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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 »

Our Advent Traditions

November 30, 2024

1st Sunday of Advent
By Fr. Victor Feltes

Jesus Christ’s Church has “Big T” Traditions and “small t” traditions. The first kind (“Big T” Traditions) are Sacred Traditions which come to us directly from Jesus and his Apostles. They belong to the unchanging Deposit of Faith entrusted once-for-all to Christ’s Church. The second sort (“small t” traditions) are the Church’s customs. For instance, how we celebrate the Advent season along with our Advent wreath are among those “small t” traditions.

The Bible details the historical events of Christmas and Easter, but it is interesting to note that the New Testament never explicitly teaches we must commemorate Christmas or Easter on specific days each year. And that is OK. Jesus Christ’s Church was never meant to be a strictly “Bible alone” Church; she existed even before the New Testament was compiled. The Holy Spirit dwells in her, preserving her from denying the Deposit of Faith and guiding her ways (as the Book of Acts says) as it ‘seems good to the Holy Spirit and to us.’ Let’s consider the customs and traditions of this new Advent season and its Advent wreath.

Over the next month, our predominant liturgical color is purple or violet. Old, black, Roman vestments used to gradually fade towards purple because of the inferior dyes they used. And so, over time, purple became a customary penitential color for the Church. Though less intensely than in Lent, we spiritually discipline ourselves during Advent preparing for the coming of Christ – both at Christmas and at his return in glory. It is fitting what we prepare for our King’s arrival with purple cloth, for purple in the ancient world was the most expensive color to dye, it was the color of cloths worn by kings. This season, we are preparing for the coming of the King of Kings.

We mark this season’s Sundays with our Advent wreath: four candles amidst a circle of evergreen branches. These evergreen branches, still green during the dead of winter, symbolize eternal life. The circle symbolizes recurrence and eternity. And though we celebrate Advent and Christmas each year, these four candles remind us we look forward to definite end, a final fulfillment – not only December 25th, but the Last Day.

This world will not just be the same unsatisfying stuff forever. Christmas, Jesus’ birth at the center of history, changes our hopes. We light an additional candle each Sunday because Christ is coming. As the winter world darkens around us, we add these lights. They shine in the darkness and the darkness does not overcome them. We light these candles because we know the true Light which enlightens all men, the Word become flesh, has come and is coming into the world.

“Beware,” Jesus says in our Gospel reading, “that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life, and that day catch you by surprise.” Advent is our time for preparation for the coming of Christ. As St. Paul writes to the Thessalonians, “May the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all… so as to strengthen your hearts, to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus.”

Posted in Church Year, Homily, Last Things, Sunday Homilies | Leave a Comment »

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.

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

Jesus Christ Is King

November 24, 2024

Solemnity of Christ the King
By Fr. Victor Feltes

Today’s psalm says: “The Lord is King, in splendor robed… Your throne stands firm from of old… Your decrees are worthy of trust indeed…” The Old Testament prophets agreed. Isaiah said “the Lord is our King, it is he who will save us.” Jeremiah said our God “is the living God, the eternal King.” And Zephaniah said “the King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst.” At the center of human history, when Jesus Christ is born among us, he comes as King as well.

“Behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is the newborn king of the Jews?’” And when Jesus rode into Jerusalem, the crowd cried out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the king of Israel!” Pontius Pilate unknowing proclaimed this truth when he had a sign placed above Christ’s head on the Cross: “This is Jesus the Nazorean, the King of the Jews.” This Sunday, we celebrate that our Lord Jesus Christ is King of the universe now.

After his Resurrection, when Jesus appeared to his apostles on a mountain in Galilee, he told them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me” and he gave his Church our Great Commission to spread his Kingdom, reassuring us, “Behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” This raises a challenging question for us: why is Jesus not visibly doing more now? All power in heaven and on earth has been given to him, so why is he not making more things happen?

His disciples wondered about this, too. Before the Risen Jesus ascended into Heaven, they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the Kingdom to Israel?” He answered, “It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has established by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” The Kingdom of God is among us, and Jesus calls us to work with him to spread it and deepen it, everywhere in everyone.

But why doesn’t Jesus just force everything to be better? As God, he is omnipotent. He has the power to do all possible things. But one thing he cannot do is to force someone’s free “No” into a free “Yes.” When Jesus returns in unveiled glory, coming upon the clouds and flanked by his angels in full-force, humanity’s time for decision will be over. That day will bring the Last Judgment and sin will no longer be given any quarter. After that, there will be only God’s Kingdom and the outer darkness. Now is the time for freely choosing.

Do we desire God’s Kingdom? Around 1000 B.C., the elders of Israel came to the Prophet Samuel asking, “Appoint a king over us to rule us like other nations.” Samuel was displeased they said, “Give us a king to rule us,” but he brought the matter to the Lord in prayer. And the Lord replied: “Listen to whatever the people say. You are not the one they are rejecting. They are rejecting me as their king.” And during Christ’s Passion, Pilate asked the crowd, “Shall I crucify your king?” The chief priests answered for the mob, “We have no king but Caesar.” They were rejecting the Lord as their King. When we pray “thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven,” do we really mean what we are saying?

When Pilate asked Jesus if he was a king, Jesus answered, “You say I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” Pilate then responds with a line which today’s Gospel reading cuts off. Pilate dismissively replies, “What is truth,” and then turns his back on Truth himself, and walks away. If you desire Jesus as your Savior, you must let him be your Lord.

Advent begins next Sunday—our annual season of preparation for the coming of the Lord. Here are three wise steps for a better Advent. First, his decrees are worthy of trust. Which of his words will you neglect no more but specifically begin putting into practice? Make yourself a short list. Second, make an Advent Confession, for a fresh beginning, a new infusion of grace. And third, pray every day, for you cannot thrive without him. The saints worked wonders in this world by following Christ and doing his will. So can you. The Lord is in your midst. He is the living God, our eternal King. And if we will let him, it is he who will save us.

Posted in Feast Day Homilies, Homily, Jesus Christ, Last Judgment, Last Things, O.T. Figures, Second Coming, Sunday Homilies | Leave a Comment »

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 Widow’s Gift Was Love

November 9, 2024

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
By Fr. Victor Feltes

Jesus sat down opposite the temple treasury and watched how people gave money at God’s house. There were thirteen donation trumpets attached to sturdy chests into which people were dropping their contributions. Many rich people were donating large sums, causing loud commotions. But one poor widow’s two small coins went in quietly; a little click-click. Why did Jesus highlight her gift above everyone else’s that day?

Our Father in heaven is rich. He created the universe out of nothing. All things belong to him. Being the Almighty, he does not strictly need anything from us. In the 50th Psalm, God tells his people that he does not rebuke them for their animal sacrifices—he had commanded them to make them—but he notes “every animal of the forest is mine, beasts by the thousands on my mountains. I know every bird in the heights; whatever moves in the wild is mine. Were I hungry, I would not tell you, for mine is the world and all that fills it.” And yet, God insists upon our sacrifices for him.

God places us in a material world in which what we do matters. Whether and how we work and pray, learn and teach, plant and harvest, build and repair, save and donate, visit and invite, feed and clothe and care and love, these things really matter—for good or evil—for ourselves and others. It is true Almighty God could do everything all by himself, entrusting us with no mission and zero responsibility. But then, how would we ever mature and grow as glorious saints? Instead, God chooses to work through us, and with us, and in us. Our holy gifts and sacrifices, inspired and empowered by grace, advance God’s Kingdom while transforming us in Christ. Though, strictly speaking, God has no need of our gifts or praises, he insists upon them for our own good.

When Jesus saw that poor widow give God’s house just two coins worth only a few cents, he called his disciples to himself and said, “Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury; for they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood.”

Jesus condemns those who “devour the houses of widows,” but he celebrates this woman’s evident trusting, love for God. Jesus says to beware the scribes who love the robes, the titles, the honored seats at synagogues and feasts, who recite lengthy prayers in order to be seen by men. “They will receive a very severe condemnation,” Jesus says, because their focus is not on love of God and neighbor. That poor, loving widow, however, receives the praise of God. “The last shall be first, and the first shall be last.”

As I preached in a homily three weeks ago, hierarchies are normal and natural, though some are better than others. The secular world has hierarchies according to power, wealth, or status. Christ establishes a hierarchy for his Church on earth according to sacramental holy orders. But amongst the Church in heaven, a hierarchy exists according to love. In heaven, God reigns supreme and God is love pouring out for all. There is no money to be had there, the sacraments are no longer needed, and there is perfect, perpetual peace. Greatness above is according to one’s capacity to give and receive love. So whoever wishes to be great in God’s Kingdom must imitate the faithful, self-gifting love Jesus highlights in that widow and which we see modeled for us by Jesus Christ himself.

How you love and what you do matters. In the words of St. Paul, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” “Whatever you do, do it with all your heart as for the Lord … knowing that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.” For when Christ comes “he will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will manifest the motives of our hearts, and then everyone will receive praise from God.”

Posted in Heaven, Homily, Love, Sunday Homilies, The Poor Widow | Leave a 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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Blessed are the Clean of Heart

November 3, 2024

31st Sunday in Ordinary Time
By Fr. Victor Feltes

On November 1st, Christ’s Church celebrated all the saints in Heaven. The Gospel reading for that solemnity was Jesus’ beatitudes from his Sermon on the Mount. The beatitudes describe God’s saints, and they describe Jesus Christ himself as well. We are made in God’s image and our Lord grows us into his likeness. This Sunday, I would like to highlight one of those beatitudes: “Blessed are the clean of heart…” Most Bible translations render this: “Blessed are the pure in heart…” What is purity of heart?

Our first thoughts perhaps may go to purity in regards to chastity. Obscene materials and obscene acts are commonly called the opposite of “clean.” Yet human sexuality can be a means of sanctity. The marital embrace is even a constitutive part of one of the seven sacraments Christ gave us. Rightly-ordered chastity is a source of joy and life and holiness. Chastity is part of being clean of heart, but it’s not the whole or deepest sense of this beatitude.

When one of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him, “Which is the first of all the commandments,” Jesus answered with words from Deuteronomy: “Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” A pure heart does not contain the sludge of sin. It does not willfully coddle an affection for evil. A clean heart is receptive to receive and return holy love.

I believe the Venerable Bishop Fulton Sheen once noted that the Archangel Gabriel addressing and declaring the Virgin Mary “full of grace” points to her Immaculate Conception. For if there were sin present in Mary, like inches of mud in the bottom a bucket, she would not be full of grace. But she was clean of heart and full of grace and loved God with her whole self, because our loving God is good and the source of every good.

Now to prevent people from drawing the wrong conclusions, Jesus immediately follows up sharing the greatest commandment with another command from Leviticus. He declares the second greatest commandment is this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” If Jesus had not cited this second commandment, some people would have misunderstood and thought loving God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength prohibits the love of anyone else. (After all, Jesus said, “No man can serve two masters.”) Instead, we are to love our neighbor as ourselves (and by implication, love ourselves as our neighbors) even as we love God with our whole selves. When our loves are rightly ordered, in loving God fully we will love who and what he loves like he loves them. Contrary to what some might expect, we will love ourselves and other people best by first and fully loving God.

So renew your love for God, choose him first and fully, opposed to your sins or selfish lesser loves, like those saints who lived and died before us who are now in Heaven. Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.

Posted in Bp. Fulton Sheen, Chastity, Chrisitian Virtues, Christian Perfection, Homily, Love, Sunday Homilies | 2 Comments »

Called To See

October 27, 2024

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time
By Fr. Victor Feltes

Jesus cured many people during his public ministry but very few of their names are recorded in the Gospels. Jesus raised Lazarus of Bethany from the tomb, cast out seven demons from Mary Magdalene, and restored the ear of Malchus in the Garden of Gethsemane. But beyond that, no recipients of Christ’s healings are named except for the blind man Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus. The first three Gospels all recount this event, but the name of Bartimaeus the son of Timaeus appears only in today’s Gospel.

St. Mark wrote, “As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a sizable crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind man, the son of Timaeus, sat by the roadside begging.” In Aramaic, the prefix Bar- means “Son of,” so Bartimaeus means “Son of Timaeus.” Why do St. Mark and the Holy Spirit doubly-emphasize the name of Bartimaeus the son of Timaeus, and what does Timaeus mean?

