“Practice makes Perfect”

Today at Holy Mass St Matthew tells us that everything we do as Catholics, in service of God and neighbor comes from our interior life….Each of us have God given talents, and those talents were given to us to serve God, our neighbor and his Kingdom…But its through prayer, fasting and Sacramental living that those talents “blossom”……Our work, if it does not spring from our interior life is not about God may times, its about self and feeds our ego…This is why it is essential for Catholics, before thinking about doing anything for the Kingdom of God, must first develop their interior life…..Today St Matthew in his Gospel educates us….”What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light; what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops”…Many time when we sit before the Blessed Sacrament in silence, we hear the “whisper” of God in our hearts…..Praying a Holy Hour each week is in essence a “school” where Catholics are formed….And once we are formed, we are sent!…..But to go forward without prayer is a fools errand…..Abraham Lincoln, who was the sixteenth American President, spoke to this idea…”Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe”…..The more we deepen our interior life, the more our work in service to God and neighbor will be fruitful

“Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?” “Here I am,” I said; “send me!” 

If you take the time and look into the daily structure of Catholic Religious Orders, you will find that each day has designated times for prayer…..Why is that?…Because if a monk, nun, friar or priest does not pray daily - He or she will not be effective…….The same goes for Lay-Catholics…While most of us live in the married state, we must carve out time each day for prayer…If that means getting up early, that is what we must do - If that means going to Mass on our lunch hour at work, that is what we must do…If that means establishing a time at the end of the night for all activity in the house to stop and gather the family to pray the Rosary together, that is what we must do…..Catholics, whether we are consecrated religious or not, must pray!…We must “plug into God” and we do that through daily prayer, fasting and Sacramental living…Mother Teresa illustrates this idea with an analogy……..“Often you can see power lines running alongside the street. Unless current is flowing through them, there is no light. The power line is you and I, the current is God! We have the power to allow the current to flow through us and thus to generate the light of the world: JESUS -  or to refuse to be used and, thus, allow the darkness to spread”…This is the “formula” we must follow…..If every Catholic Priest sat before the Blessed Sacrament for one hour each day - The Church would be renewed!….If every Baptized Catholic went to confession monthly, went to Mass weekly on Sunday as a family and prayed the Rosary daily…The world would be transformed in one day!…So simple - Right?!? - So why do we not do it?

“Your decrees are worthy of trust indeed: holiness befits your house, O LORD, for length of days”

Today we are told in the Gospel that what we hear in the silence of our hearts we are to proclaim - So here is the question - If we do not make time to quiet down and listen to God, how are we to hear his voice?….This is one of the driving problems of our world today - NOISE!…I believe the devil knows this and this is why human being are distracted with all different forms of NOISE….Because as we live amongst this NOISE - We CANNOT hear the voice of God….This is why we MUST make time to sit in silence and listen…….Jesus is very clear - He tells us - “Without me, you can do NOTHING”……Is daily prayer a priority in your life?…Is living sacramentally a priority in your life?….These are questions each Catholic must ask themself…Because if we are not doing the “basics”, we will not accomplish the “goal”, which is to enter into eternal life……God is waiting for us to give him permission to transform our lives - But that transformation does not happen “magically”……Like an athlete who practices day and night for a game - Catholics too must “practice”……..As the old saying goes - “Practice makes Perfect”….JMJ

”We” are not the “vine” - Jesus is the “vine”…..So “do whatever he tells you”

Today at Holy Mass in the first reading the Prophet Hosea address the northern tribe of Israel…If we know your history, the Northern tribe committed sins against God and formed political alliances with foreign nations…In the reading today Hosea addresses this situation…..”Ephraim! What more has he to do with idols? I have humbled him, but I will prosper him. “I am like a verdant cypress tree”— because of me you bear fruit!”……When “politics” did not work - God stepped in….God “humbled” the nation and in turn the people responded…..This is in many ways the story of human history, which repeats itself over and over again - Even on an individual level…..Human beings many times have to “try it their way” - And when they fail - And they “come to the end of themselves” - They turn to God!…..Notice, God did not give up on the northern tribe of Israel (Ephraim)…Just as a father does not give up on a son that strays from his faith…..God was patient - He waited until Ephraim was ready - And when he came to his senses - He once again was restored……..Notice too what Hosea states….”because of me you bear fruit” - Are we as Catholics convinced of this reality?…..Jesus tells us this himself…..”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. Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you”…..This statement made by Jesus cannot be emphasized enough!!!….We “remain” in him by living as a faithful Catholic….We cannot separate ourselves from the teachings of the Catholic Church and “think” we are following Jesus - This is a self deception made by many…..But when we live our lives according to Catholic teaching - When we live Sacramentally - When we pray daily - When we fast weekly - We surely will bear fruit…..How clearly Jesus and the Church tells us - So where is the confusion? - The “confusion” is in our hearts - Its in our will, which we refuse to bend…..But just like the Northern Kingdom spoken about today by the Prophet Hosea - Ephraim was humbled!…And when Ephraim came to “the end of himself” - He once again turned to God - And he “bore fruit”….That is how it works!

“Let him who is wise understand these things; let him who is prudent know them. Straight are the paths of the LORD, in them the just walk, but sinners stumble in them”

Why is it that Catholic religious orders that are faithful to Catholic teaching always get vocations?…..Why is it when a Holy Bishop courageously teaches, preaches and lives the fullness of the Truth in his diocese - Seminaries are packed with vocations?……The answer to these questions are found in the words spoke by Jesus……”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”….Far too many people, both inside and outside the Catholic Church “think” they know better than God - I got some news for you - YOU DO NOT!…..As Catholics all we have to do is read what the Church proclaims to be true in the Catechism of the Catholic Church……Its not for us to be “pastoral” and under the guise of that word - Water down Church teachings…There is nothing “pastoral” about not proclaiming the fullness of Truth….When this happens - Church attendance is low - Vocations to the priesthood and religious life diminish - And Catholic family life suffers….Once again, how many examples do we have to see? - How many times do we read about this in the Old Testament when the Jewish people do not give God what belongs to God……In the life of a Catholic a “turning point moment” comes when he or she surrenders “his way” to God’s way….When a person fully digests the reality that God’s way works and “their way” does not - That is when God really begins to work in the life of that soul….God is not interested in “half measures” - With God its all or nothing……”I know your works; I know that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth”…..The time of “lukewarm” Catholicism is OVER - When the world sees the “real deal” - The world will stop in its tracks!….This requires all of us to be “all in”!  

“A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me. Cast me not out from your presence, and your Holy Spirit take not from me”

Today we hear once again how without God, we as his people can do nothing….Jesus drives this point home to us but do we hear it?….Our Lady tells us this as well at the Wedding Feast of Cana…She tells us - "Do whatever he tells you”…..Yet somehow this message gets disregarded - We choose not to hear it!…..As Catholics we need to stop trying to “re-create the wheel”….Jesus took twelve uneducated fishermen and built a global church……And if we today follow Jesus example - Do we somehow think we will not bear fruit for the Kingdom of God?…..The problem is - Our efforts are “half-hearted” - We lack courage - We try to conform our message to the world by “watering it down”…This needs to stop!…..The Catholic Church is not to be “like the world” - We must mirror the Kingdom of God and invite “the world” to live differently…..As we say when we pray the Our Father Prayer - “Thy Kingdom Come - Thy will be done - On earth as it is in heaven”…..There is nothing “pastoral” about watering down Church teaching!…..It all comes down to this - Do we believe the words of Jesus?…”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”……”We” are not the “vine” - Jesus is the “vine”…..So “do whatever he tells you”………..JMJ

Words always fall short - Actions speak volumes!

