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

Because he said so!

Today at Holy Mass we are told in the Gospel of St Matthew about a King who prepared a Feast for his people…And believe it or not…His people did not want to attend…How could that be! - Why would people not want to attend this feast prepared by such a gracious King? - It makes non sense - Right?…..But knowing human nature as I do - It does make sense…To enter this “feast” one must enter on the King’s terms….Not our own…How do I know that?…Well, Jesus tells us this in the Gospel….”But when the king came in to meet the guests, he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment. The king said to him, 'My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?' But he was reduced to silence.”………This is why the people did not want to enter…They were “not on board” with the King’s terms……Interesting - How things have not changed….In American Christianity - This includes many Catholics too - There is a misconception that we can live our life on “our terms” and still enter the Kingdom of God - That my friends is nothing more then a self-manufacture delusion…How do I know that - Parable after Parable taught by Jesus tells us so - As does this parable tell us today….To enter into the Kingdom of God - We must live as the Church tells us to live…Not the “church” we created in our mind that suits what we like - But “THE Church” as it is laid out in Catechism…..Some (Protestants) try to separate Jesus from the Church - As if that is possible…And then there are others (SSPX) who ignore the Pope, the magisterium and Vatican II…creating a “church” which has no authority and is not in line with apostolic succession…In both cases (The Protestants & the SSPX) both are wrong!!!!……To enter the Kingdom of God, we need to enter on “the King’s terms”…Sadly, when we refuse to do so, (like we hear today at Mass) - The only people we are fooling is ourself….Our human pride prevents us from “seeing” reality…..Like a child standing in the corner holding his breath because he did not get what he wanted….To ignore the invitation of God - Is simply foolish - Why? - Because we die!….And we will NOT enter the Kingdom of God on our terms - This reality must taught and preached…Why? - Because it is reality…Does that mean only “perfect people” enter heaven - Actually its the opposite - Humble people enter heaven, who acknowledge that they are sinners and ask God through a Sacramental Confession to forgive their sins - And forgiveness, grace and mercy is given to those people - They enter heaven…Its the people who do not think they have to ask God for mercy…or…Take God’s mercy for granted…or….Delude themselves into thinking they enter heaven on “their terms”…… That "crowd" (and it is vast) may find themselves in trouble!….Again - How do I know this? - Because Jesus said so today in the Gospel - Are we listening!

“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."

I have taught the Catholic faith for almost thirty years in many different capacities…I have always said…Being Catholic is easy…Why?…Because everything is written down!!!!!!….All we have to do is “paint by the numbers” - Read what is on the paper and then do it!!!!…Easy right? - Apparently not…..I listen to very smart people on social media…MUCH smarter than me!!!….Invent concepts that not only conflict with what is in the Catechism of the Church, as well as the Social Doctrine of the Catholic Church - And blatantly - And  BOLDLY conflict with Papal statements and Papal encyclicals…They have forgotten something that is fundamental - WE HAVE NO AUTHORITY!! - and - THE POPE HAS AUTHORITY…The Pope, while a man and subject to sin as we all are is given a special grace by God when he becomes the Pope - Does that mean he is perfect - NO - But it does mean God’s hand is on him in a VERY SPECIAL WAY…The Church is a divine institution, founded by Christ himself - Have we forgotten that in our hubris!!!!…These people I am referring too will swear up and down that they acknowledge all the things I just stated…But still “invent” their own Church, whether its the Protestants, the SSPX, or “TRAD” Catholics who vehemently ignore or do not acknowledge the Pope or Vatican II…..How can this happen?…..The answer comes to us in one word - PRIDE…..”I WILL NOT SERVE - unless its on my terms”……For those who see problems with members of the clergy anf the laity….And there are problems - Let’s be honest…Trust that God will resolve them…Also trust that God will purify his Church…..In the mean time…Live Sacramentally - Fast for the Church weekly - And pray daily - Develop a DEEP interior life…By doing so, you will save your soul…Leave the “heavy lifting” to God….Bend your knee fully to authority - The only legitimate authority there is - The Catholic Church…..And trust that God will do the rest…Because he will - Because he said so!…..JMJ

And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

It’s not about what you say - It what you do that counts!

