From Maintenance To Mission

Most of the parish staff and many parishioners left this weekend, heading off on pilgrimage to the Holy Land. They will be visiting holy sites in Israel and Palestine, including the places where Jesus was born, where he performed different miracles, where he taught and healed people, where he was crucified, where he rose from the dead, and where he ascended into heaven. They are carrying with them the prayer intentions you wrote on cards and deposited into the box in the back of the church over the past few weeks, and they are remembering you and our entire parish community in their prayers. Please keep them in yours!

Prayer for Pilgrims in the Holy Land

 Jesus, I pray that our pilgrims will be spiritually nourished as they travel to the holy places shared by Christians, Jews, and Muslims. Recognizing the tension and conflict they may encounter, I pray for their safety and well-being, and that they will minister to one another and those they meet with patience, kindness, and compassion. I pray that they will encounter you as they walk in your footsteps, and that they will be freshly inspired to teach, pray, welcome, love, and evangelize as you did. And when they return, I pray that they will share their experiences of faith and understanding, not only within our parish, but with the wider world. Amen.

eGiving with Faith Direct

This month we are introducing a new an exciting way for you to support our parish offertory and second collections: Faith Direct. Faith Direct enables parishioners to make your Church contribution through either direct debit from your checking/savings account or through your credit/debit card. No more writing checks or searching for envelopes on the way out the door. Now you can apply the convenience of direct debit to your parish offerings in much the same way as you may now use it to make your mortgage, car or tuition payments.

Faith Direct also offers you personalized offertory cards to replace your envelopes for the collection basket.

Please join me in enrolling by responding to the mailing you will receive or visit faith.direct/RI1021 to enroll securely. online.

God Bless You!

Fr. Adam Young

From Maintenance To Mission

During the past two weeks over 100 adults (including middle & high school students) came to the December GIFT sessions and experienced a quiet form of prayer known as Eucharistic Adoration. It is magnificent and beautiful, but challenging, too, because we come face to face with the Real Presence of Jesus Christ – truly Jesus himself – in the form of the Eucharist (aka the Blessed Sacrament). Now, if you sometimes find it hard to be completely present to the person who’s literally sitting on the same couch and talking to you, then you can see how it would take practice to sit in a pew in the silent church and focus on Jesus who’s present in the Blessed Sacrament on the altar. If you came and tried but didn’t quite “get it”, go easy on yourself. Quieting our minds to be truly present in the moment is hard for all of us, and recognizing Jesus in the Eucharist is even more challenging. But don’t give up! The grace of our baptism helps us to persevere, and if you want it, God wants it for you all the more! Continue striving to grow closer to Jesus in new ways, especially ones that challenge you, and let’s be a community that encourages one another to become better in the ways of holiness. Experiencing new forms of prayer together and adoring our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament is something we will continue to do as a parish in the new year.

Another way Jesus is present to us is through his Word, but that’s another thing that many of us avoid. Most Catholics didn’t grow up reading the Bible and we tend to think it’s either boring, difficult to understand, or a combination of both. But the truth is that Sacred Scripture is a way we can personally meet Jesus and hear him speak to us one-on-one. Nothing could be more exciting or life-giving! The key isn’t to read scripture the same way we read other text. It is not something shallow to read with our eyes and understand with our brain. It is a much deeper experience that we hear and feel with our hearts, one that enlightens us, and provides guidance for every area of our lives. It takes practice, but as we grow in discipleship and move from maintenance to mission, developing a love and understanding of Sacred Scripture will be another important step for us to focus on as a community.

Meanwhile, as you celebrate this Christmas season, seek out Jesus and spend time with him, just as the shepherds and wise men did two thousand years ago. Unplug for a few minutes here and there and practice being in silence, and consider taking out your Bible and reading Luke 2:1-20. You’re already familiar with the story of Jesus’ birth, but if you begin by asking the Holy Spirit to reveal what God may want to say to you through this scripture, there could be a new detail that will stand out, or a phrase that will have particular meaning to you this time. Reflect on it in your heart, following the example of Mary, our Blessed Mother, and praise God for what he tells you. This is how we hear his voice and come to recognize his presence with us.

Rejoice and be glad, for the Word became flesh, and He dwells among us!

Merry Christmas!