Have we become desensitized to the real suffering that Christ faced?

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ: For years we have heard the Passion of Jesus. Every Easter we hear the story of Jesus during his last 24 hours before his crucifixion. But have we become desensitized to the real suffering that Christ faced on that day. Over the two days, I have been seeing images of the Passion in my mind. The Passion has consumed my thoughts. “He suffered under Pontius Pilot, was crucified and was buried” – but why? In today’s Gospel (John 10:31-42), the Jews want to stone him and Jesus says to them, “I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of them are you trying to stone me.” Why do they want to stone someone who is doing good? In my images of the Passion, I see Jesus in total agony, his sorrow is heavy with the cross he is about to carry. When he is scourged, I see the flesh ripped from his body because of my sins. Jesus is taking a lashing for every one of my sins; for my greed, my gluttony, my lust. As I reflect on each of my sins, Jesus is struck again and again. As the whip of my sins tear through his body, his human flesh is ripped away exposing the spiritual nature of his inside. As Jesus is tortured for our sins, I see the pain and agony in his face. But when the scourging done he rises up and opens his arms to hold me. The light of the Holy Spirit comes shining through the gashes in his body. Because of my weakness, he takes the cross; he takes my cross and carries it to Calvary . There, I drive nails in his hands and feet. Again, the agony of my sinfulness is heavy on his face. I raise him in the air like a flag on pole and there in his total nakedness, his total abandonment he looks down at me and says, you are forgiven for I love you. “He himself bore our sins in his body upon the cross, so that, free from sin, we might live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” (1 Peter 2:24) Jesus wraps himself around me and the his blood covers me. His blood protects me. Jesus came to this world to bring us the Father. He did miracles so we would know he was the Son of God. He healed the sick and brought people back from the dead. Yet the Jews could not see that this “man” was the true son of God. In response to his great works, they accuse him of blasphemy. They wanted to punish him by stoning him. Jesus turned to God for his protection. It is difficult for us to see and accept all the Glory God pours out for us. We doubt what we see with our own two eyes. It is difficult for us to see the miracles that God performs everyday. We refuse to see the Holy Spirit as it descends into our souls. Yet we cannot deny the sacrifice that Jesus made for us on that cross. Know that he is looking down on us and forgiving us of our sins. The agony and torture he faced that Friday, the blood and sweat that poured from his body was done for our sins. Are you going to stone him or are you going to ask for his undying mercy at the cross? This coming week is Holy Week. Spend extra time examining your conscience. Go through your sins. Open your mind and accept that Jesus is the Son of God. Believe in his Word for the Word became flesh to save us from our sins. If we can see Christ in his sufferings, we will then realize the depth of his love for us. A Simple Prayer “Praise be to you, Lord Jesus Christ! You are the mercy of God. Praise be to you for your cross, which saved us and continues to deliver us from evil. Thank you, Father, for so great a redemption. May we always receive the protection of this sacrifice. May it keep us safe from all harm. Yours in Christ and in the Cross Michael Marcon

The Lenten Journey is like a 12 hour car ride.

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ: We are but one week away from the beginning of the Holy Tridium. We have come a long way during our journey. We may have fallen on the path when it got rough or even stumbled on the stones that were obstructing our way, but we never lost site of the goal. The Lenten Journey is like a 12 hour car ride. When you start out in the morning, you’re refreshed and excited about the trip. As you start down the road, the trip becomes monotonous and you start asking the question, “Are we there yet?” or “How much further until we get there?” Then, just when all hope seems to be fading, you get a glimpse of your destination. You become revitalized. You’re refocused on getting to your target. The same feelings can happen during Lent. Sometimes we get weary on our journey or we get tempted to divert from our path. But if keep focused on the path, we will get to our destination. In today’s Gospel (John 8:51-59), Jesus tells the Jews, “Whoever keeps my word will never see death.” Our path is the Word. Believing in the Word will take us to the cross, through the cross and into the resurrection of new life. “You do not know him, but I know him.” To know him, we need to complete our journey, we need to make it to the resurrection. The journey is not easy, but it is worth the effort. “Your father, Abraham, rejoiced because he saw my day.” We too will be able to rejoice in the Word of the risen Jesus. We will celebrate the Easter of our redemption. God made a promise or covenant with Abraham (Genesis 17:3-9). He promised to be his God and the God of his descendants. He gave Abraham the land of Canaan . But God said to Abraham, “You and your descendants after you must keep my covenant throughout the ages.” We are called to keep the Word, to live the Word to fulfill our journey to Christ. Jesus is the life giving Word that will set us free from the bondage of Sin. We are called to share the Word at the last supper, to rejoice in the crucifixion and celebrate the resurrection. “When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all to myself.” (John 12:32) After we betrayed Jesus, after we scourged him for our sins, after we drove nails through his hands and feet, after we hung him on the cross in his full nakedness, after we crowned him with thorns to strip him of his dignity and after we ran a sword into his side so his blood would be spilled on the earth, he asked God to have mercy on us for we know not what we do. Through his resurrection, we are drawn to believe in him and his glory. In his resurrection he has defeated our sin; he has freed us from the bonds of slavery. We now know the true mercy of our Father. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” (John 3:16) A Simple Prayer “Jesus, you are the life-giving Word of God! You have rescued me from death. Help me to receive your word into the core of my being, and to share that life with all that I meet.” Yours in Christ Michael Marcon

Three men who stood up for their faith

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ: Today’s reading (Daniel 3:14-20, 91-92, 95) tells the story of three men who stood up for their faith. They were commanded by King Nebuchadnezzar to bow down and worship a false god that he had cast of gold. The three replied: “There is no need for us to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If our God, whom we serve, can save us from the white-hot furnace and from your hands, O king, may he save us!” King Nebuchadnezzar was infuriated by their response and through the three of them into the furnace. As you can imagine, their faith protected them from the fires of the furnace. This same furnace which was used to melt the gold to make the idol, could not melt the three men. When Nebuchadnezzar looked into the furnace he saw “four men unfettered and unhurt, walking in the fire, and the fourth looks like a Son of God.” We have to make a choice in our life, are we going to become a slave to our sin and burn in the fires of hell or are we going to put our trust in God. If we trust God, if we commit ourselves to a holy prayerful life, God will protect us from the fires of sin. The Lord will “send his servant to deliver us.” This story goes even deeper, the faith and loyalty exhibited by the three men also had a purifying effect on Nebuchadnezzar. Once he witnessed the power and awe of the Lord, he was converted. So our faith is not only healing for us, it is healing for others. In today’s Gospel (John 8:31-42) Jesus teaches us that “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” What will the truth set us free from. “Everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.” Since we are all sinners, we are all slaves to these sins. The three men in the reading remained in the word of Lord and they were shown the truth and the truth set them free from the fires of sin. We are also asked to become faithful and to open our eyes to “know the truth.” So how do we come to know the truth? It is as simple as prayer. Not just a simple thank you God, which is not a bad to way begin, but a sincere commitment to prayer and reflection. Do you pray in the morning? Do you pray during the day? Do you ask God for forgiveness for the sins you have committed. It is the Lord who will set you free from these sins. As we have discussed in the past, daily examination of ones conscience is the best way to identify and come to realize the sins which burn in our body. Once we become aware of these sins, we can protect ourselves from their fire by a sincere commitment to the Lord our God. As our body needs physical exercise to remain healthy, so does our spiritual body need exercise. Prayer is the exercises that will help our spiritual body grow. Be committed to prayer; be committed to an examination of conscience; have faith in our Lord and he will protect you from the fires of sins you have become enslaved. We are now one week and one day away from the Tridium, the beginning of the Passion of Christ. Today, take time to reflect back on Lent and evaluate how you are doing. It is okay to have fallen. It is okay to have sinned. When we look forward to Holy Thursday and the celebration of the Last Supper, have we emptied our bodies of the sins that have enslaved us? There is still time to fulfill our commitment. Our God is ever merciful; he waits for us with out-stretched arms. Lay your sins of the Table of Last Supper for it is at this Supper that Jesus committed his body and blood for our salvation. This Sunday during your time with Andy, you will experience the Passion of Christ. This movie portrays the true depth of the sacrifice that Jesus made for us. Jesus deeply agonized over coming events and prostrated himself to his Father in Heaven to give him strength. We should also prostrate ourselves and ask for strength because the sacrifice of the cross is a serious one. A Simple Prayer Father, I want to hate sin. I no longer want to tolerate it or water down its effects. Lord, help me to keep my conscience sharp. Give me the grace I need to live in freedom from bondage. Holy Spirit, come and keep me in the truth of Christ, protect me from the fires of hell, because I simply cannot do it on my own. Yours in Christ Michael Marcon

Doubting His Divinity

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ: “If you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your sins.” (John 8:24) In today’s Gospel reading (John 8:21-30), Jesus is calling us to believe that he is our savior. To not believe in him is to die in our sin of disbelief. In the Gospel, we hear that many people came to know Jesus and came to believe in him. However, some of the so-called righteous leaders doubted Jesus was the Son of God. They doubted his divinity. We are called not only to be “good people,” we are also called to believe in Jesus Christ. Jesus tells the Pharisees; “Where I am going you cannot come.” So where is Jesus going that the Pharisees cannot come. He’s telling them that he is about to join his Father in Heaven so he can rise in the Glory of our salvation. It’s not that Jesus doesn’t want them to join him at his Fathers house. It’s just the opposite; he wants them to join him. But to join him, they must believe. It was through their sins and their refusal to accept Jesus, that they barred the door to heaven, not Jesus. Jesus goes on to enlighten the Pharisees, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I AM, and that I do nothing on my own, but only what the Father taught me.” He gives them the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven . He tells them what they need to know to follow him. I AM is the Word made Flesh. The Word will lead us into the light. If we do not follow the Word, we sin against God. The very nature of Sin is that it takes us away from God and from everlasting joy. Sin separates us from the all knowing, all loving, and all merciful. This behavior is foreshadowed in Genesis. What happened when Adam sinned in the Garden of Eden? He hid himself from God. He removed himself from the merciful love of God. God didn’t hide from Adam. Adam hid from God. To fail to recognize Jesus and where he came from is to remain in a state of spiritual darkness. But if we believe in Jesus and his teachings, then we walk in the joy and light of God's truth. We are provided many opportunities in life and many of these opportunities do not ever return. Each and every one of us is given the opportunity to know and to accept Jesus Christ, as Lord and Savior. We make the decisions to either accept or reject the invitation. Life on earth is limited and we will not be given an infinite number of opportunities to see the light. How we live life on earth has everlasting consequences on our eternal soul. We should take advantage of the grace of God which has been given to us. Who knows when this will be our last opportunity. During this lent, have you followed through on your commitments? Have you sinned against your fellow brothers and sisters, or have you lead them to know and believe in Christ. Are you willing to join Jesus on the Cross so that we can rise up in the Glory of God. Do not worry if you have not been faithful to your Lenten promise. This promise is between you and God. Do not be discouraged by your inactivity, but be encouraged by the loving and merciful God we pray to. A Simple Prayer “Lord Jesus, open my ears so I can hear your words of encouragement and hope. Soften my heart so that I can take up my cross and follow you to Calvary and the resurrection.” Yours in Christ Michael Marcon

Feast of the Annunciation

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ: Today is the Feast of the Annunciation. Today is the day that Mary finds out that she is the Mother of our Salvation. Today, the Holy Spirit entered Mary and impregnates her with the seed that becomes the Savior for our sins. Today heaven is brought down to earth and all of mankind has received the most glorious gift, “the Word made Flesh.” The Angel Gabriel came to Mary and said, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.” (Luke 1:35). Today’s Gospel (Luke 1:26-38) tells the story of the Annunciation of Mary. This is when Mary finds out that the Lord has chosen her to be the Mother of the Christ Child. When the Angel Gabriel approaches Mary with the news, Mary doesn’t immediately jump for joy. Her first response is “Why me” followed by a quick, “You gotta be kidding!” Mary is then comforted by the Angel. He tells her not to fear because “she has found favor with God.” Mary then responds, “May it be done to me according to your will.” Mary accepts what God has asked her to do. How many times have we been asked by God to do something? How many times have we been asked to stand up for our brothers and sisters and our response has been “Why me Lord, I am just a ordinary person” or probably more appropriately, “You want me to do what!” Mary was the purified vessel that carried the Lord Jesus Christ; it was she who brought the Word Flesh into this human world. It was she who allowed our humanity to become complete. We are all asked to bring Jesus into this World through our actions. We are each given the Grace of God to carry out his mission on earth. The Holy Spirit enters our life at Baptism and the Holy Spirit grows in us as we nurture this Grace. The Holy Spirit lights our soul so that we can be a beacon of the Word. In the light, we can easily see our way; when we share the light with others, we provide guidance for others to see the way. If do not allow the light to shine, in darkness we all stumble. We can not see the way. God’s grace is the light that guides the way. “The Just One has descended like dew from above; the earth has opened and the Savior has sprung up.” (Isaiah 45:8). During this time of year, it is easy to see the new beginnings, the preparation for Easter is here. Spring is here and new life is all around. The Holy Spirit will overshadow us and through us the resurrection can be realized. When we pray the “Hail Mary,” we proclaim that God has become Flesh through the maternity of Mary. We also ask Mary to intercede in our prayers, to be with us as God was with her when she made the decision to be the most Blessed Mother. We are asked to burden a cross, to carry that cross for our own salavation as well as the salvation of others. You are asked to bring the Lord Jesus Christ into this world. To bring Heaven to Earth. A Simple Prayer “Lord, may I proclaim you in all I do today! May I bring you to others, with the peace and strength of your mother Mary!” Yours in Christ Michael Marcon

The Wonder and Awe of the Universe

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ: Late the other night, I was sitting outside in my backyard looking at the sky. As I sat there and stared into the darkness of space, I began to think about the wonder and awe of the Universe. I began to think about the creation of the Universe; that in a split second God clapped his hands and the Universe came rushing to life. Cosmic dust was all around and began to form into stars. The stars began to cluster form galaxies. Within galaxies, solar systems where formed; and within our own solar system, the earth was formed. That night I could see two bright objects which were other planets in our own solar system. I began to imagine all the wonderful things that God had created in the heavens. It was so humbling to sit there and think about the expansiveness of our Universe. Where does it end? Where does it begin? And then I realized how small and miniscule we are in this great Universe. As I sat there, my senses became more aware of my surroundings, I could hear a family talking, a mother and her son maybe discussing going out that night. I could hear dogs barking in the distance. Just as one finished, another chimed in with a response. Then the song of the insects became clear and almost deafening. I then saw the faint outline of a bird darting through the sky. Just then a plane broke through the night sounds on its way to Hooks Airport. As I silenced my body, I began to see the wonder and awe of our God in all the creation around me. At that moment, God was singing to me, my heart was opened to the glory of God. I was in his unbelievable presence. The glory and grace of his presence was so overwhelming at that moment that I just wanted to scream “Yes Lord! I am here.” In our lives, we get so wrapped in the trivial things that they begin to consume our lives. We get so busy with school, with work, with our friends, we forget to stop and listen to the Universe. God is screaming at us with all the glory of his beauty that surrounds us, with all his undying love. Tonight, go outside and take in the wonder and awe of our Lord. Count the stars, silence your mind to the things that bothering you. Let them go to the Lord. Open your ears and hear the Lord for he has a message to give you. It is now Spring, the grass is turning that beautiful new green color, the trees are full of life and the flowers are bright with the Easter colors. Our world is resurrecting from the dormancy of winter. Praise God for the beauty that surrounds us. We are but a small spec in the Universe hurling through the majestic creation of God. We are now just a couple of weeks away from the real resurrection and a new Spring in our spiritual life. It is time to prepare the soil and fertilize our souls, for Christ will rise again. As we died in the winter, it is now time to come to life. A Simple Prayer “Holy Spirit, I want to hear from you. Teach me, lead me and guide me through your days. Help me to trust and obey you, that I may accomplish what you created me for.” Yours in Christ Michael Marcon

God appears to be slightly upset (He was pissed)

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ: When you pray at night, do you pray for your brothers and sisters? Do you ask God to have mercy on their souls and to forgive them of their sins. In today’s reading, God appears to be slightly upset with the people of Israel . Some people might go as far as to say that he was really pissed. The Israelites cried out to God to be freed from the bondage of slavery and God answered their prayer. How did the Israelites repay God but by worshiping “a molten calf.” God told Moses he was going to strike them down because of their sinfulness. Moses interceded and asked God to be forgiving and loving. While Moses interceded with prayers to repent for our sins, Jesus offered us much, much more, he offered his very life to save us from our sins. The people of Israel fell short in their beliefs, they began to worship idols. Moses could have easily said to God, “Go ahead and kill them – let’s start over.” But instead, he humbled himself and said to God we are all sinners – have pity on us for you are a merciful God. When we condemn others through judgment and gossip, we are actually trying to make ourselves look more righteous. To make ourselves like idols to others. When we judge ourselves as righteousness and elevate ourselves above our brothers and sisters, “You do not have the love of God in you.” You must humble yourself because you are no better then your fellow sinners. When we condemn others, we are saying to God, Look at how righteous I am, I am not a sinner, but they are.” When we humble ourselves to the Lord, we are raising up our brothers and sisters and moving ourselves closer to God. Gossip and condemnation is a form of killing. Not only do we kill the fire of the Lord in our own soul, we kill the soul of the person we are condemning or gossiping about. When we humble ourselves and place ourselves on the same level as our fellow sinners, we become a loving individual imitating the love that Jesus poured out for us on the cross. This Lenten season, our focus should be on the cross and the sacrifice that God made through his only begotten son. The cross is our strength and salvation. As “cross-members” are used to strengthen buildings and bridges, so should the cross strengthen us. We should speak words of praise and forgiveness for our brothers and sisters. We should avoid improper conversations and idol talk, because in essence we are asking God to condemn our brothers and sisters. Instead, we should intercede on their behalf. We need to defend them to the Lord. He is merciful and we must be relentless in our mercy. A Simple Prayer “Jesus, Word of God, I come to you in the company of my brothers and sisters, who are simultaneously sinners and saints. Like them, I need you. I treasure your word more than life itself.” Yours in Christ Michael Marcon

Fasting, Almsgiving, and Prayer

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ: The three great works of Lent – fasting, almsgiving, and prayer – break us from the bonds of sin and allow us to celebrate the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. The cross is our comfort and our salvation. In today’s reading (Isaiah 49:8-15), we learn that God is always there for us. No matter what we do, he is there to comfort us. “For the Lord comforts his people and shows mercy to his afflicted.” “Can a mother forget her infant, be without tenderness for the child of he womb? Even should she forget, I will never forget you.” God’s love and compassion for us goes very deep, even deeper then the love of a mother for her child. When we hurt ourselves, who do we go to for compassion and mercy – our mom. When we are hurting spiritually and need compassion, we can pray to the Lord. At times, it might seem that he is far away and cannot hear us, but he is always there and always listening. He always loves us like a mom loves her child. Our sacrifices of Lent are a sign of our love for him. Through fasting, we give up earthly food so we can be nourished by the spiritual food of our Lord Jesus Christ; through prayer, we open the lines of communication between us and the Lord to bring God’s arms around us; and through almsgiving, we take God’s arms and we wrap them around those who are less fortunate then us. Lent is time for us to reaffirm our covenant with the Lord. It is a time for us to find comfort in the strength of the cross and the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus says in today’s Gospel, “Amen, amen I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes in the one who sent me has eternal life and will not come to condemnation, but has passed from death to life.” God answers all our prayers. God heard the cry of the Israelites enslaved in Egypt , so also has he heard the cry of us sinners. He made the ultimate sacrifice on cross so our sins would be forgive. He heard our prayer and answered it. A Simple Prayer “Lord, you love is my treasure. Teach me to walk in faith, and to know that you are always with me, where ever I go.” Yours in Christ Michael Marcon

We are ALL born of the living waters of Christ.

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ: Today we hear the good news of the Lord. We are ALL born of the living waters of Christ. Christ pours out his eternal love for all mankind. From Christ flows the river of life, poured out in word and in sacrament. The living waters heal the deepest of our wounds. “To the thirsty I will give a gift from the life-giving waters.” (Rev 21:6) If you are thirsty for the love of God, his water is plentiful. Today’s reading (Ezekiel 47:1-9,12) describes Ezekiel’s vision of the river of life flowing from the temple. This river is our salvation. If we chose, we can join the river and let it carry us to God’s Kingdom of Heaven . The river is healing and renewing. Ezekiel saw much life along the river; “the banks were lined with many trees.” “Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of every kind shall grow; their leaves shall not fade, nor their fruit fail.” As the living waters flow out of the temple, they get deeper and deeper. As we travel along the river of life, our relationship with God should grow deeper and deeper as the river builds. At the head waters of all rivers, the river starts out small and can grow into a mighty waterway. The river of life is the grandest river on earth. As we enter the river, the water is calm and refreshing. But we must venture deeper to be immersed in the water of God. What good is it to have our feet in the water when our hands are not? Today’s Gospel (John 5:1-16) also talks about the healing waters. Jesus meets a man who has been ill for long time and is trying to get into a healing pool of water. Jesus asked him, “Do you want to get well?” The sick man answered that there was no one to help him into the water and while he is on his way to the pool, someone gets there before him. Jesus commands him to “Rise, take your mat, and walk.” Immediately, the sick man was healed. Christ is the living, healing water who cured this man. If we cannot get into the water, we can not be healed. We must want the water of life. The more we experience the water of life, the more committed to God we become. Remember the leaves of the trees that feed on the water of life never fade. We may stumble on our journey, but God is always there to heal us for our fruit will never wither. God is calling us to give into the power of the river, to let the river carry us into deeper water so we can enjoy a fuller relationship with him. I know at times, the river may seem turbulent and uneasy. But it is our lack of trust in the river, our fear of the water that causes the water to become turbulent. As we fight the river, we create unrest. Give into the river for it is life; give into the river for it is everlasting life; give into the river for it is our salvation. Don’t fight the river for the river will carry you to heaven. If you want to get well, you will need to “Rise, take your mat, and walk.” Walk to the water that flows from Christ, the water that gives life to every living creature. A Simple Prayer Jesus, thank you for saving me and setting me on this journey toward heaven. During this season of Lent, help me give into the river, let the river push me into a deeper relationship with you. Yours in Christ Michael Marcon

2 Great Fathers

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ: “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose hope is the Lord.” (Jeremiah 17:7) The Bible tells the story of two great fathers, Abraham and Joseph, who had unfaltering faith in God. Abraham, who is the father of our Jewish ancestry, was asked to sacrifice his son for us. He had to have unbelievable faith to want to sacrifice his son for God. God, seeing his true faith in the Lord, made Abraham the Father of all Nations. Joseph, the husband of Mary, also had unrelenting faith in God. Mary, who was betrothed to Joseph, told him she was pregnant. What a blow to Joseph, who could have done this to him. Because of his righteousness, he was going to divorce Mary in secret. Otherwise, Mary would have been stoned to death for becoming pregnant outside of marriage. That night, he was visited by an angle who explained that Mary was impregnated by the Holy Spirit and that he was to take Mary and raise her son. “When Joseph awoke, he did as the angle of the Lord commanded.” What unbelievable faith did Joseph have to trust in the Lord? Joseph drew his strength from his trust in God. This trust was fueled by his undying faith, a gift from the Holy Spirit. This gave him the strength he needed to take care of Mary and the Christ Child. Joseph could have said no, he could have divorced Mary, he could have chosen the easier road, but he didn’t. He was given faith. He had faith that was given to him by the grace of God. It was this faith that allowed him to weather the storm. How solid is your faith? What has God asked you to do? We are all called to have faith in our Lord; we strengthen our faith through prayer and through feasting on the nourishment of the Holy Spirit. Our faith is strongest when we open our souls to the Lord, when we lift our eyes to heaven and let the light of or Lord Jesus Christ flood our hearts. The story of Joseph highlights the overpowering strength of the gift of faith. This is a gift that is there for all of us. However, we must accept this gift. What would have happened in Joseph would not have accepted this gift? What if Abraham had denied the request of God to sacrifice his son? Faith allows us to see the Lord Jesus Christ. Without faith, we are blind. Jesus cured the blind man because of his faith. Because his eyes were opened to the Lord, he was cured of his blindness. The light of the Holy Spirit was let in to fill his body. Faith is a trait that becomes harder to master the older we get. When we were small children, we believed our parents without question. We believed in God with out proof. We believed that Jesus died to save us from our sins because our religion teacher told us. We believed because of our innocence. However, age is a thing causes us to become blind. As we “mature” we begin to doubt. Our faith is attacked by the knowledge of life. How solid is your faith? Through the grace of God, we can put our lives in God’s hands. He will help us. But we must have faith? We should follow Joseph’s example of faith, trust and obedience, even when it is difficult. How solid is your faith? God continues to be merciful. He will always pour out his grace for you – just ask him to give it to you. A Simple Prayer Thank you, Father, for calling me into your life through your son and giving me the ability to believe in him. Father, you know how weak my faith can be and how I can waver in responding to you. Father – I believe – but help my unbelief!” Yours in Christ Michael Marcon

Happy St. Patrick’s Day

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ: Happy St. Patrick’s Day and I hope you are all wearing green. If not – consider yourself pinched. So, who was St. Patrick? According to Irish historians, St. Patrick was born in England . His father was a deacon, his grandfather a priest. That’s right, in those days priest got married. Therefore, St. Patrick would have been raised in a Christian environment. When he was about sixteen, he was enslaved and brought to Ireland . St. Patrick was held captive for six years as a sheep herder. While in captivity, he prayed daily and his faith grew strong. After six years he heard a voice telling him that he would soon go home. Soon after, he returned to his family in England . A few years later, St. Patrick had another vision, “I saw a man coming, as it were from Ireland . His name was Victoricus, and he carried many letters, and he gave me one of them. I read the heading: ‘The Voice of the Irish’. As I began the letter, I imagined in that moment that I heard the voice of those very people who were near the wood of Foclut, which is beside the western sea—and they cried out, as with one voice: ‘We appeal to you, holy servant boy, to come and walk among us’.” So St. Patrick returned to Ireland to mission to the pagans of Ireland . Not much is known of the life of St. Patrick in Ireland except that he baptized 1000s, ordained numerous priest, and helped expand the fledgling Christian Church in Ireland . Today’s gospel message (Luke 18:9-14) tells us that “the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” We are called to humble ourselves before the Lord. We do not need to brag to the Lord, for he knows our accomplishments. Our accomplishments are but graces from God. He wants us to be contrite for our sins; to humble ourselves before him and admit that we are sinners. In the parable of the gospel, Jesus tells of two people who went to the temple to pray; one was a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. When the Pharisee prayed, he said “O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity--greedy, dishonest, adulterous--or even like this tax collector.” The tax collector, humbled by the presence of God, cannot even lift his eyes to the Lord and he declares that “O God, be merciful to me a sinner.” It is easy for us to beat our chest about our holiness, but is difficult for us to lay prostrate and humble ourselves about our sins. Jesus tells us that the tax collector went home justified and the Pharisee did not. It is easy for us to take credit for the graces God give us, to declare them of our own doing, and it is easy to lay blame for our faults on others. However, if we do not accept responsibility for our sins, how can we be forgiven? Offer up your sins to the Lord and remove the weight from your shoulders. “Merciful and compassionate is the Lord, your God, and he will not turn away his face from you if you return to him.” (2 Chronicles 30:9) When asked, St. Patrick humbled himself and returned to Ireland to do the work of God. What is God calling you to do? Have you humbled yourself? Take time to examine you conscience today. Listen to the Lord for he is calling. Today is the first day of the second half of lent. Before we can enter into the gates of heaven, we must begin our walk. The first step in the walk is to admit that “I am a sinner.” Cry out to God, he will answer. “Let us return to the Lord. He will bind our wounds. We will live in his presence.” “He will come to us like the rain, the spring rain that waters the earth.” (Hosea 6:1-3) A Simple Prayer “Father, I have sinned against heaven and you. With a contrite heart, I admit that I have failed. Forgive me, Father, in your mercy. In your great love, welcome me again as one of your children.” Yours in Christ Michael Marcon

Give up those things that we tend to worship outside of Christ

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ: Return, O Israel , to the Lord, your God! (Hosea 14:2) Satin takes the opportunity to attack our faith any chance he gets. Today’s reading (Hosea 14:2-10) calls us to give up those things that we tend to worship outside of Christ. When we allow our decisions to be governed by our own desires, we fall trap to a form of idolatry. Desire for approval, escapes from reality, greed for gain, the need for control, or addiction to work or sports can be a huge distracter to our spiritual life. These things can be more important to us then or faith in God. So powerful can these items be that we can no longer hear the loving word of God in our heart. But today’s reading offers us great news, “I will heal their defection; I will love them freely; I will feed them with the best of wheat.” God does not spare one ounce of love for us. Nothing is too good for us. In today’s Gospel (Mark 12:28-34), Jesus is challenged by one of the scribes, “Which is the first of all the commandments?” Jesus replies, “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is Lord alone! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” We are commanded to love God, not the other idols of our life. Jesus loves us, so shall we love him. But Jesus didn’t just stop there. No, it’s not good enough to just love God, we must “love your neighbor as yourself.” The scribe acknowledges that there is no greater gift to God then to “love him with all your heart, ... and to love your neighbor as yourself.” If you can worship God, if you can love God with all your heart, with all your soul and all your mind, and love you neighbor as yourself, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God .” Is there something in your life that is keeping you from loving God and loving your neighbor? Are you over committed? STOP – Take time to smell the flowers God has made. Look around you at all the beautiful graces God has placed on this earth. Look up; turn your eyes to the Lord, ask God to bestow a special grace upon you today. Ask him to allow you to recognize what is important, and to avoid the things that have become idols in your life. Ask him to free you from these chains that bind you to these worthless idols. This weekend is a glorious weekend. Spring is busting out and the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ is all around us. Don’t waste another weekend. New life is among us. Amen! A Simple Prayer Merciful Father, fill our hearts with your love and keep us faithful to the Gospel of Christ. Give us the grace to rise above our human weakness so that we may love you with all our hearts, all our minds and all our souls. Give us the compassion to love our neighbors as ourselves. Yours in Christ Michael Marcon

“Whoever is not with me, is against me.”

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ: “Whoever is not with me is against me.” There are only two teams in the battle between good and evil and there are no bystanders. Either you are with God or you are not. There is no middle ground. In today’s reading (Jeremiah 7:23-28), we are told to “walk in all the ways that I command you.” We are given a simple command to follow God; yet we tend to harden our heart to his will. We want to test Christ. “If today you hear his voice” then “come into his presence.” When we were young children, we would put our fingers in our ears to avoid hearing what we perceived as unpleasant commands or orders from our parents. We considered that message as “bad news.” As young adults, we sometimes block the ears of our soul to keep from hearing God’s commands because we don’t want to hear what he has to say, we block out the Good News of his love for us. We get confused by the messages around us. Today’s Gospel (Luke 11:14-23) goes deep to the root of the problem. Here we see Jesus driving a mute demon from a man and after the demon has left his body, the man is able to speak. The people who witnessed this miracle were amazed, yet at the same time they questioned Jesus’ ability to perform the miracle. The people tested him asking for a sign from heaven, yet others thought it was by the power of Satin that cured the man. Why did the people question the miracle of Christ? Why were the people divided? Who created this mistrust? Satin tries to confuse the scene by creating conflict and doubt. He tries to divide the parties to cause them to question the pure goodness of what just happened. Yet we close our hearts to his wonder and awe. Today’s reading says it most clearly, “This is a nation that will not listen to the voice of the Lord God.” At times our spiritual life can be deafened by the mute demon. He sends us things to separate us from good. Unfortunately, we are tempted and fall pray to his ways. We must be able to build a strong defense to protect ourselves from Satin. We do this through prayer, through the sacrament of the Eucharist and through reconciliation. These should become habitual habits in your life for they will become the armor that protects you. We are at the midpoint in Lent. Is God’s message coming through loud and clear or is it being confused by Satin. Are you finding is difficult to stay on course. Victory over evil comes through prayer. In Lent, we try to separate ourselves from things we think are evil (e.g., X Box, television, candy). “We do not detach ourselves from things in order to attach ourselves to God, but rather we become detached from ourselves in order to see and use all things in and for God.” (Thomas Merton). God has not created anything evil. Everything God created is good. We make those things evil. That is why during Lent, we separate ourselves from the evil acts we commit with the gifts that God has given us. The obstacle in joining God’s team is in our “self”, not in the objects we have given up. Thomas Merton goes on to say, “The only true joy on earth is to escape from the prison of our own false self, and enter by love into union with the Life who dwells and sings within the essence of every creature and in the core of our own souls.” A Simple Prayer “Lord, May the sacrament of Life bring us the gift of salvation. May our lives be pleasing to you. Open our souls so we can hear your commands. Let us welcome the Good News of the Lord.” Yours in Christ Michael Marcon

What if we only had a few weeks left to live?

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ: We are now only a few weeks away from Easter. Jesus is fully aware of his fate and is trying to tell his apostles what is getting ready to happen. Unfortunately, they are too dense to understand. What if we only had a few weeks left to live? Would we be ready to enter the Kingdom of Heaven ? Or, are we hoping we can re-adjust our life later? Or have we fallen into a “just-get-by” attitude. In today’s reading (Deuteronomy 4:1, 5-9), Moses tells us that if we want to enter the Promised Land, we must follow God’s commandments. It is not just enough to know the commandments, we must live the commandments; otherwise, how will the pagan world learn who is the one true God. The Ten Commandments are not just an arbitrary set of rules, but a set of rules that has governed a people for more than 4,000 years. This is older than any other set of laws in the world. Just think of the laws in the United States . Congress passes a law. We have to pass a new law to help explain the old law. Then we have to modify the first because the second wasn’t quite good enough. The 10 commandments have been solid for 4,000 years. In today’s Gospel (Matthew 5:17-19), Jesus tells us, “Amen I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place.” Jesus is telling us that this is the law and the law will not be modified by a Congressional Hearing, a Senate subcommittee of a Veto by the President. This is the Law – follow it. Moses not only tells us that we must live the commandments, but we must also “teach them to our children and our children’s children.” The teaching of Jesus in today’s Gospel slightly modifies this decree. Jesus says, “whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven . But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.” When we are born, God gives us a great Grace, the ability to judge between right and wrong, the ability to choose between good and evil. He gives us a conscience. It was this natural ability that ruled the land before we were given the Ten Commandments. But because of our fallibility and propensity to sin, God gave us the written law, the holy profits, and the Lord Jesus Christ to help awaken our conscience and to bring it to life. So it is up to us to either keep our conscience buried or to let it shine in us and illuminate the world. In Jesus Christ, the eternal “Word was made flesh” for our salvation. We should glorify his teachings and make sure we illuminate the rest of the world by our example. Jesus didn’t come to this earth just to tell us that we need to follow the Law, he showed us how to follow the law. He showed us what the law really means. He commanded us to love the Lord with all our heart, soul and mind, and our neighbors as ourselves” (Matthew 22:37-39). If we are satisfied with just going to church on Sundays and occasionally praying, do we really love our God with all our heart and soul? So “What Would Jesus Do?” This Lent is a chance for us to shine, for us to awaken the fire God gave us through our baptism, a chance for us to reach out to others. It is time for you to develop trust in the Lord. It might be time to pull back out those WWJD bands. A Simple Prayer “Holy Spirit, give me more of you! I want to put into practice all that you have placed in my yheart. Give me yearning to hear from you in prayer, And to walk with you throughout my day! I know that’s the only way I will be able to draw others to you. You desire a willing heart, and so I answer – Yes Lord! I will.” Yours in Christ Michael Marcon

Know Scripture

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ: As Catholics, we have been criticized for not knowing scripture. We have been criticized for not being able to quote chapter and versus. Is that what God is really calling us to do, to be able to cite the Bible chapter and verse. How many times has Jesus reprimanded the Pharisees and Scribes for knowing the commandments but for not living the commandments of God? What is more important, to know scripture in your mind or to know scripture in your heart. Living the scripture is to enter into a relationship with God, knowing what God wants and what the scriptures are teaching us. If we truly want to know and live the scripture of God, then we must be willing to do what the scriptures ask of us. This includes asking God to “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells Peter, it is not enough to forgive those who sin against you seven times but seventy times. God asks us to offer compassion and love for our enemies and for those who have sinned against us. This gives God the greatest pleasure in this offering. How can you honor God if you have resentment for your fellow brothers and sisters? Our ability to forgive is such a simple gift which comes only from our heart. This is a gift that invites God into our lives in the most special of ways. It moves us from one who is a master and dominator to one who is a servant. When we reject the temptation to condemn, good defeats evil. Each of us will be subject to judgment one day. Our time on earth is but a split second in eternity. Do not spend eternity having to undo the evil which you have dispensed on earth. Today’s Gospel (Matthew 18:21-35) is a response to Peter’s request about forgiving those who sin against us. In this parable, a Master is settling the debts with his servants; however, one of the servants can not repay his debt. The master ordered that he and his family be sold to pay the debt. He begs his Master to have mercy on him, that he will repay his debt. The Master, sympathetic with his plea, lets the servant go and forgives him of his debt. How does the servant repay his kindness, by going out and demanding that one of his fellow servants repay a much smaller debt? When this servant pleaded for mercy, the servant did not listen. He sent his fellow servant to prison until his debt was repaid. If God will rescue me from my own faults and my own sins, should I not forgive those who sin against me? Resentment and grudges separate us from each other while mercy and forgiveness build bridges. Ask yourself; are you a bridge builder or a bridge burner? Bridge-building is costly. Building a strong bridge is not easy, but the bridge links the two shores freeing those on both sides. This is the sacrifice that Jesus made for us on the cross. A simple prayer Lord, may the saving sacrifice we offer bring us your forgiveness, so that freed from sin, we may always please you. While examining your soul today, think about those who have sinned against you – forgive them, forgive them again, forgive them again and again. Yours in Christ Michael Marcon PS Can you quote today’s Gospel or can you live it? Know the Gospel in your heart.

“plunged in the Jordan River seven times”

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ: Saturday’s message was about repentance and forgiveness. No matter what we did, Christ was always will to take us back. Today’s reading (2 Kings 5:1-15) is an extension of the message. Naaman, a “highly esteemed and respected” army commander, was afflicted with Leprosy. In the time of the Old Testament, Leprosy was a disease which afflicted the unclean. People with Leprosy were separated from the rest of society. The body would be covered with sores which would not heal. Naaman was told that if he wanted to cure himself, he would need to present himself to the profit Elisha. Elisha said if you want to be cured, you will need to bath in the Jordan River seven times. So Naaman went down and “plunged in the Jordan River seven times” and was cured. Why did Naaman have to wash seven times? Why wasn’t once enough? Some would say that seven is a magic number, while others would say that his uncleanliness was so deep, that once was just not enough. Today’s message tells us that many times we must repent more than once for our sins. If we are afflicted with a sin that commands our body such as anger or gossip, one which has control over us, we may need to go to reconciliation multiple times before we are “cured” of this sin. It is difficult to break habits, but we should not give up. If our transgressions are ones of habit, then we need to make a habit out of reconciliation. As I said in Saturday’s message, Christ will always open his arms for us. Even if we are a repeat offender; there is nothing you can do that keeps the Lord from accepting you back into his fold. Jesus told us to forgive not just once, but “seven times seventy times.” He understands that we can be creatures of habit and some of those habits may be bad. He knows that breaking them is difficult and that we must change our attitude toward that sin before we can remove the tendency to commit that sin. Today’s Gospel reading (Luke 4:24-30) tells us that while Naaman was afflicted with Leprosy, he was not the only one. Yet, he was the only one that the Lord reached out to. He reached out to Naaman, because Naaman reached out to the Lord. He took a chance on the Lord, and the Lord showed him his great power. While there are many of us who are afflicted with sin, God is only going to reach out to those who desire his forgiveness. He is there for everybody, but not everybody is sorry for their sins. Reach out to the Lord, ask for his forgiveness. When you examine your conscience, focus on those sins which are habitual in nature, those which we find most difficult to give up. A Simple Prayer “Father, I praise you for your unfathomable mercy! You forgive me know matter how many times I fall! Pour your healing power on me so that I may grow in your love and grace!” Yours in Christ Michael Marcon

Our God is all loving.

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ: Amen, Amen – God is merciful and forgiving. Our God is all loving. We have a God “Who does not persist in anger but delights in clemency.” (Micah 7:18) What a beautiful message of hope for all us sinners, to know that God will vanquish our sins. The Gospel reading (Luke 15:1-3, 11-32) today is about the Prodigal Son. The Gospel reading begins, “Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus.” Who is it that Christ seeks, those that are in most need of his mercy. Yet the Pharisees were complaining about who Jesus gathered with. Jesus tells the Pharisees two parables to illustrate Jesus' particular concern for the lost in the Story of the lost sheep and God's love for the repentant sinner in the story of the Prodigal son. How much are we like the Prodigal Son. We become greedy and want what is ours. We ignore our father and squander our gifts and treasures. When his son “had freely spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he found himself in dire need.” He had to work for a pig farm – this is about as big a disgrace as could be bestowed upon a Jewish Man – to work in an unclean place. So people might suggest that this was his punishment for his ill behavior. I think it represents the depression and sadness we feel when we realize we have injured our relationship with God. God does not punish us, we punish ourselves. We have a merciful and forgiving God; we have a loving God. When the son realizes his mistake, he contemplates returning to his father. He gets up and goes to his father and says to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers." What does his father do? He welcomes him back into his house – “Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.” When we let sin, greed and evil dictate our lives, we die to the Holy Spirit. But when we repent to the Father and acknowledge our sins, Our Father rewards us with the glory of his Grace. During the period of his absence, what did the Father do? Did he abandon hope? Did he give up on his son? Did his father write him off as a lost asset? No, he waited for him, looking for his return and “while he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him.” He never stopped waiting, he never stopped looking for his return. His Father longed for his retrun. No matter how bad the sin we commit, no matter how horrible the life we fall into, we can always return to God. His arms are always open and always welcoming. During Lent, we are called find that path to Christ, to rededicate our lives to Christ. We are called to transform our sinful ways. “Our Lord is kind and merciful.” Reconciliation is important to our salvation. There is a Reconciliation Service on March 20th. Please plan on attending this service. Christ will be present with his arms open ready to hug you and forgive you. He will embrace you and kiss you with the Grace of salvation. A Simple Prayer Lord, we have sinned against you, We have squandered the gifts you have given us, We no longer deserve to be called your son. Please have mercy on our souls and forgive us of our sins. Yours in Christ Michael Marcon

Good News of the Lord

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ: The word Gospel means the Good News of the Lord. Today’s Gospel (Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46) is definitely the Good News of the Lord. At first reading, one may conclude that the message is rather harsh. A landowner builds a vineyard and then leases this land to tenants to harvest. When the landowner sends his servants for the harvest, the tenants, belligerent with power, kill the servants. The landowner, sends a larger group of servants and the same fate awaits them. Finally, the landowner “sent his son to them thinking, ‘They will respect my son.’ But instead of respecting the heir of the landowner, they killed him to acquire his inheritance. God planted us a vineyard on this earth, he sent us great profits and priest to harvest the fruits of his vineyard and we stoned and killed the servants of God. As a last step, he sent his only-begotten son, and we through him out and killed him. Jesus tells us, “If they will not listen to Moses, and the profits, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.” (Luke 16:31). Jesus goes on to say in today’s Gospel, “Therefore, I say to you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit.” (Matthew 24:43) As children of God, we have been provided the vineyard of the Lord. We are called to produce the fruits of the vineyard. Are we producing the fruits of the vineyard for our own gain or for our master in heaven. Are we “killing the messenger” or are we glorifying the Word. Today’s message is harsh, but the message is clear and good. We shall inherit the Kingdom of God , if we produce its fruit. Whenever and wherever the Holy Spirit enters our hearts, we should listen. No matter how painful the message, we should obey. We are tenants of this earth, what have you done to produce its fruits? During Lent, listen to the Word of the Lord. Ask the Lord for Wisdom in hearing his message. The apostle James tells us, “If any of you is lacking in Wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given to you.” (James 1:5). A Simple Prayer “Lord, I want to hear what you have to say to me today, Even if it shakes or challenges me. Trusting in your mercy and love, I want to embrace your words So that I can bear fruit in your kingdom.” Yours in Christ Michael Marcon

Who wants to go to heaven?

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters: Last week Rex asked me to address his Junior High Classes while he had a meeting with the adult leaders. I asked the kids a simple question. Who wants to go to heaven? As one would expect, all the kids raised their hands. Then I asked them – Who really wants to go to heaven? While this question may be simple and the answer should be obvious, the action to get us there is much more difficult. In today’s Gospel, the mother of John and James asked Jesus, “Command that these two sons of mine site, one at your right and the other at your left, in your kingdom” (Matthew 20:21). Jesus gives her a simple reply, “You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?” The two apostles wanted to sit at his hand in the kingdom of God , but were they willing to do what it takes to get there? This request also infuriated the rest of the apostles. Why would James and John get to sit at the hands of God and not them. Why not me? Jesus said to them all, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:25-28). Saying you want to go to heaven is not going to get you there. Lent is more then just saying extra prayers, fasting and giving to others. It is about refocusing our life to the Lord. About redefining the path we must follow to get to heaven. While heaven is a desire, we must work to get there. We must be servants of the Lord and Masters of none. Last October, my wife and I went to Georgia for a weekend get-away. The car we rented had the Never-Lost GPS system in it. We used the GPS to help us get to our destination, a small retreat in the Smokey Mountains of Georgia . Along the way, the roads became quite confusing and we made a wrong exit from the interstate. The GPS gently indicated that we were not heading in the right direction. The sweet lady on the GPS said, “Recalculating a new route to your destination.” In life, we will all make wrong directions, make bad turns, go where we’re not suppose to go. Christ is that GPS that will redirect us. Every time we fall, Jesus Christ calculates a new path for us to heaven. Lent is a time to sit back and find that redirection. It is a time to get back on the path to heaven. Look up and ask God for forgiveness. See the Glory of God as he shines down on you. Be a servant to the Lord, be a servant to others. Do not be a servant to your sins. A Simple Prayer “Lord, thank you for your cross, And for the salvation you have won for me. Give me the heart of a servant, always ready to do your will.” Yours in Christ Michael Marcon

Dispel Our Pride and Be Humble

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ: Today’s reading and Gospel call us to dispel our Pride and be humble to the Lord. Pride is a two edged sword. We are taught to “take pride in work” or be “proud of who we are.” Yet pride can be one of the greatest sins we can commit. Jesus tells us, “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” (Matthew 23:12) Jesus chastised the Pharisees for their vainglory or their excessive boastfulness about their own self. He criticized them for being holy on the outside but empty on the inside. Jesus’ words about hypocrisy reveal how easy it is to become satisfied with the external displays of religion and lose sight of our inward faith and suffering. Pride sets subtle snares which we let take control of our lives. When ever we imagine that we are in control of our lives or someone else’s life, then we take on the role of God. This is what happened to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. The only way we can become like God is through the power of the cross, through the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Not through our own vanity. Pride also keeps us from recognizing and asking for true forgiveness for our own sins. When we examine our misery, we should raise our eyes to the Lord, the Father of all mercy. Misery can lead to discouragement if we try to handle these issues on our own. This discouragement comes from our pride which prevents us from looking to the Lord for help. We try to use our own strength to lift us up in these times, but our own strength is not enough. During Lent, we have made good resolutions. How do you expect to keep these resolutions without the help of God. Scripture tells us, “Woe to him that is alone, for when he falleth, he hath none to lift him up.” (Eccl 4:10) Woe to him who relies solely on his own strength to put these good resolutions into action. When you fall, who will help you up. When you fall, you will remain in misery and become discouraged. We have now midway through the third week of Lent. Lent can become discouraging. Examine your resolutions with Christ. Ask him to help you. But also glorify him in your success. Today’s message in the Little Black Book is about prayer and signs of prayer. The message is that not only should we look to God during low times, but also during our high points. We should also lift up our work to the Lord. We should sign our works over to the Lord. This made reference to an old custom of writing JMJ or AMDG on the top of class papers. JMJ stands for Jesus, Mary and Joseph and AMDG stands for Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam or “For the greater glory of God.” Sign your work over to the Lord. In one corner of your school papers, place the initials AMDG to offer this work up to the Lord. A Simple Prayer “Jesus, give me a love for all that is good and holy and pleasing to you. Create a clean heart in me – one that desires to serve and not be served. Fill me with your love and humility, so that I may help bring people to you.” Yours in Christ Michael Marcon

Symbolism in Lent

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ Have you ever thought about all the symbolism in Lent? We begin the Lenten season in the color gray – the color of the ashes we wear upon our head as a reminded of where we have come from and where we will go. Grey is also the color of dullness, the color of our lack of enthusiasm towards God. The greyness can represent the sin. Sin is the action resulting from my free will that separates us from God. However, when I recognize my sin, it opens me up to God’s love. The color of Lent is not grey, but purple. Purple of the color of repentance and conversion. This means that to get out of the grey, we must embrace the purple. Today’s Gospel tells us how to avoid the greyness and enjoy the purpleness of Lent: Jesus said to his disciple: “Be merciful, just as your father is merciful. Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and over flowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.” (Luke 6:36-38) God’s love and mercy has no bounds. He loved us so much that he sent his only son to die for our sins so we can grow in his glory. When we sin, when we judge, when we condemn and when we withhold from others, we are denying the glory which God has provided to us. “We have sinned, been wicked and done evil; we have rebelled and departed from your commandments and your laws” (Daniel 9:5). Only the Devine mercy of God who is “compassion and forgiveness” converts that tendency within us. By asking God to be merciful on us, we are also asking God for the grace to merciful to others. God looks past our sins and short comings to help guide us to the pathway that leads to heaven. Take a minute to reflect on your short comings, take time to reflect on your sins. This is a good time to reflect on those grave sins which are barriers to Christ. He wants to remove those barriers and lighten the load which you burden on your back. The church will be having a Reconciliation Service on March 20 from 7:00 pm to 9:00pm. Please try to attend this service. It is a great time to open up to the Lord our God. Yours in Christ Michael F. Marcon

Give someone a hug today

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ: Have you ever felt that overwhelming need for love? Just wanted to be hugged? Nothing says love and comfort like a good hug. When I was a little boy, I loved to crawl into my mom or dad’s lap. Now my dad may have squeezed a little too hard at times, but it didn’t matter – it felt good. Nothing symbolizes the true joy of love then a mother hugging her little child. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be hugged by God, to crawl up in his lap and just sit there while he comforted you and loved you? Well the good news is that God’s arms are always open and always waiting for us to make the move. We can crawl into his lap any time we want. Close your eyes and let all the cares of the world leave your mind. Imagine you are sitting with Christ in all his glory, his robes brighter than the midday sun, his grace flowing from him like the rays of light. Crawl into his lap and let his arms wrap around you. Say a prayer with Christ as he comforts you. Today’s Gospel (Matthew 5:43-48)commands us to love. To love not only our brothers and sisters, but our enemies. Those people we do not like, those people we have unpleasant discourse. Jesus commands us to “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father…” Yes, we are commanded to love our enemies, such a simple request, such a difficult task. Imagine that you are now in God’s lap, you are warm and comfortable, the joy of the Lord has made you at peace. Now invite your enemies to join you, invite those people who persecute you to sit with you in the Glory of God. A Simple Prayer “Father, you have declared you love for me. I don’t deserve your love, but I open my heart to receive it. Soften my heart toward the others whom you love so much. Help me grow in confidence that together you and I can handle everything that comes my way today.” Pray to the Blessed Mother that she may intercede in your life. It is Mary’s motherness that brings compassion to us. Mary is our Holy mother who looks over us. Say a Hail Mary for peace in the world. Let us seek the light of God’s glory, let us give praise to his name. Michael Marcon PS Give someone a hug today.

God calls us to repent.

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ: Today’s reading is quite clear – God calls us to repent. “As I live, says the Lord God, I swear I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked man, but rather in the wicked man’s conversion, that he may live. Turn from your evil ways.” (Ezekiel 33:10-11). God does not want us to die, but calls us to die to our sins; to sacrifice our sins. Today’s Gospel (Matthew 5:20-26)also stresses the importance of repentance – “I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” But today’s Gospel calls us to go so much deeper. Not only must we virtuous and obey the commandments, we must also not judge or be angry with our brothers and sisters. Judgment and anger quickly turns into resentment. Somebody may have done something to us that make us angry. If we do not love our neighbor, how can we be in communion with God? Jesus says, “Therefore, if you bring your gift to the alter, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” We are asked to reconcile those things which cause us to hate our neighbors. Take some time today to pray for those people who you are angry with, those people who have caused you to be resentful. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you turn away from being judgmental. During Lent, we should seek reconciliation. The offer of reconciliation must be our priority. We can receive forgiveness through the sacrament of reconciliation and during mass. During these times of reconciliation, go first and e reconciled with your brother. For give him first, before you ask for the forgiveness of your own sins. A simple prayer. “Lord Jesus, you prayed that we would all be one. Show me where there is hardness in my heart, And help me come closer to fully forgiving anyone who has hurt me. Lord, make all of us one in you, as you and the Father are one.” Amen Yours in Christ Michael Marcon

God answers our every prayer

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ: Jesus tells his disciples: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. Everyone who asks, receives; and one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” In today’s Gospel (Matthew 7:7-12), Jesus tells us that when we talk to God, he listens. That God answers our every prayer. Prayer develops that personal communication with God that makes us his intimate friends. “Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me.” (John 15:4). How can we receive God’s graces unless we open our hearts to the Lord. God is always there for us – are you there for Him? During Lent, we are asked to pray more. Unfortunately, in today’s secularized world, Spirituality is under attack. We are told not to pray in public. We are told not to be visible in our prayer life because it might offend someone. Pray does not offend. Pray is salvation. Today’s reading is from the Book of Ester. Ester was a Queen of Persia at a time when the Jews were about to be exterminated by King Ahauserus. She could of stood silently alone and let the Jews be slaughtered. Instead, we prayed for the wisdom and strength to talk to King Ahauserus. This could have meant certain death for her, but she did it anyway. She asked for the strength and she was given the strength. By her pleading and her prayers, the Jews were saved. Prayers are very powerful, use them to form an intimate relationship with God. Pope John Paul the Great said, “Our Christian communities must become genuine ‘schools’ of prayer, where the meeting with Christ is expressed not just in imploring help but also in thanksgiving, praise, adoration, contemplation, listening and ardent devotion until the heart truly ‘falls in love’.” A Simple Prayer “Heavenly Father, thank you for enabling me to pray for others. Trusting that you will always give good gifts to your children, I surrender my life and desires into your hands.” Yours in Christ Michael Marcon