5th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C

There is a powerful question presented in the first reading today: powerful because it come from the mouth of God Himself. While he is appearing to the prophet Isaiah, the Lord asks, “Whom shall we send? Who will go for us?” 

This theme of calling or vocation, runs throughout the readings, as we hear St. Paul describe his experience of being summoned by God to spread the gospel to the whole gentile world. Then, of course, we also read about the calling of St. Peter, who follows Jesus after the miraculous catch of fish. Hearing these three vocation stories gives us an opportunity to reflect on our own calling to serve the Lord, whether that be as priests and religious, married people, or consecrated single life. Even if we have already chosen our vocation, even if it has been many years since we made that decision, it still serves us well to examine our response to the Lord’s invitation, every day. Through the grace of our Baptism, completed by our confirmation, all of us have been sent out by God. Whatever it is that we do, we are to do it for the greater glory and honor of God.

So, what does this mean? What does it mean to say that we are called to serve God in every way possible. Well, some of you are married, others are hoping some day to marry. Here’s what serving God means: it means that it is not good enough simply to be husbands. You must try to be the best husband possible, emptying yourself for your wife, serving God by serving her. Put her first. Women should always come first. Just as Eve was God’s gift to Adam, so too, your wife is to you. They are the sacred vessels of life. Love her, and love God by honoring her. For your part, women, don’t just be wives. Be the best wife the world has ever seen. Honor, love, and serve your husband as the daily expression of your love for God. To both husbands and wives: Do not compete with one another! Do not try to dominate your spouse! Support and serve each other and see it as the way you honor God and spread the gospel. 

Some of you are parents, or hoping to become parents. It is not enough to give birth and sustain the life of a child. You are also called to serve God through your children. Be the best parents possible. Being a good parent means teaching your kids the faith, forming them in virtue, disciplining them and raising them to be good citizens and future saints. Being a good parent does not mean  becoming your child’s personal slave, fulfilling their every whim, or making them little kings and queens! Remember that God has entrusted an immortal soul for you to protect, form and nourish. As you do this in the million ordinary and thankless tasks of everyday family life, recall you are serving God, who created your children.

Right now many here are students. Some find study easier than others. That doesn’t make any difference. You must be the best student you can be, developing your own talents. Your teachers may tell you you have to work hard to succeed in the world. I am telling you that this is only a part of the story. You must work hard, not simply to succeed in the world, but to serve the Lord.

Finally, some of our young people, and perhaps even some of our not-so-young people are being called to serve the Lord as priests and religious. In a parish this size, I am certain there are quite a number of men and women that God is inviting to this special mode of living for Him. If you think God might be calling you to the priesthood or religious life, do not be afraid. It is a life of incredible happiness and fulfillment and you will be amazed how God will use your gifts to build up his Church and heal those who are hurting. Parents, if you think your child might have a religious or priestly vocation, support them in finding out. 

Do not discourage them, do not be afraid. Your child will find the most happiness and fulfillment in the vocation God has called them to, even if it’s not the vocation you might have planned or hoped they would grow into. 

We are all called to serve the King of Kings. We don’t simply perform a job. We are called to serve the Lord and glorify him in what we do. If we are priests, we must be the best priests possible, using our particular gifts for Him. If we are auto mechanics, we must be the best mechanic possible serving God by taking caring of people’s cars and keeping them safe. Some of you are doctors, and lawyers, and nurses and school teachers. We don’t just need doctors and nurses and school teachers, and lawyers and accountants. We need the best doctors and nurses and school teachers and and lawyers and accountants. Whatever we do in life, we must do it to the best of our ability because we are doing it in service to the Lord.

We only have one shot at life. We only get one life. We need to make the very best of our lives and this happens when we serve God in every aspect of our lives.

