Happy New Year! (Round 1)

In a matter of hours, here on the East Coast of the United States, we'll be entering into a new year.

At least, that's what us Catholics will be celebrating.

Advent is quickly dawning upon us. A new year in which we have the opportunity to recommit ourselves to our relationship to Christ as we make our New Year's Resolutions of Faith.

What are you going to resolve to do this year to become closer to Christ and His Church? Coming off the Year of Faith, what practices will you hold on to that drew you closer to Christ this past year?

It could be something as easy as taking those extra five minutes in the day for prayer. It may be saying a Rosary or Divine Mercy Chaplet every day. It may be sitting with the daily readings for some period of reflection. Or it may be subscribing to a faith-based e-mail service, like "Saint of the Day" or "Scripture of the Day" or "Saint [X]'s Quote of the Day".

When proposing to ourselves our New Year's resolutions - be they for the new liturgical year or the new calendar year - we must remember not to get carried away. We know what needs fixing in our lives, and we try to do everything at once, and within the first few weeks - or even days! - we become overwhelmed and frustrated, and we give up. Change is always a gradual process. Yes, some change is immediate; however, the change that we can control can always be done gradually, over time, so that we do not become frustrated and overwhelmed. 

And so, in choosing resolutions for the new liturgical year, choose something that is doable, and will not be something that becomes a chore or obligation just after a weeks (or days). Choose something small, for the big things will work themselves out. The small sacrifice we do for the benefit of our relationship with Jesus will aid us in the greater challenges in life, for we will see the strength and support that God gives to us in the moments that we really need it.

And so, Church of God, HAPPY NEW YEAR! I pray that it will be a year of new discoveries of the depths of God's love and life for each of you. May you make wise resolutions to further your relationship with Christ and His Church, and may those resolutions not be overwhelming at any point, but lead you closer to the Heart and Mind of God.





Enjoy the journey . . .

Joyful Thanks

Homily for Thanksgiving Day
28 November 2013

        On behalf of Father Bob, Father Sebastian, Deacon Dave, Deacon Jack and the entire parish staff, we would like to extend to you and yours the warmest wishes for a Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving.

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        Grazie. Gracias. Merci. Danke. Efharisto. Obrigado. Xie xie. Shukran. Toda. Spasibo. Asante. Arigato. Tack. Thank you.

        There are many ways to say “thank you”.

        However, my brothers and sisters, if these words of gratitude are spoken without the right attitude, they’re just words.

        We gather here on this day in particular to give thanks to God for all the blessings He has bestowed upon us in this year. However, my friends, what we say and do here today must be spoken and performed with the right attitude, or we’re just paying God lip service.

        This “right attitude” we’re speaking of is joy. If we don’t have joy in our hearts while giving thanks – whether it be to God or to another person –, then we completely miss the reason we give thanks:

        We give thanks because we are joyful people.

        A sour heart cannot give thanks.

        Our First Reading (Sirach 50:22-24) and Gospel (John 16:20-22) speak to us of a forthcoming joy that the Lord wishes to impart upon us. They speak of a joy that will come at the end of our sufferings, trials, and tribulations. They speak of a joy that is everlasting.

        Yet that joy is already ours.

        Our God knows that we are a broken people, that we are a group of pilgrims on a journey from this life to the next. He knows our sufferings, our pains, and, yet, He continues to assure us of a lasting joy that can begin in this world and will carry over into the next.

        And this joy begins with our encounter with Jesus. This joy is that which comes from coming to know Him through Word and Sacrament. This joy becomes everlasting the more we live out the Gospel message in our lives.

“The joy of the Gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus. Those who accept his offer of salvation are set free from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness and loneliness. With Christ joy is constantly born anew.”

        These words are given to us as the opening statement of the Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, “The Joy of the Gospel”, presented to the Church by Pope Francis only a few days ago. Our Holy Father wishes to remind us that a life lived in Christ will constantly allow us to find joy in this world, even in the midst of suffering.

        And this is why we are thankful. And this is why we give thanks.

        This great Eucharist, this great thanksgiving in which we now participate in is the soul’s joyful response to the many blessings and benefits that the Lord has given to us. This does not negate the fact that we have all suffered throughout this year, but, rather, allows us to rejoice in that knowledge that our sufferings, whether small or great, unlock the door for us to know the joy and peace which only God can give. This great thanksgiving, this Eucharist is that encounter with Christ in Word and Sacrament in which our joy is born anew.

        Through Him, our words become more than words.

        With Him, our actions continue to build the Kingdom on Earth.

        In Him, we glorify the Father, who gives us everything that is good.

        This day will bring about much happiness to many people. Yet our celebrations must truly reflect the interior joy that we are to make manifest. You and I must be able to truly radiate the joy of Christ to our family and friends this day. Smiling and laughter are not just reactions to “happy feelings”, but are manifestations of true joy in one’s life.

        My brothers and sisters, on this great day of thanks, we turn to our God and recognize that all that we have comes from Him – and we are grateful. As we celebrate this Eucharist, this great thanksgiving today, we do so with joy, for we know that this encounter with Christ today will assist us in making our lives a total thanksgiving to God.

        Perhaps the best way to sum this up is to use the great quote by the Catholic writer Hilaire Belloc:

“Wherever the Catholic sun doth shine,
There’s always laughter and good red wine.
At least I’ve always found it so.
Benedicamus Domino!”

        The sun may not be shining today, and it may be a bit colder than we would like, but there is much for us to be grateful for. Thanks be to God for this opportunity today to joyfully say, “Thank You”.

 



Enjoy the journey . . .

Getting My Geek On

Homily for the Solemnity of
Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
24 November 2013

        I have to be honest: This is a weekend that I’m really missing our former Youth Minister, Jessie Johnson. I’m missing Jessie this weekend for a reason that might seem a bit strange to most people, because, unlike most people, I think that Jessie would appreciate my view in seeing this weekend as the “Lords’ Weekend”.

         And that’s not L-O-R-D-apostrophe-S, “lord’s”; rather it’s L-O-R-D-S-apostrophe, “lords’”.

        I’m talking about the celebration of two men – one who is a character on TV who saves the universe time and again, and one who is the true Lord, King of the Universe.

        When Jessie was here, she and I would geek out on the latest episodes of Doctor Who, the BBC Television show who [today celebrates / yesterday celebrated] its fiftieth anniversary. We would talk about the various decisions the Doctor and his companions would make, the twists and turns of the stories, the sadness when Amy and Rory were taken away by the Weeping Angels, the spoilers left by River Song, and so-forth. (I think we drove the office staff crazy when engaging in these discussions.) But we could also philosophize and theologize a little on the show, as well, since we recognized that the show is about a Time Lord, but not the Lord of Time.

        I think that Jessie would appreciate the duality seen in this “Lords’ Weekend”. For Catholic geeks like myself, I cannot miss the opportunity to appreciate the fact that we’re celebrating the character of a Time Lord, one who travels through space and time to save universe, on the same weekend we celebrate He Who IS the Lord of Time and King of the Universe: the Eternal God who entered into time to redeem the universe.

        If I’ve lost you a little, I apologize. Again, that’s the Catholic geek in me. Yet the Catholic geek in me easily recognizes the fact that in the story lines of Doctor Who, Star Trek, Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings, The Chronicles of Narnia, and other such franchises, the one who leads must be the one to first lay down his life for those who follow him, to sacrifice himself for those who are under his command. This, my friends, is the exact understanding we gain from our readings this day.

        What we are presented with in our solemnity this day is not the fact that Jesus should be King of All, but that He IS, in fact, King of All, for from His mouth all came into being. Our Lord Jesus Christ is King of the Universe, and He rules from His throne, a throne not made of gold and fine jewels, but a throne made with two pieces of wood. Jesus Christ continues to reign as King over all from the Cross.