An Aramaic interpretation of the name Timaeus suggests “uncleanness,” but in Greek the name means “highly prized” or “honored.” This Bartimaeus sat begging on the ground alongside a road near Jericho—an extremely ancient city which symbolized the sinful world. He was blind, impoverished, ignored, despised, called a son of uncleanness, and he was unclean, yet our Lord considered him precious.

Bartimaeus had heard about Jesus’ healings and had faith in him. He shouts, “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me,” because he believes Jesus is the Christ (or the Messiah), the prophesized descendant of King David, and he believes Jesus possesses the power to heal him.

At first, many disciples rebuked the beggar, telling him to be silent, while he kept calling out all the more. Then Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So people in the crowd told the blind man, “Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you!” The man sprang up from the dust and came closer to Christ, guided by Jesus’ disciples.

We are also journeying in a large crowd of Jesus’ disciples today, walking with him in his Church. Are we ignoring people who are not here with us, as the crowd at first ignored Bartimaeus? Jesus commands us to call them and help lead them to himself.

Before Bartimaeus could see, he had heard what other people were saying about Jesus. Are we sharing our stories, our cause for hope, with others? Are we mentioning the miracles that we have witnessed? Are we telling them the difference our Catholic Faith makes? Are we encouraging them to join us here?

Bartimaeus had faith due to what he heard and from God’s grace already active within him, for God is calling everyone. Bartimaeus called out to Jesus and, being called, threw aside his dirty, smelly cloak, lest it restrict his movement or cause offense. We, likewise, must cast off our sinful habits, lest they offend the Lord and impede our progress toward him.

When Bartimaeus reached Jesus, our Lord asked him: “What do you want me to do for you?” Christ could read the hearts of men, so why did he ask the blind man what he wanted? St. Augustine wrote that God wills us to ask him for things not because he doesn’t know (for he cannot fail to know) but “to exercise our desire through our prayers so that we may be able to receive what he is preparing to give us.” For “the deeper our faith, the stronger our hope, the greater our desire, the larger our capacity to receive will be…” Praying for our requests also helps us remember how much we need God and deepens our relationship. St. Teresa of Avila said, “You pay God a great compliment by asking great things of him.”

Jesus asks, “What do you want me to do for you?” How will we answer him? The blind man answered boldly, “Master, I want to see.” And Jesus told him, “Go your way; your faith has saved you.” Bartimaeus immediately received his sight and followed Jesus on the way. May this famous story of Blind Bartimaeus help us to see in new ways too.

Posted in Christian Perfection, Homily, Jesus Christ, Sunday Homilies, Witness | Leave a Comment »

The Last Shall Be First

October 19, 2024

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time
By Fr. Victor Feltes

In today’s Gospel, James and John shoot their shot to move higher up in Christ’s Kingdom. They say, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you. … Grant that in your glory we may sit, one at your right and the other at your left.” Jesus replies, “You do not know what you are asking.” The two brothers jump at the chance to drink from Jesus’ cup and be baptized in his baptism because they don’t realize these things mean sharing in Christ’s suffering. Jesus assures them, ‘You will drink of my cup and experience my baptism, but to sit at my right and my left is for those for whom it has been prepared.’ Where were the places at Christ’s sides at his glorious royal enthronement? St. Mark’s Gospel tells us: “With him they crucified two revolutionaries, one on his right and one on his left. … [And] the inscription of the charge against him read, ‘The King of the Jews.’”

James and John did not realize what they were asking. They sought places closer to Jesus in order to live earthly lives in a palace on Easy Street. They imagined reigning over a kingdom with Christ where they would be served like the rulers of the nations who made their dominance over other people felt. But Jesus gathered his disciples and said, “It shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Hierarchies are normal and natural, though some are better than others. The secular world has hierarchies according to power, wealth, or status. Christ establishes a hierarchy for his Church on earth according to sacramental holy orders. But amongst the Church in heaven, a hierarchy exists according to love. In heaven, God reigns supreme and God is love—pouring out for all. There is no money to be had, the sacraments are no longer needed, and there is perfect, perpetual peace. Greatness above is according to one’s capacity to give and receive love. So whoever wishes to be great in God’s Kingdom must practice the self-gifting, servant love modeled for us by Jesus Christ.

