Homily Fifteenth Sunday of the Year 13 July 2008

The Christian life is always characterized by a sense of expectation
and a healthy tension between living our faith in this earthly life
and the eternal life of Heaven we anticipate.

We are truly made for Heaven and we long to rest in God’s presence,
in His kingdom of light and peace,
where sin and are vanquished and all is filled with love and joy.

At the same time, God has placed us here… in this world of imperfections…
where all creation is groaning and suffering…
that we may be witnesses to the glorious freedom of God’s children
and make the kingdom come alive even here and now.

The kingdom of God is no less than the presence of God Himself…
that awesome presence that transforms us into people of love and hope.

This kingdom is fulfilled only in Heaven,
where there is no need for lamps because God Himself is the light.
Everything is filled with His glorious presence and so His reign is complete.

In this world, the kingdom is beheld in glimpses but is incomplete.
As Saint Paul writes, we groan as we eagerly await the fullness of redemption.



Yet, by our own courageous witness in this world…
we can make God more and more known and loved
so that His presence…His kingdom…
may fill the hearts and souls of men and women everywhere
and change them into His very sons and daughters.

We do this by living and teaching the Scriptures and the Catholic faith
so that all may come to know the truth of God that sets them free
by reaching out to those who are suffering with compassion
that the lowly and despairing may come to know God’s love
by worshiping and praying with fervent devotion
every day of our lives…without exception…
that the earth may be filled with the glorious sound of God’s praise!

Today’s second reading from Saint Paul
helps us to understand more fully the situation of our earthly exile
and his lessons are most valuable for fulfilling our Christian duty.

First, it is not only we who are groaning as we eagerly await our redemption.
All of creation is caught up in the expectation of God’s glorious revelation.

The final destiny of creation is linked to the final destiny of man.

Thus, there is a real bond between ourselves and the whole created universe
such that the world in which we live now
is much more than a convenient and endless supply of goods
for us to use, abuse, and waste.
We naturally realize this in many different ways.
Parents tell children to clean their plates because some hungry child far away
would live for a day on the scraps we throw in the trash.
We dispose of paint and old batteries in a proper way
because it is dangerous to pollute the water supply.
There are laws and regulations about the dumping of waste, the ozone,
and hunting of certain animals.

These are only a few examples of our response to God’s call
to be good stewards of creation.

There is still a deeper lesson involved in the Christian view of creation.

We believe that we must respect the world around us and treat creation with care
not simply so that we may continue to have it for our use
but because creation is not ours.

The whole world belongs to God.
We simply have been privileged to borrow it and to live in it for a time,
and God has other plans for it for many years to come.

Our Christian approach to stewardship, ecology, and justice
is based in the primacy of God in everything
and the knowledge that without fidelity to God and worship of Him
all our work is without the divine foundation
that makes it holy and truly effective for the salvation of souls.

In his book Jesus of Nazareth, Pope Benedict XVI includes a quote
from the German Jesuit priest Alfred Delp, who was executed by the s.
Father Delp wrote:
“Bread is important. Freedom is more important.
But most important of all is unbroken fidelity and faithful adoration.”

These words were not written by a man unfamiliar with injustice
but by one who had be deprived of both bread and freedom.
Still, after all his suffering, he knew that without fidelity and worship of God
the things we might insist are more important than these
end up being nothing at all!

Secondly, Saint Paul’s words about our eager anticipation of the kingdom
remind us that, although our salvation has been accomplished
by the sacrifice of the Cross
and although the Spirit lives within us…
we have not yet reached the fullness of what God has planned for us.

We find ourselves in this in-between moment between Christ's Paschal Mystery
and the fullest revelation of God’s glory in Heaven.

As we gather for worship, the Sacred Liturgy contains three levels.
The dynamic of these levels of worship portrays the reality of our earthly journey.

The sacrifice of Calvary is represented in this celebration of Holy Mass,
which is itself an anticipation of the eternal Liturgy of Heaven.

We have been called to enter into this time of waiting.
This call to waiting means that we have work to do
and that God expects great things of us.

We are not called to passively accept the gifts God bestows upon us
expecting to be entertained at Mass and sustained in life.

Instead, we are called to full, conscious, and active participation in the Church
not only in liturgical ministry or in times when we are noticed
but when it is inconvenient, unpopular, and even painful.

God expects us to make good use of our brief stay on this earth
and to seize every moment as an opportunity
to make His truth and love shine brightly for all to see,
that men and women everywhere may be faithful to God
and may worship Him in spirit and in truth.

All the while, God assures us that the sufferings we endure in this life…
sickness, , mental anguish, persecution for the sake of the Gospel…
do not have the final word.

They count as nothing, Saint Paul tell us,
compared with the glory to be revealed for us who love the Lord.

God’s abundant blessings…purchased for us long ago on the Altar of the Cross….
shall be revealed to us as the reward of our goodness
in the glory of Heaven for which we long.

Homily 12th Sunday of the Year 22 June 2008

Throughout his papacy, Pope John Paul the Great
preached in churches, stadiums, and arenas throughout the world
and he consistently offered one brief, yet powerful message.

It was his most famous sound bite and the clarion call of his “New Evangelization.”
“Be not afraid!”

John Paul II was a man who lived through war, persecution, and poverty
and persevered in following the Lord’s call to priesthood.
There was much he could have feared…
and yet his relationship with the Lord was so deep and so authentic
that he lived and spoke with conviction
the Lord’s words in today’s Gospel: “Do not be afraid!”

Traumatic and difficult moments…
death, terminal illness, devastation and natural disaster…
often leave us speechless…or worse…reduce us to platitudes.

We foolishly say to people…imagining that we’re comforting them…
“Oh, don’t worry. Don’t be afraid. It’ll turn out all right.”
…when in reality we have no idea what they’re feeling
or what will happen in the end.
How often we casually tell people not to worry and not to be afraid.

Yet, that is precisely what Jesus says in today’s Gospel: “Do not be afraid!”
The essential and life-transforming difference
between our platitudes and Jesus’ command
is that the words of Jesus Christ…the Word of God…
have the power to accomplish what they signify!

John Paul II knew this intimately and he spoke with love and certainty
because He was absolutely convinced that being united to Christ
gives us the power never to fear again.

Jesus does not speak mere human words.
Rather, He enters our lives…and in Him we overcome all fear and anxiety.

Jesus’ teaching amounts to far more than cheap advice.
For each time Jesus mentions fear in this Gospel,
at the same time He makes reference to Himself or our Heavenly Father.
The remedy for earthly fear is entering into total union with God.

In today’s Gospel, the presence and wisdom of Jesus dispel three fears.

The first is the fear of our secret selves, and our past and hidden sins.
In most people’s lives, there is something hidden,
some paralyzing evil we struggle to keep concealed in the darkness,
some addiction or suffering of which we cannot bear to speak.

We are afraid what someone may think of us, or do to us…if they know.
All the while, we must remember that nothing is hidden from God
and all will be revealed on the day of judgment.
Sins we have foolishly feared to bring into the light in the Sacrament of Penance
will eventually be made manifest in purgatory.

Jesus calls us to have courage and come to confession regularly…
to confront the truth about ourselves and bring our dark side into the light…
so that we may be forgiven by Christ
and through the ministry of the Church
find the resources and the grace to live in peace and joy,
free from fear and the shackles of our hidden self.

Knowing the infinite love and mercy that awaits us…
we should run to the confessional…
for Jesus comes to free us from anxiety and bring us new life!

Second, there is the fear we often have about sickness and .
As we see other people…either family and friends or people in the news…
enduring serious sickness, surgery, or dying young or unexpectedly…
what we see in others can create anxiety within us.

Sickness comes to many…and comes to us all.
Yet, through every challenge of life…and in the passage from this life…
the presence of God’s providential care envelops and sustains us.
We need not fear anything that attacks our bodies…
for Christ has triumphed over
and God is more powerful than every disease…and even the sting of !

Even when God allows us to experience suffering, it is for some good purpose.
And all the while, He who knows and counts even the hairs of our head
walks the journey of life with us…
giving us grace to overcome details of life
over which we would without Him be powerless.

Jesus calls us to entrust every day, every decision, every moment of trial
into the loving hands of our Heavenly Father…
for His will is always best for us.
Give everything to God…and His care for us will never fail!

Third, there is the fear related to our self-worth.
The world tells us that we are only worth something based on what we have,
what we have accomplished, or what academic degrees we can boast of.

