ST. TARCISIUS, Jesus' little bodyguard:

Tarcisius was a 12-year-old altar boy who lived in 3rd century Rome under the brutal and vicious persecutions of Emperor Valerian of Rome. Persecutions didn't deter faithful Christians from practicing their faith. Many, like this little boy, would give up their lives for the love of Jesus Christ.

Christians at that time worshipped secretly, most often, deep under the streets of Rome, in the Catacombs. It was illegal to be a Christian and being discovered meant death. This was the environment that this little boy was born into. Reaching an appropriate age, he became an acolyte. It was a custom to bring Holy Communion to those Christians imprisoned and most likely facing martyrdom. And so came a day when Tarcisius was tasked to do just that...
On his way to the prison, Tarcisius was carrying the pyx containing the Blessed Sacrament wrapped in a white cloth and pressed against his chest; he was spotted by a group of boys his age and a little older who waved hello but also noticed that he was carrying something. These kids were not Christian and were taught to turn in Christians if they spotted one, even their own friends. Tarcisius acknowledged them and continued on his way. But the curious children wanted to know and see what he was holding. Fearing the certainty of sacrilege, he tried to get away but some of the boys grabbed him dragging him to the ground. Tarcisius still would not open his arms. Struggling and trying to pull apart his arms, the situation turned violent. The group of teenage boys turned into a mob. Furry and rage-filled, they beat Tarcisius mercilessly even using stones and clubs, but the boy never let go of the Eucharistic Lord. “Oh, dear Jesus, how I love you,", he whispered as he lay dying.

A Roman soldier, who coincidently was a secret Christian himself, was passing by and came across the devastating ordeal. He ran to see what was happening and the gang began to flee. Recognizing it was Tarcisius he held him in his arms. Drawing his final breath Tarcisius said, "I have kept my God safe...go, leave me and bring Him to His people." Tarcisius let out a little sigh, fell into the soldier's breast, and joined His Eucharistic Lord in heaven. Tarcisio was buried in the cemetery of St. Callistus and afterward moved to the church of San Silvestro where you can still visit the tomb of "Jesus' little bodyguard" to this day.

All of us, no matter what age or state in life, can learn from this little Saint. Let us ask ourselves, especially in this time of Eucharistic Revival, to reflect on our devotion to Our Lord Jesus in the Holy Eucharist. Do we truly recognize that Jesus, the God of the universe, the creator of our very selves, is truly present in Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity in the Eucharistic? And if we believe that, do you give it the due reverence and love that He deserves? Do we make a point to visit Him often in our churches? Do we receive Him worthily and in the state of grace? Do we try to bring His love and mercy to our broken world? Let us imitate the virtues of St. Tarcisius by showing and giving all our love and devotion to Jesus Christ in the Eucharist, being even willing to give our lives up for His sake. St. Tarcisius, pray for us, help us love Jesus as you did.

A PERSONAL REFLECTION ON THE ASCENSION AND ON CURRENT EVENTS
You know, most of us have been so affected by the elementary school shooting in Texas. I know I have since I have a nephew around the same age as these kids. I could imagine how actual parents of elementary school-aged children feel. The sadness, the worry, the grief, the anxiety. But also the age-old question of "why?". Why did this happen, how could this happen? If there is truly a God up above, why did He allow this to happen?

The running theme of most homilies for the feast of the Ascension, was on the angels' prompt to the apostles, "Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye looking up to heaven?" And isn't the world looking up to heaven at this moment asking why did this awful tragedy happen and praying for the souls of these little ones. As you can see by the picture of Jackie Cazares below, she had just received her first communion just weeks ago.

There is no explanation for the reason for suffering and tragedy that can fully suffice. Even I, who wrote a 55 paged paper on the subject for my thesis, can't give the so-called "right answer". But as we reflect and continue to mourn and pray during this "Ascension tide", we look to Our Lord Jesus Christ once again. The angels also said to the apostles, "...the same Jesus that you saw going up to heaven, will return the same way you saw Him go up." That's the hope for us Christians, believers of the true God. Christ did not ascend to heaven to get away from us, but that He might be with us more fully than before. There are those who again look at us believers and taunt us with the similar words, "why do you look up", "why, in the middle of yet again another heinous event, still believe He still listens?" "Why is your God?".

Jesus Christ, true God and true man, one who is of our same flesh and ascended to heaven that we may be with Him forever one day. The collect for the Mass says, "He ascended that He may fill all things." Jesus sends us therefore the Holy Spirit, that He may communicate to us that God truly loves us and that it is shown in the Suffering, Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Ascension reminds us that as Christians, unlike other religions, we don't have an absent God but a God, that amind grave tragedies and sufferings, He is truly present with us, going through it with us and loving us the more. Christ takes our human nature up to heaven, promising us that we can do the same and thus be with Him forever. The world may taunt us by saying "Where is your God?" but we can stand firm in the midst of such evil and tragedy, God is present with us by the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Jesus Christ, the word of God, descended and took on our lowliness to receive and endure the worst of human suffering and pain. And now that same human body is sitting at the right hand of the Father. The saying goes, "In the Incarnation, God took on humanity, but in the Ascension, humanity took on God." Our call is in Our Lord, who has gone to prepare a place for us. Our victory is not just one of mind and heart, but it is in being in perfect communion with God. That all the sufferings and all the scars and wounds we endure here on earth, don't have the final say. Of course many you know that another running theme in Easter and Ascension tides is the reflection on the Holy Wounds of Our Lord. Jesus' resurrected body still bore and still bears to this day, the wounds of His suffering and death. In the Book of Revelation, the Lamb is seated at the Throne, as if it were slain, but victorious (see the picture below). This is to remind us, that the wounds and sufferings, the pain and hardships we endure in this life, don't have the final say. If we unite those wounds and sufferings to Our Lord in His death, we are promised to rise with him in Heaven. Those pains are redeemed by Jesu Christ and will be brought into the divine life of Almighty God where the victory is prepared for us.

God is not absent from us and our pain. God has come to us in Jesus Our Lord. And in the Ascension, we hope as Christians and unlike any other religion, that we will dwell with God for all eternity. Our Lord, like these little ones, was innocent and also died amidst hate and at the hands of hate. But He redeemed our life and will take that life to be with Him forever.

THIS IS OUR FAITH. THIS IS THE GOSPEL. OUR GOOD NEWS.

This isn't a God who is absent and disassociated from our sufferings. This is a God who is "always with us, even unto the end of time."

"Eternal rest, grant to them O Lord, and may your perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen."

"And May the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son, Jesus Christ Our Lord."

The Stations of the Cross: Uniting our Crosses to His Cross:

A popular devotion many Catholics observe is praying the Stations of the Cross. This devotion comes from the ancient practice that early Christians did. Later on, the Franciscans formularized and marked out the different stations along the "Via Sacra" (Holy Way) now commonly known as the "Via Dolorosa"(Way of Sorrows). This route is the exact path that Jesus took carrying His cross on that first Good Friday on the way to His Crucifixion. The path leads to The Church of the Holy Sepulcher, a beautiful shrine church built over the exact spot where Christ was crucified and buried. In an effort to promote this beautiful devotion and to bring it to those who are unable or might never go to the Holy Land, the different stations were placed in churches, where the tradition still stands today.

The Stations of the Cross is truly a beautiful devotion. Customarily, when one prays them they go from station to station around the walls of the church. Each station speaks to an event along the way of Our Lord's suffering under the weight of His cross. Jesus, already weak and His body all torn and in the most indescribable pain, still carried His cross for love of us and in obedience to the will of His Father. The weight of the cross was so heavy that it rubbed against the wounds from His scourging. The soldiers continue to whip Him, the crowd mocked, spit, and shoved Him. Jesus fell many times along the way, but He still got up and continued carrying His cross without resistance.

It was for the love of us, that Our Lord took this solemn journey to Calvary where He was crucified. We too have our own personal crosses and sufferings. The heartbreak, the pain, the loss of a loved one, the anxiety, depression, loneliness, regrets, the end of a relationship, sickness, financial problems, and the list goes on and on. Those are our own crosses and we walk that way to Calvary every day as we live through life. There are many times that we fall underneath the weight of these crosses, but we should always turn to Jesus and see that He carried His own cross and fell down, but He got back up and counties. We too can follow His example of not giving up. Of continuing on the journey knowing that we are following after Him. “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me", these are the words that Jesus says to us. He gives us this amazing opportunity to not walk alone in our sufferings, that He is with us every single step of the way. Your sufferings and the things you're going through, do not define you for we find our identity in Christ. And it doesn't just end in suffering, like Jesus's story after death, there is Ressurection. By uniting ourselves and sufferings of life to Our Lord's Passion and death, we can find rest for our souls.

Encourage you to pray the Stations sometime this Lent. As a parish, we pray them every Friday in Lent at 7pm, please make an effort to come. Our Youth will put on a "Living, outdoor" presentation of the Stations on March 27 at 9am. And the Stations isn't just "a Lent thing", it could be prayed any time of the year and our own church, which have magnificent looking ones, is open all day for private prayer. Take a moment to contemplate on each station and pick a station to contemplate on and unite the stuff you're going through to Our Blessed Lord. Say this short prayer by St. Alphonsus Ligouri that is customarily prayed while making the Stations,

"I love Thee, my beloved Jesus; I love Thee more than myself; I repent with my whole heart of having offended Thee. Never permit me to offend Thee again. Grant that I may love Thee always; and then do with me what Thou wilt."

Remember, no suffering is worthless or in vain. Jesus Christ took upon suffering Himself for love of us.

We can often identify someone by what they wear.  We know when we see a police officer in uniform or when we see a priest in his collar.  Many times we can identify a Jewish or Muslim person of faith based on what they wear.  But what do you, as a Christian, wear to let other people know who you are?

Ideally, we show we are Christians by the way that we love.  Our uniform is the loving presence of the Holy Spirit that we allow to influence our thoughts, words, and actions.  That is the same Holy Spirit that descended upon the Apostles 2,000 years ago and continues to reside in you today.  And it is the same Holy Spirit who floods us with the presence of God for all to see, though not visibly.

There is one day a year when we, as faithful Christians, choose to visibly mark ourselves.  We wear ashes on our foreheads to remind ourselves (and others) that we belong to Christ.  Happy Ash Wednesday.

Ashes?

“Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return” Genesis 3:19

Sometimes, we mark things that belong to us.  We may put our name on a book or our lunch so others know that it is ours.  And you, when blessed with ashes on Ash Wednesday, are marked as belonging to Jesus Christ.

While it may feel a bit embarrassing to walk around in public with what appears to be a smudge of dirt on our face, we should wear it with pride.  We often have no problem wearing a nice gold cross on a necklace, so we too should feel honored to bear the sign of the cross, on which Christ died for us.

The ashes, a sign that we belong to Christ, mark the beginning of the Holy Season of Lent.  They symbolize our mortality and remind us of the need to always turn our hearts to God. 

As Christians, we should remember that while we are in the world, we are not of the world.  While our time in this world is limited, we can look with hope to an eternity with God. 
During Lent, we pray and take up practices to remind us of that.

Lent is marked by three pillars:

•      Prayer.  Why pray?

All relationships deepen with communication.  We wouldn’t want to be in a relationship with someone who only comes to us when we need something.  In the same way, let’s evaluate our relationship with the Lord and ask ourselves if we only come to Him when we need something.  If that is the case, that’s alright.  Let us use Lent as a time to listen to Him.  Let us ask Him to reveal to us His desire for our lives and how we can serve Him better.

•      Fasting.  Why fast?

A bit of sacrifice is not a bad thing for us! We choose to take up a small amount of voluntary suffering in order to unite ourselves to the cross, and grow in our relationship with the Lord.  He willingly took on suffering, to the point of death, to unite Himself to us.  In turn, the Church only asks us to Guidelines for fasting two days every year:  Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. 

(Note:  If you are under 18, the discipline of fasting from food may not apply to you.  It is good to consult the Church recommendations on this matter: https://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/liturgical-year-and-calendar/lent/catholic-information-on-lenten-fast-and-abstinence)

•      Almsgiving.  What’s that?

Put simply, it is giving ourselves to others.  When we consider how Christ gave Himself for us on the cross, we should be able to think of small ways that we can give ourselves to others during this Lenten season.  Perhaps we can donate some money to a charitable cause, perhaps we can help our families around the house a little more, perhaps we can find a way to volunteer in church, school, or our community.  When we give ourselves to others, we give ourselves to God.

Regardless of what practices we take up for Lent, or what things we give up, let’s remember that we are moving toward something very special. We are moving a little closer toward Holy Week, where we recount the final days of the life of Christ.  We are moving a little closer toward the Resurrection, where we unite ourselves to Christ on the cross.  And we are moving a little closer to Heaven.  God became one of us.  And one day, we will become one with Him.