Let us live in the freedom of the children of God and not as slaves in our mortal flesh. - June 26th, 2022 - 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time - MQP Church in JLW Parish

13th Sunday in Ordinary Time  

VOCATION: Jesus calls us - He calls us to follow Him, to be filled with the Holy Spirit, and to become a missionary disciple....

 Homily MP3 version  

What are the offerings that we bring to God? What is the meaning of "HOSANNAH!" We acclaim God for his greatness and praise Him, while at the same time calling upon Him to rescue us in our distress.... "HOSANNAH!" MP3 version 

In silence now, the Holy Spirit continues to help us to know Jesus and our heavenly Father.

 

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

 

© 2006-2022 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal QC           © 2006-2022 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC

Jesus gives us Himself as food for eternal life. - June 19th, 2022 - Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ - MQP Church in JLW Parish

The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ 

VOCATION: Jesus Risen from the dead and Son of god gives Himself to us in Holy Communion with his Body and Blood... He reveals the Father to us, and fills us with the Holy Spirit, the Consoler....

 Homily MP3 version     Homily PDF version     

What are the offerings that we bring to God? What is the meaning of "HOSANNAH!" We acclaim God for his greatness and praise Him, while at the same time calling upon Him to rescue us in our distress.... "HOSANNAH!" MP3 version 

“You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek!”

My sisters! My brothers! What is your relationship with the Good God, with God the Father? What is your relationship with Jesus? What has been your experience of the Holy Spirit? What has been your experience of Holy Communion in the Body and Blood of Christ?

For my part, I recall having been impressed by the image of Jesus in his manger near Mary and Joseph when I was around 7 years old. Then the image of Jesus suffering on the cross touched me a lot. At my confirmation, I was 8 years old, and I remember feeling a presence next to me, but I did not yet know that it was the Holy Spirit, the Defender.

The next day, when I confessed my sins for the first time, I felt the love and forgiveness of God. On the third day, when I received Jesus in my first Holy Communion, I felt a warmth of love in my child’s heart. All these experiences were not yet conscious; I was only a little boy. I only became aware of all these experiences 20 years later, while I was on a weekend retreat for young adults, when the priest invited us to recall our experiences of God and to reflect on them so that we might begin to understand their meaning.  

“You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek!”

So far, those were my early experiences of Jesus. Now, for God the Father, at 12 years old I noticed that, at my age, one day Jesus remained alone in the Temple. When Mary and Joseph found Him after 3 days, asking Him why He had caused them so much worry, Jesus answered: “Did you not know that I must be about my Father’s business?” Suddenly I became aware of God the Father and that He is also my Father.

A year later, in my first year of high school – at the time that was 8^th grade – I was 13 years old, and they had us begin to pray a prayer to the Holy Spirit for the beginning and success of Vatican Council II in Rome. It was September, 1962. That’s when I became aware of the Holy Spirit and I began to pray the Holy Spirit more during the following years. You can see from these impressions I’m sharing that God reveals Himself to us personally, and it takes time.

“You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek!”

Let’s have a look now at what we have heard this morning from the Word of God. First, we see Abram who, after a military victory, gives thanks to God for his success and makes Him in thanksgiving an offering of one tenth of all his profit from the military campaign.

Second, we hear Saint Paul give witness to Jesus’ testament: before He dies, Jesus leaves us this mysterious meal in which He gives us his own life as nourishment: his Body and Blood through the instruments of the bread and wine to be transformed by his words of blessing.

Third, we see Jesus responding to his Apostles who are concerned for the crowd famished after following Jesus for three days. Jesus said the blessing on the 5 loaves and 2 fish, thereby accelerating their natural multiplication which normally takes place in the fields and in the sea. Jesus demonstrates that He is the Creator.

“You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek!”

God loves us, and He invites us to trust in Him, to give Him thanks for all the benefits we receive in everyday life. The Father invites us to trust in Jesus his Son, the Christ, our Lord, and to trust also in the Holy Spirit. God, the Most Holy Trinity, unceasingly offers us life, but never imposes. It is up to us to accept. When I open my spirit in prayer, I accept the Presence of God in me. When I confess my sins to Jesus’ priest, Jesus listens, counsels me, and forgives me. When I receive Holy Communion, Jesus gives Himself to me to nourish me. At every moment, the Holy Spirit shines his light in me, reminds me of Jesus’ words, and helps me to understand.

