25th Sunday of Ordinary Time Year- 2015

May the Peace Christ Reign in our hearts,

Once upon a time I asked a young man what he wanted most in life, and how he would know if he had made it.

He responded immediately without hesitation by saying “ I want the 4 P’s “

When he saw the confused look on my face he elaborated,

Property

Power

Prosperity

Prestige

Then he said “When I have the 4 P’s I will know that I made it.

That’s is success for me. “

I said, “you sure had that list on the tip of your tongue” and he told me “I think about it alot.”

Prosperity and Property involved physical assets

Power and Prestige are more concerned about how people saw him.

I was saddened because he never mentioned love or companionship or caring for others at all.

For this young man success was all about having more..and sadly success was all about him.

We all know that power and prosperity, property and prestige don’t make a person happy.

Just look around... at people like Michael Jackson, and Lindsay Lohan, in fact it’s hard to find someone in the entertainment world that is happy and lives a good and holy and fulfilling life.

It’s hard to find an entertainer with a successful marriage and well adjusted kids. Look at the poor Kardashians they are rich but they are also a mess.

Even if People  have an abundance of property, power, prestige and prosperity often they still have lives that resemble a train wreck.

Today’s Gospel shows us that the Apostles were not immune to the glitter or temptation of the 4 p’s.

When Jesus was sharing with them his future passion and death. Instead of listening and trying to comfort him they were arguing about who had the greatest prestige.

Jesus knew he had to make them understand once more that happiness and holiness were not about how much property they had,

or how much money they had,

or what people thought of them

or how much influence they had over others.

You know today we treasure Children, but this was not always the case.

During the time of Jesus Children were insignificant.

A father could simply refuse to accept a child and it would be put outside to die in neglect.

Children were the poorest of the poor with no rights and with no means to repay any kindness.

So Jesus took a little child and told His Apostles success is welcoming and caring for them he was saying success is welcoming and caring for someone who can never pay you back.

For a follower of Christ…

Success is giving without expecting anything in return.

Success is a life poured out in loving service.

Success is letting go rather than holding on.

Success is caring about others more than you care about yourself.

I never heard what happened to that kid but I will always remember his determination to have his property, power, prestige and prosperity.

Sadly some people never get it.

I once visited a lonely old lady.

She lived in a huge house and every time we spoke she told me that someone was after her money.

The people that were living in her home and caring for her kept changing because after awhile she would convince herself that they were after her money and fire them.

She had no contact with her family.

You know the story she was sure that they wanted her money.

I went to see her once a month and listened to her and tried to help her understand the people actually cared about her.

Sometimes I thought that I was this close to getting through to her

But she never really believed me and could not accept that they were not just after her money.

Then one day her helper called and said you don’t have to come tomorrow father.

I immediately asked if she was OK or if she had taken ill.

The helper responded candidly Father. “She thinks you are after her money.”

When they had her funeral the funeral director told me only a couple past employees came. Sadly she died like she had lived alone and sad with a big bank account.

So much for the four p’s

How will we know when we made it

What do we think about success ?

And Jesus said….

"If anyone wishes to be first,

he shall be the last of all and the servant of all."

Taking a child, he placed it in the their midst,

and putting his arms around it, he said to them,

"Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me;

and whoever receives me,

receives not me but the One who sent me."

24th Year of Ordinary Time Year B 2015

The other night as I was driving.  I noticed that it was really getting dark but that people were not putting on their lights.

It puzzled me for a moment until I realized that I was wearing my sunglasses and when I took them off everything changed.

In today’s Gospel Jesus forces his disciples and all of us to take off our sunglasses and clearly see the demands of discipleship.

Jesus makes sure that everyone knows what it really means to follow Him.

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.”

And so, you see that all of us as followers of Christ are called to carry the cross. All of us as followers of Jesus should expect suffering and pain.Jesus is very upfront about this.

Often human suffering is one of the greatest challenges a person can face.

Sometimes when we are faced with suffering, we ask ourselves questions like,

Why do I have to suffer?

Why do I have to watch someone I love suffer?

Why doesn’t God take away my pain or the pain of my loved one?

These are very human questions and we should not be afraid to ask them.

If we really think about the suffering in the world some things become clear.

Sometimes if we are honest with ourselves, our suffering is the result of the choices we have made in our lives.

• We all know that  if we live a poor lifestyle, we increase our chances for illness and suffering.

• If we drive everyone in our life away because of our selfishness or our anger, we will probably suffer loneliness when we need people the most.

Sometimes it’s clear to see that our suffering is the result of the choices other people make.

• Those who pollute our world or produce foods with ingredients that we can’t even pronounce so that they last a little longer on the shelf, increase our chances for cancer and sickness.

• Sometimes other people’s sinfulness affects us. When we are in the wrong place at the wrong time and we are robbed or mugged, our suffering is caused by someone else’s sin.

Sometimes our suffering is just part and parcel of having a physical body and angels don’t have to worry about cholesterol.

• It should be a surprise to no one that sometimes bodies simply wear out.
  
• When we fall down, we risk breaking something. If we hit our thumb with a hammer instead of the nail (been there, done that), we are going to suffer.

Yes, suffering is often caused by how we, or someone else, chooses to use the free will that God has given us.

Sometimes suffering is really good waiting to happen. There have probably been moments in our lives when our suffering has molded us, stretched us and shaped us into being better people, more loving people, more compassionate people, holier people.  

A young father once told me… Kids stretch you Father. and so does marriage. But at least I’m not only thinking about myself any more (Truer words were never spoken)

The hardest type of suffering a human being can face is when someone who is innocent, someone who had done everything right, and nothing wrong has to carry the cross of suffering.

Our faith can easily be shaken by the sight of a child who was abused  or ill.

We had a couple of very painful funerals this week. A beautiful young mom who was only 44 yrs old and who suffered with cancer for years went home to God.

We all prayed for her over and over again. She was anointed so many times and yet for some reason God called her home to be with Him.

We also had a father and husband who was only 64 years old die suddenly without any warning. They were both very painful funerals.

In difficult painful situations like these it is hard to find understanding or an answer that comforts.

In moments like this, all we can do is take God at his word and trust that God loves us;

It seems that sometimes the loss of a loved one or the suffering of an innocent person is allowed to happen according to God’s plan. And it is just not possible for us to understand why.

God doesn’t cause the suffering, but sometimes he allows it to happen or refuses to stop it either.

Our hearts were all broken when we saw the lifeless body of that little Syrian boy who drowned while fleeing the war in Syria. (There was not a dry eye in our friary) The news people say the sight of his lifeless body was the moment that hearts in Europe changed and  the borders were finally opened. That heart breaking image of the that little boy saved 1000s of children like himself. That’ little boy;s ultimate sacrifice allowed so many other little children to live. Sound familiar? We have to ask ourselves did God need to permit that little boy’s death to move our hardened hearts and save others.

When God doesn’t stop the suffering of an innocent person, we need to find some comfort in the fact that Jesus, who was also an innocent person, had to carry the cross, suffer and die.

When humanity walked down the wrong road, when our sinfulness caused us pain and suffering, God didn’t run away. He did leave us to be victims of our own designs.

He ran to us and became one of us and for us Jesus walked down the road of suffering and pain so that we might be reconciled.

Jesus, innocent though He was, bore the weight of our sin. His love was redemptive; in other words, His suffering love saved us.

I know that for some much of what I said is worthless like straw. I know I haven’t answered the question of suffering. I know that there are people who are still hurt or still filled with doubt because of the crosses that they have, or someone they love, have had to carry in their lives.

I offer you these humble thoughts in the hope that they will help us see the connection between love and suffering.

Sometimes love calls us to suffering

And When someone suffers no matter who they are no matter where they come from we, all of us are called to run to them and love them more and help them carry the cross anyway we can.

Yes we need to take off our sunglasses and see clearly what it means be a disciple.

When, not if our time of suffering comes, may we all have strength and courage and the faith to pick up the cross and follow Jesus on the road to Calvary without fear.

For 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.”

23rd Sunday of Ordinary Time Year - B - 2015

In 2007 Joshua Bell one of the world’s most renowned violinists was in Washington for a concert tour. And while he was there the Washington Post commissioned him to pay his 4 million dollar Stradivarius in one of the subway stations.

The morning after the concert almost 2000 walked by his concert in the subway without stopping to listen or even notice him and he got $37.19 in tips.

In case you don’t know this man is considered by many to be the world’s greatest violinist. He is the Tom Brady of classical music

I mention this story because our lives are filled with sounds and words.

But many times it’s hard to notice what is of value and what is not.

It’s hard to discern what we should really listen to and what we should tune out.

Because of all the noise and words in our world,

Parents have a lot more challenges than my parents did.

When those of us who are a little older grew up our parents were still the main voice in our lives.

Now parents have to compete with the likes of Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift and Kanye West.

When my Dad wanted our attention he turned off the TV or pulled the plug on the radio and he had us  

Today all of these voices speak to our children not only on the radio or TV but on twitter on facebook on reddit, on snap chat, on their phones in their email.

