Category: Parish News & Events

When I made a conscious decision to follow Christ, I was young. As a Catholic and as a teenager, I didn’t understand the value of the Mass which I attended every Sunday. I loved God, I wanted to serve Jesus, and I yearned for someone to tell me how to do that. I needed encouragement, and I wanted to be challenged. Although I attempted to participate in the Mass, I felt uninspired. Our parish priest’s homilies were flat and wishy-washy. 

In fact, the “worship” of the non-denominational church I sometimes attended was more my style. We praised the Lord together with upbeat music. We read the Bible, heard some good preaching, and in my ignorance, I earnestly participated in the Protestant church’s monthly “communion.” I didn’t necessarily want to leave the Catholic Church, but I had ideas about how the Mass could be tweaked and modified in order to be more relevant and meaningful to me and, I assumed, to others. 

Attending a truly Catholic University opened my eyes. I not only learned about the meaning of the Mass, but I learned that I had not been given the authority by Christ to change one word of the Mass! Once I understood some of the nuances of my Catholic faith more, I willingly accepted the fact that I did not have the right to decide how God wanted to be worshiped. What a revelation!

In today’s First Reading, it is hard to know exactly what was happening in regards to the first Masses of the early Christians. It is clear, however, that there were abuses taking place in Corinth and that Paul, with the authority given to him by Christ, was correcting the approach the Christians at Corinth had to the “Lord’s Supper.” He actually states that because they are celebrating the Lord’s Supper incorrectly, their “meetings” are doing “more harm than good!”

Two thousand years later, it is not surprising that in all of the millions of Masses said in the world every day, abuses continue to occur within the Sacred Liturgy, both serious innovations and minor unauthorized changes. St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians helps us understand that priests and lay people alike need to be cautious about how we approach the Sacred Liturgy, keeping in mind that our own opinions and preferences must not contradict the Church’s law which are in place for a reason. 

Even when we are motivated by the best of intentions as we seek to help others come into a relationship with Christ and feel accepted by the church community, it is important to be aware of the Church’s teaching in this matter: “Regulation of the sacred liturgy depends solely on the authority of the Church, that is, on the Apostolic See and, as laws may determine, on the bishop. [] Therefore no other person, even if he be a priest, may add, remove, or change anything in the liturgy on his own authority” (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, 22).

It is a joy and a privilege to worship God in Christ’s own Church, together with a community of believers. Let us gather with great reverence when we come together to celebrate the Sacred Liturgy. 

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Cuando tomé la decisión consciente de seguir a Cristo, era joven. Como católico y adolescente, no entendía el valor de la Misa a la que asistía todos los domingos. Amaba a Dios, quería servir a Jesús y anhelaba que alguien me dijera cómo hacerlo. Necesitaba aliento, y quería ser desafiado. Aunque intenté participar en la Misa, no me sentí inspirado. Las homilías de nuestro párroco eran monótonas y vagas.

De hecho, la “adoración” de la iglesia protestante que a veces asistía era más de mi estilo. Alabamos al Señor juntos con música alegre. Leímos la Biblia, escuchamos buenos sermones y, en mi ignorancia, participé fervientemente en la “comunión” mensual de esa iglesia. No necesariamente quería dejar a la Iglesia Católica, pero tenía algunas ideas sobre cómo se podría ajustar y modificar la misa para que fuera más relevante y significativa para mí y, supuse que para los demás también.

Asistir a una universidad católica auténtica me abrió los ojos. No solo aprendí sobre el significado de la Misa, sino que ¡aprendí que Cristo no me había dado la autoridad para cambiar una sola palabra de la Misa! Una vez que entendí más algunos de los matices de mi fe católica, acepté voluntariamente el hecho de que no tenía derecho a decidir cómo Dios quería ser adorado. ¡Qué revelación!

En la Primera Lectura de hoy, es difícil saber exactamente lo que estaba pasando con respecto a las primeras Misas de los primeros cristianos. Está claro, sin embargo, que cometieron algunos abusos en Corinto y que Pablo, con la autoridad que le dio Cristo, estaba corrigiendo el enfoque que los cristianos de Corinto tenían de la “Cena del Señor”. De hecho, afirma que debido a que están celebrando la Cena del Señor incorrectamente, sus “reuniones” están haciendo “más daño que bien”.

Dos mil años después, no es sorprendente que en todos los millones de Misas que se dicen en el mundo todos los días, continúen ocurriendo abusos dentro de la Sagrada Liturgia, tanto innovaciones serias como cambios menores no autorizados. La carta de San Pablo a los Corintios nos ayuda a comprender que tanto los sacerdotes como los laicos deben ser cautelosos acerca de cómo abordamos la Sagrada Liturgia, teniendo en cuenta que nuestras propias opiniones y preferencias no deben contradecir las leyes de la Iglesia que están vigentes por una razón.

Incluso cuando estamos motivados por las mejores intenciones al buscar ayudar a otros a tener una relación con Cristo y sentirse aceptados por la comunidad de la iglesia, es importante estar al tanto de la enseñanza de la Iglesia en este asunto: “La reglamentación de la sagrada Liturgia es de competencia exclusiva de la autoridad eclesiástica; ésta reside en la Sede Apostólica y, en la medida que determine la ley, en el Obispo. [] Por lo mismo, nadie, aunque sea sacerdote, añada, quite o cambie cosa alguna por iniciativa propia en la Liturgia, 22).”

Es un gozo y un privilegio adorar a Dios en la misma Iglesia de Cristo, junto a una comunidad de creyentes. Reunámonos con gran reverencia cuando nos unimos para celebrar la Sagrada Liturgia.

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The town my parents live in holds a Labor Day Parade every year. As the police cars and fire trucks and school bands process down the road, they often throw out candy for the children that line the road. My kids jump out excitedly every time they toss a handful, eager for the sweet treats to multiply in their goody bags.

Wouldn’t it be incredible if we acted the same way when it came to grace? What if we just jumped at every opportunity we had to receive Jesus in the Eucharist? What if we were the first in line to receive God’s pardon in the Sacrament of Confession? What if we had the parish adoration schedule memorized so as to attend whenever possible? 

While grace doesn’t feed our sweet tooth, it definitely fills our souls with the sweetness of God’s love and mercy. He is waiting for us to spend time with Him, to come away for a little time apart, so he can begin to change our hearts. 

In today’s Gospel, Jesus depicts his profound love for us by sharing the Parable of the Lost Sheep. We probably all know the story well. The shepherd leaves the 99 behind to go in search of the one. As if that weren’t enough to dumbfound us, Jesus states: “And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy.” Essentially, he sweeps it off its feet and holds it close. 

I like to ponder what the sheep was like in this scene. Was it broken and humble? Was it tired and faint? Was it trembling and fearful? Was it joyful and relieved? Or my favorite, was it smug and proud, thinking it was more special than the others? I can just imagine that sheep with its head up high, feeling so self righteous to be on the shoulders of its savior.

How do we react when we realize Jesus has come to save us in just the same way? Do we eagerly reach out to him, as a child would jump for a piece of candy? Or are our hearts hardened or closed to his love? 

May we all be like children today, so that when our Savior finds us and raises us up on his shoulders, we may simply bask in His wondrous love. 

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La ciudad donde viven mis padres tiene un desfile en el Día del Trabajo todos los años. Mientras los autos de policía, los camiones de bomberos y las bandas escolares avanzan por el camino, muchos de ellos arrojan dulces para los niños que estan sentados en la acera. Mis hijos saltan emocionados cada vez que lanzan unos cuantos, ansiosos de ver los dulces multiplicarse en sus bolsas.

¿No sería increíble si actuáramos de la misma forma cuando se trata de la gracia? ¿Qué pasaría si aprovecháramos cada oportunidad posible para recibir a Jesús en la Eucaristía? ¿Qué pasaría si fuéramos los primeros en la cola para recibir el perdón de Dios en el Sacramento de la Confesión? ¿Y si tuviéramos memorizado el horario de adoración al Santísimo en la parróquia para asistir siempre y cuando sea posible?

