The Feast of the Holy Family

The theme that runs through the readings on a Sunday is not always easy to discern. However, On December 29th when the Church recognizes the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph the message of the readings is quite clear. The first reading from The Book of Sirach emphasizes the importance of respecting and caring for parents. In the second reading, St. Paul exhorts children, wives, and husbands to act with kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. In the Gospel reading, the evangelist Matthew describes for us the courage and trust that Mary and Joseph displayed when they fled to Egypt with their newborn child.

The readings brought back for me memories in my life of instances of honoring one’s father and mother. I have an early memory when I was very young of traveling from Quincy to South Boston on the bus and subway with my mother so she could visit her parents. My brothers and I would accompany my father to the home of his parents as he completed chores that needed to be done. Although we probably did not always do it joyfully, at home my brothers and I would cut the grass, put out the trash, or shovel the driveway. We knew that my father worked hard and that we needed to be both responsible and helpful. I supported my mother as she assumed the huge responsibility of caring for my father at home as he slowly died from Gehrig’s disease (ALS). My own children observed me and my brothers as we cared for our mother for a number of years in a nursing home.

Honoring one’s father and mother is not always easy and for many it can be complicated. However, it may be helpful to consider that when we love our parents, we are also loving God. Given the demands and pressures placed on many families today, the readings dedicated to the Holy Family are both timely and valuable. Scripture, prayer, the sacraments, virtues, and love are available to us all and will strengthen our efforts make our families holy.

Reflection by Bob Fanning

How have you grown this Advent?

This Advent has been quite a different one for my family and me. Both my son and I had orthopedic surgery and have been recovering for several weeks. This season has been a different kind of busy for us.   I love the Church season of Advent and I love the secular Christmas season.  As soon as Thanksgiving weekend passes, I have my Christmas to do list for my family.  I love breakfast with Santa, volunteering at My Brothers’ Keeper, going to Christmas concerts at Church, visiting Jordan’s Furniture, visiting Lasalette shrine, making and decorating cookies, going to events and celebrations and the list goes on.   I love it all and my personality is such that I set the family schedule so we accomplish it all.  Lists and accomplishments drive me in many areas of life and I love the feeling of accomplishment even if by Christmas Eve I am very tired. To say this year has been different has been an understatement.    The positive side is that I have been very faithful to my Advent prayer and practices, as I have a great deal of time and I have really put my trust in the Lord to bring healing to my family and guide us through a stressful time.   Wow, that makes me sound great.   Doesn’t it?  

The reality is even rooted in that prayer my peaceful Advent has been in conflict with my guilt and a constant nagging feeling of not “doing enough”.  I look on Instagram and Facebook and I see the world participating in all the activities we cannot do this year.  The feelings of envy and guilt sneak in.  Envy for myself because I love all that stuff and guilt for having a weakness and not being a “good enough mom” who can post the perfect Christmas pictures on social media have taken over my thoughts often.  We have not been able to participate in our usual holiday family traditions.  The drive through light display in Marshfield substituted for Lasalette shrine and Pandora has taken the place of the church Christmas concert.  Many days that has taken over my early morning peaceful Advent, and has left me a little sad, and at times my family too.

When it came time to write the blog – I thought what in the world could I write about that is full of hope, expectation, and the impending joy of Christmas.  I do not feel very much joy.  What can I possibly share?  I looked at the readings and a few thing jumped out for me. Ahaz needed and was promised a sign.   St. Paul challenges us as he often does to follow our call to grow in holiness. Then, we hear the story of Joseph, the model of holy obedience and trust in the signs and calls of the Lord.   Isn’t that what Advent really is supposed to be… waiting for a sign? ….growing in holiness? ….living in expectation of the fulfillment of that dream?  Soon we will celebrate the birth of Jesus, “God with us.”  So shouldn’t Advent really be about taking notice?  What have I taken notice of this Advent?

Then I looked over at the Advent wreath that sits on my table.  It is a make shift wreath we had to put together because I was not at Holy Family to buy one of those beautiful wreaths from the Bible Study women.  The centerpiece of my table is usually one of those picture perfect beautiful wreaths … This year our centerpiece is one with make an old berries wreath found in the attic and candles glued to a paper plate(My husband’s genius!).  It is not perfect and beautiful at all, but I was struck…  The candles for the first three weeks are getting really really low, so much lower than usual.  (We are getting close to fire hazard status with the paper plate.)  Usually the candles are almost new even at the end of the season.  I usually have the best of intentions with the Advent wreath but it usually just looks pretty.  I thought,  what is the difference this year?  Why are the candles so low?  As, I consider this I reviewed the weeks of Advent.   Each time we ate dinner together, we lit the wreath as always, but because we have not been out checking things off my list, we have lit it so much more.  We have gathered around the table, eating meals some prepared by family and friends that have loved and cared for us during this trying time.  We have had it lit as we have wrapped together at the counter and played many board games at the table.  I reflected on the blessings we have been given this Advent and there have been many.  This Advent, I have come to know that it is okay to be and not to accomplish (me pray to hold onto to this in the New Year!). We have stayed up late much too late because we do not have a real schedule and spent a great deal of time just being together!     Among a time of much stress and anxiety, there has been much laughter and love in our home, both amongst us, and from the many who have reached out to help us, support us, and pray for us along the way.  We have learned to be grateful in a new way.

We are lucky that we are housebound an have limited for a very short period, relative to the whole year and in the Spring it will all be a distant memory.   Life, however, is not Facebook perfect all the time and that is okay and its okay to share the less than perfect parts of our story.  Life is messy and if we are honest, we do not need to gloss over the challenges just to show the world our perfection.   In the Gospel this Sunday, Joseph a good and holy man is visited in a dream and listens to God’s will and follows it. Talk about messy, how does one explain that?  Not only does he hear and listen to the Lord, but also he must have shared his less than perfect story of his already pregnant fiancée and the dream that assured him God was with him.  Imagine having the courage to share that less than perfect story so that it could be recorded and all of us thousands of years later could be challenged to say yes to all the Lord has in store for us as Joseph did. 

I have received many blessings, learned many things, and I wait in expectation and hope for Christmas so that I can take all the Lord has shown me this Advent into my year ahead and grow in holiness following the example of Joseph. I have noticed many things that I never would have and I have learned to appreciate small things.  The comfort of my home for one and the blessings of that comfort.  So many people go without that comfort.  I have to come to respect the body God has given me and been challenged to care for it in new ways.  It takes a little less than perfect to see all that is good just the way it is.     Our messy life situations are meant to be shared, as Joseph did, to help us grow and help others grow alongside us.     

How have you grown this Advent?

Reflection by Jeanne Cregan

Rejoice! Hurry the Lord is Near!

Happy Gaudete Sunday, or as I like to call it, Happy Pink Vestment Sunday!

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know its rose, not pink, but pink is much more fun.  When I first started in ministry, I was a young 22 year old kid so I often wore dress shirts and ties every day to work to seem older, more professional.  Thanks to this habit, I collected a lot of different collared shirts.  It got to the point I had enough purple shirts I could wear a different purple shirt each Sunday of Advent and, of course, I had to have a pink one for the 3rd Sunday of Advent.  I had my own little Advent wreath of shirts in my closet.  I was always excited for the 3rd Sunday of Advent, not only because I could bring out my favorite pink shirt/tie combination but it meant Christmas is right around the corner.

During Advent, the priest wears purple and we decorate the Church in purple. We do this to symbolize the darkness we are living in.  Jesus isn't here yet, the light of the world is not with us yet.  But each week as we light a new candle on the advent wreath, the darkness lessens, a little more light can be seen as we await the Light of the World.  On the 3rd Sunday of Advent, we step out of that darkness, that purple, and celebrate the light.  The waiting is almost over.  We can see light at the end of the tunnel.  We can rejoice, the Lord is near.

It also serves as a reminder that Advent is almost over and the Lord is near...I know what you are thinking- Matt you literally just said that.  It's true I did, but how you read those statements can be very different. 

The first -  Advent is almost over!!!! The Lord is near!!!! Is an excited exclamation of someone who has truly lived Advent and has worked these last few weeks to prepare their hearts, minds and souls to receive the Lord and are anxiously awaiting His arrival.  The pink (rose) candle is a symbol of joy and excitement!

