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"Transformation"
March 17, 2019
Mountains always have been an integral part of our salvation history. On Mount Sinai, Moses met with God and came away with a luminous face radiating the presence of the Lord. Today our Time Machine delivers us to the foot of Mount Tabor. A magnificent bright light is shining on us and we hear a Voice saying “This is my chosen Son; listen to him.” Luke 9:35. We realize we are in the presence of Something extraordinary. We are in the presence of God, and He is speaking to us.
Jesus, in the Gospel this Sunday, reveals the great Lenten theme of transformation. He begins to reveal the Paschal Mystery. He went up the mountain to pray. There He became transfigured. His face changed and His garments became dazzling white. This manifestation prefigured the glory that would come to Him through His death and Resurrection. It helps to understand that it pleased God to lead His Son through suffering to joy, through humiliation to exaltation, and through death to life. That is the transformation which is at the heart of Lent.
God’s plan for us is to share in the Paschal Mystery. We began our sharing through Baptism. With Christ, we died to sin, so that we could begin a new life; it is a transformation for us. In Baptism, we were given a white garment to symbolize that we had become like Jesus in His transfiguration. As the transfiguration for Jesus was but a prelude to His Resurrection, so Baptism directs us to a future event. That event is our sharing in the glory of Christ’s Resurrection.
God created all things, and He created this world in which we live. He brought us into the world, but we humans, in the persons of Adam and Eve succumbed to temptation and thought we were better than God. We turned our backs on Him. He promised us He would be with us even until the end of time. God sent His Son to guide us, to show us the way back to Him. Life is not always easy. All of us experience great pain at some point in our lives. For example, we lose loved ones; we lose our securities, job, monies, etc. Some of us may have lost a relationship – be it through divorce, a friend moving away or even people betraying us. “Why pain, suffering and death?” are questions many of us have for God.
If we choose to meditate on our pain and suffering as part of our Lenten activities, we will find a partial answer here on earth. We can pray that the Holy Spirit gives us wisdom to transform our pain and suffering into Lenten gifts to God.
Father Storey
March 10, 2019
"Take Each Day One at a Time"
On this the First Sunday of Lent, we take advantage of our Time Machine to get an up-close, personal look at what happened almost 2000 years ago. This experience will give us some new insights into Lent. The control panel display shows 30 AD. We have landed at the edge of a desert near the Jordan River. We see people clad in garments of the time. Our clothing changes to match theirs.
We observe someone going into the desert. We recognize Him as the One who recently was baptized by John in the River Jordan; we remember seeing the descending dove and hearing the Voice from the cloud proclaiming, “This is my beloved Son!” This is Jesus Christ, the Son of God, human and Divine. During these next six weeks, we will trace His footsteps in a very special way.
Our Ash Wednesday liturgy sets the tone for all of Lent. We are told to perform good deeds, to give alms, to pray and to fast. Jesus also tells us to do all this privately, in secret, hidden from where people may see our deeds and praise us for them. He says, “And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.”
In today’s Gospel, Luke 4:1-13, we hear what Jesus did following His baptism by John in the Jordan River. St. Luke tells us, “Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days.” We can take a cue from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and let the Holy Spirit, Whom we received in our own Baptism, guide us as we enter into our Lenten journey.
Temptation has always been a part of our heritage. We can learn from Jesus as He dealt with temptation in the desert. Jesus faced temptation not by giving in to the torments of the devil, rather He stood steadfast in His trust and love of His Father. Jesus was facing temptation alone in the desert.
When we are tempted, our best path is to ask the Holy Spirit to give us the strength to overcome those temptations. We can pray and meditate; we can give alms and repent; we can place our trust in God.
A three-day trip begins with one day; a week-long trip begins with one day. Our forty days journey through Lent begins with one day. Take each day – one at a time – and with the guidance of the Holy Spirit make it the best day that you can. Have faith, pray a little, hope a little, and love a lot. “For the greatest of these is love.”
