tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9129503471381297412024-03-13T12:00:49.518-06:00Omne Quod Spirat, Laudet Dominum!Let everything that breathes praise the Lord! (Ps. 150:6)Father Cory Stichahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426512153670141621noreply@blogger.comBlogger169125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912950347138129741.post-67112171509628286332010-03-05T14:51:00.003-07:002010-03-05T14:53:09.640-07:00New home for the blogChange is in the air, and I'm not referring to the coming of Spring or Spring Training baseball. The blog is moving to a new address: <a href="http://laudetdominum.frcory.org">http://laudetdominum.frcory.org</a>. Come check it out!Father Cory Stichahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426512153670141621noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912950347138129741.post-6435549082911281472010-02-27T20:18:00.001-07:002010-02-27T20:21:16.504-07:00Homily for the Second Sunday of LentToday we are presented with the Transfiguration of the Lord, in which Jesus appears to His disciples in a foreshadowing of His glorified body, speaking to two of the greatest figures in the Old Covenant: Moses and Elijah. In this event, we see the divine nature of Our Lord, which is reinforced by the voice of God our Heavenly Father speaking from the cloud, but it also gives us a foreshadowing of what our glorified bodies will be like at our resurrection at the end of time.<br /><br />Apart from the descriptions in Scripture of the Transfiguration and images of Heaven, we don't have an understanding of what a glorified body looks like. A glorified body is one that has been freed from sin, and is filled with the grace of God. God's glory and majesty is so powerful that it becomes visible as a bright light. The light is so bright that the Sun pales in comparison.<br /><br />One day, when we have been freed from the shackles of death and our bodies have been raised up following the final judgment, those who died in the state of grace will have their bodies glorified as Our Lord's was after His resurrection. We know this from St. Paul, who tells us that Our Lord “will change our lowly body to conform with his glorified body by the power that enables Him also to bring all things into subjection to Himself.” We will share in the glory of God, and our bodies will be purified and raised up.<br /><br />Sadly, however, that day is yet to come. We on Earth are still affected by sin, and our vision has been darkened by sin. We do not see the radiant glory of God, and would be stunned if we did experience that glory, as Peter, James and John were in the Gospel today. It's been said that if an angel appeared before us in all it's glory, we would not be able to tell that it was merely an angel and not God Himself. In fact, St. John in the Book of Revelation had to be told several times by the angel that appeared to him not to worship the angel, as St. John was awed by the glory of God shining through it.<br /><br />As we look at the account of the Transfiguration given to us today, it's interesting that St. Luke chose to describe Our Lord's Passion, Death, and Resurrection in Jerusalem as his “exodus”, while Our Lord was speaking to the one figure in the Old Testament who is most well known for Israel's Exodus from Egypt. It's striking that the Exodus that freed the Israelites from the slavery of Egypt parallels the suffering, death and resurrection of Our Lord that frees us from the slavery to sin.<br /><br />In both cases, a difficult journey with great suffering had to be made in order to gain this freedom from slavery and enter into the Promised Land. Moses had to lead Israel out of Egypt and suffer through the desert for 40 years so that the people of Israel could enter into the Promised Land, which Abram (later known as Abraham) was given by God. Our Lord had to undergo the suffering of the Roman and Jewish authorities, be crucified, die, and rise again so that we might enter into our Promised Land of Heaven.<br /><br />It's important to point out that “our citizenship is in Heaven,” as St. Paul tells us. Just as the people of Israel were estranged from their homeland when living in Egypt, we are estranged from our Heavenly homeland during our lives on Earth. When you read the account of the Exodus, many in Israel were attached to the things of Egypt, making the Exodus difficult for the Israelites. Sadly, we too are attached to our land of exile, often caring more for the things of Earth over the things of Heaven. As St. Paul once again says, “Their minds are occupied with earthly things.”<br /><br />To overcome this desire for earthly goods, we need to place our faith in God, as Abram did in the first reading, and as the people of Israel who entered the Promised Land did during the Exodus. When we put our faith in God instead of in the constant concern for earthly things, life won't be without challenge, as the Exodus was not without difficulty, but it will be “credited” to us “as an act of righteousness,” just as it was for Abram. When we are “righteous”, which means that we are in the friendship and grace of God, we too will one day enter into our Promised Land: the eternal joys of God's presence in Heaven.<br /><br />As we go through our lives here on Earth, we join our exodus through the pain and sorrow that accompany this life to the pain and anguish that Our Lord suffered during his Passion and Death. May our exodus end at the Promised Land of Heaven, just as the Israelites' Exodus ended in their Promised Land.Father Cory Stichahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426512153670141621noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912950347138129741.post-12757676455596476832010-02-23T16:37:00.004-07:002010-02-23T16:46:56.509-07:00Do you really need to work on Sundays?From St. John Vianney's <span style="font-style: italic;">Little Catechism</span>, Part I, Chapter 7:<br /><blockquote>You labor, you labor, my children; but what you earn ruins your body and your soul. If one ask those who work on Sunday, "What have you been doing?" they might answer, "I have been selling my soul to the devil, crucifying Our Lord, and renouncing my Baptism. I am going to Hell; I shall have to weep for all eternity in vain." When I see people driving carts on Sunday, I think I see them carrying their souls to Hell.<br /><br />Oh, how mistaken in his calculations is he who labors hard on Sunday, thinking that he will earn more money or do more work! Can two or three shillings ever make up for the harm he does himself by violating the law of the good God? You imagine that everything depends on your working; but there comes an illness, an accident.... so little is required! a tempest, a hailstorm, a frost. The good God holds everything in His hand; He can avenge Himself when He will, and as He will; the means are not wanting to Him. Is He not always the strongest? Must not He be the master in the end?<br /><br />There was once a woman who came to her priest to ask leave to get in her hay on Sunday. "But," said the priest, "it is not necessary; your hay will run no risk." The woman insisted, saying, "Then you want me to let my crop be lost?" She herself died that very evening; she was more in danger than her crop of hay. "Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that which endureth unto life everlasting." [Jn. 6: 27].<br /><br />What will remain to you of your Sunday work? You leave the earth just as it is; when you go away, you carry nothing with you. Ah! when we are attached to the earth, we are not willing to go! Our first end is to go to God; we are on the earth for no other purpose. My brethren, we should die on Sunday, and rise again on Monday.<br /><br />Sunday is the property of our good God; it is His own day, the Lord's day. He made all the days of the week: He might have kept them all; He has given you six, and has reserved only the seventh for Himself. What right have you to meddle with what does not belong to you? You know very well that stolen goods never bring any profit. Nor will the day that you steal from Our Lord profit you either. I know two very certain ways of becoming poor: they are working on Sunday and taking other people's property.<br /></blockquote>I would add to the great St. John Vianney that we should not be encouraging Sunday work by doing our shopping or other errands on Sundays. We have 6 days in the week to buy groceries, fuel up the car, and the like. There should be only one focus on Sunday: God.Father Cory Stichahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426512153670141621noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912950347138129741.post-19390239720936382712010-02-19T21:22:00.002-07:002010-02-20T10:47:22.368-07:00Homily for the First Sunday of LentWhen we look at the Gospel passages of the Temptation, such as we heard in today's Gospel reading, I think we feel a little bit of comfort that we can share with Our Lord the fact that He was tempted the way we are tempted. At the same time, this passage is very instructive for us because it shows us the sins that the Devil uses to snare us.<br /><br />I'm taking much of this from a former professor of mine at Mundelein Seminary, Fr. Robert Barron. For a couple of years now, he has been doing a series of brief videos on the Internet called Word on Fire. In these videos, Fr. Barron explains some aspect of the Catholic faith, or takes an aspect of the secular culture and explains it through the eyes of the Catholic faith.<br /><br />Fr. Barron's <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vm3JK7JYAKs">most recent video</a> focused on the Three Temptations of Our Lord, which we read in the Gospel passage chosen for this First Sunday in Lent. The point that Fr. Barron made in his reflection on the Temptations is that we can see the sins that the Devil tries to trick us into committing in order to ensnare us.<br /><br />The Devil's first temptation of Our Lord was to turn the stones that surrounded them in the desert into bread. This temptation is to make sensate pleasure the center of our lives. This would be excessive use of physical pleasures, such as food and drink, to the point that they replace the focus that we should have on God. There's no room for God in our lives because these pleasures have filled them up.<br /><br />The second temptation of Our Lord is being taken up and shown all the kingdoms of the world. The Devil temps him, saying, “All this will be yours, if you worship me.” (<a href="http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/luke/luke4.htm#v7">Luke 4:7</a>) The temptation is for glory and power, making Jesus the most powerful person in the world.