XXIII Sunday in OT[C]: Wis 9:13-18b; Phlm 9-10, 12-17; Lk 14: 25–33

 

Introduction: Today’s readings challenge us to the true Christian discipleship of total commitment to the will of God, putting God first in our lives.

Background: To understand our second reading, I need to explain something about slavery in the Roman Empire in the first century.  It was in many ways different than our experience of slavery before the Civil War.  Slavery was common in the first century but slaves came from nations and peoples that Rome had conquered.  Most slaves would have been educated and would have worked as musicians, scribes, craftsmen, teachers and even doctors.  A slave might eventually be set free by his or her owner or buy their own way to freedom.  Today’s second reading is about a slave named Onesimus (a name which means “useful”).  Onesimus escaped from his owner. The Greek word for an owner of slaves is “despota.”  The owner was named Philemon (a name which means “loving”).  By Roman law, a runaway slave could be punished buy death.  Onesimus had known Paul, for Paul converted his master Philemon, to Christ.  So, in fear for his life, Onesimus ran to Paul, who was in prison at the time.  Unlike today, where prisoners receive good care, the Romans locked a person up temporarily until a trial was held.  It helps to know that in those days a prison was just a place where an accused person was held until their case was determined: whether they would be executed, sent into exile, have their property confiscated, or be set free.  The Romans never considered it a punishment to lock up a criminal.  Often prisoners needed friends or family to provide for their basic needs and apparently, Onesimus did that for Paul.  For Paul Onesimus lived up to his name: useful.  In the process Paul converted him to Christ.  Paul thus refers to Onesimus as his own child for he has led him to rebirth in Christ.  Paul would have liked to keep Onesimus with him to help him, but he felt an obligation to send him back to Philemon.  He didn’t feel right benefiting from a gift that had not been given to him.  Paul asked Philemon in the letter we hear in today’s second reading to receive Onesimus back, not as property he might own, but as a brother in the Lord.  Christianity transcends all of our relationships.

St. Paul teaches that people should remain in the same social condition in which God called them and that slaves should not seek their freedom (1 Corinthians 7:20-21). It is not that St. Paul is endorsing slavery. Yet the same Paul says that “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28).

Exegesis: Being a Christian was and is infinitely more important than social status, even if that status is slavery.  We are all slaves in the world, but we are free in Christ.  There are many things that enslave us.  Some are sinful, some are temptations, some are breaks in relationships, all are nuisances.  We are all enslaved by our own selfishness and pride.  We want to put ourselves first.  Our very society drills us to “take care of number one.”  But Christ frees us from that.  He tells us to love God first, and then others as ourselves.

We come to Mass today seeking to grow in our relationship with Christ who is the way, for this task of following him and putting him above everything else in our lives in an on-going process and with his guidance and with his help we will succeed.  The relationship with Christ reflects in the relationship with others. Heaven is the happiness of surrendering ourselves to the greatest love in the universe.

Joke: One morning Rev. Desmond went to the front door of his rectory to get his newspaper and found a dead mule on the street.  He quickly called the city health department and asked to have the mule disposed of.  The smart secretary on duty said, “Hey, Reverend Pastor, I always heard that you pastors buried your own dead even if they are not practicing Christian disciples”.  “Yes, we do”, the pastor replied. “But not in all cases.  In this case, I would like to meet the deceased’s close relatives in the Health Department in person to offer my condolences and to give a special blessing!

Practical Applications: 1) We need to accept the challenge of Christian discipleship with heroic commitment and practice it. We do so: 1) by daily recharging our spiritual batteries through prayer, i.e., by talking to God, and by listening to Him through the meditative reading and study of the Bible; 2) by sharing in God’s life through frequent and active participation in the Eucharistic celebration; 3) by practicing the spirit of detachment and the renunciation of evil habits; 4) by giving our time, talents, and resources generously, for the Lord’s work in our parish community, relying on the guidance of the Holy Spirit, 5) by loving all God’s children, especially the less fortunate ones, through humble and selfless acts of kindness, mercy, forgiveness and service; 6) by showing true commitment to the obligations and duties entrusted to us by our vocation in life and our profession, like fidelity in marriage and firm adherence to justice in our living and profession.

