(Listen to this homily here.)
This week I have been reading a book called Rebuilt by Fr. Michael White and Tom
Corcoran. I highly recommend it as
I can hardly put it down and I have ordered copies for our staff to read.
This
book tells a success story of the Church of the Nativity in Maryland. Facing a declining population and
economic struggles, this parish has flourished in numbers, finances and
excitement. And they say we can do
the same!
The authors first share mistakes
they made as they attempted to bring excitement and life to their parish. While they put on many great
programs—free dinners coupled with Mass, activities to draw in young people,
music ministry—they admitted they saw no results. They attributed this to forgetting that it was God Who
needed to be in charge, not them.
I
want to share a few thoughts on which I have been reflecting for us at St.
Thomas Aquinas and St. Columban. A
consistent emphasis in Rebuilt is to
focus always on the mission at hand.
This desire came after hearing a diocesan official actually claim,
“Jesus never left us with a mission.”
Fr. White’s response: “What?!”
Jesus
did give us a mission. In the
Gospel according to Matthew Jesus states: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and
with all your soul, and with all your mind…You shall love your neighbor as
yourself.” And in his last words to his
disciples he commands them: “Go therefore
and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and
of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…”
Our
mission is simple: love God, love your neighbor and make disciples. No matter what your place is in our
parish family—as a daily or weekend Mass attendee, leader or member of a parish
organization, staff or faculty—examine how well you are doing in this
mission.
Part
of this mission includes seeking the lost because this is what Jesus did. This isn’t just my job as a priest—it
is yours! Did you know that one in
three people who were born Catholic have left our Church? Here in International Falls, I have
heard many people tell me we have former Catholics in several other churches in
town. Do you reach out to reinvite
these men and women? Are you open
to sharing your faith with those who are experiencing brokenness or addiction?
In
Rebuilt the authors explain that we
must work both with insiders or churchpeople but welcome outsiders and the unchurched. God calls
us to be fruitful and He needs us to welcome many more disciples who are
currently on the fringes of society.
Another
point made in this book is something similar to what my cross country coach
always told us: “When you’re through improving, you’re through.” As time moves on, every individual,
family and parish changes. It
either changes for the better or for the worse. God is our boss and wants us to continually change for the
better to bear more fruit. Please
be open to changes I make whether small or big, because this is my motivation.
All
of the above begins with what Jesus teaches in the Gospel today: “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God
what is God’s.” If we want to
grow into a dynamic parish it is essential
that we each give to God what is God’s.
And here I am speaking about something deeper than money—I’m referring
to our attachments.
When I look in the mirror I know
there are times when I give Caesar what should be God’s in how I spend free
time, satisfy desires or seek pleasure.
I bet you would admit some of the same. It is crucial that we each decide to give God what is His.
I promise you that if you make this
choice, our parish will be better.
This decision will not be public—it will be in those private moments at
home when facing temptation or laziness or addiction. Will you give what is God’s to Caesar or God?
Give God what is God’s and watch
how He will work here!
No comments:
Post a Comment