>> A READING FROM THE LETTER OF SAINT PAUL TO THE ROMANS. BROTHERS AND SISTERS: SIN MUST NOT REIGN OVER YOUR MORTAL BODIES SO THAT YOU OBEY THEIR DESIRES. AND DO NOT PRESENT THE PARTS OF YOUR BODIES TO SIN AS WEAPONS FOR WICKEDNESS, BUT PRESENT YOURSELVES TO GOD AS RAISED FROM THE DEAD TO LIFE AND THE PARTS OF YOUR BODIES TO GOD AS WEAPONS FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS. FOR SIN IS NOT TO HAVE ANY POWER OVER YOU, SINCE YOU ARE NOT UNDER THE LAW BUT UNDER GRACE. WHAT THEN? SHALL WE SIN BECAUSE WE ARE NOT UNDER THE LAW BUT UNDER GRACE? OF COURSE NOT! DO YOU NOT KNOW THAT IF YOU PRESENT YOURSELVES TO SOMEONE AS OBEDIENT SLAVES, YOU ARE SLAVES OF THE ONE YOU OBEY, EITHER OF SIN, WHICH LEADS TO DEATH, OR OF OBEDIENCE, WHICH LEADS TO RIGHTEOUSNESS? BUT THANKS BE TO GOD THAT, ALTHOUGH YOU WERE ONCE SLAVES OF SIN, YOU HAVE BECOME OBEDIENT FROM THE HEART TO THE PATTERN OF TEACHING TO WHICH YOU WERE ENTRUSTED. FREED FROM SIN, YOU HAVE BECOME SLAVES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. THE WORD OF THE LORD. THANKS BE TO GOD. >> OUR HELP IS IN THE NAME OF THE LORD. >> OUR HELP IS IN THE NAME OF THE LORD. HAD NOT THE LORD BEEN WITH US, LET ISRAEL SAY, HAD NOT THE LORD BEEN WITH US WHEN MEN ROSE UP AGAINST US, THEN WOULD THEY HAVE SWALLOWED US ALIVE; WHEN THEIR FURY WAS INFLAMED AGAINST US. OUR HELP IS IN THE NAME OF THE LORD. >> THEN WOULD THE WATERS HAVE OVERWHELMED US; THE TORRENT WOULD HAVE SWEPT OVER US; OVER US THEN WOULD HAVE SWEPT THE RAGING WATERS. BLESSED BE THE LORD WHO DID NOT LEAVE US A PREY TO THEIR TEETH. >> OUR HELP IS IN THE NAME OF THE LORD. >> WE WERE RESCUED LIKE A BIRD FROM THE FOWLERS' SNARE; BROKEN WAS THE SNARE, AND WE WERE FREED. OUR HELP IS IN THE NAME OF THE LORD, WHO MADE HEAVEN AND EARTH. >> OUR HELP IS IN THE NAME OF THE LORD. (ORGAN) ♪ ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA ALLELUIA ♪ >> ♪ ALLELUIA ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA ♪ >> ♪ STAY AWAKE! FOR YOU DO NOT KNOW WHEN THE SON OF MAN WILL COME ♪ >> ♪ ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA ALLELUIA ♪ >> THE LORD BE WITH YOU. >> AND WITH YOUR SPIRIT. >> A PROCLAMATION FROM THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE. >> GLORY TO YOU LORD. >> JESUS SAID TO HIS DISCIPLES: BE SURE OF THIS: IF THE MASTER OF THE HOUSE HAD KNOWN THE HOUR WHEN THE THIEF WAS COMING, HE WOULD NOT HAVE LET HIS HOUSE BE BROKEN INTO. YOU ALSO MUST BE PREPARED, FOR AT AN HOUR YOU DO NOT EXPECT, THE SON OF MAN WILL COME. THEN PETER SAID, LORD, IS THIS PARABLE MEANT FOR US OR FOR EVERYONE? AND THE LORD REPLIED, WHO, THEN, IS THE FAITHFUL AND PRUDENT STEWARD WHOM THE MASTER WILL PUT IN CHARGE OF HIS SERVANTS TO DISTRIBUTE THE FOOD ALLOWANCE AT THE PROPER TIME? BLESSED IS THAT SERVANT WHOM HIS MASTER ON ARRIVAL FINDS DOING SO. TRULY, I SAY TO YOU, HE WILL PUT HIM IN CHARGE OF ALL HIS PROPERTY. BUT IF THAT SERVANT SAYS TO HIMSELF, MY MASTER IS DELAYED IN COMING, AND BEGINS TO BEAT THE MENSERVANTS AND THE MAIDSERVANTS, TO EAT AND DRINK AND GET DRUNK, THEN THAT SERVANT'S MASTER WILL COME ON AN UNEXPECTED DAY AND AT AN UNKNOWN HOUR AND WILL PUNISH THE SERVANT SEVERELY AND ASSIGN HIM A PLACE WITH THE UNFAITHFUL. THAT SERVANT WHO KNEW HIS MASTER'S WILL BUT DID NOT MAKE PREPARATIONS NOR ACT IN ACCORD WITH HIS WILL SHALL BE BEATEN SEVERELY; AND THE SERVANT WHO WAS IGNORANT OF HIS MASTER'S WILL BUT ACTED IN A WAY DESERVING OF A SEVERE BEATING SHALL BE BEATEN ONLY LIGHTLY. MUCH WILL BE REQUIRED OF THE PERSON ENTRUSTED WITH MUCH, AND STILL MORE WILL BE DEMANDED OF THE PERSON ENTRUSTED WITH MORE. THE GOSPEL OF THE LORD. >> PRAISE TO YOU, LORD JESUS CHRIST. >> AS FATHER MATTHEW SAID IN HIS INTRODUCTION, I AM A PASSIONIST PRIEST. I HAVE BEEN A PASSIONIST RELIGIOUS FOR 30 YEARS. A RELIGIOUS FOR 36 AND A YEAR FOR 30 YEARS. TODAY IN THE UNITED STATES AND IN CANADA WE ARE CELEBRATE THE FEAST DAY OF OUR FOUNDER ST. PAUL OF THE CROSS. DO NOT CONFUSE THEM WITH ST. JOHN OF THE CROSS. THOSE ARE 2 DIFFERENT SAINTS. ST. PAUL OF THE CROSS LIVED IN THE 1700S IN ITALY. HE HAD A NICKNAME, HUNTER OF SOULS. I LOVE THAT BECAUSE HE PREACHED WHAT WAS IMPORTANT. HE WAS A HUNTER. HE DID NOT HUNT WITH A GUN AND HE DID NOT HUNT WITH A KNIFE OR A BOW AND ARROW. HE HUNTED WITH WORDS BECAUSE PAUL OF THE CROSS, PAUL DAMON WAS HIS NAME, HE WAS A PREACHER. HE PREACHED PARISH MISSIONS THROUGHOUT ITALY AND GAVE RETREATS. THAT IS WHAT WE PASSIONIST PRIEST DO. HE PREACHED ESPECIALLY ABOUT THE CROSS. THAT IS WHY HE IS CALLED ST. PAUL OF THE CROSS. DURING HIS MISSION FOR EXAMPLE, HE WOULD POINT TO A CRUCIFIX AND HE WOULD SAY, PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR MIRACLES. THAT, POINTING TO THE CRUCIFIX, IS THE MIRACLE OF MIRACLES. HE WOULD SAY THE CROSS IS THE MOST OVERWHELMING WORK OF GOD'S LOVE. THEN HE SAID EVERYTHING EVERYTHING IS TO BE FOUND IN THE CROSS. WHAT A PREACHER. THAT IS WHY PEOPLE PACKED THE CHURCH IS TO LISTEN TO HIM. THE TRUTH IS PAUL PREACHED WHAT MATTERED. HE PREACHED ABOUT THE CROSS. HE PREACHED ABOUT OUR SOUL. OUR SOUL THAT WILL ENDURE AND LIVE FOREVER AND HE WAS A HUNTER OF SOULS. HE WAS PREACHING REALLY THAT KERYGMA THAT MEANS THE MESSAGE OF THE EARLY CHURCH. AND WHAT WAS THE MESSAGE OF THE EARLY CHURCH? THAT WE ARE FORGIVEN. WE ARE FORGIVEN. BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS. PAUL SAID MY PREACHING IS NOT AN END IN ITSELF. IT IS A MEANS TO SOMETHING ELSE. HE SAID THE REASON WHY I PREACH IS TO INSPIRE PEOPLE BUT THE REASON WHY A PREACH IS TO GET PEOPLE INTO THE CONFESSIONAL. HE PREACHED SO THAT PEOPLE WOULD COME TO CHRIST IN A DEEPER WAY. HE SAID IT IS IN THE CONFESSIONAL THAT LIVES ARE CHANGED. THAT PEOPLE ARE TOUCHED. THAT SINS ARE FORGIVEN. THE PEOPLE ARE TRANSFORMED. I KNOW THAT FROM MY OWN LIFE. I HAVE BEEN A PARISH MISSIONARY FOR 30 YEARS AND ON EVERY PARISH MISSION I PREACH I ALWAYS HAVE ONE EVENING RECONCILIATION AND I WILL HEAR ANYBODY'S CONFESSION AND WE USUALLY INVITE IN A BUNCH OF PRIEST BECAUSE I KNOW AND I HAVE SEEN THIS FOR 30 YEARS WHEN PEOPLE COME BEFORE ME MIRACLES HAPPEN. CONVERSIONS. TRANSFORMATIONS. WHERE PEOPLE ARE STUCK AND GOD POURING OUT HIS MERCY AND HIS GRACE. SOME OF YOU WHO ARE WATCHING BY TELEVISION YOU HAVE NOT BEEN TO CONFESSION IN A LONG TIME, SOME OF YOU MAY BE WERE HERE IT HAS BEEN A WHILE. I WANT TO SAY THIS. NO MATTER HOW LONG IT HAS BEEN, NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE, NO MATTER WHAT YOU HAVE DONE, COME TO CHRIST. HE WILL FORGIVE YOU. HIS BLOOD OUTPOURED ON THE CROSS, THE FORGIVENESS OF OUR SINS. WHAT A MESSAGE. I WANTED TO TELL YOU A LOT BIT MORE ABOUT THE PASSIONIST'S. WE ARE PRIEST, BROTHERS, SISTERS, LAITY, AND WE ARE AND SOME 64 COUNTRIES. WE ARE ALL AROUND THE WORLD. WE HAVE BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR 300 YEARS. THIS IS OUR JUBILEE YEAR OF THE PASSIONIST. 300 JUBILEE. 64 COUNTRIES. WE HAVE RETREAT CENTERS ALL AROUND OUR COUNTRY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 11 OUR RETREAT CENTER IN HOUSTON TEXAS BUT WE HAVE RETREATS IN LOS ANGELES, SACRAMENTO, DETROIT, SOME OF THE PLACES IN THE EAST, WE HAVE NEW YORK CITY, PITTSBURGH, SCRANTON, HARTFORD, FLORIDA. WE HAVE A SAYING. TREAT YOURSELF TO HER RETREAT. PEOPLE COME FROM ALL OVER TO OUR CENTERS, SPEND A WHOLE WEEKEND WITH US, CATHOLICS, TWELVE STEP PEOPLE, PROTESTANTS, AND WE INVITE THEM TO BE RENEWED. NOW PEOPLE GO ON RETREATS NOT TO ESCAPE FROM THE WORLD. RATHER, THEY GO ON A RETREAT TO BE FORTIFIED TO FACE THE WORLD. WHEN YOU ARE ON A RETREAT YOU HEAR INSPIRING TALKS. YOU SPEND TIME IN PRAYER. YOU DEAL WITH INNER ISSUES AND THEN YOU GO BACK TO THE WORLD. STRONG. FORTIFIED. MORE THAN A CONQUEROR. I INVITE YOU IF YOU HAVE NEVER MADE A RETREAT TO TREAT YOURSELF TO A RETREAT. AS I SAID, ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY. NOW PAUL WANTED ARE RETREATS TO BE SCHOOLS OF PRAYER. HE DID NOT CALL HIS HOUSES HIS RESIDENCES, MONASTERIES. HE CALLED IN RETREATS. AS I SAID YOU WANTED THEM TO BE SCHOOLS OF PRAYER. PRAYER IS THE FOUNDATION OF WHO WE ARE AS PASSIONIST. WE ARE VERY APOSTOLIC WHICH MEANS WE DO MINISTRY BUT WE ARE VERY CONTEMPLATIVE. WE SPEND TIME IN PRAYER BEING RENEWED SO THAT WE CAN BE FORTIFIED TO GO OUT AND PREACH. TO GO OUT AND MINISTER. I WANTED TO TELL YOU, PAUL OF THE CROSS, PAUL DAMON WAS HIS NAME, PAUL OF THE CROSS LIVED TO BE 81 YEARS OLD. WE HAVE MANY PASSIONIST SAINTS LIKE GEMMA GALGANI. WE HAVE MARIA GORETTI, WE HAVE MANY SAINTS IN OUR COMMUNITY, GABRIEL POSSENTI, DIED VERY YOUNG BUT PAUL LIVED TO BE 81. HE HAD MYSTICAL VISIONS EARLY ON IN HIS LIFE. MANY CONSOLATIONS IN PRAYER AND DO NOT ALL LOVE THAT WHEN WE FEEL THE HOLY SPIRIT. AND WE FEEL THE CONSOLATIONS. PAUL HAD THAT. BUT, MUCH LIKE MANY OF THE SAINTS, IF YOU EVER READ ST. JOHN OF THE CROSS OR YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT MOTHER TERESA OF CALCUTTA, THOSE CONSOLATIONS WERE TAKEN AWAY FROM HIM. THE LAST 30 OR 40 YEARS OF HIS LIFE HE EXPERIENCED DESOLATION. BUT WHAT MADE PAUL A ST. MOST PEOPLE THE ONLY PRAY WHEN THEY FEEL GOOD, WHEN THE FEELINGS GO THEY QUIT. OR THEY RATHER WATCH TV. WHAT MADE PAUL A ST. IS THAT HE PERSEVERED. HE WAS FAITHFUL. HE STAYED STRONG EVEN THOUGH HE DID NOT FEEL IT. THAT IS WHAT MADE THEM SUCH A GREAT SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR. BECAUSE MANY OF THE RETREAT-EES WERE GOING THROUGH DESOLATION AND THAT THEY WERE FAR FROM GOD AND HE EXPLAINED TO THEM THAT WE HAVE TO BE PURGED. IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT ST. JOHN OF THE CROSS HE TALKS ABOUT PURGATION AND ILLUMINATION AND BEING IN UNION WITH GOD FINALLY. AND SOMETIMES GOD TEST US IN PRAYER. AND WANTS US TO BE FAITHFUL EVEN THOUGH WE DO NOT FEEL IT. AND I PRAY FOR ALL OF YOU AND ALL OF YOU WATCHING BY TELEVISION THAT YOU WILL HAVE CONSOLATION. BUT IN THE HARD TIMES YOU WILL BE FAITHFUL AND YOU WILL BE PERSEVERING. AND YOU WILL NOT JUST RELY UPON YOUR FEELINGS. YOU WILL BE STRONG. BLESSED JESUS SAID OF THOSE WHO BELIEVED WITHOUT SEEING. AND THAT WAS PAUL OF THE CROSS. A GREAT SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR AND A GREAT MISTAKE AND A GREAT PERSON OF PRAYER. THE WORD PASSION AS YOU KNOW IF YOU'VE SEEN MEL GIBSON'S MOVIE THE PASSION. THE WORD MEANS SUFFERING. THERE IS SO MUCH SUFFERING IN OUR WORLD TODAY. WE ARE PRESENTLY IN THE MIDST OF THE PANDEMIC AS YOU KNOW. SOME 700,000 PEOPLE JUST IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA HAVE DIED. HOSPITALS ARE FILLED WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE SUFFERING AT THIS VERY MOMENT. THE POLITICAL SITUATION IS IN TURMOIL IN MANY WAYS. GAS PRICES ARE UP. THE ECONOMY MANY PEOPLE ARE OUT OF WORK. AS YOU KNOW SOME OF US ARE GRIEVING A SPOUSE OR A CHILD THAT IS PASSED AWAY OR LOVED ONE IN THE HOSPITAL. AS YOU GROW OLDER THIS PHYSICAL PAIN, ARTHRITIS, HIP PAIN, YOUR NECK, YOUR BACK. SOME ARE STRUGGLING WITH ADDICTION. THERE IS EMOTIONAL STRUGGLE LIKE DEPRESSION AND LONELINESS. PEOPLE HAVE MENTAL ILLNESSES LIKE PHOBIAS AND ANXIETIES. WHAT PAUL TAUGHT US AND YOU SHOULD KNOW THIS ALSO AS A SPIRITUAL PERSON, OUR SUFFERINGS HAVE MEANING. THEY ARE NOT JUST ARBITRARY. WHATEVER YOU'RE GOING THROUGH IS SIGNIFICANT. AND PAUL HELPED US TO UNDERSTAND THIS. PAUL OF THE CROSS. ON THE CROSS BRING SALVATION BUT IT ALSO BRINGS MEANING. THE PASSION. I THINK ABOUT MY OWN LIFE IN THE SUFFERINGS THAT I HAVE BEEN THROUGH. ONE IT HAS DEEPENED TO ME. WE HAVE TO GO BEYOND THE SUPERFICIAL FOLKS TO THE SUPERNATURAL. IT IS DEEPENING ME AND BROUGHT ME CLOSER TO GOD IN GIVEN ME COMPASSION AND IT HAS TRANSFORMED MY LIFE. I HAVE I CAN WRITE A BOOK ABOUT THIS. JUST THAT ONE PHRASE. DEEPENED ME AND BROUGHT ME CLOSER TO GOD AND TRANSFORMED ME AND GIVEN ME COMPASSION. THAT IS A BOOK RIGHT THERE. YOU SEE SUFFERING IS SIGNIFICANT. YOU CAN TURN YOUR HURTS INTO HALOS. YOUR SCARS INTO STARS. MY FAVORITE ARTIST THE SCULPTOR MICHELANGELO, WHEN I STUDIED IN ROME AND I REMEMBER GOING TO ST. PETER'S BASILICA AND THERE YOU SEE THE BEAUTIFUL PIETA. NO ONE HAS EVER SCULPTURED LIKE MICHELANGELO. HE SCULPTED SO MAGNIFICENTLY AND SO BEAUTIFULLY THAT YOU CAN EVEN SEE THE VEINS IN THE ARMS OF THE STATUES. ONE TIME SOMEONE APPROACHED MICHELANGELO AND SAID TO HIM MICHELANGELO YOU PRODUCE SUCH BEAUTIFUL WORKS HOW YOU DO IT. AND MICHELANGELO THE GREAT MAN OF FAITH SAID WHEN I APPROACHED THAT BLOCK OF STONE I KNOW THAT GOD HAS ALREADY PUT THE FINISHED POLISHED STATUE IN THERE. IT IS ALREADY DONE. ALL I HAVE TO DO IS CHIP AWAY THE PIECES. I LOVE THAT BECAUSE WHAT IS GOD DOING IN OUR LIFE RIGHT NOW? YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT GOD , YOU THINK MICHELANGELO WAS GOOD GOD IS THE MASTER SCULPTURE AND WHAT HE IS DOING. HE IS NOT GIVING US SUFFERINGS, HE IS USING THEM, GOD WRITES STRAIGHT WITH CROOKED LINES, HE IS USING THEM TO CHIP AWAY THE PIECES OUR LIFE PIECES LIKE THE CHIP ON OUR SHOULDER. BAD ATTITUDE. NEGATIVITY. EXCESS ANGER. ADDICTIONS, SINS, YOU SEE OUR SUFFERINGS ARE SIGNIFICANT FOLKS. THEY TRANSFORM US IF YOU WILL LET THEM. THEY CAN MAKE YOU BITTER OR THEY CAN MAKE YOU BETTER AND THAT IS THE LEGACY OF PAUL ST. PAUL OF THE CROSS. HE GAVE MEANING TO THE EXPERIENCE OF LIFE AND WHAT WE ARE GOING THROUGH AND DO WE NOT ALL NEED UNDERSTANDING? WITH UNDERSTANDING YOU CAN FACE YOUR TRIALS AND BE MORE THAN A CONQUEROR THROUGH CHRIST. WE ARE CELEBRATING OUR 300TH ANNIVERSARY AND I WANT TO TELL YOU DO NOT WASTE YOUR SUFFERINGS. YOU CAN SEE MORE THROUGH A TEARDROP THAN YOU CAN THROUGH A TELESCOPE. WE ARE CELEBRATING OUR 300TH JUBILEE OF OUR FOUNDING AND WHEN PAUL CAME BEFORE THE POPE BACK IN 1720 YEARS AGO WITH THIS PROPOSED RULE IT WAS POPE BENEDICT THE 14TH AND HE PRESENTED THE RULE TO THE POPE ABOUT WANTING TO FOUND THE PASSION IS COMMUNITY THIS IS WHAT THE POPE SAID. HE SAID, PAUL, THIS THE PASSIONIST SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE 1ST COMMUNITY IN THE CHURCH. HERE IS THE LAST. IT WAS THE LAST THAT TIME. WHY THE 1ST? BECAUSE THE CROSS IS THE CORE OF OUR CATHOLIC SPIRITUALITY. AT MASS WHAT WE ARE DOING IS A DYNAMIC REMEMBERING OF THE PASSION. I DO NOT KNOW IF YOU KNOW THAT BUT THAT IS WHAT THAT IS. A DYNAMIC REMEMBERING THAT BRINGS THE CROSS INTO THE MOMENT. MANY OF YOU HAVE ADOPTED THE SPIRITUALITY AND YOU PRAY THE SORROWFUL MYSTERIES OF THE ROSARY AND THAT IS PASSIONIST. YOU WALK THE STATIONS OF THE CROSS. THAT IS PASSIONIST. OR YOU WEAR CROSS AROUND YOUR NECK. YOU MEDITATE ON A CRUCIFIX. LIKE ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI OR PAUL OF THE CROSS. THAT IS PASSIONIST SPIRITUALITY. I BELIEVE THE CORE OF OUR CATHOLIC SPIRITUALITY AND THAT IS WHY THE POPE SAID THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE 1ST COMMUNITY. AND BEHOLD NOW 300 YEARS LATER WE PROCLAIM WHAT REALLY MATTERS, THE PASSION OF JESUS, THE SIGNIFICANCE OF SUFFERING AND GETTING A DEEPER RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD IN PRAYER. WE HAVE A MOTTO AS PASSIONISTS, A MOTTO AND THAT IS WHAT I WANT TO LEAVE WITH YOU AS I CONCLUDE. MAY THE PASSION OF JESUS CHRIST BE ALWAYS IN OUR HEARTS.
