February 9, 2020

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Prayers of the Faithful

We pray to become salt for the world by offering bread for the hungry, shelter for the lost, and support for the weary. May faith become real among our families and those who need the basics of human life.

We pray to the Lord.

We pray for all who lead our country. May our leaders not turn their backs on people who need healthcare, adequate housing and sufficient education.

We pray to the Lord.

We pray to become light in the darkness of people’s grief. May we listen to the stories of loss and misunderstandings among those we love, and among those who worship here.

We pray to the Lord.

We pray for a light of compassion for those wearied by winter darkness or depression. We pray we may become salt for people who have lost hope and contentment.

We pray to the Lord.

We pray with steadfast hearts that God may offer lavish mercy to the poor in spirit. May we not put our lights under a bushel basket or hide our hearts in fear and worry but learn to serve people with our gifts that come from God.

We pray to the Lord

We pray for our beloved dead who now rest in eternal light. In this Mass…

We pray to the Lord.

February 9, 2020

Dear Followers of Jesus,

Today’s gospel, Matthew 5:13-16, is short and familiar. However, it is full of challenge and hope for us as believers. We listen to Jesus say to his disciples, “You are the salt of the earth… You are the light of the world…”

At first glance, we may think we are mistaken. We may believe that Jesus is saying to us that he is the light of the world and that he is the salt of the earth. However, that is not his intention. He says to us that we are the salt of the earth and we are the light of the world.

This gospel helps us live the Christian life. Our lives matter to the world. Every life matters on the earth. Our baptism is not for us alone, it is not just for our personal salvation. We belong to him on earth and our responsibility is to find a way into the richness of his life so that we can live for others.

One of the essential messages of Vatican II was to bring a new dignity to our lives as the baptized. We have inherited the gift of the Holy Spirit within our hearts. God is with us no matter what. We have a responsibility on earth that comes from Jesus to live a life that is beyond our selfishness, beyond our own weariness, beyond our own egos. We are challenged to proclaim to the world that God is invested in the human condition through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit beginning from our baptism. The Church is not fortress to protect; it is about people who reveal to the world the dignity of all human life. We are salt and light, not people whom self protect from the complexities of life.

Sometimes we get caught thinking that baptism is our ticket to heaven and we don’t have to worry about the other guy. “I have mine and he should pull himself up by his own bootstraps and get his act together”. This happens especially when we become so divided in our world, in our nation, and even within our own families. One remedy to such divisive thinking is to ponder Jesus’ words today that we are light and salt. Our gifts, our talents and our faith are intertwined with others. We belong to God in baptism and we also belong to one another.

It is difficult to surrender to such an idea that we are salt and light when the issues of our Church and world seem to be out of our control. For example, the clerical sex crimes and cover-ups simply wear us down. In fact, we don’t want to be part of the Church when we hear of such sin and corruption. However, our belief in Christ Jesus is never easy. Our responsibility is to turn salt and light in to prophecy and justice. Salt does not just sit on the table. It must become an active ingredient to change lives, to become hope for other people. Light is not just to illumine our own journey, but we must lead others out of the dark.

We are challenged not to put our light under a bushel basket or hide it in our selfishness. People will be drawn to the light when it is consistent, warm and inviting. People will be drawn to our hearts when they see a new trust and gentleness that comes from God. How shall we allow our lights to reveal a new path of healing for our world?

Peace and all good,

Fr. Ron

February 2, 2020

Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

Prayers of the Faithful

We pray our faith leaders may possess the patience and integrity of Simeon and Anna. May hope spring up within all humanity from laying our eyes first upon the face of Christ Jesus.

We pray to the Lord.

We pray for the Diocese of Colorado Springs, for its mission and future. May we manifest Christ Jesus in our prayer, and service to those in need.

We pray to the Lord.

We pray for true wisdom to emerge in our decision making so that our children and grandchildren may be wrapped in the arms of justice and sure peace, in meaning and reconciliation throughout our world.

We pray to the Lord.

We pray to see the face of Jesus among the timid and the shy, among people discouraged by lack of jobs, ill health and threats of divorce and severe grief. May our hearts be laid bear for the needs of our sisters and brothers.

We pray to the Lord.

We pray for the courage to fast and pray as we wait for Jesus to be manifest in threats of war, violence, and hatred. May Simeon and Anna become models of faith and may their glances upon Jesus teach us how to be grateful forever.

We pray to the Lord

We pray that our lives may bring peace and consolation to those who grieve here on earth. May the dead be not forgotten within our lives of faith. In this Mass…

We pray to the Lord.

February 2, 2020

Presentation of the Lord

Today, we celebrate the Presentation of the Lord. This celebration is forty days after Christmas. It is inserted into the liturgical calendar even though we have moved on from the Christmas season. This year, February 2, falls on Sunday and overrides a Sunday in Ordinary Time. However, there are spiritual gems to be found in this encounter with Jesus being presented in the temple.

Simeon and Anna are two of my favorite people in the gospels. They both possess a quiet fidelity of prayer and presence. They are both old and now have found their lives in the spotlight in the temple. They have lived their entire lives waiting for this moment. Their hearts are full, their lives are now complete, and their spirits are invigorated by the presence of Jesus, the Messiah. It has been worth the wait. Being in the presence of Jesus must have been overwhelming for them. Imagine the stirrings in the hearts of these two people who waited in prayer for such a sight and such miracle.

The purpose of their lives was to wait for this encounter with Jesus. They knew from their prayer that Jesus was the one who would set their hearts ablaze. His face would become the beacon of light for all people. In Jesus, they would find salvation, forgiveness and love. Their prophetic witness was rock solid, their posture of prayer was full of integrity. They gave their lives to prayer, to this searching, for they did not want to miss the vision they longed for. They waited patiently within the walls of the temple.

Imbedded in the gospel are the words of Simeon, the Nunc Dimittis, which have become a prayer the Church prays during Night Prayer. These words are filled with yearning, with prophecy and trust. Here is the text and translation from today’s gospel:

“Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and glory for your people Israel.”

 This gospel text provides great hope for us. If we place ourselves in this gospel text, we can imagine what it would have been like to spend our lifetime in prayer waiting for the real presence of Jesus. We may ask ourselves today some questions:

What am I waiting for in life? What brings true hope for my soul? What do I wait for beyond fleeting or impulsive desires?

Am I really searching to discover God? Or am I waiting to simply protect myself? Or am I waiting to simply justify my own prejudice or worldview as I pray?

How can I search for God as a prophetic witness to justice, to love and hope for all people?

Can I become what I wait for, that is, how can I become the face of God to other people?

These two great prophets, Simeon and Anna, wait for their salvation and the salvation of the world in Christ Jesus. We do the same. The Real Presence of Jesus Christ is manifest to us every day in our house of prayer in the Eucharist. I pray we may all be attentive as we wait for our own salvation and the salvation of all who need God.

Blessings,

Fr. Ron

“Jean Vanier” Painting by: Ronald Raab, CSC 2019

I am heartened that Tui Motu Magazine, an independent Catholic magazine from New Zealand, has printed my image of Jean Vanier for an article written by Mike Riddell, in the February 2020 issue.

CLICK HERE to view my art and read the article. 

January 26, 2020

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Let us pray for all who preach the Good News and all who lead us in faith. May we adhere to our call to follow Christ Jesus with love for all people.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray to lift up those who are bent down in grief and loss, those who cannot face the day because of depression or fear, and those who face illness and disease.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for all who are burdened by addiction and the family members who are burdened by such a disease. May God offer us a net of healing.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for our government leaders and officials that they may offer hope for all who are burdened by life. May we learn from people who need a net of compassion.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for courage and strength to answer the call of Jesus to live in the depths of faith and trust. May we be called into service for people who most need us.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for our beloved dead, for our family members and friends who have reached the eternal shore. In this Mass…

We pray to the Lord.

Sunday January 26, 2020

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Dear Followers of Jesus,

In Matthew 4:12-23, Jesus invites Peter and Andrew to follow him. This stark conversation illuminates the beauty and simplicity of Jesus’ desire to reveal his mission among the people. This short narrative also shows us how convincing Jesus must have been to those men, for they left everything in order to follow him.

They immediately left their father and their nets in order to follow Jesus. This means they left their blood relationships, their heritage, to inherit a new set of relationships that had yet to be outlined or revealed. They also left their livelihood. The questions of financial support or how they would survive with Jesus are not asked here. Jesus’ invitation must have been incredibly convincing. This encounter among Jesus and Peter and Andrew is a great mystery. It seems beyond our comprehension.

Following Jesus is more than white knuckling life. We don’t adhere to Church teaching out of fear. Our fear will not redeem anything or anyone. Only love redeems. Jesus’ invitation for us is to offer our lives, including our fear into the mystery of his presence. Faith is reliance on God. Faith is not reliance on our control. Faith is not creating our lives that seem more pietistic or better than our neighbor. Faith is not about comparing our lives to those who are different from us.

Faith is allowing God to reveal within our heart that we are loved and forgiven. Faith compels us into relationship with others. Faith offers love and tenderness within our hearts that create community, relationships and peace. Faith does not harm or put down the stranger. Faith does not create divides. Faith does not hold fast to the past. Faith opens us to the beauty and wonder of life. Faith is surrender to God in our lives, in our times and relationships.

As we reflect on our faith and trust in God in these first few weeks of Ordinary Time, we are challenged to see how the first disciples of Jesus left everything in order to follow him. Our stories are not as stark. Our stories are told over the course of years and even lifetimes. We do carry many responsibilities. We have to support children and elderly parents and pay the rent and buy groceries. However, our faith in real life helps us find love in every action and in every child. God’s love is often hidden in the place we least expect, in the gift of our own human heart.

Faith generates gratitude and witness. We are compelled to give away what we discover in following Jesus. Love overflows within us if we are rooted in the heart of Christ, and in the hope of our Church. There are many obstacles in life, but faith helps us see and hear the love of Christ that changes everything. All things are possible in God. Sometimes we are called to allow God to be God, because we finally come to the realization that we are not. How beautiful to leave the nets of the past on the seashore and follow the person of Christ Jesus.

Blessings,
Fr. Ron

Rev. Bill Neidhart, CSC

Fr. Bill Neidhart, CSC has died.

Fr. Bill was a genuine leader. He understood his skills and talents as well as his shortcomings. He relied on the faith and leadership of his parishioners. He led with a great sense of humor but more importantly with a deep and honest faith and humility. He served as pastor in the Congregation of Holy Cross for over twenty consecutive years in three parishes in Indiana and California.

He also was a lot of fun to be around. I was one of his associate pastors in Burbank, California. He always teased me about sports, especially after I picked the winner of a Kentucky Derby. We laughed out loud at dinner tables and in sacristies. He came to me for advice and I came to him for wisdom. We prayed for healing among our parishioners and we shared abundant food, laughter and kindness at our evening meals. He loved his priesthood. He loved the People of God. He loved the vision of Vatican II and he took seriously his preaching and beauty of the gospels. He was a man of prayer and sought the consolation and teachings of spiritual directors. He loved God and I still pray that I might love leadership and people has he did.

I am so grateful to be counted among those who served with Bill Neidhart. Be at rest, my brother. Be at peace, now and forever.

January 19, 2020

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Let us pray for harmony and hope within our Church. May we know with full hearts our connection to Christ Jesus in the waters of our baptism.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray that baptism may wash away our sins of hatred, violence and hopelessness. May we rest in the deep waters of hope and courage.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray that our Church in every land and nation may be built upon our fidelity of prayer and service, welling up within every Christian on earth. May we seek the unity of all Christians and live with fearlessness on earth.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray to listen more attentively to God’s invitation to work for justice in our world and to renew our efforts to seek the lost and offer hope for the weary. May we respect the dignity of every human being.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray to offer comfort for the sick and consolation for all who grieve our beloved dead. May hope be born in the Holy Spirit. In this Mass…

We pray to the Lord

Dear Followers of the Christ,

Christians around the world celebrate the Week of Christian Unity, January 18-25. This year’s theme is: They Showed Us Unusual Kindness. (Acts 28:2). The Week of Christian Unity promotes themes of becoming one through our foundational sacrament of baptism. The unity of all Christian churches, the hope for a better world, the work of justice and peace, and the integrity of all human life, become themes for us to reflect upon in our search for Christ Jesus in our world and times.

This year’s theme reveals our common call to serve people. We reveal the love of God in all human life. This theme renews our challenge to work for the common good. We witness to the dignity of people, including the immigrant, the worker, the child in trouble, the elderly confined to illness, the prisoner in confinement, the persons living on the streets, and the teen sold for sex. All people, regardless of who they are or what they own, are shown kindness and love under the banner of baptism.

Today’s gospel, John 1: 29-34, states that John the Baptist baptizes Jesus so to reveal him to Israel. John’s role is to reveal the person of Jesus. This action of John is key to our own baptism. The Church baptizes us so to reveal Jesus and his love in our midst. Baptism reveals community, forgiveness and hope for all people.

Our baptism is not a club membership. The sacrament that unites all Christians reveals Jesus and unites us in his work on earth. Baptism is about mission as well as creating community. The mission of the Church is based on our baptism that hope is for every human being on earth. Baptism becomes a herald of hope for those who need God. Baptism on earth reflects the beauty of heaven.

Baptism establishes God’s authority on earth. In our sacrament of baptism, God reveals the gift of the Holy Spirit within our lives. The Holy Spirit teaches the hope of heaven. The Spirit unites; it does not divide. The Spirit offers hope for people, not violence or conflict. The Holy Spirit reveals love and not hatred or war. The Holy Spirit creates community and union, not separation and injustice. The Holy Spirit does not hoard power nor is it racist or misogynist. The Holy Spirit does not separate nor does the Spirit work only to keep love only for the well deserving. The beauty of heaven is revealed within every baptismal font on earth.

I invite you to pray for the unity of our Christian heritage. In our world where Christianity is waning, we call on the Holy Spirit to invigorate the Church and instill hope within all who are baptized. Our mission on earth is offer healing, consolation and hope for all people. May we create a new understanding of such a heavenly gift. May our compassion for the poor, for our children and for the neglected, serve us until the Second Coming of Christ Jesus.

Response: Behold the Lamb of God

When we face hatred and violence…

When fear enslaves us…

When hopelessness melts our futures…

When discouragement forms our perspectives…

When faith seems empty…

When love becomes fear…

When unity dissolves into jealousy…

When power ignites hatred…

When we face war and despair…

When love rises from water…

When hope is lifted up…

When beauty of people is revealed…

When baptism unites…

When faith is given voice…

When integrity renews…

When we work for justice…

When voices are heard…

When we seek the unity of love…

Amen

Blessings,

Fr. Ron