You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses to the end of the Earth. Alleluia! - May 21st, 2023 - Ascension of the Lord "A" - MQP Church in JLW Parish

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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Ascension of the Lord  

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

 Gospel & Homily MP3 version - 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 will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you;
and you will be my witnesses to the end of the Earth. Alleluia!” 

The apostles became witnesses of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. “After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.” The day Jesus was to return to his Father, once more Jesus appeared to them, yet despite this indisputable and marvelous evidence, in spite of seeing Jesus with their own eyes, “some doubted”. What about us, what about our doubts? In the face of all the terrible things happening in the world, and in the face of our own trials, what about our own doubts regarding God? What are we to do with our doubts?

Dear brothers and sisters, it is important for us not to live our lives as though we were just sleepwalking, like people who never reflect on their experiences of God. Jesus never stopped provoking his apostles and disciples to reflect on the things of God, on his words, on the power of God at work in Him. Every day we must also reflect on the presence of God in the Church but also in us. Let us not lose sight of all the ways in which the Love of God touches our lives and the people we love.

“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you;
and you will be my witnesses to the end of the Earth. Alleluia!” 

Examine your memory; search your memories. What are the moments when you were touched by the love of God. While walking in nature? While saying your prayers? Reading Sacred Scripture? Reflecting in silence in a church? While participating during Holy Mass? When you were receiving Jesus in Holy Communion?

By his resurrection, Jesus gave them a great joy. It wasn’t happiness, because they still feared the authorities, but it was a heavenly joy. In your life, what has been your greatest joy? I’m not talking about happiness, but about joy in God. What has been your greatest joy? If it was truly joy and not simply a pleasure, then it was the love of God flowing through you, the living water of which Jesus spoke to his disciples.

“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you;
and you will be my witnesses to the end of the Earth. Alleluia!”

The love of God is constantly being given by the Father and Jesus his Son, because the love of God is the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit gives himself to us in a flood like the sun never stops shining even during the night. Our part is simply to remain open and receptive to this flow of divine life which is the love of God, the Holy Spirit. We are also to let fall every obstacle, every obstruction to this river of divine love which is in God and which seeks to fill us to purify us, to heal us, to strengthen us, and to send us out into the world.

“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you;
and you will be my witnesses to the end of the Earth. Alleluia!” 

Have you found it yet, the greatest joy that you ever had? If you have trouble remembering your greatest joy, don’t be discouraged. Relax and put your trust in the Holy Spirit. Ask the Holy Spirit to enlighten you. You have all the time you need to recall your memories and to become aware and bring them back to mind. (A pause) 

“May He open to his light the eyes of your heart, so you may know the hope to which he has called you and the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe. Alleluia!” 

Imagine your greatest joy multiplied to the infinite…. WOW! Outstanding! Grandiose! Wonderful! Well, that is God. God puts into you his joy, his love. That is the Holy Spirit. God is Love, and he pours into you his Holy Spirit like a river. All we have to do is become aware of it and thank Him. Confession helps us to let go of all that obstructs the flow of God’s Spirit in us or prevents his love from flowing out from us to others. God’s love unites us to all of humanity; even to enemies. The Holy Spirit helps us take to heart the whole world, even enemies. 

“May He open to his light the eyes of your heart, so you may know the hope to which he has called you and the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe. Alleluia!”

I have placed on my website a spiritual exercise to help you go back over the moments when you were touched by the love of God. The people of God reflected on their sacred history with God; that’s the Bible. You also have a sacred history with God. On the Internet, look for my name – Gilles Surprenant with the word blog – you’ll see a link Father Gilles Surprenant. Click on the link and you’ll come to my home page. There, look for the link Fr. Gilles’ English Homilies and there you’ll find today’s homily with a link to:

 SPIRITUAL EXERCISE – “GOD’S SACRED HISTORY WITH ME” 

“May He open to his light the eyes of your heart, so you may know the hope to which he has called you and the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe. Alleluia!” 

“Mary Mother of God, St. Joseph, walk with us in the steps of Jesus. O my Jesus, I trust in You! Thank You; You who are God, the Father, + the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.” 

In silence now, the Holy Spirit helps us to lay down our offering together with that of Jesus….

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

 

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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.

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

© 2006-2023 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate Priest of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal  QC
© 2006-2023 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC 

+ + + + + + + + + + + +  

Let your love be upon us, Lord, even as we hope in you. Alleluia! - May 7th, 2023 - 5th Sunday of Easter "A" - MQP Church in JLW Parish

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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5th 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 - 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 

“Let your love be upon us, Lord, even as we hope in you. Alleluia!”
ALL: “Let your love be upon us, Lord, even as we hope in you. Alleluia!” 

