What Is It That We Seek?

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In today’s (Jan. 12, 2012) readings, we can see two different relationships with the Lord.  In the first reading, the Israelites battles against their enemy, the Philistines (who David will defeat in the future).  When the Israelites lose the battle, they decide that they lost because God was not with them in battle.   Their solution is to take the Ark of the Covenant into battle with them.  For them the Ark of the Covenant is the presence of God in this world.  Surely they will not be defeated with the Ark?

But they are!  Why?  I think that while they belief of God’s presence in the Ark was tied to their faith they weren’t really acting “in faith”.  The Ark of the Covenant contained the stone tablets with the Ten Commandments.  The Ark is a sure sign of God’s presence among us but it is not a “magic” solution to ensure victory.  It would be like a person wearing a Cross or carrying the Eucharist with them always (not allowed) thinking that nothing bad could ever happen to them just because they are wearing the Cross or carrying the Eucharist.

In the gospel reading, the leper comes to Jesus saying, “If you wish, you can make me clean.”  The leper truly believes that Jesus has the power to heal him.  There is no doubt.  But the leper also trusts in what “Jesus wishes.”  He comes to Jesus in faith, trusting that Jesus will provide.

Do we come to Jesus seeking “magic” fixes to our problems or do we come to Jesus in faith, asking Him to fix our problems but ultimately trusting in whatever His will is, knowing that no matter what happens Jesus walks with us?

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

Getting the Word Out

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The message that we are called to give is clear.  It is the message of Jesus Christ that we are given in the Bible.  It is not just a message that we should receive and keep to ourselves.  The message is meant to be shared with all people and we are meant to be the ones to share it with others.

Today is the Feast of the Epiphany.  The gospel reading is the familiar story of the magi coming from the East.  They are foreigners and Gentiles but yet they are among the first to see Jesus, the newborn king of the Jews.  The Jews of that time saw themselves as a chosen people and indeed they were a chosen people.  However, they saw themselves as a ‘members only’ club.  They would supposed to share the message of God’s love with all people but they did not.  The magi being among the first to see Jesus serves to remind us that Jesus’ message is for all.

We must be effective communicators, in print, spoken word, and now in the information age, on the Internet.  That’s why I have this blog and website.  I write about some of my experiences but I always hope to write in a way not to put the focus on me or to communicate my own message.  It is not my message but the message of Jesus that I want to share.

One of the groups that we need to work on how to communicate to is those who register in our parishes but we only see them at Christmas and Easter, if even then.  The Internet is one way to do this but it is dependent on the people looking for the message we want to share. 

Another means of communication to the unchurched is for all of us who come to church to share what we hear with others.  Some people say they can’t do this because they don’t know enough.  First, maybe that is a sign that you need to do more to learn about our faith.  Secondly, the best way to learn how to talk about our faith is to do it.

In our age of technology, some people say print is dead.  So, why worry about using print as a way of the communicating the gospel.  While not everyone will read it print is still a way to get information out.  At Our Lady of the Lakes we just started a new print newsletter.   We talked about using email or putting more information on the parish website.  We decided to do a print newsletter because then we can mail it to all our registered parishioners to make sure we reach out to those who don’t come to church often.

How is God calling you to share the gospel message?

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

Mary and Peace

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Today (January 1st) we honor Mary and we pray for peace.  Here is the homily I preached on this occasion.

Mary, Mother of God
Numbers 6:22-37
Galatians 4:4-7
Luke 2:16-21
January 1, 2012

We could ask ourselves why are we here?  The obvious answer is that it is Sunday and we come to church every Sunday.  How else would we want to spend our Sunday morning?

Yes, today is Sunday but it is also January 1st.  What comes to mind when you here January 1st?  Perhaps the New Year?  As a date on the calendar January 1st does mark the beginning of a new year.  The beginning of a new year is seen as a time to make changes in our lives with New Year’s Resolutions.  Of course, January 1st is the beginning of a new year on the secular calendar but our Christian faith (with Advent), our Jewish brothers and sisters, the Muslims, and the Asians all have calendars that mark the beginning of a New Year as an important day.

What else does January 1st mean to us?  I’m sure some of you immediately realized it is a Holy Day of Obligation (how convenient it falls on a Sunday this year!).  However, it is not a Holy Day because it falls on January 1st.  Sometimes we get our ‘holy days” and “holidays” confused.   Today is the 8th day of Christmas.  On the 8th day, it was the Jewish custom to take newborn males to the temple to be circumcised.  Mary, as a good Jewish mother, did that for Jesus.  So, on this day we recognize Mary’s role as Mother of Jesus.   But we do not called this day the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of Jesus.  No, we say “Mother of God”  recognizing the divine nature of Jesus.

There is yet another significance to January 1st for us in the Catholic Church.  In 1968, Pope Paul VI declared January 1st to be a day for peace throughout the world and all the popes since then have continued this and issue a message each year inviting us to pray and work for peace especially on this day.  Each year the pope writes a message to the world about peace.  This year, Pope Benedict spoke on the need to educate our young people towards peace.

Why should we pray for peace on January 1st?  Going back to the secular New Year, we could make working for peace our New Year’s Resolution.  A new year of peace is worth a resolution.

From the church view, Mary is a woman of Peace.  One of her titles is “Mary, Queen of Peace.”  Mary is an example of peace for us with her trust in Jesus.  At the Annunciation she did not understand how it could be so but trusting in God, she said yes in peace.  At the wedding feast of Cana, when they ran out of wine, she had peace in her heart knowing Jesus would take care of it when she said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”  When the shepherds told her and Joseph what the angel had said to them, Mary, in peace, “kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.”

And in this season of Christmas, when we reflect on the baby Jesus lying in the manger does the image of the infant Jesus not bring peace and hope to our hearts and souls?

Our other readings also include references to peace.  The blessing God instructs Aaron and his sons to give to the Israelites includes the Lord giving them peace.

Our second reading includes Paul writing to the Galatians, “God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts.”  Is not one of the twelve fruits of the Holy Spirit peace?

Don’t we all want peace?

What is peace?

The peace that we seek in faith is not just a balance of power between countries. Nor is it simply an end to violence.  That is peace in this world and we should seek that peace but that peace alone is not the peace of Christ that we seek in faith.

The peace that we seek in faith transcends this world.  That’s why when we know the peace that is the fruit of the Holy Spirit, we can know peace even in the midst of the difficulties we face in this world.  In the midst of violence, illness, or natural disaster we can still seek the peace of Christ.  

What might we do in this world to work for this peace to be known by all?  Certainly a vital part of it is to share our faith so that all might receive the gift of the Holy Spirit to know the fruit of that Spirit in peace.

 What are some other ways that we might work for peace?

We must teach and practice a respect for all persons.  If people are not respected and given all their God-given rights, then they may need to fight for their basic rights.  In this midst of such fighting and when basic needs are not fulfilled, how difficult it is to know peace.

We must care for the environment.  How does caring for the environment contribute to peace?  Well, if we over consume our natural resources, then others (today and in the future) may not have enough and then suffer or fight for what there is.

Lastly, we must truly pray and desire for peace.  We must ask ourselves do our actions promote peace or put our needs before others, denying them peace.

Today is New Year’s.  It is the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God who is Queen of Peace.  When is there a better time to pray for peace?

With Abundant Joy and Great Rejoicing

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You have brought them abundant joy and great rejoicing.  These are the words spoken by the Prophet Isaiah in the first reading for Christmas Mass During the Night.  Today we can truly know abundant joy and great rejoicing for as Isaiah also writes, The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone.

Jesus is the light that now shines upon us.  We live in a world that is not perfect.  Good things happen but unfortunately bad things also happen.  When we experience the bad, we can feel like we live in darkness, a land of gloom but today we have hope.

What gives us hope?  In the second reading for Christmas Mass During the Night, Paul writes to Titus, the Grace of God has appeared.  Today we celebrate the day when the Grace of God was truly made visible for today is the day we celebrate the birth of Jesus announced to the shepherds by an angel in the gospel reading for Christmas Mass During the Night, For today in the city of David, a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord.

And so we have hope.

We have hope because we have a God who loves us so much as to send His Son into the world to save us.  This salvation is open to all.  Jesus, as king, was not born in a palace in the presence of greatness.  Jesus was born in humble surroundings, wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger.  Who was invited to see the baby Jesus?  Not great royalty but shepherds so all might know that Jesus comes not just for the rich and the powerful but for all.  Thus Jesus gives us hope.  Jesus is the light that shows us the way to the Father.

People have been waiting for Christmas in anticipation of the presents they will receive, wondering if they will get the gift they really want.  Today God gives us the greatest gift ever, a gift beyond imagination.  Today we receive the gift of Jesus.  May we have abundant joy and great rejoicing from the hope and love we receive in the gift of Jesus.

Merry Christmas.

Fr. Jeff

School Visit

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This morning I joined our school children for Morning Prayer.   I asked them if there was an important day coming up to which they responded yes.  Then, I asked what the day was.  Lots of hands went up and I told them to say it aloud together.  They gave me a very enthusiastic “Christmas.”

I then asked them what happens on Christmas.  I figured the first answer would be “presents.”  I am very pleased to say I was wrong.  Lots of hands went up and I picked one student at random to give his answer.  I am very pleased to say that his answer was, “It’s Jesus birthday.”

Of course, that is the correct answer and I knew if I asked enough students, sooner or later one of them would say it was Jesus’ birthday.  For Christmas we have parties, share meals, and exchange presents but it is all about Jesus.

Then, the discussion turned to presents.  I asked them why did we give presents.  The first response was because the magi brought presents for Jesus.  Then we talked about how we give presents because we love.  Next, I asked them if they were going to give presents to other people.  Most of them answered no (the school is pre-school through fifth grade).  I told them even though they couldn’t give presents, they could tell everyone who gives them a present that they love them.  They could even give them a hug.

Christmas is Jesus’ birthday.  Everything else, the parties, the meals, and presents are all meant to remind us of Jesus.

Merry Christmas.

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

O Come All Ye Faithful

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My favorite Christmas song is O Come All Ye Faithful.  Even though it is my favorite, I only know one verse of it because that is all I learned as a child.  For those of you who don’t know me, I can’t sing.  When we sing at Mass, I try to make sure I turn the wireless mic off to make sure people don’t hear my singing off-key.   Since, I can’t sing it’s hard for me to learn music.

There are at least three reasons I like O Come All Ye Faithful.  First, simply it is one of the traditional Christmas songs that I learned as a child.  Second, I like it because, despite my lack of musical ability, it is a song I can sing.  Lastly, the third reason I like the song is because I think the words “O Come All Ye Faithful” speaks of how Jesus came into the world at the first Christmas to invite all to be part of God’s kingdom.  All are invited and welcome.

Christmas draws something out in people.  At Christmas, the churches I have been in have their attendance increase 50% to 100% with visitors.  Some of the visitors are people who live elsewhere and come home for Christmas to be with their family.  Other “visitors” are people who only come at Christmas and Easter.   I’ve heard comments from people who come to church every Sunday say that at Christmas they have to come an hour early just to get their regular seat.

So what?  I think it is wonderful to see all these people in church.  Some people will say, “Where are they the rest of the year?”  I wonder where they are too.  But I see no benefit in judging them for this.  I give thanks that at least for Christmas they have heard Jesus calling “O Come All Ye Faithful.”  The best thing we can do for these people is to make them feel welcome and let them God has something to offer them.  If they feel that they are not wanted, then why should they ever come back. 

If we want them to come back (which we do), then we need to use these rare opportunities when these people do come to do our best to help be aware of God’s love and compassion.  What better time of year to share God’s love at Christmas for the true meaning of Christmas is all about God’s love for us?

So, when you see a strange face at Christmas, welcome them with God’s love.

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

Learning a New Word

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Yesterday I said Mass for our school children for the holy day, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  As I always do, and especially with the new translations, I looked over the prayers before Mass.  Or at least I thought I looked them over but later discoverded I missed a word. 

During the Mass, we came to the Prayer over the Offerings and came upon a word I hadn’t noticed before Mass.  I don’t know if I had ever seen the word before and I didn’t know how to pronounce it.  To add to the mix, I spent seven years in speech therapy in elementary school.  Generally I am ok but new words are a challenge for me.

So I stumbled through the word as “pre-pre-ven-ve-ant.”  That’s not how the word is really spelled but rather the way I stumbled through it.  The word is prevenient.

After Mass, I made a point to go look the word up in the dictionary.  I had another Mass to say later in the day and wanted to know how to pronounce the word.  I also wondered what the correct meaning of the word is.

Let me share the entirety of the prayer with you

Graciously accept the saving sacrifice
which we offer you, O Lord,
on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
and grant that, as we profess her,
on account of your prevenient grace,
to be untouched by any stain of sin,
so, through her intercession,
we may be delivered from all our faults.
Through Christ Our Lord.

Now, let us take a look at the definition of the word as found on www.infoplease.com.

1. coming before, antecedent
2. anticipatory

While this solemnity is about the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the gospel we read is the story of the Annunciation where the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary to tell her she had been chosen to be the mother of Jesus.  Mary says yes to the will of God.  Because God transcends time, God already knew Mary would say yes, so in her own conception in her mother’s womb, Mary was conceived without the stain of original sin so that she would be worthy to carry Jesus in her womb.

This is prevenient grace.  In anticipation of Mary saying yes, God gave her the grace of being immaculately conceived before she said yes.

I believe a positive effect of the new translations is to make us think about the words we pray.  This prayer certainly caused me to think about the word prevenient.  I took the initiative to look the word up in the dictionary.  Learning that definition then led me to think about how Mary was immaculately conceived before she said yes.  God has a plan.  God knows us better than we know ourselves.  Let us always place our trust in God.

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

 

Sharing Our Passion

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We minister to one another in different ways.  As a priest, the prime way that I minister to others is presiding at the celebration of the sacraments.  I also minister in teaching RCIA, visiting the sick, and in the work I do with our various parish committees to name a few.  I have talked before about how I serve in some of these ministries.

Today, I would like to talk about how others have ministered to me this week.  Some may read this and wonder what was wrong that I needed to be ministered to this week. 

It isn’t that anything was wrong this week.  Matter of fact, in the ways I felt ministered to this week, I bet if you asked the people involved about how they ministered to me, they won’t know what you were talking about.  It wasn’t intentional ministry.  They were just being themselves (and for me that’s the best part).  What I saw in their actions was that their faith meant something to them.  In showing their passion, they served as evangelists.

Here are the three situations.  First, I was teaching RCIA to a family and the twelve-year-old son really was interested and asking lots of questions.  That helped me see it meant something to him, helped me feel like what I was doing mattered. 

The second situation was a Liturgy Committee meeting.  Many people dread meetings and this was an especially long one because we had a lot to talk about (reviewing November liturgies, working on Advent and Christmas, and beginning to plan for Lent).  I’m not one to enjoy meetings but done well they are necessary for effective communication and coordination.  Unfortunately, not all meetings seem worthwhile.  There was not anything spectacular about this meeting.  In fact, I wish it had been a lot shorter.  What helped me was simply to see the interest of the people at the table.  They were there because they wanted to be there and showed their interest in making our liturgies meaningful expressions of our faith.  They took it seriously.

The third situation was an intentional ministry but probably not in the direct way I spoke to me.  The person was the lector at Mass.  She was there about a half an hour early, had practiced the readings, spent time in church practicing the Prayers of the Faithful, asked to make sure she had everything straight before we started and did an excellent job.  One could easily say she did exactly what every lector should do and they would be right.  I wish every lector would do as well but what spoke to me the most was that she was a teenager.  It’s nice to see one of our youth actively serving in our parish and doing an excellent job.

All three were ordinary situations but people showed that their faith meant something to them and that is a big help to me to remain passionate in my own ministry.

Never be afraid to show your faith.  It can help others in theirs.

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

P.S. Two weeks into the new translation – Still some mistakes but I believe that everyone is taking it seriously and trying to learn the new translations.  Another sign that faith means something to the people I serve.

After the First Time

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The following article appears on the cover of this week’s bulletin, just one week into using the new translations.

Fr. Jeff’s Thoughts on the New Roman Missal

About a year ago, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) announced that on November 27, 2011 we would begin using the new English translations of the third edition of the Roman Missal. 

It was a long time in the making.  The third edition of the Roman Missal in Latin was approved by Pope John Paul II in 2000.  Then work began on the English translations with final approval coming last year (It may have taken ten years but after all it isn’t the only work the bishops had to do).

Once the final approval was received and a date to begin use was announced, we began the work to introduce the new translations in our parish.  In January, I explained how we would begin the implementation process in an article here on the cover.  If you remember, we spent the month of February using the homily not to talk about the new translations of the Mass but rather to explain the parts of the Mass.  Nothing was changing about the parts of the Mass but our diocese used this as an opportunity to help us understand better what we do at Mass.  Why?  Because the better our understanding the more fruitful our prayer might become.

Since then, we have had various bulletin articles and inserts on the new translations.  From the end of August until last week, I wrote a series of articles explaining and discussing many of the changes in the words.  There has also been several articles in the Catholic Courier.  It has even been featured in some secular news stories. 

At least one of these news stories referred to the changes as “major.”  I don’t really think of the changes as major.  Nothing about how we do Mass is changing.  We still sit, kneel, and stand at the same points.  Everything is in the same order and the readings are not changing.  The only thing that is changing is the words.  Not that words are not important.  They are or we won’t be changing them.  The words are important because we use them to express what we believe.

With all that in mind, last week, after all this preparation, we finally used the new translations for the first time.  In last week’s gospel Jesus said “Be watchful!  Be alert!”  That is the way I felt about using the prayers.  Using the new translations for the first time forced me to really think about what I was doing.  I happen to think that is a very good thing.  We need to think about what we are praying.  How easy is it after so many years of using the same translation to say the words without really thinking about what they mean?

I think it all went very well.  Did I get every word perfect?  No.  Did the congregation get every word right?  Probably not but I think it went very well.  Of course, we were relying on written texts for prayers we have been saying by heart for years.  That is ok.  It may take a few weeks but we will learn the new prayers just as we did the old.  As we learn and get used to the new prayers I encourage you not to just memorize the words but to think about what the words really mean.  After all, that is the point of all of this. 

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

P.S. If you missed any of our previous material on the Mass or the new translations you can find them on our parish website at http://www.ourladyofthelakescc.org/ and click on “Understanding the Mass”.

First Sunday of Advent and the New Translations

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Here is the homily I shared with parishioners this Sunday as we began Advent and using the new translations of the Roman Missal.

1st Sunday in Advent, Year B
Isaiah 63:16b-17, 19b; 64:2-7
1 Corinthians 1:3-9
Mark 13:33-37
November 27, 2011

Today we start a new church (liturgical) year.  One might think we would start a new year on Christmas or Easter.  Well, we do start the new year based on Christmas.  After all, the way we count the years is based on the year of Jesus’ birth for it marked a new beginning.

But before we get to Christmas where we celebrate the first coming of Jesus, we need to get ready for it.  So we have Advent as time to get ourselves ready.  The word advent comes from Latin meaning coming or arrival.  In Advent, we prepare for our celebration of Jesus’ first coming at Christmas but also it is a time to prepare ourselves for the second coming.  We are to ask ourselves “are we ready?” 

Whatever makes us not ready needs to change.  Advent is a time for that.  We don’t know when the Second Coming will be.  That’s why Jesus says “Be watchful!  Be alert! . . . for you do not know when the lord of the house is coming.”  So, get ready today.

Are we going to change overnight?  Probably not.  What we need is what is asked for in our opening prayer today, “the resolve to run forth to meet your Christ.”   We may not be perfect but we are to always seek Christ.  Advent is a time to begin.

Today, as we begin this new church year, we also begin using our new translations of the prayers we use at Mass.  This is not a coincidence.  The bishops intentionally picked this time as a time of new beginning.

It also fits what Jesus says in today’s gospel, “Be Watchful!  Be alert!”  If we don’t pay attention today we will end up saying the wrong prayers!  Knowing that using the new translations is going to take some effort we might ask why even change the prayers?  

Well, I hope you have been reading the articles in the bulletin (since I wrote them) that talk about the changes.  There have also been several articles in the Catholic Courier.  There has even been stories on the news about the changes.  One of those stories on the local news referred to “major changes.”  I know because a couple of weeks ago I went into the store wearing my collar and the cashier said that she had something about major churches coming in the Catholic Church and wondered what they were.

I told her they weren’t really major changes.  Nothing about how we celebrate Mass is changing, just the words.  And a lot of the words aren’t changing.  It just seems major because we are so used to the words we have been using it seems so different.  I would even bet if 30 years ago I had put these new translations in front of you next to what we were just starting to use and giving you a choice you would pick some of the new.  Now, it just seems strange because it is new.

Advent is about coming close to God, not just for Christmas, but for our whole lives.  We have new translations for the same reason, because we seek to come closer to God.

It isn’t that something was wrong with the old translations.  It’s more a matter of refining them.  Some of the prayers like what we say at Communion come from scripture (the story of the centurion) but you won’t realize it because of translations differences.

The words articulate our faith.  Getting the words right can help us appreciate the scriptural origins of some of our prayers such as the Sanctus where we now sing Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts or the words we will now say at Communion, “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.”  It sounds strange to us because it is not what we are used to but it comes from Luke 7:6-7, the story of the Roman Centurion who comes to Jesus because his servant is about to die.  He believes that Jesus has the power to heal the servant but he also believes that he is not worthy to have Jesus enter under his roof but that Jesus can heal the servant without even going to him.  Is our faith as strong?

People don’t understand the word consubstantial in the Creed but it needs to be a special word to signify the relationship between the Father and the Son.  Consubstantial is certainly not a word we use in everyday language.  This week I checked a dictionary on the Internet and consubstantial is in the dictionary.  But then I thought maybe they just added it to the dictionary because we are using it at Mass so I checked a Webster’s dictionary I have had for 24 years and it’s in that dictionary too.  It means of the same substance.  We use the word consubstantial in the Creed to describe the relationship between the Father and the Son.  That is something so unique it should be described by a word that we don’t use in everyday conversation.  When the Creed was originally written in the 4th century, they realized this and developed a new word.

At least one of you is probably think, “Well, what will happen if you say the old prayers or totally wrong words because you get confused?”  Will you burn in Hell?  Absolutely . . . not. 

I don’t believe God is going to condemn us if we get mixed up.  Matter of fact, I think God will have a good laugh watching us when we get confused.  But I think it is important to learn the new prayers for two reasons.

First, to be open to God speaking to us and, secondly, because it will get us to think about what we are actually praying.  We have saying the same words for a long time.  How often do you stop to really think about what you are saying?

So we pray with open hearts that God always help us to draw closer to him.