stalexisromancatholicchurch-bensenville-il

Do you Sin by Omission?

Wed, 16 Oct 2024 15:58:28 GMT

If Someone from the Dead goes to them they will Repent!

One of the previous gospels was from Luke 16: 19-31. In this gospel, we are presented with two individuals whose fortunes are radically different. First, we have the unnamed rich man who dresses and dines lavishly. Next, we have the beggar, Lazarus, whose name means God has helped , a man who is barely surviving. He is homeless, poor, and very sick.

Interestingly, the rich man is not accused of anything because he does not appear to have committed any act that warrants criminal action. Keep in mind that, in the time of Jesus, wealth was considered a blessing from God. The concept of the self-made man simply did not exist. However, what the rich man can be accused of, from a moral not a legal standpoint, is indifference. This wealthy man ignores the presence of the pitiful Lazarus who lies outside the door of his house. Shockingly, that affluent man takes no notice of the dogs licking Lazarus’ sores while he waits to get the scraps that fall from the rich man’s table.

Then we are presented with a dramatic change in circumstances. When Lazarus dies, he is taken to “Abraham's bosom” to await his reward for the evils he had suffered. Conversely, when the rich man dies, he is taken to Hades where he is destined for punishment and torment.

The message is clear. Not overtly and purposefully harming anyone is not enough. As human beings, we must worry about others. We must attend to those around us who may be in extreme need. We cannot look the other way because—to be sure—we can sin by omission.

We cannot display dehumanization towards those who need it most. We cannot call them aliens and intruders. We cannot intentionally keep them at a distance even though they live practically at the doors of our houses. Even if we have achieved a great deal in this life, our lives will be incomplete. After all, isolating ourselves on our “island” of life, surrounded by so many creature comforts—consuming what we want when we want to the point of excess and perhaps even as the actual cause of others lacking what is necessary—is definitely not what God wants. Likewise, pretending not to know the dire situation of others is no excuse. Purposeful ignorance is not a tenable or tolerable mindset.

Of course, we should not think that God will retaliate against those who enjoy better circumstances in life. That would be the act of a dictator, not that of our loving Heavenly Father! But we do have the responsibility to look beyond ourselves and to discover the needs of others.

Indeed, it is incumbent on us to ask ourselves: Are our eyes open to the needs of others or, instead, do we turn a deaf ear to the cries of the needy? Are we so stubborn and stuck in our ways that even if “someone should rise from the dead” we would not be persuaded? Are we capable of putting God at the center of our lives? Difficult questions. . .yet, each of us knows the proper response.

Fr. Jesus

Take Up Your Cross and Follow Me!

Wed, 16 Oct 2024 15:49:11 GMT

He must be the Path we Remain On!

These past days, we heard in the liturgy the readings of Dt 30: 15-20 and the gospel of Luke 9: 22-25. Speaking to the people, Moses presents two paths—one a blessing and one a curse—from which to choose. Although they are free to choose, only one allows for the gaining of eternal life. That choice is the Love of God, the God who has taken them out of slavery and has led them to the promised land. The people are very familiar, of course, with the goodness of the Lord: He has made it possible for them to cross the Red Sea, He has sent them manna, and He made the water flow when they could have died of thirst. True, the difficulty of the choice might make their faith falter and might tempt them to look for “alternatives” (such as the golden calf), but the loving of God and the keeping of His commandments are well worth the struggle.

How many times do we falter or doubt the reward? Perhaps life seems too complicated for us, with too many problems as obstacles we cannot jump over. Maybe we see no way out of our worries. Then, without realizing it, we take our eyes off the One who is the only One who supports us and helps us: God who blesses us with life even in the worst moments. Surely, the God of Love—the one who loves us and whom we must love, the source of all that is good, the conqueror of all evil—must be the path we remain on.

When we reach those crossroads where we are faced with good versus evil, of life versus death, we must choose which path to take: that of good, that of evil, that of life or that of death, we must consider more than just the self. We must think about others because, if we choose the path of good, everyone around us will benefit. Our attitude towards life will be positive, and we will help others. That is what is at stake when deciding between letting ourselves be carried away by worldly influences or putting ourselves in the hands of God.

It is important to note that Moses is very clear in his speech to his people. Likewise, Jesus is very clear in His words, “Whoever wants to follow me must take up his cross.” Therefore, we must be very clear in our motivations and intentions, especially during this season of Lent that began Wednesday with the imposition of ashes, a rite that reminds us of our fragility. Indeed, Lent is a time of preparation, of meditation, of a review of our lives. What better time to seriously analyze and assess our lives?

For example, how deeply are we affected by social media that strives to depict a “brave new world” in which everything revolves around beauty, youth, and success? How easily tempted are we by the excesses of popular culture: materialism, commercialism, and self-interest at all cost? What about our soul and those who surround us and suffer alone? What about eternal life or is the here-and-now our only concern? As Jesus Himself warns: What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?”

Therefore, throughout Lent and beyond, let us keep our eyes fixed on the Cross and all that it means. For then we will be blessed, not cursed.

Fr. Jesus

Jesus Calls You by Name!

Thu, 22 Feb 2024 11:52:18 GMT

The Number 12 is not Random!

Today, I would like you to reflect in this gospel, chapter three of Mark who told us about the actual calling of the Twelve Apostles . T his initial selection of The Twelve in the ministry of Jesus is also found in the other Gospels, Mathew, Mark, and Luke.

The number 12 is not random. It has a biblical significance. Jesus calls Twelve, like the twelve tribes of ancient Israel, to symbolize the configuration of the people of God —ancient and new alike— “ built on the foundation of the apostles ” (Eph 2:20).

The exact purpose of the call is this: “ so that they would be with Him and then to send them to preach .” Certainly, the purpose of the call to the Twelve has two things: first is that the encounter with Jesus is where they will find the source of light ; second is the mission to transmit what has been learned and share those lessons with others —or, in the words of Thomas Aquinas, to “contemplate and give what is contemplated.”

Also, we cannot ignore the names. Jesus calls us by our names, by who we are, which includes both, our strengths and our frailties. And you as good parishioners have a lot of strengths and abilities. This powerful story in today’s Gospel tells us that each one of us has been called by the Lord. God always calls us in different ways and to do different things to fulfill our mission and to build His Church, as one time God asked St. Francis: “ Francis, build my Church .”

Today, I would like to ask you to give a little more to our parish, your Church. Let us remember, when we give without any interest and without being paid back, God knows how to give in return with abundance. Thank you very much in advance to those who say “yes” to God, for being faithful to your calling and mission for God’s kingdom.

Fr. Jesus

Let Go of Your Burdens and Surrender Everything to God

Thu, 22 Feb 2024 11:30:02 GMT

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

In the gospel of Mt 11, 28-30, the Lord summarizes the invitation to discipleship that characterizes His earthly ministry.

To understand this invitation of this message about “come to me,” we have to understand the context in which it was made. In this gospel, Jesus is addressing the people of Israel who are feeling overwhelmed and burdened by the excessive rules of the Pharisees. As a result, these people struggle with the guilt, frustration, and restlessness that these hard rules bring to them.

For example, in the this verse Matthew 23:2, Jesus refers to the Scribes and the Pharisees as men who sit in “the seat of Moses.” Keep in mind that the Pharisees said they had the authority of Moses as interpreters and teachers of the Law. In other words, whatever rule they command in Israel, it has to be summited as it was for Moses.

That is why, Jesus warns the people about the oppressive and legalistic ways of the Pharisees. He says, “And they bind heavy burdens, and place them on men’s shoulders.” With this, Jesus is talking about how the Pharisees, with the many religious rules and regulations, have hidden the true meaning of the Old Testament. So, these religious externalists are misleading true spirituality, which is God’s way—not humans’ way—of receiving blessings in life. For example, the Pharisees had created 365 prohibitions and 250 commandments thereby losing the spirit of the Law.

But, although the law of the Old Testament was good, holy, and just, it did not give freedom. Because it did not provide the means by which to fulfill the law, people had to struggle with the guilt and burden of sin. Actually, more than freedom, the Law brought oppression, which Paul considered as an “administration of death.” Instead of a sense of liberation, there was a sense of guilt and failure.That is why that in this context, Jesus brings a very kind and loving invitation to all those who want to experience the relief, joy, and blessings of His life through a relationship of grace and faith in Him.

The invitation is to take up the yoke of Jesus and learn from Him. So, then, what is the yoke of Jesus? Again, to understand this, first, we have to understand that the Jews used the word yoke in the figurative sense of submitting to something. For a long time, they tried to submit to the yoke of the law, but they failed constantly because the rules were to much for an imperfect human to bear. Jesus responds by saying, “My yoke is easy.” Now the word easy in Greek literally means “fits well.” The yokes of the donkey were made of wood. The animal was taken to the carpenter to take its measurements. Then the wood was roughened. Later, the animal was taken again to test the yoke in such a way that it would fit the beast well enough to not cause harm while wearing it.

We can easily imagine Jesus using this metaphor, right? After all, as a carpenter, for sure, he had to have made many of yokes before beginning His ministry. No wonder Jesus tells us: “My yoke fits perfectly into your life; I have the perfect plan that will not hurt you and will lead you to happiness.” In other words, whatever God intends for us will “fit” exactly our needs and abilities. But, let us not confuse happiness with NOT having problems.

God calls people burdened with sin, distressed by the injustice of life, frustrated by failures and, in general, anyone who is tired of fighting the difficulties of life. This was Jesus’ ministry: to seek out the neediest and most marginalized of society. The evidence of this is abundantly clear. Jesus did not develop His ministry in a palace, advising kings and princes as the religious leaders of His time did. Nor was His base in Jerusalem, the capital of the kingdom where the people were the wealthiest and most powerful.

Indeed, most of His ministry was in Galilee, a region with a poor reputation, simple people without education and with ordinary jobs such as fishermen. Jesus did not visit palaces. To the contrary, He sat among prostitutes and publicans to preach His gospel of the Kingdom of God. Jesus did not come to attain riches and power but to tend to all those who are tired and distressed. Jesus came to offer us rest from the burdens of life. We just need to come to Him and submit to His yoke, that is, His lordship, to find true peace. As Jesus Himself says: “I have spoken these things to you so that in me you may have peace. In the world they will have trouble; but trust me, I have overcome the world.”

Brothers and Sisters, if the pressures of work, family problems, strained relationships, etc. have oppressed us to the point we feel as if we cannot breathe, let us go to Jesus. As long as we can learn to let go of burdens and surrender everything to God, we can be at peace and easily receive happiness.

Fr. Jesus

Faith in small things

zrowe@osv.com (Zach Rowe) — Tue, 12 Mar 2019 17:03:00 GMT

Faith is in every matter of life. The big events, and the small ones.

I was looking at old photos and I saw an image of myself, from a time before I re-found my faith.

Be the change you seek

zrowe@osv.com (Zach Rowe) — Tue, 12 Mar 2019 17:01:27 GMT

Learn to see differences and embrace them.

It is not easy to see the world through another person's eyes, and we must strive to do that every day.

Make it happen

zrowe@osv.com (Zach Rowe) — Tue, 12 Mar 2019 17:00:13 GMT

Change your life and the world will thank you.

Use your voice and live by your actions. It is not an easy path, but it is the right one.