May 28, 2017

Feast of the Ascension of the Lord A Acts 1: 1-11; Ephesians 1: 17-23; Matthew 28: 16-20 Last weekend I celebrated the 50th Anniversary of Priesthood. God has certainly showered His graces upon me over and over, moment by moment. I am grateful. I was invited to celebrate mass at the three parishes in Virginia I have ministered to since 2003: St Mary Star of the Sea at Ft. Monroe, St Olaf’s in Williamsburg and Our Lady Queen of Peace Community at Langley AFB. It was a time to remember God’s blessings and my faith journey. I share these humble thoughts with you today. Thank you so much for coming here today. Fifty years is a long time and so many of you have been an important part of my journey. I pray for you and thank you. I always wanted to be a priest. In 5th and 6th grade I started to practice saying mass on mom’s bridge table with my Latin/English missal.…I had no idea what I was saying, but it was a good beginning for my journey. We began using English in the Liturgy on July 1, 1967 in the Diocese of Syracuse, New York, After High School I went to St. Bernard’s College/Seminary in Rochester, NY. It was interesting, to say the least. In those days the nickname associated with this school was ‘The Rock,' not after St. Peter, but the prison in California. Each year on Tuesday afternoon, the seminarians would teach in different parishes’ Religious Ed programs. My first year I was assigned a parish teaching 42 sophomore girls. The following year I was assigned to an inner city parish that had just gone through a summer of race rioting. It was a challenge and laid the seed for my interest in teaching. In my diaconate year, Bishop Fulton Sheen was named bishop of Rochester. I was honored to serve with him for a month at Sacred Heart Cathedral and to talk with him. Once he told me, “Enjoy the priesthood and be happy in everything that you do”. God’s grace has helped me live this each day. Seventeen of us were ordained on May 20, 1967, at Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Syracuse, NY We were excited, anxious and quite scared. Three days later the Bishop gave us our first assignments. He told me ‘for the summer’ .. And I was worried, why only ‘for the summer’ did I do something wrong…did I have to go back to school…our minds work so fast…Then the bishop continued, for the summer you will go to St Ann’s parish in Manlius and then in the fall you will be on the faculty of Oswego Catholic High School. This was the beginning of my twenty-three years in Catholic Education. People would ask, ‘Was it hard teaching teenagers.’ I said some days yes, but most days no. I learned early from them that they needed to be needed, respected and loved…doing homework was a different task. I left teaching in 1990 at the age of 48 to go into parish work. For the next twelve years I served at three different parishes, enjoying every aspect of parish work, especially visiting the sick and hospitals. One incident moved me deeply and developed my spirituality: just before leaving for a new assignment a 92 year old widower said, “Father I want to thank you, you are the first priest to tell me that God loves me” He was so close to God, it was an affirmation, a humbling statement and hurtful too. I promised the Lord I would continue sharing this. We need to be reminded that God loves us just the way we are right now. During my parish work years I started giving retreats while continuing giving spiritual direction. It is a blessing to help people in their journey to the Lord. In 2002, the Lord led me to Virginia…many of my family had moved here and I received permission to come. I was incardinated into the Richmond Diocese in 2003. I love Virginia. I am grateful for my parents love, coupled with the support from my three sisters, my brother and their spouses. Please notice on the front base of my chalice is my mom’s engagement ring and on the underneath are the names of my sisters, brother and their spouses. Eight of them have passed on to the Lord and are working to get all of us there. I thank my 16 nieces and nephews, their spouses (four of them are with the Lord) and my 26 grand and great grand nieces and nephews, I love them all. I have enjoyed all eleven assignments in the Diocese of Syracuse, NY and Richmond VA, from the high school classroom and administration to parish work and now as the Senior Sacramental Priest at Langley/Ft. Eustis. I’ve enjoyed each and every day being a priest. The center of my life has always been the celebration of Mass and the Eucharist. It fills me and fulfills me. A close priest friend talked at my 25th anniversary about The Priest’s Hands. I’ve meditated on this often. My hands have celebrated the Eucharist and distributed the Lord’s body and blood; they’ve given the blessing at Reconciliation reminding that ALL sins are forgiven; they’ve baptized all sizes and ages; the most at one time was thirteen… I’ve anointed many especially those in their last days. I’ve blessed marriages from teenagers to an 84 & 86 year old that insisted saying they would accept children willingly from God. I’ve had the privilege of celebrating funeral liturgies, each one has been very moving. Because of your encouragement, I’ve brought many into the Church. These encounters are precious and humbling. The words, Lord I am not worthy resonate with me. It’s not about worthiness but knowing God loves me and each person right now totally. The point is that each of us is blessed with Healing hands…people tell us ‘You’ve touched me….helped me when I was down and out…you loved me when I needed it most’……healing hands, words, actions. A great priest and teacher in the Richmond diocese, Msgr Chet Michael said over and over: Gratitude, gratitude, gratitude and more gratitude. I am grateful to God and you. I could never have done this without you. Priesthood is a wonderful life but it’s lonely and difficult. As priests,  We need you…learn from you and grow through you. Thank you and God bless. This mass today is offered for each of you…

May 21, 2017

6th Sunday of Easter Acts 8:5-8; 1 Peter 3: 15-18; John 14: 15-21 This is an important weekend for me since I am remembering and celebrating my ordination to the priesthood fifty years ago. I am honored to have three of the parishes I have served in Virginia since 2003 invite me to celebrate the Eucharist with them. Everything in my priesthood is centered in the celebration of the Mass. The Eucharist is the meeting with Jesus, the Father and the Spirit and receiving the unquenchable grace of God’s love to continue to try to be His loving servant. I reflect on the first reading from Luke’s Acts of the Apostles showing Deacon Philip distributing goods to those in need. He also was living the Gospel message in other ways especially in his interaction with the Samaritans. Philip was preaching to them and in the process signs of the Spirit’s presence and action was evident. “For unclean spirits, crying out in a loud voice, came out of many possessed people, and many paralyzed or crippled people were cured. There was great joy in that city.” This was a common sight in the New Testament Church and the Holy Spirit has been constantly present in the Church. I have experienced this throughout my priesthood. I’ve seen countless healing miracles: people being healed of cancer, heart disease, depression, various diseases and maladies. I’ve seen people being able to walk who haven’t taken a step in years. I’ve seen close friends, service people and others who have been in harms way, return when it was never thought possible. God does miracles. So many have asked and continue to ask for prayers for healing of loved ones. They come back and say ‘God has worked another miracle.’ While I was vice-principal, a senior girl asked me to please pray for a miracle: she had to pass the Regents exam in Chemistry. She had failed it the previous year and she had failed the course this year. The only way she could continue her dream of being a nurse was to pass the NY State Regents. God worked another miracle. The Regents exam in Chemistry was compromised that year, one school reported that the exam had been ‘stolen from it’s safe place’. This was reported three hours before the exam was to be given. So a notice was sent to all schools: Start the exam procedure…all students will be seated…take roll and then the administrator (that was me) was to announce that each student present had officially passed the Regent in Chemistry. The grade would be registered to all students as “Passing”. Needless to say, that girl felt that I was the instrument of God’s miracle. All I can say is that I prayed. I have reflected down through the years on the Power of Prayer. This story has been repeated in so many different scenarios throughout my priesthood, people telling me of ‘another miracle of God.’ Peter shares with his readers how as followers of Jesus we are to be witnesses to the world in which we live. They are going to encounter people who are skeptical, doubtful, non-believers, even enemies of God. What are they to know? That God is in our hearts. “Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks for your reason for your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence, keeping your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who defame your good conduct in Christ may themselves be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that be the will of God, than for doing evil.” Our good conduct may touch the hearts of others. They may be inspired to move away from evil and wrongdoing and turn their lives to be people of love, care and forgiveness; definitely more miracles from God. In the Gospel Jesus continues His ‘farewell discourse’ at the Last Supper by making a strong connection between loving Him and keeping His commandments. He promises that God will always be with us by saying He is sending another advocate. The Greek word is parakletos also translated as ‘paraclete.’ Down through the years different translators have suggested: comforter…teacher…helper …advisor…consoler…friend…counselor and intercessor. This means that this ‘paraclete’ will be with us…we will not be orphans. Jesus used this expression in John 14:18, I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. In a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me, because I live and you will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father and you are in me and I in you.” This has been one of the most comforting scriptural passages during my priesthood. No matter what, God is with me. I am never alone. I do not have to be able to answer all the questions. I take Jesus totally on His word, He is with me. In my training, a number of professors used the term, ‘the priesthood of Jesus Christ.’ It is not about me. It is about God with me. It is not about my agenda, but being open to how the Spirit is leading me through my superiors and most notably, the Bishop and the Pope. The surprise at the end of the day is when I realize that the Spirit was with me each step of the way. I have found the priesthood to be very challenging, and very rewarding. I have found that it is all right not to be in control. God is in control. Like the girl with the Chemistry Regents exam , she needed a miracle and it came. The priesthood and everyday life is filled with God’s presence and God’s daily miracles, especially His taking care of me and each person. I used to feel that I was not worthy, I’m not. But it is not about worthiness it is about God loving me, caring for me, lifting me up and gracing me to be His witness. This is not exclusively to priests or religious or deacons, it is for all believers and all called to be witnesses of Jesus. I have found in the complex issues of my life and encounters, God is present, doing miracles. God is also present in everyday celebrations and expressions of love. Down through the years I have noticed that my spirituality has progressed with expressing my constant gratitude to God. I am eternally grateful to you and each person who has touched me with the Lord’s love. I pray for you, please continue to pray for me. Sacred Space 2017 says: “I know, Lord, that the same Holy Spirit joins me to You as joined You to Your Father. That Spirit dwells in me, an abiding presence whose voice can easily be drowned by my everyday plans and concern. To be open to the Spirit, I must quiet first my body then my heart. Jesus speaks about being still alive even after His death. Mostly we find Jesus to be alive for us in the love of others. There is an energy of love that is connected to the energy of God, for God is love. I do not need to rely on my own resources but turn to God who promises to help me, ready to send the Holy Spirit.”

May 14, 2017

 5th Sunday of Easter A Acts 6: 1-7; 1 Peter 2: 4-9; John 14: 1-12 The readings from the Acts of the Apostles give us a wonderful insight into the early church and the growing pains it went through. Growing is not easy. It’s wonderful being a parent. When kids start school, they begin to see that their parents/adults aren’t the ‘god’ they used to be because they make mistakes, forget and are afraid. Somehow how it happens that as youth, we want to stretch our limits and learn more, investigate more, prepare ourselves for ‘freedom’. We want it…parents are reluctant to give it…and often problems arise. Graduation, military service, jobs, college come and open up wide vistas. And the cycle continues. What is the one constant? Hopefully our parents and special people in our lives continue to support and help us. The constant is that God is always present. God cares, loves, supports and helps us be in touch with His constant presence. When do we discover that we need God, that we even want Him in our lives? This is a little bit of the dilemma we hear about in the readings today: the over riding point is that we need to keep our Lord God near. As the young Church continued to grow in numbers, they realized they had to expand the ministries they had never imagined. People needed help. This new church of believers, originally called ‘The Way’ were happy in expanding and reaching out but they realized only too quickly that the ones with huge needs were the poor, the less fortunate, the diseased and crippled. The first converts to this new religion came from two group of Jews: The Hellenists and the Hebrews. The Hellenistic Jews were Greek-speaking, and had returned to Jerusalem from all over the Mediterranean area. The Hebrews were native Palestinian Jews who spook Aramaic. Both of these groups belonged to the Jerusalem Jewish community. Today we are brought into the tensions that arose: The Hellenistic groups complained that their widows were not receiving food from the central bank of donations. They