The second -  well it is more of an oh shoot, how is Advent almost over and Christmas is right around the corner?  This is a worried expression of someone who can't seem to figure out where December has gone.  How are we only 10 days from Christmas.  I have so much stuff still to do!  Gifts to buy, parties to go to, presents to wrap, etc, etc, etc.  That is an expression of someone who hasn't taken the time to truly experience and live Advent.  The pink candle is a giant warning sign of everything they haven't done yet..

If read the expression the first way, awesome!  I can't wait for you to receive the Lord in your heart on Christmas morning.

If you read the expression the second way, fear not, there is still hope! The Church gives us this reminder that the Lord is coming, so if we haven't taken the time to prepare for it yet, we still have a chance to.  I can't wait for you to receive the Lord in your hearts on Christmas morning too! 

Let's try to make our hearts as warm and welcoming of a resting place as we can for the Lord over these next 10 days. 

Reflection by: Matthew Bensman

SO. MUCH. PREPARATION.

It’s Christmas time! Yay! Let’s decorate the tree, hang lights, find those black Friday deals, force your kids to take a picture to put on the card,  check your Elf on the Shelf, buy the teacher presents, volunteer for the class party, get the kids to their practices, check the Elf again, grab the gift you forgot, donate time to those in need, make cookies, go to work, spend time with the family you don’t see often, spend time with the family you see too often, throw the Elf in the garbage (but change your mind and put it back on the shelf), and then finally, before you know it, wake up and Christmas is here!  SO. MUCH. PREPARATION.  So much EXTRA STUFF on top of the already busy lives that we lead.

We spend so much time prepping our homes, families, classes, etc.  to experience the joy of Christmas that we forget to prepare ourselves to fully experience the true joy that only comes with having Jesus present in our daily lives.  In our readings this week, we see that John the Baptist was encouraging repentance and preparing the world for Jesus’s arrival.  But today, the Lord is not “coming soon” like a feature presentation at the local movie theater, or like a distant cousin that only comes around once a year and eats all the apple pie.    The Lord is already here.  He is all around us and within us, waiting for us to quiet our minds and bodies to connect with him in each moment.  To seek his guidance in our daily life choices.  To prayerfully reflect and show gratitude for this life, where we get to love, learn and experience all the joys and sorrow of being fully human.

To be human is to love, fail, learn and grow in spirit (the ultimate goal).   We must have faith that we are here to learn the lessons in life that God wants to teach us to bring us closer to him (and to each other).  In this 2nd week of Advent, we are going to light the “Candle of Preparation” or “Bethlehem Candle” which represents FAITH and is a reminder of Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem.  As Mary prepared for the coming of her child, she had faith in the Lord and his plans for her life.

During Advent, I look to my own mother for inspiration on preparation and faith.  December 7th is her 75th birthday and she is one of God’s most faithful, humble servants. Each morning she prepares herself and unites with God in daily devotion and prayer.  Just 10 min a day in the morning and she sets herself up for a day of walking with the Lord by her side. He is present in her decision making, in her reactions to stressful situations, and in her words.   While I have tried meditation, prayer and downloaded the “Jesus Calling” devotional app on my phone (hey – no judgments on the phone usage), I have gotten so busy during the holidays that I have forgotten to continue to focus regularly on connecting with the source of true Joy, God.    I need to slow down, breathe deeply, sit with the Lord and be thankful for the many blessings in my life.  If I do this as a regular practice, I can be more like my mother and recognize His presence in every moment.  I will be calm, grateful, more giving, kind and less stressed.  And maybe, just maybe, the Elf on the Shelf will make it to December 26th.

Reflection by Gretchen O’Donnell

Advent- Prepare for the coming of Jesus

I feel like I wait all year for Christmas.  It’s always been my favorite season. If I had to explain why I think I would say it just seems so filled with joy.  Christmas parties, gift giving, good food, friends and family… all things that I love. It’s also filled with anticipation; each week lighting yet another candle at Mass until all four are finally lit and Christmas day is upon us.  There is another kind of anticipation during Advent; the coming of Christ. When I read this week’s homily my immediate response was, “its Advent, I want to be joyful, not think about the end of the world”. After further reflection and reading, it makes a whole lot of sense.  The readings at the beginning of Advent are about the second coming of Christ and the readings at the end of Advent are about his first coming, his birth in Bethlehem. What a better way to start our Advent season than to ponder Christ’s second coming and whether or not we would be prepared for it.  Will we be ready to stand in front of our Lord and feel good about our lives and how we’ve lived them? What a better time to consider this? What a better time to make a change, even a small change to prepare ourselves for this inevitable day?  

