Aug. 6th - Feast of the Transfiguration

 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.

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.

Moses and Elijah also appeared and spoke with Jesus. Moses received the Law from God on Mount Sinai and Elijah is considered the greatest of the prophets. Our Lord is the fulfillment of the law and the long awaited savior prophesied by the Old Testament Prophets.

The Blessed Trinity is revealed when the Father spoke from the cloud and said, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.”

The Lord revealed His glory to help them endure the scandal of the Cross. Jesus had to go to Calvary before He could be glorified by His Father on the day of His resurrection.

On this feast of the Transfiguration, may we see the beauty and value of suffering and believe to suffer is truly the power behind our success in gaining heaven. During those difficult moments, may we remember the glorious things the Lord has done for us, and seek the future glory of heaven. The Virgin Mary will help us to endure our future crosses to come.

Aug. 5th Dedication of St. Mary Major (Our Lady of the Snow)

 What if I told you, “It’s going to snow today.” Surely, you would think I was crazy. But that’s exactly what happened. In the 4th century, there was a rich man and the pope who both dreamt that the Blessed Virgin Mary said it would snow in Rome on Aug. 5th.

Today we celebrate the memorial St. Mary Major, the oldest Church dedicated in the West to the Mother of God located in Rome. Today is also called the Feast of Our Lady of the Snows because of a miraculous snow.

The wealthy man prayed to the Blessed Virgin, to guide him, so that he would know what he was to do with his money. So in the early hours of Aug. 5^th, in separate dreams, Our Lady told both the Pope, as well as the wealthy man, to build a church in Her honor, in the place where snow was to appear that morning. That same morning snow miraculously appeared on the site where the church was to be built.

The Church was first called the Liberian basilica, after Pope Liberius. However, since the dogma of Mary, the Mother of God, was promulgated by the Council of Ephesus in 431, the Church was then dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title of Mother of God.

Today, the relics of the original manger in which Jesus from Bethlehem are now located in this magnificent church in Rome.

Aug. 4th St. John Vianney

 Today is the memorial of St. John Marie Vianney, the patron of parish priests.

After attending seminary, but with great difficulty with studies, especially Latin, he found himself before a seminary review board. The Vicar General, Father Courbon, asked these questions about John Vianney: Is he pious? Has a devotion to Our Lady? Does he know how to say the rosary? The answer to all questions was, “yes”, and so, he said, “I will summon him for ordination and the grace of God will do the rest.” Three years after ordination, he was transferred to Ars.

When he was near Ars, he happened to come across a young boy. He told the boy, “You show me the way to Ars, I will show you the way to heaven.”

When he arrived, he discovered a run down church and rectory. The people were ignorant of their faith and the town had become noted for its revelry, drinking and dancing. Few people were interested in coming to His Masses. He began to visit every home in his parish to find out where the people were in their faith.

When he would offer Mass, he would open the doors of the church, so that people passing by would hear what he had to say. He warned them over and over that if they continued the way they were going, they would end up in hell. But he also explained to them the great love of God and His infinite mercy in confession.

Eventually, the people tried to get rid of him, and signed a petition, asking the bishop to transfer him. St. John Vianney in his humble way asked to sign in it too.

Ironically, after many years, the people and grown to love and cherish their parish priest. But, he believed God wanted him to be in a monastery, doing penance for his sins. So, he left the little town of Ars, only for the people of the town to find him and bring him back.

He gave Catechism classes to children, and opened an orphanage. He did severe penances, fasted everyday. He lived a very poor life, often eating only potatoes, but encouraged wealthy parishioners to purchase expensive vestments, statues, and a tabernacle, and spent lots of money remodeling the church with magnificent altars of the saints. He believed Our Lord deserved the best.

God gave him the ability to read the hearts, which caused him to spend 13 to 17 hours in the confessional. People from all over Europe traveled to Ars so that he would hear their confessions. Because of the many conversions, the devil reeked havoc on him, often times, making loud noises, and physically attacked him. One time the devil even set his bed on fire.

St. John Marie had a tremendous love and devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and had apparitions of Our Lady. He also had a deep devotion to the Blessed Eucharist, and spent hours praying before Our Lord in the tabernacle. At the end of every homily, he would point to the tabernacle and say, “There is Jesus, who loves you so much!”

He died in 1859, was canonized in 1925, and in 1929 declared patron of parish priests. 42 years after the death of St. John Marie Vianney, his body was exhumed, and found incorrupt, with his heart perfectly preserved. The following words of St. John Vianney seem prophetic. “The priesthood is the love of the Heart of Jesus. When you see the priest, think of Our Lord Jesus Christ.”

18th Tuesday "Take My Hand"

 Think about this for a minute. Suppose you were on a boat being tossed by the wind and the waves and there were cracks of thunder and flashes of lightening. You were frightened because it is night time and the boat begins to take on water. Then suddenly you see Jesus come toward you on the water. He reaches out His hand and says “Come. Get out of the boat and walk on the water. Keep your eyes on me. Take my hand.” Your thinking, I can’t do this, but then you do as you are told, you get out of the boat and begin to walk on the water. You are looking at Jesus and He is looking at you. You think, “I’m walking on water. I’m walking on water.” But suddenly you feel the wind blowing and the waves crashing against your legs and you begin to look around and then suddenly you begin to sink. You hear Jesus say, “Look at me. Take my hand”, then suddenly you’re in the boat and the wind dies down and waves become smaller and smaller.

Now suppose you have been diagnosed with lung cancer, or leukemia, or the doctor tells you, you need a quadruple by-pass. Then you picture Jesus in your mind walking up to you and saying, “Come. Get out of the boat and walk. Don’t allow your fears to control you. Keep your eyes on me and take my hand.”

You begin to take chemo, your hair falls out. You become nauseated and become sicker and sicker. Or you had your by-pass surgery, but now you are on the vent and the doctor won’t take the vent out because you can’t breathe well. Day after day, you keep hoping today will be day I am no longer nauseated or I will be off the vent.

