August 28, 2011

Readings for The Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time: Jer 20:7-9; Rom. 12:1-2; Mt 16:21-27

There is a story about a major ad agency that was hired by a church to improve attendance at their services. The ad agency did their research and suggested to the church that the first thing they needed to do was to remove all of the crosses in the church. The crosses were thought to leave a negative message to prospective young worshipers.

This is often how we approach life. We wish to have as little sacrifice or pain as possible, we do not want to imagine the cross or the cost of committing ourselves fully to God and others.Donald Strobe once wrote, "Expect great things from God; Attempt great things for God." We're pretty good at the first; not so hot with the second.

This is how we find Simon Peter in the today's Gospel. Jesus has just acknowledged Peter as the "rock" upon which He will build His Church and then Peter takes Jesus aside and rebukes him saying "God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you." (Mt. 16:22). The same Peter will deny Jesus on the day of his trial three times. According to legend, Peter will also be fleeing likely crucifixion himself in Rome until he meets Jesus on the road to Rome. When he asks Jesus where he is going? (quo vadis), Jesus responds that he is going to Rome to be crucified again. Peter, will turn around and return to Rome and receive his cross.

One of my missions during my travels to Croatia was to discover more about Blessed Cardinal Aloysius Stepinac. Hopefully we will someday have a shrine of Blessed Stepinac in the vestibule of our Church. On September 1946 the Yugoslav authorities indicted Stepinac on multiple counts of war crimes and collaboration with the enemy during wartime. Milovan Dilas, a prominent leader in the Communist Party, stated that Stepinac would never have been brought to trial "had he not continued to oppose the new Communist regime." Instead, Cardinal Stepinac continued to challenge the Communist persecution of the Church including the stealing of most of its property and the killing of 280 priests. He went on to state that "My conscience is clear and calm. If you will not give me the right, history will give me that right", and he did not intend to defend himself or appeal against a conviction, and that he was prepared to take ridicule, disdain, humiliation and death for his beliefs. Life would have been much easier for Cardinal Stepinac if he remained silent, but he would not have been a true disciple of Christ.

Jesus does not promise that life will be easy if we follow Him. On the contrary, He states that, "Whoever wishes to come after Me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life" (Mt 16:27).

As disciples of Jesus we are invited to attempt great things for God throughout our life. As children we are called to learn how to share and be responsible around the house. This week as our children have returned to school we remember that without hard work they will not learn. As young adults we learn fulfillment through our generosity towards others. In Marriage a Man and women learn that they need to constantly give of themselves and place their spouse and children above themselves. And as we grow older and start thinking that we can finally take care of
ourselves, we learn that there is a world of people around us that are in need of our help.

During my years at Mary Star of the Sea Church I have been very proud to witness the countless people who truly seek to be Disciples of Christ by their love and dedication to their community. Through their care for the children, the poor, the sick and the seafarers many of our community have found ways to express the love of Christ to the smallest amongst us. I am very excited about our newest ministry, the Stella Maris Bookstore, and again I am very impressed to witness members of our community devote their time and resources so that we can have good religious books, CD's, DVD's, rosaries and other religious articles accessible for our community. We will have our grand opening on September 11, the day we remember those who in 2001 followed Jesus by walking into the burning building at the
World Trade Center in New York to save lives and the others who made the ultimate sacrifice of their lives.

• Next Saturday, September 3rd, we will be uniting with Holy Trinity for our Second Annual Picnic. This was a wonderful event last year with good food and entertainment. We will begin with a Mass at 11:00AM at the High School Auditorium followed by a barbeque and great Pedro food and most of all it is FREE! Please join us.

God Bless,

Rev. John F. Provenza

Pastor