Saints of God, the Lord be with you!

Have you ever have an “Aha!” moment? I did, and because I am a not too-smart Franciscan, I have them often. The most life changing “Aha!” moment happened when I was discerning my vocation. Should I continue my plan of returning to teaching as a Franciscan Brother or was God calling me to ordination? It happened that a woman approached me while I was a student friar and tearfully asked if I would hear her confession. The cause of her tears was that she was denied absolution because she didn’t know the Act of Contrition…in Latin! I told her I wasn’t a priest, but Father Andrew would make everything okay. He did, and I never saw her again.

On the ride back to the friary, I expressed my indignation at that priest, and, trying to calm me down, Fr. Andrew suggested that I go to the beach and reflect on the incident. I did, and after about twenty minutes I realized I had been asking the wrong question concerning my vocation. The question was not “should I get ordained” but rather, “how can I best serve.” And the rest you know.

It seems to me that all three readings today are about “Aha!” moments. In Genesis (15:5-12,17-18), Abram experiences the Lord God, and because of his obedience the LORD made a covenant with him and his descendants. In Paul’s letter to the Philippians (3:17-4:1), he writes that God “will change our lowly body to conform with His (Christ’s) glorified body.” The result (the “Aha!”) of standing firm (in faith) in the Lord.

With the Transfiguration (Luke 9:28b-36) of Jesus, the apostles Peter, John, and James, having become overwhelmed by sleep became “fully awake” and “saw (Christ’s) glory and the two men (Moses and Elijah) standing with Him.” An “Aha!” moment to say the least, but one which they didn’t fully understand until the Resurrection/Pentecost.

If Catholicism is anything, it is a religion of “aha moments”…Baptism changes us into Christ…bread and wine are changed into the Body and Blood of Christ….we celebrate our forgiveness in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

My prayer for all of us this Lent is that our prayers, fasting, and almsgiving may open us to a greater awareness of the “aha moments” that enfold us.

– Fr. Steve

My Good Friends,

Peace and all good to you, dear brothers and sisters in Christ! As we have now begun our Season of Lent, with our First Sunday of Lent, the Church leads us into the desert with Jesus. We witness His confrontation with the devil and His unwavering trust in the Father. This passage from the Gospel of Luke (4:1-13) invites us, especially as followers of Franciscan spirituality, to reflect on the themes of poverty, humility, and trust in divine providence.

St. Francis, in his deep love for the poor and crucified Christ, saw the temptations of Jesus as a call to embrace a life of dependence on God. We now continue our journey together through this Lenten Season striving to live the Gospel with the eyes and hearts of St. Francis.

“One does not live on bread alone” | Embracing Poverty & Simplicity | The first temptation Jesus faces is hunger. After fasting for forty days, He is invited by the devil to turn stones into bread. But Jesus responds, “One does not live on bread alone” (Luke 4:4).

St. Francis lived this truth profoundly. He abandoned wealth and privilege to embrace holy poverty, recognizing that our deepest hunger is for God, not material security. Lent calls us to let go of excessive attachments and trust in God’s providence. It is a time too fast, not just from food, but from all that distracts us from relying on the Lord. So, we ask ourselves… Do we place our trust in material comforts, or do we seek to be nourished by the Word of God?

“You shall worship the Lord your God and Him alone shall you serve” | The Call to Humility | The second temptation is about power. The devil offers Jesus’ authority over all kingdoms, saying that it will be His if He worships Satan. Jesus refuses, declaring that God alone is worthy of worship.

Francis of Assisi, though once ambitious and eager for worldly success, learned that true greatness comes from humility and service. He chose to live among the poor, not seeking power or recognition, but only the love of God. Lent is a time for us to resist the temptations of pride, ego, and the desire for control, instead choosing the humble way of Christ. Once again, we ask…Are we tempted by power, status, or the need for recognition? How can we embrace humility in our daily lives?

“You shall not put the Lord your God to the test” | Surrendering to God’s Will | In the final temptation, the devil challenges Jesus to throw Himself down from the temple, testing God’s protection. Jesus refuses, showing complete trust in the Father’s plan.

St. Francis also learned to trust God completely, even in suffering and uncertainty. Whether begging for food, preaching with no guarantee of success, or bearing the wounds of Christ in his own body, Francis never doubted that God was with him. Lent calls us to let go of our fears and surrender fully to God’s will. And finally, we ask ourselves… Do we trust God in times of difficulty, or do we try to control everything? Are we willing to surrender to God’s plan?

Lent is a time of renewal, a call to follow Christ more closely in poverty, humility, and trust. Like Jesus in the desert and Francis in his radical discipleship, we are invited to fast from attachments that keep us from God. Pray with simplicity and sincerity, deepening our relationship with Christ. Give generously, sharing with those in need, as Francis did.

We ask our Lord to transform our hearts this Lent, so that we may walk more faithfully in the footsteps of Jesus and St. Francis.

May our Lenten journey lead us to the joy of Easter, where we will rise with Christ in newness of life. Amen.

– Fr. Zack

Saints of God, the Lord be with you!

Years ago, when my friend Sister Kate Murphy, OSF, was in her eighties, I would often ask her, “Kate, if you had to choose Jesus or me, who would you choose?” She always answered that she would choose me, to which I would say, “Wrong choice! You’re 80!” Now picture Fr. David Phan, OFM. As soon as I would say, “David, if you had to choose…” and before I would finish, he would respond, “Yes!”

It seems to me that all the readings hold out to us the demand to choose either a life of blessing or curse. Of course, most of us would choose blessing. The difficulty is that sometimes we must choose so quickly that we choose without reflection. Other times, the choice is not between good or evil, but between two actions or things which are both good. Sometimes, we choose without enough information or life experience. And even not to choose is itself a choice.

What might help us is asking, what a person choosing blessing would look like. In today’s Gospel according to Luke (6:17, 20-26) Jesus describes a blessed person as knowing that no matter how monetarily wealthy one is, they are aware of their existential poverty. None of us will live forever, and all the wealth we accumulated does not go with us.

We are blessed when we realize that no matter how much stuff we have, we are still hungry for more. But more of what? Or better yet, hungry for whom?

The answer, of course, is God.

We choose to be blessed people when we mourn, for our own sins and the sins of the world. And when hated or ridiculed by others because of our choices to trust in God rather than our wealth, we continue to trust in “Christ (who) has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20).

All of today’s readings ask us to make conscious choices for God, and God’s values. Moral theologians call this “our fundamental option.” And in choosing choices that point us in the direction of God, we are cooperating with the Holy Spirit living within us.

– Fr. Steve

Saints of God, the Lord be with you!

I can’t help but wonder if the Church chose this reading from the Gospel according to John (2:1-11) to direct our attention to back to the celebration last week, the Baptism of the Lord, and it’s Gospel reading according to Luke (3:15-16; 21-22).

Today’s Gospel mentions that the copious amount of water (twenty to thirty gallons in six stone water jars) were there for Jewish ceremonial washings. Washings would have been another way of saying cleansings. And isn’t that what Baptism is all about? Well, that’s part of what Baptism is about. True, we are washed clean of original sin. Baptized into the “name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit” our human nature begins to be changed; divinized. We are gifted with the identity and mission of Christ. Anointed with the Chrism of Salvation (a symbol of the Holy Spirit) we are called to be the Light of Christ, as Priest, Prophet, and King. While our white baptismal robe is a sign of our Christian dignity. As St. Augustin wrote, “Rejoice O Christian! For by your baptism, you are more than a Christian, you are Christ Himself.” We are called not to be Jesus Christ, (We can’t be since we are not fully human and fully divine. Nor are we first century Jewish men.) but are called be Christ in our own way, in our own time.

God the Father gives us a “new name; we become a glorious crown and a royal diadem.” We are God’s Delight and His Spouse…God rejoices in you!” as Isaiah wrote in the first reading (Is. 62:1-5). God weds Himself to us, and in a way, we can say that in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, God weds Himself to creation and Humanity. In Christ the two become one without confusion.

The second reading from St. Paul to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 12: 4-11) shows us how our baptismal relationship with the Holy Trinity should be lived.

We are gifted for service toward one another. We are given the Holy Spirit who manifests Himself through wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, mighty deeds, prophecy, discernment of spirits, tongues and their interpretation. We are called to yield our lives to the Spirit and produce these fruits of the Spirit in the world.

We might say that today’s Gospel reminds us that God has wed Himself to each of us and together we make up the Church. Let us not live barren lives, but rather let us help one another to grow in holiness and imitation of Christ. For that is what Baptism and the Sacrament of Matrimony is all about.

– Fr. Steve

My Dear Friends,

The Baptism of the Lord is an important feast in the Christian liturgical calendar, especially in the Franciscan tradition. The event is recorded in all four Gospels (Matthew 3:13-17, Mark 1:9-11, Luke 3:21-22, and John 1:29-34) and marks the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. For Franciscans, this feast offers rich theological reflection, inviting us to contemplate the mystery of Christ’s humility, his identification with humanity, and his mission to bring about God’s kingdom.

Humility is considered the cornerstone of the Christian life, and St. Francis of Assisi himself is known for his deep commitment to humility, as seen in his rejection of worldly honor and his embrace of poverty. The Baptism of Jesus is seen as a profound act of humility. Though sinless, Jesus enters the waters of repentance, not because he needs purification, but because he desires to identify fully with the human condition. This moment calls us to reflect on our own call to humility, inviting us to follow Christ’s example in our own lives—especially in moments when we may feel called to serve others without seeking recognition.

When Jesus is baptized, the heavens open, and the voice of God the Father declares, “This is my Son, with whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). This moment of divine revelation affirms Jesus’ identity as the Son of God and shows the deep love the Father has for him. As Franciscans, our approach to this passage emphasizes God’s love not only for Jesus but for all of creation. St. Francis often spoke of creation as a reflection of God’s love, and he saw everything—people, animals, plants—as brother or sister in the vast family of God. The Baptism of the Lord reminds us to live in the grace and love bestowed upon us and to share it generously with all creation.

