Carl M. Kube, USNR (Killed In Action, Leyte Gulf, Philippines, 1944)
Homily #71 (Oct. 2, 2016)
Brookdale Vallejo Hills Retirement Home, 10am
(no prepared text)
I recently had lunch with Deacon Carl Kube and Deacon Dennis Kummich (sp?) at a recent advanced annulment training week in Sacramento, CA. Deacon Carl and Deacon Dennis K. told me how the Filipinos in the U.S. were keeping the Catholic Faith alive in many, many parishes. Deacon Carl also told me of the great Filipino nurses who took care of him recently. They were amazed at the Filipinos and singing their praises on many levels.
He was celebrating his 25th Anniversary as a permanent deacon that same day I spoke with him at lunch, and this makes him one of the trailblazers for the permanent diaconate in the U.S. after the Second Vatican Council restored it in the Latin rite. My mere 2 years paled in comparison.
We talked about many things, but the conversation eventually led to us talking about his dad who was killed in action in the Philippines during World War II. I asked him to send me his picture b/c I wanted to memorialize his dad in cyberspace.
Not only that, I told Deacon Carl that his dad was not just a hero to America but that he was also a hero to the freedom of the Filipino people. I said that Filipinos make great Americans, and we noted how the U.S.-Philippine alliance was forged in blood and sweat.
I brought this in to talk about the Gospel and the parable of the unprofitable servant. Many of the elderly in this retirement home were alive in WWII, so it was more than appropriate to talk about bearing hardship for the Gospel.
Oct. 2016 is the 72nd Anniversary of the Battle of Leyte Gulf, which is considered the largest naval battle in WWII and possibly the largest naval battle in history.
Navy Dept. Citation for LTJG Carl Kube, Sr., USNR (KIA)
"People of the Philippines, I have returned. ... Rise and strike!" (Gen. Douglas MacArthur, 1944)
Battle of Leyte Gulf Memorial, Philippines
Philippine President Sergio Osmena, government-in-exile, returns.
"People of the Philippines, I have returned. By the grace of Almighty God, our forces stand again on Philippine soil-- soil consecrated in the blood of our two peoples."
Deacon Carl Kube, Jr., wrote about his dad, LTJC Carl Kube, Sr., who died when he was 3 years old.
Pope Francis Hearing Confessions @ World Youth Day
Sunday, 5pm (#69c)
Sunday, 12pm (#69b)
Sat., 5pm (#69a)
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Homilies ##65, 66, 67 and 68 were not recorded.
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HOMILY #69:
"Going After the One (Leaving the 99)-- Mercy & War"
24th Sunday in Ordinary Time
I
Today is the 15th Anniversary of the attacks
on September 11, 2001.Those who murdered
innocent human beings in the name of God mistakenly presented God as a type of vengeful
God that kills those who don’t submit.
We live in a time of tribulation where there are
rumors of war, our economy is uncertain, and Christians are persecuted and martyred
by the thousands.Pope Francis called
our situation a type of QUOTE “piecemeal World War III” ENDQUOTE.
And in an interview with reporters, the Holy Father
used the elements of the Church’s Just War Doctrine to comment on U.S. military intervention,
QUOTE “In these cases, where there is an unjust
aggression, I can only say that it
is licit to stop the unjust aggressor.I emphasize the word “stop”.I’m not saying to drop bombs, to make war,
but to stopthe
aggressor.…Stopping
an unjust aggressor is licit.”END
QUOTE
Even in the face of such mass destruction of the
innocent and suffering poor, Pope Francis declared a Jubilee Year of
Mercy.In his letter on the Year of
Mercy Misericordiae Vultus, the Pope
wrote that “Jesus is the merciful face of the Father” (no. 1).So even in the midst of war and death, the
Church still proclaims not a God of hateful vengeance but the loving
Father who calls us to conversion back to Him.The Church fights evil with goodness.Love is stronger!
In today’s Gospel from St. Luke, Our Lord teaches the
Parable of the Lost Sheep.Jesus leaves
the 99 and goes after that one.There
are 2 main points here: (1) First, there are times when you and I are that 1 precious,
dear little lost sheep.(2) Second,
there are also times when we’re not the lost sheep but you and I are the ones
searching for that 1 lost sheep.
II
Let’s reflect on the first point that weare
that one sheep Jesus looks for.Notice that that one sheep is lost where?In the desert.This desert represents those things in our
lives that make us sad: our bad choices, our sins, our mistakes, our broken
family relationships, hatred and revenge, etc.What deserts are you and I lost in?
In the First Reading from the Book of Exodus, the
people were wandering where?In the desert.They worshipped a golden calf and were described
as a stiff-necked people.But after
Moses implored God to have mercy, the Lord “relented in the punishment he threatened
to inflict on his people.”
And that’s what the loving Father did with us through
His Son Jesus, the new Moses.We, too,
have built our modern “golden calves.”But when we call on Jesus as our Merciful Savior, God relents and stops eternal
punishment.
St. Paul, who persecuted and killed Christians, is a
model.In the Second Reading, he wrote
to Timothy, “I am grateful to him who has strengthen me, Christ Jesus Our Lord,
because he considered me trustworthy in appointing me to the ministry.I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and
arrogant, but I have been mercifully treated…”
And then after we convert back to God, notice that there
is so much JOY over someone who repents and changes their ways.According to St. Josemaria Escriva, Founder
of Opus Dei, the Gospel of Luke is the Gospel of Mercy.St. Josemaria says that the Gospel of Mercy
describes the JOY that God has when a sinner returns.Jesus puts the lost sheep on his shoulders
with great joy and calls a party over the 1 lost sheep than the 99 righteous
people.
III
This leads to the second main point: We are sometimes
like Jesus seeking that one lost sheep.And how do we become merciful like Christ?We will be effective ministers to others when
we regularly celebrate God’s mercy in the Sacraments of Reconciliation &
the Eucharist.
There’s a famous Latin phrase: Nemo dat quod non habet.“I
can’t give what I don’t have.”If we
expect to bring others to Christ and His Church, we cannot do so without
Confession and filling our souls with the Body and Blood of Christ frequently.Pope Francis wrote, QUOTE “Let us place the
Sacrament of Reconciliation at the center once more…For every penitent, it will
be a source of true interior peace" (MV 17).END QUOTE
[One Catholic in the state of grace receiving Holy Communion is more powerful than all the armies of the world combined!]
We may feel that we’re not well equipped to talk about
God with others, or to challenge people we know that have immoral behaviors
that contradict the holy teachings of the Church, esp. within our own families.[We may not think we have the perfect smile
or dynamic charisma, or the right method of how to talk about God with others, or
we may feel like we can’t talk well, or quote the Bible verses from memory.]
But the point here is that, while those are all important
and we should train ourselves to speak about God with others, we can best reach
out to that one lost sheep when we ourselves are in the state of grace through Confession—no
longer lost one lost sheep – and when we receive Jesus Himself in the Holy
Eucharist.We need the foundation.Vatican II taught that the Eucharist is the
source and summit of the Christian life.No longer will it be our weak selves seeking out the lost sheep BUT it
will be Christ through us going after the lost sheep.
[Pope Emeritus Benedict said that the Church’s mission
to spread the Gospel moves forward every time a Catholic goes to Confession.]
Conversion and repentance will lead to world peace.Our Lady of Fatima, who appeared in Portugal
99 years ago, said, “If men knew what eternity is, they would do everything to
change their lives.”She also said, “In
the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph…and there will be a period of peace,” but first we need to change our lives back to the merciful Father.
IV
So, to summarize, even with the Church and world in
great tribulation, we still proclaim a loving merciful Father.Jesus goes after the one lost sheep.We are that lost sheep and are called to
conversion, like St. Paul.And if we are
to participate making disciples of all nations, we ourselves have to first go
to the sacraments.
It is then that we find peace for our lives, our
families, and our world when we turn to our loving Heavenly Father who rejoices
and delights in our daily conversion.
I close with the words of today’s Responsorial Psalm, “I
will rise,”“I will rise,” “I will rise
and go to my father.”
After the 10am Mass, there was an event where we prayed the holy rosary with many kids at the parish. This was at a spot called "Mary's Garden".
When it came time to release balloons, some balloons got stuck in the tree. I am posting here for memory's sake.
'Wasn't having the greatest of days today. Wife texted me this:
"I love you. Take courage. Be hopeful. Christ calls you to serve Him in all that you are. Get back up, ... soldier. Love Him first. Serve Him mightily. Die for Mary."
Die for Mary. In my heart, I thought, "Yes, then again yes, and a thousand times yes," but b/c I didn’t want to quantify my response to her, my final answer was instead, "Yes, yes, forever, yes."
I texted my wife that this made me cry as I sat in my parked car. She replied, "Yah... I know she is your soft spot. She is your Achilles heal. She brings you to Jesus."
FRIENDLY REMINDERS/CHALLENGES TO LIVING A SACRAMENTAL LIFE
(and this is just the bare minimum):
Baptism: Necessary for salvation. Godparents should be practicing Catholics.
Confirmation: Necessary to be born again. More obligated to defend the Catholic Faith.
Eucharist: Missing Sunday Mass on purpose is a mortal sin. Receive in state of grace.
Reconciliation: Should go once a year minimum, but to grow in holiness 1-2x/month.
Anointing of the Sick: Don't wait last minute to call a priest. Must die in state of grace.
Holy Orders: Protestant denominations don't have a valid priesthood and thus no Eucharist.
Holy Matrimony: God instituted marriage between one man and one woman, and Catholics should be married in the Church and open to new human life.
This is from 30 mins of a 3-hr. class this morning explaining truth in charity the minimum duties of the Christian way of life to parents and godparents.
I cannot presume anymore that just because the 80-100 good people in my audience call themselves Catholics that they are properly catechized/formed. We live in an age of watered-down catechesis where the basics of the Faith are not being taught.
This is one way of looking at "When I was hungry, you gave me food. When I was thirsty, you gave me drink." Uncatechized Catholics, especially young adults, are hungry and thirsty for the truth of their Faith.
Feed the spiritually poor and give spiritual drink to those in need of sound teaching.
