Simple Things are Best (30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A)

There are a lot of things out there that promise to simplify our lives. Many of these items also claim to make us happier, more efficient, more productive members of society. Electronics are common offenders in this area. For example, the computer, supposed to add hours to the day often drains us as we try to keep up with waves of emails, Facebook friends, and word-processing. Something that was intended to help us often needs our help with frequent debugging, defragging, anti-virus updates, and spyware maintenance. The same might be said of the smartphone. Touted as a mobile office, it rarely gives us more free time as we are beholden to every text, new email, and incoming phone call. But the strangest claims of efficiency and simplicity can be found on tv, especially the shopping channel, and tend to deal with exercise and personal fitness. Perhaps you remember the treacherous thighmaster or the bizarre shakeweight?! My favorite is the ab-belt, a modern marvel of laziness and strange science. According to the commercial, this gizmo punishes the user’s abdominal muscles better than sit-ups by sending intense electrical signals throughout the stomach region. According to the commercials, you just strap this baby on and then do whatever you like, even watch a movie, as it sculpts your midsection into perfectly defined abs that would shame a bodybuilder. 

We humans desire simplicity; we crave it. We are constantly searching for that magical thing that will make our lives easier, happier, and more efficient. That’s why we fall for these products that so often promise to simplify but rarely deliver on that pledge. That’s why we so often have garages and basements that are stuffed with junk, ..... yet we are still searching. 

Today, in the gospel, Jesus does the very thing we are looking for. He simplifies the 613 laws of the Jewish faith into two basic commandments. “Love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. And love your neighbor as yourself.”

You and I have heard these commandments since we were very little, so we might not think they are such a big deal. But think again to what Jesus just did. He gives the key to living the good life, a happy, wholesome, fulfilling life in terms of our relationship with God and with other people, and does so in two commandments that are so simple that any young child can remember them. It doesn’t get much simpler than that. In fact, it can’t get any more simple than that. These two things are the very least we must do to be truly joyful in this life and forever happy with God in the life to come. And these two commandments are all you have to do in order to reach heaven.

It seems too good to be true, too simple to work. Why would this be any different than the million other things that claim to simplify but then end up disappointing? The answer, of course, is found in who it is that gives us these two great commandments. Jesus is completely trustworthy; he is God, he cannot lie. And he has nothing to gain from his wise words; there is no gimmick involved, simply his desire to unite us with each other and our heavenly Father. 

But I think it is important to make one clarification. Just because Christ simplifies the whole moral code doesn’t mean that it suddenly becomes easy. In fact, its simplicity makes it more demanding! You see, the more complicated something is, the greater the chance for some leeway or loophole. Just think of our nation’s tax laws, for example. But the simpler it becomes, the less wiggle room. What you see is what you get, without nuances, qualifications, or conditions. The same is true of the two great commandments that Jesus gives to you and me. He really means that we are to love God above all things with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind. And he is dead serious when he says we must love our neighbor as ourself.”

So how do we apply this to ourselves? How do these simple commandments make demands on us? Consider some of the following examples which are not in any way, an exhaustive list:

When it comes to loving God above all things, do I love him enough to get my family to Mass every weekend? Even when we have 7 games or a late night or are out of town? Or is it always God who gets the short end of the stick? Do I give generously of my income to God or do I mostly give him what I have left over after I have taken care of what I want? Do I give freely of my time and talent to God? Do I take some quality time each and every day to spend in prayer or does he simply get some time here or there when I am distracted, tired, and complaining? Do I respect the Church and seek to be obedient to her teaching? Even difficult teachings about marriage, birth control, and sexuality? Or do I think I always know best? Do I do as God has commanded me and pray for my government leaders? Do I seek his wisdom in trying to decide who to vote for - or do I vote for those who encourage me to live as if my concerns are the only ones that matter?

How about loving our neighbor as ourself? Do I have true respect for others without exception? Am I kind in the way I talk about others, including those that are different than me or who drive me crazy? Am I patient with those I interact with, even when they are annoying, needy, or downright rude? Christ’s command to love did not include any exceptions, even for these types of people! Do I allow others to have their dignity, even when I don’t feel like they deserve it? Do I in fact give myself to others out of love - or offer them only a show of courtesy concealing some other agenda? Do I further the social work of the Church by caring for the poor, the neglected, the sick and the unborn? Do I pay my taxes and accept my responsibilities towards my fellow citizen or do I lie and cheat to get ahead? Do I truly love my neighbor as myself, always and everywhere, or do only do so when it is pleasant, beneficial to me, or fits into my schedule and plans?  

