We live in the presence of Jesus, Christ the King of the Universe and the Great Judge - his love helps us not turn our backs on one another. - 34th Sunday in Ordinary Time, November 21st, 2021 - Homily from the Poustinia

 Thank you Lord for the little children... their cries and babbling are not a distraction, but they actually help us allow the cries of our own hearts to come out... fears, pains, grief, joy, surprise, anxiety.... MP3 

      Homily PDF version

“Blessed are You, Lord Jesus Christ, Great King, the Prince of the kings of the Earth!”

Brothers and sisters in Jesus, have you noticed how our Good God makes Himself hidden and silent? As Creator of the Universe, the Most Holy Trinity has no need to give humanity any further proof of its existence than what is already before our eyes. The wonders of nature and of all living species and the magnificence and extraordinary abundance of the stars render their eloquent testimonies to the existence and grandeur of the Good God.

These testimonies come to us from the visible world, but beyond the visible world, there are the innumerable quantity of angels in the Presence of God in his eternity and whom He sends to the Earth with messages, like Archangel Gabriel appearing to Mary to announce God asking her to become the Mother of his only Son; which we are preparing to celebrate at Christmas.

“Blessed are You, Lord Jesus Christ, Great King, the Prince of the kings of the Earth!”

When the governor Pontius Pilate interrogated Jesus, he did not realize that he was in the presence of Jesus as the Great King of the Universe, the Son of God. What he did not know is that Jesus is the true Judge and that at that very moment it was Jesus who was interrogating him. Would Pilate open himself to the truth manifest in Jesus standing before him? Well, my brothers and sisters, Jesus is also our Judge, because He is the Great Judge of all humanity, and here we are standing in his Presence.

“Blessed are You, Lord Jesus Christ, Great King, the Prince of the kings of the Earth!”

At this very moment as I speak to you and as you listen to me, brothers and sisters, we are being interrogated ourselves before Jesus, the Great Judge; for He is the only Son of God, the Truth in Person, because He receives from the eternal Father divine Life and He lives this eternal life in the communion of the Holy Spirit. God the Trinity contains all Truth in Himself.

“Blessed are You, Lord Jesus Christ, Great King, the Prince of the kings of the Earth!”

We who are at this very moment living on planet Earth, we are surrounded by all sorts of truths proposed by human beings but which are not the truth at all. They all demand and grasp constantly after our attention, and they do it either to sell us something or to convince us of something. Whom shall we believe? In whom shall we place all our trust? That is the question of the hour, and it is undoubtedly the greatest question of our lives. There you see one of the reasons why Pope Francis has transferred the annual World Youth Days from Palm and Passion Sunday to this solemnity of Christ the King just before Advent.

“Blessed are You, Lord Jesus Christ, Great King, the Prince of the kings of the Earth!”

From the dawn of humanity, we inherit from those who preceded us a certain rejection of the Good God. God created us in communion with Him, but with the liberty to choose. We abuse of our liberty by rejecting the Good God, by turning our back on one another, and by destroying the natural environment which is our common home. We observe that humanity is still acting out its adolescence in the face of God and of life, and He, as perfect parent, He respects our choices but never gives up on the hope of winning us back by his merciful love.

How exactly do we experience this interrogation before Jesus, the Great Judge of all of humanity? We live through our interrogation in all the diverse moments of everyday life as we are faced with our neighbour, either in our family, or outside the home at work or at school, at the market, with friends, and in our refusal to take good care of the environment.

“Blessed are You, Lord Jesus Christ, Great King, the Prince of the kings of the Earth!”

At Christmas we will see who are those who turned their back on Joseph and Mary so pregnant with Jesus, and who welcomed them. The same goes for us. Whom did we welcome this week, and to whom did we turn our back? What did we do for the environment?

Today, whom will I welcome? To whom will I turn my back? This week, whom will I welcome? Against whom will I turn my back? What will I do for the environment?

“Blessed are You, Lord Jesus Christ, Great King, the Prince of the kings of the Earth!”