Twenty third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Message: Who can comprehend the Lord’s ways or conceive what the Lord intends?  True wisdom leads us to acknowledge our limitations (a matter of “calculation”) and our idols of materialism as we seek to follow the Lord without reservation.  True discipleship calls us to forgive those who have wronged us.  May we gain the wisdom of heart to discern more fully our call to take up the cross of Jesus.

Saints and Events in this week:  Ninth(9)- Monday-Saint Peter Claver, priest(USA); Twelve(12)-Thursday- The Most Holy Name of Mary; Thirteenth(13)-Friday- Saint John Chrysostom, bishop, doctor of the Church; Fourteenth(14)-Saturday-The Exaltation of the Holy Cross.

XXII Sunday in OT[C]:Sir 3:17-18,20,28-29;Heb12:18-19,22-24a;Lk14:1,7-14

XXII Sunday in OT[C]:Sir 3:17-18,20,28-29;Heb12:18-19,22-24a;Lk14:1,7-14

Introduction:  First reading from the Book of Sirach, sometimes called Ecclesiasticus or Wisdom, places great emphasis on the virtue of humility and shows great sympathy to poor people and the oppressed. The second reading, from Hebrews, gives another reason for us to be humble.  Jesus was humble, so his followers are expected to be humble, trying to imitate his humility.

Exegesis:   Today's Gospel contains two teachings of similar styles.  Both start with when, "When you go to a banquet" and " When you give a banquet." Both have a cautioning phrase, don’t.  "Don't sit at a high place, lest you be put down," and  "Don't put out a spread for the rich to impress them, lest you already receive your reward." And both have the teaching, but, "But when you go to a banquet" and “But when you give a banquet.”  He is teaching us the proper way to view ourselves and others.  He is teaching us about honor, respect, and, particularly, about humility. Jesus explains the practical benefits of humility, connecting it with the common wisdom about dining etiquette. Jesus advises the guests to go to the lowest place instead of seeking places of honor, so that the host may give them the place they really deserve. Jesus’ words concerning the seating of guests at a wedding banquet should prompt us to honor those whom others ignore, because if we are generous and just in our dealings with those in need, we can be confident of the Lord’s blessings.

Role Model: Joseph de Veuster was a Belgian missionary priest working among the islanders of Honolulu. His bishop had trouble finding a priest to work in the leper settlement of Molokai. Joseph, better known as Father Damien, volunteered to go and work in the "living graveyard that was Molokai." His solidarity with the lepers was so complete that he contracted the disease himself and died at the age of forty-nine in service to the poorest and most abandoned. Some of his contemporaries accused him of imprudence and foolhardiness. Today, however, he is recognized worldwide as a hero of the faith: Damien the Leper.

Joke:  When Christian Herter was governor of Massachusetts , he was running hard for a second term in office. One day, after a busy morning chasing votes (without lunch), he arrived at a church barbecue. It was late afternoon and Herter was famished. As Herter moved down the serving line, he held out his plate to the woman serving chicken. She put a piece on his plate and turned to the next person in line.

"'Excuse me,” Governor Herter said, “do you mind if I have another piece of chicken?”

"'Sorry,” the woman told him. “I'm supposed to give one piece of chicken to each person because you are going to get other food items also from other servers.”

"'But I'm starved and I love chicken,” the governor said.

"'Sorry,” the woman said again. “Only one to a customer.”

Governor Herter was a modest and unassuming man, but he decided that this time he would throw a little weight around. "'Do you know who I am?” he said. “I am the governor of this state!”

"'Do you know who I am?” the woman retorted. “I'm the lady in charge of the chicken. Move along, mister.”

Practical Applications: 1) The two dinner instructions remind us that we are not the center of the world.  God is.  Our value does not come from how others view us.  Our success is not due to what others can do for us.  Our value, our success comes from our relationship to our Center, our God.  That is humility.

2) We need to practice humility in personal and social life.  Humility is based on the psychological awareness that everything I have is a gift from God and, therefore, I have no reason to elevate myself above others.

3) We celebrate that coming Banquet Feast in heaven every time we come together for Our Lord's Supper in Holy Mass. We need to remember that we are the invited guests.  We are the (spiritually) poor, crippled, lame, and blind that Christ calls to himself. Our place is assured.

Introduction: XXII Sunday in Ordinary Time

Message: Humility and self-knowledge go hand in hand.  Those who conduct their affairs with humility shall be exalted, while those who exalt themselves shall be humbled.  The humble shall rejoice and exalt before God in the assembly of the heavenly Jerusalem.

Saints and events in this week: September Second-Monday-Labor Day; Third-Tuesday-Saint Gregory the Great, pope, doctor of the Church;

XXI Sunday in OT:[C]:Is66:18-21,Heb12: 5-7,11-13;Lk13: 22-30

XXI Sunday in OT:[C]:Is66:18-21,Heb12: 5-7,11-13;Lk13: 22-30

Introduction:  As he continues his fateful journey to Jerusalem, Jesus answers the question as to how many will be saved by answering four presumed questions: Who will be saved? How? Why? When?

Exegesis: When the questioner asked Jesus “How many will be saved?” he was assuming that the salvation of God's Chosen People was virtually guaranteed, provided they kept the Law. In other words, the kingdom of God was reserved for the Jews alone, and Gentiles would be shut out.  The Jewish catechism, Mishnah, taught: “All Israelites have a share in the world to come.” But the author of the Apocalypse of Ezra declared, “this age the Most High has made for the many, but the age to come for a few” (4 Ezra 8:1). Hence, Jesus' answer must have come as a shock. Jesus affirms that God wants all persons to enjoy eternal life with Him. But he stresses the need for constant fidelity and vigilance throughout our lives. Thus, Jesus reminds us that, even though God wants all of us to be saved, we all need to work at it. Entry into God’s kingdom is not automatically granted, based purely on religious faith or nationality, so we cannot presume on God’s mercy and do nothing by way of response to God’s invitation.

Anecdote:  Thousands upon thousands of young boys grow up bouncing basketballs and dreaming of a life in the National Basketball Association - the professional ranks. But only a handful is chosen each year. Woe to the young man or young woman who is talented at sports but neglects his or her education! Thousands upon thousands of new businesses are started each year, but only a small number of people in our society become super-successful in material terms. The higher you go up the scale, the smaller the numbers become. Thousands upon thousands of young couples each year stand at the altars of churches and pledge their love to one another, but life becomes harder and marriages will end in divorce. Many couples will stay together only for convenience, for appearances or for the children. The door to any kind of successful living is a narrow one. That is why Jesus reminds us in today’s gospel: "Strive to enter by the narrow door, for many I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able." Successful living requires making hard choices. It requires dedication and sacrifice. How can Christian faith demand any less?

Event: Imagine it’s a Post Thanksgiving Day Sale [Sales Promotion Day] and you have been wanting a new piece of technical equipment for your computer and Best Buy [Shop] is having a sale on it.  Not only that - you have a good friend who works for Best Buy/Shop and may be able to get you an even better deal.  The store opens at 5 am.  You could line up with the many other people at 4 am, but you decide that you have had a full Thanksgiving day[day of celebration] and sleep is important and so you roll over and show up at 7 am.  There is still a line, so you have to wait a bit, but finally you get to the door. Suddenly as you are about to go through the door, finally, you are told that they are sold out and that there aren’t any more.  You see your good friend, but he has no choice but to bolt the door and put up the SOLD OUT sign. You say to your good friend – couldn’t you just squeeze me in, but he shakes his head sadly, and walks away.  We need to work hard for our choices to happen through.

