”Pick up your cross and follow me” - This is how we get it done

Today at Holy Mass in the Gospel of St Mark Jesus tells us something very important….He does not give importance to empty words….” I believe in God”……”I am Catholic”….”I go to Mass on Sunday”….When you get right down to it - These things are easy to say and do….This is what is important to Jesus….....….”For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother”……………….Jesus is not looking for “believers” - He is looking for followers…We are also told this message in the Gospel of St John….“Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; yet the word you hear is not mine but that of the Father who sent me”….Actions speak and words are very easy to say……The best way we as Catholics transmit the Gospel to others is by the witness of our sacrificial love poured out to the world….This begins with our family…..Children many times will not listen to what you say…But trust me - I am a father of five children under eleven years old - Children watch what you do!……This is how the faith is passed on to them - Our children must “see” our Catholic faith prioritized in our home….The same goes for the world around us….As Catholic, the very way we live our live should scream of sacrificial love…….The way we are open to life in the womb - The way we live modestly and simply - The way we are kind and generous to our neighbor - The way we share of our time and resources with the poor…..When the world “sees” this - No words are necessary…..Jesus tells us today in St Mark’s Gospel that “ticking off boxes” as a Catholic does not “cut it” - We must do the “heavy lifting” of putting our words into action…….“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”………So to answer the question put forth today by Jesus to the crowd….."Who are my mother and my brothers?" - Its the people who bend their will - Its the people who are obedient - Its the people who live sacrificially for others…Those “people” are God’s people…Make sure you strive to be one of them!

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


My Catholic faith was passed on to me by my parents…While my Mom and Dad sent me to Catholic school and we went to Mass on Sunday - My parents did not do a lot of “preaching” in the house…They lived their faith by sacrificing deeply for both me and my brother…….And I took notice!….My parents never took fancy vacations - They never drove fancy cars - We lived in a modest home - They never shopped for fancy cloths for themself…And while all that was going on - They paid for my private education at Catholic schools…..They were always there for me when I needed them…..They provided and environment that I could succeed…..They witnessed a strong and faithful marriage that lasted up and until the death of my father at the age of 84 years old - And when my father was sick and bedridden, my mother cared for him in our home…..All these things spoke more then words ever could - This is how I am Catholic today…Not because of “words” but because of my parent’s witness….As Catholics today who want to see a societal change - If we are not willing to live sacrificially for others - Do not expect our culture to change….The world needs to “see” Christ within us….And that kind of witness is only found when we “give ourselves” away to others…And here is the paradox when one lives this way - Lasting joy and peace is found….….”Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid”……….Our world today does not need another “sermon” - It needs to see the Gospel radically lived out sacrificially - This is how many hearts will open and lives will be transformed - "Who are my mother and my brothers?"  - Its those who love in this manner - Sacrificially - That’s who!

“When he finished making these offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts. He then distributed among all the people, to each man and each woman in the entire multitude of Israel,  a loaf of bread, a cut of roast meat, and a raisin cake. With this, all the people left for their homes”

Today in at Mass Jesus tells us what the definition of a disciple is - A person who follows him….This is what we as Catholics must strive to become - Disciples…..There is a very big difference between a “believer” and a disciple……And when you encounter an authentic disciple of Christ - That person leaves a deep impression - These are the “people” we must become….It simply is not enough to “tick off boxes” as Catholics….We must give witness to our love for the Lord - We do that by pouring our life out for others…..This “message” lived out in real time is antithetical to the message of the world and because of that, the world has no response - “You” can’t argue with a saint and that is what we must strive to become - Saints - So don’t miss the opportunity!……..Catholics will never argue anyone into the doors of the Church - However if we are consistent in living out the Gospel, the world will take notice and question choices made and maybe just maybe be transformed.....…..”Pick up your cross and follow me” - This is how we get it done……….JMJ

”So by their fruits you will know them”

Today at Holy Mass in the Gospel of St Mark, Jesus addresses a particular mindset that plagues mankind to this very day….Calling good evil and calling evil good……”The scribes who had come from Jerusalem said of Jesus,  “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “By the prince of demons he drives out demons”…..We see this in our post-christian culture today…….Divorce is a common practice - Same sex marriage has become mainstreamed - Abortion is celebrated and encouraged……Many of these abominations are referred to by our society as “progressive values”……How does a person arrive at such a place in their life to call what is evil good and what is good evil?…..The devil is very intelligent and he knows all our weaknesses…..When we are not grafted into the life of Christ by living in and through the Sacraments, we are susceptible to the devil’s deception…..One of the biggest mistakes is to under estimate demonic influence, which is all around us…..If we do not have “eyes” to see….We surely will fall….“Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit?”….But “seeing” is not enough - We need grace to resist temptation…….Jesus established a Church for a reason and one of the driving reasons for the Church is that it is the means of our Salvation…If it was not for the Catholic Church - How would we receive the Sacraments?…..Our modern world takes the Sacraments for granted and this is a grave mistake….The Eucharist is refer to in academic Catholic circles as “viaticum”, which is a  Latin word that means “food for the journey”…If we refuse to partake in this heavenly food, we surely will be “blind”, not to mention lack the grace we all need to resist the temptations of the world, the flesh and the devil….Again, the world would disagree - But how is the world doing?…Seems to me, we are failing….Have you ever considered the driving reason for our failure?….Could it be a lack of Sacramental grace?

“Say among the nations: The LORD is king. He has made the world firm, not to be moved; he governs the peoples with equity”

Every year on New Years Day, people all over the world craft lists of all the expectations they would like to see happen in the coming New Year…In America we call these “lists” New Year’s resolutions….And while these resolutions are created with the best of intentions, most people find that within a short period of time, say around 30 days, the resolutions are abandoned….Nothing changes - Ever think about why that is the case?…..When it comes to life improving changes, more times then not, we need grace to make those changes happen…..Its very easy to find fault and list out how to address personal short comings - Its something altogether different to execute on this changes….This is where grace comes in…..Jesus gave us a Church so we can live a Sacramental life…..The Sacraments elevate our human nature and enable us to live the Christian life, no matter what state of life you are called to - Priest, Married or Single….To decide that we do not need Sacramental grace - And still believe that we will live up to the standards set by the Gospel is a fantasy!……And when we live a life devoid of this grace, we easily fall prey to the “values” of the world……We are told that the devil “prowls the earth like a lion seeking the ruin of souls”…..To some this is a “fairy-tale”…..But for those who “see” - This is very real…..One does not have to look very far to see people, many of them close to us, who have been greatly deceived and the witness of their life shows it! - They are a mess!……Jesus tells us - “You tell a tree by the fruit it bears”…….This is the standard by which we should weigh the ideologies and ideas of the world today……There are many today who have “a lot to say”, yet their life is in shambles - So the question is - Why do we follow them?…Jesus tells us very clearly - “I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 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. This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep. 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”…….When the things of God are called evil, misery is soon to follow……And if light is called darkness, how very deep will the darkness be?

