Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ –Year A - 2011

When a soldier goes to war frequently he/she carries a picture, a picture of a loved one,
a picture which in some small way makes him/her feel the presence of that special person whenever they look at it.
When Daddy goes away on a business trip many times a mother will show their little children his picture.
“Here’s daddy” they say to remind the kids that he loves them, and cares for them, and misses them.

Sadly a picture is not enough it is never enough.

What the soldier needs on the battle field is a kiss or an embrace.

What the little girl needs is to dance on Daddy’s feet or to lay on his chest and feel his heart.

What the little boy needs is to throw play ball with his Dad or be tackled by him.

No a picture, or a memory, is never enough
they never satisfy.

Pictures and memories never fill the space which exists in our heart when we are alone,  absent from the ones we love.

Human beings need presence.
We yearn to be in the presence of the one we love.

God understands the human heart and God understands the human body.

He created them and God Himself became incarnate.
Remember the Word was made flesh and dwells among us.

And when you think about it and pray about it.
Our bodies are they way that God has given us to be in communion with each other
and His Body is the way we can live in communion with Him.

Our bodies are how we relate.
Our bodies are like a  window to the soul of the one we love
an embrace,
a touch,
even a smell,
- bring us into communion with each other

A long time ago I met a woman who refused to wash a pillowcase because it smelled like her deceased husband. It made him present in a special way.

What a gift it is to be in communion with someone else,
what an incredible gift.

And just like we need our bodies and the bodies of others to be in communion with each other…

Jesus understood that we could only be truly in communion with Him if we shared His Body, His Blood , His Soul, and Divinity.

That is why we come here to be in the presence of God…
That is why this place is holy
That is why this beautiful little church is set apart
That is why we call it a sacred space
That is why some of us genuflect or bow when enter and leave.

That is why we should try not to talk unnecessarily
As if we met someone in front of JC Penny’s in West Farm Mall..

In the synoptic Gospels we hear the narrative of the Last Supper, in which Jesus plainly says,
“THIS IS MY BODY
THIS IS MY BLOOD.”
He doesn’t say this could be my body.
He doesn’t say this could be by blood.
No, He says “THIS IS MY BODY.”

And sadly for some strange reason,
some who read the scriptures literally in every other aspect….
those who believe that
there were really seven 24 days during creation,
and Moses was really 120 years old, etc.
refuse to take Jesus literally when He says, “this is My Body.”

So how do we know that Holy Communion is really the Body and Blood of Christ ?
Jesus also says He is the vine and we are the branches.
and in these cases he is speaking figuratively.

To find more evidence that Jesus was not speaking figuratively and meant what he said…we have to go to the 6th Chapter of John’s Gospel and the Bread of life discourse.

Which is what we read today. In it Jesus said
“Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His Blood you have no live within you.”

Many took Jesus literally as he intended and turned away.
They say to themselves… this is too weird for me.
How can this man give us his flesh and blood to eat?
They leave because they refuse to comprehend or accept this incredible teaching of Jesus.

They refuse to accept Him at His literal Word and they make the mistake of their live time and walk away.

Knowing that they are leaving because they are taking him literally JESUS does not call them back and say wait you misunderstood I’m talking figuratively or symbolically.
 
No He lets them go their way in the hope that someday they would understand and return.

Then He simply turns to the Apostles and says.
“Are you going to leave me too?”

To which Peter, the impulsive  one, responds.
“Lord to whom shall we go You have the words of everlasting life?”

No a picture is not enough
And a memory is not enough
God understands that just like we need the real presence of those whom we love to live in communion with them….

God understands that we need His real presence, His body and His blood to live in communion with Him.

Why is this so hard to understand?
Why is this so hard to believe to accept?
If God can make the whole universe with all its wonder and beauty..

Why can’t we accept that God can take some bread and some wine, ordinary things and turn them into his body and his blood his real presence so that we might live in communion with Him?

Holy ones… our world, our culture, our nation, our neighborhoods and sadly even our families  are becoming more and more isolated and isolating.

Don’t be afraid
It is possible to live in communion with God,
and God longs to be in communion with us much more than we could ever desire to live in communion with Him.

“Eat his flesh and drink his blood”
Live in communion with Jesus the very Word of God

Those who do can never be alone…
Never…
He is here
He is present
Not simply in a memory or a written text or a picture
He is here His body and His blood, His Soul and divinity.
He longs for you to live in His presence of and be nourished by His body and blood.
To be in communion with him

This Church  has been filled with people longing to sit in the very presence  of God.
for over a hundred years.

People come here
To sit with him
To listen to him
To sing to him
To pray to him
To be with him in a special way.

May we always find great solace both at the celebration of the Eucharist or at the feet of our Lord at  present in the Blessed Sacrament.
May be always strive to be in communion with God who loves us so much that He gives us His Body and Blood.
God is near very near indeed 

Amen

The Feast of Pentecost Year A - 2011

Reading 1
Responsorial Psalm
Reading 2
Gospel

I would like to propose three thoughts for us to ponder on this Feast of Pentecost 2011...

THE FIRST IS THIS...

A person can get along without a lot of money.

There are a many people who don't have a lot of money these days.

We can get along with minimal food. We certainly don't need all that we eat.

We can get along without the latest fashions and toys and gadgets and we can have a very good quality of life.

A poor boy in China didn't understand that and sold one of his kidneys for an IPAD.

However, it is very very hard to get along without other people.

God made us to be in relationship, relationship with others and relationship with God.

That's why is solitary confinement so difficult to bear for a person in prison.

Its so difficult because it denies our very fundamental need for relationship our fundamental need to be with others.

If a child it is not held, if it is not nurtured he/she will never thrive, sometimes they will even die.

This fundamental fear of being alone manifests itself is so many ways during our lives:

• Bullying is so hard to bear for a child because it implies rejection. No one will play with me. I will be alone...
  

• One of the most important things for a young person growing up is being accepted. They try so hard to be a part of the group. Educators spend so much time helping them understand and deal with and figure out peer pressure... or pressure to belong.
  

• A little later in life people fear that they will not find someone to spend the rest of their life with. They  fear that they will be alone. This fear is so strong and  sometimes so reinforced by family members that in desperation it is not uncommon for people to marry the wrong person or the first person to come along. Disaster disaster disaster...
  

• After the loss of a spouse of many year, people long for companionship and relationship. When their spouse of many many years dies sometimes its as if a part of themselves has died. It is so very painful.

All of this is true because we are made to be with others and we are made to love.

It is indeed so painful to be alone....

Today is the feast of Pentecost.
Today God promises to be with us always.

Jesus said “I will not leave you orphans.

I will send you the advocate, the comforter the Spirit of Truth.”

POINT TWO

I becomes clear from today's readings that Holy Spirit was not given to the apostles individually for their own benefit or purpose.

The gifts of the Spirit were given to us in the context of the community the Church.

The apostles and Mary were gathered together in prayer when the Holy Spirit came.

That's how God wanted the gifts of the Spirit to be received and only when they were gathered together as Church did they receive the Holy Spirit.

We all know that the Church is not perfect.

If you don't know that I don't know where you have been living these past 10 year or last 20 centuries.

You think things are bad now you should have been around during the time of St. Francis or St. Theresa of Avila. What a human mess.

Jesus knew that we would make mistakes.

Jesus knew that our community our church would be broken and holy at the same time.

Jesus knew that there would be scandals and problems in every age, yet he still chose to ask the Apostles the first leaders of the Church to be gathered together in prayer to receive the Holy Spirit.

And it is the Church which is tasked with recognizing and channeling the gifts of the Holy Spirit where they are needed the most.

Many say that Pentecost was indeed the birthday of the Church and it is through the community of the Church that the gifts are shared.

POINT THREE

The second reading today reminds us that each member of the community receives a different gift and each of these gifts are holy and special.

Some can preach, some can discern God's will,
some are great prophets,
some can be lost in prayer,
some have incredible energy and strength and stamina and are constantly able to serve their brothers and sisters,
some are smart, really smart etc etc etc

Yes we have a multitude of gifts to share and all of our gifts are to be placed at the service of  God’s Kingdom and each other.

And so on this the third most holy day of the year
after Easter and Christmas,

on this day when we celebrate and recognize the both the gifts and the presence of the Holy Spirit,
let us find comfort in the fact that God is really present in our lives.

Men and women of faith can never be alone..

When Jesus said I am with you always until the end of time

He meant what He said.

He is with us always in the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Let us remember that the Holy Spirit did not reveal himself to individual people but rather in the presence of the community or Church gathered in prayer.

Authentic use of God's gifts will always be at the service of the community of faith and they will always build up the Church.

Finally Let us recognize the gifts that each of us has been given.

We all have gifts every person in this Church has gifts to share.

Let us and rejoice in the diversity of gifts that can be shared in the church.

We should never be jealous of the gifts a person has received.

We should never be prideful of the gifts that we ourselves have received.

We must be grateful for the gifts God has given us.

Every gift we have must simply be put at the service of others.

Come Holy Spirit fill the heart of the faithful and in-kindle in us the fire of your love send for your spirit and we shall be created and you shall renew the face of the earth.

Amen

8th Grade Graduation Homily….

Dear Graduates of St. Paul School,

Today is a special day.  Today is a day many of you have waited for with expectation; a day you have been ready for and a big step forward in your lives. When many of you came to St. Paul’s years ago, it seemed so big; and now for some of you, it seems so
very small indeed.  That’s OK… Your desire to move and explore new horizons, your desire to try something different and raise the bar a little, all of these things mean that St. Paul School has served you well.

Everyone has been telling you that High School is really different and it is.  However, we know that you are ready. You’ve done well here and you have the ability to do well wherever you go. I was so proud of you when the Office of Catholic Schools told me that the Science scores in our Middle School were in the 90% percentile.  Let me tell you, I was never that smart in Middle School. In addition to preparing yourselves intellectually in the classroom and physically in the playground, the parking lot and the basketball court, it is my fervent hope that we have helped you understand that you are special in God’s eyes. God’s love is not dependent on what you say, or how you act, or what you accomplish.  God’s love is unconditional.. He loves you now and He will love you forever, even if in the end you choose not to love Him.

You chose the 1st reading wisely… because it speaks of light, God’s Light.  Let me teach you a little phrase which is very special to me.  Deus lux mea est (God is my light). Let me assure you God’s light will never grow dim; it will be a light which will always be visible somewhere in the distance no matter how far you wander away.  Deus lux mea est. I know people who have been lost for years and years and years, people who have been lost for decades even,
and have finally chosen to look up and follow the light of Christ. If you ever get lost, and I hope you don’t, look up and you will find the light of God’s love in the distance.  I promise.  Follow it home.  Deus lux Mea est.

In the Gospel you chose, we hear the call of the disciples.  They were just normal people; hard working men trying to make ends meet. They were not theologians or scholars of the law; they probably weren’t even as smart as you, yet God chose them to found the Church.  He entrusted them with the power of the Gospel and the salvation of the world. And once they got it, once they understood who Jesus really was and what God needed them to do, (and let me tell you it took them awhile to figure it out), they were so brave.
They were so courageous that they willingly gave their lives for Jesus and the Gospel and for love.  They willingly gave their lives for love. Think about it…Deus lux mea est.

Dear 8th Graders, God has a plan. God has a plan for you.  Each and every one of you is a very important part, an indispensable part in the wonderful puzzle of God’s loving providence. There is nothing more disappointing to spend tons of time putting together a huge puzzle and finding a piece missing. When that happens, everyone who looks at the puzzle and your hard work notices the piece that is missing.

In the next four years of High School, begin to dream, but remember. . . .Deus lux mea est. Find what you like to do.  Try lots of things… make sure that they are all legal, age appropriate, and exciting.  Maybe God will begin to show you where you fit into the puzzle of his divine providence.  Maybe God will show you where he needs you.  Listen carefully when Jesus says come follow me.  He may lead you to be a teacher, a computer programmer, a financial guru, a priest or friar, a religious sister, a doctor or lawyer, a social worker, a counselor or, whatever…..Yes, high school is a time when God begins to let you understand the dreams he has had for you from the beginning of time.

Well Holy ones, it has been a privilege for us to be a part of your lives.  I wish I could have had the chance to get to know you more… the first year in any new assignment is always hard. You have to figure out where all the light switches are.