<br /><br />For many people, this is the strongest temptation. They may be able to handle the physical pleasures, finding little or no temptation in them. Give them power and glory, however, and they will fall for the Devil's trick every time.<br /><br />Third temptation finds Our Lord on the parapet, the highest point, of the Temple. The Devil tries to tempt Our Lord to throw Himself off of the parapet, quoting from the Scriptures that the angels will guard and protect Him. First of all, this is a temptation to put God to the test. Secondly, by putting Our Lord on this high place in the temple, which was the center of the society, the Devil was putting Him on the top of society, bringing Him honor and esteem.<br /><br />Again, for some people, this may be the most dangerous temptation. These people may not want the pleasures of the world, they may not want power, but they seek honor and esteem from those around them. Give them this honor and esteem, and they'll fall for the trap.<br /><br />So, how to do we resist these temptations? In the first two readings, we see that we need to confess our faith in God. The first reading from the Book of Deuteronomy is a confession of faith of the Israelite people as they are entering into the Promised Land and reaping the first fruits of that land. Confessing their faith that God has lead them to this Promised Land, they turn over their first fruits to Him in gratitude and thanksgiving.<br /><br />In the second reading, St. Paul tells us that “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” (<a href="http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/romans/romans10.htm#v9">Romans 10:9</a>) This brief statement shows us what we need to do to overcome the temptations of the Devil. We must believe in our hearts the promise of Our Lord that we will be saved and confess that belief publicly through our words and actions in order to overcome the snares and tricks of the Devil. We must also be like the Israelites in the first reading, giving the first fruit of our gifts over to God in gratitude and thanksgiving.<br /><br />During this Lenten season, may our hearts be open to believing in the promises of Our Lord and may our lives confess that belief, so that we may be saved and help free others from the snares of the Devil.Father Cory Stichahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426512153670141621noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912950347138129741.post-45813054011085010512010-02-19T19:10:00.002-07:002010-02-19T19:15:51.632-07:00Praying ContinuouslyFrom the Second Reading of today's Office of Readings:<br /><br />"Prayer and converse with God is a supreme good: it is a partnership and union with God. As the eyes of the body are enlightened when they see light, so our spirit, when it is intent on God, is illumined by his infinite light. I do not mean the prayer of outward observance but prayer form the heart, not confined to fixed times or period but continuous throughout the day and night." -- St. John Chrysostom<br /><br />Do we make prayer "continuous throughout the day and night", as St. John challenges us? Do we make every moment of our lives a prayer, or do we only pray during those few times a day we set aside for prayer? This is our challenge in our day and age. We must pray every day, and pray unceasingly. Not only in front of the Blessed Sacrament, as important as Adoration truly is, but at work, at home, in our cars, or anywhere else that life takes us.Father Cory Stichahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426512153670141621noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912950347138129741.post-86638297514176643622010-01-31T21:55:00.003-07:002010-01-31T22:17:59.057-07:00Homily for the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time<span style="font-style: italic;">This week I preached off of an outline instead of a full script. Here's the outline for the week:</span><br /><ul><li>Do we understand what it means to be a prophet?<br /><ul><li>Guy standing with "End is near" sign<br /><li>Prophetic speech<br /><ul><li>Idea that prophesy is telling the future</ul><br /><li>Prophet appears throughout our readings<br /><ul><li>Jeremiah's call<br /><li>St. Paul "prophesying partially"<br /><li>Our Lord "prophet without honor in his native place"</ul></ul><br /><li>2 purposes in the OT for prophesy<br /><ul><li>Call to conversion<br /><ul><li>Israel kept falling away from God the Father<br /><li>Prophets called them back</ul><br /><li>Point to future coming of Jesus<br /><ul><li>Show fulfillment of covenant<br /><li>"Partial will pass away"<br /><ul><li>Revelation in Jewish Covenant was partial<br /><li>Jesus is the fullness of revelation<br /><ul><li>"The perfect"</ul></ul></ul></ul><br /><li>We are called to be prophets<br /><ul><li>Through baptism we share in Christ's ministry<br /><ul><li>CCC 436: "Jesus fulfilled the messianic hope of Israel in His threefold office of priest, prophet, and king."</ul><br /><li>What does it look like to be a prophet?<br /><ul><li>Not foretelling the future<br /><li>2 purposes<br /><ul><li>Call to conversion<br /><ul><li>Need to do this first in our lives<br /><ul><li>Lead others by example</ul></ul><br /><li>Point to Jesus<br /><ul><li>We need to live our lives by following Christ<br /><li>Allow our witness and example to bring others to Him</ul><br /><li>Priest assembly<br /><ul><li>Example of priests = vocations<br /><li>Example of dedicated Christians = more followers of Christ</ul></ul></ul></ul><br /><li>We are all called to be prophets through our baptisms. Are we willing to answer that call?</ul>Father Cory Stichahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426512153670141621noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912950347138129741.post-50044850848540410462010-01-25T21:35:00.004-07:002010-01-25T21:45:06.797-07:00Vocation Story part 4 - God's 2x4I often say that I can be very hard-headed. There are all too many times where it's taken a long time for something to sink in, especially if I'm set against it. The idea of discerning a call to the priesthood is one of those things that took a long time to sink in.<br /><br />With all the involvement in the parish and all my reading and independent studying, the idea of living my faith become more and more important. I wanted to structure my daily life around the practice of the faith. I wanted to avoid sin and grow in holiness. I wanted to develop a fervent prayer life. In short, I wanted to be 100% Catholic, no reservations, no excuses.<br /><br />When studying the teachings of the Church, it's not long before you're confronted with the concept of submission to God's will. The more I would read and pray, the more I would hear that word: submission. Submit your will to God's will. Discern how God wants you to live your live instead of floundering around on your own.<br /><br />It sounded good to me, but I also was leery. I started to get an idea of where this might lead. Those little whispers in the back of my mind were still there, and I was still resisting them. I wanted to do God's will, so long as it didn't involve the priesthood.<br /><br />I discovered very quickly, however, that if you give God a crack in the door, He'll open it all the way. I began to pray for understanding of God's will, and those whispers became more insistent.<br /><br />Through all this, I was doing a job I enjoyed, but was feeling like it might be a dead-end. As a computer geek, being responsible for multi-millions of dollars worth of servers is a big deal, but I didn't see any way beyond that. I knew I didn't want to be a supervisor, and I wasn't sure remaining an server administrator was what I wanted either. I also felt a tug on my heart that made me think, "Is this it? There has to be more for my life."<br /><br />One day I finally broke down and asked, "God, what do you want? I want to do your will, and not mine." I feel that God responded to me, not so much in a voice as an echo in my mind, "I want you to be a priest." This is when I often say that God hit me upside the head with a 2x4. The subtle hints didn't work with me, so He had to go with the direct route. In response, I said, "OK, OK, I'll look into it."<br /><br />I wasn't going to make a commitment at that time. In fact, the first thing I did was search the Internet for vocations websites, and found quite a few. Several diocese had a series of questions as a kind of "quick quiz" on whether or not you might have a vocation. Much to my surprise, and despite my continued denials, many of the questions on those quizzes could be answered in the affirmative.<br /><br />What were the questions? Things like, "Have you ever found yourself regularly thinking about the priesthood?" and, "Are you reluctant to tell friends and family that you're having these thoughts?" The more I read these vocation discernment web pages and thought about the questions that they were raising, the more the idea became possible.<br /><br />One of the steps which many of the vocation discernment sites encouraged was to speak to a priest in your parish about the priesthood. I still wasn't ready to come out in the open just yet, so I didn't to mention anything to Fr. Jim. One Sunday, Fr. Jim was on vacation and had a fill-in priest from the Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows. This priest, a member of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, who ran the shrine and housed their headquarters there, was a total stranger, therefore "safe". He didn't know me, I didn't know him, so I figured he'd be a good "first contact".<br /><br />I caught this priest, Fr. Tony, at the end of Mass, after the usual handshakes and greetings had been exchanged with the Mass attendees. I was very nervous, but Fr. Tony politely listened to my stammered, "I'm thinking about the priesthood." He spoke with me for about 5-10 minutes before he had to return to the sacristy to get ready for the next Mass. His main advice, which I probably should have expected, was that I needed to visit with to Fr. Jim and contact the diocesan vocation director.<br /><br />It took me a couple of months to muster the courage to follow up on his advice, but after more reading, thinking and praying, I finally got up the courage to ask Fr. Jim about the priesthood. He was very pleased that I was discerning a call to the priesthood, and was more than willing to meet over lunch at the local Chinese restaurant. (As an aside, what is it about priests and Chinese food? I've come to know a lot of priests who would live on Chinese if they could.)