Papal Intentions for June 2014

Prayer for the Pope

V. Let us pray for Francis, our Pope.

R. May the Lord preserve him, give him life, 

and make him blessed upon the earth, 

and deliver him not up to the will of his enemies.

Our Father... Hail Mary...

O God, Shepherd and Ruler of all Thy faithful people, look mercifully upon Thy servant Francis, whom Thou hast chosen as shepherd to preside over Thy Church. Grant him, we beseech Thee, that by his word and example, he may edify those over whom he hath charge, so that together with the flock committed to him, may he attain everlasting life. 

Through Christ our Lord. 

Amen.

Papal Intentions for June 2014

Universal Intention: That the unemployed may receive support and find the work they need to live in dignity.

Mission Intention: That Europe may rediscover its Christian roots through the witness of believers.

NOVENA ALERT!!!

Today is traditionally the liturgical feast celebrating the Ascension of the Lord Jesus. Unfortunately most places move the feast to the following Sunday. I say 'unfortunately' because the date of the Ascension is significant for us. Tradition tells us that after the Ascension, Mary and the Apostles gathered (at Jesus' command) for nine days of prayer for the Lord to send them the Holy Spirit. That prayer was answered on the feast of Pentecost. Since then it has been tradition to begin on the Friday after Ascension Thursday the Novena to the Holy Spirit, so that we can be like the first followers of Jesus and pray for an outpouring of the Spirit in our own day. Despite the Ascension not being celebrated today, we still begin the Novena tomorrow. Do not miss this blessed opportunity to receive the grace of God and the stirring up of the Spirit in your heart!

A link to the specific intentions for each day can be found at the EWTN website HERE.

Come, Holy Spirit!

HWP: Prayer for a Priest

While most of the prayers that I most on here are typically for those of you who read this post, today I'm going to be a bit selfish and ask you to pray for me. Today is my anniversary of priestly ordination. Three years already! I will soon be the pastor of a parish and with that comes a whole new set of responsibilities, challenges, and opportunities, so I ask your prayers so that I can have as much of God's grace poured out on me as possible in preparation. You might keep this prayer and offer it from time to time for your own parish priest and other priests close to you. None of us would be upset about such a wonderful gift. Thank you in advance and know of my prayers for each of you as well. So...let us pray...

A Prayer for a Priest

O Jesus, our great High Priest, Hear my humble prayers on behalf of your priest, Father Brent. Give him a deep faith, a bright and firm hope and a burning love which will ever increase in the course of his priestly life. In his loneliness, comfort him In his sorrows, strengthen him In his frustrations, point out to him that it is through suffering that the soul is purified, and show him that he is needed by the Church, he is needed by souls, he is needed for the work of redemption.

O loving Mother Mary, Mother of Priests, take to your heart your son who is close to you because of his priestly ordination, and because of the power which he has received to carry on the work of Christ in a world which needs him so much. Be his comfort, be his joy, be his strength, and especially help him to live and to defend the ideals of consecrated celibacy. 

Amen.

Do We Really Love Jesus?

Readings for Sunday, May 25/ 6th Sunday of Easter:
Acts 8:5-8, 14-17
Psalm 66:1-7, 16, 20
1 Peter 3:15-18
John 14:15-21

A couple of weeks age we celebrated First Holy Communion for our second graders in the community. I had the joy of celebrating that Mass at St. Michael’s, where part of the celebration is at the end of Mass the kids come forward and sing a song that was in question format that they sang to each other, myself and the congregation and we had to sing the response. They asked “Do you love Jesus?” and the respond, “Yes, I love Jesus!” They then asked, “Do you really love Jesus?” and we responded, “Yes, I really love Jesus!”  It was really catchy and it’s been going on in my head since then. As we gather here today, the question is still relevant. Do we love Jesus? Yes! Of course we love Jesus. That’s why we are here today. All of us certainly love the Lord. But the question is do we really love Jesus?

In the Gospel we just heard, Jesus told us, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” There is a direct connection between our love of the Lord and our willingness to obey His commandments. Often our culture uses the word or idea of love to be simply a sentiment, emotion, or good feeling that we get in relationship to another person or even a thing. But the love that Jesus seeks to find in us is not a sentiment or emotion so much as it is a choice. I guarantee you that when Christ showed us the meaning of true love in His Passion and death on the Cross, there wasn’t a warm fuzzy feeling anywhere to be found. It was a choice to put the Father’s will first and to set any other desires aside. Christ did it perfectly and He calls us to strive to do the same in our lives. So the question we each have to ask ourselves is how much we love the Lord? Do we really love Jesus?

