September 15, 2024 • 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

While I was on vacation in New Orleans, there was something I found interesting/disturbing going on in front of the cathedral. The area directly in front of the cathedral is public property, and so the Church has no say in what happens there.  Every day I saw various people setting up tables to do palm readings, tarot cards, and other kinds of fortune telling. I found this disturbing because the Church actually sees it as true evil. Doing these and similar activities like Ouija boards are not harmless fun: rather, they are the very start of committing a mortal sin. The use of any occult practices is a grievous act in the eyes of the Church and scripture itself.

Scripture tells us...

 “Let there not be found among you… a fortune-teller, soothsayer, charmer, diviner, or caster of spells, nor one who consults ghosts and spirits or seeks oracles from the dead. Anyone who does such things is an abomination to the Lord.” (Deut 18: 10-12)

The Catechism of the Catholic Church [2116] teaches us...

“All forms of divination are to be rejected: recourse to Satan or demons, conjuring up the dead or other practices falsely supposed to "unveil" the future. Consulting horoscopes, astrology, palm reading, interpretation of omens and lots, the phenomena of clairvoyance, and recourse to mediums all conceal a desire for power over time, history, and, in the last analysis, other human beings, as well as a wish to conciliate hidden powers. They contradict the honor, respect, and loving fear that we owe to God alone.” 

It is clear from these statements that what many see as harmless fun, God does not. The use of these practices essentially leads us to place our trust in something other than God. We are therefore breaking the First Commandment, “You shall not have other gods besides me.” The very nature of these practices is to open yourself to be influenced by something other than God. At its very root it is problematic and can never truly be justified. This may seem a little harsh over what appears on the surface to be something harmless if you really do not believe in it. However, Satan will use whatever it takes to lead us away from God.

As Catholics we believe that Satan and demons are real beings. They are not metaphors or symbols for bad things. They exist and can influence us towards sin. The greatest gift Satan has been given in modern times is that people do not really believe he actually exists, and that makes it very easy for him to lead us away from God. The Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith in 1975 stated, “Briefly, then, the Church’s position in regard to demonology is clear and firm. It is true that in the course of the centuries the existence of Satan and of the devils has never in fact been the object of an explicit declaration of her Magisterium. The reason for this is that the question was never posed in these terms. Both heretics and the faithful, basing their respective positions on sacred Scripture, were in agreement in recognizing the existence of Satan and the devils and their main misdeeds. This is why, when the reality of the devil is called into question today, it is to the constant and universal belief of the Church and to its main source—the teaching of Christ—that one must appeal, as has been stated. It is, in fact, in the teaching of the Gospel and as something at the heart of the faith that the existence of the demonic world is shown to be a dogmatic datum.” 

The Church does not focus her teaching on Satan because Jesus is what the Gospel is about. And our focus should not be on sin, but on salvation. So, to live our lives as a people saved in and by Christ we must remain faithful, and part of remaining faithful is to avoid anything that might lead to sin. As Saint Peter wrote to us, “Be sober and vigilant. Your opponent, the devil, is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for [someone] to devour.” We must be vigilant to ensure we do not put ourselves in harm’s way. And we must take seriously what both the scriptures and the Church teach us. We must be centered in Christ and not anything else in our lives.

And part of that is not placing too much concern on the future. As the Catechism teaches us, “God can reveal the future to his prophets or to other saints. Still, a sound Christian attitude consists in putting oneself confidently into the hands of Providence for whatever concerns the future and giving up all unhealthy curiosity about it.” I know that people have concerns for those who have gone before us, but we must trust in God’s love, mercy, and compassion. We hope for the best for our loved ones and we pray for them. Anything else shows a lack of trust in God.
 
What I saw in New Orleans in front of the Cathedral really was boundaries of two worlds. One is the symbol of Jesus, and the other, of the evil one. May we be steadfast in our vigilance to remain focused only on that which will surely lead us to Christ.

If you have any questions about anything, please do not hesitate to ask me directly, email me (link above) or call me at (978) 254-0560.

 Fr. Brian

Fr. Brian 2024 Weekly Articles

September 15, 2024
September 8, 2024
September 1, 2024
August 25, 2024
August 18, 2024
August 11, 2024
August 4, 2024
July 28, 2024
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February 25, 2024
February 18, 2024
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January 28, 2024
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January 14, 2024
January 7, 2024
 

 Ten Commandment Article Series

                                
   First  Second
  Third  Fourth Fifth    Sixth and Ninth CommandmentsSeventh and Tenth Commandments
     8th Commandment                   Conclusion              

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 

Fr. Brian Teaching on The Mass
From October 18 - November 15, 2021, Fr Brian presented a 5-week Teaching on The Mass. Below you can find a link to both his videos as well as the coinciding articles that appeared in the previous Sunday's bulletin.

Teaching on The Mass Videos

• Part One: Why we go to Mass
• Part Two: Introductory Rites
• Part Three: Liturgy of the Word
• Part Four: Liturgy of the Eucharist
• Part Five: Concluding Rites

Coming soon....

Fr. Brian 2023 Weekly Articles

December 31, 2023 - Fourth Sunday of Advent
December 17, 2023 - Third Sunday of Advent
December 10, 2023 - Second Sunday of Advent
December 3, 2023 - First Sunday of Advent
November 26, 2023 - Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
November 19, 2023 - 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
November 12, 2023 - 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
November 5, 2023 - 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time
October 29, 2023 - 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time
October 22, 2023 - 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time
October 15, 2023 - 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time
October 8, 2023 - 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time
October 1, 2023 - 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time
September 24, 2023 - 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time
September 17, 2023 - 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time
September 10, 2023 - 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
September 3, 2023 - 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
August 27, 2023 -21st Sunday in Ordinary Time
August 20, 2023 - 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time
August 13, 2023 - 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time
August 6, 2023 - Transfiguration of The Lord
July 30, 2023 - 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 23, 2023 - 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 16, 2023 - 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 9, 2023 - 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 2, 2023 - 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time
June 25, 2023 - 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time
June 18, 2023 - 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time
June 11, 2023 - Corpus Christi
June 4, 2023 - Most Holy Trinity
May 28, 2023 - Pentecost
May 21, 2023 - 7th Sunday of Easter
May 14, 2023 - 6th Sunday of Easter
May 7, 2023 - 5th Sunday of Easter
April 30, 2023 - 4th Sunday of Easter
April 23, 2023 - 3rd Sunday of Easter
April 16, 2023 - 2nd Sunday of Easter
April 9, 2023 - Easter Sunday
April 2, 2023 - Palm Sunday
March 26, 2023 - 5th Sunday of Lent
March 19, 2023 - 4th Sunday of Lent
March 12, 2023 - 3rd Sunday of Lent
March 5, 2023 - 2nd Sunday of Lent
February 26, 2023 - 1st Sunday of Lent
February 19, 2023 - 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time
February 12, 2023 - 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time
February 5, 2023 - 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time
January 29, 2023 - 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time
January 22, 2023 - 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
January 15, 202 - 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
January 8, 2023 - The Epiphany of Our Lord
January 1, 2023 - Solemnity of Mary, Holy Mother of God

Fr. Brian 2022 Weekly Articles

December 25, 2025
December 18, 2022
December 11, 2022
December 4, 2022
November 27, 2022
November 20, 2022
November 13, 2022
November 6, 2022
October 30, 2022
October 23, 2022
October 16, 2022
October 9, 2022
October 2, 2022
July 31 - September 25: Ten Commandment Articles (to left)
July 24, 2022
July 17, 2022
July 10, 2022
July 3, 2022
June 26, 2022
June 19, 2022
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February 27, 2022
February 20, 2022
February 13, 2022
February 6, 2022
January 30, 2022
January 23, 2022
January 16, 2022
January 9, 2022
January 2, 2022

Fr. Brian 2021 Weekly Articles

December 26, 2021
December 19, 2021
December 12, 2021
December 5, 2021
November 28, 2021
November 21, 2021
November 14, 2021
November 7, 2021
October 31, 2021
October 24, 2021
October 17, 2021
October 10, 2021
October 3, 2021
September 26, 2021
September 19, 2021
September 12, 2021
September 5, 2021 [No Article]
August 29, 2021
August 22, 2021
August 15, 2021
August 8, 2021
August 1, 2021
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

Fr. Brian 2020 Weekly Articles

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
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March 15, 2020
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February 16, 2020