August 1, 2021: 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time

About twelve years ago my friend, Fr. Mark Coiro, and I decided to backpack through Yellowstone National Park. As neither one of us had ever done so before, we decided it would make sense to hire a guide. Our guide, Tim, helped us immensely. First of all, he looked at what we were going to place in our backpacks and then helped us realize that we were planning to take far more than we would need, or would be comfortable carrying. He reminded us that whatever we took with us would be on our backs for five days. The more we took, the heavier the backpack would become. Tim helped us understand what was truly essential for the journey. We left behind the things we really did not need, and it made the hiking far more manageable and enjoyable. As we made our way through the park Tim, of course, took the lead; he knew the trails to take and where we would need to stop for the night. Finally, Tim helped us establish a good pace for hiking. When I took the lead we went too fast, but when Mark took the lead we went at a far more sustainable pace. Tim talked to us about the terrain we would be facing and how to traverse it safely. He was an excellent guide.

As we journey through life, Christ realizes that we too need a guide to traverse through the world. We would need help in understanding what is expected of us. We would also need help in discerning what things are true and real, and the falsehoods that the world would place before us. The world is ready to send us down paths and trails that will ultimately bring us harm and despair. The way of the world is always in opposition to the way of Christ.  But the way of the world is very subtle in its deceptions and, therefore, much of what it will teach sounds good and reasonable. And, as such, when we accept the teaching of the world it can make the ways of Christ seem unfair, harmful, and antiquated. The way of the world is modern and accepts people and creates toleration. The way of Christ, in contrast to the world, seems to stymie people from achieving their true sense of self. But that is the power of the world—its ability to feed into a person’s ego and sense of self-determination. The world desires to show us a trail that looks broad and easy, but it is always the way of destruction and damnation.

Christ again realized that we need a guide to help us stay on the true path. The path of Christ, of course, is narrow, rocky and difficult. But it is the way of salvation—the way that leads us to heaven. It is the way that leads us to our deepest desire which is to be in union with God. And there is only one way to achieve this union with God: that is through Christ. The guide that Christ created to help us find the right path and to stay on the path is, of course, the Church.

As Catholics, we must believe that the Church Christ intended to create is the Roman Catholic Church, and the Roman Catholic Church only. We see this most clearly in the story of Pentecost. As the apostles hid in the upper room out of fear, the Holy Spirit came upon them like a strong rushing wind.  In that moment they realized what they were being called to do, and they went forth to proclaim the Good News of Christ. The Church came about through Saint Peter and the other apostles, by doing the work Christ intended for them to do. But they could not do it alone.  It was through their ministry and preaching that the Church would expand and grow. But, more importantly, the work they did was sustained by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit made possible all that would follow as the Church would grow and expand.

The Church exists again for one purpose and that is to continue the mission of Christ in the world. The work of the Apostles ensured that Christ’s message would not be lost and, more importantly, would not change throughout all time. The message of Christ is the same today as it was 2,000 years ago. The reason for this is that there is only one path towards salvation. Each of us will walk the path differently, but that one path through Christ must be the path we all must take.

The Church exists to guide us on this path. We often will think we need to take more than we need, but the Church will call us back to a life of simplicity. We must recognize the good things God has given us, but also realize that all we receive is not necessarily for us. Rather, we are called to share our good bounty with others who have less. Many times we will try to walk too quickly down the path but the Church is there to teach us patience. We need to learn to live in the moment. We need to take time and see what God has given us and how God is present to us. When we rush through life, we can miss what is really most important. At times we might want to take a path that looks more interesting, or stop at a place that is more appealing to us. The Church is there to teach us true discernment—to know which path is best for us.

The Church, therefore, speaks to us in a way that we can always trust, to show us the direction of the path we need to take.

We will continue this discussion next week.

If you have any questions about anything, please do not hesitate to ask me directly via email (link above).

Please keep me in your prayers.

Fr. Brian Weekly Articles

July 25, 2021
July 18, 2021
July 11, 2021
July 4, 2021
June 27, 2021
June 20, 2021
June 13, 2021
June 6, 2021
May 30, 2021
May 23, 2021
May 16, 2021
May 9, 2021
May 2, 2021
April 25, 2021
April 18, 2021 [No Article]
April 11, 2021
April 4, 2021 [Easter]
March 28, 2021
March 21, 2021
March 14, 2021
March 7, 2021
February 28, 2021
Februry 21, 2021
February 14, 2021
February 7, 2021
January 31, 2021
January 24, 2021
January 17, 2021
January 10, 2021
January 3, 2021
December 27, 2020
December 20, 2020
December 13, 2020
December 6, 2020
November 22, 2020
November 8, 2020
November 1, 2020
October 25, 2020
October 18, 2020
October 11, 2020
October 4, 2020
September 27, 2020
September 20, 2020
September 13, 2020
September 6, 2020
August 30, 2020
August 23, 2020
August 16, 2020
August 9, 2020
August 2, 2020
July 26, 2020
July 19, 2020
July 12, 2020
July 5, 2020
June 28, 2020
June 21, 2020
June 14, 2020
June 7, 2020
May 31, 2020
May 24, 2020
May 17, 2020
May 10, 2020
May 3, 2020
April 26, 2020
April 19, 2020
​​​​​​​April 12, 2020
April 5, 2020
March 29, 2020
March 22, 2020
March 15, 2020
March 8, 2020
February 23, 2020
February 16, 2020 

Fr. Brian Eucharist Articles

Week One:
Introduction to Eucharist

Week Two:
Eucharist a Noun

Week Three:
Eucharist as Verb

Week Four:
Eucharist as Sacrifice

Week Five:
Eucharist as Meal

Week Six:
Eucharist as Covenant/Memorial

Week Seven:
Conclusion