The Hunger of St. Stephen, Deacon and Martyr

 

The two kinds of hunger. Yesterday on The Road to Emmaus, there was joy, an anticipation of things to come, people shouting, “He is alive”.

 Spirits and souls being fed and the desire for more, “Weren’t our hearts burning, as he opened up Scripture for us”, “and weren’t our bodies nourished as He broke the bread”.

 The two men, on the road to Emmaus, who hungered and an incredulous transformation from sorrow to joy.

 Two men, who began their journey, walking into the sunset, but once spiritually fed, walked into the sunrise, to share the good news.

 Today we go from two downcast men to a crowd, whose hunger pangs are a little different.

 Today we see a physical hunger which only physical food can satisfy.

 Yesterday, there was a spiritual hunger which that food can never satisfy.

 Jesus understands both. In his compassion, and just the day before, he performed the beautiful miracle of the loves and the fishes, satisfying the physical hunger of this crowd.

 Now it’s a new day, and their stomachs are again yearning, for more fish and more bread, but not for the bread of life.

 St. John Chrysostom, said, “we are nailed to the things of this life”. Many whose eyes are never lifted beyond the walls of the world to the eternities beyond”.

 Jesus himself tells us “Don’t work for the food that perishes, but for that which lasts forever”. We must work for the food that keeps our hearts burning.

 There are many other hungers which can only be satisfied by Jesus.

 There is the hunger for truth, there is the hunger for life, there is the hunger for love.  These leave us burning for more, a spiritual hunger, knowing in our hearts that He is alive.  

 And who better is a perfect example of that in action then St. Stephen.

 A deacon, a martyr, a man of compassion, a man who knew and believed in the very words of Jesus. Whose heart burned with love for the Word of God.

 Whose spiritual appetite was constantly fed, as he saw the heavens open up and his treasures stored in the room prepared for him.

 What makes St. Stephen so special? It was his passion for the Word of God that filled him with the Holy Spirit.

 A Spirit we all pray for, to have the Holy Spirit in our hearts, in our actions, and especially in our speech.

 Upon seeing the heavens, there was no place on this earth that St. Stephen would rather be, than with Jesus in heaven. 

 And as they stoned him, he fell to his knees, glorifying God, and he prayed, “Jesus take my spirit”.

 And then he echoes Jesus’ own words, “Father forgive them”. 

 And there in the midst of this murderous act was Saul, a threat of annihilation to the new Christians. God does act in mysterious ways.

 The power of the Holy Spirit can do all things in us, can forgive all people.

 Yes, St. Stephen is special, special because his only focus was getting into heaven, and feeding others along the way.

 Filled with the Holy Spirit, St. Stephen, with love and courage, walked into the sunrise, following his Savior.

 And, that must be our focus, feed our spiritual hunger so we can feed the hunger of others.

 There are so many people we may know, downcast, depressed, filled with sorrow, walking into the sunset.

 But we, through the Holy Spirit, have the ability to change their mourning into joy, feeding their spiritual hunger, and have them walk into the sunrise.

 

 

Pray for us

 

Woe, is a strong word

 

Woe to you”! “Woe to you teachers of the law”. “Woe to you, blind guides”, “Woe to you, you hypocrites.” Over fifty times in Scripture is that phrased used in one form or another.

“Woe to you” is a serious charge. It means regret, grief, distress! In other words, it is a stern warning that you have to change direction.

 But, the Pharisees and Scribes did not take the prophets nor Jesus’ words seriously. But, God’s love for his people was so great, He kept sending messenger after messenger to open their eyes and ears, and finally, he sent his only Son. “I love you with an everlasting love”.

 But the Pharisees and Scribes were stubborn and closed their eyes and ears to Jesus, even when he singled them out to the point of embarrassing them.

 And we can see the same thing happening all around us today. Just like the Pharisees, so many people have closed their minds to the Word of God and replaced it with their own ideas. Their own inept wisdom, trying to make a new satanic religion rather than allowing the true religion to move them to hear God’s precious word, and to respond with obedience. They are acting like as if they were gods

 God’s word is to be cherished, reflected upon, shared and lived. God’s word is heartfelt, carrying messages of love and guidance, not burdensome, and hateful, it is alive, leading those who believe in those words to heaven.

 Woe to those who don’t seek God through his Word, and woe to those who don’t share God’s Good News”. Woe to those who act like gods.

 We will not find our Lord in our heart unless we seek him, and those who find him don’t ever want to lose him but want nothing more than to share him.

Let the Word of God be like a fire reaching through our inmost soul and to transform us into the one who loves us.

 

 

Corpus Christi, what a gift

 

St. Angela of Foligno was a Franciscan mystic back in the 13^th century and she had a great love for Jesus and the Blessed Sacrament.

 I bring her name up because this Sunday we celebrate Corpus Christi, the Body of Christ.  Of Jesus truly living in the Blessed Host we receive each time we are in the state of grace

 There is something very special St. Angela has said that should put tears in our eyes each time we receive Jesus.

 She said, “Jesus, you instituted this Sacrament, not through any desire to draw some advantage from it yourself, but solely moved by a love which has no other measure than to be without measure.

 Burning with love for us. You desired to give yourself to us and took up Your dwelling in the consecrated Host, entirely and forever, until the end of time.

 For those in the state of grace, do we, in our minds, think of this precious gift, each time we receive Jesus. Do you even imagine, that he is, in that little consecrated host, who is a true furnace of love?

 That at that moment of reception we are plunged deeper and deeper into the love of Christ.

 Can we even imagine, that just before we receive that consecrated host, that Jesus is waiting for us, He is longing for us?

 That he wants so desperately to dwell within our whole being; that he knows we need him.

 And it is Jesus, out of his love for us who will lead us to the Father, when our time comes, as is written in Scripture, “no one comes to the Father except through me.

 This Sunday is a day the Lord has made and it is the feast of Corpus Christi, the Body of Christ.

 St. Francis de Sales has said, “to think deeply that in this world we are walking between paradise and hell, and the last step of our life will carry us to our eternal dwelling.

 But we do not know when this last step will be, so we must be careful about all the other steps that precede it”.

 A step to the altar to receive the greatest gift becomes the meeting place of heaven and earth, the meeting between the Jesus and us.

 Why is it so important to be prepared? Because we truly do exchange our gifts at that altar, and are united together in this Sacrament of the Eucharist. Imagine, we become one with Jesus

 “I am the Bread of Life”. Yes, it is a gift for the journey, the nutrients for our soul. Jesus tells us, “Whoever eats my body and drinks my blood will have eternal life.”

 But Jesus’ gift isn’t always cherished, isn’t always accepted and is even sometimes abused.

This gift, the miracle of his presence, his real body and blood is sometimes received as passé, routine, with no thought or a care of the greatest sacrifice behind this precious gift. 

 How hurt Jesus must be when this treasure, his communion with us is received and treated without any emotion.

Jesus doesn’t want to remain only on the altar. He comes down to find another Heaven, the Heaven of our souls, a prepared heart to welcome him. A sanctuary to dwell in.

 St. Paul says, “Whoever eats the bread of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord. 

 For anyone who eats the bread without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment on one’s self. It is a serious sin.

 Whether you receive Jesus physically or spiritually, prepare a home for him, prepare your heart for the greatest gift, and for the greatest friend.

 I leave you with a question to ponder from St. Alphonsus. “O, Lord, You find your delight in being with us, but do we find ours in being with you?”

 

 

Why Mothers know best

 

How many would agree, that next to God, mothers know best. I have never heard God talk to me directly, but so many times, I’ve heard him talk to me through Scripture, spiritual readings, homilies and even in the voice of advice from other people. It’s a feeling inside that we know is from God.

 God cares and finds ways to speak to us in our spiritual life, but, for our part, we must listen in the quiet of prayer, to hear his voice in our heart. And many times, that inspiration and spiritual wisdom comes to us from our Blessed Mother

 And life is no different. As we look back on our lives, there may have been many times we ignored the voice of reasoning, that whisper, that advice that came from our friends, co-workers and family members, especially our parents.

 And probably most importantly, from our mothers.  It’s that voice that when we look back, we remember the consequences we suffered for not listening to our mother.

 How true it is in our spiritual life, when we don’t pray to the one who will take our prayers to her Son.  Mary, in her many apparitions has and is providing us the warnings and the wisdom on how to change our lives.

 To prepare ourselves for the coming of her Son. She wants us to pray to her more now than ever. And we know through St. Louis Marie De Monfort, that Jesus will not refuse his mother the answer to our prayers.

 Yes, mothers know best. I can think of many occasions growing up that I now regret, not listening to my mother.  I was stubborn and could very easily tune out others gracefully and listen to only me.

 Always heard my mother’s voice after I suffered the consequences, of not listening to her the first time.

 I remember purchasing my first car going with my parents to a used car dealer in Philly and I picked out a car, a 1964 Wildcat Buick for $999.

 The catch was this. Anything at $1000 or above received a warranty. This one was only a dollar shy and they politely refused the extra dollar I offered them.

 And then came the words of wisdom from my mother, don’t buy that car, there is a reason why there is no guarantee.

 Now my father, on the other hand, was a bit impatient. He’s thinking you looked at three cars, which one will it be. Three cars, eliminate two and choose one?

 It came down to either listening to my voice, for I loved the huge size and dark blue color of the car, and to me it had character, or to listen to my mother’s voice of wisdom, which really was a warning. Well, I listened to me and happily purchased my first car.

 About two weeks later, the car stalled at a traffic light and wouldn’t start. It was the dual carburetor that needed to be replaced, no warranty, and not cheap. And then a week later I dropped my muffler and tail pipe at an intersection, another major expense.

 Then this little voice popped into my head. The voice of wisdom, my mother’s warning I heard clearly “don’t buy that car”. 

 The Wisdom of God is no different.  But with God, the consequences for not listening to His voice can be harsh, and painful and can destroy the soul. Our Blessed Mother is many times His voice.

 But we must pray to her and listen to her in prayer. When the world seems to be collapsing on us, when the confusion in our faith and trust in God becomes an obstacle in our spiritual life, go to Mary.

 When the road to spiritual happiness is overshadowed by doubt, when we can’t recognize Jesus amid all this confusion, call on Mary, our spiritual Mother, the Mother of all Wisdom.

 It is said that when we reflect on the Blessed Mother in prayer with trust, and belief, confident that our prayers will be answered, we find life, and that life is Jesus Christ.

 Mary has power and takes our prayers to Jesus by presenting them unblemished as a gift fit for a King. The intersession of Mary, our Mother is beyond powerful, it is real and it is potent.

 Because, she truly is our Mother, and a mother who cares for every one of her children.

 The Blessed Mother wants nothing more than to rekindle, give life to the spark that unites us with her Son. Yes, to re-connect and help us find Him, to recognize His voice when he speaks to us.

 As Jesus shepherds His sheep to greener pastures, our Blessed Mothers shepherds her children leading them to the path of greener pastures – placing them in Jesus’ care.

 Don’t look back on your life and regret not talking and listening to God. Find the time. Talk to God and He will respond in ways you can’t imagine. Yes, God loves us, protects and guides us and gives us his mother to be our mother.

 When, we listen to the wisdom of our Blessed Mother she will tell us as she did the servants at the wedding, “do whatever He tells you”. But she goes one step further and guides us to His precious Words of in Scripture. To the Words of Wisdom that will impact our lives and be the answer to our prayers. But we must listen and, then do whatever He tells us.

 That’s why God made mothers and placed them on this earth. They are here to inspire us, to guide us, love us and lead us to the arms of Jesus.  A mother’s wisdom is God’s gift to us. And so often God uses their voice for our inspiration and direction.

 Yes, I’ve come to believe the hard way, Mothers know best, and our Blessed Mother knows best of all.  If only we would listen.

 

 

Our model in this life

 

I would like to talk today about someone I believe we are all attached to in one way or another and that is our Blessed Mother.

 We are living when technology is far beyond what we could ever imagine and it is developing more rapidly than many of us can keep up with.

 And we are also living in a time when so many of our liberties are in jeopardy, especially our religious freedoms. In a time when religious beliefs and foundations are being destroyed and even preached lacking clarity. Living in a world of division and hate.

 So, I talk to you today about our Blessed Mother. She is our hope in this rapidly changing and deteriorating world.

 She is the one who has the God given power to unite us, to bring us closer to her Son. To bring back that inner peace that can maintain clarity, guidance and direction. To bring God back into our hearts and lives

 Her faith is the pillar of strength that when we imitate her, becomes our strength as well. And that strength provides the stepping stones to receive all the other virtues of our Blessed Mother, that model of perfection.

 Mary remains and forever will remain our Mother, and like a wonderful mother she listens to our pleas and brings them and us to Jesus in our prayers.

 One is so at ease when near one’s mother.  With her everything becomes easier; the weary, the discouraged heart, those disturbed by storms in life find new hope and strength and continue on with this life with new wisdom and courage.

 Mary is our model, Mary is our guide, she is our support. And she comes to us when we call. She is love and our protection against the temptations and cruelties of this world.

 St. Bernard tells us, “if the winds of temptation arise, if you run into the reefs of trials, look to the star, call upon Mary.  In danger, sorrow, or perplexity, think of Mary, call upon Mary”.

 She has provided us with a very powerful tool, a weapon against the devil and the Satans of this world;  the rosary.

 We have a lot going on in the Church, in our country, and in the world. And for many, there are many challenges going on in our own families; division in the world, division in our families.

 It’s on October 7^th that we actually celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, but everyday is a day to say the rosary.

 There is the legend that Mary appeared to St. Dominic in a vision and with love instructed him to “preach the Rosary among the people as a cure to heresy and sin.

Preach and live the rosary mysteries every day, with our Lady by your side

When we meditate on the mysteries of the rosary, be part of the story. We can see a frightful virgin being asked by an angel to be the mother of Creation, in the form of a new born baby.

 We can imagine sitting and praying in the Upper Room where Jesus had gathered with his disciples on the eve before his death, where he blessed ordinary bread in wine and changed it into himself.

We can be in the story of this now grown man, being handed His heavy Cross, the beatings His body absorbed for us.

Or placing ourselves in the garden where the risen Lord had made himself known to Mary Magdalen and his apostles after his resurrection.

We can even reflect on the many conversations the apostles had with Mary after his ascension to heaven. And how they changed with tongues of fire, the tongues of courage.

Yes, today, we need to relive those moments because they hold the hope of the future which the devil wants us to avoid. We must rely on God’s plan, not the plan of the world.

So, let us go to the Upper room frequently to pray in the company of Mary and the disciples. Experience the power in the rosary, the weapon of choice.

Pray to Mary, ask her to be by your side, and fill you with all of the joyous and glorious hope that’s coming in God’s new world.

I'm giving up liver for lent

 

Well, it has arrived! Although, some may still have outside Christmas decorations up around the house, Lent has arrived.

For the next forty days we find ourselves doing whatever we can to bring us to the Cross on Good Friday.

 And we call it our Lenten Journey, our journey with Jesus to Calvary.

 Every person’s journey is different, but yet, every person’s journey is weighed by Jesus. He knows the weight of our offerings in relation to what He did for you and for me.

 And yet no one can come close to that love and appreciation of laying down one’s life for one’s friends.

 So, the Church offers us some means to reciprocate, by fasting, abstaining from meats, praying, adoration and even suggests other forms of sacrifice. And, of course, some things we are obligated to do, while others, we are encouraged to do.

 In the true sense, fasting means abstaining from all food and all drink, but in reality, by the Church’s definition, fasting means going on a disciplined diet.

 I say disciplined because we find out who is in control, you or the aroma of our favorite foods permeating the room at the wrong time.

 Disciplined because to show we are in control we suppress the urge to eat with prayer. Fasting, in the right sense, should bring us much closer to God.

“When you fast”, Jesus tells us in the Gospel of Matthew, “do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting.

I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you”.

 So, why do we even have a Lent? Why do we need forty days to do some form of repentance?  Because we owe it to God. It is a renewal, a reminder of what Jesus did for us and a short period of time to go beyond our means of saying thank you. And it is truly a way of saying, I am sorry.

 He has given us so much, including our life.  So Lent is a time and a means to offer an acceptable sacrifice on our part to prove our love for Him.  

 Hanging and dying on that Cross of shame, we could once again be united with Him.

 Jesus told us to look like we were not fasting, not to show our hunger pain. We must tell ourselves for the next forty days, that “Lent is not about me but Lent is always about Jesus and his sacrificial love for me alone.

 Yes, we have sinned, but we cannot focus so much on our past sins that it brings us fear of rejection.

 We must approach these forty days with sorrow but at the same time with a sincere desire to develop a truly intimate relationship with Jesus.  Jesus calls us “friends”, not enemies.

 The deeper the relationship with Jesus, the less prone we will be to hurt that friendship. Sin pulls us away from the one who will save us.

 It isn’t the meat or the candy or the desserts that we give up for lent that matters; it’s the human heart.  By the way, the number one item given up every lent is chocolate.

 We can give up all these things, but know why you are putting yourself through these disciplines. Don’t do it strictly out of the obligation but as an opportunity to appreciate more intensely what Christ has done for us.

 When you feel that hunger pain, twenty minutes or three hours after you ate, remember the Cross. When you desire to sit down and look at TV, remember the nails penetrating the flesh. In all these things, remember God loves you! 

 That’s why it is important to offer a sacrifice that hurts, or one that we really miss, or strengthening a weakness, otherwise it will have no impact on the alternative, which is prayer for the love of Jesus.

 For some of us it could be worse. Just think if the Church obligated us to replace our usual daily consumption of regular meat with liver, and our vegetables with beets or lima beans. And every breakfast must be three slices of scrapple.

 For some that could be a sacrifice of a lifetime. For others, that could be a treat. But I don’t believe that will ever happen.

 St. Paul tells us “Whatever you do, whatever you eat or drink do for the glory of God” And to that we can add, whatever you sacrifice, sacrifice for the glory of God, who loves you.