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July 3, 2022
God Bless America
As we approach July 4, Independence Day, once again, I contemplate the aura and atmosphere of our nation. Each year we seem to be facing yet another unfathomable situation. We see pockets of turmoil, civil strife, distrust, hot spots of bigotry and bias. More and more I comprehend that we must return to Almighty God in prayer and reparation.
Irving Berlin, one of America’s greatest composers and lyricists, was born in 1888 in what is now part of the Russian Federation and moved with his family to this country. He had a great love for America, and that showed often in his music. Written in the late 1930’s or early 1940’s, one of his most famous and often performed works was this prayer/song, God Bless America. This week when we celebrate the independence of our nation, let us recall with wonder and awe our dependence on Almighty God.God Bless America
Lyrics by Irving Berlin
"While the storm clouds gather far across the sea,
Let us swear allegiance to a land that's free,
Let us all be grateful for a land so fair,
As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer. "
God Bless America,
Land that I love.
Stand beside her, and guide her
Thru the night with a light from above.
From the mountains, to the prairies,
To the oceans, white with foam,
God bless America, My home sweet home.
May God bless each and every man and woman who has served, and especially those who have given their lives, to help protect this country. May those who have died truly rest in the peace of Christ, and may those still serving return home safely.Father Storey
Welcome
We want to extend a warm welcome to Father Mohan Bathineni, who has been assigned here as Parochial Vicar, effective July 1. Father Mohan, most recently assigned as Parochial Vicar at Ascension Parish in Overland Park, has also served two years in Tucson, AZ and eight years in
June 26, 2022
Our Journey Continues in Revival
In today’s Gospel, for the 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle C, Jesus teaches us a valuable lesson in evangelization. We find Jesus preparing to embark on a journey. He felt that His ministry in Galilee was complete and that He needed to make a final trip to Jerusalem. As was His custom, He sent messengers on ahead to ensure that all was in readiness. When Jesus’ messengers were rebuffed, they asked Jesus if He wanted to rain down curses on the offending Samaritan village, but Jesus rebuked them and they simply left for another village.
Luke’s Gospel illustrates the loving, benevolent way of Jesus’ evangelizing. You can’t force someone to do something they don’t want to do or to listen if they don’t want to hear. Additionally, Jesus set the bar pretty high for those who wanted to become His disciples. They had to be capable of leaving possessions, responsibilities and cherished relationships in order to be fully committed to the reign of God. Salvation is to be received only with complete devotion to God’s reign.
If we look deep within ourselves, we see an awesome truth. We belong to the Triune God: the God who created us, the God who saved us and entrusts us with the great gift of the Church, the God who sanctifies and guides us. We belong to the Body of Christ. This is the whose we are. We are called to be one in Christ, to go forward on this journey to learn who we truly are and whose we truly are. These are key words: who we are and whose we are. When we know who we are, then we can do the works of the whose we are.
The only way we truly can know who we are, and whose we are, is to enter into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and not be afraid to be the real me. We have been given the gift and the challenge of the Renewal: Eucharistic Amazement. The mission of the Revival is to renew the Church by enkindling a living relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist.
Michael Podrebarac, Archdiocesan Consultant for Liturgy and Sacramental Life, says that since Catholics celebrate the Eucharist every Sunday and virtually every weekday, the first thing we all should do is be aware of what we do when we gather at the table of the Lord. Podrebarac is well known throughout the archdiocese for his expertise in liturgy and music. Next month he is going to start rolling out informational sessions and archdiocesan workshops for musicians and liturgical ministers. These can be very beneficial to the “people in the pew” as well.
Podrebarac cites participation in one of the devotionals – such as Eucharistic Holy Hours, Eucharistic adoration, Eucharistic processions – as things the archdiocese needs to kindle and rekindle. He has a vision of making sure all parishioners are centered around the Eucharist, which Podrabarac has termed as THE SOURCE AND SUMMIT of the life and mission of the church.
As we continue on our journey, let us value the WHO we are and the WHOSE we are. We thank God for providing us with this Journey to Revival. For more details go to: www.archkck.org/revival.
Last week we introduced the Eucharistic initiative through a letter from Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann. Today we add more detail and explanation via a letter from Deacon Dana Nearmyer, Archdiocesan Coordinator for Revival: Eucharistic Amazement. Please read it on page 7 of this bulletin.Father Storey
June 19, 2022This Is My Body
Corpus Christi – Latin for “the Body of Christ.” How often have we heard these words? What do they mean to us? Every time we receive the Most Holy Eucharist, we hear this invitation, “The Body of Christ.” Is our response just an automatic “Amen,” or do we really mean an enthusiastic “I believe”? Today, Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, also known as Corpus Christi, commemorates the great Gift that Christ gave us – the gift of His own Body and Blood. If we truly contemplate the meaning of this Gift, it is almost mind-boggling. We are receiving the BODY and the BLOOD of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
In today’s Gospel, the disciples urge Jesus to send the large crowd away to find food and lodging; but Jesus would not hear of that. Rather, He instructed the disciples, “Give them some food yourselves.” We know well how the story ends. From a meager five loaves and two fish, Jesus provided sufficient food for the gathering which numbered in excess of five thousand people; leftovers filled 12 baskets. St. Luke states, “They all ate and were satisfied.”
In the second reading, St. Paul relates to the Corinthians how Jesus, at the Last Supper, took bread, broke it and gave it to the disciples saying, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” Then Jesus gave them the cup of wine: “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
In the magnificence of the Eucharist, His Body and Blood, we are nourished and renewed in Christ. We eat, we drink, and we are satisfied! He has given us the greatest Gift ever, the gift of Himself in the Blessed Sacrament.Eucharistic Initiative
Several weeks ago we wrote about taking a personal journey of 40 days. When we examined the 40-days journeys in scripture, we saw that they were periods of preparation for a major event in the life of the person undertaking the 40 days journey. People like Moses, Elijah, Noah, even Jesus. Our personal journeys are somewhat different; they are meant to be prayerful encounters with the Lord God to prepare us for our life hereafter. Now we visualize that they can become periods of preparation for a major event in our own lives: the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ recently announced a three-year nationwide movement, National Eucharistic Revival.
As announced in the June 3 edition of the Leaven, this initiative is slated to begin today, June 19, 2022, the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, and will conclude three years from now on the Solemnity of Pentecost in 2025. The purpose of the nationwide initiative is to renew the Church by enkindling a living relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist. I urge you to read the letter from Archbishop Naumann and review the accompanying flyer, found on 6 of the June 19 bulletin, to get an overview of Revival: Eucharistic Amazement as it is known in our archdiocese.
The Revival will focus in four different areas: Diocesan, Parish, National Eucharistic Conference and Going Out on Mission. Next week we will introduce some other aspects of the Revival and present a letter from Dcn Dana Nearmyer, Archdiocesan Director of Evangelization and another flyer with more information on the Revival. As we progress on our personal 40-days journey, may we continue our mission as Evangelists in Action, looking forward to this new event in our life.Father Storey
June 12, 2022To Know Him is to Love Him
Today we celebrate the feast of the Most Holy Trinity, three Divine Persons in one God. Every Mass, every sacramental rite we celebrate, begins with the Sign of the Cross: “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen!” The concept of the Holy Trinity is a profound mystery that we will never fully understand while we are here on earth. For centuries, theologians, saints, philosophers and preachers alike have attempted to explain this mystery.
