“Sheep” or “Goat”?

Today at Holy Mass in the Gospel of St Matthew we are told what it means to be a Catholic - To be a person for others…No matter what your vocation is: Priest, married or single…As a Catholic we are meant to give our life away in service to God and neighbor….”As for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.’ You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers. Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven. Do not be called ‘Master’; you have but one master, the Christ. The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted”………I was educated at a Jesuit University and above the front door of the library were these words - “Those who have been given much - Much will be expected”……If we have been blessed in this life with an education, with a good job, with a good family…We are called to use what was given to us to build the Kingdom of God here on earth - And this mindset is at the root of seeing the world through the lens of what Jesus tells us today….Are you trying to build your kingdom here on earth or in heaven?….A person who has been blessed with many things and lives to “impress others” as we are told the Pharisees did today in the Gospel - Such a person is building their Kingdom on earth…But the man who has been blessed with many things and shares what has been given to him and lives in a simple and humble manner - This man is a “child of God”…..The difference between the two different kinds of people described to us today by Jesus is very transparent…..Even when a person, like the Pharisees, “broadcast” a belief in God - Such a man’s lifestyle will speak for itself….Maybe this is why Jesus choose twelve simple men to be his first disciples….These twelve men worked with their hands and were “men of the people”…This is the kind of man a Catholic must aspire to me…Humble - Simple - And a person of “the people”…….”The greatest among you must be your servant” - Is this how you aspire to live? - To be a servant of others and not a master?……Once again, this is another criteria noted in St Matthew’s Gospel describing how God the Father will separate the “sheep” from the “goats”…..”Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted”…….No servant is greater than his master!

“You have but one Father in heaven; you have but one master, the Christ”

When I was in college I had a roommate who was possibly the most generous person I ever met…Sean came from a rich family - His father was a lawyer and Sean had a good job he worked in the summers and when he went home on breaks from college….None of us had any money except for Sean and when Sean went home and worked - He would return to college and share the money he made with all of us…..After we graduated, one of our roommates was getting married and I drove out to Sean’s home to pick him up so we could drive to the wedding in Washington DC….Sean’s family lived out by the beach, close to the ocean, and I assumed his home would be some mansion….When I got to Sean’s house, I was surprised to see his home was very modest….While his father made a lot of money - Sean was one of five children and his family home was far from what I expected it to be….I never told Sean this but I always admired just how generous he was - Also how impressed I was with his parents, who were practicing Catholics….Sean’s father made a lot of money - He could have very easily not had a big family and lived the life of a rich man, as many New York lawyers do - Instead, he had five children and taught them by his example what it meant to be a man for others…Maybe this is why Sean was so generous - He learned it from his parents…..How we live our life “speaks” to others….If we say we are Catholic - The choices we make and how we live tells the world everything they need to know.

“The LORD himself will give his benefits; our land shall yield its increase. Justice shall walk before him, and salvation, along the way of his steps”

Today we are told by Jesus what it looks like to be a disciple - As Catholics, we have to practice what we preach - Why? - Because people believe what they see!…We cannot speak like Jesus and live like some king….Jesus was a humble man and he was God - “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”….God the Father choose to send his son into the world as a humble carpenter - He lived in a humble working family with Joseph and Mary and he choose humble working men to be his first disciples….How can we not think we are not to do the same?…And if we have been given great talents and gifts - Do we share them with others? - Do we have large families with many children? - Do we teach our children by our life’s example what it means to be a person for others?……When we live this way - We proclaim the Gospel without preaching a word!…Just as my friend Sean’s family did - And those are the “messages” that resonate!……And that is how we will be separated at the end of time when Jesus returns………“Sheep” or “Goat”?……JMJ

And without Sacramental grace - That is not going to happen!

Today at Holy Mass Jesus in the Gospel of St Matthew is once again confronted by the Pharisees and they ask him a question….“Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments”……On the surface this seems fairly basic and easy…Love God - Love your neighbor…Easy Right?….But as we all know, life presents us with many choices…Its very easy to forget God when tempted to satisfy personal desires - And people do this all the time, as we all know….And when it comes to our neighbor…If our neighbor “gets in the way” of what we want - Well - Too bad for them!…That again is a common mindset of our society…..Before a Catholic can even think about living out these two commandments, one must commit fully to a life of the Sacraments, prayer and fasting…Why?…Because without these practices there is NO WAY we can or even will live in this manner - “The Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak”….In fact, in some instances, we will not even realize when we violate these commandments because the human mind has a way to rationalize actions that benefit our creature comforts…As the saying goes - “Its only business” - Tell that to the person who is cheated!…..Mankind lives in denial of his human weakness - His tendency to be drawn to sin….This is why Jesus established a Church - To help us with our “sin problem”…You can read the Bible all day, which is a good thing - But that is not going to give you the grace to live out the Gospel….We need grace to do that….And that is where the Sacraments, prayer and fasting come into play…How can we love our neighbor if we do not see God in our neighbor?….Once again, really solely on our human strengthen, this kind of love will never happen!…But when we prioritize practicing our Catholic faith (Living Sacramentally, daily prayer and fasting) - We not only will see God in our neighbor, we will feel an obligation to assist our neighbor when he or she is in need….Without “the tools” of our Catholic faith - We are helpless to love as Jesus commands us

“Teach me your paths, my God, guide me in your truth”

Each day Mother Teresa sisters pray in front of the Blessed Sacrament for one hour….I know this because for seven years I served with the Missionaries of Charity both in America and abroad….Why do these nuns take up an hour each day to pray in this way? - Should they not be serving the poor?…..The answer as to why the sisters utilize this daily practice is - They would not be able to serve the poor in the way they do if they did not learn to see Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament…I have seen with my own eyes what those nuns do and trust me - There is NO WAY a human being without an intense prayer life could do with the Missionaries of Charity do…..On one of my trips to Haiti, I was in Port au Prince, which is the capital of Haiti…The city is a war zone - Literally - Gang violence, poverty and suffering is everywhere!….To be very honest, to a foreigner (even a well traveled foreigner like myself) the sight of the city was both terrifying and disturbing……Has I entered into one of the Missionaries of Charity homes in Port au Prince, I was greeted by the superior of the house, a small Filipino nun, who had the biggest smile you ever saw…Sister greeted me with - “WELCOME TO HAITI” - She meant every bit of that greeting too!…..When I was greeted by her, I almost wanted to laugh….”This place is a disaster - How can you be so happy”…This is what was in my mind and why I wanted to laugh…..For those reading this reflection now - Ask yourself - How did this nun have this kind of joy (Because her joy was very real - Was she simply crazy)? - How does this nun willingly live in war zone?….How can this nun love people, who the world has disregarded and live like she does at a great personal cost to herself?….The answer to all those questions is - This nun prays before the Blessed Sacrament each day - She lives Sacramentally - She fasts regularly……Because that is the ONLY way one can do what she does….“You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments”…There is only one way to live out what Jesus commands of us…And that is to live as a Catholic….Not going to happen any other way!

