Feast of Epiphany 2011 Reflection

HOMILY FOR FEAST OF EPIPHANY 2011



By Rev. Fr. Bob Johnnene OFD Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus & Divine mercy Parish, Franklin, MA


www.missionstsergius.org                Email: DivineMercyParish@msn.com




The Dictionary defines EPIPHANY as; an appearance, to show forth, to manifest.
All these meanings explain the feast we celebrate today January 2 rather than January 6th this year.
The Epiphany of Our Lord is the day in which we celebrate Almighty God’s eternal plan of Salvation. This particular feast is one of the oldest celebrated by the universal church.
Often it is known as Three Kings’ Day
As with most aspects of the Christian liturgical calendar, Epiphany has theological significance as a teaching tool in the church.
The Wise Men or Magi who brought gifts to the infant Jesus were the first Gentiles to acknowledge Jesus as "King" and so were the first to "show" or "reveal" Jesus to a wider world as the incarnate Christ.


The gifts they are said to have presented represented the Kingship of Christ (Gold), The Son of God (Frankincense used as an offering to God) and Myrrh which was used to dress the mortal body of those who died thereby proclaiming the death and resurrection of Jesus.


This act of worship by the Magi, which corresponded to Simeon’s blessing that this child Jesus would be "a light for revelation to the Gentiles" (Luke 2:32), was one of the first indications that Jesus came for all people, of all nations, of all races, and that the work of God in the world would not be limited to only a few.


This is a time of focusing on Christian brotherhood and fellowship, especially in healing the divisions of prejudice and bigotry that we all too often created separations between God’s children.


God’s children are separated from the Sacraments and members of a family because they do not conform to the desires of others. It doesn’t matter that they live a good life not hurting others, being generous and forgiving of the hurts inflicted on them.


Today many who proclaim to be believers of Christ’s teaching try to exclude people for proclaiming their love of God because they have been divorced or God created them with a homosexual orientation. They use passages from scripture to try to justify their positions. Unfortunately they use translations out of context. Nowhere in scripture did Jesus ever preach or say anything about homosexuality. In three of the Gospels we read these words; “YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND; AND YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”(Luke 10:27; Mark 12:30;, Matthew 22:37) which Jesus is said to have proclaimed.


At this time of the Church year, we are called to reflect on the truths found in the teachings of Jesus.
We are called to heal in the same way that Christ healed.


In the last few days I personally have experienced the healing power of God when one gives their life over to God with complete trust that God will provide and do what is best for you.


By forgiving those who have done us wrong, by being generous to those in need, by having compassion for those who are ill.


As anyone who has ever undergone an operation knows, healing takes time, it does not happen over night but if we work at it each and every day healing will occur.


In today’s world, there are many ills that need to be healed.


We need to address the separation between the haves and the have-nots.


All around the globe, even here in the United States, people are going without proper nutrition because they cannot afford to buy groceries and their necessary medicines.


People are living in unsanitary conditions because they cannot afford decent housing.


We need to look around and find those who need help, the aged, the parentless children, the struggling faith community that needs some financial assistance to develop programs or repairs or just to pay the rent for their worship space such as our ministry which struggles daily.


If we open our eyes and hearts we can all find a way of discovering, within ourselves, the message of this feast of Epiphany.


We can put the message of Christ’s coming to work here on earth now.


By Baptism we have been called to be the hands, heart and soul of Christ, we are called to be copartners in His promise, His disciples living His message and the message of Christ’s Glory shining through us.


Let us all now affirm that we will increase our commitment to the love of God and His beloved Son and Our Blessed Mother by making a new resolution to live our faith by, not only words, but by action.


I close with the alternative opening prayer from the liturgy of the feast of Epiphany.


Father of light, unchanging God, today you reveal to men of faith the resplendent fact of the Word made flesh.


Your light is strong, Your love is near; draw us beyond the limits which the world imposes, to the life where Your Spirit makes all life complete. We ask this through Christ our lord and savior.


Amen.

Thanks For The Miracle

Thank you for a real miracle that your prayers have brought about according to my doctors.



I went into the hospital believing that my chest would have to be opened up in order to remove the enlarged and possible cancerous remaining ( the right gland was removed in 2003) left thyroid gland.


I awoke to a relatively small scar on my throat with a drain to be told that when they opened me up they found that the gland, the size of a grapefruit, had not actually entwined any of the other vital organs like the lungs, vocal cord, and arteries that the ultrasound, MRI and CAT scan had shown but had actually pushed all of them away allowing for the surgeons to dissect the enlarged gland to remove it, without the much larger and more dangerous opening of the chest, by dissecting it.


