Dear Friends,
Next Sunday begins Catholic Schools Week. We are profoundly grateful and proud of our Faculty, Staff and Administration of Holy Cross Regional Catholic School for all they are and do for our youngsters. With the assistance and support of an active School Board, Holy Cross continues to make strides in all areas of faith formation, education, facilities, technology, and finance. Check out their website and/or plan a visit to the school ~ https://www.hcrc.school/.
Our responsorial psalm this weekend, Psalm 19, struck me ~ “Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.” These words affirm the reactions of God’s people, recently returned exiles, listening to Ezra read aloud from the book of the Law of God as recorded in our first reading. They were overwhelmed by God’s word, they worshipped Him, they wept. For indeed God’s words “…are spirit and life” they go directly to our soul. The people were told to go and celebrate richly for “…today is holy to our LORD. Do not be saddened this day, for rejoicing in the LORD must be your strength!”
Our rejoicing in the Lord is intensified as we recognize that we are not alone but are members of the Mystical Body of Christ, His Church. Saint Paul goes to great length this weekend, clarifying and explaining how we all have a unique part in this Mystical Body through the gifts of the Holy Spirit. We are to use the gifts we have received from the Holy Spirit in service to one another and to the world. Because we are members of Christ our Head, and the Spirit dwells in us, we have access to the grace and the power of God to do all and be all that He has created us to be. How are we using these gifts of the Spirit? What are we giving to our parish, our country, our world considering the gifts we have received?
And the reason why we should be concerned about how we are using God’s gifts to us for the Church and the world is revealed in our Gospel this weekend. Jesus of Nazareth, in his hometown, reads from the prophet Isaiah ~ “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.” After which Jesus announces boldly and directly, “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”
In other words, Jesus proclaims His divinity and God’s plan for our redemption. How do we enter into this remarkable intimacy with God? I suggest we follow the advice of Mary, His Mother, our Mother, to the servers at the wedding feast of Cana, “Do whatever He tells you.” Truly the answer to our questions, our longings, to the problems and complexities of the world are found when we consciously “Do whatever He tells us.” May we come to realize that “…rejoicing in the LORD must be your strength” so that strength will give us the courage always and everywhere to “Do whatever He tells you.”
God bless you, God love you,
Monsignor McCulken
