1st Sunday of Lent 2017

7th Ordinary Sunday 2017

6th Ordinary SundayFeb. 12, 2017

5th Ordinary Sunday 2017

How We Are Called To Live As Christians

How we live life as Christians

January 29, 2017

By Rev. Robert Johnnene OFM

, Mission Sts. Sergius & Bacchus/ Order Franciscans of Mercy

www.orderfranciscansofmercy.org

www.missionstsergius.org

Based on; Zephaniah 2:3 - 3:13, 1 Corinthians 1:26 - 31, Matthew 5:1 - 12

 

This week’s readings are instructions on how to live our life as a true Christian and please God.

By asking ourselves a few questions we can determine if we are truly following God’s will as instructed by Jesus Christ’s.

The first reading from the book of Zephaniah gives a clear instruction on how to live our daily life. “Seek the Lord, all you, the humble of the earth, who obey his commands. Seek integrity, seek humility: you may perhaps find shelter on the day of the anger of the Lord.”  “ They will do no wrong, will tell no lies; and the perjured tongue will no longer be found in their mouths. But they will be able to graze and rest with no one to disturb them”

Paul’s letter to the Corinthians continues the theme by instructing us on who God looks upon as favorable “at the time when you were called: how many of you were wise in the ordinary sense of the word, how many were influential people, or came from noble families? None, God chose what is foolish by human standards, those whom the world thinks common and contemptible; they are the ones that God has chosen”

And the Gospel reading, referred to as the Sermon On The Mount or The Beatitudes spells out for us they way to achieve God’s infinite love and gain everlasting life with Christ in heaven..

According to the dictionary Beatitude means “Heavenly Happiness or Bliss”

Let us examine these Beatitudes one by one and try to decipher what they mean.

“How happy are the poor in spirit; theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”  What exactly does it mean to be “Poor in Spirit”?  It means that we understand our own guilt and helplessness, that we see in its true light the tendency in us to everything evil, in short, it means that we admit our fallibility and our need for God’s help through the Holy Spirit to overcome our weaknesses.

Happy the gentle:  they shall have the earth for their heritage. Being gentle is so often misunderstood as a sign of weakness but in reality being gentle means being agreeable and tolerant. Being a person who is respectful of others.  So often in this modern world of the twenty-first century we see a total lack of tolerance and respect for the concerns and need of others and more self-indulgence.  This is not living the way Christ instructed.

 

Happy those who mourn: they shall be comforted. To mourn is to feel and show sadness because something has been lost or no longer exists.  We mourn the loss of a child, friend relative not only with words but with action.  In Jewish and many other customs when a family is grieving neighbors bring food for the family and try to bring comfort into their lives by doing common tasks in order to allow them to come to grips with their loss.  But we can also mourn the loss human compassion people show by not looking out for the wellbeing of God’s less affluent people and the total lack of concern for the stabilization of our environment.

 

Happy those who hunger and thirst for what is right: they shall be satisfied. To hunger and thirst means to have a craving or a great need or desire for something. There are people who live in many countries including our own that are deprived basic rights every human should be entitled to. Like the right to decent housing, affordable adequate medical care and healthy food to eat.  As long as people ignore these problems they are not living as Christians and they may well not ever be satisfied for it is in caring and giving that happiness is found.

 

Happy the merciful: they shall have mercy shown them.  To be merciful is showing mercy or compassion to the poor, sick, aged and being open and welcoming to all who come with honest desire to worship God.

 

Happy the pure in heart: they shall see God. Being Pure of heart is having pure motive. Our hearts should be characterized by single-mindedness and undivided devotion. William Barclay, the famous Scottish New Testament scholar, says that this verse can be translated in the following way: "Blessed is the man whose motive is always entirely unmixed, for that man shall see God."  Watching the political debates on  morality and the direction our nation should take is fascinating.  I am not entirely sure that the politicians really understand what true morality is and where it comes from and that their motives are pure or just glory and power seeking.

Happy the peacemakers: they shall be called sons of God.  This one is easy, being a peacemaker is a person who brings about peace and reconciliation between others and will do everything in their power to achieve that rather than use force or violence to achieve a goal.  Sadly so many who advocated that goal, like Gandhi, Brother Roger of Taize, and Martin Luther King Jr. who were all killed for advocating peace.

