Faith in Action

While the readings the first week of Lent focused on prayer, the readings this second week of Lent encourage us to put our faith into action and provide guidance how to do that.

On Monday, “Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. ‘Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.’” Lk 6:36-38

On Tuesday, the Prophet Isaiah declares, “Wash yourselves clean! Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes; cease doing evil; learn to do good. Make justice your aim: redress the wronged, hear the orphan’s plea, defend the widow. Come now, let us set things right, says the LORD:” Is 1:16-20.

On Wednesday, the mother of the sons of Zebedee asks for places of honor for her boys. Jesus reminds her that entails drinking of the cup of suffering. Jesus says further, ““You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mt 20:17-28

On Thursday, Jesus tells the story of the rich man and the poor beggar Lazarus who laid at his doorstep. After both die, the poor Lazarus is carried away by the angels to the bosom of Abraham and the rich man to the netherworld, where he was in torment. When the rich man asks Abraham for relief, “Abraham replied, ‘My child, remember that you received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented. Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go from our side to yours or from your side to ours.’” When the rich man asks someone to warn his brothers still living so they do not end up as he, Abraham replied, “They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.” Lk 16:19-31

We have a wonderful example this week of one who put her faith into action. Saint Katharine Drexel (1858-1955), whose feast day is March 3rd, was a Philadelphia heiress who founded the Missionary Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament. She used her inheritance of $20 million to build schools for minority children. By 1942, she had established black Catholic schools in 13 states and 50 missions for Indians in 16 states including one next to our former CPPS St. Joseph’s College in Rensselaer, IN. In 1917, she established a school to prepare black students to become teachers, chartered as Xavier University of New Orleans, the only historically black and Catholic college in the United States. Today it is known as Xavier University of Louisiana.

How is the Lord inviting you to put your faith into action?

Below is an update on the number of people attending each Mass compared to the approximate number of people who would fit into church with safety and social distancing in mind. We hope this helps those gauging when to return to Masses safely.
St Teresa Masses
Saturday 4:30 PM: 41% full
Sunday 10 AM: 131% full

May this Lent help us put our faith into action.
Blessings and prayers, Fr. Ken & Fr. Tim

LAST CHANCE to get your Family Fun Night Drive Thru meal tickets is this weekend! Tickets are $8 and will be available at both Masses!

Responding to the Lord in Faithfulness and Love

The first reading this weekend from Genesis 22:1-18 is very difficult for many people to hear, much less understand. Abraham is called by God to take his own son, his only one, whom he loves, and offer him up as a holocaust, a living sacrifice to the Lord. What kind of a God would ask a faithful follower, such as Abraham, to sacrifice his own beloved son? It seems barbaric, and totally out of context for our God, a God who is supposed to be a God of life and love. How do we even begin to make sense of such a story?

The story of Abraham and Isaac made the point that it was not the sacrifice that was meant to be central, but rather the manner, spirit and motivation in which it was offered. Although the story is often called the “Sacrifice of Isaac” it is more about the “Testing and Faith of Abraham.” Without hesitation Abraham responded to God’s request, heading up the mountain with Isaac. He prepared the altar and came within moments of striking down his own son – when the messenger intervened and a ram was sacrificed instead. Abraham had such great faith that he was willing to put God before all else, to put the love of God even before the most precious gift in his life and to obey God at any cost. The reward for such a great act of obedience and faithfulness was countless descendants and abundant blessings. We today, the sons and daughters of God, continue to be part of those countless descendants who receive the blessings of Abraham’s commitment to God.

Unfortunately, the obedience and faithfulness that marked Abraham’s life seems to be a rare commodity in our world today. Our obedience to God is often lax, and based on convenience or personal desire rather than truly responding to God. And our faithfulness seems to be based more upon what the world says than upon the foundations of our faith. Part of the calling of Lent is to return to the basics of faith, to hear again the voice of God in our midst as Abraham did and to respond to the Lord in faithfulness and love.

In the second reading St. Paul is writing to the Romans (8:31-34) to introduce himself and to convey the basic teachings of our faith. He proclaims clearly that the depth of God’s love is expressed in the sacrifice of his own son. God tested Abraham but stopped him short of the ultimate sacrifice. God went to the full extent for us. He sacrificed his own son in order to conquer sin and death and offer us the possibility of everlasting life. Paul argues that if God was willing to give up his own son for us, that there would be nothing, nothing that God would not do for us. In other words, if God is for us, who can be against us?

The gospel account of the transfiguration (Mk 9:2-10) takes place right after Jesus speaks to his followers about his passion and the cost of what it means to be a disciple. He tells all those who wish to follow him that we must deny ourselves and take up the cross. It is then that Jesus takes Peter, James and John up the mountain and is transfigured before them. His clothes become dazzling white and Elijah and Moses appear next to Jesus talking with him. The significance of this moment is that it points to Jesus as the fulfillment of all that Elijah and the prophets foretold and the fulfillment of the law that was first given to Moses on Mt. Sinai. It also pointed to the resurrection of Jesus after his passion and death; a resurrection that opens the way to eternal life for all. The final command of God is to listen, to listen to God’s word in our lives and to be faithful to the gospel.

May we too respond to the Lord in faithfulness and love.
Blessings and prayers, Fr. Ken & Fr. Tim