19th Sunday - Storm on the Lake - Humanae Vitae - Natural Family Planning

Today, you are going to hear an explanatory homily, which will be about 10 to 13 min. longer than usual. Homilies like this are given at times, to better explain a certain topic, and to be sure its said with the utmost love and charity possible when its given.

In the Gospel, while the apostles were in the boat tossed by waves, Jesus came walking on the water. Peter got out of the boat, and began to walk on water. But, he became frightened and began to sink. Jesus stretched out his hand, and both entered the boat. He calmed the storm & there was peace. Jesus reveals His divine power and gives peace to the fearful hearts of Peter and the Apostles.

We are at times, afraid. Out of fear, we may do things our way, instead of God’s way. But, when we realize our mistake, if we cry out, “Lord save me!”, and trust Jesus, He will make it work out, and give peace to us and our family. If we trust Jesus & follow His ways, even if a family is battered by a storm, faith in God will get them through the difficulty.

God wants every family to prosper, to have peace, to enjoy life, to grow in holiness and love. We are all God’s children, and He infinitely loves each of us. Every family is an image of the Trinity, a communion of persons living in unity and love.

My name is Fr. Edmond Kline, a priest from the diocese of Wichita, Kansas. I was invited by your parish group Catholic Family Ministry, celebrating the 55^th anniversary of Pope Paul VI’s encyclical Humanae Vitae, meaning “Human Life”. The document was to give moral guidance to Christians when the birth control pill first came out in 1960.

Today, I hope to explain why the pope said birth control is wrong. You will hear his amazing predictions about birth control, that came true. How birth control affects marriages, and I will explain how marriages can be protected and strengthened.

Back in the 1960’s, and later, the rhythm method was the only known method to prevent conception. But, it didn’t work well for irregular cycles. So, what were Catholics to do, when they felt they couldn’t have a child, due to a serious reason? Some felt they were forced to get a tubal ligation or a vasectomy or had to use the pill because they had no choice.

Back then, few bishops and priests explained what the Church teaches. But, today, there are new natural methods and more priests are getting the word out to help couples.

Pope Paul VI gave us the document, Humanae Vitae to give principles and guidance to the people. So why is birth control seriously sinful? He said there cannot be a separation from the unitive action of marital relations, from the procreative action of having children. I will first explain why the unitive action is necessary.

Today, children can be immorally created without the union between a man and a woman. For example, scientists can create children in a laboratory, such as a test tube baby or a petri dish, for the purpose of in vitro fertilization or scientific research. But, children are not anyone’s property and God desires they be created in a marital union of love.

When there is marital union between a man and woman, there must also be openness to procreate (to have children). During marital relations anything that impairs the capacity to transmit life, that God the Creator, through specific laws, has built into it, frustrates God’s design, contradicts His will, and is seriously sinful.

Artificial birth control (the pill, injection, patch, an IUD, condom or sterilization, prevents a child from coming into the world, and doesn’t allow for God’s natural design. It tells God, “No! You who may not bring a child into the world.” The Catechism of the Catholic Church states contraception is a refusal to be open to life and a failure to give oneself totally to another during the marital act. #2370

The problem with tubal ligations and vasectomies is they remove healthy body parts to prevent conception. Mutilating the body is a sin against the 5^th commandment, “Thou shall not kill”. Smoking, drunkenness, illegal drugs can also harm the body, and goes against this commandment. My friends, our body doesn’t belong to us, it belongs to God. 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 honor God with your bodies.” (1 Corinthians 6:19)

However, the Pope indicates when it's necessary to cure bodily diseases, for therapeutic purposes, medicine, or surgery is acceptable, even if it causes in the inability to have children, such as a hysterectomy.

To be open to conception, does not mean, God always wants couples to conceive. Pope Paul VI said parents should practice Responsible Parenthood by making reasonable decisions when having children. Sometimes physical or psychological conditions of the spouses are unfavorable for procreation too. For example, the husband loses his job. The wife is ill or a woman in her 40’s at risk of having a miscarriage or a child with health problems. I know of a couple, who had twins one year and two years later had triplets. They have 5 children under the age of 2.  

During these serious circumstances, couples follow God’s design by abstaining from marital relations during the fertile time, to avoid having a child. Through prayer and the circumstances of their life, they responsibly plan their family by morally acceptable natural means, that are 99% effective. By doing this, we follow God’s natural design for the human body and for marriage.

When I do marriage preparation classes, I ask couples, “How many children do you want?” They usually say, 2 or 3. But, that’s not the right answer. Couples may not realize it, but, that way of thinking treats children like property. They unknowingly disregard God’s command: “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.” (Gen. 1:28) The right answer is to have as many children as God wants. It's up to Him. He knows what we can handle. We need to trust Him that He will provide for all that we need. We may not live the high standard of living we had hoped for, but we will live the standard of living that will make us most happy. All married couples are called to be open to the gift of children. Children are the supreme gift of marriage. God does not expect us to have children randomly, rather we cooperate with Him in bringing a child into the world.

Let’s now turn our attention, to the pope’s predictions in Humanae Vitae. Paul VI predicted 5 things. 1. birth control would open wide the way for marital infidelity. 2. there would be general lowering of moral standards; 3. the government would force contraceptives upon married couples; 4. there would be a loss of respect for women by men using them as an object of pleasure; 5. contraceptives would make it easy for young people to be tempted to pre-marital relations.