The way we get to heaven is utterly simple: “Love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. And love your neighbor as yourself.” But it is not easy. We need God’s help every step of the way, through prayer, the sacraments, and the teaching and support of His Church. May we recommit ourselves to the two great commandments and then trust that in keeping them, we will find eternal love, peace, and happiness. 

29th Sunday in Ordinary TIme, Cycle A

If you’ve ever played the game of chess, you know the great joy and excitement that comes from planning moves for your various board pieces. You know the difficulty that is involved, as you balance deliberation, planning, and timing. You want to see at least one or two moves ahead but you don’t want to spend so much time staring at the pieces that your opponent sees your strategy. Sooner or later, when you have executed your plan and made your moves, you will experience one of two feelings. 1) you will know the exhilaration of removing key pieces of your opponents and see them grimace as their ability to defeat you dwindles, or 2) the disappointment of realizing some angle or consequence that you didn’t see and the sinking feeling that comes with the loss of some of your most powerful pieces. By far the most devastating experience is when you think you have your opponent trapped, when you believe their queen or some other crucial piece is yours, and then they not only slip out of your grasp, but they take something from you as well. The emotion can only be described as a sloppy mess of shock, disappointment, anger, and disbelief, similar to what Red Sox, Phillies, and Braves fans experienced in last couple of weeks.

This same dynamic can be seen in the gospel today. The pharisees and religious leaders of Israel are out to get Jesus. He has been driving them crazy by defying their view of God, extending forgiveness to public sinners, and challenging their view of the religion they thought they knew so well. He has called them hypocrites, liars, and challenged their authority in ways they never imagined. Jesus is becoming immensely popular and some are even thinking that he is the Chosen One of God. So they adopted a strategy and laid the perfect trap. This was a true catch-22 if one ever existed: get Jesus to answer a question where, no matter what, his answer would either offend the ruling government authority or insult the religious Jewish sensibilities of his most loyal followers. There was no escape and either way he was going to lose and lose big! Well, you just heard the question, and it was incredibly ingenious: 

“Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. And you are not concerned with anyone's opinion, for you do not regard a person's status. Tell us, then, what is your opinion: Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?"

Jesus knew their evil intentions and said to them; “Why are you testing me, you hypocrites? Show me the coin that pays the census tax." The scripture then goes on to tell us that the coin is produced and Jesus asks them "WHOSE IMAGE AND INSCRIPTION IS ON THE COIN"

They reply - Caesar's

And Jesus replies with that awesome answer that leaves them speechless: "Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God."

What really strikes me is the strong language Jesus uses to address those who were trying to trick him. “You hypocrites !”

Hypocrisy is defined in dictionaries as the act of claiming a virtue one does not have. It comes from a word in the Greek, which had to do with theater: to play a part or to act on the stage.

In this case, the part, or role, that the Pharisees were playing was the role of the holy, and Jesus, by calling them hypocrites, suggests that they are not really people who know God, or understand his law. Rather they only know it in their heads, and act the part, rather than having it come from their hearts.

Which should lead us to ask ourselves: “Is our faith a matter of the head? The head that analyzes and categorizes and judges things? Or is our faith a matter of the heart? The heart that understands why Jesus wept, because it has experienced the joy of love and the sadness of condemnation?

         

The Pharisees are called hypocrites by Jesus, not simply because they were trying to trap him, nor because they were unloving and uncaring. No, they are called hypocrites by Jesus because they refused to go beyond what they already knew of God. You cannot really know God if you refuse to move beyond what you already know about him.

So what do we know about God? Do we know anymore about him than we did when we finished grade school, or PSR, or high school? Some of us know God hates sin and so we feel lousy all the time because we know we are sinners and do not believe that God, or anyone else for that matter, can or should love us. Others of us know that God loves and forgives sinners, and so we feel confident and never really question our actions because we believe that God will overlook any so-called "small" mistakes we make now that we are his followers.