Father Storey
March 3, 2019
"Come Time Travel with Me?"
Imagine with me, for the next few minutes, that I have made an extraordinary discovery. I have found a state of the art Time Machine. It can transport me and as many of my friends and relatives as I desire approximately 2000 years into the future or the past. I ponder my options: Do I want to see what life would be like up to 2000 years in the future? Or do I want to travel back in time to visit places like Galilee, Samaria, Decapolis or Judea when Jesus was there?
As fascinating as seeing what the future would be, I opt instead for the past. I am drawn to the awesome possibility of seeing God face-to-face. I set the controls for 33 AD. We will be looking for a Jewish man of medium build and height, approximately 33 years of age. I have been told He is often found in the company of a certain 12 persons, and many other people as well.
Can you imagine what it would be like to live, to walk, to learn in the homeland of Jesus Christ? Will you join me on this journey over the next 6 weeks? Leave your passports at home. Just bring open hearts and minds. We will embark on Ash Wednesday, March 6. Our trek will feature almsgiving, fasting, meditation and repentance.
What do we need to pack? Christ told us to do our penitence in private so as not to derive earthly benefits from it; sack cloth and ashes definitely are not recommended. Do bring your rosary and a meditative brochure on the Mysteries of the Rosary. Traveling companions are always welcome; recall what Jesus explained to us: “Wherever two or more of you are gathered in my name, there also am I.”
Before we enter the Time Machine, we will celebrate Mass and Distribution of Ashes on Wednesday, March 6, at 6:30, 8:15, and 12:10 and 6:00 p.m.
Communal Penance Service will be celebrated Sunday, April 7 at Curé. In addition to our standard Saturday and Sunday schedules, Confessions will also be heard Wednesdays during Lent, except for Ash Wednesday, at 6 p.m. in the church.
Our Time Machine awaits. Will you embark on this 6 week trip with me? More importantly, will you embark on this trip with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ? RSVP to our Lord during your next prayer or meditation.
Welcome aboard the Time Machine to 33 AD. Let your heart guide your feet in the footsteps of Jesus Christ.
Father Storey
"Pain or Pane
on the Plain"February 24, 2019
Today’s Gospel, Luke 6:27-38, is sometimes called the Discourse on the Plain; it follows immediately after last week’s passage in which Jesus gave us the Beatitudes, a blueprint for living our lives in imitation of God. Today He continues with how we should treat one another, especially those who present a particular challenge.
“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you... “ Jesus tells His disciples. Jesus continues describing attributes and actions of those whom we may consider a “royal pain.” Then He adds what we have come to know as the Golden Rule: “Do to others as you would have them do to you.”
I think it is fairly safe to say that we all know what a “pain” is. What and why a pane? A pain can bring us agitation and dread; a pane can offer a clear translucence through which we might view that “pain” in a completely different light. With the right perspective, “pain” could become a true blessing in disguise.
Jesus Christ had His share of “pains” with whom He had to deal. Just a few short verses earlier in Luke 6:1-5, we see some Pharisees accusing Jesus and His disciples of doing something that was forbidden on the Sabbath: picking ears of corn and rubbing them in their hands in order to have something to eat. Jesus reminded the Pharisees what David did when he and his followers were hungry: they went into the house of God and took loaves of bread that only the priests were allowed to eat. Then Jesus told the Pharisees: “The Son of Man is master of the Sabbath.”
Luke 6:6-10 relates how Jesus was in the synagogue preaching on a Sabbath when He was approached by a man with a withered hand. Jesus cured the man and was subjected to severe criticism by the Pharisees for doing so on the Sabbath. Then Jesus said to them, “Is it against the law on the Sabbath to do good, or to do evil; to save life, or to destroy it?”
Jesus mastered both of these occasions. He used His own “pane,” to convert them into teaching moments and show that He was the Son of Man who was master of the Sabbath.
How do we treat someone whom we perceive as a pain? Why do we think these people are pains? Can we alter how we view them through our personal pane and find the good in them? Can we look at their undesirable attributes through another light and find something different to value in them? Can we use them as teaching moments for ourselves?
Jesus tells us: “Love one another as I have loved you,” and “Be merciful just as your Father is merciful.”
We must recall that we can be masters of our pains; we can look at our pains through our panes in a new light and gain new insights into our fellow members of the Body of Christ. Together we should aim to reflect the love, goodness and mercy of God. Let us take actions toward being a pane not a pain. For that is surely how God wants us to live: as panes through which His light can shine.Father Storey
"Embrace Poverty"February 17, 2019
“Blessed are the poor in spirit; theirs is the Kingdom of heaven!” Thus begins a relating of the Beatitudes. We have long heard that there were eight beatitudes that were taught by Jesus Christ in His Sermon on the Mount. Christ mentions each of several deplorable conditions, followed by a remedy inspired by trust in God.
In today’s Gospel for the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Luke mentions only four beatitudes before going on to list four “bad-attitudes:” “Woe to you who are rich, who are filled now, who laugh now, or all speak well of you.” The prophet Jeremiah helps us to understand the way we should follow Christ. He writes: “Blessed, that is happy, is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose hope is the Lord.”
A quick glance at the Gospels of Luke and Matthew may give us the mistaken impression that one or the other evangelist really “missed the boat” in this retelling of what happened on Mount Sinai. A closer examination will reveal that there is a great similarity between the narratives of Matthew that are used in Liturgical Year A and those of Luke that are used in Liturgical Year C. Both evangelists actively promote the observance of the Ten Commandments and the practicing of the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy. They both craft a blueprint for living our lives in imitation of Christ and His works and mercies. The details may differ, but the overriding thought comes through clearly: trust in God.
After Jesus descends the mountain in the company of His apostles, He finds a level spot to address the crowd that has gathered at the foot of the mountain by Lake Gennesaret. He speaks to all who suffer misfortunes. The Reign of God transforms human reality, but it also implies a change of status for those who reject it. Jesus does not curse those who reject, rather He laments their lot in life.
We must remember God is with us every step of the way. As with the fishermen, He starts us on the shallow end; we start slowly. Then as our trust in Him develops, He tells us to go deeper. His message is “I am with you.” Also he tells us that faith will make it possible. He doesn’t say it will be easy.
We must not worry about tomorrow; we must learn to trust. We must learn how to say, “Here I am Lord.” So embrace poverty, hunger, grief, and sorrow; embrace persecution. Your reward will not be of a worldly nature – it will be the reward of the all-merciful God. Yours is the Kingdom of heaven.
Father Storey
"How Will You Answer His Call?"February 10, 2019
Throughout both the Old and New Testaments, we see many occasions of the Lord calling people to Himself. All three Readings for today, the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, are enlightening examples of that calling.
The Prophet Isaiah emphasizes his sense of unworthiness to be called by the Lord: “Woe is me, I am doomed! For I am a man of unclean lips.” But God purifies Isaiah’s mouth by the action of the seraphim who touched Isaiah’s lips with a burning ember from the altar of sacrifice. Then Isaiah’s response to the Lord’s query, “Whom shall I send?” is “Here I am. Send me!” We see here the contrast between God’s holiness and human smallness as exemplified by the youth who accepts being overwhelmed by God and receiving a mission.
Similarly, in Reading II, Paul laments his unworthiness to be called, saying “I am not fit to be called an apostle. But by the grace of God, I am what I am, and His grace to me has not been ineffective.” Paul was overwhelmed and cleansed of his wickedness when he encountered the grace of God on the road to Damascus. Paul, also, was chosen for a special mission.
The Gospel portrays a scene by the Lake of Gennesaret. In the evening after many hours of work on the water, fishermen are washing their nets. Jesus entered the boat belonging to Simon and asked Simon to go out a short distance so that He (Jesus) could teach the crowd that had gathered. After Jesus had spoke to the crowd, He asked Simon to go out to deep water and lower the nets. Simon was reluctant because they had worked all night and had caught nothing, but He did as Jesus requested.
Imagine Simon’s astonishment when they caught so many fish that the nets were bursting and the other boat had to be called in to assist. Simon and the other fishermen were overwhelmed at the sight of the miraculous catch of fish. Then Jesus issued His call: “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” These fishermen had a mission: they were to become Apostles of Jesus Christ.
Who does Jesus call and how does He call us? Each and every one of us is called to follow Christ through our Baptism. He gives us His grace, and we begin our mission to live for the salvation of humanity. Like Simon Peter, Isaiah and Paul, we have a new identity when we encounter Christ. Is this the only call we receive?
No, far from it. We can be called anytime, anywhere, by any means. The call can take many ways, shapes or forms. I vividly remember receiving a call to change the direction I had been following, and accepting the grace and mission offered by God.
Pray always that you will be open to the call of God. It could very well be a completely different direction from that you have been following. It might not always be easy, but the rewards are great!
Father Storey
"The Most Beautiful Work of Art"February 3, 2019
I often hear people say they miss the architecture of the old churches. These people will continue by saying they find our “modern” day structures somewhat bare and lacking traditional beauty. On the other hand, there are those who object that the older style churches are too elaborate.
These contrasting view points lead us to closely examine the Second Reading from last week, the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time. St. Paul tells us in his First Letter to the Corinthians that, rather than considering the structure and how elaborate or bare a church is, we should focus on what really matters – the people. They are truly what make the churches in which we worship so beautiful.
With the eyes of our Catholic faith, we are called to see why each and every church is so beautiful and to see the diversity of our community. Yes, we are many parts of one body, and it is truly Christ who is the Head. Within each person is the face of Christ, the Head of the Church and the Head of the body. That gleam shines forth only for those whose eyes are enlightened by the truth that the people of the Church are truly the body of Christ.
If you were asked to name the most beautiful art in any church, what would it be? Would it be a work by Michelangelo? Leonardo Da Vinci? As wonderful as their works are, neither choice is correct. We, the people of God, are the most beautiful art in the Church, and God is the Great Artist! It was He who created each of us: He created each of us differently, yet the same, and we revel in that diversity and sameness.
Within each person is a special and particular beauty. Would it not be wonderful if we all had spiritual x-ray vision allowing us to see this beauty in each person? We would certainly see people who are struggling in their marriage, those who are praying for the well being of their sick children, those who are praying for the soul of a loved one who has been called forth from this world marked with the sign of faith. We would see those who have been fighting addictions, those who are struggling in their prayer life or those struggling to feel God’s grace and forgiveness.
St. Paul reflects on the union of Christ with the people of His Church. He writes, “The body of Christ has many members, but all the members, many though they are, are one body, and so it is with Christ.” At Mass, the words of St. Paul are fulfilled among us. Please take the time to look around you today and always. Yes, behold the body of Christ, the real beauty of the Church! We are the art treasure that makes up the Church. To this great truth, give a zealous “AMEN!”
Father Storey
"Proclaim His Holy Word"January 27, 2019
A central theme of today’s readings winds its way throughout the First Reading and the Gospel: the proclamation of scripture should not leave people unmoved.
The scribe Ezra, seeking to unify refugees returning from exile in Babylon, exhorts the weeping people: “Today is holy to the Lord your God. Do not be sad, and do not weep...for rejoicing in the Lord must be your strength.”
In his Gospel, St. Luke recounts how Jesus has returned to Galilee to His home town of Nazareth and entered the synagogue there on the Sabbath. He reads a passage from the prophet Isaiah:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.”
The people are roused to a great joy, and after a brief pause, Jesus proclaims to those in attendance that He, Jesus, is the fulfillment of that prophecy.
The Gospel for today ends “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” This final sentence also is the opening statement for next week’s Gospel. We see in these words, inspired by the Holy Spirit and written by St. Luke, how Jesus Christ is the link and fulfillment from the Old Testament to the New.
The words of Isaiah, as presented by our Lord, gives us joyous news. He offers us His forgiveness, frees us from the oppression of our sins, and leads us on a path that will result in our seeing the face of God. We, too, should listen well, for this Scripture passage is still being fulfilled: Jesus is still here among us.
In the second reading, St. Paul points out some crucial themes. He describes for us what it means to be a part of the Body of Christ:“As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.”
Each of us is a different person with different talents, each with a different role in the spiritual entity that is the Body of Christ. As a reflection of Christ’s love for us, we should show love for one another. We should utilize our time, our talents and treasure for the betterment of our community, the Body of Christ. One way we can do this is by participating in the Archbishop’s Call to Share.
When we reflect on the four categories that make up the funded areas of the Archbishop’s Call to Share: Pastoral Needs, Education, Charity, and Clergy, we see a high correlation between Call to Share and the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy. By participating in Call to Share, we are performing multiple Works of Mercy.
I encourage all of us to embrace the opportunities to participate, to the extent possible, in the Archbishop’s Call to Share, and to strive to develop a deeper relationship with Christ and His Church.
Father Storey
"The New and Eternal Covenant"January 20, 2019
As we progress into Ordinary Time, the ‘second movement’ of the great Symphony of Love that is the Church’s Liturgical Year, we see Christ’s ordinary life, observe His ordinary miracles, and witness His ordinary acts of mercy.
In today’s Gospel we hear about two young people who were wed at Cana. Though nameless, they have been immortalized in the Gospel because Jesus was a guest at their wedding. Any couple might be envious of them. Yet the story, as told by St. John and proclaimed to us in the liturgy, has a wider meaning than just the union of that Jewish man and woman some twenty centuries ago.
The first reading from Isaiah prepares us for this wider meaning. It is based on a favorite image of God in the Old Testament as the spouse of His people. The prophet says:
“As a young man marries a virgin, your Builder shall marry you; and as a bridegroom rejoices in his bride, so shall your God rejoice in you.”
The story of Cana relies on this imagery and symbolically manifests the new, everlasting covenant between God and His people.
In secular society, marriage is considered a contract which is binding by law. In God’s view, marriage is a covenant which is binding by love. The setting of today’s Gospel should make us think of God’s covenant with us as one of faithful love – like that of dedicated spouses.
The detail of the Gospel story reveals that God’s love is generous and abundant. At hand were six stone water jars, each holding twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus directed that they be filled to the brim. Cana was a small town. Perhaps there were at most fifty guests, including some disciples of Jesus. When Jesus changed the water into wine the guests had much more than enough – some 150 gallons. God’s love is abundant like that. Theologically Cana is related to the Epiphany. The meaning of the Epiphany is that Gentiles as well as Jews are called to be disciples of Jesus. God’s love is abundant enough to include everyone in His new covenant.
The new wine at Cana was not only abundant, it was excellent. The waiter in charge observed to the groom, “You have kept the good wine until now." God, too, has reserved for us in the Christian era the abundant, choice wine of His new covenant.
We renew our relationship of love in the Eucharist celebration. At Cana Jesus transformed water into wine. In the Eucharistic celebration, He transforms bread and wine into His Body and Blood as the living memorial of His death and Resurrection. In the voice of the priest, we hear the words of Christ:
“This is the chalice of my Blood, the Blood of the new and eternal covenant, which will be poured out for you and for many...”
Since that beautiful day in Cana every wedding should remind us of God’s abundant love for us. Every dedicated couple should make us think of God’s fidelity. And above all, we should remember that in the Eucharist we celebrate the new covenant, our union with God and one another in the Church.
Father Storey
Deacon's Reflection
"The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord"
January 13, 2019Today’s Feast of the Baptism of the Lord closes the Christmas season; tomorrow we begin the first week in Ordinary Time. We might be asking ourselves why did Jesus, the sinless Son of God, submit Himself to baptism? In Matthew’s gospel John the Baptist asked Jesus basically the same question and He answered, “it is fitting to fulfill all righteousness.” In other words, it is in the Father’s providential plan, so Jesus does so to fulfill His Father’s will. Okay, but still we ask, why? The scriptures and the Catechism (paragraphs 535-537) give us some further insights.
First, Jesus is sinless and has no need for John’s baptism but does so to identify Himself with sinful humanity. He shows Himself to be in solidarity with His fellow Israelites by entering the same waters as the repentant crowds have been entering. Secondly, His very presence lends credibility to John and his mission.
A third reason is alluded to by the voice of the Father from heaven in our Gospel today, “You are my beloved son; with you I am well pleased.” Any first-century Jew hearing those words would understand their meaning. They allude to two Old Testament passages. “You are my son,” from Psalm 2:7. Psalm 2 is an important messianic psalm, where God addresses the newly anointed king as His son. And, “with you I am well pleased” from Isaiah 42:1, the first verse of a series of “songs” about a figure called the Lord’s servant from Isaiah 42-53. This servant will bring salvation to the ends of the earth, accomplishing this through suffering as he offers his life for sin. These words reveal Jesus as the suffering servant foretold by Isaiah and the messiah king anticipated by Israel.
Finally, we see a revelation of the Blessed Trinity – the Father speaks, the Son is baptized, and the Holy Spirit descends as a dove.
It is important to remember that the baptism of John signified the need for inner purity but did not affect this in a sacramental way. It was a prefiguring Christian Baptism which most of us received as infants. When we received this, the first of the Sacraments, we were cleansed of original sin and our souls were filled with sanctifying grace, the Divine life of God. The virtues of faith, hope and love were infused into our soul and God the Father adopted us as His beloved child. We became members of the Mystical Body of Christ, the Church. As you entered the church today you probably dipped your fingers in the holy water and made the sign of the cross. We do this as a reminder of our Baptism, that it is through the waters of Baptism that we first entered the Church! Today let us recall and give thanks to God for our own Baptism!
Deacon Steve White
Deacon’s Reflections"Be A Light"
January 6, 2019
Today, as we celebrate the feast of the Epiphany of the Lord, we learn how God revealed Himself to all people of all nations, not just a chosen few. Our readings focus on light:“Rise up in splendor Jerusalem! Your light has come, the glory of the Lord shines upon
you. ...Nations shall walk by your light.” Is 60:1-3.The beginning of the second chapter of Matthew’s Gospel announces the arrival of the three Magi in Jerusalem, seeking the newborn king of the Jews. These three men were astronomers by vocation, and for many years they had been studying the stars in the firmament. When this unusual new star rose, they knew that an extraordinary event had to have taken place. They were determined to find the cause of this star.
Led only by the light of this new star, they then set out on their trek. Their journey had to have been uncertain and perilous. After all, they had no maps, no one to guide them, only the light of this star. We can only imagine how they must have felt when the star disappeared from their sight in Jerusalem. They began to ask around, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews?”
King Herod met secretly with the Magi to find out what they knew. Herod then sent them to Bethlehem and instructed them to return to him after they had seen the child. Amazingly after they left Herod’s palace, the star reappeared to guide them, to lead them to the place where Jesus was. When they entered the house,“They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” Mt 2:11.
Like the Magi opened themselves to the revelation of God through the guidance of the star, so too, we can open ourselves to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to reveal His plan for each of us. He can help us recognize that God’s plan may not be our plan. His method of leading us to peace and happiness is straight and narrow. It may require us to let go of worldly distractions, change our bad habits, and fight temptations.
We praise and thank the Lord for the revelation of His love and mercy through His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. May we be faithful witnesses to His light. May our lives “shine as light in the world.” Phil 2:15.
May we always follow the light that shines from God, and may we reflect that light to all that we meet.Deacon Phillip Nguyen