Fr. Bill's Weekly Message
for 8/2/98
Dear Parishioners:
First of all, many thanks to John Pelletier who
has served us as the President of your Parish Council for the past two
years. We will keep him in our prayers as he completes his studies for
ordination as a deacon this coming February. Also keep Don Rapp in your
prayers as he completes his studies for ordination. Taking John's place
as President of the Council is Pat Hanson. Pat has been instrumental in
our Stewardship program over the past year. She serves on the Finance Council
as well. Pat is a great organizer and I look forward to working with her.
************
Our Holy Father's letter on the place of Sunday in our
lives is wonderful to read. The following is a small portion of the
introduction to the letter. I have added a few points of emphasis.
1. The Lord's Day...has always been accorded special
attention in the history of the Church because of its close connection
with the very core of the Christian mystery...It is Easter which returns
week by week, celebrating Christ's victory over sin and death, the fulfillment
in him of the first creation and the dawn of "the new creation" (cf. 2
Cor 5:17). It is the day which recalls in grateful adoration the world's
first day and looks forward in active hope to "the last day", when Christ
will come in glory (cf. Acts 1:11; 1 Th 4:13-17) and all things will be
made new (cf. Rev 21:5).
2. The Resurrection of Jesus is the fundamental event
upon which Christian faith rests (cf. 1 Cor 15:14).
3. The fundamental importance of Sunday has been recognized
through two thousand years of history and was emphatically restated
by the Second Vatican Council: "Every seven days, the Church celebrates
the Easter mystery. This is a tradition going back to the Apostles, taking
its origin from the actual day of Christ's Resurrection - a day thus appropriately
designated 'the Lord's Day'."
4. Until quite recently, it was easier in traditionally
Christian countries to keep Sunday holy because it was an almost universal
practice, and because, even in the organization of civil society, Sunday
rest was considered a fixed part of the work schedule..... The disciples
of Christ, however, are asked to avoid any confusion between the celebration
of Sunday, which should truly be a way of keeping the Lord's Day holy,
and the "weekend", understood as a time of simple rest and relaxation.
This will require a genuine spiritual maturity, which will enable Christians
to "be what they are," in full accordance with the gift of faith, always
ready to give an account of the hope which is in them (cf. 1 Pt 3:15).
Every Catholic has a serious obligation to reach this
spiritual maturity, in regards to all matters of faith. The Pope reminds
us later on in the letter that there is still a serious moral obligation
to attend Sunday Mass. When we miss Mass through our own fault we commit
a mortal sin. If we do not bring our children we commit another sin.
This importance of Sunday is found in history, the
Resurrection of Jesus. Let us keep this day holy and invite our fellow
Catholics who should be here to be here with us. We need them.
God bless,
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