Dear 8th Graders,  Say your prayers, follow the light, dream your dreams, find your place in God’s plan and
remember to keep us posted on where your dreams take you.  And never forget. . .

Deus lux mea est.
Yes, He is and may He always be.   Amen.

The 7th Sunday of Easter–Year A 2011

May the Peace of Christ Reign in our Hearts

You know I used to live in Rome and Assisi.
In fact I lived there for 6 years

I’ll never forget being so moved the first time I saw St. Peter’s at the end of the “Via della Consolatione.”

Sad to say the utter fascination and awe I experienced when I saw St. Peter for the first time slowly but surely wore off.

So much so that after I while I would glance over toward St. Peter’s as I was running for the bus on “Lungo Tevere” as if to say oh yeah there’s St. Peter I hope I didn’t miss the 97 bus to Trastevere.

I visited Florence so much that it became like going to Rocky Hill for me.

You know it’s part of our human nature that wonder and awe don’t always last as long as we would like.

Each and everyone of us have been given a wonderful gift, an incredible gift. It is the gift of our faith.

Our faith roots us in God’s love.

Our faith gives us hope when everything and everyone else tells us to give up hope and throw in the towel.

Our faith helps us understand what is right and what is wrong, how to live and how to love.

Because of our faith we stand on the shoulders and benefit from the life experiences of the countless men and women who have come before us mark with the sign of faith.

Because of our faith every generation does not start from scratch trying to find their way.

There are very few challenges and experiences that humanity hasn’t dealt with before and our faith helps us understand how to deal with them.

Our faith,
our faith in Jesus Christ,
handed down to us from the time of the Apostles,through the faithful ministry of the Church,
a church both broken and holy at the very same time,
is indeed a most precious gift.

Sadly,
Like I grew to take the warmth of Assisi, the beauty of Florence, and the majesty of St. Peter’s for granted when I lived in Italy.

Quite frequently we forget, the incredible gift of our faith.

It’s beauty,
its warmth,
its majesty fade and we take our faith for granted.

Frequently we simply get stuck in the everyday worries of life.

Think about it, are grateful, are we in awe, of the incredible fact that right in that tabernacle,day in and day out is the real presence of Jesus Christ.

God Almighty, all loving, all merciful,
the creator of heaven and earth.
Right there… right there.

Sometimes,
actually most of the time, I feel that my heart and mind and my soul aren’t able to take all of that in and appreciate it.

How many times has our faith been a consolation in times of sadness or sorrow?

How many times has our faith been a light in what seemed to be a sea of darkness and confusion?

How many times has our faith pushed us to look beyond our own needs and wants?

How many times has our faith pushed us drawn us to something more
something greater
Some One holy?

Yes our faith is a gift, a privilege,
a consolation
and a hope which so very many of us take for granted.

Our faith has been entrusted to us by God.

Which brings me to the second point.

Our faith is not ours to create.
We cannot rewrite the Gospel in every generation.
We don’t adapt the Gospel to fit our culture.

It is our task to bring our culture in communion with the Gospel.

When the Gospel points one way and the world and our culture goes another we have to change the world not the Gospel

Someone one said to me recently in a very angry and bitter tone .

Fr. Robert

Our faith is old fashion, get with it,times have changed the Church has got to change,
our faith is got to change.

There was so much emotion when she spoke that something very personal had to be going on in her life.

I pray that God gives me the chance to talk more to that person.

It was as if she felt that somehow we know better than God

As if somehow we have the wisdom

or maybe the arrogance to think that we can change the very Word of God.

In school we used to play a game when I was a little boy which we called telegraph

A long line kids would form a circle and the first one would whisper a phrase to the second person and by the time it got to the last person in the line it was all changed.

If every generation felt it could change to Word of God

What would we have left of God’s self revelation?

Would our faith resemble in any way the gift that Jesus died on the cross to share with us.

No

Our faith is not ours to change.
Our faith is not ours to adapt.
Our faith is ours to preserve.

Our faith is ours to hand on to the next generation.
Just like someone gave it to us.

We must pass it on so that they many may also share it’s wonderful consolation and
benefit from its challenge
and understand the warmth, beauty and majesty of God’s love.

We must pass on our faith In season and out of season.

When its popular and when it’s not.

Let us always be faithful to the wonderful gift that God has given us in our faith.

Please repeat after me.

Lord help me believe

Lord Help me seek You

Help me see to love you Lord

Help me be faithful

And help me pass on to the next generation

the Wonderful gift you have shared with me

my Catholic Faith.

Amen

6th Sunday of Ordinary Time Year A

Today I would like us to reflect on three simple questions.

The first is this. Why do we come here ?

Every once in a while it is very important to stop and reflect on why we come here each Sunday.

There are many answers.
Each of us has our own reasons.

Many of us have several reasons that we carve out a small portion of our week and give it to God and ourselves.

There are those how come out of fear.
They reason If I don't go to Mass then God will not be happy with them or even worse that God will get them.

There are those who come out of habit. Going to Church...  is what my father or mother or family always did so this is what I do this is what I've always done.

Some people come because they see their friends here.
It is a place where they reconnect once a week.
I am amazed at the web of relationships that are centered here in this Church.

There are many people who have known each other for decades here.

Some come because it makes them feel better.
Its like a feel good pill.

Some of us come simply because God asks us to.

They realize that  each week at Mass we are challenged by God's word and fed with the Bread of Life.

They take to heart God’s Word in the 6th Chapter of John’s Gospel.

“Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood you have no life with in you. “

There are those who have come to understand that Mass on Sunday is the best possible place for us to be.

Yes some of us are here because we have come to see that regular attendance at mass changes us it molds us and shapes us.

Regular Mass attendance reminds us of God's love and helps us be faithful to God's will.

Coming to Mass keeps us focused on how we should live and love.

Without regular Mass attendance it is so easy for the world and worldly concerns to sweep us up and demand all of our attention.

Without giving God a regular part of our day let alone a regular part of our week it is possible  to forget the special place each and everyone of us has in his heart.

We all know people who live their life as if God didn't exist.

Living without the consolation of faith can be a very lonely life indeed.

Living our faith and coming to Mass gives us hope.

The second Question is this…

Who brought us here to Mass and who brought us here to faith.