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

Today at Mass we hear some of the people in Jesus’s day call him evil - How can a person call God evil?…Before we make sweeping judgements of the people who did this - Let’s take a good look at our own society……….Jesus gave us only one prayer during his three year public ministry - The Our Father - And in it we say…..”Thy Kingdom come - Thy will be done - On earth as it is in heaven”…….We were taught that prayer when we were children - Yet, do we ever stop and listen to what we say when we pray it?……”On earth as it is in heaven” should tell us that we are to live a certain way day to day, that means we must live differently from the secular world around us……..Do we live differently? - Are we a people “set apart” - Are we in the world but not of the world?…..Because if we are not, maybe we need to take a step back a reassess……Calling good evil is nothing new - Such a mindset has been around for 2000 years……So how do we know if we are on the “right side of things”…..A good question in deed….The answer is found in the “output” of our life’s choices - Remember - “You tell a good tree by the fruit is bears”…So if the “fruit” is “rotten” - Maybe the “tree” is “rotten” too?…..”A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire”…………..”So by their fruits you will know them”…..JMJ

Speak with your life and “the many” will become one

Today at Holy Mass St Matthew tells us - “The people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has arisen”……Why is Jesus this light?…….There are many things that make us “happy” today? - Right?!?…So how can St Matthew make such a bold statement like that? - Implying without this “light”, which is Christ, there is only darkness - A bold statement indeed!……Because mankind shares a common Father, who is God, we are incomplete when we choose to separate from him….In fact, when mankind, through our free will knowingly turns from God the Father, something breaks within us….This reality was true 2000 years ago when Jesus walked the earth and its true today……This is why our Catholic faith is the answer to so many problems in the post-christian world we live in…..But how can we convince others of this reality?…..Jesus addresses this directly in St Matthew’s gospel as well…..“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”…….Before we can proclaim the gospel, we must repent of our sins…..We do that by confessing our sins to a Catholic Priest…And if we want to grow in virtue and keep open the channels of grace, we will go to Confession frequently (once a month as recommend by the saints)…..The over arching theme of today’s readings at Mass is unity…How can Catholics not be of one mind and of one heart?…..Everything we need to know is written down! - Yet to this day, as it was in the days of Jesus, there is division……St Paul speaks us this in the second reading about this problem…..”I urge you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and in the same purpose”…..The Church has tried to address this problem of internal division for centuries - I would suggest approaching diversity within the Church in the following manner…..”In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things charity”……Each of us individually speaking are different, but again, we have one Father in heaven……We have one common belief……Far too many people within the Church are at each others throat - This must stop!…..A house divided can not stand……Focus on First Principals……Pray the Rosary every day - Go to Mass once a week and receive the Blessed Sacrament in the state of grace - Go to Confession with a Priest once a month…You worry about you!…..That is what I tell my children when they fight with each other…And God will take care of the rest!

“Jesus proclaimed the Gospel of the kingdom and cured every disease among the people”

There are many voices on Catholic Social Media today who are trying to renew the Church….All I am going to say is - Are we going about this process of renewal correctly?……Renewal begins from within the person - Only saints renew the Church….”Loud Voices” on a podcast do not renew anything!……..Just as St Francis in the 13th century heard a voice from the Cross of St San Damiano - “Rebuild my Church”….We too must “play our part” in renewing what in some segments of the Church have become lukewarm…..How did St Francis do it?….He lived the gospel radically - He allowed God to totally transform him…And because the saints show us the way - This is what we must do today...…There was a time when I would get completely crazy when I saw various abuses committed within he Church….I would rant and rave on social media and to my wife…I have changed by approach…Every Wednesday, my wife and I fast for the Church…..We channel our frustrations into the fast…This process has worked and brought me peace - It has also brought me me closer to God….And I am sure God uses our Wednesday fast to renew his Church…..In the process, fasting contributes to making my wife and I holy - And only holy people impact others….Instead of “ranting and raving”, maybe its time to “double down” on our Catholic faith - Maybe its time to live our faith more radically - Pray more, Fast more - Live more sacrificially for others - In doing so, the Holy Spirit will animate our life …This is how we effectively renew the Church, as St Francis did….The Spirit of God is not divided and therefore nor should we be divided…We find unity in living a holy life defined by God, not ourselves…And if others can not appreciate that or rebel against such a life - As I tell my children and will now tell you - “You worry about you”……Remember this - The witness of a holy life speaks very loudly - No words are necessary!.....And the witness of a holy life brings people together - Why? - Because holy people reflect Christ and the “light of Christ” is attractive….Speak with your life and others will “hear” you loud and clear

“I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD with courage; be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD”

One of the last things that Jesus said before he ascended to the Father in heaven was this - “I have given them the glory you gave me, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may be brought to perfection as one, that the world may know that you sent me, and that you loved them even as you loved me.”……Division within the Christian world is a great scandal - Even more so within the Catholic world….While each of us are different, we can and must strive to be of one mind, one heart and one body…..And when lets call them “differences of opinion” arise - And when individuals seemly refuse to bend their will……Be patient - We can not “fix” others nor can we “fix” the Church….What we can do is “double down” on our commitment to become a saint…Why is that important? - Because only saints change the world and renew the Church….One holy life can impact many - Saints bring people together - So you worry about you!……..Diversity melts away into unity by and through the lives of the saints…..Speak with your life and “the many” will become one…..JMJ

From now on, you will be “fishers of men”!

Today at Holy Mass St Mark tells us something rather interesting about how those close to Jesus thought of him…..”Jesus came with his disciples into the house. Again the crowd gathered, making it impossible for them even to eat. When his relatives heard of this they set out to seize him,  for they said, “He is out of his mind”……How could people think the Savior of the world is “crazy”? - Especially those who were very close to him…..This account of Jesus’ public ministry should tell us something today…..Catholics are not to live like everyone else….Do you go along to get along?…….And if we live “differently”, some people in mainstream society frankly will think we are “crazy”…Why? - Because we do not “buy in” to the established norms of the day…..Far too many Catholics in America “blend in” to our pagan society - Their daily witness, their family life, the items they buy, and how they use their time all comport with the rest of our Post-Christian Society - We use contraception in our marriages - We divorce our wives - We have sex out of wedlock……To name a few of the ways many Catholics live in America…..And for the ones who do not “buy in”…Who have big families with many children - Who live modestly - Who stay married faithfully until death - These people are viewed as “crazy” by our society….Have people really changed since the time of Christ?….Jesus is very clear about how the world will view us in the pages of Scripture…..”In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world”…….If we are not experiencing this “trouble” that Jesus speaks about, maybe we are not living the way we should be?

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

I am the father if five children, all of which are under the age of eleven years old…I got married late in life, at the age of 43 and my wife is ten years younger then me…Professionally speaking, I work at an International European bank in New York City……When my wife was pregnant with our fifth child I was 50 years old…..I did not tell my boss at work until around one month before our youngest daughter Maria was born….I can remember my boss’s reaction to me telling him that I was about to have my fifth child at the age of 51 years old…..”Joe - You are crazy!!!”……This is coming from a man that makes a ridiculous amount of money - Who could offered to provide for 10 children!…..Some thoughts to ponder - Why is it crazy to have children?….Why is it crazy to use your money to provide for others?….Why is it crazy to live simply?…..The example I just shared is how the secular world views a Catholic witness - I am telling you this because this has been my experience - And while what I said is true - What we may not realize is, by living as Catholics in the world, we are “sowing seeds” even with those around us with seemingly impenetrable, hardened hearts…….Mere words will never pierce the hearts of a darkened conscience…..Only self-sacrificial love, witnessed in real time will make people “re-think” choices made, which in turn could lead to both individual and societal transformation…..Secular people may think you are “crazy” for living as a Catholic, but deep within their hearts, they “thirst” for what you have!……….”Peace* I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid”………No matter who you are, all people want to be at peace and authentic peace can only be found in God…Remember the words of another man who experienced a worldly life only to change his mind….”The human heart does not rest until it rest in thee”…Those were the words of St Augustine, who had everything the world had to offer, only to “figure out” that without God, he had nothing!…..So embrace the reality that many people today in our Post-Christian society may think practicing Catholics are “crazy” for renounce the materialistic world….While this is true - But at the same time - What also is true - The witness of practicing Catholics will resonate deeply amongst the lost, the wounded and the lonely (More people then we will ever realize!) ….This is what the world needs to see - Witnesses!……So let the world “think” you are crazy…….And take courage!…….“Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves”……..Its good to be “different” - Jesus was different….Maybe its time to redefine our terms?

“Let us see your face, Lord, and we shall be saved”

Today St Mark tells us in his Gospel that people thought Jesus was crazy……And if we are honest and did not believe in God - We too would think the same thing……..But we do be believe in God and because we do, we must live differently!……When we were children in the school yard, each of us wanted to belong to the crowd - This is a very common human trait - The need to “belong” - And while this is true for all of us, if we are to follow Christ, we must be willing to be set this desire aside as we walk and live amongst a godless world….It is inevitable, that if you are a practicing Catholic living and working in our post christian culture, secular people will think you are crazy!…But remember what Jesus tells us - We must be “crazy as a fox”……….Catholics are not meant to isolate themselves, we are to live in the world but not be of the world…This is how our post-christian world will be impacted and ultimately transformed - Not by a lecture but by our daily witness…….These were the words of a future pope, Fr Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI) said this in 1969…….”But when the trial of this sifting is past, a great power will flow from a more spiritualized and simplified Church. Men in a totally planned world will find themselves unspeakably lonely. If they have completely lost sight of God, they will feel the whole horror of their poverty. Then they will discover the little flock of believers as something wholly new. They will discover it as a hope that is meant for them, an answer for which they have always been searching in secret”………So let the world “think” you are “crazy” - And pick up your cross and follow me….,,,,From now on, you will be “fishers of men”!…….JMJ

That is reality - Authority is reality!

Today at Holy Mass in the Gospel of St Mark we hear how Jesus picked his first apostles……”Jesus went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted and they came to him. He appointed Twelve, whom he also named Apostles, that they might be with him and he might send them forth to preach and to have authority to drive out demons: He appointed the Twelve”…….Notice a few things here…First - Before Jesus made this very important decision, he “went up a mountain”, most certainly to pray…Before we make big decisions in life, do we take time to sit before the Blessed Sacrament in silence and pray?……What else do we learn from Jesus’ actions in this Gospel passage?…..St Mark tells is Jesus gave these twelve hand picked men - “Authority”…To do what? - “Drive out demons”…….How can Jesus give these men authority? - The answer - Because he is the only who with authority, he is God….This is a very important concept to grasp as a Christian…Only God has authority and because of that, only God can give that authority away…..In reading this, one can clearly understand the apostolic succession, which is found only in the Catholic Church….Only the Catholic Church has this “authority” Jesus speaks of - Why? - Because Jesus founded only one Church and that line of succession has never been broken to this very day…..But what about the task of “driving out demons”?…..Through our Baptism, each of us are grafted into the life of God - Our “original sin” is washed away…But sadly because of “the wound” passed down to us from our original parents - Adam and Eve - All human beings are flawed and continue to sin…We only overcome this “fatal flaw” sacramentally and by God’s grace….Modern man does not accept this reality and suffers as a result of this denial…Jesus is telling us today that he is giving his own authority to his priests, who in turn can forgive sin…..These priest, to this very day, can do this only by and through the authority given to them…This is why it is imperative that the world turns to the Catholic Church……The Catholic Church is the only place where by human beings can get the “medicine” we all need - And that medicine is Sacramental grace!……Without this “medicine”, we all die…How do I know this? - St John tells us in his Gospel….......“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 true this statement is! - And if you don’t believe the words of St John to be true - Just look into the eyes of your pagan neighbors…..Do you see life within their eyes?…..Do you perceive peace in the tone of their voice?…….Without food and water the human body dies - Similarly, without Sacramental grace, the souls dies….This is reality and not “believing” in reality does not change it.

“God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation"

There was a time where before every Mass, priests would hear confessions…..Now sadly, Confession is only heard for one hour a week on Saturday….If we are not receiving the Blessed Sacrament on Sunday in the state of grace, we will not receive the life giving benefits of Sacramental living, which is God’s grace…..This is why frequent Confession must become a norm again in the life of every Catholic…..….Our world today disregards this essential model of living…….We do not emphasize the importance of living sacramental to our children in America anymore - And it shows!…..This is why our culture is “blind” and wounded!…….The problems in America will not be “fixed” from the “top down” - They will only be addressed from the “bottom up”……America’s problem is not a political issue - Its a Godless issue….And only the Catholic Church is equipped to solve this issue - Why? - Because Jesus gave his authority to the Catholic Church…America’s problem is, we deny reality and in turn try to redefine it on our own terms - This did not work for our first parents Adam and Eve and it will not and has not worked for American culture…..Jesus tells us….”For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink”……Only a Catholic priest can give us this “food and drink”….And only a Catholic priest can forgive our sins, which “weigh us down”…..How easy it is to over look what St Mark tells the world today at Mass….”He appointed Twelve, whom he also named Apostles, that they might be with him and he might send them forth to preach  and to have authority to drive out demons”…….Today as it was 2000 years ago, those same “demons” roam the world “seeking the ruin of souls”

“God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation"

Today St Mark reminds us at Mass of the importance of God’s authority….He tells us where that authority rests…He also tells us why we need to live under this authority…..And just as St Mark tells us all this very clearly - The world ignores it!….The reality of God should be so clear……….Our world today “thirsts” for God and does not even know it……..This is why Catholics must witness lives grounded upon the Sacraments….Frequent Confession and Frequent reception of the Blessed Sacrament……..This is how we must live! - And in doing so, the world will “see” for itself the reality found in the words of St John……”Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you”…How can St John say such a statement with certainty? - Because he was given authority!.....And only this who are “appointed” have this authority…..“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”…….Just as Jesus appointed the first twelve men to be apostles, he appoints priests to this very day and only they have Jesus’ authority - That is reality…The sooner we accept reality, the better off we all shall be……..God’s authority is reality - Deal with it! - Deny it and die - Accept it and live………That is reality - Authority is reality!…….JMJ

“Master, I want to see”

Today at Holy Mass St Mark tells us that people in large numbers were flocking to Jesus……His fame as a result of the many healings he performed was spreading……Were these people only interested in being healed physically or were they interested in what Jesus had to say?….One should consider that question, even today, as we pray for “this or that”….Should we instead pray to be transformed?…..Putting those questions and thoughts aside…St Mark tells us that demons recognized Jesus - Interesting - Do you believe that demons exist?……Jesus tells us that they do exist many times throughout Scripture…”And whenever unclean spirits saw him they would fall down before him and shout, “You are the Son of God.” He warned them sternly not to make him known”………I believe there would be no arguments made about the reality of evil in the world - But many people do not believe that demons are actively working against our interests and the interests of God - Do we believe this? - If not, you should!…..Jesus seems to be able to see these demons - But how about the people in the crowd around him? - Did they see them?…….The same thing happens to this very day…Only when we live in the state of grace - Only when we pray daily and fast weekly - Only when we frequent the Sacraments will we “see” the battle for good and evil that is being waged around us continually….So many Americans have “mainstreamed” objective mortal sin…Our people do not “blink” at these actions any more….The use of contraception - Abortion - No fault divorce - Same Sex Marriage - Usury…To name a few…..Not only have these actions been “mainstreamed” in America but many in our society think nothing is wrong with them…….God however thinks differently!…..But how can we “see” as God sees when it comes to the intrinsic evil that has made its way into our culture?……..Only when we live in the state of grace can we “see”……That is why Jesus saw “unclean spirits” today in the Gospel - The question then becomes - What do we see?

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

If you have ever gone to a funeral in America, everyone is utterly convinced that the person who died is in heaven…..This includes Catholic funerals…While no one is saying we should condemn people when they die, we should however think long and hard at what the Church has taught for 2000 years and what is required of us as Catholics to make sure we stay in the state of grace…..The Church is very clear - If we commit mortal sin and do not confess it to a priest, we do not go to heaven….Now people “only know what they know”, which is one of the conditions for mortal sin (Full Awareness) - However, just because society “thinks” something is “no big deal”, we as Catholics should not “go along to get along”……The presence of evil is deceptive - The devil does not walk around with a tail and red horns…Evil always presents itself as “a good” - Evil “sneaks” under our front door like a mist, it comes to us through our phones, computer and the television…Are we vigilant?…..The devil is smarter then we are and he plays the long game - The devil also knows all our weakness and each of us have weakness….This is why St Paul tells us…..”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”……But before we defend ourselves and our family from this evil - We first have to “see” it…….And many do not “see”!……..Jesus warns us - “If a blind person leads a blind person, both will fall into a pit”....…This image presented to us by Jesus of “the blind leading the blind” is what we “see” today in real time….Our society is for the most part blind and only when it turns to God will its sight be restored…..Most of our problems today stem from this “blindness”…..And for that very reason, just as Bartimaeus in the Gospel of St Mark asked Jesus - “Master, I want to see.” - We too should do the same - Ask and we will receive!

“For you have rescued me from death, my feet, too, from stumbling; that I may walk before God in the light of the living”

Today at Mass, we are told in the Gospel by Jesus himself that demons are a reality…..Jesus saw these demons because his heart was pure…..How about us?…The world today is “selling” us a very different “narrative” from the one told to us in the Gospel - Do you buy it? - Do you go along to get along?….Catholics are meant to be “salt and light” in this dark world - We are to live among people - Not to conform to this world but strive to conform the world to Christ…Before we do all that, we must “see” properly….Our “spiritual sight” has very little to do with reading books, as many think….…We can read all the right things and still be blind….Our sight rests in the condition of our hearts and only God can sanctify the human heart……What we “see” matters - What we “see” determines not only what you do - It determines ultimately who we are and where we will end up for all eternity……….“Master, I want to see”…….JMJ

Hearts of stone must be turned into hearts of flesh

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the Gospel of St Mark how Jesus cures a man on the Sabbath who had a withered hand….The Pharisees were furious - How can this be?….Clearly the Pharisees have turned the law into an idol….They lost sight of God, trying to follow the law perfectly……..The devil is very clever how he “works” on our every weakness………How did this happen to these very learned men?….Jesus gives us the answer……”Looking around at them with anger and grieved at their hardness of heart”……..This is why we must confess our sins regularly…When we do, our hearts change and are receptive to God’s grace found in the Eucharist……Its very easy to be convinced of our own righteousness - Telling ourselves  - We are right in what we say and do - And even if that is the case - If we do not speak and act with love in our heart, speaking and living the Truth becomes as St Paul tells us like “Banging Gong”……God is not necessarily impressed with what we do…….God weighs the human heart…..What is most important is to do everything grounded in love - Even the smallest of things performed in love are greater then the “grandest” gesture performed without love……..“Two people went up to the temple area to pray; one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector. The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, ‘O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity—greedy, dishonest, adulterous—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.’ But the tax collector stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, ‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner.’ I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted”…….Only by God’s grace can our human hearts change…..Its very easy, as a result of the day to day struggles of life to become hard and callous to the troubles of others around us…..…Only by and through God’s grace are we given “eyes to see”…..Just as we were given the grace to see Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament - He will teach us to see God in others…Again, this type of sight can not be self-manufactured……..”I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my spirit within you so that you walk in my statutes, observe my ordinances, and keep them”……..What we see and hear depends completely on how pure our heart is - And only God can purify the human heart through Sacramental Grace

“Jesus preached the Gospel of the Kingdom and cured every disease among the people”

Once a person has children of their own, everything changes……As a father of five children, I cannot watch children suffer, even those who are not my own - Not even on television!…Now just think about how God feels when he sees people suffer in this world…Keep in mind - All the people of the world are God’s children - What if your child was dying of starvation - Had a medical condition that could be cured but is not because of lack of resources….How would you feel?……God’s heart is so much more sensitive than our hearts because God’s heart is free from sin…Think about how he feels when he sees the world as it suffers!………”At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd”…….If we are to be effective disciples in the world, we must transform our hearts......One can “get everything right” - Say “all the right things” - And still be wrong! - What do I mean?…..If our hearts are “not in the right place” - Our actions will not bear fruit from the Kingdom of God……..When we proclaim to the world in the public square that we are Catholic, believe me, people watch you very closely…..What we do matters!……We can go to Mass every day, pray the Rosary every day, fast weekly, etc…etc…But if we are not kind to our neighbors…If we are not generous…If we are not joyful…All those religious practices will be ignored…….The Gospel must be lived, not “performed” as if it is a show……..We must be transformed from the inside out……People can “smell” a phony from a mile away…..”Authenticity sells” - When the world encounters Catholics with “hearts of flesh” - The world will stop and take note - Then and only then will hearts turn to God…Its not what you say that counts - Its what you do when what you say is grounded in love that “closes the deal” for the world to see…This is how we make “disciples of men”.

“Jesus entered the synagogue. There was a man there who had a withered hand. They watched Jesus closely to see if he would cure him on the sabbath so that they might accuse him”

Today at Mass St Mark tells us that the Pharisees were more concerned that Jesus cured a man on the Sabbath, then they were concerned that a person was suffering and need attention….These men “got lost” in their own belief system….”They lost sight of the trees in the forrest”…….How about us?……Do we aspire to have the heart of Christ?…..Knowing the faith and speaking the Truth is important - But how we speak it may be equally as important…..Jesus gave to us the Beatitudes - These are the “rules of the game”……..In giving us the Beatitudes, Jesus was telling us how we are to follow him….So here is the question - Do we follow him?………”Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” - “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. - “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” - “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” - “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.” - “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” - “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” -  “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” - “Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.” - “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”……..Focus on your heart, make it pure and everything else will follow……….Hearts of stone must be turned into hearts of flesh……………….JMJ

This is how we are sanctified and this is how we sanctify the world

Today at Holy Mass in the first reading the Prophet Samuel was given a message from God.....”I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem,
for I have chosen my king from among his sons”…One of the sons among the many would be anointed….Interestingly enough, the one son who was disregarded was “the one” who was anointed….”Not as man sees does God see, because he sees the appearance but the LORD looks into the heart”…For those who read Scripture, we know that son was David, who goes on to be great in the eye of God and man……Why did everyone disregard David? - The answer - God sees the heart and does not judge by appearance…So the question today is - How do we judge people?…Is it by their social status?…Their wealth?…Their education?….When one reads the Bible, trends begin to form…The same trends are also found in the saints the Lord choose at particular periods of history…Most of these people did not exactly have the “greatest resume” for the role they played…But God saw “something” in them…Something that the world disregarded….The human heart is a mysterious thing….Inside of each of us are what St Teresa of Avila called “caverns”….Within the human soul, there are aspects of our very being that we are not aware of, but God is….And if we entrust our life to God - He we reveal these “caverns” to us….And in doing so, we will do what we never thought possible…This is why we must be convinced that God can do more with our lives then we can…Even the most gifted among us - God can do infinitely more with our gifts, talents and treasure then we can….Sadly - We lack trust!…..We must allow God to reveal to us the aspects of our very being that we do not see, but are there!…That is when we become the people we were born to be…This is how we are sanctified and this is how Catholics will sanctify the world.

“May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ enlighten the eyes of our hearts, that we may know what is the hope that belongs to our call”

Fear is a tool the devil uses to hold us back……Fear does not come from God…..Our fear limits our potential and it reveals our lack of trust in the God who loves us….Everything Jesus said in the Gospel is true - Everything!….Do we believe him?….Do we rest upon our own human limitations and weakness?….When we allow the grace of God to fill us, all things are possible….As a Catholic, we are instructed to live according to the perennial teachings of the Church…Far too many believe these teachings and dogmas are not “practical” in real life….That the Beatitudes taught to us by Jesus himself are just some “ideal”….Clearly, if we try to live in this manner resting upon our own strengthen, we will fail…However, if we live by and through Sacramental grace, which elevates human nature, we will do everything asked of us by God and more!…Our world does not believe this - Do we believe this?…….To “tap into the “caverns of our soul”, we need to overcome our fear, to rely solely on divine providence and grace….Only then will the impossible become possible…Once again, the saints show us this…Many of these men and women were the most unlikely of people to be “called” by God to accomplish his holy will…But as we heard today in the first reading from Mass……”Not as man sees does God see, because he sees the appearance but the LORD looks into the heart”……Allow God to work in and through you - And you will also do the impossible!

“I have found David, my servant; with my holy oil I have anointed him, That my hand may be always with him, and that my arm may make him strong.”

Today at Mass we hear how the great King David was anointed - From that point on his journey began…..What about us?…..God has made each and every one of us unique - With that said, we each have something to do for God that one else can do - But in order for that “something” to get done, we need to “step outside” ourself…Living in this manner is often uncomfortable, this is why most people do not live like this - They settle for mediocrity - Never Settle!!!!!…….God did not create us to be “comfortable” - He created us for greatness…Our “greatness” is found in God - If we allow him to form us….Throughout the New Testament, Jesus tells his friends time and time again - “Be not afraid”….We are also told the same - “Be not afraid”….........”I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus”…..We must learn to trust the Lord implicitly, and when we do, he will transform our minds and hearts…..This is how we are sanctified and this is how we sanctify the world………….JMJ

Christ is King - We are not - Listen to him!

Today at Holy Mass in the first reading we are told something very important……”Obedience is better than sacrifice”……So many people have problems with simple acts of obedience to authority, never mind total obedience to God…There are many reasons for this, which range from childhood wounds to deep seated attachments to sin….But under it all is the human desire to be God - Or at the minimum “play god”….…This was the sin of our first parents Adam and Eve….In our disobedience to God and his Church, we make ourselves out to be God whether we realize it or not….This was a fatal mistake for Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and it is the same mistake to made by many to this very day……”I will not serve”…..”I will do it my way”……”No one tells me what to do”….These are not the statements of a person who is walking with the Lord…….St Paul reminds us of the example of Christ himself……”Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered; and when he was made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him”……We too must learn to become obedient to Christ and his Church…If we too want to be “made perfect”…..There is only one path to heaven and Jesus showed us this path…He even told us…”I am the way”…That should imply to any clear-eyed objective person that because there is one way to heaven, if we want to go to heaven, we must follow that one path……And that path involves the Cross!…Jesus again tells us…..”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.”………..In order to do as Jesus said - We must be obedient….Our world today gives authority to others and even to ourselves where no authority exists…Jesus Christ has authority because he is God…How do we know this? - Point Blank - He rose from the dead….And because Jesus is God, from his own mouth, he gave authority to the one Church he founded - The Catholic Church……This is why we must be obedient to what Jesus tells us in the Gospel and to what the Catholic Church has taught for 2000 years….If we are not - How can we expect to go to heaven?……Again - There is one path to Heaven…Jesus told us so and he has authority - We do not

“The word of God is living and effective, able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart”

The world is not convinced that the Catholic Church has the authority of Christ…People try to separate the Catholic Church from Christ - This is impossible!….Why? - Human beings hear what their itchy ears want to hear……We want to do what we want to do and then we tell ourselves we are in “good standing with Christ” and one day will enter into eternal life…..This is why the Prophet Samuel tells us today at Mass that……“Does the LORD so delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obedience to the command of the LORD? Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission than the fat of rams. For a sin like divination is rebellion, and presumption is the crime of idolatry. Because you have rejected the command of the LORD, he, too, has rejected you as ruler.”……..Allow me to try to illustrate what Samuel was trying to express in this passage…..This is something to came to me through then Holy Spirit at Mass a few years ago……As a father of five children, all under eleven years old, going to Sunday Mass can be difficult….There are times I can not knee when required because of one of my children needing me….When this has happened, particularly during the consecration of the Eucharist at Mass, I have thought long and hard about the importance of participating at Mass properly and also the importance of me as a Father tending to the needs of my children when they cry….…This is the inspiration that came to me during those difficult moments - While its important to knee during the required periods at Mass, its more important for my will to bend - That the kneeing at Mass is “easy” but bending my will at all times to the Lord, that is the difficult part……..”Obedience is better than sacrifice”…….I like to think Jesus understands that as a father, if one of my small children are crying at Mass, I need take take care of them and at that moment, maybe I can’t knee at Mass….However, what is my “excuse” when I don’t bend my will to one of the hard teachings of the Gospel or the Church?……Its very easy to give an “outward appearance” to the world that we are Catholic……Its something all together different to bend our will completely until it breaks to the teachings of the Church and the demands of the Gospel, especially when no one is looking…..I clearly do not have the mind of God but if I were to bet, God is more concerned with the bending of my will then the bending of my knees when my children need me at Mass….God sees the heart in a way that we do not…He also knows our true intentions…..As Catholics, we must be more concerned with obeying God then about appeasing men…..” Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You cleanse the outside of cup and dish, but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may be clean”…….It is through our obedience that we will grow closer to God and it is also through our obedience that we will enter into eternal life.

“Why do you recite my statutes, and profess my covenant with your mouth, Though you hate discipline and cast my words behind you?”

Today at Mass we are reminded of the importance of the virtue of Obedience….Outside of Jesus Christ himself, no one was more obedient then Our Lady….She was the Mother of God, yet she was perfectly obedient to her husband, who clearly was beneath her as far as him being a sinner and Our Lady being born immaculate…..Yet Our Lady, as the wife of Joseph, subjected herself to her husband and lived under his authority…..Sadly, our world today rejects this kind of radical obedience shown to us by both Mary and Jesus…Our world can not understand it and refuses to be open to this kind of obedience…What the world also “misses” is “the fruit” of radical obedience….God’s ways are not our ways and for those who trust God implicitly, in time, lasting fruit is produced…This only happens when we are obedient….”Who, though he was in the form of God did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name”……As Catholics living in the world and witnessing our faith in the public square, we can not lead others if we are not able or willing to serve God in obedience ourselves….Before we can lead, our knee must bend!….Only one voice matters and that voice is not mine…..Christ is King - We are not - Listen to him!……………….JMJ

”I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth”

Today at Holy Mass we hear from the Book of Isaiah something every Catholics should meditate upon……”I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”……..The primary purpose of every human life is to cooperate with God in allowing him to make us holy…..The process of sanctification is not for a “select few” it is for every human soul….Is this your primary desire in life - To become holy? - If not it should be - Why? - For two reasons…The first, nothing unholy enters heaven…American Christians (and that include many Catholics) have a distorted view of heaven - We believe heaven is a “lock” as we say in New Jersey - Meaning - Everyone “gets in” and not only that everyone gets in on their terms…..Jesus never taught this false doctrine nor has the Catholic Church ever taught this….Therefore, as baptized Catholics we should make it our business to work on our personal sanctification daily….Keeping in mind, what we don’t “get done” here on earth, will be made complete in Purgatory…Speaking personally, I want to spend as little time as possible in Purgatory - How about you?…What is the second reason why we should want to become holy?…Because the closer we get to God, the more he can use us to build his Kingdom…..Again, circling back to what the Prophet Isaiah told us at Mass…..The words “I will make you” implies we are a work in progress, we have not achieved our goal yet….It also implies we can not get to our goal, which is to be a holy people, without the help of God…….Notice what else Isaiah says…..He mentions the word “light” and “my salvation”…This “light” does not belong to us, we receive it from God - It cannot be self manufactured - And if we want to receive this “light”,  we must make ourselves available to it……..Also, the word “salvation” is used….Salvation is a gift, it can not be earned - But in order to receive this gift, again, we must cooperate with God’s grace……To become the people we were born to be takes time…So be patient…Not only with others but also with yourself…..The greatest journey one could ever commit themselves to is the journey towards God - The path to holiness is not for the faint of heart, but the road to heaven is in essence a small taste of heaven…….So get on “the road” that leads to eternal life and as your life grows closer to God, your light will shine as a guide for others.

“The Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us. To those who accepted him, he gave power to become children of God"

How do we become holy?……Before one can live in this manner, a person committed to this goal, must strive to empty themselves….Living a sacrificial life, no matter what state in life you are called to is essential…Why? - Because God can not “fill” us with his life if we are “full of ourselves”!….We empty ourselves by become a person for others, sharing our time, talents and treasures…How else does one become holy?…By living a Sacramental life - Going to Confession at least once a month and receiving the Blessed Sacrament in the state of grace every Sunday and if you can go to Mass every day - Wonderful…How else does one become holy?…By establishing a daily prayer life…How else? - By fasting each week - Fasting Wednesday for the Church and Friday for the world…….If a person commits to these practices…God will do “his part”….And in time, day by day - You will become holy - And God will use you to build his Kingdom upon the earth….When you get right down to it, there really is nothing “special” about a person who is holy…Why do I say that? - Because anyone can do it!…In fact we were all born to be holy!…..God does the “heavy lifting” in making a person holy…Our job is just to cooperate with him…..So make it happen! - Everyone these days has a “bucket list” of things they want to do before they die - Throw the bucket list away! - And strive to become a saint - Make it your one and only goal!

