Christ at the Center

December 5, 2021 - A Merciful Life

This is part 2 of the Advent series, "Blessed by God: A Full Life." The blessings that God bestows upon us are unmerited favors. The greatest blessing is salvation in Christ. Sharing life and love with God gives us a full life. This series examines some of the benefits of receiving this blessing. A merciful life begins with the initiative of God to call us to repentance, to remove any obstacle that hinders us from advancing on the journey of faith. It means to be reconciled to God. In the Gospel reading (cf. Luke 3:1-6), Saint John the Baptist is a prophet of God who is preparing the people for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. The traditional steps of repentance are an examination of conscience, contrition for our sins, a firm purpose of amendment, confession of our sins, and receiving God’s healing mercy. Next Sunday will examine how reconciliation with God leads to being a joyful disciple who wants to be reconciled with others and to engage in works of mercy.

November 29, 2021 - A Hopeful Life

With apologies for periodic audio issues, this is part 1 of the Advent series, "Blessed by God: A Full Life." Advent prepares us for the celebration of Christmas. The theme is based on the Christmas Eve Gospel Reading: "And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: 'Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests'" (Luke 2:13-14). The blessing of God is the unmerited favor that God bestows upon us. The greatest blessing is salvation in Christ. Advent also reminds us to prepare for the glorious coming of Christ at the end of time. In the Gospel reading (cf. Luke 21:25-28, 34-36), the Lord teaches how to approach this event. We can use the same approach now during difficult situations in life. Hope is not wishful thinking, but a confident expectation that God will fulfill His promises. Hopeful people do not get consumed with panic or complacent with distractions. Hopeful people give themselves over to God in praise, knowing that our God has come to save us.

October 31, 2021: Christ‘s Presence in His Congregation

The Lord Jesus Christ teaches about the importance of being in a right relationships with God and with one another. A scholar of the law asked Jesus about He considered to be the greatest commandment. What is the purpose for living according to them? The Lord replied that we must love God wholeheartedly, which is the context for loving ourselves and others appropriately. During the Archdiocese of Baltimore Year of the Eucharist observance, we are considering the four ways in which Christ is present during Holy Mass. On the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, our focus was on the presence of Christ in the Most Holy Eucharist. On this Lord’s Day, our focus is the presence of Christ in the gathering of His people to worship the Lord during Holy Mass. Then we bear witness to the Lord afterwards.

October 17, 2021 - The Ambitious Christian

Once again, the Apostles do not understand about aspiring to greatness from a Christ=like perspective. Once again, the Lord Jesus Christ teaches the lesson. Our primary ambition as Christians is to follow where the Lord leads. Whether we are given the responsibility of leadership or not, we have influence in our network of relationships. We can lead people towards God or away from God; whether as a fellow parishioner, a fellow student, a co-worker, a spouse, a child, a neighbor, etc. The ambition of the Christian may not get our names published in a history book. However, following in the way that the Lord Jesus leads will get our names writen in the Book of Life.

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.]