A Meal of Love
Homily for Sunday, July 26, 2015
Seventeenth Sunday of Ordinary Time - B
by Dcn. Bob Bonomi
Today we hear about one of my favorite subjects: Food. Lots of food. Enough food to feed large gatherings of people, although it doesn’t seem like it at first.
Let’s start with Elisha. In our first reading from second book of Kings, Elisha takes an offering of 20 barley loaves and a few ears of grain and feeds over 100 people. And, when they are finished eating, there is food left over.
Jesus starts with only 5 barley loaves and a couple of fish, and feeds over 5000! And there is food left over.
Think about that the next time you plan on serving a large number of people. That’d be like trying to feed everyone at the ACTS BBQ dinner (tonight / last night) with a couple of BBQ sandwiches from Rudy’s. And knowing how much we here at St. Francis love to eat … well, let’s just say that more than a couple of cows might be grateful if the beef had multiplied itself without requiring their sacrifice.
We often hear in Scriptures about food in the context of large, communal gatherings. For example, there’s the manna and quail in the desert that feeds the Israelites for 40 years; there’s the copious amount of wine created out of water at the wedding feast at Cana; and in today’s Gospel we hear about Jesus feeding the 5000. Food is often used to show God’s providential nature, and as a metaphor for the grace and mercy of God. And in all instances, it is God who does the catering.
Those of you who are in the restaurant business, especially those of you involved in catering, know what it takes to host a successful banquet and provide food for a large gathering of people. It takes planning, attention to details, and a good knowledge of the needs of the people who will be served. And those of you who have attended such a gathering know whether or not the caterers succeeded.
And do you know what makes or breaks such an event? Is it the type of food, or how much food there is, or how hot or cold it is? No, none of these. (Well, OK, to be honest, I’ve never known catered food to be served too hot, and cold food CAN be a real turn-off.)
But, the number one element that measures the success or failure of these events is – LOVE. Think about the successful restaurants that you know of. The owners love to serve those who dine there; the staff reflects the love that the management shows to them and to their customers. Servers smile and laugh; they listen and try to help; they care. If there is a problem, management is willing to apologize and tries to make amends BECAUSE it cares.
But if there is no love – if all that the management focuses on is the bottom line, what’s in it for them – if they are more worried about the details of the business than the happiness of those they serve, then the business usually doesn’t last long. Even successful restaurants, if they change hands, can and will fail, if the new management fails to serve their patrons with love.
And love forgives many mistakes. If you have a bad dining experience, but feel that those who serve you really care for you and show that to you in how they serve you – you are far more likely to return and give them a second chance. A measure of their success in showing that love is whether or not they remain in business even after making mistakes.
In a sense, the Catholic Church is the ultimate successful catering business. It has survived really bad reviews and has remained in business for over 2000 years. Why? Because the Church reflects God’s love for us. Because the owner and ultimate manager is God himself.
The most important meal that you will receive today will be served to you in just a few minutes. It is the Eucharist, the Body and Blood of Christ, and NO food has ever been served with the love that God the Father, through His Son, Jesus, has shown to us gathered here today. And whether or not the “entertainment” portion of this banquet is good or bad; whether there are problems with the service you receive, you KNOW that the meal itself has been provided to you out of God’s infinite love for you.
(I can promise you that the Body and Blood of Christ will not be too hot or too cold, too.)
And so, when you come forward to the table of the Lord, remember that this meal was prepared with love. Most importantly, the Eucharist IS LOVE – God’s Love – and with God’s love there is always enough, with plenty left over.
Sunday, July 26, 2015
Monday, July 13, 2015
Two by Two - Prepared and Ready
Two by Two - Prepared and Ready
Homily for Sunday, July 12, 2015
Fifteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time - B
by Dcn Bob Bonomi
Okay, here’s what I want you all to do. As soon as Mass has ended, I want you all to pick a nearby town and walk there. Let’s have some of you go to Prosper; some all the way to Celina, maybe some of you to Little Elm. How about some go to McKinney – you should be able to make that in a day, don’t you think? Take nothing with you other than the clothes on your back, and once you got there just start knocking on doors until someone invites you in to stay with them. I want you to spend the week telling them and anyone who will listen about Jesus. No?
You can pair up with someone – it can be friend if you like or maybe someone that you know that knows someone there – I just don’t want you to go alone this time. And if you already live there, you have to go to a different town.
Ready? No? You know, there are those who do just that today. Did you know that seminarians who are currently attending the Redemptorist Mater Seminary – they are a missionary religious order – as part of their priestly formation have to spend two years in missionary work that begins with a week spent like these 12 – dropped into an area to evangelize without any resources other than the clothes on their backs and a ticket home after the week is over. They usually have a list of parishes in their area and hopefully they find a kindly priest that will put them up for the week, but if not – it’s park bench time.
But most of us don’t think that way. Before we go on a trip somewhere, we have to prepare for it. If we’re flying somewhere, we normally book our plane tickets weeks in advance – can you imagine walking up to the ticket counter at the airport and buying a ticket for that day’s flight? And what about luggage, changes of clothes, hotel reservations – there’s a myriad of things that we have to plan in advance of our trip.
Even if it an emergency, we still do some prep work. Rarely do we travel blindly; most of us have some sort of idea before we ever leave the house where we are going and, especially nowadays, we’d at least have a cell phone and a credit card to get us through whatever might come up.
