22nd Wednesday "Married Priests- No!"

     St. Peter and his wife lived in a town called Capernaum, which was near the Sea of Galilee, although it was about the size of a large lake. Capernaum was a little town. Peter’s mother-in-law was at home sick with a fever. He and the other apostles asked Jesus to heal his mother-in-law. Out of love for her, Jesus worked a miracle and healed her. Her fever immediately went away and she got better. In fact, she got up, and began to cook for Jesus and His apostles. Everyone was amazed Jesus healed her.

    Today, there is a movement in which some want priests the ability to get married. Some point to the fact St. Peter, the first pope, was married and so they use him as an example as to why they think priests should be married today. It is also believed St. Philip, one of the twelve apostles was married too. However, neither Peter nor Philip remained at home. They abandoned their wives, their families and their jobs and gave their lives as faithful followers of Jesus. Scripture tells us Peter, Andrew, James and John abandoned their fishing business. Eastern Catholic Churches have had married priests for many years, but never has western Catholics had married priests.

    If priests are not married-- they are freer to serve God’s people, with an undivided heart, whereas those who are married have to balance their time with their family and also the people to whom they serve. While it is true, Pope Francis could permit married priests, by far the majority of Catholic priests today would prefer to live celibate lives, so to be more effective witnesses to the Gospel in imitation of Jesus, who was celibate and also to be faithful to the tradition of living lives of chastity and abstinence for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven.

    Today, let us pray for priests and religious, who have wholeheartedly devoted their lives in service of Jesus may they continue to be faithful witnesses of God’s kingdom.

22nd Tuesday - Protection Against Evil Spirits

 In the Gospel today, Jesus frees a man possessed by an evil spirit. Our Lord reveals His divine power over evil spirits by expelling the demon. Jesus is God. He is uncreated, always existed and is all powerful. An evil spirit is a fallen angel created by God. Demons and angels are much more powerful and much more intelligent than humans. Yet Jesus, comes to our help when we need Him the most.

Today, there is a terrible battle between the forces of evil and the Church which is God’s people on earth. The devil wants sins to be hidden, rather than to brought into the light by transparency; cowardice verse courage; lies, rather than truth; pride vs. humility; disobedience vs. obedience, unfaithfulness vs. faithfulness; vice rather than virtue; scandal vs. glory; destroy lives vs. give life; impurity vs. purity; mistrust vs. trust.

We are warriors in the battle. And we are called to take up arms. We must put on the shield of the scapular to protect us. Take out the weapon of the Rosary with its bullets (Hail Marys), use the Word of God as our sword, and put on the helmet of salvation, by our mental daily prayer. And we must fast, regularly to cast out the evil from our Church. We should fast for the leadership of our Church, the pope, cardinals, bishops and priests and reinforce them in the great battle. We can do these things in reparation for the sins. We trust, Jesus will come to save His Church and expel the demons and evil from within, so that it may be free of this diabolical attack.

We should especially pray the St. Michael prayer regularly. He was a lowly archangel, who led the battle against Lucifer and the bad angels and cast them out of heaven due to their disobedience to God. Especially at times we feel tempted or the become aware of the devils tactics we can ask St. Michael to help us.

May, the Virgin Mary help us in this battle against evil, knowing She has been commissioned to crush the head of the serpent and may St. Michael and all the good angels come down from heaven to do battle with us, so as to win the battle for souls and save the Church from tyranny.

22nd Monday

 When Our Lord stood up in the synagogue and read the scripture passage from Isaiah, many were surprised that He said, “Today, this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” 

The scripture passage He read said, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and to let the oppressed go free and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.”

These words specifically referred to the Messiah, whom the people longed for the day of His arrival. So when Jesus said, ”this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”, Jesus was indirectly proclaiming Himself the Messiah.

While at first they were amazed, surprisingly, just after He said these words, the people would try to throw Him off the cliff, but He would escape. These words were proclaimed in Nazareth, the town in which He was raised. They would not have believed He is the Messiah, because they watched Him grow up in their own community. Today let us pray, through the intercession of Mary, the Mother of the Messiah, that the Jewish people may accept Jesus as the Messiah and accept the fullness of truth revealed by God by becoming members of the Catholic Church.

22nd Sunday, "Going through the Motions"

The start of the school year there are rules for sports: football, basketball, baseball, volleyball and without rules there would be chaos. As school starts there are additional laws for the general public. Traffic laws to abide by in school zones and when school buses stop. The rules, laws and regulations that involve the school year reflect the general reason why we have laws to start with: for the protection of society and, ultimately, the happiness of individuals.

Everyone understands why we have traffic laws. If you speed, or run a stop sign, you can get into an accident and hurt yourself and others. Even if you don’t have an accident you can suffer the penalty of a fine. The greater the offense, the greater the fine.

We know why there are sports rules too. It keeps the game organized and fair. The greater the violation, the greater the penalty. A technical from punching another player or using foul language can cause one to ejected from the game or the team can suffer the loss of yardage or the other team getting free throws in basketball. Everyone is happy when the rules are followed because they help respect the dignity of persons and avoid cheating.

There are also rules, regulations, and laws that guide our relationship with God. That is what today’s readings are about. In Deuteronomy the people are happy because the Law allows them to follow their God. Moses told the people, “What great nation is there that has gods so close to it as the LORD, our God, is to us whenever we call upon him? Or what great nation has statutes and decrees that are as just as this whole law which I am setting before you today?" The ancient Hebrews always felt that the Law was a blessing, a personal guide from the Almighty.

By following the 10 commandments (God’s laws) we protect our self, others and our relationship with God. If someone steals or tells a lie, or cusses or injures someone, a penalty is assigned by God because we hurt others, our self and God. The penalty can be either made up in this life or in the next. Just like in sports or traffic laws, the greater the offense, the greater the penalty (punishment).

Its better to do the penalty of temporal punishment (penance) in this life than in the next. By going to confession and then doing our penance, it makes up for the harm we committed. The greater the sin, the greater the penalty (penance). Mortal sins cause us to be ejected from God by losing our relationship with Him and the mystical body of Christ (God’s team) suffers from it.

If we don’t change our ways and tell God we are sorry in confession after we seriously harm God, our self or others, we can suffer the punishment of hell for ever. Continuous punishment forever.

In the Gospel today, Jesus tells the scribes and Pharisees they are hypocrites because they are more concerned about the law than the reason for the law. They are concerned with the way they wash their hands and cups and dishes (sanitary laws) that needed to be followed, but not concerned with cleansing of evil within their hearts such as theft, murder, adultery, greed, evil thoughts….

We don’t avoid cussing at the referee to just avoid the penalty. We don’t avoid punching someone just because we don’t want to be ejected. Rather, we avoid these things because the reasons to avoid them have to do with being a Christian. We follow the sports rules and God’s laws because they help us to respect our self and others.

At Mass, some may be more concerned about actions than the reason for the actions. Sometimes we can go through the motions and not even know why we are doing what we are doing. For example: Why do we make the sign of the Cross like this? What does it mean? Why do we make the sign of the cross on our forehead, lips and heart at the beginning of the Gospel? Why do we dip our hands in holy water when we come to church and leave church? Why do we genuflect when we come to Mass and leave Mass? These are called liturgical laws (rules) that govern our worship of God at Mass. We need to know the reasons why we do them and not just do them.

At Mass there are specific rules for which Eucharistic prayer is used. Do you know why I like to use Eucharistic Prayer 1? (the Roman Canon). “Canon” means rules are followed that cannot be changed. The Canon of the Mass hasn’t changed in 1,500 yrs. Eucharistic Prayer 1 is very special. Every saint who offered Mass or who assisted at Mass during those 1,500 years, prayed it. There was no other Eucharistic Prayer until after Vatican II in the 1960s. Eucharistic prayer 1 is special because in the prayer, we invoke the intercession of many saints (Linus, Cletus, Clement, Sixtus), who were all early popes. (Felicity, Perpetua, Agatha, Lucy) martyrs. We are reminded of the cloud of witnesses who are the saints and martyrs praying with us and for us at Mass.

Only in Eucharistic Prayer 1 do we pause to pray for our own intentions and also pause to pray for the dead. By pausing at these times, and being ready to pray for our own needs and for our deceased loved ones, it helps us to be more attuned as to what is happening at Mass. As Mass starts, think what I am going to pray for, who am I going to pray for? What deceased souls am I going to help?

Eucharistic Prayer 1 also speaks about the angel coming down from heaven to take our prayers to the altar of God in heaven. According to the Roman Missal, Eucharistic Prayer 1 can always be prayed at anytime and is “especially appropriate for Sundays.”

It seems to me the Roman Missal does not envision Eucharistic prayer 2 on Sundays, since it doesn’t mention it for that purpose. But rather says its more appropriately used on weekdays (rather than Sundays).  Fr. Louis Boyer claims Eucharistic prayer 2 was created in a tavern by himself and another priest in the 1960’s. Knowing this, some priests cringe when using it.

With Eucharistic Prayer three, the priest can add the saint of the day or the saint of parish. Its was also created in the 1960’s. Eucharistic Prayer 1 is envisioned for Sunday unless for pastoral considerations 3 is to be used.

Eucharistic prayer 4, has its own preface that must be used. It may be used when a Mass has no preface and on Sundays.

The point is---when the priest is praying the Eucharistic Prayer, (don’t think how long it takes). There is only a 5 min. Difference from the shortest to the longest. Rather, pay attention to the words and join in seeking the intercession of the saints, in your mind picture the angel coming down from heaven to take our prayers to the altar of God in heaven. Listen for the moment when hear the pause to pray for your own needs, your family and your intentions. It is also your opportunity to pray for deceased loved ones, who will be thrilled you are helping them to get out of purgatory.

This way we won’t be just going through the motions, but will be praying the Mass with the heart. We are all part of God’s team (the mystical body of Christ) and God wants us to follow His laws not because they are there, but because they help us to love God and neighbor and reminds us God loves us and wants us to use them to help us get to heaven.

May the Virgin Mary, help our heart to be united with our actions at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and in everything we do, whether its sports or traffic laws or any rules to respect the dignity of each person out love for God and neighbor.

Aug. 27th - St. Monica

 Today, we celebrate the memorial of St. Monica, the mother of the great St. Augustine. Monica was born about the year 332 in North Africa, of a Christian family. In her childhood, she sometimes fell into the habit of taking secret great droughts of wine in the cellar. One day a servant spied on the little girl and denounced her as a drunkard, and Monica, covered with shame, gave up the habit. Soon afterwards she was baptized, and thenceforth led a life of irreproachable virtue.

As soon as Monica had reached marriageable age, she married Patricius, who had a violent temper. Monica endured his outbursts with the utmost patience, although he was critical of Christians and their practices. The daily example of her gentleness and kindness finally had its rewards. A year before his death, he became a Christian.

Her son, Augustine, spent time in youthful carousing, which caused his mother great anguish. She disapproved so strongly both of his loose living and of his acceptance of the popular heresy of Manichaeism. Augustine tried to convince her to give up her Christian faith, which he said was the main obstacle keeping them apart.

But Monica did not lose faith. She continually fasted, prayed, and wept on his behalf. She implored the local bishop for help to win him over. But he counseled her to be patient, saying, "God's time will come." Monica persisted until the bishop uttered the words which have often been quoted: "Go now, I beg you; it is not possible that the son of so many tears should perish."

