Ash Wednesday 2025

 [Version 03 Ash Wednesday Homily: Entering God’s Reward, English]

Do you belong to any rewards programs? Whether it’s a store like Staples or an airline like United, many of us are familiar with how these programs work. We sign up, make purchases, accumulate points, and eventually redeem them.

Recently, I went to Staples, the office supply store, knowing I had a Staples reward card. I made a purchase, and they told me I had $10 in rewards. Then I realized I hadn’t bought everything I needed, so I picked up another item for $17 and asked, “Can I use my reward points now?” The representative said, “Sorry, no, you have to wait until it processes in the system.”

Sometimes, you do not get your rewards right away. Our faith journey is similar. God’s rewards do not come instantly; they require patience, trust.

It is tempting to view Lent as a transaction: we give up something—chocolate, social media, or meat on Fridays—and in return, we celebrate with Easter feasts. But Jesus is not asking, “What’s in your wallet?” like a credit card company. He is asking, “What’s in your heart?”

One of the “rewards” of fasting, sacrifice, and prayer during Lent is discovering our true priorities. In moments of crisis, we can ask God: “Lord, show me what is most important.”

Worldly Rewards vs. God’s Rewards

This time of year is also “award season” in Hollywood—the Oscars, the Grammys, the Emmys. Many of us enjoy watching these ceremonies, not just for the glamour, but for the acceptance speeches. The best speeches are filled with humility and gratitude.

True love and faith are not transactional; they are transformative. Jesus tells us, “Love your enemies. Pray for those who persecute you.”

Structure of God’s Rewards Program: Declaration, Denial, Delight

Declaration   To join a rewards program, you must sign up. Similarly, we declare our faith publicly. Receiving ashes today is one way of saying, “I belong to God.”

Denial   Any rewards program involves sacrifice. If you want airline miles, you need to take multiple flights. Likewise, Lent calls us to deny ourselves. Jesus says, “If anyone wants to follow me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.”

Delight   The true delight is not an earthly prize—it is aligning our hearts with God’s love. God loves the poor, the outcast, the broken. Do we love what He loves?

Unlike a retail store or airline rewards program, God’s program does not have a database where we can check our points. The true reward is a transformed heart and eternal life with Him.

The ashes we receive today remind us that earthly things pass away, but our souls are made for something greater.

So as we begin this Lenten season, let us embrace God’s invitation. Let us declare our faith, deny ourselves for the sake of the Gospel, and delight in what God delights in. The journey may require patience, but the ultimate reward is beyond anything we can imagine.

 

[Ver. 03 Ash Wednesday Homily: Entering God’s Reward, Spanish]

¿Pertenece a algún programa de recompensas? Ya sea en una tienda como Staples o en una aerolínea como United, muchos estamos familiarizados con cómo funcionan estos programas. Nos inscribimos, realizamos compras, acumulamos puntos y, eventualmente, los canjeamos por descuentos o beneficios.

Recientemente, fui a Staples con mi tarjeta de recompensas. Compré algo y me informaron que tenía $10 acumulados. Luego, me di cuenta de que me faltaba algo y compré otro artículo por $17. Pregunté si podía usar mis puntos, y el empleado respondió: “Lo siento, debe esperar hasta que el sistema lo procese.”

A veces, las recompensas no llegan de inmediato. Hay que esperar. De alguna manera, nuestra vida de fe es similar. Las recompensas de Dios no son automáticas; requieren fe, paciencia y confianza.

Es tentador ver la Cuaresma como una transacción: dejamos el chocolate, reducimos el uso de redes sociales o evitamos la carne los viernes, y a cambio celebramos en Pascua. Pero Jesús no nos pregunta: “¿Qué hay en tu billetera?” Nos pregunta: “¿Qué hay en tu corazón?”

Una de las “recompensas” del ayuno, el sacrificio y la oración en Cuaresma es descubrir nuestras verdaderas prioridades. En los momentos de crisis, podemos pedir a Dios: “Señor, muéstrame qué es lo más importante.”

En esta época también es la "temporada de premios" en Hollywood—los Oscar, los Grammy, los Emmy. A muchos nos gusta ver estas ceremonias, no solo por el glamour, sino también por los discursos. Los mejores están llenos de humildad y gratitud.

