Feast of All Souls Day

Good morning. Today we celebrate All Souls Day, a day we recall the love and joy of all those who have gone before us. A day we hope and pray that they along with us may know the joy of seeing God face to face. For some this may be cause for sadness, perhaps even despair, but for all of us as Christians it should be a day of hope and joy. Jesus in today’s Gospel gives us much reason to be hopeful; we are hopeful because the love of God has been poured out into our lives and we have the hope of one day joining those who have left this mortal life to spend eternity looking upon the face of God. Yes, we miss the joy of being with those family members and friends who have died, but we rejoice in their being in glory for it is only death that has died in them. As a monk friend says: “We live to die, and we die to live.” 

Today is likewise a day that we should reflect with appreciation those lives which have touched ours. It is in their lives we have come to know the love and goodness of our Creator. We should be especially appreciative today of the seeds of faith and hope which they have planted in our lives which provide for us expectation of one day joining them in the glory of heaven. Jesus assures us: “Everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day.” Out of His love for us He wants each of us to one day join Him in heaven. Certainly the love and goodness of those lives we recall today led us initially to God. One place where we can continue to see God's love daily is in our marriage. Like a husband and wife choose each other and seek to do for each other, so God chose us, and we choose to do His will. Each morning in marriage we awaken alongside our spouse, we awaken to a new opportunity to choose to make God’s love and goodness known in how we live our day together. Make a great day! 

Today we recall the love and goodness of all those who have gone before us. Today we celebrate All Soul’s Day.




In paradisum deducant te Angeli; in tuo adventu suscipiant te martyres, et perducant te in civitatem sanctam Ierusalem. Chorus angelorum te suscipiat, et cum Lazaro quondam paupere æternam habeas requiem.

May angels lead you into paradise; upon your arrival, may the martyrs receive you and lead you to the holy city of Jerusalem. May the ranks of angels receive you, and with Lazarus, the poor man, may you have eternal rest.

Feast of All Saints

Good Morning. There is probably no teaching given to us by Our Lord more important and more challenging toward living a good life than that of the Beatitudes. The Beatitudes, outlined for us in today's Gospel, ask more of us than simply following the rules. In the Beatitudes we are asked to strive beyond just doing the right thing. In marriage this translates into going beyond just fulfilling the do’s and don’ts of married life, beyond taking out the garbage as scheduled. It means reaching beyond the minimum requirements and making every effort to be that person whom our spouse fell in love with. 

 Pope Benedict XVI in a Homily presented to youth from Korazim, Mount of the Beatitudes offers us some very sound words to consider: “Because you are aware of another voice within you and all around you, a contradictory voice. It is a voice which says, “Blessed are the proud and violent, those who prosper at any cost, who are unscrupulous, pitiless, devious, who make war not peace, and persecute those who stand in their way”. And this voice seems to make sense in a world where the violent often triumph and the devious seem to succeed. “Yes”, says the voice of evil, “they are the ones who win. Happy are they! Jesus offers a very different message…His call has always demanded a choice between the two voices competing for your hearts even now on this hill, the choice between good and evil, between life and death.” 

Yes, living the Beatitudes in our married life means waking up each and every morning and making the effort to be that person God desires us to be despite whatever else may be going on in our lives. On this special day of All Saints we remind ourselves that we are called to a life of holiness. The Beatitudes call us to live beyond the specific rules of marriage and they challenge us to be an attitude that takes us beyond just doing the absolute minimum. They challenge us to not only take out the garbage, but to do it with an attitude—to do it with love. So, choose your attitude! Make a great day! 

Today we celebrate the Feast of All Saints.

Feast of Saint Wolfgang of Regensburg

Good morning. From the beginning it was God’s intention that husbands and wives should function as a team, to complement and assist one another. “The LORD God said: It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suited to him.” Spouses are there for one another to be of help to each other, especially to help each other get to heaven. This is very important in light of today’s Gospel. Jesus reminds us in today’s Gospel that it is no cake walk getting to heaven, there will be challenges, but we must choose to go “through the narrow gate” and not all of us are “strong enough” to do this on our own. That is why God had in mind for us our spouse from all eternity, without whom you might not get to heaven. Let us take one another’s hand and help guide one another so we may all recline at table in the Kingdom of God. Today as we celebrate the feast of Saint Wolfgang of Regensburg and the Eve of the Feast of All Hallows, that is, All Saints Day let us remind ourselves to do what needs to be done toward staying on the path to holiness, always seeking relationships which will help us through that narrow gate. Make a great day! 

Today we recall the good life, gifts, and work of Saint Wolfgang of Regensburg.

Feast of Saint Alphonsus Rodriguez

Good morning. Today’s first reading is from Ephesians 5. It speaks of obedience, not a popular idea in our modern culture. In fact, obedience seems to be most problematic where it involves marriage. Marriage in today’s culture, probably a result of the feminist influence, really struggles with this idea of obedience. How often have we witnessed people squirming about, flinching, and seen our priest perform a disappearance act in response to the challenging words of Ephesians 5. Nobody is standing in line when it comes to obedience these days; we are without a doubt a very stubborn and independent lot of people. In the Gospel for today Jesus builds upon this idea of obedience. He teaches us in the words found in Luke that the key to attaining life with God, of growing in our love for Him is like a tiny mustard seed growing into a mighty bush. Much like yeast in flour, we expand and grow, and obedience within marriage is that yeast. 

Yes, I know this idea of obedience is not popular these days; our culture struggles with such a concept, and as a result we struggle immensely with a high number of marriages ending in divorce. As a culture we still value marriage as an important life goal, yet seemingly what we want and what we are willing to live-out aren’t necessarily one and the same. It is clear from vital records concerning marriage and divorce that we are falling short of our own ideals. Not only that, but we are failing to live out God's plan for us concerning marriage which He’s had from the beginning. Jesus demonstrates by His own life that we are to be obedient and that it was obedience that brought us salvation and that obedience is the way of love. 

The whole struggle with obedience is a result of our viewing obedience as something demeaning rather than it actually freeing us. If the truth is to be known there is deep peace and joy to be found in living lives in accordance with God’s plan. Obedience is the way we express our love for God, and for each other. We are all called to holiness, and as married couples it is through obedience to one another that we help guide each other along that path to holiness. This path of obedience was the way Jesus expressed His love for us, “becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.” Our saint for today, Saint Alphonsus Rodriguez, offers a wonderful life example of being that yeast in the flour; obedience and penance were the hallmarks of his life. Obedience between married couples provides for a sense of oneness as it was designed to be from the beginning, being as servants to one another enables the love to grow like one tiny note growing into a symphony. We become as Christ to one another. If we are obedient to each other, wife with her husband, and husband with his wife, when obedience is founded in love and our decisions are in union with God’s will there will be great joy, mutual respect, and harmony. Obedience is the conductor and love is the music. Make a great day! 

Today we recall the good life, gifts, and work of Saint Alphonsus Rodriguez.

Feast of Saint Narcissus of Jerusalem

Good morning. Reflecting upon today’s Gospel, it occurred to me how often our Lord tends to heal people, but instead of simply healing them and sending them on their way, He more times than not tends to engage in some type of ritual, if only but to lay His hands upon them. In thinking about this, it occurred to me that we so often tend to have the need for such things in our lives, we require ritual or various experiential things in order to provide for the changes we seek. In fact, despite the fact that technique contributes minimally to the positive outcome in therapy, individuals and couples seek counseling in the hope that, much like the woman in today’s Gospel, a cure awaits them. Truth known, it was the woman’s faith that cured her, and so it is with couples who come to counseling, their faith, and their commitment to change is what ultimately makes for the positive changes they seek. Like the woman in the Gospel we sometimes feel a need for more specialized or dramatic things to appreciate Jesus’ healing presence. The woman in the temple, her healing didn’t require any special techniques, skills, or cue cards to make things better; but the assurance the laying of hands offered her emboldened her faith. So it is for us, the meaning various rituals in our lives offer us provides what we need to obtain the positive results we seek. It was this way for the faith community of today’s saint, the presence of Saint Narcissus was so important to the people of Jerusalem that he continued to serve them despite his old age. It is this way with marriage and family life, so many positive things in our lives involve ritual and these rituals provide for the continued growth and strength needed to continue on. Rituals help us identify who we are both as individuals and as a family; they provide for consistency and predictability in a world which challenges marriage and family values. Rituals make us feel more certain, happier and more a part of something good and right. As part of marriage and family life rituals can mean sharing meals together, or holiday traditions, nicknames for each other, shared stories, or the way we greet one another; all these things and more come together to give our lives meaning and strength, and serve to hold us together no matter what. As Tevye, in The Fiddler on the Roof notes: “Without our traditions, our lives would be as shaky as... as... as a fiddler on the roof!" Hang on to those traditions. Make a great day! 

