Fasting and Gratitude ~ The Rev. Frank Bellino

There is a Jewish folktale Fr. Ron Rolheiser, theologian and spiritual writer, shares in his book Against an Infinite Horizon.

It begins…

“There once was a young man who aspired to great holiness. After some time at working to achieve it, he went to see his rabbi.

‘Rabbi,’ he announced, ‘I think I have achieved sanctity.’

‘Why do you think that?’ asked the rabbi.

‘Well,’ responded the young man, ‘I’ve been practicing virtue and discipline for some time now and I have grown proficient at them. From the time the sun rises until it sets, I take no food or water. All day long, I do all kinds of hard work for others and never expect to be thanked. If I have temptations of the flesh, I roll in the snow or in thorn bushes until they go away, and then at night, before bed, I practice the ancient monastic discipline and administer lashes to my bare back. I have disciplined myself so as to become holy.’

The rabbi was silent for a time. Then he took the young man by the arm and led him to a window and pointed to an old horse which was just being led away by its master. ‘I have been observing that horse for some time,’ the rabbi said, ‘and I’ve noticed that it doesn’t get fed or watered from morning to night. All day long it has to do work for people, and it never gets thanked. I often see it rolling around in snow or in bushes, as horses are prone to do, and often I see it get whipped. But I ask you: Is that a saint or a horse?’”

Fr. Rolheiser comments, “This is a good parable because it shows how simplistic it is to simply identify sanctity and virtue with self-renunciation and the capacity to do what is difficult. In popular thought there is a common spiritual equation: saint = horse; what is more difficult is always better. But that can be wrong. To be a saint is to be motivated by gratitude, nothing more and nothing less”

Let me emphasize Fr. Rolheiser’s point here again, to be a saint is to be motivated by gratitude, nothing more and nothing less.

Jesus cautions his disciples to notice our attitudes and motivations when it comes to our Lenten practices. Jesus says, “Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father. When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.”

St. Michael’s Family, why do we fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday? Why do we give up meat on Fridays? What is so important that we obey the Lenten practices? We do these easy rituals meant to make us reflect and shake us out of our everyday way of doing things, to take time and consider how grateful we are to God from whom the formidable gift of life comes, and to take time to deliberately care about others, specifically the less fortunate.

Family, on this day, Ash Wednesday we are called from the everyday, to be aware of the blessedness of the human lives around us, and to be a more thankful people, a people who do not take our life or the lives of others around us for granted.

During Lent, it is our duty to pray, fast and to perform acts of personal sacrifice to bring us into this new realization. Lent can be an opportunity to start our New Year’s resolution again. This can be a time to spend five minutes or more in prayer, perhaps with scripture or the rosary, if you only start with one Decade. Read and do the Lenten study and activities we have started. Lent can be time to aid the homeless or giving at a charity. Lent can be a time to make the effort to take part in some of our special devotions like the Stations of the Cross (Good Friday). There are as many ways to enter into Lent as there are baptized Christians.

We are called to complete spiritual exercises, not because we are horses. We do it because of our love for God, and because we are human. At times we humans need to be agitated from the ordinary, to be reminded that our time here is short, that “we are dust and to dust we will return”. We sometimes forget this great gift, life, can you imagine a world without you! I know the family here can’t.

We have so valuable little time to do our part for God, to give back just a meniscal of what He has given us. Ash Wednesday reminds us of our mortality, that time is fleeting, to shake us out of complacency and get to work on God’s Kingdom. We are all invited to accept St. Francis’ invitation to preach the Gospel at all times, if necessary, use words.

Judge Who??? ~ The Very Rev. Lady Sherwood, OPI

Reading I: Sir 27:4-7

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 92:2-3, 13-14, 15-16

Reading II: 1 Cor 15:54-58

Alleluia: Phil 2:15d, 16a

Gospel: Lk 6:39-45

My dearest brothers and sisters in Christ:

First, let’s take a look at our Gospel reading for Today of  Lk 6:39-45 (NIV):

39 He also told them this parable: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit? 40 The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.

41 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 42 How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

A Tree and Its Fruit

43 “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. 45 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.

So what is this telling us and what can we learn from the Lord’s teaching of the Gospel today?

Each and every one of us at some point in our lives become prone to excuse our own faults and magnify the faults of others and to put our judgement upon them. You know how it goes: It could be things such as: “I’m quiet, you’re unassertive; he’s a wimp.” “I’m concerned; you’re curious; he or she is nosy.” “I’m thrifty; you’re a bit tight; that person is cheap.” “I drive with the flow of traffic; you go over the speed limit; that person is very reckless.”

Jesus knows  our common propensity to justify ourselves and to blame others. As He concluded the section of His sermon dealing with the requirement of loving even our enemies, He knew that we would try to dodge its demands by judging our enemies and by  excusing ourselves. So He gives a strong corrective by showing how we should focus on showing mercy, not judgement, even toward those who have wronged us (6:36-38). Then, to help us apply it, Jesus goes on to show that we must focus on judging our own sins or we will be like the blind  trying to lead the blind (6:39-40). Only when we have judged our own sins can we then see clearly to help another person with their sins (6:41-42). In fact, we must judge ourselves down to the heart level, because only a good heart can produce good fruit (6:42-43). Thus Jesus is teaching us that …

To love as we ought to be doing, we should focus on showing mercy toward others but (also) on judging our own sins.

Let us pray:

Almighty God,  sometimes we struggle with anger and with judgement. We see things and want to get revenge or we wish others to be punished for wrongdoing. We pray that you fill our hearts with compassion and forgiveness. Help us  not to condemn but seek first to forgive others. Help us not to judge, but to serve. Amen.

Love Your Enemies ~ Milan Komadina, Novice

Who are our enemies? Do we have them? How should we behave toward our enemies? In today`s reading we remember how Jesus instructed us to love our enemies and not to judge others. This is a very difficult instruction to obey. We live in the world that is full of injustice. Many times when we try to be good and to do all the right things we experience by many other people inconveniences of various kind. At our workplace we might have an unfriendly boss, a jealous colleague or being surrounded with people who are discriminative against us. People who might not love us for no reason. People who mind our religion, or our sexual orientation, or our freedom, or some physical characteristics. They might behave very unfriendly. We all experienced having enemies at all levels. Since childhood, in the school, at the college or later on a workplace. One difficult thing to do as a Christian is to love your enemies. This can be very difficult if a person do something which is really evil to us. If you are a child who is bullied at school by your peer school mate, how could you love him? If you work somewhere and your colleague is irrespective, arrogant, talking negatively about you to other colleagues. How could you love him? Or if your neighbor has secretly broken your window just because you are different skin color, sexual orientation, a member of different religion, different nation and you feel hated and discriminated against, how can you love that person?

Have you ever wondered how could we really love our enemies? When Jesus said – love your enemies it was so easy for him to say. But in real life it seems to be much easier if he told us to do anything else like – ignore your enemies, curse your enemies or punish your enemies and revenge. Since this is not easy let`s see what the Bible says,

Lk 6:27-38:

 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them.Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.Do to others as you would have them do to you.

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that.And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full.But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

In the first part of this sermon we defined that we can have our enemies everywhere. In our neighborhood, at school, at work, and other places. We remembered that many people could be very unfriendly to us and do bad things to us. And we were wondering how we could love our enemies. We all know that this is really hard. And we should admit that. In my own experience being Christian is not easy because our nature is evil. We naturally want to revenge, we cannot simply love our enemies. And Jesus knew that. This is why He gave us an explanation on why should we love our enemies. And here in Jesus` words we might find the deeper meaning and the sense of why it is good and how we could successfully manage to love people who would we naturally hate. Take a look at those few sentences:

  1. Do to others as you would have them do to you…
  2. Then your reward will be great…
  3. Forgive, and you will be forgiven…

Does this makes sense to you now?

Loving our enemies is exactly what God has to do with us on the first place. Since the sin that we naturally do as being part of sinful nature makes us His enemies. He would naturally hate us, revenge to us and do bad to us because naturally we do things against God`s will on daily level. Consciously and unconsciously we sin. And our sin makes us God`s enemies. If we meditate on those tree sentences. First do to others as you would have them do to you. It moves to focus not to our enemies but to us. It shows us that it is good not for our enemies, but it is good for us when we love our enemies. Now there is even more sense in the next sentence when Jesus promises `your reward will be great`. It all makes sense now, right? We are not just fools who love our enemies that are treating us badly knowing that they will be treating us that way to eternity. We love them because we know that God is to revenge, not we. We forgive them because we know that God is to forgive and to them and to us. Next God promises `Forgive and you will be forgiven`. I remember the book that I read almost 15 years ago. The book was written by a Christian monk from the Holy Mount Atos in Greece. His name was Paisios. In his interview about loving enemies he said some things that were very useful for me and even today after 15 years I often remember his words. He said that everything happens with some reason. And even if God allows some enemies to come in our life that could also be happening with a reason. Sometimes it is not good for us something that we do, something that we want or that we are focus to and God let`s our enemies to damage our own plans. At the moment when that happens we are angry, we are furious and we want those enemies to be removed from our life. But Paisios advises us to wait and see what God will do. And always after some time in the future you will see and you will understand why God let those people in your life. As in the school. A child needs to have many lessons. Some lessons are interesting, super fun and very creative. Others seem to be boring, unpleasant, even not useful. A child would rather escape from those classes. But, all lessons are part of educational program. This is the same in our life. We meet people who we love and who love us, and we also meet people who behave as our enemies and people who do not love us. But they are all a part of our life experience. We could always learn something good through this experience. And let us wait to see what God will do. In the past when I was 20, 25 or 30 years old, loving my own enemies was a very unrealistic task. After I gained some life experience, now after my 35th birthday when I sit alone, think, and analyze many situations that I had in my life with my enemies. I can see that God was always there to intervene. I can see good things in things that looked very bad to me at that time. Those were all lessons. In the end, I don`t want to sound like a very wise super easy-to-do Christian. The truth is it is not easy. The truth is it is difficult. The truth is loving our enemies is something that we must learn through practice. But the truth is also that there is sense in doing so. We will be rewarded, we will be forgiven and God will deal with it. Whatever it is. Just wait for the God, and just leave it to God. As Greek monk Paisios advised.

God Made Me, Knows Me, Loves Me ~ Milan Komadina, Novice

In today’s reading from the Bible we read about the Lord’s Call of Jeremiah (Jer 1:4-5):

”The word of the Lord came to me, saying, `Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart, I appointed you as a prophet to the nations`”.

 While these words from the Bible were addressed to the prophet Jeremiah, we can also learn something very important for all people in what was written here. Lord said that he formed Jeremiah in the womb and he knew him before he was born. This is how great is our God, we can apply this to every one of us and to the all creatures. God is the one who set us all apart, He is the one who formed all of us in the womb. Sometimes among our Christian sisters and brothers it seems that we want to hide some natural characteristics. For example being born as an LGBT+ person. As medical science knows this is a natural personal characteristic that people do not choose. Like the eye color, the body constitution, hair color, etc. A sentence from the Bible which we previously mentioned teaches us that God is the one who creates people in their mothers’ wombs. God knew if we would have blue or green eyes, or black or brown hair before we were born. The same way he knew what our sexual orientation would be and our personal characteristics. It is really sad that we live in the era of discriminative Christianity when many churches push people to change, hide or feel bad about their natural God-given sexual orientation. As a result many young people, but also some older people face problems because they have Jesus in their hearts but they feel denied by their local church. In this sermon I am inspired to share a spiritual hug in Christ to all those Christians all around the world who are victims of any kind of discrimination. For being LGBT+ or for being women or for being in the situation when facing discrimination because they do not physically appear religious enough for the local churches to be accepted. This has nothing to do with Our Lord. What the Bible teaches is that The Lord knows exactly who we are, how he formed us in our mom’s womb and he does not want us to be changed because He is the one who created us just the way we are. Whenever you feel discrimination or any kind of unacceptance know that God loves you. God never discriminates and He loves you. I would also like to mention that it is very important not to judge those churches who are discriminative. Many people there might not be aware that what they do is not christian. Many people are also victims of false discriminative doctrine. This is just to understand and not to judge. For all of us it is good to remember that the love is the only sign of having Christ. The only miracle that will last forever. As it is written in 1 Cor 13. Let us read 1 Cor 13:4-13:

 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

This chapter is read in the weddings or life partnership blessings. This can be considered as one of the most important lessons from the Bible. The lesson about love. As we read in the end of this chapter the greatest is love, then faith and hope. In the modern era where we live how can we know if there is Jesus in Christians? The indicator is – the love. Being real Christian without love is impossible because God is love. Our faith is all about love. If we physically appear to be super religious, wearing huge cross, holding holy books wherever we go, reading Bible all day etc. but if we do not have enough love for our neighbors, this cannot satisfy God. Being religious is helpful. But it must include love. If we judge other people, if we discriminate or if we think that we are superior toward others – then we should really think if the Christ is really present in our hearts. We should always keep on our mind that there are two biggest commandments and they are both about love. The first one – Love God and the second one – Love people. And that’s a short summary of what means being Christian. 

Coming to Mass, Coming to Christ ~ The Rev. Frank Bellino

The leader of every celebration of the Mass is Jesus Christ Himself. He is the fundamental agent of the Eucharist. He is the High Priest of the New Covenant. It is He Himself who officiates invisibly over every Eucharistic celebration. It is in standing for Him that the bishop or priest presides over the congregation. It is in standing for Him that they preach after the readings. It is in standing for Him that they receive the offerings and recite the Eucharistic Prayer. The bishop or the priest act in the person of Christ! They act in the person of Christ during the Mass — the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist (cf. CCC 1348).

During Mass, the Liturgy of the Word covers all the readings, the homily, the Creed, and the Prayers of the Faithful or General Intercessions. The Liturgy of the Word is an important part of sacramental celebrations. To encourage the faith of believers, the signs which go with the Word of God are emphasized. We sing Alleluia, we have the procession of the Book of the Gospels before its proclamation; and this emphasizes its importance and veneration. Even from where it’s proclaimed, the ambo also emphasizes that the Word of God is being decreed.  The clear and intelligible reading, homily, and the responses of the people are more signs which go with the Word of God being highlighted (cf. CCC 1154).

The Liturgy of the Word during Mass is in our history all the way back to the time of Ezra. We heard from the Book of Nehemiah in the First Reading the description of what Ezra, the priest, did in the synagogue. It’s very similar to what we do at Mass, today.  Ezra was standing at one end and standing higher up; that’s what the priest or deacon does: from the Ambo.  As Ezra opened the scroll, the people rose; that’s what happened at the Gospel during the Mass, the people stand to listen the Gospel proclaimed.  Then Ezra interpreted the reading for the people; and that’s what the priest or deacon or bishop does after the proclamation of the Gospel, he gives the homily.

Every time we read the Old Testament, try to keep in mind Jesus Christ because everything recorded in the Old Testament leads us to Jesus Christ. He is the completion of all prophecies in the Old Testament. Ezra, too, anticipates Jesus Christ, the Eternal High Priest, which we heard in the Gospel today. Jesus was handed the scroll of Isaiah to read and then He gave his “homily” by saying: Today, this passage is fulfilled in your hearing. Again, the Liturgy of the Word goes back all the way to Ezra’s and Our Lord’s time. The people were attentive in hearing the readings being interpreted by Ezra and by Our Lord.

So, the Liturgy of the Word is like a form of a conversation. God speaks to us through the readings and the homily; and we respond to Him by our profession of faith and interceding on behalf of the Church as His family.

Mother Angelica gives us her guidance on how to listen to sermons. She said: “Don’t shut off the Word, because you’re going to miss a lot of graces in your life. Don’t say, ‘I’ve heard all of this before.’  Listen to what the Spirit wants to say to you right now…  Now, maybe you don’t like his interpretation.  Fine. You don’t have to like it.  There are a lot of speakers that I don’t like.  But there have been times where the worst speaker will say something that hits me like a rock. So please don’t sit there with a Christian Science grin.  Wake up and listen. Really listen! There is no sermon that you cannot get something out of. I don’t care who gives it.  It’s not what they are saying.  It’s the Word!  You need to ask only one question when that homily begins: ‘What is Jesus going to say to me today?’”

For us, priests, preaching is undeniably an important office we’ve been given to deliver faithfully. We are being shaped through the preaching of the word of God. This is when we decide to leave sin behind during the preaching of the word of God. This is when we transform during the preaching of the word. It is during the preaching of the word that we decide to embrace the life of the Gospel and abandon the worldly life. It is during the preaching of the word that we decide to try for virtue and stop vices. So, know this anytime a Bishop, Priest or Deacon prepares and gives a homily he is talking to himself also, we are far from perfect.

St. Dominic also placed great emphasis on study. A preacher needed to be educated to know what he was talking about before he got into the pulpit.  This is the origin of one of the 4 Pillars of the Dominican charism

I want to conclude with a discernment of St. John Marie Vianney, the patron of all priests, about preaching. Through his words, he speaks to us, priests, and to the rest of the People of God. First, he calls us, priests, to model after the good thief on the cross; and then, he speaks to the lay faithful.

Be like ministers who offer Jesus Christ to God his Father and make him the sacrifice of all they are and take as a good model the good thief on the cross. What an evolution he makes during the three hours that he finds himself in the company of his dying Savior! First, he opens the eyes of his soul to recognize his deliverer; then, fastened to the cross, and having nothing that still is free but his heart and tongue, he offers both to Jesus Christ. He consecrates his heart to him by faith and hope, and humbly asks of him a place in paradise; and he consecrates his tongue to him by proclaiming his innocence and holiness: “And we indeed justly; for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong. (Luke 23:41) …

My children, you listen when you like the preacher; but if the preacher does not suit you, you turn him into ridicule…  We must not think so much about the man. It is not the body that we must deal with. No matter what you think of the person giving the homily, if he is a true person of God there is going to be a message. You may like the delivery of one over another but let me ask you this Duracell or Eveready they both will light up the same candle?

Bottom Line is be prepared for Mass! There is no chewing gum during Mass! Sit up, listen! When we come to Mass, we come to Christ. Let us ask Mother Mary, as Deacon said last week, to help us always prepare for the Mass. Let us ask Her every time we attend Mass, so we can do it with love and devotion. Ask our Holy Mother to bring us to her son, with the desire to know him, with a clear head and open heart.

Growing in Faith Through Suffering and Adversity: St. Elizabeth Ann Seton~ The Very Rev. Lady Sherwood, OPI

Growing in faith through suffering and Adversity, St Elizabeth Ann Seton.

Reading I: 1 Jn 4:7-10

Responsorial Psalm: 72:1-2, 3-4, 7-8

Alleluia: Lk 4:18

Gospel: Mk 6:34-44

Liturgical colour: White.

My dearest brothers and sisters in Christ,

Today we commemorate the Memorial of an extremely Strong woman, who firmly hung onto and even strengthened her faith, despite much suffering and adversity in her life. St. Elizabeth Ann Seton who is my name saint within the Order of preachers Independent, this St Name was bestowed upon me (Sr Lady Elizabeth),  due to the fact that my order Prior (and Presiding Bishop) felt that there are many similarities between the life of St. Elizabeth  Ann Seton and that of my own life. I feel so blessed and humbled, to be granted this strong faithed saint as my name saint.

All Throughout Biblical history and even in the times in which we live today, we sometimes tend to come across people who have endured so very much suffering and adversity within their lives and who, regardless of that fact, the person remains strong and devout within their faith and even sees their faith strengthened by the sufferings they have endured. Today we remember St Elizabeth, whom is one such person from whose life, heart and sheer devotion to the Lord in her strength of faith, which we can all take inspiration and to try to emulate such within our own spiritual lives.

Elizabeth was the first native-born citizen of the United States to be Canonized to sainthood.

Elizabeth was born as Elizabeth Ann Bayley in New York city on the 28th August in the year 1774, and she was a child of the Revolutionary war. She was raised Episcopalian which was the faith of her parents.

Elizabeth married at the  tender young age of only nineteen years old, to a man named William Magee Seton. He was a young but wealthy merchant and together they parented a total of five children.

Elizabeth had a very deep devout faith and concern for the poor even as a  very young woman and she shared this devotion with her sister-in-law,  who was Rebecca Seton, and with whom she became very close friends. Together, Elizabeth and Rebecca undertook various missions for the poor and for the needy of their region and they adopted the name of the ‘Protestant Sisters of Charity` for their mission works.

Elizabeth’s life changed after only the short time of four years of marriage and her life became rather burdensome in nature. Elizabeth and her husband were left with the responsibility for seven half-brothers and sisters of William’s father when he died in the year 1798.

Elizabeth suffered even further in the year 1801, when her own father with whom she had a  very close relationship, especially since the loss of her mother at aged only three,   himself passed into the care of the Lord.

Then yet again she suffered after only another two years, when both her husband’s business and his health failed. Filing for bankruptcy, Elizabeth and her husband sailed to Italy to help his health and to try to revive his business.

Whilst in Italy, Elizabeth suffered even further, as William’s condition worsened. He was quarantined and subsequently died of Tuberculosis in December of 1803. Elizabeth remained in Italy for several months after his death and during this time, was more fully exposed to the Catholic faith.

Elizabeth returned to New York city in June of 1804, only to suffer yet again with the loss of her dear friend and sister-in=law, Rebecca Seton, in the very next month.

At only the young thirty years of age, Elizabeth had endured the loss of so many who were close to her and she seemed to have the weight of the world upon her shoulders. Even so, throughout all this, Elizabeth still remained fervent in her faith.

The months ahead were life-changing for Elizabeth and she seemed ever more drawn to the Catholic faith and to the Mother Church, much to the horror of her friends and her remaining family who were firmly Protestant.

Elizabeth Ann Seton was received into the Catholic Church on the 4th March 1805. Her conversion cost her dearly in the areas of her friendships and in the support from her remaining family.

Elizabeth relocated to the Baltimore area and there she established a school for girls. She also founded a religious community along with two other young women and she took vows before the Archbishop Carroll as a member of the Sisters of Charity of St Joseph. From this time forward, Elizabeth was known as Mother Seton and she left a legacy of care and education for the poor. She even established the first free Catholic school of the nation.

In so many ways, the journey into the Catholic faith, helped Elizabeth to much more appreciate and to embrace her faith even more profoundly. Elizabeth was willing to endure all things to follow Christ. In her journal, she even wrote, ‘If I am right Thy grace impart still in the right to stay. If I am wrong Oh, teach my heart to find the better way’.

Many of us who have chosen the Catholic faith have experienced some setbacks and have had to endure issues with relationships, but for this brave and devout woman of faith, the cost was even greater.

Elizabeth died aged only 46 on January 4th 1821 from Tuberculosis and she was Canonized on September 14th 1975.

On this your special day, St Elizabeth Ann Seton, Pray for all of us who follow your pathway of faith. Pray that we likewise to yourself will say yes and will accept all that will come to us in the years ahead, and to allow our earthly endurance to further our faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Amen.

The Holy Innocents ~ The Very Rev. Lady Sherwood, OPI

Reading I: 1 Jn 1:5—2:2

Responsorial Psalm: 124:2-3, 4-5, 7cd-8

Gospel: Mt 2:13-18

Liturgical Colour: Red.

Today, we as a church remember The Holy Innocents, those infant boy martyrs all  aged 2 years and under. This liturgical season has such a huge contrast. Only 3 days ago, we were celebrating the joyous celebration of the birth of Our dear Lord and Saviour, Jesus. Then the very next day, our thoughts turn To st Stephen and his Martyrdom for Christ. Now, we are remembering these Innocent young child martyrs, and how they were slaughtered on the orders of King Herod.

Let us first look at The Gospel reading for today of  Mt 2:13-18:

When the magi had departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “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. He stayed there until the death of Herod, that what the Lord had said through the prophet might be fulfilled,     Out of Egypt I called my son.

When Herod realized that he had been deceived by the magi, he became furious.  He ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had ascertained from the magi.  Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah the prophet:

A voice was heard in Ramah,  sobbing and loud lamentation;  Rachel weeping for her children,  and she would not be consoled,  since they were no more.

It’s  extremely difficult to imagine that anyone could see a little baby as such a great threat, yet that is exactly what is  recounted in our gospel today. When Jesus was born, the shepherds and magi see in the Christ Child a Lord and  Saviour. King Herod, however, sees the baby Jesus as merely a rival that has to be feared and to be  eliminated. The “Holy Innocents” we celebrate today are all those little babies that Herod had murdered in Bethlehem in an attempt to kill this child Jesus. Sadly, this event is not the first such occurrence of this nature in the Scriptures. When the Israelites grew numerous in Egypt, Pharaoh also sensed a rival and thus ordered all the babies to be thrown into the river. Despite this attempt, Moses, like Jesus, escaped the plot against them. The important point in these stories is that we need to recognize that God’s plan was brought about even in spite of these murderous efforts to thwart it. Many babies died in Egypt and Bethlehem and yet Moses and Jesus remained safe and sound. God’s plan was accomplished.

The readings tell us today about  light and about darkness. The magi are in darkness, and yet they see the star and follow the guiding light it which it shines. They are willing to go out of their way, to change their lives to conform to God’s guidance. The magi find their way to that light. We too are often given the choice between being in  light or in  darkness.

This day which commemorates the sad slaughter of so many innocent children in Bethlehem is somewhat ironically also a feast day on which is for celebrating. Whilst we remember the horror of the deaths of these little babies, and the traumatic suffering their families obviously suffered by their slaughter, We also celebrate the fact that King Herod’s plan failed. Not only did Jesus survive, but the lives of the little babies were not snuffed out eternally  as Herod had planned. Rather, these children now live forever in God’s  heavenly Kingdom, where they intercede for us. Yes, we rejoice to see that God’s plan is triumphant even in the face of great opposition and evil. Light will always be triumphant over darkness. The only question that remains is, will we live in the darkness of this world, or will we follow the light and live in the Lord our God and Saviour, and he in us?

Let us pray:

We remember today, O God, the slaughter of the holy innocents of Bethlehem by King Herod.  Receive, we pray, into the arms of your mercy all innocent victims;  and by your great might frustrate the designs of evil tyrants and establish your rule of justice, love and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the union of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.

Feast of the Holy Family…and us ~ Milan Komadina, Novice

Yesterday we celebrated Christmas. In many churches worldwide in this Christmas season we can see pictures or icons of the holy family of Jesus. In catholic and some traditional protestant churches we can also see some Christmas pictures but mostly we can see the statues of Mary, Joseph and a baby Jesus. In some protestant denominations where icons or statues are not popular people usually imagine this holy family while reading the Bible story of the Jesus` birthday. What is very beautiful about this holiday is that ALL Christians regardless of their denomination are celebrating Jesus` birthday. Even people who are not religious traditionally celebrate this holiday by giving gifts, decorating their houses, preparing delicious food and enjoy gathering with their family members.

And here we come to this very sacred word – Family. This is the topic of today`s sermon and there are many things that we should learn about the importance of the family. This is the first lesson that Jesus taught the world, even though he was just a new-born baby not even knowing His mother tongue. Yet His birth is a big lesson to all people. He was born in a byre surrounded with animals and hay. He was not born in a luxurious palace even though He is a King of Heaven. His place of the birth teaches us that material treasure is not the most important thing in this world. As we read in the Bible he got gifts from wise men: gold, myrrh and incense.

Those three gifts have their meaning. Biblical scholars tell us that gold represented value, dignity, authority and everlasting kingship. It is a gift for a king (or a queen of course). Today, many of us yearn for a greater sense of value, dignity and authority in our own lives. Myrrh was an anointing oil used as gifts to kings in the Eastern cultures. The anointing of oil was an act that symbolized holiness. Holy in Hebrew means “set apart and different from all others.” In the Hebrew culture it began as a practice for priests, but was later accepted for prophets and kings. And incense. For the Jews, incense was to be a symbol of prayer, as David says, “May my prayer be set before you like incense” (Psalm 141:2). Incense is still used by priests within the Eastern Orthodox Church.

In the modern time that we live, I believe that it is still important to give the definition of what the family is because some people like to use this term to discriminate certain groups of other people. The traditional family is certainly the family of straight couple and their one or more children. Jesus` family was an example of the family that only looked as a traditional one but he was actually adopted son of Joseph, since we know that Joseph was not biological father of Jesus. So the families are also those families with adopted children. The family can be a family of same-sex partners and their adopted child. Or even if some couple cannot or do not want to have their biological child, they are still family. The family is about love not gender, biological characteristics or sexual orientation. But what I believe is one Family that is also important or the most important to all of us is the Family called The Church. Since all of us believe that we have our one heavenly father, God we believe that we are all children of God. And this is a very special blessing and a gift. We call each other brothers and sisters and this is a symbol that in a spiritual sense we are brothers and sisters. The importance of Our Heavenly Family is emphasized by Jesus when he was twelve in one interesting story from the Bible from Luke 2, 41-52 when Jesus went to Jerusalem at the feast of the Passover. He stayed in the town even though His parents had been going back home. They literally lost Jesus. But after three days they had finally found Him in the temple when Jesus replied to his step-father and mom: ”Did you not know that I must be in my Father`s house?”. This doesn`t mean that if our parents are not religious or they seem to be careless or for any other reason we should not be obedient to them. Jesus was an obedient child, He only wanted to teach us about the importance of Heavenly Family. This means that the Father`s house is an important place and to all of us as through Jesus we can also call Him Abba father, as it is written. What we also read in this chapter is that Jesus came to Nazareth and was obedient to His parents. So children should always be obedient to their parents.

In Colossians 3. 18-21 Bible gives us some instructions on how one healthy family members should treat each other. Partners should dedicate to each other, love each other and not to be harsh to each other and do what is fitting in the Lord. If they have children, they should obey parents in everything. But parents should not embitter their kids, or they will become discouraged. These are good pieces of advice given to our nuclear families but what I would like to put my focus to at the end of this sermon is our spiritual family. The family containing of our brothers and sisters in Christ. Especially when we grow old and if our parents died or if we lost our spouse or partner, people become aware that the family can be lost. But The Church is one big family and Christians will never be alone. They will always have millions and millions of Christian brothers and sisters worldwide and this is how beautiful our faith is. In Colossians 3: 12 -14 God is giving some instructions on how should we behave as being parts of the Big Family. It is written: ”Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”

Let us thank to the Lord for giving us this treasure called family. Thank Him for our biological nuclear and extended family. For our parents, sisters, brothers and cousins. And also let us be thankful for the big spiritual family which is called The Church. Be obedient and love our biological family like Jesus did and also love and care for our spiritual family like Jesus did. Let He bless us all. Amen.

He Is Born!

Luke 2 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.

2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)

3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

Leap for Joy! The Rev. Frank Bellino, Novice

LK 1:39-45 Charles Spurgeon was quoted as saying “And when the Lord Jesus has become your peace, remember, there is another thing: goodwill towards men. Do not try to keep Christmas without goodwill towards men.”

My family of God, I welcome you to this last Sunday before the awaited day of Christmas. Today we are asked to take Christ to others; To bring others to experience Christ by our helpful actions as our mother Mary showed in that generous and selfless visit to Elizabeth her relative. May you jump with joy in God’s presence today and always.

Today’s readings remind us that Jesus is reborn every day in ordinary people living ordinary lives, who have the willingness to respond to God’s call and the openness to do God’s will. They suggest that Christmas should inspire us to carry out God’s word as Mary and Jesus did, in perfect obedience to His will, in cheerful kindness and unselfish generosity.

Contrary to the belief of many that Christmas is a time to show off how much we have, a time of partaking in various forms of pleasurable and luxurious living or social activities, the readings of today’s highlight what should characterize everything we do in this period and that is taking Christ to others. A time we bring people to experience Christ by our way of living; this is the most important of all and the true spirit of Christmas. It does not matter whether you are an important person or not, God wants to use you to bring Himself to others.

In the Gospel, Luke tells us how two insignificant women met to celebrate the kindness and fidelity of God. It shows us how sensitive Mary was to the needs of Elizabeth, her older cousin who had miraculously become pregnant in her old age. For Luke, following Jesus consists of hearing God’s word and then doing it, (talking part) and Mary does both, to become the most perfect disciple. “At this Christmas when Christ comes, will He find a warm heart? – St. Theresa of Calcutta said, “Mark the season of Advent by loving and serving the others with God’s own love and concern.”

We need to carry Jesus to others as Mary did. Christmas is the ideal time for us to be filled with the spirit of Christ, allowing his rebirth within us. Once Christ is reborn in us, He enables us to share his love with all whom we encounter by offering them humble and committed service, unconditional forgiveness and compassionate, caring love. Let us take the time to visit others this during Christmas season, especially the sick and shut-ins, to bring some inspiration into their lives, and hopefully to bring them closer to God.

We need to bless and teach the younger generation. Elizabeth exhibits the responsibility of the older generation to motivate the young generation. Grandparents, Godparents and clergy have the responsibility of encouraging those around them. By complementing and encouraging one’s spouse, children and friends, let us make them know how valuable they are to us and to God.

God is faithful to His promises. The first reading from prophet Micah gives assurance to the Jews that God is faithful to His promises and that from the unimportant village of Bethlehem He will send them the long-expected ruler. From something insignificant, God brings out something significant. It does not matter how insignificant your virtuous deeds are, God always treasures them and makes something meaningful out of them. Anything you do for another, in this period of Christmas, is being Christ-like. The second reading encourages to be thanks to Christ who offered the sacrifice of perfect obedience that liberated us from sin. At Christmas, we celebrate that unique sacrificial gift of Christ to the world. May our lives be sacrificial in this period of Christmas to give back God’s gift of himself to us.

May you and your family leap for joy as Christ enters your home this Christmas period.

As always you all and your families are in my prayers.