May 31, 2010
Priest Appreciation Dinner Slideshow DVD
A slideshow DVD of our Priest Appreciation Dinner held on May 2nd is available in the church foyer at a cost of $2.00 each.
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May 30, 2010
Holy Trinity – Joy Part II
Year C, May 30th, 2010 – By Father Tim McCauley
Does anyone remember three ways to dispose ourselves to receive the gift of joy (that I spoke about last week)? This week I want to speak of some of the hard work and sacrifices necessary to obtain joy, especially in the areas of human sexuality.
The following words on joy I heard from the lips of John Paul II, with my own ears, at a private Mass back in 2002, (a Mass with 100 000 of the Pope’s friends!) – it was World Youth Day Toronto at the opening ceremonies beside Lake Ontario.
The Pope said: “People are made for happiness. Rightly, then, you thirst for happiness. Christ has the answer to this desire of yours. But he asks you to trust him. True joy is a victory, something which cannot be obtained without a long and difficult struggle. Christ holds the secret of this victory” (July 25th, 2002).
The victory of joy begins with receiving the gift of love. I would like to return briefly to the letter on joy by Pope Paul VI, who writes, “If Jesus radiates such peace, such assurance, such happiness, such availability, it is by reason of the inexpressible love by which He knows that He is loved by His Father. ‘ . . . You loved me before the foundation of the world.’”
The Pope continues, “Here there is an uncommunicable relationship of love . . . which is the secret of the life of the Trinity: the Father is seen here as the one who gives Himself to the Son, without reserve and without ceasing, in a burst of joyful generosity, and the Son is seen as He who gives Himself in the same way to the Father, in a burst of joyful gratitude, in the Holy Spirit.”
Do we not see the life of the Holy Trinity mirrored somehow in human marriage? In marriage couples give themselves to each other in a burst of joyful generosity and gratitude through a love that is free, total, faithful, and open to life through Natural Family Planning (I’ll speak a bit more of that at the end of my homily. I wanted to address this issue on Pro-Life Sunday, but it was First Communions, so today is my first opportunity).
The perfect joy of the human heart of Jesus comes from His experience of the Father’s love. This same love is given to us. As we heard in the second reading: “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us” (Rom 5:5).
Part I of joy is the gift; Part II of joy is the hard work and sacrifice necessary, which includes, in the sexual dimension of human life, self-mastery, purity and chastity.
The Catechism tells us that “chastity means the successful integration of sexuality within the person and thus the inner unity of man in his bodily and spiritual being. Sexuality . . . becomes personal and truly human when it is integrated into the relationship of one person to another, in the complete and lifelong mutual gift of a man and a woman” (CCC #2337).
“Chastity includes an apprenticeship in self-mastery which is training in human freedom. The alternative is clear: either man governs his passions and finds peace (and joy, I would add!) Or he lets himself be dominated by them and becomes unhappy” (CCC #2339).
“Self-mastery is a long and exacting work. It presupposes renewed effort at all stages of life” (CCC #2342). (True joy cannot be obtained without a long and difficult struggle).
I would like to mention three ways in which hard work and sacrifice, in areas of human sexuality, actually lead to joy.
1) The first is for men to abstain from looking with lust at women who might be immodestly dressed. Some may wonder, “where’s the joy in not looking?” It is part of one’s apprenticeship in self-mastery – to refuse to look with lust until one’s heart is pure and the beatitude taught by Jesus is realized in us: “blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God.” To gaze upon every woman and every man with a pure heart, and to see God – that’s joy! (By the way, you women here can help your brothers, the men, in their struggle to purify their gaze and their hearts, by dressing modestly, especially in Church).
2) A second way in which hard work and sacrifice leads to joy through purity and chastity is abstaining from sex outside of marriage. Young people who are in love or think they are in love might wonder, “where’s the joy in that?”
Since we live in the ruins of the sexual revolution, there are millions of men and women in our culture who will testify that in sex outside of marriage they have found emptiness, disappointment, disillusionment, and very often, when people use each other, there is bitterness, pain and sorrow.
How many more broken hearts and broken lives will there be before we wake up? So often in sex outside of marriage, the girl gets pregnant, the cowardly boyfriend abandons her, and sometimes her parents even pressure her, and she ends up getting an abortion. How many more broken hearts and murdered children will there be in our culture before we wake up and realize that the full bodily expression of sexual love is truly human, personal, life-giving and joyful only in the permanent, life-long union between a man and a woman? Save us Lord!
3) And finally, within marriage itself, joy also comes through hard work and sacrifice, in part through the virtues of chastity and purity, as outlined, for instance in Natural Family Planning. In this case I will not quote from the Pope, in order to emphasize that the Church’s teaching on all areas of human sexuality does not come from outside us, imposed on us from the hierarchy in Rome; this teaching comes from deep within the human heart, from the natural law written on our hearts. To bring this home, instead of quoting from the Pope in Rome, I would like to quote from a women from Nepean, by reading you her letter on Natural Family Planning that appeared in the Ottawa Citizen on May 14th, the day after the March for Life.
“Natural family planning empowers women”
“I feel sorry for women who think that the pill gives them freedom, enhances their sexual relationships and makes them healthier and happier. I believe it does the opposite. Thanks to the pill, women are now more than ever treated as sexual objects. Sex is just a means to satisfy one’s needs without consequences, true love, and respect. We are slaves to lust.
The pill is linked to health problems, including breast cancer and actually increases the rate of abortion that is used as a backup contraceptive. Is this real freedom? Some will argue its health benefits, such as in the treatment of PMS.
Through my struggle with PMS due to endometriosis, I learned that it is only a Band-Aid solution. Too many doctors encourage women to go on the pill for pain without treating the underlying condition which may cause infertility.
My husband and I use Natural Family Planning (NFP), which is not a contraceptive as it simply follows the natural cycle of my body. This involves a short period of abstinence during fertile times which teaches us self-control and deepens our intimacy. As Catholics, we practised abstinence before getting married, which helped us with NFP during marriage. We are also open to welcoming children now that we are in the lifelong committed relationship of marriage.
With NFP, I feel empowered as a woman, as I understand my body very well. My husband is also actively involved. We communicate daily regarding our joint fertility; it’s a shared responsibility. NFP has increased our communication and strengthened our marriage. My husband has great respect for my body and treats me like a woman, not an object. Sex is a true act of love and unity as we give ourselves completely to each other without any barriers.
Studies show that NFP is as effective, if not more, than using the pill or other contraceptives for postponing pregnancy. For skeptics of NFP, I am not referring to the old rhythm method. There are newer, highly reliable methods that couples can easily learn from a qualified teacher, such as the Creighton Model, FertilityCareTM System, the Sympto-Thermal Method (Serena), and the Billings Ovulation Method. Also, with NFP, there are no side effects.
Studies also show that NFP users have low divorce rates and happier marriages. This is true freedom, equality, health, and happiness. What the pill offers is a lie and I am convinced deep down that most women know it.
Heidi Desrochers, Nepean.
I encourage everyone to learn more about NFP, from brochures at both entrances and contact info in the bulletin. All of us Catholics are responsible for learning and understanding the Church’s teaching and for spreading the Good News of the Gospel.
Whether in marriage, priesthood or single life, true joy is a gift that comes from loving and being loved in a joyful burst of generosity and gratitude. But true joy is also a victory after a long and difficult struggle through sacrifice, purity, chastity. But Christ and His Church hold the secret to this victory.
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May 29, 2010
4TH ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT at the Hammond Golf Course Sunday June 6, 2010. Tee off time is 1:00 pm rain or shine, dinner at 6:00pm. Cost is $90.00 for golf (including cart) and dinner or dinner only is $25.00. Registration will take place after all the masses.
For more information call Bert Hendriks at 613-443-3928 or Bob Maidment at 613-835-3402.
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PASTOR’S CORNER – 29 May 2010
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
This coming week, from Monday to Friday, I will be away at the National Vocation Directors Conference to be held in downtown Ottawa. Since being named Vocations Director (part-time) for Ottawa in September 2008, this will be my first National Conference. I have been working behind the scenes, preparing to welcome 32 diocesan vocation directors from throughout Canada.
We meet every two years to share ideas in promoting vocations to the priesthood, and to support one another in a challenging ministry that often does not bear instant nor abundant fruit. But we are all very hopeful, and continue to pray, and ask for your prayers, for a new Pentecost in our Church, a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit who will also move in the hearts of the young, inspiring them to seriously consider a call to priesthood or religious life.
