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 7:11-17 Whatever!

Luke 7:11-17  Whatever!

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Jesus journeyed to a city called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd accompanied him.  As he drew near to the gate of the city, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow…When the Lord saw her, he was moved with pity for her and said to her, “Do not weep.”  He stepped forward and touched the coffin and said, “Young man.  I tell you, arise!”  The dead man sat up…and Jesus gave to him his mother.

One of the toughest assignments for a priest (for anyone) is to tell a family that their loved one has passed away.  It is always a difficult assignment, but it is even tougher when you know the family. 

This Friday will mark the one year anniversary of the unexpected and sudden death of a father of four small children.  I will never forget that day. 

After a normal day of school, the children were brought to their grandparent’s home.  As I looked out the window, I could see they were excited because they had noticed my car parked out front.  They ran up to the door and opened it.  With the biggest smiles on their faces, they greeted me and were wondering why I was visiting.  Little did they know the sad reason for my unexpected visit. 

“Your daddy went to heaven today.”  Their mom, grandma and grandpa were there to comfort them.  But as the news sunk in, the color in their fair skin went away.  It was the direct result of a broken heart.  They could not be consoled.    

Why did the Lord raise this young man from the dead?  Why did He bring him back to life?  After all, his resurrection would only temporary, not final.  One day, he would return to the grave.  So, why did the Lord perform this miracle?  Was it for him?  Maybe.  Was it for her?  Could be.  But most likely, I think it was for both of them.  Most likely, it was an answer to one final wish and prayer:  “Oh Lord, if I only had the chance to tell him/her, one last time, how much I loved him/her…”

They may have had some unfinished business to attend to.  After living together for years, they may have gotten too comfortable, too used, to each other.  Maybe she had said some things to him that she regretted.  Maybe he had wished she would go away.  Or maybe they had taken the other for granted too often and for far too long. 

Thank God for death!  Thank God!  Otherwise, I fear we would never appreciate anyone in our life.  Thank God for difficulties.  Thank God.  Otherwise we would take everything for granted.  What do people call children that take everyone and everything for granted?  We call them spoiled.  And you can see a spoiled child from a mile away.  They never smile.   The one word on their lips is:  “WHATE-V-E-R!!!”

I really try never to take anyone or anything for granted.  I’ve learned that as a priest.  Yes, there are plenty of things to cry about, but there are really plenty more things to smile at and to laugh about. 

A few weeks ago, a mom told me that her daughter was struggling.  It turned out that last year she had not been invited to a single birthday party.  Yes, she’s a little shy.  Yes, she’s a little reserved.  But no one, absolutely no one from her class, had invited her to a birthday party. 

Now I know that many moms invite just their children’s best friends in order to throw an over-the-top birthday party.  I know that it can be very expensive.  But why not try something different.  Why not try to invite everyone from the class and make it a less than over-the-top party?  Why not keep our priorities in place:  First the lessons, then the party; first the kids, then the presents; first love, then friends.

This past Friday was a tough day for me.  I had a ton of things to do and then I remembered that I had Mass at Ursuline.  Although it was still morning, I felt like I was running on fumes.  I was exhausted and upset about something.  As we all sat down to hear the first reading, one young student got up and said: “A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Philippines.” 

Did I just hear what I thought I heard?  I looked up and glanced over at the nun.  She was smiling.  Then I looked at the youth Minister and she was giggling.  That was it.  I then burst laughing.  I couldn’t even contain myself while I was reading the Gospel. 

Although life is full of disappointments and pain, there are plenty of things to smile and laugh about as well.  It is so much easier to laugh than it is to cry.  And even when you cry, it could mean you are laughing!

May the Lord give us the grace NEVER to take our life, our family, our friends, our gifts and talents, our difficulties and trials for granted.  Of course it is not an easy thing to do, but it is the better thing to do. 

Live today as if it were your last.  One day you will be right.

Luke 7:1-10 For Whatever Reason

Luke 7:1-10  For Whatever Reason

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A centurion had a slave who was ill and about to die…When he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and save the life of his slave.  They approached Jesus and strongly urged him to come, saying, “He deserves to have you do this for him, for he loves our nation and he built the synagogue for us.”  And Jesus went with them.

