One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church: these are the characteristics, or marks, of the Church founded by Jesus Christ. The Catholic and Orthodox Churches alone have maintained these characteristics among all the other Christian denominations, but the fullness of these subsists in the Catholic Church.

The Church Is One: Just as God is one in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, so also is the Church one. The founder of the Church is Jesus Christ, who brought us back to God and made us into the family of God. The Church is one in the Holy Spirit, who dwells in those who believe.

St. Paul linked this unity to the Church’s common Eucharistic bread: “Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of one bread.” (1 Cor. 10:17) Jesus had promised at the outset that “there would be one flock, one shepherd.” (John 10:16) We remain so today and, under the guidance of the Bishops and the Pope, our faith is unified. Most important, Christ is present Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity.

The Church Is Holy: The Church is holy because it lives in union with Jesus Christ, the source of holiness. Through the Holy Spirit, the Church leads others to holiness. The holiness of the Church is seen in the love that its members have toward one another and the sacrifices they make for the world. The Church is a holy institution made up of sinners.

Through the ministry of the Church and the power of the Holy Spirit, our Lord pours forth abundant graces, especially through the sacraments. The Church is a visible sign of holiness.

We must not forget that each of us, as a member of the Church, has been called to holiness. Through baptism, we have been freed from original sin, filled with sanctifying grace, plunged into the mystery of our Lord’s passion, death, and resurrection, and incorporated into the Church, “the holy people of God.” By God’s grace, we strive for holiness.

The Church Is Catholic: “Catholic” here means universal. The Church is universal in two ways: First, all baptized people are part of the Church and the Church possesses the means of salvation. Second, the mission of the Church is to proclaim Christ to the entire human race.

The word “catholic” in the Creed often throws people off. Some think that it’s the name of our faith and church. But in the Creed, this word means something deeper. Catholic here means universal. Think about it: Christ called His followers to “go and make disciples of all nations.” They did. Our Church still does.

The Church Is Apostolic: The Church traces its tradition directly from the Apostles; therefore, the Church is considered apostolic. With the Holy Spirit, the Church preserves and continues the teaching of the Apostles with the Pope and Bishops as their successors. Christ Himself appointed the leaders of the early Church: His Apostles. Yes, He was clearly aware of their faults, their doubts, and their sins. Yet, Christ still told them they were to lead the Church.

The Apostles were the first Bishops, and, since the 1st century, there has been an unbroken line of Catholic Bishops faithfully handing on what the Apostles taught in Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition.

Since we proclaim our belief in these four marks of the Church when we pray the Creed, we know what they mean, not just for the Church, but also for ourselves. We are meant and called: to be unified with all Catholics; to be holy; to know that our Church is universal and not simply our local parish; and to know that we have pledged (through the sacraments) to follow the teachings of our Bishops and the Pope, so long as none of those teachings defy the Magisterium of the Church.

One of the fastest-spreading phrases popping up in serious conversations is the slogan “I’m spiritual, not religious.” It’s not surprising. Everybody wants to be spiritual, from Hollywood celebrities to sports figures. Over the last ten years, 22% of the population and 30% of those between the ages of 18 and 29 have declared themselves “spiritual, but not religious.” In their minds, they may believe it frees them to do their own thing or makes life less controversial. Once the individual separates a connection with any institutionalized form of religion, it no longer becomes necessary to face society’s criticism of that religion.

“Not religious” is just another way of saying that faith is something between me and God. No doubt, faith is a question of me and God. But is it really only me and God? Here is the heart of the matter: Is the seeking of God merely a private affair?

As a religion, Catholicism has a treasure of wisdom and reflection that spans centuries and cultures: Divine Revelation, deep insights, practical advice, moral guidelines and Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. And yes, it makes demands -- generosity, love, compassion, fidelity, chastity and practical activities. Also, it demands the acceptance of truths taught by the Church and attending Mass every Sunday and Holy Day. These are not just words. They are the way of life required of every practicing Catholic.

Yes, these “demands” may require effort and sacrifice. It is all too easy to simply dismiss religion as dry dogmas and antiquated rules. Religion, particularly Catholicism, is a way of spirituality. What makes Catholicism unique and distinguishes it from any self-chosen form of spirituality? Its origin is in Divine Revelation. It is God’s gift for humanity-- not so much a way for us to seek God, but the way to be found by God who is seeking to enter into a relationship with each of us.

As St. Augustine taught, the word religion derives etymologically from the Latin re-ligare = re (again) + ligare (connect). It means “to reconnect.” Thus Catholicism, as a religion, reconnects us to God. However, it does not do so according to our will and our preference but according to God’s will and God’s truth as revealed in Jesus Christ and His Church.

The Church is not an afterthought in God’s plan. From all eternity, God wills “to call all people to communion with Him, to friendship with Him, indeed, to share in His own divine life as His sons and daughters… [The Church] is a work of God, born precisely from this loving design which is gradually brought about in history,” said Pope Francis. The communion that God desires us to share with Him in heaven, He wills to begin here on earth in the Church.

Mother Teresa once said, “I heard the call to give up all and follow Christ into the slums to serve him among the poorest of the poor.” Her vision was spiritual (oneness with others and therefore, love and serve all unconditionally) and her love for Christ came from her religious background. So being religious and spiritual can, and do, go hand in hand.

Today, we celebrate Father’s Day. We remember and honor dads, grandfathers, godfathers and all men, living and deceased, who tirelessly and selflessly gave of themselves for others with unconditional love.

It is a good time to also recall the exemplary role-model and patron saint of Fathers – St. Joseph – foster father of Jesus, husband of Our Lady and patron of the Universal Church.

St. Joseph certainly set the bar high for modern-day fatherhood, yet, by his very example, he solidly demonstrates that it is quite possible to follow his example to be a righteous man by listening to, trusting in and obeying God’s word.

Just how important are fathers?

A father is a source of strength and support to the family. He strives to provide for them and raise his children to know right from wrong, developing sound moral values. A dad puts the needs of his family before his own and teaches his children the value of hard work, courage, honesty and good judgment.

A dad creates memories with his children that will last them a lifetime like teaching them to ride a bicycle and throw a curveball or simply spending quiet time together, allowing his children to be in the security of a protective, paternal love.

A dad encourages his children to live lives of holiness and quiet fortitude. Most of all, through his own life of faith, a dad (Abba) teaches his children by example to cultivate a personal relationship with our Heavenly Father through prayer. He encourages them to live their lives according to God’s Word and guide them firmly along the path to their eternal, heavenly destination.

So, yes, fathers are very important!

As Catholic men, we have a responsibility to be strong fathers, husbands, leaders in our parishes, good stewards in the community and humble followers of Christ. Let’s look to the inspiring example of Saint Joseph for his obedience, humility, selflessness, courage and the love he showed to Mary and Jesus. If we can emulate him a little each day, we will be that much closer to becoming the men we are called to be.

From the Rite of Baptism, Blessings of the Fathers of the Children:

God, is the giver of all life, human and divine. Bless the fathers of these children. With their wives they will be the first teachers of their children in the ways of the faith. May they also be the best of teachers, bearing witness to the faith by what they say and do, in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

It is fascinating to see how young people identify with professional sports teams and rock bands. They wear the T-shirts and the hats and sometimes the uniforms. Of course, they are not alone. We adults do the same. There’s something interesting about identifying with successful groups or with those who have just the possibility of being a winner. We love our teams and are proud to be identified with them.

Jesus wanted us to be identified with Him and His team. He walked our streets and taught in our villages. He gave us a legacy and asked us to follow Him.

There were no T-shirts, or caps or uniforms to identify us as Christians in the time of Jesus, but He made it very simple for us. He said they would know we are His disciples if we would identify ourselves with His commandment to “Love One Another.” Faith in action -- trusting that everything belongs to God and using that faith to make a difference in the world -- is the beginning of our success. The language of that faith is prayer.

All we need to do is create the atmosphere for God to come alive. Perhaps that is the key. We come to church with our faith, hopes, and dreams and we create the atmosphere for God to come alive. We rely on the ministries of music, hospitality, proclamation of the Word and prayer to set the stage for God to come alive on our altar, in our hearts and very beings through the Eucharist. We take that loving God with us and go out into the world and MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

We need not fear or worry about all of this because God is always with us. We are His people. He WILL wipe away our tears. He WILL turn our sorrow into joy and our mourning into laughter. What a wonderful insurance policy: When we belong to His team we cannot fail. As the song in our hymnal goes; “They will know we are Christians by our love.”

So then, we are invited to join the team Jesus started. We are asked and called to be His disciples. No special hats or uniforms. Just follow and live out his new commandment to “Love One Another” as He has loved us. As Mother Teresa reminds us: “Not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love.”

Hope follows faith and is manifested in love. Our love of others, in our home and in the world, is how the Kingdom of God is built. One day, Jesus will come the last time and finish our work. He will take away the cancer, gangs, fighting, envy, hatred, and jealousy. All things will be made new.

Now we have the privilege and honor of building His Kingdom. We are His disciples and He has left us in charge.

The word relic means “a fragment or remnant of an object that once was, but now is no longer.” Thus, we find in antique shops things like “Civil War relics” or “relics of the French Revolution.” Obviously, we are not talking about these kinds of relics but rather sacred relics.

Sacred relics are physical objects that have a direct association with the Saints or with Our Lord. They are placed into one of three classes:

• First class relics are the body or fragments of the body of a Saint, such as pieces of bone or flesh.

• Second class relics are something that a Saint personally owned, such as a shirt or book (or fragments of those items).

• Third class relics are those items that a saint touched or that have been touched to a first, second, or another third class relic of a Saint.

From where did the Catholic tradition of venerating Saints’ relics come? Scripture teaches that God acts through relics, especially in terms of healing. In fact, when surveying what Scripture has to say about sacred relics, one is left with the idea that healing is what relics “do.”

There’s more. When the corpse of a man was touched to the bones of the prophet Elisha, the man came back to life and rose to his feet (2 Kgs 13:20- 21). A woman was healed of her hemorrhage simply by touching the hem of Jesu​​​​​​​s’ cloak (Mt 9:20-22). The signs and wonders worked by the Apostles were so great that people would line the streets with the sick so that when Peter walked by at least his shadow might "touch" them (Acts 5:12-15).

In each of these instances, God brought about a healing using a material object. The vehicle for the healing was the touching of that object. It is very important to note, however, that the cause of the healing is God; the relics are a means through which He acts. In other words, relics are not magic. They do not contain a power that is their own nor a power separate from God.

We here at Immaculate Conception and Assumption of Our Lady are truly blessed. We have several Saints’ relics to venerate: St. Catherine Labouré each time we pray the Miraculous Medal Novena, usually every Monday evening after Benediction; and this Divine Mercy Sunday, we will also venerate a First Class relic of St. Mary Faustina Kowalska in various liturgies that are planned.

The Church strives to keep the use of relics in perspective. St. Jerome wrote in defense of relics: “We do not worship, we do not adore, for fear that we should bow down to the creature rather than to the Creator, but we venerate the relics of the martyrs in order to adore Him whose martyrs they are.” With great reverence then, we venerate and treasure the Relics of Saints, the Holy Instruments of God. (511)

Pope Francis tells us that Lent is a new beginning, a path towards continual conversion of heart. As I reflect on scripture this week, I am moved to offer a few thoughts to ponder on “Listening for Lent.”

Do you recall special words in the scripture story of the wedding feast of Cana? The servants are anxious for help with the wine supply. As a strong listener to her Son’s words, Jesus’ mother Mary can confidently state: “Do whatever He tells you.” Those become her last recorded words and the key words of baptism.

Abraham, as our patriarch of faith, proves to be an ideal listener. Yahweh gives him some very challenging directions (Abram, you will be the father of multiple nations, etc.). Aided by limited distractions, God can even speak to him in dreams.

St. Paul bluntly teaches that Christ’s message is contradictory to the shallow pursuits of this world. Our lowly bodies can be raised up by putting aside temptations.

Nothing I say here about listening is original. It just makes sense:

• Have you ever learned anything while talking?
• Cut gossip off at home plate; certainly not while already passing first base. Ask yourself and others: Will this conversation make us holier? If it won’t, then why are we having it? (The Sacrament of Reconciliation offers a wonderful use of words that can make us holier.)
• Consider this: People enthused at sporting events typically read the sports page. Likewise, preparation with the scriptures for an upcoming Eucharistic celebration is a must. Bishop Fulton Sheen would say that you will get as much out of Mass as you bring to it. Scripture and preaching are to be proclaimed to people thirsting for it, with a heart already started at the well.
• Is there an obsession not to miss a call or text message during Mass?
• Consider your initial urge upon entering the church for trivial conversation while others are trying to pray. Try listening to God instead.
• We need to give people something worth listening to: Evangelization. When was the last time someone heard you invite them to church?

Have you ever had someone "put you up on a pedestal" for being a ‘good’ Christian? After all, you do go to church on Sunday, pray daily, and read Scripture regularly. You may even be involved in some of our church Ministries; Lector/Reader, Hispanic Ministry, CYO/The Flock, Bereavement Support, Eucharistic Adoration, Rosary Society, Legion of Mary, Knights of Columbus, Respect Life … just to name a few. Does having a Spiritual Résumé qualify you for being a Disciple?

Unfortunately, people who put "good" Christians on pedestals may miss the point about what a true Disciple is. Please don’t misunderstand me ... these ministries and practices are certainly wonderful, but do they define what makes a true Disciple? That is: making Jesus the center of our lives?

Question: What makes a true Disciple? Is it possible to be an Admirer of Jesus and not a Disciple? To be a “hanger-on-er” in some great work without making a personal commitment? Someone was talking to a great scholar about a young man. He said, "So-and-so tells me that he was one of your students." The teacher answered reluctantly, "He may have attended my lectures, but he was not one of my students. He lacked commitment.”

The curious, the Admirers, and the Disciples - those who claim to have committed their lives to Jesus - stand in the crowd. All listen to Him speak, and all hear the same words. What is (our) their response? In which group are we?

So, what is the difference between the curious, an Admirer and a Disciple?Commitment! Commitment means sacrifice, selflessness, inconvenience, as well as joy, fulfillment and peace. Sounds like a pretty good deal. The same is true in everything we do: playing sports, taking exams, living our own relationships. Commitment!

Can we put God first in our lives? Focus on what you believe to be your most memorable life encounters, i.e., the birth of a child, the recovery of a loved one, a certain smile, or a special hug.

Now ask yourself: Are these your successes or God's gifts to you? Amen.

And then it happened ... Christmas Day. St. Matthew’s sketch of the birth of Jesus provides us with a picture of Jesus’ future. He foretells that Jesus had serious opposition from the beginning and it will get worse at the hands of the living King’s son who will later condemn Him to die.

In broad strokes, he tells us of the visit of the Magi (Persians fascinated by astrology) who traveled from afar on camels without GPS, saw a curious star in the heavens, and followed it. They were not Jews awaiting a Messiah, but wise pagan-Gentiles in search of a Jewish king. Not much information is given in Scripture about “the Magi from the East.” Traditionally it has been held that there were three wise men (due to the three gifts) having the names Melchior, Caspar, and Balthazar.

They stopped for direction from King Herod, the paranoid puppet of Rome. Herod tried to get them to return later with the infant king’s whereabouts so he could kill the child as he had several others who threatened his kingship, but these were wise men. They followed God’s directions not to return to Herod and went home by another route.

Up until now, all has been quite humble: a donkey-ride to a dusty town south of Jerusalem; hotel rooms are all booked up; and Mary, giving birth in a stable and laying the baby in an animal’s feed trough instead of a cozy cradle.

Into this scene of obscure poverty bursts an exotic entourage from a far-off land. Dignitaries in dress uniform lavish the newborn with expensive gifts that seem out of place in the humble surroundings: Gold fit for a king, Incense for the worship of God, and Myrrh, bitter yet precious, for the Hero who will lay down His life for His people. For a fleeting moment, what seems to be no more than another child of an indigent family, the young Jesus is recognized for who He really is – the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.

This event is so significant that it is accorded its own feast in the Roman liturgy, celebrated traditionally on January 6, immediately after the twelve days of Christmas. This solemn feast is called Epiphany, a word that means “manifestation” or “appearance.”

Everyday epiphanies are meant to remind us God is working in a real way not only in our lives but also in our world. Just as the Magi traveled in a pack of three, we will find these everyday epiphanies with the companionship of others. God uses whatever He can to show us His will for our lives, and this great feast of the Church is proof that the Christian life is often clearer when walked with other people.

The Magi’s return “by another way” symbolically represents that whenever we encounter Jesus, we will never return the same.