Name Your Prison: Friday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time (EPH 4:16; PS 24:1-2, 3-4ab, 5-6; LK 12:54-59)

How far are we willing to go to be a prisoner of Christ?  How much do we long to see the face of the Lord?

These are pertinent questions that often surface when we contemplate the fallen nature of humanity.

One of the realities of the fallen nature of humanity is that it is likely that we are going to be prisoners of something.  Addicts are prisoners of the object of their respective addiction.  Anorexics are prisoners of whatever it is they compulsively avoid.  Codependents are prisoners of whatever relationship they are codependent on.  These are just a few concrete and common examples of prisons that we see in our society.  Perhaps many of you have experience with these prisons at one level or another.

That said, there are prisons that are not as obvious as the examples I cited.  People often become prisoners of their fear, of their resentments, of the lingering effects of past trauma, of their biases, and of their passions.  

The reality is that the world, the flesh, and the devil offer an almost limitless number of opportunities to be imprisoned by those things in our lives that have become idols….often times, we do not realize they have become idols and that they have become prisons for us.  To paraphrase Pope Benedict XVI, they become a prison that locks us into our own ego.

The good news is that Jesus Christ has the key to our prisons.  We just have to surrender our entire will and our entire life over to the care of Jesus….to be a willing prisoner of Him.  We must be willing prisoners through grace, living by everything He teaches through His Holy Catholic Church.

This grace must inform and direct every aspect of our lives.   To the point that we are true prisoners of the One Sacred Heart.  Prisoners through one hope, one faith, one baptism.  Prisoners in one Church, one Lord, one God and Father.  Prisoners of the one and only Truth.

There are certainly times in our lives when we are tempted to think we know better than the Church.  Especially those times when we fear we may lose something if we were to live that aspect of our lives in accordance with Church teaching.  In those times that we fall to that temptation, we allow ourselves to be imprisoned by fear.  If not fear, then perhaps were imprisoned by pride, unforgiveness, anger, or any number of potential prisons.

I believe determining what imprisons us comes down to a discernment of spirits.  Whatever it is in our life:  A decision to do or not do something related to a personal choice.  A decision on how to vote for something or someone.  A decision of how to interact with someone else in a conversation or how to participate in interrelational activities.  Whatever it is, we must always examine and challenge our motives.

Am I reacting out of the spirit of fear, the spirit of anger, the spirit of revenge, or some other source of negativity?  Or, am I truly responding with the love of Christ?  Does what I am about to say or do align with Church teaching?  Or, is my motivation detached from the teachings of the Church?  Will my statement or action damage or deny the human dignity of others, putting what I think I need over the greater good of the children of God?

Being a prisoner of Christ means that we must always be willing to lay down our lives…even to the point of adopting a spirit of martyrdom.  A spirit of martyrdom does not necessarily mean we will become a martyr by losing our physical lives.  It can simply mean we are willing to lose our egos.  It can simply mean we are willing to lose anything and everything in our lives that is wrapped up in our egos.  We can make that sacrifice in faith that it will extend the Kingdom of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in this world.

To again paraphrase Pope Benedict XVI, anything we give of ourselves to Him, we will receive a hundredfold in return and we will find true life.

Let’s pray for that grace.  Pray that, as true prisoners of the Lord, His Will will be done through us and we will see His face.

Thanks be to God!

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Your Moment of Seventy-Two: Feast of Saint Luke, evangelist (2 Tm 4:10-17b; Ps 145:10-11, 12-13, 17-18; Lk 10:1-9)

Our Gospel reading gives us a glimpse into how Jesus may have initially organized His Church.  After selecting the 12 Apostles, Jesus selects 72 disciples and gives them a mandate for a mission that they need to carry out.  Like John the Baptist before them, they are to go out and prepare the way of the Lord for each of the places Jesus intends to visit.  

This event parallels the Book of Numbers where the Holy Spirit comes down on 72 elders at a place called Tabarah during the 40 year journey of the Israelites in the desert following the Exodus from Egypt and shortly after they began to receive Manna.  

This outpouring of the Holy Spirit results in the 72 elders of Israel prophesying.  Prophesying in this context was likely in the form of speaking in enraptured enthusiasm.

