33 Days to Eucharistic Glory Day 29

Day 29

The other day I was talking with a Protestant friend. She had some questions about the Catholic faith. One of her questions was this: Do Catholic believe they are called to be saints? Or are saints only those people you pray to in heaven? What a wonderful question!

I hope that this chapter reminds us that we are called to be saints. Matthew Kelly simply calls it a "call to holiness", but it is the same thing. St. Peter tells us that we are "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people set apart." 1 Peter 2:9 We are called to holiness. We are called to be saints.

Just as the priest in the story, I too receive lots of generous Christmas gifts. I don't usually have a favorite but this year I did. It was simply a sticker (and a candle). The candle smelled like Christmas and the sticker (the part of the gift I really liked) said: "Don't do what makes you happy. Do what makes you holy." I placed it on the door between my house and my garage, so that every time I look at it I am reminded that I am part of "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people set apart." 

33 Days to Eucharistic Glory Day 28

Day 28

We are less than a week away from our Consecration to the Eucharist on Holy Thursday. I hope you can join us for that.

I have overseen the building of two Churches as a priest: Good Shepherd Church in Indianapolis and St. John Paul II in Sellersburg. Kelly is absolutely right that building beautiful church is all about building a home for Jesus. Not just in the wood and stone of the building, but also in the hearts of the people who will worship in these Churches.

When we dedicated Good Shepherd Parish, Archbishop Daniel Buechlein said: "God doesn't need beautiful Churches, we do." And he is right. Beautiful Church point us to the presence of God, most especially in the Eucharist. We need beautiful Churches to help us pray beautiful prayers. Could we pray with out them? Sure we could. Would it be as easy? I don't think so. 

I have heard many comments over the years about the beauty of St. John Paul II Church. Perhaps I am biased, but I do agree. It is a beautiful Church. I love to go over when no one is around and sit and pray in it. It is beautiful as I sit alone and lift up my heart to God. But it is even more beautiful when we gather together to celebrate the Eucharist. When the church is full or nearly full and wea re praising God, that's when the real beauty shines forth. 

33 Days to Eucharistic Glory Day 27

I am planning my second trip to Fatima in just a couple of months. I have to admit that I have always struggled with Fatima. I have a hard time imagining Mary showing hell to little children. But what I do like about Fatima is that it reminds us that all of us have a choice about how we want to live our lives. Do we orient toward God or away from God.

I like the part of this chapter that reminds us to pay attention to how we receive the Eucharist. I do believe it is important. Matthew Kelly points out two "camps" about how we receive the Eucharist. Some say it should only be received on the tongue (as a sign of reverence). Some say it should only be received kneeling down (as in adoration). Other say that it should always be received in the hand (Jesus said take and eat and none of the disciples received on the tongue). I think all of that is personal preference. What draws YOU closer to God? What signifies reverence to YOU? 

You have a choice,! Always choose to receive the Eucharist with the utmost reverence and respect.

33 Days to Eucharistic Glory Day 26

Day 26

If you remember back during Covid, when we were not allowed to gather in large groups, we had First Communions at our regular Masses. It was usually just one or two kids at a time and I always tried to gear a little bit of the homily directly to them. 

Do you remember the question I asked all of them? "What is more important than your First Communion?" Eventually they would realize that it was their Second Communion. "And what is more important than your Second Communion?" And they would answer their Third Communion. 

What a blessing it is to be able to come back time and time again to receive the Eucharist. Each one can be as touching and moving as our first if we approach it with an attitude of expectation and grace. God is always ready to work in our lives. We have to expect it. We have to believe that it will happen. 

Jesus gives us the Eucharist as food for the journey. May we always hunger for the Eucharist as if it were the very first time we are receiving it.

33 Days to Eucharistic Glory Day 25

 Day 25

The one line that strikes me in this passage is this: "Great faith and great doubt often go hand in hand, especially when it comes to accepting that Jesus is truly present  in the Eucharist." Page 111

That is a powerful line because it tells us a positive truth. Faith and doubt go together. When People tell me they have doubts, I always tell them doubts are often the seeds of faith. If there was no room for doubt, there would be no room for me.

The secret, I think, is not to live in the doubt forever.

Some of you will be old enough to remember the old sitcom, "Family Times". Michael J. Fox plays a politically conservative young man (Alex Keaton) raised by politically liberal parents. In one poignant episode, one of his best friends dies. To cope with his death, Alex goes to see a counselor and the counselor asks him, "Alex, do you believe in God?" Alex dodges the question.  A little later the counselor asks it again. He dodges it again. The scenario keeps repeating itself until finally Alex says, "Yea, I believe in God; otherwise nothing makes sense." 

That is faith and doubt living together, but faith not giving in to the doubt. That is my prayer for all of you.

33 Days to Eucharistic Glory Day 24

(Another note about the blog. I don't understand why the date on each blog is one day off. I think they are now being published on the right day. This one is scheduled to be published on Monday, April 7 at 2 a.m. but I am afraid that is will show Sunday, April 6 at the top of the post. Not sure why but here goes...)

A couple of years ago, I had a homily series called On Fire: Stories of the Early Church. And so I found this chapter interesting. While I am aware of the differences of the early church. While I am aware of the sinfulness of the early Church. And while I agree that the our relationship with Jesus is all that can change the world right now. I think Matthew Kelly's assessment of the early church falls a little bit short.

What I tried to convey n the homily series and what I think is important for us to remember is that the early church was changed because so many people were true disciples. By this I mean they had an encounter with Jesus; they were transformed by that encounter; and they felt compelled to share that encounter with others. 

In some ways it was easier for the early church. Either they knew Jesus personally themselves or they knew someone who knew Jesus personally. 

And that is precisely the beauty of the Eucharist. We can come to know Jesus personally each time we celebrate Mass. The Church teaches that Jesus is present in four ways at each Mass. He is present in the Eucharist (consecrated bread and wine), in the Word of God (Scripture readings), in the person of the priest, and in the assembled people gathered for worship.

And so while it may have been easier in some ways for the early Church. In other ways it is easier for us because we have four different ways to encounter Jesus each Sunday (or even each day). We also have 2000 years of history that reminds us time and time again that Jesus has never left us.

The early Church was blessed, but so are we. May we find the many ways that Jesus is still present to us today, is still transforming lives, and is still compelling us to share His life with others.

33 Days to Eucharistic Glory Day 23

Day 23

I had an acquaintance who died when he was young. He knew he was dying and a few weeks before he died he told his buddies. When I die, go to my grave sometime and have a drink with me. For many years after he died, his friends would gather at his grave and raise a glass to him (actually it was a can--they were all beer drinkers!)

I've used that story to explain the Eucharist. His friends were fulfilling their friend's dying wish. We we celebrate the Eucharist we are fulfilling Jesus' dying wish. "Do this in memory of me." 

After my parents died, many of my brothers and sisters would gather on their anniversary for Mass at Little Flower Parish. For several years, I always had a Mass on their anniversaries. There is a powerful connection between the Eucharist and death because it is really a connection to the resurrection.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. We cannot separate what happened on Holy Thursday from what happened on Good Friday from what happened on Easter Sunday. It all goes together for our salvation.

33 Days to Eucharistic Glory Day 22

Day 22

With today's chapter, we are 2/3 of the way to our consecration on Holy Thursday!

There was a time in my spiritual journey where I thought fasting was simply an old fashioned discipline that we really didn't need to practice any longer. About 20 years ago I changed my mine. I don't fast all the time, and now that I have officially been diagnosed with diabetes, I don't fast as much as I used to. But I have discovered there is something powerful about a fast.

I think Matthew Kelly is right when he equates its power with the understanding that we all hunger for something. Allowing ourselves to experience physical hunger helps move me to understand when I am spiritually hungry. It is in the Eucharist that I find the nourishment to combat that spiritual hunger.

When I go on vacation, I often try to find a way to go to church 3 or 4 times a week not because I have to, but because I know I need to. I need Holy Communion; I need Jesus! He is my food for the journey. 

33 Days to Eucharistic Glory Day 21

Day 21

I begin today with two favorite scriptures.

