"Build Your Spiritual House on Jesus the Foundation & His Sacred Heart" [Homily #208 for 135th Anniversary of Cornerstone Laying & Dedication of Cathedral of Blessed Sacrament in Sacramento, CA] w/Comment on Catholics & Overturning Roe v. Wade (1973-2022)

Homily #208: 

 Build Your Spiritual House on Jesus the Foundation & His Sacred Heart (with a Comment on Catholics & the Overturning of Roe v. Wade)

 On the Occasion of the 135th Anniversary of the Cornerstone Laying & Dedication of the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Sacramento, CA, USA 

 In the popular story, “The Three Little Pigs,” a big bad wolf comes to three different houses made out of three different materials. The big bad wolf approached the first house which the first little pig made out of straw and also the second house which the second little pig made out of sticks. 

 The big bad wolf said to them, “Little pig, little pig, let me in.” Both pigs replied, “Not by the hair of your chiny-chin-chin.” The wolf replied, “Then I’ll huff and I’ll puff, and I’ll blow your house in.” And the two houses with weak foundations of straw and stick were destroyed. 

 When the big bad wolf approached the third house made out of brick, he said the same thing, but the wolf could not blow the house down. And the third pig defeated the big bad wolf since the house had a strong foundation and walls made out of bricks and a roof that could withstood any wolves or storms. 

 I 

 Today, we uniquely celebrate a great solemn feast for the Diocese of Sacramento where we live: the building and dedication of the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Sacramento 135 years ago. We are reminded to build our spiritual house with not only strong material bricks but more importantly with strong spiritual bricks. 

 In today’s Gospel, while Jesus was in the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem, he said, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.” He was speaking, as we heard from John’s Gospel, about the temple of his Body. In three days after his crucifixion and death, the temple of Jesus’s body rose from the dead! As we know from history, the Temple of the Old Law in Jerusalem was eventually destroyed by the Romans in the year 70. 

 Jesus taught us how the Temple of the New Law (and every Catholic church building thereafter) is no longer made up of just materials that could be destroyed, as important as those are, but the foundation of the New Temple to worship God is a person, Jesus Himself, and that we are to worship Him not in a Temple in Jerusalem but in spirit and truth. 

 In the Diocese of Sacramento, the first cornerstone of our headquarters, the cathedra – or chair in Latin – was placed 135 years ago. It represents Jesus, the cornerstone of the Church. A Dominican priest named Fr. Peter Anderson, O.P., celebrated the first Mass in Sacramento. And from there, over 100 churches and dozens of more missions were built, including our very own parish St. Catherine of Siena in Vallejo, which is part of that story that eventually connects us to the 12 Apostles. [And you and I are part of this story of the Temple of God, the Church.] 

 II 

 In the First Reading from the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel, the Prophet Ezekiel had a mystical vision, “I saw water flowing out from beneath the threshold of the temple toward the east.” The Temple that the Prophet Ezekiel saw was a Living Temple, Jesus, and the water flowing out from beneath the Living Temple was the blood and water that flowed out from Jesus on the Cross when the solder pieced Jesus’s side with a lance. The lance also stabbed Jesus’s Heart. This is one of my favorite hymns for the Easter Vigil, “I saw water flowing / from the right side of the Temple” [repeat]. Blood and water flowed out the Sacred Heart of Jesus on the Cross. And just as Eve came from the side of Adam, so too the Church – the Bride of Christ – came from the side of Jesus. Side by side, next to Jesus. 

 June is the Month of the Sacred Heart. The devotion of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is where one attends Mass for 9 consecutive First Fridays and also goes to Confession. It is a time to revive a Catholic spiritual life that has grown indifferent, cold and bitter. There were some promises attached to these including establishing peace in the homes, receiving all the graces you need in life, lukewarm souls will become fervent, and not dying without the Sacraments of the Church. 

 This is how we build a strong foundation in the Church, a life away from sin and towards God in the Eucharist. How blessed we are to live in a Diocese named after the Sacrament of the Eucharist where we eat the Heart of Jesus. Let the Eucharist, Jesus’s Heart, be the cornerstone, the bricks of the spiritual house that is our immortal souls. So that when the big bad wolves of evil come knocking at our doorsteps, our souls will be the Temple that withstands storms. As the Second Reading from Paul’s Letter to the Corinthians, “Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?”

 III 

 The Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus was celebrated last Friday, June 24. It was historic – one could say even providential – liturgically speaking. The U.S. Supreme Court overturned almost 50 years of Roe v. Wade on the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. 

For those celebrating, Friday, June 24 was supposed to be the Feast of the Birth of John the Baptist, but for this year, the Feast of the Sacred Heart took precedence. As John the Baptist said: Jesus must increase, and I must decrease. But every year thereafter, the overturning of Roe v. Wade will be celebrated on the Birth of John the Baptist who leapt for joy in his mother’s womb when he recognized Jesus in his mother’s womb. 

 Yes, the Catholic Church worked hard to overturn Roe v. Wade since 1973, and that is why people are protesting and even disrupting Catholic Masses -- the most sacred act for any Catholic -- around the country. I see how non-Catholics respond with vitriol, but I have to admit, personally, I am baffled at Catholics that are not only disappointed with the overturning of Roe v. Wade but are actually lashing out with anger. It’s like building our spiritual house on straw and sticks. As the Church teaches, all innocent human life in the womb should be protected from the moment of conception to natural death— from natural beginning to natural end. The Church’s teachings are very clear. Her teachings on human life are Jesus’s teachings. As Archbishop Cordileone of San Francisco said, both you and I will have to stand before God one day and give an account for innocent blood. 

 So here’s the gentle pastoral reaching out as charitably as possible to those who are disappointed or even angry: Sincerely bring it to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in prayer and turn closer to Jesus because of this. Let Jesus know how you are feeling and thinking. Jesus can handle it! The mercy of the Sacred Heart of Jesus will show those of you who are disappointed the way forward, if you are open to the water that flows from the right side of the Temple, Jesus, Our Savior.

 IV 

 So in summary, dear brothers and sisters, as we celebrate a solemn day for the Diocese of Sacramento, there are three points to remember: 

 1.) First, Jesus is the Living Temple & you and I are a Temple of the Holy Spirit. 

 2.) Second, let us consider practicing the 9 First Friday devotion starting with the Month of the Sacred Heart to build our spiritual house on a strong foundation, Jesus [the Living Temple]. 

 3.) Third, for the Feast of the Sacred Heart on June 24, let us turn to the mercy of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Living Stone. 

 I saw water flowing, from the right side of the Temple. Alleluia! Alleluia!

Assisted as Scribe-Chaplain for Vallejo PD Community Feedback Townhall Meeting on Proposed Changes to Officer-Involved Shooting (OIS) Policy

As part of my deacon-chaplain tasks this evening, I was privileged to have been part of this meeting.

I ask Almighty God to bless and heal all those who participated.

8th Diaconate Ordination Anniversary

Celebrated by attending Mass with my family and then got Panda Express.

I am grateful for this privilege of the past 8 years.

It is also my daughter's, Faith Marie's, baptism anniversary.  She was my first baptism the same day I was ordained. 

Thank you, God! Thank you, America.

Thank you, God, for this act of mercy from You on the Feast of the Sacred Heart today. 

And, thank you, America, for "ourselves and our Posterity."

Thank You Card

Homily #207 for Baptism of 3 Little Ones (with Focus on Sacred Chrism)

Please pray with me in thanksgiving for the following newest members of the Kingdom of God:

147: Felix Martin

148: Bella

149: Joel

I think this was the first time a mom stepped up to read the Reading (from the First Letter of Peter).

Birth & Baptism of My Son Baby, Baby Michael Joachim (Homily #180 Calling For Consecration to Immaculate Heart of Mary During Time of Crisis) in 2020

136th baptism

RIP Officer David Lucchetti

https://sites.google.com/view/davidlucchettimemorialservice/home

Posted to SFPD POA FB page:

+ Eternal rest grant unto David, O Lord.  And let perpetual light shine upon him.  May he rest in peace.  Amen.

Officer Lucchetti, your colleague asked me for prayers for you and your family.  'Am following up with it.  Rest easy, Sir, and thank you.

- Police Chaplain D. Purificacion

Homily #206: St. Bonaventure on the Trinity & Human Person in the "Image & Likeness" of the Most Holy Trinity (Class Warfare, Redefining Family, & Attacks on Human Life in Womb Gravely Contrary to Image of Trinity in Human Person)

I 

 I’d like to start us off with this exercise. This exercise is for everyone here in church today. It requires some thinking, but I think we can do this. Shall we? 

 Alright, let’s begin. I invite you to think of a word. One word. Any word. Do you have the word in your mind? 

 Now, if you’d like, you can go ahead and say it. You can whisper it under your breath or, if you are next to someone, you can go ahead and say the word to that person. 

 So I’m going to pick on someone here: What was your word in your mind? Go ahead and say it. And you? What was your word? Okay, so we have a word __. 

 II 

 Now here’s my point: This exercise is a way to sort of, kind of, little bit maybe ponder the mystery of the Holy Trinity. This comes from St. Bonaventure, a great Doctor or official teacher of the Church, when he reflected on the Trinity. 

 There is one God but three divine persons in one God. Three in one, one in three. 

 That first thought you had is a first principle. It was in your mind. Then, when your mind (the first principle) spoke the word, it begot a second principle. The first in the mind and then the second principle was the word.

 So think here: God the Father is the first principle or the First Person. God the Father speaks his word, the second principle or the Second Person is begotten. The Father speaks one word and begets one word only, the Son. 

 In today’s Gospel, Jesus said, “Everything that the Father has is mine.” Everything that the First Person has belongs to the Second Person. 

 But what comes with your word when you spoke it? Your breath. [make breath noise] 

 The third principle – your breath – comes from or proceeds from the first and second. 

 So look here: mind, word, breath. First, Second, Third; Father, Son, Spirit. Three Persons, equal yet distinct. 

 The Father is God and First Person of the Blessed Trinity. The Son is God and Second Person of the Blessed Trinity. The Holy Spirit is God and the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity. All are one and the same God, the God above we love. 

 Yet the Father is NOT the Son. The Son is NOT the Father. And the Spirit is NOT the Father and NOT the Son. 

 The Father is God. The Son, Jesus, is God. 

 The Holy Spirit is God. In eternity: One God, three divine Persons from all eternity. 

 Even in today’s First Reading from the Book of Proverbs, it is the Word of God who existed before the creation of the world: “Thus says the wisdom of God: …before the mountains were settled into place, before the hills I was brought forth” (Chapter 8).

 [In the Creed, we profess: Jesus is God from God, light from light, true God from true God. Jesus is begotten, not made. Jesus is consubstantial with the Father. Through Jesus, the Word of God, all things were made.] 

 And then, in time, the Second Person became man, became flesh, became one of us. God became man, to die for us, to rise from the dead, to save us. 

 [In the Creed, we profess that the Holy Spirit is “Lord and Giver of Life” who “proceeds from the Father and the Son” and “With the Father and the Son” the Holy Spirit is adored and glorified.]

 III 

 So what does this reflection on the Holy Trinity practically mean for us?

 First, it shows us that we each human person is made in the image and likeness of God. We have a thought, we speak it, and we have breath. The artwork reflects the divine artist. 

 We are created as God’s masterpiece and our worth comes from God, not the world or what someone says or our salary or titles or our bank accounts or other material goods. 

 With all the tribulations and paralyzing fears of the world, let us ground ourselves on God. In today’s Second Reading from the Letter to the Romans, Paul reminds us, “Since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” We were baptized in the Name – not the names – but the one Name of the Father, Son and Spirit. 

 [Baptism: "In the name..." not "In the names"] 

 Second, it means that the nuclear family is made in the image of the Holy Trinity. It is the first fundamental cell and foundation of society and even the Church. Every one of us was born into a family. When families are healthy, then society will be healthy. When families are not healthy, then society falls apart. 

 The family is in the image of the Trinity. The Father loves the Son. And the Son loves the Father. And from their love in eternity the Spirit proceeds. The love of the Father and Son is so strong that it is another Person of Love that binds them, the Spirit.

 So too in time: Daddy loves mommy. Mommy loves daddy. And from their love in time a third person proceeds with new life, a child. The man is the first person, the seed. The woman is the second person. And from their love, the third person proceeds from them. 

 The Christian family is called to be in right relationship with each other. Daily family life, of forgiving each other, of growing and praying together, the family meals and activities build up the Christian family.

 And finally, because the Holy Trinity is a communion of persons, human race is called to be in right relationship with each other, too. Sin destroys the communion of persons. It means that we have to respect the dignity and image of God in each human person, from natural beginning to natural end.

 Even under difficult circumstances, we shouldn’t be committing acts of violence and hatred against human persons but rather help those in need especially the most vulnerable in society. It means that the international community, made in the image of the Holy Trinity, should not be fabricating wars of aggression or class warfare with each other but rather act as a communion of love. When our country returns to God, then God will bless it. The human race can only be built with God. 

 I close with this story or legend.  St. Augustine had trouble understanding the Trinity. One day, as Augustine was walking along the beach, he saw a child dig a hole in the sand and then fill the hole with water from the ocean. Augustine asked, “Child, what you doing?” The child said, “I’m trying to put the ocean into this hole in the sand.” Augustine exclaimed, “That’s impossible. You’re only going to put a little bit into the hole.” The child replied, “So too with the Holy Trinity in your mind.” And then the child vanished. 

 So, even in Heaven, dear brothers and sister, as the song Amazing Grace does, when we’ve been there 10,000 years, bright shining as the sun, we have no less days to sing God’s praise, than when we first begun. Even in eternity, we haven’t even begun to glimpse the awesomeness and wonder and awe and joy of the mystery of who God as a Trinity of Persons is. 

 As the Responsorial Psalm says today, "How wonderful your name in all the earth." How wonderful is the Name of the Father, Son and Spirit. 

 Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. 

 Amen.

Adult Confirmation Mass 2022

I was blessed to oversee the Adult Confirmation Mass at St. Eugene's Cathedral again.  This year, there were 50 baptized Catholics from 7 parishes, of which 11 received their First Holy Communion.

This is my 5th diocesan Adult Confirmation Mass to oversee in two dioceses.

Deo gratias.

My Heart Deeply Moved During Preparation of Altar at Mass Thinking of Jesus; I Also Thought My Wife Looked Beautiful When I Gave Her Holy Communion

During the 8 a.m. Pentecost Sunday Mass, as I carefully and reverently prepared the altar for the Liturgy of the Eucharist, I had a brief moment that deeply moved my heart.

As I placed the patent and unconsecrated host on the corporal which I had just lovingly unfolded, I thought of Jesus.  The congregation was singing, but they seemed to slightly fade in the background. My heart was touched as I thought of how real He was and what He did giving us the Eucharist over 2,000 years ago.  This lasted a few seconds but was such an intense moment.

It is such a joy and privilege to be able to prepare the altar on which the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ is offered and re-presented to the Father in an unbloody manner.

Thank you, God.

* * *

For the 10 a.m. Pentecost Sunday Mass:

While I gave my wife Holy Communion yesterday, I thought, "She's beautiful."