According to statistics, marital infidelity has dramatically increased. A study from The Journal of Divorce and Remarried, said women who took the Pill divorced at a rate 54% above average. Women with tubal ligations divorced at a rate 78%. Men who used condoms divorced at 67% above average. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, quote CMR (Current Medical Research), which says, there’s a 3% divorce rate for Natural Family Planning users, meaning 97% will never divorce by following God’s natural plan.

The pope predicted there would be a lowering of moral standards. God’s moral law has always been in our hearts. The 10 Commandments can never change. For example, it has been and will always be wrong to commit adultery, to kill, to lie, to steal or take God’s name in vain, etc…

The Didache, is a document in the early Church written about 70 AD. It condemned birth control. Since the beginning of Christianity, Catholics have always forbidden it.

Protestant churches always forbade it, until 1930, when the Anglican church, began to permit it. When individual Catholics began to follow the Protestant view, as the pope predicted, moral standards were lowered.

Another papal prediction came true that governments would force contraceptives on married couples. Today, governments mandate birth control in poor countries, otherwise, they won’t receive financial assistance. Some governments coerce sterilization for marginalized women. China and Russia use abortion to regulate birth.

The pope also predicted a loss of respect for women. Due to a lack of periodic abstinence, men view women as an object of pleasure, women feel used, as men become more selfish.

The pope predicted contraceptives would make it easy for young people to be tempted to pre-marital relations.

It leads to a lowering of teenage moral standards, by way of promiscuity, a loss of self-discipline, an increase in venereal diseases, and non-marital pregnancies. Today, young people are more apt to live together cohabitating before marriage. Rather, then promoting abstinence and chastity, adults encourage teens to use birth control. Pope Paul VI said, “It is an evil thing to make it easy for them to break the law (of God).”

Why do so many marriages fail, when using birth control?

Some get sterilized or use birth control to live a more carefree life, have nicer material things, a larger house, newer cars, etc.. By limiting children, they think it leads to happiness, more wealth, comfort and less problems. But, birth control causes children to be viewed as a burden and property and material things become idols.

Couples cannot receive sacramental grace, when habitually living in serious sin. A mortal sin causes spiritual death to the soul. Unrepentant sin prevents spousal love from growing. Less virtue is practiced, then sin and vice reek havoc in the marriage. Selfishness grows. There is a loss of self-discipline and sacrificial love disappears. Communication is hampered. If one never confessed using birth control or sterilization, and if they receive Holy Communion, in the state of mortal sin, they make sacrilegious Communions, which are additional mortal sins. If we purposely withhold a serious sin in confession, then it makes all confessions after that invalid. And every time the Eucharist is received, the person does not receive any graces at all, but rather deeply offends Our Lord.

Every sin hurts Jesus. Before St. Faustina entered the convent, she had a vision of Jesus, crowned with thorns, with His hands tied to a rope and blood flowing down His face. Sin causes Jesus pain and suffering. The movie, The Passion of the Christ shows how sin hurts Jesus. Jesus was crucified once. But, Pope Pius XI said, “Every sin must be said to renew in a certain way the Passion of Our Lord, crucifying again in themselves, the Son of God and making Him a mockery.” When we commit mortal sin, we crucify again in our self, Jesus. Every sin affects our soul, but it also affects every soul in the mystical body of Christ and wounds the Heart of Jesus. We should not take sin lightly, but rather do everything we can to avoid it, and immediately ask Our Lord for forgiveness when we sin grievously. We should never stay in the state of serious sin, but to go to Confession.

The Church teaches there is no forgiveness after death. If we die unrepentant, in the state of mortal sin, we will go to hell for all eternity. The Virgin Mary showed the three children of Fatima a vision of hell. They saw a sea of fire and forms of humans, men and women, shouting and crying in despair. They saw demons in the forms of ugly animals. The vision was so horrible the children feared that they would die from fright. Rather than causing them to be afraid of God, they were afraid souls would go to hell, so they began to do penances, to prevent people from going there. They tied a rope around their waste and give their food away to poor children.

Hell is eternal, its forever. The mercy seat of Christ is the Confessional. But, the judgment seat of Christ is at our death and our judgment is permanent.

God sees our unhappiness and misery caused by birth control, and He deeply wants to help couples in their marriage to grow in love and have peace. The Church’s role is to guide souls to eternal salvation. God wants us to trust Him-- by following the teachings of His Church, given to us by popes and saints. Openness to procreation affirms the dignity of women. The practice of periodic self-denial strengthens the marriage by converting selfish love into charity. Receiving the Eucharist in the state of grace, couples receive untold graces to live out their marital commitment. Regular Confession, helps the couple to grow in humility, to forgive injuries, avoid grudges and jealousy, and it keeps their souls in the state of grace. When a couple begins to use natural family planning, marriages are greatly strengthened. For example.