 

Happy those who are persecuted in the cause of right: theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Throughout history people who have tried to advocate what is right and just have all too often been ridiculed and ignored because they were looked upon as being different or in many cases crazy. 

Our society likes to place people in certain niches and when someone does not fit comfortably into the niche others think they should be in they receive scorn.

God created a world of diversity and to try to change that into a world of conformity is to not accept God’s will.
The last paragraph of the Sermon on the Mount sums up what lies in store for those who endure the rejection, scorn, alienation and disenfranchisement and still hold onto their faith in God.  “Happy are you when people abuse you and persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven; this is how they persecuted the prophets before you.”  Matthew 5:12

 

Beginning now let’s evaluate ourselves using the Beatitudes, Let us ask ourselves the difficult questions and answer them honestly as if we were facing God and answering him. 

Let’s put into action the changes we need to make to more fully live Christ’s teachings every hour of every day.

Making major changes in our life styles can be difficult especially when those changes do not fit with our current society.

God expects us to speak up loudly when we see injustice, poverty, deceit, corruption, or greed being used to subjugate any of His children and to always Seek integrity, seek humility  (Zephaniah 2:3)      AMEN

4th Sunday Ordinary time 2017

What is the Reformed Catholic Church and their ministries

Homily for Sunday Jan. 22, 2017

How would You Answer Christ‘s Call,

A Reflection for the Third Sunday of Ordinary Time, 2017

January 22, 2017

BY Rev. Robert Johnnene OFM

Mission Sts. Sergius and Bacchus

Order Franciscans of Mercy

Reformed Catholic Church

www.orderfranciscansofmercy.org

www.missionstsergius.org

Based on Readings from Isaiah 8:23 - 9:3, 1 Corinthians 1:10 - 17,& Matthew 4:12 - 23  

 

The Gospel for today is the story of Christ calling the first apostles to follow him and how they dropped everything on the spot to do so.

It had me wonder on how I, or anyone in this the twenty first Century would respond to Christ’s call and what was it about Christ that common men left everything to follow a very poor carpenter.

The same might also be asked about why so many, 5000 in a very short space of time, choose to follow our Seraphic Father Francis of Assisi when many of his towns people considered him crazy, just as many considered Christ crazy.

The Gospel story tells us ;“From that moment, Jesus began his preaching with the message, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand’.  …‘Follow me and I will make you fishers of men’…

If you lived at that time or in fact even today,and heard someone saying He would make them “Fishers of Men” what would you think?

Probably the same thing that people thought in both Christ’s and Saint Francis time, this person is a lunatic.

One thing I do know is that today, vocations to religious life are way down from when I was a child. In most Catholic families, mothers all prayed that one of their sons might aspire to be called to the priesthood or a daughter to be a nun. Today, sadly, that kind of thinking is the furthest ffrom most parents thinking.

Sadly, even when someone does come forward seeking to be a member of our Franciscan community or feels they are being called by God to be a deacon or a priest, they do not want to put in the time and the effort required in studying that is required in order for them to achieve their perceived vocation.

It is like many things in our society, we seek instant gratification and that is not always the best or even most enjoyable and pleasant.

Repeatedly, week after week through the readings from Holy Scripture we hear how Christ fulfilled all the prophecies that foretold of the coming of the messiah, this week is no different. 

The prophet Isaiah refers to the one to come, Christ, as “a great light” one that will bring those who walk in darkness into the light.”

Christ did indeed bring light into a world full of darkness and gloom, not unlike the world we live in today. 

In order for that light to break through Christ had to take on the pain and suffering of rejection and doubt and ultimately die the ignominious death of a criminal on the cross just so we could achieve the forgiveness of our sins and transgressions and have the opportunity to gain eternal life free of pain and suffering.

Christ began by exhorting all to “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand”

Today, in a world where there is more emphasis on worldly things and less emphasis on living according to the teachings of Christ and giving God a portion of our daily time, we need to reflect on what Christ brought to us and how he instructed us to live. 

The light that Christ brought wiped away the darkness that enveloped the world by showing us that Love of God and love and respect of each other and all God created was the way to live.

Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians could also be speaking to those of us who live in the world today “I appeal to you, brothers, for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, to make up the differences between you, and instead of disagreeing among you, to be united again in your belief and practice.”