<br /><br />We had a great lunch, with a good conversation about the priesthood. Fr. Jim was able to answer some of my questions and allay some of my concerns. I did wonder what I was getting into when he laughed after I asked him about a typical day in the priesthood. Of course, now I know why that was such an ironic question: there is no typical day in the priesthood. Every day is unique, for better or worse.<br /><br />An analogy for following God's will is following a path that He has laid out for us, and every so often the markers for that path become completely and totally obvious. During our conversation, I found that God had given me a connection of which I was unaware. Fr. Jim asked me where I was thinking about being a priest, diocesan or religious. I told him that I was leaning towards the diocesan, likely back home in Eastern Montana, the Diocese of Great Falls-Billings. At this point, Fr. Jim said, "I know the vocation director there." I was stunned. How could Fr. Jim, a priest from the Diocese of Belleville, 1200 miles from Montana, know the vocation director in Montana? It turns out that Fr. Jim and the vocation director, Fr. Dale, were classmates at Mundelein Seminary.<br /><br />This was too much of a coincidence. It was obviously a very clear sign that I was on the right track. What are the odds that I would pick the parish whose pastor is a classmate of the vocation director of the diocese I was discerning towards? Fr. Jim did try to convince me to consider remaining in the Diocese of Belleville, but I really felt pulled back to Montana. If I was going to become a priest, I was going to do it at home, and Montana was home.<br /><br />Following the dinner conversation, I sent off an email to the vocation director expressing my interest in discerning the priesthood for the diocese. This began an email conversation in which I introduced myself and told some of my discernment up to that point, and led to meeting with Fr. Dale in Billings a couple days after Christmas when I was able to be home for a couple of weeks.<br /><br />Before I got to meet Fr. Dale, I figured now would be a good time to let my parents in on the news. If I was going to drive to Billings, using one of their cars, I should probably let them know in advance what it's going to be about. Here's how I introduced the topic to them: "I'm kinda, possibly, thinking about considering looking into (etc., etc., etc. I think I added about 2 minutes worth of disclaimers.) going into the priesthood." Yeah, I wasn't going to make a firm commitment to my parents. Not yet.<br /><br />Well, my dad laughed and my mom said, "We were wondering when you were going to tell us." Wait? When I was going to tell you? I just figured it out for myself, and you <span style="font-style:italic;">already knew</span>? Why didn't you tell me? They had pretty much figured it out with my becoming active in the Church, and thought that it was just a matter of time.<br /><br />With that load of my shoulders, I began to wait impatiently for Christmas vacation, which finally arrived. During the meeting with Fr. Dale, he gave me the paperwork for applying to both the diocese and Mount Angel Seminary. I also took the psychological exams required while in Billings, so this was getting serious. I was on the way to entering the seminary, and I thought it might even be that coming fall, the Fall of 2000.<br /><br />At this point, my procrastination and reluctance started kicking in. I had the paperwork, I knew what I needed to do to get into the seminary, and I was unwilling to do it. When I arrived back in Illinois, I threw the paperwork on a counter in my apartment and let it sit. I wasn't going to rush into things, besides I still had 6 months to fill it out.<br /><br />Shortly after my Christmas vacation, I found out through the Scott AFB base chapel, where I was still attending daily Mass, that the Archdiocese for the Military Services was sponsoring a discernment retreat in Washington, DC, at the Theological College of the Catholic University of America. The chaplain, knowing that I was in the discernment process, encouraged me to consider attending., and I agreed. I figured that if nothing else, I would get a nice weekend in Washington, DC, and get to see the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.<br /><br />I did get to see the National Shrine, and fell in love with it, but it also turned out to be a great opportunity for prayer and reflection on the priesthood, and gave me much to think about in my discernment. It also introduced me to the Liturgy of the Hours for the first time, something which has become a vital part of my prayer life.<br /><br />I'd like to say that the retreat gave me a shot of excitement about my vocation, and that I filled out my paperwork immediately upon returning, but that wasn't the case. I did get some of it filled out, and got a good start on collecting the paperwork I needed. Unfortunately, the excitement wained as I returned to my usual routines of daily life, and the paperwork collected dust once again.<br /><br />That dust remained pretty much undisturbed, except for the occasional cleaning, until June. One Saturday in early June, I got a call from Fr. Dale: "I haven't heard from you in a while. Are you still thinking about going this Fall?" I hemmed and hawed, and came up with every excuse, "I have loans, I need to think about this more," and so on. Before we finished, Fr. Dale encouraged me to think and pray about it more. I promised I would and got off the phone.<br /><br />The next morning happened to be Pentecost Sunday, as Easter was late in the year 2000, and I got up and went to Mass as had become my custom. It was a beautiful late Spring day, just slightly warm, and the church was full as usual. During Mass, I felt that I had a Pentecost moment. No, not speaking in tongues or flames descending on my head, but I felt the Holy Spirit move me to get going on everything I needed for the seminary now. Not next year, not next week, <span style="font-style:italic;">now</span>. I still had time to apply to the seminary, and I needed to enter that Fall.<br /><br />Before I even got back to my apartment, I called Fr. Dale and left a message that I was going to finish up the paperwork. I told him through the message that the seminary would receive it by the end of the week, even if I had to pay for it to be sent overnight.<br /><br />If you've ever seen the applications for many diocese and seminaries, they're not small, quick applications. The diocesan application was only 4 pages long, but required a number of longer essays. The seminary application was much longer, closer to 30 pages, and required even more essays, not to mention supporting documentation like a copy of the baptismal record. Yet, with all the paperwork needed, I was able to complete the applications and get them in the mail in time for the application deadline.<br /><br />Fr. Dale had assured me that I was going to get in, but it was still nerve wracking waiting for word back from the seminary. Finally, after a couple of weeks, a large envelope from Mount Angel Seminary arrived in the mail. The envelope contained an acceptance letter stating that I had been accepted for the 2000-2001 college freshmen class. It also contained preparation instructions as well as where and when to arrive. I was going to seminary, 2000 miles away and a whole new way of life.<br /><br />Continue to Part 5 - Seminary Discernment (Coming sooner than part 4 did!)Father Cory Stichahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426512153670141621noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912950347138129741.post-6762894609499358502010-01-24T12:34:00.000-07:002010-01-24T12:35:32.151-07:00<a href="http://www.twitvid.com/4E8CF">For those who have never experienced a blizzard, here's a small taste of ours.</a><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.twitvid.com/player/4E8CF"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.twitvid.com/player/4E8CF" quality="high" allowscriptaccess="always" allowNetworking="all" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" height="344" width="425"></embed></object>Father Cory Stichahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426512153670141621noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912950347138129741.post-79341522549181155042010-01-24T12:30:00.001-07:002010-01-24T12:34:15.968-07:00<a href="http://www.twitvid.com/08223">First run with Twitvid</a><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.twitvid.com/player/08223"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.twitvid.com/player/08223" quality="high" allowscriptaccess="always" allowNetworking="all" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" height="344" width="425"></embed></object>Father Cory Stichahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426512153670141621noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912950347138129741.post-92150699288916970522010-01-24T12:24:00.002-07:002010-01-24T12:30:22.925-07:00Playing with TwitvidOver the last couple of days, I've been playing with <a href="http://www.twitvid.com">Twitvid</a> on my BlackBerry. It's a very impressive package: make a video, write a short tweet to describe it, and it'll post it to Twitter. Right now I'm just playing, but I can see some great possibilities for spreading the Gospel through short, simple videos. <a href="http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/messages/communications/documents/hf_ben-xvi_mes_20100124_44th-world-communications-day_en.html">The Pope did ask us to use the Internet for that purpose, after all.</a>Father Cory Stichahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426512153670141621noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912950347138129741.post-26226731070827898292010-01-16T20:59:00.002-07:002010-01-16T21:04:15.767-07:00Homily for the Second Sunday in Ordinary TimeIt seems like we are all on a never-ending search for happiness and contentment, yet it also seems that we never truly find the key to a joyful life. We might find brief periods of happiness in a relationship with others, in some possession, or in a hobby or other activity that we enjoy, but that happiness always seems to be fleeting and brief.<br /><br />With all our searching, we never seem to think that following Our Lord could ever bring us any joy. In fact, the stereotypical image of a Christian who devoutly follows Jesus is someone who is very dour and bitter, almost austere in their life. Joy seems to be the last thing on their minds, yet the readings today bring us a different picture. They show us that we live truly joyful lives when we use the gifts of the Spirit that we have been given by God.<br /><br />Today's passage from St. John's Gospel reminds us of the first miracle that Our Lord performed when he began his earthly ministry. It wasn't a healing, or raising someone from the dead, or casting a demon out of someone. Instead, it might seem to have occurred at an insignificant event: running out of wine at a wedding. Our Lord used this occasion to show the joy God our Father wishes to bestow on us by not only producing some wine to continue the party, but producing an astounding quantity of the best wine.<br /><br />Again, it might seem strange to us that God wants to bestow joy upon us, especially when it seems like our lives are one difficulty after another, but look at the first reading. The description of a newly-freed Israel is one of the joy felt by newlyweds, the buoyant, almost giddy feelings that accompany an important, joyful event in our lives, such as a wedding. The language isn't one of sorrow and pity, but of rejoicing: "as a bridegroom rejoices in his bride so shall your God rejoice in you." (<a href="http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/isaiah/isaiah62.htm#v5">Isaiah 62:5</a>)<br /><br />This is the joy that will come to us when we follow the spiritual life and exercise the gifts that we have been given by the Holy Spirit. Yes, this once again might be hard to believe, but the Holy Spirit has given each of us gifts that are for the benefit of ourselves and those we meet every day. St. Paul tells the Corinthians, and us, "to each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit," (<a href="http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/1corinthians/1corinthians12.htm#v7">1 Cor 12:7</a>) following up with a list of some of the gifts which the Holy Spirit bestows upon us. This isn't a complete list by any stretch of the imagination, but helps us to understand the Holy Spirit has given us gifts, "distributing them individually to each person as He wishes." (<a href="http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/1corinthians/1corinthians12.htm#v11">1 Cor 12:11</a>)<br /><br />The difficulty we face when practicing the gifts we've been given comes when we're trying to figure out what they are in the first place. For some, the gifts are quite obvious, such as someone with a beautiful singing voice or a natural talent with musical instruments. Most of us, however, have to discern where those gifts lie and figure out how best to exercise them. In most cases, we need to work with those gifts once we've figured out what they are, developing our understanding of the gift and improving our familiarity with it.<br /><br />When we do exercise the gifts we have been given, we can find a great joy in seeing those gifts used successfully. This might not happen at first, and may take many years to fully develop, but when we use the gifts of the Holy Spirit for the honor of God and to help our neighbors, we can truly find the joy that we are searching for. This joy far exceeds the happiness that we can ever receive through the things of this world. This joy is but a small taste of the joy that we will experience in the next life when we are in perfect union with our Heavenly Father.<br /><br />In our search for happiness on Earth, may we seek the true joy that comes from finding and using the gifts of the Holy Spirit that reside within us.Father Cory Stichahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426512153670141621noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912950347138129741.post-54686663212936885632010-01-02T22:12:00.001-07:002010-01-02T22:14:31.521-07:00Homily for the Solemnity of the EpiphanyThe prophet Isaiah in today's first reading gives the Israelite people a message of great hope. Instead of being a small nation which has been regularly conquered and stepped upon, one day they would be mighty people that all the nations of the world would come to honor and exult. This was a prophesy of great hope for a downtrodden people, one that would be fulfilled in a way they never expected.<br /><br />The magi who came to find Jesus were wise men, learned men who were familiar with the stars in the sky and whose job it was to look for signs in the stars. They also would have likely been familiar with the Jewish longing for a Messiah, and would have recognized immediately that the star was leading them towards the land of the Jewish people. It would have been no surprise to them that the star was leading them towards that promised Messiah, the long awaited King of the Jews.<br /><br />What would be a surprise for the Jewish readers of St. Matthew's Gospel is the willingness of these Gentiles to make the journey from Persia, in modern-day Iran. Here is the first sign of the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophesy. These magi even brought two of the gifts mentioned in the prophesy: gold and frankincense. The visit of the magi were a sign to the Jewish followers of Our Lord that the Gospel message wasn't reserved to Jews alone, but to all the nations of the world. St. Paul tells us that the blessings to be bestowed on all nations, as promised by Isaiah, come through our sharing in the promised salvation of Christ.<br /><br />Notice how Our Heavenly Father led the magi to Our Lord. Their occupation was to observe the night sky for any significant phenomena. God used their roles as astrologers who could interpret the signs in the sky to lead them to Our Lord. Through their work, they were drawn to Our Lord.<br /><br />On our part, God is still calling us through our occupations to follow Him. In fact, He is constantly calling us to follow Him in our daily lives, every moment of every day. We just need to be open to the signs. Sometimes a sign is a coincidental occurrence that allows to act on His grace. Occasionally, it's a prompting that helps us to make a major decision in our lives that can be used to better serve Him and His people. No matter how these signs appear, we need to be aware of how He is working in our lives.<br /><br />Once we are aware of God's call in our lives, are we willing to respond as the magi did? They knew that the King of the Jews proclaimed by the star was a newborn, and yet they were willing to travel long distances to find and honor Him. They didn't bring simple gifts to lay at His feet, but gave Our Lord the best gifts they could.<br /><br />Are we going to allow our gifts to be used in the service of God, as the magi did, or are we going to give as little of ourselves as we can? We may not have to travel as far or with as much difficulty as the magi faced, but we still need the same commitment to Our Lord. Instead of giving a little time and effort, say once a week to attend Mass, we need to be willing to commit our entire lives and everything we have and are to follow Jesus and proclaim His Gospel to the whole world.<br /><br />This is the challenge of the Christian life. It's one thing to say we're Christians, it's something completely different to live as Christ commands. When we pay homage to Our Lord and lay our gifts at His feet, as the magi did, He will use us in a way that will bring us greater joy than we can ever imagine. As the star called the magi to follow, Our Lord calls us to follow Him every day. May we hear His call and answer.Father Cory Stichahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426512153670141621noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912950347138129741.post-6908456917948471122009-12-24T12:58:00.003-07:002009-12-24T13:01:29.686-07:00One Homily, Three VersionsBecause I will be celebrating Mass with three different sets of readings, I've made three versions of the homily for Christmas.<br /><br /><a href="http://laudetdominum.blogspot.com/2009/12/homily-for-vigil-of-nativity-of-our.html">Homily for the Vigil of the Nativity of Our Lord</a><br /><a href="http://laudetdominum.blogspot.com/2009/12/homily-for-midnight-mass-of-nativity-of.html">Homily for Midnight Mass of the Nativity of Our Lord</a><br /><a href="http://laudetdominum.blogspot.com/2009/12/homily-for-day-of-nativity-of-our-lord.html">Homily for the Day of the Nativity of Our Lord</a>Father Cory Stichahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426512153670141621noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912950347138129741.post-70171352554859431082009-12-24T12:51:00.004-07:002009-12-24T12:57:34.388-07:00Homily for the Day of the Nativity of Our LordIt's pretty obvious looking around that we know how to celebrate Christmas. The streets, storefronts, and houses are all aglow in beautiful lights and decorations. The radio stations are all playing favorite Christmas carols and songs. Favorite Christmas-themed TV shows are broadcast daily, and new holiday shows are created and shown every year. Yes, we do know how to celebrate Christmas, but do we really stop and think about why we're celebrating? It is merely for an excuse to give gifts and get family and friends together for an elaborate meal, or is there something far deeper and more profound to our celebrations?<br /><br />For several years, the <a href="http://www.kofc.org">Knights of Columbus</a> have supported and spread an annual campaign: <a href="http://www.kofc.org/un/eb/en/leadership_institute/surge_with_service/church_activities/keep_christ_in_christmas/">"Keep Christ in Christmas"</a>. The primary purpose of this campaign is to go against the secularization of this most holy of holy days, trying to prevent Christmas from becoming a generic winter holiday with warm fuzzy feelings and not much substance.<br /><br />While that primary purpose is laudable, and should be highly encouraged, I think there's another way that we can "Keep Christ in Christmas". For most of us who are Christians, do we ever think about how profound the Christmas message really is? How many of us stop and look at a manger scene with amazement that the God who created us and loves us became man?<br /><br />We may not consciously reflect on God becoming human, but that is precisely what the Gospel passage from St. John's Gospel is proclaiming this morning. In this opening passage to the Gospel we are told, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (<a href="http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/john/john1.htm#v1">John 1:1</a>) Later, we hear, "And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father's only Son, full of grace and truth." (<a href="http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/john/john1.htm#v14">John 1:14</a>)<br /><br />This Gospel passage is held to be the greatest proclamation of the divinity of Christ. Jesus was not only a human who had a large following and established a rule of life for us to follow, but was and is truly God incarnate, meaning that He is God become human. Our Lord was with the Father in the beginning, the creation of the universe, and St. John tells us that through Our Lord all of creation came into being. Yet, with all the power and glory due to Him by all creation, the second person of the Trinity deigned to become human, being born as a humble infant in humble surroundings to a simple and humble family.<br /><br />The Letter to the Hebrews tells us God "has spoken to us through the Son, whom He made heir of all things and through whom He created the universe." (<a href="http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/hebrews/hebrews1.htm#v2">Hebrews 1:2</a>) As the Son of God, Our Lord is "far superior to the angels". (<a href="http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/hebrews/hebrews1.htm#v4">Hebrews 1:4</a>) He could have come to Earth in any form that He would have willed, but chose to become one of us as an innocent child.<br /><br />This innocent child, born in a shelter for animals, is fully God and fully human. God became one of us to save us from our sins. He came to Earth to give His life in sacrifice so that we might have life eternal. When we look at Our Lord in the manger, we see the Cross overshadowing Him. This is why we celebrate this holy day. This is why it's so important to "Keep Christ in Christmas". Christmas would be pointless if we didn't recognize the one for whom we celebrate.<br /><br />On this Christmas Eve, I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas, and hope that this Christmas season is one of joy and peace for you and your families. During this season, I encourage you to take time with your families and friends to reflect on the most wonderful gift we've all received on Christmas: the birth of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.Father Cory Stichahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426512153670141621noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912950347138129741.post-70928105632668906642009-12-24T12:46:00.003-07:002009-12-24T12:57:42.773-07:00Homily for Midnight Mass of the Nativity of Our LordIt's pretty obvious looking around that we know how to celebrate Christmas. The streets, storefronts, and houses are all aglow in beautiful lights and decorations. The radio stations are all playing favorite Christmas carols and songs. Favorite Christmas-themed TV shows are broadcast daily, and new holiday shows are created and shown every year. Yes, we do know how to celebrate Christmas, but do we really stop and think about why we're celebrating? It is merely for an excuse to give gifts and get family and friends together for an elaborate meal, or is there something far deeper and more profound to our celebrations?<br /><br />For several years, the <a href="http://www.kofc.org">Knights of Columbus</a> have supported and spread an annual campaign: <a href="http://www.kofc.org/un/eb/en/leadership_institute/surge_with_service/church_activities/keep_christ_in_christmas/">"Keep Christ in Christmas"</a>. The primary purpose of this campaign is to go against the secularization of this most holy of holy days, trying to prevent Christmas from becoming a generic winter holiday with warm fuzzy feelings and not much substance.<br /><br />While that primary purpose is laudable, and should be highly encouraged, I think there's another way that we can "Keep Christ in Christmas". For most of us who are Christians, do we ever think about how profound the Christmas message really is? How many of us stop and look at a manger scene with amazement that the God who created us and loves us became man?<br /><br />In our Gospel this night, we see Jesus being born in a shelter for animals, and being laid in a food trough for the animals. The inns were full, and the Holy Family had to find whatever shelter they could in this small town that had been filled to overflowing. Because of this, Our Lord, the second person of the Trinity, was born in humble surroundings.<br /><br />As God, he could have been born anywhere He wished, but chose a life of humility. Even the proclamation of His birth by the angels showed humility. Instead of proclaiming to great kings and rulers of the Earth, the angels appeared to humble shepherds, grazing their sheep on the hillsides surrounding the town of Bethlehem. The message the angels proclaimed, however, was not one of humility, but one of exultation: "a savior has been born to you who is Christ and Lord." (<a href="http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/luke/luke2.htm#v14">Luke 2:14</a>) This innocent and humble child, born in simple surroundings to a simple family who lived a humble life, has come to save us. As we heard in the first reading, the hope of Israel foreseen by the prophet Isaiah, in fact the hope of all the world, came into the world as an unknown.<br /><br />St. Paul reminds us that Jesus "gave Himself for us to deliver us from all lawlessness, and to cleanse for himself a people as his own, eager to do what is good." (<a href="http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/titus/titus2.htm#v14">Titus 2:14</a>) This innocent child, born in a shelter for animals, is fully God and fully human. God became one of us to save us from our sins. He came to Earth to give His life in sacrifice so that we might have life eternal. When we look at Our Lord in the manger, we see the Cross overshadowing Him. This is why we celebrate this holy day. This is why it's so important to "Keep Christ in Christmas". Christmas would be pointless if we didn't recognize the one for whom we celebrate.<br /><br />On this Christmas night, I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas, and hope that this Christmas season is one of joy and peace for you and your families. During this season, I encourage you to take time with your families and friends to reflect on the most wonderful gift we've all received on Christmas: the birth of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.Father Cory Stichahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426512153670141621noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912950347138129741.post-62864222517026298612009-12-24T12:40:00.003-07:002009-12-24T12:57:30.383-07:00Homily for the Vigil of the Nativity of Our LordIt's pretty obvious looking around that we know how to celebrate Christmas. The streets, storefronts, and houses are all aglow in beautiful lights and decorations. The radio stations are all playing favorite Christmas carols and songs. Favorite Christmas-themed TV shows are broadcast daily, and new holiday shows are created and shown every year. Yes, we do know how to celebrate Christmas, but do we really stop and think about why we're celebrating? It is merely for an excuse to give gifts and get family and friends together for an elaborate meal, or is there something far deeper and more profound to our celebrations?<br /><br />For several years, the <a href="http://www.kofc.org">Knights of Columbus</a> have supported and spread an annual campaign: <a href="http://www.kofc.org/un/eb/en/leadership_institute/surge_with_service/church_activities/keep_christ_in_christmas/">"Keep Christ in Christmas"</a>. The primary purpose of this campaign is to go against the secularization of this most holy of holy days, trying to prevent Christmas from becoming a generic winter holiday with warm fuzzy feelings and not much substance.<br /><br />While that primary purpose is laudable, and should be highly encouraged, I think there's another way that we can "Keep Christ in Christmas". For most of us who are Christians, do we ever think about how profound the Christmas message really is? How many of us stop and look at a manger scene with amazement that the God who created us and loves us became man?<br /><br />St. Paul obviously thought long and hard about the incarnation, the second person of the Trinity becoming human. He reminds his listeners, and us in the second reading, that God showed His power and love to the Israelite people during their time of captivity in Egypt, through the Exodus out of that country, and by establishing them as a nation in the Promised Land. This God, who did such great and powerful things for the Israelite people, then deigned to be come one of them, being born as a descendant of the great king David.<br /><br />In our Gospel this evening, we hear the seemingly long and drawn out genealogy of Jesus. To our modern ears, many of the names seem strange, foreign names from a foreign land. For the people that St. Matthew was writing to, this genealogy set the stage for the fulfillment of God's promise to His people. In fact, you may have recognized some of the names in the list, such as King David, as would many in the Jewish audience to whom St. Matthew was trying to proclaim the Gospel.<br /><br />This genealogy is important, not only for Jews of the first and second century but also for us, because it shows the history of salvation from the Patriarchs Abraham, Issac, and Jacob down to the coming of Our Lord. Abraham was promised that he would be the father of a great nation, as numerous as the stars in the sky. This genealogy shows, in a summary, how this promise was fulfilled. More importantly, it shows to us who are not of Jewish descent how salvation came to us through God's plan for the Israelite nation.<br /><br />The fact that God fulfilled this promise of salvation of all humanity is amazing enough, but the Gospel goes on to show us the way in which this promise was fulfilled. God could have used a great military leader or political figure to save the people of Israel, but instead He sent His Son as a tiny baby born under humble circumstances. He truly is Emmanuel, "God is with us". (<a href="http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/matthew/matthew1.htm#v23">Matthew 1:23</a>)<br /><br />This innocent child, born in a shelter for animals, is fully God and fully human. God became one of us to save us from our sins. He came to Earth to give His life in sacrifice so that we might have life eternal. When we look at Our Lord in the manger, we see the Cross overshadowing Him. This is why we celebrate this holy day. This is why it's so important to "Keep Christ in Christmas". Christmas would be pointless if we didn't recognize the one for whom we celebrate.<br /><br />On this Christmas Eve, I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas, and hope that this Christmas season is one of joy and peace for you and your families. During this season, I encourage you to take time with your families and friends to reflect on the most wonderful gift we've all received on Christmas: the birth of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.Father Cory Stichahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426512153670141621noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912950347138129741.post-33412370831472471312009-12-19T14:30:00.002-07:002009-12-19T14:36:17.447-07:00Homily for the Fourth Sunday of AdventWho do we consider the most important people in the world? Is it the person who bags our groceries at the store, or is it the politician with the million dollar smile and thousand dollar haircut? Do we consider important those who live simply, or is it the flashy Hollywood actor or actress that we see on the big screen?<br /><br />If humans were to choose our savior, we would likely choose a great warrior who defeats enemies with powerful weapons while giving great power and wealth to those who follow him. God's will is not like human wisdom, however. Our savior came simply, humbly. He was born in a small town, which the first reading described as “too small to be among the clans of Judah.” (<a href="http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/micah/micah5.htm#v1">Micah 5:1</a>)<br /><br />Humans would want a savior who came from the “right” people, the people that are held as important in the world, such as the popular political leaders or entertainers. Our Lord came from obscurity, born to a simple, humble woman. Instead of increasing the stature of those who are proud and seen as important, God lifts up the lowly.<br /><br />Why does God use the lowly to advance His will in the world? By human wisdom, it seems like more could be done by working through those with earthly power. Sadly, it doesn't work that way. Those who gain earthly power frequently are corrupted by that power, seeking to do their own wills instead of the will of God the Father.<br /><br />To be lowly and humble means having an openness to the will of God and a desire to fulfill that will. The humble realize that what they want is unimportant in the face of God's will. Mary became the mother of Our Lord because she humbly submitted her will to the will of God.<br /><br />Our Lord Himself did not come as a great ruler with military might and conquering armies. Instead, He came as a humble carpenter, spending most of His life working a humble job and living a humble life. Yet, He came to do God's will, and literally gave His life to do it.<br /><br />In fact, Our Lord's very death shows the humility that He lived. He could have given His life in a blaze of glory, but instead died in the most humiliating way possible on the Cross. The Letter to the Hebrews reminds us that “we have been consecrated through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” (<a href="http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/hebrews/hebrews10.htm#v10">Hebrews 10:10</a>) By Our Lord's humble death on the Cross, God's will was completed perfectly. Though He was born lowly and humbly, dying just as humbly, Our Lord's “greatness [reaches] to the ends of the earth.” (<a href="http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/micah/micah5.htm#v3">Micah 5:3</a>)<br /><br />As followers of Christ, we need to overcome our prideful desires and humbly seek the Father's will. Instead of worrying about what we want to receive as we prepare for the celebration of Christmas, we should seek how God wants us to serve Him during the upcoming Christmas season. Perhaps he wants us to give a gift to someone who is in need. Maybe we're called to spend some time visiting with those who are lonely. It may even be as simple as being called to spend more time in His presence praying that His will be done. There are as many ways that we can humbly give of ourselves as there are those we are called to serve.<br /><br />As we enter into this last week of Advent and final preparations for the Christmas season, may we each individually take time to humbly seek and fulfill the Father's will for our lives.Father Cory Stichahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426512153670141621noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912950347138129741.post-87572772564310292992009-12-16T10:32:00.002-07:002009-12-16T10:36:09.544-07:00Petition Supporting the New TranslationIn the liturgical circles of the Blogosphere, there has been much discussion over the "What if We Just Said Wait?" petition. (No, I'm not linking to it. You'll have to find it yourself if you want to sign. I do not wish to encourage disobedience to legitimate authorities in the Church.) In response, a petition has been created that supports the new translation called <a href="http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/enoughwaiting/">We've Waited Long Enough</a>. I encourage you to sign this petition and pass it on to your friends, both real-life and social networking.Father Cory Stichahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426512153670141621noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912950347138129741.post-12904593245461074752009-12-12T20:36:00.002-07:002009-12-12T20:43:29.786-07:00Homily for the Third Sunday of Advent"What should we do?" How many are asking that question right now? We're getting all our Christmas preparations done. Maybe our gifts have been purchased and wrapped. Maybe we've bought only some of our gifts, but have more to go. Maybe none of our gifts have been purchased, and we have no idea what we're going to buy. Perhaps we're planning Christmas parties, or planning where to go over Christmas. With all this planning and preparing, we might have the feeling in the back of our minds that something is missing, and we want to ask, "What <span style="font-style:italic;">else</span> should we do?"<br /><br />We've got all these plans and preparations, yet I think we miss one important point about this season of advent: it should be a time of great joy! In fact, St. Paul tells us "Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice! [...] The Lord is near." In fact, the popular name of this very Sunday, <span style="font-style:italic;">Gaudete</span> Sunday, comes from the Entrance Antiphon repeating St. Paul's words, which in Latin begins with "<span style="font-style:italic;">Gaudete</span>" – Rejoice.<br /><br />This should be a time of great joy and anticipation, almost childlike in our joy. We should have the simple joy that children have this time of year when they see the beautifully decorated trees and houses. Children light up during this season; even the snow which us adults complain about excites the kids.<br /><br />We should be rejoicing always during this season. As the prophet Zephaniah says, "Shout for joy, O daughter Zion! Sing joyfully, O Israel! Be glad and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem!" This is how we should be approaching this season, with joyful anticipation. Our Lord is coming! It shouldn't be a time of stress and anguish. We need to prepare for Our Lord.<br /><br />So again the question, "What should we do?" How should we prepare for our Lord? That's why John the Baptist was asked the question, after all. He was asked by the crowds who came to hear him preach. He was asked by the tax collectors who came to be baptized. He was even asked by the soldiers who came to watch for trouble. How does he answer? He answers that we should live in virtue. The crowds are told "Whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has none. And whoever has food should do likewise." We should be charitable during this season. We should be giving to those who have nothing this Christmas season.<br /><br />The tax collectors were told stop collecting more than what was prescribed. At this time, they were allowed to collect more than what Rome required of them. As long as the Empire received the proper amount, the collectors were allowed to keep the rest. The tax collectors would make themselves rich by tacking onto the required tax. John the Baptist challenged them to take only what was required, doing their jobs with virtue and honesty.<br /><br />Like the tax collectors, the soldiers were called to practice their jobs with honesty and virtue when they were told "Do not practice extortion, do not falsely accuse anyone, and be satisfied with your wages." Giving bribes to soldiers in order to keep from getting arrested was an all-to-common practice at this time. Soldiers were challenged to remain virtuous and give up these immoral practices.<br /><br />We are also challenged during this season to live our lives with virtue and honesty. During this season of Advent, we need to take time to reflect on how are we doing living the virtues. Are we charitable? Are we just? Do we judge others, or treat them fairly? This needs to be a time of great joy, but it also needs to be a time of reevaluating our lives as we prepare for the coming of Our Lord. This is why receiving the Sacrament of Confession should be a priority during this season.<br /><br />As we draw closer to the celebration of Our Lord's birth on Christmas, may we be able to receive with joy the answer to the question "What should we do?"Father Cory Stichahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426512153670141621noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912950347138129741.post-83270635956351736532009-12-07T22:21:00.000-07:002009-12-07T22:23:00.854-07:00Homily for the Solemnity of the Immaculate ConceptionIn the passage from his Letter to the Ephesians that we just heard, St. Paul makes a remarkable claim. He states that God “chose us in [Christ], before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him.” I know that this is an unbelievable claim when I look at my life, as I am most definitely not holy and very much blemished by sin, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels that way.<br /><br />Nevertheless, today we celebrate the ultimate example of one being chosen from all time “to be holy and without blemish”. The Blessed Virgin Mary, chosen from the beginning of time to be the Mother of God, was conceived without sin and never had to suffer with the effects of sin. Just as sin entered the world through the disobedience of Adam and Eve, sin is conquered through the obedience of Mary, the new Eve, and her Son Jesus, the new Adam.<br /><br />The sinlessness of Our Lady gives us hope that one day we too will no longer be burdened by the pain and suffering of humanity's sinful nature. In the Apostolic Constitution <span style="font-style:italic;">Ineffabilis Deus</span> which formally defined the dogma of the Immaculate Conception, Pope Pius IX wrote that Mary, “in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the human race, was preserved free from all stain of original sin.” Just as we are saved through the merits of Our Lord's death on the Cross, Mary's sinless nature was a special grace by God giving her the benefits of the salvation won by Jesus to prepare her to conceive and bear the Son of God, Our Lord Jesus Christ.<br /><br />For ourselves, Mary's sinless nature shows us that we will also be cleansed of sin in Paradise, just as Adam and Eve enjoyed sinlessness before their disobedience brought sin into the world. One day we will no longer suffer from sin and its effects on our lives, but will enjoy the fullness of God's grace. The Archangel Gabriel called Mary “full of grace” and declared that “the Lord is with you”. It is our hope, and the hope of all Christians, that we too will be in the fullness of God's grace and be in the presence of God, just as Mary was during her time on Earth and still is today.<br /><br />As we celebrate this feast of the Immaculate Conception, may the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Blessed Mother of Our Lord and our Mother, be upon us, and upon this nation which is dedicated to the patronage of the Immaculate Conception.Father Cory Stichahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426512153670141621noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912950347138129741.post-66211756865972611582009-12-05T21:05:00.000-07:002009-12-05T21:06:49.738-07:00Homily for the Second Sunday of AdventFor travelers before the advent of modern highways and automobiles, hills and valleys would have been an unwelcome sight. At best, the hills slowed them down, making the journey more difficult. At worst, a particularly steep hill or deep valley could prove to be impassable, requiring a lengthy detour.<br /><br />In our spiritual lives, we have hills and valleys that we need to overcome. Now, I'm not talking about the ups and downs that come with our emotions. Instead, these hills and valleys are obstacles placed between us and God by the sins we commit in our daily lives. The challenge before us is how do we “prepare the way of the Lord” in our hearts, filling the valleys and lowering the hills?<br /><br />The Gospel passage today gives us the ultimate example of preparing the way of the Lord. John the Baptist was born for one purpose only: to announce the coming of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Notice how St. John prepared the people of Israel for Our Lord's ministry. He preached “a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” He knew that sin blocked the people who lived at Jesus' time from hearing the call of God, and would prevent them from following Our Lord. He wanted to remove the obstacle of sin from their lives in order to prepare them to follow Jesus.<br /><br />When it comes to sin, things haven't changed in 2000 years. Sin still prevents us from hearing God's call and following Him. In fact, there seems to be a denial of sin's effect on our lives. Either we ignore the fact that particular actions are sinful, or we deny that sin exists at all. Those hills and valleys in our spiritual lives keep getting bigger and steeper.<br /><br />During this season of Advent, this season of preparation, we hear the call of John the Baptist, as well as the prophet Baruch, that the valleys be filled and the hills be brought down. We need to remove the obstacles that sin places within our lives by expressing true sorrow for our sins and asking God for forgiveness through the Sacrament of Confession. Much as a new road needs to be prepared by leveling the ground, filling in valleys and cutting through hills, regular Confessions help us overcome sin's grasp on our lives and open us to receive more of God's grace.<br /><br />This is a process that will take a long time to complete. Our sinful nature is deeply rooted within us, and we will struggle throughout our lives with its effects. If we regularly approach Our Lord and Confess our sins, say once a month, we will find that we become less willing to commit our “favorite” sins. This is not to say that we will ever become sinless on Earth, but regular reception of the Sacrament of Confession will prepare us for the day when we will be made “pure and blameless for the day of Christ”, as St. Paul says.<br /><br />This Advent season, I encourage you to make use of the Sacrament of Confession in preparation for the coming of Our Lord, and to make regular reception of this Sacrament a habit in your lives.Father Cory Stichahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426512153670141621noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912950347138129741.post-83154391950631080332009-12-01T21:31:00.008-07:002010-02-22T17:30:47.994-07:00So where is the Donations for Vestments money going to go anyways?First, many, many thanks to all those who have donated to the “Vestment Fund”. In just a month and a half, it's over $440! Thank you for your generosity.<br /><br />I haven't posted how I'm going to spend this donated money, so I think it's about time to clear that up. Although I've labeled it as “Donations for Vestments”, a more accurate description might be “Donations for Vestments and other associated vessels and equipment for celebrating the Mass”. Mind you, that's not as catchy a title as “Donations for Vestments”, so the original title will stick. These are posted in no particular order:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Vestments</span> – I like the Gothic Low Mass sets from <a href="http://www.luzarvestments.co.uk/">Luzar Vestments</a> in the United Kingdom. I'm considering the gold, dark green, red, Roman purple, rose, and black in their <a href="http://www.luzarvestments.co.uk/newlmsgl005.htm">standard damask with gold-machined orphreys</a>. I would also like to have a Marian vestment, and really like the <a href="http://www.luzarvestments.co.uk/newlmsgl006.htm">Marian embroidery</a> they have available that matches the rest of the vestments. The Marian vestment costs £375.00 for the set, and the other vestments cost £315.00 per set. This translates into approximately $625 and $525 US, not counting shipping and other necessary costs. Each set includes the chasible, stole, chalice veil, burse, and maniple. Total cost is approximately $3775 US.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Altar Vessels</span> – I have a couple of simple chalice, paten, and ciborium sets that I like, but I don't have a really formal, beautiful chalice. For the chalice, I would definitely look at something like <a href="http://www.adrianhamers.com/index.html">Adrian Hamers</a>, although I haven't decided which one I like the most.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Other equipment</span> – <span style="color: rgb(192, 192, 192);">My goal is to regularly celebrate Mass in the Extraordinary Form, so I need a copy of the Missale Romanum of 1962. </span><a style="color: rgb(192, 192, 192);" href="http://www.pcpbooks.com/">Preserving Christian Publications</a><span style="color: rgb(192, 192, 192);"> has released a </span><a style="color: rgb(192, 192, 192);" href="http://www.pcpbooks.com/missale_romanum.htm">reprint of the 1962 Missale Romanum</a><span style="color: rgb(192, 192, 192);"> that seems to be very worthy for the celebration of the Mass. It retails for $460.</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> - Purchased, thank you to all who have donated!</span><br /><br />At this point, my goal without counting the chalice is $4235. This will change as I consider which chalice I like, as well as make my final decision on the vestments. Of course, I welcome any comments that will help in making these decisions.Father Cory Stichahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426512153670141621noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912950347138129741.post-22706781620318222332009-11-28T14:45:00.003-07:002009-11-28T14:58:29.766-07:00Homily for the First Sunday of AdventWe're once again entering into a new year in the Church's liturgical calendar. Once again, we begin this new liturgical year by entering into Advent, this four-week period of anticipation, of looking forward. If you ask most Catholics to explain who or what we're looking forward towards, they'll immediately say that we're looking forward to the celebration of Jesus' birth on Christmas. They'd be correct by saying that, but it's not the complete answer. We're also looking forward to Christ's coming again at the end of time.<br /><br />The word Advent comes from the Latin word "adventus", which translates roughly as "to come to". In this season of Advent, we prepare for Our Lord Jesus Christ "to come to" us, both in His birth which is celebrated at Christmas, but also in His second coming at the end of time. In this way, we join the Jewish people in the anticipation that they must have felt when they heard the promise of the prophet Jeremiah, which we also heard in our first reading. Just as the Jews were waiting for a great king who would free them from slavery and the bondage of the Babylonian exile, we symbolically await the coming of our great King who frees us from the slavery and bondage of sin.<br /><br />St. Paul reminds us in the second reading that this symbolic anticipation is not the only reason we celebrate this Advent season. By praying that "the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all," St. Paul makes it clear that we should be preparing for "the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his holy ones." (<a href="http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/1thessalonians/1thessalonians3.htm#v12">1 Thess. 3:12-13</a>)<br /><br />Sadly, I think this preparation for Christ's second coming has been lost in large part by many Christians today. It seems as if many people view Advent as a period to get everything ready for Christmas. We have to decorate the houses and stores, spend lots of money on Christmas gifts, make Christmas goodies, and watch hours upon hours of Christmas specials. We're pretty clear on the preparing for Christmas, but few recognize the eternal significance of Advent.