Here is the text of the homily I prepared for the celebration of a funeral that took place today. We pray our brother into heaven, the reward of eternal life for all those who believe.
All that the Father gives me will come to me and whoever comes to me I shall not turn him away (Jan 6: 37-40.
Some say that there is no such thing as coincidence. Today people from far and wide are gathered in this space. We are not here by any mere coincidence but rather to stand in the presence of God and to watch uncomprehendingly as this moment unfolds.
The path of Daniel Desforge’s life brought him to Elliot Lake a number of years ago. Here he met the woman who he married. The wedding took place at Paroisse Sainte Marie. It was here that their children were born and grew up. In time they left Elliot Lake and moved west to Red Lake. There the family still lives. Daniel continued his work in the mines and after he retired worked as part of a fishing camp. He found great enjoyment in these endeavors, for he was always in outdoorsman at heart
Throughout the years of his earthly life, Jesus continually brought Daniel to the Father: to God. And as the scriptures say, whoever comes to the Father will never be turned away. It was in his prayer that Daniel found consolation and strength. It was from his prayer that he found joy: a joy that was expressed in the love he had for every member of his family and for everyone who he had the privilege to serve.
Daniel was a faithful Knight of Columbus and a devoted servant to all those who needed his help. His family members told me proudly of the ways in which he was always devoted to helping the parish priest in Red Lake in so many different ways. As Saint Paul wrote to Timothy, Daniel may also speak to us: remember the good news that I have carried: that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead (2 Tim 2: 8).
This gathering today has permitted us a rare opportunity for many of us whose lives have been affected and changed by the love that we have encountered in knowing Daniel to come together in this place. What can we say about him even at this moment as we stand at the doorway to heaven. The book of wisdom tells us that the virtuous persons, though they die before their time, will find rest (Wis 4: 7). Let us remember with gratitude all that we have come to know and love because we have known and loved him, and let us offer our humble prayers for the salvation of his soul.
Here is the text of the homily I prepared for the gatherings of God's people that took place earlier today.
Treasures of great price
In the gospel that we have just heard, Jesus describes the kingdom of heaven as a treasure that is buried in a field (Mt 13: 44) and a pearl of great price (Mt 13: 46). Considering the fact that he was speaking to his disciples at the time, we can surmise that he was trying to help them understand how precious the promise of eternal life really is. Have we ever taken time to consider the true value of this promise?
How many of the people we know, those we meet and even the members of our own families go through life never really understanding the great value of heaven and the value of Jesus' promise that every one of us is entitled to this pearl of great price? The reading from the Book of Kings speaks today about a moment when the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream and invited him to ask for anything that he wanted (cf 1 K 3: 5). If we were given that opportunity, what treasure would we ask for?
In the scriptures, Solomon is depicted as a figure of great wisdom and this passage demonstrates the depth of his precious gift. Whereas he could have asked for any treasure he wanted, including personal wealth, recognition or any tangible good, he chose to ask for an understanding heart (1 K 3: 9). Could it be that the treasure that is mentioned in Jesus' teaching and the pearl of great price could really be something as intangible and illusive as an understanding heart? How difficult it can be to cultivate such a gift! An understanding heart is developed through repeated efforts at practicing compassion. This is a lesson that can sometimes take a lifetime to learn, but when we do learn it, when we do practice it, our lives and the lives of those we know and love are changed forever.
During the coming week, let us pray that the Lord may grant us a thirst to seek after these heavenly gifts. The letter to the Romans tells us that we are being conformed to the image of Jesus (cf Rom 8: 29). This is true for all of us. Jesus invited his disciples to witness this truth in their own lives, and he still continues in our times to call us to discover the great treasure that is our heavenly inheritance. Evidence of this truth is all around us, if only we have the eyes to see it.
Des trésors de bon prix
Dans le passage évangélique que nous venons d'entendre, Jésus décrit le royaume des cieux comme un trésor enterré dans un champ (Mt 13, 44) et une perle de grand prix (Mt 13, 46). Compte tenu du fait qu'il parlait à ses disciples à l'époque, nous pouvons supposer qu'il essayait de les aider à comprendre à quel point la promesse de la vie éternelle est précieuse. Avons-nous déjà pris le temps de réfléchir à la vraie valeur de cette promesse?
Combien de personnes que nous connaissons, celles que nous rencontrons et même les membres de nos propres familles traversent la vie sans vraiment comprendre la grande valeur du ciel et la valeur de la promesse de Jésus que chacun de nous a droit à cette perle de grand prix ? La lecture du Livre des Rois parle aujourd'hui d'un moment où le Seigneur est apparu à Salomon dans un rêve et l'a invité à demander tout ce qu'il voulait (cf 1 R 3, 5). Si nous avions cette opportunité, quel trésor demanderions-nous?
Dans les Saints-Écritures, Salomon est présenté comme une figure d'une grande sagesse et ce passage démontre la profondeur de son précieux don. Alors qu'il aurait pu demander n'importe quel trésor qu'il voulait, y compris la richesse personnelle, la reconnaissance ou tout autre bien tangible, il a choisi de demander un cœur compréhensif (1 R 3: 9). Se pourrait-il que le trésor mentionné dans l'enseignement de Jésus et la perle de grand prix puissent vraiment être quelque chose d'aussi intangible et illusoire qu'un cœur compréhensif? Comme il peut être difficile de cultiver un tel don! Un cœur compréhensif se développe grâce à des efforts répétés pour pratiquer la compassion. C'est une leçon qui peut parfois prendre toute une vie à apprendre, mais quand nous l'apprenons, quand nous la pratiquons, nos vies et celles de ceux que nous connaissons et aimons sont changées à jamais.
Au cours de la semaine à venir, prions pour que le Seigneur nous accorde la soif de rechercher ces dons célestes. La lettre aux Romains nous dit que nous nous conformons à l'image de Jésus (cf Rm 8, 29). Cela est vrai pour nous tous. Jésus a invité ses disciples à témoigner de cette vérité dans leur propre vie, et il continue encore à notre époque à nous appeler à découvrir le grand trésor qui est notre héritage céleste. La preuve de cette vérité est partout autour de nous, si seulement nous avons les yeux pour la voir.
Here is the text of the homily I prepared to help our brothers and sisters to reflect on God's word this week. The images of wheat planted in a field and weeds that grow alongside have much to teach us about faith in the midst of our daily lives.
Wheat and weeds
Week after week, people are gathering in churches just like this one: they come to spend time in prayer; they come to hear the word of God; they come to see friends. Those of us who gather to celebrate the Eucharist also seek some inspiration so that we can go out into the world, renewed in some way by this experience, so that we can live our faith in the coming week, but have we ever noticed that sometimes the words we hear spoken in this place seem to vanish from our minds almost as quickly as we leave the building?
Jesus is no stranger to the challenges that face us. He knows us very well, and he wants to help us. In the gospel passage for today's Mass, we hear the parable of the wheat and the weeds (cf Mt 13: 24-30). Jesus used these images because he knew that many of the people in the crowd who were listening had questions of their own. Perhaps some of them knew the struggle of having children or other relatives who had chosen not to follow the practice of their faith with the same vigour that they themselves had come to know. Perhaps there were some who still had questions about all the rules that had been put in place by religious leaders. If you pull up the weeds, he said, you might uproot the wheat along with them. Let them grow together until harvest (Mt 13: 29-30).
This image shows us that we are very fortunate indeed. Our God has a merciful heart. There is room in God's heart for all of us. He wants us to live lives of faith. He wants us to believe in the promises that he has made to us: that we are his precious children (cf Wis 12: 19), that we have been promised the inheritance of eternal life and that the Spirit comes to us to help us in times of weakness (cf Rom 8: 26) sowe are never alone as we make our way in this world.
All of us have our own share of worries, and we can always be confident as we bring these concerns to the Lord in prayer. At times we may not be able to see the ways in which our God is caring for us, or watching over our loved ones, but we can take comfort in the knowledge that he makes allowance for the fact that we have to face trials. At times it can even seem as though these trials will choke us, like the weeds that are left to grow with the wheat, but we are never alone. God knows the time when the weeds will be pulled up. God knows the time when the wheat will be harvested. All we need to do is begin each day with a simple prayer, asking to know the will of God for us and to have the strength and the power to do whatever he asks us to do that day. The rest, we leave in his hands.
Le blé et des mauvaises herbes
De semaine en semaine, les gens se rassemblent dans des églises comme celle-ci: on vient prier; on vient écouter la parole de Dieu; on vient visiter des amis. Ceux d'entre nous qui se réunissent afin de célébrer l'Eucharistie cherchent également une inspiration pour que nous puissions sortir de cette place et aller dans le monde, renouvelés d'une certaine manière par cette expérience, afin que nous puissions vivre notre foi pendant la semaine à venir, mais avons-nous déjà remarqué que parfois les paroles que nous entendons ici semblent disparaître de notre esprit presque aussitôt que nous quittons le bâtiment?
Jésus n'est pas étranger aux défis auxquels nous sommes confrontés. Il nous connaît très bien et il veut nous aider. Dans le passage de l'Évangile proposé pour la messe d'aujourd'hui, nous entendons la parabole du blé et des mauvaises herbes (cf Mt 13, 24-30). Jésus a utilisé ces images parce qu'il savait que beaucoup de gens qui faisait parti de la foule avaient leurs propres questions. Peut-être que certains d'entre eux connaissaient la difficulté de vivre avec des enfants ou d'autres parents qui avaient choisi de ne pas suivre la pratique de leur foi avec la même vigueur qu'ils avaient eux-mêmes connue. Peut-être que certains se posaient encore des questions sur toutes les règles mises en place par les chefs religieux. Si vous arrachez les mauvaises herbes, dit-il, vous pourriez déraciner le blé avec eux. Laissez-les grandir ensemble jusqu'à la récolte (Mt 13: 29-30).
Cette image nous démontre le fait que nous sommes vraiment très chanceux. Notre Dieu a un cœur miséricordieux. Il y a de la place dans le cœur de Dieu pour nous tous. Il veut que nous vivions une vie de foi. Il veut que nous croyions aux promesses qu'il nous a faites: que nous sommes ses précieux enfants chéris (cf Sag 12, 19), qu'on nous a promis l'héritage de la vie éternelle et que l'Esprit vient à nous pour nous aider dans des temps de faiblesse (cf Rm 8, 26) donc nous ne sommes jamais seuls alors que nous avançons dans ce monde.
Nous avons tous notre propre part d'inquiétudes, et nous pouvons toujours être confiants lorsque nous apportons ces préoccupations au Seigneur dans la prière. Parfois, nous ne pouvons pas comprendre les façons dont notre Dieu prend soin de nous ou qu'il veille sur nos proches, mais nous pouvons être rassurés en sachant qu'il tient compte du fait que nous devons faire face à des épreuves. Parfois, il peut même sembler que ces épreuves nous étoufferont, comme les mauvaises herbes qui poussent avec le blé, mais nous ne sommes jamais seuls. Dieu connaît le moment où les mauvaises herbes seront arrachées. Dieu connaît le moment où le blé sera récolté. Tout ce que nous devons faire c'est de commencer chaque jour par une simple prière, demandant à connaître la volonté de Dieu pour nous et à avoir la force et le pouvoir de faire tout ce qu'il nous demande. Le reste, nous laissons entre ses mains.
Here is the text of the homily I prepared for this weekend's celebrations of the Lord's Day. Some reflections on the image of the One who is our leader.
Your king comes to you
The first reading for today's Mass paints a rather triumphal image. The prophet Zechariah says: Lo, your king comes to you: triumphant and victorious (Zech 9: 9). This is a beautiful image which has been very well portrayed in motion pictures, but what do these words truly mean, and how can we understand them in the context of our lives today?
The image of a king might sound very grandiose to us, but Jesus is not the kind of king who would dress in fine clothing and expect to be elevated to some lofty height. No, Jesus looks at each one of us and recognizes us in the midst of the struggles of our daily lives. In fact, he understands our difficulties. He calls to us and even comes close to us when we are in situations that are particularly difficult, saying to us: Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens and I will give you rest (Mt 11, 28).
In this part of the world, we are in the second stage of re-establishing many of our routines after the three-month imposed period of isolation. When this pandemic hit, some of us may have thought that we were being invited to enjoy an extended holiday, but the truth of the matter is that this has been only the first part of the battle. As the weeks stretched onward, more and more of us grew weary, some households began to experience challenges that they have never known before and some families were forced to endure very difficult moments because their home lives are very unstable. As light begins to dawn on the realities that are the testament to these past months, we may be surprised to see the increased levels of alcoholism, addictions of various kinds and domestic as well as family violence.
To all those who have found these past months to be a trial, the Lord calls out today: Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens and I will be give you rest. The Lord offers us rest and places in our paths the people who are gifted with the talents and compassion to accompany us. All we have to do is to pray for guidance and to believe that this guidance will be provided. Then, open our eyes to see the wonder that is all around us.
Jesus, our king, did come to us, triumphant and glorious, not to hold some measure of power over us but rather to be close to us, especially in our times of need. In fact, the Spirit of God who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in us, each one of us (Rom 8: 11) calling out to us and reassuring us that he will provide us with the rest we need so that we can refresh our spirits and our souls.
Let us pray this week for the grace to rest, and let us be thankful for the gifts that Jesus offers to us.
Ton roi vient à toi
La première lecture de la messe d'aujourd'hui dépeint une image plutôt triomphale. Le prophète Zacharie dit: Voici, ton roi qui vient à toi: il est juste et victorieux (Zacharie 9: 9). C'est une belle image qui a été très bien représentée dans les films, mais que signifient vraiment ces paroles, et comment pouvons-nous les comprendre dans le contexte de nos vies quotidiennes?
L'image d'un roi peut nous sembler très grandiose, mais Jésus n'est pas le genre de roi qui s'habillerait avec de beaux vêtements et s'attendrait à être élevé à une certaine hauteur. Non, Jésus regarde chacun de nous et nous reconnaît au milieu des luttes de notre vie. En fait, il comprend nos difficultés. Il nous appelle et se rapproche même de nous lorsque nous sommes dans des situations particulièrement difficiles, en nous disant: venez à moi, vous tous qui peinez sous le poids du fardeau, et moi, je vous procurerai le repos (Mt 11, 28).
Dans cette partie du monde, nous sommes dans la deuxième étape du rétablissement de bon nombre de nos routines après la période d'isolement imposée il y a trois mois. Lorsque cette pandémie a frappé, certains d'entre nous pensaient peut-être que nous étions invités à profiter de vacances prolongées, mais la vérité c'est que cela n'a été que la première partie de la bataille. Au fil des semaines, de plus en plus d'entre nous se sont lassés, certaines personnes ont commencé à faire face à des défis qu'ils n'avaient jamais connus auparavant et certaines familles ont été forcées de vivre des moments très difficiles car leur vie familiale est très instable. Alors que la lumière commence à poindre sur les réalités qui témoignent de ces derniers mois, nous pouvons être surpris de voir les niveaux accrus d'alcoolisme, de dépendances de toutes sortes et de violence domestique et familiale.
À tous ceux qui ont trouvé ces derniers mois une épreuve, le Seigneur appelle aujourd'hui: Venez à moi, vous tous qui peinez sous le poids du fardeau, et moi, je vous procurerai le repos. Le Seigneur nous offre du repos et place sur nos chemins les personnes douées des talents et de la compassion pour nous accompagner. Tout ce que nous avons à faire c'est de prier pour des conseils et de croire que ces conseils seront fournis. Ensuite, ouvrez les yeux pour voir l'émerveillement qui nous entoure.
Jésus, notre roi, est venu vers nous, triomphant et glorieux, non pas pour détenir une certaine mesure de pouvoir sur nous, mais plutôt pour être proche de nous, surtout en notre temps de besoin. En fait, l'Esprit de Dieu qui a ressuscité Jésus d'entre les morts habite en nous, chacun de nous (Rm 8, 11). Cet Esprit nous appelle et nous rassure qu'il nous fournira le repos dont nous avons besoin pour que nous puissions nous rafraîchir les esprits et les âmes.
Prions cette semaine pour que le Seigneur nous accorde la grâce de nous reposer et remercions-Le pour tous les dons que Jésus nous offre.
At noon today in Rome (6:00am EDT), the Holy Father, Pope Francis appeared at the window of his study in the Vatican Apostolic Palace to recite the Angelus with the faithful who were gathered in Saint Peter's Square.
Greetings of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
prior to the recitation of the Angelus
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
The gospel passage for this Sunday (cf Mt 11: 25-30) is composed of three parts: first, Jesus raises a hymn of blessing and thanksgiving to the Father, for he has revealed to the poor and to the simple the mystery of the Kingdom of heaven; then he reveals the intimate and singular relationship that exists between himself and the Father; and finally, he invites us to go to him and to follow him in order to find relief.
In the first place, Jesus praises the Father because he has kept the secrets of his Kingdom, of his truth, hidden from the wise and learned (Mt 11: 25). He speaks of them in this way with a veil of irony, because they presume to be wise, wise, and therefore have a closed heart, many times. True wisdom also comes from the heart, it is not just understanding ideas: true wisdom also enters the heart. And if you know many things but have a closed heart, you are not wise. The mysteries of his Father, Jesus says, are revealed to the little ones, to all who open themselves with confidence to his Word of salvation, open their hearts to the Word of salvation, feel the need for Him and expect everything from Him. The open and confident heart that is turned towards the Lord.
Then, Jesus explains that he received everything from the Father, and calls him my Father, in order to affirm the uniqueness of his relationship with him. In fact, only between the Son and the Father there is total reciprocity: the one knows the other, one lives in the other. But this unique communion is like a blooming flower, revealing its beauty and goodness for free. And here is Jesus' invitation: Come to me ... (Mt 11: 28). He wants to give what he draws from the Father. He wants to give us the truth, and Jesus' truth is always free: it is a gift, it is the Holy Spirit, the Truth.
Just as the Father has a preference for the little ones, so too Jesus addresses the tired and oppressed. Indeed, he puts himself among them, because he is meek and humble of heart (Mt 11: 29), so he claims to be. As in the first and third beatitudes, that of the humble or poor in spirit; and that of myths (cf Mt 5: 3, 5): the meekness of Jesus. Thus Jesus, meek and humble, is not a model for the resigned nor simply a victim, but he is a Man who lives from the heart, his condition in full transparency to the love of the Father, that is, to the Holy Spirit. He is the model of the poor in spirit and of all the other blessed of the Gospel, who do the will of God and testify to his Kingdom.
And then, Jesus says that if we go to him, we will find refreshment: the refreshment that Christ offers to the fatigued and oppressed is not only a psychological relief or a handout, but the joy of the poor to be evangelized and builders of the new humanity. This is the relief: the joy, the joy that Jesus gives us. It is unique, it is the joy that He has himself. It is a message for all of us, for all men of good will, which Jesus still addresses today in the world, which exalts those who make themselves rich and powerful. How many times do we say: Ah, I would like to be like that, like that, who is rich, has so much power, nothing is missing! The world exalts the rich and powerful, no matter by which means, and sometimes it tramples on the human person and his dignity. And we see this every day, the poor who are trampled. And it is a message for the Church, called to live the works of mercy and to evangelize the poor, to be meek, humble. The Lord wants this for his Church, that is us.
Mary, the humblest and highest among creatures, implore the wisdom of the heart from God for us, so that we can discern his signs in our life and be part of those mysteries which, hidden from the proud, are revealed to the humble.
Following the recitation of the Angelus, the Holy Father said:
Dear brothers and sisters,
This week the United Nations Security Council adopted a Resolution which prepares some measures to deal with the devastating consequences of the Covid-19 virus, particularly for areas already subject to conflict. The request for a global and immediate ceasefire, which would allow the peace and security necessary to provide the urgently needed humanitarian assistance, is commendable. I hope that this decision will be implemented effectively and promptly for the good of many people who are suffering. May this Security Council Resolution become a bold first step towards a peaceful future.
I warmly greet all of you, Romans and pilgrims from various countries. I greet in particular the Poles: welcome !, and I bless the great pilgrimage of the Radio Maria family to the Częstochowa Shrine, which will take place next Saturday, on the centenary of the birth of Saint John Paul II, with the motto: I entrusted everything to Mary. A blessing on that pilgrimage.
