Snares of the devil

Satan and his minions are working hard to lead souls away from the light of Christ. Pride is a grave sin. The Evil One uses our pride to lead us into darkness and enslave us.

Blessed for humble servants and faithful warriors of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ - like Bishop Strickland (Diocese of Tyler), who is shown here praying the Holy Rosary on his knees, in the rain, in response to this pagan pride fest.

Let us. . . (Ephesians 6:11-13)

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. 🙏❤️🕊

. . .

Saint Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle.

Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.

May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;

and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host,

by the power of God

cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits

who prowl throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

Come down quickly

Sisters and brothers in Christ, in today's Gospel, Zaccheus sought out Jesus and went through great length to see him. In return, Jesus invites himself into Zaccheus' home, and heart, and dwells therein.

Ever wonder what Zaccheus experienced when he allowed Christ into his heart? Saint Paul tells us in these beautiful words:

Lord, "you have mercy on all, because you can do all things; and you overlook people's sins that they may repent. For you love all things that are and loathe nothing that you have made; for what you hated, you would not have fashioned. And how could a thing remain, unless you willed it; or be preserved, had it not been called forth by you? But you spare all things, because they are yours, O LORD and lover of souls, for your imperishable spirit is in all things!"

We too can experience God's deep love and mercy in our lives when we open our hearts to receive Him.

. . .

Gospel of the Day

At that time, Jesus came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town.

Now a man there named Zacchaeus,

who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man,

was seeking to see who Jesus was;

but he could not see him because of the crowd,

for he was short in stature.

So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus,

who was about to pass that way.

When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said,

"Zacchaeus, come down quickly,

for today I must stay at your house."

And he came down quickly and received him with joy.

When they all saw this, they began to grumble, saying,

"He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner."

But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord,

"Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor,

and if I have extorted anything from anyone

I shall repay it four times over."

And Jesus said to him,

"Today salvation has come to this house

because this man too is a descendant of Abraham.

For the Son of Man has come to seek

and to save what was lost."

Prayerful discernment

Sisters and brothers in Christ, today is the Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles

In today's Gospel, we see how Jesus spends his time before making an important decision - "Jesus went up to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God." In the same way, when we have an important decision to make, we should spend it in prayerful discernment just like Jesus. I tell couples who come to us for CALLED TO BE ONE Marriage Class that they are in a period of discernment as they prepare for their wedding day and marriage. It is a time for them to grow together in their relationship with each other but, most of all, with God and discern His will for them.

What I find interesting is, Jesus calls on Judas Iscariot to be his apostle, even though Christ knows that he would become "a traitor". This ought to give us all hope because, no matter how flawed and weak we are, no matter how we fall short of being who God created us to be, no matter how many times we betray God and turn away from Him, God never stops calling us to Himself. God created us out of love and He loves us. It is our Christian hope that we are never beyond the reach of God's redeeming power.

Finally, I just love the passage from Saint Paul's Letter to the Ephesians:

"You are no longer strangers and sojourners,

but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones

and members of the household of God, 

built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets,

with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone."

Through the waters of Baptism, we become adopted sons and daughters of the Father, grafted to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and sealed with the Holy Spirit to live lives of holiness and strive for saintliness. It is possible with God but we have our part to play as well in the story of our salvation.

. . .

Gospel of the Day

Jesus went up to the mountain to pray,

and he spent the night in prayer to God.

When day came, he called his disciples to himself,

and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles:

Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew,

James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew,

Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus,

Simon who was called a Zealot,

and Judas the son of James,

and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

Armor of God

Sisters and brothers in Christ, in today's Gospel, Jesus is undeterred by the Pharisee's warning to "Go away, leave this area because Herod wants to kill you.” In fact, he was determined to complete the mission that his Father in heaven gave him, even in the face of harm to himself, saying: "I cast out demons and I perform healings today and tomorrow, and on the third day I accomplish my purpose. Yet I must continue on my way today, tomorrow, and the following day. . ."

Christ is able to do this because his strength does not come from himself but from his Father in heaven. We are called to follow Christ's example, to be resolute in carrying out the great commission that our Lord gave us at our Baptism, drawing strength not from ourselves - for we are weak - but from our Father in heaven. Saint Paul tells us this in his Letter to the Ephesians, saying: "Draw your strength from the Lord and from his mighty power." Then he gives us a beautiful image of the "armor of God" that helps us to "stand firm against the tactics of the Devil" when we put it on.

This "armor of God" is something to behold:

- loins girded in truth

- clothed with righteousness as a breastplate

- feet shod in readiness for the Gospel of peace

- hold faith as a shield

- take the helmet of salvation

- the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God

Most of all, Saint Paul tells us to "pray at every opportunity in the Spirit". All of this to help us speak the Truth of the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ with courage in the face of persecution.

. . .

Gospel of the Day

Some Pharisees came to Jesus and said,

“Go away, leave this area because Herod wants to kill you.”

He replied, “Go and tell that fox,

‘Behold, I cast out demons and I perform healings today and tomorrow,

and on the third day I accomplish my purpose.

Yet I must continue on my way today, tomorrow, and the following day,

for it is impossible that a prophet should die

outside of Jerusalem.’

