Weekly THIS AND THAT for September 6, 2009: Families That Eat Together, Stay Together

Marriage and Family

It is no more complicated than sitting down together at the table, but according to an economist from the Catholic University of America, simply sharing family meals is key for children’s development. And, the economist suggested, strong families are good not just for the children given life within them. They are also good for the economy.

These were affirmations made by Maria Sophia Aguirre, a professor in the Department of Economics at Washington, D.C.’s Catholic University of America, during her address at the 6^th World Meeting of Families, held earlier this year in Mexico City.

Her presentation focused on the multiple benefits of stable families based on marriage, for all involved parties. She cited statistics such as marriage increases the likelihood of the father having good relations with children; divorce reduces the likelihood of children graduating from college and high school; and married mothers have lower levels of depression than single or co-habiting mothers.

Even physical health is better for families based on marriage, she said: “Infant mortality is sharply reduced in this structure and there are lower probabilities of injury.”

On the contrary, Aguirre noted, “The breakdown of the family is a symptom of a sick and weak society.” Problems of all sorts increase in irregular families: Women are more likely to be abused, kids are more likely to use drugs, and women and children of broken families have a higher probability of living in poverty.

More Than a Meal

And though it cannot be the solution for every problem, Aguirre mentioned that the simple act of eating together as a family has an effect on the development of children.

According to a study done by the National Center on Substance and Addiction at Colombia University, when comparing adolescents who eat dinner 0-2 times a week with their families and those who eat dinner 5-7 times, those who eat with their families more frequently are 40% more like to talk to their parents about a problem. Meanwhile, 171% of the teens who don’t eat with their families note more tension at home.

Academic performance went up 38%. Kids were 142% less likely to smoke, 93% less likely to drink, 191% less likely to use marijuana and 169% less likely to have more than half of their friends be drug users. And predictably, a family composed of both parents is 3.5 times more likely to have dinner as a family than a single-parent household.

More Than Money

Aguirre then turned her attention to the economic benefits of stable families based on marriage. Giving a review of nations ranging from Canada to Chile, the economist concluded that families are simply better for the economy.

“The breakdown of the family damages the economy and society since human, moral and social capital is reduced and social costs increase,” she explained. The professor contended that family structure is quite relevant for wealth, and that there is evidence to support this from across countries.

“The family is a necessary good for economic development,” Aguirre concluded. “It should be promoted and protected, if poverty reduction wants to be achieved.”

While it is good to know the statistics and see the relationships, we also know that divorce is often a painful experience on spouses and children alike. We salute single parent families, children being raised by grandparents, and blended families and continue to pray for them and support them in any way possible.

Fondly,

Father Nicholas

Weekly HOMILY for September 6, 2009: Silence and Words: Pathways to Two Different Worlds

23rd Sunday of Ordinary Time, Cycle B

Our Lady of Grace

September 6, 2009

Silence and Words: Pathways to Two Different Worlds

By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato

My Silence

Since my three months at a Trappist Monastery in 2007, I have begun each day with some silence.

I get up at 4:30am and, after making the bed and straightening up the bedroom, I sit in silence and prayer for an hour. I recall the words of Psalm 46:10: “Be still and know that I am God.”

I try to be still physically – just sitting and being aware of my breathing and my existence. And I try to be still mentally and spiritually – just being with myself and with God.

That’s how I begin each day – workdays as well as vacation days – with this type of prayer. It has become an important routine that began at the monastery, although there we got up at 2:45am.

The Deaf-Mute

In today’s Gospel, there is a man who is a deaf-mute (Hand to ear and mouth.)

How much he must have appreciated receiving the gifts of both speech and silence Jesus gives him. Perhaps he appreciated these more than we do.

Words and the Outer World

When you and I were in our mother’s womb, we were wrapped in silence for nine months.

Then, one day, we entered the world of noise and words. Our parents spoke words to us when they fed, comforted, and bathed us.

Their words, in truth, drew us into fuller and fuller life with the external world around us. And of course, eventually our speaking and our words began to connect us with one another.

Words enable us to tell others what we think and how we feel. Our words relate us to the external world – to the world outside ourselves.

Silence and the Inner World

In contrast to words uniting us to the external world, silence relates us to the inner world, to our innermost self.

This silence is as important and, in a way, even more important than words. Silence is crucial, if we are to become all we are destined to be.

Silence Versus Quiet

It is very important to distinguish quiet from silence. They are both very different.

For example, a dog can be quiet; and a tree can be quiet; and a rock is the quietest of all three. But only we human beings can be silent.

That is because quiet is the absence of noise, but silence is the absence of speech when words are possible to speak. Silence, then, is the choice not to speak.

Kinds of Silence

You and I can experience different kinds of silence.

Ø The tongue-biting silence when our judgment tells us not to say something

Ø The stomach-gnawing silence when we are angry

Ø The awesome silence in the face of majestic mountains

Ø The reverent silence in the presence of God

Silence As Fullness

Silence is not nothing. Silence is not an absence or a vacuum. Instead, silence is the fullness from which reality and life come.

Just look at the Book of Genesis. In the original, infinite silence, God speaks and everything comes into being.

Remember, the silence comes first. The same is true for us and it is very important for us to recognize this.

It is in our silence that we form kind or thoughtful words to speak. And if that silence is not there, we know form experience that our words may just be empty and loud. It is in silence that we make careful decisions, and without silence our actions may be rash and reckless.

Silence is from where we choose the clothing we will wear today or from where we choose our vocation for life. Silence is from where we entertain evil plans or loving actions.

In our silence, we discover that our inner space is just as infinite and as exciting as our outer space. It is in silence that we explore the depths of our personal existence.

Challenges to Silence

There are some current challenges to silence in your life and mine.

I think that we – beginning with myself – need to be aware of the place our cell phones, Blackberries, and I-Phones play in our daily lives. Do we really need to be connected or reachable at every moment of the day?

Is our cell phone there for my convenience or has it usurped every moment of silence I might have? Who is in control of whom?

Have we allowed the very positive technology of our age to invade our personal lives and to make silence all the more difficult, if not impossible.

The Need for Silence

My friends, we need some silence in our lives for it is out of silence we can be constructive and not destructive. We can be insightful and not chattering.

Out of silence, we can listen and not just dominate conversations. We can be focused on the other person and not just on ourselves.

Through our silence, God can be creative today in me, just as he was at the moment of creation. God can enter the world today, just as he did at the moment of the Incarnation.

I do not know what is possible for you, in your life situation, but I do ask you to be challenged with this idea of silence and its importance, to wrestle with it, to take it to heart.

It is so essential for us as persons and for our relationship with God and with each other.

