February 25, 2007
Focus: “Chocolate Free – Chocolate Full!”
Dear Friend,
Lent: the only festival among world religions to be celebrated by the non-eating of chocolate!
Jesus spent 40 days in the desert, fasting and praying, preparing a mission, fighting temptation, working through his calling. Then, in the early church, Lent was the time for new Christians to learn the faith, and for the rest of them to devote themselves to prayer and fasting, a sort of spring cleaning of the soul in readiness for the big day.
And we have a six-week chocolate-free diet.
Did you ever feel today’s practice of our faith was missing out on something? Identifying Lent with not eating chocolate misses the point almost as much as identifying Easter with eating it!
This year let us bring you an Idea-A-Day for Lent: 40 ways to do something more with your 40 days.
A friend sent me the following list as a more creative and adventurous way of approaching the season. They are a bit more challenging, more reflective, an alternative, and they are more ancient. They involve carrier bags, paint, money, traffic jams and poetry. They are designed to stretch you, make you think, tone up some forgotten spiritual muscles, put your time to good use and get some fresh air in there. They are practical and positive. I hope you’ll try some of them, and give your spirit something new to do. And sure this year, go on, have a Mars Bar!
Day 1 – Wed 21 Feb: Go on a media diet
Day 2 – Thur 22 Feb: Find Lent readings
Day 3 – Fri 23 Feb: Recycle, free cycle
Day 4 – Sat 24 Feb: Upload a poem
Day 5 – Mon 26 Feb: Walk and watch
Day 6 – Tues 27 Feb: Your chore is my chore
Day 7 – Wed 28 Feb: Bake a cake
Day 8 – Thur 1 Mar: Out your doubts
Day 9 – Fri 2 Mar: Someone else’s preference
Day 10 – Sat 3 Mar: Send a message
Day 11 – Mon 5 Mar: Give blood
Day 12 – Tues 6 Mar: Phone a friend
Day 13 – Wed 7 Mar: Go walking
Day 14 – Thur 8 Mar: The boss
Day 15 – Fri 9 Mar: Extra worship
Day 16 – Sat 10 Mar: Pray the paper
Day 17 – Mon 12 Mar: Look out the window
Day 18 – Tues 13 Mar: Read a Gospel
Day 19 – Wed 14 Mar: Pay some compliments
Day 20 – Thur 15 Mar: Research Lent
Day 21 – Fri 16 Mar: Slim down your wardrobe
Day 22 – Sat 17 Mar: Make a joy jar
Day 23 – Mon 19 Mar: Don’t Moan Day
Day 24 – Tues 20 Mar: Christmas in Lent
Day 25 – Wed 21 Mar: Almighty email
Day 26 – Thur 22 Mar: Help a child in school
Day 27 – Fri 23 Mar: Widen your prayers
Day 28 – Sat 24 Mar: A week of giving
Day 29 – Mon 26 Mar: Who’s next door?
Day 30 – Tues 27 Mar: Think small
Day 31 – Wed 28 Mar: Random acts of kindness
Day 32 – Thur 29 Mar: Stop shopping
Day 33 – Fri 30 Mar: A note of thanks
Day 34 – Sat 31 Mar: Your carbon footprint
Day 35 – Mon 2 Apr: Don’t interrupt
Day 36 – Tues 3 Apr: Instead of money
Day 37 – Wed 4 Apr: Write your own obituary
Day 38 – Thur 5 Apr: Empty your wallet
Day 39 – Fri 6 Apr: Light a virtual candle
Day 40 – Sat 7 Apr: A clean sweep
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Weekly THIS AND THAT for February 25, 2007: Is Jesus Believable?
This and That:
Is Jesus Believable?
Over the next six weeks of Lent, each week will feature the presentation given at the Lenten Family Friday the Friday before. It can therefore serve as a refresher for those who attended and perhaps an incentive to others to try the next Friday out. Mass on the Fridays is at 6:30pm followed by supper for the entire family at 7:00pm. The presentations begin at 7:30pm with nursery and age-appropriate children’s activities. Youth are welcome to attend and help us out in serving, takedown, or working with the children.
The overall theme of the evenings’ talks is “How What We Believe Can Make a Difference.” The thought here is that believing should have an impact on our actions and ultimately on the quality of our lives. Sacred Scripture tells us that belief without actions is no belief at all. The first presentation begins, as it should, at the beginning, namely with Jesus himself. Is he believable or was he simply an itinerant preacher who meant well, but whose words were either unreasonable or, if true, he could not be trusted?
Why is the question even pertinent today? While spirituality in America is high, religious practice is not what it was in the past. Without the support of religious practice one is less inclined to hear the scriptures, be preached a homily, celebrate with other believers, and feed on the Body and Blood of the Lord. One wonders why spirituality can be up and worship down? In our discussion, we would like to present Jesus as a person who is indeed believable, but to look into precisely why he is so. For someone to be believable, whether it is a bystander, friend, family member or Jesus himself, several things must be present. We must know WHO he is, know WHAT he says, have a RELATIONSHIP with him and be able to TRUST him. What is true of anyone in our daily lives is also true of Jesus.
Who Is he?
Our first consideration, then, becomes, “Who is Jesus?” For an answer, we turn to Philippians 2:5ff: “Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross.”
From this quote, let’s look at Jesus as “God.” From the very beginning Jesus was called “Lord.” In the early church, the honor and glory due to God were also seen as due to Jesus, after all, he was seen as “in the form of God.” Jesus’ sovereignty can be seen in God raising him from the dead. And yet, while, God, he was also a man just like us. His character and teachings were so attractive, that folks followed him. All were amazed at what he did for the sick and sinners, how he spoke with authority and challengingly, and the way he lived, simply and prayerfully.
What implications of Jesus as both human and divine could be drawn, implications for our own daily living? For starters, he lives our lives with their ups and downs, with the pains and joys; he dies our death so he helps us see how we too might face the coming of that final day for ourselves. In addition, Jesus models a life of concrete values and choices that we might emulate. Finally, he teaches us how to contact and interact with God.
What Does He Say?
Jesus’ words are often about healing, which show his intimate relationship to God or they may be about the poor and lowly, which show the need for humble hearts or he speaks practically of love and turning the other cheek. Finally, he speaks of forgiveness and the need to forgive without limit. He follows up what he says with his own actions, with signs and wonders, and concludes with an invitation to follow in his footsteps. And it is in this way we learn the secrets of the Kingdom of God.
Table discussion centered on which actions or teachings of Jesus you find most compelling: healing, being poor and lowly, love, or forgiveness?
Having a Relationship with Him
Entering God’s Reign is about having a new relationship. It is about a growing recognition that, “I am loved by God and that I need to respond to that love.” Being drawn into a relationship with Jesus Christ, as a living, breathing human being wants to make me imitate him. However, this relationship of a disciple to the Master is not something that just magically happens; it must be worked on regularly.
Any change in how I relate to another can come about in one of two ways. I can “think my way into acting” or I can “act my way into thinking.” For example, children learn to become adults by playing house. With such games, they are “acting their way into thinking.” In a similar fashion the hospital intern “acts his way into thinking” he is a doctor by playing the part. On the other hand, “thinking your way into acting” might come from attending a workshop on self-assertion or going through therapy. Coaching girls on a soccer team would seem to approach transformation from both “acting” and “thinking.”
So do we “act” like Jesus and thus become like him or do we learn of Jesus and “think” our way into acting? It may have more to do with personalities and how we learn things best.
How Might We Trust Him?
The final question we considered had to do with trust. As we do with a friend or spouse whom we seek out for advice, perspective, or support, we would want to count on Jesus in the same way.
It has been said that a moment calling for trust must necessarily also be a time of risk, trial, pain, suffering, or darkness where we place ourselves at the hands of the one to whom we look. Participants were asked to surface such a time for themselves and how their faith in Jesus Christ made a difference. We shared on whether the trust came of “acting” or “thinking” our way through it.
Summary Thought
“From Jesus, we come to know God because Jesus is the complete and total revelation of God. If we look at the life of Jesus, we find a person who is a model of love, our savior and Redeemer.” (Catechesi Tradendae, 9)
Next Friday’s topic is “How Can I Deal with Suffering?” Please consider joining us. It could make a difference for you.
Is Jesus Believable?
Over the next six weeks of Lent, each week will feature the presentation given at the Lenten Family Friday the Friday before. It can therefore serve as a refresher for those who attended and perhaps an incentive to others to try the next Friday out. Mass on the Fridays is at 6:30pm followed by supper for the entire family at 7:00pm. The presentations begin at 7:30pm with nursery and age-appropriate children’s activities. Youth are welcome to attend and help us out in serving, takedown, or working with the children.
The overall theme of the evenings’ talks is “How What We Believe Can Make a Difference.” The thought here is that believing should have an impact on our actions and ultimately on the quality of our lives. Sacred Scripture tells us that belief without actions is no belief at all. The first presentation begins, as it should, at the beginning, namely with Jesus himself. Is he believable or was he simply an itinerant preacher who meant well, but whose words were either unreasonable or, if true, he could not be trusted?
Why is the question even pertinent today? While spirituality in America is high, religious practice is not what it was in the past. Without the support of religious practice one is less inclined to hear the scriptures, be preached a homily, celebrate with other believers, and feed on the Body and Blood of the Lord. One wonders why spirituality can be up and worship down? In our discussion, we would like to present Jesus as a person who is indeed believable, but to look into precisely why he is so. For someone to be believable, whether it is a bystander, friend, family member or Jesus himself, several things must be present. We must know WHO he is, know WHAT he says, have a RELATIONSHIP with him and be able to TRUST him. What is true of anyone in our daily lives is also true of Jesus.
Who Is he?
Our first consideration, then, becomes, “Who is Jesus?” For an answer, we turn to Philippians 2:5ff: “Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross.”
From this quote, let’s look at Jesus as “God.” From the very beginning Jesus was called “Lord.” In the early church, the honor and glory due to God were also seen as due to Jesus, after all, he was seen as “in the form of God.” Jesus’ sovereignty can be seen in God raising him from the dead. And yet, while, God, he was also a man just like us. His character and teachings were so attractive, that folks followed him. All were amazed at what he did for the sick and sinners, how he spoke with authority and challengingly, and the way he lived, simply and prayerfully.
What implications of Jesus as both human and divine could be drawn, implications for our own daily living? For starters, he lives our lives with their ups and downs, with the pains and joys; he dies our death so he helps us see how we too might face the coming of that final day for ourselves. In addition, Jesus models a life of concrete values and choices that we might emulate. Finally, he teaches us how to contact and interact with God.
What Does He Say?
Jesus’ words are often about healing, which show his intimate relationship to God or they may be about the poor and lowly, which show the need for humble hearts or he speaks practically of love and turning the other cheek. Finally, he speaks of forgiveness and the need to forgive without limit. He follows up what he says with his own actions, with signs and wonders, and concludes with an invitation to follow in his footsteps. And it is in this way we learn the secrets of the Kingdom of God.
Table discussion centered on which actions or teachings of Jesus you find most compelling: healing, being poor and lowly, love, or forgiveness?
Having a Relationship with Him
Entering God’s Reign is about having a new relationship. It is about a growing recognition that, “I am loved by God and that I need to respond to that love.” Being drawn into a relationship with Jesus Christ, as a living, breathing human being wants to make me imitate him. However, this relationship of a disciple to the Master is not something that just magically happens; it must be worked on regularly.
Any change in how I relate to another can come about in one of two ways. I can “think my way into acting” or I can “act my way into thinking.” For example, children learn to become adults by playing house. With such games, they are “acting their way into thinking.” In a similar fashion the hospital intern “acts his way into thinking” he is a doctor by playing the part. On the other hand, “thinking your way into acting” might come from attending a workshop on self-assertion or going through therapy. Coaching girls on a soccer team would seem to approach transformation from both “acting” and “thinking.”
So do we “act” like Jesus and thus become like him or do we learn of Jesus and “think” our way into acting? It may have more to do with personalities and how we learn things best.
How Might We Trust Him?
The final question we considered had to do with trust. As we do with a friend or spouse whom we seek out for advice, perspective, or support, we would want to count on Jesus in the same way.
It has been said that a moment calling for trust must necessarily also be a time of risk, trial, pain, suffering, or darkness where we place ourselves at the hands of the one to whom we look. Participants were asked to surface such a time for themselves and how their faith in Jesus Christ made a difference. We shared on whether the trust came of “acting” or “thinking” our way through it.
Summary Thought
“From Jesus, we come to know God because Jesus is the complete and total revelation of God. If we look at the life of Jesus, we find a person who is a model of love, our savior and Redeemer.” (Catechesi Tradendae, 9)
Next Friday’s topic is “How Can I Deal with Suffering?” Please consider joining us. It could make a difference for you.
Weekly HOMILY for February 25, 2007: Super Size Me
Ash Wednesday, Cycle C
Our Lady of Grace
February 21, 2007
Super-Size Me
By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato
Super-Size Me
This past year, I saw a movie called Super Size Me.
This movie is a documentary done by a man named Morgan Spurlock. For a full month, Spurlock ate nothing but junk food.
He consumed three fast-food meals a day at McDonalds or other fast-food restaurants. Whenever the server asked Spurlock if he wanted to super-size his order, he always said yes.
So whenever he was asked, he always got the extra-big hamburger or order of fries or coke or milkshake, whatever it was. And what do you think happened to Morgan Spurlock?
In one month, he gained twenty-five pounds and really fouled up his health. His blood sugar went way up and he developed intestinal and, I think, even some heart troubles.
Morgan Spurlock illustrated how choosing fast and easy food can hurt us. He illustrated how this is a failure to take responsibility for our bodily health.
Responsibility for Spiritual Health
The season of Lent that we begin today reminds us to take responsibility for our spiritual health.
The ashes that we use today are a powerful symbol of this. Unlike Morgan Spurlock who ate junk food and did not care for his physical health, the ashes remind us to take care of our spiritual health in two ways.
Lenten Responsibility
First, the ashes remind us that we come from God.
The Book of Genesis says that God breathed life into the dust of the earth and formed us from this. So, the ashes remind us that we have come from God and someday we will return to God.
Because of this, we are called to some special prayer during Lent. Jesus in today’s gospel calls us to pray not to be seen, but to pray from our hearts so as to grow closer to God.
Maybe we can just make sure that we pray in some way every day during Lent, like when we get out of bed in the morning, or maybe we can come to Stations of the Cross sometime during Lent or come to weekday Mass once a week. The ashes remind us that we come from God and they call us to grow in our relationship with God.
And second, the ashes remind us that we are part of God’s family.
We are signed with ashes much as we are signed with the holy oil when we are baptized and confirmed and made part of God’s family. And so, the ashes remind us that we part of God’s family and need to be repent for not respecting and caring for one another.
I think this is why we are called to do some fasting during Lent. The Church asks all of us Catholics together not to eat meat today and on all the Fridays of Lent, and also to eat only one full meal today and on Good Friday.
That is fasting – watching what we eat. We could also choose to do some personal fasting, like giving up desserts or candy.
This fasting from food leads us to think about the behaviors that we need to fast from, like picking on a classmate or gossiping or not helping poor people who are in need. So, the ashes remind us that we are part of God’s family and to repent for not respecting and caring for one another.
Conclusion
So, the ashes remind us (1) that we come from God and need to grow in our relationship with God, and (2) that we are part of God’s family and need to repent of not respecting and caring for God’s family.
If we do these things, we are caring for our spiritual health, unlike the guy who ate fast food three times a day for an entire month. With these thoughts, we now bless and receive the ashes.
Our Lady of Grace
February 21, 2007
Super-Size Me
By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato
Super-Size Me
This past year, I saw a movie called Super Size Me.
This movie is a documentary done by a man named Morgan Spurlock. For a full month, Spurlock ate nothing but junk food.
He consumed three fast-food meals a day at McDonalds or other fast-food restaurants. Whenever the server asked Spurlock if he wanted to super-size his order, he always said yes.
So whenever he was asked, he always got the extra-big hamburger or order of fries or coke or milkshake, whatever it was. And what do you think happened to Morgan Spurlock?
In one month, he gained twenty-five pounds and really fouled up his health. His blood sugar went way up and he developed intestinal and, I think, even some heart troubles.
Morgan Spurlock illustrated how choosing fast and easy food can hurt us. He illustrated how this is a failure to take responsibility for our bodily health.
Responsibility for Spiritual Health
The season of Lent that we begin today reminds us to take responsibility for our spiritual health.
The ashes that we use today are a powerful symbol of this. Unlike Morgan Spurlock who ate junk food and did not care for his physical health, the ashes remind us to take care of our spiritual health in two ways.
Lenten Responsibility
First, the ashes remind us that we come from God.
The Book of Genesis says that God breathed life into the dust of the earth and formed us from this. So, the ashes remind us that we have come from God and someday we will return to God.
Because of this, we are called to some special prayer during Lent. Jesus in today’s gospel calls us to pray not to be seen, but to pray from our hearts so as to grow closer to God.
Maybe we can just make sure that we pray in some way every day during Lent, like when we get out of bed in the morning, or maybe we can come to Stations of the Cross sometime during Lent or come to weekday Mass once a week. The ashes remind us that we come from God and they call us to grow in our relationship with God.
And second, the ashes remind us that we are part of God’s family.
We are signed with ashes much as we are signed with the holy oil when we are baptized and confirmed and made part of God’s family. And so, the ashes remind us that we part of God’s family and need to be repent for not respecting and caring for one another.
I think this is why we are called to do some fasting during Lent. The Church asks all of us Catholics together not to eat meat today and on all the Fridays of Lent, and also to eat only one full meal today and on Good Friday.
That is fasting – watching what we eat. We could also choose to do some personal fasting, like giving up desserts or candy.
This fasting from food leads us to think about the behaviors that we need to fast from, like picking on a classmate or gossiping or not helping poor people who are in need. So, the ashes remind us that we are part of God’s family and to repent for not respecting and caring for one another.
Conclusion
So, the ashes remind us (1) that we come from God and need to grow in our relationship with God, and (2) that we are part of God’s family and need to repent of not respecting and caring for God’s family.
If we do these things, we are caring for our spiritual health, unlike the guy who ate fast food three times a day for an entire month. With these thoughts, we now bless and receive the ashes.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Weekly MESSAGE for February 18, 2007: The Pope Changes His Approach for Lent
February 18, 2007
Dear Friend,
In preparation for Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent, I was looking over Pope Benedict’s Lenten message for this year. In it he seeks to show how our faith can lead to charity’s deepest dimensions. The message is centered around the mystery of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.
Worldwide entrepreneurs like Bill Gates or Warren Buffet establish social foundations. Film stars and politicians invite folks to charity dinners. Governments create friends for themselves in public opinion thanks to international cooperation. And great fund-raising endeavors – especially at times of catastrophes – reach considerable quantities. As Christians we can observe, not without some satisfaction, that in social life the biblical commandment of “Love Thy Neighbor” seems universally accepted.
The Pope’s message for Lent is considerably different than previous ones, either written by him or by Pope John Paul II. Previous messages have focused on works of charity in the sense of Christians’ social commitment. This time, the Pontiff forcefully places God the Father of Jesus Christ at the center. Therefore, the focus is not “anthropocentric” but “theocentric.” It appears that the Holy Father is less concerned with the horizontal dimension (people to people), in order to bring into clearer light the vertical dimension (God above; we below) of Christian living. This change of thought can be observed in general in Benedict XVI’s preaching. In the Pope’s encyclical or in other writings, the central theme is always the love of the Father in heaven becoming one of us in the Son, Jesus Christ.
Why has the Pope changed the focus of the Lenten message? One commentator believes that for the Holy Father the absence of God is worse than material poverty, because it kills every firm hope and leaves us alone with only our pain and lament. In the Lenten message, the commentator says, “The Pope is bound to the pain that weighs on our lives because of our own or others’ faults, and invites us to look up from down here toward the heights.” That is why the Pope chose the theme: “They Shall Look upon Him Whom They Have Pierced.”
The Vatican official, Archbishop Cordes, clarified that Benedict XVI does not forget to invite the faithful to concrete works of charity. According to Archbishop, the Holy Father says that the pierced side of Christ, “Will impel us, in particular, to combat every form of contempt of life or of exploitation of the person and to alleviate the tragedies of loneliness and abandonment of so many people.”
My thought is that our Lenten acts might begin with a healthy dose of charity toward others based on these thoughts.
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
Dear Friend,
In preparation for Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent, I was looking over Pope Benedict’s Lenten message for this year. In it he seeks to show how our faith can lead to charity’s deepest dimensions. The message is centered around the mystery of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.
Worldwide entrepreneurs like Bill Gates or Warren Buffet establish social foundations. Film stars and politicians invite folks to charity dinners. Governments create friends for themselves in public opinion thanks to international cooperation. And great fund-raising endeavors – especially at times of catastrophes – reach considerable quantities. As Christians we can observe, not without some satisfaction, that in social life the biblical commandment of “Love Thy Neighbor” seems universally accepted.
The Pope’s message for Lent is considerably different than previous ones, either written by him or by Pope John Paul II. Previous messages have focused on works of charity in the sense of Christians’ social commitment. This time, the Pontiff forcefully places God the Father of Jesus Christ at the center. Therefore, the focus is not “anthropocentric” but “theocentric.” It appears that the Holy Father is less concerned with the horizontal dimension (people to people), in order to bring into clearer light the vertical dimension (God above; we below) of Christian living. This change of thought can be observed in general in Benedict XVI’s preaching. In the Pope’s encyclical or in other writings, the central theme is always the love of the Father in heaven becoming one of us in the Son, Jesus Christ.
Why has the Pope changed the focus of the Lenten message? One commentator believes that for the Holy Father the absence of God is worse than material poverty, because it kills every firm hope and leaves us alone with only our pain and lament. In the Lenten message, the commentator says, “The Pope is bound to the pain that weighs on our lives because of our own or others’ faults, and invites us to look up from down here toward the heights.” That is why the Pope chose the theme: “They Shall Look upon Him Whom They Have Pierced.”
The Vatican official, Archbishop Cordes, clarified that Benedict XVI does not forget to invite the faithful to concrete works of charity. According to Archbishop, the Holy Father says that the pierced side of Christ, “Will impel us, in particular, to combat every form of contempt of life or of exploitation of the person and to alleviate the tragedies of loneliness and abandonment of so many people.”
My thought is that our Lenten acts might begin with a healthy dose of charity toward others based on these thoughts.
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
Weekly THIS AND THAT for February 18, 2007: Part 5 of Bishop Rozanski's Report: Our Shool
This and That:
Part 5 of Bishop Rozanski’s Report on Our Lady of Grace
This week we end with the fifth and final bulletin note on the November 8, 2006, visit of Bishop Mitch Rozanski and his staff to our parish. The complete report has been shared in this column over the past five weeks. This final installment deals with his commendations and recommendations regarding our parish Catholic School. As I have mentioned in prior weeks, you are invited to share your thoughts with members of the Pastoral Team or any members of the Pastoral Council. (They are the folks with the red ribbons around their necks each weekend at Sunday Mass.) Council members have an opportunity, at the conclusion of each monthly meeting, to share with the entire Council comments, kudos, or concerns made by individual parishioners.
Our Catholic School opened in 2000 and was the first new school in the Archdiocese in 35 years. From the very beginning, the parish supported the school by building the Education Center, which would also house our Religious Education Program and Youth Ministries. Over the past years the parish has covered the interest on the loans assumed by the school for its start-up costs and also outfitted the Library Media Center, the Arts Center, and the Science Lab with furniture and built-in cabinetry. The commitment of the pastor and the services of Deborah Webber, as Coordinator of Youth Ministries, Chris Pignataro, as Administrator of Religious Education, and Elaine Hagner, as Parish Administrator are all other ways the parish supports the efforts of the school. Finally, a grant of $20,000 is given to the school by the parish each year to go toward tuition assistance.
We are very proud of the comments made by Bishop Rozanski of our principal, Sister Helen, our teachers, and our students. How blest we are to have such a wonderful vehicle for parents to support their children’s growth in faith.
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
OUR LADY OF GRACE SCHOOL
Acknowledgement:
The purpose of the Pastoral Visitation is to gain a greater understanding of the parish on many levels. Time spent in the parish meeting with parishioners, parish staff, pastor, lay corporators, council members, volunteers and various committees provides a lens through which the Vicar Bishop can gain insight into the many aspects of parish life and ministries of the parish. As such, the Pastoral Visitation does not include an in-depth assessment of either entity. The Division of Catholic Schools and the Division of Evangelization and Catechesis provide to the Bishop’s Office ongoing information and evaluation of both schools.
The Principal and Staff are commended for the following:
➢ The Principal, for her continued commitment to the growth and viability of Our Lady of Grace School.
➢ The faculty, for their continued energy and hard work in striving for academic excellence.
➢ The Principal and DRE for the appreciation they show for each other’s ministries and their willingness to collaborate together to better serve parish youth.
➢ The school leadership and faculty for fostering an appreciation of our Catholic heritage through creatively presented initiatives that foster community.
Recommendations:
The Principal and Faculty are asked to address the following recommendations:
1. The provision of specific opportunities for younger school parents to work with senior parishioners on major events and fundraisers.
2. The development of a strategic plan to market the school to young families.
3. The initiation of an action plan to address areas of need as reflected in the recent Parent Satisfaction Survey.
4. The strict monitoring of the budget and enrollment as a means to develop strategies to address future tuition assistance and other needs.
December 21, 2006
Part 5 of Bishop Rozanski’s Report on Our Lady of Grace
This week we end with the fifth and final bulletin note on the November 8, 2006, visit of Bishop Mitch Rozanski and his staff to our parish. The complete report has been shared in this column over the past five weeks. This final installment deals with his commendations and recommendations regarding our parish Catholic School. As I have mentioned in prior weeks, you are invited to share your thoughts with members of the Pastoral Team or any members of the Pastoral Council. (They are the folks with the red ribbons around their necks each weekend at Sunday Mass.) Council members have an opportunity, at the conclusion of each monthly meeting, to share with the entire Council comments, kudos, or concerns made by individual parishioners.
Our Catholic School opened in 2000 and was the first new school in the Archdiocese in 35 years. From the very beginning, the parish supported the school by building the Education Center, which would also house our Religious Education Program and Youth Ministries. Over the past years the parish has covered the interest on the loans assumed by the school for its start-up costs and also outfitted the Library Media Center, the Arts Center, and the Science Lab with furniture and built-in cabinetry. The commitment of the pastor and the services of Deborah Webber, as Coordinator of Youth Ministries, Chris Pignataro, as Administrator of Religious Education, and Elaine Hagner, as Parish Administrator are all other ways the parish supports the efforts of the school. Finally, a grant of $20,000 is given to the school by the parish each year to go toward tuition assistance.
We are very proud of the comments made by Bishop Rozanski of our principal, Sister Helen, our teachers, and our students. How blest we are to have such a wonderful vehicle for parents to support their children’s growth in faith.
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
OUR LADY OF GRACE SCHOOL
Acknowledgement:
The purpose of the Pastoral Visitation is to gain a greater understanding of the parish on many levels. Time spent in the parish meeting with parishioners, parish staff, pastor, lay corporators, council members, volunteers and various committees provides a lens through which the Vicar Bishop can gain insight into the many aspects of parish life and ministries of the parish. As such, the Pastoral Visitation does not include an in-depth assessment of either entity. The Division of Catholic Schools and the Division of Evangelization and Catechesis provide to the Bishop’s Office ongoing information and evaluation of both schools.
The Principal and Staff are commended for the following:
➢ The Principal, for her continued commitment to the growth and viability of Our Lady of Grace School.
➢ The faculty, for their continued energy and hard work in striving for academic excellence.
➢ The Principal and DRE for the appreciation they show for each other’s ministries and their willingness to collaborate together to better serve parish youth.
➢ The school leadership and faculty for fostering an appreciation of our Catholic heritage through creatively presented initiatives that foster community.
Recommendations:
The Principal and Faculty are asked to address the following recommendations:
1. The provision of specific opportunities for younger school parents to work with senior parishioners on major events and fundraisers.
2. The development of a strategic plan to market the school to young families.
3. The initiation of an action plan to address areas of need as reflected in the recent Parent Satisfaction Survey.
4. The strict monitoring of the budget and enrollment as a means to develop strategies to address future tuition assistance and other needs.
December 21, 2006
Weekly HOMILY for February 18, 2007: Forgiveness -- The Hardest Thing to Do
7th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Cycle C
Our Lady of Grace
February 18, 2007
Forgiveness: The Hardest Thing to Do
By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato
What Is Hardest?
I’d like to begin our reflection this morning with a question for you to answer.
What is the hardest thing God has ever asked you to do? (Pause a few seconds.) What is the hardest thing God has ever asked you to do?
Is it letting go of a spouse or child in death? Is it watching someone struggle with a sickness or addiction and feeling completely helpless?
It is caring for an elderly parent who is suffering the ravages of aging?
Or is it perhaps taking Jesus at his word when he says today: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you and pray for those who mistreat you.”
Is Forgiving the Hardest?
“Yikes!” I know my most difficult; I just heard it from the lips of Jesus. I wonder if, for many of you, the same is not true for you?
Taking Jesus at his word – taking that enemy or the person who has wronged you – and then loving, doing good, blessing, and praying for them.
If it still doesn’t sound difficult, let’s add some names. Maybe the one who’s wronged you is a spouse who has been unfaithful.
Perhaps it is a neighbor has injured your reputation.
Or a relative as I saw in two of my aunts who did not talk to each other for 20 years and they lived next door to one another. When we visited, we had to visit each house separately and not always go to the one house first.
Or what about the 9/11 terrorists who attacked us?
In any of thises situations, the tendency is to say: “Forgiveness, yes, but this forgiveness command does not apply to me in this situation.”
Or, “I have a right not to forgive, the deed is so heinous.” Or, “We need to protect ourselves don’t we?”
There is no question that forgiveness takes strength. It fact it takes real, inner strength to forgive someone who has hurt us, to love those who do not care for us, or to let go of resentment or long-harbored bitterness.
There is no question that we do need to protect ourselves from a hurtful person, from criminals, or terrorists. We need to do this as individuals, as a community, and as a Nation.
But forgiveness – that is, not inflicting or wanting pain for others in retaliation, and being open to reconciliation and peace – this, as hard as it can be, is important.
I see three reasons why it is so crucially important for the quality of our life.
Why Forgiving Is So Important
First, harboring bitterness, anger, and vengeance in the end can kill us. It is like a cancer growing within us.
It consumes and destroys and twists the human spirit beyond recognition. Regardless of what it does to the other person or even the other nation, it does end up chewing up stomach, mind, and spirit and eventually destroying us.
Second, the greatest motive for forgiveness and for letting go of anger, grudges, and bitterness comes from beyond this world. Jesus says today: “Be merciful, as your Father is merciful.”
When we are forgiving, we are God-like, acting like God, being like the One in whose image we are created. When we are forgiving, we are living out of the spirit, that is, the divine life that is within us.
And the third reason why forgiveness is so important is that it connects us with our eternity. Jesus says: “Forgive and you will be forgiven.”
“For the measure you measure with, will in return be measured back to you.” Apparently, our acts of forgiving foreshadow and even shape our eternity.
Conclusion
So yes, forgiveness may be – for many of us in some particular instance – life’s most difficult challenge.
At its root, it is important to remember that forgiveness is a choice and not a feeling. It is an act of our will – to release and to be open to reconciliation with a person who’s wronged us or with an enemy.
It is a decision to respond to such persons with a light that dispels the darkness of resentment and vengeance. It is a decision to set them and us free for better possibilities and will bring us at the very least, peace of mind.
Our Lady of Grace
February 18, 2007
Forgiveness: The Hardest Thing to Do
By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato
What Is Hardest?
I’d like to begin our reflection this morning with a question for you to answer.
What is the hardest thing God has ever asked you to do? (Pause a few seconds.) What is the hardest thing God has ever asked you to do?
Is it letting go of a spouse or child in death? Is it watching someone struggle with a sickness or addiction and feeling completely helpless?
It is caring for an elderly parent who is suffering the ravages of aging?
Or is it perhaps taking Jesus at his word when he says today: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you and pray for those who mistreat you.”
Is Forgiving the Hardest?
“Yikes!” I know my most difficult; I just heard it from the lips of Jesus. I wonder if, for many of you, the same is not true for you?
Taking Jesus at his word – taking that enemy or the person who has wronged you – and then loving, doing good, blessing, and praying for them.
If it still doesn’t sound difficult, let’s add some names. Maybe the one who’s wronged you is a spouse who has been unfaithful.
Perhaps it is a neighbor has injured your reputation.
Or a relative as I saw in two of my aunts who did not talk to each other for 20 years and they lived next door to one another. When we visited, we had to visit each house separately and not always go to the one house first.
Or what about the 9/11 terrorists who attacked us?
In any of thises situations, the tendency is to say: “Forgiveness, yes, but this forgiveness command does not apply to me in this situation.”
Or, “I have a right not to forgive, the deed is so heinous.” Or, “We need to protect ourselves don’t we?”
