Coming Soon
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Saturday, June 01, 2013
Bonhoeffer
Born in 1906 and descendent from a
brilliant and influential family, Dietrich Bonhoeffer chose to enter the
service of the Lord as a Lutheran minister and theologian. He studied in Germany and United States and
was a pastor and rector of the seminary at Finkenwalde. As a significant contributor to the
Confessing Church during the Nazi regime and oppression of churches, he worked secretly
with the plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler.
He was eventually captured and martyred in a Nazi prison. He remains for people of all Christian
denominations a shining example of radical discipleship and a teacher of
vibrant faith.
One of his contributions to
Christian spirituality was a unique perspective on intercessory prayer and the
Lord’s challenge to love one’s enemies. He
writes, “In prayer we go to our enemies, to stand at their side. We are with them, near them, for them before
God. We are doing for them…what they
cannot do for themselves.”
Jesus commands: “Love your enemies,
pray for those who persecute you.”
(Matthew 5:44) This can be one of
the hardest Christian demands, for our human instinct is to retaliate or at
least to hold onto the hurt and respond in a passive aggressive way. Jesus wants us to not only tolerate but
actually love those who have hurt us,
love meaning to lay down one’s life for the other as Jesus did for us. We are expected to display a radically
different kind of attitude than the world around us. We are called to pray for those who persecute
others.
The prayer aspect of Jesus command is
a great act of charity wherein, as Bonhoeffer explains, we stand near to our
enemy, or anyone else we may be praying for, and bring them closer to God who will
lead and bless them.
What is more, we stand in for what
the person cannot do for themselves – either because of weakness of faith,
hardness of heart, blindness of spirit, stubbornness of will – and we bring the
person in touch with the Lord. It is as
if we had one had holding on to the outstretched hand of Jesus and the other
hand holding onto the person for whom we are praying, and we introduced the
person in need to Jesus, with the excitement of sharing the treasure of our
friend and savior Jesus with another.
Though they may not even know we are praying for them, we are at their
side and they are close to God who loves them.
In our moments of woundedness and
suffering at the hands of others, we cannot change their behavior. We CAN be responsible for our own behavior and
not sink to lashing out or seeking vengeance.
We CAN be loving and prayerful.
We CAN be open to reconciliation and stand next to our enemies in prayer
in order to being them before God.
In our world today there are
enemies of truth, enemies of freedom, enemies of the Church – as well as the
people in our individual lives who make life tough to handle. Stand with them every day in prayer and humbly
ask God to soften their hearts and being peace to their inner turmoil. Be near to them and make up for what they
cannot do for themselves. Perhaps you
will find peace and conversion for them and for you. Perhaps you may save their soul.
Bonhoeffer’s unique twist on
intercession is meaningful to Christians and all people of good will. It is only the tip of a spiritual iceberg
awaiting anyone who wishes to read Bonhoeffer’s works. Trusting in the reward of his martyrdom, may he
pray for us to be radical disciples as he was in his time.
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Monday, April 29, 2013
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Homily Divine Mercy Sunday
Homily Divine Mercy
Sunday 2013
Good Friday 1993...
Sharon McAllister left to attend Service of the Lord’s
Passion.
Her two boys pleaded not to have to church, so she left them
at home,
with strict
instructions on how to behave responsibly while she was gone.
Of course, the moment she left, mischief reigned supreme!
The boys immediately got out their BB guns
and began to play a dangerous kind of
hide-and-seek with them,
firing
at each other as they hid behind different obstacles in the yard.
14-year-old Patrick was hiding behind a small boat that was
lying in the field.
Just as he stood up and came round from behind it, his
brother fired a shot
which hit
Patrick directly in the eye.
In a state of shock and panic, the boys at least thought to
run to a nearby house
and a neighbor
lady rushed Patrick to the emergency room.
Her husband took his brother to church to find and inform
their mother.
When Mom arrived at the hospital,
she was startled to see the doctors
waiting for her.
They told her that the BB had pierced through Patrick’s eye and torn his retina.
They told her that the BB had pierced through Patrick’s eye and torn his retina.
There was nothing they could do for him.
The hospital even called in a specialist, who provided only a
bleak prognosis.
He would never see out of that eye again, and his overall
vision would be impaired.
Patrick remained in the hospital
through Easter Sunday,
and on Monday he went
home with both eyes bandaged shut.
Each day Sharon
When she took off the dressings and
exposed his eyes to the light,
he
described that it was like “sparklers going off in his eyes.”
He could not see and the shredded
inside of his eye was causing him great suffering.
Even worse, the pain medication he was given caused nausea
and vomiting.
Frustrated and with no hope except in God, Sharon
that her family needed to go to
church and pray on Divine Mercy Sunday.
She had heard the lesson of Saint Faustina,
a polish nun to whom Jesus appeared
several times beginning in Lent 1931.
Jesus told her that He would answer
any prayer of those who pray devoutly on DMS.
Jesus said to Faustina…
“I have opened my Heart as a living fountain of mercy. Let all
souls draw life from it. Let them approach this sea of mercy with great trust.
Sinners will attain justification, and the just will be confirmed in good.
Whoever places his trust in My mercy will be filled with My divine peace at the
hour of death.” (1520)
Patrick was not supposed to move
around much until his scars healed
but
Sharon
for
her only hope was in the Divine Mercy of Jesus.
So they went, and they prayed for
Patrick to regain his sight.
On Monday, there was no change.
Then, on Tuesday, when Sharon
his response was much
different than usual.
“Mom, I can see you,” he blurted out.
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“Like before!” he replied.
and
was confounded and amazed that Patrick was able to see at all,
let alone see as well as before the accident.
Even if Patrick regained some sight
after such an accident,
the
scar tissue in his eye should have left him with spotty vision.
When they went to their family
doctor, he, too was amazed, and asked:
“Who performed this surgery?”
God not only worked a miracle for
Patrick but also for his brother,
who
was greatly troubled knowing that his carelessness had blinded his brother.
Not a day goes by that the whole
family does not thank God
for
His abundant mercy and love revealed in Jesus Christ.
Today is Divine Mercy Sunday,
the
great and beautiful Easter gift given to the Church by the Risen Christ.
The appearance of the Risen Christ among
the Apostles is shocking.
He comes through locked doors and
stands in the midst of His fearful friends.
His few words – “Peace be with you!” – dispel their anxiety.
Jesus shows to the Apostles the
wounds which He suffered on the Cross…
wounds
which remain in His glorified body as signs of His infinite love.
From those wounds…in His hands and
feet…flowed His Precious Blood…
an
ocean of mercy waiting to bursting forth from His Sacred Heart
and cascade over the
souls of all humanity.
In that same moment, Jesus transmits
to the frightened and dumbfounded disciples
the
sacramental grace to be ministers of His divine mercy.
He institutes the Sacrament of Penance,
and entrusts it to His
chosen friends…the first priests of the Church.
“Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and who sins you retain are retained.”
It is through the Church’s ministers
that Christ desires to bestow His merciful love.
We give thanks to God, for His mercy
endures in the sacramental life of the Church.
The appearance of the Risen Christ to
Saint Faustina in 1931 was also shocking,
as
He suddenly came and stood with her in her humble convent cell.
He appeared in dazzling white, with
His right hand raised in blessing,
and
with red and white rays emanating from that glorious wound in his side.
Jesus revealed to her that the white
ray symbolizes the saving water of Baptism…
and
the red symbolizes His precious blood poured out on the Cross.
The same Risen Jesus appeared to the Apostles…and to Faustina…
to
reveal the same incredible gift of His unfathomable divine mercy!
The prayers for this Second Sunday of
Easter,
especially
the Collect, which speaks of the Father’s mercy,
the
fountain of water and the blood of redemption,
dovetail
so beautifully with the themes of Divine Mercy.
Jesus also revealed to Faustina a
prayer known as the Divine Mercy Chaplet,
and
promised great favors to those who pray it in faith.
We will gather as a parish family
this afternoon at 3:00 to pray this prayer.
In invite and encourage you to join
us.
Like the McCallister family, we all
have needs – not the same as theirs –
but
we all have prayers and concerns which we need to lift up to Jesus
as
we beg His mercy upon us and our world.
Like the Apostles, the doors to our
hearts are often locked because of fear,
or stubbornness.
Like Thomas, our need for outward signs…proof…upfront
prevents
us from embracing the opportunities for grace God presents to us.
Perhaps this devotion to Divine Mercy
is new and uncertain for you.
Be not afraid!
Today, the Risen Christ stands in our midst in this Holy Eucharist…
and
beckons us to partake of the saving and redemptive tide of His mercy.
Today the Risen Christ wishes us
peace, and promises us love.
Today the Risen Christ calls us to
put aside our fear and doubt,
and place our trust in
His mercy.
Dear friends, be not unbelieving in
divine mercy…
but believe…and cry out
with Saint Thomas
Cry out with Saint Faustina: “Jesus,
I trust in You!”
Come pray with us this afternoon.
Believe in the mercy of Christ which endures forever…
that you may have life in Him!
Wednesday, April 03, 2013
Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen! Alleluia!
Our renovation of the sanctuary at Our Lady of Victory turned out gloriously! Our Lord is again in a place of due honor and prominence in the church. Praise to Jesus Christ! See picture below...
Homily of Easter - basic skeleton with ad libitum additions given from the pulpit...
Homily of Easter - basic skeleton with ad libitum additions given from the pulpit...
Homily Easter 2013
My favorite saint is Saint John Vianney…the patron saint of
priests.
My Confirmation patron…
2011 trip to Ars…
In the rectory I keep a lovely icon of St. John Vianney.
He is depicted in the icon holding a scroll that bears words
for which he is famous.
“The eyes of the world see no further
than this life…
but
the eyes of the Christian see deep into eternity.”
This morning, the glorious paschal mystery we celebrate
compels us to
see with the eyes of faith
and to look beyond what we can
perceive by our human senses
and our fallen human nature.
God has become man and has died on the deathbed of the Cross.
A man has been raised from the darkness of death.
This is no mere human reality…
but instead is
a great mystery that transcends time and space…
breaks the
chains of this world’s limitations
and extends deep into eternity.
Faith in the
Resurrection…and indeed the whole
Christian life…
requires that we perceive and understand everything
in a much deeper and more profound way
than the limitations of this world’s
chains will allow.
We are called to see deep into eternity!
We believe in the Resurrection of
Jesus Christ from the dead…
a mystery…a reality…that
is not seen by the world in its limitedness.
We believe in many such mysteries.
This Holy Mass we celebrate is not just what we
are doing…
nor is it
merely what can be seen and thus grasped and even manipulated.
Instead we are entering into the Liturgy of the church
and the ceaseless worship of the
angels
in
the eternal banquet of the Lamb of God…
where heaven is wedded to earth.
When we celebrate the Eucharist…the eyes of the world see
only bread and wine
but the eyes
of the authentic Christian see deep into eternity
and
behold the living and abiding presence of the eternal Son of God,
the
Risen Jesus Christ!
When we hear the Pope and the bishops speak on matter of
faith and morals…
we are not
merely hearing the voices of men chattering.
We are hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit…
who speaks through the Magisterium of the Church.
who speaks through the Magisterium of the Church.
And we must listen…or
we shall answer for having ignored the voice of God!
When we meet another human being…
we ought not
see merely a body to be objectified
or one from
whom we can gain something or whom we can control.
The Christian sees a complete person…created in God’s image
and possessing a great dignity that
demands respect and love.
The Christian looks at another person…and sees a soul!
The human person is thus to be respected and valued,
not fabricated
or discarded.
The world sees only this life’s fleeting pleasures…
what to
consume or to wear.
The authentic Christian sees that
there is a spiritual dimension to the human person
and
recognizes that life is not complete
without
a constant relationship with the living God.
That relationship…in its fullness…
includes daily prayer,
weekly Mass, and regular confession.
Without these, the eternal, spiritual
part within us withers…
and
life becomes increasingly frustrating and overwhelming
because
we have not allowed God to love and nourish our hearts.
The eyes of the world see the universe as an accident
but the eyes
of the Christian see the detailed and loving plan of the Father.
The Christian life opens our hearts to deeply spiritual and
incredibly joyful realities
and allows us
to truly live as people of hope…
who know there is more to life than what
we perceive at first glance.
Saint Paul says: seek what is above,
live for the things that
are above, not the things of earth.
The hope of the Resurrection takes us
beyond the easily comprehendible
to
the mysterious and sublime
reminding us that there
are deeper realities worth living for.
What we can sense is not all there
is.
Thus the Christian does not live only
to be satisfied by earthly happiness.
From this day on, open your hearts
and minds to see what is deeper,
what
has been given by God above,
what
is beckoning you to live for eternity.
The life of the Church has so much to offer to us all…
peace in
relationship with Christ
joy in loving
others in their complete and intricate beauty
freedom in
embracing the truth.
This morning, the Risen Christ beckons us…one by one…
calling us to see with the eyes of
faith…
to seek higher realities…
and to
gaze...this day and always…deep into eternity.
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