Luke 20: 27-40 The Dead Shall Rise

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It is only fitting that the day before we celebrate the solemnity of Christ the King we have the Gospel passage of the widow with seven husbands. It is a clear indication that the Lord is not only Sovereign of the Universe but also of life and death. He is the God of the living and the God who raises the dead. But before we get too far ahead, we must remember the reason why we celebrate this feast, this solemnity.

Life is filled with little “Gethsemanes” – these moments of darkness where life becomes difficult to navigate. Life is beautiful and filled with great expectations, but it is the unexpected, the tsunamis, that can cause so much fear to reign in our lives. Before I can rejoice in rediscovering my lost treasure, I must go through gallons of sweat and sleepless nights as I search far and wide to find my lost possession. Instead of feeling the warmth of the Good Shepherd, I will feel the cold, the loneliness, of the lost sheep. “The Lord is my light and my Salvation - whom shall I fear.” (Ps 27:1) Why do I fear? Why am I afraid? Because it doesn’t begin this way. Yes, the Lord is my light and my salvation, but it doesn’t begin this way. It begins with darkness and cold, loneliness and fear, murder and death. It begins with the crucifixion. Thank God it doesn’t end that way. Our story only gets better.

Blessed be the Lord, my Rock! (Ps 144:1) I remember feeling so sick to my stomach as I was traveling on a little boat in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, heading towards the island of Capri. It was a beautiful day but the waves were high and the waters choppy and I was beginning to feel, almost immediately, the symptoms of sea sickness. I was not in a good spot. We still had a few miles to go and I really didn’t know what to do. I looked down and I felt worse. Up and I nearly threw up! The man who was driving our little boat must have seen the look on my face and he told me to stare at a rock that was not too far away from us. He told me, “Look at the rock. Keep your eyes on the rock. Don’t let your eyes off the rock.” I did and I almost instantly felt better. I’ve talked to a lot of people after this and they don’t seem to buy the fact this could have made me feel better, but it is the truth. The massive rock protruding out of the sea helped keep my mind, my eyes and my stomach steady. No wonder why the Lord is my Rock! It must have been a fisherman to have written this psalm. After all, what good is a rock in the middle of the desert?

The crucifixion is not the end of our story. It is only the beginning. There will be moments in our lives when we feel lost, abandoned, forgotten, and lonely. The end of the Lord’s story is not his crucifixion, it is His resurrection and it will be the same for us. We will rise from the dead. He will help us find our way out of the tunnel, for there is light at the end of this dark tunnel.

Right now, are you in the middle of a dark, lonely tunnel? Then stand firm and be faithful; if we proceed in the manner that the Lord gave to us (I am the Way, the Truth and the Life), then we will find our way out of the tunnel and that will be the end of our Gethsemane. Do not curse the Lord. If I choose to do His Will faithfully, then the Father will do what he will faithfully.

Stand firm! Be faithful! “Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!” Do what is right, good and holy and you will find your way out of the tunnel and into His wonderful light. He is the God of the living!

Luke 19:45-48 Hanging on His Words

Luke 19: 45-48 Hanging On His Words

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“Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Mt 11:28)

“There is no greater love than this, to lay down your life for a friend.” (Jn 15:13)

“I give you a new commandment: love one another.” (Jn 13:34)

“This son of mine was lost and has been found; he was dead and has come back to life.” (Lk 15:24)

All the people were hanging on his words. The above quotes are my all-time favorite from Christ. I have many more, but these are the words of eternal life that come to mind this morning. The people huddled around Jesus to catch every single word. Today, we are bombarded by words, written and spoken, that speak very little to us. All the major magazines - “Newsweek”, “Time”, “US News and World Report” – have a section filled with the month’s most worthy quotes. They have meaning, purpose and substance for the most part, but they do not speak to me in the way the Lord does.

What makes the Lord’s words so remarkable? The simple, and yet profound, answer is: they come from God. When Jesus speaks, it is God speaking to man, to his most beloved and pitiable creature.

What gives weight to the Lord’s word? Why were the people hanging on every word spoken by him? First, Jesus inspires us towards greatness – heaven. And because of him, we lift up our hearts to the Lord! The Lord does not knock down unless he plans to rebuild. He called us sinners and perverse, but he never ever called us unworthy or worthless. Instead he called out to us, by name, and called us “friends”. He told us, “Come to me.” The Lord never degrades us and neither should we. When he spoke not a word to Pilate or to Herod, it was because it would not make a difference. It would do no good. But he refused to condemn either of them. Instead, he said the truth: “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above.”

What makes the Lord’s words so remarkable? He always follows through. “How sweet to my taste is your promise!” (Ps 119:14) Why did the Apostles follow Jesus all the way, even to their death? Why did the Apostles leave everything and everyone behind to follow him? Why did the Apostles endure sleepless nights, pain and suffering, hardship and frustration and difficulty? The simple and downright answer to this is: the Lord never broke a promise. “I will be with you till the end of time!” And even today, the Lord keeps his promise through his gift of the Holy Spirit, but in a very human and humble manner through his priests. But the kicker, the most amazing and unfathomable way, is through the Eucharist.

If you have some time today, read and meditate on your favorite quote from the Lord. Of course all Scripture is sacred, inspired, and in no need of correction. It does not necessarily have to be from one of the Gospels. The Lord spoke through the words of St. Paul as well as through the other Apostles and disciples. I invite you to hang on every word, digest it, reflect upon it, but most importantly, live it unconditionally and hang on to the promise that was made by Him.

Christ, Rising Sun, warm us with your rays and restrain us from every evil impulse. Keep guard over our thoughts, words, and actions, and make us pleasing in your sight this day. We ask this in your name. Amen. (Friday Morning Offering, WK I)

Luke 19:41-44 You Did Not Recognize

Luke 19: 41-44 You Did Not Recognize

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After I had finished my meditation, I received a special grace (“miracle”). Although I was feeling horrible, I had made a commitment to celebrate Mass for the cloistered sisters of Mt. Carmel. I packed my items and headed towards my car. I went into my garage, started my car and pushed the button to open the garage door. It didn’t open. I could see that it was trying to open, but the spring had broken. Sometime during the night, the spring snapped and made it, literally, impossible to open the garage door. I couldn’t believe it. I tried opening the garage door manually and it was impossible: too heavy. After trying to solve the problem for fifteen minutes I finally gave up. I called the sisters and apologized that I wouldn’t be able to make it to Mass. I went back to bed! For me, this was a special grace and an incredible reminder, “My grace is sufficient for you.”

This is true for me as it is for you.

The life of a priest is not the same as the life of a lay person. Four years ago I made a Lenten resolution. I would give up free time for Lent. I made good on it. Kept a demanding schedule and followed through. I thoroughly enjoyed it. After Lent was over I kept it up. Of course I put in moments of prayer, relaxation, reading and studying. But the life of a priest is none other than to give Christ to others. We are all called to holiness. We are all called to be Saints. But the priest is called in a very special way to bring Christ. When I visit a patient in the hospital, I bring Christ through the anointing. When I celebrate Mass, I bring Christ through me, with me and in me. When I baptize a child, it is Christ that baptizes. When I hear a confession, it is the Lord that forgives sins. The priest is not like Christ. The priest is another Christ. Although this may scandalize a few, it is a reminder why the priest abuse charges was and is a scandal! We are called to be ALTER CHRISTUS. “As the Father sent me, so I send you.” Today’s responsorial psalm is so fitting: The Lamb has made us a kingdom of priests to serve our God! (Rev. 5:10)

The Lord speaks to us, “If this day you only knew what makes for peace – but now it is hidden from your eyes.” At the end of our day, what will bring us peace? Will it be death (Rest in peace)? No. At the end of our day only Christ will bring us peace. He is the Creator of the days. He is the Master of time. Many times, throughout the day, the Lord remains hidden from us. We should know better. We are not at the end of the tunnel. We are in the middle of the tunnel where it is dark, terrifying and lonely. We should all know better. The Lord says I walk with you. I guide you along the way. You serve me as I serve you.

The Lord provides the graces we need. But we are free to respond to them with a yes or no; with peace or interior turmoil; with a smile or with a frown. I wish I always responded with a resounding YES, with PEACE in my heart and a big smile on my face because I know, in the end, the Lord will always provide…“If this day you only knew!”

Heavenly Father, you alone know the hearts of your faithful people. Enkindle in each one of us the fire of your Holy Spirit. May your visitation today be a welcomed comfort, a guiding light, a loving touch and a firm hand in the moments of discomfort, darkness and confusion. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Luke 19:11-17 What Success Looks Like

Luke 19: 11-17 What Success Looks Like

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Why do you do it? When people ask for you why do you always say yes? You need to spend some time for yourself. This is what’s been going on in my mind this morning. I will explain why.

A few days ago I got a phone call from two religious orders: Sisters of Mt. Carmel and the Missionaries of Charity. They needed a priest this week, bright and early for their morning Mass. I looked at my schedule and it would be tight, but not impossible. I told them that I would do it. Today, I am sick and this morning I am off to do the first Mass.

This is no pity party. I know added commitments happen to moms and dads all the time, and probably more frequently than for priests! We push ourselves. We drive ourselves. But what drives me? I prefer to be driven by God for God than to be driven by fear, frustration, anger and health (wellness in today’s preferred nomenclature).

Our concerns are admirable. But the Lord’s concerns are holy. I recall yesterday’s Scripture where the Lord admonishes his people, “I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich, and white garments to put on so that your shameful nakedness may not be exposed, and buy ointment to smear on your eyes so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and chastise. Be earnest, therefore, and repent.” (Rev. 3:1-6, 14-22)

There we have it. This is what success looks like.

If you ever want to know what success looks like then look at the Cross. Yes, the Cross - the Cross of our salvation, the Cross of our Redemption. The Lord’s Cross is the only one that leads all men to eternal life. Look at the Cross and believe like the people of the Old Testament, smitten by the serpents in the desert and saved by Christ’s prototype. Moses lifted high above his head the bronze serpent, whoever looked at it did not die but was saved. “Just as Moses raised the bronze serpent in the desert, so will the Son of Man be raised.” All who looked at Him were saved. SUCCESS = CROSS. There is no love without sacrifice. No sacrifice without cost. No further cost than to lay down your life for your friends.

Christ was the bravest man in the world; he defended the Truth till the end. Christ was the strongest man in the world; he carried upon His shoulders the sins of the world. He carried his cross until he completed His mission: Victory over Death. Christ was the greatest man that ever lived. His life was completely, unconditionally devoted to his Father. To do his Father’s Will was his greatest desire and for that, the Father raised Him up and gave his Son EVERYTHING! The son, faithful to His Father, inherits everything. The son, faithful to His Father, stays united to Him.

Look at the Cross and see the most successful man in the Universe. Success looks like Christ. Success speaks the words that Christ spoke: “Thy Will be done.” This was his lifelong motto. Success means to be faithful to your word, to your promises, to your commitment, to your mission, to your values, principles, morals, dignity. Be earnest, therefore, and repent.” It means to take the talents that the Lord gave and multiply them so they may yield exponential fruit!

Success requires integrity which means to be a man of God. What words would best describe the attitude of Christ nailed to the Cross? “It is finished.” I often tell moms and dads that their vocation in life is to die to their family. I am proud to say it. It is the highest form of flattery.

Let us pray to God the Father that we will have the courage and the strength to speak these words at the end of our lives.

Luke 19:1-10 A Wealthy Man

Luke 19: 1-10 A Wealthy Man

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They say that money can solve 99% of our problems. What they neglect to say is that money causes 99% of all our problems. Jack Whittaker became the largest lottery winner in US history. At 11:00 pm, Christmas night, Jack hit the jackpot: $314.9 million. He couldn’t believe it. The winning numbers for the Christmas drawing were 53, 14, 5, 16, and 29, with a Powerball number of 7. He later told reporters, “I just want to thank God for letting the machine pick the right numbers.” Was it God or was it the devil? The Lord said, “You will know by their fruits.”

Despite having millions, Jack Whittaker lost what he prized the most: His only granddaughter. It didn’t all happen overnight, it took years. First, the assault charges then thieves breaking into his car and home, stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars on various occasions. A year after winning, he was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving. More money ($85,000) was stolen from his car. He said, “I am ready to kill somebody.” Then three more assault charges. Later in the year he was hospitalized for undisclosed reasons. Last but not least, a judge ordered Whittaker to give up his driver’s license and start substance-abuse treatment. Finally, on December 9^th, 2004, Whittaker reported his 18 year old granddaughter was missing. On December 20^th, her body was found near a trash can on a friend’s property.

