3rd Sunday - Respect Life

 Abortion - A Person is a Person No Matter How Small

 

The first reading and Gospel for today remind us of the role of the priest in interpreting scripture and how the priest is anointed to speak on behalf of God to the people today. And today, I will speak to you on behalf of God about respecting life.

The first reading is from the book of Nehemiah. The Jews were taken into captivity in 721 BC and their temple in Jerusalem was destroyed. 230 years later their captivity is over and are returning to Israel. Once they reach their Jewish soil, the priest Ezra explains to the people the content of the Law and interprets what was read.

During the time of Jesus, it was customary for Jews to read scriptures at the synagogue and the reader gave his interpretation. And this is what Jesus did in today’s Gospel. He first read, “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 recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.” Then He said, “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing. Every Jew knew this particular passage referred to the future messiah. And so they understood Jesus was declaring Himself the Messiah.

Every Catholic priest is anointed when ordained. Just like Ezra and Jesus, the priest reads scripture and then comments on it, which is a homily. Every priest receives three gifts: to teach, to sanctify and to govern. When a priest gives a homily or when He teaches, He is anointed to speak on behalf of God to the people. Today, I am going to speak to you on behalf of God with regard to respecting life.

Yesterday was the 49^th anniversary of Roe vs Wade that legalized abortion. Soon the US Supreme Court will decide if Mississippi's law is constitutional limiting abortion to 15 weeks from conception and many hope and pray for the overturning of Roe vs. Wade. Also this year, Kansans will vote on the Value them Both bill. Since Roe vs Wade, over 62 million children have died from abortion and all their mothers and fathers have been wounded and deeply hurt by abortion.

To show how abortion affects the world, here is an example. Cardinal Raymond Burke told a reporter, the doctor pressured his mother to abort him. The doctor told his mother, the doctor told his mother, who was very sick while pregnant with the future Cardinal Burke, “You already have five children,” “it is important for you to be in good health so as to take care of them.” Fortunately, his parents refused. “My parents told him that they believed in God,” Cardinal Burke relates, “and that Christ would give them the necessary help. My mother gave birth to me, and everything went well.”

A few years ago, I offered a private Mass on my day off to close the abortion clinic in Wichita. During Mass, I prayed for those thinking about having an abortion, will change their mind, those who had an abortion will find healing and God’s merciful forgiveness and those who work in the abortion clinic, will quit and become pro-life. About an hour later, I went to the abortion clinic, and several of us prayed the Rosary, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and the Litany of the Saints at the gates of the clinic. Then a woman came out of the clinic and walked up to us and said, “I just couldn’t do it. The doctor told me I am pregnant with twins. I could do one of them, but couldn’t afford to pay for two of them, so I’m going to keep my babies.” About 20 min. later a young woman in her 20’s and her 5 yr. old daughter as well as a woman in her 50’s left the clinic and the woman in her 20’s said, “I’m not going to have an abortion, I’m pregnant with twins.” My friends with 30 min, four babies were saved. The prayers offered outside the clinic and the Holy Mass offered that morning, resulted in saving the lives of four children and also saved their mothers and their families from a future life of pain and regret. We can see the power of prayer, especially the Holy Mass, the Rosary, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, the Litany of the Saints. God wants us to use these to help the confused. There should never be a choice to take the life of an innocent person. Everyone has the ability to say yes and the ability to give a child up for adoption to a couple who can’t have children.

Its dangerous when a human being is not considered a person. When an unborn baby is not considered a person, than the baby has no rights and is considered the property of the parents and so they can do with them as they want, even to kill them. Where does this mentality come from? In the United States blacks were slaves and were the property of slave owners. They were not considered human and so the owner of the slave had the right to abuse and even kill the slave which was legal. But it took a civil war before they were considered citizens with rights.

Also in the US, women did not have rights. They were considered the property of their father or their husband and could not even vote until 1920. But the truth is women are not the property of men. Blacks are not the property of any person. An unborn child is not the property of their parents. St. Paul said, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been purchased at a price.” (1 Corn. 6:19) Our body came from God, we are not our own, we were purchased at the price of the blood of Jesus. All of us are created in the image of likeness of God. All life is sacred and we are holy because God dwells within us.

