Homily for the Week of October 28, 2012

30th Sunday B - 2012 First Reading: Jeremiah 31:7–9 Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 126:1–2, 2–3, 4–5, 6 Second Reading: Hebrews 5:1–6 Gospel: Mark 10:46–59 Most of us have lived in Northern New York much of our lives with the largest city being Plattsburgh or Burlington. When we think of the homeless we often identify them with cities like Albany, or New York or Montreal. But homelessness occurs in communities of all sizes. The homeless are persons without a regular dwelling or a house. They often are street people living in boxes or on park benches. They are most often unable to acquire and maintain regular, safe, secure, and adequate housing. These persons customarily beg for money or food from passers-by. Most of these persons suffer from the effects of our economy, of mental illness, dependence on drugs and alcohol, aging with little or no support. Yet, behind all of these facts and statistics, they are flesh-and-blood human beings living with the reality of not having a permanent place to call home. They, too, like us were created in the image and likeness of God. Now bring that scene 2000 years ago. You and Jesus are walking together after meeting him in Jericho just 18 miles from Jerusalem. On the side of road is a blind, homeless beggar who yells out to Jesus. Some with you try to silence him, but he calls out all the more. Because of the crowd, Jesus might not have been able to see the man. But Jesus hears him yelling out. Jesus finds out that his name is Bartimaeus. Jesus hears him say: Jesus, son of David, have pity on me. But Jesus tells them to have the man come to him. Bartimaeus comes to Jesus. Jesus' attention is turned completely to this person in need. Jesus and Bartimaeus get into a deeply interpersonal exchange and Jesus asks, “What do you want me to do for you?” He says to Jesus: I want to see. Jesus says to him: Go your way, your faith has saved you. Bartimaeus received his sight and followed Jesus. What Bartimaeus sought was something far more important than being cured from blindness. Bartimaeus teaches us about what Jesus really offers, and he teaches us how to approach Jesus with our needs This poor, blind homeless was the only one in this scene who recognized who Jesus is. His call to Jesus was an acclamation of faith. Bartimaeus was not traveling with Jesus to see signs and miracles as were the others. Bartimaeus had faith in Jesus. So Bartimaeus does not go away, but instead follows Jesus on the way. By throwing his cloak away Bartimaeus gave up all he had to follow Jesus. In Jesus' day, to have a handicap was an outward sign that one had been affected by sin, either their own or someone's within their family. Despite this, in most healing stories, family or friends bring the handicapped or sick to Jesus, asking that He intervene and give the person health. In every case, Jesus heals the person for the good of the whole community. Each healed person benefits, but somehow the healing serves all believers as well. We learn something more of Bartimaeus. ''He threw aside his cloak.'' It was the practice of beggars to spread out their cloaks and sit on them. Not only did the cloth keep them off the ground, but also a cloak made it easy for beggars to gather up coins thrown by those who passed by. When Bartimaeus threw aside his cloak, it meant he abandoned his dependence on the money and transferred his dependency to Jesus. As faithful Catholics, our ears must be attuned to the calls of those who are crying out for healing and reconciliation. In many instances we are the ones who hear the cry of friends or family members who call out for reconciliation and healing. In other instances, especially when one member of our family or parish community is especially weighed down by suffering, perhaps we can lead that person to a priest. But in my 50 years as a priest I have found that it is very, very often people like you who have led a person to me to seek spiritual help or healing. Many times persons need your eyes and ears and common sense to help those most in need to come to me for help. We must commit ourselves to working together to bring about healing and reconciliation. It is important to note what occurred after Jesus cured Bartimaeus. Our own share in the priesthood, given to us in baptism, demands that we as well come to know and understand all those around us. In coming to know people and the human condition, we become more compassionate and less likely to shun someone. With compassion, our first instinct becomes to serve someone's needs, not shun them. The lesson for us from the story of the blind man is that in his darkness he never gave up hope that one day he would be able to see the world as it is. Thus when Jesus came to him he was prepared to see. Jesus touched him and for the first time he SAW--- and the first thing he saw was the face of Jesus Christ. Now he could finally see the world for what it was -- a place where Jesus Christ lived. The man happily put aside the memory of his blindness and now seeing, began to follow Jesus down the road that led to the land beyond all times. So it shall be for us if we try our best to follow Jesus in this life. May the Lord forgive us for all the times we have asked for foolish things, rather than for the help to see better the road to salvation. Let us also pray to be a close friend of Jesus like Bartimaeus was. And then we too will hear Jesus say to us: What do you want me to do for you?

Homily for the Week of October 21, 2012

WORLD MISSION SUNDAY October 21, 2012 29 B Isaiah 53:10-11 Psalm 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22 Hebrews 4:14-16 Mark 10:35-45 or 10:42-45 Most TV news channels have what is known as Eyewitness News. Eyewitness News is what it says it is. What you are watching on the TV is what actually happened as if you yourself had been there for the event. Jesus lived thousand of years before TV news, but he nevertheless invited every one of his followers to witness to others what he taught them. Those who believe in Jesus were chosen to be his messengers on the day of Baptized.The promises that the parents and godparents of a child to be baptized are the same as the Creed we proclaim together at Mass right after I leave the pulpit. Each year a special Sunday is set aside for us to remind us to think about and to pray that the way we live is and eyewitness to the way that Jesus would live if he were here. We call this action our mission and the individual who carries it out is called a missionary. To be a missionary means to respond to the invitation of Jesus to go and do the same. Jesus is no longer here in person, so he needs us to represent him. While we often associate a missionary as a person who goes to a far away country to talk about Jesus, by our Baptism each of us are asked to be misssionaries every minute of our lives. This weekend, however, we honor and identify with those who leave the comfort of their homes and communities to go to other places in our world to bring the news of Jesus to those who have not yet heard of Him. Most of us probably don’t realize that some of these persons have a close identification with our country and with Cadyville. Two hundred years ago an 18 year old girl by the name of Pauline Jaricot was born to a wealthy family in France. Her father owned a silk factory in Lyon, France and Pauline worked in the factory. During that time many young men and women left France to become missionaries in what was called New France -- the Eastern part of the United States. Pauline's brother was one of these young men. One day Pauline received a letter from her brother who lived in New Orleans in which he described the extreme poverty of the Catholic people in Louisiana. As the result of her brother's letter Pauline organized a group of the women working with her in the silk factory. She called the group the circle of 10. Their purpose was to support the French Catholics in the United States. Each woman was asked to pray each day and to give a penny a week. Pauline then sent the money to her brother. Pauline Jaricot was convinced that not enough people represented Jesus because they could not find the time. This group became what we Catholics today call the Society for the Propagation of the Faith. At that time this parish was part of the Diocese of Albany. Two thirds of their collection benefited the young Catholic church in the United States including the Diocese of Albany in which St. James, Cadyville was located, and benefited financially. The Bishop of Albany wrote to Pauline and said that we could not exist but for your charity. This weekend we also have a great example of persons who gave, not their money but their lives to be missionaries. Tomorrow Pope Benedict XVI in Rome will declare that Kateri Tekakwitha is a saint.. Kateri is the first Native American saint in the Catholic Church. Kateri was of Algonquin and Mohawk descent. She became an orphan as a young child. A smallpox epidemic left her sight severely damaged and her face scarred for life. It so happened that missionary priests from France come to Albany. Kateri learned about our Catholic faith from Issac Jogues, one of these missionaries. She was Baptized when she was 16. After her Baptism members of her village made fun of her and threaten to remove her from the Village. To protect her two Christian Indians placed her in their canoe and brought her up the Hudson River, to Lake George, Lake Champlain and the Richelieu River to Kahnawake, near Montreal where some Catholic Indians lived. She died in 1670 at the age of 24. All of this happened because some young men decided to leave France and come to what was known as New France and teach about Jesus to the Native Americans around Albany and Lake George 350 years ago. In our first reading today Isaiah tells of the suffering servant: If he gives his life as an offering for sin. the will of the Lord will be accomplished through him. We know that God wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth. While Isaiah wrote this thousands of years ago, I am sure that we who believe in our faith and try to live it the best we can often find some persons who think it is ridiculous that we do. And because of this many persons quit the practice of their religion. In the Gospel today Jesus asks James and John Can you drink the cup I shall drink or be baptized in the same bath of pain as I? In a sense Jesus is asking each of this personal question. As we celebrate World Mission Sunday we are reminded that our missionary work takes place not only among family, friends and neighbors, but also extends to all peoples. Two thirds of the worlds people have not yet been reached with the Good News that Jesus told us about. We must help them to hear, and to experience the saving love of Jesus, teaching and healing of those who serve. We are called by Jesus today and always to a radically new way of life in which the criteria of success are totally different from the world's criteria. We are call to a new relationship and friendship with Jesus. We are expected to express the values that Jesus realized in his own life. Each of us have been given much, but from whom much is expected. We are called in a special way to be “missionaries of faith,” The greatest and most effective gift you and I can give to others is to let them see in us an eyewitness of the goodness and love of Jesus. Without saying a word we will bring hope and peace to many who have been waiting to hear good news.

Homily for the Week of October 14, 2012

Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time, 2012 First Reading: Wisdom 7:7-11 Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 90:12-13, 14-15, 16-17 Second Reading: Hebrews 4:12-13 Gospel: Mark 10:17-30 [17-27] On Thursday St. James Parish and every Catholic parish throughout the entire world began a Year of Faith. The year will end in November next year. This Year of Faith is an opportunity for all of us to rediscover our faith and become more deeply involved in living out our Catholic faith. We are invited to renew our commitment to our religion and, if necessary, to return to the practice of our religion. In so doing we can rediscover its beauty and truth and a chance to claim it more deeply for ourselves and for our families. The number of Americans who say they have no religious affiliation has grown very rapidly in the past 5 years to about 30% , The largest number of these are persons in their twenties. Obviously, many of these were Catholics who were baptized and made their First Communion as young children. There is also a large group of persons who say they do not practice their religion every week. These are not strangers: they are our parents, spouses, children, and friends. And they are Catholics but for various reasons do not come to Mass on a regular basis. Many of them find that they have busy schedules or a lack of time, some have family responsibilities and health problems or disabilities; conflicts with work. Some have sadly come to the conclusion that they are not religious enough and should not be here. Reconnecting with our Catholic faith in this year of faith can help us begin a process whereby we reclaim our lives for important things, like the question that the young man asked Jesus: what must I do to inherit eternal life? In the Bible we occasionally find Jesus upset with some who had little faith. Jesus often linked faith to his healing miracles. His followers would often beg him to increase their faith. Probably if we thought about it, most of us would also tell Jesus that we need His help to increase our faith. A lot of us if we were asked why we were Catholic rather than another religion, we would probably answer: “I was raised that way.” Today's gospel features a young and gifted man who was challenged to overcome an obstacle. No doubt, it was an obstacle with which many of us might liked to be burdened: riches. Unfortunately, the young man was not up the invitation Jesus extended to him. His riches stood between him and a share in everlasting life. Whether or not he eventually overcame his attachment to his wealth and opted to follow Jesus is not ours to know. But it is enough that this experience and many like them cause us to look at ourselves and find out what in our personal faith is lacking and is standing between ourselves and God. Jesus is trying to tell us that nothing should stand in the way of those called to participate in the work of God. In contrast to the rich young man, in our first reading we find that Solomon did not allow anything to stand between him and God. Although he was far from perfect, Solomon had his priorities in order when he came to God in prayer. His money, power and prestige did not stand in the way or cloud his vision or prevent him from making the right decisions. We all understand the point Jesus is making in today's gospel. To share everlasting life, the rich man had one more thing to do. Go, Jesus told him, and sell what you have and give to the poor...After that, come and follow me. The implications are not only bothersome but downright staggering if we look only at our material possessions. But what if we also included another possession or gift which is our Catholic faith? In fact it might be a lot easier to give away some of our possessions than to share our Catholic faith. Giving away a possession is a one time gift. But sharing our faith is a lifetime obligation, and it is often a gift that is refused by those to whom you want to give it. In fact, that command might be even more difficult than to give away our possessions. In fact it may be that many of us have not considered our faith as a gift, but maybe a burdened. But there is one more thing that Jesus is asking of us. Look closely, he would say, an you'll see that there is no sell by date on this gospel. Our faith is there 24 hours a day that comes in all types of expression. The faith of a young child or teenager or young adult is not the same as that of a senior citizen or newly married couple, or of a widow. Our faith is molded by our family and culture and experiences. It may be on hold for years or it may be loaded with question marks. However as we walk day after day it will always be there, waiting. Faith also fills us. One person once told me. I was living a barren life without God. I still so miserable? I felt like there was a big hole in my chest with a cold wind blowing through.After realizing that I had no relationship with God, I began attending Mass, and finally felt that I was home. Each and every day or at least once a week we have the opportunity to hear the word of God as read from the Bible to challenge us. Each time we hear the word of God being read or seen in our Mass booklets it should penetrate us to the heart. It confronts us where we are. It should make us look at our values, our priorities, our lifestyle. We will also find within the word the direction we need to remain faithful to it. And above all, the only possession or richness which we must have is the power of love which power is given to every human being.

Homily for the Week of October 7, 2012

27th Sunday Year B 2012 First Reading: Genesis 2:18–24 Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 128:1–2, 3, 4–5, 6 Second Reading: Hebrews 2:9–11 Gospel: Mark 10:2–16 [2–12] This weekend we are given a series of Bible readings about equality between sexes, and marriage. Given all the questions about marriage and the issues that surround marriage today, our passage from Mark can make everyone very uncomfortable. Most of you don't know that women in this country got the right to vote just about 100 years ago. At the time of Jesus, women were regarded as possessions, which meant that only a man could ask for divorce. There was also a debate going on among the Jews. Some followed the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy and the rabbi Shammai who interpreted God to allow divorce only in cases of adultery. On the other hand, the followers of Rabbi Hillel taught that a man could divorce his wife for any reason including loosing her youthful looks. Today's first reading as been used for thousand of years to justify treating women as inferior to men. But experts in ancient culture have shown that the basic point is that none of the animals was an equal partner to the man. He has dutifully named all the animals, but could not find a fully satisfying partnership. Consequently, God created the first woman, as he did the first man, with a unique act of creation. The stress is on the unique relationship between the first woman and the first man. The gospel is very difficult to understand and, for some, difficult to accept even today. Many families have suffered the agony of divorce, and today's Gospel could very well be another wound. Jesus is very clear about divorce, but the context must be noted. To whom is Jesus speaking? He is not speaking to those who are divorced. He is speaking to a group of Pharisees, a group of religious lawyers. In speaking to them Jesus uses the phrase hardness of your heart. In Greek that is a phrase which is known in medicine as cardiosclerosis, a possibly fatal physical condition. The people of Jesus’ day thought that the heart was the center of the will, which made decisions. Jesus is clearly saying that the Pharisees’ hearts were no longer able to listen and thus no longer able to make decisions regarding the teaching of Bible. Pharisees are lawyers who have challenged Jesus on legalistic grounds, and He responds in kind. They ask about the law. Jesus responds to the Pharisees’ legal question not with legal language, but with theological language. All that Jesus says about marriage is in the context of God’s intention for us, not in the context of law. Everything Jesus says is about what should exist in the Kingdom, not about what existed then — or now. Another context for our Gospel is to remember that while women could be charged with adultery, men could not. In the house with the disciples, Jesus makes clear that, in His mind, not only could women commit adultery, but men could as well. The creation story of man and woman does not create a hierarchy of men over women, it creates a partnership of equality, and in the debate over divorce, Jesus reminds His disciples of this. The most startling parts of Jesus’ statements about marriage is that His teaching does not exist in the Old Testament. It is new. Also, only husbands could ask for a divorce, yet Jesus says that His teaching applies to both husbands and wives. The question before Jesus was about much more than divorce. It was about exceptions to the rules and the law. Like the pharisees how often do we too read the rules, but we want to know the exceptions. Today's readings provide us with an opportunity to reflect on whether we are prepared to take risks in our relationships with others and trust each other. They also challenge us to look at our relationship with God and assess how much we are prepared to love God as opposed to simply believing in God or asking God for what we need. Obviously, because of various reasons, for some there is no way in which two persons are able to make such a lasting agreement. Too often a man and woman about to get married bring into the marriage a lot baggage. In most cases problems began years before the wedding day. Often these personal difficulties were hidden or covered over in the process of marriage preparation. In our times when the tools of communication such as cell phones and the internet are so readily available, it is a real tragedy that many preparing for marriage do not or are afraid to be honest in trusting with each other. The ability to trust one another is lacking at the time of marriage. Often, the marriage is only a public event that happened to take place in a Catholic church. While no bride and groom whose marriage I have witnessed as a priest planned to get divorced, many do. Sometimes divorce may be the best solution. However, parents who are divorced must not hate one another. Parents who are divorced can be gentle with each other and treat each other with love and respect. Children must never feel that they are the cause of the divorce. For those of you who are happily married take this day to reflect and to thank each other for the gift of each other. Let your wedding ring, which is round and has no beginning and no end, be a sign of God's love for you, and your love for each other. For those of you preparing for marriage, take time by yourself to consider what must be done so that you will give to your future partner the best person that could ever be expected, and change what needs to be changed before you are married. As you prepare for marriage remember that God must be a partner in that marriage. That means that both of you should have a relationship with God before getting married. For those of you who may be in a struggling marriage, plan to do something immediately by seeking assistance through others and through prayer alone and together to face the problems which you have. And for those of you whose marriage may have ended, be like the little children of the gospel who trusted Jesus, and then were embraced and blessed by him. Loving God or loving another completely is never easy. Neither is marriage easy. However, letting the love of God be a partner to the love of one another, can make marriage easier and last until death. Ultimately, there is very little that cannot be kept good, or made better by prayer. Believe in the spiritual guidance of: the family that prays together stays together. Let all of us promise ourselves that we make prayer the absolute necessity of our lives, especially family prayer.