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We Will Be Judged on How Much We Have Loved
Minute Meditation – The Undimmed Power of the Gospel
“Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel.” These are the words most often used as we are signed with ashes. It is a call to conversion, a call to follow Christ, a call to change our lives. Today’s reading from the Gospel of Matthew gives us the three pillars of Lent—prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. These are at the heart of the Gospel’s message. No one heard this call and followed it more devotedly than St. Francis of Assisi.
Francis took a literal approach to the Gospel. He began with the most basic interpretation of a text, but he didn’t stop there. He began by throwing aside his tunic, shoes, and walking staff, but over time discovered the many ways in which possessions can keep us from seeking God. He began by carrying stones and fitting them into the crumbling walls of Assisi’s churches, but over time he inspired his followers to reinvigorate the Church with the undimmed power of the Gospel.
—from the book Lent with St. Francis: Daily Reflections by Diane M. Houdek
Minute Meditation – Centering Our Lives on Christ
“If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” —Luke 9:23
This is one of the three foundational texts of Francis’s rule of life (the others are Matthew 19:21 and Luke 14:26). When Bernard of Quintavalle told Francis he wanted to join his life of poverty, they spoke to the parish priest and, under his guidance, opened the Scriptures three times, a common practice in medieval times. The three passages they read that day express the need to put Christ at the center of all we think, say, and do. If our own goals, possessions, and even families and friends distract us from the Lord’s call, then we are not truly choosing life. In an ideal world, all these things should bring us closer to God— and we should bring them closer to God.
—from the book Lent with St. Francis: Daily Reflections by Diane M. Houdek
Sermon Notes – September 4, 2022 – “Three Points”
“Three Points”
Father Peter Fitzgibbons
September 3 – 4, 2022
Gospel: Luke 14:25-33
Great crowds were traveling with Jesus, and He turned and addressed them, “If anyone
comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. Which of you wishing to construct a tower does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if there is enough for its completion? Otherwise, after laying the foundation and finding himself unable to finish the work the onlookers should laugh at him and say, ‘This one began to build but did not have the resources to finish.’ Or what king marching into battle would not first sit down and decide whether with ten thousand troops he can successfully oppose another king advancing upon him with twenty thousand troops? But if not, while he is still far away, he will send a delegation to ask for peace terms. In the same way, anyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be My disciple.”
In our preaching course at seminary, we were told that we should have at least three major points in our sermons, or what they call “homilies” these days. My first point is that if a man cannot renounce all of his possession, he cannot be Christ’s disciple. What is our greatest possession? Ourselves. When we renounce ourselves, instead of just living for self, we live for God. Our greatest purpose is to live in this world and to love and serve Him and reign with Him in the next. So, all of this “stuff” we have from our hard work, efforts, and studies, we can enjoy because it is a principle of self-ownership and fulfillment. We are supposed to enjoy our possessions especially on Sunday according to Church tradition. But we should use the stuff that God has given us for our own work. What work? The works of justice. First of all, providing for ourselves, providing for our families, and providing for those in need. We have an obligation to give to others that which is above and beyond our needs.
The second point is that this past week the Church marked the martyrdom of Saint John the Baptist. Saint Bede the Venerable wrote about the martyrdom and said that Herod did not want John to deny Christ. He just wanted John to stop talking about the reign of God which would have been the same as denying Christ. Now, if you haven’t noticed, the World wants us to do that too. It does not want the Church to proclaim the truth. Some may say, “Well it’s not the most loving thing to do.” Well, it is because our Savior said it. Are you saying that our Savior didn’t tell us what the most loving thing to do is? We are to proclaim the truth and live the truth. We cannot stop proclaiming the truth, otherwise we would be denying our Faith.
Remember, last week I told you last about Saint Francis who said to preach the Gospel, whether in-season or out-of-season, convenient or inconvenient, and to use words if necessary. You are constantly preaching by your good works because people will see them. And as Peter said, He will see your good works and give praise and thanks to the Father. This is the evangelization we are all called to do. Sometimes when we do, we will get a rather harsh reaction from people. This has happened to me several times. People will say, “Are you a Catholic priest?” Yeah. . . I’m not Johnny Cash with a funny collar. Others say, “I used to be Catholic.” Really? They don’t know how insulting that is. In response, I’ll say, “Well, I still am.. . what happened to you?” I don’t take that garbage from anybody. Apparently, they don’t know my background. My next question to them is one that I’m not expecting an answer to because they aren’t going to give me one. But I ask them, “What have you done or what has been done to you?” They hurt from their sins or what has been done to them.
When I’m sick, eventually I will go to the doctor. Or the people around me will make me go to the doctor like what happened when I got Covid. But people are angry at and afraid of the source of all healing, and they rebel against it. They run from the One who can bring peace to their soul which is Jesus Christ. It is not a bad thing if we have sinned. . .yes, it’s not the best thing, and we’d rather not have sin, but the worse thing is to stay away from the Savior who can heal it. He will heal and fulfill our souls and give us peace no matter what we have done or what has been done to us. He can bring peace to a troubled soul. Usually, people are happy to hear the message – even non-Catholics because they can see that scandal is from the sins they have committed and the sins of others committed against them. But if Catholics are poor teachers, they may drive them away from the source of all love and healing.
The third and final point is that I heard this week about mothers taking their kids to school and leading them by the hand. Some of the kids were going very much against their will, because school is strange and disturbing to them, and they would rather be at home. It made me think of another situation in which a woman was hastening to another place. One night I was at the house of a woman who had cancer and who was rapidly leaving this world. I gave her the Last Rites, and she said, “Father, I say my rosary all the time.” And I said to her, “That’s wonderful. Keep it up as long as you can. And you know what will happen? Soon, the Blessed Mother will come take you by the hand and lead you to her Son.”
How will you apply this message to your life? ____________________________________
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