A Catholic Men's Retreat!

The Farm

Sean and Mackenzie take our neighbor's kids to the Farm today.

Private Faith vs Church

......How Jesus and religion are on opposite spectrums

See, one’s the work of God, but one’s a man-made invention

See, one is the cure, but the other’s the infection

See, because religion says “do,” Jesus says “done”

Religion says “slave,” Jesus says “son”

Religion puts you in bondage while Jesus sets you free

Religion makes you blind, but Jesus makes you see

And that’s why religion and Jesus are two different clans.....

.....So for religion, no, I hate it; in fact, I literally resent it....

I am proud of the Family (Religon) that I belong to: The Roman Catholic Church.

Catholic Humor

Pope Benedict

• Although the particular inclination of the homosexual person is not a sin, it is more or less strong tendency ordered to an intrinsic moral evil, and thus the inclination itself must be seen as an objective disorder.

• An Adult faith does not follow the waves of fashion and the latest novelties.

• Dear brothers and sisters, after the great Pope John Paul II, the cardinals have elected me - a simple, humble worker in the vineyard of the Lord.

• Having a clear faith, based on the creed of the church is often labeled today as fundamentalism. Whereas relativism, which is letting oneself be tossed and swept along by every wind of teaching, look like the only attitude acceptable to today's standard.

• I leave from where the apostle arrived.

• I too hope in this short reign to be a man of peace.

• Not all moral issues have the same moral weight as abortion and euthanasia. There may be legitimate diversity of opinion even among Catholics about waging war and applying the death penalty, but not... with regard to abortion and euthanasia.

• Our Christian conviction is that Christ is also the messiah of Israel. Certainly it is in the hands of God how and when the unification of Jews and Christians into the people of God will take place.

• The fact that the church is convinced of not having the right to confer priestly ordination on women is now considered by some as irreconcilable with the European Constitution.

• The fact that the Lord can work and act even with insufficient means consoles me, and above all I entrust myself to your prayers.

• The new pope knows that his task is to make the light of Christ shine before men and women of world - not his own light, but that of Christ.

• Today, I, too, wish to reaffirm that I intend to continue on the path toward improved relations and friendship with the Jewish people, following the decisive lead given by John Paul II.

• We must have great respect for these people who also suffer and who want to find their own way of correct living. On the other hand, to create a legal form of a kind of homosexual marriage, in reality, does not help these people.

• We were looking for a 'good shepherd,' and instead we got a German shepherd.

Marriage

Today’s first reading began by stating that “It is not good for man to be alone and that God wanted to make a suitable partner for him.” God initially created animals to be man’s companions but none proved to be a suitable partner. So God created woman. But He didn’t just create a woman out of nothing as he could have; He took a piece of the man and created her.

The man replied to the creation “This one, at last, is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.”

Jesus teaches us that they are no longer two but one flesh and speaking of the Sacrament of Marriage, “What God has joined together, no human being must separate.”

We all know that over 50% of marriages end in divorce, I believe that most of these were thought of as more of a “Contractual Marriage” (an agreement) than a Sacrament. A Sacramental Marriage is a Covenant by which a man a woman establishes between themselves a partnership for the whole of life. Usually we think of this covenant in a rather personal and individual context. It exists for the good of the spouses and the good of their children.

We sometimes think of the wedding ceremony, which establishes this covenant as belonging to the Bride and Groom, as if it were their wedding alone. They can invite whomever they want, sing their favorite songs, and arrange the ceremony as they please. However, the Second Vatican Council reminds us that the Marriage covenant exists not only for the good of the partners and their children, but also for the good of the church and the good of society at large.

Marriage is a Sacrament.

In each of the sacraments a window opens and we can glimpse the mystery of God and God’s plan for the salvation of the world. In a Christian Marriage we see that God was not content to be alone. Out of love God created us and all that is.

God is faithful no matter what. Whether we are faithful or faithless, God is faithful; whether we wander away in sin or remain in the embrace of love, God is always there and is ever ready to embrace us. This Sacramental Sign, which the husband and wife give to each other, they also give to the entire community of witnesses.

I am guessing that most of us have never personally seen God, however the Sacramental Marriage and the love and relationship that flows between a husband and wife is one of the closest things we have on this earth that represents God’s relationship with us.

The fidelity of Christian husbands and wives represents that love and that relationship that God offers to us. This relationship is a mystery, a mystery for sure……

I was given one of the greatest gifts a child could every receive. I was given two parents who understood the sacrament of marriage. By no means were they perfect, rather imperfect in many ways and they knew it. But their marriage was sacred. They endured trials, disasters, and enjoyed delight, all while having 7 children and raising 6 boys, at times very unruly boys. That was a trial within itself. I am sure that there were times when they felt that they had grown apart, I know there were times when one or both had felt betrayed and hurt beyond imagination, yet they endured, forgave, loved, and understood. They knew that a Sacramental Marriage was much more than a personal endeavor, that it was holy, and it was intimately connected to God’s love for us.

We live in a culture that in many ways has forgotten the holiness and permanence of marriage. Almost all of us have had some connection with a divorce. Divorce always brings hurt, pain, and can leave scars that last a lifetime, if not for the spouses, often for the children.

I am saddened to say that many have left the church, or neglect the communion of Jesus due to a divorce and remarriage, yet they have not taken any steps to resolve this issue with the church. There are many misconceptions regarding what can and cannot be repaired. Neither God, nor the church would ever want to push anyone away, rather just the opposite. Mercy and Love are God’s greatest gifts. If you or someone you know, has endured a divorce and remarried outside of the church, and has a desire to return to full communion, please don’t hesitate to contact one of the Priests or Deacons and begin the process of repair. It is our greatest desire and would be our honor to assist you with reuniting with the church and the Sacraments.

In closing – and returning to today’s message of love.

We as Christians should understand that God does not desire for us to be alone. He desires communion between us, with Jesus, and ultimately with Him. There is no greater want in this world than the desire to be loved. However, to be loved, one must love. To be forgiven, one must forgive, to be understood, one must understand.

God has given Us much more than we could ever give in return.

This understanding of God has been given to us as a guide for earthly living and earthly marriage and we should be eternally grateful. Of all the great obstacles in marriage today, not unlike the obstacles identified in history, these struggles usually have at their roots a common theme of pride or entitlement. Pride and entitlement only creates division and hurt.

Yet one cannot feel grateful and entitled at the same time.

If we could only view life and our relationships through grateful eyes, pride and entitlement would never be our burden. Gratitude and entitlement cannot share the same breath, nor thought.

Think about this for a minute.

Gratitude and Entitlement are opposites; they cannot share the same breath, nor thought.

Marriage is a Journey, where two individuals through God’s grace, travel together, assist each other while growing in holiness, help pick each other up, support each other, forgive each other, love each other, and serve each other in the same manner as God does for us.

That is what a Christian marriage is.

That is what a sacramental marriage is.

Trials, temptations, and obstacles are a part of every marriage, but if we focus our attention on God, seek our God for answers, strengthened by the Sacraments, and can transcend our own self-will, imitate God’s love, mercy, and permanence, our marriages will be fruitful beyond belief.

Our Sacramental marriages will be fruitful beyond belief!

The Epiphany

Is 60:1-6, Mt 2:1-12

The Gospel today is rich with symbols:

• The Journey,

• the Personalities from distant lands,

• the star, its disappearance and reappearance,

• the gifts,

• the difficulties,

• the dream….

All have a unique meaning, especially for Christians, and if contemplated can lead us to where it led the Magi:

To Faith in Christ.

Faith is indeed a long journey, a life-long one. This Faith journey leads us from the security of the “Lands” we are familiar with, to a far-off place where the rules of the game are very different. It requires courage to set out on such a journey when we could stick to the comfort and security of home and “do just what everyone else does.” It requires us to persevere and continue the journey, especially when it is not clear where we are going…. because with all real journeys of faith, more often than not, the specific route and destination is unclear.

But where does such faith come from? I think we all understand that it can’t be purchased, or even earned. Faith in Christ is a grace; or rather it is the grace of all graces.

A gift given to us. But this gift is not to be kept for ourselves, it comes with responsibility. I was once told that to whom much had been given, must is expected. We are all called to share this gift. And in sharing this gift, this gift of faith, our primary responsibility is to be a personal witness of what it contains. We are responsible for doing what we can in the sphere of our own lives so that the light of Christ shines through us to others.

• However, someone who is constantly bad-humored, or self-centered, or continually sad, is not a sign that God lives within them.

• Nor someone whose behavior and conversation is coarse and lewd and who profanes everything he sets his eyes upon or turns his tongue toward, he is not a sign that the sacredness and the beauty of God is within him.

• Nor someone who destroys her neighbor’s reputation on a daily basis; She will not inspire others to say, “Look how they love one another.”

• Nor will someone who lives only to have more of the “stuff” of this world, be likely to make people catch a glimpse of the world to come.

We must honestly ask ourselves:  “What or who do I represent to those around me?  And am I, a transparent window into what can be seen as the City of God?”

Today’s readings also show us that Christ is for all, for everyone. And that the church must be a city placed on a mountain top so all can see and all can come. This church involves each of us. Every Christian, and more so, every Catholic, Is this church. Each one of us is the church in the sense of being the place where Christ dwells and is to be revealed to those who do not know him.

So let us ask ourselves,

“Do I really believe that I am the dwelling place of God?”

“Do I have such faith?”

Many of us were born into a Christian family and it is difficult to appreciate how great the gift of “Faith” actually is. It is easy to take for granted, and we often fail to exercise it. And as we fail to recognize and utilize this gift, it can grow weak, and then we are only capable of short journeys with few or no difficulties.

Perhaps we can’t even travel past the everyday obstacles to find Christ our Lord.

Whether it is due:

• to a health problem,

• or that difficult sister-in-law,

• or the way that particular priest celebrates mass,

• or that particular habit my wife or husband has,

we have such little “strength of faith” that we lose our way. Many people think of the New Year as a time for a new start, and for some it is, but in reality, we have all been on a journey for years,

• and we choose who or what we are searching for,

• who or what we follow,

• and who or what we desire.

The Magi have shown us through example, that when Christ calls, and we focus on him rather than on ourselves, we can persevere. Even at times when the star seems hidden, with faith, it will reappear, and as we journey in faith, we will, come upon –

“The Savior of the World.”

So in conclusion……this gift of faith that has been given to each one of us awaits a response. And like the Magi, God speaks personally to us as well, if only we will listen and believe!

Rise up in splendor, Jerusaelm! Your light has come, the glory of the Lord shines upon you. See, darkness covers the earth, and thick clouds cover the peoples; but upon you the Lord shines, and over you appears his glory.