Rich in What Matters to God

Homily for the Eighteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time

Our Bible readings for today speak powerfully on the temporal futility of worldly riches. They provide clear warning and affirmation of the lesson our Lord has sought to share in our recent times of economic upheaval. God seeks us to be wise and faithful stewards of the things of this world. Yet God seeks to bless us in ways, in riches well beyond that what we may see, feel, or lose to earthly decay. Our Heavenly Father, calling us to be co-heirs with His Son calls us each to be rich in what matters to Him.

That which matters to God can be found shared throughout Scripture and in the lives of the saints. God's Word and the lives of the servants of Christ speak with clarity and power of the wealth of Scripture itself. They share, too, of the eternal graces found in faith, obedience, humility and especially in His love. It is important and essential that we as God's people invest our lives in these treasures of Heaven.

But of all the riches of Heaven there is one, a hidden lost treasure, that is perhaps of most value to God. It's value and wealth is greater than any treasure lost and hidden in the deserts or seas of this earth. This lost treasure is, in fact, so great that the Father sent His only Son to seek and find these priceless gems. Over the ages saints have labored and given their all to share this holy quest of God. This treasure is distinct. For to find and discover this eternal gem it takes all the other riches of God to attain. Faith, obedience, humility, and most profoundly, the Love of God are all essential to overcome the obstacles that come in this holy quest.

Throughout the Gospel Christ sought to bring His followers to see this treasure and to equip them with all they would need in their quest for Him. For the fishermen to leave their nets, or Matthew his money, for the woman at the well and her many failed relationships, Jesus called them all to find what truly matters. He called them and He calls us from our futile, temporal priorities to share in that which matters most to Him. Souls.

May we bring to God, with and through His grace, our souls. May we invest in our children not just the gadgets and gizmos of this techno-obsessed age but may we invest in our children, Christ, prayer, faith...LOVE. May we too, seek to speak, to touch, to live,as to bring those who are lost to know the eternal love and mercy of our Lord. No matter the cost, the effort, may we simply bring to Christ, those for whom He died and rose again. May we bring to God what matters. Souls.

"Lord, teach us to pray"

Cyber Homily ~ 17th Sunday of Ordinary Time ~ 25 July 2010

"Lord,
teach us to pray"
His disciples sought,
And seek we too today,
for Heaven's glory wrought.

When you pray, shared our Savior,
give praise and worship to God our Father.
From hearts of faith and love,
So He did implore.
For so will, with angels help,
our prayers, our hearts,
to His Presence soar.

Pray in humble thankfulness,
for blessings felt and seen,
and for those hidden behind Heaven's screen,

And in sorrow for our sins,
God's mercy, His holy grace, to seek.
To cleanse away sin's wounds and stains,
to quell and silence the accuser's blame.
Then, in God's forgiveness sought and found,
may our forgiveness so abound.

In prayer, with each other, then,
to at His holy wounds attend,
and discover,
that one,
through His sacred Body,
and His Blood,
the power of His love to send.

Then in the sacraments of prayer,
in those sacred places, shared,
with God,
we draw near.
In God's Presence,
His strength to know,
empowered in His love,
to grow,
strong to pray,
as long as needed;
for seeds of grace to swell,
all evil for to quell.

Lord,
Teach us to pray,
and in You grow.
Make us bold,
Your love to show.

Martha? Mary? or both?

For the 16th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Cyber-version homily):

This weekend our Bible readings bring us a rich lesson from both Old & New Testaments. God's Word also enlightens the sometimes conflict between work and prayer, the hunger and needs of this world versus those of the spirit and soul.

The Scripture from Genesis (Gn 18:1-10a) shares the account of the visit of the Lord and two angels to the house of Abraham. It goes on to show the ancient and sacred place of hospitality in the Mid-east. It was through this lifestyle of justice and hospitality, the WORK of the hands and hearts of Sarah and Abraham that they both entertained God and His angels but also received the promises and graces of God.

This brings us to the Gospel. From Luke (Lk 10:38-42) we read of the visit of Jesus to the house of Martha and Mary. Over the centuries this story has the extolled the prayerful listening of Mary versus the care and toil of her sister. Most Christians today, if asked, would probably say it would be better to "be a Mary" rather than a Martha. This may well miss the point that Jesus was seeking to make. It is important to notice that Christ never rebuked Martha for her service, her work. He only replied to her question and concerns. It also overlooks the context of the rest of the Gospel account of Martha's life. It was Martha who got up and sought the Lord when her brother Lazarus died. It was Martha to whom Christ shared the revelation of the resurrection.

Jesus seeks us to listen to and rest with Him. The call of prayer and contemplation is sacred, holy and urgently needed in the rush and noise of this world. Our call to follow the example of Mary cannot be ignored. Yet we are also called, as our Epistle (Col 1:24-28) reminds us to fill up in our flesh, that is the actions , WORK of our hands and life, the sufferings of Christ. We are also called to serve our Lord, in the example of Martha, Abraham and Sarah. In our simple acts of cooking, cleaning tending to the chores of this life we can know and hear the voice of our Lord as we also make our tasks, acts of prayer.

In the work that God gives our hearts, and hands may we hear the voice and take the hands of He who carried the wood of our salvation in love for each of us.

Laborers for the Harvest ~ Our Vocation

The cyber-version of my homily for the Fourteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time, 3 July 2010

It is the season, here in fertile valleys of the wine country, that we start to enjoy the fruits of the harvest. The simple blessed pleasure of a vine-ripe tomatoe, warm and fragrant from the summer sun; or the soon to come intense labors of crush as our fertile vineyards yield the fruit of the vine to the press and process of becoming fine wines all teach us the lesson of harvest. These blessed fruits could not be shared without those who labor, and labor hard and long. This reality, often taken for granted, is essential to remember and apply..if we are to eat, drink..live.

