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A Deeper Look
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Trinity Sunday
Legend holds that St. Augustine was walking by the seashore one day contemplating the mystery of the Trinity when he saw a little child running from the water to a spot on the seashore. He was using a shell to carry water from the ocean and pour it into a small hole in the sand.
St. Augustine came up to him and asked him what he was doing. “I’m going to pour the entire ocean into this hole,” he said. “That is impossible, my dear child, the sea is so great, and the shell and the hole are so little.” “That is true,” the boy said. “It would be easier and quicker to draw all the water out of the sea and fit it into this hole than for you to fit the mystery of the Trinity and His Divinity into your little intellect; for the Mystery of the Trinity is greater and larger in comparison with your intelligence than is this vast ocean in comparison with this little hole.” The child then vanished.
At times, we describe God as creator, provider, friend, redeemer, and counselor. These describe how God acts, but God is more than these. At the core of God, God is a Trinity of three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Russian Orthodox Iconographer, Rublev, created an icon that sheds light on this mystery. In the icon above, there are three Persons sitting around a table. In front of the table, facing us, is an empty spot. The three people represent the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The three sitting around the table represent the love shared between the Persons of the Trinity. A love that has existed for all eternity. Each Person only thinks about and loves the other. There is joy and peace and perfect harmony. This is what heaven is all about. It begins now!
In the middle of the table is food in a bowl. It is an image of the Eucharist, the divine food which draws us into the very life of God. This is why it is so important to receive. The Eucharist allows us to enter into this divine mystery. The empty spot is facing us for a reason. God has waited for all eternity to invite each of us to sit at this table, to share in the very life of the Trinity.
In order to sit in this spot, God asks us one thing. If he reserves a spot in his life for us, we must reserve a spot in our lives for others. We must make room in our hearts for others and see them as made in the image and likeness of the Trinity: the poor, the outcasts, the difficult to love, our enemies. We must open our hands in sharing ourselves and what we have to be a part of the solution of making a better world, a world worthy of the dignity of the Trinity.
“Mothers hold their children’s hands for a short time, but their hearts forever."
As a young boy, I remember the great care that my mother showed me. There was a comfort knowing that all in the world was well because my mother was present. Looking back, I think this is the way that God intended it to be. I could always count on my MOM. As we celebrate Mother’s Day, I would like to thank all the Mothers, Grandmothers, Step-Mothers, Godmothers and anyone who acts in the capacity of being a Mother, for all of their sacrifices and care!
Mother’s Day can be a mixed blessing. For some it is a reminder of a loved one who has passed. For others, it is a reminder of the joy and vocation of motherhood. It can also be a day of experiencing loss.
Yet, the heart of a mother reflects the love of God in an intimate and unique way. “Does a woman forget her baby... or fail to cherish the son of her womb? Yet even if these forget, I will never forget you” (Is 49:15). From bringing us into this world, to spending decades fixing meals, helping to solve our problems, picking us up when we’ve fallen, and helping us to learn to live in this world. That love continues throughout our lives.
This Sunday we express in a special way the love we have for our mothers, those with us and those called home to God. We also pray to our Blessed Mother for her guidance, and courage and are grateful for those special neighbors, teachers, and friends who have nurtured us, supported us, and helped us become the people we are today.
Wishing you a Mother’s Day filled with unconditional love!
The Good Shepherd
An American tourist traveling in the Middle East came upon several shepherds whose flocks had intermingled while drinking water. After a while, one of the shepherds turned toward the sheep and called out, "Manah" which means "follow me" in Arabic. The sheep immediately separated themselves from the rest and followed. Then the next shepherd called out, "Manah" and his sheep followed him. The tourist asked the third shepherd, "I would like to try that.” He put on the turban and called out to the sheep, “Manah.” The sheep did not respond, not one. The shepherd explained that it is only when sheep are sick that they will follow any voice and not that of their shepherd.
Today Jesus refers to himself as the Good Shepherd who calls us to follow him. What an appropriate image for His relationship to each one of us.
In a world where we can sometimes feel like part of the crowd, Jesus knows each of us by name. He knows us better than we know ourselves. A good shepherd can close his eyes, and with his hands touch the face of each sheep and know that they are part of his flock. Jesus can tell when each of us is healthy, when we are in need and when we are thriving. In a world where we are promised much, but are led to dry and arid areas, Jesus leads us to places of true pasture, where we can flourish. A shepherd knows that their job is to provide for all the sheep’s needs. Each day, Jesus never neglects what is truly good for each of us.
Although we are free to leave the flock, our shepherd leaves the rest to seek us out when we are lost. He doesn’t chastise us but puts us on his shoulders and brings us back home.
At night, the sheep are led into a protected area called a “sheepfold.” Sometimes there are many flocks that stay together at night. There is only one way in and out. The shepherd then lies in this open space. No sheep can get out and no wolf can get in. In this way, the shepherd is the door that protects the sheep where they can stay, protected from all harm. In a dangerous world, Jesus is not like others who have no concern. He cares so much that he gave his life for each one of us.
Jesus is the Good Shepherd. He gathers us together in the Church, where we are called by name, united, nourished, healed, and protected from the storms of life. The Good Shepherd is the One in our lives who truly knows and cares more about us than anyone else. We don’t have to have all the answers or always be in control. We just need to listen to the Good Shepherd and follow his voice. Jesus, the Good Shepherd tells us, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life." There is no better way, no greater truth, no happier life. On Good Shepherd Sunday, this is the reason for our hope!
The Easter Season: Plugging into God’s Power
Easter reminds us that death has been conquered and the earth has forever been remade. The blooming flowers and trees remind us of this new life all around us. We, like the two men on the road to Emmaus who realized “This is the Christ,” are called to rush out and share the good news with our family and friends. Our mission is to tell that Jesus has triumphed over the worst that life could throw at us – death.We don’t have to be fearful or afraid anymore. God can and will help us with the rest!
Yet as Easter Sunday passes, many of us realize that some things have not changed in our lives and that we still have difficulties. In light of Easter, how do we move forward with these?
It is interesting that after the Resurrection Jesus mainly appeared to the disciples gathered together as they worshipped and lived life in community. This is no accident. It is together as a community of faith that we receive the greatest gift, the Eucharist. It is this gift that he left us on Holy Thursday that was meant to be the font from which we continually go back to each week to find healing, strength and meaning in our life. Jesus knew that our good intentions and good will could only keep us moving forward for a limited time. As persons made of body and soul, when we are not plugged into the Eucharist as part of a community of faith, we feel that emptiness.
When the Israelites were traveling through the desert for 40 years, they were fed by God with manna, a food that they did not understand. As we spread Easter joy with those around us, we are all called to dig deeper into the mystery of the Eucharist in our lives. The Eucharist is our “food for the journey.” I invite you to spend time reflecting on the fact that we receive Jesus’s Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity at each Mass. There is a wealth of joy, hope and strength that we can all better access when we dig deeper into this mystery. In every Mass, heaven is made present. God wants to be forever with us in the Eucharist, in an intimacy that we can find nowhere else! This is the source of our joy this Easter Season!
Easter: The Power to Transform Our Live
Easter began last weekend but continues for 50 days. It is a great opportunity to spiritually tap into a power made available to all of us. How do we do this? I would like to suggest a few ways:
First, Live without Fear: If Jesus can overcome the worst that evil and sin can throw at him, we have great reason to live without fear in our lives. God is in control. God walks with us and will help us to pass through whatever difficulties we experience. “We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose” (Rom 8:28). This is not pious talk – this is the truth. Say “no” to fear and anxiety and choose to trust in the One who is most trustworthy.
Second, Receive Joy: When we live with the knowledge that we do not walk alone through life and don’t always have to have the answers, we are free to let God be God in our lives. If things don’t always turn out the way we plan, we can surrender to the better plan that God has for us and our loved ones. Joy does not depend on the circumstances in our lives. How often the saints had a constant joy through all their trials. God intends all of us to have this joy!
Third, Live Victoriously: If it is true that Jesus has conquered sin and death, all the other difficulties that come our way are in the hands of God too. We can choose to live as if we are truly children of God, with a supernatural dignity and an eternal destiny. How much joy God receives from us when we walk through life with our heads up, cheerful, thankful, and trusting in God’s providence for us. We have the greatest reason to walk with hope and courage, knowing that the ruler of the universe has our back!
Over the next few weeks, I invite you to live boldly and with joy! We were made for this, but each day we need to grasp the power that God offers us during these days of Easter!
The Lord is truly Risen, Alleluia!
From the early days of the Church, Christians have shared the joyous news about the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. “We have seen the Lord” (John 20:25). Easter reminds us that we have been reconciled with God the Father. Together we share in this victory!
In the midst of all the difficulties in our lives and in history, God has the last word. As for Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, this is the reason for our joy and hope!
These days of Easter challenge us to recommit our lives to Christ. The Church is not composed of perfect people. We are people who are perfected by the steadfast love and mercy of God. Easter can be a time of spiritual renewal and a time to begin again in our relationship with God!
Maybe you consider yourself strong in faith, maybe you are struggling with aspects of our faith. Maybe you are somewhere in between. All are welcome at Corpus Christi Parish as together we strive to live by His example and to be fed by the gifts that He gives us in the Church.
As we celebrate Easter, I’d like to thank the many people who have shared their time, talent, and treasure who worked so hard behind the scenes to decorate the church and prepare for the Easter liturgies.
I also extend a warm welcome to those who are visitors to Corpus Christi Parish. We are so very happy you chose to celebrate Mass with us. We also extend an invitation to you to become a regular part of our parish family. Corpus Christi is Christ’s Joy, Hope and Healing received and shared.
A Happy and Blessed Easter to all of you!
Palm Sunday and the Beginning of Holy Week
This weekend we receive the palms at the beginning of Mass. They are blessed and then the priest enters the church to begin the procession. This reminds us of Jesus, at the end of his ministry, entering Jerusalem and the beginning of his journey towards his Passion, Death and Resurrection.
It is easy for us to lose the impact of what happened 2000 years ago. Yet, if we look closely at the Passion story, it is not to highlight the cruelty of the Romans and the leadership of the Temple. It is rather to recall why Jesus chose to go through this ordeal, not only freely but with a sense of fulfillment. How often there is injustice in our world, and how seldom others risk their own comfort to change things for the better, to right a wrong, to challenge the establishment, to bring peace. Not Jesus! Out of love for each one of us, Jesus walked this path of unimaginable suffering. It is hard to fathom such total self-giving for others!
During this time of uncertainty, we are called to reflect on how committed God has been to us in saving us. If we were the only person who ever existed, Christ would have gone through this ordeal for us alone! We are asked now, during Holy Week, to journey with Jesus in our own lives. To let our toughened hearts be touched again by this great love. We follow Jesus into the uncertainty of our own lives and our world, trusting that Jesus will see us through to the other side, where all will be well!
Please consider journeying with Corpus Christi this week with all the Holy Week events especially on Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter Vigil. This information is found on our website and in our bulletin.
Becoming Fully Alive
In the Gospel, Jesus says, “I am the resurrection and the life.” What does this mean? St. Irenaeus once said, “The Glory of God is a human being fully alive.” All of Christianity can be summed up in this phrase. What gives God happiness and glory more than anything is when we are fully alive. In contrast, what saddens the heart of God more than anything? Is when we allow sin/death to reign in us at any level -spiritually, emotionally, or psychologically. When sin dwells in us, God is grieved.
In the first reading from the Prophet Ezekiel, God says, “I will open your graves and have you rise from them.” Whatever grave that we are in, maybe it is a hatred for someone else, resentment, jealousy, or an inability to forgive. Whatever is limiting our life, the image of a grave is a suitable symbol. It is here that we are constricted and held bound. Lazarus has been placed in a tomb and has been inside for four days. His sister Martha says, when Jesus tells them to move the stone, that there will be “a stench.” St. Augustine says that Lazarus in the tomb stands for that spiritual rot that has not only started to express itself in our words and actions but has now established itself as a habitual part of our lives. Now our anger, our resentment, has become such a part of our life that it affects others negatively. It is in these places that we may have begun “to stink.” Lazarus symbolizes this worst kind of sin/spiritual rot. How important it is for us during Lent to look at how sin affects us and others. Yet the heart of this story is that Jesus comes to the grave of Lazarus. He brings him back to life, even in this dirtiest, awful type of rot. It is from here that Jesus also invites us back to life.
It is sad to hear people say, “what I have done is so bad that it can’t be forgiven.” The Gospel today is telling us NO. Nobody is beyond the reach of God. At other times, maybe we have grown comfortable with the rot in our lives. At the end of the story, Jesus approaches Lazarus’ tomb and he groans. He groans because it is God’s deepest pain to see us in our woundedness. God hates when we back ourselves in a corner, where we can’t flourish. Jesus groans with a deep desire to get us out of this situation. It breaks God’s heart when we are not fully alive.
During this season of Lent, we listen within to hear the Lord groaning. Can we see him weeping because he sees us not fully alive? Jesus commands them, ‘take away the stone.’ Lazarus is in his grave and they have rolled the stone across the front. Maybe we feel stuck, in darkness, unable to change our situation.
Yet even in our worst situations, Jesus has come to bring us life and to bring it to the full. Jesus’ power is greater than any sin or situation that we find ourselves. This is the good news. Today, he says, “Lazarus come out.” Today Jesus addresses us by name and says, “Come out.” Lent is about inviting God into our own situation. We were made to be fully alive. Do you believe this?
The Man Born Blind
Part of the journey of life for all of us is the realization that we are weak. Our culture tells us that we need to hide this at all costs. Cover your weakness over with accomplishments, looks and possessions. Keep up the appearance of being perfect. Yet eventually life will powerfully point out to us where our weakness is. For some, this weakness may be easy to see. For most of us, it is an internal weakness or flaw that time-to-time rears its ugly head. If we are honest, none of us is exempt.
Today Jesus and his disciples encounter the man born blind. They discuss whether he or his parents’ sin caused his blindness. Jesus says neither. He says this weakness was allowed in this man’s life to show God’s glory. This realization may be in a certain sense helpful in our walk with God and achieving our purpose in this life. What the Lord told to St. Paul, He says to all of us, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.”
Because the man born blind listened and cooperated with Jesus, he was healed. And over time, he was healed of a worse problem, his spiritual blindness. He started by seeing Jesus as a miracle worker, then as a prophet, then as someone coming from God, then he worshipped Jesus. In the end, most of the people that were watching were also healed of their spiritual blindness.
What does this have to do with you and me? We are all the man born blind. Our purpose in life is to become saints. For much time, we are blind to this. Like the Pharisees, we may only care about externals. Yet our weakness can be an invitation to lean fully on Jesus in our lives. Lent helps us to do this more effectively. When we walk humbly, leaning on Jesus’ strength daily, we begin to “see” ourselves and our journey as it truly is. We begin to see and treat others as made in God’s image. We see our lives in reference to our goal of heaven. This is the path of holiness, of joy and peace. This is the path of “seeing” like God sees!
Thirst
In 1992, the Washington Redskins won the Super Bowl with a victory over the Buffalo Bills. Seventy-five thousand people gathered on the mall between the Capitol and the Washington Monument to cheer their team and coach. Several days later, there was a request to see if any player could attend a rally at a prison the next day. None of them were available, so coach Joe Gibbs volunteered to go. After winning the Super Bowl, he could have opened any door, but he chose to go to a penitentiary to speak about his faith. There he said to the over 500 prisoners, “A lot of people in the world would probably look at me and say: Man, if I could just coach in the Super Bowl, I'd be happy and fulfilled... But I'm here to tell you, it takes something else in your life besides money, position, football, power, and fame. The vacuum in each of our lives can only be filled through a personal relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Otherwise, I'm telling you, we'll spend the rest of our lives in a meaningless existence. I've seen it in football players' eyes, and I've seen it in men who are on their deathbed. There's nothing else that will fill the vacuum" (Chuck Colson 1992).
Today, Jesus meets a Samaritan woman at a well. She is drawing water by herself at the middle of the day. She is at the well because she is thirsty and empty. Thirsty not just for water, but for love and respect and peace. Empty because of the consequences that her sins had caused in her life. Jesus doesn’t just happen to come upon her. He intentionally went to the middle of nowhere to meet this woman where she was. It was only after confronting her sin and changing, that she was able to move on with her life. A thirsty Jesus comes to the well because he thirsted for her love and her wholeness, not to condemn her. There is a sense of joy that returns to her life, as she is forgiven and transformed.
As we celebrate this 3rd Sunday in Lent and continue to journey with Jesus through the dessert these 40 days, we are reminded of the love of our God who seeks us out personally. He comes to meet us in those spaces where we are empty and “thirst” for more. Jesus also calls us to do our part in being honest about our sin and how it has affected our life. When we do, we allow Jesus to do the same for us and allow our deepest thirsts to be quenched.
Lent: Buried Treasure
It was one of the most amazing and unexpected events in all the Scriptures, and we hear about it today in the Gospel! “His face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light.” Jesus is surrounded by Moses and the Prophet Elijah, while Peter, James and John watch. It says that Peter is at a loss of words as to what to do. He suggests making three tents, one for Jesus, one for Moses and one for Elijah. Yet Jesus doesn’t respond.
It is easy to think this has nothing to do with us. Yet to get the full impact of the transfiguration we must understand the context of what comes before. In Matthew’s Gospel just before this, Jesus reveals that he will suffer greatly, be rejected, be killed and then rise after three days. He adds that we must be willingto follow him. The disciples were in shock and anxious as this did not fit in with their idea of following Jesus. We may feel the same way!
The transfiguration was meant to give Peter, James, and John a background of hope as they would later see these difficult events transpire. The transfiguration was the ring-side seat view of the future of heaven where Jesus is in glory, and we see the perfect light of God. Here we will all share in this perfect light where there is no longer any pain and suffering. The transfiguration gave Peter, James, and John hope after the resurrection of Jesus and in their struggles to spread the Gospel.
The transfiguration is our privileged preview that beyond our struggles, our difficulties, our hopes not coming to pass, in the end Jesus will triumph. Jesus will get us through all that happens to us – even when life throws some difficult situations at us, when there seems only darkness and questions. It is at these moments, that all we need to do is keep our eyes focused on Jesus, our God!
Lent: Buried Treasure
A few years ago, archaeologists at a dig in the biblical city of Eshtemoa dug up 62 pounds of 15th century jewelry. The gems and silver, taken separately, are worth about $7,000. But the jewelry, the combination of the silver and the gems, has an estimated worth of over five million dollars! It was buried about 18 inches beneath the dirt floor of a cottage that has been continuously inhabited for 500 years. People had been living within reach of this, but for centuries they did not know that it was there. How many people are living the same way today with the treasures that Christ offers us?
Over the last several decades, the practice of going to confession has declined. There are a lot of reasons why this is the case, but maybe one of the most popular is the notion that it is acceptable to confess our sins directly to God. Why the need for a middleman (a priest)? This seems easier than going to confession. Yet a better question is, “how does God normally work in our lives?” Through Noah, creation was established after the floor. Through Abraham, we receive the promises of Faith. Through Moses, the Israelites were led out of Egypt. Through David’s line, the Messiah would be born.
In our lives, God brings us into the world through our parents. We are formed through our teachers, protected through firefighters/police officers, represented through our legislators, and healed through nurses and doctors. God always works through others when helping us. This reflects the truth that we are created in the image of a Trinity of three Persons. We are wired to be intimately connected with one another. When God interacts with us, he respects this truth.
In taking away our sins, God acts in the same way. Jesus chose the apostles personally and gave them authority on his behalf to forgive sins. In John 20:21-23, Jesus breathed on the Apostles and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” In Confession, we know with 100% assurance that our sins are forgiven. We are reconciled with Christ and his Church. The grace from the Sacrament heals us from the damage of sin and helps us overcome future sins. Self-knowledge is increased because we receive objective feedback. Today with an increase of people going to psychologists for help, there seems to be a recognition that there is greater healing when we share our inner life with another. Does all of this happen when we “confess” directly to God? It does not!
This Lent, Confessions are available every Monday from 7PM to 8:30 PM in every church in the diocese of Paterson (Morris, Sussex, and Passaic Counties), in addition to Corpus Christi Parish. We will also have a communal Penance service here on Monday, March 20 at 7PM.
During Lent, God peals back the truth for us and reveals the healing that can be ours if we choose to do things God’s way. It is worth the simple and honest dig just below and beyond our way of seeing and doing things! Don’t be afraid!
Ash Wednesday and Our Lenten Journey
This Wednesday is Ash Wednesday and the beginning of the Lenten season. Lent can be one of the most grace-filled times in the Church calendar if we choose. It is a time to reflect on God’s care for us. God loves us so much that he is 100% committed to our well-being. Lent is about us reflecting on our own personal commitment level in response to such a great love.
Over the year, our hearts and minds lose focus. We allow God to move out of the primary place in our hearts and lives, and let other lesser goods become our focus. We all sin and do things that hurt our relationship with God and others. It is easy to feel comfortable and justify wherever we are in our spiritual journey. Lent helps us together to refocus our hearts, our actions, and our lives, to be totally honest before God, ourselves, and others.
On Ash Wednesday, when we receive ashes on our foreheads, we are told to “turn from sin and be faithful to the Gospel.” To do this, we focus more on prayer, penance, and almsgiving. As adults, we abstain from meat on the Fridays of Lent (see the Guidelines for Fasting and Abstinence during Lent here). We are also invited to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) during Lent to heal us from the effects of our sins. Our parish will offer Confessions on Monday evenings in Lent in the Church from 7 PM to 8:30 PM. We also pray more and open our hands to those who are poor to remind us that we are indeed our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers. During Lent, it is appropriate to think of something that we can give up or something good that we can do for others.
In doing so, together we support one another as we journey with Jesus towards Easter and we allow ourselves to be transformed. As we make this journey, we remember that all these intentional practices have one purpose in mind -- to empty our hearts and lives to make room for God’s great love, to experience this joy, hope and healing and to share it with others!
The Greatest Game
It is estimated that 192.9 million US adults will tune in to the Super Bowl this year. 103.5 million plan to throw or attend a party. The total amount spent on food, drinks, apparel, decoration and other purchases for the day is expected to be $16.5 billion, which is about $86 per person. The half-time show features Rihanna, among others. The commercials promise to excite our imaginations, with an approximate cost of $7 million per 30-second spot.
This Sunday, it is shaping up to be a great match up between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles which will be held in Glendale, Arizona. The Eagles are headed to their first Super Bowl since the 2017 season when they beat the New England Patriots. The Chiefs will be appearing in their third Super Bowl in four years.
These two teams remind us that not any one person is responsible for them making it to the Super Bowl. There are many exceptional players on each team. The coaches are all seasoned and talented. Yet beyond these, it is each of them working together as one that brings out the greatness in each team. Working with a single focus in mind, they move beyond their individual dreams and their individual struggles.
This is no mere metaphor but is a living reality for each of us. As we gather today for Mass, we are reminded that Jesus joins us together as the Body of Christ. Together we welcome, worship, and grow in relationship with Christ, who leads us to serve and invite others to this kind of discipleship.
At our deepest level, this is who we are. Together we are joined for the greatest game, the game of life. As we journey together towards heaven, a great crowd of witnesses cheers us on!
Pass the Salt!
A teacher asked her student to define what salt is. He hesitated and then said, "Salt is what makes French fries taste bad when you don't sprinkle it on." Salt, one of the most abundant minerals in the world. It is used as a preservative. When put on food, it brings out the natural flavor of the food.
It seems strange that Jesus would use salt to describe his followers. Salt is not eaten for its own sake, but is put into foods – to preserve it, to spice it up, and to make it taste better. Jesus says, “You are the salt of the earth... but if salt loses its taste, it is no longer good for anything.” We lose our saltiness – our distinctiveness as disciples – when we simply blend in with the world… when we look and sound and act like everybody else.
We were each created by God for a special purpose – to make a difference in the world. Through our baptism, we are made members of Christ’s Body and given gifts and abilities to make other’s lives better. We don’t just help others because it is a good thing to do. And we don’t just try to help others meet their physical and day-to-day needs. We help them to see past the darkness around them and see how much God loves them. We help them know hope and joy in their lives and thus lead them to the One who can satisfy all their needs now and in eternity.
This is what drove the saints to help others, to really live out their faith with their particular gifts. They knew that God was thirsty for these people’s love and that our actions could help them to walk the road to eventually loving God in return.
It isn’t enough to be a follower of Jesus. He wants us as his followers to get out of our salt shakers and to flavor the world!
Joy: The Road Less Traveled
Some look at Catholicism as a religion of rules -- rules that don’t always seem relevant to our daily lives. In the old days, Catholics weren’t supposed to eat meat on Fridays. Today we are asked to get ashes on Ash Wednesday. Sunday Mass is obligatory. One might ask why we would want to be a part of a faith that is so restrictive? Yet this may be a superficial way of looking at our beautiful faith.
The Bible is a collection of divinely inspired books that tell the story of our good God revealing himself to his people. God wants us to know definitively who he is and who we are. He wants us to know how much he loves us and how much he wants to share life with us. Lastly, he wants to teach us how to love others in light of our common destiny, and how to properly love him in return. We may think these truths are self-evident, yet many of them are not.
Often these teachings are difficult because God’s intent is to move us beyond our own plans, our own opinions, our own priorities and our wanting to love our way. They move us beyond the weaknesses and sin that affect every one of us. Many today give up on our Catholic faith because they feel that these teachings/rules are too difficult or there doesn’t seem to be a payoff from living them out.
This weekend we hear the Beatitudes. Jesus tells us some very counterintuitive things. Blessed are the poor. Blessed are those who mourn. Blessed are the meek. What is Jesus talking about? They are the opposite of what our society tells us. Yet, below the surface there is a wisdom that looks beyond the surface to see what will bring true peace and joy into our hearts and into our lives. Blessed are the poor because they recognize their true poverty before God and allow themselves to lean on God and find true stability. Blessed are those who mourn because they allow themselves to love deeply. Blessed are those who are meek because they find that thinking less about themselves and more about others is the difficult path that leads to wholeness.
The Beatitudes help us to see with the eyes of God and allows Him to lead us beyond our feelings, our plans and our will to something much, much better. This is the path of holiness, the path of the saints, the road less traveled. Those who follow this path are the most joyful of all people!
Cherishing Life at All Stages
Close your eyes for a moment and think back as far as you can remember. Do you remember when your heart began to beat at 21 days, or when your brain began functioning at 40 days? Do you remember the day you were born? For most of us, the answer is no. And yet, God remembers and cherishes each of these moments. You were truly you at all these moments, and God knew you! He intended you! He loved you!
Jeremiah 1:5 tells us: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born, I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” Like the Prophet Jeremiah, we are consecrated by God for a special mission in our world. Only we can fulfill this special part in our world and in others’ lives and in their journey to heaven.
This weekend is a time to remember the great gift of life that God gives us – from conception to natural death. The life of each of us has great value, despite our struggles and sacrifices. Yet in the midst of these, God is with us, journeying with us, watching over us, and caring for us. As co-operators with God, we are called to care for, to protect and defend the lives of all our brothers and sisters, especially those who are most vulnerable and marginalized. In assisting them, we live out our own mission.
When we protect and cherish life at all stages, we see glimmers of the divine shining through a frail humanity, reminding us of our own dignity before God and others. It is then that we are reminded that we are loved at each stage of life. We begin to understand our own worth is based only on that we are created in the image and likeness of God and loved by Him. Our lives—all our lives—are worth cherishing and protecting!
Seeing God in the Ordinary
I don’t know about you, but it is tough to see the beautiful Christmas decorations being put away. For me, there is a sense of excitement and anticipation that surrounds the Christmas season. Now we push this aside as we get back to ‘regular’ life.
This season between the greatest feasts of the Church, Christmas and Easter, that we have entered is called Ordinary Time. During this time, at Mass the normal color is green. Green is the color of life and growth. It is a time to mature and grow deeper in our love for God and others. To help us do this, the readings during these 34 weeks contain the rest of Jesus’ early life and ministry and the major events that mark our common spiritual history: the parables, the miracles, the Sermon on the Mount, the bread of life discourse, etc. These events have much wisdom to share with us and to help us to see God actively working in the midst of our ordinary lives. The goal that all of history is directed is represented in the final Sunday in Ordinary Time, the Solemnity of our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe.
We can use this Ordinary Time to grow by looking at our habits. Maybe this is a good time to begin reading the Scriptures. Maybe we can allow ourselves to push through those distractions to reach a new level of prayer. We can cultivate the attitude of being grateful for all that we have and share more with others. We can practice being in the presence of God throughout our day. We can recommit ourselves to being together on Sunday each week to receive the greatest gift offered to us in this life, the Eucharist. We can spend more time eating with family and less time on our smart phones.
There is power in this season to help us to grow--if we unlock it and live it!
The Epiphany of the Lord
Mother Teresa once visited a poor man in Melbourne, Australia. He was living in a basement room, which was in a terrible state of neglect. There was no light in the room. He did not seem to have a friend in the world. She started to clean and tidy the room. At first, he protested, “Leave it alone. It is all right as it is.” But she went ahead anyway. As she cleaned, she chatted with him. Under a pile of rubbish, she found an oil lamp covered with dust. She cleaned it and discovered that it was beautiful. And she said to him, “You have got a beautiful lamp here. How she said to him, “You have got a beautiful lamp here. How come you never lighted it?” “Why should I light it?” “No one ever comes to see me.” Will you promise to light it if one of my sisters comes to see you?” “Yes,” he replied. “If I hear a human voice, I will light the lamp.” Two of Mother Teresa’s Sisters began to visit him regularly. Things gradually improved for him. Every time the Sisters came to visit him, he had the lamp lighted. Then one day he said to them: “Sisters, I will be able to manage myself from now on. Do me a favor. Tell the first Sister who came to see me that the light she lit in my life is still burning.”
With all our technology, with all our affluence, with the power we have shown to dominate many forces of nature, we are convinced that we can find ways to ensure world peace and happiness for everyone – yet peace evades us! In the same way, each of us searches for peace and peace evades us. So often we look in the wrong places, like Herod who found security in his position, in what he had built up around him, and was willing to do whatever he needed to maintain it.
On Epiphany, the three wise men today show us in story form –the true path to peace in our world and in our lives. The wise men received peace because they were willing to leave behind their fears and all that they clung to. They were willing to reach out to go to those whom God sent them. They were willing to journey without completely understanding. They were willing to journey without knowing the way. They followed the signs that God gave them along the way.
Peace comes to us when we can brag about how much we’ve given freely to others, not how much we stored for ourselves. Peace comes not when we rest our hope in our economy but when we rest securely in God’s providence. Peace comes from ordering our lives around the Child Jesus, His teachings through the Scriptures and His Church, when we love the Way God loves and beat with the same Heart as God. The wise men show us that we cannot create true and lasting peace apart from leaving our comfort and our plans to follow where God leads us --- to reach out to those in need. Today, the wise still seek the child. The wise follow the signs and seek those in need!
With a Little Help from Our Mother…
It seems strange that we begin the new year celebrating the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God.
A little history: The title “Mother of God” comes from the Council of Ephesus in 431 AD. Jesus’ nature as both fully human and divine is something that we take for granted today. Yet back then it was very much debated. The Bishop of Constantinople, Nestorius, said that Christ had two closely united natures, and so Mary was only the mother of the human part of Jesus. The council refuted this and gave her the title “Mary, Mother of God,” in Greek “Theotokos.” They said that Christ indeed has two natures, a divine nature and a human nature definitely united in one divine person. Since these two natures form one single person, Mary is the mother of the whole person, Jesus. Not that she came before God or is the source of God, but that the Person she bore for nine months was indeed true God and true man. When we honor Mary with this title, we are mostly honoring and affirming who Jesus is below the surface.
This feast comes at the end of the Christmas season. We remember that the Father could have sent Jesus into the world any way he wanted, yet he chose to go through the Blessed Mother. It was through Mary’s “yes” to God that our savior came into the world. It is through her that the door to heaven was opened for us. Just as God invites each of us to live out our vocation as disciples and works through us, God has and continues to work through Mary in an extraordinary way.
On this Solemnity, Jesus invites us to ask Mary, Mother of God, to journey with us. This experienced guide has walked this journey of discipleship to heaven already and has helped many to do the same. She knows the pitfalls, the sideroads and the dead ends along the way. She is there to powerfully intercede for us in all the areas of our lives if we choose. As we begin this New Year, I pray that you will invite her to walk this journey with you. Have a blessed New Year!
Christmas Joy
In his book, Joy, William Schutz talks about how the birth of his son Ethan inspired him to write on this subject. He and his wife receive joy from Ethan’s birth. Then Ethan experienced joy from seeing and touching and tasting things for the first time. Over time, Ethan begins to lose this joy like many of us. Schutz wrote the book to help others get reconnected with this joy that we should all have in our lives.
These days of Christmas remind us that we were made for joy. Our God didn’t want us to search aimlessly throughout our lives for it. He shows us that He is our source of joy. God tore open heaven and became one of us so that he could physically be with us and share His joy with us. How comforting to know that whatever we are going through in our lives, no matter how difficult things may seem, no matter how dark our world may appear, God is with us! He comes as a little baby, totally approachable and humble, wanting to be embraced and loved.
Reflecting on this past year, you, the parishioners of Corpus Christi Parish, are one of my greatest joys. I hope that you will find hope, peace, and joy not only during this Christmas season, but also in 2023. We know this is possible because the source of joy has come to us, to be with us and to walk with us at every moment of our days.
On this Feast of Christmas, we need not fear. We need not be in control. God is. He is Emmanuel, God with us!
Advent: Waiting with Hope
The days are getting shorter, and light is receding. With the leaves gone, the bare trees remind us that together we have moved into a new season. Advent is all about waiting. The waiting of Advent is not a passive waiting for things to just return to what they were before. It is an active waiting for something better!
We prepare ourselves by consciously being aware of the three comings of Christ. We meditate on the coming of Christ 2000 years ago as a baby to save us from our sins. We look forward to the end of time, when Christ will return and bring us who remain to heaven forever. The middle coming is the hidden coming of Christ in our lives each day. This usually happens in the darkest moments, when we think that God is absent and uncaring, and we cannot see a path forward.
We have been preparing through more prayer, going to confession and doing works of charity for others. I invite you this Advent to continue to use the remaining opportunities offered at our parish. You can find these on our website at corpuschristi.org.
Our God does not come to us with bells and whistles announcing his coming. Like a thief in the night, he comes in the stillness and quiet when we make room to listen. He reveals himself if we take the time to reflect, prepare, watch, and wait.
Jesus comes to bring us hope and peace in the uncertainty and brokenness of our and our family’s lives – a peace which the world cannot give. He comes to remind us of the only One who can fill our hearts and to give meaning to all that has and will happen to us. This is the peace that is held out to us – if we are willing to wait and walk in hope!
Joy Amidst Darkness
A young family traveled on vacation to a nearby cavern to see the natural rock formations. They descended over 350 steps to get to the lowest point allowed on the traditional tour. All in the group were asked to stand closely with their family members. The lights were turned off for only a minute. Yet it seemed like an eternity. The absolute darkness caused them to lose their bearings and become disoriented. Their eyes could not adjust to the darkness. Someone pulled out a cell phone and a minimal amount of light from it allowed all to quickly readjust their vision. Once again, they could see each other and the beauty of the rock formations around them.
In the same way, John the Baptist appears to the people around him who were clouded in darkness. They did not see God, but only the difficulties in their lives and around them. John’s purpose was to point out to them where the light was – this light of hope, in the midst of their darkness. He stood out because of his words, his actions of kindness and the way he presented himself with camel’s hair clothing. And people responded to this light!
During this time of Advent, we are all called like John the Baptist to point to the light that Christ has brought into our world. We are not asked to wear clothing of camel’s hair, but we are called to radiate this light by standing out. Standing out by our kindness, our selflessness, our forgiveness, our charity, our faith, our presence and our concern.
All that is needed is a minimal amount of light to help those around us see beyond the darkness-that there is hope. As disciples, the more that we chose to stand out in this way, the more our lives will radiate this light. This weekend, we light the rose-colored candle on the Advent wreath – the sign of Joy. This joy is a byproduct of being witnesses of light to those around us. Where can we bring our light!
Advent: Looking for Peace
The Prophet Isaiah speaks about the peace that God is bringing into our world. “Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; the calf and the young lion shall browse together…”
It is easy to struggle with this idea that peace on earth is actually possible. If we listen to the news, peace seems to constantly evade us. Where is this peace? The people of Jesus’ time were also looking for peace. Peace from the Roman occupation. Peace from disease and a struggling economy. They wanted a messiah, anyone, to distract them from their earthly pain. When they cried to God, he listened. Yet God wanted more for them than they were asking for. He wanted them to have the deeper peace between them and God first.
John the Baptist realized that if the people didn’t have this deeper peace with God first, solving our day-to-day problems would never satisfy us. This is why John the Baptist spoke about the need for repentance, letting go of what was not compatible in our relationship with God and others, and preparing our hearts to receive fully this guest. Many of those who heard John the Baptist looked beyond their worldly situations to see the great invitation that they were being given by God.
During this Advent season, let us see the extra prayer, acts of charity and using the Sacraments, especially Confession, as a means of receiving God fully and with him the true peace that the Scriptures speak about!
Advent: Entering into the Mystery
As we begin this Advent Season, I hope that you are looking forward to this special time of the year when we can look back and count all of the blessings that God has given us. It can also be a difficult time for some who have recently experienced loss. The days are growing shorter, and the nights seem longer. In this time of darkness, we remember that the light shines through and brings the promise of good things to come.
We begin together this season of waiting and prayer in joyful hope for the time when Christ will come again. It is also a time of conversion, where we examine the depth and strength of our faith and make room for Christ in our hearts. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice, I will come in to him” (Rev 3:20). In the midst of so much “noise” and “holiday sales,” I encourage you as a family to consider small ways that you can “slow down” and enter into the Advent Season.
In our bulletin and online (corpuschristi.org), you will find mass times and other opportunities. The Advent season is also a time when peoples’ hearts are more open to the promptings of grace. With this, I ask you to consider inviting a relative/neighbor/friend who may be away from God and the Church to attend with you. We walk this journey through Advent together. Each week as we light another candle on the wreath, we watch and wait as the tiny flames grow into the blazing light of Christmas. Let us allow the greatest of all gifts to come more deeply into our lives and homes – the gift of Jesus Christ!
It is a wonderful gift for me to serve as your pastor. Blessings on all of you and your families this Advent, and throughout this holy season!
To Which Kingdom Do We Belong?
There was an interesting article in National Geographic about the Mbuti people of central Africa, also known as Pygmies. These people have a unique way of making music and reinforcing social bonds. They whittle musical pipes out of soft wood. But each pipe is only able to play a single note. One may whittle a pipe that can play an A flat; another may whittle a pipe that plays a D, another plays an F sharp. Because each can only play one note, all must work together to create music. If one is missing from the group, the music is noticeably different, lacking in harmony and richness that results when all are playing together.
An appropriate image for this weekend as we celebrate the Solemnity of Christ the King. King is an awkward title for Jesus. Most of us don’t have good images of early kings. Yet it is an appropriate title as we mark the end of the liturgical year. It sheds light on God’s end goal for us and our world!
Jesus is our friend, but he is also our King. He came 2000 years ago not just to let us know how much he loves us. Neither was it just to save us from our sins and open the door to heaven for those who wish to accept the invitation. He also came to establish here a kingdom that will continue into heaven. As the Scriptures say, it is a kingdom of truth and life, a kingdom of holiness and grace, a kingdom of justice, love and peace. Some will say that these are just pious words, or wishful thinking. This cannot possibly happen here. Just settle for being a good person and watch out for yourself!
Yet when God wants something to happen, it will happen! The question is whether or not we would like to be a part of this kingdom here, in our lives, in our family, and in our work. Like the Mbuti people, imagine that every member of our parish and family has a flute that plays one note. The only way Jesus can produce a symphony would be if every member shows up and does his or her part. What would our world look like if each of us used our time, talent, and treasure to work with Jesus on this most important goal. God created us for this purpose! And we pray for this in the Our Father each week.
How beautiful a melody it would be!
Last Things… in November
This month we remember those who have died and made it to heaven, the saints. We also remember those who have left this world and have not yet reached heaven, as we pray for them. As a church, we also are moving towards the end of the liturgical year, and we remember that all creation is moving towards its ultimate end. Considering these, it seems reasonable to take a moment to think about our own mortality and how we should prepare for this day. One of the ways that we can do this is to prepare beforehand the arrangements for when this moment comes.
We have all been to many kinds of funerals and services for those who have passed. For a Catholic, ideally one should have a funeral Mass in Church with the body present. It is more than just about having the personal preferences of the deceased observed. When a loved one dies, we want to implore for them the maximum grace to help them on their journey to their eterna l reward. No other kind of ceremony comes close in providing our loved ones with grace and spiritual support beyond this world . Nothing else is even close.
The funeral Mass reminds us that our loved one's life and death are an important part of something much greater than them. The Mass is the sacred moment where our loved one's life and death are brought into the larger context of God's plan to save us all. At every Mass, we enter in the Paschal Mystery, that is, we share more deeply in the death and Resurrection of Jesus and come to share His gift of eternal life. At the funeral Mass, we are present with those who have passed before us, those who have prayed for us, and those who received our loved one who has died. The funeral Mass also reminds us that here is not our true home! In addition, as we are made body and soul, the body is equally important as the soul. Our culture can often send the message that the body is just a shell, holding the "real" part of us, the soul. This could not be further from the truth. Having the bod y at the funeral Mass reminds us physically that we are still connected with our loved one, even in death. It also facilitates the gr ieving process for those who remain.
After the funeral, the body is buried in a sacred place, or the body is cremated and then the cremains brought to a sacred place. This has been traditionally in a cemetery or mausoleum, where they are gathered with all others waiting for the day of the Resurrection of the Body sometime in the future. This also allows us the opportunity to make needed visits to honor and pray for our loved ones. At the same time, it allows us to continue to move through the grieving process.
I recommend that you consider having your wishes clearly spelled out in your will. I have come across many faithful Catholics, who when at death, their children, who may not practice their faith, sometimes withhold these gifts and support for the deceased and those who remain.
Without being overly morbid, these are important things to think about and work out beforehand.
Our Greatest Gift
When my mother, Jeanette, was in hospice in North Carolina in 2010, I was given permission to move to Goldsboro and live in a parish there. I worked part-time in the parish and was able to be with my mother each day. Her Parkinson’s disease had greatly progressed. I would stop and buy things for her each day to make her life a little better, from unusually long straws to flowers to brighten her room. After a while, I could no longer buy anything she needed, and I could no longer do much to help her. I realized that the only thing I had left was my presence to her each day. Although this made me feel helpless at times, I came to understand that this was the most important thing I could offer her!
We can provide nice homes, a good education, and many opportunities to our children. Yet the greatest gift parents can give to their children is their presence. This is true in all our relationships.
In a few weeks, we will celebrate Christmas. God has always showered great gifts to his children: life, home, family, friends, work, and a social life. Yet the greatest gift that God gives to us is His presence. He cared enough for his children to come down out of heaven to be physically with us. In comparison, all other gifts pale. Our greatest gift back to God is not our prayers, our finances, or our good intentions. It is our presence. This is why being present at Mass in-person is so important to God!
Texting, emailing, livestreaming and phone calls are great ways to keep connected. Yet our most important relationships need more. They need our presence to grow. This is true in our relationship with God. If heaven is all about us spending eternity physically together in the presence of God, then Mass each week is a getting ready for this way of living.
For those who because of physical or emotional reasons are not able to come in-person, God gives them special graces. Yet for the rest of us, this coming together each week at Mass is at the heart of our relationship with God, and with all those we will be spending eternity.
Our presence each week in-person at Mass is the greatest gift that we give back to the God who loves us so much!
One Plate at a Time
The last few years have seen many pressures on the global food system, including the war in Ukraine, fuel costs, shortages in the labor market and other natural disasters. In addition, the outbreak of avian flu has driven up the cost of poultry and eggs. The effects of these have increased food prices sharply. From August 2021 to August 2022, dairy product rose +16.2%, eggs rose +39.8%, flour rose +23.3%, butter and margarine rose +29.3%, just to name a few.
As food prices has increased, those at the lower end of the income ladder have been hit the most. Lower-income households typically spend a higher share of their income on food items comparted to middle or high-income families. For people on a budget, these price increases can be very difficult and lead to them cutting back on healthier foods and products, which tend to be more expensive, leaving them buying lower quality and lower nutrition foods. Those who are struggling the most are often hidden from our sight.
While these increases have had a rippling effect that touches all our lives, it is times like this that show us how connected we are as humans, and how powerful we can be when we work together and support each other to make a real difference. As Mother Theresa used to say that we don’t need to feed the world, just try feeding one person. Each of us can make a difference by choosing to place ourselves in the shoes of those who are really struggling to make ends meet.
I encourage those who can, to make a conscious decision to bring a food item to our parish each time you come to Mass on the weekend. In addition, the annual Diocesan Ministries Appeal will take place next weekend, October 29-30 at all Masses. The Diocese of Paterson, one of the smallest dioceses in the country, is one of the most organized and effective in helping the poor. Other dioceses around the country have modeled their Catholic Charities program on our programs. Yet our diocesan charities cannot continue to do the great work they do each day without our support.
Together we each can make a huge difference when we each give from what we have been blessed - one plate at a time!
Loved at Each Stage of Life
Close your eyes for a moment, and think back as far as you can remember. Do you remember when your heart began to beat at 21 days, or when your brain began functioning at 40 days? Do you remember the day you were born? For most of us, the answer is no. My first memory is when my younger brother, Christian, was brought home from Morristown Memorial Hospital. And yet, God remembers and cherishes each of these moments. You were truly you at all these moments, and God knew you. He intended you. He loved you. Jeremiah 1:5 tells us: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born, I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” What an awesome thing to reflect on. God knows and loves us thousands of years before our parents even met. Throughout our lives, no matter what happens to us along the way, God is with us, journeying with us, watching over us, caring for us.
The Prophet Jeremiah was consecrated in the womb with a special mission in our world. In the same way, we are consecrated by God at baptism for a special mission in our world. Only we can fill in one particular piece in other’s lives, and in the world around us. Our life is of great value, despite our struggles, our sacrifices, our yearnings, which often no one else can see. God sees, knows, loves us and watches over each moment of our lives as we live out this sacred mission.
This month, October, we celebrate Respect Life Month. It is a time to remember the great gift of life that God gives us – from conception to natural death. We are called to care for, protect and defend the lives of all our brothers and sisters especially those who are most vulnerable and those marginalized and to help others in their sacred mission. When we protect and cherish life at all stages, we see glimmers of the divine shining through a frail humanity, reminding us of our own dignity before God and others, and the supernatural mission that we each participate in. It is then that we are reminded that we are loved at each stage of life. In imitation of God, we are called to love and journey with others in each stage of their lives!
Parish Life Survey Results for Corpus Christi
I wanted to hear your perspective and feelings about our parish as we move into a new phase as Corpus Christi Parish. Although I wanted to meet with you each individually, I knew this would not be practical, hence the need for this survey.
In May of 2022, our parish conducted a Parish Life Survey to measure the effectiveness of our programs and to assess the greatest needs of our parish community. This was an opportunity for all of those who come to this parish to make their needs and opinions known. The survey was conducted by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate, a nationally recognized Catholic research center. In the end, our parish collected 673 responses.
I am happy to announce that the results have been received. Here are the major themes:
Positive: parishioners indicated that they were happy with the clergy and staff. Corpus Christi is a welcoming parish. This was evident in the comments section where we received 18 pages of single-line comments.
Areas for Growth: parishioners indicated a need for more volunteers and more programs. There were concerns as to how to bring more people back to active participation in the Church, especially the youth.
The executive summary is included in the following pages of this week's bulletin and is also available on our website at corpuschristi.org.
For a more in-depth look at the findings, a CARA representative, Jonathan Wiggins, will offer a report summarizing our results on Tuesday, October 18th at 7:00 PM in the Church. There will be time for discussion and questions about the survey. This will be livestreamed and can be viewed later.
The newly-formed Parish Council, which begins its regular meetings on November 19, will assist Fr. Kevin in the process of applying the results of the survey to the present and future needs of the parish. As we move on to this next chapter for our parish, we are encouraging our parishioners to become more engaged in growing together in faith and living our vision of bringing Christ’s joy, hope, and healing to others.
Update: Parish Pastoral Council
Over the past three years that I have served here as pastor, I have heard many parishioners ask how they could be more involved in what happens at Corpus Christi Parish. In the past, there was a pastoral council at Corpus Christi Parish. At the beginning of this year, in union with our staff and the parish finance council, we started the process of envisioning how this body could be reactivated in our parish. I am happy to say that after much work and consideration this body will begin again here in November 2022.
The parish staff and finance council helped to pick the starting members of this new parish council from a broad demographic. The voting members are: Bill Cashin, Valerie Coffey, Brian Duemling, Kelly Falcone (Chairperson), Paul Landolfe, Cristin McKenna and Alexandra Rigal. The Ex Officio members are: Fr. Michael Szwarc, Msgr. Jim Mahoney, Carol Scala (our business manager), Brigette Vohden (our DRE), Mark Kapsky (parish trustee), Bobbie Veeder (parish trustee) and me. In the future, this newly formed group will work out a system of electing new members moving forward. In addition, a summary of each of the meetings will be available publicly within two weeks of each meeting.
These new members will be your representatives, to listen to your wants and needs for our parish. This advisory (not governing) body will meet with me five times a year, beginning on November 19th. Their mandate: to be the voice of all parishioners as we look to chart the course of the parish for the next five years. I want to be informed of your hopes, your dreams and your wants. This past June at our carnival, I recognized the importance of our community coming together again for a common purpose, to worship together, to serve together, to share life together. It is my hope that this new body will help to facilitate this at our parish.
In addition, with the results of our June parish survey which will be made available to parishioners in the next few weeks, the Parish Pastoral Council will assist me in using this important information as we evaluate our programs and priorities to best meet the needs of our parishioners and to live out our vision and mission: to bring joy, hope and healing to all who come through our door, and then to bring this to our families, our work and our community! Now it is time to get to work on behalf of our parish community!
Prayer Can Change Our World
St. Teresa of Avila, a mystic of the 16th century, was known in prayer to spontaneously go into raptures, which sometimes involved levitation. The other sisters would have to hold her down. In modern times, St. Pio of Pietrelcina was known to be at two places at the same time while in prayer. These gifts during prayer are extremely rare in the history of the Church.
Maybe these won’t happen when we pray, but we can expect certain other things to happen. Prayer invites the Holy Spirit into our lives, which allows God to help us to change, to grow and to love more deeply. It helps us see more clearly who God is and where God is working in our lives. It helps us to move in the direction that God is leading us and to avoid the temptations to deviate from this path. If we stick with prayer past the dryness at times, we begin to receive answers to how God responded to previous prayers. Prayer can move mountains, as it gives us strength to face the difficult challenges in our lives, like Daniel in the lion’s den.
Prayer softens our hearts and others, to open doors and to draw others to himself. Pray for your children. Your spouse. Your coworkers. Your neighbors. For those who are difficult. For those who have done wrong to you. For your pastor and priests. Pray with your children. Pray as a family. Prayer reminds us that we need each other and that we don’t get to heaven by ourselves. It should be our first resort, not our last.
Prayer, in combination with the Eucharist and the teachings of the Church, allows us to move more and more in alignment with God’s plan for our world and shows us how we fit our lives into the Kingdom that he is building. One of the hallmarks of this Kingdom is seeing all others as made in God’s image and likeness, from conception to natural death. This is challenging for all of us! Yet prayer is the key that helps all of us to move from where we are to where God wants all of us to be, to loving with all our heart, mind, soul and strength, -- to love more like Jesus.
Treasures in Plain Sight
It all started in 2017 in Portugal, a homeowner discovered fragments of fossilized bones in his backyard. A research team launched an initial excavation to investigate. They discovered that it was the remains of the largest sauropod dinosaur to ever be found in Europe, and possibly in the world. This dinosaur would have been 39 feet tall and 82 feet long. Its ribs are each around 10 feet long.
Sometimes the familiar around us contains much more than meets the eye. This is true in terms of our faith.
I have heard some people tell me that they don’t get anything out of Mass. It can be boring. Why can’t we just pray to God in our way? Yet if we dig deeper, we see that there is much more to the story.
When we worship at Mass each week, we stand naked before our Creator. Worship helps us to recognize reality and face ourselves at the deepest level --- that we are not equals with God, but his creatures, made by Him, for Him. The perfect bright light of God’s love shines into our being. It makes us realize that God and we belong together. Our faith is not primarily about doctrine and rules. It is a love story, a relationship with a living person, Jesus Christ. This is the privileged place where we allow God to heal and continue creating us to be who we were destined to be. Here, at the intersection of faith and questioning, we have decisions that we have to make. Do we accept this offer of relationship or not? Do we lean primarily on God or ourselves? Do we choose to walk the road of faith on God’s terms or on our own? These are more than just pious thoughts. These choices define who we are at our very core! This process doesn’t happen on our own.
This is the context of why we are asked by God to worship at Mass each week in-person or, for serious reasons, online. It is not so much a duty as an invitation, the greatest of opportunities. At Mass, we enter the presence of God and stand before Him at the Last Supper and at Calvary. At Mass we touch heaven, as we are fed. Spending time investigating below the surface is worth the dig!
Sharing Our Gifts
On December 14, 1996, a 763-foot grain freighter, the Bright Field, was heading down the Mississippi at New Orleans, Louisiana, when it lost control, veered toward the shore, and crashed into a shopping mall. One hundred sixteen people were injured, parts of the wharf were demolished, as well as significant damage incurred to neighboring shops, restaurants, and hotels.
After investigating the accident for a year, the Coast Guard reported that the freighter had lost control because the engine had shut down. The engine had shut down because of low oil pressure. The oil pressure was low because of a clogged oil filter. And the oil filter was clogged because the ship’s crew had failed to maintain the engine properly.
In the same way, we don’t succeed in work or at home by ourselves. We need others! This is true in the spiritual life. We don’t walk to heaven by ourselves. God created us to be this way.
At Corpus Christi, we cannot fulfill our vision to bring Christ’s joy, hope and healing to others, unless we experience it and share it with others. Each of us brings special gifts given at Baptism and strengthened at Confirmation to build up our parish community.
Next weekend, Sept. 10th & 11th, we will have our Welcome Back weekend. This is to celebrate all those who have been away for the summer and are returning. Part of this will be our Ministry Fair here after all the Masses. There will be tables set up in the atrium to find out more about our ministries and how to get more involved. In addition, we will have hospitality after the 9 am and 11 am Masses.
This is not about assuming a new task to help the parish. It is more! It is about each of us exercising the gifts that God has given – to be used for all. Ministry is about receiving God’s joy and sharing it. In this process, we usually receive more than we give.
Next weekend, please consider stopping after Mass to learn more.
Looking for Peace?
According to a recent poll from the American Psychological Association, a large majority of Americans are reporting high stress levels due to financial concerns, inflation, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. “Americans have been doing their best to persevere over these past two tumultuous years, but these data suggest that we’re now reaching unprecedented levels of stress that will challenge our ability to cope,” said Arthur C. Evans Jr., PhD, the association’s CEO (March 10, 2022).
All of us long for peace. Peace from noise, chatter, pressure, work, our responsibilities. We also want peace from the pressures we put on ourselves - to be better, stronger, prettier, thinner, better parents, etc.
Yet peace doesn’t come from an absence of problems. Jesus says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you” (Jn 14:27). Peace then is a gift given by God but is given on God’s terms. The primary way that Jesus gives this peace is through the Eucharist at Mass each week. Yet so great is this gift that we need time to absorb it.
This is where Eucharistic Adoration comes in. Eucharistic adoration is spending quiet time before the Blessed Sacrament, especially when the Eucharist is placed before us in the monstrance. The word monstrance means "to show." Eucharistic adoration is just sitting in the presence of God, letting him surround us and embrace us with his love and grace. It is a foretaste of heaven.
Eucharistic adoration provides something that we all desperately need – a place set apart to experience God in the silence that we crave. In doing so, we draw closer to God and go deeper into our spiritual lives. The fruit of this is peace! This is the kind of peace that we can cultivate and commit too, regardless of what is going on around us.
Each week we offer Eucharistic Adoration on Monday and Wednesday from 1PM to 3PM. I invite you to come for a few minutes or spend an hour. Maybe you have never experienced Eucharistic Adoration. Don’t be afraid! Come and see! Jesus is waiting for you – to bring you peace!
Passing On the Faith
Pope Francis once said, “Even if at times it may be difficult and require a great deal of work, and although the results are not always what we hope for, teaching the faith is something beautiful! It is perhaps the best legacy we can pass on: the faith! To educate in the faith, to make it grow. To help children, young people and adults to know and love the Lord more and more is one of the most exciting aspects of education. It builds up the Church!” (Audience 9/27/13)
I am truly grateful for my parents and the catechists who stepped forward to teach the Faith to me as I was growing up. Whether in Religious Education class or later in Catholic schools, these men and woman gave me a gift that I came to appreciate more and more over time. I look back now with wonder and thanks for those who planted these seeds. After they began to grow, these seeds forever changed my life.
There are no perfect catechists! Each of us comes with a limited understanding of the Faith. When we share that piece and help our young to learn the basics of our Faith, we grow in our understanding too. I know it can be intimidating to come forward to teach religious education. Some may be thinking, “I am not worthy, or I am not qualified.” Well, none of us is worthy or perfectly qualified. Yet our directors of catechesis here, Brigette and Jim, can help get you started. Don’t be afraid. Our kids need your gifts and your lived experience of our Faith. Maybe God is tapping you on the shoulder to step forward! We need you!
Please contact Brigette Vohden (our DRE) at bvohden@corpuschristi.org or Jim Murray (our Youth Minister) at corpuschristi@boldym.com.
The Assumption of Mary: Our Hope
Throughout the Catholic Church’s Liturgical Year, there are many days we call special attention to – whether it is a “Memorial,” a “Feast,” or a “Solemnity.” Solemnities are the celebrations of greatest importance and typically include all Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation. Feasts are of second importance and are celebrated on a particular day. However, they are not days of obligation for Catholics. And lastly are Memorials, which typically commemorate a saint or saints.
This Monday, August 15th, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary. We celebrate that Mary was taken body and soul into heaven at the end of her life.
With much of the economic, social and governmental problems in our world, many people are questioning whether God is here to help us? Will God get us through this? Whether God will get us finally into heaven? On the feast of the Assumption, we get our answer from God. By his divine power, Jesus brought Mary to the finish line of being in heaven and experiencing the resurrection of the Body. One day, Jesus will get us to the goal of our lives and the finish line of heaven, where we will have our bodies glorified like Mary. Jesus always finishes what he starts!
This Solemnity is not an obligation this year because it falls on a Monday. Yet I invite all of you to take a break in your routines on this important day to remember where we are heading and how we get there. The Assumption is not just about Mary, it is about us!
Mass times that day are 7:30 AM, 9:00 AM and 7:30 PM.
Update on Our Ukrainian Sponsorship
The Ukrainian family that our parish had been sponsoring earlier this year in Poland has been set up in an apartment of their own. With our funds, they received bedding materials, items for the kitchen, including a new microwave, furniture, and all that they needed to begin to live on their own. Also, their deposit and first month’s rent were paid by our parish. The mother and daughter were able to get jobs, so they are now able to support themselves moving forward.
Because of a greater need, our parish is now sponsoring Ukrainians that are now living in a Catholic seminary in the Archdiocese of Warmia in Osztyn, Poland. The seminary received a hundred Ukrainian refugees, mostly mothers with children. They provide housing, food, toiletries, and items for young children. To date, our parish has provided $15,024.00. in support.
Fr. Hubert Tryk, the rector of the seminary, wrote thanking us for our generosity. The Ukrainian community there prays for us and all donors at every Thursday evening Mass, at 11:30 am our time.
Searching for Something Deeper, More Fulfilling in Life?
Are you or someone you know searching for a spiritual home?Catholicism is a way of life and becoming Catholic is an ongoing journey in faith. The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is a process, rooted in history, which seeks to do more than simply give interested persons information. Becoming Catholic involves entering into relationship with a community of God's people. Our hope is that you will enjoy a deeper relationship with God as you also become acquainted with members of Corpus Christi and the Catholic Church throughout the world.We have a “no strings attached” inquiry series, R.C.I.A., beginning in September. This is a safe place to learn about Catholicism and for Catholics who have not yet received 1st Communion and/or Confirmation.Please contact Fr. Kevin at frkevin@corpuschristi.org or 972-635-0070 Ext 712 or Fr. Michael at frmichael@corpuschristi.org or 973-635-0070 ext. 728.
Is God tapping you on the shoulder?
Looking Back in Time: The James Webb Space Telescope
This past week, we witnessed the first images from the $10 billion dollar James Webb Space Telescope. Launched on December 25, 2021, it is the most complex telescope ever developed. Its goal was the impossible task of looking back as far as possible to the very beginning of the universe. It didn’t disappoint! The picture above looks like a regular cluster of stars, no different than what we see when we look up at the night sky. Yet, this image is different because in this image we are getting a glimpse to the ancient past.
When we look at the sky, the closest star to us is named Proxima Centauri. Since light travels at 186,000 miles per second, when we look at the light from this star, it is really the light that began its journey from the star four years earlier. In the same way, when we look at the first image from the James Webb telescope, we see the faint light from stars that began its journey from those stars 13.5 billion years ago. It is literally looking back in time almost to the beginning of the universe, 13.8 billion years ago. Until this week, the light from these stars was only available to us through our imaginations.
These images show us the majesty and power of God. Before God created the universe, he had each one of us in his mind and heart. He knew and loved us, looking forward to the time when we would come into being. He thought about his plans for us, to love us, to teach us about himself, to prepare us for his coming, to send his Son, Jesus, to redeem us, and to look forward to the day when we would be gathered into one in our permanent home in heaven.
The light that came from those first stars when God created the universe, and thought of us, has been traveling towards us for billions of years. As we glimpse this dim light, it is a gift and reminds us that God will never leave or abandon us. More than this, it is a symbol of God’s ageless love for each of us.
CORPUS CHRISTI: Generous Hearts
Thanks for your support and generosity to our Parish Family!
Your generosity allows our parish to not only get by, but to flourish!
We would like you to consider E-Giving through PushPay, our E-Giving partner. E-Giving allows Corpus Christi to receive steady, consistent support for the parish ministries you care about most in the months ahead—even if you’re out of town during summer weekends. These warm-weather adventures will be joyful times for our parish families—but a fun, fast-paced summer can reduce our offertory when people give with checks and envelopes and not electronically.
We prayerfully request that you consider signing up for E-Giving from your computer, smartphone, or tablet. The more parishioners we have signed up for E-Giving, the more consistent and predictable our offertory will be each month. You can sign up directly on our website—click Corpuschristi.org and follow the Give tab in the upper right hand corner This will direct you to a page where you can set up recurring contributions. If you need assistance, please reach out to Terri in the Parish office for assistance at 973-635-0070 ext. 710.
As always, we appreciate your generosity and support!
Thank You – Corpus Christi CARNIVAL
I want to thank all those who helped to plan, organize, and implement our carnival this year! A special thanks to our carnival committee, led by Hugo Barth. Thanks to the Corpus Christi staff who worked throughout the last months behind the scenes. Thank you to all the volunteers who came out to support our parish and worked quietly behind the scenes. Thanks also to those who came out and enjoyed the food and rides.
Confession: A Different Way of Looking at It
Over the last several decades, the number of people regularly going to confessions has declined. There are a lot of reasons why this is the case, but maybe one of the most popular is the notion that it is acceptable to confess our sins directly to God. Why the need for a “middleman” (priest)? This seems easier than going to confession. Yet does God usually use “middle men” in his interactions with his people? Through Noah, creation was established after the flood. Through Abraham, we receive the promises of Faith. Through Moses, the Israelites were lead out of Egypt. Through Mary, the messiah was born. Through St. Paul and others, we receive the New Testament.
In our lives, God brings us into the world through our parents. We are formed through our teachers, protected through firefighters and police officers, governed through legislators/mayors, and healed through nurses and doctors. There seems to be a pattern in the way that God works – mostly through others. This might reflect the fact that we are created in the image of the Trinity. Therefore, we are wired to be intimately connected with one another. When God acts, he remembers and respects this truth about us.
With Confession, God acts in the same way. Jesus chose the apostles personally and gave them authority on his behalf to forgive sins. In John 20:21-23, Jesus breathed on the Apostles and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” In Confession, we know with 100% assurance that our sins are forgiven. It is then that we are reconciled with Christ and his Church. The grace from the Sacrament heals us from the damage of sin and helps us overcome future sins. Self-knowledge is increased because we receive objective feedback.
Today with an increase of people going to psychologists for help, there seems to be a recognition that there is greater healing when we share our inner life with another. Does all of this happen when we “confess” directly to God?
There is a method to the way that God asks us to find healing. It is more beneficial for us -- than our way!
Waiting for You!
Throughout the history of the Catholic Church, there have been many different styles of prayer outside of Mass. Some are more intellectual, some more affective, some more practical. All are designed to help us grow in our awareness of and closeness to God, based on our unique personalities.
One type of prayer stands out from all the others: Eucharistic Adoration. St. John Vianney once told a story of a man that he found in the Church just staring at the tabernacle. St. John Vianney asked him what he was doing, and the man said, “I look at him (Jesus) and he looks at me.” This was a turning point in St. John Vianney’s understanding of the Eucharist. This great spiritual giant learned this profound truth from a farmer.
This type of prayer has been practiced by many of the saints because it is so effective in leading one into a much deeper relationship with Jesus. This prayer of contemplation is a loving awareness of God’s presence. How wonderful it is to know that Jesus waits for us--to just be in his presence. To speak with him or just to be with him! If heaven is where Jesus is, then coming to adoration is entering the presence of heaven. This is no pious thought – it is the truth!
Join us every Monday and Wednesday throughout the summer. We have Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction from 1 pm to 3 pm.
I invite you to come for a few minutes or spend an hour. Maybe you have never experienced Eucharistic Adoration… Don’t be afraid! Come and see!
Jesus is waiting for you – to bring you joy, hope and healing!
The Feast of “Corpus Christi”: The Body and Blood of Christ
In 1263 a German priest, Fr. Peter of Prague, made a pilgrimage to Rome. He stopped in Bolsena, Italy, to celebrate Mass at the Church of St. Christina. At the time, he was having doubts about Jesus being truly present in the Blessed Sacrament. When he recited the prayer of Consecration at Mass, blood started to seep from the consecrated host and onto the cloth corporal.
Fr. Peter reported this miracle to Pope Urban IV, who sent delegates to investigate. The host and the blood-stained corporal were then placed in the Cathedral of Orvieto, where they remain today.
This Eucharistic Miracle confirmed the visions given to St. Juliana of Mont Cornillon in Belgium (1193-1258). St. Juliana was a nun and mystic who had a series of visions in which she was instructed by Our Lord to work to establish a liturgical feast for the Holy Eucharist. For many years, she had tried to convince the bishop, the future Pope Urban IV, to create this special feast in honor of the Blessed Sacrament.
Soon after the miracle of Bolsena, Pope Urban IV commissioned St. Thomas Aquinas to compose the arrangements for a Mass and an Office for the feast day. One year later, in August of 1264, Pope Urban IV, by means of the papal Bull, Transiturus, instituted the Feast of Corpus Christi for the universal Church.
What does this have to do with us? On this our patronal feast day, let us thank God for loving us enough to want to be present with us throughout our lives in the gift of the Eucharist!
Thank You - CC Carnival 2022!
After a three-year hiatus and with much prayer and hard work, this year’s carnival went off without a hitch. On Thursday morning, the first day, we heard that there would be showers all evening. Our prayers were answered with it only raining a half hour before the carnival started. The next two days were two of the most pleasant days in recent memory.
One of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is joy. After speaking with many parishioners and guests these nights, I encountered joy everywhere. Yes, the food was good, the rides were exhilarating, and the community building was evident. Yet I could see God working through this event, bringing joy, hope and healing to all those who came, after these two difficult years.
I want to thank all those who helped to plan, organize, and implement our carnival this year! A special thanks to our carnival committee, led by Hugo Barth. Thanks to the Corpus Christi staff who worked throughout the last months behind the scenes. Thank you to all the volunteers who came out to support our parish and worked quietly behind the scenes. Thanks also to those who came out and enjoyed the food and rides. This was a team effort as we live out our parish name, the Body of Christ!
Pentecost: Receiving the Holy Spirit
Today is Pentecost Sunday – it is the end of the Easter Season. Today we hear about the disciples locked in the upper room. They were all afraid. They knew that Jesus had risen from the dead and ascended into heaven. Yet they still had much in their lives that caused them fear, especially fear of the future. Coming out of over two years in Covid lockdowns, it is easy for us to sympathize with them. We also know that Jesus is risen, but we still carry in our lives sources of stress, anxiety and fear. Today the Holy Spirit comes to the disciples locked in their fear and made them fearless. The only sign given of the Holy Spirit’s presence were tongues of fire and the sound of a mighty wind. They spontaneously speak in other languages about God and the great things that God is doing through their lives and in the world.
In our spiritual life, many of us are familiar with the Father and Jesus. Yet many of us do not personally know the Holy Spirit. And if we don’t know the Holy Spirit, we are really missing out!
How do we come to know the Holy Spirit personally? The Holy Spirit is given to us at Baptism and at Confirmation. Yet we need to follow the example of the disciples to receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Today the disciples were gathered together as a community of faith. This is the context where the Holy Spirit is most effective. Gathering each week in-person, and online for those who physically can’t, we receive most powerfully the gift of the Holy Spirit at Mass each Sunday to help our souls to grow and flourish, in a way that we can’t do on our own.
The disciples also prayed for the Holy Spirit to come into their lives and their difficulties. We need to invite the Holy Spirit into our lives, our families, our difficulties. The Holy Spirit won’t come when he is not invited. The disciples had to actively wait for the Holy Spirit to come to them. They waited ten days. Sometimes God makes us wait too. God’s plan for us is perfect and so God’s timing for us is perfect too. This waiting reminded the disciples in the first century and us that all that God does for us is a pure gift. We don’t earn it. We don’t deserve it. We cooperate to receive it, but it is a pure gift to be received.
When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we are filled with joy. This joy cannot remain with us. It will bubble over to those around us. The more that we share with others what God has done through us, the more the Holy Spirit works through us, to fill us and to make us whole. Pentecost is not about 2000 years ago. It is about today!
Come Holy Spirit!
The Ascension: The Reason For Our Hope
The Ascension is one of the most important events that we celebrate during the Easter Season. After spending forty days with the disciples after the resurrection, Jesus ascends. He does not travel into the clouds and then into space. No, Jesus moves into a different and higher dimension in his glorified body. The disciples were used to relating to him in a very human way. Now Jesus begins a new way of relating with them where they no longer see him physically, but he begins to be present to them in a much deeper and intimate way. Instead of seeing Jesus, he dwells within them and us through the Holy Spirit. He touches them and us through His Word and Sacraments.
At each Mass, this new dimension where Jesus now lives is made present to us, inviting us to enter it more deeply. This happens as we follow Jesus’ mandate to “Go make disciples, baptizing and teaching them.” This is the path, through the Church, where each day we follow Jesus more deeply and ascend with Him into this new dimension. Heaven begins now! Do not think of it as something that happens at one moment when we die. It is a process that begins now and continues till then. This is the reason for our hope and is what gives us courage to want to spread this Good News no matter what is happening in our lives!
Note: This feast day is typically celebrated on Thursday. The Catholic bishops of New Jersey have recently moved the Feast permanently to Sunday.
Easter Peace
For many, Easter Sunday has come and gone. We all have heard the story of Jesus’ passion, death and resurrection so many times that it seems as if it is just another historical fact with no real impact in our lives. Yet if we look closely below the surface at what really happened and what God intends for us, it is amazing! From all eternity, the Father and the Son shared a bond of supernatural love and intimacy together. This is the stuff that heaven is made of. God wanted to share this love with us and so created the world and all of us.
When we had lost this relationship of intimacy with God because of Adam and Eve, God promised to restore it at all costs, even to sacrificing his only Son. The Gospels after Easter speak of the Apostles spreading the Faith and inviting all to share in this divine intimacy through Baptism, thus becoming part of the community of faith. In reality, they were inviting them and us to enter more deeply into this divine love and intimacy between the Father and the Son. This is the place where true peace is found, the beginning of heaven now on earth!
Yet there are millions of people around the world who do not have this peace in their lives. This is where the active practice of our faith comes into play. The more that we live, pray and act as disciples, the more deeply we enter this communion of life and love and have peace. This is why the saints were such happy people, even in the midst of difficult circumstances. Sharing in the life and love of God is available to all of us no matter what we have done in the past or where we are in life. Easter season is about grasping a hold of this offer and coming to enjoy true joy, hope and healing now and forever!
The Easter Season: Food for the Journey
Easter reminds us that death has been conquered and the universe has forever been remade. Flowers and trees now blooming remind us of this new life all around us. Like the two men on the road to Emmaus who realized, “This is the Christ,” we are called to rush out and share the good news with our family and friends. Our mission is to tell that Jesus has triumphed over the worst that life could throw at us – death. Therefore, we don’t need to be fearful anymore. God will help us with all our difficulties on the way!
Yet even after Easter, many of us realize that some things have not changed in our lives and that we still have difficulties over which we are powerless. In light of Easter, how do we move forward?
It is interesting that, after the Resurrection, Jesus appeared mainly to the disciples gathered together. This is no accident. Community—being with each other—is essential to the Christian faith. The Eucharist, the gift that he left us on Holy Thursday, is meant to bring us together, to form us as the Body of Christ. The Eucharist each week is meant to be the font from which we continually find joy, hope and healing in our lives. Jesus knew that our good intentions and goodwill could only keep us moving forward for a short time. As persons made of body and soul, when we are away from the Eucharist, we become “disconnected” from God.
When the Israelites were traveling through the desert for 40 years, they were fed by God with “manna,” a food whose purpose they did not understand. As we spread Easter joy, we are all called to delve deeper into the mystery of the Eucharist in our lives. The Eucharist is our “food for the journey,” the true “Manna from Heaven.” I invite you to spend a few moments reflecting on this fact: we receive Jesus’s Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity at each Mass. Each time we receive the Eucharist, we come to realize that God is thinking of us and wants to be ever present to us, now and forever!
“Mothers hold their children’s hands for a short time, but their hearts forever” - (anon).
As a young boy, I remember the care that my mother showed me. There was a comfort knowing that all in the world was well because my mother was present. Looking back, I think this is the way that God intends it to be. I could always count on my Mom.
As we celebrate Mother’s Day, I would like to thank all the Mothers, Grandmothers, Step Mothers, God Mothers and anyone who acts in the capacity of being a Mother for all of their great sacrifice and care!
Mother’s Day can be a mixed blessing. For some it is a reminder of a loved one who has passed. For others, it’s a reminder of the joy and vocation of motherhood. For others it can be a day of remembering real loss.
Yet, the heart of a mother reflects the love of God in an intimate and unique way. “Does a woman forget her baby…or fail to cherish the son of her womb? Yet even if these forget, I will never forget you” (Is 49:15). From bringing us into this world, to spending decades fixing meals, helping to solve our problems, picking us up when we’ve fallen, and helping us to learn to live in this world. That love continues throughout our lives!
This Sunday we express in a special way the love we have for our mothers, those with us and those called home to God. We also pray to our Blessed Mother for her guidance and courage and are grateful for those special neighbors, teachers, and friends who have nurtured us, supported us and helped us become the people we are today.
Wishing you a Mother’s Day filled with unconditional love!
Easter Joy
Happiness is something that all of us crave in our lives. Aristotle saw it as the goal of our lives. For most of us, it is the lens through which we make our big decisions -- where we will live, what we will do with our time and resources and how we live our day-to-day lives. Yet happiness is elusive. The more we try to plan it into our lives, the more it evades us. Sometimes we experience it profoundly, but most of the time we get frustrated that we cannot grasp onto it, and it quickly flees.
Our God, though, offers us something better. He offers us joy. Joy is a gift of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and is a byproduct of a life order rightly in God’s eyes. Joy is something more permanent than happiness, something that we do have some control over. Over the last two thousand years, the Church has held up many kinds of saints as examples to follow. What all of them had in common was joy. At some point in their lives, they each recognized that God offers us the path to true joy in the living out of the promises of Baptism. When we choose to live as our Lord reveals through Scripture and Tradition, we put ourselves in the path where we are most fully human, fully alive and we open ourselves to the joy that God wants us to have.
In the end, so essential is joy to our lives that St. Thomas Aquinas said that we cannot live without it. Maybe we all need a reminder to seek joy, not apart from God and what God wants, but in and through God’s plan for us. As we journey through Easter, when we choose to be an active disciple, joy will follow us! It is then that we can share it with those around us!
Easter The Power to Change Our Lives
Easter began last weekend but continues for 50 days. It is a great opportunity to spiritually tap into a power made available to all of us. How do we do this? I would like to suggest a few ways:
First, Live without Fear: If Jesus can overcome the worst that evil and sin can throw at him, we have great reason to live without fear in our lives. God is in control. God walks with us and will help us to pass through whatever difficulties we experience. “We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose” (Rom 8:28). This is not idle church-speak – this is the truth. Say “no” to fear and anxiety and choose to trust in the one who is most trustworthy.
Second, Receive Joy: When we live with the knowledge that we do not walk alone through life and don’t always have to have the answers, we are free to let God be God in our lives. If things don’t always turn out the way we plan, we can surrender to the better plan that God has for us and our loved ones. Joy does not depend on the circumstances in our lives. How often the saints had a constant joy through all their trials. God intends all of us to have this joy!
Third, Live Victoriously: If it is true that Jesus has conquered sin and death, all the other difficulties that come our way are in the hands of God too. We can choose to live as if we are truly children of God, with a supernatural dignity and an eternal destiny, or we can choose to live as if we are in the hands of fate. How much joy God receives from us when we walk through life with our heads up, cheerful, thankful and trusting in God’s providence for us. We have the greatest reason to walk with hope and courage, knowing that the ruler of the universe has our back!
Over the next few weeks, I invite you to live boldly and with joy! We were made for this, but each day we need to grasp the power that God offers us during these days of Easter!
The Lord is truly Risen, Alleluia!
From the early days of the Church, Christians have shared the joyous news about the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ “We have seen the Lord” (John 20:25). Easter reminds us that we have been reconciled with God the Father. Together we share in this victory!
In the midst of all the difficulties in our lives and in history, God has the last word. As for Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, this is the reason for our joy and hope!
These days of Easter challenge us to recommit our lives to Christ. The Church is not composed of perfect people. We are people who are perfected by the steadfast love and mercy of God. Easter can be a time of spiritual renewal and a time to begin again in our relationship with God.
Maybe you consider yourself strong in faith, maybe you are struggling with aspects of our faith. Maybe you are somewhere in between. All are welcome at Corpus Christi Parish as together we strive to live by His example and to be fed by the gifts that he gives us in the Church.
As we celebrate Easter, I’d like to thank the many people who have shared their time, talent, and treasure who worked so hard behind the scenes to decorate the church and prepare for the Easter liturgies.
I also extend a warm welcome to those who are visitors to Corpus Christi Parish. We are so very happy you chose to celebrate Mass with us in-person and online. We also extend an invitation to you to become a regular part of our parish community. Corpus Christi is Christ’s Joy, Hope and Healing received and shared.
A Happy and Blessed Easter to all of you!
Palm Sunday
This weekend, Palm Sunday, is the beginning of Holy Week. The palms are blessed and then the priest enters the church. This reminds us of Jesus entering Jerusalem at the end of his ministry as he begins his journey towards his Passion, Death and Resurrection.
It is easy for us to lose the impact of what happened 2000 years ago as just another story in the history books. Yet if we look closely at the Passion story, it is not to highlight the absolute cruelty of the Romans and the leadership of the Temple. It is rather to recall why Jesus chose to go through this ordeal, not only freely but with a sense of fulfillment! How often there is injustice in our world, and how seldom others risk their own comfort of a good name to change things for the better, to right a wrong, to challenge the establishment, to bring peace. Not Jesus! Out of love for us, Jesus walked this path of unimaginable suffering. It is hard to fathom such total self-giving for others!
During this time of uncertainty, we are called to reflect on how committed God has been to us in saving us. We are asked now during Holy Week to journey with Jesus in our own lives and to let our hearts be touched again by this great love. We follow Jesus into the uncertainty of our own lives and our world, trusting that Jesus will see us through to the other side, where all will be well!
Please consider journeying with Corpus Christi during Holy Week. Our events are found on our website at corpuschristi.org.
Forgiveness
In the early 20th century, a young boy was brought into an emergency room. The doctor cut a hole in his throat and inserted a straw-like fixture to help him breath. He assigned a nurse to watch it and ensure that it remained clear. During the night, the nurse fell asleep, and the boy began to choke...and they almost lost him. When the doctor heard what had happened, he said that he would see to it that this nurse never practiced again. But she kept responding, “Give me one more chance. Give me one more chance.” The doctor did not sleep that night. In the morning when he went in, he decided to give her another chance. Many years later, she became one of the most highly respected nurses in all of England.
Much of Jesus’ ministry during his lifetime was to reconcile us to one another and to God. Jesus always started with the premise that each person that he approached was made in God’s image and likeness and was worthy of respect and the opportunity to have another chance. In our ‘cancel’ culture, we are reminded that no matter what someone has done, no matter how much suffering they have caused, they are still God’s child worthy of another chance. Jesus always used his authority to love us into goodness. This is how God deals with us and it is the only way that our world will find healing and true peace. We are called to ask for forgiveness from others and to offer it to those who have hurt us. This is beyond our own strength. Yet with God at our side, all things are possible!
Ukraine
Only 10 hours away by airplane, there are innocent people who are suffering in Ukraine. As I write this, I try to make sense of what is happening there. The Gospel this weekend can give us some insight.
Some people mention to Jesus the Galileans whose blood Pilate mingled with their sacrifices. Jesus asks: ‘Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered thus?’ And then Jesus answers that they were not. These Galileans were innocent victims who suffered through the faults of others. There were also eighteen people on whom the tower in Siloam fell. We don’t know why the tower fell. It seems that they were innocent victims who died through unfortunate circumstances. They happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
These raise a difficult question: how can a loving God allow the innocent to suffer? Jesus reminds us that it is misguided to think that those who suffer in some way deserved this fate. Sometimes words can be cheap. Jesus responds not with words but with his life.
Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem to freely demonstrate the greatest act of love. He allows himself to be taken prisoner, to be stripped of all his possessions, to be humiliated, tortured, and to die in shame to remind us that there are innocent victims and that Jesus walks in solidarity with them.
Yet he also shows us another side. Cruelty and violence will not have the last word. God’s love and power are greater than any injustice. Goodness will triumph over evil. With Jesus’ death and resurrection, God can take the worst that life throws at us, even death, and transform them into something lifegiving and meaningful.
It is in times like these, that we are called to turn to Christ in a deeper way as we try to make sense of what we see in the news. We pray for all those who are victims of injustice, and we do what we can to assist them. In the end, we find hope in the fact that our God has conquered sin and death and ultimately is in control. As we journey through Lent, when darkness can seem overwhelming, we can rest in the knowledge that God’s light is greater than the darkness!
Transformation
During the summer breeding season, monarch butterflies live from 2-5 weeks during which they mate and lay the eggs that become the next generation. They usually lay a single egg on a plant at a time. The egg hatches in about four days. They begin life by eating their eggshell, and then move on to the plant on which they were laid. When the caterpillar has become too large for its skin, it molts, or sheds its skin. They undergo complete metamorphosis from the egg to the larva, to the pupa and then become an adult, all in about 30 days.
The transformation of monarch butterflies can teach us something about Christian transformation. God can change us instantly as he does Jesus in today’s gospel event of the Transfiguration. The dazzling display of light, that Peter, James, and John witness surrounding Jesus, is a preview of what we will one day experience. Yet most of the time, this transformation takes time. During Lent, we intentionally allow God to change us on the inside and out. How does he do that? By the Eucharist! Each week, the Eucharist deepens our relationship more than anything else can. Going to confession is the powerful means that God offers us to find healing and to remove those “bricks” that we carry all year, freeing us to love others and God more deeply.
As we journey with Jesus through the desert, we focus more on prayer, fasting, almsgiving, forgiveness and charity. And we take advantage of the many opportunities to encounter Christ and serve others. Although this is not always easy, we are reminded that, in times of doubt and uncertainty, the expectation of our future transformation helps us to turn to God and to take to heart his consoling words to us: “This is my beloved in whom I am well pleased.”
First Sunday of Lent
On this first Sunday in Lent, after his baptism Jesus is driven out into the dessert for 40 days. Jesus was tempted to take the easy path, to rely on himself, to use his gifts and powers for himself and his needs. Jesus resisted these temptations!
During Lent we are called to journey together into the desert to be with ourselves and honestly see how we are living, who we are living for, and where God fits into our lives. We are all tempted to just keep doing what we do for the rest of the year and avoid these questions.
Yet when we use all that the Church provides for us during this season, we journey with Jesus through this time in the dessert and make great progress. Extra prayer, giving to the poor, using Confession, reading the Bible, trying to reestablish relationships that are broken, fasting. All these practices help us to put God back in first place in our lives, put others second and help us to love ourselves appropriately again.
Maybe we feel like Jesus in the desert where no one sees the details of what we do and how God responds. Yet God will reward our efforts! For every step that we take towards God and others, God takes two. Jesus invites us each on this journey for 40 days! Don’t miss out on this opportunity!
SPIRITUAL FOOD
In 1999 John F. Kennedy, Jr., his wife, Carolyn, and her sister, Lauren, had a wedding to attend in Hyannis Point, Massachusetts. Since Kennedy had his pilot’s license, they decided to fly there. But the plane never made it to its destination. They all lost their lives when the plane went down into the water. The NTSB investigation found no evidence of mechanical malfunction and determined that the probable cause was “the pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane during a descent over water at night, which was a result of spatial disorientation.” Kennedy was flying that evening only by what he saw visually. If he had used his instruments and relied on them to guide his flight, he probably would have known that he was headed towards the ocean. The instrument panel is what identifies the truth. Pilots cannot depend on feelings, eyesight, or the opinion of others. Those instrument gauges are the only reliable source for determining the airplane’s true position.
In the same way that the instruments provide a roadmap for a pilot, so the Word of God is meant to be a roadmap in our relationship with God. With great certainty, God reveals to all of us who He is, who we are at our core, where we have come from and where we are heading, what the obstacles are in life, and how we overcome them with God. So often, many live their lives from the perspective of their feelings, their eyesight or from popular opinion. The Word of God is meant to keep us seeing from God’s point of view with great accuracy, from the 50,000-foot view. It is here that we put ourselves in the path where God can use us to heal our world and leads us across our lives to our final destination in heaven.
The Word of God does even more than this. Just as we must feed our bodies each day with the proper nutrition, we need to feed our souls. The main way that God feeds us in this world is at Mass, through the Word and the Eucharist. At Mass, through the Word, we are reminded of our supernatural vocation. When we hear those words as they leave the mouth of the lector or the priest, they meet whatever situation we find ourselves in our lives. God speaks through these inspired words to speak to us to anew each week. He encourages us. He reassures us. He challenges us to follow the path where together we become the best version of ourselves, and we live out our divine vocation.
The Word has power that is transmitted through it. In the book of Genesis, God said “Let there be light. And there was light.” When we allow the Word of God to enter into our lives, it gives us strength and helps us to go where we cannot go on our own good will. It gives us the grace to fight our daily spiritual battles. In a sense, when we receive these words, digest them and live them, we come to see that it is Christ who feeds our soul in a way that we cannot be fed anywhere else.
If you are feeling away from God or if you feel anxious or disconnected, maybe you need to be fed spiritually. Please consider this Lent getting to know Christ more fully through the Word. At Corpus Christi, we are here to help you to experience and be fed powerfully from the Word. For, through the Scriptures, God is speaking one Word and that Word is Christ.
Royalty
When Benjamin Franklin was 27 years old, he decided he would take control of his life. He selected twelve virtues he wanted to acquire and kept a daily chart of his progress in the development of each one. Whenever he missed the mark, he put a black dot beside that virtue. His goal was to ultimately have no dots on the chart. This method contributed to Franklin's success as an inventor, publisher, and statesman.
In the same way, it is only with a clear intentionality can we as Corpus Christi Parish be all who God calls us to be in this post-Covid world. In the past few week’s bulletins, I spoke about our vision statement. These words are beautiful, but we will not arrive at this goal unless we as a parish are also united in “how” to get there. This is our mission statement.
We are Corpus Christi, the Body of Christ. What does this really mean? While we are US citizens, citizens of NJ, and members of Chatham Township and the surrounding towns, being a part of the Body of Christ is our core identity. We can change our place of residence. We can change our citizenship. Yet we cannot change the fact that at baptism we were marked with an indelible seal – a mark that we are God’s children, adopted for all eternity. This is the primary relationship that we have with God. Yet this relationship is in and through the Church which Jesus founded. The head of the Church is Jesus (with the Pope as the visible head).
We are more than just a religious organization. The bonds that are forged at baptism tie us together with all those who have ever been baptized throughout history. They also tie us together with God. These bonds are permanent and last into heaven. If God is a trinity, a community of three persons, and if we are made in God’s image, then our lives can never just be between God and me alone!
At baptism, we receive gifts and talents and the power of the Holy Spirit to help us to develop these bonds. We need the gifts of the person sitting next to us in Church. Others need the gifts that we have been given.
Being the Body of Christ is a privilege and a responsibility. To be a part of God’s family means that we are royalty, each one of us. The several stretched limos that make up Sir Elton John’s entourage are nothing compared to the wealth we have as members of God’s family. We are called to journey as a community each week with all of those with whom we will be spending eternity. In addition, we are called to share our time, talent, and treasure for as members of the Body of Christ, he uses us to bring his love to others. These aren’t pious words. This is who we are.
Fr. Kevin
Fed by Word and the Eucharist, we are the Body of Christ called to WELCOME, WORSHIP, and GROW in relationship with Christ who leads us to SERVE and INVITE others to DISCIPLESHIP.
Our Parish’s Vision Statement: Christ’s Joy, Hope and Healing Received and Shared.
Today’s reflection is on Receiving and Sharing these three gifts.
It seems like this process is really quite straightforward – yet it is a little more complicated than meets the eye. Recently I read about a reporter who had spent many years interviewing celebrities. One of the things that this reporter remarked about these interviews was how miserable many of these celebrities, who had everything, were with themselves and how uncomfortable he was being around them.
All of us are searching for joy, hope and healing. So often we look in the wrong places. We think that if we only have the “perfect” house or “perfect” family, the “perfect” resume for our children to apply to a good school, then we will have joy, hope and healing. Although these are good things in themselves. Yet the truth is that these will never ensure joy, hope and healing. They cannot. We cannot create these three things by our own efforts. They are always a free gift from God.
We receive them when we open our hands to the way God wants to give them to us. Through the Scriptures and through Jesus’ teaching, we are told that we receive them through our relationship with Jesus through the Church. At baptism, we are joined together as the Body of Christ. It is here that Jesus gives himself to us. He feeds us through the Eucharist each week and forms us through worship into disciples. In this process of becoming disciples, where we do our part through our stewardship of time, talent and treasure, we receive the byproduct of discipleship – true joy, true hope and true healing.
As we begin to experience them, we as disciples are sent by Christ to serve others, and to invite others to be disciples. It is in so doing that we share this joy, hope and healing with others. They do not share in our joy, hope and healing. Allowing ourselves to be used by Christ, Christ puts them in the path where they can receive true joy, true hope and true healing in the same way that we did.
If you are looking to receive and share these three gifts with those around you, I invite you to journey more deeply with us during 2022, and to bring someone with you to Mass. Together we will walk the path that Christ leads us, through whatever may happen, towards real joy, hope and healing!
Our Parish’s Vision Statement: Christ’s Joy, Hope and Healing Received and Shared.
Today’s reflection is on Christ’s Healing.
The famous anthropologist Margaret Mead was once asked this question: What was the earliest sign of civilization in any given culture? He expected the answer to be a clay pot or perhaps a fishhook or grinding stone. Her answer was "a healed femur." The femur, of course, is the leg bone above the knee. Mead explained that no healed femurs are found where the law of the jungle, survival of the fittest, reigns. A healed femur shows that someone cared. Someone had to do that injured person's hunting and gathering until the leg healed. The evidence of compassion, she said, is the first sign of civilization.
I would also add that healing is also a sign of a loving God. Of the thirty-seven miracles that Jesus performed in his life on earth, many of them were healing others of infirmities of mind and body. At one point, a leper approached Jesus and said to him, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him and said, “I will do it. Be made clean.” His leprosy was cleansed immediately (Matt 8:1-3). We have a God who truly cares deeply about our hurts, our suffering, and our need for healing.
This past year has reminded all of us that we are all in need of healing, whether for ourselves or someone around us. Some forms of brokenness are obvious, others are hidden. Whether it is emotional, spiritual, physical, or mental healing, after we have done our part in the healing process, we are in need of that part of the healing process that only God can provide.
At his Ascension, Jesus entrusted his mission of healing to be continued through His Church. It is in the Church that we are brought into the right relationship with God and others. At Baptism, we are healed of Original Sin. Each week at Mass, we receive the greatest source of healing--the Eucharist. Before receiving, we say, “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof. Only say the word, and my soul shall be healed.” This isn’t wishful thinking. Through the Eucharist, we are in the process of being healed by Jesus of our spiritual leprosy – the effects of sin in our lives. Jesus also provides healing through his Word, through the Sacraments, through opportunities for prayer, homilies, and many other means.
At Corpus Christi, Jesus continues to offer the gift of healing. In the healing of the leper, the leper had to make the first move to come into Jesus’ presence, and to be open to the healing in the time and way that Jesus wanted to offer it.
If you are looking for more of this in your life, I invite you to journey more deeply with us during 2022. Together we will walk the path that Christ leads us, through whatever may happen, towards real healing!
Our Parish’s Vision Statement: Christ’s Joy, Hope and Healing Received and Shared.
Today’s reflection is on Christ’s Hope. This article is a continuation of reflections on the vision of the parish. If you would like to read the previous articles you may find them on our website under the tab ‘connect’ and then ‘bulletins’.
The ‘Christ of the Andes’ monument is perched 13,860 feet high on an old dirt road between Argentina and Chile. The 25-foot-high statue of Christ stands on a globe, holding a cross in his right hand, and raising his left arm in the sign of peace. People come from all over the area to see it. Some tourists came to a place where they could see that great statue, but the clouds moved in and suddenly they could no longer see it. Their guide said to them, "It's all right. He'll be there when the clouds move away."
Christ is always with us, even when we cannot see him, even when the sufferings of life may block our vision. After almost two years of Covid, some are pessimistic about the future. How can we hope when we have no control over what has happened, and what the future will bring? Others have lowered their expectations about the future and just live for today. Yet we have a great hope available to us that reaches beyond our present circumstances.
Christ came into the world, lived among us, suffered, died and rose for us. The cross is both the proof of his great love for us, and it is our sign of hope. The Cross was a worldly symbol of defeat. Yet it was transformed by the grace of God into the ultimate symbol of victory.
Because of this, Christ gives us the means to live and hope audaciously. No matter what we are going through, Christ is there for us to help us through all difficulties. God always wants what is truly best for us. With perfect trust in God, there is no such thing as a hopeless situation anymore. As St. Paul said, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Rm. 8:31). Because Christ is the source of our hope, we don’t have to cling to fleeting emotions, or be pushed around when life is hard.
Hope in Christ is both a gift and a calling. We freely receive it. Then we are called to bless others with hope, especially those who are struggling, those looking for meaning in life and those who feel estranged from others. Hope grows when it is shared, it blooms when it is given away!
At Corpus Christi Parish, Christ is waiting to share the Hope of His presence with you. If you are looking for more hope in your life, I invite you to journey more deeply with us during 2022. Together we will walk the path that Christ leads us, through whatever may happen, towards real hope!
Our Parish’s Vision Statement: Christ’s Joy, Hope and Healing Received and Shared.
I wanted to present my understanding of why we chose these words. Today’s reflection is on the first word—joy! In the next few weeks, I will write about the other words too in order to shed light on them.
I don’t know about you, but I could always use more joy in my life. St. Thomas Aquinas once said that we cannot live without joy. All of us know what it feels like at times to not have joy. Maybe one of the reasons why addictions and other forms of escapisms are so widespread today is that people do not want to live with the emptiness within. Yet Joy leads us to hope and optimism. It encourages, sees the best in others, and makes us feel alive. If we are honest, all of us are on a constant search for joy.
Many search for joy in the wrong places. Yet the most joyful people who have ever walked the earth are the saints. What do they have to teach us about joy? First, God created us for joy. We were created for God, and our lives in and with God is the source of this joy, now and in heaven. God created us not primarily for a personal relationship with Him, although this is important. God created us primarily for a communal relationship with Him through the Church. These bonds with God and others begin at baptism and continue into heaven. In other words, we are not ‘free agents’ here or in heaven.
The deeper that we progress in this primary relationship, the deeper our joy will become. We need the Eucharist and the Scriptures each week, as well as sharing our gifts with one another for this process to progress. Those who accept this offer encounter Christ in a real way, and are set free from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness and loneliness. This encounter with God calls each of us to move from our will and our way of loving, towards willing and loving like God.
This path of joy is not an easy one. At times, it can be very difficult. St. Paul got to the point in his relationship with God and others in the Church that he could even talk about joy while he was in chains in prison.
Through the Church, God gives us all we need to make this journey together. At Corpus Christi Parish, Christ is waiting to share the joy of His presence with you. It is a gift to be received and shared.
If you are looking for more joy in your life, I invite you to journey more deeply with us during 2022. Together we will walk the path that Christ leads us, through whatever may happen, towards real joy!
A Vision and Mission for Corpus Christi Parish
Over the past six months, the Corpus Christi staff and I have been working on a vision and mission statement for our parish. We spoke about the need to respect and honor what has come before. Among other things, our parish has a rich tradition of generosity, being welcoming and caring for the poor. Yet we also acknowledged that we are living in a new world, one much different than the last time our parish put together a vision and mission statement. We spoke about the need to minister to those who have been affected by Covid in so many ways. Lastly, we spoke about discipleship and how we can present the beauty of our Faith in a way that is helpful for those who live in our community and beyond, including those online.
This is the present version:
OUR PARISH VISION:
Christ’s Joy, Hope and Healing Received and Shared.
OUR PARISH MISSION:
Fed by Word and the Eucharist, we are the
Body of Christ called to WELCOME, WORSHIP and GROW in relationship
with Christ who leads us to SERVE and INVITE others to DISCIPLESHIP.
More to come in 2022 about these!
Seeing Further...
On Christmas Day 2021, NASA launched a joint mission between NASA, the European Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency called the James Webb Space Telescope. An idea born in 1996, with thousands of scientists working on it from multiple countries, it is the largest space telescope ever built and will transform our view of the universe. With unprecedented resolution and sensitivity, this telescope will help us to understand the origins of the universe and our place in it. It will gaze into the age when the very first stars and galaxies were formed over 13.5 billion years ago, shed light on how galaxies evolve, and possibly show how the building blocks of life could form on other planets. After six months of unfolding, aligning, and calibrating, the telescope will begin to send back these highly anticipated images.
Although many are comfortable with seeing the universe merely with their eyes, this innovative technology will provide a tool to see what humanity has only dreamed about.
As we begin a new year, we are tempted to look inwards and outwards in our lives only from the perspective of our own vision. Although this is somewhat accurate, it misses most of what God is doing in and around us. Some spend their whole lives with this limited perspective. Yet we are given the tools needed to expand this vision. Daily prayer helps us to cut through the dark clouds of self and selfishness. Reading the Scriptures gives us the unique perspective of where we fit in the universe and calls us to be all that God has in store for us. Weekly Eucharist gives us the strength to keep searching for the truth and to find jo y even in the struggles that we all pass through. As we begin a new year, I invite all of us to renew our commitment to using these tools that God gives us through the Church to peer through that which often remains hidden from plain sight.
Although many are comfortable with only seeing inwards and outwards with their own eyes, God gives us the tools to see the supernatural around us. These tools are at our fingertips. God wants to give us clarity, yet it is up to us to use them. T he view will be worth it!
New Year’s Message
Happy New Year! My hope is that God will bless all of us with hope, faith, and excitement as we journey into 2022. We have much to be joyful about. God has and will continue to provide for us. I am grateful for you and am humbled to be your pastor. Your faith and passion for God, and your desire to serve others are an encouragement to me!
As we say goodbye to 2021, we recognize the losses that we have grieved. We also remember the moments of grace. This past year we learned how to walk more deeply in faith and trust. The time together retaught us the importance of family and what really matters in life. We were reminded of how connected all of us really are and how we need to look out for each other. Throughout this past year, we have been walking a pilgrimage of faith not knowing how long the pandemic would last. It reminded all of us that we do really need God, and that God is ready, willing, and able to help us!
We still live with uncertainty, but we move forward with hope. The uncertainty helps us to lean on the One who can truly help us. Our God will carve a path through the difficulties that surround us and lead us with His mighty arm.
Please know that we are here for each of you. Let us know how we are doing and if there is something that we can do better. Our goal at Corpus Christi is Christ’s joy, hope and healing received and shared!
I look forward to 2022 and the many blessings that await us together!
The Feast of the Holy Family
The 30 years that Jesus lived in Nazareth with his family are often called the “hidden years.” Yet during this quiet, uneventful time, Jesus learned what it means to love sacrificially, how to be intimate with God and how to live out this way of life. It was Mary and Joseph who demonstrated this for him. In our own lives, the family is the “school” where we learn the love of God, how to be people of faith and how to be people of selfless love.
Although our families are imperfect, God continues to nurture and form us through our families. From here, we learn to be family within the Church and in society. Jesus calls us to expand our family to include others, especially those around us in need and those without family. From the family, Jesus continues to save, redeem and recreate our world through us, if we allow him. Not easy, but possible!
This weekend, we honor the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph for their example. No matter what happened in the past, we make our family a priority and nurture these relationships. In doing so, we allow God to use us to change our little piece of the world!
What is Faith?
Faith is a word that is used in many ways. For some, faith is a mild trust in something. For others, faith means that we believe in the character of someone. For many, it is a belief that God is real, and that God is present in our lives. Yet, although these are part of the definition, faith is much more embracing. Faith is an essential part of all that happens to us each day. We have faith that the airline pilot will act responsibly steering our plane. We have faith that, if we call 911, the police will come. We have faith that the food we eat is fresh and beneficial to our health. We have faith that the diagnosis that we receive from a doctor is true.
On this 4th Sunday of Advent, we are told what faith really is all about. Mary is told that God is changing her plans 100% and that she is going to conceive by the Holy Spirit. While she is still processing this, she is sent to help her cousin Elizabeth to assist her with her pregnancy. She doesn’t have time to process her own situation and God has asked her to be a blessing and assist her cousin. Saying yes to God was messy and came at a great cost to her. Yet she took a deep breath and responded with a resounding Yes at each moment.
Saying we have faith is easy when things are going well. Yet how hard it is to say Yes to God with faith when our plans can be changed, when we are not in control, when we experience stress and anxiety along the way.
Mary made that leap of faith with trust in the One who made the promise to her. Because of this act of faith, the Savior of the world was born into our world, and we are now able to enter into heaven one day. During this Advent season, we are reminded that the Yeses that we say to God when our plans change can be a source of great grace and peace to us and all those around us. Advent reminds us that God is worthy of our leaps of faith!
Joy Amidst Darkness
John the Baptist appeared to the people around him who were clouded in darkness. They did not see God or hope, but only the difficulties in their lives. John’s purpose was to point out to them where the light was – this light of hope in the midst of their darkness. He stood out because of his words, his actions of kindness and the way he presented himself. And people responded to this light!
During this time of Advent, we are all called like John the Baptist to point to the light that Christ has brought into our world. We are not asked to wear clothing of camel’s hair, but we are called to radiate this light by standing out. Standing out by our kindness, our selflessness, our forgiveness, our charity, our faith, our presence, our giving and our concern.
All that is needed from us is a minimal amount of light to help those around us see beyond their darkness -that there is hope. As disciples, the more that we choose to stand out in this way, the more our lives will radiate this light.
This weekend, we light the rose-colored candle on the Advent wreath – the sign of Joy. This joy is a byproduct of being a living witness of light to those around us. How much this light is needed in our world!
Advent: Wanting to Be Found
I grew up on a dead-end street where there happened to be many young children my age. Together, we would spend our afternoons playing organized sports such as kickball, pickle and wiffleball. Since our street bordered the woods, one of our most popular pastimes was ‘hide and seek.’ While playing this, I remember finding it boring to be hidden too well. At times, we would make a little noise so that the leader would eventually find us. Looking back, we all liked to be found!
During Advent, we are reminded that God is coming to find us. Why? Well we all have our ways of hiding. At times, we hide in the busyness of our lives. At times, we hide in our fears, our anxieties and our uncertainties. We hide in the many shades of darkness that have changed and colored our world for the last nine months.
Yet God is coming! It is as if God is telling us during this season of Advent, “Ready or not, here I come!” This is no mere pious thought. Sometimes when God visits us, we don’t take notice. We think this is the private sphere of the “saints.” Yet our God wants us each personally to see and experience this great care and comfort.
It is easy to push this off as wishful thinking. Yet the reality is that we all yearn to be found by God – to be found by that unconditional love for which our hearts ache. We were made to receive and reflect this perfect love. Our simple actions during Advent such as praying more, reading the Bible, going to Confession and acts of care for others – are our making a little noise, so that we let God know we want to be found!
Advent: Waiting with Hope
The days are getting shorter and light is receding. With many of the leaves gone, the trees remind us that together we have moved into a new season. After many months of having our lives altered, these changes seem much more noticeable and meaningful this year.
This weekend, we begin the season of Advent. Advent is all about waiting. The waiting that we have been doing for the past year can help us to enter this season of waiting. The waiting of Advent is not a passive waiting for things to just return to what they were before Covid. It is an active waiting for something better!
We prepare ourselves by consciously being aware of the three comings of Christ. We meditate on the coming of Christ 2000 years ago as a baby to save us from our sins. We look forward to the end of time, when Christ will return and bring us who remain to heaven forever. The middle coming is the hidden coming of Christ in our lives each day. This usually happens in the darkest moments, when we think that God is absent and uncaring, and we cannot see a path forward.
We also prepare through more prayer, taking an honest look at our lives through confession and doing works of charity for others. I invite you this Advent to make a resolution to make use of the opportunities that our parish offers to assist in this process. You can find these on our website at corpuschristi.org.
Maybe the slower pace of our lives right now gives us the ability to really spend time listening and watching for God during Advent. Our God does not come to us with bells and whistles announcing his coming. Like a thief in the night, he comes in the stillness and quiet when we make room to listen. He reveals himself if we take the time to reflect, prepare, watch and wait.
Jesus comes to bring us hope and peace in the uncertainty and brokenness of our and our family’s lives – a peace which the world cannot give. He comes to remind us of the only One who can fill our hearts and to give meaning to all that has and will happen to us. This is the peace that is held out to us – if we are willing to wait and walk in hope!
Fall Back
This Saturday night, we are asked to put our clocks back, gaining an hour of sleep for us all. This practice in the US first began in 1918 to save fuel as our country entered the first World War. The next national Daylight Saving Time policy didn ’t come until 1942 which lasted the duration of the war, with some places opting out including New York City. In 1966, Lyndon Johnson signed the Uniform Time Act to observe six months of Daylight Saving Time and six months of Standard Time. In 1973, President Nixon, after the oil embargo, called for a year-round Daylight Saving Time which lasted for a short time. In 1986, the US started observing seven months of Daylight Savings.
There has been much debate on the economic/financial benefits of doing so, but one this is quite clear, that this simple restructuring of our routine brings more light into all our days.
Now is a good time to begin to restructure our routines to include things that will bring in more light into our and our family’s lives, such as: spending 15 minutes reading a short section of the bible, talking to God for five minutes while we are driving, giving to a worthy charity, calling someone who we know is alone, reading a short section of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Simple changes in our routines can have a profound effect on our and other’s lives.
A Synod on Listening
Pope Francis has convened a Synod in Rome beginning this month. This synod will be different than others. The Synod of Bishops, which emerged out of the Second Vatican Council, was designed in part to provide a mechanism for global church leaders to come to Rome to confront certain challenges in the life of the church. This synod model adds a new component that begins with a listening stage with local churches at the diocesan level. There will be six months of local consultations, inviting all the faithful and especially those in local leadership to do some soul-searching. This process will end in Rome in October 2023 with the gathering of bishops and others from around the world.
This synod’s theme is “ For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation and Mission." Pope Francis said that this new model will be an opportunity to, “become a listening church, to break out of our routine… in order to stop and listen.” In addition, the handbook of the synod states that the purpose of this synod is not to produce more documents, but “is intended to inspire people to dream about the church we are called to be, to make people's hopes flourish, to stimulate trust, to bind up wounds, to weave new and deeper relationships, to learn from one another, to build bridges, to enlighten minds, warm hearts, and restore strength to our hands for our common mission." The Pope added that this synod will focus on listening intently to those who are marginalized and experience rejection.
On October 17, bishops from around the world have been requested to celebrate a Mass for the opening of the synod in their home dioceses. The opening Mass for our diocese happened this past weekend at St. John’s Cathedral in Paterson. Each parish in our diocese was asked to send two representatives. Dr. Delia Radovich and Dr. Russell Manfredi represented our parish. In the next few weeks, more information will be coming as to how these listening sessions will be implemented around our diocese.
Please pray for this process in our diocese, nationally and globally. Listening often shows us where God is speaking where we do not expect.
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and enkindle in them the fire of your love.
Abraham: A Guide into the Unknown
This past year reminds us that life leads all of us into unknown territory. As our lives begin to return to normal, we are made aware that things aren’t exactly the way they use to be. Our daily routines are different. Our relationships are different. We are different. This can be a cause of stress and anxiety for many, as the national statistics for adults and children testify.
Yet it can also be an opportunity to learn to walk in faith more intentionally. God said to Abraham, “ Go forth from your land, your relatives, and from your father’s house to a land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing (Gn 12:1-2).”
Sounds easy. Yet it wasn’t! Abraham didn’t know where he was going. Leaving the place where one is comfortable, leaving behind family and friends is very hard for the best of us. God made a great promise, but Abraham couldn’t see it. He couldn’t touch it. It was invisible. Would anything good be on the other side?
Yet faith is believing in the invisible reality of God’s word to us over what we can see and hear (Hebrews 11:1). This is always simple in theory. When we are called by God to move into the unknown in some part of our lives, it quickly becomes difficult. Even the saints struggled with this. Can I trust God in my own situation?
Abraham made the decision to live by faith. Because of this, he experienced more blessings than he could ever have imagined. Through his family, the Savior, Jesus, was born.
So, here’s the question for us all: What would it look like for you to exercise faith in the situation you feel God is calling you to? How different our world and history would have been if Abraham played it safe and refused to follow God by faith. How different our world will be if we choose to walk in faith all the time!
Respect for Life
In the late 1990’s, I worked in a group home for a company that specialized in care for those with autism. The clients in the home in which I worked had the most severe cases. Over that year, I got to know and understand these young men and women. In the beginning, I was focused on their behaviors which at times could be extreme. Since I had spent so much time with them, I was able to move beyond these behaviors to begin to see their personalities and their goodness. I would catch random acts of kindness that they would do for each other, sharing their snacks, holding hands occasionally, etc. These brief actions reminded me that each of these men and women were indeed children of God made in God’s image and likeness, worthy as much respect as anyone else.
This month, October, we celebrate Respect Life Month. It is a time to remember the great gift of life that God gives us – from conception to natural death. We are called to care for, protect and defend the lives of all our brothers and sisters especially those who are most vulnerable and those marginalized. As part of the Year of St. Joseph declared by Pope Francis, this year’s celebration highlights the example of that great saint. As the faithful protector of both Jesus and Mary, we find in St. Joseph a profound reminder of our own call to welcome, safeguard, and defend God’s precious gift of human life.
When we protect and cherish life at all stages, we see glimmers of the divine shining through a frail humanity, reminding us of our own dignity before God and others.
Mass is Boring
Soon we will see geese heading south for the winter. It has been learned that as each bird flaps its wings, it creates an uplift for the bird immediately following. Whenever a goose falls “out of formation,” it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to go it alone, and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front.
The same can happen in our spiritual journey. Often people will say to me that Mass is “boring,” or “I don’t get anything out of it.” This resistance happens to all of us at times. Yet it is also an indicator that we are out of formation on our own. Worship of God is a communal experience. With a little work on our part, we can move beyond this – to place ourselves where we experience the beauty and mystery of the Mass. Simple things such as coming to Mass early and giving ourselves time to center ourselves can bear much fruit. Spending five minutes sometime before Mass to pray over the readings of the day is a powerful way to unlock the power of God working through the words of Scripture. Then when we hear the words at Mass, we are more likely to hear God speak to us personally.
It is easy to get distracted at Mass and ponder what may be happening later in the day. Yet the more we try to refocus our thoughts and really listen to the words of Mass, we are allowing ourselves to become attuned to what God is saying. Staying till the end of Mass, until after the closing song is over, focuses us so that we can remember why and for whom we are there.
Experiencing the Mass as a spectator is the surest way to mistake the Mass as boring. Yet in following these simple acts, we are allowing ourselves to move back into the path of grace and allow God to lift us where we cannot go on our own. When we practice these, we discover what the saints did – that Mass is far from boring. We are touching a piece of heaven each week, if we are willing to do our part.
Doubt Moving us Forward
When we are young, we think we can take on the whole world. We know ourselves somewhat and often are very hopeful. Yet as we get older, and through experiencing life with all its ups and downs, we begin to see that we are not as strong as we thought. Our strengths and weaknesses become more and more pronounced.
For many, this process can lead to cynicism. For others, it can lead to doubting God, doubting others and doubting ourselves.
Yet this need not be the case. This awareness can be a turning point in our relationship with God for the better. To see how small we are in relationship to God and to the problems of the world is to see reality as it is.
Jesus tells us, “Apart from me you can do nothing” (Jn 15:5). Life shows us how this is so true as we gain wisdom from our experiences and failures. This awareness can lead us away from God or towards God. It can be a call for each of us to learn to lean more on God than on ourselves. The more we lean on God and less on ourselves, the more free we become and the more we experience joy and hope. We were never meant to get through this life on our own power. Yes, we have to cooperate and do our part. We must decrease, so that God can increase in our lives. This decision to lean on God, to trust God, is our hope in every circumstance, but especially true as we come out of Covid!
Keeping Close
“Now and then I think of when we were together
Like when you said you felt so happy you could die
Told myself that you were right for me
But felt so lonely in your company”
(Somebody That I Used to Know - Gotye)
As relationships change over time, we are reminded that hearts can drift apart. This cuts across all relationships, including marriage and friendships. It only takes time and the right conditions. There need not be any malice or other motives involved.
This is true in our relationship with God. One day Jesus got into a boat and the disciples went with him. A huge storm came, and they were in fear, as Jesus slept. They argued amongst themselves how they were all going to die. It is only at the end that they eventually come to Jesus, the master of creation. “Then he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was great calm” (Matt 8:26). Why?
Rather than keeping close to Jesus on the boat, they kept close to one another as Jesus “slept.” Even in this short time, they let their relationship with Jesus fade. They showed that the further we drift from God, the less the faith that we will have.
The past has given each of us many opportunities to drift in our relationship with Jesus through the Church. It is no surprise, since the last 18 months have changed all our routines. Yet, God allows U-turns. Maybe it is physically receiving the Eucharist. Maybe it is restarting our prayer life. Maybe it is making Sunday a priority with God once again. Jesus wants to be in communion with us all the time, not just in the storms. Staying close to the one in control of every facet of our lives is key. How lucky we are to have a God who is so close to each of us and wants all of us!
Receiving Fully the Gift
At the core of our Faith is the belief that the Eucharist is the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ. Yet a recent Pew Research Center survey found that nearly 70% of Catholics surveyed mistakenly believe that during Mass, the bread and wine used in Communion “are symbols” of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ (7/19).
Also, at the core of our Faith is the understanding that when we receive the Eucharist at Mass, it unites us to Christ and to the Church that he founded. This was not the decision of later Popes and church leaders, but was the intention of Christ from the beginning. Christ gave us the Sacraments to bring us into full communion with his Body, the Church. Through Baptism we are washed of Original Sin, we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit and we become part of the Church. First Communion strengthens us and opens up our understanding to the mystery of Jesus in our lives. At Confirmation, we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit again and our communion with Christ and the Church is completed. Our faithfulness for what Christ puts into place, we honor and follow these three steps leading to full communion in the Church.
This is not to exclude others. Christ offers full communion to all people and by our baptism we are called to invite others into this full communion. Jesus, before Ascending into heaven, commanded his disciples to go out to all nations to baptize them and facilitate their entry fully into the Church (Matt 28:19-20). In love, Christ doesn’t want us to only experience part of his gifts. He wants more than anything for us to have the fullness of life with him, in full communion with him in and through His Church.
Joy and the Eucharist
Some look at Catholicism as a religion of rules -- rules that don’t seem relevant to our daily lives. In the old days, Catholics weren’t supposed to eat meat on Fridays. We are told to get ashes on Ash Wednesday. Sunday Mass is obligatory. One might ask why we would want to be a part of a faith that is so restrictive? Yet the reality is that this is a superficial understanding of our beautiful faith.
The Bible is a collection of divinely inspired books that tell the story of our good God revealing himself to his people. God wants us to know definitively who he is and who we are. He wants us to know how much he loves us and how much he wants to share life with us. Lastly, he wants to teach us how to love others in light of our common destiny, and how to properly love him in return. We may think these truths are selfevident, yet many of them are not.
Often these teachings are difficult because God’s intent is to move us beyond our own plans, our own opinions, our wanting to love our way. They move us beyond the weaknesses and sin that affect every one of us. Many today give up on our Catholic faith because they feel that these teachings/rules are too difficult or there doesn’t seem to be a payoff from living them out.
Yet the Eucharist is God’s answer to these difficulties. The Eucharist is designed specifically to give us the strength to make those leaps of faith that we need to live out these teachings, to help us to move from our will to God’s. There is a profound joy that comes from practicing virtue and walking the road of holiness by following God’s commands. This is the one thing that all the saints experienced. Yet this is the same joy that God wants for each of us. Only the Eucharist can give us the strength to move beyond self and to experience the joy of a life well-ordered. The Eucharist gives us the strength to walk the path that our good intentions cannot take us. If we want to experience this joy, we may consider increasing the frequency that we receive the Eucharist. You won’t be disappointed!
Seeing Clearly with Little Light
In Mammoth Cave, Kentucky, the waters in the farthest recesses of the cave are completely dark. The fish that swim there are blind. The structure of their eyes is intact, but the optic nerve has atrophied. They have eyes but cannot see.
Jesus suggested that if people shut their eyes and ears to goodness long enough, they eventually come to the place where they can no longer tell the difference between good and evil. They have extinguished the light that is within them. Many during Jesus’ time could look at Jesus and instead of being moved by him, they were indifferent or antagonistic. Jesus reminds us that if we focus solely on the difficulties around us and refuse to see God at work in the world, eventually we can get to the point of no longer recognizing God and God’s actions even when his works are clear.
To help us see ourselves as we truly are and help us see God in our lives, Jesus gives us certain gifts. He gives Confession so that, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we see ourselves as we truly are with our struggles and sins. Even if we haven’t committed serious sin, regular confessions provide the grace to make this happen. Jesus also gives us the truth about this life and the next. Through Scripture and Tradition, he enables us to reference our own beliefs and hopes, so that they are in line with what God has called us to be and lead us towards our true home in heaven. And most especially he gives us himself in the Eucharist. Receiving the Eucharist so unites us to Jesus that we begin to think and act like Jesus.
As we move towards more normalcy in our lives, I invite each of us to reinvest ourselves in how we live out our faith. For those who are able to come to Mass, being present in-person is what will help us to see and know God best. For those who are unable to come for health reasons, God will supply what you need. We will continue our online Masses and other activities to assist you.
The more we live as disciples exercising our conscience and using the gifts that God provides, the more we allow our good God to lead us to true healing and hope, even when there is some darkness around us!
Catechists For Our Children
Pope Francis once said, “Even if at times it may be difficult and require a great deal of work, and although the results are not always what we hope for, teaching the faith is something beautiful! It is perhaps the best legacy we can pass on: the faith! To educate in the faith, to make it grow. To help children, young people and adults to know and love the Lord more and more is one of the most exciting aspects of education. It builds up the Church!” (Audience 9/27/13)
I am truly grateful for my parents and the catechists who stepped forward to teach the Faith to me as I was growing up. Whether in Religious Education class or later in Catholic schools, these men and woman gave me a gift that I did not appreciate at the time. I look back now with wonder and thanks for those who planted these seeds. After they began to grow, these seeds changed my life forever.
There are no perfect catechists. Each of us comes with a limited understanding of the Faith and when we share that piece and help our young to learn the basics of our Faith, we grow in our understanding too. I know it can be intimidating to come forward to teach religious education and think, “I am not worthy, or I am not qualified.” Well, none of us is worthy or perfectly qualified. Yet our Coordinator of Religious Education and Director of Youth, Brigette, can help get you started. Maybe God is whispering to you!
We are in need of catechists for this fall for our religious education program. If you are interested or have questions, please feel free to contact Brigette Vohden, bvohden@corpuschristi.org, or Father Michael, frmichael@corpuschristi.org. Don’t be afraid. Our kids need your gifts and your lived experience of our Faith!
A Higher Standard That Satisfies
There was a man who had been messy his entire life. He just couldn't comprehend the logic of neatness. Why make up a bed if you're going to sleep in it again tonight? Why put the lid on the toothpaste tube if you're going to take it off again in the morning? He admitted to being compulsive about being messy. Then he got married. His wife was patient. She said she didn't mind his habits. . . if he didn't mind sleeping on the couch. Since he did mind, he began to change. He said he enrolled in a 12-step program for those with sloppiness. A physical therapist helped him rediscover the muscles used for hanging up shirts and placing toilet paper on the holder. By the time his in-laws arrived for a visit, he was a new man. But then came that moment of truth. His wife went out of town for a week. At first, he reverted to the old man. He figured he could be sloppy for six days and clean up on the seventh. But something strange happened. He could no longer relax with dirty dishes in the sink or towels flung around the bathroom or clothes on the floor. What happened? He had been exposed to neatness, order, cleanliness. He had been introduced to a higher standard of living (Billy D. Strayhorn).
Jesus came to expose us to a higher way of living – one that reflects the great dignity that we have as made in God’s image. The Gospel and the Tradition of our Faith are the guide. Confession and repentance help us to move beyond our feelings and preferences, our own philosophies and goals, to something greater. It gives us the strength and grace to live this different way.
It doesn’t matter if we are old or young, whatever your political affiliation, we are all called to a holy life. Our own standards are attractive and give us a feeling of control. Yet we are called to be on a journey. This journey of repentance and change towards God’s standards is the path of fulfillment and joy!
Made for More!
On Sunday, July 11, 2021, Richard Branson became the first person to ride into space aboard a rocket that he helped to fund. Branson, Virgin Galactic founder, boarded the SpaceShipTwo, a winged plane with a single rocket motor, just before dawn. Underneath the mothership, WhiteKnightTwo, the vehicle took off at 8:30 AM and climbed to 50,000 feet. SpaceShipTwo detached from its mothership and the engine came to life. At the top of the flightpath, more than 50 miles high, they enjoyed weightlessness for a few minutes. The passengers enjoyed the panoramic views of the Earth and space. Branson said that the experience was too ‘magnificent’ to describe.
In the same way, Jesus paved the path for us to heaven, a place that is also too ‘magnificent’ to describe. Yet this destination is open to each one of us. We were made for this purpose. The vehicle that God prepared for us to carry us there is the Church.
It is all about staying close to the church. Yes, it is made up of imperfect people and leaders, yet it is also divine. Christ is the head, and we are attached to him as his Body through baptism. It is within the Church that we are fed with the only fuel that can bring us there with certainty – the Eucharist. The Church, the Eucharist and the Sacraments were designed by God specifically to carry us where we cannot go on our own strength and good will. They carry us to the outer limits of eternity. We were made for more than our day-to-day life. May we not lose sight of our destiny!
Thirsting for God
In a recent homily, Pope Francis referencing Jesus’ preparation for the final Passover meal used the image of a man carrying a jar of water to remind us that humanity is thirsty, thirsty for something deeper than all that this world has to offer. Each of us is thirsty for love, joy and success, but even these are not enough for our hearts. We need more! Our lives are often so busy that we don’t stop and listen to our hearts telling us that we need more. Only God can satisfy this need. We were made for this. As St. Augustine said, “our hearts are restless until they rest in thee.”
God wants to satisfy this need. One of the reasons why God came down from heaven and died on the cross was that he would remain with us “until the end of time.” We believe that this promise was fulfilled in the Eucharist. Jesus remains with us in every age, in every country, in every circumstance in the Eucharist. We have a God that does not want a long-distance relationship with us. He is present in every tabernacle in every Catholic Church around the world. For those who receive the Eucharist, he journeys with us day in and day out, closer to us than we are to ourselves. This is the God who can satisfy our deepest thirst.
As more and more return to Church in-person, I invite you to meditate on this great gift and to rediscover the one who can meet our deepest needs. A great way to grow in our love of Jesus in the Eucharist is to attend Eucharistic Adoration on Mondays and Wednesdays from 1 pm to 3 pm. When we spend time, even if it is 5 minutes, with the one who loves us more than anyone else, our hearts grow larger, and we are able to return this love to God and others more deeply.
If we won the lottery, we would want to share the proceeds with those around us with whom we love. In the same way, if we realize that only Jesus in the Eucharist can fully fill the deepest parts of our hearts, wouldn’t we want to help those around us to know this same joy? It is as simple as inviting someone to come to church with us.
For those who are not yet able to come back to the Eucharist, God never leaves us alone. We are able to spiritually receive the graces of the Eucharist by participating in Mass online and through prayer. God wants to satisfy this thirst. Are we willing to come to the well!
We are the Body of Christ
It is wonderful to see so many more families and individuals come back to the in-person Masses at Corpus Christi Parish each weekend. It reminds me that things truly are beginning to get back to normal. We were made to be in communion with each other. We are better together, and we come to know God much more clearly through those bonds with others in the Church that God establishes at baptism. We cannot reach our potential without others’ gifts, and they cannot reach their potential without ours.
Although it was difficult for all of us, God quietly carried each of us and our families. Many lost relatives and loved ones. There were long periods of time alone. Although we do not see all the good that will come from these experiences, we trust that God will one day reveal them to us. The past year has taught me to trust God more deeply by having to walk blindly at times.
I encourage those who can come, to consider coming back to Mass at Church. Receiving the Eucharist is the central way that we grow in our faith, hope and love. The Eucharist gives us the strength to truly follow Jesus as his disciple, and to bring us where we cannot go on our own strength or good will. It begins to fill the heart-shaped hole in our hearts that cannot be filled by anything else in this world. This is also the sure path of happiness and joy.
For those who are not able to come at this time because of a vulnerability for themselves or a family member, please know that you are not alone. We will continue to livestream our Masses. God also continues to bless you through the spiritual Communion of being connected with our community online especially at Mass and through our prayers for you.
I pray that one day soon, we will all be reunited as the Body of Christ. This is the deepest desire of God and the pathway for us to become the best version of ourselves.
Father’s Day
“My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me” - Jim Valvano.
Fathers and those who act as father -figures share in the creative power of God in a unique way. In the verb form, the word, “father” means “the founder, to be the foundation, to author.” They are called to walk on sacred ground where God has allowed them to stand in a role that they could not possibly fill without His help, love and wisdom.
Recognizing this need, a father is primarily a spiritual leader in the family. How many studies show that fathers who actively practice their faith have a major influence in their children practicing one day. Whether it is teaching, mentoring, providing for, and especially leading their children in the ways of faith, the father’s presence and example is invaluable. Like St. Joseph, this foundation is usually formed in a hidden way. This foundation allows for their children to grow physically, emotionally and spiritually, and all without counting the costs. What a privileged vocation!
This Sunday we express in a special way the love we have for our fathers and those who act as father figures, those with us and those called home to God.
Wishing you a Father’s Day filled with gratitude!
“Thank You” For All That You Do
As the school year comes to an end and we are moving towards the summer months, I thought it might be a good time to thank all of you!
Your generous support of Corpus Christi Parish over this year, spiritually, financially and in terms of service makes us what we are today. We have a full-service parish with an extensive staff, always growing and changing programs to try and meet your needs, and parish buildings and grounds which require constant attention.
This past year we have done many small projects to beautify and to maintain our complex. Sections of the roof of the offices have been replaced. Inside we have replaced large sections of ceiling tiles and painted the tile grids. In addition, the gym and other locations have been repainted. The atrium conference room was redecorated. We have been cleaning the outside property borders and have beautified the front entrance of the Church. These are just a few of the many improvements to help keep our parish complex in good condition, with the help of our parish finance council.
In the coming months, we hope to have more opportunities for you in-person and online to help you to grow in your faith and to serve others, as we grow as a parish family. As more and more people are vaccinated and governmental guidelines allow more activities, we will continue to adapt as parish.
I realize that there have been many changes in our lives and in our parish over the last year. Yet together we will meet these challenges and continue to thrive. Your intentional and sacrificial stewardship is a sign of faith that allows this to happen. May God bless you for it!
Memorial Day 2021
During World War II, an Army transport ship called the Dorchester was carrying American soldiers through the North Atlantic. In the darkness, a German submarine fired torpedoes. One of the torpedoes hit the middle of the ship, and the Dorchester began to sink.
The soldiers and sailors searched in the dark for life jackets and lifeboats. Along with them on the ship were four military chaplains, from four different religions: Father John Washington, who was Catholic; the Rev. Clark Poling, who was ordained in the Reformed Church in America; Rabbi Alexander Goode, who was Jewish; and the Rev. George Fox, who was Methodist.
As the Dorchester began to sink, there were not enough life jackets readily available for everyone on the ship. So, when the life jackets ran out, the four chaplains removed their own, and handed them to soldiers who did not have them. The four chaplains joined their arms together and prayed as the ship went down.
Memorial Day is an opportunity, as a nation, to remember those who have died so that we might live. The blessings of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness that we enjoy are a testament to the price they paid. As Catholics, we remember those who have gone before and pray for their souls. I, like many priests on Memorial Day, will offer Mass for the repose of those who have died in service to our nation. Honoring the fallen is important for us so that we do not take our blessings for granted.
But maybe, most important of all, Memorial Day can help inspire us to the greatest thing of which we are capable of --sacrificial love. Love that sacrifices for the other is the definition of true love.
At Mass, we remember what Jesus did for us – the ultimate act of sacrificial love so that we could spend forever in heaven. This act, imitated by the four chaplains on the Dorchester, reminds us of what is truly important in our lives, to love others in the same way. As Jesus says to each of us: “Do this in memory of Me.”
Pentecost
Today is the end of the Easter Season and the Holy Spirit descends on the Apostles. They had been waiting in the upper room when a mighty wind blew, and tongues of fire came to rest on each of them. They began to speak in foreign languages. Suddenly they were able to speak boldly about Jesus and all that Jesus taught them.
Filled with the Holy Spirit, they left with all they needed to do what Jesus asked. These simple fearful and uneducated fishermen and others went out to take on the world. They succeeded!
Pentecost reminded them that the work of Jesus and proclaiming the Gospel is God’s work first. They would not be able to go out and live the Gospel message on their own power. There are too many obstacles in our world. He knew they needed a helper-the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is the Paraclete (a Greek word that is translated as Counselor, Comforter, Helper, Encourager, or Enabler).
At our baptism, we receive the Holy Spirit and are asked to begin to walk in faith within the Church. At Confirmation, we are strengthened by the Holy Spirit to make our faith our own and to be active disciples in the world. To do this, we invite the Holy Spirit to use us daily: to forgive those who have hurt us, to make U-turns where we need, to encourage those who are down and out. The Holy Spirit is never afraid to stretch us so that we can do great things. Sometimes it is easy to look at the difficulties in our lives and to be self-focused. We rightly think that we don’t have the strength, knowledge or ability to handle these situations. Yet when we lean on the Holy Spirit, we receive the unseen, all-powerful and unstoppable presence of God, the “ruah” that animates the work of the Church. The secret of all the saints and martyrs was that they leaned on the Holy Spirit and not on themselves.
Pentecost reminds us no matter what we are going through, that God is here for us. He wants to lead us to wholeness and healing. When we invite the Holy Spirit into our lives each day, there is no obstacle that cannot be cleared, no difficulty that can keep us from receiving the hope, peace and the comfort of where God wants to lead us. When we live out our faith with the help of the Holy Spirit, great things happen!
Mother’s Day
It is no secret of the important place that mothers have in our lives. “It’s not easy being a mother. If it were, fathers would do it ”(Golden Girls). "All that I am or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother" (Abraham Lincoln). "Mothers write on the hearts of their children what the world’s rough hand cannot erase" (Anon). “A mother’s arms are more comforting than anyone else’s” (Princess Diana). “Being a mom has made me so tired. And so happy” (Tina Fey). “There are no goodbyes, wherever you are, you will always be in my heart” (Mahatma Gandhi).
God knew what he was doing when he designed motherhood. None of us enters this world except through our mothers. He wanted us to be surrounded and nurtured by love as we enter this world. This was so we could come to understand concretely how much God loves us. “As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you” (Is 66:13).
This doesn’t mean that there aren’t difficulties along the way. Yet from bringing us into this world, to spending decades fixing meals, helping to solve our problems, picking us up when we’ve fallen, and helping us to learn to live in this world. Their love continues throughout our lives!
This Sunday we express in a special way the love we have for our mothers, those with us and those called home to God. We pray also for those special neighbors, teachers, and friends who have nurtured us, supported us and helped us become the people we are today.
Wishing you a Mother’s Day filled with unconditional love!
Year of St. Joseph
This past December, Pope Francis declared a special Year of St. Joseph for the church to run through December 8, 2021. This marks the 150th anniversary of Pope Pius IX declaring St. Joseph as the patron of the Universal Church. Pope Francis, in speaking about Covid-19, said that it, “has helped us see more clearly the importance of ordinary people who, though far from the limelight, exercise patience and offer hope every day.” St. Joseph is the example of this par excellence.
Along with Mary, Joseph had the tremendous responsibility of receiving the Son of God into our human family. He did this with very little information provided by God. In the midst of this, he faced trial after trial. First being told that Mary would have a child by the Holy Spirit. Then when Jesus was around 12 years old, he was lost for three days. In addition, he had to face the long and strenuous hours of chiseling rock and wood each day at work in order to provide a home with Mary for Jesus.
Behind the scenes, Joseph had no idea how important his life was and what a great and unique mission he had been given. Jesus learned what ‘Father’ meant from Joseph’s quiet love and care, guidance and protection. Along with Mary, Joseph taught Jesus how to walk in faith without sometimes understanding and to really learn how to trust in God. In addition, Joseph had the privilege of being the only man whom Jesus ever called “Abba.”
To all those who struggle with faith, those who wonder where God is in their life, to those who are burdened, to those with health issues, to those who have a hard time walking in faith, we are asked to come to St. Joseph. Besides Mary, St. Joseph is the saint most loved by God. He understands our struggles and is able to help those who ask to walk the walk of faith, to come to know intimately the one who loves us beyond our understanding!
To help you to better journey with St. Joseph this year, the parish has “Scriptural Novena to Saint Joseph” booklets available in the church atrium.
Easter Joy
Happiness is something that all of us crave in our lives. Aristotle saw it as the goal of our lives. For most of us, it is the lens through which we make our big decisions asto where we will live, what we will do with our time and resources and how we live our day-to-day lives. Yet happiness is elusive. The more we try to plan it into our lives, the more it evades us. Sometimes we experience it profoundly, but most of the time we get frustrated that we cannot grasp onto it.
Our God, though, offers us something better. He offers us Joy. Joy is a gift of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and is a byproduct of a life order rightly in God’s eyes. Joy is something more permanent than happiness, something that we do have some control over. Over the last two thousand years, the church has held up many kinds of saints. What all of them had in common--was joy. At some point in their lives, they each recognize that what God asks of us, although it can be difficult at times, is the path to true peace and joy. Through baptism, we enter a covenantal relationship with Christ and others through the Church. When we choose to live within the boundaries that our Lord reveals through Scripture and Tradition, we put ourselves in the path where we are most fully human, fully alive and open ourselves to the joy that God wants us to have.
In the end, so essential is joy to our lives that St. Thomas Aquinas said that we cannot live without joy. If we try to, we would eventually fill our lives with not-so-good things. Maybe we all need a reminder to seek joy, not apart from God and what God wants, but in and through God’s plan for us.
As we journey through Easter, when we choose to be an active disciple, joy will follow us!
Easter Peace
This Sunday we hear of another situation where Jesus reveals himself after the Resurrection. When He appears to His disciples, His first words to them are, “ Peace be with you” (John 20:19). Jesus does not raise his voice because of their abandonment of Him. He does not chastise them for their failure to grasp the significance of the empty tomb. Jesus always leads with peace. He comes to them gently, in a way that will bring them peace and healing.
Jesus wants us to have this same peace. Where do we get it? It is quite simple -- this peace comes from a personal relationship with Jesus through the Church. At baptism, we are given the gift of the Holy Spirit and are grafted into the Body of Christ. The Eucharist helps this relationship to flourish in a way that nothing else can. Easter makes all this available to all. Easter also calls us to deepen this most basic relationship in our lives. Maybe we have let our relationship with God drift, or we have allowed our choices to make us feel far from God. Easter graces us with the opportunity to move closer to God and thus experience this peace.
We may ask what can this peace really do for my life? Jesus rose from the dead, after suffering a brutal death at the hands of the Roman Empire. His disciples were transformed from a scared band of people hiding in the shadows to a group that moved out across the world, preaching that Jesus was God and Messiah and that He had risen from the dead.
If Jesus’ peace could empower the early disciple to be able to do this, then the peace that Jesus gives us is strong enough to help us to face anything that life can throw at us!
Easter: The Power to Transform Our Lives
Easter began last weekend and continues for 50 days. It is a great opportunity to spiritually tap into a power made available to all of us. How do we do this? I would like to suggest a few ways:
First, Live without Fear: If Jesus can overcome the worst that evil and sin can throw at him, we have great reason to live without fear in our lives. God is in control. God walks with us and will help us to pass through whatever difficulties we experience. “We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose” (Rom 8:28). This is not idle churchspeak – this is the truth. Say “no” to fear and anxiety and choose to trust in the one who is most trustworthy.
Second, Receive Joy: When we live with the knowledge that we do not walk alone through life and don’t always have to have the answers, we are free to let God be God in our lives. If things don’t always turn out the way we plan, we can surrender to the better plan that God has for us and our loved ones. Joy does not depend on the circumstances in our lives. How often the saints had a constant joy through all their trials. God intends all of us to have this joy!
Third, Live Victoriously: If it is true that Jesus has conquered sin and death, all the other difficulties that come our way are in the hands of God too. We can choose to live as if we are truly children of God, with a supernatural dignity and an eternal destiny, or we can choose to live as if we are in the hands of fate. How much joy God receives from us when we walk through life with our heads up, cheerful, thankful and trusting in God’s providence for us. We have the greatest reason to walk with hope and courage, knowing that the ruler of the universe has our back!
Over the next few weeks, I invite you to live boldly and with joy! We were made for this, but each day we need to grasp the power that God offers us during these days of Easter!
The Lord is Truly Risen, Alleluia!
From the early days of the Church, Christians have shared the joyous news about the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. “We have seen the Lord” (John 20:25). Easter reminds us that we have been reconciled with God the Father. Together we share in this victory!
In the midst of all the difficulties in our lives and in history, God has the last word. As for Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, this is the reason for our joy and hope!
These days of Easter challenge us to recommit our lives to Christ. The Church is not composed of perfect people. We are people who are perfected by the steadfast love and mercy of God. Easter can be a time of spiritual renewal and a time to begin again in our relationship with God.
Maybe you consider yourself strong in faith, maybe you are struggling with aspects of our faith. Maybe you are somewhere in between. All are welcome at Corpus Christi Parish as together we strive to live by His example and to be fed by the gifts that he gives us in the Church.
As we celebrate Easter, I’d like to thank the many people who have shared their time, talent, and treasure who worked so hard behind the scenes to decorate the church and prepare for the Easter liturgies.
I also extend a warm welcome to those who are visitors to Corpus Christi Parish. We are so very happy you chose to celebrate Mass with us. We also extend an invitation to you to become a regular part of our parish community.
A Happy and Blessed Easter to all of you!
Palm Sunday
This weekend, Palm Sunday, is the beginning of Holy Week. The palms are blessed and then the priest enters the church. This reminds us of Jesus entering Jerusalem at the end of his ministry as he begins his journey towards his Passion, Death and Resurrection.
It is easy for us to lose the impact of what happened 2000 years ago as just another story in the history books. Yet if we look closely at the Passion story, it is not to highlight the absolute cruelty of the Romans and the leadership of the Temple. It is rather to recall why Jesus chose to go through this ordeal, not only freely but with a sense of fulfillment! How often there is injustice in our world, and how seldom others risk their own comfort of a good name to change things for the better, to right a wrong, to challenge the establishment, to bring peace. Not Jesus! Out of love for us, Jesus walked this path of unimaginable suffering. It is hard to fathom such total self-giving for others!
During this time of uncertainty, where our lives are out of our routines, we are called to reflect on how committed God has been to us in saving us. We are asked now during Holy Week to journey with Jesus in our own lives and to let our hearts be touched again by this great love. We follow Jesus into the uncertainty of our own lives and our world, trusting that Jesus will see us through to the other side, where all will be well!
Please consider journeying with Corpus Christi during Holy Week and Easter. Our events are found on our website at corpuschristi.org.
St. Patrick’s and St. Joseph’s Feast Days
When I was in the seminary, many of the seminarians were from the northeastern part of the United States. Those of Irish background had a strong devotion to St. Patrick, while those of Italian upbringing had strong devotion to St. Joseph. There was a friendly rivalry as to who was the more popular saint. This was not often understood by those who did not come from the northeast.
We usually had religious and social events to celebrate both saints’ feasts. One year, our seminary had the St. Joseph’s dinner on March 17th. Those of Irish background were not thrilled, but still supported the dinner and the celebration of St. Patrick’s life. At the end of the dinner, an unexpected guest entered the seminary – a bagpiper dressed in a kilt playing Irish hymns. Except for the rector, we all had a good laugh and remembered that both saints are wonderful examples of courage and faith worthy of celebrating.
Both saints had a singular focus. St. Patrick’s was to travel around and let others know about the love of Jesus and invited those who did not know it to experience it. St. Joseph’s one goal was to provide a home with Mary for Jesus and to provide the best environment and the most love so that Jesus would be able to live out his mission. Both probably had no idea how much their faith would impact our world.
Whether you are celebrating with corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick’s Day or zeppole and sfinge on St. Joseph’s Day, these days remind us of our connection with those around the world and those from the past who have walked the road of faith and have reached the finish line. How lucky we are to have two seasoned saints that standby to assist us in our journey whenever we call upon them!
Simple Signs
One of the most quoted Scripture verses in all the Bible is John 3:16. We see posters of it at professional football, baseball, basketball and soccer games. It is seen on billboards and bumper stickers, on websites and blogs. Many people are familiar with the sign -John 3:16, but don’t know what the verse actually says. It is, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” Simple, but so powerful!
In John’s Gospel, Jesus said this to a Pharisee named Nicodemus. He was a ruler of the Jewish people and saw and heard things that Jesus said and began to believe in him. Yet he wanted to learn more about Jesus before he made a decision, so he visited Jesus at night to question him further. Because of his social stature, he didn’t want to risk anyone seeing him speak publicly with Jesus.
Nicodemus reasoned that Jesus had to be from God in order to do all the miracles that he did. Yet when speaking with him, Jesus challenges him to move beyond his own logic, reasoning and way of seeing things. He had to let go of how he thought God “should” act. This process of surrender was for Nicodemus very difficult. Yet he chose to follow this Jesus through the darkness and questioning.
In these small steps of acting in faith, we see the grace of God working in his life. Nicodemus begins to walk in the light. The next time we hear about him, when Jesus was on trial, he reminded his colleagues in the Sanhedrin that the law requires a person be heard before being judged. After the crucifixion of Jesus, he assists Joseph of Arimathea in preparing the body of Jesus for burial.
Somewhere along the way, Nicodemus realized that this personal and present God was worthy of the struggles with doubt, with fear, with change and seasons of walking in the unknown. He came to realize that faith was not following a list of teachings, but a personal relationship with a God who loved him more than he could ever image. A God who would see him through to the other side of faith.
Nicodemus moved from a faith hidden in the shadows, to one that was willing to shout from the mountaintop. He wanted others to know how great it was to be so intimate a relationship with such a loving God. John 3:16 was no longer just pious words but became something that he fully believed in and wanted to share. He became a simple but powerful sign to all!
Spring Cleaning During Lent
One of my favorite TV shows is Holmes and Holmes. It is about a father, Mike, and son, Michael Jr., who are contractors and partners. The show features their buying and renovating homes and office buildings. Over time, the previous owners of these homes made additions and corrections in the buildings, taking shortcuts and often doing the repairs improperly. In the beginning of each of the shows, the father and son walk around the house and tell what was been improperly added to the homes and how it must be removed and redone from scratch. Usually, all the drywalls must be removed to see if the electrical and HVAC ducts are properly connected and functioning. Often there is not enough venting in the attic which causes mold. At the end of the show, we see the elegance of the final renovation of the home, and we have had a sneak peak of what is behind the walls of these beautiful new homes.
In the same way, Jesus enters the temple to remove what had been improperly added and to restore its beauty. He begins to drive out the money changer and those selling animals for sacrifice. The temple was established as a privileged place to worship God. Over time, its purpose seemed to have drifted in the eyes of some. Many began making a living by taking advantage of others who came to offer sacrifices and to fulfill their religious obligations in the Temple. Jesus wastes no time driving them out with the use of a whip, overturning their tables. This does not sound like the Jesus we know. Yet, it demonstrates how important right worship is to God.
As we journey through Lent, we are called to stop and remove what we have improperly added to our lives. We are expected to cleanse our hearts of pride, hatred, jealousy, and all evil thoughts, desires, and plans. Reminiscent of what Jesus did in cleansing the Temple, we, as disciples, must, with His grace, cleanse ourselves of attitudes and behaviors that prevent us from seeing and responding to hurt wherever we find it. We welcome Jesus into our hearts and lives during Lent by repentance and the renewal of our lives. By going to doing good, going to Confession, fasting, sharing, abstaining from what we don’t need, penance and extra prayer, we allow Jesus to cleanse us of all that holds us back from truly being the best version of ourselves, removing what keeps us from experiencing the joy and peace of being in Communion with God. This is the joy of the right relationship with God that Jesus wanted for those in the temple 2000 years ago and what he wants for each of us today!
Hope: The Second Sunday in Lent
It was one of the most amazing and unexpected events in all of the Scriptures, and we hear about it today in the Gospel! “His clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them” (Mk 9:3). Jesus is surrounded by Moses and the Prophet Elijah, while Peter, James and John watch. It says that Peter is at a loss of words as to what to do. He suggests making three tents, one for Jesus, Moses and Elijah, yet Jesus doesn’t respond.
It is easy to see this as only a nice story. Yet to get the full impact of the transfiguration we must understand the context of what comes before and after this. In Mark’s Gospel just before this, Jesus reveals that he will suffer greatly, be rejected, be killed and then rise after three days. He adds that we must be willing to follow him. The disciples were in shock and anxious as this did not fit in with their idea of following Jesus. We may feel the same way!
The transfiguration was meant to give Peter, James and John a background of hope as they would later see these difficult events transpire. The transfiguration was the ring-side seat view of the future of heaven where Jesus is in glory and we see the perfect light of God. Here we will all share in this perfect light where there is no longer any pain and suffering. The transfiguration gave Peter, James and John hope after the resurrection of Jesus and in their struggles to spread the Gospel.
The transfiguration is our privileged preview that beyond our struggles, our difficulties, our hopes not coming to pass, in the end Jesus will triumph. Jesus will get us through all that happens to us – even when life throws some difficult situations at us. All we need to do is keep our eyes focused on Jesus, our God!
1st Sunday in Lent
On this first Sunday in Lent, Mark’s Gospel tells us that after his baptism, Jesus is driven out into the dessert for 40 days. We don’t hear what happens to Jesus except that he was “among wild beasts, and the angels ministered to him.” We know from the other Gospels that Jesus was tempted to take the easy path, to rely on himself, to use his gifts and powers for himself and his needs. Jesus resisted these temptations!
During Lent we are called to journey together into the desert to be with ourselves and honestly see how we are living, who we are living for, and where God fits into our lives. We are all tempted to just keep doing what we are doing and avoid these questions.
Yet when we use all that the Church provides for us during this season, we journey with Jesus through this time in the dessert. Extra prayer, giving to the poor, using Confession, reading the Bible, trying to reestablish relationships that are broken, fasting. All these practices help us to put God back in first place in our lives, put others second and help us to love ourselves appropriately again.
We like Jesus are in the desert where no one sees the details of what we do and how God responds. Yet God will reward our efforts. For every step that we take towards God and others, God takes two. Jesus invites us each on this journey for 40 days!
Lent: A Time of Profound Growth
This week begins the season of Lent with Ash Wednesday. Lent is about intentionally growing in our relationship with the one who loves us more than anyone else in this world - God. During this time, together we practice certain disciplines to help facilitate this process. We spend extra time in prayer which helps us to be able to hear God when he speaks to us. Fasting from food or other legitimate things helps us to better empathize with those who struggle around us. Almsgiving turns our hearts away from self and reminds us of our connections with others as brothers and sisters through baptism.
On Ash Wednesday, because of Covid, the ashes will be sprinkled on top of our heads, not on our foreheads. At the service, we are asked to “turn from sin and be faithful to the Gospel.” For much of the year this three-letter word, SIN, is hardly, if ever, mentioned. Maybe in the past sin was spoken about too much and not enough was spoken about God’s love and mercy. Today, the pendulum may have swung in the other direction. It is easy to spend the year pushing away the idea that sin is a part of our lives but until we can be totally honest with ourselves before God, the reality of sin keeps us from moving forward in our relationship with God. Our parish will offer Confessions on Monday evenings in Lent in the Church from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm, and on Friday afternoons from Noon to 1:00 pm outside near the Prayer Garden. What a great opportunity to find profound healing from the hand of God!
As we make this journey through Lent together, we remember that all these intentional practices are meant with one purpose in mind -- to empty our hearts and lives to make room for God’s great love and joy and to share it with others!
Super Bowl LV
Super Bowl LV this weekend seems to be a great matchup. The Kansas City Chiefs, with rising-star Patrick Mahomes as quarterback, vs. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, led by legendary quarterback Tom Brady. With two of the best quarterbacks in the league, it should not fail to entertain.
The halftime show will be led by The Weekend, who has had many hits on the Billboard Hot 100 in the last few years. Because of Covid, there will be included as many as 22,000 fans in attendance. 7,500 will be vaccinated health care workers determined by the 32 franchises.
So much has changed this past year. Yet, in all of this, we have adapted and have done well.
The Super Bowl reminds me of the goodness of God in getting us through the worst of the pandemic and bringing some normalcy back to our lives. Even though it is not exactly as it was last year at this time, we are making progress. The vaccines, although not as quickly as we would like, are getting to many of those who are older or at risk. We have hope because we have a God who is absolutely committed to us and will never leave or abandon us.
We have much to give thanks for – that we will eventually come out of this pandemic. As we continue to support one another and reach out to those who are alone, we walk the path of deeper faith and trust in the One who is worthy of our trust!
Catholic Schools Week
I am excited to announce that this weekend begins Catholic Schools Week.This year’s theme is:
Faith.Excellence.Service.
Having gone through part of my elementary years and all my high school years at Catholic schools, I now realize how much of a difference that it made in my life. It helped me to develop all of who I am today: body, mind and soul. I didn’t always appreciate my time in Catholic schools as I was going through those years. Yet looking back, the formation that I received truly prepared me for my life and my vocation as a priest. It helped me to see my education as part of my journey to know and love God more deeply. It taught me discipline and hard work. It challenged me academically. Catholic education also instilled in me a sense of service to others, to my community, and to the poor, as part of my discipleship and my walking with God throughout my life. It helped me to see service as not just a responsibility but a privilege.
I am so grateful for what my parents did for me and the sacrifices they made so that I could attend Catholic schools during those years. This is why I am such a strong proponent of Catholic education today!
During this week, I ask you to consider Catholic education as an option for your children. We are blessed with many Catholic schools to choose from in our area. They have much to offer us and our families!
The Path Cleared for Us
““Don’t get on the expressway!” That text came from my daughter one day as I was leaving work. The highway home had become a virtual parking lot. I began trying alternate routes, but after experiencing gridlock on other roads, I gave up. The trip home would have to wait till later in the day, so I drove in the opposite direction to an athletic event my granddaughter was involved in. Discovering that no roads would lead me home made me think about people who say that all roads lead to an eternal relationship with God. Some believe the road of kindness and good behavior will get you there. Others choose the road of doing religious things.” (D. Branon)
Throughout history, people have been trying to navigate the path that leads to God. Yet God tells us through the Scriptures that the path had been closed off because of Adam and Eve. By Jesus’ Death and Resurrection, a highway has been built for us to share in God’s divine life, the path of true joy and peace. This highway is available to anyone. Baptism is the onramp that allows us to travel this path. The Church is the caretaker of the highway and steward of the rest stops along the Way. The more we live out our Faith and make use of the Sacraments, in addition to prayer and charity, the more we travel this highway towards God.
Today people are hungry for God! God made us this way. That perfect love and care that we yearn for in our hearts propels each of us to search for God. Yet how many struggle thinking that no path will lead them to God or that any path is equal to the next. They get stuck in traffic and sometimes abandon the pursuit. Often those around them are afraid to share their faith so not to be seen as “pushy.” Yet the reality is that when we share our faith, like other good things in our lives, others often will respond, even if not right way. When I tell friends, “my faith is what gets me through my difficulties and gives me peace and hope along the way,” they listen. Simple things help like praying at restaurants or inviting others to come to Mass with us, or in this time of pandemic, to participate in Mass via livestream.
Don’t let fear hold you back! There are simple resources online of how to share our faith. By our baptism, we are called to do this so that our family, friends and those we meet do not stay stuck in traffic.
Prayer Can Move Mountains
St. Teresa of Avila, a mystic of the 16th century, was known in prayer to spontaneously go into raptures, which sometimes involved levitation. The other sisters would have to hold her down. In modern times, St. Pio of Pietrelcina, was known to be in two places at the same time while in prayer. These gifts during prayer are extremely rare in the history of the Church.
Maybe these won’t happen when we pray, but we can expect certain other things to happen. Prayer invites the Holy Spirit into our lives, which allows God to help us to change, to grow and to love more deeply. It helps us see clearly who God is and where God is working in our lives. It helps us to move in the direction that God is leading us and to avoid the temptations to deviate from this path. If we stick with prayer past the dryness at times, we begin to receive answers to previous prayers and see how God answered them. Prayer can move mountains, as it gives us strength to face the difficult challenges in our lives, like Daniel in the lion’s den. Prayer, in combination with the Eucharist and the teachings of the Church, allows us to move more and more in alignment with God’s plan for our world and shows us how we fit our lives into the Kingdom that he is building.
One of the hallmarks of this Kingdom is seeing all others as made in God’s image and likeness, from conception to natural death. This is challenging for all of us! Yet prayer is the key that helps all of us to move from where we are to where God wants all of us to be, to loving with all our heart, mind, soul and strength, more like Jesus.
Baptism: Remembering our Truest Identity
King Louis IX of France who died in 1270 said that he preferred the chapel where he was baptized over the chapel where he was crowned king. When asked why, he said, “I deem divine sonship a greater dignity then earthly kingship. The dignity of kingship I will lose at the time of my death, whereas, as a child of God, I will obtain eternal happiness.”
This weekend we celebrate the end of the Christmas season with the baptism of Jesus at the Jordan River by John the Baptist. Here the Father reveals to us Jesus’ true identity. On coming out of the water, the Holy Spirit descends and a voice from heaven is heard, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” Our baptism solidifies that our truest identity as children of God, joined together as members of the Mystical Body of Christ. At our baptism, the divine life comes to dwell within us.
Throughout our lives, we are asked to nurture this divine life within us through the reception of the Eucharist and the other Sacraments. We are to share this divine life with others by the way we live and by inviting others to know and have this divine life dwell within them too. This was Jesus ’ mission after his baptism and is the mission of each of us too.
When we see the darkness around us and ask where God is and why God isn ’t acting, we are reminded that we are equipped at our baptism with all that we need to be Christ ’s hands, feet, mouth and arms in this world. By this, we allow Christ to continue his saving and healing work through us into a broken world.
The more we tap into the gifts and power given to us at baptism and allow God to use us, the more we are reminded by God, “You are my beloved Daughter/Son; with you I am well pleased .”
New Year’s Message
Happy New Year! My hope is that God will bless all of us with hope, faith, and excitement as we journey into 2021. We have much to be joyful about. God has and will continue to provide for us. I am grateful for you and am humbled to be your pastor. Your faith and passion for God, and your desire to serve others are an encouragement to me!
As we say goodbye to 2020, we recognize the losses that we have grieved, in terms of family, friends, routine and our way of life. We also remember the moments of grace. This past year we learned how to walk more deeply in faith and trust. The time together retaught us the importance of family and what really matters in life. We were reminded of how connected all of us really are and how we need to look out for each other. Throughout this past year, we have been walking a pilgrimage of faith not knowing how long the pandemic would last. It reminded all of us that we do really need God, and that God is ready, willing, and able to help us.
We still live with much uncertainty, but we move forward with hope. The uncertainty helps us to lean on the One who can truly help us. Our God will carve a path through the difficulties that surround us and lead us with His mighty arm.
Please know that we are here for each of you. Let us know how we are doing and if there is something that we can do better. Our goal is to serve you and to allow God to make us better disciples together.
I look forward to 2021 and the many blessings that await us!
Christmas Joy
In his book, Joy, William Schutz talks about how the birth of his son Ethan inspired him to write on this subject. He and his wife receive joy from Ethan’s birth. Then Ethan experienced joy from seeing and touching and tasting things for the first time. Over time, Ethan begins to lose this joy like many of us. Schutz wrote the book to help others get reconnected with this joy that we should all have in our lives.
These days of Christmas remind us that we were made for joy. Our God didn’t want us to search aimlessly throughout our lives for it. He shows us that He is our source of joy. God tore open heaven and became one of us so that he could physically be with us and share His joy with us. How comforting to know that whatever we are going through in our lives, no matter how difficult things may seem, no matter how dark our world may appear, God is with us! He comes as a little baby, totally approachable and humble, wanting to be embraced and loved.
Reflecting on this past year, you, the parishioners of Corpus Christi Parish, are one of my greatest joys. I hope that you will find hope, peace and joy not only during this Christmas season, but also in 2021. We know this is possible because the source of joy has come to us, to be with us and to walk with us at every moment of our days.
On this Feast of the Holy Family, together with Mary and Joseph we need not fear. We need not be in control. God is. He is Emmanuel, God with us!
What is Faith?
Faith is a word that is used in many ways. For some, faith is a mild trust in something. For others, faith means that we believe in the character of someone. For many, it is a belief that God is real, and that God is present in our lives. Yet although these are part of the definition, faith is much more embracing.
Faith is an essential part of all that happens to us each day. We have faith that the airline pilot will act responsibly steering our plane. We have faith that if we call 911, the police will come. We have faith that the food we eat is fresh and beneficial to our health. We have faith that the diagnosis that we receive from a doctor is true.
On this 4th Sunday of Advent, we are told what faith really is all about. The Angel Gabriel, comes to Mary and announces to her that God is changing her plans 100%. We hear this story over and over each year and think that Mary piously says “Yes” without thinking about it. She probably took a big gulp first. As a human being, she was probably in shock. What about her plans for a big family! She realized that if she said “Yes,” there would be a lot of difficult consequences. Would Joseph believe that the Holy Spirit was the source of her conception? Would her family believe? Would she become a social outcast? To say “Yes” to what God was asking of her took a lot of courage. Mary had to dig deep and then, with a resounding “Yes,” she accepted all that God’s will entailed for her.
Saying we have faith is easy when things are going well. Yet how hard it is to say “Yes” to God with faith when our plans can be changed, when we are not in control, when we experience stress and anxiety along the way.
Mary made that leap of faith with trust in the One who made the promise to her. Because of this act of faith, the Savior of the world was born into our world and we are now able to enter into heaven one day. During this Advent season, we are reminded that every “Yes” that we say to God when our plans change can be a source of great grace and peace to us and all those around us. Advent reminds us that God is worthy of our leaps of faith!
Joy Amidst Darkness
A young family traveled on vacation to a nearby cavern to see all the natural rock formations. They descended over 350 steps to get to the lowest point allowed on the traditional tour. All in the group were asked to stand closely with their family members. The lights were turned off for only a minute. Yet it seemed like an eternity. The absolute darkness caused them to lose their bearings and become disoriented. Their eyes could not adjust to the darkness. Someone pulled out a cell phone and a minimal amount of light from it allowed all to quickly readjust their vision. Once again, they could see each other and the beauty of the rock formations around them.
In the same way, John the Baptist appears to the people around him who were clouded in darkness. They did not see God, but only the difficulties in their lives and in their world. John’s purpose was to point out to them where the light was – this light of hope, in the midst of their darkness. He stood out because of his words, his actions of kindness and the way he presented himself with camel’s hair clothing. And people responded to this light!
With Covid, the changes in our routines and the loss of our freedom, many today can only see the darkness around them. Yet, during this time of Advent, we are all called like John the Baptist to point to the light that Christ has brought into our world. We are not asked to wear clothing of camel’s hair, but we are called to point to the light by also standing out. Standing out by our kindness, our selflessness, our forgiveness, our charity, our faith, our presence and our concern.
All that is needed is a minimal amount of light to help those around us see beyond their darkness that there is hope. As disciples, we are called to witness to this light. The more that we chose to stand out in this way, the more our lives will radiate this light.
This weekend, we light the rose-colored candle on the Advent wreath – the sign of joy. This joy is a byproduct of being witnesses of light to those around us!
Advent: Wanting to Be Found
I grew up on a dead-end street where there happened to be many young children my age. Together, we would spend our afternoons playing organized sports such as kickball, pickle and wiffleball. Since our street bordered the woods, one of our most popular pastimes was ‘hide and seek.’ While playing this, I remember finding it boring to be hidden too well. At times, we would make a little noise so that the leader would eventually find us. Looking back, we all liked to be found!
During Advent, we are reminded that God is coming to find us. Why? Well we all have our ways of hiding. At times, we hide in the busyness of our lives. At times, we hide in our fears, our anxieties and our uncertainties. We hide in the many shades of darkness that have changed and colored our world for the last nine months.
Yet God is coming! It is as if God is telling us during this season of Advent, “Ready or not, here I come!” This is no mere pious thought. Sometimes when God visits us, we don’t take notice. We think this is the private sphere of the “saints.” Yet our God wants us each personally to see and experience this great care and comfort.
It is easy to push this off as wishful thinking. Yet the reality is that we all yearn to be found by God – to be found by that unconditional love for which our hearts ache. We were made to receive and reflect this perfect love. Our simple actions during Advent such as praying more, reading the Bible, going to Confession and acts of care for others – are our making a little noise, so that we let God know we want to be found!
Advent: Waiting with Hope
The days are getting shorter and light is receding. With the leaves gone, the bare trees remind us that we have moved into a new season. After nine months of having our lives altered so dramatically, these changes seem much more noticeable and meaningful this year. The inner darkness of not being able to be with family and friends, not being able to travel freely, not being able to enjoy the simple pleasure of being with others, has made this so clear!
This weekend, we begin the season of Advent. Advent is all about waiting. The waiting that we have been doing for the better part of this past year can help us to enter this season of waiting. The waiting of Advent is not a passive waiting for things to just return to what they were before. It is an active waiting for something better!
We prepare ourselves by consciously being aware of the three comings of Christ. We meditate on the coming of Christ 2000 years ago as a baby to save us from our sins. We look forward to the end of time, when Christ will return and bring us who remain to heaven forever. The middle coming is the hidden coming of Christ in our lives each day. This usually happens in the darkest moments, when we think that God is absent and uncaring, and we cannot see a path forward.
We also prepare through more prayer, taking an honest look at our lives through confession and doing works of charity for others. I invite you this Advent to make a resolution to make use of the opportunities that our parish offers to assist in this season of grace. You can find these on our website at corpuschristi.org.
Maybe the slower pace of our lives right now gives us the ability, more than other years, to really spend time listening and watching for God during Advent. Our God does not come to us with bells and whistles announcing his coming. Like a thief in the night, he comes in the stillness and quiet when we make room to listen. He reveals himself if we take the time to reflect, prepare, watch and wait.
Jesus comes to bring us hope and peace in the uncertainty and brokenness of our and our family’s lives – a peace which the world cannot give. He comes to remind us of the only One who can fill our hearts and to give meaning to all that has and will happen to us. This is the peace that is held out to us – if we are willing to wait and walk in hope!
Healing: The Difficult but Possible Path
Lately, I have been watching more Netflix and Apple TV than usual. Maybe this is because in the past few weeks the news has been difficult to watch. Perhaps you felt the same way. With the election process coming to a close, we need to pick up the pieces as a nation and begin to work together again. For many, relationships have been strained and some have been broken. Dividing lines have been established. How do we begin to heal as a nation and bring healing to the other strained relationships in our lives? Our Faith has the answer!
Around the year 415, St. Augustine preached on a well-known verse from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians: “We who are many are one body for all partake of the one bread.” He explains how sharing makes us one. “Remember that the bread is not made from one grain but from many. Many grapes hang on the cluster, but the juice of the grape is gathered together in unity. So also, the Lord Christ signified us, wished us to belong to him, consecrated on his table the mystery of our peace and unity.”
St. Augustine expresses a valuable truth about the power and effectiveness of the Eucharist to join us together as one. With the priest’s host, we are symbolized by particles of grain that are joined together and consecrated at Mass. Just before receiving Communion, we share the sign of peace. This is the peace that Jesus has come to spread around the world through us. When we then receive the Eucharist, we receive the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ into our souls. We receive the power that binds us no longer symbolically, but in reality. The Eucharist joins us to each other here on earth. It also joins us to the saints in heaven and to those being purified by God’s love in purgatory. Is it a small thing to know that we have the power of almighty God running through us and to share this peace?
When the Mass ends, the priest says, “Go forth, the Mass is ended!” This is not a farewell to simply send us on our way. It is a mandate to bring this healing power into our families and into the world.
If we were relying on our own goodwill and energy, there might be cause for pause. Yet we have the power within us to begin to mediate true peace and healing! Before we absolve ourselves from this, let me offer a few examples. It was the Eucharist that changed a young man named Martin de Porres to give his life for the poor in Peru and become St. Martin de Porres. It was the Eucharist that moved a young Albanian nun to begin to serve the poorest of the poor in Calcutta and become St. Teresa of Calc utta (Mother Teresa). It was the Eucharist that gave a middle-aged man the strength to speak up for his people, even in the face of governmental opposition, and become Blessed Oscar Romero. None of these could have even thought about attempting these heroic acts of healing and peace on their own strength. It was the Eucharist, the source of their strength and unity. Jesus give us the Eucharist too for our corner of the world. What would happen if we made a greater effort to share this peace and healing?
My Truth
The familiar image keeps popping up in our newspapers, on our smartphones and on TV. Two groups of people facing each other with grimacing faces. Each side is angrily yelling at the other, with no one listening, and no attempts to understand. Undoubtedly this is a caricature of what has been happening in our society for the last few years, and it doesn’t seem to be changing.
Each side presents themselves as having a monopoly on truth and therefore sees no reason to dialogue. For some, this “certainty” apparently gives them a license to hate the other for merely not holding the same point of view. How right Simon and Garfunkel were in their song The Boxer when they sang: “All lies and jests, still a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest.”
The ancient philosopher Socrates used an effective method of dialoguing to help someone to expose the values and beliefs that frame and support their thoughts: he asked many probing questions. St. Thomas Aquinas, one of the great minds of the Church, used the thesis/antithesis method of getting to the truth. He would present a question, followed by the best argument against the position and then the best argument for the position. It involved logically and honestly looking at all the issues involved from both points of view. In each, there was a respect for the objectivity of the truth apart from one’s feelings and wants. It is by challenging our own ideas and beliefs that we grow in our understanding and are guided closer to the truth.
God gives each of us a will and an intellect to seek the truth. Today many have abandoned this search. Yet the invitation to dialogue with others is an essential step for all of us to better understand the complex issues that face our society and how to solve them. It is also the path for us to be able to grow together as a nation. This is hard work, but we are now seeing the effects all around us of taking the easy path.
In the end, the search for truth is also the search for God. This search is best done in dialogue, decency, respect and by honoring the other, especially when they disagree with us.
Healing: The Difficult but Possible Path
Lately, I have been watching more Netflix and Apple TV than usual. Maybe this is because in the past few weeks the news has been difficult to watch. Perhaps you felt the same way. With the election process coming to a close, we need to pick up the pieces as a nation and begin to work together again. For many, relationships have been strained and some have been broken. Dividing lines have been established. How do we begin to heal as a nation and bring healing to the other strained relationships in our lives? Our Faith has the answer!
Around the year 415, St. Augustine preached on a well-known verse from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians: “We who are many are one body for all partake of the one bread.” He explains how sharing makes us one. “Remember that the bread is not made from one grain but from many. Many grapes hang on the cluster, but the juice of the grape is gathered together in unity. So also, the Lord Christ signified us, wished us to belong to him, consecrated on his table the mystery of our peace and unity.”
St. Augustine expresses a valuable truth about the power and effectiveness of the Eucharist to join us together as one. With the priest’s host, we are symbolized by particles of grain that are joined together and consecrated at Mass. Just before receiving Communion, we share the sign of peace. This is the peace that Jesus has come to spread around the world through us. When we then receive the Eucharist, we receive the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ into our souls. We receive the power that binds us no longer symbolically, but in reality. The Eucharist joins us to each other here on earth. It also joins us to the saints in heaven and to those being purified by God’s love in purgatory. Is it a small thing to know that we have the power of almighty God running through us and to share this peace?
When the Mass ends, the priest says, “Go forth, the Mass is ended!” This is not a farewell to simply send us on our way. It is a mandate to bring this healing power into our families and into the world.
If we were relying on our own goodwill and energy, there might be cause for pause. Yet we have the power within us to begin to mediate true peace and healing! Before we absolve ourselves from this, let me offer a few examples. It was the Eucharist that changed a young man named Martin de Porres to give his life for the poor in Peru and become St. Martin de Porres. It was the Eucharist that moved a young Albanian nun to begin to serve the poorest of the poor in Calcutta and become St. Teresa of Calc utta (Mother Teresa). It was the Eucharist that gave a middle-aged man the strength to speak up for his people, even in the face of governmental opposition, and become Blessed Oscar Romero. None of these could have even thought about attempting these heroic acts of healing and peace on their own strength. It was the Eucharist, the source of their strength and unity. Jesus give us the Eucharist too for our corner of the world. What would happen if we made a greater effort to share this peace and healing?
A Problem of Identity
The presidential election this week has brought to light a malaise that has been picking up steam in our country over the last decade. We hear of brothers and sisters disowning each other because they were supporting opposing candidates. Best friends are no longer speaking after finding out that each had loyalty to the ‘wrong’ candidate. Some are intentionally trying to find out if their friends and acquaintances pass their private ‘political loyalty’ test. Is this healthy behavior?
As good citizens, we should care deeply about the politics in our country. Yet should we care so much that all our relationships and ability to work with others is dependent on their political loyalty?
In the past in every election, there were winners and losers. But no one, winner or loser, has the right to malign the other. When we label the other side with a name, like “deplorables” or “socialists,” it becomes difficult to dialogue. Each side of the political spectrum should never see the other as an ‘enemy.’
Perhaps at the deepest level, we are facing the problem of identity in our culture. God made us as communal beings – this is how we are hard-wired. We are made to be in communion with those around us. In the past, most found this identity in organized religion. Over the past 40 years, there has been a movement away from organized religions and towards individualized faith. In this vacuum, many have tried to fill this need for communion with others in other ways. One of these is finding our deepest identity in politics and as part of a political party. When one’s political party is attacked for their ideas or motives, some see it as an attack on them at their deepest level! (J. Goldberg, One thing America Needs is a Lot Less Politics, Nov 20)
While we are called to be good citizens, active in the political discourse in our country, our deepest identity should not be in politics. At our core, we were created in God’s image and likeness. Our primary identity should be one with God and others. Our primary citizenship is in heaven.
In addition, we are citizens of this world, working together for the common good and leaving the best world we can to future generations. Yet this cannot happen if we see each other as enemies to be overcome.
If we hold to the thinking that, “if only the other side was as enlightened as our side, the world would be better,” we will get nowhere. Maybe each of us needs to reclaim our truest identity in God and our citizenship in heaven, so that we as a society can begin again to act like brothers and sisters. What a beautiful world it would be!
Fall Back
This Saturday night, we are asked to turn our clocks back, gaining an hour of sleep for us all. This practice in the US first began in 1918 to save fuel as our country entered the first World War. The next national Daylight Saving Time policy did not come into effect until 1942. It lasted the duration of the war, with some places such as New York City opting out. In 1966, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Uniform Time Act to observe six months of Daylight Saving Time and six months of Standard Time. In 1973, after the oil embargo, President Nixon called for year-round Daylight Saving Time which lasted for a short while. In 1986, the US started observing seven months of Daylight Savings. While there has been much debate on the economic/financial benefits of doing so, this one is quite clear, that simple restructuring of our routines brings more light into all our days.
As we are spending more time at home, now is a good time to begin to restructure our routines to include things that will bring more light into our own lives and into the lives of our family members. We can do this by spending 15 minutes reading a short section of the bible, talking to God for five minutes while we are driving, giving to a worthy charity, calling someone who we know is alone, or reading a short section of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
Simple changes in our routines can have a profound effect on all of us.
Dual Citizenship
In the year 1793 when the French armies were laying siege to the Mediterranean fortress of Toulon, Napoleon built a battery in such an exposed position that the other officers said he would never get a soldier to operate. But Napoleon set up beside it a large sign with these words, "The Battery of Soldiers without Fear." And he was never at a loss for volunteers to operate it. That's courage! But it is more than ordinary courage. It is moral and spiritual courage!
Today there is a need for moral and spiritual courage. As brothers and sisters, we share a common destiny. The world that we live in is entrusted to us as stewards with the call to “be fruitful and multiply.” With this, we are primarily citizens of heaven, where we will live forever, and secondly are citizens of our nation.
As we move towards Election Day, our society is beginning to look like a ‘house divided.’ We are at a crossroads. We seem to be moving further and further away from civility. Our moral compass seems to push us away from the right direction. The quest for power at times seems to sideline the common good. Personal opinion and media spin often push aside reason and faith.
Yet voting is more than just an affirming of our political party. It truly is a moral decision. Our first allegiance should not be to our political party, but the Truth of God’s will for our world.
It is not always easy to sift through the different issues and make our choices. Yet we are called to form our consciences in light of the teachings of God revealed through the Church. However, all issues are not equal. Among those foundational issues at stake are religious liberty, the protection of life at all stages and conditions, especially from its very beginning, and the sanctity of marriage as the basic cell of society.
There is too much at stake to follow our feelings, our party affiliation or the many voices telling us how to vote. Yet there is one voice we should heed. It is the voice of God who is calling us to remember our primary citizenship, and how we are called to be coworkers with him as God renews and recreates our world.
For more information on Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, please see www.usccb.org.
Part of the Big Leagues
In his rookie year in 2019, San Francisco Giants left fielder Connor Joe was in a horrible slump. Yet, with the encouragement of his teammates, he finally got his first major league hit on April 6. He was ecstatic! His single helped to begin a rally that led the team to victory that day against Tampa Bay. Afterwards, his teammates doused him with whatever was in the big orange bucket. He was then led into a laundry cart and rolled into the shower. The excitement was undoubtedly the realization of his childhood dream of playing in the major leagues. Although he was wearing the uniform, it was only after the first hit, that it became real to him and to his teammates. He was doing what, in his mind, he was made to do – to contribute towards the team’s victory!
In the same way, we are called and made to be a part of a winning franchise. Of all the ways that we could be saved, God chose to save us not by ourselves, but through a living entity – the Church. The Church is not an organization like others. It is not a voluntary assembly of like-minded people. At its core, it is both human and divine! It is human in that it is made up of imperfect people like me. Yet, it is divine in that it spans all those who have reached heaven, those in process in purgatory and those who are baptized here and now. Christ is the head (with the pope as the visible head) and we are all attached together until we reach heaven where we will continue to be connected for all eternity!
Being a part of this organism comes through the hand of God (through the priest or deacon) at baptism. Just as being a member of a major league team, we are gathered together for a single purpose and we can only achieve this together - to make Christ’s love known to all around us. Confirmation and the Eucharist give us the ability and the power to do our part within the Church towards this goal, lifting us beyond what we can do on our own. When we finally live this out, like Connor Joe on the Giants, we begin to touch on the joy that we were created to have in our lives. Heaven – is just a continuation of that joy (without the big orange bucket contents)!
I would like to invite those who are not Catholic and those Catholics who were baptized, but never received 1st Communion or Confirmation, to consider learning more about receiving them. We have a commitment-free opportunity beginning in October for you to explore this. Please see Sister Margaret or Father Kevin (frkevin@corpuschristi.org) for more information. Having all these Sacraments is so worth it. God wants to elevate us to the Big Leagues!
Protection for the Most Vulnerable
From 1996-1997, I worked in a group home for a company that specialized in care for those with autism. The clients in the home in which I worked had the most severe cases. Over that year, I got to know and understand these young men and women quite well. One client, John, was unable to communicate with words or by signing. He wore a leather helmet to protect himself. I often wondered if anyone would be able to get through to John, as he never interacted with any other clients or staff. By the end of the year, I remember being in shock and disbelief one day, as John grabbed my arm. He led me so that we would go for a walk together in the backyard. An act of care and connection! This continued every day afterwards. His actions that day reminded me that he was indeed a child of God made in God’s image and likeness, worthy as much respect as anyone else. I will never forget him!
This month, October, we celebrate Respect Life Month. It is a time to remember the great gift of life that God gives us – from conception to natural death. We are called to care for, protect and defend the lives of all our brothers and sisters especially those who are most vulnerable and those marginalized. The theme for this year is “Live the Gospel of Life.” It is a reminder of the 25th anniversary of Pope Saint John Paul II’s encyclical, The Gospel of Life. Yet we don’t need to hear from the Pope to appreciate this truth. From the beginning of our nation, the framers of the Declaration of Independence recognized the unalienable rights that came from God, among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. It is interesting that they had Life first. When we protect and cherish life at all stages, we see glimmers of the divine shining through a frail humanity, reminding us of our own dignity before God and others. Something to consider as we continue to form our consciences and consider our future leaders.
Treasures in Plain Sight
An amateur art collector picked up a lot of jade in China for $20. He later found that one of the bowls was worth $1.5 million. Similarly, a man had a painting hanging on the back of his office door for years. One day he had it appraised and found it was a Diego Rivera original worth $800K. And then there is the story of a woman who had a vase for much of her life. She let her children use the base as a goal post when they played soccer. Someone later recognized it as a Jardiniere vase worth $820K. Sometimes the familiar around us has much more value than we realize. And it can happen that we become so familiar with the way we worship that we lose sight of its real value.
Worship – we do not get anything out of it! It is boring! I have heard these a few times as a priest. Why can’t we just pray to God our way? Isn’t my prayer as good as ‘formal’ worship in God’s eyes? These are great questions!
When we worship God, something quite profound takes place: we stand naked before our Creator. Worship helps us to recognize reality and face ourselves at the deepest level --- that we are not equals with God, but his creatures, made by Him, for him. In worship, the perfect bright light of God’s love shines into our being. It makes us realize that God and we belong together. Ultimately, worshipping God in the community of faith is the privileged place where we allow God to heal and continue creating us to be who we are destined to be. Here we have decisions that we have to make. Turn towards God or away? Follow God’s way or our way?
This is the context of why we are asked by God to worship at Mass each week, in-person or, during Covid, online. It is not a rule as much as an invitation, the greatest of opportunities. At Mass, as we enter into the presence of God and stand before Him at the Last Supper and at Calvary, he makes us his sons and daughters worth more than all the things of this world.
Something worth investigating!