Then the words of Jesus come to mind, “Come. Get out of the boat and walk. Don’t allow your fears to control you. Keep your eyes on me and take my hand.”

Then you realize it doesn’t matter if you get better or not. It doesn’t matter if the vent doesn’t come out. You close your eyes and you see Jesus. You are holding His hand. Everything is white and peaceful. You no longer have pain. You can breathe easily and you begin to see the most beautiful place you ever seen. No more storms, no more fears, no more worries. Everything is just fine.

You kept your eyes on Jesus. You held His hand. You kept the faith. And He calmed the storm and now you are with Him forever. Amen.

18th Monday "Heart Moved with Pity"

 In the Gospel today, it said, “When He disembarked and saw the vast crowd, His Heart was moved with pity for them, and He cured their sick.”

There are several reasons why the Heart of Jesus was moved for pity when He saw the crowd. We can certainly presume one of the main reasons was because the people were hungry and that is why He fed them by multiplying the loaves and the fish. Another reason would have been, the result of seeing the sick who came for healing and that is why He cured them.

Another Gospel says, “His Heart was moved with pity for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd.” In that case, we could see Jesus came to be their shepherd, to proclaim the Gospel in order to help them to get to heaven. When He first started His public ministry, He told the people, “Repent, and believe in the Gospel.” So a shepherd also helps the sheep to come to know they are sinners and need to repent, because He came to save sinners. A spiritual shepherd helps the sheep to get to heaven and so helps the sheep to follow the “narrow path” toward heaven and to not take the easy road. He would also say, “If you want to be my disciple, take up your cross and follow me.”

When we think of a heart, we think of love. And so Jesus reveals His love most especially by His dying for us on the Cross as He said, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends”. And it was on the Cross, His Heart was pierced. Today let us contemplate the mystery of the Heart of Jesus and how His pity for us, moves His Heart to relieve the miseries of our life.

18th Sunday, Year B "What Happens at Mass"

In the first reading, the Israelites grumbled for not having food as they traveled to the promised land. But God gave them flesh (quail) and bread (manna). God said it was bread from heaven. It was food to help them on their journey to the promised land.

In the Gospel, Jesus told the people, “..you were looking for me, not because you saw signs but because you ate loaves and were filled.” He said, “Do not work for food that perishes but food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.” He reminded them “it was not Moses who gave them bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven and gives life to the world.” Our Lord said He is the Bread of Life, whoever eats His flesh and drinks His blood will live forever.

During the covid lock down last year, there was a rush for food causing grocery stores to be nearly empty. People were looking for food that gives life to the body. Catholics were especially looking for food that endures to eternal life (the Holy Eucharist9, which gives life to the soul. Jesus said, “He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood will live forever.”

Have you ever hoped Mass would get over quickly or that its boring? Some say, I never get anything out of it. Today I will give you somewhat of an understanding of what happens during Holy Mass.

According to St. Thomas Aquinas, the greatest miracle is the Holy Mass and it will happen right here in our church.

When bread and wine is brought up in procession, we are to give God our sacrifices, our works, our good deeds and our very self with the bread and wine offered to God. Therefore at every Mass place yourself and your gifts on the paten with the bread as a gift to God.

When we sing, the Holy Holy Holy, heaven is opened, and thousands upon thousands of angels come down from heaven to surround the altar. Prefaces say, we join together with the angels and saints singing, Holy Holy Holy. At Mass we are more closely united to our dead loved ones and all the saints in heaven, then any other place.

Then when the priest places his hands over the bread and wine --- like this-----the Holy Spirit will come down from heaven, upon the gifts to sanctify them to prepare them to become the body and blood of Christ. When the priests hands go like this-----in your mind picture the Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove coming down upon the gifts.

When the priest takes the host in his hands and says, “This is my body, which will be given up for you.” picture the priest disappearing and you see Jesus at the altar in his place. And suddenly you are present at the Last Supper. And then when the greatest of all miracles will happen! This why there is such a great silence in the church at this special moment called the “consecration”. Multiple things happen during the consecration.

We become present at Calvary. The Church calls it a re-presentation of Calvary. Not a representation, but a re-presentation because the event of the Crucifixion is re-presented before us. (Show Picture) Look at this artist’s depiction. In the picture, we see the priest with the Host elevated above the altar, but we also see Jesus hanging from the Cross above the altar. Jesus is not re-crucified. The Mass is like a time machine, where the event of the Crucifixion that happened 2000 years ago, becomes present on the altar. If we could see what takes place, we would see, Jesus hanging on a Cross. That’s why its called the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

During the consecration, Jesus offers Himself and His sacrifice on Calvary with our sacrifices and our gifts to the Father in union with the Holy Spirit. Then Jesus will come down as the Bread from heaven on the altar. At this moment, the bread is totally and completely changed into resurrected body of Jesus Christ. God almighty will be here. That is why we are to give Him the greatest possible reverence at Mass. That is why we kneel. We are not worthy to be in His presence. We are not worthy to gaze upon the face of Jesus or see His majesty and His glory. He remains hidden in the Sacred Host. And that is why St. Francis of Assisi said, “Let the whole of mankind tremble the whole world shake, and the heavens exalt-- when Christ, the Son of the living God, is present on the Altar in the hands of the Priest!”

The Church teaches the same Resurrected Jesus, who is in heaven, will come down on the altar. He is the Bread from Heaven who gives us the food of His flesh and blood so we can live forever and make it the promised land of heaven.

The Mass is the holiest place on earth. Because Mass is so holy, and so sacred, it deserves the greatest respect and greatest reverence. At Mass we have sacred music to raise our mind and heart to God. When we come to church, there should be silence. At Mass, the mystery of the resurrection becomes present, because the Eucharist is the resurrected Jesus. Eucharistic prayer 1 asks God to send an angel to come down from heaven to take our gifts the altar in heaven.

When we receive the Eucharist and consume the Host, we do not crush His body—because He can walk through walls, yet He physically comes inside us. His resurrected body is indestructible.

So what does Jesus look like when we receive Him in Communion. He looks like this (Show picture). He is present in His resurrected body.

In the days of kings and queens, people would kneel and genuflect to the king, but only on their left knee. Jesus Christ in the Eucharist is the King of heaven and earth and so we genuflect to Him on our right knee. Genuflection of the right knee is reserved to God alone. Because the Eucharist is Jesus, the Eucharist is God, we genuflect when we come to church and leave the church. This is why we kneel during the Consecration, why we dress-up for Mass, why incense is used, why we use a gold plated chalice and a gold plated paten, why candles are lit. That is why we bless our self with Holy Water, to wash away our venial sins before we enter into God’s presence. When we make the sign of the Cross with the Holy water, we are to say a prayer, to wash away our venial sins. When we begin Mass, we are telling God we are sorry for our sins. We say Lord Have Mercy. Christ Have Mercy. We recite the Act of Contrition, we do all this because we are sinners and we are coming into the presence of God in the tabernacle. We want our souls to be free of sin, when we enter His presence.

St. John Vianney’s clothing was in tatters, but not the vestments. He used the most glorious vestments to remind people, something extraordinarily special occurs at Mass. The Church states we should make a sign of reverence, before receiving Communion. To bow our head or make the sign of the Cross or genuflect or kneel.

The Eucharist is a double miracle. One miracle is the bread and wine are changed into the body and blood of Jesus. The other miracle is they continue to taste and look like bread and wine, but are the real and true body and blood of Jesus.

2000 yrs. ago, they ate the bread and fish at the miracle of the loaves. Today everyone is able to recieve the entire person of Jesus, as He multiplies His presence among us.

It is more reverent to receive Communion on the tongue, because it’s the most humble and respectful way and it’s the way the Church desires we receive. A recent comprehensive study from Europe indicates the danger of getting covid is the same for one who receives on the hand as on the tongue. The study indicated there is a less opportunity of getting covid if one kneels at altar rails.

After we receive Holy Communion, we should return to our pew, kneel down and close our eyes and pray to Jesus, who is inside us. The word Eucharist means “Thanksgiving”. And so we should thank Jesus for coming inside us. We should tell Him we love Him and ask Him to help us to be holy and we pray for the needs of others, especially our family. In Communion our heart is united to the Heart of Jesus.

St. Alphonus Ligouri said the physical presence of Jesus remains inside us from 10 to 15 minutes. We should not ignore Jesus who comes inside us. We should never receive Communion in the state of mortal sin, otherwise we commit a sacrilegious communion, which is another mortal sin. If we receive Communion in mortal sin, we receive no graces whatsoever and in fact deeply hurt Our Lord. We should first go to confession to be able to receive the Host worthily.

To best experience the unimaginable miracle, one must be open to receive every grace God wants to give and we should be free of serious sin.

I so much admire how the wonderful people of our parish continue to kneel at the end of Mass saying your prayers. You don’t get up and quickly leave like some in other parishes. You bear witness to your faith, Jesus is really and truly present in the Eucharist.

Now that we understand what happens at Mass, how can anyone ever say Mass is boring and want to hurry up and get it over? Today, let us give thanks to God for the most beautiful, most amazing miracle, the greatest and holiest event on earth, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. And let us never forget, the Eucharist is Jesus, the Eucharist is God. And may turn to the Virgin Mary, for Her intercession, asking her to pray that many in our parish will come and spend one hour a week with Jesus in Adoration.

What do we get out of Mass? Everything. We get God Himself who comes to us on the altar and in our hearts. Isn’t God everything?

July 30th - Blessed Father Solanus Casey

Today, we honor Venerable Fr. Solanus Casey, who died July 31^st, 1957. Barney Casey, baptized Bernard, was the sixth of sixteen children born to Irish immigrants Bernard and Ellen Casey. The date of his birth was November 25, 1870. The place was a three room log cabin on a farm in Hudson, Wisconsin. In the Casey home, prayer began every day at the domestic “church” and family Rosary and night prayers began promptly every evening at 7:00. As a young man, he had a variety of jobs, including lumber jacking, hospital orderly, prison guard and street car operator.

At this point in his life there was nothing extraordinary about Barney. He was devout, said the daily Rosary, and was looking for a wife. One day, while driving his streetcar through a rowdy section of the city of Superior, Wisconsin, he witnessed a crazed, drunken sailor stab a woman to death. The scene remained with him. To him the brutal stabbing and the sailor’s hysterical cursing symbolized the world’s sin and hate and man-made misery.

This horrible crime was the occasion for the stirring in his heart of a desire to become a priest. In 1892, at the age of twenty-one, he entered St. Francis seminary in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which city at the time was heavily German. In fact, classes at the seminary were not given in English but only in German and Latin. Knowing neither language, Bernard Casey could not keep up with the scholastic requirements. One day as he was praying over this problem before Our Lady’s statue in the chapel he heard her sweet voice telling him to “go to Detroit.” So this is what he did. Arriving in Detroit in 1897, Casey was received into the Capuchin order at St. Bonaventure’s monastery where he was given the name Solanus. He was ordained in 1904 as a “simplex priest,” and was not permitted to preach sermons or hear confessions. This humiliation the thirty-three year-old friar received with great joy.

Father Solanus was sent for his first assignment as a priest to Sacred Heart parish in Yonkers, New York, where he was to serve as sacristan and later doorkeeper. Here it was that he began his life’s work with the promotion of the Seraphic Mass Association. Reports started coming in of quickly answered prayers and miraculous cures. People were astounded, and the news of the power of the Association and Father Solanus’ prayers spread rapidly.

After fourteen years at Sacred Heart, Father Casey was transferred to Our Lady of the Angels Church in Harlem. Here, again, he took up his assigned post as doorkeeper. The miracles continued. For twenty years he did this work in New York, one soul at a time, day after day, sometimes receiving as many as two hundred visitors in one day. Before his death in 1957, Father Casey had filled seven large notebooks with 6000 stories of miraculous cures and conversions. Father Solanus always attributed the cures to the Seraphic Mass Association. However, when other priests enrolled members there were no such miracles.

In 1924, Father Solanus was reassigned to St. Bonaventure’s. Father Solanus would continue his work here at Saint Bonaventure’s for twenty-one years. If his superiors had hoped to give him a reprieve from what he had endured in New York, they were mistaken. The crowds that came to ask for his prayers and counsel grew even larger in Detroit.

In 1957, Father Solanus had to be rushed to the hospital for food poisoning. After his release his brother friars noticed that he was walking at a slower pace and scratching his legs. Upon investigation they found that the skin was raw and infected so he was taken back to the hospital. By the end of July there was hardly anything left of Solanus Casey to give. The skin disease had consumed every inch of him and his legs were black to the knee. When it seemed as though his life was nearing its end, Father Casey waited until all the family had left the room before surrendering his soul. Only the nurse saw him pass away. He was speaking inaudibly with his eyes closed when suddenly he opened them and stretched forth his hands and said, “I give my soul to Jesus Christ.” It was 11:00 am, July 31, 1957. It was fifty-three years to the day and to the hour that he ascended the altar to offer his first Mass. He was originally buried in the Capuchin graveyard at Saint Bonaventure’s Friary. But is now buried inside the friary, where the public can venerate his tomb.

He was beatified in 2017. Today, let us give thanks to God for this holy Franciscan priest, and may we ask him to help us to understand the beauty and power of being obedient, with joy. For to be humble and obedient is what made Fr. Solanus Casey, such a holy man and someday a holy saint.

July 30th - St. Peter Chrysologus

 Today is the memorial of Peter Chrysolugus. Born in 380, Peter was baptized, educated, and ordained a deacon by Cornelius, Bishop of Imola. He was chosen by Pope Sixtus III, who had several visions of Peter Chrysolugus, though he had never met him. In a vision, the pope saw St. Peter, the apostle and St. Appolinaris with Chrysolugus. St. Peter told the Pope, “See this man whom we have chosen and who stands between us. Consecrate him and no other.” The pope consecrated him in 433 archbishop of Ravenna.

St. Peter merited being called "Chrysologus" (golden-worded) from his exceptional oratorical eloquence. He practiced many corporal and spiritual works of mercy, and ruled his flock with utmost diligence and care. He extirpated the last vestiges of paganism and other abuses that had sprouted among his people, cautioning them especially against indecent dancing. "Anyone who wishes to frolic with the devil," he remarked, "cannot rejoice with Christ."

One time, he said to his audience who seemed distracted. “I observe that, as you listen, you are not experiencing fitting compassion…you are passing over…with fleeting attention”.

St. Peter Chrysologus acted completely out of love for Mary and defended Her Perpetual Virginity, may we also defend Mary against those who falsely claim She had other children and we if we turn to Mary, in all our needs, She will give us a share in Her faith and have the courage to be a prophet to others by speaking the truth. He once said, “The Blessed Virgin will give you a share of Her faith, a faith that will remove all concern with sensible and extraordinary things. This faith will be living and animated by love so that you will act entirely out of love.”

He died at Imola, Italy in 450 and in 1729 was made a Doctor of the Church, largely as a result of his simple, practical, and clear sermons which have come down to us, nearly all dealing with Gospel subjects.

July 29th St. Martha

 Today is the memorial of St. Martha. St. Martha and her sister Mary and their brother Lazarus were friends of Jesus and Jesus used to go to their home on occasion.

But one day, when Jesus was with His apostles in a different town, other than the town in which Martha, Mary and Lazarus lived, something bad happened, Lazarus died. And when Jesus heard about the death of Lazarus, Our Lord didn’t immediately go to their home, but rather waited four days. Then when Jesus finally arrives at the home of Martha and Mary, Martha makes a great act of faith. Martha said, “Lord if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” She believed that Jesus had the power to heal her brother and prevent her brother from dying.

Even though her brother was dead, she asked Jesus to bring Lazarus back to life. She said, “But even now, I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give you.”

Today, not very many people would ask Jesus to bring someone back to life. Martha has great faith that Jesus can not only heal the sick to prevent someone from dying, but to even make someone come back to life after they have died. There are several occasions in which Jesus raises people back to life. He raised the little girl, who died, back to life and Jesus raised a young man back to life when Jesus saw the young man’s mother crying.

We have to remember, Jesus had not yet risen from the dead. Later when He would go to Jerusalem, He would suffer and die on the cross and then three days later, He would rise from the dead which would surprise many people.

Only God has the power to heal a sick person. Only God has the power to raise someone back to life. Only God has the power to raise Himself from the dead.

We are all like Martha. All of us have faith. We believe Jesus is God. We believe Jesus rose from the dead. We believe Jesus can heal the sick. We believe Jesus can work miracles. We believe the Eucharist is really Jesus. We believe when we go to confession, Jesus forgives our sins. And we believe that when we die, not only will we go to heaven, but we too will rise from the dead at the end of the world.

Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life and whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live….”

17th Wednesday "Pearl of Great Price"

 The laborer in the first parable of today’s gospel reading was paid to dig up someone’s field, when suddenly he hit upon buried treasure. He sold the little he had to buy the field and gain that unexpected treasure.

Sometimes we can stumble upon something of great value even though we were not looking for it. When I was a young boy about the age of 5, I found an Indian head penny by the house. The penny was really old. I believe the date on the penny was 1884. I don’t recall exactly how much, but think that one little penny was worth about $5. I saved that penny for years. It was like a treasure to me. Eventually, when I became older, I realized its only money and so I just gave it away. While money is important, it’s a whole lot more important to do something nice for others.

Jesus seems to say that the kingdom of God is like the treasure that is found. The Lord suddenly blesses us at a moment in life when we are least expecting it, as happened to the poor day laborer and happened to me when I found that penny.

With regard to spiritual things. What do you think is the treasure that we should always keep? What do you think is the pearl of great price, that we should never lose?

The greatest treasure we have as Catholics is our faith. Our faith tells us Jesus rose from the dead and ascended into heaven. Our faith tells us Jesus is with us through all 7 sacraments. The greatest of all sacraments is the Holy Eucharist because the Eucharist is Jesus Himself. Only the Catholic Church has Jesus really and truly present in the Eucharist. Some other churches have communion services, but only the Catholic Church believes the bread is totally changed into Jesus. As Catholics we pray to the Blessed Virgin Mary and the saints. Our faith is summed up in a book called the Catechism of the Catholic Church. And all that is in the Catechism is the pearl of great price.

Many people give up everything to become Catholic because they discover all that we believe is the great treasure. Some have had to give up everything for it. Some people have had to change jobs, sell their house because when they became Catholic, they were persecuted for their faith. But they didn’t care, because they found the greatest of all treasures, which will help them to get to heaven. Today, let us thank Jesus for out Catholic faith, and let us do everything we can so that we will never lose it. May the Virgin Mary, help us to grow in our faith and to love our faith and treasure our faith, because our faith bring us into the kingdom of heaven.

17th Tuesday - Weeds & Wheat

 In the Gospel today, Jesus explains the parable of the wheat and the weeds, which represent those who are righteous, and those who are evil, and what will happen to them at the judgment at the end of the world.

No one knows the day or the hour when the final judgment will be, but we do know that there will be one. Jesus said that He who sows good seed is the Son of Man, who is Himself. The field is the world and the good seed is the children of the Kingdom of Heaven. The good seeds, produce good fruit. The weeds are the children of the evil one and the enemy, who sows seeds which produces weeds, is the devil. At the end of the world the wheat will be separated from the weeds. The wheat will be harvested and the weeds will be burned in the fire. Until the judgment comes, the wheat and the weeds will grow together, that is until the harvest when they will be separated. Our Lord then explains what it will be like for the children of the kingdom.

He said, they will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of the Father, which is heaven. The children of the evil one-- will be wailing and grinding their teeth-- because they will be cast into the fiery furnace, which is hell.

Today, like never before, we need to ask the Blessed Virgin Mary to open the hearts of those who seem to be children of the enemy, that they may have a conversion of heart. And may we be prepared—for at a day and an hour we know not, when the Son of Man will come to judge the living and dead.

July 26th - Sts. Joachim and Anne - Grandparents of Jesus

 Everybody loves their grandparents. Today, we celebrate the feast of the grandparents of Jesus, saints Joachim and Anne. Mary was the mother of Jesus and Joseph is the foster-father of Jesus. Since Mary is the Mother of Jesus, then the parents of Mary are the grandparents of Jesus. The name of Mary’s mother is Anne and Mary’s father is Joachim. Joachim and Anne are the grandparents of Jesus.

According to tradition, Saint Anne was born in Bethlehem, and she married Joachim who was from Nazareth. Both of them are descendants of David. Together with her husband, Anne raised Mary to be the perfect woman of virtue and entrusted her to the temple as a child. The same tradition tells of Joachim was a wealthy livestock owner.

Joachim and Anne were unable to have children and because they began to get old, many thought it would be impossible for them to have children. In those days if married couples were unable to have children people believed that the couple was not blessed by God.

One day, because Joachim and Anne were not able to have children, when Joachim went to the temple to offer a sacrifice to God, the priests refused his offering. Joachim was hurt because his sacrifice was not accepted, but he remembered that Abraham and Sarah did not have their son Isaac until they were old, so Joachim decided to go into the desert to fast and pray for forty days. And while her husband was in the desert, Anne also began to pray that God would help them to have a child.

While in the desert, an angel appeared to Joachim and told him that he and his wife would give birth to a girl, and that she would be blessed by God. When Joachim returned home, he went to meet his wife at the "Golden Gate" of Jerusalem.

We can see how the couple persevered in prayer and how they believed God would answer them and give them a child. How blessed they were to be able to have a child and their child was no ordinary child.

At the moment, the Virgin Mary was conceived in the womb of her mother Anne, God granted Mary freedom from original sin. All of us come into the world with sin on our soul, but not the Virgin Mary. God prevented Her from having original sin and so the Virgin Mary never needed baptism.

Later after Mary and Joseph were married, the Virgin Mary gave birth to Jesus in Bethlehem. The grandparents of Jesus, must have held the baby Jesus in their arms and would have kissed him, like all grandparents kiss their grandchildren. Jesus would have loved and honored his grandparents and so we should love and honor our grandparents as well.

Today, let us pray to Joachim and Anne, and ask them to pray for our grandparents and help them to be holy, virtuous and loving just as the grandparents of Jesus were holy, loving and virtuous.

And if our grandparents have died, we pray they may enjoy their time in heaven with the grandparents of Jesus, saints Joachim and Anne.

17th Sunday - Jesus Searching for Love

How many semi trucks of bread, do you think it would take to feed 5000 people not counting women and children, which most likely would make the total way over 10,000 people?

According to a website, it would take 2 ½ semi loads of bread to feed 10,000 people and Jesus did it with just 5 loaves. Our Lord used the miraculous multiplication of loaves to feed the hungry crowd. They wanted something more than food to satisfy their hearts. What they were really searching for-- is love. Someone who cares for them.

The multiplication of the loaves and fish are a foreshadowing of the Mass. In fact, Jesus uses similar words at the Last Supper. In this Gospel it states, “Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them….” the same words He would use at the Last Supper.

At Mass, rather than bread and fish being multiplied and distributed, Jesus multiplies His presence in the Eucharist. How is it every person who comes to Mass can receive Jesus? Isn’t there just one Jesus? How can Jesus be present here in our tabernacle of Holy Trinity and yet also be present in the tabernacle at Lyons, at McPherson, at Bushton and in all tabernacles of the world? That’s because Our Lord multiplies His presence so He can totally and completely be present, body, blood, soul and divinity in multiple locations at the same time. Jesus is just as physically present on earth as He is in heaven. Its a miracle of presence. Perhaps that’s why people make the mistake of thinking Jesus is only spiritually present in the Eucharist. No! Jesus is not only spiritually present in the Eucharist. In the Eucharist is the total resurrected body of the Lord. With hair, with eye brows, with lips, eyes, ears, His entire presence both human and divine natures. In another words, when I hold the Eucharistic Jesus in my hand and am going to give you Holy Communion, I say, “Body of Christ”, and if you were see what is truly in the Eucharist, you would see Jesus in all His glory. His real body, looking and gazing upon you with love.

