Sirach 3: 2-6, 12-14

for the Lord honours the father above his children
   and upholds the rights of a mother over her sons.
Whoever respects a father expiates sins,
   whoever honours a mother is like someone amassing a fortune.
Whoever respects a father will in turn be happy with children,
   the day he prays for help, he will be heard.
Long life comes to anyone who honours a father,
   whoever obeys the Lord makes a mother happy.

My child, support your father in his old age, 
    do not grieve him during his life. 
Even if his mind should fail, show him sympathy, 
    do not despise him in your health and strength; 
for kindness to a father will not be forgotten 
    but will serve as reparation for your sins.

   

Psalm 128: 1-5

How blessed are all who fear Yahweh,
    who walk in his ways!

Your own labours will yield you a living,
    happy and prosperous will you be.
Your wife a fruitful vine
    in the inner places of your house.
Your children round your table
    like shoots of an olive tree.

Such are the blessings that fall
    on those who fear Yahweh.
May Yahweh bless you from Zion!
May you see Jerusalem prosper
    all the days of your life,
and live to see your children’s children!

Peace to Israel!

 

Colossians 3:12-21

As the chosen of God, then, the holy people whom he loves, you are to be clothed in heartfelt compassion, in generosity and humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with one another; forgive each other if one of you has a complaint against another. The Lord has forgiven you; now you must do the same. Over all these clothes, put on love, the perfect bond. And may the peace of Christ reign in your hearts, because it is for this that you were called together in one body. Always be thankful.

Let the Word of Christ, in all its richness, find a home with you. Teach each other, and advise each other, in all wisdom. With gratitude in your hearts sing psalms and hymns and inspired songs to God; and whatever you say or do, let it be in the name of the Lord Jesus, in thanksgiving to God the Father through him.

The morals of the home and household

Wives, be subject to your husbands, as you should in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be sharp with them. Children, be obedient to your parents always, because that is what will please the Lord. Parents, do not irritate your children or they will lose heart.

   

Luke 2: 41-52

Every year his parents used to go to Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover. When he was twelve years old, they went up for the feast as usual. When the days of the feast were over and they set off home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem without his parents knowing it. They assumed he was somewhere in the party, and it was only after a day's journey that they went to look for him among their relations and acquaintances. When they failed to find him they went back to Jerusalem looking for him everywhere. It happened that, three days later, they found him in the Temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them, and asking them questions; and all those who heard him were astounded at his intelligence and his replies. They were overcome when they saw him, and his mother said to him, 'My child, why have you done this to us? See how worried your father and I have been, looking for you.' He replied, 'Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?' But they did not understand what he meant. He went down with them then and came to Nazareth and lived under their authority. His mother stored up all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom, in stature, and in favour with God and with people.

Feast of the Holy Family

December 31, 2006

HOMILY – Psychologists have isolated about a dozen or so characteristics that happy and successful families share, while most unhappy families are unhappy or dysfunctional in their own unique and individual way. I want to talk about only one quality that helps marriages and families to be successful and happy and that is holiness since this is the feast of the Holy Family. This does not mean that holy families are isolated from the ordinary problems of daily life. Holy people have as many problems to deal with in daily life as anyone else, but they have a good support system to fall back on: God, who helps them deal with difficulties. The holy family had their share of problems. If you read the early chapters of St. Matthew and St. Luke’s gospels you might get the impression their lives were full of problems. Today’s gospel is the only gospel that tells us anything about Jesus as he was growing up. What panic Joseph and Mary must have felt not being able to find him for three days. Every family has good and bad times.

    The holy family was holy because God’s will was first in their lives. And St. Luke wants us to know this. He pointed out many instances where Mary and Joseph always did what God wanted of them, whether through the message of an angel or by their fidelity to the Jewish law. For example, Luke tells us in today’s gospel the holy family would go to the Temple every year to celebrate the feast of Passover. That trip from Galilee to Jerusalem was not like taking a drive to Dayton or Lexington on a Sunday afternoon. Even though Jerusalem was only about 70 miles from Galilee, it would have taken a few days; most people had to travel on foot because they didn’t have any other means of transportation and they had to travel in groups too, because travel was dangerous. They could have met robbers or wild animals along the way.

    This willingness to do what God wants brings with it the development of many values such as honesty, fidelity, responsibility, and virtues such as Paul mentions in today’s second reading: heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiving one another and putting up with one another and above all love which binds them all together and makes them perfect. These values and virtues help people have good relationships. When I say if we are a holy family our family will more likely be happy and successful, I’m not just making up things or proposing theories that I believe are good ideas. A number of statistical studies have shown that regular church goers live happier and more successful lives and have happier and more successful marriages. A few years ago the rate of divorce, for example, was twice as high among non-church goers as it was among church goers.

    As we speak of families, I want to say a word about our parish family. Here I use the word family analogously. But I thought I would make some connection with family and parish because this Friday was the 15th anniversary of our merger with St. Patrick’s and the 15th anniversary of my appointment to St. Boniface as pastor. Archdiocesan policy is that if a priest is over 65 years of age, he can stay where he is as long as he has the health and energy to do the job. I told the Archbishop I would like to stay here. I won’t beat Monsignor Schwartz’ record, but, God willing and with good health, I should be good until I’m 75 which will be another six years, then I’ll see whether I should stay longer or whether I should retire. My hope is that someone else will step forward to take St. Joseph’s Church at the end of June. It’s been really hard trying to take care of two parishes. St. Boniface resembles a family in several ways. I feel like a father to so many, having supported and guided many people through hard times throughout the years. Now that I have two parishes, I miss having as much time as I used to have for personal contact with our parishioners here. I enjoy praying at Mass with our parishioners and it pains me when I know people who should be here every week and who seldom are. I would like to hear more people praying and singing. St. Paul tells us, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.” That’s one thing I have to say about St. Joseph’s Church. Their responses and singing are spirited. As “father” here in this family I am grateful for all the support I get, moral support, support when we need volunteers, and financial support. Just two weeks ago, for example, I put something in the bulletin about needing to do some repairs on the organ. I made no special pitch or appeal and already we received almost $9,000. One of the things I find most refreshing here is that the people treat me as if I know something. Not that everyone thinks I’m always right, but in other places I’ve been it felt as if the people thought I didn’t know anything and I was there not to be their spiritual leader, but to do whatever they wanted me to do. The only problem with that was everyone had conflicting ideas about what they wanted or what would be helpful to them. As your father, as your pastor, as your spiritual leader, I want to say I’m glad to be part of this spiritual family where I see genuine holiness and love.

    Going back to my main theme of family, do you want to be a healthy family? If you can keep two rules uppermost in your family relationships (keep God first and love one another), you have most of the battle won.
 

 

 

My True Presence

December 29, 1993

Jesus: I am the Good Shepherd. I know Mine and Mine know Me. I am one Who goes before you. Pave the way for the Lord. He is mighty and deserving of all praise and Holy is His Name! His might goes from generation to generation on those who fear Him. He raises the lowly to new life and the rich He sends away empty.

Prepare His way. As one crying in the desert, prepare and make ready a path for the Lord. At His name, every knee should bend and all should be attentive to His coming. I am Jesus, Son of the Living God. I come into your midst, not as a king adorned in splendor, but as a helpless little baby. I do not carry My might in front of Me. My might is there without any ado.

I am He Whose boot strap you are unworthy to tie, but I come and give Myself to you. I am a God of might, but one Who loves you so much that I come and dwell with you. I enter into your bodies in Holy Communion. I do not blare the trumpets and roll the drums, but nonetheless am I mighty and nonetheless am I the true King of heaven and earth!

My love for you gives you such dignity, My little ones. Why do you go about wailing for all you're worth when I give you worth. So much worth by My Communion with you. I come and I dwell by your side. I enter your body. I remain waiting for you in the tabernacle and you miss the great dignity that I bestow on you. Wake up, My people! The King of Glory is in your midst. He awaits you in the tabernacle. He waits for you to come and be in Communion with Him at Mass. And you sleep, you follow roads that lead you to empty treasures when the priceless treasure waits you at Mass!

Ready your hearts for the coming of the Lord. Be not numb to this event. Be wide awake and knowledgeable of what transpires at the altar. Bread and wine are changed by the priest into the Body and Blood of Jesus. He is the Savior of the World. He loves you so much that He comes to you every day in Communion and you, little ones, choose other things! Oh, how blind and numb My sick children are. You are missing the most valuable treasure. I await you at every Mass. Why is My church not packed for what transpires here? Concerts are packed. Ball games are packed. Big bucks for the false idols! And what for the King of Glory? An empty church!

My heart is sad, sad, sad, little ones. I come and wait for you here. Tell your brothers about My love for them. You come empty, you leave full. Tell My brothers that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is present at Mass and He enters your bodies. Many Catholics go to Mass every Sunday and have no idea of the significance of the Holy Eucharist. My heart is aching. They receive Me. Then, with the same tongues, they leave the church rattling senseless things. I am God, you silly children. I am God and I come to you on your tongue. Tell your friends how honored you are. No stars could compare to God. They are mortal beings and their concerts are packed. Ball games are honored as a god.

Your time is not yours. It is My time and I loan it to you to work for Me. America, you have made sports a god! You have made sports stars gods, singers gods! You pack the house and the honor awaits mortal beings, but the Son of God sits in an empty church! For the few who want to sit with Me the churches are locked. Open My churches up. I want My people to come to Me and sit with Me. The few who do know the significance have to drive so far to sit with Me.

Not even My priests know how important the tabernacle is. They need to realize I am truly present there and that I wait for My loved ones to come and sit with Me. To lock Me up is not to treasure Me. To treasure Me is to make Me available to all that want to come.

Preach My love from the housetops and boast My words from every rooftop, "Jesus, Lord, awaits you in the tabernacle. He is in the church, truly present there, waiting to give you His love!" Please do not guard Me so well. I am so guarded no one can come to Me. What a setup! I sit and wait and lament My loved ones' presence with Me and the few who would come cannot get in! I am truly present in the tabernacle.

I do not want to be locked up. I want you to come and let Me pour My gifts out to you. I want to give you supplies for a sick world. Everyone should come and be with Me every day, sit in silence and let Me work in your soul. What might for you, little babies! Jesus waits to shower you with His love.

After Communion people run from the church. They receive God on their tongues and in their hearts and they are out lickety-split. Where do they go so quickly from the Son of Man, Who is God? You turn your backs. You run away like in a race, a race for nothingness, and the bridegroom of your hearts is ignored. Think of a bride running away to K-Mart two minutes after her wedding. "What could be so important?," you ask. "What is wrong with her head!?"

Little ones, what is wrong with the heads of My faithful who attend daily Mass and do not know they still have Jesus, the Son of God, in their hearts when they run to the food stores. There I am going up and down the grocery aisles while they make useless conversation-right outside the church-while I am still actively in their chest!

Tell your brothers about Communion. It has become an insignificant event! I am God and I am in the host you receive. God, God, God. Where is your honor for this King? Where is your head? I, Jesus, Lord, am in your hearts and you run from the church to pump your gas. Such indifference! Such disrespect and irreverence! I am God, My loved ones. I am the bridegroom of your soul and you leave the wedding for a trip to the gas tank. I am so offended. I, in My great love, come to you. God enters you and you run from My altar with such irreverence! Believe Me, nothing you do all day will compare to the Son of Man in your breast. I am God and I enter your body and you are so irreverent. You don't even know what treasure you possess.

Get this message out about My True Presence. Tell them, My faithful ones, that I am very displeased by their indifference to Me in Holy Communion. Stay and sit with Me. Sit in silence after Communion. My magnetic attraction draws you to the altar, then you miss the most important event in your day. It is your union with Me, your silence after Communion, your quiet resting in My arms, that will change your life. I am so loving and I long to dole out My gifts after Communion.

Know, My loved ones, Jesus, Son of the Living God is there the same as He was the day He died on the cross, and you walk away with Him Who loves you so much in your breast.

Sit with Me. Be silent. Spend time with Me after Communion. You do not talk to Him Whom you love. You just melt into each other's arms. Let Me join My heart to your heart after Communion. Don't ever run from the church. I am God, truly present there. All you faithful, become aware of My True Presence in Holy Communion and in the tabernacle. Tell all about this and how I am there out of such love and I have so much to give them.

If I, Who am God, came and was born a helpless baby, a human being; if I, Who am God, died a brutal death for you with full knowledge of all My sufferings before I did it; if I, Who am God, rose from the dead and then ascended into heaven to My Father; if I, Who am God, am present in the tabernacle and Communion and if I love you so much as to go through all this for you, then why do you not realize what I, Who am God, would give to you when you receive Me and sit in front of the tabernacle!

I am God!! What is wrong with your heads! Tell My people the treasure you possess. All else here is empty. I am Who am. I am God! I dwell among you and you run to worship other gods. God is not far off. He is in your midst as a prisoner of love and He awaits you in all your unworthiness. But you are dumb! You look for empty treasures and you find empty treasures. In your emptiness you begin an avid search for the answer to a stalking soul, when the treasure you seek is God and He longs for your union with Him!

Tell your brothers they thirst for God and He is waiting. Quit your idle pursuits, your empty hearts. Crave the Savior. You turn your backs and search a barren desert for that which is right in front of your face!

It is in making known God's True Presence in the Eucharist that much healing takes place. Many starving souls are fed for the first time when they realize that Jesus, God, is truly present there! They have given lip service to Jesus in the Eucharist, but have no idea in their hearts what a treasure they possess. Spread the doctrine of the True Presence. Make My love and My availability known to your blind brothers. Bow yourselves before My altar. Be in awe of God, truly present there. Kiss My sanctuary. Don't ever talk in church about anything. Respect God Who is there. Have reverence for Me in My tabernacle. Kiss the floor. Bow. Be reverent!

You must speak about this every chance you get. When people take time to be with Me, then I can change their hearts. Tell all who go to Communion about what a treasure they possess. Pray for your brothers. It is your goodness that pleases Me. I will hear your prayers, spoken from a good heart. Strive after holiness and strive to please Me every minute. Your devotion pleases My aching heart. Do not falter in your love of Me. Let it grow with Me in Communion and in front of the tabernacle. Silence is the key. Be silent and be with Me, little loved one.