Care Enough to Care Long Enough?

12-05-2015Weekly ReflectionFr. Brian Jazdzewski

You have heard or read from me over the years about my hope that we discipline ourselves to participate, not anticipate. That being said, Catholics and people around the world are gearing up for a declared Holy Year of Mercy by our Pope Francis which begins this week. Before I comment on the upcoming months, it’s necessary to make comment on the Year of Consecrated Life which we just concluded. Perhaps the conclusion of the Year of Consecrated Life is a dim memory, or, maybe even these words being your first awareness of the past year. Whatever your reaction, know that, in summary, we have been taking time to recognize consecrated life. The particular vocation in the Church we recognize as men and women who embrace a new family of brothers, sisters, nuns or priests and live in community. Those communities typically pray often together, perform their apostolic work together and share their vocation together. We are continually inspired by their contemporary example coupled with countless saints of the Church who dedicated their lives to Christ and His people in the consecrated life.

If the Year of Consecrated Life come as somewhat of a surprise to you, I’d invite you to care enough about the Holy Year of Mercy so that, in several months, when the year is concluded, you will not be surprised again. So, rather than tell you about the Year of Mercy, read these words from Pope Francis himself, taken from the Bull of indiction of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, April 11, 2015:

I have proclaimed an Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy as a special time for the Church, a time when the witness of believers might grow stronger and more effective.... How much I desire that the year [8 December 2015 – 20 November 2016] to come will be steeped in mercy, so that we can go out to every man and woman, and bring the goodness and tenderness of God! May the balm of mercy reach everyone, both believers and those far away, as a sign that the Kingdom of God is already present in our midst!

The time has come for the Church to take up the joyful call to mercy once more. It is time to return to the basics and to bear the weaknesses and struggles of our brothers and sisters. Mercy is the force that reawakens us to new life and instills in us the courage to look to the future with hope.

The weeks of Advent are, for us, a time of spiritual renewal and a renewed sense to open our lives to the work of God. Pope Francis has provided us a particular theme upon which we may build our approach to prepare the way of the Lord. My pastoral encouragement to each of you is to do more than let these words quickly slip into your eyes, through your mind and out of your body with your next exhale. In our collective effort to grow in holiness, more deeply each day, we are to sincerely care about what Pope Francis is saying. Furthermore, in our resolve to be more faithful witnesses to Christ within the specific lifestyle as Catholics, we ought to care about the Year of Mercy. And, in that caring, we ought to be caring deeply enough to live in such a manner that the concept of mercy begins, ends and fills our day.

Christmas Mass Schedule

Christmas Eve:
Saint Boniface - 4:00pm
Immaculate Conception – 6:00pm
Christmas Day:
Saint Lawrence – 9:00am

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