Like John the Baptist, God is with us to prepare the way for Jesus to touch other people's lives through us. - Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist, June 24th, 2021 - S + L Mass at MQW Cathedral downtown Montreal

 Gospel & Homily MP3 version                     Homily PDF version        

Sign of the + Cross            The Nativity of Saint John the Baptist

(no sponsor today Good Morning. Today this Holy Mass is being offered for:       by: )

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ…. Brothers and Sisters, it’s always a privilege and a pleasure for us to celebrate the Holy Eucharist in this wonderful church, and especially today, when we celebrate the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist; who is truly an image for all of us of our own vocation to prepare the way for the Lord.

Penitential Rite         Brothers and sisters let us acknowledge our sins and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries.  (Formula 1)

 

HOMILY

 

Brothers and sisters, this solemn feast is important for those of us who live in Québec. It is a patronal feast, and for a long time the people of Québec saw John the Baptist as an icon or image or symbol of our own vocation. This continues to be true for all Christians. In a sense we are all blessed by God – God is with us from the moment of our conception – all through our growing up years God is attending to us, caring for us, loving us, and yet leaving us free.

This is part of the great gift God has given to us, not only that we are a unique individual, blessed with life, but in addition; that we have free will. This means that we often feel transparent, naked, alone, abandoned…. It is not a curse; it is the great dignity of the gift given to us of our individual life. Not only is John the Baptist a recollection or remembrance of who we are called to be, to walk this Earth preparing the way of the Lord, to touch other lives, but in addition, Jesus Himself is an icon of the great gift given to us.

Through our Baptism we are all sons and daughters of God. That means that God Himself in his great power is ever ready to work through us, within us and through us, to bless other people; even to make miracles. If only we take the focus of our attention off of ourselves, and cease being obsessed with ourselves and overly self-conscious, and walk as Mary, Joseph, and all the saints did: our eyes totally focused towards the Lord and giving Him all our trust and faith.

O my Jesus, I trust in You.

 Saint John the Baptist, pray for us.

 In the Name of the Father, + the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.  

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Prayer after Communion                                    Announcement

 

I originally wanted to be ordained on this day, but of course it’s too busy a day for the Archbishop; so, I was ordained a week later 38 years ago (on July 2^nd).

 

Saint Joseph, pray for us.              Blessing and Dismissal

 

https://frgilleshomilies.blogspot.com

 

© 2006-2021 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate Priest of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal  QC
© 2006-2021 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC

Jesus fulfills the covenant God made with Abram by accepting to die for our infidelities. - Wednesday in the 12th Week of Ordinary Time, June 23rd, 2021 - S + L Mass at MQW Cathedral downtown Montreal

     Homily MP3 version                     Homily PDF version        

Sign of the + Cross                        

        Good Morning. Today this Holy Mass is being offered for:                   by:               

Thank you for your support. We are reminded today that rather than punish us for our sin and infidelities, Jesus has volunteered to stand in our place and endure the punishment we deserve. During this Live Daily Mass, we offer to God our personal intentions, those of his Church, and the intentions of all of humanity. We especially pray for all native and indigenous peoples.

Penitential Rite         Brothers and sisters let us acknowledge our sins and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries.  (Formula 1)

 Prayer after Communion                                    Announcement 

We thank you for supporting this Live Daily Mass through your daily prayers, Mass intentions, and donations to the Cathedral and to Salt + Light Media. 

Saint Joseph, pray for us.              Blessing and Dismissal

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HOMILY

Our God is strange… a better word is mysterious. Our Creator God is very mysterious. His ways are not our ways. We can come to know his ways, but it is likely that we will never quite fully understand the ways of the Lord. Still, we can know his ways enough to do his will. It was the very same situation with the patriarch Abram whom the Lord called to leave his home at Ur of the Chaldees in what is today Iraq in order to lead him to the land He promised him.

