Unclean Spirits

"Unclean spirits" were very present in the gospels. We hear of Jesus expelling or "exorcising" them, usually in a dramatic fashion. In today's Gospel (Mark 3:7-12) we are told that Jesus "warned them sternly not to make him known". Many people are puzzled over this, since it would  seem that having Jesus know would be a good thing. Ah, but then we remember that He was speaking to beings who did not want people to listen to His teaching or follow His example. This makes all te difference.
How many times have you heard unbelievers speak about what we believe? And they are almost always exaggerations, misstatements or outright lies. You see, that is what happens when we allow someone else to define us. The same is true of the Lord. His detractors tried to portray Him as a troublemaker, threat to Rome, threat to Judaism. And, ultimately, this is what led to His death. But even that, we see, was able to be turned around into a blessing, because Jesus did the will of the Father by accepting His death.
In our own lives we sometimes allow others to define us, our beliefs, our religion, our Church, our God in ways that are not true. And, sadly, we often sit back and take it, afraid to cause trouble. I sometimes read other blogs and comments on different articles and am amazed at the amount of disinformation that is out there, especially about people of faith. What are we to do?
I, for one, usually sit back and take it, not wanting to engage others in what I am sure will become a nasty attack on me and my beliefs. Of course, being a priest I am often a prime target for receiving people's anger about  past real or perceived hurts by "the Church". Naturally I accept this as part of my role in the Church, but I need to reconsider my reaction and see if I should be a little stronger in speaking out against these falsehoods.
I wonder how other Catholics, Christians, believers deal with similar situations? When people start bad-mouthing God, religion, the Church, what is the reaction of those who claim to be part of the Body of Christ? Do you allow others to define your beliefs or do you challenge them and declare "that is NOT what I/Catholics/Christians believe!"? The harm done by the "unclean spirits" in the gospels is clear. Perhaps their greatest success is that today we do not consider that these unclean spirits are still in our midst, and still spreading false notions about Jesus. What do you think?

Excuses, Excuses

I wonder how often people do not take advantage of the opportunity to do good. Every day I believe we are all presented with situations in which we can do something or say something that will benefit someone. God, after all, uses each of us to answer one another's prayers many times. But many times we do not, for a variety of reasons. I am too busy, they should help themselves, nobody gave me anything. The list could on and on.Jesus was faced with a similar reaction today in Mark's Gospel (3:1-6). The Pharisees had been using the "Sabbath excuse" for years, and wanted to see if He would follow suit. Jesus, however, did not fall for it. Instead, He turned things around and put them on the spot. when He put the question to them "Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil", he was met with silence. They knew that their excuse did not hold up. And they knew that the law of love (You shall love the Lord, your God... You shall love your neighbor...) was supreme above all other laws. In other words, their excuses fell on deaf ears with God. The sad thing is that, instead of changing when they realized this, they turned on Jesus and began plotting against Him.
It makes me take a harder look at my own life. What excuses do I use when God presents me with opportunities to love?Oh, I am very busy, have lots of responsibilities, fall into bed exhausted, cannot take on another thing. But do any of these mean that I do not have to respond with love to the people God places in my path?
This day I need to look more closely and respond more openly, seeing opportunities instead of obstacles, divine encounters instead of distractions. After all, what excuse do I think is reasonable when I ask God for help?

Lord of the Sabbath

In today's Gospel (Mark 2:23-28), Jesus defends the "work" his disciples were doing on the sabbath - picking grain as they walked. He tells the Pharisees that "The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath." This was because there were some, like these Pharisees, who thought that the prohibition against work on the sabbath, an outgrowth of the third commandment received by Moses, meant you could not even do those things that were necessary to preserve your life or the life of another. Certainly this was a ridiculous extreme by our standards.
Unfortunately, today many would interpret this as meaning that we are free to do anything we want on our sabbath (Sunday) and we will not break the commandment to Keep that day holy. And even those of us who do try and go to church on Sunday, usually anything goes for the rest of the day. We tend to forget the second part of the statement made by Jesus. "The Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath”, he said. This means that we do not have the authority to do away with the commandment and treat the day like any other.
Certainly there are many people who, because of job and other obligations, must clean the house or shop on Sundays. Any, just as the Lord supported his disciples picking the grain because they needed to eat, we will not be held at fault for taking care of the necessities of life on a Sunday. But how often do we save up jobs during the week because "I will have more time on Sunday." When Sunday becomes a "work day", even if around the house, simply because we do not feel like doing those chores during the week, we have a problem.
You see, the idea is not simply "I cannot do any unnecessary work on Sunday." No, the commandment says that I must keep holy the Lord's day. So, the question becomes: What am I doing to keep the Lord's day holy? And, while going to church may take an hour or two of my day, it is not sanctifying the entire day. What do I do differently on Sunday to focus my attention on God? How can I better plan my time so I am able to read scripture, enjoy the love of friends or family, discover Jesus in the midst of my life?
If we can begin to answer these questions, perhaps our Sunday habits will change. And maybe this Sunday we will begin to acknowledge Jesus as Lord of the Sabbath.

The Fabric of our Lives

In a simple yet profound way, the Lord tell us today that real change is needed , and it is not easy. Rather thank just a small patch, our lives sometimes need to be completely changed. Using common experiences, Jesus likens our efforts to live the faith to putting a patch of new cloth on an old cloak, or putting new wine into old wineskins. Neither will work, because the old and new cannot tolerate each other. The repair will pull away and the skin will burst.
So too in our lives. If we really want to live the gospel, we have to discard whatever will not fit into the life of a follower of Christ. Old habits or associations that will not be conducive to our life as a Christian have to be cast aside. This is no small feat, since these old ways of doing things and bad influences are probably part of our everyday lives. And that is exactly the problem. If God will us to behave in one way and we are used to behaving in another, one must go. They cannot coexist.
What are the ways of doing things that lead us into sin? Are there any people with whom we should not associate? Have we become comfortable with temptation? With the devil himself? Today's Gospel (Mark 2: 18-22) is a challenge to examine our lives, see what is not compatible with the life of a believer and then discard it. Only then will we be able to become the person God intends us to be. Only then will our faith become integrated into the fabric of our lives.

Time to Testify

John the Baptist was one of the most well-known people in all of Galilee. People came from all over to hear him preach and be baptized in the Jordan by him. It would have been very easy to become the leader of a vast movement and use that power to rally people and rise to a position of leadership. All it would take would be for John to forget who he was and what he was called to do. John would not do that.
Instead, he helped prepare people for what was coming. And when he finally realized that Jesus was the One, he testified to that reality. John pointed to Jesus as the one people should follow, the one who would fulfill what was promised. This testimony meant that his role was finished and God's will for him was fulfilled. John would very quickly be arrested and, ultimately, killed. But his life was one of the most influential in history. Imagine, being the one chosen to prepare the way for, baptize and proclaim the Lord!
But what about us? To what do our lives testify? We usually tend to think of testimony as pertaining only to trials and legal proceedings. We forget that everything we say and do testifies to who we are and what we believe, whether we like it or not. You probably know people with whom you do not want to associate, just based on observing them. And there are hopefully a lot of people that you consider yourself lucky to know. Maybe we should ask ourselves "Which type of person am I?" Do people think I am a good person, a person of faith, a person who makes situations better? Do my conversations lift people up? Or do people find excuses not to be around me? Do they try to avoid me because I am always complaining or pointing out what is wrong? Do I leave others wishing they were somewhere else?
I think we need to make a conscious decision about what we want people to experience when they hear our words and observe our behavior. It is time for us to live our faith, to live the way God wants us to live. It is time to testify!

Doctor, Doctor

Jesus uses a beautiful image in today's Gospel (Mark 2: 13-17), that of a doctor. The scribes who saw Him eating with "many tax collectors and sinners" questioned His disciples about this. Before they could answer, Jesus gives the beautiful line "Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do."
In stating this obvious fact, Jesus places His ministry (and consequently, that of His followers) squarely in the camp of taking care of those who were not perfect. In fact, even though the Law prohibited people from associating with "sinners", Jesus ministered to them in an intense way. "I did not come to call the righteous but sinners”, He told them. And it certainly is a good thing.
Now, I do not imagine there are many people who do not consider themselves sinners in one way or another. (Although you would be surprised by the number of people who start confessing their sins with "Well, Father, I really don't have any sins to confess.") And there is a good reason for not putting ourselves in the way of temptation by hanging around people who do bad things. But we have to be careful and not make the mistake of thinking that God does not love them, or loves them less than us. Especially as a priest, I have an obligation to try and help those whom society rejects as unsuitable - those who would be considered today's equivalent of "tax collectors". As uncomfortable as I may be with what they do, I have an obligation to reveal the beauty of God's love and mercy to them. And I have to do it in the same way Jesus did, by gently loving them myself. It is a challenge at times, to be sure, but as a follower of Christ I can do no less.
This day we will all encounter many people. How will we react to them? If they have a physical ailment or disability, what will we think? Will we consider them to be less important or worthy than ourselves, simply because of that illness? And if we think they are a great "sinner", what will do? Will our reaction be like that of Jesus? Will we love them or will we condemn them?
Maybe next time we pray, instead of calling out "my God, my God", we should cry out "Doctor, Doctor"! Perhaps that will help us realize that we are all in need of the Divine Physician.

