John of the Cross

Today the church commemorates the feast of John of the Cross, a Carmelite priest, born in 1542 as Juan Alvarez.

It was in 1564 that St. John of the Cross declared his religious vows as a Carmelite. He moved to Salamanca where he studied theology and philosophy at the university there. In 1567, his turning point came with his ordination as a priest.

At first, he wanted to enter the strict Carthusian Order. It was an order that attracted him because of its encouragement of solitary and silent contemplation. Nevertheless, in September 1567 after a visit to Medina Del Campo, he decided to do otherwise and remain a Carmelite.

It was there that he met St. Theresa of Avila, a Carmelite nun, who was looking to reform & restore the purity of the Carmelite Order. She wanted to restart the observance of its “Primitive Rule” of 1209 which had become lenient under Pope Eugene IV in 1432. John worked with her to reform not only the Carmelite Nuns, but the friars and priests as well. He was met with great resistance and as a result suffered greatly in trying to answer God’s call to have the Carmelite Order live a stricter life of silence and prayer.

John of the Cross would go on to write such classics as The Spiritual Canticle, The Dark Night of the Soul and The Living flame of Love. In these books he would teach the importance of prayer and contemplation in one’s spiritual life in order to be open to the Will of God.

John is quoted as saying, “Contemplation is nothing else but a secret, peaceful, and loving infusion of God, which if admitted, will set the soul on fire with the Spirit of love” and “What we need most in order to make progress is to be silent before this great God with our appetite and with our tongue, for the language he best hears is silent love.”

In this day and age of noise and distractions, it is hard to be able to feel God’s presence in our day to day existence. We have so many distractions from cell phones, TV’s, radios, and the constant noise of living in New York City. It’s hard to make time to be silent and still before God. Yet, it is only in silence that we can hope to hear with our inner ears what God is telling us and teaching us.

I would like to encourage each one of us to set aside at least 15 minutes per day at a time that’s most convenient for you. Have the daily mass readings in front of you and slowly read them. Then, once you’re finished reading them, just sit for the rest of the time, with the readings in front of you, and ponder what God may be teaching you. After a few days of doing this you will find that inner peace that can only come from the presence of God within you.

Christ the Savior

“For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord.” Luke 2:11

December is upon us and we are all busy preparing for Christmas on December 25^th. There’s the gifts to buy, gifts to wrap, Christmas Dinner to plan and prepare, getting in touch with family and friends that we may not have seen all year, going to those Christmas parties that seem to be more about food and drinking than anything else!  It’s a hectic time of year! To me, with all this activity, I wonder if people really understand what they are celebrating on December 25^th?

The weeks leading up to Christmas is known as Advent. Advent helps us to focus on what the true meaning of Christmas is: the birth of our savior, Jesus Christ, into the world. Throughout all this activity of preparation for the celebration of Christmas, we must remember the Reason for the Season: Jesus Christ. During Advent I would like to suggest that you take time each day, maybe 15 minutes in the morning or night (or whatever time you can find to be alone with the Lord), and read the Scripture readings assigned for the Daily Mass. This will help you to focus on the events leading up to the birth of Jesus on December 25^th. This time of reading scripture will help you focus and realize that Christmas is more than time for family and friends to get together to celebrate! It’s not a secular holiday, but rather a Holy Day, time to celebrate the fact that Jesus Christ came into the world to help us grow closer to God and to turn away from our sins. During this time, you may also write a spiritual journal with your thoughts and concerns to present them to God to help you through whatever concerns you may have in your life. With all our families coming together, with all that entails, Christmas can be very stressful. Present these family concerns to the Lord to give you the gift of love and patience towards those we will meet this month.

Finally, if it’s been a while since you went to confession, make time during Advent to go to confession. This will help us to become spiritually ready for the celebration of the birthday of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Remember to keep Christ in all your activity during December and remember on December 25^th: “…a savior has been born for YOU who is Christ and Lord.”

Thanksgiving

First of all, then, I ask that supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone, for kings and for all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity. 1 Timothy 2:1-2

Today we, as Americans, gather around our tables with family and friends to give thanks for the many gifts that God has given us. There are many things that we should give thanks for in our lives. We are to be thankful for the gift of life, with all it's issues and challenges; for our families, especially for those in our families that may get under our skin; and we finally pray for those in authority over us in the our government that we may "...lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity."

It may be difficult to pray for our family or friends that annoy us, or for those in authority over us in the government, especially for those who we really feel are not living up to what we feel they should be doing as leaders. We are called to pray for them, that they may be more open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. We pray for those family members that annoy us. And we pray for those in government that are leading us in ways that we feel are not according to the Will of God.

St. Paul goes on to say, "This is good and pleasing to God our savior, who wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth." (1 Timothy 2:3-4)

May God bless our country and our families during this Thanksgiving Day, and give us the peace and joy that can only come from Him.

