Its really easy to “get lost” in the hype of the label - “I’m Catholic”

Today at Holy Mass in the Gospel of St Luke Jesus cures ten lepers…Now keep in mind…Being a leper in Jesus time was literally a death sentence….Not to mention, before you died of the disease, you were cast out of society - Literally - To live in the elements alone until you died….So Jesus encounters a group of these people and they asked him to heal them…..So Jesus does…..And nine of them just go on their merry way…and only one comes back to thank him….And this man was a Samaritan - Why is that significant?…Samaritans were consider the lowest of the low by the Jewish people….And he comes back to thank Jesus…The other nine, implying they were Jews and knew the law of God did not……WOW!!!….…Now that is a message right?!?…..How quick people forget the mercy of God……How quick we take for granted all the good things God gives to us each and every day……If we make it a practice to go to confession with a priest frequently as the saints prescribe (once a month) - No matter how “good” other people think you maybe - You start to “see” very clearly that you are flawed….This is also why its good to go to the same priest each time you go to confession…Its a reminder to you….That you are “no saint” - You know it and so does the priest!!! - And that is a good thing…It keeps you humble…..Now, as a person who does go to frequent confession at the same parish in New York City every other week - I am fully aware of how good I feel after I get out of the confessional and the Priest absolves my sins….In experiencing this encounter with Christ, which is exactly what a Sacramental Confession is - Don’t you think that encounter will effect how I see other people around me who are also in need of mercy too? - Of course it does…..How about if someone wrongs me and they apologize - Knowing that God forgave me makes it that much easier for me to forgive that person who asked of mine forgiveness - Makes sense right?….“Two people were in debt to a certain creditor; one owed five hundred days’ wages and the other owed fifty. Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both. Which of them will love him more?” Simon said in reply, “The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven.” He said to him, “You have judged rightly.”Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet, but she has bathed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but she has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I entered. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she anointed my feet with ointment. So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; hence, she has shown great love.* But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little”…This is just one more reason why Catholics need to commit to going to frequent Sacramental Confession - It fosters empathy within you for others and the seeds of authentic humility grow….But let’s circle back to the Samaritan leper who was cured in today’s Gospel….You would have thought the nine Jewish lepers who “knew better” because they knew the Jewish law would have come back to Jesus and not only thanked him but followed him - But that did not happen……What does this story tell you? - I will tell you what it teaches me - Don’t “write people off” too quickly - Because sometimes people surprise you…What else does it tell us? - “Labels” and self described “identities” mean very little - Why? - Because its our actions that define us not the “labels”…Who we say we are or what we say we believe mean very little if our actions do not reflect what we say we believe…..There are some today who say “I am Catholic” and frankly, if we are honest, their daly lives in no way reflect the teachings of the Catholic Church or that of Christ - Let’s just be honest……“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?’ Then I will declare to them solemnly, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers”….God sees the human heart - It does not matter what you know or even say…Its what is in your heart, how you say it and how you live each day - That is how God will judge us…..And because of that - That is all that matters!….A good reminder for us all

“As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem, he traveled through Samaria and Galilee. As he was entering a village, ten lepers met him. They stood at a distance from him and raised their voice, saying, “Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!”

Clearly no one is perfect - If you are looking for perfection in people - You will always be disappointed…With that said, in my life I have met all kinds of people and periodically,  I not only meet someone who is not a practicing Catholic but never walked into a Catholic Church in their entire life - And that person, if I was to be honest, is clearly a “better person” then many Catholics I know…Simply by the way they act and treat others…..Now the Church is very clear in the Catechism about how we are saved…I am not refuting that teaching in this reflection - I am simply making an observation….Not all “self-described Catholic” are “nice people” - In fact, some of them are down right nasty!…Not all but their are some - So please do not misunderstand me…..When we die and stand before God, we will not be asked to recite the Bible or the Catechism of the Catholic Church from front to back - That I can guarantee you!…We will however be asked two questions…Did you love God above all things?…and….Did you love your neighbor as yourself?……..And how we live our daily life will answer both of those questions - Very clearly!……So how do we “live” by those Two Commandments? (Which by the way are on the “final exam”)…The answer  - Without Sacramental Grace and daily prayer - You are not going too…….Without Sacramental grace, even if you are a “self-described Catholic” in essence, you are really no better or different than a non-believer…Because it does not matter what you say or know - Its how you live your life that matters and with out grace - Trust me - You will live for the most part like the non-believing world…….My father dies of Parkinson disease in the midst of the COVID pandemic….Because of that, his funeral was not attended by many people…..One of the people who did attend was a work colleague of mine….His name was Jack Lokensky…Jack is Jewish and he drove over one hour to attend the funeral service…..When I saw Jack enter the room, to be honest I was “blown away”…So many people did not come - Some close friends and family of my father too did not attend - Many of them were Catholic by the way….But Jack came - A Jewish man, who does not believe that Jesus as God - And Jack did not even know my father!….Once again, Jack blew me away by that kind gesture - I will never forget it!….That story reminded me of today’s Gospel from Mass……“Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine? Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?” Then he said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you”……God sees the human heart - As far who “gets into heaven” and who does not - I think - There will be many people in heaven that “surprise” you - Some will be there who we never thought would and some who we thought would will not!…I just hope I “make it” - And in order for that to happen…I need to live by Sacramental Grace and daly prayer - By the way - So do YOU!….Its really easy to “get lost” in the hype of the label - “I’m Catholic”…..JMJ

“But when the kindness and generous love of God our savior appeared, not because of any righteous deeds we had done but because of his mercy, he saved us through the bath of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he richly poured out on us through Jesus Christ our savior, so that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life”

Why? - Because the Rosary is the weapon!

Today at Holy Mass in the Gospel of St Luke Jesus addresses us - Don’t “pat yourself on the back” for doing what is required of you!…Have we forgotten that we live under authority?….People today do not want to hear that - Even within the walls of the Catholic Church - Our life is not our own……..We see this all over social media - Do we “pat ourselves on the back” for simply living as a Catholic? - Because even in the best of actions and in the “best” of people, there are “cracks” and flaws….How can I say such a thing? - Because we are all flawed!!!!…This is why we must do all things through Our Lady….She takes all our good actions - And magnifies them…She then presents them to her son…This is a good way to view your “Catholic walk” each day - To Jesus through Mary…No matter what I do - Even when I try my very best…There are imperfections in my actions - But Mary who is perfect and my Mother, sees my intentions and purifies my actions - She in essence “cleans them up” and presents them to her son…This is why devotion to Our Lady is so important…She is the most direct way to Jesus….How do we develop this devotion?…Start with saying one “Hall Mary” each day….Then pray one decade of the Rosary each day….Then pray the entire Rosary each day…Then pray one Hail Mary with your spouse each day…Then pray one decade of the Rosary with your spouse each day…Then pray the entire Rosary with your spouse each day…Then slowly invite the children to join you….Step by Step - Our Lady will guide you to her son…..As Catholics, if we read the Gospels carefully, we will notice that many things are asked of us and how we live is what God is concerned about - Not what we say we “believe” - Never forget that…Our Lady is a true Mother and all Mother’s guide their children…Without her, we can never accomplish what we are ALL called to accomplish - To be a holy people….We learn this at the feet of our Mother…..No one understood Jesus like Mary - This is why its vital we cling to her and "the cord" that we “attach” ourselves to her is the Rosary

“Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him”

Padre Pio famously said - “The Rosary is the Weapon”…What did he mean by that?…..Scriptures tell us that the devil prowls the world seeking the ruin of souls…That means the devil is very real and that he is in a sense “hunting” us…The devil is highly intelligent - He knows all our weaknesses and we all have weakness….He plays “the long game” and all the devil needs is a “crack” to get into our lives and before we know it, that “crack” becomes a chasm…..What does this all have to do with the Rosary?….Well - As Padre Pio said - The Rosary is the weapon…Even if we live in the state of grace, we are still only human and will be faced with temptation after temptations each day….And trust me - The devil knows YOU better then you know your self….So what do we do when we face temptation? - Or experience doubt? - Or experience a lack of trust in God? - Or are afraid of what the future holds?…..I will tell you what I do - I hold my Rosary in my hand…Just by merely holding my Rosary, the temptations that plague me flee….Try it….When I walk to my office building each day in New York City - As I am about to do - The Rosary is ALWAYS in my hand the entire journey to my office…If I see a beautiful woman, who is not dressed appropriately, I grasp my Rosary…If an impure thought comes into my head, I reach into my pocket and grab my Rosary….Before I put on my wrist watch each day, my Rosary goes into my pocket…..I carry it with me EVERYWHERE I go………Why is the devil afraid of Mary?…Because Mary was humble….The mistake many people make when confronted with temptation (i.e. the devil) - They try to stand against him solely on our own - We “puff” up our chest and tell ourself I am “strong”….When we do this - The devil laughs….But as for Our Lady…She was perfectly obedient to the Father - Sinless in every way - And perfectly humble….The devil FEARS humility - He has no defense against it….And this is why when I am tempted, or afraid, or have doubts…I reach for my Rosary…Why? - Because the Rosary is the weapon!……JMJ

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant”

Why settle for a “shack” when you are a “temple”?

Today at Holy Mass the Universal Church commemorates the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome…This Church was at one time the Palace for a wealthy Roman family who gifted it to the Pope…Today this Church is know as the Pope’s Cathedral….The readings today at Mass all make reference to a “temple”….What is a temple? - What comes to your mind when you hear the word?…On a very elementary level, a temple is a place of worship, a place that people consider to be sacred…..I think we can all agree on that, on a very basic level…St Paul in the second reading today tells us that our bodies are temples to God….Do you think in these terms?…......”Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?”….As children most Catholics are baptized and at that moment, an “indelible mark” was placed upon us…..We become grafted into the very body of Christ - Do you ever think about that!!!!…..What is within each of us is HOLY!!!….And if we cooperate with God - We will become what were were ALL born to be - HOLY…But here is the “catch” - Without cooperation with God - That is not going to happen…..St Paul also tells us something else that is rather interesting…..”You are God's building. According to the grace of God given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building upon it. But each one must be careful how he builds upon it, for no one can lay a foundation other than the one that is there, namely, Jesus Christ”…Notice what St Paul says…..”each one must be careful how he builds upon it, for no one can lay a foundation other than the one that is there”……There is only one real authority on this earth - That authority is the Catholic Church - I realize I just made many people get very angry after they read this last sentence - But it is true!!!….Jesus Christ was God and he founded only one Church - He gave it authority - His authority!….When we “break” from the Church - Something “breaks” within us……Why? - Because without Sacramental grace - The likelihood that we will be able to live as Christ requires us to live is slim to none!…..And how we live is the only thing that matter - Not what we say we believe….What else does that one sentence imply?…It should tell us that NO ONE can “build” upon the foundation that Jesus built upon outside of the Catholic Church - How do I know that to be true? - Because the Catholic Church has lasted for 2000 years and will be the last institution standing when EVERYTHING we see around us falls to pieces…Notice how businesses, “churches” of all kinds, governments, empires - They all come and go - And the Catholic Church is still here…Does that make you think? - If it does not - It should…Think long and hard before you “break” with the Catholic Church! - The people in it (myself included) are all flawed - I “get it” - But what the Church teaches and has taught for centuries is PERFECT and will NEVER change….Denying reality does not do you any good….So “stay in the boat” - The "seas" may get rough but "the boat" will NEVER sink - That means YOU will NEVER sink - But only if you STAY IN THE BOAT

“I have chosen and consecrated this house, says the Lord, that my name may be there forever”

There is an old saying…”The seeds of Baptism are always being sown”…..Many Catholics get Baptized and then never go into a Church again….However, that does not mean God is not still working within them….As long as a person has breath in their body - There is hope for them - Because God is always “reaching out his hand”……St Paul reminds us today at Mass that our bodies are God’s temple - Sadly the world does not view things this way - I can say that by the way the world lives - What people put into their bodies - What people do sexually with each other….Clearly this concept is not in the forefront of the minds of people across the world - But that does not mean it is not a reality……Before I was married I served with Mother Teresa’s sisters for seven years at an AIDS hospice in New York City…I have watched harden men - Some outright criminals fresh out of jail - Who lived HORRIBLE lives…..Come to Christ as their life was coming to an end…Many of these men were not Baptized and requested to be Baptized before they died - Some were Baptized as children and they never lived as Catholics - Until they saw that life was soon to end for them due to their medical condition….The point I am making is - Each of us is a “Temple of the Holy Spirit”…That is the way God sees us - No matter who we are or what we have done….And if we choose to cooperate with God - We “set the world of fire”…But sadly, we “think” our “plan” is better than God’s plan…And as a result we settle for mediocre lives - Some even live criminal lives!….With that being said - ”The seeds” of our Baptism are always being sown…If only we cooperated - If we did - The “temple”, within each of us would THRIVE - You would stand out for all the world to see as a beacon of LIGHT…..Why settle for a “shack” when you are a “temple”?…..JMJ

“Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy that person; for the temple of God, which you are, is holy”

Wisdom gives us this required “sight”

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the first reading about the importance of wisdom….Wisdom is something that is misunderstood by many - It has very little to do with raw analytical intelligence as most people think it does - It also does not necessarily come to us through life experience…..Wisdom is one of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit and to give a definition to it - “Wisdom: The ability to see things from God's perspective and to value spiritual and eternal things over material ones”….How does one acquire this? - Simple….Live in the state of Sacramental grace…An illiterate farmer in the middle of South America can possess true wisdom and a Harvard educated Banker in New York City can be devoid of it…..Having wisdom helps one see the world as it truly is….Through God’s eyes - Because that is reality…Sadly, the smarter we are and the more we have - The more we distort reality - We see this all around us today…..Just because we can for a very brief period of time distort reality - Does not mean it is reality…Because God is reality - He created the world and no matter what mankind does - We can not alter God’s plan - So we either “join the team” or we “get trampled under foot”….There is no way mankind can “fight against God”…Its like trying to hold back the ocean with a table spoon in your hand!…But back to wisdom - When we “see” the world though God’s len and value what God values - As the definition of wisdom describes - We “see” many of the “potholes” in life that most people fall into…And by “seeing” them - We avoid them…..For instance - Like marrying a superficial and materialistic woman - Like becoming addicted to pornography - Like chasing money and power - Like buying into materialism that is all around us…These are just a few of the “potholes” that even the smartest of people fall into and their lives are destroyed!…Authentic wisdom allows us to “see” these things for what they are as they are!…And when you live Sacramentally - Our human will is fortified to resist the temptations that far too many people fall prey too (i.e. Fortitude is another of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit)…..I have learned this by watching my own father, who lived a good and respectful life…..By watching my earthly father, the son of an Italian immigrant who worked in a one man barbershop, I learned that life has many “chapters” and also that life is NOT to be viewed in the “short term”, as many view it - Because life in many ways is a “marathon not a sprint” - And without wisdom, one will never see it that way….And if we are "blind", the likelihood of us falling into a pit is highly probable.

“Resplendent and unfading is wisdom, and she is readily perceived by those who love her, and found by those who seek her. She hastens to make herself known in anticipation of their desire; Whoever watches for her at dawn shall not be disappointed, for he shall find her sitting by his gate. For taking thought of wisdom is the perfection of prudence, and whoever for her sake keeps vigil shall quickly be free from care; because she makes her own rounds, seeking those worthy of her, and graciously appears to them in the ways, and meets them with all solicitude”

In my life I have met many different people  - I have also lived “many different lives”…..I was once “the cool kid” in high school…Voted by my class of 282 people “the class clown” - Everyone loved me and I had all kinds of friends from every “group”…I went on to college to become the “party guy” - Lived a wild life like one sees in the movies about college life - Maybe even more wild than the movies - If you can believe it…..Then I came home lost and broken because of my sins - Only to find Christ in my Catholic faith….Following my “new life with Christ” - I found that many of the “cool friends” I had wanted nothing to do with me - So a “new life” and a new chapter began………Then I worked on Wall Street and traveled for 13 years all over the United States and South America - Working with and next to wealthy bankers and brokers - These people took me to the best restaurants and when I traveled and I stayed in the best hotels….During this period of my life, I worked and served with the Missionaries of Charity (Mother Teresa’s sisters) both in America and abroad and have walked among some of the poorest people on this earth!…….Now I am married to a Haitian-American Catholic woman and have five children under 12 years old - To say life is a journey is an understatement - And my life is not done!…….I say all this because I have “lived many lives”…..And my experiences have given me prospective - But not necessary wisdom, which was a theme today in the readings from Sunday Mass….As I have stated earlier in this reflection…“Wisdom is the ability to see things from God's perspective and to value spiritual and eternal things over material ones”…….Seeing the world “through God’s prospective” has NOTHING to do with our experiences - It has EVERYTHING to do with Sacramental grace…And to obtain this grace is rather easy - It also is FREE…Yet most people refuse it…What is the obstacle that prevents us from having this grace?….By the way, this includes many Catholics - We REFUSE to confess our sins to a Catholic Priest…By refusing to confess our sins - We create a barrier between us and Jesus - That means if we are not formed (as I was not at one time in my life) and we receive the Blessed Sacrament, while living in objective mortal sin - We are limiting the grace of God that COULD BE penetrating our soul….Its like putting up an umbrella in the rain - The rain is falling from the sky in buckets but we are not “feeling” the rain on our face because of the umbrella….Sacramental grace is what “opens us up” to wisdom (a gift of the Holy Spirit) and in order to have a “good” and healthy life - We need wisdom!!!….The number of people who destroy themselves, who do not possess wisdom is to numerous to count….And again - Just because we have “lived” a long time and experienced many different things does not mean we have true wisdom…Wisdom is like all good things, it is a gift from God…And when we have it - We are equip to “tackle the world”….And if we do not have wisdom - Watch out……The “traps” of life are many and in order to “see” them we need to see as God sees - Wisdom gives us this required “sight”…….JMJ

“Stay awake and be ready! For you do not know on what day your Lord will come.

”What is of human esteem is an abomination in the sight of God”

Today at Holy Mass in the Gospel of St Luke…Jesus gives us some “financial advice”…..“I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth, so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings”….Notice the words Jesus uses. - Not “if” but “WHEN” it fails you!…….Mankind continues to ignore its own mortality and “chases after its own tail”….We see it in our small towns across the nation - Grifters “selling” nonsense services on Main Street to our Politicians on the National level enriching themselves at the taxpayers expense…….Now - People do “a lot of talking” - I am one of them for the “record” - I Co-Host a Radio show in the New York Metropolitan Area - And trust me because I do “a lot of talking” - I am FULLY aware that people are watching me…As Catholics, do we realize that people watch us VERY carefully….Looking for us to “misstep”……Now that does not mean we have to be perfect because no one is - But how we live and how we spend our money tells the world a lot!……Once again, as a Catholic - I am going to give you the “litmus test” when it comes “watching” those who do “a lot of talking”…This goes for clergy and lay Catholics alike……Number one - Look at how they spend their money - Not other people’s money THEIR MONEY……Our checkbook tells us a lot about what we value…Do we spend our money on ourself or on others?…….Number Two - And this applies to married Catholics specifically, which is the “lion share” of the world’s Catholic population - Do they use contraception?…..Married couples that do not use contraception more times then not have numerous children, which means their money is not spent on themselves - No fancy cars - No grand vacations - No impressive homes…These two “benchmarks” I just noted should tell you everything you need to know…Now once again, if a person meets this standard are they perfect - Absolutely not!…But such a person clearly is doing their best to follow the First and Second Commandments - Love God above all things & Love you neighbor as yourself - By the way - The First and Second Commandments “sum up” the entire Gospel - And guess who said that? - “Hmmmmm” - Here is a “hint -  It was Jesus Christ!…..A Catholic, whether a Bishop, Priest or Lay person - Is a person who lives for others!….And when you put people above money - The world knows because the witness is visible - And this is the witness the world needs to see - Not more “empty talk”….....”The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones. If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth, who will trust you with true wealth? If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another, who will give you what is yours? No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon”………Jesus is very clear on the subject of money, addressing the topic in numerous passages in Scripture…Do we “hear” him?…..Because we cannot “buy” our way into heaven - Just so you know….Our money is "no good there”….So think long and hard - No one is “fooling” anyone!

