The Kingdom of Heaven

The Scripture readings for today can be found at http://usccb.org/bible/readings/073017.cfm
If Jesus was telling the parable today, He may compare the Kingdom of Heaven to winning the lottery. I've seen many people spend large sums of money in order to hit the lottery. To them winning that big lottery jackpot is all they want out of life. To them, it would be like "heaven" hitting that big one and not worrying about anything for the rest of their lives. They would be on "easy street". What they fail to realize is that happiness is more than just having all this money. We have heard of lottery winners that, after a few years, are back to having nothing again, misusing the money they won. Or we know people that go to the lottery agent with their LONG list of lottery numbers, only to not win anything. They walk away frustrated and feel empty at not winning that jackpot.

What Jesus is talking about in today's gospel is true wealth. True wealth is relationship with God, and knowing that God will bring us that happiness and contentment. King Solomon in the first reading from the first book of Kings knew what true happiness is.  He "hit it big" when he assumed the throne of King David, his father. But he knew that he needed help from God in order to rule fairly and responsibly. He asked God for an understanding heart to judge people, and to distinguish right from wrong. (1 King 3:9)

St. Paul, in his letter to the Romans, is talking about the same thing. He tells us, "that all things work for good for those who love God." (Romans 8:28)

We are all called, like Solomon, to turn to God and ask for an understanding heart, to love others as God loves them, and to live a life trusting that God  the one who will bring us true wealth and happiness: the kind that will last for all eternity. We are to love God and love our neighbor.

Saint Martha

The Scripture Readings for the Feast of St. Martha can be found at http://usccb.org/bible/readings/072917.cfm

Which person can you relate to? Martha, the busy one, or Mary, the one at the feet of Jesus?

Martha is all about being busy, making sure that things are ready for her special guest, Jesus. I can imagine her banging those pots and pans around the kitchen making sure that all is perfect for Jesus. After all, He IS special and things need to be right for Him, right?

Well, yes, but....  we need to make sure things are just right for Jesus. But are we slowing down to listen to His message of love and repentance? Jesus tells her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried about many things!" He goes on to say that Mary has chosen the better part.

What is that "better part"? It's taking time out of all our busyness to settle down and become "quiet" in order to hear what Jesus is trying to teach us in scripture. What Mary was doing was allowing Jesus to become intimately part of her life and becoming more "God-centered."

We all have things in our lives that are important. Families, jobs, things that need to be done in our lives. We are also involved in different church activities, doing things for Jesus in the different ministries we may be involved in. In all this activity (important as they may be) we need to take time out each day to be alone with our Lord. Whether it's reading scripture, praying and meditating on the mysteries of the rosary, or just time to be quiet and try to listen to what Jesus is calling us to do in our lives. Then from there, we are to be more Christ-like in our relationship with others, and to have Him at the center of all we do. That is the "better part!"

Saints Joachim and Anne

Scripture readings for today can be found at http://usccb.org/bible/readings/072617.cfm.

Today we celebrate the feast of Saints Joachim and Anne, parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and grandparents of Jesus.

According to a 2nd-century tradition, Anne and Joachim conceived Mary as a gift from God after years of infertility. Devotion to Anne dates back to around 550, when Emperor Justinian built a church in St. Anne's honor. In most artwork of Saint Anne and the child Mary, we see Saint Anne teaching Mary to read the scriptures.

Because of the love and devotion Joachim and Anne had towards God, they were blessed with the gift of the Blessed Virgin Mary. By sharing their love and faith in God with Mary, Mary in turn became the most honored Mother of God. Because of the influence her parents had on her, Mary was always able to be open to the will of God in her life.

Mary learned from St. Anne of the promises of God to send the Messiah to the people of Israel. Mary knew scripture and was able to live out her faith in God with love and trust. This love of scripture and trust in God allowed Mary to respond to the Angel Gabriel, "I am the maidservant of the Lord. Be it done to me according to your word."