But one way or another, we prepare. Usually the better prepared we are, the more likely our travel will be a success, even if things don’t go like we planned. There was a heart-warming story in the news last week when three sisters who had disappeared into the Wyoming wilderness were found safe after three days of being lost; the spokesman for the rescue team said that the girls were well-prepared for hiking; they had the proper clothes and gear, and they stayed together. When they were found they were hungry, but safe.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus sends the 12 Apostles forth in pairs. They were to take nothing with them except, at least in St. Mark’s version of the Gospel, a staff and sandals, but nothing extra. In Matthew’s (10:1) and Luke’s (9:10) versions, the twelve weren’t even allow those things. The one thing that Jesus gave them to take was His authority over unclean spirits, to exorcize demons, the power to heal illnesses.
All had authority. All were not to wander around but stay wherever they landed. All were dependent upon the providence of God.
But were the Apostles unprepared for their assignment? No. They had been traveling with Jesus for some time and would be somewhat used to depending on the kindness and providence of strangers – remember Jesus telling prospective disciples that “the Son of Man has no place to lay His head”?
And they were not alone. Jesus sent them out, “2 by 2”. This did a couple of things. First, two people were the minimum number of witnesses that were required in Jewish tradition to verify the truth of something. Second and more importantly, though, they would be able to encourage each other during those times when they would not be accepted. They wouldn’t be alone. Remember, Jesus tells us that “whenever 2 or more are gathered in My name, I am with them.” And before you think that the twelve were more “special” than His other disciples, in Luke’s Gospel we see that after the twelve return He later sends out 72 more!
In addition, all three Gospels state that Jesus conferred “authority” on the 12 to fulfill their mission of preaching repentance. Through their faith they would be able to cure those they encountered who were sick or possessed. They were well-prepared for their evangelical mission.
So, what about us? Are we ready? Each Sunday at the end of Mass, we are sent into the world to carry forth the same mission that Jesus gave to the 12. The EXACT same mission. We journey every Sunday with Jesus, and if we’ve spent any time in prayer, we should be confident that our faith should help us face whatever obstacle arises to our mission.
So, let’s go. Ask a friend to join with you and go! Or, invite the person beside you in the pew. And, to make it a little less intimidating, today just take the message to someone in the parking lot as you leave. Today, when you receive Christ in the Eucharist, think about how Christ is now in you and will be with you as you undertake the mission given to you at the end of Mass. Then go forth and proclaim the Gospel with your lives.
You have been prepared. But, are you ready?
Homily for Sunday, July 12, 2015
Fifteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time - B
by Dcn Bob Bonomi
Okay, here’s what I want you all to do. As soon as Mass has ended, I want you all to pick a nearby town and walk there. Let’s have some of you go to Prosper; some all the way to Celina, maybe some of you to Little Elm. How about some go to McKinney – you should be able to make that in a day, don’t you think? Take nothing with you other than the clothes on your back, and once you got there just start knocking on doors until someone invites you in to stay with them. I want you to spend the week telling them and anyone who will listen about Jesus. No?
You can pair up with someone – it can be friend if you like or maybe someone that you know that knows someone there – I just don’t want you to go alone this time. And if you already live there, you have to go to a different town.
Ready? No? You know, there are those who do just that today. Did you know that seminarians who are currently attending the Redemptorist Mater Seminary – they are a missionary religious order – as part of their priestly formation have to spend two years in missionary work that begins with a week spent like these 12 – dropped into an area to evangelize without any resources other than the clothes on their backs and a ticket home after the week is over. They usually have a list of parishes in their area and hopefully they find a kindly priest that will put them up for the week, but if not – it’s park bench time.
But most of us don’t think that way. Before we go on a trip somewhere, we have to prepare for it. If we’re flying somewhere, we normally book our plane tickets weeks in advance – can you imagine walking up to the ticket counter at the airport and buying a ticket for that day’s flight? And what about luggage, changes of clothes, hotel reservations – there’s a myriad of things that we have to plan in advance of our trip.
Even if it an emergency, we still do some prep work. Rarely do we travel blindly; most of us have some sort of idea before we ever leave the house where we are going and, especially nowadays, we’d at least have a cell phone and a credit card to get us through whatever might come up.
But one way or another, we prepare. Usually the better prepared we are, the more likely our travel will be a success, even if things don’t go like we planned. There was a heart-warming story in the news last week when three sisters who had disappeared into the Wyoming wilderness were found safe after three days of being lost; the spokesman for the rescue team said that the girls were well-prepared for hiking; they had the proper clothes and gear, and they stayed together. When they were found they were hungry, but safe.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus sends the 12 Apostles forth in pairs. They were to take nothing with them except, at least in St. Mark’s version of the Gospel, a staff and sandals, but nothing extra. In Matthew’s (10:1) and Luke’s (9:10) versions, the twelve weren’t even allow those things. The one thing that Jesus gave them to take was His authority over unclean spirits, to exorcize demons, the power to heal illnesses.
All had authority. All were not to wander around but stay wherever they landed. All were dependent upon the providence of God.
But were the Apostles unprepared for their assignment? No. They had been traveling with Jesus for some time and would be somewhat used to depending on the kindness and providence of strangers – remember Jesus telling prospective disciples that “the Son of Man has no place to lay His head”?
And they were not alone. Jesus sent them out, “2 by 2”. This did a couple of things. First, two people were the minimum number of witnesses that were required in Jewish tradition to verify the truth of something. Second and more importantly, though, they would be able to encourage each other during those times when they would not be accepted. They wouldn’t be alone. Remember, Jesus tells us that “whenever 2 or more are gathered in My name, I am with them.” And before you think that the twelve were more “special” than His other disciples, in Luke’s Gospel we see that after the twelve return He later sends out 72 more!
