Christ’s Ascension and Promise

Every Sunday in the Nicene Creed, we say: “He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.”  When we meditate on the Ascension of Jesus into the heavens (for example, in the Second Glorious Mystery of the Rosary), we might have this image in our minds of Jesus going into the clouds, waving “bye-bye” to His disciples — almost an anti-climactic moment in the life of our Lord.  However, let us take for a moment what Jesus says before he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight (Acts 1:9): “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matthew 28:18).  Jesus is reminding the disciples that He has universal power.  Furthermore, He speaks about His own [past] suffering and death before He ascends into heaven (Luke 24:46).  The Catechism of the Catholic Church 662 teaches: “The lifting up of Jesus on the cross signifies and announces His lifting up by His Ascension into heaven.”  Pope Francis, when reflecting on what the Ascension means in the Christian life, said that “to enter into the glory of God exacts daily fidelity to His will, even when it requires sacrifice, when it requires at times that we change our plans.”

Before He ascends to the Father, “Jesus raised his hands, and blessed them” (Luke 24:50).  This is a priestly action, and the disciples respond with faith by kneeling and bowing their heads.  As Eternal High Priest, Jesus Christ intercedes for us before the Father (see Hebrews 10).  Pope Francis preached, “We have One who always defends us. He defends us from the insidiousness of the Devil, He defends us from ourselves, from our sins!”  Christ further assures His disciples: “And behold I am sending the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:49).  And, and then [they] returned to Jerusalem with great joy (Luke 24:52).  In one week, we will celebrate the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise, not as something 2,000 years ago, but as the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity alive and active today.  What do we want to receive from the Holy Spirit this year?  This week, in your meditation, I encourage you to ask the Lord for the spiritual gift you want this year: It might be joy; it might be a virtue; it might be a stronger devotion to daily Mass and Adoration; it might be a greater flexibility when our plans are not God’s plans.  Whatever your spiritual desire, ask with great devotion and sincerity.  You never know. . . you might receive a spiritual gift that changes everything.

Goals for Summer 2014

Sunday's readings can be found here.

This summer will mark three full years for me as pastor of St. Leo’s in Centerville and St. Thomas More in Hilltop Lakes.  The last two summers have been marked by a slower pace and a focus on Faith Formation planning and youth retreats.  However, Summer 2014 will be marked by a faster pace and more work.  

In Centerville, with the loss of our educational building due to the supercell winds back in March, we are in the expedited process of obtaining approval from the Diocese of Tyler to build a hall with classrooms.  Without this building, it will be extremely difficult to provide Faith Formation for 70-80 children next school year.  The plan that the building committee and I have come up with is a 50’x50’, two-story, metal building: Upstairs will be classrooms and downstairs will be the meeting hall.  Due to a poorly-planned city sewer line that runs diagonally through our property, we have a limited area on which we can build.  The decision has been made to place the building closest to the church in order to encourage fellowship after Sunday Mass.  A licensed architect has worked on this project extensively and has addressed the difficulty of accessibility to the second story: A wheelchair lift will be installed in order to accommodate the needs of the handicap.  The Bishop is aware of our need, and the CFO of the Diocese has assured me that we will have the support we need to build.  Currently, we have almost $42,000 in savings with nearly $19,000 coming from our insurance claim for the building we lost.  An up-to-date financial statement is enclosed in St. Leo’s bulletin.

In Hilltop Lakes, it has been six months since we paid off our new church.  Donations from the building fund continue to come in (we have $13,000 in savings), and we are close to having all the money to purchase custom statues from Italy to go in the two niches.  The building committee and I are working with David Patterson (the same architect who designed the church) to make sure the plan for a new hall will complement the church and serve the needs of our small community.  We should have something to present to the whole community during the summer.  You will receive an up-to-date financial statement soon.

On several Saturdays over the course of the next four months, I will be teaching an advanced course on fundamental moral theology to the Daughters of Divine Hope, a group of nuns established in the Diocese a few years ago.  They will be driving to St. Leo’s in order to attend this class.  I will open it up to our catechists and to some people interested in going deeper in their knowledge of the Church’s moral tradition, but I am trying to keep the setting intimate so the sisters can ask questions and be engaged at a deeper level.  I am also assisting the Diocese’s director of vocations (and good friend of mine), Fr. Justin Braun, in organizing a retreat for young men at the end of June.  In July, I will attend a Theology of the Body conference in Philadelphia.  The good news is that my new secretary, Mrs. Zulma Cuevas, will be in the office at St. Leo’s Tuesday-Friday, 8:30am-5:00pm.  She is bilingual and assists me with bookkeeping and other administrative tasks.  Let us keep each other in prayer this (busy) summer.

Margaret E. Patterson November 11, 1929 – May 13, 2014

Sunday's Readings: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/051814.cfm

One thing she could not stand – the thing that she really disliked the most – was when you recognized her publicly for the good she had done.  If Margaret Patterson received some public praise, her eyes would get big and she would give that classic glance of disapproval.  [Well, Margaret, you are going to have to endure a little bit of recognition.]  In a funeral homily (sermon), the Catholic Church asks priests not to eulogize the beloved deceased but rather to preach the mystery of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and how it relates to the new life of the individual believer.  However, since Margaret was such a good friend and a sort of mother to me (especially when I first arrived to Centerville and Hilltop Lakes), I cannot help but reflect on how I was inspired by her life and love.

The Lord is kind and merciful (Ps 103).  This is the responsorial psalm we sang today.  It is also the essence of the good news of Jesus Christ, that is, that God – the Trinity – is a kind and merciful God.  Margaret believed this, and that is why she was so generous with her time and treasure – not just with her family – but with the Church, Catholic Charities, and those who needed her.  St. Paul in Romans 6:3-9 tells us how our baptism is death to sin so we can rise to new life in Jesus Christ.  Our old self is crucified with Christ so that we can live the new life of grace.  Once again, this is the good news of Jesus Christ: redemption from sin.  Margaret had a bit of “Catholic guilt” – never feeling worthy of God’s mercy – but trusting in it nonetheless.  She believed in God’s mercy, especially as He chooses to show it through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  But the one belief for which she had the most passion and devotion is the mystery of the Most Blessed Sacrament – the Eucharist – that Jesus Christ changes bread and wine into His own living Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity at every Mass.  Jesus in John 6 tells us plainly, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world” (Jn 6:51).  The Catholic Church has always taken Jesus at His word, that is, He is not speaking figuratively.  Otherwise, His disciples would not have left him (see Jn 6:66).

Margaret believed in this mystery of Our Lord so ardently that it shaped her whole life, her whole family, and her whole parish.  She prayed and worked hard for decades for this beautiful church to be built here in Hilltop Lakes, and as a special favor from God, she lived to see it built and furnished.  She believed that God deserves the very best, and this beautiful church stands as a witness to our belief in the Real Presence.  When I celebrate Mass and when I preside at Adoration – at St. Leo’s or at St. Thomas More – I still see her in that front left pew looking intently at Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament.  Her faith and love for the Eucharist inspired me as a priest.  Towards the end, Margaret told me she loved me every time I visited her at the Manor or at the Isle.  I know she loved her late husband, J.R., her siblings, her children, her grandchildren, and she loved this community — but most of all she loved the Lord in the Eucharist.  “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day” (Jn 6:58).  Her body is physically present here, but her soul will always be present with us most especially at each Mass, through the Communion of Saints; and we know the Lord will raise her on the last day.  We love you Margaret, we will miss you, and we will pray for your happy repose.  Pray for us, and help us to trust, like you did, that the Lord is kind and merciful.

Good Shepherds and their Good Mothers

On occasion, the holiday on the secular calendar aligns nicely with the feast on the Catholic liturgical calendar.  This Sunday, everyone (hopefully!) will be honoring their mothers with flowers and chocolates — but most importantly with the treasure of their time, either in person or by phone.  In the Catholic Church this Sunday, we celebrate “Good Shepherd Sunday.”  In John 10, Jesus calls Himself the Good Shepherd.  He is linking Himself to Psalm 23 and Isaiah 40 – to Yahweh – the divine Shepherd of Israel.  So, what does this have to do with Mother’s Day?

Jesus Christ, the Chief Shepherd, chooses human shepherds – priests – to guide His flock.  Like the Chief Shepherd Himself, priests are not angels but are born of women.  The Good Shepherd has a deep love for His mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary.  The early life of Jesus was nurtured by Our Lady in the home at Nazareth.  She did all the things mothers do for their children: fed Him, cleaned Him, taught Him, held Him, comforted Him, played with Him, listened to Him, and prayed with Him.  (Jesus was the perfect child, so at least she did not have to discipline Him.)  Being a mother is hard work – especially if your son is the divine Savior of the world – but the role of every mother is of eternal value for each child.  And even when the child is an adult, a mother never stops being a mother.  Our Lady is an example for all mothers of union with her Child in the joyful and sorrowful events of His adult life.

Most priests I know have close relationships with their mothers.  In imitation of Our Lord, we honor, respect, and love our mothers.  My own mother, Jo Beth, died almost nine years ago when I was still in seminary.  She was not a Catholic Christian, but loved our Lord and encouraged me to pursue the Catholic priesthood if that was what God was calling me to do.  I am grateful for the personality traits I got from my mom and her example of kindness to people whom world considers insignificant.  Thankfully, I have a stepmom, Shane, who loves me like a son and has never tried to downplay the role of my deceased mother.  She had the most significant role in my family’s conversion to the Catholic faith and has been there for me through my life’s milestones.  I am grateful for the love of my living grandmothers, too: “Mema” (Betty, my mom’s mom in Ft. Worth); “Grammy” (Irene, Shane’s mom in Gilmer); and “MeMe” (Kaye, Shane’s stepmom in Natchitoches, LA).  Since my years in seminary and now as a priest, I have many “mothers” who have supported me through the years.  They love when I visit them, cook for me and give me a place to rest (you know who you are :-).  As a pastor, I also have many “mothers” in the parish who cook for me, check up on me, and encourage me to be a holy priest (you know who you are, too ;-).  I thank all mothers on this Mother’s Day and Good Shepherd Sunday.  Thank you for your gift of life; thank you for your sacrificial love for us, your natural and spiritual children; and thank you for praying to the Good Shepherd for us human shepherds and helping us to be the men we are called to be.

My Book Review of Rebuilt: Awakening the Faithful, Reaching the Lost, Making Church Matter

Last year at a SW Deanery meeting in Palestine, Fr. Peter McGrath (pastor of St. Francis of Tejas in Crockett) mentioned that he had given his pastoral council members homework: to read a new book on renewing parish life called Rebuilt by Fr. Michael White and Tom Corcoran.  I thought, “Hmm. . . Homework for the pastoral council. That sounds like a good idea!”  So I looked into the book, got some feedback from different sources, and decided to order the book for the members of my pastoral and finance councils in Centerville and Hilltop Lakes.  I read the book over my vacation this past week and wanted to give a personal and pastoral review to my parishioners.

Rebuilt (Ave Maria Press, 2013) is a book is about how a priest (Fr. White) and his lay associate (Mr. Corcoran) have worked since the late 90s in renewing Nativity Parish in the Archdiocese of Baltimore.  Fr. White describes the history of the parish, its strengths and weaknesses, and its steady decline — even after he had been pastor for five years!  He speaks of his mistakes – both in diagnosing the problems as well as solving them – and he speaks of how his vision and approach completely changed after encountering Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church in CA.  Fr. White began to focus on how to make his church as welcoming as “mega” and Evangelical churches are; he began to put resources into lively worship music, more preparation into his homilies, and more effort into developing teams and small groups to facilitate true fellowship and ministry; he worked to make sure there were age-appropriate services of worship so that the needs of the whole family got met on Sundays; he made evangelization and outreach the main priorities for his parish; and money problems disappeared (fundraisers were no longer needed).  The concept he references often in this book is moving parishioners from being “consumers” (I like to use the term “pew warmers”) to being “disciples” (a very Biblical concept).  In Rebuilt, he is honest about the challenges, criticisms and even some failures of implementing these changes.  However, his hard work and vision for his parish have seen remarkable success: a Sunday attendance that went from 1,400 now to 4,000 (and growing!).  God has certainly blessed him and his parish.

Fr. White has received both praise and criticism from many different perspectives in the Catholic Church today.  (He kinda opened himself up to that when he and Tom Corcoran decided to publish a book promoting what worked for Nativity Parish, but I nevertheless admire his courage and discipline to do so.)  Overall, I commend Fr. White’s zeal to incorporate the good that Evangelicals are doing into the Catholic context (coming from a Baptist background myself, I can relate); I appreciate his doctrinal and moral orthodoxy (he does not believe in “watering” down Catholicism); and I could not agree more about the need for priests to prepare well for Sunday homilies (and to preach on themes that are continuous).  I disagree, though, with a few points.  I do not think contemporary music is as essential to the liturgical experience as he claims, and I feel he ignores some of the theological problems that the lyrics (and kind of music) that some hymns/songs pose to the Catholic faith.  (I believe the hymnal is a theological textbook and should be chosen with serious discernment by the pastor.)  I also feel that it is important to keep the family together at Mass rather than separating them.  Finally, I take issue – not with his concept – but with his use of the word “ministry.”  Traditionally in the Catholic Church, “ministry” refers to what the ordained do/offer (extraordinary ministry relates to the sacred liturgy); “apostolate” refers to social outreach and other services in/of the parish.  Sadly, the word “apostolate” has been almost absent from church vocabulary for several decades, but I believe these distinctions avoid confusion as regards the role of the clergy and that of the consecrated religious and lay faithful.

Divine Mercy: The Good News of the Catholic Church

One of the most attractive qualities of Christianity is our emphasis on the infinite mercy of our God.  No matter what a person has done, no matter how grave the sin or the injustice, no matter how low the person has sunk — our belief is that God always offers a hand to sinners.  This hand is the venerable hand of Jesus Christ our Lord, and He extends His mercy to us by means of the Catholic Church, most particularly by way of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

However, when the Catholic Church speaks about the moral issues of our day — that abortion is gravely evil; that there is no such thing as “gay marriage”; that birth control and “morning after” pills are not healthcare — the Catholic Church is accused by the mainstream media as being intolerant, judgmental, hypocritical, fanatical.  We as Catholics are told to stay out of politics and to keep our morals to ourselves.  However, if you recall last year when the liberal minister of St. John Episcopal Church in Washington D.C. delivered a sermon to President Obama and his family on Easter Sunday, what did he do?  He brought politics into his church, but it was "ok" because of what he said: “Captains of the religious right [like Catholic bishops and priests, and Evangelical pastors?] are always calling us back . . . for blacks in the back of the bus, women back in the kitchen, gays back in the closet, and immigrants back on their side of the border.”  Despite being an egregiously slanderous characterization of Christian conservative values, very few in the mainstream media sought to criticize this liberal minister.  The President declined to comment when asked about his feelings on the sermon.

Unfortunately, because many in the media have such a bias against the Catholic Church (as well as against Evangelical Christians), they pervert our stances on sensitive moral issues of the day.  We as Catholics believe in racial equality (nuns and priests marched side-by-side with civil rights activists in the 1960s), and the Church's criticism of the President's policies has nothing to do with his skin color.  We believe in helping women in crisis pregnancies (e.g., the Gabriel Project) as well as providing ministry to women who have had abortions (e.g., Project Rachel).  We believe that a person is defined by being a son or daughter of God – not by his/her sexual orientation – and that a person who struggles with same-sex attraction can still live a holy life and have healthy relationships in chastity.  And we believe in the dignity of the immigrant regardless of documentation.  The Church is here to offer ministry to immigrants and to help them establish themselves lawfully in a new country with the hope of living a decent standard of life.

Divine Mercy Sunday (April 27) is a wonderful reminder, that despite denigration from left-wing bigots, the Church continues to be Christ’s gentle instrument of reconciling sinners.  In Christ, we always have a second chance no matter what we have done.  He instituted the Sacrament of Reconciliation to forgive our sins so we can begin a new life in Him.  Our message as Catholic Christians is not a message of condemnation, but of redemption and renewal.  The Divine Mercy of Jesus Christ gives us great hope in the midst our struggles, and is good news to all of us who are sinners.

Top 11 Reasons Why I’m Catholic

Sixteen years ago, I was “welcomed home” to the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil at St. Mary’s Parish in Longview, Texas.  Before that time, I had attended a few churches – mainly Baptist – with my friends in Tyler.  I am thankful for the Bible verses and stories I learned during this formational time on my journey home, but I am especially thankful to have been introduced to Jesus Christ through these Christian communities.  Becoming Catholic helped me to put the pieces all together: where the NT comes from; how we get to know and love Jesus; why He instituted the sacraments; what we need to do to be saved and how we need to live this salvation.

The event of the Bodily Resurrection of Jesus Christ that we celebrate on Easter Sunday is an opportunity for all — not just converts, but all the baptized — to reflect on the great gift of what it is to be a Christian.  By our baptism, we share in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ; we are made adopted sons and daughters of the Father; we are cleansed of sin and receive the infusion of grace into our souls by the Holy Spirit; and we are made members of Christ’s Body, the Church.  For us as Catholics, the Catholic Church is the Church of the NT — not just a religion founded by someone’s interpretation of the NT.  And while many non-Catholic Christians have sincere faith in and love for Our Lord, no other church can be historically traced  back to Jesus Christ Himself.

Because many who attend Easter Sunday Mass may not be regulars and may not even be Catholics, I would like to offer my personal “Top 10 11 Reasons” why I am a Catholic Christian:

1) The Eucharist.  A personal relationship with Jesus Christ cannot be any more personal than receiving His living Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity.

2) The New Testament.  The Catholic Church was the only Church around when the gospels and epistles were written.  The Pope and Bishops approved the canon of the NT in the 4th and 5th Centuries.  We have 2,000 years of Scripture commentary by the early Church Fathers, popes, scholastics and saints.

3) Unchanging Doctrine and Morals.  There is NT and early Church evidence of all Catholic teachings.  In particular, the Catholic Church is the only church that never changed Christ’s teaching against divorce and artificial contraception.

4) The Blessed Virgin Mary.  The first and greatest disciple, the human mother of the Second Person of the Trinity, our mother as those united to her divine Son; she constantly intercedes for us in heaven.

5) Ways to Pray.  Lectio Divina, the Rosary, devotions, Adoration, prayers written by the saints, oral and silent prayer, contemplation.  There are as many ways to pray in the Catholic tradition as there are kinds of people.

6) Beautiful Art & Architecture.  Beauty reflects God.  Arguably the most beautiful images and buildings in the world have been created in the Catholic tradition.

7) The Papacy.  Francis, Benedict XVI, John Paul II (to name a few recents).  When these men speak or act, the whole world pays attention.

8) The Saints.  Mother Teresa, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Thomas More, St. Joan of Arc (to name a few).  They show us Jesus in dark times.

9) Education, Healthcare, Scientific Method, Free-Market Economics, Natural Law Ethics.  The monastic tradition and religious orders of the Catholic Church were responsible for pioneering these services and ideas.

10) Confession.  Jesus working through His priests helps us to be accountable for our compromises with the devil.

11) Culture.  Meatless Fridays, chant and classical music, the Latin language, Italian multi-course meals with lots of wine, great books and movies, bingo (need I say more?); 2,000 years of Christ inundating culture.