Today we recall the good life, gifts, and work of Saint Narcissus. 

Feast of Saint Ignatius of Antioch

Good morning. We live in an age of much confusion regarding the issue of success. I’m guessing if you were to ask most people to define success it would likely boil down to having money, position, and possessions. I know when I ask children that I see in counseling what they want to be when they grow-up their response more times than not revolves around being something which will enable them to make lots of money. Although I do remember once a little girl saying she wanted to be a smiley face when she grew up. We all tend to laugh at the thought of aspiring to be a smiley face, but she just might be onto something there. Today’s Gospel has Jesus telling us in no uncertain terms that love for God and for one another needs to go beyond just going through the motions; we need to truly embrace one another. I think the message is clear, in order to be truly happy we need to love. 

People very much try to avoid giving real thought to seriously living their lives for the Kingdom; the lure of a worldly kingdom is too much for most to seriously consider living out their daily lives void of attachment to things of this world. Our Saint for today, Ignatius of Antioch, however suggests we should “prefer death in Christ Jesus to power over the farthest limits of the earth.” Two extreme examples clearly demonstrate this worldly attachment. One is the trend toward having a future spouse sign a pre-nuptial agreement. If you truly have a relationship with money such as this, why get married? Why not marry your money? The second extreme example is that of abortion. How many of the 50 million abortions since 1973 have been performed for convenience, because the unwanted baby stood in the way of future plans or current opportunities? We know the answer. Now, another not so extreme, but rather common example is how many people miss going to worship God on Sunday because it interferes with their enjoying the good life? Well, according to Our Sunday Visitor 51% of Catholics who attend Mass less than weekly list the number one reason for missing as being because they are “busy.” It’s a good thing God isn’t too busy for us. As Jesus repeatedly tells us, ‘our heart is where our riches are’ and to be truly happy, God must be the focus of our success. Perhaps we should all aspire to be smiley faces. Make a great day! 

Today we recall the good life, gifts, and works of Saint Ignatius of Antioch. “I no longer take pleasure in perishable food or in the delights of this world I want only God‘s bread, which is the flesh of Jesus Christ, formed from the seed of David, and for drink I crave his blood, which is love that cannot perish.”

Feast of Saint Teresa of Avila

Good morning. It can be difficult to always be giving. We ask ourselves, “Why am I always the one that has to do this or that?” "I'm tired of being the one that's always giving!" “I’m not interested in that tonight.” Sometimes we decide to wait the other one out, and we wait, and we wait…. We wait for a sign from our partner that they’re as committed to this relationship; that they care as much as we do. I guess it is part of our nature to want proof, to look for signs of one another's commitment and love. We all want signs, it was no different when Jesus was walking about. In today’s Gospel Jesus gives a rather stern warning to those demanding a sign from Him. He is put-out by the request for further signs, further proof of His divinity. Today we celebrate the Feast Day of Saint Teresa of Avila we should seize this opportunity to remind ourselves as does St. Teresa that the person of Jesus is what really matters, and so too our relationship with those we love is what really matters in life. 

Just like those prodding Jesus for signs, we too find ourselves needing reassurance, sometimes it just isn’t enough to take it on faith, we want proof, and we want signs. Sometimes our partners need a little something special for that assurance that we are as dedicated and committed as they, this can be a real challenge sometimes, especially when it seems we’re already working overtime; but it can be quite rewarding. 

Real love, the love Jesus calls each one of us to, is shown through a daily commitment to serve each other, to give even when it seems we’re the only one giving. Real giving is not about what I want. We see in the lives of the saints many examples of self-giving love. This is seen in the life of Saint Teresa whose life we honor today. Michelle Weiner-Davis in her book The Sex-Starved Marriage: Boosting Your Marriage Libido says, “Real giving is when you give to your spouse not what you want or need but that which your spouse wants and needs.” That’s what real giving in all about. And as an added bonus, when our spouse feels given to and loved in his/her way, he or she will want to give back the vast majority of the time. Make a great day! 

Today we recall the good life, gifts, and work of Saint Teresa of Avila.

Feast of Saint Wilfrid of York

Good morning. Last night presented for me a mixture of emotions as I flipped back and forth between the ballgame and the vice-presidential debate. Being a life-long Detroit Tigers fan of course I was elated with the outcome of the game between the Athletics and the Tigers. Being a Christian I was disappointed and confused, yet not surprised, by the responses presented by the two men running for the office of vice-president to the question presented on the topic of abortion. The question was cleverly planted by political correspondent and host to President Obama as her wedding guest back in 1991 Martha Raddatz. The question presented was that “We have two Catholic candidates, first time on a stage such as this,” she said. “And I would like to ask you both to tell me what role your religion has played in your own personal views on abortion.”

There is no question that relationships have consequences. Married couples commit themselves to doing certain things out of love for their partner, these actions are not always understood or appreciated but all the same we do things out of love for each other. We likewise do certain things out of love for God. Just as love in marriage is in response to our relationship with God, so too our actions in other parts of our life are in response to our relationship with God. Each candidate for vice-president last night was given an opportunity to publically make known their relationship with their religion and ultimately with their God. Of interest is that neither candidate was overwhelmingly convincing.

Joe Biden suggested that he “accept(s) my church’s position on abortion…life begins at conception in the church’s judgment.” Certainly not an overwhelming endorsement of his Church’s moral teaching. He goes on to suggest “I accept it in my personal life. But I refuse to impose it on equally devout Christians and Muslims and Jews. I do not believe that we have a right to tell other people that – women – they can’t control their body. It’s a decision between them and their doctor.” Not a decision between them and God? 

Paul Ryan on the other hand made known rather convincingly that he believes that “life begins at conception.” but unfortunately went on to say “I respect people who don’t agree with me, but the policy of a Romney administration will be to oppose abortion with the exception for rape, incest, and life of the mother.” The right to life has exceptions? He likewise did a two-step regarding the issue of abortion. Both presented a compromised position regarding the issue of abortion. Politics and faith overlap in this world, our relationship with both determines what choices we make. Ultimately, only God knows which side either candidate is on.

Our secular society has come to the point that it measures right and wrong by how any action might impede upon people’s right to a pleasurable existence. The felt entitlement to happiness and pleasure within our society has led us to the point that the very measure of life itself is contingent upon how it either contributes to or takes away from that felt sense of entitlement. The decision of life itself is relegated to how it impacts the life of the mother, or anyone else who might find a new life inconvenient. The right to life has become twisted and reconfigured to exclude a segment of the populace—the unborn child. This is not the first time in this nation’s history that rights have been relegated based upon one’s status as a human being. This sense of entitlement to a life of pleasure seems limitless, to the point of redefining God’s influence in our lives.

We have forgotten what the founding fathers well knew, that the right to life is not a privilege conferred by government, but by God. As a nation our relationship with God is one that too often gets put aside in favor of our own personal opinion of right or wrong or for what is more politically advantageous. The Gospel for this morning offers very clear words of warning for those who choose to turn away from God and for a nation divided (Mk 3:22-30). The life of Saint Wilfrid whose life we honor today reminds us of the need to live our lives in accordance with our convictions. We have become so driven by the love for our own individual pleasures, rather than God that our nation is divided and could quite possibly be on the path to destruction. May we pray that the leadership of this country puts an end to abortion, and returns the right to life to include all—even the unborn child. Make a great day!

Today we recall the good life, gifts, and work of Saint Wilfrid of York.

Feast of Blessed Pope John XXIII

Good morning. What is it we really need? Whatever it is Jesus assures us in today’s Gospel we need only ask. He encourages us to persevere in our prayers and that God the Father listens and that He will respond to what we need. We are reminded that much as we respond to the requests of a child, our Heavenly Father will respond to our requests and that the answer to all of our joy and happiness is right there for the asking. This simple trust and openness provides for us the lasting joy of a good marriage. Belief and trust in God is only a part of the answer. To believe and trust in God we must also know who He is, and so it is with marriage. It is through faith, which is a gift from God, we are able to have a personal relationship with Him and able to know the joy of a lasting marriage. 

