in the sight of God.”

Let us give to the Lord what is rightfully His so that He can give to us what is truly ours!

Lk 16:1-8 How Much Do I Owe?

Lk 16:1-8 How Much Do I Owe?

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“The children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than the children of light.”

How much do I owe the Lord? To be perfectly honest, I owe him everything! I owe him my very existence: who I am and what I have become. I owe him my faith, hope and love. I owe him the benefit of the doubt. I owe him my trust. I owe him my thoughts, words and actions. I owe him my heart, mind, body and soul. I owe him my life.

Yesterday, I spent the entire day traveling here and there. It started bright and early. I drove over an hour to get to an ACTS retreat. During my homily I asked the gentleman attending what they owed the Lord. They too owe the Lord a lot. They owe him their time. Maybe they owe him an apology. But most definitely, they owe him…

Soon after that, I was back on the road to visit an elderly woman that was interested in coming back to the Church. She had been away for over thirty years. I asked her why she was coming back. She told me, “Once you’re a Catholic you’re always a Catholic. I searched and searched, looking for something better, something more engaging; something more fulfilling. I found the Church again! I am ready to come back home.” I owe the Lord the truth. I owe him my obedience. I owe him…

I waited for my next appointment. It was with a wonderful parishioner that would like to replace our broken statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Her mother recently died and would like to dedicate a new statue in honor of her. What does she owe the Lord? I owe him my mother. I owe him my family. I owe him the people who love me. I owe him…

My final appointment for the morning was a parishioner who had come to United States a little over one year ago. She had lost her child; been betrayed by her friends and family and had no place to stay. She was in desperate need for a job and became seriously ill soon after delivering here still-born child. What does she owe the Lord? She owes him a new found faith, a new found strength, a new found job, a new found health and a new found hope! I owe him…

The afternoon began with another Mass, this time at Ursuline Academy and for their freshman class. Over the years I have grown to love preaching and serving these kids. It is not easy considering the fact that I am not a girl, I have not been in High School for years and so I look for advice all over the place. I asked the freshman class (of over 200 girls) what advice they thought the senior girls had for them. They gave some very good guesses. But they were all wrong. So, after getting them excited and curious as to what advice they would have, with their ears peeked and their mouths wide open in suspense, I told them. I said, “This is their advice to you: Pick your friends well.” They were speechless. Their heads went down. Their eyes began to wander around the room, and many of them began to nod in agreement. I hit the nail on the head. I surprised them and I was right! What do I owe the Lord? I owe him my friendship. I owe him my youth. I owe him my better judgments. I owe him…

I left there and went to have an early dinner with a beautiful family. I had some amazing soup! That helped lift my soul, my body and my heart. I owe the Lord the beautiful families that are in my life. I owe the Lord the wonderful people I have known. I owe the Lord the homes that have opened the doors to me. I owe the Lord…

Then I was off to my last Mass of the day - back to St. Joseph where I celebrated Mass for our congregation. I told them that it was important that we stop trying to deceive the “Rich man” by squandering his property. The parable in today’s gospel refers to God himself. He is the master and I am the steward. Am I still trying to make deals with God? Am I still trying to finagle my way through life? Have I not learned yet? I owe the Lord what is rightly his. I cannot escape reality. I owe the Lord…

Finally, it was time to head back to the ACTS retreat to hear confessions. But then I realized that I could no longer ignore the sore throat, the aches and pains, and my sinus! So I went to the local PrimaCare to get checked out. After all the Lord has done for me, I owe the Lord my pain. I owe the Lord my suffering. But I was told that I owed the Lord some rest. I know I owe him this meditation. I owe him so much…

Lk 15:1-10 Living Through Loss

Lk 15:1-10 Living Through Loss

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Jesus addressed this parable to the Pharisees and scribes. “What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it? And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy and, upon his arrival home, he calls his friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’”

Yesterday was a day of grace! All Souls day can be a very powerful moment for those who have recently lost a loved one. After our evening Mass, a young girl, age nine, went up to her mother and told her, “Mommy, I wish daddy had a magnet in his pocket.” A bit surprised, her mother responded, “Why?” The little girl responded, “So that I could bring daddy back to us.” This little angel achieved what most of us could only dream of achieving. By using poetry and romance, she was able to combine the laws of physics with the law of love.

Oh what we can achieve when our hearts are united to Him; when our love belongs solely to Him; and when our thoughts surge from Him! It is amazing what we will find when we combine our hearts to his! Not only will we find the poet and romantic made by Him in each of us, we will find faith, hope, meaning, purpose, love and loved ones.

While I was speaking to a high school student, I reminded her of the importance of bringing and praying her rosary every day at school. She sheepishly confided in me that sometimes she forgets it at home, but joyfully told me that while she is in English class, she draws a decade in her notebook and uses it to pray!

Oh the ingenuity of our children! Oh the beauty of their hearts! I was stunned but not surprised! I, because of the Holy Father, have great faith in our children and teenagers. They bring out the best in all of us because their hearts are on fire for love. They still believe in love. And when their hearts are on fire for authentic love, they will find what was lost – and much more!

The surest way for someone to get to heaven is by helping others to get there too. The surest way to become a saint is by helping others to become one too. The surest way to avoid getting lost is by helping those who are lost.

Today, the Lord reminds us to not be content with where you are, what you are doing, and what you have become. The Lord invites us to go, go throughout the neighborhood, school, workplace and home, and help someone; someone who has forgotten their way, the truth and what life is all about; someone who has lost their dignity, their purity, their identity, and the love of their life.

