Three teaches in God's Word: 4th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Listen to the homily here.

Notes:

Zephaniah a prophet: “But I will leave as a remnant in your midst a people humble and lowly, who shall take refuge in the name of the LORD: the remnant of Israel.”

Beatitudes (happiness): “Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.  Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven."

Matthew 10:16:  “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.”

·      We are to serve the poor

·      We are called to be humble

·      We are called to be innocent

·      At the same time, we must be wise “as serpents”

·      In spiritually, we are “sheep in the midst of wolves”

And how does these readings connect?

·      Jesus Christ

Where do we place the lamp?: Thursday, January 27th, 2017 (School Mass)

Listen to the homily here.

Why doesn't God tell me my mission?: Wednesday, January 25th, 2017

Listen to the homily here.

Notes:

St. Paul’s mission

·      Stopped in his tracks

·      Stopped in his life

·      Stopped in his own mission in a deep faith

Have many of us had the mystical experience for our mission?

·      Well, probably not

·      But we do have a mission

o   Vocation

o   Holiness

o   Evangelization

John 15:16: “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide; so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.”

The Father's will to us and to His son: Tuesday, January 24th, 2017

Listen to the homily here.

Notes:

“Here am I Lord; I come to do your will.”

·      We have a mission

·      We must follow God’s will for us

“By this ‘will,’ we have been consecrated through the offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

·      Jesus was teaching about the offerings of bulls and goats with blood

·      Sacrifice

“Then I said, As is written of me in the scroll, Behold, I come to do your will, O God.”

One sentence in Hebrews: Monday, January 23rd, 2017

Listen to the homily here.

Notes:

“Christ is mediator of a new covenant: since a death has taken place for deliverance from transgressions under the first covenant, those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance.”

·      Boom

·      Here is a great question to help me in my speech therapy

o   How many prepositions are in this one sentence?

o   Just kidding…I’ll ask our teacher and my speech therapist this afternoon

·      This is why the letter to the Hebrews are thick!

Here are some essential words

·      Mediator: Jesus Christ, working between God and all humanity

·      Covenant: promise for two people or groups for ever

·      Transgressions: sins

·      Promised eternal inheritance: heaven

Keep reading Hebrews!

Unity vs. division: 3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time

Listen to the homily here.

Notes:

I am proud of our family

·      Last year, Bishop Paul Sirba said, “This Church is happy.”

·      Another employee retired and she said, “We have joyfulness again.”

Thank you!

Listen how St. Paul encouraged and challenged the small church in Corinth:

·      “I urge you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and in the same purpose.”

Praise God!

Paul also wrote:

·      “For it has been reported to me about you, my brothers and sisters, that there are rivalries among you.  I belong to Paul," or "I belong to Apollos," or "I belong to Cephas,"

·      Imagine if Paul wrote to our family in the history: “I belong to the school” or “I belong to the worship committee” or “I belong to the Catholic Daughters” or “I belong to the Knights” or “I belong to serving the poor”

His question in Corinth:

·      “Is Christ divided?”

As we are not perfect, I believe that we are gelling together

·      Look at the brunch!

·      Look at the school and parish!

·      Look at our faith formation!

·      Look at our Knights, Catholic Daughters, Tabernacle, Worship Committee, Cemetery, Evangelization!

·      Look at the relationship with Bishop Paul Sirba and our Diocese of Duluth!

·      Look at our different missions to walk with each other!

We are all united by Jesus Christ!

Education, priesthood and the High Priest: Thursday, January 19th, 2017

Listen to the homily here.

Melchizedek pointing to Jesus as a priest and king: Wednesday, January 18th, 2017

Listen to the homily here.

Notes:

Melchizedek

·      In the NAB his name is used 10 times

·      Once in Genesis

·      Once in Psalm 110

·      Eight times in Hebrews

·      Both of these is what we heard today

One verse in Genesis?

·      “Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine, and being a priest of God Most High, he blessed Abram with these words:”

Hebrew

·      “Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of God Most High, met Abraham as he returned from his defeat of the kings and blessed him.”

·      “His name first means righteous king, and he was also "king of Salem," that is, king of peace.”

o   Salem à Jerusalem

·      “Without father, mother, or ancestry,without beginning of days or end of life, thus made to resemble the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.”

Psalm 110:

·      “You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.”

Trickery against Jesus and disciples: Tuesday, January 17th, 2017

Listen to the homily here.

Notes:

Jesus was over and over in “trickery” to put him in a corner

·      These were the insidious ways which led to Jesus die

·      Yesterday the Hebrews reading said, “He is able to deal patiently with the ignorant and erring, for he himself is beset by weakness and so, for this reason, must make sin offerings for himself as well as for the people.”

