Tag: Deacon Rudy Villarreal

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First Sunday of Lent 2019

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First Sunday of Lent 2019

First Reading: Deuteronomy 26:4-10
Psalm: Psalm 91:1-2, 10-15
Second Reading: Romans 10:8-13
Gospel: Luke 4:1-13

“…I saw two roads. One was broad, covered with sand and flowers, full of joy, music and all sorts of pleasures. People were walking along it, dancing and enjoying themselves. They reached the end without realizing it. And at the end of the road there was a horrible precipice; that is, the abyss of hell. The souls fell blindly into it; as they walked, so they fell. And their number was so great that it was impossible to count them. And I saw the other road, or rather, a path, for it was narrow and strewn with thorns and rocks; and the people who walked along it had tears in their eyes, and all kinds of suffering befell them. Some fell down upon the rocks, but stood up immediately and went on. At the end of the road there was a magnificent garden filled with all sorts of happiness and all these souls entered there. At the very first instant they forgot all their sufferings,” (Diary, 153).<1>

That’s an excerpt of the work of Faustina Kowalska, a holy woman who received amazing visions during her lifetime both at Vilnius and in Cracow in the 1930s. The work is called the Diary of St. Faustina. This particular vision is troubling, but it fits so well with our readings for the First Sunday of Lent. Let’s start with Paul.

St. Paul says, “…for, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved,” (Rom 10:X). Is that all there is to it?

But wait, doesn’t Scripture also tell us that the devil believes that Jesus is the “son of the Most high God,” (Luke 8:28)?

And doesn’t Jesus warn us in Scripture, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven,” (Matthew 7:21)?

What are we to make of all of this? Like Faustina’s vision suggests, there are many who confess Jesus as Lord and believe they are saved, but they are on the wrong path. But how can this be? How is it possible that someone who has been saved can fall from grace into the waiting hands of the devil? One word: temptation.

In today’s Gospel, the devil tempts Jesus. So this is a good time to reflect on the ways we might be tempted by the devil, tempted to, perhaps inadvertently, abandon Jesus. Is it bad to be tempted? No. Temptation makes us stronger if we can recognize the temptation and like Jesus if we can send the devil packing.

How does all this work? Well to answer that, we need to go back to the beginning.

In Genesis, the serpent speaks to the first humans. If you put yourself in that story, you can almost hear that serpent say, “Good? You’re not good! You’re human. Look at yourselves! You’re filthy! If you want to be good, then you need to be like God and if you want to be God, then you need to eat the fruit of this tree.”<2>

Do you see the subtly? Jewish scholars suggest that evil doesn’t enter the world with the original sin, but rather with the first temptation. And what was the first temptation? Doubting the goodness of God’s creation. Doubting that we’re good enough or perhaps believing that we deserve better.

That’s a message we hear all the time, isn’t it? You’re not good enough, or you deserve more. Advertisers tell us you can never be happy until you have this new gadget, or that new vitamin, or that new elective procedure that will have you looking great. Or you deserve that new gadget or special pampering or that elective procedure.

But there’s another dimension to temptation.

I think we all have examples in our lives, either personally or through people we know or people we see in shows, who insist they deserve so much more than they have. So, they set unachievable standards for the people in their lives, like their spouses or their children, and when they can’t achieve it, they bully them. They’ll say something like, “This wasn’t my dream!” Or perhaps they’ll say, “You promised me more!” Or maybe they’ll say, “Why can’t you be like so-and-so?”

The person who indulges this kind of temptation holds becomes consumed by all sorts of resentment and anger and hurt and it transforms into a kind of venom that they spew whenever they can. But this venom affects them too. It can physically affect them causing all sorts of illnesses or deep psychological problems.

But here’s the kicker. That person might very well be the sort of person who goes to church, who will jump up and down with their hands raised to heaven and yell, “Jesus is Lord!”

