Acts 14:19-28; Ps 145 YOUr friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your kingdom; John 14:27-31
Today in the church we honor the memory and legacy of Pope Pius V. He was elected in the 16th century to lead the church, a man known for his simplicity and holiness.
He was born a poor Italian family. Yearning to be a priest from an early age, though not having sufficient means, it seemed his dream would never come to fruition. Until one day, when two Dominicans (religious priest) showed up and met ANthony and having been impressed with him decided to take him in and educate him.
Eventually Anthony, entered the Dominicans at the age of 14 and took the name Michael, later he was ordained a priest, then a bishop, then chosen to be a cardinal for the church.
At the age of 61, he was chosen to be Pope and he took the name Pius V, at this time he continued to wear his white Dominican habit, from which we have the white Cassock the pope wears even today.
Now you know the rest of the story.
Today we look briefly in to the life of Paul on his missionary journeys.
"They stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. But when the disciples gathered around him, he got up and entered the city. On the following day he left with Barnabas for Derbe."
What is interesting is that Paul definitely took a beating. He kind of reminds me of Rocky. He was unafraid of the punch back. Yet, he got up. He didn't stay down, nor did he let the opposition deter him from proclaiming the message of truth.
The other interesting note is that the disciples gathered around him. Only after they gathered around him, I suppose to encourage him and pray over him, was able to find the strength to carry on.
How often do we do this for one another? How often do we encourage and strengthen those around us who have taken a beating from the world at large?
Then Paul, once strengthen, he went back into the city. He didn't back away. He wanted to make sure Christ was proclaimed, the message was heard.
Imagine the look on the faces of those who threw the stones! Imagine the astonishment! I bet his reemergence in to the city was a far greater witness then anything he said.
What an example!
As the Psalms reminds us: your friends make known the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
YOu can't keep a good man down.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Saturday, April 27, 2013
A funeral of a friend through letters
Today in the parish, i celebrated a funeral for a friend. This particular friend had lived 91 years plus a few more months.
She was a friend. She was unique friend. BAck in 2003, as a seminarian here in Cuero, I met this particular woman and her daughter. We instantly hit off. Over the past 10 years, she and her daughter would write letters to me, keeping me up on their travels and where they were and what was going on.
They were beautifully written letters that i appreciated deeply.
We kept in touch through correspondence.
She passed away this past thursday and she was buried out of St. Michael's in Cuero, where we met and where I am currently the pastor.
IT was truly an honor.
In visiting with her daughter, the daughter made a comment, "I can't image life with our her."
Think about that for a moment. How often we hear that said about people we love or by others whose loved one's have past.
"I can't imagine life without her."
IT is true that death is difficult, especially when you say farewell to a mother who was also a dear friend, as this daughter experienced throughout her life.
But, we don't have to imagine life with out anyone. In faith, we know death is not an end to our existence. There is more that lies ahead. The veil that separate the living on earth and those alive in God beyond time and space is not very much.
In fact St. Paul says that we are alive in Christ, both here on earth and in heaven. We are never without those who have faith.
Rather than imagining life without perhaps we should start to imagine life with them in heaven, maybe that would change what we decide and who we decide to live here and now.
My dear friend through letters is not gone, she is alive and we too shall one day meet again when Christ our glory comes.
She was a friend. She was unique friend. BAck in 2003, as a seminarian here in Cuero, I met this particular woman and her daughter. We instantly hit off. Over the past 10 years, she and her daughter would write letters to me, keeping me up on their travels and where they were and what was going on.
They were beautifully written letters that i appreciated deeply.
We kept in touch through correspondence.
She passed away this past thursday and she was buried out of St. Michael's in Cuero, where we met and where I am currently the pastor.
IT was truly an honor.
In visiting with her daughter, the daughter made a comment, "I can't image life with our her."
Think about that for a moment. How often we hear that said about people we love or by others whose loved one's have past.
"I can't imagine life without her."
IT is true that death is difficult, especially when you say farewell to a mother who was also a dear friend, as this daughter experienced throughout her life.
But, we don't have to imagine life with out anyone. In faith, we know death is not an end to our existence. There is more that lies ahead. The veil that separate the living on earth and those alive in God beyond time and space is not very much.
In fact St. Paul says that we are alive in Christ, both here on earth and in heaven. We are never without those who have faith.
Rather than imagining life without perhaps we should start to imagine life with them in heaven, maybe that would change what we decide and who we decide to live here and now.
My dear friend through letters is not gone, she is alive and we too shall one day meet again when Christ our glory comes.
Friday, April 26, 2013
at stake
John 14:1-6; Ps 2 YOu are my son; this day i have begotten you; Acts 13:26-33
Today in the first reading we encounter Paul arriving at Antioch in Pisidia, standing in the Synagogue and proclaiming the message of Christ.
Antioch of Pisidia is in modern day Turkey. It is here we experience St. Paul's first recored sermon on his missionary journey to bring the good news of Christ outward.
His address is bold and inviting, "my brothers, children of the family of Abraham, and those among you who are GOd-fearing, to us this word of salvation has been sent."
This word of salvation. We must not forget what is at stake in this proclamation:salvation.
It points to the gospel for today where JEsus tell us, "do not let your hearts be troubled, you have faith in God, have faith in me...I am going to prepare a place for you...and if i prepare place for your, i will come back again and take you to myself."
This is what is at stake. Salvation means we belong to Christ and he will come back and take us to himself. Heaven is a prepared place for those prepared.
At the heart of the sermon i would like to direct you to a little phrase of Paul's.
"..they asked Pilate to have him put to death, and when they accomplished all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree and placed him in a tomb."
Now at this point it seems pretty bleak. IT doesn't seem promising nor does it sound like good news.
Paul is speaking about the death of Christ. He has been killed. What is good about this?
Paul continues, "But God raised him from the dead, and for many days he appeared to those who had come up with him from Galilee..."
Note the turn in events indicated by that simple little phrase "But God."
But God changes everything. In the midst of human choices and human violence, God continue to act. God does not quit nor give up.
God's plan can not be derailed by men. In the midst of darkness, God's light shine through.
But God is at the heart of the sermon. God always provides and exception to the rule in the game of life.
God cannot be kept down, locked away, buried.
Paul reminds us all that we do not go alone, God journeys with us. God's plan continues to unfold even when things look bleak and disappointing.
God will work with us, through us, and ultimately for us.
"But God", that simple little phrase captures the heart of hopefulness for every believer and non believer alike.
This is what is at stake, "But God raised him..."
Today in the first reading we encounter Paul arriving at Antioch in Pisidia, standing in the Synagogue and proclaiming the message of Christ.
Antioch of Pisidia is in modern day Turkey. It is here we experience St. Paul's first recored sermon on his missionary journey to bring the good news of Christ outward.
His address is bold and inviting, "my brothers, children of the family of Abraham, and those among you who are GOd-fearing, to us this word of salvation has been sent."
This word of salvation. We must not forget what is at stake in this proclamation:salvation.
It points to the gospel for today where JEsus tell us, "do not let your hearts be troubled, you have faith in God, have faith in me...I am going to prepare a place for you...and if i prepare place for your, i will come back again and take you to myself."
This is what is at stake. Salvation means we belong to Christ and he will come back and take us to himself. Heaven is a prepared place for those prepared.
At the heart of the sermon i would like to direct you to a little phrase of Paul's.
"..they asked Pilate to have him put to death, and when they accomplished all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree and placed him in a tomb."
Now at this point it seems pretty bleak. IT doesn't seem promising nor does it sound like good news.
Paul is speaking about the death of Christ. He has been killed. What is good about this?
Paul continues, "But God raised him from the dead, and for many days he appeared to those who had come up with him from Galilee..."
Note the turn in events indicated by that simple little phrase "But God."
But God changes everything. In the midst of human choices and human violence, God continue to act. God does not quit nor give up.
God's plan can not be derailed by men. In the midst of darkness, God's light shine through.
But God is at the heart of the sermon. God always provides and exception to the rule in the game of life.
God cannot be kept down, locked away, buried.
Paul reminds us all that we do not go alone, God journeys with us. God's plan continues to unfold even when things look bleak and disappointing.
God will work with us, through us, and ultimately for us.
"But God", that simple little phrase captures the heart of hopefulness for every believer and non believer alike.
This is what is at stake, "But God raised him..."
Thursday, April 25, 2013
black coffee and ella fitzgerald: diary of a wimpy kid
1 peter 5:5-4; PS 89 For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord; Mark 16:15-20
Today we celebrate the feast of St. Mark, the evangelist.
