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.
Monday, June 8, 2015
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?
Sunday, April 26, 2015
A Prayer for Vocations
A Prayer for Vocations
Homily for Sunday, April 26, 2015
Fourth Sunday of Easter - B
by Dcn Bob Bonomi
This Sunday is the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. In 1964, Pope Paul the 6th designated the 4th Sunday of Easter, also known as Good Shepherd Sunday, to be a World Day of Prayer for Vocations, and so we are supposed to “pray for vocations” this weekend. What do you think about when you hear the word, “vocation”? I’m willing to bet that the first thing that pops into your mind is the call to the priesthood or to the consecrated life. And that’s all well and good, but is that all there is to a vocation? To be a priest or a nun? NO.
Let’s look at a definition for vocation. Merriam-Webster’s abbreviated definition says that a vocation is “a strong desire to spend your life doing a certain kind of work (such as religious work)” or “the work that a person does or SHOULD be doing.” I like that– SHOULD be doing. But in the spiritual sense, a vocation is much more than just “work”. Your vocation helps define who you ARE.
Do you know what YOUR vocation is? We all have one, you know. Oh, I don’t mean your job, or your hobbies, or even your ministries – although they all may reflect your vocation. No, I mean what is it that you are called to “BE”, in the eyes of God.
Before you can discern WHAT your vocation is, you first should know WHO you are. Some people spend their entire life trying to figure out who they are. We suffer from an “identity crisis”; we worry about what people think of us and we often struggle to form ourselves into how we think others should see us. We miss out entirely on who we really are, in God’s eyes. So, who are we?
As St. Paul says in today’s second reading, “we are God’s children NOW”. GOD’s children. Before anything else, we are a CHILD OF GOD.
What does that mean to us? How does that help us determine our vocation?
Well, Jesus said that we should be holy, just as God our Father is holy. So, THAT is our first vocation, as children of God – to be HOLY. Does that sound vague? It isn’t. The pursuit of holiness should be the underlying motivation for whatever we decide to spend our life doing, and that includes our jobs, our hobbies, - yes, especially our ministries. If what we do in our life doesn’t draw us to holiness, then we already have a problem.
Oh, great. That means that all of you attorneys, you doctors, you computer programmers – whatever you’re doing, if it isn’t religious work, then you obviously missed the boat when you were called to your vocation. RIGHT? NO. It only means that we always keep in mind that our first vocation is a call to holiness, and THEN, if in the performance of our chosen occupation keeps us from that call, maybe we should re-evaluate what we are doing with our lives.
And how do we answer the call to holiness in our daily lives? Jesus shows us how, in today’s Gospel, as he begins with the simple statement, “I am the Good Shepherd”.
Why a shepherd? Now, Jesus obviously didn’t tend sheep as his occupation, but he wanted to emphasize the virtues of one who was a child of God – in Jesus’ case, God’s only begotten Son. And the image of God as the shepherd of His people is one used throughout the Old Testament, so it is an image that the people of Israel would be familiar with. Jesus used this image to show the difference between BEING a shepherd and WORKING as a sheepherder.
“A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” But,
“The hired hand … works for pay and has no concern for the sheep."
So, to be a child of God and holy in our vocation, we must care enough for those that God puts in our lives to be willing to sacrifice everything for them. Those we care for include not only our families, our friends, our co-workers – but ALL who touch our lives. WE are called to be shepherds to them. THAT is our call to holiness. To love others and lead them to God in whatever job we have, whatever our situation in life.
And we, in turn, need good shepherds to show us the way to holiness. We need good, holy, loving clergy and religious people whose JOB - whose VOCATION - it is to BE holy and help us find our own holiness. They are OUR shepherds.
And it can be a tough time to be a shepherd in the Church today. The wolves of our society are prowling around the edges of our sheepfold - even among us - trying to snatch us away from God. And the wolves are particularly interested in attacking our shepherds.
So, then, what SHOULD we be praying for, on this World Day of Prayer for Vocations? Obviously, we should be praying for those men and women who have chosen a religious or consecrated life – especially our priests. Especially this week – really, every day – we should be offering up to God a prayer of thanksgiving for those who have answered the call of a religious vocation, especially our Priests. And we need to pray for an increase in religious vocations. But, let us also pray for holiness in our lives, and to know our own vocation.
I want to leave you with a simple prayer – a prayer for vocations and for us to know our own vocation. Please close your eyes:
Dear God, I ask your blessings on those who are seeking to know their vocation. I pray:
1. For the young – that they be open to God’s call to the religious life
2. For single adults – that they have the virtues of chastity, patience and courage to answer their call
3. For married people and those who are parents – that they embrace the vocation of marriage, of family, as witnesses to God’s love
4. For priests, deacons and other religious men and women – that they continue to find joy in their vocations
5. For older people – that they serve the Church as lay ministers
6. For the elderly – that they be prayer warriors for those who cannot pray
Lord, my God and my loving Father, you have made me to know you, to love you, to serve you, and thereby to find and to fulfill my deepest longings. I know that you are in all things, and that every path can lead me to you. But of them all, there is one especially by which you want me to come to you. Since I will do what you want of me, I pray you, send your Holy Spirit to me: into my mind, to show me what you want of me; into my heart, to give me the determination to do it, and to do it with all my love, with all my mind, and with all of my strength right to the end.
Jesus, I trust in you.
Amen
Homily for Sunday, April 26, 2015
Fourth Sunday of Easter - B
by Dcn Bob Bonomi
This Sunday is the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. In 1964, Pope Paul the 6th designated the 4th Sunday of Easter, also known as Good Shepherd Sunday, to be a World Day of Prayer for Vocations, and so we are supposed to “pray for vocations” this weekend. What do you think about when you hear the word, “vocation”? I’m willing to bet that the first thing that pops into your mind is the call to the priesthood or to the consecrated life. And that’s all well and good, but is that all there is to a vocation? To be a priest or a nun? NO.
Let’s look at a definition for vocation. Merriam-Webster’s abbreviated definition says that a vocation is “a strong desire to spend your life doing a certain kind of work (such as religious work)” or “the work that a person does or SHOULD be doing.” I like that– SHOULD be doing. But in the spiritual sense, a vocation is much more than just “work”. Your vocation helps define who you ARE.
Do you know what YOUR vocation is? We all have one, you know. Oh, I don’t mean your job, or your hobbies, or even your ministries – although they all may reflect your vocation. No, I mean what is it that you are called to “BE”, in the eyes of God.
Before you can discern WHAT your vocation is, you first should know WHO you are. Some people spend their entire life trying to figure out who they are. We suffer from an “identity crisis”; we worry about what people think of us and we often struggle to form ourselves into how we think others should see us. We miss out entirely on who we really are, in God’s eyes. So, who are we?
As St. Paul says in today’s second reading, “we are God’s children NOW”. GOD’s children. Before anything else, we are a CHILD OF GOD.
What does that mean to us? How does that help us determine our vocation?
Well, Jesus said that we should be holy, just as God our Father is holy. So, THAT is our first vocation, as children of God – to be HOLY. Does that sound vague? It isn’t. The pursuit of holiness should be the underlying motivation for whatever we decide to spend our life doing, and that includes our jobs, our hobbies, - yes, especially our ministries. If what we do in our life doesn’t draw us to holiness, then we already have a problem.
Oh, great. That means that all of you attorneys, you doctors, you computer programmers – whatever you’re doing, if it isn’t religious work, then you obviously missed the boat when you were called to your vocation. RIGHT? NO. It only means that we always keep in mind that our first vocation is a call to holiness, and THEN, if in the performance of our chosen occupation keeps us from that call, maybe we should re-evaluate what we are doing with our lives.
And how do we answer the call to holiness in our daily lives? Jesus shows us how, in today’s Gospel, as he begins with the simple statement, “I am the Good Shepherd”.
Why a shepherd? Now, Jesus obviously didn’t tend sheep as his occupation, but he wanted to emphasize the virtues of one who was a child of God – in Jesus’ case, God’s only begotten Son. And the image of God as the shepherd of His people is one used throughout the Old Testament, so it is an image that the people of Israel would be familiar with. Jesus used this image to show the difference between BEING a shepherd and WORKING as a sheepherder.
“A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” But,
“The hired hand … works for pay and has no concern for the sheep."
So, to be a child of God and holy in our vocation, we must care enough for those that God puts in our lives to be willing to sacrifice everything for them. Those we care for include not only our families, our friends, our co-workers – but ALL who touch our lives. WE are called to be shepherds to them. THAT is our call to holiness. To love others and lead them to God in whatever job we have, whatever our situation in life.
And we, in turn, need good shepherds to show us the way to holiness. We need good, holy, loving clergy and religious people whose JOB - whose VOCATION - it is to BE holy and help us find our own holiness. They are OUR shepherds.
And it can be a tough time to be a shepherd in the Church today. The wolves of our society are prowling around the edges of our sheepfold - even among us - trying to snatch us away from God. And the wolves are particularly interested in attacking our shepherds.
So, then, what SHOULD we be praying for, on this World Day of Prayer for Vocations? Obviously, we should be praying for those men and women who have chosen a religious or consecrated life – especially our priests. Especially this week – really, every day – we should be offering up to God a prayer of thanksgiving for those who have answered the call of a religious vocation, especially our Priests. And we need to pray for an increase in religious vocations. But, let us also pray for holiness in our lives, and to know our own vocation.
I want to leave you with a simple prayer – a prayer for vocations and for us to know our own vocation. Please close your eyes:
Dear God, I ask your blessings on those who are seeking to know their vocation. I pray:
1. For the young – that they be open to God’s call to the religious life
2. For single adults – that they have the virtues of chastity, patience and courage to answer their call
3. For married people and those who are parents – that they embrace the vocation of marriage, of family, as witnesses to God’s love
4. For priests, deacons and other religious men and women – that they continue to find joy in their vocations
5. For older people – that they serve the Church as lay ministers
6. For the elderly – that they be prayer warriors for those who cannot pray
Lord, my God and my loving Father, you have made me to know you, to love you, to serve you, and thereby to find and to fulfill my deepest longings. I know that you are in all things, and that every path can lead me to you. But of them all, there is one especially by which you want me to come to you. Since I will do what you want of me, I pray you, send your Holy Spirit to me: into my mind, to show me what you want of me; into my heart, to give me the determination to do it, and to do it with all my love, with all my mind, and with all of my strength right to the end.
Jesus, I trust in you.
Amen
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
The Works of Mercy
The Works of Mercy
A reflection for a meeting for the St. Vincent de Paul Society, Monday, April 13, 2015
by Dcn Bob Bonomi
I'd like to reflect on last Sunday’s First Reading from the Acts of the Apostles:
The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common. With great power the Apostles bore witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great favor was accorded them all.
There was no needy person among them, for those who owned property or houses would sell them, bring the proceeds of the sale, and put them at the feet of the Apostles, and they were distributed to each according to need. - Acts 4:32-35
If this reading described our world today, there wouldn’t be a need for the St. Vincent de Paul society – everyone would willingly care for all those who were in need in their community. And yet, even though the world at large doesn't look like this, the description is so appropriate for the mission of the St. Vincent de Paul Society. The Society, like that early community of believers, witnesses to others through the works of mercy taught by Jesus.
I’d like to reflect briefly on the fourteen Works of Mercy as they are seen in the mission of St. Vincent de Paul. I know many of you know them by heart (especially those who had to memorize them in the days of the old Baltimore Catechism), but I confess that I still have to look them up. So, for those of you like me who tend to forget things, or just as a quick refresher, they are:
The 7 Corporal Works: (1) Feed the Hungry; (2) Give Drink to the Thirsty; (3) Clothe the Naked; (4) Visit the Imprisoned; (5) Shelter the Homeless; (6) Visit the Sick; and (7) Bury the Dead.
The 7 Spiritual Works: (1) Instruct the Ignorant; (2) Counsel the Doubtful; (3) Comfort the Sorrowful; (4) Admonish the Sinner; (5) Bear Wrongs Patiently; (6) Forgive all Injuries; and (7) Pray for the Living and the Dead.
While the Society of St. Vincent de Paul is best known for its attention to the Corporal Works of Mercy, the Spiritual Works are just as important, if not more so. And so, as we minister to their physical needs, let us also minister to their spiritual needs:
A reflection for a meeting for the St. Vincent de Paul Society, Monday, April 13, 2015
by Dcn Bob Bonomi
I'd like to reflect on last Sunday’s First Reading from the Acts of the Apostles:
The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common. With great power the Apostles bore witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great favor was accorded them all.
There was no needy person among them, for those who owned property or houses would sell them, bring the proceeds of the sale, and put them at the feet of the Apostles, and they were distributed to each according to need. - Acts 4:32-35
If this reading described our world today, there wouldn’t be a need for the St. Vincent de Paul society – everyone would willingly care for all those who were in need in their community. And yet, even though the world at large doesn't look like this, the description is so appropriate for the mission of the St. Vincent de Paul Society. The Society, like that early community of believers, witnesses to others through the works of mercy taught by Jesus.
I’d like to reflect briefly on the fourteen Works of Mercy as they are seen in the mission of St. Vincent de Paul. I know many of you know them by heart (especially those who had to memorize them in the days of the old Baltimore Catechism), but I confess that I still have to look them up. So, for those of you like me who tend to forget things, or just as a quick refresher, they are:
The 7 Corporal Works: (1) Feed the Hungry; (2) Give Drink to the Thirsty; (3) Clothe the Naked; (4) Visit the Imprisoned; (5) Shelter the Homeless; (6) Visit the Sick; and (7) Bury the Dead.
The 7 Spiritual Works: (1) Instruct the Ignorant; (2) Counsel the Doubtful; (3) Comfort the Sorrowful; (4) Admonish the Sinner; (5) Bear Wrongs Patiently; (6) Forgive all Injuries; and (7) Pray for the Living and the Dead.
While the Society of St. Vincent de Paul is best known for its attention to the Corporal Works of Mercy, the Spiritual Works are just as important, if not more so. And so, as we minister to their physical needs, let us also minister to their spiritual needs:
- As we feed those who are hungry, let us also instruct them on how they can provide for themselves.
- As we give drink to those who thirst, let us also counsel and encourage them to face their trials with hope.
- As we clothe the naked, let us also comfort them in the sadness of their needs.
- As we visit those imprisoned by their needs, let us also help them to see errors in their ways, but to do so with love.
- As we shelter the homeless, let us also remain patient when we experience the outbursts from their frustration.
- As we visit the sick and injured, let us also try to understand those who are angry or in pain.
- As we bury the dead, let us also pray for the living who have not discovered life in Christ.
Thursday, April 9, 2015
Lord, Let Me See You
Lord, Let Me See You
A reflection during the Octave of Easter for Thursday, April 9, 2015
by Dcn Bob Bonomi
We are still within the Octave of Easter, meaning that we celebrate Easter Day every day this week. And in each Gospel reading this week, we hear about people who encounter Jesus after His Resurrection: Mary Magdalene at the tomb; the disciples on the road to Emmaus; the disciples who are locked in the upper room; the disciples who are fishing with Peter. The octave ends on Divine Mercy Sunday with the story of Doubting Thomas.
Do you believe in the Resurrection? REALLY believe? In each Gospel passage we see that those who were closest to Jesus do not recognize him when they first encounter Him after His Resurrection. Why? I think it's for two reasons. First, Jesus had changed. Yes, he still had his body with it's wounds and general appearance, but have you ever seen how different someone looks after something really special has happened to them? How often we talk about how someone "glows" when they are in love? Or how someone just "beams" with joy and pride when they have a child? Think about how it can be hard to recognize someone when you encounter them someplace that you didn't expect them. In coming to St. Francis I encounter people that I'm sure I know but can't identify them because I've known them from someplace else.
Second, they couldn't believe it COULD be Jesus because, really, He DIED. They SAW it. Logic not only controlled their thoughts; it controlled their vision. We see what we want to see, or rather, we DON'T see what we don't believe we can see.
What about you? Do you believe that you can or will see Jesus? Saint Sister Faustina Kowalska did. We celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday this weekend because of her visions of Jesus which led to our devotion to Divine Mercy. Or how about Saint Sister Margaret Mary Alacoque, who gave us the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus? Maybe we've come face to face with Jesus, only to not recognize Him because we don't believe we can see Him.
So, during this Easter Season, let's start each day with this prayer. Put it on your mirror where you'll see it the first thing when you get up:
"Lord, you created me to see You. Lord, I believe in Your Resurrection. Lord, I believe that you are still with me. Let me see You today." Amen.
A reflection during the Octave of Easter for Thursday, April 9, 2015
by Dcn Bob Bonomi
We are still within the Octave of Easter, meaning that we celebrate Easter Day every day this week. And in each Gospel reading this week, we hear about people who encounter Jesus after His Resurrection: Mary Magdalene at the tomb; the disciples on the road to Emmaus; the disciples who are locked in the upper room; the disciples who are fishing with Peter. The octave ends on Divine Mercy Sunday with the story of Doubting Thomas.
Do you believe in the Resurrection? REALLY believe? In each Gospel passage we see that those who were closest to Jesus do not recognize him when they first encounter Him after His Resurrection. Why? I think it's for two reasons. First, Jesus had changed. Yes, he still had his body with it's wounds and general appearance, but have you ever seen how different someone looks after something really special has happened to them? How often we talk about how someone "glows" when they are in love? Or how someone just "beams" with joy and pride when they have a child? Think about how it can be hard to recognize someone when you encounter them someplace that you didn't expect them. In coming to St. Francis I encounter people that I'm sure I know but can't identify them because I've known them from someplace else.
Second, they couldn't believe it COULD be Jesus because, really, He DIED. They SAW it. Logic not only controlled their thoughts; it controlled their vision. We see what we want to see, or rather, we DON'T see what we don't believe we can see.
What about you? Do you believe that you can or will see Jesus? Saint Sister Faustina Kowalska did. We celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday this weekend because of her visions of Jesus which led to our devotion to Divine Mercy. Or how about Saint Sister Margaret Mary Alacoque, who gave us the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus? Maybe we've come face to face with Jesus, only to not recognize Him because we don't believe we can see Him.
So, during this Easter Season, let's start each day with this prayer. Put it on your mirror where you'll see it the first thing when you get up:
"Lord, you created me to see You. Lord, I believe in Your Resurrection. Lord, I believe that you are still with me. Let me see You today." Amen.
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