Lk 12:39-48 Even More

Lk 12:39-48 Even More

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Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.

What? I thought the more you had the more you could relax. I have no interest in getting myself into a political debate with anyone, but the Lord appears to be a Democrat at heart. He taxes those who work more and gives more to those who work less!

Did you ever wonder why the Lord gave certain talents to some and not to others? Was it so that I could win a trophy and another couldn’t? Is it because the Lord loves me more? Or maybe it’s because He wished that I would help others?

I will never forget the lesson I gave to my kids at The Highlands School in Irving. It was right before our annual Boy School/Girl School Spelling Bee competition. The winner from the Boys’ School was competing against the winner from the Girls’ School. The Highlands School is gender separate, but on one campus. Of course I wanted my boy, my student, to win. But I reminded him, along with all his classmates that if he were to win, I didn’t want him or the class to make a big deal out of it. I wanted him to win gracefully, tactfully, gentlemanly. In other words, I didn’t want him or them to boast in themselves or make a big show about it. I simply wanted the boys to applaud and my student to acknowledge his victory in a humble way and shake hands with his opponent. They all nodded and agreed. I thought to myself. “Great…this will look like Wimbledon.”

Well, the moment arrived and unfortunately the competition was over very quickly. In the second round, the young lady misspelled the word and my student spelled her word and his word correctly. The competition was over. As soon as he won, instead of going over to his opponent and shaking her hand, he pulled his sweater over his face and danced all over the place! The kids in the audience yelled, screamed and shouted “We’re the best! We’re the best! We’re the best!” I don’t even remember the rest of the incident. I put my head down in shame!

The Lord will not judge us according to our successes; he will judge us according to the way we loved, and the way we loved will be measured by how we used our talents and gifts – how we handled our successes!

Today is the feast day of the North American martyrs St. Isaac Jogues and St. John De Brebeuf. They were very, very successful in converting the Huron Indians. How? By accepting torture and death by and for the people they loved. Sound very familiar. Because of the way these two martyrs handled themselves and their enemies they were respected, admired and imitated by countless of other missionaries that went to the New World and conquered the hearts and minds of the natives.

The saints are happy in heaven because they followed Christ. They rejoice with him for ever because they shed their blood for love of him.

Lk 10:1-9 Sent With Nothing!

Lk 10:1-9 Sent With Nothing!

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Behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way…Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you, cure the sick in it and say to them, ‘The Kingdom of God is at hand for you.”

The rule is simple: “If the world persecuted me, then it will persecute you. If they hated me, then they will hate you.” This year, over one hundred Christian missionaries were killed because they preached the love of Jesus Christ. This is the rule. They accepted it. They lived and died by it.

Yesterday evening I drove over two hours through a horrible thunderstorm to get to a retreat. I was supposed to hear confessions. I didn’t hear a single one! I was very upset. It was the result of a misunderstanding. This evening, one of the counselors sent me a message telling me that nine out of the twelve kids on that retreat said I was their inspiration! I couldn’t believe it. I felt horrible. Whatever graces I could have won I lost due to my anger! I forgot the rule: “It is better to give than to receive, for when you give, you receive.”

“Demas, enamored of the present world, deserted me…only Luke is with me. Alexander did me a great deal of harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds. At my first defense no one appeared on my behalf, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them!” If I could only write and believe like St. Paul! I would have been the first to have cursed them to Hell! Instead, St. Paul declares, “But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength…”

Today, I celebrated Mass for a High School football team. I told them, “Your coaches, regardless of what sport you play, will demand two important things from you. The first is that you learn how to play by the rules. The second is that you trust in them.”

In this aspect, sports reflect life, and God is the coach. We all need to learn the rules of life and trust in the one who put them.

If you wish to be an apostle, an evangelist, a disciple of the Lord, then you must follow the rules and take no money bag, no sack and no sandals. You must live the life of a simple man, a humble soul, a loving giver and forgiver. The Lord demands trust – unconditional trust. Only in this way, will you be able to see the hand of God in all your endeavors! Only in this way will you reveal who you are, and when you reveal who you are, hopefully you will reveal Jesus Christ!

