It seems to me there are at least 3 ways to receive God’s Good News we just heard: 1) to receive it with apathy, as in, “who cares what these people say? 2) to receive it as irrelevant information: what could a widow from 3000 or 2000 years ago teach ME about living in THIS century? 3) to receive it by answering a question: what could God be trying to tell me through the experiences of these women?

If we are open to God’s Holy Spirit touching our hearts & minds today,  let me suggest a few things that might be helpful for us, for now & for the future. For Jesus wouldn’t want us to STOP growing in faith just because we received our Confirmation years ago. No, Jesus encourages us to KEEP growing in faith through the years God gives us on earth.               

My first observation is that these 2 poor & hungry widows have been emptied of earthly things to hang onto, things like their pride & possessions, power & prestige – that’s right – all the things we hear Jesus being tempted to cling to at the beginning of Lent each year. I’m saying that many things in the widows’ lives went wrong, & with their hearts & dreams broken, they CHOSE 2 TRUST God. They also remind us that if someone feels that God has somehow lost their trust, either because of something God did or did not do, it might be time to start trusting God again. That’s right: to give God a second chance!

Then, these 2 poor widows also learned that when you have next to nothing, & you share that little bit with others, God blesses those little gifts & makes them bigger. We might have forgotten about a day when Jesus was preaching to a hungry crowd, as recorded in John’s Gospel. A little boy appeared with a few barley loaves & a few fish: Jesus’ miracle fed THOUSANDS of people’s hungers. You & I can do that on a regular basis, for example, when we donate food to food pantries and soup kitchens, for the benefit of our struggling neighbors. 

And for myself, these poor widows remind me of the capacity for generosity with which God equips ALL of us, through our Baptism & Confirmation. Recall the 1st Beatitude in Chapter 5 of St. Matthew’s Gospel: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Many modern Scripture scholars have helped us understand that what that verse REALLY means is this: “Blessed are those who know they need God first, AND ACT LIKE IT!” 

Yes, those 2 widows GET God: they TRUST God! In our time, I find these 2 widows a breath of fresh air: perhaps they can inspire us to keep growing in faith & trust, if we allow them to be the evangelizers and announcers of God’s Work on earth, in Jesus’ Holy Name. Amen.    

I want to share a story with you about love for God & love of neighbor, & ALSO about the difference between LIKING someone & LOVING someone, which is Jesus’ command to love. There once were 2 neighbors, & I’ll tell you right off: from what I’ve heard, I don’t think I would have LIKED living next door to EITHER of these neighbors! The first was reportedly a very annoying woman who complained to everyone about everything & everyone. The 2nd neighbor reportedly was a prideful man who thought that everything HE did was perfect, & he INSULTED everyone ELSE’S work & every1 ELSE’S ideas as inferior to HIS work & ideas. 

These 2 neighbors didn’t get along with each other, or other neighbors. But one day the man looked out his window, & he saw the neighbor woman’s husband being taken out of the house in an ambulance, & an idea clicked for him. Because the woman’s husband would have been the one to rake their autumn leaves, & the husband was now sick, this neighbor decided HE would rake up his neighbor’s leaves. So, where did this desire to do something GOOD for someone he didn’t LIKE at all? 

We KNOW where such an idea came from: from Jesus, who taught us to LOVE ALL our neighbors in action, & NOT to just LOVE the ones we LIKE. Do we really know that, because in my mind, that’s NOT easy, & it gets more complicated when we hear later on from Jesus that EVERYBODY’S our neighbor! EVERYBODY? Yes, EVERYBODY! & If you need a Bible reference for this, it’s the Good Samaritan story in St. Luke’s Gospel, Chapter 10. 

So, when we LOVE someone, OF COURSE we DON’T want to do hurtful things to them: like cheat them, treat them unfairly, gossip about them, steal from them, or send them home to God prematurely. Those actions are the OPPOSITE of LOVE, which MEANS to ACT & SPEAK for the BENEFIT  of the other person. When I LOVE others, I treat them fairly, say GOOD things about them, protect their belongings as well as our own, & preserve their lives. I do THE best for them, even if I don’t like them. REAL love, TRUE LOVE, goes way beyond living a quid pro quo life, which says I only reach out and do good for others who have been good to me: that’s “payback love:” that what Jesus says the pagans do!  

