Deacon Phúc's Homily for the Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C - 7/31/2022)

Most of us here, if not all of us, were raised in Christ through the waters of baptism. In his letter to the Colossians, Saint Paul writes, “Seek what is above. . .” The thing is, “seek what is above. . .” goes for ALL  - the baptized AND the unbaptized - because, whether we choose to believe or not, the Truth is that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ died on the Cross for the salvation of ALL people. The Incarnate Word of God came to redeem ALL of God’s children. We who are blessed to be numbered among God’s children give God praise, honor, and thanksgiving every day of our lives and, in a special way, when we come together for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

Saint Paul tells us, “If you were raised in Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.” I invite us to take a moment to gaze upon the second Person of the Trinity on the beautiful Crucifix that hangs before us. Let us allow Jesus to gaze back at us. Now, how does he speak to your heart in this intimate moment? Perhaps you are struggling, weighted down by the many burdens in your life right now, Christ reassures you, saying: “I have not forsaken you. . . come to me. . . you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. . . my yoke is easy, and my burden light” - and, in that moment, you remember that time in the Garden when Jesus said to the Father, “I pray for them”. . . Jesus the Eternal Priest loves you and he prays for you unceasingly. HAVE HOPE. Perhaps you feel distant from Christ or you do not feel his loving presence in your life right now, listen. . . he whispers into your heart and invites you to “[sit] here while I pray” because Jesus loves you and, as he hung on the Cross, he thirsts for you. . . he calls you by name and invites to come to him JUST as you are and so you say to him in reply: “Here I am, Lord.” HAVE FAITH. Or perhaps you have unforgiveness in your heart right now because of something that happened in your life - either you cannot forgive yourself or another - lay your head against the pierced heart of Jesus - the living fount of mercy that pours forth blood and water for us and the whole world - and let his Most Sacred Heart console you and remind you that when Christ was on Cross, he raised his eyes to heaven and cried out: “Father, forgive them. . .” Jesus loves you; He forgives you. Forgive yourself, and embark on the path to forgive another. HAVE LOVE.

My sisters and brothers in Christ, Saint Paul tells us to seek what is above because God made us for Himself. Our Lord tells us to “[put] to death. . . the parts of you that are earthly: immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and the greed that is idolatry.” In God, we find our true identity and the meaning and purpose of our lives because only He can fulfill our deepest yearning. For me, I believe that these are the things of God that ought to take priority in our lives to help us seek what is above, during our pilgrimage in life, striving for holiness as we journey on the path that leads to our final destination. First, form a right relationship with God our Father in His Son our Lord Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. We do this through prayer, coming to Mass, visiting with our Lord in Adoration, and other devotions and practices. Second, foster a right relationship with each other, particularly with our families and loved ones, where everyone is loved, cherished, respected, and feels protected and safe. Third, develop a healthy detachment from “possessions” that are of this temporal world and not of God.

About that third one - develop a healthy detachment from “possessions”. I am not going to stand here and tell you to deny yourselves the “luxuries and leisures” that this life has to offer, if you are so blessed with the means, because that would be untruthful of me and I would have to go see Fr. Charlie in the Confessional. I mean, I am a foodie who likes smart watches, big screen televisions, and LEGO. I am constantly trying to convince my wife that I need an aerial drone or an Audi A4 sedan but her answer has been consistently - “No”. This is not surprising to me because, for the twenty-two plus years that we have known each other, including 15 years of marriage, my wife has always been the more practical one in our relationship, and I am grateful to God for her. That being said, however, I think it is important for us to recall these words that Jesus spoke to the crowd in today’s Gospel: “. . .though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions.” The Lord tells us not to store up treasures of this world that are temporary, none of which we can take with us to the grave. The Lord tells us to be “rich in what matters to God” instead. Hmm. . . be “rich is what matters to God”. . . if you are like me, you might be wondering to yourself, what does that look like in America in 2022?

