A number of weeks ago, I asked our weekday Mass participants to e-mail to me reflections on why they make weekday Mass a part of their faith lives. I have not shared any of those reflections with you yet as I have't figured out how to share them with you. Believe me, I received more than a few responses, (for which I am grateful) and I look forward to sharing some of what was given to me with you. Today I want to share with you something I found out about our recently deceased former deacon, Bernie Bauer, that I included in the remarks I sent for the priest at St Peter/St Lambert to use at Deacon Bernie's funeral. If you want to read all of what turned out to be the homily at his funeral Mass, please look for the link on our church website www.hsvsacredheart.com.
In the wonderfully descriptive obituary that the family composed about him, they shared that in his growing up years in Indiana, he LOVED getting up in the wee hours of the morning for his 6:30 a.m. daily Mass assignment as an altar boy. Recalling these cherished memories, Deacon Bernie said, "I was so full of joy at leaving church, that I would run and leap like a stag and scream. I was so happy!" One of these days, young Bernie paused, knelt at the statue of St Joseph and asked the Lord to teach him how to love. Those of us who knew the much older Bernie can attest that his prayer that day was answered, and I believe St Joseph interceded for him then and in the future which made him a loving husband to Marilyn, his wife of 72 years and a loving father to his six children. His love for Mass on the weekends AND most weekdays continued into his later years, including the many years he spent as a deacon at Sacred Heart Parish, as he often assisted at those Masses, preached at least once a week (with a well prepared homily) and ministered the Holy Eucharist to his fellow parishioners. I truly believe his participation in all those Masses fueled his pleasant, happy personality, and inspired his many works of love and mercy for others as a deacon, and in care for his dear wife, Marilyn in their last years in the Village and when they moved in with their daughter, Mary in Des Plaines, Illinois. Since his driving days were over when he moved there, it is not surprising that he went to daily Mass in Des Plaines through Mary, his chauffeur and loving daughter. Though his experiences of weekday (and weekend) Masses were plentiful and fruitful during his long life, starting in those early years, I am confident that he would encourage everyone, including those who have had little or no experiences of weekday Mass to give it a try, at least once a week on the same day each week (for consistency)and see your quality of life (and maybe even quantity of life, like Deacon Bernie's almost 100 happy and blessed year) increase in many blessed ways for you and for others you encounter and minister to in the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ!
In the wonderfully descriptive obituary that the family composed about him, they shared that in his growing up years in Indiana, he LOVED getting up in the wee hours of the morning for his 6:30 a.m. daily Mass assignment as an altar boy. Recalling these cherished memories, Deacon Bernie said, "I was so full of joy at leaving church, that I would run and leap like a stag and scream. I was so happy!" One of these days, young Bernie paused, knelt at the statue of St Joseph and asked the Lord to teach him how to love. Those of us who knew the much older Bernie can attest that his prayer that day was answered, and I believe St Joseph interceded for him then and in the future which made him a loving husband to Marilyn, his wife of 72 years and a loving father to his six children. His love for Mass on the weekends AND most weekdays continued into his later years, including the many years he spent as a deacon at Sacred Heart Parish, as he often assisted at those Masses, preached at least once a week (with a well prepared homily) and ministered the Holy Eucharist to his fellow parishioners. I truly believe his participation in all those Masses fueled his pleasant, happy personality, and inspired his many works of love and mercy for others as a deacon, and in care for his dear wife, Marilyn in their last years in the Village and when they moved in with their daughter, Mary in Des Plaines, Illinois. Since his driving days were over when he moved there, it is not surprising that he went to daily Mass in Des Plaines through Mary, his chauffeur and loving daughter. Though his experiences of weekday (and weekend) Masses were plentiful and fruitful during his long life, starting in those early years, I am confident that he would encourage everyone, including those who have had little or no experiences of weekday Mass to give it a try, at least once a week on the same day each week (for consistency)and see your quality of life (and maybe even quantity of life, like Deacon Bernie's almost 100 happy and blessed year) increase in many blessed ways for you and for others you encounter and minister to in the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ!