St. Rita NOLA

Fr. Patrick Carr 8/8/2021 homily

Make the Holy Spirit reside in you

June 18, 2021 - Friday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time (Fr. Jim Wehner)

2 Corinthians 11:18, 21-30 • Mattew 6:19-23

Our Lord instructs us, "Store up treasures in heaven. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be." Saint Paul lists his treasures: "Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked..." With Paul, we "will boast of the things that show my weakness," to show that our treasure is God's strength, not our own.

June 17, 2021 - Thursday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time (Fr. Patrick Carr)

2 Corinthians 11:1-11 • Matthew 6:7-15

Saint Paul speaks of our "betrothal" to Christ, a "sincere and pure commitment to Christ" that withstands all temptation. This union with Jesus, which may seem to be "foolishness," enables us to speak to God in a new way: "Our Father." We now call upon the Lord with the love and affection of a son or daughter.

June 16, 2021 - Wednesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time (Fr. Patrick Carr)

2 Corinthians 9:6-11 • Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

We give alms without fanfare because we are being "enriched in every way for all generosity" by the mercy of God. We pray in a hidden way, confident that the seed hidden in the soil produces an abundant harvest. We do not look gloomy when we fast, but rather we cheerfully give God our hunger. In all these things, the grace of Christ is moving us. He is the first and true sower, and "whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully."

June 15, 2021 - Tuesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time (Fr. Patrick Carr)

2 Corinthians 8:1-9 • Matthew 5:43-48

We become "perfect as the Heavenly Father is perfect" when we "test the genuineness of our love" by showing concern for others - especially by loving our enemies. We love them with the love that we receive from Jesus, who "for your sake became poor although he was rich, so that by his poverty you might become rich." In Christ we are rich, enough to love our enemies.

June 14, 2021 - Monday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time (Fr. Patrick Carr)

2 Corinthians 6:1-10 • Matthew 5:38-42

"Offer no resistance to one who is evil." Jesus never commands the impossible. In giving us this instruction, he bestows the grace that makes it happen. This explains Saint Paul, who commended himself as a minister of God "in afflictions, hardships, beatings, and imprisonments, treated as a deceiver." The cross of Jesus gives the resplendent capacity to surpass the world's usual ways of responding.

June 13, 2021 - Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time (Fr. Patrick Carr)

Ezekiel 17:22-24 • 2 Corinthians 5:6-10 • Mark 4:26-34

The heart of God aches to "tear off a tender shoot" from a mighty cedar and "plant it on a high and lofty mountain" so that "birds of every kind shall dwell beneath it." That is, the Lord wants to reveal his glory by taking up our insignificance and turning it into something "majestic" by the power of his love. "God's Kingdom," Pope Francis said, "is above all the initiative and gift of the Lord. Our weak effort, seemingly small before the complexity of the problems of the world, when integrated with God's effort, fears no difficulty. The victory of the Lord is certain... This opens us up to trust and hope, despite the tragedies, the injustices, the sufferings that we encounter." When we "walk by faith, not by sight," the hidden depths of things become apparent, and we remain vigorous and sturdy, "bearing fruit even in old age."

June 12, 2021 - The Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Fr. Patrick Carr)

Isaiah 61:9-11 • Luke 2:41-51 

The Immaculate Heart of Mary is the most perfect reflection of the love and purity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. In fact, the Immaculate Heart of the Mother of God gave the Incarnate Word his whole humanity: the blood that was shed, the hand and feet that were pierced for us, the heart that showed pity to the needy and sick crowds. Mary's Immaculate Heart is a refuge for each of us who seek to follow her divine Son. Whatever we seek - strength to overcome temptation, courage to arise after a fall, patience to endure the cross - can be found by turning to her. Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us!

June 11, 2021 - The Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus (Fr. Jim Wehner)

Hosea 11:1, 3-4, 8c-9 • Ephesians 3:8-12, 14-19 • John 19:31-37

The Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus reveals the merciful love of our Savior, banishing all fear, shame, and discouragement from our own hearts. The Heart of Jesus continues to beat for us in heaven, pouring out its infinite merits upon us through the sacraments. Devotion to the Sacred Heart remains one of the Church's great treasures, and one of our greatest consolations on our pilgrim way. Our Lord promised Saint Margaret Mary that "sinners shall find in my Heart the source and the infinite ocean of mercy," and "those who shall promote this devotion shall have their names written in my Heart, never to be blotted out." Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us!

June 10, 2021 - Thursday of the Tenth Week ini Ordinary Time

2 Corinthians 3:15-4:1, 3-6 • Matthew 5:20-26

Our righteousness will surpass that of the scribes and the Pharisees if we will turn to the Lord who removes the veil from over our hearts. "Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." The Lord's Spirit moves us to take the initiative in becoming reconciled with others. By that self-surrender, we are transformed from glory to glory and "enter into the Kingdom of heaven."