The story of Joachim and Anne teach us to always to have God and scripture in the heart of all we do. God was the center of their lives and as a result God was able to work through them to bring about His plan for salvation.

Let us, like Joachim and Anne, always study scripture and allow God to work through us to bring His message of love and healing to those in our lives.  Like Mary, we are called to bring Christ into a world that is in most need of His salvation and forgiveness. Let us allow His love and healing penetrate us and those we know and love.

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord and my spirit exults in God my savior!”

Today we commemorate the great mother of God under the title of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. In the Old Testament in the first book of Kings, we hear of the beauty of Mount Carmel, where 900 years before Christ, the prophet Elijah defended the faith of Israel in the living God. It was at Mount Carmel that Elijah, inspired by God, went to the people of Israel to have them turn back to the true worship of God. By this point, the Israelites were worshiping a false god. Through Elijah, God showed forth His glory to the people of Israel, and they returned to worship of God, proclaiming “The Lord is God! The Lord is God!”

During the thirteenth century, under the title of “Saint Mary of Mount Carmel,” the Order of Carmelites had its beginnings. These early Carmelites built a life of community in silence and solitude, having the Lord Jesus as the center of their activity in the Eucharist and Scripture. They imitated the prayerfulness of Mary, always reflecting on how God was touching their lives, and the devotion of Elijah in defending the true worship to the living God.

Mary’s prayerfulness is evident in Scripture. When the angel Gabriel explained to Mary how she was to be the mother of the Savior, her response was “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” When the angel first came to her, I could only imagine her surprise at having such a heavenly being before her. But being open to God’s working in her life, she listened to Gabriel as he explained how God was to work in her. Then, very bravely, accepted what God had in mind for her: “I am the handmaid of the Lord.” She was able to be open to the prompting of God’s will for her because she was able to contemplate on His presence in her life.

Then knowing her elderly cousin was in need of help, Mary traveled to Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, to be with her in her time of need. Mary’s response to Elizabeth’s greeting was “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord.” Mary was always aware of God working within her and was always ready to respond to what God expected her to do.

We are called to follow Mary’s & Elijah’s examples in being open to God’s will in our lives. First we are called to reflect on God’s Word to us in scripture. Then we are called to go and be of service to others in our lives that may need us. We are to bring God’s love to all we are to come into contact with, whether it’s a relative in need, a friend or co-worker that may need someone to just be present in their time of need. We are to share the love of God with others with the words that Mary said: “I am the servant of the Lord” and “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord.” By bringing the love of God to others in our lives, we are making this a world a better place to live. We are imitating both Elijah in being zealous for the Lord God and of Mary’s openness to doing His Holy Will.
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Ministry of Service

This past Saturday, June 17th, I was at St. Patrick's Cathedral for the Ordination to the Sacred Order of Deacon 12 men for the Archdiocese of New York. This brought back memories of my own ordination with 12 of my classmates on Saturday, June 19th, 2010.

At the ordination this past Saturday, one thing that Cardinal Dolan said that touched my heart was, "It's not about you becoming a Deacon but about Jesus and how you serve Him." That, coupled with the phrase that Cardinal Dolan says to each deacon as they receive the Book of the Gospels is very important, "Receive the Gospel of Christ, whose herald you now are.  Believe what you read, teach what you believe, and practice what you teach."

All of us as Christians are called to live the life of Christian service. But as deacons, we are called to a higher standard of service to Christ and His Church. We are called to minister at the altar, to conduct wake services, perform baptisms, witness weddings. All things that we are called to herald the Gospel of Christ.

Over my years as Deacon I have done numerous baptisms & wakes. Each is special in it's own way.

