Audio on Soundcloud!
Audio on Soundcloud.
Now my recordings will be uploaded to the parish Soundcloud account. Here is the address: https://soundcloud.com/stthereselittleflowersb
Also, see what else is happening at our parish: https://littleflowerchurch.org/
Finally, look to the right for links to Audio from other good resources!
Thursday, March 24, 2016
Holy Thursday (audio only)
Click this link: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0Bx8IQkJZZ39KaExkNG1KemxZWXM
Tuesday, March 22, 2016
Photos of the Triduum with Pope Francis
These are from 2015:
Palm Sunday
Chrism Mass
Holy Thursday: Mass of the Lord's Supper
Good Friday: Celebration of the Lord's Passion
Way of the Cross at Colloseum
Easter Vigil
Palm Sunday
Chrism Mass
Holy Thursday: Mass of the Lord's Supper
Good Friday: Celebration of the Lord's Passion
Way of the Cross at Colloseum
Easter Vigil
Saturday, March 19, 2016
Palm Sunday
Audio: click here
Just this Friday, Bishop Rhoades recounted to the SJHS students the martyrdom of the four nuns of Mother Teresa's Sisters of Charity in Yemen, who were killed exactly two weeks earlier.
Just this Friday, Bishop Rhoades recounted to the SJHS students the martyrdom of the four nuns of Mother Teresa's Sisters of Charity in Yemen, who were killed exactly two weeks earlier.
This
story of Jesus' Passion is not just His story, it is our story. This
story is still happening. When the Resurrected Jesus confronted to
Saul, he said “why are you persecuting me?”
not “my followers.” That is the mystery of Baptism, and that is
why the story we read today is the greatest story ever. But we need
to make it our own. We are not spectators.
Bishop
St. Gregory Nazianzus puts it this way:
Let
us sacrifice ourselves to God; or rather let us go on sacrificing
throughout every day and at every moment. Let us accept anything for
the Word's sake. By sufferings let us imitate His Passion: by our
blood let us reverence His Blood: let us gladly mount upon the Cross.
Sweet are the nails, though they be very painful. For to suffer with
Christ and for Christ is better than a life of ease with others. If
you are a Simon of Cyrene, take up the Cross and follow. If you are
crucified with Him as a robber, acknowledge God as a penitent robber.
If even He was numbered among the transgressors for you and your sin,
do you become law-abiding for His sake. Worship Him Who was hanged
for you, even if you yourself are hanging; make some gain even from
your wickedness; purchase salvation by your death; enter with Jesus
into Paradise, so that you may learn from what you have fallen.
Contemplate the glories that are there; let the murderer die outside
with his blasphemies; and if you be a Joseph of Arimathæa, beg the
Body from him that crucified Him, make your own that which cleanses
the world. If you be a Nicodemus, the worshiper of God by night,
bury Him with spices.
Baptism
has united us to this mystery, and we are called to live differently
now.
Bishop
St. Andrew of Crete says this: So
let us spread before his feet, not garments or soulless olive
branches, which delight the eye for a few hours and then wither, but
ourselves, clothed in his grace, or rather, clothed completely in
him. We who have been baptized into Christ must ourselves be the
garments that we spread before him. Now that the crimson stains of
our sins have been washed away in the saving waters of baptism and we
have become white as pure wool, let us present the conqueror of
death, not with mere branches of palms but with the real rewards of
his victory. Let our souls take the place of the welcoming branches
as we join today in the children’s holy song: Blessed
is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Blessed is the king of
Israel.
These
blessed palms are nice, but you are much more important for the
Christian message. These branches by the way, can be a great
evangelization tool. Give them away and tell people what they mean,
what happened here this weekend. Explain to them that they are
always welcome here to worship God. He is always waiting for them.
That is your baptismal mission: to make this story our own, a living
story that carries on today. Amen.
Monday, March 14, 2016
Bishop Rhoades' Statement: Concerning the decision of Notre Dame to honor Vice President Biden
Bishop Rhoades' Statements: Concerning the decision of Notre Dame: Bishop Rhoades here outlines his disagreement with Notre Dame's honoring of former Speaker of the House Boehner and Vice President Biden with their Laetare Medal. ND has argued that these two politicians are a sign of "civility" and exemplary public service in the midst of a turbulent political realm. Although Bsp. Rhoades does not argue that point, he disagrees with this specific award, which is meant to honor their Catholic witness to the world - something that, particularly for the Vice President, has been far from perfect. This reminds me of the disagreement at the end of Bishop D'Arcy's episcopacy, when president Obama was invited as graduation commencement speaker and given an honorary degree. That same year, Mary Ann Glendon refused to accept the ND Laetare medal. Please read.
5th Sunday (Cycle C readings)
Audio recording of 11am Mass: click here
St. Paul focuses on what lies ahead and forgets what lies behind.
St. Paul focuses on what lies ahead and forgets what lies behind.
-- going for a run and paying attention to the cars on the road!
The Christian life is a marathon race.
Saint Paul considers himself an unfinished project.
How many times are you allowed to go to Confession? When does the Church say "not anymore, you're out of lives"?
Th devil is the author of shame and the author of discouragement. The Lord is God of hope, even at the same time being the God of the conviction of our conscience.
Saturday, March 12, 2016
THE ONE TRUE PHOBIA WE ALL HAVE - 5th Sunday RCIA (Cycle A readings)
Audio from Saturday Mass: Click here
Christianity, on the contrary, looks right at death. It looks at death and laughs at it. The martyrs of the church, thousands of them over the centuries, have lived the words of Sacred Scripture: "Where O death is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"
The fear of death is exactly what Jesus' entire mission on earth was addressing. Death, since it is the result of sin, is why Jesus came. We began Lent with a showdown with the Devil, and now the tide is building once again. Soon he will unleash all the evil that has been growing quietly in the hearts of men. His pride ends up being his downfall in the cross. Jesus conquers death by death itself.
Paul makes it clear for us today that for the Christian, life & death go hand-in-hand. We have the courage of the martyrs because we have already died in a certain way in baptism. And here is how they go together: If we want to live in God, then we die to the world.
LOTR Frodo's choice for a death mission. Sam is like Thomas "let's go to die with him". Love drives out fear.
Wednesday, March 9, 2016
4th Sunday Homily
Apologies for the delay in posting this here!!! Unfortunately it is audio only. I preached with notes and not a full-text this week, which probably made it longer!
Saturday night (RCIA Mass - Year A Readings): listen here
Sunday (Year C Readings): listen here
Saturday night (RCIA Mass - Year A Readings): listen here
Sunday (Year C Readings): listen here
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