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Shepherds of Christ |
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Shepherds of Christ |
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January 7, 2012
January 8th Holy Spirit Novena
Scripture selection is Day 3 Period I.The Novena Rosary Mysteries
for January 8th are Joyful.
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For a $500 donation we will give you the gift of the 12" Guadalupe Statue with glass from Mary's image face and you will help 500 priests in the United States get Fr. Joe's homily book. |
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In these trying times in the United States preceding the election, Jesus has asked us to circulate the Priestly Writing, Fr. Joe's homily book focusing on the Word and the Eucharist with the Shepherds of Christ prayers in the back of the book. The only thing that will help to renew the Church and the world is following the commandments and the Father's Plan. Please help us send this book to the United States priests.
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January 7, 2012
1st Sunday of Advent
November 30, 2008
– (Isaiah 63:16b-17, 19b; 64:2-7) Today’s first reading is a desperate prayer for God to come to save his people. It is one of the most sublime prayers we find in Scripture. God’s people were suffering; when it was too late they realized they had brought disaster upon themselves because of their pride and failure to listen to God’s Word. They ask for his help and forgiveness. It’s a good prayer for the beginning of Advent. We ask God to open our hearts to his coming.INTRODUCTION
Isaiah 63: 16-17, 19; 64: 2-7
After all, you are our Father.
If Abraham will not own us,
if Israel will not acknowledge us,
you, Yahweh, are our Father,
‘Our Redeemer’ is your name from of old.
Why, Yahweh, do you let us wander
from your ways
and let our hearts grow too hard
to fear you?
Return, for the sake of your servants,
the tribes of your heritage.
We have long been like those
you do not rule,
people who do not bear your name.
Oh, that you would tear the heavens open
and come down
—in your presence
the mountains would quake,at the unexpected miracles you would do.
(Oh, that you would come down,
in your presence
the mountains would quake!)
Never has anyone heard,
no ear has heard, no eye has seen
any god but you act like this
for the sake of those who trust him.
You come to meet those
who are happy to act uprightly;
keeping your ways reminds them of you.
Yes, you have been angry
and we have been sinners;
now we persist in your ways
and we shall be saved.
We have all been like unclean things
and our upright deeds like filthy rags.
We wither, all of us, like leaves,
and all our misdeeds
carry us off like the wind.
There is no one to invoke your name,
to rouse himself to hold fast to you,
for you have hidden your face from us
and given us up
to the power of our misdeeds.
And yet, Yahweh, you are our Father;
we the clay and you our potter,
all of us are the work of your hands.
(excerpt)1st Sunday of Advent - November 30, 2008
In today’s gospel Jesus is telling us about prioritizing. He’s going to return and we don’t know when. We must be watchful - that means keeping ourselves ready for him to return - which means keeping our busy lives in perspective. One practical way to do that is to take time to meditate. There are myriad ways to meditate such as: 1) to have a conversation with God or with Jesus, 2) to prayerfully read the Scriptures, 3) to look over the day and ask yourself what went well and what you are grateful for and what didn’t and why, 4) to quiet our mind and say nothing, just giving God a chance to possibly say something to us or 5) to say the rosary. Whatever way you choose, it will help you stay more peaceful, reduce stress, lower you blood pressure and help you stay focused as to what’s important in life and what is not so important.
R. Prepare your hearts —
being open to love
Fr. Joe talks of mountains of pride and
valleys of laziness that need
to be filled in —
Fr. Joe says
"We do not enter into God's Kingdom
by accident or by default."
We need to prepare —
It takes effort to prepare —
Fr. Joe says that what happened
in Adam and Eve's life and creation
was beautiful until the devil
came and was jealous of our first parents
and their closeness to God, so the devil
talked them into rebelling against God.
"Sin entered the world" as St. Paul says.
We suffer from "Original Sin"
Fr. Joe says it is like something is
missing, which is the original grace
which God blessed us with at
the time of creation.
This Original Sin, Fr. Joe says, is
a kind of tendency in all of us to
pride, selfishness, self-centeredness.
It leads to rebel against God like
our first parents did.
Fr. Joe says:
Feast of the Immaculate Conception - December 8. 2009 (excerpt)
If we read the whole passage in Genesis, we see that sin affected not only our first parents’ relationship with God, but it affected their relationship with each other - they felt shame in the presence of one another. It affected their relationship with the rest of creation - they lost the joy they had in the Garden of Eden and had to struggle with the rest of creation in order to survive. Our first reading does not go into all that. The part of the story that we heard in our first reading has the purpose of pointing out to us that, although we sin, God does not want us to remain in a state of alienation from him. Instead God would rescue the human race from this predicament we find ourselves in. So what we heard in our first reading was an announcement of good news for all of us. God spoke to the serpent, the devil, the evil one and said: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, between your offspring and hers.” Enmity: in other words, all our lives we would be struggling with evil. In a poetic way God announces that evil would not win in the struggle. He told the serpent: you might strike at his heel (i.e. you might be able to do some harm to the offspring of the woman) but he will strike at your head (which would imply a fatal blow). The powers of evil will not triumph even though they often seem to. Yet sin is a powerful force, one that humanity is unable to conquer by its own power, its own cleverness, its own politics, its own laws. And so God sent his Son to come to our rescue. God’s Son took on our human nature to show us the way back to a loving and harmonious relationship with God. He came to us through a woman whose goodness and holiness was not tainted by this sin that touches all the rest of us. She was full of grace from the very first moment of her existence. God did not think it fitting for the mother of his Son to be touched by sin for she would give birth to the One who would destroy sin and death in us by his own death and resurrection. When Mary was asked if she would be the mother of our Savior and Lord she answered: “May it be done to me according to your word.” The answer she gave was the way she lived her whole life: always ready to say “yes” to whatever God asked of her. And so Jesus came to us, he was born, he taught, he healed, he forgave sins, he cast out demons, he died for us. Before he left us to return to the Father he gave us the sacraments to help us overcome sin and to be renewed in God’s life. As we honor the Immaculate Virgin Mary, we pray she may inspire us and help us to stay close to God and in his grace by always saying “yes” to God as she did. Amen.
