Paul Martin

During these December days, Winthrop Square has been filled with every conceivable variety of inflatable Christmas ornaments and figures. Apart from the Santa Clauses and reindeer, Snoopy is over there along with a variety of elves, Grinch himself and lots of snowmen in various sizes and shapes! It is quite a sight to watch the children gawking and giggling as they walk around the square and look at the moving figures, all of which have some kind of animation and lighting.

One of the joys of the season is to observe children as they consider the mystery and the delight of Christmas. All of us love to watch that and in fact, for many of us it is a way to enter into, once again, the loveliness of these days. It seems to me, what we are really observing is the wonder with which children behold and consider not only the Santa Claus and reindeer thing but of course, the beautiful story of the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem.

In our adult world, wonder is not a posture readily found in our everyday repertoire. Our approach to the world around us even our relationships, is often cerebral: analytical, studying, processing, thinking about and working through. To wonder is different from all of that. Wonder is our human instinct for the transcendent, the mysterious that which is beyond readily comprehensible logic. Children are experts at wondering, adults not so much.

Some would say that to wonder is a gift from God and that the capacity to wonder is not self-initiated. Poets, artists, composers and others often can provoke us to wonder and when that happens, it is a beautiful thing! To wonder breaks through the limits of our reasoning; it opens an infinite vista to the more. The Jewish theologian Abraham Hershel once wrote, “The person who never wonders can never find God”.

Most of us use the verb to wonder frequently, yet when we do, we are actually doing some kind of a calculation. For example to wonder why the 93 bus is late, is just thinking about the traffic patterns in Sullivan Square or some such. We can also speak of wonder in a much more superficial way when it is simply an expression of curiosity. For example, to wonder how much a gallon of gasoline is costing this week is more mathematics and economics than wondering.

Advent is the perfect time to wonder deeply! To hear the music and lyrics, to listen to the Scripture readings, to pause and closely read the details of our Christmas cards and the messages sent from friends and family; all of this can draw us to the sweet experience of wondering. In truth, we cannot understand what God is doing in our world however; we can grow closer to the truth of God’s love and astonishing actions by wondering!

These few days before the celebration of Christmas join me in some quiet wondering about what all this is about and be prepared to be surprised, even delighted by the fruit of such pondering.

Fr. Ronan

December 19, 2021
Fourth Sunday of Advent

The gospel today presents the beautiful story of the Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth.
This reading gives us much to ponder – Mary’s concern for and willingness to be present to her older cousin,
Elizabeth’s acknowledgement of Mary’s yes to God, her admiration of Mary’s belief in God’s promises.
Who are the people you will visit and be with during this Christmas?
How might this gospel guide your interactions with them?
Pray for the grace to imitate the faith, trust and love of Mary and Elizabeth
in your interactions with your family and friends during this Christmas season

Have you ever noticed that as the bell-ringing Salvation Army Santas show up on street corners, the plastic holly & the colored lights decorate store windows and the canned music everywhere pushes out Christmas carols – you start to feel … kind of negative? My first response is a kind of deflation – that the wave of commercialization is trying to obliterate the essence of the feast of Christ’s birth. Because all this starts up in October, it is a stretch to get into the holiday spirit.

Before we arrive in the Advent and Christmas season, we have celebrated Thanksgiving. Here the emphasis is on giving thanks as well as family gettogethers. “Where are you spending Thanksgiving?” is a common question. Implied in these holiday times is that everyone will gather with friends and family, and a wonderful sense of unity, happiness, sharing, dining and thanks will prevail. At least that is the Hallmark card version. In reality, for many folks, these holidays do not bring a sense of happiness and gratitude.

There are so many stories of families and individuals in difficulty, strained by countless incidents and situations. Whether it is someone out of a job, the loss of a loved one, an uncertain element in a marriage or relationship, children in trouble, illness and aging, addictions, or depression, for many the holidays can be anything but a “happy” time.