Advent means “coming”.  Preparing for Jesus’s coming into our hearts and lives daily is what we can focus on this Advent and ultimately work toward being ready for Jesus’s second coming.  One way I like to do this during Advent is to increase my prayer time.  Dynamic Catholic’s “Best Advent Ever” is one simple and quick start to my day as I’m getting ready for work in the morning.  An email is sent to you each morning with a two minute video that include some interesting stories and reflections. This brief prayer time in the morning starts me off on the right foot during what inevitably ends up being the busiest month of my year.  Another idea is a daily rosary. Relevant radio app has a 16 minute rosary I say on my commute to work. Any habit takes 30 days to form, and in my opinion there is no better habit than the rosary. 

Another way to prepare for Advent is to do something for someone in need.  Part of the joy of the holidays is giving.  There is nothing better than to see the look on your loved one’s face when they open that gift you know they really wanted or needed.  The only thing that tops that for me is on Christmas morning, thinking of our family we adopt through my brother’s keeper each year. When we receive our list of family members and what their needs are for the holidays, naturally we shop for them and provide them with Christmas gifts.  What’s more important is we pray for them each day leading up to Christmas and on Christmas morning. Holy Family has opportunities to help others each week, whether it be pulling a Christmas tag from the tree, adopting a family through MBK, or contributing to Christmas baskets with baked goods, etc.. Opportunities are easy to find.   

My last suggestion for preparing for Advent is the easiest of all.  Forgiveness.  Is there someone you are holding a grudge against?  Someone who’s hurt you and you can’t get over it? What relief you’ll feel once you decide to forgive and let go of hurt feelings, resentment or betrayal.  For some, I know this seems the most difficult of all, but in the end you’ll realize the one harmed most by holding the grudge is you.  

Christ’s first coming to us at Christmas as a baby in Bethlehem is upon us.  We cannot control Christ’s second coming, but it will happen. What we can control is Christ’s daily coming into our lives and hearts through prayer and the sacraments.  A wake up call is upon us and it’s time to prepare, will we be ready?

Reflection by Joanna Bishop

Christ the King

I’ve always loved the image of Christ as the Good Shepherd.  Perhaps that’s why I’ve never related very well to the Feast of Christ the King that we celebrate the last Sunday of Ordinary Time before we enter the season of Advent.  So as I began this reflection, I found myself thinking about what I know about kings and about what kind of king Jesus is.

Having grown up in a democracy, I soon realized I know very little about kings except for superficial stereotypes gleaned from films and books in which they wear sumptuous attire, feast on rich foods, and rule their kingdoms with an iron hand.  None of this could I relate to Jesus.

Luckily, however, recently I happened to watch the remake of the classic Disney film, The Lion King, interested in how the original animated characters would be technologically transformed into realistic looking animals.  Besides affirming “the circle of life” as Simba eventually becomes king after the death of Mufasa, the story had a great deal to say about the nature of a true king as taught to Simba by his father.  Three qualities especially struck me:  a noble king gives more than he takes, protects his subjects, and is compassionate rather than self-serving. 

In thinking about giving more than taking, Jesus’ third temptation in the desert came to mind.  The Devil attempts to seduce Jesus by taking him to a high mountain to show him “all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them; and he said to him, ‘All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.’”  (Mt. 4:8-9)  But Jesus cannot be tempted to take command of earthly kingdoms for as he later tells his disciples, “…what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life?” (Mt. 16:26)  Rather than grasping power, Jesus seeks to give through his ministry of teaching, “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” (Jn. 15:11)

Besides giving of himself to all whom Jesus encounters, he also seeks to protect them.  Nothing could be further from the actions of Simba’s treacherous uncle, Scar, who unlawfully becomes king by killing Mufasa, ravaging the Pride Lands, and dominating his subjects through fear.  Jesus, unlike the Pharisees who “…bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders” (Mt. 23:4), only wanted to help and protect the inhabitants of Jerusalem and Israel, “How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not!” (Mt. 23:37)

Lastly, Jesus, as a true king, is compassionate rather than self-serving.  The characters in Scripture whom Jesus treats with mercy and compassion are innumerable, but some come readily to mind:  the woman taken in adultery, the ten lepers, the woman with a hemorrhage, the centurion’s servant, Jairus’ daughter, the widow’s son, and, in the gospel on the Feast of Christ the King, the good thief who asks, “Jesus, remember me when you come in your kingly power” to which Jesus  replies, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” (Lk. 23:42-43)

By the end of this reflection, I found I had learned more about the nature of a true and noble king.  But, more happily, I came to realize that whether as the Good Shepherd or as Christ the King, Jesus continues to draw me to him in admiration and  deeper love as the most giving, protective, and tenderly compassionate Lord of my life.  

Reflection by Evelyn Pezzulich 

God will sustain us!

When Matthew Bensman, Holy Family’s Youth Faith Formation Minister, asked me to write about this week’s readings and to provide my own interpretation and reflection for other parishioners to read, I thought to myself, what an honor, I’d love to, I enjoy writing, this ought to be easy. Looking back at my initial thoughts, it’s not such an easy a task that I thought it would be.

That being said, I marvel at the amazing job that our parish priests and deacon provide for us each week by sharing with us their interpretations of the gospel and readings, they each make it look and sound so easy.  Their message about God’s word comes across so eloquently and they’re able to apply it to the modern times we live in.

I don’t profess to be an expert in the bible and its interpretations, so I did need some help in interpreting the Lord’s message.  Naturally we turn to the internet, and so that is just what I did.  Having done so, I stumbled across a website called workingpreacher.org.  After typing in Luke 21:5-19, I got many sites that popped up, but this one drew me in and appealed to me the most.

In the commentary regarding Luke 21 written by David Tiede an Emeritus Professor of the New Testament he sums it up in a nutshell in just one sentence, Jesus never promised it would be easy to follow him.  In the Gospel Reading it speaks of Jesus traveling to Jerusalem and on His travels He is alerting His followers to hardships ahead, beyond the time of His journey.

We all can relate to hardships in our lives, like those brought about by nature such as earthquakes, fires, hurricanes that we ourselves or family members may have suffered. Or, we might be able to relate to the hardships that may be accidental or intentional, such as the loss of a loved one, loss of a job, divorce or those having to do with medical issues.  Whatever the hardship, Jesus reassures His followers that through it all He will be with us.  Professor Tiede reminds us that even the harsh prophecies of Luke 21 are filled with the confidence of Jesus' enduring presence.

Having faith in Jesus’ enduring presence isn’t always easy.  I recall an image of a photograph taken after 9/11 that has stuck with me for years.  The image is of steel beams in the shape of the crucifix standing in the rubble left behind after this devastating disaster.  If you have ever visited the 9/11 Memorial the crucifix was retrieved, and is now a part of the display in the memorial museum. 

It struck me that people who survived or family members who lost loved ones, probably felt abandoned and wondered why God let this terrible tragedy happen. How could He have abandoned them during this desperate time of need?  But God did not and still has not abandoned them. He has sustained them all for He had sent a sign in the form of a steel crucifix that His presence was there with them, and always will be.

 You are immediately reminded of the time Jesus Himself was crucified on the cross to save sinners, and yet at His most desperate time of need, He calls out to His Father, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Matthew 27:46. In His humanity, Jesus teaches us that God will always be with us because He loves us. God never forsake His only Son, in fact in death He called His Spirit to return to be with His Father.

 Professor Teide continues by referencing David Livingstone, the legendary missionary to Africa, who once prayed, "Lord, send me anywhere, only go with me. Lay any burden on me, only sustain me." And He testified, "What has sustained me is the promise, 'Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world."

Although at times it might not always be easy to follow the Lord, we must remember these powerful words during the most difficult of hardships that God loves us, He will be with us always, and He will sustain us, even to the end of the world.