Jesus Christ has given us a variety of glimpses into the Trinitarian relationship. In John Chapter 14, we hear: “If you know me, you know my Father too. You must believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me.” He continues, “I shall ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever, that Spirit of truth…you know him because he is with you, he is in you.” This relationship is an exquisite interaction of love that exists within the Holy Trinity.
Perhaps the clearest expression in the New Testament of the Triune relationship can be found in the concluding verses of St. Matthew’s Gospel (28:16-20). Jesus directed the eleven disciples to convene on a mountain in Galilee, then He told them: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”
St. Patrick used a shamrock, a three-leafed clover, to help shed light on the mystery; others have used an equilateral triangle or a trefoil. I like to use the outline of a heart to describe the relationship of love that exists within the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
The love emanates from the Father, arching and forming one side of a heart as He sends His Son to be our Redeemer. At the lower juncture of the sides of the heart, we think about how Jesus asks His Father to send another Advocate, the Spirit, to guide and lead us back to the Father, thus completing the image of the heart. We flourish in that love.
A few weeks ago we spoke of one of the challenges that Jesus gives to us, that of being evangelists in action. He wants us to be evangelists in our everyday lives, in all that we do. He explains to us: “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, I send you.”
Is this something we can add to our personal forty (or more) day mission of preparing for our afterlife? We need to know God, and love God more thoroughly in order to fulfill our mission. One way we can do this is to try to lead to lead others to Him.
Let us intercede with our special Advocate the Holy Spirit that together with the Son and Father, the Holy Trinity will guide us along the path of evangelization. May we learn to know and love God more deeply so we can lead others by our prayers, our actions and our works. As St. Francis succinctly put it,: “Preach always, use words if necessary!”In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen!
Father Storey
June 5, 2022Pentecost – Fifty Days after Easter
You may recall that last week we focused on the scriptural meaning of forty days and what could be accomplished in that time frame. We enumerated multiple examples of forty (40) days and how each was a time of preparation for a significant event. Today on this Solemnity of Pentecost we are going to concentrate on fifty days after Easter, and rejoice in the birth of our Church. We will return – though only briefly -- to take another look at our personal mission of forty days.
As we reflect on the Readings of the past few weeks, many scenarios unfold before us. We see Jesus, the Leader, the great Teacher, the One who loves us the One who gives us hope. Jesus promised to be with us always. He asks us to trust in Him. He said He would ask His Father to send the Spirit to us. He promised the disciples, “The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.” (John 14: 16)
Just before He ascended to heaven, Jesus told His disciples not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father. He reminded them that John baptized with water, but soon they were to be baptized with the Holy Spirit.
On the tenth day after His Ascension, the disciples, along with the Blessed Mother, gathered in the Upper Room in Jerusalem to celebrate the Jewish Pentecost, a tradition in which pilgrims would come from all over to thank God for the year’s harvest. Mary and the disciples were in the same room where the Last Supper had taken place. The Holy Spirit descended upon each of them to remind them of all that Jesus said and did, and to enable them to go forth in the name of the Lord to teach all nations. They were given the gift of tongues, so that each person who listened to them heard in his own native language:
“Suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2: 2-3) Thus was fulfilled Christ’s promise; this was the birth of the Church.
The word Pentecost means 50. Fifty days after the Resurrection, we now celebrate Pentecost. It is the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise; it is the birthday of the Church. We, too, have been given the Holy Spirit, through the Sacraments of Initiation. In our Baptism, we receive the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit and new life in Christ. In our Confirmation, we are strengthened by the Gifts of the Holy Spirit that we may share with others the Good News of Jesus Christ (Evangelization). We should cherish the 7 Gifts of the Holy Spirit that have been given to us: Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel (right judgment), Fortitude (courage), Knowledge, Piety (reverence), Fear of the Lord (wonder and awe).
Have you started on your mission of forty days, your personal period of preparation for your future life with the Father? You don’t have to do this 24/7, but we should set aside some time that we can dedicate to preparing for our life hereafter. We all have responsibilities, whether they be family, work, education related. Just dedicate some time for your own personal mission. Set a goal, a target date. Perhaps your mission could begin on June 16 with a target accomplishment date of July 26, Feast Day of St. Joachim and St. Anne, grandparents of Jesus. And no, it doesn’t have to end with 40. It can go beyond. Do include personal prayer, meditation, reconciliation and quiet time just listening to the Lord. God bless you.
Father Storey
May 29, 2022Forty Days
What can you accomplish in forty days? What have others done with a similar time frame? Forty days has a long rich history as symbolizing preparedness in scripture: Noah’s 40 days in the ark; Moses’ 40 days on Mount Sinai; Elijah’s 40 days wandering in the desert; even Jesus own 40 days of fasting and praying before beginning His public ministry.
Today, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Ascension. Many of us grew up celebrating it on a Thursday, a Holy Day of Obligation. Because of its importance as a feast day, it was made a diocesan option in the United States to celebrate it on the traditional Thursday or on the following Sunday as we now do in our Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. Jesus has been using this time to prepare His disciples for the time when He would be leaving them.
Through the different Evangelists, we learn that Jesus appeared to His disciples and to others multiple times during those 40 days following His Resurrection, but they did not know Him. It was only when their eyes were opened that they recognized the Lord.
Our First Reading today is from the beginning of the Acts of the Apostles, and the Gospel contains the concluding verses of Luke’s Gospel. Both Luke’s Gospel and the Acts were addressed to “Theophilus” which means “Friend of God.” Luke wanted to use his writings to influence his friend, whom he addresses as Theophilus, to draw closer to God.
As the time neared for Jesus to return to the Father, He told His disciples that He had to leave – but He let them down ever so gently. We read in John 14: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; now have faith in me.” Jesus explained, “In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. I am going to prepare a place for you. I will come back and take you to myself. Where I am going you know the way.” Thomas objected, saying “we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus enlightened him: “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Luke described how Jesus was taken from the sight of His disciples. In Acts Luke provides the detail: “As they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight.” Note the similarity to what occurred at the empty tomb early on Easter morning. “While they were looking intently at the sky as He was going, suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them. They said, ‘Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen Him going into heaven’” (Acts 1:10-11).
Just before He ascended into heaven, Jesus commissioned the disciples to go preach to all nations, to baptize and to live what He had taught them. He told them to stay in Jerusalem to wait for the promise of the Father. They were to stay together to strengthen one another while waiting to be baptized with the Holy Spirit. Then He was lifted up and taken from their sight.
We have been blessed with 40 days. What can we do with them? Can we use them to prepare for our future with the Lord God? God has sent us an Advocate, the Holy Spirit to remain with us and to guide us in the ways of the Lord. Can we use this time to prepare ourselves to renew in our lives the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, ask God’s forgiveness for our sins, and pledge to remake ourselves in God’s image and likeness?
