We are once again on the threshold of another calendar year. As I get older, I have started echoing what people who are older than me have said, that time seems to speed up the older we get. The year 2020, like any new year brings with it opportunities for growth and change in a number of ways, including (and I would say MOST IMPORTANTLY) our life as disciples of Christ. Perhaps spelling out some of these opportunities here at Sacred Heart Church might give us something to start doing sooner than later. Changing secular calendars is a time not only to look ahead but also to look back on the year that has passed. If we honestly look back on the year 2019 and cannot identify any successful efforts to grow closer to the Lord and the life of heaven, I would hope this would not only make us sad, but also spur us on to truly grow, as the Lord always wants us to and helps us to grow.
Let me start with receiving the Sacraments of the Church, firstly, the Eucharist and then Reconciliation. In the time I have served as pastor here, I have to say that the number of people who participate in daily Mass at least once a week has not grown, but has actually gotten smaller, even during the "special" seasons outside of Ordinary Time. Perhaps the reality of work schedules and daily Mass schedules made it difficult or eve impossible to ever participate in daily Mass for more than a few years of your life. Now, however, with a very large percent of people in this parish retired, one past stumbling block to participating in daily Mass is no longer there. The Church rightly says that the Mass is the "Source and Summit of our faith as Catholics." Given the fact that daily Mass is offered here most of the time, I pray that all of you will reflect on what a gift this is.......to encounter Jesus in his Word and also in his very presence, His Body and His Blood!
Starting and staying in a habit of weekday Mass at least once a week, will produce blessings beyond what I could enumerate in this column today. While I will talk about other opportunities to prepare ourselves for heaven in future columns, I ask you to ponder seriously this one (weekday Mass), and be encouraged to look at how you can and in most cases should give more effort to make the current experiences of Mass more meaningful and fruitful (including perhaps reading and reflecting on the scripture passages for the Mass we are about to attend). Of all the things that have been and will be advertised as "life changing," I submit the Mass is one thing that can deliver with this promise and most importantly prepare us for the banquet feast of heaven.
Let me start with receiving the Sacraments of the Church, firstly, the Eucharist and then Reconciliation. In the time I have served as pastor here, I have to say that the number of people who participate in daily Mass at least once a week has not grown, but has actually gotten smaller, even during the "special" seasons outside of Ordinary Time. Perhaps the reality of work schedules and daily Mass schedules made it difficult or eve impossible to ever participate in daily Mass for more than a few years of your life. Now, however, with a very large percent of people in this parish retired, one past stumbling block to participating in daily Mass is no longer there. The Church rightly says that the Mass is the "Source and Summit of our faith as Catholics." Given the fact that daily Mass is offered here most of the time, I pray that all of you will reflect on what a gift this is.......to encounter Jesus in his Word and also in his very presence, His Body and His Blood!
Starting and staying in a habit of weekday Mass at least once a week, will produce blessings beyond what I could enumerate in this column today. While I will talk about other opportunities to prepare ourselves for heaven in future columns, I ask you to ponder seriously this one (weekday Mass), and be encouraged to look at how you can and in most cases should give more effort to make the current experiences of Mass more meaningful and fruitful (including perhaps reading and reflecting on the scripture passages for the Mass we are about to attend). Of all the things that have been and will be advertised as "life changing," I submit the Mass is one thing that can deliver with this promise and most importantly prepare us for the banquet feast of heaven.