BIBLE STUDY #14
TWENTY SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
OCTOBER 3, 2010
Gospel Luke 17:5-10
The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith."
The Lord replied,
"If you have faith the size of a mustard seed,
you would say to this mulberry tree,
'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.
"Who among you would say to your servant
who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field,
'Come here immediately and take your place at table'?
Would he not rather say to him,
'Prepare something for me to eat.
Put on your apron and wait on me while I eat and drink.
You may eat and drink when I am finished'?
Is he grateful to that servant because he did what was commanded?
So should it be with you.
When you have done all you have been commanded,
say, 'We are unprofitable servants;
we have done what we were obliged to do.'"
The Gospel of the Lord
Reflection
We need to take today’s gospel in context of what happened in previous passages. Jesus is on his long journey to Jerusalem and is giving his followers some on the job training to prepare them for life after the Ascension. In past weeks, we have heard that we must take up our cross, about the proper use of money, and about the necessity to always forgive, to mention three themes we have heard recently.
If we are to be true disciples, Jesus is telling us that there are demands on our lives. It is more then following rules or being entertained. Our faith needs to affect every aspect of our lives; in other words, we need a catholic philosophy of life.
Over the course of time, the Apostles are becoming more aware of the demands of discipleship, and are finding it more difficult to follow Jesus. That’s why they ask him to increase their faith, because the demands of discipleship are too difficult without the grace of God. Without God’s grace, who can always forgive? Who can use the things of the world wisely? Or who can take up their cross and follow Jesus? The answer is we can’t without God’s help.
Be aware, though, that we never know where God will lead us. As we try to become good and faithful disciples, we may be led to places that we never expected. Jesus said, "If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.” Imagine what could happen if we ever gave ourselves totally over to God. God takes our gifts and multiplies them to build up the kingdom. God has a plan for all of us, and we all have our role in salvation history. God could be calling us to do great things. How much poorer would the world be if people like Mother Theresa or Pope John Paul II decided on a different course for their lives?
We may not be called to that kind of greatness, but we are all called to serve the Lord in the building up of the kingdom. The greatness of the kingdom comes not only from the light of the shining stars, but also the light generated by all the little candles of faith. That’s why I always encourage people to come to Mass, especially our children. The more that come to Church, the brighter the light of faith that shines to the world. That’s why I call the children the young church, not the future church. To me, future church sounds like “come back when you have a job and an envelope.” Young church just refers to their young age.
The second paragraph of the gospel refers to our attitude about our faith accomplishments. We should not be looking for fame or credit for anything that we do. When we accomplish God’s will for us in our lives, “we have only done what we were obliged to do”. We shouldn’t expect credit for doing what was expected of us.
It’s easy for us priests to fall into the trap of thinking that we have better parishes (and, therefore, we are better priests) because we have a higher collection, more baptisms, more marriages, more committees, etc., than other parishes. If we are lucky enough to be a part of a good parish, we should realize that it is God who should get the credit because it is by God’s grace that all these things happen. I think that’s good advice for everyone. No matter what we accomplish, give God the credit because we couldn’t do it without Him
The Apostles ask Jesus to increase their faith. What do they mean by that? What do we mean by that? For some people, being a person of faith means following the rules. For some others, it is cultural: they have the statues, pictures, rosaries, and they may even go to Mass every once in a while, at least on major holidays, anyway. For still others, it may mean another event to be scheduled in a busy life, and if they get too busy, church gets dropped. And then, there are some who expect to be entertained when they come to Church. They sit back, don’t actively listen or participate, and complain that Mass is boring. They expect to be entertained, as if I was a performer and we were on Broadway. To me, faith is a relationship with Jesus Christ. That relationship was begun at baptism and continues throughout our lives. How do we increase that faith? How do we increase any relationship? The best example I can come up with is marriage. For a marriage to be successful, the partners need to spend time together, talk with each other, share their lives, forgive each other, sacrifice for each other, and become friends. When both partners are committed in these ways to each other, they develop a bond that no one or no thing can separate. It is more than a surface happiness; you can love the other but not like them. It is a lot of work but the benefits outweigh the cost. It is the same way with our faith. We need to pray, actively participate in mass, share our goods with those in need, and use our time and talent to build up the kingdom. When we do this, we will develop a bond with Jesus that can never be broken. It is a lot of work, there is no easy substitute, but the benefits of peace and happiness in this life and eternal life in the next outweigh the costs.
Fr. Phil
Monday, September 27, 2010
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
BIBLE STUDY #13
TWENTYSIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
SEPTEMBER 26, 2010
Gospel Luke 16:19-31
Jesus said to the Pharisees:
"There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen
and dined sumptuously each day.
And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,
who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps
that fell from the rich man's table.
Dogs even used to come and lick his sores.
When the poor man died,
he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham.
The rich man also died and was buried,
and from the netherworld, where he was in torment,
he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off
and Lazarus at his side.
And he cried out, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me.
Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue,
for I am suffering torment in these flames.'
Abraham replied,
'My child, remember that you received
what was good during your lifetime
while Lazarus likewise received what was bad;
but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented.
Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established
to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go
from our side to yours or from your side to ours.'
He said, 'Then I beg you, father,
send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers,
so that he may warn them,
lest they too come to this place of torment.'
But Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the prophets.
Let them listen to them.'
He said, 'Oh no, father Abraham,
but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'
Then Abraham said, 'If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets,
neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.'"
The Gospel of the Lord
Reflection
Today’s Gospel is from chapter 16 of Luke’s Gospel, which has the title “The Proper Use of Wealth”. Last week we had the Parable of the Dishonest Steward in which we were told to imitate the shrewdness of this steward and use money properly. This week we have the parable of the rich man and Lazarus and we are told what not to do with wealth.
We are told that the rich man “was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day.” This man was doing a lot better than just making ends meet. He had a lot and the means by which to help Lazarus.
Lazarus is described as being abjectly poor. He was “full of sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table; moreover, the dogs came and licked his sores.” This is a way to describe a man who is really down and out.
Both men died, and to the surprise of those who were listening to Jesus tell this parable, the rich man was in torment in Hades, and the poor man was “carried by angels to Abraham’s bosom.” (An aside – see who is in heaven? Abraham! Someone who died prior to Jesus. You can use this whenever someone plays God and condemns people because they aren’t of a certain faith. God can and does save all people who measure up). People in Jesus day would have expected the rich man to be in eternal life, since riches were considered a blessing from God, and that the poor man’s suffering would have been relieved, but he would not have been rewarded. This reminds us of The Canticle of Mary from Luke 1:46-55, otherwise known as the Magnificat, where Mary tells us that “The hungry he has filled with good things; the rich he has sent away empty.” It also reminds us of Luke’s Sermon on the Plain (similar to Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount) where Jesus says, “Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours….But woe to you who are rich for you have received your consolation.”
The Gospel doesn’t really tell us what, if anything, the rich man did for Lazarus. All we can conclude is that he didn’t do enough for him. For all we now, he may have helped him from time to time. After all, he was right outside his gate. He had to have known he was there. He had to have seen him.
The rich man then appeals to Abraham for help. He calls him Father Abraham (a bit of flattery, maybe?), and asks him to send Lazarus to “dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue.” He is still treating Lazarus as a servant! He still doesn’t get it. He is stuck where he is, and there is no hope of getting out. It seems that our eternal life depends on how we live our life here. This should be good news to us. If not, what are we going to do to change?
That’s why I think Purgatory is such a positive idea. According to the glossary at the back of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Purgatory is “A state of final purification after death and before entrance into heaven for those who died in God’s friendship, but were only imperfectly purified; a final cleansing of human imperfection before one is able to enter the joy of heaven.” There are some people (and we’ve all met some) who are saintly and you know will go straight to heaven. There are others who will always turn away from God and anything to do with God and throw away salvation. But what about the ones in between? Those who aren’t saintly or evil? Those who aren’t purified completely but don’t deserve condemnation? Purgatory is God reaching out to us even after death to make us whole and holy.
We talk about living in the mansions of the saints, but we need to send up enough building material to construct our heavenly mansion. There has to be transformation on this side of the grave if we expect to be purified on the other side.
I want to emphasize again this week that we don’t have to give everything away and be destitute in order to be a disciple. Jesus never says earthly things are good or bad, he says people are good or bad. There does seem to be some incompatibility between the accumulation and retention of riches and our serving God.
When one serves riches, one becomes like the rich man in the parable. He had these fine parties, splendid clothes, ate sumptuously, and I’d bet he had a fine mansion. These things would all be important to him over and above anything God asked of him. He seems to have ignored God’ plea to help the poor. Lazarus was at his door and would have “gladly eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table.” The scraps from his table would be the leftovers he would throw away, that is, his garbage. Did the rich man share his scraps or did Lazarus have to look in the garbage for them? The rich man couldn’t solve the problem of poverty in his world, but he could have made all the difference in the world to Lazarus, and I’d bet it would barely have put a dent in his bankroll.
If we follow God, I think that we are more willing to share with those in need, because that is part of being a Christian. God calls us to be aware of those needy in our midst and to do something to help them. There is a bumper sticker I like that says, “Think Globally, but Act Locally.” Even though we can’t solve problems globally, we can certainly make a difference locally. Thinking this way helps us to avoid despair and giving up because the problems are too big to solve. Like the young man who is walking along the beach throwing back the starfish that were washed up in the storm. Another man, walking the other way, stops when he gets to the young man, and says, “Look at all the starfish on the beach. What possible difference can you make?” The young man picks up a starfish, flings it back into the sea, and says, “To that one, a lot.”
The following questions should arise in our minds: Am I doing enough to help those in need? Am I doing anything to help those in need? I can’t tell you how much is enough. That is between you and God. When you have young children, a mortgage, car payments, etc., or if you are unemployed or underemployed, you may not be able to afford much. Don’t feel guilty about that, just do what you can. However, I must say, that my experience in previous parishes is that I find poor, struggling, and/or low-income people to be some of the most generous people I have ever met. Not in terms of the amount, but that, many times, they give from their need and not from their excess. When our disposable income rises, we need to rethink the amount of money we donate. Rethink is a bad term – it leaves us an out. Increase is a better word.
Like the rich man and his brothers, we know what we are supposed to do and how we are to live, because we have scripture. We can look in the bible, read it, pray over it, and live as the Lord would want us to live. Or, we can ignore what it says and do our own thing. This is called free will. God gave it to us and respects it in our lives. We are never forced to love God or to live as disciples. Love that is forced or coerced isn’t love. God spells out for us the way to happiness and peace in this life, and to eternal life in the next. He gives us the opportunity to choose. We can choose life, or we can choose death. Our choices in this life determine the quality of this life and where we will spend eternal life.
The rich man and his brothers were all versed in scripture and what God is asking of them. They just chose to ignore it or ‘reinterpret’ it in their own way. We too know what God wants of us, even if it is only in a general way. We can’t use ignorance as an excuse. Someone has risen from the dead and calls us to follow his example. We tend to reinterpret what we hear and read to exclude ourselves from changing. It’s always someone else who sins, never us. We believe imperfectly and we live imperfectly. Once we close our minds to this, we are condemning ourselves, as surely as the rich man in the parable.
The image of the Easter Vigil comes to mind. Here at St. Joseph’s, we build a big fire in the parking lot. We bless the fire and then light the charcoal and the Paschal Candle. Everyone has a small, individual candle that is lit from the Paschal Candle. We then process into a darkened church. The more people that enter the church, the brighter the church becomes. When all are in the church, it is amazing how bright it is; enough to read by.
We are not the Paschal Candle; that is Jesus job. He is the light of the world. We are like that little candle. Our flame of faith is lit from the Paschal Candle, and we keep it lit through living the Christian life. Just as we pass along the flame from the Paschal Candle to one another in church, we should pass along the flame of faith to those we meet.
By ourselves, we are not expected to lighten up a darkened church or a darkened world. Together, however, we can be the light of warmth, friendship, comfort, love and faith.
When we aid those in need, we are bringing light into the world, making it a better place. We may not be solving the worlds or even one person’s problems, but we are making a difference in someone’s life. And all of us together can make a big difference. The Second Coming will transform the world. In the meantime, we do what we can. I think that’s all Jesus asks.
Fr. Phil
TWENTYSIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
SEPTEMBER 26, 2010
Gospel Luke 16:19-31
Jesus said to the Pharisees:
"There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen
and dined sumptuously each day.
And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,
who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps
that fell from the rich man's table.
Dogs even used to come and lick his sores.
When the poor man died,
he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham.
The rich man also died and was buried,
and from the netherworld, where he was in torment,
he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off
and Lazarus at his side.
And he cried out, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me.
Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue,
for I am suffering torment in these flames.'
Abraham replied,
'My child, remember that you received
what was good during your lifetime
while Lazarus likewise received what was bad;
but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented.
Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established
to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go
from our side to yours or from your side to ours.'
He said, 'Then I beg you, father,
send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers,
so that he may warn them,
lest they too come to this place of torment.'
But Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the prophets.
Let them listen to them.'
He said, 'Oh no, father Abraham,
but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'
Then Abraham said, 'If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets,
neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.'"
The Gospel of the Lord
Reflection
Today’s Gospel is from chapter 16 of Luke’s Gospel, which has the title “The Proper Use of Wealth”. Last week we had the Parable of the Dishonest Steward in which we were told to imitate the shrewdness of this steward and use money properly. This week we have the parable of the rich man and Lazarus and we are told what not to do with wealth.
We are told that the rich man “was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day.” This man was doing a lot better than just making ends meet. He had a lot and the means by which to help Lazarus.
Lazarus is described as being abjectly poor. He was “full of sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table; moreover, the dogs came and licked his sores.” This is a way to describe a man who is really down and out.
Both men died, and to the surprise of those who were listening to Jesus tell this parable, the rich man was in torment in Hades, and the poor man was “carried by angels to Abraham’s bosom.” (An aside – see who is in heaven? Abraham! Someone who died prior to Jesus. You can use this whenever someone plays God and condemns people because they aren’t of a certain faith. God can and does save all people who measure up). People in Jesus day would have expected the rich man to be in eternal life, since riches were considered a blessing from God, and that the poor man’s suffering would have been relieved, but he would not have been rewarded. This reminds us of The Canticle of Mary from Luke 1:46-55, otherwise known as the Magnificat, where Mary tells us that “The hungry he has filled with good things; the rich he has sent away empty.” It also reminds us of Luke’s Sermon on the Plain (similar to Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount) where Jesus says, “Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours….But woe to you who are rich for you have received your consolation.”
The Gospel doesn’t really tell us what, if anything, the rich man did for Lazarus. All we can conclude is that he didn’t do enough for him. For all we now, he may have helped him from time to time. After all, he was right outside his gate. He had to have known he was there. He had to have seen him.
The rich man then appeals to Abraham for help. He calls him Father Abraham (a bit of flattery, maybe?), and asks him to send Lazarus to “dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue.” He is still treating Lazarus as a servant! He still doesn’t get it. He is stuck where he is, and there is no hope of getting out. It seems that our eternal life depends on how we live our life here. This should be good news to us. If not, what are we going to do to change?
That’s why I think Purgatory is such a positive idea. According to the glossary at the back of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Purgatory is “A state of final purification after death and before entrance into heaven for those who died in God’s friendship, but were only imperfectly purified; a final cleansing of human imperfection before one is able to enter the joy of heaven.” There are some people (and we’ve all met some) who are saintly and you know will go straight to heaven. There are others who will always turn away from God and anything to do with God and throw away salvation. But what about the ones in between? Those who aren’t saintly or evil? Those who aren’t purified completely but don’t deserve condemnation? Purgatory is God reaching out to us even after death to make us whole and holy.
We talk about living in the mansions of the saints, but we need to send up enough building material to construct our heavenly mansion. There has to be transformation on this side of the grave if we expect to be purified on the other side.
I want to emphasize again this week that we don’t have to give everything away and be destitute in order to be a disciple. Jesus never says earthly things are good or bad, he says people are good or bad. There does seem to be some incompatibility between the accumulation and retention of riches and our serving God.
When one serves riches, one becomes like the rich man in the parable. He had these fine parties, splendid clothes, ate sumptuously, and I’d bet he had a fine mansion. These things would all be important to him over and above anything God asked of him. He seems to have ignored God’ plea to help the poor. Lazarus was at his door and would have “gladly eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table.” The scraps from his table would be the leftovers he would throw away, that is, his garbage. Did the rich man share his scraps or did Lazarus have to look in the garbage for them? The rich man couldn’t solve the problem of poverty in his world, but he could have made all the difference in the world to Lazarus, and I’d bet it would barely have put a dent in his bankroll.
If we follow God, I think that we are more willing to share with those in need, because that is part of being a Christian. God calls us to be aware of those needy in our midst and to do something to help them. There is a bumper sticker I like that says, “Think Globally, but Act Locally.” Even though we can’t solve problems globally, we can certainly make a difference locally. Thinking this way helps us to avoid despair and giving up because the problems are too big to solve. Like the young man who is walking along the beach throwing back the starfish that were washed up in the storm. Another man, walking the other way, stops when he gets to the young man, and says, “Look at all the starfish on the beach. What possible difference can you make?” The young man picks up a starfish, flings it back into the sea, and says, “To that one, a lot.”
The following questions should arise in our minds: Am I doing enough to help those in need? Am I doing anything to help those in need? I can’t tell you how much is enough. That is between you and God. When you have young children, a mortgage, car payments, etc., or if you are unemployed or underemployed, you may not be able to afford much. Don’t feel guilty about that, just do what you can. However, I must say, that my experience in previous parishes is that I find poor, struggling, and/or low-income people to be some of the most generous people I have ever met. Not in terms of the amount, but that, many times, they give from their need and not from their excess. When our disposable income rises, we need to rethink the amount of money we donate. Rethink is a bad term – it leaves us an out. Increase is a better word.
Like the rich man and his brothers, we know what we are supposed to do and how we are to live, because we have scripture. We can look in the bible, read it, pray over it, and live as the Lord would want us to live. Or, we can ignore what it says and do our own thing. This is called free will. God gave it to us and respects it in our lives. We are never forced to love God or to live as disciples. Love that is forced or coerced isn’t love. God spells out for us the way to happiness and peace in this life, and to eternal life in the next. He gives us the opportunity to choose. We can choose life, or we can choose death. Our choices in this life determine the quality of this life and where we will spend eternal life.
The rich man and his brothers were all versed in scripture and what God is asking of them. They just chose to ignore it or ‘reinterpret’ it in their own way. We too know what God wants of us, even if it is only in a general way. We can’t use ignorance as an excuse. Someone has risen from the dead and calls us to follow his example. We tend to reinterpret what we hear and read to exclude ourselves from changing. It’s always someone else who sins, never us. We believe imperfectly and we live imperfectly. Once we close our minds to this, we are condemning ourselves, as surely as the rich man in the parable.
The image of the Easter Vigil comes to mind. Here at St. Joseph’s, we build a big fire in the parking lot. We bless the fire and then light the charcoal and the Paschal Candle. Everyone has a small, individual candle that is lit from the Paschal Candle. We then process into a darkened church. The more people that enter the church, the brighter the church becomes. When all are in the church, it is amazing how bright it is; enough to read by.
We are not the Paschal Candle; that is Jesus job. He is the light of the world. We are like that little candle. Our flame of faith is lit from the Paschal Candle, and we keep it lit through living the Christian life. Just as we pass along the flame from the Paschal Candle to one another in church, we should pass along the flame of faith to those we meet.
By ourselves, we are not expected to lighten up a darkened church or a darkened world. Together, however, we can be the light of warmth, friendship, comfort, love and faith.
When we aid those in need, we are bringing light into the world, making it a better place. We may not be solving the worlds or even one person’s problems, but we are making a difference in someone’s life. And all of us together can make a big difference. The Second Coming will transform the world. In the meantime, we do what we can. I think that’s all Jesus asks.
Fr. Phil
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
BIBLE STUDY
TWENTYFIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
SEPTEMBER 19, 2010
Gospel Luke 16:1-13
Jesus said to his disciples,
"A rich man had a steward
who was reported to him for squandering his property.
He summoned him and said,
'What is this I hear about you?
Prepare a full account of your stewardship,
because you can no longer be my steward.'
The steward said to himself, 'What shall I do,
now that my master is taking the position of steward away from me?
I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg.
I know what I shall do so that,
when I am removed from the stewardship,
they may welcome me into their homes.'
He called in his master's debtors one by one.
To the first he said,
'How much do you owe my master?'
He replied, 'One hundred measures of olive oil.'
He said to him, 'Here is your promissory note.
Sit down and quickly write one for fifty.'
Then to another the steward said, 'And you, how much do you owe?'
He replied, 'One hundred kors of wheat.'
The steward said to him, 'Here is your promissory note;
write one for eighty.'
And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently.
"For the children of this world
are more prudent in dealing with their own generation
than are the children of light.
I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth,
so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.
The person who is trustworthy in very small matters
is also trustworthy in great ones;
and the person who is dishonest in very small matters
is also dishonest in great ones.
If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth,
who will trust you with true wealth?
If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another,
who will give you what is yours?
No servant can serve two masters.
He will either hate one and love the other,
or be devoted to one and despise the other.
You cannot serve both God and mammon."
The Gospel of the Lord
Reflection
Chapter 16 of Luke’s Gospel deals with the proper use of wealth. This weeks selection is Luke 16:1-13 which deals with Jesus’ fundamental teaching on the sharing of wealth. Next week (Luke 16:19-31) we will hear about those who love money and refuse to share.
Our Gospel this week is titled “The Parable of the Dishonest Steward”, in which a steward was fired for squandering his master’s property and not for any kind of graft.
The steward becomes concerned with his financial future, as we all would under the circumstances. He considers his options, and does a bit of what we would call today ‘social networking’. Today, we would probably send our resume to people we know, to companies advertising available jobs, and we would check online sites to make job connections.
Before I entered the seminary I worked in Human Resources for a company in Parsippany. A young man applied for a job, and with his resume he sent in a tape extolling his many qualities, complete with a dramatic voice and background music! We all enjoyed the tape and had a few laughs over it. However, it didn’t work: he never got the job. He’s probably a CEO somewhere now. He did get our attention, though. This is a case where shrewdness, however, didn’t work.
We need to understand this parable in light of the custom of that time of how an agent in the employ of a master would act and the usurious practices they would use. The master would hire an agent, called a steward in this parable, to collect his debts. The steward would add a commission on top of the bill that would be usurious in nature. This steward took the promissory notes and reduced them by the amount of his commission, to the actual amount owed to his master. He does in the hopes that one of the debtors will welcome him into his home. And, as the gospel says, “And the master commended the dishonest steward for acting prudently.”
At first glance it may seem that the gospel is commending dishonesty, but it is actually commending shrewdness, and the fact that Jesus disciples do not measure up in some way that is associated with the steward.
There must have been something going on in Luke’s community that he is trying to address. It seems that the people in his community are not sharing what they have with those in need. It seems that they are irresponsible in handling money. This steward, however, shows himself to be shrewd with things of this world, specifically money. He is using it to his advantage and to help others.
Jesus is urging his disciples to be like the steward in the proper use of money, namely, to share it with those in need. This is a requirement to enter God’s eternal kingdom. If we are faithful in handling “unrighteous mammon” as it is called, then we will be faithful in handling greater things. In other words, if we fail to help others, we will not receive true riches in heaven. Failing to share wealth means we serve “mammon” and not God. To serve God means to share wealth.
Notice that Jesus says to share the wealth, not to be penniless. We don’t have to end up destitute to serve God; just sharing some of what we have is good enough.
I also think that shrewdness encompasses making and accumulating money. Some people just have a talent for this, whether in investments, or in sales, or in starting a business, or in any enterprise where one can make money. We should never feel guilty for this because God gave us this talent and we should use it. Stephen King has written many books and is very rich; however, after growing up poor in Maine, her has given away one third of everything he has made to help those in need. Many people have benefited by his generosity. He is showing himself to be faithful in little things. Using the gifts and talents God gave us gives glory to God. Being stingy is only serving ourselves.
I have always believed that there are no true atheists in the world, because there is always someone or something we love the most. Whatever comes first in our lives is our god. It can be ourselves, another person, making money, careers, or, hopefully, God.
These things are not mutually exclusive. We can love these people and these things and still love God; it is a matter of priorities. If God comes first, our lives are ordered differently than if something or someone else came first. God informs us how we are to treat all these things and it can be very different than the way we would do things.
Some people give grudgingly, and only if they get something in return, like a tax deduction. I think it was G.K. Chesterton who said something like, “Christian charity is neither Christian nor charitable if it only comes out of our surplus.”
The problem is, the more we make, the more we buy, and the more we think we need. We could all do with a lot less and still be comfortable. We could all downsize and contribute more to charity. Like the bumper sticker says, “Live simply so others may simply live”.
Americans are the most generous people ever, but I ask you to stop and think about the last time you donated to charity. When was it? How much? When is the last time you increased the amount and/or the frequency of your contributions? Have you ever given without expecting anything in return?
Here’s something to think about: if every Catholic in America gave $1.00 extra per week to charity, there would be an additional $3 billion dollars per year to help those in need. I think most of us can afford that.
We here at St. Joseph’s Church believe in the spirit of charity to those who come to us in need. We try to give something to everyone who comes to the door asking for help. We can’t solve their financial problems or pay all their bills, but we can help a little. For example, we have helped people pay their mortgages, rent, medical bills, prescription drug bills, legal fees, utility bills, and we have given tens of thousands of dollars in ShopRite gift cards in my tenure. However, I won’t give to those who are greedy or to those I think are ripping me off. Nor do we give out cash. I tell people that I can only give them a little because we need to save something for everyone.
We believe that we get back more than we give. God won’t be outdone in generosity and we will be repaid 30 or 60 or 100 fold. This is one reason why I think our bills are paid, we have a little bit of money saved up, and we don’t need to do second collections for ourselves. We try to help and are being repaid by God for this. We get back more than we give – not just financially, but in faith. God will do the same for you.
While we need to help, there are plenty of scams out there and people who have no conscience and will take you for all you are worth. People will try to prey on your good nature and kind heart. They will come up with all kinds of sad stories to get you to give them money. Please don’t let people take you. If you want to donate to charity, there are plenty of legitimate charities out there that need you help. This is being shrewd and being good with money, like the steward in the gospel.
Sometimes a legitimate charity will include a gift in their letter requesting financial assistance. This is to make you feel guilty and send a donation. Many people will feel obligated – I got a gift, I should reciprocate. Please don’t feel obligated. I have gotten many pens that way and it doesn’t bother me in the least.
Once you donate to a charity, some of them will keep on sending you solicitations for money. The more times you give, the more solicitations you receive. As long as you keep giving, they will keep soliciting. Don’t feel guilty about not giving. Give what you can and don’t feel that it is necessary to give every time they ask.
I suggest that you pick 2 or 3 charities (or more if you can afford it) and donate to them on a regular basis.
In my wedding homily, I always talk about not letting the cares and demands of marriage, careers, and family responsibilities overwhelm them and become their top priority. I ask them to remember why they married in the first place – because they love each other. It is love that will make all the sacrifices seem worthwhile. It is love in the biblical sense – what we do for each other – that will bond them together to a point where there is no one or nothing that can break that bond. I think this is possible in every marriage.
It is serving others and giving to those in need, along with prayer and sacraments, that will help solidify our relationship with God to the point where no one or nothing can break that bond. I think this is possible for all of us.
Be good stewards. The donation of your time, talent, and treasure for the love of God will give you peace and meaning in this life and eternal life in the next.
Fr. Phil
TWENTYFIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
SEPTEMBER 19, 2010
Gospel Luke 16:1-13
Jesus said to his disciples,
"A rich man had a steward
who was reported to him for squandering his property.
He summoned him and said,
'What is this I hear about you?
Prepare a full account of your stewardship,
because you can no longer be my steward.'
The steward said to himself, 'What shall I do,
now that my master is taking the position of steward away from me?
I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg.
I know what I shall do so that,
when I am removed from the stewardship,
they may welcome me into their homes.'
He called in his master's debtors one by one.
To the first he said,
'How much do you owe my master?'
He replied, 'One hundred measures of olive oil.'
He said to him, 'Here is your promissory note.
Sit down and quickly write one for fifty.'
Then to another the steward said, 'And you, how much do you owe?'
He replied, 'One hundred kors of wheat.'
The steward said to him, 'Here is your promissory note;
write one for eighty.'
And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently.
"For the children of this world
are more prudent in dealing with their own generation
than are the children of light.
I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth,
so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.
The person who is trustworthy in very small matters
is also trustworthy in great ones;
and the person who is dishonest in very small matters
is also dishonest in great ones.
If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth,
who will trust you with true wealth?
If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another,
who will give you what is yours?
No servant can serve two masters.
He will either hate one and love the other,
or be devoted to one and despise the other.
You cannot serve both God and mammon."
The Gospel of the Lord
Reflection
Chapter 16 of Luke’s Gospel deals with the proper use of wealth. This weeks selection is Luke 16:1-13 which deals with Jesus’ fundamental teaching on the sharing of wealth. Next week (Luke 16:19-31) we will hear about those who love money and refuse to share.
Our Gospel this week is titled “The Parable of the Dishonest Steward”, in which a steward was fired for squandering his master’s property and not for any kind of graft.
The steward becomes concerned with his financial future, as we all would under the circumstances. He considers his options, and does a bit of what we would call today ‘social networking’. Today, we would probably send our resume to people we know, to companies advertising available jobs, and we would check online sites to make job connections.
Before I entered the seminary I worked in Human Resources for a company in Parsippany. A young man applied for a job, and with his resume he sent in a tape extolling his many qualities, complete with a dramatic voice and background music! We all enjoyed the tape and had a few laughs over it. However, it didn’t work: he never got the job. He’s probably a CEO somewhere now. He did get our attention, though. This is a case where shrewdness, however, didn’t work.
We need to understand this parable in light of the custom of that time of how an agent in the employ of a master would act and the usurious practices they would use. The master would hire an agent, called a steward in this parable, to collect his debts. The steward would add a commission on top of the bill that would be usurious in nature. This steward took the promissory notes and reduced them by the amount of his commission, to the actual amount owed to his master. He does in the hopes that one of the debtors will welcome him into his home. And, as the gospel says, “And the master commended the dishonest steward for acting prudently.”
At first glance it may seem that the gospel is commending dishonesty, but it is actually commending shrewdness, and the fact that Jesus disciples do not measure up in some way that is associated with the steward.
There must have been something going on in Luke’s community that he is trying to address. It seems that the people in his community are not sharing what they have with those in need. It seems that they are irresponsible in handling money. This steward, however, shows himself to be shrewd with things of this world, specifically money. He is using it to his advantage and to help others.
Jesus is urging his disciples to be like the steward in the proper use of money, namely, to share it with those in need. This is a requirement to enter God’s eternal kingdom. If we are faithful in handling “unrighteous mammon” as it is called, then we will be faithful in handling greater things. In other words, if we fail to help others, we will not receive true riches in heaven. Failing to share wealth means we serve “mammon” and not God. To serve God means to share wealth.
Notice that Jesus says to share the wealth, not to be penniless. We don’t have to end up destitute to serve God; just sharing some of what we have is good enough.
I also think that shrewdness encompasses making and accumulating money. Some people just have a talent for this, whether in investments, or in sales, or in starting a business, or in any enterprise where one can make money. We should never feel guilty for this because God gave us this talent and we should use it. Stephen King has written many books and is very rich; however, after growing up poor in Maine, her has given away one third of everything he has made to help those in need. Many people have benefited by his generosity. He is showing himself to be faithful in little things. Using the gifts and talents God gave us gives glory to God. Being stingy is only serving ourselves.
I have always believed that there are no true atheists in the world, because there is always someone or something we love the most. Whatever comes first in our lives is our god. It can be ourselves, another person, making money, careers, or, hopefully, God.
These things are not mutually exclusive. We can love these people and these things and still love God; it is a matter of priorities. If God comes first, our lives are ordered differently than if something or someone else came first. God informs us how we are to treat all these things and it can be very different than the way we would do things.
Some people give grudgingly, and only if they get something in return, like a tax deduction. I think it was G.K. Chesterton who said something like, “Christian charity is neither Christian nor charitable if it only comes out of our surplus.”
The problem is, the more we make, the more we buy, and the more we think we need. We could all do with a lot less and still be comfortable. We could all downsize and contribute more to charity. Like the bumper sticker says, “Live simply so others may simply live”.
Americans are the most generous people ever, but I ask you to stop and think about the last time you donated to charity. When was it? How much? When is the last time you increased the amount and/or the frequency of your contributions? Have you ever given without expecting anything in return?
Here’s something to think about: if every Catholic in America gave $1.00 extra per week to charity, there would be an additional $3 billion dollars per year to help those in need. I think most of us can afford that.
We here at St. Joseph’s Church believe in the spirit of charity to those who come to us in need. We try to give something to everyone who comes to the door asking for help. We can’t solve their financial problems or pay all their bills, but we can help a little. For example, we have helped people pay their mortgages, rent, medical bills, prescription drug bills, legal fees, utility bills, and we have given tens of thousands of dollars in ShopRite gift cards in my tenure. However, I won’t give to those who are greedy or to those I think are ripping me off. Nor do we give out cash. I tell people that I can only give them a little because we need to save something for everyone.
We believe that we get back more than we give. God won’t be outdone in generosity and we will be repaid 30 or 60 or 100 fold. This is one reason why I think our bills are paid, we have a little bit of money saved up, and we don’t need to do second collections for ourselves. We try to help and are being repaid by God for this. We get back more than we give – not just financially, but in faith. God will do the same for you.
While we need to help, there are plenty of scams out there and people who have no conscience and will take you for all you are worth. People will try to prey on your good nature and kind heart. They will come up with all kinds of sad stories to get you to give them money. Please don’t let people take you. If you want to donate to charity, there are plenty of legitimate charities out there that need you help. This is being shrewd and being good with money, like the steward in the gospel.
Sometimes a legitimate charity will include a gift in their letter requesting financial assistance. This is to make you feel guilty and send a donation. Many people will feel obligated – I got a gift, I should reciprocate. Please don’t feel obligated. I have gotten many pens that way and it doesn’t bother me in the least.
Once you donate to a charity, some of them will keep on sending you solicitations for money. The more times you give, the more solicitations you receive. As long as you keep giving, they will keep soliciting. Don’t feel guilty about not giving. Give what you can and don’t feel that it is necessary to give every time they ask.
I suggest that you pick 2 or 3 charities (or more if you can afford it) and donate to them on a regular basis.
In my wedding homily, I always talk about not letting the cares and demands of marriage, careers, and family responsibilities overwhelm them and become their top priority. I ask them to remember why they married in the first place – because they love each other. It is love that will make all the sacrifices seem worthwhile. It is love in the biblical sense – what we do for each other – that will bond them together to a point where there is no one or nothing that can break that bond. I think this is possible in every marriage.
It is serving others and giving to those in need, along with prayer and sacraments, that will help solidify our relationship with God to the point where no one or nothing can break that bond. I think this is possible for all of us.
Be good stewards. The donation of your time, talent, and treasure for the love of God will give you peace and meaning in this life and eternal life in the next.
Fr. Phil
Monday, September 13, 2010
Nine Eleven
If you are of a certain age, you will remember exactly where you were and what you were doing on December 7, 1941, the day Pearl Harbor was attacked, a “day that will live in infamy” to quote President Roosevelt.
If you are of a certain age, you will remember where you were and what you were doing when President Kennedy was assassinated. I was 10 years old in catholic grammar school when the principal came on the loudspeaker to tell us that the President was shot. Then a little while later to tell us he was in surgery, then a little while later to tell us he had died.
Most of us can remember where we were on September 11, 2001, when we heard about the attack on the World Trade Center. I was assigned to Our Lady of Consolation Church in Wayne as a part time associate pastor and had just started to work at Chilton Hospital as a part time chaplain. I was in the hospital parking lot around 9:30 a.m. and on my way into the hospital when a woman told me that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center. I assumed that it must have been a small plane and that only a few people had been killed. As I was making my rounds, every patient had their TV on and was watching the news. Was I surprised to see what really happened! Since no one was interested in pastoral care that day, I went back to the rectory.
These three events are defining moments for their generation. Prior to Pearl Harbor, the U.S. was trying to recover from the Great Depression and there was a big pacifist sentiment in the country: no one wanted to get involved in Europe’s war. The U.S. entry into WWII helped end the Depression and changed people’s attitudes towards war: now, everyone was for fighting the war.
Many people think that if JFK had lived, history would have been much different. His era was called Camelot, and the President and Mrs. Kennedy are the closest we have come to having royalty. After his death, his brother’s death, Martin Luther kings death, the escalation in Vietnam, and the whole 60’s culture made us think the country was falling apart. And in some ways, it was. Would JFK have made a difference? We’ll never know.
The attacks on the World Trade Center took away our naiveté. Terrorism was not just something overseas, ‘over there’, but had invaded our soil in a big way. It changed the way we think, act, and protect ourselves. In many ways, it’s taken away our hope. What kind of hope for the future is there if we can’t fly anymore without wondering what will happen. Where is our hope for a better world, knowing that there may be future armed conflicts and terrorism in our country?
One thread that goes through all acts of violence is hatred. And hatred kills. It kills anyone in its way – combatants, obviously, but also women, children, non-combatants, anyone who gets in its way. Hate is one cause of war, of social disruption, and of terrorism. How many people has hate killed in these three defining moments? How many have suffered because of it? I don’t even want to think of an answer.
That’s why the minister in Florida is so wrong about burning the Quran – it is an act of hate that will just bring on more hate, more suffering, and more death. We Catholics should be especially sensitive to religious hatred because we have all seen our sacred symbols trashed in the name of artistic expression or freedom of speech.
In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus says in chapter 6, to “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” This is a difficult teaching, but there is no alternative for our future. Hate by itself doesn’t exist – hate is the absence of love, of goodness, just as darkness is the absence of light, and cold is the absence of heat. We measure hate by how unloving it can be. The more love we can put into the world, the less room for hate there will be.
We have to let go of hate because it controls our lives and makes us miserable. Love lets us be free to be the kind of people God created us to be, people that live in His love and grace, and who live peaceful, meaningful lives. Hate begets more hate, but love begets more love.
On this ninth anniversary of 9/11, we all certainly pray that those who died that day will be rejoicing with God in heaven. We also pray for those who loved them and are suffering because of their loss, that our loving God will give them the grace and strength to endure.
If we are to learn anything from this experience, if we are to make our world a better place, if we want to enrich our lives, today should tell us that love is the answer. Not only love in the emotional sense, but love in it’s purest, biblical sense, of treating one another with kindness, care, forgiveness, sacrifice, and love, even when people hate us, in the truest tradition of Jesus teaching in Luke 6 and in the whole of scripture.
We may not be able to change the world by ourselves, but we certainly can make a difference in our towns, workplaces, families, and most importantly, in ourselves. Love one another and see what happens!
Fr. Phil
If you are of a certain age, you will remember where you were and what you were doing when President Kennedy was assassinated. I was 10 years old in catholic grammar school when the principal came on the loudspeaker to tell us that the President was shot. Then a little while later to tell us he was in surgery, then a little while later to tell us he had died.
Most of us can remember where we were on September 11, 2001, when we heard about the attack on the World Trade Center. I was assigned to Our Lady of Consolation Church in Wayne as a part time associate pastor and had just started to work at Chilton Hospital as a part time chaplain. I was in the hospital parking lot around 9:30 a.m. and on my way into the hospital when a woman told me that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center. I assumed that it must have been a small plane and that only a few people had been killed. As I was making my rounds, every patient had their TV on and was watching the news. Was I surprised to see what really happened! Since no one was interested in pastoral care that day, I went back to the rectory.
These three events are defining moments for their generation. Prior to Pearl Harbor, the U.S. was trying to recover from the Great Depression and there was a big pacifist sentiment in the country: no one wanted to get involved in Europe’s war. The U.S. entry into WWII helped end the Depression and changed people’s attitudes towards war: now, everyone was for fighting the war.
Many people think that if JFK had lived, history would have been much different. His era was called Camelot, and the President and Mrs. Kennedy are the closest we have come to having royalty. After his death, his brother’s death, Martin Luther kings death, the escalation in Vietnam, and the whole 60’s culture made us think the country was falling apart. And in some ways, it was. Would JFK have made a difference? We’ll never know.
The attacks on the World Trade Center took away our naiveté. Terrorism was not just something overseas, ‘over there’, but had invaded our soil in a big way. It changed the way we think, act, and protect ourselves. In many ways, it’s taken away our hope. What kind of hope for the future is there if we can’t fly anymore without wondering what will happen. Where is our hope for a better world, knowing that there may be future armed conflicts and terrorism in our country?
One thread that goes through all acts of violence is hatred. And hatred kills. It kills anyone in its way – combatants, obviously, but also women, children, non-combatants, anyone who gets in its way. Hate is one cause of war, of social disruption, and of terrorism. How many people has hate killed in these three defining moments? How many have suffered because of it? I don’t even want to think of an answer.
That’s why the minister in Florida is so wrong about burning the Quran – it is an act of hate that will just bring on more hate, more suffering, and more death. We Catholics should be especially sensitive to religious hatred because we have all seen our sacred symbols trashed in the name of artistic expression or freedom of speech.
In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus says in chapter 6, to “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” This is a difficult teaching, but there is no alternative for our future. Hate by itself doesn’t exist – hate is the absence of love, of goodness, just as darkness is the absence of light, and cold is the absence of heat. We measure hate by how unloving it can be. The more love we can put into the world, the less room for hate there will be.
We have to let go of hate because it controls our lives and makes us miserable. Love lets us be free to be the kind of people God created us to be, people that live in His love and grace, and who live peaceful, meaningful lives. Hate begets more hate, but love begets more love.
On this ninth anniversary of 9/11, we all certainly pray that those who died that day will be rejoicing with God in heaven. We also pray for those who loved them and are suffering because of their loss, that our loving God will give them the grace and strength to endure.
If we are to learn anything from this experience, if we are to make our world a better place, if we want to enrich our lives, today should tell us that love is the answer. Not only love in the emotional sense, but love in it’s purest, biblical sense, of treating one another with kindness, care, forgiveness, sacrifice, and love, even when people hate us, in the truest tradition of Jesus teaching in Luke 6 and in the whole of scripture.
We may not be able to change the world by ourselves, but we certainly can make a difference in our towns, workplaces, families, and most importantly, in ourselves. Love one another and see what happens!
Fr. Phil
Friday, September 10, 2010
September Newsletter
ST. JOSEPH PARISH
EMAIL NEWSLETTER
SEPTEMBER 2010
BACK TO SCHOOL. I can’t think of a phrase that excite parents more then ‘back to school’, except maybe ‘you won the lottery.’ I know that most kids over a certain age aren’t excited about school and wished that the summer would never end, but it has. As the new school year begins, I hope and pray that all of our kids have a safe, healthy, happy, and productive year. I pray especially for those kids who have gone away to college, and their parents who miss them already and can’t wait until they could see them again. God bless all our kids: do well and know that you are in our prayers.
BACK TO RELIGIOUS EDUCATION. We will start our religious education program later this month. I would like to thank all the teachers and any others involved in our program. It is a special calling for special people. You will be sharing your faith with our youngsters and helping to form them in our faith. I know you will do a good job. I say thank you to all of you and you will be in my prayers. I also pray that our students will open up their hearts to our God who loves them and wants to be a part of their lives. I pray that you will grow in your faith and come to know and love Jesus Christ. This can make all the difference in the world.
NEW ROMAN MISSAL. The Vatican has approved the new English translation of the Roman Missal. This Missal is also called the Sacramentary. It is the big red book on the altar that the priest uses during mass, and it has everything in it except for the readings. There will be some changes that will start on the first Sunday of advent in 2011. The diocese will be running some workshops, and when I have more information, I will pass it on to you. You can also go to the Bishop’s website for further information: www.usccb.org.
SPIRITUAL BASEBALL. It is kind of an odd title, but I think we can gain a spiritual insight from looking at baseball. What we learn is that success is not measured by perfection, but by doing the best we can. The baseball season is 162 games long, and no team has ever had a record of 162-0, nor will this ever happen. It’s just not possible. Conversely, no team has ever had a record of 0-162, nor will this ever happen. This too is impossible. As the saying goes, you win some, you lose some. There is an old adage in baseball that says every team will win 54 games, and every team will lose 54 games (there have been a few exceptions, but very few). The success of your season depends on what you do with the remaining 54 games. Our lives are a lot like that. There are days that we do really well in following Christ: our prayer is fulfilling, we have a good outlook on life, we help others, we practice virtue, we do well in living the Christian life, and we seem to do it easily. There are other days that we would like to forget. We’re crabby, we snap at everyone, we are harsh and unforgiving, we don’t pray, we offend people, and nothing pleases us. Unfortunately, we also do these things just as easily. However, there are those in-between days, those days that can go either way. What we decide to do and how we decide to live our lives on those days determines the depth and breadth of our spiritual lives. Mother Theresa once said that God does not expect us to be successful, but to be faithful. We know that we will sin, but God offers us forgiveness and the strength to overcome our sins. The first time we turn away from our sins we will find it difficult, but the more we turn away from sin the easier it becomes, until virtue becomes a habit, the kind of habit we want to develop. God provides us with the grace to step up to the plate and turn those in-between days into virtuous days, to raise our spiritual batting average, until at last we enter into the heavenly hall of fame. Those who are in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown failed more often than not. We too are allowed to fail, but not to give up. With God’s help, we can be all be members of the spiritual hall of fame.
MILITARY PICTURE BOARD. We are looking for new photos of men and women (in uniform, please) who are presently serving in the armed forces along with the following information: name, rank, branch of service, where they are serving, mailing address if possible, and their connection to our parish. There are cards in the church vestibule. Please fill it out and return it to the rectory with a picture. The present pictures will be removed and kept on file or returned to families.
RITE OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION OF ADULTS
Or RCIA for short is a program for those people who would like to become full members of the Catholic Church. There are three groups of people who would be in this program; 1) baptized Catholics, who, for whatever reason, never received the sacraments of Eucharist and/or Confirmation; 2) Christians of other faith traditions who would like to convert to Catholicism; and 3) unbaptized people.
RCIA is a program of faith sharing and community building that begins in September and ends with the reception of the sacraments at the Easter Vigil, which is April 23rd of next year. They meet on Wednesday evenings to learn about the catholic faith and on Sunday during the 10 am mass for scripture sharing.
Some of you reading this newsletter may have never received confirmation as a teenager. You may be an active member, or only a part time participant. This is an opportunity for you to be updated on your faith, and a time of grace and blessing as you grow in your faith. If you have not received this sacrament, I strongly urge you to consider this program.
The other 2 categories of people in this program are not with us on Sundays, for obvious reasons. How are they to know about this program? You can tell them! How exciting? What a great way to live out the Great Commission given by Jesus just prior to his ascension to baptize, evangelize, and teach. And it is so easy. All you need do is tell someone about this program, and encourage them to attend. If they are interested, have them call Linda Boyle ay (973) 696-1164.
PRAYER TO ST. JOSEPH, MODEL FOR WORKERS
(From Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers, revised edition, page 303)
Silent and well-known carpenter in Nazareth,
model of workers, by the work of your hands,
you gave your contribution to the work of the Creator,
you earned your living,
and you provided for the needs of the Holy Family.
Intercede for all workers, in the difficulties of their daily lives,
especially for the unemployed, in their anxieties
for tomorrow,
so that, through the guidance of God,
the great Architect and Builder,
they may all use their strength and their talents
to make visible his Kingdom, his new creation,
to offer a concrete service to society,
and to earn wages worthy of their efforts.
LINCOLN PARK DAY. This year is the 19th annual Lincoln Park Day and is being held on September 25th and, as always, it will be filled with crafts, entertainment, food, fun, and a deep sense of community spirit. We here at the parish are supporting a scholarship at the sponsor ($250.00) level, and we will also have a booth at this event. I urge you to support this day by stopping in for a while. It certainly is a worthwhile event. Call the rectory if you can give us an hour or two at our booth.
Why Catholic?
Earlier this year we began our journey with exploring how we celebrate our Catholic faith in sacramental liturgy. Those six gatherings focused on the liturgy, an understanding of the sacraments, Baptism, and the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. We are now preparing for another six gatherings to take a deeper look into each of the sacraments and how they impact our lives both from an individual and inter-relationship view. Our discussions will include:
Confirmation, a Sacrament of Initiation
Eucharist, a Sacrament of Initiation
Penance and Reconciliation, a Sacrament of Healing
The Anointing of the Sick, a Sacrament of Healing
Holy Orders, a Sacrament at the Service of Communion
Matrimony, a Sacrament at the Service of Communion
The process has not changed. It takes place in small community groups. Each group gathers in someone's home or at the rectory once a week for an hour and a half on a day and time you choose for six weeks. The atmosphere is relaxed and informal and sharing is at each person's comfort level. Sign up Sunday is September 11th and 12th and the faith sharing groups will begin October 3rd. Sign up sheets will be placed in the pews and in the back of the church during Sign-up Sunday. For additional information please see me (Vicki Pignone) after mass or email vpignone@optonline.net
I leave you with this True Story that was past down to me
A man came to church every Sunday, but never came to communion because he was not Catholic. As his wife and three children received Eucharist each week, a parishioner felt badly seeing him alone in the pew. He came to and attended all the church functions and helped out whenever he was asked. So one day, that parishioner finally got the chance to ask him, "Jim you are here with us all the time, would you ever think of actually joining the church?" Well, in fact, I would, I did. But nobody ever asked me. You are the first." It has been 18 years since he had been coming! His wife had been afraid to 'pressure' him and the pastor thought he'd come forward on his own. There had been pulpit and bulletin announcements welcoming people to come and inquire to join the church for many years, but Jim was simply waiting for someone to reach out and personally ask him. So here I am, standing before you, to personally invite and welcome each and every one of you to come, join us, as we once again begin our Why Catholic? journey. I promise, you won’t be disappointed!
INSPIRATIONAL STORY. I subscribe to a homily service called Connections, and in the August 2010 issue, there is a story from People Magazine of July 5, 2010, and CBSNews.com I would like to share with you.
Olivia’s pelicans
“Eleven-year-old Olivia Bouler knows every species of bird near her grandparents’ cottage on the Alabama coast. The fifth-grader, a budding ornithologist, appreciates their beauty and elegance and has developed a real talent for illustrating them.
So when she saw the pictures of the birds drenched with oil, Olivia was devastated. “I couldn’t stand it…It wasn’t fair for them. They didn’t do anything.”
Olivia was determined to do something. She wrote a letter to the National Audubon Society: “I’m a decent drawer and I was wondering if I could sell some bird paintings and give the profits to your organization.” Olivia’s sketch of a cardinal accompanied the letter. The Audubon Society was so moved by the young girl’s talent and determination that they began offering her watercolors and prints on their website. To date, Olivia’s drawings have raised over $130,000.00. The Audubon Society is using the money for animal rescue and to establish a new bird habitat in the Gulf.
This summer, Olivia is working to turn out some 500 illustrations for sale. A fifth-grader with a paintbrush and a big heart is one of the few signs of hope amid the toxic sludge destroying the wildlife and beaches of the Gulf of Mexico.”
May God bless this young girl, and may more of us be inspired to help build up the Kingdom of God.
GIVING YOUR LIFE TO THE MISSION
This past week I have been thinking about people who have been obsessed with mission. Some years ago, Scott Carpenter died. Scott Carpenter was one of the great citizens of the United States of America. He was one of our seven first astronauts. He was truly a great man. Scott Carpenter was a man who had a sense of mission. Let me read what Scott Carpenter had to say, “This project of being an astronaut and going to the moon, gives me the possibility of using all of my capabilities and all of my interests and gifts at once. This is something that I would be willing to give my life for. I think a person is fortunate to have something that you care that much about that you would give your life for. There are risks involved, that’s for sure.” Then Scott Carpenter went on to say in the following words in a letter to his wife, “My dear, if this comes to a fatal, screaming fiery end for me, I will have three main regrets. I will have lost the opportunity to prepare for my children’s life here on this planet. I will miss the pleasure of seeing you and loving you when you are a grandmother. And I will have never learned to play the guitar.” Signed, Scott. He cared for his wife. He cared for his children. He wanted to play the guitar. But more than that, more than his love for his wife and children, more than his wanting to learn to play the guitar, Scott Carpenter was willing to give his life for the mission to go to the moon.
What does it mean to give your life for THE mission of Jesus Christ?
Edward F. Markquart, Christ Brings Division
WHAT HAPPENS IN HEAVEN WHEN WE PRAY?
I dreamt that I went to Heaven and an angel was showing me around. We walked side-by-side inside a large workroom filled with angels. My angel guide stopped in front of the first section and said, ' This is the Receiving Section. Here, all petitions to God said in prayer are received.
I looked around in this area, and it was terribly busy with so many angels sorting out petitions written on voluminous paper sheets and scraps from people all over the world.
Then we moved on down a long corridor until we reached the second section.
The angel then said to me, "This is the Packaging and Delivery Section. Here, the graces and blessings the people asked for are processed and delivered to the living persons who asked for them." I noticed again how busy it was there. There were many angels working hard at that station, since so many blessings had been requested and were being packaged for delivery to Earth.
Finally at the farthest end of the long corridor we stopped at the door of a very small station. To my great surprise, only one angel was seated there, idly doing nothing. "This is the Acknowledgment Section", my angel friend quietly admitted to me. He seemed embarrassed. “How is it that there is no work going on here?” I asked.
"So sad," the angel sighed. "After people receive the blessings that they asked for, very few send back acknowledgments"
"How does one acknowledge God's blessings?” I asked...
"Simple,” the angel answered. Just say, "Thank you, Lord.”
"What blessings should they acknowledge?" I asked.
"If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep you are richer than 75% of this world. If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish, you are among the top 8% of the worlds wealthy. "
"And if you get this on your own computer, you are part of the 1% in the world who has that opportunity."
"If you woke up this morning with more health than illness... You are more blessed than the many who will not even survive this day. "
"If you have never experienced the fear in battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation ... You are ahead of 700 million people in the world."
"If you can attend a church without the fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death you are envied by, and more blessed than, three billion people in the world."
"If your parents are still alive and still married ...you are very rare."
"If you can hold your head up and smile, you are not the norm; you're unique to all those in doubt and despair......."
Ok, what now? How can I start?
If you can read this message, you just received a double blessing in that someone was thinking of you as very special and you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world who cannot read at all.
Have a good day, count your blessings, and if you care to, pass this along to remind everyone else how blessed we all are.
ATTN: Acknowledge Dept.
"Thank you Lord, for giving me the ability to share this message and for giving me so many wonderful people with whom to share it.”
Billy Joel This song & it's title was an answer on Final Jeopardy -- only one person got it right. Question was (paraphrased) "What 1980's song do history teacher's praise for its educational value." Never could understand all the references on Billy Joel's song -- fortunately, with this VIDEO, given the picture(s), I now can "see" what my "ears" couldn't. Apparently, it's Joel's homage to the 40-years of historical headlines since his birth (1949). WAY TOO COOL -- wish I could have appreciated the depths of this song when it was released. Twenty years later, I'm in awe of what Joel was able to put into music and lyrics lasting only a few minutes. Whether you are a Billy Joel fan or not, you probably remember his great song, 'We Didn't Start the Fire.' Here it is, set to pictures... very, very cool. It's a neat flashback through the past half century. I never did know the words. Turn up the volume, sit back and enjoy a review of 40 years of history in about 3 minutes! Top left gives you full screen....top right lets you pause. Bottom left shows the year. The older you are, the more pictures you will recognize. Anyone middle aged or older should remember over 90% of what they see. But it's great at any age. We Didn't Start The Fire is at http//yeli/Flash/Fire.HTML
Unconditional Love
What is your view of God? The scowling judge waiting to convict you? The disapproving parent whose love you have to earn? Your view of God affects every decision and relationship in your life. Kathleen Chesto wrote to Catholic Digest to tell them about an incident that occurred in her family. Her five-year-old child approached her one day in the kitchen and asked, "Mom, is God a grown-up or a parent?"
Mom was a little puzzled by the question. "I'm not sure what you mean," she said. "Is there a difference between a grown-up and a parent?" "Oh yes," her five-year-old answered quickly. "Grown-ups love you when you are good and parents love you anyway." I know this sounds trite to some of you, but have you ever really come to appreciate the wonder of God's unconditional love? I dare say that there are some people in this room who don't really believe in unconditional love. You have never received it, and you have never given it. Some of you are still trying to earn your way to heaven. And you are expecting others to earn their way as well. Relax, my friend, and let God love you. Jesus is trying to tell us in this parable (Luke 15:1-32) that God's love doesn't depend on our goodness; it depends on God's character. Here is this truth expressed in I John 4: 10, "This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins."
King Duncan, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com
I hope you enjoy this newsletter. God bless all of you. Fr. Phil
EMAIL NEWSLETTER
SEPTEMBER 2010
BACK TO SCHOOL. I can’t think of a phrase that excite parents more then ‘back to school’, except maybe ‘you won the lottery.’ I know that most kids over a certain age aren’t excited about school and wished that the summer would never end, but it has. As the new school year begins, I hope and pray that all of our kids have a safe, healthy, happy, and productive year. I pray especially for those kids who have gone away to college, and their parents who miss them already and can’t wait until they could see them again. God bless all our kids: do well and know that you are in our prayers.
BACK TO RELIGIOUS EDUCATION. We will start our religious education program later this month. I would like to thank all the teachers and any others involved in our program. It is a special calling for special people. You will be sharing your faith with our youngsters and helping to form them in our faith. I know you will do a good job. I say thank you to all of you and you will be in my prayers. I also pray that our students will open up their hearts to our God who loves them and wants to be a part of their lives. I pray that you will grow in your faith and come to know and love Jesus Christ. This can make all the difference in the world.
NEW ROMAN MISSAL. The Vatican has approved the new English translation of the Roman Missal. This Missal is also called the Sacramentary. It is the big red book on the altar that the priest uses during mass, and it has everything in it except for the readings. There will be some changes that will start on the first Sunday of advent in 2011. The diocese will be running some workshops, and when I have more information, I will pass it on to you. You can also go to the Bishop’s website for further information: www.usccb.org.
SPIRITUAL BASEBALL. It is kind of an odd title, but I think we can gain a spiritual insight from looking at baseball. What we learn is that success is not measured by perfection, but by doing the best we can. The baseball season is 162 games long, and no team has ever had a record of 162-0, nor will this ever happen. It’s just not possible. Conversely, no team has ever had a record of 0-162, nor will this ever happen. This too is impossible. As the saying goes, you win some, you lose some. There is an old adage in baseball that says every team will win 54 games, and every team will lose 54 games (there have been a few exceptions, but very few). The success of your season depends on what you do with the remaining 54 games. Our lives are a lot like that. There are days that we do really well in following Christ: our prayer is fulfilling, we have a good outlook on life, we help others, we practice virtue, we do well in living the Christian life, and we seem to do it easily. There are other days that we would like to forget. We’re crabby, we snap at everyone, we are harsh and unforgiving, we don’t pray, we offend people, and nothing pleases us. Unfortunately, we also do these things just as easily. However, there are those in-between days, those days that can go either way. What we decide to do and how we decide to live our lives on those days determines the depth and breadth of our spiritual lives. Mother Theresa once said that God does not expect us to be successful, but to be faithful. We know that we will sin, but God offers us forgiveness and the strength to overcome our sins. The first time we turn away from our sins we will find it difficult, but the more we turn away from sin the easier it becomes, until virtue becomes a habit, the kind of habit we want to develop. God provides us with the grace to step up to the plate and turn those in-between days into virtuous days, to raise our spiritual batting average, until at last we enter into the heavenly hall of fame. Those who are in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown failed more often than not. We too are allowed to fail, but not to give up. With God’s help, we can be all be members of the spiritual hall of fame.
MILITARY PICTURE BOARD. We are looking for new photos of men and women (in uniform, please) who are presently serving in the armed forces along with the following information: name, rank, branch of service, where they are serving, mailing address if possible, and their connection to our parish. There are cards in the church vestibule. Please fill it out and return it to the rectory with a picture. The present pictures will be removed and kept on file or returned to families.
RITE OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION OF ADULTS
Or RCIA for short is a program for those people who would like to become full members of the Catholic Church. There are three groups of people who would be in this program; 1) baptized Catholics, who, for whatever reason, never received the sacraments of Eucharist and/or Confirmation; 2) Christians of other faith traditions who would like to convert to Catholicism; and 3) unbaptized people.
RCIA is a program of faith sharing and community building that begins in September and ends with the reception of the sacraments at the Easter Vigil, which is April 23rd of next year. They meet on Wednesday evenings to learn about the catholic faith and on Sunday during the 10 am mass for scripture sharing.
Some of you reading this newsletter may have never received confirmation as a teenager. You may be an active member, or only a part time participant. This is an opportunity for you to be updated on your faith, and a time of grace and blessing as you grow in your faith. If you have not received this sacrament, I strongly urge you to consider this program.
The other 2 categories of people in this program are not with us on Sundays, for obvious reasons. How are they to know about this program? You can tell them! How exciting? What a great way to live out the Great Commission given by Jesus just prior to his ascension to baptize, evangelize, and teach. And it is so easy. All you need do is tell someone about this program, and encourage them to attend. If they are interested, have them call Linda Boyle ay (973) 696-1164.
PRAYER TO ST. JOSEPH, MODEL FOR WORKERS
(From Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers, revised edition, page 303)
Silent and well-known carpenter in Nazareth,
model of workers, by the work of your hands,
you gave your contribution to the work of the Creator,
you earned your living,
and you provided for the needs of the Holy Family.
Intercede for all workers, in the difficulties of their daily lives,
especially for the unemployed, in their anxieties
for tomorrow,
so that, through the guidance of God,
the great Architect and Builder,
they may all use their strength and their talents
to make visible his Kingdom, his new creation,
to offer a concrete service to society,
and to earn wages worthy of their efforts.
LINCOLN PARK DAY. This year is the 19th annual Lincoln Park Day and is being held on September 25th and, as always, it will be filled with crafts, entertainment, food, fun, and a deep sense of community spirit. We here at the parish are supporting a scholarship at the sponsor ($250.00) level, and we will also have a booth at this event. I urge you to support this day by stopping in for a while. It certainly is a worthwhile event. Call the rectory if you can give us an hour or two at our booth.
Why Catholic?
Earlier this year we began our journey with exploring how we celebrate our Catholic faith in sacramental liturgy. Those six gatherings focused on the liturgy, an understanding of the sacraments, Baptism, and the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. We are now preparing for another six gatherings to take a deeper look into each of the sacraments and how they impact our lives both from an individual and inter-relationship view. Our discussions will include:
Confirmation, a Sacrament of Initiation
Eucharist, a Sacrament of Initiation
Penance and Reconciliation, a Sacrament of Healing
The Anointing of the Sick, a Sacrament of Healing
Holy Orders, a Sacrament at the Service of Communion
Matrimony, a Sacrament at the Service of Communion
The process has not changed. It takes place in small community groups. Each group gathers in someone's home or at the rectory once a week for an hour and a half on a day and time you choose for six weeks. The atmosphere is relaxed and informal and sharing is at each person's comfort level. Sign up Sunday is September 11th and 12th and the faith sharing groups will begin October 3rd. Sign up sheets will be placed in the pews and in the back of the church during Sign-up Sunday. For additional information please see me (Vicki Pignone) after mass or email vpignone@optonline.net
I leave you with this True Story that was past down to me
A man came to church every Sunday, but never came to communion because he was not Catholic. As his wife and three children received Eucharist each week, a parishioner felt badly seeing him alone in the pew. He came to and attended all the church functions and helped out whenever he was asked. So one day, that parishioner finally got the chance to ask him, "Jim you are here with us all the time, would you ever think of actually joining the church?" Well, in fact, I would, I did. But nobody ever asked me. You are the first." It has been 18 years since he had been coming! His wife had been afraid to 'pressure' him and the pastor thought he'd come forward on his own. There had been pulpit and bulletin announcements welcoming people to come and inquire to join the church for many years, but Jim was simply waiting for someone to reach out and personally ask him. So here I am, standing before you, to personally invite and welcome each and every one of you to come, join us, as we once again begin our Why Catholic? journey. I promise, you won’t be disappointed!
INSPIRATIONAL STORY. I subscribe to a homily service called Connections, and in the August 2010 issue, there is a story from People Magazine of July 5, 2010, and CBSNews.com I would like to share with you.
Olivia’s pelicans
“Eleven-year-old Olivia Bouler knows every species of bird near her grandparents’ cottage on the Alabama coast. The fifth-grader, a budding ornithologist, appreciates their beauty and elegance and has developed a real talent for illustrating them.
So when she saw the pictures of the birds drenched with oil, Olivia was devastated. “I couldn’t stand it…It wasn’t fair for them. They didn’t do anything.”
Olivia was determined to do something. She wrote a letter to the National Audubon Society: “I’m a decent drawer and I was wondering if I could sell some bird paintings and give the profits to your organization.” Olivia’s sketch of a cardinal accompanied the letter. The Audubon Society was so moved by the young girl’s talent and determination that they began offering her watercolors and prints on their website. To date, Olivia’s drawings have raised over $130,000.00. The Audubon Society is using the money for animal rescue and to establish a new bird habitat in the Gulf.
This summer, Olivia is working to turn out some 500 illustrations for sale. A fifth-grader with a paintbrush and a big heart is one of the few signs of hope amid the toxic sludge destroying the wildlife and beaches of the Gulf of Mexico.”
May God bless this young girl, and may more of us be inspired to help build up the Kingdom of God.
GIVING YOUR LIFE TO THE MISSION
This past week I have been thinking about people who have been obsessed with mission. Some years ago, Scott Carpenter died. Scott Carpenter was one of the great citizens of the United States of America. He was one of our seven first astronauts. He was truly a great man. Scott Carpenter was a man who had a sense of mission. Let me read what Scott Carpenter had to say, “This project of being an astronaut and going to the moon, gives me the possibility of using all of my capabilities and all of my interests and gifts at once. This is something that I would be willing to give my life for. I think a person is fortunate to have something that you care that much about that you would give your life for. There are risks involved, that’s for sure.” Then Scott Carpenter went on to say in the following words in a letter to his wife, “My dear, if this comes to a fatal, screaming fiery end for me, I will have three main regrets. I will have lost the opportunity to prepare for my children’s life here on this planet. I will miss the pleasure of seeing you and loving you when you are a grandmother. And I will have never learned to play the guitar.” Signed, Scott. He cared for his wife. He cared for his children. He wanted to play the guitar. But more than that, more than his love for his wife and children, more than his wanting to learn to play the guitar, Scott Carpenter was willing to give his life for the mission to go to the moon.
What does it mean to give your life for THE mission of Jesus Christ?
Edward F. Markquart, Christ Brings Division
WHAT HAPPENS IN HEAVEN WHEN WE PRAY?
I dreamt that I went to Heaven and an angel was showing me around. We walked side-by-side inside a large workroom filled with angels. My angel guide stopped in front of the first section and said, ' This is the Receiving Section. Here, all petitions to God said in prayer are received.
I looked around in this area, and it was terribly busy with so many angels sorting out petitions written on voluminous paper sheets and scraps from people all over the world.
Then we moved on down a long corridor until we reached the second section.
The angel then said to me, "This is the Packaging and Delivery Section. Here, the graces and blessings the people asked for are processed and delivered to the living persons who asked for them." I noticed again how busy it was there. There were many angels working hard at that station, since so many blessings had been requested and were being packaged for delivery to Earth.
Finally at the farthest end of the long corridor we stopped at the door of a very small station. To my great surprise, only one angel was seated there, idly doing nothing. "This is the Acknowledgment Section", my angel friend quietly admitted to me. He seemed embarrassed. “How is it that there is no work going on here?” I asked.
"So sad," the angel sighed. "After people receive the blessings that they asked for, very few send back acknowledgments"
"How does one acknowledge God's blessings?” I asked...
"Simple,” the angel answered. Just say, "Thank you, Lord.”
"What blessings should they acknowledge?" I asked.
"If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep you are richer than 75% of this world. If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish, you are among the top 8% of the worlds wealthy. "
"And if you get this on your own computer, you are part of the 1% in the world who has that opportunity."
"If you woke up this morning with more health than illness... You are more blessed than the many who will not even survive this day. "
"If you have never experienced the fear in battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation ... You are ahead of 700 million people in the world."
"If you can attend a church without the fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death you are envied by, and more blessed than, three billion people in the world."
"If your parents are still alive and still married ...you are very rare."
"If you can hold your head up and smile, you are not the norm; you're unique to all those in doubt and despair......."
Ok, what now? How can I start?
If you can read this message, you just received a double blessing in that someone was thinking of you as very special and you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world who cannot read at all.
Have a good day, count your blessings, and if you care to, pass this along to remind everyone else how blessed we all are.
ATTN: Acknowledge Dept.
"Thank you Lord, for giving me the ability to share this message and for giving me so many wonderful people with whom to share it.”
Billy Joel This song & it's title was an answer on Final Jeopardy -- only one person got it right. Question was (paraphrased) "What 1980's song do history teacher's praise for its educational value." Never could understand all the references on Billy Joel's song -- fortunately, with this VIDEO, given the picture(s), I now can "see" what my "ears" couldn't. Apparently, it's Joel's homage to the 40-years of historical headlines since his birth (1949). WAY TOO COOL -- wish I could have appreciated the depths of this song when it was released. Twenty years later, I'm in awe of what Joel was able to put into music and lyrics lasting only a few minutes. Whether you are a Billy Joel fan or not, you probably remember his great song, 'We Didn't Start the Fire.' Here it is, set to pictures... very, very cool. It's a neat flashback through the past half century. I never did know the words. Turn up the volume, sit back and enjoy a review of 40 years of history in about 3 minutes! Top left gives you full screen....top right lets you pause. Bottom left shows the year. The older you are, the more pictures you will recognize. Anyone middle aged or older should remember over 90% of what they see. But it's great at any age. We Didn't Start The Fire is at http//yeli/Flash/Fire.HTML
Unconditional Love
What is your view of God? The scowling judge waiting to convict you? The disapproving parent whose love you have to earn? Your view of God affects every decision and relationship in your life. Kathleen Chesto wrote to Catholic Digest to tell them about an incident that occurred in her family. Her five-year-old child approached her one day in the kitchen and asked, "Mom, is God a grown-up or a parent?"
Mom was a little puzzled by the question. "I'm not sure what you mean," she said. "Is there a difference between a grown-up and a parent?" "Oh yes," her five-year-old answered quickly. "Grown-ups love you when you are good and parents love you anyway." I know this sounds trite to some of you, but have you ever really come to appreciate the wonder of God's unconditional love? I dare say that there are some people in this room who don't really believe in unconditional love. You have never received it, and you have never given it. Some of you are still trying to earn your way to heaven. And you are expecting others to earn their way as well. Relax, my friend, and let God love you. Jesus is trying to tell us in this parable (Luke 15:1-32) that God's love doesn't depend on our goodness; it depends on God's character. Here is this truth expressed in I John 4: 10, "This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins."
King Duncan, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com
I hope you enjoy this newsletter. God bless all of you. Fr. Phil
BIBLE STUDY #11
TWENTYFOURTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
SEPTEMBER 12, 2010
Gospel Lk 15:1-32 or 15:1-10
Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus,
but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying,
"This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."
So to them he addressed this parable.
"What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them
would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert
and go after the lost one until he finds it?
And when he does find it,
he sets it on his shoulders with great joy
and, upon his arrival home,
he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them,
'Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.'
I tell you, in just the same way
there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents
than over ninety-nine righteous people
who have no need of repentance.
"Or what woman having ten coins and losing one
would not light a lamp and sweep the house,
searching carefully until she finds it?
And when she does find it,
she calls together her friends and neighbors
and says to them,
'Rejoice with me because I have found the coin that I lost.'
In just the same way, I tell you
there will be rejoicing among the angels of God
over one sinner who repents."
Then he said,
"A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father,
'Father give me the share of your estate that should come to me.'
So the father divided the property between them.
After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings
and set off to a distant country
where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation.
When he had freely spent everything,
a severe famine struck that country,
and he found himself in dire need.
So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens
who sent him to his farm to tend the swine.
And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed,
but nobody gave him any.
Coming to his senses he thought,
'How many of my father's hired workers
have more than enough food to eat,
but here am I, dying from hunger.
I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him,
"Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
I no longer deserve to be called your son;
treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers."'
So he got up and went back to his father.
While he was still a long way off,
his father caught sight of him,
and was filled with compassion.
He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him.
His son said to him,
'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you;
I no longer deserve to be called your son.'
But his father ordered his servants,
'Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him;
put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
Take the fattened calf and slaughter it.
Then let us celebrate with a feast,
because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again;
he was lost, and has been found.'
Then the celebration began.
Now the older son had been out in the field
and, on his way back, as he neared the house,
he heard the sound of music and dancing.
He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean.
The servant said to him,
'Your brother has returned
and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf
because he has him back safe and sound.'
He became angry,
and when he refused to enter the house,
his father came out and pleaded with him.
He said to his father in reply,
'Look, all these years I served you
and not once did I disobey your orders;
yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends. But when your son returns,
who swallowed up your property with prostitutes,
for him you slaughter the fattened calf.'
He said to him,
'My son, you are here with me always;
everything I have is yours.
But now we must celebrate and rejoice,
because your brother was dead and has come to life again;
he was lost and has been found.'"
The Gospel of the Lord
Reflection
Today our gospel is unusually long – 32 verses, which consists of three parables: the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son. The church gives us the option of reading only the first 2 parables, which are only 10 verses long. Personally, unless there is a very good reason, I always read the long version.
These three parables all have the same theme, which is why they are grouped together. They deal with those who have wandered away and were lost and what the communities should do when they return or are brought back. Luke is being practical – he is applying Jesus teachings to everyday life.
The gospel starts out by telling us that “Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus, but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, " ‘This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.’"
This tells us that all are welcome in our assemblies. Jesus is the welcoming host who excludes no one from the heavenly banquet. The Pharisees and Scribes remind us of the self-righteous people in our midst that complain about sinners in their assemblies (as if they were not part of that group!).
The second and third parables are found only in Luke. The first parable has a parallel in Matthew 18:10-14, also called the Parable of the Lost Sheep.
The parable of the Lost Sheep in Luke is about how much God seeks us when we are lost, and the shepherd (and therefore God) doesn’t give up until we are found. God does reach out to us in many ways: scripture, tradition, prayer, sacraments, and people, to mention a few. I think that we make a mistake when we think about God reaching out to us – we view it as a divine miracle in which God ‘zaps’ us and changes us into someone different. God respects our free will and will never force himself on us. In order for God to find us, we need to be looking for God ourselves. We need to be doing the things that open us up to God’s grace and saving presence, such as making a commitment to weekly mass, daily prayer, occasional spiritual reading, confession, and serving one another when these opportunities arise in our lives. When we are open to God, he will find us. How great would that be!
The proper response to someone being brought back into the community is to be joyful and to rejoice with each other, to be happy that one more is back in the fold. God has enough love for everyone. His love cannot be depleted no matter how many people are receiving it. The more the merrier!
This parable also tells us that God will forgive us no matter what we do, and we shouldn’t be afraid to come home. God knows we will sin since he made us to be imperfect. Never be afraid to seek and accept God’s forgiveness.
It also tells us that disciples should be people of joy, that feeling God’s forgiveness and grace in our lives should make us happy. Does it? How many gloomy Christians are there in the world? Are we any different from other people? If we are not joyful, then something is wrong. If we are not rejoicing, we need to look and see what we have to change in our lives.
The second parable is fascinating because the analogy to God seeking us is a woman seeking a coin! So, God is being compared to a woman. No wonder Luke’s gospel can be referred to as the gospel for women. This is really universalism when we can make this analogy. All really are welcome and equal when we can say and believe this analogy.
This parable has the same message as the first, so I would like to skip to the third parable, one of my favorites, called the Prodigal Son.
The word ‘prodigal’ means recklessly extravagant. Recklessly means doing something without thinking. Extravagant means someone who is very generous. So prodigal is someone who is generous without thinking about what it costs. It is like referring to someone as generous to a fault, or like someone who would give you the shirt off his back.
The younger son goes to his father and asks for his inheritance. Sure, this happens everyday. What would you think would happen if someone did this? Do you think the father would do it? Surprisingly, the father agrees to do it! This is our first instance of being prodigal.
What is the son saying to his father? Since one receives an inheritance when someone else dies, he is saying either “I wish you were dead” or “I can’t wait until you are dead to receive my inheritance”. Nice kid, huh?
Then he goes off to a foreign land and spends it all in riotous and sinful living. I suppose this is where the title of “Prodigal Son” comes in. The gospel says that there was a famine and he was starving to death, so he hires himself out to a farmer to take care of the pigs. He doesn’t even eat as well as the pigs, and he is dying of hunger. For a young Jewish boy to be tending swine is a way of saying he has hit bottom, life could not be worse than this.
Since he doesn’t seem to have any alternative, he decides he needs to go back to his father. He doesn’t believe his father would take him back, so he plans to beg his father to let him be a servant; that way, he will have a place to stay and food to eat. I can see him in my minds eye practicing his speech as he makes the long and embarrassing trek home.
I can see the father in my mind’s eye going to the edge of his property everyday looking for his son. I see it as starting out hopeful – maybe this will be the day I see him, and it always ends up sadly, with the boy nowhere in sight. Until one day when he can hardly believe his eyes. It’s his son! Coming home! The happiness of the father must be akin to the happiness of parents when their son comes home from war alive and physically unhurt. I remember seeing video of POW’s coming off an airplane after being released from North Vietnam after several years of imprisonment. Someone coming home whom they thought was lost and probably dead! How happy they must have been. How happy the father in our parable is.
I’d bet that the son couldn’t believe his good fortune. He is trying to tell his father that he doesn’t deserve to be called his son anymore, yet the father says “Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.”
Notice what the father is doing. He is getting a fine robe, sandals, and a ring for his son. The father is helping his son is to take off the old self (of sin) and put on the new self (of righteousness). His father is also preparing a banquet; this has an obvious Eucharistic theme, as do all banquets. When we seek forgiveness of our sins, we make ourselves eligible for the heavenly banquet.
Most importantly, I think, the father takes back his son as a son, and not as a servant. He is restoring his son completely, which means the son is eligible for half of what is left! Talk about prodigal. The story should be called the Prodigal Father.
The father in this story is God the Father, whose love and forgiveness are unlimited. We don’t have to do anything to earn or merit the father’s love and forgiveness; it is there for the asking. He never asks his son for an accounting of the money or how he lived his life. He never asked him any reasons for his actions. When the son came back, he was forgiven. The only unforgivable sin is the one not confessed.
The younger son represents all of us. We sin, sometimes greatly, and we need to acknowledge our sins and ask for forgiveness. Sometimes we think that our sins are so great that God won’t forgive us. Every priest has had the occasion to hear a confession where someone confesses a sin from decades ago, and this person admits that they have confessed this sin several times. They have only committed it once, but have confessed it several times. This is a case in which something seems to good to be true, but it really is true. God will forgive anything, as long as we are repentant and desire to change. We no longer have to hold onto the sin, but we can let it go. Jesus paid the price for our sins
It also tells us that God doesn’t expect us to be perfect, but to try. We will fail, miserably at times, but we never give up hope. When we sin, we seek forgiveness, and try our best. I think that all God can ask us to do is to make an honest attempt everyday to be the best disciple we can, given our limitations and circumstances.
The older son is a real piece of work. He has everything, but is angry when his brother comes home. He reminds us of the side of ourselves that can be self-righteous, judgmental, and superior to others. We are like that when we look down on anyone we deem not fit to be a part of the kingdom.
We are all called to be like the younger son who admits his sins, seeks forgiveness, and tries to turn his life around. We are not called to be like the older son. His sins are different than his brother, but no less serious. He is jealous of other people’s good fortune. He is unforgiving and uncaring. He doesn’t see himself as a sinner so he doesn’t see the need for forgiveness. How many people are there like that? They look down on others as sinful, they nitpick others actions, and fail to even think that they have any problems. Like the older son, they have everything, but in the end they will end up with nothing. It is really sad to see people like this. The kingdom is there for them, in their grasp, but their smallness and pettiness will keep them out. It’s even hard to talk to them about it because they won’t believe you and they will be offended, wondering what gave you the right to say that to them. With some people, the most you can do is to keep them in your prayers and hope that somehow God touches their hearts.
As much as we are called to be like the younger son, that is just the start. After we turn our lives around, where do we go? We need to strive to be like the father. Forgiving, loving, nonjudgmental, caring, compassionate, generous, understanding, he is the epitome of a virtuous disciple. He has become what we all strive to be: holy. He is virtuous not just for himself, but to share it with others. No matter how his sons act, he treats them with love and respect. He forgives them and wants to share everything he has with them.
God is like that with us. He loves us when we don’t deserve it, he forgives us when we ask, he understands our needs, and gives us what we need to make it through this life in his grace and peace, and to be around the eternal banquet table in the next life. I pray that we all strive to be like the “Prodigal Father” and share God’s love with those in our lives. May we be Christ for each other, and see Christ in each other.
Fr. Phil
TWENTYFOURTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
SEPTEMBER 12, 2010
Gospel Lk 15:1-32 or 15:1-10
Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus,
but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying,
"This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."
So to them he addressed this parable.
"What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them
would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert
and go after the lost one until he finds it?
And when he does find it,
he sets it on his shoulders with great joy
and, upon his arrival home,
he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them,
'Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.'
I tell you, in just the same way
there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents
than over ninety-nine righteous people
who have no need of repentance.
"Or what woman having ten coins and losing one
would not light a lamp and sweep the house,
searching carefully until she finds it?
And when she does find it,
she calls together her friends and neighbors
and says to them,
'Rejoice with me because I have found the coin that I lost.'
In just the same way, I tell you
there will be rejoicing among the angels of God
over one sinner who repents."
Then he said,
"A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father,
'Father give me the share of your estate that should come to me.'
So the father divided the property between them.
After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings
and set off to a distant country
where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation.
When he had freely spent everything,
a severe famine struck that country,
and he found himself in dire need.
So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens
who sent him to his farm to tend the swine.
And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed,
but nobody gave him any.
Coming to his senses he thought,
'How many of my father's hired workers
have more than enough food to eat,
but here am I, dying from hunger.
I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him,
"Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
I no longer deserve to be called your son;
treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers."'
So he got up and went back to his father.
While he was still a long way off,
his father caught sight of him,
and was filled with compassion.
He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him.
His son said to him,
'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you;
I no longer deserve to be called your son.'
But his father ordered his servants,
'Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him;
put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
Take the fattened calf and slaughter it.
Then let us celebrate with a feast,
because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again;
he was lost, and has been found.'
Then the celebration began.
Now the older son had been out in the field
and, on his way back, as he neared the house,
he heard the sound of music and dancing.
He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean.
The servant said to him,
'Your brother has returned
and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf
because he has him back safe and sound.'
He became angry,
and when he refused to enter the house,
his father came out and pleaded with him.
He said to his father in reply,
'Look, all these years I served you
and not once did I disobey your orders;
yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends. But when your son returns,
who swallowed up your property with prostitutes,
for him you slaughter the fattened calf.'
He said to him,
'My son, you are here with me always;
everything I have is yours.
But now we must celebrate and rejoice,
because your brother was dead and has come to life again;
he was lost and has been found.'"
The Gospel of the Lord
Reflection
Today our gospel is unusually long – 32 verses, which consists of three parables: the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son. The church gives us the option of reading only the first 2 parables, which are only 10 verses long. Personally, unless there is a very good reason, I always read the long version.
These three parables all have the same theme, which is why they are grouped together. They deal with those who have wandered away and were lost and what the communities should do when they return or are brought back. Luke is being practical – he is applying Jesus teachings to everyday life.
The gospel starts out by telling us that “Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus, but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, " ‘This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.’"
This tells us that all are welcome in our assemblies. Jesus is the welcoming host who excludes no one from the heavenly banquet. The Pharisees and Scribes remind us of the self-righteous people in our midst that complain about sinners in their assemblies (as if they were not part of that group!).
The second and third parables are found only in Luke. The first parable has a parallel in Matthew 18:10-14, also called the Parable of the Lost Sheep.
The parable of the Lost Sheep in Luke is about how much God seeks us when we are lost, and the shepherd (and therefore God) doesn’t give up until we are found. God does reach out to us in many ways: scripture, tradition, prayer, sacraments, and people, to mention a few. I think that we make a mistake when we think about God reaching out to us – we view it as a divine miracle in which God ‘zaps’ us and changes us into someone different. God respects our free will and will never force himself on us. In order for God to find us, we need to be looking for God ourselves. We need to be doing the things that open us up to God’s grace and saving presence, such as making a commitment to weekly mass, daily prayer, occasional spiritual reading, confession, and serving one another when these opportunities arise in our lives. When we are open to God, he will find us. How great would that be!
The proper response to someone being brought back into the community is to be joyful and to rejoice with each other, to be happy that one more is back in the fold. God has enough love for everyone. His love cannot be depleted no matter how many people are receiving it. The more the merrier!
This parable also tells us that God will forgive us no matter what we do, and we shouldn’t be afraid to come home. God knows we will sin since he made us to be imperfect. Never be afraid to seek and accept God’s forgiveness.
It also tells us that disciples should be people of joy, that feeling God’s forgiveness and grace in our lives should make us happy. Does it? How many gloomy Christians are there in the world? Are we any different from other people? If we are not joyful, then something is wrong. If we are not rejoicing, we need to look and see what we have to change in our lives.
The second parable is fascinating because the analogy to God seeking us is a woman seeking a coin! So, God is being compared to a woman. No wonder Luke’s gospel can be referred to as the gospel for women. This is really universalism when we can make this analogy. All really are welcome and equal when we can say and believe this analogy.
This parable has the same message as the first, so I would like to skip to the third parable, one of my favorites, called the Prodigal Son.
The word ‘prodigal’ means recklessly extravagant. Recklessly means doing something without thinking. Extravagant means someone who is very generous. So prodigal is someone who is generous without thinking about what it costs. It is like referring to someone as generous to a fault, or like someone who would give you the shirt off his back.
The younger son goes to his father and asks for his inheritance. Sure, this happens everyday. What would you think would happen if someone did this? Do you think the father would do it? Surprisingly, the father agrees to do it! This is our first instance of being prodigal.
What is the son saying to his father? Since one receives an inheritance when someone else dies, he is saying either “I wish you were dead” or “I can’t wait until you are dead to receive my inheritance”. Nice kid, huh?
Then he goes off to a foreign land and spends it all in riotous and sinful living. I suppose this is where the title of “Prodigal Son” comes in. The gospel says that there was a famine and he was starving to death, so he hires himself out to a farmer to take care of the pigs. He doesn’t even eat as well as the pigs, and he is dying of hunger. For a young Jewish boy to be tending swine is a way of saying he has hit bottom, life could not be worse than this.
Since he doesn’t seem to have any alternative, he decides he needs to go back to his father. He doesn’t believe his father would take him back, so he plans to beg his father to let him be a servant; that way, he will have a place to stay and food to eat. I can see him in my minds eye practicing his speech as he makes the long and embarrassing trek home.
I can see the father in my mind’s eye going to the edge of his property everyday looking for his son. I see it as starting out hopeful – maybe this will be the day I see him, and it always ends up sadly, with the boy nowhere in sight. Until one day when he can hardly believe his eyes. It’s his son! Coming home! The happiness of the father must be akin to the happiness of parents when their son comes home from war alive and physically unhurt. I remember seeing video of POW’s coming off an airplane after being released from North Vietnam after several years of imprisonment. Someone coming home whom they thought was lost and probably dead! How happy they must have been. How happy the father in our parable is.
I’d bet that the son couldn’t believe his good fortune. He is trying to tell his father that he doesn’t deserve to be called his son anymore, yet the father says “Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.”
Notice what the father is doing. He is getting a fine robe, sandals, and a ring for his son. The father is helping his son is to take off the old self (of sin) and put on the new self (of righteousness). His father is also preparing a banquet; this has an obvious Eucharistic theme, as do all banquets. When we seek forgiveness of our sins, we make ourselves eligible for the heavenly banquet.
Most importantly, I think, the father takes back his son as a son, and not as a servant. He is restoring his son completely, which means the son is eligible for half of what is left! Talk about prodigal. The story should be called the Prodigal Father.
The father in this story is God the Father, whose love and forgiveness are unlimited. We don’t have to do anything to earn or merit the father’s love and forgiveness; it is there for the asking. He never asks his son for an accounting of the money or how he lived his life. He never asked him any reasons for his actions. When the son came back, he was forgiven. The only unforgivable sin is the one not confessed.
The younger son represents all of us. We sin, sometimes greatly, and we need to acknowledge our sins and ask for forgiveness. Sometimes we think that our sins are so great that God won’t forgive us. Every priest has had the occasion to hear a confession where someone confesses a sin from decades ago, and this person admits that they have confessed this sin several times. They have only committed it once, but have confessed it several times. This is a case in which something seems to good to be true, but it really is true. God will forgive anything, as long as we are repentant and desire to change. We no longer have to hold onto the sin, but we can let it go. Jesus paid the price for our sins
It also tells us that God doesn’t expect us to be perfect, but to try. We will fail, miserably at times, but we never give up hope. When we sin, we seek forgiveness, and try our best. I think that all God can ask us to do is to make an honest attempt everyday to be the best disciple we can, given our limitations and circumstances.
The older son is a real piece of work. He has everything, but is angry when his brother comes home. He reminds us of the side of ourselves that can be self-righteous, judgmental, and superior to others. We are like that when we look down on anyone we deem not fit to be a part of the kingdom.
We are all called to be like the younger son who admits his sins, seeks forgiveness, and tries to turn his life around. We are not called to be like the older son. His sins are different than his brother, but no less serious. He is jealous of other people’s good fortune. He is unforgiving and uncaring. He doesn’t see himself as a sinner so he doesn’t see the need for forgiveness. How many people are there like that? They look down on others as sinful, they nitpick others actions, and fail to even think that they have any problems. Like the older son, they have everything, but in the end they will end up with nothing. It is really sad to see people like this. The kingdom is there for them, in their grasp, but their smallness and pettiness will keep them out. It’s even hard to talk to them about it because they won’t believe you and they will be offended, wondering what gave you the right to say that to them. With some people, the most you can do is to keep them in your prayers and hope that somehow God touches their hearts.
As much as we are called to be like the younger son, that is just the start. After we turn our lives around, where do we go? We need to strive to be like the father. Forgiving, loving, nonjudgmental, caring, compassionate, generous, understanding, he is the epitome of a virtuous disciple. He has become what we all strive to be: holy. He is virtuous not just for himself, but to share it with others. No matter how his sons act, he treats them with love and respect. He forgives them and wants to share everything he has with them.
God is like that with us. He loves us when we don’t deserve it, he forgives us when we ask, he understands our needs, and gives us what we need to make it through this life in his grace and peace, and to be around the eternal banquet table in the next life. I pray that we all strive to be like the “Prodigal Father” and share God’s love with those in our lives. May we be Christ for each other, and see Christ in each other.
Fr. Phil
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