"What is bad they will throw away"

[Originally a homily for 7/30/2015--I hope to have an audio version of this up soon, as an experiment working with audio on this site]

Most of us have had this experience of going to a grocery store or fruit stand, wanting to buy something. We look at, for example, and apple. It has an attractive exterior and so we go over and pick it up, hold it in our hands, and rotate it. After all, we want to make sure we don't waste our twenty hard-earned cents.

But then, all of a sudden, we feel a soft spot or we notice an imperfection of some sort. So we throw it back on the pile and never look at it again or think of it again.

This is the same image Jesus offers as when he speaks of the Kingdom of Heaven, and in this particular example, we are the apples. At the end of the age God will come by and look at all of us--people in these pews like apples on a rack. From the outside we dress ourselves nicely in business suits, beautiful dresses, habits, chasubles, or clerical shirts. Yet all God has to do is pick us up, run his hand over us, and rotate us, and he'll be able to feel all the imperfections. Then He will decide whether or not He wants to spend His hard-earned twenty cents.

So what are we to do? We look to ourselves and how critical we are of minor imperfections on fruits and vegetables. If God is the same, how can anyone be saved?

Unlike the apple, I would argue that we do have some say in the matter. God has taught us how to be acceptable in His eyes. We can clothe ourselves with fancy things or dress our image with pious words, but it is better than we put the armor of faith (cf., Eph 6:11) and our Lord, Jesus Christ (cf., Rom 13:14). By this I mean we must put on a pious inner conviction. It is my view that we do this by heeding the first words out of Christ's mouth in the Gospel of Mark: "Repent, and believe in the gospel" (Mk 1:15).

It is by putting on a spirit of repentance that we cleanse ourselves of imperfection, asking God always to forgive us our sins and faults. Likewise, we must put on faith in the saving work of Christ, giving thanks to Him always for His goodness.

Humbled by repentance and inspired to love by His goodness, we likewise go out, ready to forgive the faults of others and call them to a better and higher way of life by our words and deeds. In doing so, for "love covers a multitude of sins," (1 Pet 4:8), we may hope with a Christian hope that God, at the end of the age, will walk by and see us. He will hold us in His hand, feel us, and rotate us. He will find that we are good and take us home with him.

Fourth of July Homily

[A homily given on the fourth of July. Some of the more "philosophical" elements, as opposed to the pastoral/moral ones, were added after the fact. This is not a verbatim homily, but rather an approximation]


Brothers and sisters,

On this feast day for our nation we are confronted with many troubling things. The Supreme Court's ruling on marriage, the issues of abortion, contraception, and health care (who provides it and how), are among the many things that affect our hearts and minds. Yet we must be careful, because it is all too easy to focus on ideologies and people.

Archbishop Cupich said it well, I think, calling all of us to respect our brothers and sisters and love them, whoever they are. This love and respect must be "real, not rhetorical." He also says that we must proclaim and preach the Gospel, "hold fast to an authentic understanding of marriage which has been written in the human heart, consolidated in history, and confirmed by the Word of God."

Gay marriage and abortion are contrary to Catholic faith and teaching, but proclaiming the Gospel with respect to life and marriage should not allow us to lose sight of the people to whom we preach.

For we know that there are many homosexuals who are abandoned, mistreated, bullied, and shunned for who they are or what they struggle with. Moreover, many homosexuals who are Christian, who seek to live chastely and grow in holiness are rejected both by Christians and this or that gay community.

Similarly, women who seek abortions are often times scared, coerced, abused, or abandoned.

People such as these need the Gospel as much as we do, and we are called to be Christ to them in a real fashion, not rhetorically.

On this Fourth of July, we celebrate the birth of our nation. It is our home, where our father and mothers of ages past came to seek shelter from persecution, to seek a better life, or to raise their families in peace. We know that just as our homes are not perfect, our home is not perfect. In Scripture today, we see that even the descendents of Abraham were far from perfect. Jacob tricked his father Issac into receiving his blessing, depriving his brother Esau from his birthright (cf., Gen 27:1-29). Esau hunted and exiled Jacob, but later, when Jacob (now Israel) returned, his brother reconciled himself to him. Through our many difficulties we too much seek peace and unity.

Thus, though we disagree with what our country calls justice and equality, we must love our country for our sake as well as theirs. Only love brings forth reconciliation, peace, and truth. Truth cannot be purchased in any other way. Nevertheless, we also recognize that there is no justice, faith, or love without God. We have already learned, again and again, that the justice of our nation is not Justice.

Our laws, Constitution, and courts interpret each other. The notion of equality is not dependent upon them but upon their interpretation, which comes and goes with the tide. We Christians must, all the same, strive for love, faith, and justice that is not temporary, but firmly rooted in God. We must do this is a real, and not rhetorical way.

This is done by concerning ourselves with those who are weakest among us, the sick, the elderly, the imprisoned, and the abandoned. The only equality and freedom that lasts is freedom in the love of Christ.

May God bless us all this day, and may we, His children, strive for unity and peace which can only result from a genuine and real love of Him who loved us first.

Jesus Expelled

[This was composed as a homily for Feb. 15, 2015, and modified for a written format. The Gospel is shown below for context and ease of reference]

So he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee. A leper came to him (and kneeling down) begged him and said, "If you wish, you can make me clean." Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched him, and said to him, "I do will it. Be made clean." The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean.

Then, warning him sternly, he dismissed him at once. Then he said to him, "See that you tell no one anything, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them."The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter. He spread the report abroad so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly. He remained outside in deserted places, and people kept coming to him from everywhere. (Mk 1:40-45)

In the readings this week we may consider the primary themes that of 'expulsion' and 're-entry.' A man, in Leviticus, when he was declared unclean by the priest or by the community was expelled for the safety of the whole. He had to cry out “Unclean!” to warn others of his passing and live outside the community of believers.

In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus cleanses a leper who comes to him. He says with heartfelt sincerity, “If you will it, you can make me clean.” Jesus, pitying the man, expresses his divine power and says, “I do will it. Be made clean.” But our Lord also gives him a command: Tell no one. Go to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses provides. Jesus is allowing this man to reenter the community and to join himself fully to the people of God.

Yet the cleansed man disobeys Jesus. We are not sure, but the evidence that the Gospel provides suggests that he did not go to the priest and instead he told everybody of the affair. At first glance, this man would seem to be doing Jesus a favor: he is proclaiming the power of God to the people and others, in turn, flock to him!

But in disobeying Jesus, this man effectively expelled Jesus from that same community he came to serve. The Gospel tells us that Jesus remained in a deserted place. Everyone “came to him from everywhere.”

Initially we may admire those in the Gospel who go to Jesus and seek him out, but the Gospel is framed in a way to make us pause and reflect on the truth it teaches.

Jesus wants to enter the community of believers but, along the way is stopped by a man seeking his mercy and his healing. We too go to mass, receive the sacraments, and seek Jesus in good faith; this I believe. Yet a multitude rush to Jesus when one receives what he desired. In our own hearts we have many competing desires, wants, and pains. While we recognize our need for Jesus, when all of these things in our heart rush to Jesus at once they may indeed be healed, but it also leaves Jesus outside of us.

Jesus wants to enter into our communities, our families, and our hearts. When we go to Jesus with our wants and needs we are, in a sense, in control. When we allow Christ to come to us we allow Him to be in control and to heal what he needs to heal at the core of our being. Our core wound is our separation from the perfect love of God.

Of course we should pray for healing and help, but when we get better or when we weather a storm, how often do we find ourselves returning to the same old sin, the same old habits, and the same old wounds over and over again? Sometimes going to Jesus isn't enough, and it isn't what will actually heal us. We need to allow Jesus to come to us and we need to receive Jesus on his terms.

This is difficult because Jesus may comfort us or he may challenge us. Many of us are in the habit of asking, but few reflect on the act of receiving His love and His grace, which he bestows readily and freely.

How, then, are we to allow Jesus to enter into our community, our homes, and our hearts? It begins, first, with prayer. Getting away for a moment and praying for ourselves, not just for our wants but for something far more important: His mercy. Jesus came to express the power of God, yes, but the power of God is expressed most profoundly in his love and mercy. Prayer prepares our hearts to seek and receive the Lord. Thus silence is also essential to receiving Jesus.

Moreover reading the Scriptures openly and prayerfully helps us to receive God. In reading Scripture without agenda or expectation of one, certain revelation we allow the word of God to speak to us. Scripture speaks to us where we are in our lives and, I guarantee to you, it also reveals to us what we need to hear—whether it is consoling, rebuking, or challenging.

Among other things are spiritual directors, the sacraments, the teachings of the Church—all given to us to allow us to meet Jesus according to His desires and not on our own terms. While some directions, some sacraments, and some teachings may seem contrary to us they work more deeply in that they teach us to be humble and they teach us to reflect on what we truly desire: the desire behind all desires. Namely, the One and True God who desires that we be one with Him as the Father and Son are one.

This day do not expel Jesus from your hearts, but hear His voice, do as He commands, and wait for Him. He will enter the homes of all who prepare a place for him.

Teach Them to Hear His Voice

This was a reflection I gave at all Sunday masses. As part of my training in seminary we are asked to preach, usually at daily masses. We all have one Sunday mass where we preach and are evaluated by both parishioners (selected ahead of time) and the priests. This received good marks, so I hope you find it useful. The readings may be found here, and because of this I didn't cite my quotations.

6th Sunday of Easter

“Unless you are circumcised according to the Mosaic practice, you cannot be saved.” For some these words represent a hardheadedness or desire of some to control the lives of others. I would rather have you believe that these men had all the right intentions. These were Jewish converts to Christianity and taught that the law of Moses is what leads to Christ. In their minds, having all people follow the law of Moses was not only necessary, but it was the best way to live.

As is the case with so many things in life, what we believe to be the best and proper disposition may in fact be the most burdensome. We devote a great deal of our time to planning and working out many things to our advantage. Dedicating ourselves to our work and providing for ourselves and those we love are important. We say things such as “I want to do my best” and “I want what's best for my children.”

At the same time, in the few quiet moments we're given, have you asked yourself “What does God want for me?”

The Apostles responded to their brothers and to the whole Church: “It is the decision of the Holy Spirit and of us not to place on you any burden beyond [the] necessities [we all share]” (cf. Acts 15:28).

The Apostles give a pronouncement that is sound advice up to this very day: do nothing that impedes the will of the Lord God. My brothers and sisters, while certainly our sins block out the words of Christ in the world, even our good intentions and motives can do the same. Like these men who urged others to follow the Mosaic Law, we also say “When I do this....” or “When he or she does that” then they will be happy.

As parents, allow your children to hear God's voice; teach them to hear His voice. He does not always speak in a thunderclap but many times He speaks in a quiet whisper.

His voice is simple and his call is clear: “Follow me. Take up your cross and follow me.” The cross is not only the struggles we face in life but also the task that he has appointed to each and every one of us.

Parents, teachers, and adults: if you see the qualities of priesthood or religious life in young men acknowledge it, for you may be the voice of God speaking to their hearts. If you see the qualities of religious life in young women, acknowledge it, for they yearn in their hearts to serve God.

All of us, whether married or single, are called to spiritual fatherhood and motherhood. No priest, brother, or sister is without children and the Lord provides abundantly for them.

Therefore, do not be troubled, for Christ says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you.” The peace and security we promise on our own is a raging storm compared to the tranquility Christ promises. Indeed, “not as the world gives” does Christ give peace to us.

Do not be afraid, troubled or hesitant if a child or someone you know seeks priesthood or religious life. This is a blessing, and there is no greater peace or security than discerning God's will at a young age. God forms each of us during our lives so that we become the person he wants us to be.

There are those who do not listen to His voice. For some, it is because the Word was never spoken. For others, they never listened.

Jesus says in our gospel today, “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.”

How can we keep His word, my brothers and sisters, if we do not listen or call others to listen? His word is found here, at the holy mass, and proceeds out to the world from its source, the Eucharist.

But if we keep His word, responding to it little by little, the Father will love us with that same intense love that He loves Christ with for all eternity. In that growing love the Spirit dwells in us—our bodies become a temple.

When we receive the Eucharist we should not only place him in our mouths but also place Him in the tabernacle of our hearts. We then carry a place of repose in us and here we find strength for the task appointed to us. Return to Him and He will speak to you.

The Eucharist is Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh. Listen to Jesus and let the Word remain in you. As the Psalm says, “So may your way be known upon earth; among all nations, your salvation.” We, everyone gathered here, are called to make His way known to all nations. It begins in our hearts and in our homes, opening them both to Him: “Lord, let your face shine upon us!”

The Temptation in the Desert, Part 1

Author's Note: This was originally given as a homily for my classmates, the main points at least. It was meant to be for last Sunday's readings (first Sunday of Lent). I was surprised by the positive feedback despite my own self-criticism. I decided to formalize this a little and organize it as I had originally intended. 

I also decided to split this up into two parts. First, because if I didn't it would be somewhat long, and secondly, because I felt that there might be too much information given out at once. Enjoy, and please leave comments and feedback if possible! ~Matt

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Christ conquering the devil, putting Satan to shame, and his strength to resist temptation. We often associate the Gospel passage of Jesus in the desert with such notions and not incorrectly. What I propose, however, is to look at this passage in a different way. I will not take this passage as simply a display of Christ's power but rather show how this story in Scripture is a warning and a model for each and every one of us. The season of Lent is a time where we are led into the desert by the Spirit, if we choose to follow Him.

In order to understand Jesus' temptation we must better understand ourselves. In order to understand ourselves we must look at ourselves, not with eyes alone but with our hearts. I hope to facilitate this 'turning toward ourselves' with the following reflection.

The Desert

Some of us are often accustomed to believe that when Scripture or an early text mentions a desert that it's an uninhabitable wasteland. If a hermit were to go to an uninhabitable place, or Christ for that matter, he would surely die. A desert is, as part of the name implies, deserted. Another apt name that describes the desert is desolate, that is devoid of people. A desert was often considered a place apart from society, from community, and from people. It was here that Jesus went. He went in order to be alone.

The desert is a place of silence. When man enters the desert he has no one left to confront but himself. In silence, fasting, and prayer man removes everything that stands before him. The same is true with ourselves. We obstruct our vision of ourselves with noise, with indulgence, and with idle amusements. But, as Augustine said, 'Lord, you turned me around so I could look at myself in all my wretchedness and sin. Even when I tried to turn myself away from my faults you were there to constantly bring me back so I might look upon my sin and hate it' (cf. Augustine's Confessions, Bk. VIII, ch. 7, sec. 16).

Jesus went into the desert before he began his public ministry. He went into the desert to discern the Father's will for him. Here he was tempted, and here he teaches us.

Our Desert

In another manner the desert that Jesus enters is our own desert, the desert of humanity. Recall that the desert is not devoid of life but rather it is a place of simplistic life, straining to survive. Our humanity too is not devoid of goodness but on its own expresses goodness weakly and imperfectly. Christ, the fullness of creation and the wellspring of life, enters the emptiness of the desert.

The devil comes to tempt Jesus because he has put everything else aside in order to be with himself and the Father. The devil often contents himself on our own occupations: we distract ourselves from God and self with food, sex, television, friends, and an array of other things. The devil would rather have us distract ourselves. It is only when we grow closer to God that he visits that person.

The desert, furthermore, is an image of wandering. The famous example being Moses and the Jews wandering in the desert for a very long time. But reflect further that the Jews wandered in the desert so as to reach the Promised Land. The desert was a passageway. Many languished and perished in the desert, pulled equally by their desire to return to Egypt and reach the Promised Land (cf. Ex 16:3). Many did not want to reach the destination promised to them and thus wandered forever.

The devil desires that mankind wander in the desert of their own desires. The “Promised Land” is union with God. When our gaze is turned towards the eternal sun we transform our wandering. When we look to God, and the Cross, our time in the desert is a pilgrimage. When we satisfy ourselves merely with our desires we wander forever. We are all in the desert of our own desires, fears, and insecurities.

Is there a way out? The three temptations of Christ correspond to our the temptations we will experience in a life of faith. Though Christ is our example and strength, He calls us to emulate his actions—not in a literal-physical way, but a literal-spiritual way. For example: where Christ could go without food for 40 days, not all of us could. But if we have some attachment, some habit, or something that keeps us from God we are asked, as best as we are able, to give it up for these 40 days of Lent. Perhaps when Lent ends we continue the discipline we formed for ourselves.

Next time we shall look at the three temptations the devil presented to Jesus, what they mean, how Jesus overcame them, and the lesson we can learn from it.

More than Enough to Win

A reflection on Sunday's readings (2/10/2013)

They may be found here, or if you go to mass! 

Coach Tom Thibodeau of the Chicago Bulls has battled a lot of injuries on his team the past two years. Reporters constantly ask him what he can do to win the next game—should they trade for a new player? Should they attempt something different and new? Thibodeau responds, without fail, every single time with this phrase: “We have more than enough to win.” He can say this because of the simple mantra he teaches his team every day, every practice: know your role, know your job, do your job. In the context of today's Scripture readings we can see these words as a great spiritual insight. With God we have more than enough to win.

When we look to Isaiah, today's first reading, he beholds the face of God and immediately laments. He cries out that he is a man of unclean lips in a land of unclean lips. Then God takes the initiative. His seraphim came and purged Isaiah's sin. Notice that it did not say Isaiah was blameless, but when he recognized his sins the Lord came to him. God strengthened him, but with that new strength God calls out 'Whom shall I send?' Isaiah leapt up, ready to do God's will. God does not leave us to our own devices when we respond to Him, but this works in two ways. When we turn to God we recognize our weakness and seek strength. In that newfound strength, however, God does not let us rest—he puts us to work. We pray to Him so we can know our job. He gives us the strength to do our job.

St. Peter is our model, as he so often is, in the Gospel reading. The Gospel writer adds a bit of a wrinkle that makes it different from Isaiah in an important way. Peter, his brother, and their companions had been working all day. We see how Peter was already predisposed toward Jesus because when he came to them Peter allowed Jesus to use his boat. Peter was a good man ready to serve the Lord. But then Christ asks a bit more of him: “Cast your nets into deep water.” Here we see, simultaneously, Peter's strength and weakness. He replies that 'I've been working hard all day, but at your command I will do as you say.'

He says, in a way, “I thought I was doing it right, but have nothing to show for it.' He believed himself full, but his net was empty. When he listened to Jesus his nets were not only full for himself but for everyone around him as well. This is when it strikes Peter: his nets were empty when he was empty—that is to say that his was empty until Christ was a part of it. Christ was not with him as a thought, or as some disinterested person. Christ was with Peter in his work and, with Christ, Peter had more than enough fish. In fact, the boats “were in danger of sinking.”

Peter's life before Christ may have been empty but with Christ it's almost too much to bear.

Peter, feeling that weight, falls to his knees. He recognizes his emptiness. His confidence turns to contrition the moment he witnesses Christ's power. He says “Depart from me for I am a sinful man.” Jesus, however, in showing Peter what he would accomplish with Him said 'Do not be afraid.' Then he gave Peter his job, “You will be catching men.” Then Peter, emptying himself and leaving everything behind, follows Christ and gains everything.

Don't just sit there. God has work for you to do too!

Brothers and sisters, we see in both the Old Testament and the New that God did not radically change Isaiah or Peter—he did not change who they were. They were not transported to another world nor were either of them told to simply sit in fear of their unworthiness before God. They were made to recognize what they weren't—perfect, sinless; they were shown what (or rather, who) they had—God; then they were sent to do their job—preach God to the whole world so they might do the same. In our studies and in our work we must do the same. We must not separate God from our work, for if we do not accept God into our work then our nets will be empty. When we do, however, we'll have more than we know what to do with., and that's all for the better. Do not be afraid of the work before you, do not be afraid of your sinfulness, nor be afraid of what you lack—if you find Jesus Christ and stay with him you'll have more than enough to win.