The two surgeons, floor doctor and nurses were even more surprised by how rapidly my vital signs and recovery were allowing me to be able to be home days earlier than originally believed to write this message of thanks to you for it was most certainly your prayers that made this happen.


I do have a list of restriction and DO NOT DO's for the next 3 weeks and Because of the size of the gland I will not have the biopsy results for about a week to know if they will follow up with some radiation if the gland had any cancerous cells that might have “escaped” or if the were all encapsulated within the gland.


I am under order NOT to drive or have too much “action for at least a week until I see the doctors on January 5th to have the stitches or what ever is closing up the slit in my throat.


I feel that this operation was a message from God to allow me to inform you again, with a real life experience, about the power of prayer and putting your trust in God. As we are taught in Matthew 19:26 “with God all things are possible.”


Always remember, Prayer is the most powerful of all medicines when coupled with complete trust in God.


Thank you for your prayers and concern, you are all a super blessing to me from God.


PS: if you wish to continue to receive the reflections, newsletters and other news of our ministry and the Franciscans of Divine Mercy PLEASE send an EMAIL to the new mailing address for our Parish, DivineMercyParish@msn.com to be added tto our mailing list as I am consolodating all mission activities correspondance into the new parish email address and having you sendan email from that address makes it much easier than my retyping the more than 400 address that receive mission email.
May Almighty God fill your heart with happiness, Peace and all Good. Recalling Padre Pio's most famous words: "Pray, Hope and don't worry"!

Fr. Bob Johnnene OFD


Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus/Franciscans of Divine Mercy


A Faith Community of the NAOCC


Franklin, MA


www.missionstsergius.org

Restoring Justice a Reflection for Nov. 14th

33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time 2010

A Reflection based on readings from
Malachi 3:19-20A, Psalm 98, 2 Thessalonians 3:7-12, Luke 21:5-19
By Rev. Fr. Bob Johnnene OFD
Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus/ Franciscans of Divine Mercy
http://www.missionstsergius.org/


The readings for this Sunday seem to be preparing us for the coming season of Advent from the first readings admonition; “The day is coming now, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and the evil-doers will be like stubble. … But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness will shine out with healing in its rays.”; and the final Gospel reading where Christ is telling those around him at the Temple of Jerusalem the following; “ Jesus said, ‘All these things you are staring at now – the time will come when not a single stone will be left on another: everything will be destroyed. Those around him poised this question: ‘Master,’ they said ‘when will this happen, and what sign will there be that this is about to take place?’ Take care not to be deceived,’ Christ said ‘because many will come using my name and saying, “I am he” and, “The time is near at hand.” Refuse to join them. And when you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened, for this is something that must happen but the end is not so soon.” ….. “You will be hated by all men on account of my name, but not a hair of your head will be lost. Your endurance will win you your lives.”


This week is International Restorative Justice Week which means that this is a week dedicated to restoring Equality and Justice to all the nations of the world by putting an end to torture, bigotry, hatred, and all the injustices that plague our societies today.


Recently we have seen and heard of so many young people who have either taken their lives because of being bullied or have suffered beatings and in a few cases death by people who felt that they were superior or that their beliefs were the correct one. Many of these young people were persons whom God created with an orientation toward those of the same sex or homosexuals.

Christ’s message of the Gospel tells us that if we have faith and put our trust in God we can overcome any injustices.


People who have been the victims of bullying or those who have had any violent act committed against them may well think that the end is near. Survivors and victims of crimes often have feelings of denial, fear, anger, vindictiveness. Often they do not understand why the crime happened to them, and are often unable to forgive. But we MUST forgive just as Christ did when he hung on the cross and proclaimed “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do”


It is true, many who commit the violent acts especially one of prejudice and hatred do so because they have been taught this by bigoted and people ignorant of God’s teachings.


All too often the victims of prejudice, hatred and violence are often overlooked and forgotten about but the trauma that they experienced lives forever in their mind and heart and gives them fear often deep enough for them to believe that their world has ended.



During this International Restorative Justice week and in fact every day of the year we are called by God to bring hope to hopeless victims. Giving people the knowledge of God’s infinite love and mercy and a spiritual well being can bring comfort and help to people in pain, As it says in our first reading from the prophet Malachi, “Those who have knowledge and faith (Fear) in God the sun of justice with its healing rays.” There is something each of us can do to advance this process of justice and equality for all as promised in the Declaration of Independence of the United States, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” In doing so, we can be carried through suffering to glory along with Jesus. And we will be living out the final words found in Psalm 97; “You that love the LORD, hate evil will be delivered out of the hand of the wicked.”


