Why does He perform miracles? Because He loves us. And…there are no requirements for His love. He doesn’t ask us if we have been to church lately or how much we have given. He intervenes in our lives because He loves us. We will never know the extent of how great His love is. Regrettably, many of us never take the time to give Him thanks.
Never give up praying for miracles. Some of God’s “epic” miracles include:
• Feeding the 4,000: “Then He took the seven loaves and the fish, and when he had given thanks, he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and they in turn to the people. They all ate and were satisfied.” Matthew 15: 36-37
• Walking on water: “Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. ‘It’s a ghost,’ they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: ’Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.’” Matthew 14: 25-27
• Turning water into wine: “Jesus said to the servants, ‘Fill the jars with water’; so they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, ‘Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.’ They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine.” John 2:7–9
The Lord gives us miracles all the time, although not as obvious as those mentioned above. Often, we are too busy to notice them, or perhaps we do not understand that a miracle has occurred. We need to pay more attention to the ordinary events happening around us.
Some examples of “ordinary” miracles: people coming into our lives exactly when we need them; a job, family, and friends; good health; volunteers who sit with hospice patients so that they don’t die alone; police/fire personnel who sometimes risk their lives to keep us safe; a blue sky and white clouds; the changing of the seasons; etc.
God always answers our prayers…perhaps not in the way we wanted or expected. His greatest act of love is inviting us to participate in a divine life. His greatest gift is the gift of Himself.
God is an Olympian; He will always pursue us and will be waiting for us at the finish line. God is not subject to time. Matthew 28:20 “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
38 John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us.” 39 Jesus replied, “Do not prevent him. There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. 40 For whoever is not against us is for us. 41 Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward. 42 “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe [in me] to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. 43 If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed than with two hands to go into Gehenna,* into the unquenchable fire. 45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life crippled than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna. 47 And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. Better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna, 48 Where ‘their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.’
God is love Himself. He created us out of His nature, to know Him, to serve Him, and to be with Him in the afterlife. He sustains us in love which is generous, without reservation or limits, and is forever. God seeks us, and wants to bring us back to Him. He wants to shower us with good things. So, shouldn’t our natural response be to love Him and to share His love with our neighbor?
“Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). Christ’s suffering on the cross was a blind act of love, and we are to return His love without reservation. We must love Him above all things. We have the ability and resources to love, but many times we give in to our love of self. We throw away our love on vain, temporary, contemptible things of the world. Satan will whisper in your ear that God doesn’t love you. Not true! You stopped loving Him.
God has two wills:
Directive – keeping the planets in orbit; maintaining the laws of physics
Permissive – God gives us the freewill to follow him or to sin, to love or not.
Spiritual adultery is knowing that something is wrong, but pursuing it anyway because it’s what we want. The human condition is that we want things our way all the time. We want to entertain ourselves with all of our baubles and toys. But, giving in to our passions does not lead to happiness; that can only happen by uniting ourselves with Christ. Our love for God should exclude all others including love of ourselves.
As today’s scripture says, if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off…if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off…and if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. Don’t let anything get in the way of loving God and serving Him.
Christ said “If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross every day and follow me” (Luke 9:23). To follow Him, we must love Him, and sacrifice is the evidence of that love. We all have our crosses to bear….and some are heavier than others. Some examples are: alcoholism, Post Traumatic Syndrome, sexual trauma, emotional/psychological problems, sickness, and financial stress.
But, we don’t have to let our crosses be a barrier to our seeking a closer relationship with God and becoming more holy. We also shouldn’t use our crosses as an excuse, or say this is how God made me so I’m entitled to behave a certain way. Let nothing block your path to Him for He is everything. By carrying our crosses with grace and love for Him, we can be an example to others and help them learn how to carry theirs. And…if we bring our crosses to the Lord, He will help us carry them.
How will you apply this message to your life? Will you love God above all things including yourself? Will you take up your cross and follow Him?
1 Now when the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around him, 2 they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands. 3 (For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews, do not eat without carefully washing their hands,* keeping the tradition of the elders. 4 And on coming from the marketplace they do not eat without purifying themselves. And there are many other things that they have traditionally observed, the purification of cups and jugs and kettles [and beds].) 5 So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him, “Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders* but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?” 6 He responded, “Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; 7 In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts.’8 You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.” 14 He summoned the crowd again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand. 15 Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile.” 21 From within people, from their hearts, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. 23 All these evils come from within and they defile.”
Physicians sometimes take on the roles of our mothers by advising us of what we should and shouldn’t eat to nourish our physical bodies. We all know that limiting junk food is essential for good health. Kosher food is that which meets Jewish dietary regulations and has been deemed pure and clean. We are not required to eat Kosher foods, which is great news, because bacon didn’t make the list of clean food in those dietary regulations.
People are also spiritual beings with souls that need nourishment too. As with our physical bodies, we must be careful about what we let inside….of what we feed our souls. Consuming too much of the junk media popular today ; i.e., ungodly movies, music, books, and TV, can be detrimental to our hearts and souls by exposing us to temptation.
People commit sin which originates from the heart….it is internal, not external. Sin disfigures our soul and distorts our senses. It is essential that we maintain vigilance in protecting our hearts from the temptation of satan which comes in the form of a person, place, or thing. Nobody really knows how powerful their resistance is to sin. Because we are battling demonic powers, it is extremely risky to have an inflated sense of ego and to think that “I can handle it”. When we are tired, we are particularly vulnerable. The longer we entertain the idea of sinning, the more likely we are to succumb to it. Once temptation has taken root inside, it is almost impossible to dislodge. We cannot blame our sinfulness on someone or something else. Have you ever said: If you weren’t (fill in the blank), I wouldn’t be (fill in the blank)? Instead, we need to ask ourselves, “How can I change?”
Note to Parents & Grandparents: Be sure to use SPE (Spiritual Protective Equipment) which includes prayer & penance so that you limit your children’s exposure to sin and prevent its spread.
How will you apply this message to your life? As much as possible, will you limit the amount of junk food you eat in order to be healthier? Will you limit your consumption of junk (ungodly) media in order to protect your heart and soul? Will you use SPE to prevent the spread of infectious sin?
35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” 36 He replied, “What do you wish [me] to do for you? 37 They answered him, “Grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right and the other at your left. 38 Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized? 39 They said to him, “We can.” Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink, you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; 40 but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared. 41 When the ten heard this, they became indignant at James and John. 42 Jesus summoned them and said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt. 43 But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; 44 whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. 45 For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Servant leadership is a philosophy in which the main goal of the leader is not the acquisition of wealth and power; instead, it is to serve others. Christ is all powerful, but He leads His Church with great love by serving us and putting our welfare first and foremost as He did when He died on the cross so that we may have eternal life.
Christ asked Peter three times if he loved Him and three times He told Peter to feed His sheep. What does that mean? It means we are to love others as we love Him, to treat others as we would treat Him, and to serve others, because we see the face of Christ in them. Often, this requires great humility…and holiness. But, you cannot give what you do not have.
The Sisters of St. Theresa’s Missionaries of Charity radiate with joy, and people long to be near them…to have what they have. The Sisters serve the poorest of the poor and the most vile among us. How are they able to do this and maintain a joyous spirit? They get the power from Christ, and that same power is available to us if we seek it. ‘Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.’ (Mark 7:7)
Leprosy is a disease that causes the flesh to rot…it’s smelly and it’s contagious. Saint Francis of Assisi had a fear and loathing of lepers before God led him to serve those afflicted with this horrible disease. After that, Francis expanded his ministry to help lepers by feeding them and caring for their wounds. Through God’s grace, Francis became their friend and served them with humility.