Jn 6:37-40 All Souls Day

Jn 6:37-40 All Souls Day

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“I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me.”

Over the years I have heard over and over again, and by so many people, the following claims: “Today I have decided to change my life. I will not fail. This time, I will become a different man, a new man, a holy man! I have decided enough is enough. I will not fall into sin. This time, I will follow the commandments. I will not fail.”

Or, “Father, I feel so close to the Lord today. I know that He loves me more than ever.”

Or, “I no longer feel an urge to hurt myself. It’s gone! It’s a miracle! I will never go back to my old ways.”

Or, “I have decided to pray every morning and every night. I will give the Lord the time that he deserves. Every time I stop praying, I already know what will happen: I will sin again. I will hate myself and I will hate those who love me the most.”

Not only have I heard this before, but I have experienced it myself! What happens next is what makes all the difference in the world and in Heaven!

Yesterday was All Saints Day. Today is All Souls Day. The difference between the “saint” and the “soul” was their consistency in war - a war of many battles and on many fronts and till death!

The Saint never surrenders, regardless of their wounds. The Soul too often does, even when it is a nick wound. If I wish to be a saint, then I must ready myself to being consistent! I must respond to God’s grace consistently, positively, and unconditionally. This means, I cannot allow my emotions to run my life. I cannot allow my feelings to get the better part of me. If I want to be a holy, then I cannot solely follow or trust my instincts, my desires, my feelings or my emotions. Nor can I allow “the times”, “the fashions” “the storms” or “the current” to sweep me away. I must give the benefit of the doubt to the Lord. I must allow Him to pick me up and sweep me off my feet. I must follow Him, and follow Him His Way.

Did I come to earth to do His Will or my Will? Did I come into existence by my own hands or by His hands? Am I the owner of my life or His administrator? Does my life belong to me or does it belong to Him? Choose well. Choose now. And don’t look back. Be consistent!

To be one with the Lord - in my thoughts, words and actions - I must fall in love with the person of Jesus Christ, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, till death do us part! I must commit to loving and honoring the Lord all the days of my life! Earthly marriage is an image of heavenly marriage, and regardless of good times or bad times, both are not meant to be broken!

But here lies the problem. When things go great, I take it for granted and stop being vigilant. When things do not go great, I blame it on my spouse. When things go awful, I want to get away! The Souls were not consistent at all except in being inconsistent. They rode the rollercoaster all their life. They never got off it. And in the end, they got sick – really sick!

Consistency is like a ski lift. It is God that does most of the work. Don’t get off too early. Don’t jump. Don’t worry about the storm up ahead. Don’t worry about the storm you’re in! Just keep going and going and going till you get to the end and to the top.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of the faithful departed, though the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Mt 5:1-12a All The Saints

Mt 5:1-12a All The Saints

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“Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.”

It doesn't matter if you were born in a wealthy or poor family, lived in a mansion or in a cave, or if you were fed with a silver or wooden spoon. I hate to say this, but you were born a sinner. But I am so happy to tell you that we were also born to be holy - be saints!

Today is the solemnity of All Saints. Today, we celebrate the holy men and women (and not too few children) who lived up to their fullest potential. They did not allow their race or background or sins to weigh them down. They did not allow abuse or neglect, suffering or pain, anguish or turmoil to bury them alive! They allowed Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd, the Lamb of God, to be their light and their salvation.

Once upon at time, children read Butler’s Lives of the Saints. These men and women (and not too few children) were their superheroes, their role models, their idols!

Today, we prefer that our children read comic books, children’s books and novels because they appear more human than our saints! But the reality is that Cinderella of the Royal Palace, Sleeping Beauty of the Woods, Harry Potter of Godric’s Hollow and Tarzan of the Jungle do not exist, but St. Joan of Arc, St. Theresa of Lisieux, St. Philip Neri of the Slums, and St. John Bosco of the Orphans do exist and so do their monasteries, orphanages, oratories and schools!

I think it is a shame to take our saints and to throw them across the room; to go from one extreme to the other – that is, to say that they were not human and then to say that they were only human! The reality is this: they were men and women (and not too few children) that lived their lives on earth like the rest of us but with their eyes and ears, heart and mind, hands and feet directed towards heaven! They knew and believed that what they did and what they encountered was all for the glory of God. They knew and believed that when they fell, when they stumbled and when they sinned, they would find redemption and healing, forgiveness and compassion, mercy and love. They knew and believed that when they were lost, they would find The Way; when they doubted, they would find The Truth; and when they were dead, they would find The Life.

I love the saints because they remind me of who I am and what I could be! They remind me of what Jesus can do with me, in me and through me!

Not too long ago, a parishioner came up to me and told me why they enjoyed a sermon I gave a few weeks ago. I could not even remember what I had told them, but they did. They said, “You told us something that we had never heard before. You told us that we could be saints!”

It’s true, we never hear it. And I think the reason why we never hear it is because we don’t believe it. But it is true! We can be a Saint. We can even be a canonized Saint!

I often tell our catechists that there number one goal in teaching the faith is not that their students learn the faith but that they live it! The catechists number one concern should not be that they have it all memorized, but that they know it by heart. Our number one goal in instructing adults and children in the faith should be that they want to be saints.

I know…you can’t believe it! But imagine how the elderly woman or man who instructed Karol Wojtyla or Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu must have felt the day they heard, either from heaven or from their barn, that their former pupil John Paul II or Mother Theresa had become a saint! I am sure that by their example and that of the saints, they were able to help their young students believe in the lives of the saints!

Becoming a saint is much easier than winning roulette. The odds are in our favor! The Lord is definitely on our side!