Was there a good point from the sermon you heard at Mass when fulfilling your Sunday obligation?
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(Tease: I will post a humdinger later on.)
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Gospel of the rich young man. Our priest was incredible at speaking about poverty, leaving everything for the Lord, making Him the centre of our lives… Emphasis on more adoration: daily prayer with the Blessed Sacrament. More Sacrament of Pennance, too. In summary, a total detachment from the world, and a total surrender to God.
The psalm 89 gave way to the reflection that this life is “a bad night in a bad inn”: the other one is worth it!!
New Pastor, same old blather at St Nemo’s. Let’s hold hands at the Our Father as the severettes in their flip-flops gather at the altar.
Our newly-ordained deacon’s first Mass; his homily was terrific. He spoke of giving up everything to follow the Lord only to have all returned 100 fold. Better still was Msgr.’s comment on voting (the second week in a row). He said that he had seen our Vice President make the comment that he believes the Church’s teaching on life, but that he doesn’t want to “impose” his belief on others. Msgr. said he would like to ask Mr. Biden “Which other teachings of the Church do you believe but refrain from imposing on others? The teaching that it is wrong to steal? That it is wrong to defraud or to kill?” He ended by saying that we must pray before we vote, and when we vote, we should vote for the person who not only loves life, but will fight to protect it. Some women got up and walked out (again, second week in a row). My husband was so impressed, he signed up for RCIA!!!
Father gave a wonderful homily today about voting consistently with our Catholic Faith. He gave examples of non-negotiable issues and made it clear that we are not to support those who promote abortion, homosexual marriage and other grave offenses. This particular priest is about 30 years old. I have faith in younger Catholics. They aren’t in a hurry to throw away that which is precious (unlike my fellow baby boomers). I think that we will see them arriving at the “brick by brick” effort with loads of bricks, mortar and trowels.
The priest reminded the congregation that it wasn’t wise to leave mass right after holy communion. Then after communion we were reminded that now was the best time to pour out our hearts to God – our petitions, our adoration, our thanks – as we are most intimately united to Him at that time. When we all heard him say this, everybody was focused on prayer. Even young kids 12, 9 years old in front of me had their heads down – you couldn’t hear a pin drop until we were startled by “Let us pray”.
If every priest gave us this reminder immediately after communion, just imagine the heartfelt prayers, at the most tender time of our week, streaming into heaven. Magnificent to think about.
The basic idea was this (I won’t claim to do the actual sermon justice); regardless of how much good we do, there is always more. The priest pointed out that following the basic commandments and living morally is something that even a non-believer with good sense would do. We’re called to do much more than that – help the poor, evangelize, prayer, studying God’s word, live a sacramental life and other things. We’re not called to a life of just “being good enough” but rather a life of perfection, towards which we must continually strive.
He emphasized the point of evangelization, mentioning the assembly of the Synod of Bishops currently underway, and how what’s happening over there will have to translate into real action in each of our lives. Most of the parishioners here are not very world-savvy, so this was a nice bit of information to help them connect their day to day lives to what’s happening over there. There is always more we can do; it is an error to start thinking we’re there and we’re doing enough.
Great story Sissy!
iowapapist: I agree, in general, with your comment about younger priests. . . the JPII era. I attribute that to their seminary training and family experience. Although I do know one priest in his mid-30s who is more like his “about-to-retire” confreres; he prefers the hand holding, Kubaya, “lets gather ’round the altar” type of Mass. Poor seminary training I would guess.
In the Byzantine Rite this Sunday was the Sunday of the Fathers of the 7th Ecumenical Council, Second Nicea, which condemned the heresy of Iconoclasm. Accordingly, we heard about how the iconoclasts condemned all images as idolatry, claiming that we “worship icons”, when in fact we are speaking to the person through their icon and the image helps us focus our attention to them.
