Dec. 27th John the Apostle

Within the midst of the Octave of Christmas, we celebrate the feast of St. John the Apostle.  John was called to follow Jesus while mending his nets. He and his brother James were called by Jesus to follow Him. The two brothers were called “Sons of Thunder”, most likely because both had a temper.

Peter, James and John, were chosen to follow Our Lord in a closer way, than the other disciples. For example, the three were taken to the top of Mount Tabor to witness Our Lord’s transfiguration and be close to Our Lord during His agony in the garden. At the Last Supper, John rested his head against the chest of Jesus. He believed he was loved more than the other disciples, and so, called himself the “beloved disciple”.

John was the only apostle to stand at the foot of the Lord’s cross. On the Cross, Jesus gave His Mother to John and so from that moment, he took Her into his home and would have offered Mass for Her and gave Her Holy Communion.

Tradition states Mary went with John to Ephesus, where they both lived. Prior to going to Ephesus, he was primarily in Jerusalem, and founded many churches in Asia Minor. After the resurrection, John ran to the tomb, with Peter, only to see the linen wrapped up by itself, and he believed. Recall that after, Our Lord appeared to the apostles on the Lake. And it was John who first recognized Jesus on the shore, as he said, “It’s the Lord!”

John wrote, the Gospel of John, three epistles and the book of Revelation.

John was taken to Rome by the order of the Emperor Domition, who cast John into boiling oil, but he came out miraculously unhurt, and was banished to the island of Patmos for a year.

Living to be about the age of 100, and he died about the year 110 in Ephesus. He was the only apostle, who wasn’t martyred. In Ephesus, a beautiful church was erected over his tomb, but Muslims later converted it into a mosque.

Today, let us imitate St. John the Apostle, by growing in our devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, whom John rested, and saw pierced. By pondering what John saw, the Crucified Lord on Calvary, it will inspire us to love Jesus, as John did. And may we too take Mary into our home. St. John, the apostle, pray for us, that we may worthily imitate you!

Feast of the Holy Family- Alcoholism, Mental Illness & Drugs that Plague Families

 

 Today is the feast of the Holy Family of Nazareth, Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Today’s Gospel of the Finding of Jesus in the Temple is both a sorrowful and joyful event.

In the Gospel today, we see a moment of tension in The Holy Family-- as Jesus is lost and then three days later is found in the Temple. Joseph and Mary did not know where Jesus was-- and had been sorrowing for three days. When they found the Child Jesus in the temple, they are filled with joy and relieved to have their family crisis resolved.

At the time of Christ, all Jewish men were required to make a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem. The men often brought their families, with men and women traveling in separate group. So a child may be with the mother’s group or with the father’s group. Because of these separate groups, the absence of Jesus in the caravan was not immediately noticed. Mary would have thought Jesus was with Joseph and Joseph may have though He was with Mary.

In this event Jesus was not disobedient to Mary and Joseph. Nor did He sin by remaining behind. Mary and Joseph didn’t sin either. Jesus’ greatest duty was to His heavenly Father, which surpasses His duty towards His earthly parents. If the Holy Family suffered from misunderstandings, from trials, sorrows, and difficulties that had nothing to do with sin, how much more do our families suffer from these sorts of things, which include sin.

Every family has times when it’s difficult to forgive someone, or when there is great anxiety and worry. Sometimes family members can very much hurt each other. There can be jealousy and unhealthy competitions. Children get caught in parental fighting. Someone may spend money irrationally. Maybe one parent favors one child over another. Or a parent spends too much time at work. One person’s unforgiveness towards another-- affects the entire family. Sometimes a family member will refuse to talk to others, or won’t show up for family gatherings. I heard a priest one time say, the definition of a family, is “a bunch of sinners, who try to live together in love.”  St. Paul tells us how to live together in love: with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, bearing with one another, forgiving one another.

Today, there are so many different things that can cause stress in the family. I would like to focus today on alcoholism, mental illness and drug addiction.

My father and grandfather were alcoholics. My father eventually went to a treatment center, and attended AA meetings. He was very well known throughout Kansas helping lots of alcoholics attain sobriety. He was the best father anyone could have. I am proud how my father carried his cross. But his alcoholism was one of the family crosses. Alcoholics can become saints by striving to a live a life of virtue. St. Monica was an alcoholic and so was venerable Matt Talbot.

With regard to mental illness, it can be caused by a head injury or a traumatic accident, or the use of medications or illegal drugs and sometimes its unknown what causes it. My brother is mentally ill due to a traumatic brain injury. He was attacked when he was a security guard. Those who are mentally ill or often misunderstood feel alone and unable to fit into society. St. Benedict Joseph Labore was mentally ill and he became a saint.

Alcoholism and mental illness can be inherited and so there is really nobody to blame.

There is also drugs. High school youth can be tempted by friends to take marijuana. Its sinful to take marijuana and drugs because they can influence our ability to think rationally and make moral choices. Some may say well its legal. But not all laws are good moral laws. Taking marijuana just one time-- can start an addiction, which can lead to fentanyl, cocaine or heroine addiction. In a short period of time-- he or she can accidentally over dose and die. Did you know the number one killer of people between ages 18 and 45 is accidental overdosing on drugs. These drugs are not made in laboratories, but in the homes of drug addicts or drug lords. Young people, don’t take marijuana or any drug, not even just once, because you can become addicted for the rest of your life-- by taking it just one time. Just say no!

I did hospital ministry for 4 years and everyday I saw the mentally ill and patients addicted to drugs and alcohol. Some mental illness is caused by drugs, which damages the brain and so their life can end up ruined. They can’t hold down a job. Their marriage will fail. They can end up homeless.

A high school altar server in a previous parish was an outstanding young man. He excelled in sports and academics. Some of his friends gave him some marijuana and now at 19 years old, he’s addicted to marijuana and fentanyl. This past November, he overdosed twice. His mother found him unconscious and barely breathing. She did CPR and saved his life. He was in ICU and now is in a drug rehabilitation center. Its his second rehab center. Often times, I see people in and out of rehab. This would be the last family, I ever thought this would happen. But the devil is wicked and he tempts us through friends to do something evil and lead us in the wrong direction.

To be addicted to drugs and end up homeless, what a terrible sorrow for the addicted person and the family. Imagine the parents not knowing where their child is, under a bridge, in an abandoned shed, if he or she dead or alive. Truly a nightmare for everyone involved.

We should never judge others. Its easy for us to say, why don’t you just stop drinking, or stop taking drugs or why don’t you join in with everyone else. But they try and try and try and just can’t help their condition. But if they embrace their cross, even though they may drop it frequently, they will have a glorious crown in heaven. St. Mark Ji Tianxiang a doctor in 19th century China became addicted to opiates after taking them to treat a stomach ailment and by his virtous perseverance, he’s now a saint.

On our part, we should support them and help them to carry their cross, which becomes a family cross. And all must learn to do our part to carry it. Its not just their cross. Its our cross, our family cross. We are all in it together. Each of us can have a different role. 1. One who listens 2. One who prays 3. One who encourages.

There is hope for alcoholics and drug addicts. There is a fantastic drug and alcohol organization called Cenaculo. Surprisingly it is free. It costs nothing. Cenaculo relies on the generosity of donors. It can help both alcoholics and drug addicts to live normal lives. They have the highest success rate. It’s Catholic, they have Mass, Confession, Adoration, the Rosary, and they work together.

Because we are all human, and because all of us sin, there will always be difficulty or strife to endure. Every family has particular graces and blessings and joys and every family also has difficulties, crosses and sorrows.

Fr. Peyton, the famous television priest, used to say, “The family that prays together, stays together.” To attend Mass together, to go to confession together as a family and to pray every night helps the family to stay together.

All we have to do is ask each person what they want to pray for, or what they are thankful for and then close with an Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory and eventually maybe work up to praying the Rosary together.

Today, may we imitate the Holy Family, and ask them to help our families persevere through trials, every difficulty and protect our families.

Christmas Morning

“…Today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.”

What Child is this? Mary knew Her Son was the Messiah, was King, Lord and God. From the moment She was pregnant, She must have longed to see God, Her Son. She was first to pray to God dwelling within Her. Surely, She pondered, what He would look like? And when He was born, She was the first to kiss the face of God. To first to see the smile of God. She held God in Her arms, ate meals with Him, and walked side by side with Him. She heard the words of God, comforted Him in His passion and was first to see Him resurrected. And Mary knew more than anyone what would become of the Child. She knew the scriptures better than anyone, because Her intellect and memory didn’t suffer from original sin.

Every day in hospitals including Christmas children are born in the Labor and Delivery unit. Fathers of the children wait in eager longing to see their new born child. Grandparents of the children wait to hear the good news. Will it be a boy or girl, they wonder? As the parents hold their child for the first time, perhaps they wonder, “What will become of my child? And whose lives will my baby touch in the future? What will my child do?”

If the infant child is a girl, will she someday become a cheerleader or play volleyball? Will she sing like an angel? Who will she marry? How many children and grandchildren will she have? What college will she attend, what will be her major? Or will she become a nun and live in a convent and so become a spouse of Christ?

If the child is a boy, will he be a future quarterback or be an outstanding basketball player? Will he become a scientist and discover a cure for cancer? Will he become a fire fighter or a policeman and if so, whose lives will he save? Will he become a farmer, till the soil and raise cattle? Will he become a soldier? What girls will he date?

What hardships and difficulties will he face? What illnesses will he endure? Will the boy go to seminary and one day be ordained as a priest? These parents may wonder, “What will become of my child?”

The night Jesus was born, it was revealed to the humble, poor shepherds what would become of the Child born in Bethlehem and where they would find Him. The angel said to the shepherds, “….today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.”

Because of the angel, the shepherds came to know who He is and what He will do. He will be the savior. He is the Messiah, who is the Christ. He is Lord, who is God.

The wise men came to Jerusalem seeking the newborn King of Jews, and this is how Herod came to know, the baby born in Bethlehem is a King. Yet because He is king, because He is Messiah, because He is Lord, some of the words from the Christmas Hymn, “What Child is This?” remind us of the future destiny of the babe. “Nails, spears, shall pierce Him through; the Cross be borne for me for you…” What a horrible way to treat the King of heaven and earth. Who could imagine the Child, born in poor and humble conditions would be hung on a Cross?

Jesus allowed this to happen because He is Savior, who saves us from our sins. Just as in the time of Jesus, we too are able to come to Jesus and have our sins forgiven. Back then, Our Lord saved: the woman who committed adultery, the woman who washed His feet with her tears, the tax collector and the good thief from their sins, so today, Our Lord saves us by forgiving our sins through baptism and confession.

Once when I was in a nursing home, I noticed a woman dying. She wasn’t Catholic. Desiring to comfort the family, I came to her room and asked if I could pray for her. I discovered she wasn’t baptized and the family said she wanted baptism. I baptized the 95 year old woman and she died the next day. The Child born of Mary saved her from all her sins.

Once I was walking through a rehab center in Wichita. One person asked me to hear their confession, and as I was walking down the corridor another person asked me hear their confession. Within 15 minutes, I heard the confessions of two people and Jesus washed away the combination of 75 years of sins. Today, Jesus saves us from our sins.

What will become of this Child? What Child is this? The Jews who knew scripture, would have known the Messiah would heal the sick, give sight to the blind, to bring liberty to captives. He would be the Savior.

Jesus not only healed the lepers, the blind men, the paralytic and even raised the little girl from the dead, He heals the sick in every age including our own.

At my last parish of Sacred Heart in Halstead Kansas, the parents of a one year old child and I prayed to Jesus through the intercession of Fr. Emil Kapaun, a priest from the Diocese of Wichita who was killed in the Korean war, to heal the baby boy who had Leukemia. When the child was taken to the doctor, the doctor was astounded that the child no longer had Leukemia.

Jesus comforted the people in His day and He has comforted all who turn to Him including our generation. A woman with tears in her eyes, came out of an adoration chapel in Kansas and said, “Father, I just had the neatest experience. I felt the arms of Jesus around me.”

From the time of Jesus unto today, Jesus helps many to forgive others, including those who suffer from horrible injustices. I know a woman who could not forgive the man who killed her son. Until one day, she went to an adoration chapel and asked Jesus for help. Within a few minutes, her heart melted and she was able to forgive and pray for him.

What Child is This? Who can help each person in every generation, no matter their circumstances, no matter their life situations? Who can heal, forgive, give us comfort and peace?

What will this Child do for you? What I encourage you to do, is pick up the baby Jesus from your manger, and hold the baby Jesus in your arms and pray: I love you baby Jesus. I adore you baby Jesus. Baby Jesus you are the Lord of my life. You are the king of my heart and of my family. You are my best friend. To you I can confide everything. You will heal me. You will comfort me and wipe away my tears. You will give me strength to carry my cross. You will help me love others, especially those most difficult to love. I want to be with you in heaven. O Child Jesus, my savior, save me from my sins. Help me to come to Confession often. Give me the desire to come to Mass as often as possible, so that you may dwell within my soul and give me graces to reach my eternal home in heaven. I know what Child is this…. O Savior, Son of Mary, my King, my Lord and my God. Amen.

Christmas Night

 

In a cave, over 2000 yrs., ago, in the little town of Bethlehem, on a cold winter night, the Savior of the world, was miraculously born of a Virgin, in a stable with animals, wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger, because there was no room for Him, in an Inn.

In a Cave—most of us were born in a hospital, but some of our parents and grandparents may have been born in homes, but no one here tonight would could imagine being born in a cave. Surely, Jesus deserved to born in the greatest of all places. But God Himself chose to be born, not in a palace for King, or the temple to be worshiped, or even the finest home, but born in a cave.

2000 yrs. ago. Tonight’s Gospel lists all the ancestors from Abraham to David and from David to Jesus. Thousands of years before Jesus in an unbroken line, the Jews waited for the Messiah until He would come to us born in Cave. And now, more than 2000 yrs. after the birth of the Christ, the Messiah, we ponder at the ancestral line of Jesus. Many of us can trace back our family line by way of a family tree. We do so to show our connection with our relatives—who are family. St. Matthew traces back the genealogy of Jesus, because He is the Son of the David, the expected King who was to come, as St. Luke states, “The Lord God will give Him the throne of David His Father.” He will rule over the House of Jacob and His reign will be without end.” The infant Jesus established His kingdom 2000 yrs, ago. His kingdom will be without end, because it will last forever.

In the little town of Bethlehem--- Jesus was born in Bethlehem fulfilling the prophesy of the prophet Micah who said, “And you Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the princes of Judah, since from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.” Bethlehem was the ancient city of David, the city in which the Messiah would come! Bethlehem was little, and so it was insignificant, perhaps something like Little River. But from the little town would come a ruler who would be a shepherd of the people Israel. From the little town would come a shepherd, who would guide the sheep to verdant pastures of heaven. The word “Bethlehem” means, “house of bread”. Jesus would someday say, “I am the living bread come down from heaven.” The little town of Bethlehem, by its very name would become symbolic with regard to how Jesus would shepherd His people—which would be by way of the Eucharist, the Bread of Life.

On a cold winter night--- Jesus was born on a cold winter night. The cold winter night represents the coldness of the hearts of mankind, who failed to give God the warmth of their love. The world had grown cold from sin. But in the dark winter night, a warm little babe was born who would melt the hearts of sinners and give meaning to suffering.

The Savior of the world---was born. Jesus Christ, who is Emmanuel, God with us—has come to save the world. When the angel appeared to Joseph in a dream, the angel said this about Mary, “She will bear a son and you are to name Him Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.” Our Lord would come as an infant Child, only to be later crucified on the Cross and rise from the dead, so that He could save His people from their sins. Before He died He established baptism and confession to save people from their sins in every day and age

Miraculously born of a Virgin--- When Mary was found with Child, the prophecy of Isaiah was fulfilled, “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and they shall name Him, Emmanuel, which means God is with us.” How could a Virgin give birth to a child? It was through the power of the Holy Spirit, that Jesus would come down from heaven in Her womb. Because Mary was not subject to original sin, as a Virgin, She gave birth without any labor pains and in a miraculous manner, without the normal opening of Her womb and so Her virginal integrity was kept intact. Blessed Catherine Emmerich saw in a vision the miraculous birth of Jesus: “I saw the radiance round the Blessed Virgin ever growing greater…. At midnight she was wrapt in an ecstasy of prayer. I saw Her lifted from the earth, so that I saw the ground beneath her. Her hands were crossed on her (chest). The radiance about her increased…. Then I no longer saw the roof of the cave; a pathway of light opened above Mary, rising with ever-increasing glory towards the height of heaven…. Meanwhile the Blessed Virgin…. in ecstasy, was now gazing downwards, adoring her God, whose Mother she had become and who lay on the earth before her in the form of a helpless new-born child. I saw our Redeemer as a tiny child, shining with a light that overpowered all the surrounding radiance…..” This vision is something for all of us to ponder.

As Catholics we believe Mary had no children before or after Jesus was born. Our Lord chose Mary above all the women in the world to be His Mother, and the Mother of all mankind, the Mother of each of us.

Jesus was born in a stable with animals. Our Divine Lord chose to be born with smelly animals. An ox, some sheep, and a donkey huddled in the stable where Jesus was born. The stable would have smelled from the manure of the animals and from the dirty animals themselves. But at least Our Savior received some warmth by His creatures.