I ask God this in prayer and guess what? God sent me an article about Mr. Leonard Gigowski, “a bachelor who ran a corner grocery store and loved ballroom dancing and pigeon racing. As a child, Mr. Gigowski always caught the 6:30 a.m. bus to St. Francis Minor Seminary. That way, he’d be in church in time for 7 a.m. Mass and in class by the time the bell rang. The humble, hard-working man’s commitment to his faith and education never wavered. [His] faith was incredibly important to him and he had a profound respect for the sacrifice his parents made to send him to Catholic schools. He was a strong believer in Catholic education and a very devout Catholic. He understood the importance of Catholic education and instilling Catholic values at a young age. At a party for his 90th birthday, Mr. Gigowski reminded the students to love God first and work hard every day, and in return, God will provide. And when he died, this quiet and frugal man left $13 million in a scholarship fund for St. Thomas More High School (his alma mater) that covers up to half the tuition for needy students who don’t qualify for the private school choice program and its state aid payments.” Mr. Gigowski was “rich in what matters to God”, not in a dramatic, grandiose way, but over the course of a life well lived, always remaining faithful to God. In our own little ways, we, too, can be like Mr. Gigowski and leave our corner of the world better off than before.

I want to wrap up my homily with an invitation and a final thought. Here is the invitation. Two weeks from today, on Saturday, August 13th, Fr. Charlie and I will be leading a Men’s Retreat right here at St. Albert the Great. I want to personally invite all men to sign up for the retreat after Mass or, at the very least, stop by the table and learn more about the retreat before you decide. Ladies, encourage your men to join us. Tell your man that it is okay for him to spend a day with other Catholic men and reassure him that you (and your children) will join him for the Vigil Mass and social and dinner. Men, we are made to be heroic, to follow God with love and conviction. God tells us in Joshua 1:9: "I command you: be strong and steadfast! Do not fear nor be dismayed, for the LORD, your God, is with you wherever you go.” My brothers in Christ, come join us for the Men’s Retreat, because as “[iron] is sharpened by iron; one person sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17).

Finally, a group of men and I did Exodus90 together during Lent. After that, six of us decided to continue the fellowship by doing a book study on a novel, written by author Jim Sano, titled “The Father’s Son”. I am blessed by the wonderful insights that I get from our discussions of the book and about the various things that affect us as Catholic men, husbands, fathers, and male role models. I want to leave you with this passage from the book that I think captures the spirit of this Sunday’s readings so well. Fr. Tom Fitzpatrick, one of the main characters, said:

"If you had to sum up the entire Bible, you might say that it’s about trusting in God and giving everything you have in love, and you will always be filled and never run out. But, when you cling to things other than God, they can never satisfy. You can hoard and save as much wealth, power or pleasure as you can, but it will never be enough. . . God is pure love and love is not something you can keep but only give, only pass on to another. When you are giving to others, especially those who are in need, giving of yourself without any expectation for something in return, you are linked with God. You’ll feel filled and free." (110).

Martha, Mary, and Lazarus

Sisters and brothers in Christ, today is the feast of Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. There are two options for the Gospel today and both speak to the faith of Martha and Mary. In the Gospel of Luke, we see Mary's faith as "she sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak." In the Gospel of John, we read Martha's profession of faith: "Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world."

Imagine if Jesus was standing next to us and said to us: "“I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and anyone who lives and believes in me will never die." And then Christ asks us, "Do you believe this?” How would we answer our Lord and our God? Jesus asks us this probing question to challenge us to reflection on our faith and conviction to believers and followers of Christ. If our answer is other than a "yes", then it is time for us to examine how we are living and practicing our faith.

. . .

Gospel of the Day

Many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary
to comfort them about their brother [Lazarus, who had died].
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming,
she went to meet him;
but Mary sat at home.
Martha said to Jesus,
“Lord, if you had been here,
my brother would not have died.
But even now I know that whatever you ask of God,
God will give you.”
Jesus said to her,
“Your brother will rise.”
Martha said to him,
“I know he will rise,
in the resurrection on the last day.”
Jesus told her,
“I am the resurrection and the life;
whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live,
and anyone who lives and believes in me will never die.
Do you believe this?”
She said to him, “Yes, Lord.
I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God,
the one who is coming into the world.”

Or

Jesus entered a village
where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him.
She had a sister named Mary
who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak.
Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said,
“Lord, do you not care
that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving?
Tell her to help me.”
The Lord said to her in reply,
“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things.
There is need of only one thing.
Mary has chosen the better part
and it will not be taken from her.”