had to restructure their community resource program. It gave Luke the chance to introduce Stephen and the new apostolate of deacons. Their importance is seen in the qualifications needed: “…they must be reputable, filed with the Spirit and wisdom.” This would enable the apostles to devote themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word. Most importantly, all are called to serve. We are called to be Jesus by the way we live, our concern and example for others and in being ‘servants’. Peter zeroes in on this in todays second letter. When we are faithful to our obligations as Christians to God and to other people we are living Christ in our lives. How can people believe unless they first see God in us and if they don’t see God in us, where will they see Jesus? The bottom line that Peter reminds us is that we can’t really participate in spreading the faith or any spiritual message about Jesus without first growing in personal holiness. This can only happen in our lives when we let Jesus become the foundation stone of our life. A wonderful daily reminder prayer can be seen in today’s Responsorial Psalm. “Lord, let you mercy be on us, as we place our trust in You.” Though we are from all different cultures, and nationalities, from all sorts of societal backgrounds, it is God who unites us. We are called to be a follower of Christ: a Christian. It is good to ask ourselves: What does it mean for me to be a Christian today? Paul states it beautifully in his letter to the Galatians, “…I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me; insofar as I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who has loved me and given Himself up for me.” So if God lives in me, my life is a life of involvement. It is a sharing in a life which calls me beyond myself. It is a life realizing that I am loved so that I can love. The gospel today tells us what it means to live to the fullest in love. This is a part from Jesus’ farewell discourse and He starts off telling this, “Do not let your heart be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me.” Moments before, Jesus was deeply troubled and had announced that one would betray Him. Judas wondered if it was he, it was. Then Jesus gives them the New Commandment: “I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” Then Jesus predicts that Peter will deny Him three times. This certainly is an interesting and necessary gospel for us to hear today. The early Church was in it's growing pains. How are they to cope? Will new persecutions come along? And they are called to remember Jesus’ advice to them. It is the Last Supper and Jesus is giving His final thoughts just before He is to suffer and die. He is saying goodbye to them and they are confused and upset. What’s going to happen to us? Where is God? Jesus is telling them that it is the wrong question? We are never lost to God. God finds us. God is with us in Christ. He is in our midst, continuing to bring us away from ourselves and to Himself. We don’t have to figure out where God is. God is already here. John a Devotional Commentary shares these reflective thoughts: “Jesus promise to His first disciples is just as true for us. By believing in the risen Lord, we become participants in the union between the Father and Son. Therefore, whatever we ask in Jesus’ name He will do. As we listen to Jesus, we accomplish the work of the Father and glorify both the Father and the Son. Every act of love, service and humility done in the name of the Lord brings great glory to Jesus and advances His kingdom in the hearts of His people. Every time we turn away from sin in repentance, share the good news with someone, or choose to obey God rather than our fallen desires, the Father is glorified and the world receives yet another witness of the power of the gospel. We can do mighty works in the name of the Lord because Christ is in us and longs to work through us. Nothing is inconsequential. Our actions have eternal significance. We are called, just as Jesus was, to accomplish the Father’s work in the world by proclaiming the good news and advancing God’s kingdom.” So I reflect on: • Do I realize that I have to recharge my identity as Christ’s chosen one when it is needed? When and how do I do this? • How am I continuing to nourish God’s growth within me? • Do I ever reflect at the end of the day on how God has used me to bring His love? Was I grateful? Was I neglectful of this? Sacred Space 2017 says: “Jesus sees how the disciples do not understand Him and asks for their trust, inviting them not to let their hearts be troubled. Jesus looks on me with the same compassion, recognizing my hesitation, my doubts, my questions. He says to me, ‘Peace!’ reminding me that I have a place in His heart now, a place there forever. Philip says, ‘We will be satisfied’; it sounds like a prayer that begins, ‘All I want is…’ Help me, Lord, to seek Your will and not my own.”

May 7, 2017

4th Sunday of Easter A Acts 2: 14, 36-41; 1 Peter 2: 20-25; John 10: 1-10 Do I listen to God’s voice? Do I wonder if I am listening to my own voice or is it God’s voice? Does God listen to me? Do I feel that God has time for me? Does God love me in a special way? How do I recognize God’s voice? Today’s Gospel is taken from Jesus’ Good Shepherd soliloquy, in this He is answering His care for us and how He is leading each of us closer to Himself. On the fourth Sunday of Lent, the Gospel was from the ninth chapter of John and told about the man born blind whom Jesus healed. That was six weeks ago, but it was the previous chapter in John. Today’s Gospel is from the tenth chapter in John. As you remember from the story of the blind man, the Pharisees put up huge obstacles in front of the people, trying to convince them that this man was a sinner, Jesus had violated the Sabbath by healing. Then the leaders threw the now healed man born blind from the temple. In other words, he couldn’t participate in any services he was ‘excommunicated’ from their faith. Today’s gospel, Jesus presents the Good Shepherd theme. This is in sharp contrast to Ezekiel 34:2 where God speaks to the prophet, “Thus says the Lord God: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who have been pasturing themselves! Should not shepherds, rather, pasture sheep?” God is saying forcefully that the leadership has failed in bringing the people to God. So God dismissed these failed leaders and took over as the authentic shepherd of the flock. Now Jesus is understood to be the earthly manifestation of the good shepherd. So how do we look at God through this image? Good Shepherds know their sheep…God knows us: Father, Son and Holy Spirit knows us. We know God. Thieves and robbers are not known by the sheep since they don’t enter by the gate but they break in. The thieves and robbers referred to are the Pharisees who are considered false shepherds whose intent is focused on themselves. They have attempted to mislead the people against Jesus. They do not listen to Jesus, they do not care to listen to Jesus. Their leadership role is anything but leadership. Twice in the last paragraph Jesus uses the phrase “I am”…sayings to reveal His divine identity. We go back to the burning bush scene with Moses in Exodus 3, one of the most important passages stating God’s name. “But, said Moses to God, ‘when I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ if they ask me, ‘What is His name?’ what am I to tell them?’ God replied, ‘I am who am.’ Then He added, ‘This is what you shall tell the Israelites: I AM sent me to you.” These two words, I AM, means GOD. In the last paragraph Jesus says, “I AM the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I AM the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved.” Jesus is God. This is what this phrase means. Now the Pharisees not only reject the teaching but also the identity of Jesus. Another beautiful aspect to the image of the Good Shepherd is how the sheep recognize the shepherds voice. We have such a wonderful parallel today. Today’s Sunday Homily Helps says: “Scientific studies, using tape recordings of newborn babies crying, have shown that only two days after a baby is born the child’s mother can recognize their own baby’s cry even when the baby’s cry is mixed in with lots of others. Like wise, mothers in a crowded hospital ward have been shown to sleep though the cries of other infants, but wake up when their own baby cried. We can be remarkably adept at recognizing voices when those voices are significant to us. Think about the number of times you knew who had called you on the telephone after his or her first or second word—even in the days before we had caller ID to help us!” Jesus hears our voice; Jesus cares for His own. I am His. Each person belongs to God. Peter in the first reading is explaining to the people more of the Pentecost experience. Many of these people could have very easily been in the Palm Sunday crowd exhorting Jesus as the Messiah to come who would free Israel. No doubt some could have been in the crowd with the High Priest’s demanding the release of Barabbas and the crucifixion of Jesus. Were they listening to Peter and feeling some sort of guilt? What should they do? Peter shows them the grace of God. God forgives…God cares…God is constantly leading each person closer to Himself…closer to heaven. Peter and the other apostles invite the people to repent and accept Baptism in the name of Jesus Christ. God will then give them the gift of the Holy Spirit and they will be God’s children for the rest of their lives. All this constitutes the divine plan of God for all ages. The time has arrived, God’s time for the salvation of the world. Luke then tells us that about three thousand persons were added that day. Then Peter says in his letter how we had gone astray like sheep but the Lord has called us back, praise be to the Lord. The message of the Gospel is seen in the ‘rest of the story’: verses 11-18 of John 10: “I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. A hired man, who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and scatters them. This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep. I am the good shepherd and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd. This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again. This command I have received from my Father.” So I reflect on myself: • How deep is my faith? Is it deep enough to continue on the road that God has laid out for me? • How do I feel when I fail in my attempts to live a gospel life? Do I realize that the Spirit is reaching out and helping me to bounce back? • Can others see in my life a good example of what it means to be a Christian? • Have I reorientated my life in the direction of love as Jesus teaches? • I reflect on the people who have lead me from the sheepfold, through the gate to Jesus. What life instructions have they left me with? Am I sharing them? What do I need to do that? Sacred Space 2017 says: “ The message of Jesus was revolutionary and challenged those who heard it. Many, including some of His disciples, chose to walk away. Peter’s answer is full of trust. He abandons himself to Christ. In my own life now, how do I respond to Christ’s question? Lord, to whom can we go? In my fainthearted moments I hear both Jesus’ gentle voice, giving me the freedom to choose, and the strength of Peter’s reply: You have the words of eternal life. Maybe Peter repeated these words often to himself. It can be a mantra of prayer for us, as can other favorite lines from the Gospels.”