Fr. Brian Soliven Sermons

For many converts from Protestantism to Catholicism, devotion to the Blessed Mother is often a huge hurdle. On the surface, it can seem we are taking away our attention from Christ. Not so, when properly understood. From the earliest beginning of Christianity, our ancestors held Mary in high regard. Why? We saw in her the way it was supposed to be from the beginning of God's plan for us. Mary shows us how to be human before the tumulteous Fall of Adam and Eve. In the Blessed Mother, Christians behold God's original plan. 

The thrust of the Gospel and the saint we remember at Mass today forces us to reflect upon my own discipleship. Will I still follow Jesus when it becomes hard? 

Nothing in the world can satisfy the deeper hunger of the human heart. The wise man eventually comes to this realization. No matter much worldly success we acquire, we still want more. Jesus has the answer. In fact, HE IS the answer. 

***The following homily was given at our 2pm Latin Mass, following the Scripture readings from the Traditional Latin Mass calendar***

As the earthly seasons change, so does our spiritual liturgical season. With the colder and darker days, the Scripture passages chosen at Mass turn our attention towards the End Times, when Jesus will triumphantly return a Second Time. As we wait for that unexpected hour, we must not grow weary. The Christian stays vigilant, or rather, prays vigilantly. 

Sooner or later, the wise person will ponder, “Who am I?” It’s a fantastic question. “Who am I?” How someone answers that question determines the course and direction of one’s life. It affects the decisions I make, what I do with my time, and by what values I strive to live. For example, If I say my deepest identity is  that I am a loving husband and father, that will change how I spend my Friday nights. No longer can I simply go to the bar and get drunk or go to the nightclubs with my friends. I cannot simply spend my money without any thought of my responsibilities. As a husband and father, my duty first and foremost is my wife and children and their wellbeing. Friday nights revolve around them, the way the earth revolves around the sun. 

So again, I must ask, “Who am I?” If I simply go along with what the godless world tells me, the answer to that question is nothing spectacular. I am simply, according to my high school biology teacher, an evolved primate. I am a smart monkey with an iPhone. I am a byproduct within a chaotic universe, devoid of meaning or forethought. At best, I am a cosmic accident that poofed into conscious existence. Who am I? I am nothing. If I answer this question in such a way, the purpose of life becomes myopic and wholly self-centered. It has no greater meaning than what I say it is. I dare say, with such a view of life, it will never satisfy the longing of the human heart. We are created for more and we know it. 

“Who am I?” St. Paul, in our Second Reading at Mass this Sunday, gives us an alternative answer to this pivotal question: “But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness…. For all of you are children of the light and children of the day. We are not of the night or of darkness.” (Cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:3-6). He reminds us of our true identity. We are not smart monkeys, bereft of meaning. Rather, the truth of who we are is more radically extravagant than we can possibly imagine. We are sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father. This Father of ours created the entire universe. Now, he longs to give us something even greater, the Kingdom, the new Heavenly Jerusalem. He sent his very own Son to die for our sins, out of pure love for us, so that we may share eternal life with the Most Holy Trinity. When answering that question in this way, watch how it changes the course of our lives.

The Pharisees in today's Gospel passage asked Jesus a very interesting question, "When will the Kingdom of God would come?" His answer is unexpected and mysterious. The Kingdom is closer than they realize. 

In every age, the Christian has a mighty task. He must bring Jesus with him. The Dominican Order, founded in the 13th Century, reminds us how to do this in a powerful way. 

What's the hardest part of being a follower of Jesus? The answer lies in one of the promises that each priest makes on his ordination day. We promise obedience. There it is. Obedience is hard for a heart infected with rebellion. Since the fall of our first parents, all have joined the revolution. Jesus, on the other hand, shows us the path to surrender. 

Last Saturday, our parish had the great honor of hosting the Confirmation of nearly 80 adults and their families from different parishes throughout the Diocese of Sacramento. St. Mary’s was packed; standing room only. We probably had close to 700 people in attendance. Our very own Bishop of Sacramento, Most Reverend Jaime Soto, presiding over the Holy Mass. In the middle of Mass, he extended his hands over these 80 adults, he prayed: 

“All powerful God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, by water and the Holy Spirit you freed your sons and daughters from sin and gave them new life. Send your Holy Spirit upon them to be their helper and guide. Give them the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of right judgment and courage, the spirit of knowledge and reverence. Fill them with the spirit of wonder and awe in your presence. We ask this through Christ our Lord.” 

He called forth the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit they will soon all receive. Out of these gifts, there is one in particular that is especially important in our modern day and age. It is the gift of courage. In some translations, we also call this gift “fortitude.” A person with fortitude, is given the supernatural ability to stand up for God, even if it means enduring rejection, physical and emotional harm, and yes, even sometimes death, all in the name of Jesus Christ. Fortitude is the strength to be Catholic when our faith is challenged. This can mean standing against our culture with its confusing and loose morals. 

Fortitude is the gift at the heart of the Gospel passage in this Sunday’s readings. Fortitude is what separates the five wise virgins from the five foolish ones. We must ask ourselves, which ones are we? These ten virgins represent the Christian people. The foolish ones are the Christians who become distracted with the world and all its superficial allurements. They have stopped praying, stopped coming to Sunday Mass, and no longer practice Christian charity. They no longer live the life of a disciple. In other words, they have become bored with Jesus. To be wise, on the other hand, is to live the fire of the Christian life, fully alive. To do this well, we need all of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. That is why it is extremely important that we receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. If you haven’t been confirmed yet, especially as an adult, contact the parish office and we’ll get you on the right path to receive these awesome gifts of God.

Today we celebrant the dedication of the cathedral of Rome, the  "Mother Church of all Christendom." This feast day reminds us of one critical, important fact -- God's providence in human history. We need not worry about world events. Our Father is with us. We need only trust Him and only Him.