One recent act of service I was able to do as deacon is for a woman who had twins born prematurely at Einstein Hospital in the Bronx. Isaiah and Josiah have been suffering much since being born prematurely. I was able to arrange with the hospital chaplain to have them baptized. Further, on a few occasions,  I was able to visit them and bless them and their mother and father. This is an example of what makes my diaconate special. Serving those who need the presence of Christ in their lives as they suffer and deal with issues that are beyond their control. Christ is present to Isaiah and Josiah and their mother during their suffering.

I am grateful to God for the gift my diaconate. I pray also for those 12 men ordained this past Saturday at St. Patrick's Cathedral that they receive many blessings as they serve people in their faith community.

The Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi)

The scripture readings for the Feast of Corpus Christi can be found at http://usccb.org/bible/readings/061817.cfm

“I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.” John 6:51

The Solemnity of Corpus Christi, or the Body and Blood of Christ, is over 700 years old. Because Holy Thursday, when the Lord gave us the Eucharist, occurs in Holy Week which centers on the Lord’s Passion and Death, the Church set aside this special feast in June to reflect on the Eucharist itself, the gift of Jesus to His Church.

As Catholics we believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. He is truly present: Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity in the host and wine used at Mass. The Real Presence is the teaching of the sixth chapter of St. John’s Gospel. “The one who feeds on My flesh and drinks My blood has life eternal” says the Lord (John 6:54). This is central to our faith in Christ: the true presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

When we come to church, we don’t have to hope that the Lord will be there. His presence doesn’t depend on our mood, our feelings, our holiness, or even on our faith. Christ is TRULY PRESENT in the Eucharist by His promise and power. That is what is meant by the “Real Presence.” When entering a Catholic Church, the Lord is truly present in the tabernacle and at Mass not symbolically but actually. The distinctive strength, the center and heart of Catholic spirituality is the power of the Real Presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament.

As a result of the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, we need to be sure to receive Him worthily. I would encourage all to regularly use of the Sacrament of Confession. St. Paul tells us, “Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord.^” (1 Corinthians 11:27)

The Eucharist embodies everything that Jesus did for us and everything that Jesus is for us. It is a mystery of faith that gathers together Jesus’ teaching, His Passion, His Resurrection and his pledge of eternal life for us. So, let us approach the Blessed Sacrament worthily and with great devotion.

Reflection for the St. Lucy's Religious Education Program

This past Wednesday, May 31st, 2017, I was asked to give a short reflection during a Holy Hour for the teachers of the St. Lucy's Religious Education program. Following is the reflection. This reflection can be applied to all who are responsible for the teaching of our children in the Catholic Faith.

Why do we do what we do with the students in our religious education program? Why do we come, week in and week out, giving up our Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings to come and teach those entrusted to our care? Why is sharing our faith in God so important that we sacrifice so much time and energy to share our faith with these young people, who at times don’t really want to be in the classroom learning about this Jesus Christ? Why is it so important to do so?

It’s because that this Jesus, who died 2000 years ago on the cross, and rose again on Easter Sunday morning has had a profound effect on each one of us. Our relationship with Jesus is so important to us, we feel compelled to share it with others.

Towards the end of the Gospel of St. Mark we read, “Jesus said to them, ‘Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.’” Then in the Acts of the Apostles we read, “...you will receive power when the holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” So here we are, on Bronxwood Avenue in the Bronx, far from Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, carrying out this command of Jesus to be his witnesses!

The Holy Spirit came upon the Apostles and the church on that first Pentecost. Then the world was on fire with the saving power of God. These men, who were afraid to leave the upper room after the crucifixion of Jesus on Good Friday, became bold witnesses of the fact that this crucified Jesus is now alive. Peter, in Acts, says, “God has made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

Each week, all of us in the St. Lucy’s religious education program, are called to share this good news with those who come to our classes. We are called to share with our students that Jesus died for each one of us and that he is Lord and Messiah. We are called to plant the seed of faith in Jesus Christ with all those we encounter.

Let us always proclaim the gospel with love and devotion to all we come into contact with here at St. Lucy’s.