Among the early Assembly of disciples of Jesus, “the Greeks complained against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food.” Life sucks sometimes, and we have good reason to complain. How is your life these days, and for your family? You may very well have reason to complain. The solution devised by the apostles was to have the people select from among themselves men whom they would appoint deacons for the service of food. It was a labour of charity, hospitality, and fraternal service. To this day, our deacons continue this service, which takes many forms in accord with changing needs.

In those early days, there were no church buildings, and the disciples met in homes big enough to accommodate all those who wanted to come to the assemblies. We have church buildings now, but the Church is not the buildings; it is the people who assemble in the name of the Lord. Many of you have been called and have responded to the call to serve. In these ways, you become an instrument in the hands of the Lord for Him to manifest his power to save.

“Let your love be upon us, Lord, even as we hope in you. Alleluia!”
ALL: “Let your love be upon us, Lord, even as we hope in you. Alleluia!” 

The same Saint Peter, who served as leader of the Twelve Apostles who ordained the first 7 deacons, now calls all of us to serve “like living stones; let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” We are free to choose to become a living stone in the hands of the Lord Jesus. How? Jesus is the corner stone. The architects took great care to carve the corner stone and took all their measurements for the walls from that stone, extending the lines from the very angles of that corner stone. Jesus is our Corner Stone. We look at Him and take our direction, our angles, from Him. We contemplate Jesus: his words, his attitudes, his daily prayer to the Father, his silent time in the peace of his heart, and we follow in his steps and imitate Him.

“Let your love be upon us, Lord, even as we hope in you. Alleluia!”
ALL: “Let your love be upon us, Lord, even as we hope in you. Alleluia!” 

Jesus’ entire life was a spiritual sacrifice to his Father, not just his passion and death. At every moment, Jesus paid attention to his Father and the communion he enjoyed with Him in his mind, heart, body, and soul. We can also do this. We can learn to pay attention to God the Father always present to us and who loves us. Beginning at our Baptism, we began to be filled with the Holy Spirit, the Divine Breath of the Love between the Father and the Son. Jesus told us that the Holy Spirit would remind us of all that He said and did, and help us to understand what is the will of the Father and help us to do it. We can make every situation, every word we say, and every task we perform, a spiritual sacrifice agreeable to God the Father.

“Let your love be upon us, Lord, even as we hope in you. Alleluia!”
ALL: “Let your love be upon us, Lord, even as we hope in you. Alleluia!” 

Our Lord Jesus, our Teacher and Saviour, says also to us, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him…. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me.” Yes, we are still human, still sinners, still weak, but we are living stones in a living Temple, and God, the Most Holy Trinity, dwells within each of us.

“Let your love be upon us, Lord, even as we hope in you. Alleluia!”
ALL: “Let your love be upon us, Lord, even as we hope in you. Alleluia!” 

Today, Jesus says to us who are in our world “his disciples: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me.” We are not to allow ourselves to be discouraged by our weakness or faults. Do not let the enemy, the devil – God’s adversary – who is called Satan, the accuser; do not let him discourage you with dark thoughts. When dark thoughts rise within you to discourage you, turn your eyes, ears, and spirit to Jesus; contemplate Jesus, and see in Jesus the Father’s love for all of us, and for you. Say: “O my Jesus, I trust in You!”

“Let your love be upon us, Lord, even as we hope in you. Alleluia!”
ALL: “Let your love be upon us, Lord, even as we hope in you. Alleluia!” 

“Lord Jesus, we are sinners, we are poor, and we are weak. You, our Good Shepherd, in your great and divine mercy, forgive our sins, repair our defects, heal our wounds, strengthen our weaknesses, and fill us with your Holy Spirit. Send us out and accompany us as we go to the people of our time; help us to share with them the Good News that You rose from the dead; You are the Son of God; You love them and You offer them a new life which will lead them and us into eternal life. Come, Lord Jesus. O my Jesus, I trust in You.”  

“Let your love be upon us, Lord, even as we hope in you. Alleluia!”
ALL: “Let your love be upon us, Lord, even as we hope in you. Alleluia!” 

“Mary Mother of God, St. Joseph, walk with us in the steps of Jesus. O my Jesus, I trust in You! Thank You; You who are God, the Father, + the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.” 