Our priest (a retired priest) came back from a vacation/pilgrimage to Italy. He made a special point of visiting the basilica of Mary Help of Christians and the tomb of Don Bosco. Since our congregation is basically the remnant of a parish of the same name it was extremely touching. He described the beautiful church and he picked up a large stack of varied postcards for us. After mass the idea of pilgrimage to Turin was floated about. He then gave a good homily on the readings especially highlighting the story of Solomon. He pointed out how in Jerusalem the hill where Solomon established the pagan temples for his concubines is to this day desolate and called the “Mount of Shame”.
After Mass, I also had a really nice chat with one of the nuns who helps out in the parish (the one who’s been around the longest – they come and go from a convent in Mexico City) and a few of the readers; apparently there’s a HUGE effort in Mexico by a certain group called Catholic Women for the Right to Choose (“Catolicas por el derecho a decidir” – http://www.catolicasmexico.org/ns/index.php). The group was started by a disgruntled former American priest and aggressively promotes the idea that Catholic women can have abortions if they want. Apparently the group has a good deal of TV ads, hands out cartoon pamphlets (as can be seen on the site), uses facebook etc. – really aggressive.
The nun gave a really nice analysis of how a priest could end up in such a position; “In religious life,” she pointed out, “we are not only called to obedience to the Church in general, but we also have to submit to our superiors. It’s usually not what we want but what someone else decides for us.” (Every year when I leave for Canada, she reminds me that she might not be around the next year; it all depends what her superior decides.) She continued: “People can easily get upset about this and start focusing on what they want, what they think is right, etc. If they end up getting obsessed with this, and leaving their order or the priesthood, often they try to ‘get even’ with the Church. The Church wouldn’t do what they wanted or do it their way, so they will go to great lengths to take this out on the people of the Church and turn them against the Church’s teaching.” She’s too nice to say it, but I’d say this counts as “intrinsic evil” not only because it’s abortion, but also because it’s an intentional act of leading people away from the Church as personal revenge.
I brought up the story of Saint Gianna; as it turns out, the nun’s half-sister was born under similar circumstances as the death of the Saint. The group had a good conversation about these situations and other topics related to “it’s not what we want, it’s what the Church teaches.” I see good things happening in this parish.
Wow. I can’t remember the homily. Something about good news and bad news. I moved here about a month ago and still adjusting. My last parish was a small military chapel and I was active in its operations (verifying the mass was setup, alter server coordinator, CCD teacher). This parish is quite large; standing room only. The readings and Psalms are not provided so I have a hard time following. Then if I want my kids to be on time for class, we have to rush out the door after receiving communion. AND since we don’t have kneelers only one or two people will kneel at the appropriate times. The parish is wonderful about their various ministries. I just need to find my place.
acardnal: Thanks! I’m dancing with joy, as you can imagine!!!
Stellar sermon. Who does Christ want the young man to be? The emphasis not simply on riches, but on riches as possessions. Thou are too dear for my possessing, so to speak, with regard to our Savior. Being is of the essence, not having, as is following, following Christ. That is a rude and drastically shortened summary, but where the priest also reads biblical languages, the whole was contextualized beyond magisterially.
Year of Faith homily. Time to convert, fall in love with our Catholic faith and lead all people to the only Savior, Jesus Christ and the one true Church founded on Peter by Christ.
Good sermon on the rich young man. A reminder that, even though he walked away on that occasion, he had the opportunity to ponder, to have a change of heart, and to return. As do we all.
EF Mass: Father spoke of the Year of Faith. Reminded us to 1) KNOW our faith so we can defend it and evangelize. Told us to read the Catechism; 2) Evangelize by LIVING like a Christian who is mindful of our speech, our clothing, what we do and don’t do and changing accordingly.
Like Spaniard’s, our priest suggested Adoration as a time to be with the Lord and ask him what more we must do to inherit the Kingdom of God. He said the reason Jesus looked on the young man with love was that the young man wasn’t content to just follow a bunch of “do nots” but because the young man kept asking, “But what more may I do?”
The priest made the distinction of Eternal Life in the hereafter and “what we perhaps even could call” Eternal Life in this world. The young man was really anxious to please God so as to come to Eternal Life. Christ did assure him that God is on the side of those who comply to the Commandments. (Don’t recall whether he said “those who attempt to” or not.) You can be a large landowner and come to Heaven, if you do not cheat or exploint. But Christ because he loved him wanted him to already in this life…
Well what did he want him to? As the topic is points you remembered, I’ll cut that for I don’t. Though I might remember the general direction; and anyway had a connection to “what we perhaps even could call Eternal Life in this world” (which I think a really beautiful expression).
Our Archbishop recently issued a letter asking, what would it look like if our Catholic values won the election? And he highlighted certain issues as non-negotiables, because they involve intrinsic evil. I built my homily around that, highlighting life, religious liberty and marriage. Click my name to go to my web page to see it.
We had a very good homily by the associate pastor — he is a young priest, originally from Nigeria. He has a little accent, but it’s not so thick that you can’t understand him, and his knowledge of the Bible is astounding. He started with the Gospel account of the Rich Young Man, then talked for a while about our attachment to creatures and the need to obey Christ, rather than our own desires.
Oh, we also had a full choir, singing in both Latin and English. The offertory was Jesu, dulcis memoria by Tomas Luis da Victoria, the communio “Aufer a Me” from the Graduale Romanum, and an Ave verum by Frank LaRocca for the communion. I wasn’t familiar with the last composer, but the music was excellent.
Good preaching and good music…that’s why I drive an extra 20 minutes to attend the Cathedral parish.
Running late and forgot my hearing aid.
BUT
The celebrant raised his voice and repeated
“It is a mortal sin to vote for a pro-abortion candidate”
“to co-operate with evil”
Wish I could have heard the whole sermon.
A number of men were waiting outside the sacristy door to praise him and pump his hand.
We didn’t get a chance to add our voice of praise after Mass.
dwfinke: “The readings and Psalms are not provided so I have a hard time following.”
My sister got me a subscription to the periodical Living With Christ which has all the readings for the month in a handy size. I really like it, and it’s not very expensive. I keep mine in my handbag.
Today the priest, not our regular pastor, talked a lot about the New Evangelization and why it’s vital to combat secularism, as well as the recent Pew study saying that “Nones” are now the second-largest religious affiliation and how we have to reach out to others to bring them the Gospel. Neither are things that our pastor would normally talk about. Then he talked about the rich young man and how the passage is not saying that everyone should sell everything and follow Christ, but that everyone has something — either something they should do but don’t, or something they do but should not — keeping them from following Christ. Everyone does the things that are easy for them to do, and tries to ignore the things that are difficult. But it’s those things that keep us from following Christ. Excellent homily.
Great story, Sissy! Congratulations on your husband joining the Church! I hope the RCIA program at your parish is orthodox. (My pastor is orthodox, but the RCIA program needs a major overhaul.)
I will have to remember the point the deacon made re: Biden’s beliefes the next time I talk to a pro-choice Catholic or non-Catholic. Thank you for sharing. Here’s hoping the women walking out didn’t discourage the deacon, and that those women finally wake up to the Truth.
The Sicilian Woman said: “I hope the RCIA program at your parish is orthodox. (My pastor is orthodox, but the RCIA program needs a major overhaul.)”
It has to be better than the one I went through (at a different parish) which must have been conceived as “protestantism for catholics”. So far, I’m very impressed with the orthodoxy of this parish. So, I have high hopes. Thanks for well-wishes and prayers. Like you, I pray for the women who left, and I hope his words will ring in their ears until they are able to hear the truth and rejoice. Judging by the line of folks enthusiastically shaking his hand afterwards, I don’t think there will be any discouragement.
Our priest talked about the year of faith and said that Pope Benedict has requested that we study the documents of Vatican II and the Catechism. He said that throughout the year he will be giving homilies on the catechism and on what the documents of VII really said, not what some misguided people claimed that they said.
It was especially moving today, a day that has been roiled by the presence in town this evening of the “Nuns on the Bus,” the Vichy French branch of small-c catholicism. They were not discussed in the homily (or by him at all), but the sense in the parish is that they are welcome, but what they wish to do to the Church is not. (We are also having Rosary recitation before the services at one of the two churches and after the services at the other, all month, and participation is high.)
