I recently saw the movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life”, directed by Frank Capra; it debuted in the post-war period of 1947. Now, it’s aired primarily by the NBC network during the holiday season. For a black and white movie, a lot of the movie’s themes are still relative for the world today.

Meet George Bailey, a young man, who is also the son of a banker. George has so many hopes and dreams that he wants to accomplish in his life. Then, after his father dies, he is left with the family business, “The Bailey Building and Loan”, and comes to the realization that many of his most cherished dreams may not come to pass. George gets married and has a family.

Things take a “sour turn” halfway through the film, when Mr. Potter,  the film’s villain; makes a dishonest move against George’s uncle.

As a result of this, George is feeling miserable and hopeless. Enter the angel Clarence. George was willed with so much grief and despair that he has contemplated throwing his life away.

Clarence presents George with a remarkable gift; a life he has never lived.

If you were to take a step back and analyze your life to this date. Though it’s probably safe to assume that our life hasn’t been as dramatic as the fictional character of George Bailey, we do have a lot of power to affect positive change. So, how many lives have you affected?  How have you helped people? What have you been able to do to affect positive change? What things could you make better? How would your friends and family be different?

Going further, imagine, now, what the world would have been like if Christ had never come into it. Our world, would have remained a very dark place. The birth of Jesus was a changing point. The Son of God was a gift that was given to us by God the Father. And as such, we must be thankful for this gift and look at our lives as gifts as well. God saw how dark the world was becoming, but as much, he was able to see the darkness inside of people’s lives.

In John 3:16, St. John writes, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” That’s right, God loves the world and all of us so very much, that he bundled up and placed his “gift” in swaddling clothes and placed him in that manger in that cave. And he gave us an eternal “gift” to spend it with him.

And it is up to us as Christians to continue to be that ‘gift.’  We must remember that often, we are the only Jesus people will see.  We are the only Bible some people will read.  The holidays and Christmas time can be a somewhat depressing time for many people, and as Christians it is important for us to never lose hope or our faith, but to exhibit that faith on a grander scale.

As much as Clarence gave George some perspective on his life, and his accomplishments already, I urge you to not lose hope or your faith. If self-analysis grants you great conviction or satisfaction, please know that you can still change your life. Our life on this Earth is truly a most wonderful and gracious gift. So make it a great one! Amen.

I love to garden, but often get frustrated when the small seedlings I have planted in the ground, do not take root. What usually happens is maybe one or two plants will survive my clumsy gardening, while the rest wither and die. I usually leave the dying stumps in the ground, figuring they will help fertilize the new plants trying to grow. In the beginning of Isaiah 11, we are offered a picture of the future that reminds us of how new growth springs from a solid root.

“A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.”

This vision of the future offers us hope, with the upcoming birth of baby Jesus. And further goes on to describe just exactly how the Messiah will lead His people. Why does the Holy Spirit, who gave Isaiah these visions of the future, want you and me to see this? Because we need to understand what kind of king we find in the manger of Bethlehem.

“The spirit of the LORD shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. His delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear; but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist, and faithfulness the belt around his loins.’”

We recently had a presidential election in the United States. And though we know that only one person can win, that didn’t prevent some people from being upset when their favorite candidate didn’t win. Everyone can describe in detail why their candidate is the best person to lead this country. But I imagine, if they were honest with themselves, they could also tell you the faults of this or that person. This is because no one person is perfect. But the prophet Isaiah described the most perfect leader, not just of a country, but of all time. Not only does this offer us hope for the coming Messiah, but also serves as inspiration for those who have lost heart in their daily struggles. What once seemed dying, lost, gone ….. now offers hope. All is not lost! This new vision of the future, as detailed in Isaiah 11:6-10, offers us a glimpse of God’s promises for the future.

“The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze, their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder’s den. They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain; for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious.”