The Presentation of Mary in the Temple

Today Holy Mother Church Commemorates the Presentation of Mary in the Temple. This feast dates back to the early sixth century and was first celebrated in Jerusalem. It was first celebrated by the Eastern Church, and it was later, in the 11th century, that the Western Church added this feast to it's calendar.

This feast is not based on anything we can find in scripture, but in apocryphal literature. In what is recognized as an unhistorical account, the Protoevangelium of James tells us that Anna and Joachim offered Mary to God in the Temple when she was 3 years old. This was to carry out a promise made to God when Anna was still childless.

This feast gives us an insight as to who Mary was as a person, totally devoted to God since childhood. And thanks to her parents, Anna and Joachim, Mary was prepared to answer the call to be the mother of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

The influence of Anna and Joachim on Mary is a great example of what it means to be good and responsible parents. Not only were they concerned with Mary's physical needs, but they were concerned with Mary's relationship with God. Further, they were grateful to God for the gift of a child, and presented Mary to God in gratitude for Mary coming into their lives.

We can use this as an example in our society where the value of human live has so much diminished. It's diminished so much that abortion (the killing of an innocent life) is seen as a "right". Rather than be grateful for the gift of life, children in the womb are considered less than human, and, as a result, are disposable.

We, as a society, are encouraged to value all human life, from conception to natural death, as sacred. Further, in addition to the physical and educational needs of the children that are born to us, we are to make sure they develop healthy, spiritual lives. We are to present our children to God in gratitude for the gift of who they are: people made in the image of God.

The Kingdom of God

Today's reflection is based on the gospel for today's mass and can be found at http://usccb.org/bible/readings/111518.cfm

In today's gospel, the Pharisees are questioning Jesus as to when the Kingdom of God would come. They are living in a time of great oppression by the Romans and are looking for freedom from their oppressors. Jesus' response is, "For behold, the Kingdom of God is among you." (Luke 17:21

Jesus was reminding them that the Kingdom of God is always among us, living in each one of us. It is through the power of the love of God, living in each one of us, that the kingdom of God dwells. There will always be those in authority that will be unjust in one way or other (whether it was the oppressive Roman empire, or whatever government leader we have in office today), we should always remember that God is at the heart of who we are as people of faith. We are to bring the love of God into society by living lives pleasing to God, and attempting to make the world a better and just place, not only for those near and dear to us, but for all people.

I consider myself "pro-life" and I think that this is what our Lord may be referring to. We are to bring the kingdom of God into our society by encouraging a greater respect for all life, whether it's the unborn from the possibility of abortion, helping the elderly who are either lonely or are suffering due to illness, helping the homeless find decent housing, or helping those attempting come into our country for a better way of life. We are to remember that the kingdom of God is already among us and Jesus is calling us to share that kingdom of God with others in our lives.

The Kingdom of God is for all people. Let us share that Kingdom of God with all we meet by being better followers of Christ! The Kingdom of God is among you!

 

 



Lead us not into Temptation

Scripture readings for today's reflection can be found at http://usccb.org/bible/readings/111218.cfm
Being a follower of Jesus can be challenging and go against what we really want to do. In today's gospel, Jesus tells us that he understands that temptation will always come. He knows and expects that, but also expects us to attempt to lead a life worthy of our call to be His followers. He gets tough, though, when he warns us about leading others to sin. We are called to attempt to lead a life worthy of Him, and to not be hypocritical in our faith in Him and in our actions with others.

There are those in our lives that look to us as examples of what it means to be Christian. If we're preaching love and forgiveness to others, we better be practicing that forgiveness ourselves. We are called to be always forgiving and understanding of the shortcomings of other people. Our Lord tells us, "If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him." (Luke 17:3) We are to lead others to Christ not only by our words of correction, but by our forgiveness towards them! Jesus goes on to say, "And if he wrongs you seven times in one day and returns to you seven times saying, ‘I am sorry,’ you should forgive him." (Luke 17:4)

So, let us attempt to be loving and forgiving of those in our lives today, whether they are family members (usually the hardest to forgive) or the co-worker that can be annoying in his/her actions towards you. Remember, Jesus is asking us to be loving and forgiving at all times with those in our lives. And this may be the way you can lead others to understand the love and forgiveness that God has for each one of us.

All Saints and All Souls

 

During the month of November Holy Mother Church celebrates two important feasts: All Saints Day on November 1^st, and All Souls Day on November 2^nd.

All Saints Day commemorates those who have gone before us that are saints in heaven, both known and unknown. This includes the saints we all know and love, such as St. Francis of Assisi, St. Anthony of Padua, St. Therese Lisieux, and so forth. But it also acknowledges those saints that we don’t commemorate on the church calendar but are saints none the less. This includes those relatives of ours that have long since passed, went through purgatory, and are now in full vision of the face of God. These relatives of ours that have made it to heaven are also commemorated on All Saints Day.

All Souls Day is the day we pray for our relatives and friends that have passed before us but are still in purgatory. In the Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 1030 it says, “All who die in God's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.”  It’s important that we pray for those who are in purgatory to help them during their journey in heaven.

Pope Benedict XVI says of purgatory, “…we need a final cleansing, a cleansing by fire, to be exact, in which the gaze of Christ, so to say, burns us free from everything, and only under this purifying gaze are we, as it were, fit to be with God and able, then, to make our home with him…” Pope Benedict goes on to say, “Purgatory basically means that God can put the pieces back together again. That he can cleanse us in such a way that we are able to be with him and can stand there in the fullness of life.”

So, lets pray for all our relatives that have gone before us during this month of the Holy Souls. Have masses said for them, pray for them in your private prayers, and ask God to look on them with mercy and love in order to bring them to the glory of heaven.

In addition to praying for our diseased relatives during the month of November, arrange to have masses said for them during the year. A mass said for a deceased relative is a great gift for those who have passed before us. Then, once they’re in heaven, they’ll be praying for us to the Lord our God.

Love Begets Love

Every year on October 15th Holy Mother Church commemorates the feast of St. Teresa of Avila, the great reformer of the Carmelite Order. St. Teresa was born in Avila, Spain in the year 1515. She entered the Carmelites and made great progress in the way of perfection.

She wrote such classics as the Interior Castle, and her Autobiography. In her autobiography she talks about living in the Presence of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ was at the heart and center of her entire life. She says of the person who has Christ at the center of his life, "... can endure all things." She goes on to say that "Christ helps us and strengthens us and never fails; he is a true friend."

As a result of this close relationship with Christ, she was able to grow and mature in her relationship with God, and to help others to do so. It was through her help that St. John of the Cross to reform the male branch of the Carmelite Order.

It is through love of Christ that gave her the strength to grow deeper in love with Christ and to endure the hardship of reforming the Carmelite Order. Further talking on the love of Christ, she says, "As often as we think of Christ we should recall the love with which he bestowed on so many favors, and the great things God showed in giving us a pledge like this of his love; for love begets love."

It was through these writing of St. Theresa of Avila that St. Theresa of the Child Jesus, the Little Flower, realized that God is the source of all love.

Let us, like St. Teresa of Avila look towards the love of God and be open to that love in our lives, and that we are to bring that love of God to all those in our lives.

My Vocation is Love

On October 1^st the Church celebrates the feast of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus, also know as the Little Flower, or St. Therese of Lisieux. St. Therese is probably one of the most loved saints of all time. Her autobiography, Story of a Soul, is a favorite of many people who find her way of living out her faith in Jesus Christ attractive. St. Therese is someone we all can emulate in the practice of our faith in Jesus Christ.

Her given name was Therese Martin, and she was born in Alencon in France in 1873. She entered the Carmelite Monastery at an early age, and her life there in the Monastery was that of humility, evangelical simplicity and confidence and trust in God. Through her example, she was able to teach the Novices at the Monastery the ways that lead to true relationship and love of God.

In her autobiography she shares of her struggle about trying to understand God’s Will in her life. She read and meditated upon the scriptures and studied St. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians. In her writings she indicates that St. Paul taught that not all are called to lofty callings, such as apostles, doctors, or prophets. St. Paul taught that all members of the Church of Christ are important, no matter how high or low you may be in the Church. But what makes all vocations important is doing that vocation out of love of God.

St. Therese writes, “I understood that love comprised all vocations, that love was everything, that it embraced all times and places … in a word it was eternal!” Then St. Therese goes on to say, “Then in the excess of my delirious joy, I cried out: ‘O Jesus, my Love … my vocation, at last I have found it … my vocation is Love!’”

We are called live out our vocations in the same way as St. Therese. In whatever situation or vocation we may find ourselves, whether that of a husband, wife, child, we are called to live out that vocation with love of God and those in our lives. This even includes loving those that we work with in the secular world, no matter how difficult that may be. We are called to live out our time in the world with Love of God, and love of those who surround us in our daily routines. That is our challenge and vocation. Our vocation, like that of St. Therese, is Love.

Mary, Mother of the Church

Mary, Mother of the Church

“Then Jesus said, ‘Behold, your mother.’ And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.”

This past year, on February 11, 2018, on the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, Pope Francis added a new feast to the calendar: Mary the Mother of the Church. This feast will be commemorated by the universal church every year on the Monday after Pentecost.

Mary is a central part to our salvation and our relationship with God through Jesus Christ. We see in scripture how Mary was always focused on doing the Will of God.

Our first encounter with Mary in Scripture is in Luke, chapter 1. In this chapter Gabriel first visits Zechariah and informs him that his wife, Elizabeth, was going to have a baby, who was to be called John. Gabriel then goes to Mary and informs her of the fact that she will conceive and carry a son, who she is to call Jesus. Upon first encountering Mary, Gabriel says, “Hail full of Grace, the Lord is with you.” Though Mary was startled and wasn’t sure what this greeting meant, she would listen attentively to Gabriel as he went on to explain God’s plan for salvation, using Mary to be the mother of the Messiah. Mary wasn’t sure how this was to take place since she wasn’t yet married and had not yet had any marital relations with Joseph. After being explained that it was through the power of the Holy Spirit that this will occur, Mary replies, “I am the handmaiden of the Lord. Be it done to me according to your word.”

Then years later, at the Wedding Feast of Cana, we see Mary concerned about the bride and groom running out of wine. Mary’s advise to the waiters was, “Do whatever he tells you.” As a result, Jesus saves the day by making wine out of water.

Then finally we see Mary at the foot of the cross, watching her Son being cruelly put to death on the cross. With her is John the Evangelist. Jesus, from the cross, instructs John to take care of His Mother, and in turn he gives His mother to John. This is symbolic of the feast we are remembering today. By giving Mary to John, Jesus is in turn giving Mary to the Church and to each one of us.

As heartbreaking as it was, watching her son die such a cruel death, she had hope and trust in God. She would, three days later, see her risen Son on that First Easter Sunday.

When our Lord gave John his mother on that Good Friday morning, he was giving her to us as well, to be our mother. We are called to imitate her in all things. God was always at the heart and center of all she did in her life. She was called by God, through the Angel Gabriel, to bring Jesus into the world. Then she would be part of his life as a good mother throughout his entire life here on earth. Her priority throughout life was to always have Jesus at the center of all she did. Then Jesus was given to us to draw us closer to Him and to get closer to the God who loves us.

Prayer was always an important part of Mary’s life and relationship with God. She was in prayer when Gabriel first appeared to her to be the mother of Jesus. Then, as we heard in the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, she was praying with the apostles: “All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer, together with some women and Mary the Mother of Jesus, and his brothers.”

In the book The True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin by Saint Louis-Marie De Montford we read, “When Mary has taken root in a soul, she produces in it wonders of grace which she alone can produce for alone she is the fruitful Virgin who has never had and never will have her equal in purity and fruitfulness.” When we allow Mary to take root in our soul, we allow the Lord Jesus to be in our souls as well. Saint Louis-Marie De Montford goes on to say, “With the Holy Ghost Mary produced the greatest thing that ever was or ever will be: God-Man; she will produce, consequently, the greatest thing that will come to be in latter times.”

With the Blessed Mother, our Mother, in our souls, we will allow Jesus to be the center of all we do. We, like the Blessed Mother, are able, through the grace that is produced by her, to bring Jesus into the world and our lives, thus making it a world that is more God-centered.

Allow Mary into your heart and soul. Call upon your Mother in all your cares and needs! And Jesus will be there to bring you the peace and joy that can only come from God.

 

B. Maria Sagrario of St. Aloysius Gonzaga (OCD), Virgin & Martyr (m)

Today the Carmelite Order commemorates Blessed Maria Sagrario of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, Virgin and Martyr.

Blessed Maria was born in Lilo, Toledo, on January 8th, 1881. She was a pharmacist by trade, and was the first woman in Spain to be admitted to this profession. In 1915 she entered the Carmel of St. Anne and St. Joseph in Madrid. She had a great love for the Eucharist, and devoted much prayer and contemplation before our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. She was prioress of her community when she was martyred on August 15th, 1936. This martyrdom was due to the fact of the Spanish Civil War and the persecution the Church was facing as a result of this Civil War.

On July 20th, 1936, the convent was attacked by a mob. Mother Maria Sagraria spirited her sisters to safety and sought shelter with one of them at the  home of that sister's parents.  She was arrested, along with the other sister, on August 14th.  Surviving testimony well documents her serenity and abandonment to God's will.  Under interrogation she staunchly refused to betray anyone, and was executed by being shot on the following day, August 15th, the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

In her writings, she says, "Blessed be God who gives us ways of offering ourselves up to his love!" Blessed Maria Sagrario was able to offer herself as a sacrifice out of love of God in order to protect those under her care. Christ was at the center of her decision, and as a result was able to die for the sake of Christ. She goes on to say in her writings, "Keep your gaze always on our most beloved Jesus, asking him in the depths of his heart what he desires for you, and never deny him anything even if means going strongly against the grain for you."

This is fortitude takes great strength, but if we remain faithful to Christ and His will for us, we will find the peace and contentment that can only come from Him. Each one of us has things in our lives that are a struggle for us to deal with, whether it's a job we don't like, a family member that may get on our nerves, or people in our lives that are difficult to get along with. We are called to find out what the will of God is for us in those situations. Our Lord will lead us to do what he Wills, we just need to be open to His promptings. We are to offer our sufferings, as Blessed Maria did, to the Will of God.

Then we can pray, as she prayed, "Blessed be he who arranges everything for our good! In possessing him, we possess everything."

The Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

On August 15^th Holy Mother Church commemorates the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It was on November 1, 1950, Pope Pius XII defined the Assumption of Mary to be a dogma of faith: “We pronounce, declare and define it to be a divinely revealed dogma that the immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul to heavenly glory.”

As a dogma of faith, we as Catholics are expected to believe that the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary to be true and real. In the Office of Readings for this feast, we read from Pope Pius XII, “In their homilies and sermons on this feast the holy fathers and great doctors spoke of the assumption of the Mother of God as something already familiar and accepted by the faithful.”

Why would Mary deserve such an honor as to be assumed body and soul into heaven? We see in scripture the kind of life that Mary lived and that she was chosen to be the Mother of God, our Lord Jesus Christ. Pope Pius XII goes on to say, quoting St. John Damescene, “It was necessary that she who had preserved her virginity inviolate in childbirth should also have her body kept free from all corruption after death. It was necessary that she who had carried the Creator as a child on her breast should dwell in the tabernacle of God.”

Mary’s whole life was centered on doing the Will of God. She not only said “yes” to the angel Gabriel in agreeing to be the Mother of the Savior, she was also part of His whole life, following Jesus throughout his ministry, and finally standing at the foot of the Cross watching Her Divine Son give His life for the salvation of the world. Her whole life centered on doing the Holy Will of God.

Mary is to be an example of how we are to live our lives. We are called to carry Jesus in a different way. Mary carried Jesus in her womb and gave birth to Him physically more than 2,000 years ago. We, as Catholics, carry Jesus in ourselves whenever we receive Holy Communion. As Catholics, we know that the Host we receive at Mass is the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ. We are called, like Mary, to bring Jesus into a world that needs His presence.

One of the choices for dismissal at Mass is, “Go in peace glorifying the Lord by your life.” We do this by bringing Jesus into the world! Let us, like Mary, attempt to do God’s will by bringing peace into a world that so desperately needs His peace.

Lily of the Mohawks

On July 14th the Church commemorates Kateri Tekakwitha, the Lilly of the Mohawks. She was born in 1656 to a Mohawk father and a Christian Algonquin mother in the village of Ossernenon in upstate New York.

Growing up, she was greatly influenced by the Jesuit missionaries that were present in that area of upstate New York. The Jesuits were hated by the Native Americans but they but could do nothing to them because a peace treaty with the French required their presence in villages with Christian captives. Hearing the words of the Jesuits about Jesus Christ and the Catholic faith, Kateri converted to the faith, after refusing to be given in marriage to a Mohawk brave. Shortly after her baptism at the age of twenty, she moved to the Saint Francis Xavier mission near Montreal.

Because of her love of God she took a vow of virginity. Central to her life was to be pleasing to God. She had a deep prayer life that centered on love of God, and being pure in His sight.

It took a great deal of courage for Kateri to embrace the Catholic faith. It could have meant death since she was rejecting her heritage as a Mohawk. But she found faith in Jesus Christ and was willing to suffer persecution rather than to turn away from her faith in Christ.

Are we as brave as Kateri in our faith in Jesus Christ and our Catholic faith? Are we willing to share this faith with others, no matter what the cost? Faith in Jesus Christ is more than just a personal relationship with Him. We are called to bring that faith in Jesus Christ to others in our lives. We are to live the gospel of Christ and allow Christ to effect our life in all we do. It's more than just attending Mass on Sunday morning. We are called to live our faith that we profess on Sunday during the week that follows our Sunday worship.

Saint Kateri Tekakwitha pray for us!

Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel

 

“…above all else it was faith that most characterized the Mother of God – the kind of faith that does not need proof, but accepts a thing as true because God has spoken.” Pope Paul VI
On July 16^th, the Carmelite Community celebrates the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Central to Mary’s life was faith in God. She trusted in God’s love for her and was always open to His Will for her, even if she didn’t quite understand what God was asking of her. In Luke we read, after the angel Gabriel approaches Mary, “But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.” (Luke 1:29) She was confused by the message from Gabriel that she was to be the Mother of the Savior. But once Gabriel explains that it’ll occur through the power of the Holy Spirit, Mary says, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38)

Mary was trusting that God will be with her in all the difficult circumstances that will occur because of her saying “Yes” to what God was asking her to do. She was at peace with her response to God and at peace in her relationship with Him.

We are called to be like Mary, putting our full trust in God. After finding out she was to be the mother of the savior, she rushed to her cousin, Elizabeth, in her time of need. When Elizabeth praises Mary for her faith and trust in God, Mary responds, “My soul  proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior.” (Luke 1:46-47). We, too, are called to give praise to God and his greatness, even when things aren’t exactly going our way.

As Carmelites, let us imitate Mary in our trust for God and all he has in store for us. We are to have that relationship with God through prayer and contemplation, and then we are to go, like Mary, to those around us to be of help in their time of need. We are called to bring God’s message of love and salvation to everyone in our lives, whether family, friends or co-workers.

As Pope Paul VI said, “it was faith that most characterized the Mother of God…” Let us have that same faith and share that faith with all those around us.

Are we hiding from God?

