March
6th , 2005
Third Sunday of Lent
To
Tell or Not to Tell
Celebrating
Bishop Romero
One
of the first things I did when I came to St. Brigid’s was to join
our Youth Ministry in a mission trip to El Salvador. The most moving
moment of our trip was when I celebrated mass in the chapel where Bishop
Oscar Romero was assassinated while celebrating mass. It was the closest
I’ve ever been to a place where a martyr died.
The murder of this saintly man took place 25 years ago. Our diocese
commemorates this anniversary with Mass in English and Spanish on Saturday,
March 12th at 7:30pm at St. Agnes Cathedral. Bishop Gregorio Rosa Chavez
, the Auxuilary Bishop of San Salvador will celebrate that mass. But
in addition he will celebrate the Sunday 11:45 Spanish Mass at St. Brigid’s
in the chapel. The mass will begin with a procession at 11am and concludes
with a community celebration. All invited
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Past Columns:
February 27: Dry Mouth Dry
Soul
February 20: Good to Be
Here
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
Last
week we saw the reaction of the “Woman at the Well” when she
encountered Jesus -- despite her own personal embarrassment about her
marriage situation (and the likelihood that the other townspeople had
shunned her), she went off to tell everyone about Jesus. “Perhaps
he is the messiah,” she suggests to them. As a result many people
came to listen to Jesus and eventually believed in him.
This week we see just the opposite.
When the religious leaders question the parents of the man-born-blind
whom Jesus heals in this Sunday’s gospel, they clam up. They’ll
say nothing. “He is old enough to speak for himself--ask him,”
they say. (I would hope that if I had a child who was healed, I’d
certainly be willing to give testimony to the person who healed my child.)
But not these parents.
The difference between the Woman of Samaria and the parents of the man-born-blind
is fear. They were loaded with it. She was fearless. As a result of her
boldness, others came to Christ. As a result of their fear, there was
only isolation. (Imagine how their son felt!)
That brings us to this question:
How bold are we as witnesses to Jesus’ presence in our lives? I’m
not suggesting that our role as believers is to force our beliefs on others.
The Samaritan woman just shares her experience with others. They respond.
We can do the same. Was this Sunday’s mass a good experience for
you? Then why not speak about it when they ask at work, “So how
was your weekend?” Do you get help from prayer when you’re
facing a difficult situation? Then why not share that when someone you
knows is going through a tough time?
The woman at the well is now known
throughout all time for her openness to Christ. The parents of the man-born-blind
are now known for their cowardice. Today we can decide how we’d
like to be known.
You are Person