In addition, all three Gospels state that Jesus conferred “authority” on the 12 to fulfill their mission of preaching repentance. Through their faith they would be able to cure those they encountered who were sick or possessed. They were well-prepared for their evangelical mission.
So, what about us? Are we ready? Each Sunday at the end of Mass, we are sent into the world to carry forth the same mission that Jesus gave to the 12. The EXACT same mission. We journey every Sunday with Jesus, and if we’ve spent any time in prayer, we should be confident that our faith should help us face whatever obstacle arises to our mission.
So, let’s go. Ask a friend to join with you and go! Or, invite the person beside you in the pew. And, to make it a little less intimidating, today just take the message to someone in the parking lot as you leave. Today, when you receive Christ in the Eucharist, think about how Christ is now in you and will be with you as you undertake the mission given to you at the end of Mass. Then go forth and proclaim the Gospel with your lives.
You have been prepared. But, are you ready?
Wednesday, July 8, 2015
Listening For God
Listening For God
A Reflection for the St. Vincent de Paul meeting on Monday, July 6, 2015
By Dcn Bob Bonomi
Sometimes when God speaks to us, He does so through a series of events that intersect in a manner that leave little doubt that He is talking to us.
Last week I finished reading Pope Francis’ encyclical “ Laudato Si’ ”, a moving piece which spoke of the need for care of our common home, and how our neglect – our abuse – of the gifts that God has given to us through our environment affect all of us, especially the poor. It challenges all of mankind to change our attitude to the world around us and accept our responsibility for God’s creation, present in every plant and animal – in the water, on the Earth and in the sky – and to look upon these elements of our environment like St. Francis of Assisi did – as “brothers” and “sisters” through our relationship with God. Much of the encyclical was devoted to how our selfish, self-centered attitudes harms the poorest among us who are left in want, when God created our world with enough resources to provide for everyone.
Later, on Saturday night, I began watching “The Grapes of Wrath” starring Henry Fonda – the story of hardship, poverty and perseverance during the Great Depression. The story, about people so poor that they had nothing to eat and who were so proud that they wouldn’t take a hand-out, reminded me of the pope’s encyclical and of the events occurring in the Middle East and Africa, where millions of people are now refugees from their home countries.
But yesterday, the pope’s encyclical especially hit home as I visited with a lady in her nineties in a nursing home and listened to her talk about how, although she had been a devout Catholic all her life, she really didn’t think her faith mattered anymore. She would normally come to the communion service that was held there each Sunday but that day she didn’t want to come. She had lost her husband a couple of weeks earlier and the grief which she felt must have been overwhelming; yet she wasn’t crying or angry or yelling or anything like that. She merely sat in her wheelchair and told me that she didn’t think God was important like she once did and she wasn’t interested in coming to church.
She repeatedly apologized to me about her feelings. She said she grew up very poor; when she was young she had had to beg for bread for her siblings because they all were hungry and no one would help them, and no one could really help her now. She was sure that the “rich” Catholic Church did its best but that the Church never helped them when they were poor and hungry. The nursing home where she currently lives was OK, she guessed, but she didn’t like it because she didn’t know where she was. She patted my hand and apologized again, but kept repeating about how poor she had been and how God and the rich Catholic Church really didn’t matter anymore, now that her husband was dead.
It was heart-breaking. I tried to ask her to tell me more about her life, but she was almost completely deaf and so, while she could see my lips move and so knew I was talking to her, she really couldn’t hear or understand me. She’d just smile at me and pat my hand and say something like, “It’s OK for you” and “I’m sorry”. I couldn’t respond to her; all I could do was listen to her. It was like reading a book or watching a movie: I could see and hear but I was helpless to change the story; all I could do was witness the story. I could touch her hand but little more.
Listening to the cases that are brought before St. Vincent de Paul here makes me think about the magnitude of the obstacles the clients face and how easily it can be to feel helpless in front of such insurmountable odds. The aid offered by Vincentians seems so small against such great needs, and you might become discouraged because it may not look like you are making a difference. But don’t be discouraged! Sometimes, the message we receive from God in our encounters isn’t a call to fix something; rather, it is a call to be a witness so that something greater can be done later by God. In bringing God’s love and charity to others, however small, Vincentians let them know that God does care, that faith is relevant, and that they really do matter. And, like we hear in the prayers that we recite at each meeting, Vincentians in turn are graced by God in their encounters with those in need. It is God who provides for them; He speaks to us through them.
Let us listen for God.
A Reflection for the St. Vincent de Paul meeting on Monday, July 6, 2015
By Dcn Bob Bonomi
Sometimes when God speaks to us, He does so through a series of events that intersect in a manner that leave little doubt that He is talking to us.
Last week I finished reading Pope Francis’ encyclical “ Laudato Si’ ”, a moving piece which spoke of the need for care of our common home, and how our neglect – our abuse – of the gifts that God has given to us through our environment affect all of us, especially the poor. It challenges all of mankind to change our attitude to the world around us and accept our responsibility for God’s creation, present in every plant and animal – in the water, on the Earth and in the sky – and to look upon these elements of our environment like St. Francis of Assisi did – as “brothers” and “sisters” through our relationship with God. Much of the encyclical was devoted to how our selfish, self-centered attitudes harms the poorest among us who are left in want, when God created our world with enough resources to provide for everyone.
