Dear Parishioners:
At the end of every century one can find preachers telling us of the impending end of the world. As we approach the end of the millennium, it will be worse.
The true point is that we do not know the day nor the hour. Jesus will come like a "thief in the night." He will come when we least expect it. The end of the world can come at any moment. But that is not the important worry.
Each of us will have our personal meeting with Jesus when our earthly body dies. That can happen by accident, through illness, etc. We have to be ready for that moment. When it arrives there will be no second chance. There will be no tomorrow's. When the Church teaches about these matters, it is not to frighten us, but to bring reality to our minds and hearts. It is not a sign of mercy when we hide the truth from one another. Refusing to talk about death, about judgment, will lull us into a false sense of security.
True security can be found only in God's love. Death is part of God's mercy. We should fear this judgment because if we fail, we will end up in hell. Some would like to do away with this, but if there is no hell, the death of Jesus is a waste of love. To do away with hell is to make the cross a joke rather than a sign of victory.
God gave us His all, the totality of His love. Sin is so evil that it brought the death of Jesus. This act of love makes sense only if hell is real, only if the consequence of sin is the loss of Godâs love for all eternity with no hope of seeing the beatific beauty.
long with this we must also remember that Jesus has given you and me a Sacrament which offers forgiveness, reconciliation, and restoration. "If your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow," (Is. 1:18). Jesus made friends with many sinners. In fact, we are a Church of sinners which makes us just the people Jesus is searching out. We are the ones for whom He died. We are the ones He came to heal.
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Todayâs feast of the Dedication of St. John Lateran is a celebration of the Mater Ecclesia Romae Urbis et Orbis; Mother of all the churches of Rome and of the world. The basilica was dedicated by Pope Sylvester in 324 AD
Churches are a symbol of the presence of God. This feast is reminiscent of the feast of the dedication of the temple of Solomon. The church building is a sign of the Church-assembly. We should approach our church buildings with great respect and reverence. When we enter the church we enter into the presence of Jesus. We have this presence in a most special way in the tabernacle.
We too are the presence of Jesus in so far as we are members of His Body. We the Church are His Body. We indeed gain a special strength when we come together in the church building and pray as His gathered assembly. And because this building has such an important place in our lives let us make a renewed effort to maintain neatness and proper decorum.
A few practical pointers: pick up paper etc. and throw it away; do not allow children to eat when in church; do not chew gum or candy in church; keep the hymnals and missalettes neat; refrain from talking especially before Mass.
Fr. Bill
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