Today is the first Sunday of Advent and our first reading from the Book of the prophet Isaiah is a conversation between the People of Israel and God. This week we hear only the voice of the People of Israel. In some ways you could say the voice of God is not heard and yet we do know something of the mind of God because of what the People say! The conversation begins with the People addressing God as ‘Father’, and ‘Redeemer from of old’. The People wonder why God has ‘made them to stray’ from the ways of God, why has he hardened their hearts, why are they are wandering without fear. The People beg God to tear open the heavens and join them on earth so that the mountains quake as they once did when he walked among them. The People speak of God’s anger and their own sinfulness, their weakness when it comes to following God. The People recognize that they are like ‘clay in the hands of the Potter’ who is God, that they are the work of God! God is the author of their life. The People recognize their need for God in their daily life.
In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus tells the story of a man who has gone on a journey. His servants have been entrusted with various tasks and they are invited to stay awake because they do not know at what time the Master will return. The Doorkeeper must be especially vigilant! We are like the doorkeeper – we are keeping watch for the return of the Master! In St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, Paul begins his letter by acknowledging that God is at work in the Christians at Corinth. God has entrusted them with grace from Jesus Christ. Paul acknowledges that these Christians lack nothing. Christ is faithful and he will provide for them, strengthening them so that they have all they need to live as disciples of Jesus. Each year as we begin the season of Advent we begin a new liturgical year – we hear once again how God has chosen a people for his very own, how he prepared the earth for the coming of his Son, Jesus. We listen as the sacred authors tell the story of Jesus, his birth, his life, death, resurrection and ascension, the impact of his saving deeds, and his interactions with his people. We are invited to consider our response to his life. We hear once again about the invitation the Spirit gives to us to proclaim to all the promise of God’s unconditional love. Today, as we begin this season of Advent, we remember that we are preparing ourselves to celebrate the historical birth of Jesus and his final coming. We remember our need for God’s presence among us and we remember God’s promise to his People from of old. We remember the faithfulness of God and that in the Spirit we are full of grace. As I prayed with the texts, I asked myself the question, what impact does Jesus coming to earth have on me. In the text from Isaiah the people of Israel acknowledge their sinfulness, their need for God. What if this week we took some time to examine our lives – our sinfulness, our shortcomings? What if we spent some time acknowledging to God and to one another our sinfulness? The Gospel reminds us that Jesus has come into the world and now we are to wait for his return. Our waiting is characterized by us paying attention – not letting our minds wander – focusing on the return of Jesus – making sure we are prepared for his return. This is one of our tasks. What if this week, we spent some time thinking about the impact of Jesus‘ presence in our world? Jesus came to earth; what does that mean to us? How does his presence change our lives? Our daily life should reflect the fact that we are waiting for Jesus. If people watch us, would they know that we are waiting for Jesus? If people watch us would they know that we are paying attention to God or would they be confused about how we spend our time, the things we say and the things we do? What does someone who is waiting for Jesus look like and what do they do? St. Paul reminds us that we have everything we need to be faithful and to be prepared for his return. Christ has given us graces – all the graces that we need. What if this week we took some to identify the graces we have received? What would they be? Is the grace I receive easily shared with others or do I use the graces God has given me for my good only? So often I find people say things to me and I listen but I don’t hear because my mind is moving from one idea to another. How do I learn to pay attention, first of all to my own heart, to my family and friends and then to God? Perhaps this week we could practice being present to the people who are in our life and to those whom we encounter in our daily life. As we continue our prayer let us consider what we can do to show God that we are sons and daughters, fully awake, waiting for his return.
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11/28/2020 0 Comments Christ the King - November 22, 2020Last week I commented on the importance of God’s Word – how, when we listen to it, question it, and let it question our lives, we are led to new life. I invited us to listen and to invest in the Word of God which is a gift given to us by God. We can invest in the Word or we can let it wash over us like the thousands of other words we hear every day. If we invest in it, as the Bishops at Vatican II urge us to do the Word becomes a source of power, strength, support, energy, a source of faith, food for the soul and a wellspring for our spiritual life – our relationship with God. If we choose not to invest in it we lose out.
Today, through the prophet Ezekiel, God tells his people, that in the same way that a shepherd cares for his sheep providing for them, looking for the lost, rescuing those in danger, giving them a place of rest, healing the injured and strengthening the weak, so God will treat his people. God also reminds the people of Israel that he will judge between the weak and the strong, those who are fat and well cared for and those who are in need. In fact, God says he will ‘destroy those who are fat and strong.’ Disturbing words for the rich and the powerful people of Israel to hear. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus paints a picture of Judgment Day. We know the story well. All the people are gathered and they are separated – sheep on the right, goats on the left. The sheep are invited into the kingdom of God. The king will say to them, I was hungry and you fed me, thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, sick and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me. We are told the King is questioned, “when did this happen?” The gospel tells us the King says, ‘when you did this to the least of your brothers and sisters, you did it to me!’ When the righteous question him, he confronts them with their unwillingness to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, care for the sick, or visit the prisoners. He tells them, you are destined for eternal punishment. In his letter to the Corinthians Paul spells out the story of Jesus: he has been raised from the dead and with him all those who belong to him. When the end comes Christ will hand over all things to the Father. All will know that God is everything to all people. I have talked already about preparing for mass, the entrance rites, the Word of God, and the Preparation and Offering of the gifts. I want to say a word or two about the Preface and the Eucharistic Prayer. After the Offertory prayer a dialogue begins between the priest and the people. The dialogue ends with the Holy, Holy, Holy, which is a joyous acclamation reminding us of the Holiness of God. There are 4 Eucharistic Prayers and special Eucharistic Prayers with themes for children and reconciliation. The Eucharistic Prayer is the Prayer of Christ. As a priest when I pray the Eucharistic Prayer I join Christ in praying that prayer to the Father. Private prayer, devotional prayer is directed to Christ…Liturgical prayer is in/with Christ and directed to the Father. The Eucharistic Prayer is rooted in the tradition of Jewish Prayers of Blessing. They contain four elements. 1) Blessing or praising God; 2) Remembering and naming God’s saving deeds; 3) Petitions which asking for God`s favour or continued assistance; 4) An acclamation by all the people present Today our Eucharistic Prayer begins with the Preface which welcomes us into the prayer of Jesus. In this dialogue, the presiding priest invites the people to lift up their hearts in praise and thanksgiving to God. A dialogue is a natural way to begin a conversation or prayer. When we meet people, we begin by asking the question, “How are you?” and the conversation unfolds from there. In our liturgical prayer, the dialogue helps us to focus our attention on the purpose of our prayer. It reminds us that the Lord is with us, and in his presence, we lift our hearts to God, in order to give thanks and praise. This is an important element in liturgical prayer, for although the prayer is vocalized by one person, the prayer is offered in the name of everyone present. Thus, at the beginning of the prayer, the presiding priest invites all to join in the prayer articulated by him, with our minds and hearts uplifted. From the invitation to bless or thank God, the Preface then verbalizes our praise and thanks to God. In the opening part of the prayer we acknowledge that: “It is right and just, our duty and salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks, Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God….” According to the Season or Feast, the Preface then lists the reasons for our thanks to God, citing the great things which were accomplished through Christ. Today as we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King we are giving thanks for all that Christ has done – his offering of self on the altar, for bringing us peace, for the gift of redemption, and the preparation of the Universal and Eternal Kingdom of truth, life, holiness, grace, love, justice and peace. The word 'Preface' may suggest that it is only a foreword or preliminary to the Eucharistic Prayer. However, the word, Preface, means proclamation. It is the proclamation of the Thanksgiving to God. The sentiment of praising of God is picked up by all the people in the acclamation that follows the Preface, the Holy, Holy, or the “Sanctus” which is the Latin reference. Everyone joins in the singing of the “Holy, holy…” This acclamation, drawn from the Book of Isaiah, the Psalms and the Gospels, voices the praise of God by everyone gathered in the Church. After the Preface and the “Holy, holy, holy” we pray the main body of the Eucharistic Prayer. God is again praised as the Holy One, and this leads directly to the epiclesis, the invoking of the power of the Holy Spirit to effect the transformation of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ. The Consecration follows immediately with the proclamation of the words of Christ in the account of the Last Supper, called the Institution Narrative. In Canada and in our diocese, it is our custom to kneel from the end of the Holy, Holy, Holy, to the Institution of the Eucharist. Different countries and different dioceses do different things. If you are visiting a parish it is good to observe and do what the people do even if your personal practice in your home diocese. This is where the expression, “When in Rome do as the Romans do” is helpful. After all we are one body and so we act together. As this week unfolds let us remember that God is our shepherd. Let us imitate God in all that we do, giving food and drink to those who are in need, welcoming the stranger, clothing the naked and caring for the sick and those who are imprisoned. What we do to the least of our sisters and brothers we do to Christ. To the praise and thanks giving we offer our God when we come to mass let us add our daily care for our sisters and brothers. To the care we give our sisters and brothers we add our thanksgiving and praise here at the Mass. Note: Information on the Liturgy is taken from the CCCB document on Liturgy (see CCCB website) "How Do We Pray" (2011) This Sunday we read from the Book of Proverbs which is really a collection of sayings put together around various themes. At first glance it would seem that the author is focused on what a good wife is like – how she lives, her relationship with her husband and the work that she does. And that is ok…but the text is really about what a faithful believer is all about – how they live, the way they nurture relationships and the way they care about others.
The author concludes by saying that all of the things we do must be seen in the context of our relationship with God – Fear of the Lord is the crowning jewel of a good wife. In other words, the reader must recognize that our relationship with God is more important than anything else. A woman may be skilled, courageous, generous, wise and kind but she, like all of us, must recognize that God is Lord of all. I read the shorter version of the Gospel today. In it we get a clear indication from Jesus of how important it is to try. The servants who take what the master has given and try to do something with it are rewarded. God gives us gifts and they are to be used! In our second reading, we listen as Paul encourages the Thessalonians to remember who they are and what they have been taught. Many of these early Christians were anxious because Jesus had not returned as they had expected him to. They were worried about what was going to happen and Paul comforts them, encourages them and challenges them to have faith. Whenever Christ comes they need to be ready and they can be, because they are children of the light. They have everything they need to be ready – they need not be anxious. Last week in my homily I talked about the opening rites of the mass and how we are preparing ourselves to hear the Word and receive the Body and Blood of Jesus. I closed my homily with the invitation to listen to the Holy Spirit and to be prepared to hear God not in the loud noises of life but in the quiet whispers that tease us in the middle of our work. I want to continue to reflect on the mass with you. After the Opening Prayer which always helps us to be still and focus, we listen to the readings. The readings reveal to us the mind and heart of God, how God sees us, who we are, they give us light and they mark out pathways that will enable us to live life fully. In the Vatican II documents the bishops dedicate one document to Sacred Scripture. It is entitled “Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation” or for those of you who like Latin “Dei Verbum” which means “Word of God”. The bishops suggest that we listen to the Word of God “so that by hearing the message of salvation the whole world may believe, by believing it may hope, and by hoping it may love.” Paragraph 1 As we read the document we are told that when we read Sacred Scripture, God is revealed – God is speaking to us. My Scripture professor said to us, “When you proclaim Sacred Scripture on Sunday you are speaking for God and when you listen you are listening to God.” The point he was trying to make is that the scripture which is proclaimed is in fact God speaking to us. As the Bishops say, “For in the sacred books, the Father who is in heaven meets His children with great love and speaks with them; and the force and power in the word of God is so great that it stands as the support and energy of the Church, the strength of faith for her children, the food of the soul, the pure and everlasting source of spiritual life.” Paragraph 21 Outside of the Easter Season the first reading is always from the Hebrew Testament or the Old Testament. Throughout the Church year we listen to various psalms. The second reading is always taken from the New Testament or the Greek Testament. The gospel readings are taken from one of the four gospels. We often hear Catholics do not read the bible – we don’t read scripture. On Sundays we have a three-year cycle and during the course of the cycle we read the gospels and we read generous portions of the Old Testament and the New Testament letters. On weekdays we have a two-year cycle. Between the weekdays and the Sundays there is not a whole lot of the bible that we don’t read. Our challenge is listening. We often don’t pay attention to the readings that we hear. The lector proclaims the scriptures and unless we are well prepared the readings go over our heads. Often times we cannot remember where the reading was from. We rely on the priest to tell us about the readings or to speak about something interesting. If he is interesting we pay attention – if we are distracted or if the priest is not interesting we shut down and wait for the final blessing. As you know I like to ask questions; questions like – what did you hear? What did Jesus say or do? I like to engage people’s minds and hearts. When we take part in the Sunday mass we have a responsibility to read God’s Word – to let it touch our lives. When we listen to the Word we are changed, transformed; our life with God, our life in God is deepened. We may hear a scripture passage when we are 20 years old and it might draw forth from us a certain behavior. When I hear that same passage when I am 30, 50 or 70 it will ask something else of me. The Word of God meets us where we are at and at different moments we should hear it differently. We need to take the time to hear it and let it question our life. In the gospel the master gave each servant a gift. Some of the servants invested their gifts and some did not. As Catholics we have been given the mass and whether we take part in the mass physically or virtually we are invited to invest ourselves. If we invest we get a return; no investment, no return. The wife who nurtures her relationship with the Lord is considered a good wife. A Catholic who nurtures his or her relationship with the Lord is considered a good Catholic. How do I invest in God’s Word? By reading the Word of God I am reminded of who I am, I am reminded of God’s promises and I am reminded of how God sees me. This week what will I invest in? In our first reading from the Book of Wisdom the author speaks of wisdom as if Wisdom were a person. Many Christians suggest that ‘Wisdom’ IS the ‘Holy Spirit’. Others are uncomfortable with this idea because the reference to Wisdom suggests that ‘Wisdom’ is a ‘She’ and they prefer masculine references for God! Regardless of the pronouns we use, the author suggests that Wisdom is a quality, a gift that is available to us. When we possess Wisdom, we see the world differently. Wisdom enables us to respond to our ups and downs in a life-giving manner. Not only that, but the author suggests that we ought to seek wisdom to help us live a well-balanced life. An added consolation is that Wisdom seeks those who seek her!
In the Gospel, Matthew tells the story of the bridegroom and the ten bridesmaids who are waiting for the bridegroom. When the bridegroom does not arrive as expected, the fact that some have come well prepared becomes a significant factor. When five leave to get oil for their lamps the bridegroom arrives; the doors are closed, and the party starts. Because they were late the five are not admitted to the party. A rather harsh outcome. The insight is this: we know Jesus is the bridegroom; he is coming, there is no secret. We should be prepared. In Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians, Paul tries to encourage and comfort the early Christians who were concerned about what happens at death. Paul assures them that Christ will take care of them – they will not be left alone. Those who are alive and those who have died will welcomed by Christ. Last week, I talked about how important it is to prepare for the celebration of mass. I repeated what has been taught in Sacred Scripture and the Church. Our God calls us to be holy. Our God calls us to gather with the community, to welcome one another, to hear the Word of God, to receive the Body and Blood of Jesus and to take what we have received and share it in the world. Today we look at the opening rites of mass. As we gather, we begin mass by singing a hymn. The music gets our attention, it gathers us, and it reminds us of what we are doing. We stop being individuals gathered here, and we become one body, one people and we all do the same thing; we sing. Everyone, musicians, the leaders of song, the children, the adults, and to the extent possible, the people in the procession; we all take part in the singing of the hymn. This is not a time for a performance or for critiquing others. It is a time for us to get involved, a time for full, conscious, and active participation by the entire assembly. The building should ring out with the voices of everyone gathered. When the hymn ends the priest greets the people with the sign of the Cross. We say the words and we do the gesture – everyone, we help the children make the sign of the cross. Our AMEN means yes, so be it. The sign of the Cross reminds us that we gather here not in our name but in the name of our God. A God who is Creator – we exist because of God; A God who is Redeemer – our sins are forgiven because of the sacrifice of Christ; and a God who is Sanctifier – we are made holy, a temple because of God’s presence in our bodies. The priest greets us: ‘The Lord be with you!’ reminding us that the Living God is with us and within us. It is what God does! God dwells with us! We all respond with confidence, “And with your Spirit!” The whole congregation affirms that God is with the priest too. If God is not with us folks, we are in trouble – our presence and our actions are meaningless. The priest then invites us into silent reflection, a time of preparation. All that is happening – our accomplishments, our failures, the unfinished work, the discussions, the plans for the day, the good news from our family, our fatigue – whatever is within us we bring to this moment and we leave it in the hands of the Lord. We give thanks and we ask for mercy. There are three different rituals we can use. Regardless of the ritual we use, we acknowledge our sin and God’s kindness and we join ourselves to the prayer of the Church, preparing ourselves to hear the Word of God and to receive the Body and Blood of Jesus. This moment of giving thanks and asking for mercy is concluded with the Gloria. A hymn that unites us more broadly with each other and with the angels and saints in giving praise to God.The hymn itself reminds us of the holiness of God – the power and immensity of God. As spiritual writers often say – it reminds us of the transcendence of God. It also reminds us of what we do as God’s people – we give praise and thanks to our God and three times we ask for forgiveness. While this hymn reminds us of who God is, it also reminds us of who we are, a people made in the image and likeness of God. It reminds us of our oneness. We are one Body; one People and we are one with the angels and the saints in praising God. Often when I celebrate mass people opt out of this prayer – for whatever reason they stand silent choosing not to sing or pray the words. Praying this prayer connects us to each other and to God. Our praise of God should ring out so that our brothers and sisters can hear us and be encouraged. In the Sunday mass we make our faith visible through our words and gestures. During the week we live the gospel in the things we say and do – we do that in our own circle – our family, our school, our community, our workplace. On Sunday, our individuality gives way to community. I do what the community does, and we become one in our words and gestures. Have you ever said to yourself before a difficult task – I can do this! These rituals at the beginning of mass mark us as disciples of Jesus – they provide us with an opportunity to say, I can do this, I am a child of God – we can do this, we are children of God. When we engage in these rituals, we are saying, “I want to be one with the Body of Christ – I want to be one with God.” The beginning prayers at mass help prepare us to connect with one another, they help remind us of who we are, and they prepare us to hear the word of God. This week the Word encourages us to seek the Holy Spirit. The Word urges us to prepare ourselves for an encounter with the Lord. The Word also reminds us we are never alone; when we are anxious about dying Jesus is with us. Perhaps as our week unfolds, we can take time to look for the Holy Spirit, the voice of God spoken around us. Many of us want a dramatic sign or a loud voice so that we know God is with us. Perhaps we are missing the God who does not shout but rather whispers within us and around us. 11/9/2020 0 Comments All Saints - November 1, 2020Today is the feast of All Saints. This great feast reminds us that we are called to holiness – not just some of us – but all of us! At the second Vatican Council, the Bishops write in paragraph 40 of Lumen Gentium, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, “Thus it is evident to everyone, that all the faithful of Christ of whatever rank or status, are called to the fullness of the Christian life and to the perfection of charity;(4*) by this holiness as such a more human manner of living is promoted in this earthly society. In order that the faithful may reach this perfection, they must use their strength accordingly as they have received it, as a gift from Christ. They must follow in His footsteps and conform themselves to His image seeking the will of the Father in all things. They must devote themselves with all their being to the glory of God and the service of their neighbor. In this way, the holiness of the People of God will grow into an abundant harvest of good, as is admirably shown by the life of so many saints in Church history.”
In summary, this paragraph reminds us that we are called to be holy. We have been given gifts to advance our holiness and to help one another. Our cooperation with God has the power to transform the world. St. Eugene de Mazenod, the founder of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, said that our task is to help people, to become human, to become Christian and to become saints. Whatever role we play in life the call holiness is ours. Our first reading today is taken from the Book of Revelation and it speaks of holiness. The author speaks of a vision/a dream he had, where he observes various things, hears various things and speaks with angels and elders. In his vision he hears conversations about the work of the angels and the number of people to be saved. He sees the people gathered around the throne of God and how they all act together in their posture and their words of praise. He hears of how they have suffered because of their love and service of God. This suffering in the service of their brothers and sisters has made a difference and it shapes who they are. In the Gospel Matthew shares his version of the Beatitudes – 8 attitudes and behaviors that mark us as faithful disciples of Jesus. 8 attitudes that shape our relationship to God and to our brothers and sisters. In the second reading John tells us about the love of God. He reminds us of how important it is to know Jesus. Without a relationship with Jesus our lives are empty and meaningless. So What? I am often asked, “Father why do we have to go to mass?” Depending on who asks the question I tell them, “You don’t have to!” Which usually causes a little shock! We come to mass in response to an invite from God. An invite that is built into our bodies, our hearts, our spirits and our minds. It is there from the moment we are conceived because as you know we belong to God. God calls us to mass. We have the option of saying yes or no. We might ‘have to come’ because our parents say we have to, but as adults we come because Christ calls us here. Christ wants our response/our presence to be freely given. How we prepare to respond to this invitation is important. Based on the scriptures today, I want to suggest a few things we can do to prepare for mass which will enable our response to bear fruit.
In many churches, before mass you will hear/see people praying the rosary or engaging in various devotions. In many churches the priest is hearing confessions. In fact, we should be focused on the mass, on what is about to take place. We should read and ponder the sacred texts we are about to hear. We ought to focus on God’s Word so that when it is proclaimed we hear it and because we have thought about it we let it shape our lives. We ask questions like, “what is God saying to me/us in this Word? What does God reveal about life? How am I/are we being invited to think about God, myself/ourselves, my/our brothers and sisters, the world in which I/we live? What do /weI need to change in my/our life?” If we are able to – fast before mass. Let our body, our mind, our heart and spirit hunger for God. Let our body experience hunger/thirst as a sign of how empty we are without God and how much we long for God’s Kingdom. God is revealed in people and in conversations – pay attention to those around us. Every time we come to mass we should try to encounter the people we are praying with/not just those we know. Several years ago, I was serving in a small parish and one of our members died. I was surprised by how few people came to the funeral. I asked some of the folks, why they did not come. They offered various responses, “I was too busy, not a family member, did not know her, don’t like funerals.” I said, “But she was in Church every Sunday.” They said, “Yeah, but I did not know her.” We need to meet and talk to the people we pray with. We need to know that we matter and we need to let others know that they matter. Can we love God and not care about the people standing next to us? Before we pray, we take time to meet the people who are around us. When we arrive at the Church building we should prepare ourselves to change our attitude and our behavior. Today, Jesus sets out 8 attitudes and behaviors that mark us as disciples; we are called to praise God; we are called to know Jesus. As a disciple of Jesus what do I need to do so that my life is a little more like his. When we do important things (meetings, rituals, jobs, work school), we prepare. Arriving on time for mass enables me to prepare for an encounter with God. For me, there are few things as important as an invitation from a God who longs to feed us with his Word, his Body and Blood and the presence of his brothers and sisters. This week let us pause and examine how we prepare for mass. What needs to change so that I am ready to say yes when Jesus calls my name, now and at the Hour of Death? In the Book of Exodus, God invites the People of Israel to remember their life experience. Once you were slaves in Egypt. Do not do to others what was done to you. God reminds the People of Israel that he is a God of compassion and he will listen to their cries.
In chapter 22 of Matthew’s Gospel, there is an ongoing debate between the religious leaders and Jesus. They are trying to trip him up. Today they ask a question that we all ask at some point in our living and dying. What is most essential? What must I do? Jesus says love is your purpose: God, themselves, and their neighbor. When he says neighbor, he means everyone. Jesus links love of God and love of neighbour. They cannot be separated. We cannot love one and hate the other. Jesus makes it clear that our lives are linked – we are made for love. Paul reminds the Thesssalonians that they have received the Word of God, the Spirit of God in difficult circumstances. He reminds them that how they treat him and how they treat others will shape their love for God. They are known everywhere for their faith which is visible in their actions. He encourages them. On December 4, 1963 the Second Vatican Council produced the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy – it talks about the role of liturgy in our lives. The Promotion of Liturgical Instruction and Active Participation 14. Mother Church earnestly desires that all the faithful should be led to that fully conscious, and active participation in liturgical celebrations which is demanded by the very nature of the liturgy. Such participation by the Christian people as "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a redeemed people (1 Pet. 2:9; cf. 2:4-5), is their right and duty by reason of their baptism. In the restoration and promotion of the sacred liturgy, this full and active participation by all the people is the aim to be considered before all else; for it is the primary and indispensable source from which the faithful are to derive the true Christian spirit; and therefore pastors of souls must zealously strive to achieve it, by means of the necessary instruction, in all their pastoral work. For the next several Sundays, I want to speak about the Sunday Liturgy/Sacraments – today I want to talk about our Offering and the Preparation of Gifts at the Sunday Eucharist. How we are celebrating the mass right now is not how we ought to celebrate the mass. We are doing the best that we can, given our present lived experience. I want to highlight a few practical things. Music – Music and singing are an expression of our praise and thanksgiving. We ought to have music whether it is Christmas, Easter, a long weekend or the long hot days of summer. We don’t have to have voices that will win a Grammy. We sing to praise God. Can you lift your voice in praise of God? Yes! You may not want to but we are called to sing, and when the community sings, we sing. The mass is not a spectator sport. It calls for full, active and conscious participation. We pay attention and we engage. When we are serving at the altar, taking up the collection, placing our contribution in the basket, taking the gifts to the altar we ought to be singing. The leaders of song must resist the temptation to perform – they lead and encourage us. Entertainment is a bonus and not the main purpose. Historically, the Offering and Preparation of the gifts was just that. Ordinary people shared actual gifts – animals, produce, prepared food, tools, clothing, money, etc. for those who were in need. They shared what they had. Today, as Catholics we are trying to relearn what it means to share. Sometimes pastors encourage people to bring gifts for the foodbank or the Christmas hamper or for some special occasion. These gifts are presented at the altar or they are placed somewhere in the sanctuary. These practices are good. They remind us we are one people – connected – needed and with needs. God shares. We share. We Catholics are relearning what it means to give. 40 years ago, a group of ministers in Edmonton were talking about their congregations. An evangelical pastor shared that on average each person in his community offered $45.00 each Sunday. When the Catholic priest did his calculations, he discovered that on average each person in his parish offered $0.33 each Sunday. We often admire the programs and resources that Evangelical Churches have. When we are generous we can make things happen too. Historically, at the Sunday liturgy, gifts of bread and wine were brought forward, presented to God and shared amongst the people. Jesus offered bread and wine to God, and the priest continues the gesture. The offering of gifts is a reminder to us that here and now we offer ourselves. We give to God what we have received. God transforms the bread and wine and we receive more than we offer. The prayers are spoken out loud or quietly as the community sings. Either practice is acceptable. After the offering the priest quietly asks God to accept the gifts. He then washes his hands asking God to wash away his sins. At one time the priest washed his hands because they were dirty from receiving the gifts and handling the incense. Today the washing of hands is symbolic. It is about sin and not about clean hands. Following the washing of hands, the priest invites the people to join with him in prayer asking God to receive the offered gifts as a gesture of praise and thanksgiving. The Offertory prayer sums up our gesture, our desire. This Sunday we ask that what we do by way of service may give glory and praise to God. A couple of take aways: In Exodus, God invites the people to remember where they came from. Jesus reminds the people to pay attention to God, to themselves and to their neighbor. Love is to shape all they do. Paul reminds the early Christians that what they do gives praise to God. The Offering and Presentation of Gifts at the Sunday Eucharist is accompanied by music – by ritual giving – money and gifts for the work of the Church and for the poor. Our Offering should be generous – we are giving ourselves to God and to those who are in need. We take stock of what we offer, and we ask God to accept us and our offering as an expression of our praise and thanksgiving for what God is doing in and around us. It is important for us to support our Church with financial donations. Our Church will not grow because of smiles and prayers. We need financial donations. Let us not forget that what is essential is that we nourish in our hearts a spirit of gratitude for all that God has given us. What is essential is that we make a commitment to share what we have received with others whether it is a can of beans, a shoe box, a cheque or an hour of labor. There are countless ways to serve. We give what we can according to our circumstances. And so: What am I doing? How am I expressing my thanks and praise? On Sunday and on every day of the week how am I loving God, myself and my neighbour? 10/27/2020 0 Comments 29th Sunday in Ordinary TimeAs I mentioned at the beginning of mass, today is Mission Sunday. I want to do a couple of things – comment on the scriptures, talk about Mission Sunday and invite us to think about how our celebration of the mass is impacted by scripture and our lived experience.
In our first reading from the Book of the prophet Isaiah, we hear how God is going to use a pagan King to help restore the People of Israel. This would have been a shock to the people of Israel. How could God use a pagan, an unbeliever to help restore the Kingdom? This would have been a shock and lots of people would have been really mad that God was using a pagan to help his chosen people, to lead them home. In Matthew’s gospel, the Pharisees are speaking from both sides of their mouth. They build Jesus up as a person of integrity and then they try to trap him so that he will be in trouble with the authorities and with the common people. They are not successful. In a word, Jesus reminds them, you do not have to pit God against the world. We need to learn to live together – to honor and respect each other. In his letter to the Philippians, Paul speaks of his gratitude for all that they have done, for all that they are. Paul acknowledges and expresses his gratitude for the relationship they have with Jesus and how they let their relationship influence their daily life. This is Mission Sunday – we are invited to think about how we proclaim the Good News – that God loves us – all of us, wherever we are and however we are. We are invited to live our lives in such a way that this message is communicated to all people. Every time we gather here for mass, it is our work to welcome people – to spread the news that God loves us. We are called to share this message with people who are connected to our Church and we are invited to share this message with people who have as yet little or no knowledge of God. As Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate – our religious community has been founded to share the Good News of Jesus with all people – especially the poor and those who are on the margins of society. Our origins are in the South of France. The Oblates came to Canada in 1841 and we shared the gospel with countless people – we helped to build parish communities and along with sisters from various communities we helped to establish schools, hospitals, cooperatives and various organizations that ended up having a positive impact on people. Some of our initiatives – like the residential schools we worked in, have also caused long lasting pain – decimating Indigenous people – individuals, communities and cultural traditions. While some people flourished in the Schools, many people suffered and the effects are still being felt today. Today our work in Indigenous communities is about celebrating the rites of the Church. It is also about finding ways to bring healing to lives that have been damaged by the effort to assimilate the Indigenous populations of Canada. Today, we Oblates are old and we are few in number. We have not walked away from Indigenous people and the struggles they experience. With new awareness, a desire to learn from our mistakes, a desire to work together we are working towards a time of healing and new life. With sorrow and regret, with hope and determination we look forward to a new day where the goodness of each person and each culture will be acknowledged, respected and celebrated. Our Oblate community does not work only in Canada. In fact, we minister in over 60 countries. OMI Lacombe Canada, the Oblate province that I belong to has members working in the far north, in British Columbia, the Prairie Provinces and Ontario. We also have members working in the United States, in Peru and in Kenya. While we are few in number we are working with local lay leaders to help build up the Church. St. Eugene challenged us to help people become human, Christians and Saints! Our resources continue to be directed to address very basic human needs, housing, health, education and the building up of faith communities so that lives are transformed. If you would like to help us with our work there is information in the bulletin which will help you to become a partner in our work. Why did I and so many other men join the Oblates? Why have we done what we have done? Why, now that we are old do we continue to reach out to others? In our lives we know Jesus – the Crucified Lord. We know about suffering. In our lives we know Jesus – the Risen Lord. We know about new life, blessing and joy. We want others to know what we know. We want to make a difference. Our God loves us. Every time we come here to celebrate the Eucharist we are reminded that God loves us. Every time we come here to celebrate the Eucharist we are reminded of our dignity as children of God. The Word of God reminds us of who we are. When others dismiss us, discount us, marginalize us, God says, “Wait a minute, you are mine! You are precious! I love you with an everlasting love and I am with you until the end of time!” Every time we come here to the Church we are reminded that we are being sent. At the end of mass, we are not invited to sit around and pray – we are invited to go out into the world. We are to take what God has given us and we are to share this good news, this new life, with the world. We don’t come here to celebrate how good we are. We come here because we know we need a change of heart. We come here because we know we can do better. We come here to let God help us – to be encouraged and supported. Coming here Sunday after Sunday our lives are slowly changed. We become more and more like Jesus Christ – the one who invites us, the one who claims us as his own, the one we listen to, the one who teaches us, the one who feeds us and the one who sends us. The Word of God and the Body of Christ are powerful but they are not magic. When God feeds us, we need to do something with the food offered. We need to let people see that we are trying to become more and more like Christ. It takes effort and it takes commitment. Every day that we draw breath is an opportunity to become more and more like Christ. This week I invite you to think about the following: I am a disciple of Jesus. I have taken part in the Mass. I have spent an hour in prayer. What difference will this prayer make in my life? How will people know that Jesus changes me? This week, what will I do to help people know the God who loves them? I want you to use your memory. I want you to recall the nicest meal you have ever eaten. Recall where you ate it? Who were you with? What made it special? What did you eat? How did you eat? Hold on to that memory and let us give thanks!
In our first reading today there is talk of a special meal. It has all the good stuff. Good food and rich wine, nice location, and everybody is there. Yup! Everyone is invited. Isaiah says, “All people!” In preparation for the meal God is going to do a few things: He will wipe away the sadness that hovers over the land, he will destroy death itself. God will wipe away the tears that flow from our faces and then he will take away the shame and disgrace that robs us of our joy. In response the people will say, “This is what we have been waiting for.” This will make the meal different. We will definitely want to come and celebrate. In the gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells the story of another meal – it is a parable and cannot and must not be taken literally. It is different from the first meal story. A king is trying to get people to come to a banquet in honor of his son’s wedding and the folks who should come find reasons not to. Finally, he fills his table, but one of the people he has invited tries to sabotage the meal…he comes but he refuses to wear the wedding garment. He is present but unwilling to join in the celebration. He wants to do things his way. This is not about clothes – it is about refusing to join with the rest of the folks, to do what the rest of the folks are doing – it is doing things his way – apart from everyone else – refusing the generosity and spirit of the King’s meal. St Paul is speaking to the Philippians about his life. He tells them he has been poor and he has been rich. Because of Christ he has learned to be content with a lot and he has learned to be content with a little. He reminds the Christians at Philippi that Christ will give them all that they need to deal with life if they enter into relationship with him. Christ will change their lives. So what? For the next few months, I want to talk about the way we prepare for the mass, how we celebrate it and how we let it shape our daily life. I hope that my reflections will do two things. On the one hand, I hope they help us to give more generously of ourselves to the celebration of the mass and I hope they help us to let go of things/habits and practices that get in the way of our full, active and conscious, participation in this most sacred event. A couple of things stand out in sacred scripture today – God’s invitation to all people to come to the mountain and share in the banquet. We hear it in the first reading and we hear it from the mouth of Jesus. St. Paul suggests that a relationship with Jesus will change how we engage life – whether we are rich or poor, our lives are changed when we enter into a relationship with Jesus. What is key is this, God calls each of us by name. Each of us and all of us. So often we see each other as strangers or enemies. We try to control what others think and how they behave. We look at one another with the attitude that if you were as smart as me the world would be a better place. The God most of us know is watching us, waiting for us to fail, ready to punish us. The God most people talk about is cranky and small minded, waiting for us to make a mistake. The God of Jesus looks at us, and loves us as we are! Not as we should be. As we are – today! While we were sinners he was willing to die for us. God calls us! Every person who walks this earth is invited to the banquet of God – to the Lord’s table. The desire of God is that our tears, our disgrace our shame, our dying is wiped away. The desire of our God is that we come to the table that God has prepared, ready and willing to celebrate. Not reluctantly or grudgingly but freely and with the desire to be with others. If we are honest – every person in this building is a sinner – starting with me. We are not here because we are better than anyone else – we are here because God has called us. We are looking for freedom, for forgiveness, and for belonging. We want a God who will liberate us. We want to see ourselves as God sees us. At the same time, we are frightened. We are afraid of what we are and we are afraid of what we are not. We know how many times we fail and it is hard to believe that anyone, including God, can love us just as we are. It is hard to believe that God can love some of the people we know, some of the people who make up this world. We are here at mass (physically or virtually) because God has called us. We might be here because we can hear the words of our parents or grandparents saying – you have to go to mass. We might be here because someone has said, “Get in the car, you are going to Church!” We might be here because that is just what people in our family do – they go to mass. We might be here because deep in the depths of our being we have heard the voice of God calling our name. When we scrape away all the reasons for being here – some easy and delightful, some painful and worrisome – we are here because God has called us here. God wants us to taste his promise, his love. God wants to wipe away the sadness that covers our world, he wants to destroy death, wipe away our tears, our shame, our disgrace, our fears and our anxieties. God loves us and wants us at his banquet. So, come Saturday or Sunday someone is inviting you to take part in mass – set aside their reasons. I invite you to hear in their invitation, the voice of God saying to you, I love you. Get in touch with the promise of God who wants to heal you, feed you and nourish you so that you can see that your wonderful and painful life has value. Hear God telling you that you matter to him and to the world. Coming to mass is not just about you however, it is about all of us – God’s people. When we gather for mass we do what the community does. I stand when the community stands, sit when the community sits, kneel when the community kneels. I am silent when the community is silent, I sing when the community sings and I pray the prayers the community prays. Liturgy is the public prayer/the public work of the people; all sacraments are public prayer and they invite us to prepare in a special way. Our liturgical celebrations are not about what I want – they are about us as a community. They are about welcome and hospitality. They are about reaching out and sharing what I have with others. They are about listening and learning. They are about being fed from the two tables, the table of the Word of God AND the table of the Eucharist. They are about leaving here with a desire to make the world a better place for all people and not just the rich, the powerful, and those who are like me. When I leave this place, God is asking me to move beyond my – SELF so that the other is lifted up, transformed. I don’t come to mass for me, for what I want or need. I come to mass as I am (wonderful, gifted, limited and broken). I come for God and the People of God. As we continue our prayer today let us lift our gaze from me and mine to the God who loves us and who calls us here. We are the folks standing at the crossroads – we are the ones who are being invited in to the banquet. We are the ones who have been asked to put on the wedding garment. Can I let go of me, so that I can put on the wedding garment? The garment that signals I care about the common good above my own wants and needs. The garment that signals my desire to care for the earth above my desire for profit. The garment that signals my desire to care for all people regardless of their race, language or way of life. 9/26/2020 0 Comments 26th Sunday in Ordinary TimeYou have or you will notice that the sanctuary of our Church has been reorganized. The Blessed Sacrament has been returned to the side altar where it was previously located to help us see what is essential in our Liturgical Celebrations!
The mass is divided into two parts – the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Together they make up one act of worship. They are of equal importance. The documents of the Second Vatican Council and the General Instruction on the Roman Missal remind us of this. The Presider’s Chair is at the back of the Sanctuary. The priest presides over the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. The altar and the ambo have been shifted to create a balance in the Sanctuary and to reflect what we know and believe. At our liturgy Jesus is made manifest in the Presider of the Liturgy (Bishop/priest), in the Word of God, in the Body/Blood of Jesus and in the People gathered (physically/virtually). The physical lay out of our Church Building can help us to see this easily or not. If there are too many items, then our eyes wander as they seek to find a focus. We will continue to work at creating a simple environment for our Liturgical Celebrations. In our first reading today from the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel the Lord challenges the people of Israel. They complain that the ways of the Lord are unfair. The Lord’s thinking goes like this:
In the Gospel, Jesus tells the chief priests and the elders a story about a father with two sons – one promises to go to work and does not. One refuses to go to work and then does go to the vineyard. The chief priests and elders are invited to think about who does the will of the Father! The story concludes with Jesus warning the chief priests and elders that sinners are changing their hearts and doing what God asks them to do…they have seen it and so far, have done nothing to change their behavior. What do you think? In our second reading from Paul’s letter to the Christians at Philippi, we hear Paul invite them to have the same mind as Christ Jesus – what that means for Paul is looking to the interests of others and not to your own interests. He then reminds them of what Christ has done. Christ acknowledged his relationship with God the Father. He surrendered and lived completely for God the Father – he did what the Father asked him to do. How do these readings connect with us? If you watch TV, surf the Internet, are engaged in social media, read the newspaper or listen to the radio, read the flyers that come from politicians with any of the political parties, listen to conversations at Coffee Row, listen to school teachers and priests we hear the message – take care of your SELF – your physical health, your mental health, your social health. Make sure you take care of yourself before you take care of others. Advertisers or marketing agents are good at appealing to that part of us which is concerned about being successful, beautiful, rich, happy, or the best at what we do. This is all good. Using our talents and resources to excel is a good thing. Making sure that we are successful and working hard to be successful – these are good things. To complete the story however we need to listen to the scriptures of today. Life is not just about us and what we want, what we desire, what we need, what we hope for. Life is also about looking out for those who do not have what we have. There is a lovely quote that my niece passed on to me, “When you have all that you need, do not build a wall; build a longer table.” Sacred scripture invites us to think beyond our SELF. Fulfilling my religious obligations is good but it is not enough. I must also deal with my sin. Appearing nice (saying yes and doing no) is not enough. Lacking respect and then doing the right thing is not enough! We need to think about what is enough. We need to put our words and our actions together. Putting our words and actions together has very real consequences for those who are struggling and in need. This week the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops invite us to think beyond our parish, our deanery, and our diocese by inviting us to contribute to the Needs of the Church in Canada. They invite us to think about the Church in Canada and the needs of people we do not see and do not think about. We are invited to share our blessings with them. Next week we will kick off the Diocesan Appeal. Once again, we will be invited to think beyond ourselves, our parish, and our deanery; we will be invited to think about our Diocese. All of that to say that Paul’s invitation to look to the interests of others is very real. We often struggle to look beyond ourselves. It takes practice. Jesus says to the chief priests and elders, ‘What do you think?’ What might I answer if I Jesus asked me that question? Am I respectful? Do I put into action what I believe? Do I support life in all ways? Are my words and actions inclusive? Do I welcome the stranger/the migrant and the refugee? What priority do I give to caring for the earth? Responding to the gospel, let us be honest with ourselves and with others. Let us move beyond our SELF to greet, welcome, and bless the OTHER! |
Fr. Doug Jeffrey, OMI Archives
March 2021
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