In silence now, the Holy Spirit helps us to lay down our offering together with that of Jesus….

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

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

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.

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

© 2006-2023 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate Priest of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal  QC
© 2006-2023 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC 

+ + + + + + + + + + + +  

Lord, cut us to the heart. Grace us to repent. Move us to turn away from this corrupt generation; let us follow Jesus our Good Shepherd. Let us trust and follow Him. Alleluia! - April 30th, 2023 - 4th Sunday of Easter - MQP Church in JLW Parish

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.

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

4th 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 - 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 

“Lord, cut us to the heart. Grace us to repent. Move us to turn away from this corrupt generation; let us follow Jesus our Good Shepherd. Let us trust and follow Him. Alleluia!” 

The challenges humanity currently faces are considerable: wars and conflicts, hunger and famine, the gap between rich and poor, our troubled and threatened environment, political and economic discords, divisions among Christian churches, pressures from work on married couples, parents, and families, various forms of abuse, and personally, uncertainties, sufferings, frustrations, fears, and confusions. As Jesus did in his day, now Pope Francis does not necessarily propose specific solutions, but like the Lord Jesus, Francis invites all of humanity to collaborate for the common good, and in forgiveness and fraternity.

“Lord, cut us to the heart. Grace us to repent. Move us to turn away from this corrupt generation; let us follow Jesus our Good Shepherd. Let us trust and follow Him. Alleluia!”

At the level of the human person and of each individual, we all face challenges from the demands of life, of health, and of aging, from poverty and waste, between pleasure and pain, from the balance between my good and the good of others, between truth and justice, but most of all, the challenge of maturation, moral development, and conscience. In all this mess, the ways of the Lord are not our ways. Jesus did not try to reform the Roman Empire, nor the Temple, nor the Council of the Sanhedrin. No, Jesus came to bring the Good News to people, to individuals of all ages. Jesus still seeks to touch our hearts. If we recognize his voice and follow Him, we will be saved. Eternal life begins the moment we welcome within us God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ whom He has sent. 

“Lord, cut us to the heart. Grace us to repent. Move us to turn away from this corrupt generation; let us follow Jesus our Good Shepherd. Let us trust and follow Him. Alleluia!” 

In his passion, Jesus gives us the perfect example of the child of God who, in every trial of life, completely trusts in God the Father. Each sorrow, each temptation, each trial permitted by God our Father, by our faith, purifies the intentions of our heart, strengthens us, and makes us realize that, in life, all is gift. Yes, we make efforts, we take decisions, we realize tasks, but all that is good comes to us from the hand of God and comes to us gratuitously. The Father loves us, and He deserves our trust. This is how hope arises within us, and the Holy Spirit enables us to breathe, in the peace which He gives. 

“Lord, cut us to the heart. Grace us to repent. Move us to turn away from this corrupt generation; let us follow Jesus our Good Shepherd. Let us trust and follow Him. Alleluia!”

When I accept to endure my own reactions in frustration and anger, there is an offering agreeable to God! When I forgive others their defects and their faults, and when I pray for my enemies, there is an offering agreeable to God!

“Lord, cut us to the heart. Grace us to repent. Move us to turn away from this corrupt generation; let us follow Jesus our Good Shepherd. Let us trust and follow Him. Alleluia!” 

When I open my eyes, my ears, my thoughts, and my heart to the difficulties of others, there is an offering agreeable to God! When I do something to care for our common home – the natural environment – there is an offering agreeable to God! When I take care of the little ones, the elderly, widows and orphans, there is an offering agreeable to God! When I take care of the sick or the lonely, there is an offering agreeable to God! When I visit prisoners, or when I come to the aid of refugees, of itinerants, of strangers, or of people who are ignored or counted as nothing, there is an offering agreeable to God!

Still today, Jesus says to us: “Come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Then, nourished and strengthened by Him, in the second movement, Jesus sends us all out: “Go and proclaim the good news, and make disciples. You have received freely; now, give freely.”

“Lord, cut us to the heart. Grace us to repent. Move us to turn away from this corrupt generation; let us follow Jesus our Good Shepherd. Let us trust and follow Him. Alleluia!”

“Lord Jesus, we are sinners, we are poor, and we are weak. You, our Good Shepherd, in your great and divine mercy, forgive our sins, repair our defects, heal our wounds, strengthen our weaknesses, and fill us with your Holy Spirit. Send us out and accompany us as we go to the people of our time; help us to share with them the Good News that You rose from the dead; You are the Son of God; You love them and You offer them a new life which will lead them and us into eternal life. Come, Lord Jesus. O my Jesus, I trust in You.”  

