Today’s gospel tells the story about a man who wants certain security in this life by growing more and more crops and building larger barns to store them. The voice of God…the Voice of reason and truth speaks to the man, “Why are you doing this? Why are you putting so much stock in your possessions and in your futile desire to control your destiny? Your very life will be required of you this very day and to whom will all your possessions go?”

Well, you might say his children will benefit, but don’t “bank” on that transaction: families are torn apart over who gets what and how much. Legal wills are frequently contested. The man in the story was really concerned about his own future…his own 4012K and other IRA’s of investment. There’s that word: investment. His investments focused on what HE could see and control and these investments are fleeting and evaporate in the blink of an eye. Invest your life in sacrifice. 

Where your treasure is…that’s where your heart is. The man in the story grew rich in what is material  and his heart became rooted in these temporal realities. Foolish…plain and simple. He was rich in things and not love. 

The happiest people in the world  root their hearts in giving, forgiving, creating beautiful memories for others, making a difference, being kind and surrendering to the love of God. Their hearts are filled with treasures that they CAN take with them when they breath their last. We don’t need larger barns or more storage lockers to collect things we truly don’t need. We are called to give life away, not store it for our future security. 

The photos are storage “barns”‘in Galicia, Spain on the Camino. 

When we hear the word “nativity” we usually think of Christmas, a particular feast and season in late December. But the “nativity” has a much deeper and far-reaching mystery that penetrates every moment of every day. The nativity celebrates and remembers the moment the Word was made Flesh in the womb of Mary…”incarnate of the Virgin Mary” as we pray in the Creed. Nativity is not simply the birth of Jesus but the Incarnation, the Word assuming body, blood, and soul united to Divinity. When the Son entered into our history through the humanity of Jesus, ALL of creation, including every human being who lived, is living and will live, is blessed and made holy. 

Many churches, including St Teresa of Avila in Chicago, have a permanent shrine of the Nativity, always visible and venerated, because the Christmas mystery, the Incarnation, is celebrated every day. The nativity celebrates  the very beginning of our Redemption and Transformation….Easter celebrates the fulfillment of this New Life. 

Each one of us conceives Jesus in the womb of our souls when we Love… And when that Love is EXPRESSED in an act of charity or justice, we give birth to  Christ: IN THE FLESH!!!! Yes, Nativity is a living, daily event when the connections are made between our prayer and the expression of prayer. 

A theory of science teaches that creation began with a “Big Bang,” an explosion energy. Out of the womb of Mary…in a tiny village of Bethlehem …with little fanfare… in a smelly stable surrounded by animals… was born Jesus. And in this moment, an explosion of divine love and energy ignited a new humanity, that is slowly and painfully becoming a new creation restored in the very Image of God. In the heat and humidity of July… A Blessed Nativity. After all, five months from today is Christmas!!

Suggestion: have in a visible place in your home, a crèche that is never “boxed” away. 

Mary wasted no time. After the earth shattering news that she was to be the mother of the messiah, she gets up and leaves to “visit” her cousin Elizabeth, pregnant with John the Baptist. Elizabeth was considered barren( what an awful word) and too old to conceive. With God, things seem to happen beyond hope and expectation. 

Mary didn’t consume her time worrying or fretting about her future and all its overwhelming potentials. Mary refused to close in on herself and be filled with fear and anxiety. She went “out of herself ” and did something to help someone in need: she “visited” Elizabeth to help her in her pregnancy. When we close in on ourselves, we become trapped listening to those horrible worn our tapes, telling us that we may be in trouble or we won’t make it or stay put where it’s safe. 

The solution: visit someone!!! Leave your home or pick up the phone and contact someone who could use a spiritual lift. Small acts of charity and service can completely change our inner disposition. 

Peace. Fr. Frank

The annunciation is the moment Mary was visited by Gabriel, the archangel, “announcing” the joyful news of Christ’s birth. This scene has been depicted in so many ways over the centuries, making it one of the most  artistically expressed biblical scenes. One stands out in my estimation by, I believe, an African American artist. Mary is not depicted in the usual way, bowing in submission to Gabriel, surrendering to the message. In this portrait, Mary is sitting on her ruffled up bed, slumped over, looking perplexed. A light is shining through a window-like opening in the wall , symbolizing Gabriel, illuminating a pondering Mary. 

God enters our lives unexpectedly, frequently in the guise of human angels, announcing that we are to give birth to the Kingdom at that very moment. It might be a smile, an act of charity, a prayer for a stranger, speaking the truth in a compassionate manner, seeing Christ in a discarded human being or one who seems “foreign.” 

Mary gave birth to Christ; each one of us is called to do the same. Each and everyday is “pregnant ” with possibilities of birthing Christ. The annunciation is an everyday mystery waiting for you to just notice. Better yet: perhaps God is calling YOU to be a human angel “announcing” Good News to someone who so desperately needs a message from God…through you. 

Peace. Fr. Frank

Today’s first reading relates the calling of the fiery prophet Jeremiah. This powerful preacher initially told God to go elsewhere because he felt he was too young and not able to communicate the message. Basically, God told Jeremiah to stop making excuses and accept the challenge. God would give him everything he needed to preach the Truth. All be needed to do was TRUST that God would be his constant companion. 

Jeremiah surrendered and became one if the most powerful prophetic preacher in all of Scripture. He preached a message that was roundly condemned by those in authority, making Jeremiah despised and his life threatened. He is the one who ended up being thrown in a cistern (well), alone, at the bottom of a  dark, danky and muddy well. He had to have wondered where God was as he faced rejection after rejection. But he endured and became stronger and more humble. 

Following God’s calling frequently is not very comfortable because the values coming from the Gospel are not readily supported by our culture. We can always find reasons to delay responding , or simply refuse to say “yes” to God: we’re too young, too old, we have too many obligations, it’s too late, we’re not strong enough, yada…yada…yada…

How is God calling YOU? What needs to change in your life? NOW is the time. One comforting truth: if you take up the challenge, you will NOT end up at the bottom of a water well. 

Peace. Fr. Frank

In a week of pronounced tragedies, the Spirit is bubbling up in hope and promise. To surrender to fear and defeat is the easy way out, which  just keeps us bottled up and immobile. But there ARE signs of the Spirit emerging, and I  write them  as they surface:

In countless prayers services…in people planning new summer endeavors…in volunteers joyfully reaching out…watching children at play…learning about refugees…witnessing the outpouring of compassion for parents who mourn…the strengthened unity of the LGBT community…living in the present moment… having lunch with pastors who love their people…a dad who was able  to recognize loved ones…a prayerful  daily Mass…children safely at play…

These are but a few signs of the Spirit bubbling up…emerging…sometimes bursting forth. Look for them in your own life by reviewing the events and people experienced throughout the day. How was God experienced in these ordinary moments? As you re-experience these moments in prayer , God surfaces and the Spirit lifts your heart in Joy, even when there are tears. 

Whenever hope and compassion gain the upper hand, God is revealed and the Spirit set free.    

After celebrating our 9:00 am Mass, I was filled with joy and hope. The liturgy was prayerful and spirited, thanks to the deep faith and strong community. But my mood quickly shifted to shock and grief as I learned about the slaughter, yes slaughtered, of over 100 human beings, fifty who lost their lives. It appears one man planned and carried out this horrific event that lasted hours, and  it was perhaps carried out in the name of ISIS. The details are still sketchy, but one thing is clear: this was an act of hatred and bigotry against the LGBT community. The father of the alleged shooter said his son was deeply perturbed when, two months ago while in New York,  he saw two men kissing. To respond with such unspeakable violence suggests that much more was going on within the mind and heart of this young man. 

What is our response to what has occurred, and what is happening with greater frequency? First, prayer, for the victims and their families. Second, try to limit  the non-stop watching of the endless  network and cable coverage. Third, don’t give into fear or generalizations. Fourth, learn about the teachings and tenets of Islam. Fifth, read the historical background to the Middle East and its seemingly constant struggles and divisions. 

As a culture, I hope we can have an open and honest discussion about gun violence and the Second Amendment. Did our Founding Fathers envision that this amendment would be used to defend ordinary citizens amassing an arsenal of weapons, including Uzis and other rapid fire guns?  But gun violence doesn’t occur in a vacuum, it is connected with the violence we see in the various forms of entertainment, the violent language we use in common discourse, the lack of respect for people who are different from us or who are vulnerable to a  culture of indifference. Human life must be respected at all stages, and this respect includes facing a culture that often treats people as objects of manipulation. 

What happened in Orlando demands thought, prayer and open dialogue. The issues are deeply complex and demand, not knee-jerk reaction, but thoughtful reflection. In the meantime…pray, pray, pray. 

PEACE. Fr. Frank

Trying to “go green,” or doing one’s part to eliminate the forces that contribute to human influenced climate change, is daunting and life changing. Case in point: I daily drink Propel water by the liters, causing my plastic bottle use to skyrocket. I made a huge discovery at the grocery store: Propel comes in powder packets  sold in small cardboard boxes. I went to Rei, purchased three metal thermos containers, and I daily fill them with tap water, adding one of these propel packets for flavor. No more plastic bottles. I just have to find a water purifying system, since I’m not supposed to drink directly the water from the faucet. 

Living “green” involves making choices that affect one’s lifestyle. The amount of garbage we create, all  in the name of convenience, is astronomical. And in the name of convenience we are demeaning, not only the environment, but the poor, who pay the dearest price for our comforts and easy way of living. Our disposable culture gradually insulates us from consequences. If the earth and the natural environment become objects of manipulation, so too will human life. 

Going green means not only changing one’s lifestyle but, more importantly, changing how one sees creation. Human beings are a part of Creation, NOT above it or beyond it. Our faith teaches us that we came from the earth and will return to the “mother”earth. We are in relationship with the created world around us, compelling is to see the earth, water, air and skies as our “mother”, “sister”, and “brother.” We are ALL part of one big, beautiful family. Seeing life and the world with this Franciscan vision makes the color green a color for all seasons. 

We Catholics believe deeply that at every celebration of the Eucharist, the bread and wine are transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ. This core teaching and belief has been given to the church by Christ, Himself, but for a distinct purpose that is frequently lost or forgotten. When the multitude of people needed to be fed with a minuscule amount of available food, Christ makes it clear the he wants THEM (US) to feed everyone with leftovers to spare. Of course, Christ is the power that multiplied loaves, fishes and love. But WE are the instruments. WE become Christ. 

Christ “feeds” the hungry multitudes through OUR humanity. We, ourselves, must also be transformed by the Eucharist, which is what is often missing in liturgical spirituality. We are called to become what we eat, so that we can feed people a rich diet of compassion, kindness, humility and justice. How much the world needs the multiplication of these beautiful realities that build up a world in which all people have a place at the Table…and are fed until satisfied. 
We kneel and genuflect before the Blessed Sacrament so that we may kneel in humility before the poor: “that which you to the least of my people you do to ME.” May we Catholics become what we eat…the entire foundation and purpose of the Eucharist. 

Peace. Fr. Frank