Search
-
Lessons in Love
May 9, 2021
As we near the end of the Easter Season, we continue our journey through Chapter 15 of John’s Gospel. We see a progression as Jesus reveals Himself to us. During Lent, when Jesus was asked “Who are you?” He would skirt the issue. Then closer to the Crucifixion He stated, “I am in the Father, and He is in me.” Now Jesus envelopes us in His response, “I am in you and you are in me.” What a beautiful expression of Jesus’ love for us.
Today we are treated to a three-fold tutorial on love. Each Reading gives us a slightly different glimpse as to what love truly is. In Acts, prior to today’s Reading I, the Roman centurion Cornelius has a vision that prompts him to seek a meeting with Peter. About the same time in Poppa, Peter also has a vision about being ordered to eat unclean animals; it’s meaning eludes him. Peter, a Jew, has a deep-seated aversion for Gentiles, but he accepts the invitation of Cornelius. Cornelius welcomes Peter by falling to his knees in homage. This causes Peter to protest that he is only human. During the process, however, Peter understands the meaning of his own vision.
Each man experiences a conversion: Cornelius to belief in Christ, and Peter to acceptance that Gentiles are to be welcomed in the community. He points out a truth: “God shows no partiality.” True love is given without bias or reservation. God loves each of us just as we are.
The poem that is today’s Reading II, 1 John 4:7-10, is sometimes chosen for weddings or funerals. It is not meant so much to instruct, as it is to draw those who hear it into a loving relationship with God. The continuation of John’s letter is used for the 7th Sunday of Easter: “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also must love one another. No one has ever seen God. Yet if we love one another, God remains in us, and his love is brought to perfection in us. God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him.” (1 John 4:11-12,16)
The Gospel, John 15:9-17, continues last week’s narrative in which Jesus teaches His disciples about the vine and branches: “As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love.”
John is such a perfect writer to analyze God’s love for us. He was humble and never used his given name; rather he referred to himself as the beloved disciple. John was steadfast in his love for Jesus. He was one of the three disciples to witness the Transfiguration. At the Last Supper, seated to the left of Jesus, he put his head on Jesus’ heart as they sat at table. He never abandoned Jesus. He went to the Garden of Gethsemane to keep watch. John stood at the foot of cross with the three women. He heard the words of Jesus on the cross: “Son, behold your Mother;” and “Mother, behold your son.” He accepted the responsibility of caring for the Blessed Mother. John took her into his home at Ephesus where he cared for her during the rest of her earthly life. John never wavered in his love of Christ and His mother, Mary.
Happy Mother’s Day!
Today we reflect on the three Mothers in our lives: Mary, the Mother of God; our Holy Mother Church; and, of course, the mothers with whom God has gifted our lives. For over 700 years, the Catholic Church has had the custom of dedicating the month of May to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Mary is the model for all mothers; she is also the model for the Church. At times you will hear people refer to the Church as “Holy Mother Church,” a most appropriate title because what Mary did for Jesus, the Church does for us. Mary, like all mothers, carried her Baby in her womb, gave birth from her body, nourished Him, taught Him the customs of the Jewish faith, and taught Him about life.
May God bless our mothers, both living and deceased, this day! May He keep each of you in His care. May you cherish the great vocation to which each of you has been called, and your importance not only to your children, but to the entire Church.
Father Storey
May 3, 2021
Dear Curé of Ars,
This past week the Johnson County Health Department lifted the mandated mask wearing in public places. This is certainly good news to some and to others who are dealing with compromised health it is a bit alarming.
As we move forward here at Curé of Ars, we would like to be respectful to all who attend. As we transition into this way of life let us first be respectful of each other and not make this a political agenda. There are still some who are very concerned about being in public with no mask. Some of you have compromised health and others are still being very cautious until we know this virus is truly contained and behind us.
To help all we will continue to leave every other pew marked off on the left side of Church as you enter. The right side will continue to be completely open. The county has lifted the mask mandate and thus it is up to each and every person as to if you choose to wear the mask or not. The priests here at Cure of Ars will not be wearing a mask, but will have one on us at all times for those wanting to meet and feel more comfortable with the priest wearing a mask.
As we move forward let us do so with Christian charity. This has been a crazy year, one filled with anxiety, fear and uncertainty. We are now living in the same world and things will be different and we have to move forward respecting each other and what each are comfortable doing.
Thank you for your patience in wearing your masks these past months. As we move forward, let us not forget the time we were given that allowed our lives to be at a much slower pace. As we now go forward into a more “normal” way of living I pray we all slow down and enjoy this life and spend time with family and friends and above all with the Lord.
God bless you all,
Fr. Storey and the Curé of Ars Priests, Deacons and ReligiousThe dispensation from the Sunday obligation to attend Mass remains in place. Those with higher vulnerability to the virus are strongly encouraged to take advantage of this dispensation and refrain from attending Mass.
- PLEASE DO NOT ATTEND Mass if you
- are in a high-risk category or live with someone at high-risk;
- have an underlying health condition;
- feel it is more prudent to stay at home;
- are ill;
- are experiencing any virus symptoms;
- have recently been sick;
- have been exposed to someone with Covid-19 or Covid-19 symptoms
- We will continue to offer daily Mass online Monday through Friday at 8:15 am and Weekend Mass online Saturday at 4 pm. You can watch these Masses any time on our website or Facebook page.
- Pews on the left side as you enter will be every other pew available. Pews on the right side and in the back chapel are all available to sit in.
Remain in Me
May 2, 2021Today Jesus uses the metaphor of a grapevine to illustrate a message that He wants to deliver to His disciples: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower.”
Father Storey
Imagine yourself on a tour bus in California’s wine growing region, or on a river boat cruising down the Rhine River in Germany, with grape vines climbing like a wall, covering the hills that seem to soar straight up from the river. Look closely at a vine. Each has a single, sturdy stem from which emanate multiple branches that can bear many bunches of grapes. Jesus Christ often used familiar objects to illustrate the knowledge that He was imparting to His listeners. We can easily visualize the image of a vine as we hear Jesus speaking to His disciples in today’s readings.
We have a rare opportunity on this the Fifth Sunday of Easter to hear two different Readings from the same writer: Reading II is 1 John 3:18-24, and the Gospel is John 15:1-8. A key theological and verbal link between Reading II and the Gospel is the word “remain.” Reading II concludes, “Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them, and the way we know that he remains in us is from the Spirit he gave us. Similarly, we hear in the Gospel, “Remain in me, as I remain in you...Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing.”
