16th Sunday Kingdom of Heaven (Weeds & Wheat)

 

The kingdom of heaven is like…

In the parable of the weeds among the wheat, Jesus confirms what we already know to be true: evil exists in the world. We see evidence of it all around us.

Kansas the wheat state. We produce more wheat than any other state in the US. To get rid of weeds, farmers can’t drive tractors through the fields to spray the weeds before harvest, otherwise the wheat would be crushed by the tractors.

It’s also impractical for people to walk through the fields and pull up the weeds. Even doing that can cause the wheat to be trampled upon and ruined. Some farmers use crop dusters, which are airplanes, filled with chemicals used to kill weeds. But most farmers don't use them because they don’t want the chemicals to contaminate the wheat when it’s harvested. The majority of farmers allow the weeds and the wheat to grow together. Then when harvest comes, the combines separate the grain from the chaff. The grain goes into the bin and the weeds fall to the ground.

In the world today, sometimes it seems as if evil is winning. We can wonder, will the weeds eventually choke out the wheat and overturn the field of God’s kingdom? Will the weeds destroy the wheat and ruin the wheat harvest? When Jesus went through His passion, it seemed as though all was lost. At the moment of His death on the Cross, it appeared evil defeated God’s kingdom of love and truth. But paradoxically, it was then evil was defeated. Death was destroyed by the death of Christ.

The fact is, by His death and resurrection, Jesus won the victory over evil. In the end, the angels of God will sort the good from the bad and evil will be destroyed forever. Someday God’s kingdom will reign over all the earth.

Meanwhile, how can we hasten its coming? It’s significant that after telling the first parable about the weeds and the wheat, Jesus then tells two more parables about the kingdom of heaven.

He said, the kingdom of heaven like a tiny mustard seed that grows into a large bush. He said, it’s like a little yeast that leavens a whole loaf of bread. These are hopeful images. God’s kingdom isn’t static. It begins in many small ways and then grows and grows.

Each of us has a part to play in helping grow God's Kingdom! With every prayer, with every act of faith, with every good deed, with every Rosary, with every hour spent before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament in Adoration, you will build the kingdom of heaven on earth.

Making time for prayer, reaching out to someone in need, helping the poor, speaking up in defense of life—in these ways and more, you can participate in growing God’s kingdom. Yes, they can seem like small things. But so are the mustard seeds and the little pinch of yeast. And so fields of amber grain grows into a mighty wave to be harvested.

So don’t get discouraged by the evil you see on television or the internet or in the newspaper and don’t give up hope. Believe that your small acts of faithfulness really do make a difference. And taken together with other believers, they become a mighty force in choking out the weeds of this world. By our holy life we lived during our time on earth, we will produce great fruit in God’s kingdom. But those who do evil and unrepentant, who are the weeds of this world and who did not love God nor will neighbor be cast into the fiery furnace to suffer the eternal fire of hell.

Let us turn to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the great woman of faith and ask our heavenly Mother to help us to grow in our faith, to live out our faith, and plant our faith in the world, so that the Kingdom of Her Son, will come on earth as it is in heaven.

15th Sunday, Parable about the Parable of the Sower

 

Imagine the day Jesus taught the Parable of the Sower. The people were accustomed to Jesus teaching in parables about the kingdom of God because Jesus gave most of his teaching about the kingdom in parables. They would automatically compare themselves to the characters in the parable and see whom in the parable they were like. Everyone knew some seeds do not sprout, while some seeds produce a good crop. But what did Jesus mean by the Parable of the Sower?

Jesus Himself was sowing seed-while teaching about the kingdom of God. Some didn’t take His message and His words to heart and produced no fruit.

Others took His message to heart for some time, and then gave up and so produced only a little fruit. And some took His message to heart and produced an abundance of fruit.

Why is it some produce fruit for God's kingdom and others apparently not? Maybe it’s best to give a parable about the parable of the seed and the Sower.

There was once a farmer with four boys. The father wanted to increase the value of the ranch. They had all discussed whether to build a new larger barn, or to add onto the existing barn, or to tear down the barn and use the land to grow corn.

They could not come to an agreement, so the father, as head of the family, decided to make a decision. He decided it would be best to build a new barn. The father set out and with the help of his friends and neighbors completed the new barn.

But oldest son refused to help. He thought it would be best to build a granary instead, and then build the new barn. Even though many neighbors, and those in the community helped the farmer to build the barn donating their time and supplies for its completion, the oldest boy continued to complain after it was completed. He told his friends, “Look at that mansion my father built. What a waste of money. The money would have better spent on building a granary. If we would have built the granary first, we could have made more money before we built the barn.” The oldest boy was completely blind to the love and charity of the neighbors. He failed to see how the new barn brought together so many good-hearted people, as they worked for a common purpose. His constant complaining even after the barn was completed, became a source of division and caused some to become unhappy. The oldest boy is like the one in parable, whom the evil one came and stole away the love that was sown in his heart.

The second oldest boy began to help build the barn. But when his older brother complained and persecuted him, he stopped working and let the volunteers do the work. He wanted to tear down the barn and to grow corn on the soil. After it was built, he too complained and was blind to the charity of all the volunteers. He is like the one, who fell away when tribulation and persecution came.

The third son also agreed to help build the barn at first. That is, until he began to worry about the bills. He thought it would be best to sell the entire farm and take the money to buy himself a new home, a new car, and to travel the world. He is like the one in the parable of the Sower who hears the Word, but then worldly anxiety and the lure of riches choke the word and so he bears no fruit.

The youngest son heard what his father had to say and did not question it. He trusted his father and decided to work on the barn with the workers and volunteers. He saw how many people donated their time and talent, and treasure and even came in the evenings after getting off of their regular jobs, to help build his father’s new barn.

Because he saw the many who donated their time, talent and treasure, such as lumber, the paint, the lighting fixtures, the glass for the windows, and the trucks to carry the wood, his heart was touched and never once complained.