Finding a way to cope is the highest priority for some – just to survive the holiday season intact becomes a real goal. So perhaps for all of us, it makes sense to realize and accept that this wonderful season of the year brings with it certain stresses and demands. Each of us needs to acknowledge our limits and own the situations of our families and friends. It is OK to give oneself permission to NOT feel there is something wrong if one does not want to sing Ho – Ho – Ho!

The consequence for many who experience the pressure of this time of year is to feel painfully alone and maybe disconnected from others. All around one sees people together and apparently happy and celebrating and for some that is not their experience. Acknowledging that it is OK to feel out of step with what the culture says “ought to be” often helps. Giving voice to our sadness in conversations with good friends eases one’s struggle.

Even more, bringing my pain, sadness, loneliness and struggle to God in prayer offers one the deepest source of comfort. Through prayer, one can come to recognize that one is not alone; that God who promises to be with us always is truly there regardless of how we feel. Then we can begin to remember that we, too, have experienced goodness before and will again. So even in the midst of life’s pains and struggles, often we can find reason to give thanks. The celebration of the Birth of Jesus Christ truly is cause for joy – for all people in all times.

This holiday season any one of us can find moments when loneliness seems more painful in the light of the season. When such moments occur, take them as invitations to turn to God in humble prayer and your aloneness will give way to a peace and a sense of the goodness that is inherent in these holiday times.

Fr. Ronan

December 12 ~
Third Sunday of Advent (Gaudete Sunday)

“Shout for joy.” “Sing joyfully.” “Be glad and exult with all your heart.”
“Rejoice, in the Lord always.”
The message this week is clear; joy must be a sign of our life in Christ.
We need to bring the light of Christ to these dark
December days and speak a word of hope to our world – the Lord is near.”
With each remaining day in Advent, make the gospel acclamation your prayer:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor.”
Believing this and acting on it, the light of Christ will certainly shine through you!

Reluctantly, I think most of us would agree that driving in and around Boston can be hazardous. It did not seem that way when I was younger but it sure does now.
In fact, I hear folks speaking about reckless and speeding drivers all the time. Some speculate things are worse because of the pandemic and, likely, there is some truth about that. The divisiveness within our culture could also contribute to the overall tension people feel and maybe it plays out when someone is behind the wheel.

Apart from the overall reality of worry about the pandemic, most people are not satisfied. People express their opinions in surveys, polls, to one another, in bar rooms, and around dinner tables. Everyone wants something to change for the better, whether that is a sports team, a government official or policy, the weather, their church, a friend or family member. Additionally, most of us are dissatisfied with aspects of ourselves and look for betterment.

Anxiety, worry, and anger usually accompany our dissatisfaction and can become a sad and negative element of life. I think there are more unhappy and angry people today than a decade ago. We can explain our anger and/or unhappiness by looking at the world around us and the overall mess from climate and weather to local questions of safety and sickness. However, the root of our unhappiness and anger lies within each person.

God knows all of this, and understands every element of our frustration and desire for things to improve. Everyone wants things to get better and I would dare say God also wants things to get better!

We are in the Advent time – there is a call to look toward and prepare for the Birth of our Savior. The world into which Jesus Christ was born 2000 years ago was every bit as fractured and troubled as is our world today. In this season, we celebrate His birth and ongoing presence in our world and lives. His mission was then and is now to bring peace, to heal, and to bring hope and freedom. He comes to make things better.

Yet, maybe that is untrue. It isn’t “things” He can make better, rather it is you and me. Opening ourselves to this Truth of our God can transform our unhappiness and anger into a peace that only flows out of loving and being loved.

Fr. Ronan

December 5 ~
Second Sunday of Advent

“Prepare the way of the Lord.” This is what the Church calls us to focus on in these opening weeks of Advent.
How might we prepare for the coming of Christ now and at the hour of our death?
St. Paul offers some ideas for what we need to do. He prays that our love will increase in knowledge and perception, that we will discern what is of value, and that we will live pure and blameless lives.
St. Paul encourages us with the reminder that God has already begun this good work in us and will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus.
In this coming week, ask for the grace to keep the focus on Christ. Remember, that even in the midst of all that seeks to distract, God is with you.

The promise had been long standing, passed from generation to generation. Unimaginable hardships, persecution, exile, and slavery were all part of the story and, still, the promise was recounted and cherished. There would arrive a deliverer, a savior, a messiah, a king of such might all would be resolved and a bright future would be born. This was the story of the suffering Israelite community who longed for the
arrival of the Messiah.

Fast-forward more than 2000 years and you and I look out at a fractured world with countless people suffering in nations across the globe. We want to look away and pretend it is not that bad and yet we know otherwise. The world needs help beyond the United Nations or any individual nation although all people and nations need to be a part of creating a future of hope.

It seems to me there is a parallel between the suffering and longing of the Jewish community of old and our present day reality. Our Creator God knows our human condition intimately and 2000 years ago responded with the answer to our needs and longings with the birth of an infant in an impoverished village called Bethlehem.

The world then and now looks for a temporal solution for modern day crises. We look for presidents, prime ministers, kings, revolutions, generals and armies. While all of that plays a vital role in governance and order, none of that is enough. It never has been and never will be.

The needed solutions come from within and not from without. It is within a faith, a spiritual relationship with our God that each of us can find our footing, our purpose, and a way of living that gives birth to hope. For Christians this is found in Jesus Christ, His teaching, His life, and His friendship.

This Sunday is the first Sunday of the four-week Advent season that leads us to Christmas. The readings in Sacred Scripture recall the prophecies of old fulfilled in the birth of Jesus. If we listen carefully to the cries of our ancestors 2ooo years ago, they are startlingly similar to the longings of this age. We too are desperate and longing for light in our darkness.

For every one of us this is a Kairos moment. Refreshing our relationship with Jesus Christ offers a transformative moment for our own well-being, our family and friends and, in fact, for our world.

Fr. Ronan

Some years ago, the popular spiritual writer, Henri Nouwen, took a leave from his position at Yale Divinity School and went to Peru for a year. Nouwen worked and lived among the poor in the outskirts of Lima. Upon his return, he wrote a best selling book entitled, GRACIAS. He titled the book “Thank You” because he found the sentiment of gratitude so prevalent among the poor that he was both astonished
and edified. Fr. Nouwen witnessed the poverty and sufferings of the Peruvian people while at the same time seeing their sense of gratitude for everything.

The word “gracias” permeated not only their life style but also their view of life and God. Often the “gracias” was spoken as “Gracias a Dios”. The simplest act was completed with a prayer of thanks to God. Fr. Nouwen laid bare the irony that those who have little are often very grateful, while those who have much more, are often less grateful. Naturally one would think the reverse would be true. In fact, the irony is often carried even to the extremes: sometimes those who have abundance want more and feel entitled to more, and those with very little
are grateful.

This week, we North Americans celebrate one of the most cherished of our national holidays, Thanksgiving. Surely, we are a blessed people. And it has been my experience that most Americans embrace this holiday with a deeply sincere sense of gratitude. Our gratitude is felt at many levels: to family, loved ones, our nation and most importantly, to God. All of us agree that the day is very important. Like you, I recall memories of childhood celebrations that I cherish – memories of families coming together and, at a table laden with abundance, pausing in a formal and beautiful way to thank God for all blessings.

Our reality is that the day comes and goes and the busyness of life can so distract us that our sense of gratitude can become dulled. We can fall into the trap of forgetting and not acknowledging God’s blessings in our life. The worries and challenges can draw us away from the truth that we are first and foremost God’s most precious children and blessed beyond measure. When I re-capture this truth, suddenly everything is reordered. I see things in a new light, priorities are re-established and my sense of the rightness of seeing God as the giver of so much is both freeing and humbling.

This Thursday we will gather with our loved ones. Even in the midst of the worries and challenges of these times, we know we have so much for which to be grateful. Unlike last year when Covid restricted us in so many ways, I will spend this beautiful day with family on the south shore. This year, in the light of the pandemic and the enormous human suffering worldwide, we will bring to the dinner table our gratitude for all we have and urgent prayers for harmony and hope in this divided and struggling world.

Fr. Ronan

Thanksgiving Day Prayer

Creator of the Universe,
Giver of every good gift, we pause
on this Thanksgiving Day to express our gratitude for Your constant love and care for us, and for
Your continued graces and blessings.
We thank you for the countless ways in which you nurture our lives,
guiding us, comforting us, challenging us, strengthening us, as we walk our
path of life on earth and seek to deepen our faith in You.
We thank You for the gift of Your Son, Jesus, for His teachings and
example who, with the many people You place in our lives, show us how to be
Your faithful disciples.
We thank you for the gift of our family, friends and faith community,
those in heaven and those on earth, and for the many ways they fill our hearts.
Today and every day, Loving God, may we, with every heartbeat and in every
circumstance, cultivate a spirit of gratitude to You. And may we ever be Your
trustworthy stewards on earth. We ask this through Christ, Our Lord.
Amen

The Parish Finance Council is pleased to provide the Annual Financial Report of St. Mary-St. Catherine of Siena Parish for fiscal 2020-2021. (A complete set of the financial statements is available on our Parish Website, StmaryStcatherine.org)

We remain extremely grateful for the extraordinary generosity of both our parishioners and the Charlestown community at large during what has been one of the most challenging periods in our lifetimes. Despite the ongoing impact of the pandemic, we ended the fiscal year in a financially stable position with net operating income of $23,667 as of June 30, 2021. In addition, the fiscal year ended with net assets increasing $69,225 over last year.

Despite resuming in person celebration of Mass, the primary source of our funds – offertory collections – is down compared to last year. Our total offertory for last fiscal year was $359,086 falling short of the prior year by approximately $86,000. Moreover, this year’s Grand Annual collection, while strong under the circumstances, was almost 8% below budget and $21,860 less than last year. In order to help stem the drop off in weekly offertory collections, we ask that you strongly consider switching to on-line giving if you have not already done so. We also ask that you prayerfully consider participating in the Grand Annual collection this year. Every donation helps ensure a healthy and vibrant parish.

Gifts, and especially bequests, are items that can vary significantly from year to year. But these unplanned items can be critical to the financial success of the parish. Last year, these items totaled $214,257. This year, we received major bequests totaling $41,057 along with other gifts and income totaling $59,965, which is a decrease of more than $113,000.

Our community’s continuing response to the pandemic is perhaps best illustrated by the incredible support of our most visible ministry, Harvest on Vine Food Pantry. Recognizing that the ongoing economic impact of the pandemic has increased the need for food assistance, our parishioners and other members of the community stepped up and contributed over $336,719, an increase of $84,000 or approximately 33%! It is incredibly heartening to see that we, as a Christian community, are truly living the words of the gospel.

Not surprisingly, all major operating expense categories, including the costs associated with the food pantry, increased by 9%-10% in the aggregate over prior year levels. The confluence of increased expenses and reduced income has put a financial strain on the parish. With your support, the parish will continue to thrive as together we figure out what the new-normal looks like for our parish and the larger Charlestown community.

Last year we completed the interior painting and restoration of our beautiful church. This undertaking was our largest capital project in recent years. The initial phase of the Inspiring Hope campaign raised most, though not all, of the funds necessary for the restoration. In addition, because many campaign pledges extend over a 5-year period, we obtained a loan from the Archdiocese to ensure that we could complete the project on time. We continue to pay down this loan as pledges are paid. If you have not had an opportunity to contribute to this magnificent project, please consider a gift at this time with a notation of – Painting.

The Parish Finance Council is deeply appreciative of your support, especially this year when many people experienced financial hardships. Due to rising costs of insurance, utilities, and the overall cost of goods and services, our budget for 2021-2022 projects an operating deficit. For those of you who are able, we would earnestly ask that you consider increasing the level of your financial commitment to the Parish so we can maintain a balanced operating budget while continuing all of our Parish ministries that help so many in our community. Stay safe and well.

Parish Finance Council
Fr. Ronan (Chair), Kevin Walsh (Vice chair), Alexandra Conforti-Cook,
Brian Fleming, Dennis Hanson, Nancy Higgins, Maureen Moore, Tom Mosel,
James Santosuosso (Ex-officio),

Every year, when Veterans’ Day rolls around, it makes me think about war. America has been at war in one form or another throughout many years of my life. If the war was not a “hot” war, it was a “cold” war; nevertheless it was war. And wars are never
fought apart from soldiers on the ground, in the air, at sea, and under the sea.

Men and women who put themselves in harm’s way to defend a way of life, threatened by outside forces have always been the warriors who we call veterans when they come home. And all too often, some returned damaged, disabled, bruised, and broken. Others returned to be buried by grieving loved ones.

On this national holiday dedicated to veterans, it is fitting for us to pause, recall the sacrifices of those who went to war and served in the military, and acknowledge their courage and sacrifice with grateful hearts.

President Dwight Eisenhower, one of the most decorated US Army Generals in World War II and later two term president, once said, “I hate war as only a soldier who has lived it can, only as one who has seen its brutality, its stupidity.” This was a veteran, who loved and served his country with honor and distinction and saw first-hand the ravages of war.

On this Veterans’ Day I share my country’s pride and gratitude for those who are serving and those who have served and especially for those who made the ultimate sacrifice of their lives in service to our country. While on this day we honor veterans, for me it is also a day to pray for a speedy end to all wars, hot or cold, and safe return for all those serving in these war zones.

Most loving and compassionate God, we pause to honor and pray for our veterans, worthy men and women who gave their best when they were called upon to serve and protect their country. We pray that you will bless them, Lord, for their unselfish service; bless them abundantly for the hardships they faced, for the sacrifices they made. We respect them, we thank them, we honor them, we are proud of them, and we pray that you will watch over these special people. Heal their minds and hearts and bless them with peace and happiness.

We pray for a conversion of hearts throughout the world so that all will rise and work to bridge divisions and fashion this world as you envision it to be. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Office closed Veterans Day, Thursday, November 1; Morning Mass is at 9:00 am

November 7 ~ Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Two readings from today’s scriptures focus on stories of widows.
Both were poor women in relation to worldly standards and yet when called upon to be generous
they gave everything they had.
In the gospel, Jesus points out the action of the widow with the words
“she contributed all she had. . . .”
Being a grateful disciple of Christ requires a spirit of stewardship of the multiple gifts God has bestowed on us.
It means being willing, like the two widows, to make sacrifices, to offer prayer and service to the parish
as well as to those most in need.
Are you willing to share these gifts? This week, pay attention for opportunities that God will provide for you to share your time, your talent, and your treasure – and then – respond as a grateful disciple!

Years ago I heard a saying and it has always stayed with me: “I gave bread to the hungry and people called me a saint. I asked why people were hungry and people called me a communist”. Of course, there is a story behind the saying.

The work of the Catholic Church is now and has always been deeply involved at all levels of human life. It simply is not possible to separate our belief in a loving God and our responsibility to our neighbor. As the Catholic Church works to respond to the needs of the poor, she has consistently developed programs and services to meet the identified needs. Sometimes these are soup kitchens and food pantries. There are neighborhood medical dispensaries and hospitals as well as all types of educational initiatives and programs such as orphanages and safe houses for folks in need. The list is long as the needs are many.

Most of the time Christians see this work as appropriate and flowing from their life as faithful believers. Yet when the Catholic Church actually asks the question “WHY” there are so many people who are suffering and in need and “WHY” policies, government practices, financial systems and more are not helping to resolve and may be even contributing to the problems, some of the faithful are uncomfortable and some have said that the Church should stay out of politics. And so it is that many are comfortable giving bread to a hungry person (extending charity), but not pleased with asking the reason why there are so many hungry people, (working toward the elimination of hunger by addressing problematic systemic issues). The reasons for this may be varied, but one known reason is that people are not always informed about the dynamics involved and, even if they are, they feel powerless in their ability to effect change on such a grand scale.

