Fifteen Percent

That is the percentage of Catholics - defined as all who were baptized - in our diocese that attend Mass weekly.

Fifteen percent.

Now I know that the Northeast tends to have the lowest attendance rate in the United States, but fifteen percent is still awfully depressing.   (I don't even want to think about what that number looks like if you take out those over 60 and under 18.) 

Interestingly enough, two weeks ago when we read the "Doubting Thomas" passage (Jn 20), I felt a strong parallel to those that were not at Mass.  Thomas had a hard time believing because he was not around the risen Jesus, or those that were celebrating Him.  He missed out on the joy and love they felt that day.

It's the same for the 85% of those that are not at Mass each week, hearing the Word and receiving the Eucharist.   

And so I continue to pray for them.  Not only because their eternal future depends on it, but because I want them to feel the overwhelming love and joy that Mass can bring. 

Sure, many of them think their lives are just fine without it.

But I doubt it.

Fair

St. Peter walks into a bar and overhears Michael talking to the bartender. 

Michael:  The world just doesn't seem fair anymore, does it?  I mean, lots of good people are unemployed or underemployed. People are watching helplessly as their homes lose value bit by bit.  It costs a fortune to fill a gas tank.  And all these natural disasters that are happening ....

Bartender:  Oh I know, it's terrible isn't it?  The future doesn't seem so fair either.  I mean, we're all going to get stuck paying for all these deficits.  I'm probably not going to get social security like my parents did.  And don't even get me started about the NFL ... we might have to go all winter without seeing a game!  How is that fair?

St. Peter:  I'm sorry to interrupt gents, but I overheard you talking about fairness, and I don't think you know what unfair is.  If I can paraphrase myself in the second reading today ... Jesus didn't do a single thing wrong.  NOT ONE SINGLE THING!  And He was beaten and killed. Brutally. For all the bad stuff you did.  And will do.  Does that seem fair to you?  DOES IT?  

Michael:  Well ... 

St Peter:  How bad do YOUR things sound now?

Michael: Well .... I guess I'm a bit embarrassed.

St. Peter:  Listen, it's ok.  You're human.  I just wanted to give you some perspective so you don't get so down.  Whether those things are (air quotes) fair or unfair (air quotes) is irrelevant.  The future is bright because Jesus accepted the most unfair sentence in the history of the world.  

Bartender:  (smiling)  You're right.  Thanks for that.  Drinks are on the house.  What can I get ya?

St. Peter:  Nothing for me, thanks.  I have to be going.  (looking around and patting pockets)  Anyone seen my keys?

Is God Your Best Friend?

I had the pleasure of attending a talk by Fr. James Martin a while ago.   Fr. Martin is the author of My Life With the Saints among other books, and a very insightful, very funny speaker.   

One of the questions he asked us was whether we considered God to be our best friend.

The question caught many of us off guard.  I mean, God is .... God!  He's in charge.  He's the rule-maker.  He's the Guy we are trying not to upset.   And yes, He loves us and we love Him.  But many of us had never thought about "lowering" Him to the seemingly-too-human "friend" status.  

But for those that answered "Yes, He is my best friend", Fr. Martin posed the following questions:

1)  Do you listen as much as you talk?  How many best friends do you know of where one person talks and talks and never listens?

2)  Do you give as much as you ask?  How many best friends do you know of where one person is constantly asking for things?

3)  Do you laugh together?  Have you ever heard anyone say "Yes, Bob is my best friend ... but we've never laughed together the whole time I've known him"

I thought those were some very insightful points.  

And they left me wondering what was worse ...  that I hadn't  thought about God as my best friend ... or that I would be the worst best friend ever!

God Bless.

"He is Risen ...

... just as He said."

A Glorious Easter to you and your families!

Tiniest of Glimpses ...

My church has a 10ft+, 150+ pound Cross that we all kiss during Mass on Good Friday.  One by one, each member of the congregation walks up and pays homage to the sacrifice our Savior made for us.

