Preparing for Lent (Sunday homily)

  The first reading said, 

“When a sieve is shaken, the husks appear.”

That’s a good image for what we want to do with Lent.

We want to get those unsavory parts of our lives up on the surface – 

and, of course, get them out.

If you are thinking about Lent as something to be “got through” – 

just grit your teeth and march through to Easter – 

then you’re not going to gain much of anything from Lent.

The whole point of Lent is conversion. We all know that Jesus said: 

“Repent and believe in the Gospel. The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”

All Christians know that. 

But what we as Catholics do – that not all Christians do – 

is give ourselves six weeks of focusing on that repentance, 

that turning back to God, that getting ready for the Kingdom.

Now, you and I can shake the sieve,

But truly, the conversion – the change – only happens with God’s help.

With the help of his supernatural grace, 

that is, his divine life poured into our lives.

So please do not reduce this to ritual or rules.

Those exist in service to something far more important, which is – 

to repeat myself – our conversion. Our becoming heavenly.

One day every one of us will leave this life, we know not when.

When you depart this life, where will you go?

Do you want to go to heaven? Of course, you do.

Do you take this for granted? 

What exactly in the words of Jesus lets you think so?

Jesus keeps saying, wake up! Get ready! Change your life!

Why would he do that if we could just cruise on autopilot 

straight through the Pearly Gates? 

Here’s a lesson that each of us can – and will learn – during Lent:

Change is hard. Conversion is hard.

Talk is cheap. Six straight weeks is something else.

One reason to give something up is precisely to humble ourselves, 

and to face the reality of our weakness and our spiritual flabbiness.

And I say it again: me too.

In the second reading, St. Paul talked about resurrection.

When the discipline of Lent becomes a real drag, 

remind yourself of what lies ahead. 

By the calendar, Lent leads to Holy Week and then to Easter:

The way of the Cross to Calvary, to the grave and then to new life.

For us that means taking up the Cross here and now.

Embrace purgatory, here and ahead.

One day it will be heaven and resurrection.

That means having our bodies back, new and improved.

What is mortal and frail will clothe itself with immortality.

That’s what Jesus told us to get ready for. 

The classic tools of this conversion are fasting, prayer and giving alms.

Each of us can offer more prayer, give up things we like, 

and give things away to help others. 

I repeat, everyone can do this, at any age.

I’m speaking right now to our children.

Talk to mom and dad about what you can do without or give away, 

about learning new prayers this Lent. 

And if you really want to make a good Lent, 

think about how you can make things easier for mom and dad. 

I especially want to highlight some opportunities for prayer 

you may not realize.

Daily Mass will be at 7 am, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.

If you come about 20 minutes before, we pray Morning Prayer.

You can come to adoration anytime from about 8 am to about 8:30 pm. 

We’ll have Stations of the Cross every Thursday evening at 7 pm.

All the many opportunities for confession are available.

It’s game-time, let’s go! Let’s you and I make this our best Lent ever.

I’m praying that this will be a time of conversion:

For myself, for you, and for our parish.

Will you join me in that prayer, and in making that happen?

Which Adam will you be? (Sunday homily)

 What Jesus asks in this Gospel seems impossible.

And, at a certain level, it IS impossible.

The wrong someone causes you can be devastating.

Blackening your good name.

Betraying trust.

Damaging your relationships with others.

Causing you to lose your job.

The other day I saw a story about a man 

released from prison after many years. 

He’d been convicted of murder, 

but eventually the truth came out that his brother had done it. 

Imagine that: your own brother lets that happen to you.

You and I can also be in situations – like David’s in the first reading – 

where the right thing to do seems utterly inexplicable to everyone. 

As his right-hand man said, 

“God has delivered your enemy into your grasp!”

But what David understood was that 

this wasn’t primarily his fight, but God’s. 

The King was the Lord’s anointed; David left Saul to God.

How could David do this? The people around him, following him, 

not only found it confusing; they may have found it threatening, 

because their lives were in danger from Saul as well. 

So, I reiterate what I just said: at a certain level, this is impossible. 

How do you and I find the grace to do this?

Here’s where the second reading fits in.

This ability to forgive, this calm in the midst of a storm – 

both from your enemies, but also from your friends who are baffled –

Can only come from the Lord.

When Paul talks about two Adams, 

he means Adam at the beginning of the human race, 

and the second Adam is Jesus.

What he’s also saying to the Corinthians is:

Which Adam will you be?

The one who said, I don’t know if God is there or not. I’m on my own.

Or the one who said, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.”

When you and I become a Christian, when we live as Christians, 

it means choosing that second Adam.

And when it seems especially difficult, 

ask yourself whether you’re acting more out of that first Adam 

point of view: I’m on my own.

If David had thought that way, he’d have killed King Saul.

This last week I was on retreat, 

and we were looking at the life and teachings 

of St. John Henry Newman.

Newman made a point about faith:

That, contrary to how people describe it, faith is NOT blind.

There can be times of darkness, but it’s not about being blind.

Rather, what faith does is enable you and me to see more fully.

If I take off my glasses, everything is fuzzier, 

especially way back there!

I put my glasses back on, and the weakness of my vision is corrected. Things are now clear. 

That’s what faith does.

One way to deal with people who have harmed you, and are harming you, 

is to follow David’s example.

David was not passive when King Saul was unjust and threatened him. 

David acted to protect himself and to escape danger.

Yet at a certain point he said, Saul is God’s problem.

So, whoever that is in your life, acting like Saul to you,

you can protect yourself and others.

But, if you have a chance to strike out, but maybe you don’t have to?

That’s what Jesus means by saying, “turn the other cheek.”

This person, this situation, is God’s problem. God’s battle.

Look at David’s life. 

He wasn’t off somewhere, away from the action – 

he was in the thick of battle, 

he’s living off the land, he’s on the run from danger.

But with all that, he’s talking to God. 

We have his psalms in the Bible:

“I was in battle, and you saved my life.”

“Wild animals were all around me, and you, God delivered me.”

“My sins are so loathsome, yet you forgive me!”

David would have loved being out in the woods in camo, hunting deer.

And he would have loved the sacrament of confession.

So, what St. Paul said to the Corinthians, he says to us:

Which Adam will you and I be? 

The worldly Adam who says, I’m alone, I don’t know where God is?

Or the Spirit-filled Adam who will be at the altar in a few minutes, 

offering himself to the Father for us, 

to give us his Body and Blood, cleansing us of sins, 

giving us eternal life, and making us life for others?

Which Adam? 

'Our leaves will stay green!' (Sunday homily)

 I really didn’t want to give this homily.

As you know, there is a reorganization of parishes 

called Beacons of Light underway. 

This involves some priests being moved around, 

and this weekend is when these changes are being announced.

I am one of those priests who will be moving. 

The Archbishop asked me to take charge of three parishes in Dayton. 

I’ll become pastor of St. Henry, Our Lady of Good Hope, 

and St. Mary of the Assumption.  

Your new pastor will be Father Ned Brown, who is now in Fort Recovery. 

This will all take effect July 1st.

I have been so happy here as your pastor. I asked to stay.

I pushed. It wasn’t possible.

I will miss you. I will miss watching our children grow up.

There’s so much I could say, but this isn’t about my sadness.

I will just add that you helped me more than you can imagine.

You nourished my faith and helped me be a better priest. 

If I make it to heaven, you will have helped. Thank you!

Now let’s talk about the future.

Father Brown will be joined by three other priests.

That includes Father James Reutter, 

who is currently leading several rural parishes in Clermont County, 

and Father Matt Feist, who is currently pastor in Greenville, 

which of course is part of this new family.

The remaining priest will be named later.

So, that makes a team of four priests led by Father Brown.

You may recall the original plan called for three priests, 

so, getting a fourth is a bonus.

We may not keep that fourth priest long term, 

but it will help during the transition.

Everyone always asks, what do I think of these priests?

I will say they are all my friends; I have worked well with them. 

But I’m not going to build them up, setting you up for a let-down.

Nor am I going to tear them down either!

You will meet them soon enough. 

Father Brown has a big task, especially between now and July 1:

he has his own parishes to lead, 

he has to help with the transition there, 

and of course, make the transition to this new assignment.

Let’s talk about the fear these changes engender.

Father Brown knows we have strong, well-run programs here; 

he is well aware of our strong parish identity; because I’ve told him. 

He told me he’s not looking to mess up what works.

What he wants is to provide good leadership for all the parishes,

in order to navigate this transition as smoothly as possible.

He’s going to need everyone’s cooperation and patience.

It may take longer than you like, but he will get to your questions.

For my part: I will be on retreat this coming week.

No, it’s not anything mysterious, I planned this months ago.

But I’m glad to have these few days under these circumstances.

I have to move from my sadness and grief to my next challenge.

So, with all this affecting Father Brown and the other priests,

affecting his current parishes, 

and then, our parish, and our family of seven parishes, 

and affecting me, and my own transition to a new assignment…

You can understand there may not be time for some things.

I’m going to zero in on the essentials, 

on the deadlines that are out of my control, 

and otherwise, I’m going to have to gear down.

In the Gospel, our Lord Jesus talks about blessing and woe.

This “woe” language can be unsettling.

But Jesus is not condemning those who are rich and comfortable.

He’s saying, if you are putting your hope in that comfort: woe to you!

Apply that to our present situation:

a lot of us are unsettled by change, but we forget change is constant.

You and I overlook that we’ve adapted more than we realize.

We will navigate the change ahead better than we think – 

because that’s what we do. It’s built into us.

If you’re sitting here saying, “Not me: I do TERRIBLE with change,” 

my answer is, relax and look around: you’re not alone. 

People around you will help. We’re going to help each other.

Don’t forget the advantages you and I bring to this challenge.

We have deep reservoirs of faith and God’s help.

The gifts we need are in other people, 

and together, you and I have all we need. 

This is God’s Church – he died for it.

And if you are griping, “but where are we going? Why this way?”

Remember, God’s People have been saying that for 3,500 years, 

starting way back in the desert with Moses.

Whatever comes – and all my experience tells me the actual reality

will be nowhere near as bad as we imagine on fretful, sleepless nights…

Whatever comes, our leaves will stay green. That’s God’s promise!

How to get on the first rung of prayer (Sunday homily)

 Have you ever considered how often the Lord met people at work: 

farmers in the field; women caring for the household; 

shepherds and fishermen, working all night?

When you are at school, or at your job, 

or doing the daily tasks of the farm or the home, Jesus is there. 

And if you find it hard to remember he’s part of your day, 

here are some easy, practical ways to keep Jesus with you all day:

- Start each day with the Morning Offering. 

You can do it in the shower or as you brush your teeth.

- Turn off the radio in the car and pray while you drive. 

You will drive more politely, and if you have a long enough drive, 

it’s not hard to complete an entire Rosary. 

There’s nothing wrong with praying part of your Rosary 

and coming back to it later. 

It’s not the best, but better to pray part, 

than to wait and not pray it at all.

- Make an effort to pause during the day, if only for a moment. 

Our parish staff takes five at Noon to pray the Angelus.

- Keep a Rosary or a medal in your pocket. 

Reach for it when things get crazy.

- Talk to Jesus through the day. This is a way to remind yourself 

of God’s presence and to develop the habit of realizing, you are never alone.

- On the way home, reflect on the day, both what’s behind 

and still ahead. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you a second wind.

- Be sure to give yourself a few minutes before bed to look back, 

ask forgiveness and give thanks for the ups and downs of the day.

Of course, there is more to prayer than this. 

This is just how you get your foot on the first rung of the ladder.

Now, the other thing I’m supposed to do this weekend is invite you 

to make a commitment to the Catholic Ministry Appeal. 

You know about this. 

This provides for St. Rita School for the Deaf, 

for our seminary, for our retired priests, 

for Catholic Social Services which provides help to people in trouble, 

including here in Shelby County,

for hospital and prison chaplains, for outreach on college campuses, 

and for other evangelization efforts.

We have parishioners who have benefited from St. Rita, 

we have parishioners who have been in our seminary or are there now, 

we have people who quietly seek out help from Catholic Social Services, 

and a lot of our kids are away at college.

This is help that stays close to home.

There are pledge forms and envelopes in the pews. 

Feel free to fill one out and include it in today’s collection, 

or mail it in later.

Let me add one more point about prayer. 

As important as a plan is, such as what I outlined to a moment ago, 

that never gets anywhere without something far more basic. 

And that is desire.

So, if you’re having a hard time getting out of the starting gate, 

then here is my very simple advice. And it will work if you follow it:

Start with this short prayer: “Jesus, give me the desire.”

That is, for a habit of prayer, for a deeper spiritual life, 

for the grace to kick the habit of going to dark places online, 

whatever it is.

Five words: “Jesus, give me the desire.”

Say it over and over, a hundred times a day. That’s how it starts.

“Jesus, give me the desire.”

What's love got to do with it? (Sunday homily)

 Jeremiah had to do it, and so did Jesus.

That is, they had to say things that upset people.

But the reason they did it wasn’t just to stir the pot.

It was out of love for the people who needed to be woken up.

 

So, before you get into an argument with someone – especially online – ask this question: 

how is what I am saying fundamentally about loving this person I’m talking to?

You could even start that way. Instead of leading with, “you’re wrong!”

Begin with, “because I care about you, I want to say thus-and-so…”

Ah, but that takes more work:

you and I have to stop and process that question: 

what has love got to do with whatever I’m going to say? 

See, everything you and I stand for, as Catholics – 

everything we get beat up for believing – is about love.

God’s love for us, and a proper love on our part for each other.

So, for example, consider what we say about marriage.

That, in turn, is directly related to what a man is, what a woman is.

Sexual love is properly shared between a husband and a wife. 

There is another love – it’s called friendship – 

which is proper for two men, and for two women.

Yet another love that is proper being parents and children,

and between brothers and sisters. 

So, consider the popular slogan: “love is love.”

That makes people feel good, but that is actually a lie.

The love of married couples is NOT the same as love between siblings.

And lying is never the loving thing to do.

Here’s the hard truth no one wants to say:

Because men and women are different – 

they complement each other, but they are not interchangeable – 

then, when two people of the same sex attempt marriage,

there are some essential things that are missing.

And people will say, oh those don’t matter. 

But we know that’s not true, because many same-sex couples themselves go looking, 

outside their relationship, for precisely those missing elements.

So, we all saw a picture of the Secretary of Transportation, 

Pete Buttigieg, with his “husband” and two newborn children.

Everyone said, how wonderful!

But what was intentionally excluded from that happy picture? 

The mother of those children. 

Men need women to compensate for their weaknesses, 

and women need men for the same reason.

If you are wondering what love is: it is to seek the good of the other.

And again, a hard truth: the good of you, the good of me, 

is rarely “self-fulfillment.” The true good I need is self-DENIAL.

So, when you or I just nod and go along with today’s false values,

that is easier, but how is that the loving thing to do?

So many people say, I’ll just create my own reality.

That sounds great, but it’s an illusion. 

After 80, 90, 100 or so years, we all die,

and then we face Ultimate and Unyielding Reality.

Then, either our choices in this life prepared us for God’s Reality, 

and then we will be happy forever!

Or else, our choices shaped us at cross-purposes to God’s Reality, 

and that means eternal misery.

Yes, these are hard things to say, and people may not accept them.

But remember when Jesus said the tough things he did, 

at the same time, he was planning to die on the Cross, 

for the people to whom he spoke.

Jesus gives you the best access (Sunday homily)

 First, let me say that I am still recovering from Covid. 

