Saints of God…

…the Lord be with you!

The Gospel for this Sunday is long (Matthew 13:24-43) and contains three parables describing the Kingdom of Heaven, plus an explanation of the first parable. I’m going to focus on the first parable: “The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man who sowed good seed in his field…his enemy came and sowed weeds all through the wheat.” This raises the question for me as to how I view the world, my neighbors, and myself.

As Catholics, and Franciscans as well, we should see the world as fundamentally good. Original sin has damaged that goodness but has not destroyed that “original goodness” in the world, in our neighbors, and in ourselves. Yes, bad things, sinful things, wicked things, are done, thought, and said, BUT there is more good in the world, our neighbors, and ourselves than sin. Grace is always at work. In the words of 20th century Catholic theologian Karl Rahner, we live in a “world of grace”. While Grace may be thwarted, denied, rejected, in the end, Grace is Triumphant.

In the first reading from the Book of Wisdom (12:13, 16-19) the sage writes, “For you (God) show your might when the perfection of your power is disbelieved…but though you are a master of might, you judge with clemency, and with much lenience you govern us.” Thank God we have a lenient God, who expects “those who are just must be kind…and that you would permit repentance” when we are not.

The growth of the “wheat of faith” is not reliant on our will alone. In the second reading from St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans (8: 26-27) he writes, “The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness…and (he) intercedes for the holy ones according to God’s will.” As we yield more and more to the Holy Spirit, the weeds of sin and doubt will diminish, our faith will grow and put forth an abundance of charity.

We are more Saint than sinner. Not because of anything we have done, but because of all that God is doing in the field of our lives and our world.

– Fr. Steve

A Journey of Faith & Fraternity

My Good Friends,

This Sunday, Fr. Mike, Fr. Steve, and I will be joining nearly 300 (maybe more) of our Franciscan brothers in the newly reconfigured Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe. as we gather for our Provincial Chapter in St Louis and return back to the parish sometime on Friday July 17th. These gatherings are one of the most important moments in the life of our fraternity. As we prepare to pack and make the journey, we find ourselves looking forward to much more than a week of meetings. We will be anticipating a time of prayer, reflection, discernment, and, above all, fraternity.

A Chapter is a unique opportunity in the life of a friar, as it affords us the opportunity for us to step away from the daily rhythm of ministry and come together as brothers. We serve in parishes, schools, retreat centers, hospitals, campus ministries, and many other places, separated by hundreds of miles since the forming of this new Province. For many of us, the Chapter is the one occasion when we can gather under one roof, reconnect with friends, meet friars we know only by name, and renew the bonds that unite us as sons of St. Francis.

While there will be important business before us, including election of new leadership on the Provincial level, various reports, discussions, decisions and possible reassignments that will help shape the future of our province, our hope is that we never lose sight of why we gather. Our Chapter is first and foremost a spiritual event. Together we will celebrate the Eucharist, pray the Liturgy of the Hours, seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and listen carefully to one another. Every conversation, every vote, and every decision should be rooted in our shared desire to live the Gospel more faithfully. There is something deeply Franciscan about listening to one another with openness and respect, recognizing that God often speaks through the voices of our brothers.

A gathering of a Province is also a visible reminder that our fraternity is larger than any one local community or ministry. Together we represent generations of Franciscan life, from those celebrating decades of profession to friars who have only recently begun their journey. Together we all bring unique gifts that reflect the richness of our vocations.

As our Chapter begins this Sunday, we ask for your prayers for safe travel there and back home again. Pray that we will be open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, courageous in our discernment, wise in our decisions, and generous in our service to one another. Pray that our time together will strengthen our fraternity, renew our commitment to follow Christ in the footsteps of St. Francis, and return refreshed back to our parish community of Sacred Heart.

We arrive with gratitude for the brothers who have gone before us, appreciation for those who serve alongside us today, and hope for the future that God continues to unfold. May this Chapter be a time of renewal, joy, and faithful discernment as we seek to embrace the mission entrusted to us with humility, simplicity, and peace.

Peace and All Good,
Fr. Zack

Saints of God…

…the Lord be with you!

In this weekend’s first reading from the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah (20: 10-13), he cries out “I hear the whisperings of many: ‘Terror on every side!’. As I write this, not much has changed in our country or our world. There is terror, and many are frightened. But as every good prophet does, Jeremiah does not leave us with this bad but all too real news. He adds, “But the Lord is with me, like a mighty champion…Sing praise to the Lord, praise the Lord, for he has rescued the life of the poor from the power of the wicked.”

This same message is given to us in today’s Gospel according to Matthew (10: 26-33). Three times Jesus says to the Twelve, “Fear no one; do not be afraid; do not be afraid.” Why? To return to the text, “you are worth more than many sparrows” two of which were sold for two small coins. In other words, in the eyes of our Heavenly Father God, we are of supreme, infinite value.

Perhaps today is a good time to take stock of what or who we are afraid. In my experience as a confessor, I’ve come to understand that most of the time we show our fear through anger (since adults, especially men are taught we should not be afraid). I think the one thing we are all afraid of as human being is death. But even death should hold no fear for us. St. Francis called Death his sister. And through the Resurrection, Jesus destroyed death and shows us the glory of eternal life. As I often remind myself, we don’t stay dead. As Preface 1 for a funeral states, “For your faithful Lord, life is changed, not ended.”

President Franklin Roosevelt stated, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” But fear doesn’t have to have the final word. Today’s readings remind us that “the antidote to fear is faith.” And the fruit of faith is charity. This week let us remind ourselves and others that our Lord Jesus is with us as our champion. He is rescuing us from the powers of all that is wicked. So let us laugh in the face of fear.

– Fr. Steve

The Canticle of the Creatures
by St. Francis of Assisi

Most High, all-powerful,
good Lord,
yours is the praise,
the glory and the honor and every blessing.

To you alone, Most High,
do they belong,
and no one is worthy
to speak your name.

Praised be you, my Lord
with all your creatures,
especially Sir Brother Sun,
who is the day through whom
you bring us light.

And he is lovely, shining
with great splendor,
for he heralds you, Most High.

Praised be you, my Lord,
through Sister Moon and Stars.
In heaven you have formed them,
lightsome and precious and fair.

And praised be you, my Lord,
through Brother Wind, through
air and cloud, through calm
and every weather by which
you sustain your creatures.

Praised be you, my Lord,
through Sister Water,
so very useful and humble,
precious and chaste.

Praised be you, my Lord
through Brother Fire,
by whom you light up
the night, and he is
handsome and merry,
robust and strong.

Praised be you, my Lord,
through our Sister, Mother Earth,
who sustains us and directs us
bringing forth all kinds of fruits
and colored flowers and herbs.

Praised be you, my Lord
through those who forgive
for your love
and who bear sickness and trial.

Blessed are those
who endure in peace,
for by you, Most High,
they will be crowned.

Praised be you, my Lord,
through our Sister Bodily Death
from whom no living being
can escape.

How dreadful for those
who die in mortal sin!
How blessed are those she
finds in your most holy will
for the second death
can do them no harm.

O praise and bless my Lord,
thank him and serve him
humbly but grandly!