Come, Holy Spirit

You are the Christ!

2012-02-16T06:00:00.000-05:00

In today's Gospel (Mk. 8:27-33), Jesus asks His disciples a very significant question, "Who do people say that I am" (8:27)? Jesus is well aware of what others were saying, but He wanted to hear what His disciples had to say. After they give their response, He then asks, "But who do you say that I am" (8:29)? St. Peter is the first to respond by claiming that He is the Christ, i.e. the "Anointed One." It is St. Peter who knows truly who Jesus is because the heavenly Father has revealed this to Him.

It is interesting to note as the Gospel unfolds that the one who acknowledges Jesus as the Christ is then rebuked by Jesus, "Get behind me Satan!" Although Peter knew Jesus was the Christ, he didn't understand everything about Jesus and certainly he couldn't comprehend the rejection and death Jesus was predicting. Peter's human emotions prevented him from seeing such things. Certainly, Peter wanted no harm to come to Jesus, and so, he became defensive. However, what he didn't realize was that this was the Father's will and the sole reason why Jesus took on human flesh. He had to be rejected and suffer death in order to rise three days later, and permanently destroy the power of sin and death. This is why He is the Christ, He is the anointed one sent by the Father to set us free. To set us free He had to suffer and die first.

Today, let us pause for some time of silence and ponder on one simple question Jesus asks: "Who do you say that I am?" How do we see the Lord? Do we believe that He truly is the Christ? Do we appreciate everything He underwent out of love for us? "Who do you say that I am?"

May God bless you always!

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Seeing With Clarity

2012-02-15T06:00:00.000-05:00

In today's Gospel (Mk. 8:22-26), Jesus restores the sight of a blind man. The interesting fact about His healing of this blind man is that it was a gradual process. The man's sight was not immediately restored at once. Rather, Jesus laid His hands on the man twice to restore his sight. Once his sight was restored he was able to see. As St. Mark tells us, "His sight was restored and he could see everything distinctly" (8:25).

This gradual healing of the blind man is symbolic in the ways that Jesus was working in the lives of His disciples, and how He works in our lives as well. Being able to see distinctly in the spiritual life takes time. This is a gradual process and does not happen overnight. Jesus is revealing to us that the more we place our faith in Him, and trust in Him, the more clear we will be able to see. Eventually, our sight will be restored like the blind man's and we will see everything distinctly. The necessary requirement is for us to allow the Lord to work in our lives. We must get out of our own ways and choose the ways of Jesus. After all, He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He knows where He is leading us and desires us to trust in His lead and follow Him. Though we may not always be certain the direction the Lord is taking us, we must trust wholeheartedly in Him.

Today, we pray for the grace to be able to see clearly like the blind man at Bethsaida. May we make room for the Lord to work in our lives by increasing our trust in Him. As we do this, we will have all the confidence in Jesus and will see everything distinctly!

May God bless you always!

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Dependent Upon God's will

2012-02-14T06:00:00.000-05:00

Jesus concludes today's Gospel (Mk. 8:14-21) with a very interesting question for his disciples, "Do you still not understand" (8:21)? Jesus is referring to the corruptive influence the Pharisees and King Herod were having and how it was spreading. Jesus wanted His disciples to understand the nature of His teachings and what they represented. He wanted them to have a better influence on the crowds than the Pharisees and King Herod. What Jesus is emphasizing is to rely completely on Divine Providence and not on oneself. This is what led to trouble for the Pharisees and Herod. They were not dependent upon God's will. They did things their way and not on how God wanted things to be done.

Jesus shows His frustration toward the disciples because by now they should have been able to grasp His teachings. They failed to understand that Jesus was not talking literally about a loaf of bread. He was referring to the effect that people can have either for good or for bad. His desire is for all of us to have a good effect on others by adhering to His teachings and example. This is the example Jesus was setting for His disciples. In order to be effective in carrying out their apostolic mission, they needed first to understand what Jesus was teaching them. They needed to fully understand the examples they were to become for others and whose ways they were following. They were to become good leaven by rising and influencing many people for the good.

Today, let us pray to the Lord to open our hearts that we may adhere to His teachings and become good leaven in today's society. May we not be tainted by the erroneous teachings that surround us nor corrupted by all the immorality that is increasing on a daily basis. Let us be firmly rooted in the truth and continue to live and teach the truth, and become good examples for others to follow as we continue to follow the example of Jesus.

May God bless you always!

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

No Sign to Be Given

2012-02-13T06:00:00.000-05:00

In today's Gospel (Mk. 8:11-13), Jesus makes it very clear that no sign will be given as the Pharisees had sought from Him. The reason why Jesus does not perform a sign is because enough had been done and said to reveal the truth about who Jesus was, and what He represented. Besides, the Pharisees demanded a sign from Jesus only to cause trouble and Jesus knew this.

The Pharisees were not concerned with anything Jesus did, except for the things they could use against Him. However, Jesus knew their hearts and their ultimate desires. As a result, it was the Pharisees who deprived themselves of being in good graces with Jesus. They were so preoccupied with all the wrong things and were so prideful, they forfeited the greatest experiences they could have ever experienced in their lifetime. They forfeited a life with the Lord!

Today, let us learn from the Pharisees and come to realize the gift we have in the Lord Jesus. May we never take for granted all that He does for us and take full advantage of all the opportunities that are available to us.

May God bless you always!

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

"I Do Will It"

2012-02-12T06:00:00.000-05:00

In today's Gospel (Mk. 1:40-45), we see a beautiful interaction taking place between Jesus and a leper. What is of great importance in this encounter, is the faith of the leper. The leper says to Jesus, "If you wish, you can make me clean" (1:40). In these words, we are able to recognize the faith the leper has in Jesus. He knows in his heart it is the Lord, and if the Lord so desires, He can make him better. This is precisely what the Lord does for the leper.

It is the faith of the leper that enables Jesus to heal him: "I do will it. Be made clean" (1:41). Notice, the Lord seeks for one's faith before performing such miracles. Once Jesus recognizes such faith, He then performs the miracle being asked of Him. The same holds true for us. Jesus is searching for our faith in Him. Do we believe in Jesus like the leper? Do we believe in our hearts that our Lord will do whatever is asked of Him because of our faith in Him? If not, let us learn from the example of the leper. He knew what Jesus could do for Him and did not hesitate in making this known. Let us follow suit! Let us not be afraid to make known what Jesus can do for us. In having faith in Him, there is nothing that He is incapable of doing for us. May we trust completely in Him so as to be made clean.

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Our Lady of Lourdes

2012-02-11T06:00:00.000-05:00

Our Lady of Lourdes

Today, we celebrate the feast day of Our Lady of Lourdes. It was on this day in 1858 when the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to St. Bernadette Soubirous at a grotto in Lourdes, France. It was during this apparition that Mary revealed herself to the world as the "Immaculate Conception." She was defining for all the world that she indeed was conceived without the stain of Original Sin, for she was conceived through the power of the Holy Spirit. Thus, it was her Immaculate Conception that prepared the way for the coming of the Messiah. It is very logical that Mary was conceived without sin in order to become the mother of Jesus, the Son of God. For it is impossible for the Divine Son of God to touch any stain of sin, even Original Sin. Thus, for the Savior to be born of Mary's womb, she first had to be conceived completely free from sin and, be full of grace.

As we honor Our Lady of Lourdes, let us implore her intercession in protecting us against all evil. Through her intercession and guidance, may she lead us away from temptation and draw us ever closer to her beloved Son, Christ the Lord.

May God bless you always!

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Ephphatha!

2012-02-10T06:00:00.000-05:00

In today's Gospel (Mk. 7:31-37), Jesus says to the deaf man, "Ephphatha!", which means "be opened" (Mk. 7:34)! Immediately, the man's ears were healed and he began to speak plainly. "Be opened!" has a deeper spiritual meaning than the physical healing of the deaf man. It applies to all of us. We all must have our ears and eyes open to the Lord. We must listen to what the Lord teaches us and see with eyes of faith.

If we truly listen to the Lord's words, we will then be able to see with eyes of true faith. This is the spiritual meaning of "be opened!" Let us be open to the ways and teachings of the Lord and follow them to the best of our abilities. Today, we pray for the grace to "be opened." The more we are open to the Lord, the closer we will be to Him. May we draw ever closer to our Lord and Savior, who gives life to those who believe and follow Him!

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Faith & Persistence

2012-02-09T06:00:00.000-05:00

Today's Gospel (Mk. 7:24-30) reveals to us the importance in being persistent with the Lord. This is made evident with the Greek woman. Because she is not a Jew, the Lord requests that He take care of them first and then the Gentiles. However, the woman becomes persistent in that she knows Jesus came for all mankind, not just the Jews. As a result, Jesus acknowledges her faith and persistence and removes the demon from her daughter.

Jesus wants us to approach Him in the same manner, and not be timid. He wants us to be persistent like the Greek woman. He is willing to do the same things in our lives as He did for her. We simply have to trust in Him.

Today, we ask the Lord for the desire to be more persistent in our approaching Him. May we avail ourselves to the great gifts the Lord is willing to share with us as we seek Him out. As we do so, may we be encouraged by the favor He bestowed upon the Greek woman and her daughter.

May God bless you always!

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Due Care

2012-02-08T06:00:00.000-05:00

In today's Gospel (Mk. 7:14-23), we are reminded to exercise great care in the things we say, think, and do towards one another. As Jesus says, "What comes out of a man, that is what defiles him" (7:20). We can control what comes out of us and we must be sure that it is nothing that will hurt others and lead us into sin.

Jesus is using this teaching to declare that all foods are clean and are not responsible for defiling a person. Rather, it is our own actions and choices that can cause defilement. The more we distance ourselves from God and a daily prayer life, the easier it is for us to be swept away by worldly desires and our guard becomes lowered, and we are not well guarded against evil influences. Extreme care and caution must be exercised to prevent us from being swept away. So long as we remain faithful to our daily prayer life and seek always to do the will of God, the more we are turning towards God and away from sin.

Today, let us remain dedicated to taking time each day to pray and remain focused on doing God's will. May we exercise control over our thoughts, words, and actions so that we do not become defiled. May what we say, think, and do always bring about the presence of Jesus and be for the good of all.

May God bless you always!

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Living What We Profess

2012-02-07T06:00:00.000-05:00

Today's Gospel (Mk. 7:1-13) reveals to us the importance of not only honoring the Lord with our lips, but that are hearts must be close to the Lord. The Lord doesn't want us to simply profess our belief in Him through words. Rather, He wants us to have a sincere heart and to mean what we profess and live what we profess. It is easy to say anything to the Lord, but we have to mean what we say. Our actions must coincide with our profession of faith.

This is what the Pharisees were lacking. They performed certain actions and rituals well and knew the letter of the Law, but their hearts weren't in accord with their actions. They didn't understand the reasons they were doing certain things. They were more concerned with what others were doing than they were in making themselves right with God.

Today, let us pray that our thoughts always coincide with our actions. May we, as Catholics, understand why we do and profess the things we do. May our hearts be into our faith and close to Jesus.

May God bless you always!

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

A Small Amount of Faith

2012-02-06T06:00:00.000-05:00

In today's Gospel (Mk. 6:53-56), we see how a small amount of faith in Jesus can go a long way. Those in the crowd, who are in need of hearling, desire nothing but to touch the tassel on Jesus' cloak. They know that if the touch His cloak, they will be healed. What faith and trust these people had in Jesus.

We can learn a great deal from those in the crowd. Like them, we only need to place our complete faith in Christ. We ought not demand "big miracles" from the Lord, but simply realize that by trusting in Him, He will provide for all of our needs. Today, let us pray for the grace to help increase our faith in Christ. Like those in the crowd, may we realize that a little amount of faith can certainly go a long way!

May God bless you always!

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Everyone Is Looking For Him

2012-02-05T06:00:00.000-05:00

In today's Gospel (Mk. 1:29-39), St. Mark tells us that everyone is looking for Jesus. Everyone is looking for Jesus because of the great things He did. Jesus cured the sick, raised the dead, healed those possessed by demons, and forgave sinners of their sins. It is because of these great workings of Jesus that everyone sought Him out and the purpose He walked the earth. However, there is an even greater reason for seeking Jesus out!

Jesus is the Son of God. It is through Him that all believers will come to share the joys of the heavenly Kingdom. This must not be forgotten about Jesus. Yes, it is true that He performed great works, but His ultimate purpose was to put an end to sin and death. He is the One who leads us to our ultimate destination and, only through Him, are we able to get there.

As we reflect on the great workings of Jesus, let us not forget the greatest gift that He has given to mankind. He has shown us how to love and, it is in loving, that He has unlocked the gates of paradise. May we be mindful of the great love that Jesus has for all of us. He died so we might be free. We live so as to serve the Lord to the best of our ability that we may inherit eternal life. May the love Jesus has for us be our motivation in seeking Him out and desiring to be with Him for eternity.

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Moved With Pity

2012-02-04T06:00:00.000-05:00

In today's Gospel (Mk. 6:30-34), St. Mark tells us how Jesus' heart was moved with pity at seeing the crowds for they were like sheep without a shepherd (6:34). The fact that Jesus' heart was moved with pity expresses His concern for all peoples as our Good Shepherd.

The portrayal of Jesus as the Good Shepherd ought to bring us great comfort. Jesus desires that we have direction and purpose in our lives. He doesn't want us going all through life as if we were sheep without a shepherd. Rather, He wants us to follow Him and His teachings. He knows what is best for us and what it takes to come to the Promised Land and how to get there. This is the ultimate desire for all of mankind. Yet, so many refuse, in one form or another, to follow the way of the Shepherd. He guides us in right paths.

Today, let us pray for a greater confidence in Jesus, our Good Shepherd. May we come to trust wholeheartedly that He will never lead us astray. Through His love for us, may we always remember with the Lord, there is nothing more to want or desire. He is our Good Shepherd!

May God bless you always!

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Free From Guilt

2012-02-03T06:00:00.000-05:00

In today's Gospel (Mk. 6:14-29), the emphasis is on doing things right before the eyes of God. We see that guilt had finally caught up with King Herod. He knew his marriage to Herodias was unlawful and sinful, and he was being "haunted" by his sins. This is an awful way to live life and, as a result, we become robbed of true peace. King Herod was not at peace. He was restless because his heart was not resting in the Lord our God. He was running away from his sins, but eventually God caught up with him as He does with all of us. There is no running away from God!

Today, let us thoroughly examine our consciences and ask the Holy Spirit to enlighten us to the things that are hindering us from becoming closer to Jesus. Are there unlawful or sinful things in our life that we are "running away" from? Have we made a good, sincere, and contrite confession recently? Do not be afraid brothers and sisters. Seek the Lord and look to Him for peace, forgiveness, and reconciliation. Turn to Him in the beautiful sacrament of Reconciliation. Free yourselves from those things that are enslaving you, so you will not share the same guilt as King Herod, but be free in finding your light and salvation in Christ the Lord.

