29th Sunday, Medjugorje

 

What is heaven like?

When I was newly ordained and serving at St. Elizabeth Anne Seton in Wichita, I stopped by the 4^th grade classroom at their Catholic school and asked the children, if they have any questions. One boy raised his hand and said, “I have a question. Is there any sin in heaven?” I said, “No there is no sin in heaven.” He said, “Are you sure, there is no sin in heaven?” I said, “Yes, there is no sin in heaven.” He then said, “But didn’t the angels sin in heaven?” I was shocked at the depth of his question and replied, ‘Well, you are right, there was sin in heaven, when a 1/3 of the angels disobeyed God and were cast out. But, that was a one time event. Now there is no sin in heaven.”

He was a very good and smart kid. He was doing something most of us rarely do. He was wondering what heaven is like. Heaven is different then we think.

In the Gospel today, James and John wanted to sit and the right and left hand of Jesus in heaven. By asking that question, we can see they really love Jesus and want to be with Him in heaven. And this what we should all do. But, their motive for asking the question was most likely not as good as they thought and Jesus knowing their hearts would have saw right through why they asked the question. James & John were two the three Apostles with Peter, who were the most intimate friends of Jesus. They were with Jesus at the transfiguration and the raising of the little girl from the dead. But, perhaps their motive was they wanted the glory because they were His close friends. The other apostles became indignant, that they asked the question, because they were envious of them.

In the first reading, it explains how Jesus would give His life to justify many. “The Lord was pleased to crush him in infirmity.” Jesus helps the apostles to know those next to Him in heaven, would have to also be crushed and give their life out love. He said, “Can you drink the cup I will drink or be baptized with the baptism I am to be baptized?” He was referring to the cup of His suffering and the baptism of blood speaking of His crucifixion where He would die and rise. He said, “Whoever wishes to be great, must be a servant of all”.

Have you heard of the movie Heaven is for Real? Its about an 8 year old boy, Colton Burpo, who had a near death experience and went to heaven. While in heaven he saw Jesus and he met his sister, who died by miscarriage, and who he never knew he had in heaven.

Don’t we all wish we could see heaven and see who is there and what goes on in heaven?

On June 24, 1981, two young girls were walking in the hamlet of Bijakovici in the parish of Medjugorje when a woman holding an infant appeared high on a hill among the boulders and brambles of Mount Podbrdo. Instinctively, they knew it was the Virgin Mary, but they did not approach Her. They and four other children felt called to return the next day, and Our Blessed Mother drew them to her, effortlessly transporting them up the mountain, over boulders and thorny bushes. The Blessed Mother introduced herself as the Queen of Peace. They fell to their knees and began to pray. She prayed with them and promised to return the next day.

The following day the 6 children Vicka who was 16, Ivanka 10, Maria 16, Ivan 15, Mirjana 15, Jokav 8, saw the Virgin Mary.

The first message of Mary was "Peace, peace, peace and only peace, peace must reign between God and man and between all people."

One of visionaries said that when they see the Virgin Mary, they don’t have any desire to be on earth, they just want to stay with Mary and be in heaven with Her.

On All Soul’s Day, Nov. 2^nd, 1981, the Seers – were gathered together except Ivan, and the Virgin Mary showed them heaven. Ivan would later have a vision of heaven.

They all have said that there are no words to describe the beauty of Heaven and if we knew what awaits us in Heaven, there are no difficulties or trials that we experience that won’t be worth eternal life in Heaven.

A reporter from Radio Maria, asked Vicka to describe heaven and she said, “It can’t be described. That is something beyond description. It is filled with some sort of beautiful light…people…flowers…angels…All is filled with some indescribable joy. Your heart stands still when you look at it.” She said, “Heaven is a vast space, and it has a brilliant light which does not leave it. It is a life which we do not know here on earth. We saw people dressed in gray, pink, and yellow robes. They were walking, praying, and singing. Small angels were flying above them. The Blessed Mother showed us how happy these people are.” Question: “How could you tell they were happy? Vicka: “You can see it on their faces. But it is impossible to describe with words the great happiness I saw in Heaven…In Paradise, when the Blessed Mother passed, everybody responded to Her, and She to them. There was a recognition between them…They were standing there communicating with Her, like in a tunnel, only it wasn’t exactly like a tunnel, but a tunnel is the closest comparison. People were praying, they were singing, they were looking…People in Heaven know the absolute fullness of a created being.” Question: “How long were you there? Vicka: “Maybe twenty minutes”. Question: “…Did the people talk to you?” Vicka: “It was very unusual. They were speaking, but I could not understand them…The people were in small groups. I was with Jakov and the Blessed Mother. We spoke to each other, but there was no communication with anyone else.” About the people there, the Blessed Mother only said to us, ‘You see how people who are in Heaven are happy?’”

When the reporter asked Marijana, what heaven was like, she said, “They were different from what we are like now. Perhaps they were all around 30 years of age…They were walking in a beautiful park. They have everything. They need or want nothing. They are totally full…They were dressed in the types of clothing that Jesus wore.”

