John 6:37-40 All Souls Day Today

John 6:37-40  All Souls Day Today

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Jesus said to the crowds:  “For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day.”

The Lord loves me just the way I am.  Today, I am reminded that He loves me even more than that. 

We are a fallen creature, a very superficial kind of being of the headlines type.  We are magnetic towards negative gossip, sensationalism and depressing news.  We are folks of a somewhat depressing nature.  What makes the news today is what pumps most of our hearts.  Yes, we are good but we are in dire need of purification.

Billions of people have lived on the earth.  Our history books include a tiny fraction of them.  God includes all of them.  He knows all of them.  If our Heavenly Father has the time and ability to count the hair on our head, then He can make count all the lives that were lived.    

Billions of people have been baptized.  Only a fraction of them have been declared saints.  But for every known saint, we know there are millions that are unknown.   For this reason, every November 1^st is a day of celebration, a day for us to celebrate the lives of all the saints in heaven. 

But like every celebration, once it is over, the very next day we must get back to work.  Today, we must pray.  We must pray for all the faithful departed who, with great anticipation, eagerly wait to see the face of the Lord.  We must do only what we can do.  We must care for them and fight for them, and that is a lot. 

Often I think of All Souls Day as a long day in the hospital; that is, a day when family members must make tough decisions and tough sacrifices for their incapacitated brothers and sisters; a day in which their prayers, sacrifices and presence can actually save the lives of their brothers and sisters.  For although their loved ones may be physically present, they are far from them; though they are breathing, they are not quite living. 

In a similar way, the souls of the faithfully departed are in an incapacitated state.  Though they are no longer physically among us, they are not far from us.  Though they are no longer breathing, they are still living.  And just like family members can make all the difference in the world for their sick and injured loved ones, so too we make all the difference in the world for our faithfully departed brothers and sisters.

Let us pray for those who can no longer pray for themselves.  Let us offer sacrifices for those who can no longer offer an acceptable sacrifice for themselves.  Let us love those who can no longer love others.   This is not something weird.  This is natural.  We do it with our dead.  We do it with our heroes.  We do it for our loved ones.  The Lord did not simply die for the living.  He died for the dead as well. 

This is how Christ showed His love.  This is how we can show our love.  We are a family forever.  Heaven may dissolve marriages on earth but only because heaven unites us as brothers and sisters in the one love that is of God our Father and our brother Jesus Christ. 

May the souls of the faithfully departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

Mk 9:38-48 On a Limb

Mk 9:38-48  Out on a Limb

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Jesus said, “If your hand causes you to sin, cut if off.  It is better for you to enter into life crippled than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna…And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off.  It is better for you to enter into life crippled than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna...  Better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna.” 

If I had to lose a limb for every sin, then I am sure I would end up with just my earlobe! 

I am not kidding.  And I am not alone.

As we continue to believe that it takes little to no effort to get into heaven, the Lord, in a very dramatic way, reminds us that we do have “a part to give" in our salvation. 

As we continue to “lower the bar” in order to appease everyone, the Lord continues to raise His bar up, ever so forcefully, so that we never take our salvation or His sacrifices for granted.

When I was meditating again on today’s Gospel passage, I asked myself why the Lord exaggerated so much.  But then, I realized he wasn’t exaggerating.  He was being sarcastic.

I will do whatever it takes!  Christ knows us.  He knows us well.  He knows to what lengths we will go to get what we want.  Take for example the young football player who is more than willing to take steroids to get on the team.  “I will do whatever it takes to get on this team!”    And take the not-so-young football player who will take steroids to stay on the team.  “I will do whatever it takes to stay on the team!”    Why do you think the Olympic committee banned performance enhancing drugs?  Because athletes would do whatever it took to win the gold medal! 

We all know young teens will starve themselves to death to get the perfect body!  “I don’t care!  It’s worth it!”  We are just know learning that College students will take ADHD medication or even Alzheimer drugs to stay focused, get the competitive edge and get an A+.  “It’s all worth it…for my career.”  And there are parents (not doctors) who are doing it  for them.

We will do whatever it takes to be successful, competitive and comfortable.  Even a single mom may end her pregnancy to further her education, reputation and make life just a little less complicated.  "You murdered the one who offers you no resistance" (cf. James 5:6).

