January 30, 2011 - Fourth of the Year

-Last Sunday's homily is in the library->
-This Sunday's scriptures are at USCCB.org->
-I am preaching at the 9:30am Mass on Sunday

State of the (comm)Union

St. Paul reminds us that we are "in Christ". In fact, throughout the corpus of Pauline scriptures he uses that expression 166 times. How is that working out for you? That's my question.

In a talk on the Eucharist (available in the library 'January 18, 2011') I was discussing the Communion procession as one of the four processions of the Mass(entrance, Gospel, Offertory, Communion). I asked the folks if they knew they were in a procession at Communion time and if so how did it feel, how was it made a procession for them. I suggested that for most they are thinking that they are "just in the communion line". Just waiting in line to get Communion rather than "a procession of the faithful in Communion moving together as one body, in song, in unison, in love, in one direction, with one purpose within the Communion Rite". In Christ.

Is Christ in You through your sharing in the Sacrament, Holy Communion? Are you in Christ as a sharer in the Sacrament of the Church, the Body of Christ? This is what makes us Catholic - not simply that we RECEIVE Communion but that we ARE Communion in Christ. I am afraid this lack of understanding and appreciation of it is why so many of us don't feel our salvation. Could our experience of God be transformed by the conversion of our minds and hearts to the fuller understanding of what is Real? I think so.

Third Sunday of the Year - January 23, 2011

-The homily for last Sunday is in the library
-The scriptures for this Sunday are at USCCB.org
-I am preaching at the 4pm on Saturday and the 11:00 and 12:30 on Sunday

Why are you so sad?
This past week I had my annual physical, actually I skipped last year so it wasn't exactly annual. Physicals are funny things because you go see a doctor when you are not feeling sick. You have no symptoms (that you're aware of) and the doctor looks for them. And you know, in this day and at my age, they can usually find something to give you a pill for. Thank goodness

Symptomology is a great thing: by careful observation and study we have become familiar with the signs that one is sick. Depending upon the symptoms of one's discomfort, we can diagnose the illness within. The external manifestations or symptoms, reveal the hidden innner reality.

The symptom of our salvation is joy and peace. Too many ostensibly religious people manifest neither symptom. There is so much sadness in the Body of Christ. Why are you sad, down, flat, depressed, disappointed, given up? The absence of the symptoms of peace and joy seem to call into question whether or not one is truly saved.

Have you had a check up lately. Ask your best friend, your spouse, your kids, or co-workers...am I redeemed by Jesus Christ and enjoying everlasting salvation? I'll bet they will tell you how sad or how joyful you are.

Third Thursday Theololgy

This month's offering of the Third Thursday Theology is in the Estok Homily Library (->). The topic was Divine Revelation and the US Catechism Chps 1-3. It is a 66min recording. It is titled "January202011-ThirdThursTheology-Catechism1-3"

"Understanding the Mass" Lecture January 18, 2011

The Theology and Spirituality of the Catholic Mass is presented in a 90-minute lecture by Fr. Estok of St. Albert the Great parish. This talk is in the library ->

Homily Uploaded

The homily from Sunday, January 16th, is in the library->

January 16 - Second Sunday of the Year

-the homily from the baptism of the Lord is in the library ->
-the Scriptures for this Sunday are at USCCB.org ->
-I am presiding at the 5:30 Mass on Sat and the 8am Mass on Sunday.

The Apostle

There was a movie out a few years ago about an evangelical preacher who struggled with many personal and family demons called The Apostle. If that movie is an indication of what our society thinks an apostle is then its no wonder faith and participation in the church are dwindling.

This last week I had the privilege to offer a retreat for six young men about to be ordained priests. We spent a great deal of time reflecting upon things "apostolic". While the first definition of the word is "one sent", the deeper meaning is "the one who bears the presence of another" - maybe ambassador. The apostle or ambassador must be emptied of his own "baggage", his own credentials, if you will, and transparently make present or bear that of the one who sends him.

That is St. Paul. That is Israel in our first reading. That is the priesthood of the Church. That is your life baptized in Christ Jesus: to set aside yourself and make room for the one you bear to the world.

Does your Christian character bear the image of Christ crucified and risen? Do they see no longer you but him whom you bear? The world needs to see him in us. God's purpose for our lives is to bear His light and life to a darkened world dying from sinful self-aggrandizement.
Apostolic!

It's Personal - The Baptism Homily

The homily from this Sunday's feast of the Baptism of the Lord is in the Library ->

Baptism of the Lord -January 9

The homily from the Epiphany, Jan 2, is in the library
-The scriptures for the Jan 9 Baptism are at USCCB.org
-I will be preaching at 5:30 Mass on Saturfay evening and 11:00 and 12:30 on Sunday

How shall we do this.

I believe that the radiated hearts of those who have received the message of the manger are challenged now by the Baptism of the Lord to make that message known to others in an "equally personal fashion" as was the baby in swaddling clothes.

The world will never understand or receive the Good News of Jesus Christ unless we each become a humanity like his...humble, vulnerable, cared for and about. You know what I mean?

January 2 - Epiphany

The homily from January 2, the Epiphany, is in the library ->

The Epiphany January 2, 2011

The homilies of Christmas and Holy Family Sunday are in the library. ->
The readings for this Sunday are at USCCB.org->
I am presiding and preaching at the Sat. 4pm Mass and Sun. 12:30pm Mass

Radiation

My Junior High School back in the 70's was an old building and down in the basement level there were a bunch of these yellow warning signs. They had a nuclear symbol on them and they were designating the area as a bomb shelter in the event of a nuclear attack. I notice in our parish school building that we don't have any such warning signs.

Maybe though we ought to have them on the church building...or better yet over our hearts. We are radiant at what we see. In beholding the message of the manger our hearts are transformed but not just for us. A radiant heart is a light or beacon for all the world to see.

With what does your heart radiate? Like the star of Bethlehem, to whom or what would your heart lead others? Would others notice your Christian heart and seek the source of it's light?

That's our call and our mission: to be radiated by the message of the manger so much so that our hearts might glow. Thus in following that light others might find Jesus the Christ, the Light of the world.

Holy Family Sunday December 26

The Message of the Manger or the Mania of Mankind?

I am preaching at 12:30 Mass.

Christmas Homily

The homily from Christmas Eve Mass is in the library ->

The message of the manger is not some historical religious INFORMATION that has changed the destination of our individual lives. Rather the manger's message is TRANSFORMATION of our humanIty. It is revelation that God has made human life the place of divine encounter, the fullness of the plan. Live the Truth and truly love and there in your human life be transformed ...Emmanuel!

Sunday, December 26 - Holy Family

I am preaching at 12:30 Mass on Sunday. Blessed Christmas to all!

Christmas 2010

"The rest of the story"

I will be preaching at the 4pm Christmas eve and the 11am on the day. Blessed feast to all!

Advent 4 Homily

The homily from December 19th, Advent 4, is in the library->

December 19, 2010 - Advent 4

• The homily from Advent 3 is in the library ->
• The scriptures for this Sunday are at usccb.org ->
• I will be preaching at the 4:00pm Saturday 12/18 Mass and 8:00am and 9:30am Masses 12/19

The Grinch who stole Christmas

Remember...? The Grinch's heart was too small. The message and invitation of this fourth Sunday of Advent is whether or not our hearts, our faith is big enough. Can we dream God's dream of ourselves and our world?

Ahaz in the first reading and Joseph in the Gospel are both good men, but too small of heart. They are righteous, having done everything according to the law of the Lord - but they are short on the love of the Lord, God's love that can imagine the whole truth of our lives with Him. God's heart. That's us, too. Righteous but small of heart.

This seems to be a natural conclusion to our Advent reflection on "heart".

1. God wants our hearts,

2. We have the power and skill to "set our hearts" o something (or Someone),

3. We are paralyzed or by grief of the past and fear of the future thus being hardened of heart to the presence of God, Emmanuel.

And now..... we see the task is to expand our hearts by the Good News, the Word of Truth announced to us and born among us. Emmanuel!

Have a heart, get some "heart" dream the dream that God has for you which is bigger than your limited imagination and your pusilanimous heart....tiny heart. Grow your heart by being loved by God. Grow your heart by loving according to God's Word.

Have a heart - the size of God's dream for you!

Third Thursday Theology - Catechism on Prayer

This adult education event at St. Albert on the Catechism teaching on Prayer is available in the library ->

Advent # Homily

The homily from December 12th, Advent 3, is in the Library. Rejoice!

Guadete, Rejoice! Third Sunday of Advent

• A summary of last week's homily is in the library ->
• The scriptures for this coming Sunday are at usccb.org ->
• I will be preaching at the Sunday, Dec.12th 9:30am Mass

Be strong, fear not! Here is your God!

Hardening of hearts is a definite danger throughout the history of God's people in the Old Testament. It is exile....to be carried off apart from God. In fact, Jesus has come precisely to soften hearts and his tactic is to "be here". Emmanuel is the Advent word that is translated to "God-with-us". The predicament of the human condition is that we have hardened our hearts so much so that we are not "here" where God dwells. Our hearts are hardened in another place and time - where God is not.

The heart, as I have been preaching this Advent, is the center of our faith life, it is the object of God's desire. God wants "all" of us - he wants our heart where He is. Last week I spoke about the possibility of our "setting our hearts", onto the Kingdom of God. But we have to do it here where God is.

This week I am reflecting upon our hardness of heart, our teflon hearts, our hearts hardened and separated from "here". In that condition they cannot grasp the presence of God which is "here". When the heart is hardened the eyes are turned backward and forward, the mind is resistent to what's real. Hardened hearts cannot "feel" or "perceive" what is, they are stuck in what was or what isn't yet. And God is not in either of those places. That hardness feels....sad.

Gaudete Sunday calls us to rejoice, give up this sadness, the gloom of a prison that hardness of heart is. Come alive to what is ....and what is is the Lord is near, the Lord is now, the Lord is here. This living in here and now is not something we should think about doing, it is now!

Jesus said and says, "no, God dwells here and now and we have got to come alive to what is. God is real and God is reaching out to us. Make "firm" (not hard) your hearts by grasping God present here, now.

December 5th Homily

The homily from last Sunday, Dec. 5th, is in the library. Well...actually it's a summary because "mr. technology" pushed the wrong button at Mass.