GOD PROVIDES

Today at Holy Mass both readings refer to what is commonly known as Divine Providence…That God will provide what you need in life…Do we believe this?….Its important to note that there is a big difference between what we need and what we want….When one reads the Social Compendium of the Catholic Church, that idea is illustrated very clearly…In the first reading today at Mass - We are told something that goes against our American sensibilities…”Give me neither poverty nor riches; provide me only with the food I need; Lest, being full, I deny you, saying, "Who is the LORD?" Or, being in want, I steal, and profane the name of my God”…Is this how we view our life and the life of our family?….To live simply?……As Catholics we are called to be detached from money….Clearly as a man who has five children, I need money…But money should never be the goal - Its a means to provide for the needs of my family….How does one put money in its proper place?…For one, as a married Catholic - Do you use contraception?….If your marriage is open to life, the couple will learn how to trust in Divine Providence - And God will show you just how he provides!….Second - Do you share your wealth with the poor?….Not everyone can do this because let’s be honest - Some people have just enough to survive themselves - But how do you structure your finances? - Are you so leveraged because of debt because you are trying to have things you really cannot afford, which in turn does not permit you to share or have numerous children?…..If you structure your income to simply provide for the needs of your family, most times, one will find there is money left over - Money that can be shared - Is this what you do?….When we live in this manner, we detach from money and our trust in God’s providence grows and grows - We find that God ALWAYS provides!…….I have been married for thirteen years - I have five children - We have never used contraception in our marriage and we tithe our income and give to the poor - By the grace of God we are able to do that (Again - I understand not everyone can do this)….Because of this - I NEVER worry about money - That is the truth!!!…Why? - Because God has plenty of money and he has ALWAYS provided for me and my family - God has given me the grace to never worry about money - The way I look at it - “I take care of God in how I lead my family - And He takes care of me!”……I was educated by the Christian Brothers and St John Baptist De Lasalle the founder of the Christian Brothers tells us….“The more you abandon to God the care of all temporal things, the more He will take care to provide for all your wants; but if, on the contrary, you try to supply all your own needs, Providence will allow you to continue to do just that, and then it may very well happen that even necessities will be lacking, God thus reproving you for your lack of faith and reliance on Him”….Throughout the thirteen years of my married life - I have found this statement to be 100% accurate - GOD PROVIDES

“He said to them, "Take nothing for the journey, neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money, and let no one take a second tunic”

In order to live your life according to Divine Providence, one must “step out” in faith…To live in this manner makes us feel like we “have no control” - Its in that “place” that the Lord meets us!…..When I was the driver for the Missionaries of Charity one of my tasks was to go on Saturday to Trader Joe’s, which is a food store in New York City on 14th Street in Union Square….The store would give us food they could not sell and we would share the food with the poor of the city…Some days I would go there and the manager of the store would be very kind to me - And sometimes they would not….This particular day I asked the manager if he had any food to spare…He at first told me no - Then he hesitated and told me to wait for a moment at the door, he wanted to check something…He came back with three big bags of meat - All kinds of meat - Steak, Chicken, Turkey, Ham….I could not believe it! - I never was given so much good food to bring back to the Missionaries of Charity Convent…When I returned to convent with all the meat…The Superior, Sister Tonia, told me…She recent gave all the meat away and they were in need of food - And now they have MORE then what they need - A true story…I always remember this incident, to this very day, especially when I have doubts in Divine Providence…When we “do things God’s way” and trust him - He always provides…As a married man, that means being open to life and sharing my income with the poor….In doing so - God who is my loving Father will ALWAYS take care of me and my family….Why? - Because….GOD PROVIDES!…..JMJ

“Every word of God is tested; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him”