All six children originally had daily apparitions and Mary is giving each of them 10 secrets, but at different times. Once they receive all secrets, the Virgin Mary discontinues seeing them daily, but will see them once or twice a year.

Vicka, Ivan, and Maria have received 9 secrets and continue to receive daily apparitions.

The other three received all 10 secrets and no longer see Mary daily.

Mirjana receives apparitions on March 18 each year. Ivanka, every year on June 25, the anniversary of the Medjugorje apparitions, and to Jakov, once a year on Christmas Day.

Our Lady told the seers that one day God would place a permanent indestructible “sign” on Apparition Hill to prove to non-believers that the apparitions took place.

The messages that our Blessed Mother has shared with the visionaries are messages of peace and love. Our Lady says God sent her to Medjugorje as an act of grace to remind us God exists, and He loves us. She comes as the Queen of Peace to bring the world back to her Son. She has given us five “stones”, or weapons, to combat evil and bring us closer to Jesus.

1. Pray with the heart. Pray Rosary every day with the family 2. Fast on Wed and Friday on bread and water. 3. Read scripture daily. 4. Eucharist -attend Mass daily and adore Jesus in Adoration. 5. Go to Confession monthly.

Through her miraculous works and messages, she longs to open our hearts to God and help us to reorient our lives towards His Church and the Sacraments. She said the time is short and soon God will punish the world through chastisements and Her call is urgent for people to return to God before its too late.

On Sept 19^th, 2024, this year, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, with the assent of Pope Francis, granted approval for devotion linked to Medjugorje, recognizing the abundant spiritual fruits received at the Sanctuary of the Queen of Peace without making a declaration on the supernatural character of the Marian apparitions. The DDF explained that “through the ‘nihil obstat’ (there is no obstacle to the faith) about a spiritual event, the faithful ‘are authorized to give it their adherence in a prudent manner.’

On the 25^th of every month the Virgin Mary gives a message to the world. Since the Vatican ruling, now when the messages are given, on the bottom of the message it states, “with ecclesiastical approval.”

The last message on Sept 25th, 2024, said, “Dear children, God has sent me among you, to love you and encourage you to prayer and conversion, for peace in you and in your families and in the world. Little children, do not forget that true peace comes only through prayer, from God Who is your peace. Thank you for having responded to my call.”

Our Lady of Good Help, Oct 8th

Today is the feast of Our Lady of Good Help. The only officially approved apparition in the United States.

On Oct. 8^th of 1871, was the great Peshtigo fire in Wisconsin and Michigan. It was the greatest fire tragedy in the history of the United States killing between 1,200-2,400 people and burning 1.2 million acres. Due to the high winds and dry grounds, the fire quickly became a storm of fire and roared towards the convent and school established by Sister Adele Brise.

Desperate for help, people from the surrounding countryside fled to the Chapel where Sister Adele Brise and her companions were praying for Mary’s protection. Lifting the statue of Mary, they processed around the sanctuary, praying the rosary and singing hymns to Jesus and the Blessed Mother. Early the next morning, a steady rain came and extinguished the flames of the fire. Everything around the property was completely charred. But the fire came only to the fence of the land consecrated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, containing the chapel, school and convent, where they were praying. 12 years earlier on that exact date, Oct. 8th, the Virgin Mary appeared to Sr. Adele Brise, and said if the people do not convert from their sins, Her Son would punish them.

Another miracle was associated with the Peshtigo Fire.

St. Mary Church was destroyed in the fire. However, before it was destroyed, Father Pernin was able to carry the church’s wooden Tabernacle, containing the Blessed Sacrament, to the river on his wagon. He pushed the wagon partially into the river and abandoned it to save his own life. The next day, a parishioner who had also survived found Father Pernin and asked if he knew what had happened to the Tabernacle. The priest said, “This wagon had been blown over on its side by the storm; whilst the Tabernacle itself had been caught up by the wind and cast on one of the logs floating on the water. Everything in the immediate vicinity of this spot had been blackened or charred by the flames. But, the Tabernacle was saved when the wind tossed it on a log floating on water.

Today, let us turn to the Virgin Mary, praying Her Rosary for the conversion of our country and for protection against natural disasters.

St. Denis, Martyr, October 9th

 

Today, we celebrate the memorial of Saint Denis, who was born in Italy and would become the first bishop of Paris. The year of his birth is unknown. While still very young, he was known for his virtuous life, knowledge of sacred things, and firm faith.

Denis was sent by Pope Fabian with some other missionary bishops to Gaul (modern day France) on a difficult mission. The Church of Gaul having suffered terribly under the persecution of the Emperor Decius, the new messengers of Faith were to try to restore it to its former flourishing condition.

Denis and his companions, the priest Rusticus and the deacon Eleutherius, arrived in the neighborhood of the present city of Paris and settled on an island in the Seine. On this island Denis built a church and provided for regular divine services. His fearless and tireless preaching of the Gospel led to countless conversions. This aroused the envy, anger and hatred of the pagan priests, so they incited the populace against the strangers and persuaded the governor, Fescininus Sisinus to put a stop by force to the new teaching. About the year 250, Denis and his two companions were seized and, as they persevered in their Faith, were scourged, imprisoned, racked, thrown to wild beasts, burnt at the stake and finally beheaded.
Their bodies were then thrown in the Seine River, but were recovered by their disciples. Through the efforts of a pious matron named Catulla, the bodies of the three holy martyrs received an honorable burial and a small shrine was erected over their graves.

