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!

Saturday, August 13, 2016

Homily


Have you ever had to do or say something that you knew was going to upset people but you knew it was the right thing?
Every time you did this without backing down, you lived today's Gospel and you said by that decision: "Jesus, I choose you over the false comforts of this world. I love you more. I love you."  This is the truth of today's Gospel (as well as the first reading from Jeremiah): following God's will isn't just a sweet little piece of cake.
Following Jesus is often not easy, often not safe, often not pleasant. The Cross we are called to carry on this life is like a difficult medicine, a bad tasting pill, that ultimately leads to our full health.
Part of the pain of the cross is that when we follow Jesus, it can mean rejection, can mean insults, can mean (as in every century) persecution. Fr. Jacques, the French priest who was martyred in a brutal way during Mass, was only unique because of where this happened: Western Europe.  We must always be ready to witness like him even as we thank God that we can worship in peace.
Hebrews reminds us that we must "rid ourselves of every burden and sin"  --> what have we given up?  What should be we giving up?  Are we willing to listen to what Jesus is asking us to give up?
"I have come to set fire upon the earth, and how I wish it were already blazing"
Jesus is speaking of the grace of the Holy Spirit and the passionate love that should be in our hearts from Him.
Fire -> power to transform - to shine bright in a dark world - to melt the coldest of objects.  but to do so it also conquers, destroys, consumes.  "If you are what you should be, you will set the world on fire." - St. Catherine of Siena
We must be fire to pass on fire, to make others burn with a passionate love of Jesus ("you can't give what you don't have.")
What do we need to rid ourselves of for Christ?  What do we need to say goodbye to, so that we can burn brightly?  Jesus, help me to let your fire take control of my heart, so that I can share it with others.  I love you Amen.

No comments:

Post a Comment