Rich man to poor man.

Compare his life to another man’s life: Zacchaeus. This man built his fortune on dishonest wealth. He lived in his own little world, population one. He may have been the wealthiest man in Jericho. For sure, he was a powerful figure, regardless of how short in stature he was. He had power, bodyguards, and most likely any woman he could get his hands on. But man’s greatest desire was missing from his life: to love and be loved. There was no throne for him to sit on. We know that people continue to live their lives regardless of their unwanted kings. Besides, for Zacchaeus, the seat next to the throne of his tiny little empire was vacant. No one dared or cared to occupy it. Zacchaeus was not only small in stature; he was tiny in his sphere of influence. His universe was small, his world even smaller.

But by all accounts Zacchaeus appears to have been a passionate man. That is, it was easy for him to enjoy company as it was to hate it. He had a better heart than most would suspect because he was easily hurt. For this reason, he came out to see Jesus. “Whatever” was not part of his vocabulary. And if it were, it was with one eye looking forward and one leg following the crowd. He wanted to be there because he wanted to be seen – found. He climbed up the tree and reached God. Never in a million years did he expect to hit the jackpot!

The Lord appeared. He saw Zacchaeus. History was made. “I will seat the victor beside me on my throne” (Ps 15:2). The most despicable man was honored and loved by the greatest man. His life became grand! He gave half of all his possessions. That's the moment he became a wealthy man. He repaid four times what he owed and his universe exploded and continues to expand to his day.

What is the difference between poor Jack and rich Zacchaeus? I am not sure. You are more than welcomed to share your thoughts. But for me, I consider myself extremely wealthy. It appears as though Zacchaeus reached out for the Lord and gave him his wallet, while if I were a millionaire, I would be greatly tempted to reach for my wallet and throw the Lord out.

Luke 18:35-48 Giving Sight

Luke 18: 35-43 Giving Sight

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I was on a plane when the gentleman sitting next to me asked me if I were a Catholic priest. He then went on to explain to me with great enthusiasm his theory of the Universe and how he believed it originated from a tremendous explosion of energy that culminated in the creation of life on earth. This was hardly new to me. I responded by telling him how I too believed in Father Georges Lemaitre’s theory of the “Big Bang” (Most people do not know that the first to propose such a theory was actually a Catholic priest-mathematician and physicist) but that the universe was created not from a tremendous explosion of energy, but of love, and that it culminated in the creation of man on earth. Pure energy destroys. Only pure love can create! Yes, we were created to eat and breathe but so much more than that. Our brains were created for survival, but it is more than obvious that they were created for more than that! We exist for only one reason: to love and be loved, just like our Founder, our Creator - our God! We were created in His image, and we will never be satisfied until we have found our true love. If I want to satisfy my deepest longing, then I must start at the top! Only then can I work my way down to my neighbor. By the time our flight landed, we had quite the conversation: lively, hilarious and eye opening.

Today’s Gospel reminds me that the Lord not only gave physical sight to the blind man, he gave him spiritual sight as well. Another definition of faith, maybe the more beautiful one, is to give sight beyond reason; to see beyond the obvious. Faith exists not so much to see how “far we have fallen” (Rev. 2:4) but to see how far we can love! St. John reminds the Church in Ephesus, “you have lost the love you had at first.” Why? I think the reason was primarily because they lost the reason for their love. They had forgotten Jesus.

This morning I listened to 25 first-confessions. I gave a talk before hand. I mentioned to the children that the best confessions are the most honest ones. I reminded them that when they confess their sins, their sins are forgiven, forgotten, forever! They looked excited. But they didn’t know why? How could it be so easy? They had no clue why they would get off the hook, or better, off the cross. I taught them this lesson and I hope they will never forget: “Yes, your sins will be forgiven, forgotten, forever; but at a very high price. Instead of you getting in trouble, Christ will get in trouble for you. Instead of you getting punished, Christ will get punished for you. Instead of you getting hurt, Christ will get hurt for you. Instead of you being grounded, Christ will get thrown to the ground, stepped on, punched, spit on and nailed for you.” The kids got it, and so did their parents. That was my goal. Mission accomplished.

Faith enlightens our minds and inflames our hearts to give reason for why we do what we do. That is, to put it all together; to go beyond the how’s of life to the why’s of life; to go beyond the atoms that exist and put them all together and rediscover the purpose of life - not to love atoms but to love Adam. Yes, we are all here. May I never forget how beautiful this is. I am alive. I have made it and so have you.

During the holidays, we hear so much about giving. The how to give has never been forgotten. The reason to give is slipping away. T ‘is the season to be jolly. T ‘is the season to be giving. But why? Why is now the time to give? Is it because of climate change (season’s greetings)? No. It is because it is the time to celebrate the greatest gift ever given: the gift of our Lord who became a child. I know it is early. But it is never too soon to see the Light, to refresh our memories. To go back and discover what was lost.

This season, give the greatest gift one could ever give: the gift of our faith. Share your faith, buy a book, pray for someone, give them a crucifix, a bible, a holy card, a free retreat, an invitation to Mass, a subscription to any devotional materials, a favorite Christian CD, etc…

This season, help others to discover who the Lord is so they may never forget who they are. He is love and I am his beloved. I do not fear for the lame or the crippled; I do not fear for the blind or sick. I still remember the blind man’s line from the movie Bella: “God made me blind so that I might see.” I do not fear for them. Rather, I fear for those who are whole and have a gaping hole. Let us pray for those who have gone down with the Titanic but let us pray even more for those who have survived, for much is expected to those who go on living. Much will be demanded from them and from all of us.

How can I forget the power of my God and my faith? It saves me in times of trouble. Allow the Lord to put it all together and give us sight with his incredible light.

Luke 21:5-19 The Day Is Coming

Luke 21: 5-19 The Day Is Coming

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When the Lord came to Nazareth, where he had grown up, and went according to the custom into the synagogue on the Sabbath day. He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me”...he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, and to let the oppressed go free. (cf. Luke 4:7-10) He said to them, “Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” All were amazed!

As Christians, we believe the Messiah has already come; that the greatest questions have been answered; that the Savior of the world is only one, Jesus the Lord! The Kingdom of God is among us! So why do I continue looking for another Savior or placing too much hope in another?

We work so hard constantly seeking to build secure areas, safety nets, and comfort zones. We want things done the right way; that is, my way. We look for safety in family, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends. But the Lord tells us today, do not look there. It is not them. Do not follow them. The Lord loves to foil our plans, cross our boundaries, break down our walls and rattle our cage! And we resist!!! But what he is actually doing is breaking open our tomb and coming to our rescue. He alone is our one true brother, companion and friend. He alone is my Lord and Savior.

We look for too many "saviors" among our peers: doctors, lawyers, journalists, politicians and even engineers! But none are among us. Only Christ and his beautiful bride is mans best Savior. The rest fall and fail miserably short. They are destined too for they are only human. I am reminded of a humble acknowledgement made by a secular Jew and brilliant scientist, Albert Einstein, in 1940. He said,

“Being a lover of freedom, when the revolution came in Germany, I looked to the universities to defend it, knowing that they had always boasted of their devotion to the cause of truth; but, no, the universities immediately were silenced. Then I looked to the great editors of the newspapers whose flaming editorials in days gone by had proclaimed their love of freedom; but they, like the universities, were silenced in a few short weeks…Only the Church stood squarely across the path of Hitler’s campaign for suppressing truth. I never had any special interest in the Church before, but now I feel a great affection and admiration because the Church alone has had the courage and persistence to stand for intellectual truth and moral freedom. I am forced thus to confess that what I once despised I now praise unreservedly.” (Albert Einstein, December 23^rd, 1940, Time Magazine)

“By your perseverance you will secure your lives.” Stand firm in the Lord. Stand up for the Truth. Today, the Church alone stands up to the enemies of life, liberty and happiness. America’s Declaration of Independence is nothing more than Christ’s declaration of Isaiah’s prophecy. Let us never forget where truth, life and liberty are found. Let us never place our unconditional and unilateral trust in human institutions for “the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.” Rather, let us go and work as servants of the Master’s vineyard, helping to build, one soul at a time, a civilization of life, love and liberty. “The day is coming” (Mal 3:19-20a).