El verdadero amor y la verdadera fe no son transacciones; son transformaciones. Jesús nos dice: “Amen a sus enemigos. Oren por quienes los persiguen.”

La estructura del programa de recompensas de Dios: Declaración, negación y deleite

Declaración.  Para unirse a un programa de recompensas, hay que registrarse. De manera similar, declaramos nuestra fe públicamente. Recibir la ceniza hoy es una forma de decir: “Yo pertenezco a Dios.”

Negación Todo programa de recompensas requiere sacrificio. Para acumular millas, hay que viajar varias veces. De manera similar, la Cuaresma nos llama a negarnos a nosotros mismos. Jesús dice: “Si alguno quiere venir en pos de mí, niéguese a sí mismo, tome su cruz y sígame.”

Deleite  El verdadero gozo no es un premio terrenal—es alinear nuestro corazón con el amor de Dios. Dios ama a los pobres, a los marginados, a los quebrantados. ¿Amamos nosotros lo que Él ama?

A diferencia de los programas de recompensas comerciales, el programa de Dios no tiene una base de datos para consultar nuestros puntos. La verdadera recompensa es un corazón transformado y la vida eterna con Él.

Las cenizas que recibimos hoy nos recuerdan que lo terrenal es pasajero, pero nuestra alma está hecha para algo mayor.

Al comenzar esta Cuaresma, aceptemos la invitación de Dios. Declarémonos como sus hijos, neguémonos por el Evangelio y encontremos gozo en lo que Dios ama. La recompensa final es inimaginable. Amén.

Annual Appeal 2025 (2025-03-02)

This is my homily/presentation March 2, 2025 to promote the Annual Appeal with the Archdiocese.

For video presentation of this go to:

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If you would like to contribute, information is available in the pews. You can also contact me at

FatherJimFerry@lourdeswestorange.org

Or call (973) 325-0110

To donate online, visit rcan.org/sharing  

Annual Appeal March 2,  2025 /  8^th Sunday   

[slide_00 Gospel]   One of my seminary professors once remarked that this passage from the Gospel must have come from St. Joseph and Jesus’s carpenter’s workshop. After all, it speaks of splinters and wood—things that carpenters would have encountered daily. We try to keep splinters out of our bodies, especially our eyes. A carpenter and a carpenter’s son would have understood not only the challenge of removing splinters but also the need for assistance to see clearly. Likewise, we need God’s grace to help us see clearly in our daily lives. 

 

[slide_01]   This Sunday, we are promoting the Annual Appeal. Coincidentally, I also want to clarify some terminology. The Annual Appeal focuses on our mission—the mission of charity that we undertake as Christians and Catholics. However, there is another collection that sounds similar, beginning with the letter "A as in alpha"—the Assessment Collection. This collection also involves financial support to the Archdiocese, but it serves a different purpose. 

The Assessment Collection covers maintenance expenses, which help sustain the Archdiocese. For example, part of our assessment funds the upkeep of the cathedral basilica in Newark and provides support for property management services. These services assist parishes like ours by ensuring that buildings are well maintained. Currently, as we prepare to lease our convent to a new tenant, a lawyer is drafting the lease for us. Thanks to the assessment funds, Our Lady of Lourdes Parish does not have to cover legal fees, as they are already accounted for in our contribution to the Archdiocese. 

On the other hand, the Annual Appeal is not about maintenance but about our mission. It supports charitable efforts that extend beyond our local parish. I want to thank you for your continued generosity and invite you to join me in supporting this year’s Annual Appeal. I have already made my contribution, and I encourage you to do the same. 

When we give regionally, we benefit locally. The Annual Appeal serves the Archdiocese of Newark, which includes Bergen, Hudson, Essex, and Union counties. But first, let me remind you why we give locally. 

[slide_02, why give locally / faith]

Why Give Locally?

Your parish contributions allow the Catholic faith to be passed on through the sacraments. Young people are baptized in Christ, prepared for penance, confession, confirmation, marriage, Holy Orders, and Anointing of the Sick. Your generosity helps cover the cost of religious education, which tuition fees alone cannot sustain. We are also blessed with many volunteers who give their time freely to support religious education at Our Lady of Lourdes. Thank you for your dedication—you are ensuring that the sacraments, worship, and education remain accessible to all. We never turn anyone away due to financial hardship. 