No matter our status, position, or wealth, we are called to serve others….even those who smell, who are rude, who are obnoxious, who are mentally ill…because they are the face of Christ. Like Saint Francis, we can kiss and care for their wounds. We can offer them comfort and compassion. We can lead them to Christ. In return, they teach us to love…they lift us up. We will receive far more from them than we could ever give them. Most likely, they will never say thank you or send us thank you cards. Christ didn’t get them and think of how many He helped. Were they at the foot of the cross? Sadly, no.
How will you apply this message to your life? Will you feed His sheep? Will you look for the face of Christ in others and bring people to Him?
31 Again he left the district of Tyre and went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, into the district of the Decapolis. 32 And people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment and begged him to lay his hand on him. 33 He took him off by himself away from the crowd. He put his finger into the man’s ears and, spitting, touched his tongue; 34 then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, “Ephphatha!” (that is, “Be opened!”) 35 And [immediately] the man’s ears were opened, his speech impediment was removed, and he spoke plainly. 36 He ordered them not to tell anyone. But the more he ordered them not to, the more they proclaimed it. 37 They were exceedingly astonished and they said, “He has done all things well. He makes the deaf hear and [the] mute speak.”
God is thankful for our used kitty litter and in return gives us the greatest gift of all…Himself. So, get rid of your spiritual kitty litter!
A man at the VA Hospital who was grieving over the loss of his wife told the hospital staff that he needed to speak to a priest who was a combat veteran. When I spoke to the man, who was a former medic in Vietnam, he told me about the many things he does for the Church and that he was in constant prayer. I told him that hyperreligiosity is a sign of mental illness. This immediately changed the direction of our conversation. I asked the man if he knew how many soldiers he had saved in Vietnam, and he had no idea. But, when I asked him how many he had lost, he knew them all by name. It was a burden that he carried with him….his cross. This man’s wife had died two years earlier. She was the one had who helped him deal with the stress, and when she was gone, he was lost. I advised him to go help his fellow veterans at his parish, and that they would, in turn, help him carry his cross.
Our crosses are a gift. God takes our sins and transforms them into good. For example, God used two alcoholics, a doctor and a stockbroker, to start Alcoholics Anonymous. The idea behind AA is that alcoholics keep their sobriety by helping other alcoholics keep theirs. It is the same for us. If we want help with our crosses, we must help others with theirs through our prayers and labor. Doing so helps us see our own crosses with fresh eyes.
Diet and exercise must be used together. We must eat the right food and get adequate exercise to remain healthy. One does not work without the other…it takes both. Likewise, prayer must be coupled with labor. For example, if we see people who are hungry, we can, and should, pray for them. But, wouldn’t it be much better to pray for people AND give them food so they are not hungry?
As we pray and receive the sacraments, we gain sustenance and our energy is restored so that we can continue working to help others. This is our no et labora (prayer and work). Nobody says their crosses are too light, but it takes so little to help others bear theirs. The greatest love we can offer is the gift of ourselves. A smile, helping someone carry their groceries, or visiting someone who is sick can make all the difference and lighten the weight of their cross.
How will you apply this message to your life? Will you take up your cross and help others with theirs?
God created all of mankind in His image, and He loves every single one us including those who are poor, rich, weak, strong; homely, beautiful, Christian and non-Christian. Because we were created in His image, how can we not see the face of Christ in everyone we meet? How can we claim to love God if we do not love those whom He loves?
John 4:20-21
20 If anyone says, “I love God,” but hates his brother, he is a liar; for whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.
21 This is the commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.
Loving those who love us or who appreciate our work is easy. Loving everyone else can be difficult, since the face of Christ is also there in those who are hateful, violent, greedy, arrogant, and bitter. In Matthew 25:45-46, Christ said to the apostles: “In truth I tell you, in so far as you neglected to do this to one of the least of these, you neglected to do it to me. And they will go away to eternal punishment, and the upright to eternal life.’
The ability to show this kind of love requires a conversion of the heart and a strong faith. Saint Therese of Lisieux had such a conversion of the heart. Every day, she showered love on those she was not fond of and endured suffering without complaint. These daily sacrifices were her gifts to God and inspired many Catholics to lead holy lives by making their own sacrifices for Him.