Let me ask you some questions. Do you think it should be against the law to kill a baby after birth? President Biden and Kamala Harris as well as the former governor Virginia thought so. Should it be against the law to abort a baby just before birth? Should it be against the law to abort a viable baby after 24 weeks? What about a baby who is 15 weeks? What about a baby, who feels pain? What if an unborn baby has a beating heart? Should it be against the law to abort a baby just after conception? A person is a person no matter how small.

Jesus was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary and scripture tells us immediately after His incarnation, Mary went in haste to visit Her cousin Elizabeth, who was with child. Did you know it was a 5 day journey for Mary to travel from Nazareth to Ain Karem, where Elizabeth lived. And when Mary greeted Elizabeth, the unborn John the Baptist leapt with joy and Elizabeth recognized Mary was with child as she said, “Who am I that the Mother of my Lord should come to me?” Just think Jesus was only 5 days from conception in the womb of Mary. He did not yet have a beating heart, nor hands, nor eyes, yet His divine presence caused an unborn John the Baptist to recognize Our Lord was present as well as his mother, Elizabeth, who was filled with the Holy Spirit. Jesus is a divine person with a human and divine nature. A person is a person, no matter how small.

It is a scientific fact, a new person is created at the moment of conception, because the child has its own DNA. As Catholics we believe God infuses an immortal soul into a child at the moment of conception. We believe we are created in the image and likeness of God. The prophet Jeremiah states, “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you.” Before we were even created, God knew us and has a plan for each of us.

Dr. Bernard Nathason, a former Jewish abortionist oversaw 75,000 abortions and performed 5000 himself. Be he changed his mind when he saw the silent scream of an unborn child on an ultrasound when he we doing an abortion. But when He was baptized, God forgave all his sins and the punishment due to his sins and God came to dwell in his heart. So if he would have died immediately after his baptism, he would have went straight to heaven. The greater the sinner, the greater one’s right to God’s mercy.

Abby Johnson, a former director of Planned Parenthood, had two abortions and then assisted in an abortion, but realized the wrong she was doing and when she became Catholic, Jesus forgave all her sins and washed them away in the ocean of God’s mercy.

Mary Magdalene was a prostitute. But Jesus appeared to her first, before He appeared to the Apostles because she repented when washed the feet of Jesus with her tears. Jesus told Simon the Pharisee about Mary Magdalane, “Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much...” (Luke 7:47-48)

My friends, we are all human, we all make mistakes, and can make wrong decisions based upon misinformation of what others tell us or what they failed to tell us or maybe we ourselves chose not to seek the truth. But we must trust in God’s mercy.

The Church as a mother wants to help her children. She gives us priests to teach us about respecting life. The Church gives us the sacraments for grace and healing when we hurt our self and others. Jesus acts through priests, through the sacraments and through the people of God to help all of our brothers and sisters in Christ deeply hurt.

The boyfriend who helped his girlfriend to have an abortion, the parents of the pregnant girl, who forced the child to have an abortion, grandparents, who participated, friends who wrongly scheduled the abortion-- nurses or doctors who encouraged the abortion, everyone--everyone--everyone can be forgiven! There is no sin Jesus will not forgive. If you have been affected by abortion, know Jesus loves you and forgives you. Jesus understands when a young girl is pressured or told a lie, its not a baby, but only tissue. Sometimes the devil tries to make us doubt in God’s mercy. He will say, “God will never forgive you. Your sin is too great.” Or after you confessed the sin, the devil will make us doubt God forgave us, and a result, we will keep confessing the sin over and over. But we can’t give in to lies, rather we trust in God’s mercy. We pray, “Jesus I trust in You”, and Jesus forgets the sin after we have confessed it and so should we.

There is a diocesan organization called Project Rachel which gives retreats, some of its leaders have had an abortion, and they want to help others to find healing, like they received and want to bring peace of heart and healing of the spirit and soul to all those hurt by abortion.

Jesus gives us hope. Jesus gives us love. Jesus gives us forgiveness. Jesus gives us mercy. Jesus gives us healing. Jesus gives us a future of peace and joy.