 

[slide_03]  Your local giving also supports the needy. Consider the example of Holy Week. On Holy Thursday, Jesus washed the feet of His disciples and told them to do the same for others—an act of humble service. Similarly, your Holy Thursday donations support the St. Vincent de Paul Society, which aids the poor in our community. At Christmas, your generosity provides for those in need through our Giving Tree project, ensuring that the most vulnerable receive assistance. 

 

[slide_04]    Why Give Regionally? 

The Annual Appeal extends our mission by funding seminary education and forming future priests, including those serving in our own parish. I myself was educated through the Annual Appeal—your generosity helped pay for my tuition at Immaculate Conception Seminary. Father Bob Susko, our weekend assistant, continues to work in administration there. 

 

Additionally, the Appeal funds campus ministry, supporting young Catholics at nine colleges within our Archdiocese. Before coming here, I served in campus ministry at Fairleigh Dickinson University. Thanks to your contributions, my ministry was provided at no cost to the university. Your support ensures that priests continue to serve students at Montclair State University, Rutgers-Newark, Kean University, and other campuses. Note that this funding does not extend to Seton Hall University, which has its own sources of support. Instead, these contributions sustain Newman Clubs and Catholic outreach at public and non-religious universities. 

 

The Appeal also provides for Masses for the disabled, ensuring that worship remains accessible to the hearing-impaired and others with special needs. It funds Catholic Charities, which offers food, shelter, job training, and educational programs for those in crisis. 

 

[slide_05]     How Does This Benefit Our Parish? 

You may be wondering: How does giving to the Annual Appeal benefit Our Lady of Lourdes? 

Because of your generosity, our parish has received over **$200,000** in grants and debt relief from the Archdiocese over the past ten years. This includes: 

 

- **$105,000 in direct grants** for building repairs 

- **$50,000 in assessment reductions** over the past two years 

- **$36,000 in additional assessment reductions** 

- **$66,000 in forgiveness of unpaid bills** to the Archdiocese 

That’s a total benefit of **$207,000** over the past decade. 

 

Additionally, **Catholic Charities rents our school building**, and their rent covers **50% of our parish budget**. The Mount Carmel Guild Academy, which operates in our school building, serves children on the autism spectrum and those with special learning needs. Your contribution, no matter the size, supports both our parish and the broader Church. 

 

[slide_06]      Our Goal for This Year 

Our **goal for this year’s Annual Appeal is $33,208**. By reaching this goal before **June 30**, our parish will receive **a $12,000 reduction** in assessment costs. This benefit is available to all parishes that meet their goal by June 30. 

If you would like to contribute, information is available in the pews. You can also contact me at

FatherJimFerry@lourdeswestorange.org

Or call (973) 325-0110

To donate online, visit rcan.org/sharing  

Thank you for your prayerful consideration and for supporting our parish. Together, we continue to build on over 110 years of faith and service at Our Lady of Lourdes.

[slide_07] Thank you for your prayerful consideration and generosity. Together, we continue to build on  110 years of faith and ensure Our Lady of Lourdes remains a thriving spiritual home for generations to come.

Our Lady of Lourdes,  Pray for Us !

Now, we will watch the official video from the Archdiocese. If you have any questions, please let me know. Thank you! 

40 Days of Lent upcoming: "Ash Wednesday Mar. 5" / St. Joseph Novena "March 11-19"

 

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Beatitudes. Direction (2025-02-16, Sunday - 06)

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[__ver-05__]   Homily – (11:30 am) February 16, 2025 /  6^th Sunday ●Jeremiah 17:5-8  ● Psalm 1 ●  1 Corinthians 15:12, 16-20 ●  + Luke  6:17, 20-26 ●  

Title: Beatitudes. Direction.

[__01_]    The Beatitudes reorient us: “Blessed are the poor, blessed are those who mourn….” Naturally, we resist these as undesirable states, hoping they are temporary. But Jesus presents them not as destinations to avoid but as a way to navigate life spiritually.

Jesus delivers this message both on the mount (Matthew) and the plain (Luke), signaling movement—calling us to a new direction we may not expect.

          This is Luke’s Gospel in which Jesus comes down the mountain to give the “Sermon on the Plain”.

          In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus rises in altitude for the Sermon on the Mount.

          In both locations – up the hill and down the hill – Jesus is speaking about a new direction, and way of getting there which – perhaps – we did not expect.

          How do you know if you are going in the correct direction?

 

[__02_]   A few years ago, I went to attend a family funeral in Atlanta, in Georgia. My uncle had died. My aunt and my cousins and my uncle have lived in Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia, in the suburbs, for many, many years.

     We all went down there, but each of us got there his or her own way. I flew down by myself. I wasn't the only person on the plane, but there was nobody I knew on the plane. I rented a car at the airport, started driving, and I thought, how hard can this be? I've been here before, but it had been many years.

But I thought the last time I was here, GPS hadn't even been invented yet, and I didn't get lost.

I started driving, and found myself dependent on GPS navigation satellites from on high, but they got weaker and weaker and weaker as I got closer to my destination.

Eventually there was no signal at all, zilch, nada. And I was still at least 5 miles away.

And I was not driving to a neighborhood where my cousins lived. I was driving to a neighborhood where my brother from California, my brother from Jersey, had rented a house that we were sharing. So we were all strangers in a strange land. They couldn't help me that much, but I still could talk on the phone. I still had my brother who had driven on these roads a few hours before, and he guided me and got me safely.

I reached my destination, but I was nervous along the way. It was and it was so dark and no cars on the road that I thought I would have to sleep in my car until the sun came up.

Fortunately, that did not happen. I learned something about trust and dependency on somebody else's voice, on somebody else's advice, through that lesson.

 

[__03_]     Do I trust? Do I depend on God's voice in the same way? Do I just trust on the voice of God, who might speak to me (to my conscience) and/or through others?

Do you?

Do you recognize this Psalm, the 119^th Psalm:  “God's Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

God's word is meant to light us in the proper direction, and Jesus is giving the Beatitudes as a direction in our lives, perhaps a direction we would rather not go.

 

 

[__04_]   We get directions all the time. On the road, there's a speed limit, a speed limit I might not want to follow, or you might not want to follow.

     At times, we don't follow the speed limit, but there are  consequences for not following the speed limit.

Jesus is urging us to see there are consequences for not following the Beatitudes either, for ignoring them.

He says, Woe to you who are rich now, Woe to you who laugh now. Do we not this is public and extraordinary ways, in extreme ways, perhaps in People Magazine or the newspaper. We see celebrities torn down by having too much money or not knowing to do how to save and invest. So money, in extreme cases, can actually be a curse and a liability.

How is poverty a virtue or a value? Is Jesus just telling us to a no-fun, impoverished, rejection-based lifestyle? Don't get me wrong, Jesus does not want that, but he does want us to learn that poverty can be a blessing, or being in mourning can be a blessing. How is that?

          ????These are the Beatitudes and they are your – they are my – GPS coordinates for the Christian life. ???

[__05_]   When I think, for example, of this. I think of my grandparents, who came to this country in the early 1900’s without much. They had little money and lived a poor lifestyle, very simply. And even when they got money, even when they had a little more money and were a little more comfortable, they still lived a very simple lifestyle.

With exactly one closet in an apartment for five people, they still lived a simple life. So even when they got money, they lived a simple lifestyle that poverty didn't just teach them the value of a dollar or the value of a deal. It taught them the value of everything.

How is mourning and sorrow a direction? Are re you in mourning or sorrow? Or do you know somebody in mourning or sorrow over the death of someone you love, they love or you love. This teaches us something. It teaches us how much we love the person who has died.

That's one thing it teaches us, but it also teaches us the value of not just the person, the value of the person we lost, but the value of every person's life, the value of our own lives. We learn through mourning and sorrow.

 

[__06_]  So Jesus's message about the Beatitudes is not simply about emptying or having a lower bank balance or a lower net worth, but simply teaching us about what are our values and moving in the proper direction.

We are all poor, impoverished in some way, and we need God's help. We need God's word to be a light to our path and a lamp to our feet. For example, when I think of myself, I want things done in a certain way. I want certain decisions made, certain deadlines met and way then they don't get met. I'm easily upset.

I might become tense over that. I may come make other people uncomfortable because I didn't get what I wanted, because the traffic report didn't follow the way I expected it to go.

The universe didn't obey me. That’s a moment for me to recognize that my GPS is not working perfectly, that I need God's GPS.

I need the coordinates and latitude of longitude of God's word in my life, not just my own GPS, to lead me.

And Jesus is asking us to follow his direction, to follow this way of simplicity and some humility, to go down the road with him, down the way of the cross. For the kingdom of God is there

 

[__Addendum_]

          Would it not be better me to recognize my “poverty” and lack of control at times, and that God is in control?
          Could being in the dark be a good blessing?  Could recognizing our vulnerability be a good thing?

          I am in the dark, again, because my own version of GPS is not working, but there is a voice –God’s voice – to whom I could listen more attentively. His voice works and is the lamp to my feet and light to my path.

          I pray we will all listen more attentively both to God and to each other.  When we are in trouble, in difficulty, to proclaim a “fast” – not a fast from food, but a fast from speaking always of our troubles and difficulties, or if we do speak of them, to allow others to guide us, to listen attentively. Fasting also allows us to be filled and open when something truly nourishing and enlightening comes along.

          How do you know if you are going in the right direction?

          Look for the poverty, the mourning… do not look away. Follow Jesus’ way of simplicity and humility,  to navigate down His road. The Kingdom of God is there.

Miracles. Lourdes (2025-02-09, 5th Sunday, Feb. 11 feast)

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 [__v03__]   Homily – February 9, 2025 /  5^th Sunday ●Isaiah 61:1-2a,3-8 ● Psalm 138 ●  1 Corinthians 15:1-11 ●  + Luke  5:1-11 ●

[__01_]     Regarding the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes (February 11) and this Sunday’s Gospel (Luke 5:1-11)

The Gospel episode on the lake, with the fishing boats and Jesus leading the disciples to a great catch, takes place after the darkness and discouragement of night, and LEADS up to the dawn and direction of a new day.

There is a familiar saying: “It is always darkest before the dawn.” This holds true for the disciples – I in the dark with no fish -- and also scientifically and spiritually.

I recently experienced this in a way that told me something —losing (and later finding)  my phone. As I turned off the lights one night, I realized the phone was missing. I searched multiple times, called my own number, but heard nothing. Like Peter and the apostles fishing through the night, I was in the dark, catching nothing. Eventually, I gave up and went to sleep, unsettled.

 

The next morning, I shared my frustration with someone who introduced me to the “Find My Device” app. Unlike calling my number, this app made my phone ring even on silent. To my relief—and mild embarrassment—I found it stacked under a pile of dishes. At that moment, it felt almost miraculous.

The word “miracle” is related to seeing—as in “mirage” or “mirror.” In this small way, I experienced what seemed lost being found. Thankfully, I had not placed my phone in the refrigerator! (Yes, I checked there.)

The next morning, I shared my frustration with someone who introduced me to an app I had never used before—Find My Device. Unlike my repeated calls, this app forced my phone to ring, even on silent. To my relief (and slight embarrassment), I found it buried under a stack of dishes in the kitchen. While not a true miracle, the experience felt like one—a moment of being found after feeling lost.

 

How often do we find ourselves searching fruitlessly—not just for objects, but for meaning, connection, forgiveness, or direction? Whether it’s admitting we’re wrong, forgiving someone who has hurt us, or seeking reconciliation with God, these efforts can feel daunting, even impossible. Yet, just as the disciples found success when they trusted Jesus, we, too, are called to turn to Him in our struggles.

 Darkness Brings Distress

That night, my fruitless search brought unease, much like Peter’s empty nets. Have you ever felt that your efforts—to find a solution, to communicate, to forgive—were not enough? Sometimes, when we struggle to forgive others or seek forgiveness ourselves, we remain in the dark, not just for a night but for an extended time.

 

Yet, while darkness brings discouragement, daylight brings direction.

A Call to Faith and Trust

The Gospel reminds us to turn to God, especially when all seems lost. Just as Peter followed Jesus' direction and cast his nets once more, we too are called to trust.

 

In times of suffering, we often resist asking for help. Peter initially doubted Jesus' instructions, and I hesitated to ask for assistance in finding my phone. Yet, both situations reveal that guidance and clarity come when we are open to receiving them.

 

The Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes

 This Sunday, we celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, commemorating the apparitions of the Blessed Mother to Bernadette Soubirous in 1858. Bernadette’s life was marked by hardship and poverty, yet she received the vision of a “beautiful lady” who identified herself as “I am the Immaculate Conception.” Despite skepticism from priests, her parents, and authorities, Bernadette remained faithful to the message of prayer and penance.

 

Ironically, though Lourdes became a site of miraculous healings, Bernadette herself did not materially benefit. Instead, she embraced a life of humility, entering the Sisters of Charity and dedicating herself to God in quiet service.

 

What is a Miracle?

John Henry Newman observed that while miracles may capture attention, they do not necessarily change hearts. People often seek miracles in sports, health, or finances, yet the true miracle is often deeper—a transformation of the heart.

Consider falling in love: on a first date or wedding day, emotions may feel overwhelming, perspiring, anxious. But if those feelings persisted in the same way 40 years into marriage, one might call for 911 and paramedics / medical help! Love endures, not because of constant heightened emotion, but through commitment, sacrifice, and faith.

Seeing Beyond the Miraculous

Jesus did not perform miracles simply for spectacle but to reveal His presence. In the great catch of fish, He called Peter not just to witness but to participate. Likewise, miracles in our lives invite us to deeper trust, reflection, and action.

 

While I was grateful to find my phone, it has not made me perfectly mindful of where I place it. Similarly, witnessing a miracle does not automatically instill lifelong faith. Instead, we are called to reflect on what God is showing us—to see beyond the extraordinary and recognize His constant presence.

 

The greatest miracle is the forgiveness of our sins, the grace that brings courage in fear and love in division. Recognizing his own sinfulness, Peter fell before Jesus and said, “Depart from me, Lord.” Yet, Jesus did not turn away. He called Peter to follow Him.

We, too, acknowledge our unworthiness before Communion:

Lord, I am not worthy to have You enter under my roof, but only say the word, and my soul shall be healed.

May Mary, Mother of Mercy and Seat of Wisdom, intercede for us:

Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us.

Notre Dame de Lourdes, priez pour nous.   [END]

Childlikeness. Presentation (2025-02-02)

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 [__ver-03.at.1130__]   Homily –  February 2, 2025 /  Presentation  ●Malachi 3:1-4 ● Psalm 24 ●  Hebrews 2:14-18 ●  + Luke  2:22-40 ●

Title:   Childlikeness and Presentation of the Lord on February 2. Regarding Luke  2:22-40

[__00_]    Today is the presentation of the Lord exactly 40 days after Christmas.

And it's not just that Jesus is presented to the temple so that the people can keep an eye on him there, Yes, Joseph and Mary, keep an eye on him at the temple.

This is not just about the introduction of Jesus to us, but an invitation to the imitation of Christ by all of us.

We are called to imitate Jesus's childlike simplicity and also his sacrifice.  We are called to imitate our children, to heed their call which is, very often, God’s call.

 

[__01_]   Starting around the year 2010, I traveled on one of several Catholic mission and service trips with Seton Hall University students to Haiti for a mission trip to an orphanage in central Haiti, about 4 hours from Port au Prince.

          I was a chaplain to the group. One of our projects was to visit a hospital and refuge for both children and adults who did not have other family members to care for them. This hospital was run by the Missionaries of Charity, founded by Mother Teresa of Calcutta.

          It was both a joy and struggle to emulate the service of these generous sisters. The young children were eager for attention, just to be taken out of their cribs for human contact was a gift to them.

 

[__02_]      I bring this up in reference to the Gospel Good News of Jesus’ contact with us and his commitment to our salvation on this Sunday of the Presentation of the Lord.

          For the first time, by Joseph and Mary, the infant Jesus is brought into physical contact with Temple worshipers and with Temple authorities. For now, the Temple authorities are treating him gently.

But, the commitment of Jesus – as sacrificial lamb (??? Better term or identifier??) – is being revealed.

          The earth was starting to receive her king, though this is being revealed very gradually in the person of an infant in this royal and holy family.

          Is there not something consoling in that our salvation began in the conception and birth of Jesus Christ? Even in one so small, an infant, the full power of God’s love is present.

          But, do we not experience love – powerful and effective through contact with children?

 

[__03_]    When I was at the orphanage, I was reminded that love and beauty were present in the body and soul of every child.

          And, this particularly emphasized to me through a child for whom we celebrated Baptism. (More on this later..should I bother to mention this now???)

          As we approached the orphanage each day, we knew it would be a few hours of intense child care with children who craved individual attention.

          Regardless of what kind of day each of us was having, regardless of what preoccupations we might have, these children needed our attention.

          They called for love to come out of us, whether we had planned it or not.

          How many of you as parents and caregivers – how many times have you been called by a child – by your children/ young people – in a similar way, that you have been called to love not based on a prior or planned intention,  but just based on powerful instinct that draws you to love your child, or to love children?

 

[__04_]   In a sermon called the State of Innocence (https://www.newmanreader.org/works/parochial/volume5/sermon8.html)

John Henry Newman writes about our hope of salvation and reminds of Jesus’ calling to us to become as little children, to be childlike.

          Newman is connecting the virtue of the child to the virtue of Adam, the first man and first human creature in the Garden of Eden in Genesis and compares this to our own infancy and childhood as follows:
(a) SOLITUDE – Adam is created in the Garden of Eden and has no companions but also does not see a problem with being alone. As children, did we not REVEL in “alone time” in a way that we don’t as adults. We could be alone as long as we were safe.

 

(b) HIDDENNESS/CONCEALMENT

The life of Adam in the Garden is hidden and concealed. We don’t really know what it was like to live before original sin, before the fall.

Similarly, your infancy  and my earliest childhood experiences are not saved on the “hard drive in our heads.” We have no memory of them.

Example: When I was 11 months old, my mother took me on a trip to visit her best friend in Puerto Rico.  It must have been exciting for me to fly on a plane for the first time and I always enjoyed spending time with my mother. I have no recollection of this

 

(c) TRUST /DEPENDENCY – children are not saved by their faith and actions, rather by God’s grace and this applies to us as grown-ups.

But, as grown-ups, we may lose this sense of dependency and imagine ourselves more powerful than we are.

 

[__05_]      As children, we learn how to live and thrive in solitude, in hiddenness and in dependency on our parents and caregivers.

          In this regard, we as children imitated the solitude of Jesus, and imitated the hiddenness of his life from public view and his dependency being in communion with our Father in heaven

 

[__06_]    As we grow up, we forget or dismiss these virtues and regard them as “childish”.

          But, being childlike is not being childish.

         

 

[__07_]     What a child does differently from an adult is that a child does not act out of “intellect” or “logical reason” or “self discipline”.

          Rather the child responds because the Holy Spirit is in him or her.

          Newman:  “There is no calculation, no struggle, no self-regard, no investigation of motives. We act from love. Hence: [St. Paul wrote]: "Ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them.”

(2 Corinthians 6:16)

          The child acts out of love.

 

[__08_]      On one of our Haiti trips, I was introduced at the hospital to a young child with serious health issues.

          The sisters asked me if I would come back the next day and baptize the child. Our Seton Hall group and I returned the next day for this purpose.

          One of the college students was very moved by this and also had his mind changed about the meaning of a sacrament whose official definition is an “outward or external sign of an interior reality”.

          This student was well aware of and thought Baptism was all about outward signs not just the water being poured, but also the outfits, the balloons, the cake, the party, the photography.

          Don’t get me wrong: all of the above are good for celebrating you child’s baptism. Yet they are not the essential and do not capture the essential and inherent beauty of you or you as a child.

          I pray that all of us – through Jesus Christ- on this Presentation Day, this 40^th day after Christmas, that we can recognize and comprehend our own calling can lead us to better disciplines, actions, decisions.

          However, our calling in Christ is not based on our own action but rather recognizing that every person – young and old – has value in our world, in our nation, in our family, in our town and that this value is not changed by status or sickness or wealth or poverty.

          You and I are called to welcome Jesus as the child who also renews our lives, so that --- regardless of our age or ability --- we may run and not grow weary.

Homecoming (2025.01.26 - Sunday - 03)

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 [__ver-04.new__]   Homily – Jan. 26, 2025 /  3^rd Sunday

● Nehemiah 8:2-4a, 5-6, 8-10 ● Psalm ● 19 Corinthians 12:12-3- ●  + Luke 1:1-4, 4:14-21 ●

Title:    Coming Home

 [__01/02/03_]   In Luke chapter 4, Jesus returns to His hometown of Nazareth, a moment of homecoming. Similarly, I attended a family funeral near Chicago, where relatives from across the country gathered to honor a loved one. While it was bittersweet, coordinating accommodations proved challenging, as only a few still lived locally.

Some family members rented an Airbnb to stay together, but trouble arose when they violated house rules: they brought a pet, exceeded the guest limit, and parked improperly. The owner, alerted by cameras, threatened to evict them within an hour. With the funeral the next day, this caused great distress. Thankfully, after apologizing and pledging to comply, they were allowed to stay.

Homecomings, while meaningful, can also bring challenges.

[__04_]    Jesus, in the Gospel this Sunday, has come home to Nazareth, to his hometown synagogue and he has been appointed to read from God’s word, from the scroll of the prophet Isaiah – from which our Savior reads a prediction that God will save His people – save you and me – by the suffering and death of 1 virtuous servant, the anointed one, the Messiah.

          The Jewish people – in Jesus’ hometown of Nazareth and everywhere – had been waiting for such a rescue, such redemption.

 

[__05_]      In the history of Israel, the people had experienced being conquered by neighboring countries, by Babylon and Persia, being on the losing end of these battles where their land was taken and they themselves were taken into exile and also they had seen their Temple destroyed about 600 years before Jesus was born.

          This Temple destruction and exile are the reasons Jesus is in a synagogue today and why there are still synagogues.

          Prior to the Temple/people going away, all worship centered in 1 place: Jerusalem and the Temple, a place of sacrifice to honor God, especially on Passover and other days of atonement (??? How to describe??)

          But, due to exile and conquest, the Temple was lost. Thus, synagogues – which is not a Hebrew word but a Greek word – meaning “gathering place.”

          A gathering place for a people no longer in 1 place, a people dispersed, for the Jewish people of the diaspora. A diaspora that exists to this day.

          And, there are still synagogues, in West Orange, in NJ and throughout the USA and world.

 

[__06_]    Jesus comes home to 1 of these synagogues in the town of Nazareth and proclaims himself to the Messiah, the suffering servant.

          It is true that some of his own people at that moment and in subsequent encounters struggled to understand his role as Suffering Servant.

          This was true for Jesus’ closest disciple: Peter denied the Suffering Servant 3 times.

          Sometimes, we may struggle to receive and recognize Him.

 

[__07_]     Jesus comes home to you and me, each day, by making Himself present through the Church, the priest, the sacraments to hear your – our – repentances in confession, to give us His Body and Blood in Communion.

          Of course, it is true that many of us as Catholics do not come home to God or to Sunday Mass / church. We may stay away. Or, we know someone who is staying away.

          I urge you to pray for this person or persons in your life, including prayers for those who died separate from or far from the practice of our faith.

[__08_]     Who is the largest religious group – numerically – in the United States?

          You might say, “Catholics”

          But, to more exact Catholics who are not practicing actually outnumber Catholics who are practicing.

          The largest religious group in the United States is non-practicing Catholics.

          Have you not spoken to seen, sat at table with a Catholic who is “lapsed” or not going to church?

          What do you say to them? What do they say to you? Some may behave sarcastically  regarding the practice of going to church, following the Commandments. Have you heard this self-description:  “I am a recovering Catholic”.  That’s my quote unquote favorite  because it really shows someone who is diminishing the value of faith and also trying to get under your skin, maybe to hurt your feelings.

          Do not take the bait in this trap.

          This is an opportunity to love your enemy and pray for the one persecuting you a bit…

          Do not get riled up with anger or disappointment. Been there. Done that. It does not work.

 

[__09_]    why have they walked away? Do they have legitimate reasons?     Some have been hurt by someone in the church.

          Some may complain or feel disenchanted with the church because there are “too many rules”.

          Or, because they may want to re-write the rules.

          In such conversations with those who are not feeling at home in church, I just urge you to love them first, invite them first.

          One day you might particularly remind them of – and invite them to – is Ash Wednesday this year on Wednesday March 5^th

          Because Ash Wednesday puts a focus on something that even non-churchgoers can get on board with..

          Fasting – we are all called to sacrifice not be too materialistic.

          Charitable giving – we can call give something if only our time to those in need.

          And, this can help lead all of us to trust and prayer.

          And, all of us need time for reflection.

          Jesus our Savior invites all of us home to him, and stay in his house.

          It is true that you’ll never get anyone to stay in your house or be your friend if you lead or read with all the rules.

        Jesus, our Savior does have a plan for our lives, but he leads by first laying down his life, by loving us to the end, and letting us know we can can come home and are invited to do so as soon as possible. [__fin_]