He deserves to have you do this for him.  The elders approached Jesus and strongly urged him to help this man out.  But why?  Why were they so insistent on a centurion getting help?  St. Luke leaves no room for doubt.  It is clear:  The elders sought the Lord’s help because the centurion had helped them out.  He had built their synagogue; he had power; he had money; he had authority; he had friends in high places.

But none of these reasons account for the reason why the Lord helped his man out (let alone the elders).  He helped them out for the same exact reason why he helps us out:  For no reason.

Do I have to have a reason for being kind to someone?  Do I have to have a reason for loving someone?  Do I have to have a reason to stay in touch with someone?  Do I have to have a reason to help someone?

Woe to you, hypocrite…if you help someone for selfish or prideful reasons!  Woe to you, you pagan…if you only help those who help you.  Woe to you, you Pharisee, if you only speak to those who agree with you!  It is better for you to have no reason at all than all the reasons in the world! 

In today’s Gospel, I can see how reason can get in the way of faith; how it can set-up a road block, a  barrier or a wall that separates me from another.  If I must always have a reason to show my love, give my time and my attention, then I allow my heart to be conquered by my brain.  But my love was never meant to be held hostage by what is physical; nor was it ever meant to be limited by another.  Love was created to be an extension of His hands, His works, His words, His heart, His mission!  Love was never created to be chained to a reason; it was created to be unlimited as well as unconditional.  The world was not created out of necessity.  It was created out of no necessity.  I was not given life because I was necessary.  I was given life out of no necessity.  Love is to be given freely.  Cost whatever it costs.  Love was given without charge to be given away without cost. 

Love overflows.  This explains why the Lord reacted the way He always did.  His reaction explains the reason why we should always get involved:  for no reason at all.  The beauty of Christian love lies in the power it has to push wide open the doors of our reason and allow each and every one of us to penetrate the mystery of faith. 

Just say the word and my servant shall be healed.   The centurion’s response to Christ’s love created a challenge (or problem) for all of us.  Do I have the faith that he had?  Do I appreciate and esteem God’s authority?  Do I demand that God meet me half-way?  Do I need to have a say in everything?

We love to be the one in charge.  We love to be the one who has all the authority.  We want to be the ones who set the rules.  We want to able to define the rules whenever we want.  We like things done our way.  We want people to bend over backwards for us.  But the centurion understands authority very well.  He knows he commands one hundred men.  But he also knows he’s not God.   He knows and respects that he is under the Lord’s authority. 

This truth may be difficult for us, but it should be obvious to all of us.  To walk I must roll out of bed, stand on my feet and move one foot in front of the other.  There’s no way around it.  It is what it is. 

The same holds true for being a Christian.  If you wish to be blessed, then you must pick up your cross, carry your cross and follow the Lord in his footsteps.  There’s no way around it.  It is what it is. 

And in this case, it is what it is for a very good reason!         

John 3:13-17 Lift High The Cross

John 3:13-17  Lift High The Cross

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Jesus said, “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”  For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.

A criticism often levied against Christians is that we are far too often focused on something far too far away.  Our desire for Heaven is often viewed as a rejection of earth.  This criticism is not without any merit.  How often have I found myself explaining my life by saying, “I’ve rejected this world for Christ” or “I’ve rejected the things of this world to follow Christ”? 

Now, I know what I mean, but I also know what this sounds like. 

We, as Christians, have to be careful.  Christ did not come into the world to reject the world.  Nor did He come into the world to condemn the world.  Rather, He came into the world to love the world.

So what should I say when it comes to this world?  I think the old saying: “When in Rome, do as the Romans do”, may be well adapted for Christians in the following way:  “As a Christian, do as Christ would do.”   Let us be imitators of Christ. 

The Lord did not come into the world to reject the world, and neither should I.  He did not come into the world to reject the sinner, and neither should I.  Instead, the Lord came into the world to confront sin and embrace it.  Yes, embrace it!  Suffocate it!  Intoxicate it!  And nail Himself to it!  And yes...so should I. 

Embrace it.  The Lord accepted His Cross and wrapped His arms around it.  The Cross is not just a symbol of the reality of sin; it is, more importantly, a symbol of the reality of the sinner.  It is a symbol of each and every one of us.  What the Lord does to the Cross is what He does to us:  He will not turn His back on us; He will not abandon us; He will not reject us.  Instead, He will take us upon His shoulders and carry us, all the way, till His death.  Sin will no longer give birth to further tragedy; it will give birth to an everlasting Savior! 

We do not reject this world; we change it.  We do not reject the sinner; we embrace him. 

Yesterday, I was dying.  My back was killing me!  Nothing would dull the pain.  I wanted to go see my chiropractor but I didn’t know when I would be able to see him.  He called me right between two appointments (Thank you Lord!) and so I rushed there to get my back fixed.  It worked.  Pain relieved.  Problem solved.  

As I was heading out of the building, I found myself in the elevator alone with a college student.  I cracked a little joke about the elevator “going down to hell”.  She laughed a little, but more out of politeness.  Then, out of the blue, she asked me if I was a minister (I was wearing my uniform).  I nodded.  She asked me what kind of minister I was.  I told her I was a Roman Catholic priest.  She asked me if I always had to wear my uniform.  I told her, “Yes, almost always.”  She asked me why?  I thought about it and told her, “You never know when you will be needed…when someone is looking for a priest.”  She thought long and hard at what I said.  I broke the silence by asking her what religion she was.  “Methodist”, she said, “But I stopped going to Church a long time ago”.  She surprised me when she told me she had a very strong desire to go to Confession.  I told her, “I’m ready when you are!”    She couldn’t believe it.  She was happy, but was not ready to go.  However, she did tell me that she had just gotten out of therapy and that she would love to go to Confession one day.  I gave the address to St. Monica and encouraged her to come to Church.  I hope she does.

Somehow the Cross has become a symbol just of Christ.  It shouldn’t be.  It should be the symbol of a relationship between Christ and the sinner; the good times and the bad; of sickness and health; of sinner and Savior.  Christ and the Cross is a reminder that He is united to us...for life.  We need him back on the Cross, not to crucify Him, but to embrace us.

As I got into my car, I was reminded of just how important it is for us to wear our faith on our sleeves, regardless of how hot it is!  You just never know when you need to let others know who you are. 

Let us all lift high the Cross, in one way or another.  Not to show off, but as a sign to let others know the love of our life!  In this way, we will do what Christ did:  bring heaven down to earth.

Luke 5:33-39 What To Do To...?

Luke 5:33-39 What To Do To...?

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The scribes and the Pharisees watched [Jesus] closely to see if he would cure on the Sabbath so that they might discover a reason to accuse him…they discussed together what they might do to Jesus.

If you spend some time with someone, you are bound to get to know them.  Once you get to know them, you are bound to get upset with them.  From a distance, they can do no wrong.  Up close and personal, all they seem to do is wrong. 

This is the paradox of friendship.  In order to make a friend, you have to get to know them.  Once you get to know them, you know everything about them.  Once you know everything about them, you can easily get annoyed by them.  That’s why very few brothers or sisters are very good friends.  It’s not because we didn’t get to pick them.  It’s because we got to know them! 

To be a friend means to love a friend.  To love a friend means to forgive a friend.  A friend is not someone you find.  It is someone you forgive.   

This morning I told a group of high school senior girls that the best way to prepare for College life is to invite their little sister back into their room.  What better way is there to prepare for dorm life; for a roommate you didn’t pick!  What a great way to prepare for someone who will snoop into your affairs; complain night and day; and have little to no respect for your property, feelings or ideas.

Friends do not make us better prepared for college life (or life).  Family does! 

The scribes and Pharisees were watching the Lord closely to see if they could accuse him of something, anything.  Boy, that must have taken a lot of work!  It couldn’t have been an easy task.  And there lies the irony of it all:  the scribes and Pharisees were working hard, harder than the Lord, on the Sabbath!

But they couldn’t find anything.  So what to do? 

Rather than looking to be better or holier, the scribes and Pharisees looked for something – anything - to accuse the Lord of.  And the Lord knew it.  That’s why He went along his way and spent very little time with them.  Sure, He talked to them and dealt with them, but He gave very little of Himself to them, and this irritated the hell in them!  While the Lord continued to cure the sick and heal the sinners, the scribes and Pharisees continued to attack Jesus: viciously and aggressively.  They called him names.  They twisted his actions.  They distorted his messages.  In the meantime, the Lord continued doing what He did best.

What do you do when someone does you wrong?  Do you leave them alone?  Do you try to help them?  Or do you strike back in a vicious manner?  We all know what the Lord did.

What do you do when someone doesn’t fall into your trap?  Do you leave them alone?  Do you learn your lesson?  Or do you strike back in a vicious manner?  We all know what the Pharisees and scribes did.

Does name calling or throwing mud at someone’s name or reputation make you a better person?  Does calling someone a bigot, a racist, an extremist or a chauvinist make you feel any better?  Would it have made the Lord any better?  Did it make the Pharisees any better?

There are some people in this world that, regardless of how much you try to help them, will end up attacking you.  Christ knows!  The perfect man experienced it himself.   Would you expect anything different; especially you being imperfect?

Honest people make mistakes and give us a great opportunity to rise above the mud and forgive… just as we hope to be forgiven.    

To forgive someone does not require a lot of time.  Don’t expect too much time to be given.

Luke 5:1-11 Peter’s Hell

Luke 5:1-11  Peter’s Hell

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Simon said to Jesus, "Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.”  When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing…When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.”  Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.”

Do not be afraid.  Here are those words again.  Why do I fear so much?  When do I fear so much?  I know when:  every time I lose control or when someone else takes control.  I am a control freak!  I want to control everybody and everything:  my day, my job, my boss, my friends, my destiny, my wife, my husband, my children, my life and my death.  But imagine for a moment a dog trying to control its master.  Looks pretty silly.  This is how it must look every time I try to control God.  Pretty silly.

And worse: control often leads to the fine art of manipulation.  Friends get burned.  I get burned.  Control freaks come to an end just like a power outage!  

Depart from me.  Peter loved the Lord.  But his love was elementary, far too simplistic; too black and white.  “Depart from me, Lord”.  I am no good for you.  Peter was afraid because he could not control the situation.  He understood the situation.  If he could not control the catch, he wouldn't be able to control the Lord.  And if he couldn’t control the Lord, he wouldn't be able to protect the Lord.  He felt like the burden was too much.  He felt the pressure to high.  Depart from me Lord.  I am a weak and sinful man.  

Peter understood the situation.  What he didn't understand was the Lord. 

We know not what we ask for. But what Peter was asking for is what many of us ask for:  to be left alone.  When Peter told the Lord to leave him, he was basically asking the Lord to send him to hell.  Oh, the heartfelt and confusing things we say!  Of course Peter knew not what he was asking for.  But every time we ask the Lord to depart from us, we are asking Him to send us to hell.

It’s time we exit the illusion of self-sufficiency and discover and accept one’s own needs:  need of others and God – His forgiveness and friendship. (Pope Benedict XVI) 

A while back, at a retreat in Lubbock, a young lady told me they were seeking evil upon God!  I asked, “Are you sure you know what you are asking for?”    She stood there unresponsive.  I continued, “Did you ever ask yourself why every time you wished evil upon the Lord, evils fell upon you?”   This individual had suffered greatly for her sins.  She knew what I was talking about.  “Have you figured it out yet that every time you try to crucify the Lord, you end up crucifying yourself?  Do you know why?  It’s because you were created in the image and likeness of God.  What you do to Him, you end up doing to yourself.” 

I am a sinful man.  Why should I not be afraid of the Lord when I feel like my sins have taken control of me?  How can you say I should be at peace and my rest tranquil when my life is falling apart?  How can I not worry? Why should I not be filled with stress, or anxiety or even panic attacks?  Why should I feel confident in God when I feel no love?  Be still.  Be silent.  Our peace comes from the Lord’s response to Peter’s insistence.  Peter is no different than me.  He was a sinful man.  I am a sinful man.  He was a useless man.  I am a useless man.  Peter was a simpleton.  I am a simpleton.  He was a control freak.  I am a control freak.  And still…the Lord made one thing very clear to him and that He would like to make very clear to me:  There are many things that I will do.  But I will never depart from you!

Departing from a bad situation is not something the Lord does well.  Love is very different from manipulation.  It asks for nothing in return and get’s more than it ever bargained for.

With a little faith, Peter’s hell turned into Peter’s glory.  He even stopped failing as a fisherman.

Mk 7:1-23 Neat and Freakish!

Mk 7:1-23  Neat and Freakish!

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When the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus, they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands… Jesus responded, “You disregard God’s commandments but cling to human tradition…From within people, from their hearts, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly.  All these evils come from within and they defile.”

Does this sound familiar?  Is this not happening today?

Every year, I taught a bunch of high school boys a very long course on etiquette.  It was mandatory, just like religion, but it never replaced religion.  God forbid that etiquette would ever replace God’s commandments!

Soon, however, I began to realize that I needed to teach them at an earlier age.  Bad habits, once fully grown, are hard to break.  And these kids were fully immersed in all sorts of bad habits.  They had either been told that it didn’t really matter or the silence had taught them that it really didn’t matter.  What mattered was always something “greater” or something “else” or something “obvious”. 

So, I decided to teach the same course to my middle school students.  They were shocked to hear when and how you should take a drink of water and how you should walk across a row (to get to your seat) in a movie theatre.  But what really shocked them was how you should speak to a woman and greet a woman. 

But why is any of this important?  Answer:  In order to be a saint, you must first be a human being.  There is an old saying in seminary:  “First the man, then the saint.” 

Most people would be shocked at how much “human formation” is taught in a seminary; that is, instruction on how to cut your finger and toe nails; how to polish your shoes; how to sew; how to iron; how to wash and fold your clothes; how to shave and groom yourself; how to make your bed; how often you should shower and change your clothes; how to comb your hair; shake someone’s hand; etc…

It’s obvious why these things need to be taught.  Just look around!

Recently, I met a woman who was shocked that on her first date with her boyfriend he was flossing his teeth right in front of her, at the dinner table, in the restaurant!  How neat and freakish!

Over the years, all forms of etiquette have deteriorated, except the one’s that keep us “physically” healthy.  Americans use more hand sanitizer than any other nation in the world.  Yet, we continue to be a nation that uses more medication than any other nation in the world.  We strive to be the premier advocate for women’s rights around the world, yet we continue to lead the world in the production of hardcore and violent pornography.  We are a peace loving nation, giving billions of dollars in aid, but we continue to fight more wars than any other nation in the world.

We are not neat-freaks.  We are very neat and very freakish.  It is not unheard of to hear of a very polite and courteous teen who is sexting.  Or of a young gentleman who insists on using a condom with his girlfriend while insisting on his right to not let her know that he has HIV.  How neat and freakish!

Over the past 40 years, the social engineers (the real freaks of society) have worked hard to dismantle every single “barrier” with regards to female and male relationships; student and teacher relationships; adult and child relationships; etc.  But what they have really been highly successful in doing is removing any form of respect among females and males; students and teachers, adults and children.

And while they have worked hard in dismantling all barriers (respect) among people, they have kept building a higher wall with regards to God and man; the body and the soul; faith and culture; morals and civility.

We thought we had outgrown the need our ancestors had in drawing lines.  Now and again, we are reminded of why they were so wise!  We know why.  We just hate giving any sort of credit to the dead.  We hate admitting that a blurry or erased line leads to all sorts of harm, confusion, neglect, abuse, criminal behavior, liability and lawsuits.  Or, as the Lord would so succinctly say:  sin and death.

In order to point out something, sometimes you need to let it stand out.  The Lord was not telling his disciples that they should not bathe or cleanse before meals, or that these types of human traditions are not important.  He was teaching his opponents that they should not replace God’s Commandments with human traditions.  Exterior beauty should not replace interior beauty.  Exterior cleanliness should not replace interior cleanliness.  Looking good should not replace being good.  It's not that the exterior is not important; it's that the exterior should mirror the interior.  We should be just as good as we appear to be.

Out of respect for others, it is important, when taking your seat in a movie theater, to walk across the row with the front of your body facing the people; it is a sign of respect for your neighbor as well as for yourself.  It is important to wash your hands before meals.  But it is just as important to pray before meals.  In this way, not only will the meal be more beneficial, it will also be less superficial. 

And this is the point:  We can either continue to live life solely in a highly superficial way or we can decide to live it in a highly interior and radical way as well.  Anyone can say, “Who cares about all this formality?” when they haven’t learned any of this formality.  But if they were humble, they would say, “Will you teach me?”  Then, not only will they know that someone cared, they will also know some wisdom as well. 

If we always find an easy excuse for our kids by saying, “They are only kids!”, then why do we find it so hard to come up with an easy excuse when they grow up and ask, “Why didn’t you help me?”

Eating a meal with unclean hands is bad; just as bad as using your clean hands with an unclean heart.  As a society today, we suffer just as much from the former, as we do from the later.  The later, however, makes most of the news.  The solution is not to ignore one or the other, but to work on both and join them together.  First the man, then the saint.    Let's put the same time, effort and dedication in being good as we do in looking good.

The Lord loves us just the way we are, but He would love to raise us higher than where we are.  He would love to lift up our body, blood, soul and divinity, to where He is.  That’s when we will no longer be neat and freakish, but both neat and holy.

Mt 24:42-51 The Lord As A Thief

Mt 24:42-51  The Lord As A Thief

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Jesus said to his disciples:  Stay awake!  For you do not know on which day your Lord will come.  Be sure of this:  if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into.  So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”

While meditating on today’s Gospel, I discovered something that I had never noticed before.  The Lord compares himself to a thief:  “If the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake.”    Why a thief?  Why not a King?  That is: “if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the King was coming, he would have stayed awake and prepared a meal, a bed for his guest.”

There are four ways to pass a test:  You can (1) study hard and not question it; (2) cheat; or (3) hope the professor changes the grades; (4) or hope the passing grade is significantly lowered. 

Likewise, there are four ways to live life with God:  You can (1) strive for it; (2) try to slide into it; (3) hope and pray that the Lord changes the rules; (4) hope and pray that the Lord significantly widens the gates of heaven.

 Wake up Americans!  Get up my fellow Christians!

The Lord is a thief!  He is!  Little by little, He takes away the most important things in our life.  Most of the time, He follows a certain pattern.  When we are young, He takes away our grandparents, then our parents, and then, slowly but surely, He begins to work on us.  Little by little, the Lord slides the carpet out from under us.  He takes from us our wealth and our health.  And then, when we are at our weakest moment, He takes our spouse away from us.  Only in death do we part.

Why is He a thief?  Well, how else will I come to realize that He, and only He, is at the end of the tunnel; that He is the beginning and the end; the only thing that matters?  What I may not realize is that the Lord is actually blessing me.  He is actually helping me, helping me to live up to the prayers I say to Him.  For years, I have prayed the Creed.  Do I believe in Him?  He will help me to find out.  Or maybe I have never prayed the Creed.  Do I believe just in myself?  He will help me to find out! 

Every day I proclaim to the world that I love the Lord and that I believe in Him.  Now do I trust in Him?  Am I ready to place my life in His Hands?  Life is all about realizing one’s prayers of holiness. Like John the Baptist, will I not be truly blessed when I can unconditionally, unequivocally, accept God’s divine Will and live up to my own prayer: “He must increase, I must decrease”?  John prayed that his “little light” would be blown out.  Did he really mean it?  Would he go through with it?  The Lord answered his prayer for holiness, and the Baptist lived up to it and was blessed.  Now, it is time for us to do the same.

There are plenty who try to cheat their way in life and into heaven.  They are similar to those who spend beyond their means, or try to show that a sinner’s life is really the best life E-V-E-R! Like all those who have gone before them, they will write in their autobiography how they wish they could do it all over again, but without the sinning part.

Today’s extremists either insist on a wide open gate [All are welcomed!], or on a very narrow gate that excludes everyone including themselves.  They attack, without mercy, His Word; His teachers; His followers; His commandments; His laws.  They attack, without mercy, Christ and His Church.  But God’s love and mercy does not discourage “follow me” and “carry your cross”.  Can’t it all be all of the above?  After all, doesn’t it all come from above?

“Stay awake in the hour of the night!” means discover God in the darkness of the world.  “Stay awake” means open your eyes, change your mentality, stop seeking external and visible signs to reinforce your own perception of God’s Will for you.  

“We will know God to the extent that we are set free from ourselves.” (Pope Benedict XVI)

Mt 23:23-26 From the Outside In

Mt 23:23-26  From the Outside In

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Jesus said:  “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.  You cleanse the outside of cup and dish, but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence.” 

A few days ago, I wrote that “Atheists believe the world goes round and round; that is, it is what it is.  Christians as well believe the world goes round and round, but upside down; that is, it isn’t what it is.” 

Upside down and outside in.  Let us pray for all our moms and dads who continue to kill themselves for the insignificant and deny themselves of the significant.  Let our thoughts go out to all our dads who continue to bust their behind for a fancier car, a bigger boat, a larger paycheck and a better yard but do not lift a finger for their spouse and family.  Let us pray for all our moms who continue to kill themselves for greater glory, greater praise and greater independence but have neglected to care for their spouse and family. 

This is life lived upside down.  This is an exercise in Futility. 

Let us pray for our boys who continue to build their bodies, but not their souls.  For our girls who wish to perfect their bodies, but not their souls.  This is life lived outside in. 

The Sensationalist.  Those who deceive (who love to be bad) love to play God.  They love to turn the truth upside down, as if we were standing on our heads, until it hurts our heads.  In our upside down world we want to be able to tell God what He should do; to tell Him what marriage is, what family is, what love is, what life is all about.  We even want to tell Him what sex is! 

What does it take to be remembered forever?  What does it take to get noticed; to get your name in print?  Be a sensationalist.  Mix some good with a lot more bad.  For example:  If you want to be a big time singer, then it’s important to have a good voice.  But it’s even more important to lose your faith.  If you want to be a political activist, then you should know a little bit of history and take a lot of lessons in singing.  But it’s even more important that you know what to name your band.  It should be something more shocking and perverted than the bands before you. 

Want some to notice you?  Don’t step in Church, step on the Church! 

By the way...If you are starting up your own Church and need a large congregation, then you should know a little bit about the bible and a lot about lighting and music.  Make sure you know that Jesus said he would return, and make sure your people think it's NOW, and you will have a very large congregation! 

Now “flashists” and sensationalists have no place in Christianity.  St Paul asks the community of believers in Thessalonica not to be shaken out of their minds by a “spirit”, or by an oral statement, or by a letter allegedly from one of them to the effect that the day of the Lord is at hand.  “Let no one deceive you in any way” (cf. 2Thes 2:3a). 

The sensationalist is full of it; that is, full of sin.  He tends to crave more of that which is sensationally sinful than that which is sensationally true.  He tends to be drawn towards sensationalism, like temptation and to crave it like a drug. 

In reality, what is truly sensational is what we call “common”.  An apple falling from a tree is just as sensational as a rover landing on Mars.  Both were designed.  Both serve multiple purposes.  Both carry out functions that are truly remarkable.  But the apple falling from the tree far out functions, out performs and far exceeds (or far out-seeds) all rovers combined. 

Predicting the end times and preaching about it have always been a great source of revenue for many denominations.  We love what is sensational.  And we are always scanning the horizon for the next sensation to happen.  We live for it, and when we are through with it, we look again to satiate our appetite; looking for the next sensation, which is typically more daring, thrilling, appealing and appalling. 

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting encouragement and good hope through his grace, encourage your hearts and strengthen them in every good deed and word.  (cf. 2Thes 2:17)

Christian prayer is not sensational; it is very straightforward. 

Mt 23:13-22 Woe to you, you hypocrites! Wow!

Mt 23:13-22  Woe to you, you hypocrites!  Wow!

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Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples:  “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites…You traverse sea and land to make one convert, and when that happens you make him a child of Gehenna twice as much as yourselves.”

Woe to you…you hypocrites…you blind guides!  Can you believe that Jesus said this???  Wow!!!

I’ve said it before and I will say it again.  We, as Christians, tend to think that the closer we are to God - the more blessed we are - the less we will suffer. This is total nonsense!  Christ is not in heaven because he is on vacation!  He is in Heaven because He leads us.  He does not rest in heaven; he coordinates precise tactical strikes on the hearts and minds of men.   Christ is no pacifist.  He did not go AWOL.  He did not earn his purple heart long ago; He earns it every single day.  What you did to the least of my brothers, you did it to me.

God is sacred; Christianity is sacred.  But it’s not just about Him.  It’s also about us!  Life is sacred; marriage is sacred; family is sacred.  All other definitions are fiction.  All other definitions are an appeasement; an affront to Christ’s sacrifice and death.  Did the Lord die in vain?  God forbid!  Did He die and shake hands and agree to disagree?  Never!  Then why do we do this to Him?  Why do we make pretend that there are far more important matters than life, marriage and family?  Are we to believe that Christ’s death was an exaggeration?  He didn’t have to go that far.

Those who attack the sacredness of life, marriage and family do not have any difficulty in ridiculing, insulting and degrading those who think differently.  Oh well, aren’t you guys suppose to forgive us?  It’s amazing how selective is their memory and knowledge of Christianity.  Yes!  We are!  But we will not roll over and play dead.  We forgive you… for you know not what you are doing.  Let us not forget that it was Christ who forgave His enemies.  Let us not forget that His enemies never asked to be forgiven.  We know that by what they did next. 

Let’s not be hypocrites or blind guides.  Where did we ever get the idea of hiding in our Churches; preaching only to the choir; of playing dead; of not speaking out; of negotiating with sin?   

Christ was not a diplomat.  He died because he would not negotiate or surrender.  The Lord was not a weak man.  He conquered death!  All of us put him to death and He rose from the dead.  When we learned of what He did, some of us switched sides; some continued along party lines.  Once upon a time, you could tell a Christian from a non-Christian by what they were willing and not willing to do.  Those who were willing to sacrifice everything but their faith, honor, principles, morals and values were the Christians.  Now, you have Christians who are willing to sacrifice their faith, honor, principles, morals and values but not their homes, careers, income and/or status. 

The Lord never told his Apostles to mingle and mix with the latest trends; to go unnoticed; to not stand out.  Not even when all appeared lost did He call for a truce, or an evolving of ideas.  On the contrary, the Lord put his enemies on notice.  He declared all out war for the salvation of souls.  He declared it in the upper room on the night he was betrayed.  He declared it as He was nailed to the Cross.  He declared it when He said, “Do not be afraid.  Go throughout the world…”

He is looking for a few good men.  As soon as he can find a special operator that is willing to fight and die for Him, He will send Him.  This is the truth.  All other ideas of the ideal Christian are simply nonsense!  Or better yet, from the devil’s headquarters.  The devil would love for us to call off the attacks on abortion.  He would love for us to retreat on marriage and family.  “Let’s have a little respect here for people’s privacy, shall we?”  “You shouldn’t be protesting in front of our clinic doors.  Where are your manners?” 

In today’s first reading, we read of how proud St. Paul is with the Christians in Thessalonica.  Their faith is flourishing; the love they have for each other keeps growing; their endurance in the face of persecution and affliction is a model for others.  He considers their suffering as evidence of the just judgment of God.

Do you still believe that your trials and tribulations are proof that God does not exist or is absent?  Give me a break!  We know the apple does not fall far from the tree.  If they persecuted me, then they will persecute you!

St. Paul traveled to the ends of the earth to make one convert.  St. Monica traveled across the sea to convert her son.  Why did they do it?  For love of God and neighbor.  How did they do it?  By imitating Jesus Christ.  And both were very successful in accomplishing their mission.  And both paid a heavy price for it.

Let’s not make the Lord’s death (or St. Paul’s and St. Monica’s) in vain.  His death was meant to inspire us all.