The Scandals in the Church

So much has already been said about the scandals in the Catholic Church with the advent of the accusations against former Cardinal now Archbishop Theodore McCarrick. As a priest, I am saddened and heart broken over what has transpired these last few months, let alone since the scandals originally broke in 2001. I cannot imagine how many lives have been destroyed because of the behavior of some priests and now of even some bishops. The betrayal of their calling as shepherds has brought shame upon all priests and bishops. The children, the teens, and the seminarians and young adults who are the victims of these men (and in some cases even the nuns) deserve better. Pope Benedict talked about the filth in the church in a homily before he entered the conclave that elected him as pope. This filth is sadly still in the church and needs to be exposed and eradicated once and for all.

To Hear Feed My Lambs Shows Previously Broadcast

If you would like to hear any of the previously broadcast Feed My Lambs shows with Father John Granato and Paula K, just scroll down to the bottom of this page and you will see the links.  Click on the link of any show and it will begin to play in your browser.

Holy Name of Mary

Yesterday the Church celebrated the feast of the Holy Name of Mary. It's very comforting that the feast of her holy name falls immediately after the commemoration of the events of 9/11.   Mary can help bring about peace if we but ask her, for she is the mother of Peace.   Instead of anger which only feeds terrorism, we can pray for those who claim killing innocent people is what God wants.  Mary, our Queen and our hope, we pray that our brothers and sisters in the Middle East will come to know your Son as their Lord and Savior.

Glimpse of Heaven Part II

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. If you were to attend Mass, you would hear from the Book of Revelation the wonderful passage about the woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under feet and upon her head twelve stars. Because she is the Mother of our Lord, it is only fitting that she receive certain privileges, i.e. the Immaculate Conception, the gift of perpetual virginity, and her role as mediatrix of all graces. But it is though the love her Son has for her that she was given the privilege of entering Heaven, body and soul. Scott Hahn, the Catholic biblical scholar, makes the point that Jesus fulfills the law perfectly, so if this is true, then Jesus fulfills the fourth commandment perfectly, where he would honor is father and mother. It is an honor that he bestows upon her by glorifying her with the glory that we are all destined to receive.

We have a mother in Heaven who though her role as mediatrix of all graces, prays for us and leads us to her Son in the Holy Eucharist. On this Solemnity of the Assumption, let us pray for Mary's intercession that we will glorify our bodies through purity and modesty and temperance. Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. Live as in daylight and put away the deeds of darkness. Our Lady of the Assumption, pray for us.

A Glimpse of Heaven

In the midst of bad economic news, it's always good to remember that Heaven is a present reality. Heaven is not just some idea, or the place where Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us, but it can also be a reality in our lives when we receive our Lord at Holy Communion. The celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is a foretaste of the heavenly banquet. As we receive our Lord's body, blood, soul and divinity, we are transformed.

Heaven is within our grasp when we attend Mass, when we receive our Lord, when we become more Christlike in our attitudes and our outlook. The Kingdom of Heaven is in your heart when you show mercy, love and forgiveness to those who have hurt you. When you see with the eyes of faith, you will see Jesus in his glory and like St Peter, you can say, "Lord it is good for us to be here." and with St Thomas, "My Lord and my God."

Sowing the Seeds of Love

Those words might remind you of the song from Tears for Fears, but it really comes from today's Scripture parable.   Jesus talks about the seed falling on rocky ground, and in the thorns and on fertile soil.  But, similar to the song the parable is also about sowing the seeds of love, for it is the seed of God's grace that Jesus speaks about, and the seed is God's word.  

Is your soil is rocky, filled with thorns or is fertile with his love? Do you find yourself full of zeal when things are going well, but once a struggle occurs feeling that love fade.  Just as a gardener has to till the soil, water the plants, and pull the weeds; so do we in our own spiritual garden.  Allow the sacrament of confession to pull the weeds out by the roots, and plant roses or sow seeds of love with the prayers of the rosary.  We also sow the seeds of love when we live the fruits of the Holy Spirit, mercy, gentleness, love, patience, kindness, chastity, modesty, generosity, forgiveness, joy and peace.

Love

"You have heard it said love your friends and hate your enemies, but I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."

Then why is it so easy to hate someone else?  Why do we find it easier to be offended by other's failures, then to forgive as we have been forgiven?  As Christians it seems more common for us to fall into anger or bitterness rather than loving and forgetting the offenses of those who have hurt us. Yet, we are called by Jesus Christ to overcome our emotions and to allow his grace to transform us so that we can actually love those who hate us.  Is there someone in your life you are angry with?  Is there someone who has hurt you that you have not yet forgiven?  When you argue with your spouse do you bring up everything they have done to hurt you, remembering their offenses in detail?

Only Christ can help you let go of the hurt that others have caused you.  The healing takes place when you truly forgive them.  Remember, forgiving someone contains a promise that you will no longer fling their offense in their face the next time you are angry at them, or they hurt you again.  Hanging onto unforgiveness because you feel the other person still has to 'make it up to you' only sets the relationship up for difficulty where someone can never meet your expectations.  Jesus is the just judge, and your forgiveness opens the door to his greater forgiveness and grace in your life - it doesn't allow another person to "get away with it."  A lack of forgiveness toward another who has hurt you does not ensure they will be 'punished for what they did', instead it only poisons your own heart.

True forgiveness can only come through prayer, humility, and the reception of the sacraments, especially the Holy Eucharist. But it can only come when you realize Forgiveness of another is the greatest gift you can give to yourself.