This is the path to eternal life - The only path

Today at Holy Mass in the Gospel of St John Jesus gives us the “key” to how we are to live out our Catholic faith but also how we will enter heaven……”This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own”…The path to eternal life is self sacrificial…Do not let anyone tell you otherwise!…..As Catholics we are all called to lay down our lives for others - First our family and then our neighbors…The more we empty ourself - The more the Holy Spirit fills us…This is the “calculus” of God….Jesus showed us the way…..However, we resist this path….Our human nature, self preservation and the desire to be comfortable seems to always get in the way…This is why we must rely on Sacramental grace….Because to live in a self-sacrificial manner is not “natural” - Our human nature rebels against it….Only when we immerse our lives in daily prayer, fasting and the Sacraments can we live such a life…..This is the mistake of our Protestant brothers and sisters - They believe they do not need the Sacraments - How mistaken they are!….This is also the mistake of the secular unbelieving world - And if you doubt what I am saying - Simply look out your window! - Our world is selfish to its core!….And this is why Jesus walked among us two thousand years ago - He taught us by his example to be people for others but he also understood that by our own strength, we could not live in this manner - So he formed a Church, which give us the Sacraments…..The more clearly we “see” Christ in the Eucharist, the more we will see him in our family and neighbors - And the clearer we see Jesus in others - The more we will serve them, even if that service means we have less for ourselves…This my friends is the path to heaven - For those who have ears - Let them hear!

“Send forth your light and your fidelity; they shall lead me on And bring me to your holy mountain, to your dwelling-place”

Our modern world needs to see Catholics - From our Bishops and Priests, to married couples, to non-married people - All of us!!! - Must live sacrificially!….Why would I make such a claim?….For one, its the path to heaven…But secondly, no one will believe we are serious about what we “say” we believe as Catholics if they do not see for themselves that we have “skin in the game”….That means we give of ourself until it hurts…That is what real love is - Giving of self……Growing up in my hometown there was a large family that I was close with…The Fahey family had eight children…I knew three of the boys well and later in life I got to know the father…..Patrick was from Ireland and worked simple jobs…He never had a car…He road his bike everywhere…He always had a smile on his face and was the full of authentic joy….And to me, he was a great example of what a Catholic was to be like…..I got to know Patrick at a Bible Study in my parish - I would pick him up at his home every Saturday morning for years….The example of his life was powerful, and I am sure I am not the only person in my hometown to say that about him…Patrick was uneducated man who emptied himself out - First to his family and then to others…He worked into his eighties as a crossing guard and I can still see him talking to everyone who came across his path with a smile on his face…..To me, knowing Patrick was a blessing - His life’s example resinated with me more then any “sermon” or book I read…..As Catholics, when we live deeply sacrificial lives, trust me, people will stop and be amazed! - People will also listen to what you say because of what they “see” - And as a result of your witness, people will know that Jesus is real….They will not know this simply by us telling them Jesus is real - The world needs to “see” Christ in us - And that only happens when we live sacrificially.

“I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep”

Today at Mass Jesus tells us how we are to tell if a “shepherd” is good or if he is an imposture……How do we tell? - The shepherd lays down his life for his sheep - That is how we tell….The same standard applies today….When a father and mother have many children and are open to life in their marriage - We see “the shepherd laying down his life for his sheep”……When we see Bishops speaking the Truth to power at the risk of their very life - We see “the shepherd laying down his life for his sheep”…..When we see Priests living simply and assisting the poor at a great personal cost to themselves - We see “the shepherd laying down his life for his sheep”…..This is the ONLY way the unbelieving world will believe we as Catholics are for real!!!!…..It does not matter what we say  - It only matters how we live and if we are not living sacrificially - No one will believe we are for real…..”A hired man, who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and scatters them”…..The world is watching - And people know the “real deal” when they see it - They also can “smell a fake” from a mile away……"It is in dying to ourselves that we are born to eternal life" - This is the path to eternal life - The only path……JMJ

Follow the “voice” and stick to God’s plan

Today at Holy Mass in all the readings there is a common theme, which tells us that Jesus is the Good Shepherd…We are told in the Gospel of St John that the sheep hear the Shepherd’s voice…..That the sheep will not follow the voice of someone who is not the Shepherd……St John Gospel is a very blunt account - John tells us very clearly that Jesus is the only way - That there is no other way that leads to salvation….."Amen, amen, I say to you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly”…….The “voice” that the sheep hear is the Natural Law - It is “hardwired” on the hearts of all mankind - There is nothing we can do to erase the Natural Law from our hearts - That is why when we hear the voice of Christ proclaimed through the Gospel - It registers deeply within us….So why is it then that some people, who also have the Natural Law written on their hearts turn away from Christ and the Catholic Church?…..Jesus addresses the answer to that question in this Gospel today as well……We are told by St John that -  “I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly” - And those who hear the voice of Christ and turn away from him do not believe this reality - They believe that following Jesus will not make their life better - They see the sacrifices required to be an authentic disciple of Christ and want nothing to do with such a life - They can not believe that if they too “pick up their cross” somehow they will have a better life - So what do they do? - They turn away from the “voice” of the Good Shepherd….This was the case from the very beginning, from the first betrayal of Jesus - When Judas turned from him….Judas knew Jesus was a very special person, but he lost faith in Jesus’ method of how the Jewish people would be liberated - Judas thought he had a “better plan” - So he betrayed him….This same mindset exists to this very day….The unbelieving world that turns from Christ still “hears” his voice - How do I know that? - Because the Natural Law is written on every human heart…But the unbelieving world turns from that “voice” because it does not believe that following “that voice” will bring them an abundant life…..This is why practicing Catholics must lead the way - Only by our example can we show people that Jesus takes nothing from us - He only gives!!!! - That the teachings of the Catholic Church lead a person to an abundant life, full of joy and peace….Only by our example can we demonstrate this reality - Words will never convince the world - That God gives - God never takes….People believe what they see - So we must show them!

“If you are patient when you suffer for doing what is good, this is a grace before God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his footsteps”

Today the institution of marriage is in crisis - One in two marriages ends in divorce…Why do you think that is?…..First off, do we even know what marriage is? - Marriage is a Sacrament….Now ask yourself - How many people live their marriage Sacramentally?…..Placing God and the teachings of the Catholic Church at the center of their marriage…..How many Catholic marriages today use contraception?….When we make our vows on the altar - We as Catholics vow we will be open to life - And when we break that vow by using contraception - Our marriages cease to be Sacramental - That means God’s grace does not animate the bond between the man and the woman - And when that happens - Selfishness creeps in - And Selfishness is the destroyer of love…..This is why marriage as an institution is in trouble - Because modern man does not live marriage as it was intended…So what does this sad reality have to do with Jesus being the Good Shepherd?…..As I stated above, the voice of the Shepard is heard by all because the Natural Law is written on every human heart - Many people today feel that if they follow that “voice”, it will lead to a hard and joyless life - That such a decision will not bring them peace…..Clearly that mindset has been proven false when it comes to who has successful marriages and by the divorce statistics……Authentic Catholic marriages, that place God in the center and are open to life work! - Why? - Because they comport to the Natural Law…..And to deny the Natural Law is like trying to deny the existence of gravity…….The ever present voice of God can still be heard today - Even above all the “noise” of the culture - Its up to us to pay attention for that “voice”… If we watch closely at the lives of faithful Catholics - What you will see is not a “perfect people” but a group of people who are peaceful and full of joy…..What you will also see is their marriages work! - Why? - Because marriage is a Sacrament - These couples heard the voice of the Good Shepard and followed that voice……And guess what happened? - They were given an abundant life, just as St John told us in the Gospel today….Go figure?!? - What Jesus says really works - Imagine that!

“When he was insulted, he returned no insult; when he suffered, he did not threaten; instead, he handed himself over to the one who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body upon the cross, so that, free from sin, we might live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you had gone astray like sheep, but you have now returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls”

Today we are told at Mass that Jesus is the Good Shepherd and that his sheep hear his voice…….So here is the question - If that were true - Why is it that so many people don’t seem to “hear” what Jesus is telling them today?…..The answer to the question is not found in the fact that those who turn from Christ’s voice don’t “hear” it - Because they do hear it! - The problem is - They hear it but don’t believe “the voice” will lead them to a happy and productive life - They believe they have a “better plan”…..If we are objective students of history and if we are honest, we will read in the history books how many people “thought” they had a “better plan”, which contradicted God’s plan - Once again, if we are honest - What happened to those “better plans” and those people?……Like it or not - All things point to Christ - That is reality! - Why? - Because he has the best plan!………The Natural Law is written on every human heart and the voice of the Good Shepard can be heard by all….Maybe its time the modern world should start listening? - And be convinced!! - That God way works!! - That God has the best plan!!…..Once we are fully convinced that God’s plan for our life is infinitely better then “our plan” - Then and only then will we follow the Good Shepherd where ever he leads…..God gives - God does not take - And the “sheep” that follow the Shepherd know this and the “sheep” that turn away think they have a “better plan”………The pages of history show us this - Don’t end up on the scrap heap of history!!……..Follow the “voice” and stick to God’s plan!……..JMJ

“By their fruits you will know them”

Today at Holy Mass Jesus gives the first apostles their “marching orders”…..”Jesus appeared to the Eleven and said to them: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned”……..How does a person even begin?……..How do we do it?……Before we begin this herculean endeavor, we first must be formed in our Catholic faith and secondly, we must be animated by the Holy Spirit…A Catholic can not give what they do not have!……It’s the Holy Spirit that does the “heavy lifting” through us….But what does it mean to be animated by the Holy Spirit?….We must make room for God in our life - That means we must “clear away” certain behaviors, ideologies and lifestyles that contradict the Gospel….John the Baptist put it best - “Repent and Believe the Gospel”…The Gospel will not make sense to us unless first repent……This is just the beginning - What else must a disciple do? - In order to “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel”, one must develop a deep interior life….Everything we do as Catholics comes from our interior life….This means we must establish a daily prayer life, fast weekly and live Sacramentally…..Once we do this - We will become instruments of the Lord and through our individual gifts and God given talents - We will effectively proclaim the Gospel…..Notice what else Jesus said today in St Mark’s Gospel - ”Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned”………Let’s not fool ourselves - There is a heaven and there is a hell…..And we as mere human beings cannot save ourself…..The Truth is not ours to manipulate and mold into something that suits our personal agendas or lifestyle…Man conforms to God - God does not conform to man!…..And when we as Catholics live as Christ intended, steeped in the Truth - When we live Sacramentally and Sacrificially - The world will take notice!….Our joy and peace will be contagious…..And in turn, we will set the world on fire!

“We proclaim Christ crucified; he is the power of God and the wisdom of God”

How do we tell if someone is the “real-deal”? - Meaning - If someone is an authentic Catholic?…..Jesus gives us the answer - “By their fruits you will know them”….Being Catholics does not imply a person is perfect, no one is perfect…But it does mean our life, which is fully grafted to Christ and his Church will naturally “bear fruit” for the Kingdom of God…And if you are objective and observant, you will see this “fruit” produced in real time…..The Christian world “says” it wants to produce this “fruit” - But are we willing to live sacrificially in order to be the people we were born to be?….Because if we “do not pick up our Cross”, we sadly are not only fooling ourselves, but will we never convince the unbelieving world of anything….Authentic followers of Christ, live sacrificially and their lives are lived for others…This is how we change the world - The only way!…….There is no such thing as what is coming referred to in America as the “Prosperity Gospel”…..Living as a Catholic means we pour our lives out for others…To not accept this reality is to live on the surface of Christianity….Such a mindset will not only limit our impact on the world but also prevent us from growing closer to God…..”Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple”…….Jesus meets us personally in the “space of sacrifice” - We must be willing to enter that “space”….And its from that point, that we begin our journey of transformation - “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature” - We cannot give what we do not have……..Before we change the world - We must first change ourself

“These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. They will pick up serpents with their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover”

Today at Mass the Universal Church commemorates the Feast Day of St Mark - As we all know, St Mark was one of the four writers of the Gospel….What made Mark’s words so effective? - So much so that two thousand years have past and we still are reading what he wrote….St Mark was so effective because he not only wrote “all the right things” - He lived them as well…As we say today in America - St Mark “practiced what he preached” - He “walked the walk and did not just talk the talk”….This is the mark of a true disciple and the only way we can live in this manner is to live by and through the grace of God….The words of Jesus Christ can never be lived out if we rely solely upon our own strength…This is why Jesus established a Church and did not write a book - The Bible was complied roughly four years after the death of Christ…And its through the Catholic Church, the one Church Jesus himself founded, that we are given the Sacraments, which elevate our human nature so we can be the disciples we were called to be…..No one is ever going to believe what we say unless we become what we say we believe…….People have “eyes to see” - They can “smell a fake” from a mile way!…..“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life?”………Each of us are called to die to our very self - And its in the “death of self” that we will find life and give life to others…..That is how you tell if someone is an authentic disciple…….“By their fruits you will know them”……….JMJ

”Unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood, you do not have life within you”

Today at Holy Mass St John in his Gospel gets to the very heart of Catholicism - It is so clear!!!! - To be a Christian is to be Catholic and to be Catholic is to live Sacramentally…How can I say that with such certainty? - Because its written in St John’s Gospel - Just read it yourself…..“Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my Flesh is true food, and my Blood is true drink. Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever”…How can a person be “confused” by this passage?……Human beings can “convince” themselves of just about anything…..We “twist” words - We self rationalize the Truth away - We lie to ourself - We compartmentalize ideas - We ignore reality…..This sadly is all part of the human condition - But none of that changes reality!!!! - Nor does it change the Truth…….Jesus Christ is not “selling” anything - Nor is the Catholic Church - The Truth “is what it is” - Its unchangeable and timeless….Its for us to accept it as it is - We have no power to change the Truth - Its “written” on every human heart…..This is why any person with an objective mind and who honestly searches for the Truth always arrives at the same place - The Catholic Church….When we stop “twisting” the Truth - When we stop making excuses for our bad choices - All we have to do is read the words of Jesus……”For my Flesh is true food, and my Blood is true drink” - It does not get any clearer than that!

“Immediately things like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight. He got up and was baptized, and when he had eaten, he recovered his strength”

Words and arguments will never convince someone to become Catholic - It comes down to God’s grace….We however can open ourselves up to that grace - And then God will do the rest……Everyone likes to hear about stories of radical transformations - When a person lived one particular way and due to an authentic encounter with Christ, that same person changed completely….If we took the time to read the lives of the saints - We would see how this reality played out time and time again….The conversion of St Paul is probably one of the most amazing “turn arounds” - God took a man who was literally murdering Christians and changed him into one of the greatest saints in the two thousand year history of Christendom……"Go, for this man is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before Gentiles, kings, and children of Israel, and I will show him what he will have to suffer for my name”……While most of us will not experience such a radical encounter with Jesus as St Paul did - God does speak to us - He speaks to us through the consequences of our daily choices - He speaks to us when we get up in the middle of the night and we “think” about events and actions of our day - He speaks to us through people and good examples lived out before our very eyes…..In all those “little ways” - God speaks to us….And when we experience these “small encounters” with the Lord - Its then up to us! - To respond!…If we do not respond - God can not begin the transformation of our life…..God can only do so much - We must “open the door” and let God in…..I think back to my own conversion to the Catholic faith at the age of twenty-two years old….It began with me acknowledging where I “went wrong” - This led to a good Sacramental Confession with a Priest…From there, I began to take my faith seriously - Made it my top priority - Developed a prayer life - Lived Sacramentally - Persevered when life got hard - Endured ridicule from people because of my choice to live as a Catholic….After all that - God responded - He poured down his grace upon me - He changed my “heart of stone and transformed it into a heart of flesh”…If he did all those things for me - Why would he not do them for you?…….“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me”…….God is real - So is his grace - He is waiting for YOU….The greatest journey a lifetime begins with one unconditional YES

