”Because without me you can do nothing!”

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the Gospel of St Luke how Jesus returns to his home town and the people reject him….In his return, he reads a prophetic statement in the synagogue, written by the Prophet Isaiah…Keep this in mind, these were pious Jewish, they were fully versed in the law of Moses and what the Prophet Isaiah had taught…Yet they did not “see” what was standing right before their very eyes!…..”The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord”…….Who do you think Jesus was referring too when he mentions “bringing glad tidings to the poor”?….Was it the material poor of his day?…..”For you know the gracious act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that for your sake he became poor although he was rich, so that by his poverty you might become rich”……..”The poor” he is addressing is YOU and ME - Its all of humanity!!!….And to live without God makes us “poor” - No matter who you are or how many “gifts” you “think” you possess!….Humanity is not convinced of its own poverty - That without the grace of God we can do nothing!…This is why God the Father sent his son to the human race - To restore what was broken - What is broken? - YOU and ME!….The minute you think you have “everything together” is the minute the devil will strike!….Mankind was made to live Sacramentally - Why? - Because humanity is “poor” - We are all “sick”…And the Sacraments are “the medicine” for the world…This is why it is ESSENTIAL to live Sacramentally - This is why Jesus established a Church, which is the “field hospital” for the entire world…Sadly, the secular world does not believe itself to be “sick” and in need of “this divine medicine”….Understand something right now - There is no way you can live as Jesus Christ asks us to live without Sacramental grace!!!! - NO WAY - NOT A CHANCE - EVEN ON YOUR BEST DAY!……Do you view yourself as “poor”?….Jesus tells us in St John’s Gospel…"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”…..This one sentence is arguably one of the most important sentences in the entire Bible…..”Because without me you can do nothing!”

“I did not come with sublimity of words or of wisdom. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified”

Our world has an “authority” problem…We do not like to be told what to do….Not even by God….Jesus Christ gave authority to Peter, who was the first Pope and that same authority rests in the Church and the Pope today……And when we do things “God’s way”, we bear fruit….Jesus was a carpenter and one day he literally told Peter how to fish….Peter could have said to his friend, “Listen, you are a carpenter and I am a fisherman - I know what I am doing!”…But that is not what happened…..”Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Simon said in reply, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.” When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them. They came and filled both boats so that they were in danger of sinking. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man”….Peter did not “understand” how he caught all those fish, in many ways, catching all those fish “made no sense” - But it happened….I often reflect on this story….We do not have to “understand” everything - That is our “problem” - We “think we know everything”….Our role is to obey!…You say “lower your nets” - That is exactly what I am going to do - Lower the nets!….Live your Catholic faith knowing that you are a poor sinner….Let’s not “pretend” that we “see” - Because we do not….Allow God to sanctify you through obedience….Speaking personally - When things do not go the way “I planned” and I get frustrated - I am learning to say - “OK God”……We do not know the mind of God - And we have no authority!!!!….Maybe its time to simply do as St Peter did…..“Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets”…..Why? - ”Because without me you can do nothing!”

“I came to you in weakness and fear and much trembling, and my message and my proclamation were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of spirit and power, so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God”

Today in the Gospel, Jesus addresses his people - Keeping in mind - These were very “religious” people…Yet they did not “see” God, who was standing right in front of them….So many today claim to “see”….”They know everything!”….The reality of the matter is - We are all poor sinners….We are all in need of grace….How do we get this grace?…..Frequent Confession (once a month) - Pray the Rosary Daily - Receive the Blessed Sacrament in the state of grace as often as one can…..Stop “thinking” that you know the mind of God - Because YOU do not…Are you open to the Holy Spirit? - Throughout the two thousand year history of the Church, God has “surprised” the faithful many times…We see this in the life of the many saints, who did not always “conform” to what people wanted to see and hear….Yet, these saints changed the world and impacted the Church…..In St Luke’s Gospel today, Jesus addresses the people of his home town - And they reject him….”They knew it all”….Do we do the same thing?……“Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place. Indeed, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah when the sky was closed for three and a half years and a severe famine spread over the entire land. It was to none of these that Elijah was sent, but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon. Again, there were many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha the prophet; yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury. They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong”….I got some “news” for you - You do not know the mind of God…..”Because without me you can do nothing!”……..JMJ

Are you willing to be “last” in order to be first?

Today at Holy Mass Jesus tells his friends that he will suffer and die…and be raised on the third day…..Stop and think about that for a moment…If someone seriously said that to you right now - How would you react?….Yes, Jesus performed many miracles - Yes, Jesus spoke with authority and great wisdom…..But now he welcomes death and will come back to life!!!!!…..Jesus Christ was the world’s GREATEST revolutionary…..Not just by what he said - But by what he did……Was it because the twelve disciples recognized the revolutionary spirit in Jesus that they believed him?….Let’s be honest - The twelve disciples were utterly confused - Many times I will add…Jesus was a mystery to them…Yet they followed him anyway and all but St John gave their life for Christ…No one gives their life away for a lie….So what “pulled them” towards such a radical commitment?….The Truth is within each human soul - We all have a natural pull towards it and when it is spoken, even if we have committed our life in the opposite direction, when the Truth is spoken or seen we recognize it…This is why King Herod, the man who murdered John the Baptist liked to listen to what John had to say….If this is true, and it is, what keeps the world from following Christ today?……We get our answer from St Peter today in the Gospel……”Then Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him, "God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you”…Peter was a good man - But he did not want to suffer - And neither do we!……Just as each of us have the indelible mark of God implanted within our heart as a result of our Baptism - We reject suffering and tend to want to be comfortable…..Jesus knowing this very human quality addresses it in his exchange with St Peter today….."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”…This is the ONLY path to heaven….Do not be deceived - or deceive yourself….Only by and through grace can we live in this manner…..This is why Jesus established a Church and if we live outside the state of Sacramental grace - We will “chase” after comfort and reject the Cross….”The Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak”….To deny ones self is an act of the will….And grace fortifies the human will, perfects our broken human nature and allows us to share in the divine life…..One last thing - There is no such thing as “cheap grace”

“May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ enlighten the eyes of our hearts, that we may know what is the hope that belongs to our call”

Married Catholics are called to be open to life - That means no contraception….And that usually means, barring some natural medical physical impediment on the part of one of the spouses, the couple will have numerous children…..My wife and I committed our marriage to life and have given birth to eight children, three died in my wife’s womb and we are currently rising five - Thanks be to God!….The world sees the pictures on social media….But do people realize just how hard it is to raise numerous children in this world?….The pictures on social media do not tell that story….The sleepless nights - The house that is always a mess - Homework to be done after a hard days work….Running around all day Saturday like a mad man….I could go on and on….This is why secular married couples, who have money I will add, are not interested in such a life…..But this is exactly why Pope Paul VI wrote in 1968, at the height of the Sexual Revolution, the famous encyclical Humanae Vitae…..When a couple is open to life and has many children, they naturally “die to themself” and in doing so God animates their life in a very real and powerful way - Caring for their many children sanctifies them…..The Church in her wisdom “baked this in” to the vocation of marriage….We can not claim to follow Christ and live a selfish life….Whether a Bishop, a Priest, a married couple or single Catholic….If we are not committed to a life lived for others, pouring our life out daily, we are simply deceiving our self into thinking that we are authentic disciples of Jesus Christ…Being Catholic is not an “academic pursuit” as if we are studying the natural sciences…Catholicism is a lifestyle…..”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”…These are the words of Jesus Christ - Not some University professor!!!!…..Do we understand what those words that means!?! - More importantly are we living those words out daily?!?…The road to eternal life is narrow - So get on that narrow road!…..And do not be deceived…..Does not matter your vocation…..Whether a Bishop, a Priest, a married couple or single…God called you to “give your life way”….Hear “the call” - And get to it!

“Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect”

Today St Peter and Jesus have a conversation in the Gospel….And the conversation is rather shocking….On the surface, many people could say that Peter was just being a “good friend” to Jesus…..Jesus tells him he will be murdered by an angry crowd and Peter being his friend says…"God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you”….Makes sense - Right?!?…..Not to God….."Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do”…..Sadly, human suffering is apart of every human life….And if we choose to follow Jesus Christ as a Catholic, our life will not be easy - Let’s just be honest…But if we choose to follow Christ, we get much more then “comfort”…We get deep peace and lasting joy - “The pearl of great price”…And we cannot have it both ways - "You cannot serve God and mammon" - So don’t be deceived or deceive your self…..”Everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal life…….But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first”…..Are you willing to be “last” in order to be first?…..JMJ

”Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own”

Today the Universal Church commemorates the Passion of Saint John the Baptist……John was a man cloaked in Truth…He lived an austere life of prayer and fasting, which prepared him to accomplish his task…What was his task?….To be a living witness of the Truth….The Servant of God Fr John Hardon put it best…”A Catholic must know the Truth; Speak the Truth; Live the Truth and be willing to suffer for the Truth”…..Each of us fall somewhere within that statement….But to fully embody what Fr Hardon stated, we too must be like John the Baptist, a people of deep prayer and fasting…Many people “talk a good game”….They know what the Church teaches and some even have the courage to speak it - But are you willing to suffer for it?….What if it meant taking your livelihood? - Reducing you to poverty…..What if it meant you becoming an outcast?……What if it meant going to prison?….And what if you were called to pay the ultimate sacrifice and give your life for the Truth - Would you do it?….The answer to all those questions, if we were honest is, we do not know how we would react if such choices were presented to us - Once again - People “talk a good game”….But one thing I do know, if you do not live as John the Baptist lived, steeped in prayer and fasting - There is NO WAY you will suffer for the Truth when “push comes to shove”…….Its very easy to “go along to get along”……And part of the problem is, far too many take this road….The road of being viewed as “respectable”….Was Jesus viewed as “respectable” by the status quo of his day?……We can all talk a BIG GAME but…"Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head”……The Church in her wisdom today honors John the Baptist rightfully - But how will we personally honor John’s life?….Let’s start by detaching from the world…We do that by fasting regularly….Do we pray the Rosary every day?…Do we pray with our spouse and children each day?….Do we make time to sit before the Blessed Sacrament?…Do we live Sacramentally?…..This is what we can learn from John the Baptist….Before we claim we too would die for Christ - As St Peter did the night before Jesus would be crucified…….."Even though I should have to die with you, I will not deny you" - Let’s start with dying to ourself first….Because without daily prayer and fasting, history will repeat itself once again….."Cock-a-doodle-doo"

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven”

As a Catholic there are certain jobs we can not take - Even if we are qualified for them…I learned that early on in my working career after I graduated with my Master in Business (MBA)…Some jobs require a person to deceive others for money and if you are not willing to do this - YOU ARE OUT…This is reality and this also means making less money in this world - This means watching your peers “pass you by”…This means being viewed by some to not be successful….….Growing up in New Jersey one of my childhood friend’s father embodied such a man - A man of God in many ways - A man steeped in prayer and the Word of God…Richard Williams was a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, the The Wharton School, the world's oldest and one of the most prestigious collegiate business schools to be exact…Believe it or not, he was also a two time All American Soccer goalie!….During his early twenties Rich gave his life to Christ and moved to Iceland with his wife because at the time Iceland had one of the lowest percentage of Christians in the world…..Rich and his wife Pat lived there as missionaries for ten years …When he came back to America, he took a job teaching English as a second language in Paterson New Jersey, for those who know New Jersey, Paterson is a very poor city….The William’s family never owned a home, they rented, they were not poor but clearly they were not a family of means…..Richard Williams had it all!!!!…He was brilliant, a great athlete, strong physically and handsome…Men like this with Ivy League degrees run companies…Not Rich - He used his talents to serve the poor of Paterson….Not to long ago Richard Williams died and I attended his funeral..At the service I reconnected with old friends and I recall hearing someone say…”I never knew Rich went to the University of Pennsylvania - He never told me that”….That statement did not surprise me in the least, knowing Rich as I did…..Think now for a moment about the choice John the Baptist made to live as he did - John could have had a very different life - I am sure he was very gifted…Instead, “John wore clothing made of camel’s hair and had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey”…..John the Baptist made a choice…..So did Richard Williams…..Each of us too must make a choice…..To know the Truth; Speak the Truth; Live the Truth and be willing to suffer for the Truth”…..And Talk is cheap......And this is why only saints change the world….Saints do their “talking” with their lives

“Rather, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong, and God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something, so that no human being might boast before God”

Why is John the Baptist so important for the Catholic Church to honor him the way it does today?…..For many reasons….Jesus himself said…”Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he”…..John the Baptist prepared the world for the coming of Jesus Christ….He was a great prophet…He was fearless…We heard about John’s life today at Mass, read to us in the Gospel - But do we somehow think we are not to do the same thing as John?…Each Baptized Catholic is called to live and speak prophetically - We accomplish this task by living Sacramentally, praying daily and fasting regularly - If we DO NOT do those things - We will not accomplish what each of us was born to do!…To be a prophet simply means you are a person steeped in Truth and your life bears witness to the Truth…We may not be called to give our physical life as John the Baptist did, but I think its safe to say that Catholics are also not meant to “go along to get along” in our culture today….Do we “stand out” or do “we go along”?….John the Baptist “stood out” and it cost him his head - Literally!….”Standing out” will cost YOU something too - Don’t think for a moment that it won’t........”Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own”……JMJ

We must learn to “get out of our own way"!

Today at Holy Mass in the first reading St Paul gives a message to the Corinthians who I am sure were impressed by the words of St Paul…Paul assures them that his words have nothing to do with “human eloquence” but are rooted in the the Cross of Christ…What does that mean?….As human beings, even the best of human beings, we can NEVER understand the depths of the love of Jesus Christ, who was PERFECT in every way and who lowered himself to live the life of a poor man and to die as brutally as he did for the life of the world…..No one baring his Holy Mother can understand this great mystery….But Paul knew enough to know that there is GREAT POWER in sacrifice….And St Paul “tapped in” to that power by living sacrificially…..As Catholics we can “tap in” to that power too……..Remember this - God can not “fill us” with his LIFE if we are full of ourselves!….The “cup” MUST become empty in order for “milk” to be poured into it….What does this mean?…It means we as Catholics MUST live sacrificial lives…When we willing give our life away….The power of the Holy Spirit WILL animate our life…..How do we do this?….Give of your time to others - Share your wealth and live simply - Have many children - Fast regularly…All these practices detach us from the world and allow the grace of the Sacraments to penetrate deeply into our soul…This is the POWER that St Paul is telling the Corinthians about today….If you have ever been in the presence of a very holy person and that person was addressing a room of people, you will notice how the crowd seems almost mesmerized by the words of such a person….St Luke tells us about this phenomena - “Jesus then went down to Capernaum, a town of Galilee. He taught them on the sabbath, and they were astonished at his teaching because he spoke with authority”……..If we want to make the Catholic faith known to the world…We MUST allow the Holy Spirit into our lives…That is where the POWER comes from……For that to happen - We must first become empty vessels

“Where is the wise one? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made the wisdom of the world foolish?”

If you are interested in seeing what I just described above - “Google” when Mother Teresa addressed President Bill Clinton and his Vice President Al Gore and spoke about abortion at the American National Prayer Breakfast in 1994…..The people in the room were “mesmerized” by the words of Mother Teresa….Why? - Many of these people were pro-abortion advocates - How could Mother Teresa’s words impact them?…….For the very reason St Paul spoke about today in his message to the Corinthians….”Brothers and sisters: Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the Gospel, and not with the wisdom of human eloquence, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its meaning. The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God”…Holy people stop traffic!…..They are impossible to ignore…..What keeps us all from becoming holy?…We are not willing to “empty the cup” of our lives, so God can pour his Holy Spirit into us…..Mother Teresa was willing to “go there” - And that is where her POWER came from…..Jesus “shocked people”…..Story after story in the New Testament tell us how Jesus “broke down established social barriers”…As Catholics we too can have such an impact…We must be willing to “go there”……John the Baptist said it best…”He must increase; I must decrease”…Are you willing to “go there”?

“For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength”

Today St Paul is addressing a crowd of people that placed great importance on human wisdom…The Corinthian culture was grounded in the achievements of Ancient Greece…St Paul, who was an educated man did not “hang his hat” on his cultivated intelligence, he relied on the Holy Spirit to work through him to effectively address the sophisticated Corinthians….Paul possessed the Holy Spirit because like other saints, Paul recklessly emptied himself, allowing God to animate his heart and soul…Paul did not “hold back”….Sadly most people do - And when we “hold back”, we sell ourselves short…..God has so much to give to us but in order for us to receive it - We must learn to “get out of our own way”!…..JMJ

“Stay awake!”…Why?…..”For you do not know on which day your Lord will come”

Today at Holy Mass in the Gospel of St Matthew, the message is VERY clear…..“Stay awake!”…Why?…..”For you do not know on which day your Lord will come”……Again, why must we be so vigilant of that day?…Because on the day of the Lord’s return - He will judge the world - That means he will judge each of us!…..I believe a driving reason why people do not think about the importance of “Staying Awake” is - We no longer need a “savior”…Let me re-phrase that…For many - We need God only when “things go bad” in our life…And as soon as they normalize - We forget God again and go about our business and “do our thing”…..Americans no longer fear hell because the devil has convinced our people that there is no such thing as sin…..”You do you”….”It’s all good”….”I am a good person”…These are the phrases and slogans we hear today that are promoted in the culture…But I can assure you - These are not the standards that God will judge the world…Even many who “know” that Christ will return…They “block out” of their mind, rationalizing away bad choices to avoid changing their life….This is why St Matthew warns us today…..“Stay awake!”…..If we were to step back and contemplate the patience of God the Father, we would all fall on our knees in thanksgiving!!!!….The patience of God is beyond human understanding….With that said…Time does run out…Always be prepared - Have your “house in order” - Living in the state of grace is not an option……Jesus Christ will one day return….."Stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand”……When that day comes….The current -  ”You do You” - slogan of today will not carry too much weight.

“Who, then, is the faithful and prudent servant, whom the master has put in charge of his household to distribute to them their food at the proper time?”

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, every Baptized Catholic must go to a Sacramental Confession at least once in a calendar year (Canon 989 and CCC 1457). Why is going to confession important?…Because if we do not “clear away” our sins (most especially our mortal sins), even if we go to Mass and receive the Blessed Sacrament, the Eucharist will not effectively animate our life…In fact, if we receive the Blessed Sacrament outside of the state of grace, that is a mortal sin as defined by the Church and Scripture….Now….Let’s look at some recent statistics…..According to the Pew Research Center……23% of US Catholics go to confession at least once a year……47% of Catholics say they never go to confession…..Among weekly Mass attendees, 53% go to confession at least once a year……Let’s break these statistics down further….Roughly 29% of U.S. Catholics go to Mass at least once a week………And approximately 20% of the American population is Catholic…..Let’s now draw some conclusions based upon our data….One in five Americans are Catholic….Of that twenty percent of America, roughly only one in three attend Mass on Sunday and of this group, half go to confession once a year…..That reality should terrify us!!!…How can we possible be ready for the Lord’s return looking at these numbers?….Not to mention, when a person lives outside the state of grace - They are blinded by sin and their will is not fortified to resist sin…That is also noted in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 405 & CCC 406)….To live outside of grace, a person is at a HUGE disadvantage in life and based upon this data, most of America, even Baptized Catholics live in this disadvantage state….So today the message of the Gospel of St Matthew SHOULD serve as a warning….“Stay awake!”…Why?…..”For you do not know on which day your Lord will come”

“But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is long delayed,’ and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eat and drink with drunkards, the servant’s master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour and will punish him severely and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.”

The statistics I noted above, I did not make up!…With that said, what is the Church doing about addressing this?…As a father of five children, if my children were in mortal danger, I would “drop everything” and do whatever I could to save them…Is this the mentality among the “remnant” today?….Think about for a moment the lengthens by which Jesus Christ went out of his way to save us from our sins - Do we view humanity, as disillusioned as it currently is in the same way?…..”As he drew near, he saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If this day you only knew what makes for peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. For the days are coming upon you when your enemies will raise a palisade against you; they will encircle you and hem you in on all sides. They will smash you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave one stone upon another within you because you did not recognize the time of your visitation”

“Stay awake!”…Why?…..”For you do not know on which day your Lord will come”…..JMJ

You will be shocked at just how many “ripples” in the water you make

Today at Holy Mass in the first reading, St Paul instructs his friends….”For you know how one must imitate us. For we did not act in a disorderly way among you, nor did we eat food received free from anyone. On the contrary, in toil and drudgery, night and day we worked, so as not to burden any of you. Not that we do not have the right. Rather, we wanted to present ourselves as a model for you, so that you might imitate us”…People believe what they see…You can say everything right and if people do not see God in you - They will NOT believe a word you say….How do we project Christ then to others? - The answer to that question centers itself upon our interior life…Change comes from the inside out…Before we “change the world” - We must first change ourself - And that takes time, sacrifice and effort….God’s grace works in us when we permit it too….We must fully cooperate with God….And then God will slowly change us…And then those around us will be impacted by what they see - And then they will listen to your words….The witness of sacrificial love is a powerful witness…This was what “changed” Dismas, who is known in Catholic circles as “the good thief”…..I would bet that Dismiss was a “hard man”….He had “been around the block” as we say in New Jersey….Do you “think” Christ words “changed” him - My bet is, it was not Christ words that did it - It was Christ actions….Even the hardest of hearts recognize authentic sacrificial love…And this is what separates the “sheep” from the “goats”….”Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it”…To live in this manner requires a deep interior life…Build your life from the inside out…..Remember - People believe what they see

“Whoever keeps the word of Christ, the love of God is truly perfected in him”

We all know that Jesus gave his life for the sins of the world…He sacrificed everything…What about us?….What have we sacrificed in our life and why did we do it?….A man and a woman who marry and are open to life speak “loudly” to the secular unbelieving world around them….As we all know, our world today is not open to life…Most people use contraception and seeing large families today is very rare….But when people do see a large family - They do not have to be a biblical scholar to understand that a deep sacrifice was made by that couple……And when a Catholic married couple live and sacrifice in the manner that the Church asks them too - They grow close to God….Before God can “fill us” with his Holy Spirit - We must first willing empty ourself - We do that by loving the way Jesus loved - Sacrificially….Years ago I saw a Catholic couple at Mass who had many children…..The husband looked like he was “rolled down a hill”…..And his wife was heavily pregnant - They both looked so tired!!!!…The sight of that couple and their many children to this very day is burned into my mind…They never said one word to me, yet, their witness “spoke very loudly”….If Catholics want to “change the world” and convince others that what the Church teaches is true - People MUST see the witness of sacrificial love by the way we live and the choices we make…This goes for Bishops, Priests and Lay Catholics in the pews….No one will believe a single word you say, unless they see a life of sacrifice, lived out in real time for others by us….Jesus as we all know - “Became poor so we can one day become rich”….This is what “changed” Dismas on the cross next to Jesus….Dismiss “saw” the Truth and what he saw changed him

“Whoever keeps the word of Christ, the love of God is truly perfected in him”

Today St Paul tells us, as he did his friends two thousand years ago….Actions speak louder then words…..And if we want our actions to be Christ-like, then we MUST work on our interior life, making it our number one priority…Do you pray every day?….Do you fast every week?….Do you make time to sit before the Blessed Sacrament in silence each week?…Do you do to Confession once a month?…Do you pray the Rosary every day?…Do you receive the Blessed Sacrament as frequently as possible at Mass in the state of grace?…What we do with our time and money tells the world what we are all about…If we really want to impact the world around us - Then we will prioritize the “things of heaven”….Saints are not made in one day - And only saints change the world……One stone thrown into a still pond makes many ripples in the water….Cooperate with God and become that stone and allow God to “throw you” into that pond….You will be shocked at just how many “ripples” in the water you make…JMJ

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

Today at Holy Mass in the first reading St Paul instructs his friends…..Do not get distracted…”We ask you, brothers and sisters, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our assembling with him, not to be shaken out of your minds suddenly, or to be alarmed either by a “spirit,” or by an oral statement, or by a letter allegedly from us to the effect that the day of the Lord is at hand. Let no one deceive you in any way. To this end he has also called you through our Gospel to possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught, either by an oral statement or by a letter of ours”…How easy it is to “get lost” in the “things” of this world…..While we as Catholics are called to live in the world - We are also called to not be “of the world” - What does that mean? - It means we are not “attached” to “things”….Clearly we need “things” to live - We need a home to keep the rain off our heads - We need a car to get around - We need cloths on our backs to keep us warm…But even the simplest of “things” can become distractions…This is why fasting weekly is essential….It not only sharpens our prayer life but it also serves as a reminder that material things are nothing more then “things”…..The same goes for ideologies and politics…How easy we can fall into the trap of forming our identity around “causes” and forget the Gospel Message in the process….The devil is very smart….And small temptations lead to big sins - Our world today takes this reality for granted and gets “swallowed up alive” as a result…..Only grace fortifies the human will - Only grace gives us “eyes to see” - Only grace elevates our human nature to live as Jesus asked of us to live in the Gospel…..This requires constant vigilance….When we “unplug” from God, we are easily fooled - Most of all, we “fool” ourselves……And the minute you “think” you could never be fooled - Is the very minute the devil smiles and knows he has you right where he wants you.

“The word of God is living and effective, able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart”

Over the years my wife and I incorporated weekly fasting into our routine…..On Wednesdays I fast for the Church - On Thursdays I fast for my family - On Friday I fast because Jesus suffered and died……Fasting is a forgotten practice of our Catholic faith that must again be utilized….A friend of mine told me this story about fasting from sleep….My friend John was a very intelligent young man…He came from a devout Catholic home and when he went to college, he lost his faith…When his father heard about this, he was deeply troubled…Instead of lecturing John - His father woke up in the middle of every night, got down on his knees and prayed for his son…John knew this was going on and as time went by - God’s grace once again came into John’s heart…Not only did he return to the faith, John founded a Catholic apostolate called the “Blue Collar Catholic” that utilized both radio and television - John is now a man of deep faith and is known all over the state of Alabama as well as America….Getting back to my wife and I and our weekly fasts….For a time I would go “crazy” when I saw liturgical abuses in the Church…The news of these abuses would “steal my peace”…So I decided to channel all my frustrations into my Wednesday fast….And in time I no longer got as aggravated with things I had no control over, I also did not lose my peace over liturgical abuses I heard / read about in the news….Striving to be “detached” from material things and events we have no control over is very important….These things “get in the way” of our relationship with God….And the devil knows how to “push our buttons”….Many times we do not even realize just how far we are from God when we are fixated on “things”

“Blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may be clean”

Today St Paul reminds us - Focus!!!! - As Catholics living in the world, we know just how hectic life can become…We are pulled in many different directions, we have responsibilities to take care of, we must work to pay the bills…I “get it”….As all this goes on, the devil prowls and plots!…The devil knows us better then we know our selves…This is why we MUST make time for daily prayer…This is why we must fast each week to learn the virtue of detachment…This is why we MUST live in the state of grace by living Sacramentally……….”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. So stand fast with your loins girded in truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate”…..The “battle” is VERY real and it rages all around us - Most of all - It rages within our own hearts….”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

“For your yoke is easy and your burden is light”

Today at Holy Mass in the Gospel of St John we hear how Jesus encountered Nathanael……It was almost like Jesus could read Nathanael’s heart - Because he could!….The same goes for us….Think for a moment about people you know - Some hear the Gospel proclaimed - They hear the Truth! - And they outright reject it….Why?….How?….Because they are dead set in their sin - And they REFUSE to change their life - And as a result - The Truth “bounces” off them like a rubber ball….Conversely, if a person is objectively and honestly searching for the Truth - They ALWAYS end up in the same place - The Catholic Church….Remember the words of Jesus - I am the Way - The TRUTH - And the Life…When a person is honestly searching for the Truth - They ALWAYS find Christ!….What gets in the way of the search? - Our sins!….This is why John the Baptist said these words…REPENT and BELIEVE in the Gospel - In that order!…If you do not repent - You will not believe in the Gospel - Why? - Because your sins are impediment to you believing……..Nathanael was very quick to follow Jesus….Why? - His heart was true and he honestly was in search for the Truth - And because of that - He found it!……”Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, "Here is a true child of Israel. There is no duplicity in him." Nathanael said to him, "How do you know me?" Jesus answered and said to him, "Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree." Nathanael answered him, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel." Jesus answered and said to him, "Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this." And he said to him, "Amen, amen, I say to you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man”…….Do we have a “teachable spirit”?…..Is God able to “change your mind”?….Just because we “believe” some secular ideology to be right - Does not mean its right…What if you are confronted with the Truth and the Truth contradicts your life-style? - Are you willing to change?

“Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel”

Edith Stein was an intellectual raised in a Jewish home and later in her life she became an atheist….One day she picked up a book about the life of St Teresa of Avila and read the book all night out of boredom…When she finished the book, all she said was - “This is the Truth”…And that book led Edith Stein to become Catholic…She also eventually became a Carmelite nun and died as a martyr for the faith during the Nazi occupation of Germany….Today the world knows her as Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross…How can a person go from being Jewish - To an atheist - To becoming a Catholic nun and a martyr?….My guess is - Edith Stein was an honest seeker of the Truth and when she heard it - In her heart she knew it!…Jesus tells us in the Gospel of St John - “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me”…What is it about “the sheep” that follow Jesus that makes them different from the others that “do not hear” the Truth in the words of Christ?…Its their heart - Their heart is not “clouded” with lies, an “agenda” and sin - They are open to change - Their worldly “attachments” do not mean to them more the Truth they are in search of…..I can remember when I was in my twenties…I would go once a month to hear lectures by a famous Franciscan Priest who founded a religious order in New York City…His name was Fr Benedict Groeschel CFR…I had been raised Catholic and went to Catholic Schools - But I NEVER heard anyone talk like he did…And I was attracted to what he had to say……Why? - Because it was the TRUTH…There was something in my heart that knew it was the Truth….As Catholics, we too must NEVER be afraid to speak the Truth in all its fullness….The Catholic Church contains the fullness of truth - Why would we not proclaim it boldly? - I will tell you why? - We are afraid…..Stop being afraid!!!….”You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lamp-stand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father”

“The angel spoke to me, saying, "Come here. I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb."

Today at Mass he hear how a man named Nathanael came to follow Jesus….Ask yourself this - Would a man give up everything to follow a lie?….The answer sadly is yes and we see this all around us today…Humanity “sells itself short”……Society “buys-in” to the lies of a materialistic world that in the end leaves people completely empty and alone…. Only the Truth can satisfy the human heart…As St Augustine famously said - “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You.”…….For most of us it takes some time to realize this reality…We try and try all the material things that the world has to offer, only to find out that only God can give us peace and make us sincerely happy….Nathanael came to that point in his life today in the Gospel - How about YOU?….What is “in the way” of you following Jesus Christ?….What “issues” do you have with what the Catholic Church teaches and has taught for centuries?…Maybe the “problem” is not what the Catholic Church teaches - Maybe the “problem” is YOU? - Ever think that is possible?…….Lord - Give me a teachable spirit - “For your yoke is easy and your burden is light”…. JMJ

“Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men”

Today at Holy Mass in the Gospel of St Matthew we hear how Jesus chose Peter to be the first Pope…."Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.  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.  I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven.  Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven”……….Would you have chosen Peter?…..Peter did not always think before he spoke - Peter denied Jesus in his most needed hour….Peter was uneducated….This is the guy!?!…..In so many ways God knows us better then we know our selves…..St Teresa of Avila, who is a Doctor of the Church wrote about “the caverns within a man soul” - Meaning within each of us there are “caverns” that even we do not know about but God does because he put them there!…And as we progress in the process of sanctification - God reveals these “caverns” to us….Jesus when we chose Peter knew in the end he would come through - And he did!…He knew Peter better than Peter knew himself…The same goes for us…We must trust the process!….If we fully cooperate with God - He will lead us to places we never thought possible and we will do things we never thought possible…..Why?….Because God created us ALL to be saints….And the only thing that holds us back is ourselves

“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!  How inscrutable are his judgments and how unsearchable his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord or who has been his counselor?”

The greatest adventure a person can embark upon is to follow Christ with reckless abandon….The secular world would disagree sadly - This is why our world needs more people who commit to this “adventure”……I was born into a simple family…My father was a barber and my mother was an office secretary….When I look back at my life I cannot believe where I have been……At twenty-two years old I committed my life to Christ and began living as a practicing Catholic…Since then I have traveled the world…I have served the poor across America, in Haiti and in India….I served with Mother Teresa’s sisters actively for seven years in New York City and saw a side of the city that has shocked me at times but at the same time “opened my eyes” wide!…I have written a book…I am a co-host on the radio…..And God is not done with me yet!!!!….There are smarter people then I am - People much more qualified to do the things that I have done - But God chose me!….Why? - Because I gave God permission….This is the key…God cannot work radically in our life unless we radically surrender to him….Its like when a Catholic couple gets married….When my wife and I got married we were open to life…In thirteen years we have given life to eight children - Three died before they were born and five are with us know….Again, the day we were married, we did know how many children God will give us…But God did - My wife and I simply cooperated with him….This is what every Catholic must do….Surrender our “plans” - And embrace God’s plan….We get in our own way! - Get out of the way and let God work….His plan for your life is infinitely better then your plan!

“I will give thanks to your name, because of your kindness and your truth: When I called, you answered me; you built up strength within me”

Today Jesus tells St Peter that not only will you be the first Pope but the Church, which appeared so small and weak in its beginning stages will one day conquer the world….If you were Peter and Jesus told you that two thousand years ago, would you have believed him?….Well - Peter did!…Maybe that is why Jesus chose him!…..As Catholics we must be willing to do the “ridiculous” so God can do the miraculous….Think about Noah for a moment…When we think of Noah, we think about the ark he built and how he saved two of every animal and God saved them from a great flood…Now think of Noah before the flood, when he was building the ark in his “back yard”…My bet is, his neighbors thought he was crazy!!! - “Why are you building this boat Noah?!?”…And I am sure Noah told them why - And I am also sure his neighbors that Noah was crazy….But in the end - Who was right?….Noah was willing to do the “ridiculous” and as a result God did the miraculous…..It all comes done to radically surrendering to God….People like to convince themself that they are in control and when they do - They “play it safe”….Catholics today must “stop playing it safe”….Its time "put out into deep water" - Its there that we become the people we were born to be…..“Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.” When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them. They came and filled both boats so that they were in danger of sinking. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him, and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon. Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.”…..JMJ

“Sheep” or “Goat”?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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