Shawn The Baptist - Sunday Scriptures

Both the widow in our first reading and the widow in the gospel seem to have nothing. One has no food and is about to die and the other has only two small coins. Yet both of them are willing to give up even the little that they have. What amazing trust these women have in God! They have figured out the secret: God will not be outdone in generosity. In today's homily I share a couple stories from the World Series and the subway where I encountered people who also found this secret.

Today's second reading from the Letter to the Hebrews uses language describing the priesthood of the Old Testament and the offering of animal sacrifices. God taught his people over the course of centuries that sin required sacrifice to make atonement. The priests of the Old Testament offered various sacrifices including animals in atonement for sins. The problem with these sacrifices was that the priests offering them were themselves sinners and the animals weren't really capable of taking away sins.

In the New Testament, Jesus doesn't do away with the idea of priests and sacrifice. Rather he perfects the old law and shows us a deeper meaning. Jesus is sinless and has no need to offer sacrifice first for his own sins and then for others. He is the perfect priest. Then, in an amazing development, the sacrifice he offers is also perfect because he offers himself. No longer are imperfect lambs offered over and over, but the perfect Lamb of God becomes the perfect sacrifice that once and for all takes away the sins of the world.

This is what we are doing when we come to Mass. This is how our sins today are taken away by the one sacrifice of the Lamb of God 2000 years ago. This is why the Mass has traditionally and rightly been called, "The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass."

We don't like suffering. We often go to great lengths to avoid even the smallest suffering. Despite our attempts, suffering will eventually come, and normally with some frequency. The key is knowing what to do with suffering when it comes.

Today's homily looks at the various sources of suffering and what our response should be to each of these. When we know the secret, suffering need not harm us and can actually make us spiritually powerful. We accept, we endure, we even embrace suffering...and we never despair.

If the Pope's visit to the U.S. doesn't result in our living more faithfully as disciples of Jesus then it will have no lasting value.

We are called to go out and spread the good news. Yet it seems that so few baptized people really live out this mission. Today's readings give us hints at three specific obstacles that might get in the way.

Is God calling you to leave comfort behind and follow him in a new way? Whatever fears you might have, be like St. Francis and say yes.

After spending the morning at the home of St. Padre Pio in San Giovanni Rotondo, we had Mass on Monte Sant'Angelo where the Archangel Michael appeared in the year 490. This homily speaks about our human desire to be in physical contact with God, to know that he is immanently present and not merely a distant spiritual reality.

We encounter the presence of God in many ways, but especially in the saints. We come on pilgrimage to be close to the saints, by visiting their homes and even venerating their earthly remains. God appeals not only through the mystery of the spirit, but also through the physical things of this world, like the saints and, most especially, the Eucharist.

Celebrate Memorial Day by honoring the heroes who deemed our country worth dying for. Remember and appreciate their sacrifices.

The wind and fire in today's gospel are meant to symbolize the power that all of the baptized have to go on mission sent by the Spirit.

Explore the necessity of salvation through Jesus as taught by St. Peter and the Church throughout history.