22nd Sunday of Ordinary Time 2017

21st Ordinary Sunday 2017

20th Ordinary Sunday 2017 Aug. 20th

August 13th & 15th Anniversary Homily

With Faith All things are possible

 A Reflection for Sunday, August 13, 2017

By Rev. Fr. Bob Johnnene OFM

Mission Sts. Sergius and Bacchus/ Franciscans of Mercy

Mission Web Site: www.missionstsergius.org

Franciscans of Mercy Web Site: www.ordeerfranciscansofmercy.org

Fr. Bob’s REFLECTIONS TV Shows http://www.youtube.com/user/RevBobJohn

Email Address: Divinemercyparish@msn.com

In his first encyclical, “Light of Faith” (Lumen Fidei), Pope Francis calls our Catholic faith a light “capable of illuminating every aspect of human existence.” Faith serves as a light for our journey and gives us a firm foundation for our lives. It transforms and unites us.

The pope begins the encyclical with these words; “Faith is born of an encounter with the living God who calls us and reveals his love, a love upon which we can lean for security and for building our lives. The word which God speaks to us in Jesus is not simply one word among many, but his eternal Word. Christian faith is thus faith in a perfect love, in its decisive power, in its ability to transform the world”.
In the Gospel of ’ Matthew chapter 14 verses 22 – 33 we read he story of how Peter, when he saw Christ walking on the water toward them in the midst of a raging storm, called out to Christ. “Lord,’ he said ‘if it is you, tell me to come to you across the water.’ ‘Come’ said Jesus. Then Peter got out of the boat and started walking towards Jesus across the water, but as soon as he felt the force of the wind, he took fright and began to sink. ‘Lord! Save me!’ he cried. Jesus put out his hand at once and held him. ‘Man of little faith,’ he said ‘why did you doubt?’ And as they got into the boat the wind dropped. The men in the boat bowed down before him and said, ‘Truly, you are the Son of God.

This story is very important to us because it is a very strong reminder that if we give ourselves over totally to having faith and trust in Almighty God, all things are possible if what we are seeking is God’s will.

Giving of myself over to God’s will was the reason I accepted the offer to be ordained a priest 15 years ago this coming Tuesday.

August 15^th is the 15th anniversary of my ordination as a priest and the 37th anniversary of my ordination as a deacon.

As I reflect on my feelings and the blessed opportunity and great challenge Almighty God has bestowed upon me I realize how truly blessed I have been.

“Your are a priest forever like Melchizedek of Old”, with these words a person goes from being a simple follower of Jesus Christ to an individual whose live is now dedicated completely to the service God and His children here on earth.

As such, you have the awesome responsibility of shepherding all God’s children. You become the hands, feet, mouth, heart and human voice of Almighty God here on earth.

Your duty is to give solace and comfort to those in pain and always affirm God’s infinite love, mercy and forgiveness to all His children.

You need to always be uplifting and positive toward all even when you yourself do not feel that well.

These responsibilities are to be extended to every child of God that you encounter as you travel along your road of life.

As a priest and especially a Franciscan you need to stop thinking about yourself and focus on the needs of God’s children all over the globe, especially those who feel unwanted, rejected and in need of comfort and affirmation.

In a world that appears to be increasingly more self-centered and absorbed in the material things of life and less interested in the needs of others preferring instead violence to settle disputes and differences instead of common sense, it is deeply disturbing and often seems to overwhelm you.

My heart becomes heavy when I see and hear of children of God being turned away from participating in a faith community or  being denied God’s gift to us, in the Eucharist,  because they are divorced or have been created by Almighty God with a same sex orientation.

Sadness fills me when I see dedicated men and women being denied the opportunity to serve God because they are married or worse still, just because their gender is female.

I ask myself why a person who is dedicated and has the necessary education and training and believes God is calling them to serve, be refused because of their marital state or sexual orientation.  

If they are willing to live their life in a way that would not bring dishonor to Almighty God they should be welcomed with thanks for their commitment.

It saddens me and has caused much pain and suffering that some called to priesthood and the hierarchy forgot their duty and responsibility to God and failed to live their vows and damaged the trust of many.

Good and faithful priests have been hurt by their actions and God’s children have become disillusioned because of the great sin they committed against the most vulnerable of God’s children.

All the titles and wealth of the world cannot raise a person any higher in the eyes of God than being a good and faithful humble servant as a simple priest.

We need to care for God‘s people as Christ would have cared for them. At times this can become overwhelming especially when you are handicapped by a lack or resources.

So many are hurting and I want to do so much more than I am doing and wonder if I am failing God or if my efforts are being lost because of my limitations.

I find it strange that when God has chosen to communicate with us here on earth either as himself or in the person of our Blessed mother He rarely made himself known to the rich and powerful but choose the poorest of His Children loved Him deeply and who have put their complete faith and trust in Him.   

St. Francis was a soldier, St. Joan a simple maiden, Juan Diego a peasant Indian, Padre Pio a simple priest, St. Bernadette a simple school girl. None of these were the hierarchy of the church. When they proclaimed what God directed them to do, they were ridiculed, scorned, persecuted and in some cases put to death. 

One has to wonder why God did not go directly to the hierarchy. Could it be that with their lofty titles and grandiose life styles they may have lost sight of God’s intent? Could it be that they chose to use their positions of power to decipher the word of God to suite their own self-interests consider themselves above God??

I have pondered this often and I believe that this may well be the case.

To have been called by God to be a priest is a tremendous and overwhelming responsibility which I pray constantly asking God to provide me with His gifts and the strength and faith I need to live up to His calling.

I am sure that God called me for a special mission this late in my life.

I find His choice of me to be surprising and heady and it has been filled with many roadblocks which I accepted and many have overcome because of His hearing my prayers.

In spite of the fact that some of my family, friends and neighbors have rejected me because I rejected the rules that have nothing to do with Christ’s teachings and the early church but followed the path I felt Christ would have paved.

I am constantly asking Almighty God to inspire me and guide me so that I may only bring honor and Glory to Him.

I pray constantly that I can make a difference in the lives of those who God has placed on my path and bring a closer relationship with Almighty God into their lives. That is my only desire and prayer.

When, in 2001 at age 66, I received the acceptance into the Franciscans and not just as a deacon, which I had been ordained in 1980, but as a priest. I accepted the call with the full knowledge that my life, as I had lived it and known, was over and I was to begin a new life, whose only purpose was to serve God with complete and total being.

I ask God to constantly lead me to where He wants me to go.

I trust He will provide me the strength, health, wisdom, means and courage to accept all that I need to do.

During this week of my Anniversary I implore each of you to pray for me and the ministry asking God to provide me with the tools necessary to reach out to all those whom this ministry is intended to reach and guide me by the gifts of The Holy Spirit to always know His will and to accept and do His will for as long as He chooses to allow me to be His humble and simple servant. 

I have faith that God will continue to provide me with the strength and the resources I need to do His will until he calls me home to my heavenly home. AMEN

19th Ordinary Sunday 2017

Review of Dignity USA 2017 Conference