Homily for the 4th Sunday of Lent "C" (Laetare Sunday) - Fr. Edward Namiotka

 

Homily for the 3rd Sunday of Lent "C" - Fr. Edward Namiotka

 

When Two Eyes Met

Dear Parishioners,

Back in 1982, when I was reflecting on the Stations of the Cross during Lent, I wrote the following poem when thinking about the 4^th Station: Jesus Meets His Mother.  I pray that it may lead you to a deeper insight and appreciation of a Mother’s love for her Son and a Son’s love for his Mother.

The Meeting of the Eyes (The Fourth Station)

             On Via Crucis the time arrived

                         When they should meet each other.

                             He bore the timber:  the saving cross;

                            —Redemption out of Adam’s loss—

                        Slowly he neared his Mother.

She stood and watched her only Son

                        And shared the pain he knew.

                                                A feeling so helpless and ever-intense;

                                                An ache in the womb:  her motherly sense

                        That longed to do more than view.

His face was covered with dirt and blood;

                        His body all scarred from beating.

                                                A crown of thorns upon his head

                                                Pressed cruelly down until he bled.

                       —Yet his eyes awaited the meeting.

He knew his Mother to be close by;

                        She carried him in his youth.

                                                Upward he sought and she was there;

                                                Her aid by presence and inner prayer.

                        She cried to the Father for truth.

And now their eyes had pierced each other;

                        All hurt and sorrow laid bare.

                                                Her eyes peered into eternity—

                                                His eyes beheld her purity—

                        The words unspoken spoke care.

Flowed down his brow this Victim’s blood,

                        Co-mingled with a tear.

                                                His sight more blind as each drop fell

                                                Into those eyes she knew so well.

                        —Hers filled with pain and fear.

From distance still she kept her watch

                        As soldiers forced him on.

                                                Her will unceasing in its trust

                                                Of God, all-loving and all-just.

                        Life’s victory shall be won.

Internal pangs:  a sword so sharp;

                        She tended upon the death-spot.

                                                Though in her heart she yearned to be

                                                Fastened also upon the tree,

                        —Her silence continued the fiat.

                                                                                                                                                


© 1982 Edward F. Namiotka

No Device Day!

Dear Parishioners,

A few years ago, I was visiting downtown Philadelphia. I tried to find some peace and solace, for a couple of moments at least, in one of the few Catholic churches that was open daily for Eucharistic adoration. As I was sitting in the quiet, a cellular phone began to ring. It made itself known with one of those old-fashioned telephone bell rings: brrring! brrring!  .  .  .  brrring! brrring! Its owner quickly silenced it. 

After a few moments, I resumed my prayerful silence. I was somewhere in the middle of a heartfelt petition to God when another phone went off. This time a modern ringtone made its owner (and the rest of us) aware of its pending message with a catchy (no, annoying) tune. A not-too-quiet gentleman-owner proceeded to answer the phone:“Hello!  Yea!  I’m in church now. Hold on a sec.” He continued to talk for another minute or so as he headed for the church door. Out he went. Good riddance!

Determined, once again, I resumed my intimate conversation with The Almighty. I tried to find at least a moment of much-desired tranquility. Momentarily, however, the same gentleman was back inside the church walking down the aisle. That stupid phone started to bellow once again.  It reminded me of an obstinate, spoiled child clamoring for the attention of its parent. “Hello!  Yea!  I’m in Church.” Here we go again! I was too annoyed (no, angry) to pay attention to the rest of his conversation.

I was resolved at that point, if God would permit it, to become a Tibetan monk. No cell phones. No tablets. No electronic devices at all! Period. (Be careful of what you may ask for or desire!)

When did a mobile phone become an inseparable appendage to the human body? A tablet now frequently substitutes as a baby-sitter to keep the children amused or quiet. People are fixated surfing the internet for hours upon hours each day. Cellular phone zombies would walk into traffic and various inanimate objects and innocent bystanders while texting regularly. We are sternly warned not to text and drive, yet it unfortunately still goes on. Vitamins are now advertised to help protect the eyes from computer vision syndrome (CVS). Let’s face it. People are addicted to their electronic devices.

I have a unique suggestion for a day in Lent. Why not try fasting from your electronic devices for a just a day? 

No Device Day.