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem,

you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you,

how many times I yearned to gather your children together

as a hen gathers her brood under her wings,

but you were unwilling!

Behold, your house will be abandoned.

But I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say,

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”

Strive for the narrow gate

Sisters and brothers in Christ, in his recent reflection on today's Gospel, the Holy Father - Pope Francis - said the good news is, many can enter the narrow gate. In other words, we all have the same opportunity in our lifetime to work towards being able to enter through the narrow gate - ALL OF US. 

Jesus is very precise with his words, saying: "Strive to enter through the narrow gate". The definition of "strive" is to "make great efforts to achieve or obtain something", and that "something" we want to attain is the kingdom of God. Christ also understands the weakness of our human condition, saying: "for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough." Nevertheless, we must "strive to enter through the narrow gate". What is our alternative because "the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction" (Matthew 7:13).

Where do we start? Well, we start with our family. As members of the "domestic church" that is our family, we must lead our family members on the path that leads through the narrow gate. That is our most sacred responsibility - to help each other get to heaven. Saint Paul tells us how in his Letter to the Ephesians: "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother. This is the first commandment with a promise, that it may go well with you and that you may have a long life on earth. Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up with the training and instruction of the Lord."

. . .

Gospel of the Day

Jesus passed through towns and villages,

teaching as he went and making his way to Jerusalem.

Someone asked him,

"Lord, will only a few people be saved?"

He answered them,

"Strive to enter through the narrow gate,

for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter

but will not be strong enough.

After the master of the house has arisen and locked the door,

then will you stand outside knocking and saying,

'Lord, open the door for us.'

He will say to you in reply,

'I do not know where you are from.'

And you will say,

'We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets.'

Then he will say to you,

'I do not know where you are from.

Depart from me, all you evildoers!'

And there will be wailing and grinding of teeth

when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob

and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God

and you yourselves cast out.

And people will come from the east and the west

and from the north and the south

and will recline at table in the Kingdom of God.

For behold, some are last who will be first,

and some are first who will be last."

Love of God in our hearts

Sisters and brothers in Christ, in the first reading, Saint Paul teaches us what our relationship with one another should look like using the example of a rightly ordered relationship between husband and wife. Christ said: ". . .each one of you should love his wife as himself, and the wife should respect her husband." Here is the hinge, everything we do for one another, we do "out of reverence for Christ" just "as Christ loved the Church and handed himself over for her to sanctify her." This is the model for healthy relationships -  one that calls us to love one another as God loves each one of us. It is a sacrificial love that wills the good of another out of our love for God.

This can be challenging for many of us but great love grows from humble beginnings that is rooted in our love for God. Imagine that our love for God is the tiny mustard seed, in today's Gospel, that God placed in our hearts out of His love for us. We have love in our hearts because God loves us first. Now, every day of our lives, we nurture that seed of love in our hearts through prayer, the Mass, and receiving our Lord in the Eucharist. We do this faithfully and that love for God grows inside of us and helps us to love others as God loves us.

I tell our couples, who come to us for CALLED TO BE ONE Marriage Class, that love is the act of the will. We wake up every morning and commit ourselves to loving our husband/wife no matter the challenges of yesterday, today, or tomorrow. However, we cannot do it on our own but with the grace that is poured forth from God's love that is in our hearts. That love matures from humble beginnings and helps us become the refuge of faith, hope, and love for those around us because we have that love of God in our hearts.

. . .

Gospel of the Day

Jesus said, “What is the Kingdom of God like?

To what can I compare it?

It is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in the garden.

When it was fully grown, it became a large bush

and the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches.”

Again he said, “To what shall I compare the Kingdom of God?

It is like yeast that a woman took

and mixed in with three measures of wheat flour

until the whole batch of dough was leavened.”

Report of the Spiritual Director, K of C Austin Chapter (10/24/2022)

Brother Knights, my sincerest apologies for not being able to attend the last few meetings with you all. Between personal matters, work, and ministry, it has been a busy few months. However, through it all, it is God who gives me strength, particularly in the Eucharist which we believe and profess to be the “source and summit” of our Christian life. I am blessed to be able to attend daily Mass at Saint Mary Cathedral every morning before I go to the office. I have even started to serve at Mass on Mondays! I am grateful to Fr. Daniel Liu for this great opportunity to serve the faithful attending Mass so early every morning and faithfully do so.

When I first entered Diaconal Formation in 2014, we were all asked to attend daily Mass. It was a struggle at first but now, I feel an emptiness when I cannot attend daily Mass and receive our Lord in the Eucharist. I desire this for all my brother Knights and their families. During the next three years of the Eucharistic Revival in the Catholic Church in America, I invite my brother Knights - as faith leaders of their “domestic churches” - to set aside at least 30 minutes to 1 hour to spend time with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Daily Mass is 30 minutes and a Holy Hour, well, is 1 hour.

It will be difficult at first and, believe me, the Evil One, Satan, will tempt you to do something else with your time rather than spend it with our Lord. In those moments, I would invite you to pray the “Jesus Prayer” and “Hail Mary” and tell Satan - “Not today, Satan, not today.” Do this for yourself. Do this for your family. Better still, invite your spouse (and family) to join you. We all live busy lives but all things are possible with Christ who gives you strength.

I would invite you to read the column by Supreme Chaplain Archbishop Williams E. Lori, titled “Following Christ Into the Breach”, on page 17 of the October 2022 issue of the “Columbia”. Then, I would invite you to give daily Mass (or a Holy Hour before the Blessed Sacrament) a chance (see my challenges below). Brother Knights, know of my prayers for you and your families. Thank you for your prayers for me and my family. God-willing, I will see you all soon.

Vivat Jesus. Deacon Phúc

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

PERSONAL & FAMILY: Spend time (or more time) before our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament - at daily Mass or Holy Hour in Adoration. Let the Eucharist be the “source and summit” of yours and your family’s Christian life.

COUNCIL: For the souls of our deceased brother Knights and their spouses. Reach out to a widower and check on him or her.

Live as children of light

Sisters and brothers in Christ, Saint Paul gives us wonderful words of wisdom to live by in his Letter to the Ephesians, encouraging them and us to "[be] kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ. Be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and handed himself over for us as a sacrificial offering to God for a fragrant aroma. . . For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light."

Let us reflect on the times when we were not kind to another, did not show compassionate to another, or did not forgive another, especially loved ones. Then, ask the Holy Spirit to pour grace upon grace into our hearts so that we can be kind, compassionate, and forgive as God is kind, compassionate, and forgiving of us. Alone, it is hard for us but, with God's help through His Spirit, we can be imitators of God and live in love as Jesus loves us unconditionally and sacrificially.

Yesterday, I had the blessed opportunity to lead our Youth Group in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. I used a Guided Meditation to help them feel Jesus' love for them and his desire for them to turn in him in their times of need but also to share their joys with him. God's love and mercy is, as we read in today's Gospel, is limitless. God is there for us 24-7, every day of our lives. We just need to turn to him in prayer and invite him into our lives, into our hearts.

. . .

Gospel of the Day

Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on the sabbath.

And a woman was there who for eighteen years

had been crippled by a spirit;

she was bent over, completely incapable of standing erect.

When Jesus saw her, he called to her and said,

“Woman, you are set free of your infirmity.”

He laid his hands on her,

and she at once stood up straight and glorified God.

But the leader of the synagogue,

indignant that Jesus had cured on the sabbath,

said to the crowd in reply,

“There are six days when work should be done.

Come on those days to be cured, not on the sabbath day.”

The Lord said to him in reply, “Hypocrites!

Does not each one of you on the sabbath

untie his ox or his ass from the manger

and lead it out for watering?

This daughter of Abraham,

whom Satan has bound for eighteen years now,

ought she not to have been set free on the sabbath day

from this bondage?”

When he said this, all his adversaries were humiliated;

and the whole crowd rejoiced at all the splendid deeds done by him.

Adoration & Youth Ministry (Part 1)

I am excited to assist with a couple of Youth Ministry events in the coming weeks. This Sunday, I have the blessed opportunity to lead our youth group in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. I look forward to helping our youth experience the Real Presence of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. I do not believe it will be a full Holy Hour but that is okay because the Holy Spirit does not need a lot of time to work in the hearts of the children.

I remember sitting in Buddhist temple many, many years ago and simply meditated while the congregation chanted. While I did not understand what was being chanted, the chanting helped me to meditate. I pray that the children will be attuned to the movement of our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament but it is okay if they get distracted, too, because the Holy Spirit can use whatever is given Him to help us grow closer in our relationship with Christ. Then, next month, I have the blessed opportunity to lead Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament during a Confirmation Retreat.

The other opportunity for me to serve our Youth Ministry will be in a couple of weeks when I will take part in a Panel Discussion on Vocations. I will speak on the Diaconate and answer questions that our youth may have for the panelists. I look forward to it and I pray that the panel discussion will lead many of them to discern vocations, particularly to the priesthood and religious life. The Catholic Church in the U.S. need more priests to shepherd the people of God. I ask for your prayers for our youth and for their discernment of the vocation(s) that God might be calling them to in their lives. Amen.

Live in a manner worthy of God's call

Sisters and brothers in Christ, we are good at using metrics/guidelines to evaluate and judge things in our lives - be they personal or professional. Just the other day, I was sitting in a meet in which we discussed certain metrics and how those metrics affect our decision to proceed with a project or how we can modify the project so that it meets all the metrics before we can proceed.

This is also important in our interior and spiritual life but we do not take is as seriously as we ought to, given what is at stake - our eternal soul, the kingdom of God, our relationship with the Holy Trinity, etc. Might I suggest something that I learned at the annual Deacon Retreat last weekend with Fr. Bruce Nieli. Perhaps we can evaluate and judge our interior life and spirituality using the Four Marks of the Catholic Church. For example, how is what I an engaging in helping me to grow in unity (One) with others, in goodness (Holy), in Truth (Apostolic), and in beauty (Catholic) that God created me to be, and help others do that same.

It starts with us, in our we live our faith through our words and actions. Saint Paul reminds us of our calling and how we should respond to God's calling in his Letter to the Ephesians: "live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace; one Body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."

. . .

Gospel of the Day

Jesus said to the crowds,

“When you see a cloud rising in the west

you say immediately that it is going to rain–and so it does;

and when you notice that the wind is blowing from the south

you say that it is going to be hot–and so it is.

You hypocrites!

You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky;

why do you not know how to interpret the present time?

“Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right?

If you are to go with your opponent before a magistrate,

make an effort to settle the matter on the way;

otherwise your opponent will turn you over to the judge,

and the judge hand you over to the constable,

and the constable throw you into prison.

I say to you, you will not be released

until you have paid the last penny.”

Shalom

Sisters and brothers in Christ, after some turmoil or conflict in our lives, we often say that we have "made peace it" or "I am at peace with it" or we have reached a "peaceful resolution". While all of these are good things, the peace that God desires for us is "more than an absence of conflict" but rather "the presence in the human person and their relationships that everything should be there."

The peace that God desires for us Saint Paul describes beautifully in his letter to the Ephesians, saying: "strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner self, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts  through faith; that you, rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the holy ones what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."

In other words, the peace that God desire for us is "a kind of equilibrium that comes from trusting in God and the experience that everything is alright, that everything is in the hands of God. It is the tranquil state of a soul fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of what so ever sort that is." Jesus tells us in the Gospel of Matthew: "Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself." Peace be with you!

. . .

Gospel of the Day

Jesus said to his disciples:

“I have come to set the earth on fire,

and how I wish it were already blazing!

There is a baptism with which I must be baptized,

and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished!

Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth?

No, I tell you, but rather division.

From now on a household of five will be divided,

three against two and two against three;

a father will be divided against his son

and a son against his father, 

a mother against her daughter

and a daughter against her mother,

a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law

and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”

Deacon Retreat 2022 (Part 3)

One of the great things about the annual deacon retreat is the opportunities to learn from my brother deacons. For example, after Adoration on Saturday night, Deacon Al shared with me that he has his own "Adoration Travel Kit" that included battery-operated tealight candles, a headlamp to shine light on the Blessed Sacrament, and prayer cards, which he passed out to everyone the next morning.

A few years ago, Deacon Jose talked about his "go" bag in his homily. Since then, I have my own "go" bags for House Blessings, Communion Service, and now I will add a "go" bag for Adoration. If you are reading this and you have tips for a "baby" deacon, then pray share with me.

Personally, I did not bring my alb and cincture because I knew that I had "behind the scenes" things to take care of. I was the MC after all. :) I am glad many of my brother deacons signed up to help lead Adoration and the Liturgy of the Hours, and serve at Mass. I had a fun time doing the sacristan part, particularly ringing the bells during Mass.

I was asked to be the MC again for next year's deacon retreat, which I happily accepted. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve my brother deacons in this role.

Stewardship of God’s grace

Sisters and brothers in Christ, a dear friend shared this post from "The Chosen" page this morning and after I read it, I immediately thought: "I felt it (the magnitude of what God is calling [me] to do) at Ordination as we laid prostrated on the floor during the Litany of Saints." It is as Jesus tells us in today's Gospel parable, saying: "Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more."

This is the "stewardship of God’s grace" that Saint Paul speaks of in his letter to the Ephesians, making all of us (through our baptism) ministers of God's grace "to preach to the Gentiles the inscrutable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for all what is the plan of the mystery hidden from ages past in God who created all things, so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the Church to the principalities and authorities in the heavens."

Truly, being a disciple of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is a calling and with it, a tremendous responsibility to live a life - in words and actions - worthy of that calling from God. Being an apostle of Christ demands even more of us. However, thanks be to God, He gives us the grace - through the Sacraments - to help us along that path to salvation and to bring others with us. This is our Christian hope and the reason for our joy. I know it is for me as I carry out the mission of the diakonia that Jesus has entrusted to me through his one, holy, catholic, and apostolic. Yet, not only me, but all of us who are baptized into the one Body of Christ and the mission of the Church.

. . .

Gospel of the Day

Jesus said to his disciples: 

“Be sure of this:

if the master of the house had known the hour

when the thief was coming,

he would not have let his house be broken into.

You also must be prepared,

for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”

Then Peter said,

“Lord, is this parable meant for us or for everyone?”

And the Lord replied,

“Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward

whom the master will put in charge of his servants

to distribute the food allowance at the proper time?

Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds doing so.

Truly, I say to you, he will put him

in charge of all his property.

But if that servant says to himself,

‘My master is delayed in coming,’

and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants,

to eat and drink and get drunk,

then that servant’s master will come

on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour

and will punish the servant severely

and assign him a place with the unfaithful.

That servant who knew his master’s will

but did not make preparations nor act in accord with his will

shall be beaten severely;

and the servant who was ignorant of his master’s will

but acted in a way deserving of a severe beating

shall be beaten only lightly. 

Much will be required of the person entrusted with much,

and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.”

Like lambs among wolves

Sisters and brothers in Christ, today is the Feast of Saint Luke, evangelist.

Today's Gospel reminds us of our important role in Christ's mission and the mission of his Church for the salvation of souls in the world. Just as Jesus did with the seventy-two disciples, he appoints us, through our baptism, and sends us ahead of him as laborers for his harvest. It is a calling that is not for the "faint of heart" and Christ knows this, saying: "I am sending you like lambs among wolves", but he promises to be with us to the end of time.

Two things come to me as I reflected on this Gospel. First, speaking the Truth of Christ oftentimes means standing alone in a crowd, going counter to the culture and society in which we live, and facing "pushbacks" and even persecution. However, we are never alone if we look to our fellow sisters and brothers in Christ for prayers and support. More importantly, the Spirit of God is always with us, as well as the holy angels and the communion of saints to back us up. Second, we can do all things in Christ who gives us strength (Phil 4:13), and our Lord does strengthen us through his Spirit. Let us always remember to turn to him with expectant faith and hope and, most of all, frequent the sacraments, especially Holy Eucharist - at Mass and in Adoration.

Therefore, let us perform our role in the mission of Christ and the Church with fidelity to God and speak Truth with courage, rooted in faith, filled with hope, and always with love. Proclaiming 'The Kingdom of God is at hand for you" for the salvation of souls.

. . .

Gospel of the Day

The Lord Jesus appointed seventy-two disciples

whom he sent ahead of him in pairs

to every town and place he intended to visit.

He said to them,

“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;

so ask the master of the harvest

to send out laborers for his harvest.

Go on your way;

behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves.

Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals;

and greet no one along the way.

Into whatever house you enter,

first say, ‘Peace to this household.’

If a peaceful person lives there,

your peace will rest on him;

but if not, it will return to you.

Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you,

for the laborer deserves payment.

Do not move about from one house to another.

Whatever town you enter and they welcome you,

eat what is set before you,

cure the sick in it and say to them,

‘The Kingdom of God is at hand for you.’”

Treasures that matter to God

Sisters and brothers in Christ, in today's Gospel parable, Jesus reminds us not to put too much stock in the treasures of this work while neglecting what matters most to God, saying: "will it be for the one who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich in what matters to God." How can we be "rich in what matters to God"? As I reflected on this, I started to think about what Fr. Bruce Nieli talked about during the annual Deacon Retreat this past week. He talked about the ingredients that make up the "pizza supreme" and, for me, these are the ingredients that we need to be "rich in what matters to God." These ingredients are unity, Truth, goodness, and beauty. Looking at these a different way, these are the Four Marks of the Catholic Church - one (unity), holy (goodness), catholic (beauty), and apostolic (Truth).

In addition to the Four Marks, the virtues of faith, hope, and love help us to be "rich in what matters to God." Saint Paul sums up our Christian faith, our reason for hope, and God's love for us so beautiful in his Letter to the Ephesians, in particular these verses:

But God, who is rich in mercy,

because of the great love he had for us,

even when we were dead in our transgressions,

brought us to life with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

raised us up with him,

and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus,

that in the ages to come

he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace

in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

Therefore, let us store up "heavenly treasures" that do not decay with time and set our sights on eternal life with our Father in heaven.

. . .

Gospel of the Day

Someone in the crowd said to Jesus,

“Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me.”

He replied to him,

“Friend, who appointed me as your judge and arbitrator?”

Then he said to the crowd,

“Take care to guard against all greed,

for though one may be rich,

one’s life does not consist of possessions.”

Then he told them a parable.

“There was a rich man whose land produced a bountiful harvest.

He asked himself, ‘What shall I do,

for I do not have space to store my harvest?’

And he said, ‘This is what I shall do:

I shall tear down my barns and build larger ones.

There I shall store all my grain and other goods

and I shall say to myself, “Now as for you,

you have so many good things stored up for many years,

rest, eat, drink, be merry!”’

But God said to him,

‘You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you;

and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?’

Thus will it be for the one who stores up treasure for himself

but is not rich in what matters to God.”

Deacon Retreat 2022 (Part 2)

Today, during our afternoon time for reflection, prayer, and relaxation, like last fall, I did my St. Vincent de Paul Walk for the Poor walk while praying the Rosary for the intentions of my benefactors and others. I took a different route this year, walking to the end of the long driveway that leads to the retreat center grounds and back, then to Saint Clare Prayer Garden, and then to the Adoration Chapel. In a complete God moment, I ended the Rosary inside the Chapel and knelt before the Blessed Sacrament to pray for my benefactors and others. It was a grace-filled moment. I am going to miss that Adoration Chapel after it is torn down. My wife and I spent a lot of time in there during Diaconal Formation for Mass and Holy Hour.

Going back to praying the Rosary, I prayed the Joyful Mysteries and with each Mystery, I meditated on the Scripture passages that came to mind for each Mystery and reflected on them through the eyes of our Blessed Mother Mary.

The First Joyful Mystery - the Annunciation (Luke 1:38) - Mary's Fiat

Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.”

The Second Joyful Mystery - the Visitation (Luke 1:46-47) - Mary's Magnificat

And Mary said: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior."

The Third Joyful Mystery - the Nativity of the Lord (Luke 2:10-14) - the Word was Made Flesh and Dwelt Among

The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

The Fourth Joyful Mystery - the Presentation of the Lord (Luke 2:29-35) - Simeon's Prophecy and the Sorrow of Mary

“Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel. . . and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted (and you yourself a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

The Fifth Joyful Mystery - the Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:48-51) - the Heart of Mary

When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.” And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he said to them. He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart.

Deacon Retreat 2022 (Part 1)

Once again, I am the MC for the annual deacon retreat at Cedarbrake Renewal Center (in Belton/Temple). Last year, I filled in for Deacon Charlie but, little did I know, he was grooming me to be his replacement. LOL :) It was a wonderful experience and my brother deacons were very supportive. :)

Unlike last year, which was also my first time attending the annual deacon retreat, I decided to take the entire day off. While I still had to log on and work some - QBing from home - I had time to relax and prepare myself, not only for my role as MC, but also to be in the right frame of mind and heart to receive the fruits of this weekend. Being able to leave early allowed me to leisurely drive to the renewal center without concerns about traffic and whether I can make it in time. I will certainly plan to take off again next year.

I am excited to listen to our retreat leader - Fr. Bruce Nieli - present on "Deacons and Eucharistic Revival: Inviting All to the Table of Perfect Love." It is such a wonderful topic considering the Catholic Church in America is promulgating the Eucharistic Revival over the next three years. This is in response to a recent Pew Research poll that shows that less that 30% of Catholics believe in the Real Presence of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the Eucharist - the source and summit of the Christian faith and life.

I plan to share reflections and thoughts throughout the weekend on this blog so I hope you check in and read my blog when you have a chance.

God never had. He never has. He never will.

Sisters and brothers in Christ, in today's Gospel, Jesus reveals to us the depth of his love for us. For although we conceal things in darkness (or try to at least), our Father, who sees our thoughts and probes our hearts, loves each of us as the apple of His eye. However, our Lord is also a just judge and, like any loving parent, will hold us accountable for our words and our actions, particularly when it comes to our believing in God, living our faith daily, and carrying out our mission to share the Good News with others.

Saint Paul tells us this in his letter to the Ephesians. He writes that, in love, God reveals his Word and word to us. In love, we are called respond to God's revelation to us with faith - hear the word of truth, the Gospel of our salvation, and believe in Him. When we do this, we are sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, which is the first part of our inheritance of the kingdom of God, toward redemption as God's possession.

God reveals Himself to us each and every day of our lives. He gives us freewill to respond to Him in faith. To use a sports metaphor: "The ball is in our court." Jesus tells us - "Do not be afraid" - because He wants us to know that while people and the things of the world might hurt us, God will never hurt us. God never had. He never has. He never will.

. . .

Gospel of the Day

At that time:

So many people were crowding together 

that they were trampling one another underfoot.

Jesus began to speak, first to his disciples,

“Beware of the leaven–that is, the hypocrisy–of the Pharisees.

“There is nothing concealed that will not be revealed,

nor secret that will not be known.

Therefore whatever you have said in the darkness

will be heard in the light,

and what you have whispered behind closed doors

will be proclaimed on the housetops.

I tell you, my friends,

do not be afraid of those who kill the body

but after that can do no more.

I shall show you whom to fear.

Be afraid of the one who after killing

has the power to cast into Gehenna;

yes, I tell you, be afraid of that one.

Are not five sparrows sold for two small coins?

Yet not one of them has escaped the notice of God.

Even the hairs of your head have all been counted.

Do not be afraid.

You are worth more than many sparrows.”

Lead others to salvation

The priests are at the Annual Convocation with Bishop. I had the opportunity once again to lead Communion Service this morning at Saint Mary Cathedral. Below is my homily for the Thursday of the Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time (Year C - 10/13/2022):

“Woe to you, scholars of the law! You have taken away the key of knowledge. You yourselves did not enter and you stopped those trying to enter.” With these words, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, chastised the scholars of the law, as he did with the Pharisees, for forgetting who they are while burdening the people they lead with rules imposed on them. Rather than leading others to faith in God, they became a hindrance for others to come to know Jesus because, through their pride and envy, they forgot who they are and their story.

My sisters and brothers in Christ, have we forgotten who we are? Have we forgotten our story? In case we have forgotten, Saint Paul helps us remember that we are “the holy ones. . . faithful in Christ Jesus.” We are blessed by God in Christ with “every spiritual blessing in the heavens.” We are chosen in Christ “before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish.” God so loved us that He “destined us” to be His adopted sons and daughters through His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. This is who we are, let us not forget it.

What is our story? We are sinners redeemed by the Blood of Christ, the Crucified One, for the forgiveness of our sins, reconciling us to our Father in heaven. This is the story of our salvation and, while it is hard to imagine us ever forgetting such a hopeful story, we are not unlike the Pharisees and scholars of the law. We forget and have to be reminded over and over again of God’s faithfulness to us in the face of our unfaithfulness to Him. The question then becomes, how should we respond to the successors of the Apostles and the “prophets” of our time? Would we build “memorials” of them while never intending to heed what they say? By the grace of God, may that not be the case but rather that we respond with expectant faith and hope.

Then, let us go forth and share the Good News of Jesus Christ with others in our words and actions. And, by the grace of God and with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, may we never be a hindrance for others coming to knowledge of God and encounter with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Rather, let us serve the mission of the Church, proclaiming the kingdom of God so as to lead others to salvation.

. . .

Gospel of the Day

The Lord said:

“Woe to you who build the memorials of the prophets 

whom your fathers killed.

Consequently, you bear witness and give consent

to the deeds of your ancestors,

for they killed them and you do the building.

Therefore, the wisdom of God said,

‘I will send to them prophets and Apostles;

some of them they will kill and persecute’

in order that this generation might be charged

with the blood of all the prophets

shed since the foundation of the world,

from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah

who died between the altar and the temple building.

Yes, I tell you, this generation will be charged with their blood!

Woe to you, scholars of the law!

You have taken away the key of knowledge.

You yourselves did not enter and you stopped those trying to enter.”

When Jesus left, the scribes and Pharisees

began to act with hostility toward him

and to interrogate him about many things,

for they were plotting to catch him at something he might say.

Let us give the Holy Spirit permission to insult us

The priests are at the Annual Convocation with Bishop. I had the opportunity to lead Communion Service this morning at Saint Mary Cathedral. Below is my homily for the Wednesday of the Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time (Year C - 10/12/2022):

Good morning. In yesterday’s Gospel, Jesus gives us a great image of a cup that is shiny and beautiful on the outside while, on the inside, it was in dire need of being cleansed. Also, as we heard in his homily yesterday morning, Deacon Ron said that we can be like that cup - squeaky clean on the outside but what about our interior, what lies beneath, in the depths of our heart. The image that comes to my mind is of an ornately-carved wooden trunk or  armoire, seemingly beautiful and solid on the outside but cluttered, messy, and dirty when we open it and peer inside.

My sisters and brothers in Christ, while others may not know what is going on in our head or heart, God knows; and when He “explore[s] the mind and test[s] the heart” (Jeremiah 17:10), what would He find? Would He find thoughts in our head and feelings in our hearts that would lead us to “immorality, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry. . . hatreds, rivalry, jealousy, outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness. . .”? Woe! to us if He does find these things in us because, as we all heard Saint Paul warns us, in his letter to the Galatians: “those who do such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God.”

Now that we know what is at stake here - our inheritance: the kingdom of God - what are we to do? Well, the answer is right there, at the foot of the Cross, my sisters and brothers in Christ. In the tabernacle, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ waits for us with love and in him and through his Real Presence in the Eucharist, the “source and summit” of our Christian faith, we have reason to hope. We know that Jesus did not leave us orphans when he ascended to heaven to take his rightful place with the Father because he sent us the Holy Spirit.

You all may recall this verse in today’s Gospel when the scholars said to Jesus; “Teacher, by saying this you are insulting us too.” Well, let us give the Holy Spirit permission to insult us because, in doing so, the Spirit convicts our hearts and moves us to conversion. And when we turn to the Spirit with humble and contrite hearts, the Spirit of God “[crucifies our] flesh with its passions and desires.” In other words, the Spirit removes from our hearts those things that prevent us from inheriting the Kingdom of God and fills us with “the fruit of the Spirit. . . love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. . .” so that we may “live in the Spirit” and “follow the Spirit” and, when our earthly pilgrim ends, we may inherit the Kingdom of God.

. . .

Gospel of the Day

The Lord said:

“Woe to you Pharisees!

You pay tithes of mint and of rue and of every garden herb,

but you pay no attention to judgment and to love for God.

These you should have done, without overlooking the others.

Woe to you Pharisees!

You love the seat of honor in synagogues

and greetings in marketplaces.  

Woe to you!

You are like unseen graves over which people unknowingly walk.”

Then one of the scholars of the law said to him in reply,

“Teacher, by saying this you are insulting us too.”

And he said, “Woe also to you scholars of the law!

You impose on people burdens hard to carry,

but you yourselves do not lift one finger to touch them.”

Give alms

Sisters and brothers in Christ, today's (10/11) Gospel Acclamation spoke to me - "The word of God is living and effective, able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart" - because it is a reminder that God probes our minds and truly knows our hearts (Jeremiah 17:10).

This is what Jesus tells us about the heart: ". . .the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile. For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, unchastity, theft, false witness, blasphemy" (Matthew 15: 18-19). Yikes 

However, in today's Gospel, Christ tells us how to purify our hearts. . . "give alms", because we when think of the needs of others, rather than our own, we have love (charity) in our hearts. 

This past Sunday, I shared with the engage couples that the Sacrament of Marriage is one of the sacraments of service. When husband and wife give of each other sacrificially and unconditionally, not accounting the costs, they overcome their own selfish egos for the good the marital covenant.

Love is an act of the will. When husband and wife choose to love each other, they become perfect witnesses of Jesus' love for his Bride - the Church (the Body of Christ which we are all members of). This is "faith working through love" as Saint Paul wrote to the Galatians.

. . .

Gospel of the Day

After Jesus had spoken,

a Pharisee invited him to dine at his home.

He entered and reclined at table to eat.

The Pharisee was amazed to see

that he did not observe the prescribed washing before the meal.

The Lord said to him, “Oh you Pharisees!

Although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish,

inside you are filled with plunder and evil.

You fools!

Did not the maker of the outside also make the inside?

But as to what is within, give alms,

and behold, everything will be clean for you.”

Your faith has saved you

Sisters and brothers in Christ, these two verses in Today's Gospel struck me. First, the ten lepers cried out to the Lord, say: "Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!". And then, we read that "one of them, realizing he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice; and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him."

As I reflected on these verses, I thought of myself and when I pray. I wonder to myself, do I pray with expectant confidence that God will answer my prayers, according to His will and plan? Or am I like Naaman, in today's first reading, who was skeptical under God healed him of his leprosy and then he believed?

I believe that I pray with expectant faith and hope in God's love and goodness. Most of all, I am mindful of giving God praise and glory for the many blessings and answered prayers in my life but, most all, I thank God for the gift of faith so I do not lose hope because I know that He loves me always.

Therefore, let us be like the Samaritan who asked God to heal him, believed with expectant faith that God would heal him, and then showed God gratitude for His mercy and goodness.

. . .

Gospel of the Day

As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem,

he traveled through Samaria and Galilee.

As he was entering a village, ten lepers met him.

They stood at a distance from him and raised their voices, saying,

"Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!"

And when he saw them, he said,

"Go show yourselves to the priests."

As they were going they were cleansed.

And one of them, realizing he had been healed,

returned, glorifying God in a loud voice;

and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him.

He was a Samaritan.

Jesus said in reply,

"Ten were cleansed, were they not?

Where are the other nine?

Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?"

Then he said to him, "Stand up and go;

your faith has saved you."

When you pray, say

Sisters and brothers in Christ, in today's Gospel, Jesus give us the perfect prayer - the "Our Father" or the Lord's Prayer. We pray it at every Mass, when we pray the Holy Rosary, and it is one of the big 3 Prayers that I pray daily. The other two are "Hail Mary" and "Glory Be".

However, since we pray this beautiful prayer that Jesus gave to us quite often in our prayer life, we have to be cautious and not to make it a rote prayer that we mindlessly recite. Rather, we must allow the words of the prayer to permeate our souls, so that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ's words can help us to order our lives according to his will.

We must give God praise and glory above all and honor the Holy Name of Jesus. We must ask that God's will be done in our lives, not our own will but His, because His will puts us on the path to salvation. We must rely on God's grace in our lives and turn to Him daily for guidance. We must learn to forgive others in the same way that God has shown us mercy. Finally, when we hear God's voice, let now not harden our hearts because that will lead us on the path to sin and temptation. Rather, let us ask for God's grace to overcome sin and temptation and deliver us from the bonds of evil.

Let us pray,

Our Father, Who art in heaven, 

Hallowed be Thy Name. 

Thy Kingdom come. 

Thy Will be done, 

on earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread. 

And forgive us our trespasses, 

as we forgive those who trespass against us. 

And lead us not into temptation, 

but deliver us from evil. Amen.

. . .

Gospel of the Day

Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished,

one of his disciples said to him,

"Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples."

He said to them, "When you pray, say:

Father, hallowed be your name,

your Kingdom come.

Give us each day our daily bread

and forgive us our sins

for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us,

and do not subject us to the final test."

Fellow sojourners

One of the joys and honor of being a deacon is being able to accompany individuals and families through challenging times in their lives. To be present and help them remember that our Lord and Jesus Christ has not abandoned them. He loves them and is right there with them, sharing in their joys but especially he is present in their sorrows. #diakonia

Sometimes, it can be challenging emotionally, mentally, and spiritually but I always recall what Fr. Charlie said, "activate the graces of the Sacraments you have received." For me, I am in the unique position to activate the graces of all 7 #Sacraments.

I pray for more vocations to the priesthood, diaconate, and religious. However, Jesus invites ALL of us to be workers in his vineyard. May we all answer God's call to carry out the Church's corporal and spiritual works of mercy.

Please keep this parishioner and family in your prayers for healing and restoration of health, consolation and strength.

Be bothered, with compassion

Sisters and brothers in Christ, in today's Gospel parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus is challenging us to reflect on those times when we "can not be bothered" with someone or by something in our lives and to look at them anew with compassion.

The priest and the Levite saw the robbers' victim and could not be bothered by his situation and passed on the opposite side. However, the Samaritan was "moved with compassion" and not only took the man to an inn, but he cared for him the entire night 

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is moved with compassion for us, because we are sheep with a shepherd, and he died on the Cross for our salvation. If we are to live by the his commandment to love God and love of our neighbor as ourselves, we must be moved with compassion for our fellow sojourners on the pilgrim on earth.

It is tremendously important for parents to "be bothered" with things of their children. If parents take the time to listen to their children's little things, then their children will be more willing to approach their parents with big things in their lives. Let us all be moved with compassion and all ourselves to "be bothered" by others, especially our families and loved one.

. . .

Gospel of the Day

There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test Jesus and said,

“Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law?

How do you read it?”

He said in reply,

“You shall love the Lord, your God,

with all your heart,

with all your being,

with all your strength,

and with all your mind,

and your neighbor as yourself.”

He replied to him, “You have answered correctly;

do this and you will live.”

But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus, 

“And who is my neighbor?”

Jesus replied, 

“A man fell victim to robbers

as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho.

They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead.

A priest happened to be going down that road,

but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.

Likewise a Levite came to the place,

and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.

But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him

was moved with compassion at the sight.

He approached the victim,

poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them.

Then he lifted him up on his own animal,

took him to an inn, and cared for him.

The next day he took out two silver coins

and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction,

‘Take care of him.

If you spend more than what I have given you,

I shall repay you on my way back.’

Which of these three, in your opinion,

was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?”

He answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.”

Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”