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May 29, 2024Renewal is at the heart of the Christian journey. We are, as the documents of Vatican II say, “a church that is always holy and always in need of renewal” (Lumen Gentium nr8). We are holy because we are the body of Christ, and we need renewal because the Holy Spirit has called sinners to repent and be renewed in body and mind. St. Paul has this as a major theme throughout his writings and we see a huge shift in the way that Jesus would be remembered in this Gospel scene. As we gather to celebrate the Body and Blood of Christ, we remember that Jesus was starting a whole new way of encountering God in Faith. He was renewing the way that people encountered God. We need to remember that the original covenant with the Jewish people was being changed by Jesus and that, as God, he has the authority to do this and to signify what is the method of remembering the new covenant. The genius of this renewal is its simplicity and availability. It is a taking in of God so that we might become new people too. We are to remember that God loves us, that the new covenant is open to all, and that it is the work of God’s presence in us that changes us. Of course, we are urged to cooperate freely by the way we live our lives and that also is part of the new covenant. Now we are called to not only receive God’s love, but also share it with others.
The Eucharist, the Body and Blood of the risen and glorified Christ, is what we come to celebrate and remember this Sunday. We teach and believe that this simple bread of wheat and water and common table wine, transubstantiates, becoming the Body and Blood of the glorified Jesus Christ. This happens at the words of institution (“…take this all of you… eat …. drink…this is my body…. blood”) that the priest says changes the reality of what we are receiving. A weak analogy to this is marriage. After the vows, they are now one couple, interiorly husband and wife, although on the outside they still look the same. Fr. Richard Rohr sometimes jokes that God has an easier task convincing bread and wine it is changed than convincing us we can be changed by this substance. To believe is a gift of grace given to us by God and that too is the gift of renewal. But we can change if we give ourselves to the Eucharist and let it renew us weekly and daily when possible.
The legendary author, Flannery O’Connor once said that “if it is only a symbol, the heck with it.” May it never be only a symbol to us. And let us be transformed and live what we receive.
Peace,
Father Murray
The prayer challenge has begun, and one can see that we have posted the ward and precinct maps for the city on the Hawthorne Boulevard entrance doors. I hope that as you pray for your street and then come in to the church, you will take the time to highlight the street. This will enable us to see our progress. I have covered a lot of the streets between Derby and Essex, but there are always more streets to walk. It is also a nice way to see the way some homes are tended to.
This week, we welcome our new music director Ms. Mary Pagliarulo. Mary has worked in parishes her whole career and most recently in St. Mary’s in Revere. She is joined by our new cantrix (female leader of song from the fifth declension in Latin). Please meet Olivia Fermi. Olivia is a graduate of Salem State in the Music program. She will be leading the Mass in song and, along with Mary, will be helping us to lift our hearts and minds to God.
Welcome to both of you.
The Catholic Appeal is getting ready to launch their June letter campaign. They have asked us to remind those who did not take the opportunity to participate in the beginning of the Appeal to make a pledge of donation in this second round. We were challenged to have 168 donors and so far have 140. It would be great if 28 more people participated. Thanks again for your generosity.
Building news. It looks like the painters and masons will be done this week with the arches and the bricks on the front of the church. The former koi pond is getting readied for planting and soon it will yield a treasury of flowers. The rose of Sharon tree, which we had thought had died, is beginning to bloom nicely.
