Homily for the 13th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year C

 

Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
1 KGS 19:16B, 19-21

PS 16:1-2, 5, 7-11

GAL 5:1,13-18

LK 9:51-62

 

The readings for this Sunday speak to our to discipleship in this not-so ordinary time. Following Christ requires a complete commitment of one’s entire person to love our neighbor as ourself.

In the Gospel, Jesus entered a Samaritan town with His Apostles. Remember that the Jews and Samaritans were bitter enemies. They hated one another over differing theological viewpoints. When the Samaritan townspeople refuse hospitality to Jesus, James and John are furious! They ask for permission to make like Elijah and call down fire from heaven to burn up those ‘dirty sinners.’ I can only imagine the look on Jesus face as he slowly turns to them, shakes his head, and silently rebukes them in disgust. Have they not learned anything from Him?

My friends, we must be careful to not be like James and John that day. On Friday, the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, a grave injustice in our nation was undone. After 50 years, Roe v Wade has finally been struck down. We should rejoice in this victory for the Culture of Life and give thanks to Almighty God. But today is not a day to call down fire upon those who reject life – to gloat, to taunt them, to condemn them. Today is the day to begin our work anew and to redouble our efforts to win their hearts and souls for Jesus Christ. The Supreme Court did not end abortion in this country. It merely shifted the matter back to the individual states. If we truly want to change the culture and end abortion, we need to change hearts and change minds…and we may have to start with our own.

We who proclaim Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior have work to do. We must be ready and willing to redouble the assistance we already provide for expectant mothers and unborn children. In days to come, women will approach the Church – they will approach you and me – asking what we can do for them. Many will be scared because they have been taught to believe that abortion is the only option. Some will be angry because they wrongly believe that option has been unjustly taken away from them. We are to respond as Jesus Christ did – with love and compassion. We need to educate ourselves on what help is available for these women and be ready and willing to provide that help.

The Catholic Church has numerous apostolates in our diocese and collaborates with multiple agencies to provide pre-natal and post-natal care and support to mothers, fathers, and babies in need. Dozens of these are listed on the diocesan website. I will make sure these Pro Life resources are listed on our website as well. Locally, we now have The Gabriel Project, which provides to mothers in crisis spiritual and emotional support via a volunteer ‘angel’ that accompanies her through pregnancy and for 12 months after the child is born. The angel volunteer helps mothers and fathers find the resources and use the services they need to provide for the baby. I am asking for volunteers in our parish to become Gabriel Angels to these mothers in need. Please prayerfully consider if you feel called to share your gifts with these children of God.

Holy Mother Church is here to provide healing and reconciliation for those who have had an abortion or have helped someone procure an abortion, as well. Like her Divine Bridegroom, Jesus Christ, she never abandons her children. There may be some sitting in this church right now who are suffering from the physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional trauma of a past abortion. I want you to know - Jesus Christ loves you, the Church loves you, and I love you. If someone here today is in need of healing after an abortion or helping someone to have an abortion, please come see me. You will not be judged or condemned. Jesus Christ is waiting for you in the Sacrament of Confession to hold you close to His Sacred Heart to forgive you and heal all your wounds. Rachel Ministries is ready to help women and men who regret their abortion and are tired of living in silence and pain. They offer retreats, peer support, and professional/pastoral counseling to aid your recovery. Come see me please for more information.

Some of us who are fiercely pro-life may feel conflicted when called upon to forgive, embrace, and assist people who have considered or have had an abortion. Christ responds to this internal struggle in today’s Gospel reading as he encounters two ‘would be’ disciples on His way to Jerusalem. “Follow me,” Jesus says. But the first replied, “Lord let me go first and bury my father.” The other said, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say farewell to my family at home.” These two want to follow Christ but only on their own terms. To this, Christ says ‘close, but no banana!’ Following Him requires an unqualified “yes” not a “yes but…” We are called to put Christ and His kingdom ahead of our own preconceptions if we truly wish to be his disciples and to find victory in the battle of selfishness.

Do not be afraid to give the very best of yourself and your gifts to Christ. He deserves nothing less. Continue praying, fasting, and doing works of charity. The building of the Culture of Life in our country, while challenging, will be characterized by a joy and peace that only comes from giving Him an unqualified “yes!”                         Immaculate Heart of Mary, Pray for Us!

Homily for the Ascension of the Lord, Year C

 

Ascension, Year C
ACTS 1:1-11

PS 47:2-3, 6-9

HEB 9:24-28, 10:19-23 or EPH 4:17-23

LK 24:46-53 

Right after I was ordained a deacon, I had my first baptism in Denton. She was about 2 years old. All was going well until daddy hoisted her over the baptismal font. Little one stayed still…until I started to pour. Then she wiggled…water in the eyes, the ears, and up the nose. After that, she was having nothing to do with me! Not even for pictures afterward. Nevertheless, one of my favorite things to do as a priest of Jesus Christ is to preside at baptisms. I believe it is a good time to recall why we baptize infants as soon as possible after they are born. Many parents have their babies baptized soon after birth, believing that the point of infant baptism was to remove Original Sin, which many see as some kind of stain on the soul of the child that prevents them from entering heaven. Other parents have their child baptized because it makes them a member of the Catholic Church and the parish community. There are elements of truth in both, but they are an incomplete understanding of what happens in the Sacrament of Baptism.

Original sin is quite different from personal sin, which is when we choose to act against the will of God. Original sin means that because of the personal sin of our first parents, Adam and Eve, we are born without sanctifying grace, which is the gift of His life that God freely gives to us. Sanctifying grace is infused into a human soul by the Holy Spirit and enables us to become holy. (CCC 2023) Until the windows to the soul are washed by the waters of Baptism, the Holy Spirit cannot flood us with the light of His grace. The Sacrament of Baptism restores God’s gift of sanctifying grace to the child and restores their destiny – the gift of eternal life.

When the priest or deacon baptizes, he uses the words of Jesus Christ found in Matthew 28: “I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Again the Greek text reveals something profound that the English translation loses. Our Lord says ‘eis’, not ‘en’ when He says ‘in the name of the Father. . .’ En means to speak on behalf of, like when an ambassador speaks in the name of the President. But eis means to be immersed into, to be inserted into the very name of God. In Baptism, we are inserted into the being of God, we are immersed into the life of the Holy Trinity and the eternal exchange of love between the Three Divine Persons. Just as in marriage when husband and wife become one flesh and form a new reality, so too does the baptized person become a new reality because of that total immersion into the life of God. The baptized child truly becomes part of the Body of Christ at the deepest level of their nature. They become a son or daughter of God the Father. Therefore, we baptize infants because we want them to participate fully in the divine life of their creator – to be open to the sanctifying grace that will help them grow in love of God and of neighbor, leading them to heaven. The earlier someone is baptized, the earlier the Holy Spirit’s sanctifying grace can begin work in their lives.

But what about after Baptism? We all know the reality of personal sin – sins we personally and willfully commit. We all have times when we reject the will of god and turn away from Him. We fall. Sometimes, we destroy the life of God within us – we reject His sanctifying grace entirely when we commit mortal sin. We reject our status as children of God and instead embrace the prince of this world. In our second reading from Ephesians, we heard that Jesus Christ has all power and authority over every spiritual power. He shared this power and authority with His Church, most especially in the Sacraments. In the Sacrament of Confession, we are given spiritual deliverance and healing that restores the gift of sanctifying grace and our relationship with Jesus Christ. Our sins are forgiven when we confess them sacramentally. But there is a catch – we have to do our part to cooperate with Jesus in the Sacrament. The essential message of our Gospel reading today is the preaching of repentance for the forgiveness of sins to all the nations. The Good News of the Gospel is that sins can be forgiven! But today, many people are offended at the idea they may have sinned. It is hard to lead these people to repentance. “What do I have to apologize for? I am living the best life I can. I am who I am! Who are you to judge?” But the Gospel is clear: without repentance, there is no forgiveness of sin. The only sin that cannot be forgiven is the one that remains unconfessed and un-repented of.

Christ’s Ascension opened the way to Heaven. Having entered the sanctuary of Heaven once and for all, He intercedes constantly for us with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (CCC 667). It is only the Holy Spirit that can convict our hearts to bring us to repentance of our sins and true contrition. In these final days of the Easter Season that remain before Pentecost, let us pray for a renewed outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon our Church, our nation, our families, friends, loved ones, and our selves. Let us pray for all people to acknowledge their sins, turn away from them, and begin again to live lives of holiness with the help of God’s freely-given grace.

St. Joseph Most Faithful, Pray for Us!

Homily for the Fifth Sunday of Easter, Year C

Fifth Sunday of Easter, Year C

ACTS 14:21-27

PS 145:8-13

REV 21:1-5A

JN 13:21-22A, 34-35

It is the night of the Last Supper. One of the darkest hours in Jesus’ ministry. Judas has just left the Upper Room to carry out his mission of betrayal. Judas, one of the most capable and trustworthy of the disciples, entrusted with the common purse is intent on selling Jesus to the authorities who will have Him bound, tortured, and crucified. But paradoxically, in this time of darkness, Jesus is teaching His disciples about love. “My children…I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” 

What a wonderful description of a stewardship way of life: Jesus gives us: “love one another as I have loved you.” The command of love is not new. In Leviticus 19:18 God had already commanded that one is to “love your neighbor as yourself.” What is new here is to love as Jesus has loved, which is to love the other more than the self. It sounds so simple. But simple does not necessarily mean easy. If loving like Jesus were easy, I suppose everyone would do it. We have only to look at the news to see that we sadly do not.

How exactly, does Jesus call us to love?  As He, Himself loved. Jesus loved (and loves) by serving us and by making a sacrifice of His very life for us. Sacrifice can be a hard thing for us to learn to do. It can be hard to admit to ourselves the difference between a ‘want’ and a ‘need’. It can be hard to actively look for those who do not have what they need. It can be harder still, to part with what is ours – our time, talent, and treasure – to provide for the needs of the other instead of providing for our own wants. The hardest thing of all, and yet the most rewarding, is sacrifice willingly, out of love. But this is precisely what Jesus calls us to do.

In our first reading, we find Paul and Barnabas “strengthening” and “exhorting” the early disciples in our First Reading by saying, “it is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” Notice they don’t say “one or two” hardships or even “the occasional hardship”. They say “many” hardships.  Picture this my friends: Paul had just been stoned, nearly to death by a mob who did not want to hear his preaching. Yet here he is, still bruised and cut, mangled, bloody, and bandaged while joyfully preaching the need to endure hardship to enter the kingdom of heaven. Another paradox? What an impact his words must have had on the gathered believers! So, it should not surprise us when we find it a challenge to embrace service and self-sacrifice, as a way of life. If it’s demanding, we should be encouraged because it means we are doing it right!

Why is that? Human weakness. Living a life of service and self-sacrifice is not easy because it requires us to continuously fight against our selfish inclinations. Our culture teaches us to be selfish – even applauds it. We tend to hoard all our time by cramming it full of activity, leaving little room for daily prayer with God. We hide our talents and skills instead of putting them at the service of the community out of fear of judgement. We greedily spend both our current and future income buying all the stuff we want at any given moment, filling our homes, garages, and even storage units with junk, but we become stingy with our tithing back to the Lord - who gave us everything we have in the first place. But my friends, yet another paradox awaits. The more we empty ourselves of “self” by serving the needs of others, the more room we make in our hearts for God to pour His grace into us. Amazingly, the more we give our lives away to others, the more Jesus Christ fills us up with Himself - who is Love itself.

Amid those inevitable challenging moments living a life of stewardship brings, we can be assured that the Lord who loves us so much that He died for us and gave us Himself in the Eucharist to be our strength and nourishment, is right here with us every step of the way. As we face the hardships that come with learning to live and love as Christian stewards, we can continue to rejoice in the wonder of the Resurrection this Easter season, finding great joy in following in our Lord’s footsteps and in loving as He loves.

St. Joseph, Lover of Poverty, Pray for Us!

Homily for Ash Wednesday

 

Jl 2:12–18

 Ps 51:3–4, 5–6ab, 12–13, 14, 17

 2 Cor 5:20–6:2

Mt 6:1–6, 16–18

 

Christ the King Catholic Church, Iowa Park

St. Paul Catholic Church, Electra

St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church, Burkburnett

 

Welcome to Lent! As we all know very well, Lent is all about looking miserable to gain pity, resolving to show up to Holy Mass ten minutes early (but not actually doing so), and figuring out which fast food restaurant has the best fish sammich on Fridays, right? No? Of course there is much more to Lent than all that. Ash Wednesday begins a period of 40 days of “temporary inconvenience that leads us to permanent improvement.” Lent involves asking the hard questions we all need to hear and being receptive to the honest answers we all need to give.

St. Paul reminds the Corinthians in our reading today that “we are all ambassadors for Christ.” Is he speaking about himself? Yes, but he is also speaking about them – the people of Corinth. And he is also speaking about us, the baptized faithful. St. Paul is reminding us that by virtue of our baptism into Christ, we are all called to be his ambassadors in the world. Our first hard question: What does that mean – to be an ambassador of Christ? It means to speak in his name, much as ambassadors of nations speak in the name of their heads of state. It also means to be like Christ, to live like him, and to conform ourselves to him so that the world can see Jesus Christ when they see us. Being an ambassador is more than just a proclamation of words. Being an ambassador for Christ means to take on the entirety of Christian existence…both the joy of the Gospel and the trial of the cross. This is a hard answer to hear. Being a Christian is not easy…nor is it passive. We are called to do battle against spiritual evils.[1] St. Paul tells us that God is making an appeal to us through him and that appeal is for us to be reconciled to God through Jesus Christ. God is calling us to himself! Therefore, we are to be ambassadors of reconciliation to God through our words and our actions. The Catechism teaches us indeed that “the whole Church should be the sign and instrument of the forgiveness and reconciliation he acquired for us at the price of his blood.” (CCC 1442)