The Greatest Healing of All

We are always amazed and enthralled when we hear of a miraculous healing. For example, it was announced today that Pope Benedict XVI had approved the beatification of his predecessor, John Paul II, based on the miraculous healing of Sr. Marie Pierre Simon from Parkinson's disease. Outward signs of sanctity such as this are regularly required for advancement of a cause for sainthood. As wonderful as these signs are, and as amazed as people  become when hearing of them, today's Gospel tells of the truly amazing power of Jesus - the power to forgive sins.
Time after time we hear stories of Jesus interacting with people and forgiving their  sins. Most of the scribes and pharisees considered this to be blasphemy, since only God can forgive sins. The times He cured  people of their physical infirmities were usually a way of "proving" that He did indeed have the power to forgive sins. It is clear that Jesus and the scribes and pharisees themselves considered the physical healing to be less incredible than the forgiveness of sins.
It is curious how things have changed in 2,000 years. Even with the advances in medical science, we still marvel at what can be done to assist people with physical ailments, injuries, etc. But when it comes to the spiritual healing that comes from forgiveness, we overlook the importance and power that such an act can have. Day after day, week after week, miraculous healings take place in the Sacrament of Reconciliation all over the world. Yet not only do we ignore the impact it has on the lives of people, we so often do not take advantage of this healing that is available to us.
Perhaps we need to stop and become more aware of our need for this healing. It may be that it is easier to see the  need for physical healing than spiritual healing. But the sad thing is that more people are in need of spiritual healing than physical. And the means of this healing is available without cost from any priest. I pray that we will come to appreciate the wonderful power that Christ has given to His Church, and that we will all consider availing ourselves of this greatest healing of all.

A Different Reaction

The healing of the leper that is recorded in today's Gospel (Mark 1:40-45) is in stark contrast to yesterday's healing of Peter's mother-in-law. The leper comes and begs to be healed. When Jesus complies, He instructs the man "See that you tell no one anything, but go, show yourself to the priest offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed." Instead of complying with this and going to give thanks to God, the man goes off and begins telling everyone about it, making Jesus' ministry so difficult He  cannot go into a town openly.
I wonder why this man reacted in this way? Surely the request was a simple one. You would think it was the least he could do to show his gratitude. But then, I guess we are not so different. How often do we  pray and beg God for something, and then when we receive what we want we fail to give God the credit. For example, I receive many requests for prayers, be it for a health issue, job opportunity, financial difficulties, relationship troubles, etc. But so often when I hear that things worked out in a wonderful way, they will say to me "Father, I was so lucky!" God does the work and luck gets the credit!
Each day God responds to our prayers and grants our requests, in hundreds of  small and sometimes big ways. How often do we take the time to express our gratitude? One way I have tried to correct this in my own life is to reflect on prayers that were answered each day before I go to bed. As I think about my day, when I realize that God answered a prayer  in a particular way I pause and say "Thank You". It may not be much, but at least it helps me realize how often God does answer my prayers.
I invite  you to try and do the same. It just might help you have a different reaction to God's power in your life!

Just Do It

Today's Gospel contains a story of Simon's mother-in-law, one of those people who, if I ever get to heaven, I would love to meet. We don't even know her name, yet she is one of the first recorded healings of Jesus. It wasn't a biog splashy miracle. She was not blind, deaf or lame. She had a fever. Mark records no words she spoke, but simply tells us of her reaction: "the fever left her and she waited on them" (Mark 1: 31).
I am in awe of this woman! Here she was, the recipient of a miracle, and she simply got up and returned to what she would normally do, making sure that her daughter, Simon's wife, was able to fulfill the demands of hospitality by taking care of their visitors. No drama, no big display, simply doing what needed to be done. This speaks powerfully to me of the character of the woman.
She is, I think, a model for all of us. How wonderful it would be if we all simply and without fuss did what we were supposed to do, God's will for us. How different the world would be! I make everyone do God's will today. But I can prevent God's will from being done in the whole world. For you see if every other person in the world did God's will and I did not, God's will would not be done completely today. So I have to start and end with myself and not worry about everyone else.
My prayer this morning (and every morning) is "God, please help me see what you want me to do today. And give me the grace to just do it.

Teaching With Authority

One of the things that amazed people about Jesus was that "he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes" (Mark 1:22). The scribes were simply repeating what some of the great rabbis had taught, and did not add their own interpretation to the teaching. Jesus, on the other hand, was not quoting other rabbis, but rather explaining the scriptures directly. When you think about it, for the first time God Himself was able to explain exactly what the scriptures meant. It was kind of like having an author speak about his work directly, instead of having others discuss the book.
For this reason, the Gospels are very dear to us. We get to hear about the teachings of Jesus, which He imparted not only by word but more importantly by example. It is especially important to pay attention when you hear Jesus say "you have heard it said... but I say to you..." This is a clear indication that He is trying to correct some wrong interpretation, and so help us better understand what God wants to reveal to us.
All of this is important to consider when we are reading Scripture. We are so blessed to be able not only to read but also to own a copy of the Bible. No one in the time of Jesus could possibly have imagined a day when they would not need to have someone read God's holy word to them from a scroll. And here we are, able to read it ourselves anytime we want! Sadly, few people take advantage of this wonderful privilege, and bibles routinely sit unopened in homes all around us.
Perhaps as we begin this Ordinary (ordinal or counted) Time in the Church calendar we can recommit ourselves to read scripture more regularly. Taking 10 or 15 minutes each day to read and reflect upon passages can surely help us understand what God wants of us. And the best place to begin is really the gospels. After all, that is where Jesus teaches with authority.

Go With What You Know

Today's Gospel shows that Jesus accepted people as He found them. Mark's first chapter tells of Jesus encountering Siman and Andrew, James and John as they were busy at work. Rather than trying to explain how he wanted them to change their lives, He simply used the image of fishing to invite them to join Him: "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men" (Mark 1:17).
While it must have been intriguing to them, they certainly had no idea what they were really getting into. But by making them comfortable and using their previous experience as a basis for conversation, Jesus showed us all how to evangelize.
Some people think that they have to constantly "invite" (badger, pressure, convince) someone who is not Christian/Catholic to join the Church, as if it will be a major departure from who they have always been. But in reality, being a believer is simply becoming who we, as human being created by God, are meant to be. It is really the fulfillment of our human destiny, and so faith always builds on human experience. This is one of the reasons that we have a long period of Inquiry at the beginning of RCIA for those wishing to explore joining the Catholic Church. It gives us and them a chance to discover how everyone's life experience can lead to accepting the gift of faith that is offered.
As we interact with people each day who may not be believers, I think we need to be conscious that our words and actions can have an impact on whether or not they ever consider exploring membership in the Church as a possibility. Rather than finally giving in to pressure, the most often cited reason for people to give on why they decided to explore the RCIA is that they knew someone (relative, neighbor, friend, co-worker) who is catholic and impressed them with their quiet faith.
So, the first step to helping others come to a knowledge and love of the Church is to make sure we are demonstrating the effects of our own faith. (Remember the Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit?) Hopefully we will all try to put faith into practice each day. And then, if someone is impressed with how you handle a situation, simply respond that you use your faith and the strength that comes from being part of a community of believers to help you make decisions in your life. If they are intrigued by this, perhaps you can invite them to simply accompany you to church one day. This gentle invitation (follow me, come and see) worked well for Jesus. Maybe we should all give it a try.

I Am Well Pleased

On this Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, as we conclude the Christmas Season, I am meditating on whether or not I am likely to hear these words spoken by the Father to Jesus at His Baptism when I stand before Him for my judgment. Following up on yesterday's meditation, I need to consider just what effect my Baptism had on me. If I am conscious of the obligations and responsibilities that come from being a child of God, then I can be hopeful that I will become one of those beloved sons and daughters in whom the Father is well pleased. But it takes a lot of work and a lot of practice. That is one reason I really love the phrase "practicing Catholic". Our entire lives are spent practicing how to be a worthy member of the family of God, and I need to keep practicing each and every day.
I am using this day to reflect on how I can become a better child of God, how I can live out my baptismal responsibilities in a deeper and more meaningful way. If I continue to try each day, I hope that one day I, too will hear the words “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17).
And I pray that you will hear yourself called a beloved daughter or son as well!

Jesus the Baptist

I don't know why, but it never struck me until reading today's Gospel: Jesus baptized! I have always thought of John as the one who baptized Jesus, and then Jesus beginning His public ministry, performing miracles, forgiving sins, etc. But I never really thought about the fact that Jesus baptized people (cf. John 3:22). Imagine being baptized by the Lord Himself!
John obviously saw the writing on the wall and realized that his ministry (preparing the way) was drawing to a close. "This joy of mine has been made complete. He must increase; I must decrease.” (John 3:29b-30). I have to think that John was aware of the animosity he had created. He had to realize that his life was in jeopardy, especially after "calling out" Herod for unlawfully marrying the wife of his brother Philip (cf. Mark 6: 17ff). Despite this, he was not upset that Jesus was baptizing, realizing that both of them were doing the will of the Father.
I wonder what it must have been like for those people who were baptized by Jesus. Did they see it a symbolic of a change in their lives or just a ritual in which they participated? Did they think or act differently than those who were not baptized? Did the Lord have any expectations of them? Did their lives indeed change?
As we prepare for tomorrow's celebration of the Baptism of the Lord, I think we can ask ourselves these same questions. Did my Baptism indicate a change in my life, or was it simply a ritual? Do I think and act differently that others who are not baptized? What does God expect of me? How is my life different because I have received this gift of faith?
Especially in the U.S., where we say we place a high value on the equality of all people, it is difficult to think of those things that make us different. But if Baptism effects what philosophy refers to as an "ontological change" (i.e. a change in the very substance of the person), then all of the baptized are indeed different than those who are not baptized. This does not mean that I am more human, more worthy of respect, or more valuable than others. It DOES mean that I have greater responsibilities and obligations. I am required to treat others as brothers and sisters, as if they were Jesus. I am required to live according to certain laws (commandments, precepts, those enacted by proper authority, etc.). I have an obligation to speak, act and respond according to the teachings and example of Jesus.
Baptism, no matter who does it, does change things. Today, let's reflect on how it has changed us.

The Rest of the Story

In some ways I think I am a little like the late Paul Harvey - I want to know "the rest of the story". So often we hear of different people that Jesus interacted with, catch a glimpse of their life and then they disappear from the scene, never to be heard from again.Today's Gospel is a case in point.
Jesus cleansed a leper, told him not to tell anyone and then ordered him to “Go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.” (Luke 5:14) The next thing we hear is that the stories about Jesus were spreading even more. What happened?
This man is one of those whom, if I ever get the opportunity in heaven, I would like to meet so I can find out. Did he ever go to the temple and do as  Jesus asked? If not, why not? If so, what was the reaction of the priests? Obviously someone told about the encounter with Jesus. Was it him? The priests? The disciples?
Until I find out what happened, I often use this technique to imagine possible story lines. I try to imagine what I would do if I were the person in the passage. Today I think my tendency would have been to tell everyone I knew just what Jesus had done. I think I would see His admonition not to tell anyone merely an expression of His modesty and humility, and would probably have ignored it. Ah, but that would be also ignoring the reason that He wanted  me to go to the priests - "that will be proof for them".
And what of the consequences? Jesus was asking me to follow what was required in the law in order to establish that it was God who had done this miraculous deed. If I did not go, have myself examined by the priests so they could certify my "cleanliness" and then offer the proper sacrifice, it would be assumed that I was giving the credit to someone else. And since they did not realize that Jesus and the  Father are ONE, He would be seen as someone trying to put Himself in place of God. Could my lack of following  what Jesus asked of me have made His situation worse, thus hastening His arrest and subsequent death?
You seen whenever I do not do what the Lord asks of me (i.e. sin), there are consequences. Certainly I do not intend them. Neither, I imagine, did this former leper. But someday when I stand before the Lord all will be revealed. Until then, I pray for the strength to do what the Lord asks of  me, so that I will not be too ashamed when I finally understand "the rest of the story."

Gracious Words

 "All spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth." (Luke 4:22)
These words from today's Gospel are ones that you probably do not hear very often. Graciousness, it seems, has disappeared from public discourse and, indeed, most private conversations as well. We seem to take more pleasure from finding fault with everyone and everything, and then letting everyone within earshot know our thoughts. Maybe it was also rare in the days of the Lord, since we are told that the people were "amazed" by His words.
It might do us well to look at the roots of the very word "gracious" in order to better understand. At its heart, the word conveys the meaning of grace-filled or godly. In a world were pleasantries are often neglected, it is much less likely that our words would reflect God's presence. How sad.
I believe that we are all called to try and change this negativity that permeates our environment. And we can start by being more careful about the words we use in our everyday speech. Whenever someone begins gossiping about another, add something positive about that person to the conversation. When you visit someone or someone comes to visit you, make a special effort to keep the conversation positive. Don't give in to the temptation to engage in the petty complaining that can seem so easy. And speak often of how God is acting in your life, sharing with others the great things He has done for you.
Perhaps today we can try and allow only gracious words escape our lips. And you know what? People will be amazed!

God is Love

It is very fitting that on the Feast of St. John Neumann we hear the beautiful words of the First letter of John "God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him" (1 John 4:14). This "little bishop" was certainly not a great administrator. As fourth bishop of Philadelphia, he was considered by many to be an organizational disaster. But he understood that he was first and foremost to be the presence of God in the lives of people. And so he went about trying to show them that God was present by loving them. He had special care for the many immigrants who were part of his vast diocese, traveling for weeks to different areas to minister to them, usually in their own language. Himself an immigrant, Neumann knew that God is not limited by borders or language, but rather shows Himself whenever love is present. And love knows no boundaries, save those we put on expressing it.
Many people believe that evangelization is a complicated task. Shouldn't you have programs, classes, resources? On the contrary, I think that St. John Neumann showed that it is really very simple. What we need to do is start loving more. Once we do this, God becomes present and then it is much easier to unfold the truths of the faith to those who have been enveloped by this Love. No, the evangelizing is not difficult. The difficult part is loving, because it involves a risk.
Are we willing to take that risk? Are we willing to love the stranger? The newcomer? The immigrant? The homeless person? the nasty neighbor? the clerk at the store? The driver who cuts us off?
If we can love the other, they experience God, whether they know it or not. And once you experience God, you are never the same.
Thousands of people were changed by the "little bishop" of Philadelphia, because he loved them. As you think of the many people you love, I hope you realize that this love that binds you together is God. And as you think about it, please share your love with others, so that they too may experience God. Remember: Love makes God present, because God is Love!

Give Them Some Food Yourselves

I love this line from today's Gospel! When the disciples came to Jesus and asked them to dismiss the crowd since it was late and they did not have food, His response was "Give them some food yourselves" (Mark 6: 37). It is the response of the Supreme Delegator. There are so many times when people ask us to pray for them. So we do and then wait for a response. When we do not get the answer we expect, we tend to say the God did not answer my prayers. Instead, what happens most often is that God says to us "Do it yourself".

Our problem is that we do not have enough faith to believe that God will give us what we need to do it ourselves. The disciples showed us the way. Even though they knew that they did not have enough food themselves, they did as instructed and had the people sit down. When they took that "leap of faith" and began to distribute what they did have, they found that there was, indeed, enough. God made sure that they had whet they needed to do His will!
Today's Feast of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton is a great example of one who did just that. A convert and widowed mother of five, Elizabeth saw a need for the education of children of the poor, and she did something about it! Elizabeth was able to establish a religious community in Emmitsburg, Maryland dedicated to the care of these children. It was the first religious community of non-cloistered Religious Sisters to be founded in the United States, and its school was the first free Catholic school in America.
Each day of our lives God gives us opportunities to make a difference. Perhaps none of us will do anything as grand as begin a religious congregation, or start a school, but the impact can be just a great on the people we meet. Whether it is helping a child learn to ride a bike, bringing soap and shampoo to a shelter, or holding the door for someone struggling with packages, we can become the means by which God answers their prayers. So the next time someone ask you to pray for something they need, consider whether or not God may be saying to you "Give them some food yourself!"

Beyond the Jordan

Just as we heard about the child Jesus being revealed to the Gentiles and the Magi returning to their homes yesterday, today in Matthew's Gospel (Mt. 4: 12-17, 23-25) we hear about His preaching as an adult to the Gentiles. What was foreseen in the child is fulfilled in the man. His initial message picked up where John the Baptist left off: repent. But Jesus went further. In fact, Matthew tells us in a very obvious way that "great crowds from beyond the Jordan followed him." News of John's arrest did not deter the Lord, but rather made Him go even further in His preaching.
I was meditating on the comparison between then and now, and between Jesus' reaction to difficult news and mine. As a priest in the Diocese of Wilmington, I am naturally horrified by the stories of the sexual abuse of minors by several priests that occurred decades ago. Because of a change in the law here in Delaware, we are now facing the painful consequences of these actions, with the very real possibility of parishes and schools being forced to close in order to compensate the victims of these terrible acts.
There is a natural tendency to be extremely angry at those who caused this situation. I find it difficult to think charitably toward priests who so horribly abused the trust of so many. This could easily lead me to a cynicism and perhaps make me withdraw from becoming close to the people I serve, either from a sense of shame or out of a desire to insure that no one will project onto me the sins of these few bad priests.
But then, when I see what the Lord did, I realize that I can only continue to try and do what God has set out for me to accomplish each day. I have to redouble my efforts to atone for the sins of these men and make sure that people see in me a sign of God's love. If I let myself be disillusioned by the bad news that seems to be in the papers every day, I would be allowing myself and my parishioners to also be victimized by these men.
And so I must do what Jesus did and go beyond the Jordan. I must continue my ministry, my mission and go even further in spreading the Good News, so that others do not become depressed and give in to the temptation to withdraw from parish, Church, even God. I must go beyond this Jordan of shame for the actions of bad priests and give people the opportunity to discover the truths and beauty which I know are contained in our faith.
How about you? What do you have to get beyond? What's your Jordan?

A Light to the Nations

Today's is the Feast of Epiphany, when we remember the Magi who came from afar to visit the newborn Christ. We know very little about them from scripture. For instance, we do not know where they came from, or even how many of them there were. We do know that they presented three gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh. We also know that they were following the sign in the sky - a star that somehow showed them where to go.
We know that they took this as a sign that there was a newborn king. Imagine their surprise when they arrived at Herod's palace and found out they were at the wrong place! Then, when they were directed to go to Bethlehem, the star confirmed this as the correct location. Coming to the place where this poor child was, they continues to do the will of God and presented their gifts. How strange that must have been for Mary and Joseph! They most likely had only seen the gold that adorned the temple when they went to Jerusalem. Likewise, people of their humble means would only have seen the priests using incense in the temple. And most strange of all, myrrh was used to prepare dead bodies for burial. Who would give that to a child?!
I have often wondered what happened to the Magi when they returned home. Imagine everyone's surprise when they told of the strange voyage. They must have told family and friends of the reason for their trip, and then when they get back home they would have been asked a lot of questions. Did you find the new king in a great palace? Uhh... not exactly. It was a stable. Was it in a big and important city? Mmmmm.. hardly. Bethlehem was a real small and unimportant town. Surely he was surrounded by important people and a lot of servants. Well.... not quite. Though there were shepherds... and a lot of animals.
I can only imagine that the people were not impressed with the tale. But I wonder if, years later, some of those same friends and relatives of the Magi heard about the Man who was crucified and rose from the dead. I wonder if, when they heard about Jesus, they put the two stories together and realized that the child the Magi visited was the same man who died and rose?
On this Feast of the Epiphany, I pray that each of us will realize the difference we can make if we simply do God's will, even if it does not make sense. The Magi probably did not think it made much sense to go to all that trouble and then find the baby not in a great palace surrounded by servants, but in a stable surrounded by the poor and lowly. But that is what God wanted, and that is what they did. Imagine what could happen if we do what God asks of us? May this new year find each of us doing Go's will, no matter how small or seemingly unimportant, each day. And so we will help reveal the Light to the Nations, just as the Magi did long ago.

Such Humility

When we look at the story of Christmas, there are many different players in this drama that we could describe as humble. Today's Gospel (Luke 2:16-21) speaks of the shepherds who visited the Christ child and relayed the message of the angels. We are told that "All who heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds." I wonder if they were more amazed by the message or the messengers, since shepherds were not considered to be very important people. Imagine the fear and trepidation they must have felt, being entrusted with such a message. Yet they accomplished what God asked of them, and to this day we cannot think of the story of the birth of Christ without shepherds.
Mary, too, showed great humility throughout. From the moment the angel first announced God's plan to her, she accepted that she would play a major part in the events that would unfold. And to be entrusted with teaching God Himself how to live as a human being, how to walk, talk, relate to others, etc. This must have been truly humbling for her. Joseph, too, showed great humility, putting his plans aside to follow the will of God and help raise His Son, treating Him as his own.
I believe, however, that the one who showed the most humility was God Himself. The King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Mighty God and Prince of Peace decided to put aside  all of the power and glory that was His right and experience life as a human being. In doing so He would  need to learn all that any other human child has to learn from parents and others. The created teaching the Creator. And in doing so, He elevated the status  of every human being, embracing us as His brothers and sisters.
As we begin 2011, I hope that we too can embrace the will of  God with great humility, following the examples of these participants in the Incarnation miracle. If we are able to do so, I believe that we can hope to end this year a little closer to God, and much more the  person God  wants  us to be.
Happy New Year everyone, and Merry Christmas - still!

Pitching His Tent

The so-called "Prologue" of John's Gospel tells the story of the Incarnation in a very different manner. No angels, shepherds, magi, nor even Mary and Joseph. After establishing the second person of the Trinity as "The Word", John states the profound reality that "the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us". The original Greek language of verse 14 (Καὶ ὁ λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο καὶ ἐσκήνωσεν ἐν ἡμῖν) is more correctly translated to read "And the word became flesh and pitched his tent among us".
I love this image, especially considering the nomadic history of the chosen people. To pitch a tent with others implies that the person is ready to live as they do, depending on one another for the basic necessities of life. And this is exactly what God did. Jesus become totally dependent on others, at first Mary and Joseph, and then later His friends and disciples.
Just as Jesus was dependent on others for the daily necessities as He walked the earth, so too the Word needs us to provide the  means by which He interacts with people today. As we approach the conclusion our Christmas Octave and also the conclusion of another calendar year, I offer you this beautiful passage by St. Teresa of Avila (1515–1582).

Christ has no body but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
Compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are his body.
Christ has no body now but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.

 I pray that these words will guide us as we work to bring The Word to those we meet during the new year.

Still Christmas

One of the great tragedies in modern life is that we tend to rush everything. Even before Thanksgiving, stores have Christmas decorations up and are hawking their wares with a countdown until Christmas. And then, on December 26, you would think that Christmas had ended a month ago. I took my mother to do some shopping the other day and the only mention of the season was from one clerk who wished us a Happy New Year.
When I wished people a "Merry Christmas", they looked at me as if I had lost my mind. "Doesn't this guy realize that Christmas was two days ago!" they seemed to be thinking.
I for one am glad that the Church spreads out our celebration of Christmas Day over an Octave (8 days), and that we extend the Christmas Season until the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord (this year celebrated on January 9). I just wish that more people would embrace this idea and keep the joy and good wishes for the entire time. I mean, how amazing is it that God decided to "take on flesh" and experience the full range of humanity in the person of Jesus Christ! The celebration of the birth of the Son of God is a recognition that our God knows firsthand what it is like to experience joy, sorrow, triumph, disgrace, pleasure, pain and the entire spectrum of emotional and physical experiences as a human being. The only human experience that Jesus never had was the shame that comes from sin, since He always did the will of the Father.
I for one am determined to keep the spirit of Christmas alive until the season is officially over, and I invite you to join me. Whenever you go to a store, see friends, or encounter anyone in any circumstance, take the opportunity to wish them a "Merry Christmas". If they look at you like you are a little crazy, oh well - there are far worse reasons to be thought of as crazy. And if they ask why you are still wishing people Merry Christmas, explain that "we Catholics celebrate Christmas all the way up until the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord". They may still think you are crazy, but at least they will know you are not alone! Don't give in to the "get it over with" mentality. Embrace the true spirit of the season. Merry Christmas, everybody.

My Own Eyes

One of the people in the Bible that appears for a brief moment and then disappears is Simeon. We are told in Luke's Gospel that he was promised by God that he would not die until he had seen the "Christ of the Lord". When he saw Jesus as He was to be presented in the Temple, he declared words that are prayed by millions of religious, priests, deacons and lay people every day in the official Night Prayer of the Church:

 "Lord, now let your servant go in peace;
your word has been fulfilled:
my own eyes have seen the salvation
which you prepared in the sight of every people,
a light to reveal you to the nations
and the glory of your people Israel"

As I was praying these words last night, knowing that they were part of today's Gospel, I pondered if I really meant them. Have my own eyes seen the salvation? How was God's words revealed in my life today? These are questions which, I believe, I need to keep in front of me as I go about my daily routine. How will God reveal Himself to me today? Will I be more aware of the fact that Jesus has saved me?
Going one step further, if I am called to be an "imitator of Christ", I must try and be that light which reveals God's presence to others. I must strive to fulfill God's word to others as they see in my words and actions the promised for salvation which is offered to all.
That is a lot to look for, a lot to strive for each day. But, when you think about it, God created us with the ability to see it with our own eyes if we try and see as He does.

When the Innocent Suffer

Today's Feast of the Holly Innocents recalls the terrible massacre ordered by Herod as recorded in Matthew's gospel. Even though they had done no wrong, in an effort to kill the Christ Child, Herod ordered all of the boys under the age of two in Bethlehem and the vicinity to be killed. And by then Joseph had already fled the country with Mary and  Jesus!
We all realize that this was a terrible thing, and the modern-day plague of abortion is often compared to the slaughter of the Holy Innocents. But we must always look to see how scripture applies to our own lives. Since I have never been involved in abortion, what does today's feast say to me personally?
I guess I am challenged to see if innocent people sometimes suffer because of my words or decisions. Whether involving family, friends, co-workers or strangers, how do the things I say and do impact the lives of those around me? It would certainly be very "Herod-like" to think that any decision of mine makes no difference in the lives of others. No matter how personal I believe my decisions to be, or how trivial my words, others can benefit or suffer because  of them. For example: Yesterday was my mother's birthday, and I decided to take here out to dinner. I chose a certain restaurant because she likes it, and I also love the food there. Because of the weather and Christmas Season, there were only a few other people at the restaurant. That simple choice I made impacted the lives of the server and other staff at the restaurant in a big way. Fortunately for them, it was a good impact (I am a generous tipper!). But what about the staff at the other restaurant I was considering? My decision NOT to go there impacted them in a negative way. They were the "innocents" who suffered in a small way by my decision.
Now this may not have changed anyone's life, but it did make a difference. We cannot and should not agonize over each and every decision we make, but certainly there are times when we need to think about the consequences of our decisions. If we blithely go through life thinking only of ourselves, we fail to realize our importance in God's plan. A word or gesture from you or I may be exactly what God wants to use to change someone's life. But the devil also wants to use them to impact someone in a negative way. Today we ask God to help us think before we speak or act, so we can try and prevent anyone from becoming a "wholly innocent" person who suffers because of us.

An Empty Tomb

In the midst of our celebration of the birth of Christ, when we try to spread the "reason for the season", the Church reminds us of the reason for the birth. Today's Gospel tells the story of Easter morning, the day when those first disciples saw the empty tomb and received proof that Jesus was, indeed, the Promised One. From birth to Resurrection, the presence on earth of the Word  Made Flesh was for our sake. When He was a child, preaching, performing miracles, praying, confronting evil and undergoing the  Passion, Death and Resurrection, Jesus gave us an example of living according to the will of the Father. As a result of His doing so, we have been saved.
It is always important that we know where we are going, to have the goal in mind. Our own "resurrection", when we will rise on the last day for the final judgment, is something we should never forget as we go about our daily work. Some people may find it morbid to think about it, but we should live each day thinking about our death. How different the world would be if everyone pondered their mortality. So today I hope you will think about how you will reach the goal. How can you live today that will help you get to heaven? As you do so, remember that what you do today may be what people remember most about you, for good or ill, when you are gone.
I often tell folks that there are very few things you can absolutely guarantee. But one thing is definite. If  you live every day as if it was your last day on earth, someday you will be right!

