St. Mary Minooka

Mission

March 18, 2014

Why be Catholic?BASED ON THE BOOK

“Made for More” by Curtis Martin

Holy Spirit Prayer

• Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in us the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and we shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth.

O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations, Through Christ Our Lord, Amen.

Review

•Why is Jesus called the Son of David?•What was the role of the Prime

Minister? What signs came with this role?•What was the role of the Queen

Mother?•What does it mean for us to be part

of the royal family?

Who recognized Jesus as the Son of David?

• Elizabeth and John the Baptist in her womb (Luke 1:41-44)• Simeon and Anna (Luke 2:25-38)• Magi come from the East to honor the newborn king

(Matthew 2:1-12)• Even the demons acknowledge Him as the Messiah (Mark

1:23-26) “I know who you are, the Holy one of God!”• What is odd is Jesus’ response to them• Reluctant king• Only went to Jerusalem for religious celebrations and left quickly• Performed miracles and told them to say nothing

Jesus’ Kingdom• Jesus came to establish His kingdom similar to David, but

beyond our wildest hopes and dreams• King, Queen Mother, Prime Minister – intended to support the

profound internal transformation within each one of us• Kingdom will be sacramental• Mystical, liturgical, incarnational• Sacred oaths and ritual acts that communicate divine power• Symbolize what they do and do what they symbolize• Gospel of John – Jesus’ public ministry is carefully linked to the

liturgical feasts and Jewish holy days

Three Passovers• Passover was the most important Jewish holy day and it

celebrated four great events• 1) Creation of the Universe• 2) Calling of the Patriarch Abraham• 3) Exodus led by Moses• 4) Coming of the Messiah (still waiting)• Jesus had three years of public ministry• Let’s look at what He did on each of the three Passovers

during His public ministry• He established His New and Everlasting Covenant with us

1st Passover - Beginning of the Kingdom - Baptism• John’s Gospel begins with Jesus’ baptism• He then performs His first public miracle at the wedding at

Cana• John highlights these miracles as “signs”, which point us to a

deeper reality they signify (sign of Minooka is not Minooka)• Sacrament – outward sign of an inward grace instituted by

Christ and entrusted to the Church.• After the first “sign” at Cana, Jesus goes to Jerusalem for the

first Passover.• He reveals the first of the Sacraments he intends for His

followers – baptism.

Baptism (cont.)• People believed in Jesus because of the signs He was

performing, but faith was not enough• Jesus says to Nicodemus: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one

is born anew he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3)• To enter the kingdom, we need faith and to be spiritually

reborn• Jesus continues, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of

water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” (John 3:5)

• And then Jesus and His disciples started baptizing others, so he was referring to baptism.

Baptism (cont.)• Baptism is the covenantal act by which we are reborn as adopted

daughters and sons of God• St. Peter – “Repent, and be baptized every one of you…” (Acts 2:38)• St. Paul – “he saved us…by the washing of regeneration and renewal

in the Holy Spirit…” (Titus 3:4-7)• Tertullian – 2nd century – Church has continued to teach the

necessity of baptism – “no one can attain salvation without baptism”• Three types of baptism• Water• Blood• Desire

• Origin – 3rd century – “the Church received from the apostles the tradition of giving Baptism even to infants”

• Story of couple bringing their baby home from the hospital

2nd Passover – the Heart of the Kingdom - Eucharist• Begins by feeding 5000 with a few loaves and fish (sign)• This reminds the people of when God fed the people with

manna from heaven through Moses• The people want to make Him king, but they are only seeing

the wonders and not the signs.• He wants to feed their starving souls with the Eucharist• John 6:48-57 – “I am the bread of life…which comes down

from heaven, that a man may eat of it and not die. Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you….”

• The people were confused and scandalized by this

Eucharist (cont.)• People begin to leave Jesus and He didn’t say, “Just kidding. Don’t

take me literally!”• He looks at those who are left and asks, “Do you want to leave me

too?” John 6:67• Peter, the Prime Minister, speaks with faith, “Lord, to whom shall

we go? You have the words of eternal life; and we have believed, and come to know that you are the Holy One of God.” (John 6:68-69)

• Peter understands the deeper reality – Jesus is the Holy One of God• He trusts Jesus even if He doesn’t understand completely• The Lord teaches me how to trust Him…• The following year it will become crystal clear what Jesus meant by

His body and blood• My story of the Eucharist -

3rd Passover – the Mercy of the Kingdom – Reconciliation • Jesus rides the donkey into Jerusalem (as did Solomon)• Many people hail Him as king – “Hosanna in the highest”

(Matthew 21:9) (‘hosanna’ is an expression of praise, adoration)

• This time instead of fleeing, Jesus accepts the throne, but in a way completely unexpected

• He condemns the religious leaders for hypocrisy• He predicts the destruction of the Temple (fulfilled in 70 A.D.)• These do not seem to be prudent moves for someone who

wanted to be popular politically• Some of the same people who cried “Hosanna” will soon be

crying “Crucify him!” (Mark 15:13-14)

Reconciliation (cont.)• Before the angry crowds seize Jesus, He shares the Passover

meal with His apostles (Last Supper)• When Judas leaves to betray Him, Jesus says, “Now is the Son

of man glorified, and in him God is glorified.” (John 13:31)• This seems counterintuitive, but for us to experience all of

what He has in store for us, Jesus first had to lay down His life for His Bride, the Church (you and me)

• Through His death and resurrection, the Sacraments of the New Covenant will receive their power.

• Jesus and the Father send their Holy Spirit• “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it

remains by itself alone; but if it dies, it bear much fruit.” (John 12:24)

Reconciliation (cont.)• Jesus is arrested, tried, tortured and crucified• But this is not the end• Jesus rises from the dead – Good News!• As they first hear of the resurrection, His disciples must have

felt horrible that they abandoned Him in His hour of need• How does Jesus respond when He first sees them, “Peace be

with you.” (John 20:19)• No judgment – peace• Jesus came to teach, to heal, to save us from sin, to reconcile

the world to Himself, to build the kingdom and to extend the mercy of God on earth.

Reconciliation (cont.)• How can these sinful disciples carry out this mission given to

them by God?• “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are

forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” (John 20:22-23)

• This fulfills Jesus’ words on Holy Thursday, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I go to the Father.” (John 14:12)

• The Holy Spirit transforms us in a powerful way• Jesus unites Himself to the apostles and us in an astonishing way• They are no longer followers, but united to Jesus in a mystical

way – they become extensions of Him

Saved by Grace• “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me,

and I in him, he will bear much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

• Through the Sacraments and the Church, Jesus extends His life into the world

• Jesus makes Himself present today in the Sacraments and living through us. He gives us what we need every step of our lives in the Sacraments…

• Baptism – new life, receive the very life of Jesus (grace)• Eucharist – nourished by His Body and Blood• Reconciliation – our sins our forgiven and we are strengthened• Jesus accomplishes all of this through the Church

Catholic - Christianity• All other religions are about man seeking God• Catholic - Christianity is about God seeking each one of us in love

through the Church• Everyone is invited into this Kingdom, which is universal and

everlasting• We must repent from our self-centered lives and turn to God• We must believe that Jesus is the Holy One of God and that He has

the words of everlasting life.• We must be baptized so that we are grafted onto the vine• We must receive the Eucharist regularly (importance of Sunday Mass)• We must confess our sins regularly (Catholics who confess are

healthier)• Becoming Christian means entering into the New and Everlasting

Covenant

Why be Catholic?• The 7 Sacraments are personal encounters with Jesus Christ –

we receive grace and the very life of Jesus• We are united with the bishops, the successors to the

apostles, who are united with the Pope, the Prime Minister, successor to Peter, who holds the keys to the Kingdom.

• We are under the care of our Queen Mother, Mary, who intercedes on our behalf constantly to the King.

• And we serve the King of the Universe, who loved us while we were yet sinners, who guides us home to Him, so that when we die we can go to our true home, heaven.

Curtis Martin’s conversion story

• Chapter 6 is all about his conversion story • “Curtis, you will never get your life in order enough to follow

Jesus. What you need to do is give your life to Jesus right where you are, and let Him reorder it. Jesus is calling you into relationship, not merely to obedience.”

• Relationships inspire us; rules do not• Fall in love with the person of Jesus Christ, not just about the

rules and regulations• Don’t just go through the motions of going to Mass and being

“good”• Invite Jesus into your heart and let Him transform you

John Paul II - love• Soon to be Saint John Paul II - “Man cannot live without love…

his life is senseless, if love is not revealed to him, if he does not encounter love, if he does not experience it and make it his own, if he does not participate intimately in it.” (page 102-103)

• What does this look like with Jesus?• Talk to Him like you talk to your best friend• Read the Scriptures• Develop a heart for others• Serve others by sacrificing your time and your desires

Church Fathers• Curtis began to read Ignatius of Antioch, a disciple of St. John• He stressed things like the bishop and the Eucharist (page 106-

107)• Bishop Fulton Sheen – “There are not over a hundred people

in the U.S. that hate the Catholic Church, there are millions however, who hate what they wrongly believe to be the Catholic Church – which is, of course, quite a different thing.”

• Many lukewarm Catholics – Revelation 3:16 – “But because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spew you out of my mouth.”

Kingdom is a Mixed Reality• Story of the enemy planting weeds in the field of wheat• Workers wanted to pull out the weeds, but the landowner

forbids them, telling them to let them grow together and they will be separated at harvest time

• The Kingdom will have faithful and unfaithful members living side by side, and they will be separated in the end

• The unfaithful members does not mean that the Church is invalid or we should run somewhere else; it is actually a characteristic of the Church

Billy Graham & Mother Theresa

• Both devoted followers of Christ, had lives of prayer, accepted the Bible, brought Christ to others

• One was Protestant and one was Catholic• However, Mother Theresa held the same beliefs as the Early

Church Fathers – bishops, Eucharist (adoration each day)• It is possible to be a faithful follower of Christ even if you don’t

know all that He taught.• But if you know something and deny it, then you are not being

faithful• Billy Graham was a loyal disciple, but didn’t know that Jesus

was truly present in the Eucharist. What he affirmed was true, but he didn’t affirm all the truth

Eucharist• There is no middle ground – either Jesus is truly present or He

isn’t• Mother Theresa and so many others believed what the Early

Church Fathers taught unanimously – it is truly the Body and Blood of Jesus

• Story of Peggy A.• Matthew 28:18-20 – “Go therefore and make disciples of all

nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe ALL that I have commanded you; and lo, I will be with you always, to the close of the age.”

Do I accept ALL that Jesus taught?

• All Christians agree that Jesus said the Eucharist was His body, but we don’t all agree what He meant

• Was He speaking figuratively or literally• Unanimous testimony of the early Christians was that His

words were to be taken literally• Eucharistic miracles

What do we have in common with other Christians?

• We are justified by God’s grace; we cannot merit the initial grace of forgiveness and justification (CCC 2010)

• Bible is the authoritative and inerrant Word of God• Where did the Bible come from?

• We are called to evangelize all people

• BUT, Curtis says, • We are called to believe in the Real Presence of Jesus in the

Eucharist• To recognize Mary as our Mother in faith• To learn from the teaching of the successors of Peter and the

other apostles

Life of a Disciple• Acknowledging Christ as my King means:• I accept His Kingdom; everyone is part of my family• Prime Minister, the Pope• Queen Mother, Mary• I allow His sacramental grace to transform every aspect of my

life• This is the life of the Disciple, to let Christ reign in my life• To follow Jesus means to embrace the Kingdom, full of saints

and sinners• We can’t give what we don’t have (prayer and study)• Then we go out and give it away – His love, truth, mercy and

forgiveness (evangelization)

What can I do?• Prayer• Mass more than once per week• Read the Bible 5 minutes a day• 5 minute conversation with God each day• Eucharistic adoration (Poor Claires)• Examen at the end of the day

• Study• Read the Catechism 5 minutes a day• Read other good Catholic books

• Lives of the Saints• Spirituality, Theology, etc.

• Evangelization• How can I share my faith with my family, word, neighbors, etc.?

Announcements• Kairos – for juniors and seniors in public schools – April 4-6,

2014 (www.dioceseofjoliet.org/ym/ ) • Thoughts for the Day – www.frburke23.wordpress.com• Cursillo (www.jolietcursillo.org)• Totus Tuus – coming to St. Mary’s in Minooka. We also are

looking for college age men to be teachers for the summer program (www.dioceseofjoliet.org/ttjoliet/)

Prayer of St. Ignatius of Loyola

• Take, O Lord, and receive my entire liberty, my memory, my understanding and my whole will. All that I am and all that I possess You have given me: I surrender itall to You to be disposed of according to Your will. Give me only Your love and Your grace; with these I will be rich enough, and will desire nothing more.