Weekly THIS AND THAT for August 30, 2009: A Violinist in the Metro

This and That:
A Violinist in the Metro

A man sat at a metro station in Washington DC and started to play the violin; it was a cold January morning. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that thousands of people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.

Three minutes went by and a middle-aged man noticed there was musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried up to meet his schedule.

A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping continued to walk.

A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he was late for work.

The one who paid the most attention was a 3-year old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried, but the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on.

In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money but continued to walk their normal pace. He
collected $32. When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the best musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written with a violin worth 3.5 million dollars.

Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a theater in Boston and the seats averaged $100 each.

This is a real story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and priorities of people. The outlines were: in a
commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour, “Do we perceive beauty?”

Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected context?

One of the possible conclusions from this experience could be: If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing the best music ever written on an almost priceless instrument, how many other things are we missing?

Take time to stop, notice and ask, “What’s there that I’m not seeing and then, take a moment to savor and enjoy it.”

Fondly,
Father Nicholas

Weekly HOMILY for August 30, 2009: Father Nicholas is away this weekend

Father Nicholas is away this weekend

Weekly THIS AND THAT for August 23, 2009: Invite Someone to Join Our Catholic Faith

This and That:

Invite Someone to Join our Catholic Faith

Most of us know someone who is not Catholic and who may be interested in learning about our faith and possibly joining our church community. Many times, a person is shy about coming forward and saying that they are interested and they are waiting to be asked. Please think about people in your life who might be waiting for such an invitation.

In a few weeks, our RCIA process for this year will begin. RCIA stands for Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. This process for preparing adults to be received into the Catholic Church was developed in the 1970’s, following the Second Vatican Council, as a modern revival of the way that early Christians were initiated.

RCIA is designed for any of the following:

Ø Adults who have never been baptized in any Christian Church

Ø Christians of any denomination who would like to become Catholic

Ø Catholics who may have been baptized or received First Communion but who never had much religious training or who never received Confirmation

The process begins with a period called Inquiry, during which those who are interested gather to receive basic information and to ask questions about Catholic faith and practices. During Inquiry, the participants have not made any commitment to join the Catholic Church. Our Inquiry sessions run from the middle of September through the end of October.

After Inquiry, those who desire to become members of our faith community are recognized and prayed over in a special ceremony called the Rite of Acceptance. They then continue with a process of prayer and learning called the Catechumenate, which leads to being received into the Church at Easter. During this period, they participate in the Liturgy of the Word at Mass and then they are dismissed to continue reflecting upon the Scripture readings for that Sunday. This also builds up anticipation for receiving the Eucharist when they are received into the Church.

Beginning with the Rite of Acceptance, we make a distinction between those who were never baptized, who are called Catechumens, and those who were baptized in another Christian Church, who are called Candidates for Full Communion. This distinction acknowledges that we honor Christian Baptism in any church that uses the Trinitarian formula. We do not re-baptize people. Both Catechumens and Candidates have Catholic sponsors who accompany them through the rest of the process.

While there is a team of people who teach the RCIA classes, the whole parish community is involved in their preparation by their example, by praying for the candidates and by welcoming them into the community.

The final period of preparation takes place during Lent and begins with the Rite of Election on the First Sunday of Lent. This rite involves people from all of the parishes of the diocese going to the Cathedral and being blessed by the bishop in preparation for receiving the sacraments at Easter.

After receiving the appropriate sacraments at the Easter Vigil: Baptism and/or Confirmation and Eucharist, the participants have one final period of the RCIA process, called Mystagogia. This involves continuing to meet and reflect upon the mysteries of our faith and how to take their place as full members of the Catholic Church.

We will start a new Inquiry group in mid-September. Who is the person out there waiting for your invitation? Go ahead and ask! If you don’t feel comfortable describing the RCIA process, just contact me or give me the person’s contact information and I’ll take it from there.

If you or someone you know is interested, please contact Sr. Mary Therese at the parish office: 410-329-6826, x109 or mwhite@ourladygrace.org. Our sessions will meet on Tuesday evenings and spouses or other family members or friends are welcome to come along with the Inquirers and join in our discussions.

Blessings,

Sister Mary Therese

Weekly HOMILY for August 23, 2009: Father Nicholas is away this weekend

Father Nicholas is away this weekend

Weekly THIS AND THAT for August 16, 2009: Christian One-Liners

This and That:

Christian One-Liners

Don’t let your worries get the best of you;

Remember, Moses started out as a basket case.

Some people are kind, polite, and sweet-spirited

Until you try to sit in their pews.

Many folks want to serve God,

But only as advisers.

It is easier to preach ten sermons

Than it is to live one.

The good Lord didn’t create anything without a purpose,

But mosquitoes come close.

When you get to your wit’s end,

You’ll find God lives there.

People are funny; they want the front of the bus,

Middle of the road,

And back of the church.

Opportunity may knock once,

But temptation bangs on the front door forever.

Quit griping about your Church;

If it was perfect, you couldn’t belong.

If a Church wants a better pastor,

It only needs to pray for the one it has.

We’re called to be witnesses, not lawyers or judges.

God Himself doesn’t propose to judge a man until he is dead.

So why should you?

Some minds are like concrete

Thoroughly mixed up and permanently set.

Peace starts with a smile.

I don’t know why some people change churches;

What difference does it make which one you stay home from?

A lot of Church members singing “Standing on the Promises”

Are just sitting on the premises.

Be ye fishers of men. You catch ‘em

The Lord will clean 'em.

Stop, Drop, and Roll won’t work in Hell.

Coincidence is when God chooses to remain anonymous.

Don’t put a question mark where God put a period.

Don’t wait for 6 strong men to take you to church.

Forbidden fruits create many jams.

God doesn’t call the qualified,

He qualifies the called.

God grades on the cross,

Not the curve.

God loves everyone,

But probably prefers “fruits of the spirit” over “religious nuts!”

God promises a safe landing,

Not a calm passage.

He who angers you,

Controls you!

If God is your Co-pilot,

Swap seats!

Prayer: Don’t give God instructions,

Just report for duty!

The task ahead of us is never

As great as the Power behind us.

The Will of God never takes you to where

The grace of God will not protect you.

We don’t change the message,

The message changes us.

You can tell how big a person is

By what it takes to discourage him.

The best mathematical equation I have ever seen:

1 cross + 3 nails = 4 given.

Fondly,

Father Nicholas

Weekly HOMILY for August 16, 2009: Deacon Preaching Weekend

Deacon Jim Prosser preached this weekend.

Weekly THIS AND THAT for August 9, 2009: Jokes That Can Be Told in Church

This and That:
Jokes That Can Be Told in Church



➢ Attending a wedding for the first time, a little girl whispered to her mother, “Why is the bride dressed in white?” The mother replied, “Because white is the color of happiness, and today is the happiest day of her life.” The child thought about this for a moment then said, “So why is the groom wearing black?”