The joyous day of Augustine's conversion finally came after she followed her son to Milan where they met Saint Ambrose. At Easter, when Bishop Ambrose baptized Augustine, his mother's cup was full to overflowing.

The prayers of Monica have been invoked by generations of the faithful who honor her as a special patroness of married women and as an example for Christian motherhood. She is also the patron of alcoholics. May her example and prayers help all parents with children who no longer practice their faith. St. Monica, pray for us!

21st Thursday 'Stay Awake"

 “Stay Awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into.”

With these words Jesus is referring to His second coming. When He will come to judge the living and the dead. But this also applies to our personal judgment at the moment of our death. No body knows the day and hour of one’s death, because if he or she would, the person would most likely wait until the last minute to prepare for it. So God does not reveal that to us, except for some saints on occasion. We also do not want our soul to get broken into, by the devil, the thief, who wants to take away the gift of heaven from us. He can do this by us committing a mortal sin and being unrepentant of it.

Every day we must be prepared for our death and our judgment which immediately follows it.

How do we prepare? How do we live our life as though it was our last? First, we need to keep our soul in the state of grace, by living our life with God in this life, by placing Him and His will first in all we do. If God is first, He will take care of everything else. If we put God first, we will wake up in the morning and immediately say some prayers. We will ask God to be with us throughout the day. And during the day we will do everything we do, for love of Him and our neighbor. And most everyone falls sometime during the day committing some sin, because we are human. But as soon as we sin, we should immediately tell the Lord we are sorry and ask for His forgiveness and if we offended others to apologize to them as well. The Lord told us we need to forgive others, or He will not forgive us.

If we live each day loving others as much as possible, helping others in any way we can, and doing all we do for the love of God, then are staying awake. Personal daily prayer talking to God, thanking Him, asking Him for forgiveness helps us to stay awake. Coming to Holy Mass as often as possible, receiving Jesus in Holy Communion, going to confession at least once a month, daily reading a small portion of the bible, daily praying the Rosary all keeps us close to Jesus. And therefore we are preparing for our master’s return. Today, let us ask the Virgin Mary to help us to stay awake and not grow lazy in our faith, that we may be prepared for the master’s return, at a day and hour we will not expect.

21st Wednesday

 In the Gospel today, Jesus reproves the Scribes and Pharisees for being hypocrites. They act as though they are holy and righteous, but inside they have a total disregard for God’s law.

Every year the Jews whitened the outside of the tombs in order that that they might be known and clearly seen, yet inside the tombs were dead men’s bones and every kind of filth. He used this comparison to indicate that outside the Scribes and Pharisees appeared righteous, but inside they were totally corrupt and wicked.

Our Lord knew the inner heart of the Scribes and Pharisees and saw that they lacked any kind of virtue whatsoever. Jesus saw they had secret plans to persecute and kill Him.

All of us at times outwardly appear to be going through the motions, but inside what are we thinking? Where is our heart?

When we read prayers from our prayer book or when we come to the Mass, is our heart united to Jesus? Do attempt to enter into what we are doing? Perhaps, we just go through the motions. In other things, that we do, do we hurry from this to that, not paying attention to what we are really doing.

Also at times, on the outside we may appear righteous, but inside we have negative and judgmental thoughts of others.

We all fall in these ways, but as long as we renew our efforts and try, this is all the Lord asks of us. And is this way, our heart will be filled with virtue, we avoid hypocrisy and we truly live a life of love and holiness. May Our Blessed Lady help us to have good and holy motives, and keep us under Her protection and prepare us for our eternal home.

Aug. 24th - St. Bartholomew (Nathanial)

 One of the apostles, whose name is inscribed on the foundation of the Church, is St. Bartholomew, whose feast we celebrate today.

His call as an apostle, came through the intercession of his friend, St. Philip. When Philip finds Bartholomew he said, “We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law, and also the prophets.” Even though Bartholomew said, “Can any good come from Nazareth?” Philip said, ‘come and see’.

When he finally found Jesus, Our Lord looked at him and said, “Here is a true child of Israel. There is no duplicity in him.” Jesus highlighted Bartholomew’s guiless virtue. He was not duplicit. In other words, he was frank and honest and his motives were pure. He was truthful. He was not deceitful. Bartholomew wondered how Jesus had known him, after all, he did not recall speaking with Him before. Realizing Our Divine Lord could read his heart, he makes a remarkable act of faith, he said, “..you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel”.

St. Bartholomew lived in the city of Cana. He preached in India and Armenia. While in Armenia, in the city of Albanopolis, it is believed he suffered martyrdom by being flayed alive, and then beheaded by the order of the king of Armenia.

He is often pictured in art with flayed skin and a knife in his hand. In the Gospels, he is known by two names (Nathaniel and Bartholomew).

Today, let us imitate St. Bartholomew’s truthfulness and strive to life a life without guile, so that at the end of our life, when we stand at the gates of heaven, Jesus will say to us, Here is a true child of Israel. There is no duplicity in him.”, come enter into my kingdom.

Aug. 23rd - St. Rose of Lima

Today is the memorial of St. Rose of Lima, the patron of Peru, South America, and the Philippines. Her birth name was Isabel de Flores. She was born in Lima, Peru on April 20, 1586 and was the 11^th of 13 children.

Her father was a Puerto Rican, who had come to Peru in 1548 with the Spanish conquistadors. She received the name Rose when a housemaid, gazing upon her when she was still an infant, remarked: “She’s as lovely as a rose.” She was given that name at the time of confirmation. Her mother used to place a crown of roses on her head and had hoped her daughter would someday get married, but Rose had other plans.

She had a great devotion to St. Catherine of Sienna and a very special love of the Child Jesus. When she was 5 yrs. old she had asked the Child Jesus to teach her to read and write, which He did. She obtained cures from the Child Jesus for the sick.