Over the centuries that divide us from the time of Christ to this twenty first century there have been many changes made to the words of Christ. Man has taken the simple message of Love, charity, Compassion, and forgiveness that Christ preached and added many that have nothing to do with knowing, loving and serving God but a lot to do with control, power, and sadly, greed.

Through the years these manmade rules and regulations have divided the Church that the apostles formed based on the teachings of Christ.

In my opinion events of recent years like speaking out in favor of a return to allowing married priests and the ordination of women as deacons, as they were in the time of Paul is The Holy Spirit attempting to awaken us to greater possibilities of serving God and his ever enlarging flock.

There are so many people who are hearing the call “Follow me and I will make you fishers of people” but are being denied that opportunity because they are married or are women. 

Virtually all Protestant denominations including those that are a part of The One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church like the Anglicans and Lutherans and, reformed Judaism, have women serving as priests, ministers, or rabbis.

The Second Vatican Council's Decree on Ecumenism acknowledges the action of the Holy Spirit in other denominations (Ch. 1, Art. 3); and states "Whatever is wrought by the grace of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of our separated brothers and sisters can contribute to our own edification." (Ch. 1, Art. 4).

It would seem that Catholicism has something to learn in our journey toward true ecumenism.

With so much dissention and strife in this world, with poverty, hunger, and war claiming so many lives we need to return to the ways Christ instructed.

We need to let His light illuminate the road we will travel, and use the truth of His teachings as our roadmap to bringing about a time of brotherly love and Christian unity. 

Only by doing that we will again gather together as one united faith community in service to the  Father, Son and Holy Spirit; and be living out the great commandments proclaimed by Christ “Love the Lord, your God, with your whole heart, mind and soul, and love your neighbor as you love yourself.” 

We begin by accepting ourselves as God made us and accepting the diversity that God created for purposes know to Him alone.

We are all children of God, Jew or Gentile, Greek, Italian, Irish, Spanish or German, all are created by God and are His children, let us respect each other and love each other as Christ instructed.

Let us not shut out the light that Christ brought to the world but let us allow the Holy Spirit, the enlightener, to open us up to think beyond the status quo and realize that Christ challenged the norm of His day so we may well have to challenge the norms of today.

Let us actively seek to find ways to, as St Paul advised to the Corinthians, “make up the differences that separate us”, and seek out a way of unifying the entire Mystical Body of Christ.

 

I close this reflection with the words of Benedict XVI who ended his statement on Ecumenism with these words “May his example (St. Paul’s) be an encouragement for everyone to accept the Word of salvation and to translate it into daily life, in faithful discipleship of Christ." AMEN

3rd Ordinary Sunday Jan 22 2017

2nd Ordinary Sunday 2017

Epiphany Reflection 2017

Jan. 8^th  2017 Feast of Epiphany

Also known as Three Kings Day

A Reflection by Rev. Robert Johnnene OFM

Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus

Order Franciscans of Mercy

www.orderfranciscansofmercy.org

www.missionstsergius.org

Based on readings from: Isaiah 60:1-6, Psalm 72, Ephesians 3:2-6, Matthew 2:1-12

January 8, 2017

If we look up the word EPIPHANY in a dictionary you find it has more meanings than just a feast we celebrate on January sixth celebrating the presentation of gifts by the Three Wise Men  to the Infant Jesus and the Holy Family. One of the meanings is “manifestation of a divine being”; the other meaning is “A Sudden intuitive leap of understanding or faith, especially through an ordinary but striking occurrence”.

The feast of The Epiphany fits both definitions.   God mad His son known to the world through the Three Wise Men’s visit after following a star that they, as astronomers and astrologers believed foretold of the birth of the king of all kings. , The Eastern Orthodox Church celebrates the feast as the baptism of Jesus Christ.

The event certainly fits both definitions; a manifestation of a divine being and an intuitive leap of understanding or faith through an ordinary but striking occurrence, for that is exactly what happened. The three wise men believed an astrological sign and followed a star which was not one they knew and which seemed to be a beacon traveling through the sky to Bethlehem to behold the King of Kings, Jesus Christ. The birth of such a child had also been prophesized not only in Jewish writings but in the writings of other religions, probably those who trace themselves back to Abraham.

In Hispanic and Latin cultures, as well as some places in Europe, the feast day is known as Three Kings’ Day. Because of differences in church calendars, mainly between the Eastern Orthodox and the western Catholic and Protestant traditions, both Christmas and Epiphany have been observed at different times in the past.  Today, most of the Eastern Orthodox traditions follow the western church calendar. The exceptions are some Greek Orthodox Churches and related traditions. 

The Russian and Serbian Orthodox churches still follow the older calendar and celebrate Epiphany as the Feast of Theophany (From the Greek, Theo (God), and phainein (to show forth), Theophany means an appearance of God to man.) on January 19th.

Epiphany marks the end of the Christmas Season and the Twelve Days of Christmas, which are usually counted from December 25th until January 5th.  In most traditions, the day before Epiphany is the Twelfth Day of Christmas, the evening of which is called Twelfth Night.  This is an occasion for feasting in some cultures, including the baking of a special King's Cake as part of the festivities of Epiphany.  Polish people celebrate the feast by marking the initials of the three Kings, (Casper, Melchior, Balthasar) over their door with the numerals of the year in the following manner; (20CMB07) which they believe will bring them good fortune throughout the year and their dining table upon which they feast is covered with straw under a linen cloth to simulate the manger where Christ was born.

What we need to reflect on is the wonderful manifestation of God’s only Son, who came to us as a poor infant human with all the characteristics and difficulties of the human race and what that should mean to each of us.

God in His goodness and wisdom made himself visible to us in Jesus Christ. Prior to this all the recorded manifestations of God to humans were in tongues of fire, a burning bush, a cloud, but never in human form.  In fact the Jewish people and even the prophets believed that looking directly at God would mean death, Not exactly the picture of a loving, merciful, forgiving God. 

I believe that God decided that it was time to reveal the true God and the best way for God to do that was through the birth of Jesus.  Jesus came, as He himself told us, to give us a new covenant.  Jesus came to make clear to us the way, the truth and the life. Jesus is the light which would guide us to the Father.

Jesus said; “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is.  From now on, you do know him and have seen him!”  Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.”  Jesus replied, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak are not my own, but my Fathers who lives in me does his work through me.  Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me.” (John 14:5-11)

Jesus came to teach us the way to the father, Jesus gave us the two great commandments “Love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, mind, soul and body and the second is like unto it Love your neighbor as yourself”

Our Gospel reading for this feast of Epiphany is from Matthew 2 and reads like this; “After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi[a] from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:” ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,  are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;

for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.”

 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared.  He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route”

This visitation of the wise men or three kings, which represented the different parts of the world and it also, was a foretelling that the infant child they came to worship would be a king, prophet and the redeemer for the entire universe and not just the Jewish people.

In other words, Christ came for ALL people, not just a select few.

In John 14:15-21 Jesus makes the reason for his being sent to earth for all men to see and touch completely clear, He was not a disjointed voice booming out of clouds or in a burning bush, He was flesh and blood. He said: “If you love me, obey my commandments.  And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.   I will send The Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you, No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you. Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Since I live, you also will live. When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.”

The manifestation of God in the person of Jesus Christ that we celebrate on the feast of Epiphany came about in an ordinary way, not as a sudden appearance but in a natural birth that followed the nine month pregnancy of Mary, the Theotokos.   The pronouncement of the birth of the King of Kings by the Wise men to Herod and the world and how they arrived in Bethlehem certainly was a striking occurrence. 

The birth of Christ and the pronouncement of that event brought into the world a message of hope, forgiveness and the promise of everlasting life for all people, not just the Jewish people.  Christ promised us that by living justly and as He instructed and gave an example we would all find a peace that the world can not give. 

In this time of trouble throughout the world each of us needs to acknowledge Christ and love Him and through Him, the Father who sent Him.  

We  need to look to them for our deliverance from the worlds and churches’ troubles and seek guidance from the Holy Spirit for a way of  ending the divisions that separate us and are causing so much pain and strife for so many.

We need to express our love more, we need to open our hearts to forgiveness and mercy, we need to pray more and seek self-gratification less.  As Christ has promised; "Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching and My Father will love him. We will come to him and make our home with him. Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. The words you hear me say are not my own. They belong to the Father who sent me. (John 14:23-24)

On this feast of Epiphany, take time to reflect on Christ’s teachings, take time to offer thanks to God for the things He has given you, set aside time to talk to God and Christ using your own words or by reading aloud a portion of scripture or the Psalms or just recite the Our Father.  Make a visit to a church and partake of the liturgy and most especially, the Eucharist. 

Bring your gift to the Christ child by Giving God the honor and praise He deserves by living your life as Christ taught. 

Show your love of God through your deeds. 

I can think of no better way to praise God and to celebrate our thanks for God’s decision to make known to us His truth by sending us His beloved son to live among us as a human.

As the hymn proclaims;  “Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.” AMEN

 

Feast of Epiphany 2017

Annual Fund Drive Update

December Mission/OFM Finance Report/Fund Drive Update

New Balance 10/31/2016         $336.74

INCOME

DONATIONS                                   1462.

NEW BALANCE                                             $1798.74

EXPENSES                                       $744.97

NEW BALANCE AS OF 12/31/2016      $1053.77

We thank Tanya D., Betty R., Landon M., Mary Jane B., Blake D., Eric S., Albert M. Peter M., Chris D., Tara S., Rachel L., Connie H. for their generous donations.

To date we have raised $1462 of the 2017 goal of $5575. which means we still need $4113 to insure we will be able to meet all our financial obligations for the fiscal year 2017.

Please consider making a donation by using the either PAYPAL DONATION buttons found on our web sites www.missionstsergius.org  &

www.orderfranciscansofmercy.org

or by sending your donation directly to our Mission Bank : Mission Sts. Sergius & Bacchus, C/O Middlesex Savings Bank,  830 Washington Street Holliston, MA 01746

God bless you and keep you, AMEN

New Year 2017 Reflection

A Christmas Reflection

A Christmas 2016 Reflection

By Rev. Bob Johnnene OFM

Mission Sts. Sergius & Bacchus/ Order Franciscans of Mercy

Reformed Catholic Church

www.Missionstsetgius.org

www.orderfranciscansofmercy.org

 

“Glory to God in the highest heaven,and peace to men who enjoy his favour.”(Luke 2:14) “Glory to God in the highest, and peace to all people on earth with whom He is Pleased. Today is born unto us a Savior, who is Christ the Lord”. (John 2:14, 11) “ His name will be called “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6)

What a glorious gift was given to us when Christ was born in a simple stable. The King of Kings, Lord of Lords was not born in a palatial palace. He was not born in the warmth comfort of a home or inn. No, he was born in a humble stable surrounded, not by nurses and doctors and relatives but only by His parents, Mary and Joseph and the animals of the barn.

Jesus first visitors were simple shepherds, not the elite of the world. This birth was a message to us that we should live simply.  Riches, fame, and fortune are not what matters, but compassion for the marginalized of the world, love of family and friends, sharing the gifts God has given us with others and trust and faith in God are what matters. 

Christ is referred to as “The Light of the World” this means He was sent to illuminate the way for us, like a brilliant beacon that guides ships away from dangerous shoals and reefs toward a safe harbor. Christ was born to teach us how to dispel the darkness of fear, doubt, hatred and anger and to find comfort in times of distress.

“God’s grace has been revealed, and it has made salvation possible for the whole human race and taught us that what we have to do is to give up everything that does not lead to God, and all our worldly ambitions; we must be self-restrained and live good lives here in this present world, while we are waiting in hope for the blessing which will come with the Appearing of the glory of our great God and saviour Christ Jesus. He sacrificed himself for us in order to set us free from all wickedness and to purify a people so that it could be his very own and would have no ambition except to do good “(Titus 2:11-14)

The miraculous birth that we celebrate at Christmas brought to earth God made flesh. God gave us a human image to equate to; a human being that had to endure all the human feelings, emotions, problems and joys that each of us experience on our journey of life.

Christ endured the pain of a loss of a parent and friends; He experienced the joy of a wedding of a friend.

Christ became angry at the greed and callousness of the priests and temple employees.

Christ also told us how to live a life that would insure everlasting peace. His message was one of Love, forgiveness, compassion and generosity.

On this day that we celebrate God’s gift to us of His only son and the new promise of salvation to all his children, let us present an offering to Him that reflects the way of life He advised us to lead.

Let us begin to be more compassionate to those who are suffering from hunger, illnesses such as AIDS and cancer, poverty, substandard housing, unemployment,  and discrimination. 

Let us work diligently to eliminate these ills from the world and bring about a world where every one of God’s children is treated with equality in all matters and given the same rights and privileges as every other person.

On this day that we celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace let us make a concerted effort to bring peace into the world beginning with our own families, friends and neighbors with whom we might be have a disagreement. I

f all of us begin in this small way, we can make a huge difference. As Neil Armstrong said upon landing on the moon, “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind”.

Let us take our small step in the direction of bringing peace into our own lives which just might prod others to do the same and eventually a “Virus of Peace” could envelope the whole world.

Pope Francis has focused his attention on the hope that comes to us at Christmas which is a different kind of hope a reliable and visible hope because it is founded on God; The Pope noted how hope often refers to “that which is not in man’s power and which is not visible,” something “beyond our strength” that we cannot see.

He said “However, Christ’s birth, inaugurating the Redemption, speaks to us of a different hope, a reliable, visible and comprehensible hope, because it is founded on God, Christ entered the world and gave us the strength to walk with him: God walks with us in Jesus and to walk with Him towards the fullness of life gives us the strength to be in the present in a new way, though laborious. This hope is a certainty that we are with Christ on the way to the Father”

Pope Francis explained.; “This hope, which the Child of Bethlehem gives us, offers a goal, a good destiny to the present, the salvation of humanity, beatitude to the one who entrusts himself to the merciful God.”

The Pontiff suggested that we ask ourselves, “Do I walk with hope or is my interior life stopped, closed? Is my heart a closed drawer or a drawer open to hope, which has me walk with Christ, and not alone?”

The Holy Father then turned to the Christmas crib, saying it transmits hope and that each of the people represented there are “immersed in this atmosphere of hope.”

Let us pray that this Christmas brings this special kind of hope, to the many displaced persons, exiles and refugees from the continuing violence and war in the Middle East and all the poor, homeless, unemployed who have lost a place to live and lie their head just as the Infant Jesus had no place to lay his head except a feeding troth for farm animals. Let us pray that the hope that the Pope spoke of lifts up all the lonely elderly in nursing homes, hospices and shut-ins who are often alone and feel deserted.

May all who now are suffering receive the necessary humanitarian help to overcome the rigors of winter and find hope in a brighter day.

I end my Christmas message with these words of Jesus Christ and pray that the Peace of Christ will invade your hearts today and all the days of your life.  God bless you and have a blessed Christmas Holiday. "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful." (John 14:27)

Christmas 2016 Show

Christmas 2016 Show

Very Urgent Christmas Appeal

Urgent Christmas Appeal

It’s the Christmas season and appeals for support are everywhere and we also must urgently appeal.

Our coffers are empty and we have $478 in Mission bills that must be paid by January 5 or we default on our Car payment, Auto Insurance down payment, Web sites  domains and other necessary mission expenses which would mean we could not be able to continue the ministries to the sick & aged in hospitals, nursing homes, shut-ins and homeless on the streets of New York and other areas.

Please make a donation to our ministry, it is easy, just go to one of our web-sites www.orderfranciscansofmercy.org  or  www.missionstsergius.org and place you curser on the DONATION button which will take you to PayPal where you can safely and securely make a donation.

 OR send a check or money order directly to our mission bank.

MISSIONS SAINTS SERGIUS & BACCHUS,

C/O MIDDLESEX SAVINGS BANK,

830 WASHINGTON STREET,

HOLLISTON, MA, 01746.

May the Christ Child bless you and keep you; May the God the father make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; May the Lord turn his face toward you and give you inner peace and hear your prayers this Christmas and in the coming New Year.

Pace e Bene
Rev. Fr. Bob Johnnene OFM
Servant General, Order Franciscans of Mercy

Homily for 4th Sunday of Advent 2016

4th Sunday of Advent 2013 Reflection

By Rev. Bob Johnnene OFM

Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus/ Order Franciscans Mercy

Reformed Catholic Church

Link to Franciscans Web Site: www.orderfranciscansofemercy.org

Link to All Reflections TV Shows; http://www.youtube.com/user/RevBobJohn

Link to Mission Web Site: www.missionstsergius.org

Readings from Isaiah 7:10-14, Psalm 24, Romans 1:1-7, Matthew 1:18-24

 

The Gospel for the Fourth Sunday of Advent indicates how powerful the child in the womb of Mary was. The force of the Holy Spirit so emanated from the child in Mary’s womb that John the Baptist who was in Elizabeth’s womb jumped with joy.

We must remember that Mary accepted the will of the Lord in spite of the possiblilty that in doing so she could be stoned to death.

