Don’t turn what is simple into something that need not be complicated…Focus on First Principals…And the results will happen organically

Today at Holy Mass St Luke tells us about the first missionary….Our Lady…..With these words her journey began…”Let it be done to me according to thy word”….BOOM!….Christ enters her womb…And what does she do next?….She GOES OUT to others!….SIMPLE - Right?….This is the natural order of things…..Love gives it never takes…Once we allow (notice the word ALLOW) Christ to enter us…..Organically, we are moved to GO FORTH and give him away…….Each of us is unique…And that means each of us will work in different ways in how we reach out to the world….However, the starting point is the same…..”Let it be done to me according to thy word”…And what propels us is the same as what propelled Our Lady - Jesus himself…..Our job is SIMPLE and everything else will take care of its self organically….We are to prepare the “dwelling place” for God within our soul…How do we do that?…Through regular Sacramental Confessions (Monthly)…Once we “prepare a place” for Jesus within our soul…We invite him in by receiving the Blessed Sacrament…SO SIMPLE - Right?….Someone reading this may then say…What am I do it next? - The answer - DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT…Once you "take care of business” on your end - Jesus will take care of the rest…What you do will happen organically

 

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant”

When we pray the Rosary on Thursdays, the third Luminous Mystery is the Proclamation of the Kingdom of God….When one mediates on this mystery, the thought of trying to proclaim the message of Christ without first developing our interior life is futile….Everything comes from our interior life, which is fueled by daily prayer, fasting and the Sacraments….All the “work” we do for God comes from that…To try to do “God’s work” before developing our interior life is frankly a waste of time…Why?…Because "the work" is God’s work - Its not our own…..Remember these words…”You cannot give what you do not have”…Develop your interior life first and then watch what God does through you…”The work” will “spring forth” organically…..Every Saturday afternoon before I was married in Downtown Manhattan at 2:00pm in the afternoon, I joined Mother Teresa’s sisters to pray a Holy Hour in silence before the Blessed Sacrament…For seven years every Saturday, that is how my afternoon began!….At 3:00pm, once prayer time was over - “The work” began….Our world today dismisses prayer - A HUGE mistake….Why?…Because again…”You cannot give what you do not have”…..God has to become real to us…For too many, God is simply a word…This needs to change…..And this CAN change IF we spend time in silence before the Blessed Sacrament…Something I still do to this day for one hour each week before my children wake up in my home - My wife does the same….Far too many complicate the Catholic faith…Its really so simple…Jesus was a simple person and we must strive to be simple too….If we stick to “First Principles” - Everything else will take care of itself…It will all happen organically, as it did for Our Lady - Mary had something to do - And you have something to do too!…St Luke tells us about it today in the Gospel at Mass…”Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb”….Mary is our Mother and like all Mothers, she instructs us…Mary was pure, so what must we do? - Strive to become pure - How do we do that? - By regularly giving a Sacramental Confession to a Priest - Don’t worry - Priests have heard it all - Your “sins” are not so special!….What else did our Mother teach us?….Once she said YES to Jesus - She “went out” to help others…This is what we will do too, it will happen organically - You just take care of First Principals - Jesus will take care of the rest.

“He has come to the help of his servant Israel for he has remembered his promise of mercy, the promise he made to our fathers, to Abraham and his children for ever.”

Today in Mass we hear about what is commonly referred to in Catholic circles as the Annunciation, as well as the Visitation of Elizabeth by Mary…For all you Catholic Rosary devotees out there…These are the first two mysteries of the Rosary (The Annunciation - The Visitation), which are prayed every Monday & Saturday known as the Joyful Mysteries….In these two mysteries a lot is revealed to us…We are taught what it means to live out our Catholic faith in a meaningful, simple and practical way….We need to stop complicating what is not complicated!…..Our Lady was so simple, like her son…We must strive to become simple too….It all begins with these words….”Let it be done to me according to thy word”….BOOM!….Christ enters her womb…And what does she do?….She goes out to others!…..Don’t turn what is simple into something that need not be complicated…Focus on First Principals…And the results will happen organically

We have to stop pretending we can have it “both ways”…Because we can not…So place your bets

Today at Holy Mass we are reminded in the Gospel of John about the virtue of perseverance…..“Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will become joy”……..In life we all in essence make a “bet”…And this is the wager…We either believe EVERYTHING Jesus said…Or we do not…..There is no sitting on the fence either and no choice is a choice…If we choose (notice the word CHOOSE) to follow Christ and carry our cross daily, we will inevitably have to “put down” many “things” that this world has to offer…..This is reality!…You can not have it both ways and to think you can is a self manufactured deception…..Think of it this way……If we choose to believe what Jesus had to say is TRUE…And it turns out to be wrong….Catholics wasted a lifetime (say for argument sake 80 years)…But if Jesus was RIGHT and the Church DOES teach the fullness of TRUTH….That would mean those who deny it sacrificed ETERNITY…..Think about that in terms of the wager we all make - Because each of us makes it…Our world likes to “calculate costs”…This is done each and every day around corporate conference tables across America…..Think about your Catholic faith in this manner for a moment….It all comes down to a choice and a bet!…So place your bets!……I have placed mine…You can’t have it both ways

“Christ had to suffer and to rise from the dead, and so enter into his glory”

My generation and most of Americans for that matter have been raised “thinking” we can have our “cake and eat it too”…That we can have it all…We can “multi-task” our way through life…..When you have children you soon realize there are only 24 hours in each day…You need to work - There goes 9 to 10 hours - You need to sleep - There goes 6 to 7 hours - And before you know it - The day is finished…So it is with our life - It goes by FAST….Life is all about choices….To fully embrace our Catholic faith is one of those choices…We have to consciously make that choice, no one can make it for you….And if we say YES to God - Through his Church, we will be given all the grace we need to live out our Catholic faith…But that is a choice…Again, no one can make it for you……Over the years I have seen many people, some of which are very close to me, “put down” certain behaviors and “pick up” their Catholic faith and live it to the full…I have watched with my own eyes how their life has been turned around for the better……My daughter’s godfather is one of those people…Michael had alcohol and drug issues…He almost lost his life in a car accident….He got married outside the Church and divorced…..His only son was born with chronic medical issues and died before the age of ten….All this drove Michael to the brink….And when he came to the “end of himself”…He made a choice…He got baptized…His first marriage was not Sacramental, so he got an annulment….He began serving the poor…He met a Catholic girl…Got married in the Church…And now him and his wife are fostering a baby boy…I have watched this transformation take place right before my eyes!…Michael made a “bet”…..He bet on the words of Christ and his Church….And his life not only was never the same but it improved…We must make the same bet…And again…You can’t have it both ways…..Far too many Catholics want to have “one foot in the world and one foot in the Church”…It does not work that way!…..Jesus tells us very clearly…….”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 will find it”…It all comes down to a choice and we ALL make it….Place your bets!

“So you also are now in anguish. But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you. On that day you will not question me about anything”

Today at Mass Jesus tells us very clearly that living here on earth as a practicing Catholics is not going to be easy…The road to heaven is narrow..Jesus tells us that himself point blank, so don’t believe some “sidewalk preacher” who tells you other wise…Because the road to heaven is narrow we ALL need assistance…And that assistance comes in the form of the Sacraments and prayer….Monthly Confession - Weekly reception of the Blessed Sacrament - Pray the Rosary Daily…..These practices give us the NEEDED grace to walk the narrow road - To persevere to the very end!….We either believe the words of Christ or we do not….Its really that simple….And as we know - Choices have consequences…..All adults know that to be true….We have to stop pretending we can have it “both ways”…Because we can not…So place your bets!

Today a promise was made…….”And behold I am sending the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high”…And Jesus keeps his promises

Today at Holy Mass the Universal Church commemorates the Ascension of Our Lord into heaven…Jesus’s earthly mission has ended, only to begin another one in and through the Holy Spirit…”And behold I am sending the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high…As he blessed them he parted from them and was taken up to heaven”……Now under St Peter’s leadership this uneducated band of common men were left with a herculean task - To proclaim the message of God by word and deed to the entire world…Notice the words St Luke used in the Gospel today….”but stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high”….This is a direct reference to the Holy Spirit but this sentence also implies something…..”stay in the city UNTIL”…This implies that without the Holy Spirit - You can and will do nothing - Do you believe that?……As we all know the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Holy Trinity….And as Baptized Catholics each of us was given the Holy Spirit….So why do we not see this “power from on high” that St Luke is talking about?….In order for the Holy Spirit to work in our life, we must “make room for it”….We fill our lives with “things”, “stuff”, and “agendas”….When we empty ourselves of those “things”, we make room for God…And then that “power from on high” will be seen and felt by the world through what we do……We see this in the lives of the saints….men and woman, like you and me…Who emptied themselves only to be filled with the Holy Spirit…These men and women shake the foundations of the world…..But what about us?…..What keeps us from allowing the Holy Spirit to act in and through us?……The same Spirit that animates the saints can also animate us......Our world needs to encounter Catholics fully alive…..For those committed Christians who read this - Take note!….Words don’t cut it…..Our world needs to “see”…..In order to give such a witness, we must die to ourself…..”Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit”……This is how it works!…And this is what we must strive to do….Then the Holy Spirit can “do what it does" - Set the world on fire!

“Go and teach all nations, says the Lord; I am with you always, until the end of the world”

Before I was married for seven years I drove Mother Teresa’s sisters every Saturday all over New York City, the Bronx and Brooklyn…..I have seen with my own two eyes what St Luke wrote about today, which was read to us in the Gospel at Mass….”But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high”…..When Mother Teresa’s sisters would enter places that no rational person would go….Walk the halls of violent housing projects…..Live in neighborhoods filled with crime….etc…..The people would not only respect them but the crowds would part when they walked down the side walk….Part of that comes from respect for what they do…But also there is an element of the divine at work…The Holy Spirit is tangibly felt in and through the Sisters - Anyone who has serviced with them will tell you that…That is why violent and dangerous people leave them alone - Even the worst of the worst can feel the presence of God in the Sisters and when push comes to shove - People don’t want to “mess” with God!……Many people today want to be social justice warriors…We see activism on social media, in government and on the streets of our country….The most effective way to impact the world…Is allow the Holy Spirit, which is VERY REAL - To animate our life…Why do we not see this happen?….Because as we just noted…In order for that to happen we must "die to ourself"….”Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit”….This is what Mother Teresa’s sisters do before they do anything else…And this is why the crowds part when they walk down the most violent of streets….Because the Holy Spirit animates them….If we want to be effective in our families, in our neighborhood and in our work place - In our circle of influence…This is what we must do…”Die to ourself” before we do anything else….Only then can the Holy Spirit fill us…..A cup of water must be emptied before milk can be poured in…We are that cup of water…We must be emptied before God can fill us with his Spirit…And once we do that…We will “bear fruit that will last” - And not until we do that - That by the way is a promise from God - And God keeps his promises

“Let us hold unwaveringly to our confession that gives us hope, for he who made the promise is trustworthy”

Today the Church commemorates the Ascension of Our Lord into heaven….However, the work of Christ continues…It continues in and through us….However, if we do not allow the Holy Spirit to animate our life, which Jesus promised today would be sent to us - Nothing we do will last - Our world does not believe that sadly….Are we more confident in our own natural gifts?…..Are we convinced that the Holy Spirit is even real?….Have we ever encountered a person who allowed the Holy Spirit to animate their life?…..Seeing is believing…Our world needs witnesses….And “this kind of witness” that I am writing about ONLY happens when the Holy Spirit is fully alive in a person…We can be that person - Do you realize that - You can be that person!……Do not be afraid to “empty yourself”…..This is what prevents us from “being that person”….We are “holding on to dust”….........”Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit”….Today a promise was made…….”And behold I am sending the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high”…And Jesus keeps his promises

We must learn to “leave our own paths” and see with “other eyes” and love with “another heart”…..Its in that “place” that we encounter Christ…We must be willing to be uncomfortable before we are ever to be comfortable

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the Gospel of St John something I reflected on before…Something that is one of the most important aspects of what it means to be Catholic…It is also something that is rejected by so many because we ALL have so many “GREAT IDEAS????”….....We see this rejection in various self created “camps” within the Catholic Church today….Those who call themselves “progressive” Catholics…And those who call themselves “traditional” Catholics…These “camps” are self manufactured……What is lacking and why these camps exist is due to a lack of grace……We must open our ears to the words of Jesus today in the Gospel…..”He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming”…The Church does not belong to us….We are simply members of the Church…The Church belongs to Christ…We must aspire to have the faith of a child…To be obedient…There is that “dirty” word again…Obedient……We are NOT to self-manufacture a “church” according to our personal likes and dislikes….I read something from the Servant of God Luis Martinez (1956) who was the first Primate of Mexico this morning…He can give us some insight into what it means to have the faith of a child……

”There are times in which we see the most patent truths with the utmost clearness…At other times we do not have clarity….There are times I come to the foot of the tabernacle. I feel nothing….Absolutely nothing impresses me that Jesus is present; nether my heart nor my soul feels anything near the tabernacle. Nevertheless I say: “Here you are Jesus. I adore you.” And these words seem empty to me, and I feel nothing: but in the depth of my heart I believe, I love, I adore. That is to live in the obscurity of faith……Not to know where we are going is painful; but that is precisely the effect of LEAVING OUR OWN PATHS and entering into the ways of God. To arrive at TRANSFORMATION we must see with OTHER EYES and love with ANOTHER HEART”

There are no “camps” with the Catholic Church - There are just “camps” self created within us…We must reject this mindset…And strive to have the faith of child - Remembering always that Jesus is the vine and we are the humble branches…Without being connected to the vine…WE CAN DO NOTHING!….Sadly, we are not convinced of that…But we must learn to believe it and more importantly to LIVE it….Like a child, we must accept and learn!

“I will ask the Father and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always”

As adults we all know that hindsight has perfect vision….Many times unpleasant events happen in life and as we are going through those tough times, we can not see past the “doom and gloom”…But looking back, if we are honest…Some of the toughest chapters of our life served to be the most important…They taught us something…They formed us….I did not get married until I was 43 years old….I always wanted to get married and be a father….But God did not send me my wife until I was in my early forties….From the time I was out of college at the age of twenty-two until the time I was married, I was alone….This was very difficult at times….Why did God allow that?…..Looking back - Now I know….God formed me in my Catholic faith during that time….He prepared me to be a husband and father of five children during that time….He taught me how to pray…How to fast….How to deny myself….How to serve others……How to share.....But over the course of those twenty years…It was not always easy to be alone….I did not understand why God did that to me and all my friends were married - But now I know why!….I bring this up because there are teachings of the Catholic Church that people may not fully understand or frankly want nothing to do with….But as we read above from the words of Luis Martinez, who wrote…..”Not to know where we are going is painful; but that is precisely the effect of LEAVING OUR OWN PATHS and entering into the ways of God. To arrive at TRANSFORMATION we must see with OTHER EYES and love with ANOTHER HEART”……God is the master builder and he is forming each of us - We must learn to trust him and cooperate with him - To have the faith of a child takes time - We must fail more times then not, trying to do it “our way” until we finally arrive at the place where we trust God implicitly…..We must learn to “put down” many things in order to embrace what God has for us…And what God has is infinitely better then what we “think” we need or want….Do you believe that?…..If not, this is what we must work on - And God will help you!….”To arrive at TRANSFORMATION we must see with OTHER EYES and love with ANOTHER HEART”

"I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth”

Today at Holy Mass St John tells us something that is fundamental to being an authentic follower of Christ….That our Catholic faith is not to be manipulated but simply to be “passed on”….The Church is our mother…Let me stop right there - Do you believe that?….If not, we must pray and fast - If we do that, God will give us the needed grace…..There is a hymn that says it best:…..”Thou true Vine, that heals the nations….Tree of life, thy branches we…They who leave thee fade and wither, none bear fruit except in thee. Cleanse us, make us sane and simple, till we merge our lives in thine, gain ourselves in thee, the Vintage, give ourselves though thee the Vine”……We must learn to “leave our own paths” and see with “other eyes” and love with “another heart”…..Its in that “place” that we encounter Christ…We must be willing to be uncomfortable before we are ever to be comfortable

If we fix the man - We fix society

Today the Universal Church commemorates the life of St Augustine of Canterbury from the sixth century…..Augustine was a priest in Rome sent to England…After his first trip failed, the Pope sent him back….His second trip was successful - He converted the King of England and thousands of his people followed….Why is this significant?…..The Church must influence the influential….This was a Jesuit strategy used in the Far East by St Francis Xavier….And this is a strategy that needs to be utilized today…..Far too many “intellectuals” and leaders of industry “think” the Catholic faith is for simpletons…..Or only for the poor and uneducated…Or for people who have nothing else in life to hold on too…..Nothing could be further from the Truth…..Only Jesus Christ and our Catholic faith gives meaning to suffering and death - Something that will impact every single human being on the face of the earth…..When we do not have a relationship with God…We will NEVER fully understand ourself…Nor will our world view be formed in a way which allows us to “see” clearly and avoid the pitfalls that so many in our world today are destroyed by……St Paul also understood the importance of influencing the influential…..Today in the first reading from Mass, Paul tells a man the following…. "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you and your HOUSEHOLD will be saved”….Why is that significant?…Because sociological statistics show that to this very day, if the man is the spiritual leader of his HOUSEHOLD, his wife and his children will follow…..Therefore, if Catholics look to influence society…They need to influence men!…..If we fix the man - We fix society!……Do we value above everything else our Catholic faith in our home?…..How do we as men lead our family when it comes to our Catholic faith?……Believe it or not - Nothing is more important than teaching our children what it means to be a practicing Catholic…It will guide all their decisions…Who they marry…How they will treat their wife and children…..What they do with their time…What they do with their money…How they treat people…..That begins and ends with the man of each HOUSEHOLD!……If we fix the man - We fix society!

“I will send to you the Spirit of truth, says the Lord; he will guide you to all truth”

Sadly family life has broken down in the west…People are no longer getting married and having children and if they do, more than half of marriages end in divorce…Why do you think that is the case?…..Our "modern" world has abandoned God - A HUGE mistake!….Marriage is a Sacrament - To go about it any other way in my humble opinion is not advisable - Why?…..Statistics show that 55% of all marriages end in divorce…If a couple goes to Church on Sunday, only 20% of those marriages end in divorce….And if a married couple does not use contraception and utilized Natural Family Planning (NFP) to space out their children - Only 3% of those marriages end in divorce…This is not my opinion - These are sociological statistics!…..What does this tell you?….It says to me that marriages that are grounded in God and the Natural Law last…The family that prays together stays together…And this “type of family” must begin and end with the man!…Men must “step up” their role as “priest” of their home…Again - NOTHING is more important than imparting a strong faith to our children - Why?…Because their faith will guide them long after we are gone!…Money gets spent and if children are not “formed” properly, they will waste every cent you give them due to bad decisions made throughout their life - Count on that!…We all want to give what is “best” to our children….Nothing is more important than leading our families as men of God - NOTHING!

