Come hell or high water - "We must obey God rather than men”

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the Book of Acts that the Apostles were in trouble again…..Here is the question - How can men who are wed to the Truth be in trouble?…One would think that such men would never be in trouble with the authorities…Right?……WRONG!….The Truth divides and it divides to this very day…If we commit to following Christ - We too will make enemies….Now, that clearly is not our goal but it is reality…..The world is not having it!……Nothing has really changed from the time of the first Apostles to this very day…..For example……At you Christmas party at work - Tell your co-workers you believe contraception is a sin - See what happens……Tell your next-door neighbor that you believe divorce is a sin - See what happens……..At Thanksgiving dinner, tell your cousin who is cohabitating with her boyfriend that they are living in objective mortal sin - See what happens……..The Truth divides!!!!!!…..As Catholics we must reconcile ourselves to this reality - We were not put on this earth to “go along to get along” - We were given life by God to “set the world on fire”!……So again today, we hear at Mass that the first Apostles were in trouble…..And when they were brought to court to testify for their “crimes” - This was the exchange that took place…."We gave you strict orders did we not, to stop teaching in that name. Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and want to bring this man's blood upon us." But Peter and the Apostles said in reply, "We must obey God rather than men”…….This should be our response, as well as the guiding principle of our life……"We must obey God rather than men”……….Are we so concerned with what other people think that we “water down” our Catholic faith?…….From our Church pulpits do we selectively preach the Truth and “leave out” aspects of Catholic teaching which are difficult to live by?…….How do we vote?……Do we place God above all things?……..Idols are created in our life in subtle ways…..If we find that we have created an idol, we must work to “tear it down”…..Catholics must live for an “audience of one” - And that audience is God - And let the “chips” fall where they may

“You believe in me, Thomas, because you have seen me, says the Lord; blessed are those who have not seen, but still believe!”

Years ago one of my childhood friends told me that he was gay…..I knew my friend Ed from grammar school and frankly I never thought for a moment that he was gay….At the time we were all in our late twenties……I expressed to Ed, that I was still his friend but as a Catholic I disapproved of his lifestyle….Sadly, our friendship was never the same since that moment…..Ed went on to live a homosexual lifestyle and as time went on, our friendship all but ended……Speaking personally, I have no hard feelings towards Ed - And the “door” will always be open to him as far as continuing our friendship…But as a Catholic, I will not pretend that living in objective mortal sin is a “good thing”…..We do not do anyone any favors by ignoring reality - And reality is that mortal sin is real - And if the Church does not address the sins of our society directly - Who will?…..As a father of five children, its my job to form my children and if they “go off the path”, its my job to teach them the right way to live - I do that first and foremost by my example…..What we as Catholics must fully “digest” is societies idea of “good” is very different from God’s idea of “good”…..We hear this all the time at funerals…..”John was such a “good” guy”…..”John must be in heaven” - Really? - John left his wife, remarried and never went to Mass……The standards of “men” mean very little to God and society does not determine Truth - Only God does…….Do we fear being “left out” if we authentically live our Catholic faith?….Because the reality of the matter is this - If we live as authentic Catholics - Some people will take offense to you - Are you “ok” with that?….Because that is reality and part of being an authentic disciple of Jesus Christ…..”We must obey God rather than men”…This is how the first Apostles addressed the “mob” when they were about to be punished…And that is exactly how we are too address the “mob”…….”Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves. But beware of people, for they will hand you over to courts and scourge you in their synagogues, and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake as a witness before them and the pagans. When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say. You will be given at that moment what you are to say. For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will hand over brother to death, and the father his child; children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in one town, flee to another. Amen, I say to you, you will not finish the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. No disciple is above his teacher, no slave above his master”….May God give us the grace to endure until the very end!

“The one who comes from above is above all. The one who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of earthly things. But the one who comes from heaven is above all. He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony”

The first reading at Mass today should serve as a model for us….The first Apostles were bold and courageous…..This is what the Catholic Church needs today - Bold and Courageous witnesses…….If we take the time to read what the Catholic Church teaches and has taught perennially, you will see that our world today as a very different idea of what is “good” then the standards established by God….And if we as Catholics write all these things down and claim to posses the fullness of Truth - Are we teaching these Truths in our homes? - In our schools? - And proclaiming the fullness of Truth from our pulpits at Mass? - Do we live the teachings of the Church in our daily lives? - In our marriages? - How do we spend our money? - How do we treat people we work with?……The answer to all these questions tells the world if we are Catholic or not….And this is how we will be judged by God - Not by what we say but by what we do….Wearing a cross around your neck does not make you a Christian….Jesus was nailed to a Cross and was brutally tortured because he spoke the Truth….And somehow we “think” today that we will not have to suffer, to one degree or another because we are Catholic?…….”Remember the word I spoke to you,* ‘No slave is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours”…….God gave us life - Not to “go along to get along” - But to spend our life in service of God and neighbor - Only to one day return to God……As a Catholic married man and a father of five children - There is a sign that hangs on my wall in my home for everyone to see…..”As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD”…..Come hell or high water - "We must obey God rather than men”……..JMJ

Don’t make what is simple complicated

Today at Holy Mass we hear in St John’s Gospel why some follow Jesus - And why some do not - Can something so important be explained so simply?……..”And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God”….It real is that simple!…….Any person of “good will”, with an open and objective heart, who sincerely seeks the Truth will always end up in the same place - The Catholic Church…..A friend of mine who is a priest told me something I will always remember……There are many people in the world who have “issues” with the Catholic Church…But under all the “issues” they speak of, there is one big “issue” they don’t speak about - And its that “issue” that keeps them from becoming Catholic - Could be they had a failed marriage and remarried outside the Church - Could be they suffered a huge injustice in their life and they blame God - Could be they had an abortion and refuse to reconcile their sin to God…….The Truth is the Truth - And when a person sincerely seeks the Truth - They ALWAYS find God and his Church…….Jesus tells us….”I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd”………….”My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me”……….In the hearts of all mankind is a desire to find God…Nothing can take that desire away and nothing we can do or achieve on this earth can replace that desire…..God placed this desire within each of us, so we will “search him out” during the course of our life……We can ignore God - We can run from God - We can try to substitute “things” for God…And many people do just that - But the desire for God is still there………..The great St Augustine put it best…”The human heart is restless until it rests in God”….This is reality!!!! - And there is no other way to find peace in this life outside of God…..We can run but we cannot hide!

“Look to him that you may be radiant with joy, and your faces may not blush with shame. When the poor one called out, the LORD heard, and from all his distress he saved him”

To live in the Truth takes courage!….Our world today runs from Truth….And to be an authentic Catholic, one must fully embrace the Truth, which is God himself…..Jesus very clearly said - “I am the Way - The Truth and The Life” - Notice he did not say - “I am the custom”…..One can not say that they believe in Jesus Christ and not fully embrace the Truth in all its fullness……And if we say we love someone - As many of us say we love God - That relationship must also be grounded in Truth - And if it is not - The relationship will fail…..This is why so many marriages fail today……Our world does not understand what love real is….We say today - “Love is Love”…But words fall short…Love is sacrificial and if a person says they love another and are not open to self sacrificial love - Their words fall short and are empty…….Marriage can only be defined by a life long commitment, which is open to life, between one man and one woman……There is no substitute…..If a marriage is founded upon anything else outside of Truth, the likelihood that it will fail is very high…And if it “lasts”, the people involved will not he happy…Why? - Because for there to be authentic love - There must be Truth……This is why when a married couple uses contraception, they in turn say something to their spouse “without saying it” out loud…”I only love you to a point”….”I am not willing to completely sacrifice my enter self for you”…..And that attitude bleeds into other aspects of that marriage, which in turn, brick by brick will destroy it……A Catholic marriage open to life is a marriage open to Truth….This is part of the vows we make on the altar of God when we say “I do”…..And because the “modern world” uses contraception to the degree that it does….Marriage and family life has been for the most part destroyed…..Words like -  “Freedom” - “Love” - “Truth”…..These words are used by many and used often - But are we really interested in them? - Do we even know what such words mean?……If we are sincerely interested in “Freedom” - “Love” - “Truth”…..If we seek those things with an open, sincere and objective heart - We will all ultimately end up in the same place…..”My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me”

“Taste and see how good the LORD is; blessed the man who takes refuge in him”

Today at Mass St John tell us very clearly and boldly why some people follow Jesus authentically and why others do not…..Being Catholic is not really very complicated - We make it complicated…Jesus was a simple man and he told us…”Unless you become like children - You will not enter the Kingdom of God”….Children, as we all know are also very simple - I have five of them under eleven years old - So I know!……That is why Jesus instructs us in a way that even a child can understand…..Yet, the “sophisticated world” in which we live in today tells us something very “different” - That God is a myth and the Catholic Church is outdated - Interesting!…..Jesus was one man and he founded one Church…He also told us that he is - “The Way - The Truth - And The Life”….Human beings, no matter how smart we are or “sophisticated” for that matter do not determine Truth - The Truth is an “unmovable object” and no matter who we “think” we are, or what we achieved - When turn from the Truth or “pretend” that the Truth does not exist - There are consequences!……People today like to say - “I have my truth and you have your truth”……Such a statement is nonsense! - There is only one Truth and that Truth comes to us as a man - Jesus Christ….And those who “hear his voice” will find authentic freedom, peace, joy and love - And those who ignore the voice of God - They will not - “Substitutes” for God will never “cut it”…Its really that simple - Even a child can understand….Maybe that is why Jesus said we unless we become like children, we will not enter the Kingdom of God……Don’t make what is simple complicated…………………JMJ

What man can not do - God will do - May they all be one!

Today at Holy Mass we hear again in the first reading from the Book of Acts…We are told that the Church was unified…..”The community of believers was of one heart and mind”…….One of the greatest scandals in the entire history of Christendom has to be the divisions within the Christian family….How can we project to the world the saving message of Jesus Christ when we can not even agree with fellow believers?…..Even within the walls of the Catholic Church today, division and disunity is everywhere - How is this possible?!?….As far as the Catholic Church is concerned, everything is written down - Everything! - Yet, our people twist and “spin” words like politicians to suit agendas….This is a great scandal - One in which breaks the heart of Christ!…..If we are fortunate enough to enter heaven - God willing!!!!! - All people will be of one mind and one heart - Have you ever thought about that?….When we pray the only prayer Jesus gave to us - The Our Father - We say with our own words - “Thy Kingdom come - On earth as it is in heaven” - We actually say those words!!!!! - And yet division still exists - What a scandal!!!!!…..How do we expect to enter the Kingdom of God when we “hold on” to ideologies and agendas that contradict the Gospel of Jesus Christ and his Holy Catholic Church…….If we believe that the Catholic Church is divinely guided, which it is…If we believe that the Pope, who is a man, but a man chosen by God himself to guide the faithful…If we believe that the Catholic Church, the only Church founded by Jesus himself contains the fullness of Truth…And lastly - This is the tough part - If we bear patiently with those both inside and outside the Church that twist and spin the Truth, knowing God himself with “untwist” what man can not fix…..That for me is the toughest part - Do you agree? - Bearing patiently with others in charity!…..If we do “all those things” - God will bring about unity - In his time……..Once again - Let us look to the only prayer Jesus gave us - The Our Father - "Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us"……Each of us is flawed and because of that we must bear with and forgive each other - Knowing that God is the “master builder”…..”A voice proclaims: In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD! Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God! Every valley shall be lifted up, every mountain and hill made low; The rugged land shall be a plain, the rough country, a broad valley. Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken”…….Sometimes we must just “be still” and know that what man can not do - God will do - Christian unity will one day be achieved….Do your part in the meantime

"'You must be born from above.'The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."

Every Catholic should read the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which was published by Pope John Paul II in 1992….In that book, which is very readable, contains everything that Church professes to be true….In addition to that book, every Catholic should also read the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, which lays out the social teachings of what the Church professes to be true - This document was also published by Pope John Paul II……Once we read these two documents - We must then avail ourselves to God’s grace - Only through grace will we “bend our will” to what is contained in these two books….Everything the Catholic Church professes to be true is “do-able” - But only through grace…..No matter how gifted we are”think” we are - We can not self manufacture our will to comport with God’s will……”The cup must be made empty for milk to be poured into it”…..”The cup” is us! - In order for God’s Holy Spirit to animate our life, we must “make room” for it……Then what seems impossible will become possible……..In this day and age - How can a married couple not use contraception? - Children are expensive!!!!!…….On my wedding day, this was on my mind……So much so, I pulled the priest who concelebrated my wedding Mass to speak with him…He assured me that “God will provide”……And fast forward twelve years later - My wife and I have five children - We also lost three through mis-carriages…..And while life is not easy, as one could image with five children under eleven years old - Our family manages - God does provide!!!….We as Catholics must learn to trust….God’s plan is better than our plan!…..And Christian unity is found in God’s plan - Not “our plan”

“If I tell you about earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?”

Today we hear at Mass that the early Church “was of one heart and mind”…What a beautiful time it must have been to be Catholic - Today sadly, we face a different Church altogether - Between divisions within the Catholic Church itself, petty arguments, disobedience and lack of formation - Not to mention the thousands of Protestant denominations that exist all over the world - We sadly are very far from the unity that Jesus hoped for….What are we doing to improve this sad state of affairs?…First off - Do we know what the Church actually teaches and why it teaches it? - Secondly, when we see others depart from Church teaching - Are we charitable?….Ultimately we can not convince people of anything - Only the Holy Spirit can “convict” a soul of its errors…In the mean time, do we bear patiently with each other? - Do we offer a good and consistent example?……God will fix what man cannot fix - And at the “end of the day” - There will be one Church - One people with One heart and One mind…..For those of us who believe everything the Catholic Church teaches now - We have to leave the “heavy lifting to God” - We cannot “fix” what God can only fix!……..”Every mountain and hill will be made low; The rugged land shall be a plain, the rough country, a broad valley”……What man can not do - God will do - May they all be one!…..JMJ

Walk the narrow road that leads to life and never look back

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the first reading how the first followers of Jesus not only faced persecution from their society but in the face of that persecution spoke fearlessly and boldly….”And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and enable your servants to speak your word with all boldness, as you stretch forth your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are done through the name of your holy servant Jesus." As they prayed, the place where they were gathered shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness”…..The Truth divides! - It divided society in Jesus’ day and it divides society today……The reason for this is when we live and speak the Truth - There is a deep and very real cost - Some are willing to “pay that cost” and others are not……No matter how you “spin it” - This world will never comport to the will of God…..As a Catholic if we “think” we are going to find some form of “heaven on earth” - We are greatly mistaken…The closest we will ever get to “heaven on earth” is at the Mass….In the meantime, we will face persecution as did the original followers of Christ - This is reality and this reality must be accepted as part of our Cross…..However, when we live in the state of grace, zeal for God and his Church will manifest itself in bold and fearless ways - We see that in the life of the saints, who spoke and lived the Truth at great personal costs….This is why the witness of the saints is so important……….So let’s be bold and blunt - We either believe what the Catholic Church teaches or we do not - We can not write all these “big ideas” down - Various traditions, dogmas, and Church Canons, only to ignore them when life’s many trials call for Truth to be spoken and more importantly lived out in real time - We also can not “selectively” use Church teaching to meet ideological or political agendas - Truth is Truth and you either believe what the Church teaches or you do not - The eyes of the world are watching - People can smell a fake from a mile away way! - However, when the Gospel is lived out boldly - Even the hardest of hearts take note and some even are transformed…..As Catholics we must be bold, clear and consistent as were the first followers of Christ - We must proclaim the Gospel with our very life - And “pay the price” when it is required…….“Remember the word I spoke to you, No slave is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. And they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know the one who sent me”…….We are either “In or Out” - “Hot or Cold” - There is no time for Luke-warm Catholicism!….....“I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!”

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

Do we view our faith through our own lens or through the lens of God? - Do we believe we can get into heaven on “our terms"? - Those are good questions to ponder and how we address those questions determine just how important our Catholic faith really is to us….After I graduated from college at the age of twenty-two years old I committed my life to Christ and my Catholic faith…..And for twenty long years I live alone….I knew I wanted to get married to someone who believed in not “some” but all of what the Church taught….And for twenty long years I could not find such a person…In the meantime, my family “wrote me off” telling me - “You will never find a woman who thinks like you”…..People thought because I was without a wife for so long I was “strange”…..And that went on for twenty long years!!!! - In the mean-time, God formed me and I grew closer to him - And in God’s time, he sent me my wife - I was forty-two years old when that happened - We married and within ten years had five children….All this happened to the surprise of my family and friends who never thought I would find someone like my wife - But before I was married - From the age of twenty-two to forty-two - I suffered alone for twenty long years…..Are you willing to suffer for God and his Church? - When the “world” does not understand you or the decisions you make because of your Catholic faith…..God uses everything we experience in life for a “greater good” - The process of sanctification is a long and painful one at times - Are we willing to pay the price? - There is no such thing as “cheap grace” and the doors of heaven do not open on “our terms”

“Why do the nations rage and the peoples utter folly? The kings of the earth rise up, and the princes conspire together against the LORD and against his anointed: "Let us break their fetters and cast their bonds from us!"

Today we hear at Mass about how the original followers of Christ were bold in the face of persecution - How about us?…If you think you are going to live an authentic Catholic life and not face persecution - Frankly you are not living in the real world….The World - The Flesh - And the devil will throw everything and more at you to discourage you! - There is only one way forward - And that is straight ahead!…..Armed with daily prayer, fasting and grace we as Catholics have everything we need to not only persevere but to thrive in the world - But in order to live as Catholics, we must live Sacramentally - There is no way one can do what the Church asks of us grounded solely upon human strength - But with grace all things are possible!!! - Are we willing to pay the price? - Are we willing to endure persecution for the name of Jesus Christ and his Church?…..Jesus tells us - “My yoke is easy and my burden is light” - Do you believe that? - If you do - Pick up your cross and follow me - Walk the narrow road that leads to life and never look back…………….JMJ

I Trust in You

Today the Universal Church commemorates Divine Mercy Sunday…..This is a relatively new devotion, which came out of the papacy of Pope John Paul II, however, this devotion is of infinite importance….Jesus Christ wishes for the salvation of every soul…..We however in order to enter into eternal life must cooperate with God’s grace…Divine Mercy Sunday is a day to mediate upon, as well as take advantage of God’s mercy…….”Do I find pleasure in the death of the wicked—oracle of the Lord GOD? Do I not rejoice when they turn from their evil way and live?”….Before Jesus Christ returns in his glory, he will give the world every opportunity to take advantage of his infinite mercy before the world faces his judgment….I believe this devotion, which was given to the Universal Church and the world following the bloodiest century (the 19th century) mankind ever experienced is a “signpost” - Divine Mercy Sunday is in a sense a beginning of something new - Its a “door” into what I believe is a time of preparation for mankind - Jesus Christ will return!!!! - Take advantage of His mercy!

“You believe in me, Thomas, because you have seen me, says the Lord; blessed are they who have not seen me, but still believe!”

How we see the world and our individual life experiences, both the good and the bad, determines most times the road forward most of us choose - That is how it “works” for most people……If we view our life as a means to an end…A path to the eternal - Our choices will be different then those who simply ground their existence upon the here and now….No matter who we are, no matter how gifted, we all suffer - And its how we view the moments of suffering that in many ways matter the most….The unbelieving world rejects suffering - Has no answer for it - A Catholic uses suffering when it comes as a means of sanctification - A Catholic does not turn from God when he suffers, he embraces God, knowing God allowed suffering to enter the world as a “means to an end” - To work as a “tool” for our sanctification……Today in the second reading at Holy Mass, St Peter addresses this subject with the first believers...…..”Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you who by the power of God are safeguarded through faith, to a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the final time. In this you rejoice, although now for a little while you may have to suffer through various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold that is perishable even though tested by fire, may prove to be for praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Although you have not seen him you love him; even though you do not see him now yet believe in him, you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, as you attain the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls”….Divine Mercy Sunday is a reminder for us - That no matter what we may be enduring, God is merciful - That no matter what trial the world is engulfed in - There is a purpose! - God’s hand is on it and will use even the worst of events for his greater glory - This mindset many times only comes to us “in time” and through grace……………….When I was twenty-two years old, at arguably the lowest point of my life, I opened my heart to the reality of God and my Catholic faith….During that time of great trial in my life, I made a life long decision - The best decision of my lifetime to date! - To embrace my Catholic faith fully - For over three decades now I have not turned back and I can say that the suffering I endured that “got me to that point” was worth it - If it was not for the suffering I endured, I would not have become the person I am today - This was a great mercy but a painful lesson to learn…..The Parable of the Prodigal Son is a story of great mercy - A young man squandered everything that was given to him only to find out that his choices and “great ideas” all led to dead-ends…..And when the Prodigal Son came to his senses, his Father was waiting for him, to welcome him back home…..This is what Divine Mercy Sunday is all about - God waits for us! - He gives us a “second chance” - Why? - Because God’s mercy is endless!…..If only we take his hand……Sadly, before that happens, due to our fallen nature and human pride, we have to come to the “end of ourself”, like the Prodigal son - The Prodigal son’s story is a common story we all share….We have to see for ourself that all our “good ideas” lead to “dead ends” as long as we keep God out of our choices….But through it all - God is patient and God waits for us - Like all good Fathers wait for their sons…..Love can not be forced upon anyone, and nor can mercy for that matter….Love is a choice and mercy must be requested - Its an act of the will - Our “knee” must bend to it and embrace it fully….Today the Universal Church offers both - Love and Mercy

“You expired, Jesus, but the source of life gushed forth for souls, and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world. O Fount of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy, envelop the whole world and empty yourself out upon us………….O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fountain of Mercy for us, I trust in you!”……JMJ

”Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead”

 Today at Holy Mass we hear in the first reading read from the Book of Acts how Peter and John are once again in trouble with the Jewish religious leaders….A miracle took place and the people were amazed by it….The religious leaders also acknowledge the miracle but look past it…..They were more concerned with their position and power….”Observing the boldness of Peter and John and perceiving them to be uneducated, ordinary men, the leaders, elders, and scribes were amazed, and they recognized them as the companions of Jesus. Then when they saw the man who had been cured standing there with them, they could say nothing in reply. So they ordered them to leave the Sanhedrin, and conferred with one another, saying, “What are we to do with these men? Everyone living in Jerusalem knows that a remarkable sign was done through them, and we cannot deny it”…Any objective honest person would have been convinced that Peter and John were apart of something “special”….But the Sanhedrin ignored what frankly could not be ignored!….And they payed a heavy price……The life and death of Jesus brought about a change, this is undeniable….God had made a covenant with the Jewish people and he fulfilled that convent right before their eyes…Keep in mind - Jesus was a Jew - Jospeh was a Jew - Mary was a Jew….All the earlier disciples of Jesus were for the most part Jews…Yet ironically, the Jewish elite, the educated religious class were not interested in how God manifested himself in the fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant…One would think the Sanhedrin would be the first ones “on board”….But as we know that was not the case….Today’s reading gives us a look into the hearts of men - How men can portray themselves to be “religious” but in actuality, their hearts were far from God………God is not interested in our “outward appearances”…..God weighs the human heart  - This is how we will be judged……….“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You pay tithes* of mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier things of the law: judgment and mercy and fidelity. [But] these you should have done, without neglecting the others. Blind guides, who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel! “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You cleanse the outside of cup and dish, but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may be clean. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of filth. Even so, on the outside you appear righteous, but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the memorials of the righteous, and you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have joined them in shedding the prophets’ blood”…….As Catholics, we must always be aware of our interior disposition - We can say “all the right things” and still not be “right” with God….Its not what we do that matters as much as how we do it…..Is love at the center of what we do? - Do we embrace Truth, when it is convenient or inconvenient? - Do we see God in our neighbor and as a result love our neighbor?……Today we hear about the Sanhedrin, who were highly educated, which means they should have known better!….The Sanhedrin saw the miracle performed by Peter and John and dismissed it……The Sanhedrin “talked a good game” but their hearts were far from God…….How about us?…..Do we simply just talk? - Say all the right things - Are our hearts far from God?

“Open to me the gates of justice; I will enter them and give thanks to the LORD. This is the gate of the LORD; the just shall enter it”

How do we assess authentic faith?…..The Catholic church possess the fullness of the Truth - There is no debate about that…But do we as Catholics utilize everything that was given to us?…I have been Catholic my enter life…In that time I have encountered the “lukewarm” as well as those who were “on fire” with their faith….How can we tell the difference?……How can we separate the “sheep” from the “goats”?……..It all comes down to the Cross…..To be Catholic means you not only accept the reality of the Cross but you carry it as well…..When a deeply sacrificial lifestyle is observed - Whether it is a priest, a married couple or a non-married person - There authentic faith is found! - It is found in those who embrace their Cross and live sacrificially for others - Its there that we will find authentic Catholicism and no where else….Let’s take a moment and ponder the Church at its very beginning - When we do this we find  Jesus, Mary and Joseph - These were simple and humble people….The Holy family lived for God, each other and others - They lived sacrificially - Putting God first above all things…..This is how we know we found the “real deal”, both two thousand years ago and today as well……Are we as Catholics willing to be uncomfortable? - Are we as Catholics willing to forego the “things of this world” for the Kingdom of God?…..And when the unbelieving world “sees” with its own two eyes a sacrificial people - Trust Me!!! - They are suddenly “struck by lightning” and “miraculously” the unbelieving world is “all ears” - They begin to “hear” what is spoken from the pulpits of our Churches….But that will not happen, unless we as Catholics live sacrificially and put God above all things and in turn love our neighbor as ourself….That is how the world discerns the “real deal”

“My strength and my courage is the LORD, and he has been my savior. The joyful shout of victory in the tents of the just”

Today in the Book of Acts, we heard at Mass when confronted with persecution, Peter and John were not concerned….They spoke the Truth and placed the Truth above comfort - Above social status - Above even their personal safety…How about us?……”So they called them back and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. Peter and John, however, said to them in reply, “Whether it is right in the sight of God for us to obey you rather than God, you be the judges. It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard”……Have we as Catholics become like everyone else? - Part of the “status-quo”….Do we “go along to get along”?…..Comfort is the enemy of the Cross!……The power of our Catholic witness is not in what we say - The power of our Catholic witness rests in our Cross and how we carry it…..People believe what they see - “Nice words” will never convince an unbelieving world to suddenly change, never mind sacrifice comfort for a Church that claims to posses the fullness of Truth - If we say we believe in God and possess the fullness of Truth, which by the way we do! - Then we have to show it by the way we live - And we show it as Catholics by living sacrificially….“Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head” - What is good for the master is good for his servants!…………………….”Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead”……..JMJ