This is a time not of endings or finality but of hope and a time to begin to turn away from accepting violence and hatred and turning to being a loving and caring child of God who extends the kind of love Christ exhibited toward all who came to him. This is a time to become open and affirming toward all God’s children regardless of their nationality, race, gender, marital status or sexual orientation. Every person on the face of this earth is a child of God and deserves to have dignity, equality and justice and the freedom to live without fear. Let us make this our goal for the coming season of Advent as we prepare to celebrate the birth of Our redeemer and Savior. Let us work hard to restore Justice to ALL God’s children all over the globe. AMEN

Knowledge is a tool

Knowledge is a tool – unless a tool is used to build or repair it is of no use. So I want to share with you knowledge I have gained with respect to spiritual growth over this past year: and it is my Christmas gift to you. May it enrich you and help bring you closer to God.

The goal of every Christian is to reach the stage of enlightenment. Enlightenment opens the soul to the awareness of the God-life everywhere, to the holiness of life, to the connectedness of the universe, to the realization of the Oneness of creation. It is a consciousness that makes morality and maturity possible, but it alone is neither maturity nor morality. Union with God is not the perfection of oneself, nor a badge of excellence. Union with God is a realization of the living presence of God everywhere, in me, around me, above me, below me. “Before me and behind me, to me right and to my left,” as the Irish mystics have said.

Union with God is not a static state which, once achieved, crystallizes the soul into one arrested, unending moment of illumination suspended over life. On the contrary, life is life. It does not freeze at any time, under any conditions. Life goes on whatever our consciousness of God, and we with it. We go on struggling with life. We go on growing into our awareness. We go on struggling to be worthy of the awareness in which we now walk. And we fail often.

Life is simply not about perfection, because perfection is not something that life offers. Our bodies do not develop into some ultimate state and then become fixed into some eternal form. Scientists tell us that all the protein molecules in our bodies change every six months. Every six months we are made new again, not superficially different perhaps, but new. Nor do our souls reach a static state. Every day we make our souls new again. Everyday we rethink old decisions and make new ones. We grapple and struggle and distort and repent over and over again. Every day of our lives we grow a little more into God or a little more into self.

Contemplation and prayer has something to do with the way in which we chose to grow. It is possible to give ourselves over totally to the satisfaction of the self. We can crave and hoard and accumulate and demand respect from the rest of the world until our lungs ache from screaming inside and our hearts echo our own hollowness. We can cling to the worship of self forever if we chose. We can spend our whole selves on ourselves, selfish and small as the topic may be. Our culture not only supports a concentration on the self alone, it encourages it. Getting it all and keeping it forever is the banner under which many march to the cemetery. But there is another choice

We can choose to grow beyond the self that is the shrine to the idols of the day. We can struggle to put down the notions that choke our souls in the name of pseudo-superiority: notions that women are invisible and that men are superior, that foreigners are out steal our jobs, that nature and all it offers is for our satisfaction alone, that people with different life choices are evil and destined to burn in hell.

To be in enlightened we must live in sync with the mind of God, in tune with the rest of the human race and in touch with the weakness our own souls, those places where the love of God breaks in to fill up what we ourselves do not have. Growth is not simply about avoiding sin, whatever we know sin to be as we move from stage to stage in life. Sin, in fact, may be the very thing that brings us to enlightenment.

When I am most angry, I know best my need for peace. When I am most arrogant, I realize how puny my bravado. When I am most unyielding, I know how isolated is my strength. Growth, real growth, is about discovering that God stands by, waiting to consume us. If and when we ourselves can ever cease to consume every moment, every person, every event and every experience for ourselves, God can prevail in us.

To be enlightened it is necessary to set out every morning to grow into more than I was when I began the day by growing into the consciousness of the silent God so great within me.

Peace and Blessings!

†Bishop Gerry Clements, OSB

April Mission Financial Report

Mission Sts. Sergius &Bacchus/Franciscans of Divine Mercy
Parish Financial Report for April 2010
Balance as of March 31, 2010
Negative $3186.00
Income for April  2010
Personal Donations           $150.00
Memorial Masses                  25.00
Wedding Pre-Pay              $300.00
Total Income April      $475.00
NEW BALANCE before expenses as of April 30,  2010
NEGATIVE           $2711.00
EXPENSES

Gas/Oil/Transportation                         $     80.00
Auto Insurance                                             120.00
Auto Inspection Sticker                                 29.00
Postage                                                            10.00
Office Supplies /Printing/ Ink                       27.50
Phone/Fax/Cell/DSL @ 33 %                 $   79.85
Web Site Domain Name                                15.00
Liability Insurance for Pride Festival     $  50.00
Unity Candles for Upcoming weddings     $  42.50

Total Expenses       $453.85
New Balance as of April 30, 2010
Negative                 $3163.85
Donations Received From
Donald Ramieri, Mr. & Mrs. Jancek, Denise Mujica, Paul Bonner, Les Yamagata

 

Please consider a donation by using your credit/Debit Card and the PayPal Donation links found on our web site.

WWW.MISSIONSTSERGIUS.ORG
Or
send donations directly to the Mission's Bank Account.
Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus,   

c/o Middlesex Savings Bank
830 Washington Street,    Holliston, MA 01746

 

All Materials are the copy write of (c) Franciscans of Divine Mercy

Why We Have Our Ministry

Why We Continue With Our Ministry

By Rev. Bob Johnnene OFD
Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus/ Franciscans of Divine Mercy
www.missionstsergius.org

 

I am often asked why does Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus and the Franciscans of Divine Mercy have a ministry that is welcoming and affirming to the GLBT community and sponsors a booth at Boston Gay Pride Festival?  
The answer is that we do so because we feel obligated to minister to the GLBT community, their Families & Friends who have been driven out of the Catholic Church by a homophobic sermon or congregation or something they heard from Rome or a local bishop or the condemnation of a priest when they went to confession.
Some have been so deeply hurt and wounded that they have not only turned against Church but they have turned against God. They actually say, "If God hates me (my child, my friend), then I hate God." These people do not want to risk being hurt again. Others ask, "Why should I remain in a dysfunctional relationship with a dysfunctional church that claims we are "intrinsically disordered"
The mere presence of our booth at the Pride festival may help them to begin to question their perceptions of the difference between God's love and the human failings of some who are supposed to represent God here on earth. 
Over the past 5 years we have received praise and thanks for being at the various Pride Festivals  and we know we have actually brought some back into the Mystical Body of Christ, The Church.
There are those within our faith community who are concerned that our ministry and the Old Catholic Church of New England is seen as supportive of the so called "gay lifestyle." as if such a lifestyle existed.   There are some who insinuate that our ministry condones a "hedonist lifestyle" of over-indulgence in booze, drugs and promiscuous sex.  In actuality, if you watch some of the more popular Television shows and movies you will notice that the "hedonist lifestyle" is more accurately the "hetero-lifestyle" and promiscuity is more prevalent in the heterosexual community even among those who are married and there are many more heterosexual bars, drug addicts and brothels and promiscuous behavior often among the most homophobic individuals who are the loudest to condemn the GLBT community.  Just look at some of the elected officials who ranted and raved against any laws that would protect GLBT people and then were caught with "their pants down having an illicit affair".
We do not condone or subscribe to a hedonist lifestyle but do support those who have made a commitment to a partner in a loving and monogamous relationship.
We strive to let every person we encounter, straight or gay know that God loves them and want the to know, love and feel free to approach him through participation in liturgy and prayer.
We desire to act as Christ acted and bring the Light of God's truth into their lives just as Christ did with the prostitutes, tax collectors, and even the Samaritans as well as some Gentiles.
We feel obligated to let people know that God is a loving, caring, forgiving and compassionate God and try to bring the Light of Christ to them.
We want those who have been made to feel inferior and unwanted know that we are there to actually minister to all those who have been hurt by rejection or the negative actions of those who claim that they are Christians.
We want those who have been told repeatedly God does not love them to know that "GOD LOVES THEM AS HE CREATED THEM.", which is our slogan.
A true Christian Community is one where every child of God is welcomed regardless of their race, nationality, marital situation or sexual orientation just as Christ accepted all who came to him.
We need to have faith communities which are truly welcoming, and willing to work with
people who need to rediscover and reconnect to their spiritual side.
"Why do we have a booth for Catholics at Pride events in spite of the costs which strain our resources?"
It all comes down to spreading the good news of salvation and God's infinite love and acting as we know Christ would have acted if he were here on earth today.
If we don't reach out to the people who attend Pride, who will?
By having a booth for the last six years we have done what Christ commanded as found in Luke
15:4 "What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it"? and in Matthew 22:9: "Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find".
That is the reason we will have a booth at the Boston Pride Festival on June 12th on City Hall Plaza and why we hope you will stop by and say hello if you are in the Boston area on June 12th. And if inspired to do so you will help us pay for the booth and the materials we distribute by making a donation to our ministry.

Judge Not Lest You Be Judged, a Reflection for May 2

Judge Not, Less You Be Judged

A Reflection for the 5^th Sunday of Easter by Rev. Robert Johnnene OFD

Mission Sts. Sergius & Bacchus/ Franciscans of Divine Mercy

www.missionstsergius.org

 

This week I am digressing from the suggested readings for the fifth Sunday after Easter to address an issue that has been causing pain and suffering to me and to the work of the ministry. It seems that many people have forgotten the message of Matthew 7: 1-5;   "Do not judge or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye".

 

The above reading is one that many people need to reflect on since it clearly tells us that we, mere humans, are in no position to make judgments as to how God is going to judge people and we need to be careful about how we judge the actions of others especially when they are not designed to hurt anyone or promote any activity that might be illicit or profane or illegal.

In today's society it seems everyone is ready to make judgments on the daily lives of everyone else. This is especially true when it come to GLBT individuals and divorced people and individuals from foreign countries. 

Every week I receive at least one email condemning me for my ministry and the weekly reflections and I am certain that this one will also receive the same.   They do not like that I am advocating justice and equality for every individual on earth especially those who are rejected by so called Christians because of their race, nationality, divorce or sexual orientation instilled within them by Almighty God for reasons known only to God. 

People have accused me of being a pervert, a sick individual, and have condemned me to the deepest recesses of hell and called me a disgrace to the priesthood and all who hold views the same as mine.  It has even been suggested that I engage in actions that are inappropriate for a member of the clergy because of the ministry.

Some have claimed that every priest, Bishop and Cardinal will be joining me in Hell including Pope Benedict "The Whore of Babylon" because he allowed pedophiles to exist and work with children, a grievous mistake certainly but which God may forgive if those who were guilty of such actions seek God's forgiveness.

People have taken on the role of God's judge and jury and decided that they know what God will do.

By doing this they have assumed the role reserved only for God and by doing so have committed a far greater sin.  They obviously do not understand the infinite mercy of God and His willingness to forgive those who seek His forgiveness.    The church will not even go so far as to say that Judas or Hitler is in Hell since we humans can not assume the role of God or know if they sought God's forgiveness for their sins and crimes.

 

 I once received a wonderful letter which made some very excellent explanations as to why we minister to those children of God who are divorced or of the GLBT community.  It related the following reasons we do and why we preach God's infinite love and mercy for Every human being regardless of their marital or sexual orientation.

It answered the question of "Why  would  a  Christian  pastor  like  you  support  gay  rights  and  marriage  equality?", by stating that  they believed what Dr.  Martin Luther King said; "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."

I would add that no where in Holy Scripture can you find the word Homosexual since it was not even in existence until the mid 1800's when an English man created it.  I also point out that the two passages often used by people to condemn homosexuality refer to using sexual activity in the worship of false Gods which is what the Sin of Sodom and Gomorrah was in addition to the sin of inhospitality which is one of the sins found in Leviticus. 

The reference often quoted in Romans also refers to sexual acts as part of a religious ceremony.

 

Christ never rejected anyone who came to Him and Christ broke many of the "rules" of the hierarchy of the Jewish faith in His time.    If we clergy are to be the hands and feet of Christ here on earth as His chosen ministers we need to reach out to all of God's children no matter what race, creed or sexual orientation they are and proclaim the message of God's infinite love for all His children.  We need to proclaim loudly how God forgives any sin if the sinner is truly sorry and ask His forgiveness. 

Love between two people is not a sin but a great gift from God to be cherished and nurtured no matter who it is between.   If there were more love in this world and less hatred, judgments, and discrimination we would not have all the violence and dissentions that are tearing apart communities, nations, churches and families.

 

This ministry has suffered distain and rejection, even by members of my own family, because of its primary focus.

Contributions that could help us to sustain the mission and assist in our reaching out to those who have felt unwanted and rejected and financed the necessary maintenance to the mission's car so we can continue to make the visits to people of all ages, races and orientations who are hospitalized, in nursing homes or who are shut-ins because of disabilities and illnesses like Parkinson's Disease or AIDS do not meet the monthly costs of the ministry.  

 

The time is now for each and every person to stop judging people for who and what they are but judge people by their actions and how they respect their neighbors and live their lives in relation to the great commandment given us by Christ, found in Luke 10:47 " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself" and this statement from Paul's letter to the Romans; " Nothing can come between us and the love of Christ, even if we are troubled or worried, or being persecuted, poor, elderly, threatened or even attacked. These are the trials through which we triumph, by the power of Almighty God who loved us."   Romans 8:35 - 37 AMEN