Tough readings about greed, possessions and money: 18th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Listen to the homily here.

Notes:

This week we had 17 students and 4 adults: priest, faith formation, teacher and nurse—awesome!

This was my favorite moment

·      Before the Basilica, we passed a person that was hungry with a cardboard question to eat

·      Several of our high school students passed me two small bags of snacks and I gave it to him

·      He quickly opened to eat

·      While this was a simple gift, it was a huge opportunity

This weekend I would like to share our readings about greed

·      Colossians: “Put to death, then, the parts of you that are earthly: immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and the greed that is idolatry.”

·      Luke: “Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions.”

·      St. Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 6:10: “For the love of money is the root of all evils…”

·      Bring that verse to prayer

Greed

·      1.)  I love following Matthew Kelly—the many books and CDs we have given out for us to learn our Catholic faith, becoming “The Four Signs of a Dynamic Catholic”, “Rediscover Jesus” and “Beautiful Mercy”

o   I remember a CD when he said:

§  He has traveled around the world and has listened to stories of each sins: lust, pride, gossiping, etc.  He said that he never listened to the sin of greed.

§  That hit me in the face

·      2.)  Know that this is not “poor” or “rich”.  This is the level we must give away.

o   I have met poor people that are greedy

o   I have met rich people that are generous

o   It is not number of dollars or possessions

o   It is giving what we have away

As brothers and sisters that live in the richest country in the world

·      Walk step by step to discern the money you do have…your possessions…your budget

These students shared an awesome way to give away…what can you give away can cut out greediness!

Seeds and weeds: Tuesday, July 26th, 2016

Listen to the homily here.

Persistence and Persistent: 17th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Listen to the homily here.

Notes:

Last weekend I preached about an important word for our family: hospitality

·      Kindness, generosity, welcoming, inviting

The readings this weekend gives a new nugget of one word: perseverance

·      I am excited for our 2016 Olympics in Rio de janeiro

·      I checked out a poll about the Olympics this summer           

o   “Topend Sports Poll: the leading sport voted as the favorite Summer Olympics sport for Rio 2016 is gymnastics followed by track & field and swimming, the same as voted in 2012.  The least favorite Olympic sport is equestrian, though when listed separately, race walking is least favorite.”

·      Why share this for our Masses this weekend?

o   The Olympics show perseverance

o   You cannot make a world events without perseverance

This weekend we listened to perseverance in our readings

·      Abraham was persisted to speak with God for his people

o   50 innocent people…45?  40?  30?  20?  10?

o   Abraham was learning how to have perseverance for his people

·      Jesus taught a parable of persistence for how friends must be there for those who ask for help

·      Then Jesus taught all people: “And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”

o   Ask…seek…knock on the door

I would like to share how perseverance is needed for our parishes

·      I listened to one of our parishioners: Livio Lucca.  He told me, “If you tell our parishioners, they will make it happen.”

·      This is what I would like to ask you for perseverance:

·      First, our family must be persevere

o   Your faith…your prayer…your relationship with God

o   Your family of our parishes as well as our family in the world

o   One quick way: come to Mass one hour a week

·      Second, our parishes must persevere for our churches

o   We have challenges in a difficult economy

o   We must focus on stewardship: time, talent and treasure

o   In every different churches in our country, they are simply closing…everywhere

o   How do we continue to grow?  We must ask, seek and knock on the door

§  Both to God, to each other

·      Third, I believe that we must grow in our missionary in our back yard: St. Thomas Aquinas School

o   This is not the only goal, but it is huge to work to our next generation in education, faith and following Jesus Christ

o   Our students, parents and families are by far the most hours—by far—to walk with our next generation

·      Four, we must walk together to the gifts God has given us

o   Right now, we need more gifts to pay of loans: our roof, our heat/air conditions, our UCA

o   As well as our yearly budget

Please pray today to persevere: faith, family, parishes, school, poor and sick

Many people don't know anything: Thursday, July 21st, 2016

Listen to the homily here.

Notes:

“But blessed are your eyes, because they see,

and your ears, because they hear.

Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people

longed to see what you see but did not see it,

and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”

·      We are after Jesus Christ

·      We are after the disciples, apostles, beginning of our Church

·      We have responsibility to serve our family here and the Kingdom of God around the world!

Many people don't know anything: Thursday, July 21st, 2016

Listen to the homily here.

Notes:

“But blessed are your eyes, because they see,

and your ears, because they hear.

Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people

longed to see what you see but did not see it,

and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”

·      We are after Jesus Christ

·      We are after the disciples, apostles, beginning of our Church

·      We have responsibility to serve our family here and the Kingdom of God around the world!

Many people don't know anything: Thursday, July 21st, 2016

Listen to the homily here.

Notes:

“But blessed are your eyes, because they see,

and your ears, because they hear.

Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people

longed to see what you see but did not see it,

and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”

·      We are after Jesus Christ

·      We are after the disciples, apostles, beginning of our Church

·      We have responsibility to serve our family here and the Kingdom of God around the world!

"I am too...": Wednesday, July 20th, 2016

Listen to the homily here.

Notes:

“Ah, Lord GOD!” I said, I know not how to speak; I am too young.”

Great answer to Jeremiah

·      Say not, “I am too young.” 

·      Does this not speak to us?

o   “I am too young…I am too old…I am too middle age…I am too quiet…I am too busy…”

·      To whomever I send you, you shall go; whatever I command you, you shall speak.  Have no fear before them, because I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD.

An important prayer in our world for seven words: Tuesday, July 19th, 2016

Listen to the homily here.

Notes:

Here is a quick prayer that we should memorize for our country

·      Today:

o   Police

o   Brutal killing in our country on the media (Orlando, Dallas, Baton Rouge) as well as day to day drugs, violence, etc.

o   Politicians without truth

·      Lord teaches us to love even our enemies

·      A quick prayer and offer back to Lord:

“Lord, show us your mercy and love.”

Micah: "Do the right, love goodness, walk humbly with God": Monday, July 18th, 2016

Listen to the homily here.

Notes:

Micah

·      “You have been told, O man, what is good, and what the LORD requires of you: Only to do the right and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God.”

Do the right

·      Good Samaritan vs. the law

·      Truth vs. lying

·      Help vs. running away

Love goodness

·      Worship

·      Nature

·      People

o   Each person’s dignity and a son or daughter of God

o   Jesus gave his life to each of us

Walk humbly with God

·      No pride, gossip, 100% perfect opinions

·      Humble

·      Following our King

We cannot give enough hospitality: 16th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Listen to the homily here.

Notes:

I am excited this weekend for one word: hospitality

·      In a Catholic Dictionary (catholicculture.org) says:

·      “The virtue [of hospitality is] of kindness and generosity toward guests.  It is characterized by the spirit of welcome to visitors and strangers, and is one of the conditions for salvation, foretold by Christ: ‘I was a stranger and you made me welcome’”

o   Kindness, generosity, welcome

Our readings today teach us hospitality in the Bible

·      In Genesis, Abraham gave hospitality to three men (or angels!)

o   Abraham said, “Sir, if I may ask you this favor, please do not go on past your servant.  Let some water be brought, that you may bathe your feet, and then rest yourselves under the tree.”

o   His family made bread, meat, curds and milk

o   They ate under this tree

o   That is hospitality

·      In Luke, Mary and Martha gave hospitality to Jesus

o   Service and presence

o   I’ll see this at the end

Today I would like to share the hospitality in our family and “thank you” to you

·      I was brand new to our parishes two years ago

o   I was a stranger and you gave me a house, food, drinking, visiting in your homes for dinners

o   Thank you

·      The last two years your hospitality and welcoming to people from Africa:

o   Fr. Francis, Fr. Charles, Fr. Albert, Fr. Solomon, Fr. Peter

§  You also gave gifts to their parishes back home

§  Thank you

·      You have assisted those who are homeless, strangers or poor in our area

o   Hotel rooms, apartment, food

o   Thank you

·      You offered hospitality to two seminarians: now Dcn. Beau Braun and now Kevin Ryan

o   Thank you

·      The last couple of weeks you offered hospitality to our outside Mass and picnic

o   Thank you

·      Last week you welcomed and offered generosity to the Totus Tuus teachers

o   Thank you

·      On and on and on

·      Thank you…thank you…thank you!

You can always grow in hospitality…like love you can always get better

·      1.)  Presence beats stuff

o   Back to Martha and Mary

§  Jesus said to Martha, “anxious and worried about many things”

o   As a priest, the welcome, hospitality and kindness is huge

§  Many would say, “I must clean my house”

§  Just know that presence always beats stuff, or what it looks like

o   For hospitality, give presence vs. stuff or appearance

·      2.)  For visitors in our parishes

o   Use kindness to say “Hello” to visitors, open the door and welcome them, invite them to sit by you and your family

§  That is hospitality!

o   Your hospitality will continue to grow our family both here and around the world

·      3.)  We have poverty in our own community

o   Yes, we have given thousands of dollars to support people here and around the world

o   How can you offer hospitality for the poor here

o   A great opportunity is helping our Community Café

o   Or what can you help for those that you know is poor? 

§  Presence could be challenging, but you can give a lot to visit them!

§  You can also offer kindness and generosity

§  You could make their day or save their life

Hospitality is awesome

·      Thank you again for your hospitality for many, many people

·      And continue to grow in hospitality

·      Whoever needs hospitality, look to them as you could see Jesus Christ