O Divine Potter

Sisters and brothers in Christ, as the warmth of the hands of the potter shapes the clay so the warmth of God's love shapes our souls. The question is, do we allow our Father in heaven to shape our hearts, our very being, as our Lord ask us in today's first reading from the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah: "Can I not do to you. . . as this potter has done? says the LORD. Indeed, like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand. . ."

What (or who) in our lives has hardened our hearts toward God? Can we forgive so that we can be free to become who God desires us to be? Whatever (or whoever) is holding us back and binding us in chains, let us nail it to the Cross of Christ and ask him to free us. It is as we pray in the Lord's Prayer. . . "for us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us."

In the end, we are judged by our actions. Jesus tells us in today's Gospel parable that on the day of judgment, "the angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace". We will be counted among the righteous ones of God?

. . .

Gospel of the Day

Jesus said to the disciples:
“The Kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea,
which collects fish of every kind.
When it is full they haul it ashore
and sit down to put what is good into buckets.
What is bad they throw away.
Thus it will be at the end of the age.
The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous
and throw them into the fiery furnace,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.”
“Do you understand all these things?”
They answered, “Yes.”
And he replied,
“Then every scribe who has been instructed in the Kingdom of heaven
is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom
both the new and the old.”
When Jesus finished these parables, he went away from there.

A great treasure

Sisters and brothers in Christ, growing up, I was a collector of basketball cards, especially Michael Jordan trading cards. I remember going to the flea market with my dad and buying MJ23 basketball cards from the vendors, paying from $1.00 to $10.00 or so for a card based on its "market value." I would also trade cards with my friends and the question we always ask each other was: "What are you going to give me for this card [that you want to trade with me]?" In other words, what is this card worth to you and what are you willing to give up to obtain it?

In today's Gospel parable, Jesus is presenting us with a similar question. And, while we cannot "earn" our way into heaven in the same sense that we "earn" things in this life, Jesus is asking us what are we willing to do for the "Kingdom of heaven'? For us, we do not usually think of this outside of the season of Lent when we decide to "give up" something. However, our Lord is challenging us to ask this question of ourselves every day of our lives.

Through reflection, discernment, and prayer, Christ is inviting us to discover for ourselves what efforts are we willing to make to grow closer in our relationship with Him, to love God and our neighbor, and to help each other get to heaven.  That is our Lord's great commission to us but, first, we must ask ourselves what are we willing to do for this treasure - the "Kingdom of heaven'?

The love and wisdom of grandparents

Sisters and brothers in Christ, Jesus' disciples asked him to explain to them the parable of the weeds in the field. Jesus did just that. He took the time to explain it to his disciples. In this Gospel passage.

I am reminded of the roles of grandparents. While parents are often busy with many things - from family life to work to other responsibilities - grandparents move at a slower pace. I see this in my parents and my in-laws in how they interact with their grandchildren. How they take the time to explain things to the young ones, just as Jesus did with his disciples.

More often than not, grandparents keep the faith alive in their grandchildren. I have met so many young adults, through the CALLED TO BE ONE Marriage Class, who shared that it was their grandparents - and not their own parents - who raised them in the Catholic faith. Grandparents have so much love and wisdom to share with their families. I am blessed to know at least one of my grandparents and she continues to enrich my life so much.

Today is also the Memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne, parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary and grandparents of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Let us pray for all grandparents and the elderly that they are treated with the respect and dignity they deserve.

. . .

Gospel of the Day

Jesus dismissed the crowds and went into the house.

His disciples approached him and said,

“Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”

He said in reply, “He who sows good seed is the Son of Man,

the field is the world, the good seed the children of the Kingdom.

The weeds are the children of the Evil One,

and the enemy who sows them is the Devil.

The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.

Just as weeds are collected and burned up with fire,

so will it be at the end of the age.

The Son of Man will send his angels,

and they will collect out of his Kingdom

all who cause others to sin and all evildoers.

They will throw them into the fiery furnace,

where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.

Then the righteous will shine like the sun

in the Kingdom of their Father.

Whoever has ears ought to hear.”

Wheat or weed?

Sisters and brothers in Christ, God is the sower who sows good seed in us to help us flourish in this world and prepare us for eternal life in heaven. However, we have a tendency to put our "trust in the deceitful words" of the Evil One who "prowl the earth seeking the ruin of men". As we read in today's first reading, God sees "what is being done" and warns that we "putting [our] trust in deceitful words to [our] own loss"! Do we listen to God's words?