Talk about strange! What do you make of the strange ritual God told Abram to do by killing and cutting in two a heifer, a goat, and a ram, along with a turtle dove and young pigeon? Well, I wouldn’t know either if I had not learned about it in the Seminary.

You see, at that time and in those lands and cultures, their societies were divided into two parts, much like it is today, only then it was much clearer. The world was ruled by those who were rich and powerful, and the rest of the population was governed by these rulers. Now, when someone wanted a special favor or position or loan from a ruler, the ruler would require them to go through this ritual, but not the way God did it with Abram.

In such a ritual, the ruler makes a contract by making the person walk in between the pieces and say “In return for the favor I seek from you, I will give you obedience, loyalty, and the tax. If I fail to keep my part of the agreement, you will do to me as you did to these animals.” This is how infidelity on the part of the poor was punishable by death; by being cut in two.

So, you see how different are the Lord and his ways from the ways of this world? God made covenant with Abram by taking Abram’s place in the ritual promise punishable by death; God in the fire took Abram’s place and passed between the two parts of the animals cut in two. In the covenant God made with Abram, the Lord made the deadly promise, not Abram: “If either of us breaks our covenant, I your God will suffer death and be cut off and separated from life.”

The end result of all our infidelities and disobedience to God, from the time of Abram until the time of Moses, the judges, the prophets, and the kings of Israel, down through the centuries until the coming into the world of the Son of God and beyond Him to our day and beyond us to the end of time; the end result of all of humanity’s sinful contempt for God is that Jesus, the Son of God, the son of Mary, accepted to suffer the punishment of death and was cut off from life. Lord Jesus, teach us to be grateful for your sacrifice to pay for our collective and personal sins.

Lord Jesus, grant us eternal life by giving us the grace to know and love You and the Father in Heaven, and fill us with your Holy Spirit who gives us to understand your ways, Jesus, only-begotten Son of the Father, our Lord on Earth and in Heaven; may You welcome us into your eternal home with the Father and the Holy Spirit and all the saints at the end of our lives.  

In the Name of the Father, + the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.  

https://frgilleshomilies.blogspot.com

 

© 2006-2021 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate Priest of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal  QC
© 2006-2021 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC

As disciples of Jesus we are to do everything for love of God and our neighbor, not for personal gain. - Wednesday in the 11th Week of Ordinary Time, June 16th, 2021 - S + L Mass at MQW Cathedral downtown Montreal

    Gospel & Homily MP3 version                     Homily PDF version        

Sign of the + Cross                        

    Good Morning. There is no sponsor for this Mass today. 

Thank you for your support. The Lord reminds us that He loves a cheerful giver. The more we are generous to the poor, those in need, and for his works of mercy, the more the Lord will provide so we can continue being generous. During this Live Daily Mass, we offer to the Father our personal intentions and those of his Church.

Penitential Rite         Brothers and sisters let us acknowledge our sins and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries.  (Formula 1) 

HOMILY

There are some who misunderstand the Word of the Lord to say that if we follow the rules and commandments; God will bless us with prosperity and success. If uncertain of what the Word of God means, we need only look to the example of Jesus to see the will of God in action.

Jesus did not have any money at all. He entrusted the common purse for Himself and his disciples to Judas. Unfortunately, Judas was weak and helped himself to some of that money. With regard to that common purse, Jesus gave the priority to helping the poor and others in need. As for Himself and his Apostles, they were really like mendicants, which means that they begged or relied on the generosity of the people they served to share with them food and lodging. They often slept under the stars and got water from public wells and streams.

We are not all called to live as beggars, like many religious women and men who belong to communities that rely on the generosity of the people they serve. However, what is abundantly clear is that our Creator God has filled Planet Earth – on land, sea, and in the air – with great abundance of life, food, and resources. There is no doubt that our Creator God intends for all these resources to be there for everyone to enjoy equally. Sadly, because of the original sin, fear and insecurity, and greed, far too many human beings set out to acquire far more than they need to live simply, in security, peace, health, and comfort.

