“Men call me Cecilia, but my most beautiful name is that of Christian” St. Cecilia (180-230)

 

Our human birth was a gift from God. But a greater gift was our re-birth in the waters of Baptism. When we were born, we were a child of our parents. When we are re-born, we become the adopted son or daughter of our God and Father. When we were born and registered, we became the citizen of a nation. When we were baptized, we became a Christian, a citizen of the Kingdom of God. In each of these instances, the latter is the more important in fact. But do we realize that? Do we celebrated what God has done and is doing in our life more than what our parents and others have done?

Hail, holy throne of God,
divine sanctuary, house of glory,
jewel most fair, chosen treasure house
and mercy seat for the whole world,
heaven showing forth the glory of God

Purest Virgin, worthy of all praise, sanctuary dedicated to God
and raised above all human condition,
virgin soil, unploughed field, flourishing vine,
fountain pouring out waters, virgin bearing a child,
mother without knowing man,
hidden treasure of innocence, ornament of sanctity,
by your most acceptable prayers,
strong with the authority of motherhood,
to our Lord and God, Creator of all,
your Son, Who was born of you without a father,
steer the ship of the Church
and bring it to a quiet harbor.” St. Germanus (378-448)

 

Words are inadequate when it comes to reflecting on Mary’s role in the History of Salvation. God through the Archangel Gabriel gave her the highest compliment, when he said: “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.” (Luke 1:28) Mary herself proclaimed: “Behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed. The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.^” (Luke 1:48-49) Because of who God was in her life, Mary wanted early on in her life to be dedicated to the Lord, without knowing what God had in store for her as the Mother of the Savor. Can we dedicate ourselves to God without knowing what God’s plans are for us?

 

 “When you have been insulted, cursed, or persecuted by someone, do not think of what has happened to you, but of what will come from it, and you will see that your insulter has become the cause of many benefits to you, not only in this age, but in that which is to come” St. Mark the Ascetic (360-430)

Our normal human tendency is to retaliate in kind. In this way we are following the Law of sin within us. But what does our life in the Spirit tells us?  “But to you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.^” (Luke 6:27-28) We cannot break the chain of evil, if we do evil. Even though in the moment we did not deserve the mistreatment, for our many sins, we deserve far worse treatment. It is better to suffer in this life than in the next. Enduring these sufferings patiently and silently will prove who is the person in relationship to Christ, who so suffered for our sake.

 Homily Solemnity of Christ the King Year B

Reading 1: Daniel in a vision sees what is to take place centuries after him. In effect, Daniel sees One like the Son of Man ascending to the Ancient One, where he receives in his glorified humanity glory, dominion and kingship.  Jesus is the Son of Man and the Ancient One is the Father. This prophetic vision was fulfilled in the person of Jesus at the time of his Ascension to the Father.

Paul attested to this fact of revelation in his Letter to the Philippians where he says: “God raised the Son up and exalted him at his right hand and gave a name above all other names—at this name every knee shall bend on earth, in the heavens and under the earth acclaiming Jesus as Lord to the glory of the Father.”

Daniel prophesied that the Son of Man received dominion, glory and kingship and all peoples served him. What does this indicate? It says that Jesus’s kingship is 1) supreme, extending to all peoples. It is a 2) universal kingship, covering all nations and places. Finally, 3) it is an eternal kingship, lasting forever.

At the time, Daniel does not know the full ramifications of his vision. But when Jesus was questioned by the Sanhedrin during his trial, he predicted that the Son of Man will be seen coming upon the clouds. 

Reading 2: The reading from the Book of Revelation picks this theme up. “Behold, he is coming amid the clouds, and ever eye will see him, even those who pierced him.” This connects us to last Sunday’s reading, namely that Jesus will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead. Jesus, the God/Man is king because of his death on the cross by which he freed us from our sins by his blood. He is the “faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead and the ruler of the kings of the earth.”

To him belongs the glory and power because of who he is and what he has done. He not only created us but, when we chose to alienate ourselves through sin, he chose to give his life for our redemption from the kingdom of death.

Gospel: The Jewish leaders tried to juxtaposition Jesus in opposition to the Roman Emperor. Their desire to have Jesus put to death was so intense that they were willing to align themselves with Caesar, which was contrary to their deepest beliefs. This prompted Pilate to ask Jesus

about his kingdom. “Are you a king?” Jesus emphasized that his kingdom was a spiritual kingdom, not limited to time and space. 

Pilate missed the point. The fact is Jesus is Lord and King, not because we made him so, but because he is by virtue of his role as God and Savior.

The question for us to answer is this. Is Jesus our Lord and King? Do we not only say this but live it as fully as possible. Even though the Jewish leaders said that Caesar was their king, they were giving lip service. Is ours lip service or do we consciously submit ourselves and everything we have to the Lord. He is the Lord of my life, all I am and all I have. 

Jesus is the Lord of my life because he created me in his own image and likeness and sustains me every second of my life. I belong to him by virtue of my creation. Jesus is the Lord of my life because I came into life alienated from God because of Original sin and to which I added my personal sins as well. Jesus redeemed me by his death on the cross. I belong to him. He is Lord of my life because he has adopted me as his son or daughter, sharing his own divine life with me. 

Even though all this is factually true, I may still not acknowledge and accept him as such; I still may not surrender my life into his hands as my Lord and King. I may still be seeking to have full control, not trusting him. To this extent we can give him lip service on this day but withhold our heart, mind and will from him. Or I can embrace the mystery of his love and plan for me, giving him glory and honor, praise and love now in preparation for what awaits me in glory with him.

 "A fish that is alive swims against the flow of water. One that is dead floats down with the water. A true Christian goes against the current of sinful age. A false one is swept away by its swiftness." St. Philaret of Moscow (1782-1867)

Jesus said that either we are with him or against him. There is no middle ground. Either we put our faith and trust in him and his word or we put our faith and trust in something other. Many people over the centuries have given their lives rather than compromise their faith. They may not be remembered on earth today, but they are honored and remembered in eternity, where it counts. It is not easy to go against the current of today's culture. In fact, it is very risky. But the consequences are eternal. Like Joshua, we need to proclaim without qualification: "As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." Let your faith be a light dispelling the darkness.

 “The more I reflect on the graces I have received, the more they astonish me and make me tremble.”  St. Rose Philippine Duchesne (1769-1852)

 

When was the last time you reflected on the graces you have received in your life-span so far? It is easy for us to complain about the struggles we have had. But what are these in reference to the many more graces we have been given by God out of love? Let’s begin with the grace of salvation and the subsequent graces of sharing in God’s own Divine Life, all through no merits of our own. Then to these add the graces of reconciliation for the many sins we have committed ungrateful to the gift of salvation. As we keep going, there will be no end to our list. Maybe we need to do this regularly to keep the ledger of our life more accurate.

 "He took over anger to intimidate subordinates, and in time anger took over him." St. Albert the Great (1200-1280)

 

Once we give way to the vice of anger, it has a way of consuming us and poisoning us. How often King Saul gave vent to his anger against David, because of fear and jealousy! Saul wanted to control the narrative, written by God. He used his anger to do this. He even turned against his own son in anger. A life of uncontrolled anger is destructive to others and to self. It drains the joy of life, the peace of the soul, and one’s relationship with God. It spawns hatred and retaliation, paranoia and isolation. What is the antidote to anger? Repentance and reconciliation. Forgiveness and letting the past go. Right relationship with God is more important than personal feelings and self-justification.  Heed the words of the Psalm: “Refrain from anger; abandon wrath; do not be provoked; it brings only harm.” Psalm 37:8)

 “There is One very near you who knocks at your door every hour of the day, who begs you to listen to Him and to keep silence… in order to hear Him.” St. Just Bretenieres (1838-1866)

 

We are better in speaking than listening, at times, especially when it comes to listening in silence to the Lord. Prayer is both speaking and listening. Sometimes our prayer is one sided, namely speaking. To be still and silently wait upon the Lord, if he chooses to share with us, is an important part of our relationship with God. Whether he speaks or not in the silence of our heart is not the issue. Our silence in listening is acknowledging that he is Lord and God. We are his. He is God and we are not. Be still and know that he is God and, like the prophet Elijah, we may hear God in the quiet whisper of the stillness of our heart and voice.

 

Homily: Thirty-third Sunday Year B

 

Reading 1: There has always been an interest in the end times. The Old Testament reading from the Book of Daniel written over 2000 years ago reflects on that very question. The prophet Daniel is in exile. He was pondering on how long the exile from Jerusalem would continue. In a vision he is given insight into God’s plan. It is important that one’s name is found written in the Book of life.  

 

Both the just and the wicked will die; both will rise from the dead. There are two destinations for all human beings. 1. Those who will live forever in the glory of God. 2. Those who will suffer forever in everlasting horror and disgrace. One is heaven; the other is hell. Who are those who will live forever in glory with God? The wise—those who heard the word of God and acted on it; those who led many to justice or the truth or to the truth of God’s Word.

 

What is the question for us? Is heaven or hell a reality for us, even though it is a reality in fact? What wise decisions are we making to be judged worthy by God’s grace and mercy to share in his glory forever? Are we leading others to the truth of God’s word?

 

Reading 2: The author of Hebrews shows the difference between the priests of the Old Testament and Jesus, the High Priest of the New Testament. The former offered sacrifice to God but their sacrifice did not take away sins. Jesus offered the perfect sacrifice of himself once and sins have been forgiven. Today, we participate in Jesus’ one sacrifice in thanksgiving and praise to God.

 

What is the connection with the first reading? We can’t earn heaven, but we can earn hell. It was the offering of Jesus, who gave his life as a sacrifice once for all, that has forgiven all sins and reconciled us to God and to one another.

 

For by one offering he has made perfect forever those who have been consecrated. It is only because of his sacrifice that we can respond to his gift of eternal life or reject the gift of eternal life. The choice between heaven and hell.

 

Gospel: Jesus speaks of an end time, but says only God knows when and how it will happen. Our focus is not to be the end time of all things as we know them, but a specific end time: the time when death will come to me. It is then that I must face the final consequences of my relation or non-relationship with God.

 

We are called to be wise as we read the signs of the times, namely, human beings die every day, some suddenly; some after lengthy illness. But death is inevitable. Knowing this we need always to be prepared, not out of fear or anxiety but out of knowing that I have been given the grace of salvation in Baptism, the forgiveness of my sins, the food of eternal life. I have heard the truth of justice, the Word of God. What have I done in response to the countless blessings of God, beginning with Jesus’ death on the cross, his promises and gifts?

 

Even though I know that death is certain, the time is not. Even though I know that death is final and life after death follows, am I living in a way that I will be with God in glory or living in a way that I will experience, because of my choices, the everlasting horror and disgrace?

 

Let the hearing of this sacred revelation today become a reality check for us. If I died tonight, what will my eternity be: life with God or life alienated from God?

 “If you are in danger, if your hearts are confused, turn to Mary; she is our comfort, our help; turn towards her and you will be saved.” St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (1850-1917)

Mary saves us by bringing us to her Son, who is the Savior of the world. Her words to us when we go to her in our needs are the words she spoke to the servants at the Wedding of Cana: “Do whatever he tells you.” (John 2:5). Jesus entrusted us to the care of his mother, knowing her motherly heart, is always directed to doing the will of the Father. The will of the Father is our salvation through his Son’s death and resurrection. This in turn is the desire of Mary.

 Thirty-Third Sunday Gospel B

· As we come to the end of the Liturgical Year, the Church begins to reflect on the end-times statements of Jesus in the Gospel, of which this is one.

Jesus said: "But in those days after that tribulation

· Before this Jesus mentioned things pertaining to earthly events such as wars, earthquakes, famines. Now he mentions cosmic events.

the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 

· Much of what Jesus is referring to is found referenced in the Old Testament in the writings of the prophets: Is 13:10;34:4; Joel 2:10, 31; 3:15.

And then they will see 'the Son of Man coming in the clouds' with great power and glory, and then he will send out the angels and gather (his) elect from the four winds, from the end of the earth to the end of the sky.

· What is your feeling when you read this? Humanly, it may be of fear. But what do you think Jesus’ intention is for us when we hear this and other similar statements?

· The real key is whether we will be among the elect or not?

"Learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves, you know that summer is near. In the same way, when you see these things happening, know that he is near, at the gates. 

· What is the message Jesus wants us to hear and act on? Live in the present moment as if it was your last. Always be ready, not in fear, but in true relationship with God. Is this your attitude?

Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. "But of that day or hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 

· This last statement is very key. No matter how often people try to read the “signs” of the time and predict the future, especially the end of the world, only the Father, Son, and Spirit know as God. Jesus is saying that in his humanity he does not have this knowledge. At the moment he is speaking from his humanity, not out of his divinity.

· How should this whole passage impact your life today?

 “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” St Josaphat Kuncewicz (1584-1623)

 

This was a favorite prayer of St. Josaphat. It originated during the Desert Fathers’ period of the third century. It is biblically based. The prayer contains the words of the Tax collector in the Temple and the prayer of the blind man, asking to be healed. The short prayer is a proclamation of faith in the person of Jesus as Lord, Christ and Son of God. At the same time, it is an admission of one’s sinfulness and need of God’s mercy. As a short ejaculation, it praises God for who he is and petitions God for his grace of mercy.  Like any other prayer, it is not magical. But prayed sincerely, it is effective, especially in times of temptations.

 “With the sign of the Cross, I shall more certainly break through the ranks of the enemy than if armed with shield and sword." St. Martin of Tours (+397)

 

The sign of the Cross is the sign of Christ’s victory over the power of sin and death. It is the sword that pierced and defeated Satan. For those who have faith in Jesus, it is the sign we cover ourselves with, the sign we wear in faith, the sign we stand behind as our shield in the time of battles with the power of darkness. It is not a jewelry, it is not a good luck charm, it is not a magical wand. We were signed with it when we were baptized. Hopefully, we will be signed with it when we die. It stands as a constant reminder of God’s ultimate love for us and our commitment in faith to him, as Lord. Wear it proudly, use it wisely and stand by it faithfully.

 “During painful times, when you feel a terrible void, think how the capacity of your soul is being enlarged so that it can receive God- becoming as it were, infinite as God is infinite.” St Elizabeth of the Trinity (1880-1906)

What is one of the greatest void in the spiritual journey? The Dark Night Of the soul. God seems distant and we have a sense of his absence, even though in truth, he is never absent. Jesus experienced this on the cross. His cry, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me” was not a cry of despair, but of experiencing the reality of sin. This grace moment is a way for God to strip us of everything, so that we can experience the greatest of all good, himself, in a new way. In those moments of darkness, cry out to God, as Jesus did, but also trust in his mercy and love, as Jesus did.

 “All is too little for the Lord.” St. Agostina Pietrantoni (1864-1894)

 

In a short but precise statement, she captures Salvation History and our response. We cannot begin to take in all that God has done for humanity in general and us in particular. He created all things out of nothing and sustains all things in existence. He willed to share his Divine Life with one of his creation, whom he formed in his own image and likeness. When human beings failed the test of love and obedience, He promised a Savior, himself, to restore us to our inheritance by the sacrifice of his life. He has showered grace upon grace upon us, none of which was deserved. This barely covers what he has done for us. What does he ask in return? Love, so that we can be fulfilled. Nothing I can do or give can adequately begin to equate what he has and is still doing. But the little I have and can do, I will give to God in gratitude and praise out of love.

 “I have never gone to sleep with a grievance against anyone, and, as far as I could, I have never let anyone go to sleep with a grievance against me.” St. Agatho

 

Is this not a sure way to live and sleep in peace? He was probably aware of St. Paul’s admonition. “Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun set on your anger, and do not leave room for the devil.”  (Ephesians 4:26-27) Things will happen and we will react in a negative way. That is the Law of sin within us. What we do can be the Law of grace. Forgive and ask forgiveness, then let it go. Otherwise, a foothold is given to the devil to keep the wound infected. If your eternal salvation is at stake, is holding on to the grievance worth it?  Without forgiveness, it is at stake. Your self-righteousness is not worth it.

 Homily: Thirty-second Sunday Year B

 

Reading 1: Elijah has prophesied that God would cause a drought over Israel for three years. He is led by the Spirit to Zarephath to provide for him during the drought. There he has a diving encounter. By God’s providence he encounters a widow with a son. She is in a desperate situation and he is in need. He is thirsty and hungry. She and her son are also hungry, about to eat their last meal before the oil and flour run out.

 

Elijah asks her first for a cup of water and also for something to eat. The widow responds in truth. She has enough to feed herself and her son one last meal. Then Elijah speaks a word of prophesy. “If you make me a cake first, then the oil and flour will not diminish until the drought is over.” As a desperate women, concerned about her son, she could easily have ignored these words. She didn’t know this person.  However, the grace of God moved her to do what Elijah had said to her. She trusted the word of the Lord to her. As a result, for over a year the prophetic word was fulfilled.

 

It is easy to trust in God in good times; it is harder to do so in difficult times. To believe on the word of God and to act upon it is an act of faith. God said to Elijah that he would provide for him and he did. God said he would provide for the widow and her son and he did. The miracle was not the providence of God, as much as that was a miracle. The miracle was the trust that Elijah and the widow put in the word of God and acted on it. To what extent do we truly trust in God for everything. We are called to hear his word, to act on it and to totally depend upon God.

 

Gospel: The widow in the Gospel connects us to the widow in the first reading. The focus of the parable in action is the contrast between the widow and the others making their offerings in the Temple. Like the widow in the first reading, she gave everything, trusting in the providential care of God. On the other hand, the crowd gave from their surplus out of obligation to the law of tithe. But what they gave did not make them any more dependent on God.

 

The trust of the widow is the trust God is looking for from each of us, not that we give everything as much as we in our giving, show a trust and dependency upon God, who has provided for us to have what we have.  Though in actual value, what she gave in comparison to the others was nothing. But in the eyes of God she gave more out of a generous and dependent heart. She gave her tithe to God first, trusting in God’s providential care for her

 

How dependent are we on the Lord? Do we give to him first or afterwards? Is God the recognized and acknowledged source of all that we have?

 

Reading 2: This reading gives us the ultimate reason we have in trusting God. Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, not only have our sins been forgiven, but we also share in God’s divine life and in eternal salvation. Jesus’ one offering of himself on the cross for my sake out of love and in total surrender to the will of the Father, has given our life it’s true meaning. Jesus gave his all for us, holding nothing back

 

The completion of that grace of salvation will only be experienced by those, who eagerly await him. We are saved but our salvation doesn’t come to perfection until we respond to Jesus and are sharing in his divine life at the moment of his coming.

 “Your love is Singular when all your delight is in Jesus Christ, and you find joy and comfort in no other thing.” Blessed Richard Rolle (1300-1349)

 

It is not that God needs us to love him. He is love. His love of its very nature is Other between the Triune Persons. This love is also other outside of the Trinity. When God commands us to love him, it is for our sake not his. Since love is perfect within the Trinity, so love will be our ultimate perfection and fulfillment. This is a mystery that will not be fully understood and appreciated until love is perfected in us. Our identity is an adopted child of God. Our purpose is to be with God eternally in glory. Our perfection achieving this through grace is love. Learn how to love God and you will be perfected.

 “Just as Christ came into this world only once, clothed in our flesh, He is also ready to come again, at any moment, to dwell spiritually in our hearts with the profusion of His graces, as long as we do not resist Him.” St. Charles Borromeo (1538-1584)  

 

How do we resist him? By choosing sin over him. By not following his commandments. By not doing the will of the Father. By not forgiving. By being lukewarm in our relationship. By not having him as Lord of our life. The grace of God is like the sun, beaming brightly on all that are open. Our resistance is like being in an enclosure with only a small opening for the sun’s ray to enter. We resist to our detriment. Yet, unfortunately, we choose sin over grace.

 “Lord, let happen whatever You will; and as You will, so will I walk, help me only to know Your will! Lord, whenever You will, then is the time, today and always, Lord, whatever You will, I wish to accept, and whatever You will for me is gain, enough that I belong to You. Lord, because You will it, it is right, and because You will it, I have courage. My heart rests safely in Your hands!” Blessed Rupert Mayer (1876-1945)

This is the attitude of a true and faithful disciple of Jesus Christ. Do we not pray in the Our Father, “Thy will be done”? To pray it is also to live it in our daily life. Jesus said. “Not my will, but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42) Mary gave and lived her “fiat”. Jesus held up the measure of a disciple to be doing the will of the Father.  Only one who has truly fallen in love with the person of Jesus Christ and through him with the Father and the Spirit can live this commitment. Love is the only thing that makes doing the will of God possible. Once this love is the foundation of one’s life, then nothing else matters.