Homily on July 11, 2021 15th Sunday Ordinary Time: Mk 6:7-13

Mission Sunday. We all have a “Mission in Life”, by virtue of our baptism.  Here is a brief outline of our mission:

  1. To Know & Love God – (If a mission, there is One who sends us on mission, we first go to Him.)
  2. To Love others – part of our common mission, done daily.
  3. How do our Gifts & Talents help build up the Kingdom of God (Make the world a better place).

Here is a website with volunteer opportunities to serve as a missionary:

https://catholicvolunteernetwork.org/search-program-results/

Homily on November 15, 2020 33rd Sunday Ordinary Time: Mt 25:14-30

There are Spiritual Gifts or Charisms, and gifts that might be considered more natural, but truly are also spiritual gifts, or at least natural gifts that when open to grace become perfected and Super Natural Gifts!

The following list comes from 1 Cor 12, Romans 12, Ephesians 4, and 1 Peter 4:

Spiritual Gifts:
Word of Wisdom, Word of Knowledge, Faith, Healing, Miracles, Prophecy, Discernment of Spirits, Tongues, Interpretation of Tongues, (I like to add prayer, especially praying for or with or over others)

Additional Gifts of Holy Spirit Mentioned in Scripture (seemingly more natural):
Teacher, helping, service, governance leadership administration, exhortation, encouragement, Mercy, guidance, hospitality.

The Catherine of Sienna Institute offers a program called “Called and Gifted Workshop” to help disciples of Jesus discern and use their gifts for the building up of the Kingdom of God.  Enroll in that and other discipleship programs here:

https://ourladyofguadalupechurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Vision-and-Missionary-Discipleship-Pathway-ADLA.pdf

Here are some of the charisms listed by the Catherine of Sienna Institute:
Administration, celibacy, craftsmanship, discernment of Spirits, encouragement, evangelization, faith, volunteering, giving, healing, helping, hospitality, intercessory prayer, knowledge, leadership, wisdom, mercy, missionary, music, pastoring, prophecy, service, teaching, writing.

Homily on November 1, 2020 All Saints

We have a common calling to Holiness. We are called to be perfected. Catholic Christianity stresses this, sometimes contrary to teachings of other Christian Sects.  We are not saved because we are forgiven, we are forgiven to be saved. Salvation comes by a transformation into Christ-likeness by the Holy Spirit. Forgiveness frees us from the prison of the past so that we are able to open to God’s Love and His Holy Spirit which fills us and joins us to Christ. we no longer live, but He lives in us, and that Joining Transforms us into His likeness, the two become one flesh, as we are married to our true spouse Jesus Christ the Bridegroom.

This homily shared some scriptural passages talking about this transformation.

Romans 8:29 https://bible.usccb.org/bible/romans/8

Philippians 3:21 https://bible.usccb.org/bible/philippians/3

Colossians 3:10 https://bible.usccb.org/bible/colossians/3

2 Corinthians 3:18 https://bible.usccb.org/bible/2corinthians/3

On The beatific vision or heaven as reaching the fullness of perfection (either in this life or as purification is finished in purgatory) so we can see God Face to Face

1 John 3:2 https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1john/3

Revelation 22:4-5, and 14-15 https://bible.usccb.org/bible/revelation/22

A passage from the Catechism of the Catholic Church and Christian holiness         http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_P71.HTM

Homily on 27th  Sunday of Ordinary time, October 4, 2020

Good Fruit in the Vineyard from O.T. (Isaiah) tradition are works of Justice:

Principles of Catholic Social Teaching on Justice

  • Justice is Love’s Minimum Requirement
  • Based on the dignity of the human person and the rights each has be virtue of their humanity.
  • Our basic human rights described most simply: Life and those things required for Human decency. Commonly understood to include:
    • Right to life
    • Freedom of Religion
    • Right to participate in government
    • Necessary food, water, education and health care
    • Opportunity to work at a living wage
  • Human Dignity therefore requires social systems support the human person, not the human person supporting the system.
  • The common good is the norm for a social society.
  • Our participation in societal justice acts, such as voting, is to advocate/vote not for our own personal interest, but the common good
  • We should have a preferential option for the poor, for the measure of the common good of a society is not how well off are the wealthiest, but how well off are the poorest.

 

Sins against social justice include (but not limited to):

  • Abortion – denying the most basic right to life
  • Death penalty – similarly denying right to life
  • Treatment of refugees – seeking these human rights, it is the obligation of richer nations – all humans have rights to what is needed to live, including the right (from international law) to migrate to obtain these rights
  • Our treatment of the stranger, alien in our midst, for we are members of one human family, not just of different nations.
  • The poor in our midst, and the widening gap between the rich and poor, and the disenfranchisement that causes those who are poor.
  • Our lack of Care of creation God’s gift to all humanity including generations to come.

 

Ignatian First Principle.

People are created to praise, reverence, and serve God our Lord, and by this means to save their soul; the other things on the face of the earth are created for people to help them in attaining the end for which they are created. Consequently, people are to make use of them in so far as they help them in the attainment of their end, and they must rid themselves of them in so far as they prove a hindrance to them. Therefore, we must make ourselves indifferent to all created things, as far as we are allowed free choice and are not under any prohibition. Consequently, as far as we are concerned, we should not prefer health to sickness, riches to poverty, honor to dishonor, a long life to a short life. The same holds true for all other things. Our one desire and choice should be what is more conducive to the end for which we are created.

 

Pope Paul VI – “If we want peace, work for Justice”

 

Prayer of St. Francis

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace
Where there is hatred, let me sow love
Where there is injury, pardon
Where there is doubt, faith
Where there is despair, hope
Where there is darkness, light
And where there is sadness, joy

O Divine Master, grant that I may
Not so much seek to be consoled as to console
To be understood, as to understand
To be loved, as to love
For it is in giving that we receive
And it’s in pardoning that we are pardoned
And it’s in dying that we are born to Eternal Life
Amen

Homily on 23rd Sunday of Ordinary time, September 6, 2020

 

Catechism of Catholic Church section on Conscience:

https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P5Y.HTM

Homily on Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ: June 14, 2020 “To Eat His Flesh and Drink His Blood” (Jn 6:51-58)

This Homily was an overall summary of my Eucharist Video series… I encourage many to watch the videos in the series available on this website here: https://ourladyofguadalupechurch.org/discipleship/eucharist-series/

There are also discussion questions for each video on this above page. Perhaps you can form a small group in your family, or on zoom, to watch and discuss together, and pray.

Additionally here are my three favorite books on the Eucharist:

REFERENCES FOR FURTHER STUDY:

  1. Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist, by Brant Pitre
  2. The Lamb’s Supper: The Mass as Heaven on Earth, by Scott Hahn
  3. The 7 Secrets of the Eucharist, by Vinny Flynn

Homily on Trinity Sunday: June 7, 2020 “Justice is Love’s Minimum Requirement” (Jn 3:16-18)

  1. Link to the Statements by the Four Previous Presidents Speaking about the Protests and Violence in aftermath of George Floyd killing. https://nymag.com/intelligencer/amp/2020/06/read-what-obama-bush-carter-have-said-about-floyd-protests.html
  2. Link to Statement by Pope Francis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ou2owd-efm4&feature=youtu.be
  3. Link to Statement by USCCB Chairmain for ad hoc Committee on Racism: http://www.usccb.org/news/2020/20-83.cfm
  4. USCCB Statement on Racism “Open Wide Our Hearts”: http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/human-life-and-dignity/racism/upload/open-wide-our-hearts-bulletin-insert.pdf
  5. Resources to Combat Racism: http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/human-life-and-dignity/racism/parish-resources-on-racism.cfm

Two Books I Recommend on Systemic Injustices in Economic and Criminal Justice Systems:

  1. Categorically Unequal: The American Stratification System, Douglas Massey, Russell Sage Foundation, NY, NY.
  2. The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness, Michelle Alexander .