Help Wanted

  

So Jesus sounds the call for volunteers. Up to this point in the Gospel story he’s been the only one curing the sick and casting out the demons, but he figures it’s time to call up some reserve troops. He deputizes his disciples—a motley assortment of working stiffs, none of whom have seminary degrees—and sends them out to do some work. You’ll notice he doesn’t send them out to save souls for Heaven. Instead, he sends them out to address the needs the people have in the moment and to tell them that the Kingdom of Heaven is already near them. 

I have a hunch that if the Church is to survive in 21^st Century America the message won’t be about saving souls but about expressing love and compassion for all souls. The Church which I see emerging is going to be about mission, not about doctrine. It will be about seeking out the “harassed and helpless” and bringing love and healing to them in whatever capacity we’re able to do it.

Last weekend, I had the privilege of traveling with Bishop Mack to San Antonio Texas to ordain two men into the Priesthood. Father Val a PhD and director of community housing for the poor and Fr Stephen a PhD retired military chaplain who leads retreats for active military and retired veterans.

 

 

These men will help Fr. Robert, administrator of the newly established St. Jude Catholic parish in San Antonio, to grow the Hispanic community and continue their specialized ministries.  

 

I believe the emerging Church of the future will focus on healing the neighborhood and the world, loving God and loving neighbors.

And, of course, like those first disciples, the disciples of today will get into trouble. They will cause controversy and say things which will aggravate people who just wish these Christians would stick to talking about the hereafter and not mention the problems of the here and now. Maybe some of them will end up in jail as Christians have in the past.

So what can I say to those of us who are harassed and helpless? There is still hope. The Kingdom of Heaven has come near, and the “help wanted” message of Jesus has been answered in the Buffalo-Pittsburg diocese with its unique vison of welcoming men from various traditions that in my past three years has welcomed, Fr. Erick, Fr. Don, Fr. Nadeem, Fr Corey, Fr. Joe, Fr. John, Fr. Richard, Fr. Marcus, Fr. Robert, Fr. Val and Fr. Steve to serve bringing that kingdom just a little bit closer to the people they serve throughout the country. We may be harassed by our vision by some, but we are not helpless, because we can still be here for each other and we can still pray “thy kingdom come” for the new work God’s people are and will be doing.

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends, especially my brothers in Christ who you have blessed me to serve as their mentor and guide. Bless their good work, give them, their spouse and children good health and our gratitude for the sacrifices they make in bringing the compassion and mercy to all people. Yes. our laborers may be few, but God can do a lot with them.

 

Potting New Growth

  

My wife Sue asked me for help to repot a bonsai white pine tree. A bonsai tree is a miniature living tree grown in a shallow container. Originating as an ancient Asian horticultural art form, it is not a genetically dwarfed plant, but rather a normal tree species that is meticulously trained, pruned, and wired to replicate the scale and beauty of a mature tree in nature.

I needed a dolly to move the pine tree planted ten years ago in a ten gallon plastic container that had become root bound. The tree’s roots had outgrown their container. The sign that the white pine was struggling were that its leaves were turning yellow. This tree would die if it were not repotted. Sue pointed out that two major branches needed to be sawed off. This severe pruning would help this tree to survive. I sawed the plastic pot to expose the roots and you could readily see that the roots were circling the pot and suffocating the roots from further growth. Sue carefully removed the compacted soil from the roots to allow future growth. Then we filled a twenty-gallon pot with an inorganic, coarse-draining mix that allows oxygen to reach the roots while retaining adequate moisture. This mix consists of Akadama, Pumice, and Lava Rock. I loaded the repotted pine onto the dolly and rolled it back into the bonsai garden. Sue poked the inorganic mixture with a chop stick to make sure there were no air pockets and carefully watered the tree deeply so that the roots would get the moisture it needs for healthy growth. This pine would not only survive, but thrive in years to come.

Now I had just attended a national evangelization workshop for the Polish National Catholic Church. Like our white pine bonsai tree with leaves  turning yellow, a participant shared that in his church there were no 20, 30, or 40 year olds, a sign that his faith community was failing to thrive. Their faith community’s tenacity highlights a stubborn, unyielding, and persistent dedication to their Polish tradition that mimics the root bound problem of our pine tree if left untreated would result in its death. What branches need to be cut to allow growth for its future? What teachings or doctrines need to be realigned so that Generation X would take a second look?

The transplanted roots of our pine tree reflect the faith, dedication and passion of the Polish Catholic people who reflect the love, compassion and mercy of Christ. However, roots that are compacted will rot and die. The gardener needs to prune the branches that rob the energy and open up the roots so that the tree can regain its energy for future growth. Note, the special inorganic, coarse-draining mix allows oxygen to reach the roots while retaining adequate moisture. When mixed together in equal parts, they create an optimal environment by balancing moisture retention, excellent drainage, and vital root aeration. This is the same environment that is critical to welcome Generation X. Faith teachings need to reflect an environment that is non-judgmental, accepting of differences and open to social justice issues.

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends that our faith flourishes rooted in prayer, compassion for our neighbors and teachings that accept all people as children of God.

Addumdum: the photo below shows our transplanted white pine with its yellow leaves. We trust our little tree will thrive with its root system feed with the tenderness and understanding of God’s mercy, compassion and love.

 

 

 

Trinity is a Mystery

 

Being Catholic means we love some mystery. We embrace it because who could possibly understand or explain completely God and His ways? And if we're upfront about it. Every time we celebrate Mass, we say, "We celebrate these sacred mysteries." Because we know we understand a lot, but we don't understand everything. I mean, who could possibly explain the Eucharist and transubstantiation, how the wine and the bread becomes the body and blood of Jesus? That's a mystery. Or the stigmata of Saint Francis, St. Catherine, and so many others. How does that happen, that they bear on their bodies the very wounds of Jesus.? That's a mystery.

But maybe the greatest mystery of them all is the Trinity. We hear those marvelous questions asked at every baptism we attend, "Do you believe in God, the Father? Do you believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord? And do you believe in the Holy Spirit?" Or the Holy Ghost. In other words, is God one? Yes, He is. Is God three? Yes, He is. How can this be? Yes.

Who could possibly explain God and his ways? God is three Persons relating to one another in communion. Three and one at the same time. Love defines God. He is love. He can do no other. It's His essence. Love is who God is. It's not merely what God does. In some ways, He's just like a family. You and I both know that families contain a lot of mystery. The biggest mystery in a family, what in the world ever caused Mom to fall in love with Dad? Mystery. But the best question is this, what's holding this family together? And I hope your answer is love, because that's true for God too. Three Persons, yes. One nature, yes. All God. Bonded together in love, with love, for love. That's God. That's why we make the sign of the cross. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And it reminds us, reminds you and me, that we belong to a great family. We belong to the family of God.

Two years ago, I gathered with my family to lay to rest my 93 year-old Aunt Helen. Family members traveled from Miami and Clearwater Florida. They came from Connecticut with their three children. Kathy, my aunt Helen’s daughter-in-law, was her caregiver for over 35 years. We were invited to Kathy's home after the funeral service at the cemetery to share memories of Helen’s faith and contagious joy and love for God and family, I came away from this family reunion to know that this was a God moment. God was indeed present in the love we shared for our aunt, mother-in-law, grandmother, neighbor and friend. 

Whenever someone would visit my Aunt Helen, she promised to pray for them and say, "God is good," and she would have us reply, "All the time." "God is good," and we say, "All the time." And then I shared with my family that if we were in Haiti, oftentimes the leader will say, "God is sweet," and the people will respond, "God is sweet." Yes. Yes, he is. So just before I left this family reunion and celebration of our dear Aunt Helen, I extended this blessing, may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who humbly accept the reality that the trinity is a mystery, our family is a mystery but we are bonded in love and remember to say to one another God is sweet, all the time.

 

The Voice of Peace

    

                                        Phlox & Little Tonawanda Creek by Fr Matt

It happened again, My printer has a message on it’s home screen that says; “Error E-7700 call the representative.” I am frantic and beside myself. I need to download a document and I have no clue how to repair this printer. I contact Apple Care and the rep does the best she can to restore the function but determines the printer is not connected to the WiFi. I contact a Canon repair dealer but he’s not available on the road for a service call. Then I search online for Canon customer service and connect with Richard, the Canon technical rep, who has me press a series of icons on the printer but he announces the printer software has a malfunction. Since I have an active warranty he will send me a replacement printer. The voice of peace.