I think the experience of the 72 elders gives us a perspective of what it was like for these 72 disciples.  As Jesus sends these 72 disciples on their mission, they are gifted with the charism of prophecy in order to convey a message of enthusiastic love and mercy...ultimately, the truth of who Jesus is and why He comes to us.  Jesus sends these 72 disciples to be an enthusiastic witness to the Good News and to prepare the hearts of the people they encounter to receive Jesus Christ.  I can picture the 72 disciples singing today’s psalm, “Your friends make known, oh Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.”

The moment of the 72 elders and the moment of the 72 disciples come together in the Mass.  The Mass is called the Mass because of the Latin phrase “Ite missa est”, which means “Go, it is the sending”. This is the very end of the Mass, where I proclaim, “Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.”  To which each of you respond, “Thanks be to God”.

This is your moment of 72.  You have received your daily Manna (the supernatural bread from heaven), the outpouring of the Holy Spirit through the Eucharist.  You have been strengthened with grace to exercise the charisms you received at Confirmation.  The charisms you received explicitly for this mission:  to spread His word and do His work.  Or as it says in the Catechism, to truly be “servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.”

This is your moment of 72.  Though we may be sent out amongst the wolves, we have nothing to fear.  To paraphrase Pope Francis, as long as we don’t venture beyond the Church’s teaching and the community of faith we carry, then we will always be one with the authentic Jesus Christ.  The Holy Spirit will ensure our success, just as He did for the 72 disciples.

This is your moment of 72.  Right now, Jesus longs to call someone in your life to Himself in the Eucharist.  This is your opportunity to be Christ to someone in your life.  This is your opportunity to be an instrument of God in the life of another person.  This is your opportunity to prepare the way to a relationship with Christ and the ultimate blessings that come with the Eucharist and the other Sacraments.

This is your moment of 72.  To paraphrase Saint Luke, whose feast day we celebrate today, to paraphrase the words of Jesus Luke captured from the time of the ascension, The Holy Spirit has come upon you and you have received great power.  Now go, be my witnesses to the ends of the Earth.

Thanks be to God!

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Cursed by the Law: Friday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time (Gal 3:7-14, Ps 111:1B-2, 3-4, 5-6; Lk 11:15-26)

 “Cursed be everyone who does not persevere in doing all the things written in the book of the Law”.  Strong words from Saint Paul, early on a Friday morning.

I believe the statement Saint Paul is citing refers to the Old Covenant sacramental system.  As he later points out, praise Jesus, most of those rubrics do not apply to us under the New Covenant.  At the same time, it would be a mistake to believe there isn’t a message in the reading for our own sanctification.

In any relationship, there is a bare minimum that we must do if we are to keep the relationship in tact.  Think of some of the relationships you have been in: high school classmates, college friends, perhaps even cousins you grew up with.  These were important relationships at the time, but over time many of them have become distant strangers  Even in the most unhealthy relationship requires things of us if we are to continue to be in that relationship.  The same is true for our most important relationship, our relationship with God.

We must realize there is a bare minimum requirement for us to have a relationship with God.  This primarily falls under the Ten Commandments as well as the Precepts of the Church.

Objectively speaking, if we choose to break one of the Ten Commandments or if we choose to not follow one of the Precepts, then we have committed a mortal sin.  At that point, we have brought the curse mentioned by Saint Paul upon ourselves as we are no longer in a state of grace.  Because we are no longer in a state of grace, we have been effectively cut off from God.  We are no longer in a relationship with God, until that relationship has been repaired in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

The Ten Commandments come up in our cycle of readings on a fairly regular basis, but rarely have the opportunity to hear the Precepts of the Church.  We rarely take the opportunity to meditate on what the Precepts mean to us and to our relationship with God.

As the Catechism says, “the Precepts of the Church are meant to guarantee the faithful the indispensable minimum in the spirit and moral effort, in the growth of love of God and neighbor.”

The Precepts are:

• You shall attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation.
• You shall confess your sins at least once a year.
• You shall humbly receive your Creator in Holy Communion, at least once a year, during the Easter season.
• You shall keep holy the holy days of obligation.
• You shall observe the prescribed days of fasting and abstinence.
• You shall provide for the material needs of the Church, according to your ability.

If you are not practicing the Precepts, let us begin anew today.  Let’s renew our resolve to strengthen our faith by diligently practicing the Precepts of the Church.  In doing so, let our strengthened faith stoke the Flame of Love within.

Thanks be to God!