Si bien la gracia no alimenta nuestro gusto por lo dulce, definitivamente llena nuestras almas con la dulzura del amor y la misericordia de Dios. Él está esperando que pasemos tiempo con Él, que nos apartamos de todo lo demás por un tiempo, para que Él pueda comenzar a cambiar nuestros corazones.

En el Evangelio de hoy, Jesús describe su profundo amor por nosotros al compartir la parábola de la oveja perdida. Seguramente todos conocemos bien la historia. El pastor deja atrás el 99 para ir en busca del uno. Como si eso no fuera suficiente para dejarnos asombrados, Jesús dice: “Y una vez que la encuentra, la carga sobre sus hombros, lleno de alegría”. Esencialmente, lo eleva y lo mantiene de cerca.

Me encanta reflexionar sobre cómo era la oveja en esta escena. ¿Era quebrantado y humilde? ¿cansado y débil? ¿temblando y temeroso? ¿Era alegre y aliviado? O mi favorito, ¿era presumido y orgulloso, pensando que era más especial que los demás? Puedo imaginarme a esa oveja con la cabeza en alto, sintiéndose tan orgulloso por estar sobre los hombros de su salvador.

¿Cómo reaccionamos cuando nos damos cuenta de que Jesús ha venido a salvarnos de la misma manera? ¿Nos acercamos ansiosamente a él, como un niño saltaría por un dulce? ¿O nuestros corazones están endurecidos o cerrados a su amor?

Que todos seamos como niños hoy, para que cuando nuestro Salvador nos encuentre y nos levante sobre sus hombros, simplemente podamos disfrutar de su maravilloso amor.

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What remarkable words spoken by St. Paul in today’s First Reading. “The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the Blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the Body of Christ” (1 Cor 10:16)? The Eucharist is not merely something in which we partake but someone we are, quite honestly, blessed beyond measure to receive.

“How shall I make a return to the LORD for all the good he has done for me” (Psalm 116:13)? The Psalmist poses a prodigious question to ponder. In other words, how will I make a sacrifice of praise to my Lord? The sacrifice God asks for is one of praise, not of blood. The latter has already been offered—once and for all. And it is made present again at every Liturgy—existing in every tabernacle in the world, furthermore, humbling Himself even further, to become fully present in every living tabernacle—those who worthily approach the altar to receive Him in Consecrated Bread and Wine. Perhaps the answer dwells within our Eucharistic testimony. How has sharing in the cup of blessing formed me as a disciple? Can others see Christ in me? 

We are not merely figuratively in communion with the Lord, but it is He who comes to us—Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity—in the Eucharist. Christ is not alone; through the divine Unity of the Trinity, although not sacramentally, the Father and the Holy Spirit become present with Jesus in the Eucharist. Although a mystery which, this side of heaven, can never be fully explained, the Catechism teaches that each Person of the Trinity is “wholly” present in each other (CCC #254-55). In the Consecration, heaven and earth mystically collide; Jesus does not leave Paradise so that we may encounter Him in the Eucharist.

Jesus provided the sacrifice upon the cross so that every soul may have the opportunity to be with him in heaven. And while we wait, He humbly offers himself in the Eucharist, comprising grace upon grace. The mystical body of Christ is vast and magnificent, and by approaching the altar worthily during the Holy Sacrifice of the Altar, we become a living tabernacle. It is a tremendous honor to be a Eucharistic people. 

As St. Irenaeus stated, “In brief, the Eucharist is the sum and summary of our faith: Our way of thinking is attuned to the Eucharist, and the Eucharist in turn confirms our way of thinking.” But does it, personally, do that for us? Has the Eucharist changed your life? If it has not, take the opportunity every Mass to “ask, seek, knock” and allow the Lord to open to you every grace and blessing generously available in this Blessed Sacrament. Embrace the goodness poured into us through sharing in the blessing cup and the Body of Christ to be a good tree, “known by its own fruit…[because] a good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good.”

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