If we always remembered that we’re called to LOVE our neighbor because ALL our neighbors have GOD living in them, we might well make some different decisions, & speak with even greater respect to others, INCLUDING those we DON’T like. That’s an example of putting Jesus first, AND putting God first. May Jesus help us to do that in our everyday lives, starting with the saving power of the Holy Eucharist to come. 

Last Sunday, Jesus corrected the thinking of two Apostles, who thought that being his follower would guarantee them an easy life.  Jesus lets them know that following HIM will involve some suffering,  some sacrifice, & lots of service on the way to heavenly life. Those three S words: suffering, sacrifice, & service, are important for Christians. 

Now, we’ve been ALL been told to be careful what we pray for, because we just might GET just what we ask or pray for! You may have heard of such an event in the life of an 85-year-old man who found a lamp in his attic. When he rubbed the lamp, he met a genie, who offered him 1 wish. The man looked at his 85-year-old frail wife, smiled at her & said, “I wish my wife were 20 years younger than me.” The genie said: “Yes: I grant you that wish.” In an instant, the man looked at his wife: she was there, but she was still 85. The genie then gave the man a mirror, & the man GASPED: HE was NOW 105 years old, not 85 anymore; & yes, there was a 20-year age gap, but NOT in the way he hoped for! Yes, be careful what you pray for!   

It leaves me with a question I share today with you: “what do we REALLY want?” & when the chance  provides itself, will what we ASK FOR really have lasting value, or will it quickly fade away & soon be unmemorable? The Gospel answers that issue head on, & Jesus LEADS us to see that having relationships with one another is VERY important! What is easy to MISS in the Gospel is that while getting ready to cure the blind man Bartimaeus,  Jesus has ANOTHER miracle brewing, & THAT miracle is for the crowd, which is 1 for US! The crowd starts out today functioning like that TV character  named Archie Bunker: remember how Archie tried to stifle his wife Edith, to shut her up? The truth is that ultimately, Archie couldn’t stifle Edith, & the crowd in the Gospel couldn’t stifle Bartimaeus’ cry for help, OR Jesus’ healing work.  

That crowd is like the peanut gallery in today’s politics: they’re the NEGATIVE people, & shouting down a man crying out in pain & sorrow. But rather than OUTSHOUTING or verbally putting down the discouraging crowd, Jesus engages the CROWD to change their tune & hearts. Jesus gets the crowd to invite Bartimaeus over, thereby making the CROWD part of God’s solution. For Jesus wants the crowd to see what a courageous man Bartimaeus  is. Because of Jesus’ healing power, Bartimaeus is willing & ready to start a new life, and he’s BRAVE enough to ask for it. Think of how Bartimaeus’ life will change once he can see again: he won’t be confined to one smelly spot, with all the  verbal abuse and ridicule he’d put up with. Bartimaeus could rejoin his family & friends: he could get a job beyond begging, he could get married, & even start a family.             

As crowd members, we’ve all made some mistakes in judgment before. Can we ask Jesus to change our hearts, & to open our eyes to see the goodness & potential in others, just as Jesus sees goodness & potential in us, even when we’re at our weakest? & if we’ve been blind to anyone’s goodness, or blind to any part of Jesus’ positive & hopeful plan to 2rebuild the world, WILL we let him help us to change? By the Holy Communion we receive, let the truth of Jesus rule our hearts & lives, blessing our EVERY desire to grow into Christ’s fullness. Blessed be God forever! Father Chris

29^th Sunday in Ordinary Time – 20 October 2024 – Mark 10: 35-45 – Fr. Chris Heller

Once upon a time, a man was preparing to tightrope walk across Niagara Falls while at the same time pushing a wheelbarrow! He asked bystanders how many believed he could do it. No one believed he could. But he did it! When he got to the other side, he asked the onlookers on the Canadian side of The Falls if they really believed he could do it again. ALL agreed he could do it.  He asked, “So who wants to get in and let me push them across in my wheelbarrow?” He had 0 volunteers!  It raises a question for me: if to be a true disciple of Jesus means being in His wheelbarrow, are we completely in it, or not? Do I really trust Him 100% that he will care for me along the Way of My Crosses? 

This little story helps me understand a bit more about WHY James & John don’t understand Jesus. Think about it: if you had a checking account, would you stand on a street corner & give out BLANK checks to people, letting them fill in the amounts they wanted, & letting them cash in? Of course not! But that’s how James & John begin this conversation with Jesus: “give us anything we want!” That’s pretty nervy, wouldn’t you agree?                          

& then the trouble continues. James & John are looking to use Jesus as their gateway to Easy Street: riding in with Jesus into power and glory. These two Apostles have certainly NOT been hearing Jesus’ words in preaching, as you & I have been hearing Him in these past few weeks. Jesus has repeatedly said that being close to Him does NOT come with fame, fortune or “the cushy seats.”  Could it be that James & John, being the youngest of the Apostles, are still clinging to their little-boy dreams of a Messiah that came in like an Army general, conquering the Roman government & freeing the Jews from their captivity? Could it be that those two are being held captive themselves, by a false image of who Jesus is (like the people who worship false gods?)? Jesus TRIED to tell his followers that he was NOT a military leader, but rather a Savior, someone who would change hearts, one at a time & from the inside out!

Now, if the 12 Apostles were a sports team, and Jesus was the coach, and some of his players didn’t follow his direction & listen to his instructions, a coach could justifiably bounce them off the team! But that’s NOT what Jesus does: he unites all 12, explains again that his mission involves EVERYONE, including Himself, serving others & putting themselves at each other’s beck & call. I find it important to point out that Jesus practiced patience and perseverance with people who wouldn’t follow His guidance: isn’t that true for us as well? Hasn’t Jesus forgiven us more than once for OPPOSING His Word & failing to follow the Father’s will? Isn’t that what Jesus calls us to do? Yes!

Let us practice the virtues that Jesus demonstrates in today’s Gospel with one another, most especially by serving the people God sends into our lives, even the unexpected people & those we find unfriendly, undesirable, or intolerant. Jesus’ mission of service is meant to go forward. And on this World Mission Sunday, when we realize that all of us are missionaries (those sent) to others, even if it’s to the neighbor next door to lend a cup of flour or sugar. As Jesus reminds us: “for whoever does good for one of the least and neediest friends of mine does good for me.” Amen.

28^th Sunday in the Church Year – October 13, 2024 – Mark 10: 17-30 – Reflection by Fr. Chris Heller

As a deacon preparing to be a priest, I went to visit a 72-year-old widower named Vincent a few times. In our first few visits, I introduced myself as Chris & Deacon Chris; Vincent kept calling me “Father,” so I just left it alone!

In 1 Advent discussion, we used St. Paul’s letter to Colossians, where St. Paul says: “always be grateful.” So, we shared our experiences of gratitude.  Now, Vincent had some struggles: he was lame in 1 leg & blind in 1eye. He lived just on Social Security with no other pension. But nothing would stop Vincent from listing all the reasons he was grateful: his friends, his long life, his family’s newest great-nephew, God giving him a new day every day, & the energy to get out of bed in the morning. Vincent taught me so much about having a free & open heart, & a joyful positive spirit.

I contrast Vincent with the rich young man in today’s Gospel. It seems clear to me that while the young man owned many things, the THINGS really owned him, which was why he walked away from Jesus’ invitation to free himself from his material wealth, and then walk with Jesus. To be clear, we ALL need SOME money & things for the normal activities of daily life. Over retreat last week, it occurred to me that EVERYBODY needs a break once in a while. & Jesus found a temporary regular oasis away from his preaching ministry by going to Martha, Mary & Lazarus’ house out in Bethany. If Martha, Mary & Lazarus had NO resources, they wouldn’t have been able to offer Jesus the life-giving hospitality that Jesus needed. Let me be clear: yes, even the Son of God & Mary needed a relaxation break once in a while! & if you & I had no material resources, how could we support our beloved parish’s many good ministries?