The work of the Church in social justice is broad and the areas of concern are many. The following is a list, by no means exhaustive, of some of the more compelling areas: budget – federal and state; elder care; children and child care; criminal justice and prison reform; death penalty; domestic abuse; health care; housing/homelessness; human rights; hunger; human trafficking and environmental justice, immigration, national aid, global poverty, arms control, veteran’s rights, pandemic related issues, and so much more. So many challenges need to be addressed. None of us can do everything, but we can do something to educate ourselves about one of these concerns. Then, by joining our voices with the voices of others who are laboring to create a more just society, change can happen.

As we approach the season of Thanksgiving, I want to extend my gratitude to our parishioners and others in the Charlestown Community who so generously contribute to our Parish emergency food pantry, Harvest on Vine and to our Parish conference of the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Until all have enough, these services that provide food and essential items and financial assistance are so greatly needed.

Fr. Ronan

“By walking together, and together reflecting
on the journey made, the
Church will be able to learn from what it will
experience which processes can help it to live
communion, to achieve participation, to open
itself to mission”
Pope Francis

On Oct. 10, 2021, Pope Francis formally opened a two-year process called “a synod on synodality,” officially known as “Synod 2021-2023: For a Synodal Church.”
In brief, the process involves an expansion of an established institution, called the “Synod of Bishops.” This means that bishops around the world will consult with everyone: parishioners, religious orders, Catholic universities, and more before coming together for a discussion in 2023 to discuss how the church can learn to rely more fully on this kind of consultation-and-discussion process – how it can become more “synodal” (more inclusive) in its governance.

Many people may find the name “Synod on Synodality” and its purpose puzzling. What is a synod in the first place? The word derives from an ancient Greek term that
means “coming together” or “traveling together.” Ancient Christians developed a custom of local leaders coming together to pray and make decisions about matters affecting all the Christian communities in a region. They gathered in the faith that their prayers and discussions would reveal God’s will and the way to achieve it. These gatherings came to be called “synods” and began a tradition of regional synods for bishops, as well as larger ones called “ecumenical councils.” In principle, these were for all bishops around the world to discuss issues that were consequential for the whole church.

The Second Vatican Council or “Vatican II,” met from 1962 to 1965 and launched important changes in church law and structure. One of Vatican II’s goals was
to revitalize the importance of bishops as heads of their local churches and emphasize their cooperation with one another. As a “college” under the leadership of the pope, the bishops are mutually responsible for the governance of the whole church. To assist this revitalization, Pope Paul VI created a permanent structure for a Synod of Bishops, with a secretariat in Rome and a General Assembly gathered regularly by the pope. Since 1967, the popes have brought this assembly together 18 times: 15 “Ordinary Assemblies” and three “Extraordinary,” in addition to a number of “Special Assemblies” involving particular regions of the world.

Pope Francis has shown special interest in the Synod of Bishops since the beginning of his papacy in 2013. The following year, he convened an “Extraordinary General Assembly,” outside the usual three-year cycle, on “the vocation and mission of the family.” The assembly talked about controversial issues such as welcoming to communion couples living outside church-sanctioned marriages. These discussions continued into an “Ordinary Assembly” in 2015. 2015 also marked the 50th anniversary of the Synod of Bishops established during Vatican II. At a ceremony for the anniversary, Francis gave a speech that laid out his views on “synodality. The word “synod,” he reminded the audience, is about cooperation. “A synodal Church is a Church which listens,” he said, pointing out that mutual listening has been the goal of much of the church’s renewal since Vatican II. “For the disciples of Jesus, yesterday, today and always, the only authority is the authority of service, the only power is the power of the cross,” Francis declared.

Since then, Francis has taken steps to give the church examples and a concrete framework for a more “synodal church.” In 2018, he issued new regulations that encourage much wider consultation with members and organizations of the church at all levels as part of the synod process. And in 2019, he followed up a “Special Assembly” for bishops of the Amazon region with “Querida Amazonia,” a kind of papal document known as an “exhortation.” Here, he took the unusual steps of recognizing the authority of the synod’s own final document and referring important structural and procedural changes to their continuing work in their home churches, rather than to intervention by the Vatican.

The current “Synod on Synodality” is the culmination of all this effort to bring a greater degree of openness, collaboration and mutual listening to the church. Unlike
previous synods, this one officially begins in dioceses all over the world, with opportunities to hear the voices of people from all walks of life and from many different
church organizations. When the General Assembly meets in 2023, its task will be to prayerfully consider how to move forward as “a more synodal Church in the longterm” – a church that “journeys together.”

Stay tuned for more information on how we, as a Parish, will participate in this process.

(Information taken from The Conversation and the Vatican Website). For more
information, visit: https://www.synod.va/en.html

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
October 23/24, 2021

After healing the blind man in today’s Gospel Jesus told him to go, to be on his way.
But the man chose to follow Jesus. Being a disciple of Jesus is a choice.
The stewardship way of life likewise involves a choice, in fact many choices.
We choose to be grateful, we choose to live generously, and we choose to trust that God will always
provide for our needs. These are three choices central to the stewardship way of life.
What choices will we make this week that give witness to our decision to follow Jesus Christ?

Throughout my years of ministry, in places near and far, always I come to a place of amazement when persons in trouble, grieving, in need, and broken in spirit find consolation in hearing the 23rd Psalm. For thousands of years this has been true, even to this very time. The imagery is antiquated, the meaning ever new.

The great Jewish King David, author of many of the Psalms and the author of Psalm 23, was once a shepherd boy. In this Psalm, he places the image of the shepherd at the center of his prayer and casts God in the role of Shepherd: “The Lord is my Shepherd.” The opening line is so familiar that when I quoted it at Sunday Masses, the congregation quickly recited the subsequent line using the most popular translation: “There is nothing I shall want.”

The Psalm continues on with the image of each of us as a sheep and God as our Shepherd. David, in a most profound and simple way, outlines a simple yet complete set of circumstances that address our human journey and needs. Our physical needs are well cared for: “green pastures and still waters.” Our very beings are refreshed and restored, and our direction in the journey made right: “He restores my soul. He guides me along right paths.”

Even in dangerous times, we are freed from fear because of the presence of the watchful, able Shepherd: “Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for You are with me.” Accompanied by The Shepherd, the journey holds amazing promise of blessings and even reconciliation with foes: “You set a table – perhaps even for my enemies to join me and my cup overflows.”

David concludes this prayer with an absolute profession in his belief in God’s loving care for him – and for us as we pray, “Indeed goodness and mercy surround me all the days of my life – and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” The simplicity of Psalm 23 almost obscures how very sublime it is. The prayer speaks to the depths of the human heart.

While the popularity of the Psalm is widespread, it seems that the actual appropriation of the Psalm is very limited. By that I mean so many of us are fraught with the challenges of everyday life and have a sense of the heaviness of living. The worries and the stress, the long hours of work and planning, the saving and earning, the struggle to be healthy and finally to find happiness are part of the life of us all. Some of the younger members of the community feel this more intensely than others, for no one is exempt from the challenges of life.

So how can it be that we profess, “The Lord is my Shepherd, there is nothing I shall want”, but are not able to hold on to this reality in the midst of our struggles? Where is the disconnect?

It seems our faith and our prayers are put aside when we step into the reality of our lives. And yet it is precisely there in the come-day go-day movement of our lives that our faith is most needed. If, in those difficult moments, we embrace and internalize the actual meaning of the psalm, then we will truly feel and comprehend what it means to have the Lord as my Shepherd and to want for nothing.

And we will understand why Psalm 23 has been loved and prayed for so many centuries.

Fr. Ronan

Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time

October 16/17, 2021

In today’s Gospel Jesus teaches his disciples that whoever wishes to be great among
them must be a servant, just as he came to be a servant. Good stewards know that their
“greatness” is found in God, and is affirmed by a serving heart, a Spirit-filled life, a
humble walk and a commitment to acting in ways that glorify God.
The “greatness” we feel about ourselves is rooted in a proper view of God in our lives and a proper view of
our place in creation. It is from here that we derive our sense of identity and our belief
that human life is particularly valuable. Not to be a servant of the Gospel and others would be poor stewardship.
In what ways do we serve the Gospel in our daily lives?