Later, on Saturday night, I began watching “The Grapes of Wrath” starring Henry Fonda – the story of hardship, poverty and perseverance during the Great Depression. The story, about people so poor that they had nothing to eat and who were so proud that they wouldn’t take a hand-out, reminded me of the pope’s encyclical and of the events occurring in the Middle East and Africa, where millions of people are now refugees from their home countries.
But yesterday, the pope’s encyclical especially hit home as I visited with a lady in her nineties in a nursing home and listened to her talk about how, although she had been a devout Catholic all her life, she really didn’t think her faith mattered anymore. She would normally come to the communion service that was held there each Sunday but that day she didn’t want to come. She had lost her husband a couple of weeks earlier and the grief which she felt must have been overwhelming; yet she wasn’t crying or angry or yelling or anything like that. She merely sat in her wheelchair and told me that she didn’t think God was important like she once did and she wasn’t interested in coming to church.
She repeatedly apologized to me about her feelings. She said she grew up very poor; when she was young she had had to beg for bread for her siblings because they all were hungry and no one would help them, and no one could really help her now. She was sure that the “rich” Catholic Church did its best but that the Church never helped them when they were poor and hungry. The nursing home where she currently lives was OK, she guessed, but she didn’t like it because she didn’t know where she was. She patted my hand and apologized again, but kept repeating about how poor she had been and how God and the rich Catholic Church really didn’t matter anymore, now that her husband was dead.
It was heart-breaking. I tried to ask her to tell me more about her life, but she was almost completely deaf and so, while she could see my lips move and so knew I was talking to her, she really couldn’t hear or understand me. She’d just smile at me and pat my hand and say something like, “It’s OK for you” and “I’m sorry”. I couldn’t respond to her; all I could do was listen to her. It was like reading a book or watching a movie: I could see and hear but I was helpless to change the story; all I could do was witness the story. I could touch her hand but little more.
Listening to the cases that are brought before St. Vincent de Paul here makes me think about the magnitude of the obstacles the clients face and how easily it can be to feel helpless in front of such insurmountable odds. The aid offered by Vincentians seems so small against such great needs, and you might become discouraged because it may not look like you are making a difference. But don’t be discouraged! Sometimes, the message we receive from God in our encounters isn’t a call to fix something; rather, it is a call to be a witness so that something greater can be done later by God. In bringing God’s love and charity to others, however small, Vincentians let them know that God does care, that faith is relevant, and that they really do matter. And, like we hear in the prayers that we recite at each meeting, Vincentians in turn are graced by God in their encounters with those in need. It is God who provides for them; He speaks to us through them.
Let us listen for God.
Monday, June 8, 2015
Processing With God
Processing With God
Homily for Sunday, June 7, 2015
Corpus Christi / Corpus Domini Sunday
Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ - B
by Dcn Bob Bonomi
Have you ever participated in a Corpus Christi procession? One that wound around the streets, with the Holy Eucharist at the front of the line, lifted high and displayed in a monstrance of gold? Last night, several hundred adorers were expected to participate in the Corpus Christi procession from Holy Trinity Catholic Church to the Cathedral, stopping along the way to read Scriptures and to sing songs of praise. On Facebook there were pictures of the procession, led by Fr. Edwin Leonard and which included the Matachines dancers. And I know many other churches in the area that will hold their own Corpus Christi Processions today.
Why do we do it? From the information for yesterday’s procession: “The Corpus Christi Procession makes known God’s presence in our world and in our lives, and it reminds us of our common call to follow Christ and seek Heaven. It is both an act of personal devotion to Christ in the Eucharist, as well as an act intended to share God’s love with the world, as is manifest in the Blessed Sacrament.”
Actually, the very first Corpus Christi procession occurred around the year 33 AD, when Christ himself led a procession up a long hill to be displayed before the world on a cross. The feast day itself we owe to the efforts of St. Juliana of Mont Cornillon who had a great devotion to the Holy Eucharist. By the middle of the 13th century, Pope Urban IV issued a decree that it be celebrated on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday.
By the early fourteenth century, the custom developed of carrying the Blessed Sacrament in a splendid procession through the town after the Mass on Corpus Christi Day. This was encouraged by the popes, some of whom granted special indulgences to all participants. The Council of Trent (1545-1563) solemnly approved and recommended the procession on Corpus Christi as a public profession of the Catholic faith in the real presence of Christ in the Holy Sacrament.
Although the participation in Eucharistic processions has declined in recent years, there is beginning to be a renewal by those who yearn for meaning in their lives and who are seeking a way to draw closer to God. By participating in a procession, Catholics demonstrate their willingness to be followers of the crucified Christ and a recognition that their faith, their lives, were purchased by Jesus through His act of self-sacrifice. The procession reminds us that we, too, must be willing to shoulder our crosses and walk with Jesus.
The words of today’s Gospel are brief but powerful: “Take it; THIS is My Body.” “THIS is My Blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many.” The Church has held that the Eucharist IS the real presence of Christ – Body, Blood, Soul AND Divinity. We gather each Sunday around this altar, not just to be fed by His Presence in the Word and in the People, but by His Very Person. WE become tabernacles for His Presence to others, and today we are reminded of our obligations BECAUSE we are here.
Pope Francis last Thursday said that “the Eucharist makes present the Covenant that sanctifies us, purifies us and unites us in marvelous communion with God.” And like we hear in the first reading, where the Israelites promised to obey the laws and statutes given to them by God through Moses, God makes a covenant with us, and seals it with His Blood. Pope Francis reminds us that because we are here, because we participate in this celebration each week in Mass, that we are called to action. Just as ordinary bread and wine are transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ, so too must WE be transformed by His Real Presence living in us.
Pope Francis concluded his homily with the following: “In a little while we shall walk along the way, let us perceive ourselves in communion with our many brothers and sisters who do not have the freedom to express their faith in the Lord Jesus. Let us feel ourselves united with them, let us sing with them, praise with them, adore with them. And we venerate in our hearts those brothers and sisters from whom the sacrifice of their lives has been required for fidelity to Christ: let their blood, united to that of the Lord, be a pledge of peace and reconciliation for the whole world.”
This week, spend some time before the Blessed Sacrament. Open yourself to the Real Presence of Christ. Then go and remember that we are part of EVERY Christian on this earth and, as St. Paul said, “If one part suffers, EVERY part suffers with it; if one part is honored, EVERY part rejoices with it.” You are part of every person you meet. So is Jesus.
So, do not ignore your fellow man. You are ignoring Christ.
Homily for Sunday, June 7, 2015
Corpus Christi / Corpus Domini Sunday
Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ - B
by Dcn Bob Bonomi
Have you ever participated in a Corpus Christi procession? One that wound around the streets, with the Holy Eucharist at the front of the line, lifted high and displayed in a monstrance of gold? Last night, several hundred adorers were expected to participate in the Corpus Christi procession from Holy Trinity Catholic Church to the Cathedral, stopping along the way to read Scriptures and to sing songs of praise. On Facebook there were pictures of the procession, led by Fr. Edwin Leonard and which included the Matachines dancers. And I know many other churches in the area that will hold their own Corpus Christi Processions today.
Why do we do it? From the information for yesterday’s procession: “The Corpus Christi Procession makes known God’s presence in our world and in our lives, and it reminds us of our common call to follow Christ and seek Heaven. It is both an act of personal devotion to Christ in the Eucharist, as well as an act intended to share God’s love with the world, as is manifest in the Blessed Sacrament.”
Actually, the very first Corpus Christi procession occurred around the year 33 AD, when Christ himself led a procession up a long hill to be displayed before the world on a cross. The feast day itself we owe to the efforts of St. Juliana of Mont Cornillon who had a great devotion to the Holy Eucharist. By the middle of the 13th century, Pope Urban IV issued a decree that it be celebrated on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday.
By the early fourteenth century, the custom developed of carrying the Blessed Sacrament in a splendid procession through the town after the Mass on Corpus Christi Day. This was encouraged by the popes, some of whom granted special indulgences to all participants. The Council of Trent (1545-1563) solemnly approved and recommended the procession on Corpus Christi as a public profession of the Catholic faith in the real presence of Christ in the Holy Sacrament.
Although the participation in Eucharistic processions has declined in recent years, there is beginning to be a renewal by those who yearn for meaning in their lives and who are seeking a way to draw closer to God. By participating in a procession, Catholics demonstrate their willingness to be followers of the crucified Christ and a recognition that their faith, their lives, were purchased by Jesus through His act of self-sacrifice. The procession reminds us that we, too, must be willing to shoulder our crosses and walk with Jesus.
The words of today’s Gospel are brief but powerful: “Take it; THIS is My Body.” “THIS is My Blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many.” The Church has held that the Eucharist IS the real presence of Christ – Body, Blood, Soul AND Divinity. We gather each Sunday around this altar, not just to be fed by His Presence in the Word and in the People, but by His Very Person. WE become tabernacles for His Presence to others, and today we are reminded of our obligations BECAUSE we are here.
Pope Francis last Thursday said that “the Eucharist makes present the Covenant that sanctifies us, purifies us and unites us in marvelous communion with God.” And like we hear in the first reading, where the Israelites promised to obey the laws and statutes given to them by God through Moses, God makes a covenant with us, and seals it with His Blood. Pope Francis reminds us that because we are here, because we participate in this celebration each week in Mass, that we are called to action. Just as ordinary bread and wine are transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ, so too must WE be transformed by His Real Presence living in us.
Pope Francis concluded his homily with the following: “In a little while we shall walk along the way, let us perceive ourselves in communion with our many brothers and sisters who do not have the freedom to express their faith in the Lord Jesus. Let us feel ourselves united with them, let us sing with them, praise with them, adore with them. And we venerate in our hearts those brothers and sisters from whom the sacrifice of their lives has been required for fidelity to Christ: let their blood, united to that of the Lord, be a pledge of peace and reconciliation for the whole world.”
This week, spend some time before the Blessed Sacrament. Open yourself to the Real Presence of Christ. Then go and remember that we are part of EVERY Christian on this earth and, as St. Paul said, “If one part suffers, EVERY part suffers with it; if one part is honored, EVERY part rejoices with it.” You are part of every person you meet. So is Jesus.
So, do not ignore your fellow man. You are ignoring Christ.
Sunday, May 17, 2015
St. Vincent de Paul, The Slave Evangelist
St. Vincent de Paul, The Slave Evangelist
A Reflection for the St. Vincent de Paul meeting, Monday, May 11, 2015
by Dcn Bob Bonomi
When we think about the founding of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul (the Vincentians), our thoughts naturally turn to Frederic Ozanam, the principal founder of the society in 1833. (No, St. Vincent didn’t found the St. Vincent de Paul society – but you probably already knew that. He wasn’t even declared a saint until 100 years after he died. He did found the Daughters of Charity, however.)
And if we’ve read anything about St. Vincent, it was probably a “saint of the day” synopsis and little about the man himself, other than that his life was obviously a holy one since he was named a saint by Pope Clement XII in 1737. Some may know a general outline of his life: that he was born into a peasant family and was ordained a priest at the age of about nineteen. One might know that he was at one point captured by pirates and sold into slavery; and escaped after two years. He eventually underwent a conversion of heart and felt a call to serve the poor; and he eventually founded the Dames de la Charité, or Ladies of Charity – which would eventually become known as the Daughters of Charity.
But it is during the brief two-year period of his slavery that I’d like for us to reflect on today. He had three masters; the first was a fisherman, but Vincent proved worthless as a fisherman because he suffered from sea-sickness. The second was a physician and inventor who became fairly well-known in Muslim countries for his skills. It was during a trip to Istanbul that this master became ill and died, resulting in Vincent be sold yet again – this time to a former priest and Franciscan who had converted to Islam to escape slavery himself. This master lived in the mountains with three wives; the second wife, a Muslim from birth, liked to listen to Vincent and asked him questions about his faith. She became convinced that Vincent’s faith was indeed true and in turn convinced her husband that he was wrong to renounce Christianity. It took ten months, but eventually the master, his family and the slave Vincent escaped to France, giving Vincent his freedom.
Why is this important? It shows us that the issues that we see in the face of Islam today haven’t changed much in the 400 years since Vincent’s time. But it is in how Vincent dealt with the problems that he faced which offer us hope today. Vincent did not rebel against his masters; he did not bemoan his slavery or struggle to escape. He didn’t abandon his faith nor did he proselytize it – he lived his faith in spite of the difficulties and trials that he faced, and in doing so he was able to bring others back to God and to the true faith.
Today, volunteers for the St. Vincent de Paul Society serve people from all walks of life, from all faiths or of no faith. They bring love and support to those who are in need, and as such they are the face of Jesus that people encounter, many for the first time. And like Vincent the slave, it won’t be through condemnation of those who disagree with our faith that will draw people to Christ. It will be our trust and belief in our faith, and the love of Christ that we show to others, more than financial support, which will free them from the slavery of the circumstances of their lives. That freedom, that love, wrapped in the aid that the Society provides, is the greatest gift that we can give to another. It is the evangelization of love.
A Reflection for the St. Vincent de Paul meeting, Monday, May 11, 2015
by Dcn Bob Bonomi
When we think about the founding of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul (the Vincentians), our thoughts naturally turn to Frederic Ozanam, the principal founder of the society in 1833. (No, St. Vincent didn’t found the St. Vincent de Paul society – but you probably already knew that. He wasn’t even declared a saint until 100 years after he died. He did found the Daughters of Charity, however.)
And if we’ve read anything about St. Vincent, it was probably a “saint of the day” synopsis and little about the man himself, other than that his life was obviously a holy one since he was named a saint by Pope Clement XII in 1737. Some may know a general outline of his life: that he was born into a peasant family and was ordained a priest at the age of about nineteen. One might know that he was at one point captured by pirates and sold into slavery; and escaped after two years. He eventually underwent a conversion of heart and felt a call to serve the poor; and he eventually founded the Dames de la Charité, or Ladies of Charity – which would eventually become known as the Daughters of Charity.
But it is during the brief two-year period of his slavery that I’d like for us to reflect on today. He had three masters; the first was a fisherman, but Vincent proved worthless as a fisherman because he suffered from sea-sickness. The second was a physician and inventor who became fairly well-known in Muslim countries for his skills. It was during a trip to Istanbul that this master became ill and died, resulting in Vincent be sold yet again – this time to a former priest and Franciscan who had converted to Islam to escape slavery himself. This master lived in the mountains with three wives; the second wife, a Muslim from birth, liked to listen to Vincent and asked him questions about his faith. She became convinced that Vincent’s faith was indeed true and in turn convinced her husband that he was wrong to renounce Christianity. It took ten months, but eventually the master, his family and the slave Vincent escaped to France, giving Vincent his freedom.
Why is this important? It shows us that the issues that we see in the face of Islam today haven’t changed much in the 400 years since Vincent’s time. But it is in how Vincent dealt with the problems that he faced which offer us hope today. Vincent did not rebel against his masters; he did not bemoan his slavery or struggle to escape. He didn’t abandon his faith nor did he proselytize it – he lived his faith in spite of the difficulties and trials that he faced, and in doing so he was able to bring others back to God and to the true faith.
Today, volunteers for the St. Vincent de Paul Society serve people from all walks of life, from all faiths or of no faith. They bring love and support to those who are in need, and as such they are the face of Jesus that people encounter, many for the first time. And like Vincent the slave, it won’t be through condemnation of those who disagree with our faith that will draw people to Christ. It will be our trust and belief in our faith, and the love of Christ that we show to others, more than financial support, which will free them from the slavery of the circumstances of their lives. That freedom, that love, wrapped in the aid that the Society provides, is the greatest gift that we can give to another. It is the evangelization of love.
Looking Up
Looking Up
Homily for Sunday, May 17, 2015
Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord - B
by Dcn Bob Bonomi
Ever try standing on the street or in a public place and just stare up into the sky or at the ceiling while people walked by? Maybe shade your eyes with your hands to emphasize that you are looking real hard? Sooner or later you’ll get others to stop and look up, trying to see what it is that you find so interesting. (As kids, that’s when we’d laugh and say, “Ha, ha – made you look.”)
In fact, I bet that, if I just stopped right now and stared hard at the ceiling, or maybe our beautiful rose window in the back, and said nothing but continued to stare, some of you would get the irresistible urge to look.
Why do we do that? We can’t help it - we are curious creatures, we creations of God. We are just dying to see what others see – we don’t want to be left out. In fact, we can get so caught up in trying to see something that we can miss what’s going on around us. (Think about rubber-neckers passing by an accident scene.)
