About half-way through my seminary studies,
I had the opportunity to spend a week of retreat at Saint Michael’s Abbey
an abbey of Norbertine fathers and brothers in Orange County, CA.
While I was there, I experienced the schedule of the Norbertine canons,
including going to bed at 9:00 pm and rising at 5:00 am for prayer.
Given that I am not naturally a morning person, it was surely penitential!
At the same time it was a beautiful experience
of entering – briefly – into the hidden life of religious priests and brothers
where prayer is a constant routine which gives meaning to their lives.
At every hour of every day…somewhere in the world…priests, brothers and nuns
are praying the prayer of the Church called the “Liturgy of the Hours.”
Religious men and women pray according to an established schedule –
in the morning, the daytime, the evening, and at night –
in order to sanctify the hours of the day by their offering of prayer
and so that there arises before the throne of God
a continual sacrifice of praise, pleasing to the Lord.
Even here in Canton, Ohio, we are blessed to have Sancta Clara Monastery,
where the Poor Clare Sisters spend their days offering prayers
for the intentions of the Church,
for our community, and for people throughout the world.
Diocesan priests pray the same prayers,
but not at such strict times and not so early in the morning!
I once saw a prayer book that contained a one-dimensional map of the globe,
complete with the time zones,
and a listing of selected cities where Mass is celebrated at each hour.
It was a reminder of the beauty and constancy of the Eucharist:
at every hour of every day, somewhere there is a priest celebrating Mass.
that Jesus is always present to His people as they gather at the holy altar.
According to the third Eucharistic Prayer:
“Father…From generation to generation, you gather a people to yourself,
so that from the rising of the sun to its setting
a perfect offering may be made to the glory of your name.”
The Church indeed follows faithfully the exhortation of Saint Paul
to “pray without ceasing.”
We rejoice heartily in the abundance of graces that flow from the Church’s prayer
and in all things we give thanks, for this is the will of God.
The Liturgy of the Hours is not only for clergy and religious,
but is truly available to all people in the Church.
I hope you will join us Sunday evening at 4:00 as we pray Vespers together.
Saint Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians is filled with hope and encouragement
for the new, young church community at Thessalonica.
Paul is reminding the recent converts of the abundance of gifts
they have received from the hand of the Lord, as the members of His body.
He is exhorting them to appreciate what they have,
to give thanks in everything, to pray without ceasing,
and to live to the fullest extent their new life as baptized Christians.
Christian discipleship involves looking forward
to the fulfillment of God’s plan of salvation…the coming of the Lord in glory…
and living in constant readiness for his appearance.
Celebrating Advent…indeed the whole reality of being Christian…
is not an idle waiting
but an experience of living in hope of the coming of the Lord
and doing our part to make Christ's kingdom come alive in our world…
here and now…in every aspect of our human existence.
Christian believers are people of hope, and, as Pope Benedict has written,
people of hope live differently!
Absolutely essential to fulfilling the Christian life
is the call to pray without ceasing.
If we are to participate in the Church’s mission
to bring Jesus into every heart and every human endeavor,
then we, too, must sanctify the hours of every day with our prayers.
Prayer is most fundamentally a conversation with God,
wherein we share with Him our thoughts and cares,
and, more importantly, listen intently to His voice.
We need this constant conversation with God,
that we might come to know His will, experience the strength of His grace,
and be led by Him on our journey of faith.
Liturgy is the public prayer of the Church,
celebrated by the whole community,
according to established norms and traditions.
Prayer also takes the form of devotions:
the Rosary, Chaplet of Divine Mercy, Novenas, Stations of the Cross…
Reading sacred scripture or the writings of the saints
is also an experience of praying, for God’s Word is revealed in sacred texts.
Prayer does not have to include written or spoken words,
and often the most beautiful prayer
is the quiet moments we spend with the Lord…
before the Tabernacle or in a special place at home.
However you pray, what is most important
is setting aside substantial time each day for the Lord
to praise God every morning and thank Him every night.
If you were to give your family no other gift this Christmas
than to lead them in daily prayers
your gift would surpass our human capacity to measure.
In prayer we hear God’s voice, calling us to follow after Him with rejoicing.
And so we heed the exhortation of the Apostle Paul:
Pray without ceasing!
In all things give thanks!
This Advent and always…
allow the presence and love of God to penetrate the depths of your heart in prayer,
and draw you into intimate union with Him,
the One in whom alone our souls rejoice!
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Monday, November 24, 2008
Homily Solemnity of Christ the King 2008
[Personal story relating to goats...]
Goats are rather self-sufficient animals, preferring the higher ground for eating,
seldom remaining in one place for long,
and causing dissension by their ting temperament.
In stark contrast, sheep enjoy lush, green pastures and peaceful streams,
and they are content to remain for lengths of time,
truly appreciating their environment and their nourishment.
Sheep are docile, that is, easily cared for, taught and trained,
and they happily wait upon the will of the shepherd.
They are gentle and affectionate creatures,
which enjoy still waters and naturally avoid situations that cause agitation.
As the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Jesus Christ the King,
we hear the words of Holy Scripture
calling us to contemplate the kingship of Christ
and its implications for our lives.
The Gospel for today’s feast is the image of the great and final judgment.
Using an image that resonates with the nomadic and rural people of his time,
that of a shepherd separating sheep from goats
Jesus describes the judgment he will make
as king of heaven and earth.
The Lord refers to sinners as goats
because their vices resemble the behavior of goats:
belligerence, pride, mean-spiritedness toward other creatures.
Most sin can be traced back to the common roots of pride and self-absorption.
Concupiscence…
the tendency toward sin that is in all of us because of Adam’s fault…
leads people to think highly of themselves,
and to seek their own way and their own personal satisfaction,
all the while ignoring the needs of others.
Jesus definitively condemns the self-centered and destructive behaviors
of those on the left…
those who spend all their time, energy and resources on themselves
darting about from one fanciful notion to another
and never pausing to recognize the needs of the others in their midst
like the goats who browse the fields but never
and who seek the best for themselves while ignoring the flock.
He also condemns the prideful ignorance that resembles the pride of goats,
especially those who cause constant turmoil within families and workplaces
and dissent within the Church,
by always believing they know better, asserting their flawed ideas,
and pouting if they are not agreed with and acclaimed.
Men and women who are far from the heart of Christ and unworthy of His promises
bring their punishment upon themselves
by their self-promotion, pride,
and negligence toward fellow human persons.
The virtues of the blessed ones, who are judged worthy of eternal life,
are compared with good behaviors of the sheep beloved by the shepherd.
The Lord commends the virtue of those on the right…
whose lives were characterized by self-sacrifice and kindness toward others
and who sought to bring healing and aid rather than division and turmoil.
Even though we are far removed from the culture of nomadic shepherds,
we must not fail to grasp the meaning and value of this parable,
for by these same standards we, too will be judged.
The essential difference between the blessed and the condemned…
is the manner in which they have beheld the startling majesty
of Christ the King.
To accept the kingship of Jesus Christ means to recognize
that He reveals His person in the person of others.
Jesus the Good Shepherd is revealed in the teaching of the pastors of the Church.
The person of Christ the Suffering Servant is revealed in the poor and needy,
whom we are called to serve and care for always.
To accept the kingship of Christ also means to recognize and revere His humility,
His humble submission to the will of God…even unto …
and to imitate the humility of Jesus
by our submission…our placing ourselves under the mission…
of God and of the Church.
The Kingship of Jesus Christ is perfected only in the glory of Heaven.
Yet, it is the mission of the Church on earth to bring about the salvation of souls
and to establish the Kingdom in the hearts of men and women.
Today’s feast raises our awareness that our time on earth is not a waiting room,
not an experience of passing time and enjoying life’s available pleasures.
We are caught up in the mission of the Church
and called to contribute to the formation of the Kingdom.
Our acceptance or neglect of this profound invitation from God
most certainly has real and eternal consequences.
We will be judged on whether or not we have recognized the startling majesty of J. C.,
on whether or not we have seen Him in those who suffer
and met their needs with joyful love
on whether or not we have embraced the opportunity to imitate His humility
placing our desires aside in order to enter into the work of the Church:
to teach, to sanctify, to serve in love.
Every day we are faced with the choice to be obstinate and contentious goats
or docile and obedient sheep.
On those choices we will be judged
and nothing less than our eternal inheritance is on the line.
Christ invites us today to turn our backs on the self-serving road to perdition
and choose the road that leads to glory.
Our King invites us to enjoy the blessedness prepared by our Father…
a banquet of eternal life,
a kingdom of justice, love and peace.
Goats are rather self-sufficient animals, preferring the higher ground for eating,
seldom remaining in one place for long,
and causing dissension by their ting temperament.
In stark contrast, sheep enjoy lush, green pastures and peaceful streams,
and they are content to remain for lengths of time,
truly appreciating their environment and their nourishment.
Sheep are docile, that is, easily cared for, taught and trained,
and they happily wait upon the will of the shepherd.
They are gentle and affectionate creatures,
which enjoy still waters and naturally avoid situations that cause agitation.
As the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Jesus Christ the King,
we hear the words of Holy Scripture
calling us to contemplate the kingship of Christ
and its implications for our lives.
The Gospel for today’s feast is the image of the great and final judgment.
Using an image that resonates with the nomadic and rural people of his time,
that of a shepherd separating sheep from goats
Jesus describes the judgment he will make
as king of heaven and earth.
The Lord refers to sinners as goats
because their vices resemble the behavior of goats:
belligerence, pride, mean-spiritedness toward other creatures.
Most sin can be traced back to the common roots of pride and self-absorption.
Concupiscence…
the tendency toward sin that is in all of us because of Adam’s fault…
leads people to think highly of themselves,
and to seek their own way and their own personal satisfaction,
all the while ignoring the needs of others.
Jesus definitively condemns the self-centered and destructive behaviors
of those on the left…
those who spend all their time, energy and resources on themselves
darting about from one fanciful notion to another
and never pausing to recognize the needs of the others in their midst
like the goats who browse the fields but never
and who seek the best for themselves while ignoring the flock.
He also condemns the prideful ignorance that resembles the pride of goats,
especially those who cause constant turmoil within families and workplaces
and dissent within the Church,
by always believing they know better, asserting their flawed ideas,
and pouting if they are not agreed with and acclaimed.
Men and women who are far from the heart of Christ and unworthy of His promises
bring their punishment upon themselves
by their self-promotion, pride,
and negligence toward fellow human persons.
The virtues of the blessed ones, who are judged worthy of eternal life,
are compared with good behaviors of the sheep beloved by the shepherd.
The Lord commends the virtue of those on the right…
whose lives were characterized by self-sacrifice and kindness toward others
and who sought to bring healing and aid rather than division and turmoil.
Even though we are far removed from the culture of nomadic shepherds,
we must not fail to grasp the meaning and value of this parable,
for by these same standards we, too will be judged.
The essential difference between the blessed and the condemned…
is the manner in which they have beheld the startling majesty
of Christ the King.
To accept the kingship of Jesus Christ means to recognize
that He reveals His person in the person of others.
Jesus the Good Shepherd is revealed in the teaching of the pastors of the Church.
The person of Christ the Suffering Servant is revealed in the poor and needy,
whom we are called to serve and care for always.
To accept the kingship of Christ also means to recognize and revere His humility,
His humble submission to the will of God…even unto …
and to imitate the humility of Jesus
by our submission…our placing ourselves under the mission…
of God and of the Church.
The Kingship of Jesus Christ is perfected only in the glory of Heaven.
Yet, it is the mission of the Church on earth to bring about the salvation of souls
and to establish the Kingdom in the hearts of men and women.
Today’s feast raises our awareness that our time on earth is not a waiting room,
not an experience of passing time and enjoying life’s available pleasures.
We are caught up in the mission of the Church
and called to contribute to the formation of the Kingdom.
Our acceptance or neglect of this profound invitation from God
most certainly has real and eternal consequences.
We will be judged on whether or not we have recognized the startling majesty of J. C.,
on whether or not we have seen Him in those who suffer
and met their needs with joyful love
on whether or not we have embraced the opportunity to imitate His humility
placing our desires aside in order to enter into the work of the Church:
to teach, to sanctify, to serve in love.
Every day we are faced with the choice to be obstinate and contentious goats
or docile and obedient sheep.
On those choices we will be judged
and nothing less than our eternal inheritance is on the line.
Christ invites us today to turn our backs on the self-serving road to perdition
and choose the road that leads to glory.
Our King invites us to enjoy the blessedness prepared by our Father…
a banquet of eternal life,
a kingdom of justice, love and peace.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Homily Dedication of Basilica of Saint John Lateran 9 November 2008
One day around the turn of the 12th and 13th centuries…
while he gazed intently at the crucifix in the Church of San Damiano in Assisi,
lost in contemplation of his life’s struggles, and the mysteries of God,
Saint Francis heard the voice of Christ call to him:
“Francis, rebuild my Church!”
Taking the Lord quite literally, Francis, without permission,
sold goods from his father’s warehouse
to pay for repairs to the church building.
Needless to say, his father was quite upset and confronted Francis.
He even disowned him for what he had done.
Francis, for his part, renounced his father’s wealth,
went before the bishop in the middle of the town square,
stripped himself of all his clothes,
and in this dramatic moment gave his whole life to Christ and the Church.
As he left behind his father’s wealth and embraced poverty,
Francis drew closer to Christ and began to understand His words:
He was not calling Francis to repair the building,
but to spend his life building up the Mystical Body of Christ.
Today, as we celebrate the Dedication of the Basilica of Saint John Lateran,
we are mindful of these two meanings of the word “church”
and how both of them carry great significance for us.
First of all, our church buildings are significant to us:
They are works of art, fashioned by our ancestors, for the glory of God.
They are the sacred places where God dwells in the Blessed Sacrament.
They are the gathering places of the worshipping community
and the sanctuaries where the mysteries of our faith are celebrated.
They stand as monuments of faith and houses of prayer for the people of God.
It has been widely publicized that our diocese is undergoing a process of study
in preparation for a re-ordering of our parishes and schools.
In the end, some parish communities will have to give up their churches,
or combine for worship with another parish.
Priests and bishops are sensitive to the fact that the buildings…
seemingly insignificant…
in fact mean a great deal to the people
who have called them home for generations.
Today we honor one particular church building:
the Basilica in Rome dedicated to Saint John the Baptist,
on the site of the ancient royal palace of the Laterani Family.
Of the four major basilicas in Rome, Saint Peter’s is the most widely recognized,
and yet Saint John Lateran remains the most significant
It is the cathedral of the Diocese of Rome…where the pope is bishop…
as Saint Columba is the cathedral of the Youngstown diocese.
As the Pope’s cathedral, Saint John Lateran stands as a sign
of the love and union shared between all Catholics and the Holy Father.
It is known as the “mother of all churches.”
In our parish in Canton, Ohio, our first church building was built 50 years ago
and our current church was built in the Year of the Great Jubilee.
We remember that the existence of our church depends historically
on the establishment of the Diocese of Rome
and the subsequent spreading of the faith from the See of Peter.
In fact, our first bishop traced his sacramental lineage to a cardinal who lived in Rome.
So, today, we also celebrate our own parish church,
where we gather each Sunday for worship
and where we encounter the person of Christ in the Holy Eucharist.
Like Jesus in today’s Gospel, we ought to have passion about this place of prayer,
and zeal for this house of God should consume us.
For it is holy ground, and the meeting place of Heaven and earth.
Our attitude about our church should be one of respect and reverence.
A church should be quiet, so that people are able to pray
freely and without disturbance, any time of day.
It is not a place to chew gum, carry on idle conversation, or appear immodestly.
We should remember that Jesus is present in the Tabernacle
and we should show him due honor.
Secondly, the “Church” is the Body of Christ
and today’s feast draws our attention to our high calling
to build up Christ's body by faithful fulfillment of our own vocations.
The Church…throughout the world and down through the centuries…
is the temple built of living stones,
established by the Lord on the foundation of the Apostles,
with Jesus Christ Himself as the capstone.
Each one of us has a unique role in the mission of Christ to build His Church.
As Jesus spoke to Francis centuries ago, He speaks to each one of us:
“Build my Church!”
The future of the Church depends on holy families,
and forming a holy family requires a tremendous amount of work
and a constant commitment to prioritizing our lives
so that God always has first place.
We all build up the Church within our own lives
by a life of constant, intimate prayer with God, Mary, and the saints.
In these days, many people express dismay at the situation of the world
and of our own nation.
Our Catholic Christian values are under attack.
Now is the time to pray more fervently, love more deeply,
and never give up on what matters most.
The future of the Church requires our intense involvement in her sacred work.
The Church is devoted to the person of Christ in the Eucharist,
and dedicated to working for justice for every human person.
The building up of the Church and the spreading of the Gospel message of Jesus
depend upon us and our posterity.
When ancient church buildings were constructed, they took decades to complete.
Workers died in dangerous conditions.
They labored for a lifetime on a project they did not begin
and would not see completed.
They followed plans they did not create.
They were committed to a project that was not of their own design.
So, too, we are committed to an enterprise begun long ago by Jesus
which will last for ages to come.
The Church of Christ is not our own and we did not create it.
The plans are given to us in the Scriptures and the Catechism.
Serving the Church can be dangerous, and even costs some people their lives.
The Church is the sacrament of unity and the instrument of salvation for all people,
and, despite the challenges and sorrows, to serve and to build up the Church
is an act of love which brings the greatest joy and peace.
The psalms present the question:
“Once the foundations have been destroyed, what can the just do?”
In a time when it seems as though our foundations are being shaken,
Christ offers us a compelling answer to this question.
He looks us in the eye and says: “rebuild my Church!”
while he gazed intently at the crucifix in the Church of San Damiano in Assisi,
lost in contemplation of his life’s struggles, and the mysteries of God,
Saint Francis heard the voice of Christ call to him:
“Francis, rebuild my Church!”
Taking the Lord quite literally, Francis, without permission,
sold goods from his father’s warehouse
to pay for repairs to the church building.
Needless to say, his father was quite upset and confronted Francis.
He even disowned him for what he had done.
Francis, for his part, renounced his father’s wealth,
went before the bishop in the middle of the town square,
stripped himself of all his clothes,
and in this dramatic moment gave his whole life to Christ and the Church.
As he left behind his father’s wealth and embraced poverty,
Francis drew closer to Christ and began to understand His words:
He was not calling Francis to repair the building,
but to spend his life building up the Mystical Body of Christ.
Today, as we celebrate the Dedication of the Basilica of Saint John Lateran,
we are mindful of these two meanings of the word “church”
and how both of them carry great significance for us.
First of all, our church buildings are significant to us:
They are works of art, fashioned by our ancestors, for the glory of God.
They are the sacred places where God dwells in the Blessed Sacrament.
They are the gathering places of the worshipping community
and the sanctuaries where the mysteries of our faith are celebrated.
They stand as monuments of faith and houses of prayer for the people of God.
It has been widely publicized that our diocese is undergoing a process of study
in preparation for a re-ordering of our parishes and schools.
In the end, some parish communities will have to give up their churches,
or combine for worship with another parish.
Priests and bishops are sensitive to the fact that the buildings…
seemingly insignificant…
in fact mean a great deal to the people
who have called them home for generations.
Today we honor one particular church building:
the Basilica in Rome dedicated to Saint John the Baptist,
on the site of the ancient royal palace of the Laterani Family.
Of the four major basilicas in Rome, Saint Peter’s is the most widely recognized,
and yet Saint John Lateran remains the most significant
It is the cathedral of the Diocese of Rome…where the pope is bishop…
as Saint Columba is the cathedral of the Youngstown diocese.
As the Pope’s cathedral, Saint John Lateran stands as a sign
of the love and union shared between all Catholics and the Holy Father.
It is known as the “mother of all churches.”
In our parish in Canton, Ohio, our first church building was built 50 years ago
and our current church was built in the Year of the Great Jubilee.
We remember that the existence of our church depends historically
on the establishment of the Diocese of Rome
and the subsequent spreading of the faith from the See of Peter.
In fact, our first bishop traced his sacramental lineage to a cardinal who lived in Rome.
So, today, we also celebrate our own parish church,
where we gather each Sunday for worship
and where we encounter the person of Christ in the Holy Eucharist.
Like Jesus in today’s Gospel, we ought to have passion about this place of prayer,
and zeal for this house of God should consume us.
For it is holy ground, and the meeting place of Heaven and earth.
Our attitude about our church should be one of respect and reverence.
A church should be quiet, so that people are able to pray
freely and without disturbance, any time of day.
It is not a place to chew gum, carry on idle conversation, or appear immodestly.
We should remember that Jesus is present in the Tabernacle
and we should show him due honor.
Secondly, the “Church” is the Body of Christ
and today’s feast draws our attention to our high calling
to build up Christ's body by faithful fulfillment of our own vocations.
The Church…throughout the world and down through the centuries…
is the temple built of living stones,
established by the Lord on the foundation of the Apostles,
with Jesus Christ Himself as the capstone.
Each one of us has a unique role in the mission of Christ to build His Church.
As Jesus spoke to Francis centuries ago, He speaks to each one of us:
“Build my Church!”
The future of the Church depends on holy families,
and forming a holy family requires a tremendous amount of work
and a constant commitment to prioritizing our lives
so that God always has first place.
We all build up the Church within our own lives
by a life of constant, intimate prayer with God, Mary, and the saints.
In these days, many people express dismay at the situation of the world
and of our own nation.
Our Catholic Christian values are under attack.
Now is the time to pray more fervently, love more deeply,
and never give up on what matters most.
The future of the Church requires our intense involvement in her sacred work.
The Church is devoted to the person of Christ in the Eucharist,
and dedicated to working for justice for every human person.
The building up of the Church and the spreading of the Gospel message of Jesus
depend upon us and our posterity.
When ancient church buildings were constructed, they took decades to complete.
Workers died in dangerous conditions.
They labored for a lifetime on a project they did not begin
and would not see completed.
They followed plans they did not create.
They were committed to a project that was not of their own design.
So, too, we are committed to an enterprise begun long ago by Jesus
which will last for ages to come.
The Church of Christ is not our own and we did not create it.
The plans are given to us in the Scriptures and the Catechism.
Serving the Church can be dangerous, and even costs some people their lives.
The Church is the sacrament of unity and the instrument of salvation for all people,
and, despite the challenges and sorrows, to serve and to build up the Church
is an act of love which brings the greatest joy and peace.
The psalms present the question:
“Once the foundations have been destroyed, what can the just do?”
In a time when it seems as though our foundations are being shaken,
Christ offers us a compelling answer to this question.
He looks us in the eye and says: “rebuild my Church!”
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Homily 19 October 2008 Twenty Ninth Sunday of the Year A
Story of godson Joseph swallowing a quarter…
Today’s Gospel story centers around a coin, specifically the Roman denarius.
The Pharisees, overcome by greed and for power,
seek a way in which they can trap Jesus
and use His words to destroy His public image.
Passionate about covering their own tracks, they send their students to Jesus,
and even their approach to Jesus is inauthentic and shrewd.
They offer Him compliments in an effort to win Him over and appear trustworthy.
Instead they are wolves in sheep’s clothing, who come to make a fool of Jesus.
They ask: “Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?”
Knowing their hearts, Jesus replies:
“Show me the coin that pays the census tax.
Whose image is this and whose inscription?”
The Pharisees point out the obvious: the coins of the empire bear the image of Caesar.
Jesus concludes the seemingly mundane dialogue over the census tax
with a much more profound statement:
“Render to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”
It is important to focus on the theme of “image” in today’s Gospel.
As believing Israelite would have known,
every human person bears the image of God.
Even more, the Christian bears the indelible inscription that comes with Baptism.
The coin that bears Caesar’s image belongs to Caesar.
We who bear God’s image belong to God.
When Jesus says “Repay to God what belongs to God,”
He intends that we would offer, not the passing wealth of coins,
but our very selves, to Him, as a living sacrifice of praise.
Thus, the Church Fathers write:
“The image of God is not depicted on gold but is imaged in humanity.
And so, give your wealth to Caesar
but reserve for God the sole innocence of your conscience,
where God is beheld.”
We see in this teaching of Jesus the two realms in life: the temporal and the eternal.
The divine image within us binds us to Almighty God
and our true citizenship is in Heaven.
Yet we have a legitimate obligation to care for the world here and now
and to participate in public life as faithful citizens of our country.
Archbishop Charles Chaput recently published a timely book
titled Render unto Caesar
on the subject of living our faith in the public sphere.
In it he writes,
“We have obligations as believers [in God].
We have duties as citizens.
We need to honor both, or we honor neither.”
Because even the wealth we render to Caesar – to the State – is gift from God,
everything in the temporal realm as well must be used according to His will.
As Americans, in 17 days we will face a decisive moment:
a day on which we exercise our civic duty
and have a voice in our nation’s future.
As Catholics living in the United States,
we have an obligation to approach this important responsibility
with deep faith and a commitment to advancing the kingdom of God.
In their 2007 document Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship,
the U. S. Bishops lay out the truths that guide us
as we discern our participation in political life.
As we heard from the Fathers of the Church, we reserve for God our consciences,
that innermost sanctuary within us where we behold God
and hear His voice calling us to obey His law – a law we did not create –
to love with all our hearts, to do good and avoid evil.
Living, acting, or voting according to our consciences
does not mean following a “good feeling,” or a hunch, or taking a poll.
Instead, it means desiring to embrace goodness and truth,
learning the truth of God about the issues we face
and the facts about our choices
prayerfully discerning the will of God for our lives
and making a sound and prudent judgment.
The obligation to enter into the political process with a well-formed conscience,
in this particular historical moment, means three things:
First, our consciences must be formed according to God’s law
through prayer, and study of the Scripture and teachings of the Church.
Every Catholic family should have a Bible and a Catechism, and read them often.
As Bp. Murry told us, priests have an obligation to teach the faith in our homilies.
We cannot live without the Word that comes from the mouth of God,
and which is revealed to us in Scripture and Tradition.
Secondly, we must know God’s truth regarding the issues we face
and the Church’s moral principles.
As the bishops write, “There are some things we must never do…
because they are always incompatible with the love of God and neighbor.”
These things we call “intrinsically evil acts,”
for they are evil in themselves, regardless of circumstances in which they occur.
We have a moral obligation to always pursue the good and avoid evil.
In our time, the bishops call to our attention that
“abortion and euthanasia have become preeminent threats to human dignity.”
and, furthermore,
“direct threats to the sanctity and dignity of human life,
such as human cloning and destructive research on human embryos…
must always be opposed.”
There are many things that can broadly be called “life issues” –
genocide, , , poverty, health care.
What is more, there are certainly many issues that affect our nation,
as we face economic uncertainty
and as many young people are still fighting for freedom in far away places.
Yet, there is nothing so heinous as the
violation of the sanctity of a mother’s womb
the so called “mercy ” of the elderly,
or the creation and destruction of human persons for research.
Yes, there are many issues, but some are more significant than others.
We must avoid two temptations:
either to treat all issues with no moral distinction,
or to manipulate distinctions in order to justify ignoring the sanctity of life.
We must never forget that, as Pope John Paul II said,
“the common outcry…on behalf of human rights…
the right to health, to home, to work, to family, to culture –
is false and illusory if the right to life…
is not defended with the maximum determination.”
A unique threat to human life which we face now is a bill called the F.O.C.A.
Please read the insert in this week’s bulletin at Bishop Murry’s request.
and research the various candidates’ position on this legislation.
Finally, it is important to know where the candidates for both parties stand
on all the issues that face us as a nation.
It is simply not good enough to vote straight ticket because that’s what Grandpa did
or to vote without deliberation for one party
because the other has been previously disappointing.
God’s Word to us today…as well as the compelling situation we face…
as Catholics and as Americans…demands that we
know our faith…research our choices…and make sound moral judgments.
The choices we make next month will determine the course of our nation
and the kind of society we leave as an inheritance for our children.
By God’s grace, may it be a society where everyone…everyone…is loved!
Today’s Gospel story centers around a coin, specifically the Roman denarius.
The Pharisees, overcome by greed and for power,
seek a way in which they can trap Jesus
and use His words to destroy His public image.
Passionate about covering their own tracks, they send their students to Jesus,
and even their approach to Jesus is inauthentic and shrewd.
They offer Him compliments in an effort to win Him over and appear trustworthy.
Instead they are wolves in sheep’s clothing, who come to make a fool of Jesus.
They ask: “Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?”
Knowing their hearts, Jesus replies:
“Show me the coin that pays the census tax.
Whose image is this and whose inscription?”
The Pharisees point out the obvious: the coins of the empire bear the image of Caesar.
Jesus concludes the seemingly mundane dialogue over the census tax
with a much more profound statement:
“Render to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”
It is important to focus on the theme of “image” in today’s Gospel.
As believing Israelite would have known,
every human person bears the image of God.
Even more, the Christian bears the indelible inscription that comes with Baptism.
The coin that bears Caesar’s image belongs to Caesar.
We who bear God’s image belong to God.
When Jesus says “Repay to God what belongs to God,”
He intends that we would offer, not the passing wealth of coins,
but our very selves, to Him, as a living sacrifice of praise.
Thus, the Church Fathers write:
“The image of God is not depicted on gold but is imaged in humanity.
And so, give your wealth to Caesar
but reserve for God the sole innocence of your conscience,
where God is beheld.”
We see in this teaching of Jesus the two realms in life: the temporal and the eternal.
The divine image within us binds us to Almighty God
and our true citizenship is in Heaven.
Yet we have a legitimate obligation to care for the world here and now
and to participate in public life as faithful citizens of our country.
Archbishop Charles Chaput recently published a timely book
titled Render unto Caesar
on the subject of living our faith in the public sphere.
In it he writes,
“We have obligations as believers [in God].
We have duties as citizens.
We need to honor both, or we honor neither.”
Because even the wealth we render to Caesar – to the State – is gift from God,
everything in the temporal realm as well must be used according to His will.
As Americans, in 17 days we will face a decisive moment:
a day on which we exercise our civic duty
and have a voice in our nation’s future.
As Catholics living in the United States,
we have an obligation to approach this important responsibility
with deep faith and a commitment to advancing the kingdom of God.
In their 2007 document Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship,
the U. S. Bishops lay out the truths that guide us
as we discern our participation in political life.
As we heard from the Fathers of the Church, we reserve for God our consciences,
that innermost sanctuary within us where we behold God
and hear His voice calling us to obey His law – a law we did not create –
to love with all our hearts, to do good and avoid evil.
Living, acting, or voting according to our consciences
does not mean following a “good feeling,” or a hunch, or taking a poll.
Instead, it means desiring to embrace goodness and truth,
learning the truth of God about the issues we face
and the facts about our choices
prayerfully discerning the will of God for our lives
and making a sound and prudent judgment.
The obligation to enter into the political process with a well-formed conscience,
in this particular historical moment, means three things:
First, our consciences must be formed according to God’s law
through prayer, and study of the Scripture and teachings of the Church.
Every Catholic family should have a Bible and a Catechism, and read them often.
As Bp. Murry told us, priests have an obligation to teach the faith in our homilies.
We cannot live without the Word that comes from the mouth of God,
and which is revealed to us in Scripture and Tradition.
Secondly, we must know God’s truth regarding the issues we face
and the Church’s moral principles.
As the bishops write, “There are some things we must never do…
because they are always incompatible with the love of God and neighbor.”
These things we call “intrinsically evil acts,”
for they are evil in themselves, regardless of circumstances in which they occur.
We have a moral obligation to always pursue the good and avoid evil.
In our time, the bishops call to our attention that
“abortion and euthanasia have become preeminent threats to human dignity.”
and, furthermore,
“direct threats to the sanctity and dignity of human life,
such as human cloning and destructive research on human embryos…
must always be opposed.”
There are many things that can broadly be called “life issues” –
genocide, , , poverty, health care.
What is more, there are certainly many issues that affect our nation,
as we face economic uncertainty
and as many young people are still fighting for freedom in far away places.
Yet, there is nothing so heinous as the
violation of the sanctity of a mother’s womb
the so called “mercy ” of the elderly,
or the creation and destruction of human persons for research.
Yes, there are many issues, but some are more significant than others.
We must avoid two temptations:
either to treat all issues with no moral distinction,
or to manipulate distinctions in order to justify ignoring the sanctity of life.
We must never forget that, as Pope John Paul II said,
“the common outcry…on behalf of human rights…
the right to health, to home, to work, to family, to culture –
is false and illusory if the right to life…
is not defended with the maximum determination.”
A unique threat to human life which we face now is a bill called the F.O.C.A.
Please read the insert in this week’s bulletin at Bishop Murry’s request.
and research the various candidates’ position on this legislation.
Finally, it is important to know where the candidates for both parties stand
on all the issues that face us as a nation.
It is simply not good enough to vote straight ticket because that’s what Grandpa did
or to vote without deliberation for one party
because the other has been previously disappointing.
God’s Word to us today…as well as the compelling situation we face…
as Catholics and as Americans…demands that we
know our faith…research our choices…and make sound moral judgments.
The choices we make next month will determine the course of our nation
and the kind of society we leave as an inheritance for our children.
By God’s grace, may it be a society where everyone…everyone…is loved!
Homily 5 October 2008 27th Sunday of the Year/Respect Life Sunday
When in the course of human events, it became necessary for the 13 colonies which formed the U.S.A. to separate themselves from the imperial power of Great Britain, the God-fearing gentlemen who met in Congress to form and lead the infant nation declared in writing their independence, the reasons for their declaration, and the grievances which precipitated it.
They declare also what they believed about the dignity of the human person: the self–evident truth that meant women are created by God and endowed with the inalienable right to life.
In the history of our nation, that truth has become much less self-evident for Americans – indeed for all people – and particularly in the last 35 years the respect due to human life has suffered numerous attacks.
In our nation, that which the founding fathers thought to be self-evident has been stripped of all legal and cultural support.
Today the Church observes Respect Life Sunday, as she calls to mind for all people of good will the inalienable right to Life and the Divine imperative to respect dignity of human person.
In his famous farewell address to the nation, George Washington remarked that religion and morality are “indispensable supports” to political prosperity.
With this observance of Right to Life Sunday, the Church is reminding all people of the absolute necessity to pray and labor in defense of the unquestionable sanctity of human life, for without a basic moral framework that recognizes dignity of the human person and of human life, prosperity is truly impossible.
Respect for life was at the foundation of our country’s formation; it remains at the core of the Church’s Social Justice teaching; and it must remain the fundamental law in our hearts.
Respect for life is not the limited purview of certain committees, lobby groups, or even camps within the church. God forbid I ever hear the disparaging phrase “those pro-lifers” again.
God is pro-life. His church is pro-life. To love life is not simply a Catholic position. It is fundamentally human. To fail to love life is to abandon the essence of Christianity and humanity.
Isaiah likens chosen people of Israel to a vineyard, cherished by the Lord – a labor of love, cultivated by the Lord and planted with choicest vines.
In the history of salvation the Lord established a covenant with His people, instructed them and cared for them, that they might know Him and serve Him in holiness. God mercifully tried again and again to draw His people to Himself. These things happened as preparation and image of a new and perfect covenant in Jesus Christ.
In the fullness of time, God sent His son into the vineyard to become man and to give His life on the Cross, that we might have eternal life.
Christ established Church as the sacrament and instrument of unity for all people. The Messiah rejected and crucified has become foundation of the Church.
Christ is Vineyard of God in its’ fullness. The Lord looks upon the Church with love and delights in the worship offered to Him and the service rendered to others in His name.
The Church possesses a great dignity. The members of the Mystical Body of Christ are called to embrace their identity as the Lord’s treasured vineyard and their vocation to bear fruit that will last.
In particular, we must bear fruit in defense of life. When God looks upon His Church we do not want Him to behold a pathetic harvest, influenced by the culture of . We must pray, labor and learn every day, that we may increase in holiness, bear fruit in the Lord’s vineyard, and preach with our words, and more importantly with our lives, the Gospel of Life.
The issues surrounding respect for life are numerous. We often hear the stories of men and women in our midst: child neglect, spousal abuse, poverty, genetic engineering, , and discrimination, ography and contraception.
A person of faith cannot help but cry out: What are we doing to ourselves?
Like the servants sent into vineyard, Christ sends people into the world and we destroy their lives.
As if all that was not enough evil, then there are the even more heinous crimes against life.
Euthanasia treats the elderly and sick as disposable commodities to be thrown away when no longer useful like a pen that runs out of ink. Contrary to this, the Church says your dignity is not based on what you produce but who you are as people created and loved by God.
Embryonic Stem Cell Research presumes to create human embryos or to use existing ones gained from other illicit procedures, and then to kill these viable human persons and use them for research. This practice is all the more ridiculous given that no scientific benefit has come from it and great advances have been made from morally acceptable research on cells from umbilical cord and skin. Human life is not a laboratory experiment.
Finally, even though most Americans oppose abortion, or perhaps in limited cases
support it, misguided politicians and the media continue to try to convince us that it is good for us.
A bill in process in Washington called the Freedom of Choice Act obliterated gains in legal protection of life of the last 35 years. It defines not life but abortion as a ‘fundamental right,” eliminates parental notification, eliminates parental notification, and eliminates laws protecting women for unsafe medical clinics.
I can’t begin to describe the pain man and women in our world suffer because of abortion. The loss of 45 million lives and the devastating results in countless broken lives because of abortion demand that we oppose this kind of legislation.
Call your Senator or Representative, and ask them to defend life on your behalf.
“Freedom of Choice” is more than an interesting title. Pope Benedict XVI…speech on the South Lawn of the White House during his visit to the U. S. in April…“Preservation of Freedom calls for cultivation of virtue.”
We cannot enjoy real freedom without virtue, without love for life.
We who have come to know the love of Christ are compelled by our faith to be a voice for the old, sick, poor, and unborn. We are called, empowered and compelled by the grace of Christ to pray, speak out, write letters…all in defense of human life…that we may bear fruit that will truly last.
They declare also what they believed about the dignity of the human person: the self–evident truth that meant women are created by God and endowed with the inalienable right to life.
In the history of our nation, that truth has become much less self-evident for Americans – indeed for all people – and particularly in the last 35 years the respect due to human life has suffered numerous attacks.
In our nation, that which the founding fathers thought to be self-evident has been stripped of all legal and cultural support.
Today the Church observes Respect Life Sunday, as she calls to mind for all people of good will the inalienable right to Life and the Divine imperative to respect dignity of human person.
In his famous farewell address to the nation, George Washington remarked that religion and morality are “indispensable supports” to political prosperity.
With this observance of Right to Life Sunday, the Church is reminding all people of the absolute necessity to pray and labor in defense of the unquestionable sanctity of human life, for without a basic moral framework that recognizes dignity of the human person and of human life, prosperity is truly impossible.
Respect for life was at the foundation of our country’s formation; it remains at the core of the Church’s Social Justice teaching; and it must remain the fundamental law in our hearts.
Respect for life is not the limited purview of certain committees, lobby groups, or even camps within the church. God forbid I ever hear the disparaging phrase “those pro-lifers” again.
God is pro-life. His church is pro-life. To love life is not simply a Catholic position. It is fundamentally human. To fail to love life is to abandon the essence of Christianity and humanity.
Isaiah likens chosen people of Israel to a vineyard, cherished by the Lord – a labor of love, cultivated by the Lord and planted with choicest vines.
In the history of salvation the Lord established a covenant with His people, instructed them and cared for them, that they might know Him and serve Him in holiness. God mercifully tried again and again to draw His people to Himself. These things happened as preparation and image of a new and perfect covenant in Jesus Christ.
In the fullness of time, God sent His son into the vineyard to become man and to give His life on the Cross, that we might have eternal life.
Christ established Church as the sacrament and instrument of unity for all people. The Messiah rejected and crucified has become foundation of the Church.
Christ is Vineyard of God in its’ fullness. The Lord looks upon the Church with love and delights in the worship offered to Him and the service rendered to others in His name.
The Church possesses a great dignity. The members of the Mystical Body of Christ are called to embrace their identity as the Lord’s treasured vineyard and their vocation to bear fruit that will last.
In particular, we must bear fruit in defense of life. When God looks upon His Church we do not want Him to behold a pathetic harvest, influenced by the culture of . We must pray, labor and learn every day, that we may increase in holiness, bear fruit in the Lord’s vineyard, and preach with our words, and more importantly with our lives, the Gospel of Life.
The issues surrounding respect for life are numerous. We often hear the stories of men and women in our midst: child neglect, spousal abuse, poverty, genetic engineering, , and discrimination, ography and contraception.
A person of faith cannot help but cry out: What are we doing to ourselves?
Like the servants sent into vineyard, Christ sends people into the world and we destroy their lives.
As if all that was not enough evil, then there are the even more heinous crimes against life.
Euthanasia treats the elderly and sick as disposable commodities to be thrown away when no longer useful like a pen that runs out of ink. Contrary to this, the Church says your dignity is not based on what you produce but who you are as people created and loved by God.
Embryonic Stem Cell Research presumes to create human embryos or to use existing ones gained from other illicit procedures, and then to kill these viable human persons and use them for research. This practice is all the more ridiculous given that no scientific benefit has come from it and great advances have been made from morally acceptable research on cells from umbilical cord and skin. Human life is not a laboratory experiment.
Finally, even though most Americans oppose abortion, or perhaps in limited cases
support it, misguided politicians and the media continue to try to convince us that it is good for us.
A bill in process in Washington called the Freedom of Choice Act obliterated gains in legal protection of life of the last 35 years. It defines not life but abortion as a ‘fundamental right,” eliminates parental notification, eliminates parental notification, and eliminates laws protecting women for unsafe medical clinics.
I can’t begin to describe the pain man and women in our world suffer because of abortion. The loss of 45 million lives and the devastating results in countless broken lives because of abortion demand that we oppose this kind of legislation.
Call your Senator or Representative, and ask them to defend life on your behalf.
“Freedom of Choice” is more than an interesting title. Pope Benedict XVI…speech on the South Lawn of the White House during his visit to the U. S. in April…“Preservation of Freedom calls for cultivation of virtue.”
We cannot enjoy real freedom without virtue, without love for life.
We who have come to know the love of Christ are compelled by our faith to be a voice for the old, sick, poor, and unborn. We are called, empowered and compelled by the grace of Christ to pray, speak out, write letters…all in defense of human life…that we may bear fruit that will truly last.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Homily Solemnity of Saint Michael (Transferred) 27/28 September 2008
50 Years ago this Monday…September 29, 1958…
Monsignor George Habig…representing Bishop Emmett Walsh…
dedicated the original church…what is now the gym…
here in Saint Michael Parish.
As many of you would remember,
until the Catholic people in northwest Canton had a church of their own,
Mass was held in the Avondale School.
Since that dedication day…50 years ago on the Feast of Saint Michael…
our parish has grown rapidly and beautifully
into a family of faith of over 2,600 households.
Though we have since seen the dedication of a new church building in 2000,
it is significant that we remember the first church
and the labor and love that made it a house of prayer for our ancestors,
consecrated to God and set aside as a sacred place for divine worship
under the patronage of the great Archangel Michael.
This year, as Church norms permit for patronal feasts,
we have transferred the Feast of Saint Michael to Sunday,
that we may together honor the holy Archangel
in whose honor our parish was established
and under whose patronage we continue to journey in faith.
We honor him with incense, chant, song, white vestments, and unique prayers.
As we reflect upon the ancient and beautiful Prayer to Saint Michael,
as well as the stories of Saint Michael in the Sacred Scriptures,
this special feast day offers us three very valuable spiritual lessons.
First of all, we are reminded of the supernatural realm that is quite real
though we cannot perceive it with our human senses.
Angels…pure spirits who serve God faithfully and worship him continually…
are as real as we are to one another.
There are three chief angels, or Archangels, in the splendid hierarchy of Heaven:
Gabriel, which means the “Strength of God”
is the one who brought God’s message of salvation to JBap and Mary.
Raphael, which means the “Medicine of God”
is the one who cared for Tobias on his journey,
as we read in the Book of Tobit.
Michael, whose name means “Who is like God?”
is the great defender of the Church and of God’s people.
The church believes in, trusts in, and invokes the intercession of the holy angels.
Secondly, it is also true that the supernatural realm is not entirely good and holy
as the angels who serve and worship God.
The Devil is also real.
Satan, whose name means “adversary,”
is an angel who rejected God and was cast out of Heaven.
From his abode of darkness, distant from the love of God,
he now prowls about the world seeking the ruin of souls
and deceiving men and women striving for holiness.
It is convenient but dangerous to de-personalize sin
and to speak in general terms about “evil.”
Never forget that the Devil’s greatest trick is to convince us that he does not exist.
Saint Michael is the great protector,
who fought against the Devil and who defends us against evil.
Whenever we find ourselves in a struggle against sin and temptation,
it is of tremendous value to have recourse in prayer to Saint Michael.
Finally, our celebration brings into focus the reality that we are in a time of war.
This war is not the military conflict in Iraq, Afghanistan, or the Middle East.
Instead, I speak of a spiritual battle…a battle for truth, holiness, and morality…
a battle being waged in courtrooms, classrooms, and hospital rooms.
The enemies are selfishness, decadence, and the culture of .
We who have been baptized into the Mystical Body of Christ
have been summoned by Him to take our place as defenders of truth
and are led by the holy Archangel Michael into spiritual warfare.
The false values of the world, temptations of the flesh, and snares of the Devil
converge as the enemy of the truth, love, peace, and justice of God.
The examples abound…
Our children in public school are denied the opportunity to freely pray.
Catholic physicians and Catholic Charities are compromised or forced to close…
because of pressure to dispense contraception or perform abortions.
Priests are prosecuted for preaching the teachings of Christ.
Music media, television, movies, and the internet…
which provide great advantages and opportunities…
also provide new technological outlets for immorality and deviance.
Saint Michael is the defender of truth and justice.
We need him close to us today more than ever…as a companion in the trenches…
as we stand together against the injustices that affect our world…
against poverty, hunger, religious and racial discrimination,
and the greatest injustice ever conceived of by mankind:
the deliberate destruction of human life in the womb.
We must arm ourselves against these visible and invisible enemies.
St. Michael is shown dressed in armor and carrying a sword.
His image is symbolic of the true armor offered to every disciple.
Contrary to the radical ideologies some who invoke God in defense of
disciples of Christ stand in firmly rooted in love and peace.
The greatest weapons we have in the struggle for holiness are
our relationship to God, Mary and the Saints in daily prayer
the grace of the Sacraments, to which we must frequently make recourse
and the powerful truths of the Bible and the Catholic Catechism,
which we must read, study, and thoroughly understand.
With God’s grace in our hearts and souls…
with the wisdom of the Scriptures and the Church’s teaching in our minds…
and with Saint Michael at our side…
we constitute a formidable force against sin and evil.
By our words of truth and love, the example of our actions in the world,
our fervent prayers, and our well-formed participation in political life
we can and must make a stand for truth!
We have seen , corruption, and immorality for far too long
and it is time for us to say that we have had enough.
Jesus Christ is our Savior…our brother…and the source of our hope!
His truth brings us peace in this life…and the promise of eternal life!
We are called…and privileged…to fight for Jesus Christ…to fight for holiness!
Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle!
Christ our God, give us courage to love you and to defend the truth which sets us free!
Monsignor George Habig…representing Bishop Emmett Walsh…
dedicated the original church…what is now the gym…
here in Saint Michael Parish.
As many of you would remember,
until the Catholic people in northwest Canton had a church of their own,
Mass was held in the Avondale School.
Since that dedication day…50 years ago on the Feast of Saint Michael…
our parish has grown rapidly and beautifully
into a family of faith of over 2,600 households.
Though we have since seen the dedication of a new church building in 2000,
it is significant that we remember the first church
and the labor and love that made it a house of prayer for our ancestors,
consecrated to God and set aside as a sacred place for divine worship
under the patronage of the great Archangel Michael.
