”Primacy of Conscience” does not “Trump” Church teaching!

Today at Holy Mass in the Gospel of St Matthew, Jesus and the Pharisees talk politics!…Not in a conventional sense, but the conversation is centered on paying taxes to the state…And when it came to Rome, who was the ruling power at the time Jesus walked the earth…Believe it or not, my guess is, on the issue of the Roman occupation of Israel, Jesus and the Pharisees were on the same page…..Israel because it was a vassal state had to pay taxes to Rome…..So the Pharisees asked Jesus - Should we pay these taxes?…..Clearly Rome was not ruling Israel equitably - So should we just refuse to pay these taxes?….Jesus tells them…."Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God”….So yes - The state has authority, even if it is not legitimate, and because it has authority, pay the tax…..But God also has authority - Right?!? - He does not impose “taxes” on us, but he does require us to acknowledge his authority - If we want to end up in heaven that is - Don’t fool yourself into thinking we do not owe God obedience and we still get to spend eternity with him on “our terms” - That is a self depiction at best and a completely incorrect way to approach your Catholic faith….But back to our story from the Gospel…..Clearly both Jesus and the Pharisees wanted Israel to be a free and sovereign nation - So politically, they were on the same page.....The difference - The Pharisees “played the political game” with Rome - An example of this is how they convinced Pontius Pilate to crucify Jesus…….And Jesus “played no games”…….Today we see many Catholics “caught up” in political idolatry - It can be seen all over social media - They “play the political game” - Whether they realize it or not……..The Church is VERY clear in its positions on issues how they relate to society (i.e Abortion, Euthanasia, Same Sex Marriage, the Death Penalty)…Yet, Catholics say one thing about their religion and then contradict their Catholic faith by how they vote or on certain issues, how they support them, which the Church vehemently rejects….How can that be?….In some cases Bishops have made very strong statements on these intrinsically evil actions, such as abortion, same sex marriage, etc…And still Catholics, politically support politicians, who actively oppose the Catholic Church, some even aggressively oppose the Church!…..That is a modern day form of political idolatry, similar to the Pharisees in Jesus’ day, who “played both sides”…..They publicly claimed to be Orthodox Jews, yet they were “politically in bed” with Rome, who was the oppressor of their people…..Do we realize that is going on today? - In plain sight!…..When we ignore Church teaching and elevate political ideology based upon person preference - We become political idolaters violating the First Commandment……While as Americans we all have to “pay our taxes”, no matter who is in power - Whether a Republican or a Democrat - Our first allegiance must be to God and the Catholic Church….Speaking personally, I am Catholic before I am anything else……God - Family - Country…In that order…….That is how it should be - But is it?…..“Political idolatry” violates the First Commandment - Plain and Simple - When we place our “political preferences” above God and His Church - And if we get the First Commandment wrong - We get everything wrong!

"Tell us, then, what is your opinion: Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?" Knowing their malice, Jesus said,"Why are you testing me, you hypocrites? Show me the coin that pays the census tax." Then they handed him the Roman coin. He said to them, "Whose image is this and whose inscription?" They replied, "Caesar's."At that he said to them,"Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God."

Could an authentic Catholic - Who publicly believes everything the Church professes to be True ever get elected in America?…..Sadly, I doubt it?……Whether its from a lack of formation or frankly out of willful rejection, Catholic politicians in America have historically and currently fail us….Whether its supporting IVF reproductive technology, to “keeping silent” on the issues of same sex marriage, to promoting policies that support usury in business…..Our politicians fail us - Catholic and Non-Catholic alike!…..So what do regular Catholics do? - We “hold our nose” and vote the “lesser of two evils”…Will that ever change? - The answer is probably not - Not until Jesus returns in Glory and then we do not have to worry about “voting”…..In the mean time, we have to stop trying to create a “political utopia” because its never going to happen….Mankind is fallen and frankly has for the most part rejected God and his Church - From the beginning of time!…Until we get the “God part” right - Don’t expect to get the politics part right - Because its not going to happen…Again - In the meantime….Beware of political idolatry!…Its all over Catholic social media…..Catholics “speaking out of both sides of their mouth”!….How do we know we are on the “right side of things”…The answer - Its easy! - Read the Catechism of the Catholic Church…Everything you need to know is written down! - From how we should view the death penalty, to abortion, to marriage - Its all written down!…..When we ignore or rationalize our political views outside of what is clearly written down by the Church - Like it or not - We are in the wrong before God and His Church!…..The Church is “Our Mother” and needs to help form our political conscience - As all good mothers do - They form us into health citizens….”Primacy of Conscience” does not “Trump” Church teaching!…….JMJ

"Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God."

Dare to be uncomfortable!

Today at Holy Mass in the Gospel Jesus tells us that if we are faithful to the Truth - If we proclaim it in the public square….If we live it and do not “hedge our bets”….We will be persecuted…Notice the wordsJesus uses…”WHEN” not “if” - “WHEN”……”When they take you before synagogues and before rulers and authorities, do not worry about how or what your defense will be or about what you are to say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment what you should say”….It is a very human desire to want to be comfortable - To get along with people - To "go along" - We all want this!…We are groomed in America at an early age to succeed in life!…To “get a good job”…To make money….Even in our Catholic schools - This is drilled into our heads!!!!…..The reality is - While we do need to make money to take care of our families - That is NOT what we were created for!….And here is some more reality - Coming from a guy who did “tick” a lot of those "American boxes" and works in Corporate America in finance….To make big money - To get the “big title” - To “succeed”…One MUST “play the game” - Meaning, one MUST “give way” a piece of themselves to the “corporate machine”…..Years ago when I was studying for my Masters in Business (MBA), I was working in consulting and the founder of the company that employed me said something I will never forget - “Success is a choice”…And it is…While one must be smart to succeed - One also has to make certain “choices” that may result in you losing your soul….That is reality!…Why bring all this up?….Jesus warns us today in the Gospel - If we choose to go against the powers of this world..By living a certain way - By speaking a certain way - By embracing the Fullness of our Catholic faith in the Public Square…And by doing so, we threaten the “powers” of this world in a significant way….They are coming for YOU! - That is reality!….Again - Look at the word Jesus chose in St Luke’s Gospel…”WHEN” not “if”…..”WHEN they take you before synagogues and before rulers and authorities”…..Are you ok with that? - Because this is reality!….Far too many Catholics, many of them I went to college with at a Jesuit College, want to have it both ways…We want to have “worldly success” - Have the “big job” - Make the “big money”….And still be a devout Catholic….I can speak for myself after working three decades in Corporate Banking - That is a tough thing to “pull off”….Love of money and the love of God DO NOT MIX - That means we have to make a choice!…..Do we reign in heaven or do we reign here on earth?…And if we choose to “stand up against the powers of this world” in real and significant ways - “THE MAN” is coming for YOU - That is a historical reality…..”Jesus said to his disciples:  “I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before others the Son of Man will acknowledge before the angels of God.But whoever denies me before others will be denied before the angels of God”……Comfort is the enemy of the saints - In many ways its the “ticket” to hell….If you are Catholic - Get used to be uncomfortable!….And your reward in heaven will be great….We cannot have it both ways

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

As Catholics we know many of the stories of the saints - They lived radically and spoke the Truth - Many of them - Only to be killed….And after the fact - Everyone celebrates their life…But how about if you were alive when they were doing what they were doing…Would you be vocal in your support of these men and women? - Putting yourself at risk?…..Its ironic how we love to read about these men and women but want to keep a “safe distance” from them, if we encounter such a person in real life - Whether at work - In our neighborhood - In our schools……..Are you willing to say the uncomfortable thing?…Are you willing to live and go against the tide of society? - And suffer for it?!?….This my friends is the path to heaven…….Many people today look to “celebrity priests”…Now, I am not judging their soul…But if “the world” embraces such a man - How can he possibly by speaking the Gospel?…How can I say that with such certainty? - Because the world HATES the Gospel - Always has and Always will…The great martyr and saint from El Salvador, Oscar Romero said it best……..“The church must suffer for speaking the truth, for pointing out sin, for uprooting sin. No one wants to have a sore spot touched, and therefore a society with so many sores twitches when someone has the courage to touch it and say: “You have to treat that. You have to get rid of that. Believe in Christ. Be converted.”…..And Bishops, Priests and Lay Catholics, who do this as St Oscar Romero rightfully pointed out, are for the most part despised by society!…….That is reality!…..More times then not - Good Bishops, Good Priests and solid Lay Catholics are relegated to “the corner” - Not because they are “bad” - But because they live and speak the Truth…And the Truth makes people uncomfortable!…….As Catholics, the way I see it…We have one task…And the the Servant of God, Fr John Hardon SJ tells us what that task is…..We are to - Know the Truth - Speak the Truth - Live the Truth - And when necessary - Suffer for the Truth…Its the last part that separates the “sheep” from the “goats”…Because people like “their stuff” - Especially Americans!…They want to be “comfortable”…..Dare to be uncomfortable!….When we stand before God, he will not ask us to show him our “awards” and college degrees…My bet is - He was ask us to show him our wounds - And our scars….And when we do show him - They will be healed…In the mean time, while we still have breath in our lungs….Dare to be uncomfortable!…..JMJ

“May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened, that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call, what are the riches of glory in his inheritance among the holy ones, and what is the surpassing greatness of his power for us who believe, in accord with the exercise of his great might, which he worked in Christ, raising him from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the heavens, far above every principality, authority, power, and dominion, and every name that is named
not only in this age but also in the one to come”

“Do not be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows”

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the Gospel of St Luke sobering words from Jesus….He warns us…Then he encourages us….”I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body but after that can do no more. I shall show you whom to fear. Be afraid of the one who after killing has the power to cast into Gehenna; yes, I tell you, be afraid of that one. Are not five sparrows sold for two small coins? Yet not one of them has escaped the notice of God. Even the hairs of your head have all been counted. Do not be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows”….Fear is arguably the devil’s greatest tool…It limits us from becoming the person we all were called to be….The devil knows this, so he “plays his best card” - And he “plays it” well…..Most of the thoughts that cross our mind, the thoughts that scare us - never happen!!!!…..This is why we as Catholics should do our best to live in the present moment….And also abandon ourselves to Divine Providence…..Easy words to say - Right?!?…..As a married man, my wife and I are open to life…God has blessed us with five children - We have never used contraception in our marriage and have done our very best to honor our marriage vow to be “fruitful”…..When a married couple is open to life - Trusting in Divine Providence becomes very real….Such a couple feels the lack of control they have over their marriage and children when we live this way - And that is a blessing!!!! - Jesus “meets” us in “that space”!….How will I afford to take care of these children? - How will I educate them? - What if I lose my job?….We have no answers for those question and must leave them to God…And when we give God “that control” - God gives us grace, which leads to peace….Again, the devil does not want us to have this peace…Most especially have God’s grace - So he bombards us with fear!…..Each day at Mass we hear in the words of Scripture read very important life giving instructions - Do we listen? - I mean really listen?….Do the words of Christ go in “one ear and out the other”?…I ask these questions because Jesus did not say things to “hear himself talk” - He is instructing us how to live…Being Catholic is not some “academic pursuit”…Its an encounter with a living person - Its a way of life…And that person is Jesus Christ - Who is real!…Who said many very important things - Practical things, which anyone can understand…The question then becomes - Do we believe him?…And if we say we do - How do we “put flesh” around those ideas put forth by Christ in the Gospel?…Because in the end when we stand before God - We will not be asked - What did you believe? - We will be asked - What did you do?…There is a big difference between those two concepts….No matter who you are - We have been given everything we need to live as Christ called us to live - To conquer our fear - To become a saint - You heard me right - A saint!…We were all called to become saints…. So - “Do not be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows”….Strive to live as you were called to be….Faith over Fear!

“May your kindness, LORD, be upon us; who have put our hope in you”

Faith over Fear…..Easy to say right?….But how do we develop that kind of faith?….Its easy - We pray - We fast - We live Sacramentally….And slowly - Our faith grows……”And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” The Lord replied, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to [this] mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you”…We hear these words read to us at Mass - But do we really believe them?…Are they just words?…..The saints take Jesus at his word - We must learn to do the same………My wife gave birth to five children…All of which were born through what is called in common medical parlance C-Sections (Cesarean section -  is a major surgical procedure used to deliver one or more babies through incisions made in the mother's abdomen and uterus.)….My wife suffered from a medical condition where she had low progesterone levels and as a result - In addition to the five children she gave birth too via C-Sections, because of that condition, we lost three additional children to miscarriages….Throughout it all - My wife endured!!!!…I would go into the operating room with my wife for each of the children who were born….And if I were to be objective and honest, my wife seemed to me to be fearless!!! - Expect when the anesthesiologist had to inject her with a needle through her back, into her spinal column, before the operation began to extract the children from her abdomen and uterus - My wife Sabryna was terrified of that needle!!!!…Yet, she trusted God - We continued to be open to life and are still open to life!!! - And as a result - God gave us five beautiful children…..Faith over Fear!!!!….The devil will “throw” everything at you! - Everything!!!….We must live our life grounded in God….Firmly planted in our Catholic faith!…There is no better place to be - No safer place to be….How do I know this? - Because Jesus said so!……“Do not be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows”……JMJ

We can do the same - What stands in our way?

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the first reading St Paul telling the people of Ephesians, as he tells us…..”He chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him”…Some many hear this and think that God only “choses” a select few, the saints….But that is simply not true!…Each and every person conceived in the womb of a woman was “chosen” from the beginning of time and has a purpose in God’s divine plan…How much through our limited human mind we miss!….We get distracted and miss “the trees amongst the forrest” - And that is one of the devils greatest accomplishments - To distract us from our eternal purpose…To be holy - To return our soul back to God the way he gave it to us when we were conceived in our mother’s womb….Due to our fallen nature, which we all possess…We need help to achieve our potential…Again, in our hubris we disregard this help - Tragically!…The help provided to us is found in Our Lady and in the Sacraments….The Sacraments restore us to from original sin at Baptism, feed us on the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist, and forgive our sins when we fall (and we ALL fall) in the Sacrament of Reconciliation….As for Our Lady - Like all good Mothers - When we are devoted to her in praying the Rosary every day, she teaches us and gives us grace to be more like her son…..If we all just embraced this simple “formula”!!!!…And it really is that simple….And not get distracted or discouraged…..And persevere!…We will become who we were born to be….Why do we “settle”for lesser things?…..Why do we trade comfort for greatness?……Our vision must be made clear and only prayer, fasting and the Sacraments can give us this vision…To see what is real - God is real - And you were made for something more! 

“In all wisdom and insight, he has made known to us the mystery of his will in accord with his favor that he set forth in him as a plan for the fullness of times, to sum up all things in Christ, in heaven and on earth”

God sends us saints to remind us…To show us what regular people can do - If we only trust God!….We are not convinced that God can do more with our life then we can - So we “trade in” greatness for comfort…….Fr Louis was a simple Franciscan Priest, who served the majority of his religious life at The Church of St. Anthony of Padua located near the Holland Tunnel in Lower Manhattan…Fr Louis was in many ways very average…He was not particularly brilliant - He spoke with a common New York dialect, indicating he was born from a common family…But Fr Louis was special…What made him special?…He encountered a saint…When Mother Teresa opened the first Hospice in America for men with AIDS in Manhattan, Fr Louis walked from The Church of St. Anthony to see what was going on - There he met Mother Teresa…..She ask Fr Louis to “take care” of her sisters….And that is what Fr Louis did…For decades, he would walk with his religious habit on, through very aggressive anti-Catholic neighborhoods and serve Mass for the sisters, hear confessions and help the sisters care for these men who were dying of AIDS…I know this to be true because I knew Fr Louis and always wondered why this old Italian Priest would come to the convent on his “spare time” to help out…And one day he told me why - Because Mother Teresa asked him too…And he kept his promise - For decades!…..And this is why Fr Louis was GREAT…He was faithful to his word….A simple man who was transformed into a GREAT man…..We can do the same - What stands in our way?……..JMJ

“Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done wondrous deeds; His right hand has won victory for him, his holy arm”

That is how you know those who are the real deal - And others will know it too!

Today at Holy Mass in the Gospel of St Luke, Jesus continues to address the Pharisees and Scholars of the law…As I read this passage, a line jumped off the page at me…..”You love the seat of honor in synagogues and greetings in marketplaces.  Woe to you!”…….This is one of the “signs” to watch out for to identify those who are the “real deal” or not….A “man of God” could CARE LESS if he has all the “things” the world values…And one of those “things” is attention and prestige….People who are authentic Catholics more times then not, even when by the way they have accomplished incredible things, they operate in the background…Watch for this trait in people! - It is a sure sign that someone - A Bishop - A Priest - Lay Catholic - is the REAL DEAL….How do I know this to be true?…Because this is how Our Lady “operated”…Mary was the greatest of all disciples  - Pure as can be - And she ALWAYS was in the background - Working!!!…..Authentic humility binds us to Christ….No one was more humble then Jesus and Mary…And when we have acquired this virtue, we become a FORCE against the devil and all his legions in this world….Remember this - The devil is not afraid of you - In fact, when you “think” you can “stand up” against the devil, utilizing your God given gifts - That is when the devil KNOWS he has you…However, when we embrace, in humility, our human weakness and give it to the Lord - That is when we are filled with grace…THEN - The devil does  NOT have a chance!….A priest once told me when I was behaving badly - “Joe, arrogance is not of God” - His words pierced me to the core and have stuck with me to this day!…..Those who are truly humble, more times then not, have been humbled…Real humility must be felt, its not learned by reading books….And when you live the message of the Gospel in this world - Trust me! - You will be MADE to FEEL the "weight of this world" - The good news about that - This makes us humble and when we are truly humble - We become a FORCE in this world….Jesus clings to us…..Watch people closely - I DO - Look for this trait in them…..Do you take the “seats of honor” where ever you go?…or…Do you offer “the best seat” to others and sit with the rest of the crowd?….A different priest told me another story….”Jesus is rarely found in the front row of the Church…He is found usually in the back of the Church - There he is broken and alone - But if you go to him in the back of the Church - He will take you by the hand and bring you to the front of the Church……Watch what people do and when you “see” a person who does this - KNOW this - They are the REAL DEAL!

“When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not recline at table in the place of honor. A more distinguished guest than you may have been invited by him, and the host who invited both of you may approach you and say, ‘Give your place to this man,’ and then you would proceed with embarrassment to take the lowest place. Rather, when you are invited, go and take the lowest place so that when the host comes to you he may say, ‘My friend, move up to a higher position.’ Then you will enjoy the esteem of your companions at the table. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” Then he said to the host who invited him, “When you hold a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors, in case they may invite you back and you have repayment. Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

Before I was married was the the driver for Mother Teresa’s sisters in Manhattan for seven years…It is during that time, that God formed me and taught me…That time prepared me for marriage and “sent me forth” into the world…The lessons I learned in those seven years, I can write about for days and days!…..Today we hear in the Gospel at Mass about how Jesus addresses those who take the “best seats” in the synagogues and in marketplaces….One thing I can tell you about Mother Teresa’s sisters - They NEVER took the “best seats” anywhere - Even when they were offered!…I can say this with 100% honesty - I have NEVER met a person or a group of persons more humble…How do the Missionaries of Charity sisters learn this virtue?….The answer - They LIVE in poverty themselves and when you live this way - You “feel” poverty - If we as Catholics do not feel the cross of Christ in our daily life, frankly we are not living the message of Christ…And when you do bear the weight of the Gospel upon your shoulders - This will make you an authentically humble person…And this is what is LACKING today, especially in the American Catholic Church and with most American Catholics…We are FAR TOO comfortable………Every time I traveled to Kolkata, God always taught me something different - So many lessons!…..In the mornings, I would get up before 6:00am to go to Mass….The streets of Kolkata were just starting to get busy….People washing themselves in the gutters and Muslims walking to their Mosque to pray as I was walking the streets to go to Mass in the dark before the sun came up….When I would arrive at Mother House, the main convent for the sisters on AJC Bose Road, I would see the nuns washing all their clothes by hand near a public well in the courtyard of the convent….In New York, where I served with them too…The sisters did the same…Washed their cloths by hand - A VERY labor intensive job!!!….When Mother Teresa died, she was asked if the Missionaries of Charity, as a religious community, would continue on without her…Mother said if two things continued to happen, the order would continue to thrive…The first - The sisters must continue to keep the Blessed Sacrament at the center of their life…The Second - The sisters must live in poverty…This second condition many make people uncomfortable - Especially in America - But how can the sisters understand the poor they serve if they were not poor themselves?….For us Lay Catholics in the world - We are not called to live in poverty - We did not take a vow poverty…But the Social Compendium of the Catechism (Social Teaching) is VERY clear…Lay Catholics are called to live simply and to share their wealth with the poor…Not through a tax structure proposed by the state or country we live in - But from our own hands!!….This makes people uncomfortable but this is what our Church teaches!!!!….We are ALL called to share!…And living simply, meeting the needs of your family first and then helping your neighbor will make you authentically humble - How? - Because you will FEEL the weight of THE CROSS - Not just “read” about THE CROSS but FEEL it on your shoulders!….This is what Missionaries of Charity do…And this is what we must do as well…No one ever became poor by sharing!….Authentic humility is not learned by reading books - Its learned by living - We must “feel” the weight of our cross - That is how you know those who are the real deal - And others will know it too!....……JMJ

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

No one cares! - Unless people know we care!

Today at Holy Mass in the Gospel of St Luke, Jesus address the Pharisees once again!……”Although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, inside you are filled with plunder and evil. You fools! Did not the maker of the outside also make the inside? But as to what is within, give alms, and behold, everything will be clean for you”…The Pharisees were "smart guys" - But they “lost sight the trees as they walked through the forrest”…..They worshipped the law and not God…The law is not to be ignored - Don’t get me wrong - But the law is to point to God…And in the case of the Pharisees that was not happening…The law became a "god"….We see this example play out today…..No one is perfect and people make mistakes….When people make mistakes - Do we forgive them? - Do we have patience with them as God has patience with us?…Do we bear with people, who are flawed as we are flawed?…..Now for the million dollar question…Is this what you see on Catholic Social Media?….The finger pointing - The gossip - The slander - The defamation of character…..Clearly not all of Catholic Social Media is like this but what I described is clearly there….I co-host of a Catholic Radio show, I am apart of the media - But I REFUSE to take part in this nonsense…It serves no one!….And in many cases its sinful…..The Pharisees lived a “good life” in that they followed the law - We too must follow the law…However, if we do not love people…And the tone in our voice - The actions of our lives - The sacrifices we make for others…These are the “things” that tell the story…We can say all the “right” things on our “podcast”…..Write all the “right things” in our “blog”…But if our hearts do not have love within them…If our tone with others is accusatory and harsh…Trust me - Jesus Christ is NOT with you or your message!……As evangelists of the modern era - Those of us who are formed and educated in the faith….Who use social media as a means to communicate Eternal Truth…..How we say what we say can negate all the Truth we proclaim, if love is not at the center of our message ….When I encounter the modern day Pharisees of our age on social media - And they are there!…I do not respond…I do not comment…..I just “keep scrolling”……..Notice Jesus’ reaction to the Pharisee in todays’s Gospel - He was not impressed by everything he knew….In fact - The only people Jesus was ever harsh with in the Gospels was the Pharisees…And they “knew everything” - Right?!?…Except the most important thing….Make sure you do not forget - “The most important thing”!

“For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love”

My wife and I are involved in an organization that provides aide to Haiti, which is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere…..There is a Haitian saying I want to bring to your attention…..”An empty stomach has no ears”…….That statement applies today in America too - But in a different way…Do you think secular people care that you can recite the works of St Thomas Aquinas?….That you know the Catechism of the Catholic Church front to back?…..That you can sight verse after verse from the Bible backwards and forwards from memory?….A person who is steeped in mortal sin - (That could be your own brother) - Do you think such a person cares one bit that you know these things I just noted?…..Before we can reach the unreachable - The unreachable must know that we care about them….And that requires us to give of ourselves…..Give of our time, our treasure and talent - That is what sacrificial love is all about and that is what being Catholic is all about!…..When people know you truly care about them - Then slowly their “ears open” to the word of God - Not before!….When I served with the Missionaries of Charity in New York City, one of the primary things the sisters would do is make home visits to the poor…They would help them and get to know them personally….I have been on many of those home visits with the sisters….Many of these poor people were wonderful human beings!!!…In doing this - People realize that you truly care about them….This example “puts flesh” around the teachings of the Church….The words of the Gospel “jump off the page” to people when they SEE the words of Jesus lived out…This is what the Missionaries of Charity taught me…And in my humble opinion, their “model” of evangelization PROVED to be very effective….For us today who are attempting to evangelize the culture - Those of us  “who know everything”…Who are on Catholic Social Media - Take note….No one cares! - Unless people know we care!……..JMJ

“The word of God is living and effective, able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart”

No need for “magic tricks” - Just saints - So strive to be one!

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the Gospel of St Luke how Jesus speaks to a people looking for a sign…And he tells them…”No sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah”…What does he mean by this - Let’s break it down….As we all know the story…Jonah was a prophet sent to the people of Nineveh, who by the way were a VERY corrupt people….Jonah went to Nineveh reluctantly but none the less he went…When he travels through the city of Nineveh - What did Jonah do? - He preached repentance!!!…And believe it or not - The sinful people of the city repented…That is the “sign” or maybe put another way, “the miracle” Jesus is referring too when addressing the crowd, who by the way were Jewish and would know about the story of Jonah from the torah…..The message and the miracle Jesus was speaking about 2000 years ago applies today….There will be no sign from the sky! - Repent and Believe the Gospel - That is the message - That is it!…..Now - How are we Catholics going to be as successful as Jonah was in Nineveh?…I am not a Biblical historian but I would bet our current American culture could rival the corruption of Nineveh - Maybe even surpass it!….How can we “open the eyes” of the American people?…..Words teach but personal example show people the meaning of words - Remember that!…As Catholics we have “the best game in town” - meaning - The Catholic Church contains the Fullness of Truth…We as Catholics can recite the teachings of the Church up and down - But if people do not see the Truth in us - Guess what? - We will be ignored!….And only Sacramental grace, weekly fasting and daily prayer can transform us into being that “witness” our world “thirsts” for - Whether they realize it or not!….We cannot read our way to become a holy witness to the world…or…Self-Manufacture our way to it…or….Worse - Fake it!…..Even the simplest of people have eyes to see - They KNOW the real deal when they see it…And this is why only saints change the world…Not politicians - Not scholars - Not theological authors….Jonah was successful in getting the people of Nineveh to repent because the people of Nineveh saw God in Jonah…..So it must be with us today!…..Strive to deepen your interior life daily - Make it your number one priority, doing so within the confines of your vocation, whether Bishop, Priest, living in the married state or single….Then when you speak - You will be heard…And the Holy Spirit will convict whoever God puts in front of you!…That is how it’s done!…This is why Jesus today tells the crowd…No - I am not going to perform a “magic trick” before you - What I am going to do is - Rise up people like Jonah - That will be “the sign”……So it is today - Our world is in need of repentance and God will rise up saints to address the need - As he as always done throughout the centuries…No need for “magic tricks” - Just saints - So strive to be one!

“If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts”

What makes people change?….It does happen you know! - But what is the “turning point” that changes great sinners into saints? - A great question….More times then not, people who live overtly sinful lives have been wounded deeply and most times we cannot see those wounds…The person can even be a brother and we will not understand how a particular event or encounter has effected him to the point that his life is altered negatively for years and years - This happens!….And “nice words” do not address those kind of deep wounds…Only God, the “divine physician” can cure such a person….But some people cooperate with God to such a radical degree that they become holy - They become examples and their life reflects the Light of Christ in radical ways - Our world calls “those people” saints! - Have you ever met one? - Because if you have, trust me! - You will never forget such a person!….Today we hear at Mass about such a saintly person - Jonah converts an entire city…My bet is - Jonah was a very holy man!…Because clearly people could care less about “fancy words” - His witness must have reflected the love of God in such a way that no matter how evil the people of Nineveh where, the Light of God reflected in Jonah must have been something to behold!….In the seven years that I was the Saturday driver for the Missionaries of Charity in New York City…I have seen similar changes in people….Mother Teresa’s sisters are holy women….I have watched them “part the crowd” walking through the dangerous housing projects where violence is a common everyday occurrence…People respected them, even if they were not Catholic…Why? - Because they “walked the walk”….They not only took care of the poor - They voluntarily lived in poverty themselves - Side by Side with the people they care for….As many know, I co-host a Catholic radio show in the New York City Metropolitan Area…I am one of many Americans trying to evangelize the culture…..And America sure needs Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church!…….With that said, and I write this to all the people who are also trying to do the same thing I am trying to do - Convert the nation back to Christ! - If we do not reflect God in our life - Everything we do is in vain - Everything we say is said in vain!!!!…..Like the witness of Jonah - And like the witness of Mother Teresa’s sisters - People who encounter authentic holy people cannot look away! - Such people CANNOT be ignored - Their witness pierces even the greatest of sinners deep within their heart…I know this because this is how Mother Teresa’s sisters effected me…So much so before I was married I worked side by side with them tirelessness all over the world…..A holy life attracts others!!!….This is our job as Catholics, to strive each day to be such a person - And that kind of life only comes from a deep interior life (i.e. Sacramental living, weekly fasting and daily prayer)….This is how its done!…And this is why Jesus in the Gospel today tells the crowd……”There is something greater than Solomon here. At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because at the preaching of Jonah they repented, and there is something greater than Jonah here”……..No need for “magic tricks” - Just saints - So strive to be one!….JMJ