Reality does not change because we reject it and when we reject reality - It becomes all the more real!

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the Gospel of Luke how Jesus’s friends are rejected by a group of people who historically had issues with the people of Israel….And St John and St James wanted to address these people who rejected them with violence…Jesus had something to say about that….”On the way they entered a Samaritan village to prepare for his reception there, but they would not welcome him because the destination of his journey was Jerusalem. When the disciples James and John saw this they asked, "Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?" Jesus turned and rebuked them, and they journeyed to another village”…..Violence is the last reaction when the argument is lost and people have nothing of substance to say…While we are called to defend ourself and our family…To use violence politically or in the name of religion has nothing to do with God and has everything to do with human power and pride…God gives us free will - Which means we are free to reject God - However, there are consequences when making that choice….As a man who has lived 55 years…I have learned that we do not get away with anything in this life - I have learned that the hard way…Some in the secular world call that “karma”…There is no such thing as karma…What is reality and what we all must deal with, whether we like it or not is…”We reap what we sow”…..All our behavior both good and bad “catches up with us”…..That is reality….James and John wanted to address the Samaritans violently in St Luke’s Gospel…Jesus felt no need too…Why?…..Because like us….When we reject God - We will reap what we sow

“The Son of Man came to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many”

I tease my children all the time - When I tell them: “Dad’s have super powers - I can predict the future”…I say that to them because when my children do the wrong thing - I know the outcome well before it happens…..Why?…..Because I have lived a lot longer then my children have, therefore I have seen with my own two eyes how certain behaviors manifest themselves over time….The same goes for the Catholic Church, which has been “around the block” for 2000 years….And has outlasted tyrants, empires, heresies, and scandals of all kinds…..The teachings of the Church are timeless and have proven not only to last but have proven to “bear good fruit” in the lives for those who embrace them fully - Yet, we ignore reality as we ignore the very thing that can help us - Our Catholic faith…..All we have to do is read what the Church teaches as opposed to what the New York Times Newspaper and other secular entities and organizations like The Times have to say about what the Church teaches…If we read with an objective mind and heart, we will find great wisdom and guidance, which can only benefit our life and family…….Shortly after I was married, my wife and I were asked to speak before young couples about to enter marriage at our parish…..When I would address these young men and women about to make the biggest decision of their life…I would always begin my presentation with…….”What is the goal of your marriage?”……From a Catholics prospective…The number one goal of every man entering marriage is to get their wife and children into heaven - Nothing is even a close second……And the number one goal of every woman entering marriage is to get their husband and children into heaven - Nothing is even a close second…When I would say this to these couples, sadly, they would stare at me with a blank stare….Giving me a look like…”I know it all - What are you talking about?!?”…..Seeing this reaction was truly heartbreaking - However, each of us are given free will…We all make choices - But as we all know as adults - With each choice there are consequences….And as the old saying goes - We will reap what we sow

“When the days for Jesus to be taken up were fulfilled, he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem, and he sent messengers ahead of him”

Today we read in the Gospel at Mass how James and John after they were rejected by a Samaritan village, they wanted to take matters in their own hands, resorting to violence… And Jesus rebukes them…..As Catholics we are to always respect the free will of others…We are to “propose” the teachings of the Church - Never to “impose” the teaching upon others….The greatest “advertisement” of the wisdom contained in the teachings of the Catholic Church is the witness of our very lives…..Our authentic joy and peace - The "good fruit bore" from good choices made over time and made consistently…..However, if the world wants nothing to do with “what Catholics are selling”…....That is their choice - They a free…..But as the story goes - We reap what we sow…..We are all entitled to our own opinions, but we are not entitled to our own facts….Reality does not change because we reject it and when we reject reality - It becomes all the more real!……….JMJ

Oh Yes - The devil is very real!…..Believe it - So “put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm”

Today the Universal Church commemorates the Feast of the Archangels: Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael….Michael is the defender - Gabriel is the messenger and Raphael is the healer….Scripture tells us very clearly that the devil is like a lion, who prowls the earth looking to devour souls…..That is reality…But the devil is subtle, highly intelligent and also knows each of our weakness - And we ALL have weaknesses….The devil does not walk around with a red custom, horns and a pointed tail either………..The greatest “trick” the devil pulled off is he has convinced the world today that he does not exist, there is no such thing as sin and there is no hell……Scripture also tells us more about the enemy as far as how to resist him…..”Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil. For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens. Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything, to hold your ground”…….Who are these “principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness”?…..From the macro to the micro - These “principalities and powers” exist within each of us…Yes - You and Me…And we must make a choice to “go along to get along” or resist them….What is the armor of God?….This is Sacramental Grace, which shields us from temptations and lies which deceive the world…..Our biggest mistake? - We believe none of what I just wrote is true…We believe we do not need God….We believe we won’t “fall” for the lies, temptations and traps set by the world, the flesh and the devil - I got news for you - Think again!….Today at Mass the Gospel tells us very clearly about this battle which is being waged in the our world today…Its also being fought within our very self……”War broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels battled against the dragon. The dragon and its angels fought back, but they did not prevail and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. The huge dragon, the ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, who deceived the whole world, was thrown down to earth, and its angels were thrown down with it”……..The dividing line between good and evil - Between God and the devil - Comes down to four simple words and each of us say these words or refuse to say these words………..I WILL NOT SERVE…………So open your eyes - The enemy is very real......"Put on the armor of God"

“The court was convened, and the books were opened. As the visions during the night continued, I saw One like a son of man coming, on the clouds of heaven”

Many people today think that demons are made up…Let me tell you something right now - Demons are very real…Every Archdiocese in the Catholic Church has an exorcist…..The exorcist for the Archdiocese on New York is a family friend - For purposes of this reflection, lets call the exorcists for New York Fr Pete…..One afternoon I happened to be in Harlem where Fr Pete was living at the time…A troubled woman was getting some spiritual direction from him….This woman’s father was a Satanist and when she was born her father dedicated her in a Satanic ceremony to the devil….Because a father has authority over his children given to him by God, this curse had lasting effects upon this poor woman…I watched with my own eyes as Fr Pete addressed the demon within this woman…How she spoke to him in a voice that was not her own…How her entire body tensed up as Fr Pete spoke to her…All the muscles in her back flexed violently….She began to swear and speak in the third person…..To be honest…I could not believe my own eyes!…..So yes - The devil is very real…And what I just wrote about is an extreme case of evil present in the world….Most times however, evil is much more subtle….Temptations start small and build upon themselves…The “door” a way from God opens slightly and grows and grows bigger until it is open wide….The devil knows what he is doing…And sadly when we are not in the state of grace - We are easily “picked off”!….This is what is meant by “putting on the armor of God” and why its so important…..Living a Sacramental life fortifies the human will, gives a person vision to see the traps of the devil and his lies and also enables one to resist temptations they otherwise would not be able to resist……You think I am making this up?…You think the devil is not real?….And if you do think he is real - Do you somehow “think” you will resist him without divine assistance or Sacramental grace?……Once again - Think again!…..The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak

“Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have salvation and power come, and the Kingdom of our God and the authority of his Anointed. For the accuser of our brothers is cast out, who accuses them before our God day and night”

Today the Church rightful celebrates the Feast of Michael, Gabriel and Raphael……These three angels have immense power and are here to help us as we each make daily choices to serve God or to turn from God….Make no mistake because that is what we each do……Of all the weapons we have at our disposal to use against the devil, one of the greatest weapon we can possess is humility…The devil has no humility - He is full of pride….When we bend our knee fully to God…The devil is defenseless…Our Lady was the greatest example of this outside of Jesus himself……The devil is powerless against Our Lady, due to her will being perfectly conformed to her son……”A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was with child and wailed aloud in pain as she labored to give birth. Then another sign appeared in the sky; it was a huge red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on its heads were seven diadems. Its tail swept away a third of the stars in the sky and hurled them down to the earth. Then the dragon stood before the woman about to give birth, to devour her child when she gave birth. She gave birth to a son, a male child, destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod. Her child was caught up to God and his throne. The woman herself fled into the desert where she had a place prepared by God, that there she might be taken care of for twelve hundred and sixty days. Then war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels battled against the dragon. The dragon and its angels fought back, but they did not prevail and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. The huge dragon, the ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, who deceived the whole world, was thrown down to earth, and its angels were thrown down with it”…….Oh Yes - The devil is very real!…..Believe it - So “put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm”……..JMJ

The entire gospel can be explained on one hand, by showing five fingers and in five words - Ready? - YOU DID IT TO ME

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the Gospel the story of Lazarus, who lived a wonderful life…He had everything…But amidst his comfort, he loses sight of the eternal…..How easy it is to fall into this trap!…….A Catholic has eyes to see! - To see the suffering of those around him - Both the material suffering and the spiritual suffering of others - But before we “act” we must “see”…So I think the questions we must explore today are….What made Lazarus blind and how do we today in our own world obtain eyes to see?….The first reading at Mass today addresses this same theme….”Woe to the complacent in Zion! Lying upon beds of ivory, stretched comfortably on their couches, they eat lambs taken from the flock, and calves from the stall! Improvising to the music of the harp, like David, they devise their own accompaniment. They drink wine from bowls and anoint themselves with the best oils; yet they are not made ill by the collapse of Joseph!”……..When I read this passage the words that literally jumped off the page at me were…..”Yet they are not made ill by the collapse of Joseph!”…….How could these people be unaware of a person who just collapsed in front of them?!?….Yet - When I think of my own life….When I commute into New York City for work…How many people do I walk passed who are sleeping on the sidewalk - Or worse then that! - What I see each day on the sidewalks of Manhattan can be both terrifying and heart breaking…….While we can only do what we can do in this life…..If we have been blessed materially - Do we even "see" the suffering of others?….Or are we self absorbed?……Our vision is made clear by a clean heart…..A clean heart can only be achieved through frequent Sacramental Confession and the reception of the Blessed Sacrament…….Professing a belief in Jesus is great - But that does not wipe away sin…A mistake of many…..And reading the Bible is great - I do it daily…But that does not fed us in the way the very flesh of Christ does when we receive the Eucharist in the state of grace,…This is how we obtain a clean heart - The only way - And this is how we “see”…..Because without sight - Those who suffer around us, even within our own family become invisible - We can careless in may cases - Let’s be honest - And even if we “see” them - We do nothing about it……There are consequences to living in that manner….”Abraham replied, 'My child, remember that you received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented. Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go from our side to yours or from your side to ours”….Those who have ears - Let them hear….But again, before we can act…We have to "see"

“Though our Lord Jesus Christ was rich, he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich”

Mother Teresa’s sisters have a convent in the West Village in Lower Manhattan…I served there for many years……Many of the apartments around the convent are very expensive…In fact, over the years, I even ran into famous people who lived in the neighborhood….Interestingly enough, amidst all these expensive apartments a few blocks away was an old boarding house…..Before the West Village became "the place to be” for the rich, it was a run down part of Manhattan where the very poor lived…This boarding house was a remnant of that time period….In this boarding house, a man named John lived…John was an alcoholic, who periodically needed help from Mother Teresa’s sisters….The nuns knew him and over time I got to know him by sight as well…..One Saturday afternoon, John came to the door of the convent….He was all “beat up” - God knows the drama the poor of our cities have to live through each and everyday - But I digress…I greeted John at the door….And he handed me a frozen turkey and asked I give it to the sisters, which I of course did….I later found out from the nuns that during the week, the sisters helped him out and giving the nuns a frozen turkey was a way John was “paying the good deed done to him forward”…..Why do I bring this up?….John was very poor….Living day to day and hand to mouth….How is it that John “sees” the suffering of others?….And say his neighbors living in multi-million dollar apartments do not “see” others in need?……Does that make any sense?…..Sadly, it does….John “saw” what the rich around did not because John knew first hand what it meant to go without…When a person knows what it means to suffer, that person is far more likely to help another, who they see is suffering too, then a person who never experienced suffering in a material way….Why bring this reality up?…..Just as we are told in in the readings today at Mass….The rich are “blind”…They can not “see”…Even when someone literally “collapses” in front of them….This reality should serve as a warning to all of us, who live very comfortable lives - I being one of those people!….How easy it is to ignore the poor…To take for granted the material blessings of our own life.....St Peter Chrysologus, a Doctor of the Catholic Church puts it this way…..”Why do we not exchange earth for heaven?”….”Why do we not purchase what is eternal with what is transitory?”…..Why do we not use what is going to perish to buy what lasts forever?……John, the poor alcoholic, who lived down the street from Mother Teresa’s sisters in Lower Manhattan somehow figured this out - And he had nothing in his pockets….…Have we figured this out? - Think long and hard about what I just wrote - Its on the “final exam”