He decided to talk to his brothers to help them see what a remarkable thing which had occurred because of building the new barn. He gathered his brothers together and said, “Look, I’m the youngest of us brothers and my words don’t amount to much, because I am so young. But listen. Let me explain what has happened. You know the farmer across the road, who never would let us borrow his snow plow in the winter. He and his family came to help build father’s new barn. You should have seen how many people came to help. They worked hard all day at their regular jobs and then came to build the barn even to the late hours of night. Some donated wood, others glass for the windows, some even helped dig the hole to lay the foundation. And the ladies, they cleaned the new bar and cooked dinner for us each day.”

And what’s even most amazing; we all had fun and laughed together. Perhaps it was because we prayed together before we began to work each day. We all became one like one family, who loves each other no matter what. “Brothers, I ask you to see Jesus in your neighbor, and see the good hearts which built such a fine barn. Please come next week to see the barn and celebrate with us. Father is having a banquet. Why complain any longer, for the barn is now built, complaining can do no good, but cause dissension. Father says he forgives you and loves you and wants you to celebrate with us. Let us all be one happy family united together in love. For God is good-- and through many people---, He has done something truly marvelous.”

The three older brothers were astonished at their little brother’s words. When he spoke, he seemed to be sowing love within their hearts. And so they turned to him, and said, “My little brother, we are sorry, for it is true, it does no good to complain about something that has already been completed. Thank you for loving us enough to help us see what God has done in the hearts of so many good people. We will be there at the banquet as one family in joy and in unity.”

The youngest boy is like the one in the parable of the Sower, whom the seed fell on rich soil and who bore much fruit.

May our hearts be open to bear good fruit cultivated by love for God and neighbor. And may the Virgin Mary protect us from the enemy who wants to steal our joy, help us to persevere through persecution, turn away from worldly enticements, and rather than worrying, let us trust in God's plan for us.

14th Sunday - America's 250 Years

 

 This weekend we are celebrating our country's 250th birthday, when our founders declared their independence from Great Britain.

There were 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence. They were courageous because they knew if their name appeared on it, England would consider it an act of treason and they risked death or imprisonment.

But, they wanted to give the men, women and children of our new country something England nor any other country had ever given before, freedom. Because of these 56 men, our country was the first country in the world to to declare that all men are created equal and has God given unalienable rights, of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Did you know why John Henry Hancock signed his name so large on the declaration of Independence? He wanted the King of England to see his name without putting on his eyeglasses. He wanted to the king to know, that he was ready to defend what he signed, which stated, "And for the support of this declaration with a firm reliance of divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor."

These men trusted God in His divine providence will help bring about the birth of our nation.

The founders of our country wanted Freedom to live without tyranny. Freedom to bear arms. Freedom of speech. Freedom of religion. They would no longer kneel before the King of England, but rather kneel before the King of Heaven and earth.

The statue of Liberty is a sign of hope for the millions of people who came to our country seeking freedom and it is the hope of the world who longs for what we have. The image of the Statue of Liberty on its base declares: "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" These words move us to serve those who legally come desiring the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Our rights are not given to us by the government, but are God given rights. No government has the power or the right to take them away.

In our country every citizen is treated equal, but it has taken years for us to understand it. For example, it took years and the civil war to end to slavery, but God helped us root it out.

Today, we need God's help so that all Americans respect life from the moment we are created in our mother's womb. Unborn downs-syndrome children and many other children do not yet have the legal right to live. But, we as a nation must stand against this evil just as we stood against slavery. The citizens in the US are the most generous in the world. But, we need to open our hearts ever wider to provide for the needs of unexpected single mothers, end abortion in our country and protect the elderly from euthanasia.

We currently have enemies in our own country, who are Marxists, communists and socialists. Our enemies want to burn our flag. They want to take away our right to bear arms. They want to change our constitution. They want to burn our cities. They want to take away our freedom.

Our greatest enemy today is communism. It is the enemy of freedom. It is the enemy of religious freedom. Communism opposes life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. They don't love God, they don't want religion and are atheists. They want to take away our land and property. They have no respect for laws.

But despite our differences, we love our fellow Americans and want them to enjoy a life of peace and freedom, but we need to win them over by love, through prayer, convincing arguments and our good example.

Fr. Kapaun and many American soldiers stood up against communism and died for freedom. Saints, blesseds, servants of God fought for our country and by their example show us how to live the way God desires of us. Bishop Fulton Sheen who will be beatified in September gave many homilies warning against the evil of communism. Today, we must fight communism and stand up for democracy.

On August 4th in our state of Kansas we have the opportunity to vote for democracy. Currently lawyers appoint our Kansas Supreme Court, but we want the people of Kansas to vote for them. I encourage you to vote Yes on August 4th. President Thomas Jefferson acknowledged that his "best ideas of democracy" had been secured at church meetings. He said, "Democracy is Christ's government in church and state." 

Have you ever heard the story about the presidential election of Thomas Jefferson and John Adams. They were friends who both signed the Declaration of Independence. But when Thomas Jefferson won and John Adams lost, the presidential election, he became angry and would not speak to Jefferson for years. However, after many years John Adams began to write to Thomas Jefferson and he would write back. They renewed their friendship. Amazingly, 50 years after both signed the Declaration of Independence, they both died on the same day, July 4th, 1826, just hours apart. This goes to show that we must protect our selves from the enemy who wants to sow division. We must be friends with others and at times in charity mutually disagree with them.

Millions of Americans have died protecting our freedoms. We need to stand up for them. And even die for them if necessary, so that future generations will have what we have. We want to pass on the gifts that God has given to us.
Explorers crossed oceans, they climbed mountains, went through deserts. In the USA, we are the land of opportunity. We have freedom of speech. We dream big and are free to make our ideas and dreams come true. If we are poor, we the opportunity to go to college, to become an athlete, to start a business.

Americans invented the light bulb, the airplane and the Internet, the refrigerator, telephone, electricity, nuclear energy by the splitting of atoms, MRI, Cat Scans, PET scans, polio vaccines, penicillin, I-phones, microwaves, personal computers, traffic lights, lasers, & chemotherapy. We have the most Olympic medals. And the modern organized Catholic school system was developed in the USA.

How is it we can invent all these things, and do all these great things for humanity? One word, GOD, the giver of every good gift. God uses us to help others, to create things for society. And we must acknowledge all these are from God and by God, otherwise, we can become proud and take credit for what God, the author of all good, has done.

In the Gospel today, Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart, and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy and my burden light.”

Jesus wants us to have a meek and humble heart, like His. We are to avoid pride, and live the virtue of humility.

Out of humility, we must declare that gifts God has given to our nation are gifts from God, our creator. We should thank God every day for all He has given us. We should thank God for our beautiful land, spacious skies and prosperous people. We should thank God for those who stood up to defend our country and those died for our country.

Out of humility, we come to serve, rather than be served. We want to help our fellow Americans. We want other nations to have what we have, God given freedom.

Due to the World Cup soccer, thousands of Europeans have come to our country. They are shocked at how loving, kind and generous we are. They say, that their news media portray us as wicked, evil, prideful, uncaring and selfish. Europeans were surprised when complete strangers told them hello. One man said, "Everyone here smiles." He said, "I can only remember three times that my mother ever smiled at me." The man said, "In my country the news media lie to us. But, we have seen for ourselves what Americans are really like."

The truth is most Americans are hospitable. Most of us generally want what's best for others. Most Americans are good people and will help others if they can.

However, there are people in the US, who abuse their freedom to hurt others. Pope John Saint Paul II said, "Freedom is not the right to do whatever we want. Rather, freedom is the ability to live responsibly the truth of our relationship with God and with one another.”

No one has the right to trample on the rights of others. That is not freedom.

Today, we want to live out our nation's ideals, to believe and proclaim to our fellow Americans and the world, that "We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal and endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights.., the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. "

My friends, let us humble ourselves and give God all the credit for what He has done for our great nation. And let us be ready to defend her freedoms, even to lay down our life, if necessary, and continue to ask God to bless our good ole USA.

13th Sunday, God Before Family

 

Saint Inocencia

 “Whoever loves father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter, more than me is not worthy of me.”  

Our Lord today, reminds us of the stark reality that sometimes, we may put into positions, we must choose Him, over our family.

Here are some common ways, we can be placed in a difficult circumstance of choosing Jesus over our family.

For example: A relative wants us to enter into a business agreement, which is dishonest. Will we do it or refuse?

Or a Catholic relative wants to get married outside of the Church in an invalid ceremony. Will we attend or stand up for our faith.

What if we are invited to dinner at the home of a non-practicing Catholic on a Friday during Lent, and they want to serve meat? Will we eat meat, knowing its a serious sin, so as to not offend family?

The saints give witness to placing God above our family.

St. Hermenegild is a martyr for the Eucharist. Catholics only recognize properly consecrated Hosts by a priest as the true Body and Blood of Christ. This means we can't receive communion in non-Catholic churches. Non-Catholics believe the Eucharist is only a symbol. However, we believe the Eucharist is truly Jesus. King Leovigild and is family were Arians, who didn’t believe Jesus is God. His son, Hermenegild married the Catholic daughter of the King of France. Her faith caused him to become Catholic. King Leovigild tried to convert his son back to Arianism. Eventually, the king captured his son, chained and locked him in a dungeon and tried to force him believe false teachings about Jesus.

Hermenegild relayed to his father, he would not sway from his faith. On Easter Eve, his father tried to seduce him to change his mind by sending him an Arian Bishop to give him communion. Hermenegild refused to receive communion from the hands of a heretical Bishop in what St. Gregory later called “Communion of a sacrilegious consecration.” His father sent soldiers to kill him. They went to the prison and found the saint calm and ready to die. They rushed at him, striking him with an ax over his head, killing him on April 13, 586.

St. Barbara's father did not believe in Jesus. He imprisoned his daughter in a tower. Because she secretly converted to Christianity, he turned her over to Roman authorities and beheaded her himself. As a result, he was instantly struck dead by lightning as divine punishment for killing his own daughter.

St. Innocencia loved to hear her Catholic friends talk about their First Communion and decided that she wanted to become Catholic so she could receive Holy Communion. When she returned home, she told her father, that she wanted to become Catholic. But her father became angry and told her to forget such foolishness.

One day, she was walking home and heard a nun teaching some girls in a home. She sat outside the window and listened to the lessons. Everyday, after school, she would sit outside the window and listen to the lessons. The nun eventually saw her outside and invited her to come inside the house for daily lessons on the Eucharist. Her father was unaware that she remained in class.

On the day of her first Communion, she wore a white dress loaned by the nun. With a communion candle in her hand, she received Holy Communion with the other children. On returning home to tell her father the good news he attacked her by stabbing her to death. The girl's body was later taken to the Cathedral in Guadalajara where it remained as a sign of her love for the Eucharist.

St. Kateri Tekakwitha's parents died from smallpox when she was young and her aunt and uncle took care of her after that tragedy. Because she became Catholic, her non-Catholic relatives persecuted her, but she remained firm in her faith. Members of the Mohawk tribe often chastised her, which she took as a testament to her faith. Because she was persecuted by her Native American relatives, including threats on her life, she fled to an established community of Native American Christians located near Quebec, where she lived a life dedicated to prayer, penance and caring for the sick and aged.

Recall the words of Jesus: “Whoever loves father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter, more than me is not worthy of me.” He did not come to bring peace, but rather division. Here He is speaking of earthly peace—peace between family members. But peace in one’s heart and peace with God is more important than keeping peace in the family. Jesus said, “Whoever does not take up His cross and follow after me, is not worthy of me.”

If we choose God over our family, we could be persecuted and division may occur. But, Jesus gave us these comforting words, “blessed are the persecuted the reign of God is theirs.” At times in our life we need to be a witness to our faith, a witness to the teachings of the Church, and therefore witness to our family. Our Lord said, “If you deny Me, you will deny the One whom sent me.” As St. Peter said, “It is better to choose God than man.” To be found not worthy of Jesus, would be terrifying at the moment of death because Jesus is our eternal judge.

