About returning home

Often during the year, and especially during Lent, the Catholic Church invites us to turn from our sins through repentance and confession. Some people are afraid to approach the priest for confession. The Church understands this very human feeling, and she teaches us that we must resist the temptation of the devil if we wish to live in peace with a pure heart.

Jesus teaches us that God is a father who loves us. When a disciple asked Jesus to teach them to pray, Jesus replied: "When you pray say: Father! Hallowed be Thy name!" These words are very important because we use them to talk with our God. St. Paul said: "For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name"(Eph 3, 14-15). This prayer is very beautiful because it reminds us that we are children of God and, as the Apostle Paul teaches us, we can cry, “Abba! Father!" (Rom 8, 15). Do not, therefore, be afraid of a father who is as good as our God.

We are pilgrims

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke (13, 1-9)

At that very time there were some present who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. He asked them, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them—do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.”

Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, ‘See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?’ He replied, ‘Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”

 

A homily worth listening

Funeral mass homily for Justice Antonin Scalia

delivered by his son Fr. Paul Scalia.

I enjoyed listening to this homily. Find it here.
Read the transcript here.

Is it true?

Taken from: Francis, the comic strip by Pat Marrin  |  Feb. 23, 2016

National Catholic Reporter - The Independent News Source

Some thoughts about the Transfiguration

On the second Sunday of Lent we meditated on the transfiguration of Jesus. We know the story. Jesus showed some of his glory to three of His disciples. It was like an aperitif. Jesus gave them a foretaste of the beauty of his glory.

Luke wrote: "While (Jesus) was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white". It is a fact that Luke is using human words that cannot describe the Divine reality. In fact, the transfiguration of Jesus is only a spiritual aperitif.

Why did Christ’s disciples need a spiritual "aperitif"? 

In the region of Caesarea Philippi, shortly before His transfiguration, Jesus asked His disciples: "Who do you say that I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Messiah of God.” Then Jesus added: "The Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised." This idea of a Messiah who must suffer and die was not their project. For Jews believed that the Messiah should be victorious in order to free them from the Romans. Jesus knew that he had to teach them and explain this mystery.

"Follow me!"

 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.” Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone.’”

Then the devil led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And the devil said to him, “To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’”

Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’” Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time. (Lk 4, 1-13)

“SEND ME!”

 A reading from the holy gospel according to Luke (Lk 5:1-11)

Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.” When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. So they signalled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.” When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him. This is the Word of the Lord.

At the beginning of Chapter 6, Prophet Isaiah reports that he saw the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne in all his glory surrounded by Seraphim crying to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts! All the earth is filled with his glory!” At this sight he saw himself a sinner, “a man of unclean lips”. “Woe to me”, he said, “I am doomed!” One of the Seraphs then touched the prophet’s mouth with a live coal taken from the altar, removed his wickedness and purged his sin. He then heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?” Without really understanding the extent of the mission Isaiah answered: “Here I am. Send me!” (Is 6, 1-8).  
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