JOB: The Message of Perseverance

Sermon by Rev. John Paul Shea

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Feb 4, 2018

Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, Tucson, AZ

In today’s first reading (Job 7:1-4), Job, a Jew before the coming of Christ, was very devoted to God. Scriptures tell us Job was “blameless and upright,” one who “revered God and avoided evil.” In his righteousness, Job was very blessed. He had seven sons and three

daughters. He owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred asses; and he had many servants, so that he was the richest man among all the peoples of the East.

Yet, God takes everything away and allows Job to encounter many trials. But Job never gives up. And God again blesses Him. God gives back to Job, twice as much as he had before.

My brothers and sisters, this message of

Fr. John Paul Shea

perseverance that we hear in today’s first reading is this same message of perseverance that we receive through our Lord Jesus Christ. Yet, in Christ we are blessed in the end not simply with earthy blessings, but we are blessed with the gift of eternal life.

As we reflect on the story of Job in today’s first reading, let us be inspired to persevere in our faith.

We live in a fallen world. We hear of this fallen world in today’s Gospel (Mark 1:29-39) as Our Lord is surrounded by the effects of sin. Scores of people push against Jesus. They are possessed or they want to be healed. Jesus knew that sickness was not part of His Father's plan. These people were suffering the result of man choosing death over life, choosing to push God aside in favor of the material world. Maybe they were innocent as individuals, but they all suffered from mankind's guilt.

Yet, this is why Our Lord Jesus has come into our world to free us from the power of death that has taken hold of this world.

In fact, the greatest example we have of perseverance is the life of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Although He is the Son of God, He chose to come into our world as a slave.

Although He could perform miracles, He did not perform a miracle to get Himself off of the cross. No. Our Lord persevered in His suffering, obedient unto death. We must follow His example.

Our Lord Jesus teaches us that we too must carry our cross if we want to enter into heaven.

Perhaps our modern-day Job is someone who is having difficulty controlling his or her diabetes. And, horror of horrors, he or she loses a foot to the disease. And when things start looking brighter with a prosthetic that works, the eyesight fails. Then cancer is found and chemotherapy compounds the woes. Yet in the midst of all of this, he or she remains steadfast and strong in faith.

Perhaps our modern-day Job is one is struggling from an addiction such as pornography. He or she takes time out each day to pray. Yet, it is a battle. The person feels shame and guilt, goes to confession regularly but he is tired of confessing

the same sin. Yet, the person does not give up. The person humbles himself continually vowing to God to do his or her part.

It is this sort of perseverance that God is asking of each of us in our struggles, brothers and sisters. Yet, it is our perseverance that brings us healing.

In today’s Responsorial Psalm we hear the words, “Praise the Lord, who heals the broken hearted.” Didn't God heal Job when he was brokenhearted? Didn't God send His Son into the world to heal broken-hearted mankind?

Isn't it good to know that Jesus is the savior who does not give up, who heals us when we ask him, who takes our part when it seems no one else is?

My brothers and sisters, the truth is that each one of us is broken. Each one of us is fragmented. Each one of us needs to be healed. Therefore, let us continually come to Jesus Christ. Let us trust that He will help us because He will! We just need to persevere. For we do not have a Lord "who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who was tempted in every way that we are, yet never sinned. So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and favor and to find help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:15, 16). Amen.

Christ's Authority: Even Impure Spirits Obey Him

Sermon by Rev. John Paul Shea

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Jan. 28, 2018

Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, Tucson, AZ

The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, "What is this? A new teaching--and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits and they obey him." (Mark 1:27)

In today’s Gospel (Mark 1:21-28) Our Lord Jesus is right in the heart of his ministry on earth. He goes to Capernaum on

a Sabbath and heals a man who is possessed by an unclean spirit. The demons are afraid of the power of Our Lord as the unclean spirit cries out, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are–the Holy One of God!" Jesus drives the demon out of the man, and the people are amazed!

My brothers and sisters, as we reflect on today’s Gospel passage, let us have confidence in Our Lord Jesus Christ. He has all power and authority, and He is coming again soon to establish His kingdom on earth. Until then, we need to stay close to the faith which we have received because we are in a spiritual battle.

As Catholics, we have been given many tools to stay strong in our faith so that we can face the demons in our own lives with confidence. One way for us to be strengthened in our faith is through prayer. In fact, when Jesus drives

out the unclean spirit, He says only one word, “Quiet!” It is this same word, “Quiet,” that our Lord says when He calms the storm at sea later in the Gospel of Mark 4:35-41. Our Lord is asleep in the boat and the disciples are terrified because of the wind and rain. But He wakes up and says, “Quiet! Be still!” The wind  ceases and there is a great calm.

When we are being battered by discouragement, we need to pray. We need to take quiet time with our Lord. In fact, we should not simply pray when we feel

we are being attacked, 

but we need to pray unceasingly because prayer keeps us on the right path. 

Even if we don’t feel we get anything out of prayer, we do. What is most important for prayer is a humble and contrite heart. Our Lord teaches us that we don’t need to say a lot of words. Our Father knows what we need. Our Lord simply wants our heart. He wants us to place ourselves in His care in faith.

In fact, many years ago before I was Catholic I had gone through my own personal

Fr. John Paul Shea

struggles. During this time I simply and sincerely began to pray, “God help me to know what to do with my life.” That’s all I prayed, pretty much, and God did the rest. At that time when I prayed those words I would have never imagined that I would be standing here as a priest today!

One of the most important prayers we have as Catholics to protect us is the Holy Rosary, which has great power against evil. For example, Our Blessed Mother gave the Rosary to Saint Dominic in the 1200s. He had been preaching against a group of heretics known as the Albigensians who were wreaking havoc on the Church. Legend

teaches us that Dominic was having no success in preaching against the heresy until Our Lady  appeared to him and told him to pray the  Rosary and to tell others to do so. After Dominic obeyed and preached the Holy Rosary, he was able to defeat the heresy.

Our Blessed Mother has been stressing the need to pray the Rosary in more recent times because satan and his fallen angels are very active in the modern era -- with the permission of men.  At Fatima, Our Blessed Mother encouraged the children to pray the Rosary every day for peace.

Pope Saint Leo XIII gave us the the Prayer to Saint Michael after he apparently had a vision of God and satan conversing. 

He was warned that there would be an increase in spiritual warfare over the coming 100 years -- the 20th century.

The devil is real and he is influencing many people in our world today. Do not be afraid. We have a Saviour,  Our Lord Jesus Christ! He has all authority over unclean spirits. In these evil times, let us have complete confidence in the authority of Our Lord Jesus Christ!

In the Catholic Church,  we have the holy Sacraments, which are instruments of God’s grace. The devil trembles at the Holy Sacrament of confession! Let us use it often in humility because humility always chases the devil away. We Catholics can use

Even the pope goes to confession! 

sacramentals such as holy water, crucifixes, and statues. Make your home a place where holy angels come to dwell to guard and protect. Place crucifixes over your beds. Keep holy water on hand. Ask a priest to bless your home.  

As we come to receive Our Lord Jesus in the Holy Eucharist this morning, have confidence in Him. Give your lives over to Him. Ask for His protection.  For He is the Holy One of God! 

May the blessings and protection of Our Lord Jesus be upon us this day and always, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Nuclear Alert! Welcome to Nineveh.

Sermon by Rev. John Paul Shea

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Jan. 21, 2018

Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, Tucson, AZ

This story came out of Hawaii last week. It started out as a normal Saturday for most Hawaiians, including Dallas and 

Monica Carter and their five children. 

Monica was getting breakfast ready for the kids before a busy day when the warning blared across smartphone screens throughout the island: BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL. It was the same kind of warnings Hawaiians are used to receiving for tsunamis and hurricanes -- the kind of warning they’re used to heeding. 

“That was quite terrifying, of course,” said Dallas Carter, a theology lecturer for the Diocese of Honolulu.

Dallas said he had three thoughts once he had processed the alert. The first was: “Oh, I haven’t gone to confession yet!”  Number two was, “Ok, how do I do this perfect contrition thing?” Number three was “We have to get the kids praying Rosary.”

Soon after the initial warning, Dallas ran to the neighbors to see if they had gotten the same alert, and checked on some elderly neighbors while formulating a possible plan to get his family to the shelter of his concrete classroom. When he ran back inside the house, he found that his wife had placed the

Our Lady of Guadalupe

family's Our Lady of Guadalupe statue in the middle of the breakfast table, and all of the kids were praying the Rosary. Dallas’ wife had not long ago read a story about Jesuits in Hiroshima who were spared during the atomic blast because of their consecration to Jesus through Mary.  “My wife did the more important thing. She prayed,” Dallas said.

The eldest of the Carter children, was waken by her nine-year-old brother. “I remember thinking what’s going on? I literally just wanted to pray. I concentrated so hard on the Rosary, I was like ‘Come on Mary I know you can do this,’” she said. Desperate for news, Dallas ran to his truck to turn on the radio. Instead of hearing static, or more warnings,

he heard a football game and talk radio -- nothing out of the ordinary. The family started to breathe a little easier, but they waited along with the rest of the island - for 30 minutes before they got the official all-clear. They later learned the false warning was an error on the part of an employee at the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency.

In today’s first reading (Jonah 3:1-5,10), the prophet Jonah was sent by God to proclaim the message of repentance to the Ninevites. This message was urgent. God said to Jonah, "Set out for the great city of Nineveh, and announce to it the message that I will tell you.” So, Jonah begins his journey announcing the words of the Lord that "Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed.” The Ninevites respond to the message of God given through Jonah. They proclaim a fast and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth. We hear that God saw their sincere repentance and so He does not carry out the chastisement upon the city. 

In light of what happened to the state of Hawaii last Saturday, we ask ourselves are we prepared for whatever may come. Have we been to confession lately? Are we praying regularly? Are are hearts in the right state if we are unable to go to confession?

The truth is that Our Lord Jesus has come into our world and called us to conversion. But many souls are in jeopardy of losing eternal life. When Jesus walked the earth he denounced those who did not believe. He said this is “an evil and unfaithful generation.” Our Lord said to the Jewish people that at the final judgement the men of Nineveh will arise  and condemn that generation because the men of Nineveh repented at the preaching of Jonah but the Jews would not repent at Christ's words. And the Person they had before them, Jesus, is much greater than Jonah (Matthew 12:41).

If Jesus condemned the unbelievers of His generation, what will He say about ours?

The truth is that when societies turn away from God they bring judgment upon all of us. Jesus said there will be wars and upheavals while this current world is ending. Our Lord came to prepare us for the new heaven and the new earth. “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the Gospel." This is the time to prepare.

In fact, I’m sure we would all like it if God would send out a universal text message to everyone 30 minutes before the end of the world. After all, wasn't the prophet Jonah sending out an ancient text message? Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed!

Actually, Our Lord and the Blessed Mother have been sending out warnings and signs.  The problem is that we have been ignoring them. That's why the people of Nineveh were so unique. They did not ignore the prophecy. They responded with sackcloth, fasting, and ashes.

My brothers and sisters, God does not want

Fr John Paul Shea

us to wait until the next crisis to repent. He wants us to be prepared now. Saint Paul tells us in today’s second reading (1 Cor 7:29-31) that “from now on, let those having wives act as not having them, those weeping as not weeping, those rejoicing as not rejoicing, those buying as not owning, those using the world as not using it fully. For the world in its present form is passing away.” May we therefore commit our hearts to what is truly necessary to our salvation. May Our Lord Jesus protect us from all harm and guide us into eternal life. Amen.

Our Lady of the Rosary