Let us pray, O Jesus, help me never to deny you. Jesus, grant me the grace to be faithful to you. Jesus I place you above everything in my life, my family, my career, my job, my friends.

No matter the suffering and pain in this life, I want to persevere to the end, because only You can save me. O Lord by being faithful, I will be with you forever in heaven with your Mother and all the angels and saints, who gave up everything for You!

12th Sunday - Aliens & Demons

I guarantee the homily today, is going to be out of this world. In the Gospel, Jesus said, "Fear no one. Nothing will be concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known. What I say in the darkness, speak in the light; what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops."

Today, I would like to disclose that which is dark and bring it into the light. Do you believe in aliens? There is a new movie out called "Disclosure Day" by Steven Spielberg, who wants people to believe there are aliens. Also, over the past few weeks, the US government has declassified UFO documents.

When I was about a freshman in high school, my parents came home one evening terrified. We had a pig farm near La Crosse, Kansas. We had a large metal barn and on its roof were three large exhaust ventilators. My parents were driving down the highway when the saw a large light hovering over the barn. It caused one of the exhaust fans to be torn off. They thought it was a UFO. A few days later, about a mile from the barn, the metal ventilator was found in a farmer's field. Nobody could understand how it was torn off.

Not much after this event, one night, while bed trying to sleep, I saw a brilliant light, light up our backyard. The light originated from above the trees. It wasn't a helicopter, because there was no noise, nor wind. I wondered if it was a UFO.
Were these UFOs? Do Aliens visit the earth? Are they more intelligent than us?

An exorcist not only performs exorcisms on possessed people, but they also learn much about the tactics of the devil.

All exorcists who have made a statement agree what appears to be aliens or UFOs are really demons.

Msgr. Rosetti, who was the exorcist for the Washington, DC diocese made a controversial statement. Despite his statement, his home diocesan bishop of Syracuse, New York said he is priest in good standing. What did he say, that was so controversial?

He said, "Demons like to hide. They don't want us to know what they are doing, because they are more effective, when we don't realize it. They influence us to do evil. "Our struggle is not with flesh and blood, but with principalities, powers, and rulers of this present darkness with evil spirits. So put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day." He said, "Our spiritual battle is with demons. Demons can break into the world and be seen. Some see globes of light, dark shadows, shadow men, evil hands, and images of beast like creatures. At times, demons manifest in this world." He said, "This is my personal opinion, many if not most of the UFO sightings are demons." "They can do things we can't, such as speed. The reason why this is important is because they will try to manipulate us behind the scenes."

Exorcist Fr. Jim Blount said, "Many people have seen what they say are aliens. These people are not lying. Some strange things have happened. Over years of research, it has been discovered, that if a so-called alien comes to your house, say, "In the name of Jesus Christ leave!" They get frightened and immediately leave. Every single time, a so-called alien encounter has occurred, when the person sites Sacred Scripture or the name of Jesus, the aliens leave immediately." He said, "This is interesting, what do you think aliens really are? Let me tell you they are demons."

Fr. Dan Reehill, an exorcist from the diocese of Nashville, said, "If there is an alien on another planet and if he would be rational to have built a spaceship, he has to have reason and will. That would be an impossibility, because the Church teaches we are the only material beings, who can know and love God. The demons can impersonate. They can look like aliens."

Fr. Carlos Martins an exorcist is a Canadian priest from the religious order Companions of the Cross said, "It might be the preferred manner for the devil to denote an alien... The devil packages himself in the culture and age of the people. He wants to be recognized as something. He wants to provoke a certain understanding. Why would he want to come as an alien? The devil wants to cast a doubt on (God's) revelation. To show that Scripture and Sacred Tradition do not accurately represent the cosmology. He doesn’t want the accurate description of existent things. By doing this, the devil casts a doubt on Jesus Christ and everything Jesus Christ did."

In other words, demons want us to abandon Christianity and follow a false religion.

Exorcist Fr. Chad Ripperger said, "There are times during a session for the exorcism of the possessed, demons will manifest, these are demons who portray themselves and literally morph, looking like an alien. They claim they are not angels nor human and they are neither good nor bad. The report of so many of purported abductions will hyper-focus on giving us new knowledge. That they are communicating new knowledge to us. What this basically is, is people experiencing the diabolical in nature. Literally, demons are involved in it. When any person professes their faith in Jesus Christ, they disappear. One person described himself as suddenly seeing his room open up and seeing a spaceship with a great light. In desperation, he cried out, "Jesus help me!" And the entire space scene, light and all immediately disappeared instantly."

Fr. Stefano Gobbi, who is not an exorcist, but is a Servant of God, on March 25, 1979 said, "In these times of purification, many are led astray by other words. In fact, my Adversary succeeds in seducing even the good by false manifestations of the preternatural in order to bring about deception and confusion on all sides. He will succeed in working many prodigies which will beguile the minds of even the good."

Fr. Gabriel Urgebadze an Orthodox priest died in 1995. He said, "During the Antichrist times, the strongest temptation will be anticipation of salvation from the cosmos, from humanoids, extraterrestrials that are actually the demons. One should rarely look up at the sky, as the signs might be deceptive and thus one may be ruined."

Back to my original experience, where I saw a great light, light up the backyard of our house and when my parents saw a UFO hover over the barn, these were not aliens. I believe they were demons.

Interestingly, about this time our family acquired a Ouija board and were playing it. Back then, we had no idea that to play it was seriously sinful and could unleash demons.

Demons want us to believe in the Steven Spielberg’s movie, Disclosure Day. Demons want us to believe all the files being released are aliens, because they want us to doubt Jesus. They want us to deny Jesus and replace Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition with the false idea that what Jesus said is not true.

But, Christians believe and will always believe, there is only one Savior Jesus Christ. There is only one mediator between God and man, Jesus Christ. Only Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life and no one comes to the Father except through Jesus.

And with the power and authority of Jesus, we can make the demons leave, by invoking His holy name.

My friends, if you happen to see a bright light in your backyard or if think you see an alien or a spaceship, immediately say, "In the name of Jesus Christ, leave!" And it will depart, because it wasn't an alien, but a demon.

When I began the homily, did I not tell you this homily would be out of this world? Demons come from out of this world. They come from depths of hell.

May Mary, the Queen of Angels and the Mother of Jesus Christ, the light of the world, help us to recognize false lights and enter into the Light of Christ, who will protect and save us.

11th Sunday, Sacred Heart of Jesus

 

In the Gospel today, St. Matthew said, "At the sight of the crowds, Jesus' heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd."

Due to our country's 250th anniversary of its founding in 1776, last Thursday evening, the Vigil of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the US Bishops gathered for their summer meetings in Washington DC and together they consecrated the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. By this consecration, we ask our nation to be under God and that our country will glorify God. Bishop Kemme asked all parishes to pray the consecration Friday, on the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart, which we did at the 7am Mass.

The Heart of Jesus began to beat when it was formed in Mary's womb. His Heart was moved with pity for the crowds on several occasions, once when He said the crowds were like sheep without a shepherd. And also, when the crowd hadn't eaten for days, His Heart was moved and so, Jesus multiplied the loaves and fish. Jesus said, "My Heart is meek and humble". St. John, the apostle, rested his head against the Heart of Jesus at the Last Supper and John stood at the foot of the Cross seeing His Heart pierced with a lance.

St. Margaret Mary Alacoque had a vision of the Lord on June 16th, 1675. The Heart of Jesus surrounded by flames of love, crowned with thorns and pierced with an open wound in which blood flowed and inside which appeared a cross. Jesus said, “Behold this Heart which has so loved men, that It has spared nothing even to exhausting and consuming itself in order to testify to its love. In return, I receive from the greater part only ingratitude by their irreverence and sacrileges by the coldness and contempt they have for me in this Sacrament of Love. What is most painful to Me, is that they are hearts consecrated to Me".

In other words, Jesus especially wanted reparation for priests and religious who treat Him terribly in the Holy Eucharist. He said, "It is for this reason I ask thee that the first Friday after the octave of the Blessed Sacrament be appropriated to a special feast, to honor My Heart by (receiving Communion) on that day, and making reparation for the indignity that it has received. And I promise that My Heart shall dilate to pour out abundantly the influences of its love on all that will render it this honor or procure its being rendered".

Our Lord asked for reparation on the first 9 Fridays, by receiving Him in Holy Communion. Jesus gave 12 promises. 1. I will give them all of the graces necessary for their state of life. 2. I will establish peace in their homes. 3. I will comfort them in all their afflictions. 4. I will be their strength during life and above all during death. 5. I will bestow a large blessing upon all their undertakings. 6. Sinners shall find in My Heart the source and the infinite ocean of mercy. 7. Tepid souls shall grow fervent. 8. Fervent souls shall quickly mount to high perfection. 9. I will bless every place where a picture of my heart shall be set up and honored. 10. I will give to priests the gift of touching the most hardened hearts. 11. Those who shall promote this devotion shall have their names written in My Heart, never to be blotted out. The 12th promise is the greatest. Jesus said, "I promise you in the excessive mercy of My Heart that My all-powerful love will grant all to those who communicate on the First Friday in nine consecutive months the grace of final penitence; they shall not die in My disgrace nor without receiving their sacraments; My Divine Heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment."

Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus consists in loving Jesus, in return--- for His great love for us. Second, reparation for the many offenses committed against Him, especially in the Eucharist.

We come to know the incredible love Jesus has for us in the Eucharist, at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, where He gives Himself to us in Holy Communion and there is a real and profound union of hearts and an exchange of love. Mother Teresa said, "When we see a crucifix, we see how much Jesus loved us back then, but when we look at the Eucharist, we see how much Jesus loves us now."

Jesus remains with us in the Tabernacle. When we look at a Tabernacle or when we we gaze upon the Eucharist, in our mind's eye, we see His Eucharistic Heart beating for us. We heed Our Lord’s words, “Come to me, all you who are burdened and I will give you rest” because in adoration we rest near His Sacred Heart and give Him our burdens. In the Eucharist, the Heart of Jesus is constantly beating, throbbing and pulsating for love of us. Jesus is madly in love with us. Eucharistic miracles, that turned to flesh, were scientifically tested which is living Heart tissue. By these miracles, Jesus wants us to know that the Eucharist is truly His beating Heart and beating out of love for us.

We show Jesus we love Him by struggling against sin, embracing suffering, striving for virtue, and doing our daily duties to the best of our ability. Our love for Jesus is reflected in our love of neighbor and help them in all their needs.

Jesus wants images of His Sacred Heart be honored. He promised St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, “I will bless the home in which the image of my Sacred Heart shall be exposed and honored.”

After Mass, every family and every individual can take a picture of the Heart of Jesus and display it in your home. Through a formal ceremony, a priest or the head of the household can enthrone the Heart of Jesus in your home. It takes about 15 minutes. There is a 3 day or 9 day preparation of prayers that can be said before the enthronement, which can be found on-line. When we enthrone (display) the image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in a prominent place and signify Jesus is the center and source of love for all. By the Enthronement, we link the Tabernacle of our parish to our home, inviting Our Lord to be our constant and most intimate Companion and reminds us that Jesus is among us and with us. It expresses Christ’s Kingship over our family by making reparation for sins and striving to serve God and neighbor more lovingly.

Today, we declare Jesus Christ is King and Lord of our life and our families. We place Jesus above everything such as sports, work, family.

Our high school girls attended Mass before the state basketball championship and they asked Jesus to bless their game when they asked a priest to bless them before the game starts. By doing these things, we turn to Jesus asking that He be glorified and His will be done in our life.

Apart from Jesus, we make our self independent of God. But, Jesus wants us to rely on Him. No matter the concern, if someone is sick, or the fallen away from the church, financial hardship, difficulty forgiving someone, or problems at work, entrust all to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and He will reign over and rule over it.

Praise God for the many parishioners and young people who are faithful to Sunday Mass attendance, faithful to Confession, to praying the Rosary, to Adoration, by doing so, the Heart of Jesus rules over our life.

Sacred Heart of Jesus, we trust in you! Sacred Heart of Jesus, we love you. Sacred Heart of Jesus be our salvation!

O Immaculate Heart of Mary, we honor you and ask you to be our Mother and keep us close to the Heart of Your Son. O St. Joseph, whose fatherly heart protects us, give us the graces we need to make our family, a holy family. Amen.

Corpus Christi 2026

 

The Solemnity of Corpus Christi came about due to a Eucharistic miracle. A German priest, Peter of Prague was on a pilgrimage traveling to Rome. He was a good and faithful priest, attending to his duties, but like the priest at Lanciano, he struggled with his belief in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.

Stopping at Bolsena, Italy, to rest, he celebrated Holy Mass at the tomb of St. Christina. As the priest spoke the words of consecration, the Host began to bleed onto his hands, and then onto the corporal, a linen cloth on the altar.

The priest was so dumbfounded that he immediately suspended the Mass, and left for Orvieto, a city about eleven miles away, where Pope Urban IV happened to be staying. After listening to the priest’s incredible story, the pope commissioned an investigation of the corporal and the miracle reported by the priest. After receiving the reports of the study, the pope declared that there was no natural cause for what had taken place. The Host and corporal were enshrined in the Cathedral of Orvieto, where they can be seen today.

Pope Urban was already familiar with a Eucharistic miracle. Years earlier, Blessed Juliana of Cornillon, in Belgium, had a vision in which she saw a full moon that was darkened in one spot. A heavenly voice told her that the moon represented the Church at that time, and the dark spot showed that a great feast in honor of Corpus Christi was missing from the liturgical calendar. She reported this vision to a local Church official, the archdeacon of Liège, who later became Pope Urban IV.

Remembering Juliana’s vision as he verified the bloody miracle reported by Peter of Prague, Urban commissioned instituted the Solemnity of Corpus Christi. He asked St. Thomas Aquinas to compose prayers and a Mass for the occasion, which resulted in the great Eucharistic hymns Tantum Ergo and O Salutaris and The Liturgy of the Hours for a new feast dedicated to devotion of the Eucharist.

The Solemnity of Corpus Christi for the universal Church is celebrated on the Thursday (in honor of the Last Supper and institution of the Holy Eucharist), after Trinity Sunday. However, in many countries, including the USA, its celebrated on the Sunday after Trinity Sunday.

Many churches hold a Eucharistic Procession every year on the Solemnity of Corpus Christi and process using a canopy, while a priest or deacon carried a monstrance containing Jesus in the Sacred Host.

Pope Benedict XVI, said, “…from this intimacy, which is an extremely personal gift from the Lord, the force of the sacrament of the Eucharist goes beyond the walls of our churches. In this sacrament, the Lord is always coming to the world. This universal aspect of the Eucharistic presence is shown in the procession of our feast. We take Christ, present in the figure of bread, through the streets of our city. We entrust these streets, these homes, our daily life, to His goodness. May our streets be Jesus' streets! May our homes be homes for Him and with Him! May his presence penetrate our everyday life. With this gesture, we place before His eyes the sufferings of the sick, the loneliness of youth and the elderly, temptations, fears, our whole life. The procession is intended to be a great and public blessing for our city: Christ is, in person, the divine blessing for the world. May the ray of his blessing extend over all of us!” (Pope Benedict XVI, Corpus Christi Homily, 2005)

Interestingly, every Eucharistic miracle ever tested by scientists all have the same blood type (AB) and all are living cardiac tissue from a Heart.

On Sept 19th, 2021, we began continuous Eucharistic Adoration from Sunday, 9am through Tuesday 7am, except during Mass on Mondays. We have had continuous adoration for 5 years. Thank you Jesus! I want to thank all those who have faithfully kept your Holy Hour every week and the many substitutes. Sometimes people move or change jobs, and we need replacements, but the Lord always calls someone to fill the Holy Hour that opens up. Jesus Himself keeps it going by inspiring parishioners to spend an hour with Him every week in the Most Holy Eucharist.

In our own parish, we may have been a miracle associated with Eucharistic Adoration. Kevin Cole, who is the stepfather of Joe Cordell and grandfather of Ire, came to Ire's baptism, First Communion and Confirmation at the Easter Vigil this year. For 9 years Kevin had a diseased liver. When he came I thanked him for making his heroic trip from St. Louis to attend his granddaughter's entrance into the Catholic Church. I could tell he was in much pain and was very tired, he was at the end of his rope and most likely didn't have much longer to live.

However, on Divine Mercy Sunday, the Sunday after Ire became Catholic, I wrote Kevin's name in the Adoration Petition book. Three days later, after the last adorer on Tuesday of that week came to do their Holy Hour, he received a call, that he had been waiting. He needed to immediately go to the hospital to receive a liver transplant.

As of today, he is doing very well. Though he waited 9 years for a new liver, the prayer was answered 3 days after the intention was written in the Adoration Petition book.

Some may say it was coincidence. But, frankly I don't believe in coincidences, I believe in "God instances" also known as "God's providence". God inspired Kevin to come here to be present for Ire when she became Catholic. God inspired me to write Kevin's name in the book, and God inspired parishioners to pray he would receive a new liver and he received one.

We should all thank the Eucharistic Jesus for this marvelous gift and allowing us to participate in it.

My friends, Jesus is truly here in the Sacred Host. Many times, we come to pray and we don't feel anything. We can't physically see Jesus, but we believe. We are tired and we feel like our prayers are so little, but God makes up for our weaknesses. He sees the love in our heart. He cares about our every need and He wants to be part of all that we do. Thank you Jesus for Eucharistic Adoration in our parish. Thank you Jesus for answering our prayers. Thank you Jesus for the person who donated his or her organs. We should pray for his or her soul, that God will reward them for their act of love.