This lesson is shared by our Bible readings today. The people of Christs's time well knew that necessity of laboring for the harvest. Whether one worked sowing seed, tending an orchard or harvesting the fruits and grains they all knew, if they were to eat..they were to work. They understood their shared call, their vocations to labor for that harvest.

Christ's Kingdom, represented here on earth by His Church, is no different. To know the abundant beauty, power and blessing of the Church, the new Jerusalem expressed by the Prophet Isaiah takes consecrated effort of holy love and faith to nourish, protect and bring to fruition the graces of Christ in our midst. There are many dangers and assaults against the people of God and against His servants. There are many intended evil ravages of God's harvest of grace. Some would through up their hands in dismay and dwell upon these challenges. But those who are willing to heed God's call would DISCERN, DISCOVER and RESPOND to the call of the Crucified to serve in His Church.

GOD IS CALLING. Christ is seeking men and women, the young and the old, the strong and the infirm to DISCERN His call and serve in His grace and power. It is as we learn to LISTEN to the dynamic whisper of the Holy Spirit amidst the clamor and collapse of this world we RECOGNIZE the voice of Christ, crucified and risen. As we pray and seek the Kingdom of God, seeking His will we live a life of ongoing discernment, growing in the discovering of who we are called and created to be in and through the holy love of God.

Heeding God's call we DISCOVER in the daily ongoing adventure of life, love and faith that is ours as we follow the Shepherd of our souls. It is my firm belief that here in the Parish of St. John the Baptist, and in our Church world-wide, there are many vocations to the priesthood, to the religious life expressed by faith-filled nuns, religious priests and brothers, and to the diaconate. I speak not only of those of us who may be seeking to live out these varied vocations. I speak of men and women of all ages who are sensing the call to be consecrated in a life of courageous service to the Church. There are likewise those who are called to many other vocations of good and holy work in service, medicine, education, family life and so much more. I believe we as a parish are called to be and become a community that encourages and nourishes those rich vocations in God's will. The awesome work and beauty of the wines made by so many of you are but a symbol of the spiritual fruit we are called to nourish among us. This discovering of our vocations is a life time of faith and obedience. Perhaps the first steps may be to serve as an altar server, lector or extraordinary minister of the Eucharist. As our education ministry grows you may take first steps into even greater ministry as a teacher, or helper in a classroom or project. Together we discern and discover God's call and purpose in our lives.

As we discern His vocation for us we discover the plan and purpose of God's designs. This discernment, this discovery, brings us to RESPOND. We may feel or sense our inadequacies. We may fear the costs and unknowns our yes to God may bring. We may well know our own inabilities and weaknesses fear to fail the God we love. Yet the nail-pierced hand of the Shepherd will lead us through all our fears and excuses...as we but allow Him to. It is as we say our yes to God we grow in our discernment and discovery of the Presence, power and purpose of His holy love. The true joy of those harvested tomatoes, that glass of fine wine, those are all but a hint of the joy of sharing in the call of the Harvest of His holy love.

Feast of St. John the Baptist

Today is the Solemnity of the Birth of St. John the Baptist, the patron saint of our parish here in Healdsburg. In the graces of Christ shared in the Communion of the Saints we can ask St. John what he would share with us today, over 2000 years since he first sought to "prepare the way of the Lord".

I sense his message would be essentially the same, yet with an added urgency. As we struggle in this age of information inundation and sensory addiction St John would probably call us to..repent and seek the Kingdom of Christ. That is, he would urge us to slow down...simplify and listen to the Holy Spirit, through God's Word, through His Church, through, even the quietness of God's creation. With the same fire of holy love that drew the crowds to him in Judea, that same holy love would urge us to listen to, to know, to receive and follow Christ.
In the pattern and simplicity of John's life we can know the pattern and path to ON-GROWING faith and communion with our Lord. John proclaimed the Word of God..the Gospel in his words but even more profoundly in his life. Yet his message was to prepare the way of the Lord. Baptizing Christ in the Jordan John would, in essence, share Christ, God's Son, in the flesh with the world. The world would come to realize in the course of Christ life, death and resurrection the grace and call to know..receive Christ, The Living Word of God and His Sacred Body and Blood..to receive and grow to be..the Body of Christ, His Church. The simple ministry of John would be a precurser to the liturgy we celebrate at Mass. As we gather we renew our commitment to be a people alive in the Spirit of repentance, with the penitential rite. This is followed by the Liturgy of God's Word where we listen to Scripture from the holy roots of the Old Testament through the Psalms, the New Testament Epistles and the crowning grace of the Gospels. With God's Word proclaimed we then confess our faith anew and share, as God's children, our prayers. It is then we bring to His Altar our gifts and share in the mystery and miracle of knowing the bread and wine consecrated by the power of the Holy Spirit into the very Body and Blood of Christ as He Himself promised in the Gospels. From this rich feast of God's Kingdom we are renewed and empowered to grow on to share the Ways of the Lord.
This day, remembering, reflecting with St. John the Baptist, may we each seek and follow Christ in the power and mercy of His holy love.
St. John, pray for us!

Ascension 2010

Here is the cyber-version of my homily for this Ascension Sunday:

"God mounts His thrones with shouts of joy..." So rings the refrain from our Psalm for this Ascension Sunday. After giving them their quest and His promise he ascended to the Heavens to return to His Father. God the Father reunited with God the Son, to thus send the fullness of God the Holy Spirit. The joy in Heaven is beyond words. If we think of s loved one we have not seen for some time..perhaps one who has died...yet we are now reunited with them..this joy we would know is but one grain of sand from an ocean beach, compared to the joy of the reunion between God the Father, and God the Son.This lesson of the Holy Trinity is also a vital lesson of this same quest and promise given to the Apostles and all believers to this day, a quest and promise to:

The Land of Promise ~ The Kingdom of Christ
Called out of limits and sins of our humanity, our understanding and boundaries of this world. Called from the culture of doubt, fear and judgment to be one people of forgiveness, mercy and healing hope. We are called to cross the Jordans of self, pride, fear and doubt to enter into and proclaim the Gospel of Christ and Risen hope, healing mercy and empowering holy love.
Called to all nations in the quest, the work of the Gospel of peace. Called to learn and share in the discovery of the joy of His Kingdom, in, with each other and our self as we focus, together on Christ and heed, not just our own human wisdom and insights but the will of the Father. With those same shouts of joy with which God mounts His throne with His Father so we too can know the same joy as Christ ascends the throne of our hearts, homes and lives.
Yet..we know it is impossible. We know our limitations. This world of sin, pride and sensual excess would mock this feast, our Lord and our own quest to follow Jesus. But it is in that reality..the same real world Jesus spoke to His early followers, He gives to us the Promise of Pentecost. Next Sunday we celebrate the promise and outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the early Church. That same Spirit of Christ, given just last week in the holy sacrament of Confirmation would give to us the power to be..to become followers enflamed and empowered for our own quest into the truth and place of Promise , the Kingdom of Christ.

Earth Day & Christians

Today is Earth Day. Many Christians seem troubled by this and while there are those who carry their devotion to the earth to pantheistic extremes it does not mean we are to reject this opportunity to remember we are both a part of creation and called by God to be faithful stewards of this earth. Perhaps the reflections of St. Francis of Assisi may help us to clarify our place and priorities before God, each other and creation.

Most high, all powerful, all good Lord! All praise is yours, all glory, all honor, and all blessing. To you, alone, Most High, do they belong. No mortal lips are worthy to pronounce your name.

CANTICLE OF THE SUN ~

Be praised, my Lord, through all your creatures, especially through my lord Brother Sun, who brings the day; and you give light through him. And he is beautiful and radiant in all his splendor! Of you, Most High, he bears the likeness.

Be praised, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars; in the heavens you have made them, precious and beautiful.

Be praised, my Lord, through Brothers Wind and Air, and clouds and storms, and all the weather, through which you give your creatures sustenance.

Be praised, My Lord, through Sister Water; she is very useful, and humble, and precious, and pure.

Be praised, my Lord, through Brother Fire, through whom you brighten the night. He is beautiful and cheerful, and powerful and strong.

Be praised, my Lord, through our sister Mother Earth, who feeds us and rules us, and produces various fruits with colored flowers and herbs.

Be praised, my Lord, through those who forgive for love of you; through those who endure sickness and trial. Happy those who endure in peace, for by you, Most High, they will be crowned.

Be praised, my Lord, through our Sister Bodily Death, from whose embrace no living person can escape. Woe to those who die in mortal sin! Happy those she finds doing your most holy will. The second death can do no harm to them.

Praise and bless my Lord, and give thanks, and serve him with great humility.

Knowing God

This Sunday marked my first Sunday at my new assignment as Permanent Deacon at St. John the Baptist Church in Healdsburg California. Here is a cyber-version of my homily:

As we worship and serve our Lord with you here at St. John’s we will come to know each other much better. We are grateful and excited at this privilege and opportunity. These simple realities of our human relationships help us to understand the lesson we have this Second Sunday of Lent from God’s Word.

Lent…many see this just as a season of the Church year in which we fast, abstain or perhaps share in extra works of prayer and charity. And that is what Lent is. But while it is a season it is even more so a season in which the Spirit of God seeks to renew our hearts and lives in these acts of ongrowing conversion and grace, throughout all seasons and days of our lives. Lent is a special time to renew our relationship with God. It is a time to know in new and deeper ways, to awaken to Christ in our hearts, homes and Church. Our Bible readings this day help us to understand that this “knowing” comes about as we…

LISTEN to God…with our ears, mind and heart as Abram did on the journey of faith God led him upon. We are invited to be LISTENING & LOOKING upward to Christ and His dream for each of us as individuals and as His Family, the Church. We are called to listen to God with and through His saints. The Mount of Transfiguration is a profound lesson of the Communion of the Saints, in Heaven with God and with each other here on earth. Hearing….heeding the promises of God the Holy Spirit will arouse within our hearts to dream with God and from there to follow to the fulfillment of those plans and promises.

FOLLOWING God we discover that the promises, the plans, the dreams God has for us are the very beginnings of a life of faith and fulfillment, of love and grace. But it is also a path of dedication, at times struggle and suffering. It is a path up the mount of transfiguration. It is the path of Christ’s Cross that may allow the struggles and sorrows we encounter to bring upon us anew His mercy, His strength, His Love as we enter more deeply into the embrace of the Crucified.

This journey then of Listening.. of Following and then KNOWING Christ, is the path of discovering, anew the glory and beauty of Christ crucified and risen. As we allow God to lead us up the mountains of our life we may well face exhaustion, and even fear. But it is in those times and places we discover, we experience His love that brings His courage. It is His holy love that awakens us to see, hear and know anew Christ and hence to know and become that person and the people God has created, called and redeemed us to be.

May we, together, get to know more of each other as together we learn more of God in our work and worship, shared in His Church. And together may we grow on to know the treasure of Christ in His Word, the Holy Eucharist and in the works and worship of His Kingdom.

Ash Wednseday

Ashes placed upon the forehead,
mark the time of Lent begun.
Ashes placed upon the forehead,
Are the sign of penances sung.

From deep within our heart.
may we heed the call,
from our sins to turn away.
and in His Love find our all.

May we hear and heed
God's Gospel to believe.
May His truth in mercy
sow redemption's seed.

May we grow beyond,
these forty days of counting,
of things given up,
for Lent's surmounting.

May we grow to know,
freedom real and lasting
in the Crucified Lord's
embrace of love surpassing.

And in His Wounds of love,
Our wounds of life to share.
May His Cross point the way,
His Easter Light to share.

Blessed Are You

Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time

14 February 2010

Homily ~ Cyber-version

BLESSED ARE YOU

This last Sunday before Christ leads us into the graces of Lent our Bible readings are richly seasoned with a word that permeates both Scripture and our Christian path.

Blessed. For many Catholics this word may be used as a noun as meaning those recognized by the Church has having lived lives of beatific grace. As an official step on the formal path to sainthood the blessed are seen as models of those whose lives resonate with Gods favor.

Also when we hear this word we often think of the meaning that God has blessed us. Perhaps there has been a special answer to prayer, a healing, a financial or economic blessing, a restoration in a relationship or a grace-filled spiritual experience. This concept is rooted in Old Testament times and has grown through the Christian world to mean blessing as a sure sign of God’s favor. Today in many contemporary Christian circles the teachings of the “prosperity gospel” have been refined to preach spiritual formulas for both soul and especially material success and prosperity.

Yet we may struggle with the familiar teachings of Jesus from the Sermon on the Mount and today’s Sermon on the Plain wherein Jesus shares a clear yet challenging litany by which we care called to know and share the reality of being Blessed by God. But it is in these essential teachings of true Christian discipleship that Christ confronts the narrow paradigm that the Jews of His day and many Christians today seek to use to restrict the Blessed to their limited vision of physical and spiritual success. To better understand this Gospel truth it will be helpful to, as always, look at the context of our message. In Luke 6 the brief, entire context reads:

“ [17]And he came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases.

[18] and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured.

[19] And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came forth from him and healed them all. [20]And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said: "Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.” It is important to note this is the same context found in Matthew 5, the Sermon on the Mount.

II BLESSED ARE YOU…

Blessed…favored by God, happy: {Psalm 1} YES! Our Lord longs to have our lives filled with the life and graces of His..Love, Joy, Peace, Goodness, and…yes..Patience, Gentleness, Meekness, Self-control, Faith, Courage. Allowing the Spirit of God to lead will allow God’s Spirit to also empower us to follow and live the journey He has consecrated for each of us.

Blessed …to be the consecrated…the hallowed, not just places, things or those who have gone on to eternity. It is also..the poor ..the Kingdom of God is theirs,

the hungry..they will be filled..the weeping..they will be comforted, the hated, excluded..insulted..denounced as evil on account of the Son of Man..rejoice..leap for joy for it is in those very real suffering we are called, consecrated…we are BLESSED to share His sufferings to enter into the very wounds of love our Lord suffered for us.

This season of Lent as we received the ashes of penance and conversion we must remember we are entering into a season in which we can know the promise of God shared by Isaiah the prophet to know a beauty for ashes that only the Blessedness of God can bring.

III Blessed are you…each of you…blessed is this parish. And as we each seek to follow our Lord in the journey before us may we seek to share His Blessing of healing touch and hope with the hungry, the hurting, the lonely as He looked upon and called His followers that day on the plain…Blessed are you!

St. Sebastian

St. Sebastian ~ January 20th is the Feast of St. Sebastian. In this 21st century the call to martyrdom, in the fullest literal sense and in the daily spiritual sense is just as real. May the love of Christ call us to follow our Lord in His holy and sacrificial love. St. Sebastian, pray for us.


ST. SEBASTIAN
by Harry Martin
2006

Body broken, pierced by arrows,
Sebastian knew and felt the sorrow.

Called by God to simply trust,
Faced the hate that doubt did thrust.

Roman soldiers, courage known,
Sebastian something more did own.

Called to serve the King of Kings,
A holy joy his life would sing.

Strength, courage, faith he shared,
with those cringing under persecutors glare.

Strength and character much admired,
the Roman court was inspired.

“Honor Rome, the world is yours”,
Sebastian faced the tempters throne.

Pleasure, pride, senses heed,
let your noble flesh be pleased.

While admired, sought by men,
to serve and be their pleasing friend,

Sebastian heard a greater need,
from the soul of men did plead.

“Fill the empty void I know,
while pleasure, power, pride do flow”.

Empty hearts do ache and long,
for love, for purpose, to belong.

Sebastian heard the desperate plea
and to Christ he did flee.


Finding there Love’s full embrace,
he found the courage with to face.

Doubts and fears, hatred strong,
for those denying Satan’s song.

Called to choose whom to serve,
Sebastian for the Christ did yearn.

Doubt in hate the arrows lust
for his body with killing thrust.

Left to die the martyrs death,
arrows failed his life to quench.

Holy care a sister gave,
life remained, courage brave.

Doubt and hate, pride did hear,
so chose to attack again their fears.

Clubs assailed, the body pierced,
crushing breaking his noble face.

Sebastian’s holy body died.
Sisters, brothers , faithful cried.

Tears of love they did know,
tears of joy even more so flowed.

Sebastian brave, in holy love
shared with us his martyrs blood.

Bringing to all who will,
the hope, the love of Christ to fill.

Persecution still does flow,
from doubt and hatred’s brutal blows.

Called to Christ to love, to live,
in simple faith and courage give.

Our lives in trust and love for Him,
who frees us from the chains of sin.


Free to follow, serve and fight,
in the quest for holy life.

Saint Sebastian for us pray
that with courage we may stay,

Close to our Holy King
So His praise and love to sing.

"Be it done unto me according to They Word"

This last Sunday before Christmas may the simplicity of the Gospel message resonate in our life.

Lord, holy Jesus, help us to listen to You.
May your Word
penetrate our struggles, sorrows, our self.
Help us to hear You
amidst the doubts, fears, worries,
the noise of the enemy,
the noise of this world.
Holy angels of God,
lead us, protect us,
as we seek our Beloved.
Mary, Blessed Mother,
pray for us,
that we may say Yes!
to the Words of your Son.

The Angelus

The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.
And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.
Hail Mary, etc.

Behold the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done unto me according to your word.
Hail Mary, etc.

And the Word was made flesh.
And dwelt among us.
Hail Mary, etc.

V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of
Christ.

Let us pray. Pour forth your grace into our hearts, O Lord, that we to whom the Incarnation of Christ your Son was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

FORT HOOD TRAGEDY....PTSD OR SPIRITUALITY?

The tragedy at Fort Hood with the massacre of troops by the U.S. Army Major and psychiatrist, Nidal Malik Hasan will take time to investigate to determine the motivations behind these murders. It is intensely tempting to jump to conclusions to blame or somehow justify these acts of violence.
The media has made much of the major's work with PTSD (Post-traumatic Stress Disorder) among returning soldiers. There is speculation that his pending deployment to the Mid-east triggerd some sort of psychotic break and resulted in the murderous rampage.
Reports are now surfacing of the major's apparent intense Moslem faith and that there may be a spiritual root to this sad event. This is quickly linked to emphasis by many that Islam is a peaceful faith and that the violence of some is an anomaly of sorts. Sadly this does not match the historic record or the reality that whole nations and regions of the world are under the spiritual sway of deeply ruthless adherrants to this religion.
Where does this lead us? Should we jump to blame the psychological reasoning? Should we either take the politcally correct approach and deny the violence of Islam? Or perhaps take a religious war approach embraced by some conservatives?
I believe it is a time to seek to "discern the spirits" as Scripture directs, to recognize the reality of spiritual warfare that impacts the political and physical. It is also time to look, not just to the acts or wrongs of a person or people but to their soul, created by one God. There is none of us exempt from sin, violence or fault. We are all called to be people forgiven by God, through our Savior, Christ Jesus. We are called to the peace of His Cross.
Centuries ago, again in a time of warfare a Christian broke ranks with the militant Crusaders and dared to approach the perceived enemy, not in a politcally correct aura of denial of evil or wrong, but in a outreach of the love of Christ.
St. Francis and his visit to the Sultan reminds of the urgent need for this living courage and faith as we pray:

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
when there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
Grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand,
to be loved as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.

Summoned & Sent

The cyber-version of my homily for the 15th Sunday of Ordinary Time:

The pathways…the purposes of God are a message of simple clarity in our Bible readings this day. It is a message that we as a parish and community and world have perhaps been struggling with these past months as economic challenges and personal losses have been shared by so many. Yet, as always, when we allow God to speak to our hearts through Scripture, prayer, sacrament and life we can each know the reassurance and hope that we are summoned by God to be sent through life in the simplicity of His grace.

Summoned by God ~ The prophet Amos sets the stage for us today. In the land of Judah about 800 years before Christ a shepherd and keeper of Sycamore trees ( a type of fig, known as the Sycamore fig, food of the poorer people) was summoned by God to challenge and confront the materialism and injustice that had filled the hearts of the people. Poor, unlearned and of no significance in the society of his day Amos was called beyond self to proclaim the simplicity of repentance and grace in the eternal wealth of God’s Kingdom.
St. Paul would affirm the same timeless message as the Holy Spirit sought to bring the believers of that day and now to realize and see our eternal riches and destiny IN CHRIST JESUS.
Our Lord summoned the first Apostles as a leaders and example of individuals, called with the wealth and reality of there humanity to follow Christ in service together for His Kingdom.
All these example affirm that God destines us from our mother’s womb to His purposes. This life is not our own…but God’s. As we allow and rest in that truth we can experience the riches of God’s provisions in the circumstances, blessings and sorrows we face to be equipped for the path of His choosing. There is no lack of the summons of God for people to know,,,follow...serve the Kingdom of Christ. There is no shortage of these summons or vocations. The lack, the shortage is in our listening and responding that summons. Yet it is in yielding to our Lord’s summons we experience the fulfillment of our destiny as we permit our humble self to be sent by God.

Sent by God ~As we realize the summons of Christ we soon learn, with the prophets and apostles that we are sent. We also realize that our summons and our destiny will likely by far more simple and humble yet it is essential to remember to whom we are summoned and with whom we are sent. Amos the prophet, the apostles and each of us share in some small way the holy joy and privilege of proclaiming in deed and word the redemptive love, justice and mercy of God. We are sent to help each other learn that it is not in our accomplishment or possessions that we find our worth but it is in living in humble love that we proclaim the mercy and justice of which the Psalmist sings. As we share these pathways of life we are sent to help with each others burdens, to be a people of healing deeds and words of genuine hope and mercy in the power of Christ. We are summoned and sent to share the infinite riches of the simplicity of God’s grace.

Simplicity of Grace ~ The prophets, the apostles shared a common qualification. The were basically simple people of rather humble means who heard and responded to God. They gave there basic intelligence and faith and sought to be the most FAITH-FILLED followers as possible. Often they had no great wealth, stature or education except and willingness to learn and discover, top proclaim and share, in the simplicity of the daily grace God provided, the wealth of God’s eternal Kingdom and mercy. Christ in sending out the apostles sent them with barest of necessities and preparation. He sent them with the wealth of a need to trust the provisions and power of their Heavenly Father. And so sent them empowered and provided for to live the Kingdom.
Times have changed. Our world is so much more intensely materialistic and self-centered. Yet God’s eternal Kingdom truth and love have not changed. The God of Amos, Paul and the other Apostles who knew well their lives and world, who knows as well, our life, our world calls us each to follow and share His summons to be sent on the pathway of God’s choosing to proclaim His Kingdom in the rich simplicity of His grace.

Corpus Christi

Last night as I attended our Lord during my hour of Adoration I was thinking about the upcoming Feast of Corpus Christi. At my parish we will be celebrating First Communion as well. I prayed then, as I continue to do, that our children and all of us would allow the Real Presence of Christ to be revealed in our lives. May Christ Jesus, God with us, break through our world-dulled senses and awaken in each of us a living recognition of the Body & Blood of Christ. May our ears be opened to hear Jesus speaking, equally as present in God's Word.
I was reminded of dynamic faith of St. Francis of Assisi. He wrote:

"And let all of us firmly realize that no one can be saved except through the holy words and the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ"
St. Francis, Letter to the Faithful

Holy Trinity Sunday

Here is the cyber-version of my homily for Holy Trinity Sunday 2009:


Today the Holy Spirit, through the mercy and grace of Christ, has brought us together to pray, “Abba”, to our Heavenly Father. We gather to celebrate and wonder at the infinite mystery of the Most Holy Trinity, One God in Three Persons. Christians for generations, scholars and contemplatives, gifted and humble have all sought to understand and explain the unexplainable. Through the ages diverse teachings have argued and sought to take this real mystery of faith and congeal into a concept of understanding comfortable to the minds of a particular group.
Whether it be the early Gnostics, Arianists, latter day cults or even contemporary groups who would deny the concept of God the Father we see a recurring efforts to try to squeeze the infinite God into our very finite box of a limited human intellect. The effort to understand..to relate to this infinite, eternal mystery is noble and good. But we would do well to allow our understanding to develop, our knowledge to increase through the grace of God that would enlighten our minds as we seek God in faith and love.
The living Word of of the Holy Trinity, the Scriptures we shared this day, all share a common, simple, yet infinitely enlightening invitation. We are called to grow in an ongoing relationship with God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, through which our spirit, minds (souls) and bodies would grow in the eternal truth that is God. Yet even this invitation is a challenge to our limitations. But God’s mercy is so great that He gives us simple, albeit limited, illustrations to help us in our quest.

As Christians we are baptized in the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Sacramentally, and literally translated we are IMMERSED into the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
As a part of that holy act we, the baptize , are often given a given a candle from which the fire from the Paschal Candle is lit. This is said to symbolize our carrying forth the Light of God in our Hearts. So it does. Yet that simple lighted candle also symbolizes this Holy Trinity into which we are immersed.

God the Father ~ The Wax: The heart, the source of infinite mercy and love from which the wick draws His passion to be ignited through the power of the Holy Spirit. The wax, mysterious yet containing the very essence of life and creation. This congealed beauty of sunlight and flowers carried by winged servants the sweetness of honey and life in the hive.
Yet stung by the wounds of life, or blinded by artificial substitutes humanity often is blinded to the the very love of the Father, the Love that is God to which we are created to call, our Abba, our Father.

God the Son ~ The Wick: The beauty and warmth, the hidden grace of life can only be realized through the wick that carries that truth to our souls. Drawing from the infinite depths of mercy and hope the love of the Father was sent to burn eternally through His Son, Christ Jesus. Revealing the Father’s mercy in the darkness of the Cross Jesus has shown the Light of Life with the dawning of the Resurrection. The indescribable beauty of the holiness of Heaven is revealed through woven fibre wick of the life of Christ, God’s Son incarnate.

God the Holy Spirit ~ The Flame: But this beauty of holiness, infinite light of love would not be seen without the flame, the passion of the Holy Spirit. Last Sunday at Pentecost we recalled how that initial immersion of the early believers was seen through flames descending upon the faithful. And through the ages this same light of the Father carried by the Son, lit in the fire of the Spirit would shine. God seeks to bring light to those in darkness, hope to those in despair healing warmth to those whose love has grown cold.

Today, this Feast of the Most Holy Trinity, may we allow our baptism to be bring alive the candle of God’s Presence anew in our body, mind and spirit. May the Flame of the Holy Spirit burn within each of us the Passion of Christ drawing upon the infinite holy Love of the Father. Accepting the peace of this mystery let us share this light in our relationships with God, and each other that, together, we may grow in the fullness of God.

St. Paschal Baylon

Here is the cyber-version of my homily for this 6th Sunday of Easter, The Feast Day of St. Paschal Baylon:

The Redwoods of these north coast mountains of California have awed many for generations with their stature, beauty and strength. Yet if you have lived or walked amidst these fragrant giants you have hopefully realized that they are but the largest members of a much fuller community. One of the most beautiful members of this verdant environment is the Redwood Orchid. Small, often hidden by the larger, more well known companions, it can be found in hidden glades in the moist Spring time bringing a violet beauty under the emerald canopy overhead. The little Redwood Orchid is a humble yet excellent introduction to the lesson from the Scriptures in our Mass readings today. It is also an appropriate introduction to a hidden, simple saint who’s life was a profound lesson of the call of our Risen Lord.
May 17th is the Feast day of St. Paschal Baylon (1540-1592). This simple Franciscan lay brother never advanced further than being the porter at his Loreto monastery. Born to a poor Spanish family he was a shepherd without formal education. Yet he taught himself to read and write with the special purpose of being able to pray the Little Office of Our Lady. Paschal Baylon was appointed the Patron Saint of Eucharistic Congresses and Associations by Pope Leo XIII. If remembered, he is often thought of for his deep devotion and love for Christ expressed in the Blessed Sacrament. His deep longing and prayer for this communion with Christ was a part of his life even as a young shepherd. It grew to become a life of fervent prayer with our Eucharistic Lord. But St. Paschal’s life was far more than a life of prayer. He lived a life of faithful service, especially for the poor and needy. He, although uneducated by worldly standards, also came to be known for his courageous and boldly gentle defense of his faith in the face of real persecution. This balance of loving devotion and service, for the love of God, is the heart of the message we see in our readings.

Chosen to Love: “God is Love.” Our Epistle today shares these three most powerful Words of Scripture. Often quoted, less often lived, the depth of meaning starts to dawn as we accept the context…”and God sent His Son to pay for our sins”. Knowing our condition, yet seeing the worth of the soul God had created the Father calls us to His Son.
People, of all nations, as Peter affirmed in our first reading, are chosen, are called to Love, to God. It is into the infinite embrace of the Crucified Savior we start to grow in the freedom of being..chosen…the freedom of being chosen by and to… Love. Paschal Baylon realized he was called, that he was chosen, out of his sin and this world..to the Loving Presence found in the Body and Blood of Christ. Paschal also realized this call was for all humanity and lead to his life living the Commandment.

Commanded to Love: Often when we think of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament we think of it as a distinct practice of piety. We may relegate it to a contemplative effort best suited to religious or those who…like to pray. Sometimes those who practice Eucharistic devotion may be tempted to see this as a hallmark of their love for God. Sadly, it may lead to a condition of being so heavenly minded that they are no earthly good. St. Paschal, who spent hours in rapt prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, would fervently disagree. It was but the furnace from which he carried forth the fire of God’s love for the poor, his brothers or even those who opposed his faith. This love for God of which Christ commands us this day, and always, is but a summation and source of the love we are to abide in and share with each other. The command of God’s holy, fearless love fulfills all the lesser commandments or issues with which we may become distracted. St. Paschal lived out his love for the Eucharist Christ in his service and love of others. This included his fellow Franciscans, the poor and needy as well as those perhaps his enemies. Once, in holy obedience, he ventured on a trip into a part of France that was, at the time under strong anti-Catholic control. Hugeonots, opposed to the Church more than once confronted Paschal on his journey with assaults and threats. Confronted by a learned Protestant scholar he was challenged about belief in the Blessed Sacrament. The learned scholar was confounded and silenced when this simple monk defended and explained this Biblical truth with a bold yet gentle courage. Paschal did not compromise his convictions or his love for those who did not agree with him. He simply sought to live as His Risen Lord had called him to do.

Abiding in Love: With St. Paschal, our Blessed Mother, St. Peter and all the saints we are chosen to abide..to LIVE in this love that is….Christ. As we live, listening to the voice of Christ in the Scriptures we hear His mercy, guidance, correction and peace. As we learn to hear God’s voice in each other, our family and the poor or wounded we hear His call to.. love. As we receive His Sacred Body and Blood in the Holy Eucharist we are fed.. with Christ.. with Love. As we come to pray before His Presence in the Blessed Sacrament we discover, with St, Paschal the quiet peace, joy and strength abiding in His Presence. (We are chosen to be filled with His joy and the joy of the Lord is our strength).

St. Pascal Baylon died at the age of 52. Numerous accounts describe the moment of his death as the bells were being rung for the Consecration during the High Mass in his monastery. This little orchid of the saints calls to us today to abide and live in the Love that is Christ.

Risen Christ ~ Divine Mercy

Here is the cyber-version of my homily for this Second Sunday of Easter ~ Divine Mercy Sunday:
Today we celebrate the Second Sunday of Easter, also recognized as Divine Mercy Sunday {St. Faustina}. Our Bible readings share the rich and clear message of that holy mercy of God needed, found and lived in the hearts and lives of the early believers in the Risen Christ.
Most Christians at some point in their life have wondered and desired to have been able to be there, to see, hear and touch Jesus. It is in knowing that longing our Lord shared in John’s Gospel account a profound promise and blessing that even the very Apostles could not receive.
“Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed."
This singular promise, this blessing, although given over 2000 years ago, is found and experienced in the same simple journey as those believers in Jerusalem those days following our Lord’s resurrection.

Risen Christ, His Mercy is Needed: The post-crucifixion disciples, fear-bound in doubt-locked rooms remained so until the Risen Christ brought His mercy to them.
Thomas the Apostle, known for his honesty caution and doubts needed the merciful encounter with his Risen Lord to be freed to become the Apostle of the East.
Sister Faustina, by the world’s standards trapped by a life of poverty and very limited education was to become the Saint of the Divine Mercy by her simple yieldedness to her Risen Lord.
And we today, bound by sin, by fears, pride, and doubts need Christ’s mercies that are as new this day as they were that first Easter over two thousand years ago.

Jesus Risen from the Dead is our Mercy Found: The faith of the early Church was loosed as they received Christ:
In His Word as they heard and received His Word of peace and purpose,
In the power of God’s Spirit & Peace, receiving living the life of forgiveness and sharing that same forgiveness in word and deed,
In His Wounds as Thomas presented the pattern and proof for all that as we enter the wounds of Christ His holiness, wholeness and love bring the mercy of the Father.

Jesus, Mercy, Lived: The early Church that we read of in our first reading from the Book of Acts is beautiful in the simple power of selfless love and faith. Dismissed by many as a fluke and experiment that failed it is in reality the pattern that is meant to be applied and lived by all true believers. While most will not live in a structured community of faith this pattern, when lived in homes, parishes, hearts and lives will allow the very real Presence and Blessing of the Risen Jesus, His Love and mercy, His power and peace to be lived, known and shared.

Whether we look to the example of the Apostle Thomas, from doubter and skeptic to the Apostle & martyr to the East; the early Church living in simple selfless trust and love; the 20th century example of St. Faustina; we hear and see the promise and call of our Lord to receive the blessing of His divine mercy and to then live that mercy in our deeds and words.

Ruin or Resurrection?

Easter Sunday 2009
This Easter the message of the ruin of the Kingdom of Christ seems to be the theme of choice in so much of the media.
The tragic murder of a little Sandra Cantu in Tracy California has been pinned on a neighbor woman. While the motive remains a mystery the media seems intent on publicizing at every opportunity the fact that the accused was a Sunday School teacher in a neighboring Baptist Church. The chorus of anti-religion seen in the comments online of various media is virulent in the hate and disdain of things of God.
President Obama has appointed Harry Knox to the Faith-Based Partnership Council. Interestingly Harry Knox seems to thrive on criticizing Roman Catholics and other traditional Christians. It is applauded by those who seem to want to affirm the President's comments on his European trip that the United States was not a Christian country.
Even in the natural world the earthquake in Italy has wrought heartbreaking sorrows on that country. The images of beautiful old churches in broken ruin, of masses of caskets, some of little children, to some, would speak of absence or perhaps the judgment of God.
Yes. There is real sorrow and shocking violence abundant in life. The focus of those who would look for and find every fault and crack in the church as a sign of ruin is very prevalent.
But none of this is new. Evil, sorrow, bigotry and hate have been a part of life on earth for a long time. The Church, the Body of Christ has been assaulted in many ways, times and places.
Many years ago a young Catholic man, after experiencing the empty violence and greed of the world found himself in a ruined little church. It was there Christ spoke to Francis of Assisi to rebuild His Church.
Even centuries earlier at a tear and fear drenched tomb some women came to tend their very real grief and sorrows. Another earthquake shattered their world. The angels appeared and proclaimed: "He is Risen. Go and tell the others".
Easter ~ 2009 amidst the sorrows and doubts of this world our Risen Lord, His holy love will still triumph.
Peace and all good in the Peace of the Risen Christ.

Hands of Hope & Healing

{Artwork: "The Leper" by Ron DiCianni}

Our reading from the book of Leviticus today gives us a powerful view of the lonely and hopeless existence of the lepers of old. Outcasts, untouchables they were condemned, without hope. Through the ages they have come to symbolize the most hopeless of the hopeless.
Then in the Psalm we can hear and sense the Spirit of God leading us on, calling us to prayer, to the Presence of Christ.
And in our reading from Mark’s Gospel we are brought to another scene. A leper, unclean, outcast, without hope dares the unthinkable. This man symbolizing and living the despair of infectious hopelessness calls out to Jesus, son of Mary, Son of God. Condemned in his defilement he calls out to He who was undefiled, holy, pure. It is in that pristine love that our Lord does the unthinkable. Christ, son of God reaches out as the Son of Man and touches him who was never to be touched, and utters those words of hope, of life…”I do will it, be made clean”.
Today the Holy Spirit still empowers the hands of God to reach out to those others will not touch. The Words of Christ still speak hope and healing to those in despair. That work is the work of Christ’s Body. It is the mission of each man and woman, girl or boy who has been baptized into the Family of God. It is the voice of God’s Spirit that calls us to be one family in mission… the mission of the Kingdom of Christ.
In sharing the mission of Christ we may be tempted to look only at our abilities, our resources at hand, or even perhaps our wealth. All those aspects are important, even vital in the doing the work of Christ. Yet IF we only respond on the basis of our strength or our resources we miss an important reality of God’s love. The great works of God are not built from our prosperity..but from our need and God’s grace.
The leper in the Gospel did not consider that his desperate need would draw Him to the riches of God. Little did he expect that in his seeking the unthinkable the hope and healing work of God would grow on to inspire and touch hearts for ages to come.
We can look to the faithful in our own diocese. On a wind swept bluff overlooking the Pacific ocean there stand a church. Built from the faith, hard work and sacrifice of the early lumberjacks and farmers of the rugged north coast the beautiful little church of the Blessed Sacrament in Elk stands and serves to this day. Built not from the wealth and abundance of an affluent people it was built from the need and sacrifice of a peop0le of faith and vision. It was built with the hands and hearts of God’s family united in mission for the work of Christ.
We can look to the clergy and religious who have faithfully served through the years in parishes, and in ministries such as restorative justice. It is usually without realizing or feeling the truth that they are still being the hands of Christ, touching those others will not touch or speaking words of mercy and hope for those in need of mercy, in need of hope.
As member of God’s family. sharers in Hs mission we are called to respond. This call brings us to decisions.
Will we look only to our needs? Our problems, inabilities or wounds? The leper in the Gospel, while recognizing his needs chose to look beyond his hopelessness. In so doing he was able to look to..call to and know the touch and voice of God that would bring his healing. Little did he realize that his need would bring hope to countless souls for millennia to come.
As we remember we are part of God’s family we may be tempted to look only to the failings of a few. We may allow anger or bitterness to cloud our vision and cripple the working of God in out hearts. We would do well to remember that all families have failings. And, that it is God’s family, with all our shortcomings, that we are a people being redeemed. If we are tempted to just focus on past failures, however tragic, it is time to allow the voice of the Savior to lead us to forgive…to build a bridge and get over it! Build a Bridge and Get over It!


Today many are struggling, in despair. Their hopes for success…security…are crushed. And even today there are still those who many would look upon as lepers. May we, as part of His family, His Body do our part to make sure His hands, His voice can reach all who need to know His hope and healing.
If you heart or home is struggling..please call out to Him..let His hands touch the needs and speak His hope, His peace, His Love. In doing so may we then allow His same hope and healing to reach others through our lives.