God knows what he is doing…..Do we?

Today at Holy Mass in the first reading we hear God address Job….Job was complaining to God…As if God “does not know what he is doing”…Everybody is an expert - Right? - Sounds familiar?!?…….God sets Job “straight”…….

”The LORD addressed Job out of the storm and said: Have you ever in your lifetime commanded the morning and shown the dawn its place. For taking hold of the ends of the earth, till the wicked are shaken from its surface? The earth is changed as is clay by the seal, and dyed as though it were a garment; But from the wicked the light is withheld, and the arm of pride is shattered. Have you entered into the sources of the sea, or walked about in the depths of the abyss? Have the gates of death been shown to you, or have you seen the gates of darkness? Have you comprehended the breadth of the earth? Tell me, if you know all: Which is the way to the dwelling place of light, and where is the abode of darkness, That you may take them to their boundaries and set them on their homeward paths? 

God has a plan and he sees what we do not…Yet - The “collective we”…You and I - Question God constantly!!!!…We complain….We are critical…We rebel….Now just imagine when you stand before the Lord…Because one day each of us will - And challenge him on…. The use of contraception in marriage…or….The need to live Sacramentally…or...The right of a woman to abort their child…or…On the “legal” use of the death penalty by the state….How do you think God is going to react?….Before you respond - ”Think” long and hard!……..God created the Pacific Ocean!….God created the Himalayan Mountains!…..God created Great Barrier Reef in Australia!…And “we” are going to have a debate with him!…..The very notion of such a conversation is utterly ridiculous!!!!!!…But that is EXACTLY what we do (in essence) when we rebel against the Natural law, the Ten Commandments and the perennial teachings of the Catholic Church - which are written on every human heart….And sadly, we pay a deep price for doing it in the here and now!….Yet, human beings keep rebelling! - And keep suffering the consequences!….Job in our story today from Mass suffered a lot and complains to God…But Job finally “gets it”……”Then Job answered the LORD and said: Behold, I am of little account; what can I answer you? I put my hand over my mouth. Though I have spoken once, I will not do so again; though twice, I will do so no more”…How about us?…Life is so much easier when we listen to God...But here is the hard part…We have to also learn to accept the “hard things” in life…Even the tragedies….To do that takes grace!!!….And we must pray, fast and live Sacramentally to receive that grace…But when we come to “that place” in our spiritual life, when we accept "all things" as if they come from the Hand of God (because they do - the bad things happen through God’s permissive will)…..Its then we really advance (at light speed) in sanctity…God uses everything for our greater good…The goal is not to “be comfortable” here on earth (The mistake of most people) - The goal is sanctification - To be holy - To be fully conformed to the will of God…That is how we get into heaven!…..Most people have no idea about that reality - And it is reality! - We do not just “float” into heaven on “our terms” when we die - Because we were “a good guy” - Whatever that means?!?….And both the good and the difficult experiences of life get us to “that place” - Making us a holy people - Setting us about for God!……..God knows what he is doing…Do we?

“Bless the LORD, all you angels, you ministers, who do his will”

In 2020 I watched my father slowing die from Parkinson Disease…For two years it was a slow and painful process - To watch and most of all for my father, who had to endure it…We took care of Dad in our home…As the COVID crisis raged across the world - For almost two full years, my father was bed ridden….And my mother and an aide we hired took care of him….My parents were married for 52 years…The witness of their marriage and how my mother cared for my father for those two years was possibly the greatest act of love I have every witnessed - It taught me what sacrifice means - What marriage is - What authentic love looks like….My dad lived a very good life - He had 82 good years before Parkinson got the best of him!….He also had a deep Catholic faith - And was a sincerely a joyful person his entire life, who made a deep impact on the lives of many people (including me and my brother)…..And Dad suffered like a dog for two whole years before he died at 84 years old….The interesting thing was - He accepted it - No joke - He really did - For the most part, he rarely complained…He simply accepted his suffering…And he died in his own home, next to his wife of 52 years!…..Like Job today, who also suffered…He too accepted it…After God had to “set him straight”….”Then Job answered the LORD and said: Behold, I am of little account; what can I answer you? I put my hand over my mouth. Though I have spoken once, I will not do so again; though twice, I will do so no more”……As Catholics, when we come to the point and truly understand (not just intellectually) - That everything that happens to us - Both the good and the bad - Work towards our sanctification…When we “get to that place” - Which is a grace - You cannot “self manufacture this “mindset”…When we fully grasp this concept….Its then we grow close to God very rapidly….God knows what he is doing…..Do we?…….JMJ

“O LORD, you have probed me and you know me; you know when I sit and when I stand; you understand my thoughts from afar. My journeys and my rest you scrutinize, with all my ways you are familiar”

Are we ready?

Today at Holy Mass we hear Jesus say in the Gospel of St Luke…….”The Kingdom of God is at hand”……Does that mean God is going to snap his fingers and “fix” everything right NOW?…..That God is going to “snatch us all up” to heaven NOW?….Does not seem to be the case - So what does that mean?…It means that the victory has been won - Jesus rose from the dead - He conquered death….The devil is on “his last legs”….As far as when Jesus returns to the earth in glory - Not our business - No one knows the day or the hour - “Our job” is to live the Gospel because we will die and face judgement - Believe it!…..I think people, including Catholics take our individual judgement way to lightly…Jesus’s words (not my words) are very exacting….He very clearly lays out what is expected of us….Now we all fall short - I “get it” - But when we do - Do we confess our sins?…..The Church is VERY clear on that point…..And we will not be judged on “our terms” - The “I’m a good guy” standard like many think is not going to "cut it"…..Jesus goes on in Luke’s Gospel today at Mass… - “Addressing those who do not listen to the Gospel…..Whatever town you enter and they do not receive you, go out into the streets and say, ‘The dust of your town that clings to our feet, even that we shake off against you.’ Yet know this: the Kingdom of God is at hand. I tell you,  it will be more tolerable for Sodom on that day than for that town”…..Do you “think” Jesus was speaking “figuratively” here? - Does not appear so to me…..Our world only knows what it knows - I say that because - If we are a formed Catholic - Then we KNOW! - That means we have been given a GREAT responsibility…..The standard in which we will be judged will be MUCH HIGHER then those who do not know or are not formed…..

“But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, to eat and drink and get drunk, then that servant’s master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour and will punish him severely and assign him a place with the unfaithful. That servant who knew his master’s will but did not make preparations nor act in accord with his will shall be beaten severely; and the servant who was ignorant of his master’s will but acted in a way deserving of a severe beating shall be beaten only lightly. Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more"

We have two choices here….Ignore what Jesus says…or…Take what he says serious….Ultimately, if we believe that Jesus rose from the dead, which most people do believe…Then we have to believe everything he says - RIGHT?!?…..Today Jesus tells us……”The Kingdom of God is at hand”……One day we will stand before God - Each and everyone of us!….And God is not interested in your resume…..That is a “big day” - And its coming sooner then you realize….The “party ends” when we take our last breath

“The Kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the Gospel”

People always “think” they have time to “get right” with God…..But in most cases…We die as we live….Very few people have “St Paul style conversions”…..And when we die - We do not die on our terms - With that said - We will not be judged on “our terms” either…..On the morning of September 11th, I took the train to New York City very early…My train let me off at the stop under the World Trade Center Towers around 7:00am in the morning…I got to my office and one hour later, a plane hit the buildings….The difference of one hour could have meant my life!….Now think about all the men who went to work that day…It was a beautiful September morning in New York City - I remember it like it was yesterday…Many of the men who died were EXTREMELY wealthy!…Bankers, lawyers, Stock Traders…These men had wonderful lives - Their families lived BIG….All that came to an end in a matter of minutes!….For the people who died that day - No one saw it coming either - It was just another day living the “good life”….And for everyone that died - Each of them stood before the Lord - And they were judged…As we will be judged - As I will be judged!…This idea that “the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand” presented to us today in the Gospel is REAL…Why? - Because the “party” ends…You will die and you will be judged - Like it or not….We never know the day or the hour - Are we ready?……JMJ

“The Kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the Gospel”

"What is good for the master is good for the servant”

Today at Holy Mass in the Gospel of St Luke we hear the disciples once again…”Doing a lot of talking”……"I will follow you wherever you go” - Really guys!!!!…I got a few words for you - Words St Peter heard loud and clear soon enough - ”Cock-a-doodle-doo”…….Jesus replies to this statement with a “Truth Bomb”…."Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head. "And to another he said, "Follow me”…Are we prepared to “follow Christ”? - Before you answer - Think long and hard about what you are about to “sign up for”!…..I can hear all the “talking” now on Catholic social media already!……Jesus was a radical man - Are you radical as well?…Are you willing to forego your comfort? - Your fortune? - Your social status?…Because that is what Jesus did….Our “comfortable” words - Our “comfortable” lives - Trying to appeasing society!!!!!….I can hear it now - ”Don’t get the people too upset!”!…Is this what Jesus did?………As Catholics we have to stop being afraid….We have to stop trying to “go along to get along”…We are supposed to be a people set apart - Is this what we see?…..It seems in the Gospel today, some of the people following Jesus started to get the idea that Jesus was not “playing around”…And here comes the excuses….And like always - Jesus does not mince words - How about us?……."Lord, let me go first and bury my father." But he answered him, "Let the dead bury their dead. But you, go and proclaim the Kingdom of God." And another said, "I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say farewell to my family at home." Jesus answered him, "No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the Kingdom of God”…….Jesus is very clear - St John is also very clear in the Book of Revelation……“I know your works; I know that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, ‘I am rich and affluent and have no need of anything,’ and yet do not realize that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich, and white garments to put on so that your shameful nakedness may not be exposed, and buy ointment to smear on your eyes so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and chastise. Be earnest, therefore, and repent. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, [then] I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me. I will give the victor the right to sit with me on my throne, as I myself first won the victory and sit with my Father on his throne. “Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches”…..Lukewarm Catholicism does not bear fruit!…..Not only does it not bear fruit - The secular world laughs at it…..Maybe it’s time to take Jesus at his word?…..Maybe it’s time to shed our “comfortable” life?….As we say in New Jersey…”Let’s stop kidding ourself”……."Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head”…Jesus was “all in” - How about us?

“I consider all things so much rubbish that I may gain Christ and be found in him”

When we read the Gospel, its very clear that Jesus did not live the most comfortable life…He was born in a stable - He lived for thirty years in obedience with a working class family…….And during his three year ministry - We are told today at Mass….”Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head”….Keeping all this in mind - Jesus was GOD!…..And he lived simply and lived amongst the poor (for the most part)…..Now for the million dollar question - How do we live?……If we have been blessed with money - How do we use it?….I can hear it now - “This guy is a communist”…..”No - I AM A CATHOLIC!”…..Before you call me a communist - Read the Social Compendium of the Catholic Church - Read Pope Leo XIII’s 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum…After you read these documents - Still think I am a “communist”?……..Are we open to life in our marriages, that means no contraception - And if we are not - Is it because we like our “stuff” - Children cost too much money!!…..Do we share our wealth with the poor?…..Do we live in luxury as BILLIONS of people on this earth die in poverty each and every day?……Clearly we can only do what we can do - But are we doing SOMETHING!………Today in the Gospel of St Luke, Jesus makes it very clear to his first disciples - “I am not messy around here”….How about us?….Do we “like” our “comfortable little lives”? - Post our “catholic blurb” on social media - And go eat a fancy meal? - Get in our over priced car - And ignore the words today read to us at Mass…WE WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE!!!!! - Don’t think for a minute that we will not!!!!!……In 2006, I was backpacking through Vietnam and Cambodia - This was the first time I saw third world poverty staring me in the face - And it was a wake up call….I was in that region of the world right before Christmas and myself and this couple from Wales (UK) I met on the bus traveling from Vietnam to Cambodia decided to bring some cloths and gifts to an orphanage in Phnom Penh (For those who do not know - Phnom Penh is the capital and the largest city Cambodia)…Let me stop right there for a moment - Where are all the orphans in America? - Oh - Those children have been aborted…Allow me to continue….When we got the orphanage in Phnom Penh, which was run by a ex-buddhist monk - There I saw children so poor I could not believe my eyes!!!…The monk did not have enough cloths for all the children, so the smallest children literally were walking around naked!!!!!….When we arrived in this orphanage and we brought all these gifts…The shouts of joy from the children pierced me!!!….The only way I could accurately describe it was - To hear their voices cheer - Was like hearing an exploding of PURE JOY! - I did not know whether to cry or cheer myself!!!!…….Jesus while he walked this earth lived simply - He served others - He spoke radical Truth and most importantly - He LIVED radical Truth!!!!…Maybe it’s time we do the same?….Now I am not saying we have to live like a homeless person…But what I am saying is…”Going along to get along” should not be an option for Catholics….Maybe its time to shed our “comfort”? - There was nothing “comfortable” about the life of Christ when he walked this earth - Why should we be any different?…."What is good for the master is good for the servant”…..JMJ

"I saw you under the fig tree”

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the Gospel of John how a man by the name of Nathanael approached Jesus…..What made this man want to hear what Jesus had to say?….Jesus spoke in front of many people - And if we are honest - Most people wanted nothing to do with what Jesus was saying - So much so - They supported and cheered on his murder!…So what made Nathanael interested in the words of Christ?….St John gives us the answer…..”There is no duplicity in him”…..We are told again by St John……”My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me”…..If a person sincerely is interested in the Truth and searchers it out with an objective and honest heart - There is only ONE destination - The Catholic Church!….Jesus is the Truth - He said so!…And people who seek Objective Truth - Always find it….Nathanael did not know everything - He was not some scholar! - But what Nathanael did have was an honest and pure heart - He did not have an agenda!….How many people like that do you know!?!……Sadly our “agendas” get in the way of “finding Christ”…..And some of our “agendas” are not so “out in the open”- But don’t think for a moment that they are not there!…..Why do you “post” messages on social media? - Why do you broadcast your Catholic faith to the world? - Ask yourself that constantly!!!!!….Is it to get “clicks”? - Is it to get rich? - Is it to be famous? - Would you do what you do for the Church - If you never made a cent? - Not one thin dime?…God knows the human heart - And today in the Gospel - That is why he called Nathanael - And frankly, that is why Nathanael responded…He was single minded in his purpose - And he “found what he was looking for” - He found the Truth - He found Christ…..Are we really interested in the Truth?…What if the Truth cost you everything? - Your MONEY! - Your social standing - Your friends…What if following the Truth made you an outcast?…..Basically what I am trying to articulate - What if following the Truth objectively cost you EVERYTHING!…..Would you still be interested in it?…..Well, today we hear about a man who was "all in" - His name was Nathanael …And Jesus tells Nathanael - Because you are “all in” - This will be the end result…….”You will see greater things than this." And he said to him, "Amen, amen, I say to you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man”……God sees the human heart - And as Catholics in the world today, “our job” simply should be to “work on” purifying our heart - You do not have to be a scholar to do that!……We do that by frequent Sacramental confessions and frequent reception of the Blessed Sacrament at Mass - Its not rocket science!….This is how all of our “duplicity” is removed….And when that happens - We will hear and see Jesus and not before.

"Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel." Jesus answered and said to him, "Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree?”


Its very easy to follow Jesus when you are surrounded by friends - When your bank account is fat - When the crowd is cheering…What happens when you are all alone? - When the “crowd” calls for your head!…When following Christ costs you MONEY!!!!……There is a cost to being a Catholic…Anyone who tells you different is LYING TO YOU!….And if you have not “felt” the weight of this “cross”, which I just described - Maybe you are not “who you think you are” - Not yet that is………..In 2007 I met a man volunteering with the Missionaries of Charity in New York City…This man’s name was Michael Grogan…..Michael at the time was discerning for the priesthood…..Michael is legally blind….He also does not have a college education….Before he started the discernment process - He worked as a janitor….What Michael did have that most people do not is this - Michael knew how to suffer!….He was blind and very limited in life - He experienced this state of being his ENTIRE life - And frankly he was at peace with that…As time went on Michael did not enter a religious order or become a priest….But his heart was still “in the game”….He felt called to help the poor and serve Christ radically….So Michael moved into a tenement building in the Bronx - Lived off of Divine Providence and believe it or not - Started evangelizing gang members! - Yes - An Irish “white guy”, who was legally bind would speak about praying the Rosary to gang members…And do you know what? - They listened to him!….In the building he lived in - Thirty people were Baptized Catholic because of Michael’s witness…Why do you think that happened? - Outside of God’s grace? - Like Nathanael  today in the Gospel from Mass - There was no duplicity in Michael - None what-so-ever!…Michael was completely vulnerable as a blind man…His only “credential” was his sincere and honest Catholic faith…That is what those gang members saw - Michael was the real deal! - And because of that - They listened to him!!!…How about us? - Are we the “real deal”?…As time when on Michael felt called to leave the Bronx…But that is not the end of the story…Michael now lives in a section of Philadelphia called Kensington…..Kensington is the fentanyl and heroin capital of America…Michael is doing the same thing he did in the Bronx…Teaching gang members the Rosary - Believe it or not! - And serving the poor….Michael still lives off Divine Providence and because “God has plenty of money” - Michael just purchased his second home in Kensington where his ministry serves the people of that city…..Michael Grogan is the real deal…There is not one ounce of “duplicity” in him - Not one!….How about us?….

”Nathanael said to him, "How do you know me?" Jesus answered and said to him, "Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree”….JMJ

Suffering is apart of that process

Today at Holy Mass we heard in the first reading the story of Job……Job had everything - He was rich - He had a good family - He had a deep faith……How easy it is to have faith when “things are going right”…..But - As we saw in the story of Job today - Things can go from good to bad very fast!….Everything was taken from Job - His family - His money - His security…And amazingly, Job did not raise his fist against God….How would you respond?…..Its hard to say….But one of the take-aways from this story is - How easy it is for one to take the things we have in life for granted!….That everything we have is a gift - Given to us from God…Do we see our life and all our possessions that way?….And if the things we have are gifts - Which they are - Why would we then not share them?….No one ever went poor by sharing - Just so you know……In fact, when we share, we find deep and lasting joy - A joy the world can never give…..Yet - This is not how the world “operates” - We see what we have as “solely” our own - Humanity “hoards its goods" - Refuses to have children…All for what?…..“There was a rich man whose land produced a bountiful harvest. He asked himself, ‘What shall I do, for I do not have space to store my harvest?’ And he said, ‘This is what I shall do: I shall tear down my barns and build larger ones. There I shall store all my grain and other goods and I shall say to myself, “Now as for you, you have so many good things stored up for many years, rest, eat, drink, be merry!”’ But God said to him, ‘You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?’ Thus will it be for the one who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich in what matters to God”……….Each of us has a limited time to walk this earth - We all die!…Do we ever consider this reality - That we die! - That our life will be measured by God - On God’s terms - Not our own!…….As far as what we do with the gifts God gave to us - Do we ignore this reality!?! - That God DOES expect something from us!!!!……….Job understood his “role” - That he was a mere creation and God is the creator….And when Job’s material wealth was taken from him - He took it in stride….Now if I was Job - I wish I can say I would be so “clear-minded” about such a catastrophic lose - (Keeping in mind that I am Italian and we Italians can get a little “crazy”)…..But seriously - What I can say is this - In time…Just maybe - By God’s grace - He would sustain me and a new chapter would begin…..All things work towards our sanctification - Its one thing to know this intellectually - It another thing to “live it”…..But God is merciful and he only gives us what we can bear…..But never lose sight of the fact that we are NOT in union with God YET - That we all have a way to go! - And suffering plays a big part in the sanctification process….Being too comfortable on this earth is not good - More times then not, too much comfort results in us losing sight of God - And in the end - Its only God that matters - All your “stuff” will be taken from you - Like it or not!

"Naked I came forth from my mother's womb, and naked shall I go back again. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD!"

Years ago, I helped facilitate a Bible Study in my hometown parish…A women Elizabeth would faithfully attend each week…I mention Elizabeth today because she came to my mind as I read the first reading from Mass - The story of Job - How he had everything - And then everything was taken from him - Yet Job did not lose faith….Elizabeth was married to a lawyer - His name was Michael - They were faithful Catholics and also very rich…..They belonged to the Opus Dei movement, founded by the Spanish priest and Saint (Josemaría Escrivá)…Michael and Elizabeth wanted to have children and when they found out they were medically unable - They adapted - Not one - But four children!!!!….What a wonderful gesture!!!….Here you have a wealthy Catholic couple, using their gifts to provide a home for not one, but four children the world discarded!…..And then - Just when life seemed to be “perfect” - Michael dies of a sudden heart attack, leaving Elizabeth with four young children to raise on her own…..All the money is now GONE!!!! - And Elizabeth has no husband to help her raise these four children!!!!…..Elizabeth still attended Mass and when she was at our Bible Study, some days she seemed like she was about to have a nervous breakdown - No joke!…But she never lost her faith - She did her very best - And she raised those four children……Only God knows why this tragedy happen….A HORRIBLE event - For such a good person like Elizabeth to endure…..But God in his permissive will knows why - Because all things work for the greater glory of God…..And Elizabeth allowed this hardship, which lasted for YEARS to “wash over her”……….St John tell us…..”So you also are now in anguish. But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you. On that day you will not question me about anything”…”No offense” to St John - We can intellectualize our suffering only so far - But that does not “cut it” - We have to live through suffering - And in that “lived experience” -  God forms us and makes us who we were born to be - And that is a process….To become holy is a process - One in which we must experience by living - And - Suffering is apart of that process………..JMJ

“In all this Job did not sin, nor did he say anything disrespectful of God”

Repent and Believe in the Gospel - Not “your gospel” - But THE GOSPEL…..There is a big difference between the two

Today at Holy Mass in the Gospel of St Matthew, Jesus paints an interesting picture…He tells us about two brothers….The first says he will do not do what is asked - At least he is honest - Then changes his mind and does what was asked….The second says immediately he is “all in” - But does not do what he is called to….Jesus then asks - “Which of the two did his father's will?”….The answer to the question is clear - The first brother - Who hesitated and then came through in the end….In our world today, these “two brothers” are represented in plain sight all around us…..There are some people who are not interested in organized religion but live “better lives” then those who go to Mass everyday as they give “lip serve” to the fact that they are “Catholic”….Now, this reflection is not a commentary about “who goes to heaven and who does not - That is not my intent nor is it my right to make such claims…However, what these “two brothers” in this parable should tell us is….”What we “say” does not really matter” - Its what we do that counts……Also, sometimes people have to “taste” the “bitter cup” of life to understand their need for God…Such people know they are sinners - They know they are flawed…..And when such a person comes to the “end of themself” - They turn to God completely, not in half measure…This is why St Matthew tells us…."Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you”…..The message of the Gospel is not about “being perfect” - In fact its just the opposite - Its about knowing you are NOT perfect - And not “pretending” that you are…That you need Sacramental grace in order for God to perfect your fallen human nature - And God will perfect our fallen human nature if we cooperate with him and His Church - These are the people who will enter the Kingdom of Heaven…..Now for the “perfect people” who give “lip-service” - Who can recite every dogma - Recite every papal encyclical - Recite every Church Canaan ever written…And then turn around and act in a way that even pagans would agree does not reflect, even remotely, the teachings of Christ….”I got some news for you” (as we say in New Jersey) God is not impressed with “lips-service”…..I have a general rule I live by… - I watch what people do before I listen to what they say…..And to be honest with you - I believe that is also the standard God follows as well……..“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves. By their fruits you will know them. Do people pick grapes from thorn-bushes, or figs from thistles? Just so, every good tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears bad fruit. 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”….Catholic Social Media is FULL of these “false prophets” - They have created their “own form of Catholicism” - Based upon personal preference and political identity - Their words are cruel and nothing about their on-line persona they have created, in many cases is driven by “clicks” and money, even remotely resembles the life and message of Jesus Christ - Not even remotely!!!! - While they “wield” dogmas and rant about problems within the Church….I have seen “pagans” live and act more Christ-like in my life!……This is why St Matthew reminds us today….."When John came to you in the way of righteousness, you did not believe him; but tax collectors and prostitutes did. Yet even when you saw that, you did not later change your minds and believe him”……Repent and Believe in the Gospel - Not “your gospel” - But THE GOSPEL…..There is a big difference between the two……JMJ

“My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; I know them, and they follow me”

Clearly there are problems within the Church - By the way - There have been problems with the Church since Jesus founded it…Remember Judas?…..But the Church marches on…..I have been a Catechist for three decades - I am not new to this rodeo as some are on Catholic Social Media…I state that because I have seen a lot! - But I have also changed how I view the problems within the church…..For one - Most of the issues we see in the Church cannot be addressed in a manner that we would address, say a problem in a secular institution - These problems stem from the human heart not being fully converted - And we have NO CONTROL over that.....By the way - My heart is not fully converted to God - And neither is YOUR HEART - Don't kid yourself!…..I simply do not focus on the problems…I focus on my personal sanctification each and every day…..The take away - Keep your eyes on Christ - Not the storm!

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith. For the sake of the joy that lay before him he endured the cross, despising its shame, and has taken his seat at the right of the throne of God. Consider how he endured such opposition from sinners, in order that you may not grow weary and lose heart. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood”

Every Wednesday - My wife and I vigorously fast for the Church and the clergy…YOU have a problem with “THE CHURCH”…Maybe it’s time to FAST for her?!?….What else can we do when we are fixated on all the problems within the Church and in the world around us?….Make it your one and only priority to become holy!….Only saints change the world….”Smart people” come and go - And frankly, most of what they say is ignored…However, the witness of a holy life CANNOT be ignored - Even the worst of pagans CANNOT ignore the likes of Mother Teresa; Padre Pio or Pope John Paul II…..No one cares what you know until they SEE how much you care - Remember that - When we TELL THE WORLD we are Catholic - When we have massive social media platforms - And frankly - Our words and how we articulate them sound more like the words of an angry, nasty “Little League father” ranting and screaming in the bleachers watching his son trying his best - Guess what? - Your NOT speaking for Jesus Christ - Trust me - God is absent in your message - Even if your words are “text book perfect”….God weighs the human heart - This is the only thing he sees - And if your heart is not in “the right place” - Your words will not resonant in the manner that they should or could…..

“A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, 'Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.' He said in reply, 'I will not,' but afterwards changed his mind and went. The man came to the other son and gave the same order. He said in reply, 'Yes, sir, 'but did not go. Which of the two did his father's will?" They answered, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you. When John came to you in the way of righteousness, you did not believe him; but tax collectors and prostitutes did. Yet even when you saw that, you did not later change your minds and believe him."


Repent and Believe in the Gospel - Not “your gospel” - But THE GOSPEL…..There is a big difference between the two……JMJ

Are you “blind”? - Or worse - Have you “fallen into the pit”?

Today at Holy Mass in the Gospel of St Luke, Jesus instructs his disciples of the fact that he will be killed…And they are completely clueless! - They simply did not understand what he was telling them….Was it that they did not understand?…or…They did not want to understand?…Only God knows…But the fact is…Jesus was a mystery to them……These men failed him numerous times, in word and deed - Yet Jesus saw “something” within them - Something they did not even know existed…Jesus never gave up on them…And in the end - The disciples came through!…..So it is with us - We hope!…..Each of us, we were created by God for a purpose….God sees our potential more clearly then we do….How do we begin to see what God sees in us? - “To unlock” the very “thing” we were created for, which is at the present moment hidden from our eyes?…Its only and until we purity our hearts and that can only be done Sacramentally - You cannot “read” your way to a pure heart…Our “sight” is restored through daily prayer, fasting and Sacramental living…Do we take our spiritual life serious?….This is the greatest mistake of mankind - We shower each day to stay clean - Take care of our bodies endlessly - Go to the gym for hours each week - Eat good food three times a day…Yet we starve our soul - The only thing that lastly eternally - Is our soul…If we make it our priority to pray and fast - To go to confession frequently - To receive the Blessed Sacrament as often as possible - We will discover who we truly are and what we were born to do - And not before…I believe, when we stand before God and are judged - God will show us all the good and all the bad we have done in our life…Think about that!!!!…But I also believe, God will show us what we COULD have done if we TRUSTED him more - What we could have become!….And we will never meet our full potential if we do not make purifying our hearts a priority - If we get distracted from that priority - We will chase after nonsense of all "sorts, kinds and shapes"! - Like a dog chasing after its tail…..Just as the disciples found Jesus to be a mystery today in the Gospel at Holy Mass and were confused about what he was telling them…Don’t think for a moment that you are somehow any different!…Because only those with a pure heart “see” and become who they were born to be…That is why Jesus told us…..”Blessed are the pure of heart - For they will SEE God”…What do you “see”?

“Pay attention to what I am telling you. The Son of Man is to be handed over to men.” But they did not understand this saying; its meaning was hidden from them so that they should not understand it, and they were afraid to ask him about this saying”

In the two thousand years the Catholic Church has been around, the Popes have only proclaimed thirty-eight people “Doctors of the Church”….Think about that - All the people that have come and gone in two thousand years, and only thirty-eight are being held up by the Church as “Doctors”….What made these people so special?…Well - Most of them had brilliant minds and wrote or taught something that was in many ways revolutionary, impacting millions upon millions of people….St Augustine; St Jerome, St Alphonsus Liguoiri,  St John Henry Newman…To name a few…These men were brilliant and what they wrote and taught is studied to this very day…But in this illustrious list of thirty-eight people is a young French nun, who had no formal education and dies at the age of twenty-four years old…That young woman was St Therese of Lisieux…….Now St Therese only wrote one book, and it was her diary and in it, she taught the world how to love God in the simplest of terms….To find God in all things and to see him in all things - The simplest of things!…Sounds almost ridiculous?…But in reality it was far from ridiculous - It was and is pure brilliance!!!….One can argue that of the thirty-eight Doctors of the Church - St Therese of Lisieux may be the MOST brilliant…..This reality should teach us something….That within each of us - There is greatness!! - Waiting to be “unpacked”….Our job simply is to “unpack it”….And we do that by simply working on purifying our hearts - From that purity - As we “peal away” layer upon layer - The mystery of God is revealed…The same mystery that the disciples could not comprehend in today’s Gospel at Mass….That Jesus had to die in order for the world to be saved….God is only a “great mystery” to those who complicate things - The more we “complicate God” - The more we will lose sight of him - That we too must “die” to ourself, in union with Christ, for us to be saved….So keep it simple!!! - And be simple! - Do not worry yourself about matters that are beyond your control….Stick to the basics!!!…..Pray the Rosary every day - Go to a Sacramental Confession once a month - Go to Mass every Sunday and receive the Blessed Sacrament in the state of grace - Simple - Right?!?….By doing that - God will not seem like a mystery to us - His will for our life will be revealed and in turn, we will discover our purpose - To become a saint - The way God intended you to be from the beginning of time! - Not some “self manufactured” purpose YOU created for yourself…..Wasting time - Chasing after nonsense!…..So keep it simple!……..”Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit?"………Are you “blind”? - Or worse - Have you “fallen into the pit”?…..JMJ

“Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain wisdom of heart. Return, O LORD! How long? Have pity on your servants!”

“In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world”

Today at Holy Mass in the Gospel of Luke Jesus tells Peter something he does not understand - Not only does he not understand it - He does not accept it…And guess what?…Nor do we!……“The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed”……So what is the problem here? - Bottom line - If Jesus who is God suffered - SO WILL WE - And we adamantly reject this notion - We run from suffering - We avoid suffering - We push suffering away….But this is not what Jesus did - And we must learn to accept whatever suffering comes our way as being part a God’s permissive will for us, in order for us to grow in sanctity and become a holy people….Learning to say “OK God” when things do not go our way is a grace - One I pray and fast for….The saints accepted everything and we too must strive to do the same….Suffering touches every human soul and ONLY the Catholic faith can adequately address it - Why Is that the case? - You can not “think” your way out of suffering - You cannot “argue” your way out of suffering….You can only pray your way out of suffering and by and through God’s grace - You can accept that suffering and endure it until it “passes”…This is how we grow in holiness…..As Catholics we are told by Jesus himself that we must “pick up our cross daily” - We give “lip service” to this “idea” and “think” we understand this request - Until we actually see and feel just how heavy “that cross”   is….Then comes the “excuses” - The complaints - The avoidance - The self rationalizations…..Jesus knows us better then we know ourself and he knows EXACTLY what we need to become holy - And that MUST be the goal - To become holy….And because God loves us - He allows suffering to enter our life through his permissive will - A “particular suffering” perfectly suited for each soul…To mold us - To form us - To sanctify us….I have prayed to Our Lady and have asked her to make me a saint - So my life can bring her son the glory…Not the way “I” want to become a saint - The way her son wants me to become a saint…And my “bet” is - Those two “ideas” are very different…Maybe God’s idea of me becoming a saint is simply to be a good husband and father….To do the simple tasks each day with joy and great amounts of love - To enjoy every moment with my wife and children…Not too “glamorous” - Right?!? - But that does not matter!!! - God knows what we need and he provides what we need so we can become WHO we were born to be….St Luke’s Gospel today began with Jesus asking St Peter a question…..“Who do the crowds say that I am?”……Take a moment today and ask God that question about yourself…..WHO am I Lord and WHO am I supposed to become?…..The answer may be very different from “your version” of who you “think” you are and who you are to become…Either way - One thing I know for certain - YOU are to become a saint - WE are all called to become saints…Be who you were born to be!

“The Son of Man came to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many”

For seven years I served with Mother Teresa’s sisters in an AIDS hospice in New York City every Saturday…I primarily was the Saturday driver but the convent I would visit every Saturday took care of men with AIDS - In fact, this home was the first of its kind in all of America founded by Mother Teresa herself - This is where I was given my “education”…In this home I have seen men transformed - And their suffering played a big part of the transformation…Allow me to share one story….One Saturday in 2008 I got to the convent and the sisters told me that Bishop Manny Cruz, the Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Newark (my diocese) personally carried in a man (he literally carried him in with his own hands), who was dying in a city hospital in New Jersey of AIDS….This man was from El Salvador and his name was Manuel - Manuel spoke no English, he was blind and had AIDS - No joke!….When I saw Manuel in a bed in the hospice, I thought to myself - He will be dead soon - Manual was emaciated and looked like his time was short for this life……For two straight weeks he did not get out of bed…But slowly, due to the good care the sisters provided…..Manual slowly got better…It took one entire year from him to come down the stairs by himself to the chapel to pray a Holy Hour with us and go to daily Mass….Think about that for a moment - ONE WHOLE YEAR he was basically bedridden!!!….Manual not only got better with time - But began to thrive….He would pray everyday and became a daily communicant…He lived in the Hospice for seven years! - And frankly, he was a very pleasant man, considering he was blind and had AIDS…Well one day, the sisters told me Manual was moving out…They found him an assisted living facility in New York City suited for the blind….When I heard this I called Bishop Manny’s office in Newark…I told his secretary that Bishop Manny carried a man, half dead, to a AIDS Hospice in Manhattan seven years ago run by Mother Teresa’s sisters…..That he is now leaving and going to live on his own - I asked Bishop Manny’s secretary if he would come to the convent and preside over a Mass of thanksgiving….His secretary said she would “pass on the message”…Guess what? - Bishop Manny showed up!….And when Manual, the man he saved heard his voice, he weep like a child…..Think about the ordeal Manuel went through to get him to “this state” - A prayerful man - A daily communicant…He was on death’s door!!!! - He was bedridden for one entire year - He was blind - He had AIDS…And now - After all that - He was restored back to being able to live independently and was actively practicing his Catholic faith…..What does that tell you?…I can only conclude - God has a plan…And his ways are NOT our ways…..Everything happens for a reason - All suffering is meant to sanctify us…And there is one goal - The only goal that matters!!!! - That we arrive safely in heaven……

“The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed”

Learn to say - “OK God”….Pray and fast for this grace….God “knows what he is doing”….”I have told you this so that you might have peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world”…..JMJ

There is nothing new under the sun

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the first reading one of those Bible passages that we all know…But do we “think about it”?….Clearly we hear the words….But do we somehow “think” they do not apply to us? - We are “that special”?…In the reading from Ecclesiastes, we are presented with a litany of examples that should open our eyes to the fact that “we are not all that” as we commonly say in New Jersey where I am from - meaning - Life comes and goes - And it goes by fast!….That the only thing that lasts is God and the Eternal Truth, which can not be changed…But “Boy-Oh-Boy” does mankind try to ignore this reality and dare I say even alter it….Over the decades I have taught the Catholic faith and one of the examples I have used to compare the Truth contained in the Catholic Church to is the laws of gravity…..A person can deny that gravity exists all day long…We are free - Right?….But then that same person “jumps of their roof” and “hits the cement sidewalk”…..Even then they can deny gravity exists- But their body in the mean time is mangled from the fall…..The Eternal Laws of God, which are written on the human heart apply to us whether we acknowledge them or not….The same goes for God Himself - You can rationalize God away all you want - That does not change reality - And God is reality……This is one of the fatal flaws of mankind - Arguably, the biggest mistake ever made!….And the same mistake is repeated generation after generation - Look around - Look right out your front door - Its happening in real time!….I have seen the impact of this “denial” of reality in close friends and family - As I am sure YOU have…As time goes on - As it always does - Their lives unravel…..Most times people have to come to “end of themselves” to accept the fact that God is real and that “the rules” of life apply to them - Like them or not……When we finally come "to end of ourself" - Its there that God waits for us and life begins….Its in that space that God says - “Now we can begin”

Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth, vanity of vanities!  All things are vanity! What profit has man from all the labor which he toils at under the sun? One generation passes and another comes, but the world forever stays. The sun rises and the sun goes down; then it presses on to the place where it rises. Blowing now toward the south, then toward the north, the wind turns again and again, resuming its rounds. All rivers go to the sea, yet never does the sea become full. To the place where they go, the rivers keep on going. All speech is labored; there is nothing one can say. The eye is not satisfied with seeing nor is the ear satisfied with hearing. What has been, that will be; what has been done, that will be done. Nothing is new under the sun. Even the thing of which we say, “See, this is new!” has already existed in the ages that preceded us. There is no remembrance of the men of old; nor of those to come will there be any remembrance among those who come after them.

Years ago I attended a Holy Hour at a Church in mid-town Manhattan on a Sunday evening…The Parish of Saint Vincent Ferrer is located in one of the wealthiest parts of Manhattan….Before the Holy Hour, I decided to grab a coffee around the corner…When I walked into the coffee shop, a bunch of old man, they looked like they lived in the neighborhood were there drinking coffee together…I thought to myself - Who are these men? - They must be WEALTHY to live around here!!!!…But if you looked at them, they simply looked like old men who lived anywhere in America - These men just happened to be uber-rich….The thought came to my mind when I saw them, which we are reminded today in the first reading from Mass……”Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth, vanity of vanities!  All things are vanity! What profit has man from all the labor which he toils at under the sun? One generation passes and another comes, but the world forever stays”…Clearly these men were accomplished people - They ran companies - They sat in executive board rooms - They traveled the world!……One can assume that because they live where they do - But at this point in their life - NO ONE CARES!….They are simply old men drinking coffee at a local coffee shop….This example is worth noting and we are reminded today in the first reading from Mass of the reality of our own mortality…Do we prioritize the eternal?…or…Do we chase after “straw” that burns away quickly and is forgotten?….Have you ever met an eighty year old man who showed you a picture of his house?….Usually eighty year old men, if they are fortunate enough to still be alive and healthy show you pictures of their grandchildren…Do we keep this reality in mind? - As we chase after “straw”?……God is REAL and living your life through the lens of Catholic teaching is not only the best way to live - Its the only way to live….How can I say that? - “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 eternal and unchangeable teachings of the Catholic Church are time tested and proven to “bear fruit” that will last…We can ignore that reality all we want - Self rationalize it away all day…Delude ourselves and distract ourself with all forms of nonsense until the sun goes down!….But reality is reality……”Nothing is new under the sun”……We are told by Jesus that if we build our life on a solid foundation - It will stand firm - The winds of time will blow and storms will come and go - But our life will stand strong….There is no stronger foundation to build a life upon then the teachings of the Catholic Church….That is reality!….Because God is reality…There is nothing new under the sun…..JMJ

“You turn man back to dust, saying, “Return, O children of men.”For a thousand years in your sight are as yesterday, now that it is past, or as a watch of the night”

GOD PROVIDES

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

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

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

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

We can not give what we do not have

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

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

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

“Bear with one another”

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

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

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

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

”OK GOD”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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