The first group tries to traps God in a box of judgement, the second attempts to trap Him in a box of forgiveness. Neither group, unless their minds and hearts are open, can let the real God both judge and forgive them. Neither group really experiences the fullness of God. They trap God by their own understandings and therefore end up with only a shadow of what they should have. Sadly, they play a spiritual role, rather than live a spiritual life.

Now, we might not think that we lay the same sort of trap for Christ as the pharisees did, but is this entirely true? Haven’t we all played the game where we present God with a similar ultimatum: if you love me, grant my prayer. If you are truly God, find me a job, or save my marriage, or fix my troublesome child? Lord, if you expect me to believe you and follow you, then arrange things the way I think they should be.

So many of us, in fact, all of us in one way or another, want to divide God and the world God has made into easy-to-grasp categories. We take Jesus' answer to the question about the census tax, for example, and try to figure out what is Caesar's and what is God's. Most of us look at it in terms of what is the least I can do to get by. This simply isn’t enough. Instead, we should be asking “what can I do to show my love?”  We have to do more, otherwise we will lose each and every time.

In conclusion, I think it is good for us to go back to the chess analogy. Our final goal is to get to the King. We have to be realistic and patient in that pursuit. We can’t rush in and expect to win the game in three moves. We have to take everything in stride adapting to the moves of our opponent. We also know that there will be losses. If we expect to reach the king without any sacrifices, then we will quickly lose our courage as the losses accumulate. The same can be said for us as followers of Christ. Our final goal is to reach the King of heaven and earth, the one who guides us in our relationship to both God and Caesar. We must be patient and trust that he will guide us to where we need to be, when we need to be there. There will be losses, sometimes significant and mysterious ones. But we can’t allow these to discourage us or make us lose heart. Any sacrifice suffered for Christ, pales in comparison to the glory of reaching him. So let us take heart, knowing that we are playing for God, who always has our best interests in mind. Let us be vigilant that we never make God our adversary like the pharisees. May this gospel insight encourage us to move beyond our limited view of God to a fuller, more-loving embrace of his command to “repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God."

Life is not Fair!! (25th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A)

How many of you in church this morning happen to be the oldest child in your family? Go ahead and raise your hand, so I can see how many sympathizers I have! As a matter of fact, those of you who are higher up in the birth order might also agree with me. I believe, as a general rule, and I am being completely biased here, that the oldest child has life a little bit harder than the youngest. Why? Well, our parents were experiencing parenthood for the first time and they wanted to do everything just right. Prior to our arrival, many of them read books and listened to experts explain about how to dialogue with baby, how to prepare him or her for a bright future from the instant of birth, and what procedures to put in place so that this bundle of joy could be healthy, wealthy, and wise. The truth is, most of our parents learned on the fly and we essentially served as very talkative and often irritating guinea pigs. By the time, our younger siblings came along, they had things somewhat figured out, important things like “don’t sweat the small stuff” and “they will be fine.”  

I still watch in disbelief at the liberties of my younger siblings. Did you know that you can get your driving permit before the age of 17? I can’t imagine having Facebook in grade-school? Or my own room! Or cable TV in the house! Only in my dreams would I have asked about staying out with friends past midnight! Having a cell phone to begin high school wasn’t even an option! These things, which would have been grounds for capital punishment in my youth are now tolerated and even approved by my parents! One of the first reactions that comes to my mind often as the oldest is: “That’s not fair! I had to work a lot harder and wait longer for those same privileges!”

But you don’t have to be high in the birth order to feel that life isn’t fair. We humans have a pretty good sense of that. We see good things happen to bad people and bad things happen to good people. We see some people labour for hours for a morsel of bread, and others make hundreds of thousands of dollars with a simple phone call. We see some who are physically fit and look after themselves die suddenly and others who abuse their health and still live to a ripe old age. We could go on and on with examples, but the simple truth is: “Life is often unfair.”

At first glance, the gospel appears to be one more example of this truth. Jesus describes the kingdom of God with a parable, a story where a landowner hires workers to toil in his vineyard. Some he hires early in the morning, others, around noon, and even a group at the end of the day. To all of them he promises to pay them what is just. At the end of the day, when all of the workers are lined up to receive compensation, the master starts with the last to arrive. He gives them a full day’s wage for their hour’s work. When the laborers, who toiled the entire day are paid the same amount, they grumble in disappointment. 

I don’t know about you, but I tend to sympathize with the guys who put in a whole day’s work. Something about the whole thing just doesn’t sit right. How can a person who worked an hour receive the same amount as one who worked the whole day? And this is what the kingdom of heaven is supposed to be like?  

But if we take a moment to shed our indignation and outrage, if we humbly reflect on the final words words of the master, then we see that this parable is not about fairness at all. No, it is all about generosity! The same Divine generosity that moved Christ to eat with tax collectors, and hang around with prostitutes and known criminals, and heal people on the Sabbath day, and tell sinners that they were forgiven simply because they had faith in him, simply because they repented and trusted him. If we choose to see life only in terms of fair or unfair, if we view God’s generous love and forgiveness as something to be earned, we will quickly be upset at how merciful He is and how freely He shares his life with the sinful and imperfect. It won’t be long before this mindset makes us blind to our own need for God’s grace and how imperfect we ourselves truly are. This is the attitude that led the Scribes and Pharisees to reject Christ. This is the attitude that blinded them to their own need for salvation. This is the attitude that prevented them from receiving the many good things Jesus desired to give them.

As we reflect on this parable today, this story which teaches us so much about the kingdom of God and how He loves us, we should thank God that he doesn’t deal with us according to what we believe is fair and unfair. No, even though we have a God who is infinitely fair and just, he doesn’t deal with us simply in those terms. If he did, we would not be forgiven, we would not have the sacraments, we would not be capable of eternal life. Thankfully, we have a God who always treats us with overwhelming generosity and mercy. All of us, even the best of us, has received immeasurably more than we earned from God, the master of the vineyard. 

So let us thank God, right here and right now in this Eucharist, for his extravagant generosity. Let us show him our gratitude for the countless ways he enriches our lives, even though we have done nothing to deserve such kindness. Let us be joyful when we see God pouring his love and blessing on others rather than focusing on whether or not it is fair or deserved. We are all his children and we all need his love; we all need his forgiveness. And praise God, that is what we receive when we turn to God, when we receive Christ into our lives and do the work that he has set before us to do.

My friends - we don't earn God's love; we respond to it. God loves you.  End of story. God loves you. Beginning of brand new story. May we live that new story.  May we come to God in gratitude for what he has done for us, and in thanksgiving for what he does for everyone who turns to him.  

Glory be to God

Today we celebrate the life and preaching of an exceptional man, St. John Chrysostom. Born in 344 in Antioch and educated by some of the best masters, both spiritual and academic, learned how to explain the Scriptures in a profound yet practical way. Due to his eloquent homilies and skillful rhetoric, he was nicknamed "Chrysostom" which means Golden-mouthed. He was made the patriarch of Constantinople and dedicated himself to preaching, reforming the clergy, and caring for the poor. Because of his outspoken style, this saint made enemies, especially among the powerful ruling elite, who felt threatened by his call to conversion. Exiled three times, he died far from home due the rough conditions of his exile and his advanced age. His last words, even in the midst of great injustice and suffering were: "Glory be to God in all things." St. John Chrysostom is an outstanding example of someone dedicated to the truth of the Jesus Christ, not for personal gain or vindication, but because of his love for his people and desire to lead others closer to Christ. On his feast, we might ask ourselves if we share his dedication to proclaiming the truth and if we are courageous enough to suffer for it.

24th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A (10th Anniversary of 9/11)

This weekend our nation commemorates the tenth anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks on our country. September 11, 2001 truly was a horrific day that changed the life of each and every one of us. And as I reflect back on the events that transpired on that awful September morning I am struck that even though ten years have passed, those memories and emotions are still so strong, so vivid within me. Do you remember how surreal that whole day was? Do you remember the sense of helplessness and disbelief as you witnessed the catastrophic events unfolding? You can probably recall exactly where you were when you heard the news. I'm certain you remember the sense of anger, shock, and sadness as you watched the Twin Towers fall. I'm sure you, like me, felt numb, angry and helpless as you recall the first images of the Manhattan skyline without the Twin Towers.

Yes, I remember that day as though it was yesterday. The weather was beautiful the morning of September 11 2001. I was a sophomore at St. Louis University and I was headed to my philosophy class when I heard our nation had been attacked. As the news of the attacks spread across campus I was struck by the reactions of the faculty and students. You could see the horror on everyone's face and the disbelief in their eyes as people realized what was happening. We were all painfully aware of the human suffering and carnage that was unfolding right before our eyes. That day, September 11, we all witnessed a terrible and senseless loss of innocent human life. 

  If there was one good thing that happened in the days and weeks that followed September 11th, it was an increased appreciation for the beauty of human life and the realization that life was indeed fragile. There was a palpable sense of solidarity among Americans; even strangers treated each other more kindly. I also remember the resolve of our nation to reach out to the people of New York and to all of those who had lost loved ones in the attacks. Some people lined up to donate blood while others donated money or their time to help with recovery and cleanup. In the face of great evil, the people of our country rose to the occasion and resolved that this senseless massacre of 2976 innocent human lives would never happen again.

As we gather here this weekend, I am sad to say that innocent life is still under attack in our country. On this day (weekend), which has been dedicated to the memory of those victims of the terrorists’ attacks in New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington D.C., the Church calls us to unite in prayer for peace in our country and for all our brothers and sisters whose lives and dignity are compromised by violence. But what are some of these offenses against the dignity of human life? If you open a newspaper or turn on the TV, you will see many of them. There are growing numbers of people who are suffering and dying because of war, power-hungry rulers, and insufficient food. Others are oppressed by torture, unjust imprisonment, and unnecessary death sentences. Still others are crushed by poverty, violence in their neighborhoods and families, and the lack of proper healthcare. Some of these things are experienced by men, women, and children right here in our country, right here in our own city.

 However, there is another attack on innocent human life which is even more serious than the atrocities I have mentioned and only serves to perpetuate the cycle of violence that afflicts so many in our world today. This moral issue is the single most important problem of our time and yet there are many who would rather not talk about it. I am speaking of the taking of innocent human lives through the intrinsically immoral actions of abortion, destruction of human embryos for research, and euthanasia. These issues trump all other moral issues because they involve the fundamental right from which all of our other rights flow, and that is the right to life itself.

 In a particular way, on this anniversary of 9/11, we should reflect on the scourge of abortion in our country. Never in the history of the world has such a sustained attack on innocent human life been tolerated, much less legally sanctioned. Since its legalization in 1973, abortion has claimed the lives of nearly 50 million children in our country alone! 50 million children! Around 1.3 million abortions are carried out each year in our country alone! That works out to 3300 babies every day, or about one child every 28 seconds. In the time it takes to deliver this homily some 20 babies will die. Frankly, these numbers take my breath away. 50 million is over four times the number of victims murdered in the Nazi Holocaust. These children could have filled six cities, each the size of New York. One third of my generation has disappeared because of abortion. In our country the death toll of Sept. 11 has been repeated each and every day for 38 years!

 Far too many innocent lives have been taken in the past 38 years by abortion. And untold numbers of our brothers and sisters have been lost by destructive embryonic stem cell research as well as euthanasia. And while this pro-life message is often unwelcome, unpopular, and difficult, we, as members of Christ’s faithful cannot fail to be a voice for those who have no voice of their own. We cannot hope for peace and justice in our country without first tackling one of the greatest injustices in human history! 

 But I don’t stand here preaching to you without hope. Our greatest hope is in the inexhaustible mercy of God. Despite the fact that our country has allowed the destruction of so much innocent life, I am certain that deep down America still values the gift of life.  This was proven in our nation’s response to the September 11^th attacks. Deep down we still believe that life is truly precious, life is beautiful, life is the fundamental right of every person and the very foundation of our country. But we must do more to protect those who cannot protect themselves. We must work to ensure that every person has the right to live regardless of whether or not their life is convenient, expected, wanted, or productive. And we must allow this pro-life mentality to transform the way we think, the way we vote, the way we live out our faith.

 Finally, let me make it clear; these offenses against human life in our country make victims of the living as well. If any of you have been involved in an abortion and are hurting please know that you can find healing, peace, and forgiveness from Christ in his Church, especially through the sacrament of reconciliation. It is important for each of us to remember that there is no sin, no offense too great for God’s mercy. There are ministries in our Church like Project Rachael and Project Joseph to help men and women who have been hurt by their decision to choose abortion as a solution to an unwanted, unplanned pregnancy.  

 As we come here to this Eucharist, let us renew our efforts on behalf of life. Are we doing enough? Are we willing to be a witness to life? Are we ready to challenge the institutions and opinions that support the ongoing slaughter of the innocent? May we honor the victims of 9/11 in the best possible way by building up a culture that respects and protects life in every stage, from conception until death.    

22nd Week in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

I have to ask you all a random question: Do you remember those optical illusions called “magic eye?” They were all the rage about 15 years ago. They could be found in reception rooms of the doctor’s office, on people’s coffee tables, and in the case of one of my relatives, framed and hung on the walls of their house. At first glance they didn’t look like much; just a collage of colors and patterns that appeared to be really busy wallpaper. But if you stared long enough, a hidden image or scene would ‘magically’ appear. Now, I have to confess, I wasn’t very good at the magic eye thing. I wanted to be but I found it really difficult to adapt the method of seeing the image that was hidden. In order to discover the hidden image, you were advised to bring the picture close to your face and stare at the middle of the page. Even though you were looking right at the paper a few inches in front of your nose, you weren’t supposed to focus on any given point or look too intensely at the image. Slowly you would move the picture back from your face and then the hidden picture would supposedly come to life, right before your eyes. I generally got impatient as I heard my siblings, one by one, exclaim, “I see it” and “that’s cool” while all I saw was a jumbled mess of colors and patterns. 

But every once and a while it would work. And the image would pop off the page in all its glory and I couldn’t help but see what used to be hidden and incomprehensible. It made all of the crossed eyes and frustration well worth it.

Now believe it or not, I mention the whole magic eye thing because it was the first image that came to my mind when I read the gospel we just heard. At first glance the words of Christ might appear to us as ridiculous, ludicrous, and hard to believe! What does he mean that “"Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

How do we save our lives by losing them? How do we lose our lives by trying to save them? Even St. Peter is troubled by the words of Christ. He takes him aside and gently chides the savior. The first pope wants there to be another way for Christ and for those that will follow after him. Even this great saint struggles to see the picture that is hidden beneath these very difficult words!

This is indeed a spiritual magical eye! At first glance the words of today’s gospel appear as nonsense, as nothing more than a bold statement by Christ himself. If we look at what Christ is saying, with the eyes of the world, we will never see the wisdom behind them. But with the eyes of faith a beautiful picture emerges. With God’s grace, we begin to see life where the world sees death, joy where society only finds misery, hope and salvation where others despair and run away. 

I think if most of us are honest, we are suspicious of what Christ is saying as well. We live in a culture that spends enormous amounts of time caring for the body and trying to prolong life. Just walk down the aisles of Walgreens to see the many ways that we try to medicate ourselves to avoid the cross and any physical suffering. Now I am not saying that we shouldn’t take care of ourselves or stay away from medicine. But all of us have that tendency to run from the cross, to avoid every ache and pain, and to view suffering as worthless and without purpose. 

Jesus invites us today to look at things a little differently. He wants us to see what he sees. He wants to live like he does, to love as he loves. In return, he promises to save our lives. Maybe not by adding years to this life or taking away every setback or suffering, but certainly by giving us eternal life when it really counts, in the world to come. To receive this eternal gift, we have to be willing to accept suffering. Actually, not just accepting it but even embracing it. We have to be ready to witness to Christ and carry the cross that he gives us. For some of you, that will be in the form of financial struggles and worries. For others, it will be a person, a relationship, perhaps even a spouse or child who drives you to your knees. Still others will find their cross in caring for a loved one or battling illnesses of their own. 

If you embrace your God-given cross, if you agree to carry it with love and obedience behind the one who carried his cross to Calvary, well, he will open your eyes. He will enable you to see the magnificent reward, the everlasting life that he has prepared for those who let go of their plans, of their own desire for control, their own idea of the good life, and are willing to come and follow him. Countless men and women have done so before us and they have found the fulness of love, life and joy in the midst of what the rest of the world might simply see as misery. Christ invites you and me today to take up our cross, to save our life by losing it to him. Will you follow? 

First Foray into the Digital World

Greetings Friends, Parishioners, and Fellow Pilgrims,

For some time now I have been thinking about starting a blog to share my homilies and reflections here at the parish. Some priests are much more tech-savvy and efficient with their time. Others have found ways to record their homilies and publish podcasts. You won't find anything fancy like that here. What I hope to share with you are the fruits of my daily prayer and ministry as well as my weekly homilies. If they are helpful, praise God, and let us pray for one another!

Fr. Kevin Schroeder