Jesus reminds us that, in God’s eyes, we are worth more than many sparrows…
more than all the gold and precious jewels in the world…
more than all the treasures of the Vatican and the money in Fort Knox

Our value in God’s sight is not based on what we possess or what we have done
but who we are…
creatures loved into being by God and sealed with His image.

What is more…God is not pleased with us
because of our money, possessions, and worldly success.
He is pleased with us when we study and share our faith…
remain committed to constant prayer…and love unconditionally.
It is in the fulfillment of our sacred duties that God delights in His people!
Christ comes to calm our fears and to offer us a sure remedy for every anxiety.

Confident in God’s loving and never-failing care,
we find the strength in our daily lives to live the words of Jesus:
“I am with you…Do not ever be afraid!”

Homily Tenth Sunday of the Year A 2008

In these beautiful Spring days, we celebrate ordinations and graduations…
moments which are inevitably bittersweet.

The theme of friendship always surfaces this time of year…
as our young people make autograph books
and hug…and say goodbye…and shed a few tears.

Our Saint Michael School 8th Grade Yearbook includes the following reflection:
“A friend is a hand that is always holding yours.
No matter how close or far apart you may be.
A friend is someone who is always there and will always care.
A friend is a feeling of forever in the heart.”

We treasure our relationships with one another
and see in them the hand of God
who has made human relationship
an image of His divine communion of persons.

We cannot help but know that our loving Father has been hard at work
as we ponder the chance encounters…followed by years of growth…
that have matured into relationships we now could not live without.

Today we see in Holy Scripture the story of a simple encounter
which blossoms into a life-transforming relationship.

Saint Matthew is sitting at His tax collector’s post.
Jesus approaches and greets Matthew with two simple words: “Follow me.”
Matthew describes in his own Gospel that he arose
without hesitation
without a dozen questions about where and for what reason he was following
without frantically stressing out over what his new life would mean
and he simply followed the Lord.

Soon after meeting Jesus and accepting the call to be His disciple…
Matthew hosts Jesus in his home amid a gathering of unpopular people.
The Pharisees show their disgust that Jesus is dining with tax collectors and sinners
and in so doing they reveal that their hearts are closed to Jesus’ presence
and they do not understand His mission.

Jesus has come to enter into the lives of weak, sinful men and women
and to transform them into people of holiness and truth.

Filled with pride and delight in the visit of Jesus to his home
Matthew invited his colleagues in the tax collecting business to dinner.
These were men of poor reputation, who sided with the Roman aristocracy
and cheated the people out of the money they worked so hard to earn.
The food they are eating was bought with fraudulent funds.

Jesus could have refused to come into the midst of sinners such as these
and to leave them in the wretched state in which He found them.
But instead…because of His great compassion…Jesus dines with them
and makes of this meal with sinners an opportunity for conversion.
As Saint John Chrysostom and Saint Peter Chrysologus wrote…
“Not only while he was engaging in a formal discussion or healing
or refuting His enemies, but even at breakfast
he used to restore persons who were in bad condition.”
“Certainly the dishes Matthew set before Him at that time
had come from unrighteousness and covetousness.
But Christ did not ask to be excused from participating in them,
Because the gain to be derived from it was going to be great.”

“Jesus…will call [sinners] back through feasting, collegiality,
and human affection, enjoying Himself with their pleasant conversation
while they recline at table.”

Jesus enters into an unpopular and unpleasant situation
and seizes it as an opportunity to bring about the conversion of souls.

He uses a meal, the pleasantries of human interaction and conversation
as a moment to forge a relationship between Himself and these other men
a relationship within which he could show them
His way of love and truth.

In order to become their teacher, He first becomes their friend.

People in leadership are often encouraged to “meet people where they are”
before trying to lead them anywhere.

Of course, cleverly hidden behind this phrase is usually a fear of leadership.
“Meeting people where they are” in today’s world means
catering to people’s preconceived ideas
and tiptoeing through the maze of political correctness so as not to offend.
Such an approach serves only to leave people where they were found.

If we observe the actions of Jesus, he certainly meets people where they are
by dining with them despite the stigma is creates for him
and by using the ordinary circumstances of a casual dinner
to begin a relationship that would blossom into a conversion of hearts.

Yet, we know that Jesus does not leave people where He found them.
In dozens of Gospel stories there is conversion, healing, and transformation.

Matthew began his relationship with Jesus as a tax collector
and ended it as a priest…and a missionary of the Gospel.

In the midst of the meal, Jesus offers a teaching that challenges those who hear it.

What remarkable love the Lord has for us…
that He desires to enter into relationship with us
and through that relationship to transform us into holy people.

By our prayer and devotion to the person of Jesus,
may we open our hearts more and more each day to His loving presence.
May we allow Jesus to become first our friend whose hand is always holding ours
and in the midst of friendship and prayerful communion
may He also become our teacher in the ways of truth and love.

Homily Ninth Sunday of the Year 1 June 2008

When our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI visited us in April…
among the many great and valuable words of inspiration he offered to us…
he taught us all an indispensible lesson in authenticity.

Pope Benedict himself is a man of authenticity…
who does not try to be anyone else but the person God created him to be
who knows well who he is, and what God expects of him
whose entire life is lived in constant relationship to Jesus Christ.

By the words of his teachings and the witness of his life,
he urges and inspires us to be people of authenticity,
people who not only speak…but also live…the truth
people who are wise enough to build our lives on the solid foundation
of Jesus Christ and His Church.

Pope Benedict once wrote:
“To be wise means to know that the solidity of a house
depends on the choice of a foundation.
Do not be afraid to be wise, that is to say,
do not be afraid to build on the rock.”

This fear of establishing the whole of one’s life on the foundation of Christ
has gripped many people in our world today.

Today’s Gospel serves to spur us on to overcome that fear and build on the rock.
The choice is very clear.
There is no middle ground.

If we chose foolishly to build on sand,
failing to be anchored in the wisdom of Christ,
the temptation to worldly pleasure and the stress of daily living
will buffet us until we collapse and our lives become ruined.

The world builds on sand…on selfishness, commercialism, and …
and the suffering and debauchery displayed daily on the news
is sufficient proof that worldly values make a poor foundation.

If we chose wisely to build on rock,
to live every moment guided by the words and example of Christ…
though the sufferings and trials of human existence remain…
amid them all we shall stand firmly with the Lord.

The rock on which the true Christian builds is the words of Christ Himself:
spoken both in the Scriptures and through the Tradition of the Church.

Building on the rock means not only hearing the words of Jesus and His Church
and allowing them to drift through the empty space between our ears
but acting on them…making them the guiding principle of our lives.

Building on the rock means taking the words of Christ into our hearts and souls
and binding them to us as a seal of the new creations we have become.

Building on the rock consists not in simply saying we belong to the Lord
but in offering our hearts, souls, and bodies…every day…
in union with the will of our Heavenly Father.

As baptized Christians, we are consecrated as sons and daughters of God
and so there is for us a unique way of living
in which Jesus and the Church are our constant companions.

Building on the rock means conforming our lives to the life of the Church:
celebrating the feasts and season of the Church year in our homes
honoring the Saints of each day in our daily prayer
embracing the customs and traditions of the Church calendar.

Building on the rock means making Christ and the Church part of every day
and determining the course of our lives
based on the will of God and the wisdom of the Church.

As a priest, this is my life: to follow the will of God and to live the Church’s life.
This high calling is not limited to priests alone
but is the call of every baptized person.

For the one who builds on the rock of Christ, there is great freedom and peace.

Faced with a difficult situation, the Church prays with us.
Faced with suffering, Jesus carries our crosses with us.
Faced with a moral dilemma, the Church provides direction and answers.

Long ago as He did in the days of Moses…
the Lord sets before us this day a blessing and a curse.

The curse is a ruined life and the absence of God’s love…if we build on sand…
and give God only lip service and a second place in our lives.

The blessing is eternal life…if we build on the rock…
and allow our lives to be one with the life of Christ and His Church.

The choice is clear.

May we be always people of authenticity, who live the name we bear: Christian!
May we choose wisely to build on rock
and so inherit the blessings Christ promises us…both now and forever!

Homily Notes Corpus Christi 25 May 2008

One day, many years ago, a traveling preacher arrived in town for a mission.
While he was on the way to the stadium before his evening mission
he wanted to stop at the post office and mail a letter.
He ended up getting completely lost, and finally decided to ask for directions.
He came upon a boy walking on the sidewalk and asked him,
“Son, can you tell me the way to the post office?”
The boy replied,
“Sure. Just turn around and go back down the street to the first light.
Turn left, and it’s down a block or two on your right.”
The preacher said,
“Thank you very much, young man!”
“By the way,” he continued – handing the boy a flyer for the mission –
“I’d like to invite you to a mission tonight,
where I’ll tell you how you can find your way to Heaven.”
“Fat chance,” the boy said. “You can’t even find the post office!”

According to our own unique vocations,
we are all called to preach the Gospel by the witness of our lives
and in so doing, to help one another find the path to Heaven.

We make poor guides and inadequate witnesses…if we ourselves are lost.




Today’s feast is a celebration of the source and summit of the life of the Church…
that reality which is the foundation of all the Church is and all she does
that which grounds us and keeps us from getting lost in our lives…
the most holy Body and of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.

The Church finds in the Eucharist a fountain of grace, a source of unity,
and living presence of Jesus Christ, who alone shows us the way to holiness.

Today’s celebration of the Most Holy Body and of Christ
originated with a vision of Saint Juliana,
a young Belgium , in the year 1209.
Juliana was an Augustinian nun, known for her virtue
and devotion to the Lord and the Church.
One day she heard the voice of the Lord from heaven saying to her:
“…a feast is wanting to my Church Militant, which I desire to establish.
It is the feast of the…Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.”

The Lord revealed to Juliana that by this feast He desired
faith in the Blessed Sacrament to be confirmed,
the faithful strengthened on the path to virtue,
and reparation made for irreverence shown to the Eucharist.

Juliana explained her vision to two bishops,
one of whom later became Pope Urban IV.
Corpus Christi was first made a local celebration in the Diocese of Leige
before Pope Urban IV declared it a universal observance
on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday.
On this feast, we give thanks for the presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist
in this Mass and in every Mass…
on this altar and on every altar of the world.

For the Lord is truly present with us,
and He who said to His disciples before His Ascension
“I am with you always”
is with us always in His Eucharistic presence in the tabernacle.

We experience Christ's presence in the Eucharist in three ways:

First, we adore Him
Saint Augustine: “Before we can receive Him, we must first adore Him.”
During Mass, before Communion,
the priest elevates the Host or Chalice or both four separate times.
These are moments of adoration,
moments when we gaze upon the Lord and say:
“I believe in you. I love you.”

This adoration which we experience in the Mass continues outside of Mass
and is intimately united to the Mass.

It is good for us to adore the Lord outside Mass and to spend time in His presence.

From the year 120, bishops were reserving the Eucharist they consecrated
so that it could be transported to other bishops
and then consumed by them as a sign of unity within the Church.
By the year 325, the Eucharist was being reserved in churches
so that it could be taken to the sick
and adored by the faithful.

Of course the Mass is pre-eminent in our lives
and our obligation to attend Sunday Mass comes first.
Yet, Eucharistic Adoration is an expression of our desire to remain with Jesus
whom we first encounter in the Mass.

The piety of the Church is intimately connected to the activity of the Church.
Prayer is not opposed to the work of the Church.
Instead it is the very source of strength and grace for all we do.

Mother Theresa…recognized as one who worked so hard for the Church
and for the good of others
also made a daily Holy Hour.

My own vocation to the priesthood cam in part as I spent time before the Bl. Sac.
and my priestly work is sustained by the time I spend with the Lord
in the Eucharist.

The men and women of our who spend time in prayer
are a source of strength for all that we do.

I encourage you all to come and be nourished by spending time with the Lord.


Second we receive Him.
Jesus becomes one with us as we receive His own body and .
We pray that we may be always one with Him in every moment of life
and that our hearts may beat as one with His
so that we may journey through life together with the Lord.

Third, we carry Him.
We carry Jesus, whom we have received
into our homes and workplaces and schools
that we may be transformed and come to see His face in one another.

The processions often held in parishes on this feast are an image of this reality.

We adore Him, We receive His, we carry Him with us…always…
that we may find the path to Heaven and never be lost!
As we honor Jesus present in the Eucharist in a unique way today, we renew our faith in the Eucharist and pray that we, too, might be strengthened on the path to holiness. We give praise and thanks for this sacred banquet…in which Christ is received, the memory of His Passion is renewed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is given to us.

Homily Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity 18 May 2008

This Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity
will forever hold a special place in my heart.
For it was on this feast a year ago,
which, because of the later date of Easter, fell on June 3rd…
that I celebrated, with much joy and all due solemnity…
my first Mass as a priest.

There is nothing this side of heaven so exciting and at the same time so humbling
as to celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
I am grateful to God for my First Mass and for every Mass I am privileged to offer.

[PAUSE]
This Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity is a great gift to us from the Church…
for it affords us all the opportunity to reflect upon
the core mystery of our faith: the very reality of God.

As the Catechism of the Catholic Church explains,
“The mystery of the Most Holy Trinity is the
central mystery of Christian faith and life.
It is the mystery of God in himself.
It is therefore the source of all the other mysteries of faith…”

God is the author of our lives
the origin of everything we behold in our human existence
and the reason for our faith.
Thus the reality of God is the foundational truth
in which all of faith and life is grounded.

Without the wise and loving Triune God, life and faith would not simply be empty
but entirely inconceivable.

Today we celebrate with joy our faith in the Triune God
whose never-failing presence and unconditional love
fill our lives with grace in every step of our earthly journey.

And we pray with gratitude for our relationship with God,
which brings us peace and consolation amid the trials of life.

Today we rejoice and give thanks that we are so privileged to know the Lord…
that we are sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father
that we have been redeemed by the of the Son
and filled with the grace of Holy Spirit through the Sacraments.

Today we cry out with one voice…
joining with the Church in every corner of the globe
and together with the hosts of angels and the whole company of the saints…
“Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
who was, who is, and who ever shall be!”

With this feast the Church deliberately re-awakens our drowsy faith …
and reminds us that the very center of our lives…in every moment…
as Catholics and as human persons…is the Triune God.
God is at the same time three distinct divine persons and yet also perfect unity.
Certainly this is a mystery…inaccessible to reason alone…and dependent on faith.

Reason tells us that distinct persons cannot be at the same time unified.
Faith reminds us that love conquers all division…
and…as Saint John writes in his First Letter…“God is love!”

God is love itself!
God is three persons eternally in loving relationship with one another…
and what is more…they are divine persons…sharing perfect love!
God is a communion of persons who are eternally and completely
giving themselves over to the others
to the point of sharing their very being with one another!

And so…in God…three are at the same time one.

The profound mystery of God is that unity and distinctness coexist.

This mystery sheds light on the beautiful balance essential to our Catholic faith.
As three distinct persons are perfectly one in God…
so the distinct and seemingly disparate elements of faith
blend in harmony to create the great symphony of truth.

God is at the same time the author of truth and love itself.
As truth and love are one in God, so they must be in our lives.


What is more, Catholicism is a religion of “both…and” and never “either…or.”

For us it is both Martha the busy servant, and Mary, who rested with the Lord…
both Peter the outspoken leader, and John the beloved contemplative
both authentic participation in the Mass, and prayer before the Bl. Sacr.
both working for justice, and nurturing our life of prayer and study
both love unto , and fearless defense of the truth.

For us it is always both…always a total embrace of whatever is good and holy.

There are those who want Jesus without His Mother
His Church without a Pope
Mass without the Eucharist
the Eucharist without Jesus’ presence in the Tabernacle.

Any such sense of separation is a tendency toward Protestant minimalism
and is not the marvelous wholeness that Jesus has given to His Church.

There are those among our own community…
often called “cafeteria Catholics” for their tendency
to select the doctrines and traditions that appeal to them
as if picking and choosing from a smorgasbord.


They want a slice of Jesus…but trim off His Cross of suffering
a good slab of ecology with a little bit of pro-abortion on the side.
Such dichotomizing of the realities of the faith is just as empty and lifeless
as believing in only two of the three persons in God.

Authentic Catholicism embraces all that God is
and all that the Lord and the Church offer to us…
lock, stock, and barrel…with joy and excitement.

We praise the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit!
We open our hearts to all the bountiful blessings the Lord has to offer us.

We rejoice that our Triune God is so good very to us!

Homily Pentecost 2008

On Tuesday, September 10th, 1946…
while travelling to her annual retreat at a convent in the Himalaya Mountains
Mother Theresa of Calcutta experienced a mystical encounter with J. C.

She described it as
“a call within my vocation…a second calling…
a calling to give up even Loreto where I was very happy
and to go out in the streets to serve the poorest of the poor.”

Mother Theresa described this day in her life as the Day of Inspiration
the day on which her new order – the Missionaries of Charity – began.

With the guidance of her spiritual director, Mother discerned and prayed
about what the Lord was calling her to do.
When the priest believed it was a calling from the Lord, he helped her to pursue it.
So, Mother wrote a letter to the Archbishop of Calcutta.

She would write dozens of letters over the coming 15 months…
letters which are complied in a book called Come, Be My Light…
until January 1948 when the Archbishop finally gave permission
for her to pursue the founding her new order.

Even more painful waiting would follow…
as Mother sought the permission and followed the procedures of the Vatican.

All the while, Mother Theresa remained convinced
that the calling she received came from Jesus Himself.
Truly the Holy Spirit was at work in the young nun…
and truly the Holy Spirit has been at work in the MCs for over 50 years…
as the fruits of her labors blossom throughout the world.

The Archbishop and the Cardinals…from their own perspective…
also knew that spiritual experiences and callings must be discerned.
The Holy Spirit also gives inspiration to the pastors of the Church
guiding the Church in the direction that is best for all
and revealing the will of God in our midst.

As the Holy Spirit inspired Mother’s vocation and her radical “call within a call”
so the Spirit continues to inspire great and wonderful gifts
in the hearts of people throughout the Church.

When I was in New York for the Holy Father’s Mass in Yankee Stadium,
a New York City detective
who had worked a security detail at the youth rally the night before
commented enthusiastically to my friends about the Pope’s visit.

“The Church is not ,” he said, “the Church is alive, the Church is young!”

The Church is very much alive and forever young at heart
as the Holy Spirit continues to inspire various spiritual gifts
and, through the members of Christ's Body, to renew the face of the earth.

The Church is alive in every Catholic family
that lives the truth of God’s plan for marriage and family life.

The Church is alive in every Catholic college and university
where the truth is sought in faith.

The Church is alive wherever pastors and teachers pass on the fullness of the faith
to coming generations.

The Church is alive where young people pack stadiums and seminary grounds
not to see a rock star or a sports hero…but the Pope!

The Church is alive where authors and writers use their talents and the media
to evangelize the nations in the name of Jesus.

The Church is alive is soup kitchens and Catholic Worker houses
across the fruited plain and throughout the world
where the face of Christ is seen in the suffering and forgotten of society.

The Church is alive in seminaries where good men are being formed well
to be shepherds in the person of Christ in the 21st Century.

An obvious excitement for the faith has recently filled the Church in the U. S.
and it has not come from any human accomplishment.

The extraordinary atmosphere of zeal and joy which filled New York last month
was not created by the crowds nor even by the Holy Father.
Of all people, the Pope knows the excitement is not about him!

What we have witnessed is the unsurpassable grace of the Holy Spirit
at work in a remarkable way through the Vicar of Christ.

The life of the Church is vibrant…
and the world is filled with the presence of the H. S.!

[PAUSE]
Sadly, there are those who cite or claim the inspiration of the Spirit
to justify behavior or ideas which is anything but holy.
Sometimes individuals encourage us to “be open to the movement of the Spirit”
who, it is claimed, is challenging us to move in a new direction,
even in a way contrary to the existing teaching of the Church.

We must be vigilant in such situations
and remember that the Spirit cannot contradict itself.
The Holy Spirit could not have inspired the Second Vatican Council
in any way contrary to the inspiration He gave to the previous 20 councils.
The Holy Spirit does not inspire in some people
an understanding that runs contrary to the truth taught by the Church.

We must also beware of those who claim to have received charismatic gifts
and who in turn flaunt them in an air of superiority
or use them with a sense of unique knowledge of God’s plan.

Certainly, the Spirit inspires wisdom and different spiritual gifts in many people.
At the same time, the Spirit guides the Church into all truth
and inspires her teaching authority…
and so we look to her for the sure path to holiness.
The Spirit is one and His inspiration is consistent truth.

Spiritual gifts and apparitions must be tested and discerned well
as the Bishop of Calcutta did in the case of Mother Theresa.
In the end, what is truly from God will endure in lasting peace
and will always resonate with the truth taught by His Church.
All else is the deception of the enemy.

The Lord calls us today
to open our hearts to receive the grace of the Holy Spirit in abundance
and to use the gift of our intellect to discern and seek the truth.

Filled with the Spirit and grounded in truth,
we shall find the joy and peace for which our hearts long…
joy and peace which only comes from the Lord
joy and peace which the world cannot give…
and which it cannot ever take away.