What does it mean to be reconciled to God and why do we need it? That is another hard question because to ask it is to recognize and admit that it is not God who needs to be reconciled to us, but it is we who need to be reconciled to God. Reconciliation is the ending of conflict, discord, and hostility between two parties. Of course, we know God does not oppose us or turn his back on us. He longs for us to love him and be with him forever. It is we who are unfaithful. We turn our back on him when we choose to sin. We come into conflict with God when we refuse to assent to the teachings of his holy bride, the Catholic Church. It is indeed we who need reconciliation and the unearned gift of God’s mercy. When we repent and believe in the Gospel; when we accept God’s mercy and love in our own lives, only then can we become the ambassadors of that same grace and love to others. Like all of the gifts God bestows on us, his gift of reconciliation is a gift given to be shared. But the hard reality of reconciliation is that we cannot give to others what we do not possess. To become the righteousness of God that St. Paul exhorts us to today; to be able to offer ourselves in self-giving love in the lives of our fellow men and women, we have to be reconciled to God first.

St. Paul speaks to heart of the matter. He begs us not to receive the freely-given grace of God in vain. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent and it is the time for each of us to make a decision. And so more hard questions: Will we use this 40 days to deepen our relationship with Christ and be reconciled with him as his coworker in the Kingdom of God? Will we use this time of Lent to purify our bodies, our minds, our lives, and reject partnering with evil? The hard answers: If we choose not to take advantage of this Holy Lent, this 40 days of prayer, fasting, and penance, then we risk receiving the grace of God in vain. If we treat our fasting and penance as checkboxes to show off like the hypocrites in today’s Gospel instead of using them to draw near to Christ Jesus, then we risk receiving the grace of God in vain. We risk God’s grace being ineffective in us and not making a lasting change. God’s merciful love is always being showered down upon us, but we are not always open to it. It is as if we had an umbrella of sin and pride and worldly materialism over us, shielding us from that downpour of grace. We have to actively choose to cooperate with God. He waits for our decision. Jesus already accomplished the hard work through his suffering and death on the cross. Now it is our turn to act.

We, being very human, like to put things off until tomorrow, especially if they are hard; especially if they require us to humble ourselves before our God. Today is the day to ask the hard questions and start to give honest answers. Today begins our Lenten journey of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Let today begin a period of 40 days of “temporary inconvenience that leads us to permanent improvement.” As St. Paul reminds us: “Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor 6:2).

St. Joseph, Protector of the Holy Church, Pray for Us!

 

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[1] From the Collect of Ash Wednesday

Homily for Devotional Mass - BVM, Mother of Consolation

 

Rev 21:1-5a

Ps 84:3-5, 10-11

Lk 1:26-38

Christ the King Catholic Church, Iowa Park, TX

 Isaiah prophesied about the all-powerful and merciful God coming to the aid of His people in exile and oppression by sending His consolation to them. (Is 61:1-3) This prophecy referred to Jesus Christ, who is the supreme consolation of God, sent by the Father into the world “when the fullness of time had come, to heal the broken hearted.” In our first reading, St. Paul references this prophecy by reminding the Corinthians that God is the Father of compassion and God of all encouragement. Sidenote: only the NABRE uses the word ‘encouragement.’ Better translations use the word ‘comfort’ – consolation.

The Blessed Mother is herself rightly named and venerated as the ‘Mother of Consolation’ because through her, God sent Jesus Christ to be the consolation of his people through His suffering on the Cross. Because she stood beside Christ suffering on the Cross and endured the bitter agony of watching her beloved Son die, she gained in the highest degree the blessedness we just heard promised in the Gospel to those who mourn (Mt 5:5). Because she cradled the body of her Son in her arms, she knows the depths of our anguish and pains in life. Because God consoled her by the Resurrection of Jesus, Mary is in her turn, able to console all her children – us - in our afflictions.

Even now, after her glorious Assumption into Heaven, she continues to intercede for us with a mother’s love for those who are in distress. In the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium of the Second Vatican Council we read: “The Mother of Jesus shines forth as a sign of sure hope and consolation for the pilgrim people of God (LG, 68). In life, we are promised that if we follow the path of discipleship to which Christ calls us, we will endure suffering. The only way to heaven is through the cross. 

When we join our sufferings to those of Jesus on the Cross, when we ‘offer it up’, our suffering becomes salvific and easier to endure. Let us follow the example of our Blessed Mother and place ourselves at the foot of the Cross in our suffering, never leaving the presence of our Lord. Let us ask her to help us find the consolation of God in her Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Most Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Consolation, Pray for Us!

Homily for the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul

 

Acts 22:3-16

Ps 117:1-2

Mk 16:15-18

 

St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church, Burkburnett, TX

 

When we hear the story of St. Paul’s dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus, no doubt the scene of him being knocked off his horse is what stays with us.  But that was just the beginning for St. Paul.

This intimate encounter with the Risen Lord was a moment of light that completely changed his life when Jesus asked “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” St. Paul then understood that Christ and His Church are one. That insight would deeply move him and become a central theme of his later writings, which make up fully half of the New Testament – the unity of the Mystical Body of Christ.

It is said there are three levels of conversion. First is religious conversion, where one professes faith in God – belief that there is a creator larger than us who loves us and wants us to be with Him. Second is Christian conversion, where one professes that Jesus is God – the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, born and Incarnate of the Virgin Mary, who loves us so much He suffered and died for us, rose again and ascended into Heaven, and will come again at the end of time to judge the living and the dead and the world by fire. The third level of conversion, which many people never make, is ecclesial conversion, where one possesses the insight that Christ and His Church are One.

This final level of conversion enables us to fully understand the Sacrament of Penance as not merely confessing our sins so we can again receive Holy Communion, but as a healing of the wounds we have caused by our sins. Our sins wound our relationship with both Christ and His Church because they are one. As such, sacramental confession is also rightly called the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

This final level of conversion also enables us to humbly submit our will and intellect to the teachings of Holy Mother Church. One may not like, agree with, or fully understand what the Church teaches on a particular topic, but the revelation that Christ and His Church are one reminds one that She teaches with the authority of Jesus Christ.

          Like St. Paul, if we make this insight truly our own, it will upend lives. It will be our road to Damascus. St. Paul, Holy Apostle, Pray for Us!

Homily for Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of the Unborn

 

Is 49:1-6

Ps 139:1-3, 13-15

Eph 3:14-21

Mt 18:1-5, 10, 12-14

 

Christ the King Catholic Church, Iowa Park, TX

 

Today in the Catholic Church in the United States, we celebrate a Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of the Unborn. This is the 49^th anniversary of the defective Roe v Wade decision in 1973. Since then, 63,459,780 abortions committed against the innocent, per the self-reported statistics of Planned Parenthood and other abortion mills. To understand the scope of this modern-day holocaust: this is ten times the number murdered by Hitler in Nazi Germany and six times the number murdered by Stalin in Communist Soviet Union. The anniversary of this infamous day undoubtedly raises questions in our minds, and well it should.

First, what is the Church teaching regarding abortion and the dignity of life? The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 2274) states “Since it must be treated from conception as a person, the embryo must be defended in its integrity, cared for, and healed, as far as possible, like any other human being.” This is not a new teaching of the Church. This is Church teaching from the very beginning. The Didache 2,2 (The Teachings of the Apostles), the first catechism written in the late first century teaches “You shall not kill the embryo by abortion and shall not cause the newborn to perish.” CCC 2270 further states that all “Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. From the first moment of his existence, a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person—among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life.” This is not just a spiritual reality or opinion. The Church in her teaching is informed by, supported by, confirmed by modern medical science. I personally know of citations from forty-one different medical texts written across five decades, all teaching human life begins at conception. These are textbooks used in medical schools across the country. The science is settled.  The American College of Pediatricians agrees and affirms that human life begins at conception.

Next, we need to understand the impact of abortion on Church and human society. In our First Reading from Isaiah, the prophet tells us “The Lord called me from birth, from my mother’s womb he gave me my name” and “The Lord has spoken who formed me as his servant from the womb” and “I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.” Isaiah echoes the famous passage from another prophet, Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you.” You see, before we have even been born, God has selected a vocation for us – a place in His plan to build the Kingdom of God. We all have a role to play. Because of the crime of abortion, so many beautiful lives have been lost. Only God knows how many saints were never born. One can only imagine how the world would have been a better place than it is now if those saints had only been allowed to be born, live the life God had intended for them, and fulfilled their role in the Kingdom. In the US, the ratio of priests to laity is roughly 1:1925. It is also estimated that up to half of all abortions are by Catholics. Based on this we are missing between 20,000 and 33,000 priests to abortion. Why do we have a shortage of priests? Abortion is a major contributing factor. And it’s not just priests. An even greater number of precious nuns and religious sisters are missing from us. Abortion is a satanic attack on human society in general and the Church in particular.

The enemies of life frequently accuse us of being ‘pro-birth’ only and not truly pro-life. This is a ridiculous fallacy concocted to distract from the work the faithful are doing. When I was in seminary, during the twice-annual 40 Days for Life campaigns, groups of us would peacefully pray outside the abortion mill. One day we were informed by the local crisis pregnancy center that a woman had come by that clinic for an abortion while we were there but could not go through with it. She tired again the next day but another group was praying. On the third day there was yet another group praying. This time she walked up to them and demanded “Ok. You say you can help me. What can you do?” She was first given a free sonogram to show her beautiful child to her. Then she was taken to a nearby doctor who arranged for free prenatal care for her and the child. Then she was provided with well-baby checkups for two years free of charge. On top of that, the center gave her diapers and formula when she needed them. If she had chosen to give the baby up for adoption, she would have been assisted at no charge. We are indeed pro-life – both for the baby and the mother in crisis.

