Today is the Feast of the Ascension of Jesus.  As I awake to this day I am struck by two thoughts.

The first being:  WOW, Jesus totally went to heaven, that’s awesome!  And how did he do it?!?….his whole body!?!….now that is fantastic.

The second being:  do we really need to label it a day of obligation?  That kind of ruins it for me just a bit.  In my mind O B L I G A T I O N removes my active role in the freedom to choose.  I choose to follow Jesus and love Him with all of my heart.  I don’t show up to mass on a holy day or a Sunday with a punch card – time in, time out – obligation fulfilled.  I show up to be filled up.  I show up to be part of a community that is choosing to worship the greatest love.  I choose to be at mass because my heart wouldn’t have it any other way and to church is where I am led.

I realize that not everyone feels the way I do about going to church; I know that I have not ALWAYS felt this way.  So for this discussion’s sake lets remove obligation from the church experience.  What is going to church all about?   It is about our walk with Christ.

In an attempt to keep this discussion practical:  How am I doing on my walk with Christ?  Recently I was reading a blog where the writer shared a simple way of keeping a pulse on your walk with your Creator.  In the blog he suggests to periodically make a running list of the everyday tangible things that draw us to Him and things that don’t.

“The list can seriously include anything. My list changes all the time. Sometimes it’s weird. But what it comes down to is worship. What stirs in you a spirit of thankfulness that points you towards your Creator? What stirs you towards Him? Run to those things. What puts out the flame? Run from those things. “

After reading his list I was inspired to start my own ( I borrowed some of his).   I invite you to try it yourself.

Things that Stir my Affections for Christ

1.  A good homily
2.  A few minutes with paper and pencil and inspiration to draw
3.  Preparing, reading, reflecting on this blog
4.  Mountains and lakes
5.  The flurry of ideas after a good run
6.  Apple products
7.  A clean house
8.  Children’s art

Things that Detract from my Affections for Christ
1.  Feeling obligated
2.  Stress that blurs my priorities
3.  Staying up too late
4.  Mindless, time zapping, computer time
5.  Dwelling on the could haves, would haves, should haves
6.  Desperate reality TV
7.  Hypocrisy
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Catholic Snappleshot #3
 Contrary to popular misconception, Saint Peter’s church in Rome is not a cathedral, as it is not the seat of a bishop.  It is properly termed a papal basilica.  The Archbasilica of St. John Lateran is the cathedral church of Rome.

For me, legacy does not involve quantities of money or impressive academic accolades.  Of course, diligently serving one’s family through hard work, and developing our minds through education are things we value highly in our family.  But the legacy I am talking about is a legacy of faith.  No part of our heritage has more value.  Am I doing all I can to ensure that as my children grow, they will embrace this faith on their own, weaving it into their families so that daily life would be unrecognizable without it?

On Sunday at Mass, Father Ralph invited all the mothers in the congregation, including his own dear mother, up into the sanctuary for a special Mother’s Day blessing.  And it reminded me how much motherhood has made me grow.  Many manage to grow up broadly and thoughtfully in Christ without becoming parents, but for many of us, it is parenthood which revives in us a desire to be Christlike, and to point to God as our children grow.  While we may fall again and again, we are blessed in our faith to have the abililty to confess our sins and leave the mess  at the foot of the cross.  Then, the next moment, we are invited to do better, keeping eternity in mind.

Were you one of the millions who posted your mother’s day greetings on Facebook?  I must admit, I was one of them.  It was so nice to see all the tributes friends had made to their mothers.  Some said prayers or posted about Moms who had passed away, others inserted YouTube songs like “I’ll always love my Mama” or “Song to Mama” as tributes to their moms.  I especially loved photos people posted of their Moms.  It was so nice to see everyone taking a moment to appreciate one of the most important people in their lives.

Do you remember as a child making your Mom a gift out of glued macaroni or a card with the phrase, “ Rose are red, violets are blue”?  What about the construction paper poster with M is for the million things she gave me, O is for etc.. The look of joy on your Mom’s face when she received her gift and it didn’t dawn on you that Mom didn’t smoke, so the ashtray was completely useless despite the fact that it was misshapen and the color of dirt.

On Mother’s Day I often think of her.  Mary.  What it must have meant to be the Mother of Christ.  Jesus as a toddler?  How about getting little Jesus to eat vegetables or watching him fall while learning to walk.  Could you imagine potty training!  What about teenager Jesus telling Mary, “No, Mom, I’m right.”  I don’t even know how to answer that!

We don’t know a lot about those early years and yet we know they had special relationship.  She was the only person with Him from birth ‘til death.  She is the Mother of God and in her name we honor all mothers.  In tribute to the Mother above all Mothers I give you the Ave Maria as sung by Luciano Pavarotti.

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

Happy Mother’s Day!  I hope you had a fabulous day!
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Saint Brigid says:  Do you know what the words of the “Ave Maria” mean in English?

Hail Mary full of Grace
The Lord is with You
Blessed are You among women
And blessed is the fruit of your womb,  Jesus.

Holy Mary,  Mother of God
Pray for us sinners now
and at the our of our death.
Amen.

When Jesus was growing up there was no official Mother’s Day, or Father’s Day for that matter.  From the time of Moses, God commanded us to honor our mother and father.  Jesus did just that, taking care of his mother, even at the foot of his cross, when he spoke to the disciple he loved and said, “Woman, behold, your son!” and then said to the disciple “Behold, your mother!”.  John 19:26-27.

Mother’s Day is a wonderful way to remind us to stop amid the hustle and bustle of our daily lives to reflect on the person who loves us unconditionally.  The one who gave birth to us, adopted us and guided us as we grew into the adults we have become. The person who sacrificed her body, her time, her finances so that we could flourish.  The woman who lived it all again when we became mother’s ourselves.  But I am challenged on a daily basis to be present for my mother and to thank God for granting me and my family what I pray are many, many more years of time with her.  So this year, I pray that I remember that challenge and meet it every day.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus commanded us to love one another. John 15:9-17.  He told us “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”  My mother was my first friend from the moment I was conceived.  She carried me, nurtured me, healed me and taught me how to be a mother.  There is, indeed, no greater love than this!

I wish the Lord’s blessings to all the mothers, godmothers, grandmothers, aunts, friends and special women who have inspired us, guided us and simply, who have loved us!!!

Some of the mothers who were blessed on Mother’s Day at Saint Brigid’s! 

“Remain in me.” It seems somewhat simple but it implies many things. Faithfulness to prayer,”Stay with me and pray.” Presence as in undivided attention, as in unconditional love, as in compassion. Why is it important to remain in him? Without me, there is no life,” Without me, you can do nothing,” in vain do the builders build, in vain your getting up early, in vain your going to bed late. “Mary has chosen the better part.” Lord, I remain caught up in many tasks, help me chose the better part in the midst of the storm of activity surrounding me. The following interpretation of Psalm 23 is a reminder of my desire to remain in you.

Psalm 23 for Busy People 

The Lord is my pace setter, I shall not rush.
He makes me to stop and rest for quiet intervals.
He provides me with images of stillness, which restores my serenity.
He leads me in ways of efficiency, through calmness of mind.

And His guidance is my peace.
Even though I have a great many things to accomplish each day
I will not fret, for His presence is here.
His timelessness, His all-importance will keep me in balance.

He prepares refreshment and renewal in the midst of my activity
By anointing my mind with His oils of tranquillity.
My cup of joyous energy overflows.
Surely harmony and effectiveness shall be the fruits of my hour,
For I shall walk in the pace of the Lord and dwell in His house forever.

A dear teacher of mine used to say: “It’s all about knowing when the time is right”. I still remember her wise words filled with kindness, although I used to feel a bit inpatient and sometimes too excited to understand the concept and value of waiting for good things to happen. Waiting? Do you mean, not now? When? How do I know when the time is right?

Last Saturday morning, my daughter received her first holy communion.

As a proud mom, I was trying to assimilate each detail and each moment of that very special day.  My daughter, who had been counting down the days to receive Jesus, confidently told me before going to church that day: “We have been preparing with sister for almost a year to receive Jesus; I thought this day was taking too long to come, but now it’s here!”

Indeed, it takes time to learn, to prepare and be ready for great things to happen, especially when it’s about receiving all the goodness and love that only Jesus can give when we receive his precious body and precious blood in the Eucharist.

During his homily, Father Ralph reminded all communicants that after their first communion nothing could stop them from receiving Jesus for their second, third  forth communions and every time there’s an opportunity to receive Him in the Eucharist. The more you receive Jesus, the more you want Jesus. The more you have Jesus, the more you can’t live without Jesus! From that moment on, no more waiting is necessary to be one with Jesus.

By the end of this beautiful ceremony, all communicants proudly stood up on their pews (yes, Father Ralph said that was the only time he lets them do that) and receive a big ovation from all family and friends who gathered to celebrate and thank God for that special day.

Over the past couple of weeks, during this Easter season, we have had some wonderful images — images and occupations of a somewhat agrarian culture:  Jesus as the shepherd, God as the farmer tending the vines;  the disciples were largely fishermen; Jesus and Joseph were carpenters…throw in an artisanal beer maker and cheesemonger and we could be talking about Brooklyn in 2012.

I love the soil, which is probably why I love the image of God tending his vines.  God getting dirt under the fingernails, throwing out the rocks in the soil, clipping the withered branches and discarding them all to make  way for the bounty of fruit to come.     There is a certain amount of faith involved in pruning at least for me there is.  Discerning which branches need to go can be a tough call, sure the branches that have withered are easy to cut away but what about the other branches the ones that we should eliminate for the better of the plant on the whole.  And yes, faith that once we make these cuts we have ACTUALLY bettered the plant in the long run.

Pruning, not always easy but like most things in life – with faith in God you will prune what God intends for you to prune.  And ultimately bear fruit.

[B3earFruit is a Christian clothing line.   LOL] 

This past Saturday, the Second Graders received First Holy Communion, and my daughter was among the communicants.  It was a precious day from start to finish.

Like a lot of good things in life, a substantial part of the joy of the day was in the anticipation of it occurring.  The children had been studying and working for quite some time.  My wife had sewn my daughter’s dress.  We had readied the house and the food.  My daughter was literally vibrating with the excitement of imagining her first receipt of the Body and Blood of Christ.  Even at her tender age, I felt that she had a very mature understanding of what was about to happen.  Her understanding appeared to be emotional, spiritual, and instinctual.  Like her First Reconciliation, she knew that something good was coming.  Like the instinct animals have to predict an approaching storm, she could feel that something was about to change.

And change it did.  She’s now on the next leg of a journey that we started her on at her Baptism.  I’d find it hard to describe what went on inside the church.  There’s something very private and yet very communal about the way Communion is done at St. Brigid’s.  I find it hard to put my finger on it.

After the Communion, we returned home, and our dearest family and friends came with us.  Our family and friends mingled, and people who had not met before spent a considerable time finding out about each other.  The families, I suppose, my wife and I put together over these past twenty-five years.  But the treasure that are our dearest friends is largely her doing.  She has a way of attracting the best people I have ever known.

So we all came together, in Jesus’s name, for the sake of a child, for the sake of all of our church’s children.  The prayer that I pray for the children is that they always run to Christ with the same anticipation, joy, and lack of fear that they did this week.  I humbly ask that you pray the same.

If you have ever read one of my blogs you already know I love gospel music.  Music connects us all and for me gospel  is a powerful expression of my journey with Christ.  On Sunday morning before I go to church I listen to gospel music to get me in the praise and worship mood.   WBLS  107.5 FM is a radio station that changes its tune on Sunday mornings and has what they call Sunday Praise.  They play the latest gospel hits and even count down the top ten of the week.  What really strikes me is that every week at the end of the program, Liz Black the announcer says,  “Don’t  just go to church, be the church”.

Have you thought about why you go to church?  Is it out of habit?  Are you trying to set a good example for your children? And when you walk in those church doors do you feel any different?  How do you feel when you walk out?   What does it mean to be the church?

Recently I’ve been receiving the same message from our pastor and priests.  Have you heard them  during the homily? How can we open our hearts and minds to worship and praise God as a church community as well as in the community at large?  I believe the answer is as simple as WWJD.  (What would Jesus Do?)

To be followers of Christ doesn’t end when we walk out the church doors.  The Apostles realized that to be true followers of Jesus,  they would  have to leave the safety and comfort of the upper room and go out into the world to spread the Word.   When Father Ralph asked us to invite someone to church, I believe he was asking us to be the church, to possibly go out of our comfort zone and talk to others about church.  To be active followers of Christ on the platform at the Westbury train station or during our book club meeting.   While shopping at Stop and Shop, on the golf course or walking down Post Avenue we are to be an example of Christ and His church.  To not be afraid to show and share our faith. The true meaning of being Christian is to be a follower of Christ.   By doing God’s work and simply answering the question “What would Jesus do?”, we show the world what it means to Be the Church.

This week’s gospel song is #1 on the gospel count down written by Grammy award winner Andre’ Crouch and sung by Pastor Marvin Winans.  What I like so much about this song is it’s simplicity.

The chorus is :

Let the church say Amen, Let the Church say Amen
God has spoken, let the church say Amen

“Amen” is that one word which means so much and affirms our faith.  The video has some stunning pictures of the statue of Christ the Redeemer in Corcovado near Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. I hope you like it.

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

I attended the First Holy Communion celebration for a daughter of friends this past weekend at St. Brigid’s.  What a beautiful celebration!  All of the children were adorable and had a mix of excitement and nervousness about receiving the Body of Jesus for the first time.  In reflecting on the Gospel on Sunday (Johns 15:1-8) in which John writes, “Jesus said to his disciples:  “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower.  He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and every one that does he prunes so that it bears fruit. . . “,  I thought of how we as parents prune our children.
 During the homily it was observed that we prune a branch to make it healthy; to give it shape and so that the branch will bear fruit.  With their gentle guidance, my friends have been pruning their daughter, she has a healthy love of God and they have given shape and direction to her life in Christ with the sacraments of Baptism, Reconciliation and First Communion.  Regarding the fruits of their pruning, their daughter lovingly thanked and hugged everyone at her communion celebration individually for being there to share it with her.

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BLOOD DRIVE TODAY, MONDAY MAY 7th….Stop in at  Code Auditorium at St. Brigid’s School (101 Maple Ave, Westbury) from 4 to 9pm today to give a pint of life-giving blood.