I bet you can’t do it! I dare you! I have done this occasionally, like on Thanksgiving or Christmas Day, when I was with my family. I leave the phone in its charger in my room for the day. I really don’t need to use it and I don’t. Those who are important to me are currently with me. People mean so much more than some stupid device. 

No Device Day. I double dare you! 

If it is not necessary to communicate with an isolated or quarantined loved one, try putting your phone or other device away for the day—the entire day. Find a day when the phone or computer is not necessary for work. No Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok or Instagram. No text messages. No annoying calls. No internet or computer either. Resurrect the art of conversation! Play a classic board game or card game with the family. Read a book. Pray the Holy Rosary. Weather permitting, go outside and shoot a basketball or kick a soccer ball. Get off the couch and get dirty in the yard. More importantly, put down and put away the device.

It wasn’t until the end of the last century that human beings became addicted to electronics. For most of human history people did not own any of the devices that so many of us can’t seem to do without today. 

No Device Day.  

Maybe it can become a national (no, worldwide) trend. I double dog dare you!

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

(As an aside, I recently saw Bp. Robert Barron suggest the same practice on a YouTube video. I love it when a bishop finally agrees with me!)

Homily for the 2nd Sunday of Lent "C" - Fr. Edward Namiotka

 

Where's the Beef?

Dear Parishioners,

When I was young my family never ate meat on Fridays in general, let alone Fridays in Lent.  Naturally, as a young, curious boy I wanted to know “why?” We grew up with the understanding that Friday was the day that Jesus died on the cross and we should make some sacrifice on that day. Therefore, we didn’t eat meat. But why meat? We could eat pizza and shrimp (some of my personal favorites!) and other things that I enjoyed which didn’t really seem like much of a sacrifice to me. What was the big deal about meat? And why was that fish symbol on our Catholic calendars on Fridays?

That’s where I had to investigate and find an answer that seemed to make sense to me. I heard that meat was associated with feasting, not fasting. We heard it stated in the Bible that we should go and kill “the fattened calf” when it was time to celebrate (cf. Luke 15: 23, 30).

Okay. That made sense. But how was fish supposedly different?

Most of the answers that I found seemed rather legalistic in the sense that there was some hair splitting about what could and could not be eaten. Seemed almost like old time Pharisaical Judaism to me. According to some interpretations, we could eat lobster, shrimp and crab but we needed to stay away from hot dogs, bologna and even Spam! (To be honest, I’m really not quite sure how much real meat is in these products anyway!)

That’s where I think that Jesus’ condemnation of the Pharisees and their legalism seemed to make sense. He would tell them that they insisted on keeping the letter of the law rather than the spirit of the law in many instances. (cf. Matthew 12 or 15). Unfortunately, they never really got it!

What then is appropriate for Lent? Why not try a simple, meatless meal! How profound. Vegetable soup, salad and bread seem appropriate. A grilled cheese sandwich with some tomato soup also appears to keep the spirit of penance. Ethnic meals like polenta, potato pierogi or rice and beans also seem to fit the bill.

I would definitely avoid the broiled seafood combination and the lobster tail with drawn butter or any kind of extravagant seafood buffet.

Perhaps those things are a bit excessive in the spirit of Lenten penance—even if they are not technically meat!

Besides, too much shellfish can sometimes give you gout.

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

Homily for the 1st Sunday of Lent "C" - Fr. Edward Namiotka

 

Facing Your Demons

Dear Parishioners,

In today’s Gospel (Lk. 4: 1-13) we see Jesus tempted by the devil. I think the example of this series of temptations is a most valuable instruction for anyone desiring to take Lent seriously. Obviously the Church does as well, since the first Sunday of each Lent begins by recalling these temptations.

First, we see that Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert. Why would the Spirit lead Jesus into the desert? The desert is an austere place where a person must confront many harsh realities: severe weather, lack of comfortable amenities, silence and danger, as a start. When we are deprived of creature comforts, remove noisy distractions, and must face harsh realities, we can and should begin to realize the complete dependence that we have on Almighty God. We are put in a situation where the desert and its silence can become the place where we hear the voice of God more clearly and powerfully. And that is where Satan often begins to interfere as well.

Jesus fasted for forty days. Not only was he in the desert, but he also took on bodily penance. He was hungry. Why deprive ourselves of anything? If we live only for this world, then self-sacrifice, mortification, and penance seem ridiculous. However, denying oneself (and picking up the cross) was given as a condition for discipleship by Jesus (See Mt. 16:24). Discipline and self-sacrifice strengthen a person both physically and spiritually. A person becomes more prepared to live out the sacrificial love Jesus most perfectly demonstrated by His death on the cross.

Why, then, when we are trying to do something spiritually beneficial, do temptations arise? Let’s face this harsh reality head on: Satan and his followers hate anyone trying to serve the Lord and grow closer to Him. They will put any possible obstacle in our way to prevent this from happening.  We may be tempted to physical, earthly pleasure (food, drink, sex, drugs, and anything that makes us feel good or gives us a temporary “high”) instead of the eternal, spiritual satisfaction that comes from the love of Almighty God. Basically, it is hedonism to one degree or another. Command that stones become loaves of bread.

Temptation can take the form of wealth or earthly goods. Material possessions become the reason for my existence. My home, my car, my vacation(s), my boat, my bank account, my jewelry, etc. become my god. I think more things will make me happy. All the kingdoms of the world . . . I shall give you.  At what price? This was the second temptation in the desert (materialism).

Finally, we can be tempted by our ego. Whenever we are proud (in the sense of hubris), boastful, unwilling to seek help (when needed), arrogant, or overconfident in our own ability or skills, we can ascend that parapet where we think that we do not need God. Or worse yet, we think that we are god. No one can tell me what to do. I know best. I will not serve. This type of thinking (egoism) is represented in Jesus’ temptation from the parapet of the temple.

Remember, temptation is not sin. In his humanity, Jesus resisted these temptations and did not sin. He faced Satan head on and rejected his false allurements. Jesus showed us that when we focus and direct our actions completely on the love of God, then we have the ability to do the same. The Lord, your God, shall you worship and Him alone shall you serve.

Go into the desert this Lent. Face your demons. It is there where they can be confronted and conquered.

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor 

Ash Wednesday

Dear Parishioners,

I am glad that Lent is here. It officially begins on Wednesday, March 5, 2025 with Ash Wednesday. I personally need to practice a bit more penance in my life and to focus more on the suffering and death of Jesus. I can take too much for granted—even the mercy of God that has been shown to me! I need to find additional time for prayer, fasting and almsgiving as the Gospel reminds all of us. If used the way it is intended, this Lenten season can be a period of personal spiritual growth and allows for proper preparation for Holy Week and Easter. 

Speaking with brutal honesty, however, there is one thing that really annoys me. It is those multiple phone calls that come to most parishes on Ash Wednesday asking: “Father, what time are ashes?” Why is there a tremendous preoccupation with ashes? Why can’t the question be: “What time is Mass?” or “When can I receive Holy Communion?” What is it about those ashes?

Ashes, after all, are a reminder of our mortality:  Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return. They also tell us of our need to do penance:  Repent, and believe in the Gospel.

It is my hope that people do not see ashes (burnt palm) as something that they “need to get,” above and beyond the desire to attend Mass and to receive Holy Communion on Ash Wednesday (or on any given Sunday for that matter). That is the reason why I actually prefer not to have only a Liturgy of the Word service with the distribution of ashes. My thought process is this: some burnt palm on the forehead (a sacramental) is significantly less important than receiving Jesus, the Bread of Life, in Holy Communion.

Masses (with the distribution of ashes) on Ash Wednesday are at 9 AM and 4:30 PM. Also, please remember that Ash Wednesday is a day of fasting (one full meal) and abstinence from eating meat. With Good Friday, these are the only two days that we are required by the Church to fast during the entire year! As Catholics, unfortunately, I think we have lost the concept of what it means to do serious penance for our sins. Many of us tend to do only that which is minimally required, at best.

You have heard me preach time and again that we need to take advantage of the opportunity for the Sacrament of Penance (confession) on a regular basis. My recommendation is monthly confession. If you can go an entire month without sinning—and that includes “in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and what I have failed to do”—I want you for my spiritual director! I want your advice and counsel because I can’t seem to achieve this!

With the world in the condition that it is in and the vast majority of Catholics lukewarm in the practice of the faith, we need to take seriously the call to turn away from sin, to repent and to follow the Gospel.

Ash Wednesday and Lent are a great time to start!

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

Homily for the 8th Sunday in Ordinary Time "C" - Fr. Edward Namiotka