There is no question that forgiveness takes strength. It fact it takes real, inner strength to forgive someone who has hurt us, to love those who do not care for us, or to let go of resentment or long-harbored bitterness.
There is no question that we do need to protect ourselves from a hurtful person, from criminals, or terrorists. We need to do this as individuals, as a community, and as a Nation.
But forgiveness – that is, not inflicting or wanting pain for others in retaliation, and being open to reconciliation and peace – this, as hard as it can be, is important.
I see three reasons why it is so crucially important for the quality of our life.
Why Forgiving Is So Important
First, harboring bitterness, anger, and vengeance in the end can kill us. It is like a cancer growing within us.
It consumes and destroys and twists the human spirit beyond recognition. Regardless of what it does to the other person or even the other nation, it does end up chewing up stomach, mind, and spirit and eventually destroying us.
Second, the greatest motive for forgiveness and for letting go of anger, grudges, and bitterness comes from beyond this world. Jesus says today: “Be merciful, as your Father is merciful.”
When we are forgiving, we are God-like, acting like God, being like the One in whose image we are created. When we are forgiving, we are living out of the spirit, that is, the divine life that is within us.
And the third reason why forgiveness is so important is that it connects us with our eternity. Jesus says: “Forgive and you will be forgiven.”
“For the measure you measure with, will in return be measured back to you.” Apparently, our acts of forgiving foreshadow and even shape our eternity.
Conclusion
So yes, forgiveness may be – for many of us in some particular instance – life’s most difficult challenge.
At its root, it is important to remember that forgiveness is a choice and not a feeling. It is an act of our will – to release and to be open to reconciliation with a person who’s wronged us or with an enemy.
It is a decision to respond to such persons with a light that dispels the darkness of resentment and vengeance. It is a decision to set them and us free for better possibilities and will bring us at the very least, peace of mind.
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Weekly MESSAGE for February 11, 2007: The $20 Bill
February 11, 2007
RE: The $20 bill
Dear Friend,
A well-known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $20.00 bill. In the room of 200, he asked, “Who would like this $20 bill?” Hands started going up. He said, “I am going to give this $20 to one of you, but first, let me do this. He proceeded to crumple up the $20 dollar bill. He then asked, “Who still wants it?” Still the hands were up in the air. Well, he replied, “What if I do this?” And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty. “Now, who still wants it?” Still the hands went into the air.
My friends, we have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20. Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value. Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to those who do love you.
The worth of our lives comes not in what we do or whom we know, but by who we are and whose we are. You are loved by God and belong to God, a fact we should not forget. So it is our blessings we should count, not your problems. Keep in mind when you think your not doing very well at life, it was amateurs who built the ark and professionals who built the Titanic. As they used to say, “If God brings you to it, God will bring you through it.”
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
RE: The $20 bill
Dear Friend,
A well-known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $20.00 bill. In the room of 200, he asked, “Who would like this $20 bill?” Hands started going up. He said, “I am going to give this $20 to one of you, but first, let me do this. He proceeded to crumple up the $20 dollar bill. He then asked, “Who still wants it?” Still the hands were up in the air. Well, he replied, “What if I do this?” And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty. “Now, who still wants it?” Still the hands went into the air.
My friends, we have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20. Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value. Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to those who do love you.
The worth of our lives comes not in what we do or whom we know, but by who we are and whose we are. You are loved by God and belong to God, a fact we should not forget. So it is our blessings we should count, not your problems. Keep in mind when you think your not doing very well at life, it was amateurs who built the ark and professionals who built the Titanic. As they used to say, “If God brings you to it, God will bring you through it.”
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
Weekly THIS AND THAT for February 11, 2007: Part 4 of Bishop Rozanski's Report on Our Lady of Grace
This and That:
Part 4 of Bishop Rozanski’s Report on Our Lady of Grace
The following is the fourth of five bulletin notes on the November 8, 2006, visit of Bishop Mitch Rozanski and his staff to our parish. The complete report is being shared in this column over five weeks. This fourth part deals with his commendations and recommendations regarding our Stewardship of Finances and Faith Formation. All are invited to share their thoughts with members of the Pastoral Team or any members of the Pastoral Council. (They are the folks with the red ribbons around their necks each weekend at Sunday Mass.) Council members have an opportunity at the conclusion of each monthly meeting to share with the entire Council comments, kudos, or concerns made be individual parishioners.
It should be noted that Ms. Judy Hvisc tendered her resignation at Director of Religious Education in early January and that we now have a new Administrator of Religious Education, Ms. Chris Pignataro. She will be tending to the Recommendations made by Bishop Rozanski and his staff in the report below.
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
STEWARDSHIP OF FINANCES
➢ The Finance Personnel and the Parish Administrator are commended for the following:
➢ The collaborative approach to the development of the parish budget.
➢ The expertise of Elizabeth Scholz in forecasting to assure that the budgeting process is realistic.
➢ The monthly monitoring income and expenses as it is reflected in the overall budget.
➢ The attachment of the budget to the strategic planning process
➢ The commitment to 10% tithing.
➢ The ongoing focus on seeking new and creative ways to grow the revenue.
➢ The dedication and sense of the responsibility evidenced by the Finance Committee’s efforts to “think of everything.”
➢ The current success of the Capital Campaign.
➢ The focus on electronic giving, which generates about $2500 of the weekly offertory.
➢ The acceptance of the Mustard See Match and commitment to raise the matching funds.
➢ The fostering of the Legacy League in the parish.
➢ The practice of presenting the budget reports quarterly to the Pastoral Council.
➢ The Annual “State of the Parish” presented to the parish community annually by the Finance Council Chairperson from the pulpit.
Acknowledgement:
1. It is noted that the Pastor has wisely selected parishioners who have expertise in areas of financial management to serve in various capacities in the parish to foster good stewardship and to utilize the gifts of people for service to the community.
FAITH FORMATION
➢ Those involved in Faith Formation are commended for the following:
➢ Judy Hvisc, the new Director of Religious Education, for her attempts to get to know the parishioners and the catechetical needs of Our Lady of Grace.
➢ The commitment of the school and religious education leadership to trying to bring everyone into compliance with the child protection requirements.
➢ Sr. Mary Therese and her “Why Catholic” committee for the excellent parish participation in the program and for the committee’s commitment to attending the program training opportunities.
➢ The youth minister for her commitment to providing diverse service opportunities for the parish youth.
➢ The development of the Youth Center where the youth of the parish can gather as a group.
➢ The establishment of the weekly “Pizza Time” for middle school to socialize as an outreach effort of Youth Ministry.
➢ The initiation and building of the Theatre Ministry by Mary Miller.
The establishment of the Edge Program.
Those involved in Faith Formation are asked to address the following recommendations:
1. Bringing the parish into compliance with the catechesis for human sexuality portion of the child protection regulations by spring of 2007
2. Possible recruitment and development of teams of adults who can assist with the diversity of youth activities.
3. The encouragement of parents to take more ownership in the parish youth activities.
4. Development of a parish evangelization plan for reaching out to the inactive members of the parish.
Part 4 of Bishop Rozanski’s Report on Our Lady of Grace
The following is the fourth of five bulletin notes on the November 8, 2006, visit of Bishop Mitch Rozanski and his staff to our parish. The complete report is being shared in this column over five weeks. This fourth part deals with his commendations and recommendations regarding our Stewardship of Finances and Faith Formation. All are invited to share their thoughts with members of the Pastoral Team or any members of the Pastoral Council. (They are the folks with the red ribbons around their necks each weekend at Sunday Mass.) Council members have an opportunity at the conclusion of each monthly meeting to share with the entire Council comments, kudos, or concerns made be individual parishioners.
It should be noted that Ms. Judy Hvisc tendered her resignation at Director of Religious Education in early January and that we now have a new Administrator of Religious Education, Ms. Chris Pignataro. She will be tending to the Recommendations made by Bishop Rozanski and his staff in the report below.
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
STEWARDSHIP OF FINANCES
➢ The Finance Personnel and the Parish Administrator are commended for the following:
➢ The collaborative approach to the development of the parish budget.
➢ The expertise of Elizabeth Scholz in forecasting to assure that the budgeting process is realistic.
➢ The monthly monitoring income and expenses as it is reflected in the overall budget.
➢ The attachment of the budget to the strategic planning process
➢ The commitment to 10% tithing.
➢ The ongoing focus on seeking new and creative ways to grow the revenue.
➢ The dedication and sense of the responsibility evidenced by the Finance Committee’s efforts to “think of everything.”
➢ The current success of the Capital Campaign.
➢ The focus on electronic giving, which generates about $2500 of the weekly offertory.
➢ The acceptance of the Mustard See Match and commitment to raise the matching funds.
➢ The fostering of the Legacy League in the parish.
➢ The practice of presenting the budget reports quarterly to the Pastoral Council.
➢ The Annual “State of the Parish” presented to the parish community annually by the Finance Council Chairperson from the pulpit.
Acknowledgement:
1. It is noted that the Pastor has wisely selected parishioners who have expertise in areas of financial management to serve in various capacities in the parish to foster good stewardship and to utilize the gifts of people for service to the community.
FAITH FORMATION
➢ Those involved in Faith Formation are commended for the following:
➢ Judy Hvisc, the new Director of Religious Education, for her attempts to get to know the parishioners and the catechetical needs of Our Lady of Grace.
➢ The commitment of the school and religious education leadership to trying to bring everyone into compliance with the child protection requirements.
➢ Sr. Mary Therese and her “Why Catholic” committee for the excellent parish participation in the program and for the committee’s commitment to attending the program training opportunities.
➢ The youth minister for her commitment to providing diverse service opportunities for the parish youth.
➢ The development of the Youth Center where the youth of the parish can gather as a group.
➢ The establishment of the weekly “Pizza Time” for middle school to socialize as an outreach effort of Youth Ministry.
➢ The initiation and building of the Theatre Ministry by Mary Miller.
The establishment of the Edge Program.
Those involved in Faith Formation are asked to address the following recommendations:
1. Bringing the parish into compliance with the catechesis for human sexuality portion of the child protection regulations by spring of 2007
2. Possible recruitment and development of teams of adults who can assist with the diversity of youth activities.
3. The encouragement of parents to take more ownership in the parish youth activities.
4. Development of a parish evangelization plan for reaching out to the inactive members of the parish.
Weekly HOMILY for February 11, 2007: The BE-Attitudes
6th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Cycle C
Our Lady of Grace
February 11, 2007
The BE-Attitudes
(Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato
BE-Attitudes at Home
When I was growing up, I remember certain statements that my mother used to make.
To my older brother Jim and my younger sister Fran she’d say things like: “Never forget where you came from.” While she knew that we would have better educational and professional opportunities than she had had – she had to quite school to help support the family – she didn’t want that to ever go to our heads.
Mom never wanted us to hold ourselves above others. She wanted us to be sensitive to those who had less than we had.
Another favorite statement of hers was, “Give the other person the benefit of the doubt.” She taught us that erring on the side of good helped us better understand the viewpoint of others.
The “other person” could be our teacher in school, one of our many cousins that we saw regularly, or the neighbor next door, who, I might add wasn’t the easiest guy to get along with.
Mom wanted us simply to listen and make an effort to understand before making up our minds and being critical.
BE-Attitudes of Jesus
In today’s Gospel, Jesus also makes a few such statements.
And beneath the statements, he knows that following God seriously does means more than a few prayers each week and a couple of acts of charity now and then. He knows that following God or himself is a life-transforming work.
Discipleship gets down to adopt and holding as our very own certain attitudes, much as my mother was trying to instill in the three of us with her statements of, “Never forget where you came from.” And “Give the other person the benefit of the doubt.”
Following God means that we move from being ego-centered or ego-driven to being God-centered or God-driven.
Jesus himself models this way of being and living. And today, in this Gospel, he teaches us these BE-Attitudes – spelled capital B-E. Capital A-t-t-i-t-u-d-e-s.
Jesus is teaching us attitudes for being. He is teaching us how “to be,” more than how “to do” or how “to achieve.”
Jesus’ Specific BE-Attitudes
(1) THE POOR: For example, Jesus says that we are and will be blessed when we are poor. This means that we are holy when we are humbled in our inner selves by the presence of God in creation or in the Eucharist.
“Blessed are the poor,” means that we are close to God when we are not so caught up in ourselves, but are caught up in something or someone beyond ourselves. It means that we are compassionate and patient with others.
(2) THE HUNGRY: Secondly, Jesus says that we are, and will be blessed, when we are hungry. What he means is that we are holy when we have an inner yearning for the fullness that only God can give.
“Blessed are the hungry” means that we crave the lasting satisfaction of a relationship with God and see how passing is the satisfaction of money, possessions, and all things material. It means that we hunger for God’s affirmation more than the recognition of others.
(3) THOSE WHO WEEP: Finally, Jesus says that we are and will be blessed when we weep. This means that we are holy when we mourn our lack of personal faithfulness or commitment or integrity.
“Blessed are those who weep,” means that we cry over the superficial values that are promoted on TV ads and how they affect even our own lifestyle. It means that we grieve the poverty and violence in our world and do something in our own way to alleviate the suffering of the oppressed.
Conclusion
So, when Jesus calls “Blessed” those who are (1) Poor, (2) Hungry or (3) Weeping, he is not exalting these conditions as we usually think of them.
No, instead he is saying that when we are rich or satisfied or always having a good time or well thought of, it can be difficult to be transformed from within. It can be difficult to embrace his attitudes for being – his BE-Attitudes.
Today, Jesus implores us to allow ourselves to be changed from within for our present and future happiness. He implores us to embrace his BE-Attitudes or “attitudes for being” for our lasting blessedness.
It worked with my mother giving us lasting attitudes; it can surely work with Jesus!
Our Lady of Grace
February 11, 2007
The BE-Attitudes
(Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato
BE-Attitudes at Home
When I was growing up, I remember certain statements that my mother used to make.
To my older brother Jim and my younger sister Fran she’d say things like: “Never forget where you came from.” While she knew that we would have better educational and professional opportunities than she had had – she had to quite school to help support the family – she didn’t want that to ever go to our heads.
Mom never wanted us to hold ourselves above others. She wanted us to be sensitive to those who had less than we had.
Another favorite statement of hers was, “Give the other person the benefit of the doubt.” She taught us that erring on the side of good helped us better understand the viewpoint of others.
The “other person” could be our teacher in school, one of our many cousins that we saw regularly, or the neighbor next door, who, I might add wasn’t the easiest guy to get along with.
Mom wanted us simply to listen and make an effort to understand before making up our minds and being critical.
BE-Attitudes of Jesus
In today’s Gospel, Jesus also makes a few such statements.
And beneath the statements, he knows that following God seriously does means more than a few prayers each week and a couple of acts of charity now and then. He knows that following God or himself is a life-transforming work.
Discipleship gets down to adopt and holding as our very own certain attitudes, much as my mother was trying to instill in the three of us with her statements of, “Never forget where you came from.” And “Give the other person the benefit of the doubt.”
Following God means that we move from being ego-centered or ego-driven to being God-centered or God-driven.
Jesus himself models this way of being and living. And today, in this Gospel, he teaches us these BE-Attitudes – spelled capital B-E. Capital A-t-t-i-t-u-d-e-s.
Jesus is teaching us attitudes for being. He is teaching us how “to be,” more than how “to do” or how “to achieve.”
Jesus’ Specific BE-Attitudes
(1) THE POOR: For example, Jesus says that we are and will be blessed when we are poor. This means that we are holy when we are humbled in our inner selves by the presence of God in creation or in the Eucharist.
“Blessed are the poor,” means that we are close to God when we are not so caught up in ourselves, but are caught up in something or someone beyond ourselves. It means that we are compassionate and patient with others.
(2) THE HUNGRY: Secondly, Jesus says that we are, and will be blessed, when we are hungry. What he means is that we are holy when we have an inner yearning for the fullness that only God can give.
“Blessed are the hungry” means that we crave the lasting satisfaction of a relationship with God and see how passing is the satisfaction of money, possessions, and all things material. It means that we hunger for God’s affirmation more than the recognition of others.
(3) THOSE WHO WEEP: Finally, Jesus says that we are and will be blessed when we weep. This means that we are holy when we mourn our lack of personal faithfulness or commitment or integrity.
“Blessed are those who weep,” means that we cry over the superficial values that are promoted on TV ads and how they affect even our own lifestyle. It means that we grieve the poverty and violence in our world and do something in our own way to alleviate the suffering of the oppressed.
Conclusion
So, when Jesus calls “Blessed” those who are (1) Poor, (2) Hungry or (3) Weeping, he is not exalting these conditions as we usually think of them.
No, instead he is saying that when we are rich or satisfied or always having a good time or well thought of, it can be difficult to be transformed from within. It can be difficult to embrace his attitudes for being – his BE-Attitudes.
Today, Jesus implores us to allow ourselves to be changed from within for our present and future happiness. He implores us to embrace his BE-Attitudes or “attitudes for being” for our lasting blessedness.
It worked with my mother giving us lasting attitudes; it can surely work with Jesus!
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Weekly MESSAGE for February 4, 2006: Five Fingers to Prayer
February 4, 2007
Dear Friend,
When I was in Alaska on our parish trip last year I learned that the easiest way to remember the five kinds of salmon is to use the fingers of your hand. The following came across my desk on how to use the fingers of your hand to pray more effectively.
Your thumb is nearest you. So begin your prayers by praying for those closest to you. They are the easiest to remember. To pray for our loved ones is, as C. S. Lewis once said, a “sweet duty.”
The next finger is the pointing finger. Pray for those who teach, instruct and heal. This includes teachers, doctors, and ministers. They need support and wisdom in pointing others in the right direction. Keep them in your prayers.
The next finger is the tallest finger. It reminds us of our leaders. Pray for the president, leaders in business and industry, and administrators. These people shape our nation and guide public opinion. They need God's guidance.
The fourth finger is our ring finger. Surprising to many is the fact that this is our weakest finger, as any piano teacher will testify. It should remind us to pray for those who are weak, in trouble or in pain. They need your prayers day and night. You cannot pray too much for them.
And lastly comes our little finger – the smallest finger of all which is where we should place ourselves in relation to God and others. As the Bible says, “The least shall be the greatest among you.” Your pinkie should remind you to pray for yourself. By the time you have prayed for the other four groups, your own needs will be put into proper perspective and you will be able to pray for yourself more effectively.
By the way the five types of salmon are: Sockeye, Pink, King, Chum, and Silver. Can anybody guess which salmon for which finger?
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
Dear Friend,
When I was in Alaska on our parish trip last year I learned that the easiest way to remember the five kinds of salmon is to use the fingers of your hand. The following came across my desk on how to use the fingers of your hand to pray more effectively.
Your thumb is nearest you. So begin your prayers by praying for those closest to you. They are the easiest to remember. To pray for our loved ones is, as C. S. Lewis once said, a “sweet duty.”
The next finger is the pointing finger. Pray for those who teach, instruct and heal. This includes teachers, doctors, and ministers. They need support and wisdom in pointing others in the right direction. Keep them in your prayers.
The next finger is the tallest finger. It reminds us of our leaders. Pray for the president, leaders in business and industry, and administrators. These people shape our nation and guide public opinion. They need God's guidance.
The fourth finger is our ring finger. Surprising to many is the fact that this is our weakest finger, as any piano teacher will testify. It should remind us to pray for those who are weak, in trouble or in pain. They need your prayers day and night. You cannot pray too much for them.
And lastly comes our little finger – the smallest finger of all which is where we should place ourselves in relation to God and others. As the Bible says, “The least shall be the greatest among you.” Your pinkie should remind you to pray for yourself. By the time you have prayed for the other four groups, your own needs will be put into proper perspective and you will be able to pray for yourself more effectively.
By the way the five types of salmon are: Sockeye, Pink, King, Chum, and Silver. Can anybody guess which salmon for which finger?
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
Weekly THIS AND THAT for February 4, 2007: Part 3 of Bishop Rozanski's Report on Our Lady of Grace
This and That:
Part 3 of Bishop Rozanski’s Report on Our Lady of Grace
The following is the third of five bulletin notes on the November 8, 2006, visit of Bishop Mitch Rozanski and his staff to our parish. The complete report is being shared in this column over five weeks. This third part deals with his commendations and recommendations regarding The Pastoral Council, The Parish Coporation, and our Buildings and Properties. All are invited to share their thoughts with members of the Pastoral Team or any members of the Pastoral Council. (They are the folks with the red ribbons around their necks each weekend at Sunday Mass.) Council members have an opportunity at the conclusion of each monthly meeting to share with the entire Council comments, kudos, or concerns made be individual parishioners.
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
THE PASTORAL COUNCIL
The Pastoral Council is commended for the following:
➢ Beginning meetings with substantive prayer, which is shared by all members of the Council.
➢ The balance of membership including a good mix of ages and a balance between men and women.
➢ The extensive expertise and experience that Council Members bring to the table.
➢ The obvious energy that the Council generates as a group on behalf of the parish community.
➢ The engagement of the Council in the development of a Pastoral Plan through pondering the deeper questions related to being Church today and in the future.
➢ The innovative spirit of the Pastoral Council.
➢ The fostering of lay leadership in the parish.
➢ The embracing of a Ministry of Presence.
The Pastoral Council is asked to address the following recommendations:
1. Work with the Pastor and Staff to seek creative ways to involve the 80% of parishioners who attend, but do not participate in the life and ministries of the parish, while respecting the constraints of family and job responsibilities.
2. Work with Pastor and Staff to develop a comprehensive evangelization effort that will identify and address the unique circumstances of people in the area.
3. Develop ways to inform and educate parishioners regarding future planning as it relates to The Hope That Lies Before Us. Begin to explore how this affects the future of Our Lady of Grace and lay leadership development.
THE PARISH CORPORATION
The Lay Corporators, Arlene Hoffman and Stephen Golueke are commended for the following:
➢ The focus on prioritized planning for the future of the parish.
➢ The commitment to reflect to the pastor what “people in the pew” are thinking and feeling.
➢ The dedication to the work of the Parish Corporation and familiarity with the Parish Corporation document, which outlines the role of the parish corporation.
➢ The commitment to quarterly Corporation meetings and sense of responsibility evidenced by the agenda items discussed at Corporation meetings.
➢ The desire to support the vision of the parish and the pastor’s role in articulating the vision.
The Lay Corporators are asked to address the following recommendations
1. The ongoing need to inform and educate the parish community on future regional planning in North Baltimore County related the The Hope That Lies Before Us.
BUILDINGS AND PROPERTY
The Building Committee, Maintenance Personnel and the Parish Administrator are commended for the following:
➢ The obvious attention and care of the grounds and buildings of the parish complex carried out by Chien Dang.
➢ The meticulous cleanliness and order of the buildings carried out so efficiently by Joe and Theresa Buchanan.
➢ The attention to keeping the infra-structure of the buildings in excellent working order.
➢ Compliance with all ADA codes and inspections.
➢ The creation and good use of the Youth Ministry Center.
➢ The system of water testing on a regular basis to ensure the purest water for drinking.
➢ The creation and maintenance of the Karl Heldrich Center for young children with reading challenges and the future planning to make this center accessible to children in the community.
➢ The tasteful and prayerful worship space.
Part 3 of Bishop Rozanski’s Report on Our Lady of Grace
The following is the third of five bulletin notes on the November 8, 2006, visit of Bishop Mitch Rozanski and his staff to our parish. The complete report is being shared in this column over five weeks. This third part deals with his commendations and recommendations regarding The Pastoral Council, The Parish Coporation, and our Buildings and Properties. All are invited to share their thoughts with members of the Pastoral Team or any members of the Pastoral Council. (They are the folks with the red ribbons around their necks each weekend at Sunday Mass.) Council members have an opportunity at the conclusion of each monthly meeting to share with the entire Council comments, kudos, or concerns made be individual parishioners.
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
THE PASTORAL COUNCIL
The Pastoral Council is commended for the following:
➢ Beginning meetings with substantive prayer, which is shared by all members of the Council.
➢ The balance of membership including a good mix of ages and a balance between men and women.
➢ The extensive expertise and experience that Council Members bring to the table.
➢ The obvious energy that the Council generates as a group on behalf of the parish community.
➢ The engagement of the Council in the development of a Pastoral Plan through pondering the deeper questions related to being Church today and in the future.
➢ The innovative spirit of the Pastoral Council.
➢ The fostering of lay leadership in the parish.
➢ The embracing of a Ministry of Presence.
The Pastoral Council is asked to address the following recommendations:
1. Work with the Pastor and Staff to seek creative ways to involve the 80% of parishioners who attend, but do not participate in the life and ministries of the parish, while respecting the constraints of family and job responsibilities.
2. Work with Pastor and Staff to develop a comprehensive evangelization effort that will identify and address the unique circumstances of people in the area.
3. Develop ways to inform and educate parishioners regarding future planning as it relates to The Hope That Lies Before Us. Begin to explore how this affects the future of Our Lady of Grace and lay leadership development.
THE PARISH CORPORATION
The Lay Corporators, Arlene Hoffman and Stephen Golueke are commended for the following:
➢ The focus on prioritized planning for the future of the parish.
➢ The commitment to reflect to the pastor what “people in the pew” are thinking and feeling.
➢ The dedication to the work of the Parish Corporation and familiarity with the Parish Corporation document, which outlines the role of the parish corporation.
➢ The commitment to quarterly Corporation meetings and sense of responsibility evidenced by the agenda items discussed at Corporation meetings.
➢ The desire to support the vision of the parish and the pastor’s role in articulating the vision.
The Lay Corporators are asked to address the following recommendations
1. The ongoing need to inform and educate the parish community on future regional planning in North Baltimore County related the The Hope That Lies Before Us.
BUILDINGS AND PROPERTY
The Building Committee, Maintenance Personnel and the Parish Administrator are commended for the following:
➢ The obvious attention and care of the grounds and buildings of the parish complex carried out by Chien Dang.
➢ The meticulous cleanliness and order of the buildings carried out so efficiently by Joe and Theresa Buchanan.
➢ The attention to keeping the infra-structure of the buildings in excellent working order.
➢ Compliance with all ADA codes and inspections.
➢ The creation and good use of the Youth Ministry Center.
➢ The system of water testing on a regular basis to ensure the purest water for drinking.
➢ The creation and maintenance of the Karl Heldrich Center for young children with reading challenges and the future planning to make this center accessible to children in the community.
➢ The tasteful and prayerful worship space.
Weekly HOMILY for February 4, 2007: The Three Silences of the Eucharist
5th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Cycle C
Our Lady of Grace
February 4, 2007
The Three Silences of the Eucharist
(Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato
Too Much Speaking
There is a story about a reunion of retired business executives.
Each of them was invited to give a brief – no more than two-minute – talk after dinner on what their experience in retirement was. The toastmaster was instructed to rap his gavel when each speaker’s two minutes were up.
Well, the first speaker was still going strong at the end of the two minutes. The toastmaster was a kindly old man and just could not bring himself to rap the gavel.
On and on the speaker droned – four, six, eight minutes. The other guests began looking at there watches, some murmured and a few began signaling the toastmaster to rap the gavel. Finally, the elderly toastmaster gave in.
He wound up and brought the gavel down full force, accidentally hitting the head of the man next to him. As that man was sinking down under the table, he was heard to say, “Hit me again, I can still hear him.”
Speaking and Silence
My little story helps us to appreciate one of the core lessons in today’s readings.
Speaking on and on really has its limits. In fact, the contrary is true: the absence of speaking or silence has an important place in our lives.
Each of the three main persons in today’s Scripture readings illustrates this need for silence very well. Isaiah, Paul, and Peter all have an experience of God.
Isaiah alone in the temple; Paul knocked off his horse on the road to Damascus; and Peter in the great catch of fish! Each of them encounters and is drawn close to God, not so much in words, but in an experience that has few words or no words at all.
And these experiences silence changed them as persons. In these moments they are transformed.
Silence in the Liturgy
For us, the liturgy, the celebration of the Mass each week or even each day is meant to transform us.
In the Mass, we sing the words of the hymns. We speak the words of the prayers.
We listen to the words of the readings and the homily. All of this is good and important.
But in the liturgy, there are also three major moments or places for silence. These are also important and essential parts of the transforming experience that the liturgy.
The Three Silences
The first of these silences is at the very beginning of Mass. The priest invites this by calling us to be aware of God’s presence or to be mindful of ourselves, or our sinfulness, or something to that effect.
Here we are invited to stop and reflect, if only for a moment. We are invited to be in touch with: “Who we are and where we are in our lives today and at that moment?”
Am I tired or upset, worried or hopeful, happy or sad? How am I feeling today about myself and my life and my relationship with God?
What spiritual gift do I need today to live a more fruitful day?
So, this silence at the beginning of Mass gives us a chance to situate or position ourselves as a member of the assembly.
The second major silence follows the readings and the homily. The issue now is not “Where we’re at?” but more, “What am I thinking or feeling at this moment?”
What did I hear or how did the Word of God touch me today? Was I comforted? Or challenged? Or encouraged? Or just bored?
What do I see myself doing with this message and my feelings and thoughts and about it?
So, this silence after the homily gives us a chance to situate ourselves again after the first way that God comes to us in the liturgy.
Finally, the third major silence comes after communion. In Communion Jesus is becoming part of me and I am becoming part of Jesus.
Here we thank God for the Eucharist and for all of our blessings. After all, the word “Eucharist” means “to give thanks.” And here we also ask; where am I going now with this nourishment?
What change or transformation needs to take place now in me or my relationships? How does the Eucharist empower me to hang in there or to grow as a person?
So, this silence after Communion gives us a chance to situate ourselves for the coming day or coming week.
Conclusion
So, these three major silences in the Mass are important. They are part of the transforming power of the liturgy.
As celebrants of the Eucharist, we priests need to be careful to make room for this silence and all of us need to use these opportunities to allow God to work with us.
Our Lady of Grace
February 4, 2007
The Three Silences of the Eucharist
(Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato
Too Much Speaking
There is a story about a reunion of retired business executives.
Each of them was invited to give a brief – no more than two-minute – talk after dinner on what their experience in retirement was. The toastmaster was instructed to rap his gavel when each speaker’s two minutes were up.
Well, the first speaker was still going strong at the end of the two minutes. The toastmaster was a kindly old man and just could not bring himself to rap the gavel.
On and on the speaker droned – four, six, eight minutes. The other guests began looking at there watches, some murmured and a few began signaling the toastmaster to rap the gavel. Finally, the elderly toastmaster gave in.
He wound up and brought the gavel down full force, accidentally hitting the head of the man next to him. As that man was sinking down under the table, he was heard to say, “Hit me again, I can still hear him.”
Speaking and Silence
My little story helps us to appreciate one of the core lessons in today’s readings.
Speaking on and on really has its limits. In fact, the contrary is true: the absence of speaking or silence has an important place in our lives.
Each of the three main persons in today’s Scripture readings illustrates this need for silence very well. Isaiah, Paul, and Peter all have an experience of God.
Isaiah alone in the temple; Paul knocked off his horse on the road to Damascus; and Peter in the great catch of fish! Each of them encounters and is drawn close to God, not so much in words, but in an experience that has few words or no words at all.
And these experiences silence changed them as persons. In these moments they are transformed.
Silence in the Liturgy
For us, the liturgy, the celebration of the Mass each week or even each day is meant to transform us.
In the Mass, we sing the words of the hymns. We speak the words of the prayers.
We listen to the words of the readings and the homily. All of this is good and important.
But in the liturgy, there are also three major moments or places for silence. These are also important and essential parts of the transforming experience that the liturgy.
The Three Silences
The first of these silences is at the very beginning of Mass. The priest invites this by calling us to be aware of God’s presence or to be mindful of ourselves, or our sinfulness, or something to that effect.
Here we are invited to stop and reflect, if only for a moment. We are invited to be in touch with: “Who we are and where we are in our lives today and at that moment?”
Am I tired or upset, worried or hopeful, happy or sad? How am I feeling today about myself and my life and my relationship with God?
What spiritual gift do I need today to live a more fruitful day?
So, this silence at the beginning of Mass gives us a chance to situate or position ourselves as a member of the assembly.
The second major silence follows the readings and the homily. The issue now is not “Where we’re at?” but more, “What am I thinking or feeling at this moment?”
What did I hear or how did the Word of God touch me today? Was I comforted? Or challenged? Or encouraged? Or just bored?
What do I see myself doing with this message and my feelings and thoughts and about it?
So, this silence after the homily gives us a chance to situate ourselves again after the first way that God comes to us in the liturgy.
Finally, the third major silence comes after communion. In Communion Jesus is becoming part of me and I am becoming part of Jesus.
Here we thank God for the Eucharist and for all of our blessings. After all, the word “Eucharist” means “to give thanks.” And here we also ask; where am I going now with this nourishment?
What change or transformation needs to take place now in me or my relationships? How does the Eucharist empower me to hang in there or to grow as a person?
So, this silence after Communion gives us a chance to situate ourselves for the coming day or coming week.
Conclusion
So, these three major silences in the Mass are important. They are part of the transforming power of the liturgy.
As celebrants of the Eucharist, we priests need to be careful to make room for this silence and all of us need to use these opportunities to allow God to work with us.
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