Yesterday was the feast of Saint Mary Magdalene, whom Jesus drove demons out of when she repented of her sins. Padre Pio once told a penitent: "If you have the courage to imitate Mary Magdalene in her sins, why don't you have the courage to imitate her in her repentance?" His words are so applicable to us today. Our God is a loving, merciful, and forgiving God but we have to choose to turn to him for forgive and repent of our wayward ways or we will burn on the day of judgment like the weeds in today's Gospel parable.

. . .

Gospel of the Day

Jesus proposed a parable to the crowds. "The Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man who sowed good seed in his field. While everyone was asleep his enemy came and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off. When the crop grew and bore fruit, the weeds appeared as well. The slaves of the householder came to him and said, 'Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where have the weeds come from?' He answered, 'An enemy has done this.' His slaves said to him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them up?' He replied, 'No, if you pull up the weeds you might uproot the wheat along with them. Let them grow together until harvest; then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters, "First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning; but gather the wheat into my barn."'"

Mary!

Sisters and brothers in Christ, today is the feast of Saint Magdalene, who was the first of Jesus' followers to announce that He is risen on that first Easter Sunday.

In Mary Magdalene, we encounter a loving and merciful God who forgives us, as he forgave her and freed her of the demons in her life. Also in Mary Magdalene, we realize the desires of our own hearts for God's presence in our lives. And when we do not feel His presence in our lives, there is an emptiness in our hearts, and we weep like she wept when she found the tomb empty.

Like Mary, we search this world for that deep yearning of our heart. . . "I will rise then and go about the city; in the streets and crossings I will seek Him whom my heart loves" (from the Song of Songs, today's first reading). However, we are never truly fulfilled until we find our rest in our Lord and our God.

Thankfully, when we cry out to God, as Mary cried out for Him, Jesus comes to us, consoles us, and assures us that He is always with us - in our joys and our pains, in good times and in bad times, in sickness and in health - until our death, when we are united with Him in eternal paradise.

May we always see our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and trust that He is and will always be there for us, calling us by name.

. . .

Gospel of the Day

On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.” 

Mary stayed outside the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb and saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet where the Body of Jesus had been. And they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken my Lord, and I don’t know where they laid him.” When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there, but did not know it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” She thought it was the gardener and said to him, “Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni,” which means Teacher. Jesus said to her, “Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and then reported what he told her. 

God does not give us more than we can handle but it's hard. . .

Sisters and brothers in Christ, in yesterday's Gospel, Jesus tells us, "Whoever has ears ought to hear." In today's Gospel, he double-down on his message saying, " blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear." When we open our eyes and ears to God with faith, He comes and dwells in our hearts, giving us hope because we feel is loving presence in our lives. When we allow ourselves to receive Christ into our lives and let him be our Lord and our King, he fills us with his peace, a supernatural peace that helps us through the trials and tribulations in our lives.

Recently, I talked with a colleague who is facing many trials in her life - illness, the deaths of loved ones, and all the stress that comes with such tragedies and challenges that is a part of life. Yet, she remains hopeful because she trusts God. She told me that she knows that God does not give us more than we can handle but it's hard; however, she remains steadfast in her faith. She goes tackles the challenges in her life through the lens of faith. Her ears of faith are always open to hearing God's consolation. She feels God's loving presence in her life at all times. It is as Jesus says, "To anyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich [in faith]. . . blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear." May we always have our eyes open to see God working in our lives and our ears open to hear Him speak words of comfort, peace, and guidance in our hearts.

. . .

Gospel of the Day

The disciples approached Jesus and said,
“Why do you speak to the crowd in parables?”
He said to them in reply,
“Because knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven
has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted.
To anyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich;
from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
This is why I speak to them in parables, because
they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand.
Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says:
You shall indeed hear but not understand,
you shall indeed look but never see.
Gross is the heart of this people,
they will hardly hear with their ears,
they have closed their eyes,
lest they see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and understand with their hearts and be converted
and I heal them.
“But 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.”