We find in today's Gospel the answer to a lasting marriage. A message which God has provided since the beginning, that He is there for us--we need only trust in Him. This same unfailing love, this same openness and trust is what we are called to share with one another in marriage and it is what will provide for the joy and goodness we desire. This total trust in God, this total trust in each other frees us from the anxiety about things and the fear of tomorrow that comes from feeling we need other things to be okay. There are two ingredients which provide for a lasting marriage, faith and commitment. May we come to have the faith in God that Blessed Pope John XXIII embraced throughout his life. Today we celebrate his life and we recall that on this day fifty years ago the Second Vatican Council convened, and too, we begin a Year of Faith. Blessed Pope John, whose life we commemorate today, reminds us that we must always trust in His plan for us and we should look to each other and all things in the light of our Creator’s wonderful loving plan for us. He reminds us that we should “Consult not your fears but your hopes and dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but with what is still possible for you to do.” Keep the faith. Make a great day! 

Today we recall the good life, gifts, and work of Blessed Pope John XXIII. Blessed Pope John XXIII pray for us.

Feast of Saint Francis Borgia

Good morning. Children come to know God through us parents. We as parents represent, we offer for our children the first-hand experience of who God is; this especially comes to be experienced in a very special way between a child and their father. This is why, to a great extent, our current day culture is struggling as it is, in fact it is suggested by some that the greatest threat to current day American culture is fatherlessness. “Fatherless children are twice as likely to drop out of school.” Fatherlessness far surpasses any factor in American society in its impact on child emotional well-being. “Why is this?” we ask. Simply put, it is our witness as fathers of love. Fatherhood gives witness to the love of God the Father. We see lived-out in the role of fathers the free-will act of self-giving unique to the role of father. We see lived-out in the role of fathers a lesson of discipline and duty seen in no other relationship experienced by a child. We see lived-out in the role of fathers a sense of justice and mercy unique to the role of father. Blessed Pope John Paul II reminds us that when lived well, God the Father himself is present in human fatherhood. A father gives a child the needed balance to the warmth and gentleness of a mother. 

Much of the ill in today’s society can be summed up in the words used awhile back by a client in referring to the father of her two children: “The sperm donor of my children isn’t part of their lives.” We have increasingly diminished the worth and dignity of fathers in our culture and should we need further proof we need only look to any present day family sitcom where we’ll either find the father to be absent or portrayed as a bumbling idiot. I sit here at my keyboard pondering the importance of fatherhood partly in response to today’s Gospel where Jesus instructs the Apostles on how to pray to our Father in heaven, and two it is in response to the celebration of our 31st Wedding Anniversary today, a reminder of great times together with Linda, my bride and the four wonderful children we raised together. As well, as I look to the life of Saint Francis Borgia, whose life we celebrate today and reflect upon his life, it is clear, that like most saints, his family life was a contributing factor in the virtuous and courageous life choices he made. Such is the fruit of healthy family life. The difference we all make is reflected in the lives of our children. We do make a difference. Make a great day! 

Today we recall the good life, gifts, and work of Saint Francis Borgia.

Feast of Blessed John Henry Newman

Good morning. “Jesus is coming!” Mary and Martha are just giddy with excitement. One can smell the Matzoh Ball Soup throughout the village of Bethany (Aramaic: בית עניא, Beth anya ,"house of the suffering"). Mary and Martha are very excited to see Jesus, because they are very dear friends, and they love him very much. So it is with us when loved ones come to call. We make special foods, and we want everything to be just so. 

I have to laugh. All day yesterday, up until I wrote a check out at the grocers, I thought it was October 9th. I mention this because that would have made today our 31st Wedding Anniversary, which is why I was at the grocers—getting provisions for a picnic. My wife loves picnics. Tomorrow October 10th is our 31st Wedding Anniversary and tomorrow we will enjoy each other’s company over a special meal. 

It seems we surround lots of important events in our lives with food. Food, special foods for me often equates to love. And so it seems to be as well with Mary and Martha. My point is that much of what has nurtured our marriage through these 31 years is our attending to one another in special ways. Linda, my wife, can be quite childlike in her efforts to do special things toward keeping the love alive in our marriage. Like Mary in today’s Gospel she becomes giddy over visits with loved ones. 

Make no mistake, it hasn’t been wine and roses, throughout these thirty-one years; there have been uncertainties, and there have been numerous sacrifices and that is the thrust of Jesus’ admonishment of Martha in today’s Gospel. What Jesus is attempting to convey to Martha is that it isn’t a matter of who worked harder to prepare for His visit, but that the important thing is whether in doing for others our heart is truly in it. When we do for others is it for the right motives and with the proper spirit? This very issue is one which frequently can be a point of contention amongst married couples. 

