”Pick up your Cross and follow me!”

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the first reading from the Book of Deuteronomy….God addresses his people and tells them that they are obliged to obey his commandments…There is a “bad word” today - Obey - Far too many people can’t seem to understand that its in our best interest to obey God - God is not an ogre - He loves us!….”And today the LORD is making this agreement with you: you are to be a people peculiarly his own, as he promised you; and provided you keep all his commandments, he will then raise you high in praise and renown and glory above all other nations he has made, and you will be a people sacred to the LORD, your God, as he promised”….Notice the language used….”You are to be a people peculiarly his own” - Now comes the conditional word - “provided” - Ready for it?!?…….While each of us is far from perfect, if we do not accept ALL the teachings of Christ ands the one Church he founded - The Catholic Church - And do our very best to follow them - And when we fall short, ask God through the Sacrament of Reconciliation for forgiveness - And have a firm purpose of amendment for our sins - If we do not act and think in this manner - How can we possibly “think” we are “a people peculiarly his own”? - How?….I will tell you how - The human mind has a way to twist and convince itself of many things - Its called “self preservation”….We rationalize away our salvation for comfort - When the Scriptures are crystal clear!……”But he said in reply to the one who told him, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother”….It does not get any clearer then that - Right?!?……So “strive to enter through the narrow door, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough”……..Without God’s grace - Without the aide of the Sacraments - Without daily prayer - Without weekly fasting…The likelihood of “being perfect” is slim to none as we say in New Jersey….Jesus gave us a Church and Our Lady for a reason….To help us “carry our cross” and enter through the “narrow gate” which leads the salvation…..To “think” otherwise is foolish…Left to our own devices, we will fail - But with God all things are possible…Those who have ears - Let them hear!

“Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation”

American Christianity has a false belief that we can simple say - “We believe in Jesus Christ” and with that claim - “We are “saved” - Really? - Jesus did not say that………How can anyone come to that conclusion after reading the words of Jesus Christ himself in Scripture……There is no getting around it……We must “pick up our cross and follow” the one and only man that can save us and we do that by the way we live our life and by the choices we make…Again, the human mind can “play tricks” on us - But reality is reality….And heaven and hell is reality!…………..Years ago I got into a discussion with a man who left the Catholic Church who believed the Protestant rationalization of “once saved always saved” - That once you proclaim Jesus to be you savior, you are guaranteed eternal salvation…I told this man that such a belief is not biblical…Now keep in mind, Protestants say they “believe everything in the bible”…Ok - So do Catholics - And the words of Christ do not validate the “once saved always saved” Protestant delusion…..So I told this man that I would take the very bible in his hand and find verse after verse that refutes this self rationalization…..So that is what I did - I filled a single piece of paper, front and back, of verses from the bible that refute the “once saved always saved” Protestant doctrine…And when I tried to give this man the paper filled with Biblical verses - He refused to read it…..”I thought you believed everything in the Bible?” - I guess not…..As St Paul tells us…”We hear what our itchy ears want to hear”…..Bottom line - We do not get into heaven on “our owns terms”…..Jesus Christ told us - He is “the Way” - He did not say he was the custom……..”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”…Does it get any clearer than that? - And the words I just cited come from Jesus’ mouth - And they are in the Bible - They are not my words - I did not make them up - Go figure?

“You have commanded that your precepts be diligently kept. Oh, that I might be firm in the ways of keeping your statutes!”

Today we hear at Mass in the Gospel Jesus say to his disciples…..”So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect”….We also hear in the first reading at Mass that we as Catholics are obliged to keep the commandments…..How can we possibly “think” we are exempt from this?……Catholic teaching is very clear - All we have to do is read it…The words of Scripture are very clear as well……Being that we are all sinners and are far from perfect, should give us all the more reason why we need to rely of grace and take the words of Christ and his Church seriously…..There is no way we can do what God asks of us without grace!….This is why Jesus did not write a book - The bible was written roughly 400 years after the death of Christ - Jesus however did give us a Church - And he gave it to us for a reason…And here is the reason……”Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him”…..Can it be stated any clearer than that?!?…….As we say in New Jersey - “It is what it is”….”Pick up your Cross and follow me!”……………….JMJ

God makes saints out of sinners

Today at Holy Mass in the Gospel of St Matthew Jesus tells us something that is rather shocking……"I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven”…As we all know, Jesus was constantly addressing the hypocrisy of the Pharisees but here he seems to be complimenting them……..Interesting……The Pharisees took the law seriously and for the most part, lived good lives…Their problem was, the law became a idol in and of itself…In essence, the law replaced God…..What Jesus is telling us here is, we are not to disregard to commands of God, they are to be used as a tool to lead is to God and keep us safe…….And Jesus goes on to say, we must respond to the commands of God, even the “little things” that many seem insignificant…."You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment. But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, Raqa,  will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, 'You fool,' will be liable to fiery Gehenna. Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift”…….But how do we follow Jesus and the laws of God to the degree we are asked to today in the Gospel?…Seems impossible right?……Well, if we do not cooperate with God’s grace - It is impossible…But with God all things are possible!…..A good priest told me many years ago…”Joe - We do not just float into heaven”….We must allow God to transform us….And that takes time…..Everything we do and everything we are as Catholics comes down to GRACE!….But if we do not avail ourselves to the grace, we will fail…..The “cup of our life” must be “emptied” in order for God to fill it….This is our task - “To empty the cup”…….God will take care of the rest.


“Cast away from you all the crimes you have committed, says the LORD, And make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit”

The famous American President Abraham Lincoln had a saying….."Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe”…..This statement applies directly to our interior life….Most Catholics do the exact opposite of what Lincoln is telling us…They do not spend enough time “sharpening the axe” before they attempt to “chop down the tree”…..What do I mean by that?….They do not prioritize their interior life and attempt to do God’s work before they are ready….A huge mistake…We can not give what we do not have…..Everything we do comes from our interior life…..A Catholic that prays daily, fast weekly, and lives a Sacramental life is prepared to successfully complete whatever task the Lord gives to them…And it is the Lord that chooses the task….However, when we rely upon ourself, when we choose the task and when we attempt to accomplish this self appointed task, odds on we will fail……In the Gospel today - Jesus is telling us that we must follow the commands of God very careful, as did the Pharisees…Far too many Catholics disregard this very direct request from Christ….And the only way we are able to accomplish this “ask” from Jesus is to live in the state of grace……St Paul reminds us….”Where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more”….There is nothing we cannot over come, no temptation we cannot resist and no bad habit we cannot defeat if we radically surrender our will to God and allow his grace to animate our soul…..Again, the mistake made by far too many, they attempt to do this on their own…And that is why they fail.

“Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD; LORD, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to my voice in supplication”

Today Jesus in St Matthew’s Gospel tells us we can not disregard to commands of God….I have heard this time and time again - Especially from our Protestant brothers and sisters - “God freed us from the law”…That is incorrect!….Jesus tells us rather clearly…..“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place”…….And once again today at Mass, Jesus “doubles down”…."I tell you,  unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven”…..These directives by Christ implies we must be completely transformed - That the road to heaven is a road of sanctification, which requires us to cooperate with God’s grace……This concept is completely missed by the vast majority of the Christian world, even many Catholics miss it - Falsely thinking that we just “float into heaven” - Because “I’m a good guy”…….What Jesus tells us today should not discourage us - In fact it should motivate us…..There is nothing that God and his Church asks of us that cannot be done - However, we cannot do it without God’s grace!……This is why Jesus gave us a Church, the Catholic Church, where we can receive the Sacraments…..This is why Jesus gave us his Mother…And if we utilize these “gifts” given to us - We surely will do what is asked of us, no matter what vocation we have been called too and in doing so, we shall be transformed - And as a result of our transformation, we as Catholics will transform the world!…....”So be perfect as your heaven father is perfect”…Sounds impossible right?!? - Well it is - If we attempt to be “perfect” without God’s grace - But with God all things are possible...................God makes saints out of sinners……JMJ

Its really that simply - Just “knock on the door” and “the door” will open

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the Gospel of St Matthew something that should give us hope…All we have to do is ask God to come into our life - And he will - Its as simple as that……..“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened”…St Matthew in this Gospel commentary portrays God as a father who gives freely to his children….A being a father myself of five children I can relate…..God loves us so why would he not come to us if we only ask him……As Americans a deep streak of individualism runs through our veins….We want to do things our way - We do not nee any help - We “get it” and no one else does…..I have heard it all before!……Yet, within each of us, in every cell of our body, is a longing for God…A life lived without God is incomplete, no matter who you are…..How do we rectify this longing? - First, we must acknowledge it!…..Human pride masks our deep desire for God - We do this by chasing after “stuff”….We try to fill the void with “something” else only to come up short each and every time - So first, before we ask God to come into our life - We have to first acknowledge our need for God….What else must we do?….Well - St Matthew tells us today in the Gospel - We have to simply ask God to enter our life…This required humility - May people will never do this because of their pride and as we say in New Jersey - By not asking God to come into our life - “We cut off our nose in spite of our face” - The only loser in that proposition is you sadly……The world today asks the question - Where is God? - To address this question directly - God is everywhere - God is in YOU!…….All we have to do is “knock” and the “door will be open” - Its really that simple

“Because of your kindness and your truth; for you have made great above all things your name and your promise. When I called, you answered me; you built up strength within me”

I have heard secular people say…How am I to pray?…..The answer to that question is simple - Speak to God as you would a good friend…Praying does not have to be complicated…And the best prayer outside of going to Mass is to simply sit in silence before the Blessed Sacrament…Anyone can do this - Which means you do not have to be Catholic…And if you are Catholic and are not practicing your faith for “whatever reason” or you are Catholic and not living in the state of grace - Sitting in silence before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament is a good place to start!……Jesus knows each of us better then anyone else does - In fact - Jesus knows us better than we know our very self…And if you make it a practice to sit before Christ in silence infront of the Blessed Sacrament - God will speak to you in a way only you can understand…..This practice of making a weekly Holy Hour needs to be made more pervasive across the Universal Church…..Not everyone has the time to make a Holy Hour everyday, especially married couples with children - But I believe everyone can make a Holy Hour once a week…My wife and I do it and have five children under eleven years old - If we can do it - So can you - Make the time!…….This is what Mother Teresa said about making a Holy Hour…….”Perpetual adoration is the most beautiful thing you could ever think of doing. People are hungry for God. Imagine for a moment that we are living in Jesus’ time and He has invited us to visit with Him and spend some quiet time getting to know Him better. Being aware who He was, we would be humbled and honored by such an invitation. The good news is that Jesus is here with us TODAY – body, blood, soul and divinity – in the Holy Eucharist”………I am of the opinion that Eucharistic Adoration is the answer to the many problems in the Universal Church today…..Both the clergy and the laity alike will “find” the answers to these problems by sitting in silence before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament…Again, circling back to Mother Teresa - A journalist once asked her - “What is your secret?”….Mother Teresa responded - “I pray”…Its really that simple…….“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened”….Why do we make what is simple so complicated?

“The LORD will complete what he has done for me; your kindness, O LORD, endures forever; forsake not the work of your hands”

Today at Mass St Matthew tells us - Finding God is easy…All we have to do is ask and approach God just as we are - And he will respond…Now as far as Catholics are concerned - Let’s face it - We all need help to become transformed, to become the people we were born to be - None of us are perfect - Right?!? - All the more reason we should approach God….Remember, Jesus did not come for the righteous, he came for sinners……And if you are in an “irregular situation” - If you are “caught up” in lifestyle that took you away from God - A good start to “get back on the road” to God is to simply sit before the Blessed Sacrament in silence - Do this each week and watch what happens…..The answer to so many of the problems we face are not as complicated as we make them out to be…..Stick to “First Principals” - Learn to walk before you attempt to run…..Make time each week to spend an hour with Jesus in silence - If you do, you will feel his peace in the very room when the Blessed Sacrament is exposed on the altar - And before you know it - The peace only God can give us, which the world can not take away will enter you!……”Invest in yourself” - Commit to a weekly Holy Hour…….Its really that simply - Just “knock on the door” and “the door” will open……………..JMJ

Because nothing is impossible with God!

Today at Holy Mass in the first reading we hear about the story of Jonah…He was given a daunting task…Go into an evil city (Nineveh) and tell the people of that city to repent…And when Jonah heard what was asked of him…He ran away!…But God did not give up on Jonah - He knew he had the right guy for the job…So God “convinced” Jonah and as a result - Jonah put aside his fear and went about his task - Preaching repentance to Nineveh…Imagine if that was you?!?…Picture this - God asks you to go into the worst prison in the United States - That you are to be found guilty of a crime you did not commit by a corrupt court in America and your task is to preach repentance in the most violent prison in the United States of America and you would be successful doing it….What would you say to God if he told you that?…..Would you think it was possible that the inmates in the worst prison in the United States would be capable of seeing the error of their ways and repent?…Would you run away as Jonah did?…….Now lets think of the task given to Jesus - Jesus was God  - I “get it” - But think of what God the Father asked of him…….Jesus suffered and died violently for sinners….And the majority of the people during Jesus’ time rejected him….Now think about the millions of people that have rejected him over the last two thousand years since his death - YET - Jesus still did what was asked of him!!!……What should we take away from those examples as Catholics today? - What is God asking of you?……Far too often we look to the results of our actions - All the “things” we do for the Church - And think to ourself - Did it work out? - Did it bear fruit? - Was “my time” put to good use?…..Mother Teresa addresses this mind set - “God did not call us to be successful - He called us to be faithful”…..Jesus tells us that if we stay connected to the vine, we will bear fruit - This is absolutely true - However, “the fruit” we bear many not happen in our life time - We may never see it…..So the question(s) is - Are you still interested in working in God’s vineyard? - Are you still interested in attempting the impossible for God?…..As Catholics today, we need to work to build the Kingdom of God and each of us has “something to do” - Do we forget that our God is a God of the impossible?….And like Jonah - Sometimes we are given tasks that seem impossible - When this happens, we must not dwell on the task but on the person who gave us the task - God himself - Our God rose from the dead! - Right!…That should be all the “convincing” we need….That is why in the Gospel of St Luke read to us at Mass today we are told…..”At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because at the preaching of Jonah they repented, and there is something greater than Jonah here”…That “something” is Jesus Christ - Who rose from the dead…We do not need a sign - Stop looking for one! - We have everything we need - So get to work!
 

“Even now, says the LORD, return to me with your whole heart for I am gracious and merciful”

How do the saints do what they do?…..If we read the lives of the saints we will hear stories of men and woman, who had no money, no education, no help from others….and yet they accomplished things that the most elite Business Schools in the world would marvel at…..How did these saints do it?…..For starters, they took Jesus at his word, radically surrendered their will to God, lived Sacramentally, prayed daily, and fasted weekly…While the many saints are different, the “formula” these men and woman followed is basically the same…So here is the question - What is stopping us from following their example?…A Catholic saint is nothing more then an example - They point to Jesus and they teach us how we are to follow Christ in very real and tangible ways…Again the question comes up - Why don’t we follow the “formula” they gave to us?…….Before I was married I would travel to Kolkata India to serve the poor with Mother Teresa’s sisters during Advent …I did that for six years…….During that time I got an inspiration to ask my pastor in New Jersey to sponsor a poor parish in Kolkata and establish a “sister parish” there…And when I asked Fr Stanley (my pastor) this “crazy” inspiration of mine - I was kind of shocked that he agreed…..Over the years and even after I stopped going to India, Fr Stanley and the priest in the poor parish in Kolkata kept in touch…Fr Stanley sent close to fifty thousand dollars to that parish, which was a huge amount of money for an Indian parish - Keep in mind, the parish in Kolkata only collected around ten US dollars each week at Sunday Mass……Due to Fr Stanley’s generosity, the parish in India began to thrive…So much so…They renamed the church after Fr Stanley’s Church in New Jersey - St Michael the Archangel Parish in the Diocese of Kolkata - To this very day - That name has remained…..Why bring this story up?…..If you told me that I was going to be “the bridge” between a Church in New Jersey and a Church in Kolkata India and tens of thousands of dollars would be raised - I would have told you that you were crazy…But that is what happened…God did the impossible once again…..And he used the son of a simple barber from New Jersey to do this - That son of a barber was me!…"God does not call the equipped, He equips the called”…..If God can use me - He surely can use you!

“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 at Mass St Luke tells us point-blank…..”There is something greater than Jonah here”……He also tells us that - “No sign will be given to this generation”…Why do you think that is the case?…..Because Jesus already told us, as well as gave us everything we need…The questions then become - Do we believe him?…and….Are we using what he gave us?………Mother Angelica founded the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) in America - She was contemplative nun living in Alabama, with no media experience what-so-ever…Yet she founded a media empire that would revival any secular corporate media company anywhere in the world……How did that happen?…How could that happen?……..Mother Angelica put it best - ”Unless you are willing to do the ridiculous, God will not do the miraculous. When you have God, you don’t have to know everything about it; you just do it.”……..Sounds to me Mother Angelica heard what St Luke told us today at Mass - ”There is something greater than Jonah here”……Maybe it’s time we stop saying and thinking what God asks of us as Catholics is “impossible”……….Because nothing is impossible with God!………….JMJ

God is at work…..So don’t get lost in the “fog”

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the first reading from the Prophet Isaiah that the word of God will not only be carried out here on earth but it will bear fruit….How easy we forget this in the midst of the chaos we see and live through in this world!……”Just as from the heavens the rain and snow come down and do not return there till they have watered the earth, making it fertile and fruitful, Giving seed to the one who sows and bread to the one who eats, So shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; It shall not return to me void, but shall do my will, achieving the end for which I sent it”……God is at work! - But his work takes place “under the radar” of the secular world…Just as when Jesus was born in a remote village to poor parents - God today is at work right under “the nose” of the world……As the secular world chases after “stuff”, which ultimately turns to dust and means nothing in the end - God is building his Kingdom, Transforming souls, feeding his people on his very flesh!…..Its up to us to acquire “eyes to see” God at work in the here and now…..Jesus tells us in the pages of Scripture that “the last will be first and the first will be last”…..When Jesus returns, the power structures of the world will flip!…..The Catholic faith and the works of the Gospel are currently disregarded by the secular world - When Jesus returns - What is disregarded will be front and center!…….St Luke tells us - “And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. But when these signs begin to happen, stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand”….Again, how easy we forget this reality…….And because we forget this, Jesus warns us…..”I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”…Trust in the one to come - He said he would return and because he said it - It will happen!- In the mean time - “Put your shoulder to the plow” and don’t look back! - The Kingdom of God is at hand!

“One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God”

I have worked on Wall Street at an International Global Bank for nearly thirty years….Working in this environment in New York City makes it very easy to “lose sight” of the Kingdom of God….This is why I make a deliberate effort to use my free time wisely and place myself in situations where are can “see” God at work…..As a Lay volunteer with the Missionaries of Charity I would see first hand the “underbelly” of New York City…While the wealthy bankers of Wall Street go home to beautiful homes, eat good food and experience the best America has to offer…So many in New York City struggle and barely survive…..On Wednesdays when I was serving with Mother Teresa’s sisters in Manhattan, we would go to Chinatown and bring hot meals to people who lived in boarding house above the restaurants…These apartments were the size of closets and in some cases filthy!…..The secular world would not believe how some people live in New York City and frankly even if they did see what I saw, the question then becomes - Would they care?….But as the unbelieving world goes about its “business” - The Missionaries of Charity are building God’s Kingdom here on earth…And very few people notice!…..The work of Mother Teresa’s nuns is done quietly and in many respects, this is how God works in our life - Quietly! -  Feeding our soul as we cooperate with him through daily prayer, weekly fasting and Sacramental living…”There was a strong and violent wind rending the mountains and crushing rocks before the LORD—but the LORD was not in the wind; after the wind, an earthquake—but the LORD was not in the earthquake; after the earthquake, fire—but the LORD was not in the fire; after the fire, a light silent sound”…..The works of God are performed in silence but make no mistake - God is at work and his Kingdom is being built in the here and now! - Again right “under the nose” of the world……The culture says to us in word and deed - Where is your God?!?…..This attitude is nothing knew - And Jesus’ response to it is the same as it was two-thousand years ago - “Asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he said in reply, “The coming of the kingdom of God cannot be observed, and no one will announce, ‘Look, here it is,’ or, ‘There it is.’ For behold, the kingdom of God is among you”…..So what should that tell us? - Repent and believe the Gospel - The Kingdom of God is at hand!

“Look to him that you may be radiant with joy, and your faces may not blush with shame. When the poor one called out, the LORD heard, and from all his distress he saved him”

Today at Mass we are reminded that God’s word will bear fruit - Do we believe that? - As we see our world today struggle and fall into temptation and sin…..St Paul reminds us - “ Where sin increased, grace overflowed all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through justification for eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord”…As Catholics we must acquire “eyes to see” - And if we do - We will “see” through “the fog” of the chaos and strife in this world…Just as Good Friday came before Jesus was resurrected from the dead three days later - We too will be redeemed and everything we see around us will be made new!….But in the mean time - We must not lose sight of the reality, which is - That we are an Easter people! - The victory has already been won two thousand years ago!…..Therefore we must keep focused on that victory……Do you remember in the pages of Scripture when Jesus was sleeping on a boat with his disciples and a storm raged on the water? - And the disciples were afraid - So what did they do? - They woke of Jesus, who in turn rebuked the storm…..Jesus was with these men for three years and they seemed to forget who he was - The living God!….. Ask yourself this honestly - Are we any different today?….When the “storms of life” rage around us - How quickly we forget that Christ is close to us and that he is God - How quickly we look to worldly solutions when the answer to our problems is Jesus himself…..We must keep our eyes fixed on Christ and not on the “storm”………God is at work…..So don’t get lost in the “fog”………JMJ

This is on the “final exam” - So pay attention!

Today at Holy Mass we hear from St Mathew’s Gospel about the goats and the sheep…And how God will separate them on the last day…So much here to cover…..We all know the story….For the purposes of this reflections, let’s approach the Gospel today from the prospective of God as a father……I am a father of five children and since I have had children, my views have broadened in so many ways……In this Gospel, God asks us to take care of his children, most especially those who can not take care of themselves…………..…”Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me”……..Once a person has a child of their own, the world changes for you in so many ways…You can’t even imagine someone hurting your child!…Now think of it from God’s prospective….Every person we see is God’s child and God loves them so much more then a mere person can love them….Now think about the sufferings and hardships of so many people on this earth…How no one helps them….Think if that was your child?!?…..Each person we see living on the streets is God’s child…..Each person who goes to bed hungry is God’s child….Every person denied medical care is God’s child…..I think the reader of this reflection gets the point……And if you were God and you knew someone could help your child and refused too - What would you do?…..Today in the Gospel, God tells us exactly what he will do ate the end of time…….”‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’ Then they will answer and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?’ He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.’ And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life”….God is telling us point blank - How we treat other people matters!…There are consequences for our lack of actions towards the “least among us”…..Now clearly we can not help everyone….Mother Teresa put it this way - “If you cannot feed hundred people, feed one”……Remember this - No one ever became poor by sharing!…..This Gospel tells us something very important - And what is that? - It tells us for one, that each of us will be judged by God - No getting around that reality…Second - It tells us that there is a heaven and a hell…And lastly, it tell us that the criteria for us to go to heaven or hell is dependent upon how we treat the “least of us”…..How can we “meet this requirement” - Let’s think about it….First off, we need “eyes to see”…If we ignore those around us who need help, we clearly will not help them - Right?……What gives us “eyes to see”?…….The answer - Sacramental grace…If we can see Jesus in the Eucharist, we surely will see him in our neighbor…And if we see Jesus “broken and alone” in our neighbor…We surely will help our neighbor - Right?…..Grace gives us “eyes to see” and it also impels us forth to assist those in need…..Without Sacramental grace - We miss an opportunity - In more ways then one……And for those of us who are in business - Opportunities missed have tangible consequences.

“Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation”

As I stated in the above paragraph, I am the father of five children….And each of my children are different…..Allow me for a moment to illustrate an example from the eyes of a father to highlight what St Matthew was trying to teach us today in the Gospel…..Say a man has six sons….The father of these six boys is a very successful man, who comes from a long line of successful people…..Doctors, lawyers, businessman, statesmen…..The family is full of high achievers!…..Getting back to the six sons…Five of the six sons are super successful….But one of the sons, is slow….In fact, he is mentally and physically handicapped and needed the assistance of his father his enter life………And as it is with all men, the father of these six sons got very old and was close to death….Before he died, he asked his five successful sons to come to his bed side….And these were his final words to them……”During my lifetime I gave you everything and you greatly benefited from what I gave you…But now I am about to die….And I cannot help your one brother anymore, who we all know needs help…..Please help him for me as I helped you!”…….In essence this is what the Gospel of St Matthew today is tells us…God is a loving father, who cares for each of us personally as only a father can…….As Catholics, for the short time we are on this earth, we are God’s “hands and feet”, which means we must respond to the love he gave to us - How do we respond? - By caring for others, most especially the “least among us”…….As for me personally, all five of my children are different and I love them all equally…My wife and I do our very best for them…When I die, I expect that they will all take care of each other…And if one of them needs help, the other four will help him or her….This is the wish of every father - And remember - God is a father too!

“Let the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart find favor before you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer”

The Gospel from today’s Mass is very important…All of Scripture is important but today’s reading is especially important because God is giving us insight on how he will judge us when we die…And yes, we all will be judged!…..God sees everything - What we do and what we do not do…God sees what is in our hearts - What drives us and what we value….In essence God knows everything about us - We can not fool him…With that said….What does a ‘religious person” look like in real time?…What I mean by that is - How do we define a “good Catholic”?…The world has many definitions of this - But only one definition matters - God’s definition! - And He give us that definition in the Gospel today…..”What you do to the least - You do to me”…….As Mother Teresa rightful told her sisters and us today……“At the end of life we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made, how many great things we have done. We will be judged by "I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, I was naked and you clothed me. I was homeless, and you took me in”…Those who have ears - Let them hear…..This is on the “final exam” - So pay attention!………….JMJ

”For when I am weak, then I am strong” - This is how the victory is won

Today at Holy Mass the theme of temptation was addressed…We hear in the Gospel of St Matthew that Jesus was tempted three time in desert by the devil….Jesus was God and he was tempted - That should tell us a few things - For one, temptation is very real and so is the devil….Second, if Jesus was tempted - How much more will we be tempted?…..”At that time Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was hungry. The tempter approached and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread”….Notice, when Jesus was hungry (i.e. in need) the devil appeared…..The same situation will happen to us….The devil does not sleep, he is also highly intelligent and knows every one of our weakness….The devil waits patiently to strike and when we are “in need”, that is the most opportune time to strike….So the question is - How do we combat this ancient foe?…..For one, we have to have “eyes to see”…..The devil does not come at us as a man with red horns on his head and a tail as he is portrayed in cartoons…The devil is crafty and only if we are in the state of grace will we “see” as we should…..God’s grace “opens our eyes” to sin….When we are living in the state of grace, we see “the potholes” in the road before we fall into them…That is the first step when it comes to resisting the temptations of the devil - “Seeing” the temptations for what they are!…..Today, good has been labeled as bad and conversely - Bad is viewed as good….Our people do not “see” properly and are easy targets for the devil……What else can we do to resist the devil?…….Ask yourself this question - Do we rely on our own strengthen or do we “put on the armor of God” as St Paul tells us?…..Sanctifying grace strengthens the human will to resist temptation….And living a Sacramental life elevates our human nature…When we graft our life into the life of Christ, we are fortified with “the tools” to resist temptation…But if we are foolish and think by and through our own strength we can resist temptation without God - We are finished…..The devil is infinitely more powerful than any human being!…But when we stand with God and Our Lady - The devil is powerless….What else can we do?……Remember this helpful saying - “Its easier to avoid temptation then to resist it”…We all have weakness - And if we know ourself well and know what sins we have an inclination towards the most, its better to avoid those situations…..What else is a good “tool” to help us resist temptation? - Strive to develop the virtue of humility…The devil does not know how to be humble and he preys on those who are full of pride…As St Paul instructs us….“My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me. Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong”….The biggest mistake was can make, right from the start is to think the devil is not real - Because if we do - We are finished…The devil and evil are very real…But Jesus Christ conquered death and he has given us all “the tools” (through the one Church he founded) that we need to be victorious over our struggles with the world, the flesh and the devil.

“One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God”

Before I was married I served with the Missionaries of Charity in New York City as their driver for seven years every weekend…During the course of that time I got to know a man by the name of Errol…..Errol for years lived on the street, he was an alcoholic…He told me when he lived on the street, he lived on cheap Chinese food and vodka…..Due to his bad lifestyle, Errol acquired AIDS and found himself living in the HIV Hospice for men run by Mother Teresa’s sisters - For a few years Errol live there and one day at a time rebuilt his life - He stayed away from alcohol and developed slowly a relationship with God…..After a while, he moved out of the hospice into his own apartment in Brooklyn and was doing good…..Until he met a young woman, who moved in with him and before you know it, he was drinking again…..Due to all the damage he did to his body over the years he spent living on the street and drinking…It did not take long before his bad habits returned - And Errol was found dead in less than six months……Notice! - How as soon as Errol “opened the door” to sin by living with a woman outside of wedlock, the devil swooped in for the kill….Sin starts off slow and builds upon itself….This is why we first must “see” sin for what is, from the start, and keep the “door” to sin shut!

“Then the devil left him and, behold, angels came and ministered to him”

Today at Mass we hear a story that most of us are very familiar with - The story of Jesus going into the desert to fast and confronting the devil….Lent is a time when we come face to face with ourself…..If we take the forty days of Lent seriously, we will see just how “attached” we are to certain behaviors - Even some behaviors we “think” are harmless…..And through our sacrifices made during this sacred time, God will show us that not only is His grace very real but grace is all we need to overcome the world, the flesh and the devil - We realize this, believe it or not, by becoming vulnerable as a result of our fasting - And when we are vulnerable, we cling to God - In this state, God’s helping hand becomes very clear to us - And in turn, our faith will grow!…..Over the many years, I have found Lent to be extremely beneficial to my spiritual growth…..Forty days of fasting is a kind of “training ground” to prepare us for “the battle” that is ahead….Notice how Jesus went into the desert and fasted for forty days before he entered Jerusalem and underwent his passion….While our “mission” is very different from Jesus Christ, we too must prepare!….No matter what our vocation is, we must deepen our interior life in order to be successful in completely what God has given us to accomplish in our life time…If we think we are going to live as God intended us to live as Catholics, rely solely upon our own strength and talents - Think again!….We must follow the example of Jesus and prepare! - And Lent is a time of preparation - A time for us to learn not only about our self but about how God will come to our aide with His grace…..”For when I am weak, then I am strong” - This is how the victory is won……………..JMJ

”Follow me”…He calls us today…And says the same two words - ”Follow me”

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the Gospel of St Luke about the calling of St Matthew…..With just two words - “Follow me” - Levi, the man known as a public sinner leaves everything and changes into Matthew……This reality should give us great hope…..In the face of the impossible, God’s hand moves mountains!…..Sadly, we lose sight of this due to the fact that we think in human terms and look to human solutions.....God is at work - Even in the darkest of people and the darkest of times…..Our job as Catholics is to “keep our hands to the plow” - Work as if everything was up to us and trust that God is the only “mover” - Not us!…..Again as Catholics, we must focus on what we can do - First and foremost - Strive for our own personal sanctification…The fruit that is bore from a holy life can not be measured…..From our interior life, God will bear fruit…..There are no “programs”, no “powerpoint presentations”, no social media rants, etc, etc, etc….. That can replace the example of a holy life….This is why I believe the public sinner, who was Levi transformed into Matthew - There was “something” about this man Jesus - Something that spoke to Levi deeply……This is how we impact the world - Not by eloquent words, or essays, or writing books…But by a holy example, which radiates from our interior life….This is how the Gospel is spread….Even the hardest of hearts cannot ignore such an example……..And such an example is within our reach - Ask yourself this - Why not me?….What makes you any different then the first twelve disciples…In fact, based upon your “resume”, you may even be more “qualified” then they were….So what is stopping you!…It all comes down to just how convinced we are that Jesus is who he says he is…..This “convincing” only happens when we truly encounter the Lord…And how do we encounter him? - First - We must want to encounter him authentically and if we do desire such an encounter - God will make himself known to us in a very really and tangible way - As he did to Levi in the Gospel today at Mass……“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened”…Are you interested in encountering the Lord? - If so - Just “knock”!

“Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth”

Before I was married for seven years on Saturdays I was the driver for Mother Teresa’s sisters in Manhattan……I served with the Missionaries of Charity at an AIDS hospice founded by Mother teresa herself in the 1980’s at the height of the AIDS epidemic….During that time I have witnessed many men, who lead horrible lives - Public sinners and outright criminals - Request to be baptized…..These were men who were considered “lost causes” by their families, society and everyone in-between…..And because of the witness of the Missionaries of Charity, these men “saw something” that made them want to be baptized……One such man comes to my mind and interestingly enough, his name was Angel…..Angel was raised by his grandmother in Puerto Rico - Both his mother and father abandoned him….Angel came to New York as a young man and led a horrible life…..Addicted to alcohol and drugs, he would spend time in prison and fathered numerous children outside of wedlock…..After living such a life for many years, Angel contracted HIV and found himself under the care of Mother Teresa’s sisters…..And amazingly, after living in the hospice, Angel requested to be Baptized….Now here is the “crazy part” - Shortly after Angel was baptized - He left the hospice to live on his own and within a few months - We heard he died somewhere in the Bronx……The story of Angel came to mind as I reflected on the Gospel today from Mass when Jesus told us……”The Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus said to them in reply, “Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners”…….What made Angel “change his mind”?……The Missionaries of Charity did not preach to him about how bad a life he lead…They simply “showed” Angel what it means to be Catholic by the way they lived - And it worked!…..This is the task at hand for all of us…..Our lives as Catholics should “speak volumes”......Just as Levi witnessed the life of Jesus and dropped everything because of what he saw in Christ - Angel too “saw something” that made him “want” what he saw in Mother Teresa’s sisters - That “something” was Jesus!…..This is how we change the world - Its the only way!….And if we make it a priority, to strive to be a holy people….Men like Levi - Men like my old friend Angel - They will stop and take notice….And maybe even experience a change of heart - “For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened”

“I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked man, says the Lord, but rather in his conversion, that he may live”

Today St Luke in the Gospel tells us about a miracle!….How a public sinner by the name of Levi was transformed into one of the four Gospel writers…How does that happen?!? - Because Levi, encounter Jesus Christ…..Miracles like this happen to this very day…Sinners become saints….Hearts are transformed…Lives are re-built…..Our world today needs witnesses! - Only saints change the world…..I tell people this all the time - If you have ever encountered in your life an authentically holy person - You will never forget that person - No matter who you are or what choices you have made - The witness of a holy life “stops traffic” - It leaves people speechless!….This is what our world needs today…The “best Catholic argument” is the witness of saints…..As a people, Catholics have to get serious!….And we get serious by developing our interior life - From our interior life - Everything will flow - And we will bear fruit that will last….Just as Jesus called out to Levi and said only two words…”Follow me”……He calls us today…And says the same two words - ”Follow me”………JMJ

Be a source of “light” to the world - That is not our own

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the first reading from the Prophet Isaiah that fasting is simply a means to an end…..If our fasting does not produce “good fruit” in our life and in the lives of those around us, it is meaningless!….”Lo, on your fast day you carry out your own pursuits, and drive all your laborers. Yes, your fast ends in quarreling and fighting, striking with wicked claw. Would that today you might fast so as to make your voice heard on high! Is this the manner of fasting I wish, of keeping a day of penance: That a man bow his head like a reed and lie in sackcloth and ashes? Do you call this a fast, a day acceptable to the LORD? This, rather, is the fasting that I wish: releasing those bound unjustly, untying the thongs of the yoke; Setting free the oppressed, breaking every yoke; Sharing your bread with the hungry, sheltering the oppressed and the homeless; Clothing the naked when you see them, and not turning your back on your own”……….Fasting, like all other religious practices can turn into an idol if we are not mindful of this temptation…..God is not impressed with our fasting - He is God!…..God wants us to use our fasting to temper of secular world view - To cling to heavenly pursuits - To sharpen our prayer - To bring to our attention our great need for divine assistance…..This is the purpose of fasting and this is something that will open us up to God’s grace……The devil is very shrewd, he works in our life very subtly….Radical fasting, especially when we accomplish what we set out to fast from, can easily feed our pride….When just the opposite should take place - Fasting should humble us…..Keep your “eyes on the prize”……..Use this time of fasting and keep in mind - Fasting is not something to be utilized just for Lent…But again, ask yourself the question - Why do I fast?

“Seek good and not evil so that you may live, and the Lord will be with you”

Lent is an opportunity for grace and fasting for 40 days helps us to obtain that grace…..Many years ago, when I was in my late twenties and single - I fasted for the grace to live a chaste life as prescribed by the Church for single men….In my struggle with my own flesh I came to release that without God’s grace - There is no way a person can live a chaste life - No way!….However, during that one Lent, after an intense period of fasting, I was given the grace to remain chaste - And that period lasted for nearly 15 years until I meant my wife, with whom I now have five children……That Lenten fast many years ago taught me many things - For one - That we can not self manufacture grace - That there are limits to our strength, to our will power and to our self discipline….But realizing our limitations is a good thing - Because when we do - We cling to God - And God never abandons us…..As Catholics, the Church asks of us many things - And everything the Church asks of us is achievable - But only with and through God’s grace…..Our world today does not value grace, nor do I think the secular world believes it is even real - But it is very real!…..Sacramental grace is the “life blood of the world”…Remember the words of Jesus noted in the Gospel of John……“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.” - Did you “catch” that? - “No life within you”……Do we take the words of Jesus seriously?…….Our world desperately needs to live sacramentally…..What does that entail? - Frequent Confession (once a month as prescribed by the saints: Padre Pio & Pope John Paul II) and reception of the Blessed Sacrament in the state of grace…..This is the answer too so many of our problems….This is how we obtain needed grace….Our physical bodies have limits - But God is limitless - And with God’s grace we can do all things in and through Christ.

“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 at Mass the Prophet Isaiah teaches us what a proper fast looks like….He tells us what the outcome of our fasting should produce.............”Releasing those bound unjustly, untying the thongs of the yoke; Setting free the oppressed, breaking every yoke; Sharing your bread with the hungry, sheltering the oppressed and the homeless; Clothing the naked when you see them, and not turning your back on your own”…….Simply put - Fasting is a means to an end….Its a “tool” in our Catholic “tool box” and we should utilize this “tool”….Why? - Because we all need all the help we can get!….Isaiah ends the first reading today with this - “Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your wound shall quickly be healed; Your vindication shall go before you, and the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer, you shall cry for help, and he will say: Here I am!”……..Lent is a a special time in the liturgical calendar - Its a opportunity to obtain tremendous amounts of grace - A time to learn about our weaknesses and our attachments to this world - And also a time to understand how God “steps in” and assists us - Forming us to become the people we were born to be……The “light” Isaiah references is not our own - Its from God - And in order for that “light” to “break forth like the dawn” - We must do as the great John the Baptist instructed us - “I must decrease and he must increase” - Fasting helps us to do just that….So we can…… Be a source of “light” to the world - That is not our own……………..JMJ

For those who have ears to hear

Today at Holy Mass we hear Jesus in the Gospel of St Mark tell us very clearly how we are to arrive safely in heaven…..“If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?”…..This statement, while perfectly clear is rationalized away - Ignored outright - Twisted and manipulated by believers and non believers alike……The road to eternal life is narrow and Jesus is telling us this today point blank - Yet, ask many people about how we get to heaven - About living life on our own terms - About the meaning of suffering and sacrifice…..Some of these people are well intentioned too - Yet, they have twisted the words of Christ - They “created” their own “brand” of “Christianity” and “created” a “god” of their own making……..In order to follow Jesus Christ, one must first be honest with themselves and see Jesus for who he truly is - God - Which implies we are not God…..”We” do not make “the rules” and if we want to “get in” to God’s house - We have to follow His rules….That means dying to our own self…..There are no two ways about it!…..Now - Tell what I just stated to the large majority of the world - Again, many of these people are Christians - Some are even Catholic - And when you read to them what was read to us today at Mass from Mark’s Gospel - Somehow, they “don’t get it” - Or maybe better put - They don’t want to “get it”….Why is this the case? - Because people want to live their life on their terms - And still go to heaven - Jesus is telling us today very clearly - It does not work that way!…….”I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live, by loving the LORD, your God, heeding his voice, and holding fast to him”…….Jesus told us he is “The WAY” - He did not say he is the custom….So choose life!

“Blessed the man who follows not the counsel of the wicked. Nor walks in the way of sinners, nor sits in the company of the insolent, But delights in the law of the LORD and meditates on his law day and night”

The Natural Law is imprinted on every living cell of every human being - And because of this reality - We all long for God…And when we turn from God, most especially when we intentional turn from God, something within us breaks!……When a Catholic lives in the state of grace - Going to Confession frequently and receiving the Eucharist at least once a week at Sunday Mass….There is a peace that comes along with this state of living….And if we sin, most especially if we sin mortally - Our peace is taken from us…..This is a very real and tangible example that one can live through first hand, which provides understanding that not only is God real - But so is grace - How do I conclude this? - By the way we tangibly “feel” (i.e. Our lasting internal peace) while we are in the state of grace….Here is another “truth bomb” - We can not have it both ways - God and the world…Jesus tells us so in the pages of Scripture - “No one can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon”…..This reality could not be written any clearer - But the concept still has not penetrated into the human mind even after 2000 years of trial and error documented in pages of human history - Why is that? - The answer is - We refuse to “bend our will” completely to God…Its in that action - The “bending of our will” - Until it breaks - Its then that we truly encounter the Lord!……To understand this reality is to have a mature and adult faith…….St Paul, who was a man at one time in his life lived the wrong way tells us, from his own experience…..”When I was a child, I used to talk as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I put aside childish things”…….So ultimately we all make a choice and to think we can have God and the world at the same time - Is simply a self delusion - The only people we “fool” is ourself…..How do we know we are doing the right thing and living the right way? - That we made the right choice?…The answer to those question comes in the form of deep peace, we either have or do not have - Follow your peace!…..The happiest people on the earth are the people closest to God….The “world” gets it wrong…..Human beings chase after many “things” and in the process they lose God and ultimately they lose who they are too - At their core…..It’s really very simple - “We” make it complicated.

“He is like a tree planted near running water, That yields its fruit in due season, and whose leaves never fade. Whatever he does, prospers”

Today at Mass Jesus tells us how we are to follow him….The question then is - Do you believe him?…And an even better question is - Are you doing what Jesus asked of you?…..”For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it”….No matter what state of life you are in: Single - Married - Consecrated Religious……We are all called to “give our life away”….This is the one and only path to heaven…..Sadly, many voices will tell you otherwise - And some of those voices many come from people that may shock you - Both inside the Church and outside the Church……..But the reality is this - Again told to us by Jesus Christ himself……“Amen, amen, I say to you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came [before me] are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. A hired man, who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and scatters them. This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep”….Don’t be deceived!……There is one God - There is one Heaven - Jesus was one man who formed one Church…..It’s really very simply, once again, it’s “us” who make it complicated……As Our Lady told us at the Wedding Feast at Cana…......“Do whatever he tells you” - Some good advice right there - For those who have ears to hear………………..JMJ

”Now is a very acceptable time”

Today the Universal Church commemorates Ash Wednesday….A day to remember that no matter who we are - We are dust!…..Today is a day to fast….Fasting is important - It sharpens our prayer and opens us up to God….Fasting is not just for Ash Wednesday and Lent - Catholics should consider incorporating fasting into their weekly routines even outside of Lent & Advent…But back to Ash Wednesday…What is the plan for Lent?…..What are we trying to achieve?…..Lent is a means to an end - What I mean by that is - We do not fast for the sake of fasting - We fast to open ourselves up to grace…..And grace elevates our human nature…..Grace animates the soul and allows us to do what we can not self manufacture…But to obtain this grace, we must “make room for it”….And that is where fasting comes in…Fasting makes us vulnerable and when we are vulnerable, we cling to God - And God responds!…Today the Church reminds us…..”Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense. Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me”….Only God can forgive sin…Only God can free us from our transgressions…..The world refuses to acknowledge this reality and as a result the world around us is deeply wounded and those “wounds” project outward unto others……If only we “bend our knee” - And confess our sin Sacramentally with an open and humble heart…This is what Lent is all about…It is a time of preparation for something greater…It is a means to an end and the “end” is Easter Sunday…………One day we all will face God…Our journey on this earth will be complete….What will that encounter with God look like? - Will we be ready?…..Like any important meeting - We must prepare…Lent is a time to prepare - “Repent and Believe in Gospel”….That is what Lent is all about

“For I acknowledge my offense, and my sin is before me always: "Against you only have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight"

Lent is a opportunity to receive grace - If we take it seriously - Through our Lenten observances - When we “give God permission” to work in our life…We grow in sanctification - And that is “the name of the game” - We are not who we are supposed to be - Yet!……Life is a journey back to God - It really is nothing more then that….And like any journey, we learn as we go…..With that said - If you are not aware of “the goal” - You will not reach “the goal”……Sanctifying grace transforms us and without it we cannot become the people we were born to be……These next 40 days are an opportunity to grow in holiness…….So take this time seriously!……Don’t focus on “what you are giving up” - Focus on how what you are “giving up” is going to allow God to transform you…..And we all need to be transformed - Don’t think for a moment that you somehow “figured it all out”……”I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my spirit within you so that you walk in my statutes, observe my ordinances, and keep them”……So let us begin today this 40 day journey with an unsure spirit - What does that mean? - Challenge yourself - Make yourself vulnerable……..And if you do - God will act! - And you will receive grace in the process….One more step closer to “the goal”

“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”

Today at Mass the readings focus on prayer, fasting and giving alms…This is the customary activities of Lent…But what about when it’s not Lent?….As Catholics we should always be praying - Do you pray daily?…We should always share our bread with the hungry - Do you give to the poor regularly? - Are you generous?….As Catholics we should always fast weekly - Do you fast every Friday?……While Lent is a more pronounced time of focusing on the activities - We should not forget to pray, fast and give alms all year around....…This is how we become a holy people…….A people “set upon a hill” - A people that become “a light to the nations”….Lent brings to our attention really what we should be doing all year round - “Repent and Believe the Gospel”……This is not just a 40 day practice - Its a 365 day a year practice!……...”Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation”…….All journeys begin with the first step - Take that first step today - And keep walking forward - Straight ahead!……”Now is a very acceptable time”…….JMJ

”Blessed are the pure of heart for they shall see God”

Today at Holy Mass in the Gospel of Mark Jesus tries to explain to the disciples the miracles of the loaves…And the disciples “don’t get it”…..”Why do you conclude that it is because you have no bread? Do you not yet understand or comprehend? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes and not see, ears and not hear?”…..In this exchange between Jesus and the disciples - Jesus also diagnoses the problem - Hardness of Heart - This is what keeps the disciples from understanding and this is what keeps us from “seeing”; hearing and understanding God to this very day……The unbelieving secular world measures a person’s analytical abilities and raw intelligence as the means by which a person “understands”……..When it comes to the ways of God, this has little to do with it - Some people reading this reflection may find such a statement hard to digest, due to the conditioning of our society around the importance given to a good education…….Remember - Jesus did not pick the most “capable of men” to be his first disciples - These twelve men had little to no formal education - Jesus picked men who the secular world overlooked and disregarded - Jesus saw “something” in these men and if I were to guess what that “something” was - Jesus saw their hearts and there willingness to be molded…….This is why he choose them…..Yet - Today in the Gospel even these “hand picked men” do not understand what Jesus was trying to teach them - But notice - Jesus did not give up on them……How quickly we give up on others…..Thinking we somehow are superior to them….While we as practicing Catholics may “see” certain aspects of the Holy Spirit at work in the world - We clearly do not “see” everything….Yet - We “throw stones” at others - At least I find myself doing this at times……No matter who we are - No matter how close we have come to God - We still live “behind the veil” of heaven and the earth....Even the best of us only “see” and understand  partially…This is why we must be patient with one another and bear with one another…..Jesus diagnosed the problem for our lack of understanding - Its a heart issue…The issue that exists to this vey day….”Blessed are the pure of heart - For they shall see God”…This is why we must strive to purity our hearts - This is more important them approaching our Catholic faith from an academic prospective - We can not “read our way” to a pure heart

“Whoever loves me will keep my word, says the Lord; and my Father will love him and we will come to him”

As a father of five young children, when my children do something wrong and I address it, they usually tell me they love me in an attempt to “cover-up” what they did wrong and avoid consequences….When this happens I usually respond with this statement to them - “Show me you love me - Love is not a word - Love is an action”….Many people today express their faith with their words - But do they live their faith with their life? - Do they understand what it means to be Catholic? - “I desire mercy not sacrifice” - Remember that line from Scripture?…..The closer we get to God - The more our life will reflect the Holy Spirit to others - This has everything to do with our heart…..From a human prospective, we can not make our heart’s pure…We need divine assistance - This comes in the form of frequent Confessions and frequent reception of the Eucharist……..And in time, our “hearts of stone” will be transformed into “hearts of flesh”……Remember the story of the Good Samaritan?…..Two people passed a wounded man by on the side of the road and one of the men was a Levite (a priest) - But it was the Samaritan who stopped to help the man - What did the Samaritan “see” and understand that made him stop?………..Our position in life, our education, and our status has nothing to do with the purity of our heart and only when our heart is pure will be “see” God in others and understand the words of Christ taught to us in his many parables - To the unbelieving world, what the Samaritan did was “foolish” but to God, the Samaritan, who an outcast himself “got it” - The Samaritan understood the meaning of love and mercy……..Books will never teach us this lesson….Its a “heart thing” - So tend to your heart - Strive to make it pure

“Blessed the man whom you instruct, O LORD, whom by your law you teach, Giving him rest from evil days”

Today at Mass Jesus tells us that if our hearts are hard, we will never truly understand him…….Some people approach their Catholic faith from an intellectual prospective - That is a good thing, don’t get me wrong but this approach does have limits…..Being Catholic has less to do with books and an advanced education then it does with purity of heart…Jesus tells us - “Unless you become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of God”…..A child has a pure heart and sees the world through the “lens” of purity……As Catholics this should be our fundamental aim - To return to childlike innocence - And we can only do that be living Sacramentally - Only God can restore us to this innocent state and in order for that to happen, we must cooperate with him…We must “make room” for the Holy Spirit to animate our life….Not all who “see” understand because they are “looking” through the wrong lens - We must “look” through the lens of our heart - And the cleaner our heart becomes - The more we will “see” and the more we will understand……….........”Blessed are the pure of heart for they shall see God”……………JMJ

Carry on - Full steam ahead!

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the first readings from the Book of James how trials we experience in life can be useful…..Suffering is apart of every human life and only the Catholic faith gives meaning to suffering…Something the secular world has no answer for.....……”Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. And let perseverance be perfect, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing”…….The process of sanctification is a long one…God knows the person we were born to be….And while daily prayer, weekly fasting and living Sacramentally moves us in the direction of God - So does the daily trials we experience…..Nothing is wasted with God - He is constantly forming us…We either can accept our daily trials or reject them and become bitter…..When we choose to accept the trials of life, they serve as a means of “chipping away” at our “rough edges”….And each of us has “rough edges”…..”I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and every one that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit”……Clearly no one wants to suffer but when suffering comes your way - The question becomes - How do you react?…..If we view hardships as something that God allowed to happen and that there is a reason for it - Even if at the time we do not understand what that reason is - Then we will not be crushed - In fact, we will open ourselves up to growth…..Many times God permits hardships to transform us…..Because in many ways we do not even understand our very self - We do not see ourselves as God sees us…And because God loves us like a Father, he wants us to become the people we were born to be - A Holy People - And that takes time - It also requires us to make changes, which we may not be willing to make without God’s help - And those changes are made many times due to hardships we endure……With God nothing is wasted - We must learn to trust!…..We must give God our unconditional YES - And he will use our consent in ways we will not always understand……..”I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus”……Crooked roads will be made straight - The mountains will be leveled - Take each day as it comes and know your sanctification is found in your acceptance of life as it is - Both in the good and the bad experiences alike - Nothing is wasted or will be wasted!

“I am the way and the truth and the life, says the Lord; no one comes to the Father except through me.”

Sometimes the worst thing that happens to a person, turns out to bear the most fruit for their spiritual growth in time……When we read the lives of the saints and even look closely at the lives of those we know around us…We can see how a tragedy experienced in one’s life can become a source of transformation…..God sees past all the tragedies that accord in history due to human sin and weakness and if we give God a chance, there is nothing that cannot be used for the Greater Glory of God - Even the worst of events!……..A priest one time told a story about a Shepherd he knew in the Middle East….One of his sheep kept running away and nothing he could do or say would stop this sheep from going astray…The Shepherd feared for this sheep because there were many wolves who would maim or kill this sheep when it ran away…The sheep was not fully aware of this danger - But the Shepherd was!…..So one day the Shepherd took this sheep into his hands and snapped his leg in two!…The sheep cried and cried…..But after the sheep was wounded, the Shepherd bandaged the leg of this sheep and for three months carried the sheep upon his shoulders, caring for it until the leg healed…Once the broken leg of the sheep was healed, the sheep understood that the Shepherd loved him because of the care he gave to him when he was wounded….And when that sheep could walk, it never went astray again….He learned to trust the Shepherd and listen to his voice…This story resonated deeply with me when I first heard it….How human beings do what they want and disregard God’s commandments…And many times its not until we “feel the burn” of the consequences of our poor choices that we come to our senses…..Mankind must come to realize that God sees “the big picture” in a way we do not…We need to listen to his voice - We need to trust in God’s ways - We need to understand that God not only loves us but uses everything we live through to sanctify us - Even the trials and the hardships - To prepare us to one day stand before him as we were intended to be - To be a Holy People - Sanctified by Divine grace……”I will sprinkle clean water over you to make you clean; from all your impurities and from all your idols I will cleanse you.  I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my spirit within you so that you walk in my statutes, observe my ordinances, and keep them”

“Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I hold to your promise.”

St James reminds us today at Mass that the “testing of your faith produces perseverance”…We are each “a work in progress”…….What many people forget, or do not believe outright is - Nothing impure enters into heaven…..And God who wants each of us in heaven knows we all have a “long way to go” before we are ready to stand before him….The process of sanctification happens not only in this life but if we do not fully complete what God intended for us through our given vocation - We spend time in Purgatory…This is a perennial Catholic teaching!…..So the way I look at it - “Do your time now”! - Fully cooperate with God and make it a priority to strive to become holy….This involves daily prayer, living sacrificially and also living Sacramentally - But it also involves living through the many trials and hardships of this world, which also form us if we allow them too……As the old saying goes….”I am the potter and you are the clay” - This is how we must view our life in the hands of God…He sees everything - He knows everything - And He loves us!…..Trust him and if we do - God will get us to where we need to be - But not without our cooperation - So cooperate!……”I will lead the blind on a way they do not know; by paths they do not know I will guide them. I will turn darkness into light before them, and make crooked ways straight. These are my promises: I made them, I will not forsake them”………Carry on - Full steam ahead!……….JMJ