Jesus told St. Faustina, “My daughter, write that the greater the misery of a soul, the greater its right to My mercy; [urge] all souls to trust in the unfathomable abyss of My mercy, because I want to save them all. (Diary 1182). Encourage souls to place great trust in My fathomless mercy. Let the weak, sinful soul have no fear to approach Me, for even if it had more sins than there are grains of sand in the world, all would be drowned in the immeasurable depths of My mercy.” (Diary 1059)

The Sunday after Easter is Divine Mercy Sunday. On that day, The Lord opens wide the gates of His mercy and makes our soul like it was at baptism. If we go to confession during Lent, and receive Holy Communion, on the feast of mercy, our sins will be forgiven and all the punishment due to our sins are forgiven. We should look forward to that day, when all is washed away in the ocean of God’s mercy.

How beautiful at Holy Trinity we pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy before or after every Mass along with the Holy Rosary. It must be very pleasing to God, we are praying for mercy for the whole world.

During this year of the Eucharist, let the light, love and power of Jesus in the Eucharist shine forth from His beating Heart by you spending time in Eucharistic Adoration, offering your Holy Hour for an end to abortion, to close Planned Parenthood and the abortion clinic in Wichita. To offer the graces you receive in Holy Communion. Jesus wants to use you as channel of grace and love to change the hearts and minds of those who are confused and hurting. Will you offer your Holy Communion today for that purpose? To offer the graces you receive by being present at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass? Will you pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy often.

Let us turn to the Blessed Virgin Mary, who miraculously conceived Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit and ask our heavenly Mother, Our Lady of Guadalupe, to intercede for our country so government legislators and judges will outlaw abortion, and every American will have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. And most especially the right to life, for without life, we cannot have liberty, nor pursue happiness.

Stand Up & Defend the Church!

 

Bishop Strickland Don't Be Afraid of Conflict

 Mother Angelica- Defend the Church

 

Covid 19 Treatment Protocol- Dr. Zelenko

 

 https://vladimirzelenkomd.com/treatment-protocol/

Treatment Options

Low risk patients

• Supportive care with fluids, fever control, and rest
• Elemental Zinc 50mg 1 time a day for 7 days
• Vitamin C 1000mg 1 time a day for 7 days
• Vitamin D3 5000iu 1 time a day for 7 days

Optional over the counter options

• Quercetin 500mg 2 times a day for 7 days or
• Epigallocatechin-gallate (EGCG) 400mg 1 time a day for 7 days

Moderate / High risk patients

• Elemental Zinc 50-100mg once a day for 7 days
• Vitamin C 1000mg 1 time a day for 7 days
• Vitamin D3 10000iu once a day for 7 days or 50000iu once a day for 1-2 days
• Azithromycin 500mg 1 time a day for 5 days or
• Doxycycline 100mg 2 times a day for 7 days
• Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) 200mg 2 times a day for 5-7 days and/or
• Ivermectin 0.4-0.5mg/kg/day for 5-7 days Either or both HCQ and IVM can be used, and if one only, the second agent may be added after about 2 days of treatment if obvious recovery has not yet been observed etc.

Treatment Options

• Dexamethasone 6-12mg 1 time a day for 7 days or
• Prednisone 20mg twice a day for 7 days, taper as needed
• Budesonide 1mg/2cc solution via nebulizer twice a day for 7 days
• Blood thinners (i.e. Lovenox, Eliquis, Xarelto, Pradaxa, Aspirin)
• Colchicine 0.6mg 2-3 times a day for 5-7 days
• Monoclonal antibodies
• Home IV fluids and oxygen 
  

2nd Sunday - Wedding Feast of Cana

 

A few years ago, I witnessed at a wedding at Sacred Heart in Halstead. While giving the homily, the people began to chuckle for some unknown reason. My homily wasn’t funny. I was explaining the sacrificial meaning of love within marriage. But, the people were pointing towards me and laughing. I finally stopped in the middle of the homily and smiling at the crowd said, “Why are you laughing?”. The people pointed to a bird that was directly behind me. It had flown in the church and had landed on the electric light candelabra. I opened the nearest door and the bird immediately flew out. The people were in awe and so was I. I looked at the bride and groom and said, “I guess the Lord wanted to send you a love bird.” The young couple had their first crisis and they hadn’t even exchanged their vows, but the Lord took care of it. I suspect the couple was originally embarrassed, but the situation had a good conclusion and they were happy how it turned out.

In today’s Gospel, it must have been a big embarrassment in Cana when the wedding party ran out of wine. When we consider that at that time a wedding celebration lasted not just for a day like our celebrations but for a whole week the embarrassment would be even more acute. Because the wedding celebration was so long it is no wonder Jesus changed 180 gallons of water into wine. The bad situation became rectified when Mary turned to Jesus and said, “They have no wine.” Our Lord graciously complies with Mary’s request and changes water into wine working His first public miracle. Mary’s intercession helped the couple in their first marital crisis, even when they didn’t ask for it.

St. Alphonsus Ligorui said, “Mary, even when living in this world, showed at the marriage feast of Cana the great compassion that She would afterwards (in heaven) exercise toward us in our necessities. Even now it compels Her to have pity on us and assist us, even before we ask Her to do so. This good Mother’s compassion is so great, and the love She bears us is so great, that She doesn’t even wait for our prayers before she comes to assist us. Richard of Saint Victor remarks that her love for us is so tender, that in our needs she anticipates our prayers, and her mercy is more prompt to help us even before we ask her aid: “The Heart of Mary is so filled with compassion for poor sinners, She no sooner sees our miseries than She pours her tender mercies upon us. If Mary, (who no one asked), is so prompt to help the needy, how much more so will she be to help those who call upon Her and ask for Her help?”

Jesus worked His first miracle in the context of a wedding. On the first day of their wedding, the couple had their first crisis, they ran out of wine for the guests. This is a reminder that marriage will always have its difficulties. Our Lord’s presence at the wedding feast at Cana caused marriage to be elevated to a sacrament to help couples persevere through every difficulty. Its unrealistic to think there won’t be problems in a marriage. We should even expect problems and difficulties, but just as Jesus was there for the young couple at Cana, Jesus is there to help every couple in their marriage.

Don’t be afraid of difficulties within marriage, you will always have them, but its what you do--- when you have them that matters. To persevere through them. To know Jesus and Mary are there to help you, and Our Lord gives special sacramental graces to overcome them. Marriage brings about the sanctification of each person, which will help each other to get to heaven.

In fact, He can and will work a miracle for you within your marriage. He wants us to remember, He is God and can do anything, and will abundantly help you and do it an extravagant way.

Dear married couples, include Jesus and Mary in your marriage, so they will able to play a role in it. Daily pray the Rosary together (especially mediating on the wedding feast of Cana), which will give you hope and you will see an abundant of graces flow. If you have some difficulty or problem how quick would Jesus and Mary come to the aid of a couple, if you knelt down together in prayer.

How beautiful it is, the Virgin Mary loves you and intercedes for you, even though you do not ask Her, but how much more will She intercede for those who do ask Her. All of us single, married, priests should turn to Mary often asking for Her intercession.

In conclusion, the “Hail Holy Queen”, and also the “Memorare” are beautiful prayers we can use to ask Mary to intercede before God.

As we pray these prayers let us try to consciously pay attention to what we are praying.

Hail, holy Queen, mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears. Turn then, O most gracious advocate, your eyes of mercy towards us, and after this exile show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, pray for us O holy Mother of God, that we may be worthy of the promises of Christ.

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thine intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother; to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.

Supreme Court Makes Ruling - (Vaccine Mandate) Jan. 13th

Businesses Vaccine Mandates Not Required.

However, businesses can require vaccines on their own.

Healthcare Workers Can Be Required to be Vaccinated.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/250066/supreme-court-rules-on-biden-covid-19-vaccine-policies

Quote Pope Pius XI

“The Church’s worst persecutors have been her own unfaithful bishops, priests, and religious. Opposition from the outside is terrible; it gives us many martyrs. But the Church’s worst enemies are her own traitors.”

Animals More Humane Than Humans

Woman Throws Live Baby into Dumpster

Warning- Video is Difficult to Watch

It's against the law to abandon a baby immediately after birth and to attempt to kill the child by throwing it in a dumpster. But its not against the law-- just before birth for an abortionist to kill the baby within her womb and then once the dead baby is removed, surgically cut out the baby's body parts and sell them for experiments to create medicine and the remains of the body is run through a garbage disposal.

Dog Keeps Abandoned Newborn Alive Alongside Her Own Litter Of Puppies

 On a late December night, someone in Chhattisgarh, India, abandoned their newborn baby, so young the umbilical cord was still attached. With no clothing or nutrition, the little girl’s chances of survival were very slim. Fortunately, a local stray dog had just given birth to a litter of puppies. The dog found the baby naked in a field and brought her over to the place where her puppies rested. Nestled alongside the group of dogs, the fragile baby stayed warm enough to endure cold overnight temperatures.

Read Article: It's a Miracle!  https://mypetsroutine.com/dog-keeps-abandoned-newborn-alive-alongside-her-own-litter-of-puppies/

 

 

Baptism of the Lord- Vaccine Mandates

 

Today is the feast of the Baptism of the Lord. By His baptism, though He did not need it, because He is God and did not have original sin nor personal sin, out of humility, Jesus gave us an example to be baptized and at the same time makes all waters holy by His sacred body.

The Church teaches when we are baptized: Original sin and all personal sin is washed away. Our body becomes a temple of the Holy Spirit. We become a member of God’s family. Our citizenship is in heaven. We receive an indelible mark on our soul indicating we belong to Christ, we are His disciples and will try to avoid sin. We become members of the mystical body of Christ and are children of God.

As humans, we have God given rights. Our US constitution states we are created equal. We have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It guarantees religious freedom, the freedom to worship, the freedom of speech. The right to own property. These very freedoms are being threatened by those in authority today.

Those who are taking advantage of the Wuhan virus are preventing freedom of speech as can be seen with the Big Tech Companies, such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Google and the media, who block the truth, freedom of speech and sharing opinions. They especially censor Christian groups.

Government leaders in the world are taking away the rights of people and treating them in a tyrannical manner. Totalitarianism is sweeping the Globe, where citizens are subject to absolute authority and democracy is trampled. In some countries people cannot go to church to be in the presence of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and cannot receive Communion unless the get the vaccine.

Here are some example of countries mandatating vaccines and how they are treating unvaccinated people: In Italy- starting Feb. 15, no one can work above the age of 50 if not vaccinated. Anyone refusing vaccination will be fined 100 euros (113 dollars) Unvaccinated workers caught in the workplace will be subject to fines from 600–1500 euros (670 to 1700 dollars).  Residents seeking access to personal or public services, such as shopping malls, hairdressers, post offices, banks and government offices, will have to produce a green pass proving vaccination, recovery from COVID-19 or a negative test. 

Austria will become the first European country to make vaccinations against Covid 19 mandatory, and will go into its fourth nationwide lock down for at least 10 days. Ironically, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer who received 3 vaccinations, contracted COVID-19 during a meeting at which he was promoting mandatory vaccination. He said those refusing to be vaccinated are likely to face administrative fines, which can be converted into a prison sentence.

In February in Australia the unvaccinated will be fined $4,000 and may raise the amount to $10,000. Australia has quarantine camps, where people are arrested and required to be in quarantine in the facility, even if they do not test positive for covid, but only if they had contact with someone with covid.

Greece fines the unvaccinated over 60 yrs. old 100 Euros.

In Germany some dioceses are restricting Mass attendance to the vaccinated or those who recovered from covid. Under their new rules, those wishing to go to bars and restaurants, or shop anywhere but in stores carrying basic necessities — like pharmacies or grocery stores — have to present proof of vaccination or documentation of recovery from a recent coronavirus infection.

Israel: “Whoever doesn’t vaccinate will only go out to supermarkets or pharmacies, while the vaccinated are able to go to stadiums and gyms,”

Justin Trudeau in Canada considers the unvaccinated as non-citizens. His party plans to remove the charity status of pro-life groups and pour money into so-called sexual and reproductive health programs. Canada’s Socialist party leader asked Trudeau to call upon military to vaccinate the unvaccinated.

In the Philippines, President Duterte said those not vaccinated will be arrested if they disobeyed stay-at-home orders.

In the US, companies and hospitals are requiring people to get vaccinated or they will lose their job or they won’t be hired. No Jab, No Job. New York City's sweeping mandate requiring nearly all private-sector businesses to ban unvaccinated employees from the workplace took effect Monday amid a spike in coronavirus infections. Proof of vaccination is also now required for children and teens to enter indoor public venues like restaurants and movie theaters. The Mayor of New York made this statement, “This is what we need to do everywhere. Every mayor, every governor, every CEO in America should do vaccine mandates now. ... 2022 has to be the year we leave COVID behind."

However, all of this is mass psychosis (not living in reality) was created from a false narrative. According to the CDC the vaccinated can contract covid, can give covid to others and both vaccinated and unvaccinated can die of covid. So why are the non-vaccinated treated as prisoners, as second class citizens. So if a person thinks they should vaccinate their children so the parent or family won’t get covid, this is wrong because both the vaccinated and unvaccinated can contract covid and give it to others. And it uses children as human shields to protect adults especially since it is extremely rare for children to become seriously ill from covid and it places them at risk from a vaccine known to cause nearly a million adverse reactions.

Hospitals are full and overflowing and people are not able to get medical care because of the many covid patients. Its reported many covid patients are unvaccinated. However, in Massachusetts 74% of hospital covid patients are vaccinated. Apparently the vaccines are not working as well as hoped.

In Kansas, some need conscious exemption letters to avoid getting vaccinated because it goes against their conscience. I have four friends whose conscience letters were denied and were fired for not getting vaccinated.

On Friday, the US Supreme Court took arguments on whether the US government can force companies with more than 100 employees to be vaccinated. In Kansas, on Nov. 2^nd, last year, house bill 2001 was passed that states,“if an employer implements a COVID-19 vaccination requirement, the employer shall exempt employee from such requirement without punitive action if the employee submits a written waiver request.”  And it says, “if the employer rejects it, then it can go to the attorney general for further legal action.”

So what does the Vatican say about vaccine mandates? The Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith issued a statement in Dec. of 2020. It states, “Practical reason makes evident that vaccination is not, as a rule, a moral obligation and that, therefore, it must be voluntary.” 

Bishop Athanasius of Khakistan said: “The unvaccinated are treated as second class citizens. Only the vaccinated can participate in society such as the supermarket, go to church, eat at restaurants, work out at gyms, go to their jobs, take public transportation.” He said “This reminds me of Apartheid in South Africa or the policy of Hitler where some places Jews were forbidden to enter. Now the unvaccinated are forbidden to enter.” He said, its a new form of dictatorship. Anti-human dictatorship has occurred in the history of the world. The first was the French Revolution, then the Communist terror. Then the Nazi terror. Now we have the world terror of terrorizing people and discriminating them with forced mandated vaccines. In this case the state is appropriating our body. So we are losing the right of our own body, which is a temple of the Holy Spirit. It is becoming a materialistic, atheistic, Neo-communist dictatorship. He said, “We need to create a world wide alliance to to protect our rights and healthcare”.

Dr. Peter McCullough a cardiac doctor from Texas said, “Globalists have been waiting to mark people. If you get the vaccine you are marked in a data base. It can be used for trade, for commerce and for behavior modification. He said in Dallas, you can’t go to a Dallas Maverick’s game unless you are vaccinated. Colleges said they are not giving any credit for natural immunity, which occurs after one contracts covid. All scientists know natural immunity is better than any vaccine. Why don’t we have covid recovered Maverick’s games? Why don’t we have fully recovered covid people go to college? The vaccine mandates are about marking people. Ways to assert compliance, behavior control. Why are all manufacture’s indemnified? (not held responsible for side effects or death). The rights of Americans are being taken away.’ He said.

My friends at baptism we receive an indelible mark on our soul. The mark indicates, we belong to God because we are a temple of the Holy Spirit. St. Paul said, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own. You were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body.… ” (1 Corin. 6:19)

We are children of God. We are citizens of heaven. No one has a right to control us, nor our body, nor whether or not we can worship God by going to church. Jesus said, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28)

For some it goes against their conscience to be vaccinated, while others it does not. We are all obligated to follow our conscience.

