Homily for the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Year C - 9/8/2025)

Good morning. Today, we celebrate the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, nine months after her Immaculate Conception as the child of Saints Joachim and Anne. This is one of the most ancient Marian feasts. The Feast began to be celebrated in Rome in the 8th century with Pope Sergius. Tradition tells us that  Joachim was deeply grieved, along with his wife Anne, by their childlessness. Then, an angel revealed to Anne when he appeared to her and prophesied that all generations would honor their future child: “The Lord has heard your prayer, and you shall conceive, and shall bring forth, and your seed shall be spoken of in all the world.”

Saint Augustine described the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary as an event of cosmic and historic significance, and an appropriate prelude to the birth of Jesus Christ: “She is the flower of the field from whom bloomed the precious lily of the valley,” Mary is the virgin that Isaiah prophesized: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel. . .” (7:14), which means "God is with us." It is as we heard in today’s first reading, from the prophet Micah: “You, Bethlehem. . . From you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel. . . He shall stand firm and shepherd his flock by the strength of the LORD. . . for now his greatness shall reach to the ends of the earth; he shall be peace.”

Now, we are all familiar with the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, when the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary to announce the birth of Jesus and she responded: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” In today’s Gospel, we hear the story of the Annunciation of Saint Joseph. The angel Gabriel appeared to him, saying: “For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. . . When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home. He had no relations with her until she bore a son, and he named him Jesus.”

St. John Paul II wrote that “Joseph not only heard the divine truth concerning his wife's indescribable vocation; he also heard once again the truth about his own vocation. This "just" man, who. . . loved the Virgin of Nazareth and was bound to her by a husband's love, was once again called by God to this love.” And so, my sisters and brothers in Christ, it is the same with us. In both annunciation stories, the angel Gabriel spoke these words to Mary and Joseph: “. . .do not be afraid. . .” Mary’s and Joseph’s responses to God are a reminder to us all of how we are called to respond to God in our own lives, not from a place of fear but from a place of trust that is rooted in our faith in God. Faith that moves us to act in obedience and with courage to God’s will for us in the vocation that He calls each of us to in our lives, whatever it may be.

Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/090825.cfm

Sources:

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/the-birth-of-the-blessed-virgin-mary-357 

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/liturgical-holidays/feast-of-the-nativity-of-the-blessed-virgin-mary-.html 

https://aleteia.org/2023/03/19/have-you-heard-of-the-annunciation-to-joseph/

Cor: "Men of the Word" - Intro Session (8/28/2025) (UPDATED: 9/4/2025)

At the heart of Christianity is the person of Jesus Christ. Our Catholic faith is an encounter with Jesus through the living word of God in Sacred Scripture. And so, St. Jerome: rightfully said that “Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ.”

I am preparing to lead an 11-part series, called "Men of the Word", as part of the continuing Cor initiative of the Knights of Columbus to help men go deeper in their faith through prayer, formation, and fraternity.

All men, come join us as we take a deep dive into Sacred Scripture. This is more than a men's Bible Study, it is lectio divina, or divine reading, of the Word of God.

We had a great kick-off meeting for Cor tonight. We had 30 men join us for "Men of the Word," a Bible study series by the Knights of Columbus. It was wonderful to hear the men share Scripture verses, stories, parables, etc. that inspire them to be the men God created them to be - men of the Word of God.

Grateful to Fr. Payden for joining us tonight and leading in prayer. Many thanks to Arturo for organizing and our Worthy Grand Knight Greg for leading us in praying the Holy Rosary. After the Holy Rosary, we prayed this Litany of prayer after a school shooting in memory of the victims of the shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in MN.

Lastly, hats off to the team of Stephen, Peter, and Ricardo for making a deserving a delicious meal of salisbury steak, mashed potatoes, veggies, rolls, and ice cream for dessert.

Blessed for the opportunity to lead this 11-part series as we dive deeper in to Sacred Scripture and encounter our Lord Jesus Christ in the living Word of God. Below is my teaching.

Brothers, we are continuing that we started at the Men's Retreat on 8/16/2025 - to be a sign of HOPE in the world, to be the light of Christ in a world fallen into darkness. We become a sign of hope through our relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who is our reason for our hope. His life, Passion, death, and Resurrection are revealed to us in Sacred Scripture, particularly in the Book of the Gospels. Let us read and take these words of the Holy Father to heart.

