21st Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)

Sunday, August 24, 2008

St. Clement’s Catholic Church

Saratoga Springs, NY

Isaiah 22: 19 – 23
Psalm 138: 1 – 2, 2 – 3, 6, 8
Romans 11: 33 – 36
Matthew 16: 13 – 20

The last line of today’s Gospel is a key line to understanding what happens prior. At the very end, Jesus tells his disciples not to tell anyone that he is the Messiah. "Then he strictly ordered his disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ." (Matthew 16:20) Well, to be quite honest this statement of Jesus leaves me puzzled and scratching my head. I thought the job of the disciples was to let everyone know that Jesus was the Messiah? Isn’t the job of all of us Christians to tell everyone that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God? Well I could give you the theological explanation about the Messianic secret but for the moment keep this in mind as we look at the exchange between Jesus and his disciples.

There is a story about the late, great John Paul II. He went to visit a nursing home in Italy and as he was visiting the patients he came upon one elderly lady in a wheel chair. He begins to engage her in a conversation but to no avail. She didn’t want to talk to him and didn’t seem interested in him in the least. After a few attempts at starting a futile conversation, John Paul II says to the elderly woman: “Do you know who I am?” To which she responded: “No. But if you go to the front desk they may be able to help you.”

Recognition . . . knowing someone and being able to say something about them. Not only do we recognize someone but hopefully we are able to share things we know about a person. However, the only way we can recognize someone and tell others about them is if we have a relationship with them. Jesus didn’t want to disciples to tell others he was the Messiah because he wanted others to come to that knowledge on their own. The only way others could know this is if they had talked to Jesus, if they have taken time to get to know him.

My older brother refuses to call me Father Paul. To him I am the bratty little brother he knew from growing up. My Redemptorists brothers know me by my nickname I received while in High School. The people of the first parish I worked in called me Padj. The parish is Bethpage would call me by my initials: FP. I am afraid to ask what the people of Saratoga are calling me and saying about me after three weeks. We only get to know someone if we are willing to spend time with them.

Jesus begins by asking the disciples who other people say he is. The answers are obvious: a great prophet, perhaps even Elijah or John the Baptist. The answers the others give are not what he is looking for and he turns to ask the key question of his disciples: “Who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:20) Last year I worked on a teen retreat and this question was the central theme of our retreat. Indeed this question is key not just for a weekend retreat but it is a crucial question for all of us to answer. “Who do you say Jesus is?” It’s not important how I answer this question. I answer it for myself: Jesus is the Second Person of the Trinity; he is the Son of God; he is my friend that I can turn to in prayer when I am in trouble or in need; he is my brother I can share my joys and happiness with. There may be many similarities in our answers but how I answer is important to me; how you answer is important for you.

In order to answer this question you have to have some type of relationship with the Lord. If I was talking to a married couple of thirty years and one of them told me they had not talked to their spouse in the past ten years I would say their marriage was in some type of trouble. How can you say that this is the most important person of your life and you don’t even talk to them? When people are important in our lives we make every attempt to stay in touch with them. We call, we write letters, we send emails, we even text message each other. “Who do you say that Jesus is?” If you can’t answer that question, or you struggle in doing so, I would say that you need to spend some time deepening your relationship with the Lord. The answer you can give to this question is one of the most important answers you will give. That’s why Jesus told his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah; he wants people to come to their answer based on their own personal experience – based on their personal relationship with him.

Emperor Frederick II of the Holy Roman Empire in the thirteenth century was interested in trying to find out what humanity’s natural language was. Because children learn their language from hearing those around them speak he needed to create an environment where this would not occur. Would the first words from these children be Latin, Greek or Hebrew? He separated a group of new born babies and hired nurses who agreed not to speak and not even make any sounds around these children. What happened next was tragic – within a few months all these babies died. Cut off from any communication with others, hearing the voice of another literally destroyed their lives.

Our life in the Lord needs to hear his voice. Prayer is the way we converse with the Lord. If there is no communication with him then our spiritual lives will wither up and die. You might be saying: But where can I find time in my busy life to converse with the Lord. We are all pulled in so many different directions but a relationship with the Lord is a matter of life and death. If we are too busy to talk to him, to have a relationship with him then we will never be able to answer the crucial question: “Who do you say that Jesus is?” Prayer does not have to take hours to be meaningful. What is the first thing many of us do when we get in the car – we turn on the radio. Perhaps we can spend those moments driving in our car saying a few prayers, talking to the Lord, finding out who he is for us. As we wait in line, be it in the grocery store, Target or wherever we can spend some moments in conversation with the Lord instead of checking out the latest news in the Gossip papers. “Who do you say Jesus is for you?” A crucial question that can only be answered if there is a relationship with the person of Jesus.

One way we answer this question is that Jesus is the one who feeds us in the Eucharist. We gather today and every Sunday around the table of the Lord to receive His Body and Blood. Not only is Jesus looking to enter into a deep relationship with us, but at each Mass he wishes to be part of us. “Who do you say Jesus is?” He is the one who becomes one with me each and every time I receive Eucharist.

As we continue with this celebration let us continue to reflect upon this question. As we move outside and go through our day and week to come may we continue to reflect upon this question. Jesus not only asked this question of his disciples over 2,000 years ago but continues to ask it of each and every one of us. It’s a crucial question and the answer demands that we know the one we are asked about. How will you answer this question? As your relationship with the Lord deepens and as your prayer life grows your answer might change. That’s OK because at least you have an answer. May today be a day when you spend some time talking to him. May this week ahead find you continuing to offer your answer to him. “Who do you say that Jesus is?” AMEN!

20th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)

Sunday, August 17, 2008
St. Clement’s Catholic Church
Saratoga Springs, NY

Isaiah 56: 1, 6 – 7
Psalm 67: 2 – 3, 5, 6, 8
Romans 11: 13 – 15, 29 – 32
Matthew 15: 21 – 28

This morning’s Gospel can be summed up in two very similar words: persistence and perseverance. The woman in that meets Jesus is persistent in what she wants. She has a goal in mind and nothing (nor anyone) is going to stand in her way.

Last night many of us watched Michael Phelps capture his eighth gold medal in eight tries. However, the 100 meter butterfly race on Friday night was one of the most exciting races I have ever witnessed. By a mere fraction of .01 seconds he captured the gold, thankful I hear he forgot to clip his finger nails and that gave him the slightest edge in his victory. Seriously though, we admire his persistence and perseverance. For years this one goal of capturing eight gold medals in one Olympic Games has driven him. Think of the countless laps he has swam in preparation. Think of the hours of training and weight lifting he has participated in. He is a man of routine and he has stuck to that routine all for the sake of winning the Gold. By the merest fraction of a second it all paid off. Years of preparation all came down to a quick 50 second race. Michael Phelps (who by the way is from my home town of Baltimore) is one who was persistent, he never quit, and he never gave in.

That is the quality we see in the woman in today’s gospel. She knows what she wants and she knows who can help her. With ferocity like a dog going after a bone she keeps going after Jesus until she gets what she wants. We need to take a closer look at this story to really understand just how persistent she was. The scene is set to make it clear that she was a Canaanite woman – why is this important. It shows that Jesus and she were enemies. Those from the land of Cana did not get along with the household of Israel. So, she pleads with Jesus to help her. Not really her but her daughter who was suffering greatly. What parent would not do whatever was in their power to get help for their sick child? She comes seeking help for her daughter and after she pleads with Jesus he does something that seems un-Christ-like, indeed un-God like. He turns a deaf ear. The God who we say hears the cry of the poor does not listen to the cry of this poor woman – initially.

This does not stop the woman. She’s like a stalker around Jesus and keeps crying out. She follows Jesus and his disciples and at every chance she continues to beg him to help. Eventually the apostles have had enough of her pestering; they have grown weary of her stalking Jesus. They tell Jesus to get rid of this woman, this stalker. Still it does not stop her from crying out. Finally Jesus continues his un-God like reaction by basically telling the woman he has no time for her. His mission is to the lost household of Israel and he doesn’t have time for her. But this persistent woman refuses to bend. In an almost mocking tone to Jesus basically saying his mercy cannot be wasted on the dogs, the outsiders she continues her onslaught. “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.” (Matthew 15:27) She tells Jesus that even though he might not have come for her, she still demands some of his love, mercy, forgiveness.

Jesus then does something remarkable – he changes his mind. God listens to the persistent clamoring of this woman and eventually gives her what she requests. This is the persistence of prayer. The lesson for us 2, 000 years later is the same. Often we pray to God asking him to help us. If we don’t get the answer immediately we give up. I prayed one day to God, he should hear me and he should answer me now. Like the Canaanite woman we have to be men and women who never give up. We have to be people who continue to storm heaven with our prayers. Not just one day but every day. Now we have to realize that God will now always grant exactly what we ask for. Many of us have prayed for healing for a friend, a spouse, a child. If the healing does not come that does not mean that the Lord ignored us; perhaps the answer to our plea is the grace, the strength we need to carry whatever cross we have been given.

We need to be men and women who have a goal in mind and follow through with it. We need to be people who preserve no matter what happens. The woman in the Gospel was on a mission and she was rewarded. When I was in the eighth grade I began to consider the priesthood. When I was all set to apply I needed to get a letter of recommendation from one of my teachers. I went to my homeroom teacher, Sr. Patricia, and told her of my intention and asked if she would write a letter of recommendation for me. She said no. She told me that I lacked what it took to become a priest, that I was a little too wild for the seminarian. Well, I could have given up at that moment but I approached another teacher who gladly gave me the letter of recommendation. End of the story is that St. Patricia was at my ordination and First Mass and said she didn’t remember the story the way I did. However, it shows that we must never give up in trying to do the right thing. The woman in today’s gospel shows us we must never stop praying because our persistence might just change the Lord’s mind.

There is another aspect of today’s Gospel that we must not lose sight of. Initially Jesus says he had come for the lost household of Israel. In granting the Canaanite woman’s request it shows that God’s mercy and love are for all people. There are no divisions when it comes to God’s love. All are welcomed at the table of the Lord; all are his sons and daughters. At times we might wonder about whether someone is qualified to be part of our worshipping community. Jesus’ actions today tell us that we need to accept whoever comes to us. There is no young and no old; there is no white or black or brown; there is no male or female. The love, forgiveness and mercy of our God knows no bounds; he does not play favorites. God does not say: you are my son but not you; you are my daughter but not you. He initially thought his mission was just to the house of Israel; this Gospel shows how his mission is to the entire human family.

So, today we must be people of persistence. Never give up, never stop asking for what you need and never stop living out your goal in life; regardless of what others say. Sometimes we may feel as if God is not listening to us, that’s when you keep praying. Sometimes we might not want to see all as my brothers and sister, that’s when we remember the way Jesus treated others – with love and mercy regardless of who they were. That’s the God I believe in and that’s the God who will always hear the cry of his children. AMEN!

Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Friday, August 15, 2008
St. Clement’s Catholic Church
Saratoga Springs, NY

Revelations 11: 19a, 12: 1 – 6a, 10ab
Psalm 45: 10, 11, 12, 16
1 Corinthians 15: 20 – 27
Luke 1: 39 -- 56

When I was first ordained I remember pulling out a Canon Law book (the Law of the Church) one night when I was home on vacation. I was only ordained a month and as I was sitting in the living room with my mother, I found her a section that read that if anyone hit a priest they were excommunicated from the church. My mother just looked at me and said that was a fine law but it didn’t apply to her, she would always be my mother and if I ever needed a good whack in the head she still had every right to do so – whether I was a priest or not!

Today we come to celebrate a beautiful feast because it is a feast where we honor a mother, indeed we honor our mother. Mothers hold a special place in our hearts. For ninth months they carried us in their womb, nurturing us and giving us life. They are the ones that gave birth to us, allowing us to share in this wonderful gift of life. They have cared for us, taken care of us, and while not in every situation we find that in most cases the mother of the household is the one who has been the primary care giver. Today we celebrate the fact that at the end of her life, her Son – Jesus Christ – gave eternal life to the one who bore him.

