Pilgrim Priest

Advent, 3rd Sunday (C) The monastery cloister teaches us to keep part of our hearts closed to the world and open to heaven. The ancient and medieval world was familiar with the example of the wheel of fortune: One minute you're on top of the world, the next minute you are on the bottom. We need to move from the chaos of the outside to the peace at the center. Peace comes from being with Christ in the core of our own being. Joy comes from healthy connections with God and others. Stop trying to find security in your own power and possessions. That will just take you for another trip around the wheel of fortune. Seek the peace and joy that comes from Christ at the center. 

(15 Dec 2024)

Going Deeper: Meditate on Philippians 4:1-9

Therefore, my brethren, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.

I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. And I ask you also, true yokefellow, help these women, for they have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let all men know your forbearance. The Lord is at hand. Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, do; and the God of peace will be with you.

Thank you Bill for being a Patron.

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Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception • St. Augustine first taught about original sin. He said that our first parents passed the infection of sin on to all their children. Humans have been all been born with this original sin. Except Mary, whom the Archangel Gabriel calls, "kekaritomene", or "the one who is fully blessed or gracious". She is completely free from the infection of sin even from the first moment of her conception.

When we look deep into our hearts, we see a desire for communion. We were made for communion with God, with one another, with ourselves and even with Creation. Communion means we want to dwell in God and have God dwell in us. Mary started from within God and then received God inside of her. We have the opposite experience: We start by welcoming God into us, and then he draws us into communion within himself. 

(9 Dec 2024)

Going Deeper: When have you experienced the joy of communion?

Images are the Prodigal Son from Pompeo Batoni and The Visitation by Bradi Barth | Over 14 years of homily episodes available at PilgrimPriest.us/podcast | Like, subscribe, and share us with your enemies. | Find me on Facebook and Twitter | Powered by Patrons | give through PayPal or leave a nice review on your favorite podcast platform.

Advent, 1st Sunday (C) A felt sense of safety and security is necessary for us to find peace. When peace is missing, there are many ways we might try to manufacture it. Perhaps you surround yourself only with like-minded people. Try to control everything, get angry, or run and hide. Maybe you numb yourself or pretend that it doesn't matter.

God desires to make his people safe and secure. We receive this safety through knowledge of God's unconditional love and trust in his ongoing providence. The rest of the world may be terrified but Christians can continue to experience peace. We need to keep our eyes on our eternal goal. We need to remember that only God's opinion matters. Lastly, we need to stay vigilant, expecting tribulations.

Make time each week in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. Share with Jesus whatever is burdening you and weighing on you. Then keep your eyes open for all the little ways that God is caring for you. Advent is not about God appearing when you are finally ready to receive him. Rather, God is already with you right now. Advent is the gradual opening of our eyes to realize his humble presence. It is the presence of Jesus that is the true source of our peace.

(1 Dec 2024)

Going Deeper: Welcome to Season 15 of the Pilgrim Priest Podcast! This year's album is titled, A Spirit of Power and Love and Self-Control. I know that is a mouthful. It is taken from 2 Timothy 1:6-7, "Hence I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands; for God did not give us a spirit of timidity but a spirit of power and love and self-control." I picked this because it feels like the next logical step on my own personal journey of healing.

We can try and draw life from many sources. I had been trying to draw life from others' affirmation, from my own sense of accomplishment, from Mass attendance numbers and podcast downloads and many other externals. As I became more Rooted in Jesus Christ (2023), I experienced a lot of Freedom and Peace (2024). My relationship with Him was giving me the love and meaning that I needed, so I had the freedom to let the people around me be who they are and not who I needed them to be for me. In the course of writing my series on chastity, I realized that power, love, and self-control all go together. Self-control is not about flexing my ability to refuse things, but more about letting go of unimportant things so that my energy can go towards loving God and loving my neighbor. When we do this, we start to experience the incredible power that comes from genuine love. I now understand why St. Paul put these three things together in one spirit.

We have been given this Spirit, but we need to rekindle it. This year will be about rekindling the spirit of power, love, and self-control. What would your life look like of this spirit were blazing?

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Solemnity of Christ the King (B) There are three key figures in Old Testament society. The priest heals and sacrifices. The prophet teaches and preaches repentance. The king protects society from invasion and rightly orders life within the city.

We often think of Jesus as priest or as prophet. Today we focus on Jesus as King. Jesus tells Pontius Pilate, "My kingdom is not of this world." How is Jesus different from the kingdom of this world? The kingdoms of this world use violence to enforce their will. Jesus allows people to choose or reject his kingdom. This world's kings want to control the truth. Jesus is the truth, and all who are of the truth hear his voice. Earthly kings want to be the highest power. Jesus submits himself to his Father. Kings sacrifice others; Jesus sacrifices himself. Jesus is a king who is also a servant. The kingdoms of this world are passing away; Jesus' kingdom is eternal.

We don't get to vote on the King, which is good, because we have a terrible track record when it comes to picking good leaders for ourselves. We do get to vote ourselves into his kingdom or out of it. When we let Jesus be the Lord of our life, he protects us and rightly orders our lives.

Blessed Franz Jägerstätter was convinced that serving the true King meant he could not participate the Nazi German war of aggression. He has been recognized as a martyr. Jesus is the Priest, the Prophet, and the King. When we let him be our King, we enter here and now into the Kingdom that is not of this world.

(24 Nov 2024)

Going Deeper: How does Jesus protect his people? Have you experienced his order within your inner world and also among his people?

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Ordinary Time, 33rd Sunday (B) Ancient people couldn't depend on much. Plagues, wars, earthquakes, death, and decay all dogged their lives. The heavens above appeared incredibly stable and predictable. 

When Jesus says, "The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken," what he means is that the dependable things are failing us. When everything else fails, we can still count on Jesus. His words are more dependable than heaven and earth.

A constant reminder of Jesus' dependable love for us is the gift of our guardian angel. St. Gemma Galgani could see her guardian angel. St. John Bosco was protected miraculously by a big black dog. Last month, inspired by the feast of the Guardian Angels, I wrote a song to my guardian angel. Let me sing it to you. 

(17 Nov 2024)

Going Deeper: Try singing the song for yourself. It's set to the tune Old 100th (like All People That on Earth do Dwell).

Over 13 years of homily episodes available at PilgrimPriest.us/podcast | Like, subscribe, and share us with your enemies. | Find me on Facebook and Twitter | Powered by Patrons | give through PayPal or leave a nice review on your favorite podcast platform.

Ordinary Time, 32nd Sunday (B) Jesus is impressed not with the size of the donation; he is impressed with a generous heart. A poor widow holds nothing back; she gives God her whole livelihood.

God has blessed me with gifts, perhaps less than I had hoped. The temptation is to hoard the little I have and use it for myself. God's invitation is to be generous with what we have and trust that he will give us more.

For many Americans, time is worth more than money. Don't be afraid to be generous with time for daily prayers and Sunday Mass. At Sunday Mass, we offer ourselves and all that we have to the Father, and receive his abundant blessings. If you are generous with God, you will have some left over. Give God the chance to earn your trust.

(10 Nov 2024)

Going Deeper: The word used for "livelihood" in the Greek is bios. Read and reflect on what it means (see BibleHub.com):

Usage: In the New Testament, "bios" primarily refers to the physical aspect of life, encompassing one's livelihood, possessions, and the duration of life. It is distinct from "ζωή" (zōē), which often refers to life in a more spiritual or eternal sense. "Bios" can denote the means by which life is sustained, such as wealth or resources, and can also refer to the conduct or manner of one's life.

Cultural and Historical Background: In the Greco-Roman world, "bios" was commonly used to describe the tangible aspects of life, including one's social status, wealth, and daily living. The concept of "bios" was often contrasted with the philosophical or spiritual life, which was considered of higher value in many philosophical traditions. In Jewish thought, life was a gift from God, and the way one lived ("bios") was a reflection of one's relationship with God and adherence to His commandments.

(bíos) is the root of the English term "biography," i.e. the record (account) of how we invested (or spent!) our physical lives.

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Ordinary Time, 31st Sunday (B) The first level of vocation is the Universal Call to Holiness. This means that we were made in the image and likeness of God, and God is love. We are called to allow the love of God to transform every aspect of our lives. Holiness is nothing other than living love in every aspect of our lives.

The second level is the call to love in a specific and permanent state of life. Jesus is called to be the High Priest. Priests are called to reveal Christ's love to his church. Religious live totally for God, as we all will in heaven. Married couples love one another as Christ loves the Church. Each one incarnates God's love in a unique and permanent way.

The third level is the ongoing discernment of loving God and neighbor in the practicalities of everyday life. This requires constant discernment. Fortunately Jesus is with us. Vocation is not really an equation to be solved. It is rather a call to be with Jesus and to live and love from this place of communion with Jesus. 

(3 Nov 2024)

Going Deeper: How does each level of vocation build on the previous level? What would it look like if you totally lived God's love in every aspect of your life?

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All Saints Day • Why have so many people left the Catholic Church? I think they have left because being Catholic made them less happy. It gets in the way of getting their way and having all the things and pleasures they want. 

Getting what we want only makes us happy when we have learned to want that which is actually good for us. The happiness based on having things or fun experiences is the most fleeting source of happiness. It will naturally tend towards addiction.

Are there forms of happiness that don't disappoint? The happiness of a job well done is worth a lot of discomfort on the road to success. The Greeks and Romans taught us that the ultimate form of happiness is a life well-lived, that is, a virtuous life. The culture of self-indulgence erodes community. The culture of virtue and self-control demands, and builds, healthy community. 

Above this level of happiness, there is a level that only Christians have access to. Believing Christians will come to know the warmth and light of Jesus' personal presence with them. This is the happiness of a life lived with Jesus. Christian community also reaches a new level -- being brothers and sisters in God's family. 

The Beatitudes show us that, with the right attitude of heart, the challenging circumstances around us become an opportunity to grow closer to Jesus. Even discomfort can be turned into a source of deeper happiness.

(1 Nov 2024)

Going Deeper: Are you more focused on the pursuit of happiness rooted in self-indulgence, or the pursuit of happiness rooted in self-control? How does Christian community contribute to your happiness? Have you experienced the happiness of a life lived with Jesus?

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Ordinary Time, 30th Sunday (B) Jericho often symbolizes the kingdom of this world. Bartimaeus can see with the eyes of faith that Jesus is the one he has been waiting for. He keeps calling Jesus until Jesus calls him, then he leaves everything to follow Jesus.

Jesus is leading home to the heavenly kingdom all who have heard his call and followed him. We gather at Sunday Mass to experience ongoing encounter with God's love and truth that brings us into wholeness and communion.

Jesus desires to give us emotional and spiritual healing, and eventually all physical healing. We need to keep calling on Jesus until he calls upon us: "Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!"

(27 Oct 2024)

Going Deeper: How do you identify areas in your life that need emotional or spiritual healing? What do you do when you have identified those needs?

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Ordinary Time, 29th Sunday (B) Stewardship is a great way of understanding the Gospel in our practical, everyday life. Christians are called to be like God. We can't possibly succeed, so the Holy Spirit gives us the power to love as God has loved us.

Consumers we are rarely grateful, because we have been trained to see the lack in our lives and to think that one more product will fix our problem. We see our value in terms of what I produce or consume or own. We see each other as competition. This is exactly where James and John are coming from. They want to grab spots at the top. Jesus says, "If you want the top spots, then you have to be willing to serve, suffer, and sacrifice."

If we are comparing, competing and complaining as consumers, then we are not living self-giving love. The Lord has already been a very generous and loving servant to all of us. We are now called to serve others as he has served us. Stewardship of Time is about quality time with God and with our family and friends. Talent are ways that you can use your gifts to bless others. Finally, Treasure is a great way to ask yourself, "Am I being generous?"

When I see how generous my parishioners are, you inspire me to be a better steward. Thank you for serving others as Christ has served us.

(20 Oct 2024)

Going Deeper: If you are a member of the Antigo Area Catholic Churches, review the 2024 Ministry Booklet and then complete the 2024 Stewardship Commitment Card online. Consider all the subtle ways you find yourself playing King of the Hill with the people around you (It's good to play "king of the raft" sometimes, especially for boys, but it shouldn't be the primary way we understand our place in the world). Are you the best at Comparing, Competing, and Complaining, or are you excited to Serve, Suffer, and Sacrifice?

Image Source | Over 13 years of homily episodes available at PilgrimPriest.us/podcast | Like, subscribe, and share us with your enemies. | Find me on Facebook and Twitter | Powered by Patrons | give through PayPal or leave a nice review on your favorite podcast platform.