Jesus wants us to confess our sins to Him through his priest so that we may be reconciled. - December 4th, 2022 - 2nd Sunday in Advent - MQP Church in JLW Parish

 2nd Sunday in Advent 

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 - 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 

“Alleluia. Alleluia. Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths:
all flesh shall see the salvation of God. Alleluia!”

 Hello, Sisters! Brothers! Have you ever kicked a soft drink dispensing machine? Maybe you haven’t, but you probably have felt frustration with something mechanical, or more likely, with another human being. It is so very human to experience frustration and even anger when things go badly or don’t work properly or when what we expect to happen just isn’t happening.

Fr. Francis is available right now to receive you if you would like to meet Jesus in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. When we make a good confession, Jesus sets us free from our sins, our regrets, and from anything holding us prisoner and preventing us from being fully alive.

“Alleluia. Alleluia. Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths:
all flesh shall see the salvation of God. Alleluia!” 

Well, it’s hard to admit the truth to myself, and it’s even harder to admit the truth to others, but it is not uncommon for us Christians to feel frustrated with God. We pray and we pray for some intention and we wait and we wait for the answer to come, and for various reasons, we feel as though God is not answering us. At least, the answer we want just isn’t happening.

Fr. Francis is available right now to receive you if you would like to meet Jesus in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. When we go before the priest to make a confession, it is Jesus Himself, in Person, who listens to us, suggests to the priest what to say to us, gives us his mercy and forgiveness, asks us to make a penance or gesture of thanks, and sends us on our way with his blessing. Jesus needs us to be his witnesses in our world as his missionary disciples. When we put our weakness in his hands, we allow Jesus to manifest his power through us.

“Alleluia. Alleluia. Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths:
all flesh shall see the salvation of God. Alleluia!” 

During Advent, the Word of God spoken to us is so beautiful and encouraging. Through the prophet Isaiah – almost 800 years before Jesus – the Lord spoke of the coming of the Messiah, the promised Anointed One who would bring perfect peace to humanity and to nature itself. We all know only too well that both humanity and nature are still in terrible trouble today. There are wars in many places on Earth and our natural environment is in deep trouble. We could well ask: “Lord, why aren’t You doing something about all of these troubles?”

This is how the Lord Jesus answers us, as He does every day: “My Father and I are doing everything we can with the Holy Spirit. The Father sent Me, and I came. There was no room for me in Bethlehem and I accepted to be born in a stable among the animals. My Mother Mary and Joseph accepted to endure these things with complete trust in the Father. Join with us.”

“Alleluia. Alleluia. Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths:
all flesh shall see the salvation of God. Alleluia!” 

We just heard the voice of John the Baptist denouncing the religious leaders of his day: “But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, John said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit worthy of repentance.”” The others coming to John for baptism in the Jordan River were sincere in their intention to make a change in their lives, but the religious leaders considered themselves to be perfect and above reproach. They blamed everyone else for the troubles of their world.

We are preparing to enter into the joy of Christmas which explodes within us when we see God coming to live among us as a Baby. This Baby will grow up into the Son of Man who will accept to take on Himself the blame for all the sins and troubles of the world. Jesus doesn’t ask us to carry the weight of the whole world on our shoulders, because He is already doing that, but He does ask us to admit our own part, to stop blaming others, and to confess our own sins.

“Alleluia. Alleluia. Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths:
all flesh shall see the salvation of God. Alleluia!” 

We all carry a darkness deep in our soul… our refusal to admit the truth about ourselves, not wanting to humble ourselves before God, thinking we don’t need to go to confession. Jesus wants to shine the Light of his truth to dispel the darkness deep within us. His Light is gentle, but it is a divine Fire which burns away all that is sinful, bitter, impure, untrue, false, to make room for the love, peace, goodness, truth, and beauty which are in the Most Holy Trinity. Fr. Francis is still available to help you meet Jesus in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

In a few moments, it will be time to place at the altar our offering to God. It is ourselves that we offer: all that we carry within us, our hopes and our fears, our desires and our regrets, and even our sins and our repentance. Let us open wide our spirit to God; so that He may do in us all that He desires to do: to forgive, to heal, and to give life.

“Alleluia. Alleluia. Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths:
all flesh shall see the salvation of God. Alleluia!”

“Mary Queen of Peace, pray for us. St. Joseph, pray for us. St. Brother André, pray for us. St. Kateri, pray for us. All you holy women and men, 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 fill us with the blazing Light of God.

 

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

Memorial Service for Bernie Lavigne & Lois Floyd Lavigne - Our God loves to be part of our assemblies. We trust Bernie & Lois are with Him. - October 22nd, 2022 - Assembly in Danny & Sheila's home

 We pray in anticipation of the Resurrection 

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

 The Word of God, Fr. Gilles' Homily, Prayers, and sharing by Danny, Kaytlin, & Grace MP3 version 

Memories shared by Kaytlin, Grace, and Danny PDF file

(Grace Lavigne)

 Celebration of life

Dear Grandma and Grandpa,

I cry because you have passed away, but I smile because we lived a great life together. Today is

a very special day because all I can think of is you.

A few weeks ago on your anniversary, we took out your old projector and we watched pictures

of you. It made me feel good to see all of your memories.

Grandma, you were so smart, kind and creative. You made me a baby blanket, which is still my favorite blanket. I would love spending time with you while you would knit.

Grandpa, we used to walk to the park together and go on the swings. Once you surprised us with a cool Lego set and every time after it would be on the same shelf. I loved when you lived with us and we would come home from school, you would ask us how our day was and would tell you all about it.

What I miss the most is every Father’s Day we would get your favorite meal, which is lobster and you taught me to crack open the shell. Grandma didn't like lobster, so we would make her chicken Alfredo which made me happy because I would eat it too.

Grandma and Grandpa, I know that you are safe and happy together now. I know you are not in pain and you are running free in heaven. I think about when you were young and healthy and I believe that is how you are spending your days together. I love you both with all my heart.

I have a little video for you guys –

love you so much –

love, Grace

(Kaytlin Lavigne)

Grandma and Grandpa were the most amazing and incredible people in the world. They would make me laugh and smile all the time.

Grandpa would tell me thousands of stories about him when he was younger. I remember when I came home one day from school when grandpa was living with us, he told me the story about how he met grandma in a bar. He told me how he would take the train from New Brunswick to Quebec on Christmas eve and sing Christmas carols with people on the train.

One time we went to visit grandma in the hospital and we brought a bunch of nail polishes and we let her choose her favourite colour and she pointed out this really pretty purple and I painted her nails for her.

When they lived in the house in Pierrefonds, we would always go on the deck swing. It was our favourite thing. Grandpa would go on with us and make us go really high until we hit the back of the deck railing. While we were doing that grandma would make us kraft dinner or butter and salt pasta.

They had a bird house and we would watch the birds go in and out grabbing the seeds. There was a park down the road we used to go to and there was this one time when we were pretty young but old enough to remember.

We saw a guy with his dog and the dog was so cute, his name was PK. We turned around for literally one second and grandma started swearing. PK peed on grandma's shoe. We all started to kill ourselves laughing. That was probably one of my favourite memories. Now to this day we all sing PK peed on grandma's shoe.

Grandpa and Grandma spent so much time with us. They would help mama and Dada with the house. Grandma would help with the gardening and grandpa would help with the building. Grandpa loved Tim Hortons, every time we slept over, we would drive to go get Tim’s. Every Christmas we would get him a gift card and he would always order a coffee and an egg sandwich.

Grandma loves chicken alfredo pasta and whenever we asked for mama to make it, she always does and it reminds us of grandma. It makes me feel better to know that they are together now. I love them with all my heart and I know Grandpa and Grandma are still looking over dada, mama, me Liam and grace. We will always be a family!

(Danny Lavigne)

Hi guys thank you for being here with us it means everything in world to me. All of us here today have different beliefs and our own thoughts but one thing we all have in common is life and death. I’ve learned that every day after their passing is hard, but remembering all of the good times we all spent with them makes it a little easier.

As a child, you look at your parents as your teachers, the ones you look to for comfort and support love and guidance. I looked to my parents for everything and they were there for whatever I needed, all their attention, time and love because they knew that's what counted the most.

Time, the one thing you can't get enough of but they showed me that if you fill that time up with love it will last forever. As a little boy it felt like time stood still, because it was filled with road trips, sports bike rides and summers at Thorndale pool. It didn't matter what we did, we were together. It was the three of us and that's all I needed.

As an only child some People would say oh you must have been spoiled. and I was, not in the sense of material things but with love and attention because I didn't get whatever I wanted, they taught me at a very young age that if I wanted something that I would have to work for it, so dad helped me build a trailer for my bike to pull the mower and mom helped me get contracts from her friends in the neighborhood. Because of their love and support I worked hard and was the richest self made 9-year-old around.

Lois and Bernie were the kindest, most loving parents I could have ever asked for. The both of them Hard working and driven to never give up on a better life and to be better people. I understood why they worked so hard; it meant I was loved and everything they did as husband and wife and as parents they did for our family.

I was lucky to have two people in this world who would love me that much, no matter what. Lois never shied away from being there for others who needed support in one way or another, or to call them out as needed with her favorite saying “what the flip". As her son, I feel like I grew up with the most incredible role model who taught me to be kind, be myself and to always try to be a better person. With Kaytlin, Liam, Grace whom she loved more than anything else in this world. Lois would come to the house and right away grab a baby and smother them with kisses and squeezes, playing with them and making them laugh. Our kids made her love life that much more.

Mom was a good gardener, that's one of the things she took pride in. Her garden was always looking great and well manicured. So, when she came to the house and saw a weed growing in the path or flowers, she would pick it! Lois's blankets. She would spend hours night, after night, making one for everyone she knew, it showed how much she cared for them.

Sheila you were the daughter she never got to have. They both loved you as you were their own and were so proud of the strong woman that you are. I remember when you and my mom first met, Sheila was giving me a lift to school every day and during those first few weeks getting home I would shop talk with dad, but mom more importantly wanted to know about the girl in the car.

I explained how nice Sheila was and how every day was a good day working with her on projects in class. So, one of those first few days, way before we were even dating, Lois wanted to meet; so, she had Sheila out of the car, with a big smile holding her by the arms in true fashion, the hugs and touching of your face and hair turning saying to me! “oh my god she's so beautiful" not embarrassing at all! Mom looking at me then looking at you, and back to me with a smile as if to say don't fudge this up I love her!

Lois was a strong woman who was never scared of hard work, her determination and strength she took with her everywhere especially in sickness, whether it was brain surgery, strokes or car accidents she took one step at a time and worked her way back to health or as close as humanly possible. I will miss her smile, her laugh, her incredibly loud whistle you can hear a mile away when she wanted me home from the park. My Dad the love of her life was there with her throughout every good and bad day.

Dad From Bathurst New Brunswick. The most beautiful country town, but due to the pulp and paper factory it smelled like rotten eggs and cabbage, I missed it the second we pulled out in our old car down Lavigne Street every single time we had to leave to come back home. I loved seeing my Dad; when we were there in the summer, he was an outdoorsman, he knew exactly what to do, where to find it, how to make it, how to fix it or how to catch it. He was my MacGyver.

He was also a great carpenter, building furniture for anyone and everyone, from complicated rocking chairs to folding tables, he even built the tabernacle at church to store the Eucharist, nothing was too hard for him to create. He would read books and magazines to educate himself on techniques and then build something new like he's done it 100 times before and of course with attention to detail. But his favorite creation was what he called the Newfie tambourine. It took quite a few beers to build that masterpiece. I'm sure a few of you have seen him in action or have tried to play it. Once he started it was hard to get him off and the party was going.

One thing I know is that my dad had a good life with a wife who love him and a family who adored him, a son who looked up to him and was always proud to call him my Dad. So, in their vows they said till death do us part. In death they did part, but not for long as I believe they couldn't live without one another. I know all of us will miss them. So, after all Bernie and Lois made good time, the life they created together with that little bit of time, they created a whole lot of love that will never be forgotten. Thank you again for being her today to honor them. They loved all of you and their memory will live on in all of us.

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

Prayers at the Graveside - Final prayers and Commendation - MP3 File 

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

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

© 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 fire burning within us is the Holy Spirit purifying our hearts. - October 16th, 2022 - 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time - MQP Church in JLW Parish

29th 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 - 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 

“To You I call; for You will surely heed me, O God; turn your ear to me; hear my words. Guard me as the apple of your eye; in the shadow of your wings protect me!”

My sisters! My brothers! What a shock to hear the Word of God tell of this battle between the Amalekites and the people of Israel. In fact, it was a little like the invasion in our own day of Ukraine by Russia. A peaceful people and their innocent families are invaded by an aggressor nation. Israel had barely gotten out of Egypt when the Amalekites ambushed them from behind.

How horrible! Generally, God does not participate in our quarrels or battles, but God acts when people or nations oppose his plan to save humanity. God chose his people Israel so that one day his only-begotten Son might come and take flesh and dwell among us. Amalek was fighting against God. Our Saviour needed to find a home among all of humanity. God chose Israel because of the young maiden Myriam – Mary of Nazareth – whom God chose to bear his Son. Every Christmas we celebrate the birth of Jesus who could find no room in the houses of men, but who had to be content with a manger in a stable in the hollow of a poor cave.

“To You I call; for You will surely heed me, O God; turn your ear to me; hear my words. Guard me as the apple of your eye; in the shadow of your wings protect me!”

This story of Moses who had trouble keeping his arms raised so that Israel might overcome their attackers shows God teaching his people a lesson. All too often we try to handle our own affairs without having recourse to God. We forget that to have life in its fullness we need to live our life in partnership with God. God created us to live in communion with the Most Holy Trinity. So, when we try to walk alone, we deprive ourselves of God’s love and his power.

“To You I call; for You will surely heed me, O God; turn your ear to me; hear my words. Guard me as the apple of your eye; in the shadow of your wings protect me!”

God invites us today to consider our relationship with the Most Holy Trinity. From one Sunday to the next, at home or outside, what is my attitude towards God? Do the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit find a warm welcome in me or rather a contemptuous or disrespectful attitude? Worse still, do I spend all my time ignoring God as if I were telling Him to mind his own business? Do I love my neighbour, or am I at times contemptuous of others?

At the moment of our last breath on this Earth, our soul will leave our body behind, and we will find ourselves face-to-face with God, with Jesus Christ. If at that final moment we realize we are full of regrets, it will be too late to change. Today is “the day of salvation”. Now is the time to get closer to God.

“To You I call; for You will surely heed me, O God; turn your ear to me; hear my words. Guard me as the apple of your eye; in the shadow of your wings protect me!”

As soon as we raise our eyes to Heaven, as soon as we open our hands to God, we are already at prayer. If there is an empty space inside us, and it hurts, it is simply because this empty space was made by God so He could come dwell within us; but He does not come when He is not welcome. God does not want to make us slaves but friends. God already loves us; so, it’s up to us every moment of every day to accept his friendship.

Jesus tells a parable about a nasty judge to teach us to persevere in prayer. Unlike the unjust judge, God is just and good. However, his ways are higher than our ways, and his will is bigger than our will. He always answers our prayers, but He answers in his time and in his way for our greater good. God always acts for our best, but not necessarily as we want Him to do.

“To You I call; for You will surely heed me, O God; turn your ear to me; hear my words. Guard me as the apple of your eye; in the shadow of your wings protect me!”

If there is a fire burning within us, it is a sign of the Presence and action of God within us. The Holy Spirit burns our bad intentions to purify our heart and make room for the love of the Father and the Presence of Jesus. There is another fire, more pleasant, which is a fire of divine desire – a holy desire – which attracts us to God and also towards our neighbour. It is the fire of divine love which seeks to fill us with love and then bring us to love our neighbour and even our enemies; exactly as Jesus loves us.

In a few moments, it will be time to place at the altar our offering to God. It is ourselves that we offer: all that we carry within us, our hopes and our fears, our desires and our regrets, and even our sins and our repentance. Let us open wide our spirit to God; so that He may do in us all that He desires to do: to forgive, to heal, and to give life.

“To You I call; for You will surely heed me, O God; turn your ear to me; hear my words. Guard me as the apple of your eye; in the shadow of your wings protect me!”

“Mary Queen of Peace, pray for us. St. Joseph, pray for us. St. Brother André, pray for us. St. Kateri, pray for us. All you holy women and men, 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 fill us with the Light of God.

 

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

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