What beautiful words they are

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the Gospel of St John how the first apostles thought since Jesus was dead, the “mission” also died with him…How wrong they were!….The first apostles were fishermen so that is what they went back too - Fishing - And while they were fishing, St John sees Jesus on the shore…..”So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord." When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad, and jumped into the sea”…….Not too long ago, St Peter betrayed Jesus and here he is rushing to greet the Risen Lord…..You would think Peter after betraying God, would have run in the opposite direction…..This moment tells us so much about the character of St Peter -  This moment tells us, in my opinion, about the greatness of St Peter - That “greatness” was grounded in his humility!……From the very beginning, when Adam and Eve betrayed God and ate of the Tree of Knowledge in the Garden of Eden - What did they do? - They hid - Not Peter! - He did the exact opposite of Adam and Eve - St Peter ran towards Christ after he betrayed him…This is the lesson for all of us today…..Each and everyone of us is a sinner - And because that is reality - We must confront our sins - We do that by “running to Jesus” as St Peter did, not away from him  - And we do that by confessing our sins Sacramentally….Its when we confront our sins “head on” that we like St Peter encounter the Risen Lord……Our world today does the exact opposite - It “glosses” over sins - Makes excuses for sins - “Rationalizes” sins away - But our sins don’t go away!…..Only Jesus Christ can forgive sins and when you go to Confession with a Catholic Priest, you encounter Christ himself!….Our world today is so weighed-down by guilt and shame - And those wounds caused by sins are then projected onto others…….Jesus walked the earth for one reason only - “To take away the sins of the world”…But for that to happen, we must Sacramentally confess!….Sins do not “magically” go away - In fact, its just the opposite, sins and the wounds caused by sins fester - Time does not heal our wounds caused by sins…..There is only one cure! - One Sacramental Confession can wipe away a lifetime of sins!…..And this is why St Peter was so great - He confronted his sins and because of that God forgave him and as a result the fisherman who the world once knew became a saint…..”Bless me Father for I have sinned!” - A “new chapter” of life awaits us….But it will not “magically”happen - We have to confront our sins as St Peter did - Running way does not make our sins go away!

"His mercy endures forever.”…..Let those who fear the LORD say, "His mercy endures forever"

People talk about “change” all the time - But does anything really change?….People seem to repeat the same mistakes over and over again…This is why living Sacramentally is so vital….When we regularly confess our sins, not only are we forgiven, but we are given grace to overcome our sins in time…This is how we grow in virtue and this is how we also grow in sanctity…..And as a result of going to Confession regularly, when Catholics then receive the Blessed Sacrament in the state of grace - God then “rains down” grace into our soul….This is not “rocket science” - This is “Catholicism 101” - But is this happening?…..The lines for Holy Communion at Mass seem to be much longer than the lines for Confession…Maybe that needs to change?….A little bit of preparation goes a long way…When we prepare our soul to receive the Blessed Sacrament each week at Mass - We will notice the difference! - So will our family and the world around us notice the difference - That is how “real change” happens!….Catholics can not give to others what they do not have and if we are not living in the state of grace - We will not benefit from receiving the Blessed Sacrament at Mass - It cannot be written any clearer than that - Is this perennial Catholic teaching being taught in our homes, in our schools and from the pulpits of our Churches?…..If not, maybe it needs to be!

“The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. By the LORD has this been done; it is wonderful in our eyes. This is the day the LORD has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it”

Today at Mass we heard in the Gospel how St Peter confronts Jesus after he betrayed him….Think about it - St Peter betrayed God! - That is a big-time sin! - But St Peter did not let that reality prevent him from reconciling himself to the man he betrayed…..How about us?……Each of us are sinners - Do we have the humility to confront the man we too have betrayed?…..This is how we are healed and this is how we are propelled forward…..For God’s grace to manifest in our life, we have to “clear away” the obstacles that “get in the way” of that grace….This begins with these words - “Bless me Father for I have sinned”…..What beautiful words they are…….JMJ