“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