Father Storey
May 22, 2022Love and Peace
Periodically, we describe the Church’s Liturgical Year as a symphony – a Symphony of Love in C Major. We are nearing the end of the Fourth Movement of that symphony, one that embraces the days of the Easter Season including the surging emotions of the Feasts of the Ascension and Pentecost, Feasts of the Holy Trinity and the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ.
During this time, instead of Readings from the Old Testament and Epistles from the New Testament, we often hear Readings from the Acts of the Apostles, written by St. Luke, and from the Book of Revelations authored by the beloved disciple, John.
In these Readings and Gospels, we see many facets of Jesus: Comforter, Advocate, Mentor, Teacher, Leader, Master, Shepherd and Friend. Had Jesus decided to write a book, what kind would it be? Self-help? Autobiographical? No matter what genre it would resemble, its title may have to be “Love and Peace.”
Last week we talked about three distinct types of love that are used in the New Testament: storge, philia and agape. Philia describes the powerful emotional bond seen in deep friendships; philia encompasses love for fellow humans, care, respect, and compassion for people in need. Jesus said philia would be an identifier of His followers: “By this everyone will know you are my disciples if you love one another.
Today’s Gospel is almost like paraphrasing an excerpt from Christ’s book Jesus teaches His disciples in easy to recall sayings. He tells them: “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.”
These words of truth are so central to all of Jesus’ teaching that they deserve to be repeated. Jesus’ command to His disciples is to allow God to dwell with them by imitating the pattern of divine love: “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.”
Jesus, not wanting His disciples to feel abandoned, told them “The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you. Jesus continues: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.”
Peace is the counterpart of love. Peace comes with love of God, love of family and love of oneself. When we greet each other at the Sign of Peace during Mass, let us reflect deeply and realize that we are quoting Christ’s own words: “Peace be with you!”
Where can we get a copy of Jesus’ masterpiece? You probably already have one in your own home, the Bible. The Bible is the first book ever printed on the Gutenberg Press. It’s the original self-help book; it’s a biography of Jesus. It could be your “go to” book for daily reading.
Fr. Storey
May 15, 2022As I Have Loved You
Today’s Gospel (John 13:31-33a, 34-35) is a tutorial in love. We are taken back to the Last Supper. Judas has been dismissed to pursue his heinous mission of betrayal. Jesus is instructing the rest of His disciples as to what is about to occur. He explains His upcoming Crucifixion, Death and Resurrection saying, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him ... My children I will be with you only a little while longer.” Jesus is getting us ready; He is preparing to leave us the Church.
Then Jesus commands His disciples, “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.” This is the legacy of love that Jesus is giving us. He continues, “This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Love has conveyed many different meanings throughout history. A significant portion of the Bible was written in Greek; the Greek language contains no less than six different words for love, each expressing a distinct type of love. Three of these words are used in the New Testament: storge, philia and agape.
Storge (pronounced: STOR-jay) describes family love, the affectionate bond that develops naturally between parents and children, and brothers and sisters. Philia (pronounced: FILL-ee-uh) is the type of intimate love in the Bible that most Christians practice toward each other. This term describes the powerful emotional bond seen in deep friendships. Philia is the most general type of love in Scripture, encompassing love for fellow humans, care, respect, and compassion for people in need. Jesus said philia would be an identifier of His followers: “By this everyone will know you are my disciples if you love one another.”
The greatest example of love is Jesus Himself. Agape (pronounced uh-GAH-pay) defines God’s immeasurable, incomparable love for humankind. Agape love is perfect, unconditional, sacrificial and pure. It is love without reservation. Jesus demonstrated this kind of divine love to His Father and to all humanity in the way He lived and died.
To understand the teaching of Christ, we must recognize that love underlies each and every rule from God. God so loved the world that He created all things and said it was good. Then He created humans and said this is very good, because He knew that we were the only ones of His creation to whom He gave the capability of love.
Love is in the here and now; it is not something that has happened only in the past or will be only in the future. It is the present. We were created by the love of God. We were saved through the love of God. Love never dies. It will carry us back to the Father, which is our ultimate goal. This is what sustains us: the love Jesus has for us, the love we have for Jesus, and the love we have for one another.
“Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.” This will be the identifying mark of all Christians, their self-sacrificing love for each other.Fr. Storey
May 8, 2022Our Three Mothers
For just over a century now, we have been celebrating Mother’s Day. In 1914 President Woodrow Wilson declared that we should observe Mother’s Day on the second Sunday of May. Since then we have never failed, as a nation, to honor our mothers both living and deceased.
This is an excellent day to reflect on the three Mothers in our lives: Mary, the Mother of God; our Holy Mother Church; and, of course, the mothers with whom God has gifted our lives.
For over 700 years, the Catholic Church has had the custom of dedicating the month of May to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Mary is the model for all mothers; she is also the model for the Church. At times you will hear people refer to the Church as “Holy Mother Church,” a most appropriate title because what Mary did for Jesus, the Church does for us.
Mary, like all mothers, carried her Baby in her womb, gave birth from her body, nourished Him, taught Him the customs of the Jewish faith, and taught Him about life. When Jesus began His public ministry, Mary was there as His faithful disciple. She was with Jesus and His disciples who had been invited to a wedding in Cana in Galilee. She witnessed His first miracle there in Cana.
She stood at the foot of the cross and watched her Son give over His body for our sins and for our forgiveness. She heard the words spoken by Jesus, “Woman, behold, your son.” Then He addressed His beloved disciple, “Behold, your mother” (John 19:26-27). As John states in the next verse, “From that moment the disciple made a place for her in his home.”
Not only did Jesus give Mary, His mother, to the beloved disciple, John, but He also gave her to us, His Church.
The early Church Fathers spoke of the baptismal font as the womb of the Church. In that font, the Church conceived and gave birth to us, the children of God, and brothers and sisters of one another in God’s family on this earth. The Church then nourishes us with the Word of God and the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, and teaches us how to love one another as He has loved us.
Mother’s Day dates back to the early 1900s. Our Catholic Mother’s Day dates back to the very beginning of our faith when Mary conceived Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit.
May God bless our mothers, both living and deceased, this day! May He keep each of you in His care. May you cherish the great vocation to which each of you has been called, and your importance not only to yourchildren, but to the entire Church.Father Storey
May 1, 2022
Stranger on the Shore
Today’s Gospel, John 21:1-19, opens on a scene of fishermen who are confused and disoriented, with no discernible sense of direction. For three years, the Apostles had followed Jesus. He lived with them, taught them, prepared them for the time He would return to His Father. The Apostles knew Him, yet they didn’t. After Jesus’ death, they floundered without their Teacher and Master. Peter, feeling the need to do something useful and familiar, announced to those present that he was going fishing. The other Apostles were quick to seize this opportunity and volunteered to accompany him. They got in the boat and set off to ply their vocational skills.
Later, as they returned empty-handed after a futile night of fishing, they saw on the shore a figure whom they did not recognize. The stranger inquired if they had anything to eat. Receiving an answer in the negative, the man told them to cast their net again – but this time on the right side of the boat. The fishermen were very dubious, but they did as they were told. They were rewarded with a catch of 153 large fish. The net became so full they could not pull it out of the water. Then the beloved disciple, John, realized that it was Jesus speaking to them.
