Homily from 4th Sunday: Fr. Alberto, Food for the Poor: It’s not my turn to eat today – If today you hear his voice, harden not your heart?

Fr. Alberto from Food for the Poor came in this weekend to share the story about the people that Food for the Poor ministers to in order to help ease poverty in third world countries in the Caribbean and Central/South America.  He started out with “If today you hear his voice, harden not your heart”.  He reminded us that prayer is a two way street, not just asking Jesus to help.  So in the midst of one of the greatest way to prayer, attending Mass, he called us to listen.   One of stories that really caught my attention about the child who came for food in the village but it was not his turn to eat.   Wow, how sad.   He also told us another story beginning with the saying: “give a man a fish and he eats for a day, teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime”.    He went on to tell us about how Food for the Poor bought a fishing boat to provide food and employment to men in village in Jamaica and how profits from the venture went back to support efforts to help other.   Fr. Alberto closed with Matthew 25: 27-40: When did I see you me hungry and you gave me food, thirsty and you gave me drink, stranger and you welcomed me, naked and your clothed me, ill and your cared for me, in prison and your visited me? And the king will say to them in reply: Whenever you did so for the least of my brothers you did so for me.    Please join with Food for the Poor Helping in their efforts to help Jesus who we see in the face of the Poor, by returning the intention card or signing up online to support Food for the Poor.  God bless.

Deacon Steve's Homily - New Year’s resolution to change - 3rd Sunday Ordinary – B

Almost 4 weeks ago we ushered in the New Year – 2015.

For me, it was non-eventful.  I didn’t even stay awake until midnight.

One thing that is always popular at the beginning of the year is to make  New Year’s resolutions.

Did anyone make a New Year’s resolution this year?

My grandson, Zack, actually resolved to get taller this year.

Some popular New Year’s resolutions are:

-       Lose weight

-       Stop drinking

-       Stop smoking

-       Exercise more

-       Enjoy life more

-       Get organized

-       Learn something new

-       Get out of debt

-       Spend more time with family

These resolutions are all good things to do and are meant to improve our lives.

Positive changes in one’s life are something that we should all strive for.

Change can be difficult, though.

We become creatures of habit and often times we fall back into our old ways.

I dare say that 3 + weeks into 2015 and many people have already broken their New Year’s resolution. 

Yes or No?

Today’s readings remind us that change is needed in our spiritual life as well.

We see this theme of change, or repentance, throughout our readings.

Jonah, who was speaking for God, calls the people of Nineveh to change their ways.

And when they do change, good things happen.

We just read from the book of Jonah:

“When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way,
he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them;
he did not carry it out.”

Yes, even God repented and changed!

And then in Mark’s Gospel, Jesus says:

“This is the time of fulfillment.
The kingdom of God is at hand.
Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

Jesus is calling the people to change the way that they are living, to improve their lives.

Why is he doing that?

He is calling for change because of his great love for the people.

He is actually calling the people to a better way of life:

A life of joy and peace that leads to God’s heavenly kingdom for all eternity!

Change can be difficult; most people really don’t like to change.

Most of us like to settle in to our lifestyle where we become comfortable, even if certain habits that we have are harmful.

Think about the popular New Year’s resolutions:

Eating better, losing weight, stopping smoking and drinking, and getting out of debt.

All of these resolutions are meant to change things that are harmful to one’s mind and body.

And when they are changed, the person is healthier and happier.

Changing habits can take several days. 

Conventional wisdom says that it takes 21 days to change a habit.

Some researchers say 28 days, while others claim 60 or more days.

Whether it takes 21 days, 28 days, or 60 days, changing habits take time and discipline.

I suppose there are some habits can even take years to change. <pause>

So how do we change our spiritual lives?

How to we repent and believe in the Gospel?

We change by emulating the apostles, by following Jesus.

We heard Jesus say to Simon and Andrew in our Gospel reading from Mark:

“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 

What did they do?

They abandoned their nets and followed Jesus.

Then Jesus called out to James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother, John to follow him as well.  

What did they do?

They left their father, Zebedee, and followed Jesus.

All 4 men left their livelihood and had a change of lifestyle because they answered Jesus’ call to follow him.

They had great courage in doing so and displayed a deep trust in Jesus.

They spent 3 years living with Jesus.

They listened to him, they talked with him, they learned from him.

They travelled together and ate meals together.

Their lives were radically changed, in a positive way, when they answered the call to be a disciple of Jesus.

My friends, we are being called to do the same.

In baptism, we were claimed by Christ and we became one of his disciples.

By following Christ, listening to Christ, and feeding on Christ, we can positively change and become more Christ-like.