St. Denis is usually represented in art with his head in his hands, because, according to the legend, after his execution the corpse rose again and carried the head for some distance.

26th Sunday, Pluck Out Eye, Cut off Hand

 

When our Lord tells us in the Gospel, that if a particular part of the body causes us to sin, we are to cut it off or pluck it out. Obviously, Jesus does not mean this literally, but it is better, Jesus says, to enter life with something missing than to be condemned with everything intact.

Jesus is saying sometimes, we need to take drastic measures our self to turn away from sin. Here are some examples:

About 15 years ago, I knew of a man who was struggling with pornography and became so upset with himself, he took his computer and threw it in the trash. Since, then he never did it again.

Another drastic measure to cut our self-off from the serious sin of pornography is to use a flip phone, or install Covenant eyes, on the computer and phone which blocks images.

If we are in high school and have a friend that is constantly tempting us to take drugs, or do something that is sinful, even after we told them we are not interested, sometimes, we need to cut off our relationship with them.

The year after I graduated from high school, a friend tempted me to take drugs. And I told him, that if I find out that he keeps taking them, he will no longer be my friend, because I don’t have any friends that are druggees.

The result of that conversation, was that he never took drugs after that, and we remained friends. So, if we stand up for our self and for our friend, we can help them.

Or if we have job and the boss wants us to do something unethical, we may be forced to quit our job, even if it means we will have a less paying job.

Or if a man has a female friend constantly trying to get him to be unfaithful to his wife, he may need to make the resolution, he cannot have this woman as his friend.

You may have heard how Israel placed an explosive in about 4000 pagers of Hezbollah terrorists. When the pagers when off, it caused many of them to lose a hand and eye. There seems to be symbolism with regard to today’s Gospel.

Israel did this action, to prevent the Hezbollah terrorists from doing a similar attack like Hamas, another terrorist group, did last year on Oct 7^th. God does not want war. He does not want terrorists. God wants us to live in peace and harmony.

Perhaps, the losing of one’s hand and eye would cause the terrorist to give up terrorism. It is better to lose an eye and a hand, then to go into Ghena (Hell), after one dies.

The fault does not lie with the hand, the foot or the eye. The problem is in the will.

We have to choose to do what is good and right. We have to choose to cut off our pride and pluck out our selfishness.

We have to remember that as members of the body of Christ we are not living for this world. Instead, we have to live in the world for a time, but our focus needs to be on the next world. Recall that the decision of where we will spend eternity is made in this life and it is demonstrated in our choices.

We need to cut off our pride and selfishness and pray for charity and humility.

And we turn to the Blessed Virgin Mary and ask Her to help us to do everything possible, even drastic measures to cut off serious sins from our life. By daily praying Her Rosaries, She will give the grace to be detached from sin and attached to Jesus, Her Son.

25th Sunday, Which Religion is the Greatest?

 

In the Gospel, Jesus told His apostles, “The Son of Man is to be handed over to men and they will kill Him, and three days after His death the Son of Man will rise.” Our Lord just told them He was going to suffer and die, and now they are discussing among themselves who was the greatest.

Can you imagine the apostles standing around talking to one other saying, “I am greater than you.” Another one says, “No, I’m the greatest.” So that Jesus would end their one up-man-ship, He said, “...the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matt. 20:28)

He wanted them to know the one who serves the most is the greatest. Our Lord was willing to suffer and die for all of us, and by doing so, He serves us and can save us.

There are some who are objectively greater than others. Jesus, is greater than all of us, because He is God and He serves us, by giving His life to save us. I suppose we could make the argument that Peter was the greatest of the 12 because He was the leader of the apostles, and also the leader of the Church. Peter, as the first pope, was the servant of the apostles and the whole Church. Pope Gregory, the great referred to himself as the servant of servants.

Is one religion greater than all other religions? Are all religions the same? Are all religions pathways to God?

Pope Leo XIII said “…. the great error of this age-that a regard for religion should be held as an indifferent matter, and that all religions are alike. This manner of reasoning is calculated to bring about the ruin of all forms of religion, and especially of the Catholic religion, which, as it is the only one that is true, cannot, without great injustice, be regarded as merely equal to other religions.” Humanum Genus #16

To say all religions are the same and all religions are pathways to God, denies Jesus and the need for Him to save us to get to heaven.

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to me, except the Father.”

All religions are not a pathway to God, because some religions do not have Jesus as the pathway to the Father and not all Christian religions have the same beliefs about Jesus.

Judaism, Buddhism, Islam and Hinduism can’t save anyone. Buddha, Confucius, Mohammad aren’t gods and they can’t bring others to the Father, like Jesus. They are not pathways to God. They didn’t die for anyone and even if they would have died for others, they still could not have saved anyone from their sins because only God can do that. Only Jesus, who is both God and man, can reconcile us to the Father.

Mormons, Jehovah Witnesses and Muslims don’t believe Jesus is God. All religions other than the Catholic religion are false religions.

Every religion cannot be a pathway to God if they differ on who God is and how God can save us.

St. Paul said,...”(God wills) all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” (1 Timothy 2:4-6)

Only Jesus, as God, could offer Himself as a ransom for all by His suffering and death on the Cross. That is why He is the only mediator between God and man. Jesus' mediation as God and man, ransoms us from our sins.

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.” (John 14:6)

The pagan religion worshiped idols and those in Judaism, who did not accept Jesus, are not pathways to the Father, because only Jesus came to save us and reconcile us to the Father by His suffering, death, resurrection and ascension into heaven. Only Jesus is the Savior. Only Jesus is the way to the Father.

Two Christians (one Catholic and one Protestant) were discussing among themselves each saying their religion is greater than the other. There is one religion everything God has given to mankind to be saved. And that religion is the Catholic religion.

There are many different Christian religions such as Lutherans, Methodists, Baptists, Episcopalians, Catholic, Christian, Congregationalists, etc…. Most believe Jesus is God and Savior. But, all don’t have the same beliefs. If all don’t have the same beliefs, all religions can’t be the same.

The Methodist church was founded by Charles Wesley. Lutherans were founded by Martin Luther. Baptists were founded by John Smyth. The Catholic faith is greater than all other religions because Jesus Himself founded our Church. He gave our Church all 7 sacraments and our Church has the fullness of revelation (God’s truth) revealed through Jesus Christ.

The Catholic Church’s mission is to bring all mankind into salvation through Jesus Christ. And because the Catholic Church was given everything by God to bring men to salvation, our Church serves everyone and therefore, our Church is the greatest.

We come to know who God is and how He can save us by Sacred Scripture and Tradition only found in the Catholic Church. Non-Catholic Christians don’t have Sacred Tradition, so they are missing a lot of what God revealed.

Church councils and popes through the centuries clarified who God is and how God can save us. Councils proclaimed Jesus has two natures, human and divine. And there are three persons in the Trinity and they are equal and have the same substance. God uses Church councils to help us to resolve questions about God and what God desires of us.

The very first Church council is Council of Jerusalem found in the bible in Acts 15. Back then Christians wondered if they can eat meat sacrificed to idols. They also wondered if new Gentile (non-Jew) converts to Christianity were obligated to be circumcised, a Jewish tradition. How would they resolve these issues?

The 12 apostles gathered together in Jerusalem to discuss the controversy. Scripture tells us that once Peter spoke, all fell silent. By Peter leading the first Church Council, it was decided Christians should not eat meat sacrificed to idols, so as to not appear that they believe in false idols. And it was decided non-Jewish converts were not required to be circumcised, but the Jewish converts could. It was through Church authority by way of the Councils all came to know the truth.

Jesus left us 7 sacraments (outward signs that bestow grace). Most Christian religions have 2 sacraments Baptism and the Eucharist. But they don’t believe the same things Catholics believe about Baptism and the Eucharist.

For example, Baptists don’t believe original sin and personal sins are washed away through baptism. Lutherans believe baptism forgives the guilt of original sin, but the sinful nature that remains is real sin.

However, Catholics believe original sin, personal sin and the punishment due to sin is washed away at baptism. We believe God comes to dwell within the temple of heart, we become children of God, we enter into the very mystery of God’s divine life and baptism opens the gates of heaven.

Non-Catholic religions believe the Eucharist is only a symbol. They don’t believe the Mass is a sacrifice. They don’t believe the Eucharist is the real and true flesh of Jesus.

But, Catholics believe the sacrifice of Calvary becomes present on the altar at Mass. We believe the bread is totally and completely changed into the resurrected person of Jesus. We believe that we eat the true flesh and blood of Jesus.

Most Christian religions reject Church authority. But, Catholics have always accepted Church authority.

Jesus promised to protect the teaching of the Church, He told the Apostles: "He who hears you, hears me; he who rejects you rejects me, he who rejects me, rejects Him who sent me" (Luke 10:16)

Catholics believe Church Councils and Popes have the gift of infallibility when proclaiming a specific doctrine on faith and morals binding all the faithful to believe it.

We Catholics believe Jesus gave us 7 sacraments (Baptism, Confession, Eucharist, Confirmation, Anointing of the Sick, Marriage and Priesthood). Through sacraments Jesus bestows grace to sanctify us and help us to obtain heaven.

Most every Christian religion has different teachings and morals. So all religions are not the same, especially if they contradict each other.

If one so called “Christian” religion believes abortion, homosexual marriage, and euthanasia is okay and another Christian religion believes these are wrong, which religion is right?

The Catholic Church is right- because only our Church has the authority by God for all of humanity.

We don’t follow a religion that makes us feel good or one that has the least rules and obligations. Rather, we take up our cross and follow Jesus, because we love Him, want to please Him and be with Him in heaven.

There were many martyrs in the first three centuries and through all the centuries up to today. They died for Jesus and their belief that He is the way, the truth and the life.

Many Gentiles gave up their pagan practices and many Jews gave up their religion to become Christian. But, they knew they would die because they were followers of Jesus.

St. Paul said, “I consider the sufferings of the present to be nothing compared with the glory to be revealed in us.” “Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword? As it is written: For thy sake, we are put to death all the day long. We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. But in all these things we overcome, because of him that hath loved us.… For I am certain that neither death nor life, neither angels or principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor powers, neither height nor depth nor any other creature, will be able to separate us from the love of God that comes to us in Christ Jesus, our Lord.” (Romans 8:18-39)

There is a wide path and narrow path to heaven. The narrow path is full of sufferings, persecutions, pain and crosses. While the wide path is easy. All other religions don’t fully embrace the Cross. They don’t have the full deposit of faith handed down to us from Jesus and the Apostles. They are not true pathways to God. It is our duty as Christians to proclaim Jesus is Savior and help as many as possible come to the fullness of truth found in the Catholic Church, because those who accept it find the most sure pathway to heaven.

We want everyone to come to know and love Him. He died for us on the Cross, that we may have life abundantly with Him in heaven. Today, and every day, make Jesus, the Lord of your life. Give yourself to Him and allow Him to lead you. Confess your sins to our Savior, so He can save you from them. Though you may fall on that narrow hard and arduous road, Jesus will be there to pick you up, encourage you, help you to carry your cross and give you peace.

If we love our family and friends, we will help them to become Catholic, the best and greatest religion, because it is the only religion with the fullness of truth.

And let us pray the Holy Rosary for fallen away Catholics and non-Catholics, that Our Lady will touch their hearts and bring them to Jesus Christ, Her Son, Our Lord and Savior in the one, holy, Catholic and apostolic Church founded by Jesus Christ, who is the way, the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father, except through Him.

St. Joseph of Cupertino, Sept 18th

 

Today, we offer a votive Mass in honor of St. Joseph of Cupertino, a Franciscan saint. Perhaps some of you may be familiar with the excellent movie about him called the Reluctant Saint. His father was a humble carpenter, who had contracted very heavy debts and so the family lived in great poverty. His mother was very strict, so much so that he would tell people years later, that he had his novitiate when he was a child. Despite the way his mother treated him, he did additional penances and mortifications.

He attempted to learn a trade, but later discovered it wasn’t his vocation. He was invested with the Franciscan habit among the Capuchin Franciscans, but was dismissed due to his awkwardness. Because of his dismissal from the Franciscans, his relatives considered him a disgrace to the family, and was turned away.

The Conventual Franciscans took pity on his humble pleading and admitted him into their order and asking him to care for the convent mule. His virtues, especially his humility, obedience, and piety, shone forth with such brilliance, that his superiors received him among the clerics, and within three years was ordained a priest. His efforts to study were never successful, but soon people became aware that he possessed infused knowledge.

His life was an uninterrupted union with God. Everything seemed to lift his mind to heaven, such that his body was frequently raised above the earth and remained in the air for such a long time, that his biographer declared he spent more than half of his religious life above the earth.

On a hill near the convent were three crosses. Repeatedly when he looked at them, he would rise in the air with a cry, and flee to the cross in the center embracing it. On another occasion, when he visited the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi, he saw a painting of the Mother of God high in the vault of the church, at once his body rose into the air, and he kissed the image with tender devotion. At the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, he was usually lifted in the air and remained there swaying over the altar for hours at a time. For that reason, he usually said Mass in the convent chapel rather than in the church.

Once a Duke from Brunswick was so impressed with by St. Joseph’s ecstasy, that he was convinced of the truth of the Catholic faith and two years later became Catholic.

Because of these visions and ecstasies, he was also severely tested by the devil. In addition to this, he suffered from dryness of heart and felt completely forsaken by God. Despite all of this, he continued to have peace of mind and had no other wish than to do the will of God.

He died in a convent on Sept. 18^th, 1663 and many miracles occurred at his grave. He was canonized in 1753 and would later be known as a patron saint of those who travel by air.

Today, let us pray that we may have the humility of heart of St. Joseph of Cupertino. May we show our devotion for the sacrifice of the Mass by our reverence and may we gaze upon holy images with the love.

24th Sunday - Accept Sufferings

 

 In the Gospel today, Our Lord first told His disciples, He must go to Jerusalem to suffer greatly, be killed and on the third day rise.

Peter rebuked Jesus because He didn’t want Him to suffer and die. At first, this sounds very noble. Nobody would want someone they love to suffer and die. However, Jesus said to Peter, “Get behind me Satan. You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God, but as human beings do.” He wanted Peter to know that to run from suffering, is the way of the world, not the way of God. Jesus called Peter, Satan, because only Satan would want Our Lord and us to avoid the Cross.

The Crucifixion was necessary to defeat the devil, to reveal God’s sacrificial love for us and to teach us to love. This is why Jesus said, “Whoever wishes to come after me, must deny Himself, take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it.”