What about those who have already had abortions? CCC 2272 teaches “Formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense. The Church attaches the canonical penalty of excommunication to this crime against human life… The Church does not thereby intend to restrict the scope of mercy. Rather, she makes clear the gravity of the crime committed, the irreparable harm done to the innocent who is put to death, as well as to the parents and the whole of society.” Therefore, mothers, fathers, and others who cooperate in an abortion separate themselves from the grace of God via excommunication (Code of Canon Law 1398). Even if they present themselves to Holy Communion and receive the Body & Blood of Christ, they receive no grace from it at all. This is a terrible wound they have inflicted upon themselves. Abortion kills the innocent. It also causes trauma to almost every woman who has one – physical, emotional, spiritual. One can read hundreds of testimonies of women who were lied to about their abortion being painless on the ‘Silent No More Awareness’ website. The same is true for men grieving their lost fatherhood, to a different degree. This insidious silent trauma and grief destroys marriages and families. Precisely what Satan wants. So what are do we do? The Gospel reading today teaches us that the heavenly Father desires none of those who have strayed to be lost!  We must humble ourselves like little children – remember that we have all sinned and fallen short. We are Catholic Christians – ‘little Christs.’ Our mission is Christ’s mission: we are to seek out the ‘lost sheep’ to bring them home. We do not condemn – we reach out, we forgive, we heal, we love as Jesus Christ loved. Invite those who are suffering the traumas of abortion to attend Rachel’s Vineyard retreats – lay ministers, counselors, social works, psychologists work to bring healing of mind and spirit. Invite them back to God’s love – into the loving arms of His Church, our Mother. Encourage them to partake of the Sacrament of Confession/Reconciliation to heal their spiritual wounds. All priests in the diocese have been given faculties to lift the excommunication of abortion.

What should we do to end this modern-day holocaust? Pray unceasingly for mothers & fathers to choose life instead of abortion, for society to embrace life as sacred, and for the Church to be more vocal, visible, and outspoken on the issue. Get involved! Support and make referrals to crisis pregnancy centers. Start pro-life committees in your parishes to get the laity involved in culture of life events. Then, show up at those events – half the battle is being present – prayer vigils, march for life, etc. Vote pro-life, especially at local levels where politicians begin their careers. It is up to us to put an end to the culture of death. I ask you pray and fast for the current cases before the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v Wade and return the issue to the individual states, where the right to life for the unborn will be protected in the majority of them. Offer acts of penance in reparation for abortion. Most importantly, preach the Gospel of Life in word and in action. Reach out to women in crisis pregnancies to show them another way. Reach out to the living victims of abortion to show them the mercy, healing, forgiveness, and love of Jesus Christ.

Holy Mary, Patroness of the Unborn, Pray for Us!

Homily for Devotional Mass - BVM, Image and Mother of the Church

 

Acts 1:12-14

Ps 87:1-3, 5-7

Jn 2:1-11

Christ the King Catholic Church, Iowa Park, TX

 

While the image of the Church as our mother goes back to the very earliest years of the Church, the title of Mary “Mother of the Church” is much more recent. It was officially promulgated by St. Pope Paul VI in 1964. Just a year earlier, the bishops at the Second Vatican Council had been engaged in a rather contentious debate on whether to dedicate a separate document to Mary alone. It was decided to instead include the theme of Mary in the dogmatic constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium.

Naturally, we may be wondering why we honor Mary as the Mother of the Church, knowing full well that the Church was brought forth from the pierced side of Jesus Christ on Calvary. The short, obvious answer is that Jesus Christ is the Mystical Head of the Church, which is His Mystical Body, and Mary is the Mother of Jesus. Ok. Technically and theologically correct, but that’s not a very satisfying, nor a spiritually edifying response. Let’s go a little deeper.

In Lumen Gentium 61, we read that Mary cooperates with her Divine Son in “giving back supernatural life to souls. Wherefore she is our mother in the order of grace.” The main function of a mother is to give life to her offspring. While Mary physically gave life to Jesus, her motherhood of we who are members of His Church is different. Mary’s motherhood to us is spiritual – she increases the life of grace within us. How does Mary do that? Remember that the way to grow in the life of grace is to be more and more conformed to the life of Christ; to participate in the mysteries of His life; to become more like Him. In all of human history, which person participated in the life of Christ in the most preeminent way? Mary, of course!

Mary was the one who carried Jesus in her womb. Mary was the one who stood by His Cross in His Passion. Mary was present in the upper room, praying with the Apostles, waiting for the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Another fundamental function of a mother is to raise her children, forming them into disciples of Jesus Christ by providing them with the model to imitate. Mary is the model of persevering prayer in oneness of mind and heart. Our first reading from the Acts of the Apostles informed us that the Apostles gathered in the upper room “devoted themselves with one accord in prayer, together…with Mary, the Mother of Jesus.”(Acts 1:14) Like Mary, when we gather for liturgical worship and prayer, we are to be of one mind and heart, not doing our own thing, but following the rubrics given to us by the Church.

St. Pope Paul VI reminds us that the Mother of Jesus is the “exemplar of that sense of reverent devotion with which the Church celebrates the divine mysteries and expresses them in its life.” (Marialis Cultus, 16) Mary is the “Virgin who listens…the Virgin of prayer…the Virgin who offers.” (MC, 16-21). In imitation of Mary, let us listen attentively to the Word of God, let us spend time daily in mental prayer with our God, and let us offer ourselves without reservation to the service of God’s people.

Holy Mary, Image and Mother of the Church, Pray for Us!

Homily for the Baptism of the Lord, Year C

 

Is40:1-5, 9-11

Ps 104:1-4, 24-25, 27-30

Ti 2:11-14; 3:4-7

Lk 3:15-16, 21-22

 

St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church, Burkburnett, TX

St. Paul Catholic Church, Electra, TX

Christ the King Catholic Church, Iowa Park, TX

Sheppard Air Force Base Chapel, Wichita Falls, TX

 

Do you remember your Baptism? Do you know on what day you were baptized? Do you celebrate the day of your Baptism? If not, that’s really a shame, because in Baptism, human beings pass from the death of sin into life. It is a joyous day to celebrate!

Our Psalm today reveals God’s promise to recreate the world. The imagery of the voice of the Lord hovering over the waters recalls the Spirit of God hovering over the waters in the creation account of Genesis 1. As the Spirit descended over the primordial waters and the earth came forth, so too in the Gospel the Spirit descends over the water of the Jordan and Jesus Christ comes forth, heralding the beginning of the new creation. In our Baptism, we are created anew. We come to Baptism in the darkness and non-existence of sin, in a state of separation from God where we lack His Spirit that gives life. We are submerged in the waters over which the Holy Spirit hovers, and we emerge like the dry land in Genesis and like Jesus in the Gospel – a truly new creation. St. Gregory of Nyssa beautifully described what happens to us in Baptism: “The reign of life has begun, the tyranny of death has ended. A new birth has taken place… our very nature has been transformed!”

Baptism is necessary for salvation (CCC 1257). In John’s Gospel Our Lord plainly stated, “Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” (John 3:5 RSVCE) The Church understands these words to mean that Baptism is the door to life and to the kingdom of God. Baptism is the normal means by which those who hear the Gospel are conformed to Christ and through which they share in the life of grace offered to all through the Paschal mystery. Baptism is necessary for salvation because it was commanded by Christ and because without it one cannot receive the other sacraments and the grace they impart. Be assured the Church is a loving mother and she understands that, through no fault of their own, there are many who never have the opportunity to hear the gospel or to receive baptism. In addition to Water Baptism, the Church recognizes a Baptism by Blood and a Baptism of Desire (CCC 1258-60). Those who suffer and die because of their faith are saved by their death for and with Christ. Catechumens in RCIA who die before baptism have shown by their words and actions a desire to be baptized and are therefore saved by Christ. Those who have never heard the gospel of Christ or been exposed to His Church, can be saved by sincerely seeking God and striving to live a good life by following the divine law planted within their conscience. I am often asked about children who die without Baptism. These the Church entrusts to the mercy of God (CCC 1261). Children hold a special place in the heart of Jesus; therefore, we have the hope that He will provide a way of salvation for children who die without Baptism. But we do not delay the Baptism of children because we want to ensure them the full participation in the eternal life of the Holy Trinity. It is the privilege and responsibility of parents to bring their child as soon as possible to the Sacrament of Baptism. Do not withhold this gift from your child!

Baptism is a grace and a gift of God and has many effects on the one who is baptized. Baptism forgives all our sins, both original and personal (CCC 1263). Baptism makes us a new creature and adopted sons and daughters of God (CCC 1265). Baptism is the first of the sacraments of initiation into the life of God, incorporating us into the church, the Mystical Body of Christ (CCC 1267). As such, each baptized person (adult or child) has a right to the love and help of the parish community to grow and develop the life of grace and faith. Baptism makes us members of the common priesthood of Christ, sharing His prophetic and royal mission to evangelize the world (CCC 1268). Baptism is the sacramental bond of unity among ALL Christians (CCC 1271) and so the Catholic Church recognizes the baptism of other Christian denominations provided they use the Trinitarian formula and true water. Finally, baptism imprints an indelible spiritual mark on our souls, therefore the sacrament cannot be repeated.

St. Luke’s account of the Baptism of the Lord confesses Christ Jesus as the manifestation of the new creation. By His Baptism, Jesus elevated the ritual washing of St. John the Baptist to a Sacrament. In our baptism, we participate in the Paschal mystery of Christ, dying to sin and rising again to the new life of faith. But our faith must be nourished to experience this new way of existence. If we do not believe the truth of what happens in Baptism, the reality remains true, but we will not experience the fruits of that reality.  

After our Baptism, if we are still living day by day for the lusts of this life – money, pleasure, power, fame, comfort, material goods – then we are actively undoing what Christ has done for us in Baptism. Today, let us meditate on the reality of the gift of the Spirit who renewed each of us in our Baptism. Let us faithfully live our Baptism daily! If necessary, let’s refresh the Sacrament of Baptism by going to Confession before next Sunday. May we all appreciate the gifts given to us in Baptism by our loving God. Let us rediscover our baptismal dates and celebrate them every year, just as we do the date of our birth. For it was at our Baptism our new birth has indeed taken place!

St. Joseph, Servant of Christ, Pray for Us!

Homily for the Epiphany of the Lord

 

Is 60:1-6

Ps 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-13

Eph 3:2-3, 5-6

Mt 2:1-12

 

St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church, Burkburnett, TX

St. Paul Catholic Church, Electra, TX

Christ the King Catholic Church, Iowa Park, TX

 

The word ‘Epiphany’ comes from two Greek words: epi, meaning ‘upon,’ and phaino, meaning ‘to shine.’ Therefore, the Epiphany refers to the divinity of Jesus Christ shining upon the earth: God’s love for His people, made flesh.

The Magi were not present at the Nativity of our Lord in Bethlehem, hence why we do not include them in our manger scene until today. It was at the house in Nazareth where the Magi found and adored the Lord, two or three years after he was born. The Magi were the scholars and scientists of their day. For them, astronomy and astrology were one and the same and they believed that cosmological phenomena – such as an unnatural star in the sky – were signs of great events and upheaval.

The Magi came to worship the Christ child and brought with them gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh – all gifts rich in biblical symbolism. In the Old Testament Song of Songs, frankincense and myrrh are mentioned together as nuptial perfumes used by Solomon and his bride to prepare for their marriage. In Matthew, the gifts of the Magi signify Jesus as the Bridegroom King from the time of his birth. In our first reading, Isaiah mentions gold and frankincense as gifts to be presented to the Lord by those who have been led to Him by the light; an obvious foreshadowing of the star followed by the Magi.

Like me, you are probably wondering why these Magi decided to follow this star that appeared in the skies all the way to a backwater village in the Roman province of Judea, to then present ridiculously expensive gifts to a mere child, and to bow down and pay Him homage. And why did Herod cooperate with them, even as they called out his false claim to the throne? To understand more fully, we must go back about 200 years before the birth of Christ to the Old Testament prophet Daniel. Remember that Daniel had risen to the top ranks in the Babylonian Empire during the time of the exile. Daniel was the top advisor - the Rahm-Mag, the head of the Magi - to the kings of the Babylonians, then the Persians, then the Medes. Daniel passed on to the Magi the Hebrew prophecies of the Messiah to come. The Magi remembered these prophecies long after Daniel had died and the Persians were in turn conquered by the Parthians. My friends, there is no such thing as coincidence in Christianity. There is only the Divine Providence of God Almighty.

The Parthian Empire was the only power that was able to stand against the Roman Empire. When Rome attempted to invade the Parthians, their largest and mightiest legion was annihilated. The loss to the Parthians was a huge embarrassment to Rome. Now fast-forward to the time of Jesus. Here come the Magi from the east – from PARTHIA! The Magi were the advisors to the Parthian King whose job was to select the next King. They saw the Star in the sky and remembered the Hebrew prophecies passed down through the centuries. They wanted this Jewish Messiah-child to be their King and so they set out, bearing gifts fit for a King of Kings. The Magi were not three (?) little men loping along on their camels. They travelled with their entire retinue and their military escort, perhaps 5000 people in all. Imagine what the Romans must have felt seeing a Parthian legion marching into their province of Judea, still humiliated by their defeat. Imagine what the paranoid Herod thought, sitting on the throne that was not his and faced by Parthian Magi declaring they were looking for the true king of Israel! Neither the Roman governor nor King Herod dared to lift a finger to stop the Magi.

It was not the Jewish people who first recognized the child Jesus for who He is – the sign of the love of God for humanity. It was the wisest of the pagan scholars who demonstrated true wisdom. True wisdom recognizes the limits of wisdom and science. There is something higher than knowledge and that something is love. These wise men bowed down before a humble baby lying in His mother’s lap because they recognized something greater than themselves. They recognized the love of God as the ultimate power. They were scholars who bowed the intellect before the reality of love. We must follow their example in humility.

St. Joseph, Watchful Defender of Christ, Pray for Us!