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Seeking and Finding Grace: Thursday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time (Gal 3:1-5; Lk 1:69-75; Lk 11:5-13)

How many times does it feel like we ask, but we do not receive?  Or we seek, and we do not find?  If I am being honest, I find myself in that situation more times than I care to admit.  I think there are some common challenges most of us have to being able to truly find and receive grace in our lives.

The first challenge is that we struggle to believe that Jesus can truly work miracles in our lives.  In a recent homily, I asked the questions:  Can we really expect Jesus to heal this land, if we reject Him in the Eucharist?  Can we really expect Jesus to heal this land, if we reject His authority in the Catholic Church?

When it comes to a macro situation like healing the United States, we have limited control over the millions of Christians that on the one hand pray for Jesus to heal our land, but on the other hand reject the miracles in their midst; namely, His true presence in the Eucharist and how He leads us through the Catholic Church.

But, apply this to your personal life.  Where are those situations where we reject Jesus?  Do we have negative opinions of the Church, of Pope Francis, of Archbishop Rozanski?  Do we ever let those opinions go a little too far?  Are there teachings of the Church that we tend to ignore, or perhaps outright reject?  These have a way of whittling away our faith without us even knowing about it.  They can become impediments to finding and receiving grace in our lives.

The second challenge is that we haven’t truly given Jesus Christ Lordship over the situation.  Early in my faith journey, I remember having a conversation with one of my mentors at the time.  I tried to end the conversation on an optimistic note, even though I was far from an optimistic person at the time.  I ended my sentence with “God willing.”  The response I received was burned into my soul.  He looked straight into my eyes and said, “God is willing, are you?”

To be able to truly find and receive grace in our lives, we must fully surrender our entire life and our entire will over to the care of God.  When we try to hold on to controlling the people, places, and things in our lives; it can become a source of fear, anxiety, resentment, and anger.  All of these can become impediments to finding and receiving grace in our lives.  We must simply learn to let go and let God.

The third challenge is that we have forgotten how to receive love.  This is largely due to how we have been programmed by our American society.  We’re programmed to be highly individualistic  We’re programmed to get up, shake off the dust, and get right back on the horse, pretending that nothing ever happened.  We don’t allow ourselves to be vulnerable.  We don’t allow ourselves to open our hearts, to allow our hearts to be healed.

This impacts our spirituality and results in impediments to finding and receiving grace in our lives.  We must learn to be more vulnerable, and to open our hearts more that grace may enter more freely through that pathway of love in order that we may enter more deeply into the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ.

Let’s make that our focus.  Knock at the door of the Sacred Heart.  Leave everything not of God at the street.  Allow Him to totally consume you in the Flame of Love.

Thanks be to God!

Who do “They” Say Jesus Is?: Memorial of Saint Vincent de Paul, Priest (Eccl 3:1-11; Ps 144:1b and 2abc, 3-4; Lk 9:18-22)

Who do “they” say Jesus is?

There are probably a million or more answers to this question as people define their personal Jesus based on ideologies they embrace.  They want the “seal of approval” of Jesus over what they believe to be true and how they want to live their life.  

This happens in a formal way in the tens of thousands of non-Catholic ecclesial communities that are out there.  Each of these denominations have unique and often conflicting doctrines of faith.  Some of these doctrines are critical to the salvation of a soul.  Their image of Jesus is marred by the theology they preach, because they need a Jesus that represents the theology they want to believe is true.

It also happens informally in our lives.  Sometimes we see this in a very visible way.  Take for instance, a “Catholic” politician that supports anti-life legislation and regulation.  They often create an image of Jesus that allows them to compromise on the objective truths of the faith in order to reconcile with what they refer to as the “will of the people”.  One might say, they choose Barabbas over Jesus.

That said, none of us are immune to the risk of adopting a false image of Jesus.  Anytime we try to justify putting our will before God's will or try to justify putting what we want to believe before what the Church actually teaches, we are in danger of developing a false image of Jesus.  What are those things in life that cause us to choose Barabbas over Jesus?  Definitely something we can all take to prayer.

This is precisely what makes the second question so very powerful.  Jesus isn't just asking for a personal reflection of who one person thinks He is.  I believe this is our first example in Church history of the Pope making a proclamation with the college of bishops.  This isn't just a fisherman named Simon providing a personal answer to a question.  This is the Church making a declaration through Peter.  In Matthew's account of this event, Jesus says that it is the Father that reveals this Truth of who Jesus is.  The Father revealing this Truth through the Church.