Can we blame the Lord for saying what he said?  If you are willing to do all these things for yourself, then why not cut off your hand and foot to get into heaven?  Why not?  Unless…it’s not worth it to you.

What is Heaven worth to you?  Is it worth more than a career, an education, extra playing time, your body? 

The Lord is not against sacrifice.  And He knows we are more than capable of making sacrifices.  His problem is not that we sacrifice; His problem is with why we sacrifice.  When I say “It’s worth it!”, am I not really saying: “I’m worth it?” 

Do I sacrifice out of selfishness or do I sacrifice out of selflessness?

Am I willing to sacrifice my morals, my values, my faith for titles, privileges, and greater fame and fortune?  If so, then the Lord tells us that it is better to lose your hands and feet!

After all, He did. 

Better to lose a hand…lose a foot.  The Lord was not only being sarcastic; He was being prophetic.  He chose His words very carefully.  This morning, when I looked at my crucifix, I noticed how the Lord lost his hands and feet.  On the cross, He is saying, “It’s worth it”, but what He's really saying to me is: “YOU are worth it!”

It’s time to cut ourselves away from our pride, vanity and sensuality.  It’s time to lose the chains of sin. 

If we are willing to do whatever it takes to extend our career; to get noticed; to be successful, then why not do whatever it takes to obtain eternal life?

Better to lose a limb, then to lose a soul.  Better to sacrifice your life than to take a life.  Better to love unconditionally than to live unconditionally.

Mt 18:1-14 Broken Saints

Mt 18:1-14  Broken Saints

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The disciples approached Jesus and said, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”  He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said, “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven…If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills and go in search of the stray?”

There are some commonalities in life that are a bit confusing.  For example, those who are overwhelmed with joy often share something in common with those who are overwhelmed with grief.  They both shed tears.  Another, that has intrigued me for years, is related to today’s Gospel passage.  I have seen that those who are emptied by sin often share something in common with those who are filled by grace.  They both are broken.

I have to calm myself down when people tell me that there are many commonalities among the great world religions.  For example, that Aztecs had altars, just like Roman Catholics have alters.  But appearances, like so many things in this world, are not everything.  An SS officer may have a gun just like GI Joe, but what he does with it is an entirely different story. 

Although saints and sinners may both be broken, there is a tremendous difference between the brokenness caused by emptiness and the brokenness caused by holiness. 

Today, we celebrate the martyrdom of St. Maximilian Kolbe.  He was the only man that was sent to a Nazi concentration camp  who voluntarily gave his life up to save the life of a condemned prisoner.  He was a Roman Catholic priest. 

Sin breaks us apart.  It separates the heart from the mind; the body from the soul; the person from the community; the creature from the Creator.   The Nazis loved to separate individuals from their community and enjoyed watching them betray one another or turn against each other. 

But grace too breaks us apart; but in an entirely different way.  It releases us from our inner most fears.

It allows us to come out from under our hiding place.  Come out!  Come out!  Where ever you are!  When Maximilian Kolbe was not selected for death, he broke through the ranks of the saved and joined the list of condemned.  It was said that he came out from nowhere. 

Grace frees the “new man” from the old.  It breaks free the captive.  It liberates the restless heart from a very limited mind.  Grace allows something good to created from nothing.  From the emptiness of space came forth an explosion of love.  From the darkest corner of the planet (Auschwitz) came forth a ray of light.  Sacrifice breaks the back of despair.  It brings the dead back to life.  It is giving, rewarding, enriching.  But it leaves the human body twisted, broken and disfigured. 

On the night he was betrayed, he took the bread, broke it, gave it to his disciples and said, “Take this all of you and eat of it.  This is my body which will be given up for you…Do this in memory of me.”

The Lord allowed his body to be torn (broken) so that it could be distributed to others.  Do this in memory of me in an invitation to do what the Lord did.  Allow the Lord to take you, break you, and give you to others.  Do this in memory of me. 

A broken saint is not the same as a broken man.  The difference is one gave himself away while the other never gave himself away.

Although the man who left his sheep in search of the lost one may have appeared just as confused as his lost sheep, we must remember that appearances are not everything.  Do not be fooled.  The Savior may have looked just as dazed as the saved; just as bloodied as the condemned; just as confused as the victim; just as much of a man as the rest, but he is not.  He is God; who appeared like us in all things, except sin.

