Special Occasion!

Later today, I will be heading to our annual priest retreat for several days. It is a good time for our priests to get together and spend time in fellowship and prayer. Please pray for us as we begin these few days together.
This day is also a special day for me! May 31st is the Feast of the Visitation, calling to mind our Blessed Mother's journey to be with her cousin Elizabeth. It was also on this day, 14 years ago, that I was ordained a priest. I thank God for this day and the gift of the priesthood. It is by God's grace that I am able to do what I do. I know as a human being that I have shortcomings, faults, and failings. One of the things that I did on Holy Thursday night during my homily at the Mass of the Lord's Supper was to ask my people for their forgiveness. I may have said things or done something that may have been hurtful and I always want people to know that I am sorry, but that I try to do what I can with God's help and grace. I want to thank the people that I have worked with, served, and met over these last 14 years. I ask that you keep me in your prayers as I begin serving another year as a priest and rejoice with me as I celebrate this special occasion!!! God Bless You!!!

Preparatory Prayer!

This weekend is quite unique, especially if you are in an area where the Solemnity of the Ascension has been transferred from Thursday to Sunday. Ascension Thursday or Sunday will be celebrated next week. So, if your area celebrates the Ascension on Sunday, then there is no Seventh Sunday of Easter. However, the second reading and gospel for that Sunday can be used this weekend, the Sixth Sunday of Easter. Sounds confusing, but after some time has passed, we eventually get into a pattern. The gospel for the Seventh Sunday of Easter is Jesus' prayer for the apostles as he prepares to ascend back to the Father. Prayer is a beautiful gift and one that we need to use as much as we can. Keep those communication lines with God open at all times. Jesus is a wonderful example on how to use the gift of prayer. He said to the apostles that I will be with you until the end of the age. Our Lord is not only present with us, but he is praying for us as well. One commentator writes this, "The Easter promise remains the source of our joy: Christ has triumphed over death; Christ dwells in our midst; Christ will return in glory to make all things new in the fullness of the Holy Spirit" (Magnificat, 400). That is our faith, our hope. Just as the Lord returned to the Father so he will return to take us with him because he goes to prepare a place for us. Do not be afraid! We are not alone! The risen Lord is right by us with a guiding hand and a prayer that the Father will keep us close and strong as we live out the mission entrusted to us! Have a blessed weekend!!!

The Gift of Friendship!

Friends are a great joy and blessing!!! Friends are gifts to help us on the journey of life and faith. Friends can truly be a gift from God. Today, we have a beautiful example of friendship. In John 15:12-17, Jesus once again talks about the commandment to love. Then, he gives us this beautiful thought and a challenge: "No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you." Look at what Jesus did for his friends, he paid the ultimate sacrifice, his life on the cross. God loves us so much that He sent His Son to die for us so that we would have the forgiveness of our sins and the hope of eternal life. We thank God for the gift of His Son and the friendship that he shares with us. Our Lord's example shows what we need to do with the friends that God has blessed us with. To always go that extra mile, to be there for them in good and bad times, to never let go of the gift that we have been given. Thank you God for the gift of friendship. Bless all my friends and help me to always be the friend that I can be for them. Peace to all!!!

Saint Philip Neri

It has been some time since we talked about a saint but we have one for today, Saint Philip Neri. Saint Philip was born in Florence, Italy in 1515. He went to Rome and worked with young men among whom he fostered Christian life and formed an association for the poor and sick. He was ordained a priest in 1551. He founded an Oratory where spiritual reading, singing, and works of charity were practiced. He excelled in his love of neighbor and in evangelical simplicity along with joyous service to God. Saint Philip died in 1595 (Magnificat, 358). The one line that caught my attention about his life was, "He excelled in his love of neighbor..." We hear about love in our gospel reading, John 15:9-11. Jesus says to his disciples, "As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love." This reminds us of the great commandment of love that Jesus gave to us, love God and love your neighbor. Love is a great gift and we pray for that gift each day. We see how our Lord model the gift of love and the holy men and women who have gone before us. Today, we have a saint to look to, Philip Neri, who excelled in his love for neighbor. Let us pray for his intercession and the grace to do the same. Blessings to you!!!

Vine & Branches!