But how can we meet Jesus if we’re filled with such anger and resentments? Jesus doesn’t say, treat those around you cruelly because you were made for more. No! He says, “This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another,” (John 13:35) – love, not hatred or resentment or anger or jealousy. Love is the path of the disciple.

Lent is a time when we try to grow in holiness. That’s what the spiritual exercises of prayer, fasting and almsgiving are all about. Prayer, fasting and almsgiving should lead us to simplification and purification. Our spiritual exercises should help us remember that God, not myself – not my ego, is the center of my reality.

So, we need to confront and conquer temptations as Jesus did. You see, our temptations often show us areas in our lives where we have the opportunity to grow in love. Failure is not bad. Failure teaches us wisdom. But that only works if we are aware, so we need to take the time to see them for what they are. This isn’t a time to beat ourselves up nor is it a time to strive for some kind of holier-than-though perfection. But we need to take time so that we can recognize the temptations and deal with them. And that leads us to our homework today.

Homework!

Today try an examination of conscience. Take just five minutes before bed to reflect on your day. Here are some east steps to follow. First, ask the Holy Spirit for help. Second, reflect back on your day, remembering moments of grace and moments of sin. Third, thank God for His blessings. Fourth, say a penitential prayer, that is to say, say a prayer asking for forgiveness, like an Act of Contrition. And finally make a resolution to live with a greater openness to God tomorrow. Doing an examination of conscience helps us be more mindful of our temptations and trials and that can truly lead us deeper into the arms of our Father.

If you still haven’t found something to do this Lent, perhaps you could try an examination of conscience every night.

Do you got? Are you going to try it? Please do! May each of us come to know the mercy and love of Jesus Christ. May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. +Amen!

Notes
<1> Faustina. Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska: Divine Mercy in My Soul. Stockbridge, MA: Marian Press, 2014, 153.
<2> Himes, Michael J. The Mystery of Faith: An Introduction to Catholicism. Cincinnati, OH: St. Anthony Messenger Press, 2004, LOC 348.

Act of Contrition

O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins because of Thy just punishments, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, Who art all-good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to sin no more and to avoid the near occasions of sin.

OR

My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart. In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good, I have sinned against you whom I should love above all things. I firmly intend, with your help, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin. Our Savior Jesus Christ suffered and died for us. In his name, my God, have mercy.

OR

O my God, I am sorry for my sins because I have offended you. I know I should love you above all things. Help me to do penance, to do better, and to avoid anything that might lead me to sin. Amen.

OR

I confess to almighty God, and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have sinned through my own fault, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done, and in what I have failed to do; and I ask blessed Mary, ever virgin, all the angels and saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.

Picture: Christ in the Wilderness by Ivan Kramskoy, Google Cultural Institute. COPYRIGHT FREE. The author died in 1887, so this work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author’s life plus 100 years or less. This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published (or registered with the U.S. Copyright Office) before January 1, 1924.

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21 Remove the Log from Your Eyes

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Eight Sunday in Ordinary Time
First Reading: Sirach 27:4-7
Psalm: Psalm 92:2-3, 13-14, 15-16
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:54-58
Gospel: Luke 6:39-45

Remove the wooden beam from your eye first, (Luke 6:42).

Hello, my brothers and sisters, in today’s Gospel, Jesus gives us, his disciples, some practical advice for living our lives. He challenges us to use our words as he used his words in his ministry – to heal, to restore, and to bring back life, joy and hope.

Today’s readings also instruct us as disciples to share our Christen life. That’s what Pope Francis tells us, right? We need to be missionary disciples bring the Good News to those who can’t come to church, don’t come to church, or won’t come to church. We are called to share our Christian life, love and spiritual health by our words, and to avoid gossiping about others. We are called to not pass rash thoughtless and pain-inflicting judgments on others. We don’t want to damage their good reputation and cause them irreparable harm.