We Are Family

As we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family, my thoughts turn to the state of families today. So many bemoan the collapse of the "traditional" family. I must say that I am not one of them. Just what is a "traditional" family anyway? And exactly which configuration of family cannot look to the Holy Family and find themselves?
Unmarried and pregnant? Check. Newly married and struggling? Check. Living far away from family and friends? Check. Step-parent? Check. Parents raising child(ren)? Check. Widowed? Check. Single parent left to finish raising child? Check. Empty-nester? Check. Single young adult living from hand to mouth? Parent despairing over "lifestyle" choice of child? Check. Adult child responsible for parent(s)? Check. Grieving parent of a deceased child? Check. Alone in the world and have to depend on others to survive? Check.
The one thing that I believe we can all take from the Holy Family's example is that, no matter our circumstance or state in life, if we always try to do the will of God, we will be OK. If you find yourself in changing circumstances, ask yourself "What does God want me to do?" It may not be the easiest thing, but I guarantee you it will always be the right thing. And ask Joseph, Mary and Jesus to help you.  And they will ask the Father to give you the grace you need, just as they received it. After all, because of Jesus, by virtue of our Baptism, we too are part of the Holy Family!

A Child is Born for Us

Wrapping paper everywhere! That is what millions of living rooms look like this morning! Now that Santa has come and gone, people will be welcoming family and friends or traveling to visit others. In the midst of all this, as we prepare for a Christmas feast, it is so wonderful to welcome our sisters and brothers to the real stable - the table of the Lord. Think about it. These twenty-four hours see more people go to church than any other throughout the year. And all are there, even if they cannot put it into words, to honor the Child who was born for and given to us. The  first and most important Christmas present, not given by Santa but by God Himself, was the Christ Child.
As you continue your celebration this day, I pray that God will shower blessings upon you. With each gift you give or receive, say a quick prayer for the giver or recipient. Ask God to help them keep the true  meaning of this day foremost in their  minds. And know that God, the ultimate "re-gifter", continues to give you the first and best Christmas Gift - His Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Merry Christmas, everyone!

Silent Night

Silent night, holy night, all is calm?
Christmas Eve is always a challenge for me. In a parish with 5 Masses in two churches 15 miles apart, it is difficult to try and experience silence, holiness or calmness. Fortunately there are two of us assigned to the parish, and my brother priest is a real workhorse. It is also a bittersweet day for my family, since my father died 28 years ago today. I still have my mom, and she always  spends a few days with me as we remember the past, celebrate the present and look forward  to the  future.
With all of this, I finally get to experience the true meaning when I finally gather with parishioners at the  table of the Lord for Christmas Eve Mass. And I do not think I am alone in this. You can actually see the entire congregation relax as our thoughts and attention turn to the beauty of what happened long ago in Bethlehem. Forgotten are the tasks yet to be done, and for those precious moments we are united in the experience of God's great love. I am not surprised that more people go to church at Christmas than at any other time of the year. Despite the commercialization of the season, people of faith still are aware of the "reason for the season", and as much as church may not mean much to some during the  rest of the year, you cannot get the full experience of Christmas without sitting in a Church and singing "Silent Night" or other hymns that speak of the events long ago.
My prayer for each of you is that you will experience this unity with believers throughout the world, and that Christmas will find you able to appreciate the  beauty of this Silent Night.

They Had No Idea

I wonder what those who were present at the circumcision of John (the Baptist) thought years later. When they witnessed all of the wonderful signs surrounding the coming of this child into the world, they sure that the "hand of the Lord" was with him. They probably speculated that he would turn out to be an important man, perhaps a leader of their community. Maybe they even wondered if he could be THE ONE.
Flash forward thirty or so years, and we find John living in the desert, feasting on locusts and wild honey, ranting and raving about repentance. Wow! Not exactly what they were thinking at his birth. But that is because they were thinking in human terms, just like we do. No one of us would want our child to aspire to the kind of life John lived. Rejected, made fun of, imprisoned and finally beheaded. But we forget - that was the path that God laid out for him. That was the way that John fulfilled God's will. And that was the way that John made it to heaven. Certainly not easy, certainly not pretty, but clearly he fulfilled God's will. And today he is revered as a great saint.
Funny thing about sainthood. It is usually not an easy path, usually not pretty. But it is always marked by doing God's will. As we succumb to the hustle and bustle of Christmas, we need to remember that God indeed does have a plan for each of us. And the end of each and every one of those plans is sainthood - eternal happiness with Him. So we also have to remember to try and ask ourselves each day "What does God want for me today?" "What is God's will for me?"
We also have no idea where it will lead us in life or how difficult it will be. All we can be sure of is, doing God's will here will definitely lead us to sainthood!
I will try to post during these  next few days, but no guarantees due to the very full schedule. To all who stop by and receive any of These Simple Gifts that I offer, Thank You and Merry Christmas!

Proclaiming the Greatness of the Lord

Mary's Song of Praise, the Magnificat, is one of the most well-known and often used hymns contained in scripture. As part of the Evening Prayer of the Church (from the Liturgy of the Hours), it is repeated every day by religious men and women, deacons and priests throughout the world. Yet I wonder how many of us strive to live the words - to really proclaim the greatness of the Lord?
When you examine the words, contained in today's Gospel, Mary does not simply generalize and declare that "God is great". No, she list the ways that she witnesses that greatness. He has mercy, he shows strength, he scatters, he casts down, he lifts up, he fills, he sends away, he helps, he remembers.. all of these are actions that God does in the world around Mary. Now, most others did not even recognize that this was happening. They would have probably even denied that these things were being accomplished. But Mary was able to look beyond the obvious difficulties and oppression under which she was living. She saw that, even if in small ways, God was in control, despite the best efforts of humans.
My reflections today brought me to a place where I began examining my own attitude about the world. It is so easy to see the problems and challenges, to see the sin. But does this mean that God is not acting in our world? Of course not! It simply means that the devil has been distracting us from seeing the greatness, seeing the many things that "God, who is mighty" is doing in and around us.
Today I think we are being called to imitate Mary. Today I think we are being called upon to bear witness to the "greatness of the Lord". God is always doing great things for us. How many can you spot today? And to whom will you proclaim it?

A Visitation

Today's Gospel details what we have come to call the "Visitation", when Mary traveled to see Elizabeth after hearing news of her pregnancy.  I began to think about the power and benefits of visiting. When I was a child, we always took the week between Christmas and New Year to visit relatives and close friends. The patterns of these visits became the stuff of family legend, as most traditions do. It would begin with my father's speech in the car on the way to visit. The speech would vary a little, depending on whether or not there were children who would be there or not. The usual "Make sure to give so and so a kiss, don't ask for anything until it is offered, say thank you and only take one" would be added reminders on how to play with the other children who would be there. And always ending with the admonishment "When I say we are going home, don't argue!"
The purpose of these visits was to reaffirm our relationships. Whether great aunt or uncle, third cousin once removed, former neighbor or school chum of my mother, we always knew that, at least at Christmas, we would be able to reconnect and re-establish our ties. And I still cherish those memories today.
Unfortunately, in the age of Facebook, IM's and text messaging, a lot of people do not bother to visit in person anymore. Some do not see relatives for years on end, not because of great distance but simply because of lack of will.
I believe that, as we prepare for another Christmas Season, it would be a good idea to try and plan some face-to-face visits. Take an evening or two and plan a get -together with relatives or friends you have not seen in a while. And I am not talking about a party with a lot of people. Simply an old-fashioned visit  in your or their home. This will give you sufficient time to have a meaningful conversation and find out about your lives, reconnecting with one another and deepening the bonds of love and friendship. I believe it would be a great way to celebrate the spirit of the season.
So, how about it? Want to plan your own visitation?

Angels Everywhere!

It is impossible to read about the events surrounding the conception and birth of the Lord without stumbling on angels. These messengers from God appear to be everywhere! Zechariah, Mary, Joseph, shepherds, magi - everyone seemed to be receiving messages through these servants of God. Today's Gospel speaks of the encounter Mary had with Gabriel. One of the things that strikes me is that Mary does not seemed to be surprised by the visit, simply "troubled at what was said". I think I would have been more than a little freaked out by the presence of this heavenly messenger!
As the story continues, it seems like a normal exchange between two individuals. You could almost forget that one of them was not human. The puzzlement and questioning of Mary is given a reasoned response, and then Mary decides to comply with the request of God. Having done his job, Gabriel "departed from her".
I cannot but think that it would be great to have these angels to facilitate communication with God today. I dream sometimes that God simply sends one to ask me to do what God wants, rather than having to figure it out by myself. Ah, but then I read other parts of scripture and realize that, even with angels as messengers, doing what God wants is not usually easy, and even if you clearly know what it is you are being asked to do, that is no guarantee you will do it. Whether it was Jacob wrestling with the angel, or Zechariah not believing that what that same angel Gabriel said to him, the messenger does not guarantee acceptance of the message.
So, if angels are not being used by God to communicate with us today, how is He trying to get His message across to us? We can find the answer in the Incarnation itself. Once God took on flesh, we had more than mere words to tell us how to live. We had the example of Christ Himself. And God made sure we would not lose the example by inspiring those Evangelists to guard the precious stories of Jesus' time on earth and pass them on to future generations - first my word of mouth and eventually in written form. And so we can now open Sacred Scriptures whenever we are wondering what God wants us to do and read about the decisions Christ made, how He treated people, how He responded to situations, and discover in that example what God wants us to do.
It may not be the direct words of an angel, but it is even more powerful when we consider that it is God Himself showing us how to live!

God With Us

The Name "Emmanuel" means, we are told in today's Gospel, "God is with us." It is really amazing when you think about it. God decided that, in order to better understand us, He would "become like us in all things but sin". Imagine, for the first time, God would know what it it like to be cold, hungry, thirsty, lonely for human contact, and how human beings tried to relate to the Father. We sometimes think that Jesus, even though fully human, did not have to learn and grow, at time through mistakes. Certainly he stumbled and fell while learning to walk. Certainly he sometimes hit his thumb when driving a nail. Certainly he hurt when other children made fun of him of pulled pranks on him. And God got to know us as never before.
I think that is why God may be so patient with us; why Jesus left us a wonderful sacrament (Reconciliation) that would help us start over again and try to get our side of the relationship right. There is a popular saying that you never know someone until you walk a mile in his shoes. God did just that! and because of the Incarnation, the relationship between us has never been the same. And so, when we try and think about doing the will of God, we have a wonderful model in Jesus Himself. He was understandably looking for an easier way, but still did what the Father wanted. "Take this cross away from me, but not my will, but yours be done." We can do no better than to try and learn from Him. Jesus proved that a human being can do the will of the Father, even when difficult or seemingly impossible. And He tapped into the wonderful grace that the Father willingly bestowed and wished to bestow on us.In these final days before Christmas,  I pray that we will try and do the same, as we strive to do the Father's will in our daily lives.

True Justice

We are given a beautiful lesson in the difference between justice and legality in today's Gospel. The law would have allowed Joseph several options regarding the surprising announcement of Mary's pregnancy. Since they were  betrothed and legally bound, Joseph could have publicly denounced Mary and correctly stated that the child was not his. Consequences could have ranged all the way up to stoning, since it would have been considered adultery. Joseph, however, did not want to go that public route. After deciding to "divorce her quietly", he was visited by an angel who revealed that the child was conceived through the Holy Spirit". As a result of this, Joseph did what was just, rather than legally permissible. He took Mary as his wife and raised Jesus as his own son.
I was wondering how many times I have used the law to try and justify my actions, even when true  justice clearly would guide me to another decision? In fact, I believe this may be one of the worst failings of modern times: law has trumped justice, instead of the other way around. It is normal to hear people, whether attorneys, politician or even Church officials, speak of "just following the law" in defending their decisions or actions. Even among friends and neighbors, conversations are more  likely to revolve around what is permissible by law, rather than what is right and just.
Somehow we have to change our starting point. rather than beginning with what human laws permit, mandate or forbid, we should realize that God's law is the foundation and starting point. If we, as individuals who have to make decisions, begin by asking the question "What is the just thing to do" or "Which is the most just decision", we will start to change things, one person at a time. True, we are all called to follow the law of the land, but we are also called to resist or try to change unjust laws. Perhaps if we accustom ourselves to looking for justice in our personal dealings with others, we might find the strength and wisdom to examine public laws to make them more about justice and less about revenge.

The Family Tree

Today's Gospel gives us a piece of our spiritual family tree. As ancestors of Jesus, the genealogy gives us glimpses into the many and varied people who helped pass faith in God on to their descendants. Whether or not all of the "begats" are historically accurate or not, the point that is made is nonetheless true: we all owe our faith to those who came before us and passed it on.
I have often reflected on the fact that, if it was possible to accurately trace backward the faith that my parents passed on to me, I would eventually be able to find out the one who physically heard the Good News from Jesus Christ Himself! And this is true for each one of us. Somewhere in our past, a person heard the very words of Jesus, and they told someone who told someone who told someone... until my parents told me. How amazing is that!
I think that, as we approach the fourth Sunday of Advent and look forward to celebrating the coming of the Word Made Flesh, it might be a good idea to offer prayers of thanks to all those people who are the reason that we know about Jesus and have faith in Him. And some day we can look forward to meeting each and every one of them, when fulfill our destiny and enter the Kingdom.
Until then, we should also realize that our job is to pass the faith on to others and take our place in the family tree of God. So, whose faith will you "begat" today?

Changing Your Mind

As I listened to today's first reading from chapter 54 of Isaiah, I pondered the idea of God changing His mind. This occurred multiple ties in the Old Testament, but never seems to get much consideration today. As I continued my meditation, I wondered if God simply had to learn how to relate to humans by trial and error, just as humans have to learn to relate to God the same way. Perhaps this was one of the greatest benefits of the Incarnation - God became human and experienced first-hand what it means. The Incarnate Word, Jesus, had to learn how to relate to the Father as a human being, and so God learned totally and completely how to relate to human beings. If, in this process, God could change His mind, what about us?
Sometimes we are so stubborn and unbending, refusing to reconsider our position. Whether it is about politics, ecclesiology or the way we wash clothes, we sometimes refuse to change, even when confronted with failure or proof of a better way of doing it. "Those who refuse to learn from their mistakes are doomed to repeat them" is unfortunately ignored by many people, especially when it comes to prayer. So many of us continue to pray in the same way we did as children. Think about it. Do we relate to anyone in the same way now as we did when we were a child? Even with parents, although we never cease to be their child, the relationship and ways of communicating shift and change as we grow and mature. If this is true, what about our relationship with God?  A Lot of people communicate with God as if they were 7 years old, and then wonder why it doesn't seem to work. God forbid anyone suggest a new and different way of praying. "I've prayed this way all my life and I am not about to change!" And then, when they refuse to change their mind, they cannot understanding why they continue to have the same result. This is a recipe for failure if ever I saw one.
The bottom line is: if God could change His mind and learn how to relate better to people, why can't we? If we really want to relate to God in a deeper, more beneficial way, changing our mind may just be the best thing we can do.

Half-Empty or Half-Full?

If you watch the news, read the paper or peruse the online blogs, you might get the idea that there is nothing very good going on in the world. Bad news and pessimism seem to be everywhere. If it is not the economy, then it is crime, global warming, health-care or a myriad of other issues that many believe point to the decline of civilization. I guess this is nothing really new, but the rapid manner of disseminating such bad news has multiplied its impact.
 If you ask people how things are going, odds are you will hear a litany of depressing observations. There was a popular saying a while back. "There are two kinds of people: those who see the glass half-empty, and those who see it half-full." It seems that now there are more people who see the glass as cracked and leaking like a sieve! Perhaps the Lord was afraid of this same reaction when the two disciples of John came to see Him. Rather than take a chance that they would report to John what was not working, in today's Gospel we hear Him instruct them “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the good news proclaimed to them." It is as if He wanted to make sure they saw the good things that were happening.
Maybe we need to stop once in a while and look at the good things that are happening around us as well. It always amazes me when I watch the number of gifts that pour into our parish at this time of year for the "Giving Tree". Hundreds of people respond to this request to assist those in need provide Christmas gifts for their loved ones, and this is just in one parish! How many other wonderful things are happening, and not just at Christmas time, but all through the year? Of course you will not usually hear about them in the media. It is much easier (and profitable) to report the bad news. I believe this is the work of the devil, since he does not want people to realize that God is with us (which by the way, is the title given to Jesus: Emmanuel).
I must confess, I fall into the same trap at times when I am with friends or acquaintances. Too often I find myself going along with the conversations that focus on what is wrong with people, situations, the world. As a believer who is supposed to imitate Christ, I know that this is not what I should be doing. I need to refocus my efforts to follow His example. If there is to be a change in the world's view, I have to change my own view of the world.
I need to remind myself each day to focus on what is right, rather than what is wrong. When others around me complain about things, I need to see how God can work with the situation. There are plenty of people who will try and convince us that God is not part of our lives. It is up to each of us to remind others that God is present - all we have to do is look for Him... and expect to see Him.

Principled or Stubborn?

No one could ever say that the Lord did not stick to His principles. And, since they were always grounded in the will of the Father, His principles cannot seriously be questioned. Today, however, He makes a very clear statement about stubbornness. The parable about the two sons is powerful. When asked by the father to go out and work, the first says "No". He then takes the time to think about it and goes out to work in the vineyard. The second readily says "Yes". He, however, ignores the entire matter and never does what he said he would. The Lord clearly points out the virtue in re-thinking things and changing one's mind in order to do what is right.
This parable could easily have been written today. Perhaps the Lord would use "go do your homework" instead of "go out and work in the vineyard", but the point would be understood just as easily.  The reactions would also be the same. One would just say what he/she thought the parent wanted to hear and go on doing whatever, and the other would resist at first but then re-consider and do it.
It is sometimes difficult to admit we may be wrong and re-think our position. For some, it is almost impossible. When my pride gets in the way, I resort to stubbornness, resulting in thinking that "I know better than anyone else", or "I am too old to change, this is the way I am". When we think that way, it also usually means we have no good reason that we can articulate, so we simply hunker down and decide to stick to our guns.
Fortunately, Jesus always gently encourages us to look at our decisions and ways of living and see if we need to adjust them in order to be more in conformity with God's will. Even though sinless, Jesus was as much likely to make human mistakes as anyone else. And He needed to adjust and change with the circumstances. We don't need to look any further than Judas to see the truth of that!
So, what about me? Am I willing to admit mistakes and try to correct them? Can I adjust decisions, ways of doing things, relationships, etc. that may not be according to the will of God? It would be much easier to simply fall into the trap (temptation, really) of thinking "I am fine, I am right, I am standing on my principles and will not change, so everyone else better get used to it."
The questions is: Am I being principled, or stubborn?