We have one event for the whole diocese, which we invite you all to attend. In fact, I would be grateful if some of our parishioners will come out and pray for vocations during a Holy Hour on Tuesday, June 1st at St. Pat’s Basilica. Fr. Tom Rosica, Director of Salt and Light TV, will be speaking on discernment and the promotion of vocations at 7:00 p.m., followed by a reception. Please come and pray, during this Year for Priests, for an increase in vocations to the priesthood in Ottawa.
In Christ, Fr. Tim
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May 26, 2010
Pentecost and the Gift of Joy
Year C, May 23rd, 2010 – By Father Tim McCauley
One of the last things that Jesus told His disciples before His death, Resurrection and Ascension into heaven was, “I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and your joy might be complete, perfect” (John 15:11).
Today I would like to talk about joy because it is one of the gifts Jesus gives to His disciples, and it is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit.
On Pentecost in 1975, Pope Paul VI wrote an Apostolic Exhortation on joy. It is very short by Papal standards (only 15 pages) and I highly recommend it. He calls it the highest degree of happiness and contrasts it with pleasure. He writes, “Technological society has succeeded in multiplying the opportunities for pleasure, but it has great difficulty in generating joy. For joy comes from another source. It is spiritual” (page 2).
Today I would like to suggest three necessary dispositions to receive the gift of joy, three dispositions are particularly relevant and necessary in our times.
1) The first is the spirit of poverty. (PROP) If your chalice/glass is filled with dirty water, it cannot be filled with wine, (which Scripture uses as a symbol of joy). Your chalice/glass (your heart, your spirit) must first be emptied of dirty water before it can receive wine. The dirty water represents worldly, sensual, material pleasures that can often lead to sin and leave the soul feeling empty.
Briefly, two ways of acquiring the spirit of poverty are first, to share with those who are materially poor in our world. Last week’s Pot Pourri was a beautiful tribute to the poor of our world; the more we help them with to escape their material poverty, the more God will give us the spirit of poverty and the humility of heart necessary to receive joy.
Another quick way of obtaining the spirit of poverty is honesty – honesty with ourselves that all our worldly and material pleasures have not given us joy. For example, think of the last time that you (unintentionally?) ate too much or drank too much, or the last time you spent too much on clothes or toys or something you do not really need. How did you feel afterwards? Joyful? I doubt it. We have to be honest and admit that our money and technology have not helped us find lasting happiness, and that deep down in our spirit, we still hunger and thirst for joy.
Let us note in the Scripture that the disciples had first left everything in order to follow Jesus, and that the first Christian community that was filled with “joy and the Holy Spirit” (Acts 13:52). Poverty of spirit opens our hearts to be ready to receive the gift of joy from the Holy Spirit.
2) The second disposition necessary to receive joy can best be dramatized in this way (stop and smell the flowers at the statue of Mary). What did I just do? Yes, I “stopped and smelled the flowers.” And what day is it today? (Saturday/Sunday – the Sabbath). In the Gospel, on what day did the disciples receive the Holy Spirit of joy? Can someone read the very first line of today’s Gospel from the missalette? “It was evening on the day Jesus rose from the dead, the first day of the week” (John 20: 19). Jesus breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit” (John 20: 22). They received the Holy Spirit on Sunday, the new Christian Sabbath.
We can dispose ourselves to receiving the joy of the Holy Spirit if, on Sundays especially we stop and smell the flowers, if we rest in order to enjoy what we already possess.
In our culture, we have lost the meaning of Sabbath, of Sunday as a day of rest and enjoyment of everything that God has given us, the gift of God Himself through the Holy Spirit and in the Eucharist, and the gift of family and friends. Our parish theme for 2009-10, as written in the bulletin, has been “Sunday: A Day for God and Family.” I confess that I have not preached on this as much as I should have – but I am today!
John Paul II wrote an apostolic letter on Sunday back in 1998. JPII mentions one purpose of Sunday rest is to enjoy “the beauty of what has already been achieved,” without looking forward to new accomplishments (#11). Sunday should be a day to stop, to rest, to appreciate and enjoy what we already have, without worrying about the next thing we have to get done.
Some people have to work on Sunday – I understand that. But if at all possible, we should try to book off Sundays. Sunday should be the one day where you don’t have to do anything (aside from cooking meals or visiting people – that’s it). On Sunday, don’t look at dust or weeds – the next thing that YOU have to DO. Instead, look at the sky and the flowers, and enjoy what GOD has already DONE for you.
Don’t do housework or yardwork on Sunday because your spiritual joy is more important than your house. St. Thomas Aquinas says somewhere that human beings cannot live without joy. If we lack spiritual joy, we will seek material and sensual pleasures, which very often can lead to addictions and slavery to sin. Spiritual joy is therefore necessary for our immortal souls, and your immortal soul is definitely more important than your yard or your house. So rest on Sunday and open your heart to the gift of joy.
3) The third disposition necessary to receive joy is best demonstrated in this way (hold hands with two altar servers or readers). What were we doing? Holding hands. And holding hands is a symbol of what? Of being together, of friendship, unity, communion, community.
What were the disciples doing in the first reading, when the Holy Spirit came upon them the first Pentecost? Were they isolated from one another? Was Peter fishing in Galilee while James was in Jerusalem while John was visiting his mother? Could someone please read from their missalette the very first line of the first reading? “When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place” (Acts 2 ). They were all together. And Scripture also reports that all of them were together with Mary, persevering in prayer (proskratereo) with one accord, with one mind (homothumadon) (Acts 1:14). Look at St. Paul’s emphasis on unity as one of the effects of the Spirit. In the second reading, he uses the word “one” five times in two sentences: one body, one Spirit (1 Cor 12:12-13).
I would like to mention the need for a basic unity in our parish. We can’t have one individual against another, one family against another, one group against another. We can’t let the devil divide us. As a parish family, we must love and forgive one another, and pray for unity.
But I also believe that we need a deeper union and communion. John Paul II has said that each parish should be a “community of communities.” The average parish in North America is too large, too impersonal and anonymous. People don’t know each other personally like the disciples in the early Church. This is only possible with small Christian communities. This can be partially provided with groups within the parish such as the Knights, the CWL, the RCIA, the men’s and women’s prayer group, Youth Teams of Our Lady, and so on.
But I think that most parishes, including ours, needs more communion and community, needs more small Christian communities. Let us all pray to the Holy Spirit to guide us, and to raise up more small Christian communities in our parish, in which people can share their faith in a more intimate surrounding, reflect together on the Word of God, and grow together as disciples of Christ.
So what are three dispositions necessary to receive joy? 1) poverty of spirit, 2) Stop and smell the flowers on Sunday – Sabbath rest, and 3) unity, communion, community. Then what do we do after being properly disposed? What does Jesus say in the Gospel when He speaks of joy? In John 16:24, Jesus says, “ . . . ASK and you will RECEIVE so that your joy will be full/complete/perfect.” Wine is a symbol of joy. Scripture asks, “Does he really live if he lacks the wine that was created for his joy?” (Sirach ). Let us pray that the chalice of our hearts will be filled with the Holy Spirit’s gift of joy. Only if we are truly happy and joyful in God’s love for us in Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit, will we be credible and persuasive witnesses to Christ in the world, so that the miracle of Pentecost will be repeated in our times.
(9:00 am and 10:45 am) Briefly, I would like to share with you the mini-Pentecost that happened last night on Parliament Hill. There was a Eucharistic Procession to Parliament Hill, as part of the Youth Summit. It was awe-inspiring to see Jesus Christ enthroned on Parliament Hill, hundreds of people kneeling and adoring Him, the Archbishop incensing the Blessed Sacrament with the Peace Tower in the background! As soon as we all knelt, you could feel the Holy Spirit descend upon us, a mini-Pentecost! Let us pray for a new Pentecost in our parish, in our diocese, in our Church, in the world!
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May 21, 2010
PASTOR’S CORNER – 22 May 2010
On this great feast of Pentecost, I include some excerpts from a Short Catechism of the Holy Spirit:
– Who is the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit is God, the third Person of the Blessed Trinity, proceeding from the Father and the Son from all eternity.