My energy levels are low. 

I’m very grateful for so many prayers and so much love, thank you! 

This will be a short homily.

Second, this is the weekend to announce 

the Catholic Ministries Appeal. 

I’ve written more about this in the bulletin. 

You know about this: 

it supports several very worthy causes in our archdiocese, 

and you’ve always been generous in supporting them. 

Remember that when we exceed the goal, 

a portion of that comes back to St. Remy 

and we use that for our youth programs.

Now let me talk about the readings. 

If you are enough of a bigshot in politics, 

you might be able to have dinner with the President to give him advice. 

If you write a big enough check, 

you can get one of those fancy suites 

at the Bengals stadium, protected from the weather, 

and have a waiter to bring you drinks and snacks whenever you want.

But notice what Jesus does. 

He doesn’t just call us VIPs who can sit close to him. 

He makes us part of him: members of his Body! 

What could be closer or more intimate? 

And it doesn’t require a million-dollar check. 

This privilege isn’t only for a few. 

Anyone, no matter how lowly or disreputable, can have this access.

And yet how many Catholics, treated so royally by Jesus, 

disregard his generosity? 

He asks that you and I come be with him once a week, 

but many find that too much to ask. 

Since you and I are a part of him, 

of course that calls for living holy lives – 

but we don’t want to be too different from the world around us. 

If people had to pay money for this access, 

perhaps they would value it more?

Remember what Saint Paul said to you today: 

“You are Christ’s body, and individually parts of it.”

There is nothing anyone in the world can say, or do, 

to change that great honor and dignity! 

There is no one who can take away that good news! 

Jesus' baptism and your identity (Sunday homily)

 Today we recall when Jesus showed up 

on the banks of the Jordan River and asked to be baptized.

We might wonder, first: why did he do this, 

and second, why is this important to us? What does it mean?

John was baptizing people as an act of repentance. 

They were confessing their sins along the way.

So: they were, in a sense, going to confession.

The shocker is to see the Lord Jesus get in that line.

Jesus puts himself squarely with us, in our situation. 

He does not hesitate at all.

This is also about Jesus showing himself as the new Adam.

The first Adam rebelled and failed to keep God’s law, 

and that set the whole, sorry story of human history in motion. 

Here, Jesus does the exact opposite.

This Adam is obedient. He fully does his Father’s will. 

And, most astounding, Jesus accepts the punishment for sin 

that otherwise was due to Adam and the rest of us.

So, when Jesus came to be baptized, he accepted 

his vocation as the faithful Son, the new Adam, the Messiah.

That included the Cross.

Remember something else John said on this occasion:

“Behold the Lamb of God”!

I hear you saying, “Fine, but what does this have to do with ME?”

When you and I were baptized, we became part of Jesus, 

born again of water and the Holy Spirit. 

So, I ask you: will you respond to God as Jesus did?

Will you embrace the life you have been given?

Will you take up the Cross? Will you be a witness to Jesus?

Maybe you never gave much thought to your baptism. 

Think about it now. 

At a certain point, each of us must decide 

to make the commitment of baptism our own. 

So, in case it wasn’t clear, this is why I sprinkled you with Holy Water. 

And, in case you never realized it, 

when we recite the Creed in a moment, 

you and I are confirming our baptism.

Something else happens when we are baptized.

You and I become part of Jesus, and we gain God as our Father.

Saint Paul said we become “heirs of hope of eternal life.”

When Paul calls us “heirs,” that is no metaphor.

He means that literally.

Children not only inherit all the stuff their parents owned, 

they inherit all that their parents are.

When children are conceived and born, 

What do people say? “You have your mother’s eyes!”

“You look just like your daddy!”

And as we grow to adulthood, like it or not, we become a lot like them.

So, to be “heirs” with Jesus, means that when the Father said, 

"You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased,”

He didn’t only say it to Jesus. He said it to you and me, too!

That’s what the Father said – of you – when you were baptized.

It is what he says every time you and I go to confession.

Each of us has moments of doubt.

Maybe you are single and wondering, what does God have for me?

Are you called to be a priest or in religious life?

That seems so scary, and you may think, I’m not holy enough.

Or you are married

and you despair of ever being a good enough parent. 

Every mistake is always on your mind.

Perhaps you are a young person, and you hate being asked, 

“what are you going to do with your life?” Because you have no clue!

Let’s talk about how, in recent years, so many people are “coming out” 

and saying, “I’m gay,” or “I’m trans” and the like. 

So many of us are bewildered. We’re told, just say it’s great.

We react with jokes or just trying to wave it all away.

These developments are part of a much broader problem: 

more and more people simply do not know who they are. 

By that I mean: they are losing the thread of what it means 

to be human, as opposed to being just another animal.

They are losing the realization that they – we – are a child of God.

And by that, I mean, a God who relates to us 

and acts in our lives and wants you and I me to know him.

A lot of the anger and dislocation in our society is a product of this:

that people who were created to be loved, are starved for that love.

Without stable, secure, family love, they don’t know who they are.

Sooner or later, each of us will meet a family member or friend 

who says he or she can’t relate comfortably with the opposite sex.

They are so disoriented 

that they don’t know if they are male or female.

Don’t dismiss them. Embrace them! Walk with them. And tell them:

Jesus got in line with you! He takes up your cross with you!

The Holy Spirit came down on you!

And the Father says to you: “You are my beloved child. 

With you I am well pleased!”

Truly home (Christmas homily)

 This time of year, there is a strong emphasis on “home.”

It’s great to have our college students and many others back again.

Welcome home!

Many years ago, a singer named Perry Como sang a song, 

“Home for the Holidays.” 

Like so many Christmas songs, it was catchy and made you feel good, 

but otherwise, it doesn’t seem to say much.

Yet the more I thought about it, 

I realized there is a lot more to that idea of “home” and Christmas.

It isn’t just some of us who are away from home.

Every single one of us is.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

And he created a place for humanity – to be home with him. 

The Book of Genesis calls that the “garden.”

That’s a good name; that sounds like someplace we want to be.

As we know, our first parents were not content to stay there.

Their lack of trust led them to sin and they chose a path away;

They left the Garden; they left home.

And all the rest of the story is God longing to bring us home!

He called to Noah, to Abraham, to Jacob, to Moses.

God made covenants with them, to give them – and us –

what the cold world of time cannot give us:

Forgiveness of sins, reconciliation, and eternal life.

In the Gospel of John, while Jesus is talking to his fellow Jews,

He says something odd: 

“Your Father Abraham saw my day and rejoiced in it.”

What could that mean?

It means this:

That when God called out to Abraham, saying, “I’m here, I’m here!”

In that call was a promise that God would one day really be here – 

for Abraham and everyone else – not just in a prophecy or a ritual, 

but in flesh and blood. 

In other words, it’s always been about the Incarnation: 

God becoming one of us.

And it’s always been about the Cross, 

because what does it mean to say God is with us,

if it doesn’t include the full measure of suffering and death?

Even so: dying with us is cold consolation, if that’s the end.

I’m dying, you’re dying? We’re all dead.

So it was always about Resurrection, which means,

not Jesus rising and escaping our humanity,

but Jesus rising and living, forever, in our humanity!

That gives his name, Emmanuel, God-with-us, even more meaning.

 

God came and made his home with us in our exile;

always with us, often hidden, often ignored.

Or else, despised and rejected: on the Cross, and down to the present.

This is his birthday. How many will have a great party, but ignore him?

How sad that so many people know the word, “Christmas,” 

but not what it refers to?

What good is a “season of lights” 

that is about no more than electricity or candles?

God came to make his home with us, for one more purpose:

To bring you and me home: home to him.

Remember what I’ve been saying all Advent: this is about the Kingdom.

This is about our forever-after.

That is “joy to the world”;

Only God’s life filling our lives can mean “peace on earth.” 

And what you and I see before our eyes – 

what the prophets and patriarchs

could only glimpse darkly, as in a mirror – 

that is what makes us fall silent on this (Christmas) night.

This church, this place, 

this circle of familiar faces, is our home – for now.

Yet we are not yet home, and God is not content to leave us here.

With baptism, you and I became citizens, not of this place,

But of that Place – of heaven.

In the incarnation, God became man;

By faith in Jesus, following him, you and I will become God!

Sharers in everything God has to share, even his own infinite life!

All the sacraments serve to restore us and to prepare us, 

to make us long all the more for our true home,

the home of which this home is a shadow and a promise.

I am so glad you are here. We are all glad to be together.

We all try so hard to make Christmas special,

to make everything sparkle and glow.

As hard as we try, it is never enough. It never can be.

Christmas isn’t about satisfying our longing,

but rather making us hunger and thirst all the more:

We want to go home! 

To be with Jesus, not just for a few golden hours, but forever.

Grace is the hidden power of the Kingdom (Sunday homily)

 As you have heard me say at least once in recent weeks, 

Advent is fundamentally about the Kingdom of Christ, 

not merely about Christmas. 

I say that because Christmas itself is only important 

because it’s about the Kingdom.

That’s why Jesus was born: his Kingdom is sill being formed.

So, it may sound strange, 

but even with Christmas so close, keep your gaze on the far horizon!

A great day of justice and fulfillment still lies ahead.

Every time you and I get angry about suffering 

Or dispirited by injustice,

that is yet another reminder to look, not back, but forward.

And what I want to highlight today is the hidden power of the Kingdom: that power is grace.

What is grace? 

Grace is God’s own life and love, 

at work in the world, and in us, to change us and make us like God.

This is my Android tablet. I don’t use it as much as I used to,

and I haven’t plugged it in lately. As a result, it has no juice. It’s dead.

What electricity does for this device 

is a lot like what grace does for you and me. 

Without God’s grace, you and I would not merely be dead; 

in fact, without grace, we would not “be,” at all! 

It is God’s grace that causes you to exist, me to exist,

this world to exist, for this world to reveal him to us,

and ultimately, for him to come into this world to save you and me.

The same grace that filled Mary from her first moment 

is what sent Gabriel to her at the appointed time.

And then in Elizabeth, and in the unborn child, John, all grace at work!

You may not think you are important, 

just as people didn’t think that little town of Bethlehem was important.

But God’s grace decided differently.

It is grace that stirs up your heart to long for God, 

to know you need him and to turn to him in repentance.

It is God’s grace that lifts your heart when you hear his word.

It was grace that led your parents to bring you to be baptized,

and through that baptism, grace entered your life 

and made you a child of God.

The great struggle of this world is between sin and grace.

Sin corrupts and destroys, but grace brings us back to life and, 

more than that, leads us to eternal life, life beyond life.

Grace is the hidden power at work in the world.

It is the greatest power in the world;

And that power is given to you, day by day – 

in every possible way, but above all in the sacraments – 

to bring you safely home.

To be a Christian is not only to believe in that hidden mystery, 

but to know that with certainty that grace is real, 

to see what otherwise remains unseen, 

and because of that, to find courage, hope, and joy, no matter what.

That’s why it’s important to celebrate Christmas as a down-payment: 

a foretaste of all that lies ahead.

It’s so fitting that we decorate everything with lights.

And it’s not too late to add more! 

Why?

Because every added light is a small step toward the brilliance 

of the Kingdom in which each of us is a citizen. 

Although we haven’t been there yet, that kingdom is our home.

It is where we belong. It is where we are heading.

John the Baptist and Kingdom Joy (Sunday homily)

When John was stomping around on the banks of the Jordan, 

he was a spectacle. 

He wore strange clothes – camel hair – and he ate locusts. 

Just to be clear: that’s not just weird today, 

that was strange back then.

And John knew that. 

He was like the people you meet who are in religious life. 

They wear funny clothes, just like I wear a cassock: 

it makes you stand out. That’s part of the point.

John was trying to make clear that he stood apart. 

When you make the Sign of the Cross in a restaurant, 

you’re doing the same, 

which is why some people don’t want to be seen saying grace.

John was willing to be a spectacle. 

And you can just imagine some number of the people who came out, 

came for that reason, to see a show.

I can just picture some teenage boys, standing off to one side, 

whispering and snickering, can’t you?

And then John would pick somebody out in the crowd.

He’d fix his eyes right on you, pinning you to the wall!

“You soldier! You farmer! You student! You parent! 

You came to see me dump water on people 

but one is coming after me who's going to pour fire!

Are you ready for Him?”

And notice when John was challenging people, 

the Gospel said it was “good news”: why? 

The keynote of this Sunday, 

in the readings and in the prayers, is joy, rejoicing. 

That's what the rose-colored vestments signify. 

Let me just explain that joy isn't the same as feeling up,

being in a good mood, being all sparkly and bubbly.

If you've lost someone you love, if you have work problems, 

family problems, health problems, or other issues, 

it can be really hard to be chirpy and cheerful, 

especially at this time of year. 

So, just to be clear, that’s OK.

You have permission not to be all Suzy Sunshine. 

Because joy isn’t about a mood or your personality.

It’s down deep, like bedrock, and it doesn’t change from day to day.

This is where what John the Baptist was saying ties in.

What John was offering is the path to true joy:

getting right with God; getting right with your parents, your family, 

your friends, and the people you work with.

So now, this is my John the Baptist-spectacle moment.

I want to do whatever it takes to grab you.

What do you think?

Should I march up and down the aisle like a TV preacher, 

hooting and hollering? That could be fun!

Oh, what a scandal! People would talk!

The point is, I want you to hear that invitation.

This sermon isn’t for someone else, it’s for YOU. 

I may not be able to look everyone in the eye, 

but the Holy Spirit can speak to you in a way I cannot.

You want that true joy, that deep-down joy?

Go to confession. 

John would have said, get baptized.

And if you’ve never been baptized, 

then talk to me about becoming a Christian. 

But most of us are already baptized, 

so, for us, it’s renewing that new birth.

That’s what confession is.

Knowing you are at peace with God, at peace with others?

That is joy!

And don’t wait till the last minute. 

It’s the same every year, right in the last few days, 

it’s like check-out at Wal-Mart!

It’s OK, But I’m saying, if you come THIS week,

you can get a jump on last-minute rush. 

Don’t worry that you can’t remember how. I’ll help you!

You know what my best Christmas gift is?

Someone comes to confession, it’s been a long time,

he or she is really burdened, overwhelmed, 

and then gets to be quit of it all! In a few minutes! 

Every priest will tell you; we can sense that huge weight sliding off!

I’m not saying, come to confession for me.

I’m saying, you’re waiting in line, sweating, all churned up,

and you’re wondering, what will the priest think? 

I’m thinking, this is a really good day! God just made my week!

That’s joy for me; that’s joy for you!

What is 'Kingdom Justice'? (Sunday homily)

 As I said last week, this time of year – Advent and Christmas – 

is all about pointing toward the Kingdom Jesus will one day establish.

Today, I want to talk about the first reading mentions: JUSTICE.

What is Kingdom Justice?

God’s Justice is complete in a way human justice cannot be.

We have a “justice system”: 

police, courts, lawyers, judges, and prisons.

It isn’t perfect; it gets abused sometimes.

“We the people” are ultimately in charge,

and if we get mad enough, and mobilized enough,

you and I can change those laws and the judges and the prosecutors.

This is a good time to make a key point:

As Christians, it is our duty 

to bring as much of God’s justice as we can into this world. 

You and I cannot make this world perfect, 

but that doesn’t mean we can’t make it better than it is.

And one of the things we will answer for, before God, 

is whether we made any attempts, whether we ever lifted our voice, 

or put ourselves out to bring more justice, more healing, in our world.

