From the Pastor

The greatest hunger of humankind is peace.

That means a peace that is not simply the absence of war – but so much more, the absence of violence in all of its forms. Now this sounds like so much abstract theory – and in a sense it is. At the same time, it is very close to each and every one of us, for the cornerstone of all peace is in the realization of the worth and dignity of every human person and of the sacredness of all human life. Men and women of faith believe that life is a gift from God, the Creator of all. No one person has more value than an other and indeed, in our great nation, “All are created equal”.

Yet there is so much that pushes back against this simple tenet about human value and equality. Inevitably, it is our own self-interest devoid of a greater vision of life and God’s plan for us all. So powerful is this self-directed interest that I believe we can only get beyond it by a very conscious choice to ask for God’s Grace to enlighten us about God’s view for all of humankind. The longing for peace, among socio-economic classes, ethnic groups, races, languages, religions, cultures, and all the rest is useless unless it leads us to prayer.

That sounds pretty stern – yet I think peace, true and authentic peace, in homes, cities, borders, and between nations and all peoples is ultimately a gift. Humankind can only reach the capacity for peace as we reach for God and see the value of all life, and recognize the justice needed to bring peace. I think we need to pray.

Our prayer needs to be very intentional and genuine – we need to implore our God for the gift of Peace. There are no armies, social programs, developmental agencies or economic policies that will bring us peace in themselves. The energy for peace will flow from the hearts of all people as we look at one another and see the miracle and beauty that are our lives as God’s creation. Recognizing that, each of us needs to accept that these lives are simply too precious to ever experience and/or receive violence. Arriving there, by God’s Grace, peace is possible.

October is Respect for Life Month and Domestic Violence Month. And the Church chose October 7th and, apparently by extension, the month of October, to honor Our Lady of the Rosary. Please pray the rosary throughout the month of October for the dawning of a true and lasting peace; respect for all of life from conception to natural death, and for an end to violence in all of its forms so that all may live in harmony as God created us to be. And please consider praying for these intentions each and every day.

Fr. Ronan

Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
September 25/26, 2021

St. James warns us about accepting the standards of the world
and assuming that what is normative in society needs no countercultural challenge.
The temptation to hoard riches and make sharp bargains at the expense of the powerless is pervasive
because these things are generally done and look respectable enough.
St. James points to God’s judgment on these attitudes and actions
of amassing wealth and comfort at the expense of others.
How might we be better stewards of the material blessings we have been given?
How might we use our wealth with compassion toward others?

It was a long flight from Washington to Dallas, and through a series of coincidences I was seated in first class. Just before the door closed, a gentleman boarded and sat beside me. As we introduced ourselves to one another, the man revealed he was the CEO of a Fortune 500 corporation. The conversation turned to leadership and what qualities my new acquaintance looked for in choosing executives in his company.

We discussed at length a theory of leadership popularly known as “servant–leader”. Simply put, the theory would suggest two models: leading by serving or serving by leading. That may sound like semantics; however, the difference is profound. It can be understood best by considering the emphasis: in one instance the emphasis in on serving which results in leading. In the other, the emphasis is on leading which is defined as serving.

The apostles of Jesus were in a debate as to which one of them was the most important, the first leader on the team after Jesus. Jesus brings them together and instructs them about servant leadership: “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.” (Lk 9:35).

In these times, it may appear that we do not see many servant leaders in our world. Yet one characteristic of servant leaders is they are not always visible! So I believe there are more servant leaders than there would seem to be. I say this with confidence because there are so many organizations, big and small, not-for profit and commercial, that are very successful and where employees are proudly loyal and devoted.

Jesus was the first expert in organizational behavior to teach servant leadership, in His own life and by His words. I am always surprised and excited to witness this leading by serving kind of leadership because not only does it yield the very best results for everyone, it is grounded in the dignity and worth of each person.

My traveling companion on that American Airlines flight was unaware of servant leadership yet could see how it could change a lot of things in his company. Employing it in our own daily lives also changes how we think about one another as it diminishes barriers and opens us to the unique gifts and beauty of others.
Little wonder that Jesus teaches it as a way to be number one!

Fr. Ronan

Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
September 18/19, 2021

In today’s Gospel, we learn that the disciples of Jesus had been discussing among themselves who was the greatest.
Jesus is about to turn their idea as well as our society’s idea of “greatness” upside down.
He embraces a child and tries to help the Twelve understand that to be great is to be focused on something other than themselves.
Jesus teaches that true “greatness” lies in being a good steward of those who are not great:
welcoming one who is not viewed as great by our society’s standards, like the child, the innocent, the vulnerable, the suffering,
those who are outside our comfortable circle of family, friends, companions and colleagues, those who need a welcome.
Jesus redefines our notion of greatness. How do we define greatness?
Is our notion of greatness consistent with the teachings of Jesus Christ?

In the course of any parish priest’s day, there are many varied activities. Really, from concern over some item of the buildings to time spent with a family grieving the death of a loved one, the spectrum is broad and deep – and I love it! Often the activity that is the most important and precious is listening. We priests are good
listeners – at least we try to be! Now that might not sound like “heavy lifting” – yet there are many times when it is! It depends on the matter being discussed. If it
is about the future of a cherished quarterback for the New England Patriots, that is one thing; if the subject is a family coping with a loved one diagnosed with a
terminal cancer, that is something else.

Listening, in any event, calls one to offer complete attention to the other – and often we do not listen that way! As we hear another speaking, we are inclined to
anticipate what the individual will say and then formulate our response before the person has finished speaking! At other times, one’s mind is elsewhere while
another is speaking. Many of us have done this and have been in conversations where this is common, and when we reflect on it we come to realize that this is not true listening.

Some years ago, Carl Rogers, a noted psychologist and prolific author, introduced a new way of looking at effective therapy. Among other things, he suggested that what he called; “Unconditional Positive Regard” was crucial to effective psychotherapy. Rogers was talking about how we listen. He taught that healing can
take place when, in an encounter, a listener gives his/her entire attention to the other in a positive and nonjudgmental way, allowing the person to speak and accepting without judgment whatever is said. A person’s hurts, brokenness, shame, anxiety, fear, inferiority, confused identity, and so much more can improve. On
the one hand, it sounds so elementary and yet, in truth, it is so profound.

This very experience happens all the time, among friends, spouses, colleagues, and teachers …. It is that phenomenon of one human being caring for another; caring in such a way as to make it possible for another to experience and grow in love and, at times, to help another to open up and unburden all kinds of trouble and pain that is within. We all need such opportunities, and everyone is healthier because of them. At the same time, we all know there are some parts of life, some experiences, choices, and actions that are very difficult and cannot easily be spoken about. Sometimes a priest can help.

Actually, it is better to say, all the time, God can help. And God has chosen, for God’s own reasons, to be present to us in countless ways. A very specific and deeply helpful way in which God is present is through the Sacraments of the Church. The Sacrament of Reconciliation often referred to as “Confession”, is one of these Sacraments. The fact that few use the Sacrament in these days does not diminish its value and its availability to be a source of Grace and healing for those who approach this precious gift.

Since my Ordination as a Priest in June 1982 to this present day, I am in awe of how God uses this sacrament to bring His love to people in these moments. Further, while I am well aware of the effectiveness of counseling and therapy – the listening that happens in this Sacrament occasions a time of Grace: God is present and the Priest serves only as an instrument of this Grace in ways that are far beyond understanding.

A priest is available every Saturday afternoon from 3:15 – 3:45 in the Confession corner in the upper Church. In addition, any person can contact the Parish Office to set up an appointment to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Rogers is right – lovingly listening to another can be a wonderful and healing experience. Imagine how much more such a moment can be when one seeks God in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and the fruits of that are forgiveness, healing, and consolation.

Fr. Ronan

Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
September 11/12, 2021

St. James asks what our love for Jesus Christ can possibly mean if it does not result in action on behalf of, and to benefit, our neighbor.
He suggests that faith in Jesus Christ is demonstrated most profoundly in our care for the needy, the suffering, and the underprivileged.
Stewardship includes proclaiming the Good News by putting our faith into action on behalf of others.
In what ways have we been willing to make sacrifices and renunciations for the sake of Jesus Christ and our neighbor

Last year at this time, we looked forward to this year imagining that the pandemic would be over and life would return to some semblance of normalcy. However, we are all, once again, entering into the fall with sketchy plans and wondering how this is all going to play out. Educators are feverishly working to put in place good experiences for their students. Parents are searching to find solutions for too many problems, whether working remotely or dealing with the uncertainty of their children’s safety in returning to classroom learning. Everyone is anxious about masks, vaccinations, the delta variant and its spread in the weeks ahead. Yes, this continues to be a stressful and unpredictable autumn.

Is there a place to go to find relief? Is there a formula that makes dealing with all of the ambiguities and challenges possible? I think there is. It begins with an examination of our expectations: why what we think is important really is important. It continues with carefully reviewing what truly matters the most and why it does.

This process means locating our lives and that of our families and friends, in a bigger picture that moves outside of the box of our usual customs and familiarities and perhaps our comfort zones. For example, this morning a young dad, in
responding to my question about how his family is doing, replied a lot was very uncertain and worrisome. However, he had a job and so they are blessed. The young mother and father then explained how grateful they are that their three
beautiful children are healthy and happy and that the Sunday morning is beautiful.

I believe that one of the most potent resources we have to respond to this terribly hard time is gratitude. That may seem a paradox and I guess it sort of is one. Nonetheless, gratitude flows from a wisdom that recognizes that God is active and present constantly and is always close at hand. “Count your Blessings” is not a simplistic piece of advice from of old. It is an enduring piece of wisdom.

Often, to be implemented, it requires placing our moments in a context bigger than our private expectations and thus
recognizing God’s fingerprints on everything. For myself, such an awareness causes me to utter, “thank you!”

Fr. Ronan

Pope Francis writes: “Life is often a desert, it is difficult to walk, but if we trust in God, it can become beautiful and wide as a highway. Never lose hope; continue to believe, always, in spite of everything. Hope opens new horizons, making us capable of dreaming what is not even imaginable.”

Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
September 4/5, 2021

St. James teaches that those who are perceived to be poor in the eyes of society are the ones who have been chosen to inherit the Kingdom of God. Indeed, we are saved because of our poverty and redeemed out of our need, not because of our material wealth or achievements that the world finds praiseworthy. St. James also suggests that we are stewards of others, especially the poor and it is how we respond to the poor and needy that will define our relationship with the Lord. Can you identify the poverty, whether spiritual or material, that is in your own life? How can that “poverty” be redeemed? As stewards of others, how do we respond to the poverty that exists right in our own parish.

I think most all of us were looking forward to September bringing in a new era of hope and returning to a style of living around the city free from the challenges and hard restrictions imposed by the pandemic. And now as we need to
start wearing masks again and the news from near and far is so grim, everyone has to dig deep to find a positive energy. On the one hand, one could look around and see people who are suffering in unimaginable ways, for example, in Haiti and in Afghanistan. On the other hand, every person and family searches to find his or her footing given our current reality.

Recently, I was writing to families of school-age children regarding our religious education program. Conscious of how very stressed parents are as the opening of school fast approaches, the last thing I wanted to do was to increase anxiety with a list of to do’s. As I think about these times, it seems to me that preparing ourselves and our children to grow more deeply in their faith is really not a task on a checklist, it is more a gift and a rich, valuable resource.

Standing with people who have undergone profound losses and setbacks throughout my many years as a priest has often offered me moments of inspiration, even edification. For it is when we find ourselves in some of our deepest holes or facing the steepest of mountains and feeling helpless that our faith can often lead us forward. It is, in fact, a tapping into the faith knowledge of the infinite power of God manifest in God’s unconditional love for each of us.

For the person of Jesus Christ is meant to be that ineffable resource and strength for anyone who so chooses to accept such a friendship. I fully realize this perspective does not make sense and is not an empirically verifiable way of living. Nonetheless, it is a truth.

The story of Jesus Christ has been known for more than 2000 years and prophesized long before. Christ represents an entire absolute truth that is not a relative or subjective one, rather absolute. This truth is not a history story, although it certainly has a deep history. It is an ongoing, alive reality deeply enmeshed in the lives of men and women every day.

Now we look to September 2021 with an uncertainty we thought we had left behind and yet it is back. For me, this uncertainty, which could easily induce fear and anxiety, worry and stress of every form, can also become an invitation. It is an invitation to turn towards my relationship with Jesus with deep confidence and abiding trust.

I do not know, and no one of us knows how this next chapter of the pandemic will unfold in Boston or in the world. However, we have resources both materially, medically, and more importantly, in our faith. This faith opens a landscape of traditions, values, teachings, and relationships that can and will sustain us no matter what comes next.

Fr. Ronan

Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
August 28-29, 2021

In the reading from the letter of St. James we are urged to be “doers” of the Gospel, not
just listeners. Being a “steward” of God’s Word is a matter of listening to the Good
News, embracing the Good News and putting the Good News into action in our day-to
-day lives. And whenever we are uncertain as to what decisions to make or actions to
take as good stewards of the Gospel, St. James reminds us:
We can never go wrong if we resist popular values that are not compatible with the Gospel,
and we come to the aid of those who are burdened, distressed and poor.

A few weeks ago I was having a conversation with a friend who had recently returned from a family vacation. Of course, I asked him how the vacation was and how everything went. He explained that the weather was poor, rainy and often very hot and humid. The cabin they were staying in wasn’t very comfortable. He said the beds were poor and he slept badly, the children were usually unhappy and one of them fell and cut her knee that became a big deal. He went on
to speak negatively about his weeks’ vacation and concluded his answer by exclaiming that the toaster had burnt his English muffin that morning.

Well, we all complain and often we have a good reason for doing so. Sometimes it’s just to let off steam after some nasty traffic or a bad experience at the dentist or what have you. Yet we all know some of us can be experts at complaining and seem to delight in emphatically whining about all kinds of things to whomever will listen.

In the Bible, there are a number of instances of people complaining, – usually complaining to God. Sometimes the complaining is really dramatic like, “I’ve had it God, let me die rather than continue like this”! Sometimes the complaining is in the form of a question from one of the apostles to Jesus like: “We have given up a lot to follow
you, what’s in it for us?”

As I think about the times I have been complaining, I now start to see them as moments when everything is about me. That is, I want to tell you about times when I was uncomfortable, dissatisfied, frustrated, and inconvenienced. However, as I look back on those times there is always more to the story. There is something bigger than my issues at play in whatever is happening in my life. Some of it is the adage – glass half full or glass half empty metaphor which is excellent. In addition, it is about what we choose make of circumstances in which we find ourselves. For example, you may have heard the expression, “If you’re dealt lemons, make lemonade! “

I think complaining is not ever a satisfying response to the issues in which we live every day. I believe God knows about those issues and absolutely has a bigger plan in mind— but I need to be open to it and get out of my own way and my
own self-absorption. There can be opportunities that are amazing and truly delightful, often new approaches, experiences, and people available when my complaining ceases and my wonder at the possibilities increases.

In the end, we are all the work of God’s hands, hands that are loving and want only the very best for each one of us. This does not mean that suffering, setbacks, inconveniences, and losses are not part of that journey; and all of our lives include those experiences. Nevertheless, I believe it does mean that God is never absent and the more we lean into God’s love and mercy the more our complaints might just yield beautiful surprises.

Fr. Ronan

Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time

August 21-22, 2021

In today’s Gospel, we hear that a number of Jesus’ followers left him because his
message was too difficult for them to accept. In essence, they did not believe in him.
He then asked the Twelve if they wished to leave as well.
Peter responds by making a profound profession of faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior.
The Twelve made a choice and stood by their choice, remaining loyal to their commitment to Jesus.
A good question for our reflection might be this:
Are we satisfied with the stewardship we exercise over our baptismal commitment?
Are we just “along for the ride?”
Are we keeping Christ in front of us as we make decisions about our daily activities, our
relationships, our parish, issues in the workplace, issues such as peace and justice?
What is the quality of our stewardship

One of the joys in which each parent delights is the discovery of the different talents and gifts of his or her
child. The discovery of learning a new word, growing another inch, and getting a new tooth are all celebrated with
loving pride and admiration by doting parents—and rightly so! When I visit the homes of young parents in the Parish, I always enjoy the conversation which, for the first moments, always is about their beautiful and remarkable new baby.

I suspect that God looks on us with a similar joy. The One who created us and gave us all we have and are, delights in each of us. The talents and gifts, our bodies and aptitudes, all are gifts from God. And we are created in the image and likeness of this very God, too.

There is not one person reading this article, including the one who wrote it, who has not received an abundance of gifts too numerous to list and imagine. It is so easy to think that all we have is ours or that we have enabled it to come about on our own. But if we stop and really take some time to reflect, we will realize that nothing we are or possess would have come about without the grace of God. How well have we used all that we have received? Have we taken the time to acknowledge the One who has given to us all that we have?

Time, after our health and our faith, is, perhaps, the most precious commodity we have. How do we use the limited amount of time that has been measured out by God for each of us? Do we take time for granted? Do we waste time or behave as if we have all the time in the world to get to what we know is most essential in life? How can our days be transformed into time well spent?

It seems to me the only way to do this is through daily prayer. Daily, each of us could do well to offer the day ahead to the God who gave it to us. This used to be called a “morning offering”—a simple and a good prayer. Surely, if this is our prayer and our sincere intention—to use every moment of the day ahead in service to the God who has given it to us—the day will be well spent. And such a day will delight the One who has given us all out of love.

Fr. Ronan

A Sample Morning Prayer

All that we do without offering it to God is wasted.”
– St. John Vianney

Faithful and loving God, thank you for keeping me safe through the night
and for giving me the gift of this new day.
Today, may each thought, word, and deed of mine be a reflection of your divine life within me. Amen.

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
August 14-15, 2021

In today’s Gospel we hear Mary’s cousin, Elizabeth, bestow the gift of two blessings on
Mary when she greets her. Elizabeth blesses Mary not only because she believes that
Mary is the mother of the Lord, but also because she recognizes that Mary has complete
faith in God’s promise. When Elizabeth prophetically pronounces Mary “blessed …
among women” and proclaims that the fruit of Mary’s womb is blessed, she uses the
same term that Jesus uses to bless people in the Beatitudes.
Good stewards recognize the Spirit-driven love and courage that inspired Elizabeth’s hospitality toward a young,
unmarried, pregnant woman and the honor Elizabeth bestowed upon Mary who would ordinarily be shamed for bearing this child.
In what ways can we extend the blessings we receive in the Eucharistic celebration to others in order to honor them and offer them God’s hospitality?

When you enter the Church next weekend, things will look different as we prepare the front vestibule for the statues of our Patronesses, Our Lady of Guadalupe and Saint Catherine of Siena. The rug on the stairs will be removed, stairs leveled and painted, and a new rug will replace the tired one that is currently there. Following this work, pedestals will be built that will accommodate the two statues.

The week of August 8, work will begin in our sanctuary! The thirty plus year old carpet will be removed and the floor underneath will be restored and refinished. If all goes well, this work should take about three weeks from start to finish. We will continue to celebrate Mass in the upper Church, but things will just be moved around a little bit.

If anyone has any questions or comments about these projects, or any others, please feel free to call or email me.
Wishing everyone well and praying that all this rain will give way to a beautiful August.

Blessings to all,

James Santosuosso, Business Manager
jsantosuosso@stmarystcatherine.org

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
August 7-8, 2021

The Letter to the Ephesians urges us to be mindful that part of our life together in the Eucharist means being kind to one another, compassionate and forgiving, just as Christ has forgiven us. What can we do this week to show our kindness, compassion and forgiving attitude toward others in our family of faith? How can we be even better stewards of our faith community as, what St. Paul refers to as “Imitators of God?”

The readings this weekend remind me of a country western song by Tim McGraw. It’s a song about a man in his forties who has been given the shocking diagnosis of an illness that will end his earthly life. He responds to this devastating news by intentionally choosing how he wants to live the remainder of his days on earth. The lyrics gave me pause, not because the concept is new but because, of late, my own immortality has come to the forefront—though I keep trying to push it back.

Within the past couple of months I have had the privilege to accompany family members as they bury loved ones who are younger or just slightly older than I. And it seems this is the case in the recent stream of communications I have been receiving about those who are very ill or are journeying home to God, some of whom I have been gifted to visit. In all of these situations there has been no fluff, no non-essentials; conversations are all about things that truly matter or there is just a quiet “being with” as I internally acknowledge with gratitude that I am on holy ground and that the presence of God is permeating in and around us.

As the country western song continued, I was disappointed when the man began relaying the “bucket list” of things he did after he got “the news,” like skydiving, rocky mountain climbing and riding a bull (it is country western, after all.) But then … I heard him say also that he loved deeper, spoke sweeter, gave the forgiveness he had been denying, became a better husband and the kind of friend one would like to have. He even began reading “the Good Book.” And then it occurred to me that the songwriter was describing the kind of balance we are called to live in life—intentional time for self, others, and God in a way that demonstrates who we truly are as precious children of God.

Our lives tend to take on a pace that can rob us of this kind of intentional living. I guess some might say that if one is fortunate enough not to die suddenly, there can be some intentionality to the way one decides to live the rest of one’s life. But in reality, we already know that life on earth is temporary whether we die young or after a length of days. We don’t have to wait for medical professionals to tell us that it’s going to end. We know this early on in life. It occurred to me that this knowledge is truly a gift because it can allow us to choose how to live our lives today with the deliberateness of faith-filled people, trusting that God is with us just as He was with the Israelites in the desert as described in today’s first reading; just as He has been from the beginning of time and will be forever.

As St. Paul states in today’s second reading, “I declare and testify in the Lord that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds; that is not how you learned Christ … so put away the old self … and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, putting on the new self, created in God’s way in righteousness and holiness of truth.” And in today’s Gospel, Jesus enjoins us “not to work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life.” As a prominent writer posited, our eternal life does not begin when we die … it begins the moment we are conceived for it is then that we begin our journey with God. We are called to live in the fullness of God’s love and presence in the here and now on this side of the veil, not only after we transition to the other side.

And so, we are called to live each day, dying in an ongoing way to those parts of ourselves and things in our lives that get in the way of our taking responsibility for the wellbeing of ourselves, others and our world. Jesus is our North Star. He is “the way, the truth and the life.” He has modeled and spoken about a way of life that gives us life, and he remains with us always so that we might have life “to the full.” If we believe this, how then shall we live?

Sr. Nancy Citro, SNDdeN

Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 31, August 1, 2021

In today’s Gospel we hear Jesus proclaiming that he is “the bread of life.”
He then offers an invitation to come to him. For us, the invitation is to live the Eucharistic life in Christ.
What does it mean for our parish family to live together in the Eucharist?
What does it mean for us to share the Eucharist together, to participate in the “bread of life” together?
Does it mean we love each other, support our community of faith, work together?
Do we carry each other’s burdens? Celebrate our joys?
What are the practical implications of being good stewards of our Eucharistic life together.

The Transfiguration of the Lord – August 6, 2021

In Year B, the reading for the Transfiguration comes from Mark’s gospel. (The Transfiguration also appears in the other two synoptic gospels, Matthew and Luke.) In Mark, Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up a high mountain, apart from the other apostles and disciples.

There, Jesus is transfigured (changed in form and appearance) and appears in dazzling white clothes. Elijah, the great prophet, and Moses, through whom the Israelites were given the law, appear with Jesus. A cloud appears, overshadowing them, and a voice states, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.” Jesus charges the three to not share with anyone what they had seen “except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead.” They keep their experience to themselves, pondering what Jesus meant by rising from the dead.

How are we to understand the Transfiguration? The story of the Transfiguration is also proclaimed on the second Sunday of Lent—a key part of Jesus’ journey towards the Cross. The Catechism of the Catholic Church draws parallels between Jesus’ Baptism and the Transfiguration. Jesus is baptized at the start of his public ministry. His baptism proclaims the mystery of our first regeneration—we die and rise again with Christ. The “Transfiguration ‘is the sacrament of the second regeneration’: our own Resurrection (St. Thomas Aquinas, STh III, 45, 4, ad 2). From now on we share in the Lord’s Resurrection through the Spirit who acts in the sacraments of the Body of Christ.

The Transfiguration gives us a foretaste of Christ’s glorious coming, when he ‘will change our lowly body to be like his glorious body (Phil 3:21)’” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 556). During the Prayer after Communion, we pray that God might “transform us into the likeness of your [his] Son, / whose radiant splendor you willed to make manifest / in his glorious Transfiguration.” The Collect, or opening prayer, tells us that the mystery of the Transfiguration “prefigures our full adoption to sonship.” The Transfiguration, initially revealed to Peter, James, and John, reveals to all of us a taste of what is yet to come.

The Transfiguration is the fourth of the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary.

Copyright © 2021, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, DC. All rights reserved.

