SUNDAY WEEK 4 -

Fourth Sunday of Lent - Laetare Sunday or Rejoice Sunday, which comes from Isaiah 66:10, “Rejoice O Jerusalem”

Fr. Kyle’s homily

Why do we have reason to rejoice when we have a virus that has shut down the world economy, is pushing us into isolation, and is driving the whole world into a recession which will place millions of people out of work?

In answer to this question let us look upon a few the limits of this virus:

First, this virus has no power to keep us from God, nor God from us.

Secondly, this virus has no power to keep us from loving ourselves, our families, our friends, our communities, or even our enemies.

Thirdly, this virus has no power to keep us from reaching out and doing good for others such as attending to the needs of the ill, the elderly, those quarantined, even if that means all we can do is pray for one another at a distance. This virus has no power over us from doing good!

Lastly, in the last 100 years, no matter the crisis, markets and jobs have always bounced back.

At the same time maybe God is using this virus is a wake up call for all of us.

Have we been taking life for granted?

Have we grounded ourselves in our faith? Our faith is to be so great that a mature faith lets us know that no matter how high up a ladder we climb professionally or financially that we recognize that our faith and our discipleship in Jesus Christ is to tower above all our personal successes.

On the other hand, while we are quickly learning more about how social distancing, and better sanitize ourselves and our surrounding helps to stop this virus, let us remember that our response to this virus is a choice.  Together we are called to fight back against this virus by following government and church protocols. Still more, let us use this virus as a “Timeout” to reflect about the choices we are making in life and our relationship with God.

Let me explain.  When a young man or woman enters the religious life, they must discern God’s will over many years.  This is necessary because it is hard for us to see God’s plan. Those first years in a seminary or the religious life may be looked upon as a “Timeout”.  Yes, the candidate for religious life spends much time in prayer, in learning about the Church, about Christ, about themselves, about their vocation, about the importance of living a moral life and how to overcome sin. This “Timeout” then, helps them to see what they could not see before. Some will determine that it is not God’s will to take vows to the religious life and they will then become great lay leaders of the local church.  Others are called to give their life fully unto the Lord, forgoing marriage and embracing poverty and obedience unto their superiors and the Church for the greater good of bringing stability to the local church and to make Christ more visible in the world through their love and dedication.

It’s a “Timeout” that few people ever get to have as adults, but now is a time for all of us to experience this gift, thanks to this virus.  So, take a “Timeout” this week.  Take break from all the social media and TV. Consider choosing to be totally free from social media every other day.  And when you do turn on the TV or tap onto social media keep it short. Go to good resources to get current news and get off it.  In this way, then, make this week and maybe the weeks ahead a “Timeout”.  Trust in God, assess how well you are living out your faith.  When this crisis is over your faith and love for Christ and the Church should then tower over the value of your profession, your finances, and all other aspects of your life.

The gift of making use of a “Timeout” during this virus gives us the ability to join the blind man that Jesus cured.  We will be able to see what others in the world can not.  We will value and live by a higher standard of awareness that frees us from living in fear, or from being hoarders.  Yes, let us rejoice in the Lord Jesus Christ.  Let us be His servants and evangelizers to a world that desperately needs the presence Jesus Christ to heal, to save, to love, and to conquer all the powers of this world be it a virus, or division, or sin, or death.  May our “Timeout” give us space to breathe in the Holy Spirit that we may see as Jesus would have us see and to serve as Jesus would have us serve.  

Daily Homilet

John 15:9-11
Jesus said to his disciples:
"As the Father loves me, so I also love you.
Remain in my love.
If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love,
just as I have kept my Father's commandments
and remain in his love.

"I have told you this so that
my joy might be in you and
your joy might be complete."

- What is the love that is spoken about here?  As the Father loves me so I love you.  The Greek written here is agape love, a love that looks after the good of the other person. Agape love transcends and is to remain permanent regardless of circumstance. No that's powerful! Imagine that someone loves you despite your failures, your short comings, your bad treatment of others, including themselves. This is the agape love of parents toward their children.  So often children only see the restriction or a reprimand and lack the foresight to know / see that the parent is trying to protect them from harms way.  Again, in spousal relationships require an agape love, putting and caring for others first, a sacrificial love, in order for the marriage to be blissful, joyful, and fulfilling. Why? Because the circumstances of the events are not to dictate how they are to respond. But rather, agape loving each other, they choose to respond sacrificially, choosing to lay down their first or immediate desires in order to inject a healthy dose of godly love back into a crisis, event, or situation often thrown at them. 
In the end, this is why Jesus is able to say, "I have told you this so that my joy might be in you and your joy might be complete." May the Lord Jesus' sacrificial love cover you all the days of your life so that His caring protection may free you from uncecessary pain and suffering, and that what remains in difficulty we may bear in love and maybe even a bit of joy knowing that in the Lord's eternal dwelling shall our joy be complete.

Fr. Kyle

Love people enough to meet them where they are but love them enough not to leave them where they are.  - a quote from one of my former students at UNT.  Fr. Kyle.

2 Samuel 12:13 Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.”
Nathan answered David: “The LORD on his part has forgiven your sin:
- Yes, David committed a mortal sin against God...actual several mortal sins. First he coveted Bathsheba (against the 9th commandment) and had sexual relations with her (against the 7th commandment), and upon finding out that she was pregnant by him, he tried to hide the fact by having her husband Uriah sleep with her (deception), and when that didn't work he devised a plan to have Uriah killed in battle (against the 5th commandment).  Many times we commit a second sin as grave, if not graver, than the first sin by trying to cover it up.  How shameful our behavior is when we refuse to fess up to our sins!  We need to be honest with ourselves, admit our guilt, and try to repair and heal the hurt that we have caused...and hopefully learn from our sinful mistake...before our actions bury us as they did David.  The bigger sins happen because of the willful habit of smaller sins.  The quicker we catch our smaller sins the better we will be at living holy lives and be a person who others can look up to because we have created a good habit out of humbling ourselves, admitting our faults and limitations, ask God and others for forgiveness, and renewing our commitment to a holy life.

In Christ our Lord,
Fr. Kyle  

John 6:27 "Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you." - Too often we fill our lives and our minds with things that do not satisfy, yet we pursue them as if they not only satisfy but as if we can't get enough and we run back for more knowing that it is only a temporal satisfaction.  It is a vicious circle that we can all relate.  Yet, we know that we are called to seek things that are imperishable things.  The world seems to tell us that imperishable things are too impractical to reach, unattainable, or it just simple doesn't exist. But anyone who has encountered God no words are needed.  They know that not only imperishable things DO exist, furthermore they are quite attainable for those you seek and pursue them.  First, the Son of Man, Jesus Christ give us Himself is an imperishable food for He is the Bread of Life that has come down from heaven.  And whoever eats this Bread shall live forever.  Now that's reaching an imperishable life!  Jesus has conquered the world, he has conquered sin, he has even conquered death, and now pours down His Spirit, the Holy Spirit, upon all who turn away from sin and are faithful to the Good News of Jesus Christ who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  Clean living really is not that hard.  What I find hard and an uphill battle or a downward spiral is choosing not to live with the mindset that we are answerable to the God that has Created us.  One can read in a single setting of less than four hours any of the four Gospels of Jesus Christ; Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John.  In those four short hours, the time that it takes to run out and watch a movie and get back is enough time to realize Jesus was not simply a prophet, a guru, or a sage.  He had power over all of creation, but he used both his words and deeds in healing and saving people from their plight of suffering and hopelessness. He is the Light of the world that has come to dispel all darkness and to save that which was once lost, us.

Treasuring Gifts Are Vital For Authentic Friendship

3 Minute Reflection - Psalm 102 "You (Lord) will arise and have mercy on Zion (substitute Church here): for this is the time to have mercy; yes, the time appointed has come for your servants (us) love her very stones, are moved with pity even for her dust." - Often when someone gives us a gift we are quick to give thanks but soon we forget the gift and the symbol of generosity and love behind the gift.  However, if we learn of the sacrifice behind the gift we then treasure both the gift and the person who gave us the gift...and the larger the sacrifice the more we treasure the very friendship.  We just celebrated Memorial weekend, a gift, a timeless treasure of soldiers who gave their life, killed on the battlefield and defense of freedom in our country and in the whole world. Let us therefore continue to honor with our lives the soldiers and their families who have suffered to bring us America's freedom.  Still, let us love the Church, the gift Christ sacrificed on the cross to give us, to sanctify us, to redeem us, and make us his own.  Not only are we to treasure her stones that are the sacraments and her teachings and the teaching of Christ himself, but even if the dust particles of the Church are shown before us being tossed away by the wind of darkness we are called to lament even this, to take pity on our Church and come to her aid to defend her and make sure she continues to shine in a world darkened by Satan and evil and sin. And when we love the gift of the Church that Christ has given us then we can all be assured that we love the person, Jesus Christ, behind the gift and that are friendship can be assured to be an authentic love; pure, holy, unblemished, and everlasting.

Short Daily Reflection - By Fr Kyle - From Mass Readings

Jan 14 - As he (Jesus) passed by, he saw Levi, son of Alphaeus, sitting at the customs post. Jesus said to him, "Follow me." And he got up and followed Jesus. Mark 2:13-17 - Levi, better known as Matthew, was a tax collector, collecting a "goods" tax just outside of Capernaum as people came in from the countryside to sell their goods. Like all tax collectors at these posts he was considered a trader against the Jews and thief and sinner who extorted illegal amounts over and above the standard rate for livelihood and personal self gain. 
In short, Matthew was seated, static, stagnate, not going anywhere with his life until he met Jesus who called him to follow and to serve rather than climbing the latter to success which required taking all he could from others, which in turn left him terrible dissatisfied and unhappy. We can only succeed in life by living a godly life, imitating Christ and following Him, and serving others as he has served us, calling others toward Christ as he has called us. Personally, following Christ has been been the best decision I could ever make. I love Him and I love the life, the graces, the mercy, the joys, the communion, the Bread of Life, the destruction of barriers, the freedom from sin, and the salvation that only comes by living in His Most Holy Name.

Devoted To Evangelizing The Next Generation

1Sam 1:9 "Hannah ... presented herself before the LORD ..she prayed to the LORD, weeping copiously .. promising: "O LORD of hosts ... if you give your handmaid a male child, I will give him to the LORD for as long as he lives" - Although Hannah was barren and suffered for lack of children, she still drew close to God and God to her. She valiantly demonstrates what true motherhood and parenting is all about; to raise their children to know the Lord and live for the Lord! God gave her a son, Samuel. For Christian parents it's all the more important to raise their children to know and live for Christ who alone redeems mankind and to prepare them to be evangelizers of such incomparable Life in Christ. How many Catholic parents, then, are encouraging their children to consider the religious life as brothers, sisters, or priests who freely choose to dedicate their entire being to Christ alone so that Christianity may expand? We can not afford to be selfish any longer! Help children, teenagers, and young adults know the amazing life of priest saints, sister saints, and brother saints, who  were consumed in the love of Christ and made His love known by their undying love for others.

A Walk Through the Mass - The Richness and the Changes

Step 2 - The last two days I provided a backdrop for many reasons why we NEED to go to church on Sundays and that the church is a house of prayer and that it is God's HOUSE, that is, where Jesus remains in the Eucharist reserved in the Tabernacle in the sanctuary. 

Let us proceed to what we do at each Mass.  After blessing ourselves with Holy Water, we normally look for space to sit in a pew.  As we find a place that is comfortable to us for prayer, we normally approach the pew and then what?  Ahhh, yes, we genuflect before our Lord Jesus Christ who is present in the sanctuary, or in some exceptional cases where Jesus is reserved in a side chapel or other area, we turn in that direction and genuflect, dropping our right knee until it hits the floor to show honor and due respect to the Master of the Universe and Savior of the World; either that or a profound bow as we would before a king, but since Jesus is truly the one and only King, we want to honor Him most properly. (If we set up a video in church and later watched everyone as they came into church, we would see how sloppy and irreverent most people are....maybe a pastor should do this once to make his point clear)  Inside the church is not the time or place to chat.  A quick, quiet whisper is okay, but let’s not forget that reverence and awe should be filling our minds.  Once we get in our pew, it’s time to pray in silence for a few minutes before Mass begins, bringing before the Lord a contrite and open heart to His Will for us, our thanksgivings for the week, and requests for help to overcome vices, sin, and temptation in our life. 

Mass then begins, typically, with a hymn, a hymn that matches closely to the reading for the day.  We don't sing "Jesus has risen today" during Advent, Christmas or Lent, for example.  Yes, some designated liturgist or musical director has carefully chosen and prepared the music for Sunday's Mass, and if you are blessed with a choir, then the entire choir has been practicing on the hymns of the day to elevate the mind and soul to a more perfect union with God during Mass for everyone.  As the processional hymn is complete, the presiding priest takes his place at his presiding chair in the sanctuary and officially begins the Mass, with the sign of the cross saying "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit".  On occasion you may hear the priest say something like, "Let us begin our celebration by the sign of our Salvation: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit", as everyone signs themselves with the sign of the cross over their body.  Quickly, in this regard, the theologian Tertullian (c A.D. 160-225) described the common practice of believers who marked themselves with the sign of the cross throughout the day: "In all travels and movements, in all our coming in and going out, in putting on our shoes, at the bath, at the table, in lighting the candles, in lying down, in sitting down, whatever employment occupies us, we mark our foreheads with the sign of the cross". (Tertullian, De Corona, no. 30).  St. John Chrysostom (A.D. 347-407) exhorted God's people to turn constantly to the power of Christ found in the sign of the cross: "Never leave your house without making the sign of the cross.  It will be to you a staff, a weapon, an impregnable fortress.  Neither man nor demon will dare attack you, seeing you with such powerful armor.  Let this sign teach you that you are a soldier, ready to combat against the demons, and ready to fight for the crown of justice.  Are you ignorant of what the cross has done?  It has vanquished Satan, and destroyed sin, emptied hell, dethroned Satan, and restored the universe.  Would you then doubt its power?" (See Edward Sri, A biblical walk through the Mass, p 18).  The cross, that is, Jesus who died on the cross, is the sign of our salvation, he alone has power over sin, Satan, and death.  The sign of the cross lets everybody know that everything we will do in the next hour will be in the name of the Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Where else do we have such a powerful sign?  When else do we come together as a sign of our oneness to praise God and to offer Him our life?  Actively participating at Mass gives us our human and Christian identity and dignity.  Mass also sets the standard for everything else that we will do in the week ahead, so that all that we do, we do in His name; it gives us direction and purpose, we are inspired by the Holy Spirit, we walk with Jesus, who we entrust our lives, because He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, we are obliged to go out and spread the Good News of Jesus to all we meet even as we are learning more each day about our Lord.

See, Mass is truly inspiring, and we are just getting started.  Next time we will look into the official greeting at Mass.

Fr. Kyle

A Walk Through the Mass - The Richness and the Changes

Step 1 - Step Into Church - Going to church or even thinking about going to church should make our hearts jump for joy.  Why?  Why you ask?  "I don't even like going to church."  That is the attitude of some....and believe me it’s all ATTITUDE, not much others can do about that until that person falls deep enough in sin and away from God that they realize they can't live without Him...like the prodigal son in Luke 15.  But I digress. 

Each church is very special and that doesn't matter if it’s a small rural church or a large mega-sized church, each is unique with many powerful symbols.  Each church took a whole community of people laboring together, disputes were resolved and agreements were achieved, as to exactly how the church should look like, which is never a small accomplishment.  Certain things are required in all Catholic churches; a steeple and cross on top, a vestibule or gathering space, the nave of the church were the congregation will worship, a center aisle for all the processions to the sanctuary were the Word of God is proclaimed at an Ambo and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is celebrated at the altar, a large crucifix is always placed in the sanctuary to remind us of the price Jesus paid for our sins.  Beyond these necessary parts of the church, each church will have its own unique inspirations (stained glass windows, stations of the cross, statues of saints who never abandoned their faith, mmm ahhh mmmm, confessional area for the Sacrament of Reconciliation) that is meant to further help us realize that we are on Holy Ground, that we are in a Holy Place dedicated to God and where Jesus is present night and day and so illuminate within us a desire to worship.  Remember that the disciples recalled in John 2:17 after Jesus had thrown out all the money changers and those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves saying "Take these out of here and stop making my Father's house a marketplace," they recalled a Hebrew passage about Jesus in the Temple, "Zeal for my house shall consume you." (Psalm 69:9 and John 2:17)  This is why I originally said that thinking about going to church should make us want to leap for joy!   The Catholic Church is extremely important...it’s literally God's House!  What?  Come on, father, it’s just another building, but one in which we happen to worship together.   Not exactly, actually not even close!  In each Catholic Church resides the Blessed Sacrament, Jesus is in the HOUSE!  Jesus is present, body and blood, soul and divinity, in the tabernacle reserved for Him alone.  Literally, the church is God's house and how well we should take care of His House before we think about our own.  How we care for or neglect our local church says a lot about how much we care for or neglect God. 

So, now, as we step into church, I hope we all have a greater understanding and sense of awe.  Holy Water is provided at each entrance of the church to help us be mind filled of this.  As we enter the church, we tap our fingers into the Holy Water and make the sign of the cross over our bodies…head, abdomen, left shoulder, right shoulder....reminding each of us of our salvation in Jesus Christ through baptism in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. 

See, again I feel better.  Next time we shall talk more about the sign of the cross, where it came from and why we, as Catholics, make the sign of the cross so often.

In Christ Jesus,

Fr. Kyle

A Walk Through the Mass - The Richness and the Changes

Before Step 1 - I hope to give a daily explanation of parts of the Mass in the following weeks which I hope will bring about a review for all, as well as a better understanding to the changes in words at Mass (All the actions are the same, just changes in wording have taken place for more precision).

The Eucharist at Mass is the "Source and Summit" of Christian life (Catechism of Catholic Church #1325).  Our unity is best observed and strengthened when we are united in prayer.  Mass is even more than this!  To attend Mass is:  to observe the commandment, "Keep Holy the Sabbath", to enter into communion with Christ and neighbor, to be humbled before God, to enter into the sacrifice of Christ, to bless and be blessed by God, to listen to the Word of God, to be challenged for the week ahead by the ordained minister of God in his homily, who has given his life over to Christ in a visible sacrificial way in order to serve others as Christ has served him, to pray for all the needs of the community and of the universal church, to be reinforced and strengthened in our faith, to look upon and be a part of the greatest of miracles in our life as the bread and wine is truly changed into the body and blood of Christ, to receive Jesus in the Eucharist if we are in full communion of the Church, or to receive Jesus in a true spiritual form in our hearts if we cannot receive communion, to be united in one mind and heart as did occur for the early disciples in ACTS 2:4, "And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them". WOW!!!  We live in a world today where husbands and wives are seldom of one heart and one mind and yet this is what occurred with the early disciples of Christ and continues today at Mass, for where Christ is, man cannot be divided because there is no division in Christ for we are many parts but all one body. Think about that, yes I know we have differences of opinions, but when we follow our call to holiness and humility, then our opinions give way to what is truly important, loving God and loving our neighbor as ourself. Thus, this is precisely why husbands and wives NEED to go to church, bring their children and join together as one local parish family who joins the whole world of Catholics and other Christians. So, think again about there being no division in Christ, think about the human body for a moment.  If our body was divided against itself, even in the smallest of ways and even for a short time, we would find ourself racked with pain and suffering beyond belief and we would have no relief.  If, as St. Paul writes, in 12:21 "the eye can't say to the hand, 'I don't need you'", then we can't either if we want a true body of Christ on either that is functional, alive, vibrant, healthy, growing and not mangled or suffocating because of division. Yet, this where we seem to be today half the time, racked with unnecessary pain and suffering due to pride and arrogance and then even deeper internal suffering of the soul due to our insidious welcome mat to sin of every sort under the sun. Yes, knowing that we are all sinners, we need a weekly cleansing from our sins, a shower in Christ's blood, shed on the cross and made present in the Eucharist to wash us clean of the smaller venial sins and an occasional super soaker of a shower in the confessional under the Sacrament of Reconciliation to welcome, in humility, a cleansing from those graver, more serious and even mortal sins we have committed against God.  In my opinion, having seen firsthand the destructive powers of sin (and Satan) which has destroyed the lives of so many individuals, it seems to me that there is indisputable evidence that attending Mass every Sunday is an undeniably necessity to be able to:  grow in the image and likeness of God, break from the powers of sin and Satan, grow in faith, hope and love, grow in humility, grow in relationship with Christ and His bride, the Church, grow in the gifts of the Holy Spirit; in wisdom, understanding, knowledge, wisdom, counsel, fortitude, piety and fear of the Lord, grow in the fruits of the Holy Spirit: charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, long suffering, mildness, faith, modesty, continency, and chastity.

In short, Jesus never said we are our own boss or that we can do as we please, rather he pointed us to himself, he pointed us to the Last Supper and said "Do this in memory of me", he pointed us to his suffering, death and resurrection, he pointed us to his Bride, the Church and he put Peter and his successors in charge of it saying that "the gates of hell shall not prevail against it", and through the guidance of his Catholic Church, Jesus points us to the way of holiness and eternal salvation. Knowing all this, I truly don't want to miss Mass, EVER!  I want to be one with Jesus and that summit of life that happens at Mass, with his people, in His Word, through the priest that presides the Mass, and in the Eucharist!

Okay, I already feel better!  Let's start talking about the various parts of the Mass tomorrow.

In Christ,
Fr. Kyle

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FOUR STEPS TO CHRISTIAN MATURITY AND FREEDOM

 
Four Steps to Christian Maturity
 
Have you ever wondered why those who have just joined the Catholic Church are excited about their faith, are filled with the Spirit, and ready to spread the Word of God?  Sometimes we may say to ourselves, “Wow, I wish I had that kind of zeal!”, yet on other occasions we may say under our breath, “Whatever.  In a few months I hope it wears out.”  I hope we lean toward a desire for the good of another and not toward jealousy or envy because someone has been powerfully blessed.
​I propose to you that there are four clear steps needed for any Christian, male or female, to grow in maturity of their faith and reliance on God. From all that I have read on the live of the saints they have all gone through these four steps that I will outline.  Furthermore, it would be most advantageous for teenagers and the college aged to know that these steps are a prerequisite for a lifetime of spiritual growth in order to make good adult decisions.  These four steps, which are progressively more difficult, will also prepare young people as they consider their career, or court the idea of marriage or the religious life.  Let’s see these four steps and challenges that Jesus presents to Peter in Luke 5:1-11.
​The first step to Christian maturity is to recognize that God is with us at all times, that Jesus has chosen to step into the boat that is our life.  We see that Jesus was already preaching to the crowds when he chose to get into the boat that belonged to Simon Peter who was minding his own business.  This may remind us of the passage from John 15:16, “It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you.”  So, when did Jesus decide to step into your life?  When you were baptized! That’s the day that Jesus most assuredly came into your life, cleansed you from your sins, and opened up the channel to life in the Holy Spirit by a new birth to live a holy life, gave you a mission in life that is irrevocable, incorporated you into the Christian community of faith centered on Christ in the Eucharist, raised you in dignity through his grace, and welcomed you to a place of honor where you shall never be shamed but always treasured.  The first sign of Christian maturity is to “put on Christ”, to embrace Christ, and to be grateful each day that Jesus is in our boat to help us along each day.  Therefore, acknowledge Christ as your Lord and Savior and embrace the gift of your baptism!  If our sons and daughters are not doing this then their confusion and sins will continue to grow exponentially.
The second step of Christian maturity is to listen to the Word of God which parallels Jesus’ request to Peter as “he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.”  Jesus calls Peter to be attentive and to listen to the Word of God as he preached to the multitude.  Jesus was as gentle with Peter at this step as he is with us.  He did not ask too much from Peter, simply to row a short distance from the shore, something ordinary yet will forever change his life.  The Church throughout the centuries has been depicted in art as a boat of salvation.  Jesus calls us to come to step into our local church (boat) on Sunday, a rather simple task, where the Word of God is proclaimed and preached.  We are called to listen to the Word of God, to embrace the Word of God, to have a deeper prayer life and trust in the Lord, to delve into the teaching of Christ as expounded by the Church, and to reflect upon the preaching and the true events that take place at Mass and in the parish.  When we awaken to the true message of Jesus it is liken to the transfiguration when Peter says to Jesus, “It is good that we are here!”  When we look forward to attending and participating in Mass and the parish we are reaching the second level of Christian maturity.
The third level to Christian maturity is much more difficult. It involves personal risk and courage and all too few Catholics are willing to make this level but maybe it’s time to get there. The Gospel continues: “After he had finished speaking he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Simon said in reply, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.” When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing.”  To help others through small gestures of kindness does not take much risk, but to be willing to say that you are Catholic or Christian in public or to take a stand on a moral issue is to take a huge risk.  You can imagine how James and John probably sat on the shore and laughed at Peter as they watched him cast his nets with Jesus.  But then again, James and John hadn’t caught a thing all night either!  All too often we are embarrassed to share our faith, to respond to the call of Christ to do a particular task, or to take a Christian stand on a particular injustice or against a particular sin in our society.  Peter made the leap of faith, Jesus blessed him with so many gifts that he called over his friends, James and John, and they too began to believe that Jesus is the Christ.  Yes, this type of faith is contagious in all the right ways.  A community of faith like this would light the world on fire!  And this is exactly the faith of the early Church had and it is the same faith Jesus calls us to today, to be a light to the world.  As we reach this level of spiritual maturity we are willing, for example, to also straighten out our life by seeking counseling from an addiction or a troubled past, get our marriage right with the Church, teach our faith to others at work or in the classroom.  For young adults this might mean spending a year in programs like NET, the National Evangelization Team, or attend the diocese’s vocational awareness programs to learn more about their own mission in life to evangelize, teach, serve, and care for others.  Young women at this point may consider the possibility of being called to be a sister or a consecrated lay woman.  Young men may consider a calling from God to be a brother or priest.
The fourth and last step to spiritual maturity is to give our whole life over to Christ who perpetually loves us despite our fallen nature.  “When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” … Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him.”  St. Paul says it best in 2 Cor. 5:14 “the love of Christ compels us …So whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away.”  When we are convinced that Jesus is the only way for our life and we become convicted in our faith, then we, like Peter and the apostles, have reached spiritual maturity while embracing the will of God for our life even though we will still struggle internally to be reformed and conformed in Christ, and even though externally we will be harshly treated and mocked at. Let us not forget all the saints who urge us on the path of Christ which they themselves also chose.
In summary these four steps to spiritual maturity are: Recognize Christ!  Listen to Christ! Proclaim Christ! Give your life to Christ! Then and only then can you reach your full potential as a Christian adult as Christ intends.  Most converts have gone through all four of these stages and hence their joy and excitement of being Catholic can seem over the top, as it should be for all of us.  Where do you see yourself? Let’s all strive to reach that next step as the love of Christ compels us!
 