        Yes, the Crucifixion was event in time. Yes, Jesus died and rose again for our salvation. But, my brothers and sisters, Jesus Christ is not just another lord among many who has saved humanity from itself or from exterior sources, as we may see in Doctor Who; rather, Jesus Christ is THE Lord Who models for us what true kingship, true leadership is all about: the sacrifice of one’s self for the sake of all others.

        In our First Reading, we hear of the anointing of David as King of Israel. We know his story. We know that he was a great king. Yet we also know that when David became selfish and turned his focus from God and the people he ruled over, he became weak and afraid. In that moment, he had his affair with Bathsheba, had Uriah killed, and the son born to him and Bathsheba died. David was a great king, but, like all of us, he failed to keep God and the people he served at the center and focus of his life.

        Our Gospel today shows us that great Son of David doing what David, himself, failed to do in that moment of selfishness, of sinfulness: to give of himself completely so that his people may live. David was only a great king because the True King had not yet been made manifest to His people. And because of this, we can only be great leaders of our own time only when we place ourselves in the shadow of the Cross.

        In our baptism, you and I have been anointed priest, prophet and king after the model and example of Jesus Christ. In that kingship, we are all obligated to help govern the people of God – and we do this by our vocations in life. Yet no matter which vocation we have been called to or how we live out that vocation, we cannot be a leader to other if we do not keep the model and example of Christ at the center of who we are, if we are not willing to sacrifice ourselves for the sake of those under our care. For we are all relying upon each other for the sake of our salvation. Yes, there is a personal choice to follow Christ to the Cross, but the other challenge is to assist other people on their way to know the fullness of salvation and redemption that comes from being a subject of the One, True King.

        Whether it be Doctor Who or Star Trek or whatever television show or movie that we are watching, we know that there cannot be a quality leader, a main character to the show if he or she is not willing and ready to sacrifice him- or herself for the sake and the good of the other. This is where Jessie and I would talk for a good while from time to time, recognizing, even if unspoken, the essential self-sacrificial Christ-like quality of the Doctor that we admired in each episode; how he was not afraid to lead others to their salvation even if it meant the giving of his own life.

        And that’s where Jessie and I recognized that there was a little bit of the Doctor in each of us.

        However, more importantly, this is why we now recognize that, baptized into the Body of Christ, we embody Christ to lead others to Him. We need to enter into the Heart and Mind of Christ so that we may draw others to know the graciousness of our God. For the Heart of Christ, much like the T.A.R.D.I.S., is bigger on the inside, for in the Sacred Heart is found the entirety of the universe, the whole of creation . . . For it is in the Heart of Christ that all creation is held together.

        I apologize for the Catholic-geekiness of this homily today, but I could not pass up an opportunity to share a moment where pop culture and our faith momentarily collided. Nevertheless, it is important to realize that in the totality of our lives, we must follow the example and command of Christ to give of ourselves completely for the other. We must also allow our hearts to be ruled from the Cross, the ultimate Throne of God, where mercy, justice, truth and love spring eternal.

        Yes, I miss Jessie for these types of discussions that we would have. But these aren’t discussions, revelations, or epiphanies that we who work in the Church should be having alone. No; these are the types of discussions that all members of the Body of Christ should be having, for if Christ is to truly be our King of the Universe, then we must look throughout our Catholic and Christian understanding of reality and the universe to see how Jesus Christ is reigning supreme in our lives – for after the example and command of Christ, we are to give of our lives so that others may live.

Enjoy the journey . . .

Retreat Homilies (SCJ 2013)

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to join and help lead a retreat for some young adult men. I have known some of these men for a few years, working with the group since shortly following my ordination in 2010. However, there were some new faces, which was wonderful to spend time getting to know other brothers in the Lord.

We focused on three virtues for the weekend: suffering, charity and joy. (The Young Adult Minister spoke on "suffering"; a priest classmate of mine spoke on "charity"; and I spoke on "joy".) We had some great speakers (other than myself), and I was happy that some brother priests from the local diocese came to help with the Sacrament of Reconciliation (we held the retreat outside the Diocese of Pittsburgh). Our bonfire Saturday evening was awesome (and may have lasted a little too long). We had fun, enjoying the time simply in the fraternity of our discipleship, but also enjoying some needed time away with the Lord.

Below are my homilies for the Masses on Saturday (Optional Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary) and Sunday (Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time).

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Homily for the Saturday of the Thirty-second Week in Ordinary Time
Optional Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary
SCJ Retreat + 16 November 2013

          My brothers, the Gospel we have just heard is nothing new to us. In fact, we just heard this pericope a little less than a month ago. But, as with any of the words of Jesus, it bears repeating – both in our hearing its proclamation, as well as our reflecting upon it.

         While we know that we should be persistent in our prayer, sometimes we lack the energy, time or even words that give us that disconnect from God. This is why the idea of a retreat is so important . . . This is why this retreat is so important for each of us.

          We need the time to simply “be with God” . . . and to simply “be”.

          To this end, then, I would like to simply share three quotes on prayer by three great men of prayer. After I state the quote, I’ll give a brief moment of reflection after each one, so that we may drink in the wisdom presented to us.

   Saint Anthony Claret teaches us: “Christian perfection consists in three things: praying heroically, working heroically, and suffering heroically.”

    Saint John Chrysostom teaches us: “It is simply impossible to lead, without the aid of prayer, a virtuous life.”

    Saint John Vianney teaches us: “Prayer is the inner bath of love into which the soul plunges itself.”

As great as these men are in the realm of the spiritual life of the Church, we cannot ignore the importance of our Blessed Mother, whom we commemorate today. Her example for us as Catholic men cannot be diminished in any way. From her, we take away the greatest model of prayer: of how she pondered all things in her heart. The Immaculate Heart of Mary is where the Blessed Mother discerned the happenings of her life and the life of her Son, and, though not understanding all things at that moment, trusted in the Divine Providence. And so, we, too, must ponder the events of our lives in our hearts, discerning all things through the Sacred Heart of Jesus, though we understand them or not.

The great son of Mary, Blessed (and soon-to-be Saint) John Paul II gives us his impeccable wisdom to close this homily as we continue to seek to be men of God, men of prayer: “How [is one] to pray? This is a simple matter. I would say: Pray any way you like, as long as you do pray.”

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Homily for the Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
SCJ Retreat + 17 November 2013

          Well, we’ve made it to this point: the time where we are about to be sent out from this time away, back into the world of our “everydayness”. And, yet, we’re aware that what has begun here will never be finished.

          Our readings fit so well into the reflection of the three virtues we’ve been pondering in our hearts over these last days: suffering, charity, and joy. In a nutshell, Jesus reminds us that WE WILL SUFFER for the sake of His Name, and in that suffering we will find true joy, for the joyful charity we practice we be reflected in the love we have for His Name.

          “For Jesus Christ, I am prepared to suffer still more.” These words of Saint Maximilian Kolbe should be one of the many sayings that we continuously pray every day. As Catholic men, we have the not only the opportunity to suffer for the sake of the Holy Name of Jesus, but we have the obligation to do so without boasting or complaining – coming to bear the wounds of Christ and His Cross in our very flesh. Christ never promised an “easy life” for his disciples, for He understands how love must suffer.

          Saint Robert Bellarmine, to whom I have a particular devotion, teaches us thus: “The school of Christ is the school of charity. On the last day, when the great general examination takes place, there will be no question at all on the text of Aristotle, the aphorisms of Hippocrates, or the paragraphs of Justinian. Charity will be the whole syllabus.” As we prepare for the great Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, we come to appreciate that our salvation is not based on how smart we are; it’s not based on how attractive or popular we are or become; nor is it based upon how pious we appear. Ultimately, it comes down to how we serve Christ in the other, by being Christ to the other. By a happy coincidence, this is an ideal lesson being taught to us by our current Holy Father, Pope Francis.

          But Pope Francis is also reminding us that this charity must be practiced with joy. “Happy the heart that keeps itself on the Cross, in the arms of the Well-Beloved, and that burns only with divine love!” This instruction of Saint Paul of the Cross teaches us that our joy will only be complete in Christ. As men, society proclaims happiness and joy in possessions, status, partying, casual sex with the hottest woman – or women – in the room, and “doing what you want, when you want”. And, as men, we can easily descend into believing those fallacies in moments of trial and tribulation. However, as Catholic men, we have the opportunity to know that the only possessions we need to have are the Cross and the Heart of Christ; the only status we need to have in life is “child of God”; the only party we need to attend is the great and awesome Sacrifice of the Mass; the only intimacy we’re called to engage in is found in the ecstasy of how our vocations fulfill and mirror the depths of the Love of the Divine; and while we can do what we want, when we want because of free will, we know that we only need to do the will of God in our lives.

          Yes, what we’ve begun here is not finished with this Mass, or when the last car pulls out to head back to Pittsburgh. But this is not a new message for us. Life Teen, years ago, used to end their Masses with the statement: The Mass never ends; it must be lived. Well, my brothers, to paraphrase that thought: our faith journey never ends; it must be lived.

          And we will suffer for the Name of Jesus.

          And we will want to serve others in charity in the Name of Jesus.

          And we will find our ultimate joy in the Name of Jesus.

          Our journey of faith – based in our relationship with Jesus Christ, and nourished by the Word and the Sacraments – is brought to a unique fulfillment as we gather around the two tables, and as we share in an intimate communion with our Lord and each other. The Eucharist, if it is the source and summit of our faith, then becomes the end and the beginning of our faith journey. But It also becomes the reason of our suffering, and its healing; the reason why we are charitable to others, and why we can humbly receive charity; and the reason for the fullness of our joy, and the reason we can never truly be unhappy.

          My brothers, the terrible and wondrous day of our Lord’s return is quickly approaching. Are we ready? Are we ready and willing to joyfully give of ourselves in charity and in suffering? Will we be prepared for the Lord’s glorious coming, having borne the wounds of Jesus in our own flesh, or will we procrastinate in our preparations? Will we be found ready to graduate from the school of charity, or will we have failed through our attitude toward recognizing Christ in the other? Will we joyfully welcome our Lord when He comes to call us home, or will we mourn the unfulfilled moments of this life despite the eternal ecstasy that awaits us?

          The great Catholic philosopher Peter Kreeft reminds us: “Everything smaller than Heaven bores us because only Heaven is bigger than our hearts.”  And he’s so right. Brothers: Prepare for the Lord’s coming through your suffering, charity, and joy. Allow the anticipation of what is to come allow you to brave the storm of this life. Enter into the wound of the Sacred Heart of Christ to find solace in times of joy and of sorrow. Let the ending of this retreat be for you a beginning to renew your commitment with the Lord and His Church. Seek to do God’s will. Get crazy in reckless abandon in the love of Christ.

          Henri Nouwen, the wonderful spiritual author of the Twentieth Century, gives us great words to end this homily with: “My deepest vocation is to be a witness to the glimpses of God I have been allowed to catch.” We’re not going to catch those glimpses of God’s glory if we’re not suffering, not charitable, or not joyful. For us gathered here, to live out our faith is to be a man who does everything in and for the Name of Jesus. And it is in this Name that, in a matter of minutes, we will be sent to be a witness for – through our suffering, charity, and, ultimately, joy.

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Enjoy the journey . . .