FRIDAY EVENING MASS HOMILY – FATHER  RICHARD MATACONIS

We have gifts that God has given to us. We have the Mass, Sacred Scripture, the seven Sacraments, the greatest being the Eucharist. Father said that priests have the power of God, but not His divinity. He asked us to pray for priests.

Do people really appreciate the Eucharist? Some do, but not all. Some people go to Mass just to be seen but without the deep belief. We have a great gift - the gift of the Catholic Church. We have to appreciate these gifts. According to some statistics, 90% of people believe in God, but do not go to church. A large percentage do not believe in the True Presence of our Lord in the Eucharist. People are ignorant of the faith. Many do not know what sin is. What was sin yesterday is not sin today. We know this is wrong. Without God and without Jesus, they will never find peace. 

Pray for those who live in darkness, teaching things that are wrong. Pray for priests, pray for others who do not have what you have, do not know what you know.

The Sacred Heart of Jesus loves us more than you can know. He wants to save us and asks us to accept His love and to accept what He is asking of us. He always gives help. Look at all He did for us, not that He had to, but because He loves us. The cross He gives us is never beyond our strength.

Because of our first parents' sin, Jesus came. Do you want eternal life? He gained that for you. The road may be bumpy, but you have to follow Him. He will help you. You will see Him face to face. Jesus does not want to take the kingdom away from us.

The Lord wants our salvation. One tear of repentance can save a soul. The greatest danger in the spiritual life is to look at the past. The Lord has forgiven you. You have to forgive yourself. "Lord, I forgive myself. Mother Mary, I give this to you." He loves you now, but He wants to love you more.

SATURDAY MORNING MASS HOMILY – FATHER RICHARD MATACONIS 

In the passage from St. Luke, the prodigal son sinned, repented, and went back to his father. He waited for the grace to be given to him. The father knowing that the son was repentant for what he did put his arms around him. The brother was angry at his father for giving a party for the other son. The father told him that his brother was dead and has come back to life. 

Our Father in heaven rejoices for each sinner who repents.  He has joy in forgiving. God is infinitely just, but He is also infinitely merciful. He wants the person to return to Him. He will give that person all the grace he needs to return to the Father, but we each have a free will. We have to make that choice. No matter how much we have sinned, the Father says to us "Come, come back."  

The one who can help us is the Mother of God. She was sinless. She saw what they did to Her son. Mary interceded for the Apostles, because they were very weak. She intercedes for us. Mary is the intercessor for us, and She will help us on our journey of spiritual life. She will bring us to Her son. She does not want us to stop with Her. She will help us to realize the sins we have committed. Do not be afraid to go to a priest in confession. Know that we are forgiven.  
We are nothing in front of God; we have to ask for forgiveness. We have to forgive ourselves. There is no sin beyond His infinite mercy. When we believe that we are not forgiven in confession, this is a hindrance to our spiritual life. Do not bring up the past. The devil tries to dig up the dirt again.  We have to  say, "I did terrible things, but God has forgiven me, and I have to forgive myself."  The blood of Jesus has washed us clean and has washed me clean. Jesus doesn't want us to go to hell. "Thank you, Jesus, for forgiving me, and I forgive myself." 

We have to be the light in the world in the midst of darkness.  Many people out there do not know the very basics of our faith. People will see us as the light in the world. Be strong in faith, have a deep love for Jesus and Mary. The Lord will lead us on the road He wants us to be on. We were called to carry our crosses, maybe getting heavier as time goes on. Pray for priests because they are attacked every day by the evil one. Have a great love for Jesus in the Eucharist and Mary. Keep that rosary in your hand. Pray the rosary as often as possible according to your station in life.    
God will give you the strength and the courage to be a witness in the world today. He wants persons to be able to pass this on. Do not be afraid. Give yourselves to Jesus through Mary, and you will see what wonders you will be able to do. Through your prayers, sacrifices, the way you live, many souls will be touched. Ask the Blessed Mother in this endeavor that we may not falter. "Give me strength that I may never give up." Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus.

SATURDAY MORNING INSTRUCTION – FATHER JOSEPH 

Imagine for a moment a world without mercy, where it is just justice - strict justice through no fault of our own. Imagine a world of sin where there is no retribution for our sins. It would be a cold, cold world - where profit becomes the end all; everybody suing everybody in our society today to get all that they can.  Mercy has been forgotten. Pope John Paul II's encyclical on mercy has to do with the Heavenly Father. God is rich in mercy. Mercy is one of the essential Christian elements. In Psalm 85 it says "Justice and Mercy have kissed." 

One of Father Joseph's favorite meditations is the seven last words of Christ. The word of the seven that most consoles is "Father, forgive them. They do not know what they are doing."  What a consolation to know that Jesus does not want our condemnation. You must love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Blessed are the merciful, they will obtain mercy. Do not judge, lest you be judged.

In the encyclical on Mercy, Pope John Paul II uses the parable of the prodigal son. In his suffering of eating swine food, the prodigal son lost his own dignity. He goes back to his father. Jesus is alive, still at work today bringing back the lost sheep. Father Joseph told the story of Father Corapi who was a millionaire, lost everything, and lived on the street. We all are sinners; we need God's mercy. God is a merciful God and wants all men to be saved. Sometimes we have a hard time to give mercy towards someone who has hurt us. Mercy sees the dignity of the other person even if it has been darkened through their sins. We must love all that He loves.  When they come back, He embraces them. They go to Confession to get rid of all their sins. They feel restored and have peace. Sin begins to tear that soul apart and sever it and bring about a division with confusion and stress. Going back to Confession restores the lost integrity and peace is restored.

Jesus' incarnate mercy makes mercy incarnate. Jesus personifies mercy, and in a sense, He is mercy and brings mercy to bear in the world.  Mary is Mother of Mercy. She knows the price of mercy – Her Son on the Cross. We are all attracted to the merciful love of a mother. She is a powerful instrument of His mercy. A merciful mother gives us courage. Our Mother of Mercy is ready and willing to come to us.

When a person experiences mercy, they feel restored to what they lost through sin. How many souls have been brought to God by mercy and how many have been turned away from God by lack of mercy.

Truth without love is a hammer, but with love is a beauty to behold. The center of our life is God. To live in God is to live in mercy; to live life receiving the Sacraments is again to receive His mercy. For all eternity we will be praising His mercy. We have the Feast of Divine Mercy. The most pleasing prayer to Him is a prayer for sinners because that is why He came.

Trust in His mercy. Trust in Him in everything and come to Him with all weaknesses and imperfections. The Lord is teaching a very valuable lesson. Do not trust in yourself, trust in Him. It is a work of God's grace that is transforming us. Mercy is an essential element of God's attributes. We receive that mercy throughout our lives. We have to be instruments of that mercy to bring peace. (Here Father quoted the prayer of St. Francis). Let us be those instruments of the Lord's mercy. Where would I be without our faith? Would I have survived this life without faith? How far in the darkness would I be without God's mercy?

HEALING SERVICE – FATHER WADE 
 
Father said during Lent we should faithfully read 5 - 10 pages from the Catechism of the Catholic Church every day. He discussed several paragraphs in the Catechism of the Catholic Church beginning with paragraph 1434 - The Many Forms of Penance in Christian Life.  

FATHER RAY BOURQUE'S BIBLE STUDY 
 
Father Ray discussed the Covenant of God with His people, the many meanings of covenant, conditions, purpose, etc.

SUNDAY MORNING MASS HOMILY - FATHER RICHARD MATACONIS 

In the Gospel you see the kindness, gentleness and the humanness of Jesus. Jews had nothing to do with Samaritans, but Jesus asked the Samaritan woman to give Him a drink.

Jesus was looking for the salvation of souls. Many rejected Him. He was going to die for everyone. He was telling this woman that He loves her and He wanted her to receive the gift He was giving her. Jesus was speaking of the gift of the Holy Spirit. She wanted that gift. Jesus is still working like that today.  He wants to save souls. The Samaritan woman listened to Jesus and received salvation.

We sometimes do not appreciate what we have in the Eucharist and the gifts of the Church. This is a tremendous gift for us. We take for granted everything we have. If everyone would realize that Jesus is present in the tabernacle throughout the world, there would not be enough room in the church to put them. A very small percent of Catholics go to Church on Sunday.  We have the greatest gift that could be given - Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.  Believing is something of the will, not the feelings. We have to pray for a deep faith. He is present in the same way He was present 2000 years ago. He is present under the appearance of bread and wine. Many think the host is just a symbol. This is the way that Jesus is staying with us until the end of the world - in the Eucharist. Jesus tells us to come and adore Him, to tell Him your problems, tell Him your needs. All of us are sinners. Jesus died for each and every one of us. He loves us. Jesus in the tabernacle sees each one of us. Why are you doubting? "Know that I am here and I want to give you My love." 

Ask our Blessed Mother, Mother of God, to give you that deep faith. There is no Catholic faith without the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. Christ is there. He is telling you that He loves you. He wants us to help Him to save souls. We have to give Him our sorrows, our troubles, etc. He wants to give us Himself. His heart is filled with love. Be appreciative of the Catholic religion that we have.

The Eucharist only has value if you believe in it.  If Jesus is not present in the Eucharist, then there is no Catholic faith.

Pray for priests. Pray for the people who do not appreciate these gifts that we have. This is a gift that God has given to us. He wants us also to love Him. Deepen our love and our faith in Jesus who is present in the Eucharist.