Fr. Joe says:
3rd Sunday of Advent - December 14, 2008 (excerpt)
The prophet in today’s first reading announced the Babylonian exile was over. Great news! The people, for the most part, were somewhat glad to be set free, but it wasn’t an easy time for them. After 50 years they were pretty well settled in Babylon. They had jobs and homes there. Their homes in Israel had been leveled 50 years earlier and there wasn’t much to return to. Nothing remained of their beloved Temple, which the Babylonians had destroyed, except a hill covered with rocks and weeds. The prophet had a real challenge encouraging God’s people to rejoice in their return home. It was only by having faith in what God was doing for them that they could have joy.
Mary, the mother of Jesus, had every reason to be anxious and depressed. Here she was suddenly going to be a mother. Her husband to be, Joseph, was about to break off the engagement. In just a few months, she would suffer disgrace among her family and friends when it became obvious she was going to have a child without being married. In that society she would have no way to support herself financially without a husband. Yet we hear, as she visits her cousin Elizabeth after the annunciation, how she rejoices, not in her misery, but in what God was about to do.
As we know from Paul’s writings, his job as a missionary was not an easy one. He tells us in his second letter to the Corinthians that he was beaten numerous times, put in jail, faced angry mobs, had gone without eating or sleeping, faced death, been shipwrecked three times, suffered from cold and pain, and faced dangers from robbers, his own people, even supposed Christians. Yet he writes to the Thessalonians: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks!” Why? “Because this is the will of God for you.” If it is God’s will for us that we be joyful, God will certainly help us if we choose to be. Paul is saying we can choose to sit around and feel sorry for ourselves or we can choose to be joyful even in difficult circumstances. We can let self-pity control our lives, or we can choose through faith and with God’s help to rejoice. If we can believe in the great things God has done and is about to do for us, we have reason to rejoice.
Let me make a little commercial here. One of the things Paul says is: “give thanks.” We certainly do that every time we come to Mass. The very word for the Mass, the Eucharist, means “thanksgiving.” There is another way to give thanks today also, through the appeal for the retirement for religious. Most of us were educated by dedicated priests, brothers and sisters who, if they have not died, are now too old to go out and work for a living. There aren’t enough younger religious to support them. So they need our help. You can give thanks for what you received years ago by helping them out today. End of commercial.
Even though life is sometimes burdensome and the economy is bad and there are threats all over the world; even though there are a lot of things we can complain about and a lot of things that could be better, we have more reasons to rejoice than any people who ever lived on this planet. We enjoy wonderful physical blessings and our freedom; we have the benefits of modern medicine and conveniences. Yet true joy in our hearts must still go deeper than all the things we have around us for we must rejoice in what God is doing in our life. St. John the Baptist tells us in today’s gospel, “there is one among you whom you do not recognize.” This is true. By faith we know he is among us, but if we could really recognize him, we would be so full of joy we would be as if we were in heaven. God’s plans for us are grandiose, his light and love so wonderful. If we could experience it all we would be mystics, which wouldn’t be all bad. But most of us have to live in faith and hope until God’s kingdom is realized in us. So like the people we heard about in today’s readings, we rejoice like they did - in faith. Amen.
2 Samuel 7: 1-5, 8-12, 14, 16
Once the king had settled into his palace and Yahweh had granted him rest from all the enemies surrounding him, the king said to the prophet Nathan, 'Look, I am living in a cedar' wood palace, while the ark of God is under awnings." Nathan said to the king, 'Go and do whatever you have in mind, for Yahweh is with you.' But that very night, the word of Yahweh came to Nathan: 'Go and tell my servant David, "Yahweh says this: Are you to build me a temple for me to live in?
"Yahweh Sabaoth says this: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be leader of my people Israel; I have been with you wherever you went; I have got rid of all your enemies for you. I am going to make your fame as great as the fame of the greatest on earth. I am going to provide a place for my people Israel; I shall plant them there, and there they will live and never be disturbed again; nor will they be oppressed by the wicked any more, as they were in former times ever since the time when I instituted judges to govern my people Israel; and I shall grant you rest from all your enemies. Yahweh furthermore tells you that he will make you a dynasty. And when your days are over and you fall asleep with your ancestors, I shall appoint your heir, your own son to succeed you (and I shall make his sovereignty secure.
I shall be a father to him and he a son to me; if he does wrong, I shall punish him with a rod such as men use, with blows such as mankind gives.
Your dynasty and your sovereignty will ever stand firm before me and your throne be for ever secure." '
4th Sunday of Advent
December 21, 2008
INTRODUCTION
– (2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a,16; Luke 1:26-38) Our first reading has to go back to the time when Moses rescued God’s people from slavery in Egypt and brought them through the desert to the Promised Land. God made a covenant with his people in the desert. He assured them of his special love and insisted on their total obedience to him. The terms of the covenant (which we usually call the 10 Commandments) were enclosed in a golden box and this box was called the Arc of the Covenant. The top of the Arc had two angels on it and God’s invisible throne and presence was envisioned above the angels. This special symbol of God’s presence with his people was kept in their midst in a tent for almost 300 years. When King David chose Jerusalem as the center of his kingdom and built his palace there, he decided the Arc should be kept in something more dignified than a tent. He decided to build a house for God, a Temple. That’s where today’s first reading comes in. God turned down David’s proposal but instead said David’s son would build the Temple. However, God said he would build a house for David; i.e., God would establish his kingdom so that one of his descendants would always reign as king. For 400 years, the kings of Judah were of the house of David. Unfortunately, many of the kings led God’s people away from God, thus leading the nation to lose its faith and its moral strength. They folded easily when the Assyrians and Babylonians attacked them. The people never forgot God’s promise to David and they continued to wait for a king from David’s line who would lead them once again. In the gospel, we hear the angel Gabriel announce to Mary she would have a son who would inherit “the throne of David his father, and he would rule over the house of Jacob forever and of this kingdom there would be no end.”– The scene in today’s gospel takes us 600years later in history after the last king from David’s line had ruled God’s people. The Romans were in charge at the time of the gospel and the King in Israel, King Herod the Great, was really a puppet of Rome. But God did not forget his promise to David. The angel Gabriel announces to a young girl, soon to be married to a man named Joseph, who is of the house of David, that she will give birth to a son. Her son will inherit “the throne of David, his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” More than a king, the angel announces he will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. His birth would take place in an entirely miraculous way, through the power of the Holy Spirit. From the moment Mary said “yes” to the angel, the Son of God took on our human flesh.HOMILY
This opens up for me a topic that continues to weigh on me, the miracle of conception in general. Mary’s conception of Jesus was indeed unique, through the power of the Holy Spirit, but the conception of each child is something special. A new human being comes into existence at conception. Picture in your imagination, is there any real difference between an infant that is just born and an infant one day from being born? The only difference between the two is where it happens to be living and where it gets its oxygen and nutrition. That’s all! Yet the legal systems in so many countries of our world (including our own) make an essential and fundamental distinction between a child just born and one just hours away from being born. They even call them by different names: an infant and a fetus. Legally they say a child just born has all the rights of citizenship, the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness while the other person whose mailing address is still within his or her mother has no rights at all.
A few weeks ago I went to the Freedom Center and I couldn’t help but see a parallel between the struggle in our Country over slavery and the struggle over abortion. Slaves were considered to be someone’s property, they had no rights, their families could be torn apart, they were not even considered human beings by many people. It took our Country a long time to eliminate slavery and now enlightened countries all over the world recognize slavery as inhuman. No person has the right to treat another as his or her property. Yet, isn’t that exactly what’s happening with abortion laws. An infant, who is unable to defend itself in any way, is treated as someone’s property and can be destroyed at the whim of the owner. It takes a lot of rationalization to justify that. Yet I recently was in a discussion with a person who should have known better who said, “you don’t know whether a fetus is human.” I don’t know what he thinks it is, a cabbage! If there’s life in the mother’s womb, there’s only one kind of life it can be. I know a doctor who did abortions. He was honest about what he was doing and he didn’t whitewash it. He would tell medical students who might be preparing to go into that field that in doing an abortion they are taking human life. I know he suffered a great deal within his own heart over what he did in life.
Why do I bring all this up - because there is a strong possibility that the government will pass the Freedom of Choice Act early next year. This will make abortions all the more available. In the near future we will put something in the bulletin to enable you to contact your senator or representative to express your position of this Act. It’s not my role to tell people who to vote for or what candidate to favor. But as a moral leader I have the responsibility to speak about moral issues and abortion is certainly one of the major ones that we cannot ignore. People ask me why do I not speak about it more. I feel the focus of my homily should always be on God’s Word in the Scriptures and, if people respond to what God tells us, then most moral problems will be answered. The miracle of Mary’s conception in today’s gospel inspired me to say something about the miracle and the gift of life itself. It must be honored and respected in all its stages - from conception to natural death. Amen.
Christmas
December 25, 2008
– (Isaiah 62:11-12; Titus 3:4-7; Luke 2:15-20) I read the children’s book: The Invisible String by Patrice Karst. Because of copyright laws it would not be permissible to reprint the whole story. The theme of the book is a mother explaining to her two small children (who were frightened in the night by lightening) that she is always connected to them by an invisible string. No matter where they went they were connected, and they were connected to one another and to their friends the same way. Love is the invisible string that connects us all and keeps us from ever being lonely. It’s a beautiful story.HOMILY
I went to a class this year (a person has to keep learning even after they graduate from school) and the professor began our class with this story. I thought how perfect for Christmas.
Jesus came to tell us about the invisible string that connects us with God, God’s love for us. Because God is a pure spirit God, has no body and God is invisible to our eyes. We can only know him by seeing all the beautiful things God made, and by the holy things God has spoken to us through his prophets, but God wanted to do more to convince us of his love. And so God’s own Son became human like us to tell us about God and to tell us about God’s love - the invisible connection God has with us.
After he taught us about God’s love and showed it to us in everything he did, Jesus returned to his Father in heaven to prepare a place for us where we would be with him forever. But just so we would know he hasn’t left us alone, he gave us Communion to help us stay united with him and he sent his Holy Spirit to dwell in our hearts.
That invisible string between us and God, the power of his love for us and the sacraments and the Holy Spirit, and the invisible string that unites us with those we love, this gives us a peace and a joy no one can take from us.
Isn’t it great that Jesus was born and aren’t you glad to know that we are connected with him and he with us. When we pray we tug on that invisible string and he tugs back, so let us continue to celebrate his birth and thank God for sending him to us to be our friend and our savior.
Amen.
Fr. Joe says
The Holy Family - December 29, 2002 (excerpt)
We never stay in the same place spiritually, we are either moving forward or backward, and unless we keep trying to grow in God’s grace, we will end up slipping backward or even losing grace altogether. As we heard in the second reading, there are no secrets to living and growing in grace. It’s just a matter of practicing the ordinary virtues we learned when we were young: kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, etc. Jesus summed them up in his famous answer about the greatest commandment: loving God as much as we can and loving our neighbor as ourselves. The neighbor that we most often neglect is the person or persons closest to us. We too often take each other for granted instead of making time for one another, helping each other, complimenting each other, thanking each other or being patient and forgiving of one another. Good relationships are made up of just so many little things. . . .
St. Luke, incidentally, is telling us they observed the laws of their Jewish faith and were obedient to God. We can’t be holy and ignore the things God asks of us. As they went to the Temple, surely they were happy to be able to bring their child there. But then an old man came up to tell Mary her heart would some day be broken because of her child. What a chilling prophecy! Shortly after this St. Joseph is told by an angel to get out of the area, that the king is planning on killing their child. So they end up refugees in a foreign land for a few years. The only other event we know of during Jesus’ youth was when he was 12 and he was lost in the Temple for three days. What a worry and concern that must have been.
A holy family is not a family without problems or heart aches. It’s how we deal with those problems that really matters. We must be faithful to God at all times and we must deal with each other with fairness, kindness, patience and love. May God’s blessings be with you and your families today and throughout the coming year.
Mary Mother of God - January 1, 2009 (excerpt)
Mary, the Mother of God and our spiritual mother gives us an example of how to enter into this new year. We are told she reflected on all these events in her heart. What events? The annunciation by the angel, the visit to her cousin Elizabeth, Jesus’ birth, the visit by the shepherds and the magi. May we too continue to reflect on them in our hearts. The rosary can help us in this. May we come to know God’s support as we move another year closer to the kingdom of his eternal love. Amen.
Isaiah 60: 1-6
Arise, shine out,
for your light has come,
and the glory of Yahweh has risen on you.
Look! though night still covers the earth
and darkness the peoples,
on you Yahweh is rising
and over you his glory can be seen.
The nations will come to your light
and kings to your dawning brightness.
Lift up your eyes and look around:
all are assembling
and coming towards you,
your sons coming from far away
and your daughters
being carried on the hip.
At this sight you will grow radiant,
your heart will throb and dilate,
since the riches of the sea will flow to you,
the wealth of the nations come to you;
camels in throngs will fill your streets,
the young camels of Midian and Ephah;
everyone in Saba will come,
bringing gold and incense
and proclaiming Yahweh's praises.
Feast of the Epiphany -
January 4, 2009– (Isaiah 60:1-6; Eph 3:2-3a, 5-6; Matt 2:1-12) 587 years before Christ, Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians. Fifty years later, the Persians (people living in modern day Iran) conquered the Babylonians, and they allowed the Jews to return home. It was a difficult time for the Jews, rebuilding their country 50 years after it had been destroyed. Their Temple was gone. Jerusalem, their city that gave them such pride, was in shambles. The prophet in today’s first reading tries to encourage the people and assures them Jerusalem would again be a great city. He sees Jerusalem becoming a light for all the world. People would come from everywhere to visit Jerusalem and to be nourished by the radiant light of God’s presence. St. Matthew sees the vision of the prophet fulfilled in the birth of Jesus and the visit of the magi.INTRODUCTION
R. God wants all people to be saved —
The Jews as God's chosen people
believed they had a monopoly on
salvation —
Feast of the Epiphany -
January 4, 2009 (excerpt)For example, at the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells us the person who listens to his words and acts on them is like a person who builds his house on rock, whereas a person who listens to his words but does not act on them is like the person who builds his house on sand. It will end up in ruins.
Isaiah 55: 1-11
Final invitation
Oh, come to the water
all you who are thirsty;
though you have no money, come!
Buy and eat; come, buy wine and milk
without money, free!
Why spend money on what cannot nourish
and your wages on what fails to satisfy?
Listen carefully to me,
and you will have good things to eat
and rich food to enjoy.
Pay attention, come to me;
listen, and you will live.I shall make an everlasting covenant
with you
in fulfilment of the favours
promised to David.
Look, I have made him a witness
to peoples,
a leader and lawgiver to peoples.
Look, you will summon a nation
unknown to you,
a nation unknown to you will hurry to you
for the sake of Yahweh your God,
because the Holy One of Israel
has glorified you.Seek out Yahweh
while he is still to be found,
call to him while he is still near.
Let the wicked abandon his way
and the evil one his thoughts.
Let him turn back to Yahweh
who will take pity on him,
to our God, for he is rich in forgiveness;
for my thoughts are not your thoughts
and your ways are not my ways,
declares Yahweh.
For the heavens are as high above earth
as my ways are above your ways,
my thoughts above your thoughts.
For, as the rain and the snow
come down from the sky
and do not return
before having watered the earth,
fertilising it and making it germinate
to provide seed for the sower
and food to eat,
so it is with the word
that goes from my mouth:
it will not return to me unfulfilled
or before having carried out
my good pleasure
and having achieved
what it was sent to do.
Baptism of the Lord
- January 11, 2009– (Isaiah 55:1-11; 1 John 5:1-9; Mark 1:7-11) Many kings, prophets, and holy people served God in Old Testament times, but in four places in the book of the prophet Isaiah, God speaks of someone with whom he is especially pleased. This servant is not identified by name, and because the passages are in poetic form, they are usually referred to as the servant songs. They were written about 500 years before Christ. Perhaps the passages refer to someone who was alive at the time of the prophet but, amazingly, although they were written 500 years before the time of Christ, they describe Jesus so perfectly. At Jesus’ baptism, the voice of God is heard, introducing Jesus to the world, as not only his servant, but as his beloved Son.INTRODUCTION
R. Epiphany, Fr. Joe says, means
to cause something to be seen,
to show, to illuminate, to manifest.
Matthew 3: 17 ...‘This is my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on him.’
Baptism of the Lord
- January 11, 2009 (excerpt)Baptism gives Christ’s life, a life that needs to be nurtured and given the opportunity to grow just like the baby’s physical life does. Some more fundamental religions say let the child grow up and get baptized when they’re older so they can make their own choice as to what religion they want to belong to. Parents don’t do that with anything else that’s important. They don’t say we won’t send you to school and when you’re old enough you can decide what you need to learn; or we’ll let you eat whatever you want until you’re old enough to decided for yourself. Baptism gives God’s life and sets the direction for that life. The child, when he or she is grown, will have to make his or her own choice as to if and how much he or she will be faithful to Christ. When they see their children begin to drift away, that’s when a lot of parents do some heavy praying. If this happens, don’t give up hope for them and don’t stop praying.
I feel as if my thoughts have drifted in various directions and I know much more could be said about baptism. I just want to leave you with one thought. Even though most of us may not remember our baptism, we should thank God, for in it he gave us life and the Spirit and he gave us a loving parent or parents to guide us in the ways of God.
1 Samuel 3: 3-10, 19
The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying in Yahweh’s sanctuary, where the ark of God was, when Yahweh called, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ He answered, ‘Here I am,’ and, running to Eli, he said, ‘Here I am, as you called me.’ Eli said, ‘I did not call. Go back and lie down.’ So he went and lay down. And again Yahweh called, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ He got up and went to Eli and said, ‘Here I am, as you called me.’ He replied, ‘I did not call, my son; go back and lie down.’ As yet, Samuel had no knowledge of Yahweh and the word of Yahweh had not yet been revealed to him. Again Yahweh called, the third time. He got up and went to Eli and said, ‘Here I am, as you called me.’ Eli then understood that Yahweh was calling the child, and he said to Samuel, ‘Go and lie down, and if someone calls say, "Speak, Yahweh; for your servant is listening." ’ So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
Yahweh then came and stood by, calling as he had done before, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ Samuel answered, ‘Speak, Yahweh; for your servant is listening.’
Samuel grew up. Yahweh was with him and did not let a single word fall to the ground of all that he had told him.
2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
January 18, 2009
– (1 Sam 3:3b-10, 19; 1 Cor 6:13-15, 17-20; John 1:35-42) Today’s first reading is one of my favorite Old Testament stories. It’s about Samuel who lived a little more than 1000 years before Christ. If you’ve ever read the Old Testament, you may remember there are two books in the Old Testament called Samuel, the first has 31 chapters and the second has 24 chapters. However, only the first 15 chapters of 1 Samuel actually deal with Samuel. The rest of 1 Samuel and all of 2 Samuel deal with King David. In our Sunday readings at Mass, we hear about Samuel only twice in a three-year cycle. Yet Samuel was a person of major importance in the Old Testament. He was a great prophet, he anointed King Saul as Israel’s first king, and later he anointed David to be king. He had an unbelievable influence over the religious and political climate of his day.INTRODUCTION
At the beginning of the book of Samuel, we are told that his mother, Hannah, was unable to have children and she suffered bitterly over the fact that she was barren. She promised God if she had a son she would dedicate him to God, which is what she did. When Samuel was still a young child, Hanna brought him to the Priest, Eli, who attended to the Arc of the Covenant in Shilo. Under Eli, Samuel would be raised and educated for God’s service. This is the background to our first reading.
Homily: . . .Samuel got a call in the middle of the night. His life was changed and so were the lives of all God’s people for hundreds of years thereafter, especially since Samuel is the person who established the monarchy and anointed Israel’s first two kings. Martin Luther King received a call to the ministry and that led to other calls to struggle in a non-violent way for justice for all the people in our nation. Andrew and another disciple heard John the Baptist point out Jesus and they responded to Jesus’ call to “come and see.” The next day Peter received his brother Andrew’s call to meet Jesus. Their call was not as dramatic as Samuel’s was. It’s very, very seldom that God calls out our name in the middle of the night as he did Samuel. Usually he speaks to us through others, through a religious person like John the Baptist or even through a relative or friend. Sometimes he speaks through someone we don’t like. If we answer when God speaks, our lives will never be the same. Maybe that’s why many people avoid quiet prayer. They might hear God say something they don’t want to hear. They’re comfortable with their life the way it is.
When I felt God was calling me to be a priest, I kept hoping it wasn’t true. I hoped I could be like everyone else and get married some day and have children. But somehow God kept putting the idea of priesthood in my mind. Maybe that’s why I like this story of Samuel so much. God just kept calling to me until finally I gave in and said to God: “speak Lord, for your servant is listening.” I’m glad I answered “yes.” Giving up marriage is hard at times, but so is being married hard at times. Being a priest has been very fulfilling in case anyone is thinking about it.
One thing I think is worth noting. Samuel got guidance from Eli in recognizing God’s voice. The disciples first received guidance from John the Baptist in recognizing Jesus. At times we think maybe God is saying something to us but we’re not sure. It doesn’t have to be some big thing like going into religious life. It can be something as simple as volunteering for some kind of service to others or praying a little more. We think, “is this really what God wants?” It’s helpful to get some guidance from a person whom we feel we can trust, who is wise and whom we consider as living a good Christian life. God does reach us through others. We see that all through the Scriptures. We see that in the sacraments. God touches us and speaks to us through others.
As we come together for the Eucharist, Christ is with us in each other. St. Paul just reminded us of this in our second reading – our bodies are members of Christ and temples of the Holy Spirit. Christ is also with us in our prayers and song, in the Scriptures and in Holy Communion. His eternal call to us is to holiness, which we attain to an ever-greater degree as we come to know him and love him.
3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time -
January 26, 2003 (excerpt)– (Jonah 3:1-5, 10; 1 Cor 7:29-31; Mark 1:14-20) Whenever we think of Jonah we think of his being swallowed whole by a whale. Actually the bible does not speak of a whale but of a great fish. great fish. Jonah as you might remember was sent by God to preach repentance to the Assyrians. The Assyrians were an especially warlike, aggressive and merciless nation. Their capital was Nineveh, a city that was located in the northern part of modern day Iraq, 250 miles north of Baghdad on the Tigris River. The northern kingdom of Israel had already been destroyed by the Assyrians when Jonah was written. So you can imagine, the Jews had no love for the Assyrians. When God told Jonah to preach repentance to the Assyrians, (now Assyria was east of Israel), Jonah got into a boat and headed west. He didn’t like the job God gave him and he was going to run away from God and the mission he was given. Well, the boat met with a terrible and violent storm and the sailors discerned the storm was caused by Jonah trying to get away from God. So they threw Jonah overboard and Jonah was swallowed by the fish. Three days later he was deposited on the shore. This time Jonah decided he better do what God wanted. More amazing than the part about the fish is what we hear in today’s first reading. Jonah, begrudgingly, converted the entire city of Nineveh in one day, without miracles, spectacular signs or lengthy exhortations. To get an idea of how amazing this would be, think of some little known individual today showing up in Baghdad and in one day every person in Baghdad, from Saddam on down, reforms and converts to Christianity. Wouldn’t that be something!!!INTRODUCTION
Most scholars do not consider the book of Jonah as historical, but they treat it more as a parable, taught to teach spiritual truths. Today’s section shows God holds out to all people, even to the enemies of the Jews, the chance to reform. Jonah represented the Jewish resentment over this possibility. The passage prepares us for the gospel when Jesus begins to preach repentance. The gospels describe more realistically that calling people to change is not as easy as the story of Jonah makes it appear to be. Jesus begins to gather disciples who will help him in his work.
HOMILY:
. . . In our first reading it was time for the people of Nineveh to reform their lives and do penance. St. Paul tells us in the second reading “time is running out.” He was encouraging the Corinthian community to be detached from the things of this world, even marital love, because he expected the second coming of Christ and the end of the world to happen in a very short time. It didn’t happen when they expected it to, however, although we do not know when it will happen, Paul’s basic idea is absolutely true. We must not get so preoccupied with everyday concerns that we forget about the life that is to come. Salvation is not automatic and we don’t have forever to get ourselves ready for it. It’s not just old people who die. I know from much experience that death can come to any one at any time. The only thing we can build our lives on that is reliable and permanent is the life we hope to enjoy with God in eternity. Jesus tells us the same thing. “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel.” Jesus uses the word Kairos when he said “This is the time…” Now is the opportunity for grace. Now is the season to open ourselves to God’s life. This is the third of the new mysteries that the Holy Father added to the rosary, called the Mysteries of Light: Jesus’ call for conversion. And this call is not just a message for other people to hear. Conversion is ongoing. We all sin. We all tend to get lazy, we all tend to get our priorities out of order at times and put aside the more important things for things that are easier or more fun. And we all have room to grow more in our faith. Opportunities, as we all know, do not hang around forever. So it is now, not tomorrow, not when I turn 80 or 90 years old, now it is time for me to open my life more to Jesus and to the gospel.
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Mass Book,
by Rita Ring: Many of the entries in the Priestly Newsletter
Volume II from a spiritual journal came from this book.
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Rosary Meditations
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by Rita Ring, Short Meditations for both
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God's Blue Book I by Rita Ring. Open Anywhere — This book will change your life. These are beautiful love letters to us from Jesus. A million books have been printed and circulated. Jesus loves us so much — He wants a personal relationship with us — He wants us to go to the Eucharist and be with Him before the tabernacle. $10 |
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God's Blue Book II by Rita Ring. Letters from Jesus about His on fire love — Jesus wants this great intimacy with us — On fire love — Personal love letters from Jesus about the love of His Heart — A book on surrender Fr. Carter said! $10 |
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God's Blue Book III by Rita Ring. Fr. Carter's favorite book — It is about loving and forgiving each other — Being pure in heart — A book for unity in family, community, in life!! $10 |
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God's Blue Book IV by Rita Ring. This book is about the love Jesus has for Mary and Mary has for Jesus and Jesus and Mary have for us — It is truly the Love of the Two Hearts. Mary appeared every day at the Holy Spirit Center — Fr. Carter was there. Mary's first apparition July 5, 1994. $5 |
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God's Blue Book V by Rita Ring. Jesus wants to be the bridegroom of our soul — He is our beloved — Jesus tells us about pure love — how we are to be pure of heart and love God and love others. It is a must, to hear about love from Jesus — Jesus is love — $5 |
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God's Blue Book 6A by Rita Ring. Rosaries from Their Hearts during apparitions. Jesus and Mary appeared every day and I received rosaries from Them and They were transcribed from a tape. Also messages of love from Jesus on days of January, 1995 — About Baptism — writings from Fr. Carter and the Scriptures. $10 |
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God's Blue Book 6B by Rita Ring. Jesus and Mary appeared every day in February, 1995 — So beautiful — transcribed from a tape — the Stations, 7 Sorrows, prayers in the Prayer Manual, the Holy Spirit Novena Book and the Song Book. Pure love — loving and forgiving — a book about Jesus' love, baptism, grace and Fr. Carter's Newsletter. $10 |
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Rosaries from the Hearts of Jesus and Mary Book 1. Mary appeared in Clearwater December 17, 1996 in rainbow color and these rosaries left the printer the same day from Apparitions of Jesus and Mary — transcribed from a tape. $10 |
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Rosaries from the Hearts of Jesus and Mary Book 2. This is a book of so many rosaries - transcribed from a tape. So many beautiful rosaries. pages $12 |
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Short Rosary Meditations for the Elderly, Ill and Homebound. This book is so important with pictures they can open it and lay it on their laps and pray the rosary. $10 |
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Messages From Jesus
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Messages for the Elderly, Ill and Homebound. This is a big book of loving messages for nursing home people and homebound from Jesus and Mary — Their lives are so important — united to the Mass offering up their suffering, their lives for the souls of this earth. $10 |
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Daily Messages from Heaven. First book of Daily Messages. $10 |
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Color the Lives of Jesus and Mary. Volumes 1 through 7. Coloring books and meditations for grade school children and others on the mysteries of the rosary - really good. $5 each. |
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Coloring the Lives of Jesus and Mary Books 6 and 7
Mysteries of Light
$ 5.00 each plus postageColor the Lives of Jesus and Mary. Volumes 6 through 7. Coloring books and meditations for grade school children and others on the mysteries of the rosary - really good. $5 each.
God's Blue Book I on CD, Disk #1
God's Blue Book I, Disk #1 Read by author: Rita Ring. Discerned by: Fr. Edward J. Carter S.J.
$ 10.00 plus postage
Mysteries of Light Rosary Book
Rosaries From the Hearts of Jesus and Mary - Volume I
$ 5.00 plus postage
Mysteries of Light Rosary Book
Rosaries From the Hearts of Jesus and Mary - Volume II
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Apostle's Manual
Shepherds of Christ Overview: Very carefully discerned by Fr. Edward J. Carter S. J.
$ 20.00Apostles Manual. About the Movement - the structure of the Movement — All Ministries - from the time 3 months before Mary appeared in Clearwater and 3 months after. Rosaries of the 13ths, Fr. Carter's Newsletters. Messages from God the Father — Reaching the priests, the Church, the schools and the world. $20
Songs From Jesus
Given by Jesus to His Messenger Author: Rita Ring. Discerned by: Fr. Edward J. Carter S.J.
$ 3.00Songs from Jesus Songbook. These loving songs were given from Jesus. So beautiful — Love Songs from Jesus of His love - helping us have pure and loving hearts. $3
Shepherds of Christ Holy Spirit Novena
Holy Spirit Novena by: Rita Ring
$ 1.00 plus postageHoly Spirit Novena Booklet. In four languages with the Imprimatur with 18 scripture readings for two complete novenas – this very powerful Holy Spirit Novena has prayers for prayers for Protection by the Blood of Jesus, Healing, Strength and Light, To Be One with God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, One with Jesus, To Dwell in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, Prayer for the Holy Spirit and His Gifts, and the Word Alive in Our Hearts. All these prayers take about 10 minutes daily recited out loud. $1
Shepherds of Christ Holy Spirit Novena CD
Holy Spirit Novena Read by: Rita Ring
$ 10.00 plus postage
Holy Spirit Novena CD. Prayers and scripture readings from the Holy Spirit Novena Booklet read by Rita Ring. $10
Colorea 1 thru 5
las vidas de Jesús y María (recibido el Imprimátur)
$ 5.00 each plus postage
Para Comprender Mejor La Santa Misa
Una Jornada Hacia el Corazón de Jesús
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Meditaciones del Rosario
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Fr. Joe
Robinson
Guiding Light
-
Reflect on the Word
Guiding Light homily series - Steadfast to the
Son - Cycle A — The sunflower is a great example of
how we should be steadfastly guided by light. What a
powerful thought that this exceptional plant is not
stuck in one pose day in and day out, yet adaptable and
magnetized to the sun. We feel the same about our Son.
Our heads turns to face Christ as each day presents its
challenges to find light. We join together like plants
in a field and soak up the Son through the pulpit. We
are a warm circle of strength using the wind of our
breath to carry our priests' words, Christ's words, to
new rich soil. $15
Inspiring Homilist & Author
Fr.
Joseph
Robinson
has
dedicated
his
life
to
serving
Christ
and
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for
over
40
years.
Inspiring Homilies Covering Cycle
B of the Liturgical
Year
$
15.00
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postage
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Guiding Light homily series - Steadfast to the Son - Cycle A — The sunflower is a great example of how we should be steadfastly guided by light. What a powerful thought that this exceptional plant is not stuck in one pose day in and day out, yet adaptable and magnetized to the sun. We feel the same about our Son. Our heads turns to face Christ as each day presents its challenges to find light. We join together like plants in a field and soak up the Son through the pulpit. We are a warm circle of strength using the wind of our breath to carry our priests' words, Christ's words, to new rich soil. $15 | ||
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Guiding Light - Feed My Soul - Cycle C — In a world rapidly advancing and encouraging personal gain, we are faced with modern problems. There is a challenge to find time in our busy schedules for Sunday Mass or a family meal. We are able to research, shop, bank and even work without hearing one human voice. It is no wonder that we may often feel disconnected and famished at our week's end. In Fr. Joe's third book of homilies from Cycle C, we are reminded of the charity that Christ intended us to show each other. We have a calling to turn the other cheek and be the Good Samaritan to others. We are rewarded with the Father's kingdom and love when we are not worthy. We are not left alone or hungry. $15 |
Guiding Light - Focusing on the Word - Cycle B — At times we may feel that our path to Christ is a bit "out of focus". Like the disciples in the Book of Mark, this ordinary life clouds our vision of Christ's Divinity. We may doubt the practicality or possibility of applying His teachings and example to our modern life. Cycle B's homilies are a "guiding light" to help us realize Jesus' Messianic greatness and His promise of better things to come. $15 |
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Guiding Light - The Word Alive in Our Hearts. - Cycle A (partial) — Homilies by the Reverend Joe Robinson given at St. Boniface Church in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is a tremendous honor Fr. Joe has allowed us to share these great gifts with you – for greater holiness and knowing more and more about God. $10 |
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Fr. Edward J. Carter |
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Light, Happiness, & Peace
Journeying Through Traditional Catholic Spirituality Author: Fr. John J. Pasquini
$ 10.00 plus postageThis book Light, Happiness and Peace is a journey into the spiritual life — an awakening of deeper life IN HIM. Here are some of the comments we received from bishops and cardinals about the book. Cardinal – Pontifical Council for Culture – Vatican City “I am sure that this book, Light, Happiness and Peace through a discussion on traditional Catholic Spirituality will contribute in bringing back prayer into the mainstream of life.” $10
In Imitation of Two Hearts
Prayers for Consolation, Renewal and Peace in Times of Suffering Author: Fr. John J. Pasquini
$ 10.00 plus postageIn Imitation of Two Hearts - Prayers for Consolation, Renewal and Peace in Times of Suffering Fr. John J. Pasquini leads a suffering soul to the gentle Hearts of Jesus and Mary. In these most loving Hearts - the prayers by Fr. John Pasquini - help the person suffering to know more deeply the pascal mystery of death/resurrection. President of the Pontifical Council for Health $10
Authenticity
Authenticity - Prayers and Meditations Author: Fr. John J. Pasquini
$ 10.00 plus postageAuthenticity, the Yellow Book of prayers by Fr. John Pasquini, can lead the soul into deeper intimacy with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, can lead to greater love of Mary which leads to the unitive life and greater holiness. The book of prayers Authenticity by Fr. John J. Pasquini is to help one grow ever deeper in the Unitive life. Apostolic Nuncio – Archbishop – Philippines “With Authenticity, much is gained in prayer, and much is accomplished through prayer. More especially if prayer is directed in behalf of the Church.” $10
Medicine of Immortality
Prayers and Meditations for Mass and Eucharistic Adoration Author: Fr. John J. Pasquini
$ 10.00 plus postage“In Medicine of Immortality, Father John Pasquini offers his readers the richness of Catholic devotional prayer, the wisdom of the Fathers and, most of all, the fruits of his own prayer and meditation before the Blessed Sacrament. I recommend this book to all who wish to grow in their love for the Lord, who sustains the life of His Church through the precious gift of His Body and Blood.” Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I., Archbishop of Chicago $10
Ecce Fides
Pillar of Truth - Dedicated to defending Catholic beliefs through reason, Scripture, and the life of the Holy Spirit Author: Fr. John J. Pasquini
$ 10.00 plus postageEcce Fides is a work dedicated to defending Catholic beliefs through reason, Scripture, and the life of the Holy Spirit. "It is important that we (as people of God) return to the source of life, our faith, which is usefully exposed in this volume, and take it out to our contemporaries, evangelizing them and their cultures and inculturating the Gospel." Cardinal – Pontifical Council for Culture – Vatican City $10
Shepherds of Christ Spirituality Newsletters
Author: Fr. John J. Pasquini
$ 35.00 plus postageShepherds of Christ, a book of Spirituality Newsletters, is a compilation of the first nine newsletters from Fr. John J. Pasquini begining in August 2006. The Newsletter has been circulated to the priests and hierarchy spreading devotion to the Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart, promoting love for the Eucharist, greater love for the Church, the Priesthood, Mary and the Holy Spirit, the Mass, Prayer, and greater intimate relationship with God. $35
Authenticity Ocean DVD
The Authenticity Prayer Book is read with the Ocean as a backdrop.
$ 10.00 plus postageDVD - Prayers from the Authenticity Book read by Rita Ring on the ocean — it is beautiful. 410
Nursing Home Mass DVD
A special mass by Fr. John J. Pasquini for those in nursing homes or homebound.
$ 10.00 plus postageDVD - A beautiful Mass was done by Fr. John J. Pasquini for Nursing homes and assisted living. It was done at St. Joseph's magnificent chapel — St. Joseph's assisted living in Jupiter, Florida. It last about 33 minutes. We call it the golden Nursing Home Mass from St. Joseph's. $10
Consolation DVD
Give this DVD as a sympathy present.
$ 10.00 plus postageConsolation by Fr. John J. Pasquini — upon the passing of a loved one. Fr. Pasquini has done a beautiful gift of his most wonderful homily given when someone dear has died. It can be given as a tremendous gift. $10
Divine Mercy Chaplet CD
Give this DVD as a gift.
$ 10.00 plus postageDivine Mercy Chaplet CD. Prayed by Fr. John J. Pasquini $10
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