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Homilies Advent Advent Week 1 Year A Week 1 Year B Week 1 Year C Week 2 Year A Week 2 Year B Week 2 Year C Week 3 Year A Week 3 Year B Week 3 Year C Week 4 Year A Week 4 Year B Week 4 Year C Christmas Baptism of the Lord Year A Baptism of the Lord Year B Baptism of the Lord Year C Epiphany Year A Epiphany Year B Epiphany Year C Holy Family Year A Holy Family Year B Holy Family Year C Mary Mother of God Year A Mary Mother of God Year B Mary Mother of God Year C Mass at Midnight Year A Mass at Midnight Year B Mass at Midnight Year C Back to the Boat Heaven to Earth, Sea to River Lent Lent Week 1 Year A Week 1 Year B Week 1 Year C Week 2 Year A Week 2 Year B Week 2 Year C Week 3 Year A Week 3 Year B Week 3 Year C Week 4 Year A Week 4 Year B Week 4 Year C Week 5 Year A Week 5 Year B Week 5 Year C Ash Wednesday "Do You Want to Be Healed?" Holy Week Passion Sunday Year A Passion Sunday Year B Passion Sunday Year C Holy Thursday Good Friday Easter Vigil "Where Peter Is" Easter Sunday Easter Sunday Year A Easter Sunday Year B Easter Sunday Year C Easter Season Week 2 Year A Week 2 Year B Week 2 Year C Week 3 Year A Week 3 Year B Week 3 Year C Week 4 Year A Week 4 Year B Week 4 Year C Week 5 Year A Week 5 Year B Week 5 Year C Week 6 Year A Week 6 Year B Week 6 Year C Week 7 Year A Week 7 Year B Week 7 Year C Ascension Ascension Year A Ascension Year B Ascension Year C Pentecost Pentecost Year A Pentecost Year B Pentecost Year C ORDINARY TIME Ordinary Time Wks 2-7 Ord. Time Week 2 Year A Week 2 Year B Week 2 Year C Week 3 Year A Week 3 Year B Week 3 Year C Week 4 Year A Week 4 Year B Week 4 Year C Week 5 Year A Week 5 Year B Week 5 Year C Week 6 Year A Week 6 Year B Week 6 Year C Week 7 Year A Week 7 Year B Week 7 Year C Ordinary Time Wks 8-13 Week 8 Year A Week 8 Year B Week 8 Year C Week 9 Year A Week 9 Year B Week 9 Year C Week 10 Year A Week 10 Year B Week 10 Year C Week 11 Year A Week 11 Year B Week 11 Year C Week 12 Year A Week 12 Year B Week 12 Year C Week 13 Year A Week 13 Year B Week 13 Year C Ordinary Time Wks 14-19 Week 14 Year A Week 14 Year B Week 14 Year C Week 15 Year A Week 15 Year B Week 15 Year C Week 16 Year A Week 16 Year B Week 16 Year C Week 17 Year A Week 17 Year B Week 17 Year C Week 18 Year A Week 18 Year B Week 18 Year C Week 19 Year A Week 19 Year B Week 19 Year C Ordinary Time Wks 20-25 Week 20 Year A Week 20 Year B Week 20 Year C Week 21 Year A Week 21 Year B Week 21 Year C Week 22 Year A Week 22 Year B Week 22 Year C Week 23 Year A Week 23 Year B Week 23 Year C Week 24 Year A Week 24 Year B Week 24 Year C Week 25 Year A Week 25 Year B Week 25 Year C Ordinary Time Wks 26-31 Week 26 Year A Week 26 Year B Week 26 Year C Week 27 Year A Week 27 Year B Week 27 Year C Week 28 Year A Week 28 Year B Week 28 Year C Week 29 Year A Week 29 Year B Week 29 Year C Week 30 Year A Week 30 Year B Week 30 Year C Week 31 Year A Week 31 Year B Week 31 Year C Ordinary Time Wks 32-34 Week 32 Year A Week 32 Year B Week 32 Year C Week 33 Year A Week 33 Year B Week 33 Year C Week 34 Year A Week 34 Year B Week 34 Year C First Move Letting Go of the Tree Major Feast Days All Souls 1 All Souls 2 Body and Blood of Christ Year A Body and Blood of Christ Year B Body and Blood of Christ Year C Christ the King Year A Christ the King Year B Christ the King Year C Peter and Paul Apostles Trinity Sunday Year A Trinity Sunday Year B Trinity Sunday Year C In Memoriam Memorial of Victory "Up to Jerusalem" Sacred Humanity Homiletic Bibliography Bibliography Pt I (A-G) Bibliography Pt II (H-N) Bibliography Pt III (O-Z) Commentary Catholic Life Faith & the Cult of Pleasantness Fatherhood and Family Holy Marriage, Holy Family Jesus Calls Me Friend Outdoor Plumbing Works of Mercy Defending the Catholic Church Confession Living Letter Bathing Often Eucharist Divine Authority Human Pride Mother of God Persecution Philosophy Priesthood and Papacy Respect for Life Gospel of Luke - Study Luke Chapters 1 - 2 Luke Chapters 3 - 4 Luke Chapters 5 - 6 Luke Chapters 7 - 8 Luke Chapters 9 - 10 Luke Chapters 11 - 12 Luke Chapters 13 - 14 Luke Chapters 15 - 16 Luke Chapters 17 - 18 Luke Chapters 19 - 20 Luke Chapters 21 - 22 Luke Chapters 23 - 24 Questions & Answers Catholic Belief Fortitude: Gift or Virtue? Great Commandment Hierarchy of Truth Same-sex Partnerships Catholic Practice Holding Hands at Mass Wearing Shorts at Mass Hierarchy Church Hierarchy Hierarchy of Truth Scandal and Trust Why a Pope and Bishops? Liturgy Holding Hands at Mass Hymn Resource for Mass Lay Ministry - Liturgy Substituting Song for Sign of Peace Wearing Shorts at Mass Relationship Devotion and Trust Marriage and Celibacy Tell Him the Truth Thorn in Your Side Respect Life Does Ignorance Justify Abortion? Human Personhood On the Subject of Cloning Sacraments Baptism - Child of Civil Union Does the Eucharist Reveal Jesus? Male Priesthood of Christ Sign and Symbol INRI - Crucifix World Affairs Immigration Worries Mercy, Justice and World Affairs Unite on United Nations? Walking with the Word - Lessons Walking with the Word - Lessons A-M Blessed Are You Deep Water "Father, Forgive Them" Garden, Stable & City of God - Part 1 Garden, Stable & City of God - Part 2 God Knows God Loves You Because God's Heart of Love Humanity of Man "Lamentation" "Let Us Go Down" - Part 1 "Let Us Go Down" - Part 2 "Let Us Go Down" - Part 3 "My Power in You" Walking with the Word - Lessons N-Z New Growth on an Old Vine New Wrinkle on an Old Story "One Degree of Glory to Another" Proof of Peace Reason & Acting Reasonably Solomon's Ring Standard of Dress for Mass Sword of Sorrow "Take Off Your Shoes" Take Up Your Cross - Part 1 Take Up Your Cross - Part 2 "Thou Little Tiny Child" True Food - Part 1 True Food - Part 2 Watch, Hat and Scissors Word of Justice, Word of Mercy Reflections Big or Small Christmas Present Clean White Corporal Christian Prayer Delivered from Fear Do You Love Me More? Elegant Recovery Entrust the Sick to God Faith and Choosing Faithful Follower Friendship with Christ Good Physician He Gave Me Wings Heaven's Ecology I Don't Need the Church Last Defense Living Biography of the Church Love Is Hungry Making Bread Thoughts on Merton Our Lady of Divine Grace Remnant Saying Yes to God Self-reflection Sentences Armor of God Counting Your Blessings Passage on Peter's Boat Virginity Sock Puppet Sun, Mast and Horizon We Lament Window of Receptivity Would He Die for One? Devotions Divine Mercy Chaplet Embracing Mercy Indulgence Novena Litany of the Sacred Heart Lord's Prayer Our Lady of Divine Grace Rosary Fatima Rosary Vigil Rosary Saint Therese Centenary Chaplet Seven Last Words of Christ Various Authors Augustine of Hippo Benjamin Franklin Clement of Alexandria Ignatius of Antioch John Henry Cardinal Newman J.R.R. Tolkien Michel Quoist Pope Benedict XVI Pope Pius XII Various Prayers Blessing for a Pregnancy Circle of Faith Choice Vines For Fathers For My Son For Spiritual Fatherhood Gathered Like Wheat Grateful Praise Healing Medicine Hidden Wisdom Hour Has Arrived My Little Girl No One Else but God O Lord Your Love O Shepherd Prayer for the Military Sake of Blessing Sweet Grapes Teachable Heart Thousand Years To All but You O Lord To Father Son and Spirit Wheat and Grape

IF YOU love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, to be with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him; you know him, for he dwells with you, and will be in you. [Jn 14:15-17]

Artist: Victor Luciano Rebuffo

(1903-1983)

Buenos Aires, Argentina

FAMILY OF FAITH ^_[1]

HIGHEST ACTIVITY

1. In the early Jerusalem Church, serious conflict arose between the Jewish and Greek converts to Christianity. More of the community resources were claimed by the Jewish Christian converts. The Greek Christians complained of hypocrisy: some of the actual practices of the community were inconsistent with its beliefs: they were being treated inequitably, especially at table. Their widows and orphans were neglected. [cf. Acts 6:1] In time, the Church leaders in Jerusalem responded. The twelve apostles--Matthias had been chosen by lot to replace the deceased Judas--appointed seven persons to administrate the community, to serve at table, and to care for widows and orphans. Hence they devoted their time to prayer and the Word of God. In the Acts of the Church authored by St. Luke, we read: "And the twelve summoned the body of the disciples and said, It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables." [Acts 6:2] The wisdom of the apostles applies to us today. Though not in direct succession to Peter and the apostles as are the Holy Father and the College of Bishops, we are to emulate the worthy example of our spiritual leaders to best of our capability. The excellence of prayer commands that its discipline and pleasure be considered the great wealth of Christian family life; Christian families are to cultivate prayer with the same zeal as one commanded to keep a fire going for the sake of survival. We pray to God to be comforted, we pray for deliverance in time of trial, we pray to know that hope burns ever brighter. Prayer draws the faithful disciple of Jesus Christ apart from the fear and disorder of the world; it is the pilgrim's passport for the journey of faith, a legate and credentials before heaven's tribunal of justice. Consider that every family, mother, father and children, is a first family of faith modeled on the Church. Consider also that the highest activity of any family of faith, whether domestic or ecclesial, is prayer and the Word of God. And prayer has as its highest goal the adoration and worship of God. All Christian family activities should find their origin in prayer and the Word of God. If Jesus' name is above every other name [cf. Phi 2:6-11], then any endeavor which enfleshes this reality in our lives likewise should be above our every other activity. By praying and meditating upon Sacred Scripture, two most sublime activities of the Christian life, the name of Jesus comes alive in the hearts of father, mother and children. Proximate to prayer and the Word of God is service to one another in the mind of Christ [cf. 1Cor 2:16] for the glory of his Holy Name. Although prayer and the Word of God precede good works, Christian life would be incomplete, indeed crippled, without the charitable works of divine mercy. Indeed Sacred Scripture speaks decisively, "faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead". [Jam 2:17] We are to serve one another unselfishly by giving them what they are due in the eyes of God. We know that those who do not believe in God believe in the things they see. Therefore, accomplish the works of the Father in the power of the Holy Spirit that the unbeliever may kneel before the name of Jesus [cf. Phi 2:6-11]; in this way, the "secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you". [1Cor 14:25] Do not make God's work subordinate to your own, lest your accomplishments be counted as nothing in the hour of your judgment. The obedient servant is the instrument by which his will comes to perfection in the lives of sinners. The salvation of many souls depends on it. We best serve others by our own worthy example of humble submission to prayer and God's Word.

SACRED ORDER

2. One's Christian mission, above all else, is to bring others to Christ that he may lead them to the Father. We are to serve according to the example of Christ, taking his priorities and mission as our own. As we minister to others, we are to favor the poor, the distressed, the disadvantaged, all those who are despised and rejected by the world. We serve God by leading people to salvation and ministering to one another in the Church. When the imperative of prayer, God's Word, and service to one another in the mind of Christ [cf. Gen 1:26] has been fulfilled, we are to attend to our administrative responsibilities. Administrative and clerical duties, while a necessary trial, have no direct connection to prayer and ministry of the Word. Prayer and worship have nothing in common with office management, accounting, paperwork, reporting, record keeping or any other utilitarian function. As well, the Word of God is not dependent upon nor is a function of administration. Praise and prayer are, by nature, proclamations. Hence, only two things are required for evangelization, and both are gifts of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Church: The Word of God must be proclaimed and heard. The priest must sacerdotally administer the seven sacraments. Every effort should be made, in the home and in the Church, to recover the priceless possessions of faith--prayer, the Word of God, sacramental grace, and benevolent service--from the undeserved and oppressive influence of managerial functions. To the extent that the proper hierarchy of prayer, service and administration is reversed, the family of faith suffers and declines. Conversely, we preserve the sacred order of Christian activity, we will reap the plenitude of God's blessings. Philip and the martyr Stephen were among the seven men chosen to serve so that the apostles could devote their time to prayer. In the meantime, Saul of Tarsus, a Pharisee, led a persecution against the new Church, "breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord". [Acts 9:1] Stephens martyrdom by stoning greatly traumatized the Christian community, provoking Philip and many others to flee Jerusalem. Not being able to function as a deacon in the region of Samaria, Philip embarked upon evangelization in the territory of his exile. In time, he was well-known for his conversion of non-Jewish believers to Christ. The apostles in Jerusalem learned of Philip's missionary activities, and they commissioned Peter and John to travel to Samaria for the purpose of examining Philip's work. After inquiring, they approved of his Christian evangelization and officially sanctioned his ministry. Nonetheless, Philip was unable to bring his good work to fulfillment. He and the new converts turned to Peter and John for the Sacrament of Baptism. The apostles John and Peter--chosen and ordained by Christ himself--baptized Philip's new converts in the power of the Holy Spirit and by the laying-on of hands. Hence, the exercise of the Church's magisterium was essential for the welfare of the new Christians. Through the intervention of Peter and John, the converts could "appeal to God for a clear conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ". [1Pet 3:21]

COMPETENT AUTHORITY

3. Herein lies an important lesson for all Christians. Philip did not depart from Jerusalem to create a sect, found a new independent fellowship, or inaugurate a so-called denominational movement. He did not provoke the Jerusalem Church by contriving an ego-centered gospel, doctrine and liturgical practice. Philip remained obedient to the competent authority of the Church established by Christ. Expressing it another way, the deacon did not renounce the one, holy, catholic and apostolic church^[2] to found an autonomous ecclesial community independent of the Jerusalem Church. He was obedient to the spiritual family God had given him, the family to which God had entrusted him. And so faithful to the mysteries entrusted to him, Philip's conscience was clear. The Roman Catholic Church, faithful to Christ as Christ was to his Father, places the highest value on unity. The fertile soil nourishing the purity of the Christian disciples belief and practice is nothing less than this: abiding together as one body in the apostolic Church founded by Christ. When any individual acts as his own authority and magisterium for doctrinal and liturgical purity, inevitably disorder and division are close at hand. If we remain faithful Catholics, united in the Catholicism of the one, holy, catholic and apostolic church established by Christ, then, by Holy Spirits power, our love for one another remains strong. [cf. Jn 13:35] This is to say, Christ entrusted his revelation--not to any individual or special-interest group no matter how well-intended--but to the safekeeping of the universal Church founded in his name. On this day, at this very hour, the Spirit of Truth [cf. Jn 15:26] urges all Catholics to seek the fullness of communion with one another in every facet of our lives. The Real Presence of the Eucharistic Christ reveals itself in the hearts and souls of unified believers who appeal to God with a clear conscience. [1Pet 3:21] Philip's faithful example reproaches Catholics today who harshly criticize the Church or who vacillate in the practice of their faith. Are you obedient to the will of Christ, expressed through the Holy Spirit and taught by the magisterium of the Church? Do you accept the Church, the Bride of Christ, as the lawful and competent authority in our lives? Do you see Mary's example of humility, obedience and unity with Peter and the apostles, as a model for our own parish and your Catholic family life? If your answers are condition by prideful indifference or hostility to the true and authentic Church, you are obliged in the name of Christ to undertake a thorough-going examination of conscience. The highest expression of prayerful worship and the Word of God is the Sacrament of Holy Eucharist, the source and the summit of the whole of the Church's worship and of the Christian life".^[3] If this community of faith truly believes that the bread of angels (Lat. panis angelicus) is the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ, then it must grant pride of place to the Church to whom he entrusts the very substance of his divinity and humanity. Only then can our Catholic parish fully appreciate the meaning of what it proclaims in the Nicene Creed: "We believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church."^[4]