The AriseMKE Podcast

During the afternoon session of the 2019 Wisconsin Catholic Youth Rally, Nic Frank shares about what it means to be United to Christ.

Hours after the decision to postpone the 2020 Wisconsin Catholic Youth Rally, our team of staff and volunteers had the opportunity to attend daily mass with Fr. Enrique Hernandez presiding. Fr. Enrique encouraged and reminded our team that worked tirelessly for the months leading up to last weekend, that no work is wasted when done for the Glory of the Lord. He also encouraged that during this time of unknowns, to remember: "Faith in Christ is the cure for all, when our faith is there, there is nothing we should fear." Following mass our team gathered for Eucharistic adoration which can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENsflxHqoFE

*We apologize for the sound quality, however due to current public mass guidelines, this was the most effective way that we could record the homily*  On the day that public masses were suspended in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, Fr. John Burns gave this homily about St. Joseph and the significance of Archbishop Listecki's Eucharistic Procession to bless and offer prayers of protection for all of the faithful. Read about the significance of March 18th in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee:  Archbishop Jerome Listecki along with Fr. John Burns and Fr. Cliff Ermatinger visited each district of the Archdiocese to bless, offer prayers of protection and consecration to St. Joseph.   "A fallen man who was strong by grace in the face of temptation and under that beautiful mantle, unfolded our entire salvation. This is why we need Joseph, you are I are fallen men and women, we're not perfect like Mary and Jesus. The demon has touched our flesh and he knows his way in -Joseph terrified him for that very reason. We turn to Joseph as refuge, a friend, and as the patron of the Universal Church." St. Joseph, terror of demons, pray for us! 5:35 - Archbishop Listecki consecrated the local Church and all her members to the patronage and care of St. Joseph. 7:30 - This region of Wisconsin has been claimed by Joseph through the prayers of our shepherd. 8:05 - On fear 9:30- Do not give up hope 10:40 - Now is the time for St. Joseph!  

How can we use these final days of Lent to be conformed to Christ and seek what He desires for each of us? Let's revisit the Scriptures and this homily from Ash Wednesday to help us pick up our Cross and follow Jesus more fervently during these final days of the Lenten season. It's already a Lent we will never forget, let's use what's left of this season to draw closer to Christ and change the trajectory of our lives! We do this not out of fear of the unknown, but because we've become more convinced and certain of the reality that Jesus died for our sins and has defeated death so that we may live with Him forever. Collect: "Grant O Lord that we may begin with holy fasting, this campaign of Christian service so that s we take up battle against spiritual evils we may be armed with weapons of self restraint." 1st Reading: Joel 2:12-18 Psalm 51:3-6, 12-14, 17 2nd Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2 Gospel: Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

COVID-19 has impacted us all and it's made all of our lives look different. How will our relationship with Jesus be impacted and how can we use this time to strengthen our relationship with Him and build up our Domestic Church? Thank you Jesus for the gift of the priesthood and all of the men that have responded generously to your call!   Spiritual Communion Prayer   A few of AJ's favorite resources on the the Eucharist: Fr. Mike Schmitz, The Hour That Will Change Your Life Dr. Scott Hahn: Partakers of the Fourth Cup

In Luke's Gospel, the two do not recognize Jesus on the road to Emmaus, are we also looking for Jesus with conditions and do we miss Him and fail to recognize Him in our presence? Jesus is in our presence and at work right now!   Readings for the Wednesday in the Octave of Easter:  1st Reading: Acts 3:1-10 Psalm 105:1-4, 6-9 Gospel: Luke 24:13-35 http://usccb.org/bible/readings/041520.cfm

"Consent to the Cross and through that, allow God to bring His light into the depths of our hearts."   Readings from the Wednesday of the 2nd Week of Easter http://usccb.org/bible/readings/042220.cfm                                                                                                Acts 5:17-26, Psalm 34, John 3:16-21  Fr. John talks about the symbolism of the Easter vigil of darkness to light and how similarly, Nicodemus goes from the darkness to the light and professes His faith in Christ. Thoughts for reflection: Faith is a free gift, pray for the grace of faith. Faith in Jesus cannot be separated from the Cross. In time of crisis, it is an opportunity to choose the light instead of the darkness and take up the Cross and follow Him.

Daily Reading for Wednesday of the 4th Week of Easter: http://usccb.org/bible/readings/050620.cfm Reading 1: ACTS 12:24—13:5A Responsorial Psalm: 67:2-3, 5, 6 AND 8 Gospel: John 12:44-50   Paul and Barnabas were called, see how the word of God spread with their yes. Do not be afraid to respond to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Give your yes to the Lord.   After Jesus preached to the leaders in the synagogue, some believed, but they didn't make it public, they did not openly profess faith in Jesus Christ because they preferred human praise to God's glory. What is our preference and what does our profession of faith look like? "Every time we make an act of faith, Divine life is poured within us!  

On Tuesday, May 12th, we gathered to pray virtually for a special night of Worship with Josh Blakesley and Fr. Aaron Laskiewicz, watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYeawwqkdJc   Fr. Aaron Laskiewicz, reflects on a passage from the Bread of Life Discourse in the 6th chapter of John's Gospel (6:30-35) 30"So they said to him, “What sign can you do, that we may see and believe in you? What can you do? 31 Our ancestors ate manna in the desert, as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” 32 So Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 So they said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” 35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.   Fr. Aaron acknowledges the difficulty of being separated from the Eucharist and encourages us to never lose our hunger or desire for Jesus, reassuring us that we have not been abandoned by Him. Fr. Aaron reminds us that God always wins, that Jesus nourishes us now until we can receive Him sacramentally, and finally, that our desire for Him has not been ignored. For more reflections and homilies from Fr. Aaron, please visit: https://stdominic.net/gather/mass-recordings/

Find all videos for the 2020 Virtual Wisconsin Catholic Youth Rally on the Arise Milwaukee Youtube Page.   Josh Blakesley's talk, "Waiting in the Upper Room" can be found here in Part 1: Virtual WCYR   In his talk Josh talks about how strange the time must have been for the disciples while they were waiting in the Upper Room is similar to the strange and unique time we've experienced during the past few months. What prevails no matter the the emotions we experience, is hope in Jesus Christ. Consider the promise that Jesus shares with the disciples, "if you believe in me, you can do the works I do and works even greater." How will you respond to this promise?

Find all videos for the 2020 Virtual Wisconsin Catholic Youth Rally on the Arise Milwaukee Youtube Page.   Lauren's talk, "Take It to the Streets" and Hannah's testimony can be found in Part 3 of the Virtual WCYR  

Cor Jesu Homily on Wednesday, June 10th, 10th Week in Ordinary Time 6/10/20 Daily Reading Fr. John reflects on worship and the promise of peace. See below for some excerpts from this homily   What is at stake in our worship? Has God contradicted His promise of peace? It is a promise offered to those who will partake of it, and not partaking of it chaos and darkness will always reign. The promise of peace rests upon the hearts of men and women. For so long we've marginalized God and created a culture that excludes God, which limits His words and promises. We should not be surprised that peace does not reign when we as a culture have not give God a central place. How can we be surprised at what's happening in our world, when it's been 3 months since people have been able to worship the Lord with the assembly in Church? We have to hold that our relationship with God, that something is actually at stake. Mass is not a game, it is worship, worship accomplishes something in us. Mass opens us to the grace to love God more perfectly and to love our neighbor as ourselves. Why did God establish worship and establish a new covenant in His body and blood? Why did he establish the Eucharist? Because we are not well without it, we cannot live without it. It is time for us to pray fervently that everyone will come back and begin to worship the Lord in a powerful and new way, side by side as brothers and sisters to end division and allow peace to reign in our world. Intercede that ALL will recognize the Lordship of God.

Readings from the memorial feast of St. Bonaventure 1st ReadingEphesians 3:14-19Brothers and sisters:I kneel before the Father,from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,that he may grant you in accord with the riches of his gloryto be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner self,and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith;that you, rooted and grounded in love,may have strength to comprehend with all the holy oneswhat is the breadth and length and height and depth,and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge,so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.-- "We are made sons and daughters of the Father by the gift of the Holy Spirit and Christ comes to dwell within us." "This is not a time for us to be passive about the mysteries of our faith. It's not enough to have latent belief, a time more than ever as things strip away, that we would believe in accord with riches of his glory God wants to strengthen us with power through the Spirit in the inner self that Christ indeed would dwell in us richly. That we would look at each other and reverence the fact that for this age that he has called us to believe he has blessed us with His power and gifts and he has done so for the sake of the entire world. I could not paint this too dramatically, everything hinges upon our choice to be for the Lord in these days." "Bear with the cross for now and look to the Lord and believe that He is shaping and sculpting something within us if we remain rooted and grounded in love." 

Feast of St. Mary Magdalene   Mass Readings for 7/22/20   Pope Francis raised this day to a feast to emphasize the role that St. Mary Magdalene plays in proclaiming Christ. Below are excerpts from the homily.   St. Mary Magdalene is a prophet, what does it mean for us to be prophetic?   "To point out what's happening and identify that something has to change in the way we're approaching it in our hearts, so that whatever comes our way that is not of God, that we will be ready when it comes. And we'll be ready to find the light and point it out to those who search for it."   "Prophecy is not reserved to specific people, or only priests. It falls to the sons and daughters of the Covenant.... not predicting the future, but to look into one another's hearts to see the gift that God has given and to raise it up in front of the Church."    "Pray about prophecy. What would it look like for you to be more willing to call out in those you love the gifts they have and to challenge them to put gifts in front of others. Look at the world and acknowledge and even name how twisted and sick it has become. Do not do this in the spirit of hate and negativity, but with the hope of the Gospel. God knows exactly how to straighten it out."   "Pray for the zeal that with her (St. Mary Magdalene) we would run out to those we love and don't event know and we would be unable to stop speaking of Him because He indeed is the answer to every ache of the heart."