We can not give what we do not have

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the Gospel of St Luke Jesus addressing the crowd…He is also addressing us - Do we “hear” him?…..“My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it”……Day after day the Gospel is read at Masses all over the world and contained in these readings are very clear instructions….Do we really “hear” them?…..The Gospel is not a collection of “nice words” - Its God TELLING us how to live - Its God TELLING us how to be happy and thrive - Its God TELLING us the ONLY way to enter into heaven - Is HIS WAY - NOT OUR WAY….And today - Jesus gives a “key” - Did we hear it?…..Allow me to summaries the message - Its not what you hear that is important - Its what you DO with what you hear and how you ACT upon what you hear that matters….Did you catch that?…Each day in the Gospel passages read at Mass, Jesus instructs us - And let’s be honest, his instructions are very challenging….Love your enemies - Forgive infinitely all wrongs done to you - Share your wealth with the poor - Turn the other cheek - Blessed are the meek…Did you hear all that?!?…More importantly - Did you ACT upon it?…..Now allow me to let you in on a “little secret”…..To ACT on all these very challenging commands of Jesus, without living Sacramentally - Without fasting regularly - Without praying daily…IS STRAIGHT UP IMPOSSIBLE!…Did you hear that?!!…And did you hear this today in the Gospel from Mass?…If we do not ACT on these instructions - We will be held accountable - Now don’t shoot the messenger here - I am just telling you the Truth - Again, not my words, these are the words of God…So what does this imply?….Before we attempt to do the impossible - We need to develop our interior life…This should be the primary objective of every Catholic - This should be our number one priority - Why? - Because everything we do comes from our interior life…And if we “think” for one minute - I do not care if you are a Cardinal - A Bishop - A Priest - Married or Single…I do not care if you have 100 university degrees from the best schools!……If you “think” for one minute that you are going to be able to “act” on what Jesus says without a deep interior life….I got a “Bridge in Brooklyn to sell you!!!”…..Our problem is not that we do not “hear” what Jesus says - We hear it - What we are missing is the daily discipline to develop our interior life…..The great Abraham Lincoln, the sixteen President of the United States put it best…..”If I had eight hours to chop down a tree, I'd spend six hours sharpening my ax”……God is not impressed with what we ‘know”…Nor is he impressed with what we “hear” or read…God however does take notice how we act - What we do and what we do not do….And what we do depends entirely upon our interior life…”Blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it”

“To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice”

Do you believe in grace?…Grace is REAL and it is only by and through grace that we can live a Catholic life…Being Catholic is not some “academic pursuit”….Write this down and put it in your pocket! - We can know EVERYTHING about the faith by reading books and FAIL miserably when it comes to living the faith out…And God does not care what we know, as much as what we do with what we know - How we put our faith into action is what matters - St James put it perfectly - “Faith without works is dead”…..In order for us to be “filled up” with grace - We first have to be empty of ourself…We do this by “giving ourself away”…Because even God Almighty can not fill a cup with milk, if the cup is filled to the brim with water, the water MUST be poured out first to make room for the milk…..And when it comes to “doing” what Jesus asks of us….We can not give what we do not have - And what propels us to act and “give” is grace……….My wife and I have five children under twelve years old…And as you can imagine our home is very busy….Both my wife and I live Sacramentally - Not just because the Church tells us too - But because if we do not - THERE IS NO WAY  - We can do what is required of us as husband and wife and as Catholic parents….On the weekends, before the children get up, both me and my wife take turns to sit before the Blessed Sacrament……We sit for thirty minutes each visit, both on Saturday and Sunday….This time spent before Jesus is so important…Mother Teresa tells us why its so important….”When the Sisters are exhausted, up to their eyes in work; when all seems to go awry, they spend an hour in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. This practice has never failed to bear fruit: they experience peace and strength”……Jesus told us in the Gospel of St John - “Without me you can do nothing” - Our problem is - We do not “hear” what he just said - YOU CAN DO NOTHING! - Did you hear that!!!…..I was told that Mother Teresa one day was asked to give a talk to a group of priests about spending an hour each day before the Blessed Sacrament….After she gave the talk, a priest stood up and said this to Mother….”I have two parishes, a school and a office to manage - I have no time to spend before the Blessed Sacrament each day”…This is what Mother Teresa told this priest…”You are an important man with many things to do and have many responsibilities - You should spend not ONE but TWO hours each day before the Blessed Sacrament”….Do you get the point I am trying to make here?!?…..We can not give what we do not have…….JMJ

“Bear with one another”

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the first reading St Paul talk about Spiritual maturity - What does that mean?…..”And he gave some as Apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry, for building up the Body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the extent of the full stature of Christ”…To be fully spiritually mature means we are in union with Christ - In Catholic theological circles, this is called the unitive way….Few people understand this concept but that does not negate the fact of this idea being a reality….Before we can enter heaven and stand before the beatific vision, we must be made “perfect”….This is the path of sanctification all Catholic SHOULD be cognizant of as we live out our earthly lives and practice our faith….God uses all “things” to make this happen for us - The events of our life (both good and bad); our daily prayer life; the Sacraments; the sacrifices we are required to make in the state of life we were called to (Priest - Married - Single) - All of these things work towards us becoming holy and eventually being able to stand before the beatific vision…..Are you cognizant of this path? - Do we cooperate with God to “get us” where we HAVE to be?…..Because as a good priest told me years ago…”When we die - We do not just float into heaven”……What St Paul is telling the Ephesians today as well as us, is that we must fully cooperate with God for us to “arrive” at the state, in which we will be made “ready” to enter into our eternal home….St Paul also reminds us that not everyone travels this road of sanctification at the same speed….So if you are further ahead of someone else - We must be patient with them - In fact - Its required!…Is this how we view others who may not be “up to speed” yet with God?……”Brothers and sisters: I, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace: one Body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all”……Think about how patient Jesus was with his first tweleve disciples - Keep in mind - Jesus knew who he was and he was perfect…Yet he loved his friends as they were and knew in time - “They would get it”…..Is this what we see today on Catholic Social Media?…or…In parish life across America?……God is and has been patient with YOU - Maybe it’s time to be patient with others?…..And maybe - Just maybe - That is part of our “purification process”? - Making us holy….Remember again - We do not get to stand before “The Man” until we are made perfect!

“As Jesus passed by, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post. He said to him, "Follow me." And he got up and followed him. While he was at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat with Jesus and his disciples”

Have you ever meant a holy person? - I mean an authentically holy person?….If you have - There is no doubt in my mind - You remember them!….This is why saints and only saints change the world - Their life becomes so “Christ like” that they attract others to them and as a result, many people experience radical transformations because they see for themselves what the Gospel looks like - In real time - Not from a book……………..Years ago when I was the Saturday driver for the Missionaries of Charity, one of the Saturday volunteers in Lower Manhattan was this Advertising Executive who lived in Brooklyn….Liz Donahue was a very attractive woman in her forties….I got the impression that she made a very good living and maybe at one time in her life she “bought in” to the “culture of death” that surrounds us all in America….But every Saturday, Liz would come to the AIDS Hospice and cook for the men….During that time Liz got very friendly with the Superior of the convent - Sister Vinneth….The two of them became authentic friends…I would some times watch them together laughing as they talked in some corner of the kitchen…Seeing Liz Donahue, the beautiful New York City Advertising Executive and Sister Vinneth together was a sight to behold - “On paper” - It made no sense - But in many ways - It made all the sense in the world…Liz recognized authentic holiness in Sister Vinneth, something that was “lacking” in her….During the seven years that was the driver for the Missionaries of Charity in New York City - I have seen this scenario I just wrote about “play out” time and time again with so many different personalities and people of all walks of life….Notice, Sister Vinneth did not “push” Liz away because she was “not up to speed” as a Catholic, as Sister was…Sister Vinneth was patient with Liz…As St Paul tells us today at Mass….”Live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace: one Body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all”……Is this what we see on Catholic Social Media?….Because if we are not patient with one another - Trust me - God will not be patient with us!…..JMJ

“Bear with one another; forgive each other if one of you has a complaint against another. The Lord has forgiven you; now you must do the same”

”OK GOD”