Joke:   It seems that there was a little old church out in the countryside: painted white and with a high steeple.

One Sunday, the pastor noticed that his church needed painting. He checked out the Sunday ads and found a paint sale. The next day, he went into town and bought a gallon of white paint. He went back out to the church and began the job.

He got done with the first side. It was looking great. But he noticed he had already used a half gallon. He didn't want to run back in town and being the creative person that he was, he found a gallon of thinner in the shed out back, and began to thin his paint.

It worked out great. He finished the remaining three sides with that last half gallon of paint.

That night, it rained: it rained hard. The next morning when he stepped outside of the parsonage to admire his work, he saw that the first side was looking great, but that the paint on the other three sides had washed away.

The pastor looked up in sky in anguish and cried out, "What shall I do?"

A voice came back from the heavens saying, "Repaint, and thin no more!"

Practical Applications:  1) We should be rejoicing that Jesus has saved us all, but not get self-satisfied in our daily lives. 

2) We need to discipline ourselves, use the things that happen to us to help us grow, rather than get us down. We need to remember that the tested people, the people with the most problems, the last people, may be the ones who get in the door first.

3) And most of all, we need to remember to repent, to turn around, to look at what we are doing.  Those are the people that will easily slip through the narrow door.

Introduction:  XXI Sunday in Ordinary Time

Message:  No one is to be excluded from the kingdom for all peoples are called to proclaim the praises of the Lord and confess his holy name.  No ethnic or religious group possesses exclusive rights to the kingdom.  Suffering and pain are part of the human condition.

Saints and Events in this Week: Twenty Seventh (27)-Tuesday- Saint Monica; Twenty Eighth (28)-Wednesday-Saint Augustine, bishop, doctor of the Church; Twenty Ninth (29)-Thursday-The passion of Saint John the Baptist;

XX Sunday in OT[C]: Jere38:1-2,4-6,8-10; Heb12:1-4; Lk12:49-53

XX Sunday in OT[C]: Jere38:1-2,4-6,8-10; Heb12:1-4; Lk12:49-53

Introduction:   Today, the 20^th Sunday of Ordinary Time, the Church encourages us, and raises our morale to fight against evil following the footsteps of Christ our Lord, who came to bring “fire” upon the earth in order to communicate to us something of his tremendous zeal. Jesus comes to purify, transform, and save us, our families and society from the perils that afflict us.

Exegesis: Jeremiah, in our First Reading, is presented as experiencing the consequences of the burning word of God within him. After speaking about the cloud of witnesses, Hebrews tells us to have our eyes fixed on Jesus. And what does Jesus want? In the Gospel he says he wants to set the earth on fire. It's the fire of love - of immersion in the Holy Trinity through baptism and Eucharist.

In the Bible, fire is sometimes symbolic of purification (for example, Num 31:23; Ezek 22:19-22), and, more often, is associated with God’s judgment (for example, Judith 16:17; Isaiah 66:16; Amos 7:4; 2 Pet 3:7).  The image of fire is also used to symbolize God's glory (Ezekiel 1:4, 13), His protective presence (2 Kings 6:17), His holiness (Deut. 4:24), His righteous judgment (Zechariah 13:9), and His wrath against sin (Isaiah 66:15-16).  The image of fire is also used of the Holy Spirit (Matt. 3:11 and Acts 2:3).  Fire has many characteristics: it warms, purifies, refines, transforms, and burns.  As a purifying force, fire burns up what is useless and refines what is impure besides giving warmth and energy.  Elijah brought the fire of judgment on the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18:36-40) and the soldiers of King Ahaziah (2 Kings 1:10-14).  John the Baptist promises that Jesus "will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire"(Matt 3: 11), and that promise was fulfilled at Pentecost.  James and John wanted to call down fire from heaven upon the Samaritans who rejected Jesus, but Jesus would not permit it (Luke 9:54).  We are also reminded of the prophet's words, "For he is like a refiner's fire…" (Mal 3:2).  The fire burns hot, removing impurities and leaving only that which is desirable.  These meanings suggest that the fire which Jesus brings will consume or purify the world.  However, it is also possible that he means that his baptism will be a baptism of fire.  In the Aramaic language the word translated as “earth” can also mean “earth-oven,” the common stove in Mediterranean villages, heated by burning dried and salted camel-dung patties.  The salt in the dried camel dung acted as a catalyst keeping fire burning for a long time.  In that sense, Jesus acts as a catalyst in his believers’ life

Event:  In the 1920s, an English adventurer named Mallory led an expedition to conquer Mount Everest. His first, second and even his third attempt with an experienced team met with failure. Upon his return to England, the few who had survived held a banquet to salute Mallory and those who had perished. As he stood up to speak he looked around he saw picture frames of himself and those who had died. Then he turned his back on the crowd and faced a large picture of Mount Everest looming large like an unbeatable giant. With tears streaming down his face, he spoke to the mountain on behalf of his dead friends. “I speak to you Mt. Everest, in the name of all brave men living, and those yet unborn. Mt. Everest, you defeated us once, you defeated us twice; you defeated us three times. But Mt. Everest, we shall someday defeat you, because you can’t get any bigger, but we can.” Today’s scripture challenges us to confront the world with prophetic courage of our Christian convictions (John Rose in John’s Sunday Homilies).

Joke:  A man was getting on a bus. Somehow his shoe came off and fell into the street. Since he could not retrieve it, he took off the second one. While seated he threw it out the window in the direction of the other one. To a puzzled looking passenger, he said, "The fellow who finds the first shoe now will have a good pair to walk about in."  The bus moved on. Shockingly, another passenger who got into the bus at last, seeing the lost shoe, took it and extends his shoe to him with pleasing and helpful mind. 

Practical Application: 1) We should have fire in our hearts: On the day of our Baptism, we received the light of Christ and were instructed to keep that torch burning brightly until the return of Christ Jesus. In addition, the Holy Spirit was sent into our hearts at Confirmation to help set us on fire. “He who is on fire cannot sit on a chair.” So, as Christians on fire, we have to inflame people to care, to serve, and to bless one another with all the gifts of faith. We should allow that fire to burn off the impurities in us and to bring out the purity of the gold and silver within us.

2) I invite you, I encourage you, I beg you to run the race - keep participating in the sacraments, especially Holy Mass. With that great cloud of witnesses cheering us on, let's rid ourselves of every burden and sin - and persevere in running the race, keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus.

Introduction:  Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Message:  The Lord came to the aid of Jeremiah whose preaching brought upon him rejection and ill treatment.  For those who take the gospel seriously, misunderstanding and division must likewise be expected.  Like Christ, we must never grow despondent or abandon the struggle to proclaim and live the truth.

Saints and Events in this week:   Nineteenth(19)-Monday-Saint John Eudes, priest; Twentieth(20)-Tuesday-Saint Bernard, abbot, doctor of the Church; Twenty-first(21)-Wednesday-Saint Pius X, pope;  Twenty-second(22)-Thursday-The Queenship of Mary; Twenty Third(23)-Friday-Saint Rose of Lima, virgin;  Twenty Forth(24)-Saturday-Saint Bartholomew, Apostle.

Assumption of BVM-[C]- Rev11:19;12:1-6,10;1Cori15:20-26;Lk1:39-56

Assumption of BVM-[C]- Rev11:19;12:1-6,10;1Cori15:20-26;Lk1:39-56

Introduction: Today, we are commemorating the Feast of the "Assumption of Mary." This Marian Doctrine was defined by Pope Pius XII on November 1, 1950. Through this Doctrine, the Catholic Church proclaimed that, revealed by God, the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all stain of original sin, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into Heavenly glory.

