HOMILY – Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. Sounds a little like the title of a Marvel Superhero movie. And in some ways it is.

Jesus is talking about Divine Judgment in today’s scripture Parable of the Sheep and Goats. This is the final public teaching of Jesus in Matthew’s Gospel and has one of the most important lessons for all Christian believers.

Jesus is reminding us that judgment will be based on the acts of charity or what the Church calls Corporal Works of Mercy.

  We heard a few weeks back the Greatest Commandment. This week we hear about how to put the Greatest Commandment into action by showing our love for our creator and for our neighbor.

A few weeks back I heard about a person experiencing homelessness setting up shop outside St. Patrick. Mass was about to start and people didn’t know what to do about the poor soul living outside our Church door.

I said, not a problem, I’d be happy to talk to him. As I stepped outside to chat with the man, we instantly recognized each other. It was my friend Robert who we had worked with for the past few years with our MercyWatch outreach in Snohomish County.

When he saw me, he broke into tears and embraced me and we got caught up on what was going on in his life.

Some parishioners were shocked to see the deacon hugging a homeless person. One of our new parishioners witnessing all of this said, “What’s the deal people? So, the deacon knows a homeless guy.”

Yes, I know him, know his story, know his many struggles. He was a regular at Mass in Everett. Robert is a devout Catholic who attended Catholic schools. And now he lives on the streets of Seattle and is using our front porch to keep out of the rain.

He’s been attending Sunday Mass each week since our encounter and our MercyWatch team has been making special trips to St. Pat’s weekly to give Robert food, water, socks, blankets and other needed survival items.

We walk by these poor unhoused souls every day. Homelessness is exploding in our fair city. What are we Christians supposed to do? 

We are to show love to our neighbor. And by doing so we show love for God.

In doing so, we encounter the sacred through our works of mercy and charity. This is what distinguishes holy Christian service from secular acts of kindness.

In this week’s parable, Jesus opens our eyes so we can recognize His presence in the “distressing disguise of the poor”, as St. Teresa of Calcutta described it, and know Him, love Him, and serve Him.

Such a new awareness should motivate us to readily demonstrate heroic generosity and compassion for others who are struggling on the margins. Especially in this time of pandemic.

Jesus also reveals something important about what the Church now calls the preferential option for the poor. These are “the least of these sisters and brothers” in the world in need of our care.

So, how can we provide this care as a paired parish community?

Beginning in the new year, we begin formation for a team of outreach workers to learn about how best to provide the ministry of presence and service to our unsheltered friends.

Once formed, this group will head out every Wednesday at Noon to provide needed emergency supplies to our street friends experiencing homelessness.

What do they most need? Besides food and water, the most requested items are socks, blankets… and rosaries. Yes, rosaries. Folks on the streets need faith, too, to sustain them in their plight and we have found rosaries in hot demand.

You can help simply by supporting our efforts: making sandwiches for our team, providing bottled water, socks, blankets, hats, gloves and handwarmers. All of these items will be needed for this effort. And everyone in the two parish communities can do their part to keep us in good supply.

Jesus reminds us today: 

 

“For I was hungry and you gave me food,
I was thirsty and you gave me drink,
a stranger and you welcomed me,
naked and you clothed me…”          

           The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe was established by Pope Pius the Eleventh in 1925 to remind people that one person alone has a claim on our lives: Jesus Christ. We follow his lead always.

           In the 1920’s authoritarian dictatorships were becoming common in Europe. The Pope wanted to counter this emerging popularity among the Catholic faithful.

           The Popes encyclical announcing the Solemnity said this:

“Nations will be reminded by the annual celebration of this feast that not only private individuals but also rulers and princes are bound to give public honor and obedience to Christ. It will call to their minds the thought of the last judgment, wherein Christ, Who has been cast out of public life, despised, neglected and ignored, will most severely avenge these insults…”

           As we grow deeper in our faith, deeper in holiness, I invite you to become a part of the Sacred Encounters team as we together better put our faith into action and bring the love to Jesus to everyone.

  

HOMILY – 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time – Be Prepared

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If you knew today was your final day on earth, how would you spend the time you had left? 

Would you do anything differently?

Who would you want to talk to?  What would you want to say?

Would go to confession to unburden yourself of any baggage you might be carrying?

Are you ready today to meet Jesus face to face?

Saint Benedict’s Rule for Monks encourages they think about their death every day: “Keep death daily before your eyes. This is part of a wisdom tradition. If we realize that this might be our last day, we generally will try to make good decisions about how we are living.”

Father Mychal Judge lived his life this way. The Franciscan friar was as a Catholic priest for 40 years, serving his final nine years as chaplain to the New York City Fire Department.

