Paul’s Letter to the Romans assures them that what was once hidden (foretold) had now been revealed in Jesus Christ and that through Him the promise of salvation has been kept which is cause for praise and gratitude from the people.

Luke’s Gospel story of the angel Gabriel appearing to Mary is one that is so familiar to us that it would be easy to just skim over it and miss it’s deeper and more hidden message of the importance of Mary’s role. She is the central and pivotal point in salvation history. The entire world awaits her answer
to God’s question; will she become the Mother of God? Even God awaits her answer. For a young unmarried girl of perhaps 14 or 15 years of age this had to be a frightening experience. In Mary’s time angelic apparitions where not totally uncommon but neither where they common place. We have much reason to believe that she would be fearful. Throughout Israel’s history angelic announcements exacted a price on those who had found favor with God. For Mary, though graced by God would have to endure great hardship. The price one pays for answering Yes to God’s call. Perhaps that’s why so few say yes to the call. As St. Augustine once said, “no wonder you have so few friends, look how badly you treat them.”

This is a momentous moment on which hangs the salvation of human kind. I’m not so sure that any of us would have been so brave to overcome the fear of an unknown future that lay ahead of Mary and still been able to say YES to God’s call.

The angel Gabriel reassures her, “Do not be afraid for you have found favor with God….the child born to you is of the House of King David as was fortold centuries before…the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father…and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Mary is a model of openness and
receptivity irregardless of the hardship, through her God’s plan of salvation is being fulfilled. In her moment of fear and faith she answered God’s question, “be it done to me according to your word…”

Just put yourself in Mary’s place for a moment and ask yourself, what would I have done? God surprised Mary and he surprises us each day too if we watch and wait. What has God done to surprise you recently? What was your answer to God’s surprise in your life?

Since our first World AIDS Day Mass on December 1, 1992, we have had an unbroken chain of World AIDS Day masses of remembrance, compassion, and healing on the Sunday that falls closest to December 1st. For 12 years I was the appointed director of the HIV/AIDS Ministry for the Archdiocese of Miami which is now in its 19th year. The Bishops of Florida wrote their first Pastoral Letter addressing this issue in November, 1987. Their second Letter furthered their first statement which called for the entire church to become aware and involved in educating ourselves, and caring for the infected and affected by the epidemic of AIDS: “An affliction that is bringing devastating grief and anxiety to the people of our age.”
Their Pastoral opens with a quote from the Document on The Church In the Modern World (Gaudium et Spes,1) from the Second Vatican Council, quote: “The joys and hopes, the grief’s and anxieties of the people of this age, especially those who are poor or in any way afflicted, these, too, are the joys and hopes, the grief’s and anxieties of the followers of Christ.” They go on quoting from Matthew’s Gospel, “As often as you did it for one of my least brothers [sisters], you did it for me.” Mt.25:40.
HIV and AIDS has not gone away, it has just disappeared off the T.V., radio, newspapers, and magazines. Unless you have been personally touched by someone you know or care about, we just don’t think about it anymore. However, let me say that I don’t find that to be the case here at St. Maurice because you have given me unconditional love, and shown more care and compassion to me than I could have ever expected.
And for that I am eternally grateful and work hard to give back to you to be best of my ability. However, this is not true for most people living with this disease; in fact, most people believe that AIDS has a cure or has already ended.
Let me assure you, this is far from the truth. In 1987 Florida had the third largest concentration of AIDS in the United States. Today, 25 years later, we now rank number two in the nation, and we still find far too much prejudice, judgment, rejection, and lack of compassion and acceptance of those living with this disease and their families who live in shame and fear of what might happen to them if people were to find out.
This is a sad fact and it pains me to have to say it. We still have not taken to heart the message of our Bishops that urged us 25 years ago to reject prejudices and reminded us of the Lord’s injunction, “Let the one who is without sin cast the first stone.”
As Catholic Christians called to walk in the light of Christ and to live his message: “love one another as I have loved you;” we are called to act with justice, compassion, and care by our willingness to offer help in whatever form we are able to those living with HIV/AIDS and their families.
In the words of the Bishops, “Above all, we have to bring spiritual and sacramental ministry of strength, comfort and hope to the sufferers.” And in the words of one of my mentors, Cardinal Joseph Bernardin in his “Pastoral Statement on the Church’s Response to the AIDS Crisis,” in October of 1986 writes, “We are called, as a community of faith, to confront courageously and compassionately the suffering and death which AIDS is bringing to our world….To do this, we must put aside our fears, our prejudices, and whatever other agendas we may have in this regard.” He goes on to say, “God is loving and compassionate, not vengeful. Made in God’s image, every human being is of inestimable worth, and the life of all persons…is sacred and their dignity must be respected.”
Pope John Paul II wrote his encyclical entitled, On Human Suffering, in 1984. He reminded us of our grave responsibility as Roman Catholics what Christ’s message is to those who are suffering. He writes, “The parable of the Good Samaritan belongs to the gospel of suffering for it indicates what the relationship of each of us must be toward our suffering neighbor. We are not allowed to ‘pass by on the other side’ indifferently; we must ‘stop’ beside him [her]. Everyone who stops beside the suffering of another person, whatever form it may take, is a Good Samaritan. This stopping does not mean curiosity, but availability… The Good Samaritan of Christ’s parable does not stop at sympathy and compassion alone. They become for him an incentive to actions aimed at bringing help to the injured one…”
In conclusion, World AIDS Day is a time for us to consider the state of the pandemic and the challenges we must overcome to achieve a world without AIDS. It’s a time to reflect on the fact that we ALL have a role to play in ending this decimating disease. On this World AIDS Day, let us spread messages of acceptance, compassion and love of self and others that is so critical to ending AIDS. AMEN.

Even with all the bad news Ezekiel’s message today is one of comfort reminding the people that God will rescue them and bring them home and keep them safe much as a shepherd watches over his sheep and protects them. This is very good news that reignites a sense of hope in the people who had lost hope in their king. Here again, we can draw the parallel message to what is happening in our government today, and in fact most governments around the world.
I’ve become hooked on the BBC World News Report which reports the news from around the globe and these days in particular the world economy and the absolute mess we are in. Here is where I draw the comparison between the Hebrews and what was happening to them under the leadership of their king; and what is happening to the major world economies under present government situations of which all of us find ourselves angry at and miss treated by. I’m sure you can see the parallel, its rather obvious I think.
That is why both Ezekiel’s message and Jesus’ message are messages of hope and looking toward the future when there will be a brighter day once again. For thousands of years this cycle has been going on, and like our ancestors before us we will crawl and scratch our way back to a society that is more just with shared sacrifice by all. This is the Prophets message and it is Jesus’ message, even if it takes till the final judgment day as we read in today’s last chapter from the Gospel of Matthew, it will happen. To be realistic the Hebrews lived in slavery for many, many years under several different empires and horrible king leaders. However, my personal hope and desire is that it won’t take that long.
Our economists today are telling us that it’s going to take many, many years for us as a nation and for the major economic powers of our day to scratch and claw our way back out of this huge financial hole we find ourselves in. And let me add, not one that most of us created but our governments created, much like our Hebrew ancestors who didn’t create most of their problems either but their King leadership did.
Today’s passage from Matthew is perhaps the most powerful judgment scene in his entire gospel. He uses the metaphor of the Good Shepherd who, come judgment day will separate the sheep from the goats. We might ask ourselves what criteria will the Good Shepherd use to make His judgment on who are the sheep that have followed his ways and will now receive eternal life; and those who are goats and have not followed his ways and will now suffer eternal punishment?

The judgment criteria is simple and yet profound. Judgment is rendered upon our behavior, specifically by how we have treated the poor, the suffering, and the most vulnerable in our society. Thus mercy and eternal life is given to those who have treated the least among them as Jesus would: with kindness, gentleness, respect, and helped them in any way they could with no regard towards any kind of repayment. Our repayment is in the thanks and happiness we experience when we help others. Most people will tell you that they receive much more in return than they give. These will be rewarded with eternal life, seeing God face to face.
Using the same criteria, those who have walked past the poor and most vulnerable in our society, and who only take all that that they can with no regard for the suffering, the homeless, the sick, and the elderly, and for our time the jobless act counter to the example that the Good Shepherd sets. For they have shown such little regard for these vulnerables; they have not acted as the sheep gate that the Lord has asked of us all, they will go off to eternal punishment. For scripture says, “He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.”
Christ is a different kind of king; He challenges us as his disciples to transform our own lives into lives of service and to the creation of justice, equality, and peace for all people. As Christ suffered for us, so we must also sacrifice out of care and concern for our neighbors, whoever they may be. AMEN.

If :You are 18 years or older, and you are volunteering for
anything at St. Maurice, or you are volunteering for anything for
Country Fair, you must comply with these three requirements:

1-You must have had your fingerprints taken within the last 5 years.
If not, then you need to have your fingerprints taken right away.
Please register online at: www.adom.sofn.net. Print the Bar Code that comes
up at the end of the process. Then, go to the fingerprint center that you chose,
at the appointed time, with your Bar Code and the ID you used for the
registration process. The Archdiocese of Miami will pay for the fingerprinting
process.

2-You must have attended a Virtus Workshop for Adults.
If you have not, then, please take note of these 2 dates for a workshop at
St. Maurice: October 22, at 9:30 A.M. in Spanish
October 29, at 9:30 A.M. in English

You must pre-register by going to www.virtusonline.org, press the tab for
Registration, and follow the instructions that come up. If you wish, click to
watch the Brief Tutorial on the pre-registration process, before you start,
if it will make you more secure. If the dates or times of the St. Maurice
workshops are not convenient for you, then, please choose a workshop at
another location that is convenient for you. When you attend the workshop
chosen, be sure to sign in. Then, after the session has been recorded by the
Archdiocese, go back to www.virtusonline.org, and print your Certificate.

3.You must have signed the Code of Conduct.
If you haven’t, then call the Office at 954-961-7777, to make arrangements
for you to sign it.

IF YOU DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO A COMPUTER, PLEASE CALL THE OFFICE AT 954-961-7777, ASK FOR LUCY, WHO WILL ARRANGE
TO HELP YOU WITH THE PROCESS

ATENCION VOLUNTARIOS

La Arquidiócesis de Miami y la Conferencia Nacional de Obispos Católicos
tiene tres requisitos para todos sus empleados o voluntarios.

Si tienes 18 anos de edad, y eres voluntario para algo
en San Mauricio, o eres voluntario para algo en “Country Fair”, deberás cumplir con estos tres requisitos:

1.Tienes que haberte tomado tus huellas digitales dentro de los últimos 5 anos.
Si No , entonces tienes que tomarte las huellas digitales inmediatamente.
Por favor inscríbete en-línea en: www.adom.sofn.net. Imprime el “Código de
Barra” que sale al final del proceso. Entonces, ve al Centro que escogiste, en el
día de la cita, llevando contigo el “Código de Barra” ya impreso, y la
identificación que usaste para el proceso de inscripción. La Arquidiócesis de
Miami pagara por el proceso de las huellas.

2.Tienes que haber asistido a una sesión de Virtus para adultos.
Si no lo has hecho, entonces toma nota de las dos sesiones que se van a celebrar
en el templo de San Mauricio: 22 de octubre, 2011, a las 9 A.M. en espanol
29 de octubre, 2011, a las 9 A.M. en ingles

Deberás inscribirte en línea, de antemano, en: www.virtusonline.org.
Presiona la tecla de “Inscripción”, y sigue las instrucciones. Si las
fechas, o las horas de las sesiones de San Mauricio no te son convenientes,
entonces escoge una sesión, de entre las que se ofrecen en otras localidades.
Cuando asistas a la sesión de Virtus, asegúrate de firmar la Hoja de Asistencia.
Así, luego de que La Arquidiócesis haya entrado la información de la sesión a la
computadora, podrás imprimir tu Certificado, entrando de nuevo a
www.virtusonline.org, y siguiendo las instrucciones pertinentes que te ofrecen.