 


Reflection by Maria Dyson

It was then that I carried you

A strong faith in the afterlife gives us strength to endure the difficulties and pain in the here and now.

Human existence is a combination of joy and sorrow, of happiness and struggle. We sing and dance at the birth of a baby. We cry and mourn at the passing of a loved one.

Knowing that Jesus walks beside us during our hours of hardship, and having faith that life everlasting awaits us, is what enables us to endure life’s most difficult times.

In this week’s Gospel reading according to Luke, some Sadducees set a trap for Jesus attempting to challenge his affirmation of an afterlife, as the Sadducees did not believe there was life after death. They posed a riddle for Jesus regarding whom a woman would be married to in heaven, if she had married a succession of seven brothers who had died one after another.

As always, Jesus thwarted His opponents with His wisdom and poise, proclaiming to them that those in heaven do not marry. Jesus informs them that in the coming age after the Resurrection of the dead, people no longer die for they are like angels and are children of God. Jesus strongly affirms that the dead will rise.

In the first reading from the Old Testament in the second book of Maccabees, seven faith filled Jewish brothers and their mother are arrested by the king, tortured and threaten with death, to force them eat pork in violation of God’s law. To the king’s amazement, each of the brothers were willing to accept torture rather than violate The Law, as they were put to death one by one.

As one brother attested, “you are depriving us of this present life, but the King of the world will raise us up to live again forever.”

These brothers were good and faith filled men, and they were being punished unjustly. They didn’t deserve this agony. They didn’t deserve death. Yet it came to them anyway.

It was their faith in God and in the promise of life after death that gave them the strength and courage to endure the terrible punishment delivered to them.

And such it is with each of us. In life we all experience life’s joys and sorrows, and bad things happen to good people. Our faith in God will not prevent illness, accidents, and misfortune as we are all mortal men and women.

But it is that same faith and belief in the resurrection of our loved ones and ourselves, as promised by Jesus, that will give us the strength to endure life’s most difficult challenges.  We are not alone. Jesus and the Holy Spirit walk beside us to support and guide us when we need it most, until that day when the King of the world will raise us up to live again forever.

Reflection by Don Larose

Mom, Do You Know Everything About God?

“Mom, do you know everything about God?”

Today my eight year old and I sang in the church choir, while my husband sat with our five year old on the other side of church during mass.  When we came home it was time to paint and carve pumpkins, fold laundry, clean dishes, get our workouts in, run errands and get dinner on the table.  Finally, the boys were freshly bathed, in pajamas and their teeth were brushed.  I had just finished reading a bedtime story on the oversized bean bag chair in their room.  My eight year old takes a running jump onto the back of the bean bag.  He rests his chin on my shoulder and says, “Mom, do you know everything about God?”  Before that moment I had no clue what I was going to include in the blog that I promised to write.  All I knew was that I had to get it done Sunday night, or it would NEVER get written. 

Being a Mom raising a family in today’s church, that was what I would write about.  Do I have all the answers…  Of course not!  All I know is that I do the best that I can.  I grew up Catholic, with a Jewish family on my mom’s side and a Catholic family on my father’s side.  My mom or dad would drop me off at Sunday School every week; and when I was old enough, I walked from down the hill after Sunday School every Sunday to sit in church with my grandmother, Nanny.  Nanny was the only member of the family that attended 10:15 Mass every week.  Afterwards, we often went to breakfast then she took me home.  Once I received my Confirmation, I was a teacher’s helper at Sunday School until I graduated.  St. Peter’s in Liberty, NY was my home church and Father Ed was the only Priest I knew.

I went off to college in 1999.  I quickly found Music Ministry at the College Masses and the Newman Club which was the Catholic club for college students.  The church at college got me through a lot of the struggles that college students have.  However, once I left college, I had a hard time finding a Catholic Church that was a good fit for our family.   I often would travel back to Liberty to take Nanny who was now in her late 80’s to church on Sunday.  I decided to have our local church in Monroe, New York baptize both of our children.  When I went to the church to register my second child to be Baptized, Sister Rose commented on how she has never seen me at a Mass before.  Of course, my heart began to race.  Oh no, I have sinned!  I have been neglecting to go to church.  I had a newborn and a very active 3 year old that can’t sit still more than 5 seconds.  I felt SHAME.  Our oldest began to take CCD classes that were an hour and a half long EVERY SINGLE week.  He fought me tooth and nail every single Saturday morning because he did not want to go.  I would attempt to take my children to church but it was always more than a handful. 