That’s the image I get of the Ascension from our first reading from Acts – all of the disciples are standing around, staring at the sky, and they don’t even notice when two men dressed in white come up to them. “Uh, whatcha staring at? There’s nothing there anymore.”
But have you noticed that although the Church emphasizes the Ascension of our Lord, the Gospels themselves say very little about the event itself. Take today’s Gospel passage. In it, St. Mark mentions the Ascension almost as an afterthought: “So then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God.” St. John’s Gospel doesn’t even include the Ascension directly, although he refers to it in depth: first in his Bread of Life discourse, when he tells his disciples that if they have trouble accepting that one has to eat of the flesh of the Son of Man for eternal life, then how will they react if they were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?; and then later during his Last Supper Discourse as he talks about having to leave them in order to send the Advocate to be with them. And although we get the most detail about the Ascension from St. Luke’s description in today’s passage from the Acts of the Apostles, in St. Luke’s Gospel account it sounds as if Jesus ascended shortly after his Resurrection. And St. Matthew doesn’t even mention it!
So why don’t we hear more about the Ascension in the Gospels? Because the Early Church didn’t need it – they already knew it; it was part of the fundamental catechesis to those being introduced to Jesus; it was already part of their beliefs; and it was never in question. We see that in St. Paul’s letters, like the one from Ephesians that we just heard: “The one who descended is also the one who ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.” It was and still is integral to our profession of faith, “He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father”. It is and has always been core to our beliefs.
But the Ascension is more than just an event where Jesus sails away from us into the clouds. The Ascension is a turning point for our lives today, just as it was for Jesus’ disciples 2000 years ago. It was the signal to prepare for action. For three years prior to His death and Resurrection, Jesus did the heavy lifting of proclaiming the Good News; with the Ascension it became time for his disciples to take over. In today’s readings we just heard St. Mark say that the disciples went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them; St. Paul talked about the different roles that were assigned to the disciples by the Lord; and St. Luke told them that they would be witnesses to the ends of the earth. Marching orders for His disciples.
That’s US. WE'RE His disciples today. It is up to us, as the master composer Puccini was supposed to have said to his students as he was dying, to “complete the opera” that he was working on. We must pick up where Jesus left off, for it is in us and through us that Jesus continues to live.
Now, next week we will celebrate Pentecost – the coming of the Holy Spirit. We each have received the Holy Spirit through our baptisms and in Confirmation, and the Holy Spirit continues to work through us. We will be reminded of that next week, as will those who in the various parishes around the world receive the sacrament of Confirmation, like many of our youth did just a couple of weeks ago. We have received our marching orders, now we must act.
One final thought. When Jesus “left” the disciples the first time at his crucifixion, they were afraid and sad, uncertain about their future. But with the Resurrection, they saw that they did not need to fear death, and so when Jesus “left” the second time through his Ascension, they were no longer afraid or sad, but joyous and celebratory, even though they had not received the Holy Spirit at that point, and wouldn’t until Pentecost. The difference? They knew the love of Jesus and it was through that love that their joy was complete. They were ready for the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit then gave them the tools, the skills, the graces they needed to evangelize.
So between now and next Sunday, I encourage you to pray for the Holy Spirit and the gifts and graces that the Spirit, dwelling in you, has given to you and to work through you, drawing others to God.
And remember: The secret of evangelization isn’t to tell others that they need to change; it is in just getting them to look up.
Homily for Sunday, May 17, 2015
Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord - B
by Dcn Bob Bonomi
Ever try standing on the street or in a public place and just stare up into the sky or at the ceiling while people walked by? Maybe shade your eyes with your hands to emphasize that you are looking real hard? Sooner or later you’ll get others to stop and look up, trying to see what it is that you find so interesting. (As kids, that’s when we’d laugh and say, “Ha, ha – made you look.”)
In fact, I bet that, if I just stopped right now and stared hard at the ceiling, or maybe our beautiful rose window in the back, and said nothing but continued to stare, some of you would get the irresistible urge to look.
Why do we do that? We can’t help it - we are curious creatures, we creations of God. We are just dying to see what others see – we don’t want to be left out. In fact, we can get so caught up in trying to see something that we can miss what’s going on around us. (Think about rubber-neckers passing by an accident scene.)
That’s the image I get of the Ascension from our first reading from Acts – all of the disciples are standing around, staring at the sky, and they don’t even notice when two men dressed in white come up to them. “Uh, whatcha staring at? There’s nothing there anymore.”
But have you noticed that although the Church emphasizes the Ascension of our Lord, the Gospels themselves say very little about the event itself. Take today’s Gospel passage. In it, St. Mark mentions the Ascension almost as an afterthought: “So then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God.” St. John’s Gospel doesn’t even include the Ascension directly, although he refers to it in depth: first in his Bread of Life discourse, when he tells his disciples that if they have trouble accepting that one has to eat of the flesh of the Son of Man for eternal life, then how will they react if they were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?; and then later during his Last Supper Discourse as he talks about having to leave them in order to send the Advocate to be with them. And although we get the most detail about the Ascension from St. Luke’s description in today’s passage from the Acts of the Apostles, in St. Luke’s Gospel account it sounds as if Jesus ascended shortly after his Resurrection. And St. Matthew doesn’t even mention it!
So why don’t we hear more about the Ascension in the Gospels? Because the Early Church didn’t need it – they already knew it; it was part of the fundamental catechesis to those being introduced to Jesus; it was already part of their beliefs; and it was never in question. We see that in St. Paul’s letters, like the one from Ephesians that we just heard: “The one who descended is also the one who ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.” It was and still is integral to our profession of faith, “He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father”. It is and has always been core to our beliefs.
But the Ascension is more than just an event where Jesus sails away from us into the clouds. The Ascension is a turning point for our lives today, just as it was for Jesus’ disciples 2000 years ago. It was the signal to prepare for action. For three years prior to His death and Resurrection, Jesus did the heavy lifting of proclaiming the Good News; with the Ascension it became time for his disciples to take over. In today’s readings we just heard St. Mark say that the disciples went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them; St. Paul talked about the different roles that were assigned to the disciples by the Lord; and St. Luke told them that they would be witnesses to the ends of the earth. Marching orders for His disciples.
That’s US. WE'RE His disciples today. It is up to us, as the master composer Puccini was supposed to have said to his students as he was dying, to “complete the opera” that he was working on. We must pick up where Jesus left off, for it is in us and through us that Jesus continues to live.
Now, next week we will celebrate Pentecost – the coming of the Holy Spirit. We each have received the Holy Spirit through our baptisms and in Confirmation, and the Holy Spirit continues to work through us. We will be reminded of that next week, as will those who in the various parishes around the world receive the sacrament of Confirmation, like many of our youth did just a couple of weeks ago. We have received our marching orders, now we must act.
One final thought. When Jesus “left” the disciples the first time at his crucifixion, they were afraid and sad, uncertain about their future. But with the Resurrection, they saw that they did not need to fear death, and so when Jesus “left” the second time through his Ascension, they were no longer afraid or sad, but joyous and celebratory, even though they had not received the Holy Spirit at that point, and wouldn’t until Pentecost. The difference? They knew the love of Jesus and it was through that love that their joy was complete. They were ready for the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit then gave them the tools, the skills, the graces they needed to evangelize.
So between now and next Sunday, I encourage you to pray for the Holy Spirit and the gifts and graces that the Spirit, dwelling in you, has given to you and to work through you, drawing others to God.
And remember: The secret of evangelization isn’t to tell others that they need to change; it is in just getting them to look up.
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
What is your Image of God?
What is your Image of God?
A reflection for a meeting for the St. Vincent de Paul Society, Monday, May 4, 2015
by Dcn Bob Bonomi
During a recent retreat for deacons at the local Montserrat Retreat Center, one of our talks was on our image of God as a reflection of our life experiences. Often people have an image of God as Judge and Jury, a god who weighs all of our actions throughout our lives on a balancing scale – good actions on one side, bad on the other. If the good outweigh the bad when we die, we “earn” our place in heaven, and if not: oh-oh.
Even if we think that God places a higher value on those events that come later in our lives as we strive to do more good to offset our past, we still live in fear of the judgment of God, rather than relying on His Mercy. After all, maybe we DESERVE to be punished, right?
This can be especially true for those who we encounter through our visits through St. Vincent de Paul. Often these people think that the difficulties they face are a sign that they are being punished by God for some real or perceived infraction of God’s Rules, or that God cannot possibly care for them because they are not worthy of His Love. The very assistance that you bring to them may even add to their low esteem, as they are not able to provide for themselves. They cannot understand that we are ALL dependent on God’s Love and Mercy, and the challenges that we face we do not face alone.
More than the gifts of charity that you bring to those you aid, you are bringing the presence of Christ as the God of Love and Mercy, and the one of the greatest gifts that you can share with them is the gift of Hope. But in order to accept that gift, they must open their hearts to a different vision of God – not one of judge and jury, but one of love and mercy. YOU are the reflection of God they see and touch; and it is YOUR image of God that they see.
So, think about your own image of God. How do YOU picture God? Do you have a healthy image of God – as Father? As Son? As Spirit? Is He loving and merciful, or judgmental and condemning?
When people encounter you, who do they see?
A reflection for a meeting for the St. Vincent de Paul Society, Monday, May 4, 2015
by Dcn Bob Bonomi
During a recent retreat for deacons at the local Montserrat Retreat Center, one of our talks was on our image of God as a reflection of our life experiences. Often people have an image of God as Judge and Jury, a god who weighs all of our actions throughout our lives on a balancing scale – good actions on one side, bad on the other. If the good outweigh the bad when we die, we “earn” our place in heaven, and if not: oh-oh.
Even if we think that God places a higher value on those events that come later in our lives as we strive to do more good to offset our past, we still live in fear of the judgment of God, rather than relying on His Mercy. After all, maybe we DESERVE to be punished, right?
This can be especially true for those who we encounter through our visits through St. Vincent de Paul. Often these people think that the difficulties they face are a sign that they are being punished by God for some real or perceived infraction of God’s Rules, or that God cannot possibly care for them because they are not worthy of His Love. The very assistance that you bring to them may even add to their low esteem, as they are not able to provide for themselves. They cannot understand that we are ALL dependent on God’s Love and Mercy, and the challenges that we face we do not face alone.
More than the gifts of charity that you bring to those you aid, you are bringing the presence of Christ as the God of Love and Mercy, and the one of the greatest gifts that you can share with them is the gift of Hope. But in order to accept that gift, they must open their hearts to a different vision of God – not one of judge and jury, but one of love and mercy. YOU are the reflection of God they see and touch; and it is YOUR image of God that they see.
So, think about your own image of God. How do YOU picture God? Do you have a healthy image of God – as Father? As Son? As Spirit? Is He loving and merciful, or judgmental and condemning?
When people encounter you, who do they see?
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