“The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the Body of Christ?” The answers to these questions for 2000 years and until the end of the age, has always been yes.
We venerate today this Sacrament in which God lies concealed and our Jesus cloaks His Face with the appearance of Bread and Wine. He is whole, entire, and perfect in each piece and in each drop.
One of our stops for Mass while in the Holy Land was Mount Tabor — the site of the Transfiguration. It is a very high mountain. It would take hours to walk up to the top, so the group took the ride in the vans that are provided. The road that winds around the mountain to reach the top is very narrow — it just about holds 2 vans if they need to pass each other. When that happens, you do not want to be on the open side of the road. I am sure part of the excitement of the experience is the “wild” ride up and down the mountain. A good Act of Contrition is in order because your whole life flashes before you as you make this trip. BUT, when you reach the top, the beauty is amazing. Continue reading “CLIMBING MOUNT TABOR”
There is a story about a group of shipwrecked people adrift in a long, narrow lifeboat. The boat is so long that people in the front think of themselves as the ‘front’ people and those in the back think of themselves as the ‘back’ people.
One day the front of the boat developed an uncontrollable leak. A man in the back of the boat says to the woman next to him, ‘thank God that the leak is in the front. If it were in the back, we’d be doomed!’
That story holds an important lesson for us who celebrate the life of the Holy Trinity this morning – a community of lovers who depend on each other infinitely and completely for life, joy, and peace. As Christians, we are all in the same boat, the same family who has been touched by the divine life of God through the Word made Flesh. A serious threat to one part of our family is a serious threat to every part. Continue reading “Blessed Trinity of God – Three Persons in One Divinity”
Our Prayer Shawl Ministry meets on the first Thursday of every month at 10 A.M. We have a wonderful group of ladies who offer their handiwork for gifts to comfort those who are in physical or spiritual distress. A former parishioner, Bob DeSpirito, who retired to Italy with his wife, Roseann, makes shawls during the winter months. He sent a picture of the shawls that he made and I said that we would have to make him an honorary member of the Prayer Shawl Ministry. He then suggested that he would send us a shawl once in a while for parishioners here. So this is amazing news. Our Prayer Shawl Ministry goes International — shawls sent from Sessa, Italy. Imagine that. Thank you, Bob.
The very breathe of the Holy Spirit ignites the hearts of the Apostles helping us to remember the breath of God being blown into the nostrils of Adam in the creation of the first man. This breath was so powerful that it changed the essence of who they were and now, today, offers to transform us into the new man Jesus calls us to be. Having received this tongue of fire at confirmation, we possess the potential of living His life fully in our own.
That is why we must never be afraid to breathe in this holy wind, to accept this new way of life. We must not be afraid to change, to leave the old self behind and live in new and challenging ways that will help complete the mission of Christ.
Many people may not be aware that we have a very active Bereavement Ministry. One of the offerings is that at Easter the Confirmation class takes an Easter plant to each family who had someone from their family buried during the previous year from Mother of Divine Providence Parish. Our Director of Religious Education, Lauren Joyce, has been helping me with this experience and has received many wonderful responses from those who received a plant. But we have also heard from those who helped with this event. The following are some comments from both: “Operation Resurrection was a very good idea. One elderly woman who lost her husband cried when we gave her the flowers. She was so touched. I think it is good for the children to deliver the flowers and cards personally. This keeps everyone connected to MDP.” Another said: “Thank you for your prayers and the beautiful Easter lily plant in memory of our sister.” Special thanks to all those who participated in Operation Resurrection. Our hope is that it will be able to continue next year.
We live in a society that is becoming more and more hostile to God and increasingly more anxious, impatient and confused. In such an atmosphere, a disciple stands out as different and as counter cultural. My friends, Catholics are becoming voices in the wilderness, crying out, ‘make straight the way of the Lord.’ Imagine a person whose trust is completely in God. What peace, what joy!
If you have ever been with the dying, you would learn the true meaning of life. Where is nothing left of the earthly but only God, the dying see the only treasure in life that matters: love, compassion, forgiveness and mercy.
The challenge for any disciple of Jesus is to constantly sanctify Christ in our hearts. Always be ready to explain the reason for your hope and joy! But ‘do it with gentleness and reverence so that those who defame your good conduct may themselves be put to shame.’
Continue reading “Explain to anyone who asks why you are hopeful and filled with joy! John 14:15-21”
“Do not let your hearts be troubled, have faith in God and faith in me.”
My dear friends, the Risen Life is never an easy life. It is filled with questions, doubts and sometimes confusion; what the scriptures refer to as ‘stormy seas.’ In spite of this the community of believers continues to grow.
Our nation is filled with self-doubt and as Catholics we are surrounded by people who misunderstand us, or who are afraid that our confession of Jesus will shed light on society’s growing desire for a self-satisfaction that is hurtful to the dignity of all human beings.
Continue reading ““You have faith in God, Have faith also in Me.” John 14:1-12″
What a wonderful day it is boys and girls! Our parish is celebrating an event that you will remember for the rest of your lives- your First Holy Communion Day. There will be lots of pictures taken of you today and in years from now you will at those pictures and see yourself as you are now and you will remember that this was a special day and you will feel that moment inside you, the first time you and Jesus were of one heart and one mind!
Your parents have brought you here and asked that you be allowed to join our procession to the Altar of God. Your teachers and catechists have helped your parents teach you the catechism; they have brought you to confession so you can be pure of heart and worthy to receive this Holy Communion. I am grateful to them for teaching you what our parish believes.
My dear friends,
Your installation today as Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion comes at an incredible time in the history of the Church, of our Archdiocese and of our parish.
Continue reading “Installation of Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion – April 29, 2014”