"There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day. And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores”

Today at Mass we are reminded of our obligation to assist those in need…Before many of the readers of this reflection "tune out".....Let me say a few things about that obligation placed upon us by Jesus himself…First, no one every became poor by sharing….Second, those who share are BY FAR the happiest people you will ever want to meet….And lastly, not only does hoarding make us miserable in the here and now - Make no mistake about it - Because it does - But hoarding our wealth and not sharing it to build up the Kingdom of God has eternal consequences….Let’s be clear about that…..This reflection most probably will not “change” anyone’s mind when it comes to how they view the poor of the world…However, living a Sacramental life will…If we confess our sins regularly to a Catholic priest and receive the Blessed Sacrament in the state of grace…You will most certainly “see” the poor around you…And that is a start…And the closer you get to Christ by consistently living a Sacramental life will propel you to serve the poor - Putting your faith into action…...Why is this so important?…Again - ”Because what you do to least among you - You do for me”…Those are not my words - Those are the words of the Carpenter from Nazareth……..Mother Teresa famously said that the entire gospel can be explained on one hand, by showing five fingers and in five words - Ready? - YOU DID IT TO ME………JMJ

His grace will be sufficient for you - Live and die by it

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the Gospel of St Luke Jesus telling his people that a time will come when he will suffer….They did not seem to understand or maybe did not want to understand what he was talking about….The “world is not having it” - As we all know…..So the question(s) to ponder today is - Do we understand and are we willing to suffer too when times get tough?…..”Pay attention to what I am telling you. The Son of Man is to be handed over to men. But they did not understand this saying; its meaning was hidden from them”….Jesus came to serve, he did not come to be served - How easy it is to “get lost” in this world and forget this very important aspect of our Catholic faith……Yesterday I read something from Cardinal Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Thun…He was imprisoned by the Vietnamese government for 13 years…Many of those years in solitary confinement…..What he wrote shook me deeply….It caused me to question if I too would be willing to suffer with the same amount of grace as he did?….Why did I ask myself this question?….Because again - The world is not having it!!!!….And while God will have the last word - The devil always takes his “pound of flesh”…Are we willing to suffer if called upon too?….This is what Jesus was telling his friends today in the Gospel and this is what he asks us to ponder as well…Back to Cardinal Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Thun…This is what he wrote from his prison cell….”Once I used to celebrate the Eucharist with a gold plated paten and chalice; now I hold your Blood in the palm of my hand. Once I used to travel the world over to attend conferences and meetings; now I am confined to a narrow cell without a window. Once I used to visit you in the tabernacle; now I carry you, night and day, in my shirt pocket. Once I used to celebrate Mass for thousands of faithful; now, in darkness of the night, I give Communion under a mosquito net. Once I used to preach the spiritual exercises to priests, religious, lay people; now a priest, who is also a prisoner, preaches the exercises of St Ignatius to me through a crack in the wall. Once I used to have solemn benediction of the Blessed Sacrament in the cathedral; now I have Eucharistic adoration in silence every night at 9:00, softly singing the Tantum Ergo and the Salve Regina, and concluding with this short prayer: “Lord, now I am content to accept everything from your hands; all the sadness, the suffering, the anguish, even my death. Amen….I am happy in this cell”……Powerful words - They shook me - Would I be willing to suffer for the Lord and do it with such grace and not be bitter?….Jesus tells us today in the Gospel…."Pay attention to what I am telling you. The Son of Man is to be handed over to men”……..Do we understand?…. And are we willing to suffer too when times get tough?

“Our Savior Christ Jesus destroyed death and brought life to light through the Gospel”

The three years Jesus ministered to his people…He was greatly misunderstood, even by his closest friends….The Jewish people in their heart of hearts wanted a King to ride on a white horse to free them from the bondage of Rome…..Jesus was not that kind of King…He came to humbly serve, suffer and die…..While we all most probably will not be asked to die in the same manner that Christ died…We are all called to completely die to ourself…..This is the only road to heaven…..It is in dying to ourself, that we are filled with the life of Christ…This is how we do the most good here on earth and enter into eternal life when our mortal life concludes...….Are we willing to be misunderstood?…..Are we willing to “take the last place”?…..Are we willing to go without?….Are we willing to be ridiculed?……Are will willing to be “left out”?……All these and more are questions we must reconcile within ourselves if we truly want to follow Christ…………..In 2007 in Kolkata, India I got sick from the pollution of the city….For two days I had a fever and no strengthen in my body…..I was all alone!…..And fear - FEAR! - At times terror gripped me…….How will I be able to get home?…..Is this just a simple fever or did I catch a disease, which would plague me the rest of my life?……Two days, sick all alone in a dirty apartment in Kolkata…..Looking back, I experienced a very small “taste of suffering”….…Would I be able to endure what Cardinal Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Thun or St Maximilian Kolbe or Fr Walter Ciszek endured?….These men suffered for years in prison for their Catholic faith - And were not bitter doing it!…And two days with a fever in a dirty room in India almost broke me!……When the mother of St James and St John asked for her sons to sit at the right hand of Jesus…This is what Jesus said to her..….”You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?”…..When REAL persecution and suffering comes our way…All the “tough talk” and bravado goes out the window…Only through grace can one suffer for what is True; Good & Beautiful…This is why to follow Christ - To take up our Cross daily - We must pray, fast and live a Sacramental life…..Those who receive the Blessed Sacrament in the state of grace will endure until the end - Not because in doing so such people are so “strong”…....Just the opposite in fact.....But because Jesus empowers them by his grace - By his very Flesh….We are told in Scripture….”Apart from me you can do nothing”…Do we really believe that?…..When push comes to shove….All we have is grace - And do you know what?…..Grace will be enough!

“The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock”

Today we are reminded in the Gospel at Mass that Jesus did not come to “thrive” here on earth…He came to serve, suffer and die……The world has not changed too much since the time of Christ 2000 years ago…The Truth is still rejected adamantly…..That means if you speak the Truth or dare I say live the Truth boldly…....To one degree or another - We will suffer too…..Jesus asks us today….Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?”…..The only way we can accept persecution is by and through God’s grace…..I have found in my life, many times in fact - The “tough guys” fold…..Why?…Because they rely on their own strengthen and no matter how strong you may “think” you are…Our strength is limited….."Therefore, put on the armor of God, so that you will be able to hold fast on the evil day and to hold your ground with all your strength”….His grace will be sufficient for you - Live and die by it……………JMJ

Man plans and God laughs……Wile E. Coyote never catches the Road Runner…When will Road Runner learn?

Today at Holy Mass the Prophet Haggai address the Jewish people…He refers to the people he is speaking to as the “remnant”…Historically speaking, at this time the people of Israel had successful escaped from their bondage in Egypt and have forgotten God - And society had fallen into decay…Sound familiar?…But Haggai is optimistic….”Who is left among you that saw this house in its former glory? And how do you see it now? Does it not seem like nothing in your eyes? But now take courage, Zerubbabel, says the LORD, and take courage, Joshua, high priest, son of Jehozadak, And take courage, all you people of the land, says the LORD, and work! For I am with you, says the LORD of hosts. This is the pact that I made with you when you came out of Egypt, And my spirit continues in your midst; do not fear! For thus says the LORD of hosts: One moment yet, a little while, and I will shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all the nations, and the treasures of all the nations will come in, And I will fill this house with glory, says the LORD of hosts. Mine is the silver and mine the gold, says the LORD of hosts. Greater will be the future glory of this house than the former, says the LORD of hosts; And in this place I will give you peace, says the LORD of hosts!”……..I have written extensively in these daily reflections about this reoccurring theme in the Old Testament of “Exodus and Return”…How the people of God easily forget where they came from and who they are…And only God himself can “fix the problem”…..This is exactly where the Unites States of America is right now….We have “forgotten” God and our nation is in disarray…But just as Haggai told the people of his day…I am telling you now….FEAR NOT…..God did not forget his people then and he will not forget us now!…..He loves us too much to leave us where we are…..God will act - And He will restore what has been lost as he has done in the past…..Look not to politics….To “strong men” or to mere words for answers spoken from prominent pulpits or podiums…The answers are hidden in the human heart, waiting to be revealed and unearthed….Like lightening from the sky - God will act - Once again!

“The Son of Man came to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

We have all heard the phrase “rock bottom”…..More times then not, human beings have to hit “rock bottom” before they “get out of their own way” and allow God to change them…..Historically speaking this happens time and time again - Both in countries and in individuals…..God is the “potter and we are the clay”…He is always at work - In his time and in his way!……..When I volunteered with the Missionaries of Charity in New York City before I was married I taught the Catholic faith to a man named Phillip…..Phillip was a drug addict who lived in Las Vegas for a long period of time…..As a result of bad choices, Phillip acquired the AIDS virus…..And because the State of Nevada did not provide free HIV medication, which he needed to survive…Phillip moved to New York City….This is where I met Phillip, in a hospice run by Mother Teresa’s sisters for people with AIDS…..Phillip’s life was a wreck….He had no job, no money, he had a terminal disease, which required medication to keep him alive….And as a result of all those factors - Phillip was receptive to becoming Catholic and getting Baptized - At his request by the way…That is where I came in - I taught Phillip the Catholic faith…And he was frankly very attentive to it….Now was Phillip perfect? - Far from it - But as a result of the circumstances of his life….Finally, his “ears were open”…..Phillip did in fact get baptized and I am his Godfather…And when I got married, Phillip read at my Wedding Mass…….But ponder for a moment what it took for Phillip to get to the point where he would even remotely listen to God……This story is not unique…..This happens to people and also to nations…..God through his permissive will allows us to make choices, even if they are bad choices and then reap the consequences of those choices….And when we have “had enough”….Many times, we come to our senses………When Jesus performed his first miracle at the Feast of the Wedding of Cana at the request of his mother….Our Lady told the people…”Do whatever he tells you”…..Now this request from Our Lady was not about “control” or power…As some people today wrongfully think the Catholic Church is trying to exercise over its people…This statement was made out of love, knowing what Jesus asks of us through his Church is what is best for us - But we are not convinced!….So back to the story of my friend Phillip….God loved him and because he loved him - He did not allow Phillip to “stay where he was” - So he allowed Phillip to fail - And fail he did - But it was through that failure that Phillip opened “his eyes”…..Ultimately, that is what life is all about….The “name of the game” is finding God amongst all the “noise” of the world - And once we find God - Then we must live our life in and through our Catholic faith…Arriving at our final destination - Heaven…..That is the ONLY GOAL of life - Everything else is NOISE….And sadly for most people - We have to fail before we “see” and “hear” amongst the noise.

“For you, O God, are my strength. Why do you keep me so far away? Why must I go about in mourning, with the enemy oppressing me?”

Today we are reminded by the Prophet Haggai at Mass about how the people of Israel forgot about God…..Yet Haggai was optimist that the Jewish people would “figure it out” - Once again!….This is the story of mankind - “Exodus and Return” - And it repeats itself time and time again…Each of us were made in God’s image and likeness…And when we willing break from God, we lose sight of who we truly are at our very core…..This is what we are seeing across Western Civilization today….Nations that once embraced a Judeo - Christian belief system, who once thrived are now a mess!…America has fallen into disarray because we have forgotten what made us successful in the first place….But fear not - God has seen this story before….And from the "remanent" as was the case in Haggai’s day - God will start something new - Once again! - From the ashes something new will rise…..Man plans and God laughs……Wile E. Coyote never catches the Road Runner…When will Road Runner learn?…………………….JMJ

”He tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad, and jumped into the sea”……Travel light and build!

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Facts do not change because we do not like them….We are all entitled to our opinion, however, we are not entitled to our own facts

Today at Holy Mass we are told in the Gospel of Luke that Jesus, who is God gave his first twelve disciples authority…..He says it very clearly too….”Jesus summoned the Twelve and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick”…..What does that mean?….It means that the Church Jesus founded - The one and only Church - The Catholic Church - Has authority….Don’t believe me?….Jesus says it AGAIN in Scripture…..”And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven”….Again, what does that mean?….It means that because Jesus is God…And because God established a Church…What the Church proclaims (i.e “Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven”) bears weight and carries with it the authority of Christ himself…..This authority given to the Catholic Church is outright rejected by so many…..With that said, to ignore reality does not change reality…..Heaven is God’s house and if we want to “get into God’s house” the only way we “get in” is on God’s terms - “Write that one down and save it!”….Just like how it is in your house - "Your house - Your rules" - Right?….It works the same way with God

“The Kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the Gospel”

For those of us who are parents, we know that children do not always listen to what we tell them…Our children “think” they know better…In many ways the Catholic Church is our mother…She wants nothing but the best for us…Yet, we “think” we know better then our mother!…..What we seem to forget, the Catholic Church has been around for 2000 years…It has endured tyrants, wars, hostile empires and scandals that should have destroyed it…But just the opposite happened - Its still around - That should tell you something “right off the bat”….In those 2000 years, the Church has taught, as well as acquired great wisdom and more times than not - In time, Catholic teaching, while rejected has proven not only right but spot on!…Yet the world STILL either ignores or outright rejects Church teaching….Like a child who “holds its breath in the corner”, we are only cutting off our nose to spite our face…”God holds all the cards”….And we do not get into heaven on “our terms”…..And we all die!....And the only authority is Jesus, as we heard today in the Gospel and Jesus gave that authority to the one Church he founded - Again, we heard that in the Gospel!…..To ignore reality does not do us any good……Allow me to give you a good example of what I am talking about from American history

”Joseph Rummel was named by Pius XI as the ninth archbishop of the Archdiocese of New Orleans on March 9, 1935. At the time, New Orleans was rapidly urbanizing as farmers flocked to the city in search of factory jobs. Also, recent European immigrants many of whom were Catholic, were also settling in the city. Over the next thirty years, the Catholic population in the archdiocese would double to over 762,000, and the number of students in Catholic schools grew from fewer than 40,000 to over 85,000. Rummel spent most of his tenure in New Orleans expanding the parochial school system. However, he is perhaps best remembered for his controversial decision to desegregate the archdiocese, including the Catholic schools. All of the Southern states including Louisiana and the city of New Orleans, had been racially segregated by law since Reconstruction ended in the 1870s. Like the rest of the city, parishes and schools within the Archdiocese were also segregated. The community had accepted segregation as a normal part of life. Sadly, no archbishop attempted to desegregate the Archdiocese until the Civil Right Movement began after the end of the Second World War. Once the movement did begin, Rummel embraced the cause of racial equality and white segregationists were outraged. Politicians organized, held public protests, and initiated letter writing campaigns. Parents threatened to transfer their children to public schools or even boycott the entire school year. Rummel issued numerous letters to individual Catholics, pleading for their cooperation and explaining his decision. He even went so far as to threaten opponents of desegregation with excommunication, the most severe censure of the Church. The threats were enough to convince most segregationist Catholics into standing down. Nevertheless, some parishioners continued to organize protests. On April 16, 1962, the Monday before Easter, Rummel excommunicated three local Catholics for defying the authority of the Church and organizing protests against the archdiocese. The first of the three was Judge Leader Perez, 70, who called on Catholics to withhold donations to the Archdiocese and to boycott Sunday church collections. The second was Jackson G. Ricau, 44, political commentator, segregationist writer, and director of the "Citizens Council of South Louisiana". The third was Una Gaillot, 41, mother of two, housewife, and president of "Save Our Nation Inc." The excommunications made national headlines and had the tacit support of Pope John XXIII. Perez and Ricau were reinstated into the Church after public retractions”……(*Wikipedia)

“And as for those who do not welcome you, when you leave that town, shake the dust from your feet in testimony against them……Then they set out and went from village to village proclaiming the good news and curing diseases everywhere”

Why did these two men publicly recant their positions?…Because being Catholic they KNEW that being excommunicated by a Catholic Bishop meant they not only could not receive the Blessed Sacrament here on earth but would not be allowed into heaven when they died…Why?…Because Archbishop Joseph Rummel was given authority - By whom? - Jesus….And the Church still has that same authority today…Those who have ears - Let them hear!……Today at Mass we are reminded of the authority that Jesus gave to his Church….Many will read what was written in the Gospel, which came right out of the mouth of Jesus Christ and flat out ignore it….Many will also ignore the example I just gave in America of a Catholic Bishop, who exercised the authority given to him by Jesus to excommunicate Catholic politicians for publicly defying the laws of God….Here is the bottom line - In the history of mankind, there has been only one man who rose from the dead and that man has authority - That man also established one Church - The Catholic Church…When YOU rise from the dead - I am all ears…Until then - I am staying put………Facts do not change because we do not like them….We are all entitled to our opinion, however, we are not entitled to our own facts……….JMJ

Pray and Do

Today the Universal Church commemorates the Feast Day of Saint Pius of Pietrelcina, known to the world as Padre Pio….Pio was born poor to a working family in Southern Italy and his father sacrificed tremendously to educate his son….Once he became a Franciscan Priest, he soon found that he bore the wounds of Christ on his body…A mystery to the world and also a mystery to Pio himself…..Padre Pio was a man of great humility, obedience and suffering…..The world did not understand him and he was persecuted because he was at times to be believed a fraud, even within the walls of the Church….Pio endured it all in obedience and as a result Christ sanctified him - To be a visible sign to the world….Today at Holy Mass we hear St Luke tells us something Jesus said to the crowd…Something we all should pay very close attention to……”He said to them in reply, "My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it”…The mere fact that we say - “We believe in Jesus” - Is of little consequence if we do not act upon Christ’s words…..I can hear it now…”You Catholics “think” you earn your place in heaven”…..To address that statement in one word - WRONG!….All I am saying is what the words of Scripture tell us, particularly what St James tells us….“You have faith and I have works.” Demonstrate your faith to me without works, and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works. You believe that God is one. You do well. Even the demons believe that and tremble”……How does this Gospel passage relate to Padre Pio you may ask?…..This is what Pio, a saint, who bore the wounds of Christ had to say about faith and works…..”Heavenly Father, how could I who am so weak and halfhearted live without this Eucharistic food? How could I fulfill that petition made by your son in our name, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, if I did not receive strength from this Immaculate Flesh?”…..These are the words of a saint that bore the wounds of Christ for 50 years!…If this man struggled to do the will of God - How about us?….How much more do we need to live a Sacramental life?……To think that we can live out our faith, putting it into action without daily prayer, the sacraments and weekly fasting is as we say in New Jersey a “pipe-dream”….”The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak”….However, if we give God permission….If we utilize what the Universal Church gives to us….We can and will act on our faith…We will become an extension of Christ…We will be his hands and feet in the world….This is the goal…We can do what it takes to make it happen - If we so choose.....So go - And make it happen!

“Blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it”

“Pray and do”…These were the words of a wise nun to me many years ago….”Joseph - Pray and do!”…..These are the “marching orders” of every Catholic….We are fed by Sacramental Grace…Daily Prayer and Weekly Fasting…And then we “go forth” into the world…Each soul is unique, each person has gifts and when we are “fed”…....We are to put those gifts to use in service of the world and its people….What good are gifts if they are not used?…..What good are our gifts if we labor for “things” that in the end amount to nothing….Scripture tells us…”Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him the Father, God, has set his seal”………You tell me you believe in God?….You tell me you are Catholic?….Prove it!…May your life speak and let the world see…..To live this way we must walk against “the tide”………….In Kolkata when I served the poor with Mother Teresa sisters, I had a group of friends from Ireland….I would eat breakfast with them most days….I would joke around and call these folks - “The Irish Mafia”…...And they would laugh hard and loudly......After daily Mass with the sisters and after we had breakfast…This group of men and women would search the streets of Kolkata and pick up people from the gutters and train stations…They would bring them to clinics run by the sisters, most times by taxi….When I think of this group...I think of the original twelve apostles when the Church we new - These “rough and tumble” men had embraced what I call “First Principals”…It was nothing fancy…..The first twelve apostles first prayed - Then they went out and acted….This is what my friends did in India - “The Irish Mafia”….They were “fed” by the Blessed Sacrament at Mass…They received Jesus into their body worthily in a state of grace…And that “nourishment” manifested into action…Nothing fancy - But action none the less…The same will happen to us…If we build our life upon “First Principals”….Our Church was founded by a carpenter…The first twelve men to follow Christ were uneducated working men - Mere fishermen!…There was nothing fancy about what they did - Yet they shook the foundations of the world………And so will we!…..Pray daily - Fast weekly - Go to a Sacramental Confession with a Priest Monthly - Receive the Blessed Sacrament at Mass weekly on Sunday…These are “First Principals”…Anyone can do this….There is “nothing fancy” about it…And then you too will “do” - Your actions will flow naturally from those very “First Principals"….Why is this so important?…Because we must “do”…We are mandated to "do" by Jesus himself……Make it happen!….Pray and Do.......JMJ

Truth is always vindicated in time and suffering is temporary - “Do your time”…..And look to the East

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the Gospel of Luke Jesus addressing the idea of Light….Clearly we all know that without light, we can not see, especially at night…..Jesus however is not talking about physical sight when he references "Light" in this text….And the "Light" Jesus addresses in this passage is tangibly felt even by those who oppose and deny the very exist of Christ - To this very day….....Why?…....Because when the Light of God is witnessed…Its blinding - More so then the sun…The hardest of men and the darkest of hearts can not deny it…..”Jesus said to the crowd: "No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel or sets it under a bed; rather, he places it on a lamp-stand so that those who enter may see the light. For there is nothing hidden that will not become visible, and nothing secret that will not be known and come to light”….This Light Jesus communicated to us today at Mass is what our world desperately thirsts for - Whether it is realized or not…So much so, that the secular world has tried to create substitutes for this Light….But just as the dew of the morning is dried up by the rising sun…No substitute compared to the Light of God can measure up or can satisfy the human heart….We as Catholics, through Sacramental grace, daily prayer and fasting have the opportunity to be filled with this Light - What a privilege has been given to us!…..And when this Light is witnessed by the world….Such a witness can not be overcome nor can it be denied…..”You tell a tree by the fruit it bears”…..This "Light" Jesus addresses to the crowd speaks for itself…….We must give God permission to give us this Light…..St John tells us very clearly in his Gospel….”The Light shines in the darkness - And the darkness could not overcome it”……To not believe that, is to not believe reality…The pages of history echo this reality time and time again…In the end, the Light shines….And the darkness runs for cover.

“Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father”

When the darkness of this world appears to win…Know this - The win is temporary and will not last…..To understand this reality can enable a person to endure anything…..In time, the darkness will flee…Man will have his hour - But God will have his day - Bank on that………..What keeps us from fully embracing this Truth? - We are unwilling to endure the trials that come before Truth wins the day…....Endure whatever comes your way - Endure it with gladness and pride - That God considered you worthy to suffer for his name…..”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”…….How many people in history were considered fools - Only to have their life’s witness vindicated in time…The list is so long I could fill one hundred books…..Joan of Arc, Thomas More, Edith Stein, Oscar Romero to name a few....…I could rattle on all day!….What separates these people from the rest?….Their rock solid Catholic faith in God...…These men and woman saw passed the “noise” of their day...….We must do the same…And in order to “see” in this manner, we must fortify our self with daily prayer and Sacramental grace….This kind of “vision” is very real…This is how the saints and the prophets, that echo throughout the pages of history "shine a Light" that could not be extinguished…..Once again - For this to happen, we must be willing to endure hardship…....And that is where the rubber meets the road - Where the sheep are separated from the goats……Jesus ran towards the trials of mankind, not away from them…And so must we……”Do your time” and do it well……What we endure in this life is only a moment

“Although they go forth weeping, carrying the seed to be sown, They shall come back rejoicing”

