May 7, 2023 •5th Sunday of Easter 

The movie Starman came out in 1984 and it is one of my favorite movies. The movie stars Jeff Bridges as an alien from another planet who takes the form of Jenny Hayden’s (Karen Allen) dead husband. The movie is essentially about Jenny trying to get Jeff to the landing site where Jeff’s people will rescue him from Earth. As they head towards the rendezvous point, they are chased by government agents trying to capture Jeff. One scene in particular really strikes me. Jeff is now driving the car after carefully watching how Jenny drove. Jenny has been asleep for a while and she wakes up and they have a short conversation. Then, as they approach a light that is changing to yellow, Jeff speeds up and drives very fast through the intersection. He closes in on a semi-truck, gets by it, but causes an accident.

The conversation between them goes like this: Jenny says “Okay? Are you crazy? You almost got us killed! You said you watched me, you said you knew the rules!” Starman replies, “I do know the rules.” Jenny responds, “Oh, for your information pal, that was a yellow light back there!” Starman answers, “I watched you very carefully: red light—stop, green light—go, yellow light—go very fast.”

Jenny fell into the trap that many of us do: we say we believe one thing but, in reality, we act very different. Jeff did not listen to Jenny’s words but instead watched her, and that is what he found most compelling. It is something that I talk about in my baptismal homilies. I remind parents that their children will learn how to talk, eat, walk and the like simply by watching them. It is not really something parents try to teach; rather, the children learn simply by watching their parents. The same is obviously true about their faith. Parents are the primary teachers of the faith to their children. And the faith that their children will embrace will be an expression of what they learned by watching their parents live out their faith.

A quote that honestly haunts me in this regard is one spoken by Gandhi. When he was asked why he used so many Christian quotes but did not embrace the faith, he responded, “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” In his life he had encountered much racism, and such, from Christians, who treated him as lower than them because of the color of his skin and his nationality. The words they spoke in no way matched their actions. And so, an important question we, as Christians, have to ask ourselves is: do our actions truly reflect our belief in Christ? In every word we speak and action we take, is Christ heard, and seen?

As we live out our lives we are essentially painting a picture, and one of two pictures will emerge in the end. We will either paint a picture of ourselves or one of Christ. Our picture is determined by the decisions we make in our lives. We are called by Christ to live a life centered in humility, self-emptying, obedience, self-offering, dying to self, sacrifice, and unconditional love. In other words, we must live our lives as Christ lived his. But it is not only about our outward actions: our hearts must also be open to the Lord and willing to receive rebukes to how we are living our lives. A perfect example of this is King David. He is described in the Acts of the Apostles in this way. “Then he removed [Saul] and raised up David as their king; of him he testified, ‘I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will carry out my every wish.’’’ David was not perfect—he did some horrendous things. But, always, he was contrite and returned to the Lord in humility, trust and hope. We also have the Good Thief on the cross who acknowledges that he belongs on the cross. And yet, in humility, hope and trust he turns to Christ and asks, “Remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus responds, “This day you will be with me in paradise.”

In seeking to live our lives in Christ, it is not about being perfect; that is not possible for us. Rather, it is about allowing our hearts to be penetrated by God’s unconditional love. It is about seeking to reject the ways of the world and to embrace the ways of Christ. Each decision we make is a brush stroke on the canvas of our life. Each brush stroke is helping the picture of our life to emerge. Each decision we make also impacts our heart, either leading us closer to Christ or pushing us away from Him. Each decision is helping us to either open our hearts to Christ or close our hearts to Him.

We need to take an honest look at not only what we say but what we do. Do our actions truly reflect what we say we believe? Christian life is not simply about accepting people for who they are; Jesus did not do that. He met people where they were and challenged them to change. He calls us to do the same. Christian life is not summed up in the Golden Rule; it is realized in the death and resurrection of Christ. Christ was clear when He said that to be his disciple you must be willing to take up the cross and follow Him. True Christian living is hard and rocky—not smooth and simple. We need to take up the challenge so that our brush strokes reflect our faith and paint a true picture of 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.

Please keep me in your prayers.                                                                     
In Christ,

Fr. Brian

Fr. Brian 2023 Weekly Articles

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
June 12, 2022
June 5, 2022
May 29, 2022
May 22, 2022
May 15, 2022
May 8, 2022
May 1, 2022
April 24, 2022
April 17, 2022
April 10, 2022
April 3, 2022
March 27, 2022
March 20, 2022
March 13, 2022
March 6, 2022
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

 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 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
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