JANUARY 26, 2014 - THE THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Greetings!
Pope Francis recently wrote in his Apostolic Exhortation, Evangelii gaudium, that the parish is “the Church living in the midst of the homes of her sons and daughters.” Another way of saying this is that the parish is the family of God present in our own domestic setting. Consequently, those elements that make for a successful home life/domestic setting are similar to the elements necessary for a thriving parish. Probably the most important element for a successful home life is the presence of charity. Charity is not an abstract concept for the Christian. Charity takes form in the thoughts, words and actions that we use when relating to our family members. I would like to reflect for a moment on how words can compromise the charity necessary for a thriving family or parish life. The Catechism of the Catholic Church speaks about a number of sins concerning the way we use our words towards one another. The Catechism places sins with words against one another as violations of the 10th Commandment. Some of these sins include the following:

•  Rash judgment: without sufficient knowledge assuming something as true concerning the moral fault of  a neighbor.
•  Detraction: without a valid reason sharing another’s faults and failings to a person who did not know  them.  
• Calumny: harming the reputation of another by speaking remarks that are false about the person. Pope Benedict XVI once said that because of our fallen human nature we gravitate towards pointing out the negative in our neighbor.

My observation as a priest is that most of these violations with words occur against those closest to us, i.e., in our domestic family and parish family. Avoiding rash judgment, detraction and calumny is not easy as Pope Benedict alluded to in the above statement. This means that we must be intentional and not passive about refraining from undermining charity through harmful words toward or about another in our home and in our parish families. Pope Francis recently challenged the members of his staff , i.e., the Roman Curia, to avoid gossip. He said, “be conscientious objectors to gossip, in particular, in the office. For gossip is harmful to people, harmful to our work and our surroundings.” I would like to conclude with a few words from St. Paul, “Say only the good things men need to hear; things that will really help them” (Ephesians 4:29). When we feel the temptation to rash judgment, detraction and calumny, let us stop and first say a prayer for the person.

Ad majorem Dei gloriam,
Fr. John F. Jirak

Dead Days

The dead days of my life are every day that I do not abide with the Holy Host, and regrettably they added to many years. Christ's words resonate in my mind, "Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you" (John 6:53). Therefore, every day I do not eat and drink the Holy Host, I do not live. Since I belong to the Heavenly Father, I must dine from the banquet of my Father. Thus, I consider myself and essential participant in the Holy Feast of the Heavenly Father, and not a spectator.

A priest is an essential participant of the Holy Feast, thus his presence is expected early before the mass celebration begins, and that should not differ from what is expected from you and I. The rich symbolism of the Mass and of the passionate death and resurrection of Christ prompted me to value the events as a sacrificial conjugal love. I view the celebrations as a conjugal sacrificial love, because they contain the essential elements of the marital love, where the people involved become physically transformed into one body. Christ stated in John 6:56 "Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them." Therefore, to abide in Christ and for Christ to abide in me is a conjugal sacrificial love that transforms those involved into one body. Christ did not institute the celebration of the Mass to transform the bread and wine into Christ, so that Christ may live quietly into the Church's Tabernacle. The Mass is not a complete conjugal sacrificial love without the willing receiver saying "Amen" and repeating what the Virgin Mary proclaimed in Luke 1:38, "let it be with me according to your word". Then the father priest, who is the visible image of the invisible the Heavenly Father, is authorized to witness the feast.


Therefore, I consider every Mass to be an incredible wedding feast of bodies abiding in conjugal sacrificial love of Christ’s body, my body, and the Bride Virgin Mary. So, every Christian who abides in Christ’s body becomes likewise abided in mine. Thus, we all become branches in the vine tree of the eternal life. When a qualified man and a woman unite in conjugal love, they physically transform to produce one body, and in nine months they may give it one name. Christ’s Holy Host abiding daily with a willing participant will transform the person, perhaps in less than nine months, into an heir and coheir of Christ.

Catholic priests who are the authorized visible image of the invisible Father radiate their love of the Eucharist to the family of believers. I am speechless at the relentless generosity of Christ and His priests in offering their time and love to forgive our sins time and time again. If a president comes to visit you today, you would take great care to prepare yourself, your clothes, and your home for the occasion without missing a second of it. Christ, the Redeemer stands in the visible priest waiting to hear the confession of your sins and waiting to guide you to receive Christ’s Holy Body worthily. Christ and His mother are waiting for you daily in the visible bread in the Perpetual Adoration to grow and nourish your bond together into one body. A valid husband and wife retain the same physical appearances after the marriage, but truly they have become transformed into one body. Likewise, the visible bread and wine retain the same physical external appearances after the consecration, but physically become permanently Christ’s.

You are an essential participant in becoming one with the Holy Host, so that you become a living Holy Temple of Christ. Without your essential participation, Christ will be waiting for you in the consecrated Bread. Christ encouraged us to develop a deeper understanding by stating in Matthew 12:48-50 “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers? ....For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” We belong to Christ and the Heavenly family of Christ. We cannot become one everlasting family even with our biological families without becoming one body abiding with Christ and the Holy Veiled Virgin Mary.

So, I invite you to join me for a daily Eucharist, daily prayers, Perpetual Adoration visits, and to take advantage of the generosity of our Father’s forgiveness in the Sacrament of reconciliation so we approach the Holy Altar worthily. You may feel a strong sense of belonging with your classmates, teammates, sports-mates, neighbors, community, club association, political association, profession, organization, or country. However, none is lasting except the bond with those who abide with Christ. I certainly had excuses for not living my faith as I should, but were they valid?

-A very blessed Blessed Sacrament parishioner

JANUARY 19, 2014 - THE SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Things that we have heard and known that our father have told us. We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.  He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children, that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments. (Psalm 78:3-8)

Catholic Schools week is coming up.  The tradition started in 1974, to take some time to focus on the value Catholic education provides to our church, our communities and our nation.  It's really a time for gratitude. Not only for the strong tradition of Catholic education, but in a special way for the stewardship way of life which makes it possible in our diocese.

There will be special events throughout the week which I invite you to take part in.  It's a chance to celebrate the achievements of Blessed Sacrament, and to show the Lord gratitude for the gifts we have been given here.  It can also be a time to renew our generosity.  Look for ways to be a part of the celebration, an dways to serve throughout the year.

Catholic Schools across the country will be celebrating this week, but they won't celebrate like Wichita.  Our schools are a fruit of the stewardship way of life.  So, thank you for all that you have sacrificed to make this possible, and here's to many more years.

Among all educational instruments the school has a special importance.  It is designed not only to develop with special care the intellectual faculties but also to form the ability to judge rightly, to hand on the cultural legacy of previous generations, to foster a sense of values, to prepare for professional life.  Between pupils of different talents and backgrounds it promotes friendly relations and fosters a spirit of mutual understanding; and it establishes as it were a center whose work and progress must be shared together by families, teachers, associations of various types that foster cultural, civic and religious life, as well as by civil society and the entire human community.  Beautiful indeed and of great importance is the vocation of all those who aid parents in fulfilling their duties and who, as representatives of the human community, undertake the task of education in schools. This vocation demands special qualities of mind and heart, very careful preparation, and continuous readiness to renew and to adapt.  (Gravissimum Educationis 5)

-Fr. Benjamin F. Green

JANUARY 12, 2014 - THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD

Happy Feast of the Baptism of Jesus!

The celebration of the baptism of Jesus is extremely important in the economy of salvation.  Jesus' baptism established the foundation for the way and manner in which His redeeming love and grace would be offered to fallen humanity to the end of time.

John the Baptist had the same response most of us have when considering the necessity of Jesus' baptism.  John tells Jesus, "I need to be baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me?"  Why would Jesus need to be baptized?  Jesus' baptism does not concern a need for His own conversion and salvation.  Rather, Jesus' baptism concerns His need to set in place the way in which we would be saved.  As the Code of Canon Law states, baptism is "the gateway to the sacraments and necessary for salvation" (canon 849).  St. gregory of Nazianzus states, "He comes to sanctify the Jordan for our sake and in readiness for us."

What was it about Jesus' baptism that makes our own baptism the wellspring of eternal life?  It was at the baptism of Jesus that he took on our sin.  His immersion into the waters was his immersion into the darkness and sin of humanity.  In the context of being immersed and taking on our sin he receives his mission of redemption, which will end with a horrific death on the cross.  Matthew states, "After Jesus was baptized, he came up from the water and behold, the heavens were opened for him, and he was the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon him" (Mt. 3:16)  The baptism of Jesus by John and His ministry and mission are inseparable.  We are told to "listen to him" as he begins His ministry in Galilee.

The Feast of the Baptism of Jesus highlights the origin and importance of the sacramental life of the Church.  We are united to Christ in the manner that he established and not according to our own design.  The sacraments, beginning with baptism, are no less than a saving encounter with Jesus.  In the words of Pope Francis, in the sacraments, "we encounter Christ in all his saving power, we are confirmed in the joy of faith, and sent forth to share with others the joy of salvation."

Ad majorem Dei gloriam,
Fr. John F. Jirak, Pastor

The Epiphany of the Lord

When I first heard the title of the parish book, Nine Words, I thought it would be about the last words of Jesus.  It seemed off, though, how many words was it?  So, I looked it up, seven if you're interested, laced with meaning, but it still left me with a puzzle.  What nine words would someone write a book about?  Not the beatitudes, maybe some phrase has nine words.  Then we finally got the book in our hands.  Nine Words, the fruits of the Holy Spirit, duh.  I haven't read the whole thing yet, but I like where it's going.  It's not just a textbook, it's rich with examples and connections, with practical tips.  Hopefully it will cause some introspection, some prayer, and a realization of these gifts in your life.  It would seem after years of "spiritual reading" that I would stop being surprised at how God works.  I'm like a little kid that honestly thinks you've reappeared when you say peekaboo.

There are some writings that I just haven't been able to get into, (I won't say so I don't off end anyone). There are some that I try to read every year because they strike a chord in my soul.  The trick is to keep at it, to give it time.  Some of you may be distracted easily, like myself, instead of reading the book I was looking up the last words of Christ.  But it's the openness that God uses.

What is even more remarkable is if you share what strikes you.  I mentioned that some things strike a chord for me.  God writes symphonies, and to be in a setting where you can hear it played together is a whole other experience.  I hope that you make time to read the book, and I hope even more you make time to join a book study group.  Jesus' 5th word from the cross, "I thirst", I think we're all a little parched.  "He (St. Paul) draws the target for you, what the-best-version-of-yourself will look like.  This is your destiny.  He calls these words the fruit of the Holy Spirit because these nine words encompass the way the Spirit, the way God intends for your life.  Love.  Joy.  Peace.  Patience.  Kindness.  Generosity.  Faithfulness.  Gentleness.  Self-control."  (Nine Words)

-Fr. Benjamin F. Green