3-Tienes que haber firmado el Código de Conducta.
Si no lo has hecho, entonces llama a Lucy, a la Oficina, al 954-961-7777, y
coordina con ella para que lo firmes.

SI NO TIENES ACCESO A UNA COMPUTADORA, POR FAVOR LLAMA A LA OFICINA, AL 954-961-7777, Y PROCURA POR LUCY, QUIEN HARA ARREGLOS PARA AYUDARTE CON TODO ESTE PROCESO.

We have all heard it said, “God works in mysterious ways.” How often have you thought you had God figured out only to receive an answer to a prayer that was totally unexpected? We pray and we believe God will answer our prayers. However, so often that answer isn’t the one we wanted and the answer we received was a cause for more confusion than understanding.

Let me share with you a personal series of events. When I was in college/seminary and wanted to novitiate, a year of intense discernment about being called to religious life and priesthood, I asked to go out of sequence. The norm was to go after you graduated college. However, I felt the Lord was calling me a year earlier, so I put in my application stating my reasons. It was rejected out of hand because I was asking for something that had not happened before. Eventually with the help of my spiritual director I was given permission to go and took my First Vows as a religious on August 8, 1975.

Another example is even more compelling when it came time to ask to go on our overseas training program for two years. Once again, I had requested to go one year earlier than the norm, after second year of graduate school. When my supervisors received my request, once again they rejected it out of hand – “it’s just not done this way.” Are you beginning to see a pattern emerging here…? Strangely enough, I have always found myself marching to the sound of my own drum, which has always been the drum beat of the voice of God. I have never made a major decision in my life without first praying long and hard about it and only then when I believe God has given me an answer do I move ahead with it.

The long and the short of this story is, I had to write a letter to our Superior general in Rome with my request to go to Papua New Guinea, which of course was hardly even done. A few weeks later we received a letter from the Superior General granting me permission to go. Once again, God acts in strange and mysterious ways. My Superiors in Chicago couldn’t understand how I made it through. My 30 years of priesthood has always been listening closely to God’s call to discipleship which has always put me out of step with the norm. The key is listening and following God’s call even when it puts you up against the norm or expected ways of doing things.

We see this in our first reading when the Prophet Isaiah tells us how God was using the Persian King Cyrus to release his people Israel. We also read this in the Prophet Jeremiah who convinces the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar to free God’s people from slavery. God is the God of all and can use even his enemies to bring about good.
We have also heard it said, “God can write straight with crocket lines.” That which is a tragedy can be turned into a blessing in time, if we have the faith and belief that God is really in charge, even when we don’t see it or understand it at the time.

I watch a lot of news these days and wonder many times, “Lord, why are you allowing these terrible things to happen?” There is never an adequate answer to the question “why,” so in faith we need to move on to the real question, “What am I supposed to learn from this experience? In this way, we open ourselves up to allowing God to work in our lives and can then experience His true love for us.

In the Gospel today from Matthew, the leadership was trying to trip-up Jesus. However, Jesus’ non answer takes himself out of the no win situation they were trying to entrap him in. I think today more than ever as we approach the 2012 elections we can find ourselves in a no win situation if we allow the politicians to lead us around by our emotions, especially FEAR which began under President Bush and that we are still living under today. We find ourselves caught between politics and faith.

Faith must take president over party and politics. It doesn’t matter which party we say we are part of, there is too much at stake to be one issue voters; even our Bishops have told us this. Taxes have to be paid at a fair share by all for the greater good of the many. In Jesus’ words, “Love one another as I love you.” It’s not every man, woman, and child for themselves or survival of the fittest. Recall how the early church “held all things in common,” as we read in THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. How far we have moved away from that way of living in community and caring for each other?