Our Lord wanted to teach His apostles and His followers to not reject the cross, but embrace it. And they did. All but John were martyred, but they tried to kill him too.

The shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in France has 70 officially approved medical miracles. But there has been thousands of unapproved miracles. Those who go to Lourdes, will bathe in the miraculous waters and ask the Virgin Mary for a physical healing.

But most of them receive a healing they don’t expect. They obtain a spiritual healing, by receiving the grace to carry the Cross of their illness, and they will peace in their hearts.

Millions of people go there every year for healing. It seems like most often, once people accept the cross of their suffering, it is then the Lord heals them.

When we accept sufferings, they can be used to atone for our sins and reduce our purgatory time. Sufferings when united to the Cross of Jesus can be offered up for the conversion of sinners and help bring about the salvation of souls. Sufferings keep us close to Jesus, because we become more dependent upon Him.

The Virgin Mary told the children of Fatima to embrace their crosses, She said, “Make sacrifices for sinners, and say often, especially while making a sacrifice: ‘O Jesus, this is for love of thee, for the conversion of sinners, and in reparation for offenses committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary.’”

When we deny our self and carry our crosses, we sacrifice our self for love of Jesus, for the conversion of sinners and to console the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Saint Faustina in her diary (Diary #1804), wrote, “If the angels were capable of envy, they would envy us for two things: one is the receiving of Holy Communion, and the other is suffering.” And she said, “I united my sufferings with the sufferings of Jesus and offered them for myself and for the conversion of souls who do not trust in God...“ (Diary #323)

We should cherish our crosses because through them we gain eternal life. As St. Rose of Lima said, “Apart from the cross there is no other ladder by which we may get to heaven.”

St. Teresa of Avila said, “I would always choose the path of suffering, if only to imitate Our Lord Jesus Christ, if there were no other gain. In order to bear our afflictions with patience it is very useful to read the lives of the saints who endured great torments for Jesus Christ.”

St Padre Pio said, “I do not love suffering itself; I ask it of God because I desire its fruits: it gives glory to God, saves my brothers in exile, and frees souls from the fires of purgatory. God neither wants, nor is able, to save and sanctify us without the Cross. The more He calls a soul to Himself, the more He sanctifies it by means of the Cross. By suffering we are able to give something to God. The gift of pain, of suffering is a big thing and cannot be accomplished in Paradise. Lean on the Cross as Mary did. She was as if paralyzed before Her crucified Son, but was not abandoned by Him.”

St. Louis de Montfort said, “To suffer is not enough: the evil one and the world have their martyrs. We must suffer and carry our cross in the footsteps of Christ. Take advantage of little sufferings even more than great ones. God considers not so much what we suffer as how we suffer…”

St. Margaret Mary said, “The Heart of Jesus is closer to you when you suffer than when you are full of joy.”

St. Anthony Mary Claret said, “To suffer contempt in silence is the key to Jesus’ Heart and the means of uniting with Him.”

Saint Madeline Sophie Barat said, “Let us go to the foot of the Cross, and there complain—if we have the courage.”

Saint John Vianney said, “You must either suffer in this life or give up the hope of seeing God in heaven. Sufferings and persecutions are of the greatest avail to us, because we can find therein a very efficient means to make atonement for our sins, since we are bound to suffer for them either in this world or in the next.”

Saint John Bosco said, “Accept afflictions with patience. Silently endure cold and heat, wind and rain, fatigue and all other discomforts that God may deign to send to you.”

Several weeks ago, the Faith Formation Class on Wednesday watched a documentary on Servant of God Rhoda Wise from Canton, Ohio at our parish hall.

She was born in 1888 and died in 1948. She was a Protestant, who converted to the Catholic faith. She had severe health problems, but the Lord miraculously healed her. Not much later, after she was healed, the Lord gave Rhoda the stigmata, the wounds of Christ.

Rhoda would suffer the Passion of Jesus including her head bleeding as though a crown of thorns was placed on her head.

The evening we watched the video on Rhoda Wise, I had a migraine caused by arthritis in my neck. That night, when I went to bed, my head was throbbing terribly and I prayed to Rhoda Wise. I said, “Rhoda, please help me to accept my suffering.” When I said that prayer, the migraine immediately disappeared and I fell asleep. The Lord just wanted me to embrace the sufferings of it and then He took it away. I didn’t ask Jesus to take it away, He just did, because I accepted it.

Let us ask the Virgin Mary to help us to carry our crosses manfully, keeping our eyes on Jesus, embrace them with love, uniting them to the sufferings of Jesus on the Cross, to make atonement for our sins and the sins of others, and offer them for the conversion of sinners. And in this way, we will not complain and will see them as precious gems to help us and others obtain heaven.

23rd Sunday, Be Opened (Baptism)

 

Ephphatha—“Be Opened”

In the first reading, in a moment of darkness the prophet Isaiah lifts up his voice to comfort the Chosen people, who were at the moment living in exile. The prophet announces to the people, that soon they would return to their homeland once again. The prophet Isaiah said, “Say to those whose hearts are frightened: be strong, fear not! Here is your God; He comes with vindication; the divine recompense He comes to save you!”

He also predicts great wonders which will have their complete fulfillment with the coming of the Messiah: “The eyes of the blind be opened, the ear of the deaf be unstopped; then will the lame leap like a stag, then the tongue of the dumb will sing. Streams will burst forth in the desert, and rivers in the dry land. The burning sands will become pools, and the thirsty ground springs of water.”

Most Jews believed that when the Messiah would come, he would open the eyes of the blind; cause the paralyzed to walk; the deaf would be able to hear; and those who could not speak, would talk.

Some people brought a man to Jesus, who had a speech impediment, and begged Him to lay hands on the man. And so, “Our Divine Lord took him off-- away from the crowd. He then put His finger into the man’s ears, and spitting, touched his tongue; then He looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, “Ephphatha!”—that is, “Be opened!” And immediately the man’s ears were opened, his speech impediment was removed, and he spoke plainly.”

Our Lord’s healing of the deaf and dumb man, in the Gospel clearly indicates that Jesus is the Messiah, because He does what the Jews expected the Messiah to do, as the prophet Isaiah had foretold. But it also indicates that Jesus is God, who has come to save us.

Recall, also, that in the Gospel of Matthew, when John the Baptist was imprisoned, he questioned if Jesus was the Messiah or not. He sent word to Jesus, asking is He the one who is to come, or should we look for another? Our Lord’s response was “Go report to John the Baptist, “The blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead rise, the poor have the gospel preached to them.” This response by Our Lord indicated that He is the long awaited Messiah, and fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah.

At very beginning of Christianity, the priest prayed over the one to be baptized using the Ephphatha Prayer. Most early Christians were adults, but little children were also baptized from the very beginning as well. The tradition of praying the Ephphatha prayer continues today. When a child is baptized, the priest touches the child’s mouth and ears, and says, “The Lord Jesus made the deaf hear and dumb speak. May He soon touch ears to receive His word, and your mouth to proclaim His faith, to the praise and glory of God the Father.”

These words signify what the child will someday do. Because he is not yet baptized, and because he is just a child, he is unable to hear, and to speak, the word of God, like the deaf man, who could not hear nor speak.

However, once baptized, when the child is old enough, his ears will be touched by divine grace, to receive the Lord’s word, and the child’s mouth, will be able to speak His praises. As he begins to practice his Christian faith, he will proclaim his faith--- to the praise and glory of God the Father.

St. Augustine speaks of how this is put into practice. He said, “the tongue of someone united to God-- will speak of the Good,-- will bring to agreement those who are divided,--- will console those who weep. God will be praised--, Christ will be announced.”

Beginning Sunday, Sept. 8^th (today), those who are thinking about becoming Catholic will meet at 4pm begin the process of OCIA. Those who are not yet baptized, and who may later choose to become Catholic, will be given the ancient Ephphatha Rite, which occurs a few weeks before Easter.

And at the Easter Vigil, those to be baptized will be like the man in today’s Gospel, they will to receive the Word of the Lord by first hearing it, and they will open their mouth to proclaim their faith-- to the praise and glory of God the Father.

Do you know of someone who is not baptized? Do you want to help them to receive the most glorious gift of baptism, whereby God comes to dwell within their heart? Whereby God comes with vindication to defeat the devil by washing away all sin? Whereby God comes to save us? I encourage each and every person here in the church to ask one non-Catholic if they are interested in becoming Catholic or interested in learning about the Catholic faith.

The un-baptized, who choose to become Catholic, long for the day, when God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit will come to dwell in their heart at baptism. They long to hear His word, so that they may profess it, and proclaim it. And to those seeking baptism, the words of the prophet Isaiah can eloquently refer to our Lord’s coming into our hearts at baptism.

“Say to those whose hearts are frightened, be strong, fear not! Here is your God; He comes with vindication; the divine recompense He comes to save you!”

Pope St. Gregory, Sept 3rd

 

Today, we celebrate the memorial of Pope Gregory the Great. Pope Gregory is one the greatest popes in the history of the Church, but he is also the patron of teachers.

He was born in Rome about the year 540. After the death of his father, he built seven monasteries and then took the habit of a Benedictine monk at the age of 35. He was chosen pope and then later came to merit the title of Great. His predecessor, Pope Pelagius II died from a plague.

He had a great love for the poor and tried to do all that was possible to help them. Everyday he would invite 12 poor people to be guests at his table, and he himself was accustomed to pouring the water over their hands to wash them. Pope Gregory humbly served the Church and so took upon the title, “Servant of the Servants of God”.

As the servant of servants, tradition tells us that, once he elected, he organized a triumphal procession to the Basilica of the Blessed Virgin in order to serve the people, by calling upon the Blessed Virgin Mary to stop a plague. He himself carried a picture of Our Lady, painted by St. Luke. When the procession came to the mausoleum of Hadrian, Pope Gregory and all the people saw the Archangel Michael standing on its summit in the act of sheathing a flaming sword, symbolizing that the plague was over.

The Blessed Virgin Mary, in Her Magnificat said, “For He has looked upon His servant in Her lowliness and all ages shall call me blessed.” She is truly THE Servant of Servants, as She served the Lord like no other person could, because She served Him as His Mother.

Today let us call upon St. Gregory and especially the Blessed Virgin Mary, may we choose to serve Jesus in each other.

22nd Sunday, Cups, Kettles, Beds vs Clean Heart

 

In the Gospel today, St. Mark tells us that the Jews, and especially the Pharisees, do not eat unless they wash their hands, observing the tradition of the elders. The Pharisees and scribes question Jesus, they said, “Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders, but instead eat a meal without unclean hands.”

Our Blessed Lord responds stating, “You disregard God’s commandments, but cling to human tradition.” The traditions, which the Jews and Pharisees were following, were human traditions. These traditions invented by man were treated, as though they were doctrines. And if anyone didn’t follow the human traditions, it would be considered sinful.

The washing of the hands and purifications were not simply done to keep the body clean, but also symbolized moral purity. Purity of heart was a condition one needed before approaching God, and taking part in worshipping Him.

Back then, the Pharisees had not gotten beyond the external level, and even added more external things, while neglecting cleanness of heart of which all the external purifications were only a symbol. They were failing to keep God’s commandments, all the while, exteriorly making themselves clean, which was to be symbolic of a pure heart, which they did not have.

Jesus responds to their question stating, “You hypocrites, “You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.” He states, “From within people, from their hearts, come evil thoughts, un-chastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. All these evils come from within and they defile.”

In another words, Jesus told the Pharisees, that even though the scribes and Pharisees washed their hands, cleaned bowls, and did the purifications, their hearts were unclean. It is more important to have a clean heart, than clean hands and cleans bowls.

An unclean heart is a heart filled with sin, such as, un-chastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, and folly.

Today, in order for us to have a pure heart, we need to keep God’s commandments, to avoid all sin, and to practice virtue. If we fail, which all of us do, we have the sacrament of confession to wash away our sins, which makes our heart pure.

We keep God’s commandments, when we honor our father and mother, keep the Lord’s Day Holy, don’t take the Lord’s name in vain, don’t commit adultery, don’t lie, don’t covet our neighbor’s goods or wife, don’t steal, don’t place false gods such as money and power before God, don’t miss Mass on Sunday, or don’t kill anyone.

Most can say, they do well keeping God’s commandments. But do we avoid other sins, such as looking lustfully at someone, gossiping, anger, un-forgiveness, judging others, being rude, or selfish, or impatient?

Do we practice virtue as well as we ought: eating and drinking moderately, denying our self excessive pleasure, practicing patience, or avoiding speech which offends others. Do we attempt to practice humility or detachment from worldly things? Do we try to grow in faith, in hope, and in love of God and neighbor?

All of us can easily fail, in so many ways, but that’s why Jesus gave us the sacrament of confession. As we approach confession the words of David’s psalm, can echo in our heart, “Have mercy on me O God in our goodness. In the greatness of your compassion, wipe out my offense. Thoroughly wash me of my guilt and of my sin cleanse me. Cleanse me with hyssop, that I may be purified; wash me and I shall be whiter than snow. A clean heart, create for me O God! And a steadfast spirit renew within me.”

This psalm helps us to understand the power and the mercy of God in the sacrament of confession. Out of compassion- Our Lord wipes out our offense. He thoroughly washes our guilt away, and cleanses us of our sins, that we may be purified. We are washed in His blood that our souls may be whiter than snow. He creates within us a clean heart and renews a steadfast spirit within us.

If we bathed once or twice a year, we wouldn’t smell very good would we? The more often we go to confession, the more our soul is bathed and cleansed. Monthly confession or confession once a week is a good way for us to keep our heart and our soul nice and pure.

In addition to confession, every time we come into the church, we dip our fingers in Holy Water asking God to wash away our sins, to make our soul pure, like at our baptism. At the beginning of Mass, we call to mind our sins, and make an act of contrition, and ask the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the angels and saints to pray for us to the Lord Our God.

The Church especially desires the priest to have a pure heart. Before Mass, he puts on a white alb, to remind him of the purity he is to seek. When he places the alb on, he prays, “Purify me Lord, and cleanse my heart, so that, washed in the blood of the Lamb, I may enjoy eternal bliss,” And at the beginning of the Liturgy of the Eucharist, the priest washes his hands in a bowl of water, and prays to himself, “Lord, wash away my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. The priestly heart is to impeccable, because his hands offer the Most Pure Sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the altar.

At the Mass, the priest is to prepare himself and the congregation to approach God and worship Him in the Eucharist with a pure heart. And the exterior practices we do are to symbolize the purity of heart, we hope to obtain.

As we now prepare to approach our Eucharistic Lord, let us resolve to imitate Our Blessed Mother, Virgin most pure. May we come to confession at least once month, or perhaps weekly, strive to keep God’s commandments, avoid sin, and practice virtue in order, that we may approach our Blessed Lord in Holy Communion, with a pure and humble heart, a heart He will not spurn.