We come to the finale of the church year, the feast of Christ the King. When God raised Christ from the dead he made him lord of heaven and earth, That’s why we call him King. At the end of all He will come in Kingly Glory to judge the living and the dead. Let’s prepare for that day now by cleansing our hearts of anything that separates us from our king of love on Calvary..

Homily

In the end we will be judged by love, St.Theresa says. it’s also the theme of Christ’s second coming to separate the sheep from the goats. They will be separated according to their practical charity towards their fellow human beings or lack of it. This parable shows how important charity is in the lives of Christians. As St.Paul also says: “charity cancels a multitude of sins”. But apart from the fact that charity is the key to our salvation, we Christians should make a special effort to help the needy for another reason. Because they’re children of God, our brothers and sisters in Christ. If your brother or sister here in this area was starving would you walk by. People would say how heartless. But all are our brothers and sisters in Christ.

And He asks us to love each of them in a practical way. Yet how many of us walk by brothers and sisters in the gutter. I include myself in this. Every day on TV there are images of starving children in Africa and I turn away. Are we responsible for righting this wrong? Yes, because we are our brother’s keeper, and we’re partly to blame for their suffering. When in The Philippians I saw how 60% of its GNP went to repaying interest on a national debt to western banks. For every euro we give to the poor countries we take 9 out in payments to our banks. That’s the great global financial system that even here now takes from pensioners to give to rich bondholders.

Charity should start here, with the needy brothers and sisters around us. As Christmas approaches giving to Vincent De Paul is one way of helping. Directly or indirectly we might give of our surplus to the less well off. Indeed, that’s our Christian duty so as to make the world the kingdom of Christ the king of love. Even people living with us can be needy and were too caught up in work to notice. In our homes a simple hug costs nothing.

But at home or abroad we Christians can’t ignore others needs. Lest our King of love say to us when he comes at last: “depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire for I was hungry, and you didn’t give me to eat etc”. If Christ came on earth now and asked us for money for the poor we’d surely give; but needy Christ’s beg us for help every day. Give to everyone who asks, Christ says. I myself find that hard but if someone asks I always give something. Sure people take advantage, but we can’t deny the Gospel, and it’s better to err on the side of generosity than be mean. For only as giving people are we sons and daughters of a God who gives us everything freely; “freely, freely you’ve received, freely freely give”, the hymn says. Christ was king of love on Calvary because he gave to the last drop of blood for us. We should also give until it hurts, and even our smallest acts of charity will be rewarded by God. For the hard self-centred world of which Satan is lord will be cast down at last, but Christ will be eternal king of loving giving people forever and ever amen.

So at this end of the church year remembering that we’ll be rewarded for every ounce of charity and love we show lets make our profession of faith in our King of Love..

Prayers of the faithful

And as God’s people let’s pray for our and the world’s needs.

For church leaders throughout the world, especially our Holy Father and the bishops, that they may be the voice and heart of Christ the King to all those in need in our world..

For civil leaders that they may make it their special care to reach out to the poor and underprivileged in society..

For our youth that they may look to the interests of all those in need around them so make a difference by their lives..

For ourselves in our homes that we may never be so caught up in work and making money to give the gift of care and affection to our children and aged or sick relatives and neighbours..

For the sick, the aged, the lonely and the oppressed that through our care they may know that they are loved and cherished as all precious children of Christ the king of love on Calvary..

For the dead that our vital charitable prayers on their behalf may lead them out of darkness into the glorious kingdom of God that Christ the king has prepared for them..

And we ask all our prayers through Christ the King of love and peace and glory forever and ever amen.

Reflection:

There’s a story told of St Martin. One cold wet winter day he was riding home and saw a poor man on the road with scant clothes, shivering with the cold. Martin got down from his horse, took off the fine thick cloak he was wearing and wrapped it around the man. That night he had a dream. Wrapped in that cloak, he saw Christ saying to him, “thank you, Martin, for clothing me in my need”. This echoes Christ word today: “as long as you did it to these the least of my brethren you did it to me”. Let’s all reach out to the needy Christs around us..Hail Mary..

This is the last Sunday of the church year and the church continues to put before us the end things – death, judgement and the second coming of Christ. As we get older time flies. So its wise while here on earth to store up riches in heaven. Lets confess any ways we fail to prepare for the Lord’s coming..

Homily

When young I loved my parents and thought they’d never die. Yet both are gone and I miss them. The death of those we love is hard. Yet there’s only one certainty in life, our death, no one knows the day nor the hour. So its wise to be prepared: as the psalm says: “make me know the shortness of life that I may gain wisdom of heart”. and true wisdom is to live by faith while here on earth and to trust in Christ through all life’s trials. For life, though short, is as the poet says, “A vale of soul making”. We should use the time we have to build up our faith so that we wont be taken by surprise when the master comes. As Paul says in our reading, “its not as if we live in the dark for that day to come like a thief”. Christ says that his faithful will never walk in darkness. We’ll have the light of his life here and happiness with loved ones when our work’s done and He calls us home. So my youthful belief that my parents would live forever was right, for they had faith and goodness of heart. That enriched them to the core of their being and gave them a glory the world cannot give.

