St. Joseph Catholic Church - Toledo, OH

Jeremiah 1:4-5, 17-19 Homily Notes

From Reading Cornelius Lapide

--Tradition sees in Jeremiah a type of Jesus Christ: 1) formed in the womb is Jesus was found in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit; 2) Jeremiah is made a prophet to the nations, just as it says of Jesus Christ in the Isaiah 51:16 "I have put my words in your mouth", etc.... or Isaiah 49:6 which says of Christ "behold I have given you as a light to the nations"

-- the "word" that happened to Jeremiah... a way of referring to all that the Lord spoke to Jeremiah for 41 years

-- "I knew you" means "I approved of you with an approbation by which I knew ahead of time and predestined you, form view, created you a man and a minister of my words".... Rom 11:2 "God hath not cast away his people, which he foreknew."

--"I sanctified you"... sanctificavi te... dealt with your original sin even while you were in the womb, as with John the Baptist, so with Jeremiah... consecrated you for my work as a holy Prophet, separated you from things profane... "from all eternity I knew you, love you, predestined you to holiness and prophetic duty"... an infusion of sanctifying grace

Luke 4:18 Homily Notes

-- aixmalotois... literally, "held captive by the spear"

-- St. John Chrysostom: "The word captivity has many meanings. There is a good captivity, which St. Paul speaks of when he says, "Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" (2Cor 10:5). There is a bad captivity also, of which it is said, "leading captive silly women laden with sins" (2Tim 3:6) There is a captivity present to the senses, that is by our bodily enemies, but the worst captivity is that of the mind of which he here speaks. First sin exercises the worst of all tyrannies, commanding to do evil, and destroying them that obey it. From this prison of the soul Christ sets us free."

-- St. John Chrysostom could have mentioned -- as an example of the bad type of captivity -- the following words from St. Paul...Rom 7:23: But I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin which dwells in my members.

John 2:1-11 Homily Notes

Jesus Christ and his Blessed Mother show up at a wedding. Already here is a lesson for us. There is a dignity to marriage that warrants even the Lord's presence. Listen to St. Bede: "His condescension in coming to the marriage, and the miracle he wrought there are,..., a strong confirmation of the faith. Therein... are condemned the errors of Tatian, Marcion, and others who detract from the honor of marriage. For if the undefiled bed, and the marriage celebrated with due chastity, partook at all of sin, our Lord would never have come to one."

Instead of saying "Jesus and his Blessed Mother show up to the wedding", it might be more accurate to say, "His Blessed Mother was invited to the wedding, and therefore he also was there". The text makes it pretty clear that she was invited, and then it seems to state as a side note that he also was there. Here again are the words we heard from the text:"And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the Mother of Jesus was there: and both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage." The Blessed Mother is mentioned first. Jesus seems to be there because of Mary's relationship to the couple being married.

Luke 2:41-52 Homily Notes

-- "Thy father and I have sought the sorrowing".... Mary; "Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?".... Jesus!

-- Two fatherhood's claimed by two sinless persons... not in competition... no falsehood in either claim... in fact, Jesus goes and submits to Joseph and Mary... (although Jesus is certainly greater than Joseph)... an ordered dovetailing of the two fatherhoods

Young People

-- my remembrance after my father's death, walking along the garage to the backyard, "I guess you will have to be my father now"... okay, but not quite accurate... my heavenly Father had been my Father all the while my earthly dad was alive

As of January 3rd, 2009, our parish has revised its Policies for the Reception of First Sacraments (First Confession, First Communion, Confirmation). The primary change is families must be registered members of the parish in order to receive first Sacraments. Father's complete explanation and specifics around the timing and requirements of each Sacrament can be found in Father's First Sacraments Letter.

The letter references additional sacrament resources on the diocesan website. These are available at the following address: http://www.toledodiocese.org/content/view/730/207/