Readings for the Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time can be found at http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/061018.cfm

In the first reading from Genesis we hear the familiar story of Adam and Eve eating from the tree of life and death. The prohibition was to protect Adam and Eve from some of the hurtful consequences of eating from that tree, death being one of them. But the man and woman  ignore God's protective  word and listen to the word of another who is not at all concerned with their welfare.

Realizing their mistake and fearing God because they were naked, they attempt to hide from God. Before their rejection of God's command, they were comfortable with God's presence. Now they feel shame and hid from His presence.

And what do they do when God approaches them? They start shifting the blame to others. At first, when God presented the woman to Adam, Adam was grateful and satisfied at finding someone he can share his life with. Now, after eating the forbidden fruit, facing God, accuses the woman of giving him the fruit, calling her instead "the woman you put here with me", as if it was God's fault for putting her there with Adam.

Then there's Eve, with Adam pointing his accusing finger at her, pointing her finger at the serpent for getting them into this mess to begin with. The serpent gets his just reward from God for tempting Adam and Eve as he did. "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers...", (Genesis 3:15) but ultimately Adam and Eve have to take responsibility for their actions in disobeying God.

How often in the mistakes of our lives do we point the blame to others, rather than taking on the responsibility ourselves?

The message of Adam and Eve is that we are always to be open to God's promptings in our lives. We are to do what is right, according to God's Will, in all the circumstances of our lives, no matter how difficult. We are to be obedient to His Will for us to love Him, and to love others in our lives. We are never to turn away from God and ignore Him. He's there for us in our gatherings on Sunday, and in Scripture. In all our decisions of our lives we are to act as God would have us act.

Keep God in the center of all you do. And, when you sin and turn away from Him, don't be afraid to turn back to him in repentance and ask His forgiveness.

Carmel in Flemington, New Jersey

This past Sunday on the Solemnity of Corpus Christi I had the privilege of leading a Holy Hour for the Carmelite Nuns in Flemington, New Jersey.

The quiet and peace of this place is still with me today, almost a week after being there. Their love of the Lord in their routine of prayer and solitude is something that is wonderful to see and witness.

These beautiful women are called to live a life of prayer. Their day includes quiet time in prayer and contemplation, praying in community the Liturgy of the Hours, Daily Mass, and work that helps sustain and support their way of life. The focus of all their activity is on our Lord Jesus Christ.

We can learn from these servants of God on how to live our lives in the secular world. In our busy lives we need to find a way to have Jesus at the center of all we do. We need to make time throughout the day to remain focused. Sometimes we are so busy and worried about getting things done in our lives, that we forget that Jesus is present in every situation in our lives.

Though we can't live in a monastery like the Nuns do, what we can do is try to imitate them in how we carry out our day. We can and should make time to pray Scripture during the day, whether in the morning over our cup of coffee or in the evening before or after dinner. If possible, try to attend daily mass at a nearby church. If we can't attend daily mass, we can use the scriptures assigned for mass that day as a way of sanctifying our day and keeping focused in the fact that we are always in the presence of Our Lord, Jesus Christ.

If you wish more information on the Carmelites in Flemington, New Jersey, you can go to their website https://flemingtoncarmel.org/home/welcome-page/ and get that information. If you're able, take time to go and visit them. I'm sure also that they would appreciate any financial contribution you can afford to give.

Praise be Jesus Christ now and forever!

The Ascension of the Lord

"Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15)

Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!! Now, 40 days after His resurrection from the dead, we will celebrate the Ascension of the Lord to Heaven. This year the Solemnity of the Ascension is on May 10th (in some dioceses in the United States, the Ascension is transferred to the following Sunday).

It is believed that on the 40th day Jesus took the Apostles to the Mount of Olives, where they watched as He ascended to heaven. Ascension Day marks the end of Jesus' earthly ministry and occurs 10 days before Pentecost. Depending on the phases of the Moon in a particular year, Ascension Day is usually celebrated on a Thursday.

The gospel assigned for the Ascension is from Mark, chapter 16, have the Apostles surrounding Jesus and joyful that He was with them after the suffering and death on the Cross on Good Friday. They spent 40 days since the Resurrection learning from Jesus as to why He had to suffer and die on the Cross. Now he was ready to return to the Father. At the Ascension Jesus gives them instructions to “Go into the World and Proclaim the Gospel to every creature.” They were brave new people, empowered with the Gift of the Holy Spirit, to share the Good News that Jesus had suffered on the Cross for our sins, and that Jesus is now seated in heaven at the right hand of God the Father.

We, too, are called to go and proclaim the Gospel to every creature. We may not be called to go to the ends of the earth to do so. We may not be called to stand on the street corner with Bible in hand to proclaim the gospel. But we are called to proclaim the gospel to those in our lives, whether they are family, friends, or those we work with. We are to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ by our actions and how we live our lives as Catholic Christians. That’s how we are to proclaim that Jesus Christ died for our sins and is now in heaven at the right hand of the Father. St. Francis of Assisi once said, “Preach the Gospel always, when necessary, use words.”