I asked my teenage audience, “What are the rules for all teenagers?” The answer is obvious: No alcohol, no drugs and no sex. These are the rules that keep us in check and propel us to success, happiness and fulfillment. If I break these rules, what will happen? We already know. It’s no mystery. I will end up either dead or close to it. I will lose my smile, my innocence, my radiance and my transparency. I will lose my sense of self-worth. I will forget where my dignity and unique identity come from. I will become just another statistic and be known by another name! I will be called a druggie, a drunk, a…you know what!

What are the rules of married couples? No infidelity, no conditional love, no separation till death. If I don’t live by the rules, then how in the world will I ever experience the miracles of the Lord?

Allow yourself to be tested. Allow yourself to believe wholeheartedly. Allow yourself to be stripped of everything except faith, hope and love. See what happens next. Will you be kicked around? Probably. Will you be taken for granted? Most likely. But then I guarantee you, you will be considered a friend of the Lord, and we know the Lord makes known His friends.

If we play by Christ’s rules, we will end up seeing Christ’s miracles.

Lk 12:13-21 Rich In What Matters

Lk 12:13-21 Rich In What Matters

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You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong? Thus will it be for the one who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich in what matters to God.

Americans are known to smile at everything! Europeans are known to smile at nothing. Americans tend to have more faith. Europeans tend to have no faith! Happiness is something we all seek. A smile is a confirmation – a signature – of happiness.

I will never go to the movies alone. I feel sorry for those people who do. I will not go to a restaurant alone. I will not fake my loneliness by sitting in a restaurant with my laptop open and pretend to be doing some work. I dread the thought of loneliness. I dread the thought of living my life alone. I feel sorry for the millions of people who put their career before children; adventure before marriage; themselves before others. God is love and we were created in the image and likeness of God who is love. That means, we were created to love and be loved. If I do not have love, I am nothing!

What is it worth to gain the whole world and lose your soul? What is it worth to live in a beautiful mansion, with a beautiful garden and an enormous swimming pool if I am alone? How sad it is! I have known people like that. I know too many people like that. They are wealthy on the outside and poor, very poor, dirt poor, on the inside. I will never go on a vacation alone. Maybe you would! I won’t. I don’t want to be found alone, days later, dead in a cabin or in a canoe. It is not that I don’t want to be rich. I do! But if I had to choose between being rich on the inside or on the outside, I would choose being rich on the inside - rich in what matters most!

So, are you smiling? Are you happy? If you are, then it’s because you have experienced the Lord’s blessing! “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people” (Lk 1:68). But I am asking because I know far too many “Christians” (too many “Christian” teenagers) that never smile. I know, I see them at Mass. They are so serious! So distant! So detached! Poor them! They leave a bitter taste in everyone’s mouth. I am not talking about those who are sad because of a great loss. No…please! I am referring to those who have it all – all that money can buy - and are sad! We all know that we can go shopping for a gazillion things, but the one thing we cannot buy is love or happiness or joy! We cannot buy someone’s love. Love is like the air, it is freely given and far too often taken for granted, and we need both love and air in order to live.

What is the solution? The Lord spent his entire life on earth to teach us not only how to pray but also how to live! We know the Lord’s thoughts. Do I think like Him? We know the Lord’s words. Do I speak like Him? We know the Lord’s works. Do I do what He did? If not, then chances are you will never find happiness. But if you do, then I guarantee you will find happiness because you have gone to the source, the font, the plug in which all things walk, breathe, and have their being.

“Father, all-powerful and ever-living God, we do well always and everywhere to give you thanks. In you we live and move and have our being. Each day you show us a Father’s love; your Holy Spirit, dwelling within us, gives us on earth the hope of unending joy.”

Mt 22:15-21 Give To God!

Mt 22:15-21 Give To God!

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Jesus said, “Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”

We cannot live life constantly on the edge. We need balance. We need a center, a home base, solid ground, stability.