"Without a vision, the people perish." Proverbs 29:18

The Lord answered and said to me, "Write down the vision; make it plain upon the tablets..." Habakkuk 2:2

As some of you are aware JPII is in the process of developing our next 4 year strategic plan. We hope to publish it this summer. Why do we do this? Look again at those two quotes. We want to know where we are going. We do not want to perish.

Some may say, well, we haven't always had a strategic plan and that is probably true. But I take god at his word. Without a vision, the people perish. And our plan will be written down as well. We will make it plain so that you can read it and hopefully say, "Yes! I want to be a part of this kind of parish!"

And what about your own life. Do you have a vision for you life? Do you have a plan? Is it written down? When I was a newly ordained priest I wrote a list of 20 things I wanted to do before I died. Some would call it a bucket list. I did it again after I had been ordained over 25 years. It amazed me how much my list had changed. It amazed me how much more spiritual my second list was compared to my first. I'll probably do a third list when I retire. I'm sure it will be even more Christ-centered as I continue to grow in my discipleship walk. 

Take some time this week to write out you own vision, and then let God help you find the way to bring it to completeion.

33 Days to Eucharistic Glory Day 20

Day 20

(First of all, I apologize if some of my posts are early or late. I look at a calendar and count the days and then I tell my blog to post at 2:00 a.m. on a particular day. Sometimes it does; sometimes it doesn't. I will have a post for all 33 days. As I said, some may be early and some may be late.)

I really like this chapter and I like at it is placed here on Day 20, a little more than halfway through our 33 Days. The reason I like it so much is that I know it is true. I have seen it played out in my life time and time again. 

The other reason I like it is that I think this is a reason why some people (myself included at times) don't strive to grow in holiness. They don't want to seem weird. They don't want to put off their old friends. They are sometimes afraid of what others might think. 

I have heard from some of our parishioners about how this book is changing their lives. I want to encourage you to not be afraid of that change. God is with you in the change. So if this consecration has caused you to want to go to Mass more, I encourage you to go to Mass more. And if someone asks you why, share with them this book. If this consecration is calling you to spend more time in Eucharistic Adoration, spend the time. 

God is doing great things with JPII. I hope you are willing to be a part of it by consecrating yourself to Jesus in His most Holy Eucharist!

33 Days to Eucharistic Glory Day 19

 Day 19

I had been ordained several years when I heard Fr. Clem Davis give a homily at the First Mass of Fr. Joe Moriarty. He said something in that homily that struck me as true. He said that it didn't matter what had occurred before the Mass (someone stopping to ask a question: him thinking about all the things he had to after Mass; thinking about last minute additions to his homily, whatever the distraction of the day was), or what was going to occur after the Mass, during the Mass their is always a moment that draws us back to God and what we are doing as we preside at the Eucharist.

I have found that to be so true. Like most people, I too can be distracted at Mass. Thoughts flood my mind about this or that. But something always draws me back to what I am doing. It draws me into the mystery. On a good day that is enough to sustain me through the rest of the Mass.

I think that is what the quote from St. Teresa of Avila's house: to celebrate every Mass as if it were my last. Hopefully, I do that. Hopefully, you can do that too.

33 Days to Eucharistic Glory Day 18

Day 18

One of the things I like best about Matthew Kelly's writing is that he is able to hit the nail on the head every time. The quote he offers from St. Paul has been a favorite of mine since I was in High School. "I find myself doing not the good that I want to do but the evil that I don't want to do." I've been able to identify with this quote for a long time. Kelly helps me put it into context and offers a solution that I don't think about often enough.

The context was actually offered by Jesus but Kelly helped me see the connection. "The spirit is willing but the flesh is week." That's the context. The Eucharist is the solution. I've never really thought about the Eucharist as the solution to that dilemma. The next time I want to do the bad thing (watch more tv; not go to the gym; not pray; not eat the right thing), instead I should go to adoration; instead I should go to Mass. 

It's a simple solution. I just wish my flesh wasn't so darn weak!

33 Days to Eucharistic Glory Day 17

 Day 17

A couple of thoughts on today’s reading. The first comes from the words on page 83: “…every truly loving relationship in our lives is stitched together by an endless stream of sacrifices.” Wow! That is such a profound truth. I think about my own parents and what they sacrificed for each other and what they sacrificed for the ten of us kids. 10 Kids raised in a 3 bedroom, 1.5 bath house. Later we added a shower to make it a 2 bathroom house. We not only shared bathrooms, we often shared bathwater! The tub was only emptied after two or three of us bathed. I must admit, I loved the days when I got to be the first bather! 

It seems to me that back then sacrifice was so much a way of life that nobody knew we were sacrificing. In hindsight, we know. 

The second thought from today’s reading comes from a homily I gave on the Eucharist some years ago. When the Jewish people celebrate Passover, they don’t do it simply as a commemoration of some events that happened long ago. They do it as if they were being saved from death at that very moment. It was made real for them again.

That’s what we talk about when we say each Mass is the sacrifice of Jesus made real for us again. It is not that Jesus is being crucified over and over again. His sacrifice was once for all. It is that we participate in that same sacrifice every time we celebrate Mass.

In that homily, I talked about the fact that we can’t divorce Holy Thursday from Good Friday and Easter Sunday. It is one continual action of Jesus giving us His body and blood on Holy Thursday and the pouring out himself on Good Friday so that He can rise on Easter Sunday.

33 Days to Eucharistic Glory Day 16

Day 16

One of my favorite Gospel stories comes out of Mark’s gospel chapter 8 versus 22-26. In this short story Jesus attempts to heal a blind man at Bethsaida. He puts spittle on his eyes and laid hands on him. He asks the man, can you see? The man says he sees people walking around but they look like trees. Jesus repeats the “cure” and the second time the man sees clearly. 

I always joke about Jesus having a bad day because it took him two tries to get it right. The truth of the matter is that we all need to go back to Jesus time and time again for healing. None of us are healed once for all. We all need to return to Jesus over and over again and ask for healing again.

I had a friend who had cancer. He went through treatments and went into remission. Eight years later the cancer came back. I asked him if he was using the same doctor. He said he was using the same two doctors: Dr. John Doe and Dr. Jesus. The latter one he said, always works. Let us never forget that our God is a God of healing. And we all need healing.

 

33 Days to Eucharist Glory Day 15

 Day 15

I love the St. Irenaeus quote: “The glory of God is man fully alive.” on page 74 and the two questions that follow it. What would your life look like if you were “fully alive?” What would need to be true for you to be “fully alive?”

Those two questions really challenged me as I reflected on them. The answer to the second one is that for that statement to be true I would need to trust Good more and let go of the fear that keeps me from being fully alive. For me, fear is not debilitating; instead it is a little voice that tells me I don’t really want to be all that God created me to be. All of that is worthy of deeper reflection for me. 

Monday is my Sabbath since I work on most Sundays. I know I need to do a better job not just scaring work but also resting with God. 

33 Days to Eucharistic Glory Day 14

Day 14

We end this week with the saints by looking to the Blessed Mother. Saying yes to all that God asked her stands as the quintessential model of discipleship for all of us.

I remember hearing a homily some years ago from a deacon up in Indianapolis. He said something to the effect of: Holiness sometimes means giving up things that in and of themselves are not bad but simply don’t lead us toward God. That has stayed with me for over 30 years.

Recently one of our parishioners gave me a sticker that says: “Don’t do what makes you happy; Do what makes you holy.” Saying Yes to God is the one thing that always makes you holy and then, surprisingly enough, it also makes you happy.

33 Days to Eucharistic Glory Day 13

Day 13

 I’m not sure if I should say this or not, but I often tell people that I feel most like a priest not when I am presiding at the Eucharist but when I am hearing confessions. I think there are a couple of reasons for that: 1) I have needed the sacrament so often in my life and I have been assured by many priests of God’s love and mercy for me. 2) I love being able to convey that great mercy to others.

When I have been in the confessional and someone has just unloaded that one burden that they had carried for so long; that one sin that they feel can never be forgiven; that one event that continues to cause them shame in their life; and I can say to them God still loves you; God has always loved you; God never stopped loving you. That is when I feel most like a priest.

33 Days to Eucharistic Glory Day 12

 Day 12

It would be a great freedom to come to understand and really take to heart that nothing really matters but God. That was the experience Thomas Aquinas had. His life's work; all of the studies; all of his writing were nothing in light of the presence of God. 

Does that mean we should give up doing anything? I don't think so. But I think it does mean we have to realize that everything pales in comparison to our relationship with God. 

I like that Kelly reminds us that it is not all about our head and it is not all about our heart. It is, indeed, that delicate balance between the two. I started seminar at St. Meinrad College in August of 1978. I left seminary (the first time) in January of 1979. I worked for a semester and during that time my heart told me to go back to seminary (you haven't given it a fair chance) but my head told me to finish my undergraduate someplace else. "So" I asked my spiritual director, "Do I follow my head or do I follow my heart." He thought for a moment before he replied, "Intelligently follow your heart." I think he was reminding me to find the balance between the two. 

I went back to seminary the next August and stayed for 2 years and then had a six year hiatus until I returned prior to ordination. Both my experience in seminary and out of seminary helped me always strive to "intelligently follow my heart."

33 Days to Eucharist Glory Day 11

Day 11

There is one line toward the end of this chapter that piqued my interest. “Maximilian Kolbe had laid down his life in small ways thousands of times before that day in Auschwitz.” Page 60. In many ways I think this describes the spiritual life: doing godly things over and over again. 

It’s true in all aspects of life. Peyton Manning talks about how often as a kid he would throw a football at a target over and over and over again. Thousands of repetitions. Billy Joel says the same thing about playing the piano. Singer-songwriter Harry Chapin says he used to play the guitar so much that his fingers would bleed. 

We spend so much time practicing the things we love to do and Maximilian Kolbe was no different. The difference was his deep love for God that focused him on doing godly things over and over again. 

33 Days to Eucharistic Glory Day 10

Day 10 

When I visited France last year, I had the opportunity to celebrate Mass in the parish church that St. Therese of Lisieux worshipped in every Week. While we were celebrating Mass a little girl walked in and began preparing for the regular parish Sunday Mass. She was maybe 11 or 12 years old. She was careful not to disturb our Mass, but also went about doing what she was doing with care and devotion. 

Later, as the group I was leading reflected on this, we all had similar thoughts. This could very well be something St. Therese herself would have done. Little things with great love!

When I was a young boy, I loved to serve Mass. I loved preparing the altar and getting everything ready for the Mass. Putting out the cruets, taking them to the back of the Church for the procession. Counting out the hosts to make sure we had enough. Placing the books where they belonged. I think in many ways these works of service helped prepare me for “going to Mass” that day. Later, I did the same tasks in my high school seminary and then I did it again when I was in major seminary.

Little things with great love is still something I strive for. I don’t mind shoveling snow in the wintertime, placing something in the pews for use at a weekend Mass, or setting up for an event or cleaning up after an event. I think it helps me stay grounded in my vocation. I also hope and pray that it helps me to do little things with great love. 

33 Days to Eucharistic Glory Day 9

Day 9

This particular chapter was a little bit of a challenge for me. I’m not always great with silence. I want something to do. I want something to listen to—a little quiet music, the sound of the birds, the chatter of the TV even if I’m not listening to it.

I am challenged by the two-word piece of advice Kelly gives to the question: How do you find that deep space within you: Befriend Silence!

It is a challenge and one that I am starting, right now! 

33 Days to Eucharistic Glory Day 8

 Day 8

Another great chapter! I’ve always loved the Leon Bloy quote that Kelly uses in this chapter: “The only real sadness, the only real failure, the only great tragedy in life, is not to become a saint.” St. Paul often reminds us that we are called to be saints. 

I am reminded of a young boy who knew he was going to die. Everyone in his parish knew it and the family was open about it. Someone said to the boy, “Someday soon, you will be an angel.” To which the boy replied, “No, I will be a saint. Angels are something different.” That young boy knew his calling. He knew who and whose he was. 

We are called to be saints.