How accepting are we of God’s will?

That is the lesson and the question we need to examine this last Sunday of Advent before we celebrate the birth of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ next Sunday December 25^th.

Throughout all of history the Church has strongly encouraged the faithful to follow the example of Mary and give birth to Christ again in their hearts and through their actions and spiritually through prayer, reconciliation and partaking of the Eucharist.

Mary answered God’s call because she had hope and that is what we need to have according to Pope Francis;

In the Pope’s advent message he said; “For the great human family it is necessary to renew always the common horizon toward which we are journeying. The horizon of hope! This is the horizon that makes a good journey, Let us rediscover the beauty of being together along the way: the Church, with her vocation and mission, and the whole of humanity, the people, the civilizations, the cultures, all together on the paths of time.

The Blesses mother Mary serves as a “model of this spiritual attitude, to this way of being and of journeying in life.”

Although she was just a “simple girl,” she “carried in her heart the hope of God,” In her womb, the hope of God took flesh, became man, and made history: Jesus Christ.”

Mary’s song of praise in the Magnificat “is the canticle of the People of God on the journey, and of all men and women who hope in God, in the power of his mercy.” Said Pope Francis.

Let us be guided by her, she who is mother, she is our mother and knows how to lead us. Let us be guided by her in this time of waiting and active vigilance.”

We are reminded of the words of St. Francis concerning the birth of Christ; “We give birth to him through holy works, which should shine forth as an example for others. How holy and dear, pleasant, humble, peaceful, lovable and desirable above all things it is to have such a brother and such a son, our Lord Jesus Christ!”

As we go through life often times we are faced with problems or trials that we would rather not have to deal with. I find that some of life’s most difficult times are lessons sent by God to lead us toward the place he desires us to be or tests like those Job had to endure as proof of His complete trust and love of God.

St. Franics is telling us that when we love God with a sincere heart we give birth to Christ spiritually especially when we accomplish deeds that manifest Christ’s teachings to the world, like feeding the poor, giving shelter to the homeless, visiting the sick, and praying for the well being of others.

What would have happened, I often wonder, if Mary did not have trust and hope in God and had told Gabrial “You have got to be kidding?  

“You want me to bring forth a child without being married?” “No Way!” “I could get stoned to death as a harlot”

It is with complete hope and faith in God, The God that Mary knew from the Hebrew Scriptures, that Mary accepted God’s invitation even though it could create a very heavy burden for her.

So let us follow Mary as Pope Francis suggests, and as St. Francis often told his brothers and sisters and put our hope and faith in God that he will make our lives better if we offer him the gift of our trust, hope and love this Christmas and tell God “Not our will but your will be done unto us according to your word”  AMEN

 

4th Sunday of Advent 2016

Gaudete Sunday 12112016

Reflection for Sunday Dec.4, 2016

Second Sunday of Advent

December 4, 2016

By Rev. Bob Johnnene OFM

Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus/ Order Franciscans of Mercy

Reformed Catholic Church

www.missionstsergius.org

www.orderfranciscansofmercy.org

Based on Reading froms: Isaiah 11:1-10,; Psalm 72, Romans 15:4-9, Matthew 3:1-12

“The Lord will come to save all nations, and your hearts will exult to hear his majestic voice” the words are the Entrance antiphon for the Second Sunday of Advent.

The opening prayer for this Sunday is asking that nothing may hinder us from receiving Christ with joy.

“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”

We do not make people feel comfortable when we are constantly chiding them for things that they have no control over.   We do not make people less sad when we tell them that they are unwanted in God’s house not for having committed a grievous sin like murder, robbery, or cursing Almighty God, but for being true to how God created them.

Recently Pope Francis in a statement to Polish Bishops had the following comment; “transgenderism is similar to genetic modification and the nuclear arms race, both of which are technologies designed to destroy creation. Both of these abominations, as well as transgenderism, represent blatant sinful acts against Creator God, " Pope Francis did clarify his statement about transgender being an abomination by saying this;  "These people must be accompanied as Jesus accompanied them," said Francis. "It's one thing if a person has this tendency and also changes sex. It's another thing to teach this in school to change mentalities. This is what I call 'ideological colonization. In addition, teaching the "gender theory" in schools is one of the threats that spark a "world war against marriage." When asked how he would minister to Catholics struggling with their gender identity or sexual orientation, he said he would not abandon them because this is what Jesus would do.

