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.
A week or so ago, I and about 40 of my brother "Sir Knights" of our Fr. Victor A. Bieberle Assembly of the Knights of Columbus watched the "homemade" documentary and tribute to Fr. Vic that was made a number of years ago after his death. I was privileged to be a part of the video as I spoke about our common love for the Knights of Columbus and the blessings of both of us responding to the call to be local "Faithful Friar" for our assembly and the state chaplain for Arkansas. I was also honored to be the main Celebrant and homilist for the Mass that we offered for and with Fr. Vic on the occasion of his 60th anniversary as an ordained priest of God, who served his Lord and his country (as a military chaplain in Vietnam) both in his home Diocese of Wichita, Kansas and here in Arkansas when needed in his 15 "retirement" years in Hot Springs Village.
While Fr. Vic's life and certainly his priesthood was unique, special and very distinguished, he is one of many priests who labored long and hard for the salvation of souls who need to be supported in their retirement years. I ask that you show your love and appreciation for the retired and/or infirmed priests of our diocese by generously giving to the Arkansas Clergy Welfare Fun especially in the only collection that will be taken up at the Christmas Masses in the state of Arkansas. One of our retired priests, Fr. Tom Kellar not only served in parishes throughout Arkansas for over 50 years, but also served his country in the Arkansas Army National Guard and was deployed for a least a few months during "Desert Storm."
Our current (17 retired priests), and those in the future need and deserve our help whether they are in a nursing home, assisted living place or independent living at the retirement home in Little Rock or wherever they choose to live in retirement. Among the people you gift at Christmas, please include in some way our retired and/or infirmed priests. On their behalf I say "Thank You" for past, present and future help!
While Fr. Vic's life and certainly his priesthood was unique, special and very distinguished, he is one of many priests who labored long and hard for the salvation of souls who need to be supported in their retirement years. I ask that you show your love and appreciation for the retired and/or infirmed priests of our diocese by generously giving to the Arkansas Clergy Welfare Fun especially in the only collection that will be taken up at the Christmas Masses in the state of Arkansas. One of our retired priests, Fr. Tom Kellar not only served in parishes throughout Arkansas for over 50 years, but also served his country in the Arkansas Army National Guard and was deployed for a least a few months during "Desert Storm."
Our current (17 retired priests), and those in the future need and deserve our help whether they are in a nursing home, assisted living place or independent living at the retirement home in Little Rock or wherever they choose to live in retirement. Among the people you gift at Christmas, please include in some way our retired and/or infirmed priests. On their behalf I say "Thank You" for past, present and future help!
As we get ever closer to the celebration of the Incarnation (God becoming man in the person of Jesus Christ), I recall in my growing up years, going to the "Encyclopedia" (way before we had "Google Search") and in the "C" book looking up Christmas and surveying the different ways that countries and cultures celebrate Christmas. I have to admit that I wished we, in the United States, would follow what some countries do, especially the giving of gifts to each other on the Solemnity of the Epiphany (which used to always fall on January 6). Among other things it (the giving and receiving of gifts) was one less distraction from the main focus of Christmas which is the World receiving the greatest gift ever, our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ.
Last weekend, I was introduced to and participated in a Croatian custom during the wedding Mass of my nephew, Zachary and his bride (and now wife Alyssa). After the beginning procession, the couple presents a small crucifix for the Celebrant to bless. When the time comes for the exchange of consent, the bride or groom grasps the crucifix in his or her hand and the other "soon to be" spouse places their hand over the cross, touching it and the hand of their future spouse. The Celebrant then places his stole over their "Crossed hands" as he leads them through their exchange of consent. The first kiss of the newly married couple is not between them, but is to the crucifix in their hands.
I found all of this very powerful and meaningful. Just as all soon to be baptized Catholics have the cross traced on their foreheads, joining us to the crucified Lord for the rest of our lives, so the couple is reminded in a personal way of the self-sacrificing love that Jesus had throughout his life and especially at his death, and the special call my nephew and his wife now have as a married couple to self-sacrificing love for each other in and through Jesus Christ. Though I did not suggest it at the time, my hope is that they will keep that "commitment cross" on their nightstand and kiss it every day and night before kissing one another. It will keep them ever focused on the one who should come first in their individual and married lives, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. A pretty good custom to follow in Croatia and anywhere else.
Last weekend, I was introduced to and participated in a Croatian custom during the wedding Mass of my nephew, Zachary and his bride (and now wife Alyssa). After the beginning procession, the couple presents a small crucifix for the Celebrant to bless. When the time comes for the exchange of consent, the bride or groom grasps the crucifix in his or her hand and the other "soon to be" spouse places their hand over the cross, touching it and the hand of their future spouse. The Celebrant then places his stole over their "Crossed hands" as he leads them through their exchange of consent. The first kiss of the newly married couple is not between them, but is to the crucifix in their hands.
I found all of this very powerful and meaningful. Just as all soon to be baptized Catholics have the cross traced on their foreheads, joining us to the crucified Lord for the rest of our lives, so the couple is reminded in a personal way of the self-sacrificing love that Jesus had throughout his life and especially at his death, and the special call my nephew and his wife now have as a married couple to self-sacrificing love for each other in and through Jesus Christ. Though I did not suggest it at the time, my hope is that they will keep that "commitment cross" on their nightstand and kiss it every day and night before kissing one another. It will keep them ever focused on the one who should come first in their individual and married lives, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. A pretty good custom to follow in Croatia and anywhere else.