Today at Holy Mass we are told in the first reading by the Prophet Isaiah something that most Catholics have heard before….”As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts”…And while we all heard this statement before - I do not think we understand it - Not in the least bit! - Why? - Because no matter how many times we “HEAR” this read to us at Mass…We still “want what we want” and do not allow ourselves to “SEE” the world through the “lens” that God sees it……We “define” what is just according to “what works” for ME…..Clearly this is not the “calculus” of God…..As we see today in the Gospel…..”Summon the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and ending with the first. When those who had started about five o'clock came, each received the usual daily wage.  So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more, but each of them also got the usual wage.  And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner, saying, 'These last ones worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who bore the day's burden and the heat.' He said to one of them in reply, 'My friend, I am not cheating you.  Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what is yours and go.  What if I wish to give this last one the same as you?  Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money?” - Is this how YOU would have reacted to God if YOU worked all day and “some guy” who did a fraction of what you did got the same pay?….Hmmmmmm!….So the question then becomes…How do we “see” and “hear” as God does?…The answer to that question comes from our interior life….The closer we get to God, the more we “see” and the more we accept…Now there is a word - ACCEPT!!!! - What do I mean by “accept”?…When outcomes do not “go our way” - We simply say.....”OK GOD”….This mindset needs to be apart of our total surrender to God - Trusting him in all things…Fully “digesting” this idea that I just presented cannot be self-manufactured - It will only happen by developing a deep interior life - “Living and breathing” through Sacramental grace, daily prayer and fasting…….“You got this God - YOU know what you are doing”….Once again - Catholics all over the world will hear the first reading today read to them at Mass - ”As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts”…And when they get home from Mass and turn on the news - And hear something that “does not fit” into their agenda - They will “RANT” and “RAVE” - I know this to be true - Because I too am one of those people!!!…But I am trying - And I invite you to try too….To say these two simple words…And mean them from the bottom of your heart….”OK GOD”
 

“Open our hearts, O Lord, to listen to the words of your Son”

Everything that happens - EVERYTHING - Both Good and Bad - God allows to happen through his permissive will…One may say - “Why does God allow bad things to happen?….For one - Because God does not interfere with our free will and when humans do bad things, God uses those events for a greater good….But one may then say - So many people suffer!….This is true…..However, God “plays the long game”….His goal is we are fully converted (and that is a long and sometimes painful process) and we arrive in heaven safely…And as many know who are reading this reflection…That “process” is messy! - And only God knows what we “need” and what we must experience to make that happen…….In America since abortion has been legalized, it is estimated that 64 million children have lost their lives….No matter who gets elected - Even with the repeal of the famous court case that started it all - Roe v. Wade - The abortion industry rages on!…..Now stop for a moment - Before you “blow your mind” - Do you actually think God does not see what is going on?….That God will not “step in” and stop this atrocity?…..Clearly, I do not have the mind of God - But there is NO WAY God will permit this holocaust to continue indefinitely - Even if it means dismantling the entire country “brick by brick”….And MAYBE that is what we are seeing before our very eyes today - As we all “WANT what we WANT” politically - God is tearing down what needs to be torn down!…In order to build up something new…….”As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts”….Or………How about the big debate in the Catholic Church today in America…The Latin Mass crowd vs the Novus Ordo crowd battle! - Its all over social media…..Many Catholics in America (many are my friends) want the Pope to bring back the Latin Mass in local Parrish across the nation…And frankly it does not look like that is going to happen……The Latin Mass was permitted for a time under the pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI - ("Maybe Just Maybe") - This experience in Parish life will serve as a bench mark to “elevate” the current Novus Ordo Mass, bringing it closer in line to how the Mass was intended as the Vatican II documents state very clearly…..We are one Church and there must only be one Mass!….So maybe God is “stepping in” - In a way we do not understand…..Patience obtains all things….God knows what he is doing - Maybe its time to say once again……”OK GOD”…..JMJ

"The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard.  After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. Going out about nine o'clock, the landowner saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and he said to them, 'You too go into my vineyard, and I will give you what is just.'

Do you “know” about Jesus…or….Do you KNOW Jesus?

Today at Holy Mass in the first reading, St Paul in his letter to Corinthians speaks about the need to die to our selves…This is a fundamental concept that every Catholic must FULLY embrace….At the core of Jesus’ message - He shows us that we must “die” in order to rise….Most people will not die like Jesus did…Martyrdom is very rare and frankly is a grace…One does not “will” them self to be a martyr, God gives a select few that grace to carry forth such a radical sacrifice…For the rest of us…We are called to what is referred to by the Church as “White Martyrdom”…….White Martyrdom is when we die to ourself completely by giving our life away in service to others…Most do this in the married state…Where a man and a woman, give themselves to each other completely, are open to life and pour their lives into their children…In doing that, such a couple will find God……This is how the “seeds” of grace take root in us…By emptying our life, we prepare ourselves to receive the Holy Spirit - Because if we are “full of our self”, God cannot “work” with us…..A Priest does this too - By living simply, serving his people tirelessly, sharing his material goods and living a celibate life…..A single person does this too…By using his spare time serving the community, praying daily, and sharing his income with the poor…This is how Catholics die to themself in each state of life…All three of these states of life, if lived in this manner, point to God…..”Someone may say, “How are the dead raised?  With what kind of body will they come back?”You fool! What you sow is not brought to life unless it dies. And what you sow is not the body that is to be but a bare kernel of wheat, perhaps, or of some other kind. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown corruptible; it is raised incorruptible. It is sown dishonorable; it is raised glorious. It is sown weak; it is raised powerful. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual one”…..So basically there are only two kinds of people in heaven….”Red Martyrs” and “White Martyrs”…..If you do not “fall” into one of these two buckets, my guess is (And it is my guess - I clearly am not God) - You will not be in heaven…….”Then Jesus said to his disciples, “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? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory, and then he will repay everyone according to his conduct. Amen, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom”…We can read every book ever written about the Catholic faith….We can “go through the motions” and “tick every Catholic box” perfectly! - But if we do not give our life away…We will never know who Jesus Christ is…..Red or White - Pick your “poison”?

“Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart and yield a harvest through perseverance”

I know a very gifted Franciscan Priest whose name is Father Bernard…..Before Father Bernard was ordained, his name in the world was John….John was the oldest of seven boys…His father was a lawyer and John grew up in Connecticut - The eldest son of a privilege Catholic family…John was an exceptional student and went on to Brown University - As most people reading this reflection know - Brown is an Ivy League University and one of the most prestigious colleges in America…After college John took a year off to serve the poor in Appalachia - Again, for those who are reading this reflection and may not know - The Appalachian region of America is arguably the poorest region in all of the United States….John was fresh out of college - He had a brilliant mind - He stood over six feet tall and his body was very strong…John had it ALL! - And he knew it……So one day he was asked to help re-build a porch on an old home for a very poor old man…..And John went to work…And as he was working, he realized he did not know how to build the porch - He “thought” it would be easy - But it turned out to be not so easy…So John was visibly struggling and upset…..As he was struggling, the poor old man from Appalachia watched him and had the biggest smile on his face - While John toiled in frustration!…..Finally after hours of trying to fix the porch and not succeeding, John sees the old man, still with a big smile on his face and John screams at him…..”Why are you smiling!!!!!”….”Can’t you see me trying to HELP build this porch”…..The old man just kept smiling - Finally the man from Appalachia addressed John…..”The reason why I am smiling is I KNOW Jesus”…..John heard this and he only got more enraged…He responded - “I know Jesus too - That is why I here trying to build your porch!!!!!!”……The old poor man, still smiling heard what John said and responded back……”You “know” about Jesus - But you DO NOT KNOW him”…”If you did - You would be smiling too”…..This statement left John speechless - He was stopped dead in his tracks….John told me later that night, after thinking about what that poor man said to him, that it caused him to weep bitterly!……“Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me”…..Before we can “understand” who Jesus is - Before we can live our Catholic faith as we are called too…We MUST give ourself away!!!!…This is how we “tend the soil” of our soul - So “the good seed” can bear fruit…….We are told in the Gospel today that God “sows seeds” - Some on rocks, some in thorn bushes and some on good soil…..Our job as Catholics really is a simple one….Give your life way in service of others in the way God called you to do it - Priest - Married - Single…Then Pray Daily - Fast Weekly - Live Sacramentally…If you do this - “You will bear fruit that will last” - And save your soul…Whether you live in the Hills of Appalachia or graduate from an Ivy League school - Does not matter!……”But as for the seed that fell on rich soil, they are the ones who, when they have heard the word, embrace it with a generous and good heart, and bear fruit through perseverance”…….Do you “know” about Jesus…or….Do you KNOW Jesus?…….JMJ

Such a witness “hypnotizes” the world….And all it takes is one look

Today at Holy Mass in the first reading, St Paul in his letter to the Corinthians offers us words of encouragement and a reminder…..That Jesus Christ defeated death, mankind’s ancient enemy….And because of that reality - We must rejoice - Because we have been grafted into his life through our Baptism….This means, if we follow Jesus…Notice the word “follow” and not simply “believe”…We too will never die…..I have five children under twelve years old…When they ask me about dying and death I tell them….If you live your Catholic faith and do what Jesus tells you - You never die!….So true….But how easy we forget this….And for this very reason St Paul reminds us today…Paul also tells us something else….That if Jesus did not rise from the dead - Everything we do as Catholics is done in vain….All the prayers - All the rubrics - All the teachings - All the encyclicals - All of it - A complete waste of time.......Its only because Jesus conquered death and rose - That everything we do as Catholics make sense - To us - Now think for a moment of those who see us who are not Catholic….How can a non Catholic understand the sacrifices we make? - How can a non Catholic understand why a Catholic couple would NOT use contraception and have numerous children? - How can the a non Catholic understand why we would share our wealth with the poor?…..The answer - “On Paper” - These actions will NEVER make any sense!!!!! - But the “answer” is not written on paper - Its found in our joy!….People believe what they see - Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are going to “debate” anyone into the doors of a Catholic Church….What people see in us, who live and breath our Catholic faith is joy!….And everyone wants to be happy….Mother Teresa would tell her sisters - “Joy is the net that will catch many souls”…..There are no joyless saints!…..When the world sees us live sacrificially, as we are called too, and still remain full of joy, which is a fruit of the Holy Spirit - This paradox, will not only cause the secular would to consider the Catholic Church, but make even the hardest of hearted people question their choices….This is reality and this is the ONLY way we evangelize the world effectively…Not with podcasts - Not with sermons - Not with writing books - There is a time and a place for everything - Podcasts, Sermons and Books educate people - And that is a good thing - But the witness of authentic joy converts people!…So are we joy filled?….”If Christ is preached as raised from the dead, how can some among you say there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then neither has Christ been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then empty too is our preaching; empty, too, your faith”……As Catholics, the “lens” we “see” the world must be through the dying and rising of Jesus Christ - That means we too must die to ourselves - And only then will we rise with him…This is why we have joy - A joy the world cannot take away

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

Years ago before I was married, when I would travel to Kolkata India for Advent, I met a young woman who was discerning to become a nun…Nikolina was from Croatia and we would speak about what she was experiencing while in Kolkata serving the poor with the sisters…This particular December, Sister Fredrick MC was in Kolkata from Rome…At the time Sister Fredrick was the oldest living Missionaries of Charity sister….Sister Fredrick was originally from Malta and was a contemporary of Mother Teresa and when Mother died, she was one of the nuns who was considered to replace Mother Teresa as the Superior General of the global order…She was known for being very tough….But at this point in her life, she was very meek and her eyes were very gentle…My friend Nikolina, who was a young girl told me one morning that she had a conversation with Sister Fredrick and just standing in her presence completely overwhelmed her - She began to cry just simply by looking into her face…..I too can understand this reaction….Standing in front of a very holy person, just by looking into their face, can be overwhelming…Such a person “looks through you” - Their eyes are on fire! - Even if their bodies are old….Sister Fredrick greatly impacted Nikolina, not with words - Simply by being who she was created to be - A saint….I think of Nikolina sometimes - I am sure she is a nun somewhere in the world - Praying and serving mankind….Today, we are told in the Gospel from Mass, that a group of woman accompanied Jesus…..”Accompanying him were the Twelve and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, Susanna, and many others who provided for them out of their resources”….What made these women “give up” their life and follow Christ? - What made Sister Fredrick do the same?….And what about Nikolina?…This I can tell you - People do not give up their life for mere words - Its the witness of the Gospel - A life of service for others seen through the witness of sacrificial love - All “fueled” by daily prayer, fasting and Sacramental grace….This is what “transformed” Sister Fredrick…And this is why Nikolina would cry when she stood before Sister Fredrick - Because Sister Fredrick was a saint - And only saints change the world….We are told in St Luke’s Gospel today that…”Jesus journeyed from one town and village to another, preaching and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God”….Why did people listen to Jesus? - Why do people listen to him today?…..And give up everything to follow him?…..The answer to these questions are not simply found in words and in books - Its the witness of a pure soul - The witness of a Holy Life……….”As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him. He walked along from there and saw two other brothers, James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him”…..Such a witness “hypnotizes” the world….And all it takes is one look……JMJ

“The one to whom little is forgiven, loves little”

Today at Holy Mass in the Gospel of St Luke, Jesus is invited to the home of a Pharisee to eat…One can assume that Jesus and this Pharisee were friends…..And while at this meal, a public sinner expresses her humble thanks to Jesus for restoring her back into society as well as forgiving her sins…And the Pharisee has a problem with it…..During the three year ministry of Jesus, he confronts all kinds of people…Many of them public sinners…Tax collectors, prostitutes, etc….And Jesus does not shy away from addressing their sin, but he does not condemn these people - You would think he would - But he does not…The only people, repeatedly throughout the four Gospels that Jesus condemns harshly are the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Scribes…These are the people who “put themselves out there” as being perfect…Not only does Jesus “call them out” - He outright and aggressively scolds them…..This trend, which any objective person can pick up on while reading the Gospels, should stand out for us…..It should also serve as a reminder - And a warning!……When we want to “put others down”….or….. Point out their faults and sins……..Instead, do we sincerely pray for those who have fallen into sin? - Do we fast for the world & the Church?….Hell is FOREVER and if we have the heart of Christ we should not want anyone to go to hell…..And make no mistake - There is a hell and people are there….Ever think when we call people out for their sins - We might find ourselves in hell?…..”“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”……Do we presume that we are “holy” because we like the Pharisees do “everything 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.” He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” The others at table said to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”But he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

The Pharisee in our story today “thought” he was perfect - And make no mistake - He did “everything right”…But God sees the human heart - He knows all our sins…And when we “put ourselves out there” like we are perfect - This is a great insult to the only one who is perfect - God alone…..When we go to confession frequently, we understand just how flawed we are - Even if what we confess, are not mortal sins….And when the Priest gives us absolution, we feel a sense of relief….This understanding of our own imperfections and the reception of God’s mercy is the only thing that can gives us empathy for public sinners….I am not in any way condoning mortal sin…But “point out” the sins of others does not help the situation one bit….Only the example of a holy life can cause  “public sinners” to confront their sins in a productive manner - Do we give this example to the world around us?…….If we are serious about our Catholic faith - If we have studied it - If we know it….The next step is to internalize it….And live it…..If we are to be a catalyst for change in the world - “Ranting” about the sins of others is not going to make that happen…..However, if you pray and fast for the sins we see in the world - God will transform you….And then and only then will your life impact others…and sinners will “see” them self clearly, maybe for the first time in their entire life - They will “see”

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

Years ago the Missionaries of Charity had a cook out in front of their convent on July 4th in Lower Manhattan….I was helping them out….During this barbecue a man on the street covered in tattoos, with his shirt off approached one of the Missionaries of Charity…When I saw this I said to my self…”Here we go”…So I made my way close to the two of them talking….The man was telling sister that - “He used to be Catholic” - “But now he is a Christian”…Sister Eva listened to this man, giving him one hundred percent of her attention….As I watched this seen, I stood in awe…It was one of the craziest sights I ever saw….This huge guy with no shirt on, covered in tattoos is talking to this little nun on the streets of New York…Finally after this man told sister that - “He was no longer Catholic”…Sister Eva tells the man the following - “You are a Baptized Catholic - Go this instant into our chapel and pray before the Blessed Sacrament"….And do you know what the man did? - He did just what sister told him to do….How do you think it would have gone if I told that man to do what Sister Eva told him?….Something tells me, I would not have gotten the same reaction….Sister Eva had every right to “scold” this man for attending their cook out with no shirt on looking like a crazy person…But that is not what she did…She spoke with him as an equal - She “heard him out”…And the man responded as a result…Do we “judge” people based upon their appearance?…Do we assume people to be great sinners because they do not do what we do?….Only when we understand our own flaws and sins…and then experience God’s mercy will we stop “pointing out” the sins of others…Only when we see Jesus fully present in the Blessed Sacrament will we see him in others - And love Jesus in others….Today in the Gospel…The Pharisee “understood” the law…But had “no idea” who God really was…How about us?…..Do we just “know about God” from a text book?……Even the hardest of people, living in the darkest of places - Even they can “see” the witness of a holy life…As Catholics today, just as the Pharisees in Jesus’ day….We can do “everything right” - And still be wrong…..“The one to whom little is forgiven, loves little”….JMJ

“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.”