Jesus makes it abundantly clear that whatever we do – whenever we give alms to assist the poor, whenever we pray, and whenever we fast; we should do it for God’s eyes alone. When we do good things our of authentic, heartfelt love for God and for our neighbors, and even for our enemies and those who are especially difficult to love; then we can be certain that our works of love and mercy will benefit both those who receive our care and also ourselves. Our spirit, our whole person becomes more like God when we live as children of God.

Whenever we take care to keep our almsgiving, prayer, and fasting secret; then we avoid the praise, admiration, and congratulations of others, and our true reward is the gratitude of those who are helped and the love and approval of Almighty God, the Most Holy Trinity.

(Spontaneous departure from my prepared text)

You notice this morning that I have a kind of  weakness in my voice; well, we all have strengths and weaknesses, and it causes me to think that there may be men out there the Lord is calling to the priesthood but who are resisting, and whenever we resist, it is because we focus too much on ourselves and we don't accept the grace of the fear of the Lord; which means to put our trust and confidence in God alone. 

(Added comment: "Looking back on my whole life of 72 years, and in particular on the almost 38 years of life and service to the Lord and his people as one of Jesus' many priests; my overwhelming thought and feeling is: 

"What a wonderful life and path! It is truly awesome to be entrusted by the Holy Spirit with glimpses into the minds, hearts, souls, and lives of other human beings whenever they open themselves to Jesus in the confidential moment and encounter with the Lord Jesus in the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation, in Confession. 

"How awesome and beyond understanding to know that Jesus Himself entrusts me with his own authority to say again his own words at the Last Supper; that He may once again be truly present in his risen flesh in the Bread and Wine of the Holy Eucharist and give Himself once again for food to eternal life to all who come to Him today. 

"As a mother gives of herself as food to her infant at her breast; so too does Jesus give a transfusion of his divine life to all who receive Him in Holy Communion. The wonders of such an intimate sharing in the life, mystery, and priesthood of the Lord Jesus is beyond words to tell. How could any man whom the Lord is calling not want to put his trust in the Lord Jesus, in the Most Holy Trinity, and respond to the call deep in his heart and soul as the prophet Isaiah: "Here I am, Lord!"

"Be not afraid, O little man, and take the spotlight of attention and worry off of  your poor self, and rather turn the spotlight of your attention onto the Lord Jesus, who remains for eternity to be seen in his pitiful passion, haning on the Cross; yet glorious at this very moment at the right hand of his Father in Heaven. He alone in the universe has the power of God to give life where He will in union with his Father and the Holy Spirit. Since He has power to create the universe and keep it in existence, and demonstrated his power by calming the storm on the sea and in so many other wonderful works; so too can He make of you one of his poor, humble, and blessed priests. 

"O my Jesus, I trust in You." )

Father in Heaven, fill us with your Holy Spirit and make us more and more like Jesus, your only-begotten Son, our Lord here on Earth; so that You may be pleased to welcome us into your eternal home at the end of our lives.  

In the Name of the Father, + the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. 

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Prayer after Communion                                    Announcement 

We thank you for supporting this Live Daily Mass through your daily prayers, Mass intentions, and donations to the Cathedral and to Salt + Light Media.

Saint Joseph, pray for us.              Blessing and Dismissal

 

https://frgilleshomilies.blogspot.com

 

© 2006-2021 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate Priest of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal  QC
© 2006-2021 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC

We need the Holy Spirit to help us follow his inspirations and to recognize and avoid the distractions of the enemy of mankind. - Wednesday in the 8th Week of Ordinary Time, May 26th, 2021 - S + L Mass at MQW Cathedral downtown Montreal

   Gospel & Homily MP3 version                     Homily PDF version        

  Memorial of Saint Philip Neri

Sign of the + Cross  

        Hello. I’m Fr. Gilles Surprenant, priest of Montreal and Madonna House Associate. We revel these days in the radiance of Pentecost and the out pouring of the Holy Spirit who gave birth to the Church. Our Creator God has long desired to pour out his Holy Spirit on all mankind through Jesus, and we are his witnesses. During this Live Daily Mass, we offer to the Father all of our personal intentions and those of our Church. (Intention) Thank you.

