Friday 25th Week of Ordinary Time

 The Archangels Sept. 29

In our profession of Faith, we profess that we believe, God has created things that are “visible and invisible.”

There is so much more to life than what we see.

So often we rely on what we can see and hold in our hands to help us when even greater things that we cannot see are right next to us to help us.

God’s Holy Angels.

There are three main archangels and a 4th lesser known one always watching over us.

Michael the angel of strength;

Gabriel of Good News

Raphael of Healing

And Uriel of Light.

There is an Ancient Hebrew Prayer that is prayed in he evening for protection as one goes to sleep.

For What we do not see as we sleep,

God's Holy Angels do see,

and watch over us and protect us always.

"In the name of Adonai the God of Israel:

May the angel Michael be at my right,

and the angel Gabriel be at my left;

and in front of me the angel Uriel,

and behind me the angel Raphael...

and above my head the Sh'khinah (Divine Presence)."

Thursday 25th Week of Ordinary Time

 

Even Herod wanted to see Jesus. Lk. 9:7-9

Herod was an evil king.

He divorced his wife so that he could marry his brother’s wife;

And when John pointed out that this was wrong

Herod had John beheaded.

Yet in spite of his evil ways,

Herod was still intrigued when he heard about the miracles and preaching of Jesus and wanted to see him.

Those who are not religious;

Are still intrigued by Jesus;

And we therefore must never hesitate to speak to them about Jesus;

For they too in their hearts want to see him.

Wednesday 25th Week of Ordinary Time

 

Jesus sent them to Proclaim the Kingdom and heal the sick Lk. 9:1-6

Jesus sent the 12 to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick.

Just as Jesus called the 12 to follow Him and then sent them out into the world;

So at our Baptism we were called by God;

And at the end of every Mass Jesus send us out into the world.

Each one of us to our own particular mission;

In our own particular way.

What is it that Jesus is sending us out to do today?

Tuesday 25th Week of Ordinary Time

 

Sts. Cosmos and Damian

Cosmos and Damian are two names you don’t hear too often,

Yet were so well known in the Church that their names have been a part of the Roman Canon (First Eucharistic Prayer) at Mass for over 1500 yrs.

They were twin brothers who practiced medicine without charge.

And who performed miraculous cures.

But because they were Christian they were crucified, stoned and eventually beheaded.

We may not perform miraculous healings of the sick,

But the words we speak to others can be a source of spiritual and emotional healing in ways we may not even be aware.

Monday 25th Week of Ordinary Time

 

Come Home! Ezra 1:1-6

After the Fall of the Babylonian Empire, King Cyrus of Persia allowed all of the Jews to return home and start again.

And when they did, they rebuilt the Temple

The Church is our spiritual home.

And no matter how far we stray or where we go;

It is always there, waiting for us to come home!

And take up where we left off.

25th Sunday of Ordinary Time

 

Above the Heavens. Is. 55:6-9

To be honest with you,

The older I get the less I know about God.

When I was young,

I thought I had it all figured out.

I knew who God was

And what He wanted and

Why He did the things He did.

And since I had God all figured out,

I was free to do what I wanted.

And so off I went into the wild blue yonder.

Working, exploring, building;

As I probably should have.

But then Life came along,

And showed me I was not invincible.

And I had surgery and broken bones

And kidney stones.

I found out that some friends were wolves

In sheep’s clothing.

Money doesn’t buy happiness

And neither does having the latest IPhone and IPad.

Parents don’t live forever

And neither do siblings and friends.

And that is when I began to realize that I don’t know everything;

And that God is a Mystery.

As Isaiah said,

God’s thoughts are not my thoughts;

God’s ways are not my ways;

And as high as the Heavens are above the earth,

So high are God’s ways above my ways.

In other words it is easier to reach out and grab a star,

Than it is to reach God.

And it was then that I began to understand what Faith is.

I don’t have to have all the answers.

I don’t have to figure it all out;

I don’t have to fix everything;

Because I have Faith.

And I Trust that God will.

