FriarZ's Podcast: Recent Episodes
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The podcast channel of Fr. Brian John Zuelke, O.P., a Dominican friar of the Province of St. Albert the Great (USA)
Today is the memorial of Saint Hildegard of Bingen, Virgin and Doctor of the Church, German Benedictine nun and among the greatest female saints of the Medieval period of European history. Like the women who supported Jesus and the Twelve (Lk 8), she scorned the attraction of riches as the early Apostles did (1 Tim 2) for the integrity of religious life in support of the gospel. But just as women of the Church do today, she offered up more than her wealth but all her God-given gifts for the edification of others She gifted to the Church her visionary experiences, her spiritual wisdom, her learning in natural philosophy, the composition of some of the greatest hymns of the Medieval era, and her reformist preaching calling for the reform of both clergy and laity alike to live in accord with the holiness of God. Today we can look to her as an example of total dedication to Christ, of the poverty necessary to promote the gospel through living out the many gifts that God has given us for the preaching of truth and the life of charity.
24th OT Friday // 1 Tim 6:2c-12 // Ps 49// Luke 8:1-3
With many graduations taking place during these weeks, we remember that Christian education is a life-long project, becoming forged by God for his Kingdom. The Holy Spirit is the Eternal Flame who keeps us malleable during our lives as we are shaped on the anvil of the world for eternal life. That Flame is meant to be shared with the world as St. Catherine of Siena says: "Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire."
We hear repeatedly throughout the New Testament writings that Christians are to be "holy as our Father is holy" (1 Peter), "merciful as our Father is merciful" (Luke), and "perfect as our Father is perfect" (Matthew). But what is our heavenly Father like in these regards? St. Thomas Aquinas teaches that God's justice and mercy are exercised in creation by his prior commitment to sustain it in existence and govern it towards its end. This is not something God owes to creation, but rather to himself because of his prior commitment! Like him, Christians owe it to themselves to pursue justice and bestow mercy: towards all people, in recognition of the "image of God" in each; but "especially those of the family of faith", the Church, who share in God's "likeness" by grace. In this latter case, especially, the Christian disciple is able to "love neighbor as self", for "we are members individually of one another", so in seeking justice towards and bestowing mercy on fellow discipes the disciple is being "God-like", giving what is owed to the other by "holy selfishness"!
-Given at the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel (UST-St. Paul) on October 25, 2020, 30th Sunday of OT
Where do martyrs get the strength to sacrifice their lives for the sake of Christ? Surely part of it stems from a radical consciousness of the contingency of their lives, knowing that all comes from God and returns to God, so that the only question becomes how to receive or let it go for the sake of the gospel. Like Job, they are able to say "The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD!" (Job 1:21), cultivating an identity solely based on the dignity that comes from the call of Jesus to discipleship and service to others. One can be as apparently insignificant as the child that Jesus presents in Luke 9 to his disciples as an example of becoming "the least." Only then can one join the ranks of martyrs like St. Lorenzo Ruiz, who have become the greatest through their witness to Christ's grace, even unto death.
-Given at the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel (UST-St. Paul) on September 28, 2020, Memorial of St. Lorenzo Ruiz
What do you hope for from the Lord? Sometimes we can think that our hope of eternal salvation is dependent on doing something to earn it, but this attitude basically that of the fifth century heretic Pelagius. Rather, as St. Augustine and the Roman Catholic Church teach, there is nothing that one does to earn salvation, but rather all good works that contribute to our sanctification are done out of gratitude for what the Lord has already wrought through his death on the cross. The concern should not be over one's salvation -- something that lies only in the hands of God himself -- but rather with responding to this gratuitous offer in love, by bearing fruit in the "vineyard of the Lord" among those to whom we are sent. If there is any "merit" in what we do, it is Christ's first, in which we participate when we embrace his call to pick up our cross daily and follow him.
-Given at the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel (UST-St. Paul) on September 20, 2020, the 25 Sunday of Ordinary Time
Christian disciples are called to give something--"time, talent, treasure"--for the sake of supporting their churches and their evangelical missions. Yet, the Church has never defined how much, whether it be the traditional 10% tithe or not. Why? Out of the wisdom to avoid giving becoming mechanical, instead suggesting that it should be on the basis of ability, according to vocation. But even more important is the reason for giving. Less important (though still important) is the amount than the spirit in which it is given, namely that of gratitude: for the gift of present liberation wrought in the death of Jesus Christ, and for the gift of future eternal life wrought in his resurrection. "God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Cor 9:7). "How grateful are you?" A question that Christian disciples must ask each day as they discern the generosity that the Lord is calling them to.
-Given at the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel (UST-St. Paul) on September 18, 2020
Why is the cross of Christ so "exalted" in the Christian tradition? Because it is the source of the disciple's salvation. Jesus predicts his own elevation on the cross in John 3, relating it to Moses' holding aloft a bronze serpent in the desert: "whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live" (Num 21:9). The cross is the source of healing for Christians, because through it Jesus was able to recapitulate the whole history of the human race, marred by sin through disobeying the will of God for their good: "and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross" (Phil 2:8). The Christian disciple has heard that he or she is to take up the cross and follow Jesus, imitating his obedience to what is right and just, experiencing transformation and healing, becoming oriented towards the salvation which Jesus has promised. The disciple who truly carries the cross is one that others can "look upon" for healing, inviting them into the glory that Jesus attained only through his saving sacrifice.
-Given at the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel (UST-St. Paul) on September 14, 2020, Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
When is "good enough" good enough? The search for "good enough" enters into every facet of life, and for the Christian disciple this can be doubly true of the spiritual life. It can seem like one never "measures up" enough to the call to virtue and holiness, bringing with it great anxiety and discouragement. One is never satisfied: How can God be!? But Jesus, and his Apostle Paul, both teach notion of holiness that is other-directed, rather than a neurotic inversion upon oneself. In his Sermon on the Plain (Lk 6), Jesus' exhortations to righteousness are made in the context of seeking to lead others towards the Good (vv. 39-42). In his letter to the Corinthians (1 Cor 9), Paul talks about becoming all that others need him to become in order to bring them to salvation (vv. 19-23). All of this correlates perfectly with other teachings of Jesus and Paul that the disciple must strive to bear spiritual fruit in the world, above all that of love. Are we ever "good enough"? Never, but the Christian disciple is always "good enough" to give the love possible for the day, and where this love must become better, one now knows specifically where greater spiritual growth is necessary.
-Given at the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel (UST-St. Paul) on September 11, 2020
On this feast day of the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Christian disciples are called to remember their places in the salvation history over which God has divine providence. Certainly, Joseph provided by adoption the lineage of Judah in confirmation of Jesus' Messiahship, and John the Forerunner could claim the lineage of Levi to authenticate his preaching. But who was Mary? Seemingly a nobody, just like the women who played unexpected roles in the genealogy of Jesus (Mt 1) were nobodies in others' eyes. But in the Father's eyes these women played unexpectedly critical roles in salvation history, just as Mary's role as Mother of God was as unexpected as could be! Christian disciples are reminded, then, that while the Lord often works with and through expected patterns of human relationship he can just as often utilize the unexpected to achieve the greatest glories. Mary, conceived in justice, provides to disciples, reborn in grace, an example of the openness, humility, and courage necessary to embrace their vocations to bear Christ into the world as she did.
-Given at the St. Thomas More Chapel (UST-Minneapolis) on September 8, 2020, the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
A difficult balance to strike in the spiritual life is contentedness and discontentness. On the one hand, a certain contentedness is necessary to maintain a spirit of gratitude toward God, even when experiencing discontent over oneself. On the other hand, that discontent with oneself is always necessary to keep us striving for ever greater righteousness, and a very important facet of this is right judgment. Paul critiqued the church of Corinth (1 Cor 1-4) for exercising poor judgment regarding himself and other apostles because of their resorting to partisanry rather than receiving with gratitude the one faith they preached. Human judgment must always be submitted to the Lord who is the sole judge, and to the extent that one receives the internal renewal desired by Jesus (Lk 5) out of a discontentedness with one's own wisdom, the Christian disciple will be able to be renewed in mind and heart, and be made righteous unto salvation.
-Given at the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel (UST-St. Paul) on September 4, 2020
When Jesus preached to the people of Capernaum, they encountered him as one who "spoke with authority" (Lk 4). There are many ways of speaking with authority, but today's Gospel passage makes clear that Jesus has the authority not only to reveal reality but to shape reality with his word. This same power would be given to the Apostles and other disciples in later chapters, indicating that the power to heal, to cast out evil, and to speak in his name is a common heritage of all Christian disciples. It is the Holy Spirit who ultimately gives to disciples the power to rightly exercise this "creative authority", however, since only the Holy Spirit can know what is the will of God in its fullness (1 Cor 2). This makes the life of prayer, study, and community essential to Christian life, the means through which disciples receive the direction and discernment necessary to guide them in their own spiritual authority in the world.
-Given at the St. Thomas More Chapel (UST-Minneapolis) on September 1, 2020
Throughout his "eschatological discourse" (Mt 24-25), Jesus warns his disciples to stay awake, remain watchful, be prepared, because the timing of the Parousia (second coming) of the Lord is uncertain. Jesus illustrates this using the parable of the wise and foolish virgins waiting for the bridegroom to arrive: only the wise are able to enter the wedding feast because they planned ahead. The wisdom of the virgins isn't a mere human wisdom, one of factual knowledge and philosophical cleverness, Paul says (1 Cor 1:17-25), but rather the same fundamental love of God and neighbor that led Jesus to bear the cross and ultimate sacrifice his life. St. Augustine of Hippo was an exemplary of this love, shunning worldly success to commit his life wholly to the Lord and growing in his relationship with Jesus throughout his life as evidenced in his writings. Want to be prepared for the Lord's coming? Commit to the ordinary journey of deepening your relationship with Jesus each day through personal prayer, communal support, study of the Christian faith, and active love towards others.
-Given at the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel (UST-St. Paul) on August 28, 2020, the Memorial of St. Augustine of Hippo
A community thrives when it's grounded in reality and pursuing just ends through right means, and any Christian in the role of leadership is called to the same. Jesus modeled good leadership by binding others to the truth through instruction and by loosing them from all that would obstruct their response. But he also demonstrated another good leadership quality: delegation. In Mt 16, Jesus declares the confession of the Apostle Peter--the truth of Jesus as "Messiah and Son of the Living God"--as the "Rock" on which the Church would have its foundation. Peter was then made the principal minister of the household of God, inheriting the power to bind and loose just like Eliakim was for the house of David (Isa 22). In Mt 18, this responsibility was extended to all official leadership in the Church, namely the bishops in communion with See of Peter. Yet Pope Benedict XVI made clear that the laity share a "co-responsibility" for the building up of the Church. Thus all Christian disciples are called to exercise the power of binding and loosing, each in his or her own way: binding others to the truth and loosing all that would obstruct embracing Jesus Christ as Son of God, Son of Man. This can be done more or less well, requiring disciples to continually grow in knowledge of truth, in the virtue of prudence for discerning how best to actualize this truth, and in the Gift of Counsel endowed by the Holy Spirit through regular prayer and community life. Then can truth be lived and preached in love, "and the gates of Hades will not prevail" in our lives.
-Given at the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel (UST-St. Paul) on August 23, 2020, the 21st Sunday of OT
"Knowledge builds up, but love builds up" (1 Cor 8). So the Apostle Paul reminds us, dealing with the arrogance of certain disciples of the Church in Corinth who thought that their "right knowledge" allowed them to do as they wished without consideration for the needs of others. It remains a common problem today, acting out of an attitude of "I know what's best" while ignoring the common good and the Good who is God himself. Jesus reminds his followers that fundamental to right action on the basis of right knowledge is right will: "Love God... love your neighbor" (Mt 22). Regardless of how right one is, how one enacts truth depends on prior regard for God and neighbor. Pope St. Pius X knew and practiced such throughout his pastoral ministry, living a spirit of poverty, caring for the practical needs of others, but above all in countering philosophical movements in the Church which asserted dubious knowledge over love of the Body of Christ. He knew that only knowledge suffused with love has the capability of building up, something to remember in these heated times.
-Given at the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel (UST-St. Paul) on August 21, 2020, the Memorial of St. Pius X
For the Christian disciple, perfection is everything. "Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Mt 5). But in what sense? The young man who came to Jesus in Mt 19 had the same question, and was challenged to look beyond simply following commandments to a living relationship with Jesus himself. Part of this challenge was for the young man to let go of his wealth, and in response he went away "for he had many possessions." The Christian disciple is called to the same radical commitment to Christ, requiring a proper detachment from things of this world. This goes for even good things! Without this growth in spiritual detachment, so much can get in the way as an idol: people, things, ideas, activities, and so on. But if these are put in their proper place, the Holy Spirit has room in which to operate so that even what was an idol can become a means to our true perfection in Christ.
-Given at the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel (UST-St. Paul) on August 17, 2020
What's so special about commitment? Well, for the Christian disciple it's because God is a God of Commitment. The Hebrew prophets constantly spoke of their God being commitment to them as a husband ought to be towards his wife. And even if the People of Israel were unfaithful, God would remain faithful to his covenant with them. The God of Commitment calls the Christian disciple to be committed as well: to him, to the Church, to neighbor. This is the background behind Jesus' "difficult sayings" around the permanence of marriage and the possibility of celibacy for the sake of the kingdom of heaven (Mt 19). Yet these sayings established in the Church the basis of vowed life: marriage, religious life, consecrated virginity, ordained ministry. Just as marriage is a symbol of Christ's commitment to the Church (Eph 5), so Christians are called to imitate Christ by entering into vowed commitment as a means of witnessing to this love today. This same vowed life is what gave St. Maximilian Kolbe the strength to die in the place of another prisoner in Auschwitz. There is power in the vowed life: What power is the Lord asking you to tap into for the sake of service to Church and world?
-Given at the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel (UST-St. Paul) on August 14, 2020, the Memorial of St. Maximilian Kolbe
Though not everyone in the Church is an ordained Deacon (diakonos), St. Lawrence provides an excellent example to all Christian disciples, who are called to service (diakonia) in the Church and in the world. Martyred in 258 during the Roman persecution under Emperor Valerian, Lawrence had surely spent a lifetime of preparation for the moment of his execution through a life of detachment from worldly concerns, growing in right relationship with Creator and creation. Proof enough of this is found in the stories of his life, presenting to the Emperor the poor, infirm, and powerless as the "treasures of the Church." The Christian disciple is likewise called to this ever more radical detachment in imitation of Jesus Christ himself: "Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life" (Jn 12:25). Lawrence followed this example, sowing his life through martyrdom for the sake of witness to Jesus, the value of human life, and the hope of eternal salvation.
-Given at the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel (UST-St. Paul) on August 10, 2020, the Feast of St. Lawrence
The Hebrew prophets constantly chided Israel for taking matters into their own hands when feeling threatened as a people, leading to foreign alliances and ensuing temptations to idolatry. The prophet Jeremiah's task before and during the Exile was to keep Judah from acting rashly from a refusal to accept the consequences of its continued infidelity, instead encouraging Judah to repent and accept the reality of its degraded situation. The Christian disciple can likewise be unwilling to accept the reality of some trial he or she is undergoing, deserved or not, thus rejecting the opportunity it presents to place one's trust more profoundly in Divine Providence. The Apostle Peter offers a good example in Matthew 14, not asking Jesus to calm the storm but rather asking him to give him the ability to stand with Jesus in the midst of the storm. Such is the opportunity every trial offers, allowed by God for the sake of our own sanctification through faith in Jesus Christ.
-Given at the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel (UST-St. Paul) on August 3, 2020
Matthew recounts in his Gospel thousands gathering around Jesus to here him preach and receive healing (Mt 14). But a dilemma arises: How to feed all these people? The disciples are skeptical, pointing out that together they have only five loaves of bread and two fish. Jesus uses the occasion to work a miracle of multiplication and uses his disciples to feed those gathered. This miracle is a foreshadowing of the nourishment received in the celebration of the Eucharist, but the disciple knows that he or she plays a role in making Christ's presence known in the world after having received him in his Body and Blood. But how practically is this to be done? Through a double process of receiving and giving: first recognizing one's own gifts from God, offering them back to him in return, then receiving these gifts back elevated for service of others. What gifts has God given you for the nourishing the world today?
-Given at the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel (UST-St. Paul) on August 2, 2020, 18th Sunday of OT
What makes for "Catholic" faith? According to the earliest councils of the Church, fundamental to faith in Christ is acknowledgement of Jesus as both Son of Man and Son of God. This was the faith of Peter, making him the "Rock" upon which the Lord would build his Church (Mt 16). Yet not too long after Jesus affirmed the faith of Peter he would remind the Apostles of the need to pick up their crosses and follow him in order to fulfill their missions. As we know from the Acts of the Apostles and the letters of Paul, both Peter and Paul would experience trials, imprisonment, and ultimately martyrdom. Yet their confidence in the Lord's constant presence in their lives, guiding them in their mission, would give them the ability to devote both their lives and deaths to witnessing to Jesus. Christian disciples today can have the same confidence as they fulfill their own missions of preaching Christ, in whom humanity and divinity met for the salvation of the world.
-Given at the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel (UST-St. Paul) on June 29, 2020, Solemnity of SS. Peter and Paul
In Matthew 10, Jesus sends his apostles as forerunners of his ministry among the people of Israel. The apostles were sent out as prophets, ambassadors of the one by whom they were sent. Total commitment is required, because though welcome would be the outcome at times so would rejection and persecution. The Christian disciple today shares in this prophetic mission of Christ by acting as his ambassadors in the world. This mission does not arise from the disciple but from sharing in the life of Christ, having died and risen with him in baptism (Romans 6). Growing in the life of the Holy Spirit throughout their lives, disciples become increasingly capable of preaching Christ in word and deed. Yet the life of an ambassador is not only one of telling but of listening as well: first to Jesus himself, then to those to whom he or she is sent, hearing the needs and desires of others first just as Elisha did for the Shunemmite woman (2 Kgs 4). The Christian disciple aspiring to be an ambassador must learn first to be in dialogue before expecting to introduce others to Christ.
-Given at the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel (UST-St. Paul) on June 28, 2020, 13th Sunday of Ordinary Time
2 Kgs 17 relates the sad tale of the fall of Samaria and the deportation throughout the Assyrian empire of Israelites from the northern kingdom. "Only the tribe of Judah was left," and the descendants of the tribe of Judah would put the blame for this squarely on the northern kingdom's lack of fidelity to the Lord, making inappropriate foreign alliances and importing strange cults into their worship. In a word: idolatry. When both Church and world experience being "rocked and split open" (Ps 60), idolatry is to blame, above all in the form of myriad ideologies all glorifying human power against the calm reign of God. Christian disciples are called to be purified of human ideology, submitting all things to Christ and his gospel. Without this purification, there is only hypocrisy, too many "beams in the eye" to help others transcend the clamor of the world by freeing their eyes of "splinters" (Mt 7:1-5). But with this purification, Christian disciples become fresh leaven in the world, sowing the true peace and justice of the kingdom of God.
-Given at the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel (UST-St. Paul) on June 22, 2020, Monday of the 12th Sunday of Ordinary Time
In 2 Kings, the prophet Elisha had only one request of his master, Elijah: "I want a double portion of your spirit." And he was granted it... why? This is surely due, in part, to his full acceptance of the trials and sufferings that a prophet of the Lord would necessarily encounter, proving that he had the right motivations for receiving this spirit. Jesus also made motivations an important aspect of his teaching on almsgiving, prayer, and fasting in the second major portion of his Sermon on the Mount (Matt 6). While a hypocrite practices these disciplines to be esteemed, the Christian disciple does so for the sake of his or her relationship with the Father. With this focus on right relationship with God firmly practiced, the disciple then can act in the world in a way consistent with the will of God through docility to his Spirit. Pray for a double portion of the Holy Spirit today, but pray first for the right motivations in receiving him!
-Given at the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel (UST-St. Paul) on June 17, 2020, Wednesday of the 11th Sunday of Ordinary Time
The achievement of a natural peace--absence of conflict--is only possible through a natural justice: "eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth." Such an ethic of tit-for-tat, hurt for hurt, by means of scapegoats is the only recourse of the world. In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus presents a new ethic capable of achieving true peace and justice, only by grace: gratuitous self-giving, even to enemies, so as to win them over to what is right and just. Christians today have many opportunities for such self-giving by contributing to the cause of justice in the world, albeit in a Christian manner and according to Christian principles. This holds out the promise that those who would otherwise despise Christian values and faith, in general, might discover a new openness to hearing the gospel. But it requires graced courage and creativity for Christian disciples to engage the world such self-giving. Let us pray for this grace today!
-Given at the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel (UST-St. Paul) on June 15, 2020, Monday of the 11th Sunday of Ordinary Time
Jesus constantly tells his disciples not to worry, to take courage, that God is in control. But unless we are to fall into "fideism," this must be balanced with Jesus' three-fold demand to Peter: "feed my lambs / tend my sheep / feed my sheep." Jesus identifies this care for his flock as a true mark of a pastor in the Church, who loves Jesus by loving his people. But by extension every Christian disciple is likewise called to care for the needs of others in response to their faith in Jesus. The challenge has always been to care, to allow one's heart to be open to receiving what matters to Christ in our broken world: the demands of justice, the demands of peace, within the Church, and in the world without. Though each disciple may be called to act when it comes to particular issues in the world, great demands are placed upon Christian disciples to care about everything, not to hide behind "fideism" or an obstinate skepticism. If Christ's peace is truly to be made present in the world, justice must be sought in tandem: the righteousness of sanctification in the Holy Spirit, and right relations among all peoples. Pope St. Paul VI challenges us still to pursue this righteousness and justice today.
-Given at the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel (UST-St. Paul) on May 29, 2020, Friday of the Seventh Sunday of Easter, Memorial of Pope St. Paul VI
Perceptions of violence within the Christian tradition have been fraught with complexity, from inquisitions and crusades, to strict pacifism and severe penances demanded for killing, to just war theory and the need for protecting the innocent and powerless. Complexities will always remain, but in our post-World War world, Christians are called to look upon the use of violence with fresh eyes in a globalized international reality. Today more than ever the Christian disciple is called to have faith that Jesus has already conquered the world, so that we may have the courage not to resort to violence when afraid for our security and the security of others. Nevertheless, in our fallen world sometimes lethal force is necessary to secure peace, though always as a last resort. This Memorial Day, we honor those who've given their lives to protect the innocent and defenseless, and recognize our responsibility as Christians to contribute to a world in which the necessity of such sacrifices are kept to a minimum, if not eliminated entirely.
-Given at the St. Albert the Great Priory on May 25, 2020, Monday of the Seventh Sunday of Easter, Memorial Day
In the face of confusion and darkness, the Christian disciple might be tempted to question Jesus about his purposes in our lives. Well... do it! The disciple knows that obstacles faced are opportunities to grow deeper in the life of self-entrustment to the Lord, i.e. faith in his Messiahship as preached by Paul to the people of Corinth. This deeper faith leads to deeper understanding of the Lord's place as lord of human history, and all that seems to be intended for the bad has the possibility of giving rise to the good under his hand. The only choice the disciple has is whether or not to participate in this process, and if one does then he or she might just find that even when they are grieving in the face of evil, their grief will be turned into joy.
-Given at the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel (UST-St. Paul) on May 21, 2020, Thursday of the Sixth Sunday of Easter
How do you encounter God? For Christians, the fullest encounter with God possible is to be found in their Eucharistic worship, participating in Word and Sacrament. The Second Vatican Council spoke of this encounter with God through Christ's presence in multiple modes, above all in the sacrifice of the Mass, the proclamation of the word, the celebration of the sacraments, and communal praise. All of these are the fullest actualization of encounter with God, and so have a normative, privileged place in Christian discipleship. Yet we often take these realities for granted, making us poorly disposed to receiving the life of grace offered through them. This time of quarantine is the perfect time to let "absence make the heart grow fonder": first, by cultivating a deep contemplative time through prayer and study of the Scripture and Tradition of the Church; second, by cultivating a consciousness of all reality as "sacramental," mediating Christ's presence to us constantly, and of ourselves as mediating Christ's presence to others by sharing in the Holy Spirit. With greater cultivation of our spiritual appetites, our encounter with God in Word and Sacrament will be that much more powerful, and we are able to bring that encounter into the lives of others, stimulating their appetites for more in the communion of the Church.
-Given at the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel (UST-St. Paul) on April 26, 2020, Third Sunday of Easter
Christians are not strangers to dark and difficult times. The parents of Jesus experienced such a difficult time when they lost their son (Lk 2:41-51), and only after three days (hint, hint!) did they find him in the Jerusalem Temple. Like them, we might legitimately ask of a seemingly absent God: "Why are you doing this to us? We are looking for you with great anxiety!" Jesus' answer to his disciples is just what he told them: "I am in my Father's house." This knowledge would see him through the dark times also, even on the cross when cried out, "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?" (Ps 22) And where did he learn what it means to have God as his "Father"? At least partially from the fatherhood of Joseph, who gave him love and protection, but no doubt also knew when suffering couldn't be avoided in the life of his adopted son. Through Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist, the Christian disciple is made a son or daughter of the "Father's house," and such knowledge will see him or her through the darkest of times.
-Given at the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel (UST-St. Paul) on March 19, 2020, Solemnity of Saint Joseph, husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
What was the great crime of the "rich man" towards Lazarus? (Lk 16:19-31) Certainly that he should have cared for Lazarus in his need, but more broadly he is to be faulted for determining himself who was and was not in his "sphere of love." Aquinas teaches in his Summa questions on the virtue of charity that love properly begins with those closest to us in accordance with subsidiarity, then expands in concentric circles outwards to those further away. When the Christian selects only a few human beings for their own "sphere," it is idolatry: the worshiping of human values over the values of God for the sake of selfish gain. Instead, Christian disciples must let God determine who is within our sphere of love, those closest and those far away, and discernment of this sphere comes through prayer. Who are the Lazarus' at your doorstep?
-Given at the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel (UST-St. Paul) on March 12, 2020.
Christians are not unfamiliar with dark and anxious times. Jesus encoded it in our DNA from the moment he began to preach the way of the cross to his disciples. Yet shortly after he reveals this hard mystery, he appears transfigured before Peter, James, and John with Moses and Elijah, assuring them of the hope which they have to look forward to beyond the cross. This event reveals Jesus as the fulfillment of the "law and prophets," bringing a certain close to the covenants of old, making way for a new everlasting covenant in his Body and Blood. Christians today have the advantage of having received the "resurrection faith" given by baptism and sharing in the Holy Spirit, and thus they may more securely turn towards the glory to come on way of the cross, receiving the courage here and now to bring to fulfillment the Abrahamic covenant of drawing all nations to Jesus as Lord and Savior.
-Given at the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel (UST-St. Paul) on March 8, 2020.
Many people, Christians included, tend to misunderstand the purpose of the moral life in Christian discipleship. A superficial reading of the Old and New Testaments, fixated solely on "law," tends to miss that what the Lord desires for his followers is not mere observance of rules, but the transformation of the human mind and heart by grace. External acts are important indicators of character, but a virtuous character is always something in process, never complete. Mistakes will be made, but in the midst of even those mistakes the Father calls his children back to embracing the life of grace so that our transformation may continue. Lent is a time for growing in virtue: fasting to quiet the sensual life, prayer for offering to God the space freed-up within us, and almsgiving / self-giving so that love may bloom out of greater attentiveness to God's will. What virtues do you need to grow in this Lent?
-Given at the St. Thomas More Chapel (UST-Minneapolis) on March 6, 2020.
If we take Jesus' words (Mt 7:7-12) out of context, we might start to wonder if the "prosperity gospel" isn't right after all. "Maybe if I just prayed harder, and had greater faith, then God would answer my prayers." But the Christian disciple must consider the whole of revelation, and think carefully about the relationship between prayer and divine providence. Clearly, our prayers aren't always answered... at least not in the way we expect them to be. And therein lies the way of the cross. Prayer is not for the purpose of getting what we want, or even what we need. Prayer is the context within which the Holy Spirit shapes the heart and mind of the disciple to be oriented in accord with God's will. Only within this process of grace are our prayers are answered as we expect: for they are not our prayer anymore, but the Spirit's own made through us.
-Given at the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel (UST-St. Paul) on March 5, 2020.
The presence of suffering and evil in the world is philosophically scandalous, leading some to dismiss "God" as a pious fantasy. Certainly, if we are limited to "human wisdom," then there seems no way out. Yet "God's wisdom," as Paul argues in 1 Corinthians, surpasses our own cleverness, and this wisdom is communicated most profoundly in the "cross" which Jesus tells his disciples daily to pick-up as they follow his way. The cross teaches that suffering and evil need not be avoided, but by grace can be embraced for the sake of growing in faith, hope, and charity. The Lenten season is a perfect time to grow in the ability to "lean into" the cross that comes: fasting to make room for prayer, prayer to grow in knowledge and love of God, and self-giving to put this love of God into action in the world.
-Given at the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel (UST-St. Paul) on February 27, 2020, the Thursday after Ash Wednesday.
At the turning point of the Gospel of Mark, Jesus challenges every disciple to pick up his or her cross and follow him. This cannot be interpreted as a mere turning away from the world, however. Two movements are involved in the Christian spiritual life: maintaining detachment towards the world, yes, but for the sake of becoming more attached to God and neighbor through disinterested love. Detachment is a matter of liberation, so that the disciple can remain self-possessed, then make a true self-gift in imitation of Christ. Said differently, with James, faith must be completed through works: faith involves that necessary detachment, but the working of faith through love is the fullness of Christian engagement in the world. St. Peter Damian demanded this manner of life from clergy of the 11th C., but every Christian is called to practice this while living out their vocations.
-Given at the St. Thomas More Chapel (UST-Minneapolis) on February 21, 2020, on the memorial of St. Peter Damian.
How we encounter Jesus can determine a lot about how we encounter the world. Jesus worked hard during his earthly mission to shed the worldly trappings of the title "Christ," with all its implications of power and might. Rather, before turning towards Jerusalem (Mk 8-9), Jesus declared that he, the "Son of Man," would undergo rejection, persecution, and death. Peter reacted to this shocking revelation with rebuke, and he was rebuked in turn! Thus, Jesus revealed the path of the cross, and challenges his disciples to embrace that path with humility. One way this plays out is how we treat others, especially our fellow Christians, James points out in his Letter: giving the powerful and mighty preference, or treating all with the same welcome and love. One's operative conception of Jesus can heavily influence whether we follow James' teaching on Christian fellowship or not!
-Given at the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel (UST-St. Paul) on February 20, 2020.
"Faith" can be said in many ways, but one way or another both the intellect and the will must be involved. The Christian disciple is certainly called to believe in what God has revealed, but the apex of faith is total self-entrustment to the Lord. Solomon knew all about his God, even from personal experiences of blessing, and yet towards the end of his life he fell into apostasy. On the other hand, the Syrophoenician woman who approached Jesus probably spent her whole life as a Gentile not worshiping the Lord, and yet her one act of trust gained her the healing of her daughter. The message for the disciple of Christ is that fidelity and self-abandonment to God is vastly more important than moral or intellectual perfection. This isn't to negate the pursuit personal integrity, but to recognize that ultimately the blessings of the Lord come solely on the basis of our Spirit-inspired confidence in the power of God.
-Given at the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel (UST-St. Paul) on February 13, 2020.
The company we keep has a strong influence on our freedom. Because we are "social animals," as Aristotle maintains, those closest to us can either aid our freedom to achieve the good or constrain us towards evil. King Herod ignored this reality and was constrained to kill the only source of Light available to him. Even King David ignored this, and isolated himself from those who could have held him accountable. Jesus calls his disciples to resist becoming isolated or keep "bad company." Instead, he calls his disciples to communion with him and with one another, to reflect their Creator, who is a United Community, in a world divided by sin. Aquinas, in commenting on the "virtue of affability," asserts that this is a requirement of justice: that disciples owe one another the "joy of fellowship," that they may be strengthened in the life of grace and mission in the world. As Lent draws near, what will you do to prepare for adjustments? What changes are needed in the company you keep?
-Given at Cor Jesu (St. Mary's Chapel, St. Paul Seminary) on February 7, 2020.
The prophet Isaiah preached in the aftermath of the Assyrian conquest and exile of the northern kingdom of Israel, lamenting not only this loss but the division of the People of God which led to such vulnerability. Yet he also promised that a light would arise in the midst of this darkness to bring about the reunification of the kingdoms as one People again. Yet when Jesus went about Galilee preaching the kingdom of God, he had in mind something beyond the mere reunification of Israel, but of the entire human race as one People. The Church is called to perpetuate Jesus' mission in the world by manifesting that unity to the whole world. But how can this be done when it is divided by the partisanship that Paul criticizes in his first letter to the Corinthians? Christians are called to constantly come to the Lord to be purified of the "human wisdom" that divides us, uniting as one Church under one Lord.
-Given at the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel (UST-St. Paul) on January 26, 2020.
"Beauty attracts," but the effects of Christian discipleship can elicit a variety of responses, from welcome to rejection. Jesus experienced this complicated reality: crowded in upon by people desperate for healing, but then later abandoned by the same on Calvary. King David dealt with the same, welcomed by Jonathan, hated by Saul, for the Lord's favor upon him. The challenge for the disciple is the continue to reach out in friendship to others regardless of their attitudes towards us. Such requires courage, the same courage that inspired St. Marianne Cope to travel to Hawaii to care for those afflicted by Hansen's disease. We can adopt for ourselves what was surely her prayer as well: "In God I trust; I shall not fear" (Ps 56).
-Given at the St. Thomas More Chapel (UST-Minneapolis) on January 23, 2020, the Memorial of Saint Marianne Cope.
The most effective form of instruction is to model a way of life to others. Jesus himself did this by receiving the baptism of repentance proclaimed by John, his Forerunner. Through this event, he taught his disciples about their own need for repentance, yes, but even more their great dignity in having received the Holy Spirit through Baptism and become children of God. As St. Paul affirms in his letters, this divine adoption of humans is a claim to the inheritance of eternal, resurrected life. But Christians are not merely called to enjoy this expectation and its newfound peace, but to model it in the world through love, inviting others to have peace with our Father by making Christ's identity their own. Then there will be true justice, true peace in the world as one family in him.
-Given at the St. Albert the Great Parish (Minneapolis) on January 12, 2020, the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.
The Church celebrates today the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph as part of its ongoing celebration of the Christmas season. The Incarnation of the Son of God in Jesus Christ brought about not only a restoration of human nature, but the sanctification of natural family life through Jesus' birth into a human family. Yet Jesus' mission was to found a new, supernatural Holy Family, the Church, as a means for reuniting the human race as one family under God, giving Christians a mission in the world to to be that Holy Family and to invite others into it. This mission also includes the renewal of family life, giving a natural foundation for the grace of God to work in the lives of children and spouses for the revitalization of the world family.
-Given at the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel (UST-St. Paul) on December 29, 2019, the Solemnity of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.
The exercise of Christian prophecy in the world is certainly modeled on Jesus himself, but disciples also find another model in St. John the Forerunner, announcing the coming of the Lord: "Prepare the way!" Advent is a time for Christians to reflect on their own roles as forerunners of the Lord, recognizing that the ability to be such is radically dependent on the life of grace. God is in total control of the process of salvation, demanding from the Christian prophet commitment of his or her life to participation in this process through prayer, the Sacraments, and charitable outreach to others.
-Given at the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel (UST-St. Paul) on December 19, 2019.
So, Quetzalcoatl walks into a bar...
-Given at the Sitzmann Chapel at UST-St. Paul on December 12, 2019, the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
At the end of his Sermon on the Mount (Mt 5-7), Jesus recommends his own teaching as "solid rock" for building one's spiritual "house" on. Advent is a time when Christians can ask themselves, "How's my house doing?" Is it time to fix the foundation or clean house? Or is it time to expand the foundation, renovate the house, and build an even greater dwelling place for God within? Taking the Sermon on the Mount to prayer this Advent might be a good way to evaluate our own "houses" according to the floorplan of Jesus, not merely hearing, but putting that plan more accurately into action as we prepare to welcome Jesus at his second coming.
-Given at the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel at UST-St. Paul on December 5, 2019.
Dan 2:31-45 and Lk 21:5-11 remind us that nothing in the world lasts forever, so where must the Christian find stability? Every disciple is challenged each day to put down roots in Christ as "the rock" of salvation rather than in worldly realities that are passing away. The kingdom of God is not of this world, and the Christian disciple dwells in this kingdom by not letting the world steal his or her peace. Rather, the life of prayer, study of the Word, and building relationships of love deepens this peace, and by being rooted in Christ the rock we are able to be "rock" to others, sharing this peace and encouraging them in the midst of turbulent times.
-Given at the St. Thomas More Chapel at UST-Minneapolis on November 26, 2019.
We are all looking for a leader in our lives, and are rightly disappointed by the failure of earthly leaders. Christian disciples understand that this longing for leadership can only be met in Jesus Christ as the True King. The Good Thief recognized Jesus' kingship from the cross: the disinterested lover who earned the right to rule through his death and resurrection. Disciples of this king are called to practice a similar disinterestedness towards the world through appropriate detachment, but are also called to act out of this disinterestedness for the good of others.
-Given at the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel at UST-St. Paul on November 24, 2019, the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe.
2 Maccabees offers Christians examples of perfect fidelity to the law of God, even to the extent of giving one's life, with a concern for setting a good example for others. While we can honor this model of integrity in faith, Christians are called to an even greater form of integrity: humble admission of sin and a of a need for God's presence in our lives. Zacchaeus welcome Jesus with joy and was willing to repent, and every Christian is called to practice this same integrity daily: seeking perfection while humbly admitting that God is the source of this perfection, not our own wills.
-Given at the St. Thomas More Chapel at UST-Minneapolis on November 19, 2019.
Given at the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel at UST-St. Paul on October 17, 2019, the memorial of St. Ignatius of Antioch.
Given at the St. Thomas More Chapel at UST-Minneapolis on October 15, 2019, the memorial of St. Teresa of Avila.
Given at the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel at UST-St. Paul on September 26, 2019, celebrating the memorial of SS. Cosmas and Damian.
Given at the St. Thomas More Chapel at UST-Minneapolis on September 17, 2019, the Tuesday of the 24th Week in Ordinary Time, the memorial of St. Robert Bellarmine.
Given at the campus chapel of University of St. Thomas on September 12, 2019, the Thursday of the 23rd Week in Ordinary Time.
This homily was given at the School of Law chapel on the campus of the University of St. Thomas on September 10, 2019, the Tuesday of the 23rd Week in Ordinary Time.
This homily was given at the School of Law chapel on the campus of the University of St. Thomas on September 3, 2019, the Tuesday of the 22nd Week in Ordinary Time, the memorial of St. Gregory the Great.
This homily was given at the School of Law chapel on the campus of the University of St. Thomas on August 28th, 2019, the Wednesday of the 21st Week in Ordinary Time, the memorial of St. Augustine of Hippo.
This homily was given at the School of Law chapel on the campus of the University of St. Thomas on August 23rd, 2019, the Friday of the 20th Week in Ordinary Time, the memorial of St. Rose of Lima, O.P.
This homily was given at the Catholic Studies chapel on the campus of the University of St. Thomas on August 14th, 2019, the Wednesday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time, the memorial of St. Maximilian Kolbe.
This homily was given at the Catholic Studies chapel on the campus of the University of St. Thomas on August 9th, 2019, the Friday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time, the memorial of St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross.
This homily was given to the brothers of St. Francis Friary (Denver) on July 27th, 2019, the Saturday of the 16th Sunday of Ordinary Time.
This homily was given at Francis Heights (Denver) on July 22nd, 2019, the Feast of St. Mary Magdelene.
This homily was given at St. Dominic's Parish (Denver) on July 21st, 2019, the 16th Sunday of Ordinary Time. The preaching notes can be found here.
This homily was given at the Cathedral of St. Mary's (Cheyenne, WY) on July 14th, 2019, the 15th Sunday of Ordinary Time. The preaching notes can be found here.
This homily was given at St. Anthony of Padua Parish (New Orleans) on June 9th, 2019, the Solemnity of Pentecost. The preaching notes can be found here.
This homily was given at Blessed Sacrament Parish (Madison, WI) on June 1st, 2019, the Saturday of the 6th Sunday of Easter.
This homily was given at St. Dominic Priory (STL) on May 22nd, 2019, the Wednesday of the 5th Sunday of Easter.
This homily was given at Little Flower Parish on April 28th, 2019, the 2nd Sunday of Easter. The outline of the homily can be found at this link.
This homily was given at Little Flower Parish on March 31st, 2019, the 4th Sunday of Lent. The outline of the homily can be found at this link.
This talk was given at the Catholic Student Center of Washington University on Feb. 27, 2019 during their Ignite event. The outline of the talk can be found at this link.
This homily was given at Little Flower Parish on Mar. 3rd, 2019, the 8th Sunday of Ordinary Time. The outline of the homily can be found at this link.
At Mass this morning we sang a beautiful English setting of the Laetabundus, the sequence immediately proceeding the Alleluia Verse on Christmas Day. More info here. Merry Christmas to all!
This homily was given at Little Flower Parish on Dec. 2nd, 2018, the 1st Sunday of Advent (C). The text of the homily can be found at this link. The text includes links to the resources mentioned.
This homily was given at St. Dominic Priory on Nov. 23, 2018. The readings are taken from Friday, 33rd Week of Ordinary Time.
This homily was given at Little Flower Parish in Richmond Heights, MO on Nov. 11, 2018, Veterans Day weekend. The readings are taken from the 32nd Sunday of Ordinary Time.
If you'd like to read the text of this homily, you can do so at this link.