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 

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

 

Love of Enemies

Dear Parishioners,

The focus of Jesus teaching was definitively on Love. First, he told us that the greatest commandment in the Law (Torah) was the Love of God: "Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?" [Jesus] said to him, "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment." (Mt. 22: 36-38)

Then Jesus took a less prominent precept from the book of Leviticus (Lv. 19:18) and placed it beside the commandment to love God: "The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments." (Mt. 22: 39-40)

Most reasonable believers would find that this instruction makes sense. The difficulty that almost everyone would have with Jesus' teaching was when He took matters even further: "To you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you." (Lk. 6: 27-28) Now He seems to be going too far, too extreme. How can I possible love an enemy?

Truth be told, it is not natural for anyone to accomplish this task. We would have to do something above and beyond that which we are normally capable as a human. We really can't accomplish such things without the aid of God's supernatural grace.

Throughout my lifetime I have encountered parents willing to forgive the person who raped and killed their daughter (Shannon Schieber), a Polish mother who forgave soldiers who brutally beat her son (Fr. Jerzy Popieluszko) to death, and a pope (St. John Paul II) who forgave his would-be-assassin. I read about how St. Maria Goretti forgave and prayed for the person who stabbed her to death. I also heard how Immaculee Ilibagiza survived the 1994 Rwandan genocide in her book Left to Tell and eventually forgave her family's killers. These and many other stories like theirs (from the time of the earliest Christian martyrs, including St. Stephen) show us all that what seems impossible from a human perspective can come to be with the supernatural grace of God.

Jesus showed us from the cross (see Lk. 23: 34) how He was willing to forgive those who put Him to death. Could He not also assist those who experience unbearable and unspeakable tragedies to find forgiveness, peace and healing? I hope and pray so. I have seen examples of it happening.

I also hope and pray that I may never have to face the tragic circumstances that others have had to because of war, crime, injustice or evil. The world is not fair and bad things happen to good people far too often. Jesus is the perfect example of that. Yet, He still challenges us to rise above the difficult and unfair circumstances of life and to continue to love despite it all.

Easy? Absolutely not.

Possible? All things are possible with God's grace.

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

Have I Told You Lately that I Love You?

Dear Parishioners,

I have been involved with Worldwide Marriage Encounter for well over to 35 years.  (To see exactly how a celibate priest like me fits into this community, you will just have to make a Marriage Encounter weekend!) The Marriage Encounter community has shaped me as a person and has helped to direct my priesthood and the ministry flowing from it. I have learned (and am still learning) many valuable lessons to apply to myself and my relationship with others as a result of my many years of participation.

For example, one simple lesson is as follows: We can sometimes take people for granted. Those around us every day—whether they are family, co-workers or friends—can unfortunately get lost in the busyness or shuffle of everyday living. We can occasionally assume that others know how we feel about them. We neglect to tell them that we “love” them, that we care for them or that we appreciate them. As a consequence, people can get hurt—albeit sometimes unintentionally.

What can we do to try to avoid this from happening? Take the time to tell your husband or wife that you love him or her. Embrace your children and let them see how much you love them by spending time with them and by telling them that they mean the world to you. Compliment a co-worker. Call a friend and tell him or her how much you appreciate his or her friendship. Don’t take people, especially your spouse, for granted!

We can apply this thinking also to our relationship with God: tell Jesus how much you love Him, His Father and their Holy Spirit. We should try never to let a day pass where we fail to acknowledge the presence of God in our lives!

On another important note, the second Sunday of February (last Sunday) is annually designated as World Marriage Day (having been established by Worldwide Marriage Encounter). In 1983, this day was “designated as a day to honor the husband and wife as head of the family, the basic unit of society. It salutes the beauty of their faithfulness, sacrifice and joy in daily married life.”

As the traditional definition of marriage is challenged, and there are increasing attempts to redefine it, go back to the teaching of Jesus in the Sacred Scriptures as a point of reference:

Jesus said . . . “Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female’ and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, no human being must separate.  (Mt. 19: 4-6)

Marriage is sacred. It is one of the seven sacraments of our Catholic Church. As something divinely instituted, it needs to be respected and defended.

Finally, since theologically, I share the same bride as Christ as His priest (i.e., the Church) I want to make sure that I heed my own advice and not neglect my spouse! I hope that I never forget to tell you this: I love you, my parishioners, my spouse! I also hope that I never neglect you or take you for granted!

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

More About The Sacrament of Penance (Confession)

Dear Parishioners,

Continuing with the topic of the Sacrament of Penance (Confession), I have some questions frequently asked of me and some personal observations for you to ponder this week.

When is it necessary to go to confession prior to receiving Holy Communion? 

Whenever one is conscious of any serious (mortal) sin, confession should ordinarily occur first. Unfortunately there are some occasions when many people do not think that this rule applies. Let me take the topic of missing Mass on a Sunday or Holy Day of Obligation. When people do not go to Mass regularly (each week) without a legitimate reason (for example, serious illness, the need to care for an infant or someone who needs continuous attention, etc.), they really should go to confession prior to receiving Holy Communion.

How often should I go to confession?

As often as necessary, but certainly whenever there is serious sin. Church law still requires us to make an Easter Duty which obliges Catholics (who are lawfully permitted) to receive Holy Communion at least once a year during Easter time. This means that first we should be in the state of grace (not conscious of any serious sin). Therefore, confession is usually part of this routine. A good spiritual practice has always been monthly confession.

Does it matter whether I go behind the screen or face to face?

No. One should go wherever he or she can be completely honest and open about his or her sinfulness and actions. Sometimes anonymity helps various penitents with the process.

What happens if I deliberately withhold a sin in confession?

Sins deliberately withheld are technically not presented to the priest (who acts in persona Christi) for forgiveness in the sacrament. Usually this case involves an embarrassing situation (a sexual sin, an abortion, etc.) – something that the penitent thinks that they could never tell anyone about. From my personal experience, often there is more joy over the forgiveness brought to the repentant person than embarrassment from the sin itself. 

There are those times when a penitent tries to sneak things in through the back door: "Father, I am sorry for all of my sins."  or "Father, I have broken every commandment." Still on other occasions people have told me that they do not feel sorry for what they did (and therefore feel no need to confess the sin) although the Church teaches that is it wrong. What I have often found is that people who do not make an integral confession usually wind up carrying the guilt around (perhaps denying it or suppressing it) until they get up enough courage to confess the sin(s) at some later point in time through the grace of God. 

My advice when using the Sacrament of Penance: put all the cards on the table, get everything out, hide nothing and you will experience a peace like never before! Yes, it involves a great deal of trust and a confessor who you can talk to and to whom you can open up your soul.  If you find a good confessor, you have found a priceless gift!

Some personal observations:

A person should go to confession to talk about his or her own sinfulness. Sometimes people want to discuss someone in their family who has problems or even that other person’s sins. This might be something to consider in spiritual direction or counseling, but it is not really what confession is supposed to entail. Confession is about a person looking deep within oneself and honestly admitting before God what he or she has done wrong. The Sacrament of Penance is here for our benefit. It is meant to reconcile us to God and to the Church. It is here so that we can experience the love, mercy and forgiveness of God in this world. Please differentiate confession from spiritual direction, counseling or some opportunity to talk to the priest. Remember others may be waiting in line behind you.

My hope as a pastor is that more people will begin to take advantage of this sacrament on a regular basis. Honestly, I do not usually let a week or two go by without seeking out the opportunity to experience the grace of this sacrament for myself.                                                                                                                    

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

Homily for the Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple - Fr. Edward Namiotka