>> A READING FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL. THERE WAS A CERTAIN MAN FROM RAMATHAIM, ELKANAH BY NAME, A ZUPHITE FROM THE HILL COUNTRY OF EPHRAIM. HE WAS THE SON OF JEROHAM, SON OF ELIHU, SON OF TOHU, SON OF ZUPH, AN EPHRAIMITE. HE HAD TWO WIVES, ONE NAMED HANNAH, THE OTHER PENINNAH; PENINNAH HAD CHILDREN, BUT HANNAH WAS CHILDLESS. THIS MAN REGULARLY WENT ON PILGRIMAGE FROM HIS CITY TO WORSHIP THE LORD OF HOSTS AND TO SACRIFICE TO HIM AT SHILOH, WHERE THE TWO SONS OF ELI, HOPHNI AND PHINEHAS, WERE MINISTERING AS PRIESTS OF THE LORD. WHEN THE DAY CAME FOR ELKANAH TO OFFER SACRIFICE, HE USED TO GIVE A PORTION EACH TO HIS WIFE PENINNAH AND TO ALL HER SONS AND DAUGHTERS, BUT A DOUBLE PORTION TO HANNAH BECAUSE HE LOVED HER, THOUGH THE LORD HAD MADE HER BARREN. HER RIVAL, TO UPSET HER, TURNED IT INTO A CONSTANT REPROACH TO HER THAT THE LORD HAD LEFT HER BARREN. THIS WENT ON YEAR AFTER YEAR; EACH TIME THEY MADE THEIR PILGRIMAGE TO THE SANCTUARY OF THE LORD, PENINNAH WOULD APPROACH HER, AND HANNAH WOULD WEEP AND REFUSE TO EAT. HER HUSBAND ELKANAH USED TO ASK HER: HANNAH, WHY DO YOU WEEP, AND WHY DO YOU REFUSE TO EAT? WHY DO YOU GRIEVE? AM I NOT MORE TO YOU THAN TEN SONS? THE WORD OF THE LORD. >> THANKS BE TO GOD >> TO YOU, LORD, I WILL OFFER A SACRIFICE OF PRAISE. >> TO YOU, LORD, I WILL OFFER A SACRIFICE OF PRAISE. >> HOW SHALL I MAKE A RETURN TO THE LORD FOR ALL THE GOOD HE HAS DONE FOR ME? THE CUP OF SALVATION I WILL TAKE UP, AND I WILL CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD. >> TO YOU, LORD, I WILL OFFER A SACRIFICE OF PRAISE. >> MY VOWS TO THE LORD I WILL PAY IN THE PRESENCE OF ALL HIS PEOPLE. PRECIOUS IN THE EYES OF THE LORD IS THE DEATH OF HIS FAITHFUL ONES. O LORD, I AM YOUR SERVANT; I AM YOUR SERVANT, THE SON OF YOUR HANDMAID; YOU HAVE LOOSED MY BONDS. >> TO YOU, LORD, I WILL OFFER A SACRIFICE OF PRAISE. >> MY VOWS TO THE LORD I WILL PAY IN THE PRESENCE OF ALL HIS PEOPLE, IN THE COURTS OF THE HOUSE OF THE LORD, IN YOUR MIDST, O JERUSALEM. >> TO YOU, LORD, I WILL OFFER A SACRIFICE OF PRAISE. (ORGAN) >> ♪ ALLELUIA ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA ♪ >> ♪ ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA ALLELUIA ♪ >> ♪ THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND; REPENT AND BELIEVE IN THE GOSPEL ♪ >> ♪ ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA ALLELUIA ♪ >> ♪ DOMINUS VOBISCUM ♪ >> ♪ ET CUM SPIRITU TUO ♪ >> ♪ LECTIO SANCTI EVANGELII SECUNDUM MARCUM ♪ >> ♪ GLORIA TIBI, DOMINE ♪ >> AFTER JOHN HAD BEEN ARRESTED, JESUS CAME TO GALILEE PROCLAIMING THE GOSPEL OF GOD: THIS IS THE TIME OF FULFILLMENT. THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND. REPENT, AND BELIEVE IN THE GOSPEL. AS HE PASSED BY THE SEA OF GALILEE, HE SAW SIMON AND HIS BROTHER ANDREW CASTING THEIR NETS INTO THE SEA; THEY WERE FISHERMEN. JESUS SAID TO THEM, COME