We have all, I’m sure, been taught from a very early age that teamwork
is a very important thing. There is the obvious sports reference of
course, but this is true whether we are talking about doing physical
labor, brainstorming ideas, getting the word out to people about
something new, or a variety of other ways in which a group of people
work as a team to get a job done.
As Christians, the idea of teamwork is also applicable to growing in our
is a very important thing. There is the obvious sports reference of
course, but this is true whether we are talking about doing physical
labor, brainstorming ideas, getting the word out to people about
something new, or a variety of other ways in which a group of people
work as a team to get a job done.
As Christians, the idea of teamwork is also applicable to growing in our
faith. Our baptism puts us in a unique relationship with God, the
saints in Heaven, and the whole Church. This is the “team” that
will help us grow in faith. Now consider for a moment what I just
said. All those I just mentioned are helping us get to Heaven. We
know that God is doing this: He gives us all the graces we need. The
saints are praying for us in Heaven and they give us great examples
of how to live a virtuous life, so no surprises there. But have you
ever considered that the Church as a whole is helping us to get to
Heaven? We are talking about everyone who is a part of the Church
Universal, not just those who attend this particular Church. This is
every Catholic throughout the world. This is the people we know, the
people we don’t know, the people we get along with great, and the
people we don't always get along with. This is every member of the
Church. We help each other grow in holiness by praying and
worshiping as a community of faith, and by supporting and encouraging
each other as family, with God as our Father and Jesus our Brother.
My point is that the Church helps us.
I once heard a story about a priest. I think it’s true and I
saints in Heaven, and the whole Church. This is the “team” that
will help us grow in faith. Now consider for a moment what I just
said. All those I just mentioned are helping us get to Heaven. We
know that God is doing this: He gives us all the graces we need. The
saints are praying for us in Heaven and they give us great examples
of how to live a virtuous life, so no surprises there. But have you
ever considered that the Church as a whole is helping us to get to
Heaven? We are talking about everyone who is a part of the Church
Universal, not just those who attend this particular Church. This is
every Catholic throughout the world. This is the people we know, the
people we don’t know, the people we get along with great, and the
people we don't always get along with. This is every member of the
Church. We help each other grow in holiness by praying and
worshiping as a community of faith, and by supporting and encouraging
each other as family, with God as our Father and Jesus our Brother.
My point is that the Church helps us.
I once heard a story about a priest. I think it’s true and I
certainly hope it’s true, but even if it’s not, it gives us
something to think about. A young priest heard about a man in the
parish who used to come quite regularly to Sunday Mass, but was now
very rarely seen at Mass. People had seen him around town, so it
wasn’t because of an injury or physical handicap or anything like
that. He simply wasn’t coming.
The priest decided to pay a visit to the gentleman, just to meet him and
something to think about. A young priest heard about a man in the
parish who used to come quite regularly to Sunday Mass, but was now
very rarely seen at Mass. People had seen him around town, so it
wasn’t because of an injury or physical handicap or anything like
that. He simply wasn’t coming.
The priest decided to pay a visit to the gentleman, just to meet him and
find out what was happening in his life. They agreed on a time to
meet, and the priest came to his house. The parishioner welcomed the
priest and invited him to sit in an easy chair next to a cozy fire.
The two talked for a bit and exchanged pleasantries. Then the priest
brought up that he hadn’t noticed the man at church recently and
politely asked why that was. The man replied, “Father, I used to
go to church every Sunday, but then I stopped because I didn’t feel
like I was getting much out of it. I’ve found that I feel much
closer to God when I’m out fishing in my boat or out hunting or
hiking in the woods. I pray when I’m out there and just feel like
I get so much more out of being in God’s creation than in sitting
in church. I just don’t feel like I need church.”
The priest nodded and both men stared at the fire for a moment. A bed of
meet, and the priest came to his house. The parishioner welcomed the
priest and invited him to sit in an easy chair next to a cozy fire.
The two talked for a bit and exchanged pleasantries. Then the priest
brought up that he hadn’t noticed the man at church recently and
politely asked why that was. The man replied, “Father, I used to
go to church every Sunday, but then I stopped because I didn’t feel
like I was getting much out of it. I’ve found that I feel much
closer to God when I’m out fishing in my boat or out hunting or
hiking in the woods. I pray when I’m out there and just feel like
I get so much more out of being in God’s creation than in sitting
in church. I just don’t feel like I need church.”
The priest nodded and both men stared at the fire for a moment. A bed of
bright red coals glowed around the burning log. The priest broke the
silence and began a new topic; maybe about sports or a favorite
fishing spot. As he began, he picked up the fire poker, which was
next to his chair and pulled out a single, glowing coal from the fire
so that it sat alone on a brick in front of the hearth. The man
noticed this, but didn’t say anything about it. The two continued
to talk about the weather, favorite pastimes, and things going on in
the news. As they talked, the man would occasionally look down at
the coal the priest had pulled out. Though it had been bright red at
first, the glow slowly dimmed. After a time, coal was nearly all
black with just a faint tint of red. As it looked like it would go
out completely, the priest picked up the poker again and slowly
pushed the coal back into the fire. Almost immediately its former
glow returned with full force, as if being returned to its “brother
and sister coals” had given it new life. They stared at the fire
in silence again, until the gentleman spoke, “I understand, Father.
I’ll be in Church this Sunday.”
If we try to live out our faith on our own, if we try to live it without
silence and began a new topic; maybe about sports or a favorite
fishing spot. As he began, he picked up the fire poker, which was
next to his chair and pulled out a single, glowing coal from the fire
so that it sat alone on a brick in front of the hearth. The man
noticed this, but didn’t say anything about it. The two continued
to talk about the weather, favorite pastimes, and things going on in
the news. As they talked, the man would occasionally look down at
the coal the priest had pulled out. Though it had been bright red at
first, the glow slowly dimmed. After a time, coal was nearly all
black with just a faint tint of red. As it looked like it would go
out completely, the priest picked up the poker again and slowly
pushed the coal back into the fire. Almost immediately its former
glow returned with full force, as if being returned to its “brother
and sister coals” had given it new life. They stared at the fire
in silence again, until the gentleman spoke, “I understand, Father.
I’ll be in Church this Sunday.”
If we try to live out our faith on our own, if we try to live it without
the Church, if we try to live it without the Communion of Saints, if
we try to live it without asking for God's help when we need it, we
are going to fail miserably. We need the help of God, Heaven, and
the Church in order to keep the fire within our hearts burning.
Two of our readings today and our psalm use the images of light and
we try to live it without asking for God's help when we need it, we
are going to fail miserably. We need the help of God, Heaven, and
the Church in order to keep the fire within our hearts burning.
Two of our readings today and our psalm use the images of light and
darkness to help illustrate how we need much more than just our own
strength and will-power if we hope one day to be with God for
eternity. Isaiah prophesies that God will be with us and will dwell
among us. This is the Messiah who will come from Nazareth of
Galilee, the District of the Gentiles. This is Jesus, who will come
to be a light to all nations and to bring them back to God. St.
Matthew quotes the same words of Isaiah in the Gospel passage we hear
today. The quote and the original have a few different words, but
that's because of a difference in translation. My point is they are
meant to be the same passage. Matthew is bringing it up because at
this point in his account of Jesus' life, Jesus is beginning His
ministry an is fulfilling that prophesy. He has left His home in
Nazareth and has set up his “home base”, if you will, at
Capernaum along the Sea of Galilee. God is among us.
Jesus, as the Son of God certainly is bringing that light into the world and
strength and will-power if we hope one day to be with God for
eternity. Isaiah prophesies that God will be with us and will dwell
among us. This is the Messiah who will come from Nazareth of
Galilee, the District of the Gentiles. This is Jesus, who will come
to be a light to all nations and to bring them back to God. St.
Matthew quotes the same words of Isaiah in the Gospel passage we hear
today. The quote and the original have a few different words, but
that's because of a difference in translation. My point is they are
meant to be the same passage. Matthew is bringing it up because at
this point in his account of Jesus' life, Jesus is beginning His
ministry an is fulfilling that prophesy. He has left His home in
Nazareth and has set up his “home base”, if you will, at
Capernaum along the Sea of Galilee. God is among us.
Jesus, as the Son of God certainly is bringing that light into the world and
that light is most definitely shining where once only darkness and
gloom dwelt. But the readings also show how important it is to have
other people around us to help us. These people also bring light
where there was once only darkness. Jesus begins calling His
disciples in Matthew, starting with Peter, Andrew, James and John.
They ordinary fishermen, called to be fishers of men. We also hear
from St. Paul that we are not to have divisions among ourselves as
member of the Church. We are simply to follow Christ and to support
each other.
To use one more sports analogy: to be a Catholic Christian is not an
gloom dwelt. But the readings also show how important it is to have
other people around us to help us. These people also bring light
where there was once only darkness. Jesus begins calling His
disciples in Matthew, starting with Peter, Andrew, James and John.
They ordinary fishermen, called to be fishers of men. We also hear
from St. Paul that we are not to have divisions among ourselves as
member of the Church. We are simply to follow Christ and to support
each other.
To use one more sports analogy: to be a Catholic Christian is not an
individual sport, nor is it a spectator sport. We have to have team
work. We must together and ask the saints to pray for us and the
Holy Spirit to guide us. Only then will we have the light of Heaven.
work. We must together and ask the saints to pray for us and the
Holy Spirit to guide us. Only then will we have the light of Heaven.
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