What personal offering of myself, represented by the bread and wine, will I now place on the Altar with Jesus? I confess and offer to the eternal Father all those against whom I have turned my back; that He may bless them and forgive me. I also offer to the eternal Father all those whom I managed to welcome since the last time I presented myself before the Altar of the Lord; for I acknowledge that it was only by the grace of God that I managed to welcome them.

Here is my prayer in my poverty: « O my Jesus, I trust in You! »

It is happy for us that the Good God greatly desires to forgive us our sins and to restore us to life, for He is God: the Father, and + the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Let us take a few moments to contemplate the Presence of God in our spirit.

 Here's something that can help us keep silence within ourselves... where we meet the Most Holy Trinity... by allowing to echo within us the Name of Jesus... Jesus... Jesus... Jesus...

https://frgilleshomilies.blogspot.com         https://homeliesabbegilles.blogspot.com

 

© 2006-2021 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal QC           © 2006-2021 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC

The Lord invites us to reflect on all the times He has personally touched our lives - 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time - LSM sponsored by CAM - July 11th, 2021 - OLF Parish

  Homily MP3 version        

Prayer Exercise #2 – Letting God Show You His Presence and Care throughout Your Whole Life

A good, holy, elderly priest – Fr. Walter Lallemand, a war veteran who as a recovering alcoholic was a man familiar with suffering – in February 1977 gave us young adults a prayer exercise to see our life like that of the people of Israel in the Bible. Like theirs, each journey is a sacred history of God’s grace. This is an invitation to reflect in God’s presence with your memory. Ask God to help you remember – whether you realized it at the time or not – when God was there for you and with you. Sharper memories may present themselves first – times when you were loved and cared for – or moments of pain, illness, discomfort, or sadness. God can impress his Love on us powerfully in times of trial. As this relies on our ability to remember, it is an exercise that you can return to and add onto several times over the years. Each experience we remember becomes a treasure enriching and enlightening our life and relationship with God and others. Each box helps organize thoughts / memories and reflect on them. You can use more paper. May the Holy Trinity reveal to you and bless your sacred history.

God’s Sacred History with Me

(You can print this out as a spiritual exercise and fill in the blanks... use a separate sheet....)

COME HOLY SPIRIT, ENLIGHTEN MY SPIRIT. HELP ME REMEMBER THE GRACES I HAVE RECEIVED. THANK YOU, FATHER, FOR YOUR LOVE, IN JESUS YOUR SON OUR LORD.

AGE / OR YEAR / DATE

WHAT HAPPENED

CORE OF THE MEMORY

HOW I FELT

ROLE ANOTHER PERSON PLAYED

HOW I WAS AFFECTED

HOW GOD WAS / IS WITH ME

HOW I FEEL NOW

WHAT'S NEXT?

Saint Joseph, pray for us. 

 

https://frgilleshomilies.blogspot.com         https://homeliesabbegilles.blogspot.com 

 

© 2006-2021 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate Priest of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal  QC
© 2006-2021 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC

God our Father makes us his children and says to us... "Do not be afraid!" - N.Y. Day, 2021 - MQP - JLW Parish

 Gospel & Homily MP3 version        Gospel & Homily PDF version     

Happy New Year dear brothers and sisters! Happy Feast Day of Mary, Mother of God!

To some people it sounds strange to call Mary the Mother of God. They understand that she is the Mother of Jesus, but why call her the Mother of God? In the first few centuries of the life and history of the Church there were many arguments about the mystery of Mary’s motherhood.

It was because some believed that Jesus was God but only pretending to be human. Others believed that Jesus was truly a man but only blessed by God and not actually God Himself. It took quite some time for the Holy Spirit to help people understand that Jesus is truly God, the only-begotten Son of God the Father, and at the same time, Jesus is truly human, the son of Mary by the mysterious overshadowing of the Holy Spirit who conceived Jesus in her womb.

 Can we try to imagine what it must have been like for 13 or 14-year-old Mary to receive the visitation of the Archangel Gabriel and his astounding message? We have trouble trusting in God for our health or daily bread or job or marriage or harmony in our family or peace in the world. I don’t think we would react very well to the visitation of an angel from heaven.

Zechariah, the father of the child who later grew up to become John the Baptist, was a priest. He was a good and holy man of God; yet even he had trouble believing the Archangel Gabriel who appeared to him with a heavenly message. As a result of his unwillingness to believe, Zechariah was struck dumb by God. God’s plans for humanity are not trivial because they are about life and death, but more importantly, they are about our eternal salvation.

The heritage that God our Creator has in store for every human being is eternal life. To live forever, without any ending at all, is a very big deal. Eternal life is so precious that its value is impossible to calculate. In any event, eternal life cannot be bought or sold, and no human being will ever be able to produce eternal life. Living forever is a gift that only God can give.

The quality and the kind of eternal life into which we will enter at the moment of our death, when we leave behind our mortal earthly home, depends on the quality of life we will have put together all along the way leading up to our final moments and our final breath on this Earth.

When Jesus had become a man and entered into his public mission entrusted to Him by the Father, He made it crystal clear that our eternal life will be either happy or miserable based on whether or not we become willing to live our life out of confidence in God and love for others; as opposed to living our life out of fear and obsession with our own selfish impulses.

That is why today’s Solemn Feast of Mary Mother of God is also the World Day of Peace. It is God’s design that human women have been created with an innate capacity and willingness to give life and to nurture life. There is no equivalent feast of fatherhood because all men are called to give life by lovingly and generously putting themselves at the service of all women.

 We could well ask ourselves one simple question: “Am I living my life out of love, or out of fear?” Many men are called by God to follow Jesus and serve humanity as priests, but so many don’t answer the call; it is probably out of fear. Many of us priests could be more generous or dedicated as we are called to be; but we might be afraid. Many infants in the womb never see the light of day, but instead are torn to shreds and ripped out of their mother’s womb; again, it is probably out of fear and probably more the fear of the man than the fear of the woman.

You see, God loves us so much that He has designed our human life in such a way that we never have to live in isolation, but rather, in the warmth and harmony of family life and human community. If we live in isolation it is all too often because we make choices based on fear and not on love. Love pulls us away from the objects of our fear in order to draw our attention to the God who loves us and wants to fill us with his love. God wants every woman to be cherished and surrounded by those who love and support her, and similarly, God wants every man to be respected and surrounded by those who love and support him.

When the Archangel Gabriel appeared to Zechariah and Mary, his first words to them were “Do not be afraid.” Gabriel observed that both the old man and the young virgin were startled by his appearing and he immediately addressed their fear and invited them to replace their fear with confidence and trust in God. Opening our heart to others also opens our heart to God.

Through Baptism God has given us the power to become children of God by freely choosing to believe in Him and put our trust in Him. This is faith: choosing freely to put our trust in God even when we don’t understand. It is this faith, this willingness to trust in God no matter what that enables us to receive the relationship God is offering us every moment of every day. As we turn to God with joyful anticipation and hope, we turn our back on fear and open ourselves to be touched and given life by the love of God. We get to know God more personally by reading the inspired Word of God in the Bible, by opening up our mind and heart to God in prayer at all hours of the day and night, and by opening our heart and our hands to our neighbor.

If you haven’t been to confession in a long time, maybe now would be a good time to do it while we are still alive on this Earth. Jesus is there through the priest to give us his mercy.

So let us continue to pray for one another that we might accept the encouragement and grace of the Holy Spirit to open wide our heart, our mind, our spirit and even our body to the presence and the love of God: the Father, + the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Let us take a few moments in silence to reflect on this Good News given to us by the Lord.

 

https://frgilleshomilies.blogspot.com

 

© 2006-2021 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate Priest of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal  QC
© 2006-2021 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC

Fr. Joseph A. E. Sullivan - 1st Anniversary Memorial Mass at St. Edmund of Canterbury Beaconsfield QC

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In the "New Covenant" made by our Creator God with humanity, as reported in Jeremiah 31:31-34, every human being can know God from within - because the Holy Spirit is revealing our Creator to all who are willing to know the Lord and trust in Him. We can still help each other along the way; so please feel free to share with others these homilies and your own personal faith in God through Jesus Christ. G.S.

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 Homily MP3 File 

Universal Prayer

Priest’s Introduction          To God the Father almighty, dear brothers and sisters, may every prayer of our heart be directed, for his will it is that all humanity should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.       (The Response is)   R.   Lord, make us missionary disciples.

For all families during summer time – especially in the face of difficult challenges – that all may find peace in your Most Sacred Heart, we pray to You Lord….  R. Lord, make us missionary...

For indigenous peoples worldwide and in Canada as we fight against Covid-19; at all levels of Canadian society and government may we honour indigenous peoples in their dignity, be receptive to their rich heritage, and engage in Nation to Nation building, we pray to You Lord…        R.  

For Father Joseph Albert Earl Sullivan and all souls, that they may forever contemplate your beauty and enjoy your love, and for the intentions of their families, we pray to You Lord….  R.

In union with Pope Francis’ worldwide intention for July, we pray “that today’s families may be accompanied with love, respect and guidance, and especially, that they may be protected by the State", and for the Church in China, we pray to You, Most Holy Trinity.        R. Lord, make us...

That young people may find much joy in seeking your Sacred Heart, O Jesus; by living the Gospel may they help to renew the world, we pray to You, Lord.      R. Lord, make us missionary disciples.

For victims of sexual abuse or violence, for their families and communities; for all those who are hungry, thirsty, naked, elderly, lonely, sick, in trouble, in prison, refugees, abandoned, or suffering injury or loss due to calamities, we pray to You, Most Holy Trinity.    R. Lord, make us missionary...

That married couples may grow closer by trusting in your love, Father; that families may support each other with their faith in You, O God; and that engaged couples preparing for marriage and family life may make room for You, we pray to You, Lord.  R. Lord, make us missionary disciples.

For those who are preparing to celebrate Baptism, Reconciliation, Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, and Marriage; that they may find joy in preparing; so that their life in Christ may continue to grow, we pray to You, Lord.     R. Lord, make us missionary disciples.

That men called by You, Sacred Heart of Jesus, to serve as priests may with courage and trust in You say “Yes!” to your call as Mary and Joseph did, and that the shepherds of our souls may govern generously and wisely the flock entrusted to them by You, we pray to You, Lord.    R.

That our communities, as we emerge from isolation, may patiently observe the health measures and bear witness with great devotion to your Most Sacred Heart, we pray to You Lord….  R.

For our own personal intentions....  (SILENCE followed by the priest’s prayer)

Priest’s Prayer                    O God, our refuge and our strength, hear the prayers of your church, for you yourself are the source of all devotion, and grant, we pray, that what we ask in faith we may truly obtain, through Christ our Lord.                          R. Amen.      

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In the "New Covenant" made by our Creator God with humanity, as reported in Jeremiah 31:31-34, every human being can know God from within - because the Holy Spirit is revealing our Creator to all who are willing to know the Lord and trust in Him. We can still help each other along the way; so please feel free to share with others these homilies and your own personal faith in God through Jesus Christ. G.S.

----------------------------------------------------------------

© 2006-2021 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate Priest of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal  QC
© 2006-2021 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC

Troubles - God doesn't rescue but always helps - our trust invites his power - 12th Sunday 2020 - Team of Our Lady Mtl 50

 Homily MP3 File 

First Reading (Jeremiah 20.10-13)

Jeremiah cried out: I hear many whispering: “Terror is all around! Denounce him! Let us denounce him!” All my close friends are watching for me to stumble. “Perhaps he can be enticed, and we can prevail against him, and take our revenge on him.” But the Lord is with me like a dread warrior; therefore my persecutors will stumble, and they will not prevail. They will be greatly shamed, for they will not succeed. Their eternal dishonour will never be forgotten. O Lord of hosts, you test the righteous, you see the heart and the mind; let me see your retribution upon them, for to you I have committed my cause. Sing to the Lord; praise the Lord! For he has delivered the life of the needy from the hands of evildoers.

The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 69)

R . Lord, in your steadfast love, answer me.

It is for your sake that I have borne reproach, that shame has covered my face. I have become a stranger to my kindred, an alien to my mother’s children. It is zeal for your house that has consumed me; the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me. R .

But as for me, my prayer is to you, O Lord. At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love, answer me. With your steadfast help, rescue me. Answer me, O Lord, for your steadfast love is · good; according to your abundant mercy, turn to me. R .

Let the oppressed see it and be glad; you who seek God, let your hearts revive. For the Lord hears the needy, and does not despise his own that are in bonds. Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas and everything that moves in them. R .

Second Reading (Romans 5.12-15)

Brothers and sisters: Just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, so death spread to all people because all have sinned. Sin was indeed in the world before the law, but sin is not reckoned when there is no law. Yet death exercised dominion from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who is a type of the one who was to come. But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died through the one man’s trespass, much more surely have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abounded for the many.

The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Gospel Acclamation (See John 15.26, 27)

Alleluia. Alleluia. The Spirit of truth will testify on my behalf, says the Lord, and you also are to testify. Alleluia.

Gospel (Matthew 10.26-33)

The Lord be with you.          And with your spirit.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew.         Glory to you, O Lord.

Jesus said to his Apostles: “Fear no one; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. And even the hairs of your head are all counted. So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows. “Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before humans, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; but whoever denies me before humans, I also will deny before my Father in heaven.”

The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Universal Prayer

Priest’s Introduction                      To God the Father almighty, dear brothers and sisters, may every prayer of our heart be directed, for his will it is that all humanity should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.

For all indigenous peoples worldwide but especially in Canada on this National Indigenous Day; that at all levels of Canadian society and government we may honour their dignity, be receptive to their rich heritage, and engage in Nation to Nation building, we pray to You Lord…             R.

For all fathers on this Fathers’ Day – especially those experiencing difficult challanges – that all may find peace in your Most Sacred Heart, we pray to You Lord….  R. Lord, make us missionary...

That married couples may grow closer through trust in your Most Sacred Heart; that families may support each other with their faith in God; and that engaged couples preparing for marriage and family life may make room for You, we pray to You, Lord.  R. Lord, make us missionary disciples.

That our governments may respect parents as first educators of their children; that all children and families in trouble, and all who suffer for whatever reason, may find comfort in your Most Sacred Heart – O Jesus – Gift of the Father to all of Humanity, we pray to You, Lord….  R.

In union with Pope Francis’ worldwide intention for June, we pray “that all those who suffer may find their way in life, allowing themselves to be touched by the Heart of Jesus", and for the Church in China, we pray to You, Most Holy Trinity.           R. Lord, make us missionary...

For those who are preparing to celebrate Baptism, Reconciliation, Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, and Marriage; that they may find joy in preparing; so that their life in Christ may continue to grow, we pray to You, Lord.     R. Lord, make us missionary disciples.

That young people may find much joy in seeking your Sacred Heart, O Jesus; by living the Gospel may they help to renew the world, we pray to You, Lord.      R. Lord, make us missionary disciples.

For all victims of sexual abuse or violence, for their families and communities; for all those who are hungry, thirsty, naked, elderly, lonely, sick, in trouble, in prison, refugees, abandoned, or suffering injury or loss due to calamities, we pray to You, Sacred Heart of Jesus.      R. Lord, make us...

That men called by You, Lord, to serve as priests may with courage and trust in You say “Yes!” to your call as Mary and Joseph did, and that the shepherds of our souls may govern generously and wisely the flock entrusted to them by You, we pray to You, Sacred Heart of Jesus.    R.

That our communities, as we emerge from isolation, may patiently observe the health measures and bear witness with great devotion to your Most Sacred Heart, we pray to You Lord….  R.

For our own personal intentions....

Priest’s Prayer                    O God, our refuge and our strength, hear the prayers of your church, for you yourself are the source of all devotion, and grant, we pray, that what we ask in faith we may truly obtain, through Christ our Lord.                          R. Amen.      

© 2006-2021 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate Priest of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal  QC
© 2006-2021 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC