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Rejoicing In The Lord!
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September 10, 2020Early today, as in most mornings, Fr. Ben and I were praying in front of the exposed Blessed Sacrament in the little chapel of our Rectory. In addition to the prayers in the Breviary of the "Office of Readings” and the "Morning Prayer" we also spend a full half-an-hour in silence. This is one of the best moments of my day. Today, the words coming into the silence of my heart were repeatedly, "REJOICE IN THE LORD! ALWAYS REJOICE IN THE LORD! REJOICE IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD! REJOICE! GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD!"
I was also recalling the words of St Paul’s to the Romans (second reading for this weekend), "None of us lives for oneself, and no one dies for oneself. For if we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord" (Romans 14:7-9). St Paul was in jail when he wrote his letter to the Romans. Following his dramatic conversion from persecutor of Christ to disciple of Christ, he spent his entire life living for Christ. Though in jail, he was totally free, no longer having chains attaching him to the world. He was ready to die for Christ. He had just proclaimed also from his jail, “Nothing, neither life nor death, can separate us from the Love of God in Christ Jesus Our Lord." (Romans 8:38) Paul was totally at peace, feeling the Presence and the Love of Jesus Christ.
I pray to God that as we enter our 40 HOURS OF ADORATION TONIGHT, beginning at 10 pm, together we can find the same Peace and Joy as St Paul did 2,000 years ago. Like Paul, we have much to celebrate for the wonderful first 40 YEARS of our parish.
Like Paul, we may feel the burdens of suffering. We may not be in jail, we may not face the imminent death of a martyr, but we may feel the sufferings of the continuing pandemic (such as limitations in the use of our churches, inability to receive the Eucharist, losses of income, sense of isolation and loneliness, fear of death for our loved ones at risk), we may feel the sufferings of the attacks on the moral teachings of the Catholic Church (such as sanctity of life from conception of the embryo in a mother's womb to natural death, sanctity of marriage always between a man and a woman, chastity in celibate life), we may feel the pains of those suffering from racial discrimination and injustice, we may feel the fear of unrest and violence in our own country, we may feel the pain of so many young people addicted to drugs, sex, alcohol...and I could go on and on.
But like Paul, we can accept all those sufferings for the Glory of Our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the paradox of our Christian Faith, Suffering in Christ while Rejoicing in Him at the same time.
Like Paul, we can have total Trust in Our Lord Jesus Christ. Like Paul, we can say that we live in Christ. Like Paul, we can feel the Presence and the Love of Christ in our lives. Like Paul, we have the full presence of the Lord in the EUCHARIST. We cannot only receive the real Body of Christ, but we can also look at HIM, we can ADORE HIM in silence as many of us will do through the 40 HOURS OF ADORATION. Come and be in the presence of God, in the presence of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Come and pray. Come and Rejoice in the Lord! Come and give Him THANKS for everything we have in our lives!
On behalf of our entire staff and clergy, I would like to wish every parishioner a most blessed celebration of our 40th ANNIVERSARY as a parish! Special prayers and blessings go to our pioneers, those of you who have been parishioners for the last 40 years. I hope that many of you, including children and families, can join us in the special celebration with Archbishop Gregory at the 5 pm Mass next Saturday September 19. If you have not yet signed up, click here!
Let us pray together, “O Lord Jesus Christ help each one of us to REJOICE IN YOU every day of our lives! Help us to accept our sufferings for your Glory! Help us to be grateful to you for everything happening in our lives! Help us to Trust in You! And may Mary, your Blessed Mother, always protect us and lead us to You!”
One in Christ,
Fr. Alain
