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Homily

First Sunday of Advent – Armor of light

Posted on by Deacon Joe

Is. 2:1-5; Ps. 122:1-9; Rom. 13:11-14; Mt.24:37-44

Christ the king is the armor of light as we end one liturgical year and begin a new season of Advent. In Jesus Christ we wear a shield of justice and love.  This is how to begin our day, our season of Advent, the new liturgical year with Jesus as the armor to shield us from every evil, every temptation and lead us from darkness to light.  Jesus separates the light from the darkness that lies in the heart and mind of a soul who waits for his coming.  Advent is the season of anticipation even as we end one liturgical year with the celebration of Christ the King we begin a new year with anticipation of his continued coming into our lives, more of Jesus. 

Advent is in anticipation of the Incarnation of Jesus, his body, blood, soul, and divinity not just in the world but to welcome him as “bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh”.  The birth of Jesus in us began with our baptism that there be more of Jesus and less of us, more of the light of truth and less of the lies of the world. 

The kingdom we anticipate is already growing from within our soul and Advent is a realization that if Christ is with us and in us who can be against us.  The highest mountain of the Lord for us to climb is from within to govern our mind with the truth of God, to align our emotions with the love of God, and to turn our will to the will of God. Let the birth of Jesus in us become the man and woman God created us to be in him. 

The darkness of the world comes with the temptation of immediate gratification, the pleasure principle.  The pleasure of the moment without concern for the consequence to come.  St. John Vianney is quoted to say, “It is definite that only a few chosen ones do not go to Purgatory and the sufferings there that one must endure exceed our imagination.”  Let that sink in for a while.  Why would he believe this?  The soul, that is the mind, emotions and will are weak and we focus our energy not on spiritual growth but on material growth.  When we focus on self we take God for granted. 

Many years ago, while I was in college a young Catholic girl said to me that she knew she was sinning by having intimacy with her boyfriend but as long as she went to confession before she died, she would go to heaven.  This is taking the mercy of God for granted.  She forgot that nothing imperfect can enter heaven and Purgatory is where we go to be purified of our imperfections.  The lie we live by is to say to ourselves “I’m good” meaning I’m good in my eyes but have we even considered how we look in the eyes of God. 

To “stay awake” is to make an examination of conscience preferably before we act that afterwards.  What is my motive?  What is the greater good?  What would Jesus do?  When were growing up we are taught to ask ourselves “what is mom or dad going to say?”  We also have a heavenly mother and father and they have eyes everywhere.  Our salvation has come so are we going to let it pass us by?  Every day someone dies, taken from this world and we remain to fight another day against the force of evil.  Our hour is also coming and we are reminded to be prepared by being at peace with others, with ourselves by living in the peace of God. 

After I retired from my professional career, I had more time to offer the church.  I started to get so many calls to do funerals that I called myself the deacon of the dead.  One of the stories I share in funerals is of a picture of a child pointing her finger out towards the viewer with the caption on top that reads “don’t worry about dying your going to live forever”.  On the bottom of the picture it reads “worry about location, location, location”.  Where are we going to live forever?  We are created for eternity and Advent is our reminder to live with the end in mind. 

Why do we begin the season of Advent with a reminder of the end time?  Advent is considered a time to prepare for the coming of the birth of Jesus, Christmas time, party time, gift giving, carols and new beginnings.  The coming of Jesus is to bring an end to the world as we know it, a sinful world and a new beginning of salvation history.  We are to put on the armor of light and have nothing to fear.   Just remember, “Ain’t no party like a Catholic party cause a Catholic party don’t end” (chorus), it reaches to heaven and all eternity. 

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Homily

The Solemnity of our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

Posted on by Deacon Joe

2 Sam. 5:1-3; Ps. 122:1-5; Col. 1:12-20; Lk.23:35-43

Christ the King is “the chosen one” the anointed as the King and his kingdom has no end.  King David was anointed king of Israel for this is how one becomes king by being anointed.  The people anointed David as their king but Jesus is anointed by God himself, “the image of the invisible God”.  To be “Christos” means to be “the anointed one”, Jesus is the anointed one as king of the universe.  This signifies a kingdom not of this world but of all creation “in heaven and on earth”.  Blessed are the souls who seek the kingdom prepared from the beginning of time, let us enter and rejoice. 

This marks the end of the liturgical year in the Catholic Church as a reminder of the end of time when the fullness of the kingdom of Jesus is to come.  The Solemnity of our Lord Jesus Christ was instituted by Pope Pius XI in 1925 with the end of the first World War and the rise of atheism and secularism among nations.  It was a sign and a warning that the separation of “church and state” can only bring greater evil to society.  A nation with no God is a nation divided among itself with no unity to bring peace.  It gives rise to earthly kings who seek their own power and enslave its people. 

That movement to isolate the church within its walls has only grown with the rise of a secular god, the god of self.  To be one’s own god is to objectify not only every other person, but even one’s own body as the object of pleasure to serve oneself.  Lost is the image of the person in the image of a God who we serve.  We are created for a God given purpose and apart from that purpose we roam in the desert of life in search of something greater than ourselves.  A soul separate from God is among the living dead, in existence without lasting purpose.  All earthly treasures come to an end and then what?  Look to the cross to see the answer. 

If today we celebrate Christ the King, why is the gospel returning to the final hours of Jesus on the cross?  As one of the criminals reviles Jesus calling him to save himself and save him, he is the image of society that has no place for God in its circle and structures.  It treats the pain of suffering as a condemnation.  The other criminal however speaks with a heart of repentance and with a fear of God pleading for mercy when Jesus enters into his kingdom.  He is the repentant sinner who deserves death but receives absolution. 

The crucifixion was reserved for the death of a slave.  The inscription “This is the King of the Jews” is to mark Jesus as the king of the slave people.  Jesus’ slavery and death mark the end of death and the beginning of his reign as the king of freedom.  It is the freedom to be a slave to God, a slave to the love of God, a slave to the will of God and to a God given purpose.  This is why so many turn away from God because it carries the mark of the cross, the slave who dies for another.  Few stand ready to die for another so who will enter the kingdom of God?  Jesus gives us our hope when he answers to the criminal “today you will be with me in Paradise”. 

“Paradise” is not heaven.  Paradise represents the hope of eternal salvation recalling that when Jesus died, he descended to the dead where those in Paradise were waiting for the Christ to come.  This paradise is in part the final purgatory for nothing unclean can enter heaven.  The criminal was forgiven for his sins upon his confession on the cross but his soul still carried the marks of his sins. 

Paradise is the cleansing of or baptismal robes, the washing of the feet, the final penance for lack of love.  Jesus does not ascend to heaven until fifty days later with the coming of the Holy Spirit.  A quote from St. John Vianney says, “It is definite that only a few chosen ones do not go to Purgatory and the sufferings there that one must endure exceed our imagination.”  In Purgatory mercy and justice meet to heal and to purify the soul.  Christ the King, the chosen one has marked the baptized to be among his chosen ones but he waits for our response to his call.  Let us not delay before our time comes to face our Lord. 

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Homily

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time – Son of Justice

Posted on by Deacon Joe

The “sun of justice” has come in the person of the Son of justice to rule the earth.  This Son with blazing heat brings us the healing fire of purification for justice and mercy are both the same act of love.  It is his redemptive love of sacrifice on the cross that calls out for justice against the sins of the world.  As Jesus says to the people, “All that you see here—the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down” and so it came to pass as history gives testimony. 

The same is true for our times and all time that we live in a world where kingdoms rise and kingdoms fall.  Nations fight against nations while natural disasters destroy what once stood as a work of human hands leaving only a memory of the past.  Jesus is preparing his people for the suffering that is to come from a world that lives for itself and not for him.  He is preparing us to fear not but to persevere and we will secure our eternal life.  Our call in this life is to give testimony of our faith regardless and despite what hardships and suffering come our way. 

Many will question God asking, where is the Son of justice when suffering surrounds, us and the innocent who are persecuted by so much evil.  God is always present in the suffering.  He brings us his redemption through our suffering but he also offers the sinner his mercy.  In the sin of humanity, the Son of justice is suffering the pain of the cross to offer us sinners his mercy and forgiveness that we may be redeemed by a conversion of heart. 

