tried and true

Job 19:21-27; Psalm 27 I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living; Luke 10:1-12

Words of St. Jerome...
"Happy the man who makes progress daily, who does not weigh what he did yesterday, but make shis resolution for today and keeps it. The holy man sets his heart on ascending..."


We turn our attention to Job. There are many things that can be said about Job and his predicament. He goes from a man who has everything, house, family, wealth, faith, happiness to a man that is covered with sores sitting on a heap of ashes, mourning the loss of all that he had known.

He goes from rejoicing in his life to renouncing the day he was born.

Sounds like life, doesn't it. How quickly things change. How quickly we go from the hero of the hour to the villian. How quickly we fall from the heights we ascend.

Change is inevitable. Change we do not plan for is guaranteed. The true test of character is seen in what we do when thngs turn sour, when the world falls apart and our hands are left with nothing.

Job was being tested for his faith.
This is how the story begins: "Have you considered my servant Job, there is none like him on the earth, a simple an dupright man, and fearing God and avoiding evil."

The voice of God resounds with such acclamations.

"Stretch forth your hand a little, and touch all that he hath, and see if he cursed thee to thy face."

The vocie of Satan echoes forth a challenge.


This conversation is not soley reserved to Job, but is this not the lot of humanity. Do we not base our faith on our comfort, our wealth, our good times.

Does not God demand more from us! Shoud not God expect more from us.

Who of us wants to be loved soley becasue of what we can offer? Do we not want to be loved for the sake of love?

Does not the God, our Father, also desire this, to be loved for his own sake and not because of the things he can offer?

Job 1:22 "In all these things Job sinned not by his lips, nor spoke any foolish things against God."

"Naked I came from my mother's womb, naked I shall go back. The Lord gives and the lord taken away, blessed be the name of the lord."

And today we hear these words of faith that have been tried and found to be true, without alloy, refined in the furnace of suffering faith comes forth shinning and brilliant, "But as for me, I know my vindicator lives, and that he will at last stand forth upon the dust; whom I myself shall see; my own eyes, not another's, shall behold, and from my flesh I shall see God, my inmost being is consumed with longing."

True faith requires purification.

st michael

"Then the dragon was enraged with the woman and went away to make war on the rest of her children, that is, all who obey God's commandments and bear witness for Jesus...Revelation 12:1-17"

The battle rages and the strength of God is on our side, St. Michael "strength of God."
Let us pray....

Saint michael the archangel, defend us in battle;
be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.

May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;
and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God,
cast into hell Satan and all the other spirits who prowl about the world
seeking the ruin of souls. Amen

Quis et Deus? Quis resistet sancti Michaelis gladio?

Who is like God? Who could resist the sword of st Michael?


Excerpt from Pope Benedict on angels...

In his moving homily the pope recalled that in the early Church – and in Revelations – bishops are referred to as “angels”. Just as angles, explained the pope, bishops must lead humanity to God; they must knock on the door to their hearts to announce Christ; they must heal the wounds of relations between man and woman and save them from sin with reconciliation and forgiveness.

Throughout his entire discourse the pontiff referred to this similitude, starting with the names of the three Archangels, which contains the suffix “El”, which in Hebrew is the name of God. “God – said the pope – is written in their names, in their very nature…. they are His messengers. They bring God to mankind, they reveal the heavens and thus, they reveal earth….. the Angels speak to man about what constitutes his true being, what is often is often covered or buried in his life. They call man to himself, touching him on God’s behalf”. And he added: “In this way even we humans must become angels for one another – angels who lead us from the wrong path and guide us once again towards God…..

Benedict XVI then went on to highlight the characteristics of the three Archangels of the feast (the only ones named in the Bible), illustrating other aspects of the Bishop’s role.
Michael (“Who is as God?”) “defends the cause of the one God against the dragon’s presumption, the “ancient serpent” as his called by John. It is the serpent’s continuous attempts to make men believe that God must disappear, in order for making to obtain greatness; that God stands in the way of our freedom and so we must be rid of Him”.

In reality, explains the pontiff, “he who puts God aside, does not make mankind great, rather he denies mankind his dignity. And thus, man becomes an unsuccessful product of evolution”.
This is why, adds the pope; “it is the Bishop’s duty, as a man of God, to make space in the world for God against those who would negate Him and in doing so defend the greatness of man”. And again: “Faith in God defends man from all of his weaknesses and inadequacies: God’s radiance shines on every individual”.

Gabriel (“Man of God”) is the archangel who announces the Good News to Mary. He said the pope “is the messenger of the incarnation of God. He knocks on Mary’s door …… repeatedly God knocks on the human heart ….. on the world’s door and on the door to the heart of every individual. He knocks waiting to enter”. And turning to the candidates the pope added: “Dear friends, it is your duty to knock on the man’s hearts in Christ’s name. By entering in union with Christ, you will be able to take on Gabriel’s role: bringing Christ’s call to men”.

Raphael (“God heals”) is the archangel healer, protagonist of the Book of Tobias. The pope recalls that Raphael heals the relationship between Tobias and Sarah, marked by the curse of death: “he heals the wounded union between man and woman. He heals their love. He crushes the demons which tine and time again attempt to destroy their love. He purifies the atmosphere between the two and gifts them the ability to welcome and accept one another always”. “In the New Testament – recalls the pontiff – the order of marriage, established in creation and threatened in a multifaceted way by sin, is healed by the fact that Christ gathers it into his redeeming love. He makes marriage a sacrament: His love, which takes on the cross for us, is the saving strength, which in the midst of confusion, gifts us the ability to be reconciled, purifies the atmosphere and heals all wounds”. The bishop (and indeed every priest) “is entrusted with the duty of guiding men towards the reconciling power of Christ’s love. He must be the “healing angel” who helps them to anchor their love to the sacrament and live their love with renewed commitment drawn from the sacrament”.

“The book of Tobias – added the pope – speaks of the healing of blind eyes. We all know that today we are threatened with blindness to God…… healing this blinded through the message of the faith and witness of love, is Raphael’s service which is entrusted each and every day to priests and in a particular way to bishops. Thus we are spontaneously led to think of the sacrament of reconciliation and penitence, which in the deepest meaning of the word, is a haling sacrament. The true wound of the soul, in fact is sin. And only is a forgiveness in virtue of the power of God, in virtue of the power of Christ’s love exists, can we be healed, can we be redeemed”.

archangels:Michael, Gabriel, Raphael

A few words from St. Gregory the Great

You should be aware that the word “angel” denotes a function rather than a nature. Those holy spirits of heaven have indeed always been spirits. They can only be called angels when they deliver some message. Moreover, those who deliver messages of lesser importance are called angels; and those who proclaim messages of supreme importance are called archangels. And so it was that not merely an angel but the archangel Gabriel was sent to the Virgin Mary. It was only fitting that the highest angel should come to announce the greatest of all messages.

Some angels are given proper names to denote the service they are empowered to perform. In that holy city, where perfect knowledge flows from the vision of almighty God, those who have no names may easily be known. But personal names are assigned to some, not because they could not be known without them, but rather to denote their ministry when they came among us. Thus, Michael means “Who is like God”; Gabriel is “The Strength of God”; and Raphael is “God’s Remedy”.

Whenever some act of wondrous power must be performed, Michael is sent, so that his action and his name may make it clear that no one can do what God does by his superior power. So also our ancient foe desired in his pride to be like God, saying: I will ascend into heaven; I will exalt my throne above the stars of heaven; I will be like the Most High. He will be allowed to remain in power until the end of the world when he will be destroyed in the final punishment. Then, he will fight with the archangel Michael, as we are told by John: A battle was fought with Michael the archangel.

So too Gabriel, who is called God’s strength, was sent to Mary. He came to announce the One who appeared as a humble man to quell the cosmic powers. Thus God’s strength announced the coming of the Lord of the heavenly powers, mighty in battle. Raphael means, as I have said, God’s remedy, for when he touched Tobit’s eyes in order to cure him, he banished the darkness of his blindness. Thus, since he is to heal, he is rightly called God’s remedy.

Fire fall or grace rise

Do you want us to call down fire to consume them! These are the words of the disciples to Jesus when they face obstacles and opposition.

Interesting fact about today's feast: st lawerence ruiz.
He was martyred in Nagasaki, Japan.

Nagasaki, Japan is the place where fire came down when the Bomb was dropped.

In Nagasaki we see how man deals with man. Violence seems to be the answer when concupiscence is exposed.
Yet Jesus shows us another way.

He refuses to let violence be the answer. Rather than destroy he allows himself to be destroyed. It is this destruction that brings peace. This is the life of a martyr, to be consumed like an offering so that in the offering grace falls down.

st vincent de paul

today we honor st. Vincent de paul.

Here are a few words that i think are worth hearing over and over again.

"When the demands of life seem unfair, when you are exhausted and have to pull yourself out of bed yet another time to do some act of service, do it gladly, without counting the cost without self-pity. for if you persevere in serving others , in giving yourself to the poor, if you persevere to the point of completely spending yourself, perhaps someday the poor will find it in their hearts to forgive you. For it is more blessed to give than to receive, and it is also a lot easier."

somethings are a necessity to help us remember lest forget...

return the favor

Amos 6:1,4-7; Psalm 146 Praise the Lord, my soul; I Timothy 6:11-16; Lk 16:19-31


As we read the story of the rich man and the poor man, the one who dines sumptuously daily with his purple garments (guicci shoes and armani suits) and the one who covered with sores can only get the pity of dogs, two questions comes to mind...

1)Why does God allow there to be poor people? Often times, many will ask me this question. Father, they say, if God is love then why do people suffer, why is there poverty in the world, people who are hungry, thirsty, sick and fill in the blank. Why poopr people?

2)What would get the rich man out of hell? Perhaps this question is more immediate, more pressing, more urgent. Besides, in the words of JEsus, "the poor you will have with you always!" But, Hell, now that is something worth talking about.

Why poor people? What would get the rich man out of Hell?

Hang on to these questions as we move forward.

I often spend a lot of time reflecting on my experience at home with family as a source of insiration and also a source of wisdom. I learn much from my family continually.

Growing up I was somewhat of a rebellious child. My father and I never saw eye to eye. I was the obstinate kid that did not want to learn what my father had to teach.

So we were often butting heads.

There is one lesson I do remember though at the time I often didn't understand and seldom agreed with but it continues to guide me in life.

My father was quite the handy man. He could do anything from building homes, plowing fields, making hay, raising corn, tending to animals, fixing vehicles, plumming and the list goes on.

He was a jack of all trades and for the most part a master as well. I never gave him much credit but looking back I realize it was my youth that blinded me.

My Dad had a rule about life. He would never take payment for service rendered. If someone needed him to fix their roof, or replace a sink, build a home, harvest their crop, deliver them hay, round up the cattle whatever it was he never took payment for serving. UIf he did it was always just enough to pay for gas and nothing more.

It was frustrating to us boys because we were usually right their with him, sweating and toiling and taking up our day that could have been used with more interesting things like basketball, footbal, watching TV or simply doing nothing.

When we would complain about Dad not taking payment he would often say, son, there is going be a time when we need it and these people will be there to return the favor.
I always thought he was full of it. I always thought he was letting people take advantage of him.

Now that was my dad's rule of life. Do unto others, be generous because that is the only way to live.

We thought he was crazy. We grew up in society that told us you had to earn your keep and pay for services rendered.

Fast forward 2006. I was being ordained in Shiner. The whole city was coming out to see there native son humbled by the gift of the priesthood.

We were expecting the entire city of shiner to show up and not to mention others from various parts of where I had been.

It was going to be 1000 plus at the ordination. Usually, there is a reception afterwards. It fell to my family to provide the food that was going to welcome all of these people and feed them.

So I was calling aorund trying to find a caterer, someone to tend to the business of feeding. I called several people and they were all booked. I was runnign out of options. I called a local man who owned a resturant and also did catering. I had grew up with his sons. I knew him very well and his family as he did mine.

When I spoke to him about the situation, the people the food and payment and all that stuff, he stopped me on the phone and said these words, "David, your father practically built my house. He spent weeks of his life helping me get my house up for my family and he would never take any payment for it. So, let me take care of the food and drink as an opportunity to return the favor .

I was floored. This man was willing to feed 1000 people with brisket and all the trimmings simply so he could return the favor.

I mentioned it to my father and he simply smiled.

So much of life is returning the favor. We live out of the generosity of so many people. We have life out of the generosity of God himself. He simply invites us to return the favor.

What would get the rich man out hell? All he needed to do was to return the favor. He had been given so much, talent, treasure connections. All he needed to do was to take the time and talent and treasure and direct it outward. If he would have returned the favor by simply tending to the man at his gate, how different would the outcome have been.


Why do we have poor people? Perhaps they are they to give us the opportunity to return the favor, to be generous. Perhaps they are there to get us out of hell.

The distance between heaven and hell, the bossom of Abraham and the fires of torment is measured by the distance between ourselves and the poor that we always have with us.

Return the favor and in the end the favor shall be returned to you.