➢ A little girl, dressed in her Sunday best, was running as fast as she could, trying not to be late for Religious Education class. As she ran she prayed, “Dear Lord, please don’t let me be late! Dear Lord, please don’t let me be late!” While she was running and praying, she tripped on a curb and fell, getting her clothes dirty and tearing her dress. She got up, brushed herself off, and started running again! As she ran she once again began to pray, “Dear Lord, please don’t let me be late ... but please don’t shove me either!”

➢ Three boys are in the schoolyard bragging about their fathers. The first boy says, “My Dad scribbles a few words on a piece of paper, he calls it a poem, they give him $50.” The second boy says, “That’s nothing. My Dad scribbles a few words on piece of paper, he calls it a song, they give him $100.” The third boy says, “I’ve got you both beat. My Dad scribbles a few words on a piece of paper, he calls it a sermon, and it takes eight people to collect all the money!”

➢ An elderly woman died last month. Having never married, she requested no male pallbearers. In her handwritten instructions for her Memorial Service, she wrote, “They wouldn’t take me out while I was alive, I don’t want them to take me out when I’m dead.”

➢ A police recruit was asked during the exam, “What would you do if you had to arrest your own mother?” He answered, “Call for backup.”

➢ At Religious Education class a catechist asked her class why Joseph and Mary took Jesus with them to Jerusalem. A small child replied, “They couldn’t get a babysitter.”

➢ At Vacation Bible Camp a catechist was discussing the Ten Commandments with her five and six-year-olds. After explaining the commandment to “Honor thy father and thy mother,” she asked, “Is there a commandment that teaches us how to treat our brothers and sisters?” Without missing a beat, one little boy answered, “Thou shall not kill.”

➢ At their Religious Education class children were being taught how God created everything, including human beings. Little Johnny seemed especially intent when they told him how Eve was created out of one of Adam’s ribs. Later in the week his mother noticed him lying down as though he were ill, and she said, “Johnny, what is the matter?” Little Johnny responded, “I have pain in my side. I think I’m going to have a wife.”

➢ Two boys were walking home from Religious Education classe after hearing a strong preaching on the devil. One said to the other, “What do you think about all this Satan stuff?” The other boy replied, “Well, you know how Santa Claus turned out. It’s probably just your Dad.”

Fondly,
Father Nicholas

Weekly HOMILY for August 9, 2009: Food That Endures for Eternal Life: Anyone Hungry?

19th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Cycle B
Our Lady of Grace
August 9, 2009

Food That Endures for Eternal Life: Anyone Hungry?
By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato


Consumed with Food

The well-known humorist Andy Rooney once said that the two biggest sellers in any bookstore are the cookbooks and the diet books.

The cookbooks tell you how to prepare food. The diet books tell you how to avoid eating it.

A California scientist has computed that the average person eats 16 times his or her own weight in a year, while a horse eats only 8 times its weight. The scientist concludes that if you want to lose weight, all you have to do is eat like a horse.

Orson Welles once said, “My doctor has advised me to give up those intimate little dinners for four, unless, of course, there are three other people eating with me.”

On a more serious note, we have all seen reports saying that a high percentage of us are overweight or even clinically obese.

The point of all this, as one writer puts it, is that we, as a society, are consumed with food, at least earthly food.

Today, Jesus calls us to be equally “consumed” with another kind of food, with spiritual food.


The Bread of Life

In today’s Gospel, Jesus says: “I am the bread of life. I myself am the living bread come down from heaven. Those who eat this bread will live forever.”

It is clear that Jesus is giving us a food that will satisfy the hunger of our souls and not just the hunger of our stomachs.

I suggest that Jesus is the “bread of life” for us in two ways.


Consumed with Jesus’ Wisdom

First, the Bread of Life that Jesus is for us, may surprisingly, be his wisdom or word.

Jesus’ identification of himself as bread hearkens back to the Old Testament. A number of Old Testament passages refer to food or bread as God’s wisdom that feeds us with insight and the way to live.

Some of the Fathers of the Church, the earliest Christian writers, interpret the teachings of Jesus as the Bread of Life.

So, the Scriptures and especially the Gospels are to be the Bread of Life for us.

Jesus calls us to be consumed with and to consume this “Bread of Life.”

If we are going to do this effectively, I recommend that we have a Bible at home.

And then, I recommend that each week at home, we read at least the Gospel for the coming Sunday. We can find the citation for the passage for the coming Sunday right in the bulletin that you receive here each week.

So, read the Gospel, even read it out loud to yourself or with your family. Then, after reading it, ask yourself this question:
➢ “What is God or what is Jesus saying to me in these very words?”
➢ “What word or phrase or sentence grabs my attention?
➢ “What might God be calling me to do in my life right now through this holy Word?”

This is a great way to prepare for Mass each Sunday, and to be open to hearing the Gospel and the reflection on it in the homily.

This will help us to be consumed with and to consume Jesus, the Bread as “Wisdom.”


Consumed with Jesus Himself

Second, the Bread of Life also means that Jesus gives us his very self as food.

Jesus also talks about this in today’s Gospel and then gives us this “Bread” at the Last Supper. Jesus is truly present to us here in the Eucharist.

Our eating this food enables him to be present within us in the closest possible way. He also calls us to be consumed with and to consume this “Bread” that is his very self, effectively.

If we are going to do this, I recommend several things.

First, the Church asks us to fast from other food and drink for at least one hour before receiving Communion.

This very minimal physical fast reminds us of our need for food; it should remind us of our hunger. And specifically, it makes us aware that our deepest hunger is a spiritual one – a hunger for God.

Besides this one-hour fast, I simply recommend that we participate well here at Mass.

Giving ourselves consciously to the experience, joining in the prayers, singing the hymns or at least reading the words, if we think we can’t sing, and praying silently in our hearts at certain times – all of this opens our hearts and lifts our minds to receive the Lord.


Conclusion

In conclusion, it allows this sacred food to make a difference for us personally.

It is an important way for us to be consumed with and to consume the “Bread” that is Jesus himself.

Weekly THIS AND THAT for August 2, 2009: 50 Lessons Life Can Teach Us

This and That:
50 Lessons Life Can Teach Us


Someone I know recently turned 50 and marked her birthday with 50 lessons life has taught her. How many of the following lessons have you learned from your life?