One of the primary sources of dissatisfaction for couples is who does what. No matter how good the relationship, now and then the question Martha poses in today’s Gospel presents itself. “Lord, do you not care that my sister…’ (Spouse) leaves me to do all of the work?” If nothing else, these thirty-one years have taught me that to truly love someone is no easy task (or, so my wife says). Truly both Mary and Martha loved our Lord very much. But like with all of us, selfishness can so easily get in the way of loving one another without reserve. Joyce Landorf, in her book I Came to Love You Late, presents a delightfully poignant fictional account of Mary and Martha and their relationship with Jesus. It is one of my wife’s favorite books. It goes without saying that we always want what is good for our spouse and too what is good for ourselves, but like Martha we sometimes have to reach beyond our feelings at the moment and make a deliberate choice to love, to do for the other, for romantic giddiness isn’t always there to see us through. 

It hardly seems possible that just a little over two years ago people gathered together for another special meal, a meal celebrating the holy life of Blessed Cardinal John Henry Newman. Just two years ago 55,000 people gathered in Birmingham England’s Cofton Park to celebrate the Eucharist in recognition of John Henry Newman's life of love and sacrifice, a celebration of an individual who spent his life pursuing the Truth. Pope Benedict said of him: “Cardinal Newman's motto, Cor ad cor loquitur, or 'Heart speaks unto heart', gives us an insight into his understanding of the Christian life as a call to holiness, experienced as the profound desire of the human heart to enter into intimate communion with the Heart of God.” He was a man who chose to live what he preached; he spent his life seeking and submitting to the Truth which he found in the love of our Lord. And so it is with us, we need to awaken each day making deliberate choices to love. As Pope Benedict XVI notes in his Encyclical, Deus Caritas Est (God Is Love), that love “…seeks the good of the beloved: love becomes renunciation and it is ready, and even, willing to sacrifice.” For marriage to last, a deliberate choice to sacrifice, to forfeit our own wants and desires is necessary. Love isn’t something which just happens to us; it always requires a choice. What will we choose today? Make a great day! 

Today we recall the good life, gifts, and works of Blessed Cardinal John Henry Newman.

Feast of Saint John Leonardi

Good morning. “…to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.” In reading today’s Gospel passage about the Good Samaritan, and giving thought to it (being the eve of our thirty-first wedding anniversary) I got to thinking about our marital vows and the importance of truly embracing those words and being committed to those vows no matter what. In reflecting upon the Parable of the Good Samaritan from today's Gospel I came to better understand in a deep way how important those vows are. It can indeed be quite a challenge to accept the various hurdles some couples are asked to face and learn to deal with. Yet, as Christians we are asked to give of ourselves for others, not superficially, but totally and in marriage we are asked to do so in a very special way. The story of the Good Samaritan leaves no room for question; we are to give of ourselves totally. 

We see this total gift of self in marriage, in particular we see this total giving of self among older couples where one is called upon to care for the other partner often making considerable sacrifices for the other. Anyone who has been married for any time at all comes to a realization that in marriage there will come a day when one or the other will be asked to commit to taking care of the other. Each one of us in our marital vows has in fact committed to doing so. We are called to love, to give of our self no matter what. Our Saint for today, Saint John Leonardi reminds us of how we are to love and to provide for one another in the building up of God's kingdom. The commitment to our marital vows in the face of various challenges that we encounter in our lives is never easy, but as the example of Saint John Leonardi and the other saints assures us we need not be afraid; God will provide us the grace necessary to fulfill our vows no matter what situation we find ourselves in, for there is there is no problem that cannot be solved in Him. “Do you take…as your lawful wife/husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish until death do you part?" I do, no matter what. Make a great day! 

Today we recall the good life, gifts, and work of Saint John Leonardi.

Feast of Saint Faustina Kowalska

Good morning. Carpe diem! Seize the day! The Gospel reminds us to seize opportunities when they presents themselves and to avoid taking things for granted. We read in today's first reading how appreciative and attentive Job is of God's presence in his life.  In the Gospel, Jesus reminds us that we need to take seriously the word of God and to respond to His word and to make known His love and mercy for us. Today we celebrate the life of Saint Faustina who throughout her brief 33 years of life seized each opportunity she could to be a model of mercy to others. So too we should follow her example to seize every opportunity afforded us. We should seize every opportunity toward being truly grateful, towards being truly grateful for each other. In the spirit of Saint Faustina we should seize every opportunity to love with a deep love, being authentic gifts of self for one another; and in times of pain or disappointment to carry each other’s difficulties. She wrote in her Diary: "I feel tremendous pain when I see the sufferings of my neighbors. All my neighbors' sufferings reverberate in my own heart; I carry their anguish in my heart in such a way that it even physically destroys me. I would like all their sorrows to fall upon me, in order to relieve my neighbor" This is the type of love we are each called to, let us not miss the opportunity to make known His love and mercy. One way is through seizing every opportunity to praise and verbally raise up our partner. Yes, we all need to truly embrace those opportunities we have while we have the opportunity to do so. Carpe diem! Seize the day! Make a great day! 

Today we recall the good life, gifts, and work of Saint Faustina Kowalska.

Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi

Good morning. We see who God is through Jesus. We come to know God’s love for us through the love of Christ. In today’s Gospel we are told to likewise be witnesses of God’s love through the actions of our lives. We are reminded in the words of Saint Francis of Assisi, whose life we celebrate today, that all that we accumulate in this life will be left behind, but the love that we give will go with us and with those whose lives we touch. We begin our married lives proclaiming our love for each other, and over time we engage in repeated acts of love which allow that love to grow not just between each other but through the lives of our children and through the lives of those who are witness to the love we share. Our daily acts of giving give witness to His love. As we recall the good life of Saint Francis today may we know the joy that comes from living lives of true giving and true love. May His love grow through our giving. Make a great day! 

Today we recall the good life, gifts, and work of Saint Francis of Assisi.

Canticle of Brother Sun and Sister Moon

Most High, all-powerful, all-good Lord, All praise is Yours, all glory, all honor and all blessings.
To you alone, Most High, do they belong, and no mortal lips are worthy to pronounce Your Name.
Praised be You my Lord with all Your creatures,
especially Sir Brother Sun,
Who is the day through whom You give us light.
And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendor,
Of You Most High, he bears the likeness.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars,
In the heavens you have made them bright, precious and fair.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Brothers Wind and Air,
And fair and stormy, all weather's moods,
by which You cherish all that You have made.
Praised be You my Lord through Sister Water,
So useful, humble, precious and pure.
Praised be You my Lord through Brother Fire,
through whom You light the night and he is beautiful and playful and robust and strong.
Praised be You my Lord through our Sister,
Mother Earth
who sustains and governs us,
producing varied fruits with colored flowers and herbs.
Praise be You my Lord through those who grant pardon for love of You and bear sickness and trial.
Blessed are those who endure in peace, By You Most High, they will be crowned.
Praised be You, my Lord through Sister Death,
from whom no-one living can escape. Woe to those who die in mortal sin! Blessed are they She finds doing Your Will.
No second death can do them harm. Praise and bless my Lord and give Him thanks,
And serve Him with great humility.

~ St. Francis of Assisi

Feast of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin

Good morning. Reflecting on the Gospel passage this morning caused me to pause and consider further some thoughts I’ve been tossing about in my head of late. A number of things lately have given me cause to consider the direction of my life. The words from the Gospel this morning coincide with things I’ve been reflecting on of late. Jesus says to His disciples: “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the Kingdom of God.” In considering these words, I can’t help but think about a great lesson learned a number of years ago regarding looking back on things. 

Being raised for the most part in Toledo, Ohio I never had an opportunity to operate a tractor. A number of years ago I had the opportunity to be involved in a community garden program, and in the process learned to operate a tractor. A local farmer offered the use of his land and I offered to plow it up. This first experience operating a tractor taught me a valuable lesson not just about making good straight furrows but it likewise provided me a lesson for life as well. I learned that in order to make good straight furrows one must not look back, and so it is with life. 

Too often we find ourselves caught up in things that distract from those things which are truly important, those things which take our focus away from those things which ought to provide the direction for our lives. So it is with marriage sometimes. As married couples it is important to take the time to share with each other our dreams, to share with each other the thoughts which dance about in our heads, our thoughts concerning the direction for our lives. It is important for us to help one another keep focused on where we are going, to avoid getting caught up in those things which detract from sharing our dreams, our aspirations, our desires. It is likewise crucial to avoid getting caught-up in looking back; looking back, like steering a tractor, causes us to lose our direction and our furrows, our lives become all crooked. Dreaming together keeps us working together. Dreaming together provides us a mutual purpose and direction to doing everything we set-out to do, it keeps us focused on where we are going. Part of our dreams together, our vision for each other most importantly is the direction for our lives which Jesus refers to in today’s Gospel—that of the Kingdom.