Sometimes when I look in my inbox and there are 200+ emails and I feel like i’m drowning in communication and noise

And sometimes there are so many emails that important messages just get buried in the avalanche of emails.

In today’s Gospel Jesus healed a man who couldn’t hear.

The scholars tell us that this miracle is both real and symbolic.

It was real because yes there was a real man whose hearing was restored

It was symbolic because by giving the man back his hearing Jesus also connected him with the world in a new and more intimate way.

If God gives us our senses, hearing, sight, touch to connect with each other then we should use these gifts for what is good and holy.

Just like many people walked by Joshua Bell in the metro or Subway station so much of the world simple fails to notice or hear God’s word.

Quite often it just gets drowned out by all the other voices and noise competing for our attention.

So many people even life long believers fail to give God’s word its proper place in our lives.

We simply walk through life not knowing what we are missing or even really paying attention. Like the people that morning simply walked by Joshua Bell.

The Gospel today calls us to reflect on  our relationship with God’s Word

It calls us to ask ourselves whose word do we allow to shape our thoughts and our opinions.

Whose word do we place our hope on ?

Whose word directs our life and informs our actions ?

These are very important questions indeed.

The day that Joshua Bell played in the subway.

I was sitting at the  supper table in the Priest residence on campus and one of the priests who loves classical music had been to a Joshua Bell concert the previous night at the Kennedy Center.

He told us at the table “I will never be able to listen to a violin in the same way again. From now on every time I hear a violin I will compare it to that concert last night.” It was beautiful somehow he could make that violin sing.

Good friends once we really hear God’s word

Our lives and the lives of those we love will never be the same.

The way we look at the world will never be the same

Everything will be seen in the Light of the loving Word of God which each of us is called to hear and to follow.

Let us pray.

Lord help us to notice and listen to your Word

May it shape the way we think

may it inspire our hope and may it move us to love without counting the cost.

Amen

Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B - 2015

In the 2nd reading today St. Paul reminds us that each and every one of us was chosen by God before the foundation of the world.

It is a beautiful thing to be chosen or to be loved by someone

Can your remember the first time someone other than your Mom said I love you and meant it? I’m sure it was a powerful moment.

Being chosen and loved by God is wonderful a gift beyond our understanding.

Sadly we all know that there are many so people in the world who just don’t feel loved.

They don’t feel lovable.

They don’t feel appreciated.

Today’s Gospel reminds us that being a disciple of Jesus is not only about us.

With discipleship comes the obligation not the option but the obligation to help people understand that they too are loved by God.

Being a disciple isn’t only about getting your own house in order before God.

No, when we chose to follow Christ, in addition to living a righteous life we are also called to share the Good News and bring others to discipleship.

In today’s Gospel Jesus tells us how to do just that.

The first thing you notice is that Jesus sends his followers out two by two or in a little community.

He sends them out two by two so they could care for eachother

He sends them out two by two  so that if one got discouraged or tired the other could encourage him and carry the heavy load for a while.  

They go two by two  so that the care and concern they showed for each other is the very first homily they preached even before they open their mouths. (You will know they are Christians by their love)

He also told them not to bring any food, or money or even a second tunic.

At first glance it seems almost foolhardy to leave without any resources.

Jesus tells his disciples and us to travel through life lightly so that we can wholly dependent on God and on the generousity of others. God will provide.

When they arrived in a town Jesus told them to take the first invitation that they received, and stay there so that they would not shop around and see if someone offered them more gracious hospitality.

Proclaiming the good news can never be about personal profit, getting compensated or taking the best offer.  

When he sent them out he sent them out with authority, his authority to speak in his name and heal the sick in his name.

Yes Jesus founded a missionary Church and gave each of us the task of bring people to faith in Him

And it would be naive for any one of us to think  the question… “Who did you bring to faith will not be on our final final exam in front the pearly gates?

All of us are sent

Sent to the people we love

Sent to the people we meet along life’s journey

Like the early disciples let’s try to travel light. So that we can God where God needs us to go and not grow too comfortable or complacent. This is no easy task

Travelling Light is not easy. When I entered the seminary

We were given a list of things we could bring right down to the number of underwear

Two days before I left my Mom bought me new socks and underwear because she didn't want me going to the seminary with anything that had rips stains or holes.

Everything I had everything fit into one  suitcase.

When I moved here it took the back of a pickup truck and a car loaded to the roof

One of the wisenheimers kids who was helping me load the truck said.

If all this stuff you have is poverty… I can’t wait for chastity.

Brothers and Sisters…

The world is not very friendly to religion these days especially Christian and Catholics

Yes it’s easier and safer to stay home,

to keep our mouths shut in conversations, and be concerned about our own well being rather than share the Good News.

Last week we heard how Jesus was not accepted in his own town.

That great disappointment didn’t stop him, didn’t hold him back.

Almost immediately Jesus sent out the disciple to try again.

Yes Jesus compels us and love compels us to go out into our communities, into our neighborhoods, our families, our places of work, and find a way to make disciples of all nations…

We need to go out into the hworld with others that’s why Jesus us gave us the church

We need to travel lightly not bogged down with lots of stuff

We should never preach the Gospel for our own profit or benefit.

and when we go we should not be afraid because Jesus has given us the authority to speak in his name.

Let us tell  have been loved and chosen by God from the beginning of the world.

14th Sunday of Ordinary Time Year B - 2015

We are so blest here at St. Paul. On the average, 2000 people come to church every week. (Maybe not on the 4th of July weekend, but on the average).

Some come out of habit.

Some come because they are forced to come.

Some come because they are afraid not to.

Some come because it makes them feel good.

Some come because they believe that God wants them to come or needs them to come.

Some come because they  know that it is good for them to be here.

Some come for all of the above, depending on the day.

Every time we come to Church, God’s Word is proclaimed and the priest does his best to relate it to our lives.

When the sacrifice of the Mass is celebrated, we participate in that moment when Jesus offered himself up for our sins.

When Jesus began his public mission, wherever he went he was a big hit.

He taught with authority, He healed their sick and gave them hope;

and people from far and wide came to listen to him.

Then one day Jesus went home, and he stood up in the synagogue where He and Joseph had prayed together for years.

He stood up to explain the Torah amidst the people who knew his family and had watched him grow up from a little boy.

He proclaimed the same message he proclaimed in every town, but “His own” were not ready to accept Him or his message.

Their hearts were closed..

Who knows why?

Was it was their pride?

Was it because they were jealous at his success?

Was it because they came to see the show and be entertained?

Maybe they expected to see a how a hometown kid made it big and how it would benefit them.

Whatever the case, their closed hearts pained him; and hence, Jesus’ lament, “A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house.”

And because their hearts were closed, the seeds which Jesus sowed fell on hard dry soil and were unable to germinate or bear fruit.

A question that this Gospel asks each of us to ponder is simply this:

Are we like the people in that synagogue that day in Capernaum?

What are our expectations when we come to Mass?

Why did we come to Mass today?

Sometimes we priests hear comments like:

Mass is boring.

Why don’t they shake it up a little and get with the times?

I don’t get anything out of going to Mass.

Let me tell you, we’ve heard these comments for years and years.

Good meaning priests have tried all kinds of things to address them.

Those of us who lived through the 60’s and 70’s can remember clown Masses, Polka Masses and even rock Masses.

I was at a Mass once and when I elevated Our Lord after the consecration, the most sacred moment of the Mass, I heard a drum roll; and when I got to the top of the elevation, the drummer hit the cymbal!  Imagine ….!!!

There were even balloon Masses where everyone went out after Mass and let go of a balloon. Who knows what that was about?

On the internet I saw one priest dressed up like Barney at a children’s Mass to give the final blessing so that the kids could relate to him.

Some people have come to expect the priest to tell jokes and deliver monologues like David Letterman.

At the same time, they ask us to offer a meaningful, life-changing message. Normally some will listen for 10 minutes, but 5 minutes would be better.

All of these attempts to make the Mass more relevant failed.

None of these things worked.

None of these expectations made us holy,

and none of these things brought us closer to God or each other.

We come to church to worship God and share our lives with Him.

We come to hear God’s Word and allow it to penetrate our hearts and change us.

We come here to be inspired to pour out our lives in loving service of God’s Kingdom.

We come to receive Holy Communion and be in Holy communion with Jesus Christ our Lord and our savior

These things are so much more important than a chuckle at a one liner well delivered.

And if the Priest's homily didn’t inspire us, we have to ask ourselves,

“Is the soil of our heart ready to accept God’s Word and bear fruit?”

How did I prepare for Mass? Did I read the readings before hand and think about them during the week?

Did I calm my mind and my heart before Mass began or do I try to catch up on the Berlin gossip?

If a farmer just went out into the field and simply threw some seed on the ground without first tilling or opening up the soil and making sure that it was fertile and moist, he and his family would go hungry.

The seed could not produce anything because the soil was not ready to receive it.

It was the same for the people in Jesus’ home town.

They simply were not ready to listen; and if we are not careful, it will be the same for us.

Unless we open our hearts and are willing to accept God’s Word, it will fall on barren soil like that tragic day in Capernaum when Jesus went home.

Amen.