Definition: While Pope Pius XII indicated that the faithful had no difficulty in accepting the fact that the great Mother of God had departed from this world as her Only-begotten Son had already done, he did not actually define her death. Therefore, the Catholic Church has never defined if (1) the Blessed Virgin Mary was taken to heaven while she was still living, (2) if she physically died and her body was raised to Heaven, or if (3) she resurrected from the dead. There are no reliable records available to us to support either way.

The Doctrine of the Assumption of Mary progressively developed over the centuries. It was not something that was suddenly proclaimed, coming as a surprise to Catholics.

Exegesis: In the Assumption of Mary is fully united with her son in glory.  She remains his mother.  He remains her son.  Cardinal Suenens once said, “Jesus does not point out Mary and say, “She used to be my mother.” Not only is she Jesus’ mother, she is our mother too, for on Calvary Jesus gave her to us to be our mother.  “Women, behold your son,” he said to her and to St. John, who was a representative of all disciples, Jesus said “Behold your mother.” We know and believe that Mary is concerned about our salvation.  We expect Mary to help us and we pray to her.  There is no relevance in having trouble with this idea of praying to Mary.  Jesus is our savior and we all believe that.  We all believe we should pray for one another.  If we can ask others to pray for us and we pray for them, why can’t those in heaven also pray for us?  Are we now so separated from those who have died so that they no longer can help us or be concerned about us?  If we seek the prayers of sinners on earth, for we are all sinners, why not seek the intercession of the saints in heaven?  Why not turn to the Queen of saints, God’s own Mother?

Joke:  God is walking around Heaven one day, and notices a number of people on the heavenly streets who shouldn't be there.  He finds St. Peter at the gate and says to him, "Peter, you've been remiss in your duties.  You're letting in the wrong sort of people." "Don't blame me, Lord," replies Peter.  "I turn them away just like you said to.  Then they go around to the back door and Jesus’ mother lets them in."

Practical Applications: 1) As Mary’s Assumption was a reward for a holy life, this feast invites us to keep our bodies pure and holy.  Paul gives three additional reasons: a) our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit, b) our body parts are the members of Christ’s body, and c) our bodies are to be glorified on the day of the Last Judgment.

2)   We are given an assurance of hope in our resurrection and a source of inspiration during moments of despair and temptations.

3)   We need to pray to Mary.  Pray to Jesus through Mary is the reason to pray the Rosary.

Introduction: Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary-Aug-15

Message: Because she belonged to Christ, Mary, our queen, is raised on high, a great sign for all who believe in her Son.

Note: The Natale or Dormitio (“Falling-asleep”) of Mary came to be celebrated as early as the 5^th century in the East and in Rome; patroness of France, Paraguay, Jamaica, South Africa, and New Caledonia.

XIX Sunday in OT:[C]: Wis18: 6-9;Heb11:1-2,8-19;Lk12:32-48

XIX Sunday in OT:[C]: Wis18: 6-9;Heb11:1-2,8-19;Lk12:32-48

Introduction:  The central theme of today’s readings is the necessity for trusting faith in God’s promises and vigilant preparedness among Christ's followers. 

Exegesis: The first reading cites the faith-filled preparedness of the ancient Hebrew slaves in Egypt before their mass exodus to the Promised Land.  Their trusting faith in their God’s promises gave them hope.  We are told how their faith and hope resulted in their liberation. With expectant hope, the Hebrews sacrificed the first Passover lamb and ate the first ritual meal, as prescribed by their God through Moses.  They awaited their imminent release and were prepared for it.  In the Gospel, Jesus challenges his disciples to trust the Father’s promise to give them eternal happiness in His kingdom. But they are to be prepared at all times, because the Son of Man may come at an unexpected hour either at the moment of their death or at the end of the world. Using the master-servant parable, Jesus reminds us always to do the will of God by obeying Jesus’ commandment of love, offering humble and sacrificial service to others.   Using the master-thief parable Jesus warns us to be on our guard or be vigilant and so that the thief (the devil), may not steal our treasure of divine grace by his temptations.

Event:  In a far North Territory, there is a city where at one time, ten percent of working fathers were truck drivers. Those working parents spent a lot of their time on the road, sometimes weeks at a time. At home, the most common question that cried out of the mouth of the young children was, "When is dad coming home?" To reduce the pain of the little ones, the mothers would reassure them that their fathers would soon be home. They would tell the little ones to believe and have patience, to just wait and see!

Anecdote: 1: Steven Anthony "Steve" Ballmer (born March 24, 1956) has been the chief executive officer of Microsoft Corporation since January 2000.  He was one of the richest people in the world with a personal wealth estimated at US$14.5 billion in 2010.  He is Bill Gates' hand-picked successor. In 2004, he was seen crawling on the floor of the General Motors' executive conference room, trying to fix a connection that would enable him to make a pitch to GM engineers. The image of the Microsoft CEO on his hands and knees to please some customers made such an impression on the author Steve Hamm that he wrote a whole article based on this one incident. [Steve Hamm, "Why High Tech Has to Stay Humble," Business Week (19 January 2004), pp76-77.] Corporate executives will get on their hands and knees to show customers how much they care. In today’s gospel Jesus warns his followers to be ever prepared by doing the will of God always in their lives, as the time of their death is uncertain. 

Anecdote: 2: Bishop Sheen tells us that we will have three surprises in heaven. The first surprise: We will be surprised to see that many people we expected to be in Heaven are not there. St. John of the Cross gives the reason why they are not there: “At the evening of our life, we shall be judged on how we have loved.” The second surprise: We will be surprised to see that the people we never expected to be in Heaven are there. It is because God judges man’s intentions and rewards them accordingly. The third surprise: We will be surprised to see that we are in Heaven. Since our getting to Heaven is principally God’s work, we should be surprised that God somehow “went out of His way” to save us simply because we showed the good will and generosity to cooperate with His grace. In today’s Gospel Jesus answers the questions: who will be saved, when and how.

Joke:  The widower had just taken his fourth wife and was showing her around the village. Among the places visited was the churchyard, and the bride paused before a very elaborate tombstone that had been erected by the bridegroom. Being a little nearsighted she asked him to read the inscription, and in reverent tones he read:
       "Here lies Susan, beloved wife of John Smith; also Jane, beloved wife of John Smith; also Mary, beloved wife of John Smith--"
       He paused abruptly, and the bride, leaning forward to see the bottom line, read, to her horror:
       "Be Ye Also Ready."

Practical Applications: 1) We need to be vigilant and ready to face the Lord. Remain alert is prayer and listen to God. Tune our ears to the divine sounds of love, harmony and peace. The Book of Revelation says: "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will enter his house and dine with him and he with me" (3:20).

2) We need to wait for the Lord. "Waiting for Christ to return" means working for the coming of the Kingdom of God.  This means doing God’s will by rendering humble service to others.  In other words, we must be prepared to serve Jesus in whatever form he takes. What we frequently discover in "serving" other people is that God comes to us through them.

Introduction: Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Message:  The author of Wisdom speaks of “that night” of exodus from bondage in Egypt when the Lord delivered his chosen people from death.  The Lord will come again, perhaps in the midst of night.  Let us be prepared for his return.  As we walk in darkness, our journey to our heavenly homeland is illumined by faith.

Saints and Events in this Week:   Twelfth-Monday- Saint Jane Frances de Chantal, religious. Thirteenth- Tuesday-Saints Pontian, pope and Hippolitus, priest, martyr. Fourteenth-Wednesday-Saint Maximilian Kolbe, priest, martyr.  Fifteenth-Thursday-THE ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY-holy day of obligation(USA)-Sixteenth-Friday-Saint Stephen of Hungary

XVIII Sunday in OT[C]: Eccl.1:2;2:21-23; Col.3:1-5,9-11;Lk 12:13-21

XVIII Sunday in OT[C]: Eccl.1:2;2:21-23; Col.3:1-5,9-11;Lk 12:13-21

Introduction:  The readings today warn us not to place our trust in material things but instead to focus on the things of the spirit.  The meaning of life cannot be found in selfishly hoarding wealth and possessions, but only in sharing these with the needy.

Exegesis: One of the most fundamental beliefs of any Christian is that God created the world and all it contains. All material things are created and therefore depend for their existence on God. God is a spiritual being who exists quite outside the created order and holds everything that is in being.  That sounds like heavy theology but it is very important and provides us with a crucial understanding about the true place of material things in our life.

Another most important doctrine is that of Divine Providence, that if we place our whole trust in God and seek to do his will above all other things he will provide for our needs. This is much more difficult for us. But it is the road the great saints trod.

Simile: I recently saw a documentary about ancient Egypt. The Pharaohs thought they ‘could’ take it with them, and so they were buried with all their greatest treasures locked with them in the pyramids.  The lesson was driven home to me when you watched the archeologists and museum directors marching off with all those treasures while the bodies lay cold in their coffins. You really can’t take it with you.

Joke: An old lady was on a flight.  She was sitting beside a rich, young businessman. After the in-flight meal she took out her Holy Bible and started her devotions. The businessman glanced at her and said,   "Do you really believe all that stuff in the Bible is true?

"Well, yes, as a matter of fact I do," said the old lady.

"Yeah, right..." the man scoffed, "like... what's that guy's name... the one who got swallowed by a whale..."

"You mean Jonah?"

"Yeah, Jonah.  Do you actually believe he survived for three days in the belly of a fish?"

"I don't know," replied the old lady, "but I can ask him when I see him in heaven someday."

Feeling smart, the young man said: "OK, but what if he is not in heaven because he went to hell?"

"Then you can ask him yourself when you get there, “replied the old lady calmly.

Exegesis-Providence: We can place our trust in God and lean on Him in countless small ways. And perhaps as we go through life we will grow in our understanding of just how caring and loving God is towards us. We will grow in our trust and dependence on the extraordinary Providence of God.

Exegesis-Sharing:  The problem with material things is that we feel that they give us security. We want to live in a decent house, we want a pension for our old age, we want to provide for our children so that they can get through university without too much debt, we want a good standard of living, and so on.

When we begin to acquire these things the natural tendency is to want more and more and that’s the danger point. We begin to see material things as an end in themselves. That is the moment when the Christian needs to see all these things in their true light; to see that they are gifts from God and not the result of our own efforts.

Our material possessions come with responsibilities attached. And the responsibility we have is to share with those who do not have the same advantages as ourselves. But the greatest responsibility is that we must not enjoy our wealth at their expense.

Life Messages:  1) The parable of the rich fool gives us a warning as well as an invitation. It reminds us that our possessions are merely loaned to us by God, and that we are accountable for their use.  We must be generous in sharing our time, our treasure, and our talents, the three elements of Christian stewardship.  Every one of us is rich in one thing or another.  The parable instructs us to share these gifts.

2) Our greed takes different shapes and forms. For some it may be the desire for the approval and praise of others.  For others it is the uncontrolled desire for power, control or fame.  For a few others it takes the form of desire for excessive and sinful indulgence in eating, drinking, gambling, drugs or sexual activities.  Greed also diverts our life away from God, away from serving and loving other people. As greed directs all our energy and attention to fulfilling the self, its objects become our false gods, and they will consume us unless we become rich in the sight of God.

Introduction: Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Message: Listen carefully to the voice of the Lord; set your heart on what will last forever.  We only fool ourselves if we believe that our possessions will bring us happiness and life.  Instead, “grow rich in the sight of the Lord”.

Saints and Events in this Week:  Sixth-Tuesday-The Transfiguration of the Lord; Seventh-Wednesday-Saint Sixtus II, Pope and companions, martyrs; Saint Cajetan, priest; Eighth-Thursday-Saint Dominic, priest; Ninth-Friday-Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, virgin, martyr; Tenth-Saturday-Saint Lawrence, Deacon, martyr.