”With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him”

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the Gospel of St Luke the story of the men walking on the road of Emmaus…During their walk they encounter a man they did not recognize who turned out to be the Resurrected Christ…..At the end of the day, these two men had supper with Jesus and it was when he “broke the bread” that their eyes were opened…What was it about the “bread” in the hands of Christ that made them “see”? - What is it about the bread consecrated in the hands of a Catholic priest?……This is the “key” to our Catholic faith!!!…..It’s not enough to intellectually understand that the Eucharist is the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ - We must believe it as a tangible reality! - When this is the case - Our world view changes and so does our life…..I find something else also very interesting in this Gospel passage from St Luke today…As these two men walked with Jesus on the road to Emmaus, even when they did not recognize Christ physical, they “felt something” when they were in his presence…….“Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?”…..Let’s explore this idea…..There was “something” about this man - Now let’s be honest, when we talk to people, on any given day, usually our “hearts do not burn” - Right?…So clearly, Jesus made an impression on these two men on the road….And he will do the same thing today!!……This is why Eucharistic Adoration needs to be utilized in every Catholic Church….It does not matter if you even believe in God - Whether you are a practicing Catholic or not - When you sit in silence in front of the Blessed Sacrament - “Your hearts will burn!!!” - This should tell us all something very important….For one, God is real……Secondly, He loves everyone! - Not just the “perfect people” - But everyone!!….And lastly, if we make the time each week to sit in front of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, in silence, God will “speak” to us in a language “we only understand”……As Catholics we do not know what is in the hearts of other people - Their hurts - Their deep disappointments - Their weaknesses - But God does!!!…..We can not “convince” people with mere words that the Catholic faith contains the fullness of Truth - But God can!…This is why Eucharistic Adoration is so important!….Again, a person does not have to be Catholic to simply sit in front of the Consecrated Host in silence - And if a person does, as we read in the Gospel today from St Luke - “Their hearts will burn”…..In many Catholic diocese across America, as well as in many parishes, there are all kinds of “programs” - Programs to get people into the pews…..The only “program” that is needed is Jesus! - Establish Eucharistic Adoration at your parish - If you can, do it perpetually - And watch what happens! 

“When all the people saw him walking and praising God, they recognized him as the one who used to sit begging at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, and they were filled with amazement and astonishment at what had happened to him”

Before I was married I was the Saturday driver for Mother Teresa’s sisters in Manhattan for seven years…During that time, I learned a lot!….The convent I served at was a hospice for men who acquired the AIDS virus…When the men came to live in the hospice, there were a few rules….One of the rules was they attend morning Mass…Most of the men where not Catholic and if they were Catholic, the large majority of them were not in the state of grace - So while they could attend Mass, they could not receive the Blessed Sacrament - Did you “catch” that?…..Is this perennial teaching of the Church proclaimed from the pulpits in our parishes across the world? - But I am digressing - Back to the my story……Another requirement for living in the hospice was the men had to sit in silence with the sisters for a Holy Hour each day……I have watched this process repeat itself for seven years!…I have seen “harden men” - Men who were in jail - Men who live horrible lives!!!…I watched them change right before me eyes….Some of them even would request to be baptized…..Why did this happen? - For one, these men experienced love - The sisters cared for them in ways many of these guys never experienced in their enter life - As Catholics, do we love “our neighbor” in this way? - Clearly we can not “change the mind” of our neighbor - But we can love him / her in tangible ways - Do we do this?…Again I am digressing - Back to the story….What else made these men living in the AIDS hospice change? - By sitting in silence each day for one hour in front of the Blessed Sacrament, God “spoke” to their hearts, in ways no one could!!!….This is the “secret” to evangelization - Let Jesus do it!….Our job as Catholics is to love people and when “our neighbor” learns to trust us as a result of the love we show them, we can then encourage our neighbor, Catholic or not, to sit in silence in front of the Blessed Sacrament….God will do the rest!

“And it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them……With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him”

Today in the Gospel from Mass, we hear the story of two men on the Road to Emmaus who “did not get it”….Jesus was walking right beside them and they could not recognize him…What made these men “see”?….St Luke tells us that it was not until Jesus “broke the bread” and they consumed it that they were able to “see”….Interesting!?! - Why should we “think” anything has changed today?…..As Catholics, if we are in the state of grace and consume the Blessed Sacrament, we too will “see”…Also, even if a Catholic is not in the state of grace, their hearts will still “burn” if they sit in front of the Blessed Sacrament in silence - The passage from St Luke’s Gospel tells us this very clearly………..Today, in Catholic circles, the word “accompaniment” gets “throw around” a lot…We hear its “pastoral” to “accompany” others - Well, that is true - But indirectly encouraging our brethren who are not in state of grace to consume the Eucharist or worse - To ignore when our brethren are living in objective mortal sin and “turning a blind eye” when they consume the Blessed Sacrament at Mass - This is not “accompaniment!!!!!”….Authentic Catholic accompaniment is what Mother Teresa’s sisters did for the men who lived in their AIDS Hospice…The sisters loved them and sat with them in front of the Blessed Sacrament…And in time, God’s time - God “spoke” to those men - A language only they could understand…And in turn, many of those men were transformed…That is the definition of “accompaniment” from a Catholic prospective - And it works!…….”With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him”…..JMJ

No need to re-invent the wheel - The “wheel” works just fine as it is

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the first reading a passage from the Acts of the Apostles…….The Acts of the Apostles should serve as a “benchmark” for the Catholic Church…..Jesus’s newly formed Church was on fire! - The zeal for the Lord rested on the original twelve - And the newly baptized faithful were all in!….Are we all in?…..Does the Catholic Church today look like the Church from the Book of Acts?……Interestingly enough, when preaching to the people, St Peter echoes the words of John the Baptist…..”Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and they asked Peter and the other Apostles, “What are we to do, my brothers?” Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit”…Notice when asked by the crowd - “What are we to do?” - Peter tells them the “formula for salvation” - “Repent and be baptized - and will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit”…..And that “formula” has not changed in two thousand years to this very day….The question is - Is this the “blue-print” we use when preaching to our people?…..Reading the Gospel is great but if we do not repent first of our sins - We will never understand the message of the Gospel…..St Peter “gets it” - Do we today?……Catholics must understand that if we do not regularly confess our sins Sacramentally, not only will we not be open to the Holy Spirit, but the grace of the Blessed Sacrament when consumed at Mass will not penetrate our hearts…Is this message preached from the pulpit? - Is this message taught in our homes and schools?……Its about going back to “basics” and what is documented in the Acts of the Apostles “lays it all out”  clearly for us…..Follow the “blue print!” - Its not about “re-creating the wheel” - Its about “painting by numbers”…..Everything we need to know as Catholics is writing down! - Repent and Believe the Gospel

“Upright is the word of the LORD, and all his works are trustworthy. He loves justice and right; of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full”

Because we are human and born with a fallen nature - We do not “see” clearly…Even the best of us - Catholic teaching tells us we live “behind the veil”, meaning we can not see God as he truly is - Heaven and Earth is currently separated by a “veil”…..Notice in the Gospel today from Mass, Mary Magdalene, a person who followed Jesus and who knew him personally - When Jesus was resurrected, Mary Magdalene could not recognize him - How is that possible? - This illustrates what I am writing about in this reflection - Mary Magdalene’s “vision” was impaired because she was “behind the veil”……”When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there, but did not know it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” She thought it was the gardener and said to him, “Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!”….We too live “behind the veil” and because of that, our “vision” of God, as well as our understanding of God is impaired as well….However, as we grow in sanctity, the “veil” gets thinner and thinner….And our understanding deepens - And our vision becomes clearer…….For years I serviced with the Missionaries of Charity as their driver in Manhattan before I was married…Over the years, I noticed that when a sister died of natural causes, Mother Teresa’s sisters would have a Funeral Mass and when the Mass was over, go right back to work - The mourning period was so short - So I asked the sisters one day about it…..The answer I got I thought was interesting…..”Joe - Death is simply like going from “one room to another room in a house” ”…..I never thought of death in this manner - The “transition” between life and death for Mother Teresa’s sister was seamless! - Maybe I never thought of death in that way is because I simply was not as close to God as the sisters were…For them, the “veil” between heaven and earth is much “thinner” then the “veil” was for me….This should tell us something - Not only does death not have the final word - But the closer we get to God on this “side of eternity”, living in union with his Holy Will, the easier the transition to eternal life will be for us as well - Like going from “one room of the house to another room.” - Seamless and Simple!

“Our soul waits for the LORD, who is our help and our shield. May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us who have put our hope in you”

Today at Mass, when asked by the crowd what they should do in order to follow Jesus, St Peter tells them clearly as documented in the Book of Acts…”Repent and be Baptized - And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit”……Pope John Paul II, who arguably was the most significant man of the twentieth century - When asked what was the most important event of his life - His response may surprise you - The Pope said - “The day I was Baptized”….How would we answer that question? - What is the most significant event of your life?……As Catholics, our job is to “remove” all the obstacles that get in the way of the Holy Spirit….In essence, we need to “get out of our own way”…And our Baptism is the first step in that process….Next, we must go to Confession frequently and regularly - The saints recommend going once a month - By doing that we “remove” sin from obstructing Divine Grace, which continuously falls upon us….Lastly, when we are “all cleaned up” from sins, which are forgiven Sacramentally - When we receive the Eucharist at Sunday Mass, we will be fortified and strengthened to live as a Catholic is called to live…..There is the “blue print!” - And its not some esoteric concept for the few to understand…Is this what we are doing? - Is this what is taught in our homes and in our schools? - Is this preached from our pulpits?….Why asked those questions? - Because this is what St Peter did as noted in the Acts of the Apostles…Does the Catholic Church today resemble the first believers as documented in the Book of Acts?…..Repent and Believe the Gospel!…..Notice the word “Repent” comes before “Believe” - That is an important observation because that is how “it works”…..Follow the “blue-print!” - No need to re-invent the wheel - The “wheel” works just fine as it is…………JMJ

Don’t be deceived - More importantly - Don’t deceive yourself!

Today at Holy Mass St Peter proclaims to the Jewish people that Jesus was the man he said he was - Jesus Christ, a man who spoke words no one ever heard before rose from the dead!!!…Peter witnessed this - And the crowd would not believe it….Has anything changed today?….”On the day of Pentecost, Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and proclaimed: “You who are Jews, indeed all of you staying in Jerusalem. Let this be known to you, and listen to my words. “You who are children of Israel, hear these words. Jesus the Nazorean was a man commended to you by God with mighty deeds, wonders, and signs, which God worked through him in your midst, as you yourselves know. This man, delivered up by the set plan and foreknowledge of God, you killed, using lawless men to crucify him. But God raised him up, releasing him from the throes of death, because it was impossible for him to be held by it”……What keeps people from believing real time events that occur right before their eyes?……If Jesus was to return today - Now that everyone has a camera on their I-phones - And recorded Jesus descending from the sky - Would the world believe? - Would the world change?…..My guess is NO - I state that because belief in Christ requires a willingness to change - It requires to acknowledge we made mistakes - That we are sinners and we have sinned….That we were wrong about many things…..And the world is not willing to do this - Even if they saw with their own eyes a miracle - Even if they saw Christ’s return!…..This is why the key to believing - The key to being a practicing Catholic - Is simply a humble spirit….Humility is the foundation for all the virtues - Humility allows us to recognize Truth - Its our pride that leaves us “in the dark”….Pride twists Truth into self serving agendas and ideologies - Even within the walls of the Church….We see this in our American political system too….Words like “Justice”….“Equity”…..“Democracy”…..“Freedom”…….All great “words” - Concepts all people want - Right?…But behind these words are self-serving men with self-serving agendas - And the masses get lost in the “fog”…..This is why the crowd did not believe the words of St Peter….Their ideology was challenged by Peter so it did not matter “what they saw” with their own eyes - The many miracles and even the fact that Jesus rose from the dead - If it meant “changing their mind” or “changing their life - They were out! - They were not having it!…..Sound familiar?

“Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”

If one has a logical, objective and linear mind, when you observe how people of the world view ideologies and the politicians that spew rhetoric around those ideologies - An objective and logical person will lose his or her mind!….How people will denial reality - For example - The reality that they cannot offer food!!!!! - And yet. embrace an ideology, politician or political party that lies to them consistently while robbing them blind - Only because they will not change…They would rather suffer then change!…This is the sad story of man kind…And we see this on full display in the readings today at Mass……”The chief priests assembled with the elders and took counsel; then they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him while we were asleep. ’And if this gets to the ears of the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” The soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has circulated among the Jews to the present day”…When one, as an objective observer of human behavior, watches mankind repeat the same mistakes over and over again, one may want to literally scream!!!!…When we get to “that place of frustration” - We must turn it over to God - Because only God can address certain realities - And history shows that God does in fact - FIX - What mankind can not FIX……God plays the “lone game”…..And in time, God’s time not our time, all things work towards a greater good……..This is why as Catholics, we must unite ourself with the Lord and the Church - Not some political ideology - The closer we get to God, the more He can use us - The way He wants to use us, which may be very different from what we “think” we are meant to do…..Only saints change the world - Not politicians - Not the ruling class - Not titians of industry…All those people “change” the world on a temporary basis…But saints leave a lasting imprint and are the catalyst for lasting change…This is why we as Catholics need to ask Our Lady to make us saints…Not for the purposes of becoming remembered…But because the closer we get to God, the more God can use us - For His Glory and the good of the world…Is your priority to become a saint?

“You will show me the path to life, fullness of joys in your presence, the delights at your right hand forever”

Today, the day after Easter Sunday, the readings at Mass point to how mankind even when presented with tangible realities, still refuses to believe….Human beings many times would rather suffer and delude themselves then believe their very own eyes!….Again - Sound familiar?……The good news it - Jesus Christ meets us exactly as we are - We are sinners and Jesus loves us - He encounters us we are! - But then he asks us to change….People who are open to change, no matter what the change find God and the people who are not, frankly will never find God…..The world does not “revolve around us” nor do we determine reality on “our terms”…And the simple fact of the matter is - God is reality! - And to deny God - Is to deny reality!!…..One day, no one knows when, Jesus Christ will return again - And when he does return, He will turn the world upside-down!…..Literally upside-down!!! - That day will be a wonderful day for some and a terrible day for others - That is reality…….”As he drew near, he saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If this day you only knew what makes for peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. For the days are coming upon you when your enemies will raise a palisade against you; they will encircle you and hem you in on all sides. They will smash you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave one stone upon another within you because you did not recognize the time of your visitation”…Salvation is found through Jesus Christ…Jesus Christ was one man - The only man to ever rise from the dead - Did you “Catch That?” - He also founded one Church - The Catholic Church…..We will not find salvation on “Our Terms” - Does the world fully understand that reality?………“God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord”…..What we “see” and believe has very little to do with our eyes and ears when you get right down to it - Seeing and hearing has everything to do with our will - As St Paul tells us….”We hear what our itchy ears want to hear” - “For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine but, following their own desires and insatiable curiosity, will accumulate teachers and will stop listening to the truth and will be diverted to myths. But you, be self-possessed in all circumstances; put up with hardship; perform the work of an evangelist; fulfill your ministry”.……Don’t be deceived - More importantly - Don’t deceive yourself!…..JMJ

Christ is Risen - The “light” in our eyes does not lie!

Happy Easter - Christ is Risen!…Now that Lent is over…Easter Sunday is a welcome change…Something new begins Easter morning….The lessons hopefully learned from our Lenten fast pointed to this day…Today is a day to rejoice and celebrate…Death no longer has a sting and in fact because of Easter Sunday, death now has meaning….Death is a portal into something eternal…No matter who we are, what we have accomplished, what talents we have been given…Two aspects of human life binds us all together…We all will suffer, to one degree or another and we all will die…Only Jesus Christ can give meaning to both suffering and death, the two “great foes” of mankind…..And when viewing suffering from the lens of Catholic teaching - Suffering is nothing more than a “tool” used to sanctify us, preparing us for eternal life…When we view death and suffering in this manner - And when we open our hearts to Divine grace - Fear no longer has any power over us……”They put him to death by hanging him on a tree. This man God raised on the third day and granted that he be visible, not to all the people, but to us, the witnesses chosen by God in advance, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead”…….Our witness to the unbelieving world rests in our joy and peace….Knowing that death has been conquered - There is a great freedom received in knowing this reality….This is what every human person longs for - Whether they say it or not…Our words will never convince the world about this freedom - Only our life’s witness can…..“Do not be afraid! I know that you are seeking Jesus the crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ Behold, I have told you”……..Each of us has “something” to do - One chapter ended on Good Friday and another one began Easter Sunday…God is still “writing” the story of salvation…..And the final chapter has not been completed yet…What is your “part” in that story?

“He commissioned us to preach to the people and testify that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness, that everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name”

Within a three day period, the world changed two thousand years ago…People talk about “change” all the time…Books are written about transforming lives - Self help “coaches” charge huge fees to help people “change”…But ultimately does any of this really work or last?….The human condition, no mater who we are is plagued by sin…And this is why the life of Christ is so significant….Jesus not only died for our sins but gave us a Church, which gives us the Sacraments…And its through the Sacraments that we can change - For real - In lasting and permanent ways…..The modern world does not believe this - And this is our primary task as Catholics…Not to “argue” with secular people - But to demonstrate by our life just how important it is to live Sacramentally…..We are an Easter people! - But if we do not live Sacramentally - Our Easter joy will also fade away when Easter Sunday comes to a close today………When I first began working with Mother Teresa’s sisters in 2007, I noticed something about the sisters….All the nuns had this “light” in their eyes…..It was something I never saw in other people I have encountered in life….And frankly, I thought to myself - “I want that light in my eyes too”…..Have you ever looked into the eyes of a child?….That is the “kind of light” I am talking about…..When we get older and begin to “see” the world as it really is as an adult - We lose “something” and when we do - That “light” in our eyes goes out….Only Jesus Christ, living in us Sacramentally can give us that “light” back! - The “light” only children have in their eyes before the world robs us of it……......”Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven”………Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we are given the opportunity to regain our childhood innocence….Nothing the world can give to us can accomplish this reality - And it is reality! - How do I know? - I saw it in the eyes of Catholic nuns and because I saw it - I wanted that “light” to return to my eyes too!

“The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. By the LORD has this been done; it is wonderful in our eyes”

Today all over the world people will celebrate Easter Sunday…..Christ has indeed risen! - Easter joy is as real as Easter Sunday - As Catholics, it’s our joy that people see - And it’s our joy that people want - Real and lasting joy can not be self manufactured….And we can not give what we do not possess….Easter Sunday is a realization of that lasting joy - Its something we all can all receive - But the choice is ours to make to receive it…Easter Sunday could simply be just another celebration marked on our calendar - Just “another day” - Or it can be something much more!….Easter Sunday is a “glimpse” into eternity - Its a reminder that death no longer limits mankind - We as Catholics can claim to understand that concept intellectually or we can internalize this idea and live through this reality each and everyday…How do you know if you have internalized the reality of the Risen Christ?- Well - As I noted above in this reflection - A “light” will appear in your eyes!….This is a “sign”….Christ is Risen - The “light” in our eyes does not lie!……….JMJ

Pray for grace and trust that God will give it to you

Holy Saturday and the Church is silent - There are no Masses - The world waits…..Holy Saturday rests between two of the most significant days in the Church calendar…Good Friday & Easter Sunday…..And because of that, Holy Saturday often gets over looked….Think back to this time 2000 years ago…..Many people took a huge “chance” - They “bet” everything they had on a man who they were convinced was God only to watch him get ground into dust by the ruling class…….Even those with unshakable faith had to have been terrified….One can only imagine the fear - “I will be next” - “They did this to a man who performed miracles - What will they do to me?”……When you meditate on the First Holy Saturday, following the death of Christ, the fear of the first Christians must have been “off the charts!”…..Think of the few people who stood under the Cross of Jesus….”His mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala” and of course there was St John…..What made them stay when everyone else fled?…..As Catholics it’s very easy to “stay” faithful when everything is going well - But what happens when “life turns upside down?”…On the first Good Friday, not only did life “turn upside down”, but a real and present danger became a reality for every person who claimed to believe in Jesus Christ…Yet, a small group stood at the foot of the Cross…..Its very easy to say, you or I would have been among that “small group”, the “remnant”, to use a word often “thrown around” today referring to Catholics who remain faithful and authentic……But if we are honest, we can never say for sure if we would have been there at the foot of the Cross with Our Lady and St John…Fear has a way of “twisting people” and only Divine Grace can overcome “that kind of fear”, which in actuality is pure terror!…..Holy Saturday is a day in which we should contemplate just how reliant we are upon God - How weak our faith is or can be - How much we need to cling to Christ, the Sacraments, daily prayer and fasting - How we should never trust our own strengthen……Holy Saturday is special because it is a reminder - It should remind us to “never despair” - Never “count God out”…That from “nothing” God can create “something”….Its for us to wait and be patient….What we “see” is not the “whole picture”…God has a plan and each of us are apart of it…..This is what Holy Saturday is all about

“I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

Good Friday has past…..Easter Sunday is not here yet…Today is Holy Saturday….Are we full of hope? - Have we become “blinded” by despair and disappointment?…….I can hear the words of St Thomas echo throughout this day…..“Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nail-marks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe”…………For those of us today, who know that tomorrow is Easter Sunday, let us take some time to pray…Pray for the grace to never give up hope - To believe when no one believes - To remain firm when everyone “heads for the hills”…..The question however remains - ”When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”…….Pray today that you are one of those people who remain firm - “The Remnant” - Pray for grace and trust that God will give it to you……JMJ

”Cock-a-doodle-doo”

Today is Good Friday…..Catholics around the world mid-day will gather to remember the death of our King….A man beaten and ground into dust by the powers of the world…Only to rise again…..Are we willing to “lose” in the eyes of the world in order to “win”?…A question one must ask themselves if they claim to follow Christ…..The answer to that question separates the “sheep from the “goats” when its all said and down…………”See, my servant shall prosper, he shall be raised high and greatly exalted. Even as many were amazed at him--so marred was his look beyond human semblance and his appearance beyond that of the sons of man--so shall he startle many nations, because of him kings shall stand speechless; for those who have not been told shall see, those who have not heard shall ponder it”….During the three years of Jesus’ earthly ministry, he said and taught many things - Most of which went in one ear and out the other ear of the people that followed him…....”My Kingdom is not of this world” - A statement Jesus clearly proclaimed as he faced certain death as Pontius Pilate interrogated him…….Jesus made it perfectly clear to Pilate, an earthly King, that he was “not interested” in power as human beings perceive it……How about us?……Do we have “one foot in the world and one foot in heaven”? - Do we want to have it both ways? - Do we want the “crown of heaven” but forego the “crown of thorns”?.........There is no such thing as “cheap grace”……”He was spurned and avoided by people, a man of suffering, accustomed to infirmity, one of those from whom people hide their faces, spurned, and we held him in no esteem. Yet it was our infirmities that he bore, our sufferings that he endured, while we thought of him as stricken, as one smitten by God and afflicted. But he was pierced for our offenses, crushed for our sins; upon him was the chastisement that makes us whole, by his stripes we were healed. We had all gone astray like sheep, each following his own way; but the LORD laid upon him the guilt of us all”………..Jesus was very clear - “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” - The statement could not be any clearer! - How about the “statement” of our life’s witness?…….If we are serious about our commitment to Christ and his Church, we too must be willing to “give up our life”…..For most of us, that will not mean being “nailed to a cross” - However, know this and let it “settle in” - Every soul in heaven, died sacrificially - “White martyrdom” is death by “a thousand cuts”…Its a father who gets up early every day and works for his family - Its a mother who gives up her dreams to have many children - Its foregoing having a big house - Its foregoing having nice cars - Its giving up sleep….This is how most of us “die to ourself” and this is the only way into heaven!…..No one enters heaven, without dying sacrificially, no matter what state in life you were called too - Whether a priest, married or single…..”Because of his affliction he shall see the light in fullness of days; through his suffering, my servant shall justify many”……The road to “Golgotha” must be walked by us all - There is no other way


“Christ became obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every other name”

Over the years I have been married, I have watched my wife and have marveled at how she cares for our five children at a deep personal cost…My wife is highly intelligent and earned a Master’s Degree in Business (MBA) from one of the most prestigious universities in America…..She could have taken a very different path and that path would have made her very rich!…Instead, she had five children in ten years…..My wife gave up so much and when I watch her, I am simply amazed!….If we as Catholics want to “convince” the world that our religion is “the way” to heaven…We must live sacrificially - No one will ever believe us if we do not witness a life of sacrifice….At the heart of the Catholic faith is sacrifice - And each of us as Catholics basically “make a bet”….We wager that this world means very little when compared to eternal life….But if we “make that bet” with our lips - We have to “back it up” with our life….The world will not even “blink” at Catholic teaching proclaimed from the pulpit or in the public square for that matter unless we as Catholics live sacrificially…And if we do live sacrificially - From the Pope down to the lady who cleans the Church…Catholics will set the world on fire! - The “power” of our Catholic witness rests in our personal sacrifice….As we say in New Jersey - “Don’t kid yourself”….No one will believe a word you say - Unless you live sacrificially!

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin. So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help”

Today the world watches and waits - Its Good Friday - Jesus hung on a Cross until the Hour of Mercy rung out…….“It is finished”…….What will be said when our last breath is taken? - Are we willing to “pour out our life” for others? - This is a fundamental question that needs to be pondered on this day…..The impact we leave behind rests in our sacrifice not in our words….Its what will separate the “sheep” from the “goats”…..We all remember the words of St Peter…..“Master, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you” - How did that turn out?………Words mean very little - Sacrifice means everything……….”Cock-a-doodle-doo”………….JMJ

If you dare to “knock” the door will open

Today is Holy Thursday…The day Jesus established the priesthood two thousand years ago and gave the world the Eucharist - His very Body and Blood to consume….Interestingly enough, the disciples did not “get it” as Jesus was doing this in real time - So don’t be so hard on yourself - God is patient…..That was not all…During this very important night, Jesus shows his friends by his example something very important…..He demonstrates to the apostles the importance of service - And Jesus does this by washing their feet……..”So, during supper, fully aware that the Father had put everything into his power and that he had come from God and was returning to God, he rose from supper and took off his outer garments. He took a towel and tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and dry them with the towel around his waist”……….Words are easy to say…I tell this to my children all the time - But actions speak loudly!….This is how we as Catholics must communicate our faith to the world - Through our actions!…..But how do we live in this manner?….This is the key question…..In order to be a person for others, we must “see” God in others…Without this kind of “sight”, frankly we will never give of ourself in the manner we were all called to by our Baptism……We cannot read our way to this mindset…Our advanced University degrees will not open our hands and hearts to others - Only Divine Grace can make that happen…But how do we get this grace?…..Once again - Jesus tells us…..“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened”……….On Holy Thursday Jesus give us the “key” to living as God called us too…For one, Jesus gave us the Eucharist and when we live Sacramentally, receiving the Blessed Sacrament on Sunday in the state of grace - Our eyes will open - And so will our hearts!…Secondly on this very important night - Jesus shows us how we can validate our faith to the world - Not by words - But by actions….Our life’s witness tells the world everything it needs to know…..That does not mean we will be perfect - No one is perfect - But it does mean that the way we live our life - What we do with our time - What we do with our talents and treasure will tell people everything thing need to know about us….Catholic tradition tells us that the Blessed Sacrament is “food for the journey”…This is why Jesus established the priesthood, for only though the hands of a priest can we receive this life giving “food”, which is necessary to propel us forward to eternal life……”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. Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever”……The Bread of Life is not an “option” - Without it - “You do not have life within you” - These are not my words - So “don’t shoot the messenger”

“This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes”

How important is the Blessed Sacrament to you?…As a Catholic, we believe in the True Presence meaning, Jesus is fully present, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity in the Host when consecrated by a priest…..Many Catholics understand this intellectually - But do they really understand it? - Because if you did understand this - Your life would change - Mass would never be “boring” - And going to Mass would be something you would want to do daily if you could……It be Catholic means to live Sacramentally - Is this what we are doing?….And in order to live Sacramentally, we must not only receive the Blessed Sacrament on Sunday but we must confess our sins to a priest at the minimum once a year (this is a Church teaching - not my opinion)…If we are not doing this - In the words of Jesus…“You do not have life within you”…..In my view, the Church needs to make this reality abundantly clear to its people and the world at large…..We are not being “pastoral” to our people when we do not speak to them clearly…That does not mean “beating them over the head” - But it does mean, people “only know what they know” and if we as Catholics do not teach the Truth in its entirety and teach it clearly, how will our people know it, never mind live it?…I was born in 1970 and have been Catholic my entire life…I state this because during this “chapter” of Church history, it appears to me that the Church at times tries too hard to “be like everyone else”….Our job as Catholics is to “stand out” - Not to “go along to get along”….And to live in this manner means we have to speak the Truth clearly…Is this what is happening? - Do we teach and preach the Truth clearly? - In season and out of season?…Because if we do not - How will our people know what to believe?…….”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”…This my friends is the Truth!- Its a matter of life and death too…..So if we say we love others - Doesn’t that imply we tell them the Truth?

“I give you a new commandment, says the Lord: love one another as I have loved you”

Today is a very special day in the Universal Church, its the day Jesus established the priesthood, because if we did not have priests, we would not have the Blessed Sacrament - Holy Thursday begins what we as Catholics know to be the Holy Triduum…..Holy Thursday, Good Friday & Easter Sunday Vigil Mass……Do you believe in the True Presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament? - If you do not - Here is a great prayer to say….Take five minutes and stand in front of the Blessed Sacrament in a Catholic Church when no one is there…And say these words…”God - I do not believe you are in the Blessed Sacrament - But I want too - Please help me”…..Just say those words and stand in silence for five minutes…If you do that periodically - My bet is - God will “open” your eyes to a reality that you never thought existed or was ever possible…..How do I know this to be true?…..”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”…..If you dare to “knock” the door will open……JMJ