I know people who would rather die, than be vaccinated with an abortion tainted vaccine, because they will not go against their conscience. They desire to avoid sin. This comes from the grace of baptism. This is what it means to be a disciple of Jesus to stand up for one’s own belief and be willing to suffer and even die for it.

St. Paul also said,“Join one another in following my example, brothers, and carefully observe those who walk according to the pattern we set for you. For as I have often told you before, and now say again even with tears: “Many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and their glory is in their shame. Their minds are set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to subject all things to Himself, will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body.” (Philippians 3:19-21)

My friends, our hope is in Jesus. Our hope is in heaven and not to this passing world. Through baptism we belong to Jesus, we were bought at the price of His blood. Let us cling to Our Lord and His holy Mother, so that no matter what happens, we will be filled with joy. St. Gabriel of the 7 Sorrows said, “Love Mary!…if you are troubled, she will console you. If you are sick, she will bring you relief. If you are in need, she will help you. She does not look to see what kind of person you have been. She simply comes to a heart that wants you to love her. She comes quickly and opens her merciful heart to you, embraces you and consoles and serves you. She will even be at hand to accompany you on the trip to eternity.”

Jan 5th- St. Charles of Sezze

 

 Today is the feast of St. Charles of Sezze. He is an obscure Franciscan saint. But none the less his life was blessed by God in such a profound way, he is worthy of speaking about today.

He is the son of lowly country folks. He was born in Sezze Italy on Oct. 22^nd of 1613. At the urgent request of his grandmother, he was entrusted to her care and the boy acquired a great love of God and of prayer from the example and teaching of his devout grandmother.

When he went to school as a child, his studies did not meet with much success and so when school ended his parents put him to work in the fields with is brothers. From books he had not learned much but being out in nature, God gave him new light to understand heavenly things, such that his work was constantly mingled with prayer. He began to receive the sacraments more frequently and grew in zeal for Christian perfection.

Out of love and veneration for Mary, the Mother of God, he made a vow of chastity at the age of 17 and seems to have kept it unto death such that he is often pictured with lilies as a reminder of his purity.

When he was 20 years old, he fell dangerously ill. He decided to make a vow to God that if he would live, he would join the Franciscan order. At once his illness took turn for the better and two years later, he received the Franciscan habit. After his consecration to God through his vows, he advanced visibly in piety and virtues. He ardently desired to shed his blood for Christ and asked that he might be sent as a lay brother to the missions of India, but a new illness frustrated his desires caused him to not go.

He received remarkable enlightenment by God with regard to heavenly things and he would say Our Lord in His wisdom hides such things from the wise but reveals them to the simple, to which he belonged. Many would come asking him spiritual advice including several popes.

He read with delight the lives of the saints and related them to the others while at work. In the Franciscan church which he often visited, he used to study the pictures of the saints with a desire to imitate them.

He was a cook, gardener and door keeper for the brothers.

He worked heroically to help the stricken in the plague of 1656. He carried an image of St. Anne through the city, which resulted in an immediate end to the plague.

He often fervently adored Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament. One day as he passing by the doors of a church he noticed Holy Mass was being celebrated. He stopped and knelt at the door to watch the consecration and adore Jesus during the elevation of the Host during Mass. At that moment a ray of light like an arrow went out from the Sacred Host and impressed a wound in his left side. The wound would remain visible even after his death.

Once there was no wine, but through his prayers, water was changed into wine. He died Jan. 6^th, 1670, of natural causes. He was declared blessed in 1882 and canonized a saint in 1959. His body is in-corrupt. His feast day is listed as Jan. 5th and also Jan. 18th. I'm not sure which one is accurate.

Wednesday After Epiphany - Storm on Lake

 Take Courage it is I, Do not Be Afraid!

In the Gospel, Jesus comes to the disciples during the heavy wind and turmoil caused by the storm. Their boat was tossed about by the wind, which caused the waves to nearly tip it over. Spending hours on the boat, unable to reach the other side, they battled the wind and waves, and must have been exhausted. They feared the boat would capsize in the dark night. This fear was increased by terror, when they saw what appeared to be a ghost, walking on the water. The Gospel states, “they cried out in fear”. As Jesus walked on the water closer and closer to the disciples, Our Lord said, “Take Courage it is I, Do not Be Afraid! And when Jesus got into the boat, the wind and waves immediately died down and they were amazed.

When we were young, many of us were afraid of the dark. We were also afraid of storms, especially lightning and thunder. But later when we get older, we realize there is nothing to be afraid of--- because we realize Jesus is always with us, even in the dark. That’s what the disciples learned, that Jesus was with them in the dark and in the midst of the storm.

Every day, we should turn to Jesus, not only when things don’t seem to go our way, but also when things do seem to go our way. How many of us realize that everyday Jesus walks beside us and is with us? He never leaves us. Jesus protects us and cares for us. And when we realize Jesus is there at our side, do we talk to Jesus as a friend and speak to Him about everything.

Even in the midst of family strife or work problems or worries about the future, Jesus is there at our side. We should call upon Him for help at the moment of the turmoil, for He is truly with us.

Also, when good things happen, we should also remember that Jesus is with us too. He is with us at our family gatherings and with us on beautiful sunny days, when there seems to be no care in the world.

Today, let us resolve to constantly call upon Jesus whether good things are happening or bad things are happening because He is always at our side.

And we can say a short prayer like Jesus, “Stay with me Jesus, for I believe you are here with me. I trust you and believe you will save me and bring me safely into your heavenly kingdom with Mary, your Mother and all the angels and saints.”

Jan. 5th - St. John Neumann

Feast of St. John Neumann

There is the body of a bishop lying on a mattress with his head resting on a pillow underneath the altar of the church of St. Peter, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The body is enclosed in a glass case. He is wearing priestly vestments, a pectoral cross around his neck, and on his head is a hat, called a miter. He is also wearing white gloves with a ring on his finger. The bishop appears to be sleeping. Who is this person? Why is he in a glass case?

A boy destined to become a saint was born in 1811, in Bohemia. When he was about 10 to 14 yrs. old, he didn’t think much about becoming a priest, but when he was about 20 yrs old, he wanted to go to college and wandered, if he should be a doctor, a lawyer or to study theology. His mother, who was a devout Catholic, suggested he study theology. Theology is the study of God, and the Church. It would seem that his mother’s gentle suggestion resulted in the young man, becoming a saint in the United States.

He eventually went to seminary and graduated. He came to New York City, and was ordained. Years later, he joined a religious order called the Redemptorists, taking the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. He was ordained a bishop of Philadelphia. In the 1800’s, thousands of Catholics came to settle in Philadelphia from Europe. Back then, there were few churches or schools in Philadelphia. Within 2 yrs. he built 80 churches, and started the Catholic School system. Originally there were 500 children enrolled, within two years there were 9000. He developed “The Small Catechism” for children to be used in the schools.

He deeply loved the Virgin Mary and prayed to her beseeching Her intercession. His trip to Rome in 1854, for the proclamation of the dogma of Mary’s Immaculate Conception, which must had a tremendous impact on his life and his devotion to Mary.

He also had a strong devotion to the Eucharist, and prayed before the tabernacle often. He made popular “40 hours devotion”, whereby the Eucharist is adored for 40 continuous hours, by which people come to pray for an hour at a time. The 40 hours devotion is still popular today in Pennsylvania.

He had to do a lot of walking, and had to ride a horse to visit the sick, and prisoners, and to give confirmation to young people. All the traveling he did, caused him to become ill.

One day, as he walked down the street, after picking up a chalice, at a train station, he collapsed, and died on the street. Because many people believed he was a saint, they decided to put his body in a wax dummy, which was placed below the altar in a glass case, in the church of St. Peter in Philadelphia.

He was a very holy man, who lived a life of humility, and self-sacrifice. He deeply loved God and neighbor. Today, many people travel to Philadelphia to pray at his tomb, and ask favors from him. Who is this man? Who is this American Saint? He is Saint John Neumann. May all of us strive to become a saint, in imitation of St. John. Let us strive for holiness, and ask the Blessed Virgin to pray for us, that may we come to adore and love Jesus in the Eucharist, as he did. St. John Neumann, pray for us!