Today at Holy Mass in the Gospel of St Luke Jesus tells us point blank - Are we listening?…..Its not what you “believe” that matters….Its not what you read that matters…Its not what you know that matters - Its WHAT YOU DO!……”He replied, “Rather, blessed are those
who hear the word of God and observe it”…..Now if you have ever been around Protestants - As I have - One of the things they get right….Protestants will say - “All of us are sinners and we cannot live up to the laws of God” - And they are completely right! - However - This is what they get WRONG - Without Sacramental grace - Not only will you NEVER live up to the laws of God - You can NEVER do what Jesus commanded us to do - And that is problematic - Why? - Jesus tells us today……We are held to the standards of the law and MUST observe it - And without Sacramental grace - That is not going to happen!….Our world today does not “get that”….And if in fairness, I were to be honest, for two thousand years - Most people did not “get it” either…..Living Sacramentally is not an option!!!! - Its a requirement - Why? - Because our human nature is fallen and grace elevates our human nature…Jesus did us “a favor” by establishing a Church…Because its only through the Catholic Church that we can confess our sins and get fed by the Body, Blood, Soul, & Divinity of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament…Do you understand what I am telling YOU? - This is NEEDED - Its not an OPTION……..Because if you want to “observe” the word of God, as Jesus requires us to do, as we heard today at Mass - You MUST live Sacramentally - And frankly - No matter what state in life you are living in (Priest - Married - Single) - You will FAIL in living as God asks us to live if Sacramental grace is not the bedrock of your life…I will repeat it again…….Its not what you “believe” that matters….Its not what you read that matters…Its not what you know that matters - Its WHAT YOU DO!….Jesus is not looking for believers - He is looking for followers - There is a big difference between the two

“You descendants of Abraham, his servants, sons of Jacob, his chosen ones! He, the LORD, is our God; throughout the earth his judgments prevail”

I am a co-host of a Catholic radio show in the New York City Metropolitan Area - I only state that because - Like me, there are many people who are attempting to evangelize the culture - And God Bless them all!…But how do we succeed in this venture?….Is simply “posting” something on X or Facebook going to make that happen?….or…Hosting a podcast?…..The answer is NO…People need to see YOU live as a Catholic…As Jesus told his disciples today at Mass……”Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it”…..And to do this, requires us to live sacrificially…..Sacrificial love witnessed “moves the dial”…..Once again - There is a lot of people out there “doing a lot of talking” - My suggestion, when evaluating “who to listen to” is this - Before you listen to someone - Watch what they do first….Now does that mean a person has to be perfect for you to listen to them - Absolutely not - But it does mean that an authentic Catholic whether a Bishop; Priest; married or single will live sacrificially - If you watch them - That will be clear as day whether they live sacrificially or they do not - Trust me! - They will “pay” a personal cost to live that way for others…….My old town doctor when I would go for my yearly physical told me that his father had a standard for politicians he voted for…..Ask the politician two questions:…How much is the price of a gallon of milk? - If the politician did not know this personally - That means he is disconnected from the needs of the “average person”…The second question….How much money each year do you donate to the poor out of your own pocket?…..It’s one thing to “allocate” tax dollars to the poor - Its another thing all together when you give YOUR money to someone in need….Why is this a good standard to observe in the American political class?…Jesus gives us the answer….“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”….Now if you are “trying” to change the culture as a Catholic evangelist…And your life does not reflect to the world around you sacrificial love for others - As we say in New Jersey - “Keep walking and stop talking!”…..You will not succeed at impacting anyone - In fact - You can “post” Catholic quotes - Memes - You Tube clips on social media all day! - You can host podcast after podcast….And frankly - No one will be impacted - Not a soul!…However - If you do what Jesus says today in the Gospel…”Hear the word of God and observe it” - And that will undoubtedly entail living sacrificially - The world will take notice - And your impact will be significant - Trust me!……People, even simple people, know the “real deal” when they SEE it - The “hearing” part comes after the “seeing” part! - And ONLY those who live Sacramentally will make those DEEP sacrificial gestures in life for others - Why? - Because without grace - We can do nothing! - Its not about what you say - Its what you do that counts!…..JMJ

“Look to the LORD in his strength; seek to serve him constantly. Recall the wondrous deeds that he has wrought, his portents, and the judgments he has uttered”

If I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own people drive them out?

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the Gospel of St Luke that the people of Jesus time thought what he was saying came from the devil….Interesting?!? - And people were convinced of this!!!!….Has anything changed today?….Is America even interested in the Truth?….Even within the pews of many Catholic Parishes….What happens if a Priests speaks about abortion? - The dangers of contraception - How contraception leads to abortion?…What happens if a Priest talks about Sacramental Marriage - The only marriage that God recognizes?….What happens if a Priest takes about sharing our wealth with the poor in accordance with Catholic Social Teaching?…..I will tell you what happens - People write letters to the Bishop and walk out of Mass!!!….And that is in the Catholic Church - Never mind in the Public Square…Jesus tells us today - He warns us…“Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste and house will fall against house. And if Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that it is by Beelzebul that I drive out demons. If I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own people drive them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you. When a strong man fully armed guards his palace, his possessions are safe. But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him, he takes away the armor on which he relied and distributes the spoils. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters”…….As Catholics - This goes for ALL Catholics - Bishops - Priests - Lay Catholics…We must speak the Truth in season and out of season - Be damned the consequences!!!!!!….As the saying goes in New Jersey.......”Let the chips fall where they may”…..We must put our faith in God and live for an “audience of ONE”……Pope Benedict XVI identified this problem in the culture and wrote the following…..“The world offers you comfort. But you were not made for comfort. You were made for greatness”…Stop trying to “get an invitation to the party”…..Be a voice of ONE, if you have too, but be that voice!!!….The only fear we must have, when it comes to speaking the Truth is the fear of God - If we do not speak it!……Jesus spoke the Truth and people thought he was demonic - Imagine that?!?…..What happens today when you tell your neighbor that you do not acknowledge same sex marriage as valid?….or…When you tell your “work friends” that there are only two genders - Male and Female - That transgenderism is a psychological disorder - What happens?….Do they think you too are demonic?….If they do - Blessed are you!

“The prince of this world will now be cast out, and when I am lifted up from the earth I will draw all to myself, says the Lord”

Catholic means universal - That means EVERYONE IS WELCOME to the Catholic Church…Anyone can attend Mass - You do not even have to believe in God to attend Mass…The same goes for Eucharistic Adoration - Anyone can sit before the Eucharistic Lord…In fact - I highly recommend such a practice for secular people and non-practicing Catholics….All that being said…The doors of the Church are open and ALL are welcome! - However - WE CANNOT CONSUME THE BLESSED SACRAMENT IF WE ARE NOT IN THE STATE OF GRACE….This point will never change and NO ONE can change it….It is an eternal and a perpetual teaching of the Catholic Church, which is not only biblical but it is also in the Catechism….Why?….Its not about “earning” the Eucharist, as if anyone is worthy…Its about KNOWING who we stand before - GOD - And because it is GOD and GOD is perfectly pure - We must make ourselves presentable by confessing our mortal sins before we consume him Body: Blood; Soul and Divinity…..When I would volunteer with the Missionaries of Charity in Manhattan before I was married, many of the men they cared for who had AIDS would attend morning Mass - Many of those men were not even Catholic - And if they were not Catholic or were Catholic and did not go to confession…They would not receive the Blessed Sacrament….If these men accept this teaching - Public sinners! - Then what is the problem for us?….The problem is not with the Church - Or the teaching - The problem is within our own hearts!…And if we believe this unchangeable teaching of the Church and are afraid to teach it - Or worse - Do not proclaim it at Mass when YOU KNOW that secular people are in attendance at a Mass - Say at an American Wedding or a Funeral Mass….Do you “think” you are doing anyone any favors?……Do you “think” you are being “merciful”?…..Jesus suffered and died because he spoke the Truth…Not a Half-Truth - But the whole Truth!!!…..And today - If we embrace the Truth - We too will be persecuted - In some cases hated - Accept that reality because it is reality!….So be it!!!!…Return love for hate - Be consistent - And be not afraid…Speak the Truth in season and out of season…When I got married I told my wife…”I did not get married to go to hell”…What did I mean by that strong statement?…..As a married Catholic we are called to be “open to life” - That means we CANNOT use contraception - That means we must accept all the sacrifices that go along with having many children…..I will say it again…..”I did not get married to go to hell”…..And true to our wedding vows…My wife and I have ALWAYS been open to life and NEVER have used contraception - Praise God!…..Some claim today to be against abortion - But use contraception….That is a contradiction!!!….Some say they are against abortion and are for the death penalty - That is a contradiction!!!…..Some claim to be against abortion and do not care for the elderly…..That is a contradiction!!!

“Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste and house will fall against house. And if Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that it is by Beelzebul that I drive out demons. If I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own people drive them out?

JMJ