May God bless you always!

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

The Feast of the Presentation

2012-02-02T06:00:00.000-05:00

The Presentation of the Lord

Today, we celebrate the Presentation of the Lord Jesus. This day marks the 40th day after Christmas, which is significant because, according to the Jewish Law, a woman had to wait 40 days after the birth of her first-born male child to become purified, and then present that child and consecrate him to the Lord our God. This is the day when Mary went to the Temple to become purified and offer her Son, the Lord Jesus, to our heavenly Father. Thus, she was faithfully adhering to the Jewish Law and Jesus was officially consecrated to God, the Father.

As Mary and Joseph arrived at the Temple with Jesus, they were greeted by Simeon. It was promised to Simeon that he would not see death before his eyes had seen the Messiah. What a great gift to be given by the Lord! Imagine being able to see the Lord with your own eyes and know you would live to see Him. Awesome! Though the message he has for Mary, regarding her child being destined for the rise and fall of many and being a sign of contradiction, was not quite as awesome. Then to add more to ponder, he tells her a sword shall pierce her heart. Though these words from Simeon may have been difficult to swallow, they are prophetic and with them comes the full revelation of who Jesus is and what He was to endure for the salvation of the world. Indeed, the words of Simeon were fulfilled as there was much division surrounding the teachings of Jesus and He became rejected by many, and the sword of sorrow would pierce and penetrate the Immaculate Heart of Mary as she helplessly watched her beloved Son, our Savior, die upon the Cross.

The revelation of Jesus being the Messiah was also fulfilled with the prophetess Anna. She recognized that this child was the one to redeem the people of Israel. Again, an acknowledgement to the true identity of Jesus. These revelations offer us great hope as they did Joseph and Mary. For they confirmed everything the Archangel Gabriel had revealed to them. Though some of Simeon's words may have brought discomfort, he was revealing the future glory of Christ's resurrection that would come after the pains and sufferings of the Cross.

Today, we pray that we may be inspired by the words of Simeon and Anna. They are a true revelation for us who believe wholeheartedly in Jesus as our Lord and Savior. They become words of comfort for us as they help us see that in order to share and enjoy a life of glory, we first must endure a life of pain and suffering. It is through our patient endurance of the cross Christ has entrusted us with that we are truly set free and walk the path of salvation. Let us never be ashamed of the cross and when faced with difficult situations in life, may we look to Christ crucified and always remember that it is the Cross that leads to the Resurrection!

May God bless you always!

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Rejected By His Own

2012-02-01T06:00:00.000-05:00

In today's Gospel (Mk. 6:1-6), we see Jesus being rejected by the people from His native place. As St. Mark tells us, "They took offense at Him" (6:3). Why was such offense taken at Jesus? After all, these are the people who knew Him best. They were the ones He grew up with and spent time with. Why would they reject Him? The answer lies in the fact that Jesus did not meet their expectations of who the Messiah should be. They judged Him based upon being the son of a carpenter and Mary. In their minds, He was not fit to be the Messiah, for He did not come from a noble family.

It is because of their lack of faith that Jesus does not perform any mighty deed. It is faith that the Lord requires for any deed of His to be performed. Because they did not believe in Him, and were blinded by their prejudice, He was not able to do a good deed for them. This becomes a lesson for all of us. We must exercise true care in not being so quick to pass judgment on others. The Lord is not asking us to be the judge of others, but to do our best in finding the good in each person. We must be mindful that when we render a judgment towards others, the Lord in turn will be judging this on us as well.

Today, we pray for the grace to remove any prejudices we may have in our hearts. Let us see the value in appreciating others for who they are, and not be so quick to judge them. May we look for the good in their hearts and seek to treat them as Jesus would want us to treat them. Let us be mindful that what we do to one another, we also are doing to Jesus.

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Faith in Jesus

2012-01-31T06:00:00.000-05:00

The message of today's Gospel (Mk. 5:21-43) is centered on having complete faith in Jesus Christ. Jairus knew that the Lord could make his daughter well so that she might live. He had complete faith in Jesus and what He was capable of doing. The same is true for the woman suffering with hemorrhages. All she needed to do was to simply touch Jesus' cloak, and she knew she would be healed. She didn't need to speak with Jesus. She didn't need Jesus to lay His hands upon her; she just knew that in touching His garment all would be made well.

Jesus tells us in today's Gospel, "Do not be afraid; just have faith" (Mk. 5:36). This is great advice for all of us. If we have complete faith in Jesus, then there is no need to fear. Neither Jairus, nor the woman afflicted with hemorrhages, were afraid to approach Jesus. They had complete confidence that the Lord would do what they were looking for Him to do. Their faith was solid and, as a result, their prayers were answered.

Today, we pray that our faith in Christ may be strengthened. Let us follow the example of Jairus and the woman afflicted with hemorrhages. Like them, may we have complete faith in Jesus, and be filled with complete confidence in approaching the Lord knowing, that through our sincere faith, we have no reason to fear, but to trust in Him.

May God bless you always!

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Appreciating the Works of Jesus

2012-01-30T06:00:00.000-05:00

In today's Gospel (Mk. 5:1-20), Jesus performs a miracle by curing a man possessed by unclean spirits. Jesus takes them out of the man and sends them into the herd of swine. As a result of this, they beg Him to leave their district. The people in the town were more concerned over the swine that drowned than the man cured of being possessed.

One has to ask himself: how people could be so disrespectful to the Lord? Actually, the same things are happening today. Many people do not have respect for the Lord and are only concerned about themselves. The way to counter such disrespect is through witnessing to the Lord; to be an example for others to follow. We must allow our love for the Lord to become contagious so others will be captivated and see the goodness that comes from the Lord.

Today, let us pray that we are always appreciative of all the good things that Jesus does and has done and will continue to do for mankind. May we properly acknowledge His good works and take the time to give thanks to Jesus for loving us in the ways that He does. Let us not be timid in sharing these good things with others so they may see the good works of the Lord and better appreciate who Jesus really is, and what He means to all of us.

May God bless you always!

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

The Holy One of God

2012-01-29T06:00:00.000-05:00

In today's Gospel (Mk. 1:21-28), we notice a unique response from the man with the unclean spirit. It is this man, possessed by an unclean spirit, who recognizes Jesus as the "Holy one of God." He cries out, "I know who you are--the Holy one of God" (1:24)!

Notice, that even the evil spirits are able to recognize Christ. This is a profound reality. How is it that evil can recognize Jesus, but those who witnessed His teachings, miracles, and healings were unable to do the same? The answer lies in the fact that these people were lacking in faith. Either they couldn't quite grasp the workings of the Lord, or, more likely, they didn't want to grasp such workings.

To be able to recognize the presence of Jesus, we have to remain humble and adhere to His teachings. His teachings provide the necessary guidance in becoming among the redeemed in the Kingdom of Heaven. If we allow His teachings to penetrate our hearts and conform to them, then we will be well on our way to the Kingdom.

Today, we pray for the grace to, not only recognize Jesus' presence, but to adhere to His teachings. As we become enlightened by the Lord, may our hearts be filled with great rejoicing, knowing, that we are not far from the Kingdom!

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Increasing Our Faith In Christ

2012-01-28T06:00:00.000-05:00

In today's Gospel (Mk. 4:35-41), we learn of Jesus' disciples becoming afraid when the waves break over the boat. They were fearful because they did not have complete faith in the Lord. Had they placed all their faith in Him, they would have realized the Lord would allow nothing to harm them. Jesus demands the same faith from us. Let us not be concerned with trying to understand everything in our faith, but come to believe because it is God who has revealed such things to us.

Today, we pray for the grace to be able to increase our faith in Jesus. May we come to trust Him with all our hearts, minds, bodies, and souls. May we always realize that Jesus is the realization of what we are hoping for, for He shows us the way to the Kingdom, our supreme hope and desire.

May God bless you always!

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

The Mustard Seed

2012-01-27T06:00:00.000-05:00

In today's Gospel (Mk. 4:26-34), Jesus teaches using the parable of the mustard seed. Though it is the smallest of seeds, when it is sown in the ground, it becomes the largest of plants once it is sown. This illustrates how a small amount of faith can have a tremendous effect in our lives. If we have the faith the size of a mustard seed, we will be able to do great things in the name of the Lord.

Jesus is reminding us that it takes faith, albeit a small amount of faith, to do the things He desires of us. If we can simply trust in the Lord, we too will have a greater impact in our world today. Have you ever noticed how much confidence we place in other people and yet, the one person we need to place all our confidence in we sometimes do not? Why is that? Why are we reserved when it comes to trusting in the Lord? After all, He is the one who can help us in ways that no other human being could ever imagine. He is the one true friend who never seeks His own self-interests, but always has ours in His heart. He is the one who truly wants the best for us. He has complete confidence in us to be His followers. Despite all this, we still don't always have the same confidence in Him.

Today, let us change such a thing and pray for the grace to place our complete faith and trust in Jesus. Let us come to realize that we have no reason to hold back in trusting in the Lord. He will always be there to help and guide us. Let us begin to rid all our hesitations and reservations and trust in Him. Dear Lord, help me today, and all days, to trust evermore in You. Help me to know you will never leave me alone, for You are always at my side.

May God bless you always!

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Let Your Lamps Shine Brightly!

2012-01-26T06:00:00.000-05:00

In today's Gospel (Mk. 4:21-25), Jesus asks the question, "Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel or under a bed, and not to be placed on a lampstand" (4:21)? Certainly a lamp is not meant to be hidden, for it is meant to give off light and dispel the darkness. As lights of the world, we are called to give off the same light. The light that we illumine is the very light of Jesus Christ, the eternal Truth. We must not be afraid or timid in leading faithful lives and to be always in the light. There is no shame in being Catholic and witnessing to the Lord Jesus. It is He who gave His very life for us because He loves us. In turn, let us be ever mindful of the love of the Lord and return the favor to Him by faithfully witnessing to and living by the Truth.

We have been given so much and are indeed blessed to have received the gift of faith. As a result, more is expected of us from Jesus. However, let us not be intimidated by such a calling. It is following the Lord wholeheartedly that is going to set us along the path we want to be on. Christ is leading the way and we just need to follow His light.

Today, we pray for the grace to be strong witnesses of the Lord. May our light shine forever brightly as we continue to testify to the Truth.

May God bless you always!

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

St. Paul's Conversion

2012-01-25T06:00:00.000-05:00

The Conversion of St. Paul

Today, we celebrate the feast of the conversion of St. Paul. We learn from the Acts of the Apostles that Paul (Saul) had done evil things to Christians in Jerusalem. Saul, Paul's Jewish name, was a persecutor of Christians. On a journey to Damascus, he had an experience that would forever change his life. The Acts of the Apostles tells us, "As he was nearing Damascus, a light from the sky suddenly flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, 'Saul, Saul, why are your persecuting me'" (9:3-4)?

He encountered Christ the Lord and after three days, as He did what the Lord had commanded him to do, his eyes were opened. Saul saw the error of his ways and how grievous his actions were and the effects of such actions. He regained his sight and was filled with the Holy Spirit. Thus, he went through a major conversion and no longer was a persecutor of the Christians or Jesus. With his conversion, his Christian name became Paul and he became one of the greatest witnesses of Jesus Christ the world has ever seen. He became a firm believer that Jesus is the Messiah, and encouraged many people to accept His message of salvation.

We give thanks to almighty God for having helped St. Paul see the light and becoming a great witness to the Lord. We pray through his intercession that we may always recognize the Lord's presence in our daily affairs. May we take seriously our role as Christ's disciples, and seek to find His presence in each person we encounter and in every thought, word, or deed. Like St. Paul, let us always look to the Light as we go out to all the world telling the Good News!

May God bless you always!

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Jesus' Family

2012-01-24T06:00:00.000-05:00

In today's Gospel (Mk. 3:31-35), Jesus asks the crowd, "Who are my mother and my brothers" (3:33)? He then goes on to say, "For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother" (3:35). What Jesus is emphasizing, is that all who do the will of the Father are a part of His family. Certainly, He had His earthly mother and father. However, Jesus is also the Divine Son of God. Thus, everyone who heeds to doing God's will is incorporated into God's family.

Let us pray that we may continuously seek to do God's will in our lives. As we do our best in seeking to do His will, let us take great consolation in knowing that we are brothers and sisters of the Lord. May the Holy Spirit continue to enlighten our hearts, minds, bodies, and souls so that in all we think, say, and do, may it all be in accord with the holy will of our heavenly Father.

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

The Sin Against the Holy Spirit

2012-01-23T06:00:00.000-05:00

Jesus makes it very clear in today's Gospel (Mk. 3:22-30) that the only sin that is unforgivable is the sin against the Holy Spirit. Jesus says, "Whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never have forgiveness" (Mk. 3:29). The sin against the Holy Spirit refers to one's refusal of final repentance. It is this sin that one wills to not be repentant for the sins he or she has committed. They are unwilling to conform to the ways of Jesus and, as a result, they turn away from Him and refuse to accept the grace of the Holy Spirit. Thus, it becomes the unforgivable sin.

We must be aware of the fact that when our earthly lives come to an end, there will be a particular judgment for each and every one of us. We will be shown all the good things we have done and how well we lived as representatives of the Lord. In addition, it will also be revealed to us the ways in which we did not live as representatives of the Lord, and did not do the good things that were expected of us. We will also be made aware of any sins that are on our souls and the temporal punishment due to any of the sins we committed throughout our lives. Once these have been revealed to us, we will then have the choice to repent or turn away from Christ. This decision on our part is final! There is no turning back. To not become repentant means to refuse God's grace and, as a result, sin against the Holy Spirit. The consequence obviously being eternal damnation.

If we live our lives the best we can and seek to be the people God is calling us to be, then we will be preparing ourselves well for our day of judgment and we will be properly disposing ourselves to receiving God's grace. We all want to get to heaven, and the more we are conscious of this in our earthly lives, the greater the effect it will have in how we live our lives and help us to make good, moral decisions. Let us make every effort to live for the Kingdom. May this always be our ultimate desire and may everything we do and say be a reflection of our desire to share the gift of everlasting life in God's Kingdom.

May God bless you always!

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Repent and Believe

2012-01-22T06:00:00.000-05:00

In today's Gospel (Mk. 1:14-20), Jesus emphasizes the fact that we are all sinners in need of repentance. For He says, "Repent, and believe in the Gospel" (1:15). From this statement, we learn that we must repent of our sins in order to be saved. Though the particulars of our sins may differ person-to-person, we must not fall into the temptation of judging others' sins in comparison to ours. The emphasis needs to be placed on repenting of our own sinfulness.

The Lord is not asking us to place judgment on one another. What He is asking us to do is to correct our own faults. We are called to repent of our sinfulness. This is how we mature and grow in the spiritual life. We must admit our own faults and weaknesses and seek ways to improve upon them. With God's grace, received through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we are able to do just that. What God desires is for us to develop humble and contrite hearts. As He is patient with us, so too, must we be patient with others. We must allow time for God's grace to manifest itself within us, but we must do our part and cooperate with the grace that He gives to us.

Today, marks the 39th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade. A day which will live in infamy in the eyes of almighty God. The day abortion became legalized in this country marked a day of severe abomination. We, as a society, have allowed the greatest travesty towards mankind to become a reality. We have give a human being the right to choose death. Let's make no mistake about this issue - human life begins at the moment of natural conception. There is no way around this issue and any other fallacious statement is in grave error and the consequences of supporting such positions is spiritually fatal. The murdering of innocent children is inexcusable, especially in a nation that is the land of the free.

As Catholics, let us continue to make every effort to support life from the moment of conception. Let us implore the miraculous intercession of the Mother of God and the Mother of Life. Through her prayers and intercession may the evils of abortion and any unjust means of terminating human life be abolished forever. May we hold firm in respecting the dignity of human life from conception to natural death. May all those contemplating having or performing an abortion be moved with love to choose life and not death! May this country seek repentance by embracing and believing in the Gospel.

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Being of Sound Mind

2012-01-21T06:00:00.000-05:00

Today's Gospel (Mk. 3:20-21), as brief as it is, reveals to us just how difficult Jesus' earthly life truly was. As if it weren't difficult enough to deal with the Pharisees, Scribes, and Jewish leaders, He also had to contend with criticism from His own relatives. The Gospel tells us they thought He was "out of his mind" (3:21). Even some of Jesus' relatives failed to understand who He was and why He did what He did out of love for mankind.

Perhaps, some of us have the same reaction from some of our relatives. They may not understand why we take our faith seriously or consider us to be "fanatical" because we dare to spend some time in prayer or take some quiet time to be with Jesus. Friends, do not be discouraged! You are in great company. Like Jesus, many of the saints underwent the same persecutions. It is in such persecutions that our faith in Jesus and love for Him is put to the test. How far are we willing to go in following Christ? The Apostles left everything! Are we willing to do the same, if need be? Are we convicted in letting nothing or no one interfere with our love for Jesus?

Today, let us pray for the grace to follow Jesus in our daily lives. Let us listen attentively to His voice and not be swayed by the opinion or persecution of others. May we have the courage to do what we believe to be right, even if our relatives consider us to be "out of our minds." We need be only concerned with pleasing one person, He is Christ, the Lord!

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Choosing the Twelve

2012-01-20T06:00:00.000-05:00

In today's Gospel (Mk. 3:13-19), Jesus appoints His twelve Apostles who will be with Him to be sent forth to preach and drive out demons. This is a significant event throughout all of human history for it was these twelve men who were handpicked by the Lord Himself. They each received a direct invitation from Jesus to follow Him and stay with Him during His public ministry and then, be the ones responsible for passing on what was first handed on to them by the Lord.

We, too, are being called to follow Him and carry out the mission of the Apostles. We are called to maintain, teach, and live the teachings of Jesus faithfully everyday of our lives. Though our calling is not the same as that of the Apostles, nevertheless, we have been invited by Jesus to follow Him.

Today, let us pray for the grace to follow the Lord Jesus to the best of our capabilities. May we be mindful that the role of a disciple is to love God with all our hearts and to love one another as Jesus loves us. In being faithful to these teachings of Jesus, we will be faithful to our invitation to follow Him.

May God bless you always!

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

The Good Works of Jesus

2012-01-19T06:00:00.000-05:00

In today's Gospel (Mk. 3:7-12), we get a glimpse of the love, care, and concern that Jesus has for those in need of His mercy, forgiveness, and healing. As St. Mark tells us, "He had cured many and, as a result, those who had diseases werepressing upon him to touch him" (3:10). Jesus made Himself available to the people who were approaching Him and continues to make Himself present to us, who also approach Him. The Lord is always available and never shuns one who approaches Him with a sincere heart. The key, is to recognize His presence within ourselves and in others. As we hear in today's Gospel, even the unclean spirits were able to recognize Jesus as the Son of God.

Today, let us pray for a greater awareness in recognizing the presence of Jesus. May we be ever mindful that Lord dwells forever in our hearts and wants us to be one with Him. Like the people in today's Gospel, may we have the courage and desire to approach the Lord. May we too experience His healing presence and manifest His presence through our thoughts, words, and actions.

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Lawfully Doing Good on the Sabbath

2012-01-18T06:00:00.000-05:00

In today's Gospel (Mk. 3:1-6), Jesus asks the Pharisees, "Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath rather than to doevil, to save life rather than to destroy it" (3:4)? Upon being asked this question, the Pharisees remained silent. They remained silent because they didn't quite know how to respond to Jesus. If they were to say it is unlawful, then they would be challenging the Lord in front of everyone in the Synagogue. If they were to say it is lawful, then they would be contradicting their own teachings, and thus, challenging their own views on keeping the Sabbath holy.

St. Mark tells us that Jesus was angry at the silence of the Pharisees. They were oblivious to the obvious and yet, afraid to side with Jesus and become humble. Again, it was their pride that prevented them from seeing and appreciating the true presence of the Lord and the good things He does. Their pride is revealed in their plot with the Herodians to put Jesus to death. Because they lacked humility, they went to great measures to ensure the Lord would not expose them and their lack of faith.

Today, let us learn to grow in humility. May we come to see the gift in being humble and not allow our pride to get the best of us. This was the fatal mistake with the Pharisees. They were too arrogant to allow themselves to be humbled and, as a result, they ran the risk of permanently separating themselves from being in the Lord's presence in the Kingdom of Heaven. We pray, that we may avoid the same temptation and allow ourselves to grow closer to the Lord by becoming more humble and aware of His presence.

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Honoring the Lord of the Sabbath

2012-01-17T06:00:00.000-05:00

In today's Gospel (Mk. 2:23-38) Jesus is accused by the Pharisees for acting unlawful on the Sabbath. Their accusation is based upon the fact that Jesus' disciples were picking the heads of grain (2:23). All this was done on the Sabbath when Jesus' disciples should have been resting and not doing any unnecessary work. This, of course, is the viewpoint of the Pharisees. Jesus refutes this argument by stating He is the Lord of the Sabbath. Jesus is God! It is God who gave the people of Israel the precept to keep holy the Sabbath. For Jesus' disciples, there is no better way to honor the Sabbath than by being in the presence of the Lord.

The disciples were honoring the Sabbath to their fullest capacity because they were with the Lord. They were mindful of His presence and were dedicated to Him. They reveal to us what the ultimate purpose of honoring the Sabbath is all about. It is being centered on the presence of Lord and giving the Lord His proper due. Let us pray to avoid the temptation of the Pharisees by faithfully honoring the Lord and giving Him His proper due.

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Fasting for the Bridegroom

2012-01-16T06:00:00.000-05:00

In today's Gospel (Mk. 2:18-22), the scribes and Pharisees are concerned with the fact that Jesus' disciples do not fast as did the disciples of John the Baptist and their own disciples. The reason why Jesus' disciples do not fast at this time is because Jesus, the Bridegroom, was with them. Thus, there is no reason for them to be fasting and penitential. Jesus was in their midst and so, this was to be a time of celebrating the presence of the Son of God, not a time to be fasting. The scribes and Pharisees followed the Jewish practice of fasting, but they failed to recognize the meaning for such fasting. There is no reason to fast with the presence of Jesus walking in their midst and teaching them on how to grow in virtue. This was not the time to perform a penitential act, such as fasting, but to rejoice and be glad for the Lord was with them.

Jesus says in today's Gospel, "But the days will come, and when the Bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast on that day" (2:20). We, too, fast for the same reasons. We fast because the bridegroom has been taken away and we await His arrival. You see friends, fasting is very important in maturing in the spiritual life. This penitential practice of self-deprivation and self-discipline strengthens our relationship with Christ. We take the time to fast and deprive ourselves of certain things out of love for Jesus, not because it's a requirement of the Church. If this is the only reason we fast, because the Church says we must, then we have completely missed the point of fasting. Fasting is not just a "giving up" of something. Rather, fasting reveals to us the beauty of our relationship with Christ. The more we deprive ourselves of worldly things, the more we are in tune with living a Christ-centered life. We must know why we fast and understand its richness. We ought to get in the practice of fasting on a regular basis. It doesn't have to be an extreme form of fasting, but it's necessary to fast from something we can deprive ourselves of on a regular basis. It is fasting that enables us to grow in the spiritual life and challenges us to make a genuine sacrifice out of our love for the Lord. What is that you can fast from today to show your appreciation for the sacrifice that Christ made for all of us upon the wood of the Cross?

Today, we pray for the grace to understand the importance of fasting. May we come to see fasting as a gift from the Lord to allow us an opportunity to share our love for Him as we deny ourselves of certain things. Let us always appreciate the true meaning of fasting and come to understand the opportunity we have to grow closer to Christ through our penitential act of fasting. May we be mindful of the immensity of the Lord's love for us.

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Who Are You Looking For?

2012-01-15T06:00:00.000-05:00

In today's Gospel (Jn. 1:35-42), Jesus asks the disciples of John the Baptist, who are following Him, "What are you looking for" (1:38)? They respond by calling Jesus "Rabbi." Thus, they know it is the Lord whom they are following and they want to know where He is staying.

Filled with great joy over finding the Messiah, Andrew, one of the disciples who was following Jesus, tells his brother, Peter, that they have found the Messiah and brings him to Jesus. Jesus tells Peter, "You are Simon the son of John; you will be calledCephas" - which is translated Peter" (1:42). Thus, Peter is is now recognized as the rock, the one who will stand firm and lead Jesus' group of followers - the Apostles.

Today, let us rejoice with Andrew and Peter in their finding the Messiah. May we too come to find the Messiah in our lives and choose to live as His faithful servants. Let us draw ourselves closer to Christ and allow our hearts to find true joy, peace, and comfort.

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Salvation is for All

2012-01-14T06:00:00.000-05:00

In today's Gospel (Mk. 2:13-17), we witness the calling of Levi to be a follower of Jesus. After responding to the Lord's invitation, Levi invites Jesus to dine with him and some of his friends at his house. Among some of Levi's friends are tax collectors and sinners. Some of the scribes, who were Pharisees, notice this and question why Jesus is eating with tax collectors and sinners.

This question is being asked by these scribes because it was not customary for someone who was considered to be "righteous" to be associating with tax collectors and sinners. Jesus, Who is claiming to be the Messiah, is doing just this. So they desire to know why the Messiah would do this? Jesus responds by saying, "I did not come to call the righteous but sinners" (2:17).

What Jesus is revealing is His desire for sinners to have a change of heart by turning from their sinful ways. It is Jesus Who wants them to find the way to eternal salvation. Thus, we come to realize that salvation is for all peoples who render their hearts over the Lord, seeking to follow His ways and living virtuous lives. Let us pray for our hearts to be captivated by the love of Christ as we continue to seek Him above all things, eagerly anticipating the coming of the Kingdom.

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

The Healing of the Paralytic

2012-01-13T06:00:00.000-05:00

We are all familiar with the event of the curing of the paralytic in today's Gospel (Mk. 2:1-12). What is remarkable about this event is how the friends of the paralytic went to great length to ensure that their friend was in the presence of Jesus. They did not allow any obstacle hinder them from bringing their friend to the Divine Physician. As St. Mark tells us, "Unable to get near Jesus because of the crowd, they opened the roof above him. After they had broken through, they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying" (Mk. 2:4).

Not concerned about the crowd or what others might say, they did whatever was required to get the paralytic near Jesus. They extent they went to was to remove the roof above Jesus, so their friend could be lowered right before Him. We must ask ourselves if we would be willing to go the same length for one of our friends or even ourselves? Would we fight through any obstacle to ensure we get as close to Jesus as possible? Let these words of the Gospel offer inspiration to do just that, "When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, 'Child, your sins are forgiven'" (Mk. 2:5). It was the faith of these four men, and their desire to have their friend healed by Jesus, that opened the door for the Lord to reward them for such faith.

We are called to have the same faith in Christ. We must realize that there is nothing that the Lord cannot or will not do for us if our faith is completely placed in Him. However, we must also be aware of the fact that it is not always what we ask for that is best for us, but what the Father wills for us. As a result, we must not become discouraged if certain prayers aren't being answered as we would like or as quickly as we had hoped for. There is a reason and purpose for such things. It is because God sees farther than we are able to see and knows what is best for us. We may not always understand, but we must trust in God's will.

Today, we pray for a greater desire to seek to do the will of our heavenly Father. May we conclude all our petitions to the Lord asking they be granted only if it is for our betterment and in accordance with the will of the Father. In doing so, our faith will not be weakened and we will realize that above all things, we seek to live in accord with God's will for us.

May God bless you always!

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Be Made Clean

2012-01-12T06:00:00.000-05:00

In today's Gospel (Mk. 1:40-45), we see a beautiful interaction taking place between Jesus and a leper. What is of great importance in this encounter, is the faith of the leper. The leper says to Jesus, "If you wish, you can make me clean" (1:40). In these words, we are able to recognize the faith the leper has in Jesus. He knows in his heart it is the Lord, and if the Lord so desires, He can make him better. This is precisely what the Lord does for the leper.

It is the faith of the leper that enables Jesus to heal him. Notice, the Lord seeks for one's faith before performing such miracles. Once Jesus recognizes such faith, He then performs the miracle being asked of Him. The same holds true for us. Jesus is searching for our faith in Him. Do we believe in Jesus like the leper? Do we believe in our hearts that our Lord will do whatever is asked of Him because of our faith in Him? If not, let us learn from the example of the leper. He knew what Jesus could do for Him and did not hesitate in making this known. Let us follow suit! Let us not be afraid to make known what Jesus can do for us. In having faith in Him, there is nothing that He is incapable of doing for us. May we trust completely in Him so as to be made clean.

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Jesus' Purpose

2012-01-11T06:00:00.000-05:00

In today's Gospel (Mk. 1:29-39), Jesus explains what His purpose on earth is all about. He says to His disciples, "Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach therealso. For this purpose have I come" (1:38). The main purpose for Jesus becoming a human being was to free those captive by the power of evil. He cured many of their diseases, freed them from their sins, and drove out many demons, so that all would come to believe and accept Him as the Messiah.

We know, that there were many who did not accept Jesus as the Messiah. This is a result of one's pride. Pride can be a very dangerous vice and can lead one down the path of destruction. To overcome our pride, we must work on becoming more humble. Let us appreciate the good things the Lord has done for us and take the time to thank Him for such gifts. May we see the grace of God working in our lives each day and know that He is always near to us. As we continue to do so, we will remain humble before His eyes and will be better able to control our pride, so as not to let it control us.

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

"I Know Who You Are"

2012-01-10T06:00:00.000-05:00

In today's Gospel (Mk. 1:14-20), we notice a unique response from the man with the unclean spirit. It is this man, possessed by an unclean spirit, who recognizes Jesus as the "Holy one of God." Notice, that even the evil spirits are able to recognize Christ. This is a profound reality. How is it that evil can recognize Jesus, but those who witnessed His teachings, miracles, and healings were unable to do the same? The answer lies in the fact that these people were lacking in faith. Either they couldn't quite grasp the workings of the Lord, or, more likely, they didn't want to grasp such workings.

To be able to recognize the presence of Jesus, we have to remain humble and adhere to His teachings. His teachings provide the necessary guidance in becoming among the redeemed in the Kingdom of Heaven. If we allow His teachings to penetrate our hearts and conform to them, then we will be well on our way to the Kingdom.

Today, we pray for the grace to, not only recognize Jesus' presence, but to adhere to His teachings. As we become enlightened by the Lord, may our hearts be filled with great rejoicing, knowing, that we are not far from the Kingdom!

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Jesus' Baptism

2012-01-09T06:00:00.000-05:00

The Baptism of Jesus

Today, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Baptism of the Lord. This celebration marks the official beginning of Jesus' public ministry. The purpose of Jesus' baptism by John the Baptist is to fulfill all righteousness (Mt. 3:15). It is a symbol for all of us to realize the significance of our own baptism. It is through the sacrament of Baptism where we are cleansed of the stain of Original Sin, through the cleansing waters of baptism. We are also marked for Christ. We become incorporated into His family, the Catholic Church, and are anointed as priest, prophet, and king. It is through baptism that our role as disciples of Jesus begins.

Today, we pray that we take our role as disciples of Jesus more serious. May we always be attentive to the responsibility we have in making and keeping the presence of Christ alive in our world today through our thoughts, words, and actions. In doing so, may we continuously seek to find the presence of Christ in one another and bring His presence wherever we go.

May God bless you always!

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

The Manifestation of Jesus' Presence

2012-01-08T06:00:00.000-05:00

Today, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord Jesus. It is the day where we recall the manifestation of the Lord's presence throughout all of the nations and to all peoples. This is precisely the meaning of the word "epiphany," "a manifestation."

The Magi, in travelling from the east, are filled with great rejoicing as they make their way to Bethlehem, to pay homage to the Newborn King. With them come three significant gifts, the finest gifts of the east: Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh. There is a reason why they bring these three specific gifts. Each of these gifts reveal something about the Newborn King. Gold is a symbol of royalty and in offering gold to Jesus, there is an acknowledgment that He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Frankincense is the perfume that was offered on the altar of sacrifice symbolizing the hope that was placed in the coming of the Messiah. By offering Jesus the gift of frankincense, the Magi acknowledge the arrival of the Messiah, He is Christ the Lord. Finally, the gift of myrrh is presented to Jesus for His burial after He would be taken down from the Cross. Myrrh is an aromatic spice that was used to anoint one's body prior to burial to help preserve it. Thus, it would be used for the same purposes with Jesus' body. This gift identifies that Jesus is the Savior and through His death and resurrection comes an end to sin and death and the gift of everlasting life for those who follow His ways.

Today, we pray, as we celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord Jesus, that we are always aware of the presence of Jesus within our hearts and in the Eucharist. May we always cherish this great gift of love that God wills to share with us each time we come to the Sacrifice of the Mass. May we also manifest His divine presence in our world today through our thoughts, words, and actions. Throughout this new year let us be epiphanies of the Lord at all times.

May God bless you always!

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

The First Miracle

2012-01-07T06:00:00.000-05:00

In today's Gospel (Jn. 2:1-11), Jesus performs His first miracle at a wedding feast that is being held in Cana. As we learn from reading this Gospel passage, the hosts ran out of wine. It is Mary, the Mother of Jesus, who recognizes this fact. In order to help them avoid embarrassment, she turns to her Son and asks Him to do something. At first, Jesus is reluctant. He is reluctant, not because He doesn't want to help the hosts, but because His time for public miracles had not yet arrived. Nevertheless, the Lord could and would never dismiss a request from His beloved mother, so long as it was in accord with the Father's will.

We know that this request was certainly of the Father's will because Jesus performed His first public miracle, noted in the Scriptures, by turning water into wine. Not only did He change the water into wine, He provided better tasting wine than what was being served. This reveals to us the good things the Lord is willing to do in our lives. He not only hears and answers our prayers, but He so often exceeds our expectations by giving us more than what we had asked for. This shows how much the Lord loves us and wants us to remain a part of His flock, so as to enjoy the great reward of everlasting life in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Today, let us take the time to reflect on some of the ways the Lord has worked in our lives. Let us be thankful in the fact that our prayers were answered and that the Lord was willing to do more than what we had asked for. May we always be conscious of the works of the Lord and take the time to be thankful. Let us also turn to Mother Mary, asking for her continued intercession. May we continue to believe that the Lord will never reject a request from her, especially if it's for the good of her children.

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

The Beloved Son

2012-01-06T06:00:00.000-05:00

In today's Gospel (Mk. 1:7-11), we have the fulfillment of John the Baptist's role. His time has now officially come to an end. As he says, "One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen thethongs of his sandals. I have baptizedyou with water; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit" (1:7-8). Thus, John moves aside by making room for the Messiah.

After having been baptized by John in the Jordan River, the Father says of Jesus, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased" (1:11). This is the official acknowledgement of Jesus being the Messiah, the only-begotten Son of God. It is the Father who is making this known, while the Holy Spirit descends upon Him in the form of a dove. Thus, we have the presence of the Holy Trinity commencing Jesus' public ministry.

Let us pray today that we have proper acknowledgement of Jesus in our thoughts, words, and actions. As the Father and the Holy Spirit testify to Jesus being the Messiah, may we testify to Him through our faith in Him. It is Jesus who is the beloved Son of God. May He be beloved in our hearts as we fulfill our role as His disciples.

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

The Good from Nazareth

2012-01-05T06:00:00.000-05:00

After being invited to follow the Jesus, and hearing from Sts. Andrew and Peter that they have found the Lord, St. Philip asks, "Can anything good from Nazareth" (Jn. 1:46)? Certainly, Nazareth had a certain reputation in which one would not expect the long-awaited Messiah to reign from. Nevertheless, the Messiah is from Nazareth and in response to Philip's question, YES!, something good can from Nazareth, and has already come from Nazareth. The good from Nazareth is Jesus, the Lamb of God, who comes to free the world from the burden of sin.

It is so easy to get caught up in the particulars of daily life and question so many things, that we fail to recognize the Lord's presence and workings. This has been a issue with people all the way back to Adam and Eve and continues to this day. We, as a whole, look for signs and seek revelations in order to increase our faith and yet, everything we need in order to believe is contained in the Sacred Scriptures and the Apostolic Tradition of Holy Mother Church. What do we need to look for? What are we looking for? Isn't it enough for us to see the great works, teachings, and wisdom of Jesus to believe He is the Messiah? Certainly, this ought to be the case. However, we are fighting against a very materialistic and greedy world, in which we now live in. It is, for the most part, a "Godless society." We are being taught to prove things and then come to believe. This is a major error and a serious downfall when it comes to our faith. We don't believe based upon what we see. No, we believe in order to see better. As our faith is strengthened, then our vision will become more clear.

Let us pray that we not get caught up in the particulars of the world. May our sight be on the true teachings of Christ and the coming of the Kingdom of Heaven. May we come to realize the gifts we have in the Scriptures and teachings of the Catholic Church. As we utilize these teachings, we will come to see we have everything we need at our fingertips, and we will be better able to appreciate the workings Christ the Lord.

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

The Paschal Lamb and Victim

2012-01-04T06:00:00.000-05:00

In today's Gospel (Jn. 1:35-42), St. John the Baptist points out Jesus to his disciples. He says, "Behold, the Lamb of God" (1:36). This statement of John the Baptist is of significant value. First, and foremost, he is making the Messiah known to others and encouraging them to follow Him. Secondly, Jesus is the Paschal Lamb and Victim that has been offered up through the sacrifice of the Cross for our salvation. He is the unblemished Lamb that takes away the sins of the world. This symbolism used by John the Baptist must not be lost. It is Jesus, the Lamb of God, who makes all things new through His sacrifice at Calvary.

Once Jesus is pointed out to John's disciples, they go and follow Him. John's role is now complete. The One he has been preparing the way for has arrived. It is Jesus, who his disciples must follow, for He is the long-awaited Messiah. He is the One that John has been preparing the way for. As a result, two of disciples go and follow Jesus with great enthusiasm.

As we reflect on today's Gospel, let us be mindful of the great gift we have in Jesus. We must not take for granted all that the Lord has done for us in order for us to be free from the power of sin and death. As the Lamb of God, He has given us life and that life comes through His sacrifice. Today, let us pray for the grace to better appreciate the love that Jesus has for us and to foster that love towards one another. Let us rejoice with the disciples, knowing, that in recognizing the Lamb of God in our lives, we too, have found the Messiah.

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

The Most Holy Name of Jesus

2012-01-03T06:00:00.000-05:00

Today, we celebrate the feast of the Most Holy Name of Jesus. It's a day where we call to mind the sanctity associated with Jesus' name. We have heard in the Gospels, over the past few weeks, through the message of the Archangel Gabriel, that the Savior's name will be "Jesus." Jesus is the name given to the long awaited Messiah. As Mary proclaims in her Magnificat to Almigthy God, "Holy is His name." Indeed, holy is the name of the Lord Jesus.

This is why there is great reverence with a bowing of the head every time His divine name is mentioned. His name is like no other, for it represents the holiest of all names, for it is the name chosen for God's Son. Thus, each time Jesus' name is mentioned, we are called to show proper respect and reverence as we acknowledge the Divine Name given to the Son of God.

Today, we pray for a greater awareness and respect for the Holy Name of Jesus. May we foster such respect every time we utter His name, or hear His name being mentioned. Let us be good examples for others revealing to them how special Jesus' name is and keeping it holy.

May God bless you always!

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

The Voice Crying Out

2012-01-02T06:00:00.000-05:00

In today's Gospel (Jn. 1:19-28), St. John the Baptist was asked by some Jewish priests and Levites who he was. They question him as to whether or not he indeed is the Christ and ask why he is baptizing others, if he is not the Messiah? John testifies that he is not the Christ. Rather, he says, "I am the voice of one crying out in the desert; makestraight the way of the Lord" (1:23). This is significant because John identifies his proper place and role. He doesn't take credit for being the Messiah--he admits that his role is to prepare and make ready the way of the Lord.

We can learn a great deal from the example of St. John the Baptist. Perhaps, there are times where we seek the urge and/or temptation to take credit for something that is not ours. Whether it be accepting wrongful praise or seeking attention from others when it is not necessary. John shows us the way to be ourselves and be content in each of our roles as disciples of the Lord. The key ingredient is: humility. The more we work on becoming more humble, the easier it is for us to be content in who we are. The Lord asks nothing more from of us than to be ourselves.

Today, we pray for the grace to be more humble. May we follow in the footsteps of St. John the Baptist. Let us be content in who we are and not be caught up in becoming someone we are not or who others would like us to become. As we are fresh into this new year, perhaps a New Year's resolution may be for us to be more accepting of ourselves and work on being more humble before the eyes of the Lord.

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

The Mother of God

2012-01-01T06:00:00.000-05:00

Today, we welcome the New Year by celebrating the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God. There really is no better way to begin the new year than by honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is with this festive celebration that we celebrate the eighth, and final day of the Octave of Christmas. We reflect on the great and awesome role that Mary plays throughout Salvation History as the mother of God and our spiritual mother. It is with her acceptance of the Archangel Gabriel's announcement that all these things were made possible. Her humble "yes" opened wide the doors for God, the Father to bring forth the Savior of the world, His Son, Jesus the Christ.

In today's Gospel (Lk. 2:16-21) St. Luke tells us, that as all these events unfolded, "Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart" (Lk. 2:19). It must have been amazing to witness all the things that Mary had the opportunity to see and live. How awesome it is to honor the Mother of God today, reflecting in our own hearts, the marvelous ways that God had blessed her and blesses us with her continuous prayers, guidance, and protection.

Today, we turn to the Mother of God praying that we too will have the courage and desire during this new year to live according to the teachings of Jesus and the Church. May we grow in humility and always seek to love and serve God and one another, as we ask our dear Mother, to help us to love as Jesus did and always consent to do the Father's will just as she did.

O Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of death. AMEN.

Happy New Year!

May God bless you always!

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

2011-12-26T06:00:00.000-05:00

St. Stephen, Martyr

Today, we celebrate the feast day of St. Stephen. St. Stephen was one of the first seven men chosen to be deacons and the first martyr for Christ. As we read in today's first reading (Acts. 6:8-10, 7:54-59), he was a man filled with grace and power (6:8).

It was because of the great works and signs that he was performing that those in the synagogue became infuriated with him. As a result, they began stoning him to death. As he was being stoned, Scripture tells us he called out, "Lord, Jesus, receive my spirit" (7:59). Truly, we can certainly see that the ultimate desire in the life of St. Stephen was to be with the Lord in Eternal Paradise. He was not afraid of being martyred because his faith and trust rested completely with the Lord.

Today, we pray through the intercession of St. Stephen that we too may place all our faith and trust in Jesus. May we remain strong in turbulent times and keep our focus on Christ the Lord. Like St. Stephen, may our one true desire be to live forever with the Lord in Eternal Paradise.

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Our Savior is Born

2011-12-25T06:00:00.000-05:00

I would like to extend to all of you and your families a very Blessed and Merry Christmas. For unto us, a Savior has been born, He is Christ the Lord.

There is great rejoicing today, for the Son of God, the Eternal Word, has become flesh and dwells among us. It is on this day that the world has been forever changed. It is today where we recall the greatest gift that anyone could ever receive and it comes directly from God Himself. He gives us us the gift of His Son, the Prince of Peace, who comes to bring salvation to all those who believe in Him and live their lives as His faithful followers.

It is in this beautiful child where we find complete joy. This babe, who is wrapped in swaddling clothes, seeks to be one with us. We recall from the Gospel at Midnight Mass (Lk. 2:1-14), that there was no room for Him in the inn. Today, we see that this is no longer the case. We open our grateful hearts to the Lord and invite Him in so that He may find rest, comfort, and love within the inn of our hearts and souls.

As we celebrate the birth of our Savior, may we be filled with complete peace and receive all the blessings that come forth from the Christ-child. For indeed, today a Savior has been born for us, who is Christ the Lord.

Merry Christmas!

May God bless you always!

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

The Lord is Coming

2011-12-24T06:00:00.000-05:00

We conclude the Late Advent Season with Zechariah's Canticle, the Benedictus. Like Mary, Zechariah gives praise to almighty God for all the good things and blessings He has shown to all peoples.

As we are now hours prior to the celebration of the birth of Christ, we lift our hearts in prayer, to almighty God, in thanksgiving for all the favors and blessings He has bestowed on us. We are ever grateful for the greatest gift of all, the gift of His Son, Jesus the Christ.

We turn to the intercession of St. Nicholas, asking him to bring all the gifts we are to receive on Christmas Day to the Christ-Child, that they may have His blessing. We, in turn, ask him to help us properly prepare our hearts and make them ready to offer to the Lord as our gift to Him.

Let us rejoice and be glad for, unto us, a Savior has been born.

May God bless you always!

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Make Ready the Way!

2011-12-23T06:00:00.000-05:00

In today's Gospel (Lk. 1:57-66) the question asked by many people is, "What, then, will this child be" (1:66)? The answer quite simply is: this child spoken of, will be the one to prepare the way for the Messiah. For this child is John the Baptist, the greatest and the last of all the prophets. It is he who directly points the way to Christ for he is the first to recognize Jesus and sends his disciples to go and follow Him.

It is John the Baptist who is prophesied about in today's first reading (Mal. 3:1-4, 23-24). He represents the return of Elijah. Thus, we have another fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies. These prophecies now being fulfilled add indisputable validity to Jesus being the Messiah. They all point the way to Him and are fulfilled in the exact manner as the prophets had foretold.

Today, we pray through the intercession of St. John the Baptist that we may prepare our hearts and make ready the way for the Lord on Christmas Day. May our hearts be completely open to receiving the graces, blessings, peace, love, and joy of the Christ-child.

May God bless you always!

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Mary's Canticle of Praise

2011-12-22T06:00:00.000-05:00

In today's Gospel (Lk. 1:46-56), Mary sings her song of praise known as the Magnificat. It is here where Mary acknowledges all the great things that God has done for her and how she rejoices in God her savior.

Her Magnificat becomes a reminder to all of us of the honor, glory, and praise that we ought to be giving God each day for all the favors He bestows upon us, especially the gift of life and love. As we move ever closer to Christmas Day, we join Mary in singing a song of praise to God; for unto us a Savior is to be born, He is Christ the Lord, the one who comes to us bring eternal life.

O come, o come, Emmanuel. Come, Lord Jesus, do not delay!

May God bless you always!

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Blessed Are You Mary

2011-12-21T06:00:00.000-05:00

In today's Gospel (Lk.1:39-45) Elizabeth says to Mary, "Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled" (1:45). Certainly this is a very profound statement from Elizabeth and speaks volumes as to the role Mary played, would play, and does play in the lives of mankind. Her acceptance of God's plan opened wide the door for the Savior to come and redeem us from our sins. Her trust in the Father's will became an example for all of us to do the same.

We, like Mary, must trust in what the Lord has promised knowing that it will all be fulfilled in the Father's time. Our responsibility is to place our complete faith in the Lord and live each day as His faithful disciples. As Mary traveled in haste to go and care for Elizabeth, so may we render our hearts to the Lord and in haste follow His ways.

Mother Mary, help us this day and all days to hastily follow the path of the Lord Jesus. May we always seek to do the Father's will by trusting as you did that all will be fulfilled as promised by the Lord. Please pray for us as we prepare for the birth of the Christ-child that our hearts may be opened wide to receive the Lord and be comforted by the love of the Prince of Peace, for He lives and reigns forever and ever. AMEN.

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Mary's Fiat

2011-12-20T06:00:00.000-05:00

In today's Gospel (Lk. 1:26-38) we read about the Archangel Gabriel appearing to Mary and announcing in full detail who she is to become and the role that she will play in salvation history. This event is known as the Annunciation. It is here where Mary humbly surrenders to doing the will of the heavenly Father, also known as her "fiat." For she says, "Behold I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word" (1:38).

Mary is showing us the key to being a faithful follower of the Lord. It is through humble submission to the Father's will that we truly become true servants of the Lord. It is Mary's "yes" that advances God's plan for all mankind. She was not selfish and was not concerned about her own well-being. She wanted and did do what the Lord willed. She trusted in Gabriel's message because of her deep faith in God. She knew that God would not abandon her for accepting His plan and so she commits herself to being His humble servant.

Today, friends, we are being called to do likewise. We are being challenged by the Lord to be His humble servants. Let us turn to Mother Mary seeking her intercession to help us surrender completely to doing God's will trusting that in doing so He will provide all that it is essential.

Dear Blessed Mother, we pray through your prayers and intercession to have the courage and zeal that you had in accepting God's plan through the message of the Archangel Gabriel. May all our fears and hesitations be removed, as we humbly submit ourselves to trusting that whatever is to be done will be done according to the Father's will. O holy Mother of God, pray for us now and at the hour of our death. AMEN.

May God bless you always!

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Do You Believe?

2011-12-19T06:00:00.000-05:00

There is a similar message in both of the Scripture readings for today. In our first reading (Jgs. 13:2-7, 24-25a), an angel of the Lord appears to Manoah's wife and tells her, that though she is barren and has no children, she is to bear a son. In today's Gospel (Lk. 1:5-25), the Archangel Gabriel appears to Zechariah, the husband of Elizabeth, who was also barren and without children. Gabriel announced to Zechariah that his prayer has been heard and Elizabeth will bear him a son, who is to be called John.

The difference between these encounters with the angel of the Lord, is that Zechariah doubted the angel's message. He did not understand how his wife, who was barren and advanced in age, could bear him a son. Thus, he was lacking in faith and, as a result, he became speechless and unable to talk until the birth of his son. This was his punishment for not believing in what was spoken to him. In Manoah and his wife's case, there was no doubt. They believed and did what the angel had commanded them to do. Thus, they trusted completely in the Lord and did not question Him or the angel.

The question that is being asked of us today is: "Do we believe?" Do we truly believe in the presence of the Lord and the wonderful things that He can do and does in our lives? With Christmas Day being only days away, now is the time to have our faith resting in the Lord. This is the season to believe. God has revealed to the entire world the gift of His Son and has allowed Him to take on human flesh to bring about the forgiveness of sins and eternal salvation. However, in order to be saved, we must first believe in the Christ-child. Let us pray, that as Christmas draws near, when the New-Born King arrives on Christmas Day, He may find believers in us. May we not doubt, but trust always in the Lord and His promise to mankind.

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

He Will Be Called Holy

2011-12-18T06:00:00.000-05:00

Today, we officially enter into the fourth week of Advent. We are now one week away from the celebrating the Birth of Christ. We open the fourth week of Advent with the Gospel account of the Annunciation (Lk. 1:26-38). It is here where the Archangel Gabriel announces to Mary the good news of salvation. She is to become the mother of God's only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. It is through her womb, in which, the Divine Son of God will take on human flesh. As Gabriel announces, "Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Sonof God" (1:35).

The child to be born of Mary is like no other. This child, is the One who brings promise and hope to the entire world. It is through the birth of this child that salvation comes to all believers. It is Mary's "yes" that further advances God's plan of salvation. Her accepting the role as the Mother of God makes it possible for the whole world to rejoice. Indeed, there will be great rejoicing come next Sunday, as we honor and celebrate the birth of the Son of God.

Let us pray that during these few days left of the Advent Season, we may be filled with great joy and eager anticipation in preparation for Jesus' birthday. Though there may be things hanging over our heads in preparing to celebrate this glorious day, let us not lose focus of what this day is all about--it is about Jesus. May our hearts be centered on His presence and not be distracted with our final preparations and gift shopping. All these things will fall in to place and be in proper order so long as we have our hearts set on Christ. After all, Jesus is the sole reason for celebrating Christmas. If there's no Jesus, then there's nothing to celebrate on Christmas Day. Let us spend our time wisely during the course of this coming week. May our hearts find rest in Christ and be filled with great rejoicing as we draw very near to the birth of our Lord and Savior!

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

The Lord Draws Near

2011-12-17T06:00:00.000-05:00

We have now officially entered into the Late Advent Season. We now increase our anticipation of the coming of Christ. There is a shift from time of deep preparation to great anticipation. The Lord is coming and we are only days away from celebrating His birth.

Today, we are reminded of this holy day in the genealogy of St. Matthew's Gospel (Mt. 1:1-17). This genealogy reveals a direct line from Jesus to David to Abraham. As the Gospel states, "Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ" (1:16). It is Jesus, who is the son of Mary and Joseph, who is of David's line and is born in Bethlehem. Thus, with the birth of Jesus, the prophecy of the coming Messiah is fulfilled in Jesus, who is the Christ!

There is great rejoicing as we draw near to the celebration of Jesus' birth and great anticipation as we await His return in glory. May our hearts be lifted up and filled with great joy for Jesus is coming and His arrival will not be delayed.

May God bless you always!

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

The One Sent

2011-12-16T05:48:00.001-05:00

In today's Gospel (Jn. 5:33-36), Jesus is making it very clear that He indeed is the One sent by the Father. He tells the Jews that His testimony is greater than John the Baptist's. He also states that the works He performs testify on His behalf. This is important because it is John the Baptist who prepared the way for Jesus and admitted that he was not the Messiah. Jesus is the One sent by the Father--He is the One the world has been waiting for.

We, too, are awaiting the arrival of the Messiah. In just about a week's time the Season of Advent will come to a close and we will be celebrating Christmas Day. Are we ready for the Lord's arrival? Have we made good use of the Advent Season in preparing our hearts for the coming of the Christ-child? It is not too late to make ready for the coming of Jesus. We can use these remaining days to focus and prepare for the Lord's birth. Let us not waste the time that remains in this Advent Season.

Today, we pray for the grace to be calm and still as Christmas draws near. Though we may be anxious in making sure everything is ready and our shopping is done, let us not lose sight of what the true meaning of Christmas is all about. Let us make time to quietly reflect on the gift we will receive in a few days. Christ the Lord is coming and will not delay. Let us rejoice and be glad, for the One whom has been sent by the Father, will be arriving in no time. May we be on guard and ready to meet Him when He comes.

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

The Righteousness of God

2011-12-15T06:00:00.000-05:00

In today's Gospel (Lk. 7:24-30), Jesus compliments John the Baptist by saying, "Among those born of women, no one is greater than John” (7:28). He then adds, "Yet the least in the Kingdom of God is greater than he” (7:28). This statement caused two different types of reactions. Those who were baptized by John acknowledged the righteousness of God. Among those who were not, including the Pharisees and scholars of the Law, there was a rejection of God's plan.

It was those who were baptized by John the Baptist who recognized the Christ because of their understanding of John's words. They listened with their hearts, so that when the Messiah arrived, they were willing to go and follow Him. For the others, they could not get out of their own way. They thought they knew better than John and thus, rejected his messages and, as a result, rejected God's plan.

Let us this day pray for our hearts to be opened to the Lord. May we acknowledge His righteousness as we heed to His teachings. As we draw closer to Christmas, may these final days of preparation, be a time to find peace in our hearts as we eagerly anticipate the coming of the Lord.

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Are You the One?

2011-12-14T06:00:00.000-05:00

In today's Gospel (Lk. 7:18b-23), John the Baptist summons two of his disciples and sends them to Jesus to see if He is the one to come, or should they look for another. It is interesting that John would send two disciples to Jesus to ensure whether or not He truly is the Messiah. Was this done for John's benefit? Was it to reveal to these disciples that Jesus is the One whom they are to follow?

Both of these questions present and interesting story. If John was looking for confirmation, then he would certainly receive it when the disciples return confirming that Jesus is the One they have been waiting for. If it was to reveal to the disciples that He is the one, then they received a wonderful revelation in hearing what the Lord is capable of doing. In either case, the message of Jesus was to finialize John's role as the forerunner. His mission is complete. He fulfilled the role that God had given to him in making known the way of the Lord. Now it was time for his disciples and all others to go and follow Jesus. It is He who gives the gift of everlasting life and brings promise to all who believe in Him.

Today, we pray that we may heed to the message of John the Baptist and place our complete faith and trust in Jesus, the Lord. As we continue to make ready our hearts for His coming on Christmas Day, may we completely render our hearts to Him. Yes, friends, He is the One who has come to bring forgiveness of sins, peace on earth, and salvation to all His believers. Let us not look for another, for Jesus is the One!

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Believing in Jesus

2011-12-13T06:00:00.000-05:00

Today's Gospel message (Mt. 21:28-32) is of great importance. It is certainly a startling message for the chief priests and elders. Jesus says to them, "Amen, I say to you, tax collectors andprostitutes are entering the Kingdom of God before you" (21:31). This, for sure, must have riled up the chief priests and elders. However, Jesus is trying to help them to soften their hardened hearts.

The point of today's Gospel is to remind us that salvation is for all people who reconcile themselves with God and are sincerely contrite of heart. In regards to the two sons, though the first refused to go out to the vineyard, he ended up doing what was right, even though he was reluctant. He did the right thing and allowed his hardened heart to be softened. The second son, pretended to be doing the right thing, but never went and did what he said he was going to do. Thus, it appeared he was doing the right thing from his words, but his heart was hardened. The same held true to the chief priests and elders vs. the tax collectors and prostitutes. Though it seemed, by outside appearances, that the chief priests and elders were doing the right things, their hearts were far from the Truth. The tax collectors and prostitutes, who were engaged in sinful works, turned away from sin and reconciled themselves to God by adhering to the Truth. Thus, they set themselves on the pathway to eternal life.

Let us pray today, that we may set our hearts on the proper things, namely Jesus Christ. May His teachings help us to do what is right. In doing so, we too, will be setting ourselves along the pathway to salvation. Let us seek to soften our hearts and not allow them to be overcome by prideful thoughts and deeds. As we humble ourselves in the presence of the Lord, we will grow closer to Him and our hearts will be focused on Him and doing charitable things in His name. This, after all, is a great practice for us as the coming of the Lord draws near.

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Our Lady of Guadalupe

2011-12-12T05:49:00.001-05:00

Our Lady of Guadalupe

Today, we celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. It is a day where we recall the Blessed Virgin Mary's appearance to a humble and poor Indian named Cuatitlatoatzin and given the name Juan Diego after being baptized. The message that Mary came to bring to Juan Diego was to have a chapel built on the place of her appearance. He was instructed to take this message to the bishop and make this request.

The bishop had refused to build a chapel until the last time Juan Diego visited the bishop, per the Blessed Mother's instruction. Prior to his last visit with the bishop, Mary provided the sign that the bishop was looking for. When Juan Diego opened his tilma in the bishop's presence, Castilian roses fell out, which were out of season, and there, on his tilma, was the image of Our Lady. After witnessing these great events, the bishop agreed to build a chapel on the hill of Tepeyac in honor of Mary's appearance there. To this day, the chapel still exists on the hill as does the image of Mary that was on Juan Diego's tilma in the Basilica of Our Lady of Gudalupe in Mexico City.

