”Quo Vadis?" - "Where are you going?”

Today at Holy Mass Jesus in St John’s Gospel addresses Peter….This exchange between Jesus and Peter took place after Peter’s betrayal of Christ…As we all know, Peter betrayed Jesus three times, so as fate would have it, Jesus reassures Peter three times by asking him a question…Do you love me?…Jesus knew that Peter loved him but he also understood human weakness…..And this is why we all must stay grafted to Christ Sacramentally - Because that same weakness is in each of us…..We are reminded in Scripture - ”The Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak”….But back to today’s Gospel - Jesus ends this exchange with Peter with a prediction…He foretells how Peter will give his life for God…..”Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted;  but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go”…….As we all know - The night before Jesus was crucified, Peter boldly stated that he would die for Christ, only to fall flat on his face…..”The Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak”….Sadly, that was not the last time Peter failed - He later attempted to run away from his mission once again, only to encounter Jesus himself on the road to Emmaus as he was running away, who told him he would take his place in Jerusalem and be crucified again - This cut Peter to the heart and he went back!…..How human St Peter is!……St Peter’s story is our story in so many ways…..Failing and getting back up - Failing and getting back you - Failing and getting back up!……….The large majority of Catholics will not be asked to die a physical death for the Gospel but each and every Catholic is asked to die to themself….The only way we can allow God to work in our life is if we make “room for him” and that requires a Catholic to “die to self”….If we do not fully embrace this concept, frankly we are “spinning our wheels”…..And the only way to “give your life away” is to deepen your interior life through daily prayer, fasting and the Sacraments…Such a “life choice” is simply not natural!….And it is only accomplished through Divine grace!…..Jesus addressed Peter when he was running away with these words” - Quo Vadis?" - This is Latin for "Where are you going?”……..He asks us the same question today - "Where are you going?”

“The Holy Spirit will teach you everything and remind you of all I told you”

Each person in life comes to “A Cross Road” - A time when a HUGE choice is presented to them….That choice then determines a path, which either leads to life or death….When that “choice” is presented to you - Trust me - You will know it!…….Abortion not only kills the life of a child but it also severely damages the life of the woman who has the abortion…All the research points to this reality!……Abortion is the furthest thing from being “pro-woman” - It literally destroys a woman!….Sadly, many of the rabid pro-abortion activists, who are women, are suffering from their abortion - And they channel their pain through “activism”….Many Catholics on the First Friday of the Month pray at Abortion Centers around America….And for those who have experienced this, many women who are about to make “the choice” to terminate the life growing inside of them change their minds at the sight of people praying…..This “life choice” is never regretted - Just ask those who have made it! - But such a “choice” is very difficult to make in the moment……….Like St Peter, we all can fail, in fact, we ALL will fail…But this is why as Catholics, we can always return to the Father, as St Peter did and ask for forgiveness….When we confess our sins to a Priest, not only are we forgiven, but we are given Divine Grace to overcome our sins - And little by little - We grow in holiness and are sanctified.......Becoming “who we were born to be” takes time - A life time! - And for that reason we have to learn from the example of St Peter…..Failing and getting back up - Failing and getting back you - Failing and getting back up!……In life, its not how we start that matters - Its how we finish that counts!….St Peter shows us the way forward……If we pray into the silence before the Blessed Sacrament we will hear the ever present steady voice of God……”Quo Vadis?" - When we hear those words - Its time to “turn around!!!!”……”He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when he had said this, he said to him, "Follow me.”……Just think if St Peter did not listen to that “small voice” - Where would we all be today?

“For as the heavens are high above the earth, so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has he put our transgressions from us”

Today we hear in the Gospel just how forgiving Jesus is - Peter betrays him and Jesus not only forgives him but builds him up!…This same Jesus is there for us when we fail - So the question is - Do we take advantage of the opportunity?…..I work in New York City and sometimes when I walk the busy streets I think to myself - “How many people are carrying around deep regret?” - “How many people are projecting their internal pain on others?” - “How many people suffer from self inflicted wounds caused by poor choices?”…This reality is not unique to New York City….The only remedy is Sacramental Reconciliation - Time does not heal wounds - It only makes them fester!….How the secular world “rationalizes” this reality away as it drowns in its own pain!….If we only knew how much God loves us! - That we are one Sacramental Confession away from peace - From “a second chance” - From beginning the healing process, which we ALL long for!”……..Just as St Peter tried to run away from his destiny, we are the same….Maybe it’s time to turn around and stop!….And listen to the ever present voice of God……”Quo Vadis?" - "Where are you going?”………….JMJ

Bend your will until it breaks - Thy will be done!

Today at Holy Mass Jesus in the Gospel of St John makes an appeal for unity…..How can it be that one man, founded one Church and yet the Christian world is so fractured?…Even within the walls of the Catholic Church - Camps have been created…..This is a scandal in the eyes of God - But sadly this should be of no surprise due to our fallen human nature….Never underestimate our need for divine grace and the pull of sin in your life…The devil knows all our weakness and only needs a small opening - Therefore do not give the devil an inch!……Our Christian unity is found in the Pope, who is the Vicar of Christ on the earth…..And in all the teachings of the Church, which are all written down very clearly…..If Jesus is God, which we know he is - And God founded one Church, which we know he did - Then what is the problem?…..The problem is not God or the Church - The problem is within us!…..The closer we grow towards God, the more we will be able to bend our will….Unity within the Church rests with our closeness to the Lord individuality - First and foremost….There is a reason why the first commandment is to Love God above all things…Its because when we get that commandment right - We get the rest of the commandments right….This unity with God comes from Sacramental grace, daily prayer, weekly fasting and living a sacrificial life for others….We must “make room” for grace to enter our life….And when we do - “Getting along” with our neighbors - Bending our will to Church teaching - And adhering to the tenets and rubrics of the Catholic faith will not seem as hard…..Again - The problem is not “the Church” - The problem is us!…..Jesus and his Holy Mother gave us the example of what it means to be obedient…..Obedience is something that many people have a big problem with - “Don’t tell me what to do!” - Why do we have a problem with the Church instructing us when the instruction is in our best interests?…..”If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him”…..We need to trust more and question less…God knows what he is doing and he sees ‘the big picture”….There is one way into heaven and the “sign posts” are clear - Its for us to follow them.

“May they all be one as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that the world may believe that you sent me, says the Lord”

If you read the 1992 Catechism of the Catholic Church, which I have read (I read it twice)…You will find that the document is very easy to digest…In this book, all the teachings of the Church are communicated very clearly - So what is the problem!!!!…How can we get “it wrong” when what the Church teaches is perfectly articulated?!?….We get it wrong because we do not want to do things “God’s way”…..We still “think” that “our way” is better than God’s way - What a mistake - That was the same mistake of Adam and Eve and how did that work out for them!?!…………I will tell you this - A turning point in your faith journey is when you KNOW that “your way” is NOT the way to heaven - Have we fully digested this idea?…….Answer me this - Why are we not at peace? - Why is our joy fragmented? - The answer to these questions come from our lack of unity with the Lord individually…..The Church is our Mother and a Mother knows the son better then anyone….Once we look at the Church as our mother and view her instruction to us as something that is in our best interests - Our spiritual life will grow in leaps and bounds!…How did I come to this revelation? - I tried things “my way” and failed!….As a result I am fully “on board”….I KNOW God can do more with my life then I can - Are you convinced of this reality? - Because whether you agree or disagree - It is reality!….”I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing”….Jesus did not say things to hear himself talk! - He told us everything we needed to know - The rest is up to us!

“You will show me the path to life, fullness of joys in your presence, the delights at your right hand forever”

One of the last requests made by Jesus Christ was that all his followers would be of one mind and one heart…..If we arrive safely in heaven, you do realize that no one is going to ask your opinion!….In heaven all people will be of one mind and one heart - So why don’t we embrace this idea here on earth!?! - And the only way we will accomplish that is by bending or will - By making room for Divine grace - And by embracing the virtue of obedience……Our Lady can help us with all of those things……”Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word”……Finding our unity with our fellow Christians first begins with finding our unity with God….The problem is not the Church - The problem is within us!…..Bend your will until it breaks - Thy will be done!…………….JMJ

The world is watching!

Today at Holy Mass we are reminded in both readings that Jesus Christ is the Truth…We hear that often but do we take this reality for granted?…..To love Jesus is to love the Truth and if we love the Truth, we must live it!……Easier said than done!…..The world rejects the Truth - Why? - It does not pay!….In order to fully embrace the Truth, Catholics and all people of good will must be willing to pay a cost….Yes - There is a cost to living the Truth and if we want to walk the narrow road to heaven, we must be willing to pay that cost…Let’s not fool ourselves! - There is no heaven without the Cross!…..”I gave them your word, and the world hated them, because they do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world but that you keep them from the Evil One. They do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. Consecrate them in the truth. Your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world. And I consecrate myself for them, so that they also may be consecrated in truth”….How can we possibly think that living in this world as a Catholic will be easy….How can we possibly think that we can be both a Catholic and “go along to get along” among “the children of this world”? - Yet we do “think” we can have it both ways - As we say where I from in New Jersey, “we want to have our cake and eat it too”….Let’s face it - We all want to live comfortable lives - But here is “the deal” - We were not created for comfort - We were created for greatness!…..If we fully want to become the people we were born to be - We must rely on Divine grace….No man is an island and the full weight of the world will come down upon us when we embrace the fullness of Truth…This is why St Paul tells us….”Draw your strength from the Lord and from his mighty power. Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil. For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens. Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything, to hold your ground”…….St Paul understood that the battle was real because he fought it! - And so will we if we engage in the "Zone of Truth" in the public square…And if we attempt to “fight the good fight” - Without Divine Grace - We will most assuredly lose that fight!….St Paul in the first reading today warns his friends……“Keep watch over yourselves and over the whole flock of which the Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, in which you tend the Church of God that he acquired with his own Blood. I know that after my departure savage wolves will come among you, and they will not spare the flock. And from your own group, men will come forward perverting the truth to draw the disciples away after them. So be vigilant and remember that for three years, night and day, I unceasingly admonished each of you with tears. And now I commend you to God and to that gracious word of his that can build you up and give you the inheritance among all who are consecrated”…….To follow Christ is to “be in the fight”…..And as the old saying goes - “The Truth will set you free” - But before it sets you free - You must fight for it!

“Your word, O Lord, is truth; consecrate us in the truth”

The Catholic Church is universal, which means everyone is invited to Mass…No matter who you are - You do not even have to Catholic to attend Mass - That sounds very inclusive to me - Right? - But here is the “rub” - In order to receive the Blessed Sacrament - A Catholic must be in the state of grace - That means we must confess our sins to a Priest at least once a calendar year and if we fall into mortal sin, we confess that sin before receiving the Blessed Sacrament at Mass….This is not my opinion - This is a perennial Catholic teaching that cannot be changed - Not even by the Pope.

“Anyone who desires to receive Christ in Eucharistic communion must be in the state of grace. Anyone aware of having sinned mortally must not receive communion without having received absolution in the sacrament of penance” (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1415)

With that said - Is this teaching of the Church taught with clarity? - A better question may be - Is this teaching put into practice?…..For example - When a Catholic politician is living in objective mortal sin - Is their sin addressed and if it is and the politician obstinately refuses to change their position - Is the Blessed Sacrament withheld from them at Mass?….A teaching is a teaching and if we say we believe that Jesus is fully present - Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity in the Blessed Sacrament - Then we should act like it - Right!……And because we do not always “practice what we preach”, the world does not take the Catholic Church seriously - Face the facts!!! - And if we want to be taken seriously as Catholics, we have to live what we say we believe - Its really that simple - But is it simple?…..In order to live what we believe - We must be grounded in Sacramental grace…..Living “counter” to the world requires super-natural assistance - Daily Prayer, Weekly Fasting and the Sacramentals - There are no two ways about it! - So are we living in this manner?….Are we willing to suffer the cost for speaking and living the Truth? - This is the question - And believe me - The world is watching!.......JMJ

What are you holding back and why are you afraid?

Today at Holy Mass St Paul in the first reading tells us that he knows the end is near….Paul was bold and opened himself up completely to Christ - And look at the outcome!…Do you think that if we did the same we would not experience a different outcome?….We may not be viewed in history as “another St Paul” - But God would surely use us in miraculous ways!….What holds us back? - Why are we so afraid?…..Our life is but a breath - Even if we were to live one hundred years - What is one hundred years compared to eternity?…..The words of St Paul today should be our words……”And so I solemnly declare to you this day that I am not responsible for the blood of any of you, for I did not shrink from proclaiming to you the entire plan of God”……We only know what we know but the question is - Is it our primary priority to find the Truth? - Are we searching the truth out relentlessly?…..And when we find it - Do we share it with reckless abandon?…..As a Father of five children - My primary job is to get my wife and children to heaven - To be “the priest” in my household - To pass on the faith to my children - Nothing is more important then that - There is not even a close-second!…And in my efforts, if I do my very best - No matter what the outcome - I too can say the same words that St Paul said…..”For I did not shrink from proclaiming to you the entire plan of God”….That is my job in my home as a father and a husband…Its frankly the job of every Baptized Catholic - So the question then becomes - Are we doing our job?

“I will ask the Father and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always”

The Church teaches that in order to receive the Blessed Sacrament at Mass, one must be in the state of grace…This is not my “opinion” - Its a perennial teaching of the Church, which can not be changed…..One of my sons recently received his First Holy Communion and at the Mass the Priest stated to the congregation that if they were not Catholic or were not properly disposed to receive the Blessed Sacrament to approach the altar and receive a Blessing instead….That is all a Priest can do - Speak the Truth - Then its up to us!…We as Catholics cannot be afraid to speak the Truth - To communicate the fullness of of the Truth, which is contained in the Catholic Church to our people - How are people going to know how to live according to God’s will if they are not instructed properly?…..There is nothing “pastoral” about not proclaiming the Truth in all its fullness….Some people may be “put off” when they hear the Truth - But that is not our problem….Our job is simply to “pass on” the Deposit of Faith - We are not hear to “re-define” it or make it more “palatable” by twisting it….No one is serviced when that occurs!…..As St Paul told us today in the Acts of the Apostles at Mass…..”For I did not shrink from proclaiming to you the entire plan of God”….Paul went to his death with a clear conscience and that should be our goal as well….As a Father, my job is to make sure my children are raised Catholic, that they know their faith by my example in the home as well as the education I provide for them….A Priest or Bishop has a different role but a similar task - To preach and teach the faith in all its fullness to their congregations - In season and out of season - Come what may!…..Is this happening? - In some cases yes - However, in some cases we lack courage!…..We must listen carefully to the words read to us in the Acts of the Apostles once again - And notice how even in the face of violent opposition, the early Church did not hesitate to be bold…..So take courage! - “In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood”……When our earthly life comes to an end let us have no regrets!!! - Let us “run the race” - Let us “fight the good fight” - Let us “keep the faith”

"Father, the hour has come. Give glory to your son, so that your son may glorify you, just as you gave him authority over all people, so that your son may give eternal life to all you gave him”

Today once again the saints show us the way…St Paul in the first reading at Mass knew that soon his life would be demanded of him - But that did not slow Paul down! - “I earnestly bore witness for both Jews and Greeks to repentance before God and to faith in our Lord Jesus. But now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem. What will happen to me there I do not know, except that in one city after another the Holy Spirit has been warning me that imprisonment and hardships await me” - St Paul was all in!!!!  - How about us?……What parts of your life have not been “given over” to the Lord?….What are we holding back?…….Another saint points the way forward - St Francis of Assisi once said to his brothers….."Hold back nothing of yourselves for yourselves, that He Who gives Himself totally to you may receive you totally”…..This is how we shake the foundations of the world! - That is how St Paul did it as well as St Francis - How about us?…..What are you holding back and why are you afraid?……..JMJ

No need to re-create the wheel

Today at Holy Mass we hear once again from the Acts of the Apostles in the first reading….This book of the bible documents the early Church from its very beginning immediately following the death of Christ - The Church at that time was full of zeal, it was fearless, and bold….This is the model for what the Church should look like - So the question then must be - Is this what we see in the Church today?…..Have we become “measured”, like lawyers, in how we address society?…..Do we preach the fullness of Truth without apologies?….We are told today about St Paul - A man who suffered his fair share of hardships for the faith - And none of what he suffered stopped him!…….”He entered the synagogue, and for three months debated boldly with persuasive arguments about the Kingdom of God”…..There is a cost to be a disciple - Are we willing to pay it?…Do we prefer to be “comfortable” and “go along to get along” like everyone else in society?….This was not the path of St Paul - Nor was it the path of Jesus Christ……Today in the Gospel, Jesus tells us very clearly……”In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world”……Jesus Christ was the greatest revolutionary that has ever walked the face of the earth and to be Catholic today is in many ways to be a revolutionary…We were not Baptized to be like everyone else! - We were grafted into the life of God for a purpose - And that purpose is to work towards building up the Kingdom of God…..The message has not changed - Nor has the method….If we are not living a revolutionary life - Frankly, we are not living the Gospel......It’s not enough to “believe” the Gospel - We must live it and to live it makes us revolutionaries!

“If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God”

Do we “play it safe”?…What do I mean by that? - Are the choices we make as adults made simply to be comfortable and “go along to get along”?…..Nothing about being Catholic can comport with the idea of “playing it safe”!….For example - When a Catholic couple does not use contraception and has numerous children, trusting in God’s providence - Is that couple “playing it safe”?…..The world will not believe what we claim to be true if it does not see what we claim to be true lived out!…..And that requires us to: “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch”……I remember the first time I traveled to Kolkata India to serve the poor with Mother Teresa’s sisters…I was attending a parish at the time, which frankly lacked apostolic zeal…When I told the pastor I was headed to Kolkata, his face dropped almost in horror!…….Catholics need to stop “buying in” to the lie of the culture - “Have only two children” - “Ticking the Catholic box” on Sunday - “Keeping our head down” - And living like everyone else around us!….Our world today needs radicals! - Yes - Revolutionary Catholics!….Those who fully believe the words of Christ and look to live those words, without apologies, boldly in the public square….Why is that? - Because the secular world in many ways does not take the Catholic Church seriously - We do a lot of “talking” but frankly our actions are in many segments of the Church “lukewarm”……The unbelieving world is not going to be convinced until it sees us practice what we preach - And that requires a radical response to the Gospel…..“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”…Speaking personally, “lukewarm” Catholicism bores me - I am not interested in it - By the way - Nor was Jesus interested in it

“Jesus answered them, “Do you believe now?”

Today at Mass once again we hear of the early Church acting boldly….St Paul was not “playing it safe” - How about us?….Do we live our Catholic faith in the public square?…..Do we make life choices through the lens of the Church’s teachings and the Gospel message?….Because if we do - The world will see very clearly what we are all about - No words will be necessary to “explain” that we are Catholic - Our life’s witness will “scream it”…Why is such a witness necessary today? - Because this is the only “message” that frankly resonates in our secular society - Such a life cannot be “dismissed” so easy!…..Its far to easy to talk - Its time to “put up or shut up”…..Jesus gave us the “blueprint” to follow - Just follow it! - Its been proven to work for two thousand years and if we follow it, it will work once again!…..No need to re-create the wheel……….JMJ

Because the best is yet to come!

Today at Holy Mass in the Gospel of John Jesus draws a line between heaven and earth….So the question then must be - Do we draw that same line or are we trying to create heaven on earth?…….“I revealed your name to those whom you gave me out of the world. They belonged to you, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you gave me is from you, because the words you gave to me I have given to them, and they accepted them and truly understood that I came from you, and they have believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for the ones you have given me, because they are yours, and everything of mine is yours and everything of yours is mine, and I have been glorified in them. And now I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world, while I am coming to you”………The closest a Catholic can get to heaven while still living on the earth is going to Mass….Outside of that, as we all know, human nature is fallen and as a result no place or no person is perfect…..Jesus came down from heaven for one purpose - “To take away the sins of the world”….And by actively participating in the one Church he founded, we too will become sanctified over time - Not perfect but sanctified growing closer and closer to God with each passing day….Through daily prayer, weekly fasting, frequent Confession (once a month) and weekly reception of the Blessed Sacrament at the Mass….These practices will not make us perfect, but over time we too will grow close to the Lord and create what is commonly called a “Domestic Church” for our family…..The family home is the supposed to be “the next best thing” to the Mass…It is supposed to be a sanctuary from the world - A place of stability - A place of love…..Is this what we see today?……The family is the seed of every society and nation and in America, the family is severely fractured…Many of our societal problems stem from that fracture…Why did this take place? - Because God has been removed from the family - Marriage is a Sacrament and when it is not lived as one - Selfishness grows within the hearts of the spouses - And selfishness destroys the bond of love…..While no family is perfect, when we make God the center of our family - We create a Domestic Church….But back to the words of Jesus from Mass - Jesus tells us point blank - There will be a big difference between those who embrace the world and those who embrace the things of heaven…..As Catholics, while we must love our neighbors and we live in this world - We cannot live like the world lives!!!!…..Catholics must be different - Are we different?

“I will not leave you orphans, says the Lord. I will come back to you, and your hearts will rejoice”

In the life of a Catholic, every once in a while we experience what I call a “thin place” - What I mean by that is, the veil between heaven and earth is thin…..We can experience this on a retreat - At Mass - In our home - When we meet with our Catholic friends…..These moments remind us that heaven is close……I have learned as an adult that time is a very precious commodity - There are things I must do to keep my life functioning and in doing those necessities, we will encounter in daily life people who are not “citizens of heaven” - This is reality and reality cannot be avoided…But on “my time”, I want to spend that time with “good people” doing “good things” - I have “no time” for people on “my time” that drain me of my energy…I tell this to my children - Spend your time with good people and avoid people who drain your energy…..By doing this, we create what I call “thin places”….These “thin places” will never mirror heaven perfectly, but they will give us glimpses of what is to come….Is your home a “thin place”? - Do your social circles resemble this idea of a “thin place”?…..As Catholics living in the world, we must be realist - We can not create heaven on earth - never going to happen…But what we can do is - Create a “thin place”….Is this what we are doing? - Or are we like every one else?….Catholics must be “set apart” - We must serve as a “light to the nations” - And light attracts others to it - By our example, many will want to enter into our “thin place”….“Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basket or under a bed, and not to be placed on a lamp-stand?”……Maybe it’s time to stand out as opposed to standing down! - Create a “thin place” - Start with your home and work outward from there - Socialize in circles where “the veil” between heaven and earth is thin - In doing so, we will experience deeper joy and peace and get a “taste” of what is soon to come - Life is short make it count - In a very real sense, the road to heaven is a foretaste of heaven!

“Rejoice to the extent that you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that when his glory is revealed you may also rejoice exultantly”

Today at Mass we are today that Jesus called each of us by name - Catholics are “not of this world” we simple live in it - We are a “pilgrim people” on a journey back to our Father - Sounds great - But do we view our life in this manner?…….Years ago, my wife and I were asked to speak to young couples about to get married…I would always begin my presentation with a question - What is the goal of your marriage?….And the couples would just stare at me…..Then I would proceed to tell them what the goal of their marriage should be…..The goal of your marriage should be to get your spouse and children to heaven - That is the number one goal! - Nothing should even be a close second…So allow me to ask the reader of this reflection - What is the goal of your marriage? - And if you are not married - What is the primary goal of your life?…Is it to “get rich” - Or is it to get to heaven?….We all need goals and to achieve our goals we also need a “plan” - Right? - What is your goal and what is your plan?…..Getting into heaven is not a guarantee - We do not just “float into heaven” - I hope we all realize that….So what is the plan? - If we are not interested in the “things and the people of heaven” while we are living on the earth, what makes us think we would even want to be in heaven after we die - Its a valid thought - Think about it……..In the meantime - Create a “thin place” - Taste heaven on earth - Why? - Because the best is yet to come!…….JMJ

“And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age”

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the Acts of the Apostles about a Catechist whose name was Apollos - The text read to us stated he was gifted, he knew the Scriptures, came from a sophisticated city (Alexandria) and was an eloquent speaker…..Apollos was also humble, even with all his gifts, he subjected himself to those who knew more than him - Why? - Because what he was doing was not “about Apollos” it was about teaching the Deposit of Faith…..”He began to speak boldly in the synagogue; but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the Way of God more accurately”……And once he was fully formed, Apollos set out!……”After his arrival he gave great assistance to those who had come to believe through grace. He vigorously refuted the Jews in public, establishing from the Scriptures that the Christ is Jesus”…The task of a Catechist, both in small and big ways belongs to each and every Catholic…Whether we are teaching our children or we have huge social media audiences….Each of us has a part to play…Catholics are to: “Know the Truth - Speak the Truth - Live the Truth - And Suffer for the Truth when required…..While it’s important to be properly formed, as Apollos was and that entails a solid Catholic education - But notice what is stated in this passage…….”He gave great assistance to those who had come to believe through grace”….No matter how educated you are in the faith - No matter how eloquent of a speaker one can be…We will never be able to argue anyone into the doors of the Church……The best way to teach the faith is by example, especially an example of sacrificial living….The hardest of hearts - The most unbelieving of people - Those who are deeply against organized religion - Even “that crowd” - When they see a person fully animated by the Holy Spirit and living a deeply sacrificial life - Something inside of them knows and sees the presence of God…This is how each and every Catholic must witness their faith….And such a witness is within our power  - One does not have to be a scholar to live the will of God and also to live for others sacrificially….In fact, the simplest of people can do this - The question then becomes - Are we WILLING to live in this manner?…..The Church needs gifted catechists, there is no disputing that reality - But more then that - The Catholic Church needs authentic witnesses!!!…..People fully alive and on fire with apostolic zeal……This is how the Catholic Church was built - Upon the shoulders of such individuals.

“Until now you have not asked anything in my name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete”

The unbelieving world has created a misconception that those who are “religious” are losers…They cannot “make it on their own” so they use religion as a crutch…This is why when a secular person encounters a deeply gifted Catholic, living a sacrificial life - The world takes note!…..Let’s be honest - People do not willing sacrifice for God if they believe it to be a lie - This is the kind of witness that moved me early on in my faith journey when I committed to living as a practicing Catholic…In my twenties, I encountered faithful religious orders: The Franciscan Friars of the Renewal - The Sisters of Life - The Missionaries of Charity….The members of those orders where far from “losers”…In fact, if they choose to live in the world - Many of them would have been extremely successful people….They were highly intelligent - Some even went to elite American Universities…And they lived authentic Catholic lives - Deeply sacrificing for others….Again, speaking personally, this witness really made me think!…..And trust me - It makes others “think” as well….Our world today does not need another “sermon” - It needs witnesses - People deeply committed to God and the Catholic Church - People living their faith in the public square - Living their faith boldly and without apologies!!!……This is how we “make disciples of all nations”…..The task falls to you and me!……When I walk into my parish for Sunday Mass…I sometimes look at the faces of the other parishioners……I am Italian-American and my wife is Haitian-American…We have five bi-racial children under eleven years old….When my family walks in the door of the Church, every eye is on us!….Why? - Because we are special? - NO - Because God is special!….And God transforms regular people into disciples - Allow God to transform YOU and watch how the witness of your life stops traffic!

“All you peoples, clap your hands; shout to God with cries of gladness. For the LORD, the Most High, the awesome, is the great king over all the earth”

Today at Mass we hear about the early Church - How it grew and how regular people used their gifts to help it grow…..The same way the Church grew two thousand years ago, is the same way it grows today - By witnesses!……..As Catholics if we believe what we say we believe, we must be willing to live differently - We can not “go along to get along”…The world will never be convinced unless they SEE for themselves the Gospel lived out in real time through our families and individual lives…As Catholics, we have been given everything we need: We have Our Lady - We have the Sacraments - We have the Saints - We have two thousand years of tradition to uses as an example…The question then becomes - Do we utilize what was given to us?…Because if we did - We truly would set the world on fire!….In the world today, believe it or not, there is a great thirst for God - People are searching for God but looking in all the wrong places…Its “our job” to direct them - But how? - By the way we live our life - So live it radically!…..Be Catholic - Be Bold - Be Unapologetic!!!!…..And you will set the world on fire………”He said to them, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest. Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way. Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this household.’ If a peaceful person lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you, for the laborer deserves his payment. Do not move about from one house to another. Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you, cure the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God is at hand for you.’…..Our words will fall short if our witness is not rooted in Truth; Love and Sacrifice - That is the “formula” - “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”……………..JMJ

“On that day you will not question me about anything”

Today at Holy Mass Jesus in the Gospel of St John does not parse words…To live as a Catholic in an unbelieving world is difficult……Do we accept that? - Or do we think we can live like everyone else and still enter the Kingdom of Heaven?…..”Jesus said to his disciples:  "Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will become joy. When a woman is in labor, she is in anguish because her hour has arrived; but when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the pain because of her joy that a child has been born into the world. 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”……..American Christianity is sadly a mile wide and an inch thick!…..We sanitize our faith, removing the reality of the Cross….But as all adults know - Reality is Reality!…No Cross - No Crown…..To deceive ourself and think we somehow can part take in the secular world, experiencing all the ideologies and activities, which contradict the laws of God and still “somehow” arrive in heaven is one of the greatest lies ever “pull off” by the devil himself…..To be Catholic is to be different - We are to live in the world but not be of the world….To “think” otherwise is simply an illusion…..In the meantime, feeling the full weight of our Cross, Christ himself gives us his peace and joy…..”For my yoke is easy, and my burden light”…..When we are tempted to live as the world lives we must make a choice - We can not have God and the world at the same time….Its a trade off - But for many who have experienced the “things of the world”, they know that the joys of the world are fleeting and the joy of living in God’s will is deep and lasting…..Again, it’s a trade off - We can not have both!……”I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live”…Choose well - Choose Life!

“Christ had to suffer and to rise from the dead, and so enter into his glory”

How does one find a good spouse?….A question asked by many…..God forms us when we are single and living a chaste life….Many people “think” when they get married all of sudden they are going to live a virtuous life…The reality is - We learn to live a virtuous life before we get married…..I married later in life…In college I did not practice my faith and learned the hard way that the world’s way does not work!….From the age of around 27 years old until I was married at 43 years old…I lived a chaste life as a single Catholic man….I made that decision and it turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life….I was given the grace of chastity as a result of intense fasting, Sacramental living and daily prayer…..And in those many years before I met my wife, which for the record were difficult years, God formed me!….And when I did find the woman I was to marry - I was ready!…..We must be willing to ”pick up our Cross”……………Its under the weight of our Cross that God forms us into the people we are called to be - And that does not happen over night!….That same “process” must be applied as we prepare to stand before God when we die at our individual judgement…The process of sanctification is just that - A life long process! - We as Catholics must learn to “trust the plan” - Doing things God’s way - All day everyday!….And over the course of our life as a Catholic, all the trials, successes, failures, etc…All those events will form us…Again, if we “opt out” of God’s plan, we slow down our sanctification process, we could even cut it off all together!….A very wise Priest once said to me, “Joe, we do not just float into heaven” - Far too many people “think” that but that is a lie from the evil one!…We must be fully sanctified before we stand before the beatific vision and enter into eternal life…..And for most of us - That is a process - Learn to trust the process!

“He brings people under us; nations under our feet. He chooses for us our inheritance, the glory of Jacob, whom he loves”

Today at Mass we are reminded - Life is hard!…..Even when we do “everything right” - Life is still hard…..People have a way of glossing over suffering but suffering is apart of every human life….As my father would always tell me - “Joe - No one goes through this life unscathed”…As Catholics, while we do not look for suffering, when it comes our way, we can use it….We must learn to understand that suffering forms us…The world rejects suffering but only Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church gives meaning to suffering….This is why to be Catholic is the most realistic thing you can do - Why? - Because no matter who you are - You will experience suffering and being Catholic helps you to navigate that suffering in a way that no other religion or worldly ideology can……The path to heaven is narrow and to walk that path requires us to bear the full weight of the Cross…And as we walk under our Cross, God teaches us to be like his son - He also gives us the grace to carry what is asked of us to carry……”No trial has come to you but what is human. God is faithful and will not let you be tried beyond your strength; but with the trial he will also provide a way out, so that you may be able to bear it”……So let us not “sugarcoat” our Catholic faith….Let us bear our share of hardships and trials…Because on the day of our judgement - And God willing we all enter into eternal life - “On that day you will not question me about anything”………JMJ

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

Today the Universal Church commemorates the Feast of the Ascension - The day our Lord ascend into heaven - A new chapter is about to begin guided by the Holy Spirit…….”But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth”……Everything we do must be grounded in the Holy Spirit….That means we are merely vessels….Our job is not to formulate what we are to do - Our job is to empty ourself to make room for God…The more we empty ourself, the more the Holy Spirit has room within us to work…..Remember these words from John the Baptist - They are instructing us to this very day - “I must decrease and he must increase”….What was John talking about? - We can do nothing that will last with the assistance of the Holy Spirit - This is why all our “great ideas” when they deviate from God’s will and Church teaching never bear fruit that lasts….Are you convinced of that reality?…..Many will say they are - But actions speak louder than words….Our “power” as a Catholic rests in God’s will alone - It does not matter how smart you are - How gifted you are….All our natural gifts in time turn to dust…But if we ground our life in the Holy Spirit - Making room for the Spirit to animate our life - The witness of our life will stop traffic!…..”Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age”……..Notice the words Jesus chose - ”Teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you”……What we are to teach does not come from us - It comes from God himself…The Deposit of Faith does not belong to anyone person - Not even the Pope - We are simply to pass it on….And when we “adhere to the vine”, knowing we are merely a “branch” of that “vine”…Jesus tells us - We will “bear fruit”…..That all begins with us following the instructions of John the Baptist….“I must decrease and he must increase”…Once we are empty - We will be given what we are to do and also given the “power” to get it done!

“They said, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven”

Now that Jesus has ascended to heaven - How does a group of twelve uneducated fishermen start a global Church? - Have you ever “stepped back” and thought about that?…..If you were starting a goal enterprise - What kind of men would you choose to lead it?….Would they come from the best Universities? - Would they be brilliant orators? - Would they have the best resumes? - These were not the kind of men Jesus picked and yet today the Catholic Church is all over the world….Again, “step back” and think about that reality - How did that happen?!!?…..It happened because the Catholic Church is divinely guided and protected….There is no other way to look at it…There is no other way the Catholic Church would have survived two thousand years….The secular world forgets what I just stated and for the most part would not agree with my claim - A HUGE mistake!….The Holy Spirit animates that Catholic Church….Our job as Catholics is not to “re-create the wheel”…Our job is merely to “adhere to the vine”…..And when we do, even if we are like those twelve uneducated fisherman, God will accomplish amazing things through us….The power of the Holy Spirit manifests itself to this very day…We see it in new religious orders being formed - We see it in new Catholic Colleges being founded - We see it in the rise of young men entering the Church in America and in France in record numbers…..The Holy Spirit can not be extinguished…Its like the wind - Again, our job is simply to harness “the wind”, like a sail on a boat and allow “the wind” to move us….And it will move us! - If we allow it too!

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth”

Today on the Feast of the Ascension, the Universal Church reminds us - Jesus did not leave us orphans - He is still with us…As we know, he is fully present in the Blessed Sacrament in the Mass - But he is also fully present in the Holy Spirit…..Every Catholic at their Baptism receives the gift of the Holy Spirit - We are also given that gift when we are Confirmed….When we were Confirmed by a Bishop of the Church - These are the words said to us - “"Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit”…..That means we are “fully armed” to become “Soldiers of Christ”…This idea that we are “soldiers” is not used anymore in many segments of the Church - Catholic tradition refers to the faithful on earth as "Church Militant” - Those who are engaged in a spiritual battle with the forces of evil…To pretend that evil does not exist and that we are not to battle against it as Catholics is a false narrative that needs to be refuted….Evil and the powers of the world, the flesh and the devil are all around us - But we are not to fear - We have been ‘fully armed” with the Holy Spirit…“Why are you standing there looking at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven” - Its time to get to work! - The battle wages on!……”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

Are you interested in the Truth?

Today at Holy Mass Jesus in the Gospel of St John tells his disciples that he will lead them to the Truth - In fact, the exact words he used were - “But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth”…….That is a very strong statement considering people today believe the truth is relative - You have “Your truth” and I have “My truth”…Jesus today tells us something all together different….The Truth of God is absolute - It can not change - Yet how many people, societies, empires and power-brokers try to do the impossible - Change the Truth - And each time history shows us, they all fail….Because Jesus founded one Church and the Church is divinely inspired, it contains the fullness of Truth…Any person with an honest and objective heart, who searches for the Truth relentlessly will always end up in the same place - The Catholic Church……Many in the Christian world today try to separate Jesus from the Church - This too is impossible!…Jesus is the head and the Church is his body….And to be Catholic is to embrace the Church in all its teachings…One can not live Sacramentally and “pick and choose” what “works” for you when viewing your Catholic faith…And we need to live Sacramentally because we need grace to live as Christ requires us….Without Sacramental grace, there is NO WAY we can live the Truth…Why? - Because of our fallen nature…..Do you believe the Catholic Church contains the fullness of Truth?…That is the question to ponder today…..Jesus today tells us that the Holy Spirit will lead us to “all truth” - What do you think he was talking about when making that statement?…….Remember - Jesus himself said - I AM THE TRUTH….And anyone who follows Christ with an open heart will indeed find the Truth…And in turn become Catholic

“I will ask the Father and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always”

Is our Catholic faith something that is understood by a select few? - Absolutely not!…Being Catholic is actually very simple - We make it complicated…The Truth contained in the Catholic church is all written down - All we have to do is read it…Not to mention, Jesus gave us a Church, which gives us the Sacraments, which enables us to receive grace to live that same Truth - Simple! - Right?…..Over the course of two thousand years Popes have made statements, which at the time were rejected, but in time were to be proven true…….One of those statements was made by Pope Paul VI in 1968 contained in his encyclical Humanae Vitae…In the document Pope Paul stated that contraception was not to be used by Catholic married couples…He also told us what would happen if married couples used contraception…This is what he predicted…..

“A general degradation of sexual morality and an increase in marital infidelity - The loss of respect for their wives as persons on the part of their husbands, and of women in general on the part of men - The decision of some governments to impose population control through contraception, sterilization or abortion on their own people - The tendency of man to wrongly think that he should have an absolute dominion over his (or her) own body, including his procreative powers or those of others”

Sixty years have come and gone since Pope Paul VI wrote Humanae Vitae - So I will ask the question - Was his prediction accurate?…..The Catholic Church contains the fulness of Truth…Each and every person was created to live in the Truth and when we reject Truth, with full knowledge and consent, something inside of us breaks…This is what we see all around us in the world today….Our world has rejected Truth and in rejecting Truth - They reject God…And with that rejection - Society breaks down……But let’s get back to the issue contraception…When Pope Paul VI made these statements about contraception, the world went crazy!…Even members of the clergy - In fact, the Canadian Bishops at the time issued a statement in 1968 called The Winnipeg Statement, which rejected the Popes claim siting this idea of Primacy of Conscience, which states that Catholics when it comes to making choices to use contraception do not have to be guided by the Church, they can use their own conscience - But what if their conscience is not fully formed?….So let me ask the question again…Who was right sixty years later? - Pope Paul VI or the Canadian Bishops?……The consequences of using contraception were told to us by the Pope before they took place, almost to the letter…Does that come as a shock? - It shouldn’t - Know why? - The Catholic Church contains the fullness of Truth…And the Truth will set you free.

"I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth”

Today in the Gospel at Mass Jesus tells us about a word that is debated to this very day - Truth….Ask your self the question - What is the debate all about?…Is it really about the Truth? - Or is it about our rejection of the Truth and people coming up with excuse after excuse as to why they have “better ideas” then God…The famous English intellectual, G.K. Chesterton weighed in on this subject……“The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult; and left untried”……To live the Truth contained in the Gospel and taught by the Catholic Church is IMPOSSIBLE to follow without the assistance of grace…How do we get that grace? - By living Sacramentally, through daily prayer and weekly fasting - When we make those practices apart of our life - We will find that what seemed impossible becomes possible - We will also experience the meaning of what true freedom is - Sin is slavery and only the Truth can set us free……When confronted with the Truth , Pontius Pilate famously asked Jesus  - “What is Truth?”…..And when Jesus rose from the dead, Pilate got his answer….”I am the Way - The Truth - And the Life”……The fullness of Truth is contained in the Catholic Church and to be Catholic is to experience freedom…..We are each called as Catholic to: Know the Truth - Speak the Truth - Live the Truth and And when necessary, suffer for the Truth………..The Truth is not an “idea” - It is a person and only that person can make you free......Are you interested in the Truth?………JMJ

Make good on what was given to you

Today at Holy Mass Jesus in St John’s Gospel talks to us about the Holy Spirit…He refers to it as the “Spirit of Truth….Jesus tells us this……”And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows him”……To live in the Spirit as a Catholic is not something for a select few people who get canonized - Its simply to live in the state of grace…How does one live in the state of grace?…Simple - Go to Confession regularly, once a month as recommended by the saints and receive the Blessed Sacrament once a week at Mass - Simple!…..But how many Baptized Catholics are doing this?…..The answer to our problems as a Church in so many ways is so simple!!!! - And to live in the state of grace is simple…….Now let’s look closer - Notice what Jesus said….”The Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept”…….Why does the world have a problem with God? - Keep this in mind - A person can say they “believe in God” and still be at odds with God and not be in the state of grace - But how? - The answer to this dilemma is - Human Beings want to do things their way - Not God’s way - And that is a dangerous road to walk….Jesus again tells us why in St John’s Gospel….”Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him”…..To be a Christian is more then just “believing in God” - We MUST as Jesus tells us - ”Observes” my commandments - That is the person who really loves me……….Love is an action it is not simply a word….To love someone is to “do” for them……If we are not living in the state of Grace willfully - We are not walking on the path that leads to eternal life - Did you just read that?!? - I will state it again! - If we are willfully, in full knowledge, not in the state of grace we will not enter the Kingdom of God!

