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Pastor's Desk Archive (March 2008)"Live As Children Of The Light" (3/2/2008) "Live As Children Of The Light" (3/2/2008)The contrast between light and darkness has inspired the human imagination since the stories of creation began being handed on from generation to generation. God said, “Let there be light, and there was light.” We are told that even though He created both night and day, He graciously filled the night sky with the light of the moon and the stars. In today’s second less from St. Paul, Christians are urged to prefer living in the light since light produces every kind of “righteousness, goodness, and truth.” Similarly, they are encouraged to reject the shameless things that are done in the darkness. No one listening to Paul’s letter had any difficulty understanding what he was talking about. Would that this were so today. Our popular culture has made such a strenuous effort to blunt the difference between right and wrong, good and bad that the age old theme of light and darkness is less appealing. But the contrast is so powerful that even some aspects of the common culture are unable to suppress it. I’m thinking of Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings, and even Harry Potter. As a follower of the True Light that has come into the world, I was unable to view those films without focusing in on the battle between good and evil, light and darkness. I wonder how many people viewing these films associated the depicted battles between light and darkness with the teachings of the Gospel? The very word Lent comes from an old English word referring to the lengthening days of late winter and early spring which precede Easter. Next weekend we will even move our clocks an hour forward so that we can have more light in the early evening. There is something about light that makes us want more of it. While some people are capable of sinning in the broad daylight, it can fairly be said that most shameful deeds occur by the cover of darkness. Lent offers us the opportunity to seek the Grace of God so that we may more and more prefer the righteous deeds of the light to the shameful deeds of the darkness. God is searching our hearts so that He can make them new. Shall we let Him? Water, Light, Life (3/9/2008)On the 3rd Sunday of Lent, the wonderful story of the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well reminded us of the importance of the Life-Giving water of baptism. Jesus offered her living water that wells up within and leads to Everlasting Life. In accepting the gift of faith that Jesus had prepared for her, this woman went from being among the greatest of sinners to a great bearer of God’s good news to her neighbors. On the 4th Sunday of Lent, we met the man born blind whom Jesus anointed with clay so that he could be filled with light instead of darkness. In recovering his sight, the former blind man was able to become a disciple of Jesus. He is an inspiration to all of us who claim to be able to see but who continue in our sins. We need to ask Jesus to stir up in us the power of the anointing we received at baptism by which we can choose the light of grace over the darkness of sin. On this 5th Sunday of Lent we are utterly amazed that Jesus could command His friend Lazarus to come forth from the tomb in which he had been buried. He restores Life to him so that God may be given the glory. As a result of this powerful intervention, many who had gone out to Bethany as mourners are able to return to their homes as believers in Jesus. We draw closer now to Holy Week during which we celebrate the Paschal Mystery as the source of our Life in God. As our Catechumens long for the Life-Giving Water of Baptism, let us look forward to renewing the promises of our baptism. As our Catechumens and Candidates get ready to profess their faith and be anointed by the Holy Spirit, let us make sure we are readier than ever to live by the power of God’s spirit. As they complete their preparations to be nourished by the Body and Blood of Christ, let us make plans to be on hand for the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, the Veneration of the Cross, and the spectacular Easter Vigil. Let Us Go Up To Jerusalem To Die And Rise With Christ (3/16/2008)With glad shouts of Hosanna, we embark on yet another Holy Week. If we are truly seeking to break away from the crowd to become more faithful disciples of Jesus, we will do our level best to participate with devotion in The Three Days! On Holy Tuesday, the truly devout are invited to gather at the Cathedral at 6pm for the Chrism Mass during which the Sacramental Oils are blessed and consecrated. This is also the Mass during which Fr. Jack and all the priests will re-dedicate themselves to faithful service in the Church. Your presence will be a visible sign of love and support for our priests. On Holy Thursday at 6:30pm we will gather to receive the Sacramental Oils which were blessed and consecrated at the Cathedral. On this night we are commemorating the events that occurred at The Last Supper: The washing of the feet and the institution of the Eucharist. This is also the night on which we welcome into full communion with the Catholic