Tuesday 4th Week of Lent @ St. Apollinaris School

HOMILY - TUESDAY FOURTH WEEK OF LENT

MARCH 28, 2017
8:45 AM ORDINARY FORM MASS (4TH GRADE)



A Sacrament is "an efficacious sign of grace, instituted by Christ, entrusted to the Church, which dispenses the Divine Life to us."

There are 7 Sacraments, each of which has a particular "Matter" (the tangible object of internal disposition) and the "Form" (the words or prayer) that make it possible.

Baptism's "matter" is water, and it's "form" is "I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." The minister of this sacrament is any person. For a solemn bishop, the minister is a deacon, priest, or bishop.

Confirmation's "matter" is Holy Chrism and the laying on of hands. It's form is a long prayer of consecration. The ordinary minister of this sacrament is a bishop, but a priest may be given permission by the bishop to do so in certain cases.

The "matter" for the Eucharist is wheat bread and wine (mixed with a little water.) The form is the words of institution in the Eucharistic Prayers, "this is my body," and "this is my blood." The minister of this sacrament is a priest or bishop who presides at the Holy Mass.

In Penance, the "matter" is contrition (feeling sorry for your sins), confession (telling your sins), and satisfaction (making up for your sins). The "form" is the prayer of absolution by the priest. The minister of this sacrament is a priest or bishop.

The "matter" in Anointing of the Sick is the laying on of hands and the Oil of the Sick. The form is "Through this holy anointing may the Lord in his love and mercy help you with the grace of the Holy Spirit. Amen. May the Lord who frees you from sin, save you and raise you up." The minister of this sacrament is a priest or bishop.

Matrimony's "matter" is a man and a woman, and their free consent to enter into a lifelong committement. The "form" is their promises spoken in the presence of witnesses and a minister. The minister of this sacrament is the couple, and it must be witnessed by two people and a deacon, priest or bishop. In some cases, a lay person may be allowed to witness on behalf of the Church in place of an ordained minister.

Holy Order's "matter" is a baptized man, and the laying on of hands. In the case of priesthood, the hands are anointed with Holy Chrism, and in the case of bishops, the head is anointed with Holy Chrism. The "form" is the long prayer of consecration by the ordaining bishop. The minister of this sacrament is a bishop.

So every Sacrament has something "tangible" (the "matter") and a specific prayer (the "form") in order to effect it. It also requires a minister, who is usually someone in Holy Orders.

The Sacraments are a direct encounter with Christ in the person of His minister.

4th Sunday of Lent @ St. Apollinaris Church

HOMILY - FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT (YEAR A)
MARCH 26, 2017

7:30  AM, 11:00 AM (St. Thomas), 5:30 PM ORDINARY FORM (ENGLISH) MASSES

Amelie Oksenberg Rorty is an American philosopher known for her work in the areas of the Philosophy of the Mind, the History of Philosophy, and Moral Philosophy. She was born in 1932 in Belgium of Polish-Jewish parents. Her family emigrated to the United States, and she studied at the University of Chicago and Yale University. She has written over 100 scholarly articles and edited over a dozen collections of essays in philosophy.



In a 1976 essay in the collection titled “The Identities of Persons,” she identifies a four-layered structure of identity, which she calls: 
(1) character, (2) person, (3) selves, (4) and individual.



The first, character, she says is based on the physical; that is, external appearances, or what a person appears to be.

The second, person, reflects on the etymology of the word person which means “to speak through.” Thus it is based on what a person says and does.

The third, selves, falls back upon roles and relationships. That is what an individual is in relation to society and other people.

And finally, we reach the individual: the very root of someone; who they are on the inside, or in other words their very being.

In passing through Rorty’s hierarchical structure one moves from external appearances, through actions, and relationships; ultimately arrives at being.

She continues to teach, most recently as a visiting professor at Boston University and Tufts University, and is an honorary lecturer at Harvard Medical School.

Today is the Fourth Sunday in Lent and our readings relate to sight and seeing and vision.



The story of God choosing David as king shows that while humans judge by external physical appearances, God judges by what lies inside the heart. What we see … is more often than not … the same as what God Himself sees. God’s vision penetrates into our deepest being.

The Gospel plays this theme out in a dramatic way in the story from Saint John’s 9th Chapter on the healing of a blind man.



This healing of the man born blind is, however, merely a trigger for two contrary movements which occur as the story progresses.

We see the blind man healed by Jesus, and through the 41 verses, the former blind man moves from seeing Jesus as just another man – based on His external appearance; to a prophet – or a spokesman for God – based on His preaching and His ministry; to Someone Who comes from God, based on the power and magnitude of His mighty works; and finally recognizes Him as “Lord,” that is, the Son of God – Who in His Being is worthy of worship.

Meanwhile, the Pharisees go in the opposite direction: moving deeper and deeper into darkness and disbelief.

St. Paul, too, speaks in the context of darkness and light.



The world, he tells us, is darkness; and God is Light. We were once part of the world, and hence we were darkness. In coming into fellowship with God, we are called to not only appear to be Light, but to speak and act according to the Light by living in “goodness and righteousness and truth.” And in our relationship to God in Christ we are to truly become “light … [and] … [l]ive as children of light.”

We have arrived at the mid-point of Lent. These rose-colored vestments mark this turning point … showing us a ‘lighter’ shade of violet … to remind us that as we draw closer to Easter, and the end of Lent … we are coming more into the Light of Christ … which is poured out on us in the graces of the Easter Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist.

As we approach this altar to receive the Sacred Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, let us pray that the light of God may truly dwell in us. May we show His light forth in our daily lives, by what we say and what we do. Let us resolve to live through, with, and in Christ; in His Light … the Light of God … the Light of grace and mercy and love … poured out on us through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Deacon John and I "lightening up" in rose vestments for the 4th Sunday of Lent

Friday 3rd Week of Lent @ St. Apollinaris School

HOMILY - FRIDAY THIRD WEEK OF LENT

MARCH 24, 2017
8:45 AM ORDINARY FORM MASS (ASSORTED GRADES)



In today's Gospel, Jesus is asked, Which is the first of the commandments?

We like to be in first place, to win. And we like to prioritize what we do, choosing our favorite things, foods, games, or books in priority positions.

So, Jesus quotes a Jewish prayer – the Sh'ma (שְׁמַע) prayer.

But that's not a commandment? Is it?

Prayer can be thought of as our conversation with God, demonstrating our love for God.

But Jesus expands prayer to a commandment that covers loving God, loving our neighbor, and loving ourselves. Sometimes those can be difficult; sometimes they can be easy.

Jesus calls us to do it with out whole heart, our whole mind, our whole soul, and our whole strength.

That is, Jesus calls us to love God with everything we've got. And to love our neighbor and ourselves the same way – putting our whole being into loving.

In this way, we can be like God whose being is love.

Jesus also gives us the means to do this: Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation, and all the sacraments; give us the grace we need to go above and beyond our own limitations and love like God loves.

Let us pray that we might better use the graces of the sacraments we have received, and the sacraments we desire to receive in a way that allows us to love God more and more, and to love each other – and ourselves – as God loves us.

Tuesday 3rd Week of Lent @ St. Apollinaris School

HOMILY - TUESDAY THIRD WEEK OF LENT

MARCH 21, 2017
8:45 AM ORDINARY FORM MASS (4TH GRADE)


What is this Sacrament called?
- The Sacrament of Penance
- The Sacrament of Conversion
- The Sacrament of Confession
- The Sacrament of Mercy
- The Sacrament of Reconciliation
- The Sacrament of Forgiveness

What is the origin of this Sacrament?
- It is found in the call of Jesus as he began His ministry
- Mark 1:15:

This is the time of fulfillment.
The kingdom of God is at hand.
Repent, and believe in the gospel.

What is Penance mean?
- Within the Penitential seasons of Advent and Lent, it means to pray, to fast, and to give alms.
- Within the life of any Christian it means to take up your cross and follow Jesus
- Within the context of the Sacrament of Penance, it can mean reading Scripture, praying, or any act meant to repair our relationship with God and neighbor.

What are the elements a person must bring to the Sacrament of Penance?
- Contrition, which means being sorry for your sins
- Confession, which means to tell all your sins to a priest
- Satisfaction, which means to make amends for your sins through prayer or action.

Absolution is the prayer of Christ spoken by the priest forgiving the confessed sins, acknowledging the contrition, and giving grace and peace from God.

The Sacrament of Reconciliation brings about a restoration to God's grace and friendship, and reconciles us to God and each other (i.e. the Church.)

So, listen to Jesus: Now is the time! God's kingdom is here! Repent, and believe!