Pope Leo XIV: "Our Lord approaches his coming passion freely and consciously, in obedience to the will of the Father and as an act of redemptive love.  In this way, he reveals the essence of true hope: the firm conviction that even in the midst of violence, injustice and suffering, God’s love is ever present as a source of spiritual fruitfulness and the promise of eternal life.  The way that Jesus exercised his freedom in the face of death teaches us not to fear suffering, but to persevere in confident trust in God’s providential care." 

From the Men's Retreat, as Fr. Michael encouraged us, we aspire to become "Men of the Word" through lectio divina (or divine reading) and a deep dive into Sacred Scripture.

Brothers, let us truly believe in the word of God, not the word of man, and allow the word of God to conform our hearts to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and transform us into men that God created us to be - men of hope, God-fearing men, servant leaders for our families and communities.

After his glorious Resurrection, our Lord Jesus Christ appeared to the disciples on the road to Emmaus and in the upper and open their hearts and minds to to understand Sacred Scripture.

Then they said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning [within us] while he spoke to us on the way and opened the scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:32)

Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures. (Luke 24:45)

I share with you these verses from Sacred Scripture that should inspire us to be men of the Word of God.

“And for this reason we too give thanks to God unceasingly, that, in receiving the WORD of God from hearing us, you received it not as the WORD of men, but as it truly is, the word of God, which is now at work in you who believe.” (1 Thessalonians 2:9-13)

“Brothers, I beg you through the mercy of God to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to God, your spiritual worship. Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, so that you may judge what is God’s will, what is good, pleasing and perfect.” (Romans 12:1-2)

“Indeed, the WORD of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)

Finally, draw your strength from the Lord and from his mighty power. Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil. For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens. Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything, to hold your ground. So stand fast with your loins girded in truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate, and your feet shod in readiness for the gospel of peace. In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield, to quench all [the] flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the WORD of God.” (Ephesians 6:10-17) 

“Whoever keeps the word of Christ, the love of God is truly perfected in him.” (1 John 2:5)

I also share with you these words of the Pope Francis, who instituted Sunday of the Word of God, in his Apostolic Letter “Motu Proprio” - “Aperuit Illis”.

“He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures” (Lk 24:45).  This was one of the final acts of the risen Lord before his Ascension.  Jesus appeared to the assembled disciples, broke bread with them and opened their minds to the understanding of the sacred Scriptures.

The relationship between the Risen Lord, the community of believers and sacred Scripture is essential to our identity as Christians. Without the Lord who opens our minds to them, it is impossible to understand the Scriptures in depth. Yet the contrary is equally true: without the Scriptures, the events of the mission of Jesus and of his Church in this world would remain incomprehensible. Hence, Saint Jerome could rightly claim: “Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ” (Commentary on the Book of Isaiah, Prologue: PL 24,17B).

Saint Ephrem: “Who is able to understand, Lord, all the richness of even one of your words? There is more that eludes us than what we can understand. We are like the thirsty drinking from a fountain. Your word has as many aspects as the perspectives of those who study it. The Lord has coloured his word with diverse beauties, so that those who study it can contemplate what stirs them. He has hidden in his word all treasures, so that each of us may find a richness in what he or she contemplates” (Commentary on the Diatessaron, 1, 18).

Consequently, I hereby declare that the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time is to be devoted to the celebration, study and dissemination of the word of God. This Sunday of the Word of God will thus be a fitting part of that time of the year when we are encouraged to strengthen our bonds with the Jewish people and to pray for Christian unity. This is more than a temporal coincidence: the celebration of the Sunday of the Word of God has ecumenical value, since the Scriptures point out, for those who listen, the path to authentic and firm unity.

The Bible, as sacred Scripture, thus speaks of Christ and proclaims him as the one who had to endure suffering and then enter into his glory (cf. v. 26). Not simply a part, but the whole of Scripture speaks of Christ. Apart from the Scriptures, his death and resurrection cannot be rightly understood. That is why one of the most ancient confessions of faith stressed that “Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas” (1Cor15:3-5). Since the Scriptures everywhere speak of Christ, they enable us to believe that his death and resurrection are not myth but history, and are central to the faith of his disciples.