You may not be thanked for sharing God’s love…you may even be rebuffed, scorned or cursed. You may never see the results of your love, or receive public accolades, but that’s not what is important. By helping others, by showing your love, you are doing His Will. You, in return, will receive much more than you could ever possibly give in the form of inner peace and joy.
How will you apply this message to your life? Will you endeavor to see the face of Christ in everyone you meet? Will you treat people as you would Christ by showering them with love even though you may not be fond of some? Do you need a conversion of the heart and a strengthening of your faith?
It is with a heart full of sadness that I stand before you to talk about the unspeakable crimes of child abuse that occurred over the past 70 years and that were recently discovered in Pennsylvania. The heart of Jesus is breaking, because the stench of satan has entered His Church, and the damage done is untold. As a hospital chaplain, I have seen a lot of “yuck,” but these crimes are sickening on a whole new level and like nothing else.
Please pray for those who are victims. Also, pray for the bishops who are culpably ignorant, complacent, and moral weaklings. Excessive ambition led to their failure to protect the most innocent among their parishioners. There’s an old saying that applies here: You gain esteem by doing esteemable acts.
I recently met an older priest for breakfast. He served at West Point during the Vietnam War and buried many of his cadets. He felt compelled to join the military and later served in Vietnam. Why? It was the right thing to do and it is a fine example of an esteemable act.
In contrast, there are overly ambitious bishops scrambling right now to cover their asses. They have lost sight of their true calling.
Bishops:
• Have you been to hospice to comfort the dying?
• Have you had to tell a family that their loved one has died?
• Have you visited the sick and cared for their souls?
I think we know the answers to these questions; and that is why the most honored title in the Catholic Church is “Father.” You see Christ in us as we serve His Church.
In 1977, when I entered the seminary in Boston and studied for the diocese, it was at St. John’s and not at St. Mary’s which was known as the “Pink Parish.” St. Mary’s was also known for its granola or fruits and flakes even though every seminarian had to take and pass a psychiatric exam.
Some priests are innocent of the charges, and some cannot defend themselves because they have died. Those who are guilty of these horrific crimes should never see the light of day even though the Statute of Limitations has passed.
In reparation, let us pray for the victims. We also need to pray for the Bishops who failed to do the right thing. Finally, we should pray for those guilty of abusing the most innocent among us.
What we cannot do is to let this shake our faith. Remember, the only face of Christ your neighbor may ever see is in you.
Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Solemnity of the Church and the Ascension of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Our Lord used the body and human nature that He took from the Blessed Virgin Mary to teach, console, heal, suffer and redeem us. He had two natures in one… a divine nature and a human nature. Two “Whats” and one “Who.” His body was united and assumed into His divine nature. He took the body He redeemed us with to heaven. That’s your theology lesson for the day. What does the body that He suffered and died with actually do in heaven? He uses it to intercede for us. How does He do that? He shows the Father His sacred wounds. So the body with all the marks of love on it…the five sacred wounds…the marks of divine love….was offered to the Father on our behalf…His way of pleading for us. We should take great comfort in that…not assumption, but comfort. Always pray for intercession. Remember, the sixth word from the cross: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” That is our only excuse for sin.
He said “I shall come back and take you with Me.” Indeed, He teaches us exactly how to gain salvation. He shows us the way by leading and asking us to follow Him. “Take up your cross and follow Me.” We follow Him to the cross…carrying whatever crosses we have and those that await us. From that cross, we will die, rise, and be with Him. I will come back to take you with Me whether from this world or at the end of time. He will come back to take us with Him…those who love Him. That’s good news…we get to be with the One we should love above all things. We get to go to heaven, and He has shown us the way there. We know that Heaven is a place, because the body cannot exist without a place. But, what is Heaven? Theology 101: It is the presence of God. So, we will dwell with Him. Remember the transfiguration? We will have a human body once it is perfected after we die. Our body, when resurrected, on the last day will be like His.
A good leader goes out before everyone else and shows them the precise way. One thing I was praised for in my Officer Basic Course was my willingness to help other officer candidates. I was pretty fast back then and a lot younger too. After I finished my run, I would go back to help others finish the course. If you didn’t pass, you failed the course, and you didn’t receive a commission. So, you helped anyone who was struggling by picking them up and dragging them across the finish line if necessary. Our Lord does that. After all, we are not orphans. As Pope Leo the Great said, we see His physical presence in the teachings of the Church. He is still teaching us the way to salvation. We see Him in the most Blessed Sacrament. He is present in all seven of the Sacraments. He is present and active among us. We will get more in to that next week when we talk about Pentecost.
We hear His voice how? We hear His voice in the teachings of the Church that tell us about the divine truth….the revelation of His great love and mercy. He is still here; we can see Him, and we can feel Him. If we look, we can see Him right now. I bet Mass won’t be over long before an ambulance flies down the highway. Who is treating that person on the way to the hospital? My brother did it for a living. God used my brother’s human nature to provide healing and to keep that person alive long enough to get to the hospital and the doctors. That is God’s healing power. The nurses in Hospice when they were able to…not anymore…hold a man’s hand as he is dying because his wife isn’t there anymore and the memories come back. Now they have to wear PPE and latex gloves. Nothing like the feeling of latex on the hand.
The love of God’s presence is with you. He is in heaven, but He is also everywhere else. He said, “I am with you always until the end of time.” And that’s true. He is always there. The apostles had trouble seeing Him even after three years of observing miracles…and right up until the end those who had doubts bowed in homage. We, too, have trouble seeing Him, although some days are better than others. That’s why He said “blessed are those who do not see and yet believe.”
How will you apply this message to your life? Can you see Him? Hear Him? No? Perhaps you need to visit the Sacraments.
Do I have talent? No. I got the good looks, and my twin brother got all of the talent. He could do everything. We are sort of unequal in talent. Someone asked me, “Do you like mincemeat pie?” It’s from New England and one of my favorites. In the old days, it was made of meat; now it’s made with fruit. They said, “You can make it, Father. You take a jar of mincemeat and a pie crust.” I tried, and it did not turn out so well. Cooking is not one of my talents. Singing is not one of my talents. Language is not one of my talents. I can speak a number of languages all at the same time!
God has given people different talents, some more, some less. It seems unfair. I mean, how could all these good looks have no talent! Come on! However, it seems that God’s little talent fairy gives everybody different talents, and it doesn’t seem right. Maybe. But, not really. We all have one purpose, and that is to build up the Kingdom of God. There is one talent He gave to us equally…we all have equal shares in this talent. It’s language. Now, you may be thinking, “Father, we’ve been here for 15 years for the Spanish Mass…you do not have a talent for language.” Well, maybe not for the languages we can hear. This is a language that can reach all men. If I speak Spanish, I won’t reach much of the world. If I speak French, I won’t reach much of the world. If I speak Latin, I’ll reach even less of the world. I am not fluent in other languages, except one. And that’s the language of the mighty Will of God. With that language, you can reach everyone, because it reaches people without them hearing.
One day while I was making my rounds at Hospice in the Veterans Administration Hospital, paramedics brought in a new patient, and they put him in Room 3. The nurses were busy with other patients, so I went to that room and helped the paramedics get the patient in to bed. Afterward, I washed my hands, because I had touched him…and this was before Covid too. One of the paramedics, who had not greeted me during this time, walked over to me and said “Thank you, Father.” This is how you reach people with your faith. Remember what Saint Francis said, “Teach the gospel continually; use words if necessary.” This is the universal language we have been given.
Beginning at Baptism, we were given the virtue of faith which was infused in us. Faith, hope, and charity… three infused divine virtues…were given first at Baptism, Confirmation, Penance, Holy Communion, and the other Sacraments. We have that gift…we have that ability…to teach others about Christ. This is how we evangelize. Not my becoming whatever or learning every language under creation. That’s not going to happen. I’m too old for that. I’m old enough now to eat dessert first, because I can’t trust anything else. Teach people the language of love. I don’t know if you will appreciate this, but even during my work in Hospice, I can teach the language of love. Impressing medical people is really hard. I’m not there often and for only a few hours a week. However, I have been asked to sign every death notification before the official record is closed. That was a “thank you”, from the medical staff, because somehow they were impressed with my work. But, it wasn’t my work, it was God’s work…I was just the village idiot doing what God told me to do. This is how we can reach out and touch people.
The human nature our Good Lord took from the Blessed Mother is the one that He suffered and redeemed us with, cried over our sins with, healed us with, and consoled us with. Now, it is in heaven with the Blessed Mother. But, through the grace of the Holy Spirit, which He gives us in the Holy Sacraments, He takes our human natures and makes Himself present. So, when you console somebody, you are Christ consoling them. You are Christ helping them. You are Christ healing them. Help others without being asked. When your neighbor has problems, help them. Why? Because it’s the right thing to do. People see the love of Christ in that. The acts of love and the sufferings of love are the universal language that can lead to Salvation. For example, if someone is sick, take over a casserole or nachos, and leave it on the porch. Contactless delivery. Why? Because it’s the right thing to do. Did anyone see you do it? No. But, you may get extra credit. Still, it’s the right thing to do. You are showing God’s love. Will they ever know it was you? Maybe…maybe not, unless you left your name on the plate so they could return it. This is how we evangelize. This is how we teach. God is using your human nature. It’s true. Jesus said it. When you help others, Christ is using your human nature. He said it in the Book of Acts. When Paul was persecuting the Church, Christ came down in a vision and said, “Saul, Saul why are you persecuting Me?” He didn’t say, “Why are you persecuting My church.” You cannot separate Christ from the Church. When you are separated from your body, you are usually dead. I didn’t go to medical school, but I’m pretty sure that’s what happens. When you do that, you are doing God’s work. What you “did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.”
You want to be great evangelizers? Wonderful. You have that gift in you. You don’t need to go to a special course, you don’t need to pay money for a program, or go to Charlotte…please stay out of Charlotte. You don’t need to pay any money. You don’t need to buy books. You don’t need to do a lot of things that “they” tell you to do. What you do need to do is grow in God’s love, and then you cannot help but to bring that love to other people.
How will you apply this message to your life? Use your talent to help people so that they can see the love of God.
It is said that tough times do not make character, but reveals it. And that’s true. We are all going through the pandemic. These are tough times. But, is not going to a high school or college graduation going to scar someone for life? Well, I think sometimes deprivation is a good thing. You should be thankful for deprivation. “Father….you are stranger than normal. What do you mean?” Well, I’m glad you asked. You aren’t getting the same graduation that I got or that my brother got. We got a draft card. We got a letter from the President offering us a federal job. Then we got an opportunity to travel and meet new, exciting people and kill them. So, just think about that. Myrtle Beach is a lot nicer than Fort Bragg, Paris Island, South East Asia, or any other hole the government could send you to. The other night I was talking to a veteran who reminded me of a gentlemen I knew. It was 76 years ago that he got an all-expense paid trip to Normandy in Great Britain. He said, “You know, Father, when I got off the landing craft, the water was still red, and I had to step over the bodies to get to my unit.” We forget. The average age of the soldiers who stormed Normandy was 19. There were bomber pilots who were 20 years old. Don’t get me wrong. I feel bad for those who will miss out on their graduation ceremony, but this isn’t the worst thing that will happen to them in life. It’s time to grow up. Yeah, times are tough, but we’ve been in a lot tougher situations. Put it in to perspective. This is not the worst thing that will happen to them. If it is, they’ve had a very blessed life. Yeah, mourn a little bit, but then come down from the cross…we need the wood.
Now, all of us have probably said at one time or another “They made me mad” or “If they hadn’t done that I wouldn’t be upset and I would not have done this.“ “You made me do that.” No. We think that’s a fair explanation for our poor conduct. Right? That’s true. However, Saint Dorotheus reminds us gently that person only brought out what was already inside us. That anger. That evil. The malevolence was already present. The other person only revealed it. And, if it hadn’t been that person it would have been someone or something else like soup boiling over on the stove – or whatever – it would have come out. As Jesus said, evil comes from inside us…not from outside. Evil is not a “what”. It’s a “who.” Evil is possession of the soul by something that was never meant to be there. Nobody can say, “They made me do it.” That’s not true. We are living through a terrible time of violence, but, where does it come from? It comes from the demonic. Violence is evil and is from satan. It isn’t from poverty, a lack of goods, or anything else. Otherwise we’d all be felons.
We have to change the heart. That’s what our Lord taught. Otherwise, we are doing nothing but rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. Evil exists in an evil soul. Buying a new computer or stealing one…”Oh, we’re all better now. We are just fine.” No, they are not going to be fine. You would think that in prison where I go sometimes… but they let me out, I’m only a temporary visitor to the state’s gated community…that would be the perfect place for them. Why? They have everything they need. They have free medical care up to the point of transplants. They have television, a weight room, and three hots which aren’t so hot. But, all of their needs are met. Free clothes. Everything is free. Yet…it’s not so nice in there. There is a lot of violence…but, they have everything they want…all their needs are supplied. Again, we are rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. It’s a struggle of the heart…a struggle of the soul.
None of us grew up with a silver spoon in our mouths. I was telling some people last night that my mother dropped out of high school at age 16 to become a live-in maid. Her family was poor. My father helped his uncle deliver milk. He taught me a great lesson in humility. He said, “I did what the horse told me to do.” The horse knew what he was doing. Just follow the horse…the horse made the stops and knew when it was time to go home. Listen to what the horse has to say. But, it’s malevolent people…it’s violence. Remember what Jesus said to Saint Dorotheus… the first sign of evil is violence. That’s why I love watching police shows. A 160 pound guy thinks he is going to take on five heavily armed officers. Really? That’s not going to be a good outcome for you. Evil tries to ensnare you with the three temptations of Christ from the cross. The first is to try to scare you. For example, they are saying, “this is systemic racism.” In Philosophy 101, you learn on the first day that this phrase is a word salad. It has absolutely no meaning. For something to be evil, it can be objective evil but not culpable. For culpable evil, it has to be performed by a moral agent. What is a moral agent? It’s a person. How many types of persons are there? Three. Divine, angelic, and human. To be culpable evil, you must have knowledge and full consent of the will. So, systemic racism does not pass the philosophy test.
Our Lord said you will know them by their fruits. We are supposed to have a Justice and Peace committee in the Parish. There is one in the Diocese. Justice and peace. No justice, no peace. That’s not true either. What kind of justice is in Heaven? The Honor Code? The Muslin Code? Every Friday at noon, hands, heads, and whatever get chopped off. What kind of justice is that? Did our Lord preach that? That didn’t come about until around 40-50 years ago. Nowhere does Jesus Christ say to be just. He said to be holy, and all things will be given to you, and you will have a peace that nobody can take from you. He didn’t say get more stuff and you will have peace that no one can take from you. He said to be holy. I studied the writings of the Church Fathers for a couple years…I really did. I may not remember much, but I know this…they never mention justice…none of them. The writings of the scholastics like Saint Thomas Acquinas are used as a standard at seminary. Nowhere in the angelic doctrine or any other doctrine of the Church does it say justice equals peace. In none of the writings by the Doctors of the Church like Saints Therese de Lisieux and Teresa of Avila, do they ever say that justice equals peace. They didn’t say it. And, my final proof that this is all evil and satanic is based on the demographics of those in military service. Of the 22 veterans who kill themselves every day, at least four of those veterans are black. I haven’t seen anyone take a knee for them.
How will you apply this message to your life? Do you need a change of heart?