“They cried to the LORD in their distress; from their straits he rescued them. And he led them by a direct way to reach an inhabited city”

As we all know - In the New Testament, Jesus tells us a lot of things, instructing us how to live…Its not enough to know what Jesus said, we are all called to live it out….And if we do not utilize the Sacraments, daily prayer and weekly fasting…Do you actually “think” you are going to live the Gospel?….You’re going to love your enemies?…You’re going to be meek and humble of heart?….You’re going to forgive unceasingly?…..As they say where I come from - NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!……….What is asked of us today in the Gospel of St Matthew is very hard to do - In fact, its impossible to do without God’s grace…Its our job to open ourselves up to that grace…So God can give us “eyes to see” and grace to act….There is a big difference between knowing about Jesus and knowing Jesus…And if we claim we “know Jesus”, we have to aspire to live like he lived…And without Sacramental grace - That is not going to happen!….JMJ

A remnant will rise from the ashes once again….Count on it

Today at Holy Mass in the first reading the Prophet Ezekiel addresses the remnant of Israel….God is faithful and He promises to purify his people once again…..But how?….We read in the Gospel today how God sent is prophets to the Israelites and they ignored them - How will he purify these “stiff-necked people”?……The answer to the question comes to us in the Old Testament, which is in many ways a historical account of the Jewish people….Its the story of Exodus and Return - Exodus and Return - Exodus and Return…..Every time God’s chosen people forget where they came from - Their lives fall apart - And it is through their suffering and hardships that God once again forms their heart…..”For I will take you away from among the nations, gather you from all the foreign lands, and bring you back to your own land. I will sprinkle clean water upon you to cleanse you from all your impurities, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you, taking from your bodies your stony hearts and giving you natural hearts. I will put my spirit within you and make you live by my statutes, careful to observe my decrees. You shall live in the land I gave your ancestors; you shall be my people, and I will be your God”…….When we look today at Europe, Canada and America - We see a similar pattern emerging…A people that once adhered to the ways of God have forget where they came from - And Western Civilization is falling apart….But God understands human nature better then we do!…It will be through hardships that these once faithful nations will regain their identity once again…..A great lesson should be vetted from both history and what we see currently in America in real time - How human nature is so easily distracted and enticed to walk away from God…..This is why as Catholics we MUST cling to the Sacraments and daily prayer…Never for a moment think you cannot fall away - Never for a moment should you think you are “so strong” as not to be tempted and fall into sin….The devil is very real - But so is grace!

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

For many years before I was married I lead a Bible Study in the parish I grew up in…..Many of the men who would attend that Bible Study became good friends of mine over the years and attended the study faithfully…Recently I ran into one of those men….Michael had a good job at a bank and was a faithful Catholic - I always saw him at Mass on Sunday and he faithfully came every morning to the Bible Study on Saturday for many years….I saw Michael at the grocery store recently and innocently asked him about St Mary’s, which was my old parish where I grew up in….And he told me he no longer attends Church….I was literally shocked!!!…Here was a man who was faithful Catholic - How can that happen!…..But it happens!…..The same thing happened to a woman I went to college with…Kelly grew up in a good Catholic home near Philadelphia…After college, she served the poor in New York City with Mother Teresa’s sisters….And sadly during that time, her older brother died tragically at work…And Kelly was deeply effected by her brother’s death - It effected her relationship with God and her view of the Catholic Church…..These two stories are so sad but these were people who I would have NEVER thought would turn way from the Church - And they did - These two accounts should serve as a reminder….”The Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak”…Stay close to God Sacramentally - Fast weekly - Pray Daily….”The devil prowls the earth seeking the ruin of souls” - Don’t let him get yours! - “Put on the armor of God”

“For you are not pleased with sacrifices; should I offer a burnt offering, you would not accept it. My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit; a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn”

Today the readings at Mass tell us how even in the face of rejection - God is faithful to his people - That there will always be a remnant and that God will “purify” his people once again….When we study Salvation history, we can clearly see trends emerging…We see that throughout the Old Testament but also when we read about European history - Even in American history we see this same trend - Exodus and Return - Exodus and Return - Exodus and Return…But through it all - God is always at work! - Even when we “think” the darkness of the culture of death has won the day…..And once again, as St John tells us in his Gospel…”A light shines in the darkness and the darkness can not overcome it”….A remnant will rise from the ashes once again….Count on it….JMJ

This is on the “final exam” - So write what I said down

Today at Holy Mass we are told in the first reading from the Prophet Ezekiel about the responsibilities of whose who were called to be shepherds for the Lord and how they did not do what was asked of them…..Clearly God called these men for a reason….They had certain gifts which made them equipt for the role…As we all know, not everyone is called to be a Priest but each of us does have a vocation and a task given to us by God…..And God gave us what we need to accomplish that task…..This is how we must view the natural gifts given to us - They were given for a purpose - To serve God and others…At the end of our life, when we look back at all the “things” we chased after and have faded away in time - The only things that will matter are the eternal things and in order to avoid regret, we must employ our gifts appropriately….There is an old saying…..”Those who have been given much - Much will be expected”…God does not give some people extraordinary gifts for them to hoard them selfishly - He gives some more than others, so those who have not been given as much can be guided and assisted - Do we as Catholics view our life this way? - To serve others - Especially if you have been given great natural talents and gifts….Because this is how God will judge us

“Thus says the Lord GOD: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who have been pasturing themselves! Should not shepherds, rather, pasture sheep? You have fed off their milk, worn their wool, and slaughtered the fatlings, but the sheep you have not pastured. You did not strengthen the weak nor heal the sick nor bind up the injured. You did not bring back the strayed nor seek the lost, but you lorded it over them harshly and brutally. So they were scattered for the lack of a shepherd, and became food for all the wild beasts. My sheep were scattered and wandered over all the mountains and high hills; my sheep were scattered over the whole earth, with no one to look after them or to search for them”

Before I was married I would spend Advent in Kolkata India serving the poor with Mother Teresa’s sisters…During that time I spent my mornings serving severely handicapped children….Many of these children were abandoned on the streets and the Missionaries of Charity provided a home for them…..Over the five years I served these children, I would sometimes just watch them and think to myself just how lucky they were…These children were completely innocent and while they did suffer from their handicaps, all their needs were provided for by the nuns…..I sometimes would think to myself, these children were more fortunate than me!….I am not innocent - I have to work hard in the business world to provide for my needs in an unjust world - But these children were so simple and God provided for them….Now - Think about this - What if Mother Teresa’s sisters did not provide for these innocent children? - Sadly - They all would be dead on the streets!!!…So basically, God created a “plan” and the Missionaries of Charity cooperated with that plan - And everyone was provided for….Again - What if the nuns did not do their part?…This is what we see in the world today…God has given some people many gifts and they hoard their gifts - They do not share or serve others with what God gave them - And that is why we see all the poverty and suffering that we see…..If each person just did their part! - The world would be such a better place….God is our Father and each of us is our brother’s keeper….God does not give some so much for them to not share what was given to them…For the day will come when Jesus will return and ask us….What did you do with the gifts I gave you? - Let’s hope we all have a good answer to that question - “Those who have been given much - Much will be expected”

“It will be as when a man who was going on a journey called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one—to each according to his ability. Then he went away. Immediately the one who received five talents went and traded with them, and made another five. Likewise, the one who received two made another two. But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground and buried his master’s money. After a long time the master of those servants came back and settled accounts with them. The one who had received five talents came forward bringing the additional five. He said, ‘Master, you gave me five talents. See, I have made five more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy.’ [Then] the one who had received two talents also came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two talents. See, I have made two more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy.’ Then the one who had received the one talent came forward and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a demanding person, harvesting where you did not plant and gathering where you did not scatter; so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground. Here it is back.’ His master said to him in reply, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I did not plant and gather where I did not scatter? Should you not then have put my money in the bank so that I could have got it back with interest on my return? Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten. For to everyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away”

Today we hear at Mass once again in the Gospel…..…”The last will be first, and the first will be last”…God does not give us great talents for us to hoard them….This is how the materialistic world views talents - “Good for me, Too bad for you” - That mindset is not the path to eternal life……….No one ever became poor by sharing….And if everyone just did their part - The world would be such a better place…..God does not distribute gifts evenly - We all know this…But God does give out gifts for a purpose - Its for us to share what God has given us and put our natural talents at the service of God, His Church and our neighbor…Those who have ears - Let them hear…..This is on the “final exam” - So write what I said down…..JMJ

”Many who are first will be last, and the last will be first”

Today at Holy Mass in the Gospel of St Matthew we are told something that as Americans Christians many cannot and will not comprehend….“Amen, I say to you, it will be hard for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of heaven. Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God” - ”Americanism” cannot accept this idea…The Catholic Church teaches that money is not sinful, its what you do with money that can make it sinful…How can we say we love others when we have money and do nothing about helping those in need?…While we cannot “feed the world”…As Mother Teresa once said….”If you cannot feed one hundred people - Feed one”……As Catholics, through honest and hard work, we are to meet the needs our family….What is “left over” must be shared with others…Now don’t shoot the messenger!…Read the Social Compendium of the Catholic Church - The teaching is pretty clear…..As Catholic parents, we must provide for our children, educate them and keep them safe…This all requires money - Let’s be honest…But there is a big difference between providing for our families needs and living extravagantly while so many live and die in poverty in this world….Now I “get it” - No one is perfect - That includes me - But this is the standard on how we will be judged…”I was hungry and you fed me - I was thirsty and you gave me to drink - I was naked and you clothed me”…..Jesus doubles down on this idea in the Gospel today by telling us…”And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first”….Do we take Jesus’ words seriously? - How do we strive to provide for the poor?…..These are very important questions to consider - And a lot “rides” on our answer to those questions…..Being too comfortable can blind us and make us forget God - This idea is brought to our attention in the first read from Mass today by the Prophet Ezekiel……”By your great wisdom applied to your trading you have heaped up your riches; your heart has grown haughty from your riches – therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Because you have thought yourself to have the mind of a god, Therefore I will bring against you foreigners, the most barbarous of nations”….As a Catholic, one cannot love both God and money…..”For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be”

“Jesus Christ became poor although he was rich - So that by his poverty you might become rich”

What “kingdom” do you live for?…That is the question…Are you looking to “retire” in heaven or are you looking to build a mansion here on earth?…..One of the driving problems in America today is - We are WAY too comfortable…And over the decades, Americans have drifted from God…Our culture has embraced abortion upon demand, no fault divorce, same sex marriage, usury….All these things are abominations to God!!!…And they have all become apart of the American mainstream…Do we think God is blind to this?….Do we think these behaviors will not have very real consequences…Sadly, America is currently living with the consequences of the culture of death….And the only way to “turn things around” is for us to turn back to God……In the world at present, Catholicism on the continent of Africa is thriving…Churches and seminaries are packed….One of the reasons I believe that is the case is for the most part Africa is very poor….And poor people “cling” to God…..We see this trend throughout the Old Testament…The Jewish people when they are in bondage cling to God - And God delivers them from their oppressors time and time again - But then they get “too comfortable” and forget all that they went through…And their society falls apart - AGAIN!…This is what is going to happen to America - Our society is collapsing under its own weight - And once AGAIN, when our people “feel the burn” of “going without” - Then many will turn back to God….History repeats itself because humanity does not change…”I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end”…..Man continues to “plan” - And God laughs…..Time to face reality - God is reality!

“How could one man rout a thousand, or two men put ten thousand to flight, Unless it was because their Rock sold them and the LORD delivered them up?”

Today both readings at Mass addresses a topic most people do not want to hear - The topic of MONEY….Life comes down to choices and how we choose determines where we spend eternity….I have made this claim before….Show me your “check book” and I will tell you what is important to you…How do you spend your money?….Is it spent on your family? - Do you give to the poor (if you can)?….Do you live above your financial means by living in excessive debt?….Do you buy “things” that you and your family do not need?….Do you live to maintain a level of social status that others define you by?….These are all question we must answer for ourself…..Once again, having money is not sinful - Its what we do with it that can make it sinful…..”Many who are first will be last, and the last will be first”…..JMJ

It does not happen magically - We do not just “float” into heaven

Today at Holy Mass in the Gospel of St Matthew a young man approaches Jesus and asks him how does a person get to heaven….This young man was “ticking all the boxes” - He followed the Ten Commandments and religious practices - But still he felt he had to ask Jesus how one is to enter into eternal life….The very idea that he had to ask should tell us something was lacking deep within this young man…Even though he did everything that was required of him - He knew - “Something” was lacking….Now Jesus, who knows everything, knew what was lacking in this man - His love of money - So he instructed him to give away his money to the poor….And we are told….”When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad, for he had many possessions”…The man went away sad because he was not willing to give up is material comfort in order to follow God…..This story has so much to teach us today - What are the things that we put before our relationship with God?….We all know the First Commandment - To love God above all things….Many people say they prescribe to that command - But do they?….This is what Jesus was trying to teach the young man…Remember, this young man did “everything right” - Yet something was lacking - And Jesus pointed that “something” out - And the young man would not let it go….As Catholics we must search our hearts and objectively be honest with ourself….If there is anything that comes in the way of us following the Lord, we should work tirelessly on “letting it go”….That could be a sinful relationship - That could be an addiction - That could be love of social status and money….There are many “idols” we create that keep us from God….This story also teaches us that even if we appear to be doing everything right - “Ticking” all the Catholic boxes - Our hearts can still be far from God….And its our heart that Jesus is concerned with…..And because God loves us - He will show us the “things” we place before him - And when God shows us the obstacles we place before him - As he did with this young man in the story today from the Gospel - Its then for us to work on removing the obstacle….So we too do not “go away sad” as the young man did.