I woke up this morning thinking about this Sunday’s Gospel story of Jesus multiplying loaves and fish to feed the multitude of people who were coming to him after he had crossed the Sea of Galilee. It seems that this is the only miracle of Jesus that is depicted, with some variations, in all four Gospels, even appearing twice in both the Gospels of Mark and Matthew. For some reason, my mind drifted to a part of my own family story.

I come from a “right off the boat” Italian family – my parents and three oldest siblings arrived after having known the ravages of war. My older brother, who has since passed, and I were born in the United States. Adjusting to all that was foreign to them was no easy feat. And we were not a family of means, so my parents both worked six days a week. My mother arrived home from work each night, changed her clothes and began preparing the evening meal – always a simple first and second course and always from “scratch.” No canned food, no frozen dinners, nothing processed, no take out, everything fresh – and she always had a plan. All this after a day’s worth of stitching collars on raincoats, using a feet propelled sewing machine and then, weathering the Green Line.

Regardless of how hungry we were or how many friends dropped by, there always seemed to be enough food to go around; and I can’t remember a time when we didn’t have some leftover as well. My mother was always the last one to sit at the table because she was always preparing what was coming next. No matter how many times we called her or told her to come to the table so that we could all eat together, she was always the last to arrive and even then took time to make sure that we all had what we needed.

One Sunday, we all decided that none of us was going to eat until she sat at the table with us from the very start of the meal. We sat with tempting delicious plates of homemade pasta before us, conversing around the table with an eye on the doorway, waiting for my mother to enter. In she came and when she took in the scene, a quizzical look appeared on her face as she wondered why we weren’t eating. Was there something wrong with the food? My father told her to sit down, and for the first time and ever after, we all began eating together.

Devoting her life to her family – working, cooking, sewing, cleaning – was what gave my mother meaning. My sister and I helped my mother as much as we could, but my mother led the charge, seeing it as her God-given vocation. Her love for God, who was the center of her heart and the strength that flowed through her veins, and her love for us, was never ending; she always had a watchful eye, and she demonstrated her care for us in such unassuming ways.

Both then and now I stand in awe of the power of that love that emanated from her whole being. I don’t mean to convey that we had a perfect family or that my mother was perfect. Just that there were times that felt perfect. As the family grew and our doors were opened to others, invariably someone would shake their head and ask, “How does your mother do it?”

This is kind of how I feel when I think of the life of Jesus. I shake my head and wonder, “how did he do it?” I don’t mean how did he perform the miracles, as I believe they came from a place of deep union with God and a deep love for God; and I don’t ask if the miracles really happened, as some skeptics do. I mean, what enables one to live such an unwavering life of purpose and meaning geared toward the wellbeing of others?

One Gospel story after another reveals Jesus’ care and concern for us and his watchful eye for our wellbeing. Jesus’ compassionate gaze upon all who needed healing and his desire for all to be healed captures me the most. When the leper said to him, “if you will it, you can make me clean,” Jesus replied, “I do will it. Be made clean.” When the woman was afflicted with a hemorrhage for twelve years, she just touched his clothes and was healed. In another section of the Gospel, many were healed just by touching his tassels. Jesus was so filled with the desire to heal that his whole self emanated with healing power, so much so that even his clothes could not contain it and became instruments for healing.

The Gospels are replete with stories of Jesus’ unending love for the people of His time. He spent his life teaching, feeding, healing, challenging, caring, never for his own glory but for our benefit and to fulfill his God-given call to, “bring glad tidings to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free.” He did so unassumingly, to the point of sacrificing his own life for the benefit of humankind. He didn’t just do it 2,000 years ago. He is alive today with the same desire, calling us to be in relationship with him so that we can
benefit from all that He has to offer. This is a broad brushstroke of who Jesus is for me, and I can’t help but stand in awe of Him. Who is Jesus for you?

Sr. Nancy

Seventeenth Sunday
in Ordinary Time
July 24/25, 2021

The story of the multiplication of the loaves and the fishes is a familiar one, and has many lessons, not
least of which is how our willingness to share who we are and what we have.
Exercising good stewardship serves to release God’s power and bountifulness on the world and its people.
Do we realize that there is enough for all if we are willing to share?
Are we aware that God is at work when we share our time, our money and our other resources in His name ?