Penitential Rite         Brothers and sisters let us acknowledge our sins and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries.  (Formula 1)

HOMILY

Why did they do it? Why did James and John ask Jesus for places of honor in Jesus’ glory? No doubt they felt that they loved Jesus and wanted to be sure to remain close to Him when he would establish his kingdom. The problem was that they weren’t really listening to Jesus, who had just told them that He was going to Jerusalem and his glory would be to be killed there.

Why do any of us do the foolish, carless, insensitive, or reckless things that we do? We are all still infected with the original sin virus which infected the first human beings. The antidote has been brought into the world for all of humanity by Jesus: the antidote is putting our faith and trust in Jesus rather than in ourselves, and the vaccine for mankind is the Holy Spirit.

In addition to the infection of the original sin, there is also the enemy of humanity, the devil and his rebel angels; who together sow greed and envy, discord and division, and we see how the bad spirit caused trouble among the Apostles. Jesus corrected the Apostles, and He would do it again before the end. We also often need to be corrected by Jesus. The grandfather who wrote the book of Sirach was writing under the good inspiration of the Holy Spirit, which is why he prayed to God to reveal Himself to his people and to all of humanity; so that everyone might know that He is God and that He is good. When a human being welcomes the inspiration and guidance of the Holy Spirit, he or she forgets himself or herself and gives witness to God.

St. Philip Neri, like all the saints, accepted to be taught by Jesus and formed by the Holy Spirit. He was blessed with a wonderful sense of humor and helped others to recognize signs that the Holy Spirit is at work and to tell those results apart from the trouble caused by Satan and his demons. The devil accentuates our selfishness and fears, and as a result we hurt others and cause trouble and division around us. The Holy Spirit brings peace, love, charity, and joy.

Like St. Philip Neri, who was a much sought-after confessor and spiritual guide, St. Ignatius of Loyola taught that when we are tempted and discouraged by our faults, the best defense is a good offense and we should go in the opposite direction. If I don’t feel like praying, then I spend a little more time at prayer than usual. If I don’t feel like giving alms to the poor, then I will be even more generous. If I feel irritated by someone, then I will compliment them or offer to help.

If you’d like more help in discerning the difference between the guidance of the good spirit and the distraction of the bad spirit, search for Fr. Timothy Gallagher, OVM’s online talks on the “discernment of spirits” by St. Ignatius. If you send me an email, I’ll send you some links. My email address is fathergilles@gmail.com . Jesus continues to set the captives free today.

O God, come and dwell in us: the Father, + the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

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Prayer after Communion                                    Announcement

We thank you for supporting this Live Daily Mass through your daily prayers, Mass intentions, and donations to the Cathedral and to Salt + Light Media. There was no offering or requested Mass intention for this Mass today. You could gather together family and friends and make a group donation to accompany an intention for a Salt + Light TV Mass. Contact Salt + Light Media. 

 

Saint Joseph, pray for us.              Blessing and Dismissal

 

https://frgilleshomilies.blogspot.com

 

© 2006-2021 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate Priest of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal  QC
© 2006-2021 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC 

There is only one God. We worship Him in Jesus and use all our faculties to discern the TRUTH - Wednesday in the 6th Week of Easter, May 12th, 2021 - S + L Mass at MQW Cathedral downtown Montreal

  Gospel & Homily MP3 version                     Homily PDF version        

Sign of the + Cross - Christ is risen! Alleluia! (traditional response is) He is truly risen! Alleluia!            Hello. I’m Fr. Gilles Surprenant, priest of Montreal and Madonna House Associate. In this 6^th week of Easter, God gives us a summary of the history of salvation. Only the Holy Spirit reminds us of Jesus’ words and guides us into all the truth. Without the Spirit of God, we are lost. During this Live Daily Mass, the Lord calls us to receive his words and to keep them; so that we may live. (Intention) Thank you.

Penitential Rite         Brothers and sisters let us acknowledge our sins and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries.  (Formula 1)

 Announcement - N.B. There was an incident at Holy Communion today... one of the sacristans had warned me before Mass that lately a strange woman had been coming into the church a few minutes before Holy Communion and coming forward to receive but was clearly not a Roman Catholic, not even a Christian. In our tradition, the Holy Eucharist is a sacrament of initiation; so no one should receive who is not yet baptized or has no intention of becoming a Roman Catholic Christian. So, when she presented herself, I politely asked her "Who is Jesus Christ." She then indicated she was not Christian but liked to come and receive. I briefly (we must finish this televised Mass under 30 minutes) explained she cannot receive without being initiated and suggested she speak to a priest later. After Mass the security officer at the doors, who also acts as an usher, told me she had gone, but that he also explained this to her, and told her she was always welcome to enter and pray.

There was no offering today to support this televised Mass and therefore no intention to be publicized for this Mass. 

We thank you for supporting this Live Daily Mass through your daily prayers, Mass intentions, and donations to the Cathedral and to Salt + Light Media. 

Saint Joseph, pray for us.  Blessing and Dismissal

 

HOMILY

There is only one who is truly God, the Creator of the Universe and of all that is in it. God is complete in Himself – Jesus has revealed God to be a Holy Trinity of Divine Persons joined in perfect unity and communion: his Eternal Father, Himself, the Eternal Word, only-begotten Son of the Father, who took to Himself a human life in Jesus of Nazareth, and the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth. God, the Three who live and act as One, is complete and needs nothing from us; “since he himself gives to all mortals life and breath and all things.”

God “allotted the times... and places” for human beings to live “so that they would search for God and perhaps grope for him and find him”. All over the Earth in many religions, human beings for millennia have groped for God and perhaps found him. Catholic Christians worship only the Blessed Sacrament as God Himself, the Body and Blood of Jesus Risen from the dead. We venerate images, icons, frescoes, statues – artistic representations of the three Divine Persons – but we do not worship them. These religious artifacts help us picture or represent to ourselves the Divine Persons, but we direct our worship, adoration, and prayer to God alone.

We make use of artistic representations of saints to bring the actual saints to mind; as we call on them to join us in our prayer and worship of the Lord. This is how we honor Mary, the Mother of Jesus – and the Mother of God since Jesus is the Son of God – we honor her and join her in prayer to God because we know that Jesus Himself honors his Blessed Mother.

In every generation there are many discordant voices clamoring for our attention, and they all claim to speak the truth, but there is only one truth. Jesus declared: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6. God our Creator gave us brains, a heart, a body, and a soul. As we try to discern what is the truth in any situation, we need to pay attention to all these gifts from our Father.

Sometimes our body will give us a “gut feeling” to warn us to avoid lies and evil. Our brain helps us to read and understand the inspired Word of God in the Bible as well as authoritative teaching from our Church. Our heart is capable of perceiving the love and Divine Mercy of God given to us in Jesus. Our spirit, our soul, can be attuned to the Holy Spirit and recognize how different the Holy Spirit is from the spirit of the prince of this world, the father of lies.

Every time we turn to God, open the Bible and read, listen to holy teachers and preachers, love our neighbor and forgive our enemy, do good to those who do harm, feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, give shelter to the homeless, care for or visit the sick or prisoners, or worship the Lord in Church or at home, we renew our faith in God and give Him our trust to bring his rule and his kingdom into our lives, marriages, families, homes, and work.

O God, help us to really trust in You: the Father, + the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

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https://frgilleshomilies.blogspot.com

 

© 2006-2021 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate Priest of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal  QC
© 2006-2021 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC

Better to trust in Jesus than in our own opinions or feelings - Wednesday in the 4th Week of Easter, April 28th, 2021 - S + L Mass at MQW Cathedral downtown Montreal

     Gospel & Homily MP3 version                     Homily PDF version        

Sign of the + Cross - Christ is risen! Alleluia! (traditional response is) He is truly risen! Alleluia!            Hello. I’m Fr. Gilles Surprenant, priest of Montreal and Madonna House Associate. In this 4^th week of Easter, the Lord cautions us to be wary of clinging to our opinions. Our thoughts and opinions are powerless but Jesus’ words are the will of the Father and they will endure forever. During this Live Daily Mass, the Lord calls us to receive his words and to keep them; so that we may live. (Intention) Thank you.

Penitential Rite         Brothers and sisters let us acknowledge our sins and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries.  (Formula 1)

HOMILY

During his short life on Earth and his even shorter public mission, Jesus was acutely aware that people did not believe in Him. Jesus healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, made the lame walk, gave hearing and speech to the deaf and mute, cast out demons, healed lepers, and even raised a girl, a young man, and his friend Lazarus from death. Still, people did not believe in Him. Why is that? What was wrong with those people? What is wrong with all of us?

They say that at Mary’s Shrine in Lourdes in France there are incredible healings. People afflicted by lupus have, instead of a face, a gaping cavity with no more nose or lips or cheeks. When they are healed, suddenly their face grows back. Some without limbs suddenly find limbs where there were no limbs before. Apparently, many eye witnesses, who see these astounding miracles with their own eyes, simply cannot believe their eyes. Later, they tell themselves and others too that what they saw is simply impossible; so, they must have imagined it.

So, you see, it is never enough to see with our own eyes and to hear with our own ears or to touch with our own hands. In the presence of the mystery of God and of his wonderful works, it is only faith that can enable us to embrace the truth as real, and to believe in Jesus as the Son of God. In every generation, God the Father is offering everyone a personal relationship with Him in his Son Jesus. We are offered the grace, the divine power to trust and to believe, no matter how we may feel. All we have to do is to embrace God in his mystery and accept Him as real, as true, and as loving.

Today we remember and give thanks and praise to God for Saint Peter Chanel, a Marist missionary in the Pacific Islands near Fiji, who was so successful in bringing people to faith in God that a frightened chief had him assassinated in 1841. He was 38 and is now a martyr.

We also remember Saint Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort who was a priest for only 16 years when he died at the age of 43 in 1716 in France. During his work in hospitals and giving missions, he was so successful in bringing people to faith in God that jealous people resented him and forced him to leave. The Pope made him a “missionary apostolic”; so, no one could block his mission any more. In a very short time, he founded the Brothers of Saint Gabriel, the Daughters of Wisdom, and the Montfort Missionaries, who all put their faith in Jesus as God’s Divine Wisdom. Jesus is more trustworthy than our human wisdom, which is foolishness. 

When we put all our trust and faith in God through Jesus, we give God permission to do all that He wants to do. We just decide not to be shaken by fears, not to prefer our own thoughts, feelings, plans, and opinions, but instead, we look to Jesus, cling to his words as true, and put our trust and faith in Him. We do this in every practical situation of our lives. We still live our life actively; while we leave all the results up to God and accept whatever comes as his will.

Added thoughts:     No matter our thoughts or how we may feel, or even though we may feel nothing at all... God's relationship with us and our relationship with God - Father, Jesus his Son, and the Holy Spirit - remains mysterious, because God is mysterious, and in many ways; so are we mysterious even to ourselves. Our relationship with God the Most Holy Trinity is unlike our relationships with fellow human beings alive and walking around like us on this Earth. We don't usually get immediate replies from God as we generally do from people around us. 

However, our "relating" to God takes place in the context of faith; as we "look to" God, "turn to" Him, "wait on" Him, and "live in vibrant and hopeful expectation" that, in his good time and in his own way, God "sees me", "hears me", "knows me", "loves me", "cares for me", "instills his divine life of the Trinity in me", "forms and shapes me into his own likeness", and "draws me ever more deeply" into the life and love of the Most Holy Trinity, which is Heaven and eternal life. 

O God, help us to really trust in You: the Father, + the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Announcement 

We thank you for supporting this Live Daily Mass through your daily prayers, Mass intentions, and donations to the Cathedral and to Salt + Light Media. 

Saint Joseph, pray for us.          Blessing and Dismissal

https://frgilleshomilies.blogspot.com

 

© 2006-2021 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate Priest of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal  QC
© 2006-2021 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC 

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Living in the Light of God, untroubled by the darkness - Wednesday in the 2nd Week of Easter, April 14th, 2021 - S + L Mass at MQW Cathedral downtown Montreal

    Gospel & Homily MP3 version                                 Homily PDF version        

Sign of the + Cross - Christ is risen! Alleluia! (traditional response is) He is truly risen! Alleluia!            Hello. I’m Fr. Gilles Surprenant, priest of Montreal and Madonna House Associate. In this 2^nd week of Easter, the Lord invites us to consider how much more respectful He is of us than the big shots of this world. Once we decide to trust in the Lord; we can walk fully in the light. During this Live Daily Mass, the Lord once again affirms his love, strengthens our faith, and revives our hope. (Intention) Thank you.

Penitential Rite         Brothers and sisters let us acknowledge our sins and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries.  (Formula 1) 

HOMILY

The Jewish “high priest and all who were with him” were “filled with jealousy” at the way the Apostles were drawing large crowds and because the beggar who had been lame from birth was healed at their words. It was the trouble that Jesus had all over again. These religious leaders in Jerusalem arranged to have Jesus executed, and now they were after his Apostles.

Have you ever been harassed or persecuted by people or organizations that just wouldn’t stop coming after you? Perhaps in your case it was what you called a long string of bad luck. Maybe it was your employer or a nasty client or relative. Whatever it was, the trouble just wouldn’t stop, and you may have become exasperated, if not outright angry or discouraged.

It’s pretty clear that there are many situations in life that escape our control. There isn’t anything we can do to stop the trouble or fix it, and it wears down our spirit. Perhaps what really bothers us is the trouble itself… we keep trying to fix or solve it and we just can’t seem to find the right formula. This is especially true in the case of chronic physical or mental illness.

The trouble or the trouble makers seem to come out of an evil darkness, like the religious leaders in Jerusalem. They couldn’t stand the light radiating from Jesus; so, they did all they could to try to put out that bright light that made their guilty consciences so uncomfortable.

Despite all our trouble and suffering, as long as we are trying to love God and obey Him and to love our neighbor, even forgiving all those who harm or trouble us in any way; then we are actually living in the light, just like the Apostles and all the saints did. However, although we may be living in the light of God’s kingdom, we might still at times be “in the dark”.

If we can’t distinguish between the darkness and the light, between the kingdom of this world and the kingdom of God; then when trouble hits, we are at risk to be thrown off balance and discouraged. Jesus is the light of God, and all who believe in Him and make efforts to love God and their neighbor as themselves, all those who do this are also living in the light of God.

Those who don’t believe that Jesus is the Son of God or who put all their desires and hopes on the things of this world, well, they are living in darkness; whether they know it or not. Those who live in darkness don’t like those who live in the light and may even persecute them. They hate or are afraid of the light when their deeds or desires are evil. Once we realize that this is the situation; then when trouble comes, we are not so surprised. We remember to trust in God.

We may never actually see our guardian angel, but our angels watch and protect our faith in God. Divine peace enters our soul when we thank the Father for his priceless gifts. “Father in Heaven, forgive us our sins. We thank and praise You for Jesus’ life-giving sacrifice and for our guardian angel; for You are God: the Father, + the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

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Saint Joseph, pray for us.                  Blessing and Dismissal

 

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© 2006-2021 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate Priest of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal  QC
© 2006-2021 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC