-Last Sunday's homily is available by email
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org
-check out this week's LinC Letter on the back of the parish bulletin or at www.saint-albert.org/lincletter
-I will be celebrating mass AT OUR LADYF GRACE all weekend
Hurricane and Pain
All the losses in life are NOT discouragements or punishments but INVITATIONS TO GRACE!
Saturday, September 2, 2017
Saturday, August 26, 2017
August 27 Homily Prep
-Last Sunday's homily is available by email
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org
-check out this week's LinC Letter on the back of the parish bulletin or at www.saint-albert.org/lincletter
-I will be celebrating mass at 8am and 12:30pm on Sunday
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org
-check out this week's LinC Letter on the back of the parish bulletin or at www.saint-albert.org/lincletter
-I will be celebrating mass at 8am and 12:30pm on Sunday
cred
noun, Slang.
1.
the quality of being believable or worthy ofrespect, especially within a particular social,professional, or other group: If you wear this t-shirt, you’ll be earning geek cred.
Both chefs have plenty of Southern cred.
This slang expression captures the gospel message and our call as disciples of Jesus Christ in the church. Historically we have understood this gospel passage as a challenge for Jesus' disciples as to whether or not they are understanding who Jesus is. We have also understood this exchange between Jesus and Simon Peter as giving Simon Peter their identity and mission.
In our vision 2020: "+one holy, kind, and giving" the very first goal that the parish pastoral Council has assigned for our accomplishing this vision is that "the parishioners of Saint Albert the great would come to know themselves and become known in the community as a compassionate kind welcoming community of faith".
So, my question for the assembly this weekend in the preaching is 1. Who do you say that we are as a parish community? And 2. Who do people in our community and neighborhood say that we are as a Catholic community?
Do we have any "cred" as the compassionate and healing and generous body of Christ, the face of Jesus?
Saturday, August 19, 2017
August 20 Homily Prep
-Last Sunday's homily is available by email
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org
-check out this week's LinC Letter on the back of the parish bulletin or at www.saint-albert.org/lincletter -
I will be celebrating mass at 4pm on Sat and at 111amm 6pm on Sunday
NOT what I wanted to hear!
.Difference" is certainly the measurement or the metric that is central to our American and maybe human consciousness at this moment in history. The scripture readings for this Sunday's mass point out to us that "difference" might be just a nice name for "hatred". In fact "difference" may be a modern wod for "original sin". You might recall that immediately after committing the "original sin" Adam and Eve reportedly covered themselves because they noticed that they were naked. Difference. Just prior to that covering of the difference Adam had exclaimed when looking at his newly created bride, "this is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh". He did not recognize the difference between them because it was not difference it was "complement".
That's an interesting distinction isn't it? Between an attitude of "difference" or the appreciation of "complementarity". One is an experience of isolation and separation and the other is that of unity and communion. One is of God the other of the devil.
The interaction between Jesus and the cannanite woman is understood by most scholars to be a rhetorical lesson for the disciples of Jesus( with the potential of being painful for the poor woman). What that means to me is that Jesus is using irony or sarcasm in his response to the Canaanite woman to point out the error or the sin in the politico-religious thinking his disciples. That is to say that the disciples were manifesting a religious opinion about the Messiah, whom they presumed Jesus to be. Jesus, rather sarcastically, articulates this mistaken understanding of the disciples that "the Messiah would come to save only Israel, God's chosen people". Not foreigners! Not true!
Jesus, the Messiah, the son of God, came to live among God's people not to elevate one society, nation, race, or people above others. Jesus, the Messiah, came to be the universal access point of the human family's reconnection/reconciliation with the God who made them and loves them.
So the message of this weeks Gospel has nothing to do with Jesus's rather disturbing and disrespectful comments to a foreigner, it really has nothing to do about the pagan Canaanite woman's sick daughter, nor does it have anything to do with the disciples disrespect for the Canaanite woman. I believe the message of this week's gospel is that there is not a dime's worth a difference between a cannanite, Israelite, Muslim, Christian, black, brown, white child of God. By faith, they have universal access to God. All human beings are creatures of a loving father and they cling to God's hand through every storm, they persevere by faith.
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org
-check out this week's LinC Letter on the back of the parish bulletin or at www.saint-albert.org/lincletter -
I will be celebrating mass at 4pm on Sat and at 111amm 6pm on Sunday
NOT what I wanted to hear!
.Difference" is certainly the measurement or the metric that is central to our American and maybe human consciousness at this moment in history. The scripture readings for this Sunday's mass point out to us that "difference" might be just a nice name for "hatred". In fact "difference" may be a modern wod for "original sin". You might recall that immediately after committing the "original sin" Adam and Eve reportedly covered themselves because they noticed that they were naked. Difference. Just prior to that covering of the difference Adam had exclaimed when looking at his newly created bride, "this is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh". He did not recognize the difference between them because it was not difference it was "complement".
That's an interesting distinction isn't it? Between an attitude of "difference" or the appreciation of "complementarity". One is an experience of isolation and separation and the other is that of unity and communion. One is of God the other of the devil.
The interaction between Jesus and the cannanite woman is understood by most scholars to be a rhetorical lesson for the disciples of Jesus( with the potential of being painful for the poor woman). What that means to me is that Jesus is using irony or sarcasm in his response to the Canaanite woman to point out the error or the sin in the politico-religious thinking his disciples. That is to say that the disciples were manifesting a religious opinion about the Messiah, whom they presumed Jesus to be. Jesus, rather sarcastically, articulates this mistaken understanding of the disciples that "the Messiah would come to save only Israel, God's chosen people". Not foreigners! Not true!
Jesus, the Messiah, the son of God, came to live among God's people not to elevate one society, nation, race, or people above others. Jesus, the Messiah, came to be the universal access point of the human family's reconnection/reconciliation with the God who made them and loves them.
So the message of this weeks Gospel has nothing to do with Jesus's rather disturbing and disrespectful comments to a foreigner, it really has nothing to do about the pagan Canaanite woman's sick daughter, nor does it have anything to do with the disciples disrespect for the Canaanite woman. I believe the message of this week's gospel is that there is not a dime's worth a difference between a cannanite, Israelite, Muslim, Christian, black, brown, white child of God. By faith, they have universal access to God. All human beings are creatures of a loving father and they cling to God's hand through every storm, they persevere by faith.
Saturday, August 12, 2017
August 13 Homily Prep
-Last Sunday's homily is available by email
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org
-check out this week's LinC Letter on the back of the parish bulletin or at www.saint-albert.org/lincletter
-I will be celebrating mass on Sunday 9:30 and 11:00 am
The Fear Factor
I believe this title "the fear factor" was a television show maybe 10 years ago, one of the numerous reality TV shows. The gist of the thing was putting people in competition daring them to do very frightening and hideous things (like eat bugs, jump off of heights, etc.) I didn't like the show and I didn't watch it however I like the title.
I think the titled "the fear factor" might be subtitle of the gospel text today of Jesus and Peter walking on the water and the definition of faith. I'm sensing that the opposite of faith, according to Jesus, is fear. This fear is not from some manufactured reality show but it is fear experienced on the journey of everyday life. It is a fear that sucks all the oxygen out of our lives, the air which we rely upon for life, that oxygen which is faith and trust in the love that God has for us.
So, we might be wondering if we have faith? The fear factor should reveal the answer to that question. Are you afraid? Of what are you afraid? How and to what extent has that fear caused you to take your eyes off of Jesus, to place your trust in something less than the truth about God, life, human beings, and eternity?
Are you full of faith ( faithful) or full of fear (fearful)?
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org
-check out this week's LinC Letter on the back of the parish bulletin or at www.saint-albert.org/lincletter
-I will be celebrating mass on Sunday 9:30 and 11:00 am
The Fear Factor
I believe this title "the fear factor" was a television show maybe 10 years ago, one of the numerous reality TV shows. The gist of the thing was putting people in competition daring them to do very frightening and hideous things (like eat bugs, jump off of heights, etc.) I didn't like the show and I didn't watch it however I like the title.
I think the titled "the fear factor" might be subtitle of the gospel text today of Jesus and Peter walking on the water and the definition of faith. I'm sensing that the opposite of faith, according to Jesus, is fear. This fear is not from some manufactured reality show but it is fear experienced on the journey of everyday life. It is a fear that sucks all the oxygen out of our lives, the air which we rely upon for life, that oxygen which is faith and trust in the love that God has for us.
So, we might be wondering if we have faith? The fear factor should reveal the answer to that question. Are you afraid? Of what are you afraid? How and to what extent has that fear caused you to take your eyes off of Jesus, to place your trust in something less than the truth about God, life, human beings, and eternity?
Are you full of faith ( faithful) or full of fear (fearful)?
Saturday, August 5, 2017
August 6 Homily Prep
-Last Sunday's homily is available by email
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org
-check out this week's LinC Letter on the back of the parish bulletin or at www.saint-albert.org/lincletter
-I will be preaching at all masses this weekend.
Take One Step toward....
Please consider in your personal life taking +ONE step into deeper holiness, +ONE step toward more kindness, and +ONE step out into generosity. In this way we will know ourselves as an inviting communion of the faithful here and we will be known as a place and a people in which God can be found.
Can we come to know ourselves more clearly as the children of God, disciples of Jesus, members of the household of God, living stones in the temple of the church, inviting doorways through which others may enter and encounter the holy communion of love, which is God.
After consultation with the parish pastoral Council, Finance Council, School Advisory Council, Bishop Richard Lennon, and the parish pastoral staff it has been decided that we are to engage a consulting firm, Ziska architecture, to assist us in the development of a master plan that will help us to accomplish vision 2020. In the coming weeks and months all parishioners will have the opportunity to contribute ideas, express needs and aide concerns about he master plan.
Likewise, to assist in the accomplishment of our vision 2020 I am introducing the Great Adventure Bible Timeline Bible study. This approach to reading the Bible as Catholics will introduce to us the great "love story" of God for God's people. Our hope is to connect our parish story and our personal stories with gods great story of salvation. We will begin the week of September 5 and all parishioners are invited to participate.
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org
-check out this week's LinC Letter on the back of the parish bulletin or at www.saint-albert.org/lincletter
-I will be preaching at all masses this weekend.
Take One Step toward....
Today the Church has the rare opportunity to celebrate the great Feast of the Transfiguration as a Sunday Celebration. This interaction between the divine Jesus and His disciples has long stood as a call to all believers to be transformed, to allow the inner reality of our faith life to change the external realities of our lives.
This call to transformation and expression of our divine life is at the heart of our Parish Vision 20/20, +ONE: Holy, Kind, and Giving! The parish pastoral council has identified four goals to help us accomplish Vision 20/20 and the first goal is that "our Catholic members would better know ourselves to be holy, kind, and giving" and "that as a Catholic community we would be better known as holy, kind and giving in the world". That sounds like transfiguration. Please consider in your personal life taking +ONE step into deeper holiness, +ONE step toward more kindness, and +ONE step out into generosity. In this way we will know ourselves as an inviting communion of the faithful here and we will be known as a place and a people in which God can be found.
Can we come to know ourselves more clearly as the children of God, disciples of Jesus, members of the household of God, living stones in the temple of the church, inviting doorways through which others may enter and encounter the holy communion of love, which is God.
After consultation with the parish pastoral Council, Finance Council, School Advisory Council, Bishop Richard Lennon, and the parish pastoral staff it has been decided that we are to engage a consulting firm, Ziska architecture, to assist us in the development of a master plan that will help us to accomplish vision 2020. In the coming weeks and months all parishioners will have the opportunity to contribute ideas, express needs and aide concerns about he master plan.
Likewise, to assist in the accomplishment of our vision 2020 I am introducing the Great Adventure Bible Timeline Bible study. This approach to reading the Bible as Catholics will introduce to us the great "love story" of God for God's people. Our hope is to connect our parish story and our personal stories with gods great story of salvation. We will begin the week of September 5 and all parishioners are invited to participate.
Saturday, July 29, 2017
July 30 Homily Prep
-Last Sunday's homily is available by email
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org
-check out this week's LinC Letter on the back of the parish bulletin or at www.saint-albert.org/lincletter
-I will be celebrating mass on Sunday at 8:00am and 12:30pm
WWW - a good life versus an eternal one!
Those three letters WWW have become synonymous with the Internet, in fact, they stand for World Wide Web. Most people in the current situation are aware of what we call for shorthand "the Internet". While many of us pride ourselves on being "off-line", being "online" is to be connected to a whole "other world" and billions of people.
The parables of Jesus, especially that of the buried treasure and the pearl of great price, invite us to consider whether or not the kingdom of God has precedence in our life. Jesus presents the kingdom of God as the operating principle necessary for eternal life. Either one is living in the kingdom of God or one is living in the world. Jesus is so serious about this that he has indicated that those "living in the world" will be separated from God for all eternity while those who are living "in the kingdom of God" will enjoy it eternal life.
To return to my opening image it is possible to live one's life "off-line", that is pursuing fulfillment in life according to this world's power, standards, and successes. It is equally possible to live one's life "online", in the world wide web, that is, pursuing fulfillment in daily life through the acknowledgment of God's Kingdom, the practice of holy prayer, self-sacrifice for the sake of God, and the Christian kindness toward one's neighbor for the sake of the love of God.
While it is possible to be rather saintly, kind, and a good person living according to the world, Jesus says that such a life would not continue through to eternal life. It is only by acknowledging and trading in one's worldly life for the sake of the kingdom of God that eternal life is possible.
How might we begin to think about all those people who we like to judge as "good people" but not friends of God? At the end of our lives, it seems to me that a good life lived "off-line" (ignoring the kingdom of God) is might even be a blessing for others, but it may fall terribly short when it comes to eternal life for oneself. If one comes to the end of his life and must admit that s/he does not know God it seems that the entire proposal of "a good life" is contradictory. It has value but not eternally so.
Have you discovered the treasure of the kingdom of God and invested your entire life in it's accomplishment? If not, where can the meaning and value of your life be found?
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org
-check out this week's LinC Letter on the back of the parish bulletin or at www.saint-albert.org/lincletter
-I will be celebrating mass on Sunday at 8:00am and 12:30pm
WWW - a good life versus an eternal one!
Those three letters WWW have become synonymous with the Internet, in fact, they stand for World Wide Web. Most people in the current situation are aware of what we call for shorthand "the Internet". While many of us pride ourselves on being "off-line", being "online" is to be connected to a whole "other world" and billions of people.
The parables of Jesus, especially that of the buried treasure and the pearl of great price, invite us to consider whether or not the kingdom of God has precedence in our life. Jesus presents the kingdom of God as the operating principle necessary for eternal life. Either one is living in the kingdom of God or one is living in the world. Jesus is so serious about this that he has indicated that those "living in the world" will be separated from God for all eternity while those who are living "in the kingdom of God" will enjoy it eternal life.
To return to my opening image it is possible to live one's life "off-line", that is pursuing fulfillment in life according to this world's power, standards, and successes. It is equally possible to live one's life "online", in the world wide web, that is, pursuing fulfillment in daily life through the acknowledgment of God's Kingdom, the practice of holy prayer, self-sacrifice for the sake of God, and the Christian kindness toward one's neighbor for the sake of the love of God.
While it is possible to be rather saintly, kind, and a good person living according to the world, Jesus says that such a life would not continue through to eternal life. It is only by acknowledging and trading in one's worldly life for the sake of the kingdom of God that eternal life is possible.
How might we begin to think about all those people who we like to judge as "good people" but not friends of God? At the end of our lives, it seems to me that a good life lived "off-line" (ignoring the kingdom of God) is might even be a blessing for others, but it may fall terribly short when it comes to eternal life for oneself. If one comes to the end of his life and must admit that s/he does not know God it seems that the entire proposal of "a good life" is contradictory. It has value but not eternally so.
Have you discovered the treasure of the kingdom of God and invested your entire life in it's accomplishment? If not, where can the meaning and value of your life be found?
Friday, July 21, 2017
July 23 Homily Prep
-Last Sunday's homily is available by email
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org
-check out this week's LinC Letter on the back of the parish bulletin or at www.saint-albert.org/lincletter
-I will be celebrating mass on 9:30am and 12:30pm on Sunday
What Seeds are We sowing?
Last Sunday's Homily and gospel about the sower and the seed prompted me to ask that we practice sowing seeds of the kingdom of God. I was prompted to this because so often we are asked to consider our lives as the soil into which the seeds are being sown. I was suggesting that we are to see ourselves as sowers of the seeds of the kingdom..
Today's gospel continues the parables of Jesus about the kingdom of God and the parable of the wheat and the weeds is confirming my question of last week. I am wondering about the quality, the holiness, and the loving quality of the seeds that we are sowing in peoples lives. It was Pope Paul VI who suggested to us in his document on evangelization that we are evangelizing all the time-sometimes it is positively for the kingdom of God and other times it is negatively. So, let's examine the seeds that we are sowing in peoples' lives.
How often are you planting the seeds of criticism, judgment, resentment, self-defense, self-promotion, self-doubt, revenge, negativity, depression, hopelessness, etc.? Especially in the lives of our children, our coworkers, our spouses?
What is particularly troubling about this influence that we have in the world is that often we think we are being helpful. Go figure.
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org
-check out this week's LinC Letter on the back of the parish bulletin or at www.saint-albert.org/lincletter
-I will be celebrating mass on 9:30am and 12:30pm on Sunday
What Seeds are We sowing?
Last Sunday's Homily and gospel about the sower and the seed prompted me to ask that we practice sowing seeds of the kingdom of God. I was prompted to this because so often we are asked to consider our lives as the soil into which the seeds are being sown. I was suggesting that we are to see ourselves as sowers of the seeds of the kingdom..
Today's gospel continues the parables of Jesus about the kingdom of God and the parable of the wheat and the weeds is confirming my question of last week. I am wondering about the quality, the holiness, and the loving quality of the seeds that we are sowing in peoples lives. It was Pope Paul VI who suggested to us in his document on evangelization that we are evangelizing all the time-sometimes it is positively for the kingdom of God and other times it is negatively. So, let's examine the seeds that we are sowing in peoples' lives.
How often are you planting the seeds of criticism, judgment, resentment, self-defense, self-promotion, self-doubt, revenge, negativity, depression, hopelessness, etc.? Especially in the lives of our children, our coworkers, our spouses?
What is particularly troubling about this influence that we have in the world is that often we think we are being helpful. Go figure.
Saturday, July 15, 2017
July 16 Homily Prep
-Last Sunday's homily is available by email
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org
-check out this week's LinC Letter on the back of the parish bulletin or at www.saint-albert.org/lincletter
-I will be celebrating mass at 4pm on Sat and 11:00am on Sunday
Sowing AND Growing
The parables of Jesus to which we are listening in these weeks of summer present us this Sunday with maybe Jesus' most famous parable, the sower and the seed.
I believe most of us are familiar with the notion of examining our souls/hearts to determine as to whether or not we are fertile soil in which the Word or God's kingdom can be planted. I am hearing a second invitation to those of us who desire to be disciples of the Lord. That second invitation or aspect of the parable that we might consider is how generous are we in sowing the seeds of the kingdom or God's word in our daily lives.
I believe we are called to be sowers and growers. In fact for the disciple of Jesus, the only true proof that the word or the kingdom of God has been deeply planted and grown in one's heart is the manifestation of the word being sown through us as evangelists in the world.
Throughout the years of "Every One Add One" we have been contemplating becoming more than mere members of the church but rather inviters of others. This inviting demands that the faith not only be grown in us as holiness but that we sow that love of God and the church with others through sharing. So we must be growing the kingdom of God in our hearts and in our lives and we must be sowing the seeds of God's kingdom by sharing our faith and love with others.
What do you think?
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org
-check out this week's LinC Letter on the back of the parish bulletin or at www.saint-albert.org/lincletter
-I will be celebrating mass at 4pm on Sat and 11:00am on Sunday
Sowing AND Growing
The parables of Jesus to which we are listening in these weeks of summer present us this Sunday with maybe Jesus' most famous parable, the sower and the seed.
I believe most of us are familiar with the notion of examining our souls/hearts to determine as to whether or not we are fertile soil in which the Word or God's kingdom can be planted. I am hearing a second invitation to those of us who desire to be disciples of the Lord. That second invitation or aspect of the parable that we might consider is how generous are we in sowing the seeds of the kingdom or God's word in our daily lives.
I believe we are called to be sowers and growers. In fact for the disciple of Jesus, the only true proof that the word or the kingdom of God has been deeply planted and grown in one's heart is the manifestation of the word being sown through us as evangelists in the world.
Throughout the years of "Every One Add One" we have been contemplating becoming more than mere members of the church but rather inviters of others. This inviting demands that the faith not only be grown in us as holiness but that we sow that love of God and the church with others through sharing. So we must be growing the kingdom of God in our hearts and in our lives and we must be sowing the seeds of God's kingdom by sharing our faith and love with others.
What do you think?
Friday, July 7, 2017
July 9 Homily Prep
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org
-check out this week's LinC Letter on the back of the parish bulletin or at www.saint-albert.org/lincletter
-I will be celebrating mass on Sat at 4:00pm and Sunday 9:30 and 6:00pm
We have a missionary preacher this weekend at all Masses. Thanks for your generosity.
-check out this week's LinC Letter on the back of the parish bulletin or at www.saint-albert.org/lincletter
-I will be celebrating mass on Sat at 4:00pm and Sunday 9:30 and 6:00pm
We have a missionary preacher this weekend at all Masses. Thanks for your generosity.
Friday, June 23, 2017
June 25th Homily Prep
-Last Sunday's homily is available by email
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org
-check out this week's LinC Letter at www.parishlincletter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating mass at 5:30pm and 8:00am on Sunday
Who Cares!
Several years ago I was in the habit of using the phrase, "I don't care". Now, it may seem innocent enough and I was certainly using it in an innocent way. What I mean is that I wasn't saying to people that "I don't care" I was just saying that in regards to the question they were presenting me "I didn't have an opinion one way or another."
What I came to find out is that in spite of my intentions, the words "I don't care" were heard by people as that I didn't care about them, their issue, or our conversation. That's when I realized that I had to stop saying "I don't care" in every circumstance and in every conversation. Because I DO care.
In this process of growing as a leader in the church especially, I became familiar with a very good expression. It is this one, "People don't care about what you know, until they know that you care." Our God cares about us, cares for us, and will NOT leave us orphaned.
There is so much insecurity in the human family. People are unfamiliar with the providential care of God. The prophet Isaiah says, "I have carved you on the palm of my hand". Religion today is not successful in communicating the preciousness of persons. Our Catholic community is often too large and too liturgical and too dogmatic to communicate God's care for each person.
Do you know that you are important to God, that God cares for you, that God has carved you on the palm of his hand?
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org
-check out this week's LinC Letter at www.parishlincletter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating mass at 5:30pm and 8:00am on Sunday
Who Cares!
Several years ago I was in the habit of using the phrase, "I don't care". Now, it may seem innocent enough and I was certainly using it in an innocent way. What I mean is that I wasn't saying to people that "I don't care" I was just saying that in regards to the question they were presenting me "I didn't have an opinion one way or another."
What I came to find out is that in spite of my intentions, the words "I don't care" were heard by people as that I didn't care about them, their issue, or our conversation. That's when I realized that I had to stop saying "I don't care" in every circumstance and in every conversation. Because I DO care.
In this process of growing as a leader in the church especially, I became familiar with a very good expression. It is this one, "People don't care about what you know, until they know that you care." Our God cares about us, cares for us, and will NOT leave us orphaned.
There is so much insecurity in the human family. People are unfamiliar with the providential care of God. The prophet Isaiah says, "I have carved you on the palm of my hand". Religion today is not successful in communicating the preciousness of persons. Our Catholic community is often too large and too liturgical and too dogmatic to communicate God's care for each person.
Do you know that you are important to God, that God cares for you, that God has carved you on the palm of his hand?
Saturday, June 17, 2017
June 18 Homily Prep
-Last Sunday's homily is available by email
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org
-check out this week's LinC Letter at www.parishlincletter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating mass at 11:00am and 6pm on Sunday
Something Gnawing at Me!
The word Gnaw is the one Jesus uses to describe "how" we are to eat his Body! That is a much more aggressive word than eat. Gnawing is what dogs do to a bone. By gnawing on the bone they grind off the outer skin and get down to the marrow, the heart of the bone, the GOOD stuff of nutrients and flavor.
So while many preachers in the church today will be trying to convince others of the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, I'm going to presume that we all believe THAT. Instead, I am going to ask about HOW you eat the Body of Christ, how do you consume HIm? It is not good enough to simply "eat" and "drink" - we must ingest, we must consume Him....gnaw on the reality of Christ who died for us and has risen among us, and now lives IN us.
Gnaw on that in order to take it in and be taken in.
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org
-check out this week's LinC Letter at www.parishlincletter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating mass at 11:00am and 6pm on Sunday
Something Gnawing at Me!
The word Gnaw is the one Jesus uses to describe "how" we are to eat his Body! That is a much more aggressive word than eat. Gnawing is what dogs do to a bone. By gnawing on the bone they grind off the outer skin and get down to the marrow, the heart of the bone, the GOOD stuff of nutrients and flavor.
So while many preachers in the church today will be trying to convince others of the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, I'm going to presume that we all believe THAT. Instead, I am going to ask about HOW you eat the Body of Christ, how do you consume HIm? It is not good enough to simply "eat" and "drink" - we must ingest, we must consume Him....gnaw on the reality of Christ who died for us and has risen among us, and now lives IN us.
Gnaw on that in order to take it in and be taken in.
Friday, June 9, 2017
June 11 Homily Prep
-Last Sunday's homily is available by email
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org
-check out this week's LinC Letter at www.parishlincletter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating mass at 8:00am and 12:30pm on Sunday
More Like Mike
This weekend we celebrate the feast of the most holy Trinity and our parish founders day family festival. The bottom of both of those realities is "communion" or its kissing cousin, community.
In April of this year Mike Venditti, the chairperson of our parish picnic for the past 10 or 15 years tragically died. In my friendship with Mike over the years and especially during his battle with cancer and in my knowledge of so many of his friends I have come to the conclusion that Mike was the personification of "communion"/community.
What do I mean by a personification of communion? Well, he is a person for others, a person selfless in his commitment to other people's success, a person of genuine joy and childlike laughter. At Mike's funeral mass I suggested that all of us including me need to be "More like Mike". The picnic planning committee who have worked alongside Mike over these many years have printed their typical picnic committee T-shirts for this year and on the back of them they have written this phrase "be like mike".
The revelation of Jesus Christ as to "how God is" is what we in the church call the mystery of the Trinity. What Jesus came to celebrate and bring about in our midst was this reality of God, a communion of persons in love. This communion is the pattern of our creation, it is the nature of our life in the church, it is the grace of the sacraments especially the Eucharist and it is the call and the invitation to our lives in the body of Christ. To be more like God, to be more in communion, to be more of communion, to be more like Mike!
Every once in a while God is really successful in exposing divinity in a local personality. The first among these was of course Jesus himself. His mother Mary was another and I'm thinking Mike Venditti. Let's take the lead of all of these "people of communion" and let's be "more like Mike". I'll see you at the parish picnic
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org
-check out this week's LinC Letter at www.parishlincletter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating mass at 8:00am and 12:30pm on Sunday
More Like Mike
This weekend we celebrate the feast of the most holy Trinity and our parish founders day family festival. The bottom of both of those realities is "communion" or its kissing cousin, community.
In April of this year Mike Venditti, the chairperson of our parish picnic for the past 10 or 15 years tragically died. In my friendship with Mike over the years and especially during his battle with cancer and in my knowledge of so many of his friends I have come to the conclusion that Mike was the personification of "communion"/community.
What do I mean by a personification of communion? Well, he is a person for others, a person selfless in his commitment to other people's success, a person of genuine joy and childlike laughter. At Mike's funeral mass I suggested that all of us including me need to be "More like Mike". The picnic planning committee who have worked alongside Mike over these many years have printed their typical picnic committee T-shirts for this year and on the back of them they have written this phrase "be like mike".
The revelation of Jesus Christ as to "how God is" is what we in the church call the mystery of the Trinity. What Jesus came to celebrate and bring about in our midst was this reality of God, a communion of persons in love. This communion is the pattern of our creation, it is the nature of our life in the church, it is the grace of the sacraments especially the Eucharist and it is the call and the invitation to our lives in the body of Christ. To be more like God, to be more in communion, to be more of communion, to be more like Mike!
Every once in a while God is really successful in exposing divinity in a local personality. The first among these was of course Jesus himself. His mother Mary was another and I'm thinking Mike Venditti. Let's take the lead of all of these "people of communion" and let's be "more like Mike". I'll see you at the parish picnic
Friday, June 2, 2017
June 4 Pentecost Homily Prep
-Last Sunday's homily is available by email
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org
-check out this week's LinC Letter at www.parishlincletter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating mass at 9:30am and 6pm on Sunday
A new Pentecost
I was fascinated to learn that the feast of Pentecost, the Jewish feast, that all the Jews had gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate is a feast of 50 days after Passover (that's the name penta = 50). As Passover celebrated the exodus of God's chosen people from slavery in Egypt, Pentecost celebrated the descent of the law on Mount Sinai in fire.
What we see is the apostles on Pentecost, representing the 12 tribes of Israel, receiving the new law of the Holy Spirit written not on tablets of stone but on the fleshy hearts of the rely formed people of God, the newborn church.
This is new insight for me and it is helpful for my understanding of what is the role and the purpose of the Holy Spirit in the life of the church. New law of God= "Love God and your neighbor as yourself"
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org
-check out this week's LinC Letter at www.parishlincletter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating mass at 9:30am and 6pm on Sunday
A new Pentecost
I was fascinated to learn that the feast of Pentecost, the Jewish feast, that all the Jews had gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate is a feast of 50 days after Passover (that's the name penta = 50). As Passover celebrated the exodus of God's chosen people from slavery in Egypt, Pentecost celebrated the descent of the law on Mount Sinai in fire.
What we see is the apostles on Pentecost, representing the 12 tribes of Israel, receiving the new law of the Holy Spirit written not on tablets of stone but on the fleshy hearts of the rely formed people of God, the newborn church.
This is new insight for me and it is helpful for my understanding of what is the role and the purpose of the Holy Spirit in the life of the church. New law of God= "Love God and your neighbor as yourself"
Saturday, May 27, 2017
May 28 Ascension Homily Prep
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org
-I will be celebrating mass at 4:00 on Saturday and 8:00am on Sunday
Move Over!
Today's celebration of the Ascension of our Lord, like the common expression "move over", is the invitation to make room in our lives for another. The reading from the Acts of the apostles, Saint Luke's second book, says very clearly that "this Jesus who has been taken up will return to you in the same way."
Rather than another new idea about God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, our ascension theology or spirituality might be understood as an invitation to open ourselves, making room for a deeper relationship with God in our lives.
This speaks clearly to the notion of communion and the spirituality of encounter and the theme of resurrection that I have been sharing throughout this Easter time. The resurrection is not only something that happened to Jesus but something that has transformed our world. Step into the resurrection which is new life.
This notion of making room or "move over" can especially affect our attitude in prayer. If praying were understood as the spiritual practice in faith of moving over to make more room for God in our hearts we might pray very differently.
This notion of "moving over" might also be helpful in our desire to live a more compassionate life in communion. The world talks to us about "tolerating others" while we in our ascension spirituality might better understand it as gently moving over and making room in our lives for others-welcoming others into our hearts.
Move over!
-I will be celebrating mass at 4:00 on Saturday and 8:00am on Sunday
Move Over!
Today's celebration of the Ascension of our Lord, like the common expression "move over", is the invitation to make room in our lives for another. The reading from the Acts of the apostles, Saint Luke's second book, says very clearly that "this Jesus who has been taken up will return to you in the same way."
Rather than another new idea about God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, our ascension theology or spirituality might be understood as an invitation to open ourselves, making room for a deeper relationship with God in our lives.
This speaks clearly to the notion of communion and the spirituality of encounter and the theme of resurrection that I have been sharing throughout this Easter time. The resurrection is not only something that happened to Jesus but something that has transformed our world. Step into the resurrection which is new life.
This notion of making room or "move over" can especially affect our attitude in prayer. If praying were understood as the spiritual practice in faith of moving over to make more room for God in our hearts we might pray very differently.
This notion of "moving over" might also be helpful in our desire to live a more compassionate life in communion. The world talks to us about "tolerating others" while we in our ascension spirituality might better understand it as gently moving over and making room in our lives for others-welcoming others into our hearts.
Move over!
Friday, May 19, 2017
May 21 Homily Prep
-Last Sunday's homily is available by email
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org
-check out this week's LinC Letter at www.parishlincletter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating masses this weekend at 5:30 PM on Saturday and 11:00AM on Sunday.
Would anyone ask?
My barber had foot surgery a couple months ago and, for someone who spends their entire day on their feet, it was a big problem. On my last visit there I watched him walk across the room and then I said "your foot still hurting you?" He said "No, the foots fine". I said "oh? You were limping." He said, "I was limping? My foots not hurting. Maybe I just got into the habit of limping."
The second reading from this Sunday's mass encourages us to be prepared with a valid explanation for others as to why we are so full of hope. My question is would anyone inquire with me or with you about the obvious hope in our lives? Is there any symptoms noticeable in our life that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead and has changed The way we walk through life?
That's my question. What would be a symptom of hope that would be noticeable about our lives that would cause others to inquire?
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org
-check out this week's LinC Letter at www.parishlincletter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating masses this weekend at 5:30 PM on Saturday and 11:00AM on Sunday.
Would anyone ask?
My barber had foot surgery a couple months ago and, for someone who spends their entire day on their feet, it was a big problem. On my last visit there I watched him walk across the room and then I said "your foot still hurting you?" He said "No, the foots fine". I said "oh? You were limping." He said, "I was limping? My foots not hurting. Maybe I just got into the habit of limping."
The second reading from this Sunday's mass encourages us to be prepared with a valid explanation for others as to why we are so full of hope. My question is would anyone inquire with me or with you about the obvious hope in our lives? Is there any symptoms noticeable in our life that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead and has changed The way we walk through life?
That's my question. What would be a symptom of hope that would be noticeable about our lives that would cause others to inquire?
Friday, May 12, 2017
May 14 Homily Prep
-Last Sunday's homily is available by email
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org
-check out this week's LinC Letter at www.parishlincletter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating mass at 8:00 and 11:00am on Sunday
Stairway to heaven
Jesus in this late Easter season turns the word toward the movement, the movement of the Ascension and the movement of the Holy Spirit and Pentecost. In his conversation with his followers it is Thomas, again, who provides the introduction of Jesus as "the way, the truth, and the life." This introduction of Jesus his identity a rose out of the Lords prophecy of his going away.
The twist in our spirituality and in the gospel is that Jesus is the destination of his own journey. This changes all of reality for those who believe. By following Jesus "the way" we can encounter the Father.
I am comparing the life of grace in Jesus in the church to the stairway to heaven. What I mean by that is that every step on life's journey can be transformed from emptiness into the kingdom of God. The mystery of encounter continues and extends itself into the life of the church and the life of a Christian.
Take the next step into the kingdom of having "the stairway to heaven," by entering into the moment before you.
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org
-check out this week's LinC Letter at www.parishlincletter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating mass at 8:00 and 11:00am on Sunday
Stairway to heaven
Jesus in this late Easter season turns the word toward the movement, the movement of the Ascension and the movement of the Holy Spirit and Pentecost. In his conversation with his followers it is Thomas, again, who provides the introduction of Jesus as "the way, the truth, and the life." This introduction of Jesus his identity a rose out of the Lords prophecy of his going away.
The twist in our spirituality and in the gospel is that Jesus is the destination of his own journey. This changes all of reality for those who believe. By following Jesus "the way" we can encounter the Father.
I am comparing the life of grace in Jesus in the church to the stairway to heaven. What I mean by that is that every step on life's journey can be transformed from emptiness into the kingdom of God. The mystery of encounter continues and extends itself into the life of the church and the life of a Christian.
Take the next step into the kingdom of having "the stairway to heaven," by entering into the moment before you.
Friday, May 5, 2017
May 7 homily Prep
-Last Sunday's homily is available by email
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org
-check out this week's LinC Letter at www.parishlincletter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating mass at 4pm on Sat and 9:30am and 12:30pm on Sunday
Where did this Shepherd idea come from?
Jesus was a Jew who knew and loved the Hebrew Scriptures. Jesus was also the divine son of God. The prophecy of Ezekiel claimed that God would shepherd His people Israel. Jesus knew Himself as God, the new Shepherd of the flock. When God raised Jesus from the dead he broke open a new any ternal world into which he called all humanity to live in freedom and life.
Those of us who believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead can walk in God's world, and God's ways. That would make us part of the flock of God who is our shepherd.
Do we know God to be our Shepherd? If we do not know God as our shepherd and God's world as our pasture and gods voice as our Way, Who IS the shepherd of our lives? In whose world do we exist? In who's away and whose voice do we follow? Are we open to hearing the voice of resurrected Jesus our God who is a shepherd for us?
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org
-check out this week's LinC Letter at www.parishlincletter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating mass at 4pm on Sat and 9:30am and 12:30pm on Sunday
Where did this Shepherd idea come from?
Jesus was a Jew who knew and loved the Hebrew Scriptures. Jesus was also the divine son of God. The prophecy of Ezekiel claimed that God would shepherd His people Israel. Jesus knew Himself as God, the new Shepherd of the flock. When God raised Jesus from the dead he broke open a new any ternal world into which he called all humanity to live in freedom and life.
Those of us who believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead can walk in God's world, and God's ways. That would make us part of the flock of God who is our shepherd.
Do we know God to be our Shepherd? If we do not know God as our shepherd and God's world as our pasture and gods voice as our Way, Who IS the shepherd of our lives? In whose world do we exist? In who's away and whose voice do we follow? Are we open to hearing the voice of resurrected Jesus our God who is a shepherd for us?
Friday, April 28, 2017
April 30 Homily Prep
-Last Sunday's homily is available by email
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org
-check out this week's LinC Letter at www.parishlincletter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating mass at 4:00 PM on Saturday and 12:30pm on Sunday
Blind seeing!
This great resurrection story of the road to Emmaus is the scriptural basis for Pope Francis theology of encounter. You might recall that this theology or mystery of encounter was also the basis for our Lenten mission called Church @home".
The Gospel story of the road to Emmaus and the spirituality of encounter teach us and call us to meet the Lord Jesus through the encounter with our neighbor, especially the poor neighbor in need. The two disciples on the road to Emmaus are for me an image of how many of us as Catholics have walked our journey of faith. We have gathered together as believers looking for Jesus however not recognizing him as he is in our midst.
Much of our inability to recognize Jesus as he is in the midst of us has to do with our religious training. What I mean is that we have been trained from our youngest days to recognize Jesus only in certain places and certain ways, for example in the word of God, in the priest, in the blessed sacrament. That religious training may have caused a certain blindness in our seeing.
I call it blind seeing. We have trained our eyes of faith and that training has limited us and actually become a certain blindness.
Through the church at home process and through the call of Pope Francis we are being invited to have our eyes open and recognize Jesus in all the traditional places however in an additional place-in the midst where two or more of us are gathered in his name.
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org
-check out this week's LinC Letter at www.parishlincletter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating mass at 4:00 PM on Saturday and 12:30pm on Sunday
Blind seeing!
This great resurrection story of the road to Emmaus is the scriptural basis for Pope Francis theology of encounter. You might recall that this theology or mystery of encounter was also the basis for our Lenten mission called Church @home".
The Gospel story of the road to Emmaus and the spirituality of encounter teach us and call us to meet the Lord Jesus through the encounter with our neighbor, especially the poor neighbor in need. The two disciples on the road to Emmaus are for me an image of how many of us as Catholics have walked our journey of faith. We have gathered together as believers looking for Jesus however not recognizing him as he is in our midst.
Much of our inability to recognize Jesus as he is in the midst of us has to do with our religious training. What I mean is that we have been trained from our youngest days to recognize Jesus only in certain places and certain ways, for example in the word of God, in the priest, in the blessed sacrament. That religious training may have caused a certain blindness in our seeing.
I call it blind seeing. We have trained our eyes of faith and that training has limited us and actually become a certain blindness.
Through the church at home process and through the call of Pope Francis we are being invited to have our eyes open and recognize Jesus in all the traditional places however in an additional place-in the midst where two or more of us are gathered in his name.
Saturday, April 22, 2017
April 23 Homily Prep
-Last Sunday's homily is available by email
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org
-check out this week's LinC Letter at www.parishlincletter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating mass at 4 PM on Saturday, 8 AM, 11 AM, and 6:00 pm on Sunday
God or mercy with skin on it
On this Mercy Sunday we will really not be preaching with words but rather with a gesture of mercy-the anointing of the sick. At all the masses this weekend we will be anointing all those who present themselves as chronically, critically, pre-surgically ill. For the celebration of the sacrament is what I call Mercy or God with skin on incarnate.
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org
-check out this week's LinC Letter at www.parishlincletter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating mass at 4 PM on Saturday, 8 AM, 11 AM, and 6:00 pm on Sunday
God or mercy with skin on it
On this Mercy Sunday we will really not be preaching with words but rather with a gesture of mercy-the anointing of the sick. At all the masses this weekend we will be anointing all those who present themselves as chronically, critically, pre-surgically ill. For the celebration of the sacrament is what I call Mercy or God with skin on incarnate.
Friday, April 14, 2017
Easter Homily April 16, 2017
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org
-check out this week's LinC Letter at www.parishlincletter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating mass at the 8:45pm Saturday Easter Vigil, 9:30am Mass in Church and the 11am Mass in the Hall on Easter Sunday.
Baptism, New creation, and the Sign of the Cross.
What do those three things have in common? The Blessed Trinity. My hope is to transform the prayer and practice of the Catholic community in one simple Homily. That prayer is "the sign of the cross" and the practice of using the gesture/prayer as a connection to baptismal water. In this prayer we are reminded of our being created as a new creature made in the divine image which is a communion of persons in love. Could this connection change the way you live, pray, and have your being?
-check out this week's LinC Letter at www.parishlincletter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating mass at the 8:45pm Saturday Easter Vigil, 9:30am Mass in Church and the 11am Mass in the Hall on Easter Sunday.
Baptism, New creation, and the Sign of the Cross.
What do those three things have in common? The Blessed Trinity. My hope is to transform the prayer and practice of the Catholic community in one simple Homily. That prayer is "the sign of the cross" and the practice of using the gesture/prayer as a connection to baptismal water. In this prayer we are reminded of our being created as a new creature made in the divine image which is a communion of persons in love. Could this connection change the way you live, pray, and have your being?
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