Paints a pretty picture, doesn’t it? I can here you mumbling though: “But, how will all this be possible?” We already know that God can work miracles. After all, who created all you see, touch, smell, hear? It certainly didn’t materialize out of thin air. So is it so hard to imagine a future where there will be no strife, no discord among animals and man? Oh, I know looking at the world today, that might be hard to understand and even harder to imagine. But Matthew 19:26 clearly states, “Jesus looked at them and said “With men this impossible, but with God all things are possible.”” So next time you find yourself losing heart, ready to give up, remember the One who created you, who decided you were worth something. All of us are special, worth saving, and it will take a little baby, a small child, to show us the way.

Today the Church celebrates the great feast of St. Andrew the Apostle, the brother of St. Peter. Andrew was a fisherman by trade, working alongside his brother before being called by Jesus to follow after Him. He became one of Jesus’ 12 apostles, and after His death and resurrection went out into various regions to preach the Good News of salvation. He was eventually martyred on an X-shaped cross, tied to the cross until death. As he was led to the cross, an ancient tradition attributes this quote to the Saint:

“Hail, O Cross, inaugurated by the Body of Christ and adorned with his limbs as though they were precious pearls. Before the Lord mounted you, you inspired an earthly fear. Now, instead, endowed with heavenly love, you are accepted as a gift…

O blessed Cross, clothed in the majesty and beauty of the Lord’s limbs!… Take me, carry me far from men, and restore me to my Teacher, so that, through you, the one who redeemed me by you, may receive me. Hail, O Cross; yes, hail indeed!”

Saint Andrew holds a special place for me, as he was the patron of the Roman Catholic College Seminary I attended for 4 years. Countless hours were spent praying before the image of this great saint, who was cradling an image of our seminary in his arms. This saint, who we deemed a brother, we would beg to intercede for the brothers of our house, for ourselves, and for an increase of vocations to the priesthood and to the religious life. Now, every year, I take it upon myself to pray a Novena to my brother, St. Andrew, for the state of the Church and the world.

Our Gospel reading this morning presents us with the moment that Andrew and his brother Peter are called by Jesus for the great work of preaching the Gospel. Fishermen by trade, they were mending their nets by the edge of the sea, when this teacher walks by and says “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” We are told that they immediately left their nets and followed Jesus, not knowing at all what was to come. In a retreat on this topic to seminarians, Bishop Robert Morlino the Roman Catholic Bishop of Madison, WI, once said “When the Lord and Savior of the world comes up to you, looks you in the eye, and says ‘Follow me,’ why in the world would you ever stand still?” Andrew and Peter felt the call of conviction that the Lord laid on their hearts and as we know became two of the great apostles, preaching the Good News of salvation to the death.

There are times, I’d venture, that we often feel the call and conviction that Peter and Andrew felt, the call to preach the Gospel to all who will listen. We picture setting out on a grand crusade, bringing thousands to Christ and to salvation, bringing them home into the arms of God and away from the pain of heresy and death. But then we realize that with our busy lives in an increasingly secular world, we don’t have the time to go on these grand crusades that we have formulated in our mind. Notice what the Lord does with Peter & Andrew, and what He does with us as well. Jesus didn’t say, “Leave your nets, and you’re going to go on huge crusades.” No, he said, “Come follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Jesus took what they knew how to do, and enhanced it, for the work of ministry. So, too, does he do that with us. He takes our abilities, to teach, to pray, to work in the ordinariness of our lives, and enhances them for His uses, to preach the Gospel. That is how we can lead these lives of religious devotion in a secular and busy world.

My friends, there is work to be done. The harvest is plentiful, and the labors are few. Pray for an increase in vocations to the priesthood, diaconate, and religious life, that the Lord may take people in their ordinariness and enhance their gifts to serve His glory, that we may build up the Kingdom of God together. Like Peter & Andrew, heed the conviction that He is placing on your heart.

Amen.

Novena Prayer to St. Andrew

Saint Andrew, strong and powerful, intercede and pray for us.

Andrew, apostle of Christ, help me to rejoice in Jesus and so bring others to Him. May my words and deeds lead others to deeper faith in him. Bold missionary and evangelist, guide me where the Lord would have me preach his gospel. Companion of the Lord Jesus, send us people called to be priests, deacons, & religious. Saint Andrew, in your kindness hear and answer our prayer.

Amen.

Are you willing to trust God with everything?

