April
22, 2007
Three
Stones
More
thanks
I started last week to thank the hundreds of people who made Holy Week
“happen.” Then I ran out of space. So let me finish a few
more thank you’s here....
Easter Vigil was a high point of our Holy Week celebration and I want
to thank, forst of all, those who were welcomed into the church thhrough
Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. Your example has invigorated our
community as God continues to help the church to grow. Thanks to our
RCIA team who prepared these neophytes over the past year and all who
helped at the Vigil. Thanks to all who set up for the sunrise mass on
Saturday and those who ministered at the actual mass -- it was so cold
physically, but spiritually warm. For all who welcomed our fellow parishioners
to our crowded church, I say thanks. (Let’s keep inviting them
back.)
Alleluia!
Online
Masses
We are now going to be able to stream masses and other events live over
the internet to homebound folks and to relatives who live in other lands.
If you’re interested in this, in this, click
here.
Away
at College?
Are you or your child away at college? At St. Brigid’s we like
to stay in touch via occasional e-mails as we send photos and news from
“home”. College students wishing to be connected through
our “Letters from home” can sign up online here
or you can mail or
e-mail thecollege names and e-mail addresses to Father Ralph and he’ll
put them on the list.
e-mail Father Ralph:
Past Columns:
April 15: What a week!
April 8: Alleluia! Alleluia!
April 1: Holy Week
March 25: Climate Change
March 18: Take A Step
March 11: Cold Enough for
You?
March 4:Stocking the Shelves
Feb 25: Basket Case
Feb18: Ashes and Desert
Dust
Feb11: Get Ready, Get Set,
REST!
Feb.4: Lent Lurking
Jan.28:Catholic Schools
Week
Jan.21:Crying in Church
Jan.14: Love ahead
Jan.7:
So How Was Your Christmas?
Columns
from 2005
Columns
from 2004
Columns from
2003
Columns from 2002
When
you read this, I’ll be heading back from a pilgrimage in Europe
(see everything online
- I’ve been adding a page-a-day.) I’m actually writing this
from Krakow Poland, as I head for Vienna tomorrow. (The internet is a
wonderful thing -- I can even see Sunday mass from St. Brigid’s
while in Europe, but I digress...) I’ve been carrying two stones
in my pocket during the trip -- one I picked up on the grounds of the
church of the Divine Mercy, the other I picked up at the Auschwitz Concentration
Camp. Having those two stones side by side on this pilgrimage has been
a profound thing for me.
Both places are in Poland -- one
place has drawn hundreds of thousands to pray for God’s Mercy in
their lives; millions were forced to the other place, only to be murdered.
To carry stones of grace and sin together has made me think about our
human condition and the power of Christ in our lives.
I titled this column “Three
Stones,” because I’ve been thinking about the stone at the
tomb of Jesus that his followers found rolled away. It was because this
stone was rolled away that we know we have grace and we know we can overcome
evil. Yet I was disturbed as to how people in this area of Europe who
were surrounded by so many beautiful churches and shrines could turn a
blind eye to the horrors of the holocaust --and indeed participate in
it. Could religion become so hollow, so without power, that it had no
claim on the real lives and behaviors of people?
It makes me think about how we
celebrate Easter in our lives during these 50 days (and beyond). How does
our religion affect our lived faith? How do we carry this faith into our
daily lives at home, at school, at work? Just as I carry these stones
with me, so too we carry Jesus into the lives we live. Those lives aren’t
perfect -- they have their moments of frustration, brokenness, and hurt.
But this is countered by the moments of Christ’s love, forgiveness
and healing.
Now I’m headed home with
more than rocks. My journey here has been blessed not only by dry, warm
sunny weather (sorry, I had to get that in), but with God’s grace.
