"Here I am Lord, I come to do your will": 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Listen to the homily here.

Notes:

2^ndSunday in Ordinary Time

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

·      Here: always?

·      I come to do your will: His will, not mine

Isaiah: Israel, God’s people

·      “I will make you a light to the nations,
that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”

1 Corinthians: St. Paul

·      “Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God…”

St. John the Baptist

·      “I did not know him,
but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me,
‘On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain,
he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’
Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God.”

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

·      Here: always?

·      I come to do your will

o   What is God’s will in our lives

o   1.) Holiness

o   2.) Vocation: marriage, priest, religious life

o   3.) Mission

Parish Bulletin Article: "6 Month Updates": 1-19-20

Well, am I grateful for parishioners at St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Columban. Every six months, I enjoy catching up with our parishioners, and this period I would like to share with this for IFalls Nice!

This weekend, thank you for Bob French and the Moonlight Archery 3D Shoot in the STA Hall. Thanks for their new opportunities in this frigid time of the year for our community!  And,  excited adults, students to learn how to hunt and enjoy an event in a place at our Hall.

I am still amazed that the rectory in which I used to live in, is now again the Northland Recovery Pineview Center. Kudos to all of our parishioners' prayers, and a large team, which made that together with God's will!  And it only took ten months!

I am inspired by many parishioners who serve our community in many events/support systems to help the poor. I remember many nonprofits: Community Cafe, Clothing Closet, Friends Against Abuse, Servants of Shelters, etc., etc., etc..  Then I consider and pray for members of our family in their jobs, businesses, health care, and beyond.

And I am also grateful for so many of our students as well as our teachers, administrators and beyond, that work in our different schools: Falls High School, Falls Elementary, Littlefork/Bigfalls, Indus, Homeschools and St. Thomas Aquinas School. Let us continue to grow with education, love, and friendship to support them to grow within the whole person in different types of training.

Happy New Year, and God Bless!

Why was Jesus Baptized?: Baptism of the Lord

Listen to the homily here.

Notes:

The Baptism of the Lord

Why was Jesus Baptized? Did he have to?

·     No original sin

·     He was a person and God—so He didn’t have to be baptized, because he was perfect

St. Maximus: Someone might ask, “Why would a holy man desire baptisms?”  Listen to the answer: Christ is baptized, not to be holy by the water, but to make the waterholy, and by his cleansing to purify the waters which he touched.  For the consecration of Christ involves a more significant consecration of the water.

Or in the Gospel according to Matthew today:

·     “John tried to prevent him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me?’. Jesus said to him in reply, ‘Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.’”

Baptism:

·     Original sin out

·     Holy Spirit in

·     Part of God’s family

Finally

·     Why children?

o  “Let the children come to me…”

o  Are your little one’s choosing what to eat?  What diapers? What vehicle?  What car chair?

o  You parents teach your parents from the very beginning as humans

o  But you ought to also be focused on what you work as a spiritual person, and show your children to do the same! 

Parish Bulletin Article: "Baptisms": 1-12-20

Why was Jesus Christ baptized?  

Well, Jesus Christ did not have to be baptized.  He was, were, and still is God.  He never had to be baptized because he had no sin.  So once again, why was he baptized?

This weekend we will hear a great example from the Gospel according to Matthew and the baptism of Jesus Christ:

“Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan

to be baptized by him.

John tried to prevent him, saying, 

‘I need to be baptized by you,

and yet you are coming to me?’

Jesus said to him in reply,

“Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us

to fulfill all righteousness.”

Then he allowed him.

After Jesus was baptized,

he came up from the water and behold,

the heavens were opened for him, 

and he saw the Spirit of Goddescending like a dove

and coming upon him.

And a voice came from the heavens, saying, 

“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:13-17).

Now, why should your child be baptized?  As Jesus did not have to be baptized, yet decided to receive it anyway, you ought to have your little ones baptized as soon as possible because of one crucial truth: your child received the original sin from our first parents.

In our Catholic tradition, we believe that the baptism of children is essential to be forgiven, not from their sins, but once again the original sin! And, this is a belief that we support babies, just like their parents choose what clothes they wear, what food they drink/eat, the house in which they live, the vehicle in which they ride, etc., etc., etc.. 

Last point this weekend.  I am very excited as we have 4-6 little ones, some junior high students, and even some adults, are close to being baptized!  Please pray for them all as they are seeking this first sacrament—the sacrament in which we are welcomed into God’s family.  And please continue to invite, welcome, and recommend your loved ones to be baptized as well!

God Bless!

Who has been sick recently? And who helps you?: Thursday, January 9th, 2020

Listen to the homily here.

God is LOVE: Wednesday, January 8th, 2020

Listen to the homily here.

John 4:7-10: Tuesday, January 7th, 2020

Listen to the homily here.

Discernment of Spirits: Monday, January 6th, 2020

Listen to the homily here.

We Three Kings on Epiphany: Epiphany

Listen to the homily here.

Notes:

Epiphany

·     Big time celebration

·     Manifestation of epiphany—the light of Jesus Christ

·     The star

·     The magi/kings

·     The gentiles welcome to God’s family

This year, I was inspired with one of my favorite songs in the Christmas Season: We Three Kings

We three kings of Orient are; 

bearing gifts we traverse afar, 

field and fountain, moor and mountain, 

following yonder star. 

            

Refrain: 

O star of wonder, star of light, 

star with royal beauty bright, 

westward leading, still proceeding,

guide us to thy perfect light. 

2 Born a King on Bethlehem’s plain,

gold I bring to crown him again, 

King forever, ceasing never, 

over us all to reign. [Refrain]

·     Gold for the true King with a crown

·     King forever, ceasing never

·     Over us all to reign

3 Frankincense to offer have I; 

incense owns a Deity nigh; 

prayer and praising, voices raising, 

worshiping God on high. [Refrain]

·     Incense to worship this child who is also God

·     Worshiping God on high

4 Myrrh is mine; its bitter perfume

breathes a life of gathering gloom;

sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying, 

sealed in the stone-cold tomb. [Refrain]

·     Knowing the turn of this true story: this king is not to destroy others, but would die for these others, even the Gentiles!

·     Breathes a life of gathering gloom, sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying, sealed in the stone-cold tomb

5 Glorious now behold him arise; 

King and God and sacrifice: 

Alleluia, Alleluia, 

sounds through the earth and skies.

·     Glorious, King and God and sacrifice

·     Alleluia, Alleluia

·     Lent and Easter!

·     This hymn sounds through the earth and skies

The big picture of how Jesus came to our planet, invited all people, and then offered his life for all

Parish Bulletin Article: "We Three Kings": 1-5-2020

“Epiphany = the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles as represented by the Magi (Matthew 2:1–12).”

As we continue to celebrate the season of Christmas, we are now able to worship for the “light” of Jesus Christ, the star, and his transformation from God changing to a God-Man.

One of my favorite hymns is “We Three Kings,” and the words are amazing. It not only offers beauty in the music but the depths of what the kings brought to our savior.  Here are the full lyrics, and take some time to soak in how these lyrics can help your image of these three gifts from these three Magi’s:

We three kings of Orient are; 

bearing gifts we traverse afar, 

field and fountain, moor and mountain, 

following yonder star. 

Refrain: 

O star of wonder, star of light, 

star with royal beauty bright, 

westward leading, still proceeding, 

guide us to thy perfect light. 

2 Born a King on Bethlehem’s plain, 

gold I bring to crown him again, 

King forever, ceasing never, 

over us all to reign. [Refrain]

3 Frankincense to offer have I; 

incense owns a Deity nigh; 

prayer and praising, voices raising, 

worshiping God on high. [Refrain]

4 Myrrh is mine; its bitter perfume 

breathes a life of gathering gloom; 

sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying, 

sealed in the stone-cold tomb. [Refrain]

5 Glorious now behold him arise; 

King and God and sacrifice: 

Alleluia, Alleluia, 

sounds through the earth and skies. [Refrain]

God Bless and Merry Christmas!

Who is the liar?: Thursday, January 2nd, 2020

Listen to the homily here.

Day 7 of the Octave: Basics of Catholicism: Tuesday, December 31st, 2019

Listen to the homily here.

As Your Family look up to the Holy Family: Holy Family

Listen to the homily here.

Notes:

Holy Family

Merry Christmas as we continue to celebrate Christmas itself

And the solemnity this weekend is “The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph”

·      The closest family of perfection

·      Jesus, both God and Man, or incarnate

o   “And he said to them, “How is it that you sought me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”  And they did not understand the saying which he spoke to them. And he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart.”

·      Mary with no sin, and a virgin

·      Joseph, a righteous man 

o   We remember Christmas readings that Joseph was going to divorce her and the Angel spoke to him?

o   And today we pick up where we were

§  "Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, 
and stay there until I tell you.
Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him."
Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night 
and departed for Egypt.”

Now, I believe that our society is noticing the breaking apart of families, which should be the building block of our country

·      I believe that there is one crucial part of families

·      Listen to this quick passage in Sirach: “God sets a father in honor over his children;
a mother's authority he confirms over her sons.”

o   God is #1

o   Spouse is second

o   Children are third

·      A huge part of our society is going backwards

o   Kids are #1

o   Spouse is second

o   God may be third, or lower

o   And, consider other challenges where God, spouse or children aren’t even in the top three

o   Or, parents running around like chickens with no head—craziness

God first, spouse second, children third

And may we connect our families to the Holy Family, Jesus, Mary and Joseph