Let’s take a look at the readings. The first reading, taken from the Book of Sirach, teaches that what is inside us is revealed through our conversation – as the grain and husks are separated in a farmer’s sieve, as the quality of the metal is revealed in the potter’s fire, and as the size and quality of a tree’s fruit reveal the care it has received from the planter. Sirach’s teaching gives us an excellent preview for today’s Gospel. And what does the Gospel teach us? We need to think before we speak. Perhaps a modern take would be to think before we post.

The Responsorial Psalm advises us to spend our time praising and thanking God for all His blessings.

In the second reading St. Paul tell us that instead of wasting time on gossip, he teaches the Corinthians, “to be firm, steadfast, always fully devoted to the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain,” (1 Cor 15:58).

Now in today’s Gospel, we’re still reading from the Sermon on the Plain in Luke. Jesus condemns our careless, malicious and rash judgments about other people. He uses funny examples like the blind man leading another blind man and one about a man with a log stuck in his eye who is trying to remove a tiny speck from someone else ’s eye.

As disciples, we are called to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ, not to spread gossip or hatred. This can be a great challenge for us in this highly connected world that makes it too easy to post something online without thinking. But that is certainly something we need to be mindful of these days.

Homework:

  1. Take a look at all your social media apps and scroll through your posts. Do your words help heal, restore and bring back life, joy and hope in others?
  2. Thinking about our Psalm today, “Lord, it is good to give thanks to you,” (Ps 92:2), what are some concrete things you can do for others to show your thanks to God?

Got it? Are you going to do your homework? Good! May each of us come to know the grace and peace of Jesus Christ. May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. +Amen!

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20 Do Unto Others

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Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time
First Reading: 1 Samuel 26:2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 103: 1-4, 8-10, 12-13
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:45-49
Gospel: Luke 6:27-38

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. We hear the Golden Rule (v 31) proclaimed in today’s Gospel as we pick up from last week: Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain. The Golden Rule shapes our understanding of Christian ethics which consists not in merely refraining from evil, but in actively doing good, and not only to those who are friends, but to those who hate us or do evil against us. As disciples, we can’t have an attitude of live-and-let-live, or, it doesn’t matter what you do as long as it doesn’t affect me. We are called not to close ourselves off, but to actively work for good in the world.

Now this is an important point that often gets confused. Many will accuse Catholics of trying to work our way into heaven. That is not why we work for good. We are saved only by the unmerited, undeserved grace of God through the redemptive blood of Jesus Christ. We can’t work our way into heaven. But, as disciples, we try to live changed lives – changed by the Good News of Jesus Christ. And so we try to follow the example of Jesus’ and the ways we see God working in our lives. The imitation of God requires disciples to be merciful, for example, just as God the Father is merciful.

That’s the power of Christian love. The readings instruct us about our right and wrong choices. Right choices lead us to God and wrong ones break our relationship with Him and one another. Today’s readings give us powerful lessons about ways we can follow both Jesus’ and God’s examples.

Today’s first reading shows us how David made the right choice by respecting God’s anointed king by forgiving his offenses, while Saul continued to make the wrong choices, perpetuating his misery with his revenge. David understood that God loves Saul just as much as God loved him.

The Responsorial Psalm reminds us of the mercy of God and His compassion for us: as a Father has compassion on His children.

In today’s second reading, St. Paul tells us how the “First Adam” made a wrong choice of disobedience, bringing death into the world, whereas Jesus, the “Second Adam” made the correct choice of fulfilling his Father’s saving plan.

But in today’s Gospel the Golden Rule is amplified by the examples He gives. Jesus gives three commands on how we should treat our enemies and those who wrong us as examples: do good to them, bless them, pray for them. Whoa! Now this is a little harder than it sounds. Look, here’s a simple exercise to try. Once I wrote down on a piece of paper all the names of people who didn’t like. Next, I intentionally prayed for each and every name on the list. Say something like, “Lord, Jesus, I lift up x to you. Please bless them with health and happiness.” Then move on to the next.

Moment of truth. As I worked my way down the short list, I stumbled. Now some of these were way back in my past – over twenty years in one case, and I stumbled. I thought I’d forgiven them and moved on. I thought I was healed, but I realized I still have a little more healing to do. Pope St. John Paul II tells us that Luke’s “Gospel has earned the title of ‘the Gospel of mercy.’”[1] If I’m going to imitate God, then I need to show the person who hurt me mercy and I need to show myself mercy and stop holding on to a grudge.

That make sense, doesn’t it? That’s what I ask for every time I pray the Lord’s prayer, right? “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us (Luke 11:4). “Do to others as you would have them do to you,” (v 31).

Is this easy? No, but the good news is we are not alone. Alone, we can do nothing, but with God, anything is possible, (Mt 19:26). It’s God’s mercy and love working in us that helps us to treat others, not as they deserve but with love, kindness and mercy.

So at every mass, as we pray the Lord’s Prayer asking God to forgive us as we forgive others, we are reminded, renewed and refreshed in God’s mercy and love. So next time you go to mass, maybe pray for the strength to forgive.

Homework. This week, I’d like us to reflect on the following two questions.

  1. Do we allow emotions such as hatred and jealousy to guide our spiritual lives, or do we try to be more like Jesus?
  2. How can I better live out this call to mercy?
    Do you got it? Good! Be sure to scroll down through the notes of this podcast. Way at the bottom are some thoughts from the Catechism for further reading. The Lord be with you. Through the divine mercy of Jesus Christ, may each of come to know the generous mercy and love of God! May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. +Amen!

Notes
[1] John Paul II, Dives in Misericordia (On the Mercy of God), 3.

Further Reading
CCC 1789: Some rules apply in every case: One may never do evil so that good may result from it; the Golden Rule: “Whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them.” Charity always proceeds by way of respect for one’s neighbor and his conscience: “Thus sinning against your brethren and wounding their conscience . . . you sin against Christ.” Therefore “it is right not to . . . do anything that makes your brother stumble.”

CCC 1970 : The Law of the Gospel requires us to make the decisive choice between “the two ways” and to put into practice the words of the Lord. It is summed up in the Golden Rule, “Whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them; this is the law and the prophets.” The entire Law of the Gospel is contained in the “new commandment” of Jesus, to love one another as he has loved us.

CCC 1458: Without being strictly necessary, confession of everyday faults (venial sins) is nevertheless strongly recommended by the Church. Indeed the regular confession of our venial sins helps us form our conscience, fight against evil tendencies, let ourselves be healed by Christ and progress in the life of the Spirit. By receiving more frequently through this sacrament the gift of the Father’s mercy, we are spurred to be merciful as he is merciful: Whoever confesses his sins . . . is already working with God. God indicts your sins; if you also indict them, you are joined with God. Man and sinner are, so to speak, two realities: when you hear “man” – this is what God has made; when you hear “sinner” – this is what man himself has made. Destroy what you have made, so that God may save what he has made. . . . When you begin to abhor what you have made, it is then that your good works are beginning, since you are accusing yourself of your evil works. The beginning of good works is the confession of evil works. You do the truth and come to the light. (St. Augustine, In Jo. ev. 12,13:PL 35,1491)

CCC 2842: This “as” is not unique in Jesus’ teaching: “You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect”; “Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful”; “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another,” (Mt 5:48; Lk 6:36; Jn 13:34). It is impossible to keep the Lord’s commandment by imitating the divine model from outside; there has to be a vital participation, coming from the depths of the heart, in the holiness and the mercy and the love of our God. Only the Spirit by whom we live can make “ours” the same mind that was in Christ Jesus, (Cf. Gal 5:25; Phil 2:1,5). Then the unity of forgiveness becomes possible and we find ourselves “forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave” us, (Eph 4:32).