A couple in Wichita used birth control the first 3 years of marriage, but stopped, and began to regulate births naturally. After they started following God’s plan for marriage, the woman said, “One day my husband came home from hunting. Mud was splattered all over his truck. When he fell asleep on the couch, I went outside and washed his truck. When finished, I came back inside and a few minutes later, he woke up, and said, “I’m going to the convenience store to get a slush puppie, do you want one?” She said, “No, thank you.” When he saw his cleaned truck, he came back inside the house, and said, “What do you want?” She said, “I don’t want anything.” He said, “You must want something, you cleaned my truck.” She said, “No, I don’t want anything in return. I just cleaned it because I love you.” It was at that moment, the couple realized when they abstain from relations during the fertile time, it caused each to grow in greater love for the other- by finding new ways to show their love.

When couples practice the natural way of regulating births, it encourages them to be more sacrificial. They learn self-discipline, patience, humility and to talk things out better.

When Pope Paul VI wrote Humanae Vitae, he was unaware of another reason why birth control is seriously sinful. He could have not predicted this terrible effect of birth control. Back then, the side effects and dangers of drugs were not well known. Today, commercials from drug companies list possible side effects. If the birth control pill, Depro pavera was advertised on TV, perhaps you would see a woman running through a field, while the speaker gives the possible side effects: headaches, nervousness, depression, changes in appetite, weight gain, breast cancer, liver disease, acne, heart attack, loss of hair, and stroke. These are the actual side effects as listed by WebMD.

Now there is one more side effect. This is very difficult to say, and It's very difficult for you to hear. Before I tell you, you must remember, that you never heard it before. You should have been told prior to using birth control, by either the doctor, the pharmacist, your parents or by us priests. The last side effect applies to all birth control pills, patches, injections, and the IUD. This is the side effect: All of these may prevent a fertilized egg from implanting. My friends, a “fertilized human egg” is a baby. The pill, the IUD, the shot, and the patch - all cause the womb to be irritated in such a way, a newly conceived baby, is unable to implant, and so, a child may die within 5 days of conception, and the mother did not know she was pregnant. While this does not happen very often, it can happen.

When the Virgin Mary visited Her cousin Elizabeth,which was a 5-day journey from Nazareth to the city of Ain Karem, the baby Jesus was just 5 days old from conception. He therefore, had no hands or feet, no eyes, and not even a beating Heart. But the unborn John the Baptist leapt in his mother’s womb at the presence of the unborn baby Jesus.

I have 6 sisters and a brother. When I was a seminarian, I learned one of my sisters was taking the pill. I read the contraindications on the label from the pill at her home. The label said, “May cause the death of a zygote.”

A zygote is a newly fertilized egg, a new baby. I told my sister the Church teaches it's seriously sinful to take birth control, and the pill can cause the death of a baby. But, she continued to take it. She later said, despite taking the pill, she had three children, one was an ectopic pregnancy, and so died. So, if a woman takes birth control, can conceive three children, and bring two to full term, then how many children are dying within 5 days of conception, because the child is unable to attach to the womb? This is one of the main reasons why birth control is so dangerous and immoral.

My dear parishioners, sadly, you may have lost a child or even multiple children by taking birth control and never knew you were pregnant.

At the moment of conception, God gives a new child a soul and a body and a new human being is created in God’s image and likeness. A person is a person no matter how small from conception.

Pope Paul VI, gave advice to doctors and nurses, “For then, when married couples ask their advice, they may be in a position to give right counsel and to point them in the proper direction. Married couples have a right to expect this much from them.” If there are any Catholic doctors and nurses here at Mass, I encourage you to learn more about what the Church teaches and be ready to explain it to your patients. You have a moral obligation to present the truth.

I am not here to judge anyone. How many of you heard of this before? Almost none of you. Truly, you didn’t understand what you were doing. Jesus understands that. God is rich in mercy. In the Confessional is the merciful Jesus. Our Lord told St. Faustina, “Let not even the weak and very sinful fear to approach me, even if their sins be as numerous as all the sand of the earth all will be forgiven in the fathomless pit of my mercy.” In Confession, the arms of Jesus are opened to embrace you. All He wants of you-- is for you to give Him your sins, to relieve you from this burden. He is the merciful shepherd, who loves His sheep and seeks out the lost and when He finds the lost, He picks us up, and holds us to His beating Heart carrying us home rejoicing. If you have never confessed using birth control or getting sterilized, run quickly to Jesus in Confession and you will have peace and joy in your heart.

Humanae Vitae also suggested the promotion of chastity. Chastity speakers like Jason Everett will speak at Catholic schools and public schools, and also at churches. He spoke at our public school in Halstead, KS a few years ago.

Pope Paul VI asked scientists to develop new natural ways to space children. Today, there are 6 new natural methods. All are 99% effective, which is more effective than birth control. The Sympto-thermo, Family of the Americas, FEMM, Billings, Marquette & Creighton Method.

Go to your Archdiocese website. In the search engine, type “Natural Family Planning” or “NFP”. A list of doctors and instructors will come up, who can help you learn these natural methods and strengthen your marriage. You can also download apps from your website and connect to a teacher.

Jesus is not asking you to do something that's impossible. He's not placing on you a burden too heavy to carry. You can receive help to understand the natural design of your body and fertility. You can do it.

There is great hope. More young couples are now using natural methods and also now breastfeeding, than ever before. Our diocese has a new class for high school girls called the “The Wonder of Eve”, to help them to learn about how God designed their fertility and their body. In my diocese, NFP classes are required for all couples preparing for marriage.

My friends, the key to successfully regulating births naturally is to truly come to know the way God designed your body. NFP teachers can help you know your body and the way God created it to function. If you do, you will have a 97% chance of not divorcing, rather than a 58% chance you will, if you use birth control?

I would like to address men. Now is the time for men to be men. When the devil was trying to trick Eve, Adam should have done the manly thing. He should have told the serpent, “Listen, buddy, you stay away from my wife, or else, you're gonna have to deal with me.” He should have come to her aid, and risk his life to defend her.

St. Paul said, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy,…” (Ephesians 5:25) This means, that men are the spiritual head of the family. Men and women are equal. But, the action of the man leading the family spiritually, makes his wife and children holy—it sanctifies them. Just as Adam should have been willing to lay down his life for Eve, and just as Jesus laid down His life for His bride, the Church, so you are called to be strong and do the same.

This is how marriage and the family will become stronger, when the man leads the family spiritually. Fathers, you reflect the image of God the Father. You are called to be the protector of the family, especially from sin, and to help the family grow in love and holiness.

Men. Listen. As a suggestion, when you go home today, take your wife by the hand, look into her beautiful eyes, and say, “Sweetheart, I love more than anything. When we use birth control, we are hurting our souls and receiving Communion sacrilegiously which deeply offends Jesus. We need to open our heart to do what God wants. I think He is calling us to live a more sacrificial life. I love you so much, and I want to help you and our children to get to heaven. From now on, we are going to step out of the boat, and take the hand of Jesus. We are going to keep our eyes on Him and trust Him and His Church. We're going to go to Confession regularly, and we will trust in God’s plan for marriage.

We are going to follow the teachings of the Church. I don’t want to take the risk of losing one of our unborn children due to some chemical or device. It's not going to be easy for us, because we have to trust. We will learn to practice patience, communicate better, and be more self-disciplined. I want the special time when we come together to be sacred, and not sinful. Let’s pray together every night, 10 Hail Marys and then over time, we will pray the Rosary as a family. Let’s use God’s natural way to grow in love for each other. Let’s take the classes together. Let’s make Jesus and Mary the King and Queen of our family by consecrating our family to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary.”

Then, listen to what she has to say.

In conclusion, my friends, God loves you infinitely, and He knows what is best for you and your family. He has given His authority to His Church, the body of Christ, to help you obtain salvation. Jesus told His apostles and their successors, popes, bishops & priests, “He who hears you, hears me. He who rejects you, rejects me and the one who sent me.”

On our part, we need to admit, out of fear, we made a mistake in not trusting God by doing things own way. When we follow God’s natural plan for fertility, we are doing God’s will. We take our Catholic faith seriously. May every family become a holy family, in imitation of THE Holy Family, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph who is a model for us.

They prayed together, sacrificed for each other, were faithful to God’s laws, and lived a life of purity and chastity. Jesus is here today, stretching out His hand to save you and your family. He wants you to step out in faith. But do you trust Him? Will you take His hand?

 Journal of Divorce and Remarried - https://naturalwomanhood.org/marital-problems-birth-control/

CMR – US Bishops Website https://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/marriage-and-family/natural-family-planning/medical-research/upload/CMR-Summer-Fall-2013-Divorce-and-NFP-edited.pdf

Transfiguration - Eucharistic Miracle & Adoration

 

The feast of the Transfiguration is every year on Aug. 6^th. Since it falls on a Sunday, we celebrate the Transfiguration this weekend. The transfiguration-when linked to the Eucharist reveals the glory of God and His love for us.

What a grace for Peter, James and John to see Jesus transfigured as His face shown like the sun and his clothes became dazzling white.

Moses and Elijah are the key representa­tives of the Law and the prophets. Their coming to talk with Jesus shows Him to be the fulfillment of God’s revelation to them. He is therefore the Messiah.

It also reveals the Blessed Trinity, as the Father speaks, the Holy Spirit is represented in a cloud and Jesus appears in glory.

Peter also said something that seems strange to us. He is known for his impulsive words and actions. He said, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” Why would Peter want to set up tents. Perhaps, he was so thrilled by what he saw, he wanted Moses, Elijah and Jesus to stay there, so others could come to see the glorious event, and to meet God face to face in a tent.

The Jews had what was called the Feast of Tabernacles. It originally began as festive celebration for the crops of that year after the harvest. The word “tabernacle” was used for the word “tent”. During the 40 years in the desert, the Hebrew people lived in tents (tabernacles) and the feast of the tabernacles would commemorate the celebration of reaching the promised land. The feast was later celebrated as a result of the erection of the temple, their permanent place of worship, where many animal sacrifices occurred.

When we think of a tent, we think of canvas and poles that is normally used for camping. But, in the Old Testament, some tents were not only used to sleep and rest at night, they were used as a meeting place especially between God and man. One tent contained the Ark of the Covenant.

The book of Exodus states, “The tent, which was called the meeting tent, Moses used to pitch at some distance away, outside the camp. Anyone who wished to consult the LORD would go to this meeting tent outside the camp. Whenever Moses went out to the tent, the people would all rise and stand at the entrance of their own tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent. As Moses entered the tent, the column of cloud would come down and stand at its entrance while the LORD spoke with Moses. On seeing the column of cloud stand at the entrance of the tent, all the people would rise and worship at the entrance of their own tents. The LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, as one man speaks to another.”

Today, the tabernacle in every Catholic Church is the meeting place between God and man, because the Eucharistic Jesus is truly present in every tabernacle. The physical church is the new temple. And at Mass the one sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross becomes present when bread and wine are changed into the body and blood of Jesus. At Mass, we are in God’s presence. We are in the presence of the sacrifice of Calvary and when the Host is elevated, in our mind’s eye, we can gaze upon the glory of the face of Christ.

During Holy Communion, our body becomes a tent, where we meet God in our hearts. And that meeting with God in our heart, will prepare us for our permanent home heavenly home.

In 2^nd Corinthians 5:1-2, St. Paul said, “Our bodies are like tents that we live in here on earth. But when these tents are destroyed, we know that God will give each of us a place to live. These homes will not be buildings someone has made, but they are in heaven and will last forever. While we are here on earth, we sigh because we want to live in that heavenly home.”

On July 21st, 2023, Catholic News Agency reported a new Eucharistic miracle that happened in a tabernacle located in Honduras. On the afternoon of June 9, 2022, José Elmer Benítez Machado arrived to celebrate the Liturgy of the Word and distribute to the faithful the hosts previously consecrated by the priests of the diocese. Benítez was appointed an extraordinary minister of holy Communion to give Communion to the people, when no priest could come.

When it was time to distribute the Eucharist, Benítez opened the tabernacle and noticed that the corporal (sacred linen cloth), under and folded over the wooden ciborium and on a white satin cushion, showed large stains that seemed to be of human blood.

The bishop had the blood stained cloth taken to a laboratory to be tested. The tests determined it was human blood. The blood type was AB with a positive Rh factor, identical to the blood found in both the Eucharistic miracle in Lanciano, Italy, and on the Shroud of Turin. The tests also ruled out the possibility that the pattern of the blood stains was made artificially. Because of the test results, the bishop declared it, a Eucharistic miracle due to blood stained cloth in the tabernacle. This miracle is a reminder, that Jesus is truly present in every tabernacle.

Two years ago, I gave everyone a copy of the book, Jesus Our Eucharistic Love, before we started Eucharistic Adoration. I would like to take some quotes from that book. The book states, “When one loves truly and loves greatly, one begins to adore. Jesus in the tabernacle is adored only by those who truly love Him, and He is loved in an eminent manner by whoever adores Him. All the Saints have been ardent adorers of the Holy Eucharist, from the great Doctors of the Church like St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Bonaventure, to Popes like St. Pius V and St. Pius X, priests like the holy St. John Vianney (the Curé of Ars) and St. Peter Julian Eymard, down to humble souls like St. Rita, St. Paschal Baylon, St. Bernadette Soubirous, St. Gerard, St. Dominic Savio and St. Gemma Galgani. These chosen ones, whose love was true, kept no count of the hours of fond adoration that they spent day and night before Jesus in the tabernacle.

The Saints, being far advanced in the practice of love, were faithful and ardent adorers of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. What good reason we have to envy the Angels, as the Saints have done, because Angels ceaselessly remain stationed around the tabernacles!

Importantly, Eucharistic adoration has always been considered as the closest likeness we have to the eternal adoration which will make up our whole paradise. The difference lies only in the veil which hides the sight of that divine Reality of which faith gives us unwavering certainty. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament has been the fervent devotion of the Saints. Their adoration lasted hours and hours, sometimes whole days or nights.

Hear what Blessed Charles de Foucauld wrote before the tabernacle: “What a tremendous delight, my God! To spend over fifteen hours without anything else to do but look at You and tell You, 'Lord, I love You!' Oh, what sweet delight!”

St. Francis of Assisi spent so much time, often entire nights, before the altar, and remained there so devoutly and humbly that he deeply moved anyone who stopped to watch him.

Even after their death, the bodies saints miraculously adored Jesus in the tabernacle. For example, when St. Catherine of Bologna was placed before the altar of the Blessed Sacrament a few days after her death, her body rose up to a position of prayerful adoration. At Ravello, Blessed Bonaventure of Potenza's body, while being carried past the altar of the Blessed Sacrament, made a devout head-bow to Jesus in the tabernacle.” (End quote of from the book Jesus Our Eucharistic Love)

My dear parishioners, we are so blessed to be able to come and adore Jesus in the Eucharist every week during adoration of the Sacred Host in a monstrance. Eucharistic adoration is an ecstasy of love, and it is the most powerful salvific practice in the apostolate of saving souls.

The three apostles got a preview of the glory of Jesus risen from the dead and His glory in heaven. It was also a preview of the glory we all hope to share in heaven.

When we come before Jesus in Eucharistic Adoration, we are gazing upon the glory of the Lord, just as the three apostles were gazing upon the glory of the Lord at the Transfiguration. There in the Eucharist is the risen and glorified Jesus. And when we come to spend one hour a week with Him in Adoration, He will touch our hearts and give us the graces to accept sufferings in our life, to embrace them and to even rejoice in them. And only in Paradise will we see how many souls have been delivered from the gates of hell by the Eucharistic adoration done in reparation by holy persons known and unknown. Outside of Eucharistic Adoration, like the saints, we too can spend time additional time with Jesus truly present in the tabernacle.

I would like to close with the prayer the angel taught the three children of Fatima. “O most holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, I adore You profoundly, and I offer You the most precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifference with which He is offended. And through the infinite merits of His most Sacred Heart and of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg of You the conversion of poor sinners. Amen.”

17th Sunday - Blessed Stanley Rother & Stewardship

 

Today’s Gospel is the parable of the net. The fishermen throw the good fish into buckets and the bad fish are discarded. The net thrown into the sea is an image of the Church which holds both the just and the sinners.

At the judgment, there will be a separation from the good and the bad. The bad will go into the fiery furnace (hell). The just (who are saints) will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

The Catholic Church contains saints as well as sinners. The Church never ceases to open Her motherly arms to sinners, and welcome them back through the sacrament of Confession. Anyone, can become a saint. We are all called to holiness.

The Church produced many saints down through the centuries. First there were the martyrs who gave their lives for the faith.

Through every generation, countless parents have led heroic lives of silent sacrifice while faithfully fulfilling the demands of their divine vocation. Similarly, there are many men and women who strive to achieve holiness in the midst of the world, such as religious brothers and sisters, and priests who live celibacy and chastity and are models of holiness for us, like Blessed Father Stanley Rother.

We are all called to be holy, because holiness is needed to enter heaven. But, the unholy, who live unrepentant sinful lives, cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven.

How are we to live a holy life? Practicing Stewardship, by opening our hearts to the needs of others-- guarantees a life of holiness, borne from the sacraments of receiving the Holy Eucharist and Confession regularly.

As a disciple of Christ, we give our time, talent, and treasure to God and neighbor in appreciation for the gifts He has given us.

All things – our wealth and possessions, our family and relationships, our degrees and achievements – are only the means to reach the goal in life: To be one with God forever.

This life of holiness begins now! It is already here! All we have to do is live our life, as a disciple of Christ, following the Stewardship way of life, and we will reach our goal of heaven. Stewardship is using the gifts God has given you, for the love of God and neighbor.

In heaven there are canonized and non-canonized saints. We should choose this day to become a fish that will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, rather than a fish to be discarded. Therefore, “Set your hearts on his kingdom first… and all these other things will be given you as well”

A shepherd is one who guides the sheep, to help the sheep to know what is right and true. Shepherds are stewards of the sacred mysteries, and they are to help the sheep to live by those mysteries.

Stanley Francis Rother born on March 27, 1935, in Okarche, Oklahoma was as one of four children from a farm family. His sister, Betty Mae, became a religious sister Adorer of the Blood of Christ in Wichita. He had two brothers.

Stanley was strong and adept at farm tasks. After completing his high school studies at the Holy Trinity school in Okarche he declared his calling to the priesthood to his parents. His father whimsically asked him: "Why didn't you take Latin instead of working so hard as a Future Farmer of America?"

He was sent to Assumption Seminary in San Antonio Texas. Most of his classes were all in Latin, and had great difficulty with Latin, and his grades suffered. After almost six years, the seminary told him he couldn't continue.

Despite being dismissed from seminary, he continued to believe he had a call to the priesthood. His bishop also believed he had a call, and sent him to Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Maryland. He made great progress at his new seminary and Bishop Reed ordained him May 25, 1963. Fr. Rother served as an associate pastor in various parishes around Oklahoma.

When he learned a priest was needed in Guatemala, he asked Bishop Reed for permission, which he granted. In 1968, he was assigned to the mission of the archdiocese to the Tz’utujil people located in Santiago Atitlan in southwest Guatemala.

To be closer to his congregation, he set out to learn Spanish and the Tz’utujil language which was an unwritten language. Fr. Rother lived with a native family for a while to get a better grasp of practical conversation, and worked with the locals to show them how to read and write. He supported a radio station located on the mission property which transmitted daily lessons in both languages.

Despite his difficulties with Latin, he translated the New Testament into Tz'utujil and began the regular celebration of the Mass in Tz'utujil and could preach in their language. In the late 1960s, Fr. Rother founded a small hospital.

He put his farming skills to good use in Guatemala, including operating a bulldozer to clear land on local farms. His door was open to all people. He feed some poor each day for lunch, and others came for advice on personal or financial affairs. Some even came to him to have their teeth extracted. He took a boy and his parents to Guatemala City to be treated for lip cancer.

After a major earthquake in 1976, it was said, “With courage he climbed the ravines in order to help the very poor, pulling the wounded out of the ruins and carrying them to safety on his shoulders.”, just as a shepherd would carry his sheep.

We can see all the ways, Fr. Rother used his gifts for God and neighbor. To learn a new language and teach others to read and write. To translate the bible into a new language. To build a new hospital to care for the sick. To help those suffering from an earthquake. To give courage to a persecuted people. To use the gift of his farming background to help grow crops. To use his priesthood to be an instrument of grace and mercy through the sacraments. To be a spiritual father to the people and to even lay down his life for them as a martyr.

From 1971 to 1981, there were numerous killings of journalists, farmers, catechists and priests, all accused falsely of communism. Within the last year of his life, Fr. Rother saw the radio station smashed and its director murdered. His catechists and parishioners would disappear and later found dead. Their bodies showed signs of being beaten and tortured. Realizing they were seeking to kill him, he briefly went back to the United States, and traveled to Mt. St. Mary’s Seminary to pray and figure out whether or not to return to Guatemala in May 1981. In December 1980, he addressed a letter to the faithful in Oklahoma saying: "This is one of the reasons I have for staying in the face of physical harm. The shepherd cannot run at the first sign of danger."

On the morning of July 28, the killers forced the teenager Francisco Bocel (who was in the church at the time) to lead them to the bedroom of the priest. The men threatened to kill Francisco if he did not show them Fr. Rother, and so Francisco led them downstairs and knocked on a door near the staircase saying: "Father. They are looking for you."

Fr. Rother opened the door and a struggle ensued as Francisco ran upstairs hearing Fr. Rother yell: "Kill me here!" One shot pierced his jaw and the second fatal shot struck the left temple; there were bruises on both hands.

Fr. Rother was one of 10 priests murdered in Guatemala that year. His remains were flown back to Oklahoma and buried in his hometown on August 3, 1981, in Holy Trinity Cemetery. At the request of his parishioners, his heart was removed and buried under the altar of the church where he had served in Guatemala. His body was transferred again to Oklahoma City in the cemetery Mausoleum next to the Cathedral and then transferred to the new basilica dedicated in his honor.

In the presence of 20,000 people, Fr. Stanley Rother was beatified, Sept. 23^rd, in 2017. His feast day is July 28^th.

So what is the goal or our life? St Ignatius of Loyola writes, “The goal of our life is to live with God forever. God, who loves us, gave us life. Our own response of love allows God’s life to flow into us without limit. All the things in this world are gifts of God, presented to us so that we can know God more easily and make a return of love more readily. As a result, we appreciate and use all these gifts of God insofar as they help us develop as loving persons. But if any of these gifts become the center of our lives, they displace God and so hinder our growth toward our goal.”

What gifts and talents do you have that you can become a more fervent disciple of Christ as you practice the stewardship way of life?

We should all priests that they may follow in the footsteps of Blessed Stanley Rother, a shepherd, who does not run at the first sign of danger. And may our only desire and our one choice be this:

“I want, and I choose what better leads me to my final goal of heaven. We should therefore be a good steward of our gifts like Father Stanley Rother and which help each other reach our final goal in heaven.”

And at the end of Mass, you are invited to come forward to venerate a relic of Blessed Father Rother. When you venerate the relic, ask Jesus for a specific healing. A miracle is needed for his canonization. 

Before the summer is over, I encourage you to take a day trip to Oklahoma City. You can go to Confession, attend daily Mass. They have a Holy Hour every day at 3pm and pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. They have a museum with a tour guide and a gift shop. There is pathway up the hill to the Grotto of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The basilica is beautiful. Daily Mass is offered in the smaller chapel, where the body of Fr. Stanley Rother is located under the altar. In the chapel is a stunning mural of Blessed Stanely Rother and other martyrs. Then you can go out for dinner and return to home, the same day.

Blessed Stanley Rother, pray for us, who have recourse to thee.

16th Sunday - Weeds with Wheat

 

“The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.”

Our Lord taught the parable of the wheat and weeds to explain what the final judgment will be like. He wanted us to know that we have an enemy who wants to ruin our judgment by sowing weeds. The wheat is the true teachings, and are those who attempt to follow the way of the Lord. The weeds represent false doctrine, sown by the devil and those who follow the way of the devil. The devil wants to ruin the harvest, so the children of God do not inherit the kingdom of God.

“The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man who sowed good seed in his field.” The world is a field, where God is continually sowing the seeds of His grace. This divine seed takes root in the soul, and produces fruits of holiness. God has prepared us like soil, and bestowed upon us His saving doctrine.

“The weeds are the children of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil.”

While men are sleeping, the enemy, who is the devil came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. The weeds sown in the midst of the wheat is called cockle-seed.

Cockle is a plant that is often found in crops in the Middle East. It resembles wheat so closely that even an experienced farmer can’t tell the two plants apart until the stalks begin to mature. Cockle is toxic to humans. If this kind of weed is mixed with flour it will ruin the bread.

The Fathers of the Church understood the weeds of cockle, to be a metaphor for false doctrine, not easy to distinguish from the truth. The devil mixes falsehood with the truth causing error. And if allowed to continue, it always has catastrophic affects in people’s lives.

The devil is extremely intelligent and very clever. He mixes false doctrines with true doctrine knowing it will cause people to be confused and doubt true doctrine given to us by the Church.

I would like to give you some examples of how the devil attempts to confuse people with false doctrine mixed with true doctrine.

Some years back ABC News Night Line aired a program about the Blessed Virgin Mary. Within the program they expressed some true teachings. For example, the program said Catholics believe Mary is the Mother of God. But they interviewed a non-Catholic from the Holy Land, who casts a shadow on the teachings of the Church on Mary. The person, who was a supposed expert, planted weeds of doubt to those who watched the program. He made it sound like Mary wasn’t a perpetual virgin and wasn’t assumed into heaven. Yet, the program explained (the wheat)—that Catholics pray to Mary and seek Her motherly intercession. There was good mixed with false teachings. There were lies mixed with truth—this comes from the devil.

Here are some other examples with regard to morality.

For example contraception. It is true parents should limit children for serious reasons and not be forced to live in poverty. It is also true without spacing children, couples won’t have the living standard they desire. But, God provides Natural Family Planning to space children. It’s morally acceptable. 99% effective. Although it may be true, the family will not have the standard of living they desire, God will provide all that is needed. The family learns to love and sacrifice for each other, and will follow God’s plan for marriage.

Abortion (It is true women have a right to choose how to live their life). But no one has a right to kill an innocent human being, especially their own child.

Cohabitation (It is true, when a couple lived together before marriage, they can save money, and learn more about each other). But we don’t try people out like used cars. When living together without a permanent commitment, it opens the door to unfaithfulness. To live together in love, means to live together avoiding sin. Sin is the opposite of love. Having relations before marriage causes each to mutually seriously harm each other’s soul.

Homosexual marriage. (It is true everyone has a right to marry whoever they want, and it’s good to live with someone you love and care about). However, God is the author of marriage, who declared marriage is only between a man and woman. Homosexual marriage is unnatural. Perverse actions are not loving, but harm the souls and bodies of each other. All sexual activity outside of marriage is seriously sinful.

Euthanasia. (It is true, that it is compassionate to alleviate and minimize suffering). But to avoid suffering at the expense of disrespecting the dignity of human life, by suicide or murder, breaks the commandment of “Thou shall not kill.” God is the author of life, and only He has the right and authority to take it.

There is direct and indirect euthanasia. Direct euthanasia is an action taken for the purpose of hastening death. These measures may include lethal injection, poisoning, and suffocation. There is also passive euthanasia, when an action is withheld for the purpose of hastening death. These measures would include the withholding or withdrawal of non-heroic measures, to include food, hydration, and oxygen. Death should not be hastened to alleviate the suffering of the family.

Whereas, natural death means to allow a person to die in comfort and peace by withholding aggressive treatment that would only cause pain and lengthen the person's lifespan by a very modest or insignificant amount. But yet provides food, hydration and oxygen when its beneficial to the dying person.

Transgenderism (It’s true we should be able to choose how to live our life). But, we do not have the right to change our God given gender. The truth is the Church recognizes every human person is created in the image and likeness of God, male or female (Gen. 1:26-27). And so we should help people discover their true identities as children of God, not support them in the disordered attempt to reject their undeniable biological identity.

There are many false doctrines which the devil sows within the Church. In Austria for example, a group of 250 priests launched an outright rebellion against the Church. They are openly rejecting the doctrine, discipline and practice which are at the heart of the Catholic Christian faith. They are seeking to lead others to join them in their errors. 

This group of openly dissident priests has gone public with their rebellion launching a website listing their points of dissent in a document entitled "A Call to Disobedience". Some members of the dissenting group say: -  to pray for Church reform at every liturgy, since "in the presence of God there is freedom of speech". - not to deny the Holy Eucharist to "believers of good will," including non-Catholic Christians and those who have remarried outside the Church. - to "ignore" canonical norms that restrict the preaching of the homily to clergy, so that lay people can preach during Mass,-- to "use every opportunity to speak out openly in favor of the admission of the married to the priesthood and of ordaining women to the priesthood."

The Argentinean Bishops stated people who are divorced and remarried civilly, and not attempting to live chastely, can receive Holy Communion. The German bishops voted in favor of giving blessings to same-sex couples. But this is contrary to Church teaching.

There are some who say God wills the diversity of religions, which means that God wills there be Muslim, Hindu, Jewish, Catholic, Lutherans, Methodists, Baptist etc.. religions as though one is not any better than another. But this idea contradicts what Catholics have long believed, that Jesus founded only one Church, the Catholic Church, and God wills all to come to know the truth found in the Catholic Church. The truth is many religions have some truths revealed by God, but only the Catholic Church has ALL divinely revealed truths.

“Just as weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age.” Jesus gave the parable of the wheat and weeds as an example of the Last Judgment, when Our Lord will come to judge the world at the end of time. He will separate the good from the wicked. Those who have sown weeds (false doctrine) will be harvested and burned, which represents souls who will go to hell. But those who have held fast to the teachings of the Church—will be like the wheat, when they are harvested they will be taken up into heaven.

Whatever the Catholic Church teaches, we trust will help us to get to heaven. The Church is sort of like the land. Her teachings are like the wheat, which once harvested will provide food to help sustain us on our journey toward heaven. The devil attempts to mix weeds in the midst of the wheat. The weeds that he sows-- appear to be wheat and grows like wheat, but in fact are weeds. These weeds, which the devil sows, are toxic and deadly and will cause those who eat it to die, by losing one’s salvation. The devil is the enemy of the Church and our enemy. He hates us and wants to kill and destroy our souls, so we will go to hell and be lost forever.

Jesus wants everyone to be with Him in heaven. He wants to help us in our struggles of life. He wants to be part of our decisions and to walk with us. Jesus is God and can do anything for us. We pray that all Catholics will to turn to Him, to trust Him and to love Him enough to follow the true teachings of His Church. We turn to His Mother Mary as we pray:

“O Blessed Mother, Mother of God, Perpetual Virgin, You who were Assumed body and soul into heaven. Grant all Catholics and especially priests, the grace to follow Jesus, Your Son, and His Church’s teachings. As you are our Mother, so the Church is our Mother. She wants to guard and protect Her children against the weeds of the devil. When it comes harvest time, at the Last Judgment, which may come sooner than we think, may all of us be counted among the righteous, who will shine like the sun in the kingdom of the Father. Amen.”