“A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’ I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel”

Today the Prophet Isaiah tells us that God has a purpose for each and everyone of us…Do you have a driving purpose in your life and if you do - What is it?…..No mater who we are - Each of us has “something to do” for God…As many in Catholic circles would describe it -  Each of us has a mission!….I believe when we die and stand in front of God, He will show us our entire life - He will show us both the good and the bad - But he will also show us what we could have done if we trusted him more…I can only speak personally, I want the “could have done” list to be very small!…..As parents of children, we all want our kids to live up to their potential…God too has this same desire for us because we are all his children - That we “live up to our potential” - And what is that? - To become saints…..As Mother Angelica, the foundress of the EWTN Global Catholic Television Network would always say…......”We are all called to be great saints, don't miss the opportunity”…..Only saints change the world…..God can do more with your life than you can - Believe it! - Give him permission and watch what happens……….”I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth”…………………JMJ

The “deeper the water” - The “bigger the fish”

Today at Holy Mass in the Gospel of St Mark we are told that Jesus ate with sinners…This to a law abiding Jew was a scandal!….Why would you associate with such a person…Jesus gives the answer…….“Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”…How easy it is to look down on others…To think for “this reason” or “that reason” you are somehow better then “them”….While choices and actions do have consequences, both good and bad, God does not stop loving us even when we turn from him - How about us? - Are we like God in this way?……In this passage from St Mark, Jesus was willing to bear the shame brought upon him by the “established people” of his day because of his love for the lost….Are we willing to go after the one lost sheep, leaving the 99 who “get it”….And if we do, what happens when the 99 turn on you because you left them?…..This is what Jesus shows us today….His love bears shame, it endures ridicule, it does not concerns itself with being accepted by the crowd…..Again, how about us?…..Love, in order for it to be real must be sacrificial….God in his infinite wisdom gives us opportunities to love in this manner through out our life…When those opportunities present themselves - Do we recognize them? - Do we embrace them? - Or…..Do we turn from them?

“The Lord sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor and to proclaim liberty to captives”

During the height of the AIDS epidemic, Mother Teresa opened up an AIDS hospice in New York City…At the time, if a person acquired the AIDS virus, that person was a modern day leper…..But Mother Teresa and her sisters did not see it that way….This person was a child of God - A lost soul - Born to be loved and to love in return…..Sadly, the world did not see it that way - Even many Catholics living lives in “the mainstream” probably did not see it that way…These men with AIDS were public sinners! - Keep them away from me!…Maybe some people even thought - “They got what they deserve”!…..This is not how God views such people and because of that, nor should we…..In life people for many different reasons make bad choices…And as we all know, with every choice there are consequences…That being said, God gives us opportunities to “turn things around”, even among those “bad choices”…..This is where Catholics need to come into the picture….Catholics are to be salt and light in this world…We are too walk among the people…And by our example, which is fueled by Sacramental grace and daily prayer, we are to give “the crowd” an example of God’s never failing love - For the “good” and the “bad” alike……….How we are fully equipped to do this? - Because of Sacramental living , which elevate our human nature….Catholics are not to “go off” and live in “the woods” far away from the lost, we are to walk among them…As Jesus shows us today in the Gospel……”While he was at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners sat with Jesus and his disciples; for there were many who followed him”…….The world today needs to see for itself the Gospel taking the form of “flesh” - What does that mean? - Catholics are meant to radically live the Gospel in the world…This type of witness will impacted even the hardest of hearts and the worst of sins….…One can not self-manufacture this kind of love….…Only Christ can give us this grace if we allow him to and when we are transformed, we are then equipped to give away what we have received…...This is how the lost regain their sight….And this is how we save our soul in the process.

“As he passed by, he saw Levi, son of Alphaeus, sitting at the customs post. Jesus said to him, “Follow me.”

Today at Mass we are told that Jesus broke with Jewish customs to associate with public sinners….He was not concerned with what “the crowd” thought of him - Does our public image drive us to behave in certain ways?…..If we are to live out our Catholic faith, we must be a people set apart in and amongst the world…One match in the darkest of places brings a great amount of light - In fact, the darker the room, the more that one match shines bright!…….Cardinal John Henry Newman (1801-1890) in his poem entitled “Radiating Christ” said it best…..”Dear Jesus, help us to spread Your fragrance everywhere we go. Flood our souls with Your Spirit and Life. Penetrate and possess our whole being so utterly that our lives may only be a radiance of Yours. Shine through us and be so in us that every soul we come in contact with may feel Your presence in our souls. Let them look up, and see no longer us, but only Jesus! Stay with us and then we shall begin to shine as You shine, so to shine as to be a light to others. The light, O Jesus, will be all from You; none of it will be ours. It will be You, shining on others through us. Let us thus praise You in the way You love best, by shining on those around us. Let us preach You without preaching, not by words but by example, by the catching force, the sympathetic influence of what we do, the evident fullness of the love our hearts bear for You.”…….We can not give what we do not have….Catholics were not born to live “comfortable lives”, we were born to give ourselves way….In doing so, we allow Christ to “fill us” with his Spirit and Life…This is how we are effective  as disciples and this is how we reach a hand out to the lost and the wounded of the world….Mere words will never accomplish this, even the most beautiful of words……..Our world does not need another sermon - It needs witnesses…….Catholics must become all things to all people - Yes - That means we must go to the margins of society………..The “deeper the water” - The “bigger the fish”……JMJ

John the Baptist put it best America - ”Repent - The Kingdom of God is at hand!”

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the first reading the Prophet Samuel address his people about a king…Historically speaking, at this point in time the Jewish people have turned from God…Before this period, the Israelites did not have an earthly king - God was their king - They had judges to litigate disputes but God’s laws governed them - That time had passed - And now the Israelites “want to be like other nations” and have a king…Samuel warns them…..He also warns us today…….“The rights of the king who will rule you will be as follows: He will take your sons and assign them to his chariots and horses, and they will run before his chariot. He will also appoint from among them his commanders of groups of a thousand and of a hundred soldiers. He will set them to do his plowing and his harvesting, and to make his implements of war and the equipment of his chariots.  He will use your daughters as ointment makers, as cooks, and as bakers. He will take the best of your fields, vineyards, and olive groves, and give them to his officials. He will tithe your crops and your vineyards, and give the revenue to his eunuchs and his slaves. He will take your male and female servants, as well as your best oxen and your asses, and use them to do his work. He will tithe your flocks and you yourselves will become his slaves”……Any president or elected official that does not place God above himself and his position will ultimately in time turn into a tyrant….The pages of history, as well as the story of the Jewish people in the Old Testament tell us this time and time again…As the old saying goes: “Absolute power corrupts absolutely”…..Powerful human beings who rule over nations try to reshape reality in their hubris - And they always fail in doing so - And in the process, they destroy themselves, their nation and their soul……..Mankind is fallen by nature and without God to temper our life, our passions will get the best of us….Today we see “power drunk” leaders of nations around the world just like the men who the Prophet Samuel warned the people of his day about - Nothing really has changed….Notice how God reacts when Samuel tells him about the people’s request to have an earthly King…….”When Samuel had listened to all the people had to say, he repeated it to the LORD, who then said to him,“Grant their request and appoint a king to rule them.”……….God give us free will and if we “show God the door” - He leaves! - And allows us to experience the consequences of our choice….However, God plays the “long game”…..Its through the suffering, which results in bad choices that many (sadly not all) realize our need for God to animate our life and the life of our nation……Jesus tells us very clearly….“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”…….The culture of West has turned its back on God, as did the people of Samuel’s day….We are reaping the consequences of that choice…..When will we turn back? - When will we heed the words of Christ when he tells us - “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you”? - Its only then that we will experience a change and not before…”Voting harder” is not the answer America!

“A great prophet has arisen in our midst and God has visited his people”

We are currently living in a Post-Christian America…While there are many people in America that believe in God…Our country as a whole votes for abortion up and until the moment of birth, we legalized same-sex marriage, we permit young men and women to medically alter their gender without the permission of their parents, we legally permit no-fault divorce….The list goes on an on…How can we claim to be a Christian nation?…All these abominations have consequences and those consequences are seen right before our eyes….What will get our attention as a nation? - How much more suffering do we as a nation have to endure?….Only God knows this answer…However at this point, no man or woman can “fix America” - Particularly an elected politician - The answer is for our people to turn back to God - Easier said then done!…But God, like all good fathers, has not abandoned his children……He will show us a way forward, which cuts across the human heart…..”I will go before you and level the mountains; Bronze doors I will shatter, iron bars I will snap”…..The pages of human history tell us that God always responds, in time, not our time but God’s time…He usually rises up a saint to meet the challenges of the day….America needs saints!….Catholics must get serious and take their faith seriously!……Our nation needs witnesses not more politicians or political slogans…..People believe what they see…Our people need to see for themselves the “goodness of God” again through saints in real time…That begins with me and you!

“For you are the splendor of their strength, and by your favor our horn is exalted. For to the LORD belongs our shield, and to the Holy One of Israel, our King”

Today at Mass Samuel warns his people about putting their faith in an earthly king - Are we any different today?…..Political idolatry is rampant in America….Far too many have abandoned God and have made politics their god….They blindly follow their political identify anywhere it leads, even when certain ideologies become objectively destructive and in some case outright demonic…Samuel tells his people in the Old Testament what will happen when political idolatry rears its ugly head - And Samuel was spot on!…As Catholics, we must realize that there is no such thing as “heaven on earth” - Politicians that try to reshape reality, attempting to create a utopian existence without God will always fail and in the process become tyrants - Again, any objective student of history can tell you that by simply reading a few books in the public library….     Is God your king? - Do we see our world through the lens of our Catholic faith? - Do we vote according to the lens of our Catholic world view?…..Samuel told his people the end-result of their bad choice….......”When this takes place, you will complain against the king whom you have chosen, but on that day the LORD will not answer you.”…………Many people today speak about being “progressive” - My answer to “that crowd” is simply this - The man who is the “most progressive”, is the one who “sees” the error of his ways and reverse course……........John the Baptist put it best America - ”Repent - The Kingdom of God is at hand!”……..JMJ

God wastes nothing - Not even our suffering

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the first reading in the Book of Samuel how the Philistines defeated the Jewish nation…In this passage two great battles took place and the Israelites lost both of them…After the first defeat, the Jewish people thought if they brought into their camp the Ark of the Covenant, which held the Ten Commandments, they would be victorious….Interestingly enough, the second defeat was worse then the first, even with the Ark of the Covenant leading the charge….The story of the Jewish people in the Old Testament is an account very much like the nations of today, as well as the nations written about in the pages of history…It is a story of “Exodus and Return”…..How the Jews forget about God in their prosperity and because they forget about God, their society falls apart, only for them to experience a time of exile and suffering, followed by a return to God….In this story today, the Jewish people were “up against the wall”…The Philistines were a powerful empire and they thought that if they just brought into their camp the Ark of the Covenant, everything would be well…But as we know from the story today, they still lost the battle…..Why? - God is not interested in “lip service” or a “superficial show” of devotion to him…He is interested in an interior conversion of heart….Just because the Jewish people were carrying the Ark into battle, did not mean their hearts were transformed and focused upon God…..I do not know the mind of God but maybe this is why the Israelites were defeated…They needed to experience suffering, in order to be converted back to the Lord…How about us today?…Our world does not want to hear it!…….God gave us a Church, the Natural Law and the teachings contained in the Gospel…And all of these things are ignored……Society does not want to listen…..So what does God do?…..He allows us to wallow in our own misery - With the hope - And in time - We “figure things out”…..What needs to be figured out? - That human beings were born to be grafted into the life of God - Without God - No matter who we are, our life is not complete…We will never understand ourselves fully without God….And when words do not convince us of this reality - Many times suffering does…..Society today is very similar to the history told to us on the pages of the Old Testament…..Mankind never learns - We continue to experience periods of “Exodus and Return” as did the Jewish people…..God loves us and because he loves us he allows us to suffer when we turn our backs to him - In order for us to “figure it out” - As the great St Augustine once said - “The human heart does not rest until it rests in thee”….God “plays the long game” - He waits for us patiently to “figure it all out”

“Jesus preached the Gospel of the Kingdom and cured every disease among the people”

Suffering is apart of every human life, no matter who you are…But the goal of life should be to mitigate that suffering  - Right?!?…If we follow the teachings of Christ, live by and through the Natural Law written on every human heart and abide by the eternal teachings of the Catholic Church - Our life still will not be free from suffering but as Jesus rightful said - ”My yoke is easy and my burden is light” - Our life’s choices will minimize many of the painful experiences our society goes through due to bad choices made…But sadly many today are not convinced……In the New testament Jesus tries to teach us this reality in the story of the Prodigal Son, which documents a cycle of redemption for a man who “left his Father’s house” and wasted his inheritance on a bad life….Only in time to “figure it out” - That his life with his Father was a good life after all…This in many ways is the story of us all…But sadly, for most of us. Words do not convince us of this reality - We have to experience the pain of being “distant from God” - What then convinces us? - Human suffering….The story of Jesus Christ gives humanity meaning to our “eternal dilemma” - How does mankind conquer death and suffering?….These two experiences impact all of us - And without Jesus Christ, who gives meaning to death and suffering, humanity to this very day is lost and scrambling for answers that cannot be found…….The sooner “we” figure this out” the better….Speaking personally - I “figured this out” by the age of twenty-two…I tried to approach life as a young man “my way”, only to “figure out” that “my way” does not work!……But guess what? - God’s way works!…..The Catholic Church has been around for 2000 years - That should tell us something - Its teachings are time tested!…And guess what? - They work!…..Jesus very clearly tells is in the pages of the Gospel of St Matthew….“Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house.  But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely ruined.”…….Still don’t believe me? - The story of mankind is written and re-written on the pages of history books…Its a story written over and over again - Its the same story too - “Exodus and Return”….The sooner we “figure that out” - The better our life will be!

“If you wish, you can make me clean.”…..Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched the leper, and said to him,  “I do will it. Be made clean.”

Today in the first reading at Mass, we hear how the Jewish people were conquered by a pagan nation…..Many could read this passage from the Book of Samuel and question why God allowed this to happen - But the mind of God is far different from the mind of men - God is interested in our internal salvation not necessarily our comfort or our success here on earth….And many times this is why God permits suffering in our life - Suffering purifies us…Suffering gives us eternal vision…Suffering reminds us of our reliance on God…Suffering teaches us to be humble…I could go on and on…With God nothing is wasted - Not even our suffering…And this is why, if I were to guess, God allowed the Jewish people to be conquered by the Philistines……God works in and through the events of our life…Nothing happens without God permitting it to happen…And many times we will not understand why certain things happen in our life as well as in the many horrible events that take place in the world causing mankind to suffer tremendously - But know this - God is at work!…..Everything works towards the “Greater glory of God”…God gives man free will and because of free will, mankind can and does commit horrible crimes - But know this - God works through those events - Purifying us individually and the nations of the world……”I will lead the blind on a way they do not know; by paths they do not know I will guide them. I will turn darkness into light before them, and make crooked ways straight. These are my promises: I made them, I will not forsake them”…….Humanity needs to learn to “trust the process” - God “plays the long game” - He sees what we do not see….It all comes down to trust and if we are uncomfortable for a period of time - Trust that the periods of suffering that God allows us to experience in our life have a purpose - To purify us - To transform our hearts - To prepare us for eternity with him………”No trial has come to you but what is human. God is faithful and will not let you be tried beyond your strength; but with the trial he will also provide a way out, so that you may be able to bear it”…….God wastes nothing - Not even our suffering………….JMJ

Are we listening to the whispers spoken in the silence? - And how do we respond?

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the first reading from the Book of Samuel about young Samuel the prophet, how he was called by God in the night and interestingly enough, he did not recognize the voice….Why? - Why did he not know God’s voice?…..It was not until he responded to that voice with this statement that his “eyes” and “ears” were opened….“Speak, for your servant is listening”….Was it because Samuel’s heart was not open that he did not recognize God? - Was it because he did not have the mind and heart of a humble servant that he did not recognize the voice of God?…..These are question we need to address….God’s voice is all around us…He speaks to us through all our decisions - Through our life - Not to mention in the words of Holy Scripture we “hear” at Mass ….With that being said - Do we “hear” him?……..Unlike the voices of our modern day - God speaks in a whisper…More times then not, we must create quiet time for ourselves to hear the voice of God and if we do, particularly if we sit before the Blessed Sacrament in silence, we will hear his voice…But what else “gets in the way” of us not hearing God’s voice?…..The answer - Our sin and Our pride…..Sin prevents us from “seeing”  and “hearing” - It blinds us and makes us deaf!………This is why there are many references of “blindness” noted in the pages of the New Testament…..When we frequent the Sacrament of Reconciliation often, we “clear a path” for grace to penetrate deeply with our our soul - This permits us to “see” the world as God would like us to “see” - But what prevents us from going to a Catholic Priest to confess our sins? - The answer - Could it be our pride?…..Notice again from the reading today at Mass…Young Samuel the prophet did not recognize the voice of God at first…Its was not until he took upon himself the mindset of a servant……‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening”…In essence, Samuel humbled himself and as a result he understood who was calling him - The same will happen to us today…If we clear away our sin Sacramentally, humble ourself and take upon our self the heart of a servant…We too we recognize God’s voice just as Samuel did…And then we must respond

“Samuel grew up, and the LORD was with him, not permitting any word of his to be without effect. Thus all Israel from Dan to Beersheba came to know that Samuel was an accredited prophet of the LORD”

Do we pray before we make big decisions? - If we don’t, we should…Spending time before the Blessed Sacrament in silence is very important…My wife and I both spend one hour each week in the earlier morning hours before our children get up in front of the exposed Eucharist….…A friend of mine who is a Carmelite Priest once told me….. “Joe - “Adoration is like radiation. - The time spent before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament changes us because Jesus radiates his love upon us, even if we do not notice it. Just like when we sit down the beach on a sunny day, our skin changes color and becomes tan - So it is when we sit before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament - His love radiates upon us, which in time transforms us”….This is reality - Siting before Jesus in Adoration is what I call a “saint maker”….Many saints prescribed to this practice daily (Mother Teresa; Fulton Sheen - To name two), therefore we too should follow suit….Allow me to share with you one time I distinctly heard God’s voice while siting in Adoration…It was a year before I was going to get married…..I was siting before the Blessed Sacrament and heard a voice very distinctly tell me to buy a house…I had the money, but at the time so many things were going on, I was unsure if buying a house was the right thing to do…So as the voice instructed, I bought a house - Looking back - This was a very good decision….Just as Samuel today heard a voice…We too will hear Jesus speak to us in a whisper if we make time each week to sit before him…..As Mother Teresa would always say…….“The time you spend with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament is the best time you will spend on earth. Each moment that you spend with Jesus will deepen your union with Him and make your soul everlastingly more glorious and beautiful in Heaven, and will help bring about everlasting peace on earth.”……Make the time - “Clear a path” - Quiet down - And you will hear God’s voice too

“Sacrifice or oblation you wished not, but ears open to obedience you gave me. Burnt offerings or sin-offerings you sought not; then said I, “Behold I come.”

Today at Mass we hear how young Samuel the Prophet had to discern how to hear the voice of God….Just as Samuel had to learn to “hear”, so must we….God is constantly speaking to us…But our society can not hear him because of all the “noise”…And don’t think for a moment the devil is not aware of this - ”Noise” - Sadly a lot of this “noise” is self created and frankly unnecessary…….If we address the “root causes” for our lack of hearing - And make time to sit before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament - We surely will hear his voice….And once we hear that voice - We must act upon it…….Once Samuel “figured it out” he responded rightly - “Speak, for your servant is listening”……How about us? - Are we listening to the whispers spoken in the silence? - And how do we respond?……..JMJ

“If today you hear his voice harden not your hearts”

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the Gospel of St Mark when Jesus taught in the synagogue, the people were astonished and recognized his authority…….Let’s explore this idea….How could this be?…Jesus was an uneducated person with no standing in his community, yet people understood “something special” was being said by this man……”Jesus came to Capernaum with his followers, and on the sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught. The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes…..Within the human heart there is a thirst for God…Every soul has this thirst…We are born with it….And when we hear something that rings true, we know it - Even when we reject God - There is something about the Truth when spoken, it “registers” deep within the human heart…Remember, even King Herod liked to hear John the Baptist speak - Clearly Herod was own the “wrong side of things” but yet he still liked to hear what John the Baptist had to say…Why? - Because again, the Truth resonates deep within everyone…..Now for the problem - When we reject God - When we do not bend our knee to his holy will or the Church he founded, we have to “fill” that “need” within our heart with “something else”…That “something else” becomes a de-facto “god” - Whether its the environment; our political identity, animal rights, various social justice causes..the list goes on….In all these “things” we are creating a “god” to replace the real God and in many cases, we do not even realize we are doing this….This is why people become irrational in their political views, their lifestyle and their choices…Why? - Because to question the “identity” they created - To question the “de-facto god” they created is to question their very self - And they are not willing to do that….Why? - Because to do that would mean they would have to change and they simply are not willing to do that….All this being said - When the Truth is spoken as it was during Jesus day, the people understood something special was said…To same goes for today - The “Hound of Heaven” continues to “bark” at those who have created false “gods”….In time, many will “come to the end of themselves” and realize what they have created to be important, their “de-facto god”, was nothing more then a idol….At that point, a choice has to be made - Pray the world makes the right choice when that moment comes - And trust me - That Moment will come!

“Receive the word of God, not as the word of men, but as it truly is, the word of God.”

When holy people speak and you are in their presence, you can hear a pin drop, all eyes and ears are on that person…..I have watch video’s of when Mother Teresa would address heads of state at the height of her fame…Many of these men lived lives far from God, yet when Mother Teresa spoke, they were “all ears”….This is an example of we call in theological circles - “Deep calling out to deep”………I can remember doing a reading at a secular wedding for a friend……Many of the people in attendance at the wedding were fall away Catholics or frankly did not give God a second thought when it came to how they lived their lives…….But these people knew me and knew how I lived as a Catholic…..…I say that because when I read one of the Psalms at the wedding ceremony, every eye and ear was focused on me…I could feel it and see it in their faces….In some of the people in attendance at that wedding, there was a “look” on their face that said “everything” - They understood what was read to them in the Psalm, even though they rejected the words with and by the actions of their life….Take note - This is why Catholics must live in the world among people…Our lives must be “that sign” to an unbelieving world…With the hope when secular people see our lives, they second guess their own and in turn experience a change of heart…God is always calling - Its up to us to listen and respond….Be “that sign”…..And leave the rest to God.

“He raises the needy from the dust; from the dung heap he lifts up the poor, To seat them with nobles and make a glorious throne their heritage”

Today St Mark at Mass tells us about how the people of Jesus’ day recognized him and what he said as being special….How about us?…When we hear the gospel read at Mass - How do we feel? - More importantly, does the Gospel cause us to second guess our choices and actions?….That is the purpose of the Word of God - It is not only there to instruct us but it should be used as a catalyst for change within our lives….The words of Jesus Christ are to be lived - They are not just “pretty words” spoken……This is why God calls us to not just “believe” in him, but to follow him - That is what a disciple is - A follower…..There is a big difference between just hearing the Truth and putting the Truth into practice…As Catholics, if we do not live the Truth we should not expect the world to take us seriously….Before we “change” the world, we must “change” ourself…..Actions speak louder then words and even when the world comprehends something Truthful in your words, that will not necessarily translate into the change we want to see around us in our families, community and nation - The secular world must “see” our words lived out in real time….…And just as the people of Jesus’ day reacted with astonishment - The people of today will do the same - Some may even experience a change of heart……. “If today you hear his voice harden not your hearts”……….JMJ