Browsing Father Peter announces Parish Goals

February 12

Homily St Joseph February 12th 2023

Introduction: Heaven

Our journey through life is full of ups and downs, surprises and crosses, consolations, and desolations. How we enter this world is a mystery of love, human imperfect love and perfect divine love. When the priest pours a drop of water into the wine during the preparation of gifts the water is immediately assimilated into the wine. During this Mass ask for the grace to be assimilated into His love for you.

Someone famously said, ‘it’s all about the journey not the end.’ And for us here at St Joseph’s it’s ‘journeying together in mission’. Each one of you has been out there in the world, working and providing and learning and developing your skills. And as we said last Sunday, we come back to share with Jesus all the good we have been able to contribute to our world. When the collection basket goes around the pews today, I would like to invite you to contemplate all those gifts. The world is a better place because you are in it. I mean that. I see that and I am very proud of you.

One of the saints we remembered last week was St Josephine Bakhita. In the midst of unspeakable suffering, she said to herself:
“Seeing the sun, the moon and the stars, I said to myself, 'Who could be the Master of these beautiful things?' I felt a great desire to see him, to know him and to pay him homage.”

May we now encounter the One who made those beautiful things and embrace him with all our love.

 

 

Book of Sirach: “Before man are life and death, good and evil, whichever he chooses  shall be given him.”

When we hear these words, what comes to your mind? We have just finished a week; how did we do? I believe God made holy the Sabbath and instructed us to rest so the week would flow through our minds and hearts and we could see how our decisions contributed to a week well lived. How many decisions have we made in this week. Hundreds? May be thousands.

Where can I say I have chosen ‘life over death’? That means the choice to sin or avoid sin and do good? Was there a moment that you felt the evil spirit pushing you in a certain ‘sinful’ direction; were you able to resist that? If yes, then you should see that as a victory and celebrate it.

Choosing life over death means choosing the commandments over what the culture wants me to do. When we choose the commandments, we become agents of change for our world. It’s here that the battle of brining Heaven down to earth is fought. Were you an agent of change this week?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

St Paul: “What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and what has not entered the human heart, what God has prepared  for those that love him.”

Heaven surrounds us all the time. We are just one passing moment away from it. St Paul wants to help us find a ‘glimpse’ in our hearts of this Heaven that awaits us. Heaven is our goal in life. So many of you have told me this. ‘I want to get to Heaven with my spouse and family, Father, but I have to start with me!’

In a moment I will share with you what the Catechism tell us about Heaven. These words of Scripture and the definitions are helpful and important but what is more important is that we become transformed by them. During suffering situations, I can bring, peace, light, truth, calm and above all love.

During this Mass we must ask for the grace to be ambassadors of Jesus showing people the way to Heaven.

Here is what the Catechism tells us about Heaven?

1028 How great will your glory and happiness be, to be allowed to see God, to be honored with sharing the joy of salvation and eternal light with Christ your Lord and God, . . . to delight in the joy of immortality in the Kingdom of heaven with the righteous and God's friends. 604

1029 In the glory of heaven the blessed continue joyfully to fulfill God's will in relation to other men and to all creation. Already they reign with Christ; with him "they shall reign for ever and ever." 605

 

 

 

 

Jesus: “Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes’, and your ‘No’ mean ‘No’. Anything else is from the evil one.

Dear St Joseph Parishioners, shortly we will recite the Creed together. In it we pray, “He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end.”

Today and every day of our lives we get to say ‘yes’, to all that Jesus has revealed. Saying yes and meaning yes means living fully. If we say ‘yes’, but do not live that yes, then I am not alive. When I say ‘no’ to sin and evil in my life and don’t play with temptation, then I am alive and not dead.

Life is short here on earth and saying yes to God and no to the evil one is the greatest achievement. Let’s help each other on the journey to Heaven. Let’s hold out our hand with our heart in it and say, ‘how can I help?’ Or ‘I need help, would you help me?’

Story:

Last week I visited several people in hospital nearing death, and it always takes my breath away. But there was one that struck a deep chord inside my heart. It was not a hospital but a funeral home. I was asked to bless a body. No family members there. The body was about to cremated, just me, the man who accompanied me and the body of this man that had an American flag draped over it. I blest the body and said some prayers. Later I realized I had forgotten to ask what his name was. I will remember him in prayer as the man with no name and I hope to meet him in Heaven to ask him!

Let’s take a moment to pause and pray for all our brothers and sisters in Syria and Turkey who have gone through a horrific week of suffering. “Jesus, we entrust them all to you.”