“All of these I have observed. What do I still lack?”

How do we grow close to God?….First and foremost we need grace - And we can not self manufacture grace…So how do we get this grace?….By living Sacramentally….Sounds easy right?….What impedes grace? - The answer - Sin…..This is why when a Catholic receives the Blessed Sacrament at Mass, they must be free of all mortal sin…That is done by going to Confession….The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that a Catholic must make a Sacramental Confession at least once a year - (That is the bare minimum standard)…..Because if you receive the Blessed Sacrament in the state of mortal sin - Not only is that a sin - But because of that obstacle (the mortal sin) between the person and God - Grace will not flow…..This is why the saints (Pope John II; Fulton Sheen & Padre Pio) recommend going to Confession once a month….By doing this - We open up the channels of grace - And when we receive the Blessed Sacrament, the Eucharist fills our soul with life giving grace, which we need in order to live as God and the Church requires of us…..This is how we grow close to God…..Frequent Confession and reception of the Blessed Sacrament……The lines at Church should be equally as long for the Confessional as they are to receive the Eucharist…There was a time when Confession was available before every Mass…Not just for one hour on Saturday….How can we grow in virtue as Catholics, be held accountable and receive the necessary grace to overcome our sins if we are not going to Confession regularly?

“Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven”

Today we are told a story about a young man who “did everything right” - At least it appeared so - But something was lacking…If we are all honest with ourself - Each of us is “lacking something”…This is why we must pray daily and live a Sacramental life - So we can grow closer and closer to God with each passing day….Going to Confession helps us to do that….Honest and objective self reflection is necessary and when we discover “the things” about ourself, which we do not like and impedes our relationship with God - We must bring them to Confession and work on overcoming them….”Rome was not built in a day” - Meaning growing closer to God takes time…We must cooperate with God in order for our relationship with him to grow strong…It does not happen magically - We do not just “float” into heaven…..JMJ

”But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

Today at Holy Mass in the first reading from the Prophet Isaiah we are reminded that we are an Easter people - Do we keep this in the forefront of our mind?….”Observe what is right, do what is just; for my salvation is about to come, my justice, about to be revealed”……Jesus said he will return - And he will - Do we lose sight of this reality?…..We as Catholics can get “caught up” in many things and in doing so lose sight of the fact that Jesus won the victory and while we are what is called “Church Militant” here on earth - “The battle” has already been won!…With that said - God’s plan for the salvation of mankind is still playing out and we all have a part in the plan - But the outcome has already been sealed - We WON! - Because Jesus was crucified on the the Cross…..And because Jesus is going to come back - Will He find faith on earth? - Will He find faith in YOU?…..When we disagree with Church teaching in essence we are telling God - We know better than he does - How do you think that is going to “sit” when Jesus returns?…..Think about it for a moment…When Christ returns - Everything he said will be publicly validated - Everything the Church has taught for centuries on end will be validated - What is to happen if we are on the “wrong end” on that return?….The very thought should terrify us….Look at our world today - Look at the choices people make, which are fundamentally against God and the Natural Law….When Jesus returns - How do you think those choices are going to be viewed by God?….Some may say - “God is merciful” - “God will understand”…..While it is true - God is merciful and God does understand….We however have a role to play and we are responsible for our actions….God’s mercy has a limit - The time to Repent and Believe the Gospel is NOW!!!!….Once we stop breathing, the time for judgment begins and one day that is going to happen - Like it or not - Don’t lose sight of that reality!

“May God have pity on us and bless us; may he let his face shine upon us. So may your way be known upon earth; among all nations, your salvation”

Do we have a healthy fear of God?….By the way society today lives - It sure does not seem like it…..”Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna”…Just as there is a heaven - There is a hell…..And the idea that there is a hell and people go there has been lost on our American culture - That mindset is very clear…..We hear phrases today - “You do You”…Such a mindset is not leading a person towards God - In fact, its just the opposite……..While God is love and God is also forgiving and merciful - God is also not blind to our sins!…..The Church needs to make this clear….We do not have a “blank check” to do whatever we want in this life and expect to “coast into heaven” - I am not God - But I think I can safely say -  “It does not work that way!”……..Remember the words of the “good thief” nailed to a cross next to Jesus…..How he addresses the other thief who did not repent of his sins……”Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us.” The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply, “Have you no fear of God, for you are subject to the same condemnation?”…….The man, known in the Catholic tradition as Dismas was not a scholar of the law - He was a common criminal - But he knew deep in his heart that he was guilty of crimes against God and against his neighbor….And he repented…..And Jesus not only accepted his confession but told him that he was completely forgiven…..“Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise”……What should we learn from this incident?…That we are all sinners and we each have to confess our sins to God in order to be forgiven - We CANNOT take that reality for granted……God is a reality - Heaven is a reality and we all fall short - This is why Jesus established a Church and this is why we were given the great gift of the Sacrament of Reconciliation…..Some of the most beautiful words ever spoken by a person are - “Bless me Father for I have sinned”…….Followed by an even better set of words…..”Your sins are forgiven - Go in peace”

“I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I glory in my ministry in order to make my race jealous and thus save some of them”

Today at Mass we are reminded that Jesus will return….And that his justice will be revealed…..That means we all must be ready for that return…Ultimately, no one knows when Jesus will return - However, when we die we all will stand before the Lord and be judged…That means we should always be ready!…..How are we ready? - By making frequent (once a month) and good confessions with a priest….And doing our very best to live the Gospel message and live according to the teaching of the one Church Jesus founded - The Catholic Church……Heaven is God’s house and God makes the rules!!! - We will not be judged on “our terms” - Its for us to not only recognize that reality but live our life by it - For those who have ears - Let them hear……..Never lose sight of the fact that Jesus will one day return - The question then becomes - Are we ready?…..”But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”…..JMJ

Never forget - One YES changed the world

Today the universal church commemorates the Assumption, the day Our Lady assumed body and soul into heaven…..Our Lady in many ways is humanities hope…She was born of two human beings (Saint Joachim and Saint Anne)…And she was perfectly pure….She is what we one day aspire to be…But to become who we were ALL born to be - We need Our Lady - And she is more then willing to help us in our journey to her son……The life of Mary was not easy….But she trusted God’s plan for her life and God used her to accomplish great things…While we clearly were not born immaculate as Our Lady was - Why do we “think” that God has not planned great things for us to do?….Each person is born to be a saint….And the only thing holding you back - IS YOU!…..Is our first priority in life is to strive for holiness? - Because that is how we make the biggest impact in this world….If we give God permission to work in our life - He surely will…..When Mary was a young girl, the Angel Gabriel appeared to her and asked her if she would be the Mother of God…Mary did not know all the “details” - But she trusted in the goodness of God and said YES…..Once again - How are we any different?…Allow me to explain - Our task is clearly different from Mary’s task - Don’t misunderstand me - But God requests us to do exactly as Mary did - To give our “fiat”…….“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for God has looked with favor on the lowliness of the Almighty’s servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is God’s name. God’s mercy is for those who fear God from generation to generation. God has shown strength with God’s arm; God has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. God has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; God has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. God has helped servant Israel, in remembrance of God’s mercy, according to the promise God made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever”…What is standing in the way of us giving our fiat?……Once we are convinced that God can do more with our life then we ever can - Then we begin the adventure of a life time….And the path towards holiness begins…..Never forget - One YES changed the world

“Blessed are they who hear the word of God and observe it”

Are we fully committed Catholics? - Do we believe everything the Church teaches?….Do we live to the best of our abilities, aspiring to live out everything the Church teaches?….To do all this, one must consciously commit to live in a different manner then the rest of the world…..And when we do this, then our impact as Catholics will be felt in significant ways - And not before…..Does the secular world take Catholics seriously today in America?……I wish I thought they did…..Its only when we live the Gospel boldly without apologies that the secular unbelieving world will take us seriously…And if we radically committed our lives to God…The unbelieving world may not “like us” but one thing is for sure - They will respect us - And some may even be transformed by us…..Our Lady radically followed her son….And today Mary assumed into heaven…Body and Soul….For us, this is our hope - That one day we too will arrive at our eternal home - Body and Soul….But that will not happen “magically”….We must fully commit our life to God now!…Our YES must be bold and unwavering.

“The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ”

Today is a great day - Mary arrives safely home!…..Think for a moment what Our Lady had to endure before she was assumed into heaven?…..Even though she was the Mother of God - Her life was far from easy….But Mary persevered….And so must we…..Its so important to emphasize that Mary did not have all the answers when she gave her consent to give birth to Jesus….She was a simple person….We have stop trying to control every aspect of our life and trust God….We must “turn over” the “wheel” of our life to God and let him “drive”…..This is how we too will arrive safely in heaven...Once again - Never forget - One YES changed the world…..JMJ

Grace perfects nature - That is why marriage is a Sacrament - And because of grace - Sacramental marriage work

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the Gospel of St Matthew Jesus giving us the teaching about marriage….”He said in reply, "Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator made them male and female and said, For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, man must not separate”……Marriage is a vocation - When it is lived as a vocation it leads us to God…And when it is not - It does not work!…..God created marriage to be a Sacrament - Have you ever given any thought as to why?…..The reason is - It was not meant to be lived any other way!…Anyone who is married knows that to have a good marriage takes work…Nothing good happens without effort……When a couple lives Sacramentally, God gives them grace and that grace sustains them in their marriage….Without that grace - Selfishness sets in - And it creeps in slowly….This is how marriages fail…..Do we even know what marriage is today?….Do we even know what love is?……The Catholic Churches perennial teaching on marriage WORKS….Faithful - Fruitful - Forever….And guess what? - The secular version of marriage our culture has self created DOES NOT work……How much more heart ache and suffering does our society have to endure to realize what I just noted - The Truth of the matter is staring YOU in the face!!!!- Just look out your window - On your street…In your family….Across the nation.

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

Why is contraception fatal in marriage?….Because when you use contraception, you say with your body that my love for you has limits - And when you do this - That “mindset” bleeds into other aspects of your marriage weakening it…….One of our vows, as a Catholic who enters marriage is to be open to life….By being open to life, the couple through their children “die to themself”…And that is what authentic love is - To give ones self to another completely….This is why marriage is a vocation - It leads two people to God…..My wife and I have been asked to give talks when young couples are about to get married during the Pre-Cana Courses in our diocese…When we gave these talks - I would always begin my presentation with the same question……What is the goal of your marriage?….When I asked these young men and women that question all I would see is blank faces…….The answer I was looking for from both the ladies and the men was this…..”The goal of my marriage is to get my wife and children to heaven” - “The goal of my marriage is to get my husband and children to heaven”……Everything else in final analysis DOES NOT MATTER!…..Is this the goal of our marriages today?

“God indeed is my savior; I am confident and unafraid. My strength and my courage is the LORD, and he has been my savior. With joy you will draw water at the fountain of salvation”

Today Jesus reinforces a teaching we all know deep in our hearts to be true…Marriage is between one man and one woman…Marriage is to be forever….No matter how our culture has attempted to manipulate this eternal truth - The foundation of every society, which is the family, remains the “cornerstone” of that society…..This Truth can never be manipulated….Pope John Paul II famously said….."As the family goes, so goes the nation and so goes the whole world in which we live”…….Strong families produce healthy children - Healthy children are the leaders of tomorrow……If you want to “fix” America……..”Fix” the family….And we cannot “fix” the family without God….Why is that true?…..Because marriage was created to be a Sacrament and without Sacramental grace the likelihood that you will have a strong marriage is slim to none!…..Why is that true?…Because each of us have a fallen nature and without grace our own selfish wants and desires eat away at the bond we vowed before God could not be broken….Grace perfects nature - That is why marriage is a Sacrament - And because of grace - Sacramental marriage work….JMJ

“Moved with compassion the master of that servant let him go and forgave him the loan”

Today at Holy Mass in the Gospel of St Matthew, Jesus teaches his friends about forgiveness……God is always ready to forgive us - Like any good father….But here is the “catch”…We must ask for that forgiveness….Do we take for granted that God will forgive us?…..Allow me to illustrate an example - If you were to take the money to pay the monthly rent and used it to go away with your friends for a weekend without your family…Don’t you think you owe your wife and children an apology?…And say you did not apologize - How would that impact your relationship with your wife?…..When we sin, we MUST reconcile with God…We do that through the Sacrament of Confession…But what about when someone continues to wrong you?….Or someone who is clearly doing what is wrong and impacting your community…How are we to treat such a person?….Clearly God did not create us to be “door-mates”, so one must keep a distance from a person who wants do them harm - But that does not mean we cannot pray for that person……How does a Catholic live learn to forgive the unforgivable?….In a word - GRACE!…..We CANNOT forgive as God forgives without grace….And when you can see Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament - You surely will be able to see him in your neighbor - Even in your enemy!……When a Catholic makes it a practice to go to Confession frequently, that person understands just how good God is - How he forgives us each time we ask him too…Once we experience this kind of forgiveness from God - Its much easier to forgive others….We cannot give away what we do not have!