The Gospel this Pentecost Sunday is from John 20:19-23. "On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were for fear of the Jews. Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, 'Peace be with you.' When He had said this, He showed them His hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. And Jesus said to them again, 'Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so, I send you.' And when He said this, He breathed on them and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven. If you retain the sins of any, they are retained.'"

Jesus comes, and He stands among them. They recognize Him not just as a spiritual being, but there in the flesh, the resurrected body of Jesus. And that's an incredibly powerful moment.

His greeting is, "Peace be with you." I think to myself like, "How much peace do we actually experience? And do we actually seek it? And how easily, readily are we willing to give up our peace?" Sometimes you'd be in a situation and you are losing your mind over something very, very small. There are moments we are acting out of a constant agitation or constant anxiety. Like my printer busted again for the third time.

Jesus has given us this gift of peace. His life, His death, His resurrection, His promises make peace for humanity possible. But where have we put the gift? I think it's time we found it. My neighbor once again was having trouble with her utility and cell phone bills not coming to her PO box. She worried that her utilities would be shut off. I called customer service and the voice of peace said they would correct the error and not to worry.

We need to really take some time and get into a peaceful place, and then go out into the world and be very mindful of that peace and bring it to ourselves and others.

I will call the canon customer service rep when the replacement printer arrives to install correctly so that I can download my documents. Also, I am grateful to the utility customer service rep who told my senior neighbor not to worry that her utilities would be shut off.

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends that we take the time to be quiet and listen to what Jesus said, "Peace be with you." And then He said it again. "Peace be with you." Let's find the peace He gave us and let's take that peace out into the world.

 

Bittersweet the Prayer of Jesus

                                  Sunrise Little Tonawanda Creek by Fr. Matt
                               

You know, there's something deeply moving about the words of a person who knows they're about to leave. Whether it's a parent on their deathbed, our son or daughter graduating from college, a soldier shipping out, or a friend moving across the country, the words spoken in those final moments carry a weight that ordinary conversation never does. We lean in closer. We listen more carefully. We remember.

 

That's exactly what we're given in today's Gospel from John chapter 17. Jesus is on the verge of his Passion. The cross looms before him. And what does he do? He prays. But not just any prayer. He prays for his disciples. He prays for those scruffy, stubborn, often-clueless men who had walked the dusty roads of Galilee with him for three years.

 

Now, I want you to think for a moment about the people in your own life who have loved you like this. The grandmother who prayed her rosary for you every single day. The father who worried about you when you made bad decisions but never stopped believing in you. The teacher who saw

something in you when you couldn't see it in yourself. The friend who stuck with you through your worst season. If you've ever experienced that kind of love, you've caught a glimpse, just a glimpse, of how Jesus loves us in this prayer. And if you've never felt that kind of love from another person, then know this: Jesus is praying it for you right now. You are not forgotten. You are not alone. You are held.

 

Think about what that means on your worst day. On those days that you would call "terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days." On the day you get the diagnosis. On the day your marriage feels like it's falling apart. On the day you bury someone you love. On the day you feel completely lost

and don't know how you'll keep going. Even then, especially then, Jesus is praying for you. And look at what happened to those first disciples after Jesus ascended. They didn't immediately become spiritual superheroes.

 

Life is full of letting go,, isn't it? We let go of childhood. We let go of dreams that didn't work out. We let go of loved ones who pass on before us. We let go of seasons of life that we wish could have lasted longer. Every goodbye is a small death. And yet, in Christ, every goodbye is also a doorway

to something new. Jesus had to leave his disciples so that the Spirit could come. He had to ascend so that the Church could be born. The leaving was part of the love. And maybe, just maybe, the losses in our own lives

are not just losses. Maybe God is doing something new in the empty spaces.

 

So what do we do with all this? I think we do three things this week. First, we let ourselves be loved. Just sit with the truth that Jesus is praying for you, right now, by name. Don't argue with it. Don't deserve it. Just receive it.

 

Second, we pray for others the way Jesus prays for us. With tenderness. With patience. With a love that does not give up on people, even when they disappoint us.

 

And third, we trust. We trust that the same love that held those frightened disciples in the upper room is holding us now. We trust that resurrection follows every goodbye. We trust that nothing, not death, not life, not angels, not principalities, nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ

Jesus our Lord.

 

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends that the prayer of Jesus echos in your heart this week. You are loved. You are remembered. You are not alone.

 

A Mother's Heart and the Spirit Within

 

 

You know, there are some words that just don't translate well from one language to another. You can try, but something always gets lost. That's exactly the case with one of the most beautiful words in the entire New Testament. In today's Gospel from John, Jesus promises his disciples something extraordinary. He says, "I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always." That word "Advocate" comes from the Greek word "parakletos." And honestly, no English word quite captures it.

Some translations call him the Comforter. Others call him the Helper. Still others, the Counselor or the Advocate. The truth is, "parakletos" means all of these things and more. It's the one who stands beside you when you can't stand on your own. The one who whispers courage when fear has stolen your voice. The one who steadies your trembling hands when life feels too heavy to carry.

Have you ever heard someone say, "I just can't cope anymore"? We all have moments like that, don't we? Moments when the burden feels too great, when the road ahead seems too long, when our own strength simply runs out. And this, my dear brothers and sisters, is precisely where the Holy Spirit enters in. The Paraclete is the One who enables us to cope. The One who takes our inadequacy and transforms it into capacity.

Think about what Jesus is really saying to his disciples in this passage. He's essentially telling them, "I'm sending you on a mission that's far too big for you. You'll face persecution. You'll face confusion. You'll face fear. But don't worry. You won't be alone. I'm sending you Someone who will guide you, who will strengthen you, who will make the impossible possible."

And notice where Jesus tells them to find this Spirit. He doesn't say, "Look up to the heavens." He doesn't say, "Climb a mountain." He says something far more intimate: "He remains with you, and will be in you." The Holy Spirit dwells within. He makes his home in our hearts. As Saint Augustine so beautifully wrote, "God is more intimate to me than I am to myself." That's the Holy Spirit. Closer to you than your own breath.

Now, today is Mother's Day. And I couldn't help but notice how perfectly fitting it is that we hear this Gospel on the very day we honor our mothers. Because if you really think about it, the work of a mother is in many ways a living image of the work of the Holy Spirit.

When you fell down on the playground as a child and scraped your knee, who did you run to? When you had a bad dream in the middle of the night, whose voice calmed your fears? When you came home from school in tears because someone had hurt your feelings, whose embrace made everything better? For most of us, it was our mother. She was our first comforter. Our first helper. Our first advocate.

Of course, no mother is perfect. Mothers are human like the rest of us, and some of us carry wounds from imperfect mothering. But more often than not, a mother's love is one of the closest reflections we have on this earth of what God's love looks like.

I came across a beautiful tribute that a son once wrote to his mother. He said something like this to her: "Your gentle guidance has shaped all that I have done, all that I do, and all that I will ever do. Your spirit is indelibly imprinted on all that I have been, all that I am, and all that I will ever be. When I help my neighbor, your helping hand is there too. When I ease the pain of a friend, they owe a debt to you. Because you gave me life, and more importantly, lessons in how to live, you are the wellspring from which flows all the good I may achieve."

Isn't that beautiful? The author recognizes that his mother's spirit is imprinted on everything he does. Her love flows through him into the world. Every kind word he speaks, every act of compassion he performs, carries her fingerprints upon it.

And you see, dear friends, this is exactly how the Holy Spirit works in us. When we open our hearts to him, he leaves his indelible imprint upon our souls. He gradually shapes our thoughts, our words, our actions. Slowly but surely, our lives begin to reflect his presence. Saint Paul describes the result of this transformation in his letter to the Galatians: "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control."

Notice that these are also the qualities of a good mother, aren't they? Love. Patience. Kindness. Gentleness. The Holy Spirit doesn't just give us these things as decorations on the outside. He plants them deep within us so that they grow naturally from the inside out.

So on this Mother's Day, I invite you to do two things. First, thank your mother, whether she is still with us in this world or watching over us from the next. Thank her for being, in her own imperfect but beautiful way, a reflection of the Spirit's work in your life. If she's still living, call her, visit her, embrace her. If she has gone home to the Lord, pray for her and remember her with gratitude.

And second, remember that you are never alone. Whatever you are facing this week, whatever burden weighs upon your shoulders, whatever fear keeps you awake at night, the Paraclete is with you. He is in you. He is the Comforter who wipes your tears. He is the Helper who steadies your steps. He is the Advocate who pleads your cause before the Father.

Jesus made us a promise in today's Gospel, and he keeps every promise he makes. "I will not leave you orphans," he said. And he hasn't. He has given us his Spirit, who dwells in our hearts, who guides our steps, who enables us to cope with whatever life brings.

May we, like good sons and daughters, listen to that Spirit's gentle voice. May we let him shape us until our lives become a tribute to him. And may every mother here today, and every mother who has shaped our lives, know that her love has been a living echo of the love of God himself.

Lord, I will continue to pray daily for all my Sonshine Friends. Vineyards and gardens provide time to enjoy nature’s silence, to listen to an inner voice from God communicating a simple message of love: “ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you”……

 

 

Fr. Matt's 49th Anniversary Ordination to the Priesthood

  

“I am the vine, you are the branches…Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing.”: (John 15:5). This is today’s gospel reading that fits perfectly on this special day.

May 6^th is the 49^th anniversary of my ordination to the priesthood in the farming community of Caledonia, I knew very little about farming. This year, I have not yet planted any seeds in my garden because the soil is too cold and the ground too soggy with all the rains. Yet, I have worked over 70 hours preparing for this year’s growing season. In preparing for ministry, I spent 13 years in seminary preparing to work in 50 parishes, hospitals, colleges and reopened a decade closed Catholic parish to bear fruit again.

In the past month, this shepherd could not have completed any of his farm chores without the help and wisdom of my mentors. When the torrential rains created foot deep trenches that destroyed our driveway hill, Cam and Brad came to our rescue to repair the driveway. When I needed Norway Spruce trees, Doug provided seven healthy trees from his tree farm that had a root system weighing over a 100 pounds. After I rolled the trees into position and dug the seven holes, Mr. Milk brought his two young Mexican workers Mateo and Carlos to help plant the trees into the ground. When I needed mulch to spread around our 40 trees, another Doug provided a truckload of natural mulch. After I had spread 500 shovels of natural mulch around our serviceberry trees, my Mexicans helpers unloaded the remaining mulch into the compost bin. Thanks again to Denny for donating four hay bales where I will plant zucchini and cucumbers. However, the real tough job is making holes in those hay bale to put the soil and for this job Jamie let me borrow his reciprocating saw that did the trick but with a lot of sweat and tears.

Ministry demands this same commitment to bear fruit. Thanks to Bishop John, I am grateful to serve as mentor and counselor to 12 men who have been ordained as deacons and priests and look forward to the ordinations of Fathers Val and Steve in San Antonio in June. Or, ministry means helping Maggie, my neighbor, talk with customer service to help pay her phone and utility bills. Or, help find vendors to get quotes to replace her broken gutters and apply for a government grant that’s 20 pages long to qualify for funds to repair her home exterior.

You can’t bear much fruit, if your farm equipment is out of sorts. Thanks again to Jeff, Bethany Fire Chief and master farm mechanic and his son Jamie tuning up the tractor, mower and gator. However, I need to buy parts at the John Deere store to repair the bushhog.

I am humbled o continue to provide critical incident services as a first responder to bring comfort to coworkers who have suffered a trauma. This includes nurses at Rochester General Hospital coping after a visitor pointed a gun at the hospital staff and helping a teacher aide at Mary Cariola find Section 8 housing for her sister who was evicted by the landlord.

“That you bear much fruit and become my disciples.” To serve the Lord for 49 years is a humble privilege. I am grateful for the many blessings in my life that are gifts from God…especially the vineyards/gardens within my life that come in the form of friends and mentors who have helped me tend to the fields in my garden.

Lord, I will continue to pray daily for all my Sonshine Friends. Vineyards and gardens provide time to enjoy nature’s silence, to listen to an inner voice from God communicating a simple message of love: “ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you”……