Father Bill says...Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

This Sunday's Gospel is from John 6 - for five weeks, the Gospel will be from John 6 - called the Bread of Life Dialogue - this chapter begins with this Sunday's Gospel - the feeding of the 5,000 - as I read this Sunday's Scriptures - I remembered last Tuesday - I was visiting my brother - and we went off to play golf with my nephew and this three children - as well as a friend - and even my sister-in-law came along to drive and coach - it was great fun and fortunately, the course was not crowded - so we did not disturb things.

The Feeding of the 5,000 reminded me of when we headed to a local Pizza place for lunch - no- it wasn't freely passed out - but is is quite an expereience to charge in - order the pizza - try to figure out who gets what - and then pass it all out - so I couldn't help but wonder how Jesus dealt with the logistics of this Gospel experience - as he fed 5,000 with five loaves and two fish.

The Sunday Scriptures set the stage for the Gospel story - with the reading from Paul's Letter to the Ephesians - here St. Paul counsels and urges the people "to live in a manner of the call you have received" - the first step in our journey to live as good Christians and followers of Jesus Christ and good members of the Catholic church - is to remember that we are called - the reality is that all people are called to live in the Spirit of Our Savior - but many do not recognize this call - so Paul urges us today to realize that we are called - we are chosen in a special way - our world can be a better place, if we would but recognized that we have been chosen and God longs to work through us to make the world a better place.

So - St. Paul sets out for us a program - a path to follow - so that we can live as chosen people - he begins with the virtues of humility, gentleness and patience - rather, basic virtures - but let us first of all remember these are not passive virtues - to be humble, gentle, and patient does not mean to sit back and watch the world go by - to refuse to do anything - to express our humility and gentleness adnpatience by avoiding everything and everyone - so that we may remain in God's Spirit - we are humble when we know who we ar and honestly accept our gifts and shortcomings and use those gifts that are ours as well as we can - we are gentle when we remove from our ives all that is of violence and anger - and become a force for good by being gentle - and we make the world world a better place because we deal with the experiences of life by being a person of patience and calmness - in our actions and our speech.

Paul goes on - "bear with one another through love" - don't you love it - "bear with one another" - Paul knows that some times along our journey of life, we will run into difficult relationships - difficult experiences - challenges from tohers - and Paul says - "bear with one another" - and how - "through love."

He writes - "preserve the unity of the Spirit - through peace" - we can unite our families and our parishes and our communities - when we are a force for peace - when we make our community and our family a place of unity and love - when we personally live in peace - when we do all we can to bring peace into our communities - this is what makes us a Church - the People of God - because we are united in peace and love - always rady to make our world a better place.

How do we do this best - by reaching out to help others in any way we can - so Jesus gives us such a wonderful example - in this story of the feeding of the 5,000 - which of course reminds us of our Eucharist - as Jesus unites us in Spirit and love by inviting us to the altar of the Lord for this most important and beautiful sacrament - that unites us to our od and unites us to each other.

One more thing - around here - there will be a second collection this Sunday - this is for the Missionary Projects of the Diocese of Ogdensburg - for over 40 years - our diocese sent priests - at least two at a time - to South America - to the city of Mollendo, in Southern Peru - to staff a local parish - a few years ago, it was necessary to end this missionary effort - but the Diocese continues to help the missions - especially, our friends in Mollendo - through this second collection - it was one of the more memorable experiences in my life to spend three years at this parish in Peru - I must admit it had a powerful influence in whom I am as a priest - probably doing more for me than for the people there - but I think it did say something to those people - and to the people of our diocese - that it is important for us to be a mission conscience diocese - that we are concerned with our Church - far beyond the limits of our diocese - far beyond each of our parishes - so today I remember and pray for so may wonderful people who were part of my life as a missionary priest in South America.

One quick P.S. - recently, on my Facebook page (yes, I have one - come join me) - up came a young man who I remember so well from down in Mollendo.

LET US PRAY

Almighty God, my Father - I pray this day that you may touch my life - teach me, Lord - how to be humble, gentle, patient - help me to be a person of peace - that I may live in teh Spirit of the great saint, St. Paul - and in the Spirit of my Savior, Jesus Christ. This is my prayer. Amen.

Please join me as we say together the Lord's Prayer.

Father Bill says...for the Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

I want to introduce you to my friend, 90 year old, Bob Vannier of Ticonderoga - last Sunday, Bob invited me out for a sail - now I want you to know I know very little about sailing - so I thought it would be interesting - I knew Bob was an experienced sailor - what I didn't realize was just how agile this 90 year old was - so I was quite astonished to see him hustling around - puttin gup sails - moving up and down the hull - and I was truly impressed with his love for sailing - he just loves every moment that he is out on Lake Champlain - by the way, he is still an avid skier - so this sailing experience was my highlight of the week.

Now - as for this weekend's Scriptures - I must admit to you at this moment I have no idea of just what I will be saying at Mass this weekend - I have many ideas but they have just not settled into a good pattern for me.

The Old Testament reading - from Jeremiah - establishes a contrast with this week's psalm and Gospel - Jeremiah speaks out against the leaders - the religious leaders of his day - bringing the words of God to them, saying, "Woe to the shepherds who mislead and scatter the flock of my pasture, says the Lord." This reading will be followed by the very familiar psalm - the 23 psalm - the Good Shepherd Psalm - in which the psalmist describes the great love and care that the Good Shepherd has for his flock - the compassionate love that God has for his people. Then in the Gospel - Jesus first of all shows compassionate love to his apostles - if you remember last Sunday's Gospel - he sent them out on missionary journeys two by two throughout Galilee - this Sunday's reading describes their return - and Jesus says - you need to take a rest - let us go across the lake and find a place to rest. Their rest period is interrupted by the appearance of the crowd, seeking the presence of Jesus - and Jesus does not hesitate to give them his time and love - his compassionate love. I suppose I could talk about interruptions - although very annoying - interruptions can be the stuff of life - how often the unexpected interruptions of a day can be the best time, the time best spent, the most successful thing that we do during a particular day.

Then there is the reading from Paul's Letter to the Ephesians - Paul writes to urge his peole to break through their controversies and divisions - and discover the peace and happiness of unity. He holds up for them Jesus as his model - he writes, "In Christ Jesus, you who once were far off have become near by the blood of Christ." Christ himself is that peace which brings unity - through the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit that brings peace they and we will find unity - Christ makes peace by giving himself - he willing demonstrates his peace by his desire for peace by his willing to accept suffering and sacrifice out of love - and Christ often preached peace.

Paul reminds his people and us - that creating unity now - we must emulate Jesus - first of all we must find peace -the peace that leads to unity - by forming our relationship with Jesus and living our lives in the Spirit and love of Jesus. We must understand that making peace is costly - it demands a readiness to sacrifice - by putting aside our own wishes - it begins by demanding our readiness to listen - listen with empathy - and a readiness to dialogue - to talk things out over and over again.

Then, in the following of Jesus, we turn to the Holy Spirit and pray for guidance and help and wisdom that we may be a force for good in uniting ourselves and others together - and then we are called to preach peace - by our lives and the way we treat others - by our readiness to share Christ's gift of reconciliation - through our words and actions.

LET US PRAY

Almighty God, my Father - hear me as I pray this day - may I truly learn to be a part in your hopes for unity among all peoples - especially, among all people of faith - may I discover your peace - and may I live in your peace - for through the peace and with your love, I will destrsoy barriers that keep me from others - that will help to establish unity in my parish and my world. This is my prayer. Amen.

Please join me as we say together the Lord's Prayer.

For the Fifteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time

This is me with part of my family at the Fourth of July in Ticonderoga - they - not me - had just finished being part of the mile run.

The week started out with rain and rain around here - but ended with sunshine - starting to dry out around here - summer must be here -Sunday Masses are filled with old friends who have summer places on the lakes.

This Sunday - is dedicated to our becoming missionaries of the Lord - of reaching out to helping others in the Spirit of Our Savior - the Gospel reading - from Mark - tells us of Jesus sending out the apostles two by two to take the message to the people of Galilee. The message for us is that we are also called and sent to change the world - we are God's instruments - this is our dignity and our responsibility. Chrsitianity is never something to be kept to ourselves - we must be active - not passive in our following of Jesus - while only a few will be called to preach the Gospel - all are expected to witness to the Gospel by their lives and readiness to help those in need.

So I plan to use two stories this weekend - I have used them often in the past - but they are good stories - so they will joggle a few memories - even for you - their message continues to be a good one.

A man, passing through town - is shocked to see a young boy begging - he is dressed in rags and looks terrible, even sick - later the man - while visiting a nearby Church - berates God - in his prayer he shouts at the Lord - "God, why don't you do something for this child?" - and the response comes back to him from the Lord - "I have done something - I made you."

The other story comes from the Korean Way - they say it is true - even if it is not, it is a great story - during an attack on a city by American troops - a large statue of Jesus - outside the parish Church - is damaged badly - broken up into many pieces - some of the soldiers noticed what had happened and decided to volunteer to pick up the many pieces and try to put the statue together for the priest - they did very well in their restoration - but couldn't find the hands of Jesus - so they offered to pay to have someone create hands to finish the statue - the priest thought for a moment - and then decided not to replace the hands - and instead - he prepared a sign for the pedestal - which read - "Friend, lend me your hands."

Jesus speaks to each of us today - "Friend, lend me your hands."

LET US PRAY

Almighty God, my Father - I turn to you this day - seeking your wisdom and guidance - help me to recognize tis very day - where you need me - where I can make a difference - where I can do some good for someone in need - with your help I will truly become your hands and bring your love and help to someone in need. This is my prayer. Amen.

Please join me as we say together the Lord's Prayer.

Father Bill says...For the Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today is the 4th of July - around our town this is a big deal - so there will be a parade and all sorts of activities in the park and fireworks tonight - it is fun to see so many folks coming back to town for this weekend - always interesting to see those who left here after high school and to discover all that they have accomplished - I noticed that in the Gospel rading for this Sunday - that Jesus returns to his home town - and the peole there find him too much - they are amazed at his preaching and his confidence and his deep spirituality - as well as the magnificent things that he has accomplsihed - he is well know throughout all of Galilee - but for them he is just one of those who grew up in this town - just a carpenter - they know his family - the Gospel says - he is too much for them - they just can't accept him and his teaching - I guess that could happen to many who will be coming back to town for the 4th - we will be surprised at all that they have accomplished - and may even have our doubts.

The 4th is about freedom and independence - unfortunately, it becomes a day of remembrance of wars and battles and deaths - so for me it is day of prayer for peace - may peace come soon to this world of ours - let us never lose hope that peace is possible - may we begin by bringing the spirit of peace into our lives - when we live in peace - we have begun to make our world a place of peace.

This Sunday I will focus on the Second reading - this reading is from the Second Letter to the Corinthians - it is a rather familiar section - it is here that Paul speaks of the fact that he has a "thorn in the flesh" - we never do find out exactly what he is talking about - but the expression is common to all of us - many have spoken of "a thorn in the flesh" that has upset their lives - what it is for Paul we do not know - possibly - illness, a worry, the burdens of life, an addiction, a compulsion - or even possibly another person - someone at work - a neighbor - or even in the family.

Paul says - that he has often begged God to move this "thorn" - and God's message comes back to him - "My grace is sufficient for you - for power is made perfect in weakness" - God can and does work through our human weakness - Paul recognizes that this "thorn" has kep him humble - and so he accepts his weakness and powerlessness - "Therefore, I am content with weakness, insults, hardships, persecutaions - for the sake of Christ - for when I am weak, then I am strong."

I suspect that many of us can think of many examples of this - I know many disable people whose accomplishments amaze me - I know so many who have suffered so much who continue to find success in life - I can think of those that the world would not expect much - who accomplish so much - and I know that there are so many times when I feel very incompetent - to give me the support, the help, the guidance to accomplish what I must undertake.

So - for us - in our weakness - we experience the power of God; in our darkness - we experience his light; in our sins - we experience his mercy. So, I thank God - I rejoice in my God - God has supported me in so many ways - I am certain many of you - parents, teachers, leaders - can join me in thanking God - who has supported and lead each one of us - even when we are weak - and feel useless.

LET US PRAY

Almighty God, my Father - I turn to you today through the intercession of St. Paul - I thank you for standing with - especially when I feel weak - when I feel useless - when I am not certain I can accomplish this task - with you I can do all things - even when I am weak. this is my prayer.
Amen.

Please join me as we say together the Lord's Prayer.