During his long ministry, Fr. Mychal battled alcoholism and found his sobriety thanks to AA.

He was very well known in New York City for ministering to the homeless, the hungry, recovering alcoholics, people with AIDS, the sick, injured and grieving, immigrants, and those who felt alienated by the Church and society.

A dear friend remembers giving him a jacket as winter was approaching.  Fr. Mychal didn’t have a jacket at the time.  But on the way home after receiving the gift, Fr. Mychal saw a homeless person lying in the cold and gave it to him. He sheepishly told his friend, “He needed it more than me.”

When anointing a man dying with AIDS -- a man who asked friends “Do you think God hates me?” -- Fr. Mychal just picked up the frail man, kissed him and silently rocked him in his arms.

Fr. Judge was considered by many to be a living saint for his extraordinary works of charity and his deep spirituality.

On the morning of September 11^th, 2001, Fr. Mychal heard the news of the first plane hitting the World Trade Center. He quickly changed out of his Franciscan brown habit, put on his Fire Department chaplain’s uniform, and rushed to the scene. 

He was met by Mayor Rudy Giuliani who asked him to pray for the city and the victims.

Fr. Mychal was spotted by many in the early moments of the tragedy consoling the injured and traumatized, and praying his rosary. 

When the South Tower collapsed at 10:59am local time, Fr. Mychal was among those killed by the debris that went flying through the North Tower lobby.

Shortly after his death, an N.Y.P.D. lieutenant found the priest’s body. He and two firemen, an emergency med tech and one civilian bystander carried Judge’s body out of the North Tower, a moment captured in a breathtaking photograph by a Reuters photographer.

The Philadelphia Weekly called the photograph “an American Pieta.”  Judge’s body was laid before the altar of St. Peter’s Catholic Church.

Fr. Mychal Judge was designated the first official victim of 9/11. 3000 people attended his funeral. His fire helmet was presented to Pope John Paul The Second.

Fr. Mychal Judge’s spiritual lamp was found burning brightly as he met Jesus in the rubble of the World Trade Center.

We Christians are called to live in such a way as to always be ready for Jesus’ arrival.

This weekend’s readings speak of this readiness by highlighting the importance of wisdom.  The wise prepare. The foolish do not. And when the door to the wedding banquet is locked, the foolish won’t be allowed to enter. 

We are called to always be ready to meet Jesus and live our lives like we could our Savior at any moment.

After all, we know neither the day nor the hour when He will return just as we know neither the day nor hour when our journey in this life will end.

As we come to the close of the liturgical year, our Church turns to Matthew 25. Matthew is using themes drawn from Jewish Apocalyptic literature.

These readings are designed to get us thinking about end times.  For our evangelical sisters and brothers, this is a conversation about Rapture and the end of the world. That's not what the Catholic Church teaches. For Catholics, this conversation is more personal. It’s all about becoming our best selves before meeting Jesus face-to-face.

When the Lord comes, all that will matter is the kind of person we are, not what we have achieved or what we have amassed in this life.  But who we are and what we’ve done to build up the Kingdom by serving others -- especially the poor and marginalized.

What if we should be caught unprepared, with little or no oil in our spiritual lamps?

This is an important question for reflection.
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We are called to keep our lamps burning brightly. There are 5 easy ways to do this:

1. Pray.

Pray daily and grow in your relationship with Jesus. This is the most important relationship and we should want Christ to be our best and closest companion on this road we call life.

2. Give to the needy.

By serving the marginalized and outcast, you will be building up the Kingdom and preparing for the Lord’s return by being Jesus to others.

3. Examine your conscience.

Is there someone I’ve harmed?  Is there someone I need to ask for their forgiveness?  Is there someone God is calling me to forgive?  Is there something I need to change about myself in order to be better prepared to meet Jesus?

4. Confess.

Use the Sacrament of Reconciliation. This is a powerful way to unburden oneself from any sinful baggage we might be carrying.  

5. Be joy-filled.

We are a “chosen race, a royal priesthood, a Holy nation.”  We have been called out of darkness into his wonderful light.  So, rejoice.

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True wisdom means living a life centered on the divine, on following God’s will in our lives, on loving God by loving our neighbor as ourselves.

Then and only then will we be prepared for the coming of the Lord. Then and only then will our spiritual lamps be burning brightly for Jesus to find us. Then and only then will St. Paul’s words today be fulfilled, and, “we shall always be with the Lord.”

Fr. Mychal Judge wrote a special prayer. I think it’s fitting as we reflect on how best to live our lives as if it were our last day:

          “Lord, take me where You want me to go; Let me meet who You want me to meet; Tell me what You want me to say, and keep me out of Your way.” 