Today we are reminded by St Luke - He tells us that the Truth wins…I think we all know that…But before it wins there is a cost to pay…Jesus showed us this in the most radical way…And each of us, to one degree or the other - Will also have to “pay a price” - Do not run from suffering - Endure it willingly and with joy…..”For there is nothing hidden that will not become visible, and nothing secret that will not be known and come to light”…..Truth is always vindicated in time and suffering is temporary - “Do your time”…..And look to the East……………..JMJ

”No servant can serve two masters”

Today at Holy Mass in the first reading the Prophet Amos addresses the people of his day who cheat others….We all work in the world and in one form or another, each of us have encountered this situation,…..”Hear this, you who trample upon the needy and destroy the poor of the land! - The LORD has sworn by the pride of Jacob: Never will I forget a thing they have done!”…….To steal is a grave sin but to rob from those who are poor - This is a sin that cries to God directly!…..Each of us must work - “I get it” - Trust me!…However, when we “cut corners”…When we ”fix the scales” in the marketplace to give ourselves an unfair advantage…We steal from those less fortunate - This sin is grave indeed….I have learned in my own life that we "get away with nothing" - I learned that the hard way!…..While we may “think” we “get away” with a certain action….Bad behavior and bad habits bleed into other aspects of our life - Effecting decisions, relationships and ultimately undermining outcomes that we “thought” went unnoticed - What we “thought” we “got away with” - "Comes back to haunt us", as we say in New Jersey..…Jesus tells us in the Gospel today from St Luke….”The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones. If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth, who will trust you with true wealth?”…..We each must make as choice….Do you live for the Kingdom of God?….Or….Do you live for the Kingdom of this world?……When Jesus fasted for 40 days in desert, preparing himself to suffer and die for the sins of the world…The devil gave Jesus an “offer”…........”Then he took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a single instant. The devil said to him, “I shall give to you all this power and their glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I may give it to whomever I wish. All this will be yours, if you worship me.” Jesus said to him in reply, “It is written: ‘You shall worship the Lord, your God, and him alone shall you serve…..The devil makes the same “offer” to us….And those who are most gifted….The offer is not just a “dream”…It literally could become reality….What is our answer?

“No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon"

Jesus when he died was buried in a borrowed grave…Scripture tells us Joseph of Arimathea, who was a wealthy and a “well connected" man…Who followed Christ…Joseph approached Pontius Pilate, requested the body of Jesus and also gave him a “proper” place to be buried…And as a result….His name is mentioned and honored to this very day……There is nothing wrong with earning a good living….There is nothing sinful about money…Its how we use it…..And Joseph of Arimathea clearly put his money to good use….Don’t you agree?…….How about us?…….Years ago, I traveled to Argentina for work….It was one year after the country went bankrupt…..Before Argentina’s monetary system collapsed, believe it or not…The Argentine Peso was “dollar for dollar" with America currency…What does that mean? - Argentina was a rich country like America - And then, just like that…The currency in Argentina was complete worthless…To give you an idea about what I am talking about…When I was in Buenos Aires, which is one of the great cities of the world….A high-end steak dinner, which would have costed hundreds of dollars before the crash, cost me twenty-two American dollars - The price of a meal at a diner in New Jersey….All the wealth of the country and the people of Argentina was taken away - In a matter of minutes….Do you think that could not happen here in America?…..And if it did…Everything that was “important” to so many would mean nothing…..Jesus asks us to be good stewards…That means we always “keep an eye” on heaven…..When we loose focus…When we take our eyes off Christ….Something replaces our gaze…And that “something” usually is power, prestige and money…..Once again…There is nothing sinful about making a good living - I make a good living….There is nothing sinful about making money…It all comes down to how we use it…..And how we use it will define who we become…And where we “end up” when the final whistle blows

“Jesus said to his disciples, "A rich man had a steward who was reported to him for squandering his property. He summoned him and said, 'What is this I hear about you? Prepare a full account of your stewardship”

We are reminded today in the readings from Mass that we are to prioritize God above all things…When we place God “on top” - Everything else falls into place in our life…How easy it is to “get lost” in the comforts of this world….Many Americans (the collective "we") live like we will never die - Until we get sick - And die!…..When we look at America today, the crisis our nation is living through - Behind most of the “virtue signaling” that comes from secular humanists of all stripes….Under it all - Is a deep self hatred…....."Those who have been given so much, much is expected" - That is “baked in” to our DNA as human beings, whether we like it or not…And when the most gifted of our society lives for themselves only…Innately, a self-loathing germinates within that person…And that self-loathing is projected forward into what is called in polite company “progressive values” and “woke ideologies”…..God made us all the same in so many ways…..And if we have been given great gifts, we are to use those gifts to not only benefit ourselves and our family, but others as well….And if we choose not too - There is a cost to pay…That cost is “self-loathing”…..And that cost steals our joy and peace……”No servant can serve two masters”…..JMJ

True and authentic humility endures all things - As my father would always say - “Straight ahead”

Today at Holy Mass we hear Jesus instruct his friends about how we are to bear fruit for the Kingdom of God…He tells them this through a parable about soil…How “the soil” must be rich in order for the seed of faith to grow….How true this is…We do our part by purifying our soul through the Sacraments, daily prayer, alms giving and fasting…And God does his part by giving us the needed grace…But there is more Jesus tells his friends…”But as for the seed that fell on rich soil, they are the ones who, when they have heard the word, embrace it with a generous and good heart, and bear fruit through perseverance”……Perseverance is vital in the life of the Spirit….As we all know - Life is not “cake-walk” - For anyone…..To walk the “narrow road” which leads to heaven is not easy….This is why we need Sacramental grace, which strengthens the human will….Our “YES” must be resolute and we MUST commit to God fully - “Burn the bridge and the boat” - “There is no turning back!”….How many souls give up when times get tough? - When there appears to be “no light”…When darkness seems to have won……In those times - And we all will experience them, we must look at the Cross…How the world of Jesus’ day thought all was lost when the Roman Empire crushed his mortal body….The only one who did not give up…Who was able to look past what seemed an insurmountable defeat was Our Lady….In those moment…Cling to Our Lady…As St John did…And you will persevere until the end.

“Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart and yield a harvest through perseverance”

In December 2007 I went to Kolkata India for the first time….It felt very natural for me to go - That may sound “weird” but my entire life of traveling for work and backpacking around the world I believe prepared me for the trip….The city of Kolkata for those who are from a western country reading this reflection is a shock to all the human senses….The people of India call Kolkata - “The City of Joy”….But when you lived a comfortable life in America and arrive at the airport for the first time and ingest the air pollution, see the poverty on the streets, hear the sounds of the craziest traffic you have ever heard and smell the trash each morning littered with rats as you walk to daily Mass…..American hearts can grow weary and fast!….Thoughts like - “What have I done coming here” start to get louder and louder in your head……Needless to say…The city is shocking at first glance…But it does grow on you….And I have come to understand why it is called "The City of Joy"….Allow me to explain why - My first trip to Kolkata, I got very sick from the air pollution…I traveled in 2007 all alone and I found myself with a fever and dysentery…For two days I stayed in bed thinking to myself…”God - Did you bring me here to destroy me?”….During those two days many negative thoughts went through my mind….I thought I would never return to the city again…..God had another plan!….I returned five more times!……Back to my story - Once I recovered my strength…I continued to serve at the Home for the Dying with Mother Teresa’s sisters….One of my tasks was each day I would help a Korean nun clean the burns of a man who was cooking on the street over a propane stove that exploded…A large part of his body was badly burned…I would hold him down as sister would clean his wounds…The man’s name was Joseph…..The more I gave myself to the work, to prayer and to the poor…. The more the memory of my own sickness faded away….The more I knew I HAD to come back to the city….Looking back…I believe the devil…Through me getting sick for those two days tried to discourage me….And it almost worked….Its in those moments in life and we all have them, when we feel like we are “groping in darkness”….Its in those moments that we must trust all the more - As if we were literally blind walking down a New York street!….Clinging to Our Lady….And remembering that there is no Easter Sunday without Good Friday….God will have the last word!….”The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it”…..But before that happens…We must endure…We must persevere…We must NEVER give up!….NEVER!

And some seed fell on good soil, and when it grew, it produced fruit a hundredfold.” After saying this, he called out, “Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear.”

Today we hear Jesus tell his friends that if we want to bear fruit for the Kingdom, we must persevere…..It’s easy to say with words - “I will never give up”….As we all know - Talk is cheap!……”Be sober and vigilant. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour”…..Bravado and “tough talk” - Those are the first to turn around and run! ….Humility conquers every hardship, every trial and every obstacle….Mother Teresa would say - “If you are humble nothing will touch you, neither praise nor disgrace, because you know what you are”……True and authentic humility endures all things - As my father would always say - “Straight ahead”….………………….JMJ

The world does not revolve around us - We are simply a small part of a big and beautiful picture - Play Your Part - Know Your Part - That means knowing when to “take a back seat”

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the first reading St Paul in a letter to Timothy, advising him on how to approach his Catholic faith...........….”Whoever teaches something different and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the religious teaching is conceited, understanding nothing, and has a morbid disposition for arguments and verbal disputes. From these come envy, rivalry, insults, evil suspicions, and mutual friction among people with corrupted minds, who are deprived of the truth, supposing religion to be a means of gain”….Jesus was one man who formed one Church - How did we get to the mess we are in today? - The Christian world is so divided - HOW? - Even within the walls of the Catholic Church……To me this is a mystery….The faith taught for 2000 years is SO CLEAR - Yet - We “hear what our itchy ears” want to hear……As many know, I co-host a Catholic radio show and being that I am a part of the Catholic media in America, I am well aware of the many voices who comment and teach the faith across the internet and beyond - How can they vary so radically like they do?…..Again, this is a mystery to me………The Catholic Church does not belong to us - It belongs to Christ - We are merely members…..Jesus gave us a Pope….And because Jesus gave us a Pope….We are obliged to listen to him……Let me stop here - Because I just lost people…And that is the point of this reflection….By the way….Many of those people I just “lost” who are reading this reflection are “devout Catholics”………..Once again - This is such a mystery to me - Jesus was one man - He founded one Church……And we can not save ourself.

Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth; you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom

They say the longest distance ever traveled for man is the distance from his head to his heart…..The collective “WE” is so convinced that “WE” know better!!!!….And because of that - "WE" REFUSE to bend our knee to God………..Obedience is a “bad word”…....Even inside the walls of the Catholic Church……How foolish!…………While the Catholic Church is a human institution, it also has a divine element to it….Which means God works in and through it directly……A very wise nun once told me…..”Everything comes from the hand of God”…....And because of that, everything has a purpose…...The collective “WE” only sees a small piece of what God is doing…..That goes for the events of our life but also what comes from Rome and what is taught eternally by the Catholic Church itself….How many statements made by Popes throughout the centuries - Statements made, which were thought to be foolish when spoken, only in time to be validated?…I could fill hundreds of books with such statements….It comes down to trust….Do we trust God?…While the Pope is a man, subject to all the things men are subject too - There is also a special grace given to the Pope - A grace given by Jesus himself………”And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven”……..We must learn to trust the Pope because if we do not, we cease to be Catholic - Point Blank!……Once again - I just lost people reading this reflection - A big mistake indeed.

“Jesus journeyed from one town and village to another, preaching and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God…..Accompanying him were the Twelve”

Today we hear at Mass, St Paul instructs his friend Timothy…He reminds him to stay true to the one Catholic Apostolic faith…What does “apostolic” mean? - The unbroken line of authority from the apostles……This is the faith that will not only save our soul but the souls of many….We are just a “small part” of a very big picture - Like a mosaic…..Our world has forgotten this….St Paul in his wisdom reminds his friend Timothy…He also reminds us today…..”For we brought nothing into the world, just as we shall not be able to take anything out of it……But you, man of God, avoid all this. Instead, pursue righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness. Compete well for the faith. Lay hold of eternal life, to which you were called when you made the noble confession in the presence of many witnesses”…….The world does not revolve around us - We are simply a small part of a big and beautiful picture - Play Your Part - Know Your Part - That means knowing when to “take a back seat”…………JMJ