We can expect to see many surprises after this life. Reality will look very differently in the light of eternity. Some things which we once thought were valuable—even necessary—will be seen as nothing. And things once rejected as useless will be recognized for their true value—especially in people. Many unknown people will become recognized as great, while many rich, powerful, and popular people will be humbled. “Thus,” Jesus says, “the last shall be first, and the first shall be last.” So let us begin living life with more of that eternal vision now: by seeing with the eyes of Christ, by thinking with the mind of Christ, and by loving with the heart of Christ.

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What Must We Do?

October 13, 2024

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time
By Fr. Victor Feltes

A man runs up to Jesus, kneels down, and earnestly asks him, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus quotes to him commandments about loving our neighbors: “You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; you shall not defraud; honor your father and your mother.” Why did Jesus add “you shall not defraud” after saying “you shall not steal [and] you shall not bear false witness?” What distinction is being made? In the Greek, “steal” here denotes taking, while “defraud” suggests withholding or keeping back what belongs to another. Both the street mugger (by unjustly taking) and the business owner (by unjustly holding back) can deprive someone of what is rightfully theirs. It is possible to sin by clinging on to what we should give.

Upon hearing Jesus’ list of commandments, the man replies, “Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth.” The man is seeking something more from Jesus. Jesus had just cited several of the Ten Commandments but notice which commandments Jesus left out. The first three commandments are conspicuously absent, the ones specifically about our relationship with God. Jesus, looking at the man and loving him, desires to reveal how he is to love the Lord. He tells him, “You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” But at hearing these words, the man’s face fell because he had many possessions, and he went away sad. Did that man ever go on to have a change of heart before the end? We don’t know. Matthew, Mark, and Luke all record this encounter in their Gospels but none of them mention his name. Perhaps (unlike with Jairus, Zacchaeus, or Bartimaeus) the early Christians were unfamiliar with this man because he never joined their community.

The Book of Acts describes Jerusalem’s earliest Christian community as being “of one heart and mind” and generous towards one another. “There was no needy person among them, for those who owned property or houses would sell them, bring the proceeds of the sale, and put them at the feet of the apostles, and they were distributed to each according to need.” However, that sharing was not obligatory. Christians still owned property, they were free to decide whether to sell it or not, and they were free to share the sale proceeds or not. So it is not necessarily wrong to own things, but wealth can be an obstacle to heaven.

Jesus remarked to his disciples, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the Kingdom of God!” The disciples were amazed at his words, because they held the idea that having great wealth was a strong sign of God’s approval. So Jesus again said to them in reply, “Children, how hard it is to enter the Kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God.” So who among us qualifies as rich?

Compared to our immediate neighbors, our wealth is probably pretty average. Or at least most of us have less money than the richest folks in town. But how materially wealthy are we compared to those in other countries? Compared to the world, everyone here is rich. For instance, a two person household with an annual after-tax income of $40,000 makes more than about nine-out-of-ten people on earth. Even someone who lives alone with a post-tax income of $10,000 a year makes more than eight-tenths of the world. We are rich. So what must we do?

Again, not all Christians must give away all of their wealth, but our Lord insisted upon it for that man who came to him because Jesus knew he loved his riches more than God. The things we own are not absolutely ours to do with however we please, for we and what we have belong to God. We are his trusted servants, the stewards of his goods. That is why Jesus says that anyone “who does not renounce all of his possessions cannot be my disciple.” Even when it is his will for us to have possessions, we must do so with a healthy detachment, by being frugal and generous and truly open to doing God’s will.

One of the most memorable scenes from the 1993’s Best Picture winning film “Schindler’s List” comes at the end. Oscar Schindler, a German industrialist, has protected the lives of more than 1,100 Jews during the Second World War by listing them as his “essential workers” while producing defective ammunition for the Nazis. He looks at the people he has saved and reflects: ‘If only I’d made more money. I threw away so much money, you have no idea. … I didn’t do enough. This car. Why did I keep the car? Ten people right there, ten more people. This gold pin… two more people. At least one. One more person, for this. I could have got one more person, and I didn’t.’ It is Ok to have what we need and it can be Ok to buy things we want, but someday we all will have to stand before the Lord “to whom we must render an account” of our Christian stewardship.

