Thursday 5th Week of Easter @ St. Apollinaris School

HOMILY - THURSDAY 5TH WEEK OF EASTER
MAY 18, 2017
8:45 AM ORDINARY FORM MASS (2ND GRADE)



Today, we hear Jesus tell us to "Remain in His Love."

We get lots of images of love in our day-to-day lives.

The Beatles told us "All You Need is Love," we are inundated with messages of love at Valentine's Day, and even the popular culture has postage stamps, cartoons, and bumper stickers about love.

But this is the type of love that "loves ice cream." That is until we get a stomach ache from eating too much. Then we don't have much feeling for ice cream, except maybe nausea.

Jesus tells us to "remain in His Love," and that calls us to be with Jesus – and God the Father – all the time, in every place, with every thought, and every action. To live, breathe, think, and act ... through, with, and in God.

Because, while there are many things that come and go in our lives claiming to be love, God – in His entire being – IS LOVE!

So to remain in God's Love is to remain in God. To remain, abide, continue, endure, live, or await – all in God, and all in His Love.

Ice cream may or may not be something worth loving, but God is always Love, will always love us, and will always be lovable.

And so, to remain or abide in God's Love, we must follow Jesus; receive His grace, mercy, and love; and trust in His Word and in His promises.

Tuesday 5th Week of Easter @ St. Apollinaris School

HOMILY - TUESDAY 5TH WEEK OF EASTER
MAY 16, 2017
8:45 AM ORDINARY FORM MASS (4TH GRADE)



Today is the feast day of St. Brendan, an Irish saint. He was born in 484 AD, in Ireland, County Kerry, in the town of Tralee. He was ordained a priest in 510 AD, and about two years later began traveling to spread the Gospel.

We know that he travelled to Wales, Scotland, and England. But it is also thought that he may have travelled to Iceland, Greenland, Canada, the Azores, and the Canary Islands. Much of his travels are the stuff of legend, and it's difficult to sift the facts.

He sailed in a ship made of wood and leather, and in 1976, an Irish explorer made a replica ship out of ox hides and set sail. His adventure is told in the book The Brendan Voyage.



St. Brendan built monasteries and churches where he went, and that is how we know for sure some of his journeys. He set out with twelve companions, and evangelized the British Isles (and possibly more places than that!)

He died in 577 AD, and is the patron saint of boatmen; divers; mariners; sailors; travellers; whales; the Diocese of Clonfert, Ireland; and the Diocese of Kerry, Ireland.

He is known as Brendan the Navigator, Brendan the Voyager, Brendan the Anchorite (a hermit), and Brendan the Bold.

The Brendan Voyage (Part I) The 1976 recreation of the voyages of St. Brendan.

The Brendan Voyage (Part II) The 1976 recreation of the voyages of St. Brendan.

Thursday 4th Week of Easter @ St. Apollinaris School

HOMILY - THURSDAY 4TH WEEK OF EASTER
MAY 11, 2017
11:00 AM ORDINARY FORM MASS (ALL SCHOOL)



In the message of Fatima, there are three secrets.

The first secret, revealed to the children in July 1917, was that Hell is real.

That's the bad news. The good news is that Heaven is also real. And we have a choice as to which place we end up. If we love God, and follow Christ, we understand that we will go to Heaven. If we turn our backs on God, and don't follow the Gospel, it may not go well for us.

The second secret is that wars are caused by sin.

Too often, we are told that wars are caused by economic issues, territorial issues, or sociological issues. But really, when it's reduced to the lowest common denominator, the bottom line is that sin causes conflicts and wars. Being selfish, not doing what is right, going against God's will – these all end up causing strife and ultimately war.

The good news is that God sent His Son to save us from sin and our tendency toward sin. Through the Cross, we are saved, and through Baptism and the Sacraments, we are given God's grace (His power) to do the right thing and to follow Him with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength. God's grace also allows us to love our neighbor as ourself. God desires peace.

Finally, the third secret is that in the end, God's way wins.

No matter how bad things may look for ourselves or for others, God desires to save all of us.

For our part, we should pray (talk to God, and build up our relationship to Him,) do penance (to make up for our sins, and to build up our spiritual strength against temptation), and perform acts of reparation (to make up for the sins of others, through sacrifices and prayers united with the Sacred Heart of Jesus.)

God wants everyone to know the truth – and Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life – so God wants everyone to know Jesus, and to be saved through His grace.

That's the message of the Gospel; and that's the message of Fatima, as well.

Tuesday 4th Week of Easter @ St. Apollinaris School

HOMILY - TUESDAY 4TH WEEK OF EASTER
MAY 9, 2017
8:45 AM ORDINARY FORM MASS (4TH GRADE)



In the Acts of the Apostles, we hear that in Antioch the followers of Jesus were first called Christians.

The last two weeks, we heard about the Church in Alexandria founded by St. Mark, who was succeeded a few centuries later by St. Athanasius. This week we hear of the Christians in Antioch.

Of the other ancient Christian cities, there are also Jerusalem and Rome – which you may already know about. But the fifth is Constantinople.

The word Christians comes from the word Christ (in Greek) which means Messiah (in Hebrew) which means "Anointed One."

We are also anointed. There are three oils for anointing: the Oil of the Sick, the Oil of Catechumens, and Sacred Chrism. The one named Sacred Chrism gets its name from the same word in Greek meaning anointed.

Sacred Chrism is also used in Baptism, Confirmation, and in Holy Orders (for the ordination of priests and bishops.) Sacred Chrism is also used in consecrating churches, altars, chalices, and patens.

Which brings us to the big question. If the followers of Jesus in Antioch were known as "Christians," do you live, think, speak, and act in a way that would identify you as a Christian.

4th Sunday of Easter @ St. Apollinaris School

HOMILY GRAPHICS - FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER  (YEAR A)
MAY 7, 2017
10:30 AM ORDINARY FORM (ENGLISH) MASSES

4th Sunday of Easter @ St. Apollinaris Church

HOMILY - FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER  (YEAR A)
MAY 7, 2017
7:30 AM, 9:00 AM ORDINARY FORM (ENGLISH) MASSES

Harry Edward Nilsson III was born on June 15, 1941 in Brooklyn, New York. His grandparents were Swedish circus performers known for their aerial ballet. His father left when he was three years old, and he grew up between New York and California living with various relatives and step fathers.

He lied on a job application at a bank when he was 19, claiming to be a high school graduate – when he had really only finished ninth grade. But he was so good with computers, that even when the bank found out, they kept him on. He worked on bank computers at night, and during the day, pursued his true vocation as a singer-songwriter.

He is perhaps best known for his song, “One” – also known as “One is the loneliest number” – which was recorded by “Three Dog Night” in 1966, reaching Number Five on the U.S. Billboard Hot One Hundred.

Following the death of John Lennon, he worked ardently to promote gun control. His musical pursuits became more sporadic from that time until his death at age 53, which occurred while recording a come-back album in 1994.

Today is the Fourth Sunday of Easter. And this week’s readings have an undercurrent or theme of The Good Shepherd. This has led the Fourth Sunday to be dubbed “Good Shepherd Sunday,” and has further led to the promotion of vocations, giving rise to the alternate name of “Vocations Sunday.” 

In a few moments, we will rise and profess our common Faith. The Creed we pray is broken into four parts. The first three cover God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. While the last part covers the Church, Baptism, the Resurrection, and Eternal Life.

There are four adjectives used to describe the Church. These adjectives are known as the “Four Marks of the Church.” These aren’t they type of marks that mean your parish church needs a new paint job. These are the distinguishing characteristics of the Church – the True Church – founded by Christ.

The Four Marks of the Church are: One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic.

The Church is Apostolic, because we are founded on the teachings and traditions of the 12 Apostles. But more than ancient history, the Church is Apostolic because we are sent – the Greek word "apostello" means "to be sent." And we are sent at the end of Mass to go and spread the Gospel in the world by our lives, our words, and our actions.

The Church is Catholic because it is “Universal” – which is what Catholic means in Greek (katholikos). 

The Church is Holy – not because we are particularly holy, but because we are made Holy through God’s grace, and are the Bride of Christ.

The tough one, is how is the Church “one?”

Six verses after the end of today’s Gospel reading, Jesus continues; speaking about His flock being composed of many folds, but that He as the Good Shepherd leads and calls His sheep so,

There will be one flock, [and] one shepherd.

And this is the unity of the Church. It isn’t “uniformity,” but rather is a unity under Christ.

In the Fourth Chapter of the Letter to the Ephesians, St. Paul enunciates this “unity of the spirit” by declaring that there is 

one body, … one Spirit … [and] one hope … ;
 one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism;
one God and Father of all , who is over all and through all and in all.

And so, by the power of the Holy Spirit, our differences are united under one Lord and Shepherd, one Faith and one Hope, in one Body – the Mystical Body of Christ – and and through, in, and under one God.

Which makes us one flock, under one shepherd.

And so, the Church is “One” while remaining diverse. So that in pursuing our unique vocations – in marriage, ministry, or single life – we form the one Body of Christ, united in the mission of living out the Gospel in our lives.

As we approach this altar to receive the Sacred Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ – the One Sacrifice of the Good Shepherd, Who lays down His life for _us_ His sheep – let us reflect on the Four Marks of the Church and how they relate to our own understanding of not only our role in the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church; but also on how we contribute to its unity, holiness, universality, and evangelical character. 

Then, as we are sent forth from this place, may we help to build the Kingdom of God … in our selves, our homes, our town, and in our world.

St. Athanasius @ St. Apollinaris School

HOMILY - MEMORIAL OF SAINT ATHANASIUS, BISHOP AND DOCTOR
MAY 2, 2017
8:45 AM ORDINARY FORM MASS (4TH GRADE)



St. Athanasius was born in 296 in the town of Alexandria. (Does anyone remember who was the first bishop of Alexandria? Last week's Feast Day was St. Mark, the first bishop of Alexandria!)

When he was a boy, he was playing at the beach, and he was playing at baptizing his friends. The bishop of Alexandria noticed this, and called the boys over. He assured them that water was the proper matter for baptism, and saying "I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen." Was the proper form for baptism. So, that, indeed they were baptized!

The bishop then provided for their education and catechesis in the Faith.

In 319, Athanasius was ordained a deacon and in 325 attended the Council of Nicea. The heresy or error of that time was that people didn't want to believe that Jesus was God. Certain emperors, kings, and authorities thought this way, and many bishops and priests went along with the politicians just because it was easier.

Athanasius taught against this error, and at the Council of Nicaea pressed for the Apostolic teaching of the Faith, namely, that Jesus was indeed God and man. The word we use in the Nicene Creed (i.e. the Creed we use on Sundays and Solemnities) "consubstantial" was used by Athanasius (or at least the Greek equivalent "homousius.") The Arians pretended to approve the Creed, but started leaving out the "N" saying "co-substantial" (or in Greek, they added a letter, "homoiusius") to promulgate their error while lying that they believed what the Council of Nicaea taught.

Athanasius continued to teach against the errors of the Arians, and in 328 was made bishop and patriarch of Alexandria.

The Arians still had political friends, and they made us lies about Athanasius (one being that he was going to interfere with grain shipments and trade to the Imperial capital); and so over the next several years, he was exiled five times by his enemies within the Emperor's court.

He was exiled first to Germany (where it's cold), then to Rome, then to "upper" Egypt (which is in the southern desert, but it's "upstream" on the Nile River), then outside of his own town of Alexandria, and finally back to upper Egypt. Everywhere he was exiled to, he was welcomed as a defender of the true Faith, and allowed to teach and perform the duties of a bishop. Sending letters to the people in Alexandria encouraging them to persevere in the truths of the Catholic Faith.

He died in 373, having been restored to his diocese in Alexandria, at the age of 77.