“Peter approached Jesus and asked him, “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times”

Some people believe that “time heals old wounds”…Well, for some wounds, that is not the case…If we have a “moral wound” and do not get it addressed by a doctor, there is a strong likelihood that we will die!…..Let’s be honest - Life is not always fair and some people endure horrific tragedies in life…How can someone overcome these catastrophic events?….In a word - GRACE!….As human beings we are limited - Even the best of us is limited - But God is UNLIMITED!….Only by God’s grace can a person forgive another person who has severely harmed him…Do you believe in Grace? - Have you experienced Grace?……….My wife comes from a big family…She is one of twelve children…Sadly, her father was not a very good husband and father…He was married numerous times and had children out of wedlock…..With that said, I always marvel at how my wife gets along with her step-sisters…..She loves them just as if her Dad did not father these children outside of his marriage with my mother-in-law….I came from a very different family background…My parents were happily married for fifty-two years…..So I could NEVER fully grasp how my wife could love her step sisters the way she does….Like nothing happened!!!!…..Maybe I can not understand this because I did not “go through it” as my wife did…But maybe the “miracle” of my wife’s family is due to my wife surrendering her hurts to God because of the actions of her father……My wife found Christ in a deep and abiding way and because she found him - She learned to forgive and heal……God is good - His mercy is endless….What we cannot do - God can do in and through us!

“Let your countenance shine upon your servant and teach me your statutes”

Today we are told by Jesus that forgiving others is not an option…But how do we do it?……An old saying tells us….”To forgive is divine”……I believe the mistake people make when they attempt to forgive other is - They try to do it without God….For some “hurts” in life - That is impossible!……Sometimes we have to give to God our wounds caused by others….Its not within “our power” to heal from these wounds or for that matter forgive those who harmed us….Its only by and through grace that we can overcome such “hurts” and in turn forgive those who were responsible for hurting us….I shared in this reflection how my wife, who came from a very difficult childhood overcame bitterness and learned to forgive…..I do not want to speak for her - But if I was to ask her how she did it - My “bet” is - She would tell me it was by and through God’s grace…..For nothing is impossible for God!!!…To this day I admire my wife’s family - Why? - They overcame heart-ache and pain only because they all learned to forgive….Many times in life - Its through our “wounds” that the “light” enters…God knows that he is doing!…..“Moved with compassion the master of that servant let him go and forgave him the loan”…..JMJ

“For my yoke is easy, and my burden light”….Do you really believe that?….Tell the Truth

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the Gospel of St Matthew how Jesus instructs his first Bishops, the original twelve apostles, how to deal with disputes among people……”If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother. If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that  every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell the Church. If he refuses to listen even to the Church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector. Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven”……The Church has authority! - Why? - Because Jesus who is God gave it authority…….Mankind from the very beginning indirectly tells God by his choices and actions that - “They know better”…We saw this with our first parents Adam and Eve…..God gave them everything - They were prohibited to do only one thing - To eat of the “Tree of Knowledge”…What did that “tree” symbolize?….That God is the author of all knowledge and the he decides what is right and wrong - Not man…So what does Adam and Eve do? - They tell God, by their actions, that they decide what is right and wrong - Not him….The rest is history and we all know how that choice worked out - Paradise Lost!….The same bad choice takes place today…Mankind does not recognize God’s authority in the one Church he founded…And as a result….The world is a mess!……As a  Catholic we must be “fully on board” with everything the Church teaches - It is not for us to “pick and choose” what to believe….While this is not easy - If we avail ourselves to God’s grace found in the Sacraments - God will help us and give us everything we need to be obedient - Now that is a “bad word” today - Obedient - “Get over it!”…Now does being obedient to what the Church teaches mean we will never fall? - Of course not, we are all sinners…But that is why we were given the Sacrament of Reconciliation…That is why we were given the Blessed Sacrament - That is why we were given Our Lady…And if we are consistent…Sins we struggle with will no longer trouble us in time and we will grow in holiness…In order for this to happen, we must fully acknowledge the authority of God and his Church….”Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven”……God’s way works!….And if we adhere to “the vine” - We will “bear fruit”…And if we do not - We will not

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

I came from a good home…My parents were hard working good people who loved my brother and I…Everything they did was for us…But when I went away to college…I took for granted everything I was given and fully embraced the “ways of the world”…..After four years of living a very bad life….I returned home heart broken and completely lost….This is when I decided to embrace my Catholic faith…..And after realizing that “MY WAY” does NOT work…I decided to try God’s way…Not everyone has to take this path to God but many sadly do…We have to “come to the end of ourself”…And for some people this takes many years and many trials and heart aches……When I made my first “adult” confession at the age of twenty two - My life began to change…..God uses everything to transform us - Even our bad choices…But transformation takes time - So be patient with yourself and with others…..But now after over thirty years living as a practicing Catholic…I can honestly say, the decision to live as a Catholic that I made at twenty two years old was BY FAR the BEST decision of my life…..And God is not done with me yet…..The secular world around us “thinks” God takes from us…That the Church “does not know what it is talking about”…How wrong that mindset is!!…Sadly, words will never convince others about the goodness of God….This is why the world needs saints…Only a saintly life can “speak” to those around us with hard hearts….People believe what they see not what they are told…..And when a person encounters a saint - They know it!…..For all the Catholics who are frustrated with the secular world around them - Look on social media - You will find them!….Channel your frustrations into striving with all your heart to become a saint…..Every time you see the sins of mankind and you want to condemn others and SCREAM - Fast and Pray!…..Channel all your frustrations…..The closer we get to God - The more God can uses us…And that is how the world is transformed - There is no other way

“Praise, you servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD. Blessed be the name of the LORD both now and forever”

Today we are told by Jesus that he gave his authority to the Catholic Church - Do you fully recognize that authority?….Let’s be honest - People do not like to be told what to do and some people REALLY do not want to be told what to do…..That mindset must change!….There is one path to heaven and God determines that path…Jesus said he was the Truth….That means Jesus determines the Truth - Not us!…..God is not a slave-driver, as the secular world believes and once we realize that God only gives, he never takes - That the teachings of the Church are to help us live a good life - That the “wages of sin” is death - Once we realize all that - Life begins!…Living a life of sin “costs” us in the here and now - Like it or not!!! - Life is so much BETTER living as God requests of us…..But people need to “figure that out” for themself…We can help them by our example - We can pray for them - And Fast for them - But even a good example will never be able to force someone to change….God never imposes himself on us - We must choose him freely…In the mean time…God waits “on the side of the road” for us…..“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light”….Do you really believe that?….Tell the Truth……JMJ

What do you “see” when you “look” at the one who went astray?

Today at Holy Mass we get a small insight into the way God the Father thinks - And acts!…In the Gospel of St Matthew we are told about God’s love for us - Even for the “one” who does not do what he is asked….”If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills and go in search of the stray? And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not stray. In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost”…Would you do this? - Risk the safety of the ninety-nine for one “screw up”?…Most people would not…It does not make sense to us - But it makes perfect sense to God…Because God’s love for us is beyond our understanding…..If a man has twelve sons and eleven of his sons are successful and well educated…But one of his sons has a drug dependency and is in and out of jail…How would that father react?…A good father would seek out the one son who was the drug addict - And on his death bed, his last request would be to the other eleven sons - “Make sure you take care of your brother!”……I have three sons and that would be my response on my death bed if I had such a “lost son”…..As a father of five, you always see your children in your mind as innocent - Then the world comes sweeping in!…But in your eyes you always remember your children as they were as babies - Sitting on your lap - Innocent as the driven snow….This is how God sees us all - As his beloved children!…God’s love for us is beyond our understanding…And when we make the wrong choices, he permits hardships to take place in our life - Not to punish us - But to allow us to “see” what we are doing and change….The only thing God desires for us is that we arrive safely back to him in heaven!…But the unbelieving secular world does not see it that way!…We sadly more times then we realize look to find heaven on earth - Something which we never will find…And this is why we “write off” the “screw ups” - Those we consider “hopeless” - To us “such people” just “get in the way”…God does not think or respond in that way!…And frankly, if we are Catholic, we should not think or respond in that way either…..It takes courage to “leave the ninety-nine for the one who is lost” - The “ninety-nine” many times gets angry when one does this - They “do not understand”….But God understands - Because his love is beyond human understanding….The “calculus” of God is different from that of man - But if we want to enter into God’s Kingdom - The “mathematics” of mankind must change

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart”

Every time I hear this Gospel, I think of Pope Francis….He was willing to “leave the ninety-nine in search for the one”…..Allow me to explain….Many “conservative Catholics” would get unset when Pope Francis would speak at the Vatican to a public sinner…There was a famous Italian journalist who would constantly get audiences with the Pope…And the “Catholic mob” on social media would go CRAZY…..Why did Pope Francis speaks to this man?….Why? - Because he loved him and was hoping he would “return to God”….Currently, Pope Leo asked a controversial nun to sit on this Vatican committee…And the same “Catholic mob” on social media is going "berserk”!!!…Pope Leo “sees” the same thing that the “mob” sees - The errors of that nun - But the difference is - The Pope loves her and is “trying” to help her…And the “mob” is looking to cast her off into the wilderness….A good father is patient and a good father loves all his children….Love never gives up on anyone!!!!…..And as Catholics we must be patient with each other - Something I personally need to work on - Big time!…..St Paul instructs us in this mindset…..”Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do”…….We are also told by Jesus in the parable of the wheat and the weeds…..”He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ His slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up? He replied, ‘No, if you pull up the weeds you might uproot the wheat along with them. Let them grow together until harvest”……As Catholics our hearts of stone must be transformed into hearts of flesh….God sees everything!…He knows what the one “screw up” did….Let God “deal” with him…But in the mean time…It is for us to be patient with “our brother” and never give up on anyone - Always reaching out for the “one” who is lost.

“Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me”

God’s ways are not our ways - That is very true! - But that does not mean we stop trying to love like God!….Seeing the world through the eyes of God is impossible, however, the closer we get to God, the more we will “see”…..This is why the secular world does not understand the Catholic world view….Materialism, Power & Status - These things have no place in God’s eyes…And if we see the world through the lens of “the worldly” - We will NEVER understand anything Jesus Christ ever said or taught…..This is why in order to “believe” - We first must REPENT…..One Sacramental Confession “opens our eyes” to “see”……”Immediately things like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight. He got up and was baptized, and when he had eaten, he recovered his strength”…How we live determines what we “see” and what we “see” determines how live……”I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not stray. In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost”……What do you “see” when you “look” at the one who went astray?…….JMJ

”Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be”

Today at Holy Mass in the Gospel, St John tells us (arguably) one of the most radical requests made by Jesus Christ to every person who has ever claimed to be a Christian - How does this idea “sit” with us? - “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me”…Do we take these words serious? - And if we do - How are we living them out?…..Most people live these words out in the married state - They have children and they “pour their life” into their children…In doing so, God pours his life into them…Because its in giving that we receive!….What St John presents to us today is the path to eternal life - Love gives, it never takes…This is the example that Jesus Christ gave to the world…And this is the path each of the baptized must walk…However, due to our fallen human nature, we all (to some degree or another) resist this selfless way of life - And because Jesus understood human nature very well - He gave us the Sacraments, which helps us to embrace a selfless way of living…Without the Sacraments - There is NO WAY a person can live in this manner….Only through God’s grace can a person be transformed into a selfless person - To the degree that St John speaks about today…….In the first reading at Mass, St Paul echoes this same concept...….”Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work”….The happiest people in this world are those who give of themself to others - This is a hard-cold fact!….To be a “giver” is woven into our human DNA - It is written on our hearts…And when we live this way, God pours his Holy Spirit into us, which brings with it peace and joy…..The most miserable people in this world are those who refuse to share - Who deny their very nature - To give of themself to others…..This is what true poverty looks like!

“Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life, says the Lord”

If you asked a group of ten year old children a question - “When you grow up - Do you want to be happy?”…My bet is - Everyone of those children would answer YES….But when we all grow up into adults - We still all want to be happy - But sadly we “chase” after “things” that CANNOT make us happy….Whether we realize it or not…..The path to true, lasting and authentic happiness is told to us today in St John Gospel - By the “giving of your life” to others….To the secular unbelieving world - This idea is pure madness…But for those who have witnessed people who have lived these words - As I have - The reality of authentic joy can not be denied…..For seven years before I was married I was a Lay Co-Worker for the Missionaries of Charity…I served mostly in New York City but also in India, San Francisco and Haiti…In that time I have witnessed the happiest people I have ever met….Keep in mind, I work in banking and have worked with over the years some VERY wealthy people….But the people I served with over the course of those seven years were BY FAR the most happy….Why? - Because giving of our self is “built in” to our DNA and when we live according to the Natural Law, we live in harmony with God who created us……The Missionaries of Charity take a vow of poverty and they live out that vow radically…I state that because they have nothing!…Yet they are BY FAR the happiest people I have ever met….This reality defies everything the secular world tells us - That we must become rich to be happy - To have a lot of “stuff” - This idea is “beaten” into our heads in America…The reality of the matter is - True and lasting happiness is found in “giving your self away” to others….Again, most people do this in the married state - But sadly because of contraception, we “hedge our bets”….This is why marriages that are open to life - That do not use contraception last…Why? - Because the couples that live this way “give themselves away” - And in doing so - They are fulfilled and happy…..What St John tells us today in the Gospel is not only the path to heaven but it is the only way we will find fulfillment here on earth….The secular world disagrees - But the secular world is unhappy - Don’t believe me? - Take a good look around! - Secular people “chase” after “something” they will never find…….Authentic joy is a by-product of a life given away to others…Joy can not be bought - Its not a destination…Joy is a gift from God and we receive that gift when we give our life away.

“Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit”

Today St John tells one of the most radical ideas ever to be communicated to the world…That we must give our life away in order to have a fulfilled life here on earth…Is St John CRAZY?!?….The answer to that question is NO……As Catholics living amongst a secular society, we must demonstrate this radical idea by the way we live…This is how the “sheep” are separated from the “goats” - Not by what Mass you attend (Latin or Novus Ordo) - But I digress - Back to the subject at hand…We can tell people all day and everyday about the Gospel of Jesus Christ  - But if the world around us does not “see” for itself the witness of self giving that St John speaks about today - No one will believe a word you say!….”I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit” - This statement says EVERYTHING we need to know about what it means to be Catholic….Are you a “sheep” or are you a “goat”? - No need to answer - Our life’s witness gives the answer…..”Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be”….JMJ

In order to hear “a whisper” - There must be silence

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the first reading from the Book of Kings how God works - In silence!…God speaks to us in the silence of our hearts and all the “noise” we experience around us is nothing more than a distraction….One of the many cunning “traps” set before us by the devil…To keep us “preoccupied” with nonsense……”Go outside and stand on the mountain before the LORD; the LORD will be passing by……..A strong and heavy wind was rending the mountains and crushing rocks before the LORD—but the LORD was not in the wind.  After the wind there was an earthquake— but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake there was fire—but the LORD was not in the fire.  After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound”…..In order to hear the voice of God, we must cooperate - We must “carve out” time to listen in silence - When we do this, most especially when we sit before the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament in silence, not only will we hear the Lord speak to us in our hearts, but we slowly become transformed….The Eucharist can change the world! - That means it can change us!!!!……All the “noise” we experience today - On Social Media - In Politics - In the main stream news…All the “promises” of proposed “change”…If these activities and voices do not have God at their center - They will amount to NOTHING….It is very easy to get “caught up” in these distractions - And that is why the devil puts them in front of us!….As Catholics we must “put on the armor of God” - We do that by living in the state of grace….We also must pray daily and make time to sit in silence…This is how we “navigate” through the “noise” of this corrupt world…..Without grace, we will not see and hear God - And without God’s grace, we will surely “fall into the traps” set before us by the devil…And the devil is MUCH smarter than YOU are!…He knows all your weaknesses….And the more YOU “think” you cannot be fooled - The easier it is to be fooled…..“Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit?”…All over the world and all over the mainstream news we see this occurring - “The blind leading the blind” - Where does it all lead and when will this end?….It ends when we take the time and sit in silence - And “listen” to the voice of God….God will NEVER be found in “nose” - The devil knows this and that is why there is so much “noise” all around us

“I will hear what God proclaims; the LORD — for he proclaims peace”

Each baptized Catholic is called to live in the state of grace…How do we do this?…The saints tell us - By going to a Sacramental Confession frequently (once a month) and by receiving the Blessed Sacrament once a week at Holy Mass…Easy right!……Everything we do requires grace and only God can give us this grace….This is why Jesus established a Church…..If we study the lives of the saints…Certain patterns can be observed…One of those patterns is how many saints would sit before the Blessed Sacrament each day for one hour in silence…This is what Mother Teresa had to say about making a Holy Hour each day…"When the Sisters are exhausted, up to their eyes in work; when all seems to go awry, they spend an hour in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. This practice has never failed to bear fruit: they experience peace and strength”…While most of us cannot make a Holy Hour each day….We can find the time to make one each week…This is what my wife and I do - And we are VERY busy people - We have five children under twelve years old and we still “find the time” to make a Holy Hour each week….Each Saturday and Sunday, in the morning before the day gets moving, we both sit before the Blessed Sacrament for thirty minutes each…My wife goes first and I watch the children and when she comes home, I go and sit for thirty minutes…Over time, my youngest son Gerard has requested to go with me - How I am certain when Jesus sees Gerard, who is six years old in the Adoration Chapel - How happy Jesus must be in heaven!!!…..The practice of spending time before the Blessed Sacrament is what I call a “saint maker” because many of the saints utilized this practice in their life - And look at what God accomplished through these men and women!!!!……When we sit before Our Lord, when He is exposed in the Blessed Sacrament before our very eyes, God radiates his goodness upon us….We feel his peace - The peace in an Adoration Chapel is tangible!….Take the time - Make the time

“Kindness and truth shall meet; justice and peace shall kiss. Truth shall spring out of the earth, and justice shall look down from heaven”

Today at Mass we are told that God is not found in “noise” but in silence….What are you going to do with this information imparted to you?…..If we “pay attention” to the readings at Mass - We will grow in wisdom and in holiness….God is constantly instructing us - Do we hear him?….And in order to “hear” God requires silence…But as we all know - To create silent time takes effort….God does not “magically” come into our life - We must “make room” for him…And if we take some time each week and sit before the Blessed Sacrament - God will “speak” to you in the silence, in a “language” that only you can understand….Once again, this is what Mother Teresa had to say about the practice of Eucharist Adoration….”Be careful of all that can block that personal contact with the living Jesus. The Devil may try to use the hurts of life, and sometimes our own mistakes—to make you feel it is impossible that Jesus really loves you, is really cleaving to you. This is a danger for all of us. And so sad, because it is completely opposite of what Jesus is really wanting, waiting to tell you. Not only that He loves you, but even more—He longs for you. He misses you when you don’t come close. He thirsts for you. He loves you always, even when you don’t feel worthy. When not accepted by others, even by yourself sometimes—He is the one who always accepts you. My children, you don’t have to be different for Jesus to love you. Only believe—you are precious to Him. Bring all you are suffering to His feet only open your heart to be loved by Him as you are. He will do the rest”……In order to hear “a whisper” - There must be silence….JMJ