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Difficult Decisions? Look to the Star

March 15, 2025

2nd Sunday of Lent
By Deacon Dick Kostner

Our gospel this weekend tells of another Epiphany, the “Light of Christ.” Jesus has just disclosed to his disciples that his death is near. He needs to get away from the World and so he invites some of his friends Peter, James and John, to take some time off and follow him to the top of a mountain and pray for support from the Father for him to conclude his ministry vocation as savior of those he loves. His friends do not yet understand that he must die and rise from the dead to complete his assignment. But Jesus gifts them with a look at who he really is. They witness him talking to two Saints Moses and Elijah two Old Testament heroes. Showing them that he is the fulfillment of the Torah. Then they witness his glorified body turning into the bright Light of Christ and they begin to realize that he is not just their fisherman friend but also hear the Father call him his son who commands them to “listen to him.”

Jesus is the great teacher and we, like the disciples are called to “listen to him,” and to follow his directions, actions, and words, and to teach the same to the children of God. Jesus gives us directions today on how we can be successful and fruitful disciples. First, we need to pray for help. Prayers seem to be more successful if we pray on “Holy Ground.” Where do we find that? Some, find it on a mountain like Jesus found it. Some find it in a Church where the Blessed Sacrament resides. But for many it lies where ever you go to when you need help and direction from God through prayer. For me that is usually near my garden or a place that I can witness the Father’s creatures and creations. A place of reverence and quiet wonder of creation. Sometimes it is my chair where I write my homilies and reflect on Scripture writings. Bottom line is the whole world can and is “Holy” if you find yourself thanking God for where you can find peace to talk to Him.

Next, Jesus tells us to invite family and friends to join you and maybe provide some help and support from them when you are confused or suffering through an event you need to get through. My favorite place to view this is at a funeral liturgy. Remember Jesus works through and with his followers, who he calls His earth Body, His Church.

Finally, remember that Jesus has respect for suffering, and in this life, it is a very important element of faith, for it requires us to admit we need his supernatural strength to overcome and turn suffering into redemptive faith in and through his power to bring about an end to suffering through Easter Sunday and bring about our glorified eternal life with him in heaven.

Transfiguration can happen to us when we are called by God to commit to a vocation call from Him. At RCIA/OCIA class we talked about special events we have experienced in our lives and I shared with the class one of my special and fearful events that occurred to me when we were asked to purchase for ourselves an alb, a white vestment which I believe is related to our baptismal vow to be priest, prophet and king,. It was to be used by us for leading parish prayer events after we had completed our two years Lay Minister class some twenty-nine years ago. Barb, had me trying on several albs at a store in La Crosse and after she found one that she thought looked best on me she told me to go over to the mirror to get my take on the one she had picked. I walked over to the mirror glanced at the alb ,which I thought was fine, and then I looked up and fear overtook me. The face I saw in the reflection was not some one that I knew. I said to myself “who is this person?” This is not the person I grew up with. I did not share this with Barb until a week or so later. A few days after the happening while having a beer with my best friend I confessed my experience to my best friend telling him that I think God has something planned for me that I have not yet thought about. I asked him what he thought about the event and where I should go from here with this new person I had met in the mirror. He grinned at me and said, “I think you should get to know this new person and that you should go for it!” You all know the ending.

P.S.: The guy I grew up with is still with me, and the new guy and him are now good friends.

Posted in Christian Perfection, Homily, Prayer, Sunday Homilies, Transfiguration | Leave a Comment »

Passing the Marshmallow Test

March 9, 2025

1st Sunday of Lent
By Fr. Victor Feltes

A young child is brought into an empty room and seated at a table. On the table is a plate with a single yummy marshmallow. An adult explains that if the child waits fifteen minutes to eat the treat, one more yummy marshmallow will be given. Will the child eat one treat now or enjoy two treats later? Versions of this experiment are known as the Marshmallow Test. Studies of the Marshmallow Test have varied in their findings about how much this predicts a child’s future academic and social success. But in every test, a person faces a free choice: to either grasp at an easy thing, or to resist temptation and obtain something better. The temptations of Jesus in the desert were a high-stakes test which our Lord passed and we can learn from.

During Jesus’ public ministry, when “unclean spirits saw him,” St. Mark records they would fall down before Jesus and shout, “You are the Son of God!’” But St. Luke records how Jesus “rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Messiah.” The title “Son of God” was thought a reference to the Messiah, Christ, or Anointed One spoken of in the 2nd Psalm. During the Temptations in the Desert, the devil may or may not have known that Jesus is divine, but the devil’s questions show he at least strongly suspected that Jesus was the Christ, the prophesized King of the Jews: “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread. … I shall give to you all this power and glory… All this will be yours, if you worship me. … If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from (this roof ledge of the temple).” With each temptation, the devil was placing before Jesus an easy way to become a flawed Messiah.

Like the forty days of Moses atop Mount Sinai, Jesus ate nothing for forty days in the desert and he felt hungry. By suggesting that he tell stones to become bread (possibly against God’s command that he fast) the devil was enticing Jesus to be a materially-focused Messiah. Yet “man does not live on bread alone.” Giving everybody bread without saving their souls would doom the whole world to death. Instead, Jesus obeys his Father, and goes on to change bread into his Flesh for the life of the world. By suggesting that Jesus worship the wicked “Prince of this World” the devil was enticing him to grasp at worldly power like evil lords, kings, and emperors. Instead, Jesus establishes a Kingdom in this world not of this world and reigns now as our uncorrupted, holy, righteous King. By suggesting that Jesus jump off from the height maybe the devil sought to fool him into presumptuously ending his own life, or maybe he wanted Jesus to be a Messiah who would refuse to die so he could never be the Lamb of God whose sacrifice takes away the sins of the world. Instead, Jesus is obedient unto death, even death on a cross, winning for himself and for us a resurrection to glory. Each time, Jesus resists the temptation, refusing the easy evil way but obtaining something better for himself and others.

Our daily temptations may not be so dramatic as Jesus’ in the desert, but we frequently face similar tests. When you are tempted to sin, consider the cost and opportunities lost. If you choose to throw rocks through your windows, if might be fun in the moment but you will lose money and time repairing them. And that money you would have used for a nice meal or clothing or some other good thing will instead be spent on panes of glass. If you choose to sin, it will cost you; not only in the pains which follow but also in the goods things you fail to obtain. When the devil would lead you down the smooth and easy path, call out to the Lord and trust Jesus enough to take the path that Christ has shown you. We see the greater things Christ’s faithful obedience ultimately brought himself and others. Patiently endure in order to see the victories it leads to in this life and the next life, in this world and the world to come. Remember the Marshmallow Test and pass the test before you.

Posted in Christian Perfection, Homily, Jesus Christ, Salvation History, Spiritual Warfare, Sunday Homilies | 2 Comments »

Holy Guides Are Needed

March 1, 2025

8th Sunday in Ordinary Time
By Fr. Victor Feltes

Lovingly correcting someone who is in moral or religious error is a good thing to do. As St. James writes in his New Testament Letter, “If anyone among you should stray from the truth and someone bring him back, he should know that whoever brings back a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.” Your fraternal correction could save a soul. Like a father who disciplines every son he acknowledges and delights in, addressing another’s faults in an appropriate way is an expression of our love for them.

Last Sunday, we heard Jesus say: “Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven.” But understand that Jesus is not teaching indifference towards error and sin; he is commanding us to love sinners despite their wrongs. And loving others, always willing their good, will sometimes mean discussing their faults with them. As St. Paul teaches the Galatians, “[I]f a person is caught in some transgression, you who are spiritual should correct that one in a gentle spirit, looking to yourself, so that you also may not be tempted.” Is there someone the Lord desires you to call and bring back from the error of their way?

This Sunday, Jesus teaches that if we are going to see and correct the errors of others we must also see and correct what is wrong in ourselves. Jesus asks, “How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove that splinter in your eye,’ when you do not even notice the wooden beam in your own eye? You hypocrite! Remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter in your brother’s eye.” It is a good thing to help remove splinters from others’ eyes if we can, but if our vision is poor, or we are in a worse condition ourselves, then our intervention may cause more harm than good.

Why do we notice splinters in our neighbors’ eyes but fail to perceive wooden beams in our own? Because it’s easier to complain about others than to examine and reform ourselves. By criticizing rude people and know-it-alls, the holier-than-thou and the impious, bosses, co-workers, customers, political leaders and religious leaders, relatives, neighbors, and strangers, we can feel better about ourselves without improving ourselves or the world in any way. Being prone to criticizing others is spiritually dangerous, because the person for whom I have the greatest responsibility and whom I have the greatest influence to change — that is to say, myself — ends up feeling righteous while ignoring my own flaws. However, a holy season is at hand for us to examine ourselves and grow.

Lent, which always seems to sneak up on us, starts this week. This Wednesday is Ash Wednesday. Who will guide you through this important time of personal conversion? Jesus asks his disciples, “Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit?” St. Luke notes that this is a parable, indicating that Jesus’ observation has a deeper meaning. Jesus’ illustration contains a spiritual teaching. Each of us, where we are blind, need a guide who has clear sight. Where can we find guides to lead us? Jesus Christ and those conformed to him are trustworthy guides for us.

Jesus says, “No disciple is superior to the teacher; but when fully trained, every disciple will be like his teacher.” Disciples of Jesus Christ are called to become saints like Christ. This means we can learn from Jesus and his saints this Lent.

I suggest conversing with Jesus every day in prayer this Lent. You can just talk to him in your own words and listen for his replies within you. Sometimes the words you receive will be so true and good, insightful, and beautiful that you know they come from him. This Lent, you can also read or listen to the Gospels, especially if you’ve never read them before. You can encounter the words and person of Jesus there.

St. Paul wrote, “Be imitators of me as I imitate Christ.” This Lent you can also grow in holiness with a saint. Choose a saint as your patron for Lent, or ask that a saint would present themselves to you for this role. Learn about your saint online, or from a book, or a film. Read a saint’s writings, learn from their example, pray prayers that they prayed, and ask daily for the help of his or her prayers.

Prepare a spiritual plan for this Lent, so that the good tree you are may bear better fruit and the store of goodness in your heart may increase to fullness. This will make you a better witness and guide to sinners as you grow as a saint in the likeness of Christ.

Posted in Christian Perfection, Homily, Parables, Sunday Homilies | Leave a Comment »

Loving Everyone, Our Enemies & Ourselves

February 23, 2025

7th Sunday in Ordinary Time
By Fr. Victor Feltes

Jesus never promised that we would not have enemies. Jesus says, “You will be hated by all nations because of my name. … No disciple is above his teacher, no slave above his master. … If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. … Woe to you when all speak well of you,” for false prophets were treated in this way. But “blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.” Thus were true prophets and servants of God treated. The faithful will encounter enemies in this world, yet Christ commands us to love everyone.

He says to his disciples: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” You will have enemies, but you must love them. Love sometimes has warm, fuzzy feelings, but not always. This is because love is choice, a choice to will the good of the other. You will not always like everyone, but you must always love everyone.

Jesus tells us, “To the person who strikes you on one cheek, offer the other one as well, and from the person who takes your cloak, do not withhold even your tunic.” Our love of enemies, however, does not mean we must permit grave harms to be done to ourselves or others. This is reflected in the examples Jesus cites. Losing one’s cloak and outer tunic would not leave someone naked, since people in those days also wore an inner tunic. And a slap on the cheek in those days—unlike a stab in the chest—wounds one’s dignity more than one’s long-term health.

We should oppose and resist grave evil, but we must not be undone by the sins and slights of life. Jesus wants us to be magnanimous, large-souled; merciful and forgiving others’ trespasses and debts, generous and giving to those who ask of us, patiently loving people and doing for them what we would have others do for us. Pray for those who mistreat you, bless those who curse you, and do good to those who hate you. Then you will be loving them like Jesus has loved us.

“God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.” Be like God, who is generous and kind and merciful towards the ungrateful and the wicked. Then your reward will be great, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, for you will be godlike, children of the Most High. St. Paul declares, “Just as we have borne the image of the earthly one, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly one.” Then, as St. John writes, “we shall be like [God], for we shall see him as he is.” “God is love,” and to become like God it is important that we love and forgive like him. We must also extend this love and forgiveness to ourselves.

A person who believes that God can love and forgive everyone but themselves is singling themselves out as somebody super-extra special. Remember that our Lord is much more concerned with your future than your past. To Christians who are too hard on themselves, I suggest this thought experiment: Imagine somebody just like you, with the same past, the same strengths and weaknesses, the same loves and desires. What would you think of that person? Could you be friends with that person? How would you treat that person? If kindly, then love yourself like your neighbor. If God loves you, you should also love yourself. If God has forgiven you, you should also forgive yourself. And since God loves everyone, you should love everyone too.

Posted in Chrisitian Virtues, Christian Perfection, Divinization, Forgiveness, Homily, Jesus Christ, Love, Mercy, Sunday Homilies | Leave a Comment »

Why Bread & Wine

February 17, 2025

6th Sunday in Ordinary Time
By Fr. Victor Feltes

This Sunday, our seven week exploration of the sacraments culminates and concludes with the Most Holy Sacrament, the Most Blessed Sacrament, the Source and Summit of the Christian life. It is called the Breaking of the Bread, the Lord’s Supper, our King’s Heavenly Banquet, the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. It is the Bread from Heaven, the Bread of Angels, the Bread of Life; the antidote for death and the medicine of immortality. This sacrament is the Holy Sacrifice, our Holy Communion, the Most Holy Eucharist. After this homily, following our profession of the Creed and our prayers of the faithful, gift-bearers will carry up bread and wine along with water and our Sunday collection. Why did our Lord in his divine wisdom choose bread and wine for use in a sacrament, for this greatest sacrament? There are many reasons.

One reason is that the Last Supper was a Passover meal, and Passover meals featured unleavened bread and wine with a sacrificed lamb. The Passover celebrated how the angel of death harmlessly passed over the homes marked with the blood of the lamb, freeing God’s people from Egyptian slavery to Pharaoh, and enabling them to journey toward the Promised Land. The Eucharist frees us from slavery to Satan, sin, and death, enabling us to enter heaven and the new Creation, passing over unharmed into freedom and new life.

During the exodus, God’s people ate flakes of Manna in the desert. This Manna resembled and was called bread from heaven strengthening and preserving them on their journey. Jesus proclaims himself the new Bread from Heaven: “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.”

Jesus changing water into wine at Cana reveals Christ can transform one thing into another. And Jesus’ multiplication of loaves shows that he can multiply something so that a multitude can partake of it. These miracles foreshadow how Jesus changes bread and wine into himself so that all of us can receive him in the Eucharist.

“Daily bread” and wine were staple foods for Gentiles and Jews in the ancient world. Psalm 104 says God gave “wine to gladden the heart of man,” and “bread to strengthen man’s heart.” Though wine was more commonplace in those days, it was a symbol of special rejoicing as well. Jeremiah noted how people typically tread grapes with “shouts of joy,” and Ecclesiastes observed “wine gives joy to the living.” A feast of bread and wine combines the humblest of common foods with the peak of luxurious royal drinks. Likewise, the Eucharist unites the ordinary and extraordinary, our earthly everyday combines with the height of heavenly celebration.

Wheat and grapes grow on every continent on earth besides Antarctica, making these sacramental ingredients available to people throughout the world. God provides the raw materials, fruits of the earth and vine, to be worked by human hands into the bread and wine we offer the Lord God of all Creation. We are called to serve as his faithful stewards. Christ then takes our works and makes them still more bountiful. He does this in this sacrament and also throughout our lives.

The processes for making bread and wine reflects the Passion of Christ. Wheat is beaten, ground, and pummeled. Grapes are crushed, drained, and outpoured. They suffer along their way to God-honoring sacrificial glory.

The baked bread resembles human skin and red wine resembles human blood. And at the words of Consecration these things really become Jesus Christ through and through—his Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity; living, whole, and undivided—with only the outward appearances of bread and wine remaining. To symbolically separate the Body of Christ from his Precious Blood is a symbol of death. And their reunion within us is a symbol of resurrection. Christ is truly risen in history and risen in us. As Jesus says, “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.”

This sacred sacrifice is also a communal meal. The Eucharist which unites us to Jesus Christ unites us to one another in him. As St. Paul writes to the Corinthians, “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.”

Finally, consider how instead of coming to us as a frightening fire, Jesus Christ comes as non-threatening food. He says, “Take this, all of you, and eat of it, for this is my Body… Take this, all of you, and drink from it, for this is the chalice of my Blood…” It is very important that we approach him lovingly and reverently, in a state of grace, but Jesus urges us to partake of him. Christ’s desire is for us and him to live as one, to become the Body of Christ you receive in this Most Blessed Sacrament.

Posted in Exodus, Homily, Last Supper, Mass, Passion, Real Presence, Sacrifice, Sunday Homilies, Typology | Leave a Comment »

The Gift of Holy Orders

February 9, 2025

5th Sunday of Ordinary Time
By Fr. Victor Feltes

The seven sacraments of the Catholic Church are sensible signs instituted by Christ to gift us his grace. Sometimes the sacraments are powerfully moving experiences but a person can also receive graces and be transformed by them without feeling anything extraordinary. It is possible, for instance, for a baby sleeping in its mother’s arms to be born again through baptism without waking up. It is possible to hold the God of infinite glory upon your tongue in the Eucharist while being totally distracted with a wandering thought. From modern science, lethal amounts of radiation — though invisible — can kill you. From the sacraments, God’s graces can give you life even when you do not feel them. Ministers of the sacraments typically do not feel divine power flowing in or out from them, like Jesus at the healing of the hemorrhaging woman. However, I believe I felt the moment that I was ordained a priest.

Fifteen years ago, I was ordained a priest of Jesus Christ at our cathedral in La Crosse. The Sacrament of Holy Orders, which can ordain a man first a deacon, then a priest, and then a bishop, is celebrated through a bishop’s laying of hands and consecratory prayer. I had not studied the words of the ritual beforehand but I knew going in that my ordination would occur by the end of that consecratory prayer, and I wondered if there would be some moment before the “amen” when I would be ordained.

The prayer’s first ten sentences recount the Old Covenant priesthood, the high priesthood of Jesus Christ, and the priesthood of his apostles. God declares his people to be a priestly people, since all of us are called to offer spiritual sacrifices and help sanctify the world. But from this multitude, God has called certain men to be ministerial priests to serve him and his people.

Then I heard Bishop Listecki say these words: “Grant we pray, Almighty Father, to these, your servants, the dignity of the priesthood; renew deep within them the Spirit of holiness; may they henceforth…” and when he said “henceforth,” I began feeling a pleasant but unsettling wooziness. The words which followed were: “may they henceforth possess this office which comes from you, O God…” I felt the effect of those words.

There is one eternal priest, Jesus Christ, the source of all priesthood. He is the true priest, with all others being merely his ministers Jesus chose apostles to be his first New Covenant priests. These men then appointed and ordained through the laying of hands bishops, priests, and deacons to serve, sanctify, and shepherd the Church—an apostolic line of authority which endures to this day. In Jesus Christ, priest, prophet, and king, these ministers are called to lead worship, teach truth, and pastorally lead. Though history’s greatest and holiest woman who has ever lived was in their midst, Jesus and his apostles never ordained the Virgin Mother Mary nor any other female, and the Church lacks the authority to ordain women today. Men and women are equal in dignity, but a man is not a woman and a mother cannot be a father.

Priests, however faithful or unworthy, act in the person of Christ. Without them, we would not have the Eucharist, or Confirmation, or Anointing of the Sick, or the sacramental forgiveness of sins. Without the successors to St. Peter and the apostles, the pope and the bishops, the Magisterium of the Church whose definitive teachings are protected by the Holy Spirit from error, we could not know our one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Faith with certainty. How lost we would be without shepherds for our flock! Such is the importance of the Sacrament of Holy Orders.

Last week, when I asked different people what I should preach about this sacrament, more than one said to mention the importance of praying for priests. It is important to pray for more vocations to the priesthood, but these folks meant praying for the priests we have, for their holiness, endurance, and fruitfulness. Pray for your bishops, priests, and deacons, both the ones that you like and the ones that you don’t. St. Paul asked that “supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings” would be offered “for all in authority, that we may lead quiet and tranquil lives in all devotion and dignity.” Pray for your clergy that they may more effectively aid you and many to grow into saints in this world and one day reach heaven.

A man who thinks Jesus may be calling him like he called Simon Peter, James, and John in today’s gospel, should earnestly explore this vocation, since priesthood is likely the greatest mission, duty, and life he could ever pursue. In the words of St. John Vianney, “The priest continues the work of redemption on earth… If we really understood the priest on earth, we would die not of fright but of love… The Priesthood is the love of the heart of Jesus.”

Posted in Homily, Salvation History, Sunday Homilies, Supernatural Phenomena | 1 Comment »

The Gift of Confirmation

February 2, 2025

Feast of the Presentation
By Fr. Victor Feltes

Forty days after Jesus’ birth, Joseph and Mary took him up to Jerusalem to offer the sacrifice required for a firstborn son. Jesus had been conceived through the Holy Spirit, but that was not the Spirit’s only activity in the world. The Holy Spirit revealed to a devout and righteous man named Simeon that he would encounter the Christ during his lifetime. On the day of the Presentation, the Spirit moved Simeon to come into the temple and enabled him to recognize the Christ when he saw him. Then Simeon took Baby Jesus into his arms and spoke words of prophecy which the Spirit inspired in him. There was also a prophetess there, an 84-year-old widow named Anna who never left the temple but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer. The Spirit enlightened her too, to draw near and meet the Christ, and she spoke about the child to all. Through the Holy Spirit these servants of God, St. Simeon and St. Anna, were witnesses to Christ and filled with knowledge, courage, and joy. The plan of God was not to keep this gift of the Spirit limited to a few, but to grant him to many.

When the Spirit came down on Pentecost Sunday, St. Peter recalled the Old Testament prophesy of Joel: “‘It will come to pass in the last days,’ God says, ‘that I will pour out a portion of my Spirit upon all flesh. … Indeed, upon my servants and my handmaids I will pour out a portion of my Spirit in those days…” The Holy Spirit is poured out in the Sacrament of Confirmation which, together with Baptism and Eucharist, is necessary for the completion of our baptismal grace.

At Jesus’ baptism, the Holy Spirit descended upon him in the form of a dove, and “drove” and “led” him out into the desert for forty days before commencing his public ministry. The Old Testament had foretold that the Spirit of the Lord would rest upon the Christ or Messiah, titles which both mean “Anointed One.” Jesus was quoting the Prophet Isaiah when he declared in the synagogue at Nazareth, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me.” Old Covenant priests, prophets, and kings were inaugurated through anointing with oil. Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit as our New Covenant Priest, Prophet, and King. And Christians are anointed with that same Spirit through Baptism and Confirmation to participate in Christ’s identity and mission.

In our Latin rite, a person celebrates Confirmation typically sometime after the age of reason, but in danger of death it is even given to newborns. The ordinary minister of Confirmation is the bishop, our successor to the apostles, though Catholic priests can be granted the authority to validly confirm when needed. A person is confirmed when the minister laying his hand on his or her head and anoints the forehead with a blessed oil called chrism while saying, “Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit.” Chrism is made of olive oil plus a fragrant sap called balsam. This gives chrism its perfumed scent, such that the anointed Christian — to use the words of St. Paul — bears “the aroma of Christ.”

One of my memories from the evening following my Confirmation by Bishop Burke in Eau Claire’s Zorn Arena was feeling great joy. When I wondered at its source I thought, “Oh yeah, the Holy Spirit.” Joy, love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, and chastity are among the Spirit’s fruits. And wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord are numbered among his gifts.

In the ancient world, oil was a sign of abundance and joy, as at harvest time. It was used for cleansing both before and after baths. The injured used oil to heal wounds and soothe bruises Track and field athletes and wrestlers used it to limber their limbs. And it gave radiant beauty to both men and women’s skin. The Holy Spirit, in addition to the generous gifts he gives and fruits he brings, purifies us from sin and vice toward perfection, heals our past wounds and soothes our daily bruises empowers us to prevail over temptation and opponents, and gives us the beautiful glory of a more than natural goodness.

By the sacrament of Confirmation, you are more perfectly bound to the Church and enriched with a special strength. This sacrament is not an ending but a new beginning. After Confirmation you are, as true witnesses of Christ, more obliged to bravely spread and defend our Faith by word and deed in the world. If you were never confirmed within the Catholic Church, do not neglect this sacrament. Ask me about how you can receive this gift. And if you have already received the Holy Spirit in Confirmation, sincerely and lovingly ask him for his greater gifts and fruits. Like the fire passing atop candles, one to the next, God the Holy Spirit is not diminished by being more widely shared and spread. The child Jesus grew and became strong, filled with wisdom, and the favor of God was upon him. By the Holy Spirit, God desires to do greater things with you.

Posted in Christian Perfection, Feast Day Homilies, Gifts of the Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit, Homily, Presentation, Sunday Homilies | Leave a Comment »

The Importance of Confession

January 25, 2025

3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
By Fr. Victor Feltes

Jesus came back to his hometown, stood up in the synagogue, and read this proclamation from the Book of Isaiah: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me… to bring glad tidings to the poor… liberty to captives… recovery of sight to the blind… to let the oppressed go free and proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.” Then he sat down and declared to all, “Today, this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” Imagine if the people of Nazareth had replied, “That’s nice, Jesus, but you’re not talking about us.”

What if the Nazareans had been like the Laodiceans in the Book of Revelation and said, “‘Glad tidings to the poor’? We are rich and affluent and have no need of anything!” What if they had said like some Jews in John’s Gospel, “‘Liberty to captives… Let the oppressed go free’? We are descendants of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How can you say, ‘You will become free’?”? What if the Nazareans had said like some Pharisees in John’s Gospel, “‘Recovery of sight to the blind’? Surely we are not also blind, are we?”? Jesus might answer those at Nazareth who said such things with words he spoke elsewhere in Scripture: “You say, ‘I am rich and affluent and have no need of anything,’ and yet do not realize that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. Amen, amen, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you are saying, ‘We see,’ so your sin remains.” Consider the danger of you or me denying our need for the sacraments Christ offers.

You may have heard of the Precepts of the Church. I like to think of these rules as prescriptions for medicines which Mother Church absolutely insists her children take for our spiritual health. The Third Precept listed in the Catechism of the Catholic Church may strike some people as odd: “You shall humbly receive your Creator in Holy Communion at least during the Easter season.” Why is this a rule? Part of the First Precept of the Church already requires us to attend Mass every Sunday and holy day of obligation, so what is the purpose of this requirement? The reason for this command and why it seems strange to us is because Catholics in the past received Holy Communion much less frequently than we do today. Scripture passages from St. Paul suggest why.

Our post-Vatican II lectionary, the book of readings we use at Mass, incorporates more of Scripture than was read at Mass previously. However, our lectionary does not include the final portion of the 11th chapter of St. Paul’s 1st Letter to the Corinthians. Sometime in the 50’s A.D., the Lord’s Supper and the community meal accompanying it were being abused at Corinth. The Christians there were forming factions and showing favoritism; while some went hungry others got drunk. St. Paul recounts to them how Jesus instituted the Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper and then he writes these warning words: “Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord. A person should examine himself, and so eat the bread and drink the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many among you are ill and infirm, and a considerable number are dying. If we discerned ourselves, we would not be under judgment; but since we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.”

Around 1264 A.D., the great theologian St. Thomas Aquinas composed the Lauda Sion hymn, which is our sequence for the Feast of Corpus Christi and includes these verses about the Holy Communion: “Both the good and bad receive him, but with different effects in them: true life or true destruction. It is death to the wicked, but life to the good. See how different is the outcome though each receives the same.” And still today, Christ’s Church teaches that “a person who is conscious of grave sin is not to… receive the Body of the Lord without previous sacramental confession unless there is a grave reason and there is no opportunity to confess; in [which] case the person is to remember the obligation to make an Act of Perfect Contrition [which arises from a love for God above all else, and] which includes the resolution of confessing as soon as possible.”

Jesus came to forgive our sins and he does this through his Church. On Easter Sunday evening he appeared in the Upper Room and said to his apostles, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” This is a gift, a power, a sacrament, our Lord has entrusted to his Church. The Second Precept of the Church commands “you shall confess your (grave) sins at least once a year.” And, similar to bathing or exercising, going to Confession more than only once a year is very good for you. If there is an occasion at Mass when you ought not to receive our Holy Lord in the Eucharist, then approach the priest or deacon at Communion time with crossed arms to receive a blessing, or else remain in your pew, and form a plan to go to Confession. Our parishes have regular Confession times, but you can also call a priest to schedule one yourself. Our Communion lines are long while our Confession lines are short because many people do not know their own sins.

In today’s first reading, Ezra the Priest reads the Old Covenant to the Jews who have returned to Jerusalem after their Babylonian Exile. Ezra read the “Book of the Law” to the assembly from a wooden platform from daybreak to midday and by the end people were sad and weeping. They mourned when they realized they had not been keeping God’s commands, but Ezra encouraged them not to despair: “Rejoicing in the Lord must be your strength!” Review an Examination of Conscience such as this one (which lists various sins and vices you should review, along with the Precepts of the Church and step-by-step instructions for going to Confession.) Among both young and old, I have seen people having their sins forgiven in Confession experience amazing joy.

As in all of the sacraments, Jesus awaits to encounter you in the confessional. Do not doubt his love; his mercy and goodness and power to forgive and help you there. Jesus Christ would give liberty to captives, sight to the blind, freedom to the oppressed, and lead us to a better future. Today, may this Scripture be fulfilled through your hearing.

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The Great Gift of Baptism

January 11, 2025

Feast of the Baptism of the Lord
By Fr. Victor Feltes

As with the Jewish boys who received the rite of circumcision on their eighth day to enter the Old Covenant, the early Church gave the rite of baptism as a free gift for even newborns to enter the New Covenant. Unlike those of us who were baptized as babies, my friend Elena remembers her baptism from when she was nineteen years old.

She says, “Right up to the night (of that Easter Vigil in 2007), I was still partially afraid that God would strike me down when the baptismal waters touched me. I wanted so much to belong to him but half-thought that maybe he didn’t want me. I thought, ‘If he wanted me in the Church, why didn’t he have me born in a Catholic family?’” Full Christian initiation is accomplished through three sacraments: first, Baptism which is the beginning of new life; Confirmation which is its strengthening; and Holy Eucharist which nourishes the disciple with Jesus’ Body and Blood for transformation in Christ. Elena received all three sacraments that night, “and then after,” she says, “I could hear him in a whole new way (not like a voice but like thoughts that you know come from him). And I knew I was his and that he wanted me.”

Through baptism, by being buried and rising again from the waters, we mystically enter the death and resurrection of Jesus. We are united with him as a member of his Church, members of his Body, members of his Bride. Through water and the Holy Spirit, we are “born from above” and “born again.” We become adopted children of God the Father and new temples of the Holy Spirit. Baptism forgives all our sins, indelibly changes our souls, bestows us graces enabling close relationship with God, and makes us sharers in the mission of his Church as priests, prophets, and kings in Christ. Jesus commands us to “go… and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that [he has] commanded [us].” Baptism opens the door to the other sacraments. It is the gateway into God’s Kingdom for salvation.

Jesus says, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned.” Baptism is necessary for salvation for those to whom the Gospel has been proclaimed and who have had the opportunity to ask for this sacrament. God has bound salvation to his sacraments, yet he himself is not limited by his sacraments. His Church teaches that unbaptized martyrs, catechumens seeking baptism, and those who are ignorant of the Gospel of Christ and his Church but who seek the truth and do the will of God in accordance with their understanding of it can be saved through a baptism by blood or desire instead of water. How many are saved through these baptisms of desire? We don’t know. We do know that our clear salvific mission is the Great Commission Jesus gives us.

As St. Peter preached at Pentecost: “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit!” Ordinarily, only deacons, priests, or bishops should baptize people by pouring, sprinkling, or immersion while invoking the Holy Trinity. However, in an emergency situation, anyone can baptize; simply intend to do what the Church does when it baptizes and pour water on the recipient’s head while saying “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”

This Sunday, we celebrate the Baptism of Jesus. Though sinless, he voluntarily submits himself to John’s baptism intended for sinners in order “to fulfill all righteousness.” By his own baptism, Christ connects himself with the baptized so the baptized can be united to Christ. Once Jesus was baptized, while he was praying, heaven opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in visible form like a dove. And the voice of God the Father came from heaven: “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

My friend Elena recalls that after her baptism, “I had this almost euphoric joy for almost a whole year that nothing could touch. I remember some religious sisters I’d met just after my baptism warning me that would fade. I didn’t believe them, but they were right. Hard times came and it got more difficult to hold onto that joy. But I think that joy is what we’ll experience in heaven and I hold onto that hope now.” Our own baptisms may have been many years ago and perhaps we have no memories of that day at all. But the effects of baptism do not depend on our feelings. Remember who you are in Christ. The voice of the Father calls out from heaven for you to hear him: “You are my beloved one, my beloved child, and in you I delight.”

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Doing The Lord’s Work — Funeral Homily for Sylvan Rothbauer, 87

January 6, 2025

By Fr. Victor Feltes

There is much more to life than work, but human work goes back to the beginning. Even before the Fall of Man, “the Lord God then took the man and settled him in the Garden of Eden, to cultivate and care for it.” Adam toiled tending plants and animals with Eve. Sylvan worked very hard farming his whole life alongside Leona.

He began with a herd on a dairy farm, but later purchased another farm in Tilden on which he grew crops and raised animals. His daughter tells me he taught his three children everything they know about farming. He gave them chores to do growing up, and “some of them were not so fun,” but they were helpful.

He and his wife of sixty-four years did everything together. They went to Mass here at St. John’s together, vacationed with the children to a cabin up north, and would gather the whole family together, especially for Christmas Eve. And when Leona eventually fell ill, Sylvan became her full-time caretaker, humbly cooking and cleaning and laundering for her for the first time.

St. Paul describes Jesus Christ as the New Adam, the “second” or “last Adam.” He writes that, “The first man was of the dust of the earth; the second man is of heaven. …. And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man.”

Jesus the Good Shepherd began with one flock, but then purchased more fields and creatures through his blood, sweat, and tears. We are his people, the sheep of his flock, the children of the Father. He teaches us everything we must know to produce good fruit. The chores that he gives us are not always fun, but they support the work that he is doing and help us mature into saints like him. He humbly serves his beloved bride, feeding, cleansing, and clothing her, and he delights to be with her; on earth around this altar, in the joyful house above and away from here, together with his whole family.

The stories of our lives find their greatness in Jesus Christ’s story. Pray for Sylvan, so that his likeness to Christ may reach its full completion. And with faith in our Lord Jesus, do the holy work which will lead to your glory.

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Rejoice, The Lord Is Near – Have No Anxiety At All

December 14, 2024

3rd Sunday of Advent
By Fr. Victor Feltes

A story is told of an old American Indian speaking to his young grandchild seated at his feet. “Inside of me there are two wolves,” the grandfather explains. “One of these wolves is virtuous: patient, kind, chaste, generous, forgiving, and loving. But the other wolf is vicious: angry, cruel, lustful, greedy, unforgiving, and hateful. These wolves are battling within me in a fight to the death.” The child asks, “Which wolf is gonna win, Grandpa?” The grandfather replies, “The one that I feed.”

One bit of encouragement I often give in the confessional concerns the ideas, feelings, memories, or temptations which enter people’s minds. When people confess to having had bad thoughts or temptations, I ask, “Did you will them? Did you choose them? Did you welcome them? Did you say ‘Yes’ to them, or did you resist them?” Unhelpful thoughts and feelings can come to us against our will. We only sin or merit when we engage our will to accept or reject them. A saint is not someone who never feels temptation but someone who, even when tempted, choses what is good and true and loving. If we do not realize this, we will believe every temptation we think or feel is a sinful defeat when it is merely a call to battle.

Some people think temptations only attract us to pleasures, to set us up for a fall. However, some temptations draw us downwards, to grumbling, bitterness, unhappiness, and despair. In today’s second reading from the Letter to the Philippians, St. Paul presents an antidote. He says, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice!” A person rejoices when they have gratitude for the present and the past and have hope for the future.

Our days may be very challenging but even amidst our sufferings we have much to be grateful for. We can always find a reason to complain. (Somebody with nothing to complain about could even choose to complain about that!) But most of our complaints are completely unnecessary. Instead, count your blessings—perhaps literally on your ten fingers—especially in hard times, and remember that you have great cause for hope in good things to come. When I replace pointless complaining with rejoicing my blessing cup is no longer empty but full enough to overflow for others. Because of this, St. Paul says, “Your kindness should be known to all.”

Another of our common unpleasant temptations is to anxiety. One of the things Jesus says most in the Gospels is “be not afraid!” Realize that worry (which is the natural fruit of fear) is worthless; concern is enough. If I were totally unconcerned about this homily then I would have prepared nothing to say. But if I had been worried about this homily there would still be just as much work to do but with added stress besides. What can you do when you are showing proper concern and you are doing your part but still feel the burden of anxiety? St. Paul provides this prescription: Remember that “The Lord is near.” So “have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

We are called to zero anxiety, “to have no anxiety at all.” When you’ve done what you can, you can refer the rest to God. Lift up your prayers and petitions with a thankful heart. And then, even if nothing visibly changes in the situation immediately, the peace of God which surpasses our understanding will guard and protect your heart and mind from pointless worry. The Lord is near. Give thanks and rejoice. Have no anxiety at all. For the Lord is with you, fighting on your side in the battle.

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The Subtle Spirit

December 9, 2024

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
By Fr. Victor Feltes

I would like to highlight certain stories about three people: Mary, Paul, and Caiaphas. First, consider the Blessed Virgin Mary. We celebrate how she was created by God, conceived entirely free from the wounds of original sin. Throughout her existence, she has been filled with God’s grace. She is the holiest woman who has ever lived. And yet, she was shocked that an angel would ever visit her. “Hail, full of grace,” announced the Archangel Gabriel, “The Lord is with you,” but she was greatly troubled at wondered at his greeting.

Next, consider St. Paul the Apostle. No human being has written more books of Sacred Scripture than he. These Pauline texts are usually letters written to particular Christian communities and they contain the particularities one finds in personal letters. For example, in the final chapter of his Letter to the Romans, Paul greets at least twenty-three persons by name. Now St. Paul believed that he was doing the Lord’s work, but if Paul had known the letters he was writing would go on to be as venerated and as widely read as the Old Testament’s books, I doubt he would have written, ‘Say Hi to Prisca and Aquila for me.’

Finally, consider Caiaphas. So many Jews were coming to believe in Jesus that the chief priests and the Pharisees convened and said, “If we leave him alone all will believe in him and the Romans will come and take away both our land and our nation!” Caiaphas, who was the high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing, nor do you consider that it is better for you that one man should die instead of the people, so that the whole nation may not perish.” John’s Gospel notes, “He did not say this on his own, but since he was high priest for that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation….”

The High Priest Caiaphas was speaking prophesy but did not realize it. St. Paul the Apostle was writing inspired scripture but did not realize it. The Blessed Virgin Mary was living as the holiest of all women but did not realize it. They show us that the Holy Spirit is so agile, intelligent, and subtle that he can act through us without our realizing it.

Now, it is essential for us to remain in Christ, devoted to prayer and his Sacraments. Otherwise, the Holy Spirit will achieve his purposes in spite of us, as with the High Priest Caiaphas. But if you love our Lord, if you strive to please Jesus Christ, if you are open to doing the will of God, be encouraged and take heart. The Holy Spirit is working through you more profoundly than you realize.

Posted in Blessed Virgin Mary, Christian Perfection, Feast Day Homilies, Holy Spirit, Homily, St. Paul | 2 Comments »

Prepared For Heaven — Funeral Homily for Verna Klemish, 105

November 26, 2024

By Fr. Victor Feltes

Verna was born in 1919 and grew up during the Great Depression. Like many who survived that national trauma, Verna had a tendency to keep and value everything. Always frugal and never borrowing, when she would go along on local bank-sponsored trips to the casino, she would return home with her free, unopened roll of quarters. What do we value in this life and how do we let go?

Verna fell in love and married Vernon in 1943, and their love was fruitful in their children. They were married some 40 years, and then Verna live as a widow some 40 years more. Verna taught in many rural schools, beginning in the days when stove fires had to be tended and water had to be carried in to teach eight grades together in one room. Going into the 1970s, just when Verna thought she had retired, a carload of nuns came to her house begging her to teach at St. Paul’s School. For love of God and neighbor, Verna changed her plans and taught for a couple years more.

Verna has lived her Catholic faith. She was one of St. Jude’s founding members, having worshiped at Mass in a New Auburn garage until the church was built in 1965. Almost 40 years later, when St. Jude’s Parish was suppressed Verna merged into St. Paul’s Parish as well. She was always faithful to Sunday Mass, to adoring our Lord in his Eucharist. And when she could no longer attend Mass in person she would watch Christ’s sacrifice on television – and her family learned not to call her during the service.

Verna drove a car into her 90s. Eventually, she made the decision to quit driving on her own, because of low visibility. The problem wasn’t her eyesight, her eyesight was fine — it was that she could no longer see over the steering wheel. In old age, her heart began to fail. When she became in need of a pacemaker at age 99, she had a decision to make. Her doctor asked her, “Do you want to see 100?” She considered and discerned and answered, “Yeah, let’s do it. I want to see 100.” Verna would live on this earth to age 105. She passed away one week ago, about half an hour after receiving the Last Rites. She was finally ready to let go.

St. Paul writes, “The One who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus… Therefore, we are not discouraged; rather, although our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison…” Sometimes older people, perhaps fatigued by their burdens, have said to me, “I don’t know why I’m still here. Why doesn’t God just take me?” I tell them, “If you are still living here on this earth, it is because God is doing things in you, or through you, or both.”

Jesus tells us, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. …I am going to prepare a place for you… [and] I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be.” St. Paul adds, “We know that if our earthly dwelling, a tent, should be destroyed, we have a building from God, a dwelling not made with hands, eternal in Heaven.”

Jesus Christ is not only preparing a place for us above, he is preparing you and me for that place while we are still down here. Through our labors, our sufferings, and our sacrifices, he is growing us in virtue, devotion, and love for God and one another. Remember that God values each of us and he is loath to give up any of us. So pray for Verna, but be happy and consoled, that today she is headed home for Thanksgiving.

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Do Not Fear The Ending

November 16, 2024

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
By Fr. Victor Feltes

The Prophet Daniel says of the end of days, “It shall be a time unsurpassed in distress…” And Jesus foretells, “In those days after that tribulation the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.” Many Christians today regard the end times with aversion and dread. Many fear Jesus Christ as judge, as if he were coming to destroy us. And yet, at the conclusion of the Book of Revelation, in response to the One who declares, “Yes, I am coming soon,” God’s people cry out in answer, “Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!”

The early Christians saw the arrival of God’s Kingdom for us—either when we die or at Christ’s Second Coming—as Good News. St. Paul the Apostle wrote, “For me, life is Christ and death is gain!” “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever,” and he tells us over and over, “Do not be afraid.” There will be trials before the end, in our own individual lifetimes and in the earthly pilgrimage of the Church, but what comes after this will be much, much better.

Out of fear of escapism, we fail to reflect upon Heaven enough. Great hope comes from having something great you’re looking forward to. Imagine Heaven, where sin will be no more; no shame or temptation; no guilt or condemnation; no ugliness, decay, or corruption; no sickness or suffering; no fear or tears; no pain or death; no more crime or injustice; no more separation from God and his saints. And remember not only what evils are absent in Heaven, but also what supreme goods are found there. In Heaven, there is peace and blessings; praise and rewards; knowledge and wonders; perfection and joys; beauty, delights, and unending love; reunion with loved ones; fellowship with the saints; and complete union with God.

The Prophet Daniel foretold about the Day of Resurrection: “At that time, [God’s] people shall escape, everyone who is found written in the book. Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake; some to everlasting life, others to reproach and everlasting disgrace.” Sometimes Christians worry whether or not they are in that Book of Life. I do believe more of us need to be praying, going to Confession, and attending Holy Mass, but I like to reassure people by asking them this: First, what is your greatest desire? Next, what do you think is the greatest desire of a saint? If your answers are similar, then you have the desires of a saint—and that’s a very good sign.

Imagine another person just like you in every way; the same past, all the same strengths and weaknesses as you. What would you think of that person? Could you be friends with them? Do not treat yourself worse than you treat others, but love yourself like your neighbor. Be not afraid and remember that the Lord is preparing you for Heaven because God loves you.

Posted in Christian Perfection, Homily, Last Things, Second Coming, Sunday Homilies | 1 Comment »

The Saints Come Marching In

November 3, 2024

31st Sunday in Ordinary Time
Deacon Dick Kostner

Today’s Gospel instructs us of how great a gift God has given us by and through His Commandments the divine rules for us to live a fulfilling life that gifts us with happiness even when we are carrying the crosses of life. Sometimes we think of laws and rules as a restriction on our lives but to our ancestors living during the time of Moses, the Commandments were a blessing for God gave them a road map to the place we call heaven. A way for them to live a life of happiness even during trying times, a life of fulfillment and worth, a true treasure.

Today’s Gospel has Jesus condensing for us God’s directives for us to live full lives of grace through just two great Commandments, two priorities containing for us, all we need to remember and practice during our lives. The First is to love God with all of our being knowing that the Creator designed us before we were even born, to display and represent His body, through a little but powerful directive he desires of His children and that is “Love”. The Second great Commandment, further defines how we are to show our love for God and that is to love our neighbor as we love ourselves.

As I pondered the two Great Commandments given us by the Father, I realized that Jesus during his earthly life, did not stop there. Rather he gave to his followers, to us, the tools necessary to carry out and obey the Commandment to Love God and neighbor, He gave us the Sacraments to allow all of His children the ability to become Saints. They are the building blocks, the steps leading to the House where Jesus and His saints live. Lets look at those tools.

The Sacraments come to us under three headings: Sacraments of Initiation; Sacraments of Healing; and Sacraments of Vocation. The Sacraments of Initiation are Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Communion. It is through celebration of these Sacraments that we are able to form a relationship with God. We become a member of the Holy Family; We mature in Spirituality and are invited to be fed by and become an active body member and spokes person of Gods Family. These Sacraments allow us to trust and learn to love God fulfilling the First Great Commandment. Remember, one cannot love without first gaining knowledge and trust in someone.

That brings us to the Sacraments of healing. As humans we will experience illness and disease God gifts us with the tool to overcome the fear of death and sickness of body through the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick. It is a Sacrament through which we can be healed of worry and know that Jesus will provide us with strength to overcome the fear of sickness and find peace in knowing that we can be still, and know that God is with us as he was present for Jesus. Sometimes we lack faith and fail to listen or request help from God. A separation of Spirit occurs because of human weakness. Jesus gives to us the Sacrament of Reconciliation to reprogram ourselves and ask for God to forgive us. Through forgiveness and reconciliation, this Sacrament heals our division and we once again are in union with the Holy Spirit and are at peace and learn to form a strong spiritual relationship with God.

Knowing how important it is for us to form relationships with God Jesus gifts us with the Sacraments of Vocation. These Sacraments move us to follow the Second Greatest Commandment and that is to love not only God himself but also all of his Children as we love ourselves. This Commandment requires us to not be served but rather to serve others. For many of us the vocation of Marriage awakens within us the desire and reward that follows to find that we are made in the image and likeness of God and are called to love and serve others more than love of self. Others become more important in our lives than just caring for our selves. Through the Sacrament of Marriage we offer to our spouse and children, our life for them to enjoy and find happiness. We are learning to do what Jesus did for us in offering his human life so that we may find happiness and peace for all eternity.

The Sacrament of Holy Orders is Jesus hand picking a few humans and asking them to give their lives up for the privilege of mentoring his children on how to travel the road to Sainthood by and through the practice of loving and serving the body of Christ as Gods representative. I can remember a few years ago telling Jesus that I would not mind becoming a saint. That is what Jesus calls all of us to be. What we need to remember is sainthood does not bear the requirement of being perfect it only requires love.

Jesus tells us that we need to become as children to enter his kingdom. We need to follow His advice and as our school kids show us this weekend how, “The Saints come marching in!”

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