Jesus wouldn’t allow himself to be caught-up in a fight over allegiances. We call ourselves Christians, followers of Jesus Christ. Then it is incumbent upon us to act as Jesus would, look after the poor, the homeless, the sick, and justice for all. It’s not a matter of party affiliation but rather of living up to our baptismal commitment to reach out to those who are less fortunate than us. If we want peace and prosperity for all, then we must have justice for all, where God’s law of love comes first above party or party allegiance.

Our first reading today from the Prophet Isaiah points to a new beginning with a bright future. The story opens with a festive scene of joy and celebration, one that we might see at a wedding or a graduation which looks toward the future with great promise and hope. Even in our darkest moments, we can’t give into despair but rather always believing that God is on our side and will bring about the necessary changes to make a brighter day. It is true, we are living in hard times you parents understand this and you’re worried for your children. For generations parents have always worked hard in the hope and promise that things would be better for their children. Today we are not so sure this will happen.

The Prophet Isaiah went through a very long and rough period with the people, today he reassures them that God has not abandoned them; that in fact, God has been with them in their journey of suffering and reassures them that God is about to change everything. As he says, “The Lord God will wipe away the tears from every face…”

St. Paul in his letter to the Philippians shares his own story of struggle between having plenty and having little and has learned to be content with either. The key to this type of living is to live a balanced life. In our day to day living, I think that means knowing the difference between having my needs met while understanding that not all my wants will be met. So what’s the difference between needs and wants? I heard it stated in President Obama’s speech given at the United Nations a few weeks ago when he said, “freedom from want is a basic human right.” What I believe he was saying was this, it’s a basic human right to have our needs met, to be free from the want of clean water, free from the lack of a daily meal, free from the lack of basic health care.

Again, St. Paul gives us a remedy for this grave problem and injustice. Living a balanced life between needs and wants is the way to justice, peace, and happiness in our world. That means we may have to give up some of our much desired “wants” so that those who’s basic human needs will be met. Various groups of youth and young adults around the country have responded to the needs of their global brothers and sisters who don’t have a tenth of what they have. It’s a matter of getting our priorities straight, and parents you are the prime motivators in helping to promote and build a balanced outlook on life for your children. Perhaps it’s not necessary to have all the latest technology or the latest in fashions. Perhaps what was used and worn last year will be just fine in order to promote a more balanced outlook on life that takes into consideration the prime needs of other young people who have no desk to sit in, no books to take home to aid them in their homework, and far too often go to bed hungry.

I believe and you know that you can make a difference in other young people’s lives. We see on T.V. projects that are started by youth groups across this country that are making a difference in the lives of other young people, like yourselves whom you will probably never meet. You are important, you are talented, and you can make a difference.

St. Matthew’s Gospel story of the wedding feast makes this point clear. So many were invited to the feast, the celebration of new life, new beginnings that a wedding points to. However, many were too taken up with their own private little lives and narrow minded vision that they could not be bothered with getting involved in this celebration of life. We need to be careful not to get overly concerned about our own satisfactions that we can miss out on creating and sharing in others celebrations of joy and happiness.

You, the youth of our parish family are bright, intelligent, concerned and caring people that have a vision that looks outward and upward to a brighter future. You may not have all that you want today, but know this for sure, that our God is a loving God who is always looking after you, like your parents, who only want the best for you. We begin a new in Christ today focusing on our young people who look to us, the old folks to encourage, support, and inspire in them new hopes and dreams. To dream the impossible dream is not impossible.

FIRE IN THE LORD, was the title chosen by our young adults on the committee because it spoke to them of something new, bright, and exciting that they wanted to be a part of. This is a new day in the life of St. Maurice, let us rejoice and be glad in it. Let me hear the church say AMEN. AMEN.