AFTER ME, AND I WILL MAKE YOU FISHERS OF MEN. THEN THEY LEFT THEIR NETS AND FOLLOWED HIM. HE WALKED ALONG A LITTLE FARTHER AND SAW JAMES, THE SON OF ZEBEDEE, AND HIS BROTHER JOHN. THEY TOO WERE IN A BOAT MENDING THEIR NETS. THEN HE CALLED THEM. SO THEY LEFT THEIR FATHER ZEBEDEE IN THE BOAT ALONG WITH THE HIRED MEN AND FOLLOWED HIM. ♪ VERBUM DOMINI ♪ >> ♪ LAUS TIBI, CHRISTE ♪ >> YESTERDAY WE ENDED THE CHRISTMAS LITURGICAL SEASON WITH THE BAPTISM OF OUR LORD. TODAY WE START A NEW LITURGICAL SEASON CALLED ORDINARY TIME. NOW I AM NOT SURE EXACTLY WHY THE WORD ORDINARY WAS USED IN TERMS OF A LATIN TRANSLATION TO ENGLISH BUT WE KNOW THAT OUR LORD IS NOT ORDINARY BUT EXTRAORDINARY. SUPERNATURAL THINGS GOING ON HERE AT MASS. NOW, SPECIFICALLY THE CHURCH GIVES US THIS READING. IT IS THE BEGINNING OF THE GOSPEL OF MARK. WHAT DOES JESUS HAVE TO TELL US TODAY? THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND. WHENEVER WE BEGIN SOMETHING NEW, LIKE A NEW YEAR OR A NEW LITURGICAL SEASON, WE HAVE TO RENEW OUR INTENTION. WHAT IS OUR GOAL? THE KINGDOM OF GOD. HEAVEN SHOULD BE OUR NUMBER 1 PRIORITY. SO THE TIME OF FULFILLMENT IS HERE. WE NEED TO FOCUS ON THE BEATIFIC VISION. WE NEED TO RENEW OUR INTENTION TO DO WHAT EVER IT TAKES BY GOD'S GRACE TO GET TO HEAVEN. WE SHOULD HAVE THE ATTITUDE, BECOME A SAINT OR DIE TRYING. THIS IS WHAT WE SHOULD HAVE ON THE TOP OF OUR MINDS WHENEVER WE START SOMETHING ESPECIALLY NEW LIKE A LITURGICAL SEASON. SO IF I WERE TO ASK YOU, AND IF YOU COULD ASK YOURSELF HONESTLY, HOW OFTEN HAVE YOU THOUGHT OF HEAVEN? EVEN WITHIN THIS PAST DAY? OR THIS PAST WEEK? OR MAYBE EVEN THIS PAST MONTH? GOD WILLING IT IS MORE THAN ONCE. HOPEFULLY THAT IS WHY YOU ARE HERE IN THIS CHAPEL OR WATCHING ON TELEVISION. NOT SIMPLY TO BE SEEN ON TELEVISION OR BECAUSE YOU ARE FORCED TO BY YOUR PARENTS BUT BECAUSE YOU WANT TO GO TO HEAVEN. IF HEAVEN IS NOT ANY BETTER THAN OUR LIFE HERE ON EARTH WHY WORK AT GETTING THERE? WHY GO TO CHURCH OR MASS EVEN EVERY DAY? I AM BLESSED AS A MISSIONARY. I BELONG TO THE FATHERS OF MERCY. I GO ALL AROUND THE WORLD PREACHING. USUALLY IF THERE IS A SCHOOL ATTACHED TO THE CHURCH I LIKE TO GO INTO THE CLASSROOMS AND ASK THE STUDENTS QUESTIONS ABOUT HEAVEN TO SEE WHAT THEY KNOW. AFTER ASK A SERIES OF QUESTIONS THEY WILL ASK QUESTIONS RIGHT BACK AT ME AND THEY WILL SAY SOMETHING LIKE, FATHER, IF YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT HEAVEN I WANT TO KNOW WHETHER MY DOG OR MY FAVORITE PET WILL BE THERE WHEN I GET THERE. I WANT TO KNOW IF I WILL BE ABLE TO PLAY MY FAVORITE SPORTS. BASKETBALL. FOOTBALL. SOCCER. SOMEONE ACTUALLY ASKED ME, WILL THERE BE HIGH WAVES TO SURF ON IN HEAVEN? WILL I BE ABLE TO EAT MY FAVORITE FOOD, THEY ASK, USUALLY AT THAT AGE IT IS PIZZA. I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION DURING THE LOWER GRADES, WILL I BE ABLE TO SEE AND TALK TO MY LOVED ONES WHO PASSED AWAY BEFORE ME IN HEAVEN? SUCH AS MY GREAT GRANDFATHER? ALL OF THESE ARE GOOD QUESTIONS. WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT HEAVEN WILL BE LIKE SO WE WILL HAVE MORE OF A YEARNING TO BE WITH GOD FOREVER. BUT BEFORE WE TALK ABOUT HEAVEN, IT IS NECESSARY TO MENTION THE SUREST WAY TO GET THERE. THAT IS A FAILSAFE, GUARANTEED PATH AND GETTING TO HEAVEN AS WE RENEW OUR INTENTIONS. THERE IS NO BETTER WAY TO GET TO HEAVEN THAN DEVOTION TO THE EUCHARIST. DEVOTION TO THE EUCHARIST IS THE GREATEST WAY TO GET TO HEAVEN BECAUSE IT IS DEVOTION TO JESUS HIMSELF. SO THE SAME JESUS THAT WALKED ON THIS EARTH ABOUT 2000 YEARS AGO IS THE EXACT SAME JESUS CURRENTLY IN THIS TABERNACLE. THE SAME CHRIST WHO DIED ON THE CROSS AND ROSE FROM THE DEAD IS THE EXACT SAME CHRIST THAT WILL BE PRESENT ON THIS ALTAR IN ABOUT 15 OR 20 MINUTES. THE SAME GOD WHO WILL JUDGE US, IMMEDIATELY AFTER WE PASS FROM THIS WORLD, IS THE EXACT SAME GOD THAT WILL BE PRESENTED TO US IN HOLY COMMUNION. JESUS IS TRULY PRESENT IN THE EUCHARIST. HIS BODY, BLOOD AND TRUE HUMAN SOUL. PEOPLE FORGET JESUS ACTUALLY HAD A HUMAN SOUL. THAT IS ALL PARTS OF HIS HUMANITY THAT HE RECEIVED IN THE WOMB OF MARY WHEN SHE SAID YES TO GOD THROUGH THE ANGEL. BUT WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE EUCHARIST, WE ARE NOT SIMPLY TALKING ABOUT OUR LORD'S HUMANITY OR HIS HUMAN BODY AND BLOOD. WE ARE ALSO TALKING ABOUT HIS DIVINITY. LITERALLY WHAT THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH CANNOT CONTAIN IS WITH IN THAT SMALL HOST THAT LOOKS LIKE A PIECE OF BREAD. SPEAKING ABOUT THE EUCHARIST, IT REMINDS ME OF A STORY ACTUALLY A STORY OF A PRIEST. FATHER WAS FINISHING CELEBRATING MASS AND HE WAS PUTTING AWAY THE SACRED VESSELS BACK INTO THE SACRISTY SUCH AS THE CIBORIUM AND THE CHALICE. AS HE WAS PUTTING AWAY THE SACRED VESSELS HEARD A LOT OF NOISE OUTSIDE OF HIS CHURCH OR CHAPEL SO HE GOES TO A WINDOW AND HE LOOKS OUT THE WINDOW AND WHAT DOES HE SEE? HE SEES A GANG OF MEN AND THEY ARE LITERALLY STEALING FROM STORES, BURNING PEOPLE'S HOUSES DOWN AND ATTACKING AND KILLING THEM. HE ALSO NOTICED THAT GANG OF MEN WERE APPROACHING HIS CHAPEL. SO THE 1ST THING THE FATHER DID, HE GOT THE KEY TO THE TABERNACLE AND HE OPENED THE TABERNACLE TO TAKE OUT THE CIBORIUM WHICH HOLDS THE SACRED HOST OF THE EUCHARIST. HE DID NOT WANT THEM TO DESECRATE THE MOST BLESSED SACRAMENT. THAT IS 1 OF THE WORST SINS THAT ANYONE CAN COMMIT. SO HE TOOK THE CIBORIUM, HE MOST LIKELY EXITED THE OPPOSITE WAY THAT THE GANG OF MEN, THAT THEY WERE APPROACHING. AS HE WAS LEAVING THE CHURCH THE CHAPEL, HE HEARD A VOICE AND IT WAS A VOICE OF A WOMAN. AND THE WOMAN SAID, SON, YOU FORGOT ME. SO FATHER HE THOUGHT TO HIMSELF, MY MOM. HOW IS IT I CAN HEAR MY MOM RIGHT NOW? OF COURSE HE DIDN'T WANT ANYONE TO GET HURT FROM THIS GANG OF MEN SO HE GOES BACK INTO THE CHAPEL AND HE LOOKS AROUND BUT HE DOES NOT SEE ANYONE. HE THOUGHT TO HIMSELF HE WAS JUST HEARING SOMETHING BASED ON THE PRESSURE OF THE SITUATION. SO HE EXITS AGAIN. HE IS HOLDING THE CIBORIUM OF JESUS IN THE EUCHARIST. AS HE EXITS THE 2ND TIME HE HEARS THE WOMAN'S VOICE AGAIN. AND SHE SAID, SON, DO NOT LEAVE ME TO YOUR ENEMIES. SO AS HE WAS HEARING THE VOICE HE QUICKLY CAME BACK IN AND HE WAS LOOKING AROUND TO SEE WHO IS SAYING THIS. AND WHAT DOES HE NOTICE? HE NOTICED THE STATUE OF MARY TALKING TO HIM. SO I AM SURE HE PROBABLY THOUGHT SOMETHING LIKE WELL IF MARY TELLS ME TO DO SOMETHING I HAD BETTER DO IT. THAT IS GOOD ADVICE. SO HE GOES TO THE STATUE, HE IS ALREADY HOLDING JESUS IN THE EUCHARIST IN ONE HAND AND NOW HE HAS TO HOLD THE STATUE OF MARY IN HIS OTHER HAND OR BETTER YET HIS ARM. THE STATUE WAS MADE OUT OF ALABASTER. IT WAS VERY HEAVY. SO FINALLY HE EXITS THE CHURCH AND AS HE EXITS THE CHURCH THE GANG OF MEN SPOT HIM. AND THEY START TO CHASE AFTER HIM TO KILL HIM. SO HERE FATHER IS HOLDING THIS HEAVY STATUE OF MARY AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, JESUS IN THE EUCHARIST AND HE IS TRYING TO GET TO SAFETY. EVENTUALLY AS HE IS TRYING TO GET TO SAFETY HE APPROACHES A RIVER. AND THE RIVER, ITS CURRENT OR STREAM IS VERY STRONG. SO HE CAN TRY TO CROSS THIS RIVER TO GET TO SAFETY HOLDING THIS HEAVY STATUE OF MARY AND MOST IMPORTANTLY JESUS IN THE EUCHARIST BUT MOST LIKELY DROWN. HE COULD'VE PUT THE STATUE AND/OR THE BLESSED SACRAMENT ON THE GROUND AND TRIED TO SWIM ACROSS WITH 2 ARMS AVAILABLE. I DON'T KNOW MAYBE HE WAS AN OLYMPIC SWIMMER BEFORE HE ENTERED THE PRIESTHOOD. PROBABLY NOT. AND HE DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE IT ON THE GROUND BECAUSE THAT IS THE REASON WHY HE TOOK THOSE 2 OBJECTS OUT OF THE CHURCH TO BEGIN WITH. SO THEY WOULD NOT BE DESECRATED. OR HE COULD'VE JUST TRIED TO REASON WITH THESE PEOPLE. BUT SOME PEOPLE JUST ARE UNREASONABLE. WHAT DID HE DO? WELL HE DID SOMETHING I HOPE ALL OF YOU DO IF YOU ARE EVER IN THE SITUATION. HE PRAYED IN EUCHARISTIC ADORATION. THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, JESUS AND THE MOST BLESSED SACRAMENT WAS IN HIS HANDS IN THE CIBORIUM. I'M SURE HE SAID A PRAYER TO MARY SOMETHING LIKE MOTHER, YOU TOLD ME TO TAKE YOUR STATUE OUT OF THE CHURCH. I AM ABOUT TO DIE. PLEASE HELP ME. SO WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THAT? THE RIVER'S CURRENT OR STREAM COMPLETELY STOPPED. OBVIOUSLY A SIGN FROM GOD. SO HERE FATHER IS HOLDING THESE 2 OBJECTS CROSSING THIS RIVER AND THANKS BE TO GOD HE EVENTUALLY GETS TO THE OTHER SIDE. AND RIGHT AFTER HE CROSSES THE RIVER THAT GANG OF MEN THEY CATCH UP AND THEY ARE ABOUT TO STEP FOOT INTO THE RIVER BUT GUESS WHAT HAPPENS? THE RIVER'S CURRENT OR STREAMS BEGAN AGAIN. AND THEY ARE TOO CHICKEN TOO SCARED TO CROSS THIS RIVER BECAUSE THEY WOULD'VE MOST LIKELY DROWNED. JUST IN CASE YOU'RE WONDERING, THAT IS A TRUE STORY. A STORY OF A SAINT. HIS NAME IS ST. HYACINTH. ST. HYACINTH BELONGED TO THE ORDER OF PREACHERS ALSO KNOWN AS THE DOMINICANS. IF YOU EVER SEE A STATUE OR A PICTURE OF ST. HYACINTH, HE WILL ALWAYS BE HOLDING 2 OBJECTS. ONE USUALLY A VERY LARGE STATUE OF MARY IN ONE ARM AND IN THE OTHER HAND HE IS HOLDING JESUS IN THE EUCHARIST. THAT WAS IN UKRAINE AND IT WAS IN THE RIVER AND ST. HYACINTH IS 1 OF THE PATRONS OF POLAND. WHY DO I TELL YOU THIS STORY IN THE CONTEXT ESPECIALLY OF OUR READING TODAY? 1ST AND FOREMOST, DEVOTION TO MARY ESPECIALLY BY PRAYING THE ROSARY ALWAYS LEADS US TO JESUS. ESPECIALLY IN THE EUCHARIST. BUT ALONG WITH THAT, IF WE WANT A MIRACLE IN OUR LIFE THEN WE NEED TO GO TO JESUS IN THE MOST BLESSED SACRAMENT. WHATEVER MIRACLE THAT YOU WANT GRANTED TO YOU, THE GREATEST PRAYER IS TO ATTEND MASS AND TO OFFER HOLY COMMUNION FOR THAT SPECIFIC INTENTION. DO YOU WANT YOUR FAMILY, YOU WANT YOUR FRIENDS THAT MAY HAVE LOST THEIR FAITH THAT NO LONGER GO TO CHURCH, YOU WANT THEM TO GO TO HEAVEN? PRAY A HOLY HOUR IN EUCHARISTIC ADORATION IN REPARATION FOR THEIR SINS. DO YOU WANT TO BECOME A SAINT YOURSELF? DO YOU WANT TO LIVE IN HEROIC VIRTUE? THEN MAKE THE HOLY SACRIFICE OF THE MASS A PRIORITY NUMBER 1 IN YOUR WEEK. SO AGAIN IT IS ALL ABOUT GETTING TO HEAVEN. THAT IS THE WHOLE POINT. THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND. WHETHER IT IS OUR OWN DEATH OR THE 2ND COMING, IT IS RIGHT AT OUR DOORSTEP. I'M NOT TRYING TO SAY THE WORLD IS GOING TO END TODAY. EITHER WAY, IF YOU COMPARE ETERNITY TO THE LITTLE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT WE ARE GOING TO SPEND HERE ON EARTH IT IS REALLY NOT COMPARABLE. AND WE WANT TO BE READY AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. SO THIS IS THE TIME OF FULFILLMENT. THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND. IT IS ALWAYS GOOD AS ALL OF YOU KNOW TO MAKE A RESOLUTION DURING A NEW YEAR, DURING A NEW LITURGICAL SEASON IF I MAY RECOMMEND ONE TO ALL OF YOU HERE AND EVERYONE WATCHING AND LISTENING, TO PRAY A EUCHARISTIC HOLY HOUR ONE TIME AT LEAST PER WEEK. NOW SOME OF YOU CANNOT; MAYBE YOU ARE AT HOME AND YOU REALLY CANNOT GET OUT OF YOUR HOUSE WHICH OBVIOUSLY GOD UNDERSTANDS BUT FOR MOST OF US THAT CAN DRIVE AND GET AROUND, IT IS GOOD TO SPEND TIME WITH JESUS PHYSICALLY IN THE EUCHARIST. OUTSIDE OF THE HOLY SACRIFICE OF THE MASS I GUARANTEE YOU THERE WILL NOT BE ANY BETTER PART OF YOUR WEEK THAN THE TIME THAT WE SPEND IN FRONT OF JESUS IN THE EUCHARIST. ST. MOTHER TERESA SAID THERE IS NO OTHER PLACE ON THIS EARTH THAT YOU WILL FEEL MORE WELCOME. THERE IS NO OTHER PLACE THAT YOU WILL FEEL MORE LOVED THAN THE TIME YOU SPEND IN FRONT OF JESUS IN THE EUCHARIST. AS ST. FRANCIS DE SALES HAS SAID TO OVER EMPHASIZE THIS POINT, WE MUST VISIT JESUS IN THE BLESSED SACRAMENT 100,000 TIMES A DAY.
