Thirsting For Faith

Dear Parishioners,
 
I just signed the papers for the warranty on the new church roof which, along with the chapel roof, sacristy roof, and bell tower roof, is costing the parish approximately $300,000. The Archdiocese suggested we conduct a Capital Campaign to pay for the roofs. When I met with the Archbishop last week, I told him I didn’t think that was necessary as our parishioners are very generous. I said that a monthly second collection over the next three years should pay for the roofs. The Archbishop gave his approval and so far we have collected $6,801.70. Thanks for your generosity.

This week finds Jesus traveling south from the mountain of the Transfiguration in Galilee toward Jerusalem (Jn 4:5-42). Along the way, he stops at Samaria in a town called Sychar, where he goes to Jacob’s well which is still there today. By the way, it’s over 100 feet deep. There he meets a notorious woman who, because of having been married five times before and now living with a man outside of marriage, has become an outcast. However, Jesus treats her with respect and dignity. While Jesus asks her for a drink, he isn’t so much thirsting for water as thirsting for her faith. It’s the same thing he wants from us. Our Lord does not care about our past; he cares for us now; and cares for our future. If we are smart, we will turn away from our earthly thirsts and go to Jesus who alone can quench our deepest thirst. As St. Augustine said, “O God, you have made us for yourself. My heart is restless until it rests in you.”


Fr. Carl

Suffering

Dear Parishioners,

Our household was hit by a stomach virus recently. It took all 7 of us, one by one, starting with Natalie, the middle granddaughter. It was ugly! But of course we all survived as our body defenses did what they do. It came at a good time, right before Lent. It was a good time, because Lent is a time of scaling back, reducing, minimizing, fasting, and sacrificing. I lost 5 pounds in a couple of days!

Getting back to our defenses, our psychological defenses tend to minimize the suffering that is an everyday occurrence in our world. Yes, there are fires and murders and serious accidents and illnesses all the time. The corona virus threat focuses us on a particular illness, but really they are with us constantly. My own stomach illness (pretty minor really!) called my attention to my vulnerability and weakness. My mortal body will fail at some point, and I will die. Isn’t that what Ash Wednesday was about? I have been primed to think about those who are suffering. And ultimately, I am thinking about the suffering of Christ. That is what this is all about.

The person of God who was filled with love for others, whose life reflected an openness to the suffering in others, was himself made to suffer. The suffering of Christ is visible, public, naked, and enduring in the sign of the Cross. The Cross is something we venerate and is commonplace around our homes, our churches, and our necks. It joins us with Christ in his suffering and in the suffering of all our fellow human beings. Let that sink in. That beautiful Cross in your bedroom stands for suffering, that wooden Cross at Church stands for suffering, that silver Cross you can wear stands for suffering. The Cross has been earned by the pain and angst of so many beings over the years. Of course, it stands for the agony and passion of Christ as well. But it goes beyond that. It stands not only for the cost in struggle and death, but it also points to the Resurrection! The Cross stands not alone but with the empty tomb! The Cross means that we fall and fail, but it also means that we are raised by God in his mercy and salvific love. The Cross is the key to the world of Heaven! So let suffering occur, and know that it will be transformed into joy through God’s mysterious love!

Blessings,
Deacon Steve

Resisting Temptation

Dear Parishioners,

Oscar Wilde, the witty British author and speaker, once said, “I can resist anything except temptation.” As we begin Lent, we see Adam and Eve giving into temptation (Gn 2:7-9; 3:1-7), but Jesus, of course, overcomes temptation (Mt 4:1-11). However, it will not be the last time Jesus faces temptation. After he tells the apostles about his upcoming Passion, Death, and Resurrection, Peter tries to discourage Jesus from his intended plan. So Jesus rebukes Peter, calls him a satan, and tells the disciples that following Him requires suffering as well (Mt 16:21-23). And of course, there’s the Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane when Jesus prays that, if possible, he might be spared of the Cross. But he finishes by saying to his Father “Still let it be as you would have it not as I.” On other occasions, the Scribes and Pharisees ask him for a sign to test him which he refuses to do as his miracles and teachings should have been enough. Finally, as he hung upon the cross, the crowd called for him to come down from it to prove he was the Son of God.

Jesus had not one but many temptations in his life, just as you and I. But he prepared and built up his resistance by prayer and fasting. It’s what we need to do if we want to overcome the temptations that will also follow us throughout our earthly lives. Lent is a season that invites us all to engage in a spiritual work out together so that we can follow Jesus. United we can encourage and support one another as we journey toward Easter.

Fr. Carl

Happy Lent!

Dear Parishioners,
 
While we are still in Ordinary time this Sunday, we will soon be in Lent. It is good to begin to think about what this means. Yes, we have Fat Tuesday and Ash Wednesday to help us. I would like to offer that this not be a somber season but a celebration. Certainly Lent is a time of fasting and sacrifice. It is a time of becoming aware of the long walk that Christ made carrying the weight of his cross, heading toward crucifixion. My call to celebration rests on the fact that Lent opens to the glory of Easter and Easter is the sign that we will be taken care of by God. Our fears of death and pain should resolve to the possibility of heaven and living (yes, living) forever in His friendship and presence. We should celebrate that we aren’t done when our bodies give out. This life of trial and difficulty with the struggles of money and work and relationships are not the end. Our time is not defined by the ups and downs of the economy, the winds of politics, or the vagaries of social expectations and criticism by others. We live in the hope of what we glimpse during Lent and Easter. 

The tragedies of the abuse we hear of, the unjust deaths we become aware of, the persecution and immoral actions we read about, all are mediated by the saving action of Christ on the cross. The raw imbalance of life with its haves vs. have nots, the privileged vs. the suffering, the hungry vs. those who are full and satisfied, is addressed by God in the saving actions of Lent and Easter. Let us open our eyes to what is offered to us in this most powerful season of the Church. Let us thank God for our salvation that lifts us from the sad morass that this life becomes for some. To be with God is our purpose, and Lent and Easter give us a taste of that possibility. The harder life is, the more sweet will be heaven.
 
Happy Lent and glorious Easter, 
Deacon Steve

Attitudes

Dear Parishioners,
 
Ordinarily on the 4th Sunday of the year when Matthew’s gospel is read, we hear the beginning of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. This year we didn’t as the Feast of the Presentation was celebrated with it’s own gospel. So we missed out on the Beatitudes which begin with words “Blest are they… ” Basically Jesus is telling us the “attitudes” his followers should have, ie, poor in spirit, the sorrowing, the lowly, the merciful, the single-hearted, the peacemakers, etc.

In today’s gospel, Jesus continues his Sermon on the Mount as he condemns bad attitudes as well as bad actions. Afterall, thoughts and attitudes always precede whatever actions we undertake. Before murder, usually there is anger. Before adultery there is lust. So Jesus urges us to take strong measures to eliminate these sinful thoughts. He knows that temptation left unchecked will grow stronger and stronger until the sinful thought is acted upon. To verify this all we have to do is look at the violence taking place on city streets in Baltimore and the rest of the country. Also the increased rates of infidelity are affecting more and more families leading to higher divorce rates and destruction of family life everywhere.

The antidote to these problems rests in our relationship with Jesus. The stronger that grows, the holier we become with the grace and power to overcome the capital sins of lust and anger, and enable us to enter the kingdom of God where true happiness awaits us.

Fr. Carl

Kobe, Rest In Peace.

Dear Parishioners,

I was saddened by the recent death of Kobe Bryant. He was a magnificent basketball player. He was a champion in the finest sense of the word. A leader and a charismatic star. I feel a certain degree of commonality with him as both of us grew up in Philly, although he was my son’s age—so a different generation. I played a lot of basketball growing up. There was a playground at Penn and Pratt in the neighborhood. I remember being proud of my Chuck Taylor All Stars basketball shoes, which were my staple foot wear for years. A basketball and a pump to keep air in it were necessities back then. The Lakers, the Boston Celtics, the Detroit Pistons, the Chicago Bulls were all teams that my beloved 76ers lost to more often than not. But Kobe transcended basketball. He was generous, a family man, and a Catholic. It is especially tragic that his daughter and several of her friends were on the fatal flight with him. Kobe was not one who got lost in the fame and fortune. He maintained his values and knew what really mattered. I don’t think that it is surprising to say, but we don’t know what to do with death. Certainly, he was a young man with a great future in front of him. But it was cut short by that thing which we will all face sooner or later. Let us do the most with the time we have. Let us fill our days with meaningful pursuits. Let us thank God for the generous life he has given us. This life is all gift, so let us appreciate it. And know that the author of life doesn’t guarantee any length of time. Whatever station or vocation one lives out, do so thankfully. Spend time in prayer, spend time in church, spend time loving those around you. And thank God for the gift of life! Kobe, rest in peace.

 

Blessings,
Deacon Steve

Candlemas Day

Dear Parishioners,

Back in the old days, only wax candles were used in church to give light to the sacred space to assist the worship. Now we have electric lights and altar and tabernacle candles fueled by oil. However, we still use wax candles on major feasts (Christmas and Easter) in our candelabras, but not as much as before. When items are used at Mass, they need to be blessed such as chalices, patens, baptismal fonts, tabernacles, bells, organs, stations of the cross, etc. So, too, were the wax candles to be used during Mass. Each year, 40 days after the birth of the Lord, on the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, all the candles to be used throughout the year were brought into the church and blessed. Their light would be a symbol of Jesus (the Light of the World) about whom Simeon said in Luke’s gospel (Lk 2:22-40), “A light for revelation to the Gentiles and the glory of your people Israel.” For this reason this day was also known as Candlemas Day.

The gospel presents Jesus not only to his Father but also to Simeon and Anna, two very holy people, who longed to see the Lord. They waited many years and prepared themselves through prayer and fasting. Since we, too, want to see Jesus at the end of our lives, it might be a good idea to incorporate a bit more prayer and fasting into our lives. Although we are no longer obligated to abstain from meat every Friday, we are still to do some form of penance in remembrance of Good Friday.

Fr. Carl