Thoughts From Next Sunday's Readings by Fr. John

2nd Sunday of Lent

2012-02-28T09:52:00.000-05:00

In today’s gospel, St. Mark presents the Transfiguration (Mark 9: 2-10). The Greek word for transfigure is metamorphous which means change of form or appearance. In the Gospel story Jesus takes Peter, James and John to the top of a mountain where his appearance changed before their eyes. First his “clothes became dazzling white.” Then Moses and Elijah appeared and had a conversation with Jesus. At this sublime moment, Peter tried to stop the action so he could capture the experience and enshrine it in three tents. But before he could move, a cloud came over them and the three disciples and Jesus heard the voice of God say: “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.” In a flash it was all over. The disciples looked around and saw only a very human Jesus. For Jesus the Transfiguration was affirmation that his mission was valid. For the disciples, it was an astounding event they would not understand until after the Resurrection.

Throughout scripture, the people who have direct encounters with God come away changed individuals. Abram, Moses, Elijah and all the prophets were ordinary folks from many different life circumstances. After they experienced God, they changed, becoming Old Testament superheroes. Saul of Tarsus met Jesus on the road to Damascus. The encounter transformed him from Saul, a persecutor of Christians to Paul, the most ardent Christian in the Greco-Roman world. No one can meet God face to face and remain the same. It is a transforming event.

As Catholic Christians, we believe that we experience the real presence of God when we receive Holy Communion. We hear the words of God in sacred scripture, song and preaching. And we encounter God in our interactions with one another in our families, in our parish and in our community. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us that the “vocation of humanity is to show forth the image of God and to be transformed into the image of the Father's only Son” (1877). Every time we attend Mass, receive the Eucharist, read scripture and join in Christian fellowship our lives should be transfigured. Our encounters with God should shine through in everything we say and do. In 2 Corinthians 3: 18, St. Paul, the ardent Christian says, “All of us, gazing with unveiled face on the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as from the Lord who is the Spirit.”

Lent is a time for transformation. It provides us with many opportunities to re-form our lives, change our hearts and allow the Holy Spirit to work in us and through us so we can “show forth the image God.” We have a special opportunity for personal transformation this week through our parish Lenten Mission beginning this Sunday and continuing until Thursday. Please consider joining us in worship, prayer and fellowship as we journey through Lent.

Loving Father,
for a fleeting moment
you glorified your Son on the mountain
to encourage him to carry out his mission
and to strengthen his disciples.
Let the presence of your Son in this Eucharist
and the words he speaks to us
transform us and give us light and strength
to take up our task in life
and to lighten the burden
of our brothers and sisters,
until you transform us with him
in the lasting light of your glory.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.

Amen.

1st Sunday of Lent

2012-02-21T16:26:00.002-05:00

Today’s gospel for the First Sunday of Lent, Mark 1: 12 -15, is the same gospel we heard four weeks ago. The words Jesus proclaims in this gospel, the first recorded words of his public ministry, are so profound we should embrace them every day. After spending forty days of temptation in the desert, Jesus enters Galilee preaching, “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” The time is now, the kingdom of God is here now, turn your lives around now and believe, really BELIEVE, the Gospel (Good News) that God loves us right now.

Believing in the gospel message is not just an intellectual exercise; it is an exercise of the heart. Our Saviors’ call to repentance is a call for a radical change of heart (metanoia). The term metanoia comes from ancient Greek, meaning to change one's mind, i.e. to repent and have a spiritual conversion. Jesus invites us to repent so that we can experience fulfillment and enter into the Kingdom of God. This is what Lent is all about.

Beginning with Ash Wednesday and continuing until we celebrate the Great Easter Vigil, we are invited to turn away from all the things that separate us from the love of God. We are invited to unload all the things that drag us down. We are invited to open our hearts to God’s love. And when we achieve this, we are invited to renew our baptismal vows, to become that new person we promised to be and to assume our proper place in the kingdom of God. As St. Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5: 17, “whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come.”

“This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

God of mercy,
you give us the forty days of Lent
to help us become aware of the desert in our hearts.
Thank you for letting us come to you
with a life marked with the scars
of our own defeats and failures
and those caused by others.
Heal us, Lord, and forgive us,
make us whole and wholesome again.
Give us the strength of Jesus,
that we may be faithful to you
and live for one another.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen

7th Sunday in Ordinary Time

2012-02-14T10:00:00.000-05:00

When I was about six, my mother gave me a picture book of Bible stories. One of my favorite stories in the book was from our gospel this Sunday, Mark 2: 1 – 12. The illustrations showed four men on top of a house full of people listening to Jesus. The men were tearing the roof off and then lowering their sick friend down in front of Jesus. The best illustration was of Jesus saying to the man, “Rise, pick up your mat, and go home.” There was a look of total surprise and joy on the man’s face as he rushed out of the crowded house. What struck me about the story as a child was the astounding love the four men had for their friend, their faith in Jesus and their determination to get him in that house.

However, there is more to this story than friendship, determination, faith and physical healing. This is a story about having our sins forgiven; it is a story about spiritual healing and salvation. Real healing, wholeness, occurs only when the obstacle of sin is removed from our lives. Real healing occurs when our relationship with God is restored. In our first reading from Isaiah 43, God tells the children of Israel to forget the past because he is “doing something new.” God wipes out their offenses and forgives their sins. And, St. Luke (1: 76 – 77) tells us that the purpose of Jesus’ ministry was to “go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give his people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins.” Jesus came to restore us and to heal our relationship with God. He came to bring us salvation.

In three days, Lent begins. This prayerful season provides us with many opportunities to invite Jesus into our lives so that he can do “something new” in us. May God grant each of you a holy, Spirit filled Lent.

God of love and compassion,
you are slow to anger but rich in mercy.
Who can forgive like you,
wholeheartedly and without regret?
When we repent, you do not remember our sins
but only the good we have done.
In our humiliation and shame we pray that you will:
touch us with your healing hand,
set us free from our self-made prisons,
and give us the joy and freedom brought us
by Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

World Marriage Day

2012-02-07T08:10:00.001-05:00

On Sunday, February 12, 2012 we celebrate World Marriage Day and on Tuesday, February 14, 2012 we celebrate St Valentine’s Day. World Marriage Day, sponsored by Worldwide Marriage Encounter, “honors the lifelong commitment of husband and wife as head of the family, the basic unit of society. It salutes the beauty of couple's fidelity, sacrifice, and joy in daily married life.” For Catholics Saint Valentine’s Day commemorates the martyrdom of three saints; two near Rome in the 3^rd Century and one in Africa. From my limited research, none of them had anything to do with romantic love. Facts aside, Saint Valentine’s Day has been associated with love since the middle ages.

Pope Benedict XVI gave us some clear distinctions between the different dimensions of love in his 2005 Encyclical Letter, God is Love. Eros, which the Holy Father defines as “That love between man and woman which is neither planned nor willed, but somehow imposes itself upon human beings” is what we celebrate on St Valentine’s Day. However, the three St Valentines who gave up their lives as Christian martyrs are examples of agape; love that “seeks the good of the beloved: it becomes renunciation and it is ready, and even willing, for sacrifice.”

The Holy Father reminds us in God is Love that eros and agape are not mutually exclusive. They can find “unity in the one reality of love.” It is eros that attracts people to each other and draws them together. However, it is agape that keeps them together. It is this unity of love that we celebrate on World Marriage Day. In 2009 the US Conference of Catholic Bishops presented a Pastoral Letter on marriage, Marriage: Love and Life in the Same Plan. In their Pastoral Letter, the bishops highlight seven themes for Christian Marriage. Marriage is

· A natural and spiritual gift

· A unique union between a man and a woman

· A communion of love and life

· A sacrament of Christian love

· The foundation of the family and society

· A journey of human and spiritual growth

· A school of love and gratitude

St Valentine’s Day is a special day to celebrate love. Marriage is the lifelong commitment of two people to grow in mutual love, spirituality, gratitude, sacrifice and faithfulness.

If you want to read the Bishop’s Pastoral Letter go to http://foryourmarriage.org/. There are numerous resources on marriage at this site. For the Holy Father’s Encyclical Letter, God is Love, go to: www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20051225. Father Bill Dilgen, S. M. M. wrote the following prayer for World Marriage Day.

Prayer for World Marriage Day

Father we thank you for your tremendous gift of the Sacrament of Marriage.

Help us to witness to its glory by a life of growing intimacy.

Teach us the beauty of forgiveness

So we may become more and more One in Heart, Mind and Body.

Strengthen our dialogue and help us become living signs of your love.

Make us grow more in love with the Church so we may renew the Body of Christ.

Make us a sign of unity in the name of Jesus, our Lord and Brother.

Amen

5th Sunday in Ordinary Time

2012-01-31T10:07:00.001-05:00

Most of us at some time in our lives probably have felt like Job as he bewails his life situation in our first reading today, Job 7: 1 – 4, 6 - 7. When sickness or tragedy strikes us, we lament our situation. We might ask “why is this happening to me”? Or, “why is God punishing me”? In his misery, Job declares “life on earth a drudgery” (Job7: 1). He feels he is living a life of “restlessness” and “futility.” Poor Job! Poor us! Life is a dangerous venture, fragile and full of uncertainty. What distinguishes us from Job is the knowledge that Jesus Christ came into the world to save us from the uncertainties of life. He came declaring “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15).

Our fulfillment does not come from self pity or self obsession; it comes from living out the Good News of Jesus Christ. This is what we hear today in our second reading from St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians and in today’s Gospel from St. Mark. After an astounding day of preaching and healing people, Jesus goes to Simon’s house probably for a meal. However, when he gets there with a small group of disciples, they find that Simon’s mother-in-law is sick with a fever. Jesus goes to her, grasps her hand and heals her. She immediately gets up and gets to work, serving Jesus. Simon’s mother-in-law is a very human example of someone living out the good news. She demonstrated her gratitude through service.

After his miraculous conversion, St. Paul became a driven man. He tells us that the love of Christ impelled him (2 Cor. 5: 14). He threw himself into ministry not for riches or glory or even by his own initiative. He had an obligation to preach the gospel and to “become all things to all” so that he could “save at least some” (1 Cor. 9: 22). Christian life was not an easy path for St. Paul. He was imprisoned, beaten, reviled and ultimately martyred. But despite the difficulties he encountered, he continued to announce the good news. St. Paul had an abiding faith and was “convinced that “neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth,nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8: 38 – 39).

As baptized Christians we too should share St. Paul’s certainty. In the uncertainty of our very human lives, we share the certainty of God’s love for each of us. Because of this all encompassing love, we can, like St. Paul declare, “all this I do for the sake of the gospel, so that I too may have a share in it” (1 Cor. 9: 23).

Compassionate God,
when we cry out to you
in our weariness, our sorrow and illness,
remember how your Son too
called on you in his suffering unto death.
Keep us from shutting ourselves up in self-pity
and strengthen us in the conviction
that you are to be found in our pain
as well as in our joys,
and that you always care for us
through him who showed us how much you loved us,
Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

4th Sunday in Ordinary Time

2012-01-24T08:22:00.002-05:00

A few weeks ago I was honored to celebrate mass for a number of Holy Trinity parishioners in St. Peter’s Basilica. Each time I walk into that magnificent edifice, I am overwhelmed with a sense of awe and humility. For us Catholics, St. Peter’s represents the universal church. Sitting above St. Peter’s tomb, it reminds us of our close links to history. It is a direct and physical connection to the apostles. St. Peter’s epitomizes the prophetic voice of the Church. Words spoken from the Chair of St. Peter (ex Cathedra) are held to be infallible. They are words of apostolic authority handed down from Jesus to St. Peter and to all his successors.

In today’s first reading from Deuteronomy 18: 15 – 20 we hear Moses, the first prophet, define the role of the true prophet. A prophet is one raised “up for you from among your own kindred” who speaks the words God has put in his/her mouth. The prophet “shall tell them all that I [God] command.^” A prophet is NOT a person who “practices divination, or is a soothsayer, augur, or sorcerer, or who casts spells, consults ghosts and spirits, or seeks oracles from the dead” (DT 18: 10 – 11). These people are “an abomination to the LORD” (DT 18: 12). A prophet is one whose words have been tested over time and found to be true. Moses ends his prophet’s job description with two warnings; one for us and one for the prophet. For those of us who hear the prophet, we better listen and act accordingly because we will have to answer to God. And the prophet better make sure that he/she speaks as God directs or else….

Thousands of years later, Jesus of Nazareth, a humble carpenter, walked into the synagogue in Capernaum and astounded the people present with his authoritative teaching (Mark 1: 21 – 28). Not only did Jesus teach with authority, he acted with authority. When confronted by a man with “an unclean spirit,” Jesus merely spoke a few words, "Quiet! Come out of him!" And the unclean spirit was gone. Jesus’ powerful words had the ring of authority and truth and his acts of healing affirmed his authority and gave him a degree of credibility words alone could not achieve. St. John tells us in his gospel that Jesus is God’s word incarnate, “And the Word became flesh- and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth” (John 1: 14). And, St. John reminds us that although “the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1: 17).

Standing in front of the altar in St. Peter’s reminded me of the power of that prophetic truth Jesus gave to all of us. The word of God as spoken to us through Jesus Christ, has withstood the test of time. As baptized Christians, each one of us is a witness to that truth. And each one of us is authorized to speak the truth to any who will hear it.

Faithful God,
your Son, Jesus of Nazareth,
spoke the truth with authority,
and you confirmed his teaching by wondrous deeds.

Make us holy
so that by word and deed
we may proclaim his name
and bear witness to your healing power and presence.

All this we ask through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.

AMEN.

3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

2012-01-17T09:30:00.000-05:00

Today, January 22, 2012 marks the 39^th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade, Doe v. Bolton, January 22, 1973. In the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, no. 373, our bishops suggest that “In all the dioceses of the United States of America, January 22 (or January 23, when January 22 falls on a Sunday) shall be observed as a particular day of penance for violations to the dignity of the human person committed through acts of abortion, and of prayer for the full restoration of the legal guarantee of the right to life.”

The great American poet, novelist and biographer, Carl Sandberg wrote in his novel Remembrance Rock (1948) that “a baby is God’s opinion that life should go on.” The US Supreme Court decisions Roe v. Wade, Doe v. Bolton, legalizing abortion, are human opinions that life has no value and can be expended. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: "Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law" (No. 2271).

In their Facts on Induced Abortion in the United States, August 2011, the Guttmacher Institute sates that:

· Nearly half of pregnancies among American women are unintended, and about four in 10 of these are terminated by abortion. Twenty-two percent of all pregnancies (excluding miscarriages) end in abortion.

· In 2008, 1.21 million abortions were performed, down from 1.31 million in 2000.

· From 1973 through 2008, nearly 50 million legal abortions occurred.

As we enter into the 39th year of legal abortion in the United States, please pray for the 50 million babies who never had the opportunity to live, pray for the 1 + million babies who will die this year, pray for those who are contemplating abortion because they believe they have no other choice and pray that our world will recognize and respect the sanctity of life.

God our Father, you lovingly knit us in our mothers’ womb. Grant that each human embryo will be respected as a human being, and not dismissed as a product to be manipulated or destroyed. Grant us the courage and conviction to be your voice for our sisters and brothers at the very earliest stages of their development, and for all defenseless unborn children.

Jesus, Divine Healer, foster in those conducting medical research a commitment to finding cures in ways that respect these little ones and all your vulnerable children.

Holy Spirit, grant us the wisdom to develop morally sound treatments for conditions now thought to be incurable. Help us persevere in defending human life while alleviating suffering.

Show mercy to all who have cooperated in killing our tiniest brothers and sisters. Bring them and all who support destructive embryo research to true conversion. Grant them the ability to see the immeasurable dignity of all human beings even in the first days of life.

Father, we ask this in Jesus’ name, through the Holy Spirit. Amen.

2012-01-10T07:57:00.002-05:00

“What are you looking for?” This is the question Jesus put to Andrew and another of John the Baptist’s disciples in today’s gospel from John 1: 35 – 42. Andrew, Simon Peter and the others were looking for the Messiah, the Savior of Israel, the person who would liberate them from Roman oppression. Andrew followed Jesus because he believed John the Baptist’s testimony, “Behold, the Lamb of God.” Simon followed Jesus because of Andrew’s testimony, “we have found the Messiah.” Following is one thing but believing is something entirely different. Although Andrew, Simon and many others followed Jesus, it took them a long time to believe that Jesus really was the Messiah – and not necessarily the kind of Messiah they were seeking. What they were looking for is not what they got.

If Jesus asked you, “What are you looking for,” how would you answer? Andrew and the other disciple answered with another question, “Rabbi … where are you staying?” They didn’t want his address, they wanted to spend some time with him, they wanted to listen to him, and they wanted to learn more about him and from him. And so Jesus invited them to “Come, and you will see." Curiosity may have been their initial motive. However, after they spent time with Jesus, Andrew, Peter and many others became true believers and followers of Jesus, the Lamb of God.

But what are YOU looking for? As we begin this New Year we should all reflect on this question. Our answer isn’t for God because God already knows what we are looking for. The answer is for each of us to help us in our journey through this year and through life. What are you looking for? What are your goals and expectations? What are your hopes and dreams? What role will God play in your life in 2012? Will you accept Jesus’ invitation, “Come, and you will see”?

Father, you know us
and called us by our name
even before we could know and love you.
Help us hear and heed your word
to follow Jesus your Son.
Open our ears to listen to his word.
Open our hearts
that we may experience his message
as a call addressed personally to each of us.
And may each of us say,
"Here am I, Lord;
I come to do your will."
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.

Amen

Epiphany of the Lord

2012-01-03T08:59:00.000-05:00

Today we celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord, the manifestation of Jesus as Lord and Savior to the Magi. The story of the Magi presents Jesus as the Messiah of the Gentiles (us) and to all the people of the world. When I was a child, I thought this was one of the best stories in the whole Bible. To me it was an adventure story. There were good guys, the Magi, on an amazing quest, following a star to the far reaches of the earth. There was a really bad guy, Herod who wanted to kill the baby Jesus. And in the end, the good guys won. They found the baby Jesus, gave him wonderful presents, tricked Herod and then they returned home safely. This is a good story!

Looking at this story with adult eyes still excites my imagination. The idea of following a star across the world is a very romantic notion. Almost everyone has a star they want to follow. For some people that star might be the allure of wealth or power. For other people the star might be fame or the thrill of adventure. Still others seek love and will travel to the ends of the earth to find it. But this story isn’t about seeking love or self fulfillment or achieving our dreams. The story of the Magi is about a journey of faith. These pagan astrologers represent all the people in the entire world including us. And so this story is about us finding meaning in our lives. It is about our search for Jesus.

Like the Magi, we have to put aside our preoccupations and fixations. We have to drop everything to follow the new star, the Light of Christ. There is adventure in seeking and then following Jesus. We don’t know where He will lead us in our journey of faith. For me following the star, the Light of Christ, lead me to Peachtree City, Georgia. The journey here was not easy but I know that this is where God wants me right now. I don’t know where the Light of Christ will lead you. My prayer is that each one of you will seek the only star worth following and let it guide your journey to the Lord.

Father, we your people rise up in splendor,
for your light has come;
your glory now shines upon us.

We are grateful for this light,
who is Jesus Christ, your Son.

Make our lives radiant

with that same brightness

and help us walk as one in your light.

Open our eyes that we may recognize you

in all the signs you send us.

All glory be to you, FATHER,
through your SON Jesus Christ,
who draws all people to himself
that together with the SPIRIT
we might give you praise,
forever and ever. AMEN.

Mary, Mother of God

2011-12-27T22:42:00.002-05:00

In our Catholic tradition we always celebrate the New Year by honoring Mary the Holy Mother of God. Mary is our role model for discipleship. She is our role model for faith and trust. And she is our role model for hope in a troubled world. When Mary met Elizabeth after accepting her role as the Mother of God, Elizabeth cried out “Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled” (Luke 1: 45). Mary believed that God’s word would be fulfilled, even though she did not know what the future would bring. In the joyful moments of the Visitation, neither Elizabeth nor Mary foresaw the suffering and sorrow that they and their sons would endure. What both women did know was that they were blessed by God. And their faith, hope and trust carried them through.

We begin this New Year filled with hope and expectation. Like Mary and Elizabeth we do not know what the future holds for us, but we trust that God our Father will work through us to make 2012 a year of grace. Mary’s yes to God brought Jesus, the” light of the human race into the world.” Our yes brings the light of Christ into our hearts, our homes, our communities and our world.

My prayer for you this New Year’s Day 2012 is the prayer of blessing God gave to Moses for the children of Israel. “The Lord bless you and keep you! The Lord let his face shine upon you and be gracious to you! The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace” (Numbers 6: 24 – 26). May each of you have a happy and blessed New Year.

Our faithful and saving God,
in Mary our earth said its yes to your call
and there burst upon humanity
forgiveness and blessing and new life
in the person of your Son Jesus Christ.
Bless us, that like Mary
we may say yes to you and to your plans
for us and for the world.
Like Mary, may we grow closer to you
and give your Son Jesus to the world,
that those who seek may find in him
your truth, your justice, and your love.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen

2011-12-19T11:36:00.001-05:00

Christmas is one of my most favorite seasons of the year. It fills me with a sense of awe, wonder and delight. As I drive around Peachtree City I am overwhelmed by the beauty of the lights and decorations. It is such a joy to see lighted homes with Christmas trees sparkling through the windows. What I really love is the quiet that envelops the community after all the stores close and everyone goes home to spend time with their families and friends. Christmas is “magic.”

The magic of Christmas goes far beyond the trees and lights. Even without bright lights and sparkling decorations, Christmas is something special. Christmas marks one of the most significant events in human history. Today we commemorate the birth of Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us. We celebrate the wonder of our God who loves us so much that He became one of us so that we can understand that holiness does not reside in a faraway heaven we cannot see or touch or feel. We celebrate the miracle of God’s presence here, now, in Peachtree City, Georgia.

All the bright lights and decorations are a reminder that Jesus Christ is the light of our world. St. John tells us in his gospel, John 1: 4-5, that Jesus is “the light of the human race” and this “light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.” In a few weeks the lights and decorations will be gone. But the light of Christ, “The true light, which enlightens everyone” will continue to shine every day of the year.

May God bless each of you and fill your hearts with light so that you radiate the joy and blessing of Christmas now and forever.

Father we thank you for the 'magic' of Christmas,
this special moment of gladness and joy
when we celebrate all the beauty of being human.
We thank you for the message of peace
which you speak to us in your Son.
You are not afraid to become one of us,
to reach out and touch those you have called your own.
And we need not be afraid of you,
for you are a God
who is pleased to make your home with us.
We sing your praise with all the peoples of our world,
for you are our God,
today and every day, forever and ever.

AMEN.

4th Sunday of Advent

2011-12-13T08:34:00.000-05:00

Today is the last Sunday of Advent. Over the past twenty-two days we have been preparing ourselves for the celebration of Jesus’ birth. Our time of watching and waiting is almost over. St. Luke’s recounting of the Annunciation, Luke 1: 26 – 38, our Gospel for today, is the final step in our Advent pilgrimage. In this passage we meet Mary, the person who made Christmas possible. Her openness to God, her willingness to say YES, “may it be done to me according to your word,” set in motion a monumental series of events that changed the world forever. Through Mary’s humble obedience and acceptance, God became Incarnate. He came to us in human form. He became Emanuel, God with us.

The mystery of the Incarnation does not end on Christmas Day only to be revived next year when the Advent season begins again. We encounter the mystery of the Incarnation when we come to Mass and participate in the Sacraments. We encounter the mystery of the Incarnation when we, like Mary, open our hearts in humility and love and invite Jesus into our lives. We encounter the mystery of the Incarnation every time we say YES to God. We encounter the mystery of the Incarnation when we respond to God’s call and we live the Good News of the Gospel here in Peachtree City. Emanuel, God with us, is here now. Emanuel, God with us was here yesterday and will be here tomorrow. God is present in the world through each of us.

One week from today we will celebrate Christmas. With Mary as our role model and mentor my prayer is that we will take time this week to listen, to hear the voice of God, and to respond, "Let it be done to me according to your word."

Here in our midst, O God of mystery,
you disclose the secret that was hidden for countless ages.
For you we wait;
for you we listen.
Upon hearing your voice
may we, like Mary, embrace your will
and become a dwelling fit for your Word.
Grant this through him whose coming is certain,
whose day draws near:
your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.

Amen.

3rd Sunday of Advent

2011-12-07T08:46:00.001-05:00

The theme for the third Sunday of Advent is REJOICE! Celebrate! Be glad! The Entrance Antiphon for today’s Mass from Philippians 4:4 tells us why: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice! The Lord is near.” St. John tells us in the first chapter of his Gospel, that we should rejoice because “The true light, which enlightens everyone, [is] coming into the world” (John 1: 9). Jesus is “the light of the world” and he came so we can have “the light of life” (John 8: 12).

John the Baptist came roaring out of the dessert “to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.” He proclaimed a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, to prepare people for the coming of the Lord. When we receive the Sacrament of Baptism, we receive new birth through the Holy Spirit and become members of the Body of Christ. As members of the Body of Christ and children of the light, we share John the Baptist’s mission “to testify to the light.”

During this time of year, Peachtree City is covered with beautiful Christmas lights. Traditionally Christmas lights symbolize Jesus, the light of the world, who came to save us. They illuminate the darkness of our Advent world. In Matthew 5: 14, 16 Jesus tells us “You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden….so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.”

We are called to bring the light of Christ into our world and in today’s second reading St. Paul tells us how, “Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.”

O God, most high and most near,
you send glad tidings to the lowly,
you do not hide your face from the poor;
you call those who dwell in darkness into the light.
Take away our blindness,
remove the hardness of our hearts,
and form us into a humble people,
so that, at the advent of your Son,
we may recognize him in our midst
and find joy in his presence.
We ask this through him whose coming is certain,
whose day draws near:
your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.

Amen.

2nd Sunday of Advent

2011-11-28T13:28:00.002-05:00

Last Sunday our Advent message from Mark 13:33 was: “Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come.” The message this week is a little different. Isaiah (40: 3 – 4) calls us to action: “prepare the way of the LORD! Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God”! St. Peter tells us to hasten “the coming of the day of the Lord” (2 Pt 3: 12). And John the Baptist cries out “REPENT.” “Make straight his paths” (Mark 1: 1 – 8). The action these great prophets call us to is not what we normally think of at this time of the year.

In our commercialized world, we fill the weeks before Christmas with frenetic activity. Our lives are a frenzy of shopping, attending parties, sending Christmas cards, decorating and other commitments. Just look at our schedule here at Holy Trinity. Something is going on almost every day. There is so much to cram in before Christmas! However this is not the type of action Isaiah meant. Preparing “the way of the Lord,” is not about making sure that Wal-Mart and Macys meet their sales quotas, or that all the Christmas lights are perfect or that the cards get out on time. Isaiah is calling us to make the pathways into our hearts and lives as straight as possible before Jesus gets here. John the Baptist calls us to repent, to change our attitudes, our actions and our words. St. Peter reminds us to “conduct [ourselves] in holiness and devotion.” What we are called to is interior activity.

St. Peter gives us our second set of Advent directions on how to prepare for the coming of Jesus in our second reading, 2 Peter 3: 8 – 14. He reminds us that the world as we know it will disappear. The “heavens will pass away with a mighty roar and the elements will be dissolved by fire, and the earth and everything done on it will be found out.” When the end of the world happens, the Lord expects us to conduct ourselves “in holiness and devotion, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God…” St. Peter tells us that “What we are waiting for … is the new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.” And, finally, he tells us that while we are waiting we must do our “best to live blameless and unsullied lives so that he will find [us] at peace.”

And so on this Second Sunday of Advent our goal is to find peace in the midst of the frenzy. We are called to look beyond the commercialism of the season, we are called to look into our hearts and to make sure our hearts are prepared for the coming of the Lord.

With tender comfort and transforming power
you come into our midst,
O God of mercy and might.
Make ready a way in the wilderness,
clear a straight path in our hearts,
and form us into a repentant people,
so that the advent of your Son
may find us watchful and eager for the glory he reveals.
We ask this through him whose coming is certain,
whose day draws near:
your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.

Amen.

1st Sunday of Advent

2011-11-23T07:28:00.000-05:00

Advent is a liturgical season of hope, expectation and joy. During Advent, we rejoice that God loves us so much that he sent his Son into the world to redeem us and we prepare for the anniversary celebration of Jesus’ birth (Christ Mass). However, there is more to Advent than preparing for Jesus’ birthday. Advent also is about the end of the world. It is about that unknown, future time when Jesus will return, the Second Coming, the Day of Judgment we heard about last Sunday. We observe Advent to remind us that there will be a second coming and a Day of Judgment. We observe Advent to help us prepare for that event.

Every time we participate in the celebration of the Mass, the liturgy reminds us that the second coming is on its way. Eucharistic Prayer III refers to us as a “pilgrim church on earth” that will be “ready to great him when he comes again.” Each time we recite the Lord’s Prayer during Mass, the celebrant reminds us that we are waiting “in joyful hope for the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.” Do we really “wait in joyful hope” for his coming? Are we ready to greet Jesus when he comes again?

All the readings during this Advent season direct our hearts and our thoughts to what we need to do to prepare ourselves for Jesus’ coming. Today’s readings give us our first set of instructions. In the first reading from Isaiah 63, we hear the prophet crying out to the Lord to “return for the sake of your servants.” In our Gospel from Mark 13:33 Jesus tells the disciples and us to “Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come.” And in the second reading from St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians 1:7 we are told to “wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

And so, on this first Sunday of Advent. We watch and wait and we join Isaiah in his prayer for the Lord to return. COME LORD JESUS!

Come, long-expected Jesus. Excite in me a wonder at the wisdom and power

of Your Father and ours. Receive my prayer as part of my service of the Lord

who enlists me in God's own work for justice.

Come, long-expected Jesus. Excite in me a hunger for peace:

peace in the world, peace in my home,

peace in myself.

Come, long-expected Jesus. Excite in me a joy responsive to the

Father's joy. I seek His will so I can serve

with gladness, singing and love.

Come, long-expected Jesus. Excite in me the joy, love, and peace it is

right to bring to the manger of my Lord. Raise in me a sober reverence

for the God who acted there, hearty gratitude for the life begun there,

and spirited resolution to serve

the Father and Son.

I pray in the name of Jesus Christ,

whose advent I hail.

Amen.

The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ the King

2011-11-14T11:44:00.000-05:00

Today we celebrate The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ the King. This great feast marks the end of our liturgical year and the completion of our journey with Jesus and His disciples through the Gospel of Matthew. And what a finale St. Matthew gives us! We end with a dramatic story, The Judgment of the Nations (Matthew 25: 31-46). Here St. Matthew presents Jesus, sitting on his glorious throne, surrounded by angels with all the nations of the world “assembled before him.” Then, like a shepherd who takes his flock to the market, he separates the sheep from the goats, the righteous from the accursed, those who will enjoy eternal life from those who will suffer eternal punishment.

What is so astounding about this passage is the criteria Jesus uses for his judgment. The nations of the world, and all of us, are not judged by our great accomplishments, our victories, our scientific exploits, our wealth, our diplomas, our popularity or our social status. We are judged by our compassion, our mercy, our love, our humility, the dignity and respect we show others and our hospitality. Once again, Jesus shakes us out of our complacency and reminds us that the standards and values of the Kingdom of Heaven are not the same as those of our world.

There is another lesson here that may be our greatest challenge. Jesus considers anything we do to or for others as being done to him, “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did
for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me.” One of Mother Theresa’s famous quotations is, "Christ is hidden under the suffering appearance of anyone who is hungry, naked, homeless, or dying." Christ is present in each one of us. He is hidden only if we choose not to see him.

Eternal God,
we are travelers in this world
searching for our true home in your kingdom.
It is not a kingdom of power and glory,
but one of love and freedom,
truth and justice,
peace and holiness.
Help us to make this kingdom real,
through service to our brothers and sisters,
especially those who are most in need.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.

AMEN.

39th Sunday in Ordinary Time

2011-11-08T08:27:00.000-05:00

Today, the thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary time is the next to last Sunday in our liturgical year. Next Sunday we celebrate the Solemnity of Christ the King and the following Sunday, November 27, we begin the season of Advent and a new liturgical year. Our readings for today and for next Sunday focus on the end of time, our accountability to God and God’s judgment of us. They challenge us to stop and reflect on where we are in our journey towards the Kingdom of Heaven. In his 1^st Letter to the Thessalonians 5: 1 – 6, our second reading today, St. Paul reminds us “the day of the Lord will come like a thief at night.” And, that we need to “stay alert and sober.” We do not know when the Lord is returning, but we had better be ready.

The gospel today, Matthew 25: 14 – 30, is the Parable of the Talents. It is tempting to over simplify this parable by emphasizing the Master’s expectation that we will invest his money wisely. This isn’t a parable about financial management; it is a parable about life management. It is about using our God given resources wisely but there is more. It is about trying. It is about the effort we make to bring about the Kingdom of Heaven. It is about courage and risk taking. Getting ourselves into the Kingdom of Heaven is not a contest. But God does expect us to use all the gifts we are given, to nurture them, to spread them around and ultimately, to share the Master’s joy.

Most of us have heard the expression “use it or lose it.” The lazy servant lost everything because he was afraid. He buried his talent rather than risk losing it. He would have been better off giving it away. What Jesus was telling the disciples, the scribes and the Pharisees and what he is telling us is to be bold. He is telling us to take even the most meager gift and work with it. Consider this; In the course of its life one small acorn has the potential to produce thousands of oak trees.

God, our kind and loving Father,
you no longer call us servants but friends.
There is so much you have entrusted to us,
even the future of your kingdom of justice and love.

Give us the wisdom to multiply your gifts
and make us industrious and vigilant
as we await your Son's return.
May we rejoice to hear him call us
"good and faithful servants"
as we enter into the joy of your kingdom.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.

AMEN.

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

2011-11-01T09:59:00.000-04:00

One of the joys of being a priest is the opportunity to officiate at weddings. I enjoy getting to know young couples as they consider their future together. My concern is the spiritual wellbeing of the couple and their readiness to enter into the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony. While I cover the spiritual aspects of marriage, the bride, her mother and sometimes the groom also are deeply involved in the logistical aspects of the wedding. Most weddings today are meticulously planned events. Many families hire professional wedding planners to assure the event runs smoothly. Every facet of the day is coordinated with military precision. The amount of planning that can go into a wedding is astounding.

Our gospel for today, Matthew 25: 1 – 13, is The Parable of the Ten Virgins (Bridesmaids) waiting for the arrival of the bridegroom (Christ). This parable is about responsible planning and preparedness. Five of the bridesmaids wisely came prepared with sufficient oil for their lamps to meet the bridegroom and five foolishly came unprepared without extra lamp oil to meet the bridegroom. When the bridegroom arrived (late) the five wise, prepared bridesmaids “went into the wedding feast” (the kingdom of heaven). The five foolish bridesmaids were locked out of the feast.

Just as weddings today require a lot of planning and preparation, our entry into the kingdom of heaven requires planning and preparation as well. We must be prepared to meet Jesus whenever he arrives. If we procrastinate we run the risk of confronting a locked door or being left in the dark. Each of us receives an invitation with an RSVP requesting a timely response. How we respond is up to each one of us.

Lord God, our Father,
you want us to encounter your Son
here on earth as our companion in life.

Help us pay attention to the word that warns us
to increase the 'oil for our lamps,'
that they may not flicker and go out
while we await the Bridegroom's return.
May we be always ready to greet Christ when he comes
and enter with him into the wedding feast
for he is our Lord for ever and ever.

AMEN.

31st Sunday in Ordinary Time

2011-10-25T09:43:00.000-04:00

Our readings for this week present us with some very stark contrasts. In today’s gospel, Matthew 23: 1 – 12, we hear Jesus criticizing the religious leaders of Israel for their pretentious and hypocritical behavior. They “preach but they do not practice.” Their good deeds “are performed to be seen.” They seek places of honor at banquets and in the synagogues. They are corrupt, overbearing, religious bullies. And their example is not to be followed by those of us who seek to live in the kingdom of heaven. St. Paul gives us a very different picture of leadership in 1 Thessalonians 2: 7b – 9. The leadership Paul, Silvanus and Timothy practiced among the Thessalonians was “gentle,” shared, humble, self-sacrificing and not a burden to anyone. They followed the directive Jesus gave to his disciples and that he gives to us in Mark 9: 35, “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.”

This contrast carries forward in our readings for the Solemnity of All Saints on Tuesday, November 1^st. For those of us living in the United States and a few other countries, the Solemnity of All Saints follows All Hallows Eve or Halloween. Although Halloween has no religious significance whatsoever, it is a wonderful time for children (and grown up children) to pretend to be someone or something other than what we are. On Halloween our neighborhoods are filled with shrieking goblins, zombies, ghosts, superheroes, princesses and a variety of Disney characters collecting hordes of candy and other treats. We all enjoy the creativity and ingenuity of Halloween costumes. However, they are only costumes. The day after Halloween the costumes are cast aside. Then, stripped of our costumes, the world sees us as we really are; plain, ordinary people, living plain, ordinary lives. St. Matthew’s version of the Beatitudes, the gospel for The Solemnity of All Saints reminds us that out of our plain and ordinary lives, saints (our heavenly super heroes) are created.

Saints are not pretentious like the scribes and Pharisees nor do saints need to pretend to be someone or something other than what they are. Saints like Paul, Silvanus and Timothy, and all the saints we encounter during the course of our lives are the pure, humble, meek, merciful, forgiving and loving people who live to serve others. These are the people who lead us into the kingdom of heaven by their example.

All-Holy God,
you call your people to holiness.
As we keep the festival of your saints,
give us their poverty of spirit,
a thirst for righteousness,
and purity of heart.
May we share with them the richness of your kingdom
and be clothed in your glory.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son
who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.

AMEN.

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time

2011-10-17T15:34:00.002-04:00

In our second reading this Sunday from 1 Thessalonians 1: 5c – 10, St. Paul reminded the Christians of Thessalonica that they were models “for all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia” (1 Thes. 1: 7). They were models because they tried to imitate the Lord and because “the word of the Lord has sounded forth not only in Macedonia and [in] Achaia, but in every place [their] faith in God has gone forth” (1 Thes. 1: 8). As I reflected on these two verses, I wondered if the Christians of Holy Trinity Catholic Church are considered models of faith for all the believers in Peachtree City, or Fayette County, or the State of Georgia or the nation. Does the word of the Lord sound forth from us? Are we good imitators of the Lord?

Throughout the New Testament we read that love is our Christian benchmark. In the First Letter of John 4: 16 we hear that “God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him.” God loves us completely with a generosity that cannot be measured. St. Paul tells us in Romans 5: 5 that “the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the holy Spirit that has been given to us.” We, in turn, are expected to share that love with all the people we encounter. Our love of God is what enables us to love other people. And it is our love of other people that identifies us as exemplary Christians.

We don’t need to proselytize to sound forth the word of the Lord; we need to love. If we can demonstrate a fraction of the love God bestows on us, we can change the world.

God, you display your almighty power
in loving us without regret.
In the human heart of Jesus your Son
you have shown us the boundlessness of your love.
Give us a love that is forgiving,
generous and gentle like his,
that we may recognize and welcome him
in our brothers and sisters.
And may our hearts reach out first
to the poorest and the least lovable,
with the gratuitous love you have given us
in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

2011-10-11T09:04:00.000-04:00

In today’s gospel, Matthew 22: 15 – 21, Jesus spoils a malicious plot by the Pharisees and Herodians by giving them a straight answer to a trick question, “Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?" We all know his response, “repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God." This isn’t a statement about the legality of taxes. It is Jesus reminding us that we live in two worlds and each world places certain demands on us.

As Christians, we all have dual citizenship. We are citizens of our country and we are citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven. Each citizenship carries a lot of responsibility. As citizens of the United States of America we have a legal duty to obey national, state and local laws; serve on juries; serve as witnesses when asked to do so by a court; pay taxes and males are required to register with the Selective Service System when they turn eighteen years old. US citizens also have the responsibility to vote and to respect the right of others. When I became a US citizen, I took an oath to defend the Constitution and laws of the United States and when required by law, to bear arms on behalf of the United States and/or perform noncombatant service.

Our responsibilities as citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven are weightier than our national responsibilities. Our first responsibility in the Kingdom of heaven is to put God first in our lives. Jesus reminds us in next Sunday’s gospel, Matthew 22: 34 – 40, that the greatest commandment is "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” We are to love our neighbor as much as we love ourselves. We are to obey the Ten Commandments. We have a responsibility to practice good stewardship by tithing, by sharing our God given gifts with others and by taking good care of all that God has given us. And, finally, as good citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven, we are expected to be exemplary citizens of our nation. St. Peter tells us in 1 Peter 2: 13, 17, “Be subject to every human institution for the Lord's sake….Give honor to all, love the community, fear God, honor the king.”

Lord, mighty God,
you lead the world and all humanity
to their destiny in you.
Give to the leaders of the world and of our country
a vision of the future
that is both imaginative and realistic
and respectful of human rights and dignity.
Help us to bear witness in everyday life
to the values of the gospel
and to be involved in the work
of freedom, integrity and justice.
May we thus build up a community
that foreshadows our heavenly homeland.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

2011-10-04T10:42:00.002-04:00

In today’s gospel, Matthew 22: 1 – 14, we move out of the Lord’s vineyard into the King’s banquet hall. Here Jesus presents two parables, the Parable of the King’s Wedding Feast and the Parable of the Wedding Garment. He directs the parable of the King’s Wedding Feast to the chief priests and elders and the parable of the Wedding Garment to us.

Once again Jesus warns the chief priests and elders that they are about to be disinherited from the Kingdom of Heaven because they constantly refuse his invitation to join him at the feast. This is no ordinary feast. Isaiah describes it in the first reading (Is 25: 6 – 10a) as “a feast of rich food and choice wines, juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines.” There is more than food offered here. At this feast, God “will destroy death forever. The Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from every face.” This is the feast of salvation. Not only do the chief priests and elders refuse the invitation to attend the feast, they kill the King’s servants bearing the invitation. So, the King, in a fit of rage, “sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.” The Romans in fact, destroyed Jerusalem in A.D. 70.

The next part of this parable and the Parable of the Wedding Garment contain good news and bad news for us. The good news is that because the leaders of

Israel

rejected the invitation to join the Heavenly feast, God extends his invitation to all of us. Everyone is invited to God’s Heavenly feast. HOWEVER, God expects us to attend His feast properly attired. What is proper attire for the wedding feast? St. Paul tells us in Ephesians 4: 24 -28. We are expected to “put on the new self, created in God's way in righteousness and holiness of truth. Therefore, putting away falsehood, speak the truth, each one to his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun set on your anger, and do not leave room for the devil.” The wedding garment is our new life in Christ. It is the symbol of our conversion, our repentance and our acceptance of Jesus as our Lord and Savior. .

O good and gracious God,
you have invited all the peoples of the world

To the wedding feast of your Son

And offer them a feast beyond compare.
Open our community to all who seek you

The poor and the rich, the weak and the strong.
May we lead others to the banquet of eternal life
where all will be welcome.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.

AMEN.

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time

2011-09-26T17:53:00.001-04:00

Most of us have, at one time or another tried to do the right thing only to have it backfire on us. Like the landowner, whose vineyard we read about in today’s gospel from Matthew 21: 33- 43, we try and try only to suffer rejection, humiliation and sometimes hurt. What should we do? If we follow the advice of the chief priests and elders, we strike back with a vengeance. The only problem with vengeance is that it does not really heal our hurts and puts us on the same level with those who hurt us.

What does God do? God gives the workers in the vineyard (us) every opportunity to do the right thing. Although God is very patient, ultimately, the time of reckoning arrives and then God simply removes those of us who don’t follow his directions and gives the vineyard to people who will.

Why does the landowner put up with his rebellious tenants for such a long time? Why does God put up with us? God’s patience extends out of love: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him (Jn 3: 16-17).

In todays second reading from Philippians 4: 6 - 9, St. Paul, instructs us on how to respond to God's love and care. We should think about "whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise." Then, putting aside all the rejection, humiliation and hurt we have experienced, we can open our hearts to that “peace of God that surpasses all understanding” and "the God of peace will be with each and every one of us.

Lord God, our Father,
you ask of us today:
What more could I have done for you?
Teach and help us to respond with our whole being
to your daily forgiveness and patience,
to the riches of life brought us by Jesus,
to the prompting of the Holy Spirit,
that we may be a people that bears lasting fruits.
May we bring to all a justice animated by love,
may we learn to share as you do with us.
Show us your mercy through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time

2011-09-20T09:03:00.002-04:00

One of the greatest complements given to any person is that they are a person of integrity. The American Heritage Dictionary defines integrity as the “steadfast adherence to a strict moral or ethical code.” I like the Wikipedia definition, “integrity is consistency between one's actions, values, methods, measures and principles.” The opposite of integrity is hypocrisy.

In today’s gospel, Matthew 21: 28 – 32, Jesus presents the chief priests, scribes and elders of the temple with the story of a man and his two disappointing sons. Neither son is a person of integrity. The first son is rude and disrespectful to his father although in the end he does what the father asks. The second son politely lies and then ignores his father’s request. He is a hypocrite.

Jesus tells this story after his triumphant entry into Jerusalem and after he drove the money changers out of the temple. The chief priests, scribes and elders of the temple confront him, questioning his authority. St. Matthew tells us that “they were indignant” (Mt. 21: 15). Jesus in turn confronts them with their lack of faith and refusal to repent. They did not believe the message of John the Baptist nor do they believe the message of Jesus. The people who heard, believed and repented were the tax collectors and prostitutes; the notorious sinners. Like the first son in this story, they openly chose to live sinful lives, but changed their minds and changed their lives. And so the tax collectors and prostitutes are “are entering the kingdom of God” before the chief priests, scribes and elders.

Although the notorious sinners in this story do get into the Kingdom of God, they are not stellar examples for us as Christians. Our role model is Jesus. In today’s second reading from the 2^nd Chapter of Philippians, St. Paul tells us to “have in you the same attitude that is also in Christ Jesus.” We are to “Do everything without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation among whom you shine like lights in the world….”

O God,
you alone judge rightly
and search the depths of the heart.
Make us swift to do your will
and slow to judge our neighbor
that we may walk in the way of righteousness
with those who follow the way of repentance
and so enter your heavenly kingdom.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.

AMEN.

2011-09-13T21:35:00.000-04:00

I can't think of a parable more challenging to us today than the Parable of the Generous Vineyard Owner found in Matthew 20: 1 - 16a. It clashes with our human sense of justice. The landowner’s generosity to all his workers does not seem fair. Why should someone who has worked only one hour in the vineyard receive the same wages as the person who worked all day long? Where does this parable fit in with Catholic Social Teaching on the dignity of work and the rights of workers? Our Church teaches that "the basic rights of workers must be respected -- the right to productive work, to decent and fair wages, to organize and join unions, to private property and to economic initiative." Were the wages the generous vineyard owner offered to the workers decent and fair? How you answer this question may depend on which of the workers you associate yourself. If you identify yourself with the group of workers who labored all day, then you probably feel that the vineyard owner cheated the hard workers and by association you. HOWEVER, if you identify yourself with the group of late comers, you might feel that the vineyard owner was incredibly kind and generous.

Where we fit in the hierarchy of workers isn't really the focus of this parable. The Parable of the Generous Vineyard Owner is not about us. It is about God's abundant mercy, it is about God's unconditional love, and it is about God's generous forgiveness that God offers to every one of us over and over and over again. The Kingdom of God is not built on what is fair; the Kingdom is built on grace. We don't deserve it and we can't earn it. And most of us will never really understand it. Kingdom economics simply don't make sense in our secular world. In the first reading from Isaiah 55: 6 - 9, God, speaking through the Prophet tells us, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD. As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts."

God most high,
your ways are not our ways,
for your kindness is lavished equally upon all.
Open us more to the free gifts of your grace,
help us accept them with gratitude
and appreciate how liberally you give to others.
Turn our ways into your ways of love.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen

24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

2011-09-06T09:12:00.002-04:00

There are times when I am amazed at how our lectionary readings correspond to current events. Today is one such time. As I reflected on the readings for today, what struck me was how appropriate they are for our commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the

United States

. Many of us still respond to the events of that day with anger, bitterness, anguish and fury. For the people who actually witnessed the planes crashing into the twin towers, the Pentagon and the field in Pennsylvania, for those who lost family members, friends and colleagues, today must rekindle heartbreaking and painful memories. Yet in the midst of our sorrow and hurt, Jesus tells us in Matthew 18: 21 - 35 that we must forgive not once, not seven times but seventy-seven times. He reminds us that each of us must forgive from our hearts.

Some of you might say, now wait just a minute Fr. John, Jesus says I must forgive my brother not my enemy, not the people who attacked my country. That is true. In Matthew 18 Jesus says we must forgive our brother. But in Matthew 5: 43 - 45 Jesus says, "You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you. That you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust." Jesus goes on to say, "For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Matt. 5: 46 - 48).

None of us is perfect. It is highly unlikely that any of us will ever become as perfect as God our heavenly Father is perfect. However, we can strive to forgive. We can pray for our enemies. And if we try to imitate Jesus Christ, we can grow in love. In John 13: 34 - 35, Jesus tells us, "I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." So, as we begin this week commemorating the events of September 11, 2001, let us make it a week of prayer, repentance and forgiveness as we ask God our Father for the grace to grow in love.

O God, Most High,
you are slow to anger and rich in compassion.
Keep alive in us the memory of your mercy;
calm our anger and take away all our resentments.

Create in us a new heart,
formed in the image of your Son,
a heart strong enough to bear every wound
and gentle enough to forgive every offense,
so that the world may see
how your people love one another.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ,
your Son, who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.

AMEN

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

2011-08-30T10:12:00.000-04:00

Over the past few years, reality shows have dominated television in the United States. It appears that we, as a nation, are obsessed with other people's trials, tribulations, conflicts, suffering and very occasionally their joys. Few of us enjoy having our own faults, flaws, inadequacies or mistakes pointed out to us or to others. However, if we use TV ratings as our guide, clearly we enjoy watching the public humiliation of others. Public humiliation as entertainment is big business but it has no place in the kingdom of heaven.

In the Gospel this Sunday from Matthew 18: 15 - 20, Jesus provides some guidelines on how to deal with grievances tactfully, seeking reconciliation rather than punishment or retaliation. The object of this process is not to abuse, ridicule or humiliate our sisters and brothers in faith. Rather, the purpose is to bring them back into God’s loving community. In the Jerusalem Bible translation Jesus says “If your brother does something wrong, go and have it out with him alone, between your two selves.” If that does not work, “take one or two others along with you.” Then, if that does not work, take the issue “to the community” and let the community decide how to handle the situation.

Too often, we are quick to judge others without knowing all the facts or we condemn the person rather than condemning the action. Ultimately, it is God who judges all of us. In his book, God and the World: A Conversation with Peter Seewald, Pope Benedict XVI, commenting on Matthew 18 said, "we should always recall that we are going to be judged and that we will be judged according to the standards that we ourselves have applied. In this way, it exhorts us to use a true standard, to keep a limit, to have a proper respect of others. Thus, Jesus gives us an inner standard for making those judgments that are indispensible. It consists of always recognizing these final limits of what God reserves to himself"(p. 287).

Our challenge in reacting to grievances no matter how hurtful is to respond with love. St. Paul tells us in Romans 13:10, “Love can cause no harm to your neighbor, and so love is the fulfillment of the law.” And in Colossians 3: 12 – 14 St. Paul says, “Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do. And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection."

O God, whose Word is life,
grant us a bold and faithful spirit,
that we may proclaim your truth in love.

Grant us a new heart
so that we can become people
whose law is love for one another
and whose peace and reconciliation is Jesus
who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.

AMEN.

22 Sunday in Ordinary Time

2011-08-23T11:10:00.000-04:00

For the past several weeks, we have been talking about stewardship here at Holy Trinity Catholic Church. On August 28, 2011, we will ask each family in the parish to make their commitments of time, talent and treasure to help us build the kingdom of heaven here in Peachtree City, Georgia. Making such a commitment is a serious decision. It requires a lot of prayer and reflection. It requires us to consider honestly the special gifts God has given us and how we plan to use those gifts. In todays second reading, Romans 12: 1 - 2, St. Paul instructs the Christians of Roman and us, "Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect."

If we read further in Romans 12, St. Paul reminds all of us that "Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us exercise them:

If prophecy, in proportion to the faith;

If ministry, in ministering;

If one is a teacher, in teaching;

If one exhorts, in exhortation;

If one contributes, in generosity;

If one is over others, with diligence;

If one does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness (Romans 12: 6 - 8).

Exercising our gifts has a twofold benefit. It benefits us because by using our gifts, we increase them and by sharing our gifts, we enhance our community.

In today's gospel, Matthew 16: 21 - 27, Jesus reminds us that living the Christian life requires taking up our crosses, denying ourselves and following Him. These actions are not onerous duties; they are acts of love and freedom. When we choose to follow Jesus, when we free ourselves of our self-centeredness and when we share the burden of the crosses we carry, we are transformed into a community of holy people who are pleasing to God.

Our God and Father,
Today we bring you the perfect worship
of your Son Jesus Christ.
With him, we praise and thank you
by offering ourselves with him.
May this offering not be confined
to the fleeting moment of this Eucharist
but burst forth in our everyday lives
through our love of you
and our dedicated service of the people given us
to cherish and to share with what we are and have.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.

Amen.

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

2011-08-16T09:40:00.002-04:00

In our second reading today from Romans 11: 33 - 36, St. Paul asks his Roman readers and he asks us three rhetorical questions, "For who has known the mind of the Lord
or who has been his counselor? Or who has given the Lord anything that he may be repaid"? St. Paul goes on to remind us that, "For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be glory forever." None of us can ever know the mind of God. None of us can ever presume to counsel God. And none of us can ever repay God for all that God has given us because everything we have comes from God.

What we can do is work diligently to build the kingdom of heaven here in Peachtree City. We work to build the kingdom of heaven through the sacraments, liturgy, music, prayer, religious education, hospitality, acts of mercy and charity, love and respect for each other. We work to build the kingdom by sharing our resources so that others can join us in our efforts to assure that God's kingdom will come "on earth as it is in heaven"(Matt. 6:10). We can share our precious God given gifts, and by doing so welcome God in our hearts and minds, our homes, our community, our state, our country and our world.

As we continue our parish Stewardship Renewal, I ask you to prayerfully consider your role in Holy Trinity Parish and respond to the call to build the kingdom of heaven here in Peachtree City.

Generous God,

I give thanks to you for the gifts you have given me -my life, my family, my friends - time, talents, and material possessions.

All that I have comes from you. Help me to remember this and rejoice in your goodness.

Walk with me, my God.

Help me on my spiritual journey, so that I may constantly renew my relationship with you and all the good people in our parish, our local community, our state, our country and our world.

Renew in me your Spirit.

Give me the strength and courage to become a better follower of Jesus, to be a disciple. Help me hear the call to "Come, Follow Me."

I give glory to you, my God, as I make stewardship a way of life.

Amen.

20th Sunday in Ordinary Time

2011-08-10T08:51:00.000-04:00

Today I want to write about two women of great courage and faith, the Canaanite woman we read about in today's gospel from Matthew 15: 21 - 28 and our Blessed Mother who we honor on Monday, August 15 in the Solemnity of the Assumption. These two dramatically different women demonstrated an astounding courage that defied social mores, rigid class structures and intolerance. By their acts of faith, both women serve as prophetic role models for us. Their humble faith affirms that God's abundant mercy and love extends to "all people who join themselves to the LORD, ministering to him, Loving the name of the LORD, and becoming his servants..."(Isaiah 56: 6).

The woman in today's gospel was a Gentile and as a Canaanite, she was an ancestral enemy of the Jews. Observant Jews regarded Canaanites as idolaters and ritually unclean. Of course, being a woman didn't help matters. She had no business approaching Jesus about anything. But she did because she recognized that there was something extraordinary about Jesus. Her great love for her sick daughter gave her courage and compelled her to approach Jesus even when she knew he might reject her. Not only did Jesus reject her, he insulted her, calling her a dog. However, the power of her love, her quick wit, humility, persistence and great faith carried the day. Jesus responded to her plea and healed her daughter.

Our Blessed Mother presents another example of courage and faith that inspires and challenges us. On the Feast of the Assumption, we celebrate the faith of a woman who accepted the challenge God put before her. She is an example of what human life can achieve when touched by the grace of God. Like many mothers, she gave a child to the world while remaining unaware of the details of God’s plan. We should not think that because The Blessed Virgin Mary was free from sin her life was without struggles. She was subject to the same suffering, doubt and anguish that we all face. Like her son, she shared all our problems and difficulties showing us the value of patience amidst our own trials, by turning sorrow and trouble into hope and joy.

What God wills for Mary God wills for all of us. In sending his Son into our world and by making us his adopted sons and daughters God wanted to share the very best of Himself with us. Like our Blessed Mother, God calls each of us to welcome Jesus and to make room for him in our lives. She teaches us what it means to abandon ourselves completely to God’s will and to be fully at God's disposal. We are fortunate to call Mary our mother and to claim her as a model of faith to imitate to the best of our ability.

Lord our God,
you took Mary up into heaven
with her body as well as with her soul,
to share in the definitive triumph over death
of Jesus, your Son,
because on earth she humbly served your plans
as the first of those who believe.
Grant us her attitude
of trusting openness to your will,
that you may overcome evil and death in us
and lead us safely with Mary
into your everlasting joy.
We ask you this through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

19th Sunday in Ordinary Time

2011-08-02T10:52:00.000-04:00

God reveals himself to us in many different ways. Some people recognize God in nature; others find God in art or music. Some people find God through prayer, while others find God through scripture and sacrament. Occasionally God reveals his presence to us through our encounters with other people. Our faith teaches us that God is omnipresent. God always is with us. However, in the hustle and bustle of our lives, we often loose sight of God or we forget God is here. In today's readings from 1 Kings 19: 9a, 11 - 13a and Matthew 14: 22 - 33 we hear how Elijah, Peter and the disciples found God in moments of fear and crisis.

Elijah was on Mt. Horeb to escape the wrath of Queen Jezebel who wanted to kill him. He first escaped into the desert where he became so despondent that he cried out "this is enough, O LORD! Take my life..."(1 king 19: 4). An angel rescued him and sent him on his way. Elijah walked forty days and nights to Mt. Horeb where he hid in a cave. God called Elijah saying, "Go outside and stand on the mountain before the LORD; the LORD will be passing by." Elijah left the cave. But he did not find God in a burning bush like Moses did when he stood on the same mountain. He did not find God in “a strong and heavy wind,” or “crushing rocks,” or “an earthquake.” Elijah encountered God in “a tiny whispering sound.”

In today's gospel Peter and the disciples finally begin to recognize the divine nature of Jesus when they are caught in a violent storm while crossing the Sea of Galilee . In the midst of the storm, the disciples saw Jesus coming "toward them walking on the sea" and they were terrified. They were not afraid of the sea, after all many of them were experienced fisherman. They were afraid of Jesus; they thought he was a ghost. For a reality check, Peter said, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water” (Matt. 14: 28). Jesus said, “Come,” and Peter jumped into the water, had a moment of doubt, panicked and sank. Jesus rescued him, and pulled him in the boat. Then the wind died down and the sea became calm. The disciples were astounded and "did him homage, saying, 'Truly, you are the Son of God'" (Matt. 14: 33).

Where we find God is not important. What is important is that we find God, that we recognize God, that we acknowledge the presence of God in our lives and that we live our lives knowing that God is with us in every moment of every day. If we can live like this, we can fulfill our mission to build the Kingdom.

God our Father,
we believe in you, in your love and in your care.
But you know our faith is often tried
by doubt, uncertainty and fear.
Make our faith strong enough to believe
that your Son Jesus is with us always.

Give us the courage to come across the water with him

to commit ourselves to you and to others.

Even though we do not see his hand
reaching out to us and holding us,
give us enough trusting faith to be certain
that with him we shall overcome.
Build up your kingdom among us,
until Jesus leads us across to you,
our God for ever and ever.

Amen

2011-07-26T11:49:00.002-04:00

Today's first reading from Isaiah 55: 1 - 3 and the Gospel, Matthew 14: 13 - 21 are all about abundance. In the reading from Isaiah, we hear the prophet tell the exiled children of

Israel

that God has not failed or forgotten them. God invites all of them to a lavish, heavenly banquet. The only compensation God's seeks from them is to "heed me, and you shall eat well," and to "listen, that you may have life." In the gospel, we hear the wonderful story about the miracle of the loaves and fish. We all know this story by heart.

Thousands of people come to hear Jesus in a deserted place. When dinnertime comes around they get hungry but the only food the disciples can find is five loaves of bread and two fish. Jesus takes the bread and fish, blesses them, breaks the loaves and tells the disciples to distribute them among the people. The disciples do as Jesus instructs and they miraculously feed five thousand men and many more women and children. Even after feeding all these people, they have twelve wicker baskets of food left over.

Most of us who live in the

United States of America

are very familiar with abundance. We expect it. We assume that we always will have enough to eat. HOWEVER, many people in our world are starving. Just a week ago, the United Nations declared that there are 11.5 million people in dire need of food in the Horn of Africa. A state of famine exists in Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti and

Kenya

. The UN only declares famine when 20% of a population has fewer than 2,100 kilocalories of food a day, more than 30% of children experience acute malnutrition and there are 2 deaths per 10,000 people or 4 deaths per 10,000 children every day. Peachtree City has a population of 34,364. Imagine if thirteen children in Peachtree City died everyday from starvation. We would be outraged. We would demand action. We would do something about it. Approximately 4,600 children are dying every day in the Horn of Africa.

When the disciples approached Jesus and asked him to "dismiss the crowds so that they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves,” Jesus responded, "There is no need for them to go away; give them some food yourselves” (Matt. 14: 15 - 16). The disciples gave what they had and thousands were fed. Today, Jesus uses our hands to address issues of hunger and malnutrition in our world. Like the disciples, we may not know exactly what to do, but if each of us does our small part by sharing our resources with people in need, then we are participating in miracle making. According to the UN, "it costs an average US$0.50 to feed one person in the Horn of Africa for one day." So, for the cost of a Big Mac, $3.80 + tax, each of us could feed 8 people for one day in Africa.

If each person in the parish donated the cost of one Big Mac, we could feed 64,800 people. If you decide to donate funds for famine relief in the Horn of Africa, contact Catholic Relief Services at http://crs.org or UNICEF at www.unicefusa.org or Oxfam at http://www.oxfam.org/ or any other charity you know that is working on hunger issues in the world.

Loving God,
as a mother tenderly gathers her children
you nurture and nourish us,
feed us and heal us.
Let us, like the first disciples,
entrust what little we have
into the hands of Jesus,
knowing that, whenever we assemble,
he will take, bless, break
and give the bread of life for us
to share with others.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.

AMEN.

2011-07-19T23:22:00.000-04:00

This Sunday we hear the final three parables about the Kingdom of Heaven found in Matthew 13. In these parables, Jesus describes the Kingdom as a hidden treasure, a pearl of great price and a net full of fish. While these are simple stories, they pose serious and complex challenges. Jesus challenged the disciples and he challenges us to consider what value we place on the kingdom of heaven. He also poses an unasked question; what (how much) are we willing to sacrifice to gain access to the kingdom?

But first, we have to find the kingdom. Every time we pray The Lord's Prayer we ask "your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven" (Matt. 6: 10). We discover the kingdom when we fulfill the will of God for our lives. I can hear many of you saying, "Oh, Father John, how can we know the will of God for our lives"? King Solomon teaches us that lesson in our first reading from 1 Kings 3: 7 - 12. When God asked Solomon what he wanted, Solomon requested, "an understanding heart" and the capacity "to distinguish right from wrong." God responded by giving Solomon "a heart so wise and understanding that there has never been anyone like you up to now, and after you there will come no one to equal you." None of us can ever hope to have the wisdom and understanding of King Solomon, but we can strive to "distinguish right from wrong" and by doing so, we can make faithful choices that will bring us into the proximity of the kingdom.

In Matthew 6: 33 Jesus says, "seek first the kingdom (of God) and his righteousness ..." then everything will fall into place. Both the person who found the buried treasure and the merchant who found the pearl of great price recognized the value of their discoveries and each was willing to sacrifice everything (joyfully) to possess that treasure. Jesus is telling us that the Kingdom of Heaven is the greatest treasure we can possibly obtain.

This brings us to the parable of the fishing net. Like the parable of the wheat and weeds we heard last week, Jesus reminds us once again that sorting out good from evil is not our responsibility. As followers of Christ, and as members of the Church, it is our responsibility to gather as many fish as possible into our nets. It is up to God and only God to determine who is in the Kingdom and who is not. The good news is that God wants all of us to be in the Kingdom. As Jesus told his followers in Luke 12: 32 – 34, “your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your belongings and give alms. Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven that no thief can reach nor moth destroy. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.”

God of eternal wisdom,
you alone impart the gift of discernment.
Grant us an understanding heart,
so we may value wisely the treasure of your kingdom,
gladly reject all lesser gifts,
and accept with gratitude the ones you alone can give.
We make our prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.

AMEN.

2011-07-12T09:23:00.000-04:00

As I reflected on Sunday's gospel, Matthew 13: 24 - 43, I wondered what examples we might give from our everyday lives to describe the kingdom of heaven. Initially all I could think of was microwave popcorn. The kingdom of heaven is like a small package of microwave popcorn. When we purchase the package, it is filled with hard, inedible kernels. But when we put it in the microwave for three to four minutes, the electromagnetic waves transform the small package of kernels into a large bag of delicious, fragrant, soft puffs of corn ready to be consumed by several people. Somehow, I don't think this works as a good parable.

Then I wondered how an advertizing agency would put a spin on the kingdom of heaven. How would they sell it to us? I picked up the most recent edition of The Georgia Bulletin and looked at all the ads. None of the ads seemed to promote the kingdom but there were some very good articles about the Eucharistic Congress and there was a news brief from the Catholic News Service about the Vatican's new Twitter account. The Holy Father sent out a tweet that "went viral and within 24 hours http://twitter.com/news_va_en had more than 35,000 followers." That may be more people than Jesus preached to in his entire ministry here on earth. Can the kingdom of heaven be like a tweet that goes viral?

I realized as I pondered the tweet, that it is a good example of the kingdom as Jesus described it in Matthew 13, particularly in the Parable of the Mustard Seed. The good news of the kingdom had small beginnings. It began with Jesus and his 12 disciples. The number of disciples then grew to 72 and expanded and expanded. Today there are an estimated 2 - 3 billion Christians in the world! So, we can say the kingdom of heaven is like a 117 word tweet that had more than 35,000 followers in 24 hours. However, the real test of the kingdom is transformation. We should all pray that no matter how we receive the good news of the kingdom, it transforms our lives and that we in turn can transform the lives of others by the example of how we live and the words we speak or tweet.

With a love that is both powerful and patient, O God,
you sustain the growth of the good seed your Son has planted.

Let your word, like a mustard seed,
bear rich fruit within us,
and like a little yeast,
produce its effects throughout the whole church.
Thus may we dare to hope
that a new humanity will blossom and grow
to shine like the sun in your kingdom
when the Lord of the harvest returns
at the end of the age.
We ask this through out Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.

AMEN

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time

2011-07-05T15:48:00.002-04:00

In Ireland , story telling is an art form. For almost two thousand years, traditional storytellers called Seanchaí, passed on Irish history, culture and traditions to generation after generation of people. I come from a family of wonderful storytellers. Almost everything I know about my family history I learned from stories my mother and father told me. Even today, when I join my brothers and sisters at family gatherings we share stories as we pass our family history on to the next generation. Our stories evoke happy memories and sometime recall sad events. And when we share these stories, I can hear my mother's laugh and my father's brogue so clearly it is as if they are sitting with us in the room. Stories are powerful tools.

Jesus used stories, parables, to explain the kingdom of heaven. Beginning this Sunday and for the next two Sundays, we will hear Jesus tell several different parables describing the kingdom in common, everyday language using common, everyday images. Today we have the Parable of the Sower. Next Sunday we have the Parable of the Man Sowing Good Seed and the Parable of the Mustard Seed. And on July 24^th we will hear Jesus presenting the Kingdom of Heaven as a treasure hidden in a field, a pearl of great price and a fisherman’s net.

When the disciples asked Jesus why he spoke in parables, he answered, "Because knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted. ... they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand" (Matt. 13: 11, 13). Jesus was not trying to repress or hide the truth. He says, "Whoever has ears ought to hear" (Matt. 13: 9). However, many who did look and hear, particularly the orthodox leaders of the day, chose not to see or understand. They rejected Jesus and threw him out of the synagogues. So, Jesus took his message to the people. He preached wherever people gathered, in market places, town squares, by the sea, in the fields and in people's homes. He brought a message of hope, telling stories in language he knew they would understand with concrete examples from their daily lives: farming, fishing, commerce, cooking and relationships.

No matter what imagery he used, Jesus' message was consistent, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matt. 10: 7). The kingdom is here, present, now and it is open to you. Turn your lives around and follow me. For the disciples, the devout followers and those of us who did and do open our eyes to see, our ears to hear and our hearts to understand, Jesus offers a blessing: “blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear. Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it” (Matt.13: 16 -17). When our eyes, ears and hearts are open to understand Jesus' message, when we accept the message and when we incorporate that message into the way we live, Jesus becomes a living presence in our world.

God of the heavens,
God of the earth,
all creation awaits your gift of new life.
Prepare our hearts to receive the word of your Son,
that we may hear it, understand it,
and bear fruit a hundredfold.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.

AMEN.

Independence Day

2011-06-28T08:57:00.000-04:00

Two hundred thirty five years ago, fifty-six very brave men signed what we now call The Declaration of Independence. Facing an uncertain future, they persisted "with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence," and they mutually pledged "to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor." They sought freedom from "absolute tyranny," unreasonable taxation, military occupation, the obstruction of justice and "repeated injuries and usurpations." They believed that we are endowed by our Creator "with certain unalienable rights that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." They knew a better life was possible and they were willing to put their lives on the line to achieve their vision. Reflecting on the day he signed the Declaration, John Adams wrote to his wife, Abigail, "I am well aware of the toil and blood and treasure, that it will cost us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. Yet through all the gloom, I can see the rays of ravishing light and glory. I can see that the end is more than worth all the means. And that Posterity will triumph in that day's transaction, even although we should rue it, which I trust in God we shall not."
In today's first reading from Zechariah 9: 9 - 10, the Prophet declares a day of liberation for the people of Israel , the triumphant coming of the Messiah, the Prince of Peace. There is no gloom and the symbols of power are banished. This leader is unlike all others. He comes proclaiming "peace to the nations." He is a meek and just savior whose "dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth" (Zec. 9: 10).

We see the fulfillment of Zechariah's prophecy in Jesus who also offers us a vision of freedom. Jesus tells us in today's Gospel, Matthew 11: 25 - 30, that the freedom He provides is not for people who are "wise and the learned," but for those whose minds are open and accepting like little children. The freedom Jesus extends to us is not freedom from an oppressive government like that which John Adams and our other founding fathers sought, but freedom from the tyranny of sin, freedom from the burdens of everyday life, and, ultimately freedom from the fear of death. This freedom offered to us does come at a price, the price of obedience to God. In Psalm 119 we read, "I shall live in all freedom because I have sought your precepts. I shall speak of your instructions before kings and will not be shamed. Your commandments fill me with delight, I love them dearly. I stretch out my hands to your commandments that I love, and I ponder your judgments. Keep in mind your promise to your servant on which I have built my hope. It is my comfort in distress, that your promise gives me life" (vs. 45 - 50).

Gracious and loving God, let your Spirit be with us today.

Hear our prayers, and increase in us the will to follow your Son Jesus.

Help us to draw on the resources of our faith

As we use the opportunities of our democracy to shape a society

More respectful of the life, dignity, and rights of the human person,

Especially the poor and vulnerable.

We ask this through Jesus Christ, your Son,

Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

One God forever and ever.

Amen.

Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

2011-06-21T12:49:00.000-04:00

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. It is a day for us to reflect on how God is present to the Church today and how God continues to sustain and nourish us. In our first reading from the Book of Deuteronomy, Moses reminds the Children of Israel how God sustained them during the 40 years they wandered in the desert. Now, as they wait on the plains of Moab , preparing to cross the Jordan River and enter into the Promised Land, Moses wants them to remember the covenant God made with them so they don't become complacent. Once they cross the river, they no longer will need manna because God, is leading them "into a good country, a land with streams of water, with springs and fountains welling up in the hills and valleys, a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, of olive trees and of honey ..." (Dt. 8: 7 - 8). So Moses enjoins them to remember, "that not by bread alone does man live, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of the LORD" (Dt. 8: 3).

Thousands of years later, God made a new covenant with the world. St. John tells us in his Gospel "the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father's only Son, full of grace and truth" (John 1: 14). In today's gospel, John 6: 51 - 58, Jesus, the Word made flesh, told the children of Israel and he tells us "I am the 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." Unlike perishable manna, the bread Jesus offers, "endures for eternal life" (John 6: 27). The children of Israel ate manna "but they died" (John 6: 49). Those of us who eat the living bread offered by Jesus will not die because the Word made flesh sustains both spirit and life (John 6: 63).

Every time we receive Jesus in the Eucharist, we are infused with his Spirit and become one with him. Jesus says, "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him" (John 6: 56). Through the mystery of the Eucharist, in the elements of bread and wine, Jesus is a very real presence in our midst. When we receive Eucharist, Jesus dwells in us individually and communally. Our communion with Jesus Christ makes us a community, one body. St. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 10: 16 - 17, "The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because the loaf of bread is one, we, though many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf." We become the Body of Christ in our world. Let us all pray that the world can recognize the presence of Jesus in us as we strive to fulfill his mission.

Lord Jesus Christ,
you ask of us to be your body
for the life of the world.
Nourish us here with your word of life,
give us your body to eat
and your wine of joy to drink,
that we may become more like you
and learn from you how to live
not for ourselves only
but for God and for the people around us.
Make us of one mind and heart,
that the world may recognize
that you are alive in us.
Be our Lord, now and for ever.

Amen.

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

2011-06-14T09:31:00.000-04:00

Today we celebrate The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. Our belief in the doctrine of the Trinity is the most distinguishing characteristic of Christianity and of people who identify themselves as Christian (Christ centered people). It is the essence of our faith. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us “The mystery of the Most Holy Trinity is the central mystery of the Christian faith and of Christian life. God alone can make it known to us by revealing himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit” (CCC 261).

In today's first reading from Exodus, God the Father revealed Himself to Moses saying, "The LORD, the LORD, a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity" (Exodus 34:6). God our Father is the source of life. God our Father is generous. And God our Father is loving and compassionate. God promised Moses and all of us that "I will work such marvels as have never been wrought in any nation anywhere on earth, so that this people among whom you live may see how awe-inspiring are the deeds which I, the LORD, will do at your side" (Exodus 34: 10).

It is because of the loving and compassionate nature of God "that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life" (John 3: 16). God our Father loves us so much that He sacrificed Jesus so that "that the world might be saved through him" (John 3: 17). In the Letter to the Ephesians, St. Paul tells us that "In love," God our Father "destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, in accord with the favor of his will..."(Ephesians 1: 4 - 5). God our Father continues to shower us with his love by sending us the Holy Spirit to strengthen and sustain us. The Holy Spirit lives in us, guides us, enlightens us and "bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God" (Romans 8: 16).

As children of God, we are called to practice the same love God bestows on us. Just as God so generously pours love into our hearts, we are expected to pour our God given love out on others and in today's second reading from 2 Corinthians 13, St. Paul tells us how to do it. "Brothers and sisters, rejoice. Mend your ways, encourage one another, agree with one another, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the holy ones greet you. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you" (2 Cor.13: 11 - 13). By sharing God’s love, we are building God’s community here in Peachtree City and in the world. And finally, we are building God’s kingdom, a kingdom of love.

O God Most High,
in the waters of baptism
you made us your sons and daughters
in Christ, your only-begotten Son.
Deep within us is the cry of the Spirit,
who calls out to you, “Abba, Father.”
Grant that, obedient to our Savior’s commission,
we may become heralds of the salvation you offer
and go forth to make disciples of all people.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.

AMEN.

Pentecost Sunday

2011-06-07T09:09:00.000-04:00

This week we celebrate the great Feast of Pentecost when God the Father fulfilled the promise Jesus made to the disciples and sent them the Holy Spirit. According to St. Luke in the Acts of the Apostles, that first Pentecost was a spectacular event, “there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind” that “filled the entire house in which they were” (Acts 1: 2). And then “there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them” (Acts 1:3). When the Spirit filled the disciples they “began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim” (Acts 1: 4). This event marks the beginning of the Church.

God our Father sends the same Spirit that descended on the disciples to each of us. At our baptism we received the gift of the Holy Spirit marking us as members of the Body of Christ, the Church. And at our confirmation we were anointed again to perfect our “Baptismal grace” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1316). Although our baptisms and confirmations probably were not accompanied by driving winds and tongues of fire, the Holy Spirit was there. And each of us received special gifts to build the Body of Christ. St. Paul tells us in today’s second reading from 1 Corinthians 12, “There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there are different forms of service but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit” (4 – 7).

How we use God’s gifts of the Holy Spirit is entirely up to us. We can deny them. We can hoard them. Or we can use our gifts to help fulfill our mission to build of the Body of Christ.

In every generation, O God of Easter glory,
you send forth your Spirit
to breathe upon the world and make it come alive!
Fulfill the promise of these Fifty Days
with the abundant harvest of your Spirit's gifts.
May we, the community of believers in Christ,
adorned with various ministries and gifts,
be continually formed into one body
by the one Spirit which has been poured out on all of us.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ,
who sends us the Spirit of truth from you,
and who lives and reigns with you,
God for ever and ever.

AMEN.

7th Sunday of Easter

2011-05-31T11:54:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago, May 21, 2011 at 6:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time, Jesus was supposed to return, signifying the beginning of the end of the world according to Harold Camping. It didn’t happen. Now Mr. Camping tells us that the end of the world will occur on October 2, 2011. Please don’t quit your job in anticipation! Some people believe that the world will end on December 21, 2012 when the Mayan Calendar ends. Don’t count on it. I really do not understand the obsession with Armageddon and end of the world theories. What I do understand is that several times in the New Testament Jesus told the disciples and he tells us to be alert and prepared because “at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come"(Luke 12: 40). And in today’s first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, St. Luke repeats Jesus’ words, "It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has established by his own authority” (Acts 1: 7).

If we focus on the instructions Jesus gave to the disciples and to all of us Christians when he Ascended into Heaven, we would be so busy that there would be no time for us to to worry about the end of the world. Our job is not to speculate about the future, our job is to build the kingdom of heaven here and now, today in Peachtree City, Georgia. Our instructions are clear, “Go, therefore, and make disciple of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28: 19 – 20).

At the time of the Ascension, the disciples were not prepared to take on all the responsibility Jesus asked them to assume. They still had doubts. However, Jesus promised them that they would, “receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1: 8). Jesus promises us that same power when we receive the Holy Spirit. All we have to do is open our hearts to accept the gift of the Holy Spirit. In today’s second reading, Ephesians 1: 17 – 23, St. Paul prays, “May the eyes of (your) hearts be enlightened, that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call, what are the riches of glory in his inheritance among the holy ones, and what is the surpassing greatness of his power for us who believe, in accord with the exercise of his great might…”. All of us should pray this prayer in the coming week as we prepare ourselves to celebrate the Great Feast of Pentecost.

God of all creation,
whose mighty power raised Jesus from the dead,
be present to this community of disciples
who have been baptized into Christ's death and resurrection.
Strengthen us in the power of the Spirit
to go and make disciples of all nations,
to obey everything that Jesus has commanded us,
and to know that he is with us always
until the end of the age.
Grant this through Jesus Christ,
the first-born from the dead,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.

AMEN.

6th Sunday of Easter

2011-05-24T11:50:00.000-04:00

One of the great privileges of living in the United States is our guaranteed, First Amendment right of freedom of religion. The Amendment states "Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...." For most of us, freedom of religion is a privilege we take for granted. None of us will be arrested this weekend for attending mass. Our Hindu neighbors in Riverdale will not be harassed for attending services in their temple. Our Jewish neighbors freely can attend their Sabbath services in their synagogues. Our Moslem neighbors can worship in their mosques and our Buddhist neighbors can worship in their temples. Here in the United States we can and do exercise our right to worship however we wish wherever we wish.

For the early Christians, practicing their faith was not so easy. In our first reading from the Acts of the Apostles last week, we heard how the apostles selected seven people from among the faithful to be Deacons. Within days of his selection, the first deacon selected, St. Stephen, was martyred. St. Stephen's martyrdom began "a severe persecution of the church in Jerusalem , and all were scattered throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria , except the apostles" (Acts 8:1). Saul, a young Pharisee, continued the persecution, "entering house after house and dragging out men and women, he handed them over for imprisonment" (Acts 8: 3).

This is where our first reading today, Acts 8: 5 - 8, 14 - 17, begins. Philip, another deacon, escaped Jerusalem and went to Samaria proclaiming the Gospel and baptizing people "in the name of the Lord Jesus" (Acts 8: 16). The persecution did not stop. In today's second reading, 1 Peter 3: 15 - 18, we hear St. Peter telling the faithful and us how we should conduct ourselves in the face of persecution. We should "sanctify Christ as Lord in [our] hearts." We should "always be ready to give an explanation
to anyone who asks [us] for a reason for [our] hope..." We should respond with "gentleness and reverence" and we should keep our consciences clear.

Hope for the early Christians and hope for us comes from the assurance Jesus gave to his disciples before he suffered death on the cross, "I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you" (John 14: 18). Jesus promised to send all of us "another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth, which the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows it. But you know it, because it remains with you, and will be in you" (John 14: 16 - 17). Just as Jesus Christ our Lord suffered death and "was brought to life in the spirit," He offers new life in the Spirit to strengthen us in our faith as we follow The Way that leads us to salvation.

As we continue to celebrate the privileges we experience here in the United States of America on this Memorial Day weekend, let us remember all the men and women who sacrificed their lives so that we can be free. And, let us remember to pray for all people of faith who are experiencing persecution today in China , Nigeria , Indonesia , Vietnam , Iraq , Iran , India , Egypt , Pakistan and other countries throughout the world.

Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
your Son promised
not to leave us orphans.
Give us the Holy Spirit of Truth,
to be with us and to live in us,
that we may know where we are going
and that we may follow Jesus Christ
on his way to you.
May this Spirit kindle in us
a love of Jesus,
so that we can make the Good News of his love
visible and tangible to all.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

5th Sunday of Easter

2011-05-17T12:27:00.000-04:00

A number of years ago, I was invited to officiate at a wedding in Birmingham , Alabama . Because I did not know the Birmingham area very well and because I wanted to make sure I had plenty of time to get to the wedding, I arrived hours early. So I decided to explore. As I was driving around somewhat aimlessly, I drove by a church with a wonderful name, Living Stones Baptist Church . Wow, I thought that place must be vibrant. I wish I could drive by on a Sunday just to see what it is like. What the name Living Stones implied to me was a community of active, faith-filled people, "precious in the sight of God," joining together to build their spiritual house on the cornerstone of their faith in Jesus Christ. This, I thought, is a congregation building the Kingdom of Heaven in Birmingham .

Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Peachtree City , Georgia is built of living stones. Our church is so much more than mere bricks and mortar. In fact, if the bricks and mortar were to disappear tomorrow, Holy Trinity Church would still exist because we are the church, we are the living stones, not the building. Our relationships with one another make Holy Trinity a church. Our relationship with God makes Holy Trinity a Church. And our relationship with Jesus Christ, the cornerstone on which we have built our spiritual house, makes Holy Trinity a church. Yes, as St. Peter tells us in today's second reading, each one of us individually is "precious in the sight of God" (1 Peter 2: 4). However, individually we are not church. We become a church when we "let [ourselves] be built into a spiritual house to be a royal priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 2: 5).

Jesus told his disciples and he tells us "Again, (amen,) I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them" (Matthew 18: 19 - 20). As individuals, we cannot build the kingdom. But collectively we can build the kingdom and more. In today's gospel Jesus says,

"Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father" (John 14: 12). Jesus joined His Father in Heaven to prepare a place for us. He commissioned us to continue the work he began here. Sisters and Brothers, the only way we can successfully complete our mission to build the kingdom of heaven here in Peachtree City is by coming together as “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that [we] may announce the praises” of him who called [us] out of darkness into his wonderful light" (1 Peter 2: 9).

Heavenly Father,
in Christ, you have shown yourself to us,
for he is in you and you are in him.
Grant, that we, God’s living stones,
may be built into a spiritual house,
a royal priesthood,
a holy people,
the temple of your glory.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.

AMEN.

2011-05-13T16:45:00.001-04:00

This Sunday is the fourth Sunday of Easter, usually called Good Shepherd Sunday because the gospel always focuses on Jesus as a shepherd. It also is the 48^th World Day of Prayer for Vocations for which Pope Benedict XVI chose “Proposing Vocations in the Local Church” as the theme. In his Message of The Holy Father for the 48th World Day of Prayer for Vocations, Pope Benedict writes, “every moment in the life of the Church community – catechesis, formation meetings, liturgical prayer, pilgrimages – can be a precious opportunity for awakening in the People of God, and in particular in children and young people, a sense of belonging to the Church and of responsibility for answering the call to priesthood and to religious life by a free and informed decision.”

Every person has a vocation. By our baptism and confirmation each one of us is called to be a witness and to proclaim the good news of the Gospel. And no matter what vocation we pursue in this life, as Christians we should strive to fulfill the ideal Jesus established for us. Some of us may be called to be priests, deacons, or religious. Others are called to be married, single, parents or foster parents. We can be accountants, administrators, cleaners, electricians, engineers, farmers, hairdressers, homemakers, laborers, lawyers, military personnel, nurses, physicians, plumbers, police or fire officers, politicians, porters, sales people, secretaries, store managers or teachers. No matter how we earn our daily bread, each of us has our own special call. What is important is that we all work to the best of our abilities, and that we strive to be living examples of the love, forgiveness, mercy and compassion that Jesus Christ modeled for us as the Good Shepherd.

In his Epistle to the Colossians 3: 12 - 17, St. Paul gives us our Christian vocation description. “Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do. And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection. And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

Sisters and brothers, we should demonstrate these virtues in every facet of our lives; in our families, in our neighborhoods, in our parish and in our work places. Living this way assures that we will “have life and have it more abundantly” (John 10: 10).

God, our Father,
in Baptism You called us by name
making us members of Your people,
the Church.

We praise You for Your goodness;
We thank You for Your gifts.
We ask You to strengthen us
to live in love and service to others
after the example of Your Son, Jesus.

Father, look upon Your Church with love
and bless Your people
with generous single men and women,
with loving husbands and wives,
with understanding parents,
with trusting children
with dedicated priests, sisters,
deacons and brothers.

Help us to see our vocations
as a journey toward You.

You have called us,
not to set us apart,
but to bring us together
with others who need our love.

Make us faithful signs of Your
presence in their midst.

We ask You through Christ, our Lord.
Amen.

2011-05-06T16:04:00.000-04:00

St. Luke's story about two disciples and their encounter with the resurrected Christ on the road to Emmaus has to be one of the most heart warming and hopeful accounts in all scripture. The two disciples, Cleopas and a companion, turned their backs on Jerusalem that monumental first day of the week and walked seven miles to Emmaus debriefing each other as they went along. They were downcast, disappointed, full of sorrow and probably very confused. Even though some women in their group and a few of the disciples had visited the tomb and returned with stories about a missing body and a vision of angels "who announced that he was alive," no one had actually seen Jesus.

The hopeful part of the story is that Jesus sought them out. He joined them on their journey and he walked with them all the way to Emmaus. He interpreted scripture for them. And when they invited him to stay with them; he accepted their invitation and shared a meal with them. It was only after he blessed the bread and broke it that they recognized him. Then he disappeared. They returned to Jerusalem immediately to re-join their community and share their good news with the other disciples.

There are many lessons for us in this story. The most important lesson is that Jesus is always with us. Jesus seeks us even when we try to run away. He is with us in good times and bad times. He is with us on our important, life changing journeys and our everyday activities. We may not recognize him, but he is here. Jesus speaks to us through scripture and in prayer. Jesus is present when we gather as a congregation in worship, which is why we are called the Body of Christ. Jesus Christ is present in the Eucharist both through the priest in the act of consecration and in the bread and wine we eat and drink. We believe that the consecrated host really becomes the Body of Christ and the blessed wine really becomes the Blood of Christ. The risen Christ is very real and present here in Peachtree City, Georgia.

If we have experienced the loving presence of Jesus in our lives, if we have experienced “our hearts burning within us,” then we are obliged to share that experience with everyone we encounter on our journey. In his Apostolic Letter, Mane Nobiscum Domine (Stay with Us), Pope John Paul II wrote, “Once we have truly met the Risen One by partaking of his body and blood, we cannot keep to ourselves the joy we have experienced. The encounter with Christ constantly intensified and deepened in the Eucharist, issues in the Church and in every Christian an urgent summons to testimony and evangelization.” Having received Jesus through worship, word and Eucharist it is our responsibility to carry Him out into the world we live in, sharing the good news.

Sunday May 8, 2011 is Mother’s Day in the United States. Our mothers gave us the greatest gift any of us could receive – the gift of life. For many of us, our mothers introduced us to our faith and taught us the true meaning of unconditional love. Thank you mothers everywhere and God bless you always.

God our Creator, we pray:
for new mothers, coming to terms with new responsibility;
for expectant mothers, wondering and waiting;
for those who are tired, stressed or depressed;
for those who struggle to balance the tasks of work and family;
for those who are unable to feed their children due to poverty;
for those whose children have physical, mental or emotional disabilities;
for those who have children they do not want;
for those who raise children on their own;
for those who have lost a child;
for those who care for the children of others;
for those whose children have left home;
and for those whose desire to be a mother has not been fulfilled.
Bless all mothers, that their love may be deep and tender,
and that they may lead their children to know and do what is good,
living not for themselves alone, but for God and for others.
Amen.

2011-04-29T16:23:00.000-04:00

The Second Sunday of Easter is Divine Mercy Sunday. And this year on Divine Mercy Sunday, the whole church will celebrate the beatification of Pope John Paul II. It was on the Second Sunday of Easter, April 30, 2000, that Pope John Paul II canonized Sr. Maria Faustina Kowalska and declared that the Second Sunday of Easter, “from now on throughout the Church, will be called 'Divine Mercy Sunday'.” Pope John Paul II died on the Vigil of the Feast of Divine Mercy, April 2, 2005. His last message to us was read after his death on the Feast of the Divine Mercy, “As a gift to humanity, which sometimes seems bewildered and overwhelmed by the power of evil, selfishness, and fear, the Risen Lord offers His love that pardons, reconciles, and reopens hearts to love. It is love that converts hearts and gives peace. How much the world needs to understand and accept Divine Mercy!” This message of Divine Mercy was a consistent theme throughout the pontificate of John Paul II.

The message of Divine Mercy should be a great consolation to all of us. God revealed His overwhelming mercy and love for us in the Resurrection of his Son, Jesus. As St. Peter tells us in today’s second reading. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you…” (1 Peter 1: 3 – 4).

This special feast reminds us to trust in God’s merciful love constantly. In the midst of our dark moments, in the midst of our doubts and fears, the mercy and love of God is there for us. God’s merciful love is faithful and enduring. None of us can actually see love or touch love but we all can feel the power of love in our lives. God our Father revealed His love for us through the sacrifice of His beloved Son, Jesus. God our Father poured out His love on us through the gift of the Holy Spirit. God our Father bestows His love on us through the sacraments. When we experience the total forgiveness of our sins through the sacrament of reconciliation and when we receive the body and blood of Christ in the Eucharist our doubts and fears, our hurts and sorrows are transformed into healing and peace that we can extend to others. In this way we can transform our world.

God, merciful Father,
in your Son, Jesus Christ, you have revealed your love
and poured it out upon us in the Holy Spirit, the Comforter,
We entrust to you today the destiny of the world and of every man and woman.
Bend down to us sinners,
heal our weakness,
conquer all evil,
and grant that all the peoples of the earth
may experience your mercy.
In You, the Triune God,
may they ever find the source of hope.

Eternal Father,
by the Passion and Resurrection of your Son,
have mercy on us and upon the whole world!

Pope John Paul II

2011-04-22T14:35:00.000-04:00

Alleluia! Alleluia! Jesus Christ our Lord is risen! Alleluia!

Fear is not an emotion we usually associate with Easter. Yet St. Matthew tells us that when Mary Magdalene and the other Mary (possibly the mother of James and Joseph)

encountered an angel at the tomb of Jesus and later on when they encountered the risen Jesus both the angel and Jesus said to them "Do not be afraid." For the disciples and the followers of Jesus that first Easter must have been terrifying. Just a few days earlier, they witnessed the brutal execution of their friend and teacher, Jesus. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary watched as Joseph of Arimathea placed the body of Jesus in the tomb and then they " remained sitting there, facing the tomb" (Matt. 27: 61). Imagine their distress when, after the Sabbath, they returned to the tomb and found it empty! Imagine their shock when they met the risen Jesus on their way back to Jerusalem. Then imagine their joy and elation when he greeted them and they recognized him. St. Matthew says, "They approached, embraced his feet, and did him homage" (Matt. 28:9).

On reflection, Mary Magdalene probably did have some real anxieties. Jesus commissioned her to be the first post Resurrection evangelist. She was the first person to see the risen Christ. She was the first person to talk to and touch the risen Christ. Once again, Our Lord selected a most unlikely person to carry the good news to the world. Not only was she a woman, she was a sinful woman with a bad reputation. Yet she was the one He chose to deliver the message. St. Luke tells us that when Mary and the other women did tell the apostles what they had seen, "their story seemed like nonsense and they [the apostles] did not believe them" (Luke 24: 11). It was only after Peter, John and the other apostles saw Jesus, talked to Jesus and ate with Jesus that they could finally believe that he truly had been raised from the dead. And after they received the gift of the Holy Spirit they too became " witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem" (Acts 10: 39).

We experience the joy and elation of Easter because Mary Magdalene overcame her fear and told her story. We experience the joy of Easter because the apostles finally did put aside their doubts and came to believe in the Resurrection. As Christians, we believe that, “just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life” (Romans 6: 4). This is GOOD NEWS! God, our Father, has “delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Col. 1: 13 – 14). Like Mary Magdalene, Peter, John and all the other disciples we are commissioned to tell this story. This is the day we are called upon to declare the wondrous works of God. This is the day we should put aside our fears and our anxieties and boldly proclaim to the world, Alleluia! Alleluia! Jesus Christ our Lord is risen! Alleluia!

God of undying life,
by your mighty hand
you raised up Jesus from the grave
and appointed him judge of the living and the dead.
Confer on all the baptized
the power flowing from his resurrection,
that we may proclaim near and far
the pardon and peace you give us.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ,
first-born from the dead,
who lives with you now and always
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.

AMEN.

Palm Sunday

2011-04-15T09:36:00.000-04:00

Today’s liturgical celebration is called Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion. With this liturgy we begin our recounting of the most monumental events in human history, the crucifixion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. For the past five weeks we followed Jesus on his journey towards Jerusalem . Today we join the crowds who spread their cloaks on the road and strewed cut branches before Jesus as he entered the city. We wave our palm branches and sing “Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is the he who comes in the name of the Lord; hosanna in the highest” (Matt. 21: 9).

The tone of our celebration changes as we enter into the Liturgy of the Word. Hearing from St. Matthew once again, we listen to the betrayal and abandonment of Jesus by his disciples and followers. We observe Judas agreeing to hand Jesus over to the chief priests for thirty pieces of silver. Then we follow Jesus from the Passover table to Gethsemane, from Gethsemane to Caiaphas the high priest, from Caiaphas to Pilate and from Pilate to Golgotha . The adoring crowd is gone now, replaced by an angry mob shouting, “Let him be crucified!” And we join the mob shouting, “Let him be crucified!”

Although he was surrounded by people, Jesus was very much alone. His friends failed him, one disciple betrayed him, another disciple denied him and the adoring crowd turned on him. The chief priests, scribes and elders spat on him and slapped him. The Roman soldiers mocked and struck him. The crowed reviled him. His disciples abandoned him. Jesus endured all this humiliation, pain and suffering in obedience to his father and out of his unconditional love for us. Many of us have had our faith shaken by events, circumstances or the cruel and unfair actions of other people. In moments of agony and despair many of us have cried out “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matt. 27: 46).

During this Holy Week we all have an opportunity to unite our hearts, our suffering, our pain and our sadness with that of Jesus. We can gather with our community of faith to renew our commitment to service in the washing of feet and celebrate the last supper on Holy Thursday. We can walk with Jesus towards his crucifixion and death by participating in the Station of the Cross and the Good Friday Liturgy. Finally, we can celebrate the glorious resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ on Easter Sunday, renewing our baptismal promises, restoring our faith and rekindling our spirits of hope and joy.

Lord God,
as we enter this Holy Week,
let the same mind be in us that was in Christ Jesus.
Empty us of our pride and selfishness;
draw us close to his cross,
that as we celebrate his passion and resurrection,
our lives may become models of self-sacrificing love.
We ask this through Christ, our liberator from sin,
who lives with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.

AMEN.

5th Sunday of Lent

2011-04-08T14:03:00.000-04:00

Today's gospel, John 11: 1 - 45, is one of the most striking passages in all scripture. St. John's story about Jesus raising Lazarus demonstrates Jesus power over death. It sets the stage for Jesus' own death and resurrection. And it offers all of us who believe in Jesus the consolation that even when we die, our spirits will live forever.

Like the stories about the woman at the well and the man born blind, this encounter between Jesus and Lazarus was a transforming moment for Lazarus, for the disciples, and for many people who witnessed the miracle. Jesus told the disciples as they prepared to go to Bethany, "Lazarus has died. And I am glad for you that I was not there, that you may believe. Let us go to him" (John 1: 14 - 15). As I reflected on this story, it occurred to me that we have no idea how Lazarus felt about being brought back to life. He never said a word that was recorded. But the miracle clearly had a profound impact on other people. St. John tells us that “many of the Jews who had come to Mary and seen what he had done began to believe in [Jesus]” (John 11: 45). In fact, Lazarus became almost as much of a celebrity as Jesus. Large crowds gathered “not only because of Jesus, but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead” (John 12: 9). And Lazarus became as much of a threat to the Pharisees as Jesus so “the chief priests plotted to kill Lazarus too, because many of the Jews were turning away and believing in Jesus because of him” (John 12: 10 -11).

Although most of the attention in this story is on Lazarus, it is the interaction between Jesus and Martha that is the challenge for us. Jesus said to Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die” (John 11: 25 – 26). He then asked, “Do you believe this?" Martha’s answer was confident and strong, “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world” (John 11: 27). Just as Jesus directed this question to Martha, he directs the question to all of us. “Do you believe this”? Do you believe that I AM the resurrection and the life? For the disciples and many others, faith came as they witnessed the miracle of Lazarus or they experienced the miracle of sight, or of healing. For us belief in the Resurrection is an act of absolute faith. It transcends time, history and the limitations of our physical world and our physical selves. It is the great mystery of Christianity.

As we complete the final days of Lent and prepare ourselves to enter into Holy Week, Let us join with Martha and the Communion of Saints declaring, “Yes, Lord, I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.”

Merciful God,
you showed your glory to us all
by sending your Son
to conquer the powers of death
and call us forth into life.
Break the bonds which bind us,
that we may believe and proclaim Christ,
the source of life,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.

AMEN

4th Sunday of Lent

2011-03-31T10:18:00.000-04:00

In today’s gospel from John 9: 1 – 41, we have another story about healing and conversion. The action focuses on a man blind from birth who, after an encounter with Jesus, can see. Like the Samaritan woman at the well, the blind man was an unlikely candidate for a meaningful role in his society. Until he met Jesus, all he could do was "sit and beg." Only Jesus saw the potential for “the works of God” to “be made visible through him.”

The drama of this story occurs after the healing miracle takes place. Unlike the experience of the Samaritan woman at the well, whose town welcomed Jesus based on her testimony, the healed man becomes more of an outcast than he was before he met Jesus and received the gift of sight. His neighbors do not believe him (they did not even recognize him); his parents abandoned him because they were afraid and the Pharisees threw him out of the synagogue because he recognized and acknowledged Jesus as a prophet. In a series of dramatic confrontations with the Pharisees, the man becomes more and more enlightened about the truth of who Jesus is while the Pharisees become more and more entrenched in their blindness to the truth. The irony of this situation is not lost on Jesus who observes, “I came into this world for judgment, so that those who do not see might see, and those who do see might become blind.”

Before he healed the man blind from birth, Jesus told the disciples "While I am in the world, I am the light of the world" (John 9: 5). Today Jesus is a very real presence in our world. And those of us who follow Jesus are challenged to be "the light of [our] world" (Matt. 5: 14). St. Paul tells us in today's Second Reading "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light, for light produces every kind of goodness and righteousness and truth" (Ephesians 5: 8 - 9). Although most of us cannot restore sight to those who are blind, anyone who encounters us should recognize the light of Christ shining through us and hopefully, we will not be blind to the light of Christ shining through them.

O God,
the author and source of all light,
you gaze into the depths of our hearts.
Do not permit the powers of darkness to hold us captive

but touch our eyes and open them to our failures and sins.
Touch our ears and open them to the cries of the poor and the lonely.

Touch our hearts and open them to your love and trust.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
holy and life-giving God for ever and ever.

AMEN.

3rd Sunday of Lent

2011-03-24T08:49:00.000-04:00

On the first Sunday of Lent, we followed Jesus into the desert so we could confront our weaknesses, identify and then turn away from the things that separate us from God (selfishness, greed, materialism, desire for power) and rebuild our relationship with God. Last Sunday, the second Sunday of Lent, we followed Jesus up a mountain with Peter, James and John. There on the mountaintop we witnessed his transfiguration and glorification. We prayed that the light of His transfigured face might shine on us so that we could become transforming lights to one another. Then we followed Jesus down the mountain back into our world where he continued his ministry. Today and for the next two Sundays, we leave the Gospel of Matthew and move to St. John's Gospel where we witness three encounters between Jesus and people whose lives he transformed by the light of his presence and the truth of his word, a Samaritan woman, a man blind from birth and Lazarus.

St. John’s description of Jesus’ meeting with the Samaritan woman at the well of Jacob is one of the greatest stories of conversion and evangelization in all of scripture. Like most of the people Jesus ministered to, the Samaritan woman was a dubious candidate. She was a Samaritan, a people despised by the Jews. She was a woman, rabbis and observant Jewish men were to avoid speaking to or even looking at women in public. And her morals were questionable, making her an outcast among outcasts. Yet Jesus reached out to her with mercy and love, challenged her and turned her life around. She, in turn, was so astounded that she wanted to share her amazing experience with all the people in her town. On the strength of her personal testimony, “Many of the Samaritans of that town began to believe in him.” This woman became one of the first evangelists. In his Apostolic Exhortation, Evangelii Nuntiandi, Pope Paul VI said, “the sure sign that a person has been evangelized is that they in turn become evangelizers: This is exactly what happened in the case of the Samaritan woman.”

The mercy and love Jesus offered to the Samaritan woman, he offers to us. Jesus invites us to drink the water that will become in us "a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4: 14). He invites us to eat the food of faith, food that enables us "to do the will of the one who sent me and to finish his work"(John 4: 34). Then, Jesus, the Messiah, who lives in us and through us actually expects us "to finish his work" here in Peachtree City. Like the Samaritan woman, we are called to be evangelizers. We are called to share the mercy and love offered to us to others so together we can build the kingdom right here.

Creative and forgiving Father
you let people experience your mercy
when they encounter your Son, Jesus Christ.
Let Jesus, your living Word,
speak to us from heart to heart.
Give us an unquenchable thirst
for the things that matter:
for faith and for meaning in our lives,
for hope in a better world
filled with your justice and peace,
for a spirit of committed love
that knows how to share itself.
Generously give us all these things
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

2nd Sunday of Lent

2011-03-17T10:26:00.001-04:00

Every year on the second Sunday of Lent, our Gospel recounts the story of the Transfiguration. Jesus takes Peter, James and John up on a mountain where he is "transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light" (Matthew 17: 2). Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appear and have a conversation with Jesus. Then a bright cloud materializes casting a shadow over them. From the cloud, Jesus and the disciples hear a voice saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him" (Matt. 17: 5). The disciples, overcome by fear, fall prostrate on the ground. Jesus reassures them and when they look up, everything seems to be normal. In the midst of this mysterious, luminous splendor, Peter anxious to prolong the experience offers to make three tents for Jesus, Moses and Elijah. But his offer is unrealistic because Jesus could not stay on the mountain.

Most Christians I know yearn for transforming mountaintop experiences. Like Moses, Elijah, Peter, James and John we long to see God face to face. We want to hear God's voice. We want to be near Jesus and experience the serenity of His presence. And like Peter, we want the experience to last forever. Sadly, for most of us, mountaintop experiences are fleeting. They are glorious moments that seem to evaporate as we descend the mountain. Just as Moses, Elijah and Jesus could not stay on the mountaintop forever; neither can we. Jesus' mission was not to sit on the mountain like a wise sage imparting wisdom to those who climbed up to see him. Jesus had to come down to live among, teach and heal the people who ultimately would crucify him. That is how he secured our salvation.

It is important for us to go to the mountaintop, to stop, to pray, to seek God's face and to hear God's voice. However, we must remember that mountaintop experiences are not an end. We go to the mountain seeking our own transfiguration so that we can return to our daily lives and be a transforming presence to others. We go to the mountaintop to draw strength from God so that we can accompany Jesus and all our suffering sisters and brothers on the Way of the Cross.

Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
it is wonderful for us to be here
in the presence of your beloved Son.
Let his radiant face give us light and peace.
May the light of his transfigured face
shine on all of us and give us courage,
that we too may become lights to one another,
until we may enter your everlasting light.
We ask you this through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

First Sunday of Lent

2011-03-10T09:08:00.000-05:00

For many of us the 40 days of Lent take on all the characteristics of preparation for an Olympic marathon. We approach Lent with motivation and gusto, ready to embrace the strict discipline required to finish the race to Easter Sunday. We strengthen our will power and determination by giving things up and fasting. Some of us build our spiritual stamina by attending daily mass. Others set spiritual goals - I will pray more and read scripture everyday; I will go to confession and perform works of charity every week. Lent is a time for us to sharpen our spiritual skills and develop some good Christian habits and routines. But Lent is so much more than simply developing good Christian routines.

The 40 days of Lent provide us with time and space for spiritual growth and development. Lent is not a race. It is a retreat in the midst of life. Lent invites us to slow down, to evaluate our relationship with God, to identify and then turn away from the things that separate us from God (selfishness, greed, materialism, desire for power) and to rebuild our relationship with God.

During Lent, Jesus invites us to go into the dessert with him to confront our human weakness. Through our prayer, fasting and acts of charity, God our Father offers us the grace to make Jesus the center of our lives, to overcome the power of temptation and sin, and to assure our proper place in the kingdom of heaven.

God our Father,
in the desert your Son Jesus struggled forty days
with the demands of his mission,
and he overcame all temptations.
In these forty days of Lent
convert us; turn our hearts
to the peace of your forgiveness,
the light of your love,
your concern for people.
Let us find the life and the joy
which Jesus brings us,
and dispose us to share it with others.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.

Amen.

9th Week in Ordinary Time

2011-03-03T10:09:00.000-05:00

In today's first reading from Deuteronomy, we hear Moses instructing the
children of Israel not only to keep the Lord's statutes, laws and commandments
but also to "Take these words of mine into your heart and soul. Bind them at
your wrist as a sign, and let them be a pendant on your forehead" (Deut. 11:
18). Taking these instructions literally, Jewish men began the practice of
wearing four passages from the Torah on their foreheads and arms during daily
prayers and for the very devout all day long. The passages, written on special
parchment, are placed in two capsules called phylacteries or tefillin. Tied to
the wearer's forehead and arm, phylacteries remind them to keep the words of
Yahweh before their eyes, in their hearts and in their minds at all times.

Jumping ahead several thousand years, Jesus tells his disciples and he tells us
that merely keeping the Lord's statutes, laws and commandments is not enough to
get us into the kingdom of heaven. Taking the word of God into our hearts and
souls is a good first step. But that won't get us into the kingdom either. In
order to get into the kingdom of heaven Jesus tells us we must do "the will of
my Father in heaven" (Matt. 7: 21). We must "act on" His words.

Today is the 9th Sunday of ordinary time and the last Sunday before Lent begins
on Wednesday. Now is a good time to begin our preparation for Lent. Although
we don't wear phylacteries to help us keep the word of God in our hearts and
souls, on Ash Wednesday we do wear a cross of ashes on our foreheads announcing
to the world that we belong to Christ. Our cross of ashes reminds us that we
are to "turn away from sin and be faithful to the gospel." So these days before
Ash Wednesday are the perfect time for us to consider how we will put the words
we hear in today's gospel into action. What are you going to do for Lent 2011?
When your cross of ashes has washed away, how will you demonstrate to the world
that you belong to Jesus Christ?

                                                God of justice,
                                          rock of our salvation,
                             open our minds and hearts to Jesus your Son.
                                      Let us hold fast to his words
                                      and express them in deeds,
                             that our faith may be built on a sure foundation
                                      and our lives be judged worthy of you.
                             We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
                      who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
                                          God for ever and ever.
                                                      AMEN.

8th Sunday in Ordinary Time

2011-02-25T09:46:00.002-05:00

Anyone who follows the news on television, radio or the newspapers probably agrees with Jesus that "Sufficient for a day is its own evil” (Matthew 6: 34). The media bombards us with bad news every day. Occasionally some good news creeps in. However, it usually is short-lived and gets lost in the morass of bad news. Our society is obsessed with our faltering economy, war, disasters, tragedy, murder and mayhem. This barrage of negative information can overwhelm us. It is not surprising

that we are depressed, anxious and worried people.

Cutting through all this bad news, we hear the enduring good news of today’s Gospel from Matthew 6: 24 – 35. Jesus told his disciples and he tells us, “do not worry.” He asks, “Why are you anxious”? Where is your faith? Unlike Bobby McFerrin, Jesus is not saying, “Don’t worry be happy.” He says worrying does not help, and he asks, “Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span?” (Matt. 6: 27).

The remedy Jesus proposes to free us from worry is, “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness” (Matt. 6: 33). If we focus on the good news of the kingdom that God will never forget us and that God loves us unconditionally, we have nothing to fear. In 1 John 4: 16 we are assured that, “God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him.” St. John goes on to remind us that, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear” (1 John 4: 18).

Heavenly Father,
you clothe the lilies of the field in splendor,
you know all that we need,
and your providential love embraces all your creatures.
Sustain us with the power of your Spirit,
so that in the midst of each day’s anxieties and troubles,
we do not succumb to worry.
Help us be your trustworthy stewards
who seek first your kingdom and its righteousness.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.

AMEN.

7th Sunday in Ordinary Time

2011-02-16T08:49:00.000-05:00

Today’s gospel, Matthew 5: 38 – 48, is the conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount. In these ten verses, Jesus gives us the ultimate challenge for Christian living. These are the standards we must meet to fulfill our obligations in the Kingdom of Heaven . Jesus tells us we must:

· offer no resistance to evil people

· turn the other cheek

· If someone wants your shirt, give them your coat as well

· go the second mile

· give your money away to anyone who asks for it

· love your enemies

· pray for the people who hurt you

· finally, be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.

I don’t know about you, but I know that I am far from achieving this level of perfection. Here is the good news; the perfection Jesus is talking about is not what we usually understand as perfect (without flaw). Scripture scholars tell us that the word St. Matthew used here was telos, a Greek term that means mature, fully-grown or adult. It can also mean reaching the end, achieving a goal, a purpose or complete.

God does not expect us to be flawless. God does expect us to strive for completeness, for holiness, for spiritual maturity in the Kingdom. In his collection of essays, What’s Wrong with the World (1910), G. K Chesterton wrote, “The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried.” Our challenge is to try, not once or twice and then give up. We should wake up every morning with the intention to live the Christian ideal. And if we fail, we should pray that God will give us the opportunity to try again.

Compassionate God and Father,
in Jesus, your Son,
broken and humiliated on the cross,
you revealed, the unconquerable power of love.
Open our hearts to the gift of your spirit,
and break the chains of violence and hatred within us,
so that, free to love even our enemies,
we may share in the triumph of good over evil
and bear witness to the gospel of peace

with our very lives.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.

AMEN.

6th Sunday in Ordinary Time

2011-02-08T09:46:00.001-05:00

A television show I enjoy watching is Law & Order. I like the old programs from the 1990's, especially the ones with Jerry Orbach playing the role of Detective Lennie Briscoe. Although NBC cancelled the show last year, it still runs in syndication. What I appreciate about Law & Order is its realistic portrayal of the struggles people in the criminal justice system experience every day. What is clear in these programs is that law is an organic and constantly changing entity. The good guys don't always win, the defense and prosecution teams often must compromise, juries are unpredictable, and interpretation of the law is a challenge. The biggest struggles appear to be between human intent and the spirit of the law. An issue that often seems to hang in the balance besides guilt or innocence is that of compassion and mercy.

The kingdom of heaven has laws too. They are the Ten Commandments and the Laws of Moses found in the first five books of the Old Testament. The kingdom of heaven also has traditions that infuse all scripture. In today's gospel, Matthew 5: 17 - 37, Jesus tells his disciples and he tells us that he came to fulfill the law and the words of the prophets. He proposes a new order, a new way of looking at the world built on what came before. His fulfillment of the law sets a new standard.

In the kingdom of heaven, it is not good enough for us to observe the letter of the law like the scribes and Pharisees. Jesus asks us to embrace the Spirit of the law, to look beyond the actual words and internalize the values that underpin the law. The law says, “you shall not kill.” Jesus says control your anger, the emotion that often causes killing. Do not demean other people by calling them fool or imbecile. Do not let anger and hatred destroy your relationships. If we carry hatred in our hearts, we exclude ourselves from the kingdom as we read in 1 John 3: 15, “Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him.” Seek reconciliation with your brothers and sisters. And finally, remember that in the end we must be ready to undergo the scrutiny of the Spirit of God as St. Paul tells us in our 2^nd reading today, “For the Spirit scrutinizes everything, even the depths of God”(1 Corinthians 2: 10).

Lord God, loving father,

In your Son Jesus, you have shown us

How we should seek and fulfill your loving will.

Help us respond to your love

From the depths of our hearts

and to be faithful to you in all that we do.

Reconcile us to one another.

Make us respectful of one another\and attentive to the needs of people,

even when they remain indifferent and thankless.

Show us the way to bring your love and mercy to our world.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen

5th Sunday in Ordinary Time

2011-02-02T08:39:00.000-05:00

In addition to being the 5^th Sunday of our liturgical year, today is Super Bowl Sunday. Most everyone I know is planning some activity around watching the Super Bowl tonight. There will be parties and barbeques (if it isn’t too cold). I imagine some people even went out and bought new TV’s for the event – I know the TV manufacturers encouraged it. What I like best about the Super Bowl are the commercials. I don’t know much about American football, but I know a good ad when I see one. I suppose at 3 million dollars for 30 seconds, advisors should produce something worth watching. So for several magic hours we will be inundated with car, tire, clothing, beer and flower commercials. They will imply that we will be cool, smart, bold, safe or lovable with their particular products. None of these ads will encourage us to be better people, good examples for others, merciful, just, gracious or steadfast. What a pity.

Unlike the hype of the Super Bowl, our scripture readings today encourage us to reach beyond the glitz and glamour of our secular world, and be salt of the earth and light of the world. How ordinary! Salt is so common and yet so essential. Today as in the time of Jesus salt is used for flavoring, preserving and healing. We take light for granted however, without light nothing would grow and our world would perish.

In today’s first reading, Isaiah 58: 7 – 10, the prophet tells us how to become salt and light for our world. “Share your bread with the hungry, shelter the oppressed and the homeless; clothe the naked when you see them, and do not turn your back on your own. Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
and your wound shall quickly be healed; your vindication shall go before you, and the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.” This is a huge responsibility. Let our prayer today ask Jesus to kindle His light in us so that our light will rise in the darkness.

O God of justice,
you have called your Church
to be the salt of the earth
and the light for the world.
Let the light of your own justice
shine in our lives,
that all may see our good works
and give you the praise and the glory.
We make our prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.

AMEN.

4th Sunday in Ordinary Time

2011-01-26T10:16:00.000-05:00

I do a lot of driving around Henry County and the surrounding areas. While driving, I usually listen to music on the radio. A few days ago, however, I happened on an intriguing interview that captured my imagination and put a stop to my station surfing. Terry Gross, a program host on National Public Radio, was interviewing Brian Greene a popular theoretical physicist who is well known for his work on string theory. The interview focused on Greene's most recent book, The Hidden Reality: Parallel Universes and the Deep Laws of the Cosmos. In this book, Greene suggests that our universe may be one of many parallel universes in a gigantic multiverse. Perhaps there are many multiverses as well. I don't know. My mind gets boggled thinking about it. I will never fully grasp string theory or quantum mechanics or the Theory of Relativity. So, rather than stay boggled, I put the interview aside and got on with all the things I needed to do.

As I reflected on today's gospel, Matthew 5: 1 - 12a, the Beatitudes, the idea of parallel universes came back to me. The Beatitudes challenge our way of thinking. They present a different set of values. They turn everything upside down. In our success driven and money-oriented world, the Beatitudes don't make much sense. How can people who are poor in spirit, meek, and persecuted be happy? For many people, Jesus could be talking about the Theory of Relativity or parallel universes. In fact, some people do consider the Kingdom of Heaven as some kind of future, pie-in-the sky, other world.

The Beatitudes call us to holiness today, now, here in McDonough , Georgia . As Christians, we are citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven and it is our responsibility to make the Kingdom of Heaven real and tangible here and now. Blessedness, true happiness comes when we acknowledge God our Father as the center of our universe. True happiness comes when we follow the advice of Zephaniah in today's fist reading (Zep 2:3; 3:12-13) and we seek the Lord, seek justice and seek humility in everything we do.

Eternal God,
teach us the hidden wisdom of the gospel,
so that we may hunger and thirst for holiness,
work tirelessly for peace,
and be counted among those
who seek first the blessedness of your kingdom.

Let the spirit of Jesus be alive in us 
now and for ever.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.

AMEN

3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

2011-01-20T09:34:00.000-05:00

Today’s Gospel, Matthew 4: 12- 23 marks the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. In this scripture passage, St. Matthew presents us with some of his favorite themes. Jesus is the fulfillment of the hopes of Israel and the message of the Old Testament prophets. Jesus came to bring the good news that “the kingdom of heaven is at hand” to all people. And the way to the Kingdom of Heaven is through repentance.

At the beginning of the Gospel Matthew paraphrases a segment from Isaiah 8: 23 that we hear in our first reading. “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has arisen.” When Matthew was writing his Gospel, Galilee was almost half Gentile and held in contempt by the Jews. By beginning his ministry in Galilee , Jesus was sending a clear message that God’s salvation will reach to the ends of the earth as we heard last Sunday in the first reading. He is the “great light” that will dispel the darkness bringing “abundant joy and rejoicing” (Isaiah 9: 2).

There is a catch however, all that joy and rejoicing will not happen without repentance. Repent means more than just being sorry. To repent means to change, to turn around, to think in news ways and to see in a different light. Jesus challenged his followers and he challenges us to change our behavior, to change our hearts and to change our lives so that we can be citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven . For Simon, Andrew, James and John the change was extreme. When Jesus entered their lives, they abandoned their jobs, left their homes and families and all that was familiar and comfortable to follow him. Jesus does not ask us to abandon all we hold dear. He does ask us to transform our lives so that we, the spiritual heirs of Saints Peter, Andrew, James, and John, can transform the world around us.

God of all the nations,
the splendor of your glory
dispels the darkness around us,
for in Christ we see clearly the signs of your kingdom.
We have heard his call inviting us to follow,
and to embrace the challenges of the gospel.

Open our minds to his light,
help us respond to his love
and entrust our whole being to him.
May his kingdom grow in each of us
and in the whole world,
We ask you this through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

2011-01-12T17:17:00.000-05:00

A few days after Christmas, I went to the supermarket to pick up a few things and stopped in my tracks when I saw two displays of Easter Eggs near the checkout counter. Granted the displays were small, but I was shocked. Here we were just three days into the Christmas season and our secular world was moving on. One display proclaimed, "Spring is in the Air!" The other had some little bunnies and tulips surrounded by chocolate eggs, marshmallow eggs, caramel eggs, cream eggs and peanut butter eggs. I went home grumbling to myself about crass commercialism and the loss of all that is sacred.

Later in the week as I reflected on the reading for the next few Sundays, I realized (with a sense of irony) that there was some justification in putting up an Easter display at Christmas. However, I doubt that the supermarket chain intended to make a profound theological statement. The significance of Christmas, the epiphanies or any other Christian feast is lost without Easter and the events leading up to Easter. Jesus was born to redeem us, to bring about our salvation. He died to make salvation possible for us. Every event in Jesus’ life beginning with his birth was leading to his death on the cross, his victory over death and glorification through resurrection.

And this brings us to today's gospel, John 1: 29 - 34. When he “saw Jesus coming toward him,” John the Baptist declared, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” The next day, John told Andrew and another disciple the same thing “Behold the lamb of God,” and they left John to follow Jesus. By calling Jesus the Lamb of God, John the Baptist was identifying Jesus with the suffering servant described by the Prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 53, the Pascal lamb associated with the Exodus and the Jewish tradition of ritual sacrifice where a lamb was sacrificed in the temple twice a day to atone for the sins of the people. The eminent scripture scholar, William Barclay, says, “There is sheer wonder in this phrase, The Lamb of God….it sums up the love, the sacrifice, the suffering and the triumph of Christ.”

Every time we come to Eucharist we pray,

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us.

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, grant us peace.

Today as you say these words, remember what Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, did for us. And also remember that as Baptized Christians, we are directed to share the love, sacrifice and peace that Christ shared with us with others. Then we too can become “a light to the nations,” assuring that “salvation may reach to the ends of the earth” (Isaiah 49: 6).

Our God and Father,  
we honor Jesus, your Son in our midst,  
with wonderful names: Jesus our Lord,  
Lamb of God, servant of God and people. 
Let these names not merely be
empty titles of honor among us 
but words full of meaning 
that commit us to become like him. 
Help us to live for one another 
and to bear each other’s burdens,  
that we may be servants with him 
who is our Lord for ever and ever.

Amen.

The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

2011-01-06T09:02:00.000-05:00

Today we celebrate The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, liturgically marking the end of the Christmas Season and the beginning of Ordinary time. The baptism of Jesus is another epiphany, another manifestation of his divine being. The Incarnation and Epiphany announced the birth of Jesus to the world. With his baptism, Jesus launched into public ministry; God the Father announced to the people of Jerusalem, "Judea, and the whole region around the Jordan"(Matthew 3: 5) that Jesus "is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased"(Matthew 3:17).

The significance of the Christmas Season is that God loved us so much he sent his son, Emmanuel, to be one with us. The significance of the Baptism is that Jesus embraced his humanity and united with all of us sinners even though he was sinless. And, Jesus accepted his mission “to fulfill all righteousness” (Matt. 3: 15). In our first reading today, Isaiah 42: 1 – 4, 6 – 7, the Prophet tells us how Jesus will fulfill all righteousness. He will “bring forth justice to the nations.” He will “open the eyes of the blind;” “bring out prisoners from confinement” and “from the dungeon” he will bring out “those who live in darkness.”

Through our baptism, we share the mission of Jesus. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us that “Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission” (CCC 1213). Jesus gave the Church (the disciples, and us) our mission, just before he ascended into Heaven, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you”( Matt 28:19–20). This is an enormous task! Let us pray that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit will give us the wisdom, strength and courage to get it done.

God our Father,  
with Jesus you call us to be 
your beloved sons and daughters 
and with him you give us the mission 
to become humble and dedicated servants. 
Grant that we may not break 
those crushed by sin and sorrow. 
Help us to serve always the cause of right,  
to be eyes to the blind 
and a voice for the downtrodden. 
May we please you in all we do. 
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.

Amen.

Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord

2010-12-26T21:55:00.000-05:00

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the word epiphany has several meanings.

Capitalized, Epiphany is a "church festival in commemoration of the coming of the Magi as the first manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles." Epiphany with a small "e" can mean "an appearance or manifestation especially of a divine being" or "a usually sudden manifestation or perception of the essential nature or meaning of something." Today's celebration, The Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord, encompasses all the meanings that the Merriam-Webster Dictionary presents. It is the Church festival commemorating the visit of the Magi to the child Jesus. It is about the manifestation of God's divine glory to all the people of the world. And for the Magi and for us it is a sign of our perception that something extraordinary, something awesome, something truly miraculous happened in Bethlehem. God our heavenly Father came down from Heaven to live with us, to share his life with us, to become one of us. God burst into our world as a human baby. God stepped into human history as a very real person. God became Emmanuel; God is with us.

The Magi had a star to guide them to Jesus. They saw the star when it first appeared and they followed it. When the star "stopped over the place where the child was"(Matt. 2: 9); the Magi knew they had arrived at the right place. Overjoyed, they entered the house, prostrated themselves and worshiped Jesus. They gave him gifts fit for a King. Then they went home. We don't know what they did after their amazing journey. Nor do we know what they did with their newfound knowledge. What we do know is that God chose to reveal his divine nature to them even though they were foreigners from strange lands.

These events we commemorate today happened thousands of years ago. Yet here we are today, in McDonough, Georgia worshipping the very same Jesus the Magi visited. How did we get here? I am confident that no one followed a star to our parish. In Matthew 5: 14 Jesus told his followers and He tells us, "You are the light of the world." He goes on to say, "your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father"(Matt. 5: 16). Each one of us is a guiding star and each one of us is an epiphany. Just as God revealed himself to the Magi through the child, Jesus, we are called to reveal Jesus to everyone we encounter. In his Letter to the Ephesians St. Paul said, "Live as children of light, for light produces every kind of goodness and righteousness and truth"(Ephesians 5: 8 - 9). As Christians, we are called to manifest God's unconditional love, God's compassion, God's mercy and God's peace to our world. Let's pray that the light and the love of Christ Jesus, Emmanuel, God is with us will shine through us and draw all people to Him.

Father, we your people rise up in splendor,
for your light has come;
your glory now shines upon us.

We are grateful for this light,
who is Jesus Christ, your Son.

Make our lives radiant

with that same brightness

and help us walk as one in your light.

Open our eyes that we may recognize you

in all the signs you send us.

All glory be to you, FATHER,
through your SON Jesus Christ,
who draws all people to himself
that together with the SPIRIT
we might give you praise,
forever and ever. AMEN.

Christmas Day

2010-12-23T08:19:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas!
The birth of Jesus in Bethlehem is the beginning of a great story with a large cast of characters. Of course, Mary and Joseph are there along with Angels, a multitude of the heavenly host, Shepherds and the Magi. The Angels proclaim "good news of great joy that will be for all the people" (Luke 2: 10). The heavenly host cry out "Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests" (Luke 2: 14). The shepherds visit the Holy Family and then spread the good news through out their community all the while "glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen" (Luke 2: 20). The Magi make a treacherous journey to find the "newborn king of the Jews" so they could "do him homage" and present gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. The Nativity scene is complete. However, there is much more to this story.

After a few days, everyone leaves and Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus are left alone to fend for themselves. This is where our readings for the Feast of The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph begin. Now Jesus, Mary and Joseph must face the realities of a cruel and dangerous world. They must flee Bethlehem at night for fear of Herod's persecution and become refugees in Egypt . Even after Herod's death, they cannot return home to Judea but must seek refuge in Nazareth , a town in Galilee . Fortunately for the Holy Family, they were not totally alone. They had an open relationship with God the Father, they listened to God’s messages and warnings and they acted accordingly. For Mary and Joseph in particular, their lives were focused and centered on caring for and nurturing God’s son Jesus Christ.

My prayer for all families this Christmas season is that Jesus Christ will be the heart and center of your lives. And that when you encounter the trails and tribulations of life you will turn to the wonderful guidelines St. Paul provides us in Colossians 3: 12 – 21 for Christian family survival: “Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do. And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection. And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body.”

Loving God,
guardian of our homes,
when you entrusted your Son
to the care of Mary and Joseph,
you did not spare them the pains
that touch the life of every family.
Teach us to rely on your word,
that in our trials as in our joys
we may be clothed in gentleness and patience
and united in love.
With the Holy Family of Nazareth,
may we seek your will in all we do.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.

Amen.

4th Sunday of Advent

2010-12-16T08:36:00.000-05:00

Today we celebrate the Fourth Sunday of Advent. Christmas is six days away. In the three weeks leading up to today many of us have worked hard to prepare for Christmas. The cards are sent. The decorations are up. Hopefully, most of the shopping is finished. The gifts are wrapped and under the tree or stored in a safe place. Now it's time to stop and reflect on what we are celebrating. We are celebrating God's incredible gift to us - the gift of His son, Jesus who came to "save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1: 21). We are celebrating the birth of Emmanuel - God is with us.

The Gospel for today and for the Christmas Vigil Mass, Matthew 1: 18-24, focuses our attention on St. Joseph . The birth of Jesus posed a serious problem for Joseph. Although he was betrothed to Mary, they were not formally living together. They had a contract to marry. Joseph must have felt very hurt and betrayed when he discovered that Mary was pregnant with a child that was not his. He could have divorced her, an act that would destroy her life and possibly the life of the child. But he didn't. Joseph listened to God and did what was just and honorable. He took Mary and the baby Jesus into his home and into his heart. Joseph trusted God and God entrusted His son to Joseph.

Joseph is our very human model of faith, compassion and mercy. He also is the perfect example of a strong and caring parent. Joseph protected Jesus from the murderous wrath of Herod. He provided a safe and secure home in which Jesus could grow and develop. Most importantly, Joseph was responsive to the Spirit of God. In these last few days before Christmas, take some time to reflect on St. Joseph . And remember that all of us are called to be like Joseph. We are called to make room for Jesus in our hearts, in our spirits, in our homes and in our community. We are called to welcome Emmanuel, God is with us right here in Henry County .

Eternal God,
in the psalms of David,
in the words of the prophets,
in the dream of Joseph
your promise is spoken.
At last, in the womb of the Virgin Mary,
your Word takes flesh.
Teach us to welcome Jesus, the promised Emmanuel,
and to preach the good news of his coming,
that every age may know him
as the source of redemption and grace.
Grant this through your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.

AMEN.

Third Sunday of Advent

2010-12-08T07:55:00.003-05:00

The third Sunday of Advent is traditionally called Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete is a Latin word that means “rejoice.” Our entrance antiphon today calls us to “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice! The Lord is near.” Today also is the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Patroness of the Americas. Liturgically, the Advent Sunday readings and prayers take precedence over those of a feast day. However, many people in North, South and Central America who are devoted to the Virgin of Guadalupe will celebrate this wonderful feast today. In Mexico the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a national holiday. Right now millions of people are surrounding the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, some having traveled on foot for days to get there, singing, dancing, praying and paying homage to their spiritual mother. Today is, indeed, a day to rejoice.

In today’s gospel, Matthew 11: 2 – 11, Jesus assures John the Baptist and his disciples that he is “the one” and that John’s role as the messenger sent to prepare the way of the Lord has been fulfilled. Jesus also praises John’s work saying, “among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist” (Matthew 11: 11). Just as John the Baptist was the messenger of repentance and hope to the children of Israel, so too was Our Lady of Guadalupe a messenger of hope and redemption to the indigenous people of the Americas. She played a remarkable role in the evangelization of the New World.

The role of messenger did not end with John the Baptist or with our Lady of Guadalupe. Over the centuries countless messengers have gone out to proclaim the good news of the kingdom. As baptized Christians and citizens of the kingdom of heaven, each one of us is called to prepare the way of the Lord in our own hearts and minds and in the hearts and minds of everyone we encounter. This is an important responsibility and one we should take very seriously. After all, Jesus told the disciples of John the Baptist, his own disciples and he tells us that, “the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than” John the Baptist.

And so on this Third Sunday of Advent, Gaudete Sunday, we rejoice and thank God for the gift of his Son, Jesus the Christ who came into our world to save us. “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice! The Lord is near.”

God of peace,

Whose word is
   good news for the oppressed,
   healing for the brokenhearted,
   and freedom for all who are held bound;
gladden our hearts
and fashion the earth into a garden of righteousness and praise.
   Sanctify us in spirit, soul and body,
so that we may generously prepare the way
for your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ,
who was, who is and who is to come,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.

AMEN.

2nd Sunday of Advent

2010-12-02T10:39:00.002-05:00

Several years ago, while driving through the Decatur area, I saw a grand oak tree. This tree was huge, with a bright green canopy. I don't know how many times I drove by this tree and paid it no attention. But on this particular day, I sat for a minute or two - the time it took for a traffic light to change from red to green - and admired the tree. Then I drove away. The next day the tree fell crushing everything in its path. It fell because its roots had withered and died. While the tree appeared magnificent and healthy, its core was rotten. When it fell, it did not even leave a stump, all that was left was a gigantic hole filled with dead roots.

As I reflected on today's readings, I remembered that tree. In our first reading from Isaiah 11: 1 - 10, the prophet describes a new shoot sprouting from the roots of Jesse. This shoot will blossom and thrive because the Spirit of the Lord rests upon it. It will be a sign to all the nations of the world and will be sought by them. Here strong, healthy roots produced an inspiring leader filled with "a spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
a spirit of counsel and of strength, a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the LORD" (Isaiah 11: 2).

We get a distinctly different tree image in today's gospel, Matthew 3: 1 - 12. As he was baptizing people in the Jordan River, John the Baptist had a confrontation with the Pharisees and Sadducees. He questioned their sincerity and challenged them to "produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance" (Matthew 3: 8). Like our grand oak tree, on the surface the Pharisees and Sadducees, appeared to be holy and devout people. They assumed that as descendents of Abraham, their salvation was assured. However, John the Baptist saw them differently. He called them a "brood of vipers!" (Matthew 3: 7). They were arrogant and elitist and, like our grand oak tree; their core was so rotten that John said an "ax lies at the root of the trees" ready to chop them down. Trees with rotten roots cannot produce good fruit.

On this Second Sunday of Advent, John the Baptist calls us to repent with sincere hearts and to produce good fruit as evidence of our repentance. The Prophet Jeremiah said, "Blessed is anyone who trusts in Yahweh, with Yahweh to rely on. Such a person is like a tree by the waterside that thrusts its roots to the stream: when the heat comes it has nothing to fear, its foliage stays green; untroubled in a year of drought, it never stops bearing fruit" (Jeremiah 17: 7 - 8).

Stir up within us,
O God of peace and mercy,
a sincere desire for repentance,
that, baptized with the Holy Spirit
and enkindled by the fire of your love,
we may bring to every situation
the justice, gentleness and peace
that the incarnation of your Word
has caused to sprout and blossom upon the earth.
Grant this through your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever. AMEN.

First Sunday of Advent- A Letter From the Pastor

2010-11-22T11:52:00.000-05:00

Today we begin the season of Advent; the beginning of a new liturgical year. Advent means coming and the early Christians used the term to refer to the Second Coming of Christ. Advent is a time for us to reflect on the actual birth of Christ more than 2000 years ago and to prepare ourselves for the time when our Lord will come again in glory. For most of us, Advent is a time of preparedness but not in the manner our early Christian ancestors envisioned. Many of us see Advent as the four weeks we have to pull everything together for our Christmas celebrations. It is the time for shopping, baking, decorating, partying, sending cards and working ourselves into a total frenzy. It is easy to get so caught up in the hustle and bustle that we loose sight of the sacred significance of this time. Don't worry about the parties, the cards, the presents or Christmas dinner. Rather, focus on what is important, getting ourselves ready for that time when "the Son of Man will come” (Matt. 24: 44).

All three of our readings today provide us with suggestions about how we can prepare ourselves for the coming of the Lord. In a vision, Isaiah sees people streaming to “the mountain of the Lord’s house” so that God can instruct them in His ways and they can “walk in the light of the Lord”! St. Paul reminds the Christians of Rome and us that we are to “throw off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light,” and that we must “conduct ourselves properly as in the day.” And in our Gospel from Matthew 24: 37-44, Jesus, himself, tells us to “stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come.”

One way for us to prepare ourselves for the coming of our Lord is to attend our Parish Mission beginning today, Sunday, November 28 through Thursday, December 2. We will gather here every evening at 7:00 PM. The mission, led by Fr. Thomas Sullivan, C.P.M., will cover The Holy Blessed Sacrament, The Blessed Virgin Mary, The Mercy of God, The Ten Commandments and The Angels & Saints. Our Advent Penance Service will be a part of the mission on Tuesday November 30 at 7 pm.

Lord, mighty God,
once, long ago, your Son Jesus Christ came
as God with a human face.
And yet, we are still waiting in hope
for his full coming today.
Make us more aware that you too are waiting for us
to create with you
the peace and the freedom,
the love, justice, and light
that bear witness before all
that your Son is here and is alive
and that one day he will take us
into the lasting light of your home
for ever and ever.

Amen.