Since she was beautiful, she didn’t want to tempt anyone by her beauty so she cut her hair and rubbed red pepper on her skin to make it appear blotchy.

She lived a life of penance, frequently fasted, didn’t eat meat, spent hours in prayer, mortified herself, flogged herself, wore a hair shirt, and served the poor. She offered up her suffering as a way of atoning for the idolatry of her country, for the conversion of sinners, and for the souls in purgatory.

When Rose was 20 years old, her mother encouraged her to get married and became extremely angry when Rose told her she made a vow of chastity at the age of 5.

She became a third order Dominican and built a cell in a remote corner of the garden and after a period of trial and desolation, received the joy of spiritual espousal to Christ. Jesus said to her, “Rose of my heart, be thou My bride.”

She died at the young age of 31 and is often pictured holding the Child Jesus and wearing a crown of roses.

As we prepare to receive Holy Communion, let us humble our self before the Lord in a spirit of devotion and prayer in imitation of St. Rose of Lima and the Blessed Virgin Mary.

21st Sunday - "A Hard Saying" - Eucharistic Adoration

In the Gospel today, many of the disciples of Jesus said, “This is a hard saying; who can accept it?”. What was the hard saying difficult to accept? Jesus had said, “I am the bread of life, He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood will live forever.” They took His words literally and so could not understand “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?” They thought He was talking about eating His flesh after His death (cannibalism) but He was talking about eating the flesh of a live person, Himself. Our Lord had not yet established the Mass or the Eucharist, so it would have been confusing to the disciples, but Jesus demanded faith. He meant these words literally because if He meant it symbolically, He would have had an obligation to prevent them from leaving believing something about Him was not true. Jesus allowed them to no longer follow Him because He expected faith from His disciples and to believe He really wanted them to eat His flesh and drink His Blood.

 You have faith and believe you will eat His flesh and drink His blood otherwise you would not be here today. What would you do if Jesus walked in our church today, grabbed a chair and sat in front of the altar? And anyone could come to ask Him any question and get the perfect answer. Or the sick could come, ask for a healing and be healed. I just read a news article about a couple who carried their sick baby to church and knelt down before Jesus in adoration asking Our Lord to heal their child. What wonderful faith!

During Eucharistic Adoration, Jesus is not in a chair, but in a gold object called a monstrance. When we adore Him in adoration, we should speak to Him from the Heart and especially thanking Him. We can ask for healing, for graces to help us carry our cross, to change the hearts of loved one and pray for enemies too. When in adoration, we can talk to Jesus and tell Him what's going on in our life. Look at Jesus and tell Him our problems. To tell Him about what causes us to be sad and our life difficulties. If we are depressed, He gives us hope. If we are lonely, He give us companionship. We grow rapidly in holiness and virtue. We grow in greater love of God and neighbor. We receive inspirations to help us make decisions. We commit less sins. Spending time with Jesus in adoration, we become more thankful. We learn everything we have comes from God and accept our sufferings. We don’t have to do much, we just need to be present to Jesus and just by being in His presence we are blessed.

Here are some true stories about how Jesus in adoration chapels changed the lives of ordinary people.

A grandmother by the name of Kimberly and her three grandchildren went through RCIA. Two months after the children became Catholic, as they were praying in the Adoration Chapel, the 12 yr. old boy saw Jesus come out of the Host and stand in front of the altar. Jesus was wearing a white garment, a gold sash, a golden crown on His head and had a scepter in His hand. Jesus told the boy, “Remove your shoes and tell the others to do the same. Tell the priest, to tell the people to remove their shoes before they come into the Adoration Chapel. It is their choice if the want to remove their shoes. This ground is Holy because I am standing on it before you.” When he told his grandmother and sisters to remove their shoes, they did as he requested because they noticed he was seeing something.

In Hays, Kansas, a non-Catholic man needed a new heart. One of his Catholic friends went to the Adoration Chapel to pray for him. Just as he finished his Holy Hour, he received a phone call and was asked to take his friend to a hospital, because waiting for him was a new heart.

Also in Hays, a grandmother was in the adoration chapel praying for her 10 year old grandson, so he would not get hurt because he was helping with the wheat harvest. During her Holy Hour, the boy was accidentally ran over by a wheat truck. The family feared the worse because the truck ran over the boy’s body. Taken by ambulance to the emergency room, he had CT scans, Xrays and other tests, all of which indicated he was completely fine except for a few scrapes. All believed it was a miracle attributed to his grandmother asking Jesus in the Eucharist, to protect her grandson.

Several years ago, woman’s teenage son was going to commit suicide, but in the middle of the night, he went to an adoration chapel to pray and never went through with it. Jesus in the Eucharist inspired him to tell his mother and so because of Adoration, his life was saved.

Kathy signed up for a weekly Holy Hour. Every week, she prayed her husband Gary would become Catholic and her adult son, Cody would grow in his faith. Gary and Cody, on their own—without her saying anything--joined RCIA classes. Gary became Catholic and Cody was confirmed at the Easter Vigil. Today, they pray a Holy Hour every week together.

In San Antonio, Texas a teenage girl was going to have an abortion. Her Catholic friend tried to talk her out of it, but to no avail. She went to an adoration chapel at night and prayed for her pregnant friend begging Jesus to spare the life of the baby. The next day at the abortion clinic, just before the procedure, the girl changed her mind and kept the baby.

John had drinking problem and rarely came to Mass. But, during Sign-up weekend, he happened to come to Mass and signed up for a Holy Hour. Over a period of a few months, he began to attend Mass regularly. He became an usher and helped make pancakes at the parish. He attended AA meetings and stopped drinking. Adoration changed his life.

In Wichita, Patrick was about 30 years old, when he was walking down an alley late at night, he was shot to death by a robber. His mother had difficulty forgiving the killer, until she came to Jesus in the adoration chapel. Because of adoration, she forgave the killer and because she forgave him, a flood of graces caused her whole family to forgive.

Patty from St. Michael’s in Mulvane, Kansas was pregnant with her 7th child. She was fearful of the delivery and sent a letter to me while I was at seminary asking me to pray for her, so she would have a quick and easy delivery. I made a Holy Hour at the seminary chapel for her intention and sent her a note with the date and hour it was made. A few weeks later, she wrote back saying, she gave birth to her son, Andrew, during the exact time I prayed the Holy Hour saying, “I couldn’t believe it. I barely made it to the hospital and gave birth within 15 minutes. There was hardly any pain and it was a quick delivery.”

Neal, a boy who was a sophomore in High School at Council Grove signed up for a Holy Hour. His parents were skeptical as to whether or not he would keep his hour. But he did. He was faithful to his weekly holy hour before school and rode his bike whether it was raining or snowing.

All these stories and many more help us to know Jesus is really and truly in the Eucharist and wants us to come to Him and with all the problems in the world and in the Church, Jesus wants everyone to make a weekly Holy Hour with Him. He wants families to come together to adore Him.

For example, at Church of the Resurrection in Wichita, the George family comes to the adoration chapel every night at 9pm with their 6 children-- ages 4 years old to 16 to pray their night prayers together. Some read the bible, others pray the rosary, some do spiritual reading, others pray quietly the entire time. How beautiful to see a family come to Jesus every night before they go to bed. 

In addition to bringing our families to Jesus in adoration, Our Lord also gives each of us the opportunity to be alone with Him. I am sure at times parents would love to have their individual quiet time, away from the family, away from work. Everyone needs quiet time.

Won’t you-- “Come away by yourself to a lonely place and rest awhile.” Why not spend that lonely place with Jesus in adoration? And rest with Him. Sign up-weekend is just a few weeks away. Pray about it.

Let us pray, “O Jesus, give us the grace to come to you in adoration and spend an hour with you every week. O Mary, help us to pray to Jesus, Your Son, and to love Him, as you loved Him. Amen.”

20th Week Friday - I Love God! But How Much?

 In the Gospel today, Jesus responds to the question by the Pharisee who said, “Teacher which commandment is the law is the greatest?” Our Lord said, “You shall love the Lord your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” He then said, “The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Most everyone will say, “I love God.” But how much do we really love Him? Do we love Him with all our heart, all our soul and with all our mind? Most agree we fall short of that. But how can we tell, how much we love God?

First of all, we show our love for God, by how well respect Him and worship Him, recalling that He is everything and we are nothing and we fear to offend Him, out of love for Him. We show our love for God by doing His will in our daily life. We show God we love Him, by not offending Him through sin. And finally, one of the best ways to show how much we love God is by how well we love our neighbor. If we love our neighbor as our self, we would treat others the way we would want to be treated. We would see Jesus in everyone, especially within the poor, the handicapped, the elderly and within those we live with.

When we think of love, we think of two different symbols . The first symbol is the heart and especially the Hearts of Jesus of Jesus and Mary. The second symbol is the Cross—because on the Cross, Jesus laid down His life for us and it was on the Cross, His Heart was pierced. 

 Today let us resolve to love God with all our heart, mind and soul and love our neighbor as our self. And may we turn to the Cross to see love revealed and turn to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary asking them to help us to love.

20th Thursday "The Wedding Feast"

 In the Gospel today, the parable seems hard to understand. What is the marriage feast Jesus is referring to? What is the garment that is needed to attend the wedding feast?

St. Gregory, the Great, says, “The marriage is the wedding of Christ and His Church.” He states the garment necessary to attend the wedding feast is the virtue of charity. A person, who goes to the wedding feast, without the wedding garment is someone, who believes in the Church, but does not have charity.

The wedding garment signifies dispositions a person needs for entering the kingdom of heaven. Even if he belongs to the Church, if he does not have these dispositions, he will be condemned and thrown out when God judges all mankind, because they are not worthy to come to the feast of heaven. These dispositions essentially mean responding to the grace God desires to give us.

May we come to the banquet of the Lamb, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, with the disposition of charity, and receive Jesus in the Eucharist, with a heart opened and ready to respond to every grace, so that when we enter into the Kingdom of the Father, we will sit at the heavenly marriage feast, and gaze upon Our Lord, and His Mother Mary forever in heaven.

20th Wednesday "First Will Be Last & Last Will Be First"

 “The last will be first, and the first will be last”. Today’s parable is addressed to the Jewish people (the first), whom God called at an early hour, centuries before Jesus came. Now that He has arrived, the Gentiles (the last) are also called—with an equal right, to form the part of the new people of God, the Church.

At first sight, laborers of the first hour seem to have a genuine grievance—because they do not realize, that to have a job in the Lord’s vineyard is a divine gift and privilege given by the giver. Jesus leaves us no doubt, that although He calls us to follow in different ways, all receive the same reward—heaven.

I have met people who attended daily Mass their whole life from the time they were a child until they died in old age. Imagine receiving Holy Communion everyday, going to confession every 2 weeks and living for over 80 years. He or she will have a special place in heaven.

But have you ever known someone who never attended church their whole life, but on their death bed had a conversion and was baptized, receiving Holy Communion and the Last Rites and then the person dies just a few days later? I have but it is rare. When that person was baptized the sins of their whole life was washed away and they didn't even need to go to confession.

Is it fair both persons (one is the faithful their whole life) and the unfaithful, except at the end) are able to go to heaven? Yes, its fair because heaven is a gift.

However, the faithful person will have merited a great crown of glory, but the one who didn’t go to church will have made it, but will not receive the glory God intended for their soul had they lived a life of faithfulness to the Lord.

As one who did hospital ministry for four years, I can tell you there are some who are first that will be last, and last who will be first. But many times the last will not even be last, because they showed no interest in this life loving God or neighbor, and not doing what it takes to follow the narrow path to heaven.

The majority of people die as they lived their life. If they never attended church, never went to confession, they will care little or nothing about their own salvation. I had people tell me, I don’t care if I go to heaven or not. Some have even said they want to go to hell just weeks before they died. How sad.

Its dangerous being un-churched. They risk losing heaven forever. Some will not want to confess or want Holy Communion even when they are dying. Though we can’t judge their soul, will they be admitted to heaven, if they never prayed or lived as a Christian?

Today let u s pray for those who are last, that they may receive the grace to be first and let us rejoice in those who follow the Lord their whole life and likewise rejoice in those who will obtain salvation even if its at the last minute.

20th Tuesday "Eye of a Needle"

 In the Gospel today Our Lord said, “It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than who is rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” 

 Was Jesus referring here to a needle and thread? No! Rather, “The needle’s eye” was the name given to a small passage that existed in Jerusalem’s wall. The gate of the city was closed ate dusk, and those who came after the gate was closed had to use the well guarded “needle’s eye.” A person could walk easily through this narrow opening, but the camel could not easily make it. One would either have to leave his camel behind or unload the camel with all its baggage. And then to try to force the camel through the “needle’s eye” was an ordeal especially if the camel didn’t want to squat down to go through the low gate.

Therefore, as difficult as it is to get a camel through the eye of the needle gate would it be for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God.

Jesus wanted them to give up everything including their family, their land, their jobs, their riches and material possessions. He was warning them being attached to riches could hinder them from entering into the kingdom of heaven.

Our Lord promises His apostles, by giving up everything, they will sit on the 12 thrones in heaven and will have more houses, brothers and sisters and children and lands in the kingdom of heaven.

They need to leave everything behind and keep their eyes and heart on the kingdom of heaven and all will be given to them.

May the Virgin of the poor, pray for us and inspire us to be detached from the things of the world and attached to God alone.

Aug. 15th - Assumption of Mary

This weekend, we celebrate the Assumption of Mary. St. Alphonsus Ligouri, describes the assumption. He said, “the apostles, had gathered around the bed of Our Lady because She had informed them that Her earthly time had ended and that She was going to heaven. When all the apostles had arrived, She died and then was assumed in heaven before their eyes.” He said, “Then the host of angels came in choirs, to meet Her, as if to be ready for the great triumph with which they were to accompany Her to paradise. That great soul, that beautiful dove of the Lord, was then loosened from the bands of this life; and She entered into the glory of the blessed”.

In the Old Testament, David brought the ark of the covenant to the place he prepared for it. Once the ark was placed in the tent the people of Israel rejoiced playing musical instruments and offered up burnt offerings. This is symbolic of Mary’s assumption into heaven.

The book of Revelation states, “God’s temple was opened, and the ark of His covenant could be seen in the temple”. “A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun and moon under Her feet, and on Her head a crown of twelve stars.” Just as David and the people of Israel rejoiced at the entrance of the ark in the tent, so the new Israel (heaven), all of heaven (the angels and saints) rejoiced at the entrance of Mary, when She is assumed into heaven and crowned with twelve stars.

The book of Revelation said, “the dragon stood before the woman about to give birth, to devour her child. But the woman fled into the desert where she had a place prepared by God.” Mary’s womb was a safe haven for unborn baby Jesus. Her womb was “blessed” because Jesus dwelt in it. Mary’s womb was the ark for Jesus, who is the new and everlasting covenant. And once Jesus was born, Mary protected and nurtured the Child Jesus. Mary and Joseph fled into Egypt to protect the Child from Herod, who wanted to kill Him.

Mary’s Immaculate Heart is a safe haven for Her spiritual children. Through consecration to Her Immaculate Heart, She protects us from the dragon who wants to harm us. As her spiritual children, we can hide in the ark of Her Immaculate Heart.

Today, at the end of Mass we will have the opportunity to consecrate our selves, our families, our children, our marriage, our bills, our parish, our problems, our organizations: the altar society, PSR, Eucharistic Adoration, RCIA, our work, our relationships and anything and everything to Her and allow Her to help us in all our needs to the Hearts of Jesus, Mary and Joseph.

To consecrate means to make holy. When we are baptized, we are consecrated to God, made holy and belong to Him. We become one of God’s children. When one is baptized, we profess our faith and renounce Satan, all his works and all his empty promises.

St. Louis de Montfort said, when we consecrate our selves to Mary, we are renewing our baptismal promises by renouncing sin and re-dedicating our self to God and so by consecrating our selves to Mary, we allow Her to protect us from the devil and his minions. We hide within Her Heart as a shelter from temptations and the storms of life. When we consecrate ourselves to Mary, we give Her permission help us and bring us closer to God, which makes us holy. As She always did God’s will and never sinned, She will help us to do God’s will and avoid sin by watching over and protecting our families and our parish.

God wants us every Catholic to have a devotion to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary and encourages us to turn to them. We know this because of the angel’s appearance to the children of Fatima. The angel told the children, “The Hearts of Jesus and Mary are attentive to the voice of your supplications.” and the angel also said, “The Hearts of Jesus and Mary have designs of mercy for you!”

I believe, the kinds of statues in each church are put their by God’s providence. So I believe God wants our parish to have a devotion to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary.

St. Maximilian Kolbe said “by dedicating ourselves to (Mary) we become in Her hands instruments of God’s mercy as She was such an instrument in God’s hands. We should let our selves be guided and led by Mary and rest quiet and secure in Her hands. She will watch out for us, provide for us, answer our needs of body and spirit; She will dissolve all our difficulties and worries.”

By consecrating our self the Heart of Jesus, we become one with Him. We belong to Him. We allow Him to use us to accomplish His will in our life. We surrender everything to Him in gratitude for all He has done for us. Our heart will grow with a burning desire to love Jesus evermore and to love others with His Heart.

By consecrating our self to St. Joseph, we allow him to protect our home, as he protected the home of the Holy Family. He will help fathers to be good fathers. Husbands to be good husbands. We allow him to protect our possessions, as he protected God’s most precious possession, Jesus. He will help us in our work, protect our church, as he protects the universal Church. He will help us to be obedient, just, holy and virtuous in every way like he was in his life.

If you have a problem or a decision, consecrate it to the Hearts of Jesus, Mary and Joseph and watch them act. The hearts are attentive to our supplications.

At times the consecration can be short for example we can say, “Hearts of Jesus, Mary and Joseph I give this problem to you. Help me.”

Dear parish family, if we live our life united to the Hearts of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, we can be assured, when we die, we will first meet Jesus at our judgment and by the merits of the three hearts, we will enter the joys of heaven and rejoice with the angels who welcomed Mary when She was assumed into heaven. May the Hearts of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, be our protection and our salvation.

Aug. 12th - St. Jane de Frances Chantel

 Today, we celebrate the memorial of Jane Frances de Chantel, wife, mother and consecrated religious sister. Born at Dijon in 1572, into a prominent family, St. Jane Frances de Chantal, received an excellent education. At the age of 20, she married the Baron de Chantal, who was an officer in the army of Henry IV.

She suffered the loss of three children, who died soon after birth. She then gave birth to 3 girls and a boy.

Once when her husband was away, someone commented about her modest clothing even while her husband was gone. And she replied, “The eyes which I want to please are a hundred miles from here.” She was happily married for 8 yrs. until left a widow with her four children, when her husband was killed in a hunting accident. In 1604, she heard St. Francis de Sales preach and placed herself under his spiritual direction. The both became instrumental in founding her new congregation.

After her children were raised, she established the congregation of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, known today as the Visitation Sisters. The Visitation Sisters are well known due to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, who had visions of Our Lord’s Sacred Heart. Before her death in 1641, 86 houses were established.

For many years, St. Jane suffered great interior trials with the utmost resignation, while she labored to extend her newly founded Congregation. Today, let us turn to St. Jane and ask her to help us persevere through interior and exterior trials.

Aug. 11th - St. Clare of Assisi

Today is the memorial of St. Clare, the patron of television. Even before Clare was born it was revealed to her mother, that her unborn daughter would become a light to the world. As a young girl she was favored with personal beauty and a charming personality. She was interested in the poor and frequently denied herself things in order to give what she could to the poor. She loved prayer and her sweetest delight was her deep devotion to the Blessed Sacrament.

When she was 18, she heard St. Francis preach in the cathedral of Assisi during Lent of 1212. His words on contempt of the world and penance, and in particular the holy example he set, affected Clare such that she felt God was calling her to lead a similar life in seclusion in a convent.

On March 18^th, 1212, on Palm Sunday, St. Francis and some of his followers came with lighted candles to meet her in the little chapel of Our Lady of the Angels. She came wearing her richest garments. Before the altar she joyfully removed her beautiful head-dress, and St. Francis cut off her hair and covered her head with a veil. In place of her rich garments, she received a coarse penitential garb and was girded with a white cord. After she took the habit, her father wanting her to be married, furiously attempted to drag her home. With the help of St. Francis, she co-founded the Poor Clares. Her own sister, Agnes, became a nun in her convent.

Due to her prayers, there are episodes of multiplications of loaves and of bottles of oil that appeared in the convent when there was none before.

In 1240, she turned away an attack by Saracen (Muslim) soldiers who broke into the convent cloister. She held a monstrance with a Host, and from the Host a ray of light came from the Eucharist, frightening off the attacking soldiers.

Once when she was sick in bed and unable to attend Christmas Midnight Mass, while in bed, she was able to see the Mass and heard the priest’s homily. When the sisters returned after Mass, she said she saw the beautiful Midnight Mass and re-told them the homily they had just heard. And for this reason she is the patron of television today.

St. Clare lived a very deep life of poverty. Today, let us ask St. Clare to help us to be detached from material things, so that we may be attached to Jesus alone. May her prayers help us to come to a great devotion to Our Lord in the Sacred Host and may she continue to inspire many more vocations to the religious life.

Aug. 10th - St. Lawrence the Deacon

 Today is the Feast of St. Lawrence, the deacon of Rome, who was one of the greatest saints in the third century. His name is in Eucharistic Prayer 1 of the Roman Canon. He was in charge of distributing alms to the poor. Two stories show his holiness and sense of humor.

The first story is about the treasures of Rome. After the government executed Pope Sixtus II, it wanted to confiscate all the treasures of the Church. The government told Lawrence to hand over the treasures. He said it would take a couple of days. When it was time to bring the “treasures” of the Church—he had many of the poor, the downtrodden and the outcasts of Rome, whom he considered the “treasures” of the Church, stand before the government officials. The government was not amused and ordered Lawrence to be executed.

The second story involves his sense of humor during his martyrdom. He was roasted alive on the gridiron. While enduring torture, as the flames were beginning to consume his body, he said to his tortures, “Turn me over. I’m done on this side.”

Lawrence is the patron of catechumens and comedians. As we prepare to receive Jesus in the Eucharist, let us ask the Blessed Virgin Mary together with St. Lawrence to help many non-Catholics to become Catholic. And may we also have a sense of humor in times of pain and suffering.

19th Sunday, Perpetual Adoration

 In the Gospel Jesus said, “This is the bread come down from heaven. So that a man may eat it and not die…Anyone who eats this bread will live forever.” Jesus also said, “My flesh is real food. My blood is real drink.” These are not symbols but reality.

The Church describes the Eucharist as the body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus. In another words, everything of His divine nature is present and everything of His human nature is present in the Eucharist. To put it frankly, the Eucharist is Jesus in His resurrected body. It is not Jesus in the bread. That is what non-Catholics believe. No, Catholics believe the bread and wine are totally changed into the living person of Jesus.

Holy Communion is the most special time we have on earth with God. We are united to Jesus and He is united to us. We can’t have Communion all day, saints tell us the Holy Communion lasts from 10 min. to 30 min., but Jesus remains here with us in the tabernacle. The remaining Hosts are placed in the tabernacle for the sick and home bound. The tabernacle is also here so people may spend time with Jesus and adore Him. Over the centuries, a consecrated Host was placed in a metal object called a monstrance, so people can gaze upon and look at the Host with eyes of faith. It is really Jesus. Its called Adoration because we adore Jesus with love, who is hidden beneath the appearance of bread.

The lay practice of adoration formally began in Avignon, France on September 11, 1226. To celebrate and give thanks for the victory over the Albigensians, King Louis VII of France asked the Bishop of Avignon to have the Blessed Sacrament exposed in the Chapel of the Holy Cross. The throng of adorers was so great the bishop decided to have the adoration continue day & night. Adoration chapels began to keep watch with Jesus 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. So that someone is always gazing upon and adoring Jesus with love.

Then in 1264, the feast of Corpus Christi was established due to a Eucharistic miracle, when a Host began to bleed in the hands of a doubting priest in Bolsena, Italy.

But It was not until after the Council of Trent in the 1500's, when adoration chapels began to spread all over the world. During the Protestant Rebellion, church lootings and desecrations of the Blessed Sacrament were common. Faithful Catholics made reparation to God by keeping a loving vigil before Him, around the clock. This is what is needed today with so many who receive the Eucharist sacrilegiously.

At La Crosse, Wisconsin, there is a convent that has had Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration for 140 years. Through fires, floods and war, adoration has continued. In 1923, the convent caught fire and sisters in the chapel continued to pray in adoration despite the raging fire outside. The fire was rapidly spreading, but when it got to the entrance of the chapel, the fire suddenly stopped. One of the sisters had placed a statue of St. Michael at the entrance of the chapel and prayed he would protect the chapel.

Most large parishes in the diocese of Wichita have perpetual adoration. Our parish is too small to have continuous adoration for 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. But we can have continuous adoration all day and night for 1 to 2 days depending upon how many sign up.

In our parish starting in Sept., Jesus in the Eucharist will be on the altar in a monstrance beginning every Sunday after Mass and parishioners will have the opportunity of signing up to spend an hour with Jesus. It will be your own personal hour. And this will continue every week throughout the year. One person will be with Jesus for an hour from 9am until 10am. Then from 10am until 11am another person will come to adore Jesus. And this will continue day and night until the last person is finished. Jesus is never left alone. 

We will come before Him to thank Him, to pray for our needs and the needs of others, to make reparation and to just sit and love Him. 

More graces are poured out during the night hours then any other. I like to tell people, those who adore Jesus at night are His “specials” and He takes care of them in a special way.

There will be a sign-in book with phone numbers of each adorer. If you need to be away you can switch with someone or ask a family member or friend to take your place. I have seen non-Catholic spouses substitute and then later become Catholic.

Saint Alphonsus Liguori…wrote: “Of all devotions, that of adoring Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament is the greatest after the sacraments, the one dearest to God and the one most helpful to us”. St. John Vianney said, “We should consider those moments spent before the Blessed Sacrament as the happiest of our lives.” Mother Teresa of Calcutta said, “Every Holy Hour we make so pleases the Heart of Jesus that it is recorded in Heaven and retold for all eternity!”

Pope St Paul VI said, “Perpetual Adoration extends its influence far beyond the individual adorers, touching their homes and families and reaching out to the parish community and beyond!” Just imagine, when someone is adoring Jesus in the Eucharist, not only does Jesus touch the heart of person adoring Him, but also touches their home, their family, the parish and the entire world. How awesome is that?

St. Peter of Alcantra said,”Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament has His hands full of graces and He is ready to bestow them on anyone who asks for them!” My parishioners, isn’t there something you want to ask Jesus? Our Lord wants to answer your prayers, but He wants you to come in faith and ask Him while you gaze upon Him.

Mother Teresa of Calcutta said, “In order to convert America and save the world, what we need is for every parish to come before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament in Holy Hours of prayer!”

We see the terrible strife our country and the world is enduring. The horrible rioting last year, the fear of covid, abortion, euthanasia, murders in large cities. Government policies taking away our freedom. Drugs and broken families.

But adoration will convert hearts. Jesus revealed to St. Faustina at Adoration that “beneath these rays (from the Eucharist) a heart will be warmed even if it were like a block of ice; or hard as rock.”

We also see turmoil in our own Catholic church, with bishops against bishops and confusion. But Pope St. Paul VI said, “You should take up as your own cause a Holy Hour of Adoration so that Peace and Unity can be brought about in the Church!”

Here at Holy Trinity, we are working on making adoration safe and easy for anyone who wants to come. You can pray the Rosary, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, read the bible, and pray to Jesus in silence pouring your heart out before the Lord who listens to you, loves you and can answer your prayers.

The group from our parish organizing Eucharistic Adoration has set a tentative date for Sept. 12^th sign-up day and Sept. 19^th when Eucharistic Adoration will begin in our parish.

Listen to the words of Pope St. John Paul II who said, “Jesus Himself is calling you to spend one special specific hour with Him each Week!” Will you respond?

Immediately after Mass, come to the parish hall for a 30 min video on Perpetual Adoration and enjoy coffee and doughnuts.