“Lord, cut us to the heart. Grace us to repent. Move us to turn away from this corrupt generation; let us follow Jesus our Good Shepherd. Let us trust and follow Him. Alleluia!” 

“Mary Mother of God, St. Joseph, walk with us in the steps of Jesus. O my Jesus, I trust in You! Thank You; You who are God, the Father, + the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.”

 

In silence now, the Holy Spirit helps us to lay down our offering together with that of Jesus….

 

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

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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.

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

© 2006-2023 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate Priest of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal  QC
© 2006-2023 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC 

+ + + + + + + + + + + +  

Lord, You will show me the path of life. Alleluia! - April 23rd, 2023 - 3rd Sunday of Easter - MQP Church in JLW Parish - Also prepared for the Late Sunday Mass

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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3rd 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 - 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 

Luke 24:35 "They recognized Him...

Original Art work by Pat Onofrio - July 2nd, 1983 
(Pat died August 13th, 2009.)

“Lord, you will show me the path of life. Alleluia!” 

Since the days when Jesus walked our Earth, He has raised up witnesses to establish the reality of his resurrection and ascension into Heaven at the right hand of the Father. We heard the Apostle Saint Peter speak and testify with assurance and boldness to the resurrection of Jesus. He went so far as to say to the crowd about Jesus: “you crucified and killed him by the hands of those outside the law.” Peter was unafraid of the crowd’s anger because he did not come to accuse them, but to proclaim the good news that this same Jesus rose from the dead.

However, we know full well that Peter himself, along with all the apostles and disciples of Jesus, did not believe the good news when they first heard it. They all needed to see and hear with their own eyes and ears that Jesus, in spite of his atrocious death on the cross, was now forever alive following his resurrection from the dead. What Jesus said to Cleopas and his companion, He could very well say to all of them and also to us: “Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the Prophets have declared!”

“Lord, you will show me the path of life. Alleluia!”

Last Sunday, it was the Apostle Thomas’ turn to hear this reproach from Jesus. After this, Jesus said to him: “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” What a gift the Lord leaves us by referring in this way to all of us who have succeeded his apostles and disciples since the beginning of his Church. We who are alive today, we are all among “those who believe without having seen.”

Nonetheless, without necessarily seeing with our own eyes Jesus risen from the dead, we still need to taste for ourselves the great joy of Easter. We need to know for certain that the tomb in which the body of Jesus had been laid down for burial is now empty. We desire to feel upon ourselves the warm loving look of Jesus risen from the dead. It is necessary for us to know that Jesus remains at every momentby our side until the end of our journey on this Earth. God the Father Himself wants to come and dwell within us with his risen Son Jesus in the power of his divine love which is the Holy Spirit. 

“Lord, you will show me the path of life. Alleluia!” 

Well, that’s all very nice, but how exactly do we acquire the conviction that Jesus is risen and alive? We don’t dare to ask Him for signs and miracles the way King Herod tried to do or like the crowd who later taunted and mocked Jesus during his agony on the cross. After all, we are nothing more than creatures, and the Father, in communion with Jesus his Son, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, is God, our Creator. We must do as Mary and the apostles and disciples did, and set about earnestly listening to the Most Holy Trinity in prayer.   

“Lord, you will show me the path of life. Alleluia!” 

Like Cleopas and his companion, we must all walk together and share our sorrows, our worries, our challenges, and our hope with one another. The Holy Spirit wants to help married couples to open up to one another their thoughts, their hearts, and their souls. Parents with their children can also open themselves up to each other. Just as importantly, we all need to join in with the assembly to hear the Word of God, to adore the Lord our God, and to eat the Body and drink the Blood of Christ. As the baby suckles and is nourished at its mother’s breast, so too must we drink deeply from Jesus’ Sacred Heart. It is his own divine life with the Father in the Holy Spirit that Jesus causes to spring up within us as a fountain of living water. 

The new life which Jesus gives us through our Baptism is a sharing in his paschal mystery. As we accept to die with Jesus, we die to our old life of selfishness in order to rise from this death to the new life of love for our neighbour; loving even our enemies. Jesus drew his disciples into two movements. In the first movement, Jesus said to them, as He says to us: “Come to me all you who are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Then, nourished and strengthened by Him, in the second movement, Jesus sends them out, as he also sends us: “Go and proclaim the good news, and make disciples. You have received freely; now, give freely.” 

“Lord, you will show me the path of life. Alleluia!” 

“Lord Jesus, we are sinners, but we cannot wait to be perfect before proclaiming to our world the good news that You are the Son of God and the one and only Saviour of the human race. In your great and divine mercy, forgive our sins, repair our defects, heal our wounds, strengthen our weaknesses, and fill us with your Holy Spirit. Send us out and accompany us as we go to the people of our time; help us to share with them the Good News that You rose from the dead; You are the Son of God; You love them and You offer them a new life which will lead them and us into eternal life. Come, Lord Jesus. O my Jesus, I trust in You.”   

“Lord, you will show me the path of life. Alleluia!” 

“Mary Mother of God, St. Joseph, walk with us in the steps of Jesus. O my Jesus, I trust in You! Thank You; You who are God, the Father, + the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.”

In silence now, the Holy Spirit helps us to lay down our offering together with that of Jesus….

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

 

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

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.

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

© 2006-2023 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate Priest of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal  QC
© 2006-2023 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC 

+ + + + + + + + + + + +  

Jesus comes to touch and renew our heart - let us walk with Him in his passion - April 2nd, 2023 - Palm and Passion Sunday - MQP Church in JLW Parish

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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Palm and Passion Sunday 

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 - 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 

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 

Yesterday, I was giving a 3-hour seminar workshop “Introduction to Prayer”. A young woman who with her fiancé was at the marriage preparation course, asked me this question. “My grandmother says that there is so much evil in the world that Jesus will have to come soon in his glory; that will be the end of the world. What do you think about that?”

Here is what I replied. The apotles and the first generation of the disciples of Jesus were expecting Jesus to come back soon, in 10 or at the most 20 years. They discovered that Jesus was delaying his return in glory. In each generation until today, there have been signs that the end of the world could be approaching. However, I must admit that right now there is all over the world an over abundance of evil, but there is also much good. 

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 

Our environment is rapidly coming to the precipice and more and more scientists are sounding the alarm that our planet Earth is already at the point of no return: so many species are disappearing or in danger of going extinct. Genesis tells us that God our Creator entrusted his creation to the human race; so that we might cultivate his garden. Instead of cultivating it, we are exploiting it to destruction. God places all the goods of the Earth at the disposal of all, but there are too many of us who accumulate far more than we need, while blocking access to these goods for the rest of the population; creating millions of poor who are dying of hunger. 

We are literally closer to the end of the world day by day and hour after hour. Either Jesus will return in his glory, or I myself will die tonight. One way or another, it will be the end for me. That is the truth for all of us. Our life is running fast to the end. That is why God our Father sent his Son to our Earth, and He continues to send Him. Jesus wants to touch our heart; so, we might let his Father love us by opening our heart to Him. That is why Jesus makes us belong to the Assembly of God’s children who help us encounter Jesus and let Him encounter us. 

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 

Jesus invites us to walk with Him in his passion, and especially, during this Holy Week. We can take the role of each character in the passion, standing in their shoes, and then we will see Jesus show us the face and heart of God who loves all of his children without exception. If we want to receive the love of God which carries us into eternal life, we must let our heart open its gates wide and accept the risk of suffering like Jesus the rejection, condemnation, torture, and death. When we close the gates of our heart in order to try to avoid being hurt, the closing of our heart prevents us at the same time from loving and being loved.  

“The Lord God helps me; therefore, I have not been disgraced; therefore, I have set my face like flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame!” 

I am one of the apostles who fall asleep in the garden… I am Judas who betrays Jesus… the one who cut the ear off the high priest’s slave… I am among the disciples who flee… the high priest who judges Jesus… I am among those who strike Jesus… Peter who denies even knowing Jesus… Pilate who interrogates Jesus… I am among the soldiers who torture Jesus… among those who mock Jesus… I am Simon who helps Jesus… among the women who weep for Jesus… one of the thieves beside Jesus… I am among the men and women disciples who care for Jesus’ body… Jesus loves them all… Jesus loves us all…. 

Jesus’ passion continues to unfold in all of our own passions in life and in all the passions of our neighbours and of the whole human race…. 

“The Lord God helps me; therefore, I have not been disgraced; therefore, I have set my face like flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame!” 

Jesus offers his life to his Father on the altar of the cross. It is our turn now to lay down our life with Jesus on the altar as a single offering to God our Father. We offer ourselves with Jesus: all that we carry within us and which, in silence, we lay down, including our own will; opening wide our spirit to God. 

“The Lord God helps me; therefore, I have not been disgraced; therefore, I have set my face like flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame!” 

“Mary Mother of God, St. Joseph, walk with us in the steps of Jesus. O my Jesus, I trust in You! Thank You; You who are God, the Father, + the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.” 

In silence now, the Holy Spirit helps us to lay down our offering together with that of Jesus…. 

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

 

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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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© 2006-2023 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate Priest of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal  QC
© 2006-2023 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC 

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Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice! - March 26th, 2023 - 5th Sunday of Lent - MQP Church in JLW Parish

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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5th Sunday of Lent

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 - 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 

“Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice! 
I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one coming into the world!”

Our pastor, Francis McKee, is on vacation with his family in Ireland for 2 or 3 weeks. There was a complaint against him to the ombudsman concerning his use of authority. Who among us is perfect, never makes a mistake, is always calm, always welcomes with perfect listening? Still, no one can escape the demands of justice, truth, courtesy, and charity. So, there has to be an investigation to examine the facts. Let us pray for Francis McKee and for our parishes, so that the truth may come into the light of day.

I believe that it is also true that as a people, as a society, we have become impatient, intolerant, contemptuous, and critical. We refuse to love those who oppose us. It is no picnic to be a priest in our world and our Church today. And yet, to live and serve as a priest remains a great human and spiritual adventure. Jesus is risen from the dead, and soon we shall walk with Him in his passion, the great gift of his life out of love for us and for all of humanity. Jesus is Lord, the Son of God, and He permits all these trials to fall on our heads. We must believe in Him and put all our trust in Him.

“Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice! 
I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one coming into the world!”

Jesus wants to rescue us, but we must admit that we need to be rescued. “You shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people.” The ways of the Lord our God are mysterious, but He does not want to save us without our participation. We need to desire the salvation which the Lord offers us. He has even given us this prayer inspired and written by the Psalmist some 3,000 years ago: “I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope.”  

“Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice! 
I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one coming into the world!”

At every moment, we are free to choose how to live our life: under the tyranny of the flesh or under the guidance of the Spirit. Will I remain a slave to my anger? To my appetites? To my sexual impulses? To my gluttony? To my fears or my jealousy? To my pride? At every moment, the Holy Spirit makes to surge within me his own divine power which we call grace and which gently invites me and gives me strength to walk in the steps of Jesus, following Him, by loving my neighbour and even my enemies.

Who are the enemies that Jesus calls me to love? With which person must I seek to be reconciled? Who is it that is doing me harm; so that I may pray for them? Which family member must I love better? Who is the stranger for whom I must pray?

“Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice! 
I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one coming into the world!” 

Jesus rescued the Samaritan woman from her despair just by chatting with her and by showing her his compassion and love, but He also questioned her and provoked her to tell all the truth about her upside down life. Jesus gave sight to the man born blind in order to save him but also to shake up the proud religious leaders who thought they were without sin and didn’t need to be saved by God. Today we see Jesus raise his friend Lazarus from death and the tomb. Jesus gives us plenty of reasons to believe in Him and put all our trust in Him.

What is the despair from which Jesus wants to rescue me? What sight does Jesus want to give me so that I may see more clearly? From out of which tomb does Jesus want to bring me?

“Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice! 
I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one coming into the world!”

It is still daylight, and the night has not yet swallowed us up. There is still time for us to be reconciled with God and with our neighbour, and also with Jesus’ Church. We still have priests ready to welcome us and to hear our confession; because they know full well that it is Jesus who meets the penitent who comes to confession. Take advantage of it while you still can. 

In a few moments, 3 young sisters will be baptized. God our Father will adopt them and their parents and godparents will help them to pay attention to God coming to live in their soul. It is because we are God’s children that we bring our offering to the altar of God. We offer ourselves: all that we carry within us, our reluctance to be holy, our distaste for being perfect; our hopes and our fears, our desires and our regrets, our sins and our repentance, and even our own will. Let us open wide our spirit to God; so that the Lord may do in us all that He desires to do: to lead, to forgive, to heal, to make us holy and perfect, and to give life. 

“Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice!

I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one coming into the world!” 

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

In silence now, the Holy Spirit continues to restore our sight to see the Light of God.

 

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

 

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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.

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

© 2006-2023 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate Priest of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal  QC
© 2006-2023 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC 

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