Nice Boys

Learning how to be a better friend

Luke 5:1-8

While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Simon said in reply, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.” When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them. They came and filled both boats so that the boats were in danger of sinking. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.”

          One of the most precious and priceless joys of life is a true friend. Aristotle, the ancient Greek philosopher, extolled friendship saying, “Without friends, no one would want to live, even if he had all other goods.” That is, life would be worthless without friends. Wouldn’t you agree? When I was in high school, our principal, Fr. George Tribou, told us if we had three good friends in life, we should count ourselves very lucky. I remember s

coffing at that, thinking, “Well, if I was a crotchety old priest like you I would be worried about friends, too! But look at me: I’m a handsome, strapping, young man. I’m the king of the world! Everybody wants to be my friend!” But now that I’m the crotchety old priest, I realize that Fr. Tribou was right: true friendships are few and far between. How many good friends do you have, I mean really good friends?

          One of the great blessings of friendship is that we can be ourselves with our friends. We don’t have to “put on airs” or pretend to be someone we’re not. With our friends, we can finally relax deep down. One night a teenage girl brought her new boyfriend home to meet her parents, and they were appalled by his appearance: he wore a leather jacket, motorcycle boots, tattoos, and had a pierced nose. Later, the parents pulled their daughter aside and confessed their concerns. “Dear,” said the mother diplomatically, “he doesn’t seem very nice.” “Oh, please, mom,” replied the daughter dismissively, “if he wasn’t nice, why would he be doing 500 hours of community service?” I mean, don’t all nice boys do 500 hours of community service? Friendships are precious and priceless.

          In the gospel today we see what happens when Jesus becomes Peter’s best friend. Bishop Robert Barron noted the great significance of Jesus climbing into Peter’s boat. He said: “When Jesus entered into Peter’s boat, he also entered profoundly into Peter’s life.” You see, Peter’s boat was his livelihood, and it would be like someone getting into your car, they would be getting into your private space, invading your personal life. But notice the two amazing things that happen next. First, Jesus blesses Peter with an extraordinary catch of fish. Jesus’ friendship often brings great blessings, sometimes even worldly blessings. Just look at me: I scored being pastor of Immaculate Conception Church! How cool is that?? But secondly, Peter becomes keenly aware of his own sinfulness. The gospel records, “Peter fell at the knees of Jesus and said, ‘Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man’.”  In other words, when Jesus becomes our friend, when he gets in our boat and into our lives, we not only can be ourselves, but we also can see ourselves. And what we see is our sins; that we, too, probably need to do 500 hours of community service. Scott Hahn often says that “Jesus loves us just the way we are, but he loves us too much to let us stay that way.” Like all true friendships, becoming friends with Jesus changes us for the better. Friendships are precious and priceless, and none moreso than Jesus’ friendship.

          Now, let me turn the tables and ask the question from another direction. We know Jesus is a faithful friend to us, but what kind of friend are we to him? Do we treat Jesus as well as we treat our other friends? For instance, we stay up till 2 am texting our friends, but how late have we stayed up talking with Jesus in prayer? A friend of mine begins to yawn as soon as he makes “The Sign of the Cross.” We love to “retweet” and “share” and “like” what our friends post on social media, but when was the last time you shared something Jesus said or did on social media? Before we make major decisions, like who to vote for as president, we talk to our friends and we ask their advice and we listen to their counsel. Sometimes we even vote like they do. But have we sought Jesus’ opinion about who should be the next president? Who would your friend, Jesus, vote for, do you think? Would Jesus be proud of how you will cast your vote? We “creep” on our friends’ Facebook to see what they are doing, but do we “creep” on the Bible (God’s Facebook) to see what Jesus did? In other words, what would you think of a friend who only wanted to see you for an hour on Sunday (and he often would leave early), a friend who only called you when he needed something or when he was in trouble, a friend who always blamed you whenever anything went wrong? He or she wouldn’t be much of a friend, would they? I guess Fr. Tribou was right even about Jesus’ friends; if Jesus had 3 good friends in life, he should consider himself very lucky indeed.

          This coming Wednesday is Ash Wednesday, and the beginning of Lent. This year, instead of giving up chocolate or alcohol or watching T.V., do something to work on your friendship with Jesus. That’s what Lent is really all about. Ask yourself: what can I do this Lent to be a better friend to Jesus, to become one of his good friends? And if you can’t think of anything else, maybe you can start with 500 hours of community service, as, you know, all the nice boys do.

          Praised be Jesus Christ!

Galvanizing Others

Reflecting on our lasting legacy

1 Kings 2:1-4, 10-12

When the time of David’s death drew near, he gave these instructions to his son Solomon: “I am going the way of all flesh. Take courage and be a man. Keep the mandate of the LORD, your God, following his ways and observing his statutes, commands, ordinances, and decrees as they are written in the law of Moses, that you may succeed in whatever you do, wherever you turn, and the LORD may fulfill the promise he made on my behalf when he said, ‘If your sons so conduct themselves that they remain faithful to me with their whole heart and with their whole soul, you shall always have someone of your line on the throne of Israel.’” David rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. The length of David’s reign over Israel was forty years: he reigned seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. Solomon was seated on the throne of his father David, with his sovereignty firmly established.

          Have you ever thought about what your last words would be before you left this world? What would you say to your children and to your grandchildren as their final memory of you? Of course, you’ve already done this on a smaller scale if you’ve handed over to them your company or business, or given them your medical practice, or the clients in your financial planning portfolio. What advice did you give them before you handed over the reins? Now, I’ll never have to worry about that here at Immaculate Conception because I intend to leave here “feet first”! But I do sometimes wonder: what was Msgr. Galvin’s final words before he died? He probably said, “Don’t screw it up!” But long before he died, he had “Galvanized” many young priests; he had taught them not only by his words, but also by his actions. That’s the meaning of “Galvanizing priests.” What will be your lasting legacy?

          In the first reading today, we see the great King David come to the end of his days. And what were his parting words of wisdom to his son Solomon? He said, “Take courage and be a man. Keep the mandate of the Lord, your God, following his ways and observing his statutes, commands, ordinances and decrees.” In other words, you could say King David was “galvanizing” his son Solomon to be a king. David had galvanized his son not only with his words but also by his actions, not only with his sins (committing adultery with Bathsheba) but also by his sorrow for sins (writing Psalm 51, the great “Miserere”). The Harvard philosopher, William James, once said, “I would sin like King David if only I could repent like King David.” David’s lasting legacy was galvanizing his son Solomon.

          Recently, I gave a day of reflection to our school teachers and shared ten lessons I have learned in 20 years as a priest. I don’t know if they learned anything, but it sure was a great exercise for me. I was trying to put into words what would be my lasting legacy. Every time I go home to visit my parents, I feel like I need to record our conversations. They are sharing with me their lasting legacy. I would invite you to do the same. Take some time to write down the top ten lessons you have learned in life, give examples of how you lived those lessons (or maybe how you didn’t, but tried), and how you hope your children and grandchildren might benefit from them. Maybe your main lesson will simply be: “Don’t screw things up!” But, my friends, like King David, you and I, too, will eventually “go the way of all flesh.” But before we do, though, we should galvanize others.

          Praised be Jesus Christ!

Soporific Sacraments

Seeing the difference between sacraments and sacramentals

          Today I want to explain briefly the difference between a “sacrament” and a “sacramental.” At the end of Mass, we’ll use one very unique sacramental – blessed candles – to bless throats. Now, what’s the difference between a sacramental and a sacrament; they sound virtually identical, don’t they? Well, a sacrament is the “reality,” while a sacramental is only a “reminder” of that reality.

          For instance, I proudly display two bumper-stickers on my car: one for I.C. School and another for Trinity Junior High. Those stickers are like a sacramental, a reminder of these great schools. But the reality would be the school itself, where students fall asleep in math and English class! One is a reminder, the other is the reality. Take another example: I always carry a rosary in my pocket, and try to pray it daily, and that’s a special sacramental, a reminder. But receiving Holy Communion at Mass is the reality, the REAL Presence of Jesus, a sacrament. That’s also why we fall asleep at Mass, just like students fall asleep in school. You see, we can’t handle the reality, the truth of God’s love; we prefer reminders like bumper-stickers and rosaries.

          February 3rd is the feast of St. Blaise, and Catholics traditionally bless throats with crossed candles. Blessed candles – like bumper-stickers and rosaries – are sacramentals, reminders. But what’s the reality they remind us of? That’s the reality of God’s healing love. (By the way, the Anointing of the Sick is the corresponding sacrament of God’s healing.) Now, let me be clear about one thing: blessed candles are not magical or superstitious. They don’t force God’s hand to heal us. Rather, they remind us of his healing love, and remind us to pray for it. But just like good parents sometimes say “no” to their children’s requests, so our Good God says “no” to us, but only because he wants to give us what’s best for us. And Father knows best.

          I hope you can see the difference between a sacrament and a sacramental. One is the reality (like Mass and Confession), and the other is a reminder of the reality (like rosaries and bumper-stickers). I hope you also see why we get excited about the reminders and tend to fall asleep with the reality. The reality is too much for us; the truth of God’s love is too much for us. As Jack Nicholson said so eloquently in the movie, “A Few Good Men,” “You can’t handle the truth.”

          Praised be Jesus Christ!

Mimi and Papa

Welcome Address on Grandparents Day

Catholic Schools Week, 2016

          One day, six year old Sophia was sitting on her grandfather’s lap as he read her a bedtime story.  From time to time, Sophia would take her eyes off the book and reach up and touch her grandfather’s wrinkled cheek.  She was alternatively stoking her own cheek, and then his again.  Finally, Sophia spoke up, “Grandpa, did God make you?”  “Yes, darling,” he answered, “God made me a long time ago.”  “Oh,” she paused,” Grandpa, did God make me, too?”  “Yes indeed, sweet heart,” he said, “God made you just a little while ago.”  Feeling their two respective faces again, Sophia said, “God’s getting better at it, isn’t he?”

          But let me tell you something that God is not getting better at: and that is in imparting his wisdom.  And grandparents understand God’s wisdom (God’s ways, God’s heart) much better than the younger generations do.  Mimi and Papa may not be too savvy about texting and tweeting and tablets -- but they do take a lot of other tablets -- however, they know that “as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are God’s ways higher than our ways, and his thoughts higher than our thoughts” (Isaiah 55:9).  When it comes to wisdom, God doesn’t get any “better at it,” in fact, he has shared all his wisdom two thousand years ago when he sent his Son to save us.  Jesus is God’s first word and Jesus is God’s last word.  Grandparent’s Day is a special part of Catholic Schools Week because grandparents are a special part of their grandchildren’s education; they teach them God’s wisdom.  So, welcome to all our wrinkle-faced, but also very wise, grandfathers and grandmothers.  We need you here!  Let’s say a little prayer.

          Heavenly Father, we thank you for the blessing of Immaculate Conception School, and your great gift of our grandparents.  May we never take them for granted but always respect them and honor them.  Help us to listen to them as they read bedtime stories, and also when the read “the greatest story ever told,” the Holy Bible.  Open our ears to hear your wisdom in their words.  And please bless Mimi and Papa.  We ask this through Jesus Christ, our Lord.  Amen.

Spoiling Your Parents

Removing the blockages that prevent the flow of love

Luke 4:21-23, 28-30

Jesus began speaking in the synagogue, saying: “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” And all spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They also asked, “Isn’t this the son of Joseph?” He said to them, “Surely you will quote me this proverb, ‘Physician, cure yourself,’ and say, ‘Do here in your native place the things that we heard were done in Capernaum.’” When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury. They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong. But Jesus passed through the midst of them and went away.

          Do you know who are the hardest people to love? You might think they are Islamic terrorists like ISIS or the Taliban. Maybe it’s hardest to love your boss at work, or a co-worker who’s trying to take your job. Maybe it’s really hard to love Donald Trump and Hilary Clinton these days because they’re all we see on T.V.! But believe it or not, I think the hardest people to love are those we live with, our own family; not those who live halfway around the world, but those who live halfway down the hall.

          Many of you know that I just spent a two week vacation with my parents. Part of the vacation we drove from Little Rock to Orlando, Florida. It’s wasn’t “Driving Mrs. Daisy,” it was “Driving Mr. AND Mrs. Daisy”! Morgan Freeman has nothing on me. But over the course of those two weeks something very special happened to me: I fell in love with my parents again. I noticed that all their quirks and quarrels didn’t upset me or irritate me so much anymore. In fact, I even began to enjoy them. Hanging out with my parents is kind of like watching “Everybody Loves Raymond” and “All In the Family” and “Seinfeld” all in one show! But what made it possible for me to love my parents was the realization that I needed to change. I needed to get rid of my critical and condescending attitude and adopt a more respectful and even reverent one. It used to be that when I went home, I wanted my parents to spoil me and take care of me. But I’ve learned now that when I go home I need to spoil my parents and take care of them. You see, the blockage of love was not in their heart, but in my heart, and I needed a sort of spiritual by-pass surgery. What makes it hard to love others is not something in them; it’s something in us, in our heart.

          In the gospel today, Jesus returns to his hometown of Nazareth, maybe he needed a two-week vacation, too. And what does Jesus find? He encounters a similar blockage of love in the heart, in the hearts of his own family members. Jesus says, “No prophet is accepted in his own native place.” Then, the gospel goes on to say: “The people…were filled with fury…and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built to hurl him down headlong.” Now, let me ask you: WHY did the people find it so hard to love Jesus? Was the problem something in Jesus, or was it something in the people? Obviously, it was something in the people, but they couldn’t see it. Just like I realized that my real difficulty in loving my parents was not in them but in me, so too, the people find it hard to love Jesus because he’s no longer the cute carpenter, the son of Joseph, who lived down the street. Rather, he has returned as the Messiah, someone whom they needed to follow as his disciples, and their hearts were not humble enough to love and follow him. The hardest part of following Jesus is not because of something in Jesus, but because of something in us, in our hearts.

          This week is Catholic Schools Week, and I am so pleased we have a Catholic school here at I.C. Church! Aren’t you?? I want to share with you, in our students’ own words, what they learn here, especially how they’ve learned the “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.” Those habits do not just touch their minds, but also change their hearts. Just listen to our students. Natalie Hill said, “Being proactive means doing things before the teacher asks you to do it.” By the way, her mom is one of our teachers! Andrew Hahn said, “Being proactive means to find something to do for fun when there’s no one to play with, and do what I’m supposed to without anyone telling me to do it.” Good job, Andrew! Isabella Kindrick said, “Habit 2, Begin with the End in Mind, teaches me to study before a test so that I can make a 100%.” And she does, too! Ann Marie Kersh said, “Habit 3, Put First Things First” means do your homework first before you go outside to play.” Now, everyone knows you said that, Ann Marie. Sorry! Dalila Benavides said, “I mostly demonstrate Habit #3 by doing my homework then reading a book.” Folks, she reads books for fun – she will probably grow up to cure cancer.

          Carson Lane said “Think Win-Win is helping others to win and not just thinking about yourself winning everything.” Thanks for letting others win sometimes, Carson – that’s very big of you.  Kaitlin Seiter said, “I listen to the people in my group, then I share my idea.” Would that more parents did that: listen first, talk second! Benjamin Beland said, “I demonstrate Habit #5 by listening to people and not interrupting.” Emily Harris said, “Synergizing is important because we get to know each other when we work together.” And Austin Hughes added, “Synergizing is working together to solve problems and seeing the bigger picture.” Folks, how many people here can even spell “synergize”?? Finally, Abby Hunter, who graduated last year, said, “Sharpening the saw is taking care of ourselves physically, mentally and spiritually.” But do you see what’s happening in a Catholic school? We’re doing open-heart surgery! By teaching Catholic Christian values, we’re delicately removing those blockages in their hearts that prevent the flow of love. So that our students’ hearts can love their parents and someday spoil them, so their hearts can love Jesus and humbly be his disciples – instead of throwing him off a cliff! – and so that their hearts can love even their enemies.  In Catholic schools we teach our students that if you find it hard to love someone, the problem is not in them, it’s in you, in your heart.

          Last week I looked at Fr. Andrew Hart’s Facebook page – and you know it’s hard to love him because he’s a Cubs fan. But he shared this quote by Thomas Merton. Listen carefully. Merton said: “So instead of loving what you think is peace, love others and love God above all. And instead of hating the people you think are warmakers, hate the appetites and the disorder in your own soul, which are the causes of war. If you love peace, then hate injustice, hate tyranny, hate greed – but hate these things in yourself, not in another.” Thomas Merton was not only a good contemplative monk; he was also a decent heart surgeon. And I’m sure Thomas Merton would have spoiled his parents, too.

          Praised be Jesus Christ!

Wretches Wrule

Acts 22:3-5

         Paul addressed the people in these words: “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city. At the feet of Gamaliel I was educated strictly in our ancestral law and was zealous for God, just as all of you are today. I persecuted this Way to death, binding both men and women and delivering them to prison. Even the high priest and the whole council of elders can testify on my behalf. For from them I even received letters to the brothers and set out for Damascus to bring back to Jerusalem in chains for punishment those there as well.

         One of the most popular Christian songs is "Amazing Grace."  It is especially haunting when heard on bagpipes, and at the funeral of a loved one.  But lately people have tinkered with the opening lines.  Do you recall the original version?  It read: "Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me."  Recently, however, in an effort to soften the harsh tones of suggesting someone is a "wretch," a modern version reads: "Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a soul like me."  It's much more comforting to be considered a soul in need of saving rather than a sinner.  Do you want to be called a wretch??  But notice what happens to God's grace when we diminish our sinfulness: grace no longer looks so "amazing."  Compare the grace you need to save a "soul" versus the grace you need to save a "wretch."  Catch the difference?  In other words, what makes grace so “amazing” is precisely that it saves wretches, not just souls.   The worse the sinner, the more amazing the grace.

          This is why in the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles St. Paul doesn't pull any punches about his former life as a persecutor of the nascent Church.  Listen to his self-incrimination: "I persecuted this Way [meaning Christians] to death, binding both men and women and delivering them to prison."  Can you say "wretched sinner"?  But Paul is not just "beating himself up" in a flight of neurotic fancy.  He ultimately wants to highlight how great God's grace has been in him, and he does this by contrasting that grace to his own wretched sinfulness.  In one of my favorite passages of all Scripture, St. Paul proclaims: "where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more" (Romans 5:20).  And as “exhibit A,” Paul says, “look at me!”  St. Paul is proof positive that the worse the sinner, the more amazing the grace.

          Pope Francis has called all Christians to celebrate a “Year of Mercy” from December 2015 through December 2016.  Now, let me ask you: who needs mercy?  Well, only sinners need mercy.  But who are the sinners?  Well, I know one sinner: Pope Francis.  In one of the first interviews he gave after being elected pope, the reporter asked him, “So, who is Pope Francis?”  Without hesitation, he replied, “I am a sinner.”  Those words stir something deep inside me every time I think of them.  Why?  Because I know I am a sinner, too.  In other words, this Year of Mercy is not just for terrorists and mass murders and drug lords and gang leaders; it is also for me, and for you, and for Pope Francis.  My friends, this year, stop white-washing your sins like those redactors of the song “Amazing Grace” white-washed the first lines: you are not just a soul, but a sinner.  In those rare moments of grace when we are truly and brutally honest with ourselves, we see we are not the righteous but the wretched.  And that’s not such a bad thing.  Why?  Well, because the more wretched the sinner, the more amazing the grace.

          Praised be Jesus Christ!

God’s Heart

1 Samuel 24:3-21

           Saul took three thousand picked men from all Israel and went in search of David and his men in the direction of the wild goat crags. When he came to the sheepfolds along the way, he found a cave, which he entered to relieve himself. David and his men were occupying the inmost recesses of the cave. David’s servants said to him, “This is the day of which the LORD said to you, ‘I will deliver your enemy into your grasp; do with him as you see fit.’” So David moved up and stealthily cut off an end of Saul’s mantle. Afterward, however, David regretted that he had cut off an end of Saul’s mantle. He said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed, as to lay a hand on him, for he is the LORD’s anointed.” With these words David restrained his men and would not permit them to attack Saul. Saul then left the cave and went on his way. David also stepped out of the cave, calling to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked back, David bowed to the ground in homage and asked Saul: “Why do you listen to those who say, ‘David is trying to harm you’? You see for yourself today that the LORD just now delivered you into my grasp in the cave. I had some thought of killing you, but I took pity on you instead. I decided, ‘I will not raise a hand against my lord, for he is the LORD’s anointed and a father to me.’

          You’ve no doubt heard before one of our nation’s most cherished slogans, “the separation of church and state.”  Maybe you’ve had occasion to utter those sublime syllables yourself.  Believe it or not, those precise words are nowhere to be found in the U.S. Constitution, but their spirit certainly pervades the entire document, especially the First Amendment.  Indeed, our “Declaration of Independence” from the British monarchy was partly a reaction to the lack of such separation in that country.  You’ll remember that in the 16th century King Henry VIII had declared himself the head of the Church of England, consolidating in himself both political and religious power.  Here on the other side of “the pond,” we wanted no part of that, hence our separation of Church and state.

          But what does that slogan mean for us today, on a practical level, on a daily basis?  Well, it means that we Catholic Christians live under two sets of laws. On the one hand, we obey the Constitution and other civil laws; while on the other hand, we obey the Church’s laws, such as the 10 Commandments, the 8 Beatitudes and the 5 Precepts of the Church.  For instance, if you get pulled over for speeding, the police officer will not ask if you have received the sacrament of Confirmation.  Or, if you arrive late at your wedding, the priest will not ask if you have been speeding.  Police officers enforce civil laws; priests enforce church laws.  But American Catholics have to obey both sets of laws: lucky us!

          In the first reading today, we see that this separation of church and state did not exist in the Old Testament, a fact that was not lost on young David.  King Saul is seeking to kill David -- who at that time was still a simple soldier in the king’s army -- out of jealousy.   David sees an opportunity to save his own life by taking the king’s life.  So what does David do?  Does he channel Thomas Jefferson and invoke “the separation of church and state”?  No.  He says to his men: “The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed, as to lay a hand on him, for he is the LORD’s anointed.”  David understood that God had anointed Saul as king (he had not been elected by the people), thereby endowing Saul with both political power as well as a divine blessing.  As a result, raising David’s sword against the king was tantamount to raising his sword against God.  David would not do that because he was “a man after God’s own heart” (1 Sam. 13:14).  Because David had God’s heart, he would not harm God’s anointed.

          Now, I’m not suggesting that the separation of church and state is the best form of church-state relations, nor do I desire to take sides on the debate between democracy and theocracy.  (Incidentally, separation of church and state is precisely what’s at state between Western democracy and Middle Eastern Islam.)   All that aside, I do believe we need to acknowledge that God continues to anoint and choose leaders today, to whom we must demonstrate the same deference as David did toward Saul.  Who are these people?  For Catholic Christians, these are our bishops.  Jesus hand picked his 12 apostles, and he continues to hand-pick their successors, our modern bishops.  They are God’s anointed.  So, let me ask you: how do you relate to your bishop, and to our pope?  Do you see them as David saw King Saul, as the Lord’s anointed, and never dare to raise your hand, or your sword, or your voice against them?  A priest-friend of mine said, “I wouldn’t wish the bishopric on my worst enemy.”  Maybe not, but that doesn’t change the fact that a bishop is “God’s anointed” -- bishops alone have received the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders -- a person endowed with divine authority and sacramental power for the purpose of leading and healing and teaching God’s people.

          Today, pray for our bishops, men with human weaknesses but with a divine mandate.  Learn from their teachings, because Jesus told the first bishops, “he who hears you hears me” (Luke 10:16).  And embrace their priorities, like Pope Francis’ call to celebrate a “Jubilee Year of Mercy.”  That way, we, too, will be like David, who honored the Lord’s anointed, and perhaps we, too, may become men and woman “after God’s own heart.”

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          Praised be Jesus Christ!