 

Italian mystic who predicted fall of Mussolini beatified :: EWTN News

Italian mystic who predicted fall of Mussolini beatified :: EWTN News

LEARN WHAT"S WRONG WITH READING HOROSCOPES !!! FROM FR. KYLE :-)

Sept 07, 2011

Colosians 2:6 "As you received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him, rooted in him and built upon him and established in the faith as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. See to it that no one captivate you with an empty, seductive philosophy according to the tradition of men, according to the elemental powers of the world and not according to Christ." - We need to seek to live by God's design, God's plan and not the plan of worldly people, or by superstitions, or be the blind following the blind. I often see people posting a daily horoscope. While this may seem innocent enough, the truth is that whosoever follows these horoscopes allow this be their guiding lamp, their god if you will, which is not God whatsoever but rather a false god that is blind to the truth, led by false prophets with personal financial gain in mind. Yes, those who get hooked on reading horoscopes are then more likely to drop by a palm reader or be open to tarot card readers which is black magic, an arm of Satan to draw us away from Christ and deeper into darkness with the belief that certain people have power to predict our future, guide us in decision making, and help us in financial gain. The religious sisters, brothers and priest of the Catholic Church pray a pray each Tuesday night that comes from 1 Peter 5:8 "Stay sober and alert. Your opponent the devil is prowling like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him solid in your faith." Instead of trusting in a horoscope or some other advice for the day, open up the WORD, Sacred Scripture every day and read a passage out of the Bible, especially the New Testament about our salvation in Jesus Christ who redeems the baptized through his blood on the cross, his death, and his resurrection. A chapter a day keeps the devil away. Be on the winning side of life, life in Christ, because Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. If we draw ourself to anything else, or anybody else, or even trust only ourself, then we are seriously misled and are prey to the devil's many traps of sin, confusion, unnecessary suffering, abuse, hopelessness, and the list goes on. Walk with Jesus and grow in the strength of God!