HOMILY – 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Orlando’s Healing (y en español)

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I was blessed once to witness the miracle of Christ’s healing. It was pretty amazing to experience.

Today we offer the Sacrament of Holy Anointing at Mass.

What does the Catechism of the Catholic Church say about this Sacrament?

"By the sacred anointing of the sick and the prayer of the priests the whole Church commends those who are ill to the suffering and glorified Lord, that he may raise them up and save them. And indeed she exhorts them to contribute to the good of the People of God by freely uniting themselves to the Passion and death of Christ." 1499

While the readings this weekend may not perfectly reflect what we are about to witness as a faith community, I would contend all three readings show the mercy and love of Christ which is at the heart of this important Sacrament.

Nearly a decade ago, I served as the one and only Catholic spiritual care volunteer at Bailey Boushay, a HIV/AIDS hospice on Capitol Hill.

That’s where I met Orlando.  The first time I visited him I tried to offer communion. He spoke only Spanish. At the time, I did not. 

Orlando clearly understood what I was offering him, but got a scared look on his face and shook his head “no.”   I did not understand what he was trying to tell me.

Orlando had advanced AIDS. He also had a rare form of cancer eating away at his body. 

His doctors and nurses said he was nearing the end of his life.  In fact, some thought Orlando would only last a week or two at most. 

He was in his early 40's.  He was in a lot of pain.  He was very scared.   

So, I asked the Spiritual Care Director to ask Orlando through a Nurse interpreter what he was trying to tell me.  Orlando listed himself as Catholic, but refused to receive the Body of Christ.   

She found out.  Orlando was born in Cuba and baptized Catholic.  But due to Fidel Castro’s communism and anti-Catholicism, Orlando never got to celebrate first communion or any other sacraments during his lifetime.

Orlando thought it was too late for him.   

When told this, I asked her to share with Orlando that it might not be too late and to see if he would be interested in finding out more.

She immediately told him, and his face lit up and he said, “Si!" (Yes)!

A quick call to the Archdiocese, a helpful staffer, and a Redemptorist priest named Fr. Pete who spoke fluent Spanish was at Orlando’s bedside.

Over the coming days, he would catechize Orlando in the ways of the Catholic faith, he would hear his confession, anoint him, confirm him, and give him first communion.

When Jesus wants something to happen, it happens fast!

A few Sundays later, I stopped into Orlando’s room and noticed he looked much better.  When I offered communion, his face lit up with a big smile and he said, "Yes, Si!”

For the next few months, I would give him communion on a weekly basis.  Soon he was out of the bed and in a wheelchair.  A few weeks later he was walking. 

Doctors couldn’t explain it. Orlando’s health made a “miraculous recovery.” Those are the doctors' words not mine.

Eventually, Orlando was released from hospice care into transitional housing.  At last check, he was doing well.

 This miraculous healing came through Christ’s Sacraments.

Skeptics will say the miracle is anti-retroviral drugs keeping Orlando alive.  None would disagree that this miracle is part of God's plan for Orlando. 

But I believe his true healing came from being one with Christ and knowing he encountered Jesus in the Sacraments.

A wise person believes in the transforming power of the Sacraments.  A fool rejects them.  How many foolish people in our world today are in such desperate need of Jesus Christ in their lives?

Some rejected the power of Christ’s love found in his Greatest Commandment: “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your hearts, with all your soul, and with all your mind. And you shall love your neighbor as yourself. This is God’s greatest law for us.”

Jesus took all 613 Laws of Moises and boiled them down to the essence of what God asks of us. Love him and love each other. It’s that simple.

As we heard in our second reading from Thessalonians, "you became imitators … of the Lord, receiving the word with great affliction, with joy from the Holy Spirit, so that you became a model for all believers.”

Jesus Christ is Lord of all – yesterday, today, and tomorrow.  When we step into God’s house to show our love of our creator each week, we are joined with Jesus in His powerful ministry simply by taking Holy Communion, by receiving Christ’s Sacraments, and by showing loving our neighbor. 

As we celebrate Mass today, we make present Christ's life, death and resurrection and we are called to enter into it.  The Sacrament of Holy Anointing nurtures our spirit.

As you participate in this sacred healing, remember the miracle Christ did for my friend Orlando. Know that when you are anointed, you too have new life within you.   

I pray, we all pray, that as we encounter Jesus in this Sacrament, you will feel his healing touch, and the power of Christ will bring you new life.   

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Una vez fui bendecido al presenciar un milagro de sanación de Cristo. Fue increíble experimentarlo.

Hoy ofreceremos el Sacramento de la Santa Unción en la Misa.