Today’s readings bring us back to our center, our hope, our goal, our love: “I am the Lord, there is no other.” (Is 45:6) These readings remind us that if there was a shift in our way of seeing our solar system, there cannot be a shift in the way we see the Savior!

Centering on Ourselves: I don’t care to admit it, but I like to be the center of attention. I like it when others think of me. I like it when I am the attention grabber; when the spot light is on me. I like to be the focus of attention, the popular one. I like it when people come up to me and say, “Father, you gave a great homily!” or “Father, you’re the best!” I also hate it when people come up to me and say, “Father, can I speak to you for a moment.” I know what that means. It means they didn’t like what I had to say. I think it is all very natural. It is all a result of original sin. We all like to be considered, appreciated, loved and adored, even if it means creating a lot of dead bodies! That’s why what Isaiah says is what we all need to hear: There is a God, and it is not you! The Lord knows me by name. He knows me well. He knows my weakness, my failings, my stumbles and my falls. I should know this by now! I should be well aware of my errors by now. To wish to be the center of the Universe means to place the weight of the Universe upon my shoulders. And guess what? It will crush me! I cannot allow myself to fall into this temptation. I know what will happen; I will surely die!

Centering on Others: I don’t care to admit this but not only do I love myself, I also tend to love others. I love to place them on a pedestal. I love to think about them all the time. I love to spend time with them. Last night I had dinner with a wonderful family. The teenage daughter was begging her mother to allow her to see a rock concert. She had to see this singer! I can’t even remember what his name is. But I was starting to get annoyed by how she was idolizing him! How many teenage girls have posters of Justin Beiber or so-and-so on their locker door, or plastered on their bedroom walls? When I was a teenager I was in love with Madonna – not the real one, but the fake one! And then one day it all came tumbling down. She said something so stupid, so filthy, so perverted and so disgusting on MTV that I vowed to myself I would never buy or listen to a song sung by her. I kept my promise. I learned an awesome lesson. I cannot have any false idols! There is only one God, and not a single person can fill that role! I also remember a trick a friend I looked up to played on me. One day he challenged me to a competition. He had a quarter and he told me, “Heads, I slap you. Tales, you slap me!” I was stupid enough to go along with it. Well, after 5 slaps in my face (all in a row) I grabbed the quarter out of his hand and saw that both sides were “heads”! Getting slapped in the face is exactly what happens to us when we give more than man deserves and less to what God deserves! If we replace people with God, we will always end up getting disappointed.

Centering on God: This evening I gave a talk to a group of teenagers at All Saints Church. Like always, very few kids were smiling. Some were playing with their hair; others had their arms crossed. I asked them a very simple question. I asked them if they knew who God is. I said, “God is...?” I got the very typical answers: All-mighty, Creator, All-powerful, etc. But no one said, “God is love”. I told them, “No wonder why you aren’t smiling. You don’t know that God is love!” The Lord invites us today to center our lives, our desires and passions, our faith, hope and love, our very being on Him! Do I think like Jesus did? Do I speak like He did? Do I work and move like He did? If not, then give to God what belongs to God!

Lk 12:8-12 Acknowledging Jesus

Lk 12:8-12 Acknowledging Jesus

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Jesus said to his disciples: “I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before others the Son of Man will acknowledge before the angels of God.”

This summer, I spent a lot of time with friends and parishioners talking about my trip to Hawaii. I had plenty to talk about! Does the Lord not provide numerous opportunities in a day for us to talk about him – to acknowledge him as our Lord and Savior? What a blessing it is to do something for Christ’s sake and not necessarily for my own. What a blessing and privilege it is to do something special for another and, at times, to do it anonymously.

Scientists work very hard in understanding the in’s and out’s of other species. When they discover something new and interesting, they publish their findings. They are like little kids that after playing outside all day long, they run inside to show their mother or father what they have seen, heard or captured! They marvel at what all these aliens can do: how they fly or run or hide; how they can burrow and build; how they can communicate with one another.

We love pets! We love how they cuddle up to us and how they can look at us as if they knew perfectly well what was going on in our minds! We love all God’s creatures.