In his letter, John masterfully weaves together the themes of love, truth, belief and obedience. Central throughout this epistle is “love.” John states, “Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth.” The community to which he is writing is beloved, signifying both their intimate union with God who is love (1 John 4:8,16), and the love they have for one another. John tells us our actions must bear witness to this love. We are given a two-part commandment: believe in Jesus, and love one another as He commanded.
The metaphor of the vine has long been a part of the Jewish tradition. The Prophets Jeremiah and Isaiah both wrote of a covenant relationship that had gone wrong. God had planted a choice vine, but Israel became a wild, untamed vine instead. Whereas the old vine did not produce good fruit, Jesus presents a new image of the vine: “I am the true vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me, and I in him, will bear much fruit ... I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and every one that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit.”
On this, one of the last Sundays of the Easter Season, we are leading up to a celebration of Pentecost, when God’s promise to send the Holy Spirit was fulfilled. Jesus created a connectivity with His disciples. Because they remained in Him, and His words remained in them, His disciples were able to bear fruit. Without Him, they could do nothing.
Let us renew ourselves in Christ. Let us strive to maintain connectivity with Him, and remain in Him. We can bear much fruit; our prayers will be answered. Our ministries will be fruitful. We, too, can become true disciples of Christ. We must let His words remain in us, and love as He commanded us.
HungerApril 25, 2021Today’s Gospel (John 10:11-18) is part of a lengthy section of John’s Gospel (10:1-42) known as the Good Shepherd discourse. It is addressed to Jews as well as Greeks and probably Samaritans. Jesus identifies Himself as the good shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep. The sheep symbolize the Jewish people, while the wolf represents threats that come in the form of false messiahs and others who claim to provide a path to salvation. Jesus further describes how His sheep know Him but says He must also provide guidance and leadership to others.
Jewish religious authorities were divided over what they thought about Jesus. Jesus’ words likely infuriated them because they felt He was criticizing their leadership abilities.
Hunger is acute awareness of something missing. It is a discomfort or weakness caused by having little or nothing to eat; it is any strong craving or desire. We hear in the readings during the Easter Season that the disciples were anxious after the death of Christ; confused, longing for the presence of Jesus. When He appeared to them, they did not recognize Him until He ate a meal with them; they saw Him in the breaking of the bread.
Throughout His ministry, we witness occasions of Christ feeding the people. It is only natural that He should reveal Himself to His followers through food, especially the breaking of bread. On one occasion He fed 5000 with only 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread. Another time in the early dawn hours, He provided for the hungry Apostles. They had been fishing for hours, yet had nothing to show for their efforts. Jesus told them to cast their net to the other side of the boat, resulting in a catch that nearly burst their net.
The Disciples hungered for the presence of Jesus. Without Him, they were fearful, afraid of the Jews. They hungered for truth, justice, peace. When Christ entered the upper room in Jerusalem, He said to the Disciples, “Peace be with you!” He opened their minds teaching them as He did before. Even Thomas hungered. He hungered to see Christ so that he could believe.
We hunger – for truth, justice, freedom, peace. We hunger for the True Presence of Christ here on earth. The Eucharist is what unites us; it should never divide us. Jesus says to us, “Peace be with you;” not “Shame on you and go away hungry.” He tells us to go share the Good News with others. Evangelism is our responsibility as good Christians.
Let’s allow Christ to lead us to these gifts: peace, the Holy Spirit, penance, and especially to the True Presence of Christ here on earth. It is through Our Lord and Savior that we can find satisfaction for our hunger; though this hunger will never truly be sated until we are in heaven. Jesus feeds us with knowledge of His Father’s will. He will lead us to His Father. Jesus is present as the risen Messiah. He has fulfilled the Scriptures; the Paschal Mystery is the lens to understand the Scriptures. We will meet Him when we gather together particularly in the Eucharist.
The truth of Christ will set us free. Free to love as Christ loves. Alleluia! Jesus is risen!Father Storey
Open Our MindsApril 18, 2021
In the readings for Easter and the next few Sundays, we see a departure from the usual. For Reading I, instead of being from the Old Testament, we now have selections from the Acts of the Apostles, a book written by St. Luke.
Instead of Gospel readings from the featured evangelist for the current Liturgical Year, we hear primarily selections from St. John, the Beloved Disciple, with a smattering of selections from St. Luke. St. Luke’s Gospel (24:35-48) for today, the Third Sunday of Easter, concludes with a profound statement: “Then he (Jesus) opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. And he said to them, ‘Thus it is written Christ would suffer and rise from the dead ... and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sin would be preached in his name ... to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.’” As we reflect on this passage, we come to the realization that faith is a gift from God. Without Him we are nothing.
We did not delve into John’s Gospel for last Sunday because we wrote about the meaning of Divine Mercy Sunday. However, we can learn about both Gospels through some of the striking parallels that exist between them. Both Gospels tell how the risen Jesus appeared to His disciples very soon after the Resurrection.
Both Gospels relate how frightened the disciples were as Jesus entered the room in spite of the secured latches. The disciples cowered in fear, but Jesus did not berate them. He lovingly said, “Peace be with you!” assuring his fearful disciples that He was victorious over death, and He fulfilled the promises He made at the Last Supper. Peace was His farewell gift to them.
There are also differences between the two accounts. John attributes the paralyzing fear of the disciples to their being afraid that the Jewish religious authorities would find them and kill them just as they had done with Jesus. In Luke’s version, their fright was due to the disciples thinking they were seeing a ghost. Luke dispels this notion of Jesus being a ghost by relating how Jesus told them to touch His hands and feet because a ghost does not have flesh nor bones. Luke goes on to relate how Jesus asked for food, which He took and ate in front of them. A ghost would have no need of sustenance.
The concluding words of John’s Gospel used for the Second Sunday of Easter include this inspiring message: “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name.” With all love and forgiveness, Christ gave the gifts of peace and the Holy Spirit to the disciples who had abandoned Him during His Passion. Then He instructed them to go share His love and forgiveness with all the world.