3rd Sunday of Lent @ St. Apollinaris Church

HOMILY - THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT (YEAR A)
MARCH 18-19, 2017
4:30 PM (SAT), 9:00 AM, 10:30 AM ORDINARY FORM (ENGLISH) MASSES

According to a longstanding Christian tradition, Sacred Scripture can be interpreted in two particular ways. These two are called the literal and spiritual senses of Scripture.

Looking at our three readings today literally, we get that at some point during the 40 year Exodus in the desert, the people of Israel complained about not having water, Moses prayed, God answered, Moses struck a rock, and water came out of it.



The same can be said about the Gospel. Jesus took a shortcut through Samaria, met a woman, had a “he said, she said” conversation about religion, proceeded to exceed her expectations, and converted a whole Samaritan town; all while His disciples were out grocery shopping.



And finally, St. Paul wrote a letter.

The literal sense doesn’t always give us much to look at, and certainly doesn’t make for much of a homily.



The spiritual sense, however can be broken down further into three divisions.

(1) the allegorical - which are the signs that point to God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, (2) the moral - which tell us how we should or should not act in our daily lives, and finally (3) the anagogical - which are the signs that point us to eternity.

These are the interesting aspects of Scripture. Where the rubber hits the road. And where, if we dig a little deeper, we get spiritual treasure.



In the reading from Exodus, the Israelites are complaining that they don’t have any water. OK. They’re in the desert, and they’re thirsty. Sounds logical. But realize that they’ve already witnessed the Plagues in Egypt, crossed the Red Sea on dry land, seen God defeat the entire Egyptian army, and have been eating Manna and Quail that God sends them daily. Can anyone think of a better option besides complaining?

It’s not like they haven’t been on the receiving end of some pretty awesome miracles. But, nonetheless, here they go again. Maybe it’s just human nature to complain.

In his 1st Letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul points out a striking allegory: the crossing of the Red Sea foreshadowed Baptism, the Manna and Quail foreshadowed the Eucharist, and the Rock – which he tells us, not only poured forth water, but followed them around the desert – symbolized Christ and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.



He goes even deeper into moral and anagogical senses, but you can look that up – if you want – it’s 1st Corinthians Chapter 10.

The real beauty in this week’s readings is the Gospel from St. John, Chapter 4: Jesus meets the Samaritan woman at the well. It’s long. Even the short version is long.

I’m sure that we all have some sort idea that the Jews and Samaritans were not friends. Jesus is called a Samaritan by the Scribes and Pharisees; and it’s not a compliment. Jesus, in turn, returns the favor with the Parable of the Good Samaritan – where the Priest and Levite walk right by their own countryman on the side of the road, leaving him there to die, but a Samaritan goes out of his way – and in fact, he goes WAY out of his way – to help not just a stranger, but an enemy.

The division between Jews and Samaritans springs out of what we might call religious purity. Way back, during those various conquests, occupations, and captivities of Israel, the Assyrians purposely settled the area of Samaria with five different pagan groups – each with their own language, customs, and religion (cf. 2 Kings 17). So, in the end, the Samaritans ended up with a syncretic – or a mish-mash religion involving not only the God of Israel, but also a melting pot of other pagan gods.

The Samaritans weren’t welcomed at the Temple in Jerusalem, and so they went and built their own. They edited down the Torah to a bare minimum of only the Five Books of Moses (the first five books of the Bible) purposely ignoring the histories and prophets which condemned what the Samaritans were doing.



So, with this background, we find ourselves in today’s Gospel, in the middle of town, in the middle of the day,  with Jesus, looking for a drink of water. So that’s the literal sense; but what about the spiritual sense? After all, St. John loves to hide spiritual signs and gems in his Gospel, and he doesn’t disappoint us here.

The five husbands – or as the word can also be translated, five “masters” – are the five pagan gods whom the Samaritans worshipped alongside the One True God – the God of Israel. Along the way they had picked up (1) a god of fertility, (2) a god of war, (3) a god of fate, (4) a god of storms and rain, and (5) a moon goddess. These they inherited from those 5 pagan groups the Assyrians moved there several hundred years before. (cf. 2 Kings 17)



The one husband who was not her “master” – but whom she needed to take more seriously – and submit her life to – was God almighty … the God of Israel.

She gets it. And she tells Jesus that He must be a prophet – but we just heard that the Samaritans rejected the prophets. So, what is she talking about here? Well, the only prophet mentioned in the first five books of the Bible is the Messiah. And so she proclaims, just like St. Peter does in the other three Gospels, that Jesus is the Christ!



In one fell swoop, the hammer falls, and we get all three spiritual senses at one time. And this is how and where today’s Gospel story should speak directly to us.

Morally: we can have no other gods besides God Himself. Sex, power, luck, weather, time – these are all created things, not gods to be worshipped. God must come first.

Analogically: Jesus alone can save us, and we need to put all of our trust in Him – and in Him alone. For only Jesus Christ can give us the Living Water – the Holy Spirit – which in turn can transform us to truly be His disciples – configured to Him in all things.

And finally, anagogically: whatever walls and barriers that we may think divide us from others – those things that make us “us” and them “them” – are obstacles to our true worship of God – what Jesus calls “worshipping [God] in spirit and in truth.”

As we approach this altar to receive the Sacred Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ – let us pray to cast aside any created things that stand between us and God; let us cry out to Jesus, our Savior, to “save us”; and let us join together as one body, one Church – united in Christ, and filled with the Holy Spirit – to the praise and glory of God the Father.


[From above the altar at St. Apollinaris in Ravenna, Italy. 
At the base of the cross are the words: "SALVS MVNDI." 
Translated from Latin, it means "The salvation of the world."]

Tuesday 2nd Week of Lent @ St. Apollinaris School

HOMILY - TUESDAY SECOND WEEK OF LENT
MARCH 14, 2017
8:45 AM ORDINARY FORM MASS (4TH GRADE)



Today's readings deal with sins, and being authentic. Sometimes power and position can make people feel overwhelmed, and then they act as though they know it all. That's what Jesus is pointing out to the scribes and Pharisees.

Everyone sins. And the remedy to sin is not denial. Rather, we must use God's grace to work against the inclinations to sin.

There is a list of Seven Deadly Sins which historically have been considered the roots of many other sins. They can be countered by living out the Seven Heavenly Virtues.

Humility counteracts Pride.
Kindness counteracts Envy.
Temperance counteracts Gluttony.
Chastity counteracts Lust.
Patience counteracts Wrath.
Generosity counteracts Greed.
Diligence counteracts Sloth.

If we practice these and all the virtues, even when we don't feel like it, we will become more virtuous.

Part of what and why we do the things we do in Lent is to counteract sinful tendencies and work to grow in holiness and virtue.

Saturday 1st Week of Lent @ Pan de Vida Retreat

HOMILY - SATURDAY FIRST WEEK OF LENT
MARCH 11, 2017
4:45 PM ORDINARY FORM MASS (7TH & 8TH GRADE RETREAT)



There are three words in today's readings that I want to focus on as a foundation for this homily.

Through Moses, God tells the people of Israel that they are "peculiar" and are called to be "holy."

And in the Gospel, Jesus tells His listeners to be "perfect."

Now, you probably know that Jesus didn't speak English ... or Spanish. And that the Old Testament wasn't written in either of those languages; and neither was the New Testament.

The Old Testament is mostly in Hebrew. And the New Testament is in Greek.

So, whenever we translate something, it gets sort of changed. 

So, the word we heard as "peculiar" can also mean "valuable," "treasure," or "jewel." I'm guessing nobody really likes to be called "peculiar." It sort of sounds like you're being called "weird." But "valuable," "treasure," or "jewel." That's actually nice. That sounds like a compliment.

And like Father said last night in his talk, God brought you here for a reason. And God has a plan for you by bringing you here. And God brought you here because you're valuable to Him. He treasures the relationship you have with Him, and He wants it to be even better.

And at the end of the first reading, God tells the people to be "holy." We maybe think of "holy" as being a statue or an image of a saint. And that's OK. But I'm not sure how often we see ourselves as "saints." But, that is what we are. The word here can also mean "pure," "sacred," and "set apart."

So, over the last couple of days, we've had opportunities for Confession. Opportunities to purify your souls through sacramental means. You've set aside these three days for this retreat. And we're doing a lot of sacred things: Mass, adoration, prayer, fellowship.

Baptism brings you into the life of God, and makes you a saint. So, if you're already baptized – your working on being a better saint. And if you're going to be baptized, your preparing to become a saint.

And at the end of the Gospel, Jesus tells us to be "perfect." Well, that sounds hard. Nobody's perfect. Right? But the word translated as "perfect" can also mean "complete," "integral," and "mature." What I sometimes call "the best version of yourself." 

And Jesus doesn't give us this as a demand. Instead He gives us a way to do it with His help.

The way He does this is through the Eucharist. The Blessed Sacrament. The Bread of Life. Pan de Vida. 

The Holy Eucharist. The source and summit of our Christian life.

And what is this? A symbol? A ceremony? An idea?

NO.

The Eucharist is real. We call it the Real Presence, because it really is Jesus. Truly present to us. Just as He was present 2,000 years ago. But instead of appearing as a man. He is here under the appearances of Bread and Wine. 

Really, and truly. Present to us. Body, and Blood; Soul, and Divinity. 

Think about it. Many, if not most of you have felt it. Felt something. During the singing. During the silence. During Confession. During Mass.

He's here. Really, truly, present. Jesus is here.

And in a few minutes, on this altar ... He will make Himself present again. For us to receive Him into ourselves.

Why? Because of how much He loves you. And you. And you.

Jesus loves you. Say that to yourself: "Jesus loves me." Say it out loud: "Jesus loves me."

He does. He really does.

And He wants you to be holy. And He wants you to be perfect. And how does He do this?

He gives you Himself. Body and Blood. Soul and Divinity. 

Jesus comes to us in all the Sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, Confession, Anointing, Matrimony, Orders. 

But in the Eucharist, He is truly present in a truly special way. An abiding way. 

Jesus is here. Really. Truly. Present in the Eucharist.

Jesus is really now on Earth in the Eucharist. Say it with me.

If you emphasize a different part of that sentence, you can get to the depth of it.

And that is the mystery of the Eucharist.

God gives us this great gift of His own Son because He loves us. 

Jesus does this for us – gives us His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity – because He loves you. 

Because you are valuable. Because you have been set apart. So that through His gift of Grace and the Holy Spirit, you can be made whole – made holy – made perfect.

And that's the secret, too. Jesus offered Himself for our sake 2,000 years ago. And at every Mass, He mystically re-presents this sacrifice on the altar. 

He comes to you, today. Right now. And at every Mass. And in the Tabernacle.

However you say it, Jesus is really now on Earth – right here, right now.

For you. And for me.

Tuesday 1st Week of Lent @ St. Apollinaris School

HOMILY - TUESDAY FIRST WEEK OF LENT
MARCH 7, 2017
8:45 AM ORDINARY FORM MASS (4TH GRADE)



The "Our Father" is the most excellent of all prayers because Our Lord Himself made it and because its petitions ask for all we can need for soul or body.

The Lord's Prayer is divided into seven requests or petitions. Three of these petitions refer to God's honor and glory, and the remaining four to our corporeal or spiritual wants.

We call God Father because He does for us what a good father should do for his children. He gives us our existence; He protects us; He provides for us and teaches us; and because the name of "Father" fills us with love and reverence for him, and with confidence in Him.

We say "who art in heaven" to put us in mind (1) that heaven is our true home for which we were created; (2) that in heaven we shall see God face to face as He is; (3) that heaven is the place where God will be for all eternity, with the blessed.

Hallowed means set apart for a holy or sacred use, and thus comes to mean treated or praised as holy or sacred. "Thy name" means God Himself and all relating to Him, and by this petition we ask that God may be known, loved and served by all.

In the petition "Thy kingdom come" we ask (1) that God may reign in the souls of all men by His grace, so that they may attain eternal salvation; (2) that the true Church—Christ's kingdom—may spread upon earth till all men embrace the true religion.

In the petition for "our daily bread" we ask not merely for bread, but for all that we need for the good of our body or soul.

"Trespasses" mean here injuries done or offenses given to another, and when God is the person offended, "trespasses" mean sins.

In this petition we declare to God that we have forgiven all who have injured or offended us, and ask Him to reward us by pardoning our sins.

We may be said to forgive our enemies when we act, and, as far as possible, feel toward them as if they had never injured us.

A temptation is anything that incites, provokes, or urges us to offend God.

The best means of overcoming temptation is to resist its very beginning, by turning our attention from it; by praying for help to resist it; and by doing the opposite of what we are tempted to do.

It is not a sin to be tempted, because we cannot prevent it. It is sinful only to consent or yield to the temptation or needlessly expose ourselves to it.

We ask to be delivered from every evil of body and mind, but particularly to be delivered from sin, which is the greatest of all evils.

Text taken from "The Baltimore Catechism III, Section A - The Lord's Prayer."

1st Sunday of Lent @ St. Apollinaris Church

HOMILY - FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT (YEAR A)
MARCH 5, 2017
7:30 AM, 9:00 AM, 5:30 PM ORDINARY FORM (ENGLISH) MASSES



Epistemology is a branch of philosophy dealing with knowledge. It literally means, “the study of knowledge.” Epistemology arose within philosophy in response to skepticism. Where epistemology attempts to define the sources, limits, structures, and sufficiency of knowledge; skepticism questions all of those. There are levels of skepticism ranging from subtle inquiry to the questioning of everything. As an academic subject, it can be interesting and engaging. However, in practical matters, it can rapidly become as taxing as a precocious toddler asking “Why? Why? Why?” … over and over again.

Skepticism can be directed at specific areas of thought, such are morality, religion, or politics. Or else it can be directed at knowledge and the nature of knowledge itself.

In our own day and age, with its fake news, spin doctors, and media manipulators, one is almost forced into a varying levels and modes of skepticism.



Nonetheless, skepticism has its limits.

After all … at some point, you have to surrender to the knowledge that this is your breakfast, you are certainly hungry, and it would be a good thing to eat now. This, as opposed to questioning the existence of breakfast, hunger, or food itself.



The roots of the word skepticism come from the Greek word for “inquiry.” Yet in its common usage it brings up images of doubt and disbelief.

Today is the First Sunday of Lent.

What was green one week ago, is now violet. Last Wednesday, many of us received ashes on our foreheads as a sign of penitence. Fasting from food or certain activities, fish on Fridays, almsgiving, and increased prayer will be our preoccupation for the next 6 weeks.



The readings this week deal with temptation. The Old Testament presents the temptation – and fall – of our First Parents. The Gospel presents the Temptation of Jesus in the desert. And the Epistle compares and contrasts these two events.

In considering these two temptations, there is a common factor that needs to be considered, since biblically, there is a three thousand year gap between the two events. This common factor in both, is the introduction of doubt into something which should be – and should remain – foundational knowledge.

In Genesis, the serpent asks:

Did God really tell you …

And proceeds to turn what was once black and white into 50 or more shades of grey.



In the Gospel, the temptations of Our Lord each begin with

If you are the Son of God …

Trying to call into question, not only Jesus’ identity, His relationship to God the Father, and also His entire being.



For ourselves, many if not all of our temptations arise out of doubts concerning what should often be concrete. In our temptations, we may end up calling into question who we are, where the line is, or how far we can stretch things.

The end result is the same: sin. And from sin, comes death. Maybe not physical death, but usually the death of our self-image; someone’s reputation; or the loss or injury of a valued relationship.

In all of this, we must remember that we are Baptized into Christ Jesus. And through Him, with Him, and in Him we are made whole. Not by our own power, but by a free gift of grace.

St. Paul explains this by pointing out that while our actions may leave us open to condemnation, that

the grace of God and the gracious gift of … Jesus Christ … [have] brought acquittal … [through] the abundance of grace and the gift of justification … [thus] life came to all.

When we struggle to hold onto our beliefs within the midst of a personal or societal epistemological crisis – a crisis of knowledge of self … or surroundings; we need to dig deep and rely on the foundational graces we received in Baptism – namely, Faith, Hope, and Love – in order to transcend the frailties and the weaknesses of our human condition.



As we approach this altar to receive the Sacred Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, let us pray for a deeper outpouring of the graces of our Baptism. May we persevere in Faith, Hope, and Love – not by our own efforts, but through the infinite gracious gift of God the Father, by the power of the Holy Spirit; and through, with, and in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Ash Wednesday @ Justin-Siena High School

HOMILY - ASH WEDNESDAY
MARCH 1, 2017
10:30 AM ORDINARY FORM MASSES

R = Remember … that you are dust, Jesus in the breaking of the bread, we are one body in Christ

E = End … old habits, negativity, revenge, isolation

P = Penance … give up / let go of what hold you back / down … take up what lifts you up

E = Expect … a miracle, God’s grace, to be surprised, amazed, more than can be expected

N = Newness … “Behold, I make all things new,” (Revelation), “See, I am doing a new thing,” Isaiah

T = Try … Saints aren’t perfect, Saints are just the ones who got back up … you never know unless you try

Hebrew - “Turn around” translated as "repent"


Greek - “Change your mind” translated as "repent"

Special thanks to Prolific Prep for helping with the homily!