Author: Father Cioppi

We believe in Mystery – It makes us whole!

Posted on by Father Cioppi

We believe in mystery and our ability to enter into the mystery through sacramental signs. We celebrate today the ultimate mystery, the unity of God. Throughout our history we have tried to put into words what we believe is true. However, like anything with God, words fall short in describing even part of His attributes: all-powerful, everlasting, all-knowing, perfect love. It is our faith in the mystery of God that we find hope and ultimately eternal joy.

We know that there is one God, and that in Him there are three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. These three persons share one divine nature. Each person is distinct from one another and are perfectly equal to one another, because all are one and same God.

Continue reading “We believe in Mystery – It makes us whole!” →

Imitate the life of Jesus and you will find Glory!

Posted on by Father Cioppi

Jesus looks up to heaven and prays to the Father that all will be one. Stephen looks up to heaven and sees Jesus. Paul encounters the same Christ, the Christ of unity and charity. If we are to live in Glory with God, we need to imitate the life of His Son. Re-create the center of life in the home; encourage community life; respect each person as a child of God and seek out ways that unite us instead of ways that divide us or even silence us in fear.

In this self-obsessed world in which we live, it will not be easy. However, if we simplify the way we live, and keep our prayer faithful and true then we can welcome others to be one with the Church by loving one another.

Continue reading “Imitate the life of Jesus and you will find Glory!” →

We mirror God when we live like Jesus.

Posted on by Father Cioppi

Paul and Barnabas have been working hard to announce the presence of God among the unbelievers by first setting an example. This way of life softens hearts and enables the Spirit of God to complete His Work.

This work is not easy for any of us; to go out into the marketplaces of our community and to show people by example the person of Jesus. That’s why we come here today to strengthen our spirits and to be reminded to persevere in faith, even though “It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.”

Continue reading “We mirror God when we live like Jesus.” →

He takes our hand and holds us close

Posted on by Father Cioppi

This Gospel this morning shows us the tremendous trust and the tremendous claim of Jesus. Jesus’ trust was something that can be traced back to God. He was just speaking about His sheep and His flock. He said that no one would ever snatch His Own from His hands, that He is the shepherd Who will keep His sheep safe forever.

At first sight, it would seem that Jesus put His trust in His own charisma and in His own power. But, if we look a little further, we begin to see that it is the Father who gave Him the sheep. It is in His Father’s hand that holds the hands of both Jesus and our own.

Continue reading “He takes our hand and holds us close” →

My Lord and my God!

Posted on by Father Cioppi

The Gospel today gives us Thomas, the doubter, who wonderfully represents us in our frailty and fears. He who could not see with his own eyes the truths proclaimed to him, refuses in his own human weakness to believe that Jesus had been raised. We do not judge him. We cannot judge him, because in doing so we would be judging ourselves. Instead we allow Thomas to approach Jesus in his own time and in his own way but approach he must to confront the demons that haunt him and Lord who loves him.

Continue reading “My Lord and my God!” →

Ask for mercy ‘on your knees’

Posted on by Father Cioppi

The story of the Prodigal Son reveals so much the Father’s intense desire to be reconciled with his sons. He is always pursuing them, becoming humble in their arrogance, confident in their doubt and hopeful in their reconciliation.

Jesus’ ministry was often about forgiveness, eating with sinners, forgiving sins publically, gently preaching about His Father’s unbounded mercy.

The Father even offered His Son’s life so we could wake up and hear His voice calling out in love: the cry of welcome, mercy and reconciliation.

Continue reading “Ask for mercy ‘on your knees’” →

Don’t be like the fig tree. Do something to change your life!

Posted on by Father Cioppi

Every person is born for a purpose. The Gospel reveals that we are like fig trees called upon to bear fruit.

In the parable the fig tree has produced no fruit. It is unfortunately wasting space. We can relate this situation to other Gospel images such as the light hidden under a basket, the squandered inheritance, or the salt that has lost its favor.

Each calls the Christian to act on faith and to complete the work Jesus set out to accomplish. If we can sit here today and admit that since last lent nothing has really changed in our living out the virtues, then the Gospel tells us to get on the move. Time is shortening with every breath.

We need to take responsibility for our faith or we will die, not by a sudden tragic event, but from inertia, from our own choice to do nothing, like the fig tree.

 

 

“From now on you will be catchers of men!”

Posted on by Father Cioppi

In the second reading this morning, Paul summarizes the good news, which he first brought to the Corinthians. It was not news which he had invented but news rather which had first been delivered to him, and it was the news of the risen Lord. It was something that the Corinthians had received. No one ever invented the gospel and in a sense no one ever discovers it on his own. It is something one receives from another.

An old Church Father once wrote: “No one can have God as Father unless he has the Church for his mother.” The Gospel is, the Word received and communicated through fellowship. In the Gospel Peter receives the command of Jesus to ‘go out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.’ With faith in the person of Jesus, Peter acts on that word and we witness the results of his faith – from now on, you will be catching men!

Continue reading ““From now on you will be catchers of men!”” →

Listen & See!

Posted on by Father Cioppi

Chiara Lubich in 1943 founded a movement in Italy called (Hearth) “Focolare.” She spread her message of unity in the crucified and abandoned Christ around the world. She gave this insightful meditation on the state of the world:

Humanity suffers from deafness, she said.  It can no longer hear the Word of God through speech because there is too much noise in the world. Parents and children are too busy to listen to Christ’s message. They have no time to listen for ways to heaven. They no longer hear the sounds of people crying or suffering even in their own homes.

Continue reading “Listen & See!” →

Announce a year of favor from the Lord!

Posted on by Father Cioppi

In the Gospel, we are at the beginning of the pastoral ministry of Jesus. He wants to lay out for us the scheme of things so we can understand the context in which he preaches by word and by deed.

He first tells us that it is the Spirit of the Lord that directs Him and has indeed anointed Him. He has anointed Him for a reason and that reason is ‘to bring glad tidings to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives; recovery of sight to the blind and release to prisoners.  He is to announce a year of favor from the Lord.’

Continue reading “Announce a year of favor from the Lord!” →