This weekend, we remember the Assumption of Our Lady, the mother of the Savior, the mother of his Church. You cannot look to the Lord Jesus without including in your gaze, his mother and her husband Joseph. Joseph and Mary accepted the will of God and the law of God, and Jesus grew up a devout Jew, with the Torah to guide him. His mother cherished every moment of her time with her son, and carried all in her heart. At the Assumption, we proclaim the Church's teaching that at the end of her life on earth, Mary was taken up to the mystery of the Kingdom, God's heaven. There, she prays for us, that we will do whatever he tells you (John 2.5).
And as a member of SJN and as your pastor, I believe that we are being obedient to the Lord Jesus. Within a month to six weeks, Catholic Charities will begin serving the needs of the community, using our re-furbished Neumann Center as their regional office. This office will serve all, with a special regard for the poorest of the poor. In this, we are remembering the Word of Jesus: whatever you do for the least ones, you do for me (Matthew 25.40). We care for the least ones close to us, in our cooperation with the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Members of the SJN family help staff the SVDP thrift store on Lawrenceville Highway. In all of this... the partnership with Catholic Charities... all of our work with SVDP... the outreach ministries... we are following Our Lady's word, and following her son in obedience.
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The ancient wisdom of the Catholic Church is absolutely true. When we sing the hymns of God, we are praying twice, once with the intention of the words proclaimed and again, with the sound of the human voice. Singing in praise of God is such a joy!
Have you ever been in an audience or a church congregation, where everyone was singing together? Over the 4th of July weekend, when SJN sang America, the beauty and power of the sound shook the roof of our new church. Please God, we need to find a way to sing with that beauty and power at Mass. The Divine Liturgy of the Lord. We want to offer the Lord our hearts, our attentiveness, our worship. We want to pray with all of our heart and soul and mind and strength. We desire to give the Lord all whole self at Mass. How might we praise God in song, with the fervor of our hearts?
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I returned from Haiti late Wednesday night last week (the 21st) and jumped back in the SJN saddle on the 22nd. That Thursday evening, a group of us gathered in the beautiful lower level of the new church building, to begin our conversation regarding The Introduction to the Devout Life, by St. Francis de Sales (+1622). One of things that I pointed out to the book club participants is how significantly Bishop Francis de Sales' thought was influenced by The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola (+1556). The newly formed Jesuits were a powerhouse in the universities of Europe, and Francis de Sales learned much from the heart of Ignatius. The feast day of the founder of the Society of Jesus is this Saturday (the 31st of July). Let us thank God for the blessings that his saints offer the Church of Christ, as they teach us about true discipleship. The Msgr. David's Book Club crowd will take on another wise saint this fall, the great St. Teresa of Avila (+1582). I hope many of you will join me in learning from the saints, how we might become what we are called to be... carriers of God's love, reflections of God's light... flesh and blood saints... for the glory of God and the good of our neighbor.
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[Guest columnist Mary Lou Schwaner]
Monsignor David has asked me to write the column this weekend while he is away, serving the Sisters of Charity in Haiti. With any luck, he'll be back by the time this edition "hits the stands."
As the Coordinator of Liturgy for the parish, I'd like to express my gratitude to the people of this parish for the awe that I feel when I enter this sacred space. How can one not breathe deeply of the glory of God in this space? It is truly breath-taking... and will be a constant reminder of the creative genius of God for years to come! With His grace, we did this!!!
That being said, the Liturgy Planning Committee is aware of the concerns of those who must learn to serve in a new space... with a slightly different protocol. Change is necessary, though sometimes a bit scary and confusing. We hope to make the transition with you, and as smoothly as possible. Thank you to all who attended the Day of Ministry Re-Training in June. It got our transition off to a great start! We will continue to offer re-training until all the Ministries that serve the Mass feel comfortable with the new routines. As we live with the space for awhile, we will have a better idea of what might need to still be adapted... "Blessed are the flexible!"
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If all goes as planned, I'll return from Haiti on the evening of the 21st, and then jump back in the SJN saddle on the 22nd. That Thursday evening, I will begin a short, four week book club experience for all wanting to join me. We'll be reading the great classic of St. Frances de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life. On the first night together (in the lower level of the church, room four I think), we'll begin at 7 PM and discuss Parts One and Two of the text. For anyone coming to the book club for the first time, we're very informal. We read the appropriate sections beforehand. I offer a kind of running commentary of the reading; and all bring their questions and their insights with them... to share with all.
This summer reading is but one of the many ongoing formation classes that SJN will offer in the near future. As a parish seeking renewal of mind and heart, we are called to take seriously the work of ongoing formation in the Lord. As disciples of the Lord Jesus, we are called to a disciplined life, in choosing the good and rejecting all that tempts us to sin (self-centeredness). This is the foundation, the beginning of the spirit filled life. But there is more. We are called to an abundant life (John 10.10). The abundant life... is a life of fruitfulness, of bringing forth the "fruits of the Kingdom" by staying connected to the Lord Jesus, the Vine of Life (John 15.5). The abundant life is ours when we live the life of a disciple in such a way that others see the good in us, and seek to find out where that goodness comes from. To live abundantly is to be formed (or re-formed) in the Lord so that we seek to do the right thing, we seek to love, to heal, to serve. Ongoing formation, in our study of sacred scripture, in our study of the teachings of the Church, in our reflection on the mystery of God's love for us... ongoing formation is the path for each of us... as we hope to move beyond the "basics"... to find our lives consumed by the abundant love... known in and through the heart of the Savior.
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I am scheduled to offer a retreat to a group of Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity in Haiti, beginning on Monday the 12th. While I am in Haiti, our deacons will offer Communion Services during the weekdays and visiting priests will be with you for the weekend liturgies. Please pray for the sisters and for me, that we may turn our whole hearts over to the Lord during the eight-day retreat. I will return home on the 21st.
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For me, in just these few weeks, the new worship space already feels like home. During the next several months, we will continue to look at any outstanding issues in the worship space and in the eight lower level meeting rooms. Like any new facility, we 'll need a few months to iron out any and all problems. Please let me know if you have a concern about either the church or lower level.
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How do we account for the blessings of God? How do we use the gifts received? How do we take care of these gifts, managing them with tender love and care? How do we show gratefulness, to the Giver of all gifts?