Pilgrim Priest

Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) · We just finished the walking pilgrimage. People were very generous in hosting us, feeding us, and caring for us along the way. I even had my feet “anointed” with Gold Bond.

In today’s reading King David has forgotten how much God has given him. Instead of receiving, he starts taking things that don’t belong to him. Taking and keeping leads to using and being used.

The sinful woman has received mercy. She gives generously because she realizes that Jesus loves her generously. The Pharisee doesn’t give much because he is blind to God’s generosity. The Year of Mercy is a time to stop taking and keeping, and to start receiving and giving.

(12 June 2016)

Point to Ponder: Think of someone who has been generous to you and take a few minutes to write them a thank-you note.

Point to Discuss: Jesus seems to be saying you have to be a great sinner in order to be grateful. Talk to a friend about Jesus’ words in this Gospel and how you understand them. Post your thoughts as a blog comment.

Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) feat. Deacon Michael: God wants to give us life. He creates the world, creates human life, and raises people from the dead. Yet so many times we believe that God is out to get us, to smite us, and destroy us. Not true. The Church is like a mother pelican that feeds us from the pierced side of Christ. God sacrifices himself to give us life.

(5 June 2016)

Point to Ponder: What does it mean to be fed from the pierced side of Christ?

Point to Discuss: Is there a time in your life when you felt that God was destroying your life? Talk to a wise spiritual person about that experience.

Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Year C) · Last week I spoke about how the Holy Trinity comes from the Father’s complete gift of himself to the Son. The Son then gives himself back to the Father, but also pours out His life to us creatures. This gift of Himself is spiritual but also physical. It takes the form of bread and wine in the Eucharist at Mass.

This is my body, this is my blood. The appearances stay as bread and wine but the substance changes into the very Body and Blood of Christ. This is what makes the Catholic Church unique. Other churches have the same appearances but the substance is different. They give out communion but it is only a symbol of Jesus; the substance hasn’t changed. Only with the priesthood do you have the Eucharist. The Real Presence of Christ is why we genuflect and kneel, clean up the crumbs and save the hosts in a Tabernacle for Eucharistic Adoration.

This is not meant as a criticism of other churches. If anything, it is a criticism of us Catholics. The bread is changed so we can be transformed. The Body of Christ is given to us so we can become the Body of Christ. Are you allowing yourself to be transformed?

(30 May 2016)

Point to Ponder: What would it mean to be transformed by Communion?

Point to Discuss: Talk to a friend about the Catholic Church’s claims to be unique and different from other churches. How would someone attempt to test these claims to prove if they were true or false?

Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity (Year C) · The Holy Trinity: 1+1+1=1! Three persons, one God. The Trinity is foreshadowed in the beginning when God creates humans in His image. We have intellect and free will. But we are also made male and female, and so able to give a gift of ourselves to another. The love between a husband and a wife mirrors the Trinity: he gives himself to her, she gives herself to him. The two become one and then three in one.

In a similar way, the Father gives Himself completely to the Son. The Son gives Himself back to the Father. This total gift of love between the Father and the Son is the Holy Spirit. The family reveals the Trinity, and the Trinity reveals the true nature of the family. We are called to live our lives in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

(22 May 2016)

Point to Ponder: “Man, who is the only creature on earth which God willed for itself, cannot fully find himself except through a sincere gift of himself.” (Gaudium et Spes, no. 24)

Point to Discuss: How might artificial contraception change the total gift of spouses to one other?

Pentecost Sunday · Jesus rises from the dead and he is poised to conquer the world. Instead, he sends us the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit makes every Christian a Christ: members of His body, children of the Father, temples of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit enables Christ continues His work through His Church.

At the Annunciation all Mary has to do is cooperate with the Spirit. God will do the rest. In the same way, the work of conversion and Salvation is God’s work. God will do the rest if we only cooperate with the Holy Spirit.

Our hearts are divided between the Holy Spirit and our Enemy, the evil spirit. The Bad Spirit discourages us, tears us down, and makes us feel anxious and trapped. The Good Spirit gives us peace, joy, and tells us it will be OK. Keep out the Bad Spirit; stir up the Holy Spirit!

(15 May 2016)

Point to Ponder: When have you heard the voice of the Evil Spirit?

Point to Discuss: Discuss with a friend the lies that the Evil Spirit has told you and the truths that the Good Spirit is trying to tell you. Talk about ways to ignore the Enemy.

Pentecost Sunday · Featuring Deacon Michael: God is already blessing us as much as he possibly can. To receive more of God we must send an invitation and remove the barriers from our hearts. St. Philip Neri invited the Holy Spirit into his heart. The presence of the Holy Spirit enlarged his heart so much it cracked two ribs. Are we going to have open doors, open hearts, to the Holy Spirit?

(15 May 2016)

About St. Philip Neri

About the Image

Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord (Year C) and Mother’s Day · The love of my mother is always with me no matter how far apart we are. The Holy Spirit “mothers” the Church and every Christian. Through the Holy Spirit we have direct access to the throne of God. Listen to the Spirit and cooperate with his work. No matter what happens to us, God’s love will never abandon us.

(8 May 2016)

Point to Ponder: “Can a mother forget her infant, be without tenderness for the child of her womb? Even should she forget, I will never forget you.” (Isaiah 49:15)

Point to Discuss: Talk to some Christian friends about world politics. How can we reconcile the evil all around us with God’s loving Providence?

Sixth Sunday of Easter (Year C) · What’s the secret to happiness? Simply to do the will of God. The will of God is not mysterious: we find it through Creation, Conscience, and the Catholic Church. The will of God is not oppressive: it comes from the Heart of the Father. The will of God is not distant: it comes to meet us every day. Through doing God’s will we find peace, joy, and happily ever after.

(1 May 2016)

Point to Discuss: Talk to friend about what your life would look like if this were your motto: “I only want to do the will of God. Nothing more. Nothing less. Nothing else.”

Point to Ponder: Ask Mary to help you know and do the will of God.

Fifth Sunday of Easter (Year C) featuring Deacon Michael: Mass is our story. Christ is the bridegroom; we are the bride. Our whole identity is formed by receiving the love that God pours out to us today and every day of our lives. “Love one another as I have loved you.” When was the last time your deeds inspired someone else to fall deeper in love with the Father?

(24 Apr 2016)

Point to Ponder: As you are kneeling after Communion close your eyes and say, “Father, I love you.” Take a moment to let the Father love you.

Point to Discuss: Ask your family: “Does the way I treat you reflect God’s love for you?”

Fifth Sunday of Easter (Year C) · You wear a white garment at Baptism, First Communion, your Wedding, and your Funeral. It symbolizes the purity that God gives us. Heaven is like stepping into the back of church on your wedding. Jesus stands there waiting for you at the altar. We must keep our garment pure and adorn ourselves with the jewels of Heaven. Every Sunday Jesus waits for you at the altar. Keep coming to meet him here at Mass and you will be prepared to walk down the aisle of Heaven.

(23 Apr 2016)

Point to Ponder: Are you ready to walk through the doors of heaven and see Jesus waiting for you at the altar?

Point to Discuss: Talk to a friend about your own wedding day or a wedding you experienced recently. What moved you the most?