August 30 Homily Prep

Last Sunday's homily is available
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org/readings
-check out this weeks LinC letter at www.parishLinCLetter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 4:00pm on Saturday, 9:30 AM and 6:00PM on Sunday

Etiquette

 A fraternity brother of mine (who's wedding I celebrated 28 years ago) has a daughter who is about to be married this fall. She of course is insisting upon a beach wedding, in Florida, where none of her family or friends reside and all the guests have been informed that the proper dress for this event is "resort evening attire".   In a conversation with her father, I discovered that he is breaking the dress code and is going to wear a suit. He said to me "Eddie, I am not walking my daughter  down the aisle( which of course made us both laugh at the mention of "an aisle") in a pair of khaki pants and a Tommy Bahama shirt".  What a curmudgeon, eh?

Etiquette - the collection of external behaviors that we believe to be socially appropriate and polite.    Etiquette-a thing of the past. As my beach wedding story reminds us, there is not much etiquette required of us in our self-referential society. The code of conduct is really just whatever "I am comfortable with".   The notion that you would hold the door for a woman, take your hat off inside the house, stand when you are introduced to an elder,  don't put your elbows on the table, don't talk with your mouth full, or wear a proper suit of clothes for your daughter's wedding - are all things of "social dinosaurs".

 We get the word "etiquette" from the French and it literally means ticket or label. We get its connection to our social behavior from the application of a label on the outside of the box or package that reveals the contents.   By definition then the proper etiquette is the external indicators that one is a properly trained member of society.

 The loss of etiquette and its demands upon our social behavior is a sign of our  relativism and self esteem society which has forgotten about our membership in a group or our accountability  to the standards of anyone other than our  liberated, self-satisfied, individual, quirky egos.

 The reason we have lost this sense of social etiquette is at the heart of the sayings of Jesus today in Marks Gospel.  Pharisees (a class of Rabbi in Judaism at the time of Jesus)  are accused by Jesus as observing the externals of the law but having no internal devotion to the law which is of course love God with your whole heart and your neighbor as yourself.

The term Pharisee has become synonymous with what we would call Phonies - those people who know how to behave in social settings and present themselves in appropriate ways in public but have no quality of character on the inside.

 This concern about etiquette, phonies  and Pharisaism  is recognized in our current day in the separation of the notions of religion and spirituality.  The pharisaical practice of religion by many people (observing many things of church etiquette) without proper personal faith in their hearts has caused people to distrust the etiquette religion if you will and search exclusively for spirituality.


So we end up with the nondenominational church that gathers in a  downtown Cleveland comedy club on Sunday mornings and advertises themselves as the place where you can wear your sweats, bring your coffee, and be able to tell  your mother that you "went to church". No ritual, no ordained ministry, no celebration of the Eucharist, no rules, no laws, no sacred space, - but you went to church and nurtured your spirituality.

We have to avoid the pitfall of the pharisees in the sense that we externally manifest religious appropriateness  while having no real love of God or neighbor in our hearts.  The challenge, however, is to avoid the other extreme: having no external or social expressions of the sincere love of God and neighbor in our hearts. What they call today, spiritual but not religious.

What the Lord is calling us to is an authentic and deep faith in our hearts that clings to the hand of God and is intimate with God in the depths of one's person ( what we might call around here a deepening communion with God who is love) and a beautiful, kind, self-sacrificing human and social expression of that faith within and among the life of the church.  What we call a widening of the communion  of the faithful in the church.

 For example  knowing ourselves to be a communion of the faithful related to one another in faith, hope and love in the Church would be properly manifest in the liturgical etiquette of standing and singing until all the members have received holy Communion.  So the external, religious, behavior matches the internal and intimate reality of our relationship to God in the church.

Have we lost something? Maybe we are dinosaurs!

August 22 Homily Prep

Last Sunday's homily is available
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org/readings
-check out this weeks LinC letter at www.parishLinCLetter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 8:00 AM and 11:00AM on Sunday

 Do you want to leave me too?

 I am often reminded that only 30% of the registered baptized Catholics in our parish attend Sunday Eucharist-consuming and being consumed by the bread of life. I am also aware that upwards of 80% of the  mega-church Christians are "former Catholics". I wonder how is it that so many Catholics have walked away from the Eucharist?

 These weeks of the bread of life discourse have reminded me again and caused me to conclude that the only way one can walk away from the bread of life is if one has never truly consumed and really been consumed by that bread from heaven, the Lord Jesus.

Why have so few Catholics made the choice to surrender their lives to the life and living bread which is Jesus Christ?  Is it possible that we have exposed them to this choice at too young an age? Is it that they have never understood and been exposed to the living bread that consumes us as it is consumed? Is it, possibly, that this reality of Jesus' resurrected and consuming presence and the offer of eternal life is just "words that are too hard" and that the hardened hearts of broken humanity just cannot accept this teaching, this Truth, this way?

 I believe all the above are true. It is our calling in this age in this day to present or better, re-present the concrete experience of communion that is the Truth of Jesus Christ the living bread, Resurrected life, that desires to be consumed and to consume us so that we no longer live but Christ lives in us.

 Those are hard words. What do you think?

August 16 Homily Prep

Last Sunday's homily is available
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org/readings
-check out this weeks LinC letter at www.parishLinCLetter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 5:30 PM mass on Saturday and 9:30 AM and 12:30 PM on Sunday

 Living Bread is Bread alive!

 Are you consuming simply them miraculous bread or are you being consumed by the life that is that bread?

"To approach Jesus in the Bread of Life is to be ready to consume the whole of Jesus’ teaching, life, passion, and death. It is to begin to enter a whole new way of living. Living no longer our own lives, but living the very life of Christ in us, changing us, transforming us into his very self. Jesus’ language in this gospel passage is meant to confront us with the dramatic absoluteness of Jesus’ claim."

August 9 homily prep

-Last Sunday's homily is available
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org/readings
-check out this weeks LinC letter at www.parishLinCLetter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 4:00 and 6:00pm on Sunday

 Can you stomach this?

 We use many idioms regarding consumption and digestion when speaking about learning, listening, and living knowledge and truth. "I'm going to have to chew on that for a while", "I can't stomach one more word from him", "She drank the Kool-Aid on that", "just hold your nose and swallow", "I devoured the novel", that's a subject I could really sink my teeth into", "I've had it up to here", etc.

 Our God, apparently in the biblical revelation, has put these two features of faith in human life together from the beginning. If you recall the knowledge of good and evil was a fruit on the tree that Eve just could not resist. The Passover sacrifice, The manna in the desert,  and the Word that came forth from the father and took flash among us was laid in a "mangerr" (a feeding trough for animals).   And of course in the Gospel today the truth about who Jesus is as the one sent from the father is bread that you must eat  in order to truly live.

 In our parish we have been called to deepen and widen the communion of the church. This word communion is used in two fundamental ways, the Eucharistic communion (consecrated bread and wine  as the body of Christ)  and the church communion (the unity of life and love that we share in the body of Christ, the church). These two realities come together in the communion procession of the holy mass, when we process forward as an ecclesial communion/church communion, one body, to receive and consume the Eucharistic communion.  We manifest and express this to-layered consume communion by standing and singing as one body until all members have received. So I guess what we eat and how we  eat it are two very important aspects of our faith and understanding.

So the truth about our ecclesial communion is received, consumed, and celebrated in the Eucharistic communion. Right? Rite?

Homily Prep August 2

-Last Sunday's homily is available
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org/readings
-check out this weeks LinC letter at www.parishLinCLetter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 8:00 and 11:00am on Sunday

The Hunt!

 A scavenger hunt may be an apt image of the frenetic pursuit of material gain for the wrong reason that Jesus condemns in  this Sunday's portion of the bread of life discourse.  In our daily lives can we be guilty of this empty hunt?  In our religious lives can we see the "scavenger hunt" mentality at work as well?

 What might need to change in either case to reclaim our lives with meaning, purpose, and satisfaction?

July 26 Homily Prep

-Last Sunday's homily is available
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org/readings
-check out this weeks LinC letter at www.parishLinCLetter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 9:30am and 12:30 on Sunday

 Are you in the Eucharist? Is the Eucharist in you?

 As we begin the "bread of life discourse" we welcome a missionary preacher at all the masses this weekend. This missionary is a sign and a reminder to all of us of the communion of the faithful that we share in  throughout the whole world.

Homily Prep July 19

-Last Sunday's homily is available
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org/readings
-check out this weeks LinC letter at www.parishLinCLetter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 9:30am on Sunday

 What's the difference between personal prayer and private prayer?