The Baptism of the Lord is one of the clearest moments in the New Testament where the Holy Trinity is revealed: the Father speaks, the Son is baptized, and the Holy Spirit descends like a dove. The dove represents peace, simplicity, and gentleness—qualities that were central to St. Francis’s way of life. The dove’s presence at the baptism is a sign of the Holy Spirit’s role in empowering Jesus for his mission, and it reminds us of the importance of the Holy Spirit in our own lives. The Spirit calls us to embody peace and gentleness in our interactions with others and to live out the radical love that Jesus demonstrated.

The Baptism of the Lord is a pivotal moment in the life of Jesus and a rich source of reflection. It is an opportunity to contemplate the humility, love, and mission of Christ, to renew our own baptismal calling, and to remember that we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to live lives of peace, service, and joy. Through the Baptism of Jesus, we are reminded that all our vocations in life call us to be of transformed by humility, and to pursue active participation in the divine mission of working towards bringing peace to the kingdom of God to earth.

Pax et bonum!
-Fr. Zack

Dear Friends,

The Holy Family, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph—holds a central place in Christian theology and devotion. Representing the ideal family, their lives reflect the virtues of faith, obedience, humility, and love. Among the passages in the New Testament that offer insight into the family dynamic of Jesus, one particularly moving moment is found in Luke 2:41-52, where we see a glimpse of Jesus’ early years and his growing awareness of his divine mission.

The story begins by noting that the Holy Family, as was customary for faithful Jews of the time, made the pilgrimage to Jerusalem every year for the Feast of the Passover. The Passover was one of the most important Jewish festivals, commemorating the Israelites’ liberation from slavery in Egypt. This annual journey highlights the devotion of Mary and Joseph to their faith and their commitment to keeping the religious practices that defined their Jewish identity.

Their participation in this religious tradition underscores the holiness of their family life. It also sets the stage for the story to come, as we see how Jesus, even at a young age, is growing in both his understanding of God and his sense of divine purpose.

How do we try to resemble a Holy Family? Do we have annual traditions and customs as Jesus’s family did? Do we make sure that we have that special quality time with our family and making sure that God is always the center? This is how we can work and become more like the Holy Family we read about this weekend. We celebrate this feast because again Jesus is showing us the way, the way to Him by making sure we include our family and His in this journey of faith.

It is through our experience of family life that we can learn and try to imitate the Holy Family. We may not think of ourselves as being a holy family, but in fact, we really are. Are we trying our best to live good and moral lives? Do we respect and honor each other? Do we say, “I love you” and “I forgive you”? Do we stop to listen, not just hear, and try to understand the different situations of our family members? Do we practice our faith together by attending Mass and praying together? Do we live with a heart full of gratitude for the abundant blessings God’s gives to us? These are just a few indicators of living the life of a holy family. You are a holy family!

Luke offers a powerful glimpse into the early life of Jesus, showing both his divinity and his humanity. It highlights the loving, obedient relationship between Jesus and his parents, and the early signs of his divine mission. This passage invites Christians to reflect on the importance of family life, the call to obedience, and the profound mysteries of the Incarnation. Through the example of the Holy Family, we are encouraged to live lives of faith, humility, and devotion, trusting in God’s plan and growing in wisdom and grace.

– Deacon Ray

Saints of God, the Lord be with you!

Amid the hustle and bustle of getting ready for the great Solemnity of Christmas, this weekend the Church asks us to pause and reflect on all we already have to rejoice about.

In the first reading from the Book of the Prophet Zephaniah, (3:14-18a) we are called to “shout for joy, sing joyfully, be glad and exult!” Why did the ancient Israelites have cause to rejoice? Because “The Lord removed judgement against them, and the Lord, your God is in your midst, a mighty Savior!” Little did they understand that the Lord in their midst will one day become one of them and that the Lord Himself will “rejoice over you with gladness and renew you in His love; He will sing joyfully because of you, as one sings at festivals.”

We, who have faith, know that “the Lord is near” as St. Paul writes in his letter to the Philippians (4:4-7). Our response to the Lord’s nearness is to be kind to all that we meet. (And if there is one thing the world and the church need now more than ever it is kindness.) It is that simple; the Lord is Kindness and Mercy, and we are made in His image and likeness. When we are kind and merciful, then we are truly living as human beings.

Why then does it seem that being kind and merciful is so difficult? Perhaps the answer can be found in today’s Gospel according to Luke (3:10-18). John the Baptist, when questioned who he is, and why he is doing what he is doing, responds in all humility that he is not who people suppose he is. He is not the Christ, the Messiah. He says, “One mightier than I is coming; I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals.” It seems to me that being kind and merciful requires a degree of humility. John knows who he is and is not tempted to be anything but who he is, and to do what God is calling him to do.

On this Gaudete Sunday, let us rejoice that we are who we are. That weak, finite people who are prone to sin, have been called by God, just as we are to grow more and more into His likeness. Let us rejoice that God, rejoices in us.

– Fr. Steve