Now as days shorten, winter comes and harsh winds of recession blow, we should be wise and have similar faith. For darkness suggests eternal death and evil and no one wants to live in dark forever. Nor will we if, through faith and prayer and active Christian goodness, we keep Christ alive in our hearts. For He promised that those who believe and trust in Him will have the light of life. If were faithful to Him and his church we’ll have no fear. Unlike the good for nothing servant of the gospel, we wont be cast out into the dark of weeping and grinding of teeth.

But we should never presume on our salvation. That’s why the church puts before us as at this time the end things – death and Christ’s second coming to judge the living and the dead. Like the gospel of today she warns us to stay awake spiritually, lest we fall prey to the dark of Satan and the world of which he’s lord.

A headline in a paper recently said: “10 years ago we thought we’d killed God, now he seems to be very much alive again”. Why is the world so anxious to kill Christ today. That was the Neitzschean and Fascist philosophy. It said we must kill God and shake off all traditional moral restraints; look at the hell that led to under Hitler. Yet it is largely the secular philosophy of today. Does closing the Irish embassy to the Holy See suggest we’re adopting that dead end thinking. Christ challenges the world with what’s right so every age tries to kill him anew.

Perhaps some of you saw the film, “The Omen”, about the anti-Christ. The film is a misrepresentation of the Book of Revelation whose message is essentially positive; if we trust in Christ his coming will be a great joy. But the film is interesting in the anti-Christ is from a rich powerful family with global financial interests. Some say the anti-Christ’s already with us in such liberal capitalist thinking allied with materialism and media-driven secularism. Be that as it may, our task is to hold firm to Christ’s light no matter what contrary worldly philosophy holds. So that when he comes he’ll say: “well done good and faithful servants”. For the things of the world of which Satan is lord fade to dust and ashes at last, we cant take them into the grave, but Christ’s lord of love, goodness, peace, happiness and salvation for this world and forever and ever amen. So God’s people persevering in faith, love and goodness through all the trials of life and worldly attacks and so joining the saints in glory when Christ comes at last, lets profess our undying faith..

Prayers of the faithful

For our Holy Father and all church leaders, that they radiate the steady light of Christ amid the turbulence of our world..

For our civil leaders that they may not promote any philosophy that is alien to our heritage of glory in Christ..

For our youth that they may enjoy life’s good things given by God fully without putting their trust in passing worldly philosophies that threaten their deeper inner happiness and eternal salvation.

For ourselves in our homes, work places and areas, that, clinging to Christ the light of the world, we may illumine the darknesses of our world with his saving faith and presence, and go out to meet him with all the saints when he comes again in glory..

For all those suffering in the present recession and troubles of our world and all the sick, that trusting in Christ who is the same yesterday, today and forever they may have the strength to rise above all trials and sufferings..

For the dead that in this time of winter and darkness, they may experience an eternal summer with the heavenly father through our liberating prayers and petitions for them..

And we ask all these prayers through Christ our Lord, the light of the world and our unfailing hope forever and ever, amen.

Reflection:

In never tire of retelling the famous story of Faust. He sold his soul to the devil for a certain number of years of purely worldly power, wealth and pleasure. As the time fled and he neared his end he realized how stupid a bargain he has made. Many in our increasingly secular world make a similar mistake; they invest everything in passing things, nothing in their soul’s salvation. We pray to Mother Mary that we may not fall into that dead-end trap..Hail Mary.

Homily
In the early church Christians could be saved from the lions if they abandoned Christ. For this they received money. A Christian took the cash. As he watched comrades going to die a soldier said, “aren’t you lucky, you’re alive & rich while they’re dead meat?”. “No”, he said, “they’re the ones who’re alive, I’m the one who’s dead”. He’d sold his soul for useless passing riches. It’s the gospel. The so-called religious scribes pretended long prayers, but oppressed the poor for money; their faith was a soulless sham. By contrast, we’ve the widow; out of her livelihood she gave all. Christ was awestruck. She lived perfectly his command to love the lord with our whole heart. Also, she lived his new commandment in the beatitudes: “blessed are the poor in spirit”. Detached from money she didn’t hoard even the little she had. Christ asks us to have the same freedom from possessiveness. For this as the only way to solve world poverty also. To give generously from a faith-filled loving heart, to bring justice to the earth by sharing our surplus with the needy everywhere. And that’s good for us too, for we free ourselves from enslaving greed and possessiveness and build up treasure in heaven that will last forever. That lesson came home to me when I was buying a site for a house. When fencing it, I made sure I got every inch of ground. “Ah”, the fencer said, “a few feet of ground is all we have in the end”. A slap in the face for a so-called man of God.
Christ warns us in the same way today. He says the way to end injustice is not “me me” but sharing. This blessed way isn’t easy in a money-mad culture. That’s why this gospel’s so relevant, it warns that wealth can close our hearts to the poor and to God. “Oh that today you’d listen to his voice, harden not your hearts” the psalms say. In the pride of riches we may need neither God nor man. So as wealth increases the practice of the faith falls. But those in Grand houses with 4-by-4 cars abandoning the faith of our fathers are fools, when our souls are required of us riches will be no use to us, only heavenly treasures last.
Christ asks us to take that lesson to heart, to shun the damning way of the greedy world for God’s way of generous giving. For it’s a sure path to happiness here and hereafter. We should keep enough for a good standard of living. But after that give from our surplus to win friends among the poor and a high reward when we come before the lord. Of course this may mean suffering. For the more we follow Christ’s generous way, like the widow, the more the world will despise us. We’ll show up its unsatisfying, materialistic, godless ways. As one holy man said, the test of how well we’re following Christ is how much we suffer and are attacked by the world. Christ, the son of God, was born in a stable and had nowhere to lay his head to give us an example of how to identify with the poor and weak. Sure we should have plenty, but it will be of lasting value only if we share it generously with those in need and the church. Then we’ll raise up our world and make a difference by our lives. And finally we’ll share in the glory of a Lord who gave all to the last drop of his blood for God and us. For the world’s hard greedy values pass and leave us empty before eternity, but He leads generous souls to happiness in this world and forever and ever, amen. So as God’s people called to the generous sharing with the needy around us that comes from a faith-filled heart like the widow, we profess our faith..