Very few of us found our way here on their own.

Maybe it was our family, our parents who shared their faith with us.

Maybe it was a spouse who brought you back and introduced you to God.

Maybe you are here because your Mother or Mother in law wanted her grandkids to have their religious education and you found your way back to Church through them.

One of our parents from St. Paul School told me candidly that he and his family come to Mass regularly because his little girl asked him to.

His then 1^st graders brought the whole family back to regular Mass attendance.

Yes we come for many reasons and someone brought us here.

Someone touched by faith someone moved by love brought us here.

At a recent funeral the Son of the deceased pulled me aside. And said to me “my Dad never lost hope through all of his illnesses and hospitalizations.”

We were all a mess. He was always calm and peace filled

He was stronger than all of us put together... I wish I had his faith.

I looked at him and said you can…

Faith is a choice and when we choose to believe we also choose ho hope.

Hope comes from faith.

In the second reading we hear St. Peter challenge us to share our faith and share our hope... with those we meet.

“Always be ready to share the reason for your hope but do so gently and with great reverence”

Some translations say But do so gently and humbly”

The third and final questions is simply this.

Who have we shared our faith with or who have we share the reason for our hope with?

We don't have the power to make anyone accept faith and to hold on to hope

Faith Hope and Love are a choice but we must never grow tired of lovingly suggesting faith and offering hope.

The starting point for Catholics is going to Mass.

At the Last Supper Jesus said to this in memory of me... and Catholics have done just that in every conceivable place and circumstance for 2000 years.

Weekly Mass attendance is not some rule to priests made up so they wouldn’t be lonely or have a small collection.

We pray the Mass each day because God asked us to do so.

I had this dream once that has always stayed with me.

I was standing at the pearly gates asking to be admitted to heaven.

St. Peter looked  me in the eye and  quickly asked how many have you brought with you ?

Always be willing to share the reason of your hope but do so humbly.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Amen

The 5th Sunday of Easter – Year A – 2011

Reading 1
Responsorial Psalm
Reading 2
Gospel

 

Do not let your hearts be troubled have faith in God and faith in me.

Today’s Gospel is very important for all of us to hear.
So often we find ourselves worried or anxious.
We worry about so many things.

Some people seem to worry about everything.
We worry about what people think of us.

We worry about the things we have and the things we want.

There is a whole industry called marketing whose job it is to make us worry more about what we don’t have
and convince us we need it.

We worry about our health but quite frequently we worry about it when it is too late and very difficult to do anything about it.

We worry about our loved ones and that’s not bad

But when you think about it
besides loving without condition,
helping them out when we can,
and giving a good example what exactly can we do for them ?

This week a lot of people were worried that the world would end yesterday and if you are hearing this it didn’t.

Some people were very worried..
Both Fr. Michael and I received lots of questions.

Here’s my advice if the world ends during our life time.
Go to confession,
Don’t pack anything,
Find the people you love and a bottle of wine and go home together to God.

Worry Worry Worry Worry
Maybe I’m projecting my own problems on all of you but
I don’t think I’m alone in this regard.

Many of might be tempted to say,
“Jesus just doesn’t get it.
Doesn’t he see that we have to worry ?
There are bills to pay and jobs to get done and disaster is always just around the corner.

Some might say…
What are we supposed to do just sit back and take life as it comes accepting everything that comes our way?

Does God want us to be like a blade of grass blown around in the wind.
No.. we are more than a blade of grass

God has given us gifts.
We have an intellect we can think and reason.
We have a free will and we can choose.
We are able to create, to dream, to work, and to love.

God would not have us waste these gifts but use them.
We have all of these gifts to serve one purpose.
They were given to us with one goal in mind salvation.

The purpose of our life  and all the gifts we have received is to find our way home to God.

Everything we do should be directed toward our salvation,
the salvation of our loved ones
and the salvation of the whole world.

Everything we do
Every energy we have should be directed in that toward that one goal.

No God has not given us this live to sit back passively sit by and watch life go by.

But God also does not want us to be consumed by worry and anxiety.

Do not let your hearts be troubled have faith in God and faith in me. 

Do not let your hearts be troubled.

My mom is a refrigerator person.
Our whole life the front of the refrigerator has been filled with stuff
Our school work..
Our pictures
Telephone numbers
Now there is a list of her doctor appointments and medications
All of her emergency numbers and pictures of her grand kids
If you want to know anything about Mom just go to the refrigerator

The last time I was home there was another small piece of paper..

On it was written
Hello this is God and I want you to have a good day today
Nothing will come your way that we can’t handle
Don’t worry
You are very precious to me and you are very talented.
I love you now and I will love you forever .
signed God..

If we could every put those simple words into practice
What a different world it would be.

Do not let your hearts be troubled…

Amen

3rd Sunday of Easter – Year A - 2011

Reading 1
Responsorial Psalm
Reading 2
Gospel

The Emmaus story is so important for us to meditate on.
Let’s look a the key components of the story.

First of all it is important to note that the disciples were headed away from Jerusalem when Jesus met them, or rather, when Jesus sought them out.

That’s important to remember, Jesus sought them out.

They had left the community, they were walking away, they were discouraged and questioning filled with doubt and disappointment.

Even the news from the women in their group that Jesus had risen from the dead did not restore their faith.

At that moment in their lives it was easier for them to doubt than believe.

Next the account says that Jesus walked with them a while. He listened to them he tried to figure out where they were,
what they were thinking,
what they were feeling
what they were afraid of.

He didn’t just begin telling them how they were wrong.

Only when he had heard them speak from their hearts did he enter into dialog with them.

In other words he respected them and their doubt.

Then with a question not with an affirmation he entered into their world and their experience.

By asking them what they were talking about. He listened attentively as they explained

“The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene”

He spoke only when they had finished. I’ll be honest the phrase“ O how you foolish are” put me off for a while… as I prepared my homily.

I’m not sure you enter into dialog with someone by telling them that they are foolish they are.

In a commentary I read it explained that when Jesus spoke those words to the disciples on the road they probably heard something like “don’t you get it?”

From the story it is clear that they were not offended. They did not distance themselves from him but remained attentive.

Then slowly but surely he helped them understand the teaching of the prophets.

He helped them see that it had indeed been foretold that the Messiah would have to suffer and die to enter into His glory.

They listened attentively to Jesus and they were now able to understand.

When the road split he pretended to go on… in other words he did not force himself on them.

It was now time for them to take a step. It was time for them to seek more understanding.

Faith in not a one way street it demands a living response.

“Stay with us” they asked him.
They wanted more.
Jesus was happy to remain with them.

Then at the table when he broke bread they recognized him and he vanished.

His work was complete their faith was restored.

Who knows how many disciples Jesus visited that day?

How many experienced His concern and His respect ?

Who knows how many recognized him in the breaking of the bread?

The disciples of Emmaus immediately returned to Jerusalem.

They immediately returned to community to the Church. They were no longer quiet, no longer afraid, no longer walking away, no longer in retreat

Rather they shared their experience of the Lord with anyone who would listen.

What a beautiful passage in God’s word and today how important it is for us all to mediate on it and follow Jesus’ example.

A couple years ago a study was released by the “Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life” stated that

"No other major faith in the U.S. has experienced greater net losses over the last few decades as a result of changes in religious affiliation than the Catholic Church,"

While The Church is still growing in the United States it is only because the significant number of “cradle Catholics” who leave are being replaced by Hispanic Immigrants.

The findings of this reputable study should give us all pause they should challenge us.

They should help understand how pertinent the Emmaus story really is for our contemporary experience.

For the study proves that people “our brothers and sisters” are walking away from the church away from Jerusalem, just like the disciples in the story.

Remember Jesus did not just let them walk. He intervened. He respected them and reached out to them.

He showed them how important they were to Him. He spent time with them.

Sadly so sadly, sometimes, many times we don’t even seem to notice when someone no longer practices their faith. Or we say to ourselves that’s none of my business.

We don’t seem to notice or even give an indication that we care when someone is walking away from the Church.

Frequently there isn’t any response from us at all not even a goodbye,  not even we’ll miss you

And in those rare moments when we do respond quite frequently we respond poorly.

We don’t listen we just we judge.

We start talking before we even understand what has happened.

Jesus didn’t appear to the disciples and start yelling at them or say something like…

It’s a sin to walk away from the community it’s a sin to miss Mass.

He loved them where they were and brought them to more.

Holy ones… there a so many people in our parish who no longer practice their faith.

That’s why we have 11,000 on the books and 2100 attending mass every Sunday.

They are not bad people

There are so many people who no longer appear in our pews

What are we doing about it?
What have we really done?
How have we reached out?
How have we loved them cared for them, listened to them?

How have Walked with them like Jesus walked with the disciples?

Somehow we just expect them to find their way home and we are disappointed in them when they don’t.

Our Emmaus response to those who leave, to those who walk away is not the only the responsibility of the priest or the staff of the parish.

Yes we should be willing to help and we are but this important task has to be shared by every one who says Jesus is Lord

Lots to think about
Lots to pray about
There is so much to be done
One thing is certain love demands it a loving response.

Amen

4th Sunday of Lent Year A - 2011

Reading 1
Responsorial Psalm
Reading 2
Gospel

Picture from Fr. Stephen MSC

Today’s Gospel is so rich in symbolism.
One commentary I ready had 10 pages of notes and explanations.

The mud that Jesus placed on the blind man’s eyes recalls the second creation story in the Book of Genesis.

In that story God created mankind from mud and  breathed life into us.

Jesus tells the blind man to wash in the pool of Siloam and the waters in the pool remind us of our baptism.

Baptism is where we received the gift of faith.

When the blind Man washes the mud from his eyes he experiences light and sight or the first time.

His whole world is changed.
Everything is changed for him.

You know even when you close your eyes or stand in a pitch dark room you never really understand what a person blind from birth experiences.

Anyone who has every seen even for a moment has the  the memory of sight.

A person born blind has no memory of seeing.

They have never seen anything.

When a blind person can see they relate to the world in a completely different way.

That is why this is such a beautiful powerful miracle.

The sight that the man born blind experiences changes everything.

Just like the light of our faith should change everything.

There are three main characters or groups of characters in the Gospel passage.

Jesus takes the first step.

He seeks the blind man out and longs to give him the gift of sight and the light of faith.

God always takes the first step.

Next there is the man born blind.
To be healed he had to respond to Jesus’ request.

Jesus asked him to go and wash in the Pool of Siloam
and that is what he did.

He could have brushed Jesus off,
he could have pushed Jesus away when he approached him,
he could have wiped off the mud with his hand or went home to wash it.

He did not do any of these things.

He did what Jesus asked him to do.
He did it right away.
He did it without hesitation and his quick and some might say radical response earned him the precious gifts of sight and the even more precious gift of faith.

The last group of characters were the Pharisees.

They were able to see but they chose not to see or believe.

They chose to be blind to God’s miraculous presence in the man born blind’s life..

They experienced the power of God, they saw the miracle with their own eyes yet they refused to see or believe.

The Pharisees were dumb founded because such a powerful miracle was performed by a man they thought was a radical sinner.

The blind man responded to God’s call and received the gift of faith.

The Pharisees experienced the same call and chose to be blind to God’s love and God’s miracle.

Holy Ones…
This Gospel asks us,
challenges us to look at ourselves.

Are we like the Pharisees who refuse to see God’s love and presence in our lives?

How many miracles have we failed to acknowledge in our lives and the lives of those we love.

What about that ..
what marriage you thought wouldn’t last?

What about
that kid who suddenly turned himself around?

What about
that sickness which was discovered in time and healed?

What about
the person struggling with an addiction who somehow? finds sobriety after so many relapses?

What about
that long standing argument or fight in your family which seemed to disappear when someone miraculously took the first step?

What about
that moment of peace or experience of beauty which lifts us up and reminds us that we are not alone?

All of us have seen miracle after miracle after miracle after miracle..

Like the man born blind we can chose to SEE the active presence of God in our lives

Or like the Pharisees we can chose to be blind to it…

The message of this passage is simple

Our faith is all about how we chose to look at life.

May all of us  chose to see>

The Third Sunday of Lent - Year A 2011

Reading 1
Responsorial Psalm
Reading 2
Gospel

Jesus was tired and hot and hungry
He had traveled a long way

All he wanted to do was sit down and rest a moment
But there she was confidently carrying her bucket to the well.

As soon as he saw her He knew her.
He knew her story.
He knew her fears.
He knew that her confidence was a façade to cover and protect her.
He knew everything about her and he loved her
He loved her because he was God




Tired or not
Samaritan or not
Woman or not
Stranger or not
He reached out to her
That’s what God does.

But he knew that if he approached her too quickly it would be another wound another hurt.
He knew that if he approached her too quickly she would run and hide that was her normal “modus operandi” when she was afraid

She would simply move on find someone else.

He knew that if he held up the mirror and showed her clearly who she had become it would be too painful
So even though he was tired and thirsty and just wanted to sit
He approached her
He took the first step

He broke all the rules…
don’t talk to Samaritans
don’t talk to women.
Don’t take water from someone who is unclean
He approached her humbly asking a favor
He began to establish a simple relationship with her
He bantered with her

And she began to trust him
She began to trust him so much that she
even challenged him.
“How are you going to give me water you don’t even have a bucket”
She said with a little swagger
She started to let her guard down

And when the moment was right
with a few simple words he showed her who she had become
“You’re right saying you don’t have a husband you have had 5”
There was no anger or self righteousness in his voice
There was no tone of disappointment
He didn’t say “Look how you let me down”
He simply listed her sins
He showed her all of the desperate compromises she had made
And she did not run away
She began to hope

Maybe she could start anew
Maybe she could be forgiven
Maybe she could offer sacrifice for her sins

That’s probably why she wanted a clarification.
Where should she go to make amends to offer sacrifice
in Jerusalem or on Mount Horeb?
She asks him what her next step should be
He doesn’t get pulled into the polemic between the Jews and the Samaritians

His answer is simple
“Believe me, woman, the hour is coming
when you will worship the Father
neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.
You can find God where ever you want
He tells her
Where you are there God is.

The conversation continues and she tells him that she hopes for the Messiah
She longs to understand “He will tell us everything”
And only now after all of that preparation
He reveals himself to her
“I am he the one who is speaking to you”
Jesus gently shows her who she has become and reveals himself to her.

When the disciples returned they begged him to eat something
And he responded I have food about which you do not know
What was this food
When did he eat..
His food was loving that woman at the well
His food was building up a relationship with her
His food was restoring her to hope

So moved by his compassion and his interest in her
she does not just go back to her daily life or keep thinking of her own needs

She goes back to her village, her people and she brings them to him
How did she get them there to walk all the way out to the well ?
She must have begged them
She must have pleaded with them
She must have cajoled them,

Somehow she shook them out of their daily routine
Like he had done for her
They all came
And after a few days they also believed
No longer because of what she had said but
Because they too had met him.


You know it seems like a simple story at first glance
It seems like normal moment in a normal day
A thirsty tired man asks for some water
Yet it is so much more
God is always looking for a way in.
Every single soul is precious in his sight
He is never scandalized by our wrongs
He really does long for us to have life, life to the full in Him

The characters in this Gospel are simple
· Our God who loves
· Broken humanity who dares to hope in that love again

And once healed brings others to hope and faith and relaitionship with God.
All of us go to the well
All of us go through life doing the things we have to do
Some are tedious and monotonous like drawing water


At different times in our lives
All of need to be forgiven
Actually almost all of us need to be forgiven constantly


All of us have to look at who we have become
Or What compromises we have made
Sometimes Hope needs restored


No matter what our sins might be.
Will we, do we, dare we to hope again
Do we dare to believe in God loves


When God revealed himself to the woman
She was so much in awe that she brought others to him


Who have we brought to God?
Who have we helped accept the mercy and forgiveness that God so longs to give?


Where should we pray on this mountain or in Jerusalem?
“You can find God anywhere”
Jesus said in other words

Where you are there he is….


Or maybe like the woman at the well
He will find you first

9th Sunday of Ordinary Time Cycle A - 2011

May the Peace of Christ reign in our hearts.



Sometimes a priest hears very very sad things like…


“He says he loves me but he won’t talk to me.”

“She says she loves me but she is never satisfied.”

“My parents say they love me but they are always so busy.”


“He says he loves me but he is always angry at me and I am afraid.”

“I love God but I never go to Church

“I  only think of God when I need or want something but I do love him.”

How often do we used the phrase I love it when we talk about things?

I love that car,I love your dress, I love the new Ipad 2I love I love
How can you love a thing and how can a thing love you back.
We throw the words around so often and in so many ways.
We say love love love and sadly, quite frankly sometimes we don’t love at all.

That’s the message of the Gospel today words are not enough.
Saying “Lord Lord,” is not enough.
Saying "I love you" is not enough.
Saying anything is not enough.


If I were to sum up this Gospel I could probably use the phrases like..

"if you’re going to talk the talk, you’ve got to walk the walk"

or “talk is cheap”

or “actions speak louder than words”

or “practice what you preach”

Benjamin Franklin is reputed to have coined the proverbial saying "Well done is better than well said".

Shakespeare said...
Talkers are no good doers: be assured
We come to use our hands and not our tongues.

St. Francis said
“Preach the Gospel always use words only when necessary…”

Think about it.. when we went astray, when we needed Him,
God did not just say “I love you”…
rather his love became incarnate… it took on flesh.

As St Paul wrote to the Philippians
“he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and  he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.

In other words Love didn’t just remain words… It became flesh

I am convinced the saddest human beings are those who have never really loved or those who have simply talked about it. and let me tell you they are out there.

May our love go beyond words everyday.

May we imitate our Lord whose love became flesh.

That’s what God wants from us.

That’s what God wants for us.
AMEN

7th Sunday of Ordinary Time Year – A - 2011

Reading 1
Responsorial Psalm
Reading 2
Gospel

May the peace of Christ reign in our hearts.

Sometimes moments in our lives find a special place in our memory.

For example I still remember where I was when President Kennedy was shot.

I was in the third grade at Maryvale Elementary School.

When the PA System went on we could barely understand what was going on.

Some of the kids started to cry.

Then the Principal came on and told us we could pray like our families prayed at home.

As I looked around almost every kid made the sign of the cross.

Cheektowaga NY a suburb of Buffalo was a very Catholic town.

When 9/11 happened I was in the Campus Ministry Office in Washington DC.

The University Emergency Council was called to the President's office.

We tried to understand what was going on.

A campus Policeman kept poking his head in giving us updates,

like “the Pentagon has been hit, the Capital Building has been evacuated.”

I remember him saying “The State Department has been hit, Confirmed”

There was so much confusion no one really knew what was going on.

Finally the President of Catholic University cancelled all the classes and the whole university 5000 students and 1000 faculty and staff meet in the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception for Mass.

As we walked up the steps to the Shrine I remember seeing the smoke from the Pentagon.

There a girl talking on her cell phone crying hysterically saying “but I don't know where Gettysburg is how can I find you in Gettysburg?”

Her mother on the other end was also hysterical was trying to set up a meeting spot 80 miles away if disaster struck Washington.

There was a young Muslim woman with her head covered crying on the steps of the Basilica as we went in, several students were comforting her...

I heard her say “now everyone will hate us even more.”

One of the kids responded ”We are not going to let hate win love is more powerful.”

“We are not going to let them change our hearts”

His words really struck me.

That's what Jesus is trying to tell us today.

In this portion of the Sermon on the Mount from Matthew’s Gospel

Jesus is exhorting his followers to never let evil or hate win.

Hate, evil, anger, bitterness, are terrible things.

They are very powerful and very destructive.

When someone experiences hate or anger in their lives they are so much more likely to pass it on to others.

The only way to overcome anger and hate and rage and evil is to have the extraordinary courage not to respond in kind.

Jesus said, “Love your enemies and pray for those who who persecute you.”

Some might think that responding to hate or evil with love is the coward’s way out or the easy way out.

I assure you it isn’t

No, it is not easy to love someone who hurts you or hates you but that’s exactly what Jesus did and that’s what he wants us to do.

Surrounded by hate and rage he responded with love and forgiveness.

“Father forgive them they know not what they are doing.”

The “them” he is talking about is us.

What does this all have to do with us, normal everyday people who live in Berlin CT?

Unless you have been living on your very own planet you have experienced anger and rage, and evil and maybe even hate.

All of us have experienced resentments, all of us have been hurt, and all of have a choice.

We can hold on to these past hurts and let them fester and grow.

We can let them take root in us more and more or we can have the courage not to respond in kind.

It takes courage a lot of courage and character, a lot of character, to break the cycle of hate and bitterness.

Its so hard to break the cycle of evil which seems so interwoven into the fabric of our world.

Think about it when we allow bitterness to make us bitter,

ar anger to make us angry,

or hate to make us hateful then evil does really win

and all that is good looses.

This week the challenge of the Gospel is clear.

We know what God is asking… the question is can we or will we do it.

I know that there are some of us here who have a few telephone calls to make, a fewRelationships to mend.

I know that to some of us forgiveness to be given or received or both.

If you find it easy being a Catholic maybe your are living on your own planet.

Have a great week everyone.

Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time Year A – 2011

May the peace of Christ Reign in our hearts,

In today’s Gospel Jesus speaks to us about the Law and the Prophets, and he calls us all to a more heartfelt observance of God’s Law.

Our observance of the Law has to be more than rote.

It has to be more than going through the motions.

Our observance of the Law has to be more than giving the bare minimum or simply following of letter of the law.

That’s what the scribes and the Pharisees did.

God wants more from us.

God want our lives and our moral conduct to be motivated by a love which goes way beyond the simple letter of the law.

When you love someone you want the best for them.

When you love someone you want to give them the best you have.

A mom who loves her children would never just put a bowl of cheerios on the table for her kids day in and day out and then make herself a warm meal.

Yes, she would be following the letter of the law by “feeding” her children but love would never permit her to do such a thing.

I’ve known lots of Moms and Dad’s including my own who have taken food off their plates because their children were hungry.

They make this sacrifice because that what love demands.

The law, the Ten Commandments are from God they are given to us because God loves us and they show us the way home.

He didn’t give them to us to take away our fun or cramp our style.

He gave them to us because observing them with love is the best possible choice we can ever make.

Jesus uses three examples he reminds us that…

It’s not enough to avoid murdering someone, love calls us to love our enemies and do good to those who persecute us.

It’s not enough to simple be physically faithful to our spouse, love calls us to treat everyone with respect and reverence.

One kid told me that he felt that looking at women and allowing his imagination to go into overdrive was like cheating in his head.

He felt this way because of his love for his girlfriend.
He understood that love called him to more and he understood what Jesus was talking about in the Gospel today.

Every human relationship is based on truthfulness

Telling the truth..

If you can’t trust someone to tell the truth then you can’t really be in a relationship with them.

Sometimes we are inclined to take the easy way out and tell a little lie or a little fib.

Both love and the law demand that we tell the truth… They also demand that we find charitable ways to do so.

Jesus reminds us in the Gospel
“Say yes when you mean yes and no when you mean no.”

Sadly the scribes and the Pharisees believed that the blind dry observance of the law was enough to be justified.

Jesus wants more from his followers.

Love calls us to more.

When we choose to follow God’s law in a loving way we choose the path of righteousness and holiness.

Let’s return to the first reading for just a moment because it sums everything up beautifully.

“If you choose you can keep the commandments, they will save you; if you trust in God, you too shall live”

Before man are life and death, good and evil,
whichever he chooses shall be given him.

We Chose

Amen

My Thoughts in the Bulletin this Week

 I think Mother Nature is pushing us all to the limit. Last week there were several people upset about parking. One of our parishioners said to me, “Fr. Robert you have to do something. There is no room in the parking lot and I had to park so far away it was like I was walking from New Britain to get to Church. This has to change or I won't contribute anymore.” She was noticeably upset. Gratefully, I did not respond in kind. Who knows what was going on in her mind and in her heart. Maybe having to park a longer distance from the church was the straw that broke the camel's back in her life. I assure you we are doing the best we can with the parking lot. I am writing this on Monday before the next big storm comes our way, and I have to say I am writing with a kind of dread, worrying to myself, “Where will we put the new snow when we don't even have a place for the old snow?”
Here are some ideas... that might help us all..

·          Why not check with neighbors and car pool to Mass? A few less cars would go a long way to help alleviate our congestion.

·          Don't forget that we have Mass at 5:00 PM on Sunday. There is always plenty of room in the parking lot during that Mass.

·          The 4:00 PM on Saturday, the 9:00 and 10:30 AM Masses are the most attended. If you normally attend one of those Masses, you might consider switching to a Mass with a smaller attendance.

Finally, when things start pushing you to the edge, take a deep breath, blow it out slowly and remember that perfect is in heaven.

           In the same light, after the 9:00 PM Mass, a concerned parishioner told me that he had worked on the roof of our school gym and he was concerned about the weight of the snow. “Who isn't worried,” I thought to myself. Then he told me he had noticed some cracks in the gym wall on both corners near the Parish Center. I went right over and sure enough there were some cracks up there. I couldn't tell if they were new cracks in the wall or had been there for awhile. I immediately called Ed Janik, who is on our building committee, and we both looked at the cracks.

           To err on the side of safety, we decided that we would cancel any activities that were scheduled in the gym and call in some structural engineers to look at the gym and the cracks. Thankfully, both of the gentlemen who looked inside and outside of the gym came to the same conclusion. The cracks in the brick veneer of the gym wall were not affecting the structure at all. There was no indication of a structural problem according to both of the engineers. Only when we got the green light from the experts did we let people back in the gym. Right now Bill Diciccio and Jack Burns, our maintenance staff, are  shoveling off the gym roof to make room for the ice and snow which is forecast for tomorrow.

  As you can see from the insert, we have hired a new Director of Music and Liturgy. I am very excited to begin working with Jeff. Several people made positive comments after his audition. As you can see from the comments on the insert, he is held in high esteem by many. Welcome to St. Paul's Jeff.!

  Fr. Robert

 

Fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time Year C - 2011

You know I have been so very very blessed in my life.

Over and over I have found myself in circumstances and faced challenges which have called me to be more…

…more faithful,
…more generous,
…more committed,
…more the man that God wanted me to be.

As I look back over my life one of the biggest challenges I’ve ever faced was taking kids from Catholic University to live and work in the third world.

I have made 10 of those trips to countries like,
Guatemala, Panama, Honduras, and Tanzania.

They were never easy trips.
I can honestly say that sometimes I faced them with dread.

I was always afraid that something would happen to one of the kids and I was very protective.

Once I got so sick with amebic dysentery that the kids literally had to carry me to the truck in a thunderstorm.

Then we rode for 50 minutes to the nearest doctor as they covered me with their ponchos. It was very dramatic.

But I’ve always come back from those trips or challenges,
a better person,
or at least I’ve come back knowing that I needed to be a better person.

One evening in Guatemala when I was walking over to church for Night Prayer
I noticed there were two young men standing on the corner down the street and one was waving a machete.

It concerned me and I was going to take the long way to Church when all of the lights went out.

The whole town went dark.

It was so dark in fact, that when you put your hand in front of your face you could not see it.

I was afraid to take another step.

I became disoriented.
I didn’t know which way I was facing.
I didn’t know where those men were.
It was scary.

It was probably the first time in my life when I  had experienced complete darkness,
and it was even more disconcerting because it came completely unexpected.

I stood there frozen and then someone down the street to the Church turned on a little flashlight I was finally able to orient myself a little.

And then I felt a hand on my shoulder and it was the young man with the machete.
I jumped..
Then he said “ven conmigo padre ven conmigo.”

He was gently telling me to follow him.

With the help of a tiny pen light which he had in his pocket he led me back to church.

The people in Jesus’ time knew what darkness was.
They understood how drastically it could change their lives.

They knew that with darkness came danger and confusion,
and they understood how powerful even a little light could be.

As Jesus spoke they knew how much they needed  light, or rather His light, the light of faith.

When Jesus called them the light of the world,

It was very meaningful for them because every last one of them had experienced darkness.

Holy Ones
Without Light of Christ our world is scary and disoriented and even dangerous.

When we were baptized our godfather was given a candle and he lit it from the paschal candle or Christ Candle.

When he did this it reminded us that we were being given the light of Christ.

Like that young man who I had most certainly misjudged we are called to hold on to the light of faith given to us at baptism, to nurture it in our own lives, and to share the light of our baptism candle with others.

We are called to help people orient themselves in a world so filled with confusion, and fear, and darkness.

We are called to bring others to the light of faith.

You know we are the biggest Church in this town and if Berlin isn’t a better place because of our presence here at Peck and Alling then we failed.

If we only come to church so that we will feel better,
or because we are afraid not to,
or If we only come to church because we are simply in the habit of doing so,
then we really can’t really say we understand what being the light of the world really means.

There are so many people in our families,
at our places of work, in our church and in the community that need the light faith we have so generously been given.

Without it the world is a dark and scary and dangerous place indeed.

There is so much to think about in those few simple words,

“You are the light of the world.”

The second metaphor that Jesus uses is salt.
The only thing that comes to mind when we hear the word salt these days is the stuff they put on the road or the parking lot.

Let me tell you salt is not cheap.

A couple of months ago my Doctor looked me in the eye and said
Fr. Robert, lay of the salt shaker.

Your blood pressure is too high.
I didn’t have the heart to tell him the name of the real source of my high blood pressure that day.

During Jesus’ time salt was an essential part of life.
There was no refrigeration so meats and fish were dried and preserved in salt.

Without salt you couldn’t eat.
Salt was also used to enhance flavor.

When Jesus said to his disciples “you are the salt of the earth”,

He didn’t mean go out and raise people’s blood pressure.

Rather He  was probably asking them to preserve the truth. like people used salt to preserve the food for another day.

It is not our task,
it is not the task of the Church,
it is not the task of the Pope even to create the faith,

Our only task is to be true to it to be true to the profound truths that God has given us.

I know I am not supposed to say this but we all know that food tastes better with salt.

There is nothing better than a pile of mashed potatoes, covered in butter and finished off with a good dose of salt.

May our faith flavor the world
may our faith enhance our lives day in and day out like salt makes things taste better.

By saying you are the salt of the earth
Your are the light of the world

Jesus is calling us,
challenging us,
begging us to  preserve the truths,
that he has shared with us
to share it with others.

You are the salt of the earth
You are the light of the world.

Amen