The prevailing culture of the world around us and even sometimes in the walls of the church is that if we’re just good people everything will work out and we don’t need to worry. But the truth is that good people aren’t guaranteed a place in Heaven. We presume that ‘because everyone is doing it’ that we will be okay and God won’t hold it against us that we skip Mass here and there, leave Mass early because we have other things to do, fail to live a chaste life, don’t seek to serve others in any tangible way, and many other things. The fact is that those are serious sins and show that we are lacking in our love for the Lord. Additionally, it is easy for many in the Church today to content themselves with not being like ‘those sinners’ because they don’t commit any ‘big sins’. We can easily become complacent with the little sins – or what we perceive as little sins - we commit all throughout the day when the Lord never made qualifications. He didn’t say, “If you love me, you will keep the major commandments.” He said, “You will keep my commandments.” Period. We all need conversion of heart, nobody is exempt, because every one of us is a sinner in need of God’s grace, mercy and love.

This is an incredibly difficult task that the Lord calls us to - impossible, in fact, by ourselves.  The world around us would say to simply lower the standard, don’t make things too hard or we’ll never reach them. But the truth is that we are called to live at the higher level and we can do it if we but humble ourselves and call upon the Lord to enliven us with the Holy Spirit who dwells in our hearts. Cardinal Mercier, who lived a century back, once wrote that he knew the secret of sanctity. He said that we should each take five minutes each day, set aside all distractions, calm ourselves, and in the silence of the moment, speak to the Holy Spirit who is with us always and say this prayer:

O Holy Spirit, beloved of my soul, I adore you. Enlighten me, guide me, strengthen me, and console me. Tell me what I should do. Give me Your orders. I promise to submit myself to all that You desire of me and to accept al that You permit to happen to me. Let me only know your will. 

Are we willing to change our lives when we find something in need of changing? Are we willing to call on the Spirit to strengthen us? Are we willing to trust that we will not be abandoned or orphaned? Do we love Jesus? Yes, we love Jesus. But do we really love Jesus?

HWP: Mary, Help of Christians

As you may have read on here before, I have had the opportunity on five occasions to take mission trips to Granada, Nicaragua with Notre Dame Seminary. Each time we had built into the trip a 'desert day' when we were able to simply spend some time in prayer in Granada and the various churches sprinkled throughout the city. One of my favorites was a Salesian church, Maria Auxiliadora - taken from the title of Mary as 'Help of Christians'. Indeed she is the help for us all because a mother's love never fades. So, in preparation for her feast this Saturday, we offer as our Half-Way Prayer this week composed by St. John Bosco, founder of the Salesians:

A Prayer to Mary, Help of Christians

Most Holy Virgin Mary, Help of Christians, how sweet it is to come to your feet imploring your perpetual help. If earthly mothers cease not to remember their children, 

how can you, the most loving of all mothers forget me? Grant then to me, I implore you, 

your perpetual help in all my necessities, in every sorrow, and especially in all my temptations. I ask for your unceasing help for all who are now suffering. Help the weak, cure the sick, convert sinners. Grant through your intercessions many vocations to the religious life. Obtain for us, O Mary, Help of Christians, that having invoked you on earth we may love and eternally thank you in heaven.

Bridges

Royal Gorge Bridge in Colorado

Readings for Sunday, May 18/ 5th Sunday of Easter:
Acts 6:1-7
Psalm 33:1-2, 4-5, 18-19
1 Peter 2:4-9
John 14:1-12

I’ve always loved bridges. They fascinate me because of their function but also, often, because of their beauty. The highest bridge in the U.S. over Royal Gorge in Colorado, the longest rope bridge east of the Mississippi, and double-decker bridge leading into Cincinnati, and the numerous bridges sprinkled all across South Louisiana each in their own way give me pause to contemplate something incredible as travel over them – the ability to unite things that seem utterly separate.

That concept, though I never put it in such words, is what drew me to consider the vocation of the priesthood. In fact, in the early Church, the priest was often referred to by the Latin term ‘pontifex,’ which means ‘bridge-builder,’ because every priest is supposed to build bridges to unite humanity with the Divine. It’s the whole nature of the priesthood really and they do it by offering sacrifices. The role of the priest in the ancient Israelite community was to offer sacrifices and prayers to God on behalf of the people to keep them safe in His care. The ordained priest today does a similar action by offering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and prescribed prayers each day to permit people to draw into communion with the Lord. The priest is a bridge-builder and the sacrifices that the priest offers are the means to building those bridges and strengthening them.

But the thing is this: it’s not just me and other ordained priests who are called to be bridge-builders. All of us are called to be bridge-builders and the Lord is inviting us to stop today to contemplate how good of a job we are doing.

Now here is where we get a bit theological, but stick with me! In First Peter we just heard of a people that is “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own.” We are that people! This phrasing was originally intended for the Jewish people but with the coming of Jesus is universalized and applied to every person who receives the gift of Baptism. Our baptismal ritual reminds us that every person baptized in Christ Jesus is anointed priest, prophet, and king. Christ Jesus is the One High Priest but because we are members of the Body of Christ by baptism, we participate also in His priesthood. Ordained priests do so in a different way, but we all participate in the priesthood of Jesus. But what does that priesthood look like? 

