Augusst 6, 2013. Homily, Saturday, August 17, 2013

Matthew 19:13-15

Children were brought to Jesus that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked them, but Jesus said, "Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." After he placed his hands on them, he went away.
The Gospel of the Lord.



If today you hear my voice, harden not your hearts.

Would you like to hear the voice of God? This is the voice of Jesus Christ.

I will remove your heart of stone and replace it with a heart of flesh.

Come to me all you that labor and are heavy burdened. Take my yoke upon you and learn, for I am gentle and humble of heart, and my yoke is easy and my burden light.

Some of the most fundamental issues for the formation of a Catholic conscience are as follows: sacredness of human life from conception to natural death, marriage, religious freedom and freedom of conscience, and a right to private property.

I say to you, "Whenever two or more are gathered in my name, then I am with you."  When [adults] brought children to Jesus that he might lay hands on them, those adults plus the child were two or more gathered in the name of Jesus and by his laying his hands on them, Jesus was with them.

A relative of mine came to visit me with her significant other; they argued in favor of a homosexual relationship. I said to them that there are things you learn when you are older that you do not know when you are younger. Like what?  Things. Like what?  Well, you learn that you love your children more than you love your parents.
My relative told me that would not happen to her because she really loved her mother.  I said that she asked me for an example and I gave her one. She repeated that would not happen to her. 
I said that in 20 years, you two come back, you can pay for the lunch and you can tell me what you believe then.  Last month I met the two again. My relative had twins artificially inseminated and her one-time room-mate was married with three children.