Proper Authority

In its basic form, authority refers to that which most influences someone. The "influence" is often received as a command or order, even though free will is still functioning. In today's Gospel, Jesus seeks to turn the tables on his questioners. When they ask “By what authority are you doing these things? And who gave you this authority?", Jesus tries to get them to identify the source of John's authority. In doing so, He puts them in a dilemma, since they will have to admit their own point of view and accept the consequences.
It is the same with us. We sometimes are put in a dilemma, since there are different "authorities" that can influence us in different directions. For example, the government may say one thing about capital punishment or abortion, and God may say quite another. Some people try to compromise, but that is never satisfactory ("I am personally opposed to abortion, but...").Others go to the extreme of trying to impose their own authority by force rather than reason ("because I said so!").
We are challenged today to identify the primary and fundamental source of authority for our decisions and actions. On what do we base them? What or Who influences us in our daily lives, especially in important matters? For every believer, if God is not the source, we have to question whether or not we can call ourselves believers. As Catholics, we believe that all authority comes from God. Whether government or church, only God has authority by His very nature, since He is creator and sustain-er of all. And when we allow God to influence our actions and decisions, when we place ourselves under His authority, we have the best chance of success. How will we measure our success? Certainly not by popularity, prestige or power on earth - Jesus had none of these. No, for us success will be achieved when we hear "Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the inheritance prepared for you from the beginning of time." And then we iwll know that we listened to and followed the proper Authority!

Greatness is Relative

Who do you think is the greatest person living today? I imagine that responses to this question would be as varied as colors you will find in a paint store. Everyone would have a different idea of what constitutes greatness. Some would think of athletes, others world leaders, others religious figures, others friends or family members. One of the things that can happen when we consider who is "great" is that we may become depressed, especially when we look at our own lives next to theirs.
In today's gospel, Jesus identifies the greatest person who had ever lived up to that time "(among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist"). His admiration of John is amazing, and I wonder what John must have thought if he heard reports of this comment. Imagine, the Son of God saying that you were the greatest human being ever born!
Ah, but Jesus did not stop there. He continued his reflection with the pronouncement that "the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” Definitely puts things into perspective! Even though it might seem to be a put-down, it is really a wonderfully hopeful statement. It means that each and every human being, no matter what their station in life, can become greater that the greatest person in this world. You and I, even if no one seems to pay much attention to us, has the raw material to become great. The question is, how much effort will we put into it? All of those who are recognized as great athletes, world leaders, religious figures, etc. have put in a lot of work to get where they are. It takes years of tremendous effort and sacrifice to become great. If we have the possibility of becoming great in the kingdom of heaven, we must also expect to work at it.
What sort of work should we expect to do? Jesus also provides the answer to this. "Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.' Then the righteous will answer him and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?' And the king will say to them in reply, 'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.'" (Matthew 25:34-40).
This, then, is our strategy for greatness. Are you ready to implement it? How much do you want to enter the kingdom of heaven?

La Guadalupana

For a lot of people, the celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a relatively recent occurrence. "I don't remember hearing about this feast when I was young" is a common comment I hear from parishioners. While the celebration of this Patroness of the Americas may be new to some folks, she has been revered for more than 450 years under this title. And thankfully the devotion is growing in the United States, even beyond the expansion of Spanish-speaking members of our parishes.
One of the things I love most about this particular apparition of Mary is the way she was careful about presenting herself in a way that would be comfortable to Juan Diego. This humble man, who is now a canonized saint, was not sure exactly who she was at first, but because of her patience and gentle manner, came to realize her identity and spent his life spreading devotion to his "Morenita". Reflecting on this wonderful care that Mary showed, it made me wonder how careful I am to present faith in a way that makes it most desirable to people.
We sometimes have a "take it or leave it" attitude regarding our faith. If people are not comfortable with the way we worship or the way we express our beliefs, oh well, that is their problem. Mary showed a different way. She certainly did not appear to Juan Diego with the attitude "This is me and you'd better accept how I look". No, she knew that if she appeared as a native, pregnant woman he would be comfortable listening to her and accepting her message. And she was right!
Today I want to try to be more conscious of my manner when interacting with people. I have to be the first to love, so I need to be sure that the way I approach them and speak with them is such that they will be comfortable and open to what God wants me to bring to them. My "agenda" should always and everywhere be to do the best I can to be the presence of Christ to others. And to do this, I have to put myself in the background and let the love of God shine through. As scripture says, "He must increase while I must decrease." (John 3:30). Viva la Virgin de Guadalupe!

Our World View

It sometimes seems that the world  has gotten terribly cynical. It is so easy to fall into the trap of always seeing the worst possible side of a situation, assuming the worst intentions of others, believing the worst rumors are true. We may even believe that this world view is something that has only befallen us recently. Today's Gospel indicates otherwise. Jesus also had to deal with this attitude. "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.’"
When we realize how many people did not appreciate the presence of Jesus as He was walking in their midst because of this attitude, I think it challenges us to examine our own approach to people and situations.Sometimes the most insidious evil is right there out in the open. In cynicism, the devil makes no attempt to hide. The attention that is given to that presence of evil is obvious to anyone who wants to see it. Just listen to comments that are made every day. Whether it be regarding family members, co-workers, neighbors, acquaintances, fellow parishioners or any other people we interact with, our conversations often revolve around what is wrong with them, rather than what is right. And what we say about politicians is often in the category of "not in front of the children!"
The issue is whether or not we will continue along this path. By word and action, the Lord showed us a different way. Seeing the good in everyone, assuming the best of intentions, not  jumping to judgment (He who is the Ultimate Judge of all) and challenging those around Him to try and see the good in everyone was more His style. It certainly will not be easy, because the devil is so strong in the cynicism of the world. But if we believe God is Almighty, that He will win, then we should be hopeful that we can change our own world view. And if enough of us change our personal world view, eventually the world will change and see good (the presence of God) in every person and every situation. And that, my friends, is the vocation of every human being.

Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign

Signs are meant to convey information. In today's world, we normally think of signs as objects - sometimes stationary, sometimes moving. Whether location (Main Street), information (Sale!!), direction (one way) or identification (Starbucks), signs are a means of communication. At times, we also may consider events to be signs, whether a sign of affection or a sign that the world is falling apart. In the time of Jesus, however, people were also considered to be signs. Occasionally elevated to the status of "prophet", some people were considered to be the means of communication between God and humanity. Elijah was perhaps the best known of these signs. Even his departure from the earth (remember the flaming chariot?) was a sign that he would return to announce the coming of the Messiah.
In today's Gospel, Jesus acknowledges that John the Baptist is a sign as well. In fact, he calls him Elijah. And since Jesus is God, I guess we can be assured that he knew exactly what this sign was supposed to communicate. Some read the sign correctly, others did not. In the end, Jesus proved by his life, death and resurrection that John was indeed the sign of the coming of the Messiah.
We don't hear much about prophets today, except when some one who has mental health issues claims to be one. And we do not think of people as being signs that God uses to communicate with us. We often ask God for a sign, but that usually means we want a clear message, spelled out in great detail. We probably all secretly yearn for God to talk to us directly, as some movies have used as a premise.
But maybe we should adjust our thinking about signs. How often has someone taken the time to talk to you and brought you a sense of peace? Who in your life gave you wise advice that you still try to follow each day? What warnings did a respected friend or family member give you that saved you a lot of problems? Maybe God never changed the way He used people as signs, but rather people just stopped paying attention. Maybe God is using people to communicate with us just as often as in the past, but we are not looking or listening. Maybe, just maybe, God is sending a sign to you today. The question is: will you see it?

Full of Grace

Today's Feast of the Immaculate Conception is sometimes confusing to people. It refers to the fact that Mary was conceived without the "stain of Original Sin", meaning that she did not suffer from the personal effect of humanity's fall from the intimate relationship with God that was present in the beginning. This is really confirmed when the angel calls her "full of grace" at the Annunciation (announcement of her being chosen to become the mother of the Redeemer). For this reason, today's gospel is the story of the "conception" of Jesus, the moment when Mary said "yes" to what God was asking.
When we receive grace, we really are strengthening our relationship with God. As the one who was full of grace, Mary had the strongest relationship possible for any living person. Perhaps the only time the rest of us have experienced this is at the moment of our Baptism, since all our sins are washed away and we are filled with the Holy Spirit. From that moment on it is always a struggle - we sin, repent, are forgiven and try to do better. But, as imperfect human beings, we often give in again to temptation.
Mary becomes a role model for us, since, as one who was full of grace, she was prepared to say "yes" to the will of God. How can we make ourselves more likely to say yes? By tapping into that grace. For us Catholics, the best way of doing this is through the reception of the sacraments. I was taught as a child that the sacraments are "outward signs instituted by Christ to give grace" (Baltimore Catechism). The more I receive the sacraments, then, the more I can be filled with grace. And the more grace I have, the stronger my relationship with God and the more likely I am to do His will. There are certainly other was of increasing grace in my life, but I need to value and participate in those which are primarily concerned with giving grace. For this reason, I want to recommit myself to the frequent and worthy reception of the sacraments, so that I will be better prepared to say "yes" to God's will for me. Care to join me?

The One Percent Solution

The parable of the shepherd who leaves ninety-nine sheep and goes after the one is really intriguing. In one way, it does not make any sense. Wasn't he risking losing the others when he went in search of the lost one? Was that one more important than the others?
In reflecting more, I had to admit that my reaction to the parable has guided me more than once in the way I relate to people. And I do not think I am alone. How many times have I just let a friend drift away, because I was busy with others? When someone needs more of my time, how often have I rationalized that "I won't have enough time to do these other important things"? 
Perhaps the real message is one of trust. The shepherd trusted that, when he was looking for the one lost sheep (1%), the other sheep (99%) would still be there when he returned. The one was no more important than the others, but neither was it less important than they. I guess my meditation today is leading me to reconsider how I treat people in my life. I need to be more mindful of my relationships, and work on them more. I cannot just expect that "they will call me if they value our relationship". I have to be the first to love, the first to reach out, especially if I realize that we have drifted apart. It will take time and effort, but if I am concerned for each and every person in my life, I will be more likely to discover why God brought us together. And really, He brought us together so that, as we gather in His name, Jesus will be present with us. That is perhaps the best 1% solution I can ever imagine!

With a Little Help From My Friends

This morning in his homily, our deacon pointed out a wonderful aspect of today's Gospel. The story was of the paralyzed man whose friends lowered him into the room so that he would be in front of Jesus. They had to take action on behalf of another, so that he would have a chance with Jesus. They were not asking for anything for themselves, but exerted extreme effort on behalf of their friend. Luke tells us that "When Jesus saw their faith, he said, 'As for you, your sins are forgiven.'”(Lk. 5:20)
The faith of these others was vital to this miracle, and, even though we hear not one word from the man himself, he is healed by the Lord. It got me to thinking about the importance of praying for others, especially those who may not be able (or willing) to pray for themselves. I wonder how many times God performs miracles because of the prayers of others, and the recipient is not even aware of it. It certainly should make us continue to pray for those who are in need, especially those who may not have strong enough faith - or any at all. Our family members, friends, neighbors and acquaintances may benefit from our prayers because of our faith. How strong is it? Are we willing to exert a supreme effort to help them? We may not be called upon to climb up on a rooftop and lower them on a stretcher, but can we at least spend some quality time in prayer for them?
It is also a good thing to let them know we are praying for them, just as the paralyzed man was aware of the efforts of his friends. and I suggest that you be specific. Rather than a general "I am praying for you", perhaps telling a friend who is looking for a job that "I spent a half-hour in prayer for you today" would indicate how important they are to you. To say to a colleague who is battling cancer "I made a Holy Hour for you today" may mean more than you will ever know. And who knows - perhaps your friends may be the means by which God chooses give you what you need!

Advent Fruit

Some people accuse Catholics of thinking that we are saved by our good works. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, we profess openly that Jesus died to save all. His death brought about our salvation, but we are free to reject Him. Good works, rather than a means of salvation, are a sign of faith and repentance. This is clearly stated in today's Gospel by John the Baptist, when he demands that the Pharisees and Sadducees "produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance." (Mt. 3:8).
He goes on to note that whatever does not bear good fruit should be cut down. It got me to thinking about my own life. There are so many things that occupy my time and attention that really do not produce anything good. And this takes away from the good things that I could be doing. If Advent is a time top prepare for the coming of the Lord in glory, how can I prune away the things that do not bring life? Whether it is gossip, mindless TV, web browsing, etc., I need to take a close look and see if it is bearing good fruit and can remain, or is draining life out of me and should be cut away.
Most people see Advent as a time to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation. This Advent, I hope we will all be able to approach the Sacrament with a determination that it will not end with the confession of our sins, but will be the means by which we cut away the destructive things that consume my time and energy. In this way, I will be better able to devote attention to those things which will bring faith, hope and love to the world.

What's It Worth?

One of my favorite TV shows is Antiques Roadshow. I have to admit, I love it when someone brings in an item that they thought was just this side of junk and then finds out that it is worth a ridiculous amount of money. Even when some try to be cool and not show much emotion, you can tell they are ready to jump out of their skin!
One of the by-products of a show like this, however, is the notion that dollar amounts determine value. And that is simply not true. The most precious things in the world - family, friends, love, faith, etc. - are referred to as "priceless". Even companies that are in the business of business acknowledge this. (Airport parking: $7, balloons: $12, disposable camera: $8.95, seeing your son come home from Afghanistan: priceless!) That is why the Lord instructed his followers "Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.” (Mt. 10:8).
It got me to thinking. Are there ways that I try to exact a "price" for things that are priceless? How stingy am I about sharing my faith. I am obviously not talking about my ministry as a priest, but rather in my personal down time, when I am with friends or even strangers. Do I look for opportunities to share faith or love? Or do I simply hold on to these "priceless" gifts selfishly?  Oh, I can rationalize my way out of almost anything if I try, but it all comes down to embracing and living the challenge of the gospel. I cannot be a follower of the Lord only when I am "on" as a priest. I must actively seek out occasions to share my faith and show the love of God to people all the time, whether it be in the store, out at a restaurant, or even driving. And the funny thing is, rather than be diminished, faith and love increase when shared. And their value increases as well. So, I'd better get looking for opportunities to give without cost today. And how about you? What's it worth to you?

The Power of Faith

I think that sometimes we have a mistaken idea about faith. Often we equate it with magic, thinking that "if I believe hard enough, it will happen." If that were true, the Lord would never have been crucified ("Take this cup away from me"). Faith based in Jesus Christ is very different. It is always grounded in the will of God. ("Not my will, but yours be done"). By this I mean that the primary and most fundamental belief must be that whatever God wills for me is always and everywhere best. And God's will always has eternal happiness (sainthood) as the ultimate goal. Now, getting to that goal is where our cooperation with God's will comes in. Every day we are called to make a multitude of decisions, all of which should be based in faith. Practically speaking, this means that I have to ask myself which choice is best in conformity to God's will for me. And once we do that, we can move on in faith, confident that any decision to do God's will is the right one. It may not be the easiest thing or even the one I think is best, but doing  what God wants is always the right thing to do. Having made a decision to do what God wants me to do is really tapping into the power of faith. I can go forward, confident that I am moving toward sainthood. These small, everyday decisions to do God's will are what made those who are officially recognized (canonized) as saints models for others. And that power of faith in the will of God is what will keep us on the right path as followers of Christ.
I want to give a quick "shout-out" to several others who have inspired me to undertake this blog. A dear friend, Fr. Stanislao, has been and online presence for several years, and his site keeps getting better and better. Check it out his Heavenwards website here and his blog here. His ministry, insights and  friendship challenge me daily to be a better  priest. Another friend has a well-known site called Whispers in the Loggia. Rocco keeps me up to date on what is happening in the Church, but , more importantly, challenged me to think about how I can use technology to proclaim God's word. I am grateful to both of these men for helping me find the courage to take the plunge and expand my ministry into cyberspace!

Listen to His Words

Today's gospel reminds us that we need to become more familiar with Scripture. Jesus said that we must "listen to these words of mine and act on them" (Mt. 7: 24). This presumes we have a knowledge of His word. The only way to gain a familiarity is to read Scripture. For too many, however, their only exposure to the inspired word of God is at Mass. While many Catholic homes may have a bible, it is often just left on a shelf and remains unopened. The best bibles are the ones that show they are used frequently. I always marvel when I see someone who has a bible that is dog-eared, written in and falling apart. This tells me that the person has a familiarity with what is contained inside, and does not just keep it because they are supposed to have a bible in the house.
It might be an idea to consider giving a bible as a Christmas gift. If nothing else, it would certainly get a reaction! and, perhaps, it would also provide an opportunity to talk about the importance og God's word in our lives. As scripture says, only when we listen to them will we be building our house on a solid rock foundation!

Parish Found Liable

A sad development in the ongoing saga of the horrific sexual abuse of minors that was perpetrated by priests years ago in our diocese (Diocese of Wilmington). A jury today found that, along with the former priest who acknowledged abusing multiple children, St. Elizabeth Parish was also liable for the crime. The civil trial resulted in an award of $3 million assessed to the parish. Next week the jury will decide what, if any, punitive damages should be awarded. The statement by our bishop can be found here.
I do not know what the next steps will be, but I cannot understand how parishes can be held responsible for the actions of a priest who is assigned by the bishop, not hired by the parish. And since the desires of parishioners have never been followed when transferring priests in our diocese, how can a jury say that the parish is liable?
Those who were abused by priests have suffered horribly, and the perpetrators should, if still alive, be made to pay for their crimes. Likewise, those who either ignored or covered up the abuse should assume responsibility for their actions if they are still alive. But in so many cases, the individuals involved are dead. Even though it may be legal, it somehow seems unjust to make the people who are part of a parish today pay for the abuse that occurred 30 or 40 years ago. All I can do is pray for the victims and ask God to somehow bring some good out of this tragedy. I hope you will join me in those prayers.