Today is also the birthday of Ella Fitzgerald.
St. Mark sets to rhythm the life of Christ with his pen. Ella sets to rhythm song itself.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRxS7Q64xUQ Here is a link of her singing a jazzy not Black Coffee.
I thought it appropriate to post this particular beauty since yesterday at our Priest study day for the diocese we were told to lower our caffeine intake if we want to lower our stress levels.
Funny, they never mentioned nicotine or cigarettes or smoking a pipe or having a good cigar.
Black coffee has been such a dear friend of mine. So, to Black Coffee, I post Ella fitzgerald sining her song.
Today, we honor St. Mark. Mark is an intriguing historical figure.
He was considered a wimp by St. Paul. Apparently, Mark went with Paul and Barnabas on their missionary journey and when things got a little rough he bailed on them and went back home. St. Paul looked upon him as a quitter. (Acts 15.)
One could postulate that the gospel of Mark is a diary of wimpy kid. Though MArk started out in a whimper and his reputation as a quitter spread, he eventually found his roar.
In 1 Timothy, St. Paul has had a change in heart and no longer looked upon Mark as useless or as a quitter but found him worthy of admiration.
There is note of grace for all of us in MArk's story. How often have we quit or bailed? YEt, God continue to call and finds ways to use us for his glory.
This wimpy kid in today's gospel spells it our for us beautifully.
"Jesus says, 'go into the world and proclaim the gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. THey will pick up serpents with their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick and they will recover."
Doesn't sound so wimpy after all.
Why isn't wimpy? Because of the last line of the gospel for today, "While the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through accompanying signs."
Mark gets it. It is through Christ all things are possible. As he probably heard St. Paul say many times, "I can do all things in Christ who strengthens me...It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives within me."
The wimpy kid found his place, and what St. Paul did on his missionary journeys...Mark continues to do each time his gospel is proclaimed from generation to generation.
Today we celebrate the feast of St. Mark, the evangelist.
Today is also the birthday of Ella Fitzgerald.
St. Mark sets to rhythm the life of Christ with his pen. Ella sets to rhythm song itself.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRxS7Q64xUQ Here is a link of her singing a jazzy not Black Coffee.
I thought it appropriate to post this particular beauty since yesterday at our Priest study day for the diocese we were told to lower our caffeine intake if we want to lower our stress levels.
Funny, they never mentioned nicotine or cigarettes or smoking a pipe or having a good cigar.
Black coffee has been such a dear friend of mine. So, to Black Coffee, I post Ella fitzgerald sining her song.Today, we honor St. Mark. Mark is an intriguing historical figure.
He was considered a wimp by St. Paul. Apparently, Mark went with Paul and Barnabas on their missionary journey and when things got a little rough he bailed on them and went back home. St. Paul looked upon him as a quitter. (Acts 15.)
One could postulate that the gospel of Mark is a diary of wimpy kid. Though MArk started out in a whimper and his reputation as a quitter spread, he eventually found his roar.
In 1 Timothy, St. Paul has had a change in heart and no longer looked upon Mark as useless or as a quitter but found him worthy of admiration.
There is note of grace for all of us in MArk's story. How often have we quit or bailed? YEt, God continue to call and finds ways to use us for his glory.
This wimpy kid in today's gospel spells it our for us beautifully.
"Jesus says, 'go into the world and proclaim the gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. THey will pick up serpents with their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick and they will recover."
Doesn't sound so wimpy after all.
Why isn't wimpy? Because of the last line of the gospel for today, "While the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through accompanying signs."
Mark gets it. It is through Christ all things are possible. As he probably heard St. Paul say many times, "I can do all things in Christ who strengthens me...It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives within me."
The wimpy kid found his place, and what St. Paul did on his missionary journeys...Mark continues to do each time his gospel is proclaimed from generation to generation.
Saturday, April 20, 2013
shepherding my cat
Acts 13:14,43-52; Psalm 100 We are his people, the sheep of his flock; Revelation 7:9,14-17; John 10:27-30
Jesus said, "My sheep hear my voice; i know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand..."
This Sunday we celebrate the 4th sunday of Easter, Good Shepherd Sunday. We turn our gaze toward the one who is both "lamb" and "shepherd."
The lamb that has been sacrificed is the shepherd of our souls. He has proved himself worthy of our attention, our willingness to follow, for he has given all for us.
I don't know much about the reality of shepherds and sheep and tending flocks and the like. But I do have a cat. And this is what i have discovered about my cat.
I received this cat 2 years ago from a three year old at St. Rose of Lima catholic school. I practically raised the cat from the youngest one can raise a cat.
The cat, while a kitten, lived in the rectory with me. For almost a year and half the cat was with me.
It would sit above my head when i would watch TV or it would curl up on my chest while I was resting.
The cat wanted to be as close as possible to me.
I would whistle and it would come running instantly.
After about a year and half of living with me, i discovered the cat wasn't good for my allergies. So i decided to put the cat outside. Each morning I would wake, I would go to the patio and whistle and the cat would come running, quickly and promptly. It would approach me and quickly roll over and look for me belly scratch before i would feed it.
Over the days, weeks, and months that followed, the cat began to run around with the neighborhood cats and began to hang out with my neighbor and his family. They would play with the cat and feed the cat and so on.
What I have noticed over the last 6 months or so is that when I whistle the cat isn't as prompt or as quick. It takes a few minutes to crawl out from under the other the house. And before it use to run, now it slowly lumbers toward me.
Sometimes, I have to pick up the cat and take it to the feeder.
As soon as distance became a part of the reality, all of sudden the cat become more distracted and less and less willing to respond to the call of my voice.
It is the same with our relationship with Christ.
The one thing that is need is closeness and familiarity.
We too, like my cat, can get distracted and caught up with all kinds voices that what our attention. The more we give ourselves the less we respond to the voice of the real shepherd.
Our task is to stay close. We must tune our ears to Christ and christ alone, daily.
As JEsus states so clearly, no one can snatch us from his hand, but we can let go. We can remove ourself from his grip by our lifestyle and choices we make daily. We can choose to give ourselves over the many wild and haunting voices that pray upon us or we stay close to the one voice that matters.
Daily we go forth with one ear bend toward the lips of Christ and the other ear toward the needs of those we encounter. But it is the voice of Christ that purifies and urges us forward as we go.
Jesus said, "My sheep hear my voice; i know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand..."
This Sunday we celebrate the 4th sunday of Easter, Good Shepherd Sunday. We turn our gaze toward the one who is both "lamb" and "shepherd."
The lamb that has been sacrificed is the shepherd of our souls. He has proved himself worthy of our attention, our willingness to follow, for he has given all for us.
I don't know much about the reality of shepherds and sheep and tending flocks and the like. But I do have a cat. And this is what i have discovered about my cat.
I received this cat 2 years ago from a three year old at St. Rose of Lima catholic school. I practically raised the cat from the youngest one can raise a cat.
The cat, while a kitten, lived in the rectory with me. For almost a year and half the cat was with me.
It would sit above my head when i would watch TV or it would curl up on my chest while I was resting.
The cat wanted to be as close as possible to me.
I would whistle and it would come running instantly.
After about a year and half of living with me, i discovered the cat wasn't good for my allergies. So i decided to put the cat outside. Each morning I would wake, I would go to the patio and whistle and the cat would come running, quickly and promptly. It would approach me and quickly roll over and look for me belly scratch before i would feed it.
Over the days, weeks, and months that followed, the cat began to run around with the neighborhood cats and began to hang out with my neighbor and his family. They would play with the cat and feed the cat and so on.
What I have noticed over the last 6 months or so is that when I whistle the cat isn't as prompt or as quick. It takes a few minutes to crawl out from under the other the house. And before it use to run, now it slowly lumbers toward me.
Sometimes, I have to pick up the cat and take it to the feeder.
As soon as distance became a part of the reality, all of sudden the cat become more distracted and less and less willing to respond to the call of my voice.
It is the same with our relationship with Christ.
The one thing that is need is closeness and familiarity.
We too, like my cat, can get distracted and caught up with all kinds voices that what our attention. The more we give ourselves the less we respond to the voice of the real shepherd.
Our task is to stay close. We must tune our ears to Christ and christ alone, daily.
As JEsus states so clearly, no one can snatch us from his hand, but we can let go. We can remove ourself from his grip by our lifestyle and choices we make daily. We can choose to give ourselves over the many wild and haunting voices that pray upon us or we stay close to the one voice that matters.
