As our parish prepares herself for the Year of Faith, proclaimed by Pope Benedict XVI, we can focus with the Universal Church on the ‘new evangelization’ espoused by Blessed John Paul II and taken up by the Order of Bishops for our sanctification and the deepening of our faith.

The parish becomes the focal point in our efforts to understand firstly that the root of our faith lies in the faith of our Archbishop, and secondly, that our Archbishop sends us forth in the name of Jesus to help him in the mission given to him by the grace of God and the Apostolic See.

The Holy Spirit walks with us on our journey to heaven, a journey we do not take alone, for Catholics believe in community, we are indeed defined by community, the deep sense of communion which gives definition to our Church and to our family life.

Blessed John Paul II did so much to identify the role of the Successor of Peter, the Apostle, as the Vicar of Christ, as the Apostle and Bishop who teaches, governs and sanctifies the Universal Church. This same reality applies to our local Apostle, the Archbishop who is the High Priest, the Shepherd and the Apostle for us as servant and with us as father.

Saint Basil the Great, in the book On the Holy Spirit, taken from the Office for January 2, writes this: “A spiritual man is one who no longer lives by the flesh but is led by the Spirit of God, one called a son of God.” This can be seen as the overall context of our parish life; the reason why parishes are formed, so we can be ‘spiritual’ men and women and support one another’s life in the Spirit.

“We are all members of one another, but with different gifts according the grace God gives us. So the eye cannot say to the hand, I do not need you, not the head say to the feet, I have no need of you. All the members together make up the body of Christ in unity of the Spirit.” “God has arranged the various parts of the body according to his own will (Bishops and parishioners) but there exists among them all a spiritual fellowship which makes it natural for them to share one another’s feelings and to be concerned for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer with it, if one member is honored, all rejoice together.”

Also, in this great Year of Faith, the Church celebrates Fifty years since the Opening of the Second Vatican Council.

As our parish prepares herself for the Year of Faith, proclaimed by Pope Benedict XVI, we can focus with the Universal Church on the ‘new evangelization’ espoused by Blessed John Paul II and taken up by the Order of Bishops for our sanctification and the deepening of our faith.
The parish becomes the focal point in our efforts to understand firstly that the root of our faith lies in the faith of our Archbishop, and secondly, that our Archbishop sends us forth in the name of Jesus to help him in the mission given to him by the grace of God and the Apostolic See.
The Holy Spirit walks with us on our journey to heaven, a journey we do not take alone, for Catholics believe in community, we are indeed defined by community, the deep sense of communion which gives definition to our Church and to our family life.
Blessed John Paul II did so much to identify the role of the Successor of Peter, the Apostle, as the Vicar of Christ, as the Apostle and Bishop who teaches, governs and sanctifies the Universal Church. This same reality applies to our local Apostle, the Archbishop who is the High Priest, the Shepherd and the Apostle for us as servant and with us as father.
Saint Basil the Great, in the book On the Holy Spirit, taken from the Office for January 2, writes this: “A spiritual man is one who no longer lives by the flesh but is led by the Spirit of God, one called a son of God.” This can be seen as the overall context of our parish life; the reason why parishes are formed, so we can be ‘spiritual’ men and women and support one another’s life in the Spirit.
“We are all members of one another, but with different gifts according the grace God gives us. So the eye cannot say to the hand, I do not need you, not the head say to the feet, I have no need of you. All the members together make up the body of Christ in unity of the Spirit.” “God has arranged the various parts of the body according to his own will (Bishops and parishioners) but there exists among them all a spiritual fellowship which makes it natural for them to share one another’s feelings and to be concerned for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer with it, if one member is honored, all rejoice together.”
Also, in this great Year of Faith, the Church celebrates Fifty years since the Opening of the Second Vatican Council.

What a daunting command Jesus leaves us with this morning: “Love one another as I love you.”  Sharing of ourselves as Christ did, with a self-emptying love, is the greatest expression of love there is.  It comes from a choice we make togive our self completely to others; and in doing so share the joy that is our love.  I think we learn a lot about God’s love for us, and how to live his command, by observing His love at work in others.

THE EASTER VIGIL – The Mother of all Vigils – It is wonderful that the church celebrates Easter for so long.  The Easter Season seems to last forever.  And rightly so.  This gives us the time to savor the experience of the Easter Vigil – the anticipation of the resurrection of Jesus.  Each year the vigil is celebrated in the same way, but it never gets old.  It is celebrated as if it is a first time experience and it is for some.  I do believe that my favorite part is the lighting of the fire and the preparation of the Paschal Candle.  The candle is lit and carried into the church in procession and the people enter behind it.  The church is in darkness except for the light from the Paschal Candle, that one flame.  As often as I enter the church and think I know my way, when it is dark, I stumble and hold onto the pews to find my way until all of the candles held by the people are lit.  Then, we become secure again in our journey forward — the following the Light of Christ — Jesus, the light of the world.  Once in church, we hear the readings from the Old Testament which relate to us the saving power of God which moves us into the salvation story.  All that was “lost” during or Lenten journey — the holy wanter, the bells, the candles, the alleluias return during theis celebration.  This year, we were blessed to have 7 people receive the sacraments of initiation — Baptism, Confirmaion and Holy communion.  The community grows in number and our spirit is strengthened.  The Paschal Candle is now lit for all of our liturgies as a reminder to us that Jesus is alive and lives among us.  May we never lose the excitement experienced during this Vigil.

From the Gospel today we can learn three things: That the person who stood before the Apostles in the Upper Room after the crucifixion is real. He reveals his wounds to them and invites them to ‘touch and see.’ This is the person who wants now to have a faithful relationship with us.

The second lesson we can learn is that the Cross is a necessary part of Divine Providence.  It is not a last minute cure when all else failed, for the Cross is the one place on earth, where in a moment of time, we see the eternal love of God.

The third lesson we can learn are the secret of power. All authority, place and action comes from God and without Him there is tyranny over the human spirit. There may be times when people think we are wasting our time here in the silence of this sacred space. They may think that our Sunday gathering as a parish is ‘stupid.’ But the wisdom of God tells us that there is a time to wait on God and a time to work for God. And this is a time to wait on God.

These times that we wait on the Lord are important not just for our parish and ourselves but also for the world and for humanity. Listening is the beginning of good preaching.

Our faith is meant to be shared in the image of God. Take what you have heard and by your actions announce the Good News to a barren world. Be salt for the earth!

The Doubting Thomas of the Gospel poses a challenge for us who seek to be committed to parish life and to life with God.

Certainly we saw the numbers of people who came to Mass last Sunday and said in the back of our minds, if only they would come every week!

How is it possible for a person who has encountered Christ to loose their faith? Faith is a fragile gift. Certainly we can practice our faith first as a parish on Sunday and secondly as a family at home. People can become complacent in their practice and allow themselves to become lost and confused in their relationship with God. They endanger their true worship of God and risk loosing the faith freely given them.

But for a person who works at his/her relationship with God and becomes ignited by the fire of his grace, it is possible never to forget the promises made to them by God here at this Altar for eternal life. Divine Mercy helps us to remember the fragility of our faith and with what mercy God desires us to reconcile ourselves with him.

Yes, it is possible to loose our faith by ignoring it or by denying it through complacency and shame. The risen life is a struggling life-it is also, because of that struggle, a life filled with joy at being with God. It is a life that is more real, more human, and more virtuous.

In order to live the resurrection, we have to practice Christian virtues and worship here as a People called by God.  All of us who have been fully initiated into the Catholic faith have, by the grace of the Holy Spirit, gifts of virtue like patience, hope, fortitude, fear of the Lord, charity, temperance and courage. The resurrection means taking a proactive stance in the life of virtue and consciously practicing them in the parish, knowing that sometimes we will fail.

Today’s scripture presents Thomas who cannot believe without more evidence, without more signs. Christ even reveals his wounds and yet he does not believe.  Jesus tells him: “Do not persist in your unbelief but believe.”

As we embrace the  risen life let us more diligently practice those virtues that have become a contradiction to the world in which we live. We who are faithful to our commitment to the Church in our family and in this parish should pray for those who have become complacent. Bring them back, O Lord,  to the place you wish them to be. Infuse in their hearts a fire that will burn through Divine Mercy.

The Church announces paschal joy to the whole of humanity. In that joy resounds victory over our fear and mediocrity. “Lord, I believe, help my unbelief!” Accepting the life of faith will invigorate the old world and make it new!

This is the day to take great consolation in the words, “Although you have not seen him you love him; even though you do not see him now, you believe in him, you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, as you attain the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”