"Saul, my brother, the Lord has sent me, Jesus who appeared to you on the way by which you came, that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit”

Today at Mass we hear in the first reading about St Paul’s amazing conversion and in the Gospel we hear about how the Eucharist is not “mere bread” but the actual flesh of God……As Catholics we say we believe a lot of things - Just think about the words, which are repeated in the Nicene creed at Mass……..So we say all these “things” - Right? - But do we really believe them?….We must allow God to “touch us with his grace” - Our human condition, no matter who we are, is flawed….This is why we must live Sacramentally….And this is why Jesus gave us his very flesh and blood to consume…To be a Christian is to be a Catholic - And to live as a Catholic requires grace - We can not “will” our way into heaven….Everything comes down to grace!!!!….This is why Jesus established a Church and this is why he gave us his Body and Blood to consume….It can’t get any clearer then that! - Just read the words……”Unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood, you do not have life within you”……JMJ

Be Bold - Be Catholic - And Be Not Afraid

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the first reading from the Book of Acts how Phillip educates an Ethiopian eunuch in the faith…….”Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and said, ”Do you understand what you are reading? "He replied, "How can I, unless someone instructs me?" So he invited Philip to get in and sit with him”……..As Catholics we believe the Church contains the fullness of Truth - But do our people know this?…..Are our people catechized properly?…..Notice what the Ethiopian eunuch says to Phillip - “How can I, unless someone instructs me?”……..So many in the Church today do not know their faith….And if they do not know their faith - How can they live it!……Not to mention, how easily they fall prey to the lies of the world, the flesh and the devil, who is quick to deceive…….Not proclaiming the fullness of Truth is not “pastoral” and people do not “magically” know what the Church teaches - Someone has to instruct them…..Is this happening in our homes? - Is this happening in our Catholic Schools? - Is this happening from our pulpits?……As Catholics we have been given everything! - The question is - Do we know it?

“It is written in the prophets: They shall all be taught by God. Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me”

At the age of twenty-two years old I committed myself to my Catholic faith….And it was the best decision of my life!…..I have been raised Catholic and went to Catholic schools but sadly was not fully versed in what the Church taught and why it believed what it believed - Now think about the person who was not raised Catholic and did not have the benefit of going to Catholic Schools…This is a significant challenge the Church faces today - And this must be addressed head on!…Pretending or worse ignoring the fact that our people are not fully catechized does not address the issue at hand…..A Catholic life that is fully committed to Church teaching and open to God’s grace sets the world on fire!…..How can we expect to set the world on fire when many of our people do not know the faith they have been baptized into?…….Bold leadership is required - Catholics must stop trying to be “politically correct” and start being Catholic!…..The Truth must be presented clearly - Clarity with Charity - And not saying the Truth in the name of being “pastoral” is not an act of mercy  - Love and Truth go hand-in-hand……..The Church has to start being the Church once again - Our job is not to “blend in” to the world but “raise up” the world…..God does not stoop down to man’s standards but extends a hand to raise mankind up…This is our mission! - We are to raise mankind up!…But in order to do that, we must be fully Catholic…We must know the Truth - Speak the Truth - Live the Truth - And when necessary - Be willing to suffer for the Truth….Is this happening today?….If it’s not - It needs to start happening!

“I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my Flesh for the life of the world."

Today at Mass Phillip instructs a man eager to learn about the faith…..Our world today “thirsts” for Truth but sadly is looking for it in all the wrong places - Its our job as Catholics to proclaim that Truth boldly and clearly - Without fear or hesitation…But we can not give what we do not have…..First and for most, Catholics must live in a state of grace….We must also develop a deep interior life rooted in daily prayer, the Sacraments and fasting - This will strengthen our will and open our eyes!…..From that point forward, we must educate ourselves in Catholic teaching so we can educate others - One person at a time, beginning with our families….The Catholic Church has been around for two thousand years - We have the answer to many, if not all of the worlds problems! - Its about time the world realizes that reality once again……..A well-formed Catholic, living a Sacramental life will set the world on fire…....”Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give”........Be Bold - Be Catholic - And Be Not Afraid…….JMJ

God’s ways are not our ways - Learn to trust him

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the first reading from the Book of Acts that the first Catholics after Jesus death suffered a great persecution…..And as a result, the group scattered…..Was that a bad thing? - Let’s explore this idea……”There broke out a severe persecution of the Church in Jerusalem, and all were scattered throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria, except the Apostles. Devout men buried Stephen and made a loud lament over him. Saul, meanwhile, was trying to destroy the Church; entering house after house and dragging out men and women, he handed them over for imprisonment. Now those who had been scattered went about preaching the word”……..Clearly no one wants to suffer, but because of the persecutions that took place, the first Catholics traveled to far away lands to preach the word of God…..In doing so more people came into the fold….God gives mankind free will and because of this reality, we are free to do what is bad as well as what is good….People sadly do not learn from history - What mankind has not “figured out” for the last two thousand years is this - We cannot out-smart God - There is an old saying…”Man plans and God laughs”…..Even the most tragic events of history ultimately work towards a greater good in time……While we were given free will, nothing happens unless God permits it to happen and if God permits a great evil to happen, it will always in time point towards a greater good…..It is very hard to “see” things that way when we are suffering in the moment…..And I am sure the first Catholics noted in the readings from Mass today did not appreciate having to leave their home….But because they were driven out of their home, they brought the Gospel to new lands…….”For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways—oracle of the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, my thoughts higher than your thoughts. Yet just as from the heavens the rain and snow come down and do not return there till they have watered the earth, making it fertile and fruitful, Giving seed to the one who sows and bread to the one who eats, so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; It shall not return to me empty, but shall do what pleases me, achieving the end for which I sent it. Yes, in joy you shall go forth, in peace you shall be brought home”……This is why we must trust God, who loves us and wants what is best for us - And what is best for us is heaven….How we arrive in heaven is through the process of sanctification, and that process takes many “twists and turns” in our life….We do not see the entire picture as it plays out, but God does!…So we must learn to trust him!!!!

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

It’s easy to look back on a hard time in your life and say what was endured was worth it - But during the times of trial, very few people can see anything positive and some even give up hope……Looking back on your life gives a person prospective and if we are objective, it was the hardest times we endured and the many trials we faced that we grew the most….God use the events of our life to draw us to himself…When words do not reach us - When we can not “hear” the voice of God…God use events in our life - Both “good and bad” to get our attention in order to draw us closer to his Sacred Heart….Years ago I knew a man by the man of Billy McGill…Billy would go to day Mass and I got to know him…He for the most part destroyed his life…Because of bad behavior, he lost his family, he lost his house and he had to start his life all over again in his late fifties…..In the process, Billy found God…..He not only rebuilt his life but developed a rock solid relationship with the Lord in the process…..God “spoke” to Billy in his suffering and Billy responded…..Sometimes that is what it takes….So take courage…And never lose faith and hope……..”I have told you this so that you might have peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world”…….God is at work - Trust the plan!

“And this is the will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it on the last day”

Today we heard in the first reading from Mass how the first Catholics were forced from their homes due to persecution…And throughout this trial, God did not abandon them…He used this unfortunate situation to help spread his Kingdom….I am sure while the first Catholics were going through this difficult period, they probably could not “see” the good coming out of their hardship…But God was at work! - His ways are not our ways and His ways are always above our ways!……Many times in life we will not “see” how any good can come from outright horrible situations and events….In those moments, its important to “step back” and be patient…God can turn the worst of events into something that can benefit us - But that takes grace and that takes time…..So give God time and open yourself up to his grace……”I will go before you and level the mountains; Bronze doors I will shatter, iron bars I will snap. I will give you treasures of darkness, riches hidden away, That you may know I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who calls you by name”…….Somethings when we “grope in darkness” and do not see any hope…That is when God is closest to us - Guiding us - Teaching us…And when the “dust clears” we are transformed…..God’s ways are not our ways - Learn to trust him…………JMJ

And I “thought” you believed what was in the Bible?

Today at Holy Mass in the Gospel of St John - Jesus tells us very clearly that to be a Christian is to live Sacramentally…His Body is true food and his blood is true drink - Where does the confusion come from? - The answer - The confusion comes from us!…..“Amen, amen, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world”…..Where would the world be without the Blessed Sacrament? - While many people disregard the importance of the Holy Eucharist…Millions do not…..Jesus tells us, particularly in the Gospel of John that we have “no life within us” if we do not feed upon his Body and Blood…..How are we to live as Catholics without this heavenly food,  given our fallen nature? - The answer is - We can not!…..Being a Christian is not something we simply profess with our words - Its a way of living…And if we do not utilize the Sacraments, making them apart of our life - If we do not rely on Our Lady…While we can say all day long we “believe” in God - There is NO WAY we will live the Beatitudes and follow the Commandments - We are all sinners and all of us are weak by our nature as human beings…Being a Catholic does not begin and end with our Baptism - We must slowing be transformed….This is why a Sacramental life is vital - Not optional…..Some in the Christian world believe when we die we immediate enter into heaven…Catholic Teaching tells us we must be in union with God before we stand before the Beatific Vision and without allowing Sacramental grace to sanctify us - This process for most takes years!!! - How are we going to stand before God?

“I am the bread of life, says the Lord; whoever comes to me will never hunger”

Because Jesus founded one Church and that Church is Sacramental in nature - How do we as Catholics articulate that message to the world?….Do we, in the name of being “politically correct” pretend that reality does not exist?….And if we do - How do we “think” we are helping others?……Clearly we can not argue anyone into the doors of the Catholic Church nor does it do anyone any good to “beat” them over the head with “Truth-Bombs”….But if we are not clear in proclaiming the perennial teachings of the Church - Ask yourself this question - How many people are “lost” in the process?….We as Catholics, when it comes to speaking the Truth and teaching the Catholic faith must be bold - This requires charity but also clarity….Is this going on today?…..In the name of being “pastoral” - In the name of being “ecumenical” - In the name of being “politically correct”…Do we do the world a disservice?

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.”

Today we are affirmed at Mass in our Catholic faith by the words of St John…..Of the three Gospels, St John’s Gospel stands apart - Maybe because John was the “Beloved Disciple” - He was the youngest of the original twelve and because of his youth, his heart was probably the purest - He also lived with Our Lady for years, caring for her after Jesus death……Because of those factors, John was very special and because he was special - He should pay very close attention to the words he wrote……St John tells us today - That being Christian means living Sacramentally - There is no other way to interpret his words - So why do so many “Bible-Believing” Christians twist his words?….St Paul warns us…That man hears what his “itchy ears” want to hear……This is the result of pride and our fallen nature as human beings - All the more reason why we must live Sacramentally!…..If we say we “believe what is in the Bible” - Well - Then you would be Catholic! - RIGHT?….”Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves”……The words of Scripture are very clear - Do we only hear what our “itchy ears” want to hear?…….The Church Jesus founded was Catholic! - Its all written in the Bible and its very clear………And I “thought” you believed what was in the Bible?………………JMJ