Nov 12 – Homily – Fr. Rooney: Never Leave Unchanged

 

Fr. James Dominic Rooney, O.P. gives the final homily for the retreat on Bonaventure's "The Journey of the Mind to God" which relates St. Francis' ascent up Mt. Alverna where he encountered the Crucified Christ to our own journey to God. Holy places do not make us holy but we should sanctify the place we are in. This was the case with St. Francis fasting on Mt. Alverna and the subsequent appearance of the Crucified Christ with six wings. St. Francis' presence made the place holy and he carried with him that holiness with the even more profound indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the visible marks of crucifixion imprinted in his flesh. Fr. Rooney relates this to a Franciscan friend of his in Israel who nearly experienced martyrdom and how this made him much less fearful of living there and to come much closer to Christ. No Christian gets to heaven without martyrdom, whether by shedding blood or offering up our daily sufferings. It starts with baptism. We should never come off the mountain unchanged.

For the other talks in the conference:

https://airmaria.com/category/air-maria-shows/conferences/journey-to-god-2017/

E-text of "Journey of the Mind to God" (different translation than Fr. Rooney uses):

http://web.sbu.edu/theology/bychkov/itinerarium_oleg.pdf

Mother of Redeemer Retreat Center:

http://www.maryschildren.com/

Ave Maria!

Mass: 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time - Sunday
Readings: 
1st: wis 6:12-16
Resp: psa 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8
2nd: 1th 4:13-14
Gsp: mat 25:1-13