The sweetness of God’s word leads us to share it with all those whom we encounter in this life and to proclaim the sure hope that it contains (cf. 1 Pet 3:15-16). Its bitterness, in turn, often comes from our realization of how difficult it is to live that word consistently, or our personal experience of seeing it rejected as meaningless for life. We should never take God’s word for granted, but instead let ourselves be nourished by it, in order to acknowledge and live fully our relationship with him and with our brothers and sisters.

Finally, here are the "6 Key Parts to the Sessions" that we will be starting for "Men of the Word".

• Opening Prayer
• Session Introduction
• Reading Scripture
• Applying Scripture (through questions and lectio divina)
• Call to Action
• Closing Prayer

Also, here is the activity/discussion that we did at our tables: What is the favorite Scripture passage, parable, story, character, etc.? Why?

All men are invited! We meet on the 4th Thursday of the month in the Parish Hall at Saint Albert the Great Catholic Church. Bring your Bible, something to write with and take notes on, and, most importantly, bring a heart that is ready to receive the Word of God, to be conformed to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and be transformed by the Holy Spirit.

UPDATE: For us to become Men of the Word of God, let us read Scripture daily. Here is a link to the daily readings on the USCCB web-site. Also, the Regnum Christi web-site provides daily meditation / reflection on the daily readings.

UPDATE (9/1/2025): This is the second reading for the Office of Reading (Liturgy of the Hours) for 9/1/2025. It is a wonderful meditation on the word of the God and so I thought I would share it.

From The Imitation of Christ

Lib. (3, 3)

I taught my prophets

My son, says the Lord, listen to my words, the most delightful of all words, surpassing all the knowledge of the philosophers and wise men of this world. My words are spirit and life and cannot be comprehended by human senses alone.

They are not to be interpreted according to the vain pleasure of the listener, but they must be listened to in silence and received with all humility and great affection.

And I said: Blessed is the man whom you teach, Lord, and whom you instruct in your law; for him you soften the blow of the evil day, and you do not desert him on the earth.

The Lord says, I have instructed my prophets from the beginning and even to the present time I have not stopped speaking to all men, but many are deaf and obstinate in response.

Many hear the world more easily than they hear God; they follow the desires of the flesh more readily than the pleasure of God.

The world promises rewards that are temporal and insignificant, and these are pursued with great longing; I promise rewards that are eternal and unsurpassable, yet the hearts of mortals respond sluggishly.

Who serves and obeys me in all matters with as much care as the world and its princes are served?

Blush, then, you lazy, complaining servant, for men are better prepared for the works of death than you are for the works of life. They take more joy in vanity than you in truth.

Yet they are often deceived in their hope, while my promise deceives no one, and leaves empty-handed no one who confides in me. What I have promised I shall give; what I have said I will fulfill for any man who remains faithful in my love unto the very end. I am the rewarder of all good men, the one who rigorously tests the devoted.

Write my words in your heart and study them diligently, for they will be absolutely necessary in the time of temptation. Whatever you fail to understand in reading my words will become clear to you on the day of your visitation.

I am accustomed to visit my elect in a double fashion, that is, with temptation and with consolation. And I read to them two lessons each day: one to rebuke them for their faults; the other to exhort them to increase their virtue.

He who possesses my words yet spurns them earns his own judgment on the last day.

UPDATE (9/4/2025) - Saint Gregory the Great on Holy Scripture  His feast day is Sept. 3rd.

Sign of Hope - KC Austin Chapter - A Report of the Spiritual Director (8/25/2025) (UPDATED: 9/12/2025)

Worthy Chapter President and Brother Knights,

I bring you greetings from our State Chaplain, Bishop Mulvey, and our Associate State Chaplain, Fr. Chen, whom I am in contact.

We are in the Jubilee Year of Hope, which celebrates the 2,025th anniversary of the greatest love story in the history of mankind, the Incarnation - the Word became flesh and dwelt amongst us (John, Chapter 1). In this Jubilee Year of Hope, KC Council #10333 hosted the Men's Retreat with the theme: Hope. As Catholic men and Knights of Columbus, we are called to be signs of hope when we live out the principles of our Order: charity, unity, fraternity, and patriotism.

Supreme Knight Patrick E. Kelly spoke of this in his column for the July/August 2025 edition of the "Columbia" magazine, as he reflected on Pope Leo XIV and the Order of St. Augustine and the principles of the Knights.

Pope Leo XIV and the “The Augustinians’ core values. . . described as unity, community and friendship — themes that Blessed Michael McGivney also infused into the Knights of Columbus.”

“And like the Knights, the Augustinians are known for building strong fraternal bonds, so they can then dedicate themselves to works of charity and sacrifice for others, especially the poor and the outcast.”

Pope Leo XIV: “. . .people who suffer from different experiences of depression or sadness — they can discover that the love of God is truly healing, that it brings hope. Coming together as friends, as brothers and sisters, in community, in a parish, in an experience of living our faith together, we can find that the Lord’s grace, that the love of God can truly heal us, can give us the strength we need, can be the source of hope that we all need in our lives.”

As I reflected on what the Supreme Knight wrote and how we - as Knights - are called to be signs of hope in the world, these thoughts came to mind that I wish to share with my brother Knights.

When I reflected on the principle of charity, this story of "A Wimberley Knight heeds the call", in the aftermath of the Kerr County flooding over the 4th of July weekend, came to mind. I am grateful to Brother Knight, Blake K., share sending me the link to the article, and I would encourage my brother Knights to read it and share it with your families and councils. This Wimberley Knight became a sign of hope for a devastated community when they needed the light of Christ in their lives the most.

Our Diocesan Deputy, Victor M., shared his experience at the Supreme Convention in Washington, D.C. and how he was able to connect with brother Knights from all over the world. We come from different backgrounds, cultures, and parts of the world but we are all united together under the one banner of Christ, through our common ideologies and goals as Knights of Columbus. Our unity strengthens us to do God's work in the world and be the light of Christ in a world that hungers for unity, not divisions.

I shared in the meeting that, no matter how stressful my day might be, when I gather together in fraternity with my brother Knights, I am blessed and inspired because each of us has our own challenges in our daily lives, yet we come together as brother Knights to do the work of God, of our Church, of our Order for love of God, Church, and the Order. Be encouraged by each other for "iron sharpens iron."

Finally, as our State Deputy, Ron Alonzo, reminds us, we do all things for the good of the Order and for the greater glory of God. And, I will add to that, for our love of God and country, as the principle of patriotism calls us to do.

And so, my brother Knights, we are called to be signs of hope for our families, our councils, our parishes, the Church, and the world. But it starts first with us and our relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who is the source of our hope. For this reason, we must pray more, continued to be formed in our Catholic faith, and grow in mutual respect and love for each other. Sounds familiar? It should. These are the principles of Cor: prayer, formation, and fraternity.

As the Diocesan Director of Evangelization & Faith Formation (EFF), I encourage all councils to implement the Cor initiative at your parish. If you have questions, then please feel free to email me at deaconphuc@gmail.com. Or come to our Cor meeting at Saint Albert the Great Catholic Church and see what Cor is all about (see information below).

Finally, let us pray for our Bishop-designate Daniel E. Garcia as be prepares to be our shepherd, as we pray:

Almighty and ever-living God, with profound gratitude for your generous providence and by the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, has chosen the Most Reverend Daniel E. Garcia as our next bishop. We ask that you grant Bishop Garcia the holiness and strength to be a shepherd after the heart of Jesus, the Good Shepherd.

May his benevolent care and kindly zeal strengthen the People of God by the light of the Gospel and the power of the sacraments. With our prayers and support, and in the spirit of his episcopal motto, let us know “walk humbly with God” alongside Bishop Garcia for many years to come.

In gratitude for the intercession of our patroness, Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Vivat Jesus!

Here is a link to my previous report from the Chapter meeting in July:

REVISED Celebrate Blessed McGivney - KC Austin Chapter - A Report of the Spiritual Director (7/28/2025)

Reflecting on the KC Texas State Council Organizational Meeting (7/11-13/2025)

Deacon Phúc’s challenges for all Knights for the month of August

• PERSONAL & FAMILY: PRAYER EXERCISE from Men’s Retreat (& Cor): “How can I pray for you today?”
• COUNCIL: Cor initiative: (a) pray, (b) faith formation, and (c) fraternity / fellowship. Council #10333 starting Cor this Thursday, Aug. 28th, at St. Albert the Great Catholic Church. We will be exploring the KC series: "Men of the Word".

. . .

(UPDATE 9/12/2025) Invitation for Men to Become Who God Created Them to Be

This is an invitation for men to become who God created us to be for our wives, families, and communities.

In the Book of Proverbs, we read that "Iron is sharpened by iron; one person sharpens another" (27:17). As men, we can help and strengthen each other to become saints and live lives of holiness and virtue. If this is something that you desire for yourself, your marriage, and your family, then here are ministries that St. Albert the Great that can help you on this path to holiness. 

1. Cor https://saintalbert.org/cor

2. Pathfinder https://saintalbert.org/pathfinders-1

3. Abide Young Adults (for men and women) https://saintalbert.org/young-adult-campus-ministry

4. Welcome Retreat https://saintalbert.org/welcome-weekend-retreat-for-men (these also one for women)

Ladies, I hope that you encourage your men to set aside time so they can grow in their faith and become the men you need them to be.

Men, if you have any questions about any of these wonderful ministries for men, then please let me know.

Homily for Monday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time (Year C - 8/25/2025)

Good morning. In today’s Gospel, we just heard three (3) of the seven (7) woes, or prophetic warnings, from Jesus to the scribes and  Pharisees, calling them hypocrites. Another time that we hear our Lord Jesus Christ speak of “woes” is in the account of the Sermon on the Plain, in the Gospel of Luke, when Christ taught the people the Beatitudes, saying: “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. But woe to you who are filled now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will grieve and weep. Woe to you when all speak well of you, for their ancestors treated the false prophets in this way.”

What are we to make of the “woes” that Christ speaks to the Pharisees and scribes? Let us look at the first woe: “You lock the Kingdom of heaven before men. You do not enter yourselves, nor do you allow entrance to those trying to enter,” and ask ourselves, how are we preventing ourselves and others from entering the Kingdom of heaven? When we pray the Confiteor at Mass, we say: “I confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done, and in what I have failed to do. . .” How have we allowed our thoughts, words, things that we have done, or things that we have failed to do, keep us and others from entering the Kingdom of heaven?

Let us also look at the second woe: “You traverse sea and land to make one convert, and when that happens you make him a child of Gehenna twice as much as yourselves.” As missionary disciples of Jesus, we bring others to Christ in his one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. Yet, how have we, in how we live our lives, not been authentic witnesses of Christ to our new sisters and brothers in Christ when we do not wait on the path that leads through the “narrow gate”? One of the Scripture verses that I share with all parents and godparents when I teach Baptism class is this passage from the Gospel of Matthew: “And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me. Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea” (18:2-6).

Finally, let us look at the third woe; “Blind fools, which is greater, the gold, or the temple that made the gold sacred?” and “You blind ones, which is greater, the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred?” In a recent homily, the Holy Father had this to say and I thought it is so on point for today’s Gospel, in particular this third woe. Pope Leo XIV said: “While we may sometimes be judgmental towards those distant from the faith, Jesus calls into question ‘the security of believers.’ He tells us that it is not enough to profess the faith with words, to eat and drink with him by celebrating the Eucharist or to have a good knowledge of Christian doctrine.  Our faith is authentic when it embraces our whole life, when it becomes a criterion for our decisions, when it makes us women and men committed to doing what is right and who take risks out of love, even as Jesus did. He did not choose the easy path of success or power; instead, in order to save us, he loved us to the point of walking through the ‘narrow gate’ of the Cross. Jesus is the true measure of our faith; he is the gate through which we must pass in order to be saved (cf. Jn 10:9) by experiencing his love and by working, in our daily lives, to promote justice and peace.”

And so, sisters and brothers in Christ, in a few moments from now, we will receive the greatest gift, the greatest act of mercy and love that the world has ever known - our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the Eucharist - let us continue to reflect on our lives, in relations to Jesus’ woes, or prophetic warning, to us and ask the Holy Spirit to guide us today as we go forth from Mass glorifying the Lord by our lives.

Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/082525.cfm

Homily for Monday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time (Year C - 8/18/2025)

Good morning. On Saturday, I had the blessed opportunity to join our parochial vicar, Fr. Michael Rhodes, in leading the Men's Retreat. We had about 30 men in attendance from around the Diocese. The theme of the retreat was “hope” because, as you all may know, we are in the Jubilee Year of Hope to commemorate the 2,025th anniversary of the Incarnation of the Lord - “. . .the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. . .” (John 1:14).

Fr. Michael walked the men through sacred reading, or lectio divina, and encouraged the men to be "men of the word" of God. I encouraged the men to be "tangible signs" of hope in the world, sharing with them Catholic Church teachings on the theological virtue of hope by Church fathers, doctors, saints, and popes. The Catechism states that hope is “the theological virtue by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness placing our trust in Christ's promises and relying not on our own strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit” (CCC 1817).

In asking Jesus what good he must do to gain eternal life, the young man in today’s Gospel is searching for hope that “responds to the aspiration to happiness which God has placed in the heart of every man” (CCC 1818). Hope that inspires and purifies what he does “so as to order [his activities] to the Kingdom of heaven” (id). Hope that “keeps [him] from discouragement. . . sustains him during times of abandonment. . . opens up his heart in expectation of eternal beatitude” (id). This is the hope that we search for in our own lives because, if we are honest with ourselves, we know that our hearts will always be restless until they rest in the Sacred Heart of Jesus (St. Augustine).

Jesus answers the young man by first reminding him that only God is good and then telling him to follow the commandments and laws that God has written on his heart (Jeremiah 31:33), namely to love his neighbor as himself. When pressed further by the young man who asked Jesus what he still lacked, Christ replied to him, saying: “. . .go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” In other words, Jesus is telling the young man that he will not find what he is searching for - which is “eternal life” - in his “many possessions” but in the “treasure in heaven.”

In a way, the young man in today’s Gospel reminds me of Saint Augustine. In a recent homily, Pope Leo XIV said that “Saint Augustine, reflecting on his intense search for God, asked himself: ‘What, then, is the object of our HOPE [...]? Is it the earth? No. Is it something that comes from the earth, such as gold, silver, trees, crops, or water [...]? These things are pleasing, these things are beautiful, these things are good’ (Sermo 313/F, 3). And the conclusion he reached was: ‘Seek the one who made them, he is your hope’” (ibid.). Our hope is not in the created things, even if we have “many possessions”. Rather our hope is in the Creator, our Lord and our God.

In the end, the young man turned down Jesus’ invitation to “come, follow” him and “went away sad, for he had many possessions.” Jesus did not stop him because, as Bishop Robert Baron reflected: “Even at the end, when the young man walks away sad, unable to respond to Jesus’ demand, the Lord lets him go. The true God does not compete with freedom; rather, he awakes it and directs it.” And so, my sisters and brothers in Christ, as we prepare to receive our Lord Jesus Christ in the Eucharist at Holy Communion, let us reflect on Jesus’ invitation to “come and follow” him and respond, not like the young man did, but in the words of Saint Paul who said that “life is Christ” (Philippians 1:21).

Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/081825.cfm

Homily for the Memorial of Saint Clare, Virgin (Year C - 8/11/2025)

Good morning. In today’s first reading from the Book of Deuteronomy, the words of Moses echo in eternity and speak to our hearts here and now, saying: “. . .the LORD, your God, ask of you. . . to fear the LORD, your God. . . The “beginning of wisdom is fear of the LORD” (Proverbs 9:10) and so what Moses was telling the Israelites then (and us now) is that it would be wise for us to follow the ways of God and to keep his commandments and statutes, which God has written on our hearts (Jeremiah 31:33).

Moses continued, saying: “Think! . . and be no longer stiff-necked. For the LORD, your God, is the God of gods, the LORD of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome. . .” We follow the ways of God and keep his commandments for our own good and from our desire to love and serve God with all our heart and all our soul. In other words, we follow God not because we fear being punished by God but we do so out of reverence and honor for our Creator, who desires to be in a relationship with us, His beloved sons and daughters, because He is our God and we are his people (Jeremiah 31:33).

Following God’s commandments and statues, in particular His commandment to love Him and love our neighbor, is not an option for us because it is the path to salvation. However, out of His love for us, God gives us the freewill to follow His ways or not. Therefore, this is for us an exercise in the spiritual life. First, it is through prayer that we grow in our relationship with God, which in turns gives us the grace to follow God’s commandments and statutes. Second, it is an exercise in the spiritual life because it helps us understand ourselves better and where we are in our relationship with God, especially when we find it challenging to follow His ways. In other words, it is an exercise in looking at ourselves and our relationship with God, to look at ourselves in the mirror and reflect on what we see gazing back at us.

Providentially, today is also the memorial of Saint Clare of Assisi, virgin, and, in her letter to Saint Agnes of Prague, she wrote about looking in the mirror and meditating on what we see. Saint Clare of Assisi wrote: “ [Jesus] is the splendor of eternal glory, the brightness of eternal light, and the mirror without cloud. . . [and here is the hinge. . . Saint Clare tells us to] look into that mirror daily and study well your reflection, that you may adorn yourself, mind and body, with an enveloping garment of every virtue. . . Look more deeply into the mirror and meditate on [Jesus’s] humility, or simply on his poverty. Behold the many labors and sufferings he endured to redeem the human race. Then, in the depths of this very mirror, ponder his unspeakable love which caused him to suffer on the wood of the cross and to endure the most shameful kind of death.”

My sisters and brothers in Christ, when we look in the mirror and, as Saint Clare of Assisi tells us, ponder Jesus’ “unspeakable love which caused him to suffer on. . . the cross and to endure the most shameful kind of death” for our salvation, then, perhaps, we can find the courage to follow the ways of God and to keep his commandments and statutes in our life out of love for He who loves us first - our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

We are reminded of Jesus’ sacrificial love for us during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass when we respond, saying: “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.” And so, when we receive our Lord in the Eucharist, at Holy Communion, let us go forth from Mass and reflect Jesus in our lives, by following His ways and keeping his commandments and statutes, so that when we look at ourselves in the mirror, perhaps we can see the reflection of Christ gazing lovingly back at us.

Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/081125.cfm

Homily for the Memorial of Saint John Vianney, Priest (Year C - 8/4/2025)

Today is the Memorial of Saint John Vianney, the patron saint of parish priests. He was known for “his deep devotion to the Church and his dedication to the sacrament of confession” (Franciscan Media). “His deep devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary earned him the title “Mary’s Priest” or “Maria of Ars”. . .His devotion to the sacrament of confession inspired many to return to their faith and receive God’s forgiveness. . . One of his famed miracles was the ability to read the souls of his parishioners and offer them the perfect penance for their sins. . . His work as a confessor is John Vianney’s most remarkable accomplishment. He was to spend 11 to 12 hours daily reconciling people with God in the winter months. In the summer months, this time was increased to 16 hours.”

Saint John Vianney’s feast day is an important reminder for us to pray for our priests because without priests we would not have access to the Eucharist and Confessions. We also pray also for our seminarians and for more men to have the courage to answer Jesus’ call to the priesthood. Speaking of praying, in his catechetical instructions, John Vianney wrote that “the glorious duty of man: to pray and to love. If you pray and love, that is where a man’s happiness lies. . . Prayer is nothing else but union with God. . . In this intimate union, God and the soul are fused together like two bits of wax that no one can ever pull apart. This union of God with a tiny creature is a lovely thing. It is a happiness beyond understanding. . . [our] hearts are small, but prayer stretches them and makes them capable of loving God. Through prayer we receive a foretaste of heaven. . .” (Catechisme sur la prière: A. Monnin, Esprit du Curé d’Ars, Parish 1899, pp. 87-89).

My sisters and brothers in Christ, for us, we experience the “foretaste of heaven,” that Saint John Vianney wrote of, is prayer during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Here at the altar of the Lord, the priest, in persona Christi (“in the person of Christ”), through the power of the Holy Spirit, turns bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ. Our Lord instituted the Eucharist and the priesthood at the Last Supper because he loves us and, as we heard in today’s Gospel’s account of the feeding of the five thousand (5,000), “his heart was moved with pity for [us],” and so he gave us his Body and Blood in the Eucharist to heal us. Jesus tells us this himself: “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me” (John 6:54-57).

When we receive Jesus in the Eucharist, we will be left satisfied. And so, my sisters and brothers in Christ, we come to the altar of the Lord with reverence and thanksgiving to our Lord Jesus Christ as though it is our first Mass, our last Mass, our only Mass.

Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/080425.cfm