People often get a little squeamish with this concept that we are all called to serve the Lord in our respective vocations. We often think we are not good enough. Surely spreading the gospel must be a job for a saint but not for little old me! All three readings this week answer that question. Isaiah was not good enough at first. But when an angel touched his mouth with an ember from the fire, he was made clean. In the second reading Paul reminds us that he started off by persecuting Christians. He was not a good man. He would round up men, women and children and bring them to trial. Paul was a spectator at the martyrdom of St. Stephen, but he cheered on the mob and left excited to find the next victim. But despite all this Jesus transformed Paul into an apostle. In the Gospel, Peter wants Jesus to leave him because he is so aware of his own sin. Jesus basically says, “No way. I have work for you, You will be catching men.”

Jesus says to us, “Stop hiding behind your human failures. How dare you say that I cannot send you?  I am God. I have work for you to do. I will cleanse you. I will send you.”

We have work to do. We have been sent by the same God who sent Isaiah, who empowered Paul, who made Peter a fisher of men.

We need to stop limiting ourselves to the here and now. We need to do the work of God. Every part of creation has its own truth and goodness and beauty, including us human beings. The problem is that many of us refuse to recognize the dependence of creation on God. Creation without the Creator fades into nothingness. People who attempt to live separated from God condemn themselves to meaningless lives. 

We are called, we are sent, to lead people to meaning, to lead people to God. Whatever it is that we do in life, from something as major as marriage or priesthood or religious life, to something as minor as finishing a school assignment, we do it in service to God. Every action of our lives has purpose, not just for ourselves, but also for others who are seeking the Lord. We are meant to be fishers of men, each in our own vocation. Let us pray today for the courage to respond to this calling by doing all for the greater honor and glory of God.

4th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C

In the 1960’s, one of the most-influential and widely-loved bands of all time was given a challenge: write a song with a simple message that would be understood by the people of any and every nation. John Lennon, who was fascinated by the power of slogans and wanted to use his lyrical gifts to make a positive impact on the world, responded with a song that was both easy to understand and hard to get out of your head. This hit song debuted on live television in front of 400 million viewers and quickly became a hit for the popular band. The simple message offered by the Beatles was this: “all you need is love, love is all you need.” Right away, this song was well-received, especially in the UK and US, where it spent time at #1 on the music charts.

Now whether or not they intended to, the Beatles hit upon a spiritual truth. They were right to say that all you need is love! But they were not the first ones to proclaim this bold truth. St. Augustine, in a 4^th century homily on the first letter of St. John, tells his congregation to love (meaning God) and then do what you will. But even this great Doctor of the Church was borrowing something that had already been stated by another. We find the inspiration behind both the Beatles and Augustine in today’s second reading of St. Paul to the Corinthians. In this beautiful letter, proclaimed at nearly every Christian wedding, Paul gives us a poetic and precise definition of what love truly is...and is not. To conclude, he emphasizes an important point: “In the end, faith, hope, and love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” 

It seems so simple! A music critic, after hearing “All you Need is Love” rejoiced in the fact that their message could not be misinterpreted. It was clear that love was everything. One might feel the same way about the St. Augustine’s daring command to “Love God and then do what you will”. The scary thing is that both Augustine and the Beatles are right on the money; the problem is the world doesn’t know what true love is. Fortunately for us, St. Paul lays it out for us.

Before we can appreciate the terms of Paul’s definition of love, we need first look at the context in which the Apostle to the Gentiles was writing. He was NOT just speaking to people about to get married, nor was he setting out to define love! He was writing to the Church in the city of Corinth which had some serious problems. On one hand, most of the believers in Corinth were extremely excited about their faith. There were people with tremendous gifts in the community; there were teachers and healers and those who could speak in tongues. There were those who could lead in worship, those who were preachers and others who could prophecy. 

In the same church, and often in the same people, there were also some strange and unChristian things going on:

- like the man who was sleeping with his step-mother or the two church leaders who had dragged each other off to court instead of making peace. 

    - and some people really didn't behave that well at the meals held in memory of Christ: some ate too much, some drank too much, and others went hungry; 

    - and then too, there were public disagreements about which of the apostles and teachers who had come to Corinth were the best - and which were the worst;

• and there were even some folks who believed that their contribution to the community of faith was more significant than the contributions made by others - and because of this, their views on things should be considered first. 