My husband moved to Duxbury about a year ahead of the rest of us.  When we would come up to see him once a month, we started to attend Mass at Holy Family.  I loved the music at the Children’s Mass.  There were children everywhere and no one seemed to mind when my younger child was louder than I would have liked him to be.  I had found my “home.”  I had found Him again!

I’m not going to try to hide it.  If you have been to the 9AM Mass on Sundays, you have most likely either heard my 5 year old screaming at the top of his lungs, just to hear his voice echo in the Church or seen the little blond kid tackling his brother when the priest calls the kids up to listen to the Homily!  Yup!  Those are mine!  Needless to say, I have my hands full.  When we go out to dinner or lunch, my children are absolute ANGELS.  Parent teacher conferences?  Again ANGELS.  Home? Church?  You would expect to see little horns appearing out of their heads.

Being a Mom does not come with a manual.  I thought I had this parent thing covered when I decided to have kids.  I can control a music class of 26 children and hold a choir rehearsal for 85 all by myself. Class management was my thing.  So it came to a HUGE surprise to me when my own children wouldn’t listen to me.  My judgmental family would make comments such as “You need to get those boys under control” or “Your children need you to be firmer.”  Those comments hurt, but I ignored them the best I can.  

There was one extremely challenging Mass for both my children about a year ago.  I left the Mass in tears because I was so embarrassed by the way my children were acting.  I was new to the church then, I knew very few people in the town, let alone the church.  I remember Father Tom stopping me as I was leaving.  I sobbingly apologized for the display of HORRENDOUS behavior from my sons.  He looked at me and said that “There is no need to apologize.  This is the Children’s Mass.  We are very tolerant of young children in the Church.  You are welcome at any Mass.  God Bless you and your family.”  All of a sudden, my tears turned to tears of relief and thankfulness towards my new church.

I am blessed; Blessed with two beautiful yet active young boys.  Today a woman came up to me after Mass to tell me how adorable my younger son was today.  My response was “Adorable? Yes.  But very active.”  She then told me that she knows a young child that has special needs and that cannot be active.  I once again was reminded how blessed I was amidst the struggles.  

Getting back to my son’s question…  Do I know everything about God?  Of course, I don’t.  But I want to learn more.  That is why I go to church.  I am not perfect.  I make many mistakes being a mom, being a person.  But I ask forgiveness and I pray to be better.  Wasn’t that what the homily was about this week?  The two men who came in to pray.  One man took his position in the pew and prayed because he did everything the right way, giving God thanks, while the Tax Collector went to the back of the church to ask for forgiveness from God because he knowingly cheated people.  Of course, I do not cheat people, but as a Mom, with so many things to get done I feel that my children get cheated at times, that they may not get the best of me.  I pray for more balance in my life, so I can be a better mom.  But God knows that I am doing the best that I can. 

I don’t know everything about God, but God knows everything about me!

Reflection by: Megahn Hughes

We all need God's Mercy!

In this week’s Gospel (Luke 18:9-14), Jesus addresses his parable to all who consider themselves righteous and superior to those they consider morally deficient compared to themselves.  Having recently completed Faith Formation’s series on the Parables, I appreciate that while the parables teach a universal truth, how this truth is perceived can be seen from various perspectives, e.g. from the perspective of a first century Jew and from a modern day Catholic.  Additionally, upon further reflection, Parables often offer a deeper meaning.  

In the Parable, in order to demonstrate how self-righteousness and feelings of superiority are contrary to God’s wishes, Jesus uses an extreme comparison.  The Pharisee who is self-righteous and considers himself superior to the tax collector would probably be also considered by virtue of his position in the religious hierarchy superior by the general Jewish population.  The tax collector, on the other hand, would have been reviled and probably considered morally inferior by Jesus’ audience.  The Pharisee thanks Jesus for making him superior and lists his positive attributes which may exceed the minimum strictures. In fact he may be speaking to himself when comparing his life to the tax collector. He does not request mercy nor asks God for anything.  This indicates that he feels in control and does not need God. It also shows that he has no understanding of the reality of humility.

In contrast, the tax collector recognizes that he is a sinner and places himself at the mercy of God.  Jesus teaches that this prayer is acceptable to God.  Unlike the Pharisee, the tax collector understands that he is dependent on God’s mercy.  While the Pharisee’s conduct was laudable (fasting, paying tithes, etc.) he appears to think that he is not in need of God’s forgiveness.  God knows his deeds. The Pharisee does not need to list them for Him. He exalts himself with words while the tax collector humbles himself and understands the reality that we need God.  The fact that Jesus states that the acceptable prayer was the one the tax collector prayed demonstrates that, among other things, God’s judgement is not based on appearances or actions. God knows what is in a person’s heart.  

Although in today’s world tax collectors are not quite as reviled as in the first century and there aren’t many Pharisees around, I believe that we still need to guard against comparing ourselves to others either favorably or unfavorably and avoid any feelings of pride when we perform good works, which we are mandated to do anyway.  At times such comparisons or feelings may be subtle and may manifest themselves in anger. For me I know I am particularly vulnerable when listening to politicians, celebrities, or athletes espousing views that are contrary to Catholic teachings.  I need God’s help to keep in mind that only He knows what is in their heart and what really causes them to believe what they proclaim.  This is especially trying when they claim to be Catholic. Consequently, I am always in need of God’s mercy.      

Reflection by Robert Galibois

The Widow and the Judge

This fall, I have been a participant in Seekers II, an adult faith formation group at Holy Family.  The group met several times to discuss Catholic Social Teaching (CST) and the parables that support and explain CST.  With the guidance of our leaders, Linda Crowley and Jeanne Creagan, the participants and I quickly realized the parables are not as straight forward as they seem.  The first glance parables appear to mean one thing but on further careful inspection and research mean something else entirely. Itis only with some persistence the meaning of the parable will be revealed.

The parable in this weekend's gospel "The Widow and the Judge" (Luke 18:1-8) tells the story of a widow who repeatedly appeals to a judge for help.  Every time the widow comes to the judge with the same plea he refuses to do anything to help the widow. Eventually, after an unnamed number of pleas; the judge relents to the widow's plea.   Sadly, the judge did not answer the widow's pleas out of compassion, a sense of righteousness, or even for a fear of God. The judge finally answered the persistent widow because she was a nuisance to him.

Thankfully, the Gospel reading does not end there.  Jesus turns to the listeners and begins to compare God to the judge; God as loving and the judge as indifferent.  If we are as persistent as the widow in our own daily prayer life won't God, who loves us so completely, answer our prayers with a loving heart?  Jesus ends the telling of the parable by saying "When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" (Luke 18:8).

   If you want a scholarly interpretation of the parable it is easy to find one by doing an internet search.  For me, I did not search for the meaning of the parable but immediately thought about my own prayer life. The things and people I have prayed for, and how the prayers were answered. There have been times when I had a robust prayer life and others when my prayer life was less than what God deserves.  Typically, my prayers center around the health and happiness of my family, friends, fellow parishioners, that all people will know God's love and have strength to live with the circumstances of their life.  

There have been a few times in my life when I prayed in moments of enormous need.  Twice, separated by decades, I prayed for God to save the life of two different family members’.  The first time, my prayer was "not answered" and my loved one died. The second time my prayer was "answered" and my loved one lived.  I have had prayers for my personal health "answered" every day. And I have had prayers go "unanswered" for many years. In the end, all our prayers are answered.  Perhaps not the way we wanted or can comprehend. Regardless of the outcome, I continue to persistently pray because I have faith that God listens to me and knows what is best.  Although, I or my loved may suffer despite prayers I must continue to be persistent. And when all else fails, I hold on tight to the hope that all things will be revealed to me when I am reunited with God and my loved ones in heaven.

My prayer today is that you and I will be persistent in our prayer life and our continued faith in God.

Reflection by Aimee Casale