Follow me!!!!

This weekend, we have a continuation of the call to be a disciple of our Lord!  Last weekend, Jesus said that to be his disciple we must "deny ourself, pick up our cross, and follow him."  Now, our Lord says very simply, but powerfully, "Follow me"!  Being a disciple of Jesus is not a job or a career, but it is a way of life.  We have our respective vocations that we live: married life, single life, priesthood and religious life, but the overall banner is "Discipleship!"  Being a disciple in all that we do: our thoughts, words, and actions.  It is the call to also love God and love our neighbor.  We can be enthusiastic disciples or tired disciples but one thing is certain, we always need to go to Jesus to stay energized and become renewed.  The sacraments are a great opportunity for us to be fed and nourished.  Let us come to Jesus and in all that we do, let us follow him.  God bless us on our journey!!!!

Saints Peter & Paul

On this Friday evening, the Church begins the Vigil of the Solemnity of Saint Peter & Saint Paul!!!!  We remember the Archbishops who were installed this past year because they will receive the pallium from Pope Francis at Saint Peter's in Rome.  These saints go hand in hand!!!  I remember fondly my pilgrimage to Rome in 1996.  The statues of Saints Peter & Paul were always together.  They are key figures in the early Church and saints that we can turn to for their intercession as we live our faith to the fullest!!!!!  We thank God for these two saints and their example of never giving up and living that call to conversion on a daily basis!!!!!  Saints Peter & Paul, Pray for Us!!!!!

Keeping the Faith!!!

The commentary from the Loose-Leaf Lectionary once again gives us something to think and pray about.  The author begins with a good question: "Do you dare to believe?"  In Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18, Abram has a vision from the word of The Lord.  This passage has three components: the promise of a son, the promise of countless offspring, the promise of land (3884).  With all of these, Abram put his faith in The Lord.  Here is a great quote to remember: "Faith means becoming firm or secure by leaning upon The Lord" (3884).  Living our faith is a way of life and we always need to keep the faith no matter what we encounter in life.  The Lord is always with us, so take comfort, lean on him, and, have faith!!!!  God Bless You!!!

A Blessing to You!!!

The opening line for my homily at the morning Mass was from the commentator in the Loose-Leaf Lectionary, "Be a source of blessing for others." How true that is!!! The examples that we have from Sacred Scripture was the reading from Genesis, where Abram and Lot were able to avoid conflict and live in the land given to them. In the gospel, Jesus tells us to do to others what we would have them do to us. If you want to be treated with kindness, dignity, and respect, then that is how we need to treat others. Sometimes people will say, "They are just getting a taste of their own medicine..." If you are unkind, rude, inconsiderate of others, than you might receive the same treatment. However, we can make a difference in peoples lives. All human beings are created in the image and likeness of God and deserve our total dignity and respect. When we treat others in a dignified and respectful manner, than we can truly be a source of blessing for them. God has blessed us in many ways! Hopefully we can take those blessings and share them with others so they can know what it is like to receive a blessing and in turn, be a blessing to others!!!

Saint John the Baptist!!!!!

Today the Church celebrates the birthday of Saint John the Baptist!!!  One of the parishes that I serve is under the patronage of Saint John the Baptist so it is a day for all parish communities with this patron to celebrate.  The Church only celebrates three birthdays: Our Lord, the Blessed Mother, and John the Baptist.  All three have a role in salvation history.  Mary said yes to God's will and became the mother of His only Son.  John was the herald of the Messiah.  He said a phrase that I think of often, "I must decrease, so he can increase."  Jesus is the Savior of the world!  As we celebrate John the Baptist, we can think of our call to discipleship and be the heralds of the Good News.  Like John, do not be afraid to preach the gospel, do not be afraid to live your faith, and do not be afraid to live the truth.  We need faithful, committed disciples.  In all that we do, remember, we are to decrease so that The Lord will shine forth and increase in the lives and hearts of all people's.  Have a blessed day!!!!!

Giving All for God's Glory!

The Church celebrates the memorial of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, a religious and a holy man. As he was being raised, Aloysius' mother instructed him in piety and he had a desire to become a religious. Aloysius eventually joined the Society of Jesus, Jesuits, but what he did before joining speaks volumes. He relinquished his inheritance to his brother so he could devote his time to serving God and people who were sick during the plague. Aloysius also contracted the disease and he died in 1591. Giving up all for the glory of God, for the sake of Christ, and the gospel. Truly an example to be imitated. Jesus says in the gospel for today, Matthew 6:19-23, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal. But store up treasures in heaven." Our Lord goes on to say, "For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be." Even Saint Paul tells his listeners to focus on the things that are above, rather than what is below. Our true home is heaven, while we are just passing through earth. We pray for Saint Aloysius Gonzaga to intercede for us that we may have the grace to give up all for the glory of God and focus on what is eternal. Here is a beautiful prayer that we can use to focus our minds and our hearts: "O Lord, you give all spiritual gifts. You brought together in the young Saint Aloysius Gonzaga the practice of penance and an admirable purity of life. If we have not imitated his innocence, grant us by his prayer and example the grace to imitate his renunciation, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen" (Magnificat, 295). God Bless You!!!

Unconditional Forgiveness!!!

A commentary stated that we need to "Imitate the Father- Forgive Relentlessly"!!! Forgiveness, like love, is unconditional!!! God loves us so much that He gave His only Son to be our Savior. Look at what Jesus did on the cross, he forgave those who had crucified him, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." That example of forgiveness continues to reverberate to our present day. Of course, I always think about the example that Blessed John Paul II gave us after the assassination attempt on his life. He went to the prison where the would be assassin was incarcerated and forgave him. Another example of forgiveness heard around the world. In Matthew's Gospel, 6:7-15, Jesus gives his disciples the "Our Father." Our Lord tells the disciples that they do not need to babble. Instead, say this prayer because your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. At the conclusion of the prayer Jesus says, "If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions." Forgiveness takes grace and we pray for that everyday. Maybe there are people in our lives that we need to forgive or maybe we need to forgive ourselves and we struggle to do that. Let us turn to God and ask Him for the grace to forgive unconditionally. His forgiveness is a great example to imitate. God Bless You!!!

"God Alone"

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to baptize two sets of twins. On Saturday afternoon, I baptized twin boys in Greenleaf, KS. Then, on Sunday afternoon, I baptized twins, a boy and a girl, in Munjor, KS. Following the baptism, I took a few days off but now I am back online and focusing on the memorial of the day, Saint Romuald, who was a religious, an abbot, and a hermit. When I read his short biography, all I could think about was the stone gate at the Trappist Monastery in Gethsemani, Kentucky which says, "God Alone"!!! Saint Romuald was searching for quiet and solitude and so are we as we journey through our busy, hectic lives. We are always looking for that time where it can be God Alone and that needs to be our top priority!!! We need to grow in our relationship with God and always keep those communication lines open! We ask Saint Romuald to intercede for us! May we make the most of the time that God gives us and let us find the peace, quiet, solitude that we need to truly make it, "God Alone"!!! Saint Romuald, Pray for Us!!!

Time to Remember!

It will soon be a year since my father passed away! This day, June 14, would have been my parents 44th wedding anniversary. Then Sunday will be Father's Day. As I wrote about in my message for our parish bulletin, it has been a year of firsts, celebrating the important holidays and days without my dad. Even though his physical presence is gone, I know he is with mom and I in spirit. It is a time to remember and to give thanks because God has truly blessed us. We know that separation is for a time, but rejoicing comes with the resurrection and the promise of eternal life! God Bless You!!!

Saint Anthony of Padua

We celebrate the memorial of Saint Anthony of Padua, a saint that is known by many. Yes, Saint Anthony is the one that people will pray to when they are looking for lost items. I know I have said it on many occasions when I have lost something, "Saint Anthony, help me"!!! True to form, Saint Anthony always comes through! As the Opening Collect stated, "Almighty ever-living God, who gave Saint Anthony of Padua to your people as an outstanding preacher and an intercessor in their need, grant that, with his assistance, as we follow the teachings of the Christian life, we may know your help in every trial" (Magnificat, 175). We have already established that Saint Anthony is a wonderful intercessor in our time of need. He is also an outstanding preacher and that is a great example for us. Take for example the gospel reading for this day, Matthew 5:20-26, Jesus says, "Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift." Reconciliation and Forgiveness is a message that we need to preach at all times, not just with words, but with our very lives. Saint Anthony did that in his own life. He left the Augustinian Order and joined Saint Francis as a Franciscan Friar. We know that Saint Francis made that statement known, "Preach the gospel at all times, use words if necessary." Practice what you preach!!! Saint Anthony has done that and now we need to do it in our present day. We have Saint Anthony to intercede for and guide us in all circumstances. Saint Anthony helps us find what is lost, but he does so much more for us as we live our lives, our faith, and the New Evangelization, which is a way of life. Saint Anthony of Padua, Pray for Us!!!

Being Qualified!!!

As I mentioned yesterday, we can all use the encouragement of Saint Barnabas, since his name means "son of encouragement." Today, Saint Paul tells us in his second letter to the Corinthians, 3:4-11, "Such confidence we have through Christ toward God." We can always use confidence, courage, grace, and trust as we live our lives and our faith. Paul also writes, "Not that of ourselves we are qualified to take credit for anything as coming from us; rather, our qualification comes from God, who has indeed qualified us as ministers of a new covenant." That always reminds me of the saying, "God does not call the qualified, He qualifies the called." God blesses us with different gifts and talents. The gifts and talents I have may not be found in someone else and vice versa. However, we bring those gifts and talents together as the body of Christ and we make them work for the glory of God and the good of one another. Yes, we are qualified for the mission and we are being qualified each day with the blessings, gifts, grace, and strength that we need to bring the work of God to completion. Have a blessed day!!!

Saint Barnabas

Today, the Church celebrates the memorial of Saint Barnabas, an apostle of the Lord. His name means, "son of encouragement." That is a great meaning because we can all use encouragement as we journey through life and strive to live our faith and the Gospel to the fullest. As the Acts of the Apostles says about him, "He was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and faith" (11:24). This led one commentator to write this: "Barnabas was one of those just and faithful servants to whom the success of the Gospel was far more important than his own. He willingly sought and sponsored Saint Paul until the latter outshone him in renown, apparently without any thought to seeking the competitive edge. Humility in God's service brings its own success" (Magnificat, 150). When I read that commentary, I thought about the words of Saint John the Baptist when Jesus came upon the scene, "I must decrease, so that he will increase." We need to move out of the way so that the work of Christ can be done. Our Lord will guide and direct in all things. As we celebrate Saint Barnabas, let us not give up or lose hope, but let us be encouraged so that in all things, God will be glorified! Saint Barnabas, Pray for Us!!!

The Two Hearts of Love!!!

On June 7 & 8, the Church celebrates two beautiful feasts: The Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary. These hearts are filled with unconditional, merciful, forgiving, compassionate love. As the psalmist writes, "The designs of his Heart are from age to age, to rescue their souls from death, and to keep them alive in famine" (Ps. 33:11,19). The quote that really says it all for the feast of the Sacred Heart and I believe for the Immaculate Heart of Mary as well, is this one from Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, "The essential nucleus of Christianity is expressed in the Heart of Jesus: in Christ the whole of the revolutionary newness of the Gospel was revealed and given to us: the Love that saves us and already makes us live in God's eternity. Even our shortcomings, our limitations, and our weaknesses must lead us back to the Heart of Jesus. His divine Heart calls to our hearts, inviting us to come out of ourselves, to abandon our human certainties to trust in him and, following his example, to make of ourselves a gift of love without reserve" (Magnificat, 101). The Blessed Virgin Mary leads us in the direction of her divine Son! May our hearts be transformed so that they will become like the hearts of Jesus and Mary and we can share that unconditional love with others!!!

The Blessed Eucharist

Last week, the priests of the Salina Diocese were on retreat.  We had a wonderful speaker in the retired Archbishop of San Francisco, Archbishop John Quinn.  He spoke to us as priests and on the last day he gave us 10 commandments in living our lives as priests, as well as human beings.  Central to our lives needs to be our relationship with Jesus Christ and him present in the Eucharist.  Today we celebrate the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ.  This is a topic that we can talk about everyday.  God loves us so much that He sent His only Son into the world and Jesus gave us his Body and Blood.  Jesus says that we will offer this in memory of him until the day he returns.  The Mass is our central act of worship and the Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith.  Let us be thankful for the gift of the Eucharist and always receive our Lord with love, reverence, and respect!!!!