Ultimately, that's how we come to understand who Jesus really is.  The Father continues to reveal the authentic Jesus Christ to and through the Catholic Church.  Very practically, obviously, through His true presence in the Eucharist.  But, also in all aspects of our life.  How we face personal moral decisions in our daily life.  How we chose and live out our life vocation.  How we vote.  How we relate to others.  Whatever the situation is, we must always understand who Jesus is in that situation and, in a very substantial way, understand “what would Jesus do”.  The answer to those questions are always found in the Catholic Church, because that is how He is revealed by the Father.

This is why Jesus stressed the importance of listening to the Church in the Gospel of Matthew.  This is why Saint Paul referred to the Church as the pillar and bulwark of Truth in his letter to Saint Timothy.  

Listening to the Truth taught by the Catholic Church will ensure we choose Jesus over Barabbas.

Thanks be to God!

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Have you ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight?: Memorial of Saints Andrew Kim Tae-gŏn, Priest, and Paul Chŏng Ha-sang, and Companions, Martyrs (1 Cor 15:12-20; Ps 17:1BCD, 6-7, 8B, 15; Lk 8:1-3)

“Have you ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight?”

You may recall that iconic line from the 1989 Batman movie.  I don't know if screenwriters intended any real meaning to the phrase.  I do know what comes to my mind when I hear it.  The same thing comes to my mind when I read about the exorcism of Mary Magdalene in the Gospel.

While demonic possession is extremely rare (praise God), other forms of demonic influence are far more common. Let's face it, it doesn't take an exorcist to see the effects of the demonic all around us, certainly in our culture, our society, and our politics, but perhaps also in the life of someone close to us.

According to Saint Augustine, a demon can influence a person’s cognitive abilities, influencing their sensory powers.  The demon “creeps stealthily through all the avenues of the senses,” impacting their perception of the people, places, and things in their lives.  This is what we refer to as demonic obsession.

Demonic obsession can often appear as a mental or psychological disorder. To be clear, demons are not the cause of these disorders; however, they work feverishly to make sure the conditions do not improve, in spite of psychological or psychiatric care.

When I meet with someone I suspect might be suffering from demonic obsession I lead them into a guided mediation based on their primary negative emotion.  We ask the Holy Spirit to reveal a memory associated with the emotion.  Very often, the Holy Spirit reveals a traumatic event from their past.  We tend to not deal with the traumatic events in a healthy way.  Some of us would rather sweep them under the proverbial rug and pretend they never happened.  But demons love to use those events as a foothold to influence us.  This is what we call an entry point.  It isn't until we bring the light of Christ into the memory in order for Jesus to heal the wound and fill their mind with His truth, that the demon loses its foothold and the person is freed of the spiritual bondage.

Other entry points include contact with the occult (no matter how innocent it may have seemed at the time), religious cults (particularly Freemasonry organizations, such as the the Shriners), oaths, resentments, rebellion (especially against the teachings of the Church), and sexual sin.  

Once upon a time, I danced with the devil in the pale moonlight, but I was delivered.  Too many others are still suffering.  If you feel someone you know is currently dancing in the pale moonlight of spiritual bondage, there are helpful resources available.  I'd be happy to connect you with them.

All that said, it is extremely important to remember, we have nothing to fear from the demonic presence in our midst. If we are truly living out our baptismal authority through the sacramental life of the Catholic Church, then we have nothing to be afraid of.  The fact of the matter is the demons fear you as a sacramentally active member of the Body of Christ.  

As Pope Saint John Paul II once said, “The Church, expert teacher of humanity and holiness, shows us ancient and ever new instruments for the daily combat against evil:  prayer, the sacraments, penance, careful attention to the Word of God, vigilance and fasting.”

Brothers and sisters, continue to truly live the sacramental life of the Church.  Persevere always be in a state of grace.  Be victorious in the spiritual battle.

Thanks be to God!

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Be the Bee that Sets the World on Fire: Memorial of Saint John Chrysostom, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (1 Cor 9:16-19, 22B-27; Ps 84:3, 4, 5-6, 12; Lk 6:39-42)

Saint Paul makes it clear in the first reading that he puts it all on the line to be a missionary disciple.  He surrenders his whole life and his whole will to be an instrument of the Gospel to win souls for Christ.

Faith tells us that if we truly surrender to the Lord in faith, then He will strengthen us in all things.  Yet, many of us are hesitant to follow in the footsteps of Paul to be a missionary disciple to the world around us.   

Saint Catherine of Siena famously said, "Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire."  God meant for us to be missionary disciples, but too often we fall to the lies that have been fed to us by the world, the flesh, and the devil.  The lies that have become planks in our eyes preventing us from seeing the true invitation of Christ and preventing us from being fully trained to be like Him.  The lie that we are not good enough.  The lie that we don't know enough.  The lie that we don't have anything to offer.  Lies, upon lies, upon lies.

The truth is that each of us have a story of how the love of God is made visible in our lives.  That story can be a  source of strength for someone else struggling in their faith.  That story can be an invitation for someone to re-engage in their faith if they have been away for a while.  That story can be an opening for spiritual healing a person that desperately needs it.  That story can introduce someone to Christ that may otherwise never have an opportunity to hear the good news.

As the Eucharistic revival continues, we will become more acquainted with the phrase "maintenance to mission".  This transition will be our invitation to remove the planks from our eyes that often prevent us from engaging in missionary discipleship.  

Saint John Chrysostom said, "The bee is more honored than other animals, not because she labors, but because she labors for others."  We need more bees in the vineyard...bees that are willing to spread the pollen of the Eucharist to others. Missionary disciples that can build relationships, create trust, and accompany others on their spiritual journey to a deeper relationship with Christ in order that they may become missionary disciples in their own right.

That is our spiritual invitation today. Contemplate how Jesus Christ is calling us to be missionary disciples in this moment of Eucharistic Revival.

Be the bee, and set the world of fire.

Thanks be to God!

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The Longest Journey: Thursday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time (1 Cor 8:1B-7, 11-13; Ps 139:1B-3, 13-14AB, 23-24; Lk 6:27-38)

Two themes jumped out at me from the Mass readings today.  The theme of knowledge from the letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians, and the theme of love from the Gospel of Luke.

It reminds me that one of the longest journeys we have to make in life has a distance of about 13”...the average distance from a person's head to their heart.  Living life in our head as opposed to through our hearts limits us in many different ways throughout many different aspects of life.  But, it is particularly problematic when we intellectualize our faith life as opposed to internalizing it and living it out through true Eucharistic love.

My spiritual life was stagnant for a good number of years.  I attended Bible studies, book studies, and veraciously studied on my own; however, it wasn't until I started to internalized that knowledge and began to live it out in action that I began to grow closer to the Lord.

Book studies and Bible studies are good things that we need in our lives, but those are the beginning of the journey, not the end.  They give us tools that we can apply to life, but like any tool, there has to be action for the tool to be useful.

But, our actions need to be more than just going through the motions.  Our participation in serving our neighbor is certainly worthy acts of charity.  But, how often do we get caught up in the work of those services and miss out on the true purpose of what it means to serve our neighbor?  What more can we do to make our service to others a true encounter with Christ for the people we serve?  What more can we do to use service to lead people home to the Eucharistic heart of Jesus Christ?

Those are questions I don't have answers to, but I know the answers are out there.  

A couple months ago, I had the opportunity to help out at Saints Peter and Paul.  We are all busy doing good work, serving those in need, providing a good, nutritious meal to the homeless and hungry.  At one point, I looked up and noticed one of our students sitting at a table having a conversation with one of the homeless women.  Here, we were all being a bunch of Martha's, busy doing charitable service.  But, this student took a moment to be a Mary...to have a true encounter of love with someone who needed it.  It was impactful, and it left me wondering how can we bring more Mary's into the mix with our Martha's.  Maybe each of us can pick ten random names from the parish directory to give them a call, have a personal conversation, get to know them a little, and invite them to join us in community through the Mass and the many events of the parish.  

Just a thought to ponder this month.  A thought that can hopefully help us start the journey from our head to our heart.  To use our acts of service to create relationship, build trust, and ultimately lead people to a deeper relationship with out Eucharistic Lord, that is how we will win souls for the Immaculata.

Thanks be to God!

Hunting Down Individual Souls: Memorial of Saint Dominic, priest (Jer 31:31-34; Ps 51:12-13, 14-15, 18-19; Mt 16:13-23)

It has certainly been an exciting few weeks.  Among other things, like an assassination attempt, the “National Eucharistic Pilgrimage” passed through town, culminating with the “National Eucharistic Congress” in Indianapolis.  The Congress was a powerful and engaging event that had people around the world watching online.  I'm still hearing stories of conversion, deepening of faith, and strengthening of relationships with our Eucharistic Lord.

I suspect the evil forces behind human secularism knew it was going to be a powerful event, and they knew it was going to be an event that could not go unanswered with a blasphemous global event of their own that contained a message attacking the heart of the “Eucharistic Revival”.

Blasphemous events rejecting Jesus Christ and His Church are nothing new.  Human secularism has a history of specifically naming their enemy.  Their enemy is not “Christianity” as it is often labeled in the 21st century, even labeled by most Catholics.  

In many ways, the Protestant Reformation was one of the first successful declarations of human secularism against Jesus Christ and His Church.  The Protestant Reformation that came to deny the divine nature of the Mass.  The Protestant Reformation that came to deny the High Priesthood of Christ exercised through Holy Orders. The Protestant Reformation that came to deny the actual Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.

The Protestant Revolution then led directly to the French Revolution.  Pushing the boundaries of their evil agenda even further, the French Revolution further solidified the human secularist position, leading to Marxism, Communism, and Nazism.  Under this movement, the Mass, the Priesthood, and the Eucharist were out right condemned by many secular authorities, punishable by death.

In the early 20th century, Freemasonry (another product of the French Revolution) was celebrating their 200th anniversary.  In Rome, there was a particularly vivid celebration.  Flags and posters depicting St. Michael the Archangel being conquered and trampled underfoot by Lucifer. Long processions included blasphemous songs and banners with slogans referring the triumph of Satan over the Church.

Following this, the 20th century saw a complete erosion of the Christian faith.  Up until that time, at least non-Catholic Christian communities had some resemblance to the true faith given to us by Jesus Christ.  Now, non-Catholic Christianity is just a free-for-all of relativism and human secularism.  If we are being honest, some “Catholic” circles are not much better.

None of us should be shocked or the least bit surprised by this latest declaration of human secularism that we witnessed in the opening ceremony of the Olympics.  A ceremony mocking the Last Supper.  The Last Supper which was the moment of institution of the Mass.  The Last Supper which was the moment of institution of the ministerial priesthood.  The Last Supper which was the moment of institution of the Eucharist.  

There is no doubt that the human secularists know their enemy, and it is specifically the Catholic Church.

Watching the Freemasons in Rome, Saint Maximilian Kolbe asked, “Is it possible that our enemies should make such a display of force in order to defeat us while we fold our hands in our laps and do nothing? After all, do we not have much more powerful weapons; can we not count on all of heaven, and especially on the Immaculata?”

Saint Maximilian Kolbe would go on to write, “For us it is not enough just to defend religion. With all our might, and trusting in our Queen, we advance even into the enemy camp, in order to hunt down souls and to win them for the Immaculata. Every heart that is beating somewhere in the world and every one that shall beat until the end of the world, must be captured for the Immaculata: that is our goal!”

Hunting down individual souls.  That is the key.  We will not win this war through the media nor any other arena of the secularists.  We will only win this war on the battlefield of the heart: one-to-one evangelization, creating relationships, building trust, loving them out of their current secular worldview of lies into the true sacramental worldview Jesus Christ gave us in His Catholic Church.  

And, this is ultimately the point of “All Things New”, of the “Eucharistic Revival”, and of the “New Evangelization”.  Over the coming months, you will become increasingly familiar with the phrase “from maintenance to mission,” referring to our renewed call to become missionary disciples.  As missionary disciples, we have a special role in this covert operation behind enemy lines. When that call comes, boldly answer it.  Be strengthened through faith that the gates of hell shall not prevail against the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to Thee, and also for all those who do not have recourse to Thee, especially for the enemies of holy Church and for all those who are commended to Thee.

Thanks be to God.

Lord, In Your Great Love, Answer Me: Saturday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time (Jer 26:11-16, 24; PS 69:15-16, 30-31, 33-34; Mt 14:1-12)

Lord, In Your great love, answer me.

I believe this responsorial psalm can be a beautiful and power mantra that we can take to prayer to maintain hope in times where we may be tempted to despair, particularly as it relates to the lost sheep in our lives.  We must always remember, as far away as our loved ones may seem from the Lord, there is always hope and one fact remains, love never fails.

Some of you have heard my story as a lost sheep.  Unfortunately, we don't have the time for a witness of that nature today.  But, you might remember when I first walked through these doors 18 years.  Wrangler Jeans, Charlie Horse Cowboy hat, and matching black leather cowboy boots....I even had the large belt buckle.  I'm sure some would say I was quite a sight.  But, it was what you couldn't see, beneath the cowboy persona that told the real story.

Sitting in these pews, I learned the the heart cannot be ruled by two masters.  Mine was ruled by the fear...the great fear that comes with the world, the flesh, and the devil as opposed to being ruled love...the great love of God that answers our greatest needs as described in our Psalm today.  While I certainly can't speak for every lost sheep out there, I suspect many of them can probably relate to this dichotomy of fear vs. love.  In the midst of the chaos and confusion between these two opposing powers, the great news is that Love never fails.

Saint Maximilian Kolbe taught this followers to be submissive to the Immaculata and to have faith that she would teach them limitless confidence in the mercy and love of God.  Our call is to imitate Mary in all things, imitate her life of prayer, imitate her contemplation of the mysteries of God (which encapsulate the sacramental life of the Church), and imitate her trust in Divine Providence (even as it relates to the salvation of those closest to us).  Because Mary is the model of prayer, she is also the model of evangelization and a model for how we minister to the lost sheep in our lives.

The Holy Spirit will help us, just as He helped Mary.  Saint Louis De Montfort said, "The Holy Spirit, finding His spouse (the Immaculata) present in souls, will come down into them with great power. He will fill them with His gifts, especially wisdom, by which they will produce wonders of grace.  This fiery deluge of pure love with which they are to set the whole world ablaze and which is to come, so gently yet so forcefully, that all nations (including our lost sheep)...will be caught up in its flames and be converted." 

Brothers and sisters, that is incredible news; particularly resonate on this first Saturday.  As we unite our hearts to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, truly surrendering our lives and our wills to the Flame of Love, it will be the Holy Spirit that prays within us, sighing and groaning for the hurts and pains in our lives.  Our efforts to evangelize to and minister to the lost sheep in our lives then becomes not our work, but the work of the Flame of Love indwelling us.  So, have faith and hope which is the key to prayer.  Truly surrender to and trust the Flame of Love of the Immaculate Heart of Mary: after all, love never fails.  

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Faith, hope, love, surrender, trust...these are simple concepts of the spiritual life.   They are not easy, they are simple.  There are some practical things I have added to my prayer life to help strengthen these virtues in my spirituality, particularly as it relates to the lost sheep in my life. I would like to share a handful of these tools with you that you may be strengthened in these virtues.

#1 Consecrate yourself to to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.  There are many different formulas of consecration out there, such as “33 Days to Morning Glory” and “True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin”.  The method of consecration that is part of my spiritual journey is enrollment to the Militia of the Immaculata, which was started by Saint Maximilian Kolbe.  The idea is to consecrate yourself to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, that she may make full use of you as an instrument for the work she herself undertakes, namely, to help souls in their sanctification.  Total consecration to Mary will form you into a vessel of the Flame of Love, just as Mary is.

#2 Wear the Miraculous Medal and encourage others to do so as well.  Saint Maximilian Kolbe understood the power God had given Mary to change hearts.  Therefore, he adopted the Miraculous Medal as an external sign of internal devotion.  He knew the history of conversions associated with the medal and the message of Mary when she said: “all those who wear this medal will receive great graces, especially if they wear it around their necks. I shall bestow many graces on those who put their trust in me.”  Personally, I have come to see the Miraculous Medal as a spiritual lightening rod of sorts for the effect of grace of the Flame of Love.  I think you will as well.

#3 Carry a Green Scapular and use it to consecrate our lost sheep to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.  When the Immaculate Heart of Mary is invoked through the Green Scapular, Our Lady will obtain great favors from her Divine Son—especially in the area of spiritual conversion.  Mary will obtain the conversion of those who have fallen away from the True Faith, or who had never possessed it.  By consecrating your lost sheep to the Immaculate Heart of Mary through the Green Scapular, they will have access to this grace of conversion.  In fact, consecrate your entire family to the Immaculate Heart of Mary through the Green Scapular, regardless of whether or not they are lost sheep  Every day, I consecrate my wife, my children, my grandchildren, and my Godchildren to the Immaculate Heart of Mary through the Green Scapular.  I hope you will do the same.

#4 Fasting.  Fasting is another often forgotten tool in the spiritual toolbox, yet even Jesus said some demons can only be defeated through prayer and fasting.  Fasting is meant to empty ourselves in order to focus more on God and others.  Through this emptying, we can be a better conduit for the effect of grace of the Flame of Love.  The graces made available through our fasting can be applied to the conversion of our lost sheep.  There are several methods of fasting out there.  Find one that works for you and then fast diligently, fast intentionally, and fast frequently for the intention of the conversion of your lost sheep and the triumph of the Immaculate Heart.

#5 Most importantly, is the Eucharist.  Jesus changed my life, drastically, dramatically, and dare I say miraculously, through His real presence in the Eucharist.  The Eucharist will change the lives of our lost sheep.  Every single Mass is an opportunity to join the intention of the conversion of our lost sheep to the intentions of Jesus on Calvary.  Every single Mass is an opportunity to be strengthen as a prophet to spread effect of grace of the Flame of Love to those around us and to be a visible sign of the joy of the gospel...a joy that most people outside the Catholic Church are desperately in search of.

Also, take up a regular practice of Eucharistic Adoration.  Take advantage of our adoration chapel to sit with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane for the intention of our lost sheep.  Pray with Jesus as He lifts His mind and soul to the Father surrendering His will to the will of the Father that the Father's will may be done through Him across all time and space.  The intentions of the conversion of our lost sheep can be part of that divine exchange.

Saint Maximilian Kolbe said “Eucharistic adoration is the greatest power in the universe, capable of transforming us and changing the face of the world.”   That transforming grace can be applied to our lost sheep.

One other thing you can do related to the Mass is to have your guardian angel invite the guardian angel of your lost sheep to attend Mass with you.  Pray that the transforming power of the Mass and the Eucharist will be carried back to them through their guardian angel.

Pope Francis has titled 2025 to be the Jubilee Year of the “Pilgrims of Hope”.  In doing so, our Holy Father said “the forthcoming Jubilee can contribute greatly to restoring a climate of hope and trust as a prelude to the renewal and rebirth  that we so urgently desire.”  Particular focus of the Jubilee is on helping people repair their relationships with God and come to a deeper sense that Love never fails. 

I am soliciting ideas of things we can do in 2025 to help make the Jubilee year a true encounter with the great love of God within Incarnate Word.  Ideas that will hopefully be good opportunities to reach out to and engage our the lost sheep in our lives.  If you have ideas, let me know.  We can put together some recommendations for Father to consider. 

Additionally, I am leading a group from the parish on a Jubilee pilgrimage to Rome in September 2025 to gain the Jubilee Indulgence.  Of course, all are welcome to join us.  However, the main reason I mention it now is that as we get closer to the pilgrimage, I hope you will help me compile a list of the lost sheep associated with Incarnate Word.  My intention is to spiritually carry them on this great pilgrimage of hope, to be an intentional intercessor for their conversion, for the triumph of the Immaculate Heart in their lives, and that the extraordinary graces the Holy Father and the Church are making available will be made manifest in their lives in a profound way through the effect of grace of the Flame of Love.

Ultimately, the conversion of others starts with prayer and your own personal sanctification.  Allow the  Flame of Love of the Immaculate Heart of Mary to rekindle the awe of the Sacramental Life.  Renew and deepen complete trust in the promises Christ has made through His Holy Catholic Church.  Take every opportunity to have a real and substantial encounter with Him through, with, and in the Eucharist.  In prayer, raise your mind and soul to God uniting your will to the will of God so that God's will may be done in you and thus in the entire world.  The more you can do these things, the more you will become what you receive at Mass.  Then, you can be a true missionary disciple.  Then, you can be a true prophet of love and reconciliation to the world.  Then, you can lead the lost sheep home, to the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus Christ.

Brothers and sisters, never, ever, lose hope.  If the Flame of Love can transform Cowboy Scott into Deacon Scott, He can change anyone and bring them to a life of grace.  Why?  Because Love never fails.

Thanks be to God!

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