Lord, our God, open our minds that we may understand your Scriptures. Deepen our faith that we may believe in you. Guide our hearts to love you as you loved the Father. Give us the right spirit to live our lives in fulfilling your commandments. May we be fruitful evangelists for you and by our lives may we preach forgiveness in your name. Amen.Father Storey
Reprinted from Divine Mercy Sunday, April 8, 2018
A Gift from St. John Paul II
April 10, 2021
April 30, 2000, on the occasion of the canonization of St. Faustina, then Pope John Paul II granted the Feast of Divine Mercy to the Universal Church, to be celebrated the first Sunday after Easter. Fourteen years later, on April 27, he was canonized and henceforth would be known as St. John Paul II, or St. Pope John Paul II.
“Like newborn infants, you must long for the pure, spiritual milk, that in Him you may grow to salvation, alleluia.” These profound words, from St. Peter’s 1st Epistle, form the Entrance Antiphon for today, Divine Mercy Sunday. The Divine Mercy devotion is based on the diary of St. Faustina Kowalska, a young Polish nun who died in 1938. At the direction of her spiritual director, St. Faustina wrote almost 600 pages describing the messages of mercy she received from Jesus Christ, beginning on February 22, 1931, and continuing throughout the remainder of her life.
The messages were a reinforcement of what Christ always taught: God loves us no matter how great our sins. He wants us to come to Him with trust, receive His mercy, and let it flow through us to others. We can relate to these A B Cs of Divine Mercy: Ask for His Mercy. Be merciful. Completely trust in Jesus.
St. Faustina’s first entry in her diary describes the image she saw of “Jesus clothed in a white garment ... From the opening of the garment at the breast there came forth two large rays, one red and the other pale.” Later these images were explained to her: “The pale ray stands for the Water which makes souls righteous; the red ray stands for the Blood which is the life of souls. These two rays issued forth from the depths of My most tender Mercy at that time when My agonizing Heart was opened by a lance on the Cross.”
In her diary entry 1320, St. Faustina describes the importance of 3:00 p.m.: “At three o’clock, implore My mercy, especially for sinners; and, if only for a brief moment, immerse yourself in My Passion ... This is the hour of great mercy ... In this hour I will refuse nothing to the soul that makes a request of Me in virtue of My Passion.”Today, let us cherish the beautiful gift of this feast day and practice the A B C’s of Divine Mercy:
Ask for His Mercy. Be merciful. Completely trust in Jesus.Father Storey
Jesus Christ is Risen Today!
April 4, 2021
I want to extend a warm welcome to all our parishioners, their families and guests, as we celebrate this Feast of the Resurrection of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
“Exult, let them exult, the hosts of heaven; exult, let Angel ministers of God exult; let the trumpet of salvation sound aloud our mighty King’s triumph! Be glad, let earth be glad, as glory floods her, ablaze with light from her eternal King...” These words from the Easter Proclamation (Exsultet) bring joy to our hearts and music to our ears as we begin our celebration of The Easter Vigil on Saturday evening.
The summit of our liturgical year is the Easter Triduum. The Triduum, chronologically three days, is liturgically one day. In Jewish liturgical designation, celebrations begin at sundown of the preceding day; hence Triduum starts on Holy Thursday evening and continues to sundown on Easter Sunday. (This explains why there is no evening Mass on Easter.)
On that awe-inspiring night of the Last Supper, Jesus was thinking of His final act of love while on this earth: His death on the cross. So that His followers might be able to share in His sacrifice throughout all ages, He instituted the Sacrament of His Paschal Mystery, His death and Resurrection. At His supper “under the appearances of bread and wine, Jesus offered His Body and Blood, gave them to His apostles to eat and drink and then commanded them to carry on this mystery” (Roman Missal, 55).
On Friday afternoon, Jesus offered the sacrifice of Himself which He had instituted as a sacrament on the previous night. On Saturday, the second day of the Triduum, Jesus was in a tomb. It is the day of supreme quiet, the great silence of the liturgy. The liturgy invites us to remain at the tomb of Jesus, in peaceful expectation of a brilliant future.
At the Easter Vigil, we celebrate the Mass of the Resurrection of the Lord. We break the great silence, going from darkness into the Light of Christ. We punctuate our songs and prayers with Alleluias; we rejoice in the Risen Lord. It is symbolic, that after a six weeks’ absence from our liturgy, the words, first voiced by a chorus of angels at Christmas over 2000 years ago, are once again sung at Easter: Gloria in excelsis Deo! Glory to God in the highest. Masses on Easter Sunday continue the celebration of the Lord’s Resurrection.
The Holy Feast Days of Easter and Christmas are complementary of one another. We cannot focus on one without recalling the other. One is not complete without the other. We are the recipients of the Greatest Gift that God could give – His only Son.
From His first cry in the manger in Bethlehem to His last cry on the cross of Calvary, He has given us the Gift of His undying love.
Jesus’ suffering led Him to a deeper relationship with God. Out of love, Jesus did the will of His Father that we might have new life. This is evidence of our great healing and hope. Christ came to live, to die and now He comes to rise for each of us – making our lives so very blessed and so very important. We were once dead, and now we live because JESUS CHRIST IS TRULY RISEN TODAY!
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Father Storey
Hosanna in the Highest!March 28, 2021
Today, as we begin Holy Week, we find ourselves having to adjust our celebration of the Liturgy due to the worldwide pandemic of COVID-19 limiting us in our contact, dictating social distancing and not being able to have multiple people use the same small missals in order to participate in the reading of the Passion. Some of the descriptions that I am about to share with you will not be possible today; rather they invoke the meanings and practices that were present pre-pandemic. Let us thank God for what has been accomplished so far, and pray for even more success in the future.
Each of the four evangelists presents us with a slightly different perspective in his version of the Passion and Death of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The one that we use in Liturgical Year Cycle B is from Mark. Mark was a disciple (follower) of Christ, though not one of the original 12. Mark, as described in the Acts of the Apostles, was an assistant who accompanied Paul and Barnabas for three years on their journeys. He was the first to write his Gospel, having done so sometime between 66 and 74 AD.
One image seems to stand out when we think about Palm Sunday. In Mark 11:1-10, a Gospel often read for the blessing of palms on this day, we see Jesus seated on a colt, riding into Jerusalem, flanked by townsfolk who waved palm branches and loudly cried out “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”
Holy Week commences today, Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord, and reaches a climax in the three days we call the Triduum. In Jewish liturgical designation, celebrations begin at sundown of the preceding day; hence Triduum starts on Holy Thursday evening and continues up to sundown on Easter Sunday. (This explains why there is no evening Mass on Easter.)
Today’s Liturgy begins to unfold a series of events that God the Father planned, and that He guided by means of the Holy Spirit in order to accomplish our salvation. In the center of this divine drama stands, not an actor, but the eternal Son of God. He is Jesus, the Savior. He is the Christ, the one anointed by God to be the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world.
We have a unique opportunity to become immersed in the divine drama by actively participating in the reading of the Passion. We don’t just listen or observe – we take on the role of members of the crowd surrounding Jesus. It is impossible not to be moved by the words we utter. We are there!
On that awe-inspiring night of the Last Supper, Jesus was thinking of His final act of love while on this earth: His death on the cross. So that His followers might be able to share in His sacrifice throughout all ages, He instituted the Sacrament of His Paschal Mystery, His death and resurrection. At His supper “under the appearances of bread and wine, Jesus offered His Body and Blood, gave them to His apostles to eat and drink and then commanded them to carry on this mystery” (Roman Missal, 55).
On Friday afternoon, Jesus offered the sacrifice of Himself which He had instituted as a sacrament on the previous night. On Saturday, the second day of the Triduum, Jesus was in the tomb. It is the day of supreme quiet, the great silence of the Liturgy. The Liturgy invites us to remain at the tomb of Jesus, in peaceful expectation of a brilliant future.
On Easter Sunday Jesus broke the bonds of death. By dying He destroyed our death, and by rising He restored our life. Now in the Eucharistic celebration, His Resurrection cannot be separate from His death; we will proclaim yet again, “By your cross and resurrection you have set us free; you are the Savior of the World.”
May this week truly be holy for all of us, and may our hosannas ring out in chorus with those of the throngs on the way to Jerusalem.Father Storey
Making Healing and Hope Personal3.21.2021
As we enter these last two weeks of Lent we find a richness of healing and hope in our readings. Reading I is a mere 4 verses in length –Jeremiah 31:31-34 –yet it is a basis for biblical literature, a prophecy based on hope and the promise of restoration for Israel: “The days are coming when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers ... I will place my law within them and write upon their hearts; I will be their God and they shall be my people. All shall know me.”
The Prophet Jeremiah, in his chapters 30 –33, which are often referred to as the Book of Consolation, gives hope to people restoring their faith that God will make them His beloved people. He will forgive their wrongdoing and will “remember their sin no more.”
The selection from St. Paul’s Letter to the Hebrews (5:7--9) though only 2 verses long, speaks volumes to us. It portrays Christ as the compassionate high priest, who is able to sympathize with humanity: “He became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.”
In today’s Gospel (John 12: 20 –33) we hear the words, “Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Whoever serves me must follow me. Where I am, there also will my servant be.” If we want to achieve our fullest potential, we should pay particular attention to these words of Jesus Christ.
Like the grain of wheat, we must die to ourselves in order to bear much fruit, to go out and spread our faith and serve our Lord. The symbol of wheat is a familiar one to us who live in Kansas, the Wheat State. We know only too well the effect of the perils of drought and pestilence on the main agricultural crop of our state. Through our Lenten prayers, fasting, almsgiving and other good works, we seek God’s help in avoiding the perils of our daily lives. We want to grow in our faith and bear much fruit in the service of our Lord.
We must persevere in the growth of our faith life as we continue our journey of Lent in order to fully experience the joys of Easter. We may have hit some low spots, encountered times of little or no spiritual rainfall or nourishment, or too many distractions in our everyday lives.
In these last two weeks of Lent especially, we want to renew our resolution of seeking reconciliation with our Lord. There is absolutely no need for fear, no matter how long it has been since you have gone to confession. Our Lord is reaching out to each of us and offering us His forgiveness through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Elsewhere in this bulletin we list many opportunities for the Sacrament over these next two weeks. Let us die to ourselves so that we may bear much fruit in the service of God, and stay the path of our Lenten journey.Father Storey
Patris Corde
“With a Father’s Heart!” What a beautiful title Pope Francis has chosen for his most recent Apostolic Letter, declaring a “Year of St. Joseph” to run from December 8, 2020, to December 8, 2021, marking the 150th Anniversary of the naming of St. Joseph as Patron of the Universal Church. Today is Laetare Sunday, just over half-way through Lent. Laetare is one of the words in Latin for rejoice and is the first word in today’s Entrance Antiphon. Today we have multiple reasons to rejoice as we celebrate this year in his honor. On Friday this week, March 19, we celebrate one of the two Feast Days of St. Joseph. The other is May 1, Feast of St. Joseph the Worker.
In his Apostolic Letter, Pope Francis clearly shows his love and devotion for the foster father and guardian of Jesus as he presents St. Joseph as an icon of healing and hope – another illustration of our Lenten theme. Our Holy Father explains “Every prayer book contains prayers to Saint Joseph. Special prayers are offered to him each Wednesday and especially during the month of March, which is traditionally dedicated to him. This last sentence is followed by [10]. Tracing this annotation though the footnotes rewards the reader with this beautiful insight into the spirit of Pope Francis:
[10] Every day, for over forty years, following Lauds, I have recited a prayer to Saint Joseph taken from a nineteenth-century French prayer book of the Congregation of the Sisters of Jesus and Mary. It expresses devotion and trust, and even poses a certain challenge to Saint Joseph: “Glorious Patriarch Saint Joseph, whose power makes the impossible possible, come to my aid in these times of anguish and difficulty. Take under your protection the serious and troubling situations that I commend to you, that they may have a happy outcome. My beloved father, all my trust is in you. Let it not be said that I invoked you in vain, and since you can do everything with Jesus and Mary, show me that your goodness is as great as your power. Amen.”
Writing during the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Holy Father says Patris Corde has helped us see more clearly the importance of ordinary people who, though far from the limelight, exercise patience and offer hope every day. In this, they resemble St. Joseph, “the man who goes unnoticed, a discreet and hidden presence,” who nonetheless played “an incomparable role in the history of salvation.”
Pope Francis often quotes his predecessor, St. Paul VI, who gifted the Universal Church with its patron 150 years ago, presenting a composite of quotations, citations and remembrances. Each is a title of a section in his letter. He paints a vital portrait of St. Joseph as a beloved, tender, loving, obedient father who expressed his fatherhood by making an offering of himself in love, placed at the service of the Messiah who was growing to maturity in his home. In the letter, each of these titles is followed by a few short paragraphs shedding light for us as to how valuable and influential a person Saint Joseph was in the Holy Family.
Pope Francis continues highlighting qualities of St. Joseph along with illustrative examples: an accepting father, a creatively courageous father, a working father. The pope’s final title paints St. Joseph as a father in the shadows. A haunting image portrays St. Joseph as the earthly shadow of the heavenly Father. I don’t have room in this one brief article to do justice to the Apostolic Letter, but I would strongly encourage you to get a copy of it, read and meditate on the whole letter. It will be well worth your time.
“With a Father’s Heart” concludes with this evocative prayer. Let us pray it together:Hail, Guardian of the Redeemer, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
To you God entrusted his only Son; in you Mary placed her trust;
With you Christ became man.
Blessed Joseph, to us too, show yourself a father and guide us in the path of life.
Obtain for us grace, mercy and courage,
And defend us from every evil. Amen.
Father Storey
A Trek of Healing & Hope in ChristMarch 5, 2021
On the Third Sunday of Lent, we acquire St. John the Evangelist as “tour guide” on our trek of healing and hope in Christ. In Cycle B, we usually are immersed in the Gospel according to Mark, but today we gain insights from John. John 2:1-12 relates the first miracle performed by Jesus – at the Wedding at Cana. It is a foreshadowing of the kingdom to come, in which Jesus demonstrates that those who wait patiently for the kingdom will not be disappointed. Today’s Gospel (John 2:13-25) follows immediately and also is a foreshadowing of the kingdom. It shows a forceful Jesus protecting His Father’s house and being a prophet: “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.” Of course, the Jews did not realize that it was Jesus’ own body that He referred to as “this temple.”
When writing, John intended that these two narratives be read one right after the other. They both demonstrate the abundance of the Kingdom of God to come. When we hear them in the Liturgy of the Word, we hear only one at a time, each a unique landmark on our journey of healing and hope.
As we progress through Lent, we are brought to the realization that our whole life is a journey with Christ – not just during these 40 days. When we go on a trip of any kind, we have to make certain preparations. We have to plan. We make sure our house is properly secure – doors locked, water shut off if the weather is extremely cold. We must determine what we need to take for our journey and pack a bag. Then there’s that nagging feeling we have forgotten something – something that we really need.
In the Gospel readings for Lent, we see Jesus setting off on His journey. He has already been baptized in the Jordan, and now He is ready to start His mission. He is gradually moving along a road mapped out by His Father which will lead to the Holy City, Jerusalem. During His journey, He stops along the way, meeting people, talking to them. He pays special attention to those who are sick, crippled, blind, even those suffering from leprosy, healing them and giving them hope. He teaches us in a loving way that we need to repent and change things in our lives. He is proclaiming the Kingdom of God. He is giving us everything we need for our journey.
Jesus tells us we must keep our eyes focused intently on the beautiful city of Jerusalem. It was promised that in this city Christ would fulfill His covenant – the purpose of His coming among us. Through His death and Resurrection, we would be freed of our sins, and He would go before us to prepare a place for us. When He is ready He will come back again and take us to Himself, so that where He is, we also may be. It is no surprise then, at the end of our earthly journey when our bodies are brought to the church for the last time, the words of the Final Commendation in the funeral Mass resound: “Set them free in the new and eternal Jerusalem.”
Jesus has given us a road map for our journey, and He is our personal Guide. He exhorts us, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. I have gone before you. I went before you in the Jordan. I will go before you again.” He explains, “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father, except through Me.”
We have contemplated what to pack for our journey. Have we forgotten anything? On our life journey with Christ, let us pack our bags with faith, hope and trust in God; then there is no need to fear. We have everything we need.Father Storey
A Trilogy of Healing and HopeFebruary 28, 2021
The Liturgy of the Word in our Sunday celebration of the Mass presents a trilogy: three readings closely related, each revealing a different facet of a story. Today’s readings for the Second Sunday in Lent give us an exquisite view of healing and hope as they focus on the ultimate sacrifice.
In the first reading from Genesis, Abraham is told by God to make an extreme sacrifice – that of Abraham’s only son whom he dearly loved. Abraham does not hesitate. He takes Isaac to the designated place on a high hill, and erects an altar upon which to carry out God’s will. Abraham’s raised hand, clutching the knife, is stopped only by the mandate delivered by God, “Do not do the least thing to him.” Abraham then sacrificed the ram he saw caught in a nearby bush. Abraham’s trepidation had to be replaced with great hope as he obeyed God’s command.
In the Gospel, six days after explaining to His apostles that He had to go to Jerusalem to suffer, die and then be raised up, Jesus led Peter, James and John up on a high mountain where He was transfigured before them. Jesus’ garments became dazzling white. Elijah and Moses appeared in conversation with Him. The apostles were terrified. God made sure there was no doubt Who this was. Just as we heard at the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan, a voice came from a cloud, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to Him.” Immense healing of their fears as well as hope had to have overcome the three apostles who witnesses this transfiguration.
The transfiguration was a visualization of the meaning of the Paschal Mystery – Christ’s work of redemption accomplished principally by His Passion, death, Resurrection, and glorious Ascension. The Liturgy of the Mass urges us to embrace a constant meditation and reflection on the Paschal Mystery because it is the fulfillment of Christ’s coming into our world.
In the second reading, St. Paul assures us of God’s complete and total commitment to us. God’s sacrifice of His own Son for our salvation is proof of His love and fidelity. “God ... did not spare His own Son, but handed Him over for us all.” (Romans 8). Can there be any greater display of healing and hope than this ultimate sacrifice!
How should we respond? In total healing and hope! The first time each of us experiences the Paschal Mystery is at our Baptism. We are a people who have been washed clean with the water of Baptism into the death of Christ, and we have been raised with Him to the newness of life. Baptism is a onetime experience, but this initial sacrament leads us to the Eucharistic celebration of the Paschal Mystery. When bread dies to become the Body of Christ, and when wine perishes to become the Blood of Christ, that is the Paschal Mystery.
Our sharing in the Paschal Mystery is our physical death, which brings us to enjoy the fruit of the Resurrection, sharing everlasting life with our Savior Jesus Christ. Each time we celebrate Mass together we are called to enter into the Paschal Mystery, to imitate Christ fully for Christ came to “first suffer and so come to the glory of the Resurrection.” Truly we are part of the ultimate sacrifice. We cherish our participation in this reenactment of healing and hope.Father Storey
YOU’LL NEVER WALK ALONE
February 21, 2021
On this First Sunday of Lent, we contemplate our dual themes of healing and hope. With the COVID-19 pandemic and now the mutations that are bombarding our nation, we observe an enormous need for physical healing. In parallel with that, we rejoice in hope in the increase in availability of existing vaccines and the introduction of new vaccines. With so much focus on the pandemic and other forms of the virus though, have we lost sight of the need for our spiritual healing and hope?
We know that our spiritual healing must begin with forgiveness, and we are drawn to reflect on that forgiveness. We know that we should seek forgiveness through the Sacrament of Penance/Reconciliation, but for way too many of us, we just do not. We create our own roadblocks; we let our pride get in the way.
There are three ways to seek/receive forgiveness. The first two come to mind immediately: ask God to forgive us, and ask the forgiveness of others. The third might not be quite so obvious – we must be willing to forgive ourselves. Sometimes seeking forgiveness can be very difficult, but we must remember we are not alone. We must set aside our pride, and place our trust in God. Therein lies our hope.
Today’s Gospel (Mark 1:12-15) relates how the Spirit led Jesus into the desert to be tempted by the devil. Jesus withstood three different temptations by the devil, and then angels of God came and ministered to Him. Jesus was not alone.
As we navigate the path of our personal Lenten journey into the desert, we can find ourselves fearful and anxious. One might ask, “How am I going to handle all these obstacles?” It’s OK to have fears, struggles and anxiety. Just remember you don’t have to face them alone. Recall the song of Rogers and Hammerstein featured in the musical “Carousel.”When you walk through a storm
Hold your head up high
And don’t be afraid of the dark
At the end of the storm is a golden sky…
Ask the Blessed Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, to accompany you and guide you on this journey.
Walk on through the wind,
Walk on through the rain
Though your dreams be tossed and blown
Let Them lift your burdens and ease your anxiety and fears:
Walk on, walk on with hope in your heart
And you’ll never walk alone.
Yes, place your trust in God and you will never walk alone.Father Storey
Capital “H”
February 14, 2021
Grammatically speaking, our current pre-Lent and Lenten theme, “Healing and Hope,” is incorrectly capitalized; but effectively, as illustrated in our Gospel today, the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, the last Sunday before Ash Wednesday, it should be all caps: HEALING AND HOPE. Mark 1:40-45 shows a loving and merciful Jesus bestowing healing and hope on a leper who initiated a conversation with Him in a town in Galilee.
The disease of leprosy has pretty much been eradicated from contemporary society, but in Jesus’ day it was the most dreaded of all illnesses. It gravely disfigured its victims, forced them to live in the desert apart from family and friends, and rendered them unfit for public worship.
When the leper approached Jesus to seek a cure, he really was out of line. He had no business leaving his place of exile to go where people gathered. He was an ostracized degenerate. Rather than asking for help from Jesus, he should have been crying out, “Unclean, unclean,” the mandated words of warning, so that no one would come near him.
The episode in today’s Gospel is altogether amazing. Jesus not only welcomed the man, He actually reached out and touched him. He was not repulsed by this poor disfigured person. According to the book of Leviticus, the law prescribed for the priests of the tribe of Levi, anyone who touched a leper was rendered unclean. This meant that he or she also was unfit for public worship. However, Jesus invoked an authority higher than that of the Levitical law. Jesus came to perfect the law, and by His actions He showed that charity is that perfection.
After Jesus cured the leper, He told the man to show himself to the priest of the temple so that the priest could declare him cleaned of his leprosy and admit him once again to public worship.
Jesus wanted to change the attitude towards lepers. He wants to change our attitude also, toward the outcasts of our society. We need to accept this challenge from Jesus, not regarding lepers whom we never see, but regarding those people who are held in contempt by our contemporaries.
It is rare to see a case of leprosy today, but rampant among us are the festering lesions of hatred, self-righteousness, and the rejection of fellow human beings. These modern day diseases are just as contagious and insidious as leprosy; they also require a cure.
Conscientious people must have no part of a spirit which is so foreign to that of Jesus Christ. Rather they must invoke the spirit of charity, exemplified by Christ Himself.
Emulating the leper in today’s Gospel, we might consider capitalizing our traits of Humility and Faith, and go to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, pleading: “If you wish, you can make me clean.”Father Storey
Walking the Walk
February 7, 2021
No doubt you have heard the saying that one must “walk the walk” not just “talk the talk.” St. Francis of Assisi put it this way: “Always preach the Gospel; use words if necessary.” Pope Francis is a living embodiment of this principle as well. His actions speak volumes, and his words underline what he has shown us by example.
Today’s Gospel ( Mark 1:29-39) is a perfect illustration of Jesus Christ doing this – walking the walk. Mark begins his Gospel with a strong emphasis on Christ’s deeds rather than words in Galilee. Mark’s enumeration of the activities that day in Capernaum gives us a powerful insight into what Christ’s ministry was all about – love and serving others. We see a multi-faceted focus on Christ’s loving healing of Peter’s mother-in-law and the hope He gave her, followed by many more healings and exorcisms in the evening. Jesus prayed early the next morning, and when His disciples found Him, He told them He must leave Capernaum to preach in other villages. Here Christ is not just talking; He is doing. He is showing us how to love by serving others in multiple ways. Jesus explained His mission was to preach and to teach many, not just a few.
What can we do to follow the Lord’s loving example of service, healing, hope, prayer, teaching, spreading the good news? One way is to participate in the Archbishop’s Call to Share; here we have multiple opportunities to walk in the footsteps of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, to serve the poor, the vulnerable, the marginalized. Call to Share provides funds to nearly 50 different ministries and programs. It serves 181,000 Catholics in 107 parishes in 21 counties and 8 Pastoral Regions of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. Call to Share focuses on multiple areas: evangelization, education, outreach, stewardship, and conversion.
This year’s Call to Share theme is a repeat of 2020’s: “First Fruits.” We are urged to give, not from our leftovers, rather from the best of what we have. We are asked to donate generously and freely, giving our best to the Lord, doing our part to promote healing and hope in these exceptionally difficult times.
In these past few weeks of Ordinary Time, we have witnessed Jesus calling His disciples, inviting them to follow Him, ultimately to spread His Good News to all the nations. In Christ’s life here on earth, He led the way by example. Not only did He teach His disciples, He showed them the way by His actions. Now is our turn to walk the walk. We, too, are called by Christ to follow Him, to love and serve others. We should actively participate in these ministries where we can, and support them financially to the extent we are able. We know fully that our acts of sharing with others will be blessed by God as we walk the walk.Father Storey
Healing and Hope
January 31, 2021
As we progress through these Sundays of Ordinary time, we find a common thread carefully woven in the Gospel messages. The very fabric of these readings speaks of healing and hope, curing and cleansing. This theme will lead us into Lent and our preparation to celebrate the great Easter Mystery.
As we look around and within ourselves, we see a great need for healing and hope, beginning with ourselves and expanding to our families, our communities, states, nation, and to the entire world. We are surrounded by tensions, fears, civil unrest, worldwide pandemic, crises on all sides. But along with it all, there is hope. We must keep in mind that it has to begin with ourselves.
Biblical scholars have long been comparing and contrasting the works of the four evangelists. One of the theories that gained acceptance in the early 1900s is called the “messianic secret.” It contends that Mark’s Gospel portrays the disciples and those closest to Jesus as not understanding His true identity as God’s Son. Another characteristic of the theory is that demons are able to see who Jesus is. We observe both of these in today’s Gospel (Mark 1:21-28).
Early in His public ministry, Jesus was delivering a very powerful message in Galilee: “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the Gospel.” (Mark 1:15) As He walked along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, Jesus saw two fishermen. It was here that He called the first of His apostles. He recruited Simon, who would later be known as Peter, and his brother Andrew, sons of John, promising that they would become “fishers of men.” Then He invited James and John, sons of Zebedee. They, too, answered His call.
The beginning chapters of Mark’s Gospel tell of Jesus performing many miracles, especially healing and exorcisms. In today’s Gospel, we witness Jesus teaching in the synagogue in an authoritative manner. Suddenly, Jesus is confronted by a man possessed by an unclean spirit. Jesus launches into conversation with the demon, and demands that it leave the man. Much to the surprise of the people gathered there, the demon follows His orders.
Do we sometimes harbor demons? What form or shape do they take? Are we letting our own personal demons (sins and transgressions) keep us from entering into a deep relationship with God? We, too, hear Jesus Christ calling us to follow Him. Are we so consumed by our demons that we fail to answer Him? Jesus asks only that we repent and believe. He gave us the wonderful gift of Reconciliation. Let us put our hope and trust in Him. Let us ask for His forgiveness and healing. Let us forgive one another as He forgives us.
When we start the process of healing and growing in hope, we know it has to start with us. We can look for opportunities to volunteer, give one-on-one assistance to others. Look for an elderly person who would benefit from your giving of yourself. We can make donations to those in need. We can gain hope from events as they unfold around us. Sign up to get the Coronavirus vaccine as it becomes available to your age group and occupation. Never forget the wonderful power of prayer. HEALING AND HOPE BEGINS WITH ME.St. Francis of Assisi put it so beautifully: “Preach the Good News always. Use words if necessary.”Father Storey
Answering God’s Call
January 24, 2021
In these Sundays of Ordinary Time following the Christmas Season and preceding Lent, we get an introduction to the public life, events, miracles, and teachings of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The number of Sundays varies depending upon the related dates of Ash Wednesday and Easter. The remaining Sundays in Ordinary Time are adjusted following Pentecost and conclude with the last, the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time.
Today, the 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, we find ourselves less than four weeks away from Ash Wednesday, February 17, the beginning of Lent. We are also nearing 11 months of this COVID-19 pandemic.
We find a common message throughout the readings of these Sundays. We are called not just to hear, but to really listen. In today’s First Reading, Jonah 3:1-5, 10, Jonah answers God’s call to go to Nineveh, a city so large that it would take three days to cross. Jonah proclaims God’s message to repent telling the townsfolks, “Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed.” After a single day of Jonah’s crossing Nineveh, God observed the repentant actions of the people, so He relented in His decision to destroy the city.
How we answer God’s call is important. Last week, we witnessed in 1 Samuel how the Lord called Samuel three times. After the third time, Eli told Samuel to go sleep, and if Samuel was called again, he was to reply, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is LISTENING.” Because Samuel listened to the Lord, the Word of God became effective and bore fruit. Samuel acted on God’s instruction and took on his role as judge and prophet. The message of the Old Testament gives us a glimpse of what is to come in the Gospel. In last week’s Gospel, John the Baptist tells his disciples, “Behold, the Lamb of God,” an identification with many intricate meanings. John’s disciples follow Jesus to learn more about Him, to ask questions, and get to know Jesus. The evangelist John gives us a tutorial in vocabulary that will help in our understanding throughout the Gospels. Rabbi means Teacher; Messiah translates into Christ, and Cephas becomes Peter (rock). You may sense that Jesus seems to enjoy a play on words. In another Gospel segment, we read that Jesus said, “You are Peter, and upon this rock, I will build my church.”
Now in the Gospel for today, the 3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time, we find some more parallels: Jesus is calling His first disciples. As Jesus walks by the Sea of Galilee, He sees Andrew and Simon fishing. Jesus invites them to follow Him, and in another play on words says, “I will make you fishers of men.” They listen and follow Jesus. Soon thereafter, Jesus sees James and his brother John, sons of Zebedee, mending their nets. James and John also respond to Jesus’ call and follow Him.
Like the people in both the Old and the New Testament, we are called to really LISTEN, then RESPOND and ACT. During this coming week, we will probably hear some really disturbing voices. We must listen for the voice of God. Do we listen, really listen? In these times of civil unrest, suffering, and pandemic, are we striving to do God’s will? Do we remember God’s greatest Commandment? Love the Lord, your God, above all things. Love your neighbor as yourself. Put God first in your response, and you cannot go wrong! We don’t want to be listening to the wrong voices. Find God; pray to Him. Heed His call.
May our response always be, “HERE I AM, LORD; I COME TO DO YOUR WILL.”Father Storey
Hear, Listen, Respond, Act!
January 17, 2021
Lord, open my heart, my ears and my mind to hear your call.
Then, let me respond and act according to your will.
Today’s readings, for the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, are about listening to the Lord and heeding His call. In Old Testament times, most of the calling of prophets seemed to invoke a great drama, except for Samuel. For example in Genesis 12, we see a 75 year old Abraham leaving his homeland, Harran, with his elderly wife and all his valued possessions in response to God’s promise to make of him a great nation. In Exodus 3, we learn that the voice of God came from a burning bush, calling Moses to liberate the Israelites from their slavery in Egypt. The Old Testament seems to suggest that God chose people who were hesitant to follow His command; but not Samuel.
Samuel was born to Hannah long after her normal childbearing years had ended, and he was placed in the care of the temple priests where he spent much time watching over the Ark of the Covenant. The young Samuel was eager to please, and when he heard his name called in the middle of the night, he raced to the high priest Eli saying, “Here I am, you called me.” Eli denied having called Samuel and told him to return to sleep. A second time an identical sequence of events occurred. The third time Samuel went to Eli, Eli realized who was the source of the voice and instructed Eli, if it happened again, to respond, “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.” Eli’s enlightening response allows us to realize that something very important is about to happen to Samuel.
The next time that God called out to Samuel, the eager youth enthusiastically responded, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” Samuel discerned God’s call to him and became a selfless prophet who truly listened to the voice of God, and “the Lord was with him, not permitting any word of his to be without effect.”
Similar to what Eli did in Reading I, John does in the Gospel. He exclaimed to his followers as he watched Jesus walk by, “Behold, the Lamb of God.” When Jesus asked John’s disciples what they were looking for, they responded “Rabbi” or teacher. In response to their inquiry as to where He was staying, Jesus’ answer was very simple and straight forward, “Come, and you will see.” We contemplate about the depth of meaning of the word “see.” Jesus, the Teacher, is educating His new companions through first-hand observation. Jesus offered His soon to be disciples the opportunity to hear – to really listen. Then they were able to discern and respond; finally to act. After staying the night with Christ, Andrew left to find his brother Simon and bring him back to Jesus. Andrew excitedly told Simon, “We have found the Messiah.” Jesus welcomed Simon to His then small group and gave him a new name.
What are we to do in these unprecedented times of pandemic illness, political turmoil and unrest? We must hear, but even more so, we must listen to the right voices. Let us heed God’s call. Let us open our hearts, our ears and our minds to listen carefully to discern what He is saying. May our response always be “Here I am Lord; I come to do your will.”Father Storey
A Promise Renewed
January 10, 2021
“Thus says the Lord: All you who are thirsty, come to the water! Come to me heedfully; listen, that you may have life.” I will renew with you the everlasting covenant. These words are from Isaiah 55:1-11, one of two selections approved for use as Reading I in the Liturgy for today’s feast of the Baptism of the Lord. Come to the water! What a beautiful invitation we receive from Christ Himself; this time at His baptism by John in the Jordan. Water: that which cleanses us; that which sustains life.
In last week’s Pastor’s Notes, we explained that Christmas actually begins a fourfold manifestation of Jesus Christ with the announcement to the shepherds of the birth of the Infant Jesus. This is followed by the Epiphany celebrating the revelation of the Infant to the Wise Men and symbolically to the world.
Today’s feast of the Baptism of Jesus is the third of those four manifestations. All four of the Evangelists have a slightly different version of the Baptism of Jesus. The versions from Matthew, Mark and Luke are used in Liturgical Year Cycles A, B and C respectively. In years, when Christmas falls on a Sunday, we do not have a Sunday celebrating the feast, but we do have John’s account of the Baptism of the Lord as the Gospel for the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time.
As you know, Christ is the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophesy found in today’s first reading. In these extremely difficult times that we are experiencing during this worldwide pandemic, we can take a measure of hope and reassurance from the renewed promise of God.
We find John’s narrative in 1:29-34: John the Baptist, when he sees Jesus walking toward him, announces, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world... I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel.” John tells us that Jesus will give us the saving waters: “On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.”
Mark, in the Gospel used in today’s Liturgy, tells us, “After Jesus was baptized, he came up from the water and behold, the heavens were opened for him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, saying, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased’” (Matt. 3:16-17). We Christians find our Savior by entering the water of Baptism. Christ calls us to the water. He goes into the water before us to lead us, to guide us, to reveal the image of God His Father.
Today He is still with us. We continue our journey through Him. Christ leads us to the water; He renews us. We must remain focused on Christ and we will be rewarded.
All you who are thirsty, come to the water!... I will renew with you the everlasting covenant.Father Storey
Follow the SpiritJanuary 3, 2021
In the great Solemnity of Christmas and the ensuing Christmas Season, we hear the good news that God is truly here among us. Through the Person of His beloved Son, He comes close to us. He has become part of our human family and entered the world which He entrusts to humanity. We celebrate in thanksgiving the God Who created us, Who loves us, the God Who is wanting to show His face. He reveals to us that He is truly the Messiah, the one coming to save.
The Evangelist Matthew was writing for a Jewish-Christian audience and weaves their Scriptures, symbols and allusions to their ancestors into his Gospel. He gives their Hebrew texts new meaning, showing fulfillment in unforeseen ways in light of Jesus the Messiah.
We celebrate a fourfold manifestation of Jesus Christ that begins with the announcement to the shepherds of the birth of the Infant Jesus, and continues with the Epiphany wherein God shows Himself to the world through the eyes of the Wise Men. The three Wise Men embarked on a Christian journey, totally on faith – their only guide, a star. They had to have days of doubt, of frustration, sickness. Days of just wanting to turn away from this journey to which they had been called. Especially when the star grew dim and disappeared from their sight. But they persevered, and they were rewarded.
We read in Matthew’s Gospel, “After their audience with the king (Herod) they set out. And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother” (Matt. 2:9-11). This overwhelming joy which embraced the Wise Men can be ours!
Like the Wise Men we must persevere in our pursuit of God, not become disheartened. The joy of the Gospel will fill the hearts and lives of all who truly encounter Jesus.
The Baptism of the Lord is the third part of the manifestation. In today’s Gospel, God again shows His face to us. Let’s imagine ourselves on the bank of the River Jordan with other followers who had come to John to be baptized. Out of the crowd gathered there, came a Man from Galilee who also sought to be baptized. John protested vigorously that he, John, should not be the one who was baptizing; rather their roles should be reversed. But Jesus prevailed, and John did as Jesus asked. Then it became evident to all around just who the newly baptized Person actually was.
Luke tells us in his Gospel how God made His presence known: “After…Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased’” (Luke 3:21-22). The fourth manifestation takes place at the celebration of the marriage at Cana. Jesus, through His miraculous changing of the water into wine, reveals that He truly is God.
The Spirit of the Lord is here among us guiding us on our journey back to the Father and eternal life. As we seek Him, do we have a plan, a star to follow? Has this worldwide pandemic and the ensuing difficulties caused our guiding star to dim? Have we paused to ask directions? On this beautiful feast day of the Epiphany, let us renew our search. Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on us!
Father Storey - PLEASE DO NOT ATTEND Mass if you