St. Paul in his letter to the Thessalonians speaks to those living in a “disorderly way”.  These were the ones who expected the end to come in their lifetime and so were living off the hard work of others no longer contributing to the goods and services needed for the community.  St. Paul puts it plainly “if anyone is unwilling to work, neither should that one eat.”  This is a warning against an attitude of entitlement from the work of others recalling the parable of the one who buried his “talent” and had nothing to show the Master when he returned.  We are all called to work for the kingdom of God and it begins by offering our daily work that brings food to the table as our sacrifice to serve others. 

Since the time of Jesus there have been voices that call out “the end is near” but Jesus reminds us “See that you not be deceived”.  For God time is in the present so that for us we are to live with the end in mind not in fear but in joyful anticipation of the glorified state of the one true kingdom of God.  To be set free from the bonds of sin, of disease, of corruption, of suffering and of death is our joyful hope for the end to come. 

For now, we live in the near end, almost there but not yet.  We are there when we come to receive the mercy and love of God in the sacraments, we are there when we open our hearts to love as God loves, we are there when there is nothing to fear for God is with us.   The end is always near, closer than we may realize.  The nearer we come to Jesus the more prepared and secure our life is for heaven’s gate.

In the recent past we have seen fires destroy a hardware store, a restaurant, a lumber store and all three had been in our communities for generations.  Only the memory of the service they gave to our community remains for us reflect on.  With the end have come new structures and new hope but like Lazarus who was raised from the dead but still had to die again what belongs to the earth returns to the earth.  We live with the end in mind and it is the end of our suffering for the glory of God and the promise of the Son of justice in his resurrection. 

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Homily

Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome

Posted on by Deacon Joe

Ez. 47:1-2, 8-9, 12; Ps. 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9; 1 Cor. 3:9c-11, 16-17; Jn.2:13-22

“You are the temple of God” when you receive him not only in spirit and truth but as body, blood, soul, and divinity in the Eucharist.  Jesus is the temple who rose from the dead in three days validated by the empty tomb, by the witnesses who he appeared to after his death, by the breaking of the bread as he shared a meal with his disciples, and by his ascension into heaven.  The story does not end with his resurrection but continues with the coming of the Holy Spirit to transform us into the temple of God.  A temple not made of stone but of flesh and blood.  Then why are we celebrating a church made of stone today? 

The Feast of the dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome represents the “mother church” of all Catholic Churches going back to 324 A.D. with its historical significance as the home of the popes for many years.  Today it is the official cathedral of the Pope as the Bishop of Rome.  It is the physical presence of a temple that Jesus defends in the gospel today with his “Zeal” for the house of God.  Today Jesus remains in the tabernacle in the Eucharist and we not only guard his presence but we come to worship and honor him with our prayers, devotion, liturgy and music.  This is a holy place and our actions should reflect our awareness of God with us in his temple. 

Jesus also desires to remain with us and the water that flows from the temple is holy that we may be made holy by the waters of baptism.  From the sanctuary comes the rivers of living water that bear fruit and the medicine for healing of our body and soul.  Grace flows from God through his temple.  Anyone who claims they don’t need to come to church to receive God is denying God his command.  Jesus instituted his church as the channel of his graces by us receiving the sacraments he instituted as he gave his disciples authority to do.   Without the institution of the church, we make of ourselves a church of one with no past, no followers, and no future.  This was not the vision of Jesus for his people. 

The celebration of the Lateran Basilica in Rome is a reminder of the link from the Israelites as the people of God to the Christians who Jesus opened the gates of heaven to receive.  It symbolizes the authority of the church from St. Peter to Pope Leo XIV.  There is no other church that can claim this connection given by Christ to his church.  All other churches have risen since by opposition to the Catholic church without apostolic authority. 

Jesus prayer to God was that we may all be “one”, one faith, one body and it can only come through one institution.   That one institution is the Catholic Church.  This is God’s plan of salvation that we may all be one body in Christ but human pride has entered the church and brought division such that instead of unity there is a plethora of independent churches each with its own version of salvation.  Can they all be right?  Common sense and the word of God does not support the practice of to each his own church. 

In God’s mercy he is patient and waiting for the hearts of many to turn back that we may all be one, united in faith, hope and love.  Nothing demonstrates with work of the devil than to see Christians of many denominations express a hatred to other denominations.  This is not the work of God but of the evil one.  While we stand firm in our Catholic faith we also call upon other denominations as our separated brothers and sisters in Christ.  Pride leads many to be the prodigal sons and daughters of the church but the love of a father is faithful ready to accept his children back.  The Lateran Basilica in Rome stands as a reminder of the roots of our faith, the call to come home to the one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. 

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Homily

All Souls Day – The Faithful Departed

Posted on by Deacon Joe

Wis. 3:1-9; Ps. 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6; Rom. 5:5-11; Jn.6:37-40

Who are the faithful departed?  Some claim to be saved by faith alone while others to be saved by their baptism having fulfilled the law but the faithful departed are the ones who have died to themselves to live in imitation of Christ.  To these faithful departed, death has no sting overcome by the cross of Jesus.  Faith without works is dead while baptism is the beginning of a life in Christ for those who accept the call to take up the cross and follow.  The faithful departed have run the good race, denying themselves their passions to live the passion of Christ.  God is calling us to a closer walk with him that we may be faithful before we depart from this life. 

Why do we pray for the dead? If they are already in heaven then they don’t need our prayers, we need their prayers. Revelation reminds us that “nothing unclean” can enter into heaven. Everyone does not die in a state of perfect grace but many die with the promise of heaven in need of cleansing before entering into the light of heaven.

The love of a Father is to correct his children and so we are “chastised a little” not only to correct our souls but to purify them “as gold in the furnace”.  Suffering is a gift we can unite to the cross as redemptive suffering making up what is lacking in Christ as St. Paul reminds us.  What is lacking for salvation is our fiat, our “yes, Lord” for he cannot save us without us coming to him.  This is life in Christ and in imitation of Christ.  The invitation is an open invitation while there is still time.  In our suffering we are reminded of the mortality of the flesh and our weakness without God.  Suffering can serve as our purgatory in this life as a cleansing of our sin. 

In our humanity we are prone to excuse our actions with words like “I’m not perfect…I’m only human…we all make mistakes”.  The words we don’t hear are “I’m a sinner”.  The sinner we are is what we bring to confession. Jesus came and revealed to us that God recognizes not only the sins of our actions but the sins of our hearts.  We all carry a heavy load of sins in the heart.  The faithful departed have been cleansed from all sin before they can stand before the throne of God.  This is the purpose of our sacramental life, to be cleansed, to receive God’s mercy, to do our penance in this life. 

We have a tendency in funerals to imply that the deceased has gone to heaven, but we don’t know that.  We like to say, “they were a good person” but Jesus says, “only God is good”.  So where does that leave us?  It leaves us with a promise that God is faithful to the faithful in this life who have departed.  It is the promise to the “elect”.  To those who are unfaithful he remains faithful to the promise of a heaven and a hell to separate the elect from those who have chosen to separate themselves from God by their actions. To the faithfully departed there is also a final cleansing in purgatory. 

This was the promise Jesus made to the “good” thief on the cross when he said, “today you will be with me in paradise”.  “Paradise” is not heaven.  Paradise is where the faithful departed were awaiting the coming of the Messiah when Jesus descends to the dead.  The thief did not steal heaven, but he did make his final confession on the cross and descended to the dead to serve his purgatory. 

The promise to the “elect” is that he shall shepherd us and “there is nothing I shall want”.  A loving Father knows best.  God’s love is that we remain in right relationship with him, called to be holy.  For the faithful departed hope has not disappointed and all things are revealed in serving a greater purpose for our salvation and that of others.  We are in the hands of God and he provides for us a kingdom of peace, justice and righteousness guarded from the evil one. 

This week was the movie premiere of “Triumph over evil”. In one of the scenes Fa. Amorth, the famous exorcist priest from Rome who died in 2016, retells his experience of an exorcism where the demon complaints of the bright light in the room. The demon says the light is coming from “the woman”. The woman is blessed Mary who the demon won’t even say her name. In another occasion the demon complains of the monk who is in the room with a rosary. The apparition to the demon is Padre Pio. The faithful departed are in heaven ready to pray for us, to intercede through Jesus to the Father. How much more our faithfully departed who loved and know us are ready to pray for us if we call upon them.

God is faithful, perfect, and loving and he calls us to be in imitation of Christ in the same way in this journey of life before we enter into eternity as faithfully departed souls. It is our turn now in this brief time on earth to respond to his call.

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