Fr. Michael Bombak

Nov

15

2016

Luke 17:26-37- The Lord is Coming…Look Busy!

Faith

Glory be to Jesus Christ! I remember a sign that hung over a fellow priest's office door which read "Jesus is coming, look busy!" In our Gospel today we are reminded of the return of our Lord and our need to be prepared for it. The disciples receive instruction from our Lord today about the coming of the Son of Man and what that will be like. As people were caught unaware by the destruction of their well-laid plans (people in Noah's time, etc.) throughout history, so it will be when the Son of Man comes. But this reading does not simply…

Nov

11

2016

By Fr. Michael Bombak

Luke 16:14-18, 17:1-4- War, Remembrance and Peace

FaithForgiveness, Peace, Remembrance Day, War

Glory be to Jesus Christ! Today, on the eleventh day of the eleventh month we remember our soldiers who heroically gave their lives for our freedom, who paid the ultimate price for our peace. In our world which is so often confused over means and ends, intentions and outcomes, we sometimes forget that the end or purpose of war is peace. People fight for all sorts of reasons, war needs to be discerned in the most serious manner, but ultimately just war is never waged to prolong or inflict suffering, but to end war- to bring peace. In our reading…

Nov

10

2016

By Fr. Michael Bombak

Luke 16:1-9: Hurry Up and Spend that Cash…on the Poor!

Faithalmsgiving, avarice, Greed, Money

Glory be to Jesus Christ! At first glance this is a very confusing reading in that it looks as though Jesus is commending theft and dishonesty! It looks as though our Lord encourages us to rip off our employer. This is an easy mistake to fall into for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it is important to realize that unlike many of similar parables in the New Testament, the Lord is not symbolized by the master of the house. Jesus is not trying to teach us the lesson that God the Father would like you to rip others off for…

Nov

09

2016

By Fr. Michael Bombak

Get Dirty- and Rejoice!

Faith

Glory be to Jesus Christ! Sometimes it's easy to fall into the idea that God is sitting on His throne in heaven being perfect and waiting for us to find Him, that this whole life is a giant game of hide and seek and God is hiding and we are seeking. Make no mistake, God is perfect and He is enthroned in Glory. We also need to seek Him- but only to discover that He found us first! Our reading today (Luke 15:1-10) shows us a God who is seeking and searching for those who are lost, and His joy is…

Nov

08

2016

By Fr. Michael Bombak

Who is Like God!?

FaithAngels, Daily Readings, Feasts, St. Michael

Glory be to Jesus Christ! Today we commemorate St. Michael and all the heavenly hosts! In our reading from Luke 10:16-21, we see our Lord refer to this battle between St. Michael and his angels and the evil one: "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven" (Luke 10:18). In the sending out of the 70, we see the continuation of this battle with evil in the world, a battle which continues to rage in our times, but a battle which has already been decisively won by our Lord through his passion, death and Resurrection. St. Michael gives us our…

Oct

13

2015

By Fr. Michael Bombak

I just can’t do it…but He can! Responding to our Lord like Levi.

Christian Life

2 Corinthians 1:8-11, Luke 5:27-32 I saw that movie again last night. You know which one I’m talking about. You’ve seen it or its many sequels, or maybe you’ve read the book. I’m not sure how many times I’ve seen it but it’s staggering whatever it is. You know, it’s that story where some initial incident sparks the need for a hero to rise up and save the day. Throughout the course of the story various setbacks spring up which makes the main character doubt him or herself. Although the self-esteem of this character is thrown into question and threatened…

Feb

08

2015

By Fr. Michael Bombak

The Three Holy and Great Hierarchs: Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom

Christian Life, Featured ArticlesBasil the Great, Bombak, Gregory the Theologian, John Chrysostom

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever!" Have you ever been to a symphony and noticed what happens before all the playing begins? All of a sudden you hear the first violinist play a note and everyone tunes their instruments to that one particular and distinct note. This note is the note "A 440." Without hearing it at the beginning the instruments would be in their own tuning instead of tuned together. Without being reminded of this note at the beginning of the show, the show wouldn't be a show. All the notes which the orchestra will play…

Aug

13

2013

By Fr. Michael Bombak

Weeding the Christian Garden

Christian Life, Featured Articles, Prayergardening, weeding

Sometimes it does not seem to matter how hard we try to weed a garden, the things keep coming back. There are times, even after doing what I thought was a thorough job at pulling up weeds I would come back even a few days later, still with an aching back and hands, to discover the garden once again full of weeds! Sometimes it just makes you wonder "do I really need to worry about these weeds? Why don't I just let them grow in with my flowers or veggies?" That thought withers almost as quickly as your flowers if you…

Jul

21

2013

By Fr. Michael Bombak

Edging the Christian Garden

Christian Life, Featured Articles, Prayeredging, gardening

Quality edging is one of the tell-tale signs between a well tended garden and one that has been neglected. A well edged garden not only looks neater in that it has defined borders, but also has fewer weeds and grass that can creep in. The beauty on the inside of the garden is protected from whatever surrounds it. Edging a vegetable or flower garden is very similar to managing the garden of one's soul. Proper boundaries in our lives between maintaining the good and keeping out evil is essential to growth in the Christian life. Edging requires hard work. Anyone who has…