“It is the Lord!” he said excitedly to Peter. Hearing these words, Peter jumped into the sea and waded ashore. The rest of the Apostles followed in the boat towing their net. They were greeted by the sight of a charcoal fire with fish cooking on it and bread. The now revealed stranger, Jesus, told them to bring some of their catch to enjoy with breakfast. The Evangelist John tells us that this was the third time since His Resurrection that Jesus was revealed to His Apostles.
After they had eaten, Jesus addressed Simon Peter. He asked, “Peter, son of John, do you love me?” Peter answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you,” and Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” A second time, Jesus inquired of Peter, “Peter, son of John, do you love me?” Peter replied, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus responded, “Tend my sheep.” But Jesus was not finished with His interrogation of Peter.
A third time Jesus questioned, “Peter, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was getting very disturbed with Jesus’ insistent questioning, but he also had to be hearing the voice of the girl in the courtyard and the crow of the cock, and knew that he was being given a second chance. Yet he was perturbed and blurted out, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus in His usual loving manner calmly told Peter, “Feed my sheep.”
Peter, of course, was feeling guilt from having denied Jesus three times. Jesus does not want us to live as strangers to Him, nor with constant guilt. Instead He offers us forgiveness in return for our repentance, faith and love for Him.
Jesus asks us a similar question, “Do you love me?” How do we respond? Jesus is calling us to exchange our guilt feelings for feelings of love and recognition for Him. Even when we mess up or don’t always show our love for Jesus the way we should, He gives us endless chances.
Sometimes we must stop and listen to God; He just may be asking us to change ourselves. What can we do to get to know Jesus better, to be less of a stranger? The answer to that question will be different for each one of us. Let faith, hope and love be our guidelines!
Father Storey
April 24, 2022Evangelists in Action
Today we celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday, a relatively recent addition to our liturgical calendar. Just 22 years ago, April 30, 2000, on the occasion of the canonization of St. Faustina, then Pope John Paul II granted the gift of the Feast of Divine Mercy to the Universal Church, to be celebrated the first Sunday after Easter. Fourteen years later, on April 27, he was canonized and henceforth would be known as St. John Paul II, or St. Pope John Paul II.
The Entrance Antiphon sets the theme for each day’s Mass. Today’s is taken from the 1st Epistle of St. Peter “Like newborn infants, you must long for the pure, spiritual milk, that in Him you may grow to salvation, alleluia.”
The Divine Mercy devotion is based on the diary of St. Faustina Kowalska, a young Polish nun who died in 1938. At the direction of her spiritual director, St. Faustina wrote almost 600 pages describing the messages of mercy she received from Jesus Christ, beginning on February 22, 1931, and continuing throughout the remainder of her life. The messages were a reinforcement of what Christ always taught: God loves us no matter how great our sins. He wants us to come to Him with trust, receive His mercy, and let it flow through us to others.
On the 8th Sunday of Ordinary Time, just before Lent, we heeded the words of Jesus as He was instructing His disciples, “Follow me!” Now that Lent is over, it doesn’t mean that we should quit following Him. Instead He is challenging us, along with His disciples, to a new, lofty mission. Today’s Gospel brings us an exciting message of mercy and peace.
The disciples were gathered behind locked doors in the upper room in Jerusalem because they were afraid of the Jews. On the evening of that first day of the week, Jesus appeared in the room among them. He had no need for doors being opened, he just appeared. Twice Jesus offered His greeting, “Peace be with you.” Then He commanded, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” They were to become evangelists, evangelists in action.
Then Jesus instituted the wonderful gift of the sacrament of Penance. In His words, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” Peace and mercy! Mercy and peace! What a fantastic combination!
We can see how the disciples began their work of evangelization by following in the Acts of the Apostles. Our First Readings throughout the Easter Season will be from the Acts of the Apostles. Now it is up to us to listen to the mission that Jesus has given each of us: “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” Jesus is asking us to become evangelists.
What can we do to become good evangelists? Look around you. Be observant. We can find many great examples to follow, especially among the saints who have gone before us. We also have multiple candidates for sainthood whose example we can emulate. Some of interest to people in our area: Fr. Emil Kapaun, Fr. Michael J. McGivney and Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen. All were wonderful evangelists, worthy of imitation. Please pray for their causes for sainthood.
Listen as He speaks to us: “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, I send you.”Father Storey
April 14, 2022
He is Risen Alleluia! Alleluia!
I want to extend a warm welcome to all our parishioners, their families and guests, as we celebrate this most holy Feast of the Resurrection of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
For a final thought from our Lenten Special Prayer Source, I want us to transport ourselves in our minds to where the events of the Triduum have been taking place: You are there!
Today’s Gospel is set in a garden near Golgotha. On Friday, we saw the body of Jesus placed in a rocky, hewn tomb here. Two days later as we cautiously approach the tomb, we see that the stone that once covered the entrance has been rolled back. Much to our surprise, the tomb is empty! Two men standing nearby tell us that He Whom we are seeking is no longer there.
A woman has been there before us. The apostles Peter and John soon arrive. They also see nothing but an empty tomb. This is Easter Sunday morning! ALLELUIA! ALLELUIA! HE IS RISEN!
The story of Jesus, like every story, has a beginning, a middle and an end. In the beginning of the Scriptures we read of the conception and birth of Jesus, and so we celebrate Christmas Day! However, right away there is already some indication of how Christ’s life will end when we read of Herod’s threats. Herod threatens the life of Jesus almost immediately after Christ’s birth. To understand fully, we must continue to listen to the story unfold.
We come to the middle of the story. Like any good mystery, suspense starts to build. We know Jesus is innocent; however, many are unwilling to believe in His word. Christ starts to teach that He was born to suffer and die for all. This is brought to light as He prophesies that He will go into Jerusalem and suffer and eventually die. This is why, when we get to the part of the passion and death, we are not surprised.
Although this seems to be the climax of the story, and is the part we focus on in sorrow, we must remember the story goes on to offer great hope: He rises from the dead. Jesus had prophesied this His whole life long. He said He came “to suffer and to die, and then to rise from the dead.” He promised that all who come to believe that He is truly the Son of God, will also rise.
Each of us has our own story, and it begins the day we were baptized. We were presented to God and washed clean in the waters of Baptism and the Holy Spirit. We become a new creation and clothe ourselves in Christ; thus we become part of the Church, and eventually, inheritors of the kingdom of heaven.
Our lives will be filled with great joys, many sorrows, much pain and suffering, because we are truly part of the Body of Christ. It is in and through these moments of our lives – good or bad – that we come to know Christ more fully. Christ came to live, to die and now He comes to rise for each of us – making our lives so very blessed and so very important. We were once dead, and now we live because JESUS CHRIST IS TRULY RISEN TODAY!May we rejoice in this glorious Easter Day!
Father Storey
April 10, 2022The Holiest of Weeks
Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week, the most important week in the Church’s Liturgical Year. This week is the one we have characterized as a symphony within a symphony when we describe our Liturgical Year. My selection from the Special Prayer Source is the Passion according to St. Luke. Today we will read it together – and then we should make this last week of Lent an intense act of prayer, almsgiving and penitence.
Today’s Gospel opens with a huge crowd lining the road that leads to Jerusalem, waving palm branches as the man known as Jesus comes near. He is riding on a colt that has never been sat on before. Loud cheers emanate from the crowd: “Hosanna in the highest!”
Holy Week is a week of contrasts from the lowest of lows to the highest of highs. It is also a time of temptation and betrayal. It culminates in the three days we call the Triduum. Triduum begins at sundown on Holy Thursday and continues until sundown on Easter Sunday. These days are truly the great, holy days of our faith.
Today’s liturgy begins to unfold a series of events that God the Father planned, and that He guided by means of the Holy Spirit in order to accomplish our salvation. In the center of this divine drama stands, not an actor, but the Eternal Son of God. He is Jesus, the Savior. He is the Christ, the One anointed by God to be the Lamb Who takes away the sins of the world.
A few days after Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, we find Him at the upper room in Jerusalem where He has gathered His apostles to celebrate the Jewish feast of the Passover. On Thursday evening “Jesus realized that the hour had come for him to pass from this world to the Father. He had loved his own in this world, and would show his love for them to the end” (John 13:1). The Greek word used by St. John for “end” means not only “until the termination of his life” but also “to the fullest extent.” Actually Jesus would show the fullest love by sacrificing His life for us.
On that awe-inspiring night of the Last Supper, Jesus was thinking of His final act of love while on this earth: His death on the cross. So that His followers might be able to share in His sacrifice throughout all ages, He instituted the Sacrament of His Paschal Mystery, His Death and Resurrection. At His supper “under the appearances of bread and wine, Jesus offered his body and blood, gave them to his apostles to eat and drink and then commanded them to carry on this mystery” (Roman Missal, 55).
We follow Jesus to the Garden of Gethsemane where He prays through the night, asking His Father to spare Him the ordeal ahead. We see Him betrayed by His disciple, Judas, who identified Christ to His captors by a kiss. The next day, in the courtyard of Pilate’s palace, we hear Peter deny Jesus three times. We hear loud jeers of the crowd as they demand: “Give us Barabbas!”
On Friday afternoon, Jesus offered the sacrifice of Himself which He had instituted as a Sacrament on the previous night. On Saturday, the second day of the Triduum, Jesus was in the tomb. It is the day of supreme quiet, the great silence of the liturgy. The liturgy invites us to remain at the tomb of Jesus, in peaceful expectation of a brilliant future.
On Easter Sunday Jesus broke the bonds of death. By dying He destroyed our death, and by rising He restored our life. Now in the Eucharistic celebration His Resurrection cannot be separated from His death; we witness once again, “We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again.”
Let us ask the Holy Spirit to safeguard us from temptation and always keep us in the grace of God. May this week be truly holy for all of us!Father Storey
April 3, 2022Don’t Throw Stones
Today is the Fifth Sunday of Lent. A search through my Special Prayer Source yielded many options, but limitations on space dictated that it be relatively short. For its comfort and inspiration, I chose a verse from today’s Responsorial Psalm: The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy. When our journey following the Lord becomes difficult, it is good to reflect on how much He has given us.
The Gospel for today gives us an example of Jesus being so adept at handling the complaints and challenges presented by some of the crowds that gathered in His presence. A mob of Scribes and Pharisees had forced an adulterous woman to cower in the presence of Jesus. We wonder what He is expected to do with her. The crowd challenges Jesus, trying to trap him.
A spokesperson for the crowd reminds Jesus that, according to the Law of Moses, this woman should be stoned. If He agreed that the woman should be stoned, they could have accused Him of cruelty. If He declared that the woman should go free, they could accuse Him of violating the Law of Moses.
When they asked, “What do you have to say about the case?” Jesus in His usual way refused to answer the question. Instead He first dismissed their stance as completely inane, as insignificant as the scribbles He traced on the ground with His finger. When they persisted in their questioning, He looked down at the sins He had written on the ground and uttered His own challenge: “Let the man among you who has no sin be the first to cast a stone at her.”
Of course they all walked away. Because He was sinless, Jesus could have met His own challenge and cast a stone. He preferred to offer the opportunity for conversion; He did not condone the sin the woman had committed. He granted her pardon. A look of relief and gratitude covered her face as she responded to Jesus’ inquiry regarding the whereabouts of her condemners.
Then He instructed her, “From now on, avoid this sin.” Jesus did not throw a stone at the woman, and He does not throw stones at us. God does not will the death of sinners. He wants only that they be converted and live.
We should emulate the adulterous woman and always thank God for His love and mercy. If we look at the potential stone in our own hand, we think “what shall we do?” Will we throw that stone (judge) or follow in Jesus’ footsteps, drop the stone and offer love and forgiveness?
Today we witness a great example of God’s love and forgiveness. The message we carry in our hearts is that it is far better to love and forgive than to judge and throw stones.
Jesus offers us His unconditional love and forgiveness. All we have to do is ask for it. Our parish’s Lenten Penance Service will be today, April 3rd at 3:00 p.m. Other Lenten Penance Services will be held throughout the Johnson County region all this week.
Father Storey
March 27, 2022This Man Welcomes Sinners
These past few weeks it seems like all our news media: TV, radio, newspapers, electronic devices, etc. are filled with horrible reports of atrocities against countries, men, women, children, to the point that we think we just cannot bear any more. It was against this background that I turned once again to my Special Prayer Source to find consolation, inspiration and a path as we try to maintain our footing following our Lord on this Lenten journey. One image kept returning to me: Our Lady of Fatima.
Our Lady of Fatima is one of many titles by which we know our Blessed Mother, Mary. The feast day is celebrated each year on May 13, the anniversary of the first of six appearances in 1917, of Our Blessed Mother to 3 peasant children: Lucia de Jesus dos Santos and her cousins Francisco and Jacinto Marto in the Cova da Iria in Fatima. Portugal. Over the duration of the apparitions, Mary revealed three “secrets” to the children. Among these were a vision of souls in hell; the prediction of the end of WWI, the beginning of WWII; and a request to consecrate Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. There was also a vision of the Pope along with other religious and lay people being killed by soldiers. (Fully revealed in 2000.) During the apparitions Mary told the children to pray the Rosary daily to bring peace to the world and to bring an end to the war.
Today, the 4th Sunday in Lent, is known as Laetare Sunday. The name comes from the first word in the traditional Latin form of the Entrance Antiphon and means rejoice. Priests and deacons use rose colored vestments, just as they do on Gaudete Sunday in Advent. Rose is a softening of violet, the liturgical color normally used during Lent and Advent. It is a foretaste of good things to come, and it anticipates the pure white that will be used at Easter.
“This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” (Luke 15: 3) These words, spoken in today’s Gospel by the Pharisees and scribes to condemn the actions of Christ, are truly welcome sounds to our ears, our hearts, our souls and our minds. Jesus Christ does greet us with open arms and shares a meal with us.
Christ, in response to the criticism of the Pharisees and scribes, related the parable of the Prodigal Son. The younger son asked for his share of his father’s estate. He then took the inheritance, went far away and spent it on frivolous and wasteful living. After a famine hit that country, the young man was desperate. He vowed to return to his father and beg for his forgiveness. He admitted his unworthiness, and asked to be treated as a hired hand. But his father would hear nothing of the kind; the father welcomed him back, clothed him and feted him at a sumptuous banquet.
We, too, can sometimes stray. Especially during Lent we want to have the courage to look deep within ourselves. We must say in an honest and up-front way: “Lord, a sinner am I.” More importantly, we want to proclaim: “To your name be glory!”
We should start our personal journey back to Christ via repentance and confession. He was reaching out to us before we even started to know Him. As St. Paul tells us in the Second Reading: “All this is from God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Christ and given us the ministry of reconciliation ... For our sake He made Him to be sin who did not know sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (cf 2 Cor 5)
The Father will receive us with open arms; He will welcome us back to the family and prepare a banquet for us. The love of God is everlasting. He welcomes sinners and eats with them.
Let us renew our dedication to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and pray the Rosary daily. With the guidance of Our Lord, Jesus Christ, and His Holy Mother, we can make this a fruitful Lenten Season. May God in His mercy, bless all of us.
Father Storey
March 6, 2022YOU’LL NEVER WALK ALONE
Once again we find ourselves at the beginning of Lent, a time of penitence, fasting and almsgiving. We are drawn to reflect deeply on forgiveness. We know that we should seek forgiveness through the Sacrament of Penance/Reconciliation, but for way too many of us, we just do not. We create our own roadblocks; we let our pride get in the way.
There are three ways to seek/receive forgiveness. The first two come to mind immediately: ask God to forgive us, and ask the forgiveness of others. The third might not be quite so obvious – we must be willing to forgive ourselves. Sometimes seeking forgiveness can be very difficult, but we must remember we are not alone. We must set aside our pride, and place our trust in God.
Today’s Gospel (Luke 4:1-13) relates how the Spirit led Jesus into the desert to be tempted by the devil. Jesus withstood three different temptations by the devil, and then angels of God came and ministered to Him. Jesus was not alone.
At this point, I began suffering from a bad case of “writer’s block.” Then I remembered my SPS – my Special Prayer Source, my travel bag, that I told you about last week. My search therein was rewarded with a song. You may recall it from years past.
As we navigate the path of our personal Lenten journey into the desert, we can find ourselves fearful and anxious. One might ask, “How am I going to handle all these obstacles?” It’s okay to have fears, struggles and anxiety. Just remember you don’t have to face them alone. Recall the song of Rogers and Hammerstein featured in the Broadway musical “Carousel.”
When you walk through a storm
Hold your head up high
And don’t be afraid of the dark
At the end of the storm is a golden sky...
Ask the Blessed Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, to accompany you and guide you on this journey.Walk on through the wind,
Walk on through the rain
Though your dreams be tossed and blown
Let Them lift your burdens and ease your anxiety and fears:Walk on, walk on with hope in your heart
And you’ll never walk alone.Father Storey
February 27, 2022BEGINNING THE JOURNEY
On this Eighth Sunday in Ordinary time, two days before Lent begins Wednesday, March 2, we hear the end of Jesus’ Sermon on the Plains, a discourse on how to live as followers of Christ. (In Matthew’s Gospel, he calls it the Sermon on the Mount.) Today’s Gospel selection (Luke 6:39-45), features three parables that capture the attention of His audience: the disciples and a crowd that has gathered. Jesus teaches them all what it means in everyday life to be His follower, and issues an invitation, “Follow me.” It won’t be easy, He says, but He encourages all to stay the course and not become frustrated. He promises to be with us throughout our journey.
The first parable poses an interesting situation: how can a blind person guide a blind person. Jesus’ response to this dilemma, is the disciple must become fully trained so that the disciple will be just like the teacher and continue with His instruction. The second parable is also a base for introspection: remove the plank from your own eye before trying to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. The third parable has been a source for some well know sayings: A good tree does not bear bad fruit; one does not gather figs from thorn bushes, nor grapes from brambles. Similarly, out of the heart, a good person will produce good work.
Following His Baptism in the Jordan, after hearing the words of His Father, “This is my beloved Son,” Jesus departed for a journey of 40 days in the desert. Are we ready to embark on this journey with Him? We can do it, if we think of it as just one day at a time – not all 40 at one time.
On this journey, I suggest you pack a bag – an SPS – a Special Prayer Source. I like to stock my bag with a variety of resources and meditations. Today, I will share one of them with you.Footprints in the Sand
One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.
Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.
In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.
Sometimes there were two sets of footprints, other times there was one only.
This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life,
When I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat, I could see only one set of footprints,
So I said to the Lord, “You promised me Lord, that if I followed you,
You would walk with me always. .But I have noticed that during the most trying periods
Of my life there has only been one set of footprints in the sand.
Why when I needed you most, have you not been there for me?
The Lord replied, “The times when you have seen only one set of footprints, my child,
Is when I carried you.”Dearest Lord, accompany me on this journey. If I falter, steady my step. If I stumble, take my hand. If I face the insurmountable, take me in your arms. With your help, I will make this Lent one day at a time.
Father Storey
February 20, 2022
Can We Live by These Words?
“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” What is this radical approach that Jesus is teaching His disciples and the crowds gathered there? This is unlike anything they have been accustomed to in their past experiences.
On this Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle C, our Gospel, Luke (6:27-38), is a continuation of what we heard last week in the Sermon on the Plain. After Jesus has invoked the four blessings and the four woes, He turns His audience’s attention to instructions that just do not make sense from their way of thinking. He continues:“To the person who strikes you on one cheek, offer the other one as well. From the person who takes your cloak, do not withhold even your tunic. Give to everyone who asks of you… Do to others as you would have them do to you. For if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?” Can’t you just “hear” what the audience is thinking? What is this man talking about?
“Be merciful just as your Father is merciful. Stop judging and you will not be judged. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give, and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.”
In this short period of Ordinary Time, the second movement of the symphony that we have used to explain our Church’s Liturgical Year, we have gained some valuable insights into Christ’s early public life. In the Gospel for Jan. 9, Baptism of the Lord, we heard God’s voice, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” Then we saw Jesus perform His first miracle at the wedding in Cana. This was followed over the next two weekends by a compelling view of Jesus speaking in the Synagogue at Nazareth, where he reads from the prophet Isaiah, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me.” Then Jesus announces, “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”
The second part of the Gospel in the Synagogue showed Jesus being rejected by His fellow Nazarenes. It began with the crowd hearing what Jesus was saying, but then they chased Him from the confines of the Synagogue and tried to throw Him from a cliff. But the Lord protected Him and allowed Him to escape the angry mob. We next see Christ in a completely different venue. He is along the shores of the Sea of Galilee where he orchestrates the miraculous catch of fish, and calls the fishermen to come with Him, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” After the fishermen got back to shore, they left all their belongings and followed Jesus.
Since that time, our Gospels have taken an extensive look at Jesus in the Sermon on the Plain (or Sermon on the Mount in Matthew’s version) where Jesus teaches His disciples and the gathering crowd what it really means to be His follower. Now we have but a single Sunday before we embark on our Lenten journey.
We have often heard in the Scriptures where Jesus has chastised His listeners with the statement that they are thinking like humans, where they should be trying to think like God. We must ask ourselves “Can we live by these words?” It won’t be easy, but God has promised to be with us! Follow Him!Father Storey
February 13, 2022
Follow Him
St. Luke’s Gospel for today, the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle C, is taken from his “Sermon on the Plain” (Luke 6:20-49). A similar account of the same event, titled “Sermon on the Mount,” can be found in Matthew 5:1-7:27). Luke lists four “Blessings” and four “woes,” while Matthew iterates eight “blessings.”
How can two narratives of the same event differ so greatly? Let me give you an example. Just two weeks ago you heard my homily for the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time. I challenge any four of you to choose a different audience and retell in your own words what the homily was about and why your audience should choose to believe and follow me. You can be creative. You can consult with one another about what was in my homily. You just can’t use any electronic recording devices – they haven’t been invented yet. How many different versions of my homily would come out of this exercise? I think it would be safe to say that your writings would be vastly different from one another.
The retellings of the sermon by two different evangelists are similar in some respects, but very different in others. What is important here is the message: how to live as a follower of Christ. The Bible is not a scientific or historical text; rather it is the Word of God. Luke’s opening lines say “Jesus came down with the Twelve and stood on a stretch of level ground with a great crowd of his disciples.” Matthew recalls “To avoid the crowds, Jesus went up a mountain, and his disciples followed.” Hence the difference in titles. Luke’s version gives less attention to Jewish law and practice and has a greater focus on social justice and being merciful as God is merciful. Recall that Luke’s audience was the Gentile converts. He wanted to show that God was calling all people, while Matthew was addressing his account to the Jewish people.
Jesus gave His disciples a tutorial as to what it means to be a follower, a disciple of Jesus Christ. More specifically, these statements describe the qualities of the disciple as a person. Known as the Beatitudes, Matthew’s version lists eight blessings statements, while St. Luke’s version includes four blessings and four woes. They direct us to a way of life that promises eternity in the Kingdom of Heaven. In the Beatitudes, the word “Blessed” actually means “Happy.” Let us reflect on them with a fresh insight:
On our journey here on earth we often focus on finding happiness and peace. Placing ourselves in the hopes and promises of Jesus Christ is so very important when we are trying to seek happiness. In the Beatitudes, the word “Blessed” actually means “Happy.” Let’s reflect on the first four of them from Luke’s Gospel:Happy are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Happy are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Happy are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Happy are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
When we find peace in this world, it is because we are at peace with God. To find peace with God, we must acknowledge who we are ... we are sinners ... we are weak. In our weakness and in our sinfulness, we still journey forward in this life knowing that Christ is with us each and every step of the way. At every turn in our lives, we can find Him there.
In just over two weeks, we will be celebrating Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. This year for Lent, let us adopt the theme “Follow Him!” Only in Christ will we find true peace and happiness. Follow Him.Father Storey
February 6, 2022Answering His Call
In the Gospel readings for the Third and Fourth Sundays in Ordinary Time (Cycle C), we saw multiple contrasts when Jesus was addressing the people in the synagogue of his hometown, Nazareth. In the Gospel for this 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C) we find even more contrasts; however, before we examine the message for today, let us take a quick look at the messenger.
Luke was a physician by profession. Luke is the author of the third Gospel and a continuation of that Gospel which is now known as the Acts of the Apostles. Luke was thought by many to be a Gentile Christian, so His Gospel is written for Gentile converts. He was a close friend of Paul’s and often accompanied him on his travels. Luke was not one of the 12 Apostles, but he in all likelihood was one of the 70 disciples.
In today’s Gospel, Luke 5:1-13, we find Jesus in a completely different venue from last week’s Gospel. He has traveled some 20 miles away from Nazareth where we last saw Jesus in the synagogue. There he was chased by the crowd, some of whom he had known from birth, and they tried to throw Him off a cliff. Here, instead of his being within the confines of a synagogue, He was along the shore of Lake Gennesaret (Sea of Galilee) with a crowd of strangers pressing in on Him, jostling for position wanting to hear every word Jesus had to say.
Jesus made a practical decision. He saw two boats moored nearby and asked the owner of one of them to row a short distance away from the shore so He could sit down and teach from there. True to his firm belief that Jesus was the Messiah, Luke writes that what Jesus was preaching was “the word of God.” After Jesus had finished speaking, He told Peter to put out into deep water and lower the nets. Peter protested that they had been fishing all night, but had caught nothing. Peter relented and did as Jesus requested. The fishermen were rewarded with a catch that was so huge, that it filled two boats and was at the point of sinking.
When Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees in front of Jesus and spoke penitently, “Depart from me Lord, for I am a sinful man.” Jesus replied, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.”
Peter answered Jesus’ call in the affirmative and became an Apostle. How will we respond when Jesus gives us an invitation to follow Him?
Jesus, help us to follow Peter’s example to look deep within ourselves and recognize our shortcomings. May we answer your call with a resounding “HERE I AM LORD! I COME TO DO YOUR WILL.”
Feb. 3, Feast of St Blaise, Bishop and Martyr
Since the Feast of St. Blaise falls mid-week this year, we will be offering the traditional blessing of throats to everyone this weekend, Feb. 5 and 6, after all Masses. Follow the instructions of the celebrant.
Father Storey
January 30, 2022Following the Lord
Today is the 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle Year C. The term Ordinary Time came into use in 1969, almost four years after the conclusion of Vatican II, the 21st Ecumenical Council in Church history, when the Lectionary for Mass was revised and presented as a three year cycle of readings. The Gospel readings for each cycle year A, B or C feature a different synoptic Evangelist, Matthew, Mark or Luke, respectively. At the same time, St. Pope Paul VI presented a new General Roman Calendar to accompany the revised Lectionary.
In the Church’s calendar, there are two major events: Christmas with its preparatory period, Advent and Easter with its preparatory period, Lent. Easter Time is also expanded to include seven numbered Sundays of Easter Season and covers Ascension and Pentecost. The remainder of the liturgical year up to the last Sunday of the year, the Solemnity of Christ the King, is considered Ordinary Time. The term Ordinary comes from the Latin “Ordo” and means “list.” Hence Ordinary Time consists of two periods for a total of up to 33 numbered Sundays. The length of the shorter of the two periods is eight weeks this year since Ash Wednesday is March 2.
In Cycle Year C we have a very unusual situation: both the Second Readings and the selections from St. Luke’s Gospel for the Third and Fourth Sundays are continuations of one another I Corinthians (12:12-30) and 1 Corinthians (12:31—13:1-13); and Luke (1:1-4, 4:14-21) and Luke (4:21-30). This gives us an opportunity to get a deeper look into each of the readings. We are given a unique view into what it means to be a true follower of Jesus, comparing the trials and difficulties as well as joys that can arise.
After telling us last week what it means to be a member of the Body of Christ, Paul instructs the faithful at Corinth about the spiritual gifts that are given and which of these he considers to be the greatest.. This week’s Reading II is in three parts, beginning with the least and progressing on to the most important. Paul first mentions the gifts of tongues, prophecy and faith sufficient to move mountains, but without love, he says these are nothing.
In verses 4-7, Paul takes us to the next level, explaining what love is and is not. In the original Greek version, there are 15 different words used for love. The ultimate level that Paul wants us to embrace is agape. In this level we are no longer infants, working only for rewards. Here we give without expectations. We give with “no strings attached!” Paul concludes: “So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love (agape).”