 Are we ever "in private"?   I know we hear a lot of talking in our society about a  "right to privacy" but in our Catholic spirituality there is no understanding of private.   Having been joined to the body of Christ, incorporated. through baptism we are "never alone".

 In fact, it has often been said that the hymn Amazing Grace is not really a good Catholic hymn. It is a song sung in the first person, I, it's all about "me"  and what God has done for me. Catholic hymns are sung as a "we". We are never a catholic alone.  That's communion theology, right.

 We are celebrating our adoration chapel's 10th anniversary of dedication this weekend and the call of Jesus to "come apart by yourselves" may cause us to be rededicated to personal prayer before the Blessed Sacrament as participants in the prayer of Christ, as his body in which we exist.

July12 Homly Prep

-Last Sunday's homily is available
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org/readings
-check out this weeks LinC letter at www.parishLinCLetter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 8:00 am and 6:00pm on Sunday

Here We Go Again!

We often think of the greatest witness(witness = martyr) that one can give is to die for the love of God. Martyrdom is the word we use to describe those who have died in defense of the faith in pure imitation of Jesus.  The gospel for this Sunday reports the sending of the disciples (apostoloi = those who are SENT) to save the lost of the House of Israel.  It is possibly a more fundamental witness and a more "difficult" one.  Jesus describes himself as the One whom the Father SENT.  He also says, "as the Father sent Me, so I SEND you".  So, to be sent by God to witness to Jesus' saving love may be the best way to imitate Jesus = witness.

My experience of the faith and my life in the priesthood seems to be an unbroken chain of days on which I have BEEN SENT.  There is an important quality to being sent.  One who is sent does not "come in his own name" rather the one sent represents the other.  In this case God.  Or is that true?

The area for growth among those who see themselves as SENT is the purification of this awareness and the faithfulness to the ONE sending. I can look back on my chain of days as one sent and I can see seasons during which I was not really representing the One Who sent but I was asserting the one sent: the self-separate.  Jesus has described these variously as the wiley manager, hired hand, whitewashed sepulcher, unfaithful steward, foolish virgin...all of these have forgotten the SENDER and imposed rather the SENT.

All the baptized must reclaim their identity as missionaries.....disciples who are SENT to the lost of the household of God. "Every One Adds One by 2016" is calling us to see ourselves as SENT, apostles, with a mission to grow the church-communion through participation in the Eucharistic-communion that we celebrate here.

So, here we GO again!

July 5 Homily Prep

Last Sunday's homily is available
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org/readings
-check out this weeks LinC letter at www.parishLinCLetter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 5:30 on Saturday and  11:00  and 12:30 on Sunday

What, what?

 I was in the barbershop this week and the barber said "Father, a lot of my Catholic customers are unhappy with the churches response to the Supreme Court decision last week."   Since I was reclined in the chair and the barber was holding sharp objects I couldn't escape and I did not try avoid the conversation.

I thought the barber's description of the problem was interesting. He didn't say that the Catholic customers were upset with the Supreme Court decision, he said the customers were upset with the church in their response.

This Fourth of July weekend and the scripture text of this 14th Sunday of the year do seem to be a graceful coincidence and opportunity to reflect upon the mission of the church in a democratic free society.

The mission of the church is perfectly laid out for us as that of the role of "prophet". Ezekiel before him and Jesus in his home town are being witnesses to what God is doing through the church in the world. To be prophetic is to speak on behalf of the other, in this case God. As the first half of the word pro-phet is the root of our English word "proclaim".  To proclaim God's marvelous deeds is the role of Jesus and thus the church in the world.

The world to which the church is called to proclaim God's love and mercy is described in the scriptures today as one that is hostile, at least suspicious of the prophet among them.  This attitude of hostility or suspicion is one that fits our contemporary situation as Americans who breathe free.  Today's culture in America is often reminding us of the freedom OF religion in our constitution but more aggressively today a freedom FROM religion which is tragic for society.

This hostility or suspicion of religion and prophets in America today has the same effect upon God as it did in Jesus' hometown.  He could not work many miracles there because of their lack of faith.  If we poll Catholics in the pew about these very difficult subjects the polling numbers tell us that the majority of Catholics have rejected the church's prophetic stance on many issues over the years.

The church has been clear and truthful in its teaching on human sexuality and marriage. The church has been brilliant and prophetic in its reflection upon he dignity of human life and persons.  I am afraid, however, that our society's desire to be free from religion has pretty much rejected this message from God. Even among our greatest Catholics.

So, Catholics today are upset with the pastors' response in the Supreme Court decision.  So what would faithful Catholics like to hear?

June 28th Homily Prep

Last Sunday's homily is available
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org/readings
-check out this weeks LinC letter at www.parishLinCLetter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 4:00pm on Saturday and  9:30 and 12:30 on Sunday

Raised for Life

Faith in Jesus Christ and life in the communion of the Church is presented by the gospel this week as a "raised to life".  In fact the gospel uses the same word for the raising of the dead girl as it does for the raising of Jesus from the dead.   We see in the healing of the woman with the hemorrhage that Jesus is "power of God for life".

 Is your faith experienced as resurrection, power, freedom for life?  Do you need to be raised to life?

Homily Prep June 21

Last Sunday's homily is available
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org/readings
-check out this weeks LinC letter at www.parishLinCLetter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 8:00am, 11:00am and 6pm on Sunday

Why are You so Terrified?

The apostles in the boat crossing over to the other side is an image of the spiritual journey that all of us are called to make in faith.  Jesus has taught us and is with us - but the journey to new and eternal life is not instantaneous, nor trouble free, nor easy, nor ever complete in this life.

How do we know that we are off the path that Jesus is walking with us?  Fear!  How often are we fearful in daily life? In daily prayer? In daily relationships?  How dominant is the fear factor in our journey?  That's the thermometer of faith in the Gospel!

Do you not yet have faith?. That's why you were so terrified.

Homily Prep June 14

-Last Sunday's homily is available
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org/readings
-check out this weeks LinC letter at www.parishLinCLetter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 4:00pm on Saturday, 9:30 & 11:00 on Sunday

What's My Line?

 This game show back in the 60s and 70s was fun and interesting.  People who had "weird" or "unexpected" careers and occupations came on the show and the panelists tried to figure out what they did for a living.  "What's my line" has to be considered a colloquialism to say "what is my line of work".

I'm thinking of "lines" today after Jesus' use of and the instruction about parables in the Gospel. I'm thinking "what is your line" as meaning what is your story. You know in a book or movie the central message is the "storyline".

In our parish vision "Every One Adds One by 2016" the byline is Renew, Reflect, and Reach Out.  It was thought that every worshiper would become an inviter of another. That kind of reaching out can only happen if our faith is renewed and alive and that we reflect upon the meaning of our faith in our life. That's my line.

So what's your line?  If you had to tell a loved one what your faith means to you and why it is essential for your happiness in life, what would you say? That's your line.  What is the parable of your faith, your storyline, as Jesus has shown us?   If you don't have a parable or a story, or a line it might be because you have not reflected upon your faith.

Let's use this important time in our parish life to renew our faith in the holy Communion of the church, reflect on its meaning and importance in our life, and then let's prepare to reach out by sharing our story with a loved one whose away from church.

What's your line?

June 7 homily Prep: Body and Blood of Christ

-Last Sunday's homily is available
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org/readings
-check out this weeks LinC letter at www.parishLinCLetter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 5:30pm on Saturday, 8am, 12:30pm and 6pm on Sunday

Church, priesthood, Eucharist = real presence!

Unique among the Christian churches, the Catholic and Orthodox belief in the Real Presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist is the consoling Truth that Jesus is with us always, until the end of the ages. Really WITH us. Not just spiritually, personally, mysteriously, symbolically, but REALLY. We have fought some long hard battles over this belief.  It has been challenged over the millenia so much so that the Real Presence of Jesus int he consecrated "species" of the Eucharist has become the "tip of the spear" for Catholic apologists and, in some cases, to the exclusion of the other REAL presences of Christ in the life of the faithful.

Do you know where Christ is really present in addition to the consecrated Bread and Wine?

May 31 Homily Prep - Trinity Sunday

-Last Sunday's homily is available
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org/readings
-check out this weeks LinC letter at www.parishLinCLetter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 4;00pm on Saturday, 12:30pm on Sunday

The DNA of Believers

DNA is the substance of our bodily development and the pattern of the full flowering. Any disturbance or defect in the embryonic DNA is observable in the bodily manifestation of the full grown adult. Conversely, the genome project has helped us to see that all the DNA are discoverable in the basic genes of the adult human body.

And also with our spiritual lives of faith lived in the Body of Christ, the Church  = Communion!

Franciscan Fr. Richard Rohr has written

"The Christian belief in the Trinity makes it clear that God is an event of communion. God is not a noun nearly as much as a verb. We’ve always thought of God as an autonomous Supreme Being, rather than as Being itself, as an energy that moves within itself (“Father”), beyond itself (“Christ”), and drawing us into itself (“Holy Spirit”). When Christianity begins to take this pivotal and central doctrine of the Trinity with practical seriousness, it will be renewed on every level.

All of creation is a perfect giving and a perfect receiving between the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, with no withholding and no rejecting. St. Bonaventure called God “A Fountain Fullness.” Once we begin with outpouring love as the foundational pattern of reality, and love as the very shape of God, then everything somehow has to fall into that same family resemblance. If this is the Creator, then somehow this must be the DNA of all of the creatures."

Pentecost Homily Prep - May 24

-Last Sunday's homily is available
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at usccb.org/readings
-check out this weeks LinC letter at www.parishLinCLetter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 5:30pm on Saturday, 9:30am and 6:00pm on Sunday

Mission Impossible vs. Commissioned in persona Christi

This is the last homily in this Easter series on believing/unbelieving. I have identified the lingering symptoms of unbelieving  that remain part of our lives as those claiming to believe: fear of death/clinging to material life, isolated individualism, autonomous control freaks, judging competitive monkey mind, clinging to the past and the unreal, and today, secret agents of a distant God.   Each of these symptoms of unbelieving or slavery to sin and death has a complementary or opposite symptom of believing in communion with God and others: in the world not of it, member and child, mutual submisission in love, friends in the Lord, making room for the true, the new, the real and today, called together as God by God!

You remember the Sunday night program in the sixties: Mission Impossible. A central character begins the show each week receiving a tape recorded proposal from someone in charge.  The voice on the tape is anonymous, the listener is challenged to accept this top secret mission and the tape self-destructs after it concludes so that there is no way to connect the agent to the one who has engaged him.

That is an image for me of the way most "believers" approach life in the world. We show up to church on Sunday, we hear a challenging call from a rather "distant" God, yo go out into our daily life  to succeed by our own resources, representing no one, not indicating that  anyone has called us, sent us, or is behind the craziness of life.

Pentecost proclaims a radically different notion of believers engaged by God, on a mission of truth and love, under the banner of Jesus Christ and formed as a member of a team formed by the Spirit. COMMISSIONED -  ambassadors of the COMMUNION which is the Love who is God.

Does this resonate with your believing?

Ascension Sunday May 17th

-Last Sunday's homily is available
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at usccb.org/readings
-check out this weeks LinC letter at www.parishLinCLetter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 4:00pm on Saturday and 8:00am on Sunday

"Always" and "Never"

These two words are the signs of slavery to death and sin.  Freedom and life in the resurrection of Christ are "here" and "now".

What do you think of that?

Easter 6 - May 10 homily Prep

-Last Sunday's homily is available
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at usccb.org/readings
-check out this weeks LinC letter at www.parishLinCLetter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 12:30 mass only

"I'm special"

This positive message resulting from the self-esteem efforts of the last 20 years is a first symptom that we are still living under the powers and principalities of the slavery of death and sin.  When we notice the difference between ourselves and others, that they or he or she is not like me or I am not like other people, we can be sure that we have are suffering from the hangover from our slavery to death and sin. My separate-self, monkey mind, that is constantly comparing myself to others, resenting their success and grieving over my failure is a sure sign that we are suffering from a hangover from our slavery to death and sin....that's a sign that we have been unbelieving.

 I'm tempted to this sin of judgment, condemnation, competition, separate-self slavery mind.

Jesus  by his triumph over death and sin,  has re-created us not as competitive separate-selves but friends.  Friends are the ones for whom we lay down our lives.

At-one-ment!

Easter 5 - Homily Prep May 3

-Last Sunday's homily is available by email request
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org/readings
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at  4:00 PM on Saturday and 9:30 AM, 12:30 PM and 6pm on Sunday

Resurrection Check up: symptoms of death and symptoms of life?

This is a series on the spiritual signs of freedom and life versus the worldly signs of slavery to death/sin.  I began with fear of dying, then individualism, autonomy and today it is minimalistic and entitlement members.

I am wondering if we have really believed in our incorporation into the Body of Christ, the Church?  Too many of us are interested in the perks of membership (what's the minimum I must do to get the desired benefit?) Is my incorporation in faith putting me into a dynamic relationship with God and Church/others? That is the "perk" that resurrected life offers us.

So,  are there any signs in your life of the blessing of incorporation/relationship to others?   Or are there signs of the stingy approach to life which is seeking the least investment to obtain the desire benefit?  That is a symptom of death. Minimalists concerned only about self-centered entitlements.

Easter 4, homily Prep April 26

-Last Sunday's homily is available by email request
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org/readings
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at  5:30 PM on Saturday and 9:30 AM and 12:30 PM on Sunday

Resurrection Check up: symptoms of death and symptoms of life?

This is a series on the spiritual signs of freedom and life versus the worldly signs of slavery to death/sin.  I began with fear of dying, then individualism, and today autonomy.  I am wondering where in our lives do we submit to others' will?  Where and to whom are we obedient out of love?

As the children of God, we are called fundamentally to submit our will to the will of God.  For most of us mere mortals this is a daunting task. Submission to the will of God is a symptom of freedom and life. Like Jesus we must freely submit out of love, not obey out of fear of punishment.

In our worldly existence we long for independence and autonomy: symptoms of death/sin. Commitment phobia is probably a subset of this symptom. The sacrament of matrimony is the most often chosen path of submission - for those who are married in Christ.  So much of the trend to cohabitation is a symptom of autonomy in relation to others = symptom of death.

The church and our call to holiness insist that we practice submitting to the will of God by our practice of obedience to others for the sake of love.  To whom do you submit? To whom are you obedient?

Easter III - homily Prep

-Last Sunday's homily is available by email request
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org/readings
-check out this weeks LinC letter at www.parishLinCLetter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 5:30pm Sat, 9:30am and 6:00pm Sunday

If Death is conquered, then why am I stuck in death's Valley?

The Resurrection of Jesus from the dead is the victory OVER death. Death has been conquered however not extinguished. We are now free from death's powers, however, death's powers and principalities in this world are still available for the asking. So, self-centeredness, envy, jealousy, hatred, lust, resentment, grudges, prejudice, violence. Even the children of the light can pick up any of these weapons of death when they doubt the power of life

The Resurrection is the triumph over death and the initiation of real life.  Life is available for the asking with its powers of love, joy, peace, patience, etc.

This week I am considering lack of trust, competitiveness, and the drive for material success as the most common symptom of death we see in  and among the children of light.

April 12 homily Prep - Mercy Sunday

-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at Www.usccb.org/readings
-check out this weeks LinC letter www.parishLinCLetter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 5:30, 8:00 and 11:00

Not a Miracle, but a Conquest!

Jesus' resurrection is more than a miracle, it is more than an apparition to his disciples, it is the powerful conquest over the powers of sin and death.  Death no longer has power over those who believe.

I don't think we have been believing in the resurrection.....even though we say,

"I  Believe in the Holy Spirit who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophetsg. I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the deadI believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. and the life of the world to come. Amen."

I am beginning a season-long reflection upon the powers of death that reign in the world ans eh life and liberation that is now unleashed in Christ risen in triumph over death. You believe in the witness about Jesus' resurrections?  Really?  Maybe we don't recognize death and its powers. Likewise, the power and freedom off life in Christi might eluding us us as well.

Under which "power" are you engaged?

April 5 Easter Sunday Prep

-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org/readings
-I will be celebrating Easter mass this weekend at 9:30am in the Hall and 12:30 in the Church

Triumph over death

The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is not only a miracle revealing Jesus as the son of God but it has changed the powers and principalities reigning in our world. Death and the powers and principalities of death reign in the world. In Jesus Christ risen from the dead we have triumphed over death, Death has no more power over us, and we now can live in his life which is freedom.

Have you been released from the powers of death?

Mar 29th - Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion

-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at Sunday Readings
-check out this weeks LinC letter at LinC Letter
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 5:30 and 11:00am

Don't stand there waving your palms, follow him

Some might be of the mindset that we are, in this holy week, reenacting the historical events in the life of Jesus. That would be real failure in the call to "fall, conscious, and active participation". We are not enacting history we are opening Mystery. 

Do not stand along the side of the road and wave your palm branches at Jesus as he goes by in the person of the church. Rather get up from your timid, individualized, isolated state in life and mind and follow the church by faith into the Mystery of the saving love of God.

Lent V Homily Prep March 22

-Last Sunday's homily is available by email request
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org/readings
-check out this weeks LinC letter at www.parishlincletter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 4:00pm and 9:30am

 If you're not changing you're dying!

That title could be turned around by today's Gospel, "if you're not dying, you're not converting". The preaching this weekend is going to be focused upon an adage that I read that said "before you die you better die so that when you die you won't die".

If the grain of wheat remains just a grain of wheat and does not die it does not fulfill its purpose, it's mission, or goal. The same can you say about the disciple of Jesus. By giving oneself away in love we accomplish the dying of Jesus that we see in baptism. The death and resuscitation of Lazarus is A great image for all of us to do this "preliminary" dying or necessary dying while we are still living so that we might come to the fullness of life in Christ in spite of death.

This "dying" is what is at the heart of the Paschal mystery, the Easter mystery, the font of baptism, the holy Eucharist, and discipleship in general.  We must acknowledge the existence of the false self and the need for its ongoing and continuous death, in this way we will make room for our new life in Christ begun in baptism fulfilled in confirmation, deepened in the Holy Eucharist, and experienced/expressed most perfectly in self-sacrificing love of discipleship. We call it communion. 

So are you dying? Or are you living a defensive, strategic,'s false self protective death?

Let me know how this figures into your call to discipleship

Lent IV, March 15 Homily Prep

-Last Sunday's homily is available
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org
-check out this weeks LinC letter at www.parishLinCLetter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 8:00am and 6:00pm

 Is it a sin?  Well, is it a "work done in God"?

This lent we have been hearing the call to be "Reconciled as +ONE". This call has raised the topics of sin and forgiveness. Our Lenten mission part II this Thursday night will pick up the notion of "forgiving:a key to a life in communion".

I am often asked, "Father, is this a sin?"  It is a strange but pretty regular question. I think the Gospel this Sunday gives the best answer as to whether or not something ought to be confessed. If we bring an action of ours into the light of honesty we can pretty clearly see whether it is a "work done in God" or whether it is a work of the dark that remains in the dark.

Maybe this litmus test for our Christian lives would be helpful as we respond to the call to be reconciled as ONE.

March 8 Homily Prep

-Last Sunday's homily is available
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org/readings
 -check out this weeks LinC letter at www.parishLinCLetter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 5:30 and 11:00am

Why are you so angry all the time?

That phrase is the reframe to a country music song but it might be the best question we could ask this Lent.  Some of us are "angry all the time".all of us are angry sometimes. Our Lenten mission speaker Bro Loughlan Sofield, at last week's mission part I discussed with us what makes us angry and the role that anger plays in destroying our communion.

The question might be first asked what made Jesus angry? Do you and I know what to do with our anger so that it becomes part of the remedy of our broken communion rather than the source of it?

Let's see...

Second Sun of Lent Mar 1st

-Last Sunday's homily is available by email
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at Www.usccb.org/readings
-check out this weeks LinC letter at www.parishLincletter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 5:30, 9:30 and 12:30. We have a guest speaker at all  masses

Homily Prep February 22

-Last Sunday's homily is available by email
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at Sunday readings www.usccb.org/readings
-check out this weeks LinC letter Www.parishLinCLetter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 5:30 Sat, 8am, 12:15(at cathedral) &6:00pm

My only message this Lenten time: definitely put down something in your life to which you have too tight of a hold. But, my goodness, don't fail to pick up something that the Lord has in store for you.

February 15 Homily Prep: Don't Tell Anybody, but We Need Healed!

-Last Sunday's homily is available by email request
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org/readings
-check out this weeks LinC letter www.parishlincletter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 4:00pm on Saturday and 12:30pm on Sunday

 Don't Tell Anybody, but We Need Healed!

The title of this homily is obviously an attempt at a play on words regarding the gospel text.  Jesus in Mark's gospel has this dueling banjos messaging:  He is the very announcement of the presence and power of God in the world AND he doesn't want to be represented to the world through misunderstood expressions.  If you and I go around telling everybody NOT what Jesus did for us but who we think he might be - that would cause a problem.  That's why Jesus in Mark is always telling people (and demons) to be quiet about him.  Jesus prefers to speak for himself. 

I would say that this is the reason that every Christian needs to learn about Jesus from personal direct encounter.  We have to meet Jesus where and as Jesus presents himself.  That fact is at the root of the sacramental church - "don't trust my description of God's mercy - meet and drink deeply of the merciful Lord yourself."

That's why those of us who are his disciples need to resist the often condescending and guilt-inducing preaching that attempts to get "people to go to church".  So many of us so often are trying to tell others (especially younger people) why they need to go to church.  That reason is because we have judged them to be lost or broken and church would go a long way toward "straightening them out"!  Yuk.  I hear Jesus saying to all of us presumptuous preachers, "don't tell anyone about me, just go and show yourselves to be healed" and that will be enough proof for them. 

So, the charge of those of us who have been healed by Jesus is to live a life of health and gratitude to God and all the people in the world who are lost and sick will follow us to church. 

Jesus and the Leper break every law on the books in this story today.  One who was uncleam came to one who was clean and the unclean was made clean and the clean was declared to be unclean, worthy to be hung on a tree.  Wow.  So the laws of Jesus' reign are not about "isolation" and "quarantine" but contact and communion - that's eternal life. 

Have you been willing to break the laws of broken humanity and to expose yourself to the Lord's power even if it means that you will die to this world's system, condemned in the court of popular opinion? 

The Leper need to first accept that he was in need.  He then had to break a few rules and beg for mercy (real men don't beg).  Jesus had to break a few rules (he had and showed compassion, he  touched him) in order to fix the system.  He had to be the victim of the system in order to transform it.  To lay down your life.

Do we have such courage?  Have we even had such an idea?  Not me - I'm a rule-keeper.  I'm in the system.  Look at pope Francis....he doesn't not allow the system and the rules to silence his call for compassion, mercy, contact with Jesus. 

Don't tell anybody, but we need healed.

February 8 Homily Prep

-Last Sunday's homily is available by email
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org/readings
-Check out this weeks LinC letter at www.parishlincletter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 5:30 Sat, 9:30 and 11:00 on Sunday

Healed or Cured?

A scholars has expressed a distinction regarding Jesus' miracles and mission in Mark's Gospel that he describes as "curing" and "healing".  Basically, what Jesus does in the synagogue last week and in Peter's house this week is miraculous cures.  Physical, psychological, spiritual cures are astounding people and revealing Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God (story 1).   The symptom of these cures is pretty obvious - the removal of that thing that is afflicting the body from full function in the world.

But Jesus reveals that his mission and purpose is not to cure but to heal (the root word of which is "salus" from which we get the words "salve" and of course "salvation").

This healing that Jesus has come to accomplish is that of liberating humanity from the self-imposed prison of alienation, self-centeredness, autonomy, isolation, antagonism, from and with God and neighbor.  Jesus has come to heal us by restoring our relationships, humanity with God and brothers and sisters with one another. The symptom of this healing is self-sacrificing service (I have come not to be served but to serve).

Peter's mother-in-law is a perfect example of one who is cured AND healed, liberated and saved, because she gets up immediately when Jesus takes her by the hand and she serves.  Sel-sacrificing love is the symptom of salvation in God's reign.  Service is the coin of the realm.

This is world marriage day.  I think we have all kinds of marriages: broken marriages, sick marriages, cured marriages and healed marriages. In what category does yours fall?  How can you tell?

Have your ever experienced a cure?  Was it also a healing?  How can we tell?  Did it result in more loving service of God and neighbor?  There's your answer.

February 1 Homily Prep

 -This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at Www.usccb.com/readings
-check out this weeks LinC letter at www.parishlincletter.blogspot.com
 -I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 8:00, 11:00 and 6:00pm

Do We Recognize Him?

The demons recognize Jesus as the holy one of God. They fear him because they recognize his "authority" - Jesus is the human face of God.  The disciples and enemies of Jesus do not recognize him as the incarnation of God, the son of God, Abba Father.  This lack of recognition limits Jesus' authority or power to heal them.

It challenges me to wonder whether I have recognized Jesus as the very Son of God. What really makes me wonder is the fact that God has not healed me from my isolation, sin, selfishness, sadness.  Maybe I have never really recognized Jesus' power as God.

The call to submit my life to Jesus' mission. - reconciling all people IN God - is offered over and over in and through the Church. Again this week I have the chance to see Jesus as he is - Lord and Savior. Will I take the chance?

Jan 11 Homily Prep -Bapt of the Lord

-Last Sunday's homily is available By email
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at Sunday readings
-check out this weeks LinC letter at LinC Letter
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 4:00 Sat, 9:30am and 6:00pm Sunday

Bluetooth Discoverability to Network Connectivity

Our God, through the Incarnation, has become discoverable to the Bluetooth ( longing for love and happiness) of all human beings - all nations.  That was last week's Christmas message.  This fifth and final feast of this great season of Incarnation, the Baptism of the Lord, is aptly described as the introduction to the network of Salvation - connectivity in the cyber world, incorporation into Christ in the Christian gospel.

Rather than God being made visible to human hearts, we see now that human hearts make God visible. Every human heart is called to be incorporated through Baptism into the mission of God-made-flesh, Emmanuel!  This is the flip side of sacramental thinking.

In sacramental thinking grace and faith make "the invisible visible". So that our God can be touched, seen, held, heard.  The grace of Baptism and the mystical Body of Christ is that we are transformed from the "material appearance of our lives into the divine face of God".  Each individual, isolated, separated human life is incorporated as one into the divine presence of the whole Body of Christ.

Incorporation into Christ through baptism helps us to know our identity (as members united in the network) and our mission (as access points/doorways of salvation in the world).

These words were spoken by Card. Greh before conclave that elected Pope Frnacis. "Let us listen to Augustine: "The apostles saw Christ and believed in the Church that they did not see; we see the Church and must believe in Christ whom we do not see. Adhering firmly to what we see, we will come to see him whom we do not now see. "

In Christ Alone, as members of one Body, as agents and instruments of the Kingdom, as human faces of divine Communion - we are the Church.

Woohoo!  Are you in?

Dec 28 homily prep

-Last Sunday's homily is available
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at Sunday readings
-check out this weeks LinC letter at LinC Letter
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 4:00, 8:00 and 6:00pm

Dec 21 Homily Prep

-Last Sunday's homily is available At email request
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org
-check out this weeks LinC letter at LinC Letter
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 5:30 on Sat and 11:00 and 12:30 on Sunday

More God

I'm thinking that David's temptation and Mary's distraction in relationship to Gods Presence is the same thing that afflicts us: we don't want God where God is available.  Both Mary and David get sidetracked by details, protocol and procedures. In both instances God (through the prophet or the angel) is all about being present and received not about being "processed".

Are we not more interested in changing the procedures, details, and processes of a life with God then we are living with God as life is in God?  We usually want changed circumstances  and arrangements from God rather than more God in the circumstances that are.  Isn't it hard for us to find God in the messy details of a suffering life?

When life challenges us do we pray for more God and more life as it is? Or do we pray for changed circumstances and details in life? Could we pray for more God instead of more health. Could we pray for more God than more safety?  Could we pray for more God than less pain?

I think this turnaround might be at the bottom of our unsuccessful prayer life or spiritual life.

If we would begin praying and pleading for more God in every circumstance of our life then our prayers would be more miraculously answered. It seems God is always ready to give more of himself to us in our present circumstance. In fact, I believe that is God's identity and God's job description and God's mission. God is not able to overcome The painful circumstances of our own creation. God gave up that power when he created us in his image and likeness.

Then again, maybe it is precisely in having and knowing "more God" in a particular circumstance that is the path way through and out of difficulty.  in fact, that may be the purpose and the mystery and the meaning of life with God. Remember, with God all things are possible.

Dec 14 Homily Prep

-Last Sunday's homily is available by email request
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at Sunday readings
-check out this weeks LinC letter at LinC Letter
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 9:30 and 12:30

"What are you so happy about"

I am thrilled (read rejoicing) over our return to a renovated church. It is right that we would make this move on Gaudete Sunday (rejoice).  What is the move in your life that has brought you such joy? Yes, true joy comes from the recognition of something ever-new in our lives. Your move!

Dec 7 Homily Prep

-Last Sunday's homily is available by email request
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at Sunday readings
-check out this weeks LinC letter at LinC Letter
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at Sat 4:00, 8:00am and 6:00pm on Sunday

Comfort

Do you find any comfort in life?  From where, from whom?  Not at all?  What is the effect of repreatedly experiencing the hardness of life?  Can we lose hope in the God of compassion?

I believe the call to offer tender mercy in our world is the fundamental characteristic of the disciples of Jesus. After considering your personal encounters of the last 24hrs. what number of them would qualify as tender, merciful, kind?  How many wer missed opportunities?

November 30 homily prep

-Last Sunday's homily is availableby email request
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at Sunday readings
-check out this weeks LinC letter at LinC Letter
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 12:30 Sunday

Advent I -"watch me, watch me, watch me"

Like a three-year-old at the swimming pool jumping off the edge demanding that the parent, or in my case uncle, watch his every move. That is what our Advent  God reminds me of with these scriptures and the call to attention.

This is the most "childlike" that our God appears. Desiring and calling for our constant attention. Maybe this advent we might open our eyes and respond to our God calling us "watch me, Watch me, watch me, are you watching me?"

Why do we tire of "watching God"? Why is it easier to watch other things, realities, thoughts, games, problems?  Why do our artificial hearts easily distract from the real God?  Why do our broken human hearts drift off to the Foolsgold of entertainment, judgment, "reality TV"?

Nov 23 Homily Prep

-Last Sunday's homily is available By email request
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at Sunday readings
-Check out this weeks LinC letter at LinC Letter
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 5:30, 9:30am and 12:30pm

Can You See Me?

This weekend's feast of Christ the King and the great gospel text of Matthew 25 provides the opportunity for continuation of my reflection Vision 2016 "every one add one: renew, reflect, reach out!" The opportunity to renew our faith lived in communion with God in the parish is most accessible by serving a compassionate ministry here with others.

If we can "read" or "see" the world and daily life through the lens of the gospel then we can recognize and encounter the Lord Jesus in the simplest acts of compassion which becomes a new path for "remaining in the Lord".

Our plan or vision is that others find us credible witnesses to the life of Jesus Christ risen from the dead. Others are most likely to see and "encounter" the communion of God Father, Son, and Holy Spirit by experiencing our sincere and compassionate service. Recall, that Jesus said "this is how they will know you are my disciples, by the love you have for one another."

Those words of Jesus indicate to us how we would make one small step more deeply into the communion of the love of God and that is by turning to our brothers and sisters in community with compassion. This is maybe less heroic service then turning to the stranger, however, it demands that we take a new look and see the littleness, neediness, Christlikeness in our brothers and sisters (our spouses, our children, our parents) and see it as openings for compassion and service right where we live.

This is what the vision "every one and one" means by renew. If each of us could renew the way that we are relating to our neighbor in communion we could deepen our faith in communion. This deepening or renewing of our faith is a necessary step to our reaching out to our neighbor in the form of invitation to return to church.

So, let's turn our vision to the people closest to us and see them as the needy Christ in our midst. Renewing or deepening our love for them through new compassionate service is the first step to inviting them to encounter the love of God that we have found in our parish "communion of the faithful here".

Homily Prep November 16 Feast of St. Albert the Great, Patron

-Last Sunday's homily is available by email request
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at Sunday readings 
-check out this weeks LinC letter at LinC Letter 
-I will be preaching at all the weekend masses

Can You See It?  Every One Add One!

I will be presenting our Vision 2016; Every One Add One!  This is the feast of our patron, St. Albert and we will be introduced to our parish prayer, our parish hymn, our vision, its logo, and the six pastoral strategic goals that have been established to help us achieve this vision Every One Add One!

Pray for Us!

Homily Prep Nov 9th - Church Building

-Last Sunday's homily is available by email
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at Sunday readings
-check out this weeks LinC letter at LinC Letter 
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 5:30 Sat and 11:00 Sunday

Our Church Building

I would understand that those of us at St. Albert parish this year would read the title of this post and think "church building renovation".  But that's not what I mean by using it here.  On the feast of the Dedication of John Lateran Basilica we are given scriptures about "our church building" with and among the living stones.  You and me.....communion.

Last month I reflected upon the preciousness of each person's life - so much so- that each human life is an expression of God's life and presence.  A young woman told me that she had never really thought about "her" life as the presence of God.  I am thinking that this "blindness" to the quality and nature of our lives might be affecting our thinking about church.  Most of the baptized do not consider themselves to "be the church".

I think most of the baptized think that guys like me, we are the church.  Most people think the Pope and the priests - THEY are the church.  Well, the Vatican Council II reasserted firmly that it is the baptized, the faithful that are the living stones of the church  - the pope and the pastor are just two of those members.

I'm thinking that this blindness to your preciousness as a living member of the church might be getting in the way of our parish community "acting" like the church - building church or church building.  If one does not consider oneself a dignified member of the church then the mission of the church doesn't really involve you.

Let's open our eyes to see ourselves as living stones built into the Church, the Body of Christ and let's imagine how that identity and dignity might change the way we act. 

Nov 2 homily Prep - Do you believe?

-Last Sunday's homily is available By email
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at Sunday readings
-Check out this weeks LinC letter at LinC Letter 
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 8:00am, 12:30pm, and 6:00pm

It's not about believing in God!

What makes us Christian is not our belief in God - but our belief that God raised Jesus from the dead. If we don't believe in the resurrection, then our "faith" in God is "in vain".

All Souls Day is a poignant occasion for us to "check our faith". With Martha we really need to ask ourselves about the effect that the death of our loved ones has had upon our lives. Do we grieve like the pagans do (as St Paul warns us against)?

If we believe in resurrection our sadness is the invitation to believe. If we don't believe in the resurrection our sadness replaces our life.

So, what is it with you?  Do you believe in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, eternal life, reunion in heaven forever?  Or are you disappointed with the ultimate loss of life?

Oct 26 Homily Prep

-Last Sunday's homily is available by email
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at Sunday readings
-check out this weeks LinC letter at LinC Letter
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 4:00, 8:00am and 12:30pm

Constellations

It is a fact of reality that we cannot claim a relationship with God that does not place us in relationship with our neighbor. Many of us claim to desire and depend upon a friendship with God but cannot make room in our "territory" for a relationship in love with our neighbors. Won't work.

If we desire to enter into God's orbit (which is love) we cannot reject or avoid relationship with others. Both persons occupy that "orbit" we call loving. In fact this is so true that to the extent that we have a "problem" with one of the neighbors we are not living in God's neighborhood.

Hmmmm

Oct 19 Homily Prep - Do You See It?

-Last Sunday's Homily available at: Oct 12 Homily
-This Sunday's Readings are available at Sunday Scriptures
-Check out this week's edition of the LinC Letter
-I will be celebrating Mass at 9:30 and 12:30 on Sunday

Do You See God's Image on Your Life

Our respect life month of October continues and we have yet another teaching of Jesus that challenges our society'spervading opinion about the value of life.  On respect life Sunday (October 5) I had proposed that the mystery that God has entrusted to each of us was our very lives. We are stewards commissioned to tend to this gift of life on behalf of God.

Can we see the image of God upon the human person - everywhere?  Recognizing the dignity of every human life because it is the very possession of God, the very presence of God would determine the way we "use" such a gift, such a possession. Jesus says that which belongs to God should be given to God. What would it mean if your life was given to God?

Some of our Protestant brothers and sisters have a ceremony for infants called dedication. This is in place of infant baptism. While they use a different name to describe the two ceremonies (dedication versus baptism) I would see the same intention of Christian parents in both cases - bringing the new life in our midst to God and giving it, returning it to God.

Have you understood your baptismal life as the returning of your life to God (whose image is bourne upon your life)?  What might it mean to the way you live your life, understand your life, share your life, in the world if you were intending to "give your life to God"?

Let me know

October 12th Homily Prep - Are You In?

-Last Sunday's homily is available Click Here: October 5th Homily
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at Sunday readings
-check out this weeks LinC letter at LinC Letter
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 5:30pm Saturday, 8:00am and 6:00pm Sunday

Are You In?

The parable of the King and his Son's Wedding Feast is a great opportunity for us to reflect again upon the single most important aspect of the Kingdom of God - participation.  The choice to live life according to God's gift of the Kingdom is at the heart of this parable and the others we've heard in the last few weeks from St. Matthew.

Remember the workers in the vineyard.  The Master wasn't worried about over-paying people for too little work.  He was only concerned that everyone worked - felt welcomed to participate in his mission - his vineyard.

The King's Son's Wedding adds something to this Lord's insistence that we participate in order to have life.  It is not good enough for us to show up at the wedding - we have to indicate our sincerity by dressing (externally manifesting our faith) the part.  The wedding garment seems to symbolize ones willingness to get "cleaned up"  - "dress the part" - "conform our behavior" to that which is appropriate for the Kingdom life.

This goes back to the parable of the two sons.....talk about being "in the Kingdom" or "with the Lord' is cheap.  Our life in the Kingdom must be accompanied by a converted life.  Remember, the prostitutes and tax collectors "changed their minds" and "cleaned up their lives" at the teaching of John.  We cannot accept the invitation to the wedding feast of heaven and stay in our "work clothes" or "play clothes" or "self-centered outfit".

The master wants nothing more than our participation in the communion of life and love which is salvation.  But we have to be willing to conform to the life of heaven by the grace of Jesus' invitation.

Are you in?  Just in words?  Or by the sign of your converted life?

October 5 Audio Homily

Last Sunday's homily is available Click Here: October 5 Homily

October 5 Homily Prep

-Last Sunday's homily is available Click Here: September 28 Homily audio
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at Sunday readings
-check out this weeks LinC letter at LinC Letter
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 4:00 on Sat and 9:30 and 11:00am on Sunday.

Whose Life is it Anyway?

This is respect life Sunday in respect life month. It proposes that every human life deserves respect and defense due to the fact that life is from God, life belongs to God, God is life.  This fact is diametrically opposed to what the secular world's proposes:  that life is one's personal possession and success in life is pain-avoiding survival.

This Sunday's gospel parable teaches the virtue or vocation of stewardship, the life of a tenant or caretaker.  How would you be different in life if you believed that your life isn't yours, that your life is on loan to you by God?

Have you ever taken responsibility for something that wasn't yours?  What motivated your good care of someone else's stuff?

How would you explain this vocation of stewardship to an elderly relative who says that she "no longer wants to live her suffering life"?  How is it that so many pregnant women in our society today believe that the child in the womb is "theirs" to dispose of?

We as a Christian community have not evangelized our own membership to the Gospel way of stewardship (tending to God's gifts for God's sake). we need to reflect on the fact that "my marriage" as we often say, is God's, not ours.  My children, as we claim on our tax returns, are not ours. My body, as we mark it up with "a lot of ink" is not ours to do with as we like.

All these gifts belong to God and ought to be "handled with care" as if they we not ours.

What do you think?

September 28 Homily Prep

-Last Sunday's homily is available Click Here: Sept 21 Homily
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found here : Sunday Scriptures
-Check out the Parish LinC Letter here: LinC
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 4:00 on Saturday and 8:00 and 12:30 on Sunday

Walk the Walk

Today's challenge of Jesus to the Pharisees, his favorite interlocutors, brings down the distinction between the religion of the Pharisees and the authentic spirituality of the gospel of Jesus. Jesus's explanation of the two sons exposes the lack of sincerity and authenticity in the pharisaical observance of the law-lipservice and no life commitment. All talk -no walk!

As the followers of Jesus we can be easily challenged to do a better job and "walk we talk" but I don't think Jesus is recommending that we disregard the "talk". We can't  "trash talk" God, religion, obedience and faithfulness simply because it's not important as if the only thing that matters is loving God and religion and being obedient and faithful "livers" of the gospel . No, walking the walk is of the essence of religion and being faithful to God and neighbor in self-sacrificing love is the walk of faith. We have to always grow in our authentic "walking the talk".

What the current moment in history is calling for is to us who are faithful he walking the talk that we would start eloquently "talking the walk". I think God through the church today is more interested than ever that we would also "talk the walk"-sincerely and lovingly expressing our faith that we are living.

The new evangelization is the ability to eloquently express our sincere Christian faith and it is challenging for Catholics. We don't talk about our religion. Even those who are living it authentically. We even pride ourselves on not "talking the walk".  I believe that this generation in the world and this time in history is calling for a new "expressive religion" from sincere believers like Catholics. We call it witnessing.

Insincere radical nonsensical violent hateful religious talk or rhetoric has taken over the religious mind of the peoples of the world. No wonder 38% of people under the age of 30 do not claim any religious affiliation. Religion has a bad name.

I believe the single greatest thing that we could do as Catholics who are sincerely walking the faith (worshiping God and loving our neighbor here at St. Albert the great parish and in many places) is that we could begin to "talk the walk" - reasonably humbly intelligently lovingly and invitingly talk to the world about the faith that we walk.

Can you sincerely speak to those you love about the importance that your faith in God and your life in the church plays in your daily life? Can you talk the walk? I think the world desperately wantsto hear you "talk the walk"

September 21st Homily available

Click Here: Sept 21 Homily

September 21st Homily Prep

-Last Sunday's homily is available by email Sept 14 Homily
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at Sunday's Scriptures
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 5:30 Saturday, 12:30 at OurLady Lourdes

It's not about the pay, it's about the work!

This Sunday's gospel parable of the overpaid workers in the vineyard is the scriptural background for our parish ministry fair. As the title of this homily prep says, if we are distracted by the unfair wages being handed out than we have really missed the call of the Gospel in the text. The kingdom of God revealed through Jesus Christ is all about participation and not about compensation.

In our consumer society and materialistic world and mindset, this redirection of our focus onto participation and away from compensation really doesn't make sense. That's okay, it didn't make sense to Jesus' first audience because they, as the children of Adam and Eve, experienced life in the world and even in relationship to God from a broken perspective.

This principle of "participation instead of compensation" brings to mind the worldly approach to marriage. So often and too often people in the world today consider marriage to be a "50/50 proposition".  In other words, the spouses are overly conscious about who's doing more work in the relationship.  Of course, the contemplative approach to the sacrament of matrimony sees it as a "100/100 proposition".  Marriage can only be what God intends it to be when both spouses are in it for the "participation" (sharing of life and love without reservation) and realizing that it is the ability to "participate" that is the "compensation".

St. Albert the great parish, on this ministry fair weekend, is proposing this "participation model" in relationship to our life in the church. There is no compensation for the ministry and service that we each offer through the ministries of St. Albert. That is, of course, unless our "giving ourselves away" is the compensation that we've been looking for.  I asked our PSR students last week what is a "sacrifice". They answered readily "giving up your time and effort for the church and the good of others". I know St. Francis said it better however, "charity is it's own reward".

Anyone who is approaching the church or the kingdom of God from the perspective of "what's in it for me?" is in fact not entering the kingdom of God nor the church. The Lord calls us to the church and to the kingdom so that we can participate and sees that participation as the sharing in the life of heaven. There is no better compensation then  eternal life.

Sept 14 Homily Prep

-Hear Last Sunday's homily at this link:Sept 7th Homily
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at USCCB daily readings
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 4:00pm Saturday, and 9:30 and 11:00 Sunday(visit St. Albert Website)

Hang in there!

The image of Jesus hanging upon the cross is the image and central feature of this week's feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.  The corpus of Christ UPON the cross is the unique feature of this feast.  As with Moses and his lifted up the serpent on a pole - it is not so much the pole - but the image upon it.  So it is with the Cross of Christ - it is him "crucified and forsaken" ON the cross that transforms the cross from simple torture to tree of life.

What the church is encouraging us to see in this pitiful Christ hanging on a tree in torturous death is the "cost of love".  True love is self-sacrificing.  In fact, Jesus Crucified becomes the litmus test for all human loving.  No one since the death of Jesus can claim to truly love without sacrifice.  See how much our God loves us - he gave up everything (even his claim to divinity..."my God why have your forsaken me?") for the love of sinful humanity.  

In fact, God became sin itself in His desire to love us.  Do we recognize our sin on him?  What is the "wages of sin"?  Death: isolated, rejected, lonely, God-forsaken, extinction.  That is the fruit of our first parents in their sin.  Jesus is not only the Human Face of God but, on the cross, he is the epitome of broken humanity dead in our sin: isolated, rejected, forsaken by God, life-less.  

Like the Isrealites in the desert we can be healed of our affliction (death) only by looking at it held up before us.  But, will we look and see - and thus be healed?  Or will be look and NOT see and thus remain dead in our sin?  

Do you see yourself in the crucified Savior on the Cross?  If so, don't be afraid - be healed by God's love for you there.  If you do not see yourself in Him then there is no amount of mercy that will heal you.  You cannot be saved from that which you do not see.  Once you see your sin then you are set free.

Does any of this help you make sense out of the suffering in your life?  Is it all for love?  It can be.

September 7th Homily Link

-Last Sunday's homily is available by email Sept 7th Homily
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Homily Prep Sept 7th

-Hear Last Sunday's homily at this link: August 31 Homily
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at Sunday's Scriptures
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 5:30 on Saturday and 8:00, 11:00, and 6:00pm Sunday(visit St. Albert Website)

Church -it's Simple, not Easy!

That's right, Church, "ekklesia" as it is called in Matthew's Gospel (the convocation, literally) is a pretty simple-sounding reality in life.  However, rather than simple I know "church" is anything but easy.  The reason we can acknowledge that about "church" is because church is a gift from God of "relationship".  And relationships are about love. And love ain't easy.

Church is the most basic and ancient of relationships.  It is modeled upon the "relationship at the heart of all reality" - the Blessed Trinity. So church is about our capacity to love one another.

A long time ago I had a well-intentioned "Catholic-living-as-a-fundamentalist" sit in my office and describe for me why she didn't want to worship with me, as she said, "You are all about religion, Father, while I am all about relationship with Jesus."  While that was a pretty insulting tactical barb she learned from her mega-church pastor, it very clearly revealed two things:
1. the lack of understanding of Jesus being preached by the non-denominationalists
AND
2. the ineffective messaging of the Catholic Church in the world today (even to our own members).

I must admit that when most Catholics hear the word Church (the English word for ekklesia ) they think of organization, hierarchy, the Pope, the Vatican, a rather cold and ancient INSTITUTION. That's a far cry from what the biblical word means (literally, "those called out") or what the church teaches and celebrates from the catechism to the Holy Mass.

The church is first and foremost the "loving relationship among believers in the Holy Spirit".  That is what I have been preaching about this summer and calling, "communion".  Church is the human, incarnate version of the life of the Holy Trinity. Communion.  Church as communion is what we celebrate at every Mass - communion with God and neighbor.  No Catholic can claim to understand Jesus if s/he does not understand him/herself as a part of the church living in communion.

The gospel this Sunday (in what is known as the Discourse on the Church) speaks of the nature of the church (which is unity)  and the enemy of church (which is dissension).  The greatest charge of the Christian disciple is to "love one another as the Lord has loved us."  If one is a "follower" of Jesus who is not living in communion with the Church, then s/he is no Christian at all.  Pope Francis said recently, "if your first name is Christian, your last name must be church."

Individualism, self-fulfillment, and the drive for personal salvation have blocked us from living the faith of Jesus which is communion in love of the brothers and sisters.  Remember, "if you come to offer your gift to God at the altar and there recall that your brother has something against you, go and reconcile with your brother, then come and offer your gift."  There is no real friendship with God when we are at odds with our brothers.

Have you understood your Christian faith to be such an inter-personal reality?  How do you understand the simple truth about church?  It ain't easy, right?

August 31st Homily Prep

Last Sundays homily is available at this link August 24 Homily
This week's scriptures are available at this link Sunday Readings
I am preaching at the 4:00 and 11:00. Masses this weekend St. Albert Website

See it, Say it, Live it!

Over the past few weeks I've been hearing the Word of God calling us to a new and deeper experience or path to life - communal life, that is. This Sunday's contribution to that discussion addresses the particular path to communion - which is beyond self!

Yes, that's it!  The life that  Jesus promises his disciples is not without the self, it is not within the self, it is beyond the self.  To have the freedom to extend one's love beyond one's neighbor with an eye on The Lord is the secret to experiencing the Kingdom present now unto eternity. It's what we call communion.  You can't have communion without bringing yourself.  But that self has got to be "self-forgetful" enough that one can "keep the heart focused upon the Kingdom that exists "beyond the self" in love.

That is the gift of grace and faith that is poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit.  It is the power to realize that one's life isn't about preservation of the self but the liberation of the self from self-consumption which is the freedom to love. Jesus crucified and forsaken is the model for this freedom. Unity with Him by faith is the means to such freedom.  Communion with others around the table of The Lord is the sign of this new life. And love of neighbor is the telltale sign that one sees it, says it, and lives it.

Homily August 24th Prep - New Link to Last Week's Homily!

-Last week's homly is now available at this link; August 17th Homily Audio
-The Scriptures for this coming Sunday are available at Sunday's Readings
-I am preaching this weekend at 9:30 and 12:30 on Sunday St. Albert Website


Can You Say It?

Last week I was asking if you can "see what I'm saying" emphasizing the need for us to have a picture of ourselves as "a communion of the faithful" dependent upon one another for our connection to God's Kingdom.

Jesus' question of his disciples this week reveals a more powerful aspect to this picture-thing.  What if the person next to you at worship asked you the question Jesus asked the disciples....."who do you SAY that I am?  Remember how God allowed Adam to "name" all the creatures on the earth.  He had relationship with them, dominion over them, he named them.  Remember Moses asking what God's name was - if you knew someone's name you could claim a relationship to them.

So, how is your relationship with the Body of Christ - right next to you?  Do you see them and can you SAY that they are your brother and sister in Christ?  Can you SAY that they are important to your relationship to God?  Can you SAY that you have some power over their ability to meet God in this Eucharist?

There are four ways that Jesus wants to be recognized in the Holy Eucharist. In the Assembly, in the Priest, in the Word Proclaimed, and in the Sacred Species of Bread and Wine.  The FIRST place is in the community gathered.  Can you SAY who we are in Christ?  If you can't SAY it then you canT claim to know it.

Who do you SAY that I am?  That says a lot about who you SAY you are.  This is powerful stuff.

Homily Prep August 17th

-Last Sunday's homily is available by email
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at USCCB.org
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 5:30 Sat., 8:00am, and 6:00pm Sunday

Exercise! 

Everybody is encouraged to exercise.  Especially those who are preparing for a big contest.  Practice or conditioning is what we might call that.  So what all of these things are is an "exertion" of energy, effort, and discipline that apparently "doesn't count".  It's like a pre-season or scrimmage game - it's a lot of work but it doesn't really count.

All of these physical exertions are difficult but not real, they are not the "game" but they are essential to the game.

Apparaently, Jesus was putting this syro-phoenitian women through a bit of "testing", a scrimmage, an exercise that not only revealed her faith but it deepened her faith.  

Do we ever experience confusing challenges to our life plan as the preparation for the real game?  I think I have had this experience....I was led into a challenging situation in life and ministry for no apparent reason.  In fact, it felt almost "unreal" at the time.  I really couldn't understand why this particular thing was happening to me and why I was enduring this challenge.  But I hung in there. 

Then, years later, I encountered something very real that required the precise grace, skill, wisdom, perseverance, etc. that I had gained in the earlier testing.  It was then that I realized the good God at work in me "back then" Who was responsible for the success or perseverance now.

I think that's what the daily dying to self involved in spiritual discipline and devotion does in our faith lives.  Like the treadmill everyday - I can often times "feel" as if I'm going through a repetitive and disconnected exercise - only to discover that it was precisely the preparation I needed for the real struggles in life. 

Recognition vs Seeing

-Last Sunday's homily is available by email
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at USCCB.org
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 4:00pm on Saturday and 9:30am on Sunday

You Wouldn't recognize it if it Bit you on the Nose!

Jesus Christ is risen from the dead and he is alive for us.  Jesus Christ is not only risen and alive, he is present and active in our midst. This is the fundamental truth of the Christian religion.  No one is arguing about the truth of it.

What we are admitting all the time is that we do not recognize him AS HE IS.  Jesus breathed upon the apostles and pledged to be with them always. And yet we do not recognize him AS HE IS - in the Body of Christ the Church.

Many of us who claim to be "in the church" manifest our blindness to him because we are lacking in the unity he created and we are afraid of others, afraid of vulnerability, afraid of death, afraid of life.

Many who are "outside the church" secular-shaped hearts and empiricist minds observing the church from outside fail to recognize Jesus AS HE IS in the imperfect communion that he has chosen to establish(the Church).

Within the church we reveal our blindness to Jesus in our midst by our individualistic drive for control of church tradition, clinging to private devotion, and judgment and distrust of others. We're like the disciples in the storm-tossed boat. Petrified and every man for himself.

Within the society we look a lot like Peter, demanding that if Jesus (faith and religion) is really calling them to life he better prove it beyond the feeble proof that is the Church ( the only proof. Jesus prefers to give).

So, we have a church community blinded to the presence of Jesus dwelling powerfully within their mutual communal love - where and how he said HE WOULD BE. And we have a suspicious world not at all impressed by Jesus' feeble display of presence in his chosen vessel, the broken Church.

Save us, Lord!

But look who DID recognize him - the sick, the lame, the rejected, the dying.  How can you tell?  They came to him and allowed him to be strong in their midst.  No fear - all acceptance AS HE IS!  Maybe the recognition of Jesus has to do with the condition of the beholder rather than the manner of Jesus' appearance AS HE IS.

Homily Prep August 3

-Last Sunday's homily is available by email
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at USCCB.org
 -I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 8:00am and 6:00pm Sunday

Tempted to Isolate!

What is your gut reaction to violence, hatred, opposition, ridicule, persecution?????  Do you welcome the comfort of others, do you seek the consolation of friends, do you look for, long for and appreciate pity???  Or do you flee from, shun, and run away from human companionship?

Withdrawal(either physical, psychological, or spiritual) is the triumph of the evil one.  Withdrawal is different than retreat - the rare and intentional spiritual exercise or the conscious choice to seek God in solitude. Withdrawal is not the choice to seek God but the fear-driven lack of trust in anyone other than the self.

Jesus hears of the violent death of his precursor and kinsman John the Baptist and he "withdraws". He is tempted, just as he was in the desert, and this time to get away from the companionship. As in the desert,  Jesus is saved from this temptation to isolate, to withdraw from companionship, by angels -  those more needy than he who sought his companionship...he was rescued by empathy.

His empathy pulls him out of the temptation to withdraw and drives him outward into communion with those who longed for him.  This temptation of Christ is a sign to all of us to resist and reject the strategy of evil (withdrawal) when life frustrates us.

The. Letter to the Romans is clear - nothing should separate us from the communion with God that we have in Christ Jesus.  Easier said than done.  How many of us when we fail - first think of hiding from others?.  How many of us when we are diagnosed are tempted to hide - withdraw, not to burden others with my pain.  How many of us when reflecting upon our death have this temptation to be disposed of - not wanting others to "be looking at me"?  It's all isolation, hiding, evil.

We revolt against the pity of others who genuinely love us. We allow a lot of stuff to separate us from the love of God. A spirituality of unity or communion calls us to reject the temptation to isolation and to move into empathy, consolation, solidarity, community.

It's natural to our broken humanity - withdraw.  It is natural to our divine likeness - communion!  

Homily Prep July 27

-Last Sunday's homily is available by email
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at USCCB.org
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 5:30 Saturday and 11:00am Sunday.

Church Matters!

Is that a description of details about church life or is that a declarative statement of a truth about our lives.  Does Church Matter?!  The parables of the Kingdom of God in this week's Gospel raise the issue of how important the Kingdom of God is in our lives.  Does God matter? 

Isn't the Catholic Church famous for a rather anonymous christianity....aren't we proud of the fact that we can walk into a catholic church anywhere in the world and "be at home" there?  As I get older I would like to see us be less happy about that satisfaction.  Would that all of us at St. Albert for sure, recognized the personal meaning that worshipping in our community has for us. 

Does Church at St. Albert the Great matter?  Why does your worship of the Holy Eucharist at YOUR parish matter?  What does it mean?  Are we making a conscious decision to "go to God together" as friends, members, family, Body of Christ, Communion? 


The pearl of inestimable value is the presence of Jesus Christ "in the midst" of those who believe.  Do you find it anywhere in the world? 

Homily Prep for July 20

-Last Sunday's homily is available by email
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at USCCB.org
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 4:00 Sat. and 9:30 and 12:30 on Sunday.

Mixing It Up!

Jesus, for the second Sunday in a row, is preaching from the 13th chapter of Matthews Gospel and he is commenting on the use of the "parable".  Last Sunday I introduced this situation as concluding that there are two types of people that Jesus is ministering to - those who "get it" and those "who don't".  Those who "get it" are the ones with faith.  They hear and see Jesus as he is - the Son of God, the messiah and Christ.  Those "who don't" are those without faith who need to receive the Good News in parables - a preaching that subverts their closed eyes, clogged ears, hard heads and hardened hearts. 

Jesus again refers to the need to use parable in some cases.  The parable of the weeds in the wheat is a story about this very reality:  In the world some people use their freedom to choose God while others use that same freedom and cling to the evil one.  What is startling is that those people of two very different stripes, like the weeds and the wheat, can at one time occupy the same space, they can appear very similar in their behavior, while all the time being very opposed to one another in intention.

It takes a graceful and discerning heart to see "whose who" and to put some distance between the weeds and the wheat in life.  

How firmly are you set in the ways of the Gospel (wheat)?  How discerning is your eye to recognize those among you who are not for you (weeds)?  How confident are you in separating yourself from the broken and often sinister(selfish) intentions and pathways of many people around you (media, workplace, social life, family)?