Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Homily for Ash Wednesday

I am scheduling this to post on Wed morning, we'll see how if I do it correctly ;)

Lent is meant to be a time of conversion in our lives. It is a time to reflect upon who we are, and who we are to become.
In order to figure this out, I’d like to suggest that we need to look at some wants versus some needs. Most of the time when we think about wants versus needs, we focus on the material elements, such as do I want a new computer, or do I need a new computer. What about that new cell phone that is coming out.
I want to try to focus our discussion on a more spiritual plain instead of the material plain to which we are accustomed.
Many times at the beginning of Lent I’ll hear people talking about their intended sacrifices, or their Lenten Penance. They’ll say things like, I want to spend more time in prayer. I want to eat less. I want to give up TV. These wants are great, but this year we need to focus on our spiritual needs instead of our spiritual wants. With that in mind, I’m going to present a quick list of spiritual needs that can help us in our Lenten conversion process.
1. We need to have a prayer life that leads us closer to God. (Prayer)
a. Prayer needs to be seen as something that we get to do, not something we have to do
b. Prayer needs to help us see all that God has done
i. Father
(1) Made us all out of nothing
(2) loves us completely and unconditionally
ii. Son
(1) came into the world as our savior
(2) suffered on the cross to free us from our sins
(3) makes himself present to us in the Eucharist
iii. Spirit
(1) Fills us with grace
(2) gives us strength and courage to live out our faith
c. In the parish we offer many opportunities to join together for prayer
i. Daily Mass
ii. Stations of the Cross during Lent
iii. Morning Prayer before weekday morning Mass
2. We need to recognize Christ in the Eucharist (Prayer)
a. Eucharist is Christ’s body, blood, soul and divinity
b. We need not only to recognize Christ in the Eucharist, but to love him
i. We develop that love by spending time with him in private or public adoration
3. We need to be less focused on ourselves (Fasting and Almsgiving)
a. This is where our material wants and needs make themselves present
b. We need to be thankful for what God has given us and be willing to make a return to him those things which he has entrusted to our care
i. Our lives
(1) are we using our lives in a ways that are truly pleasing to God
(2) are we striving to eliminate sin and grow in holiness?
(3) Are we using our talents to glorify God, or to seek glory for ourselves?
ii. Our material benefits
(1) are we truly being charitable in our giving? Sometimes we are not charitable but we give to charity for the tax benefits, or for the praise that we receive for our gifts
(2) are we ensuring that are doing what we can to support the work of God through the local parish, the diocese and the world wide church?
4. We need to make sacrifices (Fasting)
a. Abstinence on Ash Wednesday and Fridays of Lent and fasting on Ash Wednesday and good Friday need to be in a spirit of penance
i. It is not meant to be a time to go out and eat lobster or other exotic fish and seafood
ii. The hunger we feel from fasting should be refocused on the hunger we should have for God
b. Our sacrifices should be seen in the spirit of penance
i. We have all sinned
ii. We develop a sense of sorrow for our sins via penance
5. We need to be serious about meeting our needs
a. I often joke about giving up football for Lent which is easy to accomplish
b. The needs I have presented today are the needs of all of us
i. It does not matter if we are Catholic, or not
ii. Fasting, prayer and almsgiving focus our lives away from ourselves
iii. We hear Saint Augustine at the beginning of his Confessions writing about God state, “for Thou hast formed us for Thyself, and our hearts are restless till they find rest in Thee” (Augustin: confessions 10)

My prayer for each of you during this holy season is that you will search for the true needs of life and that your hears may rest in God. Have a blessed Lent.

Sample Bucket List

I saw this posted on another blog and thought I'd give it a try.

Which of these things have you accomplished?

Directions: Copy this list and then bold the stuff you've done.


shot a gun
gone on a blind date
Skipped school

watched someone die
Visited Canada
Visited Hawaii

Visited Cuba
Visited Europe
Visited South America
Visited Las Vegas
Visited Mexico
Visited Florida
Seen the Grand Canyon
Flown on a plane
Served on a Jury
Been lost

Traveled to the opposite side of the country
Visited Washington, DC
Swam in the Ocean

Cried yourself to sleep.

Played Cops and Robbers
Played Cowboys and Indians

Recently colored with crayons
Sang Karaoke

Paid for a meal with coins only
Made prank phone calls
Laughed until some beverage came out of your nose
Caught a snowflake on your tongue

Had children
Had a pet
Been skinny-dipping outdoors

Been fishing
Been boating
Been Water Skiing
Been Downhill Skiing
Been Hiking
Been camping in a trailer/RV
Been camping in a tent
Flown in a small 4-seater airplane

Flown in a glider
Flown in a helicopter
Flown in a hot air balloon

Walked on a glacier
Driven a Motorcycle

Been bungee-jumping

Gone to a drive-in movie
Done something that could have killed you?

Done something that you will regret for the rest of your life.
Visited Africa
Rode an elephant

Eaten just cookies or cake for dinner
Been on T.V.

Steal any traffic signs

Been in a car accident
Donated blood

Bailed out of Helicopter/Plane
Ran in a Marathon
Went Curling