Today was the Sabbath

·      "The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath.  That is why the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath."

·      The deeper message from Jesus?

·      Doeg the Edomite, the chief of Saul's shepherds

For me, or for God?: 2nd Sunday of Ordinary Time

Listen to the homily here.

Notes:

God has called each of us on a mission

·      Not just Pope Francis

·      Not just our Bishop

·      Not just sisters and nuns

·      Not just priests

·      Each of us have a mission

Think about the missions in each of our readings

·      Israel, the beginning “family” from God:

o   “The LORD said to me: You are my servant, Israel, through whom I show my glory.”

o    

·      St. Paul:

o   “Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God…with all those everywhere who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord…”

·      John the Baptist:

o   “Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God.”

Active vs. Passive

·      What did God tell the Israelites?

o   I show my glory

·      What did God call Paul?

o   Paul was called…by the will of God

·      What did God show John the Baptist?

o   He [Jesus] is the Son of God

I believe that our culture is often backwards for our “missions”

·      Really, it’s either me or God

o   My projects, my possessions, my health, my money, my car, my family

o   Or: are these God’s?

One great prayer…great discerning…great answer was from our responsorial psalm:

·      “Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.”

Parish Bulletin Article: "Six Month Report with Thanks!": 1-15-17

            Here is my “Six Month Report: Thank You!” for our parishes.

            Here are a few thanks to ya’ll (a shout out for both our “Freezing Birds” [who live in Koochiching even when the temperatures are below zero], and our “South Birds” [who head south for winter and can see the sun and feel warmth in January]).

            Here are some thanks:

·      Thank you for ringing the bell at St. Thomas Aquinas again.  I have heard many comments from both parishioners and citizens in town who love it!  I also thank your donations to supply a control program.  This will add other opportunities for the bell, like baptisms, weddings, funerals, etc.

·      Thank you for our Knights of Columbus and Catholic Daughters and others to begin Breakfasts on several Sundays in the Aquinas Café.  Thank you for similar brunches at St. Columban.  One time, both parishes had breakfasts on the same day.

·      Thank you for checking our Advent Mission.  This year we gathered for Masses, two speakers, praise and worship music, Eucharistic Adoration, confession, free books and conversations with each other. 

·      Thank you servers, sacristans, Eucharistic Ministers, pianists, cantors and ushers.  Our many volunteers sustain the Mass.

·      Thank you members of parish committees: Financial, Pastoral, School Board, Tabernacle, Worship, etc.  I enjoy the groups that can work together to help your pastor.

·      Thank you for offering time, talent and treasure for our #1 Mission: our school.

·      Thank you to our employees.  Your talents assist our churches, our school and our relationship with our community.

·      Thank you all for continuing to pray for my health.  I continue to grow through speech therapy that hones aphasia.  It is unreal to see how your prayers, my speech therapist and God can keep my brain working forward!

·      Thank you, brothers and sisters, to continue to walk the journey with Jesus Christ.  Let us always continue to walk to our King!

God Bless!

Show and Tell for sickness: Thursday, January 12th, 2017 (School Mass)

Listen to the homily here.

Notes:

Show and Tell with the students:

·      Kleenex, picture with Mom and Dad, medicine, blanket and teddy bear, bottle of water

“A leper came to him and kneeling down begged him and said, ‘If you wish, you can make me clean.’  Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched the leper, and said to him, ‘I do will it.  Be made clean.’”

Jesus was tested to help our testing: Wednesday, January 11th, 2017

Listen to the homily here.

Notes:

Hebrews

·      One of the deepest book in the Bible

·      Temple, priesthood, Jesus’ mission, faith

“Because he himself was tested through what he suffered,

he is able to help those who are being tested.”

·      This verse is perfect for any funeral, counsel, confession

·      “…he is able to help those who are being tested.”

o   Lost ones, the crosses we carry body, mind or soul

And why is this a “normal” thing for Jesus?

·      He obeyed his Father

·      And in the Gospel we listened today: “Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed.”

The fame and teaching from Jesus or others?: Tuesday, January 10th, 2017

Listen to the homily here.

Notes:

"What is this?  A new teaching with authority.  He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him."  His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee.”

Jesus’ “fame” is around the world

And how are some of the “teachers”?  Especially against morality for us Catholics?

·      Well…famous athletes, Hollywood, 24/7 cable news, social media, etc. etc. etc.

·      Are they teaching true morality?  True natural vs. spiritual worlds?  Religion?

Let’s always look at history

·      Jesus Christ is the best teacher ever and billions of people know Him—and he didn’t lead through facebook, emails, even a telephone!

·      Some of the “teachers” today for 15 minutes…a week…a year…a few decades

Our Teacher will always be there…the difficult “teachers” today will not be there long