“You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek!”

God the Holy Trinity is our Creator who knows us, loves us, and reveals Himself to us, and it is often in silence that God comes to gently touch our spirit in our depths within us. We need to make silence within us as often as possible. Let us make this interior silence; and gently give this example to our children to help them to also come to know the Good God.

“You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek!”

Jesus will show us the Father; we will taste the love of God for us. During the Mass, the priest lends his voice to Jesus who prays his Father and offers his life to the Father for us. By and by, in the love of God the Father and of Jesus, the Holy Spirit will manifest Himself to us.

“You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek!”

“Mary Queen of Peace, pray for us. St. Joseph, pray for us. St. Suzanne, pray for us. Father, we give You thanks. O my Jesus, I trust in You! Holy Spirit, enlighten us. Thank You; You who are God, the Father, + the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.”

In silence now, the Holy Spirit continues to help us to know Jesus and our heavenly Father.

 

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

 

© 2006-2022 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal QC           © 2006-2022 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC

William John Setlakwe & Thomas Raymond Setlakwe - Twins Baptism - Solemnity of the Holy Trinity - Sunday, June 12th, 2022 - Église St. Viateur, Outremont, Montréal

The Rite of Baptism for Twins William John Setlakwe & Thomas Raymond Setlakwe - God the Father, Jesus his Son, and the Holy Spirit offer intimate friendship to each and every human being on Earth. - Le Bon Dieu offre de l'amitié dans son amour intime à toute personne humaine - il suffit d'accepter et d'ouvrir son coeur, sa pensée, son esprit à notre Dieu Créateur.... 

Rite du Baptême    

VOCATION: Jesus calls us - He calls you to follow Him, to be filled with the Holy Spirit, and become a missionary disciple.... 
Jésus nous appelle - Il nous appelle à Le suivre, à nous laisser remplir du Saint Esprit, et à devenir ses disciples missionnaires....

MP3 Files - Opening Dialogue aux Portes - - The Texts / Les Textes 

The Gospel / l'Évangile - - - L'Homélie / Homily - - - PDF Version 

The Baptisms / les Baptêmes 

+ + + + + + + + + + + +

 Homily Notes pour l'Homélie

« Au Nom du Père, et du + Fils, et du Saint-Esprit. Amen ! »               “God so loved the world, he gave us his only Son, that all who believe in him might have eternal life.”

Three years ago, who would have believed we would all have to endure a worldwide pandemic? None of us had any control over that… we could do nothing to stop it… we could only endure it and so our best to remain safe. (en français)

A year ago, who could have imagined that the world would be help hostage by a Russian invasion of Ukraine? It could not be helped or stopped… and to this day we remain helpless and can only stand by and watch, and do what we can to support Ukraine and to help refugees as they come among us in Canada and Québec. (en français)

We do our best to make a home for ourselves and our families, but we also spend a lot of time at work, at school, in our extended families, and in our neighbourhoods. The workplace is constantly putting pressure on us to enter into servitude. We are offered promotions, shares in the company, bonuses, and further advancement, but all too often, the bottom line is that we are being seduced to give our consent to the new slavery… not a slavery with chains on our ankles, but a slavery of 10-to-12-hour days, 6-to-7-day weeks, and moving ever closer to 24 / 7.

(en français) 

“God so loved the world, he gave us his only Son, 
that all who believe in him might have eternal life.”

It is a running battle for both women and men to seek and maintain a vital balance of life, to make and defend time for our life as a married couple, as parents, as members of an extended family, and even simply as human beings. We have to make deliberate efforts to take time just to breathe, to stop and enjoy the scenery, and to remember who we are and why we are alive.

(en français) 

It is very stressful and perhaps even impossible to win this battle to live a fully human and satisfying human existence by our own efforts alone. That’s why God designed us to find our life companion and become husbands and wives, for the most part. Some of us can find support for living as celibates, but we all need the support of family and friends.

(en français) 

“God so loved the world, he gave us his only Son,
that all who believe in him might have eternal life.”

We also need to have a personal connection and relationship with the living God, our Creator. Although our God chooses to remain mysterious, we can come to know and to love God. God plays “hide and seek” with human beings… the Holy Trinity does the hiding, and it is up to us to do the seeking.

As in much of human life, we need mentors, we need the example and help of others in order to find our way. Let me tell you a little about how I was helped to come to know God.

