The Sunday Sermon Archive

Dear Friends in Christ,

In today's Gospel reading (John I:19-28), the priests and Levites were sent to Saint John the Baptist to question him. Similarly, St. John sent his disciples to ask Jesus. There is a hierarchy here. The people look to the priests and Levites; the priests and Levites look to Saint John; and Saint John looks to Jesus. Each one replies that he is not the Savior and directs the questioners to look above themselves, until ultimately, we arrive at Jesus Who is the Christ — The Son of God.

No one goes to the Father except through Jesus Christ. Jesus clearly said: "I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No man cometh to the Father, but by Me" (John 14:6). However, to get to Jesus Christ, the people went through the Scriptures, priests, and Levites, and then Saint John. We experience a similar thing in our lives today. To get to Heaven, we must go through Jesus Christ; to find Jesus Christ, we must go through His Church, His bishops and priests. It is only in His Church that we can truly obey all that He has commanded us. Only in His priests do we have the Sacrifice of the Mass and Holy Communion, where we eat His Flesh and have life in us. "Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His Blood, you shall not have life in you" (John 6:54). It is only in His Church that we find those whom He has appointed to forgive or retain our sins. "Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them, and whose you shall retain, they are retained" (John 20:23).

God is everywhere, and we can spiritually approach Him anytime, anywhere. However, to draw physically near Him, we must go through those He has appointed — His Church, priests, and bishops. In the Church, the priest is recognized as an Alter Christus because He administers Jesus in Holy Communion and acts in His Name when celebrating the Sacrifice of the Mass and in administering all the Sacraments. Like Saint John the Baptist, Catholic priests point to Jesus, directing us in the way to prepare for Him, to find Him, and to draw near to Him. They can say, I am not the Christ, I am not the Prophet, I am a mere instrument in the Hands of God; I am a voice crying in the wilderness to make straight the Way of the Lord.

Similarly, as Jesus came to this world through Mary, His Holy Mother, she uniquely guides us to Him in a special way. Since Jesus is God even when residing in her womb, she is truly the Mother of God. Jesus honors her as His Mother, giving us the perfect example in obeying the Fourth Commandment of God — Honor your parents. It is only logical that we imitate Him and honor and love His Mother as He does, recognizing her as a vital path to Jesus and salvation.

As we have become adopted children of God and Jesus has become our adopted Brother, so Mary has become our adopted mother. As we have, through baptism, become Children of God, we have also become Children of the Church at that very moment.

We must not neglect the paths that Jesus has established for us to arrive at Him. To arrive in Heaven with Him, He has directed us to the Church — bishops and priests; to the Sacraments — especially the Holy Eucharist; and to His Mother Mary — especially in devotion to her in the Holy Rosary. Though the priests and Mary will each say, "I am not God, I am not the Savior," they do not hesitate to point us in the right direction.

Many non-Catholics will point to the Bible as the means of reaching Jesus. The Holy Scriptures are the Living Word of God — not the printed words on paper. The Scriptures are written, but the written words need a living voice to give them Life, meaning, and understanding. That living voice or the "voice crying in the wilderness" is The True Church of Jesus Christ — the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church found in the true successors of the Apostles, the bishops, and their priests. It is in and through the Church that we see the Scriptures, the Mother of God, the Sacraments, and ultimately, Jesus the Son of God, Who directs us to His Father in Heaven.

May the Immaculate Heart of Mary inspire, guide, and protect us!

email: father@friarsminor.org Franciscan Benefactor Seraph Subscription Vocations Have you remembered God?

Would you like to make a donation?

Or, just log onto PayPal.com, after signing in you can send your donation to us at: Friars@friarsminor.org .

Blog with audio downloads

Return to Menu.

Return to Homepage.