Fondly,
Father Nicholas

1. Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone

4. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does

5. Pay off your credit cards every month

6. You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree

7. Cry with someone. It’s more healing than crying alone

8. It’s OK to get angry with God. He can take it

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile

11. Make peace with your past so it won’t screw up the present

12. It’s OK to let your children see you cry

13. Don’t compare your life to others’. You have no idea what their journey is all about

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn’t be in it

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don’t worry; God never blinks

16. Life is too short for long pity parties. Get busy living, or get busy dying

17. You can get through anything if you stay put in today

18. If you want to be a writer, write

19. It’s never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one
else

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don’t take “No” for an answer

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don’t save it for a special
occasion. Today is special

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow

23. Be eccentric now. Don’t wait for old age to wear purple

24. The most important sex organ is the brain

25. No one is in charge of your happiness except you

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: “In five years, will this matter?”

27. Always choose life

28. Forgive everyone everything

29. What other people think of you is none of your business

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time, time

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change

32. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch

33. Believe in miracles

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn’t do

35. Whatever doesn’t kill you really does make you stronger

36. Growing old beats the alternative - dying young

37. Your children get only one childhood. Make it memorable

38. Read the Psalms. They cover every human emotion

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d grab ours back

41. Don’t audit life. Show up and make the most of it now

42. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful

43. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved

44. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need

45. The best is yet to come

46. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up

47. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind

48. If you don’t ask, you don’t get

49. Yield

50. Life isn’t tied with a bow, but it’s still a gift

Weekly HOMILY for August 2, 2009: Food That Satisfies Like No Other!

18th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Cycle B
Our Lady of Grace
August 2, 2009

Food That Satisfies Like No Other!
By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato


Needs as Motivators

Several years ago I came across a book by a psychologist named Douglas McGregor.

McGregor’s book is about motivation in the workplace. He holds that our human needs serve as motivators.

McGregor says that our needs as human beings are the reason we move toward a higher goal. He divides these into lower needs and higher needs and then draws an interesting contrast between them.

Lower needs are things like salary, food, shelter, and security. Higher needs are things like self-esteem, self-fulfillment, and relationships.

The lower needs differ from the higher needs in that there’s a point where the lower needs get relatively satisfied and then they no longer satisfy us. Then satisfaction only comes from the higher needs.

For example, money and a nice home and good food – these things only satisfy to a point. But unfortunately, instead of moving to the higher needs of relationships and self-esteem and self-fulfillment, we sometimes get stuck in the lower needs.

We may think that more of them, like more money or a bigger home, is better. But in reality it isn’t because they will never really satisfy us. They can’t; they don’t have the ability to do so.


Jesus: Higher Needs

Being stuck in these lower needs is where Jesus finds the people who are seeking him out in today’s Gospel.

Jesus says: “You are looking for me not because you see signs, but because you ate the loaves and were filled” – this is a reference to Jesus’ feeding of the 5,000 that we heard last week. And then Jesus quickly adds: “Do not work for food that perishes” – that is, food that satisfies a lower need.

Instead, “Work for food that endures for eternal life” – that is, food that satisfies a higher need.

Jesus then identifies three sources for this enduring or imperishable food.


Imperishable Food

First, Jesus stresses that real satisfaction comes from relationships and not from things. He says: “I am the bread of life.”

Underneath this statement is the truth that what is more important in life is persons and not things. We need to put our energy into relationships because they will satisfy us in ways that material things can never satisfy.

And then, Jesus gets very specific about the relationship that is most important for satisfying our higher needs. He says: “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger.”

In other words, human relationships are important and we need to give priority to them. But there is an even fuller satisfaction that comes from a relationship with Jesus.

A relationship with Jesus through personal prayer, Scripture, and the Sacraments will bring us an inner and lasting satisfaction. And beyond this, Jesus’ presence in our other relationships, like marriage and friendship, will also make them all the more satisfying.

The third source of imperishable bread that Jesus identifies is really the glue that holds all of them together. The people ask, “What can we do to accomplish the works of God?”

And Jesus answers, “Believe in the one he sent.” So, faith, belief is the glue.

With faith, we live with a certainty:
➢ That there is a Creator who is beyond this earth
➢ That there is a Savior who came to this earth to make us one with that Creator
➢ That there is a Spirit who is always with us that sustains that union

Is it any wonder that this faith brings us a peace, a comfort, a satisfaction that carries us through our journey on earth right into eternity?


Conclusion

So, Jesus is challenging us to see the sign of the visible bread – the miracle of the loaves and even the bread of the Eucharist –as a sign of the invisible food that he truly gives us.

He calls us to seek:
➢ Other persons
➢ Himself
➢ Faith

As the food that will satisfy our highest human needs.

To do so will have us actively seeking “food that endures for eternal life and not food that perishes.”

Try it; the satisfaction is incredible!

Weekly THIS AND THAT for July 26, 2009: Spirituality for Administrators

This and That:
Spirituality for Administrators

Every organization, whether business, social or ecclesial (church), has administrators who keep things going. Maybe you are one of those essential people. The following article appeared in America magazine, the Jesuit weekly, on July 6, 2009. It provides an opportunity to understand administration as a vocation.

More Than a Desk Job
The spirituality of administration

Ann M. Garrido | JULY 6, 2009

St. Paul’s first letter to the Christians of Corinth describes the various gifts God has given members of the church to serve the reign of God in the world. Paul lists the gifts of prophecy, teaching, healing, working of mighty deeds, speaking in tongues, apostleship and assistance (1 Cor 12:27-28). The gift of administration, hidden toward the end of the litany, is a curious inclusion. Even many of those who serve as administrators in institutions—ecclesial and otherwise—find it so.

As one who has worked as an administrator in Catholic higher education for almost a decade, I am conscious of the ways that my colleagues and I in the larger sphere of ministry frequently devalue, even disdain administrative tasks. “Another meeting,” we gripe, “another report, another spreadsheet.” Administration is perceived as draining our best energies and taking us away from the very teaching, healing and assisting that we entered ministry to do. Friends who are administrators in the secular sphere share a common concern.

But there is another way of thinking about our work that challenges the poor reputation of administration as something that sucks the light and life out of good people. Why not re-conceive administration as a potential spiritual pathway by which good people can become better people, distinguished by a certain translucence and vitality that extends beyond themselves and into the institutions they serve? I think that administration, to put it in theological language, can be a “praxis,” an activity with the potential to transform not only the lives of others, but oneself in the process.

There are many ways of defining the term. One can say that spirituality is the particular way in which God works out our salvation in this world, or that it is the particular way in which God brings us into the fullness of light and life for which we are intended. If we speak of a Christian spirituality, we mean that Jesus Christ plays an integral, central role in our salvation. If we speak of a marital spirituality, we mean that it is through our experience of being married that God intends to make us into the people we are meant to be. And if we speak of the spirituality of the administrator, we will want to ask the key question, “How is the ministry of administration a way through which God is transforming me into the person God dreams me to be?”