What about you? What might be your earliest memory of God? Of praying to God? Of opening your mind, heart, imagination, and soul to God?

I invite you to pray with me…. “Holy Spirit of God. Jesus promised to send You to guide us, to enlighten our minds, and to grant us to remember all that You have said and given to us. Come Holy Spirit of God to awaken in us, to awaken in me, my memories of all that God the Father has given me, of all that Jesus has said, and of all that Jesus has done in me and for me. O Most Holy Spirit, I trust in You!”

(en français) 

Maman when I was 4 ½ - my fear of the dark... one memory now = every night for 6 months....

(en français) 

Papa when I was 6 - he was staring at the sanctuary... I was puzzled... in my wondering, I knew that Papa could "see" God... and I knew that God existed, God is real....

When I was 8, my Confirmation, my first Confession, and my First Holy Communion... the ways God gently touched my spirit and left traces of his Presence in me....

God our Creator knows us and loves us personally, and He wants to reveal Himself to us. It is often in silence that God comes to gently touch us deep within our spirit. Let us enter into the silence within us as often as we can. Entering into our own experience of silence often, we can then initiate our children to experience and enter into the silence within themselves. Let us show them not to be afraid of the silence first through our example before we talk to them about it. This is how the Most Holy Trinity make themselves known to us personally, very gently, and in complete respect for our freedom and autonomy. It’s all about love and generosity.

(en français) 

“O my Jesus, I trust in You!” God, the Father, + the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

 

In silence now, the Holy Spirit pours the Divine Mercy deeply into our spirit..

 

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

 

© 2006-2022 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal QC           © 2006-2022 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC 

The Funeral Mass for Maureen Rodrigues Marolly - Father, Jesus his Son, and the Holy Spirit offer intimate friendship to each and every human being on Earth. - June 3rd, 2022 - St. Thomas à Becket Parish Church

Holy Mass of Anticipation of the Resurrection   

VOCATION: Jesus calls us - He calls you to follow Him, to be filled with the Holy Spirit, and become a missionary disciple....

 Homily MP3 version 

HOMILY Text

        There is no doubt that our God clearly wants an intimate relation with all of us, with each and every human being. The mystery of it is that our God likes to play "hide and seek" and the Holy Trinity have elected to do the hiding and it's up to us to do the seeking; which explains why there is such a variety of religions in the world. The Father always wanted to bring us closer to Himself, and so, it was from all eternity He planned to send his Son among us to become one of us, and we know Him as Jesus.

        Now, Jesus spent most of his life living a simple life with his Mother Mary and Father Joseph, learning the trade of a carpenter and being a good neighbour; learning to be an expert with wood, but also with people. Then, He spent three years trying to bring humanity closer. Have you ever wondered why Jesus used so many different parables to speak about this new life, this new relationship with God? The Apostles were actually exasperated with Him at times and wanted Him to make things simpler, plainer. The truth of it is that this new life, this Kingdom of God, is something interior, which also becomes visible. 

        For example... Clayton, do you still love Maureen? "Definitely, at all times." Show me your love... where is it? Bring it out... show it to us. Of course not, it's something interior, mysterious, hidden, but it is so real, yes? And it does manifest itself. As Adrian witnessed, you put a cot next to Maureen's hospital bed to be with her... so we understand these things. The important precious things are invisible, but they do manifest themselves in the visible world. 

        I'm very grateful to the grandchildren because of the beautiful birthday card you gave to your Nana. I saw it yesterday and I read the notes, and I was very struck by something. At least three of you wrote: "I don't know what I would do without you, Nana." Something like that. Right? I think that you already knew that she wasn't well and you could already foresee the day when she would no longer we walking among us. So, that's a very precious thought. What would I do without you? Indeed, what would I do without you? We say to the person we love who has gone from this world. 

        So, where is she? ("She's with God.") What we have here is her earthly home in which we knew her, touched her, loved her, and who cooked for us, and so on, with this body, this earthly home, this dwelling, this house, which is now empty. As I mentioned yesterday, this house no longer has curtains in the windows; the windows are bare, the lights are out, it's empty, it's sad; so, where has the occupant gone? 

        If it helps you to visualize this, you might want to close your eyes for a moment, and just become aware of the interior landscape inside yourself. I believe that a lot of people - and this is one of the reasons there's so much trouble in the world - a lot of people have never realized there is a world inside them. I thank God for our grade two teacher (Miss Frenette). We must have been rambunctious... she told us to put our heads on our desk and close our eyes, and she led us in a reflection, and in this reflection I became aware that there is a world inside. It is in this world inside that God visits with us. Call it the "soul"... it is also linked to our mind, which is a factory producing thoughts, and it is also linked to our heart, the crossroads of our emotions... but the deepest part of this interior world is our soul. 

        It is immortal; it will never die. It is a spark of God's own divinity. He who is a divine being who never had a beginning and will never have an end, created our human souls like himself, like the angels in a way, immortal, who will never die. Nothing in the universe, no power, can ever destroy a human soul. 

        Now, this soul is what contains all of our experiences, all of our memories, all of our decisions, all of our efforts to love and to be loved, our willingness to forgive, our acceptance and endurance of suffering; all the great accomplishments of human beings are contained and reserved in the soul. Consider it the "hard drive" of a human being, and this soul leaves the body when we draw our last breath. People who have died for a few minutes and come back relate stories of having glimpsed this other world, this other dimension, this Kingdom of God, the Presence of the Almighty. And it's often an experience of light, of wonder, of peace, of love.

        The atmosphere in this world is oxygen, nitrogen, and humidity, and sometimes pollution. The atmosphere in Heaven is Love. I'm sure your Nana would want you to know and to remember this: that you have choices every day, and often during the day, and the choices are about accepting love and accepting to give love, and we give love in many ways. We cook and serve food. We also accept to put up with one another. There is perhaps no greater love than this, to put up with another person, to accept them as they are; not to try and change them, but to accept them as they are. And if we think there's something wrong with them; it's God's problem. God is the one who works on human souls, to transform us, to help us grow. Our best decision and action is to serve one another, put ourselves at the service of others, offer a kind and listening ear, offer a smile, a helping hand. I think there's even room for kidding; right Clayton? (Clayton:) "100%." One hundred percent he says. 

        What will happen in your home? We don't know. Whatever it was that mysteriously began on October 7th, 1994... this mysterious fragrant oily liquid coming out of statues, religious pictures, and tapestries... perhaps it's ending today. Whatever God wants, He will get. What was the purpose of it all? You called upon me shortly after it began and asked me for advice because people were coming and knocking on the door at all hours every day of the week... you were a family, you were concerned about your children, you were concerned about privacy... and the Lord made it obvious to me what to say to you. It's your home. God could have made this happen in the church, in a public place. He chose a home. God respects our freedom. You're the man of the house, you're the husband, you're the father. 

        You can make decisions. You can set the terms. You can limit the times. That is perhaps what I'd like to end with. We have no idea how much Almighty God respects the freedom He has given to us. The Father, and Jesus, and the Holy Spirit offer to us intimate friendship beginning now and which will go on forever, but it's up to us. We can and we do say: "No!" We can and we do turn our backs. We do this to one another, and we do it to God. And He puts up with us, and He knows there will be another day; until the last day comes and there will be no more days. So, there is a kind of urgency in the Good News. Jesus kept harping at that. "The Kingdom of God is near. Wake up! Smell the coffee! Get with the program! Stop wasting time! 

        Call the person you've been neglecting. Drop in on the person you're avoiding. Forgive the enemy. Stop holding onto those burdens. It's time to give it up. It's time to let it go. It's time to put our trust in the One from whom we come and the One to whom we are returning. Amen? (All:) "Amen!" 

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What are the offerings that we bring to God? What is the meaning of "HOSANNAH!" We acclaim God for his greatness and praise Him, while at the same time calling upon Him to rescue us in our distress.... "HOSANNAH!" MP3 version 

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AT THE END OF HOLY MASS: Fr. Gilles - Invitation to write and send testimonies and "character references" about Maureen Rodrigues Marolly to Clayton or Father Gilles for the purpose of sending them to the Archbishop with a request to open an canonical inquiry into Maureen's life with a view to asking the Church to declare her a servant of God, blessed, and among the saints. 

Final prayers and Commendation - MP3 File 

Prayers at the Graveside - MP3 File 

Poem by Bede Jarrett - "We Give Them Back to You O Lord" 

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© 2006-2022 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal QC           © 2006-2022 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC

How can we receive the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives? - June 5th, 2022 - Pentecost - LSM in OLF Parish Church

Pentecost   

VOCATION: Jesus calls us - He calls you to follow Him, to be filled with the Holy Spirit, and become a missionary disciple.... 

