Pastor’s Blog

The Turning of the Liturgical Year

As the Liturgical Year nears to an end on November 23rd and the new Liturgical Year opens on November 30th, the readings invite us to consider the second coming of Christ at the end of time.

In the end, good will triumph. Evil will be destroyed. The faithful will be rewarded, and those who caused evil to endure will have to face God for the evil they sponsored. In the end, God wins. Is anything forever? What is really important?

Ominous Promises and Eternal Hope

In the first reading from the Book of the Prophet Malachi, we are presented with an ominous picture of God’s coming. Those who were unfaithful and who caused evil to endure are punished, and the faithful who suffered for their faith and their moral life will be rewarded.

In the second reading from Paul’s Second Letter to the Thessalonians, we are told that the way to prepare for the coming of the Lord is to imitate him as he imitates Christ.

In the Gospel, Jesus speaks about the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. This destruction is symbolic of the end of all things as we know them. Imagine how these words of Jesus were heard by the people of his time. They believed the Temple was forever. Nothing is forever on earth. Finally, we are told that his followers would suffer for his name. In the end, goodness and truth will prevail. This is the meaning of the last line of the Creed: “We believe in the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.”

Faith Through Doubt and Discouragement

Where do these readings leave us?

I think the readings are hope-filled for all who are striving to follow Christ. Oftentimes I hear good people say, “Why bother to follow the rules? Look how those who live as they want get ahead.” Why should I strive to forgive others when they take advantage of me? Why should I go to Mass, when some of those who do go live lives of hypocrisy?

Many times, people who practice goodness, kindness, and integrity become frustrated. They become discouraged at the advancement of others whose behavior seems to be unjust, unkind, and not at all what the gospel preaches. How often does our justice system fail us and hold criminal behavior unaccountable? How many of us have felt this way? Remember, in the end, God wins.

The Gospel Commands Us

Firstly, we follow the gospel because God commands us to do so.

Secondly, we will have to suffer the behavior of those who do not do what the gospel commands us. This suffering can come from being mocked, ostracized, or actually being physically hurt.

Thirdly, in the end the gospel will triumph. We will be held accountable before God for what we have done and what we have not done. May we be found doing good for all the right reasons when we face the judgment of God. We will be judged not on what our neighbors have done or not done, but on what we have done or not done.

Be on the Winning Side

In the end, God wins. So be on the winning side now. There is no fooling God who knows all and sees all, and who, while merciful, is also just.

Msgr. Guy A. Massie
November 16, 2025

“How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord God of hosts” (Psalm 84:11)

Introduction to the Celebration

On Sunday, the Catholic Church universally celebrates the dedication of the Basilica of Our Savior, an ancient church in Rome also known as the Church of St. John Lateran. Why does the whole Church hold this day as important? What significance does this day hold for all Catholics? What does the Church building signify for us?

History of the Basilica

The Basilica of St. John Lateran was built by Emperor Constantine in the year 324. It was this emperor who ended the persecution of Christians and made Christianity the religion of the Roman Empire. The Church of St. John Lateran was built as the Cathedral Church of Rome. The Bishop of Rome is also the Pope. The Church of St. John Lateran is the Pope’s Church. The erection of St. John Lateran predates the building of St. Peter’s in Rome by about 25 years.

Originally known as the Basilica of the Most Holy Savior, it has also been called St. John due to the large baptistry close to the cathedral, honoring both St. John the Baptist and St. John the Apostle.

The Church as the Mother Church

The significance of this church for all of us lies in the fact that it is seen as the Mother Church of the Catholic Church. This church represents the unity of all Catholic Christians, reflecting the unity of faith among us and our communion with each other and the Universal Church throughout history and into the future.

The Catholic Church, with all its strengths and weaknesses, virtues and sins, is the Church founded by Christ through the Apostles.

The Church as God’s Dwelling Place

The Church is the dwelling place of God. The word “church” comes from the Anglo-Saxon word circle, meaning a gathering place. The Church is not the building; it is the people who gather within it. The Church building takes its name from us because Christ dwells in us. The building represents us sacramentally, reminding us that Christ dwells among us and within us.

Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians: “You are God’s building.” He also says: “Do you not know that you are the temple of God?”

Christ’s Presence in the Church and Community

God dwells in His people—not just priests, sisters, and bishops, but all baptized members who receive the Eucharist and live out their faith. Christ dwells especially in the sacraments, scriptures, and the service we offer one another. Christ dwells in the sacraments we celebrate, especially the Holy Eucharist. Christ dwells in the scriptures we read. Christ dwells in the service we give to each other.

We encounter God in and among the church members. Church art can inspire us to pray; however, we must keep in mind that the building is holy only in the fact that it enhances our relationship with Christ only in so far as it moves us to be inspired by the gospel to live Christian lives.

Jesus’ Teaching on the True Temple

In Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus says, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it up in three days.” He was referring to the temple of His body, and, as His body, we are the living Church. For us, the holy place is a holy person.

Conclusion

“How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord God of Hosts.” Christ is the dwelling place of God. He dwells deeply within us. We are the lovely dwelling place of God.

Msgr. Guy A. Masssie
November 9, 2025

Sunday Readings

As we see the change in colors, the summer sun gives way to the dimmer light of fall and winter, we are placed in an atmosphere of remembering. We remember with thankfulness our many blessings on Thanksgiving Day, and we remember those who have died for our country on Veterans’ Day. November lulls us into looking back over the past year and remembering events of the past. Thus, just before the great and joyful season of Advent and Christmas, we take this month of shorter days, colder afternoons, and falling leaves to remember in hope those whose lives have touched us.

All Souls Day: Remembering Our Faithful Departed

On All Souls Day, we the Church, remember and pray for our beloved dead who have gone before us marked with the sign of faith. The reason we pray for our faithful departed is that we believe that our prayers can assist our loved ones. We pray that God may have mercy on them, look upon their faults with a merciful heart, and forgive them their sins or failings.

We are also told in 2 Maccabees 12:43-46 that it is a “good and wholesome thought to pray for the dead.” The reason praying for the dead is a good and wholesome thought is stated in the reading: “… because (Judas Maccabees) had the resurrection of the dead in mind.” We pray for the dead because we believe in the resurrection of the dead and life of the world to come. This we profess when we say the Creed.

The liturgy of the day moves us to hope. The readings remind us that those who have gone before us marked with the sign of faith are in the hands of God. Believing that our loved ones are with God gives us hope and peace of mind and heart.

Faith and Love Survive Death

While our faith is our strength and eternal life our hope, our hearts still hurt and our spirits still feel the loss. Love never dies; people die. God is love. The love we have experienced in the lives of our loved ones and the love we have for them survives death. Why? The reason is that we believe God is love.

In the First Letter of John, we read, “We are God’s children now; what we shall later be has not yet come to light. When it does, we shall see God as He is.” This tells us that we survive death, that our relationship with God continues, and that death for the Christian means “life has changed, not ended.

The Journey of Grief

For all of us who are going through this year of mourning, life has changed. It seems that grief comes to us in different ways. Just when you think you are healed, you will find yourself in tears. Depending on the depth and the closeness of the relationship, the loss of a loved one leaves us with an emotional wound. We mourn our loss not just for a year but in many ways forever until we see them again.

There is no time limit on grief. The pain may disappear for a while, but it returns at certain times and rises when we remember events and special days. Grief is the price of love. In the end, it is better to have loved and have the pain of grief than never to have loved. If we can always hold our departed loved ones in our hearts, how much more does God hold us to His heart?

A Call to Compassion

Today and every day, the Church prays for her children who have gone before us. We pray for them because we believe in the Resurrection of Christ and life of the world to come.

I invite all, especially those who are mourning this year, to see the heart of God manifested to us in the kindness, understanding, and compassion we have received from our friends, neighbors, and relatives. As we walk through this coming holiday season, perhaps we can pray for each other that we may find our hope, peace, and joy in knowing that God is with us.

May God give rest to our loved ones and consolation to all who mourn. May our faith be our strength and eternal life our hope.

Msgr. Guy A. Massie
November 1, 2025

The Lesson of This Sunday

The lesson of this Sunday is that those who wish to be right before God must make God’s concerns their own. The responsorial gives us the unifying theme of today’s readings: “The Lord hears the cry of the poor.” The first reading from the Book of Sirach tells us that while God is an impartial listener, the writer goes on to say that God is especially concerned with the weak and the poor.

In the Gospel reading, we are told the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. In the second reading, from Paul’s Second Letter to Timothy, we hear that he is near the end of his life—having poured himself out for the proclamation of the Gospel.

Questions to Reflect On

When you heard and sang the responsorial psalm at liturgy, what was your reaction? Did the psalm annoy you? Did it sound too political? Did you wonder what it means? Who are the poor people? Do poor people really exist, or are most of those who claim to be poor frauds? What does it mean to be poor?

These are important questions because God seems most concerned about them.

Who Are the Poor?

If we look at the Gospel to answer these questions, we may find even more questions. Who in the Gospel is the poor one?

The poor are those in need and who cannot help themselves. One may be financially wealthy and yet be poor. Poverty comes in many forms. We may be poor in health, knowledge, influence, or even in self-knowledge.

Is it the Pharisee who is poor? The Pharisee is filled with himself, and even his prayer centers on his own accomplishments rather than on God. It is true that the Pharisee fulfilled the laws of religion, but it seems his heart was not converted to God.

Prayerful and faith-filled people have God as their goal. Through prayer and study of Scripture, they learn the mind and heart of God. The faith-filled person is more forgiving, loving, and merciful. Is the Pharisee growing in faith? He believes himself to be perfect—to the point of looking down on others.

Who among us is so perfect as to feel confident before God, the All-Perfect One?

The Pharisee and the Tax Collector

Is the Tax Collector the poor one? He has been alienated from worship and from his people. In fact, the Tax Collector may have been wealthy. They worked for the Romans, taking their commission from the taxes they collected to support the oppressive Roman Empire.

Tax collectors were despised as traitors by the local population.

The Lord Hears the Cry of the Poor

Let us think about this for a moment. The answer is that they are both poor.

The Pharisee is poor in self-knowledge. He thinks he does not need the mercy of God. He is so blinded that he cannot see the truth about himself.

The Tax Collector, who is not religious, knows his faults. He knows he has been dishonest and is far from perfect—and he admits this to God. He clearly seeks mercy in his situation.

In the end, the Tax Collector is the blessed man. He knows he is in poor relationship with God and begs for mercy. He is justified by God because he asks for mercy.

The Pharisee is poor but cannot admit it.

A Call to Mercy

If you wish your prayer to be heard, have mercy on the poor. Never ask God for what you deny others.

If you seek healing, help heal the need of another. None of us is perfect; none is without need. All of us are beggars before God, seeking mercy.

Msgr. Guy A. Massie
October 19, 2025

Dear Parish Family,

In Sunday’s Gospel and the first reading from the Book of Exodus address the need for praying always. The second reading from St. Paul’s second letter to Timothy instructs us to know the faith and to keep the faith. What is faith? What is prayer? How do we learn to pray? What is the difference between saying a prayer and truly praying? It is often said that Catholics do not know the foundation of their faith nor do they have knowledge of Scripture. Is this true? What is the difference between cultural religion and faith? How do we address these questions? The answers are found deep within ourselves.

What Is Prayer?

Prayer, we were taught, is the lifting up of our hearts to God. We uplift our hearts in joyful thanksgiving. Prayer is praising God. Prayer is a lament to God when we are in pain or distress. Prayer is a petition for what we need. Prayer is done in many ways. It is a radical and honest communication with God that finds its beginning in the deepest recesses of our hearts. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, humility is the foundation of prayer. Only when we humbly acknowledge that we do not know how to pray as we ought, are we ready to receive the gift of prayer.

The Nature and Practice of Prayer

Man is a beggar before God. Even to pray, we need God’s grace. Prayer is not the words alone—it is the sentiments which the words express. Prayer is found before the presence of the Lord. Look at the psalms in the Bible. Jesus, in his human heart, prayed these psalms. Notice that the psalm really leads you to your inner self as you stand before God. Prayer is a state of the soul. A prayerful disposition is when our spirit is open to the movements of the Holy Spirit deep within us.

Different Forms of Prayer

Prayer can be liturgical, for example, when we all pray together at Mass or at the Liturgy of the Hours. Prayer can be private. Prayer need not have words. Prayer can be sitting in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament in silence. Prayer is a journey to God and with God. It is a journey into the deepest parts of ourselves.

The Effect of Prayer on Faith

In the end, prayer changes our hearts. It leads us to a deeper faith. Prayer moves us to a deeper conversion to the mind and heart of Christ.

Msgr. Guy A. Massie
October 19, 2025

Dear Parish Community,

Sunday’s readings are held together by the phrase found in the second reading from the second letter of Timothy, from St. Paul: “Remember Jesus Christ risen from the dead…” In the Gospel, while ten lepers are healed, only one remembers Jesus. In the first reading from the Second Book of Kings, Naaman remembers and gives thanks.

The Call to Remember

“Remember Jesus Christ risen from the dead,” says Paul to Timothy. Paul urges Timothy to remember the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. In Catholic liturgical belief, remembering is taken seriously. When we gather to celebrate the Eucharist, we are in the act of remembering. To remember in the liturgy means to make present again. As we remember the Death and Resurrection of Jesus, we again enter into this great mystery.

Remembering Jesus is not simply an act of recalling the past as one remembers a historical event. Rather, we remember so as to render present again. Remembering Jesus in this manner makes remembering a prayer. This remembering of Jesus will sustain Timothy as he faces his share of suffering.

Remembering as Spiritual Direction

Remembering Jesus is Paul’s spiritual direction to us. While the leper is healed in today’s Gospel, Jesus, through his death and resurrection, heals and saves us for all eternity. Remembering Jesus risen in all the seasons of our lives, but especially in times of loneliness, confusion, ambiguity, fear, and emotional or physical suffering, tells us that there is life on the other side of the present crisis.

Remembering Jesus in times of loss, especially if we are mourning, helps to assure us that life is not ended, but changed. Remembering Jesus when our worlds are ending, fearful storms engulf us, or when we feel we are at the end of our rope may sustain us for the day.

Remembering Jesus reminds us that we encounter God through the humanity of Christ. In a like manner, we encounter God through the humanity of our neighbors (cf. Matt 25:31ff). When confronted with temptations to be self-righteous, judgmental, jealous, or vindictive, remembering Jesus may help us to remain faithful. When confronted with ambition, feelings of entitlement, or anger, remembering Jesus may help us to act appropriately.

The Gospel Lesson: The Samaritan Leper

In the Gospel, we meet a Samaritan leper. Being a leper is difficult and isolating. Being a leper who is part of a discriminated people makes his situation worse. The Samaritan leper was an outcast among the outcast. Knowing that he was at the mercy of Jesus, he begs along with the other nine. Along with them, he is healed.

While the nine forgot that Jesus was the one through whom they were all healed, the Samaritan leper remembers Jesus and returns. Because he was a Samaritan, the leper could not worship at the Temple in Jerusalem (Samaritans and Jews did not worship together, cf. John 3f). Remembering Jesus, the leper who could not encounter God in the Temple, encounters God through the humanity of Jesus.

Jesus thus is the new Temple for the leper and for us. Remember Jesus and enter more deeply into a relationship with him in and through the Eucharist, the sacred scripture, and the community of the church.

Msgr. Guy A. Massie
October 12, 2025