As Catholics we are often criticized by our other fellow Christian brothers and sisters that we worship Mary as God. Today’s feast helps to clarify this mistake. We praise Mary and we pray to her not as God but as one who was the first and best disciple of all. We remember Mary in this celebration of the Assumption not simply because she was the Mother of God but more importantly because she heard the Word of God and responded to it with her whole heart, soul and being. In the Vigil Gospel for this Solemnity, there is a woman in the crowd listening to Jesus who sings the praises of the women who gave him life. “Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed.” (Luke 11:27) To which Jesus responds: “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.” (Luke 11:28). At first glance it seems as if the Son is dismissing his mother but on the contrary, the Son is praising his mother. Mary is blessed not simply because she bore Christ, but she is blessed because she heard God speak to her and acted on it. Today we celebrate her entrance into heaven and remember why it occurred: because of her yes to God’s call when the angel visited her and her yeas at every moment of her life.

This is why we honor Mary – because she is a role model to all of us. We are often looking for role models in our lives. At this time of year when we watch the Olympics many of us have marveled at Michael Phelps – his dedication to his sport, his fanatical regime of training, his steel minded inner strength that has led him to so many victories and so many world records. Many look at Michael Phelps and say what a wonderful role model. Not to diminish what he has done but why can we not look at our Mother Mary and say there is a perfect role model. There is one that I want to imitate and be like. I look at this lovely lady and say: I want to follow Christ as she did.

Her response to God was not an easy one. Here is a young girl between the ages of 14 and 16 with her whole life mapped out before her. She is arranged to be married to Joseph the carpenter. I imagine Mary had most of her life planned out. She would be a good and faithful wife to Joseph; she would bear him children and raise a good family. They would lead a simple yet good life in Nazareth. But God had other plans. He calls to her, he beckons and he asks her to be the Mother of his Son. Her yes not only changed the course of the history of the world we live in but it radically changed her life.

Her simple life with Joseph was now in immediate turmoil. After she finally convinces Joseph (with God’s help) that she was to be the Mother of the Messiah she is forced to travel by donkey to a town far way while in the eighth month of her pregnancy. They finally arrive at town and there is no room for them. She is forced to go to a stable and in the middle of a barn full of animals she gives birth to her son. None of this was what she had mapped out for herself but her yes to God changed everything. Even then she is forced to flee with her husband and new born child into a foreign land because some wanted her new born son dead. Not exactly what she had in mind for herself but because of her yes the path of her life took many a twist and turn. That is what happens when we say yes to God – he leads us where we do not know and where we might never expect.

That is the reason for our celebration tonight. Mary is praised because she did what a disciple is called to do: hear the voice of God and say yes. Where that call will lead is never known, except for God. Tonight I would venture to guess that God is somehow calling you – what he is saying only you know. Our response is up to us, but tonight we have before us a model of what it means to say yes to God. Our model is Mary and today we celebrate her entrance into heaven because of her yes. Take a risk tonight and imitate a great role model. Take a risk and listen to God and say yes.

I’ve been a priest for 21 years now and the day of my ordination as I knelt before the bishop and said yes to God I had no idea where he would lead me. If you told me 21 years ago that I would be working in a parish in Saratoga Springs I would have laughed in your face and said: “But I don’t even know where Saratoga Springs is!” The yes we offer to God puts us on a path of love that leads wherever he takes us. But he walks with us as we walked with Mary. I have had some twists and turns since I said yes to God but I can honestly say that I have been happy with every twist and turn. It has truly been a wonderful journey.

Tonight we celebrate a woman of great faith and we celebrate her yes to the Lord. Under the title of Our Mother of Perpetual Help we turn to her today and ask her to pray for us to her Son so that we can be faithful to God’s voice as she was. Mary’s greatness lies not just in the fact that she was the Mother of God but because she was the first and best disciple of all. With her intercession may we follow in the path she has walked. May she be a model to us all.

For her faithfulness tonight, we thank God. For her yes tonight, we praise God. Because of her example may we have the courage to say yes to God in whatever he is asking us to do. AMEN!

Newest Priest eager to serve St. Clement's Church

To read the article that appeared in The Saratogian on Wednesday, August 13, 2008 click on the following link:

http://www.saratogian.com/shared-content/search/index.php?search=go&l=20&s=recent&r=&d1=12-1-2000&d2=today&q=Paul+Borowski

and scroll down to the following story: Newest priest eager to serve St. Clement's ChurchNewest priest eager to serve St. Clement's Church

19th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)

Sunday, August 10, 2008

St. Clement’s Catholic Church

Saratoga Springs, NY

1 Kings 19: 9a, 11 – 13a
Psalm 85: 9, 10, 11 – 12, 13 – 14
Romans 9: 1 – 5
Matthew 14: 22 – 33

Over the past few weeks here in Saratoga people have been trying to gather information. They have been checking the internet and trying to find out what they can about a certain individual. Where are they from? What have they done in the past? What can I expect from them this time around? You can try to gather as much information as possible about someone but as soon as you see them you get an even better picture of who they are. So the information has been gathered, processed and then people have gone to the window to place their bets on that individual and sometimes you pick the winning horse at the track and other times you don’t. That’s life in Saratoga during the month of August.

Yes, besides trying to get all the necessary information on the ponies, some others here in Saratoga have been wondering about the individual who is the new pastor here at St. Clement’s. Well, here I am. As you know my name is Fr. Paul Borowski and I am originally from Baltimore, MD. I’m not going to give you my entire life story and my life as a Redemptorist, those stories will come out in the years to come here at St. Clement’s. All I’ll tell you now is that my last Parish Assignment was in 1989. Since then I have been involved in studying (obtaining a Philosophy Degree from the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium), teaching Philosophy (primarily Business Ethics) at St. John’s University in Queens, NY and involved with the training of Redemptorist Seminarians at Whitestone, NY where I just finished up six years of being Director of the Program. After sixteen years in the same room and office I am still trying to unpack all that “stuff” that came up Interstate 87 with me. So, here I am back in parish life after nineteen years and yes, this is the first time I have been a Pastor. I begin my time here by asking all of you to pray that I may be a good pastor.

It has been a whirlwind of a few days since I arrived. I have felt at home though from the start and thank not only the fine parish staff here, the parishioners I have met during the week but in a special way would like to thank my Redemptorist brothers, Fr. Sullivan and Fr. Tuttle for making me feel as if this has always been my home. Yes, I already feel at home and it is good to be here.

Enough of that now, what about the readings for today. Let me share with you a story about a man who was foolish enough to go mountain climbing by himself. He went off to the high mountains, armed with all the necessary equipment. Sturdy climbing shoes, strong rope and the needed hooks to go for a climb up a rocky mountain. The only thing he did not have was a climbing companion. When he was three quarters of the way up the mountain, he slipped and began to fall. His rope snapped but he was able to grab onto a tree limb sticking out of the mountain. There he was suspended between heaven and earth. No way to climb up, and too far down to drop. He was not much of a religious man but in his despair he cried out: “If there is a God in the heavens, help me!” To his surprise he heard a voice from the heavens say: “Do you believe?” Well, what else was the man to do so he shouted up: “Yes, I believe!” The voice from above said: “Will you do whatever I ask?” The man’s quick response was: “Of course!” The voice from the heavens said: “Let go.” The man looked down, looked back up to the heavens and shouted out: “Is there anyone else up there?”

The message of our Gospel today is simply that: Let go and trust in God. So often we lead lives paralyzed by fear. So often we say that we cannot do such and such a thing because it is too hard. I can’t reach out in love to that person because it is too tough. Too often in our lives we say: “I can’t” simply because we are afraid to try. The message of Christ today is to let him help, let him take away whatever paralyzes us by fear.

In the Gospel the disciples are in their boat as it is being tossed around by a terrible storm. The storms of this recent week have been terrifying and I cannot even imagine what it would be like to be out on the water in one of these storms. So, the disciples are actually afraid for their lives fearing they will soon all be drowned. On top of the fear of the storm, they look up and see a figure moving across the water. Storm on the water, figure walking across the sea – I’m officially scared for my life! In the midst of this terrifying scene the words of Jesus rise above the wind and waves so that the disciples hear: “Take courage, it is I do not be afraid.” (Matthew 14:27) In the midst of our fears, like the disciples, we should realize the presence of our God who tells us to not be afraid.

Now, no one in the Church I imagine has a problem with Jesus walking on the water. He can do it because he’s God, no questions asked. However in the next few lines of the Gospel, Peter does something that no mere human being had ever done before. Peter, full of sinfulness and full of pride, asks the Lord to let him come to him across the water. And for a few moments a mere man – not God – took a few steps on the water. The impossible becomes possible with belief and trust in our God. But after a few steps, human frailty kicks in for Peter and he begins to sink and cries out: “Lord, save me!” (Matthew 14:30) What does our Lord do? He lets Peter sink – end of story. No, rather he reaches out his hand, catches Peter and saves him. Trusting and believing in God, all things are possible. And when we falter and fail, our God does not abandon us but is right there beside us picking us up and grasping our hand.

Living as a Catholic in today’s world is tough; some might call it even impossible. We want to do the right thing but sometimes we let fear get in the way and we take the easy way out. We live in an age where we are bombarded with messages to take care of only ourselves, worry about number one, and look after yourself because no one else will. The message of our Church might seem impossible but it calls us to love one another, to die to self, to think of the other in their time of need. At times walking on water might seem easier to do than living as a Catholic in today’s society.

So, we trust and believe that we can live as our God asks us. Tough but we don’t do it alone. We gather each and every Sunday here around the table of the Lord so that when we walk out these Church doors and are asked to do the impossible we have the strength to do so. He feeds us with His Body and Blood so that as we walk by faith we walk not alone. We gather each and every Sunday with this community of faith so that we can be of support to one another to live in love as Jesus asks us to. But if we falter, let us hear the words of our Savior as he says to us: “Take courage, it is I do not be afraid.” (Matthew 14:27) He won’t let us drown; he won’t let us falter; he’ll be there to grasp us by the hand and journey with us.

I think at times these first few days here at St. Clement’s I have felt like I’ve been asked to do something impossible. I know at times over the past few days I’ve sat at the desk in my office and become paralyzed by fear of the tremendous task of being Pastor to this faith community. As I try to come to understand all that needs to be done here I sometimes think walking on water might be an easier task. But then I tell myself to let go of my fear and take courage, grasp the hand of the Lord and walk. I realize that the task before me is not impossible because I walk hand in hand with this blessed faith community and Jesus Christ.

And so I begin to walk as your pastor, trusting and believing in our God who will not abandon us. I’m sure there will be times over the coming days, months and years that I will be like Peter and begin to doubt and feel as if I am sinking – may this Gospel always come to mind so that I may grasp the hand of my Lord. Perhaps, like me today, some of you may be facing something that seems tough and impossible. Hear the words of Jesus come to you now: “Take courage, it is I do not be afraid.” (Matthew 14:27)

As we begin this next Chapter in the life of this parish of St. Clement’s may we also do so with the intercession of Our Blessed Mother Mary, Our Mother of Perpetual Help. She too heard similar words proclaimed to her: “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.” (Luke 1:30) May our response to the call of God be the same as hers: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38) May our good and gracious God always grasp us by the hand. AMEN!

Mass of Healing

Friday, August 8, 2008

St. Clement's Catholic Church

Saratoga Springs, NY

James 5: 13--16

Psalm 102: 2--3, 24--25, 19--21

Matthew 8: 14--17

It’s not until the Eighth Chapter of Matthew’s Gospel that Jesus performs his first miracle. Right before the passage that was just proclaimed, Jesus heals a leper and then he cures the servant of a centurion. Prior to these first miracles Jesus had been praying, choosing his first disciples and proclaiming his Sermon on the Mount. As he comes down the Mount he springs into action, sending his healing spirit on those in need. And after his cure of the centurion’s servant he goes away with one of his new disciples for a break. I can imagine Jesus walking into Peter’s house, taking off his sandals and getting ready for an evening of R and R. Time to get the wine out, time to break some bread to nourish the famished body.

But when he enters Peter’s house he finds not the immediate rest he expected but that Peter’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever. Jesus knew what he was about – he had come to bring the Good News of a God who cares for his people. Part of that Good News involved curing those in need. Once more, Jesus springs into action and he takes the woman by the hand and his healing Spirit rests upon her. But his ministry does not even end that night with the curing of Peter’s mother-in-law, sharing God’s love pushes Jesus farther and we read in two simple verses: “When it was evening, they brought him many who were possessed by demons, and he drove out the spirits by a word and cured all the sick, to fulfill what had been said by Isaiah the prophet: "He took away our infirmities and bore our diseases."

That’s our God for us. He never takes a break, he never says he is too busy, he never says take an aspirin and come back to see me in the morning. When his children are in need he is there for us but there might be just one little catch: we need to go to him. We need to ask, we need to seek, and we need to knock on the door. The healing power of the Spirit of the Lord is not just for some select few, you don’t need to win the lottery to obtain you just have to do one simple thing: ASK. Word of warning: sometimes the answer might not be the one we are hoping for but there is always an answer. God’s spirit will be given to us always. Sometimes it may bring the healing that we need, sometimes it will give us the strength we need to cope with the trial we are undergoing but the Spirit will always be given to those who ask.

About twelve years ago I went on a Redemptorist mission trip to the island of St. Lucia. We took about twenty five young adults from the United States to work with twenty five young people from the Caribbean. For two weeks we were all set to do God’ work. We actually smuggled in paint brushes, hammers and the like in order to help rebuild a parish center and to repaint one of the parish’s chapels. The first night we were there was the Fourth of July so we decided to have a celebration. As the night wore down one of the young ladies was sitting on the second floor deck of the Youth Center where we were staying and sat down on the floor. Around the second floor were wooden slates that served as the fencing. Well she went to lean back and without her realizing it the wooden slates at that section were broken and she fell off the deck. She fell roughly twelve feet and came to a harsh landing on her back. Needless to say the moment was tense.

At first we thought she might have just had the wind knocked out of her since she was conscious and able to understand us. The local parish priest then drove her to the nearby hospital just to make sure. With all due respect to my friends on the island of St. Lucia, the hospital there is not quite up to par with what we have here in the States. After her examination at the hospital, the parish priest asked if she might be able to return to the Youth Center that night. The doctor responded: “We are just hoping she makes it through the night.” She had serious internal damages. Word got back to the Youth Center and we did what you might expect us to do: we prayed.

Now try to imagine being in a room on a hot, muggy Caribbean night, filled with 50 plus young people from the Caribbean and the States who just met that afternoon, don’t even know each others’ names yet and yet joined one another in prayer. It was a deep, sincere, trusting prayer. We grasped each others’ hands, we allowed words that sometimes made sense or just came out as sobs to rise to the heavens. Out of those fifty only three other people had ever met this young girl before that day. That Fourth of July night on the island of St. Lucia we stormed heaven on her behalf.

The next day she was airlifted by private jet to a hospital in Miami. That afternoon we were at the beach after a morning of work and we watched as the plane flew over our heads. For the next few weeks she remained hospitalized and after months of surgeries and rest she finally returned home. Now she’s getting married within the year and we still talk about that night. “We just hope she makes it through the night.” The healing power of the Spirit of God was bestowed upon her. Throughout the night fifty young men and women knocked on heaven’s door and the Spirit was given.

Tonight we come together to celebrate the great healing power of the Spirit of God. Whatever infirmity we have may not be taken away tonight but those who ask will receive his Spirit. We celebrate this healing in the midst of this Eucharist and afterwards in the presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Tonight as we continue with our celebration and with our time of Adoration, I invite you to picture the person of Jesus as he healed Peter’s mother-in-law. Picture one who could never say no; picture one who continued to find ways to share the love of His Father. The same Christ who spent the evening taking away the infirmities of the people is the same Christ you and I will receive tonight. It is the same Christ who will be placed on the altar for us to adore. It is the same Christ who wants to give us his Spirit, the Spirit of Comfort.

If you were hunger would you only ask for a morsel of food? If you were thirsty would you only ask for a thimble of water? If you need surgery would you only ask for a band aid? Seek, knock, ask!

May Our Loving Father extend his powerful hand over us. May Jesus who walked among those in need on the shores of Galilee, walk among us tonight. May the Spirit of the Living God breathe upon us and rest on us.

Amen. Amen. Let it be done unto us according to His Will.