February
20, 2005
Second Sunday of Lent
Good
that we are here
Where
in the world is Father Ralph?
Chicago. If you’re looking for me during President’s week,
you won’t find me around here. I’m visiting a pastor friend
of mine in Chicago as I’m taking a little winter break.
See you when I’m back.
Getting
something out of church
Last
week I had two opportunities to gather with families to discover how
we can get more out of going to Mass. When I asked people what they
liked most about coming to church, here’s some of what they said:
“I feel at peace when I receive the Body of Christ”
“The sense of community”
“Being together as a family”
“Listening to the gospel”
“Singing”
“Communion”
“Togetherness”
“That I get to thank God for what we have, our family”
“Cuando empiezan a cantar”
Catholic
Ministries Appeal
I’ve pledged. Have you?
You can pledge online here!
At
College?
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:
February 13: And he was
hungry?
Ash Wednesday '05
February 6: Ashes Already?
January 23: Catholic Schools
Week
January 16: Continued Charity
January 9: Migration
January 2:All is bright?
December 26:
A Blessed Christmas
December 19: Here comes everybody!
December 12: The Journey Continues
Columns from 2004
Columns from 2003
Columns from 2002
Peter
is so touched by the presence of Jesus with Moses and Elijah on the mountain
of transfiguration, as we hear in today’s gospel, that he says.
“Lord it is good that we are here....” and then he suggests
that they build housing for the three. When we read this, we recognize
that Peter wanted to hold on to that moment to make it last.
We’re blessed with moments
like that in our lives --- perhaps it’s at a birthday or anniversary
celebration, perhaps at the birth of a child, perhaps there’s been
that perfect day at the beach or in the mountains. We want the joy of
the moment to last forever.
And then the transfiguring moment
is over. Like the apostles we have to “come down from the mountain”
and re-enter the normal moments of life. In fact, like the apostles and
Jesus, we often have to walk toward the crosses in our lives and it is
then that we realize that the transfiguring moments were given to us to
strengthen us for the journey.
So why not take some time this
week to recognize the blessedness of the moment? Perhaps you’re
not surrounded by the likes of Moses and Elijah -- rather it might be
your children or your parents, your friends or siblings, your co-workers
or fellow-parishioners. Stop and notice who God has placed in your life.
How do these people transfigure you? How do they help you walk when you
face a cross? Lent is a good time to notice these things.
Lent is also a really good time
to notice Jesus. Peter is moved by Jesus’ presence on the mountain.
We too are in the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist and we are fed by
him. Then he lives -- not merely close to us, but actually in us. “Lord
it is good that we are here,“ we pray. Do you notice how good you
feel after coming to Mass? The peace and hope we walk with from the Eucharist
is a sign of God’s presence in our lives. We are transfigured along
with Jesus -- no just on this second Sunday of Lent, but time and time
again. Yes... it IS good that you are here!
You are Person