Ears of faith

Sisters and brothers in Christ, in our CALLED TO BE ONE Marriage Class, we have a session on "Communication & Conflict Resolution", which is taught by Stephen & Laura. They tell the couples that studies show that there are levels of hearing. The first level of hearing is just soundwaves reverberating against the eardrum. The second level of hearing is hearing and repeating what one just heard. The third level of hearing is hearing and understanding what one just heard. Married couples must learn to hear and understand each other to avoid misunderstanding in their relationship and that takes time and practice. This applies to how we hear God's voice in our lives as well.

In today's Gospel, Jesus ends with parable with "Whoever has ears ought to hear." The "ears" our Lord is talking about is our "ear" of faith. Have we trained our ears - through Mass attendance, prayer, adoring our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, receiving him in the Eucharist, etc. - to hear God's voice. Or have we allowed the noise of this world to drown out  God's voice in our lives. Or worst, have we chosen to ignore God when He speaks to us. .S. Lewis once said, "God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains. . ." However, are we listening? Are our "ears" of faith like "the path", the "rocky ground", or "the thorns"? If we answer "yes" to any of these, then let us pray and ask the Holy Spirit to form our "ears" of faith to "rich soil" so that we may not only hear God's voice but listen with a loving heart.

. . .

Gospel of the Day

On that day, Jesus went out of the house and sat down by the sea. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd stood along the shore. And he spoke to them at length in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep, and when the sun rose it was scorched, and it withered for lack of roots. Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it. But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold. Whoever has ears ought to hear.”

Sisters and brothers in Christ

Sisters and brothers in Christ, I have two brothers who I adore and love dearly. We grew up playing LEGOs, Atari, Nintendo, rode bikes together, and watched afterschool cartoons and shared laughs. Over years, especially since coming into the Catholic Church, I have also gained spiritual brothers and sisters (my brother Knights, CRHP sisters and brothers, brother deacons, brother clergy, etc.). I am also blessed to be godfather (or spiritual father) to my godchildren, including my niece. These are my brothers and my sisters, as Jesus tells us in today's Gospel.

All of us, in our own way, discern God's will for us and our families and we do our best to help each other navigate this crazy world we live in. However, it can be challenging at times because of our human nature and experiences. In those moments when we find it difficult to love as we should, our Lord, in today's first reading, reminds us how ought to love one another as He loves us - do not persist in anger, have compassion for each other, pardon (forgive) one another, etc. When we do these things, it helps us to realize that we are on the same journey in life, seeking meaning and purpose, and helping each other to be the best version that we can be. After all, we are created in the image and likeness of our Father in heaven who is love and loves us.

. . .

While Jesus was speaking to the crowds, his mother and his brothers appeared outside, wishing to speak with him. Someone told him, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, asking to speak with you.” But he said in reply to the one who told him, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother.”

God whispers, speaks, and shouts

Sisters and brothers in Christ, we seek signs from God of His existence in the world and, more intimately, of His presence in our lives. C.S. Lewis once said, "God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains. . ." Are we listening to God? The people of Ninevah, as we heard in today's Gospel, did not heard God until He sent Jonah through their city with a "megaphone", shouting: "Forty days more and Nineveh shall be overthrown." What did the people do? The Ninevites, including their king, listened to God, who shouted through Jonah, and repented.

Perhaps God has not shouted loud enough in our lives for us to hear and listen to Him. However, it is more likely that we hear God but choose (of our own free-will) not to listen to him. That is on us, not God, when the time of Judgment comes for all of us. So what is it the God asks of us, requires of us? We find the answer in today's first reading: "Only to do the right and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God." Sounds easy enough but it is not. We need the grace of God to help us "walk humbly" and do what is right and love goodness. Grace we can receive when we seek the Lord our God and listen to Him.

. . .

Gospel of the Day

Some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” He said to them in reply, “An evil and unfaithful generation seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. Just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. At the judgment, the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and there is something greater than Jonah here. At the judgment the queen of the south will arise with this  generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and there is something greater than Solomon here.”

Mary and Martha

Sisters and brothers in Christ, the familiar story of Mary and Martha, in today's Gospel, shows us what it entails to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. Mary represents "being". Psalm 46:10 tells us: "Be still and know that I am God!" and, indeed, Mary "sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak." Martha represents "doing". When God approached his disciples, he called out to them and said, "follow me", and, indeed, they followed him.

Through our baptism, Jesus claims us as his and we become adopted sons and daughters of the Father through Christ. Our identity rests in "being" a child of God. However, through our baptism, Jesus also gives us a mission, the same mission that he gave his disciples - "go. . . 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."

"Being" and "doing", two arms of discipleship; however, as Jesus tells us: "Mary has chosen the better part." Mary, who is "being" in the presence of God, chose the better part because who we are and what we are called to do in life flows from one source - our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. May we be like Mary and Martha because this world of ours needs to know that we are God's beloved and our purpose in life is to discern and do God's will.

. . .

Gospel of the Day

Jesus entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me." The Lord said to her in reply, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her."

Love for life did not deter them from death

Sisters and brothers in Christ, today's Gospel reminded me these verses from the Book of Revelation, which is prayed in Evening Prayer:

For the accuser of our brothers is cast out, Who night and day accused them before God. They defeated him by the blood of the Lamb And by the word of their testimony; Love for life did not deter them from death. So rejoice, you heavens, And you that dwell therein!

Even though the "Pharisees went out and took counsel against Jesus to put him to death", even the threat of death did not deter our Lord from carrying out the mission that his Father in heaven gave him. Rather, Jesus continued to preach the kingdom of heaven and cure all those who followed him. We this is "heroic witness" through the history of the Catholic Church in her saints, many of whom were martyred for their faith and belief in God.

We are called to be "heroic witnesses" of God's love to those we encounter in our daily lives, by our words but, most of all, by what we do for our neighbors. How can we overcome our fear (whatever it may be) to help our fellow man in need? More importantly, how can we overcome whatever it is that is holding us back from following Jesus completely and loving God with all our heart, soul, and mind?

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Gospel of the Day

The Pharisees went out and took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. When Jesus realized this, he withdrew from that place. Many people followed him, and he cured them all, but he warned them not to make him known. This was to fulfill what had been spoken through Isaiah the prophet: Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom I delight; I shall place my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. He will not contend or cry out, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory. And in his name the Gentiles will hope.

Keep holy the sabbath.

Sisters and brothers in Christ, do we keep holy the sabbath? Do we go to Mass and give our Lord and our God praise and thanksgiving for the precious gift of our life - with its imperfections and all? Or do we allow the idols in our lives to distract us and lead us away from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?

It would seem that way as more and more people have stopped going to Mass or their places of worship on Sundays. Shunning the Lord and telling him "No" when he asks: "could you not be with me for an hour?" In doing so, they have forgotten who they are - beloved sons and daughters of the Father - and their true purpose in life - to love the Lord their God with all their heart, soul, and mind.

Therefore, over the next three years of the Eucharistic Revival in the U.S., it is up to us - the "remnant" - to share this message from the Lord with our sisters and brothers, who have strayed from their Father in heaven, that they may come back to Him:

"Thus says the LORD: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears. I will heal you. . ."

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Gospel of the Day

Jesus was going through a field of grain on the sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat them. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “See, your disciples are doing what is unlawful to do on the sabbath.” He said to the them, “Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry, how he went into the house of God and ate the bread of offering, which neither he nor his companions but only the priests could lawfully eat? Or have you not read in the law that on the sabbath the priests serving in the temple violate the sabbath and are innocent? I say to you, something greater than the temple is here. If you knew what this meant, I desire mercy, not sacrifice, you would not have condemned these innocent men. For the Son of Man is Lord of the sabbath.”

Burdened? Jesus will give you rest.

Sisters and brothers in Christ, what weighs on our hearts. What burdens us? Is it feeling of unworthiness? Is it unforgiveness? What keeps us up at nights, tossing and turning? Despair?

Earlier this evening, I prayed over a young mother and she wept. As I prayed for her, I felt the weight of her world that she carries on her shoulders and it wears on her. I ask our Blessed Mother Mary to intercede for this young mother and wrap her in her mantle of love and keep her close to her Immaculate Heart. I prayed that this young mother always has the courage and strength to turn to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in her time of need and firmly believe. . . Jesus, I trust in you.

We turn to God in faith because He is our hope. He loves us. Jesus reminds us of this in today's Gospel, saying: “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest."

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Gospel of the Day

Jesus said: “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”