El Catecismo de la Iglesia Católica dice:

"Por la sagrada unción de los enfermos y la oración de los sacerdotes, toda la Iglesia encomienda a los enfermos al Señor que sufre y es glorificado, para que los levante y los salve. Y, de hecho, los exhorta a contribuir al bien del Pueblo de Dios uniéndose libremente a la Pasión y muerte de Cristo”. (1499)

Si bien las lecturas de este fin de semana pueden no reflejar perfectamente lo que estamos a punto de testimoniar como comunidad de fe, yo diría que las tres lecturas muestran la misericordia y el amor de Cristo que está en el corazón de este importante sacramento.

Hace casi una década, serví como el único voluntario del cuidado espiritual católico en Bailey Boushay, un hospicio para el cuidado de enfermos con SIDA en Capitol Hill.

Ahí conocí a Orlando.  La primera vez que lo visité traté de ofrecerle la comunión. Sólo hablaba español. En ese momento, no lo hice. 

Orlando claramente entendió lo que le estaba ofreciendo, pero tuvo una mirada asustada y se negó con la cabeza "no".   Yo no entendía lo que intentaba decirme.

Orlando tenía SIDA avanzado. También tenía una rara forma de cáncer devorando su cuerpo.

Sus médicos y enfermeras dijeron que se acercaba al final de su vida.  De hecho, algunos pensaban que Orlando sólo duraría una semana o dos como máximo. 

Tenía unos 40 años.  Tenía mucho dolor.  Estaba muy asustado.  

Así que le pedí al Director de Cuidado Espiritual que le preguntara a Orlando a través de un intérprete de enfermeras lo que estaba tratando de decirme.  Orlando se identifico como católico, pero se negó a recibir el Cuerpo de Cristo.  

Ella supo que Orlando nació en Cuba y fue bautizado católico.  Pero debido al comunismo y al anticatólico de Fidel Castro, Orlando nunca llegó a celebrar la primera comunión ni ningún otro sacramento durante su vida.

Orlando pensó que era demasiado tarde para él.    

Cuando le dijo eso, le pedí que compartiera con Orlando que no era demasiado tarde y que le preguntara si estaría interesado en averiguar más.

Inmediatamente cuando le dijo eso y su rostro se iluminó y dijo: "¡Sí!" "(Sí)!"

Después de una llamada rápida a la Arquidiócesis, una persona servicial y un sacerdote redentorista llamado Padre Pedro que hablaba español con fluidez, estaba al lado de la cama de Orlando.

En los siguientes días, catequizaba a Orlando en los caminos de la fe católica, oía su confesión, lo ungiría, lo confirmaba y le daba la primera comunión.

Cuando Jesús quiere que algo suceda, ¡sucede rápido!

Unos domingos más tarde, me detuve en la habitación de Orlando y me di cuenta de que se veía mucho mejor.  Cuando le ofrecí comunión, su rostro se iluminó con una gran sonrisa y me dijo: "¡Sí, Sí!"

Durante los próximos meses, le daría la comunión semanalmente.  Pronto salió de la cama y empezó a usar una silla de ruedas.  Unas semanas más tarde estaba caminando.

Los médicos no pudieron explicarlo. La salud de Orlando hizo una "recuperación milagrosa". Esas son las palabras de los doctores, no las mías.

Finalmente, Orlando fue dado de alta y del cuidado de hospicio fue a una vivienda de transición.  Por fin, lo estaba haciendo bien.

 Esta sanación milagrosa vino a través de los Sacramentos de Cristo.

Pero creo que su verdadera sanación vino de convertirse en  uno con Cristo y saber que se encontró con Jesús en los Sacramentos.

Algunos rechazaron el poder del amor de Cristo que se encuentra en su mandamiento más grande: "Amarás al Señor, tu Dios, con todo tu corazón, con toda tu alma y con toda tu mente. Y amarás a tu prójimo como a ti mismo. Esta es la ley más grande de Dios para nosotros".

Jesús tomó las 613 Leyes de Moisés y las revertió a la esencia de lo que Dios nos pide. Amarlo y amarse el uno al otro. Es así de simple.

Al celebrar hoy en nuestra Misa, hacemos presente la vida, la muerte y la resurrección de Cristo y estamos llamados a entrar en ella.  El Sacramento de la Santa Unción nutre nuestro espíritu.

Al participar en esta sagrada sanación, recuerden el milagro que Cristo hizo en mi amigo Orlando.  Sepan que cuando son ungidos, ustedes también tiene una nueva vida dentro de ustedes mismos.  

Ruego, todos oramos, para que, al encontrarnos con Jesús en este Sacramento, sientan su toque sanador, y el poder de Cristo les traiga nueva vida.