The Pope also acknowledged that the issue of transgender Catholics is a problem of morality which must be resolved. However, he cautioned that the issue must always be addressed with God's mercy and "within the truth."

Sadly, what Pope Francis evidently does not know is that his statement and other statements that the church has made about GLBT persons has generated violence and even death against Gay, lesbian, and Transgender individuals.

Some of the Roman Bishops who have spoken out in favor of GLBT persons need to open the pope’s eyes that when the pontiff makes a statement like the one he made it reinforces the mentality of those people who are homophobic and they feel justified in their acts of violence and bigotry.

The Roman Church also bans and has fired people who teach scientific facts, as I do, that God creates people with their sexual orientation and that some people are born with the body of one gender but the overriding chromosome that controls their inner feelings and mind is making them feel like the opposite of what their body is this has a scientific name, “Dysphoria”.

The Roman church throughout history has often refused to acknowledge accepted scientific facts and now they refuse to accept that people are born with a homosexual orientation, or that in the process of their creation some genes did not evolve so an individual might have the outward physical form of a male or a female but their psychological mind and even their external actions are those of the opposite sex their bodies carry. This refusal of accepting majority scientific findings is just like their refusal to accept the finding of Galileo and persecuted him.

True they repented hundreds of years later for that and all the other many sins that the hierarchy of the church committed in the name of God.

That did not make Galileo’s life any easier while he was alive and if a few hundred years from now they decide that they were wrong and indeed God does create people with their sexual orientation or that some individuals are born with the physical appearance of one sex but their seminal self and their anatomic sex are of the opposite sex, making them feel that the reflection they see in a mirror has a very strong disassociation from who they are and it is usually, accompanied by a kind of shock, confusion, or mental jarring. They have a strong, gut-level sensation that whoever is behind the mirror is not them that everything thing is wrong and surreal, they feel like their life is a mirage, alien, unreal, and very distant, giving them persistent discomfort about their assigned sex and its usual gender role; the Mental inner feeling may become apparent in childhood or not appear until adolescence or adulthood. Individuals may attempt to live as members of the opposite sex and seek hormonal and surgical treatment to bring their anatomy into conformity with their belief. Being Transgender is not the same as transvestism.

Just as the churches apology for refuting Galileo’s scientific findings did not help him during his life their awakening to scientific fact about homosexuals and transgender persons in the future will not help those who are being persecuted and often murdered now.

In this year proclaiming and honoring God’s infinite mercy we need to realize that children of God are hurting now !

People are starving now and  they need comfort now

Those who are dying from lack of food, living in housing that is inadequate or being discriminated against and abused because they are homosexual or transgender need to find the comfort of God’s love from those of us who claim we love God and Jesus Christ.

The Gospels are full of stories of how Jesus reached out to the poor, lame, lepers, the “unclean” the non-Jew and the eunuch. He did not withhold His love and healing from anyone if they believed and desired to follow Him, .

He did not reject someone because they were not of the Jewish faith. No! He reached out to all people.

Our second reading reminds us that a day to the Lord could mean a thousand years and a thousand years like a day.

For us, God’s children and the brothers and sisters of Christ, we are here to do God’s work in our time; we are here to make changes in our time. We need to evaluate how we treat others like Christ would have treated them.

Do we accept all as Christ did, or do we discriminate because we are self-righteous and think that our lives are exactly how everyone else should live theirs?

The second reading also tells us that God wants NOBODY to be lost.

Have we answered the call “Come follow me” as Peter and Andrew did, and began living our lives according to the directions Christ Gave us in the Beatitudes and with the words “Love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, mind and soul and love your neighbor as yourself”

Do we do for our neighbor what we want done to us?

These are questions we need to ask ourselves during this Advent season as we prepare to celebrate the wondrous birth of Our Savior especially this week when we celebrate the Immaculate Conceptions of Our Lady on Thursday.

God ordained that she be born free of the stain of original sin so that her womb would be a pure vessel for His son to be conceived from.

Let us look to Our lady for guidance as to how to conduct our lives and ask her to intercede to her beloved son on our behalf that we become more open and accepting of others. That we live our life daily in a way that brings honor and glory and praise to Almighty God by consoling all those who are suffering and in need that we meet on our daily journey of life. Amen