I Trust in God because I have gotten this far.

And it is all because of God;

Who in the shadows stands by me.

Whose hand is on my shoulder leading me.

Whose wings lift me up when I am down;

And Who carries me when I can’t go on.

Faith doesn’t explain everything.

But it does not have to.

Because it always get us through!

Saturday 24th Week of Ordinary Time

 

Feast of Padre Pio Sept. 23

“Whoever does not meditate, is like someone who never looks in the mirror before going out,

doesn’t bother to see if he’s tidy,

and may go out dirty without knowing it.

The person who meditates and turns his mind to God,

Looks into the mirror of his soul,

And seeks to know his faults, tries to correct them, moderates his impulses, and puts his conscience in order.”

Padre Pio

The next time you look in the mirror,

May it be a reminder to pray

And look into your soul.

Friday 24th Week of Ordinary Time

 

Instead of Money 1Tim. 6:2-12

St. Paul warned Timothy that love of money is the root of all evils.

Because it leads one down the rabbit hole of Greed,Envy, Pride,and Power.

Instead Paul told Timothy to pursue

Righteousness, Devotion, Faith, Love, Patience and Gentleness.

For while the pursuit of Money leads to the Poverty of Death;

The Pursuit of Virtue leads to the riches of Eternal Life!

Friday

 Feast of St. Matthew

As Jesus passed by, He saw a man at the customs post and He said to him, “Follow me.”

In other words Jesus saw a tax collector who took advantage of the poor and who oppressed widows and orphans which is what they did back then and is why they were hated by the people.

And called Him to be a disciple.

Now why would Jesus call such a person?

Because grace transforms!

It does not matter who we are or what we have done.

What matters is Who Jesus is and what HE can do!

Matthew knew this and that is why he IMMEDIATELY got up and followed Jesus.

He did not let his sins and shortcomings hold him back from following Jesus.

And neither should we.

For Jesus is the Divine Physician,

In search of the Sick Of Heart.

He is The Mercy Of God

Wednesday 24th week of Ordinary Time

 

Andrew Kim and Paul Chong and Companions

The Church in Korea is unique because it was founded by lay people, for there were no priests.

In less than a century, 10,000 were martyred for the Faith.

 

103 of the Korean martyrs are celebrated today:

they are mostly lay men and women:

some married, some not; some old, some young, some even children.

Today we ask ourselves

As a Layperson, what have I done for my Parish and the spread of my Faith?

Tuesday 24th Week of Ordinary Time

 

The role of a Bishop 1Tim. 3:1-13

The letter to Timothy says the Bishop must be

Irreproachable, temperate; self-controlled; hospitable;

Able to teach; gentle and not a lover of money.

This is not easy.

Bishop Sheen says that the Church is given the Bishop and Pope that she deserves.

If the Faithful live lives that are irreproachable and temperate;

Self controlled and hospitable;

Gentle and not lovers of money;

Then God will give the Church the Bishop and Pope with the same spirit.

If not, then God will give the Church the Pope and Bishop she deserves!

Monday 24th Week of Ordinary Time

Pray for all kings and those in Authority! Tim. 2:1-2

At every Mass we pray for the Pope, the Bishop, the clergy and for all those in government.

Why?

So that at St. Paul says, “we may lead a “quiet and tranquil life in devotion and dignity.” 1 Tim. 2:2

Spiritual and Civil leaders have great responsibility and carry heavy burdens.

Our prayers assist them in their duties.

And pour down God’s graces and gifts

So that they may govern wisely.

If they do not,

Maybe it is because there are not enough prayers being offered for them.

God Bless

24th Sunday of Ordinary Time

 

What we want from God we must give to others Sirach 27:30-28:7

Everyone wants their prayers answered.

So is there a secret formula;

Or a special prayer to get us what we want?

The first reading from Sirach tells us how to get what we want from God when we pray.

It is very simple.

The things we want from God,

We must be willing to give to our neighbor.

Do we give our neighbor forgiveness when they hurt us

Or do we hold a grudge?

Do we give Mercy to sinners,

Or do we condemn them?

Do we give love to our neighbor

Or are there those we don’t.

We God to give Peace to the world,

But are we ever a source a of division

In our actions or our conversations?

Do we give to those in need,

Or find excuses to hold back?

It is really very simple;

If we want God to be forgiving and merciful to us;

To love us and give us peace in our hearts and homes;

To provide justice when we are wronged.

We must be willing to give these same things to our neighbor.

BEFORE we pray to God;

We must give Mercy and Love and Forgiveness to others.

and give to those in need;

For if we give these things to others’

THEN when we pray,

God will give them to us!

Saturday 23rd week of Ordinary Time

 

Prayer To Our Lady Of Perpetual Help

O Mother of Perpetual Help, grant that I may ever invoke thy most powerful name, which is the safeguard of the living and the salvation of the dying.

O Purest Mary, O Sweetest Mary, let thy name henceforth be ever on my lips.

Delay not, O Blessed Lady, to help me whenever I call on thee, for, in all my needs, in all my temptations I shall never cease to call on thee, ever repeating thy sacred name, Mary, Mary.

Friday 23rd Week of Ordinary Time

 

Our Lady of Sorrows

Mary's sorrows did not start at the foot of the cross.

They began when there was no place at the inn.

They continued when Herod's soldier came to take the life of her child.

They did not stop when she had to immigrate to a foreign country.

They culminated at the foot of the cross.

Because of her sorrows, we know that she understands our sorrows.

Because she stood at the foot of the cross

we know that she will stand with us in our crosses.

She did not stop loving God in the Face of sorrow and suffering.

She stood her ground at the foot of the cross.

Through Her sorrows,

she shows us how not to lose Faith or stop loving God in our sorrows.

God Bless

Thursday Exaltation of the Cross

 

How close do you want to get to the cross of Christ?

Do you run from the cross?

Do you walk the way of the cross for a few Stations?

Do you want to stand at the foot of cross and share in the sufferings of Christ?

are you willing to bear the nail marks in your hand and feet

and the wound in your side.

As much of the cross of Christ that we share in,

Will determine the amount of glory that we share with Christ

In His Kingdom.

Wednesday 23rd Week of Ordinary Time

 The Feast of St. John Chrysostom

St. John Chrysostom one said,

“You cannot pray at home, like you can at church,

where there is a great multitude;

where exclamations are cried out to God as from one great heart, where there is something more:

the unions of minds, the accord of souls, the bond of charity, the prayers of priests.”

This is because there is strength in numbers.

And since the number of the devil is legion,

we must unite in prayer with all the angels;

For when we do;

The devil flees

And God hears hears the multitude of our voices

Like a thunderclap that He cannot ignore.

Tuesday 23rd week of Ordinary Time

 

The Name of Mary

When the Angel Gabriel came to Nazareth she said,

Hail Mary!

In those two simple words, Gabriel was greeting

The Mother of God;

The Spouse of the Holy Spirit.

The Daughter of the Father.

For Mary was chosen by the Father to be the Mother of His Son,

By the power of the Holy Spirit.

This is why we call upon her Name at the hour of death to pray for us,

For there is nothing the Father would deny His daughter

Nor the Son His Mother,

Nor the Holy Spirit His Spouse.

Sinners that we are!

Monday 23rd Week of Ordinary Time

Rejoice in suffering. Col.1:24

St. Paul rejoiced in his sufferings!

Does he know something we do not?

When was the last time you rejoiced in your sufferings!?

St. Paul believed that when he united his sufferings with the sufferings of Christ they bore fruit and were not meaningless.

Because the sufferings of Christ opened the gates of Paradise.

If we unite our sufferings whatever they may be,

with the sufferings of Jesus as St. Paul did and as Mary did at the foot of the cross it may help to open up someone’s heart to the Lord;

It may open Someone’s heart which is broken to healing.

It may open Someone’s heart which is hurt to love again.

And that is something to rejoice about.

23rd Sunday of Ordinary Time

 

Why go to Church? Mt. 18:20

Many people wonder why they should go to Church.

Because Jesus said where two or three are gathered in His Name,

He is there in their midst. Mt. 18:20

Jesus is of course present when we go to our room and pray in private. Mt.6:6

When we gather in Church however, Christ is present in a unique way.

We experience Christ present not just in ourselves,

But in others!

How can we claim to love the God we do not see

if we do not love the brother and sister that we can?! 1Jn. 4:20

When we gather in Church, God becomes flesh once again;

In each other.

In each person that we see and with whom we pray.

So when two or three gather in the Name of Jesus,

God is present in our midst in the flesh once again.

In each other!!

Going to Church therefore is not about an obligation

Of having my personal time with Jesus.

It is about transforming the world.

For when we go to Church,

Jesus becomes present in our midst

In the faces and lives of those present.

And When we start seeing Jesus in each other

EVERYTHING CHANGES!

If we see Jesus in the faces of those around us;

Then we see Jesus in the homeless as Jesus had nowhere to lay His head. Mt. 8:20.

Then we see Jesus in the Displaced Person as Jesus was displaced in Egypt.

Then we see Jesus in the suffering of others as Jesus suffered on the cross.

Then we see Jesus in the broken hearts of others as the Heart of Jesus was pierced with a lance.

It all begins here.

When we see the Face of Jesus, present here in our midst in each other;

Then we can see His Face in the faces of all those we meet in the world.

And then EVERYTHING CHANGES.

For then the Kingdom of God is upon us!

Saturday 22nd Week of Ordinary Time

 

Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary

PRAYER TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY TO OBTAIN A GOOD DEATH.

(By St. Alphonsus Liguori)

O Mary, sweet refuge of sinners and my own loving Mother,

I beseech thee by the grief which thou didst experience in being present at the death of thy divine Son on the cross to assist me with thy mercy when my soul must depart from this world.

Banish then from me the infernal enemies; come then to take my soul and to present it as the soul of thy own child to the Eternal Judge.

O my Queen, do not then forsake me, for it is thou who, after Jesus, must be my help at that dreadful moment on which my eternity depends.

Beseech thy divine Son to grant me in His goodness the grace to die under thy protection, and to breathe forth my soul into His sacred wounds whilst repeating:

Jesus and Mary, I give you my heart and soul. Amen.

Friday 22nd Week of Ordinary Time

 

The Birth of Mary

Who of us chose to be born?

Who of us chose our parents?

Who of us chose what city, what country to be born in?

None of us.

St. Paul says we were chosen before the world began to be holy and blameless in God's sight, to be full of Love." Eph. 1:4

And so was Mary!

Before Mary was even conceived in the womb of St. Ann,

God had chosen her before the world began to holy and blameless, and full of love.

The birth of Mary reminds us that before each child is born;

Before Each one of was born into this world

We were chosen by God;

Loved by God;

And called to live a life of holiness.

Thursday 22nd week of Ordinary Time

 

Never cease praying. Col. 1:9-14

From the day St. Paul heard about the Church in Colossae

He never stopped praying for them.

That they might be filled with the knowledge of God’s Will

And walk in a manner pleasing to God.

From the day I became Pastor,

I have never stopped praying for the churches in Lostant, Toluca, Minonk and Wenona.

That each one of you might be filled with the knowledge of God’s Will and walk in a manner pleasing to God.

So that you too like the church in Colossae,

might be fit to share in the inheritance of the Saints.

Wednesday 22nd Week of Ordinary Time

 

Paul gives thanks to God because the FAITH of the people of Colossae .

And for the LOVE that they show to each other;

And for the HOPE they have reserved for them in Heaven.

I also give thanks to God

For the FAITH each one of you have in Toluca, and Minonk and Lostant and Wenona.

And for the LOVE that you show each other;

And for the HOPE reserved for you in Heaven.

Continue to live, lives of FAITH, HOPE and LOVE bear fruit;

And the Truth and the Grace of God will be with you.