At the same time, Jesus in his wisdom gives us a “heads-up” about HOW the THINGS of this world can take over our lives, unless we manage them wisely & in a detached way. An example: a man owned & treasured a car. The car was side-swiped by a sanitation truck, & it took 4 weeks to get the car fixed. In our neighborhood, we heard it about every day, in a voice that could raise the dead! It’s clear the CAR owned the MAN, & not the other way around. Contrast that with some of our friends in Florida, who’ve lost their homes, property & possessions, & yet spoke on camera this week about being grateful for getting away with their lives & some clothing.

1 practical suggestion Jesus makes is that since all earthly things have a shelf life and will end eventually, why not divest ourselves of some of those things in the name of charities that can help other people. In fact, we never know HOW & HOW WELL we might be able to live in the ABSENCE of some of those material goods. & 1 way Jesus helps us to maintain a life balance is by feeding us with His Word, & His Body & Blood: He reminds us “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have called you, and you are mine.” So, let us allow Jesus to help us live the heavenly love of God & others right now! In fact, the rich young man missed a chance to travel a new road with Jesus, a road that could have changed his life & heart forever. So, let’s be as attentive as we can to the opportunities for growth that Jesus will be offering EACH of us. Amen.

27^th Sunday of the Church Year – October 6, 2024 – Respect Life Weekend – Mark 10: 13-16 – Fr. Chris Heller

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of celebrating the baptism of 2 young boys. And, as you may remember, after people are baptized by pouring water over their heads, we light a candle for each of them. I reminded those present that we get the light from the Christ Candle, also called the Easter Candle, to be sure that we, as older people, understand that Jesus is ALIVE in these baptized children, and that IF they allow Jesus to guide them into life, he will provide them with the REAL lasting truth, not LIES or half-truths. We say the same to our Confirmation candidates today: if you have an ongoing personal friendship with Jesus, he will help you grow into a holy & healthy person.

So, as we lit the candles for those newly-baptized boys, there was a little girl who was about 4 years old in the congregation. Her eyes got very wide, and a smile covered her face. & before I could say the special candle prayer, that little girl sang out with all her might: “Happy Birthday to You!” We all doubled over in laughter, & although she couldn’t have known it, St. Francis of Assisi said that baptism WAS a 2^nd birthday, a birthday into the Church & God’s family! That little girl was a life-giver for the rest of us, and that’s what Jesus meant about honoring children, who by the way in the 1^st century, were NOT honored at all! That little girl’s joy & wonder & openness & enthusiasm lit up everyone’s spirit, & served as a reminder of the precious gift of human life.

On another deep level, Jesus says that His Father’s Kingdom is open to those who come humbly & joyfully, as opposed to those who think they’re entitled just because they’re Catholic or Christian. You probably know what I’m about to say, but let me say it loudly & clearly: those who put others down, & put others BENEATH them, as if God shouldn’t bless them with love & mercy, are NOT living in step with the Gospel message we heard today from Jesus.

But WHY does Jesus preach His Father’s love SO clearly? It’s really about an expectation Jesus has for each of us: He expects us to build bridges of unity between people, & not tear them down. I just got home from a conference in Pittsburgh, PA, which is called “The City of Bridges.” & it occurred to me while crossing one of them that you & me building bridges is very much in the spirit of the words to a famous church song: “Let there be peace on earth, & let it begin with me!” So, let’s do our best this week to love others as Jesus loves US: there’s NO reason to wait or procrastinate, because we CAN live heavenly love right here on earth, when we make decisions in the Spirit of Jesus! Love, Father Chris

Sometimes, when I HEAR God’s Word, I have follow-up questions. An  example: the 1st line of the 1st Reading we heard today: “The Lord has opened my ears; I have not been rebellious; I have not turned away.” Sounds straight-forward, NO! What’s NOT said: “Why did God open my ears NOW? & to hear what? The BIG reason is God WANTS to lead us & coach us, & protect us, & prevent us from being manipulated. But for God’s will to be done in us, it comes at a cost: we must surrender ourselves completely to Jesus Christ.  

The Gospel SHOWS us that Peter CLEARLY underestimates what Jesus is actually looking for. I believe that for Jesus to say to Peter, his chosen #1 Apostle, “get behind me, Satan,” Peter must have made an OUTRAGEOUS & insulting proposal to Jesus. I would have LOVED to be a fly on the wall to hear what Peter said to Jesus, for Jesus to get that angry & forceful! Peter CLEARLY thinks he’s SMARTER than Jesus. So, imagine Peter cooking up a plan and then saying to Jesus, “Look, you don’t have to die, & we 12 don’t have to die. I know a guy who knows a guy: HE can save us; he can smuggle us ALL out of town, & we can escape this death you’re talking about!” What chutzpah: suggesting that some MAN & NOT GOD is going to save us! And Peter STILL thinks God’s plan is negotiable: that we commit ourselves for a while, & then we can STOP being faithful to God & Jesus when being a discipleship starts to have a personal cost.  

So, in addition to knowing that Peter’s way is NOT the way to heaven or to Christ’s heart, what can we take away from today? It seems to me it goes back to something else NOT mentioned in the Gospel, and that’s your baptism & mine. We are baptized, NOT to be like  everyone else. & we’re not MEANT to be swayed by whatever’s politically popular at any time. We’re called as Roman Catholic Christians to GIVE ourselves away in love: give away our hearts & energy, give away our skills & talents, BECAUSE ALL those things AREN’T OURS alone: they’re ALL on loan to us for others, & for the betterment of our world & our neighborhoods, so that we can bring some HOPE & LIGHT & JOY to them. I received some joy this past week: there was a 3-year-old girl attending the baptism of  two young boys, & when we lit the baptismal candles, she started singing “Happy Birthday!” We all laughed, knowing that NEW BIRTH was happening at that baptism before our eyes.  What a great reminder it was. May the Holy Eucharist we receive today boost our energy & courage to put our Christian faith into action for others, and may each of our Christ-lights SHINE! Amen.   Love, Fr. Chris

I am SO grateful for being able to HEAR things: like the voices of people that I love, familiar music & new music, shows on TV & streaming services & even podcasts. But SOMETIMES when I hear something, it’s SO loud I JUMP out of my chair! For example, at times, on traditional TV, I think when the show pauses for commercials, those ads are EXTRA loud just to get our attention! I start with this experience of sound because I believe it’s 1 reason WHY Jesus separates the deaf man from the crowd & the noise. I believe Jesus IS very sensitive to how you & I react to the world, & that Jesus was thinking that a person who’d never heard ANY sound might be SHOCKED and DISORIENTED to hear loud sounds. I believe this miracle is just one more proof that Jesus cares about our health & well-being: NOT just our physical health, but our TOTAL spiritual health, too.

Here’s why I say this: we know that NO ONE is BORN into the Faith: we’re BAPTIZED into the faith of Jesus & the Apostles, the faith of the church, which we renew each week at Mass. So, when we BAPTIZE people into the faith, we LINK ourselves to the essence of today’s Gospel with a short POWERFUL prayer. The deacon or priest doing the baptism of an infant, for example, touches the baby’s mouth & ears, & repeats Jesus’ words to the deaf man in the Gospel: BE OPENED!  Here’s the Baptismal prayer: “May the Lord Jesus, who made the deaf hear & the mute speak, grant that you may soon receive His word with your ears, & profess the faith with your lips, to the glory & praise of God the Father.” 

& if we think carefully about God’s design & plan for the world, one thing is clear: God did NOT bring us to earth JUST to watch out for & take care of ourselves.  According to Jesus’ own words, we are our brothers’ & sisters’ keepers. Another way to say this is that 1 of the reasons we’re all here, as descendants of the Apostles & disciples, is to HEAR Jesus’ Good News, and to  speak it plainly to others in words & deeds. 

I recently heard of an example of someone living the love of Jesus here in NY:              a family was driving to Florida’s Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World for vacation. They were still on the Belt Parkway – always a joy 2drive on, day or night! & there was another car on the side of the road that had flames shooting out of the hood.  Well, the dad of the family driving to Disney was a well-trained NYC fireman who, when everyone else is running away from disasters, he runs toward them! This brave fireman did what Jesus did: he went to save the lives of the people who were in that other car. Yes: he did show Jesus’ love; that man showed he HEARD Jesus’ Word & put it into practice.  Let the Holy Eucharist, which celebrates NOT JUST our alone time with Jesus, but our TOGETHERNESS in the Body of Christ, help us ALL love each other with greater courage & consistency. Blessed be God forever.

In the last century, there was a Bishop in Brazil named Dom Hélder Camára. Bishop Camára stood up for the poor, against a government that told them they were not worth much at all. The Bishop told the government, for example, that food & medicine & shelter were not just for the rich & the privileged: everyone had the right to these human basics, because each of us has the dignity of Jesus living within us! And as the Bishop sent his catechists out to teach the faith to people in the poorest ghettos (known as barrios) of his Diocese, The Bishop told them: ‘Sisters and brothers, watch how you live. The way you live  may be the only gospel your listeners will ever see or hear.’ What’d he mean?  I think he meant that you & I have the Gospel of Jesus inside us, & by our Baptism, we have been called to demonstrate the Gospel by HOW we live, HOW we treat people, & how we spread Gd’s love by our actions. I would also say this: if you never felt fully trusted by anyone in your life, know that Jesus’ trust in you to do God’s work is HUGE, for by our good behavior & good example, WE confess & witness to God’s great work in the world.

&, when I put these thoughts next to today’s Gospel, it becomes clearer to me WHY Jesus told the Apostles to travel light. For Jesus, travelling light empowered the Apostles to stay focused on the message, & to rely first on God & then one another: that’s the rationale of Jesus’ 2 x 2 method.

But it ALSO seems to me there’s another connection I hadn’t thought of before this year. When Jesus was getting ready to preach God’s Good News,  what did he do first? He went on retreat in the desert for 40days. At the end of it, he felt weak, hungry, needy & alone. (most of us can identify with those experiences). & at that moment, how DID the devil try to appeal to Jesus? With some BIG temptations, about pride, possessions, power & prestige: all EGO-centered & ego-driven qualities! They all say, “life’s just all about ME.” & any of us who’s ever been tempted by them NOW KNOWS that if we dabble in temptations, or get weighted down by them or the sins to which they lead, then we’re NOT relying 100% on God’s LIBERATING power we find only in Jesus. For instance, after a while, we have to look around at our material goods and ask: “do WE own our possessions, or do our possessions own us?”  

As Jesus invites us into today’s Gospel, to soak up the nourishment he offers, it seems to me He ALSO invites us to ask ANOTHER big question: it’s related to WHY Jesus sent out the 12 Apostles to preach repentance from sin. The question is: ”is there anything WEIGHTY that’s holding me down, like a sin or temptation, that’s keeping me from doing MY share of the godly work that Jesus has in mind for me to do, while God gives me the breath & time 2do it? Back in the twelfth century when I was growing up, the Church taught that the people doing God’s work in the world were nuns, priests & religious brothers. But since Vatican Council Two, which ended in  1965, all of us who are baptized have a share in spreading & living God’s love, & forgiveness & joy. So, let’s look at ourselves, and reduce our inner & outer baggage, & whatever limits our freedom. & if, in order to enjoy your freedom in Christ, you need to sing the song from the movie Frozen entitled “Let It Go!”, then sing away!                          Love, Your Pastor and Brother, Father Chris