September 14, 2003
Triumph of the Cross
Be
like Jesus: Do Carpentry
We’re looking for some volunteer carpentry help for a few small
projects around our parish buildings. Do you have the time and skill
to share with us? Give Father Ralph a call (or e-mail him) if you can
help.
Listening
sessions Coming!
Now that the fall is here the church on Long Island is beginning
a series of listening sessions to help create a vision for the future
of the Catholic Church on Long Island. St. Brigid’s will be participating
in these Synod Listening Sessions soon. You can start by thinking about
the future...what would you like the church on Long Island to look like
(to act like) ten years from now? Pray and use your holy imagination.
Off to College?
Hundreds of our parishioners will be soon going off to college -- either
for the first time or as returning students. At St. Brigid’s we
like to stay in touch through
e-mail “letters from home.”
Once a person has an e-mail address at school (or if he/she uses a personal
address), please let us know what it is so we can include them when
we write.
Here's a handy college link so you
can send this info online.
e-mail Father Ralph:
Past Columns:
Sept 7: Nine-eleven: Two
Years Later
August 31: Where the
Summer went
August 24: Lessons from
the Blackout
August 17: Here and
There
August 10: Surrender
August 3: Reaping Rewards
July 27: What's your
mission?
July 20: From a Deserted
Place
July 13: Nothing for the
Journey
July 6: God at Home
June 29: Going in Stages
June 22: Sommer in the Summer
June 15: Our Newest Priest
Ordained
June 8: The Feast of Pentecost
June 1: Beyond First Communion
May 24: Felicidades Manuel
May 18: Twenty Years Later
May 11: Bows for Peace
May 4: Upcoming Ordinations
April 27: One Heart One
Mind
April 20: Amazingly Graced
Days
April 13: Ashes to Palms
April 6:
God Embedded
March 30:
Pastoral Visits
March 23:
Turning Tables
March
16: Transfiguring Imagination
March
9: Beasts and Angels
March 2:
Lent and Imagination
Feb 23: Sorrow
Far and Wide
Feb 16: Saints
Feb 9: Columbia Lessons
Feb2: Giving At A Difficult
Time
Jan 26: Penny Power
& Catholic Schools
Jan19: Yet Another
Year
Jan 12: Stealing Jesus
Jan5: The Wise Still Come
From Afar
Columns from 2002
Two years ago the “American version
“ of today’s feast of the Exaltation of the Cross was the phrase
“or else the terrorists win”. People were urged to return to
visit and shop in the city “or else the terrorists win”.
People were urged to return to life-as-usual “or else the terrorists
win.” Even advertisers told us to buy their cars and other products
“or else the terrorists win.” As crass as this sentiment was
becoming, there was something behind it that said : despite the most terrifying
experience of our lives, we will continue to live and love.
That’s the story of the cross as well.
The cross was the most terrifying moment in the life of Jesus, his mother
Mary, his apostles and friends. Our church celebrates the feast of the
cross today not because it wants to celebrate its terror, but because
we need to recognize that on the other side of terror is the possibility
of new life, fresh forgiveness, healing and even joy.
Jesus rises from the dead and meets his family
and his friends and offers them forgiveness and everlasting life. This
same risen Jesus is among us in our own day and age to give us forgiveness
for ways in which we’ve brought little “terrors” to others
in our lives, to offer us healing from the memories of the terrors we’ve
suffered, to lead us to healing and joy.
“Or else the terrorists win” was our attempt to grasp the reality
of the triumph of the cross -- somehow we knew (or hoped) that the horrors
of 9-11 were not the end of the story. We knew that life had to go on
and we hoped that we could live it with deeper appreciation for our loved
ones, and with deeper appreciation for life itself.
So lest the terrorists win, let us look at
our lives this week in the light of the cross of Jesus and choose to renew
the way we....live...love...laugh... pray....play...sing...work... give...
hope... eat...share...help... forgive...remember...dance...breathe...heal...see...hear...touch...hope...believe...
We continue to remember in our prayers all who died on 9-11 and their
families. We even dare to pray for the terrorists. In doing that, we know
that Christ wins.
You are Person
