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From the Pastor – Palm Sunday
Mar 26, 2018
From the Pastor – Palm Sunday
In his letter to the Philippians, our Second Reading on this Palm Sunday, St. Paul writes, “…he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Everything we hear today and during Holy Week relates to this statement.
For some 2,000 years scholars and theologians have debated what the phrase “emptied himself” means. As is sometimes the case, in the midst of these debates and discussions they lose focus of what is really Paul’s point and teaching perhaps. One of the things Paul might be trying to get us to think about is emptying ourselves to a certain extent. If you have ever been a retreat or been part of a spiritual exercise, you may be encouraged to “empty yourself” so you are prepared to in reality add something.
Jesus gave much up to be the Son of Man. At this point in our Lenten journey, we need to grasp that He gave up His life so that we might have life. That is what should be on our minds as we hear the Passion today and as we continue and complete our own preparation for Christ’s resurrection on Easter.
Have you ever heard someone say about someone else “He (or she) is so full of himself (or herself)?” Jesus was not “full of Himself.” He emptied Himself, and that is something we, too, must strive to do to be His disciple.
Pastoral Pondering – Reverence for the Most Holy Eucharist
Catholic Apologist Patrick Madrid related a discussion he had a few years ago with a Mormon who spoke with him after a talk on the Eucharist. The man told Madrid “the Catholics I’ve seen didn’t seem as though they believe what you just said about Jesus in the Eucharist.” He went on: “I’ve seen Catholics going forward [for] Communion chewing gum… Some Catholics look pretty bored. I’ve seen some waving to others as they go forward.” Even after receiving Communion, “they look disinterested and indifferent”.
As Catholics one of the things we always have to be conscious of is what our outward actions and disposition say about what we believe. The Church teaches clearly and without qualification that following consecration the elements of bread and wine become substantially the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ. We must always be conscious of this and prepare ourselves to worthily receive Him in the Eucharist.
Father Charles Mangan identifies Ten Commandments for Eucharistic Reverence that might help us all demonstrate our genuine love and adoration for the “Bread of Life & the Chalice of Everlasting Salvation”.
- Attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days – this Is a precept of the Church and a serious obligation from the time of our first Holy Communion onward. We participate in the Mass which is the greatest communication between the Almighty and His sons and daughters.
- Prepare well for each Mass we attend – we prepare well by realizing that the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is rooted in Jesus’ Last Supper celebrated on Holy Thursday and is the re-presentation of His sacrifice on Calvary. We prepare by fasting for one hour before receiving, by confessing any mortal sins committed prior to receiving, and prepare for Mass through prayer and study.
- Demonstrate by our conduct in the church that we believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist - When entering and upon leaving the church, we face the Tabernacle where Jesus is reposed and genuflect. (Those prohibited by poor health may bow to the Tabernacle as a mark of reverence.) We also genuflect when passing in front of the Tabernacle and in front of theAltar when the Body and Blood of Christ remain on it. Kneeling is an apt sign of reverence for the Blessed Sacrament. Our modest and fitting dress (avoiding shorts and indecent apparel) signifies our belief in and worship for the Holy Eucharist. Dressing as if we think it’s a “big deal” to approach the presence of the Messiah in the Tabernacle illustrates adoration for Jesus’ Body and Blood. We avoid chewing gum in the church as a testimony to the unparalleled splendor of the Blessed Sacrament, thereby giving witness that we are near Emmanuel —“God-with-us.”
- Enjoy the silence to which the Holy Eucharist beckons us – We maintain a respectful decorum before the Eucharist and spend time sitting before the Master.
- Receive Communion with joy and fervor - The worthy reception of the Body and Blood of the Lord—a “foretaste” and “pledge” of Heaven, an impetus for authentic charity towards the poor, weak, defenseless and needy and a nudge towards angel-like chastity—should be the highlight of our day, week, month, year . . . life. Having prepared as indicated, we joyfully and fervently advance in awe towards the Altar. We receive Jesus either on our tongue or in the hand. (If not kneeling to receive a profound bow before receiving is most appropriate.) When receiving on the tongue, one says “Amen” and permits Christ to be placed on it. If receiving in the hand, one makes a “throne” for the Lord by placing his stronger hand on the bottom and his weaker hand on top. Saying “Amen” and receiving the Host (instead of reaching for It), the communicant takes one step to the side, stops, and places the Host in his mouth by using the stronger hand from the bottom. The Host is never received “on the run.” If receiving the Precious Blood from the Chalice (an option in some parishes but not an obligation, since one receives the “total” Jesus—Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity—even under one Species alone), then the communicant carefully accepts the Chalice after responding “Amen” and consumes the Precious Blood. Our diligent reception of Holy Communion signals our love and adoration for Christ. May we always receive the Son of God with dignity and devotion!
- Spend time with the Eucharistic Jesus outside of Mass – The adoration chapel is always available for private prayer and reflection.
- Make frequent spiritual Communions - The cherished practice of the Spiritual Communion in which one invites the Lord into his soul, as He would come during Sacramental Communion, is to be fostered as an act of love and worship. Spiritual Communions involve the desire to receive the Eucharistic Lord when one is impeded from making the usual Sacramental Communion and are made anywhere.
- Cultivate a devotion to Mary, Mother of the Eucharist – She always to lead us closer to her Divine Son.
- Know the Saints who lived for the Holy Eucharist - The Church’s brilliant history is overflowing with men and women, boys and girls who loved, adored and, in some cases, died for the Holy Eucharist. Acquainting ourselves with their affection for Holy Communion spurs on our own development in love and worship of the Eucharistic Jesus.
- Arrange for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass to be offered for both the living and the dead - There is no more beautiful gift for the living and the faithful departed. Requesting Masses shows one’s belief in the efficacy of Christ’s Sacrifice and conveys worship of the Holy Eucharist—the “Treasure of Treasures” that enriches those who love and adore the King of Kings really present in the Most Blessed Sacrament.
From the Pastor
Our readings today call us to love as Christ loves. In our Gospel, Jesus says, “Love one another as I have loved you.” The ways Jesus has loved us and continues to love us are endless. We are called to imitate this love. And He tells us the greatest way to do this when He said, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” It is difficult to live that out in our humanity. Yet, it is made much easier when we faithfully love Christ. The fact of the matter is, as our love for Christ increases, so too does our capacity to love others. There are countless moments when we can do just that — for instance, waking up Saturday morning to attend daily Mass instead of sleeping in, or talking to God in the car on the way to work instead of listening to music. These are simple ways to express our love for the Lord by laying down our lives for Him. The more we find ways to love the Lord, the more we will find it easier to put aside our selfishness and serve others. Christ’s command to love others may seem daunting. Yet, Christ would never ask something of us that we cannot live out. All we need to do is take baby steps. Ask yourself, "How can I better love Jesus right now?" for it is in loving Christ that we will better love others, and it is in loving others that we love Christ Himself. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2024 Pastoral Pondering Last week I had the opportunity of spending the afternoon with my childhood pastor, the Reverend Fred Thompson. He served as the pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Newton, NC for over 30 years. He is now 91 years old and continues to live a fairly independent life. We lost touch when my family moved from Newton to Hickory as I began grammar school but reconnected during my undergraduate studies at Lenoir-Rhyne College. We have stayed in touch since then. Such connections from the past are very important. At least in my case, Fred knew things about my parents and my adoption that I never did, and he is always happy to share a story or two. I bring this up because memory, what we refer to in the Mass as anamnesis, is essential not only to our faith but to society as a whole. Our collective memory is important. Significant events of the past are passed on from one generation to the next, and we hopefully learn from our mistakes so that we don’t repeat them. In the Catholic context, we are being obedient to Christ’s command at the Last Supper, do this in memory of me.” And it is through that remembrance that we cannot the past with the present and look with hope to the future – Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again. This is why Sacred Tradition is so very important to our understanding of the Faith. That which is handed over (traditio) is essential because it forms the framework upon which the Church travels throughout the centuries. The same is true in families. In the past multiple generations would live together or in close proximity to each other. Children learned about life from a variety of family members with varying degrees of lived experience and a wealth of memory. With our society becoming more transitory and human interaction being impoverished by the reality of technology, families need to be very intentional about connecting with the past. It helps us all understand who we are, why we are here and for what we were made.
Our readings today teach us what it means to bear fruit as disciples of Christ. We hear in each of our readings that it is from the Lord that good effects will be produced in our lives. In our first reading, we hear about disciples who were preaching the Good News and defending the faith. The work they were doing was “with the consolation of the Holy Spirit.” It was not their work alone, but the work of God. We must ask ourselves, ‘how is God bearing fruit in my life?’ and ‘have I invited the Holy Spirit to work in me?’ The more we try to produce good effects in our lives, the more we will become disappointed if all we are relying on is our own efforts. It is only by inviting the Holy Spirit into our everyday moments that we will see goodness poured out. Jesus clearly tells us how to do this in our Gospel. He says, “I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit.” We can remain in Christ by staying faithful to His commandments and frequently receiving the sacraments. And our day-to-day moments should be a reflection of those commitments. That could mean opening our day with a prayer of thanksgiving, smiling at those we see on the street, asking God for help as we begin our workday, praising God in moments of trial, taking time to listen to our spouse after a long day. To remain in Christ means, in all that we do, we do it with the Lord. When we live a life like that — as a branch never separated from its vine — God will produce bountiful fruit in our lives. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2024 Pastoral Pondering I have had a few folks interested in what exactly occurs when a diocese received a new bishop, so I thought I would outline the process a bit for a contribution to your knowledge of Catholic trivia. Before a new bishop can be appointed, the diocese in question has to be vacant. A vacancy occurs through death, retirement, resignation or removal. In our case, Bishop Jugis submitted his resignation based on his deteriorating health, one of the reasons that a bishop can ask to be relieved of the administration of a diocese. Once the Holy Father accepts the resignation, the See becomes vacant. During the interim or sede vacante (vacant seat) period, the diocese needs to have someone to keep things going. This is done by either a priest, who is appointed administrator or by a bishop, who is known as an apostolic administrator. In our case Bishop Jugis continues as the apostolic administrator. Since his successor has already been named, Bishop Jugis can help prepare for the new bishop’s transition. As soon as a see is vacated, several offices and one advisory body cease to function. Any vicars general or episcopal vicars lose their office and the Presbyteral Council ceases until reconstituted by the new bishop. Both the Judicial Vicar and the Chief Financial Office of the diocese continue in office to insure the ongoing functions of their offices. Bishop Jugis, as Apostolic Administrator, has asked those priests who were serving as his vicar general and episcopal vicars to continue performing their functions in the interim. When the new Bishop is installed, he can reappoint the vicars or appoint others to take their places. If a priest is appointed as the new bishop, he must be ordained a bishop before he can assume the office. Once ordained, a ceremony occurs, usually a Mass, during which the newly ordained bishop takes possession of the diocese and assumed the full pastoral care of the Diocese. Hence, Bishop-elect Martin will be ordained on May 29 th and then will take possession of the Diocese on the following day. A lot of work can be done to prepare for the new bishop’s arrival prior to his coming. Nonetheless, the first few weeks of his administration will be taken up with settling into his new position and getting his bearings. This is very similar to a new pastor coming to a parish; albeit, on a larger scale. During these early days of the new administration, the new bishop decides on vicar appointments and reconstitutes the Presbyteral Council and makes any other decisions that he deems appropriate for pastoral care. Often new bishops spend a good bit of time visiting the new parishes of the new Diocese to get to know his priests and meet his people. In Bishop-elect Martin’s case, he will be ordaining transitional deacons on the Saturday following his own ordination and then ordaining priests two weeks later, so he will indeed “hit the ground running”. Keep him in your prayers.