Today at Holy Mass in the first reading, the Prophet Hosea gives us a small glimpse into just how much God loves us…As a father of five young children, this reading resonated with me deeply….A father will always see his children as innocent….He remembers them as babies…When they were innocent…When he lifted them up to his cheek and felt the warmth of their face…..As life happens and children make choices - Some bad and some good - A father remembers and continues to love…This is the love that is required of us as Catholics for everyone - Even our “enemies” because this is how God loves……”For if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same…..Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful”……As human beings we can never fully understand just how much God loves us….As parents of children, we get a small “taste” of how God loves - But even as parents - God infinitely loves our children more then we do - Hard to believe but true!…..”Thus says the LORD: When Israel was a child I loved him, out of Egypt I called my son. The more I called them, the farther they went from me, Sacrificing to the Baals and burning incense to idols. Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk, who took them in my arms; I drew them with human cords, with bands of love; I fostered them like one who raises an infant to his cheeks; Yet, though I stooped to feed my child, they did not know that I was their healer. My heart is overwhelmed, my pity is stirred. I will not give vent to my blazing anger, I will not destroy Ephraim again; For I am God and not man, the Holy One present among you; I will not let the flames consume you”…….The question then becomes - How do we love in this manner?…..To love as God asks us is a supernatural act, which requires supernatural means…Only by purifying our hearts through frequent Sacramental Confession and the frequent reception of the Eucharist will we be able to love in this manner….Its only and until we can “see” our neighbor in a “different light”, seeing him or her as God sees them, as a child, that we can love in this way….But make no mistake - Such love is possible - It is supernatural and God is in the “supernatural business”!

“As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons”

Years ago before I was married I helped teach the Catholic faith to a man who had the AIDS virus…Angel was his name and he was living in a hospice run by Mother Teresa’s sisters in New York City…Angel was a mess!….He fathered numerous children that he abandoned, he had alcohol and drug problems, he had been to jail a number times….Yet, Angel asked to be baptized….The sisters were hesitant at first - Why? - Because Angel’s behavior in the hospice at times was very bad - He was asked to leave a number of times only to return asking for forgiveness - And the sisters always let him back in….In time Angel was indeed baptized and interestingly enough, he then left the hospice for good…Shortly there after, we heard he was found died…..A true story……..God in his mercy never gave up on Angel, and before Angel died, he was baptized…..I often think about this - How Angel clearly lived a horrible life but God did not “write him off” - God waited as the father of the Prodigal son waited by the side of the road - And when Angel was ready to be baptized - God then called him to himself…….Human beings are very quick to “give up” on people - We “write them off” as hopeless…In many ways Angel was that type of person - I am sure many people “wrote him off” - But not God!!……This is how we MUST learn to be - To love and not count the cost - To give people a chance, even those who the world views as hopeless…Its in loving in this manner that we can get a “small glimpse” into how God loves….This is the path to heaven - “Walk it”…When we know we are loved in this way - Unconditionally - Nothing will “get in the way” between God and us…Love changes everything! - So many people today in the world have never experienced this “kind of love”….And when the secular world witnesses love like this from us - Hearts change and so do lives….Just ask my friend Angel

“Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give”

Today at Mass the Prophet Hosea gives us a glimpse into how God loves us…..If the world only understood this - Everything we do as Catholics must be grounded in charity….If our “works” do not come from a place within us of love - They mean nothing to God!….We can say all the right things - Do all the right things - But if there is no love - They mean NOTHING……To love our neighbor like this requires us first to love God…If we do not love God above all things - There is NO WAY we can love our neighbor as God requires us….We are incapable of such love without God’s assistance….Jesus knew this - That is why he established a Church - That is why he gave us the Sacraments….As Catholics we have EVERYTHING we need to love in the manner God requires us - Frankly, its up to us!…Love is a choice, its not a “feeling” - And we must make “the choice” every day…..Mother Teresa would tell her sisters - “For love to be real, it must hurt, it must cost us”…Are we as Catholics willing to love like this? - To pay that “cost”?….When the world witnesses love like this - “Eyes will open” and so will hearts - Sacrificial love cannot be ignored…And in the end - This is how the “sheep will be separated from the goats” - Some will use the word “love” and treat it simply as a word or a “feeling” - And others will demonstrate what love really is - By giving their lives away for others….As we all know - Sheep and Goats are very different from each other - So is sacrificial love from sentimental love……Words always fall short - Actions speak volumes!…….JMJ

Its all about ”Thy will be done” - Not - My will be done

Today at Holy Mass in the Gospel of St Matthew Jesus makes a statement which many may “gloss over”…Why? - Because obedience to legitimate authority is something human nature rejects….”Jesus summoned his Twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness”…….Because Jesus rose from the dead and is God, that should logically imply that everything he said must be true - Right?!?…Jesus did not write a book, the Bible was complied by the Catholic Church around 400 AD - Jesus established a Church upon twelve men….And today St Matthew tells us Jesus gave these men authority…Why is that so important?…..Because Jesus is God!….And what these twelve men proclaim to be true - Is true…Again - Why? - Because God gave them authority!….This authority given to the Catholic Church remains to this very day…The Pope is not just some “guy” - He is the Vicar of Christ, which means he is given a special grace….When the Pope makes a proclamation or writes a papal encyclical, the Catholic world should pay very close attention…..While the Pope is subject to sin, like everyone else - God’s grace rest with him in a very special way to guide the Catholic faithful around the world…..For that reason, every Catholic should be obedient to the Pope….Bishops and Cardinals too have authority….That means we owe them respect and obedience as well….There are times (both in the past and in the present) that Bishops and Cardinals have made “questionable statements” - When this happens - We as Catholic can always use the Catechism of the Catholic Church as our guide…The beauty of being Catholic is - Everything is written down!…All we have to do is read the words on the page!.....If a Bishop or a Cardinal does or says a “questionable” thing - Be at peace - God will “right the wrong” in time……In the mean time - Respect legitimate authority and be obedient - And remember this - The collective “we” (You and I) do not establish that authority - God does and so does the Church!

“Jesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus, “Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town. Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’”

Being that I co-host of a Catholic radio show in the New York City metropolitan area, I am very aware of the many Catholic voices on social media….For a Church that is very clear when it comes to its teachings - Its rather odd that so many people have “problems” with the Church……..While all people are subject to sin - Trust me, I “get it” - If I was to be blunt and honest, many of these ”problems” that people have with the Catholic Church are not “problems” with the Church itself - They are examples of a lack of obedience to legitimate authority…….As a Lay-Catholic, I have NO AUTHORITY…That means if I want to receive the Blessed Sacrament at Mass, I must “bend my knee” to EVERYTHING the Church professes to be true…..I can not “pick and choose” what to believe…That is why at Mass we profess publicly the Nicene Creed before we receive the Eucharist….In doing so, we publicly profess our obedience to everything the Church teaches…And if we have a “problem” with something the Church proclaims to be true - We should not receive Holy Communion…However, we should continue to go to Mass, pray daily, fast weekly to enable the Holy Spirit to “address” what our “problem” is all about….We can even seek good spiritual direction from a Holy Priest…If we do that, in time, the Holy Spirit will enlighten our minds and hearts - And my bet is - Our “problem” will no longer be a “problem”…….The Catholic Church belongs to Jesus Christ - We are just members of HIS Church - Only Jesus has authority, which he gave to the twelve apostles and is now passed down to the Bishops of today through what is called apostolic succession…Allow me to make it even more clear……God makes the rules - We do not!….Everything is written down very clearly in the Catechism of the Catholic Church - All we have do is follow along - Easy Right?!?….Seems clear to me

“The Kingdom of God is at hand: repent and believe in the Gospel”

Today we are told by Jesus in the Gospel that he gave authority to the early Church…Think about that - God gave the Church his authority!…….Today the world “authority” is a “bad word”…People like to do what they want to do….That is not the path to heaven!….The path to heaven is one of obedience to God and to the one and only Church he founded….That is why the road to heaven is “narrow”….We as Lay-Catholics have NO AUTHORITY - Its our job to be obedient to legitimate authority, which rest in the Church…..Ponder this for a moment - Jesus Christ subjected himself perfectly to St Joseph and Our Lady for thirty years…Jesus was God! - Yet he was obedient to his parents…What should that example tells us?…..What it tells me is - I need to be obedient - I do not “make the rules” - Its my job simply to follow the “rules”…..For those who read this reflection and have a “problem” with what I just wrote…I will leave you with the words of Jesus Christ…..“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”………Jesus came to give us life and give it abundantly - God never takes - He only gives!!!……Authentic Joy and Peace is only found in our obedience…..Its all about ”Thy will be done” - Not - My will be done……..JMJ

”Repent and Believe the Gospel” - The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand

Today at Holy Mass in the first reading we hear something from Hosea, who is an 8th-century BC prophet in Israel….He tells his people that their leaders are not grounded in God and therefore will not last…And guess what happened? - Exactly what Hosea the prophet predicted……When we build our lives outside of God, they eventually collapse….This goes for individuals, communities and nations…Why is this reality? - Because each of us was made by God and when we turn from God something inside of the human person breaks!….The Natural Law and the commandments of God pertain to ALL human beings whether they acknowledge them or not….Its like gravity - You do not have to “believe” gravity exists but if you jump off the roof of a building, it does not matter what you “believe”, you are going to hit the cement…..Mankind for centuries refuses to acknowledge this reality and that is why history repeats itself over and over again…And that is why people who are close to God, like the Prophet Hosea can “see” what others can not “see”….Its not that Hosea had “special powers” to predict the future……He simply saw the world through the lens of God’s eyes….He understood the human need for God…So when his people turned their back on their Creator, the outcome was easy for him to see - But to the rest of society - They were blind to it…Jesus centuries later echoes this theme……”Turning to the disciples in private he said, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I say to you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it”…As Catholics, the closer we get to God, the more we will “see” the world as it truly is….Sin, especially mortal sin, blinds humanity - This “lose of sight” is going on to this very day…What society has deemed “acceptable” is an abomination to God…..Abortion, Same sex marriage, Usury - To name just a few common practices of our American society, which many people do not even question anymore - All these things are an abomination to God - But many of our people do not “see” it that way……..“Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit?”…..What we “see” as a society many times is indicative of how we live….Think about it….Because in the end when we stand before the Lord and are judged, what we “think” does not matter….Again - “think” about it.

“When Ephraim made many altars to expiate sin, his altars became occasions of sin. Though I write for him my many ordinances, they are considered as a stranger’s. Though they offer sacrifice, immolate flesh and eat it, the LORD is not pleased with them. He shall still remember their guilt and punish their sins; they shall return to Egypt”

The United States Catholic Bishops have made statements about a number of practices that are intrinsically evil, which means they are wrong no matter what….These evils are the following: Abortion; Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide; Torture; Genocide and Murder; Same-Sex Marriage; Slavery and Human Trafficking…How lets look at how many Americans vote, that includes many Catholics…How can we support politicians that openly advocate for abortion, euthanasia and same sex marriage?….These practices are always wrong and are evil - Yet many Americas no longer consider then so…How should Catholics respond? - Can a Catholic in good conscience receive the Blessed Sacrament and still support such practices? - Should the Bishops make a statement about this, which in turn will help form the consciences of our people?…..Jesus gave his authority to the Church - That means what the Church says goes! - Whether we like it or not…We can ignore what Catholic Teaching has proclaimed for centuries all we want - It will be by the standards of God that we are judged when we stand before him after our death….Jesus gave the world one prayer - The Our Father - And in that prayer we say these words…”On earth as it is in heaven”…..That means we must live and structure society in the here and now (on earth) how life will be in heaven….Think about it - How can abortion, euthanasia and same sex marriage be apart of that “equation” - The answer is - It can not!