When I was growing up the parish that we went to at the time had a monthly newsletter titled, "Vine and Branches." It was a way for parishioners to stay connected to their parish and see what was going on each month. Our Lord gives us the invitation in our gospel for today, John 15:1-8. Jesus says, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower." "I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing." In all that we do in life, we need to stay connected to the vine. Jesus Christ gives us the grace to live our faith, our lives to the fullest. Like he said, without me you can do nothing. We need the Lord in our lives at all times. The gospel acclamation for this reading sums it up very well, "Remain in me, as I remain in you, says the Lord; whoever remains in me will bear much fruit." Let us stay close to Jesus, the true vine, and we the branches will truly bear great fruit in abundance.
As we see the devastation of the severe weather and the tornadoes here in the midwest, let us pray for all of our brothers and sisters affected by this tragedy. We pray that they will stay close to the vine and allow the Lord to give them comfort and peace. Blessings to you!!!

Call for Peace!

In our gospel, John 14:27-31a, Jesus says to his disciples, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you." We know that each time Jesus appeared to the disciples he always said to them, "Peace be with you." We continually pray for peace in our world and in our communities. I believe for peace to exist it has to begin with us. We need to know the peace of Christ in our hearts and then share it with others. We may not reach out on an international or national scale, but we can do wonders in our very own community. As one commentator states, "Jesus shows us the way to true peace; obedience to the Father's will rather than to the clamor of self-interest. In living as he lived, we not only live in peace ourselves, we also make a place of peace for all those around us" (Magnificat, 334). Like the song says, "Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me..." Through our prayer, may God touch those hearts that need peace so they can work for peace. It is a beautiful gift that our Lord has given to us. We may not know the full gift of peace until the Kingdom of God is revealed but we can do our part. Pray for peace and let it begin with us! Peace to you!!!

Wisdom of Saint Anselm!

There is a quote from Saint Anselm that I like to use on occasion, "One thing is certain, that is death. What is uncertain is its hour." Jesus even says in that gospels that only the Father knows the day and the hour. It is interesting to see people as they strive to calculate the end of time. I believe we can put our energies to better use. There is a reason none of us knows the day of our death or the day that the Lord will return. We would all be worrying about that day, but instead, we are able to live our faith each day and bring the Good News to our brothers and sisters. Like the early apostles, Jesus has entrusted us with a great mission and that is what we need to continue each day. Keep going full steam ahead until the Lord is ready for us. He said that in our gospel over the weekend, I am going to prepare a place for you and I will come back and take you with me. I am the way and the truth and the life. There is no need to fear or worry because God has everything in the palm of His hand and all will be brought to fulfillment in His time. Yes, we have a mission to continue, but we also need to be ready and that is the underlying thought. Do not predict the end of time. Instead, will we be ready when it comes? That preparation is something that we need to do each day. As another person said, "Live each day if it were your last!" Always be ready, always be prepared. While we are waiting, do not let this time go to waste. Live your faith to the fullest and be a disciple who lives the mission that our Lord has given to us! Blessings to you!!!

Faith Message

Jesus said, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me" (John 14:1-12). This is how the gospel opens for this weekend but I listed all the verses in parenthesis because this is a beautiful reading for our reflection. Jesus tells his disciples a little later that he is going away for awhile and that he will come back and take us with him. Thomas questions Jesus about his comment and our Lord says, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Our Lord is inviting us to follow him but along the way there is some work that we need to do. In the first reading, Acts 6:1-7, we listen to the call of the early deacons. These were the men being sent out to bring the Good News to all peoples. To be a deacon means to be of service. Of course, we are all called to serve the needs of our brothers and sisters. We are to bring the message of Christ to them. As we hear in the second reading, I Peter 2:4-9, "You are a chosen reace, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may announce the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." We are being built up, we are the living stones called to praise the name of the Lord. Let us not be afraid to live our faith in the world, in the very communities in which we live. The risen Christ walks this journey with us. He gives us the grace and strength that we need. Our message today is one of faith. Live that faith to the fullest and as the song says, "Take the Word of God with you as you go!" Have a blessed weekend!!!

The Way, the Truth, and the Life

That title really says it all when it comes to our Lord and the relationship that we have with him. Jesus is truly: The Way, the Truth, and the Life. He says so in our gospel reading for today, John 14:1-6. Be sure and listen to the gospel for this weekend because it too will sound very familiar. What Jesus said in the gospel today is what I told my listeners at Mass. "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." That is a beautiful invitation. May we accept the Lord's invitation and let our hearts not be troubled because it is in this same Lord that we have faith and trust. God Bless You!!!

Salvation History!

In the Acts of the Apostles, 13:13-25, Paul and his companions go to the synagogue. After the reading, one of the synagogue officials asks if any of the apostles would exhort the people, so Paul gets up to speak. With his talk, Paul gives a synopsis of salvation history. God led the Israelite people through the desert to the promised land. Then judges are provided to guide the people. Following the judges, they ask for kings to rule. The first king is Saul and he is followed by David. Paul says this of David, "From this man's descendants God, according to his promise, has brought to Israel a savior, Jesus." It was John the Baptist who announced that the Messiah was coming. The Messiah has come and redeemed all peoples by his death and resurrection. This commentator writes, "In the desert where the Israelites found salvation, as Saint Paul reminds his hearers today. Christ is the source of the waters of life flowing from his pierced side. He is the bread of life broken on the cross. His love is better than life; his love is life. For him let us hunger and thirst" (Magnificat, 278)! As in the gospel, John 13:16-20. Jesus says, "I AM," which is God's name. Jesus is both God and man. He is the source of everything and it is in Him that we have life and have it abundantly. Let us rejoice in this gift of life and proclaim this Good News always! God Bless You!!!

Spreading the Word!

During these days of the Easter Season, we are blessed to hear the readings from the Acts of the Apostles. The very title of the book says it all. We are getting a glimpse of the workings or the acts of the apostles as they led the church in the early days. In our reading and listening, we can see that it was not an easy task to continue the mission that Jesus had entrusted to them, but the apostles had resolve. Their faith and trust in the risen Lord was strong and they were not going to give up or give in to despair. Jesus had promised to remain with his church until the end of time and his promise is binding. The love of the Father and the Son sent forth the Holy Spirit to guide the early church and that same Spirit still guides us today. The Church has been around for well over 2,000 years. Even though times and situations change, the mission of the church is still loud and clear: to proclaim the Good News at all times. Like the apostles who traveled around spreading the word, so we are called to do the same as the evangelizers of our present day. The road is not always easy, there are peaks and valleys, but hopefully our faith, our resolve is strong to continue that mission entrusted to us by the early apostles. We are living the new evangelization. Let us not be afraid to proclaim the word of God, not just with our words, but with our very lives. May the Holy Spirit guide our efforts and help us to bring the Good News to all peoples. Have a blessed day!!!

The Voice!

A little over 25 years ago my family and I took one of our vacations to the National Shrine of Our Lady of Snows in Belleville, Illinois. It is a beautiful, peaceful area, right across the river from St. Louis. At that time they had an exhibit called "The Power." This exhibit put everything into perspective about our daily life. One room had a set of televisions that came on at different times to show that there are many voices calling out to us, wanting our attention. Then, above all the noise, a louder voice was heard, "Follow Me." In the next room was a picture of Christ. Jesus is the one that calls to us over all the noise in our lives but do we really listen? One commentator says this, "Christ, our Good Shepherd, hears our voices far more keenly than we sometimes here his. Like the very walls of a sheepfold, he protects us from harm. We can rejoice with confidence within that shelter" (Magnificat, 247). The Good Shepherd discourses continue in our gospel for today, John 10:22-30. Again, Jesus says to us that the Good Shepherd calls his sheep and they follow because they hear and recognize his voice. May the voice of the Good Sheperd ring loudly in our lives today and everyday because he bids us to follow the path to eternal life. God Bless You!!!

Graduation time!

Congratulations to all of our graduates who have or who are graduating from eighth grade, high school, and college. I put down 8th Grade because that will take place this evening at the Catholic School under my care. Whenever graduation time rolls around I always reflect back on my educational years and the graduations I experienced. I graduated from 8th grade in 1985, high school in 1989, college in 1993, and theology in 1997. The theme is always the same, "transitions in life." As I told our graduates in my area over the weekend, "As one door closes, another opens." There are many opportunities and periods of growth that happen when another door opens for us. We also have to be mindful that some doors will get closed or maybe even slammed in our face, but do not lose heart, never give up. In fact, there is one door that is constant in our lives, that always remains open, and that is the door to Christ. I fondly remember Blessed John Paul II saying, "Open wide the doors to Christ." That was the theme for the Jubilee Year of 2000 as we prepared to enter the new millennium. Our Lord promises to be with us until the end of time. In good times, bad times, all times, we are invited to come to Christ and receive the grace and strength that he offers. Jesus will not let us down. He will always welcome us. That is the same gesture that we are to imitate, welcome one another as Christ welcomes us. Life is about transition, not just for our graduates, but for all of us. To make it through these times we have the blessed hope that our Lord walks with us, as well as our family and friends that God has blessed us with. Do not be afraid my friends, open wide the doors to Christ, and allow the Good Shepherd to lead you always! Have a blessed day!!!

The Good Shepherd

This title gives us a wonderful image of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, as he picks up a lamb and carries it on his shoulder. Perhaps you have seen that picture and it is a good one for all of us to remember because Jesus does carry us, his sheep. The gospel for this weekend comes from John 10:1-10. Jesus says that he is the gate for the sheep. The shepherd calls to the sheep and they follow him because they know his voice. It is the voice of the Good Shepherd that we need to listen to each day of our lives. There are so many voices calling out to us but only one is loud and clear. This Sunday is also known as Good Shepherd Sunday. One commentator writes this, "Good Shepherd Sunday celebrates the correspondence between the longing of the human heart and 'the promise made to us' that God will send a Shepherd who will give us life 'more abundantly'" (Magnificat, 194). That promise has been fulfilled, Jesus came to give us life. We have new life through his death and resurrection. Let us continue to follow the Good Shepherd and listen to his voice for he is truly the way, the truth, and the life. Have a blessed weekend!!!

Our Lady of Fatima!

May 13 is the Memorial of Our Lady of Fatima. It is an apparition for our time because Our Lady appeared to 3 shepherd children in Portugal on May 13, 1917. All three of the children have gone on to be with the Lord. Jacinta and Francisco died shortly after the apparitions ended, but Lucia lived as a religious sister until her death in 2005. This day also offers a special remembrance because it was 30 years ago that Blessed John Paul II was shot in Saint Peter's Square. I remember being in 5th grade at the time and the teacher brought a television in so we could watch the news coverage. It was a lot different back then in 1981 because there were not 24 hour news channels, no internet or twitter, just the network news outlets but they broke in to cover this story. As Pope John Paul II would say later that it was a maternal hand that guided the path of the bullet because no major areas were hit. A year later, 1982, Pope John Paul II made a visit to the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima and had the bullet that was removed placed in the crown of the giant statue of Mary. Definitely a powerful true story and that is why Blessed John Paul II had as his motto, "Totus Tuus," "All Yours." We are in the hands of God and we have our Blessed Mother watching over us always. Today we have many powerful intercessors to help us in our journey of life and faith: The Blessed Virgin Mary, Blessed Jacinta, Blessed Francisco, and Blessed John Paul II. All blesseds who have left us an example of faith, hope, love, and trust. May their intercession be with us this day and everyday! Peace!!!

New Life!

Our readings today are a beautiful example of new life and how we are to rejoice in what nourishes us in life. From the Acts of the Apostles, 8:26-40, we see Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch. The eunuch was reading from the prophet Isaiah when Philip was sent to him. This could be an early form of Scripture study because Philip spoke to the eunuch about Jesus and the references to him in the scriptures. It can also be an early form of RCIA because when he saw the water, the eunuch asked to be baptized. We are told that after the baptism the spirit of the Lord took Philip away and the eunuch went on down the road rejoicing. He was rejoicing in his new faith and the new life he had in Jesus. In John's Gospel, 6:44-51, Jesus continues to talk about himself being the bread of life. As he said, "I amt he living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my Flesh for the life of the world." The bread of life sustains us and nourishes us in our journey of life and faith. We receive new life each time we receive Jesus in the Eucharist and he continues to strengthen the relationship that we have with him. May these words touch our mind and heart and lead us to rejoice in the new life we have received through our Lord's resurrection. God Bless You!!!

Bread of Life II

We continue with the bread of life discourses in John's Gospel. Today we read from John 6:35-40. As Jesus says to the crowd, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst." Then he goes on to tell the people that he has come, not to do his will, but the will of the One who sent him. Our Lord says, "This is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day." The will of God is to proclaim the Good News and to believe in the Son whom He sent as Savior of the world. God the Father has given us the resources we need to live His will in our lives: our faith, our prayer life, the Eucharist, and many other gifts and blessings. Let us come to the table and partake of the Body and Blood of Christ for it is our spiritual food that nourishes us and sustains us on our journey. May our faith and belief be strengthened as we live the will of God in our lives. Have a blessed day!!!

The Bread of Life!!!

After writing about First Communion and the gift of the Eucharist on Monday, we are blessed to continue that discussion for most of this week because the gospel readings are from Saint John, chapter 6, the bread of life discourses. The gospel reading is John 6:30-35. Jesus says to the people who want to receive this bread always, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst." Jesus is the bread that came down from heaven. He nourishes and sustains us in our journey of life and faith. Like the disciples on the road to Emmaus this past weekend, we come to know Jesus in the breaking of the bread because the bread that we eat is truly our Lord's body broken for us and the cup is his blood poured out for us. As one commentary says, "During this season especially we are invited to feast on the eucharistic body and blood of Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son, the riches of God's house. The Spirit poured out upon the world through his death and resurrection is the stream of God's delight and the source of life. These gifts of God's love are the origin of all holiness" (Magnificat, 129). May our faith and belief be strengthened as we continue to receive the food that sustains us, the body and blood of Christ. Peace to You!!!

First Communions!

This is the time of year for First Communions. Most places celebrated First Communion right after Easter, but some are still taking place. Congratulations to our young people who are receiving Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament for the first time. During these celebrations it might be a good time for all of us to recommit ourselves to falling in love again with the Eucharist. Many times we take it for granted, but it is truly a great gift and privilege to receive Jesus: body, blood, soul, and divinity in Holy Communion. Of course, we are reminded before we go up to receive that we are not worthy but only say the word and we will be healed. The word is "Amen," I believe. Yes, it looks like bread and wine but our faith tells us differently that during the consecration of the sacred elements, the bread and wine truly become the Body and Blood of Christ. We know that Christ is truly present with us when we gather to offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. This is still fresh in our minds since we are just a couple weeks removed from Holy Thursday and the Mass of the Lord's Supper where Jesus gave the disciples his body and blood as real food for our journey of life and faith. Let us pray that our love and devotion for the Eucharist will always grow and may we truly become like Christ each time we receive this beautiful gift. God Bless You!!!

Happy Mother's Day!

Made it back home a short time ago from vacation and now preparing for the weekend Masses. Want to wish all the mother's, especially my mother, a Happy and Blessed Mother's Day weekend. This observance falls on the Third Sunday of Easter. The disciples encounter Jesus on the road to Emmaus in the gospel for this weekend. Let us take the Good News of Jesus risen from the dead and continue to share that with our brothers and sisters. As we come to know Jesus in the breaking of the bread at Mass, so let us go forth and be of service to one another. Have a blessed weekend!

Vacation Time

Following the Knights of Columbus State Convention, I took off for some days of vacation. The highlight of these days away was not about something that happened to me, but it did recall a wonderful memory that happened to me 15 years ago. On Sunday, May 1 the Catholic Church rejoiced with the Beatification of Blessed John Paul II. It was a beautiful celebration and it also coincided with the great Feast of Divine Mercy. We have a wonderful model to look to and Blessed John Paul II is a great example of faith, holiness, and prayer. As we marked this day, I could not help but think about the great honor and privilege I had 15 years ago to meet Blessed John Paul II. At the end of 1995 and beginning of 1996, 17 seminarians from Saint Meinrad, including myself, did a January Interterm in Rome. We spent several weeks in Rome and then had the chance to travel around Europe before coming back to the United States. Right before we departed Rome, our group had the opportunity to have a private audience with the Holy Father. He came around to each of us. We genuflected, kissed his ring, and were able to tell him who we were and where we were from. I remember when I told him that I was from Kansas his response was, "Ah, Kansas!" I have the picture to prove this wonderful encounter, as well as a blessed rosary that he gave to us. The picture is a great keepsake but the memory lives forever in my mind and heart. To think that I had the opportunity to meet a future "Blessed" is remarkable. I thank God for the opportunity and thank Him for our new Blessed, John Paul II. Let us continue to pray for his intercession! Blessed John Paul II, pray for us!!!