Christ at the Center

October 10, 2021 - A Welcoming Parish is Christ-Centered

In the Gospel reading (cf. Mark 10:17-30), the Lord Jesus Christ welcomes a wealthy man to follow Him. The man thought that he had been observing the commandments since his youth, enjoyed the benefits of wealth, but was not satisfied. As Holy Family Parish observes our 145^th anniversary, the interaction between Christ and this man teaches us how to continue to be a welcoming community. A welcoming parish helps people to encounter Christ, even if they are dealing with questions or doubts. It helps people to experience conversion. It helps people to engage in their commitment to live according to the teaching and example of Christ.

September 26, 2021 - Wholly Holy

Our relationship with God is primary but that does not mean that our faith is a private matter. This primary relationship is the perspective in which we engage in other relationships. We must not discount the power of our witness to following Christ within His Church. In the Gospel reading (cf. Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48), the Lord Jesus offers a sobering teaching about not creating obstacles on the journey of faith, whether for ourselves or others. Jesus warns us that we must never exploit others and lead them away from God. We belong to God, rejoice in this blessing, and reflect it in our behavior. We repent from causing scandal among us because we are consecrated to God in Christ. Following His teaching and example, we are becoming wholly holy.

September12, 2021 - Decisive Christian Discipleship

The direction of our lives is shaped by the decisions that we make. The most important decision is to follow the Lord Jesus Christ within the fellowship of His Church. The Lord Jesus Christ is the Master of our lives and the Model for living. In the Gospel reading (cf. Mark 8:27-35), the Lord Jesus teaches that it is possible to practice the faith that we profess in response to His revelation. After the first prediction of His passion, death, and resurrection, Peter the Apostle thought that Jesus was talking nonsense. The Lord taught Peter to have some sense and become a decisive disciple. We should not be discouraged if we have sinned. To live a decisive Christian life is possible as we undergo conversion, deal with circumstances, and endure conflict as we live according to the values of Christ.  

September 5, 2021 - Testify to the Power of God

In the Gospel reading (cf. Mark 7:31-37), some persons asked the Lord Jesus to heal a man with hearing and speech impediments. How Jesus responds, and how this man cooperates with Jesus, can be reassuring for us. Unlike the description in the Gospel of Mark, it may seem as if God is not acting "immediately" in our situation. However, our situation is not hidden from the Lord. God in Christ may not always respond exactly in accord with our request. However, our faithful God is always acting for our good. This is why our testimony is that Jesus "'has done [is doing and will do] all things well" (cf. Mark 7:37).

 

August 29, 2021 - It is Not Pompous to Be Pious

True humility recognizes who God is and who one is in relationship to God and others. Piety is one of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. We want to practice the faith that we are professing as our response to what God has revealed. The Lord Jesus teaches that the proper motivation for being pious is to glorify God in our thoughts, words, and actions. It is essential that the proper interior dispositions of faith are reflected in our exterior demonstrations of faith. Otherwise, we will construct a false image of being pious. That is hypocrisy. It is not pompous to be pious if we have the right perspective. 

August 22, 2021 - A Defining Moment for Christian Discipleship

“Simon Peter answered him, ‘Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.’” (John 6:68-69). This is part four of the series, “How Holy Mass Forms a Holy People.” The Lord Jesus has a decisive moment with His disciples. Would they believe in His identity and what He has the power to do? Would they make a commitment to live totally in union with Him? Unfortunately, many of His disciples would abandon Him. This decisive moment became a devastating moment. However, it also became a defining moment for those disciples who chose to remain with Jesus. When we may find a teaching of Christ and His Church to be a “hard saying,” we can accept it. By the grace of God, we trust in Jesus’ revelation about His identity and our identity in relationship to Him. We know by experience that God is good. There is no where we would rather be than to stay with Jesus. [Minor audio issues are due to Facebook Live.]

August 15, 2021 - The Faith Which Conquers Death

“[Elizabeth said to Mary,] ‘Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled’” (Luke 1:45). While the Blessed Virgin Mary received a singular grace from God in view of her unique vocation, her being assumed by God into heaven (body and soul), is a sign of hope for us. Cooperating with God's grace, we can have an enduring faith that the Word of God will be fulfilled in our lives. Even at the hour of our death. The characteristics of this enduring faith are:  (1) holding to the conviction that God is worthy of love and trust, and (2) practicing this faith courageously during every circumstance.

August 8, 2021 -Offer to God the Sacrifice of Praise

This is part 3 of the series, "How Holy Mass Forms a Holy People." Connecting the celebration of the sacred liturgy with the conduct of our sacred lives is integral to growing as disciples of Christ. Jesus said, “‘I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world’" (John 6:51). Christ is talking about the oblation of His life for our salvation. An oblation is a sacrificial offering to God. The Catholic Church has never taught that Jesus is sacrificed again whenever Holy Mass is offered. The Eucharistic sacrifice is a participation in the one and eternal sacrifice of Christ who has risen from the dead. What is eternally present to God the Father is made present in this time and space. As our reflection on the Liturgy of the Eucharist begins, consider some of the practical ways of offering ourselves to God in union with Christ,

August 1, 2021 - Reverently Receiving the Word of God

[Audio issues are being addressed.] This is part 2 of the series, "How Holy Mass Forms a Holy People." Connecting the celebration of the sacred liturgy with the conduct of our sacred lives is integral to growing as disciples of Christ. God reveals Himself to us because God invites us to live in union with Him. After His miracle of feeding the multitude, Jesus told them that there is a deeper hunger that only an intentional relationship with God will satisfy. Trusting in the love and mercy of God, our communication with Him is important. During the Liturgy of the Word, we listen to the Word of God intently, learn its meaning intimately, and strive to live according to it with integrity. 

July 25, 2021 - Worship Jesus With the Right Expectations

[Audio problems are being addressed, but you can hear every word of the homily.] Some Catholics say, “I don’t get anything out of Mass.” We can lovingly inquire about their expectations. If we think that worshipping Jesus is about ourselves first, then our expectations are unreasonable. The Lord said that we are to do this in memory of Him. Therefore, we should come with an expectation to meet the Lord as He chooses to present Himself. For the next five Sundays, the Gospel reading is taken from the sixth chapter of the Gospel according to Saint John. Many members of the multitude wanted Jesus to perform for them. They were not interested in encountering Him as a Person. As a result, many would reject Jesus because He did not meet their expectations. It cannot be that way with us. We have come to participate in the one eternal sacrifice of praise to our Lord God and Savior. We can never thank Him enough! If someone asks you what happed during Holy Mass today, tell them, “I met Jesus.”

The is the first of the homily series, “Mass Movements: How Holy Mass Forms a Holy People.” For the Christian disciple, there must be a vital connection between the celebration of the sacred liturgy and the conduct of our sacred lives.