There is a world of needs around us, needs abroad and needs nearby, material needs and spiritual needs. Though they all have importance, our local spiritual mission has a special claim on our care. To aid the success of Christ’s mission for the salvation of souls among us, in the words of St. Paul, “Each person must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion [but freely], for God loves a cheerful giver.” And our Lord promises rewards for our sacrifices for him. Jesus declares, “Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age… and eternal life in the age to come.” So let us be generous, for God will not be outdone in generosity.

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A Proud Member of this Holy Family — Funeral Homily for Jesse LaGesse, 85

October 11, 2024

By Deacon Dick Kostner

When Father sent out the readings for today I was bewildered about the Gospel Sharon had chosen for the Mass today. Funeral homilies are supposed to direct our thoughts not to this world but to our heavenly home and the hereafter. I sent Father a text about the choices picked directed to the Holy Family saying I could not see what the readings had to do with our next life. He gave me a call and told me about the worry Mary and Joseph had about not knowing where he was and that it took “three days” before they finally found him. I have read and recited this Gospel many times in my life but I never picked up on “three days” until his call. This was to be a preview of what was to happen in the future for Mary to prepare for the death of Jesus. It is a preview of all of us to prepare ourselves to the fact that our family members will someday experience death and that we will be separated from them in body at least until our bodies are resurrected at the end of time. But the good news is that because of Jesus we are all invited to rejoin and be a part of the Holy Family for all eternity without ever being required to experience again, the loss felt when someone we love dies. Now I have given you Fr. Feltes’ interpretation of the Gospel now I will give you mine.

This story about Jesus expresses to me that Jesus was, in fact, human. He was centered on his mission of helping others learn more about scriptures and its meaning and perhaps forgot that his parents would worry about what happened to him. Lesson to be learned, we need to acquire the necessity to think and teach our loved ones about how their actions may affect those they love. If Jesus could drop the ball we too should be patient when we try to educate our young people of how their actions can and will affect those they love, and share with them your thoughts and opinions as to how this will affect lives.

The bad news is that during our earthly life we still are required to carry crosses in life as did Jesus, and Jesse, knowing that we will be separated in body from our earthly blood family and from the family of Jesus which the Church refers to as the Holy Family of God because of a one time death.

This December, I will be celebrating my 25th year of being a Permanent Deacon. It will also be my 30th year of offering to this parish the Stations of the Cross on Tuesday evenings during the Lenten season. One of the Fathers of this Parish gathering for prayer was none other than Jesse, who was the first to offer his help in carrying that cross over there as this Holy Family reflected upon the Passion and death of Jesus the Lamb of God, who was willing to suffer and die so that we could find everlasting life with Him as a member of the Holy Family of God.

I have always invited members of the parish to help by carrying the cross during our Stations when it was first introduced to us by our Father Tom, but many were too bashful to accept the invitation, but not Jess. When he and Sharon would show up he would always ask if I needed someone to carry the cross. It was his personal desire to be a partner with Jesus in accepting whatever crosses he was asked to bear to make the life of his blood family and his spiritual church families crosses easier to bear. He did this for over 25 years until his own health would not allow him to carry that cross shown over there, as he had other heavier crosses to carry before his life would end. Now he has moved up to receive his reward for all the gifts of service that he gave, not only his family but the city of Bloomer and his church, as a proud member of this Holy Family.

Long ago, I had told my wife that the cross Jess carried for years for us would be present at his funeral. If it wasn’t so big it should have been buried with him but I think maybe we who have been left, need it here, at St. Paul’s, to honor and thank him for his living with and being a active member of the Holy Family of St. Paul’s Catholic Church and the people of Bloomer. Jesus tells us the two greatest commandments to obey is love of God and love of our neighbor. Thanks Jess for living out your life in service to God, your family, and your Bloomer faith family. We will always be together with you in spirit, and please pray for us as we try to bear our crosses of life.

Posted in Finding in the Temple, Funeral Homilies, Homily | Leave a Comment »

Just Two Doors Down — Funeral Homily for Robert “Bob” Nosal, 76

October 8, 2024

By Fr. Victor Feltes

You may know him as fun “Cousin Bob.” Or maybe you worked with “Big City Bob.” Or perhaps you heard him play guitar as one of “The Noblemen.” But if you know Bob, then you should know how important his family is to him. For instance, Christmas was Bob’s favorite holiday because everyone got to celebrate it together. And his family can testify to Bob’s faithful religious devotion. Bob grew up Catholic and raised his children Catholic, emphasizing the importance of our Faith in practice. He was adamant about attending Jesus Christ’s Holy Mass. Even when his family would go out camping, finding a local parish and Sunday Mass time was a priority. He and Mary Kay would frequently pray St. Mary’s Rosary together whenever they drove somewhere. Bob believed our family and friends are not limited solely to this world. We also have close and holy ones in heaven who know us and love us profoundly.

Last March, on the Wednesday of Holy Week, on the day before the beginning of our annual remembrance of our Lord’s Passion, Bob suffered his first stroke. In the following months, Bob was in and out of the hospital, and when he was hospitalized Mary Kay would faithfully visit and stay with him throughout the day. The visiting hours at Bloomer Hospital were from eight in the morning to six in the evening, so eventually it would come time for her to leave. Bob didn’t like being stuck there alone in the hospital overnight. Who would? He wished that he could go home, or else that Mary Kay could stay there with him. ‘It’s easier for you,’ he said. “You get to sleep in your own bed.” The Nosal house is situated very close to the hospital, so to encourage him, Mary Kay would reply that she would not be far. She would be “just two doors down.” And she would see him again in the morning.

You and I do not like being separated from our loved ones by death. Who would? We wish that we could go home with them, or else that they could stay here with us. But those who die as friends of Christ are not far from us. They still know and love us, and we can always talk to them. Yet it’s easier for them, for they happily go to their rest. Perhaps they dwell in purgatory where their souls are being purified to inevitably enter God’s all-holy presence. Or else, having been completely personally prepared by Christ, they already dwell in our Father’s house. Bob is now either behind the door of purgatory, where our prayers and offerings to God can aid his holy growth, or else he has passed through the door of heaven, where he now enjoys perfect peace and joy. But either way, be comforted remembering that Bob is no more than “just two doors down,” and we will see him again soon.

Posted in Funeral Homilies, Heaven, Homily, Last Things, Purgatory | Leave a Comment »

Let The Children Come

October 5, 2024

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time
By Fr. Victor Feltes

People were bringing their little children to Jesus that he might touch them, pray for them, and bless them through laying his hands on them. His disciples, however, rebuked those parents. “No, stop doing that. Leave the teacher alone.” Why did his disciples behave this way? Jesus was very busy with his work. His time was very valuable and they believed he had much more important things to do. They saw those children as an unwelcome inconvenience.

Pascal-Emmanuel Gobry details how the ancient world had small regard for little ones in his excellent article “How Christianity Invented Children.” “Society,” he writes, “was organized in concentric circles, with the circle at the center containing the highest value people, and the people in the outside circles having little-to-no value. At the center was the freeborn, adult male, and other persons were valued depending on how similar they were to the freeborn, adult male. Such was the lot of foreigners, slaves, women…and children.” In pagan Rome, a father could kill his kids for any reason until they came of age; unwanted infants were abandoned to die by exposure, youths were subjected to all forms of abuse, and all of this was legal. The early Christians, however, protected children and loved them. This marked difference is because of Jesus Christ.

Though children are small and weak, Jesus says, “See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.” They have no wealth, no worldly power, but Jesus declares, “Unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven.”

Calling over a child and putting his arms around it, Jesus teaches, “Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.” Just as a good shepherd hates to lose even one lamb from his flock, Jesus insists “it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost.” Jesus says children are to be treasured and loved like himself, for “whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.” And in this Sunday’s gospel, in response to those who were turning the children away, Jesus says, “Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these.” Then Jesus welcomed, embraced, and blessed the children.

Jesus taught that all children should be loved. How well have we listened? If we have personally sinned against little ones in the past, then we must repent—if we have not done so already. Go to God for Divine Mercy, for if you are baptized into Christ then you are God the Father’s precious child also. And going forward, we must do our Christian duty to protect and care for them, the most vulnerable in our country.

The Bride of Christ, his Church, teaches that “abortion, the deliberate killing of a human being before birth, is never morally acceptable and must always be opposed.” In light of the upcoming elections, our U.S. bishops as successors to the apostles insist “the threat of abortion remains our preeminent priority, because it directly attacks life itself, because it takes place within the sanctuary of the family, and because of the number of lives destroyed.” Last year, that number of innocent children killed before birth in our country was more than one million. Pope Francis himself has observed that abortion is not primarily a Catholic or even a religious issue, it is first and foremost a human rights issue. Our Holy Father has said that if we fail to protect life, no other rights matter.

Have we, as Roman Catholics, fully rejected the spirits of pagan Rome? How we choose to live, to love—and yes, how we choose to vote—will be revealed as our answer at the Last Judgment.

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The Journey to Sainthood

September 29, 2024

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time
By Deacon Dick Kostner

Our scripture readings today are telling us that we are not to focus on other peoples spiritual levels, for we all mature at different speeds and levels. God only asks that we try to develop and mature our level of listening to God’s commands that we obey his two great commandments of love of God and love of neighbor. There are different stages of spiritual development for we all learn at different speeds, and at different times. Catholic Doctors of the Faith have identified three stages of spiritual development and maturity. The First Stage is the Purgative Way: It is here that we realize that we have limited ability to fend for our self. We realize that we are sinful at times and that we need help to avoid that which will divorce us of God. We find that we want to form a relationship with God knowing that this will allow us to be happy and free of stress and worry. A conversion is happening within us to learn more about about our Creator. We cultivate virtue and humility realizing our limitations and looking for answers to questions that we encounter during our lives.

The Second Stage is the Illuminative Way: Our minds are gradually enlightened to the ways of God. The relationship with the Holy Spirit becomes stronger although there may be struggles. Sufferings may occur. When I encountered this Way while in Deacon Formation I felt sad because I thought the old Dick Kostner that I grew up with needed to leave. But I was wrong, I just needed to mature in my relationship with God and my personal priorities.

The Third Stage is the Unitive Way: Here we find a constant awareness of the presence of God in all that we do. We discover that he is constantly with us and welcomes conversations with Him in every aspect of human activities. God even responds to us before we even begin a conversation with him giving us direction and help before we even ask for it. At this stage we no longer ask the question, “What would Jesus do?” when encountering difficult situations in life for we already know what Jesus would do. This is the highest level of Spirituality one can develop. Some never reach this level during a human lifespan. It is important to realize that these Stages may not occur in order and because we are all unique we may alternate back and forth as our maturity develops.

The Three Stages of Spirituality is one of the things I believe Jesus is trying to teach his disciples and us. He desires a relationship with all baptized persons whether they are Catholic or other Christians. All Christians have access to the gifts of the Holy Spirit for we are all trying to build a relationship with Jesus, but because we are all unique, we need to realize that all of us are at different levels of Spiritual maturity and that makes us special in the eyes of God, and should not be criticized. As Jesus has told us “whoever does the will of My Father is my brother, sister and mother.”

Our Gospel today has Jesus telling us that “There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. For whoever is not against us is for us. Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ…will surely not lose his reward.” I am happy to say that I feel I have lived out my life knowing and having many friends who are saints. One of them was a friend who I had while going to college. Larry was a quiet sort of person but there was something about him that was peaceful. He lived in our dorm and had about five friends he would associate with. Those friends never knew or heard from him after we graduated. A couple of years ago I received a call from another of my friends who called me with news about Larry. He had been surfing the net and he came across an article written about Larry. It announced the death of Larry and thanked him for his service. It seems that Larry had been employed by a half-way house for battered and abused women in Chicago for some twenty-plus years. This quiet mouse of a kind person had served others who were struggling to find life in a troubled world. Larry served many cups of water to people thirsting for some peace in this world.

I think the Church calls these types of persons “saints.” Wishing all of you a safe and enjoyable journey to sainthood.