NOVENA: It is never too late for us to join in prayer with Mary and the 120 disciples as they prayed and waited for the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Defender, the Paraclete.... 

 Homily MP3 version 

What are the offerings that we bring to God? What is the meaning of "HOSANNAH!" We acclaim God for his greatness and praise Him, while at the same time calling upon Him to rescue us in our distress.... "HOSANNAH!" MP3 version 

Homily Outline 

Almost 2,000 years after Pentecost, how is it that the world has not yet been completely transformed? Jesus did not come to reform the Roman Empire, nor the Jewish Temple, nor even the Council of the Sanhedrin.... He came to meet people, one person at a time... including you and me.... 

So, how do we welcome within us the power of the Holy Spirit?

Lesson #1. Part A - Our prayers, our requests, must be specific and concrete.

        Jesus always asked people who were suffering, even when their trouble seemed obvious: "What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus is still asking us the same question.

Part B - Jesus commands us to act, not to remain passive.

        Once a person had concretely expressed their request, Jesus did something, and then He told them to act, to also do something, to go from being passive to being active: "Get up, pick up your mat, and go home." "Go and show yourself to the priests and offer the prescribed sacrifice." "Go and sin no more." Etc.

        Jesus expects us to do the same as soon as we have expressed to Him our prayer. So, we must "do something" in connection to our request: visit a parent, call someone we've been neglecting, help a neighbour, rescue a person in distress... in other words, put aside concern about ourselves and make room for others through gestures and concrete actions.

Lesson #2. Part A - Don't focus on the traffic coming in the opposite direction - don't obsess over our sins, our failures, or the great darkness oppressing us.

        While driving at night it is very dangerous to focus our eyes on the lights of cars coming in the opposite direction... we would be at great risk to have a head-on collision and everyone dies. By analogy, neither must we focus the eyes of our spirit on all that is our sins, our failures, our fears, or all that is the "great darkness" in our life. The devil ever seeks to paralyze us by getting us to be obsessed with the darkness....

Part B - On the contrary, Jesus commands us: "Look at Me!"

        As He met people who were struggling with their misery, Jesus said to them: "Look at Me!" In other words, to free us from the darkness, to be able to forgive us our sins, to at times heal us from our illnesses or, if not, to give us the strength to endure them... for all that Jesus wants to do for us, He must first get our attention.

        Then, He needs us to have complete trust and confidence in Him and in the love of God our Father, and in the power of the Holy Spirit. Faith is not a feeling or sentiment, but simply a decision. I decide to put my trust and confidence in Jesus, and then, I leave my confidence in Him and expect to receive his reply, whatever that will be. From that point on, my prayer remains: "Show me, Lord Jesus, what You want, what You are saying to me, what You are doing." 

Lesson #3. Part A - Praise the Lord and give Him thanks!

        We Catholic Christians of Québec and Canada, are an "aweful bunch" or "in an aweful mess", in the sense that we live and behave as though we are ashamed of our faith, and ashamed of God. We never speak of God, or of Jesus, or of our faith out loud. Especially not in our family, or at school or college or university, or at work, or with friends... or anywhere.

        When you get down to it, we've closed the gates of our heart, of our mind, of our spirit, and of our life to God. Why then should we be surprised that God seems silent or absent. We have banished Him from our existence. Some have said that God is a gentleman, and He respects our decisions, even to the point of leaving us alone. Do we really want that?

Part B - Jesus calls and attracts us... and then He sends us.... 

        God is ever attracting us to Himself. The Father sent us his Son in Jesus to get our attention. Jesus invites us to listen to Him and to follow Him. 

        The Holy Spirit inspires us, attracts us to go to Sunday Mass... The Spirit assembles us to form together the People of God. There, God speaks to us in a heart-to-heart with his living Word... Jesus nourishes us with his mysterious "divine meal" - giving Himself to us in his Body and Blood. Then, strengthened by this mysterious Presence of God within us, Jesus sends us out into the world as his missionary disciples: "Go in my peace! Proclaim the Good News! Go make disciples by sharing with them all that I have given you. I am with you until the end!"

 “O my Jesus, I trust in You. Immaculate Mother Mary, pray for us. St. Joseph, pray for us. We give praise to You, O God, the Father, + the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.”

In silence now, the Holy Spirit continues to pour the Divine Mercy deeply into our spirit..

 

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

© 2006-2022 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate Priest of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal QC
© 2006-2022 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC

To live as Jesus' missionary disciples, we need to filled ever anew by the Holy Spirit. - May 29th, 2022 - Ascension of the Lord - LSM in OLF Parish Church

Ascension of Our Lord  

VOCATION: Jesus calls us - He calls you to follow Him, to be filled with the Holy Spirit, and become a missionary disciple....

 Homily MP3 version       

What are the offerings that we bring to God? What is the meaning of "HOSANNAH!" We acclaim God for his greatness and praise Him, while at the same time calling upon Him to rescue us in our distress.... "HOSANNAH!" MP3 version 

HOMILY

        So, brothers and sisters, the past few weeks we have been reflecting on the state of the Late Sunday Mass... over the last two years our churches have been closed, reopened, closed again, reopened again, and we have not returned to the way things were; far from it. Of course, it's not only our Evening Sunday Mass that is affected. Just before Mass I was chatting with Boris and he was telling me the latest news about attendance at St. Kevin. 

        This morning I was at Sainte Suzanne Parish in the eastern part of Pierrefonds, and everywhere we go probably less than half of the people who used to come to church are currently attending in person the Sunday worship. Now, this question is only one of the many issues that come our way in the course of our daily lives whether we're living alone or with a spouse or with children - little children, grown up children - whoever we may be living with, or we may be living alone; whatever our situation is at this particular season in our lives, every day things happen, or things don't happen yet that we would like to happen. So, we have hopes, and fears, concerns, worries, projects, successes, failures....

        In all of our living, what is our perspective with which we live our lives? We have no control over other people; we have no control over things that happen around us in the world; so, in many ways we are more or less helpless. Of course we can make a difference, we can make a contribution by being there; whether it's in politics or in our neighbourhood, in the Catholic community of Montreal, by our presence, by our involvement, by speaking up, of course we can make a difference. We contribute something, but as we do that, how are we living ourselves on the inside? What is "la météo", what is the meteorology, what is the weather or our life? Is it sunny, is it stormy, is it dark, is it bright? It comes down to this question which the Lord is raising today in the Word addressed to us. 

        Are we living our life as though we are on our own, as though God has no interest in taking action in our life, or as if God is absent, or as some people think, as though God does not exist? Or do we enter into our days fully expecting the presence of God, looking for God's presence, looking for the ways the Lord will be guiding us into our day? I think that's a very important question. We see in the Gospels how the Apostles and disciples were often filled with fears, with concerns, with worries, ambitions; as though Jesus was not making any difference at all, and He often had to scold them a little bit or give them instructions, and they really didn't change a whole lot. Until after He died and rose again from the dead; then He had their attention. Then they were really listening during the forty days after Easter, and then, for once, after He ascended into Heaven, for once they actually did what He told them to do. 

        They gathered together, they prayed together, and they waited. That is very difficult for us to do; we pray, but we have a hard time waiting. You know, a lot of people tell me they're worred about their grown up children, they're worried about their elderly parents, they're worried about all kinds of things; they pray and pray and pray, and after they walk away from their prayer, they continue to worry. So, that's like putting something into God's hands, like this: "Lord I'm worried about this, please take care of it." And then, we take it back. When we insist on worrying about something, when we insist on, you know, stirring the pot, and making plans and making plans and making plans... there comes a time when we need to let go of a thing, you know. We don't stop loving the people we're worried about, but we can decide to stop worrying about it. You know, I pray about my sister, and then I put it in God's hands. 

        And when she comes to mind again, I decide not to worry about her and I repeat my prayer to the Lord: "Lord, I put her into your hands." Then, day by day, I wait for the manifestation of God's will, that something will unfold, that God will act in the way He wants to act, that He will bring about his will, not mine. It's very difficult for us to do that, not just for you as lay people, but for priests, bishops, and even for the Pope. It's very difficult to do that, to wait on the Lord, to live in joyful expectation that the Lord will speak, the Lord will act, the Lord will manifest his will in some way through other people, through events, somehow... and we are given the gift of faith to interpret the signs and to know with conviction what God is doing.

        That seems humanly impossible, and it is humanly impossible, and that's why Jesus needed to go away; so that He could send the Holy Spirit, and like the Apostles and disciples, all 120 of them gathered around Mary in the upper room praying for 10 days after Jesus' ascension, waiting for God to fulfill Jesus' promise to send the Holy Spirit; we too need the Holy Spirit. We need to be filled anew with the Holy Spirit. We were touched by the Spirit at our Baptism. Even as babies, the Holy Spirit opened our mind, our heart, to the presence of God, to the love of God, through our parents and through others. At our Confirmation, the Holy Spirit came to strengthen us to enter into our life at that age, whatever age we were, and to face the obstacles and the contradictions and the challenges to our faith.

        We're never finished being filled by the Holy Spirit, because the human condition in which we are in this life, it's incomplete, it's always "not yet", "not yet complete". We're waiting for the fulfillment, but while we wait, we still have one foot in Heaven, you know. We have one foot on Earth and one foot in Heaven, and that's about learning to pay attention to the Holy Spirit. How do we do that? Archbishop Christian Lépine gave a homily at the time they were receiving the relic of Carlo Acutis - and his display of Eucharistic miracles was partially put on posters at the Cathedral - in his homily the Archbishop spoke about the importance of silence.

        He called on parents to introduce their children to the experience of silence. You cannot read the Bible without noticing the importance of silence. The prophets, the holy women and men who looked for God, who encountered God, did so in the silence. Jesus Himself said that when we pray, we should enter into our inner room in the silence of our heart, where the Father sees and hears us. 

        So, today the Lord is inviting us, during these days that we have between now and Pentecost, we have another week, to enter into this waiting and praying, so that we too will be available and attentive and waiting with Pope Francis and Archbishop Christian Lépine and all the other people in the Church today - amid all the troubles that humanity is going through - that we deliberately choose and decide to enter into the silence to listen, to be attentive to the Father and to Jesus who continue to want to pour out the Holy Spirit into us, to renew the joy of our youth, and to renew in us our capacity and our willingness to pay attention, to use the gift of faith to notice and to interpret the signs of God's presence and action in our world. 

        After all, Jesus has commissioned all of us to be his missionary disciples. It doesn't matter how weak we think we are, it doesn't matter how troubled we think we are, or it doesn't matter how incapable we think we are. That's good to be aware of our limitations; that's what we bring, that's what we offer on the altar to God. That's our part, is to offer to the Lord our insufficiency, and our Father is very pleased with that attitude and that offering, and He pours out his Holy Spirit, and the perfection of God completes our imperfection; the love of God dispells our fear; the wisdom of God enlightens our lack of understanding. It is a joy to walk with the Spirit and to be willing to make fools of ourselves and to be Jesus' missionary disciples for today. So, let us pause in a moment of silence to practice entering into the silence, to be attentive to the presence and action and the Word of the Most Holy Trinity. 

© 2006-2022 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal QC           © 2006-2022 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC

Jesus invites us to the dance... to an intimate relationship with the Living God. - April 24th, 2022 - Divine Mercy Sunday, 2nd Sunday of Easter - MQP Church in JLW Parish

Divine Mercy Sunday - 2nd Sunday of Easter

VOCATION: Jesus calls us - He calls you to follow Him, to be filled with the Holy Spirit, and become a missionary disciple....

 Homily MP3 version     Homily PDF version     

What are the offerings that we bring to God? What is the meaning of "HOSANNAH!" We acclaim God for his greatness and praise Him, while at the same time calling upon Him to rescue us in our distress.... "HOSANNAH!" MP3 version 

“Christ is risen! Alleluia!” “He is truly risen! Alleluia!”

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever!”

You know, brothers and sisters, you know that we are all called by the Lord Jesus to be his disciples and to be missionary disciples with our arms and our hearts wide open; but we hesitate. So, what is it that we need in order to give full vent to our heart's desire to be with the Lord? 

My sisters! My brothers! Do you enjoy dancing? Great! Whether it is social dancing where the man and the woman hold each other’s hand and back to dance together, or whether it is line dancing in a group, to really enjoy the full delights of the occasion, of the music, and of one’s partner or group…you need two things.

First, you have to go along or let yourself be led by your partner or by the group. Then, and this is equally important, you need to participate, to make efforts, you have to do your part. You can’t expect other people to carry you like a baby is carried. Now, think back and remember your good memories of dancing… remember the benefits of having let yourself be led by a partner or by a group. What joy to enter into the dance and the festivity….