Today's feast is a reminder of how powerful Mary's intercession truly is. The bishop asked for a sign and it was given to him through Mary's intercession. We, too, are in need of help and assistance and we have no better person to turn to than Mother Mary. Let us open our hearts to her and trust in her intercessory prayers. As we turn to her, may we echo the words of Mary in today's Gospel (Lk. 1:26-38), "May it be done according to your word" (1:38).

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Rejoice Always!

2011-12-11T05:29:00.001-05:00

We have now officially entered the third week of Advent. Today's celebration of the Third Sunday of Advent is known as Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete means "to rejoice." This is exactly what we do on the Third Sunday of Advent. Liturgically, we notice a change. The color rose is worn by the priests and deacons and a rose colored candle is lit on the Advent wreath. These are symbols to remind us that we are moving closer to Christmas and our hearts are filled with great rejoicing knowing that the Lord is coming and will not delay.

Imagine the rejoicing that the people must have experienced in hearing these words from St. John the Baptist in today's Gospel (Jn. 1:6-8, 19-28), "There is one among you whom you do not recognize, the onewho is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie" (1:26-27). John is announcing that the coming of the Messiah is imminent. What a great message to have heard and received. The "One" who comes after John is the Lord Himself, and He comes without delay. For it is He on whom the Spirit of the Lord rests upon.

Friends, let us allow our hearts to rejoice greatly as Christmas Day draws near. May our focus on the coming of the Christ-child warm our hearts, for He comes bringing peace, love, and joy to the whole world. These are the true treasures of Christmas Day. Let us adore the gift of the Christ-child and continue to make ready the way of the Lord. For His coming is without delay and we don't want to be among the ones who fail to recognize Him. Let us make our hearts ready, for truly, the day draws near!

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Has Elijah Come?

2011-12-10T06:30:00.001-05:00

The question that is asked of Jesus in today's Gospel (Mt. 17:9a, 10-13) is: "Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first" (17:10)? As we read in today's first reading (Sir. 48:1-4, 9-11), we know that Elijah is to come again to put an end to the wrath before the day of the Lord (48:10). Therefore, this is why the scribes say Elijah must come again. However, what they fail to realize, is that it doesn't mean Elijah is coming in person. As Jesus tells His disciples, "Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him butdid to him whatever they pleased" (17:12).

After this statement from Jesus, His disciples realize that He was talking about St. John the Baptist. It was John who represented Elijah in foretelling the coming of the Christ and encouraging others to prepare the way of the Lord. However, his message was oftentimes rejected and, after calling Herod and Herodias on their sin of adultery, he was beheaded. Thus, he was not recognized as "Elijah" and was mistreated.

Today's Gospel serves as a reminder to all of us to not be caught up in the literal sense of translating everything. Rather, we are called to look to the spiritual sense to understand the true meaning of the words of Jesus. Getting caught up in literally translating Jesus' teachings will result in our missing the point of what He is expressing. Let us not be caught off guard like the scribes, but heed to the message of the Lord and allow His message, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to penetrate our hearts so, we know and understand what it is the Lord is truly saying.

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Recognizing Jesus

2011-12-09T05:48:00.001-05:00

In today's Gospel (Mt. 11:16-19), Jesus asks the crowds to what shall He compare this generation (11:16)? This question is prompted because they fail to recognize Jesus for who He truly is and the great works that are to be accomplished by Him. They criticize Him for the most ridiculous of things, as they did to St. John the Baptist. Yet, both men play a significant role in mankind's salvation. It is John who makes ready the way for Jesus and it is Jesus who brings about eternal salvation to those who believe in Him and live their lives adhering to His teachings.

We are reminded in today's Gospel of the importance of recognizing Jesus for who He truly is. He is the Son of God! Let us make no mistakes about this--Jesus is the real deal, He is the long-awaited Messiah, who came to earth to forgive sinners and make ready the way to the Kingdom. It is our adherence to Christ that sets us on the path that we all want to be on.

Today, let us pray for the grace to, not only recognize Jesus for who He is, but to recognize Him in others. As we are drawing closer to Christmas Day, may we be able to recognize Jesus in others and know that He loves all of us just the same. As we come to recognize His presence, may we be filled with great joy, peace, love, and happiness. May these remaining days of Advent provide us the opportunity to be more aware of Jesus' presence.

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Immaculately Conceived

2011-12-08T05:11:00.001-05:00

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. This is a very significant day, not only in the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary, or Holy Mother Church, but also in human history. It is with the conception of Mary that God's plan of salvation begins to take shape. It is Mary, as we know, who is to become the mother of God's only Son, Jesus Christ. However, her conception is like no other. Mary is conceived immaculately, completely free from any stain of sin, including Original Sin. This is acknowledged in the Archangel Gabriel's greeting in today's Gospel (Lk. 1:26-38), "Hail, full of grace!" This is a direct acknowledgment of Mary being completely free from sin. To be full of grace means to be free from sin.

It makes perfect sense that Mary would be conceived without sin because she was to give birth to the divine Son of God. It is impossible for even the slightest stain of sin to touch a divine person. It cannot happen. Thus, Mary had to be free from sin before she could conceive Jesus in her womb, revealing to us that this is the work of God in preparation for His begotten Son to take on human flesh.

We pray to Mary acknowledging the favors that God has bestowed upon her and realize that through her humility and obedience to doing the will of our heavenly Father, God has looked with favor upon her. May we, through her intercession, increase our humility and obedience knowing that in doing so God can also do great things through us.

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee. AMEN.

May God bless you always!

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Finding Rest in Jesus

2011-12-07T05:52:00.000-05:00

In today's Gospel (Mt. 11:28-30), we encounter very comforting words from the Lord Jesus. He tells us, "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I willgive you rest" (11:28). It is the Lord who is inviting us to turn to Him. He is asking that we surrender our labors and burdens over to Him in order to find rest. These words of Jesus serve as a reminder that He knows all our troubles and worries in life. He is there for us and does not want us to go it alone. The Lord is there for us because He loves us and wants only the best for us.

While it is true that we all struggle at times in our lives, we have the Lord to bring these struggles to. In fact, this is what He desires us to do. We must not be bashful or turn away from Him. We can learn from Him and, in doing so, we will find complete rest.

Today, let us pray for the grace to turn towards the Lord and surrender all our struggles, worries, fears, concerns, etc. over to Him. He knows what to do with them all and knows what we need and when we need it. Let us trust in Him and accept His invitation. May we, this day and all days, find rest and comfort in our one true Friend, Christ the Lord!

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

No One Left Behind!

2011-12-06T05:04:00.001-05:00

In today's Gospel (Mt. 18:21-14), Jesus exemplifies His concern over one who strays from the flock. He says, that our Heavenly Father rejoices more over one lost sheep than ninety-nine righteous ones. The Lord is concerned with the salvation of all people. His ultimate desire is for all mankind to be saved and live with him forever in the Kingdom of Heaven.

In order to be among the redeemed, we must do our part. We must heed to the teachings of Christ and reconcile ourselves with Him when we fall into sin. No matter how serious the sin, the Lord is reminding us of the great rejoicing that takes place when a sinner repents and finds his/her way back to Christ. Let us not be afraid to meet the Lord in the wonderful sacrament of Reconciliation. May we take consolation in knowing that we will be meeting the Lord in an personal encounter.

Today, let us pray for those who are fearful of going to Confession. May they have the grace to overcome any fears that are preventing them from visiting the Lord in the sacrament of Reconciliation. May they be mindful of the great graces that are received and the healing that takes place when going to Confession. May Jesus' words in today's Gospel give them courage and strength to free themselves from the burden of sin.

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

It Is Jesus Who Speaks!

2011-12-05T05:22:00.001-05:00

In today's Gospel (Lk. 5:17-26), we read about Jesus' curing of the paralytic. After Jesus forgives the paralytic of his sins, the scribes and Pharisees ask themselves, "Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who but God alone can forgive sins" (5:21)? It is Jesus who is able to speak and do such things. Jesus is the Divine Son of God. He is able to do all things that are in accord with the Father's will. The healing of the paralytic and forgiving of his sins serves a reminder of this.

Once again, we see the benefit of having our faith completely placed in the Lord. The friends of the paralytic knew that if they could get their friend before Jesus, he would be healed. They went to great lengths to ensure no obstacle would prevent their friend from being in His presence. Thus, it was their faith in Christ that allowed their friend to be healed and forgiven of his sins. This is a tremendous gift that the Lord extended to this man, resulting from his friends' faith in Him.

Today, let us pray that we may come to have the same faith in Christ as did the paralytic's friends. Let us not be blinded from appreciating the works of the Lord, as were the scribes and Pharisees. It was their pride that prevented their hearts from being opened and appreciating all that the Lord was doing in their midst. May we come to appreciate the works of the Lord, not only in our lives, but in the lives of others as well. Let us rejoice always in the good things that the Lord continues to do for all mankind.

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Make Ready the Way of the Lord

2011-12-04T05:43:00.001-05:00

The central theme of today's Scripture readings focus on properly preparing the way of the Lord. In today's first reading (Is. 40:1-5, 9-11), the prophet Isaiah proclaims to the Israelites to prepare the way of the Lord! It is now time for the Israelites to be freed from their captivity in Babylon. The time has now arrived for them to be set free. Thus, the Lord God wants their hearts to be ready for His glory that is to be revealed to them.

In today's Gospel (Mk. 1:1-8) the same theme from our first reading is being echoed. Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight His paths. This time, the preparation is for something of greater significance. This is not a time to prepare for the glory of the Lord, but for the coming of the Lord in human flesh. This is precisely the focal point of the Advent Season. We are preparing for the coming of the Messiah on Christmas Day. But that is not it! We are also preparing for Jesus' Second Coming. A time known only to the Father. Thus, the words of St. Peter in our second reading (2 Pt. 3:8-14) are of vital importance: "Do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with theLord one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like one day. The Lord does not delay his promise, as someregard ‘delay’" (3:8-9). Though we do not know the day, nor the hour of Jesus' arrival, we must be ready. We must not be complacent and fall into the temptation of thinking it will not happen in our lifetime. How do we know? What if the Lord does come in our lifetime, are we ready to meet Him? Thus, the more we do to prepare our hearts, minds, bodies, and souls for Jesus' coming, the more eager we will be to meet Him. As St. Peter says, echoing the teachings of His Master, "The day of the Lord will come like a thief" (3:10). So let us be on guard and make ready for the coming of the Lord.

Today, as we begin the Second Week of Advent, let us pray to be more fervent in our time of preparation. May we use the next three weeks of Advent to properly prepare for the coming of the Lord. Let us not become complacent or distant from the Lord. Rather, let us render our hearts completely over to the Lord. Let us heed to the words of the prophet Isaiah and prepare the way of the Lord by making straight His paths so, when He does come, He will find us eagerly awaiting His arrival!

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Spreading of the Kingdom

2011-12-03T05:16:00.002-05:00

In today's Gospel (Mt. 9:35-10:1, 5a, 6-8), Jesus handpicks His Twelve Apostles to go forth and spread the message that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. He instructs them to go out to the lost sheep of Israel. Jesus knows the people of Israel are like sheep without a shepherd. They are in need of proper spiritual guidance and leadership. This is to become the role of the Apostles and every Christian.

We too are called to spread the same message of the Apostles. It is in our bearing witness to Christ and Holy Mother Church that we proclaim the Kingdom of Heaven being at hand. We turn to the Church for proper guidance and instruction. She is the Bride of Christ and knows the way to salvation. So long as we remain faithful, to both, the teachings of Jesus and the Church, we will never go astray. They are our compass in directing us along the pathway to eternal salvation.

Today, let us pray to be good examples for others to follow. May we be good shepherds who lead the sheep in the proper direction. As we take our directives from Jesus and Holy Mother Church, may we be good laborers in the Lord's vineyard. With Christ, we are never lost or misguided. Let us turn to Him all the more and increase our faith in Him. He is the Way and knows what is best for us! Jesus, my Lord, my God, and my All, help us to trust You evermore!

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Do You Believe?

2011-12-02T05:30:00.001-05:00

In today's Gospel (Mt. 9:27-31), Jesus encounters two blind men who seek to be healed and have their sight restored. Jesus says to them, "Do you believe that I can do this" (9:28)? What a very profound question Jesus asks: "Do you believe that I can do this?" How often, when asking something from the Lord, do we believe He can do it? Is our faith sincere in the works of the Lord?

You see friends, it was the sincerity of the blind men's faith in Christ that enabled the Lord to heal them. As Jesus says, "Let it be done for you according to your faith" (9:29). This is what the Lord seeks from all of us. He wants us to truly believe that He can do all things for us, so long as what we ask for is compatible with the Father's will. Jesus' question in today's Gospel serves as a great meditation to reflect on everyday. Next time we pray for or ask something from the Lord, let it be preceded by first asking ourselves if we truly believe He can do this.

Today, let us turn to the Holy Spirit once more and ask, that through His grace, guidance, and enlightenment, we may increase our faith in Jesus. Like the blind men in today's Gospel, may we come to believe, without reservation, that the Lord can and will do all things for us, so long as what we are asking for is for our spiritual benefit and in accordance with the Father's will. If this be so, then let us trust wholeheartedly, that the Lord will do these things for us.

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Built on Solid Rock

2011-12-01T06:19:00.001-05:00

Jesus tells us in today's Gospel (Mt. 7:21, 24-27), "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven" (7:21). He then goes on to say, "Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock" (7:24). This is an important message from Jesus and can be very helpful for all of us in further developing our spiritual lives. First, the Lord makes it very clear that just by calling out His name, we have no guarantee of entering the Kingdom of Heaven. To call on the name of the Lord and enter the Kingdom of Heaven requires sincere faith in Christ.

Having sincere faith in Christ means to not only listen to the words of the Lord, but to act on them. Thus, we are called to be like the man who built his house on rock. This man is described by Jesus as a "wise" man. He is wise because his house is built on a foundation that can never be shaken. This is symbolic of the foundation we all need in our lives. It is easy to be shaken by the spiritual storms we encounter in our daily lives. Such storms may shake us and cause us to tremble and, as a result, we lose our focus on Jesus. In order to prevent this from happening, we must begin to firmly solidify our foundation in Christ. This is a good exercise that can be practiced during this Advent Season. As we prepare for the coming of the Lord, perhaps we can also use this time to strengthen our foundation. The stronger our foundation becomes, the easier it is to listen and act on the words of the Lord.

Today, we pray for the grace to build stronger foundations in our faith lives. May we begin to pay more attention to the voice of the Lord. Let us not cry out to the Lord in a state of emptiness, but with a foundation that is firmly rooted in Him. May the Lord continue to be with us during this Advent Season, and may our spiritual homes become built on solid rock!