In the Judeo-Christian tradition, to receive a vocation or a call from God is always an invitation to movement. In Genesis, the first words God speaks to Abraham are “Come out” (Gn 12:1). Calls impel us “out” of ourselves to something more, something beyond. What can administration call us to if we allow it? What is the “more” that it can make of us? Consider the following four possibilities.

A Call to Greatness of Vision

Some jobs invite us to do one thing and to do it well; we are only responsible for our own piece of the puzzle and need not worry about the rest. That is usually not the administrator’s job. Administrators must develop a vision of the whole, an understanding of how all the parts fit together and work together. This is an intellectual exercise that stretches the brain, but it can also be a spiritual exercise that stretches the heart, developing one’s capacity for a different kind of love. Administration cultivates a desire for the common good, for the flourishing of all. It does not pit one department against another. It does not thrive on increasing competition but on enabling collaboration, on seeing the body function as a body. Administrators are called to strive for the “big picture” and to help others to strive for this as well. To the degree that they are able to hold onto and carry this big picture, administrators image something of God who holds onto and carries the biggest picture of all. They share in something of God’s grand vision. They experience something of how God sees and loves.

A Call to Love Blindly

Since so many administrative duties take place behind the scenes, administrators often do not have a great deal of interaction with those their institutions intend to serve. Whereas the teacher or pastoral minister is able to get to know particular students or parishioners by name and develop affection for them, the administrator oftentimes knows and loves only from a distance. One of the greatest poverties of administration can be knowing people only through a computer screen. If looked at from another angle, however, we could say administration cultivates the Gospel virtue of “agape”—a sort of disinterested love, not based on personal affection. Administration encourages the practice of giving of oneself freely and abundantly without always knowing what good is being done.

A Call to Courage

Administration is often a very humbling task. The work asks us to tackle issues that we do not quite know how to handle, issues that take us far beyond our comfort zones. It is good to admit these things honestly rather than pretend we always know what to do. At the same time, the virtue of humility must find its complement in the virtue of courage or fortitude. No, we are not perfect. No, we do not feel worthy to make recommendations that could affect others’ lives. But, with due humility, we also have to act. We have to ask difficult questions. We have to make decisions. We have to offer challenging feedback. Sometimes we even have to write negative evaluations and let the one we have evaluated know this face-to-face. We struggle to cultivate a “response-ability” to match our responsibility.

A Call to Embrace ‘Death’

To say that administration invites us to “embrace death” can sound a bit melodramatic. Opportunities for physical martyrdom in the line of duty are very rare. Yet as one of my former bosses commented, “In administration, you die a thousand deaths for the good of the whole.” Administrators experience a “death” of the ego for example, when they come to a new awareness of their own shortcomings and limitations. They are called to “die to control” with the realization that the institution they serve has a life of its own, in which administrators can participate but can never completely manage. There is the “death of productivity,” when they must give up something else that they had hoped to accomplish to deal with any one of a hundred mundane crises. Much of the ministry of administration is in “the interruption.”

Each of these “deaths” could be skirted and ignored or greeted and welcomed. In every Christian vocation, one finds an aspect of the paschal mystery. It is inevitable. We could walk another road, but then we would simply face other struggles. It is precisely through embracing the mystery and walking through it that our spiritual journey becomes salvific. We open ourselves up to transformation.In the Christian tradition, we remember that death never has the last word. The experience of administration teaches over time that when all else fails, God still does not.
Administration as a call from God and the church has the potential to make more out of us. It makes us more whole, more humble, more courageous. It expands our vision and our capacity to love. It marks on us the pattern of Christ, moving through death to new hope. If we believe in the future of the church and society, the work we undertake is absolutely essential. It is essential for the institutions in which we serve. It is essential for the people of God as a whole. It may even be essential for us and the working out of our own salvation. Administration can be a great spiritual adventure.

Let us give thanks for the administrators in our lives and pray for the grace to be transformed by the administrative roles, large or small, that we are called to fulfill.

Blessings,
Sister Mary Therese

Weekly HOMILY for July 26, 2009: How Many Loaves Have You?

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B
Our Lady of Grace
July 26, 2009

“How Many Loaves Have You?”
By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato


Signs Not Miracles

John’s gospel stands apart from the synoptic gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke in a number of very important ways.

John, the Evangelist, deals with Jesus’ miracles very differently from the other three. Actually he does not even call them miracles at all, but “signs.”

Now miracles tend to draw attention to themselves, but these “signs” of John point beyond themselves to something more.

Over the next five Sundays we’ll be reading from John’s 6th Chapter, which presents one of these “signs” in all its fullness.

His 6th chapter begins with the Feeding of the 5,000, but moves quickly to questions, discussions, even confrontations around the idea of “the bread of life.”

It’s clear that the Feeding of the 5,000 is designed to set us up for something more, namely, hearing about “the Bread of Life.”


Philip, Andrew and a Little Boy

For this first of five weeks the Bread of Life theme gets spelled out in three persons who represent a particular point of view regarding Jesus’ sign.

In the gospel we read: “When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, ‘Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?’ He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do.”

Philip – symbolizes the Practical Analyst among us – starts up with his calculations. “Six months’ wages wouldn’t even buy enough bread for everybody to have even a little bit.”

It looks like Philip has:
➢ Estimated how many people are out there
➢ Estimated the costs
➢ Estimated what would be required for each person to have a decent meal
➢ He knows what six months’ wages are and
➢ He knows he doesn’t have that kind of money in his pocket.

He’s sure that he whole thing is preposterous and reports back to Jesus. That’s Philip.

Andrew – symbolizes the Cynic among us – and is a very different character. He comes up to Jesus and says, “There’s a kid over there. He has fine barley loaves and two fish.”

So, he makes a joke of it. “What’s this among so many? Ha ha! Nothing can be done!”

Now notice the Little Boy – symbolizes an open and generous heart. He remains nameless and yet, he becomes the key character in the expression of the “sign” and what it points to.

He offers his lunch and, in the hands of Jesus, that’s enough – more than enough.

When a person is nameless in the Gospels, it usually means he’s bigger than himself. We’re somehow supposed to see ourselves or at least our own possibilities in these nameless characters.


Signs and Wonders Then and Now

It is in the people’s hunger and the little boy’s gift that the sign begins to make clear what it’s pointing to.

Jesus takes the loaves, and when he gives thanks, he distributes them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. Do the actions of Jesus sound is bit familiar. Indeed! They sound like the actions of the Mass and they are supposed to!

This is what I mean by “sign.” The actions of Jesus with the child’s offering open us up to today, here and now at this Mass.

The sign begins with the little boy’s gift, moves ahead with Jesus’ acceptance of the gift, and his prayer of thanksgiving to his Father.

This little boy has “the Spirit” and Jesus is able to work with what he has to offer stretching it into a food for a multitude, an action of God’s own abundance to feed others.


Conclusion

In conclusion, let us look again how the three contrasting personalities in the story respond to the challenge at hand.

Philip satisfied himself with the reasonable analysis that said that the project was simply too big to handle and that he and his friends didn’t have the resources to handle it.

Andrew became cynical, even bitter, that this challenge was presented in the first place. We should have known better than to allow ourselves to get into this predicament.

But the Little Boy simply offers what he has. He puts his resources – meager in the face of the need – into the hands of Jesus.

His is the preferred response. It is the person who has the Spirit of faith and hope and love that Jesus can work with!

The question that remains for each of us is, “What Jesus can make of the offering of the five loaves and three fishes that you or I bring?”

Let’s pull out the little lunch boxes of our lives that have gifts and talents in them and offer them as bread for this Eucharist.

It may be baking a casserole for the hungry, bringing in non-perishable food, helping out as an assistant in Religious Education, using your shoulder for someone to cry on, or dropping an offering in the poor box.

Let’s see what can become of the food that we offer, how it can be transformed and come back to us with such abundant grace.

Weekly THIS AND THAT for July 19, 2009: The Gift of a Good Story

This and That:
The Gift of a Good Story


I was at the corner grocery store buying some early potatoes. I noticed a small boy, delicate of bone and feature, ragged but clean, hungrily appraising a basket of freshly picked green peas. I paid for my potatoes but was also drawn to the display of fresh green peas. I am a pushover for creamed peas and new potatoes.

Pondering the peas, I couldn’t help overhearing the conversation between Mr. Miller (the store owner) and the ragged boy next to me. “Hello, Barry , how are you today?” “H’lo, Mr. Miller. Fine, thank ya. Jus’ admirin’ them peas. They sure look good.” ”They are good, Barry. How’s your Ma?” “Fine. Gittin’ stronger alla’ time.” “Good. Anything I can help you with?” “No, sir. Jus’ admirin’ them peas.” “Would you like to take some home?” asked Mr. Miller. “No, sir. Got nuthin’ to pay for ‘em with.” “Well, what have you to trade me for some of those peas?” “All I got’s my prize marble here.” “Is that right? Let me see it,” said Miller. “Here ‘tis. She’s a dandy.” “I can see that. Hmm mmm. Only thing is, this one is blue, and I sort of go for red. Do you have a red one like this at home?” the storeowner asked. “Not zackley but almost.” “Tell you what. Take this sack of peas home with you, and next trip this way, let me look at that red marble,” Mr. Miller told the boy. “Sure will. Thanks Mr. Miller.”

Mrs. Miller, who had been standing nearby, came over to help me. With a smile she said, “There are two other boys like him in our community; all three are in very poor circumstances. Jim just loves to bargain with them for peas, apples, tomatoes, or whatever. When they come back with their red marbles, and they always do, he decides he doesn’t like red after all, and he sends them home with a bag of produce for a green marble or an orange one when they come on their next trip to the store.”

I left the store smiling to myself, impressed with this man. A short time later I moved to Colorado, but I never forgot the story of this man, the boys, and their bartering for marbles. Several years went by, each more rapid than the previous one.

Just recently I had occasion to visit some old friends in that Idaho community, and while I was there, learned that Mr. Miller had died. They were having his visitation that evening and knowing my friends wanted to go, I agreed to accompany them. Upon arrival at the mortuary, we fell into line to meet the relatives of the deceased and to offer whatever words of comfort we could.

Ahead of us in line were three young men. One was in an army uniform, and the other two wore nice haircuts, dark suits, and white shirts – all very professional looking. They approached Mrs. Miller, standing composed and smiling by her husband’s casket. Each of the young men hugged her, kissed her on the cheek, spoke briefly with her, and moved on to the casket.
Her misty, light-blue eyes followed them as, one by one, each young man stopped briefly and placed his own warm hand over the cold pale hand in the casket. Each left the mortuary awkwardly, wiping his eyes.

Our turn came to meet Mrs. Miller. I told her who I was and reminded her of the story from those many years ago and what she had told me about her husband’s bartering for marbles.
With her eyes glistening, she took my hand and led me to the casket. ‘Those three young men who just left were the boys I told you about. They just told me how they appreciated the things Jim ‘traded’ them. Now, at last, when Jim could not change his mind about color or size, they came to pay their debt.

“We’ve never had a great deal of the wealth of this world,” she confided, “but right now, Jim would consider him self the richest man in Idaho.” With loving gentleness, she lifted the lifeless fingers of her deceased husband. Resting underneath were three exquisitely shined red marbles.

The moral of the story? We will not be remembered by our words, but by our kind deeds. Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath.

Today you are wished a day of ordinary miracles:

➢ A fresh pot of coffee you didn’t make yourself
➢ An unexpected phone call from an old friend
➢ Green traffic lights on your way to work
➢ The fastest line at the grocery store
➢ A good sing-along song on the radio
➢ Your keys found right where you left them.

Fondly,
Father Nicholas

Weekly HOMILY for July 19, 2009: Deacon Preaching Sunday

Our new Permanent Deacon, Jim Prosser, preached his first homily at Our Lady of Grace this weekend.

Weekly THIS AND THAT for July 12, 2009: We Have a New Deacon!

This and That:
We Have a New Deacon!


As of July 1, 2009, Archbishop O’Brien has appointed newly ordained Jim Prosser as our Permanent Deacon. Jim was ordained by the Archbishop this past May 23rd at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen. He is employed three days a week by WBCM in Towson as a Structural, Chemical, and Mechanical Engineer who designs chemical and manufacturing plants. He and his wife Camillus have five children and live in Towson. Jim was introduced at all the Masses this weekend. His duties will include: attending bi-weekly Pastoral Team meetings, assisting at Masses on the weekends, preparing families for the baptism of their children, celebrating the Sacrament of Baptism at our monthly group baptisms, preparing couples for Marriage, and preaching once a month. I know you will join me in welcoming Jim when you see him.

I have put together some FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) regarding Permanent Deacons that I thought you might find interesting.

Fondly,
Father Nicholas

Q: How long has the Permanent Diaconate been around?
A: The Second Vatican Council fittingly shaped the restoration of the Order of the Diaconate. “For strengthened by sacramental grace they are dedicated to the People of God, in conjunction with the bishop and his body of priests, in the service of the liturgy, of the gospel, and of works of charity.” (Lumen Gentium, #29)

Q: How are Permanent Deacons assigned?
A: They are assigned by the Archbishop through his Vicar Bishops and the Division of Clergy Personnel for Diaconal Ministry in parishes, institutions, and apostolates in the Archdiocese.

Q: What sort of agreement binds them to their assigned parish?
A: A Letter of Understanding is drawn up between the deacon and the pastor and it reflects the deacon’s three-fold ministries of Charity, Word and Liturgy and spells out the specific goals for the deacon’s ministry. The extent to which a deacon responds to the three areas of service will vary according to his unique personality, gifts and talents, as well as the needs of his particular community.

Q: Is the deacon considered more of a “volunteer” or a “staff person”?
A: I deacon can be a full-time paid employee of the parish or have a 10-12 hour commitment without pay. In the latter case he is still considered a “staff person” though not an “employee.” He receives some benefits such as mileage and continuing education. As a member of a parish staff, he participates regularly in meetings of the staff, the Pastoral Council, and other appropriate collegial bodies.

Q: Since a Permanent Deacon is ordained and can be married can we then say that the Catholic Church has married clergy?
A: Yes, and not only deacons. In the Western (Roman Catholic) Church we have many cases of men of other churches (mostly Episcopalian) who have come into full communion with the Catholic Church who were previously married and have children. Also there are Eastern (Coptic and Melkite to name two) Churches whose clergy are allowed to be married.

Q: How do the responsibilities of a wife and family enter into a deacon’s ministry?
A: The deacon who is self-supporting through his own secular employment and has family commitments will provide diaconal service and ministry in ways which do not conflict with his primary obligation to his wife and family.

Q: What sort of supervision and evaluation are in place for a deacon?
A: The Letter of Understanding is one element of an ongoing process of dialogue between the deacon and his pastor. The deacon and the pastor meet regularly so that the deacon may receive support and timely feedback regarding the effectiveness of his ministry as well as to deepen and unify their relationship for the benefit of each other as well as the parish. The deacon and pastor are engaged in an annual evaluation session, set in a prayerful atmosphere, designed to affirm the deacon’s past performance and to identify new goals for continued growth and development of his ministry. A revised Letter of Understanding is prepared every two years.

Q: What other activities is the deacon involved in?
A: The Deacon participates in an annual retreat, selects a Spiritual Director, and is involved in ongoing formation, both formal (workshops) and informal (personal reading and discussion groups.) He also attends an annual Day of Enrichment or Archdiocesan Convocation, the Chrism Mass, Ordinations, Area Clergy Meetings, Deacon funerals, and other deacon gatherings.

Weekly HOMILY for July 12, 2009: Naming and Claiming Disciples: 3 Points to Ponder

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B
Our Lady of Grace
July 12, 2009

Naming and Claiming Disciples: 3 Points to Ponder
By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato


The Three Calls

In Mark’s Gospel Jesus calls his Disciples to ministry three different times.

Each time he adds a new dimension to their call.

The examples are when he first call them away from being fishermen, then he calls them to preach and exercise authority, finally, he sends them forth two by two.

Over those events he has named and claimed them.

This sense of being called and chosen is very striking in the Baptismal Rite we often hear at Mass. Parents are asked: “What name have you chosen to give your child?” Once “named” by the parents, the child is then “claimed” for Christ, as the priest makes the sign of the cross on his/her forehead, and invites parents and godparents to do the same.


The First Point: Not Their Work, But God’s

True, in baptism we have all been “named”; we have all been “claimed” for Christ, and there are three points that are key to the Apostles’ being “named” and “claimed” that can give meaning to our own lives as followers of Jesus.

The first is that the Apostles are doing not their own work, but God’s work. They have not only been “claimed” for Christ, but they have been drawn into a venture that belongs to Christ.

They are not simply following Jesus’ directions. No, they are empowered by his very Spirit. It is Jesus himself that is acting in and through them.

So what is your “work”? What are your activities in which Christ is acting in and through you?

For starters there’s your marriage. Then there are your primary relationships within your family, place of work, or neighborhood.

Yes, in the messiness of your life and mine, in the broken relationships, in the struggles to love, overlook, or forgive someone, Jesus is acting through you.

And when things are getting you down in these activities? When you don’t know where to turn? Remember it’s not your work, but Christ’s!

After you’ve given it your best shot and it’s still not working, just try turning it over to him.


The Second Point: Travel Light

The second key point of being “named” and “claimed” for Christ is Jesus’ recommendation that his followers travel light, real light. They are to dispense with extra food, clothing and money.

Now for Jesus traveling light is not a question of asceticism or sacrifice as much as it is a question of simplicity and trust.

His Disciples are to be working, not primarily with the contents of their purses, but with their inner resources.

In essence Jesus is saying, “You have what it takes; it will be given you. Just go and get on with it.”

I know a woman who has read every self-help and parenting book that Amazon carries. Only gradually has she come to realize that she could have written them herself.

She had to learn to go down into the well of her own wisdom, to trust the resources offered her by the Spirit to her own inner being.

You have that same Spirit feeding your inner being; listen for it and when you hear it, trust it.


The Third Point: We Are Sent in Twos

Finally, Jesus calls the twelve and begins to send them out two by two, not alone notice, but in pairs. He seems to sense that the greatest asset to a disciple is another disciple.

Isn’t that true of all of us? Isn’t your greatest source of strength and faith the person walking beside you whether it’s raising a child, completing a project, learning how to pray or water ski or crochet?

We need to consciously nurture our partnerships, support and embrace them as effective ways to be Christ for others, enhance the work we do together.

Having a partner, a soul mate, a companion is such a blessing. Jesus knows that in sending his Disciples out not as Lone Rangers but in pairs.


Conclusion

Yes, each of us has been “named” and “claimed” for Christ. Four points that can give meaning to our lives as his followers:
➢ What we do is God’s work
➢ Travel light and trust you’ll get what you need
➢ Expect setbacks
➢ Your greatest asset is a fellow believer

Happy traveling!

Weekly THIS AND THAT for July 5, 2009: We Have a New Director of Religious Education

This and That:
We Have a New Director of Religious Education

The recent study of our needs in Religious Education, titled “Operation Faith Formation” caused us to search for an individual who would have a rich background as a Director of Religious for from 5 to 10 years and at least a Masters Degree in Religious Studies. Such experience and training would make it possible for the individual to offer the theological presentations for parent preparation for First Sacraments, develop new programs, and even teach in the Confirmation Program of 9th and 10th Grades, as well as being the Retreat Director for the annual two-day retreat.

What if we said our Search Committee found an individual who had a doctorate and two Masters Degrees and 30 years of parish experience? Well, we did, and we offered him the position and he accepted and his name is Jack Bucher.

Jack has been a professional minister at St. Joseph’s Parish, Cockeysville since 1978, first as Coordinator of Adult Religious Education (1978-1994), then as Director of Religious Education (1984-1994) and finally as Director of Evangelization (1994-2009.) What extraordinary experience he is bringing to Our Lady of Grace!

The Search Committee was very excited with what he presented as his vision for Religious Education at the time of his interview. It contained three elements:

➢ To know Jesus Christ as a person and to experience that relationship as an on-going process of personal transformation into greater discipleship

➢ The heart of our Religious Education Program should be radically life-affirming and about Jesus Christ and people forming themselves into community and coming together in fellowship

➢ Implementing Sacramentality so as to experience God within ourselves and in how we see others.

With Jack as our catechetical leader, such a vision will become enfleshed in all our Religious Education programs. Furthermore, all effects of our efforts in catechesis can now be measured against these three criteria.

The following publications to his credit will give you some idea of the breath of Jack’s creative abilities:

➢ The Parish Committee Member, Pastoral Arts Associates, 1986

➢ The St. Monica Ministry: Spiritual Exercises to Help You With a Loved One’s Faith Crisis, Cathedral Foundation Press, 1988

➢ Reflections with Parents on the Meaning of Sin and the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Pastoral Arts Associates, 1988

➢ Holiness, Grace, Sacraments, Daily Life, Pastoral Arts Associates, 1989

➢ The Passionate Spirit of God, Pastoral Arts Associates, 1991

➢ How to Welcome Back Inactive Member to Your Parish, FATA Publishers, 1996

➢ The Parish Committee Member, Pastoral Arts Associates, 1986

➢ Scriptural Responses to a Loved One with Weakened Faith, FATA Publishing, 1999

➢ “Why Your Once Successful Parish Programs Are No Longer (Successful)”, Today’s Parish, Spring 1987

➢ “Remembering and Rethinking the Cardinal Virtues Today”, Today’s Parish, Fall 1987

➢ “Why Should You Attend Parent Sacramental Preparation Programs,” Catechist, January 1990

➢ “Making and Keeping Evangelization Practical,” Pastoral Life, May 1991

➢ “A Spirituality of Coming and Going,” Pastoral Life, November 1990
Jack’s teaching experience is also noteworthy:

➢ Adjunct Faculty, Department of Religious Studies, 1980-present, College of Notre Dame of Maryland, Baltimore, MD where he has taught courses in Current Moral Issues, Marriage and Family, Justice and Peace, Christian as Societal Critic, Quality of Life, God’s Revelation and Human Response, Introduction to Biblical Studies

➢ Course Instructor, 1986-present Loyola College, Baltimore, MD where he has taught courses in Theological Anthropology, The Church, and Introduction to Theology

➢ Course Instructor, 1984-1985 Mount St. Mary’s College, Emmitsburg, MD where he has taught courses on The Gospels and Contemporary Moral Issues

➢ Course Instructor, 1983 St. Mary’s Seminary, Baltimore, MD where he taught a course entitled: Christian Formation in the Contemporary Parish

In the coming months there will be ample opportunities to meet Jack in the Gathering Space after Masses, before and after Religious Education classes on Sunday morning, and in the preparation programs for First Reconciliation, First Eucharist, and Confirmation.
Welcome, Jack Buchner!

Fondly,
Father Nicholas

Weekly HOMILY for July 5, 2009: Handicapped One and All

14th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Cycle B
Our Lady of Grace
July 5, 2009

Handicapped One and All
(Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato


Spaces for the Handicapped

We have all had the experience of driving into a parking lot and seeing an empty space close to the store or the entrance to the mall.

And then, as we get close to it, we see the symbol for handicapped persons painted on the pavement. So, we drive on and look for another space.

Well, imagine driving into the parking lot of Wegmann’s of the Hunt Valley Mall and seeing that the entire parking lot is almost empty and we think, “Man, I’ll be able to park wherever I want!”

But then, as you look more closely, you see the yellow symbol for the handicapped on every single solitary space. Every space is painted with that stick figure symbol of a person in a wheelchair.


All Are Handicapped

This image – a parking lot with every space designated for the handicapped – is very appropriate this morning.

Isn’t each of us handicapped in one way or another? Isn’t each of us at a loss in some particular way: physically, psychologically, emotionally, spiritually, socially, or intellectually?

I would suggest that we not view those who are physically handicapped as a minority. Instead, every time we see one of those especially reserved parking spaces let them remind us that we are all handicapped in some way?


Paul’s Handicap

This is what Saint Paul is getting at in this morning’s second reading.

Paul says that, “A thorn in the flesh was given to me, an angel of Satan.” He does not say what this “thorn” is.

Scholars speculate that it might have been a physical disability, or a moral flaw, or rejection and persecution by others. Whatever it was, Paul was aware of some “thorn in his flesh” – some handicap or weakness.

Paul knows that he has been given special gifts and a special role to play by God, but he is also aware of this “thorn.” And from God, Paul gets the great insight that, “Power is made perfect in weakness.”

In other words, this thorn or handicap or weakness keeps him from getting, as he says, “elated” or proud. It keeps him humble and therefore compassionate toward others.


As Paul, So Us

I suggest the same thing is true for each of us. We have all been given certain gifts and we believe that we have a special relationship with God.

But each of us, myself included, has something known or unknown to others – maybe a quick temper, maybe some kind of intestinal trouble, maybe some kind of compulsive behavior or addiction, maybe an imagination that gets me in trouble, maybe feeling alone and not part of the group.

No question about it, we’ve all got some kind of thorn or handicap or weakness.

And Paul’s insight is that this thorn can temper or perfect us. It can keep us humble and alert to one another, to the thorn or handicap or weakness of others.

In other words, our humanity should make us humble and sensitive to the humanity of others. It should soften us and make us more compassionate.


Handicaps to Compassion

One spiritual writer says that the virtue of compassion is a conscious sharing in the ten thousand possible handicaps, thorns, or weaknesses of others.

Compassion means making constant allowances for others’ shortcomings. It means remembering that the majority of handicaps are not even visible to the naked eye.

On this national holiday weekend, this leads me to think of today’s immigrants. No question, we as a country need to structure immigration and we need laws for this.

But some of the attitudes toward immigrants, especially Spanish-speaking immigrants, are simply incompatible with the Gospel and with what Paul is saying today. These are people very much like us.

They have been drawn to the United States by opportunities that are here and by American business. Often they are filling jobs that our businesses can get no one else to fill.

Be that as it may, we need to be aware of ourselves – of our weakness or thorn or handicap when we think about immigrants. And as we do that, we need to support a re-thinking of attitudes and policies on immigration.


Conclusion

I conclude with this.

When Jesus talks about the final judgment, those invited into the kingdom are the compassionate. Those close to the Lord are those who have compassion for the poor, the physically sick, the imprisoned, the emotionally or mentally challenged, and on it goes.

If being one of those invited, it would be good to remember Saint Paul’s words: “In weakness power reaches perfection.” And when we see handicap parking spaces, let’s be aware of our own handicaps and allow that to challenge us to be more compassionate toward others.