Homily for 3rd Sunday OT C

In St. Pope John Paul II’s 1988 encyclical Christifideles Laici, in English, “The Lay Members of Christ’s Faithful People”, he writes when speaking about baptism.

In another comparison, using the image of a building, the apostle Peter defines the baptized as “living stones” founded on Christ, the “corner stone”, and destined to “be raised up into a spiritual building” (1 Pt 2:5 ff.). The image introduces us to another aspect of the newness of Christian life coming from Baptism and described by the Second Vatican Council: “By regeneration and the anointing of the Holy Spirit, the baptized are consecrated into a spiritual house”(Lumen gentium 10)

The Holy Spirit “anoints” the baptized, sealing each with an indelible character (cf. 2 Cor 1:21–22), and constituting each as a spiritual temple, that is, he fills this temple with the holy presence of God as a result of each person’s being united and likened to Jesus Christ.

With this spiritual “unction”, [anointing] Christians can repeat in an individual way the words of Jesus: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord” (Lk 4:18–19; cf. Is 61:1–2). Thus with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Baptism and Confirmation, the baptized share in the same mission of Jesus as the Christ, the Saviour-Messiah.

Yet, many of us have to ask ourselves, what exactly is the “same mission of Jesus as the Christ”?

Perhaps, looking at something St. Pope John Paul II said in this encyclical, “Ecclesia in America”, or “The Church in America” (remember that he is talking about both South and North America) we might be given a sense of this mission.

One of the reasons for the Church’s influence on the Christian formation of Americans is her vast presence in the field of education and especially in the university world. The many Catholic universities spread throughout the continent are a typical feature of Church life in America. Also in the field of primary and secondary education, the large number of Catholic schools makes possible a wide-ranging evangelizing effort, as long as there is a clear will to impart a truly Christian education.

Another important area in which the Church is present in every part of America is social and charitable work. The many initiatives on behalf of the elderly, the sick and the needy, through nursing homes, hospitals, dispensaries, canteens providing free meals, and other social centers are a concrete testimony of the preferential love for the poor which the Church in America nurtures. She does so because of her love for the Lord and because she is aware that “Jesus identified himself with the poor (cf. Mt 25:31–46)”. In this task which has no limits, the Church in America has been able to create a sense of practical solidarity among the various communities of the continent and of the world, showing in this way the fraternal spirit which must characterize Christians in every time and place.

For this service of the poor to be both evangelical and evangelizing, it must faithfully reflect the attitude of Jesus, who came “to proclaim Good News to the poor” (Lk 4:18). When offered in this spirit, the service of the poor shows forth God’s infinite love for all people and becomes an effective way of communicating the hope of salvation which Christ has brought to the world, a hope which glows in a special way when it is shared with those abandoned or rejected by society.

We need to constantly be incorporating within ourselves an attitude to carry on the mission entrusted to us in our baptism. It is all about the sharing with others the mercy of God that we have experienced in our own lives. This is how Pope Francis announced the Year of Mercy,

Dear brothers and sisters, I have often thought of how the Church may render more clear her mission to be a witness to mercy; and we have to make this journey. It is a journey which begins with spiritual conversion. Therefore, I have decided to announce an Extraordinary Jubilee which has at its centre the mercy of God. It will be a Holy Year of Mercy. We want to live in the light of the word of the Lord: “Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful” (cf. Lk 6:36). And this especially applies to confessors! So much mercy!

Let each of us find a way to be an example of God’s mercy as we “preach the good news to the poor.”

Our Catholic School

Our Catholic Schools from Leo McDowell on Vimeo.

This weekend, we are celebrating the feast of Saints Peter and Paul. In the second reading for the Vigil Mass we heard,

I want you to know, brothers and sisters,
that the Gospel preached by me is not of human origin.
For I did not receive it from a human being, nor was I taught it,
but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

As I attended the ordinations for Fr. David Wilkens in Great Falls Tuesday evening, and of Fr. Garrett Nelson in Billings on Thursday evening, I heard the bishop in both homilies reminding those to be ordained that it was not about them, but about Jesus Christ. I think that applies to each and every one of  us gathered here. We need to remember that our calling in life is not about us, but about Jesus Christ. It is a realization that the Gospel that is preached is not of human origin, but that is from Jesus Christ. Our baptismal call directs us to greater things.

Saints Peter and Paul showed by their lives, and their deaths, that they were preaching the gospel and spreading the good news, not for some sort of earthly honor, but for Jesus Christ, their savior.  In the gospel reading of the Mass of the Day, we hear Jesus telling St. Peter,

“And so I say to you, you are Peter,
and upon this rock I will build my Church,
and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.
I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven.
Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven;
and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

St. Peter was entrusted with a great responsibility which is still carried out in the magisterium of the Church today. Peter is the rock upon which our Church is built.  The building of the Church did not end with St. Peter. It continues today in a variety of ways and through the official teachings handed on to us by the magisterium (the teaching authority of the Church).

Pope Benedict, while onboard a flight to the United Kingdom on September 16, 2010, stated in an interview:

“One might say that a church which seeks above all to be attractive would already be on the wrong path, because the Church does not work for itself, does not work to increase its numbers so as to have more power. The Church is at the service of Another; it does not serve itself, seeking to be a strong body, but it strives to make the Gospel of Jesus Christ accessible, the great truths, the great powers of love and of reconciliation that appeared in this figure and that come always from the presence of Jesus Christ.”

This brings us back to what Bishop Warfel shared in his ordination homilies: it is not about self, but about Jesus Christ.

The call to being a disciple, calls us to work to build up the “Kingdom of God”. It is not about what might bring us glory, but about what glorifies our creator.

In the life of the faithful, there are various ways that this should be happening. I would like to focus on one aspect of this expectation, Catholic Schools. We are celebrating the 100th year of St. Mary’s School here in Livingston. Our school has impacted the lives of many over the years, including several who are attending Mass here today.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops released a document entitled,  Renewing our Commitment to Catholic Elementary and Secondary Schools in the Third Millennium. They begin that document by reminding all of us,

Young people are a valued treasure and the future leaders of our Church. It is the responsibility of the entire Catholic community—bishops, priests, deacons, religious, and laity—to continue to strive towards the goal of making our Catholic elementary and secondary schools available, accessible, and affordable to all Catholic parents and their children, including those who are poor and middle class. All Catholics must join together in efforts to ensure that Catholic schools have administrators and teachers who are prepared to provide an exceptional educational experience for young people—one that is both truly Catholic and of the highest academic quality.

In the past, St. Mary’s has tried to fulfill this mandate at the expense of our teachers. However, in the same document, the bishops stated:

We unequivocally committed ourselves and the whole Catholic community to the following set of goals:
• Catholic schools will continue to provide a Gospel-based education of the highest quality.
• Catholic schools will be available, accessible, and affordable.
• The bishops will launch initiatives in both the private and public sectors to secure financial assistance for parents, the primary educators of their children, so that they can better exercise their right to choose the best schools for their children.
• Catholic schools will be staffed by highly qualified administrators and teachers who would receive just wages and benefits, as we expressed in our pastoral letter  Economic Justice for All.

This last commitment has not been an easy one to fulfil. For years, the teachers at St. Mary’s were not provided many of the benefits offered to other teachers.  Two years ago, we started offering our teachers a full benefit package to include health insurance and retirement. When we look at the salary scale for St. Mary’s, which was developed in 2007, we see that, today, our teachers only being paid about 60% of what their counterparts are making in the public schools. The lack of benefits over the years, and the low salaries, have led many wonderful teachers to seek employment elsewhere. Some highly qualified teachers have chosen to stay at St. Mary’s out of a sense of ministry and because of second incomes within their families that have allowed them to continue despite the sacrifices required of them while earning next to nothing. The turnover of a majority of our teachers over the years because of these sacrifices has hampered our ability to grow our enrollment.

The efforts to rectify these issue benefits has not been without a cost. As a parish, we’ve been trying to find creative ways to increase our contribution to the school, or assume a greater portion of some of the expenses of which we already pay a share. We've also increased the tuition that is paid by our students while using scholarships and other means to keep our tuition affordable to those in need. Yet, what is still not being addressed is a fair and just wage for our teachers.

The bishops continued in their document to state:

We call on the entire Catholic community—clergy, religious, and laity—to assist in addressing the critical financial questions that continue to face our Catholic schools. This will require the Catholic community to make both personal and financial sacrifices to overcome these financial challenges. The burden of supporting our Catholic schools can no longer be placed exclusively on the individual parishes that have schools and on parents who pay tuition. This will require all Catholics, including those in parishes without schools, to focus on the spirituality of stewardship. The future of Catholic school education depends on the entire Catholic community embracing wholeheartedly the concept of stewardship of time, talent, and treasure, and translating stewardship into concrete action. . . . Our total Catholic community must increase efforts to address the financial needs of our Catholic school administrators, teachers, and staff. Many of our employees make great sacrifices to work in Catholic schools. The Catholic community must not ignore the reality of inadequate salaries, which often require these individuals to seek supplemental employment (Lay Catholics, no. 27) to meet living expenses and expenses due to limited or non-existent health care and retirement benefits. 

I want to continue to improve the salaries that we are offering to our teachers. It is not going to be an easy task, but as we heard, it is incumbent upon all of us to keep our Catholic schools open.

I have heard some concerns about the “Catholic” portion of the education offered at St. Mary’s school. I am also working on addressing those concerns. Changing the financial and spiritual life of the school will take some time, but now is the time to start the changes. We can not wait to begin what must happen to ensure the sustainability of our parish school.

In March of 1977, the Congregation for Catholic Education at the Vatican issued a document entitled, “The Catholic School”.  In paragraph 9 of that document the Congregation stated, “The Catholic school forms part of the saving mission of the Church, especially for education in the faith.” This document will be a guiding principle as we move forward as a school.

Let’s tie this back into today’s feast. We celebrate Saints Peter and Paul and the work they did to build the kingdom of God. They preached a Gospel handed on to them by Christ. We, too, have the same Gospel. We need to hand it on. The success of St. Mary’s School, and our parish for that matter, depends upon us realizing that it is not about us, but about Jesus Christ. Praised be Jesus Christ, both now and forever. Amen.

8th Grade Graduation Homily

8th Grade Graduation Homily 2014 from Leo McDowell on Vimeo.
This was an attempt to record a homily using my GoPro camera. I had planned on the camera being at a slightly different angle, but it did not want to stay there when I placed it just before I began.

Litany of Humility

The readings this weekend reflect on the nature of sin in our lives. It all started with the serpent tricking Eve into tasting the forbidden fruit and Adam following.

We have faced temptation ever since.  In his final attempt to tempt Jesus, the tempter tried to offer him everything. He was striving to capitalize on a sin he knew so well, pride.

In our own lives, pride often raises its ugly head. We think we know it all and we are the best.  I don't want to downplay the importance of having pride in our faith or our Church, or the pride for a job well done. It is important to want to do well and to do the best that we can. I am thinking about the pride we sometimes see in our children when they do not think they need to obey.  It might come about in a conversation like this:

Child: "I want to go to the party at the lake on Saturday night."

Parent: "No.  There are too many things there that can get you into trouble."

Child: "Why can't I go!!!  I hate you!!!"

It is important to remember that for most parents, giving placing limits on their children is not done out of hatred for the child. It is often done to protect the child from problems that may be a result of participating in an event or activity.  The pride of the child often keeps the child from seeing or understanding the larger picture.  The same can be said about a lot of us in relation to the teachings of the Church.  We let our pride, and desire for immediate gratification, get into the way of listening to what the Church says. This is especially true in areas of the sexual teaching of the Church.  We think we, in our limited lifetimes, know more than the Church has learned in her 2000 year existence.  This pride disrupts us in many ways.

I want to place the challenge upon you to think about how we can grow in humility.  A few years back, when I had a priest from the Fathers of Mercy doing a parish mission, he brought up the idea of praying the Litany of Humility.

I'd like to share that with you today.

O Jesus! meek and humble of heart, Hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being loved, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being extolled, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being honored, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being praised, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being preferred to others, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being consulted, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being approved, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being humiliated, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being despised, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of suffering rebukes, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being calumniated, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being forgotten, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being ridiculed, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being wronged, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being suspected, Deliver me, Jesus.

That others may be loved more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be esteemed more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That, in the opinion of the world others may increase and I may decrease, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be chosen and I set aside, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be praised and I unnoticed, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be preferred to me in everything, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

The key to this prayer is the last line in my opinion: That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should.  Are we striving to become as holy as we should?  Are we admitting that, as our responsorial psalm stated today, "Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned",  we are sinners in need of God's grace?  Are we letting the pride of the serpent/tempter lead us down the path of excessive pride that will be detrimental to us in the future and stand in our way of a true conversion this Lenten season?  I want to challenge you all again to take a deeper look at the Litany of Humility and consider making it a part of your prayer routine.  It may be difficult at first, but it will start to make a difference in our outlook and our faith if we make it a heartfelt prayer.

Why are you here? Homily for Ash Wednesday

Why are you here today?  This is similar to a question that Jesus asked those who would go out to see John the Baptist.

As they were going off, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John, “What did you go out to the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? Then what did you go out to see? Someone dressed in fine clothing? Those who wear fine clothing are in royal palaces. Then why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written: ‘Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way before you.’ Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent are taking it by force. All the prophets and the law prophesied up to the time of John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah, the one who is to come. Whoever has ears ought to hear. “To what shall I compare this generation? It is like children who sit in marketplaces and call to one another, ‘We played the flute for you, but you did not dance, we sang a dirge but you did not mourn.’ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they said, ‘He is possessed by a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking and they said, ‘Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is vindicated by her works.”

So I ask you again, why are you here?  Did you come today to because you were told it is a Holy Day of Obligation? It is not. There are days that reflect upon the life of our Savior and his Blessed Mother that are holy days when we ought to attend Mass.

Are you here to receive ashes? What does that mean? Today, many Catholics will hear the question, "Do you know you have something on your forehead?" For some, they think we've forgotten to wash our faces.  We can get our face dirtied by digging a hole. It is more than getting dirt upon ourselves.

Early in the Church, when one would go to confession, it would usually happen only once in their lives and it would be public. The penance would also be public. Penitents would be in front of the church dressed in itchy sack cloth. They would be required to stand and sit on ashes. The ashes are a lot different from the ashes we place upon our foreheads today. Think about the rough ashes from a fireplace. They are much more course. They would make small cuts through the skin. It was not comfortable. This penance would be a sign to others of a true understanding of the need to turn away from sin and the desire to return to the gospel.

Why are you here today?  I hope it is because you understand the need for conversion in your lives.  That you are not simply following through on a family tradition, but that you will make this season a time of transformation in your lives.

In today's gospel, Jesus gives us some direction on what we ought to be doing; praying, fasting and giving alms.  Last year I spent a little time breaking down these concepts.  I hope they are things that allow us to work on changing our lives.

Why did people go out into the desert looking for John the Baptist? I'll bet for many it was out of curiosity. As they came out, some started on the path of conversion. Others simply went away after hearing his message. They lived the life they wanted to live, not the life of conversion.

As you are here today I ask you one more time, why are you here?

Believe it, or not?

This past week I was made aware of articles posted on the internet, which were a part of journals around the country, concerning believing by Catholics in America. One article, written by Damon Linker who would be presented as a liberal in the Church, reflected upon an article he had written earlier about Pope Francis and the change the author hoped would come into the Church under the new pope. He could not understand the gushing over Pope Francis that was still taking place among many of his fellow liberals.  He had hoped Pope Francis would be working to change Church teaching on issues such as contraception, gay relationships, married clergy and the role of women in the Church.

Mr. Linker, in an article this past week entitled “What do liberal Catholics want?”, reflected back upon an interview he had on NPR where he was discussing his original article. A caller by the name of Trish, who styled herself a progressive Catholic, could not understand the concern of Mr. Linker for the need to change Church doctrine. As she put it, "Doctrine for a Catholic, now, is not even an issue. Catholics do not care about doctrine," she said, adding, "It's irrelevant. It's a non-issue for Catholics."

Mr. Linker went on to write in his recent article,

For all I know, many or even most liberal Catholics hope and pray for doctrinal reform. But what if Trish is right? If so, the question I'd want to ask these liberals is: Why do you continue to attend church and think of yourself as a Catholic?
If you attend for the beauty of the liturgy, why not just become an Episcopalian? If it's the sense of community you crave, why not join the Unitarian church? Either way, you could certainly continue to be spiritually moved by the pope's public utterances, in the same way you might be stirred by an inspiring presidential speech.

Sadly, this is not limited to liberals or conservatives in the Church.  There are many who have fallen into this trap of not caring about the teachings of the Church.

Matthew Schmitz wrote a blog in response to Mr. Linker’s article which he entitled “Why Catholics Don’t Care”.  Mr. Schmitz put some of the fault on dissent within the Church, but directed more of it toward those responsible for sharing the correct teachings of the faith. After the release of Pope Paul VI encyclical Humane Vitae, many Church leaders made confusing statements about contraception. Mr. Schmitz makes the observation, “The hem-hawing of Church leaders led to confusion in the pulpit and pews. Unwilling to deny Church teaching directly, disoriented by conflicting signals, homilists and confessors fell silent.”

The same can be said about divorce, abortion, and the other issues that Mr. Linker would like to change in the Church. Not hearing about it from the pulpits, many of these issues have slipped from the consciences of many Catholics. Over the course of time they seem to have taken on the status of  “non-issues”. As Mr. Schmitz says near the end of his post, “Modern man, in this view, is twice fallen. Bishops ceased to believe the faithful were capable of following Church teaching, and so they ceased to teach it by discipline and word. In light of this, the reaction of the faithful is more than understandable. Why would they take seriously a teaching their pastors refuse to?”

What we are beginning to see in America is a change in attitude. Steve Skojec, a blogger for CatholicVote.org, wrote an article, “Millennials Are Seeking Tradition, Sacramentality, and Liturgy”.

He states:

But what about the younger generations? In a world that grows increasingly secular, that seems more rabidly anti-Christian than it has been since the bad old days before Constantine’s conversion, what does faith mean to them? Today, at The American Conservative, Gracy Olmstead brings to light an interesting development in the religious inclinations of Millennials:

America’s youth are leaving churches in droves. One in four young adults choose “unaffiliated” when asked about their religion, according to a 2012 Public Religion Research Institute poll, and 55 percent of those unaffiliated youth once had a religious identification when they were younger. Yet amidst this exodus, some church leaders have identified another movement as cause for hope: rather than abandoning Christianity, some young people are joining more traditional, liturgical denominations—notably the Roman Catholic, Anglican, and Orthodox branches of the faith. This trend is deeper than denominational waffling: it’s a search for meaning that goes to the heart of our postmodern age.

The trend isn’t entirely new. It’s also the subject of Colleen Carrol’s 2002 book, The New Faithful: Why Young Adults Are Embracing Christian Orthodoxy. But if Olmstead (and the polling she cites) is correct, it’s a shift that is continuing to gain momentum.

Unlike Trish who called Mr. Linker, young people today seem to either embrace all the that Church offers, or, as Mr. Linker had commented, they leave the Church to which they have only a nominal connection. We for our part, must present the faith in the fulness for our young people to experience. It may mean there is some challenge for each of us as we look at our lives in relation to the life expected of us as faithful Catholics.

As a priest, I need to continually remind myself not to water down the faith to make it palatable for those who are listening. My task as the pastor is to help you grow to be Catholics in fact, as well as in name. It does not matter if it is in relation to conservative issues such as marriage and abortion, or liberal issues such as caring for those around us. I want us all to care about our great faith and to live it to the fullest.

That being said, I have one other issue I’d like to bring up today. Wednesday is the 41st anniversary of the Roe vs Wade decision.  Next Saturday it will be a chance for us to put some of our faith into action.  In Bozeman, at 10 am, in front of the courthouse, across from Holy Rosary Church, the fifth annual March 4 Life will take place. Please take some time to come and stand with the unborn and witness to the value of life. Despite the silence of some priests, and even bishops, the sanctity of life from the very moment of conception has been held by the Church. Despite the desire of some Catholics, Pope Francis is not going to change this teaching. He alluded to this on Monday, as he addressed members of the Vatican Diplomatic Corps:

“Peace is also threatened by every denial of human dignity, firstly the lack of access to adequate nutrition. We cannot be indifferent to those suffering from hunger, especially children, when we think of how much food is wasted every day in many parts of the world immersed in what I have often termed the 'throwaway culture'. Unfortunately, what is thrown away is not only food and dispensable objects, but often human beings themselves, who are discarded as 'unnecessary'. For example, it is frightful even to think there are children, victims of abortion, who will never see the light of day; children being used as soldiers, abused and killed in armed conflicts; and children being bought and sold in that terrible form of modern slavery which is human trafficking, which is a crime against humanity.”

Let us become Catholics who care about doctrine. Let us listen to the words of our Holy Father and find ways to make positive changes in our lives and in our societies.

Community Thanksgiving Service Homily 2013 Big Timber

I’d like to begin by thanking the ministerial association for allowing us here at St. Joseph parish to host this year’s Thanksgiving remembrance. I’d like to thank the parishioners for the work they’ve put into tonight to be such gracious hosts. I’d like to thank each and every one of you for taking time to join with us today. I’d like to thank my housekeeper in Livingston for assisting me with the meal we will be enjoying tomorrow. I’d like to thank Macy’s for hosting the wonderful parade that many of you will watch tomorrow. I’d like to thank the Packers, Lions, Raiders, Cowboys, Steelers and Ravens for what should be an interesting day of football. I’d like to thank all of the retailers who are opening their shops on Thanksgiving Day for our shopping pleasure, and all of those who are preparing for the Black Friday madness. And finally, as I’ve heard some schools have taught, I’d like to join with the pilgrims in giving thanks to the Indians for helping them make it through their first winter in the new world. Without them we would all probably still be living in the old world. We know how great we are. We know what we’ve been able to accomplish. We know that because of us the world is a better place.

By now, I’m sure you’ve picked up on the fact that I’m being a bit sarcastic. But, as we look around our society, I think we’ve lost a lot of the real reason for our Thanksgiving Day celebrations. I’d like to share a few lines from Abraham Lincoln’s proclamation of the first Thanksgiving Day.

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. . . .No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.

As we can see from Lincoln’s proclamation, the purpose of tomorrow’s holiday is about God. It is not about what we have done, but what God has done through us. It is not about recognizing our goodness, but about how God has used us to make a difference in the lives of others.

In our gospel reading about the ten lepers, we hear of only one that returned to Jesus to give thanks. We do now know if the other nine thank God in some fashion for their healing. I am guessing that they realized that the healing was truly a gift from God and in some way were thankful.

Here in the United States we have a lot for which to be thankful. How many of us have a refrigerator at home? How many of us have food in said refrigerator? How many of us have a vehicle to get us where we need to go? How many of us have fuel or electricity delivered to our homes to provide heat? There are many parts of the world where they do not have refrigerators. There are many people who are hunger each night. There are many who have to search for fuel to light a fire for heat or cooking.

We can thank American innovation for our blessings, but the real thanks goes to God. I’d like to go back to what I said in the beginning and maybe re-phrase it a bit.

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of faith here in Sweetgrass County which allows us to gather here today. Thank you, Lord, for the spirit of generosity with which you’ve instilled with this community to allow them to be gracious hosts. Thank you, Lord, for giving your people a spirit of thankfulness. Thank you, Lord, for the gift of family and friends with whom to share Thanksgiving Day. Thank you, Lord, for the blessings upon our country that allow us to enjoy some of the entertainment that will be provided tomorrow for our pleasure. Thank you, Lord, for the prosperity with which you’ve blessed our nation so that we have the resources to have a “Black Friday”. As we prepare tomorrow to celebrate Thanksgiving Day, help us to realize that you are the source of all of these gifts. Help us to set aside the day to give thanks, even as we might enjoy the other festivities that have become a part of this holiday.

As we reflect upon the blessings which we’ve graciously received through God’s grace, let us also generously share some of those blessings when the time comes to support the mission of the ministerial association or other worthy charities in our community, the nation and the world.

Intentional or Accidental

This past week I was attending the mid-year meeting of the Knights of Columbus for State Chaplains and State Deputies. One of the discussions that took place involved the idea of Intentional Discipleship. This is not the first time that I've heard this idea. A comment was made that many Catholics seem to be accidental disciples. They were born into the faith and they go to Mass each week, but never really seem to do much to learn more about their faith, or really change their lives so that faith has the primary place. Many of the converts to the faith are truly intentional disciples. They chose to be Catholic and follow Christ through his Church. They have delved into the faith to learn all about what it means to be Catholic. They take seriously the precepts of the Catholic Church.

Many of those raised as Catholics do not even seem to know the precepts of the Catholic Church. They may have a vague idea about what they are, but they make little effort to make them the key points of their lives.

I believe that intentional discipleship begins with the Precepts of the Catholic Church. A person can find the precepts by making a quick visit to the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Let me give my quick view of the precepts.

1. "You shall attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation." This really does not need much explanation.  One had better have a pretty good excuse not to attend Mass on a Sunday or Holy Day of Obligation.
2. “You shall confess your sins at least once a year."  This is especially true if you are in the state of mortal sin.  Each person should be in the practice of going to confession on a regular basis.  The practice of regular confession helps people grow in holiness as they reflect upon their lives and then make efforts to change the lives they've been living for the better
3. “You shall humbly receive your Creator in Holy Communion at least during the Easter season." You will note that while you are required to attend Mass each week, you are not required to receive communion.  One should only come to communion in the state of grace.  The going to communion once a year is tied in with the once a year confession.  They should take place during the Easter Season. 
4. “You shall keep holy the holy days of obligation."  Our focus on these days should be on God and the feast that we are celebrating. So often we put more emphasis on the secular side of many of these celebrations than on the religious side.  It is like those who want to attend the 4 pm Christmas eve Mass so they can enjoy the rest of Christmas day in a secular way.  We need to try to refrain from unnecessary work and spend more time reflecting upon the greatness of God.
   
5. “You shall observe the prescribed days of fasting and abstinence."  Most Catholics remember that we are to abstain from eating meat on Fridays of Lent. They also remember to observe the two primary fast days of Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.  What a lot of Catholics fail to realize is that we are called to keep all Fridays as days of penance. Catholics should abstain from eating meat every Friday of the year except in those places where permission for a substitution has been granted. In the Untied States we are permitted to substitute another form of penance on Fridays. The norm is still to abstain from eating meat. We are not suppose to completely forget about penance on Fridays. For those who do eat meat on Fridays, an alternative might be to spend a little time in the church on Friday praying before Christ in the Blessed Sacrament.  One might also so some other additional prayers on a Friday, recognizing that it is truly meant to be a penance that is being completed, offering it up for our sins and those of the world.
6. While it is not listed as a specific precept there is one other item listed in the Catechism: 
   The faithful also have the duty of providing for the material needs of the Church, each according to his abilities.  This includes supporting the local parish and the parish school if there is one, the local diocese and the mission of the universal Church. We each know what our own abilities are. I would hope that we take this expectation seriously.  The Church should not have to beg to complete its mission, the faithful should see to it that the resources are provided to get it done, and get it done well.

Let us all take to heart what it means to be an intentional disciple.  These precepts are just the beginning. Now we have to go learn more about our faith so we can continue to grow.

Homily for 18 Aug 2013, 20th Sun OT C

In today’s first reading, we hear about the struggle that Jeremiah was facing as a prophet to the people. The princes, who had the ear of the king, sought to end Jeremiah’s life because they did not like the message he was spreading about the need to change their lives. They were content with the way things seemed to be going, even when it would mean destruction later on. It is not always easy for us to accept the realization that sometimes we get too comfortable with our current way of doing things that we stand in the way of change that may lead to our own survival.

In the Gospel, we hear Jesus telling us that he came to “set the earth on fire” and wishes “it were already blazing!”

It should illicit in each one of us a question about how the fire is burning within our own lives. Are we able to really burn with a zeal that causes us to go beyond our comfort zone to be a part of the new evangelization? One of the commentaries I read about the gospel for this weekend went so far to suggest that when Jesus becomes the first priority in our lives there may be some division within households as some strive to faithfully follow Christ while others stand as roadblocks to the truth, which is Christ. I know from my experience as a priest that there have been many families who have faced these difficulties. There is a tension between a desire for Christ and a desire for the things of this world. Many of us and our family members fall somewhere in the middle of the continuum concerning these two poles. We do not see the full division of which Christ speaks. In a word, most of us are comfortable with where we are at the moment. We are not fully on fire.

As the priest, and more importantly, as the pastor of the parish, part of my task is to help direct you beyond this life and, hopefully help you find the fire of which Jesus speaks and fan the flames so that it may burn all the brighter. It is not an easy task. Sometimes, people respond much like the princes who went to the king seeking to silence Jeremiah. This is because change is scary. Change is difficult. Change sometimes means sacrificing some of our comfort.

Will you today let the fire of change burn in your hearts so that you have the zeal to go out to all the world and tell the good news? It might mean changing some of the expectations you have of yourself and or others. It might mean looking at your faith through a new lens. It might even mean considering serving the Church in a professional way, such as being a teacher at a Catholic school, volunteering to be a part of a parish team or even, if you are not yet married, considering whether or not God might be calling you to serve him as a consecrated religious, or a priest.

Jesus came to set the world on fire. We are called to fan the true flames of faith. We may be treated like Jerimiah in order to get the job done, be we can be sure that God is with us.

As we heard in the reading from the Letter to the Hebrews:

For the sake of the joy that lay before him
he endured the cross, despising its shame,
and has taken his seat at the right of the throne of God.

Let us be filled with the same joy. Amen

Where is your treasure?

Here is a draft of my homily for the 18th Sunday of Ordinary Time 2013

As some of you know, yesterday Garrett and I attended Fr. Francis McInnis’, “Fr. Mac’s”, funeral in Great Falls. While I was there, I had the opportunity to visit with Father Guinan and go to confession. With the second reading in mind, I could have some good material for my homily, but I’m going to go in a different direction.

Thinking about the Gospel, and to some extent the first reading, I want to share some things Fr. Guinan shared with me. First, he said to tell all of those who were here when he was the pastor he said hello. He then asked how things were going with the school. I told him that like most small Catholic schools we can always use more money. He said that he wished when he first arrived in the parish about years ago to increase the giving of the parishioners to support the parish and the school. He wished he’d done more to bring the salaries of the teachers closer to a living wage. He was here when the Saint Mary’s Educational Trust was set up. However, there has not been much of an effort over the years to greatly increase our endowments. We have one new endowment that started with a $40,000 anonymous gift and a few additional contributions. The income from these sources pay about half of one of the 24 payrolls we face during the year.

As a parish, we strive to keep Catholic education affordable for our families. In order to accomplish that goal, we need to come up with additional monies from endowments and direct gifts. While I’ve been using the school as the example here, the same applies to all ministries in the Catholic Church. We have to keep in mind the need to support the Church on the local level, the diocesan level and the universal level.

Today’s Gospel and 1st Reading remind us not to get overly hooked on ourselves, but rather to see how we can use the gifts we’ve received from God to build up the kingdom. The gifts we’ve received are not simply so that we can “rest, eat, drink and be merry.” It has been entrusted to us to be used for the betterment of others. We are not expected to starve ourselves to feed others, but we could think about cutting back on some of what we do eat and give some of the savings to benefit others.

But God said to him,

‘You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?’ Thus will it be for all who store up treasure for themselves but are not rich in what matters to God.”

We need to look at what does really matter to God and find ways to act appropriately with our lives. If you have been entrusted with much, much will be expected. As you think about St. Mary’s school and parish, remind yourself what Jesus said before he told the parable,

“Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions.”

The New Evangelization

It has been a while since I've had a blog post but thought I'd share from last Sunday's homily.

I'd like to repeat the Collect for today and ask that you continue to think about it a I proceed with my homily.

Grant us, we pray, O Lord our God

the constant gladness of being devoted to you,

for it is full and lasting happiness

to serve with constancy

the author of all that is good.

As many of you know I spent last week in Dallas. I enjoyed a show put on by Celtic Thunder, but more importantly, I was able to visit one of our seminarians who is studying at Holy Trinity Seminary connected with the University of Dallas. I also attended the mid-year meeting for State Chaplains and State Deputies of the Knights of Columbus.

A few weeks ago, a Synod of Bishops met in Rome to discuss the New Evangelization. This topic was addressed in various homilies, talks and discussions that took place this past week.

One might ask first of all the purpose of the New Evangelization. In order to do that we need to look back at the first evangelization that took place. After the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus, the apostles went out to the ends of the earth to spread the "Good News". Much of the world was exposed to the Gospel and became Christian.

In our own time, we see a decline in the practice of Christianity. Much of our society has become very secular in its outlook. Religion has been set aside.

The purpose of the New Evangelization is to help us reconnect with Christ and with his Church.

This past week, Archbishop Lori, the Supreme Chaplain of the Knights of Columbus, and the Archbishop of Baltimore shared a story that went something like this.

It seems that after years of persecution and trying to exclude all forms of foreign influence from entering the country, Japan once again allowed missionaries to come ashore. These missionaries started in Nagasaki which had many years before been seen as a center of Catholicity in the Far East. As they worked their way out from the city they came to a small village. They were astounded to see that the faithful there were gathering on Sunday and recited the Apostle's Creed, the Lord's Prayer, the Hail Mary, the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes. The missionaries asked them about these practices and were told that long ago these things were taught to them by the Fathers. The Fathers had told them that if anything happened to them (the Fathers) that they should continue these prayers and that someday new Fathers would come to their village.

The missionaries assured the villagers that they were the new Fathers. The villagers responded that the Fathers had left four questions to be asked of anyone claiming to be one of the Fathers. The missionaries said, "Let's try to answer them." So they were asked the first question, "Who is the savior?" The missionaries answered, "Jesus Christ who died on the cross for our sins." The villagers smiled and presented the second question. "Who is his mother?" The missionaries answered, "Mary!" Both the villagers and the missionaries were started to get a bit excited. The villagers continued. "Where does the leader of your Church live?" The missionaries responded, "In Rome, of course." At this the villagers were visibly started to show some anticipation as they asked the last question. "Do you have wives?" and the missionaries answered, "No!" and with that the villagers took them to there hidden church so they could once again be reunited to their faith.

For these missionaries to Japan, the work associated with the new evangelization was was easy because faith still existed among the villagers. Parents had handed it on to their children for over 250 years.

It is much harder in our society today. Faith in one's self seems to have trumped faith in Christ and His Church. Many people are focusing on "What is good for me?" instead of "What is good for us?" We seek temporary happiness instead of eternal joy. We do not seek the common good.

It is important for us to realize that sometimes the common good requires sacrifice on our part. We need only look behind me to the crucifix on the wall to remind us of the sacrifice that God made because he loved us. When we truly start to focus on God's love, and make sacrifices in the spirit of that love, we grow in joy.

It is this joy that enables us to fulfill the mission put upon us to bring about the New Evangelization. AS I've said before in reference to the Second Vatican Council, it is the job of the laity to take Christ into the world. That includes our places of work, our places of socializing, our homes and schools.

While listening to the Catholic radio station this weekend I heard comments made about another issue that was brought out last week. We need to get out of the habit of compartmentalizing our lives. For some of us when we are at church it is ok to show our faith. When we go to work, our faith is the last thing we exhibit. In our homes and family life sometimes we get to busy to let our faith be evident.

We need to let the joy of our faith take over all that we do. Christ needs to be the center of how we do things. Our moral values should be reflected n how we do our jobs and the decisions we make. In our family life we should incorporate our prayer, not only with grace at meals, but at other times during the day. A family that prays together, stays together.

We should work to discover not only what the Church teaches, but why she teaches what she teaches. We need to realize that the "rules" of the Church are not meant to restrict us, but are meant to lead us to the joy that has been promised. If we take time to think about the ten commandments they are truly life giving, when we follow them. When we don't we start to draw ourselves away from God and his Church and start to become more self centered.

As disciples of Christ there is a lot that is expected of us. Let us joyfully follow our Lord. Out of that joy, may we share our faith with all of those we encounter and help with the New Evangelization.

I'd like you to listen one more time to today's collect.

Grant us, we pray, O Lord our God

the constant gladness of being devoted to you,

for it is full and lasting happiness

to serve with constancy

the author of all that is good.

Homily for Mar 25, 2012

Today, we are having my farewell from the parish. I will be leaving after Easter and it was felt that we should not have a celebration over Holy Week. I hope this helps put the homily into context for those who do not know me and have stumbled upon this homily. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

First, I’d like to thank everyone who is here today. As I mentioned just before the beginning of Lent that I’d be leaving, our Lenten journey is taking a slightly different flavor this year as I prepare for my move. Today’s gospel passages tie in well with our additional activities today.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us,

“Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.”

In a way, my pending departure is a death experience for the community. Some of the concerns I’ve heard concerning my move:

“What about Mass at the Bluffs, or the hospital?” “What about daily Mass?” “Who will take pictures at our games?” “What about the projects we’ve been talking about doing?”

There will be something missing and also a sense of grieving over the loss. However, through this death like experience, new things can take fruit.

We already have prayer taking place at the Bluffs and the hospital. As for new life in these areas, we need additional volunteers who are willing to take part in these activities. While we have a group of people who take communion to the homebound after Mass on Sunday, we need some help take communion to the hospital on Thursdays. This could be the rising of new life not only for the people at the hospital, but also for the people who might step forward to help in this weekly ministry.

What about daily Mass? We can not have Mass without a priest, but a community can gather daily to pray the Liturgy of the Hours, the Rosary, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, or other devotion in the life of the Church. I want to encourage our daily Mass goers to continue to gather on a regular basis to pray for the community and to pray for vocations. Don't forget to gather on Wednesdays for the devotion to Our Lady of Perpetual Help. With God’s help, you’ll have a permanent priest assigned here again soon and be able to return to the practice of having Mass each day.

Pictures at ball games – I hope someone realizes what a great thing this is for the kids who are playing. As a non-parent, I could focus on taking pictures of all of the kids at a game. Not only did this practice inspire the kids, but I had comments passed on from family members states away who appreciated the fact they could see their grandchildren, or nephews, or nieces, or even their children, taking part in their high school sporting events. Again, this is an opportunity for someone else to rise to a new life.

Then we have the other projects we’ve been working on. Some are more substantial, like saving the old church, or covering our exposed surfaces on the church in Geraldine. They still need proper coordination with the diocese and I’m willing to act as a resource person for this until a new priest is assigned, but it is good for others to learn how the permissions and such truly work. This is again a chance for new life, or at least a difference in the life of those involved.

In a way, my “death” should bring some new life to the parish.

But, while our immediate experience may give us an example for today’s Gospel, we need to remember what our Gospel is really about.

It is not about our life and death, but about Christ foretelling his own death and new life. Starting tomorrow we transition from the Eucharistic Prayer Prefaces for Lent to those of the Passion. Tomorrow we will hear:

For through the saving Passion of your Son, the whole world has received a heart to confess the infinite power of your majesty, since by the wondrous power of the Cross your judgement on the world is now revealed in the authority of Christ crucified.

We are preparing to celebrate the dying of a grain of wheat that did bear much fruit. When we celebrate Christ’s passion and death we are also ready to celebrate the new life we receive through him. It is Christ who is our hope. He reminds us,

“Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life.”

Christ was not focused on this world, but on the world to come. He knew the joy of eternal life with the Father. We, too, need to learn to focus all of our actions so that they lead us to the life to come. It is not always easy. We need to be a people of hope realizing that we are called to carry crosses in every aspect of our lives.

What is the new life that will come to the parish as I leave? We can not answer that question today. We’ll have to see how it develops. Let’s remember what we heard at the end of this part of Jesus’ discourse:

Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me.

In my service to the Christ and his Church, I've been called to serve in Livingston. The challenge for all is to find ways to follow Christ and serve the Father.

Homily for Feb 19th, 2012 - Preparing for Lent

Here we are, once more getting ready for the season of Lent. Ash Wednesday is only a few days away.

Now is the time to prepare ourselves to be ready when Lent begins. We often look at Lent as a time in the desert. We are called to the disciplines of prayer, fasting and alms-giving. In many ways Lent is meant to be a time of retreat from what we normally experience. Our Lenten retreat should cause us to reflect upon our relationship to God and how God is working in our lives. We should be asking ourselves, "What can draw me closer to God during this holy season?"

Usually we set the parameters for how our Lenten experience will develop. Sometimes other events play a hand in what direction we focus our Lenten disciplines.

That is the case for me this Lent, and I suspect it will affect some of your Lenten experiences as well. Many of you have probably noticed that we've had one or more Masses each week said for my dad. In part that is because many of my family members and family friends requested a Mass be said after his death. There is another reason why I am saying those Mass requests so quickly. Three weeks ago I received an e-mail from bishop Warfel informing me that I would be moved right after Easter. The bishop had mentioned to me before Thanksgiving that he was considering moving me to plug a hole that would need to be filled when he placed a new pastor at St. Pius in Billings which became vacant with Father Steve Tokarski's death in October. The bishop was planning on appointing a permanent pastor at St. Pius on July 1st and thought I would be a good person to fill the new hole that would be created. Because of a need to move the timing up at St. Pius, the week after Easter I'll be replacing Father Wayne Pittard at St. Mary's in Livingston with responsibility for the parish elementary school and the communities of Big Timber, Gardiner and Clyde Park.

Needless to say, the sadness that I will experience as I start the process of saying good-bye here will have an impact on my Lent this year. This is not to say that I am not looking forward to a new challenge in my new parish assignment. As I've been known to say at funerals, there is a sadness as we say good-bye, but a sense of hope as we look to the future. They are not exclusive.

As we are thinking about the beginnings of Lent your Lenten observances might include additional prayer for our own communities and for yourselves. The last word I had from the bishop is that the Masses between Easter and July 1st will be covered by priests from Great Falls. I'm sure there will be some variety of priests coming for Mass depending upon who is available to say Masses on a given weekend. Maybe one or two will be said by the bishop himself. There may be the appointment of a full-time priest in July. Praying for more holy priests in our diocese during this Lenten season will surly be fruitful as we look to the future.

Fasting, foregoing some good for a greater good, can lead to a deeper spirituality. This past week, while attending the Symposium on the Charism of Priestly Celibacy, the value of fasting was made even more evident. When we are without a good thing because we are focused on a greater good thing, we appreciate all the more the good we have and the greater good as well. I would like to suggest that you consider extra fasting during this Lenten season and pray that the fruit of the fasting may somehow help a priest in his sacred duty to bring Christ to the people.

Alms-giving during Lent could take the form of additional giving to the parish. During the few months without a resident priest the expenses of the parish should go down since the parish will not be paying a salary for a full time priest. This would be an ideal time for the parish to replenish its checking account so that if another priest is assigned there will be money to pay for the related expenses of that priest.

I want to tie in a little with the readings today about forgiveness of sin. Bishop Warfel has asked that we adopt a program that came from Boston -- "The Light is on for You". In an effort to help people make it to confession during this season on Lent, churches around the diocese will be open several evenings during the Lenten season for people to stop and go to confession. For our parishes we'll be open on Tuesdays in Geraldine on the weeks we have Mass there. I'll start confessions after Mass and then stay in the confessional until 8 pm. In Fort Benton, we'll have confession on Thursday evenings except for March 1st and March 15, from 6 pm until 8 pm. You are all invited to come and experience God's healing presence.

This Lent we will truly experience a time in the desert and Easter will bring something new. It is up to us to determine if we will let this season help us grow spiritually to be ready for the new beginning or not. As Lent is about to begin, I ask for your prayers and I'll remember you in mine.

Third Sunday Ordinary Time Homily Jan 22, 2012

We are living in interesting and challenging times. And yet, as we look at our scripture readings today, almost any generation can talk about the challenges that they have face. The real challenge before us deals with our response to the times in which we live. If we take a moment or two to look at the news we’ve seen a variety of issues that are in the headlines this weekend.

As Catholics, we often have to remind ourselves that we are not to conform our selves to the culture around us, but to be counter cultural. We need to challenge the culture with the truths of the gospel message. Let’s take a closer look at the story of Jonah and his travels through Nineveh. God first spoke to Jonah to send him on the task of proclaiming His message and Jonah’s response was to head the other direction. He got on a ship bound for Tarshish. As the ship became engulfed in a storm the others on the onboard realized that Jonah was the cause of their distress. It was not long before Jonah found himself in the belly of a whale. After his three days, we was spit out onto dry land and the Lord called him again to get his butt to Nineveh to call them to repentance. Jonah came to realize that God was serious when He said He wanted repentance preached. The people of Nineveh realized the error of their ways and publicly did acts of penance.

How does this apply to each of us? I think we can all see ways in our lives that we have been like the Ninevites, and also like Jonah. Let’s start with the Ninevites. We need to look at each of these questions as it applies to our individual lives and to our society. Are we truly living our lives in a moral way as presented by God through the Church? Are we open to life, or do we use contraception in our marriages? Are our marriages sacramental? Are we in relationships that we treat like marriages, but which are not truly marriages? This ranges from living like a husband and wife, even when not married, to promoting same sex marriages. With the anniversary of the Roe vs Wade decision coming this week, we need to ask do we promote a respect for all innocent human life from the moment of conception until natural death? Fundamentally, this is innocent human life. After we have developed that respect for innocent human life in our lives and our society, we can carry it to the next level which would include respect for the not so innocent life which would include the issues of capital punishment and, as necessary, just war theory. Sodomy, adultery, fornication, murder, sacrilege, where do these sins have a hold on us and our society? The message of Jonah to the Ninevites to repent is a message we need to hear today. The big question we have to answer is, “how will we respond?” Will we like the Ninevites put on sackcloth and ashes? Will we realize our sin and turn our lives back to God?

Ok, enough about being like the Ninevites, how are we like Jonah? There are some who would argue that Jonah was afraid to go visit because they were a cruel people. They argue he was afraid of losing his life in the process of challenging them to repent. Others argue that he did not want to go to Nineveh because he wanted them to die. He did not want them to experience God’s mercy. He knew they would hear the message he was sent to proclaim and that they would change their lives. Why do we not want to call others to repentance? Are we afraid that they’ll react in a harmful way towards us? Do we not love them enough to want them to change? Let’s throw another possible answer into the mix. Perhaps we are afraid to call others to repentance because we realize that we have yet to repent of our sinful ways. I’m going to let those thoughts resonant for a few moments while I take a look at some current affairs.

What is in the news? First, in case you have not heard, it was announced Friday morning that Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius that all new and renewed insurance plans will be required to cover contraception. As Grace-Marie Turner writes at National Review Online’s The Corner blog:

The Obamacare regulation gives faith-based institutions, like Catholic universities and hospitals, the choice of violating the fundamental tenets of their faith by covering the federally mandated coverage in their employee health plans, or of dropping health insurance for their employees — in which case they would be fined for violating the employer mandate.

Cardinal-designate Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York and President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, had this to say in a press release.

“Never before has the federal government forced individuals and organizations to go out into the marketplace and buy a product that violates their conscience. This shouldn’t happen in a land where free exercise of religion ranks first in the Bill of Rights,” Cardinal-designate Dolan said.

How has this come to happen? Perhaps we’ve been like Jonah when sent to the Ninevites. We’ve found excuses not to stand up for our faith. Perhaps in part because of our own inclination to sinful activity. Perhaps because we’ve not really studied the issues and realize the greater ramifications that a ruling such as this has on our ability to practice our faith as it is taught. Many of the contraceptives they expect to cover cause abortions as a last means of preventing a birth. :(

That being said, the other big news issue from a Catholic perspective is the anniversary of Roe vs Wade. Monday will be the 39th March for Life in Washington, DC. Among the activities taking place is a youth rally that was held last night and the Mass for Life celebrated at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception tonight. When we look back at Jonah, those marching for life are in many ways like Jonah walking the streets of Nineveh. They are a challenge, not just to the government, but to our society to look at ourselves and the destruction our sin is causing in our nation. They are making the call to repent.

Let us listen one more time to the words of Paul from our second reading today:

I tell you, brothers and sisters, the time is running out.
From now on, let those having wives act as not having them,
those weeping as not weeping,
those rejoicing as not rejoicing,
those buying as not owning,
those using the world as not using it fully.
For the world in its present form is passing away.

The world is passing away and the Kingdom of God will be what remains. In the Gospel we heard:

After John had been arrested,
Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God:
"This is the time of fulfillment.
The kingdom of God is at hand.
Repent, and believe in the gospel."

We are all called to repent. We must not give up hope in the fact that God can take us from where we are today to do great things with us. As we heard in the last part of today’s gospel, Jesus called fishermen to be the beginnings of his Church. In the Gospel of Luke we hear:

When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.”

Yet, Peter did follow Christ and was made the head of his Church.

Our own need for repentance should not stop us from answering the call that is before each of us. We are called to be a part of the Church that Christ established. We are called to take the truth of the gospel as handed down through the Church to the ends of the world. This starts, right here and right now.

The news stories of this weekend are only a beginning point for our call to be Jonah’s in the world, calling the Nineveh that we live in to repent. Do not run of to Tarshish to avoid the task. Step forward with courage and conviction. If, at the moment your life resembles that of the Ninevites more that of Jonah, follow their example of doing penance and repenting of your sins and perhaps, making today’s psalm your prayer:

R. (4a) Teach me your ways, O Lord.
Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior.
R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.
Remember that your compassion, O LORD,
and your love are from of old.
In your kindness remember me,
because of your goodness, O LORD.
R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.
Good and upright is the LORD;
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice
and teaches the humble his way.
R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.

Homily for Dad's funeral

+JMJ

Isaiah tells us that, "On this mountain" all will be well. The promise from Isaiah is a source of hope for us gathered here. Later on, Jesus would allude to the fact that he is going to prepare a place for us. This, too, makes us a people of hope. Yet, the foundation of this hope is built upon the fact that we have been claimed by Christ through baptism which makes us heirs with Christ to the Kingdom. As we began today, we placed the pall on Dad's casket to remind us of his baptism. We also have the paschal candle lit next to the casket. It is a reminder to us of the Light of Christ in the world. At the Easter Vigil a fire is blessed and from that flame the paschal candle is lit. As we come into the church we proclaim and respond, "Christ, our light. Thanks be to God." The light fills the church. This light coming into the church is much like Christ illumining our souls at baptism. The darkness brought onto us through original sin is wiped away. We are claimed as "children of God". All of this leads to our hope for our own future.

As we say, "Good-bye" to Dad today we are filled with a sense of sadness. We are going to miss one who may have been a hunting buddy, a drinking partner, an uncle, a brother, a grandfather, or a dad. Yet, above all of this he was a child of God. So while we may experience some tears today we need to be filled with a sense of hope. We need to look to the future that has been promised to us.

During this season of Christmas, we celebrate the little child born of a virgin. We celebrate the fact that God took on our human naute so that he could die on the cross so that we could be saved through him.

I pray that we can all experience a sense of joy today as we look ahead to our future. Christ is the light that has come into our darkness, not only the darkness of sin, but also the darkness of our sorrow. Let Christ's light fill you with the hope of our salvation. As we say good-bye to Dad, pray with me that he may quickly come to see our God face-to-face and know the fullness of his glory.

+In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Homily for 3rd Sunday of Advent B

Today we celebrate Gaudete Sunday. It is so called because of the Introit assigned to our Mass on this Third Sunday of Advent. The first word of the introit in Latin is Gaudete, which in English is Rejoice!

We have much reason for rejoicing, for our God is coming. We heard hints of that in today’s Gospel passage. One greater than John the Baptist is coming after him. How does one explain the excitement that this bold statement should invoke in the hearts of Christians? Not only did Jesus take on flesh and walk in the land of Galilee, but he continues to be here with us today. Christ is here because two or more are gathered in his name. Christ is here because he is present in the Word that is proclaimed. Christ is here in the person of the priest. Christ is here in a most special way in the Eucharist. Christ is here. There is truly reason for us to rejoice.

Let’s look back at the beginning of today’s Gospel:

A man named John was sent from God.
He came for testimony, to testify to the light,
so that all might believe through him.
He was not the light,
but came to testify to the light.

John came to testify to the light. He’s not talking about the light coming from the fixtures overhead. He’s not talking about the light from the sun or the reflected light of the moon. He’s not even talking about the light from the candles we have burning near the altar. John came to testify to Christ who would be the light of truth in the world.

One can often ask how can we see that light? It is not like the light we see from the sun or the many other sources I’ve mentioned, or we’ve experienced. It is an internal glow that makes itself manifest in the way that we share Christ though our lives. That light is the love between us and our lover, between Christ the bridegroom and his bride the Church.

In the first reading from Isaiah, we hear the prophet proclaiming:

The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,
because the LORD has anointed me;
he has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor,
to heal the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives
and release to the prisoners,
to announce a year of favor from the LORD
and a day of vindication by our God.

As that light of truth burns in our hearts, that spirit of God comes upon each of us. We are disciples of Christ. Disciples means those who are sent. We can go out and take care of the needs of others because we know Christ in our hearts and he gives us the courage to make an impact on those around us.

How does one nurture the light of truth in one’s heart? The first is to spend time with that Truth. I mentioned earlier about Christ’s presence here with us at Mass today. When we spend time in the scriptures, not only at Mass, but at other times of the day or week, we grow in our understanding of the light sent into the world. If we spend time together, focused on prayer, we are opening the door for Christ to speak to us. When we celebrate the sacraments regularly, we give energy to the light of truth and faith that is burning within us. When we receive Christ in Holy Communion, and when we spend time praying before him in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar, we fall more completely in love with the one who is that light in the world.

On this coming Tuesday, we celebrate the feast of St. Lucy, martyr and virgin. There are many legends surrounding this saint whose name means “light”. Stories recount how she had become a Christian and had a deep love for the Lord. Her mother had made arrangements for Lucy to marry a pagan. Lucy, having made a vow of virginity, and dedicating herself to God, was able to convince her mother to give the dowery to the poor. It is said that her betrothed found this out and was told by a friend that Lucy had found a nobler Bridegroom. Her betrothed then had her handed over to the governor as a Christian. As such, as one of the stories reports, part of the torture she endured prior to her death was to have her eyes poked out. According to the legend, Lucy’s eyesight was restored by God. One thing we can be sure of, as Lucy faced torture and execution for being a Christian, the true light of her life, Christ, gave her courage and strength.

As the Church, we look to our Bridegroom to bring his light into our midst. One could ask, do we have reason to rejoice as we heard in the introit? Indeed, we do. Christ is coming. Our bridegroom is soon to return and claim his bride and take her to the place he has prepared for her.

As we look to the week ahead, perhaps we could call upon the intercession of St. Lucy to help us “see” the light of Christ in our selves and to help us share that light through our lives with others.

St. Lucy, Virgin and Martyr, Patron of the blind, pray for us.

Homily for 1st Sunday of Advent 2011

Last night, as we were getting ready for the Mass at Malmstom, someone commented, “Wow, we’re changing everything.” I think this was the first time this person had actually helped prepare for Advent. Just as we had done earlier in the week here, the Music Issues had been changed out. The Sunday Lectionary was changed from Year A to Year B. The Weekday Lectionary was changed from Year I to Year II. And, of course, the Sacramentary was replaced with the Roman Missal. I guess it did seem like everything had been changed and he wasn’t talking about the text from the new translation. Those involved regularly in Church life who understand the ebb and flow of the liturgical year know that all of these changes take place at the beginning of the liturgical year. Even with the new translation this year, we are able to sort of sit back, because we know when to expect the change and are ready for it. I would hope it hasn’t caught any of us off guard.

But, what did we hear at the beginning today’s Gospel? “Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come’”. And at the end we heard simply the word “Watch!” We do not know when the Lord is going to return. For all that we know it could be before we get home this afternoon, or it could be after the youngest in our group has lived to a ripe old age. Even in our own life, things do not always happen in the schedule we expect. As many of you know, I went back to Garfield County the past few days in hopes of filling my “B tag” for an elk. The “B tag” was a second tag for an antlerless elk in that region. Yesterday, as I was dropping back down into Fort Benton, I gave Helen (my 73-year-old secretary) a quick call. Her first question after she knew it was me on the other end was, “And, where are you?” I told her I was dropping into Fort Benton and she quickly told me, I haven’t been by the house yet with today’s mail. I told her not to worry about it. In our everyday life, we experience the unexpected arrival of people. We think we’ve got everything figured out, but soon realize we do not. We are always called to prepare ourselves, especially for the return of Christ. As I’ve mentioned before, this first part of Advent is not so much preparing for the Christ child’s arrival at Christmas, but the King’s return.

I’d like us to listen again to the Collect from today’s Mass. (For those who are not sure what the Collect is, it is the prayer said by the priest to collect the prayers of all of those gathered at the beginning of Mass. When the priest says, “Let us pray,” we all offer our prayers silently. Then the priest says a prayer to collect all of those prayers in to one prayer.)

Here again is that Collect: “Grant your faithful, we pray, almighty God, the resolve to run forth to meet your Christ with righteous deeds at his coming, so that, gathered at his right hand, they may be worthy to possess the heavenly Kingdom.” With this new translation, we hear more about asking God for his assistance in doing what we ought. “Grant your faithful, . . . the resolve to run forth to meet your Christ.” There is a sense that the being watchful requires more action on our part than simply sitting at the gate waiting for the Master’s return. There should be a sense of expectation and joy as we watch for the Lord to return. Our excitement should be much like that of the father of the prodigal son. When he recognized his son in the distance, he raced out to meet him. In our watchfulness, when we see the Lord coming, we should run forth to meet [the Father’s] Christ.

The Collect reminds us that we are not simply to run forth, but to do so with righteous deeds so that we may be gathered at his right hand. This harkens back to last week’s gospel passage about the last judgement and the separation of the sheep from the goats. Christ separates in reality those who are doing good for others vs those who ignored others. Our interior response to the Gospel, reflected in today’s Collect, is the realization that others are made in the image and likeness of God. We need to see our outreach to them as a reflection of the love we have for God. Our exterior response is to then go out, changing the world and showing them the love of Christ. It is good to reflect upon the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy. I'm not going to go into detail, but will present them for those who have forgotten what they are.

The corporal works of mercy are: To feed the hungry; To give drink to the thirsty; To clothe the naked; To harbour the harbourless; To visit the sick; To ransom the captive; To bury the dead.

What about the spiritual works of mercy? To instruct the ignorant; To counsel the doubtful; To admonish sinners; To bear wrongs patiently; To forgive offences willingly; To comfort the afflicted; To pray for the living and the dead.

Again, let us hear the end of today’s gospel, “May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to all: ‘Watch!’” Let us not only watch, but let us have the resolve to run forth with righteous deeds so that we may be gathered at the right hand of the Christ.

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.

Do We Know?

How comfortable are we in our faith? What have we done to educate ourselves in the teachings of the Church? I’ve been working on an article for the Harvest, our diocesan newspaper, about those from our diocese who are in formation for the priesthood or religious life. I sent each of the candidates an e-mail asking them to tell us something about themselves and their formation and discernment process. It was interesting to hear some of the responses. One in particular struck home.

In high school, I had non-Catholic friends who began to question elements of the Catholic faith that I had never been taught or about which I had been misinformed. At the same time, we received a new pastor in my home parish who began preaching and teaching about Catholic topics that were completely foreign to me, and therefore seemingly threatening. I eventually realized that there is no benefit in persisting in ignorance of the Faith; if I was going to claim to reject something which the Church teaches, then I had to know what I was rejecting. Otherwise, I knew that I should be able to answer the questions of my non-Catholic friends.
This led me to zealously study Church teaching through the catechism and various books and online articles. As I read more and more, I began to truly fall in love with the Church in the fullness of her teachings. I came to see how the Faith is one beautiful whole, not a list of doctrines which may be abstracted from each other and accepted more or less according to personal preference. Over time, all of the teachings which I had found difficult to accept (the doctrines concerning purgatory, indulgences, contraception and sexual ethics, etc.), seen in the context of the whole, made so much sense. I saw that the Church, rather than being a dead institution with a strict and negative view of the human person, is in fact a vibrant, living, integral whole with an exceptionally beautiful conception of humanity as a people called to intimate union with Jesus Christ.

Sadly, many of us find ourselves in the position where we’ve been taught things contrary to what the actual Church teaches. Many times we seem to grab on to these tidbits because they make us feel good. I’ve heard from multiple sources that some of those who have attended Tempus in our diocese over the years have come back with an understanding of the sacraments and sin that is not supported by the teachings of the Church. Sometimes we decide whether or not to attend our local parish based upon whether or not the priest preaches messages that make us feel good about ourselves, instead of challenging us to overcome sin in our lives and turn ourselves back completely to God. Christ did not condemn the woman caught in adultery. He did send her off with the command, “Go and sin no more.” As Catholics, we are called to truly seek out the truth in the Church. We are called to follow the Church in our quest for holiness. When faced with the challenge of the truth we have two options. We can embrace the truth. Or, we can run to a place where the truth is hidden in an effort to make us feel good about ourselves. If, despite all that Jesus said about Hell in the gospel, we think everyone will go to Heaven without being in a state of grace, Satan wins.
Instead of getting mad at the messenger, take some time to review the Catechism of the Catholic Church. I want to share with you just a few short sections:

1384 The Lord addresses an invitation to us, urging us to receive him in the sacrament of the Eucharist: "Truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you."

1385 To respond to this invitation we must prepare ourselves for so great and so holy a moment. St. Paul urges us to examine our conscience: "Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For any one who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself." Anyone conscious of a grave sin must receive the sacrament of Reconciliation before coming to communion.

1386 Before so great a sacrament, the faithful can only echo humbly and with ardent faith the words of the Centurion: "Domine, non sum dignus ut intres sub tectum meum, sed tantum dic verbo, et sanabitur anima mea" ("Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul will be healed.") and in the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom the faithful pray in the same spirit:
O Son of God, bring me into communion today with your mystical supper. I shall not tell your enemies the secret, nor kiss you with Judas' kiss. But like the good thief I cry, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."

3rd Sunday of Advent Homily

Short and sweet this week
******************************

When most Catholics are asked how many scripture passages are assigned to the Sunday Mass they’ll answer 3. They are quick to remember the 1st reading, 2nd reading and the Gospel. When asked if there are more, and with a little more thought they throw in the psalm. Yet, that is still not all of the scriptures readings that are assigned to a particular Mass. We still have our alleluia verse, or during Lent our Gospel Acclimation.

There are two additional verses that are assigned to each Mass which usually do not come to mind because we have an option which often replaces these other two verses. Using our common terminology, these two verses would be the opening antiphon and the communion antiphon. I’ll have to admit that occasionally, these verses are not strictly taken from scriptures, but they allude to the feast which is being celebrated. It is common in many places to use the option for a hymn in place of one or both of these verses. Those who attend daily Mass know that I routinely use a hymn in place of the introit, or opening antiphon, but I recite the communion antiphon.

That being said, I’d like to share the introit that is assigned to our celebration of this Third Sunday of Advent, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice! The Lord is near.” This comes from the fourth chapter of Phillipians, verses 4 and 5.

I sometimes wonder if we are truly filled with the joy that this holy season anticipates. I know from my own experience that it is easy to get caught up in the stress of the season as opposed to the joy of the season. But, even when we get away from the stress, what is the source of our joy? Is it the fact that we’ll be gathering with friends and family? Is it watching our children preform in their winter concerts? Is it the joy we have because we’ve reached out to someone else in need during this holy time of year?

As joyful as each of these events may be, there is something far greater in which we rejoice. We rejoice in the Lord who is near. Sometimes we need to really work on rejoicing in the Lord. It starts with our relationship with the Lord. How often do we spend time in prayer? When we do pray, how much time do we spend? Do we look forward to the opportunity to pray, or do we try to avoid prayer time? Do we “have to go to Mass because it’s Sunday”, or do we “get to go to Mass”? How we answer each of these questions gives us an idea about how we are doing as far as rejoicing in the Lord.

What do we do if our focus on the coming of Christ has gotten off track? The first thing we do is start with prayer, preferably before Christ present in the Blessed Sacrament. We should, in our prayer, ask God to help us fall in love with the Mass. As we fall in love with the Mass, we can look forward to attending Mass, not only on Sunday, but on other days as our schedules allow. As we fall in love with the Mass, we also come to appreciate the other sacraments as well.

The second half of our antiphon deals with the fact that the Lord is near. He will soon return. As we fall in love with Christ, it is easy to rejoice about the fact that he is near. Just as we get excited about the family and friends that will be joining us when we celebrate Christ’s first coming at Christmas, we can look forward with joy to his return in glory.