This week, my friends, let’s take a spiritual inventory of our lives, and come up with our own New Year’s resolutions for our souls.

What changes do we need that would help strengthen our relationship with God?  Some resolutions to consider:

Increase our prayer time - where we can listen to and talk with Jesus.

Read more scripture – perhaps the church’s daily readings.

More frequent reception of the Eucharist – where we feed on and with Jesus.

More trips to the confessional - where we partake in the sacrament of Reconciliation.

As we strive for positive change in our life, may we never forget that Jesus loves us more than we can imagine, and that is why he calls us.

May we, like the apostles, answer the call and follow Jesus!

Answering the call and making time for God - Deacon Ron's Homily, Week 3 Ordinary Time

Readings for 3rd Sunday Ordinary Time
 
We all live in a very busy world today ruled by calendars with appointments and projects with deadlines.    We are task oriented with people to meet, places to go, and things to do. We have smart-phones, computers, day-timers, and watches to keep us on schedule. When something interrupts our schedule it can be disruptive and frustrating.

But every once in a while something does comes up needs immediate attention that takes priority over everything else. A child gets sick and needs to go to the doctor and be cared for. A close friend or relative passes away and you need to travel to support their family. These events weren’t in the plan but the urgency of the situation demands total attention. It needs to be addressed now and with action.   

I think this is what the disciples must have felt in responding to Jesus.  What else would have caused them to leave their jobs and family to follow Jesus?   It was totally out of the social norm to abandon a family during those times.  The fishing enterprise they were in seemed prosperous as Zebedee had a boat and hired hands, so it seemed unusual for them to leave stable employment. They must have felt a call that the situation was urgent and warranted their total attention to abandon everything and follow Jesus.  What would cause them to respond in this way?

 Jesus had just come to Galilee to start his public ministry.  Galilee was not the place that you would expect the Messiah to come. It was in the Northern part of Israel and had become known as the “Galilee of the Gentiles”.  During the exile of Israel the Assyrians relocated foreign tribes to settle in the area.   The Jews viewed these people as unclean and looked down on them.   Why would Jesus come to Galilee?  To fulfill the prophecy in Isaiah that that said God would manifest himself in Galilee.  He was coming not only for the Jews, but also for all people. 

Jesus preached the message:

This is the time of fulfillment.

The kingdom of God is at hand.

Repent, and believe in the Gospel.

His message has a sense of urgency.  Now is the time!  God’s kingdom has come,

image courtesy of http://clipart.ochristian.com/

manifested through the person of Jesus.  Jesus’ message appealed to the disciples situation. They were probably longing for relief from the Roman occupiers who imposed heavy taxes on their fishing industry and restrictions to the freedom.  A new kingdom of God would surely be better than their current situation. 

Jesus then gives them a personal invitation:

“Come after me and I will make you fishers of men”.

Jesus presence must have been commanding and with authority, as the disciples immediately abandoned their nets and followed Him.  The term, “fishers of men”, may have been a familiar to them and captured their attention.   A prophecy of Jeremiah references “many fishermen” to go out and gather the dispersed people of Israel.  The disciples were moved by a sense of excitement to be part of the mission. They felt it was now their time to respond and give up everything for Jesus.   Jesus needed their help to call people to repentance and share the Gospel with others.   He called some of the most unlikely people, simple fishermen, to help him share his message.  Jesus calls us as well.

Do we respond with the same sense of urgency when it comes to God interrupting our busy lives?  We heard today that this is the time of fulfillment and the kingdom of God is at hand, but do we really believe it?  Do we respond when called by Jesus to come follow him, repent and believe in the Gospel?  Are we open to listening to this call?

Several years ago I was not.    I was attending Mass, but just fitting it in to meet my Sunday obligation. I had several people invite me to a Christ Renew’s His Parish Retreat, but quickly turned them down. I already had God in my schedule and couldn’t afford more time.   After about a year of being asked I finally accepted the invitation.  I was going through a stressful time at work and felt a need to go. With reluctance I went to the retreat but told the presenters I’d be leaving by lunchtime.  They said to give God a few hours and see what happens.  Through their prayer and support I wound up staying for the entire retreat.  It led me to putting my relationship with Jesus as top priority in my life & discerning a call to the diaconate.  I’m glad I finally listened to the call and gave some time to God.

All of us here are on the right path to responding to the call.   We’ve started off today repenting our sins by praying the Confiteor. We’ve strengthened our belief by listening to the Gospel.   We’ll soon receive the Eucharist where we’ll encounter the Kingdom of God through the real presence of Christ.  This is a good place to start. Now we just need to be open to responding to the call of Jesus. Is God calling you to volunteer in a ministry, attend Christ Renews His Parish retreat or RCIA class, or put him top priority in your life?  If someone invites you, stay open to the call.  Take it to Jesus in prayer and listen.

Not everyone is called to abandon his or her family and jobs to follow Jesus, but we are called to put Jesus as top priority over everything else in our life.   Give God some time in your life by responding to his call with urgency. By putting Jesus first in our life it opens us up to a life long adventure as a disciple in the Kingdom of God.   

Mary's Yes - Deacon Ron's Homily, Fourth Sunday Advent – Cycle A – 12/21/14

Good evening/morning!   So has your Advent gone preparing for the Jesus coming?   I’m sure you’ve been busy getting ready for Christmas, putting up decorations, buying presents, and preparing to receive guests or to travel and your all set.   Or maybe you’re like me and still have a few of these things to do. Getting ready for Christmas can be a little overwhelming!  Thankfully we have the season of Advent to help us get ready.   The last three weekends we’ve focused on watching, waiting, preparing, and rejoicing in the Lord’s coming.  Now in this final week we’re invited to ponder what the birth of Jesus means and what God is asking of us.

We hear in today’s Gospel the angel Gabriel is sent from God to a virgin, Mary, betrothed to Joseph from the house of David.   Luke sets up the stage for the fulfillment of the prophecy we heard in today’s first reading. We also hear that Mary is troubled by the angels greeting, “Hail, full of Grace.  The Lord is with you.” Why would this trouble her? This is not the usual Hebrew greeting she would hear which is, shalom, meaning, “peace be with you”.   The greeting is in Greek.  Hail means Rejoice or Joy.   The second part of the greeting: “full of grace!” is related to the first.  The root of the word grace is based on the same Greek root of joy.  Why would Gabriel use this greeting? Because joy and grace belong together announcing the good news of the Gospel.

The angel then tells her ” Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son and you shall name him Jesus” and “he will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of this kingdom there will be no end”. The angel is rejoicing in the gift of the Holy Spirit that brings about the conception of Jesus, a name that means God saves. This greeting in Greek rather than Hebrew is a sign that salvation is coming for all people.  This is truly good news.  First she ponders this greeting.  Mary is troubled, but she doesn’t stay this way.    She reflects in her heart on the angel’s greeting and seeks to understand the significance of the message. Gabriel gives her some peace telling her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God”.   We can learn from Mary to reflect in prayer on situations that may seem troubling, and to try understanding them in God’s overall plan.

Mary’s second reaction is to ask a question.   She dialogues with God’s messenger.  It’s a two-way communication.    This is a good model for us to follow, in our prayer life.   Prayer is dialogue with God.    It’s not just about asking God for something, but also having a conversation with Him.   Mary’s doesn’t doubt what’s being told to her, but she’s just trying to understand how conceiving a child was possible for her.

The angel answers Mary, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the most high will overshadow you.  Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God”.  To reassure Mary the angel tells of her cousin, Elizabeth, who was childless and beyond childbearing age is now 6 months pregnant.  He tells her “nothing will be impossible for God.”

Mary’s final reaction is her response to God.  Mary was free to choose to say yes or no, just like we are.   It’s amazing that God, who created humanity, would rely on a humble young woman’s response to restore humanity.  Mary pondered and chose to say yes: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.  May it be done to me according to your word”.  This yes set in motion to reversal of Adam and Eve’s no and brought about the salvation of humanity through the birth of Jesus.

It’s said that Mary’s answer of yes to God allowed her to conceive through her ear.  She heard the word of God and said yes.   We in a sense have a similar experience, saying yes to God at baptism and becoming children of God.  Through the power of the Holy Spirit our baptism washes our original sin, and we can be the bearers of the God like Mary in receiving Jesus in the Eucharist.   

Why don’t we use the last few days of Advent to ponder in our hearts this great gift of Mary’s conception of Jesus through the Holy Spirit.  St. Augustine said that Mary conceived Christ in her heart by faith before she conceived him in her womb.  As we approach the birth of Christ, may seek to have faith in this mystery and to say yes to following God’s will.  May the Eucharist we are about to receive give us strength us to respond as Mary did.

Example of using your talents, in an unexpected time and place, an encounter at a ND football game, to spread God's Kingdom

This weekend we heard the parable about the talents given by the master and what we do with them. We can bury them and keep them to ourselves or use them and grow the Kingdom of God.  I just read a story, an unexpected visit, from John Shaughnessy, Assistant Editor of the Criterion, that is a great example of using his talents to spread the Kingdom of God through chance encounter at an ND football game.  I think you'll enjoy it. Behold your Mother and may God bless you.

Deacon Ron's Homily: Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome - A holy church – a holy people

Today we celebrate the feast of the dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome.

You may be wondering  - 'why do we celebrate this building?'

Before I answer that, let's look at the history of the feast and of the building.

This feast has been celebrated since the 12th century.

It's not often that we celebrate this feast on a Sunday because it’s always celebrated on November 9th.

When November 9th is on a Sunday, it takes precedence and is celebrated throughout the world.

Some of you may have toured this beautiful basilica while on vacation or pilgrimage to Rome.

It's a beautiful and sacred building that has a fascinating history.

Some facts:

The emperor Constantine, who legalized Christianity, gave the palace and its lands to the church in 311.

It is also known as the Basilica of St. John Lateran.

The basilica is built next to the palace of the Laterani family, which is how St.

John seemingly got a surname.

There really isn't a person named John Lateran.

The basilica celebrates both St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist.

It is also dedicated to Christ our Savior.

It's full official title is “The Archbasilica of the Most Holy Savior and Saints John the Baptist and the Evangelist at the Lateran.”

Did you know that the Lateran Basilica is the cathedral church of the bishop of Rome?

It's the pope's cathedral, not St. Peter's as many people assume.

A church council was first held at the Lateran in 313.

Over the years, the Lateran has been damaged by earthquakes, attacked and ransacked by Vandals, and destroyed by fire twice.

After each of these incidents, the Lateran was rebuilt and refurbished.

The Lateran basilica is considered the mother church of all Catholic churches

around the world.

So what we are really celebrating is not the building but our identity as a worldwide church and our union with the Church of Rome.

Remember, we are Roman Catholic and the word 'catholic' means universal.  

Today is a day to remind ourselves that we are part of something much bigger than our own parish.

Last weekend’s celebrations of All Saints and All Souls reminded us that our family extends through time.

Today's feast reminds us that we extend geographically around the world .

My friends, we are all connected, centered around Christ and the successor of St. Peter, the Pope.

We are truly a universal church.   

This brings to mind some masses that I attended in different countries and among different cultures.

I have been to mass in Vienna where the mass was celebrated in German.

I have been to mass in Mexico where the mass was celebrated in Spanish.

Once I attended a Vietnamese mass in Anaheim CA.  The mass was celebrated in Vietnamese and the church was filled to capacity.

At each of these masses, I couldn’t understand the other languages, but I knew the order of the mass and I didn’t feel out of place.

Although I was an outsider, I felt as though I was part of their community, and I was.

Yes, we were different and spoke different languages, but we shared our faith in Jesus Christ and the Roman Catholic Church.

Worshiping and praying together in this common brotherhood and sisterhood was awesome.

I loved the experience and I love the fact that we are a universal church.

Knowing that despite all of our differences, the universal Church brings us together as the Body of Christ here on earth.       <pause>

Like many of you, I also love visiting different church buildings, the old and the new.  

I remember the mass at St. Stephensdom in Vienna which was built in the 12^th c.

What a sight it was to behold!

The architecture, the stained glass, the statues, and the altar all give me a sense of God’s presence in a special way.  

The many churches that all of us have seen are sacred and holy places.

These beautiful buildings are gathering places for the faithful to worship God and to encounter Christ in sacrament, in prayer, and in each other.

But they are just buildings - for 'Church' is really the people.

The great spiritual writer, Fr. Henri Nouwen had this to say about Church:

"The Church is the people of God.  The Latin word for "church," ecclesia, comes from the Greek ek, which means "out," and kaleo, which means "to call."  The Church is the people of God called out of slavery to freedom, sin to salvation, despair to hope, darkness to light, an existence centered on death to an existence focused on life.  When we think of Church we have to think of a body of people, travelling together.  We have to envision women, men, and children of all ages, races, and societies supporting one another on their long and often tiresome journeys to their final home."

My friends, church is all of us here at SSFC and all of the faithful around the world.

That’s wonderful knowing that we are church and that we are all on a journey connected through Jesus Christ.

Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians reminds us that we Christians are sacred and holy.

“You are God’s building.

Do you not know that you are the temple of God,
and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
… for the temple of God, which you are, is holy.”

And it is the holiness and sacredness of the gathered faithful that makes the church ‘buildings’ holy and sacred places.

This feast day reminds us that we are called to be a holy people who gather together in community, here and around the world, to worship God and to live the gospel message.

In a few minutes, as we approach the altar to receive our Lord in Holy Communion, let's ask for God's grace to help us become a more holy people and make this space a more holy space.

May we strive for that each and every day.     God bless!

Deacon Steve's Homily: Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome - A holy church – a holy people

Deacon Steve's Homily - A holy church – a holy people

Today we celebrate the feast of the dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome.

You may be wondering  - 'why do we celebrate this building?'

Before I answer that, let's look at the history of the feast and of the building.

This feast has been celebrated since the 12th century.

It's not often that we celebrate this feast on a Sunday because it’s always celebrated on November 9th.

When November 9th is on a Sunday, it takes precedence and is celebrated throughout the world.

Some of you may have toured this beautiful basilica while on vacation or pilgrimage to Rome.

It's a beautiful and sacred building that has a fascinating history.

Some facts:

The emperor Constantine, who legalized Christianity, gave the palace and its lands to the church in 311.

It is also known as the Basilica of St. John Lateran.

The basilica is built next to the palace of the Laterani family, which is how St.

John seemingly got a surname.

There really isn't a person named John Lateran.

The basilica celebrates both St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist.

It is also dedicated to Christ our Savior.

It's full official title is “The Archbasilica of the Most Holy Savior and Saints John the Baptist and the Evangelist at the Lateran.”

Did you know that the Lateran Basilica is the cathedral church of the bishop of Rome?

It's the pope's cathedral, not St. Peter's as many people assume.

A church council was first held at the Lateran in 313.

Over the years, the Lateran has been damaged by earthquakes, attacked and ransacked by Vandals, and destroyed by fire twice.

After each of these incidents, the Lateran was rebuilt and refurbished.

The Lateran basilica is considered the mother church of all Catholic churches

around the world.

So what we are really celebrating is not the building but our identity as a worldwide church and our union with the Church of Rome.

Remember, we are Roman Catholic and the word 'catholic' means universal.  

Today is a day to remind ourselves that we are part of something much bigger than our own parish.

Last weekend’s celebrations of All Saints and All Souls reminded us that our family extends through time.

Today's feast reminds us that we extend geographically around the world .

My friends, we are all connected, centered around Christ and the successor of St. Peter, the Pope.

We are truly a universal church.   

This brings to mind some masses that I attended in different countries and among different cultures.

I have been to mass in Vienna where the mass was celebrated in German.

I have been to mass in Mexico where the mass was celebrated in Spanish.

Once I attended a Vietnamese mass in Anaheim CA.  The mass was celebrated in Vietnamese and the church was filled to capacity.

At each of these masses, I couldn’t understand the other languages, but I knew the order of the mass and I didn’t feel out of place.

Although I was an outsider, I felt as though I was part of their community, and I was.

Yes, we were different and spoke different languages, but we shared our faith in Jesus Christ and the Roman Catholic Church.

Worshiping and praying together in this common brotherhood and sisterhood was awesome.

I loved the experience and I love the fact that we are a universal church.

Knowing that despite all of our differences, the universal Church brings us together as the Body of Christ here on earth.       

Like many of you, I also love visiting different church buildings, the old and the new.  

I remember the mass at St. Stephensdom in Vienna which was built in the 12^th c.

What a sight it was to behold!

The architecture, the stained glass, the statues, and the altar all give me a sense of God’s presence in a special way.  

The many churches that all of us have seen are sacred and holy places.

These beautiful buildings are gathering places for the faithful to worship God and to encounter Christ in sacrament, in prayer, and in each other.

But they are just buildings - for 'Church' is really the people.

The great spiritual writer, Fr. Henri Nouwen had this to say about Church:

"The Church is the people of God.  The Latin word for "church," ecclesia, comes from the Greek ek, which means "out," and kaleo, which means "to call."  The Church is the people of God called out of slavery to freedom, sin to salvation, despair to hope, darkness to light, an existence centered on death to an existence focused on life.  When we think of Church we have to think of a body of people, travelling together.  We have to envision women, men, and children of all ages, races, and societies supporting one another on their long and often tiresome journeys to their final home."

My friends, church is all of us here at SSFC and all of the faithful around the world.

That’s wonderful knowing that we are church and that we are all on a journey connected through Jesus Christ.

Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians reminds us that we Christians are sacred and holy.

“You are God’s building.

Do you not know that you are the temple of God,
and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
… for the temple of God, which you are, is holy.”

And it is the holiness and sacredness of the gathered faithful that makes the church ‘buildings’ holy and sacred places.

This feast day reminds us that we are called to be a holy people who gather together in community, here and around the world, to worship God and to live the gospel message.

In a few minutes, as we approach the altar to receive our Lord in Holy Communion, let's ask for God's grace to help us become a more holy people and make this space a more holy space.

May we strive for that each and every day.     God bless!