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September 10, 2023Just two weeks ago, we heard a portion of this Gospel and the important message that week we read about and include again. The notion of binding and loosing really is about forgiveness and community. In the ten commandments and the commentary the Rabbis, scholars and teachers made about them was about living in relationship with God and his people. We are to recognize that there are patterns that we must preserve our relationship with God and others. This is what Moses brought to the people, a way of being in community with one another. The basic idea was to avoid behaviors that are destructive to relationships. One of our parishioners in her work advises people on a number of levels. One admonition she uses is that people “stay in their lane”, i.e., remember who you are and that others are in this too. When we approach someone who needs correction, it is good to remember this advice. We too are imperfect but can call people to better behavior with love and forgiveness. This is the “lane” of Christianity. Our binding and loosing tends toward the radical forgiveness we have all received in Jesus Christ. Of course, it takes work and preparation to do this and we have the sacraments, particularly the Eucharist and confession, to help us. I try to remember what Pope St. John XXIII said about correcting the fault of others. “See everything, overlook what you can and correct a little.” This will strengthen us and others. It is a good thing to remember as we seek to find a way to loose without trying too hard to bind every moment. He is one of my favorites of the modern popes because of his holy attitude and good understanding about the human condition. God understands too what we are like and we can see that He continually calms his anger to restore us and with great love, always great love. It is a good thing to remember as we humbly correct others.
This past Tuesday, Charlie and I met with some members of the Latino community to talk about The Divine Renovation principles that we are following to achieve our parish renewal. We noted that in many ways it is already happening with our programs, Alpha, our leadership development efforts, and our desire to bring others to Jesus and to grow more leaders in the parish. There are other parishes across the country and the world that are all participating in this movement of parish renewal. I regularly meet with pastors from Ireland, New Zealand, Canada, and the United States to talk about what we are all doing. What we have in common is our faith of course, but also a desire to renew the parishes to which we are assigned and to prepare them for a future that has fewer priests. Everyone has some story about this and locally we anticipate that there will be about 150-170 priests in the year that I retire. (2034) Until then, we need to build up the community so that even with just one pastor for all of Salem, the work of making disciples will not cease, but continue to flourish.
In other news, speaking of my retirement, this past week I was informed that my position as pastor has been extended for another term. For good or for ill (I hope for good), I will be here theoretically for six more years. I thank God for all that we have seen and done together and hope that He will continue to help us renew and strengthen the parish.
Building news: This week we welcome Franklin Quintin as our new property manager. He will oversee the care and maintenance of the properties going forward. The painters are working to complete their projects in a timely manner. The painters, because of a cancelled project, offered to do more of the work than originally scheduled. The foyer has gotten a face lift and the arches
outside over the main doors are also done. After the cherry tree is removed, we plan to move the small evergreen tree by the walkway to the space where the cherry tree was. Not quite as beautiful in the spring, but with another type of beauty to admire. Thanks for your patience with these last projects for the year. Thanks to Lorrie Card and others who were part of the paint selection and reimagining the set up in the chapel.
