Homily: Feast of St. Pius Pietrelcina (Padre Pio)

Feast of St. Pius Pietrelcina (Padre Pio) Lk: 9:18-22

I watched, with interest, the Ken Burns documentary on “America and the Holocaust.” This was a three-night presentation on PBS, and I found in riveting. Millions of people were killed by the Nazis. The footage of the carnage was shocking. The stories of survivors were heart rendering.

We would have to say that Hitler and his henchmen unleased an industrial killing machine. For this terrible crime to occur, thousands of people had to cooperate. And millions of people had to turn a blind eye.

At the end of the program, Mark Twain was quoted. He said, “History does not constantly repeat itself, but it rhymes over and over.” In other words, now two situations are the same, but similar things happen again and again.

At end of the program a group of concentration camp survivors gather with a Rabbi, and they have a prayer service. The men are shells of their former selves. Most do not join in the prayers. The question many had is where is God in all of this? Many people did lose their faith because of the unfettered cruelty and murder.

I was struck at the end by the fact that Jesus was Jewish. As the Gospel reminds us today, he was tortured to death. Where is God? God was in each person gassed and incinerated. 

Does God care and understand? When we ask that question, we need to meditate on the crucified Christ for a while. Jesus is the proof that God does take note of genocide, hate, prejudice, injustice and a host of other ills that plague our world.

What can we do? The witnesses to the holocaust convinced themselves that there was nothing that could be done to help, but if people would have spoken up right away much of the death could have been prevented. We need to be ever vigilant and risk the cross to proclaim the love that Jesus preached.

1.    Where is the Holocaust happening in the world today? Do I feel helpless to stop genocide?

2.    Does speaking out about the little things prevent larger problems?

Am I too quiet in the face of injustice?

 Dear Parishioners,

           Remember that religious education has begun and so has children’s liturgy of the word. The children’s liturgy of the word takes place during the 9:15 Mass. This is for children who have not received their First Communion yet. They can leave at the beginning of Mass and then come back at the offertory. The instruction at the present time takes place in the basement of the Lee Center. When our gathering space building is complete the children will be instructed there.

          There is an announcement made at the beginning of Mass and the children leave from the Northwest door of the church. We have several wonderful teachers involved. If you know of anyone who has young children, this is a great option for them. The scriptures can be explained with them in mind. The whole activity lasts less than a half hour. No registration is required. Children just need to come to the Mass.

          May Our Lady and all the Angels and Saints pray for us today.

          Fr. Mark