We hear the answer in the Preface before the Eucharistic Prayer today: Jesus Christ comes among us as the priest, the altar, and the lamb of sacrifice. This is significant because before Jesus, the priest and the sacrificial offering were distinct from one another - the priest offered a lamb, bull, wheat, etc. - but Jesus changes everything and makes the priest himself the offering, he is the one sacrificed. And the same with us. St. Paul put it this way in the Letter to the Romans: “I urge you, therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God.” (12:1) To put it simply, the sacrifice that all of the baptized members of the Church are called to offer God in a priestly manner is their whole self: we give ourselves to God in offering, we give Him everything that we have, everything that we are, everything that we desire, everything that we fear, our whole life with nothing held back. That is what God desires of us. Our whole life is supposed to be a priestly act, an act of sacrifice that works to build up bridges between those around us and the God that loves us all.

We're hopefully all working as bridge-builders to some degree now, but for every one of us, myself included, there is still room to grow and become even better at drawing people to God. And there are three concrete things we can do to make that happen.

First – to use the words of Pope St. Pius X, “Don’t pray AT Holy Mass. Pray THE Holy Mass.” The best way that we can be better instruments of bringing people to Jesus is to get closer to Jesus our self and the place where that happens is here at Mass. If we enter into this celebration more deeply, things change. If we listen to the prayers and pray them for ourselves, if we spend time with the readings and question where God is speaking to us, if we offer our needs and the needs of others at the appropriate times in the Mass, we will be changed and that will change others. If we want to build bridges to bring people to God, there's not better way than to celebrate the most miraculous bridge in Eucharistic Holy Communion.

Second – sacrifice for others. There are a variety of ways to do this. We can offer a sacrifice of prayers for people and spend time praying for them. We can fast or abstain from food, drink, entertainment, or some luxury for conversion of others. We can offer up a sacrifice of our desire and do something with or for them so that they can see love in action. God alone changes hearts, but He often waits for us to ask Him to do so. So let us ask and offer some gift to help the bridge come together.

Third – be willing to be used. Sometimes one of the best ways to be a bridge between God and humanity is to simply invite people to get closer to God. This can be an invite to join you at Mass, return to confession, gathering for prayer as friends, or scripture sharing with a group. It can be by talking about your faith to encourage them in theirs. It can be a whole host of things. But often we can shrink back in fear of what others might think, say, feel, or do if we bring God into the picture. Be not afraid of what might happen but remember that God often speaks to us through others and that sometimes He wants to speak through us as well. 

I always loved bridges. But as much as I love marveling at them, it is much more beautiful to be one ourselves. Countless others of our family and friends and helped us draw near to God by building bridges to connect us to Him. May God grant us today the grace to continue building bridges for others so we can truly be a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people all his own.

HWP: Litany of Our Lady of Fatima

I've been running a bit lately with things going on here at the parish and the whole business of being named a pastor and such, so the Half-Way Prayer is a little delayed this morning. For the business at hand, however.... as you may know, yesterday was the feast of Our Lady of Fatima and the month of May is dedicated to Our Lady, so I figured what better prayer to offer this week than the...

Litany to Our Lady of Fatima

Our Lady of Fatima, Pray for our beloved country.

Our Lady of Fatima, Sanctify our clergy.

Our Lady of Fatima, Make our Catholics more fervent.

Our Lady of Fatima, Guide and inspire those who govern us.

Our Lady of Fatima, Cure the sick who confide in thee.

Our Lady of Fatima, Console the sorrowful who trust in thee.

Our Lady of Fatima, Help those who invoke thine aid.

Our Lady of Fatima, Deliver us from all dangers.

Our Lady of Fatima, Help us to resist temptation.

Our Lady of Fatima, Obtain for us all that we lovingly ask of thee.

Our Lady of Fatima, Help those who are dear to us.

Our Lady of Fatima, Bring to Holy Catholic Church those who are in error.

Our Lady of Fatima, Give us back our ancient fervor.

Our Lady of Fatima, Obtain for us pardon of our manifold sins and offenses.

Our Lady of Fatima, Bring all men to the feet of thy Divine Child.

Our Lady of Fatima, Obtain peace for the world. 

O Mary conceived without sin,

Pray for us who have recourse to thee. 

Immaculate Heart of Mary, Pray for us now and at the hour of our death. Amen. 

Let Us Pray: O God of infinite goodness and mercy, fill our hearts with a great confidence in Thy dear Mother, whom we invoke under the title of Our Lady of the Rosary and Our Lady of Fatima, and grant us by her powerful intercession all the graces, spiritual and temporal, which we need. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.