– Is the Holy Spirit equal to the Father and the Son? The Holy Spirit is God, equal to the Father and the Son. He is almighty, eternal, and infinite, as are the Father and the Son.
– Why is the Holy Spirit known as the Spirit of Love? The Holy Spirit is the Love that flows between the Father and the Son, a Love so perfect that it is a living Love.
– How do we know about the Holy Spirit? Jesus Christ taught us about the existence of the Holy Spirit, placing Him on the same level as the Father and the Son.
– Where is the Holy Spirit present in a special way? The Holy Spirit is present in a special way in the Church, the community of people who believe in Christ as Lord.
– What is the role of the Holy Spirit in the Church? The Holy Spirit lives in the Church as her soul to make her holy by the grace of Jesus. He enables the Church to teach without error everything that Jesus taught and transforms the members of the Church into witnesses for the Lord. (Rev. Lawrence G. Lovasik, S.V.D.)
We can all learn more about the Holy Spirit by reading the Catechism, under “I believe in the Holy Spirit” (#687-747), and of course, by praying! In Christ, Fr. Tim
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May 16, 2010
Heaven
Ascension of the Lord – By Deacon Thomas Stephenson
May 16, 2010
It’s hard to believe that we’re already in the middle of May, and by this time it seems like Easter was a long time ago. And we’re now coming closer to the end of the Easter season, as Pentecost is only a week away, and today we celebrate the great Feast of the Ascension. So in addition to continuing to rejoice in Christ’s Resurrection, we are also rejoicing in His return to Heaven.
This morning we have heard two slightly different accounts of Jesus’ Ascension to Heaven. Both of these were written by Luke, and like any story that is recounted more than once, even by the same person, the details that are considered important at one time, may vary from those that come to mind first at another time. So from the combination of these two accounts, we get a fairly complete idea of what happened that day, the day that Jesus ascended, His glorified body and His divinity, into Heaven.
Naturally, most of us wonder about Heaven at some point in our lives. We probably have many questions about Heaven, such as where is it, what is it like, how do we get there? On the question of where it is – well, if Jesus ascended, then Heaven must be up, somewhere, right?
It would be nice if it was that simple. We obviously don’t know where Heaven is, and there is no definitive teaching on it’s location. But Jesus did return to the Father, to Heaven, and He chose to do so by going up until He could no longer be seen. The Ascension is more than symbolic, but in the Ascension there is an element of symbolism that can help us to grasp that Heaven is not in this world; it is outside of this world, above it. It may not really be up, but Heaven truly is a place, just not necessarily a place as we would think of it.
What is Heaven like? Our concepts of Heaven have been influenced by art and stories, great paintings and literature, over the centuries. These ideas are our way of trying to get our minds around something that is far beyond our understanding. A small group of us, led by Father Tim, have been reading Danté, and after reading the Inferno and the Purgatorio, we are now reading the final book, the Paradiso, which is Danté’s vision of Heaven. Very early in the book, as Danté is trying to understand Heaven, he is told “you make yourself dull-witted with false notions, so that you cannot see what you would understand, had you but cast them off.”
In trying to use his human ideas, he not only fails to understand heaven; he actually prevents himself from doing so; he needs to put his mortal thoughts aside and open himself to a different way of viewing things. We cannot grasp the reality of Heaven using the terms of reference we have here on earth; when we get there, we will come to know it by experiencing it. In the meantime, we have no choice, we can only try to comprehend Heaven in relation to what we are familiar with on earth. And, we certainly do have some knowledge of it through what is revealed in scripture, Sacred Tradition, and the teachings of our faith.
So contrary to depictions we have seen – even TV commercials sometimes use Heaven for a setting – we can pretty safely say that people and angels aren’t in Heaven walking around on clouds, playing the harp or the lyre. But these types of images do present Heaven to us in ways that we can recognize. Regardless of how else we may think of it, the most important thing to remember is that, in Heaven, everyone is eternally happy in the presence of God. There is no pain, no sorrow, no anger or hurt feelings.
There is only joy, a joy that goes far beyond anything that we can imagine in this life. As quoted in the Catechism, St. Cyprian tells us “How great will your glory and happiness be, to be allowed to see God, to be honoured with sharing the joy of salvation and eternal light with Christ your Lord and God…to delight in the joy of immortality in the Kingdom of Heaven with the righteous and God’s friends.” In Heaven, we will be reunited with those of our deceased friends and relatives who are there. We will meet the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Joseph, the apostles, and many others – the list is literally endless. Of course, time as we know it does not exist in Heaven, so it is very likely that we will be given unlimited opportunities to relate to the others we encounter there.
Being thoroughly purified of any desire to deviate from God’s will, and being in His presence, we will be completely motivated by our love for Him. And we will constantly experience the joy of His love for us.
So, do we all want to go to heaven? Then, how do we get there? In the Gospel of John, Jesus tells us that there are many rooms in His Father’s house. But when Thomas asks Him “how can we know the way?”, Jesus answers “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me.” Many rooms, only one way. For us, that way really begins at Baptism. It continues as we receive the other sacraments, and especially as we regularly receive the sacraments of Reconciliation and Communion. These two sacraments cleanse us and nourish us as we journey toward heaven. Attending Mass every Sunday, regular prayer, developing and deepening our relationship with God – these are all things that will help to keep us headed in the direction of Heaven.
So those are just a few thoughts on Heaven. Although we may not be sure of the details, we can be sure that Heaven exists, and awaits those who die in a state of grace. I’ll close with a quote from Pope St. Gregory the Great, speaking on the Ascension: “ We have just heard that the Lord has ascended to Heaven; let us seriously consider what we believe. Despite the weakness of human nature which still holds us here below, may love draw us to Him, for we are certain that Jesus Christ, who has inspired this desire in us, will not disappoint our hope.
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PASTOR’S CORNER – 16 May 2010
Today is the feast of the ASCENSION, in many ways, the feast of HOPE. It is also the end of pro-life week (thanks to all who attended the March for Life!). On the theme of pro-life, I would like to share with you some words from Alex Schadenberg (the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition):
“Euthanasia and assisted suicide will be the most important social issues of the next decade. And we have entered that decade. All people of good will need to become informed and active if we are to (continue to) effectively oppose the legalization of euthanasia and assisted suicide in Canada . . .
We . . . need to change ourselves. The fact is that many people fear suffering and dying in pain. The greatest pain that people experience is the feelings of abandonment, loneliness and despair while suffering from difficult symptoms.
People of good will need to go into their communities and be with or care for others.
The greatest gift you can give to another person is the gift of yourself.
Every church needs to re-assess its commitment to the vulnerable in its community. Is the church community truly being a sign of hope by caring for the needs of others in the community? Every person needs to re-assess his or her commitment to the vulnerable in the community. We need to recognize that the world will not change until we change ourselves.”
In Christ, Fr. Tim.
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May 12, 2010
Sixth Sunday of Easter – 2010
Year C, May 9th, 2010
First Communion Sunday (II) – By Father Tim McCauley
Does anyone know what Jesus and mothers have in common? God designed human mothers to feed their babies from their own bodies, with milk, and Jesus feeds us with His own Body. Jesus can also be compared to a pelican, an ancient symbol for Jesus. “There was a legend that in time of famine, the mother pelican wounded herself, striking her breast with the beak to feed her young with her blood to prevent starvation” (Fr. William Saunders) Jesus is like the legendary pelican because He feeds us with His own Blood in Holy Communion.
And it makes perfect sense that spiritual food would be one of the seven Sacraments. The Catechism reminds us that there is a sacrament for every stage of our life. We are born into this world, and we are born spiritually in the sacrament of baptism. We grow up, and are strengthened spiritually in Confirmation. We eat each day to live, and we receive spiritual nourishment in the Eucharist, the food of eternal life (CCC #1212).
Children, does anyone here remember what you had for lunch/dinner? And where is all that food now? In your stomach. And what are you going to do with all that food. Digest it. Why? To make skin and bones and hair – to build up your bodies. Do you have to think about it or understand it, to change food into body parts? No!
Let’s compare it to Holy Communion. Pope Benedict wrote a book on the Eucharist in which he quotes St. Augustine, who hears Jesus saying to him, “I am the bread of the strong, eat me! But you will not transform me and make me part of you; rather, I will transform you and make you part of me” (God is Near Us, p. 78 from Augustine, Confessions, bk. 7, 10:16).
Isn’t that amazing? When we eat normal food, we change that food into ourselves. But when we eat and drink the Body and Blood of Jesus in Holy Communion, Jesus changes us into Him, little by little, as long as we receive Jesus with faith and try to live as He taught.
Children, it is so important for Holy Communion to be personal and prayerful. It is so important for us to say our personal prayers before and after Mass, and even during Mass!
Pope Benedict once made a very interesting point about Mass. Do you notice that most of the prayers at Mass are prayers we say together, as the people of God? We say “we” and “us” and “our.” For example, we don’t say, “I lift my heart up to the Lord”; instead, we say, “We lift up our hearts to the Lord.” We don’t say, “My Father who art in heaven” but “Our Father.”
Pope Benedict remarked that just before Communion, we change over from “we” to “I” when we say, “Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed.” (The Eucharist: The Heart of Life, p. 81).
Holy Communion must be personal and prayerful for it to be meaningful. In all religions there is a danger that we follow rituals, customs, rules and regulations, but we lose the spirit, the inner meaning of our worship. To prevent this, we really do need the Holy Spirit – the Holy Spirit to teach us to pray, to personalize our Holy Communion with Jesus.
Today is the sixth Sunday of Easter, and we are starting to hear a little less about the Resurrection of Jesus, and a little bit more about the Holy Spirit. Did you notice that? In the first reading, we heard how the early Church made a very important decision guided by the Holy Spirit; they said, “it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us” (Acts ). And in the Gospel, Jesus tells the disciples, “the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I have said to you” (John 14:26).
We really need to pray for the coming of this Holy Spirit into our hearts! O my friends, how desperately we need the Holy Spirit! Next week we celebrate the Ascension of Jesus, and the week after, the great feast of the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Let us all prepare for Pentecost with fervent prayer (There’s a Novena Prayer in the bulletin).
A song I heard this past week reminded me of the importance of personal prayer and a personal relationship with God. It’s called, “Standing in the need of prayer.” Some of the words are: “It’s not my mother, not my father, but it’s me O Lord, standing in the need of prayer. Not my neighbour, not my teacher. Not the deacon, not the preacher, but it’s me O Lord, standing in the need of prayer.”
Every time we pray, every time we come to Church, every time we receive Holy Communion, we should say to God, “It’s me O Lord.”
This past week, the priests of Ottawa heard a presentation about a new Catholic Marriage Prep course based on JP II’s Theology of the Body. The whole course can be taken on-line (CatholicMarriagePrep.com). I highly recommend it to all those preparing for marriage, and even as a form of marriage renewal.
The founder of this course told us that on one of the last days of the live course, where they actually meet the couples, they end by lighting a candle and inviting people to say a prayer out loud. For many people, it is the first time in their lives that they have said a prayer out loud (that was not the Our Father or the Hail Mary). Children, and all those here present, that must not be so with us. We must make up our own personal, individual prayers to God each day – prayers of petition (asking for things) but also prayers of thanksgiving and praise. “Come, Holy Spirit and teach me to pray.” “It’s me, O Lord, standing in the need of prayer.”
When we receive Holy Communion, we focus on the presence of Jesus in our bodies and souls; but whenever we receive Jesus, we also receive the Father and the Holy Spirit. Jesus tells us in today’s Gospel: “whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we (the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit) will come and make our home with him” (Jn 14:23). God the Creator of the universe comes down from heaven to dwell in the temple of your heart. Keep that temple clean of sin, pure and holy, so that when you receive Holy Communion, your heart will truly become a heaven on earth.
I said at the beginning of my homily that Jesus can be compared to a mother, because as a mother feeds her baby with her milk, Jesus feeds us with His Body and Blood. We honour all mothers on this Mother’s Day, so let us also include Mary the Mother of God, who is our spiritual mother and whom we honour with a special devotion during this whole month of May.
Who is this Jesus we receive in Holy Communion? He is Jesus, born of Mary. The Body of Christ came from the Body of Mary. Without Mary, there would be no Jesus in the flesh, no Jesus in Holy Communion. So let us thank her on this day of First Communion, and ask for her continued intercession as we say the short prayer on the Miraculous Medal, “O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.”
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Homilies