January 12, 2003
Stealing Jesus
Bubble
Wrapped
Maybe
what’s “worse” than stealing a statue of Jesus is forgetting
about him. Today, the last day of the Christmas season, many people
are engaged in the ritual of taking down their Christmas trees and putting
away their manger scenes. But as you bubble wrap Jesus’s statue
and place it in the attic or garage, don’t bubble wrap Jesus. He
wants to live in your home, go to work and school with you, talk with
you, listen to you. The whole reason we celebrate Christmas in the first
place is because God wants to dwell with us.
And may I say, for the last time this season: “Merry Christmas!”
Baptism of the Lord
Today
we remember the baptism of Jesus. One way to celebrate is to tell your
children or grandchildren about the story of their baptism. Bring out
the pictures, the videos, the candle, the white garment this week and
let them understand the wonder of that day.
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Past Columns:
Jan5: The
Wise Still Come From Afar
Dec 29: Our
Holy Family
Dec 22: I'll
be Home for Christmas
Dec 15: Viva!
Dec 8: Advent Spirituality
Dec 1:Praying
at Mass
Other Columns from 2002
We noticed one morning that the statue of
the infant Jesus which had been placed in the outdoor manger on Christmas
had been stolen. (We were able to find a replacement a few days later,
but the original is still missing.) A few days later, one of the poor
boxes was stolen from the church. I don’t know if the two incidents
were related because the same person(s) were involved, but in some ways
I think that the thefts are related in a larger way.
Pastoral staffs across Long Island have noted
that in the last few months of 2002, church attendance was lower than
usual and weekly church donations (and Christmas donations) were down
too. Church food pantry shelves were empty for months -- and it seems
that while the TV’s Grinch never manages to steal Christmas, it sometimes
feels as if some larger force has stolen Jesus.
Church leadership (or lack thereof) certainly
has something to do with it. Stories continue to be published about clergy
sexual abuse of minors; people (like me) are dismayed and angered at how
abusive situations were handled. People question the use of their donations
in the diocese.
While I know our parish is concerned that
our income has dropped (the Christmas collection is around $8,000 less
than last year) and we’re facing having to cut back program budgets,
I have a bigger concern. I’m afraid that not just the statue, but
the spirit of Jesus is being stolen. I’m afraid that our church sins
have led to an attitude that some people can no longer trust the church
family and that their participation in the life of the church doesn’t
matter.
Yet this is the time we need one another
more than ever. In any family, when crisis hits, it is the presence of
family members, not their withdrawal that helps to heal and to get beyond
whatever the crisis is. So too at St. Brigid’s. While people are
being terribly affected by the hurts and outrages revealed in the past
year, this is a time to come together (just as we did at 9-11) to offer
support, comfort, challenge, strength and peace.
So I invite you to reach out to anyone you
know who needs to be listened to and supported during these days. Know
that I am willing and open to listen to the concerns of our parish family
members. Even if our statue or poor box are never returned, I hope that
our people will return and that the forces of evil won’t have succeeded
in stealing Jesus.
