Author: admin

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Mark Twain once said, “The two most important days in your life are the day you were born and the day you know why.”

In my case, I know I was born to be a priest.

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Six years ago, on this Feast of the Guardian Angels, I was ordained a deacon in Saint Peter’s Basilica. It was the beginning of my ministry in the Church.

Over the years, I’ve baptized your children and grandchildren, celebrated weddings and vow renewals, prayed at the bedside of the sick and dying, and commended hundreds of people to the Lord.

Being a priest has been the greatest honor of my life. 

It’s why I was born.

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If we consider Twain’s words through the eyes of faith, we’ll discover an important truth. 

God has a purpose for all of our lives, a reason why we’re here. Once we discover it, we should never let go, because the closer we follow the Lord, the happier we’ll be.

Have you discovered the meaning of that “second day”? Do you know why you’re in this world?

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If you’re still looking for that purpose, ask your guardian angel to guide you. 

All we need to find the answer is an open heart. But finding the answer is only the beginning.

We should spend the rest of our lives carrying it out.

In the words of the prophet Isaiah, “Here I am, LORD, I come to do your will” (Isaiah 6:8).

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Growing up, I used to watch a television show called “Touched by an Angel.” 

It was one of those feel good shows. 

There was always a person suffering for one reason or another, so God would send an angel to open that person’s eyes to grace, to see how intimately the Lord was working in their life.

By the end of the show, the problem was resolved. A person who was hurting was healed; a doubter came to faith; a broken heart was given peace.

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Throughout the bible, we hear about people who are touched by an angel.

For example, the Archangel Gabriel appears to Mary, telling her that she will conceive the Son of God in her womb.

A different angel appears to Saint Joseph, telling him that Mary’s pregnancy is God’s will; that there’s nothing to be afraid of.

The Apostle John later has a vision of the end of the world, as we hear in our first reading. John sees the Archangel Michael slaying Satan, that ancient serpent, the cause of evil in our world.

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Today’s feast of the Archangels reminds us that God is constantly working in our lives. But often we fail to see him, which is why the Lord sends angels to open our eyes to his presence.

Do I see God working in my life? 

If not, ask your guardian angel to show you.

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As the angels reminds us, the Lord is much closer than he appears; closer than we could ever imagine.

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America is divided.

We can see this on television, we hear it in protests , and we even notice it by yard signs placed in people’s lawns.

Yet, I’m sure what we all want is peace.

Peace in our nation; peace on our streets; peace in our homes; peace in our hearts.

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Today we celebrate the feast of Saint Wenceslaus, who like us wanted peace in his nation.

Born into a royal family in Bohemia – modern day Czech Republic – he became ruler of the kingdom at a very young age.

But his nation, like ours, was a house divided, largely because of religion. Bohemia was a Christian nation, but there also were anti-Christian factions inciting riots.

Wenceslaus made it his mission to bring his nation together, working for unity as Christ commanded us to do.

But when he was 22 years old, he was murdered while on his way to Mass by his brother and other revolutionaries, tearing his nation apart.

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For centuries, Wenceslaus has been remembered as a righteous king, leaving an example for other royals – and ordinary Christians like us – to follow.

When we see our society splintering, we cannot remain silent. We must be proactive in working for peace. 

But if Christ is our standard, then we believe that lasting peace only comes through love, honesty, humility, and forgiveness.

Not weapons, hate speech, or mudslinging. And certainly not by posting online slanderous or hurtful words about people we disagree with.

Peace demands humility.

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How, then, might I be an agent of peace in America today?