“Your right hand saves me. The LORD will complete what he has done for me; your kindness, O LORD, endures forever; forsake not the work of your hands”

Today we see both in the example of St Paul in the first reading from Mass and also in the life of St Augustine of Canterbury that in order to “pass on” the Catholic faith, we must influence the influential…That is not only the case in the public square but also in the family…..Words will not do that alone…Our actions MUST speak…How do we prioritize our time?…What do we spend our money on?….How do we utilize our God given gifts?…These are the things that define us…These are the things that “speak to the world”….These are the things that teach our children…..This all begins with men…..If we fix the man - We fix society

”I am the gate……A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly”

Today at Holy Mass we hear from the Gospel of St John….Jesus says a lot here to ponder…So let’s begin…."When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me”……Jesus VERY CLEARLY is drawing a parallel between the TRUTH and himself…We can not separate the Truth and Christ…They are one and the same…Many would agree with that statement - But I am going to tell you what people do often “think” - Whether they say it out loud or not…They try to separate Christ from the one Church he founded…That is also impossible!…Jesus is the head the Catholic Church is the body…The two cannot be separated…..We hear it all the time….”I follow Jesus, I don’t need to be apart of the Catholic Church”….Big mistake! - Why you may ask?…Because we are ALL flawed and we ALL need the Sacraments, which in effect serves as the “medicine” for the world…If you tell me you have cancer and are just going to take some “vitamins and herbs” to treat your cancer - I am going to tell you point blank you are making a BIG mistake!….Without the grace of the Sacraments we are not “plugged” into the life of Christ and due to human weakness - This "model" of living leaves a person VERY vulnerable to sin….The Sacraments strengthen our will and gives us “clear vision” in a world that is confused and wounded……..What else does Jesus tell us today in the Gospel?….."I have told you this so that you may not fall away. They will expel you from the synagogues; in fact, the hour is coming when everyone who kills you will think he is offering worship to God”……Let’s break that statement down…….Just because you are “sincere” does not mean you are right…….Many of the most horrific crimes committed in history were perpetrated by sincere people - Convinced they were RIGHT while they murdered and destroyed the lives of millions…..My response to anyone who says to me…”But Joe - You seem convinced in your world view?.......My response to such a statement is the following…..”My confidence does not rest in me - In fact I have NO confidence in my own ability to be “good” - ZERO! - My confidence rests in Christ alone. I am FULLY aware of who I am and what I am capable of as a fallen and sinful man…ALL my confidence is in Christ, the only man who rose from the dead….And that one man gave us one Church, which provides us with the “medicine” to defeat our fallen nature, which is sin. That “medicine” comes in the form of the Sacraments”….Those who have ears, let them hear!

“The Spirit of truth will testify to me, says the Lord, and you also will testify”

If you are going to take a plane to Chicago and at the airport you need to enter the plane at Gate 43…But when you get to gate 43 there is an A and B door - Door A goes to Chicago and Door B goes to Cleveland…If you mistakenly board the plane through Door B and you sincerely believe you are going to Chicago - That does not change the fact you are headed to Cleveland!…..When the pilot of the plane announces you will soon be landing in Cleveland, it does not matter how sincere you were when you walked through Door B…You are not landing in Chicago!…You will soon be in Cleveland!…..Why tell this little story?…There are many sincere people out there….They believe “this and that”….How do we know that we have grounded our life upon what is correct?…..To begin….Do we spend time in silence?….Silence is the language of God - If we spend time in silence, we will hear his voice…….And for those baptized Catholics out there - When was the last time you went to a Sacramental Confession? - Which purifies your soul and in turn clears your mind - Giving you "eyes to see"……Jesus Christ is the Truth - He said so himself…And the one Church he established is not something we “keep on the side” when we need it…Its the hospital for poor sinners - I being at the front of that line!…To think you do not need the Sacraments is a fools errand - Sorry, I am going to tell it like it is!…….So what does Jesus tell us about that…”Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him”….It does not get any clearer then that……When we die, we will not stand before “a god”, which we have “constructed” based upon our own “likes and dislikes”…We will stand before the one and only God…..No matter how “sincere” we may be…We can not change who God is…Its time to take a good and hard look….What will that take?…..I can’t answer that for you…I can only say this…Time does run out!

“I have told you this so that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you."

Today Jesus in the Gospel makes a strong statement - “The Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me”…Our world today has “convinced” itself that there are many versions of the truth…You can have a “truth” and I can have my “truth”…And both are “good” and both are “equal”….Jesus in the Gospel says otherwise….The Truth is like math….There is a distinct answer to a math problem - 2+2 is ALWAYS 4 - Its not 5…..Jesus is not a “custom”….Nor is the Church he founded….Jesus founded a Church because its the means of salvation for the world - Its where we are Baptized…Its where we are forgiven our sins when we fall…Its where we are fortified by the Blessed Sacrament, which is “food for the journey” back to God the Father….Our sincerity does not change reality - There is “one boat off the island”….And time does run out……”I am the gate……A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly”

Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, and Fear of the Lord sounds like a pretty good deal to me…..Not bad for a ten minute weekly investment - Right?

Today at Holy Mass we hear from the Gospel of John….Jesus tells his friends that soon the Holy Spirit will come to them…”The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you”…..Catholic teaching tells us there are seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, and Fear of the Lord…..But how do we access these gifts?…We need to create a clean heart within us by regularly going to a Sacramental Confession (say once a month) with a priest…And receive the Blessed Sacrament at the minimum once a week at Sunday Mass….Is that so hard?….Notice what Jesus says today through the Scripture to his friends……The Holy Spirt will…..”teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you”……..Before that happens, we must cooperate with God….Utilizing what I like to call the “one-two punch”…..Frequent Sacramental Confession and Reception of the Blessed Sacrament in the state of grace…This is the “one-two punch”………..From there the sky is the limit!…The very life of God will fill you…….Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, and Fear of the Lord……There are people who have “fancy degrees”…Who have high IQs…And all of them put together can not hold a candle to what the Holy Spirit can give to you……If you only allow God to work in your life…….All this is and MORE is free

“Whoever loves me will keep my word, says the Lord, and my Father will love him and we will come to him”

I have been a daily communicant for many years…For those who do not know what a daily communicant is…That means I go to Mass just about every day….Before I was marriage for 13 years I traveled actively for work as well as traveled on my spare time all over the world…I say that because I have been to Mass all over the United States and in the far corners of the world - From Sunday Mass in Cambodia to Daily Mass in West Virginia - And every place in between…..And one of the things you notice when you go to Mass during the week, you meet other daily communicants who possess the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit…Some of these people could be very simple…Like a janitor going to Mass in San Francisco before work….Or…You may meet an Investment Banker going to Mass on his lunch hour in Chicago….The people may differ as much as the locations - What they do for a living may differ…But the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are the same….Are we convinced God is real?….Because if we are convinced - Especially if we are convinced that Jesus is fully present in the Blessed Sacrament - Why would we not want to receive him every day?……If you are reading this and you do not believe what I just stated - That is ok?….Your in good company - The twelve apostles did not believe it either at first….So how do we remedy this?…..Carve out time each week - Say ten minutes - Can you spare ten minutes a week?…..Go to a Catholic Church when no one is in it….And sit before the tabernacle…For those who do not know what the tabernacle is…..Its the metal container (looks like a box) where the consecrated Eucharist is stored, which is usually right behind the altar….Just sit in front of the tabernacle in silence for ten minutes each week - Again, can you spare ten minutes? - And when you do, say these words: “Lord - If you are there, help me to see you”…..That’s it, say nothing more! - Then sit there for ten minutes in silence and come back next week and do it again…..Here is my bet - Before you know it, God will reveal himself to you and start you on the greatest adventure of your life….Not to mention, once you “strap in” for the ride of your life - You will be given seven gifts: Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, and Fear of the Lord….Not bad for a ten minute weekly investment - Right?

“The angel took me in spirit to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God. It gleamed with the splendor of God. Its radiance was like that of a precious stone, like jasper, clear as crystal”

Today Jesus at Holy Mass tells us that after he ascended to the Father in heaven, he will send us “the Advocate”….What is an advocate?….Its someone who stand beside us always - Someone who guides us - Someone who assists us in everything we have to do…This is the Holy Spirit…..Why would you not want such a person in your life?…And if you are reading this reflection and “think” everything I just stated is nonsense…..I invite you to take me up on my challenge of making a ten minute weekly investment - Siting before the tabernacle in silence in a Catholic Church and saying these words - “Lord - If you are there, help me to see you”……My bet is, if you do what I just suggested, you won’t “think” what I just stated is non-sense…….But that is up to you….In the mean time…..Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, and Fear of the Lord sounds like a pretty good deal to me…..Not bad for a ten minute weekly investment - Right?

”No slave is greater than his master”

Today at Holy Mass we hear from the Gospel of St John…In the text Jesus tells us something, we should all digest as Catholics…Its a sobering thought….….”'No slave is greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. And they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know the one who sent me”….To follow Christ means we are in the world but not of it….The world was “not interested” in what Jesus said and taught - That is why they killed him…..Ultimately, we all make “a bet”…Jesus is God and everything he said is true…Or…He is not God and what he said is not true…If we believe He is God and what he taught is true - Then we have to accept that “the world” will reject us - Its part of the deal……We will even see this within the “walls of the Church”….The great Fr John Hardon SJ, who is on his way to become a saint famously said this…I always remember it….”Catholics must know the Truth…..Speak the Truth.....Live the Truth…..…And suffer for the Truth”…..And no one wants to suffer - That includes me! - But that is part of “the deal”…And if we intended to follow Christ until the end…We must accept that we will suffer….Because that is reality……”No slave is greater than his master”

“If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God”

Years ago, I taught RCIA at a local parish…For those who do not know…RCIA is the course where people who are interested in becoming Catholic must take to learn about the faith before they are baptized….When I taught that class, I taught it directly from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which for those who do not know is the book that documents everything the Catholic Church professes to believe….The text which I used was complied by Pope John Paul II in 1992 and as we know, this pope was declared a saint…..The lay people who were in-charge of the course fought me every step of the way as I taught from that book….Until finally after four years they asked me to resign from teaching the course…And I am sure the Pastor of that Parish knew about it, while he did not confront me directly……This was an eye opening experience for me…For one - I left that parish…Secondly, I realized that not everyone who professes to be Catholic believes what the Church teaches….And as far as the clergy goes….I can not speak for them and I will not - But they either “conveniently” don’t say certain things…….Or…….They themselves have constructed a watered down version of the Catholic faith to make it “palatable” for people in the pews…I will not or can not say why that is - Because I am not God and I cannot read hearts - However, I have eyes and ears - And this is reality in some segments of the Catholic Church sadly today…..Does this discourage me?…..NO…Just the opposite - It drives me relentlessly!…..The Truth must be spoken and more importantly LIVED OUT in the public square - However we must be sober about what it means to fully embrace the Truth as well as teach it........Jesus told us very clearly in the Gospel today……And as Fr John Hardon SJ reminds us as well…We must be willing to suffer for the Truth.

“Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven……Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you”

”No slave is greater than his master”

The most effective sermons are not delivered from pulpits…You want to impact a life?……Clean the gutters for an elderly couple in your neighborhood….People do not care how much you know until they know ho much you care

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the Gospel of John how Jesus tells us all something fundamental to living out our Catholic faith….”This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends”……One can speak eloquently, write powerful words, recite lyrical words of wisdom - But none of it - Not one word of it can replace the witness of sacrificial love lived out for another….This is the language of Christ…This must be our language!…The hardness of hearts can not ignore such a witness….This is the measure of what real love is…This is the love a mother and father give to their children….Our children may not always listen to our words, but trust me, they see what we do for them….So it must be for all Catholics today…Our world is not interested in words…Words are empty and mean nothing…If we want the world to “see” and “hear” the message of the Gospel, we must live sacrificially…..Such a life SCREAMS of Christ…This is why the death of Jesus shook the foundations of the world….An innocent man spoke the Truth and willing gave his life for the worst of the worst…..In order to live in this manner, one CANNOT rely on ones own gifts…Scripture tells us this very clearly….”Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person, though perhaps for a good person one might even find courage to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us”……Only a person who lives a Sacramental life can do what is literally humanly impossible…To give their life away in service to others - This begins in our family….This is our message to a wounded world….This is what it means to be Catholic

“I call you my friends, says the Lord, for I have made known to you all that the Father has told me”

Before I was married I actively volunteered with the Mother Teresa’s sisters for seven years…I served with them in India, Haiti, New York, Montreal & San Francisco….There have been so many times that I was literally stunned at what I saw….Literally stunned!….How these women gave of themselves to others in impossible situations and impossible places…Nothing to this day has impacted me more then that witness…Not my education, not anything I have read…Nothing!….There are many Christians that want to communicate the message of the Gospel in our world today….We see this on social media, in community churches, in books, in podcasts, etc….And all those things are good - Don’t get me wrong - However, if we are to really make an impact…We must live sacrificial lives for others…As the Gospel today tells us…”No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends”…And this CANNOT be done without Sacramental grace and daily prayer…..This is the mistake made by modern man today - We disregard the necessity of living a Sacramental life….Most of us are parents and if you have a family, you are fully aware of the demands placed upon you to give of your self to both your spouse and your children….This is why the Church in her wisdom made marriage one of the seven Sacraments….Families need to rely on Sacramental grace - WHY? - Because we are ALL imperfect - Jesus knew this - This is why marriage is a Sacrament and this is why Jesus gave us a Church….. Families must live Sacramentally once again…Our children may ignore what we say…But they CANNOT ignore what they SEE with their own two eyes - The deep sacrifices made for them by two loving parents…Such an example will leave a DEEP impact on our children…It will shape and mold them to become people for others when they are mature adults……..This is the ONLY way the world will change for the better…..Everything begins and ends in the family...And this “type of family” is grounded in Sacramental grace…We can not give what we do not have….Do we disregard the efficacy of Sacramental grace?….Mother Teresa was asked by the secular press - “What is your secret”…This was her answer…”I pray”…..In the final analysis - There is “no secret”

“It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain”

Once again today St John in the Gospel at Mass gets right to the point….We are told that we must love others but we are also told how we are to do it…By giving of our self…..The example of an authentic selfless person can not be refuted by the secular world…No words need to be said because actions speak LOUD…And frankly for all those who are trying to communicate the message of the Gospel - Be it a bishop, a priest, a deacon or simply a person in the pews of our Churches…If our lives do not give witness to sacrificial love…No one will listen - “Nice” words don’t cut it…However, when a Catholic lives sacrificially, the world will stop in its tracks…The hardest of hearts will take note…This is the message of Jesus Christ….And this is where the “rubber meets the road”…If we are serious about following Christ…We too are called to live a sacrificial life…”This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends”…….The most effective sermons are not delivered from pulpits…You want to impact a life?……Clean the gutters of an elderly couple in your neighborhood….People do not care how much you know until they know ho much you care

The law of God is written on every human heart…When we live by God’s law…..The fruit of that lifestyle is joy

Today at Holy Mass we hear from St John’s Gospel…The text is short but it’s packed with a powerful message….”If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and remain in his love………I have told you this so that my joy might be in you and your joy might be complete”………Jesus tells it like it is…He is telling us very clearly…..In order to “remain in his love” we must “keep God’s commandments”…….There is a misconception today…People say all the time….”I believe in Jesus”….GREAT…But Jesus is not looking for “believers” - Believe it or not - He is looking for followers!…He is telling us….If we want to “remain in him” we have to keep his commandments…..Not my words…So don’t shoot the messenger…What else does Jesus tell us today?….He links keeping his commandments to us having joy - Interesting - Do you believe that?……”I have told you this so that my joy might be in you and your joy might be complete”……Another misconception is debunked today…..The world “thinks” it can do “whatever it wants” and in doing so we will be “happy”…..Nothing can be further from the truth……Our joy is deeply linked to living according to the will of God….Everyone says, even out loud that they want to be “happy”…..But do we do the things that make for real and lasting happiness in one's life?……Far too many people “think” being Catholic is an “oppressive” way to live…Nothing could be further from the truth…The law of God is written on every human heart…When we live by God’s law…..The fruit of that lifestyle is joy……Don’t take my word for it…The only “guy” in the history of mankind who rose from the dead just told you so.

“My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; I know them, and they follow me”

Life is about choices…It really comes down to that….We choose to be happy by the choices we make daily…It really is as simple as that!….I can talk to someone for a matter of five minutes and just by the tone in their voice can I tell if their heart is pure and free - I bet you can as well……Why would a person not want to be happy?…..Why would a person not want to have peace?…….When you surround yourself with authentic Catholicism…You will find immediately “that crowd” is filled with joy…Its tangibly perceived!…Mother Teresa used to say…”Joy is the net that will caught many souls”….And its true….Our joy is deeply connected to the laws of God that are written on our heart and when we choose to not live by those laws….We lose our joy….You can not “fake” being happy…..Just as when you are filled with joy - Its very transparent for the world to see…..I will ask it again….Why would a person “trade-in” their joy for something that in the end will betray them and will not and can not last?…..Years ago I was eating lunch at a local restaurant in my hometown and the waitress was a young girl around say sixteen years old…I remember her because as she spoke to me, I could tell there was “no life” in her eyes…Her tone was “lifeless as well”….As she waited on our table I thought to myself - How can someone so young be so “lifeless”?…Her lack of joy was palatable…I have seen that in adults but not in young people…..I still remember this encounter to this day…Because it made me so sad…..Why do we value “things” that “suck the life out of us”? - Literally!….Jesus is not a monster nor is His Church!….When we live by the Natural Law and try our very best to live within and by the will of God…There are many benefits…One of them is joy!….Do we want to be happy?….Really!...The world says it does….But does it?

Say among the nations: The LORD is king. He has made the world firm, not to be moved; he governs the peoples with equity.

Today at Mass Jesus tells us that joy and his commandments are linked….”The world” tells us something different…But as we get older, we see for ourself the consequences of “bad choices”…Years ago I ran into a friend from high school at an airport….Paul Pak was ALWAYS a joyful person…I had not seen Paul for years….When I saw him at the airport what immediate jumped out at me was, he was EXACTLY the same…He was still filled with joy!…He had a big smile on his face, there was a light in his eyes and there was no duplicitous tone in his voice…I later found out that Paul was studying to become a Deacon of the Catholic Church and me and my family attended his ordination at the Cathedral of Newark when he was ordained…Paul did not change one bit!….Jesus came to give us joy and our joy is linked to living our Catholic faith…There are no two ways about it…..The law of God is written on every human heart…When we live by God’s law…..The fruit of that lifestyle is joy

In many ways, being Catholic is “painting by the numbers”….When we “stay within the lines”…We “bear fruit that will last”….Do we “think” somehow we know better than God does?…..Two thousand years of history and countless saints say otherwise

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the Gospel of John something that every Catholic should pay attention too…Of all the ideas communicated in Holy Scripture…This one, in my humble opinion is one of the most important and frankly is a foundational principal of my life….”Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing”…..While the Catholic Church is comprised of men, it also has a divine dimension to it….It was founded by Christ, who is God….Jesus tells us that “the gates of hell shall not prevail against it”…And if we are honest over the course of 2000 years, hell sure has tried to destroy the Catholic Church…And again, if we are honest, each and every attempt, by powerful men, empires and tyrants have all failed…The Catholic Church is still here and all the rest are long gone!……That should tell you something - Again if you are honest and objective…I state all this because, when we do things God’s way and “adhere to the vine”…We will ALWAYS bear fruit that lasts….These are not my words…These are Jesus’s words and if we look at history and the example of the saints…This proves to be true time and time again…What prevents us from doing things God’s way?….Do we “think” we know better than God does?

“Remain in me, as I remain in you, says the Lord; whoever remains in me will bear much fruit”

This morning while doing my Spiritual reading I came across something that I thought was particularly noteworthy. This was written by the Servant of God Luis Martinez, who was the first official Primate of Mexico (1956)…This is what he wrote….”Not to know where we are going is painful, but that is precisely the effect of leaving our own paths and entering into the ways of God. To arrive at transformation we must see with other eyes and love with another heart.”…This I believe to be a very important insight, particularly when we live by what St John tells us today in the Gospel…To “adhere to the vine” many times will not “make sense” when we view things from a secular prospective…However, Jesus assures us that when we “adhere to the vine” we will bear fruit that will last…..This requires us to “play the long game”…Decisions we make as Catholics many not pay dividends in the short term, however they will pay off BIG TIME in the long term….This is why Luis Martinez states that: “Not to know where we are going is painful”…..We must learn to trust the carpenter from Nazareth…For example - When a Catholic couple gets married, they take a vow before God that their marriage will be fruitful….That means Catholic marriages are open to life…..That means Catholics DO NOT use contraception - Now don’t shoot the messenger - I did not just “make this up” and you know it!….When a Catholic married couple honors their wedding vows, God assures them that he will not only provide for them but that such a marriage because it “adheres to the vine” will “bear fruit that will last”….A Sacramental marriage is given all the necessary graces to weather everything that life throws at it……..Now that does not mean life will always be easy…However, God will provide the necessary grace to not only help such a couple each and everyday but use their marriage to build the Kingdom of God in the here and now…..Think about for a minute all the children that have been aborted in America…How many of those children could have become great athletes, scientists, lawyers, doctors, statesmen, etc….If only we trusted….God many times takes impossible circumstances and from them creates amazing outcomes….This is why we must “adhere to the vine”….God sees what we do not….God “plays the long game”…And so must we

“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples."

Today at Mass we hear something we must build our life upon….”Adhering to the vine”……God can do with your life infinitely more than you can - No matter who you are!…..And when we do things God’s way - While not always an easy thing to do - We will ALWAYS bear fruit that will last…..Religious orders and Catholic Bishops who “adhere to the vine” thrive in real time…There is so much evidence of that I can fill hundreds of pages with examples…That model also applies to us, the laity in the pews…..No matter who you are - You did not “figure it out” better than God did or will - Not going to happen!….When we surrender to the will of God and walk step by step and day by day with him…We will soon realize that God’s plan is infinitely better then our plan….In many ways, being Catholic is “painting by the numbers”….When we “stay within the lines”…We bear fruit that will last….Do we “think” somehow we know better than God does?…..Two thousand years of history and countless saints say otherwise

Are we really interested in "that kind of peace"?…As adults we all make choices….Peace is a choice

Today at Holy Mass we hear from the Gospel of St John. In the text Jesus speaks of peace. What is interesting is he labels a specific form of peace…”My peace”….What is the difference between the peace of Christ from the so-called peace of the world?…..”Jesus said to his disciples: Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you”…..Just as every single human being wants to be happy, I think its safe to assume that all people want to have peace of mind…..Yet, do we know what makes for peace?…And if we do, are we interested in the things that make for peace?….Is there anything worth losing your peace over?…I can not speak for you, but speaking personally, my peace of mind is very valuable….But getting back to the words of Christ today in the Gospel…Jesus says he gives us…”His peace”….What is so great about - “His peace”?…..The peace of Christ is lasting…Just as a person knows after he or she has had a good meal that they are full and satisfied - Its a tangible feeling - Right? - You know it!….The peace of Christ is similar - Its not some “psychological construct”…Its tangible and if you have it, you know it…Why would someone not want peace?…..Americans were raised believing we can “have our cake and eat it too”….As we grow into adulthood, we all learn that life does not work that way…..Is there anything in this world more valuable than your peace of mind?……I can only speak for myself….No there is not

“For the ruler of the world is coming…….He has no power over me”

Years ago when I was traveling a lot for my job, I was in Washington DC. One of my co-workers went to college in Virginia and some of his friends met us out for dinner. They were younger than I was, so it was interesting for me to listen to these recent college graduates talk about how they viewed their professional career now that they were in the “real world”. This one young lady was a public accountant. She was very smart and clearly she was “on track” to becoming very successful in the corporate world. At dinner she is sitting in front of me and she says…”If I sell my soul for like 7 years, I am set”……As she said this, I did not comment, but thought to myself…How terribly sad!….How many people make this same choice?....Guess what?…Peace does not come with that choice

“Christ had to suffer and to rise from the dead, and so enter into his glory”

Today we are told about a certain kind of peace in the Gospel today at Mass…Jesus calls it “My peace”….This kind of peace is real and lasting….Are we really interested in "that kind of peace"?…As adults we all make choices….Peace is a choice

Why can’t that be YOU?….Because you know what? - It can be!…..”The Advocate, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name--he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you"

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the Gospel of St John Jesus teaching his friends about the Holy Spirit, which as we all know is the third person of the trinity…."I have told you this while I am with you. The Advocate, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name--he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you”…..The Holy Spirit is at work in the world, which also means it is at work in us, those who were Baptized…This can not be debated…However, I think what we have to reflect upon is how do we impede the Holy Spirit in our life……I have heard it said….God’s grace is ALWAYS pouring down upon us…The problem is…We “put up an umbrella”, which prevents the grace from penetrating our hearts…..What gets in the way of this grace?…..In a word - Pride… We must strive to “bend our knee” and bend our will to God……and work to remove all impediments (ie sin), which prevents the Holy Spirit from animating our life…This is possible, if we chose to make it possible…..Mother Teresa described this process this way……“The wire is you and me; the current is God,” she said. “We have the power to let the current pass through us, use us, and produce the light of the world—Jesus”……If we are not “plugged in”…..God can not animate our life…..This is why the Sacrament of Reconciliation is vital…..It “removes” all the impediments that get in the way of God working in our life…..Then when we receive the Blessed Sacrament at Mass….which is Jesus himself…The Holy Spirit will find a home in our heart and work in our life……Its really that simple….However, this process can not be self-manufactured…..My bet is - We are not fully convinced - Or maybe better put….We have not fully realized (YET) just how limited our humanity truly is…..And if and when our “eyes open” to this reality - Because it is REALITY…We will set aside our pride and allow God to work in our life…..Jesus tells us in Scripture point blank…. “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him”…...These words are very apparent when you encounter a person who is animated by the Holy Spirit….This can be YOU!

"Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him”

There is something about a person who is living in the state of grace…I will be very honest with you…You can tell such a person within a few short minutes of talking to them….Their is a light in their eyes….There is “no agenda” detected in their conversation…..Their is a visible transparency about how they live….Even by the way such a person greets you in the morning….Such a person is visibly “different” without even trying to be….This can not be self-manufactured…..And this is what we as Catholics must witness to the world….ALL PEOPLE are looking for this! - Whether they say it out loud or not…….And only God can give this type of life to a person…..Jesus tells us very clearly……”Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid”…..There are many Catholics on Social Media…And while this communication medium can be used to educate others…It will NEVER convince a person about what it really means to be Catholic….You will NEVER argue anyone into the doors of the Church…However, if you live in a state of grace…And allow the Holy Spirit to animate your life…TRUST ME…People will notice…..And over time this witness will result in the world around you to “think twice” and possibly “second guess” life choices…..This is why when you encounter a holy person, you never forget that person…Holy people exist!….Seek them out….And when you encounter such a person…Think to your self…Why can’t that be me?….Because you know what? - It can be!

"I have told you this while I am with you. The Advocate, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name--he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you"

St John reminds us at Mass today of the importance of allowing the Holy Spirit to make a “home” within our soul…..This requires effort on our part….We have to “make room” for God in our life and cooperate with him…As we do, little by little, we will begin the process of “emptying our self” of all the “things” that impede God from animating our life…As we do this, a very REAL feeling of freedom will fill us….All people say they “want to be free” - RIGHT? - Yet its their very choices that enslave them more times then not…Humanity has believed the lie of the devil…They “think” that being a practicing Catholic is somehow oppressive…That it “takes away” from experiencing life in its fullness…Nothing could be further from the truth…Jesus said very clearly - Once again - “I have come to give you life and give it abundantly” - That is in the hear and now by the way!……If you somehow don’t believe what I just wrote…...Watch what happens - I will bet you will “by chance” encounter a special person in your life…Could be at work…It could be your neighbor…It could be at the store…And that person you encounter will be “fully alive”, animated by the Holy Spirit….….As you read this, you may even know such a person I am describing…..And when you do encounter this person…You will think to yourself - “There clearly is something about that person that makes them that way”…..That something is God!…Because God is real….Why can’t that be YOU?….Because you know what? - It can be!…..”The Advocate, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name--he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you"

”This is how all will know that you are my disciples”…..And this is how the sheep will be separated from the goats

Today at Holy Mass we hear from the Gospel of John…We hear something we have heard many times…But let’s break it down - Maybe in a way we never have thought about it before……”I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another”…First off - Do we know what love is?…The word “love” gets thrown around a lot - But do we know what it really is?……Real love - True love - Is a total gift of self to another…Is this the definition we think about when we use the word?…..When the world witnesses love like this - The world witnesses Christ himself….This is the ONLY way to evangelize others…..But notice the beginning part of what St John is teaching us today…..”As I have loved you”……Before we can make a complete gift of self to another…We first must realize that we are deeply loved by something much bigger and greater than our self…How many people in this world do not feel this way?……Everything we give to another must come first from someplace - The laws of mathematics and science tell us that - Right?……We can not give what we do not have….When we are “filled with the Holy Spirit” - First by emptying ourself - Then and only then can we give what we have received away to another - Completely - Without compromise!…And when we do this, we not only know why we do it but we have a purpose - There is a meaning behind our actions….This is what the world lacks and does not understand about love…Self Sacrificial love stops traffic - There is “no argument” to be made against it…When Catholics love in this manner - Our lives scream of Christ Crucified and when we live in this manner - The world stops to notice because deep down each and every human being wants to be loved in this way whether they say it out loud or not…..And when this “kind of love” is consistently witnessed - Day in and Day out - The Holy Spirit “works” on the hearts of others who see it….This is what true evangelization is all about - The witness of self sacrificial love lived out in the public square for all to see

“Behold, I make all things new”

I have stated before in previous reflections that I was blessed to have loving parents who witnessed to me what an authentic marriage was all about…My parents were married for over 50 years and over the course of those years I have seen how they both sacrificed for each other and for my brother and I…With all that being said, the greatest example given to me by my parents was the last two years before my father died…My father died of Parkinson Disease and the last two years of his life were brutal…He was bedridden for most of it and we as a family cared for him in our home…My mother bore the brunt of that care at great cost to her…I watched my mother care for her husband of fifty years….Feeding him, cleaning him, siting with him….24/7….Day in and day out for two years…This was the greatest example of love I ever have seen in my life with my own two eyes!…..This is what a Sacramental marriage is all about…..Because it witnesses the love of Christ on the cross…If we want to bear witness to the world as Catholics - In whatever state we are called to live in - Single; Married or Consecrated Religious - This is the witness that SCREAMS of God - There is no argument or explanation needed….However, in order to give of ourself in this manner - We first must know we are deeply loved….Such a love must come from “someplace” greater than ourself…..We can not give what we do not have

“Behold, God’s dwelling is with the human race. He will dwell with them and they will be his people and God himself will always be with them as their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain, for the old order has passed away”

Today we hear something at Mass in the Gospel we can easily take for granted…Jesus explains what real love is and then commands us to do the same…But before we live out this commandment, first we have to know what real love is all about because true love is much more than a “feeling”…..How do you define love?…..Jesus showed the world what real love is….He completely emptied himself in service to others…And in the end, he gave his very life - Do we somehow think that we are exempt from doing the same?…Everything Jesus did in the three years of his public ministry was done for a purpose…It was to teach the world how to live and how to love…While we will probably not be called to be crucified as Jesus was…We are ALL called to completely die to ourself…Giving of our self to others…To not think in this way is to miss the most important aspect of what it means to be a Christian…..And when we live and die in this manner…Remember this….”I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life”…..”This is how all will know that you are my disciples”…..And this is how the sheep will be separated from the goats