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

St. Andrew, the Apostle

2011-11-30T05:58:00.001-05:00

St. Andrew, Apostle

Today, we celebrate the feast day of St. Andrew the Apostle. Andrew was one of the first followers of Jesus, along with his brother Simon Peter. In the Gospel for today's Mass (Mt. 4:18-22), the Lord invited both men to come after Him, saying He would make them "fishers of men."

Immediately, they left everything and followed Jesus. There was absolutely no hesitation in responding to Jesus' invitation. Andrew did not have to take time and ponder such a calling. He went with Jesus as soon as the Lord invited Him. He knew, in his heart, that there was nothing that would ever compare to this invitation to follow Jesus.

Friends, we must respond in the same way to the Lord's invitation to us. Each day we are being invited by the Lord to follow Him. How do we respond? Do we have the same ambition or desire like St. Andrew? Do we count the costs before deciding to respond? There must be no hesitation. When Jesus calls, we go! It should be an instant, automatic decision on our part. Does this mean it's going to be easy to follow Jesus? NO! However, our lives will be perfectly fulfilled because we will be concerned with nothing other than doing what the Lord has called us to do. This, after all, is the very purpose of our existence in this world.

Today, we pray through the intercession of St. Andrew to have the same desire he had in answering the Lord's invitation to follow Him. May we have the courage to leave all worldly possessions behind and allow nothing to interfere in our relationship with Jesus. Like St. Andrew, as the Lord calls us to follow Him, may we immediately leave all to follow Him!

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Being Childlike

2011-11-29T05:55:00.001-05:00

In today's Gospel (Lk. 10:21-24), Jesus teaches us that it is to the childlike, and not the wise and the learned, to whom the Father has revealed certain things. You see, friends, it's the childlike who are not full of pride or selfish in their affairs. Rather, these are the ones who are humble and rely upon God's grace and wisdom to guide them. They know that without God, they are nothing. For the wise and the learned, it is a different story. They are so full of pride and themselves that they have no room for God. We see this constantly throughout the Scriptures. They are the ones who reject the message of Truth. Thus, they reject Christ Himself.

Jesus concludes today's Gospel by saying, "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I say to you, many prophets and kingsdesired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, butdid not hear it." We, unfortunately, are not able to see directly into the eyes of Christ, listen to one of His teachings, or witness one of His great miracles. However, we do have the opportunity to reflect on such things through the recordings found in the Gospels. We do have the opportunity to spend time with the Lord, as He is present in the Tabernacle. We also have the ability to recognize His presence in one another and see Christ's eyes in the eyes of others. Thus, Christ is continuously revealing Himself to us in various ways.

Let us take this opportunity to be more attentive to Christ's presence in ourselves and in one another. May we pay attention and identify the various ways that Christ makes Himself known to us. We continue make ready our hearts for the coming of the Lord as we pray, "Come, Lord, do not delay!"

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Only Say the Word

2011-11-28T05:58:00.000-05:00

In today's Gospel (Mk. 8:5-11), Jesus is approached by a centurion who asks for his servant to be healed. Per the centurion's request, Jesus offers to go to the centurion's house to cure his servant. In his humility, the centurion realizes that he is not worthy to have the Lord enter under his roof. Thus, he says to Jesus, "Only say the word and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man subject to authority, withsoldiers subject to me. And I say toone, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come here,' and hecomes; and to my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it” (8:8-9).

It is this response from the centurion in which Jesus commends his faith. In no one in Israel has Jesus found such faith! This statement from the centurion acknowledges the authority of Jesus. It is not seeing Jesus perform the miracle that causes the centurion to believe. No, it is in knowing Who Jesus truly is that the centurion knows Jesus will cure his servant if this be His will. He knows and believes that all that is necessary is for Jesus to say the word, and through his faith in Christ, his servant will be healed.

Friends, this is exactly the type of faith that the Lord desires from all of us. He doesn't want us to believe simply from the things that can be seen. No, He wants us to believe completely in Him. Like the centurion, let our faith be as strong in acknowledging Who Jesus is in our lives, knowing that if He only say the word, whatever is asked of Him will be done!

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Watch!

2011-11-27T06:57:00.000-05:00

We begin the Season of Advent with a significant message from Christ the Lord. Jesus tells us, "Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come" (Mk. 13:33). This message from Jesus is a reminder that Advent is a time to prepare for two comings. The first being the birth of Jesus. The second deals with the Second Coming of Jesus. Certainly, we know the day of the Lord's birth, but we still need to properly ready our hearts for His arrival on Christmas Day. There are many temptations that we face during this time of year that can easily distract us from the most important part of Christmas. That, of course, is celebrating Jesus' birth. There is nothing that should take precedence over this in our preparation and celebration of Christmas. After all, Jesus is the Reason for the Season!

Advent is also a time to ready ourselves for the Second Coming of Jesus. This is at the heart of Jesus' words in today's Gospel (Mk. 13:33-37). Jesus wants us to be as ready as possible for His coming. The fact that we do not know the time of His Second Coming means we ought to be living each day as if this were our last. Awaiting the Second Coming of Jesus is not something that should be feared or avoided. Rather, it is something we should be eagerly awaiting. This is the moment when we will be with the Lord forever! In order to have this eager anticipation, we are called to live our lives as faithful disciples of His.

Friends, let us pray that as we begin this Season of Advent, that we will use these next four weeks of preparation to properly prepare ourselves for both the Lord's Birth on Christmas Day and His Second Coming. Let us take full advantage of this beautiful season of Advent. May we heed to the words of the Lord and be ready for His coming. For the better prepared we are, the greater will be our rejoicing when Jesus arrives.

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Be Vigilant

2011-11-26T07:03:00.001-05:00

Jesus' advice in today's Gospel (Lk. 21:34-36) is to be vigilant at all times. As Jesus says, "Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man" (21:36). We do not know the day nor the hour when we will have to render an account of our lives to God. It is a moment that can happen at anytime. Therefore, the more we are concerned with doing God's Will to the best of our capabilities, the more prepared we will be to render such an accounting to Him.

What we must avoid is allowing earthly matters and material possessions to dominate our lives. This is not being vigilant. We are called to distance ourselves from earthly concerns and such possessions. To be dominated by the world means we are not focusing on God's Will. It is in doing God's Will in which we are able to move away from such distractions and contemplate in our hearts where the Lord is guiding us. How we would want to approach this is to ask ourselves, "If this were the day God called me home, would I be content to meet Him and render an accounting to Him?" This is a great daily examination that we all could use. In the end, all that matters is that we have been obedient to His Will and will be among the redeemed.

Today, we pray for the Holy Spirit's guidance to help us be vigilant. Let us choose to do our best in following God's Will and not our own. May we ready ourselves as best we can, so that if this were the day the Lord called us home, we would be ready to meet Him and give a favorable accounting of our lives.

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

The Lord's Words are Eternal

2011-11-25T05:59:00.002-05:00

In today's Gospel (Lk. 21:29-33), Jesus mentions how heaven and earth will pass away, but His words will not pass away (21:33). What the Lord is relaying is that His words are eternal. His words will not pass away because He is the eternal Truth. We are reminded that the Truth can never be outdated or pass away. It is the Truth that leads us to eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven.

We are reminded to heed to the words of the Lord. It is His words that will never lead us astray. The Lord desires what is best for us. The best, of course, is being among the redeemed in the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus is the Truth. If we abide by the Truth, then we have nothing to fear.

Today, let us pray for the grace to abide by the words of the Lord. May we seek to live by the Truth, as it is the Truth, that ultimately sets us free. Let us heed to words that will never pass away, as they will lead us to the Promised Land.

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Giving Thanks to God

2011-11-24T05:54:00.001-05:00

I would like to extend to all of you and your families a blessed and happy Thanksgiving. As we honor the day when the Pilgrims gave thanks to God, so may we do the same.

Today is a day not just to get together and feast on turkey and all the trimmings. Its focus is not on watching football. Though these have become very popular traditions with the American people, and there is nothing wrong with any of it, let us not forget the most essential part of today: To give thanks to God for all the blessings He has given to us and continues to give to us on a daily basis. As we gather with our families and/or friends, may we be blessed with great thanks for this time of fellowship.

Friends, let us not forget those who do not have anything this Thanksgiving; no place to go for a warm meal; no family to share memories or laugh with; no place of shelter to keep them warm and protect them from the cold. We pray especially for them, that God will continue to watch over them and provide for them in their time of need. May our hearts be softened and enlightened to do whatever we can to help them by bringing the presence of Jesus to them and letting them know they are not forgotten by us.

As we give thanks today, may we use this time to reflect on the actual blessings God has granted to us. May these always serve as a reminder of God's abundant love for all of us and the need to love and serve others. We echo the words of Sirach, "Bless the God of all, who has done wondrous things on earth" (Sir. 50:22).

Have a blessed and happy Thanksgiving!

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

What's In A Name?

2011-11-23T05:56:00.000-05:00

In today's Gospel (Lk. 21:12-19), Jesus makes it very clear that those who follow Him will be persecuted and hated because of His name. The name of Jesus is a sacred name, and with it comes a powerful message. There were and are many who still challenge the name of Jesus because they don't want to conform to His teachings and change their lives. As a result, those who do follow His ways and teachings are persecuted and ridiculed.

We can see some of this in our own lives. As we look at all the immoral issues that continue to develop in our society, we can see the disrespect that is shown to God and the sheer resentment of accepting the message of Truth. Jesus is Truth, and it is His message of truth that leads along the pathway of everlasting life in the Kingdom of Heaven. If we are sincere in our desire to be among the redeemed in the Kingdom of Heaven, then Jesus is reminding us that there is a cost involved in achieving eternal salvation. The cost is suffering for the Most Holy Name of Jesus. The Lord was willing to suffer greatly for all of us so that our sins could be forgiven, and Heaven would be opened to all those who believe in Him. We, too, must embrace the Cross! It is the Cross that leads to victory.

Today, let us pray for the strength and courage to be faithful followers of Jesus. When we are faced in times of struggle and persecution, may we look to the Cross and be aware of Its redeeming value. Let us not lose sight of the bigger picture, nor the love that Jesus has for all of us. May we continue to persevere, realizing that by our perseverance, our lives will be secured!

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Be Christ-Centered!

2011-11-22T05:02:00.001-05:00

Today's Gospel (Lk. 21:5-11) is the beginning of Jesus' Eschatological Discourse. Though Jesus is predicting future events to take place, such as the destruction of the Jewish Temple, the end of the world, and His second coming, He does not want His followers to be discouraged or lose their focus. Jesus knows that all the events He is speaking of will come to fruition. However, the most important thing He is emphasizing is for all His followers to not lose sight of Him.

I'm sure many of us have heard similar teachings in recent times, whether it was the big dilemma of Y2K, the approach of the end times, the world going to end on 11.11.11, or whatever the case may be. In spite of all these announcements and concerns, nothing happened! The world is still standing, and each day comes and goes as the previous day. However, what is necessary is to not get caught up in these events. No, we must remain focused on Christ. It is our faith in Him that is going to keep us strong and focused on the appropriate things. We are all awaiting Jesus' second coming, but that doesn't mean it's going to happen in the near future, nor the distant future. We must be ready as if this were the day. We ready ourselves by living lives faithful to the Gospel and the teachings and example of Jesus. We don't live out of fear or panic. The Lord doesn't want us to be fearful. He wants us to be content, and the way to be content is allowing our hearts to find rest with Him.

Today, we pray for the grace to find complete rest and peace in the Lord. Though we may not know the exact day or time of certain future events, let us keep our focus on Christ. By being focused on Him, we have nothing to fear or lose and have everything to gain. Let us strengthen our faith in the One who gives the great gift of everlasting life!

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

The Presentation of Mary

2011-11-21T05:55:00.001-05:00

The Presentation of Mary

Today, we celebrate the feast of the Presentation of Mary. It is the day when Mary's parents, Anne and Joachim, officially offered their daughter, the Blessed Virgin Mary, to God at the age of three. Mary's presentation is a significant event in salvation history. Not only is it important because Mary is offered to God, but it is also a fulfillment of St. Anne's promise to God who was childless at the time of the promise.

Mary's presentation is a reminder to us to be dedicated to the Lord God and to seek to fulfill His will in our lives. It was at our Baptism that we, too, were offered to God and, hence, were marked through the anointing of the oil of Catecheumens as a child of God. Being offered to God and marked as His children also has marked us for the Kingdom of Heaven. Thus, a special relationship with God has been established as it was in the life of Mary.

Today, let us take the time to reflect on the significance of our baptismal day. May it remind us of our special relationship with the Lord God. Let us be ever mindful that we are a marked people--we are marked for God and His Kingdom. May our lives reflect our commitment to the Lord as we love and serve the Lord with all our hearts, minds, bodies, and souls.

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Christ the King

2011-11-20T05:45:00.000-05:00

Today, we celebrate the Solemnity of Christ the King. It is a day where we recall the kingship of Christ the Lord. As we see in today's Gospel (Mt. 25:31-46), the king does not appear as a royal, majestic leader. No, Christ appears as a humble shepherd. However, the role of this shepherd should not be undermined, nor taken for granted. It is our Good Shepherd who will indeed separate the sheep from the goats, those worthy of the Kingdom versus those who are not.

This is precisely why Jesus emphasizes in today's Gospel to treat each person as if they were Christ Himself. As Jesus says, "Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me" (25:40). Thus, how we treat one another is how we also treat Jesus. As King, Christ acts as our final Judge on the day of our particular judgment. It is here where Christ the King will deem us worthy or unworthy to inherit eternal life. Thus, we want to do our best at all times to be living examples of Christ the Lord and treat one another as Christ would treat us.

As we prepare to close out another liturgical year and begin the season of Advent, may this time of preparation to celebrate the birth of the New Born King be a time to foster Christ's love and peace towards one another. It is Jesus Himself who says, "The righteous will inherit eternal life" (20:46). Friends, let us pray today that we may be among the righteous. When it comes time to meet Christ the King, may the judgment we receive be a favorable one. May we do all in our power in our earthly lives to reflect the love of Christ and manifest His Presence wherever we go. Let us always be mindful of the Savior's words: "Whatever you did for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me" (25:40).

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

God of the Living

2011-11-19T06:45:00.000-05:00

In today's Gospel (Lk. 20:27-40), Jesus is approached by some Sadducees. As St. Luke tells us, the Sadducees deny that there is a resurrection. The question they ask of Jesus is in regards to what does happen if there is, indeed, a resurrection of the body. They ask Jesus: If a man marries, and his spouse dies, and he remarries, who will this man be married to after the resurrection?

The reason why they ask Jesus this question is because they don't realize that God is a God of the living and not of the dead. Therefore, God does not associate earthly unions in the Kingdom of Heaven. As Jesus states, "The children of this age marry and remarry; but those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age and to the resurrection of the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. They can no longer die, for they are like angels; and they are the children of God because they are the ones who will rise" (20:34-36). Thus, the overall significance of the resurrection is complete union with God. To be with God forever in the Kingdom of Heaven is the true reward of one's resurrection. This is precisely what we have been created for. This does not mean to undermine the value of marriage in the earthly life, but it ought not take precedence over the special relationship we have with the living God. Through marriage, human life continues through procreation but will not be necessary in the Kingdom of Heaven, for no one dies in Heaven.

Today, we pray for a better understanding of the gift of eternal life. May we come to see that is our dying to this world that opens the door to everlasting life in the Kingdom of Heaven. Death is not something to be feared but rather to be embraced. For those who believe in Jesus, even if they die, will live forever in the Kingdom of Heaven. Let us be joyful in the gift of the resurrection, for it serves as a reminder to all of us that God is not a God of the dead but the God of the living!

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Respect for God's House

2011-11-18T05:59:00.000-05:00

In today's Gospel (Lk.19:45-48), Jesus drives out from the Temple area those who are turning the Temple into a den of thieves. It is here where Jesus reminds all of us about showing proper respect for God's house. We need to be aware that each time we enter a church, we are entering sacred ground. We are visiting God's house as Jesus' guests.

It is important for us to realize that God's house is unlike any other building. We, too, need to show proper respect upon entering such a sacred place and realize the significance of why we are there. We come to church to spend time in prayer with the Lord before the Blessed Sacrament and to worship as a community of faith. We must not fall into the temptation of disrupting the sanctity of God's house. Being aware of our surroundings will help enable others to do the same. There are certainly times to be social and engage in conversations with one another. However, it should not be done in the church. As Jesus reminds us in today's Gospel, His house shall be a house of prayer (19:46).

Friends, let us pray that we may heed to Jesus' teaching in today's Gospel. May we do our part, too, in preserving God's house as a house of prayer. Let us always be aware of Jesus' presence in the church and use our time in church to be in prayer with Him Who desires all to come to Him and be with Him in quiet time of prayer.

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

And He Wept

2011-11-17T03:47:00.000-05:00

In today's Gospel (Lk. 19:41-44), we learn of Jesus' unexpected weeping as He reaches Jerusalem. Jesus weeps because He knows of the future destruction of Jerusalem, a city that He loves and cherishes. This is evident in Jesus' prophesying message in today's Gospel. He makes it very clear that destruction will take place and that there will not be one stone left upon another (19:44).

Though Jesus weeps over the future destruction of Jerusalem, there is an even more profound reason for His weeping. He weeps not only for Jerusalem, but for those who continuously reject Him to the point of His being crucified. It is because of their poor treatment of Jesus that Jerusalem will be destroyed. The destruction serves as a punishment for rejecting Jesus as the Son of God. It was promised to Jerusalem that the Messiah would be sent, and yet, it was Jerusalem who rejected Him.

Today, we pray for the grace to take full advantage of the opportunities the Lord provides... May we cherish our time with the Lord. Let us never take for granted His presence among us and others. May we appreciate His presence and share His presence with all. Unlike many of the Jews at the time of Jesus, may we see and acknowledge Him for who He is. We do this through our kind words and faith-filled actions. Let us avoid punishment from God above by properly serving the Lord here below.

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Using God's Gifts Wisely

2011-11-16T06:00:00.001-05:00

The purpose of Jesus' parable in today's Gospel (Lk. 19:11-28) is to remind us to use wisely the gifts, talents, and graces that God has given to us. Jesus says, "I tell you, to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away" (19:26). Here, Jesus is not referring to wealth. Rather, He is referring to those who are in alignment with His teachings and living their faith lives well. In doing so, there is an abundance of grace that is to be received. The more grace we receive from God, the more we are able to do the good things that He is asking of us and, in turn, produce abundant fruit.

The Jewish people were not grasping this concept of Jesus. They didn't realize that to earn a share of the Kingdom of Heaven, one must prove themselves worthy of the Kingdom. No, they thought that the Kingdom was going to appear right before their very eyes and that Jesus was going to slay the tyrants and they would live forever in Heaven. This was and is not the case! Though the Lord desires all to be saved, few respond to Him. This is evident in today's Gospel. Jesus states, "Now as for those enemies of mine who did not want me as their king, bring them here and slay them before me" (19:27). This is in reference to the Jews who refused to accept Jesus as the long awaited Messiah. In rejecting Him, they also rejected the Kingdom--this was the slaying they would receive.

Today, we pray to use wisely, and to the fullest capacity, the gifts, talents, and graces we have received from the Lord God. May we be ever mindful that the more we receive, the more is required from us. This ought not to be seen as a burden but be seen as a gift from God. Knowing that we receive an abundance of grace enables us to properly prepare for the Kingdom of Heaven. Let us use these graces to be like the servants who, by being faithful in small matters, would be trusted in larger matters!

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Seeking Out Sinners

2011-11-15T05:56:00.000-05:00

In today's Gospel (Lk. 19:1-10), Jesus encounters a tax collector, named, Zacchaeus. As we all know, tax collectors were despised by the Jewish people because of their collaboration with the Roman authorities and cheated people by charging high rates of interest on their taxes. Thus, it comes to no surprise that the Jewish authorities question Jesus' dining at the home of Zacchaeus. Why would the Lord desire to eat at the home of a tax collector? Certainly, he knew they were evildoers and despised by the Jewish people.

The reason why Jesus chose to dine at the home of a tax collector was because He came to seek out sinners. His desire is for sinners to repent and change from their sinful ways. This is precisely what happened to Zacchaeus. After encountering the Lord, he decides to give half his goods to the poor and to anyone he extorted anything from, he would restore it four times over (19:8). Thus, his life was forever changed after encountering Jesus.

This is the same effect that Jesus' presence can have in our lives as well. We are all sinners in one way or another. However, with the Lord all things are possible. If we open our hearts completely to the Lord, then great things will happen in our lives as well. We can experience the same presence Zacchaeus felt. His heart was opened to the Lord, and, as a result, he turned away from his sinful way of living and opened his life to a life of grace. We pray for the Lord to have the same effect in our lives. May His presence captivate us to turn away from sin and grow in holiness.

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Help Me to See!

2011-11-14T06:00:00.000-05:00

In today's Gospel (Lk.18:35-43), Jesus encounters a blind man sitting by the roadside on His way to Jericho. As he hears the crowd going by, the blind man inquires as to what was happening. They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by" (18:37). It was Jesus, the Lord Most High who was passing by.

Certainly, the blind man was not going to let this moment pass him by without reaching out to the Lord. As St. Luke tells us, "he shouted, 'Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me'" (18:38)! Remember, this man is blind and has never seen the face of Jesus, nor any of His works, miracles, and healings. It was his faith in the Lord in which he believes. He did not need to see anything, for in his heart, he knew it was the Lord. This is precisely the type of faith the Lord is asking from each of us--to believe without the need to see.

As Jesus acknowledges the blind man, He asks what it is that he wants Him to do for him? The blind man responds by saying to Jesus, "Lord, please let me see"(18:41). Because of the blind man's faith in Christ, not only is his sight restored, but he is saved! Imagine what this moment was like for the blind man. As his sight is restored and the blurry vision gives way to complete clarity, the Lord is the first person He sees. The One whom he believed in his heart, without seeing, is the first person he is able to see when his sight is restored. What a tremendous gift the Lord bestowed upon this man!

Friends, the Lord is willing to do the same for all of us. What is required is complete faith in Christ. Today, let us pray that we may have the desire of the blind man--to see the Lord for Who He truly is. May the eyes of our faith be clear and not blinded by our presuppositions or worldly allurements. We pray for the grace to have our focus on Christ. In doing so, may we receive the gift from the Lord and hear the same words the blind man heard: "Have sight; your faith has saved you" (18:42).

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

The Faithful Departed

2011-11-02T05:56:00.000-04:00

The Holy Souls in Purgatory

Today, we commemorate All Souls Day. It is a day where we are asked universally to pray for all the deceased. St. Augustine taught, "If we had no care for the dead, we would not be in the habit of praying for them." Praying for the dead is a very important devotion for us to have. We pray not just for our relatives and friends but for all the dead. The reason being, we do not know for certain what state people are in when they die. They may not be in the state of grace and, as a result, may need their souls purified so they can one day share in eternal glory in the Kingdom of Heaven. This is known as the purgative state--being in Purgatory to become perfected before arriving to Heaven.

Why our prayers are necessary is because the dead cannot pray for themselves to be purified. They need people to pray for them. In doing so, when our end arrives, those who are helped to Heaven through our prayers will, in turn, pray for us to become purified.

It really is no coincidence that we commemorate All Souls Day the day after All Saints Day. It is the saints who show us the way to the Kingdom. They are our inspiration in this life to live the faith well. We must be forever conscious of the fact that how well or poorly we live our lives now, and practice our faith, will determine where we will be for eternity--Heaven or Hell. The saints are intercessors who encourage us to live the faith well and seek the Kingdom above all things. They also remind us to not forget those who are making their way to Heaven and need some assistance along the way.

Today, we are being called to task. Do not forget those in need of prayers! As we celebrate All Souls Day, we pray for all the souls in Purgatory and all who will die throughout the course of this day, and in the coming days, that the Lord will have mercy upon their souls and that they may come to participate in the Eternal Banquet in Heaven.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

On a side note, I will be leaving for vacation. As a result, this will be my last reflection before I return. I will resume these reflections on Monday, November 14th. Thank you for your patience and all your prayers and support. Be assured of my prayers for all of you.

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

The Heavenly Host

2011-11-01T06:00:00.000-04:00

Today, we celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints. We commemorate those saints who are known and unknown. It is a day where we recall the heroic lives these men and women lived. They are true witnesses to the Faith and inspire us by showing us the supreme value of living the Faith. Like the saints we honor today, we have all been called to a vocation of holiness. Our ultimate desire ought to be Eternal Life in the Kingdom of Heaven. It is the Heavenly Hosts of angels and saints who inspire us to live and lead lives of virtue and heroism.

Though the saints now rejoice exultantly in the Kingdom, we know the pathway was not the easiest. In order for them to inherit a life of sanctity, they first endured some challenges, persecutions, and suffering along the way. In sum, they lovingly embraced the crosses that were given to them in order to be set free and be redeemed. They came to realize that it was in first accepting and embracing the cross that they would ultimately be set free!

Today, we invoke the intercession of all the saints to help us in our earthly lives to live the faith well. When we come upon times of struggle, persecution, or suffering, may the example of these heroic witnesses encourage us not to despair but lovingly embrace our cross, knowing that it is the cross that leads to a life of eternal glory.

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Invite the Unexpected

2011-10-31T05:11:00.002-04:00

In today's Gospel (Lk. 14:12-14), Jesus is encouraging us not to do anything seeking repayment. He tells us, "When you hold a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or sisters or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors, in case they may invite you back and you have repayment" (14:12). Rather, He wants us to "invite" those who are not able to repay us.

Jesus is asking that we exercise true charity to those who are in need. In being a disciple of Jesus, we are not to count the cost or do things so that we, in turn, will receive the same favor. No, we are called to give without counting the cost. We follow the example of the Master. Jesus never did anything, including dying on the Cross, seeking repayment. He did all things to help others strengthen their faith in Him and reveal the immensity of His love for mankind.

Today, let us set out to follow this teaching of Jesus. When we do things for others, may these things be done without the desire for repayment. May we take the time to reach out to those in need. As we acknowledge the love the Lord Jesus has for us, may we share that love with one another. Let us always be mindful that all we do in the name of the Lord will be rewarded at the day of the resurrection, where we will share the joys of everlasting life.

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Practice What You Teach

2011-10-30T05:03:00.001-04:00

In today's Gospel (Mt. 23:1-12), Jesus calls to task the inability of the scribes and Pharisees to be good leaders for others to follow. As He says, "Do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice" (23:3). To me, this is one of the worst criticisms one can receive from the Lord. Jesus is making it very clear that the scribes and Pharisees are failing miserably in their role as spiritual leaders. They are not helping others grow in their faith, nor are they good examples for others to follow. They teach great things, but they fail to practice what they teach. Thus, Jesus often refers to them as hypocrites!

The core message of today's Gospel reminds me of the day I was ordained to the Diaconate. During the Rite of Ordination for Deacons, the bishop handed us the Book of Gospels saying, "Believe what you read, teach what you believe, practice what you teach." This is precisely what the scribes and Pharisees failed to do. As priests and deacons, we have a great responsibility to not only teach the Word of God properly, but to practice what we teach. During my seminary studies at Mount St. Mary's Seminary in Emmitsburg, MD, we were taught in our homiletic class to pay attention to these words from the Rite of Ordination and to live by them. The priest who was preparing us in homiletics said to us on the very first day of class to be sure that whatever message we were delivering in our homilies, one of two things MUST be happening: 1) we are abiding by the message we are passing on to others or 2) if we are not, then we better be willing to conform to the message in our teaching. This advice was given to me ten years ago, and I have never forgotten it. In fact, these words are always in my mind when preparing a homily. Again, it all sums up what Jesus is emphasizing in today's Gospel. In order to be effective teachers, leaders, and examples for others, we must, first and foremost, practice everything we preach. In doing so, we will be faithfully abiding by the Word of God and helping others to do the same.

Today, let us pray that we may be good examples for others to follow. As we become nourished through the Sacred Scriptures, may we put into practice the teachings we receive from the Lord. May all that we say and advise to others be the same advice we would implement in our lives. Let us be faithful in practicing what we teach and not expect anything from someone else that we, ourselves, are not willing to incorporate into our lives.

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz

Take the Lowest Place

2011-10-29T06:56:00.000-04:00

In today's Gospel (Lk. 14:1,7-11), Jesus goes to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees. As He is there, Jesus observes how they were choosing their place of honor at the table. As He sees this, He tells them a parable--a parable that more than likely ruffled the feathers of many at the dinner table. Jesus says to them, "When you are invited, go and take the lowest place" (14:10)

Jesus is telling this parable to the Pharisees to help prevent embarrassment from taking for granted their place in the Kingdom. As we have learned over the past several Gospel readings, many of the Pharisees were far from the place of honor in the Kingdom of Heaven. Their mindset was that since they were obeying the letter of the Law, they would be given their place of honor in Heaven. However, this was not necessarily the case for them, nor is it for us for that matter. Having a place of honor in the Kingdom of Heaven is not something that should be taken for granted. Rather, this is a place of honor that is earned through one's faith in Christ and living faith-filled lives following the teachings and example of Jesus. It is not something that anyone should presume as a given. This is precisely what Jesus is emphasizing in today's Gospel.

Today, we pray that we may not take the place of honor in the Kingdom of Heaven for granted. May we not fall into the temptation of thinking that sharing everlasting life is an automatic. Rather, let us realize that Heaven is earned through our faith and good works. Let us heed to Jesus' teaching and realize that to be in the place of honor, we must do what is necessary to receive the invitation to be there.

May God bless you always,

~ Fr. Michael J. Slusz