This year, as Church norms permit for patronal feasts,
we have transferred the Feast of Saint Michael to Sunday,
that we may together honor the holy Archangel
in whose honor our parish was established
and under whose patronage we continue to journey in faith.
We honor him with incense, chant, song, white vestments, and unique prayers.
As we reflect upon the ancient and beautiful Prayer to Saint Michael,
as well as the stories of Saint Michael in the Sacred Scriptures,
this special feast day offers us three very valuable spiritual lessons.
First of all, we are reminded of the supernatural realm that is quite real
though we cannot perceive it with our human senses.
Angels…pure spirits who serve God faithfully and worship him continually…
are as real as we are to one another.
There are three chief angels, or Archangels, in the splendid hierarchy of Heaven:
Gabriel, which means the “Strength of God”
is the one who brought God’s message of salvation to JBap and Mary.
Raphael, which means the “Medicine of God”
is the one who cared for Tobias on his journey,
as we read in the Book of Tobit.
Michael, whose name means “Who is like God?”
is the great defender of the Church and of God’s people.
The church believes in, trusts in, and invokes the intercession of the holy angels.
Secondly, it is also true that the supernatural realm is not entirely good and holy
as the angels who serve and worship God.
The Devil is also real.
Satan, whose name means “adversary,”
is an angel who rejected God and was cast out of Heaven.
From his abode of darkness, distant from the love of God,
he now prowls about the world seeking the ruin of souls
and deceiving men and women striving for holiness.
It is convenient but dangerous to de-personalize sin
and to speak in general terms about “evil.”
Never forget that the Devil’s greatest trick is to convince us that he does not exist.
Saint Michael is the great protector,
who fought against the Devil and who defends us against evil.
Whenever we find ourselves in a struggle against sin and temptation,
it is of tremendous value to have recourse in prayer to Saint Michael.
Finally, our celebration brings into focus the reality that we are in a time of war.
This war is not the military conflict in Iraq, Afghanistan, or the Middle East.
Instead, I speak of a spiritual battle…a battle for truth, holiness, and morality…
a battle being waged in courtrooms, classrooms, and hospital rooms.
The enemies are selfishness, decadence, and the culture of .
We who have been baptized into the Mystical Body of Christ
have been summoned by Him to take our place as defenders of truth
and are led by the holy Archangel Michael into spiritual warfare.
The false values of the world, temptations of the flesh, and snares of the Devil
converge as the enemy of the truth, love, peace, and justice of God.
The examples abound…
Our children in public school are denied the opportunity to freely pray.
Catholic physicians and Catholic Charities are compromised or forced to close…
because of pressure to dispense contraception or perform abortions.
Priests are prosecuted for preaching the teachings of Christ.
Music media, television, movies, and the internet…
which provide great advantages and opportunities…
also provide new technological outlets for immorality and deviance.
Saint Michael is the defender of truth and justice.
We need him close to us today more than ever…as a companion in the trenches…
as we stand together against the injustices that affect our world…
against poverty, hunger, religious and racial discrimination,
and the greatest injustice ever conceived of by mankind:
the deliberate destruction of human life in the womb.
We must arm ourselves against these visible and invisible enemies.
St. Michael is shown dressed in armor and carrying a sword.
His image is symbolic of the true armor offered to every disciple.
Contrary to the radical ideologies some who invoke God in defense of
disciples of Christ stand in firmly rooted in love and peace.
The greatest weapons we have in the struggle for holiness are
our relationship to God, Mary and the Saints in daily prayer
the grace of the Sacraments, to which we must frequently make recourse
and the powerful truths of the Bible and the Catholic Catechism,
which we must read, study, and thoroughly understand.
With God’s grace in our hearts and souls…
with the wisdom of the Scriptures and the Church’s teaching in our minds…
and with Saint Michael at our side…
we constitute a formidable force against sin and evil.
By our words of truth and love, the example of our actions in the world,
our fervent prayers, and our well-formed participation in political life
we can and must make a stand for truth!
We have seen , corruption, and immorality for far too long
and it is time for us to say that we have had enough.
Jesus Christ is our Savior…our brother…and the source of our hope!
His truth brings us peace in this life…and the promise of eternal life!
We are called…and privileged…to fight for Jesus Christ…to fight for holiness!
Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle!
Christ our God, give us courage to love you and to defend the truth which sets us free!
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Homily Exaltation of the Holy Cross 2008
Many centuries ago, in the year 312, Emperor Constantine the Great
faced a conflict which would have lasting impact on western civilization
and also be a life-transforming moment for Constantine himself.
On the eve of the battle, Constantine beheld a vision from Heaven:
a flaming cross in the sky,
and the words “In hoc signum vinces.” – “By this sign you will conquer.”
Constantine, a pagan military commander,
had the sign of the Christian cross painted on the shields of his soldiers.
The next day, he met the Emperor Maxentius at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge,
and, by defeating him, gained control over the ancient Western Empire.
A victory of a different kind was also achieved.
Constantine’s soul was won for Christ and he converted to Christianity.
As a result, two events of major significance took place.
First, in 313, by the Edict of Milan, Constantine ended Roman persecution,
allowing Christians to build churches and worship freely.
No longer was Christianity an illegal, secret sect.
The Church could now actively grow and develop.
Second, Constantine effected the conversion of his mother, Saint Helena,
who became a devout and zealous servant of God.
It was Helena whom God called to undertake pilgrimages to the Holy Land
in search of places where Jesus lived and holy relics of His life and passion.
On September 14th, 326, Saint Helena and her companions discovered three crosses,
buried for nearly three centuries by persecuted Christians,
who could not freely venerate or display them.
As they were exposed, a sick man sat up the moment he beheld one of them,
and so they came to believe that it was truly the Cross of Christ's crucifixion,
the other two of course belonging to the two thieves.
From that moment, the true Cross of Christ, and other relics of the Passion,
became objects of public veneration and devotion for the Christian people
and remain so even unto our own day.
Today, because September 14th falls on a Sunday,
the normal course of Sundays in the Year is interrupted
as the Church throughout the world
celebrates the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.
Today’s Feast commemorates the miraculous discoveries by Saint Helena,
and the dedication of a church on the site of the Passion at Calvary hill.
Today the Church honors the Cross of Jesus Christ,
by which the world has been raised up and given the promise of eternal life.
The prayers and music of the Sacred Liturgy
teach us much about the realities we are celebrating.
The ancient hymn Vexilla Regis, used for centuries on this feast and Palm Sunday,
proclaims:
Abroad the royal banners fly And bear the gleaming Cross on high- That Cross whereon Life suffered And gave us life with dying breath.
Another ancient Christian hymn, like several other Saint Paul used in his writings,
is found in today’s Second Reading.
The famous Philippians Hymn recounts for us the ineffable mysteries we celebrate
as we honor the Holy Cross.
It is a hymn centered on Jesus Christ, which follows the thread of grace
from His Incarnation…through his humiliation…to His exaltation.
Jesus emptied Himself, being born of the Virgin and taking on our human likeness.
This reading hearkens back to the “Suffering Servant” passages of Isaiah 52.
Jesus Christ is the suffering servant, whom Isaiah foretold,
the one who would submit Himself to and abuse,
and eventually pour out His life in sacrifice for human sin.
There is a close relationship between the humanity and divinity of Jesus,
so that the self-emptying we see in Jesus’ humanity
reveals the reality of the life-giving love
that flows from Person to Person within the Divine Trinity.
Jesus humbled Himself, accepting the ignominious of crucifixion.
Jesus is contrasted to Adam in the first chapter of Genesis.
Whereas Adam asserted Himself in grasping at divinity,
taking the fruit that the serpent said “would make him like a god”
Jesus restricts the use of His divine abilities
and accepts our human limitations.
Jesus was in fact God…but He did not use His godliness for His benefit…
but instead humbled Himself for our sake.
Jesus made Himself poor, so we could be rich in God’s grace.
Jesus endured the ultimate indignity of Roman law – crucifixion –
a punishment reserved to slaves, insurrectionists, and the worst of criminals,
that sinful humanity might inherit eternal life.
Therefore, He was exalted, and His humanity was clothed with divine glory.
The exaltation we celebrate was not only in the Resurrection, after the Passion.
Truly, the triumph occurs as the Son of God is immolated for our salvation.
It is in the moment the Crucifixion…in His suffering…that Jesus’ glory is revealed.
The Cross itself is the sign of victory, and the standard of triumph!
Therefore, all creation…in Heaven, on earth and under the earth…
must bend the knee, acknowledge Jesus as Lord, and be humbled before Him.
The same glorious destiny of Jesus awaits all who humble themselves as Jesus did.
The Gospel proclaims to us that, because of His infinite love for us,
God sent His only Son into the world to give His life
that we might have eternal life.
As the serpent, which, when lifted up, cured those who were bitten,
so the Son of Man was lifted for the salvation of those
who have been bitten by sin.
The bronze serpent was a sign that healed.
The Cross is the instrument of our redemption.
Jesus was lifted up…He was exalted in His suffering
and displayed for us the perfect example of self-emptying love and humility.
So, the Cross is so much more than a symbol that hangs on a wall
or around our necks.
The sign of the cross points to a person, an event, a reality.
What happened on the Cross is the most significant and defining reality of
who Jesus is and who we are.
Many of us wear crosses.
All of us, hopefully, display a crucifix in our homes.
When we look upon the Cross, we are reminded of its powerful meaning:
that Jesus Christ accepted the worst possible
to reveal to us the extent of God’s love.
The Cross also reveals to us the ideal of true Christian discipleship.
We, too, have a dignity, as human persons made in the image of God.
But it is not a dignity that we regard as something to be grasped,
something to be used for our benefit.
It is a dignity we lay down for Christ and for others.
We must be willing to sacrifice everything for Christ and for others, even our lives.
Our sufferings, inconveniences, and sorrows take on infinite value
when we embrace them and unites them to the Cross of Christ.
For Constantine the Cross was the sign of victory.
For us it is a reminder that Christ was victorious over sin and .
And so the Church calls us to honor the Cross…
to display the Cross…wear the Cross…to live the Cross…
that with our lips, our hearts, and our lives,
we shall forever proclaim with the Church throughout the world
We adore you O Christ and we praise you.
Because by your holy Cross we have redeemed the world!
faced a conflict which would have lasting impact on western civilization
and also be a life-transforming moment for Constantine himself.
On the eve of the battle, Constantine beheld a vision from Heaven:
a flaming cross in the sky,
and the words “In hoc signum vinces.” – “By this sign you will conquer.”
Constantine, a pagan military commander,
had the sign of the Christian cross painted on the shields of his soldiers.
The next day, he met the Emperor Maxentius at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge,
and, by defeating him, gained control over the ancient Western Empire.
A victory of a different kind was also achieved.
Constantine’s soul was won for Christ and he converted to Christianity.
As a result, two events of major significance took place.
First, in 313, by the Edict of Milan, Constantine ended Roman persecution,
allowing Christians to build churches and worship freely.
No longer was Christianity an illegal, secret sect.
The Church could now actively grow and develop.
Second, Constantine effected the conversion of his mother, Saint Helena,
who became a devout and zealous servant of God.
It was Helena whom God called to undertake pilgrimages to the Holy Land
in search of places where Jesus lived and holy relics of His life and passion.
On September 14th, 326, Saint Helena and her companions discovered three crosses,
buried for nearly three centuries by persecuted Christians,
who could not freely venerate or display them.
As they were exposed, a sick man sat up the moment he beheld one of them,
and so they came to believe that it was truly the Cross of Christ's crucifixion,
the other two of course belonging to the two thieves.
From that moment, the true Cross of Christ, and other relics of the Passion,
became objects of public veneration and devotion for the Christian people
and remain so even unto our own day.
Today, because September 14th falls on a Sunday,
the normal course of Sundays in the Year is interrupted
as the Church throughout the world
celebrates the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.
Today’s Feast commemorates the miraculous discoveries by Saint Helena,
and the dedication of a church on the site of the Passion at Calvary hill.
Today the Church honors the Cross of Jesus Christ,
by which the world has been raised up and given the promise of eternal life.
The prayers and music of the Sacred Liturgy
teach us much about the realities we are celebrating.
The ancient hymn Vexilla Regis, used for centuries on this feast and Palm Sunday,
proclaims:
Abroad the royal banners fly And bear the gleaming Cross on high- That Cross whereon Life suffered And gave us life with dying breath.
Another ancient Christian hymn, like several other Saint Paul used in his writings,
is found in today’s Second Reading.
The famous Philippians Hymn recounts for us the ineffable mysteries we celebrate
as we honor the Holy Cross.
It is a hymn centered on Jesus Christ, which follows the thread of grace
from His Incarnation…through his humiliation…to His exaltation.
Jesus emptied Himself, being born of the Virgin and taking on our human likeness.
This reading hearkens back to the “Suffering Servant” passages of Isaiah 52.
Jesus Christ is the suffering servant, whom Isaiah foretold,
the one who would submit Himself to and abuse,
and eventually pour out His life in sacrifice for human sin.
There is a close relationship between the humanity and divinity of Jesus,
so that the self-emptying we see in Jesus’ humanity
reveals the reality of the life-giving love
that flows from Person to Person within the Divine Trinity.
Jesus humbled Himself, accepting the ignominious of crucifixion.
Jesus is contrasted to Adam in the first chapter of Genesis.
Whereas Adam asserted Himself in grasping at divinity,
taking the fruit that the serpent said “would make him like a god”
Jesus restricts the use of His divine abilities
and accepts our human limitations.
Jesus was in fact God…but He did not use His godliness for His benefit…
but instead humbled Himself for our sake.
Jesus made Himself poor, so we could be rich in God’s grace.
Jesus endured the ultimate indignity of Roman law – crucifixion –
a punishment reserved to slaves, insurrectionists, and the worst of criminals,
that sinful humanity might inherit eternal life.
Therefore, He was exalted, and His humanity was clothed with divine glory.
The exaltation we celebrate was not only in the Resurrection, after the Passion.
Truly, the triumph occurs as the Son of God is immolated for our salvation.
It is in the moment the Crucifixion…in His suffering…that Jesus’ glory is revealed.
The Cross itself is the sign of victory, and the standard of triumph!
Therefore, all creation…in Heaven, on earth and under the earth…
must bend the knee, acknowledge Jesus as Lord, and be humbled before Him.
The same glorious destiny of Jesus awaits all who humble themselves as Jesus did.
The Gospel proclaims to us that, because of His infinite love for us,
God sent His only Son into the world to give His life
that we might have eternal life.
As the serpent, which, when lifted up, cured those who were bitten,
so the Son of Man was lifted for the salvation of those
who have been bitten by sin.
The bronze serpent was a sign that healed.
The Cross is the instrument of our redemption.
Jesus was lifted up…He was exalted in His suffering
and displayed for us the perfect example of self-emptying love and humility.
So, the Cross is so much more than a symbol that hangs on a wall
or around our necks.
The sign of the cross points to a person, an event, a reality.
What happened on the Cross is the most significant and defining reality of
who Jesus is and who we are.
Many of us wear crosses.
All of us, hopefully, display a crucifix in our homes.
When we look upon the Cross, we are reminded of its powerful meaning:
that Jesus Christ accepted the worst possible
to reveal to us the extent of God’s love.
The Cross also reveals to us the ideal of true Christian discipleship.
We, too, have a dignity, as human persons made in the image of God.
But it is not a dignity that we regard as something to be grasped,
something to be used for our benefit.
It is a dignity we lay down for Christ and for others.
We must be willing to sacrifice everything for Christ and for others, even our lives.
Our sufferings, inconveniences, and sorrows take on infinite value
when we embrace them and unites them to the Cross of Christ.
For Constantine the Cross was the sign of victory.
For us it is a reminder that Christ was victorious over sin and .
And so the Church calls us to honor the Cross…
to display the Cross…wear the Cross…to live the Cross…
that with our lips, our hearts, and our lives,
we shall forever proclaim with the Church throughout the world
We adore you O Christ and we praise you.
Because by your holy Cross we have redeemed the world!
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