The Holy Eucharist is a double miracle. One miracle is the bread and wine changed into the body and blood of Jesus. The other miracle is the bread and wine continue to appear and taste like bread and wine, but are in fact the real body and blood of Jesus. At the Last Supper, Jesus took bread and said, “This is my body.” and took the wine and said, “This is my blood.” When He gave His Eucharistic discourse He told us to eat His flesh and drink His blood and if we do, we will have eternal life. And this what we do at Holy Mass. This is our faith. This is what we believe.

St. Alphonsus Ligouri said after we receive Holy Communion, Jesus stays with us for at least 10 to 15 minutes or longer. St. Thomas Aquinas helps us to understand the divine and bodily presence of Jesus stays within us until the Host is assimilated in our body. There is no greater time on earth, than when we receive Jesus in Holy Communion. It is most special time of prayer. It is called communion, because at that time we are in union with Jesus. His heart and our heart are united in love.

Have you heard the song, “Looking for Love in all the wrong places.” often times sung by Johnny Lee. Part of the song goes like this:

I was lookin' for love in all the wrong places
Lookin' for love in too many faces
Searchin' their eyes
Lookin' for traces of what I'm dreaming of
Hoping to find a friend and a lover
I'll bless the day I discover another heart
Lookin' for love

You came knockin' on my heart's door
You're everything I've been looking for

No more lookin' for love in all the wrong places
Lookin' for love in too many faces
Searchin' their eyes
Lookin' for traces of what I'm dreaming of
Now that I found a friend and a lover
I bless the day I discover
You, oh you, (O Lord Jesus), lookin' for love.

God blessed the day I discovered a searching heart, searching for love

Jesus is the one who knocks at the door of our heart. He has been searching for our love and we have been searching for His love.

Are you searching for love? Searching for someone who will understand you? Looking for someone who listen to you? Looking for the one feels your loneliness and pain? Look no further. Come to Jesus in the Eucharist.

We may have all sorts of problems, anxieties, fears and sufferings, and because of our human nature, we can wrongly look to the world to satisfy our desires, but only Jesus in the Eucharist can quench our thirst and satisfy our hunger and longing. Is there anyone greater than God Himself, who comes to dwell within our heart and promises food that will give us eternal life in heaven? Only God has the answers to all our problems.

Jesus told His apostles, on the night of the Last Supper, during His agony in the Garden, “Can you not watch with me, one hour?” Everyone who makes a Holy Hour always leaves in peace. No matter what our worries or problems, after we spend time with Jesus, He calms our hearts and gives us courage. During Eucharistic Adoration, we open our hearts to Jesus in prayer, who listens to us and gives us His love and graces to endure the sufferings of our life.

And so, we pray, Lord Jesus, you are the Bread of Life, who comes down from heaven on the altar. We believe you are really and truly present in the Eucharist. We long to receive you in Holy Communion. We look forward to that special moment, when our heart is untied with your Heart. O Lord, day and night, you are here in the tabernacle. You desire us to be with you as we come to kneel and gaze upon your true presence in Adoration. Though we cannot see you, we believe you are really and truly there. Your Mother gave you- feet to walk, lips to speak, hands to heal and a Heart to love and this is how you are present in the Eucharist. The only sign we seek, is your infinite love. Though we have searched for love in the all the wrong places, you satisfy our hungry heart thirsting for love.

As you said, “I am the bread of life, whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.” You come knocking at the door of our heart. You are our friend and our lover, we are so blessed the day when we discover your searching heart, searching for love.

July 23rd - St. Bridget of Sweden

 Today, we celebrate the memorial of St. Bridget of Sweden, who was born about the year 1303. She was raised in a pious family. Her father would go to confession every Friday. At the age of 7, Bridget had a vision in which our Lady placed a crown on her head. At the age of 10, after a sermon on the Passion, she saw Jesus in a dream wounded and bleeding.

After her mother died in 1314, she lived with an aunt until she was 13. And out of obedience married, Ulf Gudmarsson in an arranged marriage. They had four boys and four girls. One of her daughters, Catherine of Sweden, who would become a saint.

On their pilgrimage to Compestella, Spain, Ulf became very ill. Bridget feared he may die and prayed at his side all night. A bishop appeared to her, and promised Ulf would recover and ‘God had great things for her to do.’ He told her he was Denis, Patron of France. Ulf recovered and was able to continue his work, until he died in 1344.

After Ulf died, Bridget began to live a penitential life near a Cistercian monastery. When she was 41 years old, God called her to be His bride and asked her to found a new religious order. She planned the Rule and Office of the order she was called to found, but she never saw come into existence. After Bridget’s death, her daughter, St. Catherine of Sweden would become the first abbess of what was to be called the Bridgitine Sisters, who have a devotion to Our Lady and to the Passion of Christ.

She lived an ascetic life, eating very little, sleeping short hours, and praying continually. She followed a strict rule and practiced charitable works, and even went about begging. She had the gift of prophecy and worked many cures. She received inspirations known as her 'Revelations’.

For the rest of her life she saw visions concerning the reform of the Church, she gave messages to kings and popes and many other persons in high places, directing them to work for the Church. However, nothing she set out to do was ever realized. She never had the pope return to Rome, she never managed to make peace between France and England, she never saw any her religious order founded, and never returned to Sweden. Rather, she died in what seemed to be an apparent failure in July 1373. She can be called the Patroness of Failures. In this she was like her Lord. He was also classed as failure as He hung on the Cross. Bridget was canonized only 18 years after her death.

Today, let us ask St. Bridget to pray for us that we may imitate her perseverance and her love of Jesus. May we seek not so much to be successful, but rather to be faithful until death.

Wed. 16th Week - Bread from Heaven

In the first reading, the Jews, in the desert grumbled wanting something to eat, to survive their journey in the desert. The Lord said, “I will now rain down bread from heaven for you”. And so, in the morning, dew lay on the campground, and after it evaporated, manna appeared in the form of bread, for them to eat. The manna in the desert, which came down from heaven foreshadows Jesus int the Eucharist.

Our Blessed Lord called Himself, “Bread from Heaven”. Jesus told the Jews, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” The Jews murmured just as their ancestors, because they could not believe Jesus could have down from heaven. But Jesus compared Himself to the manna given to the Israelites, in the desert. He said, “Your ancestors ate manna in the desert, but they died; I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever and the bread that I will give is my Flesh, for the life of the world.”

It is no coincidence Jesus was born in the city of Bethlehem, which means “House of Bread.” It was no coincidence, He was placed in a manger, used for food for animals. He is the true bread from heaven, as He came to dwell in Mary’s womb. It is no coincidence He changed bread into His body at the Last Supper. And now comes to us here upon the altar, as our spiritual food for our journey, as Jesus said, “He who eats this bread will live forever.”

O Jesus we cannot see You, though You appear to be bread.

Here on the altar, we believe, what you said.

“I am the bread from heaven”.

May we gaze upon Your Sacred Host,

which we love the most.

O Eucharistic Lord, we come to eat Your flesh,

May you rest in our heart, like a dove.

And fill us with your love.

O bread from heaven, O Eucharistic Lord,

come to us through Mary,

Your flesh, She constantly adored.

16th Tuesday - Mary Always Did God's Will

In the Gospel today, when Jesus was talking to a group of people in a house, His Mother, the Virgin Mary came to talk to Him. Someone said, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, asking to speak with you.”
Obviously, the people in crowd were not his blood brothers nor were the women His birth mother. Because Mary was a perpetual virgin, She never had any other children except Jesus, and so the “brothers” who were with her, were either His cousins or disciples.

Perhaps, there was too many people in the house for Mary and them to enter. Our Lord then said something that sounds strange, “Who is my my mother? Who are my brothers?” He then pointed to the people in the crowd and said, “Here are my mother and brothers.” But then He told them exactly what He meant. Jesus said, “For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father, is my brother and sister and mother.” In another words, Our Lord wanted to use His Mother as an example of one who always did the will of God and He wanted everyone to imitate Her and said, all who do the will of God is my mother and sister and brother.

The Virgin Mary most perfectly did what God wanted Her entire life. She never once sinned. Mary was the perfect human being. All of us are imperfect because we choose to sin once in a while. If we ever seek to know God’s will, we should turn to Her as an intercessor.

And so we pray, “O Mary, our Mother, help us to do what God wants by doing His will on all things. Give us grace, so we may do the ordinary things in our life (which are God’s will), out of love of Jesus and for love of others.”

16th Monday - The Sign is the Resurrection of Jesus

The scribes and Pharisees said, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” Let us ask the question what sign were they seeking?

There were seeking signs from heaven, such as thunder and rain, as exhibited by Samuel (1 Samuel 12:18), or fire from heaven, as done by Elijah (1 Kings 18:38), or Elijah when he was taken up into heaven (2 Kings 2:11), or manna to be rained down like Moses, or the parting of the sea by Moses, or the sun which stopped in midday course, like Joshua.

Jesus responded by stating, “An evil and unfaithful generation seeks a sign, but no sign will be given.

They were demanding an immediate sign and wanted Our Blessed Lord to prove, He is the Son of God. However, Jesus would not give them a sign upon their request. He did give several signs in His life. One sign was the voice of His Father, at His baptism, and at the Transfiguration. Other signs were the 3-hour eclipse from noon, until 3pm, when He hung on the Cross, as well as the earthquake, when He died.

Our Lord also compared Himself to “The sign of Jonah the prophet.” In pointing out the difference between Jonah and Himself, our Redeemer points out the different fruits resulting from Jonah’s preaching, and His own, and therefore, He shows in the clearest light, the obstinacy of many Jews.

The prophet Jonah’s sign was the people of Nineveh repented, and were converted. But the Jews, have the true Son of God, who is infinitely greater than Jonah, and greater than Solomon, for whom the Queen of the South traveled because of his wisdom. So what sign would Jesus give them? But His resurrection. Our Lord said, just as Jonah spent three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, so He would spend three days and three nights in the belly of the earth. This comparison refers to His being placed in the tomb after His death, and His resurrection, three days later. This was the sign He would give, but even after He would give the sign of His death and resurrection, many of the Pharisees and Scribes would not believe and not repent. They were blind to the sign, He would later give them.

Today, Our Lord desires we repent, like the people of Nineveh. He desires that we place our faith, in the sign of His Resurrection, for we have someone greater than Solomon, or Jonah, or Moses, here with us, we have the eternal High Priest, Jesus Christ present among us in the Eucharist.

Let us put our faith in His real, and true Eucharistic presence. It is the greatest visible sign, that Our Lord is truly with us, and will come to dwell within our heart in Holy Communion.

16th Sundary, Year B "Bad Shepherd Sunday"

Today’s readings speak about bad shepherds and good shepherds. In the first reading, Jeremiah condemns the bad shepherds who were the kings of Judah, and said, “Woe to the shepherds who mislead and scatter the flock of my pasture. You have scattered my sheep and driven them away. You have not cared for them.”

The psalm explains, the Lord is our shepherd who leads us to restful waters. It prefigures Jesus the Good Shepherd. As Jeremiah said, “I (the Lord) will appoint shepherds for them who will shepherd them so that they no longer fear and tremble and none shall be missing.” “I myself will gather the remnant of my flock.” “I will raise up a righteous shoot to David, as King he shall govern wisely...”

In the Gospel, Jesus is the King who will gather the remnant flock. He is the King who shall govern wisely. He is the true and righteous Shepherd, whose “heart is moved with pity for the crowd”, because “they were like sheep without a shepherd”. He is “the Shepherd who appoints shepherds”. Our Lord did this when He appointed the 12 apostles, who were the first bishops and then the apostles would ordain other bishops and priests unto today. The pope is called the “Chief Shepherd of the Church”. There are many good shepherds in our diocese. Yet, in the Church there are bad shepherds. Good shepherds feed their flock with the truth and are not silent in face of danger. They warn sheep to protect them. Bad shepherds are silent in face of danger and fail to feed the sheep, the fullness of truth.