Daily we go forth with one ear bend toward the lips of Christ and the other ear toward the needs of those we encounter. But it is the voice of Christ that purifies and urges us forward as we go.
Friday, April 19, 2013
happy to be unhappy
Happy to be unhappy, this is how i would classify this current age. Our culture and our society is happy to be unhappy and thus we divert all our energy into material things, whether it be people, money, success, prestige, power, wealth, notoriety, fame and the list is countless.
Happy to be unhappy.
Here is verse from Trilussa...
There is a be which lights
on a rosebud;
it sucks it and flies away
all in all, happiness
is a small thing..
Happiness is a small thing
Jesus in the gospel reminds us this as well as we enter into the bread of life discourse.
"...Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him...whoever feeds on me will have life because of me..."
Could be so simple. Could be like the bee. We light upon the bread of life and find it nourishment for our souls and strength for our bodies.
Is happiness such a small thing?
Why do we complicate that which is so plain, so simple, so easy to digest.
"I am the bread of life" he says, we hear and yet we find ourselves tasting and eating everything else but the one thing that has been laid before us.
Why do we choose other foods when the real food has been set before us.
Happiness is such a small thing!
Happy to be unhappy.
Here is verse from Trilussa...
There is a be which lights
on a rosebud;
it sucks it and flies away
all in all, happiness
is a small thing..
Happiness is a small thing
Jesus in the gospel reminds us this as well as we enter into the bread of life discourse.
"...Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him...whoever feeds on me will have life because of me..."
Could be so simple. Could be like the bee. We light upon the bread of life and find it nourishment for our souls and strength for our bodies.
Is happiness such a small thing?
Why do we complicate that which is so plain, so simple, so easy to digest.
"I am the bread of life" he says, we hear and yet we find ourselves tasting and eating everything else but the one thing that has been laid before us.
Why do we choose other foods when the real food has been set before us.
Happiness is such a small thing!
Thursday, April 18, 2013
seriously
A Poem by James Fenton
Awake, alert,
Suddenly serious in love,
You're a surprise.
I've known you long enough —
Now I can hardly meet your eyes.
It's not that I'm
Embarrassed or ashamed.
You've changed the rules
The way I'd hoped they'd change Before I thought: hopes are for fools.
Let me walk with you.
I've got the newspapers to fetch.
I think you know
I think you have the edge
But I feel cheerful even so.
That's why I laughed.
That's why I went and kicked that stone.
I'm serious!
That's why I cartwheeled home.
This should mean something. Yes, it does.
ABove is a poem about falling in love or should i say being in love.
When that happens as it often does, doesn't it change the rules, love that is.
Things are different, in deed, more serious.
Seriously, love changes the rules of the game and puts us all on edge.
But does it really?
How often have we professed love for God, for Christ.
Is it love seriously or feigned?
Love changes the rules of engagement, it puts us on edge...
"I love you Lord JEsus and praise you because by your Cross you have set us free"...free to love in return the way you loved us.
May we all be serious in the love we profess then our laughter will be louder and our joy will spread like wild flower, contagiously burning on the fuel that is love, seriously!
Awake, alert,
Suddenly serious in love,
You're a surprise.
I've known you long enough —
Now I can hardly meet your eyes.
It's not that I'm
Embarrassed or ashamed.
You've changed the rules
The way I'd hoped they'd change Before I thought: hopes are for fools.
Let me walk with you.
I've got the newspapers to fetch.
I think you know
I think you have the edge
But I feel cheerful even so.
That's why I laughed.
That's why I went and kicked that stone.
I'm serious!
That's why I cartwheeled home.
This should mean something. Yes, it does.
ABove is a poem about falling in love or should i say being in love.
When that happens as it often does, doesn't it change the rules, love that is.
Things are different, in deed, more serious.
Seriously, love changes the rules of the game and puts us all on edge.
But does it really?
How often have we professed love for God, for Christ.
Is it love seriously or feigned?
Love changes the rules of engagement, it puts us on edge...
"I love you Lord JEsus and praise you because by your Cross you have set us free"...free to love in return the way you loved us.
May we all be serious in the love we profess then our laughter will be louder and our joy will spread like wild flower, contagiously burning on the fuel that is love, seriously!
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