In short people in Corinth were, at times rude to one another, impatient, arrogant, greedy, selfish, egotistical, and unkind. This even though they had also displayed some very wonderful spiritual gifts - this even though they were generally good people. The hard truth about true love, as outlined by St. Paul is this. It doesn't matter if you have enough faith to say to a mountain “move”, and it moves; if you don’t have love,  you are nothing. It doesn't matter if you can speak out for God - if you know all mysteries - and can heal all diseases - and do so - if you have not love - it won’t save you. Love is the test of our faith. People know we are Christians by our love and they know that we are something less than fully Christian when we lack it.

So then, the million-dollar question: what is love? Simply put, it is loving God above all things and our neighbor as we ourselves want to be loved and cared for. Even more simple: God first, neighbor second, and self last. Authentic Christian love moves us to see that each person is created in the image and likeness of God. It makes us realize that within each person is an immortal soul God wants to love forever in heaven. Love makes us want to help that soul be united to God no matter what the cost. Sometimes true love will make people uncomfortable, angry, or even hurt their feelings. Christian love does not always feel good, it is not necessarily politically correct or popular. But it always moves us to want what is best for others just as badly as we want those good things for ourselves. True love helps us to look past the trivial hurts, slights, and worldly setbacks to what is truly important: eternal union and happiness with God, whether it be for ourselves or someone else. 

   With this background information, we can understand why St. Paul says love is patient and kind. It only makes sense that it is not jealous, pompous, inflated, rude, or self-seeking. Of course it cannot be quick-tempered, or brood over injury, or rejoice over wrongdoing. It must instead rejoice with the truth and bear all things, believe all things, hope all things, endure all things. This love cannot fail.

We, for our part, must measure our love against the gold standard Paul places before us. I want you to put yourself into today's passage where love is described. I want you to think about your own life and where you need to grow to embody this fullest form of love. Listen again to this passage, slightly changed, of how God’s love should look in your actions:

I am patient. I am kind. I am not envious or boastful, arrogant or rude. I do not insist on my own way. I am not irritable or resentful. I do not rejoice in wrongdoing but rejoice in the truth. I bear all things, I believe all things. I hope all things. I endure all things.

All you need is this love! May you share it generously so that you may receive it freely from source of all Love, Jesus Christ, whose love never fails. Turn to God, ask his help to pass the examination of love each minute of each day and ask his help to abide in him as He abides in you. 

40th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade

One day, about three years ago, while I was stationed at the cathedral basilica, I received a startling phone call in my office. On the line was a young lady: desperate, tearful, frightened. She told me she needed help and she was near the cathedral. Now, we received calls on the phone and at our door constantly, with most people asking for money and rejecting any other type of assistance. Dealing with this on a daily basis can make you a little hardened and skeptical when someone tells you that they need something. Because of this experience, I was already on guard and prepared to tell her to call the St. Vincent de Paul society and wait for them to contact her. I asked where she was and what I specifically could do to help her. She told me that she was sitting in the parking lot of the planned parenthood on the corner of Forest Park Parkway and Boyle Avenue, about a half mile away. She was pregnant and alone and could not see how she could provide for this child. An abortion seemed like the most logical choice and the best solution to her unplanned pregnancy. But this young woman had a conscience that was making her hesitate. And she had a maternal instinct that told her that somehow, this just wasn’t right, that what was happening inside of her was life, human life.

As I listened to her predicament, I had chills going up and down my spine. I asked her to please leave that parking lot right away and come to the cathedral so that we could work something out. By the grace of God, she left Planned Parenthood and came to my office. Her needs were indeed real,  substantial and not easily or quickly resolved. There was no way she, by herself, would be able to provide for the baby that was being formed in her womb. I could see why she felt that abortion was the way out. Although she didn’t realize it, that young woman’s call and visit to my office that day challenged me to consider what I myself was willing to sacrifice in order to stand up for life. 

After listening to her story, I put her in contact with one of the pregnancy crisis centers that we are blessed to have in St. Louis. They helped her come up with a plan for her pregnancy and prepared her for the task of taking care of this newborn baby. They offered her counseling to support her in straightening things out in her life and in her relationships. They also helped her find other charities that provide clothing, food, and other essential items for both moms and babies. While this addressed her immediate needs and fears, this young woman had significant financial challenges that also had to be addressed. Through prayer and the help of generous people, we found some donors who helped with her bills and payed down her debt. I promised to cover her transportation expenses until she was back on her feet and working. In the end, she gave birth to a beautiful, healthy, baby girl. I felt privileged to be invited to the hospital afterwards to hold the baby and share in the mother’s joy. And I couldn’t help but marvel at how many good, pro-life people played a part in making it possible for her to carry this child to term and choose life instead of the seemingly easier path that abortion promised. All of the financial sacrifices that I had made to help this woman were completely worth it in that single moment. 

But in the midst of this joy, I also felt sadness. This baby girl was lucky; her mom had hesitated before walking through the doors of Planned Parenthood, her mom had reached out for help before doing something that was irreversible and tragic. How many other babies that day had not been so lucky? How many young lives were lost because their moms didn’t know about crisis pregnancy centers or didn’t think to call a church or maybe just didn’t have a person that cared enough to help them find an alternative to abortion?

This past Tuesday marked the 40^th anniversary of legalization of abortion in this country. In those 40 years, some 55 million babies have been killed and countless moms and dads have been wounded and haunted by a decision that was supposed to make their lives easier. Every day around 3200 abortions are performed in our country. To put that in perspective, that’s the equivalent of 160 Sandy Hook Elementary shootings taking place every day for forty years. But numbers alone don’t fully convey the horror of abortion. In each and every case there is the loss of an innocent life that was meant to be something unique, lovable, and beautiful. Each and every one of those 55 million babies was intended by God to be born, to have birthday parties, to be a brother or sister, to go to school, to make friends, cure diseases, and start families of their own. And while the unborn are the ones most profoundly wronged by abortion, the living suffer from this evil as well. Whether they be the mother or father, grandma or grandpa of the unborn child, a nurse or doctor performing the procedure, all who participate in the taking of innocent life, even the society as a whole, is damaged with every baby aborted. 55 million people, 55 million fellow U.S. citizens are missing and have not been given the opportunity to contribute to the fabric of this nation!

In many ways I know I am preaching to the choir. I have been impressed by the pro-life spirit that is present here at St. Joe’s. I can tell you that there was a much more divided congregation at the cathedral when it came to this issue, which I still cannot understand, that some people consider themselves Catholic and still advocate for abortion. 

What I want to ask you to reflect on today is not just the overwhelming stats or the evil nature of abortion; you already know these things. Rather, I want to ask each of you to consider what you are doing to make sure the evil of abortion is eliminated from our country. What sacrifices are you willing to make? How hard are you prepared to pray? How far will you agree to go in order to reach out to those considering an abortion or those struggling and hurting after their decision to terminate the young life entrusted to them. There are many ministries devoted to saving the lives of the unborn and protecting men and women who think that abortion is their only option. You and I need to support those ministries like Birthright, Thrive, Our Lady’s Inn, Coalition for Life, and Mary Queen of the Angels, to name a few in this area. We need to support them, whether that be through the sharing of our time as a volunteer, with our material resources, with our prayers, or by knowing what they do and where they are, in case someone ever comes to us in need. I wanted to share my personal story of helping someone choose life because it helped me to see that to be truly pro-life, means sacrifice and commitment. We must get involved in the struggle to save lives that are incredibly real, just like that baby, who is now two years old and brings a smile to my face whenever I get to see her. We cannot think of the issue simply in terms of numbers or laws or arguments. 

My prayer today is that the many pro-life people of this parish and in this country take up an even more active role in the struggle to end abortion and restore the right of every human person to be born. May none of us run away from our responsibility to protect these innocent lives and promote the dignity that is theirs. My hope for all of you is that you will be as blessed as I was three years ago to see how beautiful and delicate life really is. And that in a very special way you will believe and embrace the potential each of you can have in building up a culture of life. May God bless the work before us and use us to bring about the only choice that really matters: choose life!