Palm Sunday Homily - March 25, 2018

Homily for Palm Sunday

March 25, 2018

My Sins Did This

            In the Old Testament, sins were forgiven through sacrifice. That sounds rather basic, but consider what a sacrifice means. It means that the sinner must go to his flock or herd and pick out, not just any sheep, but the finest, most healthy, most unblemished male – a valuable commodity.

            He then takes the sheep on a journey of many miles to Jerusalem – an arduous, difficult journey. He is forced to drag it against its will into the Temple, where he kills it. The sinner is forced to hold it down on the altar as it struggles to be free, all the while thinking: my sins caused this. He drives the knife into its throat, as it shrieks and writhes in pain, thinking: my sins caused this. He watches the struggle slowly stop, as blood flows out from the animal and washes onto the floor, all the while thinking: my sins caused this. He then must cut the animal open, feeling the still-warm heart and innards, knowing that he killed this innocent animal because his sins caused this. He offers and burns this animal’s organs on a fire, knowing that this destruction was because his sins caused this.

            I apologize for being graphic, but we need to understand just how much sins cost – when you feel the blood running over your hands, when you hear the shrieks of pain of the animal, when you see it stop breathing and touch its still-warm organs, you know, viscerally, the cost of sin.

            But we do not live under the Old Covenant. Our New Covenant was sworn with a much more precious price. Now, when we see the crown of thorns, we should think, my sins caused this. When we consider the scourge marks across His back, we should think, my sins caused this. When we look at the nails that penetrated through flesh and bone, we realize, my sins caused this. When we see the Holy Face contorted in agony, when we see the Precious Blood race to the ground, when we see the Man upon the Cross wheeze His last breath, we are forced to think: my sins caused this.

            And when we look upon the Cross, we realize that here, our judgment has been passed, our sentence has been paid, and all that is left for us is love and mercy.

Homily for Fourth Sunday of Lent - March 11, 2018

Homily for Fourth Sunday of Lent

March 11, 2018

Grace Is Enough

            Many people find it difficult to go to Confession. A common complaint I hear is, “Father, I just feel like I commit the same sins all the time!” To which I respond, “Well, it sure is good you aren’t coming up with new ones!” But truly, it can be discouraging to see very little progress in the spiritual life. We try to stop gossiping, but we find we always slide back into it. We seek purity, but lust ensnares us once again. We try to be patient, but it’s just so difficult with our difficult family!

            Israel faced a similar struggle. It is called the “Cycle of Sin” – they would commit grave sin (usually idolatry, worshipping the gods of the surrounding nations), and God would chastise them by letting them be oppressed. So Israel would repent of their sin, cry out to God for mercy, and God would rescue them…only to have the cycle begin all over again. Sin, consequence, repentance and mercy, rescue…and then sin again. This is the lament in the First Reading today – is there anyone who can possibly break the cycle of sin?

            Yes, there is – both for Israel, and for us. It is the Savior, Jesus Christ.

            One reason why we get stuck in a rut, spiritually speaking, is because we’re trying to do it on our own. We’re trying to be good people by our own efforts. My friends, that never works. We need Someone greater living in us – Jesus Christ. It is He Who transforms us with His grace.

            I can testify that if you knew me as a teenager, you would probably say, “This guy will never become a priest!” Not that I was horrible, but I had the typical teenage sins, and when I look back on who I was, I’m not proud of a lot of my decisions, words, and attitudes. But that’s only a testament to God’s grace living and working in me, that He could take someone as crazy and mixed-up as me and fill me with faith and joy and hope – that is grace!

            I pray that you can say the same thing about your own life. When you look back at all God has brought you through, when you consider how many flaws He has given you the grace to overcome, you realize that He IS at work in your life.

            So how do we accept that transforming grace and break the cycle of sin? Paul gives the answer – faith. It is by our faith in Him that He comes into our life. And faith is expressed in prayer – persevering, trusting prayer.

            I heard a story recently that Mother Teresa once told. There was a woman who lived at the top of a very tall mountain. The woman had to climb down the mountain every day to get food and water, and walk all the way back up. She was elderly and exhausted from her daily ritual, and as she was praying one night, she read the words of Scripture, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will be able to move mountains.” The woman thought, great! I have a mountain to move – I’ll ask the Lord to move it! That night she prayed, “God, move this mountain so I no longer have to climb up and down it.” The next morning she awoke – and the mountain was still there – so she said, “See Lord, I knew it wouldn’t work!”

            In other words, she prayed as if prayer is ineffective!

            We have to understand prayer properly. As Mother Teresa said, “I used to believe that prayer changes things – now I understand that prayer changes us.” God’s desire for you is a totally changed life. Not a bigger bank account, or a better car, or an easier job – but a life of holiness, transformed by grace. If we pray with faith, believing that God can and will transform our souls so that freedom and holiness can be ours, then we will be free.

            But praying with faith involves perseverance. There is a wonderful story of St. Moses the Black, who joined a monastery after a life of great sin. He had been a monk for many years but still found himself struggling with anger and lust. He had resolved to leave the monastery out of discouragement, but the abbot one morning brought him up to the roof where he could see the sun peeking its head over the horizon. The abbot said, “You are frustrated that you are still so sinful, but see how the sky lights up – not all at once, but gradually as the sun rises. Likewise your soul will be filled with light – not all at once, but gradually.” And Moses stayed a monk, and became a saint. If we want to be holy, if we want to be like Jesus, we must persevere. Fighting the battle, as long as it may take, is part of the path to holiness and freedom!

            So do you find yourself stuck in a rut, in a cycle of sin, feeling frustrated that you still struggle with the same flaws? Pray with faith – unceasingly and perseveringly – and God, Who is faithful, will free you.

Homily for the Third Sunday of Lent - March 4, 2018

Homily for Lent 3

March 4, 2018

Worth Fighting For

            The 2003 Kevin Costner movie “Open Range” has a great scene that is one of my all-time favorites. The movie is a classic 1880s Western with good guys and bad guys, and the bad guys have taken control of the town, filling it with corruption and evil. A couple of cowboys find themselves in the saloon, talking with some of the locals.

            One local business owner says, “It really is a shame, what this town has come to.”

            The crusty, trail-hardened cowboy responds, “You could do something about it, you know.”

            The businessman throws up his hands in frustration. “What can we do? We’re businessmen and shopkeepers. What can we do about the evil in this town?”

            To which the cowboy shoots back, “You’re men, ain’t ya?”

            Drop the mic!

            You’re men, ain’t ya? Get off your duff, stop feeling sorry for your town, and fight back! There are some things in life worth fighting for!

            Christians often have a very skewed view of Jesus. We see Him as a nice, friendly guy, someone who hugs kids and does an occasional miracle now and then. Basically Mr. Rogers with a beard. But today’s Gospel shows His fierce side – He grows furious at these imposters, these cheaters and thieves who are stealing from the people of God!

            There are some things in life worth fighting for, some things worth getting angry about. Our modern culture extols tolerance as the highest virtue – but Jesus makes it clear that we must never tolerate sin, injustice, hypocrisy. Tolerance is actually not a virtue at all – we must love sinners, yes – we must be patient with others weaknesses, yes – but we must never make peace with sin in our life or in others’ lives.

            You see, we live in a world at war. We have an enemy, Satan, who hates us, tempts us, wants to interrupt our friendship with God, and ultimately tries to make us eternally miserable in Hell. We can ignore this spiritual battle, but it doesn’t go away. We must stand and fight it. It’s a battle that wages internally, in our own souls, and externally, in our modern culture that is so toxic.

            How do we fight it? Let’s start with the internal war, the battle for our own soul. We fight with the three weapons our Church gives us during Lent – with prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. The Evil One will tempt us to make pleasure our god – so we practice fasting, denying ourselves a chocolate bar so that immoderate pleasures have no power over us. The Evil One tempts us to desire money and worldly goods – so we practice almsgiving, to empty ourselves of our attachment to material things. The Evil One tempts us by telling us that we don’t need God, that we can live our lives according to our own desires – so we pray, recognizing God as King of our lives, and offer Him our obedience.

            The battle against evil in the world must also be fought. There is a wonderful story of St. Louis de Montfort, a French priest who traveled the countryside in the 1700s preaching and leading many souls to Christ through Mary. In one particular town, he began preaching in the church which was next door to a loud and raucous tavern. Some of the drunk patrons began to stand outside the church, loudly insulting the priest and the Catholic faith. The people were amazed at how calmly St. Louis continued to preach – he didn’t seem the least bit flustered by the noisy scoffers. When the sermon had finished, he collected his notes and headed straight out the door, where he proceeded to soundly beat up the drunk men with his fists.

            The very next day he was giving another sermon in the same church, and those formerly-drunk men – now humbled by the beating – were in attendance! As he continued to preach, yet another drunk man stumbled in, cursing and blaspheming loudly. St. Louis stopped his sermon and approached the man. The crowd expected another fight, but much to their surprise, Fr. Louis knelt down before the man and begged forgiveness for any way in which he offended the drunkard. The drunk man was so stunned that he ran out of the church and converted.

            So for St. Louis de Montfort, knowing how to win souls to Christ was a matter of different tactics for different souls. And as we try to fight for our families, our children, our friends, and our culture, I suggest three tactics to combat evil.

            To fight against evil, sometimes we must speak up about it. If we see our boss cutting corners and cheating customers at work, we cannot remain silent! We must speak up, even if it costs us something. Sometimes, fighting against evil means a campaign of prayer and fasting. If your son or daughter has left the Church, then we must pray and fast for their return, knowing that God’s grace alone can change their hearts! Sometimes, fighting against evil means living a life as a radical witness. In a culture that says that love is a feeling and marriage is only for fun, living out a faithful and faith-filled Catholic marriage through good times and bad, through sacrifice and kindness, is a powerful way to fight against a toxic culture. All of these things might be abrasive and controversial to others – no one likes it if you live your faith out-loud, if you invite your fallen-away children back to Mass, if you speak up against evil happening in your community. But as Jesus shows us, tolerance is not a virtue – we have a duty to fight against evil, both in our own lives and in our world.

            This Lent, fight the good fight, with Christ as your leader and we as His faithful soldiers. Fight to bring God’s grace to your soul, to your family, to your country. There ARE some things in this world worth fighting for.