Kelly rightly points out that there is a great commonality in those who are canonized as saints and devotion to the Eucharist seems to exist in all of them. I think particularly of Blessed Carlo Acutis (soon to be Saint Carlo Acutis), the first millennial saint. As a young boy, Carlo Acutis developed a love for the Eucharist. He went on to unite his computer skills with his love for the Eucharistic by cataloguing various Eucharistic miracles throughout the world and putting them on one website. Blessed Carlo Acutis died at the age of 15. He will be canonized this April. 

I loved the line in this reading: “It has been observed that people emulate the five people they spend the most time with—for better or worse. Make Jesus one of those five people.” Page 51 Great advice. Jesus is waiting to spend time with you in adoration.

33 Days to Eucharistic Glory Day 7

Day 7

One of the things I like most about our parish embracing Eucharistic Adoration is that it requires people to show up. I know there are some people who don’t always do it. I know that sometimes that means someone takes two hours. When that happens to me I just assume God knows I need more prayer at that time. But, for the most part, when they sign up, people show up.

I know sometimes people don’t commit to a particular hour of Eucharistic Adoration. They think to themselves, “I don’t want to commit because I might not always be available so I’ll just go when I can.” When I’ve taken that approach to adoration I find that I just don’t go. There is something powerful about saying to Jesus, “I’ll meet you here next Tuesday at 3:00 am.” There is something powerful about making a commitment and then showing up.

Perseverance is the pilgrim’s virtue, Matthew Kelly writes. Jesus said it this way: “By perseverance you will secure your lives. Luke 21:19 

33 Days to Eucharistic Glory Day 6

Day 6 

Wow! There is a lot packed into this day. The Six Seismic Shifts of the Spiritual Life is a great chapter. I think what I will do today is just take one or two thoughts from each of the shifts that touched a chard with me. 

First Shift: Just Begin the Conversation. The line that struck me is this: Once a conversation has begun, it can lead anywhere. Sometimes I think people want to make sure they “get all their prayers in” rather than simply being with God. Just get it started. God can lead where we need to be led. 

Second Shift: Ask God What He Wants. How often do we do that? How often do we stop and ask God what he wants for us, through us, with us, in us? Let God lead. 

Third Shift: Give Yourself to Prayer. “Stop doing prayer and start giving ourselves to prayer.” I like that because prayer is best when we quit doing it and simply spend time being with God. My parents were married 54 years before Mom died. They could sit in a room together and be comfortable. I always use that as a good image for prayer. I am reminded of St. Mother Teresa of Kolkata’s response to the question of what do you do in Eucharistic Adoration. She said, “He looks at me and I look at Him and we both like what we see.” 

Fourth Shift: Transform Everything into Prayer. I love it when he said: Not that He is in our presence, but that we are continually in His presence. Before the start of most Masses I will invite us to take a moment and remind ourselves that we are in the presence of God. 

Fifth Shift: Make Yourself Available. The line that rang true for me was this: It is about surrendering ourselves, our plans, and our lives to God. I have met a lot of people for whom this is just second nature. God and the presence of God permeates every aspect of their lives. 

Sixth Shift: Just Keep Showing Up. “It’s about what God is doing in us, through us and with us—when we show up.” The mantra I always hear is this: “I don’t get anything out of it.” And if you quit showing up, you might not be there when God is wanting to speak to you. Show up and you won’t miss it.

33 Days to Eucharistic Glory Day 5

Day 5

 I’m starting day 5 with a confession. I have been alive for almost 65 years and I have never made a consecration. When the book listed many of the consecrations that Catholics do: Immaculate Heart of Mary, Sacred Heart of Jesus, St. Joseph, The Holy Family, St. Michael the Archangel, and on and on and on. I’ve never done any of those. I’m not saying that those of you who have are doing anything bad. In fact, I think those consecrations are good if they help you draw closer to God. I’m just saying that they have not been a part of my spirituality.

But this Consecration to the Eucharist touched a chord with me. I became familiar with this book back in 2023. But even then I read bits and pieces of it, but did not complete it. However, with the increase in Eucharistic Adoration in our parish and with the wonderful National Eucharistic Congress that many of us participated in last summer, this consecration struck a chord with me.

 I think it can be summed up in what Kelly says on page 35 of the book: “We each have to decide for ourselves if we are going to lead a life of distraction or a life of focus.” I choose to lead a life of focus and I want that focus to be on God in the Eucharist.

33 Days to Eucharistic Glory Day 4

Day 4

For day 4 Matthew Kelly writes this. “Some people will convince themselves that they should be more committed to some worldly pursuits. But the truth is, the reason we have not committed ourselves so fully, so totally, so completely to anything in this world, is that we are made for more. This type of commitment belongs to God and to God alone.” 33 Days to Eucharistic Glory, page 31

That is a powerful piece of writing and I find it true in my life. I’ll commit to this or that for a time and then slowly I’ll lose interest. There was the time when I was young and I loved baseball. I would practice all the time. In the winter times I read about it, studied it and planned for a great spring time of playing it again. Over time, that died out and was replaced by ice hockey which I played for several years. For a while I became a motorcycle enthusiast and then it was airplanes and getting my pilot’s license. Then I took up poker and dreamed of winning a World Series of Poker event. Lately, it has been hiking as I prep for my second Camino.

Now it could simply be I’m a jack of many trades and master of none, but after reading the material for day 4 I think I agree with Matthew Kelly that total commitment belongs to God and God alone. THAT commitment has been present in all of the various phases of my life. And my commitment to the Eucharist is the tangible evidence of that commitment. I can count on one hand the number of times I have missed Sunday Eucharist…almost all of them involve illness of one kind or another.

The word for our reflection for this day is determination. I am determined, and have been my whole life, to stay connected to Jesus, especially in the Eucharist.

 

33 Days to Eucharistic Glory Day 3

 

Day 3

The opening song for my funeral (at least as of this moment) is “Give Me Jesus”. I love the refrain: Give me Jesus. Give me Jesus. You can have all this world, give me Jesus. 

Death, Judgement. Heaven. Hell.

I have met lots of people who are afraid to talk about death. Heck, some of them are even afraid to think about it. In many ways, I’m just the opposite. I enjoy talking about the time I die in this earthly body only to rise with Christ. In many ways I am like St. Paul in his letter to the Philippians chapter one when he writes: “I am caught between the two (life and death). I long to depart this life and be with Christ, for that is far better. Yet that I remain in the flesh is more necessary for your benefit.” Philippians 1:23-24

When asked how things are going, I sometimes hear people say something like this. Oh, I’ve got this problem or that problem, but it’s better than the alternative (referring to dying). And I want to say. Wait a minute! No. It’s not. The alternative, life with Christ, is far better.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I don’t have a death wish. I just believe with all my heart that heaven is something to truly look forward to. St. Paul says it well: “For to me life is Christ and death is gain.” Philippians 1:21

The key to all of this is Christian joy. To be able to find joy even in the midst of struggle, even in the midst of pain. This year is the 20^th anniversary of the most difficult year of my life. Back in 2005, in late February, my Aunt Sharon died very suddenly and unexpectantly. In late March of 2005, during Holy Week, my cousin, Monsignor Frank Touhy, died. My mom died on Easter Sunday that year (March 27) and her sister, my Aunt Charlene died less than two weeks later. Finally, my dad died on June 2, 2005. It was a hard time. There were lots of tears and questioning and pain. But through it all, I hope I never lost my sense of joy. I don’t think I did.  

The Eucharist sustained me as I celebrated those funerals. Receiving Jesus on those occasions reminded me that this is what we all long for. Not life here, but communion with God in heaven.

 

33 Days to Eucharistic Glory Day 2

I have travelled with parishioners on numerous occasions with my first trip dating back to a 2010 trip to Hawaii with 72 of my closest friends. I followed that trip with trips to Alaska, another to Hawaii, France, Ireland, Germany for the Passion Play, the Camino de Santiago in Portugal and Spain, and a Caribbean Cruise to kick off my 65th year of life. Later this year I will return to the Camino as well as a trip to Italy and one back to Ireland.  Some of those trips have been "vacations" and some of them have been "pilgrimage." Sometimes we were tourist. Sometimes we were pilgrims. My cruise in January was a vacation; my trips later this year to the Camino and to Italy will be pilgrimages. 

I liked the distinction of pilgrim and tourist. I also like the image Matthew Kelly uses in the book of a hotel. We never stay in a hotel and think of it as our home. In the same way, our time here on earth is not our destination. It is where we stay on the journey back to God, our true home. 

I heard a story once from a woman religious at a conference. She told the story of being with her grandmother (who raised her) as she was dying. She remembers saying to her grandma, "Mamaw, don't leave me!" to which her grandmother replied, "Honey, I'm going home. Don't ask me to stay." 

For people of faith, life is a pilgrimage: a sacred journey to a spiritual place. God has blessed me on this journey. 

One of the final prayers at a funeral Mass says this: Lord God, whose Son left us, in the Sacrament of his Body, food for the journey, mercifully grant that, strengthen ed by it, our brother (sister) N. may come to the eternal table of Christ. Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.

Jesus gave us the Eucharist as food for the journey. May we always be strengthened by it.

33 Days to Eucharistic Glory: Introduction and Day 1

 

33 Days to Eucharistic Glory

 Introduction

The introduction reminds us of the power of dreaming. Put another way, the power of vision. I reflect on this in light of our Divine Creator. God had a dream for a world of communion with one another. Out of love, this dream lead to the creation of the human person. Adam and Eve walked and talked with God before the fall.

When I used to work Christian Awakening Retreats for seniors in high school, I was always struck at the profound experience the retreat. For those three or four days the group of kids would become closely connected to each other. Inevitably, at some point in the retreat one of them would say something like this: “I don’t want this to end. I don’t want to go back into the real world.” I would always say: “This is the real world. This is the world God envisioned when he created us.” God’s vision for the world.

What are your dreams for your life? Where do you see God leading you in the next 5 years? 10 years?

I believe God’s vision for the world still includes communion. It includes the Eucharist. This is what can unite us: Jesus.

Pay attention to page 13 that tells us how to use the book. Most of all, enjoy the journey. Like the Israelites, we too are always on a journey. May this journey lead each of us to a deeper, more profound love of Jesus present in the Eucharist!

 

Day 1

Whenever I ponder the question of the meaning of life I think back to the scene in the old movie City Slickers. Curly, the consummate cowboy, tells the city slickers: “There is only one thing that matters,” he says as he holds up one finger…And then he stops and finally the city slickers, hanging on his every word, ask: “What is it?” Curly replies: “That’s what you have to find out.”

In this Lenten time, JPII Parish is embarking on a journey. We are on a journey to find life's meaning as it comes to us in the Eucharist. Together we travel the path that leads us where God wants us to go. I hope you join us for this journey. You can read each day in the book, 33 Days to Eucharistic Glory. You can listen to an audio recording (for those who don’t like to read, or simply do better by listening). These recordings are on our parish website: www.stjohnpaulparish.org There are also video’s available each day. You can access Dynamic Catholic’s videos at https://www.dynamiccatholic.com/eucharistic-consecration-program/consecration-with-matthew-kelly.html#day-1

Or you can access those made by Fr. Jonathan Meyer, a priest of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZ5rFP_aFIE

Check in with my blog each day if you like. Add a comment on what you got out of each day’s reading or video. Most of all, enjoy the journey!

Homily 8th Sunday Year C

33 Days to Eucharistic Glory Day 18

Day 18

One of the things I like best about Matthew Kelly's writing is that he is able to hit the nail on the head every time. The quote he offers from St. Paul has been a favorite of mine since I was in High School. "I find myself doing not the good that I want to do but the evil that I don't want to do." I've been able to identify with this quote for a long time. Kelly helps me put it into context and offers a solution that I don't think about often enough.

The context was actually offered by Jesus but Kelly helped me see the connection. "The spirit is willing but the flesh is week." That's the context. The Eucharist is the solution. I've never really thought about the Eucharist as the solution to that dilemma. The next time I want to do the bad thing (watch more tv; not go to the gym; not pray; not eat the right thing), instead I should go to adoration; instead I should go to Mass. 

It's a simple solution. I just wish my flesh wasn't so darn weak!