So bring the good news to all you know in your life. And know that Jesus Christ will be with you to the end of time.

His face was like that of an angel

Scripture readings for the Monday of the Third Week of Easter can be found at http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/041618.cfm

In today's first reading at Mass, we continue to hear from the Acts of the Apostles and are up to the part where St. Stephen, the first Martyr and one of the first deacons, is brought before the authorities and accused him of blasphemy due to St. Stephen preaching about Jesus Christ. St. Stephen remained steadfast and true to his calling in preaching about Jesus and the fact that Jesus died for all of us. Due to the jealously of those in authority, he was falsely accused of blasphemy. But Stephen had the courage to remain true to his vocation as a follower of Jesus Christ. He was willing to bear false accusations against him for the name of Jesus, even if it meant death. Stephen was so sure of himself and of the Message of Jesus Christ, that all who saw him saw his face like that of an angel.

Stephen knew the words of Jesus, who said, "This is the work of God, that you believe in the one He sent." (June 6:29) Jesus is the one sent by God for our salvation. We are called, like St. Stephen, to share the Good News that Jesus came to earth for our salvation, and died for our sins. There may be those in our lives, whether at work or in our family, that may not want to hear this news, and as a result gives us a hard time because of our faith in Jesus Christ. We may not face death like St. Stephen, but we are called to remain true to our faith in Jesus Christ, and be willing not to compromise or change from this faith in Him just because of any problems or difficulties we may face as a result of our faith. Life may get tough at times, but we are to remain strong in our faith in Jesus Christ and the love and salvation he has brought into our lives.

Doubting Thomas

Scripture readings for the Second Sunday of Easter can be found at http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/040818.cfm

Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” John 20:28-29

Every year the gospel assigned for the Second Sunday of Easter is the account of St. Thomas, also known as “Doubting Thomas”: not believing the other apostles when they tell him of the risen Lord. Can we really blame Thomas for not believing that Jesus rose from the dead? He knew that Jesus was nailed to the cross and died that horrible death at the hands of the Roman soldiers. He probably thought, “How can this be? No one can survive such a horrible death!” “Show me the nail marks in his hands!! Let me feel the wound in his side!” Is he any different than any of us in such a situation?

Then he has an encounter with Jesus, who lovingly says to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.” (John 20:27) I can only imagine the look of amazement on Thomas’ face and the joy he felt when he said, “My Lord and my God.” (John 20:28)

Then Jesus takes it further. Jesus says, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” (John 20:29) Jesus is calling you and me blessed! We do not have the fortune of placing our hands or fingers into the Risen Lord’s hands or side. But we are blessed because we have the gift of faith that Jesus rose victoriously from the dead. Further, every time we attend mass, we are able to reach out and touch our Lord in Holy Communion. We encounter Jesus at every Holy Mass we attend. And thanks to Thomas, Jesus says we are blessed.

Happy Easter! ¡Felices Pascuas! Wesołego Alleluja! Gezuar Pashket! Paschae felix!

Truly this man was the Son of God!

Scripture readings for Palm Sunday can be found at http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/032518.cfm

This week our spiritual activities during Lent comes to a climax. In the gospel of St. Mark that will be read today at Mass we hear of the suffering and death of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. A death that has changed the course of history.

In our first reading from Isaiah, we hear Isaiah prophesizing about Jesus when he says, "The Lord GOD has given me a well-trained tongue, that I might know how to speak to the weary a word that will rouse them." Isaiah 50:4 People were attracted to Jesus. People who were thought to be sinners and outcasts felt attracted to Jesus and all He was telling them about the love God had for them. People that Jesus wanted to bring back into relationship with God. As a result, the Scribes and Pharisees were jealous of the attention Jesus was getting. He was "rocking the boat"! They had Him Crucified because Jesus was considered a threat to their way of life.

Jesus changed the lives of many people while he was walking the earth. He was leading people back to God and to God's love and mercy. Even at His death on the Cross, the centurion said, "Truly this was the Son of God." (Mark 15:39) The centurion saw Jesus for who He was: The Son of God.

During this Holy Week, let's gaze on the crucifix, as the centurion did, and praise Jesus for who is: the Son of God. Ask Jesus to come into your life, with all your cares and concerns and ask Jesus to change your life for the better. The better way is the love and peace that can come only from faith in Jesus. Will the problems go away? No. But with Jesus we can deal with our problems in a way that is beneficial to us and pleasing to Him.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son!!

Scripture readings can be found at http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/031118-year-b.cfm

God's offer of salvation is a gift that sinful humanity does not deserve and has not, in any way, earned. But this gift does require a response and a commitment to turn away from darkness and live in the light of Christ.

How are we to turn away from the sinfulness of our lives to live in that light that comes from God? There are so many ways we can turn to God and live in the light.

First, our Lord is calling us to turn to God and to believe in the one He sent: Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ came into this world "so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life." (John 3:15) Our first calling as Christians is to believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior and this will lead us to eternal life.

But it doesn't stop there. Believing alone in Jesus Christ, without action, will get us nowhere. Jesus tells us that the there's no place in the kingdom for those who do wicked things. Rather we are called to live the truth, "so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God." (John 3:21) Jesus Christ is calling us to love God and to love our neighbor. We are to manifest the love of God in this world by sincerely living out our Christian vocation by living pure and loving lives, loving God, and loving those in our lives, even when those in our lives are sometimes not very loveable.

The Obedience of Christ

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“Jesus humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.  Because of this, God greatly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:8-11

It’s been a few weeks already since Ash Wednesday and we are in the middle of the Holy Season of Lent. Lent will come to a climax during Holy Week, starting on Palm Sunday on March 25^th. This journey of forty days leading up to the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ has hopefully made us more aware of our need and dependence on the love and forgiveness of God.

In St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians we learn that Jesus was humble and obedient to the Will of God, even to the point of death on the Cross. Doing the Will of His heavenly Father was central to all that Jesus was about. He was obedient to God in order to bring mankind into relationship and forgiveness with God.

We are all called, like Jesus, to be humble and obedient to the Will of God. Through the example of Jesus we are called to have love of God and of neighbor. Even during His suffering on the Cross, He was loving and forgiving to those who condemned Him to death. There may be times in our sufferings during our lifetime that we, like Jesus, may say, “MyGod, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34), but like Jesus, we know that God is always present in our sufferings and will help us in all our needs. In just a few days after Jesus was crucified, He rose from the dead, defeating death, and bringing us salvation and forgiveness with God our Father.

As we conclude our Lent, let us turn to God to seek His love and forgiveness in the Sacrament of Confession, and to love and respect those that God has place in our life. Then we can say with the apostle Paul, that “that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:11)

Be reconciled to God

“We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” (2 Corinthians 5:20)

On February 14^th, the Church enters into the Holy Season of Lent with Ash Wednesday. Lent is our 40 day journey, preparing ourselves for Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the greatest of all feasts, The Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ (Easter). It is during this time of prayer and fasting that we are called to come closer to the God who loves us, and redeemed us through the blood of Jesus Christ on the Cross. We are to be reconciled to God!

As you approach the priest or deacon for your ashes, you will hear one of two phrases, “Repent, and believe in the Gospel” or “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” We are being reminded of our complete dependence on God, and that He should be the center of our lives.

In the first reading for mass on Ash Wednesday from the prophet Joel, we hear, “...return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the LORD, your God...” (Joel 2:12-13) Joel is reminding us that God is deserving of our love and devotion. God is calling us into a loving relationship.

In our gospel reading for Ash Wednesday, Jesus is reminding us to not “perform our righteous deeds in order that other people may see them...” (Matthew 6:1). Jesus goes on to indicate that in all we do, whether it’s righteous deeds, fasting, or praying, do it for the right reason: to enter into a deeper relationship with God. We are not doing these things for the approval of others, but rather out of love for God.

As we journey through Lent, I would like to suggest that you read scripture more often. If possible, take time out of the day to read the scripture readings that are assigned for daily mass. The magazine, The Magnificat, is a good tool to use for the reading of he Daily Mass Readings. Further, if you are able, try to attend weekday mass in addition to Sunday Mass. This way you will have more opportunity to receive our Lord in Holy Communion.

Finally, during Lent, make time to go to confession. It is through this Sacrament that we are reconciled to God and to those in our lives that we may feel separated from.

Have a good and prayerful Lent.

The Right to Life

"God created mankind in his image; in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them." Genesis 1:27

It was on January 22, 1973 that the Supreme Court legalized abortion in the United States. In those 45 years since the legalization of this horrific law, countless numbers of innocent children have been killed. Children created in God's image, snuffed out and treated less than human. How can we justify allowing the taking of innocent and defenseless life?

There are those that feel that those in the pro-life movement are pro-life up to and until the child is born, then the mother is on her own. Part of being truly pro-life is to be available to the mothers and their children once the child is born. If the mother is unable or unwilling to keep the baby for whatever the reason, we need to step up to the plate to help find a loving home for that child. Further, we are to give love and support to the mother as well. Mothers with unexpected pregnancies often feel rejected by society and guilty for even considering abortion. We need to show these women love and respect. We are to help them through their need and the need of the child.

One way to do this is to support the Sister of Life, a religious order founded by John Cardinal O'Connor. This order was founded "for the protection and enhancement of the sacredness of every human life." To find out more about who they are and what they do, go to their website http://www.sistersoflife.org/ At this website you will find ways you can support the important work the sisters do in order to preserve and respect the dignity of all life.

Tomorrow I join the thousands of others going to Washington, D.C. to the March for Life. I pray that society will have a conversion and realize that every life matters, from the first moment of conception to the last breath. We are all made in the image of God. Let's treat these children in the womb as images of God, and pray that abortion will soon come to an end.