Superior Priest

Jesus is in the desert of temptation, but does not sin. We also do not need to be ruled by temptation, but instead choose Life and the path that God has made for us.

 Jesus is lead into the desert by the Spirit and is tempted by Satan. We learn that Jesus lives out the perfect humanity between wild beasts and angels, flesh and spirit, and body and soul. From the scar of original sin, concupiscence, we tend toward the low, earthly, and sinful. We are not abandoned there, but redeemed and shown a better way if we but repent and believe in the Gospel. Turn away from sin and turn toward God’s grace and his truth. “Lord, I can’t, you can, please do!” 2/18/18

On Ash Wednesday we put ashes on our head, but it does not end there…

Jesus tells us to wash our face and anoint our head and instead we put ashes on our head. What gives? Well Jesus specifically criticizes the hypocrisy and the ostentatiousness of it. We just start lent with ashes, but we pray and hope it doesn’t end there. God does not want us to just rend our garments and put ashes on our heads, He wants us to live it out in our life. We have a chance this lent to tear down the gods of the belly, money, pleasure, and security and place our love in God alone by fasting prayer and almsgiving. 2/14/18

We give thanks and glory to God for our success, do we also give him glory in our leprosy, weakness, and struggles? We can if we bring all to Jesus as the leper does today.

 St. Paul tells us to “do everything for the glory of God.” The Eagles in their Super Bowl victory gave the glory to God. It can sometimes be easy to give the glory to God in good things, but what about in hard things? The Leper gives glory to God by bringing his greatest sorrow and humiliation, his leprosy itself. Jesus cleanses him and brings the glory to God. We ourselves can bring everything to Jesus and let him redeem it and bring glory to God. This lent we have the opportunity through our penances of fasting, prayer, and almsgiving not to build ourselves up but bring the glory to God. 2/11/18

Human life is often full of suffering and pain. Jesus does not take this all away, but redeems it all.

 The problem of suffering is dealt with by Job in the Old Testament, but as Christians we can look at it in an even fuller light of Christ. Jesus did not heal every person in Israel, nor does he heal every person who believes in Him. In fact, he does not promise prosperity and health to his followers, but the cross and persecution. Jesus did not take away all suffering, but entered into it. We now have an opportunity to enter into our suffering and redeem it by love by uniting it to the cross as St. Paul did and rejoice in the suffering that now has meaning in love. 02/04/18

This is a talk I gave to Amery’s 6-11th graders at religious education class on Jan.31, 2018. It tells the story of my conversion and call to the priesthood

Nothing in this world will fulfil us, not food, money, success, and not even marriage.

Jesus teaches with a new authority. No longer are we just called to live natural lives, but supernatural lives. St. Paul encourages the Corinthians to pursue celibacy to live out the Christian life pursuing to please God with an undivided heart. No matter what life you are called to or find yourself in you are called to be anxious for the Lord and seek to serve him.

You do not come to Mass to be a disciple of the priest or for the homily, but to be with Jesus. You come to Mass to abide with Jesus in the Eucharist. When we abide with Jesus we cannot help but desire to bring others to abide with Jesus as well.

 How did you get here today? We need people to guide us in all aspects of our life. We also need a guide to God. There are people who have brought you to God. Even imperfect guides can get us to God like Eli and Samuel. Andrew did not know everything about Jesus, but still brought Peter, the future first Pope, to Jesus. Who do we bring to Jesus?

To seek we must believe that we can find what we are looking for. Do we seek out God as the Magi sought “the Christ” at his birth?

 We spend a lot of ourselves looking for fish and deer, but do we have the same seeking and perseverance to God? God is not some distant clock maker, but a God who is intimately involved and reveals himself in in all of creation. His greatest revelation is in Jesus Christ. The world seeks many things, may we seek not the world, but God in his revelation most fully revealed in the Catholic Church.

The Homily at the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony for Adam and Kristie Schwab.

 Marriage is more than just nice feelings. Love is more than just taking a bullet, it is taking a thousand papercuts. The habit of sports that was built on perseverance is the same as the habit of love in marriage. May this sacrament of Holy Matrimony give you supernatural love of grace to persevere. May your house be built on the firm foundation of Jesus Christ so you can persevere amid the greatest storms that attack your marriage. Love is generous. The Trinity which is love is generous. May your marriage also be generous in its love.

The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God teaches us more about Jesus then it does about Mary. May our lives also point to Jesus as Mary’s life always points to Jesus.