“I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me, because I live and you will live”

What is the big deal about confessing your sins to a Priest?….This is a huge obstacle for many people both in the walls of the Catholic Church and outside the walls….God already knows what you did - So why do you have a problem confessing it to a Priest?……For those who do go to Confession regularly, you know that it is a tangible encounter with God…When you leave the Confessional, you feel the Holy Spirit enter your soul in a very real way…..A huge burden is lifted and when we live in this state, we allow the Blessed Sacrament to take root within us when we consume the consecrated Host at Mass - This is how it works! - So simple!…….Confession in the American Catholic Church needs to become what it once was - More available….There was a time when Confessions were heard before every Mass…..In fact, in New York City where I work, to the credit of the clergy, Confession is available just about every day across the enter city……Now sadly at most parishes in America, Confession is made available for only one hour on Saturday……This must change!……To unleash the power of the Holy Spirit - Our people must confess their sins regularly!…..This will open the flood gates of grace - It will turn the “lukewarm” into instruments of the Holy Spirit - And the world will be made anew!

“Then they laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit”

The Gospel of John is a very clear account and today we are told that we must not be Catholic in name alone - We must we “doers” of the word by following the commandments of God - In doing that, the Holy Spirit will fall upon us…..Grace is like rain, it falls from the sky - All we have to do is “put down our umbrella” and allow that Grace to pour down upon us…..Its our pride and sin that get in the way of that Grace - And this is why the Catholic faithful MUST go to confession regularly….To think otherwise is simple foolish…..Its time to get back to basics….Being in the state of Grace is mandatory - Its not optional………If we want to really know what it is like to be Catholic, we must live Sacramental lives and live in the state of grace…This is the ONLY way we impact the world around us…..Are we just “ticking boxes” as Catholics? - Do we say empty words and live in opposition to the words we claim to believe?…….Without the Holy Spirit and the grace of the Sacraments - THERE IS NO WAY! - We can observe the commandments of God - “Did you get that?!?” - Its impossible because of our fallen nature as human beings……We can know all the answers to the test and still fail the test - How? - Because being Catholic is not just about knowing “the answers”, its about LIVING the answers!…..And we can not self manufacture Grace…Our “job” is to get the obstacles out of the way, so the Grace of God can flow down upon us and then through us to the world - Simple - Right?!?………God does the “heavy lifting” - Our job is to “get out of our own way”!…….JMJ

Be patient - In the end - We win!

Today at Holy Mass Jesus in the Gospel of St John again warns his….."I have told you this so that you may not fall away. They will expel you from the synagogues; in fact, the hour is coming when everyone who kills you will think he is offering worship to God. They will do this because they have not known either the Father or me. I have told you this so that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you”……..What is wrong is considered right and what is right is considered wrong….This sad reality has not changed…Jesus Christ did nothing wrong and he had enemies - And those enemies had him put to death - Why? - Because they would not change for one and secondly, Jesus threatened their power - This reality has not changed to this very day….Powerful people are not in “the business” of giving their power away - And frankly “The Truth” is simply an obstacle for them…..But history tells us - As well as our faith - That the Truth can not never be destroyed!…..This is why the Catholic faith has lasted as long as it has….The enemies of the Church are not objective students of history….The Church has been violently persecuted to this very day - And has outlasted all its oppressors…Empires have come and gone - Dictators have come and gone - Violent Ideologies have come and gone…But the Catholic Church remains…It cannot be destroyed!…Why - For one God said so…..”And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it”……Secondly, the Truth is written in the hearts of of all men…We can ignore it, try to “bury it”, twist it…But the Truth is what it is - It remains…..Any objective student of history can see what I just wrote very clearly…This is why when Jesus challenged the first disciples about consuming his very flesh - And many turned away from him - Jesus then asked St Peter if he too would turn away…This is what St Peter said….“Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life”…St Peter understood - There is no other path to eternal life!…….And to “pretend” like there is, frankly is not to live in reality……The Truth will set you free but before that happens we must accept the Truth as it is….We are not at liberty to change what cannot be changed - Never mind defeat what can never be defeated

“The Spirit of truth will testify to me, says the Lord, and you also will testify”

In time, the Truth is always revealed…This statement always proves to be true….We as Catholics need to be more patient….In the short term, the faithful many feel like all is lost - That there is no hope - Be patient!!!……Man has his hour but the Lord will have his day!…….Many times when we are young, we “think” we know it all…Our bodies are strong and we have tons of energy - We also do not know how the world “operates” yet…So we “think” we have all the answers…How many times in your life someone told you something when you were young that at the time made no sense at all - But when you got older, looking back, what that person said made all the sense in the world…It may have been your parents, a teacher, a coach, a police officer - Someone in authority who cared about you - Who tried to help you - But you thought you knew better….One of the greatest revelations of my entire life came to me when I was around twenty-two years old…I tried while I was away at University to live as “the world” told me too - Only to walk away heartbroken in the end…I can remember when I came home from University and seeing my parents and understanding for the first time that they DID know what they were talking about…And I DID NOT….Some people listen to good advice and never have to go through what I did - But sadly, most have to suffer and through their suffering come to understand that God’s way works…And that is exactly what I “figured out” - God’s way is the right way and “my way” does not work…..When we fully “digest” this idea - Life begins - And so does our journey back to God - Its a grace to understand this concept and one can not “read their way” to this grace….Our Lady when Jesus performed his first public miracle said these words…..“Do whatever he tells you”…Mary gives us the same advice today - And its in our best interest to take that advice - And if we choose to ignore it - There is a price to pay, both now and in eternity - That is the Truth and there is nothing anyone can do to change it……God is reality and doing things God’s way works

“Let them praise his name in the festive dance, let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp. For the LORD loves his people, and he adorns the lowly with victory”

Today Jesus in the Gospel at Mass once again warns us - The world is not interested in the Truth and if we as Catholics embrace the fullness of Truth, we will have trouble……But even in the midst of persecution and hardships, living as a Catholic has its advantages…..For one, we are on the right side of history….And history, time and time again proves this to be true…..All the adversaries of the Church are long gone but the Catholic Church remains…..And if we live as Catholics and embrace the Truth in its fullness, we too we remain firm - We will live forever with the Lord in heaven - Nothing the world can “throw at us” can change that…..So let the “wind blow”  - Let the earth shake! - Let the tyrants rant!….There is nothing they can do to take us from the Lord……Remember the words of Jesus as he was confronted by the power of the Roman Empire: “You would have no power over me if it had not been given to you from above”………”This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again”……Catholics should never live in fear - We need to live the Truth boldly - And if the gates of hell fall upon us - Fear not - Jesus walks with us…..The Truth will prevail……..”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”……..Be patient - In the end - We win!……JMJ

God does the “heavy lifting” - Our job is to “get out of our own way”!

Today at Holy Mass Jesus in St John’s Gospel talks to us about the Holy Spirit…He refers to it as the “Spirit of Truth….Jesus tells us this……”And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows him”……To live in the Spirit as a Catholic is not something for a select few people who get canonized - Its simply to live in the state of grace…How does one live in the state of grace?…Simple - Go to Confession regularly, once a month as recommended by the saints and receive the Blessed Sacrament once a week at Mass - Simple!…..But how many Baptized Catholics are doing this?…..The answer to our problems as a Church in so many ways is so simple!!!! - And to live in the state of grace is simple…….Now let’s look closer - Notice what Jesus said….”The Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept”…….Why does the world have a problem with God? - Keep this in mind - A person can say they “believe in God” and still be at odds with God and not be in the state of grace - But how? - The answer to this dilemma is - Human Beings want to do things their way - Not God’s way - And that is a dangerous road to walk….Jesus again tells us why in St John’s Gospel….”Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him”…..To be a Christian is more then just “believing in God” - We MUST as Jesus tells us - ”Observes” my commandments - That is the person who really loves me……….Love is an action it is not simply a word….To love someone is to “do” for them……If we are not living in the state of Grace willfully - We are not walking on the path that leads to eternal life - Did you just read that?!? - I will state it again! - If we are willfully, in full knowledge, not in the state of grace we will not enter the Kingdom of God!

“I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me, because I live and you will live”

What is the big deal about confessing your sins to a Priest?….This is a huge obstacle for many people both in the walls of the Catholic Church and outside the walls….God already knows what you did - So why do you have a problem confessing it to a Priest?……For those who do go to Confession regularly, you know that it is a tangible encounter with God…When you leave the Confessional, you feel the Holy Spirit enter your soul in a very real way…..A huge burden is lifted and when we live in this state, we allow the Blessed Sacrament to take root within us when we consume the consecrated Host at Mass - This is how it works! - So simple!…….Confession in the American Catholic Church needs to become what it once was - More available….There was a time when Confessions were heard before every Mass…..In fact, in New York City where I work, to the credit of the clergy, Confession is available just about every day across the enter city……Now sadly at most parishes in America, Confession is made available for only one hour on Saturday……This must change!……To unleash the power of the Holy Spirit - Our people must confess their sins regularly!…..This will open the flood gates of grace - It will turn the “lukewarm” into instruments of the Holy Spirit - And the world will be made anew!

“Then they laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit”

The Gospel of John is a very clear account and today we are told that we must not be Catholic in name alone - We must we “doers” of the word by following the commandments of God - In doing that, the Holy Spirit will fall upon us…..Grace is like rain, it falls from the sky - All we have to do is “put down our umbrella” and allow that Grace to pour down upon us…..Its our pride and sin that get in the way of that Grace - And this is why the Catholic faithful MUST go to confession regularly….To think otherwise is simple foolish…..Its time to get back to basics….Being in the state of Grace is mandatory - Its not optional………If we want to really know what it is like to be Catholic, we must live Sacramental lives and live in the state of grace…This is the ONLY way we impact the world around us…..Are we just “ticking boxes” as Catholics? - Do we say empty words and live in opposition to the words we claim to believe?…….Without the Holy Spirit and the grace of the Sacraments - THERE IS NO WAY! - We can observe the commandments of God - “Did you get that?!?” - Its impossible because of our fallen nature as human beings……We can know all the answers to the test and still fail the test - How? - Because being Catholic is not just about knowing “the answers”, its about LIVING the answers!…..And we can not self manufacture Grace…Our “job” is to get the obstacles out of the way, so the Grace of God can flow down upon us and then through us to the world - Simple - Right?!?………God does the “heavy lifting” - Our job is to “get out of our own way”!…….JMJ

We stand in “good company” - The company of the saints - So rejoice

Today at Holy Mass Jesus warns his disciples in the Gospel of St John …."If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you. Remember the word I spoke to you, 'No slave is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you”…We read this passage over and over again but we resist it…Why? - Because deep down all human beings want to belong…We want to be apart of “the club”….You witness this reality in young children at school in the cafeteria as far as where they sit and eat - The “cliques” they create, belong to and exclude others from joining…..And this reality does not change as we develop into adulthood - It looks different but the concept stays the same….To fully embrace Jesus Christ and the Truth of the Catholic Church will make you an "outlier" in society - There are no two ways about it…..The secular world not only does not embrace the Truth, it out right rejects it…Why? - For one, it isolates a person from the “crowd” and secondly, it usually makes one have less material wealth…..No one “gets paid” in Fortune 500 corporations for being virtuous - Now that does not mean everyone who works at a Fortune 500 company is a “bad person” but it does mean we are not rewarded for embracing the fullness of Truth - And because of that - People reject Truth for material gain and social status - Let’s just be honest…..And this is where the “rubber meets the road” when it comes to being Catholic - This is how you separate the “sheep from the goats”….A Catholic knows who he or she truly is deep down - We are children of God! - The desire for social status and material wealth mean very little - They do not define who a Catholic is - Therefore, Catholics do not “sell their soul” for them….And that too will make you an "outlier" in society….Jesus today warns us of this reality and if we authentically want to follow him - We must embrace this reality - Because it is reality!

“If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God”

I work as a Compliance Officer for a large European Bank…..I am the father of five children and two of my children were born during the COVID global epidemic…..When my fifth children was born, I was fifty-one years old….My fourth child was just born and because of that I waited to tell my manager one month before the birth of my fifth child (Maria)……Now my manager makes a lot of money!…He could afford to have ten children!!!! - Keep this in mind….And when I told him my wife and I were expecting our fifth child and me being fifty-one years old - This was his response, “Joe - YOU ARE CRAZY”…..This is the reaction of the secular world to a Catholic marriage….A marriage that does not use contraception and is open to life - That does not embrace materialism…..As Catholics we must ask ourself - Are we willing to be that "outlier" in society? - Or do we “go along to get along”…..This is in a sense what Jesus warns us about today in St John’s Gospel….."If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world”…..Do we want to be apart of “the club” that celebrates secular values, which ultimately destroy us?…Or do we embrace Truth, which leads to authentic peace and joy here on earth and life in heaven for all eternity?….…This is the choice that stand before us……”See, I have today set before you life and good, death and evil. If you obey the commandments of the LORD, your God, which I am giving you today, loving the LORD, your God, and walking in his ways, and keeping his commandments, statutes and ordinances, you will live and grow numerous, and the LORD, your God, will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. If, however, your heart turns away and you do not obey, but are led astray and bow down to other gods and serve them, I tell you today that you will certainly perish; you will not have a long life on the land which you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess”….Many in the world today believe they can have it “both ways” - It does not work that way!…..We can not serve two masters - We will love one and hate the other - Jesus himself tells us that…..Its time to make a choice and pick up our Cross!!! - Its our Cross that leads us to eternal life, not being apart of the “crowd”, which clamors and derides us for embracing the Truth……Choose Life - “Be in the world but not of the world” - And if that means being persecuted - So be it!

“Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands; serve the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful song”

Today St John in the Gospel at Mass communicates an “inconvenient truth” - If we follow Jesus as we were called to as Catholics - The world will reject us….Our people do not like to think about this - In fact, many try to evade this reality as much as they can….While we clearly do not want to be disliked by some segments of society, the reality of the mater is, it cannot be avoided….The world rejects the Truth and if you embrace the Truth - The world will reject YOU!….Are you ok with that?…Because YOU have to be!…Its part of being a disciple - It comes with the “territory” of being a Catholic…..Because of this, Jesus tells us the following…..”Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you”………We stand in “good company” - The company of the saints - So rejoice…………JMJ