Deacon Tom's Homily for Sunday, August 21st

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IN JESUS’ DAY, JERUSALEM WAS completely surrounded by a high, thick, stone wall. At intervals along the wall were massive gateways.  When these gates were open, throngs of people could enter and they could even ride camels beneath the high archways.   But when the big, timbered doors were shut, the only way to enter the city was through a small, narrow door.

 

TO PREVENT ENEMY SOLDIERS FROM storming this narrow door, the door itself was barely high enough for an adult to go through and the opening was so tight that each person had to squeeze themself through it with no backpack or baggage.

 

TODAY, JESUS TELLS US THAT THE WAY of salvation is not an easy one; it’s like squeezing through this low, narrow door.  We must be willing to make the effort and be willing to let go of any worldly possessions we’re clinging to.

OR ARE WE TOO MUCH LIKE Harry-the-Wheat-Grower, who was determined to take a piece of his North Dakota farm with him to heaven?  On his death-bed, Harry clasped a piece of sod close to his chest, then attempted to walk right through the Pearly Gates, clutching this remnant of his three-hundred-acre farm.

 

“WAIT A MINUTE THERE,” ST. PETER said. “Just where do you think you’re going with that armful of dirt!”

“I’M TAKING A LITTLE BIT OF THE RICHEST wheat-growing soil on earth into Paradise with me,” said Harry, “because heaven wouldn’t be heaven for me without at least a small piece of my farm.”

“I’M VERY SORRY,” SAID ST. PETER, “YOU cannot take anything into heaven with you.”

“IF I CAN’T TAKE THIS LITTLE PIECE OF home with me, I don’t want to go in!” said Harry.  And with that he sat down at the foot of the heavenly gates, still clasping that piece of sod tightly to his chest!

 

TODAY’S GOSPEL IS NOT AN EASY ONE for us to hear.  Because Jesus is on His way to Jerusalem, on His way to the cross, He knows He doesn’t have much time left to warn us about the challenges and obstacles we must overcome. Jesus came to teach us how to get to Heaven.  He never wants us to feel: “Why didn’t somebody tell me?  If only someone had said something, I would have changed my ways!”

TODAY, WE ASK OURSELVES: DO WE have any baggage strapped to us that would keep us from passing through the narrow gate?  Have we given over every aspect of our lives to God?

 

BY THE WAY, AFTER MANY YEARS AND dozens of appeals to St. Peter, Harry-the-Wheat-Grower finally relented.  He reluctantly put aside the piece of sod, brushed himself off, and, at last, crossed the threshold into Paradise.  Immediately, his heart leapt for joy as he recognized acre upon acre of golden wheat waving in the warm breeze; with tears of joy running down his cheeks, Harry realized that all of Heaven was his beloved farm!

 

IT IS NOT OUT OF MEANNESS THAT OUR loving God asks us to give everything over to Him.  He wants us to be truly free of the baggage of this earth, so that we can be a hundred percent filled with Him.

 

IN THE POEM “THE HOUND OF HEAVEN”, God relentlessly pursues the author, Francis Thompson, for his entire life.  At the end of the poem, God says to Thompson:

 

All which I took from thee I did but take,

Not for thy harms,

But  just that thou might seek it in My arms.

All of which thy child’s mistake,

Fancies is lost, I have stored for thee at home:

Rise, clasp my hand, and come!

Thank you from the Beyond Cornerstone Service Ministry

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During the summer we continue to meet the needs of the Sisters at the St. Augustine's soup kitchen.

Deni thanks everyone for responding to her request for water donations. It was our biggest donation of water yet. It was amazing!!! Please keep the water coming throughout this hot weather. We will definitely need to deliver water every one to two weeks.

Tiffany coordinated a Day of Summer Camp, held on July 15th, for approximately 40 children ages 6 to 14 at St Augustine’s Church. Eight volunteers, consisting of friends and parishioners from St Thomas the Apostle Church, lead an afternoon filled with a visit from Mike’s Ice Cream Truck, Arts & Crafts (Eucharist project & Bracelet Making), dinner, and a school supplies backpack give away donated by Covanta Essex. The children also enjoyed singing with the Sisters and play time outside. Thank you to everyone who donated their time, talent, or treasure to making this day an overwhelming success.

Joanne Hand continues to deliver supplies requested by the nuns as well as donated food containers and women's summer clothes. Joanne also spends time at the kitchen helping to serve meals.

In June, Joseph and Diana delivered food for 150 hearty meals. Joyce Cupoli will coordinate the meal delivery for August 28th.

As we express our sincere thank you for all your help, we also ask for your continued support in meeting the needs of those depending on the service of the soup kitchen.

Deacon Tom's Homily Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

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IN OUR GOSPEL TODAY, WE SEE Martha, the perfect hostess, providing outstanding hospitality for Jesus, her guest. While her sister, Mary, sits at Jesus’ feet, listening intently to His Words, just as disciples for hundreds and hundreds of years before her, sat at their masters’ feet.

JESUS TELLS US TODAY THAT MARY has chosen the better part, letting us know, as His disciples, that we are to spend our days sitting at Jesus’ feet and listening intently to His Words. But, how are we to do this? We have responsibilities; we have a job!

WE DO THIS BY COMBINING OUR work and our prayer so that all day our hearts are joined to God.

ONE WAY TO ACCOMPLISH THIS IS BY briefly lifting up our heart to God dozens of times during the course of the day. Upon rising, for example, we can offer our whole day to God by saying something like: “O my God, I offer You this day/All that I shall think and do and say/Uniting it with what was done/On earth, by Jesus Christ Your Son.” Or, if that’s too long, we could simply say, “Dear God, I offer You this day.”

AT LUNCHTIME, WE CAN SAY, “I LOVE You, Lord Jesus; thank You for all Your Love.” And again, often throughout the day we can ask Jesus to help us and say to Him often, “Praise You, Lord Jesus.” We spend our whole day adoring the Lord and receiving His Blessings.

THE HOLY SPIRIT, DWELLING WITHIN us, will give us the words to say. He will help us to pray frequently.

THEN, WHETHER WE’RE GETTING washed and dressed to go to work, or whether we’re picking up the children after school, or simply putting a box of Cheerios into our ShopRite cart, we can possess Our Blessed Lord in as great tranquility as if we were on our knees in front of the Blessed Sacrament! We come to realize that we are never alone!

A FEW YEARS AGO, A MAN NAMED Dave was bedridden with terminal cancer. He had a chair moved right up next to his bed so he could picture Jesus sitting there next to him. Whenever Dave was alone, he would converse with Jesus, talking to Him, praying to Him, listening to Him.

WHEN DAVE DIED, HIS DAUGHTER called his best friend to tell him that Dave had just passed away. “When I was leaving the house around 2 o’clock,” she explained, “My father called me over to his beside and kissed me on the cheek. When I got back from the store about an hour later, I found him dead. But there was something strange. Apparently, just before Daddy died, for some reason, he leaned over and rested his head on the chair beside his bed.” JESUS HAS PROMISED US, “AND behold, I am with you always, until the end of the world.”