Building on the Gospel lesson today, Fr. Mark noted that no one in the Book of Mark who encounters Jesus is left unchanged. And he further noted that we do not know how things turn out for the young man. We do not know what he does after he sadly returns to his home. And from this is was able to ask the (largely college student but also some parents, it being homecoming here) congregation what we would be willing to give up to achieve greater holiness. Also, what we must give up to achieve greater holiness. Interestingly, these questions were, as is his way, just dropped in to the homily in the course of it. Yet as is always the case, it was memorable in the way that presents itself when need in the course of life.
What a great teacher and man of God.
Father spoke about our attachment to things and how it interferes with our attachment to God. People spend hours waiting on line to buy the latest phone or bestseller, or to see the latest movie, we wait on line for that special coffee blend that’s only around for the season, and we spend hours playing computer/video games but we don’t want to spend one hour a week at Mass or spend 15 minutes a day praying. We, as a society, are just as attached to our possessions as the rich young man was and we need to change our priorities.
we live in the rural Philippines, and the sermon started with a projection of Bill Gates and the priest talking of money money money…but reminded us that we are rich not with cash but because we are strong with children and our families.
EF 20th after Pentecost
Time is not ours. If we waste time, we rob from God.
He also noted, almost as a footnote, that if we pray to Our Lady for help, she can “move up” God’s time, just as she did at Cana.
He included an odd story about someone asking to offer a Mass for the conversion of St. Augustine. In his hearing.
Apparently I need to find a new parish as we had a retired priest for mass last night and he, too, spoke at length and made no point. And, unfortunately, next weekend I’ll be away helping my son move and we’ll attend mass near him and will miss Deacon homily weekend at our parish. Do they not teach homiletics any more?
“Some part of (time) it indeed we are generally obliged to employ, and fortunate we are that it is so, in some occupation of profit to ourselves or to others. Yes, fortunate ; for that man must earn his bread by the toil of, his body or mind, is hardly after the fall a curse, but rather a blessing. Place fallen human nature in the paradise of our first parents, and its final loss could hardly be averted. ”
Source
http://www.alleluiaaudiobooks.com/transcript-for-short-catholic-homilies-the-value-of-time/
So I attended Saint Agnes in your home town of Saint Paul. Wow. It was my first time there, and the Twin Cities Catholic Chorale opened its season singing Haydn’s Mass in Times of War. It was just an OF mass, but a high mass, in latin, ad orientem, a schola sang the propers, with 20 servers (boys and young men) Priest, deacon, sub deacon, all wearing their birettas. It was the most beautiful thing I have ever experienced (from the choir loft).
The priest (a young man) talked about the Rich young man, and his own vocation to the priesthood, how he didn’t think he wanted to give up everything to be a priest, but what he didn’t realize is that it wasn’t the priesthood that was demanding that of him, but rather the call to holiness, sanctification, that was calling him to give up everything and follow the Lord.
We went to Mass as a family on Saturday night at our home parish, and the priest talked mostly about how Jesus looked at the young man, with Love. It was a pretty good homily too, but I don’t remember much since this morning’s Mass.
Homily about the rich young man, about how following the rules and doing good things is good, but our real focus has to be following Jesus and the other things come from that. Also that we all have things that make following Jesus seem impossible, like possessions, obligations, health problems, fears, painful past histories, etc. But we should give those things to God and follow Him, and He will make it possible to get past the things holding us back. All we have to do is follow Him and keep following Him, and He’ll do whatever needs to be done to make it possible.
Re: rich young man, I’ve seen folks who identified him with Lazarus (I guess because Jesus loved him, and because Jesus naming the poor beggar in the story “Lazarus” might have been a joke). But I don’t think anybody knows for sure.
I heard the same outstanding sermon from Bishop Sample as you did Father Z. This weekend’s humdinger was the after dinner speech you gave last night at the Call to Holiness dinner. I sincerely hope that the organization will give you a copy of the audio that can be made available on line so that all of your blog readers could hear your speech as a podcast.
Came out of the slump a little bit. Referred to the opening of the Year of Faith and the fiftieth anniversary of the Second Vatican Council. Emphasized the saying of the Apostles’ Creed by everyone every day. Passed out credit-card sized cards with the A/C and encouraged more determination/enthusiasm with our communal statement of our shared belief. Started preparing for the shift from Mark (Year B) to Luke (Year C).
Father gave an okay homily. Not bad, just not the greatest. However, at the end of his homily, he did make a point which I thought was very interesting: If there was a persecution of Christians, and someone suspected you of being a Christian, how much evidence would there be ‘against’ you? Would they be able to tell you were a Christian by the way you acted? Would they be able to tell by anything you wore? By anything in your house?
(His point being, of course, that if they couldn’t tell, you were probably doing something wrong)
sanctity and being an example of it in our thoughts, words and actions. In how we dress, who we associate with and what we entertain. Forgiveness of even grievous wrongs for the sake of the forgiveness we receive. Avoiding the near occasion of sin. Father has quoted two weeks in a row about plucking your eye out or cutting off your hand if they tempt to sin. Powerful. Compelling. The kids and I get to discuss on the long drive home!
Our pastor drew attention to the encyclical Veritas Splendor, John Paul II, first chapter, which explored the Gospel of the rich young man. I am reading it now. It is an invitation to us all, and a Loving challenge.
At our Byzantine Church, we celebrated the feast of the Fathers of the 7th Ecumenical Council; Father made many great points about temptation, and how fortunate we are now to have access to all the writings of the Church Fathers, the Councils, Sacred Scripture, etc. at the tips of our fingers; it is only a matter of not taking the time to read them that keeps us from doing so in this day and age.
It was a homily by the deacon in which he invited all the children to sit in the sanctuary while he gave it. Afterwards, it was an applause fest.
Our priest built on the Gospel and also gave an outstanding homily on the sanctity of life and religious liberty, stating it was his duty as our priest to correct and clarify the erroneous, inaccurate statements made by VP Biden in his debate. He reminded us of church teaching on abortion and made it very clear it is never allowed.
I was so encouraged!!
Our regular Sunday priest is still on the mend so we had his replacement for a second Sunday. His point was that the Mosaic law was more about what not to do, whereas the law of love proposed by Christ is a positive law. The rich young man in the Gospel was content to abstain from what Moses prohibited but was unable to go and do what Jesus asked. He said the life of the Gospel is a giving of self as Christ gave of Himself. He also blessed the doors of the Church before Mass. Sometimes I wish our regular priest would have more operations so we can hear from this man (well, not really…) :-)
In Sunday School we asked the grade 4/5 pupils to take one of the OT stories we covered this month and write a two- or three-sentence summary. One very earnest girl concluded her synopsis of the Fall as follows, “What this story says is: Don’t Sin.” There’s something refreshingly simple about fourth grade theology!
Father spoke about how money can become an idol. He reminded us that we are all called to be saints.
How important it is to remain close to Christ and that in a way Mary carried Jesus closer when she received Him in communion than she did in her womb, and so can we.
Sunday was our patronal feast: the Maternity of Mary. (We were allowed to transfer it to Sunday.)
I missed the first part, b/c I was in the confessional. But Fr. preached about Mary as our mother and how, after dying a thousand deaths on Calvary, she did not hesitate or complain when given the new task of being the Mother of everyone. And he reminded us about how and why she is the Mother of God. Excellent as always.
As a special addition to the day, the choir sang a Mass written by one of our parishioners for his own wedding. It was lovely and joyous. We have been a community long enough now that those who were little boys and girls when we were established are now young men and women with growing families of their own.
Our new priest, ordained this summer, gave a terrific homily forming consciences for the election, with an emphasis on intrinsic evils. It was good from start to finish, in content and rhetoric. The money quotes: “If you could go back in time to 30’s Germany to vote for or against Hitler, even if you agreed with all his other policies, wouldn’t genocide prevent you from voting for him?” and later: “If you think there is any issue proportionate to the death of 53 million children, please come talk to me about it.” And after Communion, he invited anyone who was hurting from involvement with an abortion to seeking the healing ministry of Christ through his Church.
In the homily on Sunday, Father spoke about how we are not just supposed to be ‘good people’ but we should strive to be great people by the grace of God. We should not just strive for ‘good enough’ but should climb the ladder and struggle to become ‘great’. He then went on to say that the ones who struggled for this greatness and attained a level of it through God’s grace, we call saints. Thus, we are all called to be saints. :)
Did I miss the hum dinger that Father Z was going to post later?
Sissy, that is wonderful news, indeed!
wmeyer: thanks, yes, it is wonderful! I’m sure you know that it is an answer to MANY prayers. I’m so thankful.
Sissy, if you wish, I can offer some supplemental materials from online sources. Reach me as meyer.wil at gmail.
Thanks, very much wmeyer, I’ll send you an email!
Our pastor’s sermon yesterday included some comments about wealth in a wonderful and refreshing fashion. I’ve heard many sermons in the past that hinted about how we had some obligation to be dirt poor for life; this time we heard a MUCH more realistic appraisal.
I love my pastor.
My Saturday evening Mass was at the Immaculate Conception Center, Douglaston, Queens, where were holding the Pope John Paul I Centenary Conference. (I know I plumped for this quite a lot here, and know you’d love to hear how it turned out – it was great).
The priest-presenter who was going to say the Mass at the conclusion of the conference couldn’t make it, and we were scrambling for a last minute replacement. One of the priests attending offered to fill in. He is young and from the Bronx, but his family is from Vittorio Veneto, the diocese where the Pope – then Albino Luciani — was first a bishop back in the 60’s, and was able to tell us some wonderful stories about him from them.
The Mass was in the “Bishop’s chapel (the place was originally the diocesan seminary). We hadn’t really planned anything for the Mass, but it fell together beautifully. One of the presenters could play the organ, one of the conference guests had experience as a liturgist /cantor. I read the day’s readings from the feast of Our Lady of Fatima.
The gist of Father’s sermon was that Our Lady at Fatima had asked us to make sacrifices, and he spoke of the many sacrifices of Pope John Paul I’s priestly life, including how, as a seminary professor, he would not light a fire in his room when the students were not allowed to have one. It was very beautiful, coming from someone so obviously devoted both to Our Lady and our dear Pope. At the Prayers of the Faithful, we asked for his quick beatification!
My heart is now overflowing with joy and thankfulness for this wonderful opportunity. I was very impressed with this young priest. At lunch he very cogently defended the real Vatican II against a “spirit of Vatican II” priest present from the higher ranks of the diocese (the kind who loves to drop “As I was saying to Hans Kung on the phone the other day” into the conversation – yes, he really said that). He is very devout and orthodox. His parishioners are blessed, as were we!
Hello! I am so excited to share this. First I have to say that I LOVE my parish and that it has been an answer to almost desperate prayers.
Father talked about the rich man in terms of fulfilling one’s specific vocation, and said that it might not necessarily be Everyone’s vocation to sell all, etc, but to discern God’s will for it. After that he made it VERY clear that it is a non-negotiable vocation of EVERY Catholic to vote pro-life. He asked us if at judgment time our faces will fall, like the rich young man’s because we failed to fulfill our vocation of defending life with our right to vote.
I have learned more from this pulpit in the nine months of attending than I have in my whole lifetime of Catholicism. I am so very happy to have instruction from our priests!
Homily was an intro the “Year of Faith” and a mention of some of its manifestations in our parish. The pastor encouraged all of us, each time we enter our church building, to look at the window depicting Pentecost – featuring Mary at the heart of the Church – and to say a little prayer.
Our pastor gave a sermon reminding us of all the wonderful things brought about as a result of the Second Vatican Council such as the fact that he says Mass in English, faces us, the people, while saying Mass, “modern” music and the ability to use “Eucharistic Ministers”.
If it sounds like I’m coming down hard on him it is because he is usually a great homilist, some people schedule their Sunday to try to get to Mass to hear him instead of one of our other priests and it saddens me that he doesn’t understand how those things have hurt the Church.
I love Father, I really do and I’m grateful we have the good fortune to have (and need) 3 priests at our parish. I just wish we had less of the “spirit of Vatican II” here.