What steps can you take to develop a deeper trust in God’s provision?

As I look in the passage in today’s Gospel and Epistle, I put myself in the same position, how to react and what to do as Christian person who follows Christ.

As a friar living a life of vows, professed totally to God and my superior’s will, and offering prayers for the needs of those who needs me, I must take St. Paul as an example.   The Apostle St Paul tells us today in the Epistle to the Thessalonians that with his own hands he provided funding for his existence, for food and for his missions that he must accomplish and traveling to all of those places he must visit.

In following his example, I have prayed a lot for the last two years for a stable job, so I can finance my work within the Dominican Order and the Church, and God answered my prayers for the glory and proclamation of his Kingdom. We as Independent Old Catholic clergy and religious follow this example to supply what we need for our spiritual work, firstly with work that will provide us money so we can invest in those abandoned and marginalized people who often are forgotten from their dominant parishes in our cities and towns. In today’s Gospel we read about all these natural signs from one side and from another side all what occur in today’s world scene full of hatred, criminal benefit of business with weapons making wars, destroying countries, making millions of refugees scattered in every corner in the globe, destroying families and homes into ruins. This all must be fulfilled as a sign that our God will return in this world one more time to give His righteous judgement for all acts of evil to be put in end and give punishment or redemption to those that their names are written in the Book of Life or eternal separation from the light for those that have followed their evil deeds of the devil.

We go back in the old testament where the Prophet Malachi has written this:

“But for you who fear my name, there will arise the sun of justice with its healing rays”

That’s what God desires for us, not because he needs our money or time or whatever else we can offer him, instead, he doesn’t want us to miss the blessing that comes from giving as St Paul showed us. We don’t get paid for our work as clergy because it is not some kind of occupation but it is life of vocation, we don’t get paid by someone higher than us, but we work here or there to provide food for us and those that we take care of, and then after we get home in our oratories we put our habits as visible sign of our dedicated vowed life and we continue with our work in and at our ministry that we are called to serve.  This often reminds me that in the 21^st century we yet live like in the time of St Apostle Paul.  We don’t live or work or ministry so we wait to be paid.  Our rewards and provisions come only from God. We are of those who must do our best to accommodate and help our neighbors in need, that is real ministry.

Let me compare another example, like that one when Jesus and his disciples decided to eat the Passover lamb, they payed someone for a rented room,  and there in that rented room,  we received our most important sacrament:   the gift of holy Eucharist, the first mass.  This, again, reminds me of my poor humble oratory with altar in the center, few candles, crucifix, one bed, few books.  This is how I work for Jesus.  There does not come a huge congregation, and I don’t stand up in a huge crowd of people.  We minister to those who need us, one or two or three persons at a time, and yet there in between stands Jesus giving us a clear statement that two or three gathered in His name, showing that he remains with us invisible with Holy Spirit or visible in the Altar under the sign of bread and wine.

But let us stand bold, do not get discouraged, having his name written in our hearts, baptized in his name, we belong to Him.  As he was seized, persecuted, we must realize that the same could occur to us as today we see how our brothers and sisters face persecutions and martyrdom in Syria, Iraq, Nigeria and many other places.

Praise the Lord for the peace this the places where live and support petitions for the persecuted brothers and sisters as many will be crowned as martyrs, let’s not get discouraged, or to live in fear that comes from the wicked devil, but rejoice, we will inherit Heaven!  Let us continue to share the good news to many, so all of us can enter there and share God’s love and eternal life.

As a friar in the Dominican Order, I am called to serve and live by the charism of our father St Dominic de Guzman as preacher of the Gospel and truth, not with preaching long sermons, but that what we share with others to correspond with the way of our life that we daily walk the path of thrones in this valley of tears.

We must not be afraid, but stay bold in Jesus, he is our doctor, physician, healer, our Lord and Redeemer.

I am reminded of the American hymn, “Living for Jesus”:

“Living for Jesus”
Thomas O. Chisholm
Living for Jesus a life that is true, striving to please him in all that I do,
yielding allegiance, glad-hearted and free, this is the pathway of blessing for me.

O Jesus, Lord and Savior, I give myself to thee, for thou, in thy atonement, didst give thyself for me;
I own no other master, my heart shall be thy throne, my life I give, henceforth to live,
O Christ, for thee alone.

Now take few minutes to imagine what Jesus would say about your Christian life to this point. What does he think about your faith, what does he think about your accomplishments for his kingdom, would he describe you as someone growing closer to him every day?

Amen.

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints (also called All Saints Day).

All Saints’ Day, All Hallows Day, or Hallowmas is solemnly celebrated on 1 November by many Western Liturgical Churches to honor, literally, all the saints, known and unknown; those individuals who have attained Heaven; all the holy men and women who have lived their lives for God and for his church, who now have attained Beatific vision and their reward of Heaven.

In early Christian history it was usual to solemnize the anniversary of a Martyrs death for the Lord at the place of their martyrdom. Frequently there were multiple martyrs who would’ve suffered and died on the same day which led to multiple commemorations on the same day. Eventually, the numbers of martyrs became so great that it was impossible for a separate day to be assigned to each individually, but the church feeling that every martyr should be venerated, appointed a feast day to commemorate them all on the same day.

The origin of the festival of All Saints celebrated in the West dates to the month of May in the year 609 or 610, when Pope Boniface IV consecrated the Pantheon at Rome to the Blessed Virgin and all the martyrs.  In the 730’s Pope Gregory III moved the Feast of All Saints to 1 November when he founded an oratory in St. Peter’s for the relics of the holy apostles and of all saints, martyrs and confessors, of all the just made perfect who are at rest throughout the world.”

From our Readings today, we hear of the vision of St. John from the Book of Revelation:

After this I had a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue.  They stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.  They cried out in a loud voice:

“Salvation comes from our God, who is seated on the throne, and from the Lamb.”

All the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures.  They prostrated themselves before the throne, worshiped God, and exclaimed:

“Amen. Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving, honor, power, and might be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”

Then one of the elders spoke up and said to me, “Who are these wearing white robes, and where did they come from?” I said to him, “My lord, you are the one who knows.” He said to me, “These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb.”

Who are these nameless saints?  Their anonymity teaches us that sainthood is not reached through great achievements or rare acts of bravery.  Sainthood comes from simply loving God and doing our best to live our lives in a way consistent with Jesus’ commandment.  I would dare say that none of the saints actually set out to be saints.  They simply loved God and lived their lives to follow Him.

Revelation goes on to remind us that giving our lives over to God will not protect us or insulate us from hardship.  Living in, for, with, and through God, however, will make sure that we can and will endure whatever “great distress” comes our way.  In this passage of Revelation, John is speaking specifically of those who have given their lives for their faith.  Christians throughout the Middle East are being martyred by forces opposed to Christianity, but in reality, it is very unlikely that any of us will be called upon to sacrifice our lives for our faith.

Our challenge, then, is to live for Christ, rather than to die for Christ.  Jesus does ask to lay down our lives for Him. Peter said to the Lord, “I will lay down my life for Your sake,” and he meant it (John 13:37). Has the Lord ever asked you, “Will you lay down your life for My sake?” (John 13:38). It is much easier to die than to lay down your life day in and day out with the sense of the high calling of God. We are not made for the bright-shining moments of life, but we have to walk in the light of them in our everyday ways.  For thirty-three years Jesus laid down His life to do the will of His Father. “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” (1 John 3:16).

If we are true followers of Jesus, we must deliberately and carefully lay down our lives for Him. It is a difficult thing to do, and thank God that it is, for great is our reward.  Salvation is easy for us, however, because it cost God so much. But the exhibiting of salvation in our lives is difficult. God saves a person, fills him with the Holy Spirit, and then says, in effect, “Now you work it out in your life, and be faithful to Me, even though the nature of everything around you is to cause you to be unfaithful.” And Jesus says to us, “…I have called you friends….” Remain faithful to your Friend, and remember that His honor is at stake in your bodily life.  We are called to remain faithful, despite the reasons the world gives us to not, despite the “great distresses” in our lives.

Who are these dressed in white robes?  It is my prayer to be counted among them.  What about you?