Mt 5:1-12a All Saints

Mt 5:1-12a  All Saints

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When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him.  He began to teach them saying:  “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.  Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted…”

These words have become so common that they have nearly lost their significance.  But they are the nine steps to holiness.

Why am I here?  To be a saint.  Everything else - all other goals - is a waste of time.  Really!  What else could possibly be worth living (and dying) for?  What does it mean to be a saint?  It means to love God above all other things and to love your neighbor as yourself.   It means to say what Christ said, do what Christ did, and live like Christ lived.  A saint is another Christ. 

The saints were normal people that did something about it.  Yes, they were regular people, but they never settled for that. And although they came in different shapes and sizes and from just about every imaginable background, they all shared one thing in common:  they were all sinners.  And here lies the difference between us and them:  they did something about that.  They worked hard not to be more like us, but to be more like Christ.  They desired not to melt in but to stand up. 

St. Paul was a sinner, and arguably the worst of sinners.  St. Angela Merici was a sinner.  So was St. Dominic Savio.  Even Maria Goretti was a sinner.  But they all did something about it.  They really tried to love God above all things and to love their neighbors in an uncommon way.

Someone once told me that if St. Angela were alive today, she would have been a great business woman.  I told them that if St. Angela were alive today, she would have been a holy nun and a great business woman.  Let’s not fool ourselves.  Her vocation, her life mission, her goal in life, her dreams and her drive all came from a love for God.  Yes, she did amazing work for young girls, but she loved God above all other things, even the girls she educated.  Thank God!  Because she loved God, she saw a problem and made it smaller, not bigger.  You see, it’s not enough just to love your neighbor.  It’s not enough to see a problem and want to solve it.   Without God, you may actually end up harming your neighbor and making a problem much worse.  Some of our best intentions have made our lives more dangerous and our problems much worse.  Some of our best intentions have killed our children!

The best ways to solve the worst problems start by loving God above all things; seeing things from His perspective, and solving the problem with His help.

Life is hard.  Life is incredibly hard.  As I wrote yesterday, “we are not as strong as we think we are.”  Everyone faces tough choices in life.  Everyone faces hardships and difficulties.  Most marriages are hard to keep.  Most children are hard to rise.  Most promises are easy to break.  The difference between the saints and the sinners is not the hardships they faced but how they responded to them.

“Who are these wearing white robes, and where did they come from?  …My Lord, you are the one who knows.”  He said to me, “These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress…”  (Rev. 7:13-14).

A few days ago I spoke to a family I know who live in New York City.  They told me they had prayed to God that He protect them from the storm.  Their home and their lives were spared.  I asked them if they had prayed that God protect the others as well.  They were silent.  Imagine for a moment if their house was the only house standing?  I wonder how they would feel about that?

Blessed are the poor in spirit (humble).  Blessed are they who mourn (those who do not take anything or anyone for granted).  Blessed are the meek.  Blessed are the merciful.  Blessed are the clean of heart.  Blessed are the peacemakers.  Blessed are they who are persecuted for righteousness.  Blessed are they who are insulted because of the Lord.

Nine steps to holiness.  Nine bridges that lead to God.  Take one each day.

Yesterday, I spoke to a couple that went around the world in 30 days.  It was a very expensive trip.  They were part of a group of nearly fifty people.  They went all over the world.  You would think they would have mentioned the sites they saw.  Instead, the first thing they mentioned to me was an elderly woman who was drunk every day and night.  They told me she made them late, she made them sick, she embarrassed them, she harassed them, she delayed them and she made the trip unbearable.  At a certain moment, the organizers of the trip warned her that if she were late again, then they would leave her behind.

I asked the couple if anyone helped her.  They were confused.  So, I asked again:  “Did anyone try to help her?  Did anyone talk to her or ask her if she was going through some tough times?”  No. 

Yes.  It’s easy to be a bystander.  It's tough be an "upstander"; to stand up.   It’s easy to judge.  It's easy to condemn.  It's a different story to love:  it's called a love story.  That’s the difference between the saints and the sinners.  They wanted to be part of a love story. 

They didn’t know everything.  But they did know when to help.  They didn't go blind when someone was going through hell. 

The Saints understood that God’s great and amazing plans (for them) always include lost souls, even when they're on vacation.

Oh Lord, may we never be content with just being who we are, but strive to be more like who you are.  We ask this in your Holy name.  Amen.
 

Luke 13:10-17 A time and place For Faith

Luke 13:10-17 A time and place For Faith

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Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on the Sabbath.  And a woman was there who for eighteen years had been crippled by a spirit; she was bent over, completely incapable of standing erect.  When Jesus saw her, he called to her and said, “Woman, you are set free of your infirmity”.  …But the leader of the synagogue, indignant that Jesus had cured on the Sabbath, said to the crowd in reply, “There are six days when work should be done.  Come on those days to be cured, not on the Sabbath.”

I really enjoy watching our students compete in the various competitions throughout the school year, especially the sporting events.  I really do!  And I try to make it to as many of them as possible.  Right now we are nearing the end of the volleyball and football season.  Due to the fact that our volleyball games are on Saturday and our football games are on Sunday, you can understand that, as a priest, it’s not always possible to attend.  In fact, it takes a great deal of sacrifice.  After all, I too enjoy a little break – some quiet time or alone time – as well.

So it took me by surprise, a few Saturday’s ago, that as I was walking towards the gym to watch a volleyball game, a parent kindly came up to me to tell me that this one particular coach didn’t appreciate my presence at “her” games.  As you can imagine, I was shocked.  I asked why?  I was told that I was a distraction to the kids.  I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.  I know the kids want me at their games because they always ask me to be there.  I told the parent, “But I think I’m actually helping them!”  Well, I walked in and made my presence known and felt by cheering and stomping on the bleachers (only at the appropriate times).  The kids loved it and, I guess, “most importantly”, they won.

As a priest, I have attended a lot of catholic school games: basketball, football, soccer, volleyball, even lacrosse!  I have to admit though, this was not the first time in twenty years that a coach did not welcome my presence or cheering; but it was the first time that it came from my own school!

You see, the parents and coaches of the opposing teams consider my presence as "an unfair advantage".  And often, they come up to me afterwards and say something like:  “It was nice to see you at the game, Father.  I wish our priest could do the same thing for our kids.” 

There are some people in this world that simply don’t get it.  They think so much about the “now” that they forget the “later”.  What will our kids remember most?  They won’t remember the victories as much as they remember the support, the love, the sacrifices, and the commitment that was made for them.  Yes, they will never forget the faith we had in them.

The Lord cured the sick on the Sabbath.  He healed those who were scared and suffering.  He made sure that wherever He went His presence would be felt - regardless of whether or not He was in the synagogue or in the market squares. 

There are some people in this world that would love to limit our love, our cheer, our presence, and, of course, our faith.  The Lord made it clear:  every moment of every day is a God-given moment.  We are called to make the most of it. 

“Blessed is the man who follows not the counsel of the wicked nor walks in the way of sinners, nor sits in the company of the insolent…He is like a tree…that yields fruit in due season” (Psalm 1). 

The love of God and of our faith is a fruit that is never out of season.  Every day and every place is a time and place for faith and love.

Luke 12:39-48 Entrusted With So Much

Luke 12:39-48  Entrusted With So Much

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Jesus said to his disciples:  “Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.”

The Lord is speaking to YOU!  He has entrusted so much to YOU!  He is counting on YOU!  He wants YOU!

St. Paul writes to his friends, “You have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for your benefit, namely, that the mystery was made known to me by revelation” (Eph 3:2-12). 

What exactly was revealed and made known to St. Paul?  That Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior!  Why him?  For two simple reasons:  for his benefit and the benefit of others; for his salvation and for the salvation of others.  This revelation was entrusted to him so that he could share the Good News with others.   

And he did. 

He took it and ran with it.  In fact, he ran as fast as he could, as hard as he could and as far as he could.  Actually, he ran all over Europe and Asia Minor with it, even up to the steps of Rome’s White House:  Caesar’s palace. 

And Rome would never be the same again.

Has this mystery not been revealed to you?  If you are reading this, then it has!  And just to let you know:  much that has been entrusted to you will be demanded of you.  This is not a threat.  This is a timely reminder.

Make no mistake about it:  you don’t need to have money; you don’t need to have talents; you don’t even have to have a tongue!  What you do need to have is a heartbeat and faith in God. 

Every single day of your life, the Lord will give you the opportunity to share Him with others.  In one way or another, the Lord will ask you to make him known to another.  Are you up to the task?  If I am, then I can assure you that you are too.

Yesterday, someone sent me a text message with the following prayer request:  “Good morning Father, would you please pray for a woman I know.  She used to be a nun, became an atheist, and is now trying to come back.  She has asked me to walk with her through this journey as she returns to the Catholic Church.  Pray for me as well.  God bless you!”

I wrote back, “I will.  How exciting!”

“Easy for you to say”, she wrote, “I don’t even know anything about atheism, so I don’t know what to expect.  We will be meeting.  She will have many questions and many fears.”

I wrote back, “You don’t need to worry about anything.  Just be faithful.  That’s what she needs.”

Just be faithful. 

I know.  It’s the easiest thing to say but the toughest thing to do.  But I know it is the best way to live life to the full!

At the end of our life, the only thing that will matter will be what we did for God and what we did for others; that is, what we did with the blessings and love we received.

Where much is given, much is expected.  Elections are coming up; maybe the most important elections of our life time.  And when I vote, I will do so based on what is true; what is sacred; what is fundamental; what is important. 

It will not be rooted in me.  It will be rooted in Jesus Christ.

I sometimes imagine that at the end of my life I will be handed a few lists outlining all the things I complained about; all the time I wasted; all the excuses I made, and all the things I considered to be very important.  I fear that moment may be a bit embarrassing - not so much for what is on my lists - but when I compare it to God’s immense love and mercy I received throughout my life.

Luke 12:13-21 Beware!

Luke 12:13-21  Beware!

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Jesus said to the crowd:  “Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions.”

 

One of the toughest challenges a priest faces is to talk about someone they did not know.  Funeral Masses can be very challenging.  Family members can find it hard to express their loved one’s life.  Friends seem to remember only the most frivolous or superficial (as well as embarrassing) things about the deceased.  The “natural” tendency we have is to turn a eulogy into a stand-up comedy.  Those who do so think they are helping the living out by breaking through a moment of seriousness and sadness with a joke.  Well, it may work, but do we have to break our sadness by just cracking jokes?  Could we not do better? 

Often I need to sit down with family members and friends to ask them to describe the deceased’s life.  Even with that, I don’t get much to work on.  I get more statistics than substance; more stories than significance; more means than ends; more accomplishments than goals.

For example:  A person’s goal in life should never be that he/she remained sober most of their life.  That’s not a goal; it’s a means to an end.   A person remains sober because they want to be a better husband or wife; a more relevant mother or father; a more loving brother or sister; a holy person.  That's the goal. 

I think it would be great if everyone wrote their own obituary.  I think it would be wonderful to let loved ones know, in your own words, what you thought of them.  Do not leave it to others to do it for you.  Why?  Because they don’t know you as well as you know yourself.  They don’t know what is important to you.  And you never know who will end up writing it for you.

A long time ago, I was specifically requested to celebrate a funeral Mass for a man I did not know.  I was honored yet surprised to learn that the family had asked me.  So I asked the family to help me give this man the recognition he deserved.  I asked them to write something down for me.  His ex-wife did it.  I won’t go into the details but it was not helpful.  I did not want his farewell to be his last confession!

Sometimes people consider it important to highlight their loved one’s economic success story; or their hobbies; or what they loved to collect (like beer cans and match boxes or lighters).  They neglect to mention what mattered the most because they don't know what matters most.  But when they do know, it makes all the difference in the world.  

Recently, I performed a funeral for a man who loved to collect things.  In fact, he collected many things.  That was interesting, but was that really important to him?  Did that really describe his life?  Finally, someone mentioned that he cherished his friends.  He never lost a friend.” 

That was it!  That’s what I needed to hear.  Yes, he collected many things in his life, but his greatest collection was his friendships.  He collected friends throughout his entire life and never lost a single one.  He cherished everything and everyone in his life.

What do you consider to be your greatest accomplishments?  In your life, who influenced you the most?  What did your family mean to you?  Who did you listen to the most?  Who should you have listened to?  What did you consider to be important?  If there was anything you could have changed, what would it have been? What advice would you like to give to your loved ones; to others? 

In today’s Gospel, the Lord tells his listeners a parable regarding a man who stored up treasure on earth but forgot about the things that mattered most.   One night he passed away, unexpectedly. God said to the man, “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. 

We do not know the hour or the day in which our journey on earth will end.  It’s good to start thinking about what matters most and to write it all down.  Believe me, this is not just practical advice for the elderly, the sick or the dying.  This is something that we should all be doing, and periodically updating.  Even kids should be doing this.  They could do it in religion class.  It will help them to focus more on what matters the most (God, family and friends) and less on what matters the least:  themselves and being popular.    

Luke 12:1-7 Faith and Fries

Luke 12:1-7  Faith and Fries
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Jesus began to speak, “There is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known.  Therefore whatever you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be proclaimed on the housetops.  I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body but after that can do no more…”

A few Sunday’s ago, I went to a well known restaurant located in my neighborhood.  As soon as I walked in, I could see someone staring at me in a very weird way.  He looked shocked to see me.  [That’s not uncommon but it never feels normal.] 

He walked up to me and introduced himself to me.  He told me that his family owned the restaurant and that he was “The Manager”.  I congratulated him on his job and waited for him to explain why he was talking to me.  Finally, and with a little bit of nervousness, he said to me, “Father, grew up in the Catholic Church but have not attended Mass in a very long time.  Someone came in here a few minutes ago and asked me if I was saved.  He told me to seek God in my life.  That’s when you walked in.  I think God is giving me a sign.” 

Well, I was happy with that because it meant I would probably get a free meal.  [Just kidding.]

Definitely the Lord was inviting this young man, through a Christian, to reflect on his life and to come back to Him.

Contrary to current folklore, God is not a human invention.  He is a reality.  Man did not invent God.  God revealed himself to man.  We did not find Him.  He found most of us.  Some are still lost. 

God is not "something" you "added" to your life.  He is our life.  He is the beginning and the end of our life; He is the reason, purpose, and goal of our life.

Far too many people in this world (yes, even one person would be too many), continue to think that God is a crutch.  God is not a crutch.  God is our Creator.  Legs and lungs are not crutches.  If you want to walk, then you have to have legs.  If you want to breathe, then you have to have lungs.  If you want to live in this world, then you have to have God in your life.   

We tell people all the time what is good for them.  We tell complete strangers that they should think twice before eating this or that.  We hear it all the time:  watch out for carbs, watch your weight, and watch out for fat and steroids.  We have no fears telling our neighbor what their body needs.  But when it comes to our neighbor’s soul, we tend to remain silent, dead silent…unless we have a heresy we’d like to share.

Our faith was never meant to be concealed.  It was never meant to be locked up and whispered away.  It was meant to be proclaimed behind closed doors and in front of open doors.  To be more like Jesus Christ never hurt anyone.  If anything, it saved them. 

A few weeks ago, a stranger walked into this restaurant, ordered something and asked a complete stranger a simple question:  “Have you been saved?”   The question shocked him.  It surprised him.  It even scared him a little.  But what is more shocking and interesting is the fact that no friend or family member asked him or encouraged him to come back to Church; the Church he grew up in.  

It’s time we stop making our faith a private affair.  It’s time we stop worrying so much about what others may think and start helping others to think...and pray...and live.  It’s time we stop making excuses and saying, “Well, I just don’t want to offend anyone.”  If we can give our opinion on what food to eat, then we can give an invitation to the Lord’s feast.  No one will be offended that you invited them to Church or that you spoke to them with love and conviction (regarding the truth of Jesus Christ). 

Speak the truth and see what happens.  Invite others to come to church and see what happens.  You never know.  You may actually change someone’s life for good.

Let us share our faith, our hope and our love with others just like we share our fries; generously. 

Luke 10:1-9 Clearing The Way

Luke 10:1-9  Clearing The Way

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The Lord Jesus appointed seventy-two disciples whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit.  He said to them, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.”

He was driving home from a football game.  His team had lost (like always) and he was in a bad mood.  Instead of taking the normal (safe) route home, he decided to take a different route.  It was late at night when he noticed a woman on side of the road.  She was waiting.  She was a prostitute. 

This young man, a senior in high school, lived under very strict rules at home.  Although he never complained, he was a bit resentful of his life.  As he was speaking to me, he reminded me of the eldest son in the parable of the Prodigal Son.  Yes, he was a solid Christian man.  He went to church on Sunday.  He prayed before meals.  He was respectful to his elders.  He kept his virginity.  But he wasn’t happy.  He felt like his family was keeping him from the best things in life!

He decided to turn into an abandoned lot.  He stopped the car.  She walked up to it.  He rolled down the window.  He looked at her.  She looked at him.  But when she looked at him, he felt as though she looked right through him.  She smiled at him, shook her head and said to him, “No.  You shouldn’t be here.  This is not for you.  Go home.”

He took off, ashamed of himself and crying as he had never cried before.  A prostitute had saved his soul.

Maybe she was an undercover cop.  Maybe she was a real-life prostitute.  But no matter what, this young man will never forget what happened to him that night. 

Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom (cf. Psalm 145:12).  Paradoxically, morals, values and principles are black and white.  People are not.  What is right or wrong is clear.  That people are good or bad is not. 

Of course, much of who we are is connected to what we do.  But instead of focusing on what we do, the Lord focused on who we are.  This is why the Lord was so successful in converting the sinner.  He was able to look beyond the sin and see the broken heart behind every “Sinner”.  By healing the heart, he eliminated the bleeding, the sinning. 

I chose you from the world, to go and bear fruit that will last.  No matter what state of life I am in, I can give glory to God.  No matter what I have done, I can give glory to God.  No matter what work I do, I can give glory to God.  No matter what I have or where I am, I can give glory to God.  No matter how sinful I am, I can give glory to God.  For God chose the weak to make the strong look weak. 

He chose us (the weak) to carry his work along.    

So what do you work for?  Who do you work for? Who’s your boss?  Do you work for heaven and earth or just for earth?  Do you work for God and man or just for man?  When was the last time you invited someone to go to Church with you?  Never??? 

“Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way.”  Leave behind your pride (money = security), your vanity (sandals = image), and your sensuality (greetings = seeking approval).

What I must do is pretty clear.  Who I am is not so clear.  Let’s make it all a lot clearer by clearing the Way of the Lord. 

Mk 10:17-30 Money and Happiness

Mk 10:17-30  Money and Happiness

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Peter began to say to [Jesus], “We have given up everything and followed you.”  Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the gospel who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age…”

 “Money does not make people happy.”   I agree.  But I know what you are thinking:  “Father, that’s easy for you to say since you don’t have much money.”  Okay.  I admit it.  But don’t take my word for it; take the word of those who had money and gave it all away. 

Millionaire gives away fortune that made him miserable.  That’s the newspaper title.  Mr. Rabeder, 49, an Austrian businessman, is more than just ready to give his money away.  He’s actually doing it, and doing it quickly.  What made him decide to do it; to give it all and rid himself of all his material wealth and luxuries?   

“For a long time I believed that more wealth and luxury automatically meant more happiness.  I came from a very poor family where the rules were to work more to achieve more material things, and I applied this for many years.  But more and more I heard the words:  ‘Stop what you are doing now – all this luxury and consumerism – and start your real life.’  I had the feeling that I was working as a slave for things that I did not wish for or need.” 

The tipping point came while he was on a three-week holiday with his wife to Hawaii.

“It was the biggest shock in my life, when I realized how horrible, soulless and without feeling the five star lifestyle is”, he said.  “In those three weeks, we spent all the money you could possibly spend.  But in all that time, we had the feeling we hadn’t met a single real person – that we were all just actors.  The staff played the role of being friendly and the guests played the role of being important and nobody was real.”

If you think he’s nuts, then I have another one for you.

“Kwik Save” tycoon gives up riches in “pact with God”.  Here’s another headline from a United Kingdom newspaper.  As a young boy, Albert Gubay, was a penniless orphan.  One day, he prayed to God saying, “Make me a millionaire and you can have half of my money.”  A devout Roman Catholic, Gubay became a multi-millionaire.  Just recently, he decided to fulfill his vow to God, but not exactly.  Instead of giving just half of it away, He has decided to give all his money to the Catholic Church.  In fact, he is only holding on to ten million dollars for him and his wife. 

Are they all nuts?  No.  They are not.  They are prudent.  They know a better deal when they see it.  They know the truth.  We should know it too by now.  Money does not make you happy.  Giving it away does!

How do I want people to remember me?  Do I want them to remember me for what I had or what I did?  Or do I want them to remember me for how I loved?  That is the million dollar question.  Actually, this is the rich young man’s question.  The Lord answers his question with an invitation:  Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven.”

Do you want people to treat you well because you have money?  Do you want people to love you because of what you have?  Or do you want to be loved for who you are and how you love?

Thank you very much!  Do you know the song, “Thank you very much!  Thank you very much!  That’s the nicest thing that anyone’s ever done for me.”  Do you remember what musical it comes from?  From Charles Dickens, “A Christmas Carol”, and it is sung by a man who owed Ebenezer Scrooge a lot of money.  He was thanking poor Ebenezer…for dying!

Price of Privilege.  I recently finished a book entitled, “The Price of Privilege” by Dr. Madeleine Levine, PhD.  Although I disagree with her on some of her recommendations, I cannot disagree with her on the statistical data and the clinical facts related to the problems she has seen. 

Many of Dr. Madeleine’s patients are teenagers from affluent households with excellent grades in school, extracurricular involvement and an appearance of thriving in their environment.  But they are suffering from debilitating neuroses, such as anxiety, depression, drug addiction, anorexia and self-harm.  In many affluent communities, external accomplishments such as prestige, power, and money for adults, or grades, clothes and electronics for kids, become more important than happiness.  Children in such communities are more likely to suffer from psychological problems then those who do not.

But money is not the problem; it's the problems that it creates.  And the problem is achievement pressures and emotional isolation from parents. 

Dr. Levine reports that a mother’s own happiness is the key to raising healthy kids, and found that there is an unexpectedly high rate of depression, anxiety, substance abuse, loneliness, and overall unhappiness among mothers of affluent households!  This is damaging to the children as well as to the mother.

How do I want my children to remember me?  For my drinking and drug-related problems? For how I "entertained" them and guests? For what I accomplished or had?  For how flawless I appeared before others? Or for how I loved them?   

The Lord invited the rich young man to follow him and to be happy.  Instead, the poor man decided to walk away sad…“for he had many possessions.”

How many of you feel as though people like you just because of the influence you have or for what you have?  I am sure the rich young man was surrounded by people who were looking to get something out of him:  special favors, privileges, acknowledgments, positions, money, etc. But unlike the people surrounding him, the Lord was not looking to get something from him.  In fact, He didn't want anything from him.  He just wanted him.   

The same goes for us as well.

Mk 10:17-30 Sell What You Have, Come Follow Me

Mk 10:17-30  Sell What You Have, Come Follow Me

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As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up, knelt down before him, and asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”  …Jesus answered him, “You know the commandments…”  He replied and said to him, “Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth.”  Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him, “You are lacking in one thing.  Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”  At that statement his face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

Not too long ago, I was speaking to someone at Toys R’ Us.  They were telling me that board games are becoming a thing of the past.  Very few kids buy them or even ask for them these days.  Instead, electronic counsels and games are hot sellers and cool items. 

But afterwards I asked myself if kids really thought electronic games were better than board games, or if they thought they were a better substitute to an unfortunate reality:  that they only play by themselves; that they never get a chance (or have the time) to play - just play - with their friends or family.       

Today, I spent a lot of time at our Autumn Fair.  I didn’t see a single electronic game or a single sad face among the children.  Why?  Because they were having a ton of fun!

I admit, there was a truck that had every single conceivable electronic game available in it for them.  But I am glad to report to you that while there was light, there was hardly anyone playing.  And I am so glad!   Because our kids, young and old, were having a great time being with their friends and family. 

The activities and food that were at the Fair were pretty much the same games and food I had when I was a child.  A Fair is a Fair and kids are kids who love to be kids as long as they are allowed to be with other kids.  It’s not "what-you-have" that matters, but "who-you-are-with" that counts.

I suspect the rich young man had everything he ever wanted, except for the things that money could never buy.  I wonder if over the years, he had allowed himself to substitute healthy and holy relationships for hard work and possessions.  Maybe he had allowed himself to be defined by others for what he had and what he did, and never for who he was.  And as the rich young man could never imagine for a moment gaining heaven (happy) by having less, neither could he imagine following the Lord by giving up his very own priorities, paradigms, thoughts, work, dreams and aspirations. 

From today’s Gospel passage, it’s clear to see that our possessions have a tendency to keep us away from a real relationship with the Lord, as well as with others. 

The Lord asked this “poor” man a conscience building or conscience busting question:  Do you want your possessions to define your relationship with me?  Do you want your thoughts, dreams and aspirations to define your will over me?  Or do you prefer to have a real relationship with me, based strictly on who I am and who you are?

We all need fellowship.  We were made for it as well as for the Lord.  A few nights ago, I watched a movie with a family.  It was called, “Pirates:  A Band of Misfits”.  I loved the movie for just one scene.  It was the scene in which Charles Darwin was describing his latest scientific discovery and writing it in his journal.  Suddenly, he stopped writing.  He looked up, looked sad, and proceeded to write, “I will never kiss a woman.”  I laughed!!!  Finally!  A movie screen writer wrote honestly about the very human Charles Darwin.

Man was created for fellowship.  He was not created to hold on to things or to study many things.  He was created to love and be loved.  And although the rich young man knew that something was missing in his life; unfortunately, he couldn’t remember exactly what it was.  He knew his possessions were not enough for eternal life (for God), but he was too afraid to lose them in order to find himself and God. 

Sell what you have, and come follow me.  Why must I sell what I have to follow the Lord?  What’s the connection?  It’s our fellowship in Christ’s life.

The Lord did not want this young man to follow Him and then be “known” or “defined” for his great wealth and possessions.  After all, that's not how the Lord is remembered at all.  Instead, the Lord wanted this young man to be known and defined for his great generosity towards the Father…just like Him; and for tremendous sacrifice for the Father…just like Him; and for giving everything away for heaven’s sake…just like Him. 

The Lord wanted the rich young man to become poor so as to become rich…just like Him.  He wanted him to be defined not by what he had or by what he did, but by how he loved.

So do not allow your possessions to define who you are! 

Summary:  May I never allow my possessions - whether material, psychological or sinful - to define who I am.  I will not allow my possessions to possess me!  I refuse to sell myself to follow others.  Instead, I will sell what I have to follow the Lord and love others. 

Luke 11:5-13 The Year of Faith

Luke 11:5-13  The Year of Faith

(Click here for readings)

Jesus said to his disciples: …“If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”

One does not solve a problem by making it bigger. 

As I sat around the dinner table last night with a beautiful family, I had to ask this mom and dad of three kids how they came up with their youngest daughter's name.  I never expected to hear what I heard.  I should have known better.

Facts are not opinions.  That’s what we all learned in school.  Well, the facts didn’t look good for this mom of two, or for her unborn child.  The doctor treating her said she ran the very serious risk of bleeding to death if she continued with her pregnancy; and that her unborn child, if it even survived, would have serious defects.  The doctor pleaded with her to use her better judgment.  He reminded her that she was already the mother of two small children.  Why run the risk for one more child?  Why in the world would she leave the other two motherless? The “logical” conclusion was to abort.   

With so much to lose and with so much pressure to come to terms with “reality”, it is a miracle she remained steadfast.  She refused to have an abortion.   

A few months before she gave birth, she had one last sonogram.  The doctor would not allow her to look at the image of her child.  When she pressed for a reason, the doctor told her, “Just in case you decide to change your mind.”   

Her husband, a good Christian man, had his doubts though.  He did not have her faith. 

The moment her child was born, her doctor began to cry.  This mother of two had given birth to a perfectly normal baby girl.  Mom and dad named her “Faith”.    

A few years later, Faith’s dad became a Catholic.

Today, Faith is a very beautiful, highly intelligent (straight A), playful and creative teen.  While her parents shared stories about her at the dinner table, all she did was smile.  And what an amazing smile she has.  

It's obvious to see that family life would be so different if they did not have their little Faith.  At Sunday Mass, mom and dad still look at her every time the priest, after the consecration, says, “Mystery of Faith”.

Why do I mention this story?  Because today, unbeknownst to me, the Holy Father inaugurated “The Year of Faith”.  I couldn’t believe the coincidence.  I should have known better!

Faith is our response to God’s grace.  I can take it or reject it.  And I do so knowingly or woefully.  Faith is an act of the intellect.  It is not an act of the emotions.  It is not “wishful” thinking.  It is
“thankful” thinking.  I am grateful to Him. 

I can honestly say I believe in God more than I believe in man because I have seen what man can do without God, and what God can do regardless of man.

I am a very logical person, but I am also a person of faith.  I can put the two together like faith and reason, truth and forgiveness, love and enemy, science and God, the mystery of our faith and the mystery of Faith. 

I can love when there is no reasonable reason to and have Faith when there is no logical reason to.

Lord, give us Faith to see what no eye could see, ear could hear and love could not reject.

Luke 10:17-24 Lighting and Shining

Luke 10:17-24  Lighting and Shining

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The seventy-two disciples returned rejoicing and said to Jesus, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name.”  Jesus said, “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky.  Behold, I have given you the power…

You can’t solve a problem by making it bigger.  You can’t solve the national debt by making it bigger.  You can’t solve unemployment by working hard to keep it steady.  You can’t solve the priest shortage by making it easier to be a priest. 

Job was not about to make a serious problem even bigger.  He was not about to turn his back on God when God turned his back on him.  Job was struggling, but he was not stupid.  He was not about to lose everything including God.  What he was about to do was to take him to court!  And he did (sort of) and won!  He got back what he lost (cf. Job 42:1-17).  Actually, he received more than what he had lost. 

But he only got it after he went through hell. 

So, how did Job get through hell?  Simple.  He remained faithful to God in all things and till the end. 

This is how satan falls from the sky.  This is how we send him packing and with his tail between his legs. 

Lord, let your face shine upon me!  The devil is like lightning; just a flash of light.  Pride is like lightning; just a narrow beam of light upon me.  Fame is like lightning; just a flashlight with a short battery life. 

Sin is spiritual “lightning”, my Andy Warhol moment of fame; my “fifteen minutes” of lights, camera and action.  Yes, lightning produces light, if only for an instant, and wildfires, that last for days if not weeks.  And then, it is back to darkness and devastation.

If the devil is like lightning, then God is like the sun.  He is the light that breaks the spell of darkness.  He is the light that illuminates all life, continually.  His light is not for an instant.  His life is not for a moment.  His light and life are eternal.  Of course, we take him for granted like we take the sun for granted.  But we can learn from our losses how losses can be gain, and devastation can lead to renewal. 

Lord, let you face shine upon me.  Help me to remain faithful to you even in the little things.

Let’s make the pledge together.  I, [your name], take you, Jesus, for better and for worse, regardless of my sicknesses and health.  I will love you and honor you till we are finally united forever and ever. 

Only after the Lord sent his disciples to nearby towns and villages did He see satan fall like lightning from the sky.  Yes, there’s a lot of punch in lightning, but it does not even begin to compare to the sun.  As powerful as satan is, and as much as he strikes fear in us, he does not have the staying power of the Son. 

Lightning can only strike when there are clouds.  Evil can only achieve a foothold when I am tired and weak.  But good can exist in any conditions, at every moment, even the most difficult moments of my life, for “when I am weak, then I am strong.”      

Good triumphs over evil.  The only way it fails is if good turns bad; that is, if good people turn into bad people.  But satan cannot compete with God, except in the movies.  Evil cannot compete with Holiness, except on the news.  Evil makes the news because it is rare and ever-so-noticeable.  Holiness never makes the news because it is often and easily recognizable.  Weird people make the talk shows all the time because they are a novelty.  God never makes the talk shows because he is my neighbor; he is all that I am most familiar with.

When the disciples cured the sick and healed the sinners, satan went out with a little bang.  Satan has only one skill:  he knows how to destroy.  God has multiple skills.  He not only knows how to create, he knows how to re-create.  God created the Big Bang.  Satan creates little bangs here and there.  The devil only knows how to kill.  God knows how to build and resurrect.

Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth; you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of your heart and love.