”I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it……..that your love may increase ever more and more in knowledge and every kind of perception, to discern what is of value, so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ”

Today at Holy Mass a theme of purification cuts across the readings….”For he is like the refiner’s fire, or like the fuller’s lye. He will sit refining and purifying silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi, Refining them like gold or like silver that they may offer due sacrifice to the LORD”….What does this message imply?…That we all are a work in progress…God uses events, people and life itself to “refine us”…To “open our eyes” in order for us to respond to him…Why?….To sanctify us and prepare us to be with him for all eternity…Human beings establish many goals in life for themself and their family…For as different as we all are, there are as many different goals…In reality, there is only one goal that matters, to allow God to sanctify us…And in order for that to happen, we must cooperate with him……Because it does not happen on its own…Why must we do this?…Because in order to stand before God and be with him for all eternity, we must be made holy…..Many Christians have an inaccurate view of heaven…That includes many Catholics….We do not spend eternity in heaven until we are purified…That view can be biblically substantiated - Happy to have the conversation…Yet we “hear” what our itchy ears want to hear…..God is our father and he does not “throw us into the deep end of the pool” all at once…Little by little he draws us to himself…Its for us to respond…And let the sanctification process continue

"Lift up, O gates, your lintels; reach up, you ancient portals, that the king of glory may come in!"

Because we all have a fallen nature, we are all in need of God’s grace…And the Sacraments are instruments of God’s grace…..If a person makes a habit of going to confession once a month, they will find that they continue to confess the same sins over and over again…Why?……Because we all have certain weakness.....…However, with each confession, God not only forgives our sins but he pours down grace upon us to help us over come our sins…This is how we sanctify ourself and grow in virtue - It takes time….Speaking personally, when it comes to my lack of patience, I repeatedly confess how I fall short in this virtue, especially when it comes to my children when they do not behave…I have found that by going to confess regularly, my patience has grown…Thanks be to God and the help from St Joseph…That is not because of me - Its because of God’s grace - But I still am a work in progress and I recognize that……We have to help ourself in life and again, our number one priority should be going to heaven…And as a good priest once told me…”Joe, You just don’t float into heaven”…Far too many people think that to be true…..”Because he himself was tested through what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested”…Jesus understands our humanity because he was fully human…..We should never be afraid to confess our sins to a priest…This is the reason why Jesus walked the earth - To free us from the burden of sin…God in heaven rejoices when we go to him with our sins…..As Catholics, lines to the confessional are very short these days…This needs to change…..In order for “eyes to open” to the mysteries of the Kingdom of God and for our hearts to be opened to the grace of the Blessed Sacrament, we need to avail ourselves to the sanctifying grace of the Sacrament of Reconciliation….This is a gift…To not see it that way is a mistake…..Don’t let the devil deceive you….The fear and anxiety we may feel about going to confession is a “smoke screen” created by the evil one himself…All we need to do is “step through the smoke” of our fear….And once we do, all the anxiety and fear will disappear…God offers us something no one else can - Freedom….Take him up on the opportunity

“A light of revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel”

The need to be an active participant in our sanctification process is highlighted today at Holy Mass…..God is the “potter and we are the clay”, which means we all need to allow God to “mold” us into his image and likeness…This takes time, so be patient with yourself…However, time does run out…There is no greater priority then to want to end up in heaven for both yourself and your family…That will not happen on its own….God is working as we speak to sanctity us all…Like a gentle stream that slowly molds the rock in which the water passes over….Its for us to recognize what God is doing on our life, cooperate in God’s redeeming work and utilize what the Church gives to us (i.e. Sacraments, prayer and fasting) to help complete the work….”I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it……..that your love may increase ever more and more in knowledge and every kind of perception, to discern what is of value, so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ”