Note--This Mass was one of my highlights for our trip. It was a
simple outdoor setup with the altar as a small plastic table. Frs.
Desmond and Kevin (priests at Holy Angel's parish in Garu asked me to celebrate
the Liturgy before beginning construction on a new (and primitive) chapel in
the Ghanaian countryside. Once the chapel is up and running it will be
the 35th outstation for Holy Angel's parish. (Imagine--three priests
covering 36 churches so people can have the sacraments!) This was the
first Mass ever in this place, and through the construction of a new place of
worship, should be the first of many!
Also--my homily was translated in three languages. I preached in
English and two others translated it into the native tongues for those who do
not speak English.
In the Gospel of John the disciples
of John the Baptist wish to see Jesus.
And isn’t that why we are gathered here today? Before beginning the work of building a chapel we offer this
place and our efforts in a desire to see Jesus.
There
are many reasons we came to visit you.
We want to assist you in your work of proclaiming the Gospel. We came to visit friends, old and new. And we are excited to get in warm,
sunny weather as our families and friends back home are living in snow and
negative twenty degree weather!
But
most of all, we have come to see Jesus.
And we see him in you. We
see him in your smiles, in your laughter, in your joy, in your hospitality and
in your generosity.
We
pray that this sacred space will be a place where many will meet Jesus. When your neighbors, loved ones or
coworkers ask you about God, you bring them here. Bring them to see Jesus in the Mass. Bring them to see Jesus in his Body and
Blood.
We
pray in gratitude for seeing Jesus during this Christmas season. We ask God, in His providence, to allow
many others to see His Son in this chapel.
No comments:
Post a Comment