“thankful, grateful and blessed.”

 

Homily Cycle I April 30, 2021 [OLPH School Mass]

This morning I want to share with you some thoughts on four people: St. Pius V [whose feast we celebrate today], Mr. William Baillie [my roommate from college], St. Paul and Thomas the Apostle [daubed “Doubting Thomas].

St. Pius V was the Pope who implemented the reforms from the council of Trent, in the sixteenth century.  Among those reforms was the first Catechism of the Church.  When I was in school, way back in the 20^th century, we used the Baltimore Catechism.  The first question was “Why did God make me?”  The answer was, “God made me to know Him, to love Him, to serve Him in this life, and be happy with Him in the next.”

We have an update version called the “Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church” which is presented in a question and an answer format.  We, also, have a very detailed Catechism both are great resources and available to purchase or the read online [at the HTTP://USCCB.ORG]

 

 

 

 

 

I have known Bill Baillie for 56 years, and 18 years ago his wife died suddenly on the operating table.  At the reception after her funeral, Mr. Baillie’s Mom said, “Kel, I want you to promise me that you won’t forget about Bill.”  I assured Mrs. Baillie that I would not and for the first year after his wife [Georgia’s] death, Bill and I got together for dinner once a week.  From the second year on we have gotten together once a month for lunch or dinner.  COVID prevented us until this past Wednesday, and we resumed our meal gatherings.

Bill gave me this plaque “thankful, grateful, blessed.”  Reminding us that we should be thankful and if we are we will be grateful because we know we are blessed.  We are blessed by Jesus and He wants us to be thankful and grateful for all He has given us.

 

 

In our reading for the Acts of the Apostles St. Paul was preaching the Word of God; we are called to Live the Word of God in deeds. And, finally Thomas, who is known as “Doubting Thomas”, asks Jesus how he [we] can follow the WAY?  Jesus said to Thomas and to us “I am the way, the truth and the life.”  Following Jesus is the path to being “thankful, grateful and blessed.” 

We are called to follow Jesus and be: “thankful, grateful and blessed.”

May God Be Praised!

St. Joseph pray for us.

St. Andre Bessette intercede for us.