I do need to share with you, what I have seen with organ donation. Sometimes, organs are removed in an unethical manner, while the person is not clinically dead. This is becoming more and more common in many hospitals. However, the Church teaches only after a person has died, may their organs be removed. Some doctors say brain death is the same as death, but new research shows brain death is not fully death. On April 11, 2024, the National Catholic Bioethics Center (NCBC) issued a landmark position statement, acknowledging that at least half of patients diagnosed as “brain dead” still have partial brain function.” The person can still breathe, their heart can still beat. How can their brain be dead, if their organs continue to function on their own.

About 15 years ago, I anointed a woman who the doctor said was brain dead. Due to her wayward life, her family had nothing to do with her. The doctor told her boyfriend, that she was brain dead, and suggested he give permission to turn off the machines because there was no hope she would live. The boyfriend asked me what to do.

I said, "Give God a chance. Pray for a miracle and wait one day before you decide what to do." I anointed her and gave her the Apostolic Pardon. The next day, they turned off the machines and she kept breathing on her own. The day after she was taken off machines, she woke up, I heard her confession and gave her Holy Communion. Three days later, she walked out of the hospital and went home. Was it a miracle, or was it a misdiagnosis?

She was so happy to have been able to go to Confession and receive Holy Communion. Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament had been longing to forgive her sins and be one with her in Holy Communion.

While I believe organ donation is very charitable, it must be in accord with Church teaching along with ethical scientific and medical principles.

Tomorrow, (Sunday), after Mass, we will have a Eucharistic Procession because we want to take our Eucharistic Jesus through the streets of Little River and ask Him to bless our city and our community with His presence.

May the Virgin Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, inspire many to come to daily Mass to receive Her Son in Holy Communion and help us to adore Her Son in Adoration.

Trinity Sunday - Fatima

 

This weekend is the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. It's the feast day for our parish.

In the Old Testament, there is no mention of the Blessed Trinity. The Hebrew people did not know there was three divine persons in one God.

But through Divine Revelation, the first person to come to know of the Trinity was the Blessed Virgin Mary. At the annunciation when the angel appeared to Mary, he said the power of the most high would overshadow her (Father), the spirit would come down upon Her and She would give birth to Jesus, the Son of God.

The Trinity was also revealed at the Baptism of Jesus when the Father spoke and said, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. The Holy Spirit appeared in the form of a dove.

Jesus speaks about the Trinity when He told His disciples to go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Did you know some of the apparitions of Fatima had to do with the Mass, the Eucharist and the Blessed Trinity?

In 1916, a year before Mary appeared, an angel appeared to three children holding a Chalice in his hands. A Host was suspended over the Chalice, and drops of blood fell from the Host into the Chalice. While the Chalice and Host were suspended in the air, he prostrated on the ground and repeated three times: "Blessed Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I adore you profoundly, and I offer the Precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, present in all the Tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the offenses, sacrileges, and indifferences by which He is so offended. And by the infinite merits of your Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg the conversion of poor sinners."

Then the angel, took the Host, gave it to Lucia, and the contents of the Chalice to Jacinta and Francisco, saying: "Eat the Body and drink the Blood of Jesus Christ, horribly offended by ungrateful men. Make reparation for their crimes and console your God."
Years later, Sister Lucia had a vision in the convent chapel at Tuy, Spain. She had a vision of the Blessed Trinity and she saw the Virgin Mary holding a Rosary, pointing to Her Heart surrounded with thorns, as She stood next to the Blessed Trinity, who was above the altar.

She saw God the Father looking down upon Jesus hanging on the Cross and the Holy Spirit between the Father and the Son. From the crown of Jesus and His wounded Heart dripped blood onto a suspended Host, which then dripped into a chalice.

This vision of the Trinity above the altar with Mary standing near by is a reminder the Mass is a sacrifice. The Mass is like a time machine, where the event of the Crucifixion that took place over 2000 years ago becomes present at every Mass. And since Mary stood at the foot of the Cross, She stands at the altar of every Mass.

The apparitions of the angel and the Tuy vision showed us truths about the Mass. That Mass is a Holy Sacrifice. It’s the re-presentation of Calvary on the altar. The Holy Mass is the worship of the Blessed Trinity. The bread and wine are totally changed into the body and blood of Christ at Mass. The vision of Sister Lucia where she saw Jesus hanging from the Cross and drops of Blood falling from His head unto the Host and from the Host dripping into the Chalice, is a reminder, that the Eucharist is the true Body of Jesus and the wine is changed into the true Blood of Jesus, shed for us on the Cross.

What are the sacrileges, offenses and indifference today with regard to the Eucharist? The most common sacrilege is receiving the Holy Eucharist in the state of mortal sin.

We are obligated to confess all mortal sins before we receive Holy Communion, such as missing Mass on Sunday, impure actions, pornography, adultery, using birth control etc... Otherwise, we commit an additional mortal sin called a sacrilegious communion. When we do such a thing, we receive absolutely no graces from Communion and in fact, we deeply offend Jesus.

St Paul said that when we receive the Eucharist unworthily we will bring condemnation to our self. He said, “For he who eats this bread and drinks the chalice of the Lord unworthily, eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the body of the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 11:27-29)

Blessed Dina Belanger said, “No punishment on earth can suffice for receiving Communion in the state of mortal sin.” St. Cyril said, "They who make a sacrilegious Communion receive Satan and Jesus Christ into their hearts--Satan, that they may let him rule, and Jesus Christ, that they may offer Him in sacrifice as a Victim to Satan."

During the time of the apparitions, only a priest could touch a Host. That’s why the Fatima children received Communion on the tongue.

One of the offenses committed against the Holy Eucharist in our time is small Particles of the Sacred Host are dropped on the floor by those who receive Communion in the hand. If we receive Communion in the hand, we should look at our hand to see if there are any Sacred Particles, and if there are, we should place them in our mouth and consume them. Most people may no attention to their hand after they receive Communion.

The Holy Eucharist is not only Jesus. Every Host contains the Blessed Trinity. We can't separate the three persons of the Trinity, they are always united as one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. They are equal, undivided and one.

Blessed Dina Belanger speaks about the Blessed Trinity in each Host and how Jesus is present in each fragment. She said, "The veil of mystery has been torn asunder. He is there, my God, infinite Unity, adorable Trinity, under the appearance of a small piece of bread. Jesus is there, in His sacred Humanity, His Heart, His precious Blood, His Soul, His eternal Divinity; He is there, whole and entire, in each Host consecrated throughout the world and in each fragment of consecrated Host."

Prayerfully consider asking Jesus how He would like you to receive Communion. If you receive in the hand, pray about receiving on the tongue.

The angel of Fatima also told the children that God is offended by ungrateful men. The angel said, "Eat the Body and drink the Blood of Jesus Christ, horribly offended by ungrateful men. Make reparation for their crimes and console your God." Every time we receive Holy Communion thank the Lord for the gift of receiving Jesus.

If we are not in the state of grace, as an act of humility, we should not come forward to receive Holy Communion. People also don't receive Communion because they accidentally ate food less than an hour before Communion, or perhaps they have an upset stomach and don't want to receive Communion for fear of vomiting.

Today, at Mass, let us offer our self, our sacrifices, our works in union with the bread and wine as they are offered on the altar through the hands of the priest as a total gift of self. We offer our self through Him, with Him and in Him as the priest says, "Through him, and with him, and in him, O God, almighty Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, for ever and ever."

 May our Holy Communion today, make reparation for the offenses, sacrilegious and indifferences by which Jesus is offended in the Holy Eucharist and so give honor, glory and respect to the Most Holy Trinity.

Pentecost & Virgin Mary

 

Today, Holy Mother Church celebrates Pentecost, the day the Holy Spirit came down upon the Apostles and the Blessed Virgin Mary in the upper room. We will first look at the history of Pentecost and then see how Mary helps us to live out the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, so that all can see the twelve fruits of the Holy Spirit in our life.

Pentecost was one of the three great Jewish Feasts many Jews went on pilgrimage to the Holy City of Jerusalem to worship God in the temple. It was a feast of thanksgiving to God for the deliverance of the Hebrew people and for God giving the Law on Mount Sinai. In thanksgiving to God they offered the first fruits from their harvest. It was called Pentecost because it was celebrated 50 days after the Passover. Passover is when they slaughtered the lambs as sacrifice and ate the Passover meal. It is believed the day Jesus was crucified was the feast of the Passover. When the Holy Spirit would come down upon the apostles, it gave new spiritual meaning to the Jewish Pentecost, which occurred fifty days after Jesus’ resurrection.

After Jesus ascended into heaven, the apostles and the Virgin Mary prayed for nine days in the upper room, waiting for the promised gift of the Holy Spirit. When the day of Pentecost arrived, suddenly, a sound came from heaven, like a rush of mighty wind, and it filled the house they were sitting. And there appeared to them, in the form of tongues of fire, the Holy Spirit, which came down, and rested upon the Apostles, and the Blessed Virgin Mary, and filled them with the Holy Spirit. They spoke in tongues such that each person heard the apostles speak in their own language. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the apostles were no longer afraid. From this day forward, they would become witnesses of the Gospel, even to the shedding of their blood as martyrs. The descent of the Holy Spirit is the birth of the Church as it begins its mission to gather all people of all nations together by the proclamation of the Gospel to the ends of the earth. The Holy Spirit is the advocate who leads all people to the truth.

The Virgin Mary, the most perfect of all humans, was present in the upper room when the Holy Spirit descended upon Her and the apostles. Because She was perfect, She received the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit in a super imminent way. She is the greatest of all saints, completely free from original sin and never once sinned in Her life. If we want to grow in the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, we can ask Mary to help us. The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, & fear of the Lord.

Mary is called the Seat of Wisdom, because She always sought God as Her highest good enabling Her to know the purpose and plan of Her life. She relished the things of God and directed Her whole life and actions to His glory and honor. Turning to Mary for Wisdom, we put God first in our life and see more clearly God’s will and plan for us.

The gift of Understanding caused Mary to understand Catholic teaching in a way far superior to us. If we are confused about a particular doctrine of the Church, or we want to come to have a better understanding of a particular Church teaching, or the grace to discern true and false doctrines, let us ask Our heavenly Mother for the gift of understanding.

Mary’s gift of Counsel caused Her to have the supernatural gift of prudence. The gift of counsel can help us to judge promptly and rightly what must be done in difficult circumstances. Sometimes we need help in making prudent decisions and we want to better know what is wrong and what is right, so we can ask Our Lady of Good Counsel to help us in our decisions.

Because of the gift of Fortitude Mary had the courage to endure Her seven sorrows. She had the strength to stand at the Foot of the Cross. And after He was placed in the tomb, She believed He would rise. When we are faced with difficult situations, we should turn to Mary, the Mother of Sorrows, to seek the gift of Fortitude.

The gift of knowledge “enables us to see God reflected in all creatures and to praise Him in them, but yet to see the nothingness of creatures in themselves so that we desire God alone.” The gift caused Mary to see created things as instruments for God’s service. We can appeal to Mary for help to know and love Jesus more and also come to understand the true purpose of created things are to lead us to God.

Mary’s gift of Piety caused Her to love God as Her Father, who overshadowed Her. She always sought the Father’s will in all things. She loved God first and foremost because God deserved to be loved. Perhaps we love God for the purpose of getting something from Him, not for His own sake. Mary can assist us to love God first, because He deserves to be loved as our loving and compassionate Father.

The Gift of Fear of the Lord, did not cause Mary to be afraid of God. Rather, She feared to offend Him. That is why Mary never chose to sin. When we find ourselves complacent with our sins, not striving to overcome them as we ought, we should pray to Mary, asking Her for the gift of Fear of the Lord, so we will strive to turn away from sin, so as not to offend God our loving Father.

Today, let us turn to the Virgin Mary as our model asking Her to obtain for us the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit so that all who see us will see the twelve fruits of the Holy Spirit in all that we say and do as Christians. May everyday-- be a day--- we pray to the Holy Spirit and in this way, all will see His working in our life.