Today, after the last person kissed it, four ushers walked up to the cross, lifted it up, and started walking it to the left rear of the church.  Awkwardly and slowly, they maneuvered the cross down two stairs and around the pews.  When they finally shuffled to their destination, they slowly lowered the cross and held it - with shaking arms - low enough so one of the handicapped members could kiss it. 

Then they slowly picked up the cross again, and awkwardly made their way to the center-rear of the church so an elderly man could kiss it.  

This went on a few more times, and I have to admit, I was quite moved by the gesture.   Here were four men bringing the cross to those that couldn't get to it themselves - ironically almost 2000 years after our Savior carried His away from us.

But I was also moved by the physical labor it took to do it.  It took them 15 minutes to cover about 50 feet.  

And then I realized God was sending us another message.   He was giving us a small glimpse at the physical pain His Son went through ....

The cross Jesus carried probably weighed close to 300 pounds, and was probably at least 8 feet high.  (And even if He only carried the crossbeam, that still had to be at least 7 feet and 100 pounds.)


Yet Jesus carried it hundreds of feet - part of that by himself.


After being brutally beaten.


And he wasn't walking on carpet either.


I don't know if I will ever be able to comprehend everything He did for us.  But today I feel like I got the tiniest of glimpses.

I hope you are having a Blessed Triduum.

Would *You* Go?

If you are reading this right now, there is a good chance you are home.

And if you are home, there is a good chance you are safe and sound.  

Maybe even comfortable.

It's nice isn't it?  

Now imagine you were reading this post, and your CNN or BBC news feed popped up and warned of a terrible, terrible event happening in the town right next to you. 

Imagine a group of men had roadblocked the entrances to that town and were killing folks one-by-one as they entered.   And another group of men was going door to door in that town torturing people.

Would you get up from your chair, grab your car keys, and drive towards that town? 

Of course not.  

As horrible as it sounds, you'd be fine because you'd be safe and sound in your town.  In your comfy home.  

But what if you later found out that one of your loved ones was in that town?

Would you do it then?  

How long would you have to think about it before you nervously gathered up the strength to drive into danger?   How sick would your stomach be?

Would you put your own safety aside and risk death to save a loved one?

--------------------------------------------------

I used to think of Palm Sunday as a glorious day.  I imagined Jesus riding peacefully into a palm-branch-lined Jerusalem.  The sun was shining.  Puffy white clouds were in the air.  People were overjoyed to see Him.  

Then I looked at it from our Savior's point of view.

He basically chose to ride into a town where people were ready to kill Him.  

And He knew it.

But He did it to save His loved ones.

Us.

I hope you are having a Blessed Lent.

The 2011 Bible

Do you ever find yourself shaking your head at people in the Bible?

I do all the time.

I shake my head at the people around Jesus for taking so long to realize who He was and what He was sent to do ... even though He gave them all the answers. 

I shake my head at the people who condemned Jesus despite all the good He was doing among them.

I shake my head at those who refused to believe Him - like some of those in today's Gospel that did not believe He gave sight to the blind man.

I shake my head at those who did not listen to Him, those that did not thank Him, and those that just couldn't be bothered with Him.

And then I remind myself that the Bible is a compilation of specific events that are pulled - and highlighted - from the rest of daily life.  

So I can only imagine what the 2011 Bible would look like, had the Evangelists written about specific events from my life and the world we live in now ...

John 148:29   "Despite the poor and suffering in his own town, Michael sat on his couch and watched a mindless FBI TV drama.  Others watched a show about twenty somethings worrying about how good their tan looked.  And still others, a show about rich women arguing over what to serve at their cocktail party."

Mark 79:1  "The Bible sat on Michael's coffee table while he read the latest issue of Sports Illustrated.  Worse yet (but not much), many people in that town did not even own a copy of this Blessed book.  The Word of God was among them to read, and they looked the other way."

Luke 100:3-8  "... Jesus suffered greatly so that sinners could be forgiven.  And yet Michael grumbled through one day of fasting, and was only half focused as he prayed the Rosary ...."

I can just imagine how badly future generations will be shaking their head at me...

God Bless.