January 11th, A note from Fr. Walt

Ordinary Time:  Is any Time Ordinary?

       Today, the Church is celebrating the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.  It is a day when many churches mark this day by inviting the faithful to make a renewal of their baptismal promises.  This feast today also brings to a close the Advent/Christmas season: those several weeks when the four Sundays leading up to Christmas, the Advent Sundays, emphasized the time of preparation for the birthday of the Lord, and then the feasts of Christmas, Holy Family, the Feast of Mary the Mother of God, and Epiphany.

       As we look back at these two seasons, Advent and Christmas, we probably recall a whirlwind of activity, many hectic days, beautiful and joyous family celebrations, when families gathered and we looked with great joy at children delighted with special Christmas presents.  Some families traveled to be with the extended family, others welcomed grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins to their homes.  We welcomed the Savior once again into our lives and hopefully took the time to reflect on the richness of grace, the many graces, that Advent and Christmas celebrations offer to us.

       Tomorrow, January 12, 2015, we will begin what the Church calls ‘Ordinary Time’.  What exactly is Ordinary Time?  Next Sunday, when we come to Mass and the welcome is made and we are invited to gather to celebrate the First Sunday in Ordinary Time, and the week after, the Second Sunday, and so on for weeks afterward, those words of welcome to Ordinary Time will probably go in one ear and out the other.  It’s only ‘ordinary time’.

       Ordinary Time is that period of weeks that begin right after the Christmas season that leads up to the beginning of the Season of Lent on Ash Wednesday.  Then, for six weeks of Lent and the seven weeks of the Easter Season, Ordinary Time is replaced by the most important period of the Church year:  we will make the journey of renewal of mind and heart from Ash Wednesday, February 18, 2015 until Holy Week, beginning Palm (Passion) Sunday, March 29^th and then the celebration of the Resurrection of the Lord, April 5^th, and then the seven weeks of the Easter Season, taking us to May 24^th, the feast of Pentecost.

       On the day of Pentecost, May 25^th, we are back to Ordinary Time again until the end of November, when the holy season of Advent will be upon us once again.

       When we stop to think about it, no time is really ordinary time, whether we think about it in terms of the Church’s liturgical seasons and celebrations or not.  In our daily lives, we will celebrate all kinds of special days:  birthday, wedding anniversaries, etc.  There will be the days when we remember the passing of loved ones.  Young people will look forward to vacations from school, getting a summer job, maybe reaching that special age when they can get their driving permit.  In some families, there will be that special joy when someone gets married, when new babies come into this world and into our families.  Some may reach their day of retirement and begin a whole new season of life.  So, ordinary time, not really, especially if we walk each day in companionship with the Lord and those very special people we call our own… 

January 4th, A note from Fr. Walt

       Talk of making New Year Resolutions has been a tradition going back many, many years, even centuries.  There is always some talk about it and maybe a lot of people seriously think of making such resolutions:  I’m going to take off twenty pounds this year, I’m going to start a journal this year, I’m going to visit old friends more this year.  Resolutions such as these, as noble and well-intended as they are, rarely last beyond the month of January.  No offense to those who do make such resolutions seriously and carry them out faithfully.  Yet, such resolutions are talked about more than made and fulfilled; let’s be honest about it.

       Today is the feast of the Epiphany, the manifestation to the world of the coming of the Lord Jesus as our Messiah and Savior.  How Magnificent!  This manifestation of the Lord to us, we tend to confine as a part of the Christmas season celebration, but the manifestation does not have an ending, not only the Lord’s manifestation to us, but our part in that, namely:  that we are to share in the labor of continuing to make Him manifest in our world today.  To this end, I would suggest making a few ‘Epiphany Resolutions’.  May I offer a few suggestions?

       ONE:  I resolve that this year I will sincerely make an effort to spend at least a few moments in prayer each day.  I will pick a quiet time, without the noise of TV or such and quietly talk with the Lord, AND listen to what He wishes to say to me.

       TWO:  I resolve that at least two or three days a week, I will take a little time to read sacred scripture, the Bible.  Each Sunday in the bulletin, we list the scripture text for the Masses for that week.  Let this be a guide to help you decide what portions to read.  You don’t have to follow that; maybe you have your own favorite passages you would rather choose.

       THREE:  I resolve to share at least some part of my time in community, neighborhood or church activities.  We know that actions speak louder than words and maybe some of our good deeds will help others around us to see the presence and grace of God in action.

       FOUR:  I resolve to at least think about the call that frequently comes through the bulletin or the pulpit announcements, looking for more people to participate in liturgical roles:  servers, lectors, special ministers of the Eucharist, etc.  Giving witness among our brothers and sisters in our faith community is always a good way to share with others.

       Yes, I could go on with a longer list of suggestions for such resolutions, but I’ll leave that up to your own creative imaginations.  The important part of this message is that we come to realize that the Lord, Himself, depends on us to help make him manifest in our world.  A lot of the terrible things that have gone on in our cities of late speak volumes to us.

       Think of the Beatitudes that we read in the opening verses of the 5^th chapter of Matthew’s gospel, more than enough food for thought.

       Our new year is still very young.  May it be filled with God’s choicest blessings for all…  

December 28th, A note from Deacon Paul

        The Christmas season offers us a time to reflect upon and be thankful for the many ways God has graced our lives.  Next to faith, perhaps the greatest of God’s gifts is family.   I am very thankful for my own family and while I do not say it often enough, I love them and thank God for the blessing they are in my life.  They have formed me into the person I am today (don’t blame them for the faults) and they have given me the best of foundations for living the Christian life and sharing that life with others. 

         Today we celebrate the feast of the Holy Family.  Fixing this feast near Christmas, the Church reminds us that family is central to the plan of salvation and to our call to holiness.  It is in and through family life that we learn how to love and forgive one another.  In family life we come to recognize our own giftedness and our limitations.  We learn how to fail and then get up and start anew.  What better training ground for the Christian life?  How better to encounter Christ than to experience his presence in the love and community of family? 

          Yet, families today face many challenges arising from what Pope Francis calls a “culture of the temporary.”  It is not that the problems facing families are new, but that our culture all too often encourages opting out as a first response.  To engage in the struggle, to grapple with the problems of our human frailties and to rely upon God’s grace is the very essence of what it means to live as Christians in the pursuit of holiness.  The Holy Family provides a model for us and teaches us how to persevere in life’s difficulties while remaining open to God’s grace along the path to holiness.

          So what can we learn from the Holy Family that will strengthen families of today? 

    Joseph – In Joseph, we see a strong and quiet man of action.  In the whole of Scripture Joseph never says a word, but his presence is felt.  He leads his family and protects them.  He provides for them and humbly thanks to God for what he has.  Scripture tells us that Joseph is a righteous man which means that he is honest and keeps himself in proper relationship to God.  Joseph provides the example of a quiet doer. 

     Mary – In Mary, we see a gentle and loving mother.  Mary was an unwed teenager when she became pregnant with our Lord.  She trusted God and was not afraid to say “yes” to God.  Mary was a courageous woman who put her family first.  After the death of her husband, Mary became a single mother raising Jesus on her own.  Mary provides the example of courage and obedience to God. 

     Jesus – In Jesus, we see an obedient and faithful son.  Though he was God, he did not regard equality with God something to be grasped but emptied himself taking the form of a slave.  Jesus teaches us how to love perfectly and to conform ourselves to the will of God. 

       So today, we thank God for the Holy Family and for our own families. We pray for all families that God will give them the courage and the grace to persevere.  May you enjoy the blessings of the season and may you and your families have a peaceful, happy and grace-filled New Year.

December 21st, A note from Fr. Walt

Waiting with Mary & Joseph 

       On this Fourth Sunday of Advent with just a few days to go before Christmas, I suspect most everyone is still very busy, as the Christmas Carol says, ‘making a list and checking it twice’.  People are busy at wrapping gifts, shopping for the last minute items for Christmas dinner and giving the house a good cleaning.  But what about the Fourth Sunday of Advent?  The gospel for today calls our attention to the event of months ago, the sudden visit of the Angel Gabriel to the young Mary of Nazareth.  As busy as we all may be, take a few minutes out of this day for some quiet reflection.  Sounds impossible?  Why?  Don’t let the sudden rush of Christmas celebration overwhelm you.  Think about those last days for Mary & Joseph as they traveled to Bethlehem to register for the census.

       I’m sure the last thing on their minds was the census, but the law was the law and the journey had to be made.  But what was the journey like for them?  For Joseph, I can picture him turning his head to look at Mary riding on the donkey.  “Are you okay, Mary?  Do you want to stop and rest?”  “No, I’m okay, let’s keep going.  It’s almost evening and we can stop and rest for the night.  Maybe tomorrow we will make it to Bethlehem.”  This kind of conversation was probably repeated in one form or another several times by these two people, each one chosen by God to have a special role in the event that would change the history of the human race.  Couldn’t God have made it a little easier for them, a little more comfortable?  Thoughts like that would never have entered their minds.  Remember what Mary said when the angel said of her, “Hail Mary, FULL OF GRACE.”  Because she was filled with the singular grace God had bestowed on her, her response to the angel’s announcement was, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.  Let it be done unto me according to your word.”

       These days were days of quiet as they made their way along the road.  And they were days of worry for Joseph, “How can I provide for her when we get to Bethlehem?  What if the child is born before I can find a suitable place for Mary and the Child?”  Yet Joseph, too, knew that the hand of God was guiding them and would protect them.  God had said to both Mary and Joseph, “Do not be afraid.”  The very special presence of the Holy Spirit was with them.  They had placed themselves at the service of God’s plan, whatever and however that plan was to be fulfilled.

       Take a little time today, no matter how busy you think you are.  Let it be some quiet time.  Pick up one of the Christmas cards you have received, maybe one with a picture of Mary and Joseph making their way to Bethlehem.  Let it speak to your heart.  Let the Lord speak to your hear.

       Oh heavens!  I forgot to send a card to great Aunt Sarah.  Will it get there before Christmas?  Oh Well, I’ll add a little note and tell her I was spending some time with Jesus, and that’s why this card is late.

       My wish for all of you is to experience the peace and love of this very special feast and may the Lord bless you with happiness and good health throughout the New Year.     

December 14th, A note from Fr. Walt

Joy in the Lord – Advent Prayer

       Prominent in the scriptures for the Third Sunday of Advent is the call to rejoice.  Indeed, it is a season for rejoicing as we prepare ourselves for the joyous feast of Christmas and also for the many times that the Lord bestows his joy on us and in countless ways.

       This little anecdote may help illustrate this truth.  A mother of five young children was baking Christmas cookies and her youngest son, we’ll call him Ben, had pushed a chair over to the counter so he could help his mother.  “I want to help, Mommy,” he said with great eagerness.  Mommy said, “But this is a mommy job, Ben.  Why don’t you play with one of your toys?”  “No, Mommy.  I want to help.”  Well, Mommy finally gave in and let little Ben help her.

       All of a sudden there was a whoosh, a white cloud of flour, some of it landing in the mixing bowl, some on the floor and some in Mommy’s hair.  Ben laughed at this, seeing Mommy with white hair.  As you can imagine, this frazzled mother became very impatient, but as she said, miraculously she held it in.  As she looked into a mirror, she saw what made Ben laugh, and she too laughed at the sight.

       The Christmas cookies were finally all made and decorated and later that afternoon as Ben fell asleep in her lap, she had an opportunity to spend a little quiet time before the other children arrived home from school.  She couldn’t help smiling herself as she looked at the very peaceful and beautiful child asleep on her lap.  Her thoughts took her to the homily she heard the day before on the Third Sunday of Advent.  The priest called it, ‘joy Sunday’.  As the thoughts ran through her mind, she could not help but think of the countless times her five children brought joy into her life.  Sometimes the joy followed a moment of impatience, as the episode with Ben making cookies, but joy always won out.

       Not only on this Third Sunday of Advent, but on many of the Advent Sundays and weekdays, we are given the abundance of hopeful and joyful readings from the prophet Isaiah.  He prophesies about our future, what this world can become; he prophesies about the Messiah who comes as the great peacemaker who makes promises to all who will accept the Messiah into their lives.

       Advent is truly one of the most beautiful seasons of the year, awakening in us once again the spirit of awareness that we are being called to make the journey once more, welcoming the Lord into our lives, listening to such uplifting lessons, preparing ourselves and walking with Him as our companion and our Savior.

       May these Advent days continue to hold many blessings for all of you.  Open your hearts and let Him in with his promise of eternal life.  If there is need for the grace of healing in your life, seek it out.  Don’t let this season pass you by.  Give time for prayer and quiet reflection, at least a little every day.  You won’t be disappointed.  The blessings that come from it will be your very best Christmas gifts.     

December 7th, A note from Fr. Scott

          The other day I stopped at one of the churches to get communion for a home visit.  Halfway to the church I remembered I would need keys.  So I walked back to my car and opened the compartment between the front seats where I always store my keys. 

          No keys!  (At least not the ones for which I was looking.)

          “Don’t panic,” I thought.  “Check your coat pockets first.”  I had on my winter coat with the big pockets and I knew I had the keys the day before.  So I searched my coat pockets multiple times.  They just weren’t there.  I went back to the compartment between the front seats, thinking I must have missed them; but, no, they weren’t there either.

          I began to panic.

          But then something nudged me to check my glove compartment.  There they were!  I never knowingly put them in my glove compartment, but after reconstructing the scene from the day before, I realized I had multiple items in my hand when I got into my car.  The keys were to go into the middle compartment, the other item was to go in the glove compartment.  I had absentmindedly reversed them.

          Actually, while I was relieved, I wasn’t surprised.  I’ve been doing that with more frequency as I age.  For example, at home I might put my tea mug in the refrigerator and the lemon juice on the counter, only to realize a minute later something isn’t right.  I imagine it’s a sign of aging as I’m due to enter my seventh decade in the not too distant future.  I imagine also that it’s a sign that I have too many things on my mind and am deep in thought when I do rather mindless mundane tasks.  Absentminded is, I suppose, the polite description.

          I realize we live in an era in which the ability to multi-task is highly prized, but I question the human ability to actually do so well.  Our capacity for attention is only so much; when we try to stretch it beyond capacity then we are unable to do anything well.  Yes, I know today’s young people have grown up bombarded with multiple stimuli (how much quiet fills their day?) and with much more supple minds than mine can no doubt multi-task better than I, but certain tasks require concentrated effort.  For example, I am of the opinion that when one studies for a test while watching TV or playing computer games or listening to music, the end result will suffer because the focus is divided.  Still, maybe that’s simply what happens to me and others may disagree.  

          My fear is that we carry over multi-tasking into our spiritual lives.  Prayer is just one “task” among many.  Ideally, prayer ought not be a “task” at all but a moment of privilege in which we connect with God in a way that improves our life journey—helps us live more Christ-like lives.  It seems to me that the important things of life require undivided attention.  Most of us have had the experience of being in conversation with another person and the other person seems to pay more attention to their phone than the conversation at hand.  (I’m guilty of being that other person at times!)  But what kind of respect are we showing the person with whom we are conversing? 

          It’s the same with God.  If we truly respect God, then ought we not focus our attention on God alone and not on God as one task in the midst of many?  Yes, that’s probably hard to do for many of us as we live life multi-tasking, but it’s not an impossibility.  Change is never easy.

          And this Advent portion of the Advent-Christmas-Epiphany season is a perfect time to try and give God our undivided attention.  Advent is a season of patient waiting for God to act.  The waiting, however, is not meant to be passive.  It’s an active waiting of prayer and reflection, creating fertile ground in our hearts and minds for God to take deeper root in our lives.

          Yes, we are a multi-tasking culture, but what a shame if the culture takes precedence over our faith journey with God.

          Have a blessed Advent-Christmas-Epiphany season . . .  

November 30th, A Note from Fr. Scott

Recently I was in the supermarket waiting in line to check out when two people in the next line began to converse.  I wasn’t paying too much attention and then I heard “Ham?!  You can’t have ham on Thanksgiving!  You have to have turkey—it’s tradition!”

And then I heard, “Father, tell them it’s tradition to have turkey on Thanksgiving!”

I was a bit startled to be invited into a conversation of which I had not been a part, nor of which I cared to be a part.  All I could think was, “Why am I the expert on Thanksgiving traditions?!”

Traditions are a part of life.  We all have them, although our own traditions may be different from someone else’s.  Many years ago I remember meeting with an engaged couple and we were talking about expectations regarding traditions.  In his family, his mother always put up the Christmas tree and decorated it; in her family, her father always put up the Christmas tree and decorated it.  Naturally, their expectation was that the other would take care of the Christmas tree.  (I’m not sure what they did in the end as a married couple: maybe they never did get a tree!)

Traditions bring an element of comfort, an element of stability, to our lives.  That’s why we have traditions.  They’re familiar; they recall pleasant memories of times past. 

There are, however, times when traditions may change.  While the adjustment to a new way of doing things may not feel quite right in the beginning, eventually we embrace this new way as a tradition.  New traditions probably surface most commonly in young married couples who welcome children into their family.  While they still cling to their old traditions somewhat, they begin to form new traditions with their new family.  Actually it’s usually a blending of the new and the old.  And that’s what ought to happen as we journey through life.

Traditions are not just family-centered, of course.  The Church is filled with traditions that bring a sense of comfort and stability to our lives.  This weekend we begin a new liturgical year with the lighting of the first candle on the Advent wreathe.  Each week the light grows with the addition of another lit candle until we arrive at Christmas and celebrate how Jesus is the light of the world.

Jesus is also the light of our lives, in our lives, leading and guiding us to a deeper relationship with Him.  Jesus, the human face of God, reveals to us the depth of God’s love for us.  Even more than our cherished traditions, it is Jesus Who brings comfort and stability to our lives.  We live in a constantly changing world; traditions help anchor us in what is meaningful (as long as the traditions aren’t sinful, of course).  Even more so does Jesus provide an anchor of meaningfulness and purposefulness in our lives.  And we have such wonderful opportunities to connect with Jesus—through our Eucharistic celebrations (Mass), in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, in our own personal prayer lives, in our response to the needs of others, in our acceptance of another person’s kindness to us.  Jesus is indeed with us, lighting up our lives, bringing comfort and stability to our lives.

To go back to the supermarket: I didn’t really want to take sides in the ham versus turkey debate, so I simply said that whatever one’s preference is, it’s fine.  (Personally, I’ve never cared much for ham, but it’s a valid preference!)

Have a blessed Advent . . .