In the United States some shepherds are failing to feed the flock with the truth about Jesus in the Eucharist. A Pew Research Study states, nearly 70% of US Catholics, do not believe in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist saying it is merely symbolic. I strongly doubt this is the case in the diocese of Wichita because many parishes have Eucharistic Adoration.

Why do you think there has been a loss of faith in the Eucharist? People just don’t wake up some morning and say I don’t believe. Circumstances and events can cause people to lose faith in the Eucharist, which is the real and true body and blood of Jesus.

What I am going to do is give a list of reasons which may have contributed to the loss of faith in the Eucharist and most of these don’t apply to us.

The permitting of receiving Communion in the hand (an indult), something only Protestants would formerly do and receiving Communion standing rather than kneeling, has caused a loss of faith in the Eucharist because it is treated as ordinary food. However, to receive Communion kneeling at an altar rail and receiving on the tongue, helped people to understand, by their reverence, the Eucharist is not ordinary food, but God Himself.

During the pandemic there was a time of great fear because people were dying and it was unsure how the virus was being passed on. So it is understandable people wanted to receive on the hand. A few months ago a European study came out explaining its just as safe to receive on the tongue as the hand and is safer to receive when kneeling.

In other dioceses and throughout the USA, there is no longer ringing of bells during the consecration, no longer using incense and servers don’t use patens during Communion. These contribute to the loss of faith in the Eucharist. These actions remind us the Eucharist is beyond this world and not earthly.

The use of extraordinary ministers of Communion in an ordinary manner, perhaps due to less priests and larger parishes and also some bishops force priests to use extra ordinary ministers when the priests alone could give Communion in a reasonable time. It used to be-- only consecrated hands were permitted to touch the chalice and the Body of Christ and so when non-consecrated hands handle the most sacred of sacred, the ministerial priesthood seems ordinary.

During the pandemic in some places the concern for physical health was greater than the spiritual health of the soul and could have had a negative effect on belief in the Eucharist.

Over the past 50 years, Eucharistic processions and Holy Hours strengthened the faith of the people, but were discontinued in many parishes. But in our diocese there are perpetual adoration chapels in many parishes and most parishes have regular adoration.

In convents, some religious sisters stand, rather than kneel during the consecration, when the bread and wine are changed into the body and blood of Christ. And so, if they, who are brides of Christ, lack faith in the true presence, lay people can doubt.

The disappearing of Latin and Gregorian Chant at Mass. These helped people to understand the Mass is a mystery with hidden realities that cause wonder and awe with the harmony of voices and melodies. Sacred Music was replaced by secular songs. Go to Youtube and listen to Gregorian chant for the Mass and you will be uplifted.

Extra ordinary ministers of Communion no longer use the ablution bowl to dip their fingers to remove particles of the Sacred Host after giving Communion. The Church teaches every particle of the Eucharist is the whole and entire person of Jesus and so particles on fingers need to be removed in water, or they fall to the ground.

Changing the fasting discipline from midnight- the night before--- to an hour before Communion (though legitimate) has caused many to think fasting before receiving Communion is not important or good for the soul. This has caused some to drink coffee or tea or chew gum before Communion and break the fast, which is sinful. We should only take medicine or water within that hour, except for diabetics, who can take urgently take food when needed.

Priests offering the Mass without reverence and devotion in a hurried manner. Some don’t have zeal or love when offering Mass.

Over emphasizing the Mass as a meal, rather than its primary meaning of sacrifice, downplays it supernatural reality of the re-presentation of Calvary on the altar.

Bishops not enforcing canon 915, which states Communion is to be refused to persons in grave obstinate and manifest sin. Catholics who promote abortion, can cause some to think its okay to receive the Eucharist unworthily while in the state of mortal sin. St. Paul, “Whoever, therefore, eats the bread and drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord,...(1 Corn. 11:27)

Bad shepherds have not educated the sheep to understand they are not permitted to receive Holy Communion in mortal sin and the need to confess it before receiving Holy Communion, otherwise one commits a sacrilegious communion. Such mortal sins include missing Mass on Sunday and Holy Days (outside the pandemic), committing adultery, using birth control, viewing pornography, etc.

Over a period of time, bad shepherds have failed to warn sheep, to die in the state of mortal, without repentance, one can go to hell. In fact, when one receives Communion in the state of mortal sin, they receive no graces from Jesus in the Eucharist. But rather, offend and hurt Him and also commit a sacrilegious communion deeply wounding one’s own soul, as St. Paul says, “For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself” (1 Corin. 11:28).

I hate to tell you this, but, I was a product of bad shepherds. I don’t’ ever recall being told if you miss Mass on Sunday its a mortal sin. I never even heard of a mortal sin until I was 27.

If you are sitting in the pew thinking, “I didn’t know. If I commit a mortal sin, I had to first go to Confession before I receive Holy Communion.” Then welcome to the club. However, now that you know, resolve to never receive the Eucharist in the state of mortal sin, without first going to Confession. Everyone can and should attend Mass. It is good President Biden and Nancy Pelosi attend Mass, but its not good they receive Communion until they discontinue their public scandal of promoting abortion, go to confession, and then publicly recant their position. No one can judge hearts, except God. But we can and should judge public actions and if someone is committing scandal, by receiving Communion while obstinately persevering in grave manifest sin, they can cause others to lose their faith in the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. And if the bishops fail to enforce Church teaching—they also can cause people to lose faith in the Eucharist.

In the Gospel Jesus said, “Come by yourself to an out away place and rest awhile.” There is no better place to rest than to come and spend time with Jesus in Eucharistic Adoration. We have a Holy Hour this Thursday at 7pm. Come and be with the Good Shepherd and pray for shepherds that they will lead the sheep to a greater faith in His true presence in the Eucharist, so they will someday enjoy the restful waters of heaven.