Daily Homily 3-18-2020
Dear Parishioners,
I would like to keep a line of communication open with you during these difficult days. Therefore, I am going to be posting a short homily each day until the current health scare is over. I will also include any relevant announcements concerning our parish. Although, I don’t like the thought of maintaining relationships through virtual means this seems like the best way of trying to maintain some connection. So, look for my daily posts in the days ahead. Each morning Fr. Matthew and I will be celebrating a (private) Mass for all parishioners. I would welcome any emails from you concerning your intentions for this Mass.
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In the passage from the Gospel of Matthew that we read at Mass today Jesus says, “I have come not to destroy the law, but to fulfill it.” Sometimes we think that Jesus did not value rules and regulations very much. We might think he was a holy anarchist, but he had a great respect for the Old Covenant.
The way we might look at this question is that Jesus felt that the Law of Moses was a necessary development before his own Law of Love could take root in people’s lives. The world had to know the basics of right and wrong before people could mature and follow the way of the Gospel in their lives.
Too often, in our world, those who catechize others may skip teaching basic morality before they instruct people to love one another. St. Augustine was known to say, “Love God and then do whatever you like.” But Augustine was also a stickler for keeping the commandments. We show our love by being obedient to the wishes of God.
Jesus was not condemning everything in the past in order to promote his new teaching. Another wise person once said that if constantly promote an argument between the past and the present we will not have a future.
Right now, there is a lot of recrimination about the steps that have been taken to stop the Covid 19 virus. As we live in the present moment, we cannot constantly be looking backward to criticize how this pandemic has been addressed. We need to do what we can today and not burn up all our energy slinging arrows at people who have made mistakes. If we do this, we will not have the energy to move into the future. Writing the history of this historical moment can take place later.
Jesus reminds us that none of us is perfect. We are sinners who need to forgive. We learn from the past and respect it, we try to love others in the precious present, and we hope that the future will be better.
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I would remind all of you of a couple of policies that have been put in place. I am only going to address those that may have immediate impact. As the days go by, I will be relaying other directives.
1. All meetings and activities have been canceled. This includes Mases (both daily and Sunday). Someone may ask about the Mass intentions for a particular Mass. We will use those intentions later. The Masses will be said.
2. If someone dies there will be an internment at the cemetery. There is not to be a Mass at church or a service at the funeral home. Attendance at the internment will be limited to the closest family members. A memorial Mass can be said a later time. That will be the choice of the families involved when the present difficulties are over.
3. The hospitals have been closed to all visitors including pastoral care workers. Even the priests cannot enter unless it is a situation where someone is in danger of death and needs to be anointed. This is difficult for everyone. If you have someone who is dying, and you would like them anointed Fr. Matthew and I will come, but we cannot come into a home unless we are invited.
None of us likes the situation we find ourselves in, but the number of new Covid 19 cases continues to grow. I feel sad that my ministry is so limited right now but I try to understand that we need to slow the virus down. I am trying to let go of my need to control and I am trying to use this time for reflection. I can get caught up in constantly listening to the talking heads in the media and forget to listen to the Spirit. What is God teaching us right now? I am still figuring that one out.
During times of plague, national disaster and war nations have turned to or Lady for protection. I would encourage everyone to ask the Blessed Mother to intercede for us in this time of great need. The mysteries of the rosary that we meditate on in Lent are the sorrowful mysteries. As we pray, we ask Jesus to help us carry the unexpected cross that has dropped on us.