Momentous Moments
Sixth Sunday of Easter
Dear Parish Family,
Momentous moments might be a bit of a tautology, but the phrase does suit, does it not? Some moments move us more. Some experiences carry greater depth and purpose for our lives. And these we remember better. Impactful moments, or the first occurrences, we tend to remember it better. Novelty helps with memory. Also, the emotion that we carry into the moment helps it to be impressed more deeply on our memories. And when our attention is divided, when we are not fully engaged in the moment, memory can be quite poor, which is why we forget what we went to the kitchen for, but that is another issue. Art of Manliness has an interesting podcast on memory or check out the book: Why We Remember.
We are heading into a season of heightened memories. The months of May and June are full of graduations, weddings, ordinations, and other celebrations. And the first Sunday in May is often reserved for First Holy Communion. Do you remember your first communion? What is your prominent memory about the Holy Eucharist?
Love Lives, Wk 5
Connections & Fruit
Dear Friends in Christ,
Each time we enter into a message series, a journey unfolds. With several weeks centered on one theme, we have the chance to dig deeper into the truths of our faith, and hopefully really highlight what is most significant. Each series also gives us the chance to repeat ourselves a bit, which can be helpful for those seeking to really remember key facets, so they become part of life’s journey. For others, the recap can get old, but I do find them generally helpful. The best teachers repeat themselves. Repetitio mater studiorum est.
So, it may bear repeating that we are called to be great lovers, loving God and neighbor with all we are (Mt 22:36-40). Christianity is not a half-hearted affair. We are not called to be minimalists but maximalists - as I said way back in the Fall. Yet oftentimes, at least for me, I do not love those I seek to love as they deserve to be loved. In other words, we fall short, if we are honest. And honesty is the seed of humility, which is the virtue that unites our character. Think of the lead that joins the panes of stained glass in order that a beautiful image appears when light passes through, and you will gain a sense of how humility shapes our character. And in this analogy, the light passing through us is the love of God. Divine charity working in and through those seeking to imitate our Lord illuminates the virtues that constitute our character. Which is what we said at the onset of our series, Love Lives: God gives us access to His love so that we can love as God loves. Our challenge is to make ourselves available to that love. In a way, to get connected.
Connections are our theme on this final weekend. Jesus gives us the beautiful image of the vine and the branches (Jn 15:1-8). What a lovely image of the church, connected to our Lord and founder, the vine from which all the branches obtain their life and vigor. It is truly our connection to Christ that allows us to bear fruit. I like to describe this connection as living a Sacramental Life, drawing close to the Lord, abiding in Him, and recognizing that our strength does not come from ourselves, but from Him who died and rose again for us, to show us that love lives. And that we can have access to His power to love when we count not on ourselves but on the Lord of life. He reminds us “without me you can do nothing,” so that we stay humble and connected. Disconnected from the true vine, the branches wither and are burned up in the fire.
Jesus invites us to bear fruit. In fact, He demands it. And while He shows patience for one fig tree that is not yielding fruit allowing for another year of careful attention (Lk 13:6-9), Jesus also curses a fig tree He finds barren, despite it not being the season for figs, and it withers (Mk 11:12). He tells us in another place “by their fruits you will know them” (Mt 7:15-20) and the trees that do not bear good fruit are cut down and burned in the fire. I think perhaps one of the takeaways here is that there is not much middle ground. Either we are connected to the vine through life in the Sacraments seeking to bear good fruit for our Lord, the love of our lives, or we are pruned away from the vine and are subject to the fire, which may not be reassuring.
From my own life experience, I can say that sometimes I force things. I push too hard, trying mightily to make it work, even when it is not time. And I have learned the hard way that this is not the way. And yet there is the expectation and desire for fruit, that our love and effort would make a difference in the Lord. A good question to think about this week would be: Lord, what fruit are You asking of me in my life? With the prayer: give me the grace to bear fruit for You, dear Jesus.
In His service,
Fr. Joel
Love Lives, Wk 4
Sidelines. Service. Sacrifice.
Dear Parish Family,
Over the course of these beautiful Easter weeks, as Spring gushes forth, we are focused on how Love Lives and how God - who is love - invites us to share in His love and so to share His love with the world. After three weeks situated squarely on Easter Sunday, that first day of the week, we are moving away from the empty tomb to focus on a different image of love.
This weekend is Good Shepherd Sunday. We are focused on the shepherd (Jn 10:11-18), encouraging vocations to the priesthood, and more broadly understanding our calling, our vocation to love in imitation of our Lord. Remember that whenever we see Jesus in the Gospels, we are seeing love in action - whether He is speaking, teaching or healing - whether He is gentle or fierce - we are witnessing what love looks like. As members of His body, we as the Church, are invited and even called to love as Jesus Loves, to serve as Jesus serves.
Now shepherding is demanding work and one of the lowest jobs in the culture of the day. Often one slept outside with the sheep. Defending the flock from predators and robbers was essential to the job. And the pay was not great, but it was very satisfying work for those who really sought to have their work align with their values. A lot like farming - the hours and pay are nothing to brag about - but the satisfaction from a job well done cannot be calculated. The shepherd and sheep form one unit with a mission to grow and flourish, to find good pasture. Often this goal required the shepherd to live a sacrificial life. And a selfless existence is really the most satisfying.
Our theme this weekend echoes back to our Lenten book study, Rebuilt Faith, and the S.T.E.P.S, that first “S” stands for serve. Jesus says, “I come among you as one who serves” (Lk 22:27). He also says, “I came not to be served but to serve and to give my life as a ransom for many” (Mt 20:28). This is paradoxical, since for the long-awaited Messiah who is to be a ruler and king over Israel, being served would have been part of that expectation. Rulers are served. Instead, we are invited to follow an unexpected and even surprising Messiah who washes the feet of the disciples, and is not afraid to take the lowest place. Jesus challenges His followers, “Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all” (Mk 10:43-44). Service is at the heart of the Gospel, not only for Jesus but for all His followers.
So, this weekend, we are inviting each member of the parish to serve in some capacity among our parish family. “Charity begins at home,” so please take the next step in your walk with our Lord and begin to serve right here among your fellow members. A Ministry Fair in Nolan Hall allows you to see and to speak with folks engaged in so many ministries around campus and beyond. Please make some time to drop by and begin to discern the question: how is God inviting me to serve? We acknowledge that each of us is called to some form of service. Our goal is that every member becomes a minister. In effect, we do not want anyone left on the sidelines just watching, but that everyone can find a place on the field of play and to imitate Jesus our servant and good shepherd.
In His service,
Fr. Joel
Love Lives, Wk 3
Shalom, Shalom!
Dear Friends,
Many salutations and greetings exist. The subtle head nod, or the flippant “hey” or the more exuberant, “Good morning!” Variations to greet one another abound. Today, and last week in fact, Jesus greeted the disciples in the upper room with the word, “peace.”
In last week’s Gospel (Jn 20:19-31), Jesus extended this greeting three times, twice on the first evening and then once again the following week. In this week’s Gospel (Lk 24:35-48), which seems to be the same account found in John, again we hear that word, “peace.”
This is a traditional greeting in the Middle East: shalom or salem. The Chosen Series beautifully conveys the power of this word used for both greeting and farewell. The centurion asks Simon why he says, “shalom shalom.” Why is the word uttered twice? And Simon replies that this is the way to wish someone the fullness of peace. Not just peace, but wholeness, complete peace.
Hence, we find ourselves today, in the Upper Room (again) huddled together with the disciples (again) on that first Easter evening (again). These closest followers of Jesus are filled with fear when they really need to be filled with faith. Jesus steps into their midst and wishes them peace, the fulness of peace, and He asks “Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts?” It seems that despite the many attempts, they could not come to grips with the reality that Jesus had to suffer, die, and be raised. Namely, the victory of Easter Sunday had to pass through the darkness of Good Friday, when all seemed lost.
In fact, all but a few, abandon Jesus in His hour of greatest humiliation, need and loneliness. And while it would be “natural” for our Lord to air His grievances, to speak a strong word, instead He comes gently with reassurance. “Touch me, give me something to eat.” And then He opens their minds to the Scriptures, just as He had pointed out to the two on the way to Jericho all that pertained to Him - and their hearts burned within them (see: Lk 24:32).
This moment is such a great lesson for when we experience a rift with people we love. Go to them. Extend the olive branch. Do not keep score. Do not let things linger and then sour. And when we approach, seek to make peace with humility, and ready to own up to our share of the issue. Today our Lord gives us a wonderful example of what it means to love even those who may have hurt us. What a great way to demonstrate that Love is victorious!
Our series during these Easter weeks - Love Lives - is about acknowledging that Love is alive, that Christ is victorious and that He invites us to a new way of being, a new form of existence, where we can live and love by the power of His love in our lives. This week, we are invited to explore our hearts for any rifts, any unforgiveness, and hard feelings, and seek to be reconciled and to be at peace with those in our lives who we seek to love and honor.
In our risen Lord,
Fr. Wilson
Love Lives, Wk 2
Merciful Love Manifest
Dear Parish Family,
This Sunday has several names: Dominica in Albis, Low Sunday, the Second Sunday of Easter, and Divine Mercy Sunday. Easter is such a big and rich feast that we celebrate it all week - the Octave of Easter. The churches in the East use the word: bright. Bright Monday, Bright Tuesday, etc., to emphasize how light wins over darkness. These days are bright because Jesus is alive. Jesus - the one who is Love incarnate - shows Himself to be fully alive, in a new and more radical way than we could ever imagine.
Last week, His enemies put Him to death. It looked like love had failed because love died that day on the cross. It looked like love had lost. But then something happened – something that no one expected. Jesus did not stay dead. Jesus conquered death. On Easter Sunday, Jesus emerged from the grave victorious over sin, death, and darkness.
Love Lives, Wk 1
Light Wins
My dear parish,
We find ourselves at the empty tomb. Or perhaps you are reading this in the days that approach Easter morning or at some other time. We find ourselves on the brink of a new life. What has seemed all lost, all darkness, all for nothing, turns out to be a new beginning, something radical and unforeseen.
Sure, we stand in relative clarity two thousand years later, but let us suspend our familiarity and enter into the moment. Often the distance obscures the raw reality. Sure, Jesus had predicted his passion and death at least three times (see Mk 8:30, 9:30, 10:30 - for ease of memory). And those instances do not include statements about the temple being raised nor other more obscure allusions like the serpent being lifted up in the desert. Needless to say, our Easter Sunday Gospel concludes thus, “For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead.” Indeed, that is a consistent strophe! No one it seems is prepared for the newness breaking on the horizon. Maybe even we are not yet quite prepared for that newness.
These Are The Days!
My Dear Family,
10,000 Maniacs have a classic hit - These are the Days. It is a happy tune about being “blessed and lucky” and part of the great miracle of life, something that will “grow and bloom in you,” and so these are the days to remember, to gather, to try to absorb most deeply, because these are precious days. That is how I feel about Holy Week. “To see the signs and know they are speaking to you.” So many signs and symbols fill this most holy week of the year. Truly these are the days to remember, and we do so by entering in and cherishing the beautiful and wondrous flow of the week, from Passiontide to Eastertide.
Now, we recognize that Natalie Merchant did not have Holy Week in mind, when composing that song, however the invitation rings true. Lauren Daigle echoes that invitation with a more obvious Christian take on the same theme - These are the Days. These are the days when we cherish the work that God has done for us in the great work of salvation, “this is what He came for,” Lauren sings, so let us “open our eyes and ears.” And Christ Jesus offers us the gift of sanctifying grace so that through us the church’s mission may spread. So, she encourages us to have “jubilation” at the great and beautiful days that are unfolding before us, days of salvation - when the great paschal mystery unfolds before us, and we are invited into it.
Rebuilt Faith, Wk 5
Dear Friends,
This weekend we have a beautiful opportunity to live out our faith - wonderful practice for Lent - seeking out the Lord’s forgiveness through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
GK Chesterton, when asked why he became a Catholic, replied ‘To get my sins forgiven!” It is one thing to ask God to forgive you and hope that he does. It is quite another to confess to the priest, hear the words of absolution, and know that you are forgiven. Your sins have been separated from you. One of my favorite images comes from Isaiah: “Though your sins be like scarlet, they may become white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they may become white as wool.” (Isa 1:18).
Rebuilt Faith, Wk 6
Dear Friends,
We are nearing the end of our Lenten journey along the S. T. E. P. S, and this week we are focused on the last and hardest word: share. We are invited to share the faith. Perhaps it is valuable to return to the moment when only a handful of people believed that Jesus was the Messiah, and that Jesus had risen from the dead, and to arrive at this moment two thousand years hence when we speak of a Christian or even post-Christian society. Indeed, we have moved from a fringe movement to the dominant religion in western culture and now we are becoming less influential, less significant. More people forget or leave Jesus and our faith each year than are introduced to Him. We are losing. And part of the story of why we are losing is because we are not sharing the treasure we carry in earthen vessels.
Rebuilt Faith makes the point that sharing the faith is all about “introducing people into a relationship with Christ” which consequently, “deepens our faith” (209). Relationship is the operative word because it is all about Jesus. “We introduce people not into a religion but into a relationship with the one person who knows and understands life” (210). So, we might ask ourselves: “How do you think sharing your faith would help you grow deeper in faith?” (212).
Rebuilt Faith, Wk 1
Rebuilt Faith, Wk 2
Dear Parish Family,
Last week we held our Fat Friday Supper: a great evening to celebrate together our shared mission. We invited all our fellow ministers, volunteers who are committed to building up the Body of Christ. It so happens that Rebuilt Faith, Day 10: Roll Away the Stone (p.56-61), really speaks to our mission. Fr. Michael and Tom were “reading our mail!”
Rebuilt Faith, Wk 3
Dear Parish Members,
Week two of Lent is underway, and I hope your journey to greater freedom and renewing your trust in God has gotten off to a strong start. We are walking with the book, Rebuilt Faith, and learning about the S.T.E.P.S. to take in growing with God, renewing our trust in Christ, and receiving the gift of His grace to rebuild our faith. Lent, that great time of renewal, is underway. My prayers go with you as we seek renewal together.
Rebuilt Faith, Wk 4
Dear Parish Members,
A few analogies really struck me this week from the chapter on ENGAGE in ReBuilt Faith. First the towering grove of trees with shallow roots:
“Redwood trees can grow to be about 350 feet high; For comparison, that's a 35 story building. You might think that trees like that would have deep roots. But they don't. The roots are only 5 or 6 feet deep. But they lack in depth they make up for in width, as they extend far out to other trees. They thrive in thick groves where their roots can intertwine and fuse together, forming a solid foundation for all the trees in the grove.” (p. 131)
Defining Moments, Wk 4
Clarifying Moments
Dear Friends,
Last weekend we had a wonderful Community Sunday, with lots of new members downstairs, milling about, meeting people, and just getting connected to our parish family. Sharing fellowship is one good way to get to know each other. Special thanks to all who made last Sunday possible, especially our staff and the extra special kitchen helpers!
You know, when we gather for worship upstairs, there is little time to share life and stories. Reverent silence is expected so everyone present can pray, free from distractions, and open his or her heart to God. But downstairs in Nolan Hall, there is ample time to share some fellowship and get to know each other better. A parish that knows and loves each other, prays better upstairs in church together. Is there any particular way that I can remember you in my prayers?
Defining Moments, Wk 5
Teachable Moments
Dear Friends,
We find ourselves at the end of a long day. In fact, some scholars call this the great Markan Day, (Mk 1:21-39) indicating that the synopsis Mark provides may well stand as a “typical” day in the life of Jesus and the disciples, if any day alongside our Lord could be so described. It began last week with the restoration of the man possessed amidst the crowd, a display of commanding authority. Then Jesus moves toward some nourishment as a guest of Peter, but his mother-in-law is sick, so another healing precedes lunch. And then more healings and teachings well into the night. One gets the impression that word is spreading quickly. People are talking about the amazing things they have seen and heard. And there is great need, great hunger, for the power of His word and of His hands. A long and full day and Jesus may have felt a bit swamped and surely tired.
Yet Jesus rises before dawn to spend some alone time with the Father. Prayer time is often something we must sacrifice for to make it happen. Often there is not the perfect time or scenario for prayer. But the quiet of the morning and the stillness of the evening are prime candidates. And Peter crashes His party: “everyone is looking for you!” It could be a moment to react, to leap up - “yes, I am needed!” Jesus maintains composure and focus to use this moment to teach Peter, to express and divulge the proper priority.
Defining Moments, Wk 2
Big or Small God Wants to Speak to You
Dear Friends,
Last week we began our first message series for the new year, Defining Moments. If you missed it, be sure to catch up on YouTube or on our Website. We spent the Epiphany with the Magi marveling at the journey and the star and the gifts, all the special aspects of the story that make it an event to remember and even to pass on to future generations of Christians even two thousand years later. The fact that God went out of his way to communicate with these foreigners from the East through the stars, “a language” they would have recognized and interpreted, is amazing and revelatory. When God wants us to know something, He does communicate with us. Sometimes, it is bright and unmistakable like a star. Other times, God is more subtle.
Consider, for example, our buddy Samuel when he was a mere youth serving in the Temple under Eli. At night while he was sleeping, God spoke to him. Yet so subtle was this communication that Samuel was confused. He had not yet had the experience of how God typically speaks. It reminds me of how God spoke to Joseph in dreams (see: Mt 1:20; 2:13). I do not often remember my dreams, so deep is my sleep; thus, God would have to speak to me in a different way. And finally, Samuel receives that key advice, so simple yet so profound. Just say these words: “Speak Lord for your servant is listening.” Yes, simple and yet a great challenge to listen with open ears and heart.
Defining Moments, Wk 3
Expected & Unexpected
Dear Friends in Christ,
“Life moves pretty fast! If you don’t stop and look around you might miss it.” Great advice from Ferris Bueller. Come to think of it, Paul offers a similar piece of advice to the good people of Corinth: “I tell you, brothers and sisters, the time is running out…For the world in its present form is passing away.” (1 Cor 7:29-31) Time is short, he says. Do not let another day slip by without preparing for the coming of the Lord, which usually means at the end of time, but also each of us will arrive face-to-face with God, on our last day here on planet earth. It is easy for the days to blur into weeks, and the months to tick by. How might God be inviting you to grow? When you sit and listen for the voice of God, what does He say to you? Remember that beautiful short prayer from Samuel: “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.” Making time to listen is pivotal to being open to how God may be trying to step into our lives, offering us a defining moment, a moment of clarity or significance, a moment for learning and understanding more about ourselves, more about God, more about other people in our lives.
This weekend, we hear about two decisive moments: the repentance of Nineveh and the call of the first four disciples of Jesus. In the case of the latter, it can sound rather familiar. Jesus wanders by the shores of the Sea of Galilee, invites two pairs of brothers, and they follow Him. But when we set ourselves in the scene, place ourselves right there on the shore, we can appreciate how incredible and how defining this moment was for those brothers. Never again would their lives be the same. And what was it about this Man on the shore that they left everything and followed Him?!
Defining Moments, Wk 1
Be on the Lookout!
Dear Friends,
Let me sneak in another “Merry Christmas!” before we move into Ordinary Time on Tuesday January 9th, 2024. What a wonderful Christmas Season it has been, and for those who prefer to extend the season to 40 days - a blessed season to you until February 2nd, the Feast of the Presentation.
I would prefer to press us onward towards new adventures in the new year. What will 2024 bring for you, for your family and for our parish family as we journey together in faith, seeking to build up the Body of Christ in our little corner of the world? See Eph 4:11-16 for those lovely and engaging words which constitute our mission statement here at OLPH. They are “the why” we exist. As a parish we are here to advance the kingdom, spread the good news, live, and proclaim the Gospel. Each of those phrases could capture our purpose, but I find the image of the Church as a body, a wonderfully rich and alluring metaphor for this common and shared work. For a body to work well, the health of the whole is required. Even a stubbed toe or a bruised finger can affect the whole. Each of the parts must be strong. This is no ordinary body, but the Body of Christ in which we all belong by virtue of our Baptism and in which we are all invited to contribute to the upbuilding, the strengthening and support of the whole.
Secrets of Christmas, wk 4
Secrets Revealed!
Dear Parish Family,
The way Christmas falls this year on Monday, we have a very short fourth week of Advent… really just a number of hours! Which means, we have fewer days to wait for the arrival of our Messiah, Jesus - the God who saves, and we have less days to prepare all the details for the big feast with family and friends.
On behalf of the whole team here at OLPH, we extend to you and yours a beautiful Christmas full of God’s presence and joy! We pray that the Lord may share one of the secrets that He has for you this season, that you can make the time to listen for His quiet voice, and that God may speak to your heart a word of comfort and peace.
GROWING TOGETHER
Dear Friends,
This weekend as we wrap up 2023, and look forward to 2024, let us spend some time on that at the parish level. We take stock and see where we have come and look ahead to where we are going. Too many wonderful things to celebrate in our parish from 2023, but here are some highlights.
One standout is our participation in community events and bigger church happenings. For example, we again joined Maple Shade for National Night Out in August and just now hosted part of the Holiday Festival on campus. It is great to partner with our neighbors to be a joyful presence in our town. You may not be aware, but we continue to sponsor youth sports teams in town as well. Let us not forget our huge Christmas Bazaar and Easter Egg Hunt, which attract people far and wide to campus. This year, we also drew over seven hundred people from all around south Jersey for the Eucharistic Miracles Exhibit, a beautiful opportunity to pray and spend some time deepening our faith in God. Check out some of the photos on the next page.