Saint Mother Theodore Guerin, whose life we commemorate today, offers us a strong example of what it means to have a dream and to follow it. She and her religious community, the Sisters of Providence, underwent considerable hardship in building a faith community in the Indiana wilderness of 1840. In addition to celebrating the life of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin, we likewise reflect today upon the life of Saint Clare of Assisi. Although her feast is celebrated on August 11, the feast of her first translation, is celebrated by the Poor Clares on this day. Today we celebrate the life of Saint Clare of Assisi, whose life offers us a way to follow Christ simply toward knowing the joy of His presence in our lives and in all that we do. She encourages us to journey forward and to not lose heart. "Go forth without fear, Christian soul, for you have a good guide for your journey. Go forth without fear, for He that created you has sanctified you, has always protected you, and loves you as a mother (Saint Clare, on her deathbed in 1253)." May Saint Mother Theodore Guerin, Saint Clare and all the Saints show us the way. Where are we going? Let us walk in Providence. Make a great day! 

Today we recall the good life, gifts, and work of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin.


Loving God, In Mother Theodore Guerin  You have given us an example of a religious woman who trusted deeply in Providence. Through her intercession, inspire us to dedicate our lives   to proclaiming the Gospel through works of love, mercy, and justice.  We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,  Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,  One God, forever and ever.  Amen.  (Collect for the Feast of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin)

Feast of the Guardian Angels

Good morning. Last Saturday we celebrated the Feast of the Archangels, and today we celebrate the Feast of the Guardian Angels. Yesterday we looked at success and doing great things with our lives, and like yesterday, today’s Gospel again reminds us of the importance of humility. Jesus in today’s Gospel reminds us that it is okay to be ambitious and to strive to be successful but He makes it quite clear that in all that we do we need to be humble and yield to God’s will like children. Today’s Gospel message reminds us of two very important things, that like children we need to be humble and we are reminded that God is looking after us. He reminds us, that “our angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.” 

We are reminded in today’s Gospel that each of us has a Guardian Angel who is assigned to look after us, and we are reminded to be more childlike. Children have much to teach us regarding truly appreciating life and being able to enjoy the simplest of things. Children are pure and simple; their outlook on the world is hopeful and full of expectation. Children are playful and full of vision. There is much we can learn from children, they live in a world that is magical; and their world is free of pretentiousness. Dare to be more childlike. Imagine if married couples interacted with one another as children tend to do. Imagine, if you will, looking at one another with a child’s eye, and asking questions of one another without reservation, and exploring each other with a sense of not knowing. Go ahead, dare to be childlike. Make a great day!

Today we celebrate our Guardian Angels.

Feast of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux

Good morning. It seems perfectly normal to want to be the best, to be successful, to do great things. We certainly have always tried to instill this ideal into our children, yet we have always made an effort to temper this with a clear sense of humility and integrity. After all, if in the process of being successful, we do so without leaving this world a better place and do so at the cost of our soul, all is wasted. We have always suggested to our children that it is better to have done it the right way and fail than to cheat or do so at someone else’s expense. We may never achieve greatness here on earth, yet, living humbly and with charity in all that we do will have greatness in the eyes of God. To keep our eye on the real prize, no matter the cost, no matter how humbling is a lesson certainly learned from today’s Gospel as well as from the life of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux whose life we celebrate today. Today’s Psalm likewise offers a valuable guide for living our lives: “From you let my judgment come; your eyes behold what is right.” If we look to life with the judgment and vision of our Lord, then we cannot go wrong. 

Pope Benedict in a General Audience given several years ago noted the importance of living a “spiritual childhood” according to the model of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, of ‘remaining little’, to abandon “oneself to God not blindly and automatically, but serenely and responsibly,” We should strive to achieve greatness, not in the way of this world, but in "the little way" through committing ourselves to the tasks and to the people we meet every day out of our love for God and for one another. Greatness is measured differently in the eyes of God. Make a great day! 

Today we recall the good life, gifts, and work of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux.