Death has no sting when we are prepared - So prepare

Today at Holy Mass in the Gospel of St Luke we hear the story about how John the Baptist was born…How his father who was a very old man heard the voice of an angel that told him about what was to take place…John the Baptist’s father (Zechariah), not only did not believe the angel but was afraid by the angel’s presence before him - Why do you think that was the case - Why was he afraid?…….”Then, when the whole assembly of the people was praying outside at the hour of the incense offering, the angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right of the altar of incense. Zechariah was troubled by what he saw, and fear came upon him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John.”………The same Scripture passage tells us that Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth were very prayerful and holy people - Yet Zechariah was afraid when he had an encounter with God….Scripture also tells us about Peter, James and John - When Christ was transfigured before them, they too were afraid - Why?…..And again, when Moses saw God in the burning bush - He too was afraid……This should tell us all something…All these men were holy, yet when they stood in the presence of God, they were terrified!…Why?…Because in the presence of the perfect, no matter “how good” you think you are….All our sins are put before our eyes…That is why they were terrified…..Also notice in the pages of Scripture - When the angel Gabriel appeared before Mary to tell her she was to bear a son…Mary was not afraid like the other men I just noted - Why?…Because Mary was pure and perfect - Conceived without sin…..Each and everyone of us is a sinner…And the only way to remedy that situation is by and through Sacramental grace……Catholic tradition, as well as many saints over the centuries have stated that before Christ returns, there will be throughout the world what is referred to as an Illumination of Conscience. This will be our last chance to prepare for the coming of Christ…When this takes place, we will see ourselves as we truly are in the eyes of God - Warts and all….And this period will be permitted by God to encourage the world to repent.

“Be my rock of refuge, a stronghold to give me safety, for you are my rock and my fortress. O my God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked.”

If you have ever been in the presence of a very holy person, you will find that such a person almost “looks through you”…..Over the years of working with the Missionaries of Charity, I have found that to be true…..Such a holy person, when you stand in front of them, makes you “see yourself” in a way you don’t usually do…That is why saints make other saints…Each of us were born to be a holy but sadly we get “caught up” in the world…That is why we must strive as Catholics to be holy people….Why? - Because only saints change the world and they do it just by being and walking among the others…..One Good Friday in the Bronx many years ago I was waiting for the afternoon service to begin….Just before it began, I had to go to the bathroom and as I was running back to my pew, the Missionaries of Charity were coming into the Church…..One of the sisters was so old, she was well into her 80’s…..As I was running into the Church, I literally almost knocked her over…And just before our “collision” happened, we stood face to face…Her eyes were on fire!!!!! - They were the eyes of a very young person but her body was broken and so old….The sight of her eyes and the smile on her face, literally stopped me in my tracks like a deer caught in headlights…..Once I got to me seat in the Church, the Good Friday Service began…I watched this old nun when it came time to venerate the cross slowly walk up the aisle…As I watched her, I literally began to weep…I can’t really explain why but just the sight of her made me cry - Looking back I think it was because I saw God in this old nun so clearly but her body was so broken and old…..I share this with you because this is what happens when we are confronted with holiness…Its shocking!!!...And if we are serious as Catholics about impacting the world around us - Our primary concern is to strive with all our strengthen to become holy ourselves…..This is how we will reach those who are unreachable - Its the only way

“I will treat of the mighty works of the LORD; O God, I will tell of your singular justice. O God, you have taught me from my youth, and till the present I proclaim your wondrous deeds”

Today we are told at Mass how John the Baptist’s father was terrified by the voice of the angel Gabriel......Most people don’t think of being in the presence of God and being afraid….But the reality is, when we stand before the perfect, we see ourselves to be who we truly are - Sinners in need of repentance…That is each of us - No exceptions to the rule!……I have a homework assignment for the readers of this reflection - Look up the warnings about the Illumination of Conscience, which date back to the time of Edmond Campion (1540-1581) and Blessed Anna Taigi (1769-1837). In addition to that, look into what St. Faustina (1905-1938) wrote in her diary......