But do I love the Son of Man? Do I take the time to search and seek Him? To understand His language? To worship and adore Him? To serve Him?

Do I retell the story of my conversion? Of how I came to believe in Jesus Christ? Do I imitate the Lord in my thoughts, words and actions? Do I do something amazing and wonderful and then surprise them all by saying, “Tell no one” (Mk 7:36)? It cannot be about me! It has to be about Him! And if it is about Him, eventually it will become known about me!

Oh, how the Lord is dying to be loved by us! If the Lord would reappear in our life time, he might very well reappear as another specie like a baby seal or a dog or cat, for it appears as though we have more patience, more love, more time and more affection for baby seals and dogs and cats than we do for the Lord of life and history! But he will not! He will not bow down to our pressure or culture! Instead, he will return as a man with very little; a man hardly noticeable; a man without a place to rest his weary head.

It is sad that our scientists appear more than willing to spend hours examining the DNA of an insect but not the Word of God, or acknowledge the marvels of life but not the Giver of Life! I guess the Lord could make himself more attractive, more interesting under a microscopic slide or telescope, but he refuses to! He will not allow himself to be experimented upon. Rather, he wishes that we do what we can do best: love what is before us.

“Everyone who acknowledges me before others will be acknowledged before the angels of God.” How simple it is to be amazed at people and things. We marvel at how a dog can sit or play dead at our command. We smile at how a baby can smile back at us. Oh how I should marvel and smile at all the Lord has done for me! After all, where would I be if it were not for him?

One way to acknowledge Jesus is to acknowledge who I have been, what I have done and what I have failed to do. I know that if I don’t go to Church every Sunday, I will begin to get upset more often and hold onto grudges tighter. It will be more difficult for me to keep a positive attitude and a faithful heart. But I also know that if I pray often I will experience God’s power – the power of forgiveness! Talk shows love to bring on stage those who have lived their lives upside down (causing havoc and mayhem for themselves and for others) and have turned them right side up. The Lord would love that we shared with others the same exact thing. We reveal who we really are when we go through tough times. God willing, when you reveal who you are, you reveal Jesus Christ.

Lk 12:1-7 In Time of Trouble, Who Do I Turn To?

Lk 12:1-7 In Time of Trouble, Who Do I Turn To?

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“Are not five sparrows sold for two small coins? Yet not one of them has escaped the notice of God. Even the hairs of your head have all been counted. Do not be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows.”

Recently, a fifteen year old boy told me that he turned to alcohol and drugs when his parents announced their divorce. A child’s eating disorder returned with a vengeance a week after she discovered that her mother was having an affair. Still another teenager turned to drugs when both his parents were diagnosed with cancer!

In time of trouble, what do I turn to? As a Christian, it should never be something or someone, but rather the Only One: Jesus Christ! Yes, Jesus Christ! I know what you are thinking. I know what you are saying! Give me a break? Is He the answer to everything? Is He the solution to all our problems? I am not embarrassed to say (or naïve when I say) with a loud voice: YES! He is!

I don’t need to break any Commandments to get ahead. I don’t need to be a inhaling or exhaling any illegal substances in order to feel good. I don’t need to get smashed or drunk in order to not think about all my problems. I simply need to know that I am not alone – that there is not someone but the only one with me that can truly help me.

All of the above cases will end in disaster if these kids don’t turn to Him, the Lord, in time of trouble, and allow themselves to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Yesterday, I celebrated Mass for a big group of teenagers on retreat. Although the Mass conflicted with my own retreat, I was more than happy to be with them. For most of these kids, this would be their only retreat during the year. I thought to myself, “What a wonderful opportunity it would be a part of their joy!” Boy was I wrong! When I got there, I immediately realized that something was wrong. Almost none of the two hundred students in the room talked to me or smiled at me. In fact, they were not smiling at anyone or at anything! As the day progressed, things only got worse. When the moment arrived for Mass, no one said a word. I said, “The Lord be with you!” and only a handful of kids (or a few brave ones) said, “And also with you.” I couldn’t believe it! What in the world was going on? After all, almost all of these kids came from our Catholic schools. Almost all of them were Catholic!

Finally, at the start of the homily, I jumped off the stage and walked up close to them, and asked them some very pointed questions. I said, “What is going on with you? What poison have you been drinking? Who stripped away your smile? Is there anything that Christ did that you would disagree with? Is there any reason to not respond to his love? I continued to walk around and continued to speak candidly. “I am here today to tell you that He wants you to become more like Him. There are so many people in this world waiting and hoping that you will be like Jesus Christ. Who wouldn’t want to be like him? Can anyone tell me what they most appreciate about Jesus? Then I went up to one student and waited for his answer. The young man replied, “He died for us.” I said, “True. He did what most of us would be afraid to do. He laid down his life for me even though I still did not believe in Him or love Him. It would be hard to die for someone you love. It would be harder still to die for someone who does not love you! Jesus did it. I could only hope that one day I would have the courage to do the same for you. What else...” I walked up to another student. A young girl answered, “He performed miracles.” “Yes!” I replied. “He performed miracles. Do you realize that you can do the same too? You can surprise someone today by doing something unexpected? How many of you could surprise someone with your love, your forgiveness and your compassion? How many of you could surprise someone by your sacrifice of time, or money or talents? We believe in a God who came into the world not to serve but to be served!”

By the end of the Mass they were starting to get it! By the end of the retreat the vast majority had gotten it! We had broken the spell. They had come back to life. They were smiling, singing and laughing once again! They were full of life.

Lk 11:47-54 Courageously Catholic

Lk 11:47-54 Courageously Catholic

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“Woe to you who build the memorials of the prophets whom your fathers killed. Consequently, you bear witness and give consent to the deeds of your ancestors, for they killed them and you do the building.”

We are constantly sharing our thoughts and beliefs in various ways. We make a statement by the car we drive. We make a statement by the clothes we wear. We make a statement by the music we listen to. We make a statement by the language we use. We make a statement by our votes, etc… So what statement do I make regarding my faith?

By condemning Jesus to death, the scribes and the Pharisees made a statement. They put themselves above all others; they sidelined their conscience to get what they wanted; they lied through their teeth to condemn to death an innocent man; they betrayed and crucified one of their very own kin to save their own skin. In doing this, they truly showed what they were truly made of.

By dying on the cross Jesus made a statement. He came into the world out of love for us; he stripped himself of all heavenly glory out of love for us; he carried His cross alone and died solely out of love for us. He overcame fear, anxiety and temptation out of love for us. The Lord truly loves us! By doing all of this, Christ truly showed what He was truly made of.

What am I prepared to do out of love for Him? I have yet to meet a person – young or old - who screwed up their life by taking their faith seriously. This alone should be enough reason to be courageously Catholic!

Bearing Witness. Wherever you are; whatever job you have; whatever economic or social condition, position or status you bear, you can always give witness to your faith in Jesus Christ! How can I do it? How can I give witness to the power of God’s love? The only way I could ever do something like this is if I hold on tight to God’s mercy and love. That’s right, it will be through perseverance. The most efficient, the most worthwhile, the most lasting testimony I can give to my neighbor is how I endure through trial, bear my burdens, and carry my cross. What greater testimony can I give than to bend my knees, lift up my head, raise a smile, and praise the Lord! This picture is worth ten thousand words!

The Lord gave witness to the power of prayer, the power of the Father, the power of love when He spoke boldly, face to face, with his opponents. I WILL NOT COWER WHEN OTHERS CRITICIZE MY GOD AND CHURCH. The Lord gave witness to the power of mercy and compassion when He forgave His enemies. I WILL NOT STOP PRAYING FOR THOSE WHO PERSECUTE ME. The Lord gave witness to the power of holy patience and perseverance when he was misunderstood by his own. I WILL NOT STOP PREACHING THE GOOD NEWS TO MY OWN FAMILY.

There is much we can do. Now, we must be courageously Catholic in all that we do!