“Our God is in heaven; whatever he wills, he does. Their idols are silver and gold, the handiwork of men………The house of Israel trusts in the Lord”

Today we hear at Mass how the Prophet Hosea “calls out” the leaders of Israel for turning away from God…And as we know from history, every time the Jewish people turned from God, they were exiled from their land and great hardships were endured by the people….Does this sound familiar? - Because it should - It’s happening today before our very eyes!….America has turned from God…We have made legal what is intrinsically evil in the eyes of God….Do we “think” God does not see this?…..How can God bless the United States when we murder children in the womb right up until birth?….When many states have legalized euthanasia?…..When every state in America has legalized same sex marriage…….How can God “bless” such a country?!?…..Just as the people of Israel learned in the 8th century (which was predicted by the Prophet Hosea), America will learn and we will learn the hard way!….A nation which is not built on a solid foundation will crumble and eventually fall….To borrow the words of John the Baptist…”Repent and Believe the Gospel” - The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand…..JMJ

Stand firm and march forward

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the Gospel of St Matthew how Jesus cures a girl who was presumed to be dead…..A crowd of people were gathering at the home of the young girl and when Jesus told them that the girl was not dead…They ridiculed him…..Yet after the miracle, news spread through out the land…..A few things to ponder….Why did the crowd ridicule him?…..To this day people with deep faith who live “against the tide” of society are ridiculed…..What happened to Jesus will happen to us!….Jesus tells us so…..”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”……In our world today what is objectively good is viewed as bad - The Truth to many is a lie!…This is what the devil does - He inverts the Truth…And when this happens - What is our response?…Do we as Catholics allow the opinions of “the crowd” to dictate to us?…..What else can we vet from this story from St Matthew today?….After Jesus performed this miracle, St Matthew tells us…… “news of this spread throughout all that land”…..If people knew of Jesus’ many miracles, which many did - Why was he crucified?….The answer is - The people of Jesus day did not want to change…Jesus did not walk among us to be a “miracle worker” - He walked among us to inspire us to change our life….No miracle - No matter how great can force someone to change their life….That is why Jesus Christ was crucified - He point society in a direction it was not willing to go - And because of that - Society “got rid of him”…The same thing happens today….Those who live and speak the Truth are still ridiculed….Some are even murdered….And like in Jesus’ day, many people know all about the life of Jesus Christ - Yet they are unwilling to change their life - So they make excuse after excuse as to why they reject the Catholic faith…The problem is not with the Catholic Church - The problem is people are not willing to change!

“Our Savior Jesus Christ has destroyed death and brought life to light through the Gospel”

How does “polite society” view contraception?….As Catholics when we make our wedding vows, we promise to be “open to life” - Which means we are not to use contraception…But how many Catholic marriages live out this vow?…Let’s take it a step further - If you are open to life and do not use contraception and you tell people this fact say at a cocktail party in New York City - What will people say?….My bet is - Many will ridicule you - Many will think you are foolish….This is reality - But what is your response?….As Catholics when we live our faith boldly in the public square, we must expect this reaction…Does ridicule discourage you?…..Does ridicule prevent you from following Jesus? - This is the devil’s plan…..Don’t let the devil win!

“I will espouse you in fidelity, and you shall know the LORD”

Today in the Gospel we are told that Jesus was ridiculed…..And even after he performed a miracle - Far too many people ignored the miracle as if it did not happen - Why? - Because they were not interested in changing their life as Jesus requested….Has anything changed today?…As Catholics we must expect resistance but that resistance should not discourage us - In fact it should drive us forward!…..St Paul tells us what we must do to combat this resistance...........…..”Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything, to hold your ground. So stand fast with your loins girded in truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate, and your feet shod in readiness for the gospel of peace. In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield, to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God”…..When we live in the state of grace, when we fast regularly, when we pray daily, when we live Sacramentally - We surely will obtain this “armor” St Paul speaks of….To live as a Catholic today in the public square, this “armor” is not optional - Its a requirement! - Without it, we will allow the “crowd” to silence us…..No one ever said being a Catholic is easy…….But if we summon up the courage, surrender our will and entrust our life to the Holy Spirit - We will surely “fight the good fight” - The rewards in the here and now of being a practicing Catholic far out weigh the “price” that must be paid…So “pick up your cross and follow me”…..Stand firm and march forward….JMJ

We ALL need that “medicine” and without it - We die!

Today at Holy Mass in the second readings St Paul tells us the following….”For if you live according to the flesh, you will die,
but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live”…….What does this mean? - All of mankind lives in the “flesh” - Right?……St Paul is telling us very clearly that due to the sinful nature of mankind, if we do not actively engage with the Holy Spirit - We will die - Meaning we will go to hell - Yes - Hell is real!….There is a distorted idea in the Christian world about heaven and hell….Many people falsely believe we can embrace all the “things” of the world - And embrace them on “our terms” and still go to heaven when our life comes to an end - This is a fallacy and a lie!…Jesus and the saints are very clear that the road to heaven is a narrow road - That we must “pick up our cross” daily and follow the ways of Christ - That is the ONLY way to heaven…But how do we do this? - St Paul tells us today - We must live by the Holy Spirit - But how do we do that?…….Mankind due to our sinful nature needs grace in order to live as Christ requires of us - Without God’s grace and due to our sinful nature, mankind destroys itself…..This is why Jesus walked the earth among us and this is why Jesus established a Church…The Catholic Church gives us the Sacraments, which are instruments of grace that elevate our fallen human nature…We CAN NOT simply read the Bible and live as Christ commanded…Why? - Because “the spirit is willing and the flesh is WEAK” - We need Sacramental grace and frankly without it, there is NO WAY we will live as Jesus commanded…This is why salvation is found through our Baptism, which wipes away original sin, as well living as a practicing Catholic utilizing the Sacraments regularly…We need to go to confession, especially if we sin mortally…We also need to receive the Eucharist, which is Christ himself (Body; Blood; Soul & Divinity)…The Blessed Sacrament is “food for the journey” back to God…..To “think” humanity can live as God commanded us without the Catholic Church is a fools errand! - Our human nature will not permit it.

“Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth; you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the kingdom”

All adults know that temptation is VERY real…How do we conquer our temptations? - How do we grow in virtue?…..The world gives us all kinds of answers to those questions - But ask yourself honestly - How has the secular world’s solutions worked? - You tell a “tree by the fruit it bears” and all you have to do is look out your window - Our world has turned its back on God and because of that - The world is a mess!……In America 55% of ALL marriages end in divorce - A startling statistic! - That is reality and that number should concern everyone…..Were you aware that if a married couple simply goes to Church together on Sunday, the divorce rate is only 25%…..Let’s go further….If Catholic couples do not use contraception and practice Natural Family Planning (NFP) - The divorce rate for those couples is only 3%….What do these statistics tell us? - That God’s way works!!!!…..Jesus tell us very clearly……”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” - Our world today does not take Jesus at his word - Human beings still want to do it “their way” as opposed to God’s way - And that is why the world is a mess!…..The “solution” to many of humanity’s problems are very simple - Our Lady tells us the way forward and the solution - Remember at the Wedding Feast of Cana when the guests ran out of wine? - What did Our Lady tell them?…..“Do whatever he tells you.” - Well, she is telling us the same thing today - “Do whatever he tells you.” - It’s really as simple as that!

"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"

Today St Paul in his letter to the Romans reminds them - He also reminds us - That if we live in the “flesh” - We die!…..That is a very clear warning…But St Paul also gives us the solution to mankind’s “sin problem” - That we MUST live in the Holy Spirit in order to LIVE……We do that by utilizing the gifts given to us by the one and only Church founded by Christ himself - The Catholic Church…Many people will read this reflection and strongly disagree with what was written….Many people still want to do it “their way” - Again, a fools errand!…Human nature being what it is does not equip us to follow Christ to the degree he commands us to…We need “supernatural assistance” - And that supernatural assistance comes in the form of the Sacraments….For this who have ears - Let them hear!….”Self Help” books are no help!…..We can not self manufacture grace - We must avail ourselves to God’s grace…..The Sacraments of the Catholic Church are the “medicine” for a sick world…….We ALL need that “medicine” and without it - We die!…..JMJ