St. Faustina wrote in her Diary that Jesus told her:

“Write this: before I come as the just Judge, I am coming first as the King of Mercy. Before the day of justice arrives, there will be given to people a sign in the heavens of this sort: All light in the heavens will be extinguished, and there will be great darkness over the whole earth. Then the sign of the cross will be seen in the sky, and from the openings where the hands and the feet of the Savior were nailed will come forth great lights which will light up the earth for a period of time. This will take place shortly before the last day.” (Section 83)

God desires everyone to enter heaven…But realize this - We don’t just “float into heaven” like the world tells us and / or we tell ourself……We must repent of our sins….God gives us every chance to do this over the course of our lifetime - Take him up on his offer before this Christmas!……If we repent of our sins - we will not be afraid at the hour of death….Death will simply be like going from one room in the house to another - Death has no sting when we are prepared - So prepare……………….JMJ

https://www.holywaterbooks.com/catholic-men-will-save-america.html

The Lord will redeem his people because only the Lord can do it

Today at Holy Mass we are told in the first reading from the Book of Jeremiah that God will act….When we read Scripture, we see that God “jumps in” to the human story, when we “mess everything up”…..And when God does “jump in”, its usually in a way that most people overlook…”Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will raise up a righteous shoot to David; As king he shall reign and govern wisely, he shall do what is just and right in the land.”….God gives man free will but without grace, which means we MUST avail ourselves to that grace - Mankind screws everything up…..From slavery to human trafficking….From abortion to divorce….From same sex marriage to transgender surgery for minors…..From usury to outright theft……Mankind justifies objective mortal sin….Even votes it into law, making it legal….All the while such behavior is an abomination to God….Do we “think” God does not see this?….And do we think God will not act?……Once again, if we are students of history, all we have to do is read…..God interjects himself……And "crooked roads are made straight"…..That process however is not usually let’s call it “smooth”……But make no mistake - God always has the last word……Why does this cycle repeat itself time and time again?…..Because mankind is not convinced that without God’s grace, he is incomplete…Each of us are prone to selfishness and sin….That is the ONLY reason why Jesus walked this earth - To save us from our very self!…..He did this on the Cross and does this through his Church to this very day…If we reject God’s grace….We destroy ourself - Don’t believe me? - Go the library and read some history….Mankind is lost without God….But God has not given up on man - He always “corrects” the problem…However, that correction usually does not come in the form we think it will - But thank goodness it always comes - So buckle up - Its coming!

“In his days Judah shall be saved, Israel shall dwell in security. This is the name they give him: “The LORD our justice.”

There is a saying…”Every dog has its day”……People like to think there is such a thing as karma - but there is not….What is real is this - ”We reap what we sow”……This is an internal truth…….In time, we ALWAYS reap what we sow……………Every empire…Every monster…....Every criminal…..And every bully…….In time - God’s time - Usually when they least expect it - "They" get what they deserve…..Write it down!…………..Growing up I had a childhood friend who was simply a bad guy to his core…….When we were kids, what started out as childhood “misbehavior” manifested into outright criminal behavior as an adult…This friend of mine in time become a high school teacher….When I heard this, I knew there would be trouble…..As time went on into his adulthood, he committed an insurance fraud, pretending his truck got stolen - He got arrested - He lost his teaching job - And within a few short years, he was found dead of a drug overdose in his truck…As a young man, this friend of mine was both strong and smart…..People liked him but everyone feared him…….In the end - He was found died at 38 years old….I can remember going to the funeral home looking down at his dead body…..Everything he did in his life came back to “haunt him”…..This is just one small example and I am sure the readers of this reflection have similar stories of their own……Whether its a person, a nation or an ideology……Give it time….When we aggressively and consistently violate God’s law….....We destroy ourself….Two thousand years have past since the death of Jesus Christ and mankind has not learned…..The Natural Law and the laws of Objective Truth apply to us, whether we acknowledge them or not….And when we violate those laws consistently and over long periods of time - We destroy ourselves and society…..Reality does not change because we choose to ignore it…And God is reality - And so is his law.

“Therefore, the days will come, says the LORD, when they shall no longer say, “As the LORD lives, who brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt”; but rather, "As the LORD lives, who brought the descendants of the house of Israel up from the land of the north”– and from all the lands to which I banished them; they shall again live on their own land.”

Today in the first reading from Mass the prophet Jeremiah tells us that God will save his people…That he will rise up “a righteous shoot to David; As king he shall reign and govern wisely”…..And “rise up” someone he did……God has not given up on humanity….Each and every time mankind “screws everything up”, God steps in……But why do we always have to “screw things up”?….....Wouldn’t it be nice to just do things the right way to begin with?………Why does mankind have to learn the hard way?……………..”The LORD, the LORD, a God gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in love and fidelity, continuing his love for a thousand generations, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion, and sin; yet not declaring the guilty guiltless, but bringing punishment for their parents’ wickedness on children and children’s children to the third and fourth generation! Moses at once knelt and bowed down to the ground. Then he said, “If I find favor with you, Lord, please, Lord, come along in our company. This is indeed a stiff-necked people; yet pardon our wickedness and sins, and claim us as your own.”……….Rinse - Wash - Repeat…Here we go again - The Lord will redeem his people because only the Lord can do it……….JMJ

https://www.holywaterbooks.com/catholic-men-will-save-america.html

How we prepare determines what we “see” - And what we “see” dictates what we do

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the Gospel of St Matthew about Jesus’ family tree….The reading is long with all kinds of “weird” names…..”Abijah the father of Asaph. Asaph became the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, Joram the father of Uzziah”………and on and on……The reading today ends with this - To give us some prospective on just how long God took to bring about the time of Christ’s birth….”Thus the total number of generations from Abraham to David is fourteen generations; from David to the Babylonian exile, fourteen generations; from the Babylonian exile to the Christ, fourteen generations.”….God’s time is not our time and God’s ways are not our ways……After hearing this litany of names and after pondering all the time that passed from Abraham to the birth of Jesus himself…Do we forget that Jesus is going to return once again?….Do we lose sight of this reality!?!…..Yes - Two thousand years has passed since Christ was crucified…..To us, that is a long time - To God, that is not even a second!……Christ will return - The question is - Are we ready?…What are we doing to prepare our hearts for his return?

“In him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed; all the nations shall proclaim his happiness.”

We all know the story about how Jesus was born….Joseph and Mary were refused a place to stay and Mary was forced to give birth to the Savior of the world in a barn amongst animals…Do you imagine if you were one of those Inn keepers who refused to let Joseph and Mary stay in their Inn?……Talk about a HUGE mistake……What about us?……What keeps Jesus from our sight?………The last year I was in Kolkata was December 2012, I was engaged to be married and knew I would not be back in the city for many years……It was the afternoon and I was working in the Home for the Dying….Two men came to the door and they were arguing with the door keeper….The one man who requested to come in had a clear plastic bag over his hand…Two of his fingers had rotted to the bone and he wanted to be admitted to the home to get some care….The doorkeeper was trying to tell him there was no room……Coming from a country like America, we are not used to seeing human carnage like those who live in the third world and work in healthcare….If you are poor and you or a loved one suffer from an accident, there are no emergency rooms…The flesh on this man’s fingers was literally rotted to the bone!…..The Home for the Dying was full and the doorkeeper was trying to tell them they could not help…..So I begged the doorkeeper to let this man in…..And after some time of me “carrying on” like a crazy person from New Jersey - One of the sisters let him in….An Italian Doctor from Milan was volunteering there at the time and he took care of the man’s hand…….There is always room!!!!!….There is always room for one more at the table….One more child…..One more lost soul….Its for us to make room!!…Make room for Christ this Christmas in your heart…..One YES can change the world! - How do I know? - Because one YES did change the world

“He shall defend the afflicted among the people, save the children of the poor”

Today we get a glimpse at just how long it took for Jesus to be born…..Many generations came and went…..Jesus tells us very clearly he will return….Did we forget?…..But when he returns, will we recognize him?…..Remember, Christ walked among us as a poor carpenter…Many people did not recognize him……..And how about now?….Do we “hear” Jesus words when they are read to us at Mass?…Do his words penetrate our hearts?….And when we hear them - Do we respond?……Its very easy to “get lost” in all the noise of life….The Inn keepers who refused to let Joseph and Mary in their place did not think anything of it…..Jesus tells us….What you do to the least - You did for me……This is the entire Gospel summarized into one sentence….But before we “do” for the least - We must “see” and “hear” them…....”Blessed are the pure of heart - For they shall see God”…..How we prepare determines what we “see” - And what we “see” dictates what we do…………..JMJ

https://www.holywaterbooks.com/catholic-men-will-save-america.html

God speaks to us through the events of our life - Those who respond thrive - And those who don’t - Frankly don’t

Today at Holy Mass Jesus in the Gospel of St Matthew tells us a story about a man who changes his mind…..He first refuses to follow instructions, but later does….What makes such a man come to this revelation?…….”A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ The son said in reply, ‘I will not,’ but afterwards he changed his mind and went. The man came to the other son and gave the same order. He said in reply, ‘Yes, sir,’ but did not go. Which of the two did his father’s will?” They answered, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the Kingdom of God before you. When John came to you in the way of righteousness, you did not believe him; but tax collectors and prostitutes did. Yet even when you saw that, you did not later change your minds and believe him.”…….One of the greatest pieces of advice given to me was from a childhood friend who was not even religious…He told me - “Joe - Life is man’s greatest teacher”…The more I pondered that statement - And the older I got - The more I knew he was right!….Why is that?…Because God speaks to us through our life…..Most people don’t listen to “good advice”….We ignore the Church…We ignore our parents….We ignore the lessons from history…Only in time to “find out” that everything told to us was correct….But sadly, most of us find that out for our selves…..We are told in the pages of Scripture the following in the Book of Isaiah……”I will lay waste mountains and hills, all their undergrowth I will dry up; I will turn the rivers into marshes, and the marshes I will dry up. I will lead the blind on a way they do not know; by paths they do not know I will guide them. I will turn darkness into light before them, and make crooked ways straight. These are my promises: I made them, I will not forsake them”…….I tell my children all the time - “Making mistakes is apart of life but its the person who learns from their mistakes that become successful”…..How do we learn from our mistakes? - The first step is to acknowledge that we made a mistake in the first place…Not blame other people or circumstances….But to say - “That was me” - As we say in New Jersey - “My bad”….What is the next step?…To say - “I am sorry”…Some people can never say those words and frankly that is a terrible mind set to have…Because we all make mistakes, such a person who can’t admit they are wrong and say they are sorry ultimately destroys all their relationships, as well as their relationship with God….What is the next step?….To allow God’s grace in your life so you don’t do the same bad thing again….All humans are flawed and because of that reality, we need God’s grace to live the lives we ALL want…To deny that grace to penetrate our lives is simply a foolish decision…As I tell my children when they do something wrong and I correct them…”You are not hurting me - You are only hurting yourself”…..There are no humble people in hell - And conversely - There are surely no prideful people in heaven….Learn from your mistakes - “Own them”…Say your sorry to those you love and to God when you make a mistake…And rely on God’s grace to make you better….There you have it - Choose to ignore what I just wrote or put it into practice….Life is our greatest teacher - Those who learn from their mistakes succeed and those who don’t sadly don’t.

“Come, O Lord, do not delay; forgive the sins of your people”

So many people question the existence of God - I am going to tell you one way to prove God exists - So pay attention and "write this down"….If you are Catholic, go to Confession with a priest….What do you have to lose?…..If you take me up on this suggestion you will leave that confession feeling like a completely different person.....…That “feeling” is not some “psychological illusion” either…....Its a direct encounter with the Lord…Its PROOF that God loves you and that God CAN forgive even the worst of sins….It also proves that GOD IS REAL.......This is reality and its free!….Everyone wants peace…Everyone wants to be happy - I am telling you how to achieve both….Now its up to you!

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

Today we are told by Jesus in the Gospel at Mass that some people “change their mind” and learn to listen to the “good advice” offered to them….How about us?…..Before we can or will listen to someone, we first must learn to trust them….Grace builds upon grace and the same goes for trust....Give God a chance…..I can only say this and I say it from experience………God only gives - He never takes…….Don’t short change yourself - Learn from your mistakes - Learn to say your sorry….And make yourself available to Sacramental grace….. And from that grace will flow a good life - One in which you thrive…….Those who have ears let them hear….God speaks to us through the events of our life - Those who respond thrive - And those who don’t - Frankly don’t………….JMJ

https://www.holywaterbooks.com/catholic-men-will-save-america.html

Maybe it’s time to reach for the “top shelf”? - Its 100 proof and it’s the “Real McCoy”

 

Today at Holy Mass in the Gospel of St Matthew, the leaders of Jesus day try to trick him…But Jesus beat them at their own game….Why? - Because the Truth cuts through all the nonsense…..You don’t have to be the “smartest person in the room” to speak the Truth - All you have to do is speak it….The Truth is like a lion - Let it loose - It will defend itself……….."By what authority are you doing these things? And who gave you this authority?" Jesus said to them in reply, "I shall ask you one question, and if you answer it for me, then I shall tell you by what authority I do these things. Where was John's baptism from? Was it of heavenly or of human origin?" They discussed this among themselves and said, "If we say 'Of heavenly origin,' he will say to us, 'Then why did you not believe him?' But if we say, 'Of human origin,' we fear the crowd, for they all regard John as a prophet." So they said to Jesus in reply, "We do not know." He himself said to them, "Neither shall I tell you by what authority I do these things.”…………..What prevents us from speaking and living the Truth?…….A couple of things - For one, many don’t think its practical….Secondly, we are afraid…..To address the first point - To live your Catholic faith and embrace the fullness of Christ’s Truth is not only practical but its necessary if we want to spend eternity with Jesus in heaven but its also a formula for a good and thriving life here on earth…Yes, we all fall short, but that is why we go to Confession monthly with a Priest - To confess our sins and “try again” with the help of God’s grace…..And as far as being afraid….God’s grace will overshadow us and help us…..Grace is a powerful “tool” at our disposal - If only we avail ourselves to it……Jesus tells us point blank - “Without me you can do nothing”…..And if you think you are going to boldly live your Catholic faith in the public square without the help of Sacramental grace - I got some news for you - Its not going to happen…….Jesus today shows us that we should be confident to live and speak the truth but before that happens, we must be formed in our Catholic faith - This requires reading and asking questions and then doing more reading…..If we do not know what and why the Catholic Church professes to be the Truth - How can we live it?…This task primarily falls to families, but it also falls upon the Church itself….The Truth needs to be boldly spoken in our schools and from the pulpits at Mass…..We need to stop being concerned that “the people” will not accept it in the pews…..To think this way is not to think as Jesus Christ thought or lived for that matter…..God does not lower his standards - Its for mankind to aspire to live up to God’s standards - Not the other way around…And we do that through Sacramental grace.

“Your ways, O LORD, make known to me; teach me your paths, Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my savior”

One of the aspects of being human is the desire to belong…And sadly, this desire drives people to compromise their values and Catholic faith….As I say on my radio show…”We all want to be invited to the barbecue”…Maybe its time to not be so concerned with “the crowd”….To cut a new path forward - To lead the way!…I will speak personally…You just might be surprised at how people will respond…Some will turn away from you - So expect that…But others will not only be attentive to the Truth but will also be open to it…..Jesus tells us in Scripture…….”My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”………Many years ago in the back of my parish were I went to Mass with my family for years I saw a flier to hear Fr Benedict Groeschel CFR speak…I had heard about Fr Benedict…He was an Ivy League educated tough talking priest from Jersey City….He helped form a new religious order and once a month he gave a public lecture - So I decided to go…..When I heard him speak I was rather surprised because even though I was raised and educated Catholic, I really never heard someone so boldly speak Catholic Truth publicly....…Fr Benedict was “one of us”….....Plain talking and ‘tell it like it is”….And this approach really “rang true” with me…..And clearly I was not alone….The religious order, the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal that Fr Benedict help start has grown from its humble beginnings in the Bronx to serving people all over the world…..This was a great lesson to me and it should be a great lesson for the entire Catholic world…..We need to “step out” of our comfort zones…We need to be bold!…..The Catholic Faith is the “best story” in town - We need to proclaim it without any filters……Why?…Because that formula works - Why else? - Because Jesus said so…..”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”…....There is no need to “re-create the wheel”…...All we have to do is - Know the Truth - Speak the Truth - Live the Truth & Be willing to suffer for the Truth….If we ”stick to that formula” we as Catholics will undoubtedly bear fruit for the Kingdom of God.

“Good and upright is the LORD; thus he shows sinners the way. He guides the humble to justice, he teaches the humble his way”

Today at Mass we hear how the “power brokers” of Jesus' day disregard the Truth because of public opinion…...They are too concerned with retaining their position in life to fully embrace what Jesus was saying….....What a pity!….How about us?……Our world today is really no different…....Again, as I say time and time again on my radio show……”We all want to be invited to the barbecue”…....Maybe its time to not be so concerned with our “invitation to the summer barbecue” and embrace our Catholic faith fully…..If you do, my bet is you will be surprised…..Jesus did not form a global movement that has lasted 2000 years by happenstance…....The Truth is imprinted on every human heart….And when it is spoken and lived boldly, trust me, it resonates deeply both on the individual level as well as the societal level….....Its our job as Catholics to have the courage to simply “let the Truth loose”………Luke-warm Catholicism does not attract others nor does it bear fruit that lasts - The “real deal” however turns heads and leaves a deep mark……..Maybe it’s time to reach for the “top shelf”? - Its 100 proof and it’s the “Real McCoy”………………JMJ

https://www.holywaterbooks.com/catholic-men-will-save-america.html

To think we don’t need God is a HUGE mistake - History screams of this reality - Its time to write a new chapter - Don’t you think?

Today at Holy Mass in the Gospel of St Matthew Jesus asks the crowd why they went into the desert to see John the Baptist…..Was it to see a “circus side show”?…..Why were they interested?…..John the Baptist had one driving purpose - To save souls….Nothing else mattered to him….”Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John, "What did you go out to the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? Then what did you go out to see? Someone dressed in fine clothing? Those who wear fine clothing are in royal palaces. Then why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written: Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way before you.”…….So here is the question for today - Why do we go to Mass?……Do we go because we have too?…..Do we go because it’s apart of the culture we were raised with?……Or………Do we go to witness the greatest sacrifice ever to have been made - The son of God giving his life for the world…..Do we go because without Sacramental grace, we are both poor and lost?……These are questions we must ask ourself and this is why Jesus today asked the crowd - Why did you go to see John the Baptist?………Were you interested in what he had to say?…….Were you open to change your life as John suggested?……The same questions apply today.

“Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared; then will the lame leap like a stag, then the tongue of the mute will sing.”

Do we believe Jesus is fully present in the Blessed Sacrament? - This is the game changer people!…..Anytime you hear a Catholic say - I am bored at Mass - You know right away there is a problem…Why? - Because you can’t be bored when you KNOW that Jesus is fully present in the Blessed Sacrament on the altar……So this is the goal - If you do not believe this reality - Make it a point to seek it out………If the world only understood the power given to us freely by and through Sacramental grace - The line outside of Churches would be 100 miles long……….How does a priest live a celibate life?…How does a married couple remain happily married for 50 years?….How do people live selfless lives for others day in day out?………All because of Sacramental grace!……This is why Jesus established a Church…..Twenty centuries have passed since Jesus ascended to heaven and our world, with all its innovation has not “figured out” one of the most important aspects of the human condition - That without God’s grace - The human race destroys itself!…....And if you don’t believe me, frankly you are not a student of history…..Mankind is plagued with a fallen nature, which is prone to make us live selfishly…Each of us has this condition - And the sooner you “admit it” the better off you will be…..And without God’s grace, our fallen nature gets the best of us…This is why marriages fail…This is why we see scandals in the Church itself…This is why we see crimes of all kinds on the news…..When a person lives a Sacramental life, this will not make such a person perfect, however, grace elevates human nature and that enables one to “see” the world as it is and live a fruitful and productive life…Let me stop right there - Why? - Because most people do not believe this……This my friends is “the big secret”…….Living a Sacramental life enables one to live a good life….That does not necessarily mean you will be rich as the world defines wealth but it does mean you will thrive!…….Why?….Because without grace we become “our own worst enemy”……..Don’t believe me? - Look around - How is the world doing?......This is why we go to Mass….This is why we go to Monthly Confessions with a priest…This is why we fast weekly….This is why we pray the Rosary everyday…..We do it to open our soul to God’s grace and in going those things - We Thrive!

“Be patient, brothers and sisters, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. You too must be patient.”

Today at Mass Jesus in the Gospel questions the crowd…..He knew some people went to see John the Baptist in the desert with the wrong intentions…..Were they going to receive the message of John with an open heart?……….or……..Were they going to see a “circus side show”?…….John the Baptist was boldly telling the people of his day something for their own benefit….As we say in New Jersey - John the Baptist was not talking to “hear himself speak”…….The same goes for what we are told at Mass today, in both the Scripture readings and from the pulpit….The words of Christ are given to us for our own good!…But how do we carry those instructions out? - That is the “trick” right? - That is where Sacramental grace comes in……….Without it - We fall………Grace elevates human nature….This is how we live the life we all want….And sadly, the world does not believe this, even some Catholics don’t “get it”…..….Jesus gave us everything we need - God cannot help you unless you are willing to help yourself - Without the consent of our will, grace can not penetrate our soul and without grace - We fall……That is why we go to Mass - Jesus did not give us a Church for his sake - He gave it to us for our sake……………To think we don’t need God is a HUGE mistake - History screams of this reality - Its time to write a new chapter - Don’t you think?……………JMJ

https://www.holywaterbooks.com/catholic-men-will-save-america.html

So keep an eye out and don’t be surprised to be surprised!

Today at Holy Mass in the Gospel of St Matthew Jesus’ friends ask him if a sign will come from heaven….Jesus tells them that the sign did come - And no one paid any attention to it……”As they were coming down from the mountain, the disciples asked Jesus, "Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?" He said in reply, "Elijah will indeed come and restore all things; but I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him but did to him whatever they pleased”……Our world does not want to hear it…..But the mistake of many who are trying their best to be “that sign” - Is they only us words…The sign our world needs will not come in the form of words……The great Vietnamese Cardinal Nguyen Van Than, who was imprisoned for thirteen years for his witness to the faith put it this way……

”If I am not different in some way or am afraid to be, I will not transmit any recognizable sign……A sign is a witness….But most of the times, a sign is silent. Often it is sufficient to be present - constantly, obstinately, courageously present - and never leave one’s post…..In every epoch, the Lord establishes signs to guide humanity. These signs are the lives of the saints….They may be severe guides, audacious and unwavering….a sign for their particular age but all of them proclaimed to humanity: “There is a God. God is love. The Gospel is the way to the Kingdom. Repent! Change your life"

To this day mankind looks for signs - The sign, which was just explained to us by Cardinal Nguyen Van Than - Is this what you think when you look for a sign?…..Jesus goes on in the Gospel today addressing his friends about signs………..”So also will the Son of Man suffer at their hands.”…….Our world today says it needs a sign in order to believe in God - In order to change - And when that sign comes - The sign is crushed or outright ignored……..But God has not given up on mankind - Where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more!

“Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths: All flesh shall see the salvation of God”

When one reads about the lives of the saints, patterns are quickly established. All the saints were different, but the message was the same…They however communicated that same message uniquely……Saints do not come in the “nice neat box” society or even the Church wants them too….Saints are radical men and women….They shock us most times….They “jar” us out of complacency - Not by words but by their witness………..In the 18th century Benedict Joseph Labre came from a well to do family in France…..He was a prayerful young man and as a result looked to enter religious life…He tried a number of times and was rejected each time…..Finally, he wrote his parents and told them he decided to become a pilgrim and basically never contacted them again…From that point forward Benedict Joseph wandered from shrine to shrine in Europe - To put it in modern terms - He was homeless and remained homeless….He eventually landed in Rome and that is where he stayed….Homeless and prayerful……Witnesses said he lived on divine providence…At times he would eat out of the garbage - His cloths were rags…..And during Holy Week he collapsed and died of malnutrition…When he died, the city of Rome went into an uproar - “The saint is dead”!…..Once again, God gave the world a saint - Not in a “nice neat box”…........It is very human to want to be comfortable - But that is not how we enter the Kingdom of God.

“Blessed is he who shall have seen you and who falls asleep in your friendship”

Today Jesus in St Matthew's gospel echoes a pattern, which has repeated itself throughout the centuries….Mankind says he wants a sign - Man says he wants to hear and live the Truth - And when the Truth appears - Man ignores it or outright crushes it….And now here is the ironic part - Each time this happens, after mankind destroys the every thing he says it wants - He then places that “sign” on a pedestal - As if he cared about it when it was staring him in the face…………..Rinse - Wash - Repeat! - The cycle continues…………..So the question is - How do we recognize the “signs of the times”?…......In a word - Grace…….Grace is not “magic dust”….....We must avail our soul to it - And if we do not - We will miss out on it and miss the "sign"…….And if we are fortunate enough to “see” such a sign - Do we then respond to it?…..Its in the response that we too become a “sign”, in a unique way ordained by God from the beginning of time…….God has not given up on the human race and while we continue along the same patterns and embrace the same nonsense of the past, God continues to send us signs…..And if you are sincerely looking for one - Don’t think for a moment that the “sign” will come in a “nice neat box”…..Because it does not work that way……….”The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were struck with great fear. The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.” - So keep an eye out and don’t be surprised to be surprised!……………JMJ

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