Dear Parishioners,
What are we to make of today’s Gospel message from Matthew? (Matthew 20:1-16a) Simply put, Jesus uses a parable to teach his disciples that God is not fair. Those who were hired at the end of the day were paid first and received the same wage promised to those who toiled all day. It seems to us that those who worked all day should expect to be paid more, but all the workers received the same pay. Jesus teaches us that God is not fair, God is generous. God plays by a higher set of standards, where the least powerful get extra protection, where the strong serve the weak, where the pious receive the same grace as the sinner. This may sound troubling depending on where you are in this line-up of workers at the end of the toilsome day.
But what if we are not really at the front of the line, the early risers? What if we are really at the end of the line, Gentiles who arrive centuries late to the family of God after the Jewish people have worked for centuries as God’s chosen people? Could it be that we are the 5:00 workers after all? From the back of the line, this parable sounds quite different. That said, it means that all of us are being invited to dance to the tune of Amazing Grace. Personally I’m glad that God is not fair, but that God is generous instead.
- Deacon Robert
Rev. Stephen Hook is Pastor of the Pastorate of the Visitation which includes the Catholic Churches of Pasadena, Maryland: St. Jane Frances de Chantal (Riviera Beach) and Our Lady of the Chesapeake (Lakeshore). He is assisted by Associate Pastor Rev. Kevin Farmer, Deacon Howard Klohr, Deacon Phil Snyder, and Deacon Rick Clemens. To learn more about our pastorate, please visit www.catholicpasadena.org.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Friday, September 9, 2011
Roman Missal, Third Edition coming soon to a church near you!
Dear Parishioners,
By now, many of you have heard that there will be some changes in the Mass starting the First Sunday of Advent. It’s nothing to get concerned about as the changes will be relatively minor, affecting some of the responses and prayers. The format will remain the same – Introductory Rites, Liturgy of the Word, Liturgy of the Eucharist, and Concluding Rites. Why is the Church doing this now? Actually the Church has been making changes in the Mass since the beginning. (See page 2 of the Sept. 11 bulletin). Early on, the Mass was prayed in Greek (Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison), then in Latin, and forty years ago in the local language of the people. From the fourth through the eighth century, there were different forms of the Mass in France, Spain, and Italy before the Roman rite became more the norm in Europe. However, it was not until after the Council of Trent (1545-1563) that the Roman Missal was mandated by the Church in 1570. Still some areas in Europe didn’t conform to the changes for over 300 years. That won’t happen here in the USA.
Now that the summer is over and Advent approaches, it’s a good time to prepare by reading the short articles and inserts in the bulletin. There will also be a series of five 30 minute videos on the biblical basis of the Mass on Saturday mornings from 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. in the Muth Room starting October 8th. Contact the Parish Office if you would like to attend.
Why not begin by reading the insert today from the United States Catholic Conference?
- Fr. Carl
For more information, see http://www.usccb.org/romanmissal/.
By now, many of you have heard that there will be some changes in the Mass starting the First Sunday of Advent. It’s nothing to get concerned about as the changes will be relatively minor, affecting some of the responses and prayers. The format will remain the same – Introductory Rites, Liturgy of the Word, Liturgy of the Eucharist, and Concluding Rites. Why is the Church doing this now? Actually the Church has been making changes in the Mass since the beginning. (See page 2 of the Sept. 11 bulletin). Early on, the Mass was prayed in Greek (Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison), then in Latin, and forty years ago in the local language of the people. From the fourth through the eighth century, there were different forms of the Mass in France, Spain, and Italy before the Roman rite became more the norm in Europe. However, it was not until after the Council of Trent (1545-1563) that the Roman Missal was mandated by the Church in 1570. Still some areas in Europe didn’t conform to the changes for over 300 years. That won’t happen here in the USA.
Now that the summer is over and Advent approaches, it’s a good time to prepare by reading the short articles and inserts in the bulletin. There will also be a series of five 30 minute videos on the biblical basis of the Mass on Saturday mornings from 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. in the Muth Room starting October 8th. Contact the Parish Office if you would like to attend.
Why not begin by reading the insert today from the United States Catholic Conference?
- Fr. Carl
For more information, see http://www.usccb.org/romanmissal/.
Friday, September 2, 2011
What a week it’s been!
Dear Parishioners,
What a week it’s been! First there was an earthquake, then a hurricane, and now the news that Archbishop O’Brien will be taking a new assignment in Rome as head of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. While it is a sign of Pope Benedict XVI’s appreciation for the Archbishop’s long and distinguished service to the Church, it is disappointing to see him depart after only four years here in Baltimore. He has had some difficult decisions to make with the declining enrollment in Catholic schools, and is in the midst of dealing with a significant priest shortage and the changing demographics in parishes.
A Brother Who Sins
Today’s gospel (Matthew 18:15-20) deals with fraternal correction in the Christian manner. All too often we go about it in the wrong way with negative results. We might bottle up wrongs committed against us, or lash out in anger, gossip about the perpetrator, or publicize it on a website. Jesus advises us to go to the offending person and correct him/her in private. In the Navy, we were told to praise in public and rebuke in private so as to spare the culprit unnecessary embarrassment. If that were to fail, then get several witnesses to again privately address the offender. Only if that were to fail, should the matter to be made public. That’s what our bishops have been doing with our so-called Catholic politicians who come out in favor of positions contrary to the Catholic faith. Unfortunately, it hasn’t worked here on earth. Still our bishops must continue to correct the sinner and the saint, the proud and the humble, the self-assured and the docile, trusting that God will sort it out when He judges the wicked and the righteous.
- Fr. Carl
What a week it’s been! First there was an earthquake, then a hurricane, and now the news that Archbishop O’Brien will be taking a new assignment in Rome as head of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. While it is a sign of Pope Benedict XVI’s appreciation for the Archbishop’s long and distinguished service to the Church, it is disappointing to see him depart after only four years here in Baltimore. He has had some difficult decisions to make with the declining enrollment in Catholic schools, and is in the midst of dealing with a significant priest shortage and the changing demographics in parishes.
A Brother Who Sins
Today’s gospel (Matthew 18:15-20) deals with fraternal correction in the Christian manner. All too often we go about it in the wrong way with negative results. We might bottle up wrongs committed against us, or lash out in anger, gossip about the perpetrator, or publicize it on a website. Jesus advises us to go to the offending person and correct him/her in private. In the Navy, we were told to praise in public and rebuke in private so as to spare the culprit unnecessary embarrassment. If that were to fail, then get several witnesses to again privately address the offender. Only if that were to fail, should the matter to be made public. That’s what our bishops have been doing with our so-called Catholic politicians who come out in favor of positions contrary to the Catholic faith. Unfortunately, it hasn’t worked here on earth. Still our bishops must continue to correct the sinner and the saint, the proud and the humble, the self-assured and the docile, trusting that God will sort it out when He judges the wicked and the righteous.
- Fr. Carl
Friday, August 26, 2011
“Do not conform yourselves to this age...”
Dear Parishioners,
Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.
We are expected to conform to scriptural teachings, just laws, and appropriate ways of conducting ourselves. But there are many other types of conduct where we are supposed to be nonconformists. Paul taught the Roman Christians (Romans 12:1-2) to avoid conformity to pagan practices and false values. They were to value the spiritual over the material and use the mind to guide the body. Good advice for all of us!
There are many ways of thinking and behaving today that lead us in the wrong direction. Our religious beliefs challenge us to be transformed daily into spiritual people in the midst of a materialistic world. Transformation is a call to conversion… a change of mind and heart to live a more excellent, higher and holier life.
- Deacon Robert
Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.
We are expected to conform to scriptural teachings, just laws, and appropriate ways of conducting ourselves. But there are many other types of conduct where we are supposed to be nonconformists. Paul taught the Roman Christians (Romans 12:1-2) to avoid conformity to pagan practices and false values. They were to value the spiritual over the material and use the mind to guide the body. Good advice for all of us!
There are many ways of thinking and behaving today that lead us in the wrong direction. Our religious beliefs challenge us to be transformed daily into spiritual people in the midst of a materialistic world. Transformation is a call to conversion… a change of mind and heart to live a more excellent, higher and holier life.
- Deacon Robert
Friday, August 19, 2011
Chips off the old block
Dear Parishioners,
Jesus uses a play on words when speaking to Peter (Matthew 16:13-20). “You are Peter (petros), and upon this rock (petra) I will build my church.” Petros means “pebble,” or little stone; and “petra” means boulder, or a great big stone. Jesus goes on to entrust Peter and all those who would follow him with the “Keys to the Kingdom.”
Because of Peter’s faith as well as his failings, it is easy for us to connect with him. One day each of us will appear at the gates of heaven, and there holding the keys will be Peter. Since people like you and me will at times speak out with confidence about our beliefs in Jesus, but like Peter have a checkered history backing up our confession with our actual practice, it is comforting to know that it is Peter we will face with those keys. Peter, of all the disciples, is someone who understands that our lives are not defined by our moments of failure, however colossal or public, but by whether we at least tried to give voice and action to our faith, and by God’s mercy got up one more time than we fell. When we do, we too are chips off the old block, God’s little rocks, and the gates of the kingdom will swing wide open with grace for such little pebbles as these.
- Deacon Robert
Jesus uses a play on words when speaking to Peter (Matthew 16:13-20). “You are Peter (petros), and upon this rock (petra) I will build my church.” Petros means “pebble,” or little stone; and “petra” means boulder, or a great big stone. Jesus goes on to entrust Peter and all those who would follow him with the “Keys to the Kingdom.”
Because of Peter’s faith as well as his failings, it is easy for us to connect with him. One day each of us will appear at the gates of heaven, and there holding the keys will be Peter. Since people like you and me will at times speak out with confidence about our beliefs in Jesus, but like Peter have a checkered history backing up our confession with our actual practice, it is comforting to know that it is Peter we will face with those keys. Peter, of all the disciples, is someone who understands that our lives are not defined by our moments of failure, however colossal or public, but by whether we at least tried to give voice and action to our faith, and by God’s mercy got up one more time than we fell. When we do, we too are chips off the old block, God’s little rocks, and the gates of the kingdom will swing wide open with grace for such little pebbles as these.
- Deacon Robert
Friday, August 5, 2011
Never Take God for Granted
Dear Parishioners,
Our God is one of surprises who reveals himself in different ways. To Moses, he first appears in the “burning bush” which wasn’t consumed by the fire. Later, at Mount Sinai, he reveals himself in thunder and lightning. In today’s readings (1 Kings 19:9-12), he comes to Elijah not as a strong heavy wind, earthquake, or even fire. Instead, he comes as a tiny whispering sound. Perhaps it is a warning to us that we can never totally figure out God. For just when we think we have, we discover another aspect or another feature in his nature and activity we never before realized. And that’s not a bad thing. It keeps us off balance; we can never take God for granted; we can never presume we have all the answers.
That’s a lesson our world needs to learn where so many, in their pride and arrogance, think that they do, especially our political and government leaders who leave God and morality out of the discussion as we see with so many of our Catholic politicians. They use their Catholic faith when it suits them only to cast the faith overboard when it is politically advantageous to do so. Let us pray that we may look to Christ and his Church for guidance and wisdom in our personal decisions and those of our government leaders.
- Fr. Carl
Our God is one of surprises who reveals himself in different ways. To Moses, he first appears in the “burning bush” which wasn’t consumed by the fire. Later, at Mount Sinai, he reveals himself in thunder and lightning. In today’s readings (1 Kings 19:9-12), he comes to Elijah not as a strong heavy wind, earthquake, or even fire. Instead, he comes as a tiny whispering sound. Perhaps it is a warning to us that we can never totally figure out God. For just when we think we have, we discover another aspect or another feature in his nature and activity we never before realized. And that’s not a bad thing. It keeps us off balance; we can never take God for granted; we can never presume we have all the answers.
That’s a lesson our world needs to learn where so many, in their pride and arrogance, think that they do, especially our political and government leaders who leave God and morality out of the discussion as we see with so many of our Catholic politicians. They use their Catholic faith when it suits them only to cast the faith overboard when it is politically advantageous to do so. Let us pray that we may look to Christ and his Church for guidance and wisdom in our personal decisions and those of our government leaders.
- Fr. Carl
Friday, July 29, 2011
Food for the Soul
Dear Parishioners,
From time to time, we see in the media starving children in poor countries around the world. Our hearts go out to these unfortunate little ones. It is a tragedy that while we send shuttles and satellites into outer space, we haven’t solved the problem of world hunger. Today in the gospel (Matthew 14:13-21), Jesus solves a minor hunger problem by the multiplication of the loaves and fishes. He does such a good job that there are twelve baskets of leftovers. Jesus fed their hunger and then some. It is a sign that he can fill our deepest hunger if only we go to him. Today people not only hunger for food, but they hunger for money, power, fame, popularity, and material possessions. However, these things can never satisfy our deepest hunger - that of the soul. As St. Augustine said, “You have made us for yourself O Lord, and our souls are restless until they rest in You.”
- Fr. Carl
From time to time, we see in the media starving children in poor countries around the world. Our hearts go out to these unfortunate little ones. It is a tragedy that while we send shuttles and satellites into outer space, we haven’t solved the problem of world hunger. Today in the gospel (Matthew 14:13-21), Jesus solves a minor hunger problem by the multiplication of the loaves and fishes. He does such a good job that there are twelve baskets of leftovers. Jesus fed their hunger and then some. It is a sign that he can fill our deepest hunger if only we go to him. Today people not only hunger for food, but they hunger for money, power, fame, popularity, and material possessions. However, these things can never satisfy our deepest hunger - that of the soul. As St. Augustine said, “You have made us for yourself O Lord, and our souls are restless until they rest in You.”
- Fr. Carl
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