The question becomes - Are you “ALL IN”?

Today at Holy Mass in the first readings we hear St Paul tell us that he gave up everything to follow Christ…Keep in mind, unlike the other 12 apostles - St Paul had a lot!…..He was an educated man, who held a high position in society….He had a lot to lose!!!…And he gave it all away!…..His life as a follower of Christ was not easy either…As he tells us…..”I am still more, with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, far worse beatings, and numerous brushes with death. Five times at the hands of the Jews I received forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I passed a night and a day on the deep; on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my own race, dangers from Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea, dangers among false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many sleepless nights, through hunger and thirst, through frequent fastings, through cold and exposure. And apart from these things, there is the daily pressure upon me of my anxiety for all the churches”……St Paul was not playing games!!!!…..How about us? - What have we “given up" for Christ?….I ask that because there is no way one can live as a follower of Jesus Christ and not “give up” the "ways of the world" - We can not have it “both ways”!…..To think otherwise is a self delusion…..The walk of a Catholic is a challenging one in this world - If you do not “feel” the “Cross of Christ”, according to your station in life - Dare I say - You are not living as a Catholic!……To live as a Catholic in this world is to live counter-culturally…..Even as a bishop or a priest….More times then not, Holy Bishops and Holy Priests will suffer as a result of their obedience and fidelity to the Pope, the Church, and Christ - From within the Church and outside the Church…..This is part of the “narrow road” we ALL must walk!….If we “think” we are going to be celebrated as authentic Catholics amidst a culture of death - “Think” again!….."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”……As Catholics today, we must not be afraid of what other people think of us…..The only opinion that matters, is the opinion of God….And as a Catholic, everything we need to know is in the Bible and in the Catechism of the Catholic Church - Two books that’s basically it! - Simple RIGHT?!?….And to know and live what is in those two books brings with it suffering and persecution - Accept it….“If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you. 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”…Today at Mass, St Paul is just another example of a person who has “shouldered” his cross in the name of Jesus Christ - Do not doubt for one moment that YOU will not “taste” of the same “cup” - Because if you are not or you will not - Then you are not “walking the walk”…….JMJ

“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest, says the Lord”

St John Vianney is the patron saint of all priest - The model for every priest today and moving forward….How quickly we forget that before he was well known and celebrated, he was sent 200 miles away from Paris to the town of Ars-sur-Fromans to minister to peasants….He was considered to be not a “learned man” so he was sent far away from the culture and wealth of Paris to lead a bunch of illiterate poor farmers…And how fortunate those “poor farmers” turned out to be!!!….Because St John Vianney was a holy Priest!……Years ago, I was teaching an adult formation class at what many people would call a “progressive” Parish in NewJersey….I was preparing adults to enter the Church and receive the Sacrament of Baptism…I taught the class right from the 1992 Catechism of the Catholic Church, which was produced by Pope John Paul II (who is now a saint)…..I was asked to leave that role and my role was terminated….Why?…What were my two big sins?….I taught that one had to be in the state of grace when one receives the Blessed Sacrament, which is clearly noted in the Catechism….My second sin? - I taught that the use of contraception in marriage is a sin - Why? - Because it violates our wedding vows as Catholics to be “open to life” as well as it violates the great encyclical of Pope Paul VI entitled Humanae Vitae….Upon reading what I just wrote - One may think - How could that be possible?!?…Everything I was teaching is clearly WRITTEN DOWN” by the Church….I did not write it - So why “shoot” the messenger?…..Jesus gives us the answer to that question - “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing! There is a baptism with which I must be baptized, and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished! Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division”…..Sometimes even within the “walls of the Church” the spirit of the world creeps in…Now the story I just told you is not the norm across the Catholic Church - So don’t get the wrong idea - Most Bishops and Priest do not reject Church teaching…But are we boldly proclaiming it?…Do we “let the cards fall where they may”, as the old saying goes, and trust the Lord when we speak Truth to power?…..Are we afraid of the opinions of men?…..Jesus was very clear about what we WILL have to endure as authentic disciples of Christ….The question becomes - Are you “ALL IN”?

“But whatever gains I had, these I have come to consider a loss because of Christ. More than that, I even consider everything as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord”

God is reality - “Deal with him”

Today at Holy Mass we hear some radical words in the Gospel of St Luke……Do we know who Jesus really is?….Because if we listen to his words - The man was not playing games!….But are we playing “games”?…..Jesus Christ BY FAR was the MOST radical historical figure EVER to walk the earth..BY FAR and by the way - That is why he was killed!…..Did you hear what he said today?…….”Great crowds were traveling with Jesus, and he turned and addressed them, “If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. Which of you wishing to construct a tower does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if there is enough for its completion? Otherwise, after laying the foundation and finding himself unable to finish the work the onlookers should laugh at him and say, ‘This one began to build but did not have the resources to finish”…My entire life I have been an observer of human behavior….If we ever “step back” and listen to the “hard words” of Jesus Christ - And there are plenty of Gospel passages like this one read to us today at Mass….Watch how Christians of all denominations, that includes Catholic - that includes some Bishops and Priests - Watch how so many of them “gloss over” Jesus’ words…..”Not my Jesus” - “I don’t see Jesus that way”….I have heard it all before…Jesus Christ was a REVOLUTIONARY!….Now - You can dismiss me all you want - Because I am a "nobody” - But what about the words of Christ?….Did you hear what he said to us today at Mass? - For many - Probably not!…..We are NOT willing to change! - This is “our” problem!!!…And everything about Jesus Christ's message is about “change”…..Did you “hear” what I just said? - Probably not sadly……The essence of the entire Gospel message to the world was summed up by John the Baptist - Who by the way, it was said by guess who? - Here is a “hint” - Jesus - “Among those born of women, no one is greater than John”….So what did John say that was so important?…….”REPENT AND BELIEVE THE GOSPEL”………Did you hear that? - My guess is - Most probably did not!

“If you are insulted for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of God rests upon you”

Why is it that many saints are rejected during their life time?…..How many historic figures told society “things” that were outright TRUE and were not only rejected during their life time but driven out of “polite society”?……Human nature is as funny thing…….”Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how many times I yearned to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her young under her wings, but you were unwilling!”…….A childhood friend of mine, who I played baseball and basketball with circled back into my life when I was an adult - We would take the train together to work for years…Peter was not a religious person - He was a Baptized Catholic and went to Catholic High School with me, but Peter did not go to Church…I know his family very well…His father was a hard man - One could even say, and may did, a “bad man”……Peter’s mother dropped dead of a heart attack suddenly at an early age…And Peter’s brother, Greg who I also knew very well, died young of a brain aneurysm in his thirties…Why bring this all up?…..I just wanted to make a point - Peter was no “stranger” to hardship and suffering……But getting back to Peter and I commuting to work together…Peter, who again was not a religious man said this to me…Something I reflect on often….”Joe - Life is our greatest teacher”……How true that is!….For so many of us who are Catholic - We are told over and over again what the Church teaches - What Jesus said - What our parents told and lived out before us…And we IGNORE IT ALL……Until, as my friend Peter put it so well………”Life is our greatest teacher”…God works through our life and if we discern the events in the news, as well as the events we face each day personally….We can learn a lot…But again  - Most IGNORE it ALL…Why?…Because we do not want to change…Jesus was not some “great philosopher” - or - Some “guru”…Jesus was God!…And he created one Church - The Catholic Church….And Jesus told us a lot of very important things - So has the Catholic Church by the way……Do we take any of them seriously?…Before you answer that question - Know this……”Life is our greatest teacher”…And when we IGNORE God and the eternal Truths of the Catholic Church - We learn - or - Maybe we do not learn…..But either way - That does not change reality…God is reality - “Deal with him”…..JMJ

“Do everything without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine like lights in the world, as you hold on to the word of life, so that my boast for the day of Christ may be that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. But, even if I am poured out as a libation upon the sacrificial service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with all of you. In the same way you also should rejoice and share your joy with me”

Because without the proper “wedding garments” - You are not getting in

Today at Holy Mass in the Gospel of St Luke, Jesus tells us a story about a party that is prepared and how all the people who were invited make excuses why they cannot come….The party had all the “things” people like…good food, choice wine, etc…But for some reason, people did not attend…Why? - Does that make any sense?….Let’s explore that “reason” why people refused to come…Because its the same reason people refuse to live as a Catholic today…..In order to “attend” this party, we are required to live a certain way - To live under the authority of another - To live a life of personal sacrifice to God and neighbor….This is the “ticket” to admittance to “this party” - And people during Jesus time and today - ARE NOT HAVING IT as we say in New Jersey…….Then people rationalize their decision, convincing themself that they can attend “the party” on their terms - We are told in another parable that this is nothing more then a self deception…..”But when the king came in to meet the guests he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment. He said to him, ‘My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?’ But he was reduced to silence. Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’ Many are invited, but few are chosen”….No matter “how smart” we think we are - The human mind has a way to deceive itself as a means of self preservation - The “collective we” all want the good things of life - A good marriage - Lasting Peace - Deep Joy and in the end go to heaven…Then comes a man who tells you how to get all those things - Even invites you to “the party” - The “door is wide open”…And the “collective we” balk at the invitation……”But one by one, they all began to excuse themselves. The first said to him, ‘I have purchased a field and must go to examine it; I ask you, consider me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have purchased five yoke of oxen and am on my way to evaluate them; I ask you, consider me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have just married a woman, and therefore I cannot come”…….In the end, who loses out in this story?……Humanity “trades in” heaven for a "hand full of dust" here on earth - And then convinces himself that it does not matter and when he dies, he still will be allowed into the Kingdom of God - Today’s Gospel addresses that misconception - Maybe better put, this self rationalization………IT DOES NOT WORK THAT WAY!……The “ticket” into “the party” needs to be "stamped" - “No stamp” means you do not enter

“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”

The doors of the Catholic Church are OPEN to all….You do not even have to believe in God to attend Mass - Did you know that?….You can be a thief and attend Mass - You can have an extramarital affair on your wife of twenty years and attend Mass - You can be involved in a same sex marriage and attend Mass…ALL ARE WELCOME!!!!…Did you know that?…..But here is the “line in the sand”….Only if you are in state of grace can you receive the Blessed Sacrament at Holy Mass…This is a perennial teaching of the Church - NO ONE can change that - Not the even the Pope…But if you have a “keen eye and ear” you will notice how people, Catholics no less of all walks of life, “dance around” this perennial and unchangeable teaching…….”Anyone who desires to receive Christ in Eucharistic communion must be in the state of grace. Anyone aware of having sinned mortally must not receive communion without having received absolution in the sacrament of penance  - Catechism (CCC #1415)”………Is there a police officer with a gun who enforces this requirement at Mass?…No - But here is “the deal” - God sees everything - God also knows everything…..”For there is nothing hidden that will not become visible, and nothing secret that will not be known and come to light”…As we all know - Jesus subjected himself to torture and death because of the sins of humanity….So there is NOTHING humans can do that really shocks Christ - “He has seen it all”…..And Jesus is a “big boy” - Meaning - He can “take it”….We as human beings cannot “throw at Jesus anything he cannot handle”….All that being said - No one is “fooling” anyone!…The Church teaches what it teaches and if we want to receive the  Blessed Sacrament, which is NEEDED to provide grace to live out our life as a Catholic and ultimately enter into eternal life - We need to have the proper “wedding garments” on in order to enter “the wedding feast”…No garment - No entrance!…The only “fool” is us if we “think” other wise  - Because without the proper “wedding garments” - You are not getting in…….JMJ

‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in here the poor and the crippled, the blind and the lame.’ The servant reported, ‘Sir, your orders have been carried out and still there is room.’ The master then ordered the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedgerows and make people come in that my home may be filled. For, I tell you, none of those men who were invited will taste my dinner.’”

”Where were you?”……JMJ

Today at Holy Mass in the Gospel of St John, we are told that Jesus was only interested in the Will of God….Have we ever stepped back and contemplated that mindset, as we live in a world that clearly is ONLY concerned with selfish interests…Jesus was God - And he completely handed his life over…He “could” have simply said - NO! - Let those poor hopeless sinners bask in their own misery!…..Now think about what the Church asks of us - It clearly is a fraction of what God the Father asked of Jesus….No one I have seen lately has been literally nailed to a cross!…Yet far too many balk at what is asked of us - As Bishops - As Priests - As Lay Catholics…One can say (as an excuse), we are sinners and born imperfect - And that would be true…But what are we doing to “correct” our sinful nature?…Do we put our trust in Sacramental living? - Do we pray everyday? - Do we fast to break the bonds of sinful habits?…..These are things ALL of us can do - Are we doing them?….Again, clearly what is asked of us is not anywhere near what God the Father asked of Jesus - And his YES was total…And our yes is partial……The obedience of Jesus Christ is nothing short of mind blowing!!!!!……“Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me, because I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me”……..One day each of us will stand before God…..And some “think” when they do - Jesus will “understand” about all the bad choices we make…..I would agree - Jesus surely will “understand” - But will he “look past” those selfish choices if we do not acknowledge we made them and then repent of them, trying to then improve?……What is asked of us is NOTHING compared to what Jesus was asked to do for us by God the Father…..And when we do what is asked from us - Whether a Bishop, a Priest, or Lay Catholic…..Be it not using contraception in marriage - Preaching the Fullness of the Catholic Faith from the pulpit at Mass……Living a chaste life as a single Catholic…Whatever our station of life calls for….These sacrifices are NOTHING compared to what Jesus was called to do….”Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light”…..Instead of complaining - Instead of ignoring - Instead of outright refusing - Maybe it’s time to start rejoicing…Because our burden is truly light!

“Come, you who are blessed by my Father; inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world”

What is the issue with the virtue of obedience?….Well, if we are honest, the “issue” is related to the root of all of our sins - PRIDE - “I will not serve” - Remember those words from the “guy who lives downstairs”?……Ultimately, when the Church asks us to live a certain way and we refuse - What we are saying, whether we realize it or not…”I know better then you God”….Because Jesus Christ cannot be separated from the teachings of the Church - And everything the Church teaches is WRITTEN DOWN in the Catechism of the Catholic Church…..”I know better than you God”…That statement if we “step back” from it is utterly RIDICULOUS….God shows us just how ridiculous that mindset is in the Book of Job, when Job complains to God about the hardships of his life……..

"Where were you when I founded the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its size? Surely you know? Who stretched out the measuring line for it? Into what were its pedestals sunk, and who laid its cornerstone,While the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God* shouted for joy. Who shut within doors the sea, when it burst forth from the womb, When I made the clouds its garment and thick darkness its swaddling bands. When I set limits for it and fastened the bar of its door, And said: Thus far shall you come but no farther, and here shall your proud waves stop? Have you ever in your lifetime commanded the morning and shown the dawn its place For taking hold of the ends of the earth, till the wicked are shaken from it? The earth is changed as clay by the seal, and dyed like a garment; But from the wicked their light is withheld, and the arm of pride is shattered. Have you entered into the sources of the sea, or walked about on the bottom of the deep? Have the gates of death been shown to you, or have you seen the gates of darkness? Have you comprehended the breadth of the earth? Tell me, if you know it all. What is the way to the dwelling of light, and darkness—where is its place? That you may take it to its territory and know the paths to its home? You know, because you were born then, and the number of your days is great! Have you entered the storehouses of the snow, and seen the storehouses of the hail Which I have reserved for times of distress, for a day of war and battle? What is the way to the parting of the winds, where the east wind spreads over the earth? Who has laid out a channel for the downpour and a path for the thunderstorm To bring rain to uninhabited land, the unpeopled wilderness; To drench the desolate wasteland till the desert blooms with verdure? Has the rain a father? Who has begotten the drops of dew? Out of whose womb comes the ice, and who gives the hoarfrost its birth in the skies, When the waters lie covered as though with stone that holds captive the surface of the deep? Have you tied cords to the Pleiades, or loosened the bonds of Orion? Can you bring forth the Mazzaroth in their season, or guide the Bear with her children? Do you know the ordinances of the heavens; can you put into effect their plan on the earth? Can you raise your voice to the clouds, for them to cover you with a deluge of waters? Can you send forth the lightnings on their way, so that they say to you, “Here we are”? Who gives wisdom to the ibis, and gives the rooster* understanding? Who counts the clouds with wisdom? Who tilts the water jars of heaven So that the dust of earth is fused into a mass and its clods stick together? Do you hunt the prey for the lion or appease the hunger of young lions, While they crouch in their dens, or lie in ambush in the thicket? Who provides nourishment for the raven when its young cry out to God, wandering about without food?"

I love how God’s litany begins when addressing Job….”Where were you?”……In other words - “Job, YOU do NOT have a clue!”…..And today we see the same attitude from humanity…We “tell” God we know better then him…On topics like Abortion - Same Sex Marriage - Assisting the Poor - Chastity before Marriage - The use of Contraception in marriage…..By REFUSING to listen to God, through the one Church he established through his son Jesus Christ…We are telling God we know better than him!…In a word once again - RIDICULOUS!!!!…..Now I do not know the mind of God, but if I were to “bet” how God would respond to this behavior we see all around us today…I bet his response would be similar to what he told Job centuries ago……..”Where were you?”……JMJ

“Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me, because I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me”

"It is what it is”

Today at Holy Mass the Universal Church commemorates the Solemnity of All Saints…What is a saint?…To put is simply…Its a person who is in heaven….Most people think of a saint from the lens of those select few who are canonized by Rome…And those few clearly are saints…But what about the rest of us?….If a person enters into eternal life (i.e. Heaven) - They are just as much a saint as say St Francis or St Padre Pio….Are you aware of this?…..So what does that mean for us in the here and now?….It means we do not just “float” into heaven when we die….This is arguably one of the biggest misconception throughout the enter Christian world - That includes many Catholic circles as well….The Church has NEVER taught this…Before we enter heaven and stand before the Beatific Vision - We must be made pure….And if we cooperate with God - By living a Sacramental life, as we are ALL called to at our Baptism, along with the trials and tribulations we endure in this life that will “mold” us - Whether we like it or not - In the “furnace” of that “process” - We will become the person were born to be! - And be “ready” to stand before the Lord….If we look at life here on earth through that lens - The lens of God - Then we will be ready to face God when our time on this earth comes to an end…And if we have any small “rough edges” left - God in his goodness and mercy will take care of them in Purgatory…Some may read this - Some may even be Catholic and say…”That is not MY Jesus” who says things like that!!!!….Sorry to “burst your bubble” - But what I just noted is a perennial teaching of the Church - Not even the Pope can change it…..”After this I had a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue. They stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice: "Salvation comes from our God, who is seated on the throne, and from the Lamb”……Having a mature Catholic faith means we actually know what the Church teaches - The next step after we know what the Church teaches - Is to live it….Is the “god” most Americans “created” in their head really who God is?…..Not to mention their “ideas” about heaven?…….All well-formed and functioning adults know full well - WE do NOT get to define reality…There is a saying where I come from in New Jersey - “It is what it is”…..God is God and we do not get to define him…And Heaven is God’s house - Right! - That means its God’s rules - And that means we get into God’s house according to “those rules”….Once again and its worth repeating……“It is what it is”

“Then one of the elders spoke up and said to me,"Who are these wearing white robes, and where did they come from?"I said to him, "My lord, you are the one who knows."He said to me,"These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb."

For the readers of my blog who are not from America, particularly from New York City, you may not know who Fr Andrew Apostoli is….Fr Andrew before his death was a rather famous priest…..And one time I went to confession with him - It was a face to face confession too - Not in the confession booth….He was giving a talk that I attended and after his presentation he made himself available for confession in the seats in the back of the auditorium….So as I sat before Fr Andrew, I was nervous - He was a famous man and a holy man for that matter…He did not know me either but the only thing he told me after my confession was that I should not want to go to Purgatory - That I should want to go “straight to heaven”….I found that rather odd - My confession was not “so bad” - I did not confess “killing anyone” - But for some reason - The idea of Purgatory was the ONLY thing Fr Andrew spoke to me about - And he was emphatic, so much so he gave me a special Fatima prayer…..In the life of a Catholic, there are some confessions that we always remember - There are many reason for that and I will not explore those reasons in this reflection…But for me - This was “one of those confessions” - I have never forgotten it to this day…..And it’s been well over twenty years that the confession took place….Father Andrew Apostoli has since gone on to his eternal reward….In my humble opinion, I believe he could very easily be canonized as a saint by the Church one day, would not shock me in the least - Fr Andrew was a very special person and a VERY holy man….Since the age of twenty-two, its been over the thirty years since I committed my life to Christ as a faithful Roman Catholic, and during that time I have been blessed to have met many VERY holy men and women - Some even world famous…..And when one meets an authentically holy person - YOU NEVER FORGET the encounter - Trust me about that!…Holy people “leave a mark” on you….And when a holy man, like Fr Andrew Apostoli tells me, without even knowing me, that I DO NOT want to go to Purgatory - That I should strive to go “straight into heaven” - Well - I cannot speak for YOU  - But as for me - I am going to take his words seriously……Do we take the teachings of the Church seriously? - When it comes to Death, Judgement, Heaven and Hell?….Do we have a well-formed and mature Catholic faith?…..Either way - WE do not get to define reality…..So I will say it again - I hope you are listening - “It is what it is”…..JMJ

"Beloved: See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope based on him makes himself pure, as he is pure"

Then give up your seat! - Prove it

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the Gospel of St Matthew that Jesus once again was invited to eat at the home of the Pharisees…If these men hated Jesus so much - Why did they invite him to their home?…..In addition, when Jesus arrived at this dinner party, we are told - “The people there were observing him carefully”….Why do they care if Jesus was so wrong!?!…..This tells us something about human nature….People you are deeply dissatisfied with themselves are hyper-critical of others….They are fully aware of their shortcomings and as the old saying goes “misery loves company”….So they “look” to find faults with others - Why? - It makes them “feel good” about themselves…Conversely - A person who is at peace with themself, does not “point fingers at others”….There is no need to “tear others down”…..Many times the people who are hyper-critical of others, project verbally their personal wrong doings and sins (without realizing it)…In doing that “they show their cards” and do not even realize it….Today in the Gospel, human nature is on display…Jesus is at peace with himself and the Pharisees at not, so they have to find fault, to make themselves “feel good” by attempting to “tear down” Christ…..Do we do this to others?…..What is the solution to this very human problem? - Because there is ONLY ONE solution….A Sacramental Confession!….Only God can forgive our sins and only God can give us peace….The world longs for this peace and when it does not have it - It needs to find alternatives…Many times that alternative is found in tearing others down….I can always tell a person who goes to confession frequently - You see deep peace in their eyes and they usually have a gentle smile……Such a person knows who they are - A sinner in need of God’s mercy - And when they find authentic mercy in the Sacrament - They are able to “bear with others” who also are flawed, just as they are…They are also quick to offer forgiveness and are much more patient with the faults of others…..There is only one “medicine” for our sins…Its confessing them to a Catholic priest…We are only fooling ourselves when we do not “take our medicine”…..And if I were honest, its such an easy thing to do - To admit that we have failed - That we were wrong - That we are sinners…..But that requires humility and take note - Only the humble will enter heaven.

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart”

Humility is the foundational virtue of all the virtues…So how do we acquire it?….Can we read about it and someone grow in humility?…The answer is - NO…Humility must be learned through living….St Paul gives us some insight into the humility of Christ….”Though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross”……If our life is “too comfortable” we will never learn what it means to be humble…Whether we are are a Bishop - Priest or Lay Catholic….Humility to be learned MUST be FELT…And when it is a lived experience, we not only become humble but we acquire authentic empathy for those who suffer….If you have never been hungry - You will most likely never go out of you way to feed others….Sadly, humanity has a far too elevated idea of itself - Especially those who possess many nature gifts…We easily forget where the gifts come from and that our life ends in death…This is why many famous and rich people ruin their lives - They begin to “think” they are God…Only to “find out” in time that they are not!…..A Catholic should live differently….Our goal should not be comfort - It should be holiness….And comfort is the enemy of holiness…..Does this mean we are all called to live in poverty - NO - But it does mean we should live simply….Take care of the basic needs of our family…Share with others where and when we can…And in doing so - We will learn what it means to be humble - It will come naturally as a result of how we live….Not from reading a book - But from living!…..Far too many reject this idea - This is why far too many have no idea about what true humility is all about….Look at the example of the Holy Family…Jesus, Mary & Joseph…….They lived a simple life and for thirty years Jesus lived with them and lived in obedience to Mary and Joseph - And Jesus was GOD!!!!!!!….My bet is, their life was not easy - But I would also bet, their home was a place of great joy and deep peace…Is this something we want? - Many say they want joy and peace - But when it comes to doing the things that make for joy and peace - We quickly turn away and settle for a second rate life….Is it because of how true humility looks to the world? - Are we concerned with how our life is “projected to others”? - We can’t “post pictures” on social media the way we want!?!….“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”….Only those who truly understand who they are can do what Jesus tells us in St Matthew Gospel today - To give up the best seat for others……Patience obtains all things and those who give up the best seat for others will one day be given a better seat…If you say you believe that - Then give up your seat! - Prove it……..JMJ

“My eager expectation and hope is that I shall not be put to shame in any way, but that with all boldness, now as always, Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death”

Do you believe that? - I not only do - I KNOW IT - Because “without me you can do nothing”

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the Gospel of St Luke how Jesus cures a man on the Sabbath in front of the Pharisees….He was trying to teach the Pharisees something - And us too!…And if one is an objective reader of this passage, one can safely claim that the point Jesus made was irrefutable….And if the Pharisees were objective and open, they would have seen just how correct Jesus was in is interpretation of the Law…But sadly, the Pharisees were not objective…Their hearts were closed….And because of that - They “missed” it! - God was literally standing right in front of them - And they missed him!…….”Jesus spoke to the scholars of the law and Pharisees in reply, asking, “Is it lawful to cure on the sabbath or not?” But they kept silent; so he took the man and, after he had healed him, dismissed him. Then he said to them “Who among you, if your son or ox falls into a cistern, would not immediately pull him out on the sabbath day?” But they were unable to answer his question”……Notice how St Luke addresses the hardness of heart of the Pharisees…He says they - “Were unable to answer his question” - Is it that they were “unable” to answer the question or they WOULD NOT answer the question? - Because they were convicted in their error…So they REFUSED to answer the question…Before we condemn the Pharisees, which is very easy to do, how about we examine our own hearts….Do we have a teachable spirit?…..Sadly, when you look on social media, it does not appear like many people do….What happens when someone presents rock solid Church teaching from the Catechism of the Catholic Church to you? - Do you dismiss it? - Ignore it? - Rationalize it away?…..Many on Catholic Social Media do this….As Catholics, we must allow the Church to form our conscience….Like a good mother, who forms her children…If we “do not agree” with something the Church teaches - Say its the teaching on being open to life in marriage or abortion or the need to be in the state of grace before we receive the Blessed Sacrament at Mass, these are just a few examples, that are VERY CLEARLY addressed in the Catechism of the Catholic Church - If we do not believe what the Church teaches on these topic - We need to pray…I will also take it a step further…Because we are not in “communion” with the Church, when we disagree with fundamental Church teachings - We should still attend Sunday Mass, but should not receive the Blessed Sacrament…Again, because we are not in “communion” with the Church…By the way, that is why we recite the Nicene Creed before we receive the Blessed Sacrament at Mass…In doing so, we are professing that “WE BELIEVE” everything the Church teaches BEFORE we receive the Eucharist…If we do not believe EVERYTHING - Its time to pray, fast and discern…And if we do that with an honest and objective heart - The Holy Spirit will guide us to the Truth….The Pharisees in St Luke Gospel read to us today at Mass in essence “created” a God of their own choosing - How about us?….Have we “created a Church” of our own choosing?….One of the beautiful things about being Catholic is - EVERYTHING we need to KNOW and BELIEVE is written down in the Catechism!…. St Paul instructs us on this point perfectly - "Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect." ……The minute you realize that God is smarter then you - And the Church has been around for 2000 years for a reason - Is the minute you advance in your relationship with Christ…..So the question then remains - Do you have a teachable spirit? - Its “kind of required” that you do!

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

How is it that there are so many people who are Catholic that disagree? - Everything the Church professes to be true is written down!!!!! - Yet here we are…Have you ever thought the problem is not the Church - But the “problem” is YOU!…..One of the pivotal moments in my personal walk as a committed Catholic, which by the way as spanned over 30 years - Is this - I came to realize that - “My way does not work!!!”…I learned that very young - At the age of 22 years old - I came to know deep within my heart - “My way does not work”…How did I receive that grace? - Well, I tried it “MY WAY” - And that led to DISASTER…I went away to college and “bought in” to everything the American culture was “selling” - And I was left broken, my joy was gone and I was empty!……When I returned home to my parents - I knew deep down I needed to start “listening” to God…I remember the day like it was yesterday…I went into the Catholic Church my parents raised me in on a Saturday afternoon and just sat in front of the Tabernacle - For those who do not know, the Tabernacle is where the Blessed Sacrament is kept…At the time I did not believe in the True Presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, but as Divine Providence would have it - I sat in front of it that given day….As I sat there - A tidal wave a grief came over me…I can not explain it any other way - But it was a tidal wave!!!! - I have never felt that much grief in MY LIFE…And I wept bitterly, like I never have before or since….That was the beginning of my walk with God - From that point forward - And on that very day - I made my first “adult confession” - And life started over….To this day and I am now 56 years old - I KNOW - “My way does not work!” - And God’s way does work….In my humble opinion - This is one of the most important things Jesus ever taught mankind - “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and every one that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit. You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you. Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing”….....Do you believe that? - I not only do - I KNOW IT - Because “without me you can do nothing”……JMJ

“He has given food to those who fear him; he will forever be mindful of his covenant. He has made known to his people the power of his works, giving them the inheritance of the nations”