Wrapped in swaddling clothes--- Jesus had no pajamas, no clothes to wear, and so the Blessed Virgin Mary wrapped the Savior in long strips of cloth-- to keep Him warm. At least these cloths kept His little body warm. The cloths remind us of the cloths, which bound Jesus at His burial, when He would be placed in a cold tomb.

Jesus was laid in a manger—Away in a manger, with no crib for a bed, the little Lord Jesus, laid down His sweet head. As a newborn Infant, He was laid in a feeding trough for animals. The manger would become symbolic of His desire to feed us with His body and blood in the Eucharist. He chose to be born in poverty, to suffer from hunger, that we way may become rich in His love and satisfied with His every gift—especially His gift of Himself in the Eucharist.

There was no room for Him, in an Inn. On the night Jesus was to be born---when Joseph and Mary arrived in Bethlehem they knocked on door to door, to find a place to stay. No one would receive our Savior, no one would let Him in.

Today, will we let Jesus into our life? Will we allow Him to save us-- by coming to Mass and receiving Him in Holy Communion by going to confession at least once a month?

In a cave, over 2000 yrs., ago, in the little town of Bethlehem, on a cold winter night, as Savior of the world, miraculously born of a Virgin, in a stable with animals, wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger, because there was no room for Him, in an Inn.

Remember:

Twas the night before Christmas—at David’s House of Bethlehem.

Joseph and Mary arrived--- to find no room at the Inn.

Not a creature was stirring except those in a stable—a donkey, an ox, & some sheep.

In the silent night—not a whisper could be heard—no---not even a peep.

Miraculously born of a Virgin,

In a cold cave, in the middle of the winter,

A little Child was born to save all men.

When suddenly there arose such a clatter.

The shepherds were afraid to see what was the matter.

The glory of the Lord shone around them.

An angel appeared to them:

“I have come to bring good news to you.

Tidings of great joy.

This Day in David’s City.

A Savior has been born,

the Messiah the Lord.

Let this be a sign to you!

You will find an Infant wrapped in Swaddling Clothes

And lying in a manger.

Tonight, in your arms, take the Infant Child.

Although He is poor.

When He knocks, Open the door.

If you open,

He will give you infinitely more.

In your life, let Him in.

So as not to be closed, like that Inn of Bethlehem.

Come to Mass every Sunday.

Once a month confess your sins.

And you too will be filled with tidings of great joy.

Because that little boy,

Born 2000 yrs ago will save you from your sins!

Merry Christmas to all and to all a Good Night!

Christmas

 

Caesar Augustus sat in his palace by the Tiber. Before him was a map. He was about to issue an order for a census of the world; for all the nations of the civilized world were subject to Rome. There was only one capital in this world: Rome; only one official language: Latin; only one ruler: Caesar. To every outpost, to every satrap and governor, the order went out: every Roman subject must be enrolled in his own city. On the fringe of the Empire, in the little village of Nazareth, soldiers tacked up on walls the order for all the citizens to register in the towns of their family origins.

Joseph, the builder, an obscure descendant of the great King David, was obliged by that very fact to register in Bethlehem, the city of David. In accordance with the edict, Mary and Joseph set out from the village of Nazareth for the village of Bethlehem, which lies about five miles on the other side of Jerusalem.

Joseph was full of expectancy as he entered the city of his family, and was quite convinced that he would have no difficulty in finding lodgings for Mary, particularly on account of her condition. Joseph went from house to house only to find each one crowded. Up a steep hill Joseph climbed to a faint light which swung on a rope across a doorway. This would be the village inn. There was room in the inn for the soldiers of Rome who had brutally subjugated the Jewish people; there was room for the daughters of the rich merchants of the East; there was room for those clothed in soft garments, who lived in the houses of the king; in fact, there was room for anyone who had a coin to give the innkeeper; but “There was no room in the inn.” for the Son of God, the Savior of the world.

Out to the hillside to a stable cave, where shepherds sometimes drove their flocks in time of storm, Joseph and Mary went at last for shelter. Joseph began removing manure with a shovel, laying down straw and starting a fire.

At the moment of His birth, Mary didn’t suffer labor pains because She was preserved from original sin. One of the punishments for original sin was labor for women giving birth. It is a dogma of the faith, the birth of Jesus was miraculous. St. Ambrose said, “Mary is the gate through which Christ entered this world, when He was brought forth in the virginal birth, and the manner of His birth did not break the seals of virginity.” As light passes through glass without harming the glass, so too Jesus passed through the womb of Mary in a miraculous manner without any harm to Mary’s physical virginity. When He was born, there the God-Man lay, utterly clean and pure. And from Him radiated such marvelous light and splendor that the sun could not be compared to it.”

In the filthiest place in the world, a stable, Purity was born. He, Who was later to be slaughtered by men acting as beasts, was born among beasts. He, Who would call Himself the “living Bread descended from Heaven,” was laid in a manger, literally, a place to eat. Centuries before, the Jews had worshiped the golden calf, and the Greeks, the ass. Men bowed down before them as before God. Now the ox and the ass are present to make their innocent reparation, bowing down before their God.

There was no room in the inn, but there was room in the stable. The inn is the gathering place of public opinion, the focal point of the world’s moods, the rendezvous of the worldly, the rallying place of the popular and the successful. But the stable is a place for the outcasts, the ignored, the forgotten. A stable would be the last place one would have looked for Him.

No worldly mind would ever have suspected that He Who could make the sun warm the earth would one day have need of an ox and an ass to warm Him with their breath. His birthplace dictated by an imperial census; that He, Who clothed the fields with grass, would Himself be naked; that He, from Whose hands came planets and worlds, would one day have tiny arms that were not long enough to touch the huge heads of the cattle; that the feet which trod the everlasting hills would one day be too weak to walk; that the Eternal Word would be unable to speak; that Omnipotence would be wrapped in swaddling clothes; that Salvation would lie in a manger; no one would ever have suspected that God coming to this earth would ever be so helpless. And that is precisely why so many miss Him.

Now the infant Child lays on the lap of the Virgin, She kisses the face of God never seen before. A Mother’s heart races with love. She touches His fingers and He in turn smiles. Angels are heard in the distance singing Glory to God in the highest and peace to His people on earth.

The manger and the Cross thus stand at the two extremities of the Savior’s life. He accepted the manger because there was no room in the inn; He accepted the Cross because men said, “We will not have this Man for our king.” Disowned upon entering, rejected upon leaving, He was laid in a stranger’s stable at the beginning, and a stranger’s grave at the end. An ox and an ass surrounded His crib at Bethlehem; two thieves were to flank His Cross on Calvary. He was wrapped in swaddling bands in His birthplace, He was again laid in swaddling clothes in His tomb — clothes symbolic of the limitations imposed on His Divinity when He took a human form.

The greedy and the prideful cannot grasp that “a rich man becoming poor that through His poverty, we might be rich.”

Only two classes of people found the Babe: the shepherds and the Wise Men; the simple and the learned; those who knew that they knew nothing, and those who knew that they did not know everything. Only the humble can find God.

In His First Advent, He took the name of Jesus which means “Savior”; it will only be in His Second Coming He will take the name of “Judge.” Jesus was not a name He had before He assumed a human nature; it properly refers to that which was united to His Divinity, not that which existed from all eternity. The name given to Him by the angel and conferred on Him by Joseph, Jesus means Savior, because “He will save the people from their sins.”

And when we look into the manger at the tiny Babe, how in the world could anyone ever say, “God does not love us”. For truly, when we see the face of God as a Child, we see in His face a God who loves us, so much He became one of us for us.

Mostly taken from Bishop Fulton Sheen

Dec. 22nd - My Soul Magnifies the Lord

Today’s Gospel is Mary’s Magnificat. The very first line says, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord.” Another translation says, “My soul magnifies the Lord”.

At times some people have difficulty praying to Mary because they think when they pray to Her, She takes away from Jesus and that they ignore Him when they pray to Her. But She in no way takes anything from Jesus, but only brings Him into greater focus.

For truly Mary’s soul magnifies Lord. She makes clearer who He is and all that He does for us. When we pray to Her, She magnifies our prayers when She presents them to Jesus, She takes our weak and imperfect words, sort of like a dish with radishes and onions and she dresses up the dish to make it look like a plate full of food dazzling to the eyes and delicious for the stomach.

When anyone has difficulty reading if we take a magnifying glass, we see more clearer the words and so Mary, makes clearer Jesus, the Eternal Word.

What all of us should do is to draw ever close to Mary, by consecrating our selves to He often and by praying to Her frequently, for by doing so, our soul will become more and more like Mary’s soul. Our soul will too magnify the Lord, so that when people see us, they will see Jesus more clearly. And all will come to know that He who is mighty has done great things for us, and holy is His name.

Dec. 21st Advent - Visitation

Today the Gospel shows the marvels that God has done in two unborn children.

When the angel revealed his message to the Virgin Mary, he gave Her a sign to win Her trust. He told Her of her cousin’s new motherhood, who had been old and barren, to show that God is able to do all He wills. Believing the words of the angel, Mary sets out for the hill country hastening with joy.

As soon as Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting the child leapt in her womb, and she was filled with the Holy Spirit.

Notice the choice of words here. Elizabeth was first to hear Mary’s voice, but the unborn John is the first to be aware of grace. She hears with the ears of the body, but he leaps for joy at the meaning of the mystery. She is aware of Mary’s presence, but the unborn John is aware of the Lord’s presence. John, the forerunner is the aware of Jesus, the pledge for our salvation. The women speak of the grace received while the children are active in secret, unfolding the mystery of love with the help of their mothers, who prophesy by the spirit of their sons.

The child leaps in the womb, and his mother, Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit, but not before her unborn son is filled with the Holy Spirit. Once her son has been filled with the Holy Spirit, he fills his mother with the same spirit.

John leaps for joy, and the spirit of Mary rejoices in Her return. When John leaps for joy, Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit, but we know that that though Mary’s spirit rejoices, She does not need to be filled with the Holy Spirit. After conceiving John, Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit, but Mary is already filled with the Holy Spirit before conceiving the Lord.

Let us ponder the marvels God has done in the unborn children ----and through the children ----to their mothers. May every mother’s soul, like that of the Blessed Virgin Mary’s, proclaim the greatness of the Lord. May their spirit rejoice in God in their savior, who has done good things within them, and so value each child as a marvel, which God has done for them and for the world.

Dec. 20th - Annunciation

“Be it done unto me according to thy word”

In order for the birth of Jesus to take place, one person had to give Her yes. And if She had not given Her yes, none of us would be here now. The world would be completely different.

If She had not given Her yes, the gates of heaven would not have been opened. If She had not given Her yes, we would not have original sin washed away by baptism. If She would not have given Her yes, we would not have the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, nor receive the body and blood of Jesus. We would not have the true presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist and God would not come to dwell within our heart during Holy Communion. How is it God permitted one person’s yes, to affect the outcome of the entire world?

The angel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary and said, “Hail full of grace, the Lord is with you”, but the greeting troubled Mary. He told Mary, She would conceive in Her womb, and bear a son, and call Him, Jesus. Her Son would be the Son of the Most High, be given the throne of David, rule over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom would have no end. Mary could not understand how this could be, because She had made a vow of virginity. And so the angel told Her, the Holy Spirit would come upon Her.

God desired Our Lady to respond with either a Yes or a No. And so the angel waited, all mankind waited, and God waited, for Mary’s yes. Listen to the beautiful words of St. Bernard in a homily, called “In the Praise of Mary”.

St. Bernard said, “You have heard O Virgin, that you will conceive and bear a Son; you have heard that it will not be, by a man, but the Holy Spirit. The angel awaits your answer; it is time to return to God, whom sent him. We too are waiting, O Lady, for your word of compassion; The price of our salvation is offered you. Tearful Adam with his sorrowing family begs this of you, O loving Virgin, in their exile from Paradise. Abraham begs it. David begs it. All the other patriarchs, your ancestors, ask it of you, as they dwell in the country of the shadow of death. This is what the whole earth waits for, prostrate at your feet. …. For your word depends comfort for the wretched, ransom for the captive, freedom from the condemned, indeed, salvation for all the sons of Adam, the whole of your race. Answer quickly, O Virgin! Reply in haste to the angel, or rather through the angel, to the Lord. Why do you delay, why are you afraid? Let humility be bold, let modesty be confident. Open your heart to faith, O Blessed Virgin, your lips to praise, your womb to the Creator. See, the desire of all the nations, is at your door, knocking to enter. Arise in faith, hasten to devotion, open to praise and thanksgiving.”

And Mary said, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done unto me according to the word.” And at that moment, Mary gave Her, “Yes” and the Child Jesus descended from heaven into Her womb, and the world would be changed forever, because of Jesus, our Savior.

Today, let us praise Mary, for Her Yes, and ask Her, to help us, give our Yes, to God, by doing His will. May we turn from sin, and to the best of our ability, do what is expected. And by doing so, prepare for the birth of the Infant Jesus, born in a manger, wrapped in swaddling clothes, who would forever change the world. Give your “Yes”! God awaits your answer.

And in the silence of our heart cry out, “Be it done unto me according to thy word”.

4th Sunday of Advent - Unborn Jesus

 

      Unborn Baby Jesus, Grant All Unborn Babies Life on Earth                  May all babies be protected in their Mother's Womb.

                        Video: Mary Did You Know? Yes She Knew

With just a few days before Christmas, the Church gives us the Gospel of the Visitation to help us ponder Jesus as an unborn child. After Mary conceives Jesus in Her womb through the power of the Holy Spirit and because She learned through the angel Gabriel, Her elderly cousin, Elizabeth was about to give birth, She immediately went in haste to help her, who was 6 months with child. Due to the distance of riding on a donkey, the journey may have taken Mary about 5 days and so when Mary arrived and greeted Elizabeth, the unborn Jesus was would have been not more than 5 days old from His miraculous conception. He would not yet have had a beating heart, nor eyes nor hands. The unborn John the Baptist, however was 6 months old in his mother’s womb, from his conception.

Before His birth, the unborn Child Jesus wanted to sanctify the unborn, John the Baptist and fill his mother, Elizabeth, with the Holy Spirit and He did both of these actions through Mary.

At the moment of Mary’s greeting-- John the Baptist leapt and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and so Elizabeth came to know Mary was pregnant with the Lord, as She said, “Who am I that the Mother of my Lord should come to me.”

The Church has long held at the moment John the Baptist leapt in his mother’s womb, he was sanctified. In another words, his original sin was washed away and he was filled with the Holy Spirit, which is what happens to when we are baptized.

Have you ever seen an unborn child move within his mother’s womb? When I was a child, my mother took my hand and held it to her pregnant tummy and I could feel my unborn sister moving around.

Have you ever pondered what it was like for the unborn Jesus to float around in the amniotic fluid? He could move around in all different directions, upside down, and all around like being underwater. Sometimes an unborn child can kick and the mother will know it.

As He grew and developed the unborn Jesus was comfortable and cozy in Mary’s womb, something like a bubble, as He went with Mary to the market to buy food, to clean the house, to go the well to get water, to go to the home Mary’s parents, Joachim and Anne.

In Mary’s womb, He went down the streets and by ways. The unborn Jesus went from Nazareth to Bethlehem on a donkey for the census. As Mary and Joseph, met travelers, the travelers unknowingly were in the physical presence of God. And when Mary was about to give birth seeking a place to stay, all the inn keepers and the people in the streets had no idea, within Mary’s womb was the Son of God, the longed for and waited Messiah.

Mary and Joseph could have said Inn keepers, “Within this womb, is the Son of God, won’t you let us stay in your inn?” But no one would believe them, but it would have been true.

When I go the sick, the home bound, and those in the nursing home, I carry the Holy Eucharist with me in a pyx. As I walked through the corridors of the nursing home-- the people had no idea the Savior of the world, who disguises Himself in the Sacred Host was in their presence. Just as Jesus was hidden in the womb of Mary, so Jesus is hidden in the Sacred Host, with both His human and divine natures.

I thought of saying to those in the nursing home, “Excuse me, I just want you to know, the Son of God, the King of heaven and earth is here. Your savior is traveling through these hallways. He is in this little metal container called a pyx. Would you believe me, if I told you, He is in my pocket?” “Would you bow down and worship Him, if I told you He was here?” Just like Mary and Joseph not telling the Inn Keepers, so I have not told staff who I am carrying in my pocket.

The hidden Jesus in the Eucharist is like the hidden Jesus in the womb of Mary. Years ago, it was common that as the priest went on sick calls, he would be accompanied by someone ringing a bell to remind people the Lord is passing by, so all would give respect to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Catholics would kneel as the priest walked by carrying the King of angels to the sick.

On Christmas day many will pray to the newborn Infant Jesus in the manger. They will tell Him they love Him and perhaps ask Him for some special request, especially perhaps to pray for the healing of a loved one. Have you ever thought of praying to the unborn Jesus in the womb of Mary? Mary prayed to the unborn Jesus within Her womb. She worshiped Him, who dwelt within Her. She praised Him, loved Him, thanked Him and interceded for others to Him, who was within Her.

Even though He was an unborn Child for a time without eyes, hands or a heart, as God, He knew everything, heard everything and saw everything.

With regard to the dignity of a child, it makes no difference as to how a child comes into the world. At the moment of conception, every child is created in the image and likeness of God. Every child deserves love and respect. Every unborn child is innocent and God has a plan and future for every child. As we know, John the Baptist, would later be the precursor to Jesus and to prepare the way of the Lord. He would call sinners to repentance and baptize and died as a martyr, as a witness to the sacredness of marriage.

Let us close with a prayer, “O Jesus, our unborn Savior, you who are within the womb of Mary, I love you and adore you. I ask You, O Lord, to help the world to come to know and experience the love and peace You felt in Mary’s womb. Help mothers and fathers and our nation, to respect babies no matter how small. That every mother’s womb will be a safe haven. O Unborn Jesus, I come to you, through Mary, as you came into the world through Mary. Help me and my family to be like your Holy family. Though I cannot see you. I believe you are there. I want to be dependent upon Mary as you were dependent upon Her. Help us to marvel at Your unborn life in the womb of Mary and may we experience the joy of your birth with profound awe and adoration. Thank you unborn Infant Jesus, for hearing and answering my prayers, through Mary. Amen.”

December 17th - Genealogy of Jesus

 

Today’s Gospel has the long list of ancestor’s of Joseph, who was from the house of David. Matthew gives us this list for a reason. The Jews believed that the promised Messiah would come from the house of David. And so, Matthew lists--- all of the ancestor’s of Joseph---show that he was from the house of David and therefore, Jesus is the Messiah.

While Joseph is not the biological father of Jesus, the Jews did treat step-sons the same as though the child was one’s own son and had all the rights of inheritance associated with being a biological son.

In this lineage we discover the name of Joseph’s father, who was Jacob, and Joseph’s grandfather, who was Mathan. Many of us are proud of our ancestors and our linage. As Christmas draws near, we should think about and pray for our deceased relatives. Perhaps, a beautiful gift for them, would be to remember them in our prayers, or we can have a Mass offered for them, and give them the best Christmas gift ever, which is help them to enter the gates of paradise after suffering many years in purgatory.

May Our Blessed Mother, help us to know who to pray for and give us the inspiration to help those who may be waiting at the pearly gates, but are in need of our prayers.

3rd Sunday - Rejoice in God's Healing

 
This is the third Sunday of Advent called “Gaudete” Sunday or “Rejoice Sunday”. Today, we light the rose-colored candle on the Advent wreath, the priest wears rose colored vestments and the Church celebrates with joy.

We should celebrate because we are more than halfway to Christmas! Today’s first reading, from the prophet Zephaniah tells us God rejoices. The Lord rejoices because the waiting time is over. Just as God’s people longed for the Messiah, think about how much Jesus longed to come in the world! How happy He must be when He came to earth as a little baby to eventually redeem humanity by His Cross and Resurrection.

God exults when we accept the salvation He has for us. Each person who turns to Him-- makes the Lord’s Heart sing with gladness. He rejoices over one repentant sinner. He rejoices each time He renews us in His love. He delights to take each wound and heal it. To take each sin and forgive it. To take each hurt and soothe it. Every time we come to Him with our needs or open our hearts to His healing, He rejoices. He rejoices when comes in our heart in Holy Communion. He rejoices when we come before His Eucharistic presence in Adoration. He rejoices when we turn to Him in all our needs.

A few weeks ago, I said we should go to God first before we call a doctor or a dentist or marriage counselor. Not that we don’t go to them, but we first should go to God and then to them. God works through them and we should thank Him for helping us.

I also mentioned how I was healed of lactose intolerance after over 25 years. The Lord wants to help us in all our needs. He wants us to depend upon Him and by doing so, God rejoices because then we are not turning to the world or to think we can solve our own problems without God.

Confession is the primary place for us to be healed of sins and that is why we should to confess frequently. Through Confession not only are our sins forgiven, but we receive graces to overcome our sins. Through Confession we discover God’s infinite mercy. In Confession our soul is washed in the blood of Jesus. The more often we go to Confession the quicker we overcome sins. We sin less and less. God rejoices when He is able to alleviate misery caused by our sins. Jesus rejoices over one repentant sinner. He said, “When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep. For he was once lost has been found.” Confession is a primary way God wants to heal our soul and He rejoices when He does.

But God also wants to heal other wounds, such as wounded emotions or trauma’s in our life. Have you ever wondered why you keep having angry thoughts towards someone even though you have forgiven them? This is because our emotions are also wounded. We can’t control our emotions perfectly because we suffer from original sin. Can someone stop laughing hysterically, or someone crying can’t immediately stop crying. We are not robots or computers. When someone hurts us, often our emotions are hurt as well. When our emotions are wounded, they can be somewhat healed in confession when we confess our un-forgivess or our anger. But God has given us supplemental means to heal our emotions, such as through prayer, love and good works. Through St. Ignatius of Loyola’s discernment of spirits, we can discern the difference between a desolation and a consolation. A desolation is not of God, such as anger, depression, or unhealthy fears. By using his prayer method from his Spiritual Exercises Jesus can and wants to heal our emotions and even do physical healings.

Here are some examples: If a child was made fun of for being overweight, she may end up becoming anorexic. Because there is a fear of being overweight and fear of being made fun of. So if these emotions are healed, the fears go away and the child no longer has an unhealthy image of herself.

Another example. If a person is traveling 65 miles an hour and suddenly someone runs a stop sign and there is no time to stop and there is a terrible accident. The people who ran the stop sign are killed and the driver of the car going down the highway is unhurt. Its not the fault of the person traveling down the highway, but the person develops false guilt and they have a fear of driving. The accident haunts the mind of the person who survived. But if the emotions of false guilt and fear of driving are healed the haunting image goes away and the person lives in reality—it was a terrible accident, but it was not the drivers fault and there is no longer any fear of driving again.

Attached to the bulletin this weekend is a method of prayer, which can and will heal emotions. This prayer method can also be used for physical healings, such my lactose intolerance or diabetes. I used this prayer method to be healed of the fear of talking in front of a group of people, which was due to a play I was in when I was a child. To me, it was a greater healing to be healed of that fear than to be healed physically. Personally, I have always been healed of emotions when I have prayed it.

I will briefly describe the method. First, you close your eyes and picture Jesus and Mary standing before you. Then you say, “Jesus, your looking at me and I am looking at you. Mary, you are looking at me and I am looking at you.” Repeat this a few more times.

Then read a short scripture about the life of Jesus and place yourself in the scriptural event, such as Jesus calming the water. You see the disciples trying to guide the boat but its being tossed about in the waves and wind. Then suddenly Jesus stands up and calms the water and says, “Be calm!” Then He looks at you and says, “Why were you afraid?”

Then ask Jesus for a specific healing with regard to a past event or to heal a particular fear or emotion of some sort. Then in your mind re-experience the event as it first occurred and allow your self to each emotion that went with it. So if you were humiliated by a bully - feel what you felt at the time it occurred. Feel the anger toward the bully and the embarrassment or perhaps the depression or helplessness it caused. Stay with the emotion until it slowly dies down. As the emotion is dying down Jesus is healing you. Then later you no longer have periods of helplessness or times when your anger would have suddenly come out. It no longer bothers you. Then thank the Lord for healing you. If the event was very traumatic, you may need to repeat the exorcise several times for a full healing.

It’s very helpful to do this during your Holy Hour or to do it in the privacy of your room. I personally think adoration is best as long as no other people are present. There is nothing wrong with crying in the presence of Jesus or allowing anger to come out in the presence of Jesus. He knows and experiences all of your feelings and thoughts. Our loving Lord wants to heal your wounded emotions and soothe your heart afflicted by the pain you experienced.

Before you do this, its important to be in the state of grace, so we should have confessed any mortal sins. Otherwise, Jesus may not be able to heal you as He would like. What event or emotion in your life do want Jesus to heal? God can and does heal wounded emotions. If you would like some help in doing this, give me a call.

First allow Jesus to heal your soul by coming to Confession and He and you will rejoice in God’s mercy. Second allow Jesus to heal the wounds of your past life. Whether that’s your emotion from the way you were treated, and from a traumatic event. This method of prayer is especially helpful for veterans, policemen and first responders, who experience terrible tragedies. Just imagine going through rubble from a tornado finding hurt people from a tornado.

God wants to rejoice in healing you from the miseries of your life. Give Him the opportunity. As St. Paul said, “Rejoice in the Lord always! I shall say it again: Rejoice! Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

O Mary, Mother of the afflicted, by your motherly intercession ask Jesus to heal our wounded heart so that we rejoice by experiencing the tender healing mercy of Jesus.

Dec. 10th - Our Lady of Loreto

 Today is the memorial of Our Lady of Loreto, where the house of Nazareth (the Holy House) was transferred miraculously by angels.

When in 1291, infidels became possessors of the Holy Land. Christians were driven out of it and pilgrims were no longer permitted to visit the holy house. But God wrought a miracle to protect it. On the night May 9th, the holy house was suddenly taken from the ground on which it had stood for more than twelve hundred years, and lifted through the temple erected over it, which parted in the middle, and it was carried by the Angels over land and sea, from Galilee to Dalmatia not far from the Adriatic sea.

Early in the morning the following day, some people saw this unknown little chapel and informed the inhabitants. Alexander, the ecclesiastical Superior of Tersatto was very ill and greatly desired to know where it came from. During his fervent prayers, the Divine Mother appeared to him, informed him of what he desired to know and said that his improved health would be proof of what She said. Alexander awoke, found himself perfectly restored, left his bed, and gave due thanks to God and the Queen of heaven for the grace which had been bestowed upon him. He went through all the streets of the town and announced to the people the revelation which he had that night and, followed by all the inhabitants of the place, he went full of heartfelt devotion to the holy house and prostrated himself and gave humble thanks to God.

The Governor of Dalmatia sent four respectable men to Nazareth in Galilee. The deputies measured the length and breadth of the place where the holy house had stood, and the width of the foundation, and found that all corresponded exactly with the chapel.

God wrought many miracles for the sick who took refuge within the holy walls of the house. But three years and seven months passed, when the holy house was taken from them. It was carried by Angels over the Adriatic sea, and arrived in Italy, surrounded by a heavenly light, in December, 1294. The Sovereign Pontiff decreed that the 10th of December, the day on which this happened, should be yearly commemorated in Italy. The spot where the holy chapel had placed itself, belonged to a widow named Lauretta, from which the house was afterwards called the House of Loretto. Some pious shepherds had seen this miraculous transfer of the Holy House. When this became known, on the following day, every one ran to the Holy House. The many miracles which took place there drew a multitude of pilgrims. However, some godless men took the opportunity to attack, plunder and even kill many of the pilgrims.

Due to this event, angels took it again, and placed it nearer to the town of Recanati, where it rested on a hill. The inhabitants of Recanati sent a special deputation, first to Dalmatia, and thence to Nazareth in Galilee, to investigate the truth of all that had been told them with regard to the little chapel. At their, there was no longer any doubt it was the Holy House of Nazareth, where the Virgin Mother had been born; where she had received the greeting of the Angel, and where the only Son of God had become man. It may be said that there is not a fact to be found in the history of the Church, which has been more thoroughly investigated than this one.

Today, let us rejoice in God’s miracles of sending angels from heaven to protect the Holy House and preserve it in honor of the miraculous and ordinary events that took place within it. And may Our Lady of Loreto intercede for us to protect our families and our homes.