Even when our system of justice is at its best,

no human process or punishment can undo the injuries done.

At the end of the road, we send someone to prison,

or perhaps even execute someone.

As you know, the last several popes and our bishops 

have called for abolition of the death penalty if possible.

The reason is not that some people don’t deserve the worst penalty – 

because some certainly do deserve it –

but because killing people, if we don’t have to, 

doesn’t help us respect the dignity of human life.

But the main point I want to make is that in the end, 

the most our justice system can do is punish. 

We call prisons “penitentiaries,” in hope of bringing reform. 

But if you take a close look at prison life – if you can stomach it – 

you will see how powerless you and I are at bringing true justice.

Terrible people go to prison and they hone their skills at evil.

The good news is that some people do experience grace in prison.

They hit bottom and finally call out to God.

God’s justice isn’t only punishment, but healing.

God’s justice is holiness and wholeness.

There is no criminal so vile that God does not long to restore.

It’s very hard to comprehend how God does this.

There is both the human side and the God side of the process.

The part we understand is that sin and wrong do need punishment, 

there do need to be consequences. 

Sometimes – I emphasize, sometimes – this happens in this life.

People may seem to get off easy, but God is not fooled.

This is the mercy of purgatory – and I emphasize, mercy!  

Purgatory is the perfect example of God’s justice, 

in contrast to human justice,  

because purgatory isn’t only punishment, it is healing.

Think of the thief on the cross, dying next to Jesus.

We don’t know what crimes he committed, 

but they could be the most horrendous you can imagine. 

The human side was, he was punished – terribly!

But then there’s the divine side:

God was nailed to the Cross next to that thief!

It wasn’t an accident: Jesus chose to die with and for that man!

That’s the God side. You and I could never pay what we owe.

God pays for us!

Two criminals died with Jesus that day, on either side.

One rejected him and all he offered.

The other cried out for mercy and was told, 

This day you will be with me in Paradise!

Does that mean the good thief had no purgatory?

No. He was crucified, so that may have been his purgatory.

Or, for all we know, his purgatory and ours 

takes but an instant in earthly terms. 

So finally, we come to the frightening scene in the Gospel.

The upheaval it shows is what happens when God’s Justice meets worldly injustice! 

But notice Jesus says, you and I can stand before him, unafraid! 

How?

On that day, we need not be ashamed, 

if we chose to stand for His Justice, and to live it,

while we wait and pray for the coming of his Kingdom.

To enter the Kingdom requires radical conversion (Christ the King homily)

 Today is the feast of Christ the King and then we go into Advent.

I know you’ve heard people say, 

Advent is about preparing for Christmas.

But the truth is, Advent isn’t primarily about Christmas.

When you hear the readings next week,

they are going to sound a lot like this week’s readings,.

and they aren’t about the birth of Jesus.

Rather, we heard just now about the end of time,

when Jesus, the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last,

brings down the final curtain on this world.

The truth is, Advent does NOT point to Christmas.

Advent and Christmas both point to what today is about: the Kingdom.

So, I decided that would be a good theme for a series of homilies.

As we head toward Christmas, I invite you to reflect on the Kingdom.

What is the Kingdom?  What do we mean by that?

We’ll have some Bible-study materials available from Scott Hahn, 

which will fill in a lot of interesting background from the Scriptures.

But let’s start with words you and I pray daily, 

“thy kingdom come, they will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

First, notice those words from the Lord’s Prayer:

We pray that when Jesus reigns, earth and heaven will be united, 

and God’s ways will rule earth the same way God rules heaven.

That’s not true now.

Also, did you notice in the opening prayer, 

it referred to “restor(ing) all things, 

and freeing “the whole creation…from slavery”?

In a few minutes, when I am at the altar, 

you’ll hear reference to “a kingdom of truth and life…

a kingdom of holiness and grace…justice, love and peace.”

These are some glimpses of what the Kingdom is about.

Let’s focus in on the Gospel, because it shows, if you will,

the two Kingdoms face-to-face: the Kingdom of this world, 

and the Kingdom of God.

It’s a shame this Gospel reading stops where it does.

After Jesus said, “I came to bear witness to the truth,”

what did Pilate say back, remember? “What is truth?”

If that isn’t the perfect statement of this world’s values!

It’s a shame to say it, but just because CNN, NBC, and even Fox, 

all call themselves “News,” 

that is no guarantee that what they disseminate 

has any close connection to the truth!

It’s not just the media! There are a lot of us who are oh-so-ready 

to believe and spread dirt when it confirms our biases. 

What do we say? “Oh, I just knew it!”

In a kingdom of truth, justice and love, 

we are SLOW to believe the worst. 

And even slower to repeat it, and never revel in it.

Keep looking at this confrontation between Pilate and Jesus.

Pilate has thousands of soldiers at his command.

He can – and will – have Jesus beaten and killed.

And he’s just one part of a vast machine of cruelty.

That’s worldly power. That’s the Kingdom of Man.

And yet Pilate hesitates. 

He is standing before a reality he cannot comprehend.

Why doesn’t this “king” defend himself? 

How could he possibly defeat almighty Rome?

And how can this Jesus be so calm, while I am quaking?

Did Pilate realize that all the things 

he counted as “strength” were utterly powerless?

Jesus is unshaken because he knows Pilate’s moment will be brief.

The same with Rome and every other human ambition.

His strategy is not to break backs but to change hearts.

His army is the martyrs. His most powerful weapon is forgiveness!

Jesus was barely comprehensible to Pilate, 

but that should not surprise us. 

When you look out through worldly eyes, 

God’s ways are, indeed, going to look very strange.

So, this week’s lesson of the Kingdom 

is that to enter it means conversion. 

Meaning, you see differently. 

And you end up at sharp angles to worldly values.

I am not talking about a slight course correction.

A lot of folks think to be a Christian just means 

adding a little prayer and religious talk, 

a baptism here, a first communion and confirmation there, 

and putting in some hours at Mass through the year

if it doesn’t conflict with something that is actually important!

Doing just enough to keep your spouse happy and look respectable.

Boy, are they wrong! They could never stand before Pilate!

And I don’t even mean the Pilate in the Gospel.

How about the Pilate at work who says, “so, you’re a Catholic, huh?”

Or at school who mocks the Rosary to see if anyone says anything.

The Kingdom of Pilate is respectable. It’s how the world works.

Or you can have that so-called king who is abandoned, 

who the crowd is laughing at, 

who looks like a freak compared to Pilate!

What is the very best sign God can give? (Sunday homily)

 Throughout time, there have always been people scavenging 

for every possible clue for God’s timetable for the future.

Today’s Gospel is, as they say, “red meat” for that hunger. 

People want to know how this world will end, and the new ushered in.

In short, people want signs. Show me a sign, they kept telling Jesus.

In our time, if people hear about a statue crying,

or someone shares a picture of a miraculous tortilla,

everyone comes from all over to see it.

And these things can be genuine. Or not. I can’t say.

What I can say is this. You want a sign?

Jesus has already given you and me 

the best of all signs, the absolute best. 

There is nothing greater he can still give than what he’s already given. 

He came. He died. He rose from the dead!

He sent his Apostles and others in his name,

telling them: “Do THIS in memory of me.”

I’m talking about the Holy Mass. The Most Holy Eucharist!

You want a sign?

That’s the absolute best you can get.

There is no need for anything more. 

Jesus’ gift of the Eucharist 

is as full and complete a confirmation as God can give.

The only “more” we can hope for is heaven itself. 

This weekend we are having Forty Hours, 

with the Lord Jesus on the altar to adore.

Use your imagination now.

If the monstrance were on the altar right now, 

you would see the pale, white disc of the Sacred Host. 

This truly is Jesus’ Body and Blood. No shilly-shallying around. 

The Eucharist is Jesus, himself.

Yes, while retaining the physical qualities of bread or wine, 

but after all, would you really prefer to see bloody flesh?

In your mind, see the Sacred Host, as if he were on the altar now.

And what if you and I could step up to the monstrance, 

and do what Alice in the story, Alice in Wonderland, did.

Remember that? She drew close to the mirror and stepped through it.

What if somehow you and I could “step into” 

the monstrance on the altar, and pass beyond?

Where would we be? The answer is heaven! Heaven!

You want a “sign”? The Eucharist is Jesus: 

the fullness of God and all his promises. There is nothing more.

On Christmas we might look around for one more present.

But no, there is nothing more to look for than the Eucharist!

So, if you ever have said, God give me a sign!

Show me, prove to me, that you love me, 

that I matter, that I can dare to hope: 

the Most Holy Eucharist is that sign!

This is “Vocations Awareness” week.

Everyone knows we need more priests, more religious.

There are so many young men I’ve watched grow up.

From my perspective, I think you’d be fine priests, and I’ve told you so.

I stop bringing it up when you bring your fiancé by to meet me!

But I can’t really know. Only God can give that call.

What I want to say is, men, if you want to make a difference,

if you want to leave a legacy and change lives,

being a priest is an awesome way to do it.

And you are privileged to be right there, at the altar – 

and, just as much, at the Upper Room, 

and at the Cross, and at the empty tomb.

He is the “Sign” of all signs.

You get to be the bringer, the sharer, of this Sign.

I won’t kid you. There’s work. There’s sadness and sacrifice.

There’s times of tedium and misunderstanding.

But, oh what a life! You get to be his companion along the way!

And I want to say about the religious life for brothers and sisters.

The task of those in religious life is likewise to be a sign.

Not THE Sign; that’s Jesus. You are the “sign of the Sign.”

Your vows are all about trying to live – as fully as possible – 

a life full of heaven while here on earth.

Now, I’m going to say here something “politically incorrect.”

Some of our religious orders have lost their way.

Don’t let that discourage you. 

There are many communities that are 

full of zeal and joy to know Jesus and make him known.

To serve others in so many ways.

They don’t hide who they are, 

and the center of their common life is the Holy Eucharist.

It’s not for everyone. But if some part of you longs for…MORE, 

then maybe it’s the religious life you hunger for.

And if you don’t at least TRY it, you’ll always wonder, what if?

If you call me, I’ll get you connected.

Don’t worry, they don’t lock you in the convent or seminary!

And I’m not going to start calling you like a telemarketer!

In a moment, we’ll witness the wonder of Jesus offering himself 

on the Cross and at the same time, on the altar.

And then if we are ready, spiritually – I mean, in a state of grace – 

He gives himself to us. Total gift. All of God and heaven.

All of love. All of hope. All there is to give!

If the National (not very) Catholic Reporter could be embarrassed...

This article, "What makes our bishops think they own the Eucharist?" would do it. Alas. 

Let's look at this penetrating commentary together, shall we?

To be fair, headlines are usually written by the editor, who clearly was too busy, or else he/she/they/it/erm would surely have seen greater merit in other options:

"You can't make me!"

"Who died and made you the boss of us, bishops?"

"I know you are but what am I?"

But if we ascribe to this mindset a seriousness that is doubtfully there, we might translate this headline to, "Why do the bishops think they get to make these decisions?" But of course, that takes Marianne Duddy-Burke nowhere she wants to go. Who did Jesus put in charge of his Church? The Apostles. And guess who succeeds them? Er ... the bishops? But gosh, the NCR still has a lot of space to fill; now what?

Ms./Mr./Mx. Duddy-Burke is terribly concerned with people not receiving Holy Communion if they "support legal abortion" or redefining marriage and other things. But Duddy-Burke thinks it's entirely too silly a question to even ask why any of these things (or anything else) would even raise an issue of someone not being allowed to receive Holy Communion. Which raises the first question I'd want to ask these folks who get the vapors at the thought of a politician or anyone being denied communion:

"Are there ever any circumstances under which a bishop rightfully ought to bar giving someone Holy Communion?" But of course Duddy-Burke and the NCR crowd never, never poses this question. Why so incurious?

Because, of course, that again leads somewhere they do not want to go; namely, to a discussion of just what those situations might be; and why facilitating the destruction of unborn children isn't worthy to include in that list.

Instead, Duddy-Burke takes us on a tour of church history. According to her, in those happy, olden-golden days of yore, "What we now know as Holy Communion originated in a home-based religious ritual, the Passover Seder, which is still a sacred celebration marked by Jews and friends in their homes."

And, of course, there was never any question of allowing absolutely everyone to take part in the Passover seder -- everyone knows that! Right?

The LORD said to Moses and Aaron: This is the Passover statute. No foreigner may eat of it. However, every slave bought for money you will circumcise; then he may eat of it. But no tenant or hired worker may eat of it. It must be eaten in one house; you may not take any of its meat outside the house.k You shall not break any of its bones. The whole community of Israel must celebrate this feast. If any alien residing among you would celebrate the Passover for the LORD, all his males must be circumcised, and then he may join in its celebration just like the natives. But no one who is uncircumcised may eat of it (Exodus 12:43-48).

Oops. Well, maybe Duddy-Burke needs to do a little more studying. She/he/yrm may want to check out the Didache, from the period she is describing:

But let no one eat or drink of your Thanksgiving (Eucharist), but they who have been baptized into the name of the Lord; for concerning this also the Lord has said, Give not that which is holy to the dogs  (Chapter 9).

Or St. Justin Martyr:

The Eucharist, of which no one is allowed to partake but the man who believes that the things which we teach are true, and who has been washed with the washing that is for the remission of sins, and unto regeneration, and who is so living as Christ has enjoined. 

Oops again!

Well, Duddy-Burke is not faint of heart, and plows on, rejecting seeing "the Eucharist ... as something we 'receive,' rather than something we are vitally and essentially part of creating, sharing, and responding to. Something we are — the body of Christ." Not wrong; but a little fuzzy. She also laments that the Eucharist came to be "administered only by the clerical caste," whereas rightfully, quoting theologian Thomas Groome, the Eucharist "is the work of the whole community. By the power and presence of the Holy Spirit in the community, the assembly acts in union with Christ to realize again the Risen One's eucharistic presence in its midst."

Say, did you notice something? No mention of a priest being involved in the Eucharist! How about that! Look again: it's the "whole community," the "assembly," "in union with Christ" that confects the Eucharist.

How about that! I can go to brunch on Sundays!

But this raises a question for Duddy-Burke: if you don't need a priest to have the Eucharist, why are you complaining? According to you, you can stay home, with your friends, and have a nice seder-sort-of-meal, and have the Eucharist. No meanie bishops being mean to "shroud" everything with "mystery and taboo." Scary!

Seriously: why does Duddy-Burke even care what those dastardly bishops and their "clerical caste" have to say? Everyone can have the Eucharist any way he/she/gorm wants!

Shorter Duddy-Burke article:

D-B: You mean, terrible bishops, you won't let me and my friends have the Eucharist!

Bishops: But you just said you don't need us; you can celebrate the Eucharist without us.

D-B: Haters! (Blocked on twitter.)

What will you put at risk for Christ? (Sunday homily)

 The Gospel we just heard poses a very simple question, 

but it cuts deep, right to our very core: 

how much are you and I willing to give to Jesus Christ?

It’s not necessarily a matter of money. 

The widow in the Gospel didn’t just give a donation. 

As Jesus said, she gave everything she had to live on. 

She put everything on the line.

How much will we put on the line?

Blessed John Newman, the great English protestant 

who became Catholic, gave a sermon one time 

in which he posed a similar question. 

He asked whether we are really putting anything at risk for our faith. 

And he made the point that quite a lot of us 

probably would make most of the same decisions, 

whether we believe in Jesus Christ or not. 

We would probably have the same job, the same life, and so forth.

That is really quite a question, isn’t it?

What can you and I point to in our choices, in our lives,

that really is different, because we follow Jesus?

Many of our parents have rejected contraception, 

and made other sacrifices in welcoming more children 

and in making sure they have time to be with their children,

to give them every advantage as followers of Jesus.

They are thinking not only of this world, but the world to come.

There are spouses who struggle, but they hang in, to keep their vows.

I can imagine there are folks in business who have made decisions 

that no one else knows about, taking a loss or forgoing extra profit.

There are probably many stories that could be told – 

but we don’t tell the stories – 

about forgiving a wrong, enduring mockery, taking the harder path, 

because of the words of Christ and for love of him.

Still, there’s that widow. Not a rich person. A poor widow. 

She gave not just something, but everything she had.

At this moment, I really think I’m in the way; 

I’m interrupting a conversation 

which is really between each of us, and Jesus himself. 

He’s the one who makes the invitation.

He is the one who calls us: 

come, follow me – and Peter and Andrew, James and John 

left their nets; their livelihood; everything they had.

Jesus calls you. 

Your Creator and Redeemer speaks to you as only he can. 

He has prepared your life and given you your gifts. 

What will you answer?

Who (or what) do you love? (Sunday homily)

Let’s dive into this Gospel reading a bit with a couple of questions.

First, what actually does it mean to “love”?

Answer: love is not a mere emotion, a rush of blood to your . . . face.

It’s not simply a flutter in your stomach. 

Love is a choice.

Love is a fundamental commitment to the good of the other person.

So, whether I am talking about loving my family, my friends, 

my country, a stranger, or even my enemy, it’s the same: 

willing the good of the other person.

But now we have a puzzle: how does this apply to God?

When you and I say we “love” God, how, exactly?

What good can I will for God?

God has every perfection; he needs nothing at all, 

that I can either give him or want him to have.

Part of the answer is that God points us to our fellow man, as if to say, 

I don’t need anything; but look around: 

there are hungry people, folks who are in crisis,

children who are abandoned, 

people suffering from poverty or injustice or violence. 

You want to love Me, God says? Love them in my name.

So, today, after Mass, you can do this 

by picking up some pans and recipes for making casseroles.

I think it’s a good guess that of the 700 hundred or so folks 

who will come to Mass here this weekend, 

at least half of us are old enough to make a casserole. 

Two casseroles aren’t much harder than one.

Making even four casseroles isn’t that difficult.

So, I really think St. Remy could generate 1,000 casseroles.

Let’s see if we can hit 500 this time!

That said, there are those who have tried to boil down 

the first commandment, “Love God,” 

to the second commandment, “Love they neighbor.”

But if that were all there is to it, then Jesus would have said that.

So there’s still the question: how do you and I actually love God?

And I think part of the answer has to be, to love God as God, meaning, 

to adore God, to worship God, to bend the knee to him.

Thus, the first of the Ten Commandments says, 

“I am the Lord your God; you shall not have any other gods.”

There are those who say, I don’t see why I am obligated to go to Mass, 

I don’t need this – and I suspect some here have said this at times:

the answer is, Yes, you and I do need to go to Mass.

I’d like to take more time on this next point, but I will say briefly,

Notice I said, go to MASS, not merely, “go to church.”

It’s not about the building but about Jesus offering himself for us 

to the Father. That’s what Holy Mass IS.

Reading the Bible, praying the Rosary, meditating on God’s Creation – 

these are good things, but nothing compares to the Holy Mass.

Many people have legitimate challenges in getting to Mass, 

but a lot of the time, it’s because the wrong thing is put first.

Humanity needs to worship God. 

If we do not worship God, we will end up worshipping something worse.

Or as Bob Dylan sang, “You gotta serve somebody.”

My German ancestors ran around the Black Forest 

worshipping nature and trees. Sound familiar?

We are all in favor of safeguarding the environment, 

but do you think some people take it too far?

There’s actually a thing called the “Extinction Movement.”

You know what that’s about? Our extinction: no more humans!

No, we don’t have temples with idols dotting the landscape, 

but that doesn’t mean you and I aren’t tempted to worship other gods.

It can be money or success or power or wrath, 

but eventually it gets revealed as worshipping ourselves, our own will.

We Americans love to emphasize freedom, 

but that too can become an idol. 

Consider how the self-will has been lifted so high, 

that if you make a joke I don’t like, that’s called “violence.”

Consider the “transgender” phenomenon. 

Let’s acknowledge that real people are experiencing 

an alienation from themselves – it’s not clear why, 

but it really happens and it creates real pain and suffering.

So, I’m not making light of this.

That said, we’re at a point where the supposed answer is,

you and I get to create a bubble of our own reality around ourselves.

I’m going to change my pronouns, and you must agree! 

We’re making a god of the will to the point 

that I can create my own universe, 

superior to the objective world around us!

People experiencing gender confusion deserve better than that.

What happens when we don’t worship God? We worship something else.

And you may scoff and say, that doesn’t affect me, 

but our government is determined that it will. 

And that’s only one way we go wrong.

To repeat: if you and I don’t worship the one, true God, 

then we will worship something else. 

A homily about hope (30th Sunday in Ordinary Time)

These readings highlight the virtue of hope. 

The first reading is all about hope for the remnant of God’s People. 

And the blind man in the Gospel hopes for a miracle, so he can see.

Hope is about what you cannot see, what seems impossible. 

That’s what Saint Paul says in his letter to the Romans: 

when you see it, when you have it in front of you, that’s not hope.

So, question: how are you doing on hope?

I ask because there are various concerns and anxieties 

weighing people down these days: 

 the way the government is handling matters, 

 the rising cost of living, 

 the employment situation, 

 Covid and vaccine mandates,

 the plight of Americans and our friends left behind in Afghanistan; 

 and if that’s not enough, there’s always the fears generated 

by the Archdiocese’s reorganization project which they’ve cheerfully named…”

Beacons of Hope Light”!*

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not writing that off; just noting the humor.

Anyway, let’s talk about hope.

Hope isn’t about when things are going your way.

It comes into play precisely when the wheels are falling off!

Jeremiah’s beautiful words of hope 

were given to his people at the moment they were facing annihilation, 

the destruction of their country.

Bartimaeus inspires us, but he’d been blind since birth.

He was a penniless beggar, and his hope was for a miracle.

It ended well, but it raises a question:

If you’re worked up about a problem, are you as serene as Bartimaeus? 

If not, why not?

My point isn’t to promise everyone a miracle, 

but to illustrate the courage of Bartimaeus’ hope. 

Where does that hope come from? How do you achieve it?

Remember, hope is one of the “theological” virtues – 

Faith, Hope and Love – that come from God and it make us like God. 

So if you want hope, as the Holy Spirit for hope.

And I mean, more than just once, or once in a while.

Ask, ask, and ask 100 more times. Keep asking.

A second point: just because what we hope for isn’t seen, 

doesn’t mean we don’t see causes for hope, or signs giving us hope.

Bartimaeus was blind, but his hope was not:

he didn’t pick Jesus at random.

He’d heard things about Jesus that gave him reasons for hope.

So if you aren’t experiencing hope, 

then may I suggest you start looking around for reasons for hope.

If necessary, take a half hour, and a pencil and paper, 

and start writing down everything that is a sign or a cause for hope.

This is really old-fashioned advice, but it works.

Everyone here knows you can put a lot of things on that page.

A big part of Jeremiah’s message is that true, lasting hope 

isn’t in political power or prosperity, but in having God in their hearts.

Or, you could say, it’s not real estate but relationship.

It wasn’t about the land they longed for, 

but having their hearts and God’s heart fused together. 

That is the only sure ground for hope!

Now: stop and realize that what was merely hope for Jeremiah 

is not hope for us, because we have it! 

The new and everlasting covenant!

God came, became one of us, took a heart of flesh and blood,

and offered himself for us.

You and I have Him in the Mass, in the Eucharist, in our hearts!

“I am with you always,” Jesus said, “until the end of the world!”

You and I don’t have to hope for this – we HAVE this!

Nothing and no one can take this from us.

Remember Bartimaeus and remember what they said to him:

“Take courage. Get up. Jesus is calling you.”

* Of course it's "Beacons of Light," my mistake.

Treasure for Treasure (Sunday homily)

 I want to say something about the annual financial report, 

which is included in today’s bulletin, 

but that won’t be the main subject of my homily. 

Once a year I address this topic because 

I want you to know your pastor pays attention to such matters.

And I want you to see for yourself how everything is handled,

that your parish handles your money carefully – and where it goes.

What is given in the bulletin is only a summary; 

there is a far more detailed report that is prepared every year, 

and anyone who wants to see it is welcome to.

If you want to see that, or you have any questions, just let me know.

Some years it is necessary to ask your help to close a deficit; 

or there are unexpected expenses that need explaining. 

Despite all that is crazy in the world around us,

this year, St. Remy’s finances lately are happily boring.

So it really is just a coincidence that I’m talking about the budget 

on the same Sunday Jesus says, “give all your money away”!

Thank you for your generous support, 

which keeps our parish financially stable 

and pays the bills for all we do at St. Remy.

I am confident you see the value of what we’re doing, 

and you want to keep it going.

What the Scripture readings invite us to do is ask:

what truly is my most valuable possession?

There aren’t very many people who actually admit

that money and wealth are what matter most to them.

And yet it happens – more than we want to admit.

Not all of us to give away all our wealth.

Jesus knew that’s what the young man in front of him needed. 

For the rest of us: how do we learn to love our possessions less?

Let me offer a few suggestions.

Parents, if you aren’t doing it already, think about how your children – 

no matter how young they are – can learn to be less materialistic.

They may not yet know the value of money, 

but I bet they have stuff they love, maybe too much? 

What could they give away?

Don’t be afraid to say “no” to your kids’ requests for stuff.

My poor parents, I don’t know how they did it, but at some point – 

with seven kids – they learned not to be manipulated by our dramatics.

My dad was actually fine with me having whatever I wanted. 

He would smile and say, “save your money and buy it!” 

May I also suggest trying to have a budget. 

Financial advisors always say, “pay yourself first,” 

meaning, save for the future.

As your soul advisor, I suggest you pay God first.

Have some idea of what you will give away, in money or time.

It doesn’t have to be a large amount; start small.

I know a man who has been tremendously successful in business 

and years ago, he decided he would plan things 

so that he gave all his money away by the time he died. 

How he’s working that out I don’t know. 

But one consequence was that he started 

giving away more than he had before.

It changed how he thought about money.

He started thinking more about the good it could do for others;

and above all, about the true treasure he has in Jesus Christ.

The lesson here isn’t just about money,

it’s about no longer being blind to whatever we value more than Jesus.

And seeing the young man turn away raises another point:

you and I never know what the road not taken would lead to.

If I give up a bad habit, I realize my life will be better, 

but how much better?

If I no longer spend hours absorbed with the Internet, 

where will that time go instead? To my faith?

To my spouse or my kids? What difference might that make?

Once again: what is really the most important thing to you?

Who is most important? 

What will you give up to have that treasure?

The Family of Parishes & the Family as God created (Sunday homily)

 Obviously everyone is talking about the announcement Friday 

of the proposed “family” of parishes, of which St. Remy will be part.

That “family” will be made up of the following parishes: 

Saint Louis in North Star and St. Nicholas in Osgood, 

Holy Family in Frenchtown, St. Denis in Versailles, St. Remy, 

Immaculate Conception in Bradford, and St. Mary in Greenville.

There will be three priests in total, one of them as pastor.

There are several things I ask you to keep in mind.

First, this arrangement is not set in stone. 

The Archbishop is planning to make a final decision in November.

Second, we don’t know which priests will be assigned to this family.

I hope to stay here, and I’ve offered to be pastor.

But that won’t be known until February or so.

Third, I know everyone is going to have so many questions, 

many, or most, of which I won’t be able to answer.

I don’t know if I’ll be the pastor, 

and someone else might handle it a different way.

Also, it’s REALLY important that everyone 

in all these communities is included BEFORE decisions are made.

So I can’t start spouting off before that happens, you understand?

Please be patient when I keep saying, I don’t know! We’ll get there. 

Of course everyone is going to have different reactions:

maybe shock or anger or disappointment or worry. 

My reaction was actually relief; because now we know.

We can move forward; less uncertainty is better than more.

Here’s my view of the overall map for all 19 counties.

There are some arrangements that are ridiculously large –

such as in Logan, Champaign and Clarke counties –

while many of the parishes in Cincinnati, 

including the Cathedral, are being handled with kid gloves. 

That said, when it comes to our arrangement here,

this is as Goldilocks might say, “not too hot, and not too cold.”

I strongly encourage you to go to the Archdiocese website

and leave comments on the plan. You can write a letter as well.

Be clear, be specific, be constructive, be courteous.

As mentioned, there will be three priests for this new family.

Right now, there are five; so obviously, 

the daily and Sunday Mass schedules will have to change,

and that will likely have to happen by July.

So, you should be prepared to hear a lot more,

and we’ll figure out how everyone can give input in the new year.

I understand this is all a lot to take in.

I want you to know I intend to keep you well informed and also,

I intend to do everything I can to make this work. 

And if we ALL are flexible and cooperate, we WILL make it work.

At the same time, each of the individual parish communities

has its own identity and gifts, and no one wants to lose that.

That’s why the term “family of parishes” is well chosen.

In a family, we are not all carbon copies of each other.

There’s room for a lot of diversity and differences – BUT:

in a family, we aren’t all Lone Rangers, on our own.

In a family, we keep our own personalities, but stick together. 

Today is “Respect Life Sunday,” and one of the special things 

about this larger community is that so many have a heart 

for the unborn child and for their mothers 

who sometimes don’t have the help and support they need.

Meanwhile, the readings are all about the true nature of family:

a man and a woman, together for life, 

cooperating with God who alone gives life.

Notice: today, every detail of this divine design is under attack:

Man-woman; together-for-life; cooperate with God.

Also notice that every detour from God’s plan, 

while it seems to bring happiness, ultimately fails to do so.

Jesus mentions divorce. That’s too complex for this homily.

To state what used to be obvious: 

every effort should be made to avoid divorce.

I’ve seen both parties try very hard to heal things – and it works! 

Not without pain, and not without great patience and forgiveness.

On the other hand, sometimes a civil divorce can’t be avoided.

And the Church teaches that there can be situations – 

involving violence, abuse, danger to the children, or financial ruin – 

where a spouse is justified in seeking a legal separation. 

What Jesus is saying is that a decision by a judge – a court ruling – 

can only change the legal, this-world relationship.

But marriage is more than a legal contract,

and everyone knows that’s true; because even after a divorce,

there are still relationships and responsibilities, 

particularly involving children. 

I also want to say to anyone who has been through a divorce:

sometimes you think you can’t be Catholic anymore. Not true!

Rather than try to deal with all the questions here, just call me!

I’m not going to shake my finger at you. 

I’ll be very glad to clear up misconceptions, and help any way I can.

As you’ve noticed, we’ve talked about family a couple of ways.

I know there are negatives to this parish reorganization, 

and we will just have to sit with that for a bit.

But at some point, you and I have to get on to the task – 

forgive the repetition – of being a family.

Meaning, we’ll have our arguments and push and shove,

but we’re a family; we are in this together. 

The reason the family exists – I mean both the natural family 

and the spiritual family, which we call the Church – 

is to be God’s image in the world and to bring God’s life into the world.