This weekend was very blessed at St Joseph's. Cathy Kamp invited us to reflect on our image of Christ the King -- a kingship of service, a kingship of love, and a kingship in which all are welcome. As we as a nation seek to welcome immigrants and help them to find a way to citizenship, we can easily imagine Jesus washing the feet of all immigrants, eating with them, and promising a place in paradise for them. May we as a Church always welcome the poor, always welcome immigrants, and discover the presence of God in each and every person.
We are encouraged to mail a postcard to the members of Congress supporting needed immigration reform so that we as a nation are a place of welcome for those who wish to be valued citizens of our great country.
We also had a gathering of the families of candidates for First Reconciliation. We desire that our candidates for First Reconciliation have a positive experience of the healing forgiveness showered upon them by our loving God. Yes, we all stand in need of the Lord's healing forgiveness which is shared with us in this sacrament of God's forgiveness.
Under the able leadership of Eva Mascadri, we experienced a delightful Advent family gathering to prepare ourselves for the Advent Season of being awake to the presence of God in everyday life and being awake to the coming of Christ on the Feast of Christmas. Families spent wonderful family time in making their Advent chain.
What proved to be an engaging experience for Nancy Veronesi and myself was the Church tour we conducted with our high school and middle schoolers in the Sunday evening youth ministry. I marvel at the spiritual curiosity and beauty of our teens in their spiritual journey in coming to know the Lord more deeply in their lives.
Hope to see you at our 9:00 Eucharist on Thankgiving Day. Father Jim
Sunday, November 24, 2013
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Dying doesn't have to be feared.
As the we edge toward the end of the liturgical year, the Scriptures invite us to reflect on the endtimes. We need to value what both Mother Nature and the Church's Scriptures reveal to us in the final weeks of the liturgical year.
As the leaves have fallen from the trees and have died, as the days grow shorter and the hours of darkness increase, we are very much aware of the change of seasons and the cycle of life. I don't know if Bette Midler was thinking about today's Scriptures, but she sings with much truth: "That beneath the winter snow lies the seed that in the spring becomes the rose."
As the people of the Philippines seek to recover the destruction of the typhoon Haiyan, they too need to know the seed that lies beneath their devastation that in the spring will become a rose of new hope.
Stephen Covey in SEVEN HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE speaks of the wisdom habit: BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND. Getting to the basics, there are two realities we all share in common: we are born, and we are going to die. With every ending, there is the promise of a new beginning.
There is no need for us to begin the Christmas season immediately. Frosty the Snowman and jolly old St. Nick can wait a bit longer. We need to spend time being confronted and learn from the realization of the endtimes. Dying doesn't have to be feared.
The late Archbishop of Chicago, Joseph Cardinal Bernardin, as he was dying with terminal cancer, wrote a little book entitled THE GIFT OF PEACE. He lived beautifully and lovingly each day that was given to him in the presence of a healing God. He possessed the God-given gift of peace.
His dying helped him to live. Dying helped him to be aware of what is important in life. Dying helped him to speak the love that was in his heart. With the gift of peace, he knew he was soon going to share more fully in the mystery of God's life.
The best balance is to concentrate on the reality that we will face our end and to keep in mind that how we live in this life is what matters. The balanced answer is that the end begins now and we respond by living justly and righteously, knowing the end could arrive at any time.
As the leaves have fallen from the trees and have died, as the days grow shorter and the hours of darkness increase, we are very much aware of the change of seasons and the cycle of life. I don't know if Bette Midler was thinking about today's Scriptures, but she sings with much truth: "That beneath the winter snow lies the seed that in the spring becomes the rose."
As the people of the Philippines seek to recover the destruction of the typhoon Haiyan, they too need to know the seed that lies beneath their devastation that in the spring will become a rose of new hope.
Stephen Covey in SEVEN HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE speaks of the wisdom habit: BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND. Getting to the basics, there are two realities we all share in common: we are born, and we are going to die. With every ending, there is the promise of a new beginning.
There is no need for us to begin the Christmas season immediately. Frosty the Snowman and jolly old St. Nick can wait a bit longer. We need to spend time being confronted and learn from the realization of the endtimes. Dying doesn't have to be feared.
The late Archbishop of Chicago, Joseph Cardinal Bernardin, as he was dying with terminal cancer, wrote a little book entitled THE GIFT OF PEACE. He lived beautifully and lovingly each day that was given to him in the presence of a healing God. He possessed the God-given gift of peace.
His dying helped him to live. Dying helped him to be aware of what is important in life. Dying helped him to speak the love that was in his heart. With the gift of peace, he knew he was soon going to share more fully in the mystery of God's life.
The best balance is to concentrate on the reality that we will face our end and to keep in mind that how we live in this life is what matters. The balanced answer is that the end begins now and we respond by living justly and righteously, knowing the end could arrive at any time.
Sunday, November 10, 2013
this sunday's liturgy
In talking to our children as they were about to be blessed in the Children's Liturgy of the Word, I asked if they would like to live forever. All enthusiastically raised their hands. This is precisely today's scripture message. We share forever in the risen life of Christ Jesus.
While it is a very natural question to ask: "what is it like when we die," we don't the specifics to this question. We do know that life is not ended in death. We share in the fullness of the Lord's Risen Life. Thanks be to God.
In this month, let us entrust the deceased of our families and the deceased of our nation to the fullness of God's eternal life.
The resurrection of Jesus is the linchpin of Christian faith, the source of our hope and the cause of our joy,
While it is a very natural question to ask: "what is it like when we die," we don't the specifics to this question. We do know that life is not ended in death. We share in the fullness of the Lord's Risen Life. Thanks be to God.
In this month, let us entrust the deceased of our families and the deceased of our nation to the fullness of God's eternal life.
The resurrection of Jesus is the linchpin of Christian faith, the source of our hope and the cause of our joy,
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
new baby and a new Bishop
This day is a most blessed day in my life. I have new grand nephew -- Evan Lawrence Hill -- the loving son of Justin and Kate Hill. Evan is my 28th grand niece/nephew. I was holding him just minutes ago. I could tell he was already in deep prayer. He is just a precious gift of God.
We also have a new bishop, Bishop Salvatore Matano, the 9th bishop of Rochester. While I was holding Evan in my arms, I'm holding Bishop Matano in my prayer that his days as our Bishop will be blessed and joy-filled for him and for the Church of Rochester.
We also have a new bishop, Bishop Salvatore Matano, the 9th bishop of Rochester. While I was holding Evan in my arms, I'm holding Bishop Matano in my prayer that his days as our Bishop will be blessed and joy-filled for him and for the Church of Rochester.
Monday, November 4, 2013
Going out on a limb!
May the story of Zacchaeus in last Sunday's Gospel be our story as well. At times, we need to go out on the limb to see and to be seen by Jesus. As we seek to know Jesus in our lives, be assured Jesus has a desire to know us and to place into our hearts His everlasting love.
If Jesus says to us as He said to Zacchaeus, I mean to come to your home and have dinner with you this evening. How would you prepare your home to receive Jesus? Wow! Zacchaeus did not have time to make meal preparation or house preparations, what he did was to prepare his heart.
Our challenge is to do likewise. May we experience the conversion of heart that comes from knowing that we are loved by the Lord.
If Jesus says to us as He said to Zacchaeus, I mean to come to your home and have dinner with you this evening. How would you prepare your home to receive Jesus? Wow! Zacchaeus did not have time to make meal preparation or house preparations, what he did was to prepare his heart.
Our challenge is to do likewise. May we experience the conversion of heart that comes from knowing that we are loved by the Lord.
My First Blog!
Welcome to my very 1st blog post! This is an exciting time as I enter the world of social and digital media! I have now officially posted on Facebook and Twitter and it is my hope that this blog will provide our faith community with additional reflection from our weekend masses as well as all the ministries that are available here at St. Josephs.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)