Broken bread is still bread.  A pierced heart is just a reminder of a loving heart.

John 6:24-35 Believing and Agreeing

John 6:24-35  Believing and Agreeing

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When the crowd found Jesus across the sea they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”  Jesus answered them and said, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled.” 

Many of us tend to listen to those who agree with us or believe those who agree with us, and we are satisfied with this because we can survive with this.  But it would be worth our effort to learn how to agree with those who listen to us, or agree with those who believe in us. 

The Lord believes in us much more than we believe in him.  Why?  Because it is much more to the Lord that He believes in us than that He agrees with us.      

The Lord loves people.  And love does not flow from agreement; it precedes it.  Love does not look for compromise; it looks out for another’s good.  Christ did not compromise with others.  Rather, He called for their conversion.  He did not call sinners to follow Him.  He called sinners to imitate Him.  He invited twelve sinners to become Twelve Saints.  The Lord invites us to turn from our former way of life and “be renewed in the spirit and put on the new self, created in God’s way in righteousness and holiness of truth” (Eph 4:24).  Christ did not give up on the sinner and call it a draw.  He drew the sinner towards him and called it love.  

For this reason the Lord loved the sinner; for this reason the Lord died for the sinner:  so that they could believe in Him before they agreed with Him. 

“One does not live on bread alone.”    We need food.  Let’s not fool ourselves.  But we need food just as much as we need love.  The Lord was not naïve.  We need our bread, we need sustenance.  And we should never forget that man needs to eat in order to survive.  But what we tend to forget is what the Lord reminds us of:  One does not live on bread alone.  Like so many of Christ’s teachings, this saying means much more than just the obvious.  It means one does not live on money alone, sex alone, pleasure alone, happiness alone, material things alone or acceptance alone.  To live we need more than just to survive; we need to thrive.  To live life to the full, we need God; his divine life and his divine words.  In order to live we need to be able to forgive.

One reader of my blog commented yesterday that the individual that verbally abused a Chic-fil-A employee was summarily fired from his job.  I really consider this a shame.  That should never have happened.  Why?  Because our society taught this man the art of hate rather than the art of debate.  He was so proud of himself, he videotaped himself.  How many of us on the road have been caught in a moment of anger, of a raging fit???  Thank God we did not videotape ourselves; thank God we were not videotaped!

Unfortunately, I don’t think anyone will come to his rescue…too risky.  This is precisely were a Christian needs to come in.  This is precisely where the young lady who was verbally abused can help.  She can help him…and only she can do it.  She can tell the world that she did not want this to happen; that this man deserves a chance to redeem himself.  But redemption requires someone dying; someone coming to the rescue; someone taking him by the hand and helping him back up.  The human reaction was obvious:  make him suffer as much as he made her suffer.  This is the human reaction.  The Christian position is not so obvious:  love him before he can understand us.

Far too often we believe in those who agree with us and reject those who disagree with us.  But from afar, someone believed in us before we believed in Him; someone believed in us before we agreed with Him; someone saved for us before we believed in Him. 

The Lord loved us before we loved Him and so taught us how to live and love like He did: believing before seeing; believing before agreeing; by giving and then receiving.

Mt 14:1-12 Angry Birds

Mt 14:1-12  Angry Birds

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Herod the tetrarch heard of the reputation of Jesus and said to his servants, “This man is John the Baptist.  He has been raised from the dead; that is why mighty powers are at work in him.”

The best thing a despot could do is kill his enemies.  The worst thing a despot could do is create martyrs.  Herod was no dummy.  He knew that, but forgot it.  John’s death exposed Herod’s weakness.  The tetrarch was not as strong and powerful as he made himself out to be.  His arrogance brought about Christ’s emergence.

This man is John the Baptist.  He has been raised from the dead.   Herod was no superstitious guy.  He knew what he was saying.  He knowingly killed John and unknowingly raised a million more like him.  Even better, he raised, from obscurity to center stage, someone a million times more powerful than the Baptist who was ready to take it to the next level. 

Herod placed his hands over his head.  He knew he was through.  The Jews knew that.  Jesus knew that.  The end of an era was fast approaching.

Let us not forget what caused John to lose his head:  his unwavering support for the dignity of marriage.  How bizarre is history.  No matter how much we study it, we continue to forget it.

August 1^st, 2012.  What started off as an individual’s sincere acknowledgement of the dignity and sanctity of marriage ended with millions and millions of people across the country supporting religious liberty and freedom of speech.  Just two months ago, the supporters of gay marriage were riding high with unprecedented victories.  They had won the support of the President of the United States.  They had won recognition and support from the NAACP.  They were stronger than ever; more powerful than ever.  The only thing they did not need to do was turn their rainbow into a storm.  And they did. 

They gay community, once considered victims of discrimination, became ferocious abusers.   Many people in the country were shocked and outraged at their lack of understanding, charity and overall conduct towards American citizens of Christian belief.  Of course they would never dare attack American Muslims and their beliefs for they know that Muslims strike back… and hard.  Instead, they went after a soft spot, a scapegoat, and found a sleeping giant.

On August 1^st, 2012, millions of supporters of free speech and religious liberty (and marriage) turned out in record numbers to support Dan Cathy and his company, Chic-Fil-A.  This day (“Appreciation Day”) was organized in response to a gay community’s nationwide boycott of the fast food chain.  It was their attempt to bring a Christian organization and Christian individuals to submit or to fail.  If they had won, it would send a clear message to all Christian organizations. 

It failed, and failed miserably. 

But not only did it fail; it created a backlash that has galvanized millions of people.  It was the “shot heard round the world”; the spark that lit the world on fire. The question on the minds of millions was:  “Will this happen to me if I disagree???” 

August 1^st, 2012 was the most successful day in Chic-Fil-A’s history.  Last year the company made 4.1 billion dollars in sales, up 13% from the previous year; a company that closes its doors every Sunday.  On the other hand, the so-called “kiss-in” protest turned out to be an abysmal failure.  Not only did their manner of protesting disgust the general community, it also opened a window to the community at large at how the gay-community wishes to represent itself: in hyper-hysterical sexual postures.

How did the two communities react?  During the boycott, customers often saw Chic-Fil-A employees offering free water to gay protestors.  They continued, as always, to serve everyone, regardless of their sexual orientation or preference.  But as gay marriage supporters continued to shoot themselves in the foot with bad publicity, they finally shot themselves in the head with a hate filled bigoted gay marriage supporter verbally assaulting and abusing a young employee at the drive-thru. 

By the end of the week, most supporters of gay-marriage had been silenced, embarrassed and set back.  “No comment” was their only way to save face.  In a single day, they managed to destroy whatever achievements they had made with the general population.  They thought they had found a chicken.  They never imagined creating an angry bird.

He has been raised from the dead.    Let us all learn from a chapter in the life of the Baptist.  The blood of the martyrs is seed for the Church.

Mt 12:46-50 Two Canes and A Will

Mt 12:46-50  Two Canes and A Will

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Someone told Jesus, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, asking to speak with you.”  But he said in reply, “Who is my mother?  Who are my brothers?”  And stretching out his hand towards his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers.  Whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother.”

I don’t know why I said yes, but I did.  It was some time ago when I agreed to do it and I didn’t think much about it.  Yesterday I was supposed to go out to The Pines to celebrate Mass and hear confessions.  The devil really tempted me not to go; to come up with some clever excuses to get out of it.  The trip to The Pines is a very long one, nearly two hours and yesterday I felt exhausted; the day was long; the heat was tremendous.  Over and over again, I kept thinking:  "If I didn’t go, then I will have my entire evening free!"  Believe me, that’s a very nice feeling.

As the hour approached for me to leave, I was putting the finishing touches on one excuse, a lie.  I could say, “Guess what…You’ll never believe this…I’m on the road and I got a flat tire! Oh well, I guess you didn’t pray hard enough for me to get out there!!!” 

Could I do this? 

Right before I got in my car, I called the camp office to double check if everything was still a go for the outdoor Mass; that is, if all the permissions had been granted; if all the red tape had been cleared.  Isn’t it amazing how there is no red tape when you don’t want to do something and a ton of red tape when you want to do something?

Well, everything was a go.  While I was driving, I kept thinking to myself, “Why do I agree to these things?  Why do I agree to drive four hours to celebrate one Mass?”  As soon as I arrived, I remembered why.  I saw two hundred kids with their big smiles just waiting for the priest to arrive so that he could give them Jesus.  I arrived.  I delivered.  I left. 

This morning at St. Monica I celebrated the 8:00 am Mass.  I saw all the familiar faces, especially one elderly gentleman who comes to Mass every morning.  He struggles to drive.  He struggles to get out of his car.  He struggles to go up the stairs.  He struggles to sit.  He struggles to stand.  He uses two walking canes.  It probably takes him two hours to get to Mass and two hours to get back home.  Not because of distance, but because of weakness and pain. 

His daily example helped me to overcome my weakness and cowardice. 

The Lord is our King and we are his brothers and sisters.  His royalty is passed down from one generation to another not by blood, but by faith.  The Lord has opened his Kingdom to all, but at a price.  We are no longer the chosen people of God.  We are a people who must choose God.  We are no longer a people of God by race.  We are a people of God by creed.  We are no longer automatically entitled to an inheritance.  We inherit our inheritance by what we say and do.   

Mary is not entitled to any special privileges simply because she was related by blood to her Son.  She was entitled to special privileges because she was willing to shed her blood for her Son.  She did not receive her Son’s Last Will and Testament.  She accepted the Will of her Son’s Father and we all received the New Testament.  And because she did the Will of the Father, she became the Mother of God.

Following God’s Will will make us special, very special, a son and daughter of God.  Following the examples of our holy brothers and sisters, will make us One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.

Mt 11:20-24 Comfortably Numb

Mt 11:20-24  Comfortably Numb

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I remember as a teenager listening to Pink Floyd but never really understanding it.  Today, it reminds me of children watching a cartoon with their parents and wondering why their parents are laughing at a certain comment.  Cartoons, like Pink Floyd’s music, were created for adults, not for kids.

If you don’t stand for something you will fall for everything.  Now I know where that saying comes from:  today’s first reading.  The Lord told Isaiah, “Take care you remain tranquil and do not fear; let not your courage fail before these two stumps of smoldering brands…They shall not stand, it shall not be!  But within sixty years and five, Ephraim shall be crushed, no longer a nation.  Unless your faith is firm you shall not be firm!”

Two smoldering stumps.  When did we go wrong?  How did we get so far lost?  It all began when we started believing the scientists and activists more than the religious; when we decided to heed human advice rather than Godly advice.

Remember how computers were supposed to make life easier?  Remember how they were supposed to eliminate paper?  Remember how they were supposed to save us time?  Hahahahaha! 

Life has not become easier or less wasteful, life has become less personable: comfortably numb. 

“Take care you remain tranquil and do not fear; let not your courage fail you!”  We don’t always have to run away from difficulties.  We don’t always have to curse them out!  Trials and tribulations can make us stronger and much more responsible! 

Over the years I have grown numb.  From my seminary days of cold showers and no heat, I have grown comfortably numb.  The reason for my numbness is due to my comfortness.  When I was in the seminary, if you wanted some Q-tips you would have to write a note to the superior and the superior would deliver them to your room.  He would usually leave just two Q-tips for the week.  I learned to use them at the right time and in the most efficient way.  Nothing was wasted!  Nothing.

Today, I have a confession to make.  I have a tendency to be very wasteful.  Why?  Because I live in a home that does not belong to me; I do not have to pay for my electricity, water or maintenance.  In the morning, when I leave my home and notice the front light still on, I don’t get of my car, I don’t even fret for a moment.  Instead, I tell myself, “Oh well, I’ll turn it off later.”  The next morning, when I notice it’s still on, because I forgot to turn it off, I promise myself I will take care of it as soon as I return.  Again, I forget to do anything about it.  Why?  Because I don’t pay for it.   I’m comfortably numb.

Yesterday, I got on an online debate with a group of people who were supporting Melinda Gates' billion dollar campaign to provide over 100 million women in Africa with free contraceptives.  I read all the same stale arguments over and over again:  "The Catholic Church hates women; the Church knows nothing about family struggles or about the problems in Africa!"  I screamed, “The Church hates women?  The Church knows nothing about Africa or families???”  That was it!  I couldn’t take it anymore!


Before anyone's great-grandmother was born, the Catholic Church had missionaries, priests and nuns working with poor families in Africa.  We know a lot about Africa and the struggles that families face.  We know more about Africa than anyone's personal experience or anyone's personal advisors.

But what do American's know about families?  When did America suddenly become the expert in raising kids and protecting families???  When did we become the role model of the world?  If ten million African girls are starving to death, why are ten million American girls starving themselves to death?  What do we know about families?  What do we think we can teach others about raising children?  I’ll tell you what we can teach them:  the mistakes we have made.

Why do we want to export to other nations and other cultures our programs and policies that never worked their wonders?  Why do we want to share with others our failed ideas?

Let’s take a good look at family life in America.  1-out-of-2 marriages fail, far more than any third world nation; more of our kids take drugs than any third world country (including those that supply them); more of our kids are committing suicide than any third world nation.  We spend more money on secondary education than any third world nation and yet most of our doctors, professors, and engineers went to a secondary school in a third world country.   Why do our test scores lag behind most of the industrial world?  I will tell you why:  because we don’t honor, support and protect the family like other nations do, especially third world nations, neighborhoods and families.

We have connected contraceptives with ending poverty, ending abuse, stronger families, success, job opportunities, responsibility, and higher "living" standards. These are all BAD CONNECTIONS.

Instead, we should connect contraceptives with the reality of infidelity, male invincibility, the hyper-sexualization of woman and the obsession towards the ideal body, irresponsible behavior and an increase in STD’s, abortion, suicide and lower standards of living in all categories except material.

St. Bernard of Clairvaux once said, “Hell is full of good wishes and desires.”  Today, we say “The road to hell is paved with good intentions”.  The roads to home may change, but the roads to heaven and hell will never change.   

We say we honor and value families.  If so, then why do we only encourage poor families to limit the number of children they have, but never encourage rich families to have more?  Why is that, if we honor and value the family?  Why do most rich families have just one or two kids?  Can they not afford to send their children to the best schools around?  Can they not provide each one their personal menu and show horse?

Do we really honor and value our families or is it that we care about something else?  

I don’t think we honor and value families like the rest of the world.  Instead, I think we honor and value personal choice; more specifically, choices that make us feel comfortable…“comfortably numb.”  And to not feel guilty about it, we would like to share our numbness with the rest of the world!

Mt 10:34-11:1 Getting Things Straight

Mt 10:34-11:1  Getting Things Straight

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Jesus said to his Apostles:  “Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth.  I have come to bring not peace but the sword.  For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”

I know what you are thinking:  “Boy father…I must be holy.  I am definitely against my mother-in-law.  All day long I’m arguing with my daughter.  I must be doing something right!”

Not exactly.  Am I arguing with my family for God’s glory or am I arguing with my family out of pride?  Am I suffering because of my sins or am I suffering because of my Lord?  The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life.  The first is fruitless; the second is very fruitful. 

The Lord invites division not to confuse or harm us, but to heal us.  He takes the pieces of the puzzle we hastily put together and separates them and rearranges them in their proper places.  The Lord’s sword is his hand that re-places things poorly placed.

The Great Commandment.  The Lord has a way with words.  He loves to say the same things over and over again but in new and exciting ways.  Is this not our challenge?  Do we not face a communication problem with the Good News?  The Good News is sometimes shocking but always surprising! 

Christ says, “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me.”  Really???  Isn’t that a bit selfish or egotistical?  Yes, if you ignore everything the Lord says and does!  This saying may be shocking but it isn’t any more surprising than God calling us “friends”.

If God comes first, everything else will follow.  If we love God our Father, then we will learn to love our father.  If I show affection and devotion to Our Lady, then I will be able to show affection and devotion to any lady.  If I respect the Lord my brother, then I will respect all my siblings.  Our day has significance only if it is one step closer to our glory.  The enormity of my sins can be measured only by the scandal of His Cross.  All things may be connected to each other, but if they are not connected to God, then all things fall apart. 

When I love God above all things, it ensures that I will love the things of God, and that will help me to grow in my love.  For example, sex is good, but love is even better.  Living together with the person you love is good, but making a promise to them (marriage) is much better.  God said “It was good” when he created the animals.  But he said “it was very good” when he created man.  To live like a human is good.  To live like a Saint is better.

Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.  I have always had a hard time understanding the first part of this paradox.  How does someone find their life and lose it?   Was the Lord referring to the rock stars or movie stars who “find” or “realize” themselves at the tender age of sixteen and lose it all (or desperately try to maintain it through performances in Las Vegas) by the age of fifty?  It may very well be.  Or was the Lord referring to those who hold on for dear life and have a hard time letting go for heaven’s sake?  Maybe.      

We should not hesitate in giving our Lord His just place, for we shall receive our just reward.  Jesus said to his Apostles: “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”  Perfect plan.  Perfect design.  Perfect order. 

Life is all about putting things in their proper place and getting things straight.   Let’s do some life cleaning.

Mt 9:32-38 When Much Is Given

Mt 9:32-38  When Much Is Given

(Click here for readings)

Jesus went around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, and curing every disease and illness.  At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were…like sheep without a shepherd.

Sometimes I wish I wasn’t Catholic or a priest!  God can be so hard on me!

While reading today’s first reading, I noticed how God is constantly reminding the Jews to be loyal and faithful to Him.   He’s tough with them; all the time!  And it’s not just in today’s reading; it’s a constant theme in every reading!  Why doesn’t the Lord pick on the Assyrians?  Why doesn’t he harp on the Egyptians?  Why does he leave them alone and not his own?

The same is true of Jesus.  He is constantly criticizing the Pharisees, the scribes, the elders and the chief priests.  Why?  Why doesn’t he pick on someone His own size?  Why doesn’t He go after the Romans?  Why doesn’t he say something to them?  “Hey Caesar, did you ever try being gentler with your enemies?  Pilate, did you know there’s a better way to deal with criminals than to just crucify them?”  Nope.  The Lord remains quite silent with them.  In fact, he doesn’t like to deal with them, unless they need His help.  Instead, the Lord prefers to pounce on his own.  He is constantly going after his own.  Why is that?

Where much is given, much is expected!  I would never expect an elderly man to help me carry boxes.  I would expect a young man to carry an elderly man’s boxes.  I would never expect a crippled man to help me move things into my home.  I would expect a healthy man to help a crippled man move his things into his home.  To whom much is given, much is expected.  I would not expect a young man to have all the right answers.  I would expect an older man to ask all the right questions. 

We are Catholics.  Much is expected.  Very much is expected.  It’s not an easy life.  It’s a lot of work!  It’s not as easy to lead as it is to be led.  It’s not as fun to be the Shepherd as it is to be the sheep (unless it’s being led to the slaughter; and even in that case, we, the Shepherds, would have to go first!!!).  We just don't seem to ever get a break! 

Just once, wouldn’t it be nice to lie like the rest and let your conscience get away with it?  I’m not talking about a little lie…Nooooo!  I’m talking about a BIG TIME LIE! Just once, wouldn’t you like to think of yourself first?  Wouldn’t it be great to serve just yourself, just once?  Wouldn’t it be great to abandon all your responsibilities, justify all your crimes and punch out an eye or a tooth? Oh, how wonderful it would be to kill your enemy, destroy their reputation, and knock out the lights!  Wouldn’t it be great to get away with murder?     

But this is not for us.  Our God talks…and hears and sees.  “Our God is in heaven; whatever he wills, he does.  Their idols are silver and gold, the handiwork of men.  They have mouths but speak not; they have eyes but see not; they have ears but hear not…”

Well then, what about God?  Shouldn’t we expect more from Him???  Shouldn’t we expect peace on earth?  Why not?  After all, to whom much is given, much is expected!   What does the Lord have to say about that?  Like I said before, our God speaks…loud and clear:  If you desire peace then forgive those who offend you; love those who hurt you.  If you offer a drink of water, you offer it to me.  If you do this, then good will triumph over evil. 

But you need to do this first, if you want to see what happens next.

Idols don’t speak, but their makers do.   And what they say is hardly new.  In fact, they keep refurbishing the same old arguments that keep repeating the same old conflicts.  You would think by now we would have learned our lessons.  You would think by now we would change our allegiance.  You would think by now we would all look for a new and unique leader!

Plenty of sheep, few shepherds to follow.  The Lord has given us plenty:  plenty of opportunities, plenty of graces, plenty of sheep.  Let’s break from the crowd and start leading today.

Mk 5:21-43 Whatever It takes

Mk 5:21-43  Whatever It takes

(Click here for readings)

When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around him, and he stayed close to the sea.  One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward.  Seeing him he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, saying, “My daughter is at the point of death.  Please, come lay your hands on her that she may get well and live.” 

What would you do?  What would you do to say the life of your daughter or son?  I know what I would do.   I would do whatever it takes to save their life.  I know it. 

But not really…and thank God for it!

If I was in a hot air balloon with my friends and a hole suddenly appeared and we were losing altitude.  Yes, I would do whatever it took to save my life BUT… I would not throw one of my friends overboard.  I would not do what goes against my beliefs and my God.  If God wants me to die, then so be it.  I won’t give up, but just like another life, I will not throw overboard my principles, morals, values and dignity in order to extend it.  I will treat my principles as if they were another human life because they are worthy of my life and death. 

Jairus would do whatever it took to save his daughter’s life, but he would not sell his soul.    He would give his heart for his baby girl but we would not rip the heart out of his neighbor’s little girl.  He wouldn’t do that, even if it was humanly possible.  He would do what he could as long as it respected the Lord, his dignity, his values, his morals, his principles.  For this reason, he turned to Jesus. 

When we turn to the Lord we get closer to the Lord.  It doesn’t mean we’ve given up or given in.  It means we won’t play God.

No matter how desperate things get, I will not throw away my principles.  I know there will come a time in my life when I can go no further, out of love for God, and will have to place my life and my trust in His hands.  I know there will come a time when I have to say: “Thy Will Be Done!”

We can do all sorts of things that are humanly possible.  But we should never do everything that is humanly possible.

We often overhear teenagers say, “I’ll do whatever it takes for him (her) to be my boyfriend (girlfriend)!”  Really?  How pathetic!  I mean, don’t they realize that every boy and girl loves a challenge?  There’s a song out there (not on the Catholic radio station!) that is very popular with our teens, but sends a very strange message:  “So here’s my number, just call me…maybe?...Cause all the other boys love to chase me…so here’s my number, just call me…maybe?”   

So…what will you do to get noticed?  Will you throw yourself at him?  Do the shorts need to get any shorter to get noticed?  (I really don’t think they can!) 

If you want to be noticed, then don’t do what others do.  Don’t be so desperate.  Don’t be so pathetic.  Since “all the other boys chase you (except for the one that’s worth something to you), then maybe he doesn’t seek your number but something else.  Maybe it’s time to do something different.  Don’t throw your number out there, but rather your beliefs, your convictions, your soul, your morals, your values and your dignity, and I promise you…just maybe, you’ll be noticed… by all the right guys and girls!     

July 4^th is coming up.  It is a time to reflect on the principles that drove our nation to Independence.  When George Washington was close to defeat and was experiencing mass desertions in his forces, a mystery man appeared:  Thomas Paine.  He’s an interesting fellow.  As soon as the revolution began, he appeared.  As soon as it was over, he disappeared.  He was a writer and what he wrote made all the difference in the world for young a nation in crisis.  In fact, George Washington ordered that Paine’s essay be read to all his troops.

“These are the times that try men’s souls.  The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.  Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered…”

The worst thing that can happen to a soldier is not that he dies for his country, but rather he dies for the wrong country.  People pay tribute and give honors to those who died for truth, freedom and love.  People feel great sadness for those who died for lies, slavery and hatred (Nazism, Fascism and Communism). 

Jairus was ready to do whatever it took to save his daughter’s life.  But he was not going to sell his soul.  The Lord was ready to do whatever it took to save us, but not if it meant betraying His Father.  The Apostles were ready to do whatever it took to save their life, but not if it meant betraying their Lord. 

The Catholic Church has been fighting for affordable health care for centuries.  It is ready to do whatever it takes for every single American to have it, but not at the expense of a single human life, and not at the expense of cheapening human life.  We believe in the sanctity and dignity of every single human being:  born and unborn.  This is a principle that is very much worth fighting for.  This is a principle that we are very much ready to die for.