Prayers of the faithful
Giving thanks for any prosperity we have and praying that in this time of recession all may return to it, we ask also that we may learn the uselessness of excessive greed and worldliness and give generously to God and others from rich faith-filled hearts.

We pray that the church and its leaders may continue to remind people that man does not live on bread alone…lord hear us

For our leaders here in Ireland and in the EU that they may not neglect to serve the spiritual as well as material needs of those they govern and work for a more equal distribution of wealth.

For our youth that they may not be so caught up in the pursuit of worldly things that they have no time for God and the deeper more lasting goods that enable them to serve the needs of others and grow into everlasting life…

For ourselves that in our homes we will have generous and loving hearts towards our children and all who enter our houses..

For the sick the lonely, the aged and those in our parish who need special care that we may find the time to be there for them and so bear witness to true Christian love….

For the dead, especially those who have died recently in our parish and for all those whose anniversaries occur at this time, all those on the November list of the dead..

And we ask this through Christ our lord in whom all good, holy, and generous souls find happiness forever and ever, amen.

Reflection
Recently our neighbour died in a ruin of a house with the cold wind blowing in broken windows. Yet when they consulted his affairs they found he’d hundreds of thousands in the bank. It was no good to him on earth and relatives have fought over it since. Life’s short, we’re foolish to put it all into money making. For we carry nothing into the grave but faith and good deeds. Others will spend the earthly wealth we’ve accumulated, but our wealth in God is ours forever. Let be wise and see that..Hail Mary

Today’s very beautiful readings sum up our faith. We’re to love the Lord with all our heart and soul and love our neighbour as Christ loved us. Let’s confess any fail to love in our lives..

Homily

Love is our vocation. What do is love? It’s a much abused world today, meaning anything from vague affection to sexual intercourse. So as Christians we must look to Christ to teach us what real love is. That’s easy, his whole life was one of love as total giving service of God and others unto death. And that love was not exclusive. He opened his arms to embrace all on the cross and gave everything to the last drop of his blood for all, even those who crucified him. Our love must be like that, non-discriminatory, self-giving, extending even to those we dislike.

In a film of John Paul 11’s life, a wonderful scene shows such love in action. A Polish friend says that they should attack Nazi persecutors mercilessly and kill all collaborators. “No”, John Paul replies, “we’ll defeat them by love”. We know how effective his way was both in defeating Fascism and later harsh communist rule in Poland. His way won out against overwhelming odds because no one can defeat the loving heart in the long run. No wonder two miracles have already been found for his canonisation. For today’s readings echo his words as gospel truth. Loving God and each other with a generous all-inclusive love is the only way to redeem a hating, divided, violent world.

Sadly we often “love” God in a different way. We hate and kill in his name, so-called religious can be worst in this. Christ had to confront the Pharisees who’d stone the woman caught in adultery. Many still do Satan’s work by religious fanaticism, distorting the holiness of faith, people like Ben Laden who blew up innocent people. Or Paisley who claims Catholics, even the Pope are God’s enemies. Only his church, preaching division, worships God. Catholics can be as intolerant. By thus turning love of God into hate we actually serve the evil one.

For, as our readings make clear, to be like God, we must constantly widen our thinking. We must have ever bigger hearts, ever more generous souls, ever more forgiving minds. And that can only come from a close relationship with the living God. As John Paul says: “if we accept the true and living God, He will walk with us in love”. Scripture says the same. God’s love should lead to unconditional love even of enemies. This is redemption for the world, to love all, especially enemies. Someone said to me once: “I’m a sinner, so God is sure to hear my prayers”, how wise. God’s love is wider and deeper than anything we can imagine.

As such his ways are not those of secular liberals either. They too hate and condemn those who don’t follow their agenda. They close their hearts to God or religion or the other world, and can be so self-righteously harsh in their tribunals, spiritually dead in their philosophy. God’s ways aren’t so narrow. They’re deep, broad, generous and warm as the heavens. If we open our hearts and minds to this living God our hearts will also open to all our fellow brothers and sisters; we’ll imitate Christ and be saints. We’ll stop casting God in our image, or excluding him altogether in self-centred secularism. We’ll obey the key commandment, love your God and humanity as Christ loved you. So we’ll be open, loving, generous, spiritually alive human beings. For all else fades and leaves us empty at last, but Christ is lord of real love for our happiness in this world and forever and ever, amen.

So as people called to love God and each other in Christ with our whole hearts, souls and minds lets profess our faith…

Prayers of the Faithful

And as the people of God lets pray to our loving Father for the things that we need, especially loving hearts..

For the church throughout the world that, eschewing power and self-service, it may witness to love in everything it does..

For civil leaders that their love for the people they govern may be shown in the integrity of their dealings and the wise laws they make for the people’s good, especially the most vulnerable..

For our youth that their love of God and others may be the cornerstone of their lives so that they may achieve happiness in this world, and with all they have loved forever in heaven..

For parents that their constant, affectionate and undiscriminate love for their children may bring them to fullness of life..

For the sick, the aged, the lonely and the disturbed im mind or soul that through our care they may know the love of God..

For the dead that having lived in love of God here below they may come to fullness of life with Him forever helped by our loving prayers for them, a love which continues after death..

And we ask all these prayers through Christ the living lord of love forever & ever, amen.

Reflection

When we were young everyone went to mass to honor God. And when anyone was in trouble or needed help the neighbours rallied round. When hay needed gathering with rain pending or at thrashing events, everyone piled in. As they did cutting the turf and drawing it home in the autumn, or stacking it in the outhouse for the winter. The tea, sandwiches and cakes brought by womenfolk that we ate on the banks of turf on fine summer days tasted like heaven. We came to see, as the poet says, that no man is an island, that we are greatest when one in the human and divine solidarity of work and loving comradeship. Let’s pray to discover that in our way now…Hail Mary.

Today we remember not only the canonized saints but all the ordinary saints we have all known. It is a reminder to us that our central Christian call is to be holy as our heavenly Father is holy. Let’s confess any ways we fail in this witness..

Homily

This time of year, as the days grow short and dark and the weather cold and wet, the church wisely asks to reflect on the end things, death, judgement and Christ’s second coming. It does so not to frighten us but to keep us awake spiritually. A child in the dark is often afraid. It senses the link between darkness and evil, and no one wants to live in darkness forever. That’s also why we’ve two great feasts this week; All Saints and All Souls. We remember those who kept the faith and reached eternal light and also those still in darkness, who need our prayers.

In today’s scripture the church tells us how to avoid that fate, how to be part of the vast throng of white-robed saints Christ will lead to eternity on the last day. We’re to go through life free from worthless desires. We’re to keep our hearts as pure as Christ’s. He lists the inner attitudes the saints on earth should have. Free from greed, loving and gentle, bearing sorrow bravely, courageously following what’s right. Merciful, pure in heart, peaceful, ready to suffer in keeping the faith.

These are the paths to sainthood, and the way to happiness here below, to knowing God, being his sons and daughters, members of his holy kingdom for the world’s salvation, a vocation we received at baptism. Then we were given a candle lit from the Paschal Candle and told to keep that flame burning in our hearts until we went out with all the saints to meet Christ at last.

Today we celebrate those saints who’ve gone before us, many of them ordinary people we knew. People like our mothers or grandmothers always saying their beads, who kept the faith in difficult times and had kind gentle hearts. Not that they were perfect, who is. Holiness is the constant struggle to do our best despite our faults. Christ puts the ideal before us but knows that we’re sinners. That’s also why we have masses said for our departed during November. Christ not only showed us the way to God but bore our sins on the cross. Every mass ensures that darkness is washed from our souls and those of our departed.

For in this dark time of the year were not only called to be part of the saints in light, and they’re put before us as examples, were also warned that some may be plunged in darkness forever. That’s certainly where none of us want to be. Its why we pray for loved ones this dark time of the year and offer masses to light them on the way to heaven. For we can’t even imagine how much saving power each mass has for all the struggling souls of the world. Our ancestors knew this in walking over bogs and ditches to be at mass, risking their lives to hide priests.

The feast of all saints today! All souls tomorrow! As the book of Revelation, which deals with the world’s end says, both ask us to be worthy of our calling to be children of God in light. A light for those around us and those passed away like the saints were. A light in the winter of a hard unbelieving world. All that world’s cruel values pass, and leave those who invest in them empty on the shore of eternity, but Christ is lord of love, life, truth, beauty and salvation for our happiness in this world and our glory as his saints forever in heavenly bliss, amen. So as God’s own, called to be one with the saints in light and offering our prayers for those still in darkness, we profess our faith..

Prayers of the faithful

And as his people let’s offer our prayers for ourselves and those still in darkness where the evil one would keep them forever..

We pray for the church throughout the world and especially the church in our country that through the prayers of all the saints it may be renewed in faith and holiness…

We pray for civil leaders that they may put no obstacles in the path of the saints of God within his holy church..

We pray for ourselves that we may keep on the path of holiness and join all the saints we knew who have gone before in faith….

We pray for all those who are still immersed in the darkness of this world unbelief and sin that through our prayers they may come out into the light of Christ and find lasting peace…

For deceased relatives who have passed away – in this month of the holy souls we pray that they may reach their heavenly home, remembering the words of Scripture “its good and holy thing to pray for the dead that they may be released from their sins”…

For all our own special intentions, worries, troubles, sickness or whatever that the lord and all the saints may lead us to light peace and consolation….

And we ask all these things through Christ our Lord from whom all good things come, for he is lord of love forever, amen.

Reflection

Great saints inspire us and aid our spiritual journey…Saints Peter and Paul, Francis, Anthony, Theresa etc. We pray to them in the truth of creed, its affirmation of the key doctrine of the living “communion of saints”. In this truth we can also pray to ordinary saints we knew in our lives, good people who kept faith in every adversity, who lived good lives, and are still part of a family that includes the living and dead in the communion that is the timeless church. Let’s ask Mary to be like them..Hail Mary

Homily
Before I begin the homily, let’s close our eyes. Imagine walking around in darkness. That was the blind man before Christ cured him. Now open your eyes. See everything. That was the joy of the blind man when his eyes were opened, and who did he see when he opened his eyes? The Lord. Jesus opened his eyes in that way too. What did the blind man do then? Did he walk away? Did he go back into the darkness? Did he abandon Jesus? No! “He followed him faithfully along the road”. We’re all called to do the same.
We began that journey with Him at baptism where we promised to leave behind unbelief, sin and death. Cured of inner blindness and sin, we had Christ’s glory within. But have we followed him faithfully on life’s road since?.
It’s not enough to have our eyes opened, they must stay so. We must walk with Christ all life long as faithful members of his church as we promised at baptism and confirmation. We must come each Sunday to hear his word and receive him in communion as part of His life-long family of salvation. We must go out and bear the fruits of that faithful discipleship as his holy people in everyday life, witnessing to his values rather than those of a corrupt world, and so lighting it back to truth and justice. For only by such living worship and faithful witness do we keep our eyes open and keep safely on the right road that makes us wise and happy. For following him is happiness for this world too, besides leading to a final vision of God in heaven for eternity.
Its one thing to say we must do this, however, and another thing to actually do it, for it’s not easy. We’re constantly tempted to go back into the darkness by powerful anti-Christian forces of the world, the flesh and the Devil. Hence, as Paul says, though many have seen the light, some show they prefer darkness. So the call for us today is to keep our eyes open, to be wary of any distraction that leads us away from the faithful following of Christ. Our eyes must be open all the time to worldly temptations to water down the faith, abandon or pay lip service to it. We must constantly renew our commitment within the arms of mother church where Christ lives in Word and Sacrament.
Eyes wide open, we must be on our guard lest the evil one lure us down another road, the road where the blind lead the blind into the ditch. For as one wise man said, though all are called to follow Christ faithfully along his way, many are more often “by the way” or “in the way”. And that’s the other lesson of the gospel today. Like the blind man we mustn’t just open our eyes to Christ and follow him on the way, we must help others, especially loved ones, to come to his light and follow his path as well; like the blind man preaching even to haughty Pharisees, we must be his light to all around us, leading them out of darkness.
For that purpose, as the year ends and days get cold, the church puts before us the end of things, death, judgement and Christ’s second coming. Not to frighten us but keep us focussed on the path, so that when its end comes Christ will meet us with the all the saints and say, “well done good and faithful servant”. For the cold values of a godless world of which Satan is lord, pass and leave us lost by life’s roadside, but Christ is the way, the truth and the life for happiness in this world and forever and ever, amen. As God’s own, cured of blindness by Christ’s death and resurrection, following him faithfully and leading others along the road to every happiness, lets profess our faith…

Prayers of the faithful
Let’s pray now for the things that need to that glorious lord..

For church leaders, especially our Holy Father, may they follow the right way themselves and lead the flock of the whole world out of darkness and evil into God’s light of truth and goodness..

For our civil leaders that they may follow the right way of public life, one of integrity and service of all the people, especially the poor, needy and oppressed of our society..

For youth, may they not wander from the way they began at baptism and continued in Holy Communion and Confirmation, but follow Christ faithfully along life’s road, practising their faith so as to come safely to their heavenly home, and show others the way.

For ourselves in our homes, may we lead our children wisely on the right way, sharing our faith with them and bringing them to the light of life in God, for happiness here and hereafter..

For the sick, the aged, the lonely and the troubled in mind, body or soul that through healing love and care they may be comforted and healed and know the love of God.

For the dead who still need our remembrance and prayers to light them home, that they come safely to their heavenly rest..

And we ask all these, our prayers through Christ, the way, the truth and the life forever and ever, amen.

Reflection
We all get lost at times, driving round and round, not knowing where we are. In Christ and his church we’re never lost spiritually. Even death is not an end, but journey’s end. Like someone who comes to his home, turns off the engine and the car lights, and walks up the driveway to a house where his relatives, friends and loved ones wait. Let’s all keep on the way with Christ in this world so as to reach that happy journey’s end..Hail Mary

We near the end now of the church year and she starts to warn us about the end things, death and judgement. Not to frighten but to keep us on the right path to happiness here and hereafter. Lets confess any ways we stray from God’s straight path..

Homily

Remember the old missionaries and their rousing talks on death and judgement. Some were preachers of hell fire. Now we avoid that and stress God’s love. But a certain amount of warning about our salvation and responsibility for the salvation of others is salutary. This Mission Sunday St.Paul reminds us of that duty. and it involves more than supporting missions abroad. Theresa of Liseux says we can all evangelize wherever we are. and She, who never left her convent, is universal patron of the missions.

Christ’s saving work starts at home. At baptism we were anointed for that work and at confirmation we promised in the words of the old catechism to “be strong and perfect Christians and soldiers for Jesus Christ”. The war of good and evil is endless. So Christians must be active workers for Christ in the world. As Vatican 11 says: “Christians can never be passive before the church’s saving work”. We must all live out the dynamic prophetic and priestly role we received at baptism and confirmation when we promised not just to save ourselves but others and the world in whatever way we can.

That work is not just for priests or religious. Lay people are asked to take up that role now as eucharistic ministers, readers, altar servers, mass goers and financial contributors. We should also be active Christians at home and in the workplace and this was never more needed. In recent elections I saw candidates reluctant to admit their Catholic faith, almost apologizing for their belief. How sad when our ancestors defended the faith unto death at mass rocks. But persecution now is more subtle and deadly. Lets not be pawns of relentless secular ideology but stand up and be counted for Christ, lest our children have no spiritual birthright, but the pearl of their immortal souls cast before the swine of a faithless world of which Satan is lord.

Last Sunday Christ said: ” Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and unto God the things that are God’s”. How many now give all, even their souls, to Caesar and nothing to God. But what use will Caesar be in the end when our souls will be required of us. But even for this world we need the inner happiness, strength and grace of faith. Only God nourishes the inner souls we need to fill so that we can bring others to Christ and eternal life. That’s our mission. Lets do it courageously and to give us the inner grace to do so, lets often turn to prayer. For mission begins in Sunday Eucharist and personal prayer. We can only render to God what is his, if we first know Him through worship. Then we’ve the light to inspire others to go on mission abroad. By and large we are supporting with prayer and money exiles, who, as John Paul 11 says, not only bring faith to millions but also help them out of a desert of poverty and injustice. Let me end with the story of a man picking apples. His friend said: you must’ve done a lot of work to produce this crop. “No”, he said, “last spring my secret bees did the work”. Lets all be bees in God’s orchard enabling the world to produce an ever greater harvest of happiness and salvation in Christ. For the things of this world pass and leave us empty but He’s Lord of truth, happiness and love both for this world and forever and ever amen. So as God’s people, furthering Christian mission in a world crying out for the inner riches of Christ and the eternal salvation of their immortal souls, lets profess our faith.

Prayers of the faithful

For our holy Father and all the leaders of the church that their missionary zeal may lead to a new spring of faith in the world..

For our civil leaders that they may put no obstacles in the way of the nurturing and spreading of the faith..

For our youth that they may have the idealism and enthusiasm to go out the whole and spread the Good News..

For ourselves in our homes that we may bequeath to our children the greatest gift of all, the faith that is their pearl of great price for this world and forever..

For the sick, the aged and the housebound that they may offer their prayers and sufferings for the salvation of the world..

For the dead that through our prayer, a great mission in itself, they may come to their eternal rest and happiness with God and all the saints who have gone before them to everlasting life..

We ask all these things through Christ our Lord who is forever the light of the world, amen.

Reflection:

You may know the story of Francis Xavier, perhaps the greatest of all missionaries. A Jesuit priest he sailed from his native Spain to bring the Good News to the vast countries of the East. There in India and other countries he wore himself out working day and night, preaching and baptizing and building up Christian communities. Tragically, he died on the eve of a great mission to China. Like him we pray that we’ll all have the same zeal for the faith and we ask Mother Mary to help all missionaries today..Hail Mary.

There’s a warning in scripture today. Though we’re God’s people through baptism, yet we may not be chosen. We must keep the white garment we received at baptism on, the garment of faith, holiness and good works, if were to enter the final banquet of heaven. Lets confess ways we fail in living out our baptismal calling..

Homily

“Many are called but few are chosen”. The phrase sticks in the mind; when young we said “many are cold but few are frozen”. Whether our souls are warm or cold when we meet God at death is crucial. We were clothed at baptism in the white garment of faith and virtue and promised to keep it unstained unto eternal life. The man in the Gospel presumed he could enter the final feast of heaven without such a garment on. Lets not make the same mistake?

For the feast were invited to is the eternal one of heaven. At one time only the People of Israel were called to that glory. But Christ invited all, without prejudice, to the feast prepared by his father in heaven. Indeed the blind, the lame, the poor and the sinful are special invitees. He warns all of us, like he did the professional Jewish religious, that “thieves and prostitutes will make their way into the king of heaven before you”. That warning is apt for today. Though specially called, even church people, as recent abuse scandals show, may fail to keep the wedding garment on. Like the pharisees, we all can be corrupted.

We the chosen baptized of today can lose our garment of faith and virtue. We’re his privileged people with untold sacramental aids to salvation. We even receive his body as spiritual nourishment. Every blessing is showered on us as his grace-filled people. But we must beware complacency lest others go into the heavenly banquet before us. For all people in the world are God’s children. All receive some means to salvation, especially those who through no fault of their own do not know or acknowledge Christ. We’ve the immense extra privilege of being part of his holy church. But we must live up to that great gift and do our best to bring its untold blessings to others. Like the Jews we mustn’t think that because were the chosen people we’ll automatically be saved. We’re given much, much will be required of us. We must keep the white garment of faith, virtue and truth on all life long so that our souls will flower at last into eternal life. The baptismal prayer puts that very beautifully: “may we keep the flame of faith alive in our hearts so that when the lord comes we’ll go out to meet him with all the saints”. And he’ll say to us; “well done good and faithful servants inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world”.

But if we fail to keep that white garment on we too risk being cast out into the darkness where there is weeping and knashing of teeth. We cannot presume on our salvation or abuse the goodness of God by lives unworthy of our Christian calling. Above all we mustn’t put worldly greed, power and pleasure before service of God and others as many do today. That’s what the wealthy hard-hearted Pharisees did. Unlike them we are asked to be true, kind, faithful people of God. We may not be saints, though that’s what we’re called to be. But we must bear some fruits of goodness. We may never be perfect but we must keep striving to be so, so that we’ll come before him at death with our baptismal garment as intact as possible, so that Christ will lead us into the eternal banquet. For the values of which Satan is lord fade to dust at last, but Christ is lord of life here and forever and ever amen.

So as God’s faithful keeping the white garment we received at baptism unstained, and always ready to enter the eternal feast, we make our profession of faith..

Prayers of the Faithful

For our holy father the Pope and the others leaders of the church that the white garments they wear may be a sign of their inner grace, integrity and love and they may be lights to our world.

For civil leaders that they may lead the citizens of our country in integrity, fairness and dedication and be especially concerned to help the poor and most vulnerable in society..

For wonderful our youth that they may not become so caught up in the affairs and corruption of the world so as to neglect the salvation of their immortal souls..

For ourselves in our homes, work places and communities that we may keep the fire of faith alive in our hearts, so that the white garment still on, we may come at last to the banquet of life..

For the sick, the old, the lonely and the poor that through our generosity, love and care they may know the love of Christ..

For the dead that the garment of faith on at death, they may come to their heavenly home with the help of our prayers and masses..

and we ask all these prayers through Christ our Lord who is the only lord of life, happiness and goodness forever and ever amen

Reflection:

You may know the story in the Bible of Joseph and the amazing colored coat. He was the youngest son of 12 and it was given to him by his father because he loved him best. But the others in envy took it from him and sold him into slavery, telling the father than a wild beat had eaten him. Joseph, however, was taken to Egypt and became and great man there and later saved his brothers during a famine. All of us are given the many-colored coat of faith at baptism by God. Lets wear it until we return with many fruits of goodness into the home of our loving heavenly Father and Mother. And lets ask that holy mother to keep us in this ..Hail Mary

God gave us life, a beautiful world, food, clothes, families etc. Our gospel asks us to pay back what is his due. “Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and unto God the things that are God’s”. Lets confess ways we fail to serve the living God..

Homily

Recently I asked why TV saturates us with ads for tarot card while banning Christian ads. Are our values awry? If Christ came on earth, doubtless He’d be banned from TV by those who’d say: “why should we listen to this holy tramp, we have our own secular prophet who tell us what we want to hear”. Christ in his day met similar heart’s closed to God, and it caused him great anguish. He saw a people wide open to the wolves of evil as a result, sheep without a shepherd. There were such wolves in our day too. Hitler said we must kill God and follow our will to power beyond any divine code of good and evil. The result was hell. But is that society’s creed now too? No God please! We’re European. The result inner emptiness, no live-giving fruits of faith, goodness and truth. Christ cried when his own shut him out; he may be crying now too. For He still expects justice but finds only bloodshed; many render all to Caesar and nothing to God.

Yet that eternal king gave the vineyard of the world to us, expecting just return. Instead we abuse the earth, ban his servants, and kill his Son’s voice lest we be forced to change. Christ addressed the vineyard parable to an errant people; but its a parable for our time too. Not to frighten but to shock us into seeing He is our real happiness here and hereafter. Modern tenants of the world, just as greedy and self-centered as of old, are fools not to heed His voice from the cross of total love. But I fear that if Christ came today, he’d not only not be listened to but be aborted in the womb as the child of a single mother. This is not enlightenment but spiritual and racial suicide.

Which brings me to the other theme of this Sunday, pro-life. John Paul 11 described the modern west as a culture of death. Certainly we seem to be dying spiritually and morally, an aging society killing the vulnerable in the womb and the old in their beds: “He expected justice but only found bloodshed, the cry of distress”; how true of our world where keeping global fat cats happy is also put before feeding the poor. Where the gap between them and the rich widens and money interests rule with impunity.

That is, we still labor under greed-driven godless tenants such as those of our gospel. But today their tyranny extends to killing innocent babes in the womb and justifying this evil for narrow selfish interests, for its happening mainly in the first world, that could afford many more children. But we face the consequences now in a top-heavy society; only for immigrants we’d be in a right quandary; there is a balance built into nature too. But we still shut out any challenge to this dominant ideology. The average age in the western world is 45 now, that in the Arab spring is 21. No wonder our vitality’s waning. No wonder we bring in more third-world youth to fill our armies and factories, and retirement age rises. Youth are real riches. That’s why the church asks for generous fertility, not to oppress but to promote demographical balance and natural fruitful life. But I’m sure if God sent Christ now to preach such things he’d be killed again. The tenants who killed the son were judged. As our western tower of Babel totters in spiritual, moral and economic chaos is this a judgement? Perhaps not, He’s a loving merciful God; but it may be his way of shocking us into sense, into taking the gospel lesson, that fruitless greed is death, but he’s lord of goodness, truth and fertile life for happiness in this world and forever, amen.

So as God’s own charged with producing fruits of faith, goodness, and vital life in his vineyard world, we profess our faith…

Prayers of the faithful

And as the people of God, working in the vineyard of the world today as his tenants, lets pray to produce appropriate fruits..

For our Holy Father and all church leaders, that they may lead the world in proper care for it and all its peoples..

For civil leaders, may they promote respect for life, for justice and equality for all, and equal sharing of earth’s resources.

For youth, may they may be conscious of their responsibilities to God and all that’s good and true, and may they be his true and dutiful tenants, building up our world in faith and love..

For ourselves that in our homes, work places and community that we may pay our due respects to our loving Creator and Savior..

For the very young, the old, the sick and the vulnerable that through our loving nurture and care they may know the love and comfort and healing of God in their lives..

For the dead that having been good tenants of God’s vineyard the world they may, helped by our prayers, rise above their sins and come to the joy of the final great banquet in heaven..

And we ask all these prayers through Christ who is Lord of life, truth peace happiness and salvation forever and ever amen.

Reflection:

We all have vocational roles as cultivators of God’s vineyard the world. To do those well is part of our reason for being, and we can deeply influence others as we pass along, especially if we help others to spiritual light. As the song says “if I help somebody as I pass along then my living will not be in vain”. Lets all produce fruits of faith, good works and nurture of those around us in love and overflowing life, until we gain our eternal heavenly reward. We ask Mary to help us in this..

Keeping one’s promises seems a simple thing. Yet we all fail in this duty to our children or whoever is depending on us. Lets confess any ways we hurt others by not keeping our word..

Homily

The woods are lovely dark and deep,

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep

And miles to go before I sleep.

Promises to keep. Once a man’s or woman’s word was his or her bond and keeping promises was taken for granted. How seriously do we take promises now; how often do children say: “Mummy you promised…Daddy, you promised to take me to the seaside today, its not fair”. Children have a great sense of the importance of keeping one’s word. Like honor or telling the truth, or fairness, its a measure of our integrity, honesty and real love.

We Christians make promises to God and others we shouldn’t disregard. At baptism we promise, or parents do for us, to be faithful, to believe, to practice and pass on the faith to our children. At confirmation we promise to be witness for Christ and to support and spread his church. At marriage we promise to be faithful to our spouse, to share, to take the good with the bad, to bring up children in the love and security of a good home. Keeping such promises is the gospel theme. There’s the father with grapes ready for harvest. The older son vows to go to the vineyard and pick them before they rot but doesn’t go. How hurt that father was, he relied on the son and was let down, like an Irish farmer relying on a son to gather the hay with rain coming.

The message for us is clear. If we make a promise keep it, or like the younger son repent. If we disregard our duty at first we can reconsider. Our heart tells us others and God rely on us keeping our promises. We dare not let them down, especially children and relatives dear to us. They look up to us and think that if we make a promise we mean it; do we? And when we make promises to God, and before God, do we easily set them aside? How hurt our Father in heaven must be when we do that: “My vows to the Lord I will fulfil”, the psalm says. At ordination I made promises, to guide God’s people, to preach the Word, to obey my bishop. Lets pray that priests, bishops and religious will keep their sacred vows, not tarnish offices like some did recently.

People’s word should be their bond even today when anything goes. Sure, its more difficult to be a person of integrity now. The media and everything else says take the easy way out. In the poem the poet would like to sleep and forget his promises. Sleep here suggests death, but “promises to keep”, duties and obligations entered into make going on living imperative for him. That a lesson also for those tempted to commit suicide. There are always promises to keep, miles to go before we can sleep. We all have things to do in the world that no one else can do, we mustn’t abandon these; God and others depend on us. The poet is tempted to lie down and sleep and forget his obligations but deep within he knows that’s irresponsible. Lets keep our promises, our vows, the ordinary and sacred agreements we enter into. Lets do so for the sake of loved ones and God. We Christians, the elder sons, should be careful lest prostitutes and sinners enter heaven before us. Lets hold to our pledged faith unto death. For the fickle world fades to ashes at last but Christ is lord of life, love, beauty, truth and faithfulness both for this world and forever and ever amen. So as the people of God keeping our promises in life and in faith as people of fairness, integrity and love, let’s profess our faith.

Prayers of the faithful

For our holy Father the Pope and all church leaders that living their sacred vows to pastor the flock well, they may do so.

For civic leaders, may they serve the public with fairness, integrity and justice for all, especially the poor.

For our great youth that they may keep the promises they made at Baptism and Confirmation to practice the faith and be workers for Christ’s kingdom of love and goodness through thick and thin..

For ourselves at home, in the workplace and in our community that we may keep our promises, especially to our children, and all who look to us for integrity of word and action..

For the sick, especially our aged and ill relatives, that through our faithful care and love they may know the love of Christ…

For the dead whose faith is know to God alone, that they may come to their eternal home with the help of our prayers..

And we ask all these our prayers through Christ Our Lord who is our faithful savior forever and ever, amen

Reflection:

The code of the Fianna, mythical warriors who defended Ireland in pre-history, was; “Gloine ar gcroi, neart ar mhuine, is beart do reir ar mabriathar”. Which means purity of heart, strength of mind and keeping one’s promises, being true to one’s word. It was a very Christian code. Through the prayers of Mary lets hope we can live with such Christian integrity today..Hail Mary