for the Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

This Sunday - Jesus presents his teaching on non-violence and love of enemies - non-violence - taught by Jesus and many great teachers - like Ghandi - Jesus urges us to make our world a better place by the way in which we treat others - even those who may be violent - even to ourselves - with Jesus we are asked to hold back - this is not a silly approach to relations with the difficult people of this world - it is a time for us to step up and make the world a better place - by refusing to become violent in action or word.

And to love enemies - I recently heard of a statement by Don Samuel Ruiz - the recently deceased Bishop of Southern Mexico - who in working hard for the indigenous people of his diocese and in doing he upset many in the formal government - once asked how he dealt with Jesus challenge to love your enemies - he said "I have no enemies - there are many who wish to make me their enemy - but I have no enemies" He looked at his relations with others and was able to say that he truly did not consider anyone his enemy - can you say the same.

With the Holy Spirit - we can be the kind of Christian that can change the world - by removing from our relationships and our community anything that involves violence - and hatred. May you be that kind of person.

Merry Christmas to all of my friends

My sincerest wishes to all of my friends for a happy and peaceful Christmas - Christmas is a special time for all - but sometimes it comes and goes too quickly - so I hope that the love that you exchange with your family and friends last throughout the whole year. This will be a most interesting year in my life - so I ask for your prayers - I promise to keep each of you in my prayers and Masses this Christmas Day and everyday of this year.

Father Bill Muench

Father Bill says...Second Sunday of Advent

On the Second Sunday of Advent - the patron saint is St. John the Baptist - who call us to repentance - in his day he was truly a street preacher - who challenged the people to make a decision - a decision to change their lives - as a sign of this decision they accepted Baptism in the Jordan River at the hands of John the Baptist - each one of us is called to the same conversion of life this Advent so that we will be ready to celebrate the birth of Our Savior this Christmas - our gift to the Lord - our Christmas present to Jesus - our readiness to live in his Spirit - to bring his love and peace to our world - as we long to make our community and world a place of harmony and peace - just as the prophet Isaiah foresees - as he looks ahead using language that we have incorporated into our Christmas cards -

"the wolf shall be the guest of the lamb,

and the leopard shall lie down with the kid,

the calf and the young lion shall browse together

with a little child to guide them."

Christ the King

Last Sunday - the Final Sunday of the Church year - was the Feast of Christ the King - the Kingdom of God is in your midst - you are invited to be part of that Kingdom - a very different Kingdom - for it is a Kingdom of Love and Peace - a Kingdom that we are invited to be part of - by transforming our lives in the model of Our King, Jesus Christ.

Christ the King - so different - for he accepted death for us - death on a cross - with a crown of thorns on his head - proclaiming for us to see the unconditional love that God has for us.

I want to invite you to become more fully a part of the Kingdom of God - you are invited - Jesus invites you - I invite you - when you accept that invitation - you will be overwhelmed with the grace and love of our God - so that you can take that love into your life and world - and then share that love and peace with all you meet - so that your community discover the happiness that we are all called to find.

As we celebrate Thanksgiving - let us do so in the spirit of our King - recognizing the great and wonderful gifts that are ours from the God who loves - the greatest of these gifts will always be the forgiveness that our God offers to us - we are a saved people - we are forgiven our failures - we always have a new opportunity with the Lord - Thank you Lord - with your forgiving spirit I am never afraid - I know that you will understand and guide me in the future.

I pray this day in gratitude for all those wonderful people that you have made a part of my life - those people who have guided me and loved me - so that I could be come this person that I am - please watch over them - and give them the reward that so deserve - especially for touching my life.

Father Bill says...for All Saints Day, November 1st

All Saints Day, November 1st

Saints - saints are an important part of the Catholic culture - we remember those who have gone on before us - they are our examples - and witnesses - to the hope of new life, Resurrection - after life. Each of us have our favorite saints - stories that mean so much to us - that remind us that we have the opportunity to make a difference in our world - basically, it says - if they can do it - so can I. The Catholic Church has a process to look into the life of a holy person - and decide - and declare that person a saint by a very wonderful ceremony called canonization - and the list of canonized saints grows every year - many are well known - some not so well known. Just a week ago - Brother Andre of Montreal was declared a Saint - St. Brother Andre - and then there is Saint Francis and St. Clare of Assisi, Italy - some of course are still on the way to being canonized - so Pope John XXIII is Blessed - the next step will be to be canonized and be declared a saint.

Now - there are many, many canonized saints - but not all saints have been canonized - there are many, many people with the Lord - who never go through the process and reach the stage of being declared a saint - and yet, they are truly saints - among them are our special saints - saints of our family - saints from among our friends - those special people who have been truly examples and witnesses for us - and have shown us the way to live and make our lives all they should be and have convinced us that our lives are worth while - and we are loved and important - so we should never give up on our road to sainthood.

One more thing to add to all of this - the stories of the saints - the canonized ones and the others - is that they achieved a good and holy life by being really good people - many, if not all, had their sins and failings but they never gave up - they had the faith and strength of will to get up and keep trying - they trusted the forgiving power of God - and kept on going.

So who do I think of today - among my saints - well, there is my mother, of course - then my friend, Father Bernard - who touched so many lives with his challenging talks and delightful wit - despite his failings - he never got down on himself - he kept on trying - and of course, my friend, Father Tim - who was truly a friend - some one I often needed to perk up my day - and to lift my spirit when I began to doubt.

So thank you, Lord - for such great saints - saints who were my friends - may I never forget them - so that I continue to realize my own goodness - that I may continue to walk on the way of following all the saints.

Mission Sunday - October 24, 2010

The Adirondacks in the Fall

Mission Sunday - I remember well my short stay as a missionary - I was so impressed with the missionaries that I met in Peru, South America - I remember the American priests that had joined the St. James Society - many had signed up for five years - and then just stayed - I met one who had stayed for thirty years.

When I think of a true, dedicated missionary - I remember Madre Antonia - a Maryknoll Sister who had been in the Altiplano of Peru - the small community of Yanque - for well over forty years - she died during this past week - her dedication to her people was well known - but her renown spread throughout the whole area - many visitors to the Colca Valley - deeper than the Grand Canyon - a nesting place for condors - would also add a visit to the sisters - I was there once when a group from Lima came - a German group - that included the Ambassador from Germany - and the Ambassador from Austria - they were so impressed with Antonia and her work - each morning beside the Church things were so busy - large pots of soup would be cooking over wood fires - and the people would come with their various containors - to take some home with bread - I enjoyed watching her shoo the children along - they would come for the soup - but then start playing in the square and she would urge them home to get the soup to their families.

I remember a wonderful family I met at language school - a father and mother and three children - who had volunteered several years to assist in a parish in Bolivia - they were such beautiful people - I hope all is still going well for them.

But the ultimate message - is that everyone is called to be a missionary - for a missionary is simply someone who strives to live a good and dedicated Christian life - and touches the lives of others around them by the way they live. May you also discover how to be a missionary - and make this world a better place.

Let us pray - Watch over us all, Lord - and send us, your missionaries - that they may lead us to be missionaries in your spirit. May we join you in this effort to transform our world. This is my prayer. Amen.

Please join me as we say the Lord's Prayer together.

Father Bill says...the Feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

to: all of my friends
from: Father Bill Muench


Corpus Christi

Not much to report concerning the past week – last weekend was Memorial Day weekend – this is the beginning of the summer season around here – by that I mean that many of our summer visitors come up to prepare their camps and homes for the summer – and their return after school ends – today was rather enjoyable – First Friday – school Mass – it is rather enjoyable for me to sort of banter with the school kids during the homily time – never know what they will come up with but it is always rather exciting.

The Feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ



The Spirit unites us in the sharing of the Eucharist – the Body and Blood of Our Savior. A portion of St. Paul’s Letter to the Corinthians – the First letter to the Corinthians – is one of the readings for Sunday’s Feast Day – St. Paul help found the Christian Community in Corinth in the year 50 – and he wrote this First Letter to the Corinthians in 56 – this is important – so that we remember that the Gospels had not been written as yet – so Paul teaches us something about the early Christian life – in this letter – he writes to correct certain abuses that has crept into the celebration of the Eucharistic meal – in doing so - Paul teaches us what those Christians believed about the Eucharist.

He reminds the Corinthians what he taught them – Jesus on the night before he was handed over – took bread, gave thanks, broke it – “This is my Body”, “Do this in remembrance of me” – Then he took the cup – proclaimed, “This is my blood” – “Do this in remembrance of me”.

And then St. Paul adds, “For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.”

- Do this in remembrance of me – recall Jesus’ words and actions at Eucharist – emulate his whole manner of life.

-remembrance – not simply to call to mind – but to make present again Christ’s entrusting of himself to us in love.

The Gospel story for this feast is the story of Jesus feeding the multitude –

This story begins with Jesus speaking to the crowds about the Kingdom of god – these are the life giving words of the Lord – consoling, inspiring and challenging for us – Kingdom – the People of God – recognizing the presence of their King in their hearts – living out as well as possible the message of their King – Our Savior, Jesus Christ – enflamed in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.

Then the Gospel story tells us that he healed those in need – for us at Eucharist – we are healed – Jesus heals the wounds of sin and division – he forgives our sins and heals the wounds they leave- he heals us of our isolationism – we are all healed of our selfishness and indifference to others – Eucharist forms us into a community of love.

Then – the Gospel story tells us of Jesus’ feeding of the multitude – with the overflowing abundance of the Kingdom – this abundance is offered to us constantly through the Eucharist – bringing to us the life and Spirit of our Savior – each time we approach the altar of the Lord - as we gather as the assembly of believers where we remember Christ’s act of sacramental ritual – that we gain strength and give courage to one another – trusting in God’s love.

IN each of the ways in which the whole self is given in love, Jesus’ act of self gift lives on.

So on this Feast of Corpus Christi – celebrating the Eucharist of the Lord – the gift of Our Savior – whose entire self was entrusted to us – both in his ministry of preaching and healing and in his ultimate act of self surrender in death.


LET US PRAY

Almighty God, my Father – fill my life with your Holy Spirit – that I may recognize the presence of Jesus in the Sacrament of His Most Holy Body and Blood in the Sacred Eucharist – so that I may be filled and overwhelmed by the strength and love of the Eucharist – and this Sacred Eucharist may lead and guide me in all that I do – this is my prayer. Amen.

Please join me as we say together the Lord’s Prayer.