Divine Mercy Weekend!

This is the first time for me to blog at a live event, but I am writing to you from the 110th Knights of Columbus, Kansas State Council Annual Convention in Dodge City. The convention began on Saturday morning with the Opening Mass, then it will be meetings all day until the convention banquet. On Sunday, the Convention Mass will be celebrated at Our Lady of Guadalupe Cathedral. The meeting will wrap up on Monday. Don't know if I will have a chance to blog between now and then but wanted to report on what is going on. Of course, this is a special weekend for the Catholic Church worldwide. It is Divine Mercy Sunday and what a beautiful feast to celebrate just a week removed from the great Solemnity of Easter. This Divine Mercy Sunday will also witness the Beatification of Pope John Paul II. The crowds are flocking to Rome to be present for this great event because for many, this is the only pope that they knew. To see this happen in our time is a wonderful testament to the life that our beloved Holy Father lived. He was truly a great example of faith, prayer, and service to all God's people. We thank God for the gift of Blessed John Paul II and we pray that he will continue to intercede for us as we live our lives of faith, holiness, and prayer. As Blessed John Paul II always told the people, "Be not afraid!" Let us listen to that call and trust in his intercession. May we be strengthened by celebrating our Easter joy and faith. May the risen Christ always light our path as we follow in his footsteps. May we always be merciful to our brothers and sisters as Christ is merciful to us. Wishing you a joyous and blessed weekend!!!

Easter Octave

We continue this week of celebration as we rejoice in the great news that Jesus Christ has risen from the dead. All this week, we hear the stories of the disciples who encountered the risen Lord and their reaction. They did not recognize him until a certain event happened. Mary Magdalene was weeping by the tomb when she encountered the risen Jesus. She did not recognize him until he called her by name. The disciples on the road to Emmaus did not recognize Jesus but their hearts were burning as he talked to them. Then, at the breaking of the bread, they recognized it was Jesus and he vanished from their sight. Jesus showed the disciples the nail marks in his hands and the wound in his side to prove to them that he had indeed risen to new life. I think about what Jesus said to Thomas when he refused to believe until he put his finger in the nailmarks and his hand into his side, "Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed." That is us! We have not seen but we believe in the resurrection from the dead. In fact, we profess this belief each week when we recite the Nicene Creed at Mass. We pray that as we continue to celebrate the great Solemnity of Easter that our faith will be strengthened and we will not be afraid to proclaim this Good News with great joy. God Bless You!!!

Personal Note: Over the next week or so, the blog might be updated or the same post for a couple days since I will be away for the Knights of Columbus State Convention and some vacation time. Please know of my prayers for you!!!

Easter Monday!

A Happy and Blessed Easter to you!!! Don't think that Easter is only one Sunday a year. In fact, it is celebrated for 50 days, but more importantly, every Sunday is a celebration of the Resurrection. As I told the people gathered for Mass this morning, you saw how full our churches were on Easter Sunday. If everyone had that attitude that every Sunday is a celebration of Easter, then our churches should be full all the time. One of the commentaries for Easter stated, "It is a celebration of Jesus' victory over death - and of our own victory over eternal death. It is a celebration of Jesus' promise that anyone who hears his word and believes has eternal life (John 5:24). It's a celebration of the amazing promise that we have died with Christ and are now raised up with him to a whole new life (Romans 6:4)" (The Word Among Us, 73). Of course, this is the good news of great joy that we live with everyday of our lives. We are a redeemed and resurrection people because of Jesus' death on the cross and his rising to new life. Let us rejoice in these days of Easter and let us do our part as disciples to proclaim the Good News that Jesus Christ has truly risen from the dead. Peace to you! Alleluia!!!

Easter Greetings!

Easter weekend has arrived! Congratulations to all those who have been journeying through the RCIA process and will be welcomed into the Church this Easter. This is truly the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad. Jesus Christ has risen from the dead. He has broken the bonds of sin and death. We are a resurrection people, Amen, Alleluia! Wishing all of you a Happy and Blessed Easter Weekend and Season!!!

Good Friday

This is a special day to remember God's great love and what His Son, Jesus, did for us. Every time we look at a crucifix or cross, we are reminded how much God loves us and that we have been forgiven of our sins by our Lord's passion and death on the cross. The tree of torture and shame has now become the tree of life. Take the time today to attend the service at your parish. The Commemoration of the Lord's Passion is a beautiful service and it truly says why we are in church this day. As disciples of Jesus, we are called to pick up our cross and follow him. Let us do so with unwavering faith and patience. May these beautiful words guide us today and everyday, "We adore you O Christ and we praise you." "For by your holy cross, you have redeemed the world!" God Bless!!!

Holy Thursday

The Easter Triduum begins this evening. These are the three days that lead up to the great Solemnity of Easter. Two celebrations can take place on this day. The first is the Chrism Mass, where the oils are blessed and the priests renew their priestly promises. Most dioceses have already celebrated their respective Chrism Masses, but it is a Mass that can be celebrated on this Holy Thursday. The second Mass is the Mass of the Lord's Supper that takes place in the evening. The highlights of this Mass are the call to service, which is a call for priests and people alike. That call is symbolized by the washing of feet that takes place at the Mass. Also, the institution of the Eucharist is the key to this evening celebration. On the night before he died for us, Jesus ate the Last Supper with his disciples. At that meal, Jesus took bread and said this is my body. Then he took the cup of wine and said this is my blood. We are to celebrate this memorial until he returns at the end of time. We continue to follow the mandate of the Lord, celebrate the Eucharist and be of service to our brothers and sisters. May our efforts be renewed and strengthened as we celebrate this holy day! Have a blessed Holy Thursday!!!

Wednesday of Holy Week

Today is commonly known as "Spy Wednesday." The Catholic Source Book states: "Spy Wednesday- the Wednesday of Holy Week, alluding to Judas agreeing with the Sanhedrin to betrayal (Mt. 26:3-5, 14-16)" (246). The stage is set for what is to take place beginning on Holy Thursday. There is still time for us to prepare to celebrate the Easter Triduum with mind and heart renewed. Take the time for prayer, do some spiritual/scriptural reading, and if you still have the opportunity, make time for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. I have been taking the time this week to spend the evening in the confessional at my three parishes. This evening will be the last session and I thank those people who have taken the time to return to the sacrament, especially those who have been away for a number of years. Of course, if people have gone elsewhere for confession, that is fine, as long as they go. Also, take the opportunity to attend the Easter Triduum in your parishes: Holy Thursday evening, Good Friday, the Easter Vigil, and Easter Sunday. This is the culmination of our liturgical year. We are celebrating the events that led to our salvation so this is a time to rejoice and be thankful to God because of His great love for us. Have a blessed day!!!

Tuesday of Holy Week!

We continue our preparation for the events that led to our salvation. In the gospel for today, John 13:21-33, 36-38, we see Jesus and the disciples reclining at table. Our Lord tells the disciples that one of them is about to betray him. Of course, they begin to question who it could be and Jesus tells them the sign, "It is the one to whom I hand the morsel after I have dipped it." Jesus takes the morsel, dips it, and hands it to Judas who takes it and leaves. Then, we have the discourse between Peter and Jesus. Peter assures our Lord that he wants to follow him and would even lay his life down for him, but Jesus says, "Will you lay down your life for me? Amen, amen, I say to you, the cock will not crow before you deny me three times." That is chilling because Jesus told Peter what would happen and as we read the passion narratives we see that is true. Peter did deny Jesus and once he heard the cock crow he went and wept bitterly. Simon Peter did not despair or lose hope. He knew what he had done was wrong but he knew that Jesus was loving, merciful, and forgiving. That is an example for us in our daily. Yes, we sin, we turn away from God, but we know that we can return and hopefully avoid those occasions of temptation and sin. As we continue our journey through Holy Week, let us be open to the grace that God provides and truly be prepared to celebrate the glory of Easter! Have a blessed day!!!

Monday of Holy Week!

We began our time of preparation over the weekend with the celebration of Palm Sunday. Now, we take these next days before the Easter Triduum to prepare ourselves to celebrate the events that led to our salvation. In the gospel today,
John 12:1-11, everything is being set for what is to come. Jesus goes to the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Mary anoints the Lord's feet with perfumed oil and dries them with her hair. However, Judas voices his objection to this saying that the oil could have been sold and the money given to the poor. Of course, Judas did not care about the poor, but he was stealing from the contributions. Jesus tells him to leave her alone because she is doing a very important thing, preparing him for his burial. Here we see Jesus being prepared for what is to happen to him. We need to be preparing ourselves for what is to come. Let us take the time at the beginning of this week to pray, to spend with spiritual reading, and if you still need to, go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Let us truly be prepared to celebrate these days with mind and heart renewed. Have a blessed day!!!

Palm Sunday!

As Jesus enters into Jerusalem triumphantly on this Palm Sunday, so we enter into the holiest week of the year. What we are preparing to celebrate during Holy Week and the Easter Triduum is the culmination of our liturgical year. These are the events that won for us our salvation. The reason that Jesus came into the world was to live among us, give us an example, to die for us, and ultimately to rise again, so that through his death and resurrection, we have the forgiveness of our sins and the hope of eternal life. This is a wonderful time for all of us and we need to adequately prepare for the events that we will be celebrating. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of Holy Week is our time of preparation. We can spend that time in prayer, spiritual reading, and participating in the sacraments, especially the Sacrament of Reconciliation. I would encourage those who need to approach the Sacrament of Reconciliation to do that as we prepare for these holy days. We can enter the Easter Season with a mind and heart that is renewed and refreshed. We realize that we are all sinners in need of God's mercy and forgiveness. Let us not be afraid to approach the Lord and seek the forgiveness, healing and strength that He can provide. Our Lord was not afraid to go to the cross for us, let us not be afraid to come before Him in our time of need. We have been preparing for five weeks now, let us renew our efforts as we begin this Holy Week! Have a blessed weekend!!!

Chrism Mass

That time is upon us where many dioceses throughout the world are preparing to celebrate the Chrism Mass. At this Mass, the bishop blesses the new oil that will be used in parishes throughout the next year and the priests of that diocese will renew their priestly promises. The Chrism Mass for the Diocese of Salina, Kansas will be celebrated on Thursday, April 14 at one of our newly constructed parishes in the last couple of years. I am writing about this now since I will be away for a couple of days. It is also a nice break before the pace of Holy Week begins over the weekend with Palm Sunday. I remember my first Chrism Mass as a priest. It was the week before Holy Week and I took a retreat so I had to travel back into the diocese for the Mass. I had the honor of being the recently ordained and being able to carry up the Oil of Chrism in the procession. I have always enjoyed the Chrism Mass and that goes back to when I was in the high school seminary because that Mass was always held in the seminary chapel. It is a great joy to be a part of this celebration, to ask God's blessing upon the oils that we use as priests and to renew our priestly commitment to the vocation that God has called us to live. Let us pray for all priests during this time and thank God for the gifts and blessings that He continues to bestow upon all His people. God Bless You!!!

Tree of Life

To get to the resurrection we need to go through the cross! Like Jesus tells us, "If you wish to be my disciple, you must pick up your cross and follow me!" We don't know what crosses we will or are carrying in our lives but we have the assurance that our Lord is walking with us. In our readings for today, we have two readings, but one image. That image is of being lifted up. From Numbers 21:4-9, the people were complaining against God and Moses. God sent saraph serpents to bite the people. Eventually the people asked Moses to pray to God and take the serpents away. God instructed Moses to put a bronze serpent on a pole and lift it up so those who had been bitten would look at it and get well. In the gospel,
John 8:21-30, Jesus says that "I AM!" He goes on to say, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I AM, and that I do nothing on my own, but I say only what the Father taught me." Our Lord is talking about being lifted up on the wood of the cross. The cross is no longer a means of punishment, but it is the tree of life. We look to the cross and remember how much God loves us. The cross has special emphasis during the Season of Lent, but it has a special place in our lives each day! Blessings to You!!!

An Awareness of Sin

This title is perhaps one of the reasons why Catholics don't frequent the Sacrament of Reconciliation as much as they should. We have lost a sense of sin and we know that it does exist. We are all sinners in need of God's mercy and forgiveness. Jesus calls us to be aware of our sinfulness in the gospel for today. In fact, both readings for today speak about women who were accused of adultery, Daniel 13:1-9, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62 and John 8:1-11. The commentator writes this: "Susanna, the innocent, and the nameless woman, guilty, brought before Jesus. We might think of them as representing the two faces of God's people: innocent and guilty. The Lord hears not their deeds but their plight and rescues them from their accusers. Jesus, who takes the place of stricken humanity before the wrath of the enemy, will not so spare himself" (Magnificat, 152). Jesus brings to light that awareness of sin in the gospel when he says to the scribes and Pharisees, "Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." None of them could do it because Jesus is right, who is without sin? The same is true in this present day, we will throw stones at people, but we really need to be looking at our own house. It is easy to point the finger, criticize and judge others. That is something that we should not be doing because we are all in the same boat. Because of what Jesus did, by not sparing himself, we have been forgiven and redeemed. We can learn a lot from Jesus' example today. No one condemned the woman for what she had done and Jesus did not either. A tremendous example of compassion and mercy. We can receive the same gifts if we just acknowledge our sinfulness and seek the forgiveness of God and one another. Peace to You!!!

The Resurrection and the Life

It seems like I have a lot of favorite scripture passages. There is nothing wrong with that because it makes for good reading and good resources for prayer. The gospel for the Fifth Sunday of Lent, Year A, is also a favorite of mine. That gospel is, John 11:1-45, and it is the raising of Lazarus from the dead. The discourse between Jesus and Martha is a true confession of faith. Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you." Jesus assures Martha that he will rise and she knows that, at the resurrection of the dead, but Jesus says, "I am the resurrection and the life..." Then he poses this question to Martha, "Do you believe this?" She says, "Yes, Lord, I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world." Just think, that is the same confession of faith that we profess each week in the Nicene Creed, "We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come." We know and believe that death is not the end, but the beginning. Life has changed, not ended. In our time of prayer with this gospel, perhaps we can put ourselves in Martha's shoes and hear the Lord speaking to us. We need to make that confession of faith on our own. Yes, Martha gave her answer, but we need to do the same. This is the faith that sustains us each day because through Jesus' death and resurrection, we have the hope and the promise of eternal life. Have a blessed weekend!!!

Be merciful, O Lord!!!

In the rectory in which I live, I am blessed to have one room that is used for my private chapel. It is a wonderful place to go and spend some quiet time with the Lord. The chapel is divided into two areas: one place is arranged where I work on my weekly homilies. All of my resources and writing materials are right there. The other place is where I spend my prayer time. Since I became a Benedictine Oblate several years ago, and feel a close connection to the Benedictine way of life, my prayer area is set up like a choir stall that you might see in a monastery church. One parishioner, who happens to be a teacher, has been able to order for me bible passages that stick up on the wall and they are a wonderful reminder each time I walk in the door. The latest verse to go up is from Psalm 51, which is one of my favorite psalms, "Be merciful O Lord, for we have sinned!" Psalm 51 is prayed every Friday during morning prayer in the Liturgy of the Hours. It is a psalm that reminds us of our sinfulness, but also reminds us that God's love and mercy is greater. I have encouraged the people in general and penitents who come to the Sacrament of Reconciliation to read and pray this psalm. Psalm 51 will help you and me to begin again, to make a fresh start. That phrase, "Be merciful O Lord, for we have sinned" may be short but it is powerful. Be open to God's mercy and let Him do wonders in your life. God Bless You!!!

The Mercy of God

During this Lenten Season and everyday of our lives, we need to be mindful of the mercy of God. We look to the Old Testament today and see that mercy firsthand. The passage of us to consider is Exodus 32:7-14. The Israelite people had made a molten calf and they were worshiping it. God was speaking with Moses and was going to make His wrath blaze up against the people. However, Moses implored the Lord to refrain from letting His wrath blaze and He did relent. The people had forgotten what the Lord God had done for them. The question that we ask ourselves is, How much does God love us? Look at the crucifix, that much! God sent His only Son to be our Savior, our Redeemer. We cannot forget what God has done for us, but in our humanity, weakness, and sinfulness, we do forget. We let our sinfulness cloud our vision and we need to let go of those things that blind us, that hinder us in our relationship with God and one another. The Lord remembers us. He reaches out to us with unconditional love and mercy. Let us not forget the good things that God does for us. During this Season of Lent, let us be strengthened by God's mercy, live it each day, and share it with our brothers and sisters. God Bless You!!!

Pillar Review!

This morning I asked our Catholic School students if they could recall the three pillars of Lent. Of course, they did a wonderful job. Without hesitation three students responded, "Almsgiving, Fasting, and Praying." After their responses, I read them this quote, "The three great works of Lent - fasting, almsgiving, and prayer - should free us to live the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ in full as we celebrate it in full in the liturgy. In his cross is our comfort" (Magnificat, 90). Then, I referred this wonderful quote that I found from Saint Gaspar del Bufalo, "At the foot of the cross is where the repentant sinner finds comfort, where the troubled soul finds courage." The cross is very powerful and we need to come to the cross with our sins, our worries, our troubles, our struggles and Jesus will give us comfort and peace. Our Lord invites us to pick up the cross and follow him, so do not be afraid of what the cross will bring. The cross is the tree of life and Jesus speaks of that new life in the gospel, John 5:17-30. The hour is coming and is already here for the resurrection is at hand. Let us follow in the footsteps of our Lord and carry the cross because the promise of eternal life is here. Blessings to you!!!

Come to the Water

Our readings for today have the theme of "Water." You can look at the passages from Ezekiel 47:1-9,12 and John 5:1-16. With the prophet Ezekiel, the angel leads him to the new Jerusalem and the new temple. Once there, the prophet sees the water but then as they move along, a thousand cubits each, the water gets deeper until it is a river. The angel then has Ezekiel sit down on the bank and watch the water and see how everything grows because the water gives life. In the gospel, Jesus heals the man who had been ill for 38 years. The man would try to get to the healing waters at the Bethesda pool, but by the time he got there someone else would get in ahead of him. Jesus healed the man and he was able to walk. That man came in contact with the person who is the living water. Just like the woman at the well, Jesus gave her the life-giving water that she needed. The same is true for all of us. Jesus invites us to come to the water and drink. He is the life-giving water that sustains and nourishes our lives and our faith. Each time we use water and marvel at its power, we can think how much God loves us because He gave us the life-giving gift of His Son. Come to the water, Come to Jesus and drink abundantly from the gifts that he has to offer. God Bless You!!!

Our Spiritual Journey

Recently, with my RCIA class, I talked about the Nicene Creed, the Our Father, and the Stations of the Cross. Regarding the Stations, I told them that this is a devotion that we can do any day of the year. Take the time to go into your parish church and walk the way of the cross. I also said that many shrines throughout the world have stations and some are life-size that are really impressive. One of my favorite destinations is the Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows in Belleville, Illinois. I enjoy walking the semi-circular road that is home to the Stations of the Cross. It is a very peaceful journey and it gives you time to reflect and pray. Here is a quote from Saint Bernard of Clairvaux that talks about our spiritual journey and the importance of the cross in our lives: "Pilgrims on the spiritual journey face alternately in two directions: when we look at ourselves, we are saddened by our failings; when we look at God, we rejoice in his love. In mid-Lent, the liturgy reminds us that the purifying suffering of the cross is the only way to the everlasting joy of the resurrection" (Magnificat, 66). May God bless us as we continue our journey during this Lenten Season. Let us continue to focus on the cross, but most importantly, let us pick up our cross and follow in the footsteps of Our Lord, because He is the way to everlasting life. Peace to you!!!

Second Scrutiny

On this Fourth Sunday of Lent, we observe the Second Scrutiny for the Elect in the RCIA process. Each week, each day brings us closer to celebrating the glorious Solemnity of Easter and administering the sacraments to those who will be entering the church. My prayers are with those who are going through this process. May God who has begun this great work in them bring it to completion. This Sunday, gives us another gospel that we can think about as we continue to examine and scrutinize our lives. The man born blind is found in John 9:1-41. As the gospel acclamation states: "I am the light of the world, says the Lord; whoever follows me will have the light of life." Jesus is forever the light of the world and he calls us to follow him at all times. What is it that hinders us in our relationship with God? What blindness do we need to be healed from? Remember, there is physical blindness, but there is also spiritual blindness. Maybe our vision has been clouded or taken away by sin and we need to be healed and forgiven. That is why we have the Sacrament of Reconciliation. We need to be healed of our sin and division and re-establish our relationships with God and one another. Allow the light of Christ to break through the darkness that may be in our lives. Do not be afraid to approach the Lord because he can heal us and he will work in our lives in a special way. Let us pray for the grace to see the wonders of God in our lives and in our world and always be an example of light to our brothers and sisters. Have a blessed weekend!!!

Commandment Review!

What a surprise to see our gospel for today, Mark 12:28-34, and read about the great commandments that Jesus gave to us: To love God and to love our neighbor as ourself. We just talked about that on Wednesday when the readings concerned observing the commandments. There is nothing wrong with a review because we need that reminder to live the commandments each day and to share the love of God with our brothers and sisters. The best way to put this in to practice is what I told our Catholic School students and adults this morning at Mass. This came from a homily that was given by a Benedictine Monk a number of years ago. He said very simply, "God said it, you heard it, now do it!" That pretty much says it all as we live this command to love each day! God bless you!!!