The statement Jesus makes at the beginning of today’s Gospel, is the same one that concluded what Jesus was saying in the Synagogue at Nazareth, His home town: “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” But now, it evoked murmuring and dissension among His listeners who think they know Him. “Isn’t this the son of Joseph?” Jesus counters His tormenters by saying, “No prophet is accepted in his own native place.” The angry crowd chases Jesus from the synagogue, intending to do him harm. Like Jeremiah in our first reading, God enveloped Jesus with protection so that He was able to slip away from the critics.
Jesus, help us to truly follow you and to embrace St. Paul’s vision of perfect love – agape.
Father Storey
January 23, 2022Scripture Fulfilled
The second movement, the Andante movement, of the great symphony that is our Church’s Liturgical Year – 8 weeks long in its 2022 version – presents us with a panorama of Christ’s ordinary life: His teachings, miracles, acts of mercy, themes and signs that will continue to echo as our symphony builds. This section of Ordinary Time goes from the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord to Ash Wednesday, March 2. In St. Luke’s Gospel, we find multiple references to Jesus being the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies.
If we look carefully, we will observe that the last verse of today’s Gospel for the 3rd Sunday in Ordinary time, (Luke 4:21) is the beginning verse in next week’s Gospel for the 4th Sunday. We hear Jesus’ words: “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” This repetition draws our attention even more so to the point that St. Luke is making.
St. Luke recounts how Jesus has returned 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.” Then Jesus announces to those in attendance that He, Himself, is that fulfillment.
These words of Isaiah, as presented by our Lord, touch our hearts and souls. Jesus 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: The Spirit of God 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 annual Archbishop’s Call to Share (ACTS).
Many parishioners throughout the Archdiocese have received a mailing from the Archbishop outlining the purpose and encouraging participation in Call to Share. Articles have been published in the Leaven and online. ACTS supports more than 40 offices, agencies and ministries in the areas of Education, Outreach, Evangelization, Conversion and Stewardship.
The Archdiocese serves 181,000 Catholics in 107 parishes located across 21 counties in eight Pastoral Regions in Northeast Kansas. When viewed through the eyes and words of St. Paul, we are indeed many, many parts – but only one body in Christ.
I encourage all of us to embrace this opportunity to participate with an open heart in the Archbishop’s Call to Share, and to strive to develop a deeper relationship with Christ and His Church. Remember, God will never be outdone in generosity.Father Storey
January 16, 2022
God’s Covenant of Love
Over the past few weeks, we have been describing events in which God shows His face to us. Today’s Gospel relates this fourth manifestation. We hear about two young people who were joined in marriage at Cana. Though nameless, they have been immortalized in the Gospel because Jesus, along with His mother Mary and His disciples were guests 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 addresses Jerusalem, saying: “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 Gospel reveals that God’s love is generous and abundant.
Jesus’ mother noted that the couple was running low on wine and mentioned it to her Son. He rather harshly replied that this was not His concern. “My hour has not yet come,” He explained. However, like an obedient son, Jesus pointed to the six stone water jars nearby, each holding twenty to thirty gallons, and directed that they be filled to the brim. Then Jesus told the servers to take some to the headwaiter.
Cana was a small town; perhaps there were at most fifty guests, After 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. This miracle at Cana caused Jesus’ disciples to begin to believe in Him.
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 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.
GOD IS LOVE.
Father Storey
January 9, 2022“You are My Beloved Son”The great Solemnity of Christmas that we have just celebrated, brings us the good news that God is
truly here among us. Through the person of His beloved Son, He comes close to us. He has become
part of our human family, and He has entered the world which He entrusts to humanity.
Today’s Feast of the Baptism of the Lord is the first Sunday in Ordinary Time. This feast is the third event of a fourfold manifestation of Jesus Christ. It begins with the announcement to the shepherds of the birth of the Infant Jesus, and it continues with the Epiphany wherein God shows Himself to the world through the eyes of the Wise Men. Now in the Baptism of the Lord, in a special way God again shows His face to us. The fourth revelation takes place at the marriage at Cana.
In today’s Gospel we see the third part of the manifestation being played out. Let’s imagine ourselves on the bank of the River Jordan with other followers who had come to John to be baptized. Out of the crowd gathered there came a Man from Galilee who also sought to be baptized. John protested vigorously that he, John, should not be the one who was baptizing, rather that their roles should be reversed. But Jesus prevailed, and John did as Jesus asked. Then it became evident to all around just who the newly baptized Person actually was.
Luke tells us in his Gospel how God made His presence known: “After...Jesus also had been baptized and was
praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice
came from heaven, ‘You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.’” (Luke 3:21-22)
God’s way has been to take the human way, to act among us in Christ, through visible signs and audible words as He acts through the humanity of Jesus. He is within the world: through the Holy Eucharist, the Sacraments,
through us, the faithful of the Church. He has given us sanctifying grace, the divine life of our souls.
As we enter into this ‘second movement’ (Ordinary Time) 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. We can share that good news and joy with everyone we encounter by emulating Christ and reaching out to others in these times of so much need and suffering during the pandemic.Let us continue to pray for one another.
Father Storey
January 2, 2022A Time for R and R
Today we celebrate the Epiphany of our Lord Jesus Christ. The word epiphany means showing or manifestation. God wants to show us His face, and on this day He reveals Himself to us – that He is truly the Messiah, the one coming to save.
Each year at the end of the Christmas Season, we read in the Gospel according to St. Matthew the story of the Magi, astrologers from the East, who had observed a rising star and had traveled to Jerusalem to find the newborn King. Known also as the three Wise Men, these men came bearing gifts for the Christ Child: each gift with a spiritual, prophetic meaning.Caspar brought gold, a symbol of kingship on earth. Melchior offered frankincense, a gift suitable for deity. These gifts were foretold by the Prophet (Isaiah 60:6). The gift given by Balthazar, however, was not part of Isaiah’s prophecy. His gift was myrrh, an ointment used in embalming; it was a gift for one who would die.
The three Wise Men had embarked on this Christian journey totally on faith – their only guide a star. They encountered many difficulties on this long trek, including the disappearance of the star. They had to have days of doubt, of frustration, sickness. Days of just wanting to turn away from this journey to which they had been called. Can you imagine how they felt when the star grew dim and disappeared from their sight? At this point, they really needed some R and R: refocusing and recommitment.
We read in Matthew’s Gospel, “After their audience with the king (Herod) they set out. And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother.” (Matt. 2:9-11)
In these troubling times, we, like the Wise Men sometimes lose sight of the star. Some of us suffer from terminal illness; some of us have lost loved ones; some of us question God. If God is all powerful, why are such bad things happening in the world today? Some of us just want to travel our own way and do our own thing. Some of us are frustrated with God; we feel He has abandoned us.
We, too, need some R and R. No matter how many times we lose focus on Christ, no matter how many times we fail Him, we are called to keep on track... to refocus... to recommit. Following the lead of the Wise Men, we must return to being guided by the star! We too can be overjoyed at its sight.
Just like the Wise Men, we are promised, that by keeping our faith, we too will see the face of Christ.
May God bless all of us!Father Storey