“No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon”

Jesus was a simple man…He lived a simple life…He came from a simple family….And here is the craziness part of all…Jesus lived as I just explained…And he was GOD!…And we human beings, we are not God and we “pretend” like we are….If we have been gifted with material wealth or a great intellect - We do not share it? - Instead of telling ourselves - (Better put) - Convincing ourselves that what we have is ALL OURS….FOOLS!….Everything we have can be taken in one second!…Don’t believe me!?!….Watch footage when the World Trade Centers came crashing down in New York City on September 11 - When that happened I was six city blocks away watching it happen in real time….Many of the people who died that day were the MOST gifted in America…Went to the best schools….Made TONS of money…Married beautiful women….They had it ALL!!!…And in a matter of one hour, they went from drinking their coffee at their deck to plunging thousands of feet to the sidewalk to their deaths…Just like that!……Say for example I can throw a baseball 110 miles an hour and play for the New York Yankees…Clearly, if I can throw a ball that fast, its a gift from God…The average person can practice throwing a baseball all day everyday for years and years - They will NEVER be able to throw a ball 110 miles an hour and make the ball “dance” at will…So if God gave such a person that gift - Do you think he intended for that individual to hoard the gift and not share it with others?……How about a person who becomes a brain surgeon - Such a person has a tremendous intellect…..And consequently will make TONS of money in this world….Now I can study all day long for years and years - I am not smart enough to become a brain surgeon - So clearly that person who is has been gifted by God…What does that imply?….Don’t you think God expects something from that person?…….Mankind does not “see” things properly!…..And only when we purify our hearts do we see…How do we do that?….Frequent Sacramental Confession - Frequent reception of the Blessed Sacrament - Daily Prayer and Weekly Fasting…That’s how! - That is how we “see”…Why is that important? - Because what we “see” is usually how we live and how we live determines where we end up for all eternity - Death - Judgement - Heaven or Hell…The Four Last Things…Do we think about them? - Not enough people do......”What is of human esteem is an abomination in the sight of God”……JMJ

“No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”

.Because there are no “dual passports” in heaven

Today at Holy Mass, in the first readings St Paul encourages us……”Our citizenship is in heaven”……And this is truly a reassuring thought…But if that is the case, how we conduct ourself and our affairs here on earth matter….We cannot call ourselves citizens of heaven and still embrace "the world, the flesh and the devil"…..On the surface, I think we all would say…That is something we do not do - But the devil is crafty - And the “spirit of the world” can creep into our life if we are not careful….What we as followers of Jesus Christ must understand is….The “Spirit of the World” and the Kingdom of Heaven can and NEVER will mix…..The one and only prayer that Jesus Christ gave to us is very clear - The Lord’s Prayer - We all know it….”On earth as it is in Heaven”….There is no separating the two - So the question becomes - Is this how we live?…Have we created a “Domestic Church” in our home?…Do people know we are Catholic in our work place just by the way we behave?…..How do we spend our money?…..Do we live for others?…Are we open to life in our marriages “giving our life away” to our spouse and children?…This is how we show the world - “Who we are”…And in behaving in this manner - Our lives are not compartmentalized - God on Sunday (maybe) and worldly pursuits the rest of the week…….In the Gospel today, St Luke tells us - “For the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than the children of light”…In my experiences at work and with the many people I have encountered in my life - That statement is so very true…..Many times very religious people lack savvy when it comes to “maneuvering” in this world…They get taken advantage of - They can be too naive and trusting of others…..”Worldly” people know how “things work” - How to utilize leverage and “manage people”….We as Catholics clearly have to live in this world - Raise our children - Feed our families, etc…..But we also have to make a choice….What kind of person do you want to be?….Now if we are as St Paul tells us are truly - “Citizens of heaven” - That would imply we live as Jesus commanded us - Right? - And that would also imply we may not have the most “comfortable lives” here on earth - That many people may “pass us by”……How does that sit with you?……Choices matter! - And we all have to make a choice…..Because there are no “dual passports” in heaven......JMJ

”Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple”

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 New Jersey….I was preparing adults to enter the Church and receive the Sacrament of Baptism…I taught the RCIA 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 clearly for all to understand?…Do we “let the cards fall where they may”, as the old saying goes, and trust the Lord when we speak Truth to power in the Public Square?…..Are we afraid of the opinions of men?…..Jesus was very clear about what we WILL have to endure as authentic disciples of Christ (i.e. Catholics)….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”