<br /><br />Traditionally, Advent has been a time to slow down and reflect on our lives and how we live as Christians, instead of speeding up our lives by shopping, baking, and decorating. It's traditional that decorations within the Church become very simple and meditative, instead of bright and joyous, as we see after Christmas. This time before Christmas needs to be a period in which we reflect if we are "conduct[ing] ourselves to please God," (<a href="http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/1thessalonians/1thessalonians4.htm#v1">1 Thess. 4:1</a>) as St. Paul says. If we truly lived Advent as it should be, this would be a period of rest and refreshment before the grand celebrations of the Christmas season to come. Sadly, I think many people are more worn out by preparing for Christmas than they are by the Christmas celebrations themselves!<br /><br />As we go through this Advent season, we need to keep today's Gospel reading in mind. Jesus tells His disciples that "your redemption is at hand." (<a href="http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/luke/luke21.htm#v28">Lk. 21:28</a>) He also reminds them to "be vigilant at all times." (<a href="http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/luke/luke21.htm#v36">Lk. 21:36</a>) Of course, this is good advice for us as well. We do not know when we will be called before the throne of Our Lord's judgment, but Jesus reminds us "that day" will "catch you by surprise like a trap." (<a href="http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/luke/luke21.htm#v34">Lk. 21:34-35</a>) This season of Advent reminds us that we need to be prepared for the day of judgment that we will all have to face, whether at the end of our lives or when Our Lord returns again at the end of time. In either case, we need to be prepared "to stand before the Son of Man," (<a href="http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/luke/luke21.htm#v36">Lk. 21:36</a>) and we have been given this season of Advent as a reminder.<br /><br />As we enter into this Advent season, may we spend this time in prayer and preparation for the coming of Our Lord Jesus Christ, both in our celebration of His birthday at Christmas, and in His second coming at the end of time. Come Lord Jesus!Father Cory Stichahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426512153670141621noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912950347138129741.post-43850298114378420352009-11-17T09:40:00.006-07:002009-11-17T11:58:43.234-07:00Questionable ApparitionsAs Catholics, we believe that Our Lord Jesus Christ and His mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, have regularly appeared to various saints throughout the world. Many of those apparitions have been approved by the Church and continue to feed and strengthen the faith in Our Lord throughout the world.<br /><br />Sadly, there are also supposed apparitions which have been either discouraged or outright discredited. Recently, one such "apparition" was <a href="http://dioceseofcleveland.org/news/2009/Holy%20Love%20-%20Decree%20in%20English%20-%202009-11-11.pdf">declared by the bishop of Cleveland, OH, to be without supernatural origin.</a> In response, the "seer" of this "apparition" (and yes, I'm putting them in scare quotes on purpose) <a href="http://adorotedevote.blogspot.com/2009/11/diabolical.html">published a message which speaks of disobeying the local ordinary.</a><br /><br />If you want to know whether an apparition is valid or not, look at how the visionaries respond to criticism from their bishops. In every legitimate apparition where this has occurred, Our Lord and the Blessed Virgin Mary have counseled the visionary to remain faithful and obedient to the legitimate Church authority. In fact, <a href="http://campus.udayton.edu/mary/resources/newsltr.html">obedience to local ecclesiastical authority is a requirement for approval of an apparition.</a> It becomes 100% crystal clear that this is a fraud when a "visionary" reports that he or she has been told by Our Lord or Mary to disobey the bishop or pastor. Our Lord would never ask for disobedience against the authority of bishops which comes from Him, and Mary would never go against the will of her Son.<br /><br />As a priest, my advice would be to avoid any apparitions which have been disapproved by their local ordinary, even if there's some question to whether the bishop's decision was the appropriate one. Devotion to approved apparitions is a good and laudable action, and I would highly encourage all Catholics to learn about the legitimate apparitions, such as Our Lady in Lourdes and Fatima, the Our Lady of Guadalupe image, and the Divine Mercy. In these apparitions, among many others, Our Lord and Mary encouraged the visionaries to obedience. May we be willing to be obedient as well.<br /><br />Update: <a href="http://patrickmadrid.blogspot.com">Patrick Madrid</a> answers on <a href="http://www.ewtn.com/radio/index.asp">EWTN's Open Line</a> radio program <a href="http://patrickmadrid.blogspot.com/2009/11/caller-to-my-open-line-radio-show-asks.html">regarding the "good fruits" at Medjugorje.</a><br /><br />Update 2: More on Medjugorje: <a href="http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=17714">Note the position of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in the last three paragraphs.</a>Father Cory Stichahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426512153670141621noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912950347138129741.post-8585638539388256252009-11-14T19:29:00.002-07:002009-11-14T19:34:59.405-07:00Homily for the Thirty-Third Sunday in ordinary TimeEvery couple of years, it seems like there's a new end times doomsday scenario. Ten years ago, it was the Y2K computer bug, followed by the start of the 3rd Millennium in 2001. About that same time, the "Left Behind" series of books were gaining serious traction as the definitive novelization of the end of the world. Now it's the end of the ancient Mayan calendar in 2012, as depicted by the new blow-everything-up movie that's in theaters now. While the culture seems to be almost fearful of the end of the world, as Christians we should be anticipating and looking forward to the return of Christ at the end of time.<br /><br />Much of what we understand about the End Times comes from the Scriptures, especially the Gospels and the Book of Revelation. Many groups, especially those who subscribe to the "Left Behind" rapture theory, read these passages in Scripture and talk about the coming of the End Times. As Catholics, we believe that we are already living in the End Times, and have been since Our Lord rose from the dead 2000 years ago.<br /><br />The End Times are not some apocalyptic period that is yet to come, but a period of preparation by Christians for the return of Our Lord at the end of time. As Christians, we are living in this period of preparation now, as we should always be ready to greet Our Lord. He has promised that He will return again on "that day or hour [which] no one knows." <a href="http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/mark/mark13.htm#v32">(Mk 13:32)</a><br /><br />While we don't know when Jesus will return, we do know what will happen on those Last Days. Jesus tells us that he will "'[come] in the clouds' with great power and glory." <a href="http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/mark/mark13.htm#v26">(Mk 13:26)</a> The Prophet Daniel predicts that "those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake," meaning that our mortal bodies will be raised from the dead. Likewise, we are told "some shall live forever, others shall be an everlasting horror and disgrace," <a href="http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/daniel/daniel12.htm#v2">(Dn 12:2)</a> foretelling the final judgment that we'll all have to face, with an eternity living forever in Heaven or everlasting horror and disgrace in Hell.<br /><br />Deep down, I think this final judgment is the source of all the fear and uncertainty that drives the concern about the end of the world. Even for those who do not profess a belief in Christ, humanity seems to have a realization that we are fallen, sinful beings. The fear is that we might be wrong about what we believe and be condemned to the "everlasting horror and disgrace."<br /><br />As Christians, we have a promise of hope. We are reminded in the Letter to the Hebrews that Jesus "offered one sacrifice for sins." Through Our Lord's sacrifice on the Cross, our humanity is to be perfected so that we can enter into eternity in Heaven. In fact, we can look forward with anticipation to when we will join Our Lord where He sits "at the right hand of God." <a href="http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/hebrews/hebrews10.htm#v12">(Heb 10:12)</a><br /><br />St. Paul compares Our Lord's sacrifice with the sacrifices offered by the Jewish priests at the temple in Jerusalem, and with good reason. For any sacrifice to be beneficial for the ones offering the sacrifice, they must participate in the sacrifice itself. Just as the Jews had to participate in their sacrifices, we need to participate in the sacrifice of Our Lord. However, unlike the Jewish offerings that had to be repeated on a regular basis to ask forgiveness for sins, Our Lord's sacrifice was only offered once for forgiveness of all sins.<br /><br />We participate in Our Lord's sacrifice every time we attend the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and receive Our Lord in the form of bread and wine in Holy Communion. While Jesus' sacrifice only occurred once, we are in constant need of the graces which flow from the Sacrament to aid us in overcoming our sinful nature throughout our lives. This is why we don't say, "OK, I've received 1st Holy Communion. I don't have to attend Mass or receive Holy Communion again." We are fortified against sin every time we attend Mass and receive Holy Communion, but only if we desire to overcome our sinful nature. If we refuse to face our sins, we will block ourselves off from the full benefits of God's grace.<br /><br />Because we participate in Our Lord's sacrifice on the Cross, we have no need to fear the end of the world and His return. Instead, may we look forward to that day with great joy and anticipation.Father Cory Stichahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426512153670141621noreply@blogger.com0