Church those who were baptized as Protestants. They will profess their faith, be confirmed, and welcomed at the table of the Lord. Being confirmed also on this occasion will be a few Catholic adults who didn’t get a lot of religious formation after first communion. Following this Mass there will be Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament until midnight. “Will you wait one hour with me?” On Good Friday at 6:30pm we will gather to listen to the Passion According to John proclaimed in parts; to participate in the Great Intercessory Prayers; to venerate the wood of the cross; and to receive Holy Communion. This is the one day of the year on which the celebration of Mass is forbidden. As this service concludes, each person or family is invited to approach the cross and venerate it according to custom. This is always very moving. On Holy Saturday at 8:00pm, we will gather for the Solemn Easter Vigil. This begins with the Service of The Light and The Service of the Word in which we listen to the Story of our Salvation. This is the night on which we initiate our catechumens through the Easter Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist. And as we celebrate this first Mass of Easter, we renew the promises of our baptism and are sprinkled with fresh Easter Water. Born Again, Sealed By The Spirit, Welcomed To The Table (3/23/2008)What a great joy it is each year to be able to celebrate the Easter Sacraments with our newly initiated members. This has been the high point of my priestly ministry for nearly 35 years and I never “get used to it” or “take it for granted”. Because of my ministry as pastor, teacher, and confessor, I am humbled by each of the personal stories that uniquely leads each one to the Easter Sacraments. I encourage everyone who has been a part of our parish family for some time now to seek these new members out so you can personally welcome them and encourage them in the practice of the faith. Surely it builds up our faith to know that each and every year new members want to be part of the life of our parish and the greater church. It is a very good practice to approach people you don’t know or recognize before or after Mass and introduce yourself. Do you find yourself extending the sign of peace to the same “strangers” each Sunday? How simple it would be to introduce yourself on the way out of church. It could be a new member. To those of you who have celebrated the Easter Sacraments this weekend know that you are a blessing to me, personally, and to the parish family as a whole. We are honored that Christ Himself has led you to us and we pray that you regard us as a blessing for you. You have each been given a spiritual gift or gifts explicitly for the purpose of serving the members of this parish family. May you soon discover how God would have you play an active role in our community. I am especially looking forward to our gathering this coming Wednesday evening when each of you will have the opportunity to share with the rest of us your experience of the Easter Sacraments. It may be difficult for some of you to talk about something so personal, but know that by doing so you build up and inspire our faith. If you are able to come to the 6:30 Mass first, then all the better. We Are An Easter People, Alleluia Is Our Song (3/30/2008)What a difference a day makes! Were it not for that first Easter Sunday, we would still be living in our sins and would have no hope of enjoying eternal life with God. This past week, our Neophytes—those who celebrated the Easter sacraments—shared what it meant for them to experience the power of God’s grace when they were baptized, confirmed, and welcomed to the Holy Eucharist. What marvelous and sincere testimonies to God’s saving power at work among us! All of us who were privileged to hear these testimonies had hearts full of joy. Is the Lord’s resurrection making a difference in your life today? What else accounts for your being a hopeful person when you hear so much bad news day in and day out? What else could account for your believing that all things—in the end—will work out for the best? When you find yourself being willing to overlook an offense and to be forgiving, can’t you almost hear the Risen Lord reminding you that “it is in pardoning that you will be pardoned?” Where else would people caring for seriously ill loved ones find the energy to keep on keeping on? On this second Sunday in Easter, we have been reminded of the Lord’s Divine Mercy. He knew about Thomas’ skepticism, but instead of being angry, Jesus shows him the proof that He is risen by allowing him to place his fingers in the nail marks and his hand into His side. He wants Thomas to believe even while blessing all of us who do believe even though we have not seen. How wonderful it is that we get to continue our celebration of Easter all the way to Pentecost Sunday. This will give us plenty of time for the message of the Resurrection to really sink in. Our faith in the Risen Lord distinguishes us from all other religious people. Let’s keep asking God to bestow upon us the grace to be a truly Easter People. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!!!! |
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