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever!”

So, hopefully you have known the benefits of letting yourself be led in the dance, or at least you have seen others dancing. Now, remember all the efforts that you made to follow your partner or the group, your efforts to learn the various dances, the steps, and the great satisfaction you enjoyed for your success in dancing. What joy and fun to be able to join in the festivity!

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever!”

Well, either you know how to dance or at least you accept that in order to dance you need to let yourself be led, but you also need to participate and make efforts. Now, I may surprise you with my next statement. Your experience and understanding of dancing are assets that now you can apply with advantage in your relationship with God. Surprised? If you want to know and love God more, well then, simply accept his invitation to dance with Him!

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever!”

Fr. Gilles, are you nuts proposing that we dance with God? No, I'm not crazy. To dance, what do you need? You need an occasion, you need music, and you need either a partner or a group. To dance with God, every moment is an opportune occasion. Whether it is when going to bed or when rising in the morning, when preparing for the day or preparing for sleep; whether it is before, during, or after meals; at work or at school, doing housecleaning, groceries, laundry, gardening, or when it is about being together as a family or especially an intimate moment between spouses, or any other occupation, the moment is always right to enter into the presence of God. God is always and everywhere present. All we have to do is open our heart to Him.

“Christ is risen! Alleluia!” “He is truly risen! Alleluia!”

You don't sound very convinced. 

“Christ is risen! Alleluia!” “He is truly risen! Alleluia!”

You need to stand up; you're not breathing properly. Try standing for a moment. 

“Christ is risen! Alleluia!” “He is truly risen! Alleluia!”

Much better. Sit down, please.  

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever!”

All right then; so, if every moment is a good moment to dance with God, what's the music? What is the music to which we can dance with God? It is a celestial music… the music of the Holy Spirit… it is the music of the love of God which flows like a river inside of us, flowing from the vitality of the love within the Most Holy Trinity… that music of intimate love between the Father and his Son Jesus and the Son to the Father, the loving bond of the Holy Spirit. This music - mysterious, but true, celestial within us, is a glimpse of Heaven which rises within us at any time when we contemplate beauty – a lovely landscape, each person who loves us and whom we love, the abundance of living creatures on the earth, in the waters, and in the air – we have only to stop for an instant and take the time to breathe quietly… and behold the celestial music gently rising within us.

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever!”

Well then, we have plenty of occasions every day to dance with God, we have this mysterious music of God flowing within us, all right. So, do I hear this celestial music? He says we are never without music for dancing with Him; for He causes this very mysterious celestial music to arise within us from the very depths of our spirit. It is also like a fire, a heat of love which comes to warm us; it is the Divine Mercy. This gentle fire of Mercy is Jesus who will never cease loving us.

Thus, with God, we never lack a dancing partner or group to dance with. The group which dances to God’s music is our faith assembly, yes, but it is also our family, our neighbourhood, our friends, our work colleagues, our school acquaintances, and every person opening their heart and their spirit to the Divine Mercy, to the love and knowledge of God.

At every moment, the dance partner par excellence given to us by the Father is his Son Jesus, risen from the dead, and now living forever in Heaven with the Father, but still forever present to us here on Earth. Jesus is the Divine Mercy of God.

Well then, how exactly do we do this? How do we dance with Jesus? To dance with Jesus, all we have to do is pray, and what is praying? It is simply visiting with God. As soon as I open my mind and heart and look towards God, towards Jesus, I'm already at prayer. We visit with God when we contemplate God, in the Scriptures, reading the Gospel, the Psalms, the letters of the Apostles, and all the books of Sacred Scripture in the Bible. As soon as we turn the eyes of our spirit to Jesus, we are already at prayer and behold, Jesus is there taking us into his arms for the dance. Jesus is always ready, and at every moment it is up to us to enter into the mystery. Lord, I don't understand it, I don't get it, but, I want. Here I am. 

“Christ is risen! Alleluia!” “He is truly risen! Alleluia!”

 “O my Jesus, I trust in You!” Thanks be to God, the Father, + the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

 

In silence now, the Holy Spirit continues to pour the Divine Mercy deeply into our spirit..

 

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

 

© 2006-2022 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal QC           © 2006-2022 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC